Innocent | d. malfoy

- eighteen -

Aria Rowen

We left The Three Broomsticks and made our way back to the castle. I was mostly quiet while Aidan, Oliver, and Jenna talked cheerily beside me.

I couldn't stop thinking about Draco. The way his fingers trailed down my body as his lips brushed against mine. How his hands lingered in places longer than they should've. My skin became overcome by chills whenever he touched me— as if I couldn't get enough. I wanted to feel him again, have him pressed against me as I ran my hands through his hair.

"Aria? You good?" Aidan peered at me closely as his arm brushed against my shoulder.

I blinked a few times and gave a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, that's all."

"If you say so," He gave a short laugh and resumed his conversation with Jenna and Oliver.

We all arrived back at the castle, barely making curfew before the gates were shut and we were expected to be back in our dorms.

Jenna was escorted back to Ravenclaw Tower with Oliver, but Aidan remained by my side as we went downstairs towards the underground floor of Hogwarts.

"Do you need me to walk you back to your r-"

"No!" I cut him off, but realized that I had raised my voice slightly. "I mean— no, I can get back from here, thank you."

He gave a soft smile and turned to face me. "I had a lot of fun tonight..."

"I— Aidan—"

"You don't have to spare my feelings, Aria... I know that you don't... really like me and all. It's okay," He turned and walked away before I could say anything else.

I felt awful, but it wasn't my fault if I wasn't as drawn to him as he was to me. I pushed all of the negative thoughts out of my head and left.

I went down a small hall that led deeper down the dungeons, rather than going to the Hufflepuff dorms in the basements.

Before I even reached the Slytherin common room entrance, I spotted Draco leaning on the wall next to the door.

I didn't even get the chance to speak before he stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around my waist and brought my body against his. His lips longingly met mine as I moved my hands to the back of his neck.

He pulled away and gazed down at me, but this time it wasn't a cold and demanding. It was softer— more caring than it had been before and his eyes held a possessive and needy look.

His entire demeanor had shifted away from the version of Draco that I saw at The Three Broomsticks.

"Don't talk to Aidan— or— any guy, for that matter—"

"Draco..."

"I mean it Aria, don't—"

"We're not dating, Draco," I looked at the ground, refusing to make eye contact.

He gave a small huff and placed his forehead on top of my head. "I— Aria—"

"You can't say that. Not if we aren't dating..." I managed to look up, but his eyes were still filled with all sorts of emotions. "Tell me what you want, Draco."

"I— I don't—" He struggled to form a clear sentence, and I felt like I knew what he wanted to say. He just couldn't actually say it to me.

"I'm going to my room..." I removed myself from his grasp and turned around quickly.

It was true. We weren't dating. It wasn't fair for him to say that I couldn't converse with any guy other than him if he could allow girls like— Pansy Parkinson to throw themselves at him.

I waited a short moment to see if he said anything else, and when he didn't, I walked away. I walked out of the dungeons and back through the basements, passing by the house elves who were still bustling around.

I forced myself to calm down by taking a deep breath but it wasn't helping. My head began to pound as I walked through the Hufflepuff common room and down the hall to my dorm, but as I turned the corner my eyes widened.

Indy was in a huddle, her legs brought to her chest with her forehead pressing against her knees. She was sobbing uncontrollably and began to shiver.

"Indy, what happened to you?" I pushed all of my emotions away and refocused my gaze onto her crying and disheveled appearance.

She kept her head down and didn't even look up as I kneeled down beside her.

"I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong..."

She took a few ragged breaths before looking up, and I had to keep myself from gasping as I took in the large red mark covering her cheek and jaw.

"I ended my relationship with Luke..."

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A/N- Really short chapter but the next one's gonna be longer...

Anyways— HERE'S YOUR INDY EMANS APPRECIATION POST/CHAPTER