𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑅𝐺𝑅𝐸𝐸𝑁 𝑀𝐼𝑆𝑇 || 𝐷.𝑀.

thirty one

    Months had gone by and the cottage was now an entirely new normal for Draco and Juniper. Every day was something different whether they were in the meadow, walking through the evergreen trees, swimming until it was too cold outside to do so, and going to the nearby older village where not a magical being was in sight. They could both use magic now, Juniper had turned seventeen in October making it easier for them to feel more at home in their Tudor cottage. As the holidays came though, they both felt a bit more sad from being away from their parents for the first time. The little Tudor cottage was surrounded by snow and the lake near the front was completely frozen over, their small Christmas tree was in the corner shining with the warm lights strung on it; Juniper used magic to put it together to try and make it more festive.
    Tonight Juniper came downstairs to see Draco sitting in front of the fireplace, staring into it deeply and didn't realize Juniper had come up behind him. She grabbed the olive green crochet blanket that was on the couch and put it over his shoulders before she sat next to him. Draco opened his arm, offering a place for her under the green blanket with him.
    "What're you thinking about, sweetheart?" Juniper asked him as she leaned her head against his shoulder. The crackling fire was the only noise in the room for a moment as Draco thought.
    "I guess I'm just thinking about us, about this." He shrugged a bit.
    "I know you probably miss your family because of the holidays." Juniper sighed, but Draco chuckled and shook his head.
    "Oh, God don't be silly." He continued to laugh. "Holidays with my family were only fun as a kid, as I got older they got dimmer and quieter. This is probably one of the best holidays I've ever had." Draco admitted to her. "Even if it's just the two of us, it's a much better way to spend the holiday." Juniper laughed a bit again him.
"I do miss my parents. I haven't heard from them in months and it makes me miss them." Juniper told him with a sigh. "This is comforting though. This fire and that tree and this entire cottage. Everything about it is comforting." She smiled. "I love you, Draco. Even if I miss them and we ran away here and we're hiding, I love you." She moved so she was sitting on his lap, her legs on either side of his hips and her hands tangled in his hair.
"I love you too." Draco whispered as she pressed her lips to his. She kissed him intensely, giggling against his lips as his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. "You always giggle." Draco shook his head as he chuckled and then continued to kiss her more softly this time. Their kiss was broken when there was a crunch in the snow, the sound of footsteps coming toward their Tudor cottage. Both of their heads snapped toward the window.
"Draco..." Juniper said quietly, both of them unsure what to do at this point. She and him stood up slowly and of course, he immediately made her stay behind him.
"There's no way anyone could've found us unless it was Hermione." Draco said as he tried to reassure her. He walked to the front door quickly and opened it right as the person was walking up began to raise their fist to knock. "Weasley?" Draco practically yelled, complete relief and surprise consumed him.
"Ron? What are you doing here? Where are the others?" Juniper asked quickly as they moved out of the way so Ron get leave the cold outdoors.
"We know how to find you guys in case of emergencies and well uh...it's nice to see you both, but there's been a bit of an emergency." Ron said hesitantly.
"What do you mean? Come warm up by the fire." Juniper said motioning for him to go and sit.
"Cozy place you've got here." Ron remarked as he looked around.
"Yeah, it's definitely home. Are you hungry?" Draco asked him, but Ron shook his head.
"We've found some horcruxes and we've had some trouble destroying them and it's caused a...uh...well fight and now I'm here and they're somewhere." Ron started to ramble a bit making it hard to keep up.
"You just left?" Juniper asked.
"I didn't know where else to go." Ron shrugged. He continued to tell them all about where they had been and who they had seen, catching them up on the events that occurred while Juniper and Draco were hiding out in the cottage. They were both amazed at the things that had occurred in their absence and all sat there in a bit of shock.
"Are you going back to them?" Juniper asked and Ron shook his head.
"Not yet, not right now." Ron said quickly.
"Mate, you've got to go back." Draco said as he shook his head. "They need your help and I know you think they don't, but they do." He tried to convince Ron.
"I know, I just...I have to take a few days maybe a week." Ron groaned. Juniper was more understanding and nodded, handing him a cup of tea and passing one to Draco as well.
"Stay here for a few days, take a break from hunting horcruxes and when you feel better, we're sending you back." Juniper said making Ron laugh a bit as he nodded.
"Thank you, both of you." Ron told them. Juniper stood up and motioned for Ron to follow her.
    "There's another bedroom upstairs, you can stay there for a few days. Draco and I are over there and don't eat us out of house and home, Ron." Juniper giggled as she showed him the spare bedroom. Ron chuckled and nodded his head.
    "If you need anything," Draco began but paused and shook his head, "uh, yeah don't need anything, I planned on shagging her before you go here and I still plan on doing that." Draco said as he pulled Juniper quickly toward their bedroom, her laughter erupted in the hallway as he picked her up and shut the door.
    "Poor Ron's probably terrified." Juniper continued to laugh as Draco nipped at her neck.
    "Weasley will get over it." Draco told her and they continued about their night uninterrupted and quietly.
    Ron stayed there for about six days before he finally left to find Harry and Hermione again and it would be another five months until they'd see the golden trio again.