Epilogue

Ches walked alongside Draco, trying not to let her pinky twitch toward his. He kept brushing closer. Casually. Like he hadn't just been grinning like he knew a secret.

He probably did.

"What?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Nothing," he said innocently.

She stopped walking. "Draco."

He turned to her, smirk already blooming. "Just thinking about your writing."

Her soul left her body. "What writing?"

"The fanfic. The one with the goblin war and the secret moon elf bloodline. Chapter fourteen was... breathtaking."

Her jaw dropped. "How do you even—?"

"You really shouldn't save things in shared folders, Wyenn." He tapped his temple like a smug librarian. "Also, I made notes."

Ches looked horrified. "You annotated it?!"

"Oh yes," he said brightly. "In the margins. You misspelled 'dagger' as 'daddy' twice, by the way. Changed the tone immensely."

She let out a strangled noise.

"And chapter six? No clue what was going on there. There was a battle, but also a love confession, and someone was unconscious the entire time. Possibly a goat."

"That was symbolic!"

"Of what? Sleep deprivation?"

She groaned, dragging her hands down her face. "I am never writing again."

Draco held up his hands. "Too late. I've already committed it to memory. General Wyenn, Daughter of Shadows and Tragic Backstory, lives forever in my heart."

"If you quote it again, I'll hex your eyebrows off."

He leaned closer. "'Their eyes met across the battlefield, and in that moment, time bowed to destiny.'"

She whacked his arm. "Stop!"

He laughed.

Then caught her hand.

"Don't worry," he said, voice lower now. "If you ever write a sequel, I'm available for... dramatic inspiration."

Her blush practically lit the corridor.

"Only if I get to kill you off in chapter one," she muttered.

Draco smirked. "Make it a slow, emotional death. Something with a monologue."