touch // D.M.

five

I leaned against the astronomy tower walls, flipping a page in the book I was currently captivated in. During the summer I had stocked up on muggle books from a local shop in London. It was the only time I ever really left Hogwarts so I made sure to buy an absurd amount of whatever I fancied. 

I tugged at my lip as my eyes scanned the words before me, slightly gasping. 

"To Kill a Mockingbird, good choice," Malfoy said as he took a seat next to me.

I jumped, unaware he had even climbed the stairs and entered the room. I closed my book and turned towards him, "What are you doing here? It's a Saturday afternoon, don't you have things to do?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "No but Theo is busy getting all the gory details from Blaise, and as another participant in Pansy's sexual conquests, I have no desire to hear him tell a muted version of something I'm almost positive happened between us a few days ago as well."

I slightly laughed, rolling my eyes. "Alright, fair enough," I opened my book again.

This time it was harder to concentrate on Atticus's powerful argument in court though. Being near Malfoy alone was already nerve-wracking in itself, but being with Malfoy alone and not bickering was almost terrifying. It was as if I was waiting for something to bad happen.  

"You know you bite your lip when you read? Sometimes it's barely noticeable, just the slightest bite on your bottom lip- other times it's almost painful to watch. I can always tell whether you're reading an intense moment or not by how much of your lip is in between your teeth" Malfoy stated, his eyes growing wide with what I can only assume is regret at his observation. 

I turned to him, cheeks flushing red as I fought back a smile. "I've done it since I was little. Sometimes I'd bite my lip so hard without realizing it that I'd start bleeding. Sometimes I still do on accident," I said, my weak attempt at sharing something he might find as equally vulnerable as his observation about me so he didn't feel so embarrassed.

We looked away from each other. I shut my book again, staring out at the landscape in front of me. A few moments of silence passed between us before I decided to speak again. "You know, Theo has a theory that you've moved on to someone else and that's why you don't care about Blaise and Pansy."

He shifted, uncomfortable, "Yeah well Nott would do best to keep his ludicrous theories to himself. Besides, they had sex. It doesn't mean they're dating."

I nodded my head, slightly disappointed at his response. I don't know what I was expecting. What would I have done if I had gotten a different answer? An answer that explained he had moved on and developed feelings for someone else, someone who is sitting right next to him. Would I have kissed him? Wrapped my arms around him and sighed with relief because the Draco Malfoy would be mine now? Would I forget the 6 years of abuse? Was I hoping for that different answer because it would explain his strange behavior or because-

"Hoping for a different answer, Smith?" His tone was full of malic. "Hoping I'd say he was right, I've moved on to someone else? Someone like you? A filthy fucking mudblood bitch? After you just got done fucking Diggory?" He laughed, "Absolutely not."

Ridiculous. I sat there in shock, my mouth slightly hanging open as I fixated my eyes on a rolling green hill somewhere far away. 

"You open your legs to the first person who offers you an extremity to ride. First me then Diggory. Next, it'll probably be Blaise or even Theo for fucks sake. You probably just want to make your way through the whole dormitory-"

My hand stung from the hard slap I gifted his cheek. His pale skin instantly started changing hues from the blood rushing to the surface of the assault.