touch // D.M.

two

I sat down across from Blaise and Theo in the dining hall with a wicked grin on my face, "Boys, I know our plans for this fine Thursday night."

Blaise shifted awkwardly as Theo cleared his throat and began, "El, are you okay?"

I scoffed, knowing exactly what they were referencing, "I'm over it," I lied with a straight face. "It happened three days ago, you both can stop with the weak attempts to keep us apart. We've had our arguments before, this is no different."

"But this time was different, El. We saw it on your face-" Blaise began.

"Stop. Seriously. I'm over it and I'm not about to share any further feelings on the matter with you lot who will no doubt gossip about it over toast and tea the instant I leave," I cut him off.

I adjusted in my seat, pulling down my short black school skirt as Malfoy walked towards the Slytherin dining table. He stopped, hovering near me while managing to avoid looking in my direction as he debated whether to sit next to the boys, solidifying we are still in an argument, or next to me, signifying it was time to move on. He eventually made up his mind and sat next to me.

The silence was literally painful. You could feel the awkwardness in the air, making it hard to breathe and look in any other direction but the ground. I laughed internally, if only they knew the assault Malfoy's mouth performed on me. With the memory came a slow heat beginning to spread throughout my lower body. I crossed my legs in an attempt to stop the heat from spreading. I could hear his snicker now, "Can't be assault if you enjoyed it, mudblood".

"Malfoy, we have plans tonight and we require your room to do it in since you are the only one lucky enough to not have a roommate," I spoke up with confidence in an attempt to disperse the awkwardness.

"What? Blaise and I share a room, Smith," Theo stated in confusion. "Why do we need Malfoy's?"

"Because I've seen the state you lot leave your room in and I'm not about to spend an evening in your filthy, cramped room when Malfoy has a perfectly acceptable spacious clean one for us to use."

"Alright," the three boys grumbled in unison.

"So see you all tonight? 8 o'clock?" I asked, swinging my legs over the bench to leave. They all nodded and began speaking of their own accord.

_____

I decided not to eat breakfast and make my way towards the library instead. I was well-prepared for the school year yet I still felt the need to reread some of my Defense Against the Dark Arts text before class began.

"Eleanor!" Cedric called out, running down the corridor to meet me.

I stopped in my tracks with a smile on my face. I slowly turned around, meeting his hazel eyes, "Diggory, what can I help you with?"

"How are you? I haven't seen you since-"

"I'm fine," I said with pursed lips, "and it's El to you."

His cheeks flushed at my reference to the night prior as he sheepishly smiled at the ground, "Right. El, how are you?"

"Honestly, Cedric, I'm fine. I don't want to talk about it," I began walking towards the library again.

He pulled my arm to the side, signaling for me to follow him into an alcove. I obeyed and leaned against the wall.

"El, you most definitely are not fine. I saw the way you looked on Monday night and it broke my heart. You don't have to be so guarded, you can talk to me, you know?"

I looked into his eyes as his words hit me. I wanted nothing more than to open up to someone, to unleash the tidal waves of emotional pain I trapped in a bottle somewhere deep inside me. I wanted to tell him how badly Malfoy's words hurt, how deeply they cut. I wanted to tell him how alone I felt, and I wanted to tell him all of this as he hugged me, burying me in his chest as he stroked my hair. He seemed safe, he seemed so warm and comforting.