𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 | draco malfoy ✔️

33. comfort

TRAINING WHEELS—
COMFORT

033

Amora was sure that her heart had just stopped in its ribcage. She'd never lurched away from Draco so fast, her arms and feet scrambling to put some space between her and the Slytherin boy. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as she began to stammer, attempting to find some sort of excuse whilst her cousin marched closer and closer. The brunette clambered to her feet and Draco copied her, watching as she nearly tripped over the book he'd just given her.

"What the hell is going on?" Cedric seethed as he stopped right in front of them, glaring between his younger cousin and Draco Malfoy of all people. "Well, Amora?" He snapped when nobody said anything.

"What's going on... is..." Amora's brown eyes darted around for inspiration, but her mouth was drier than the desert and her brain was juggling more thoughts than ever. "Is..."

"You and Malfoy?" Cedric spat, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that nobody was around as he stepped closer to the teenage girl. "Amora, are you aware of who he is? Who his family is?"

Draco's lip curled as he fought not to make a remark. He forced his brain to remind itself that Cedric was sort of right. His family were prejudiced, of course, believing the kind of things that no doubt Amora and Cedric had been taught to ignore and hate. He kept quiet for the sake of Amora.

"Cedric..." Amora's voice came out low and slightly wobbly. "I know what you're probably thinking... That I must be insane, but this isn't a sudden thing--"

"You mean this has been going on for a long time?" The older Hufflepuff's eyes bulged and he looked as though he was on the verge of a heart attack, unable to believe his ears. "How long? How long, Amora?"

"If you must know, we have been official for over a month now," Draco said, Amora's eyes snapping to him as she silently pleaded for him to be quiet. "And... I actually like your cousin, Diggory."

"Like you really believe that, Amora?" Cedric cried, sending a fierce look to Draco. "He's using you! To make Harry angry because everybody knows Potter has heart eyes for you--"

"Stop! Stop it!" Amora smacked his hands away from her as Cedric attempted to grab her and drag her away from Draco. "I am sick and tired of people saying that. Cedric, I'm sorry, I really am, but I like Draco. I know that mum will be upset, and all of my friends, but I can't stop the way that I feel--"

"This is insane," he hissed, lowering his voice as he bent to look Amora right in the eye. "You're insane!"

"Let go of me," Amora hissed back, looking down at the grip that he now had on her wrist.

Cedric didn't listen but instead tugged her harder towards the castle. "Come on. We're going to tell Auntie Elle before Malfoy manages to ruin your entire life--"

Amora desperately began to try and pry his fingers off of her skin, her expression one of horror as she gasped and kept her feet stationary on the grassy slope. She winced as his grasp pulled at her arm.

"She told you to let go, Diggory," Draco spat boldly.

Amora took Cedric's surprise as an escape, ripping her wrist from his grasp. Cedric glanced between them, clearly furious with an unknown glint in his eye. The Buckley girl had never seen her cousin so angry, especially not with her. Her heart hammered and tears collected in the corners of her eyes, terrified that she was about to lose him.

"Cedric," Amora gasped desperately, "I'm not insane. I know him, I know him better than you do. Please. Please don't tell my mum. He makes me happy."