I am a Riddle | Draco Malfoy, 18+

T h i r t y - t w o,

The days passing since Draco returned had been graver than strange, he was everything, but himself and nothing turned the same. He was hiding something from me, similar to the last time he acted this way, yet as the strong-minded boy he lived to be, he refused share,

He shut me out completely, as if I wasn't visible to him anymore, nearly not to matter. He became distant in my sorrows, and even if he was here, he wasn't.

He didn't speak to me like he used to. He didn't look at me the same way — he was numb, and his quietness turned me vein, mad, crazy,

I needed him, more than ever since Luna's passing and Hermione's threats to cease me of life, even if he slept beside me at twilight, holding me close, his mind traveled, to places I was not allowed to come, and the coldness he brought became overwhelming,

I love him, more than the stars, the moon, everything in this universe combined, even further than a human being could ever understand, and I missed him,

I missed him so much, even if he was here, his body close to mine, his breaths flaming my skin, the boy I loved faded away in his misery, and there was nothing I could do to settle it,

I watched as he turned to face me in between the sheets, his pale skin lit up like porcelain, the blonde hair had grown longer, the dark circles underneath his enchanting blue eyes almost blackened,

His lips parted, a shaky breath released, " You should sleep," He spoke, quietly, eyes still closed, but even if he rarely looked at me anymore, he knew me, inside out, "Leiah, it's late, you need to sleep,"

My eyes rolled at his words as I tried to shift around, the crispy covers shrugged smoothly against my heated skin, " Don't do that—," He mumbled, halting my tries to turn away from him, a cold hand wrapped around my waist, stroking my skin gently,

" Do what?" I whispered, my mind drained in question, my soul empty, " Do what you have done the past week?" His eyes flayed open, piercing through mine, his breath ragged as nostrils slightly flared — I struck a nerve,

" What is that supposed to mean?" He spoke, sounding hurt by my act, brows furrowed in the moonlight slipping through my window, " Why would you say that?" I meet the eyes I fell deeply in love with, still staring intensely through mine,

I shook my head, sealing my eyes to avoid another argument, because that was all we seemed to be doing, argue, fight, bicker, and the ache in my heart, turned it vulnerable, had no strength in doing that anymore, " Nothing. I'm sorry, let's just sleep—,"

" No," He pushed, propping himself up on one elbow, still facing each other, " You clearly have something on your mind, " Draco's vocals accusing, his tone harsh, " Enlighten me, what am I doing exactly?"

I swallowed thickly, almost scared to speak of this, because I knew how sensitive the subject of him being distant has grown to be, how he deep within felt more than bad to be treating me the way he had, " It was just a stupid comment, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything—,"

"Leiah," He endangered, making my eyes clock wide, " Tell me what's on your mind, right now," The breaths leaving his lips trembled, he prized that he'd hurt me, that something felt more than wrong between us. I blinked quickly, the twisting feeling swirled within as I sucked in a breath, " I miss you, that's all," His face fell, his eyes softened, but not even a second later, jaws clenched, brows furrowed,

" I'm right here," He nearly broke, doing everything possible not to show his cracking inside, " I'm right here," He cooed, freezing, strong hands moving to pull me closer. My head hugged to his chest as he stroked my back. His cold fingers caused goosebumps to trail his touch,