slumping forward, his head resting on the table I miss my wife.

pinching the bridge of his nose You saw her four hours ago.

turning his head, curls squashed against the wood Four hours is too long, Malfoy. You wouldn't understand.

grinning, elbows on the table He's right, Draco. You wouldn't understand. You've never been in love.

I've been in love plenty, thank you.

calmly With yourself, maybe.

laughing, patting Draco's shoulder Don't listen to them. You're very pretty.

shoving Lorenzo's arm off I'm not doing this.

pushing himself upright with immense effort No, no, no. We should call her. Right now. I should hear her voice. fumbling in his pockets Where's my wand? Where's my—pulling out a silver lighter and staring at it This isn't my wand.

That's your lighter, genius.

staring at it like it personally betrayed him Well, I can't ring her with a lighter, can I?

sipping his Firewhisky You can't ring anyone with a lighter. That's a Muggle thing.

blinking very slowly What's a Muggle?

suddenly very serious, pointing a slightly unsteady finger at Draco My wife is beautiful.

I know.

No. No, you don't know. You think you know, but you don't. he leaned in, eyes glassy and full of genuine distress She's... she's like... he made a vague, expansive gesture ...fucking poetry, Draco.

snorting Poetry.

ignoring him She smells like home. She's warm. She's got this way of looking at me like I'm not a complete disaster, even when I am. his voice cracked I am, though. I'm a disaster. I'm a disaster without her.

Mate, you're literally sitting with your best friends.

shaking his head, curls bouncing Not the same.

raising an eyebrow As your wife?

sighing deeply Nothing is the same as my wife.

suddenly, panic flashing across his face I'm married.

sarcastically No shit.

looking at his friends with growing alarm I'm married. And I'm here. Without her. What if something happens to me? What if I die here? What if I never see her again?

You won't die in a pub, Theodore.

voice rising You don't know that. The world is dangerous. There are... there are beetles. And stairs. And—and men with hats.

Men with hats?

nodding solemnly Very suspicious.