The courtyard was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of torches. The night air was crisp, and you and Draco stood a little apart from the other students, as if the world around you had slipped away.

Draco looked at you with that familiar smirk, though there was something different about him tonight. The years had passed, and the game hadn't changed.

He turned to you, his gaze softening a little as he said, “We always tell each other what we like… You go first.”

You smiled, a little nervously. This was your tradition, after all these years. The first time had been silly, simple. But now, the words held meaning.

“I like airplanes,” you said, your voice soft.

Draco’s smirk deepened, the familiar twinkle in his eye returning. “I like you,” he replied. His voice, though casual, carried a sincerity you couldn’t ignore.

You shifted slightly, a bit taken aback, but you smiled and continued. “I like to travel.”

“I like you,” Draco said again, his tone unchanged, though the way he said it seemed softer than before.

You couldn’t help but laugh a little, the sound light and freeing. “I like the mornings,” you said.

“I like you,” he answered, his gaze fixed on you now, unwavering.

The years had passed quickly, but the rhythm of these moments had stayed the same. You looked at him, wondering if he could see how much you had changed too. The time between you had always been filled with these small confessions, yet now they felt like more than just words.

You took a deep breath. “I like the wind,” you said.

“I like you,” Draco said, a little quieter now. He wasn’t smirking this time, his voice steadier, with an edge of something you couldn’t quite place.

You turned to him fully now, the distance between you two shrinking with every word. And then, finally, you said the words you had avoided for so long.

“I like you.”

For a moment, Draco didn’t say anything. He just looked at you, his eyes holding something that felt like the answer, even without words. Then, softly, he replied, “I like you too.”