Draco Malfoy is a Keeper

-Your POV-

"Do you spend a lot of time in the library?"

Y/N let her fingers glide over some of the books. There were hundreds of them. Some very thick, others thin. But most of them looked incredibly old. Dust was hanging in the air and she felt it tickle her nose.

"Hardly. I don't care much for reading."

She threw a quick glance at Draco. His cheeks were red from being outside and the wind had ruffled the neatly combed hair. He looked so real and tangible, less mysterious than before.

If only she could extend her hand and...

"Well, I used to come here with friends to play chess. But I quickly got bored of it."

"I've never played chess."

Draco shrugged his shoulders. "You're not missing out on much. Come on, there's one more place we should visit."

As they were leaving the library, somebody caught Y/N's attention. It was Helena, who was sitting in a corner, reading.

Draco noticed the girl as well. "Her again."

"Yes." Y/N watched her friend and added: "I feel bad."

"Why?"

Draco kept walking and Y/N followed.

She bit her lip. "Well, when I didn't sit with her for dinner yesterday she got very upset. So I sort of lied to her and said that I was just trying to get Blaise to ask her out."

Draco seemed very amused by that idea. "You promised her to make the impossible possible. Blaise can't stand her."

"I know, that's why I feel bad."

Y/N looked up at Draco who noticed and raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you're not trying to ask me for help, right?"

"Well...you two are good friends so maybe-"

"Absolutely not."

"But-"

"No, I will not get involved in Blaise's his love life!"

Y/N sighed. She was screwed.

"I guess I'll have to talk to him myself then."

So far she hasn't exchanged a single word with Blaise. This was impossible.

"It'd be better if you were to drop it. He is very specific with what girls he dates and is also not someone you'd introduce to your parents if you know what I mean."

Y/N understood exactly what he meant and she would have loved to just drop it but how could she explain that to Helena? The girl was obsessed with Blaise so 'you'll find someone better' definitely wouldn't work here.

She'd have to find another way, maybe Pansy could help?

Y/N shook off the thoughts and decided to think about it another time. The curfew was getting closer and she didn't want to miss out a single minute on this version of Draco, the calm and somewhat friendly on.

"What about you?" she asked.

"What about me?"

They were nearing the entrance hall.

"Are you someone a girl would want to introduce to her parents?" She realized how flirtatious that must have sounded just a bit too late but Draco was grinning.

"Definitely."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm smart, I'm wealthy, I've got good manners, I'm a pure..." He stopped himself. "I'm also very good looking. I'd be a great catch for any girl."

"You're also very humble," Y/N joked, smiling.

Draco opened a door. Behind it, a staircase led down.

"Why deny the truth?"

Y/N followed him downstairs, trying her best not to trip.

"And why are you single then if you're so ideal?"

Draco ignored the question and for a second Y/N thought he might not have heard her.

"Oh! I'm also very healthy. No diseases, no genetic cutbacks. Great eye vision. And I doubt I'll ever go bald."

"A true keeper, I see."

The stairs ended in a wide hallway. Paintings of food were decorating the left and right.

"What is this? The wine cellar?"

"No, much better. Come."

He suddenly grabbed Y/N's hand and pulled her with him. She stiffened up at the unexpected touch. Her legs started shaking.

'Y/N, you're acting like a child! Get yourself together!'

They stepped in front of the painting of a fruit bowl.

Draco let go and Y/N had to hide her disappointment. If it was for her, she'd hold Draco's hand for hours.

"Go on, tickle the pear."

"Excuse me?"

Was that British lingo for something?

"Tickle it!"

Unsure and confused, Y/N touched the pear on the painting and stroked it.

The fruit started giggling which almost made her jump back. Then it transformed into a green door handle.

Y/N stared at it. "What just happened?"

"It's called a secret entrance."

Draco opened the door a bit and stepped to the side to let Y/N step through. Like a true gentleman. He hadn't lied about the manners.

Y/N entered the room but would have almost stumbled out again if Draco didn't swiftly close the door behind her.

The two of them were standing in a ginormous kitchen.

A few house elves were running around, cleaning dishes.

"There are usually around a hundred of them when food has to be prepared."

"A hundred?"

Five tables were standing in the middle of the kitchen. Their sizes and placements were identical to those in the Great Hall.

"Yes, who else did you think cooks all the food? They prepare it and then put it on the tables. A second later the plates appear in the Great Hall."

"That's amazing."

At that moment, one house elf noticed them and quickly rushed over.

"What are you doing here? Mr. Malfoy! No students in the kitchen!"

The female had very big eyes and black hair. She mustered first Draco and then Y/N.

"Good evening, Winky. This is Y/N, she is new to Hogwarts. We were wondering if you might have some leftover pudding."

Y/N's heart started beating faster when she heard the word pudding. First of all because she loved pudding and second of all because she hadn't eaten much during dinner because of how nervous she was.

"You always ask for pudding!"

"Not always," Draco corrected her. "Last time it was cake. But that was quite a while back."

Y/N was surprised at how politely Draco was interacting with the house elf. Someone who hates half-bloods but respects house elves. What a strange combination.

Winky sighed. "Cake, pudding, always looking for dessert. Your teeth must be full of holes! I have pudding, wait."

She scurried back to where she came from.

Y/N looked at the boy, amused. "Sounds like you've got a sweet tooth."

"What can I say? I'm insatiable. But my teeth are perfect, just to clarify."

"Perfect like everything else about you?"

For a split second, Draco's expression changed to something unidentifiable. But then his smile was back.

"I can't help that I'm perfect. Guilty as charged."

Winky came back with two bowls and spoons which she handed to them.

"Here, pudding."

"Thanks Winky."

"Thank you so much," Y/N said.

Draco led her to a few empty chairs positioned along the wall. They sat down and started eating in silence.

Caramel and hazlenut. The girl's stomach was dancing with joy.

She watched the house elfs clean the kitchen and then returned her attention to the boy with the bedroom eyes.

"I must say this was a very successful tour. You should consider doing this professionally."

He smiled with the spoon in his mouth. He had been smiling a lot today.

"You're right, I should. But there are still so many things you haven't seen yet."

"Well, I won't be leaving anytime soon, so..."

He nodded which Y/N interpreted as a 'we'll do this again'.

*****

After finishing their pudding, the two had gone back to the Slytherin common room, two minutes before curfew.

They had sat near the fire, just talking for a bit. Then Draco showed Y/N his broom.

Once she got ready for bed, Helena wanted to know every single detail and Y/N happily told her about everything they had done and talked about. Everything but Blaise of course.

She also didn't share that she got to hold Felis as that part seemed just a tad too personal for some reason. That moment in the owlery Draco had been a different person and she wanted to protect his vulnerability.

Once Y/N was lying in her bed, she knew that she had hopelessly fallen in love with Draco Malfoy. There was no use denying it.

Before she found sleep, two question were floating through her mind:

1. How could she like someone whose personality was so terribly flawed? Would he ever feel the same?

2. How would she explain this to her Gryffindor friends?