NEMESIS || Draco Malfoy

16

It was a game to the Dark Lord; punishing us both, knowing only one of us would manage to succeed in his task— if, at all.

And then, when it was time, he would make the other one suffer. I knew that couldn't be me— wouldn't be. I didn't care what lengths I'd have to go to keep Malfoy from doing what I needed to do.

My teeth dug into my bottom lip, restlessly gnawing on it as I fiddled with the sleeves of my shirt absentmindedly.

I wasn't going to let my family suffer because of the actions of his again.

"Are you still eating that?" Kai's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, his fork already hovering above the piece of tart on my untouched plate. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes only for a moment, waiting for my okay that I gave him in the form of a nod and an eye roll.

Watching him heave the piece onto his own plate, I sighed.

It's been a week now.

A week in which I've spent more time with Kai than Pansy and the rest. A week in which I've sat at the Ravenclaw table more so than my own. A week in which I did all in my power to actively avoid Malfoy.

It seemed to do the trick, seeing as he did the same.

My eyes darted over to the Slytherin table, then, falling on the blonde boy almost immediately. His head was resting in his palm, absentmindedly pushing the food on his plate around, similarly to what I had been doing for the past half hour.

"Now," Kai spoke once more, swallowing the piece in his mouth as he waved the fork in his hand around to make a point. "What's been on your mind lately, cariño?"

"Hm?" My brows knitted together slightly as I turned to face him, eyes diverting off of the blonde just as his head turned in my direction.

"As much as I enjoy your company, Anna, It's been a week now, and you've hardly even spoken to Theo or Pansy," He explained, a small smile tugging in the corner of his mouth before he took another bite.

My eyes flickered over to them once more, watching the pair hit each other's shoulder with their own while trying to contain their laughter and simultaneously enjoy their meal. My lips twitched into a smile at the sight.

"The last time we've spent this much time together was when Malfoy made your life a living hell in third—"

"Tried," I snapped, interrupting him without ever looking at him, my eyes wandering over to the blonde at the mention of his name. His eyes were already on me this time, and I made a point out of not breaking the accidental eye contact.

"What?"

"He tried to make my life a living hell," I repeated. "Tried and failed."

Malfoy's brows raised right on cue — almost like he could hear me — to which my eyes narrowed in response, and my head shook lightly.

"Right, of course." Kai cleared his throat. "Tried and failed— that's not the point. I'm wondering what he did this time."

At that, my head snapped in his direction at once, cursing myself as soon as my eyes flickered back to Malfoy and seeing the victorious smile on his lips. Rolling my eyes, a small groan escaping my lips, I shook my head.

"What?" I huffed, irritation lingering in my voice as I looked back at the brunette next to me. "He didn't do anything," I snapped lightly, a frown on my face. "Why would you assume that?"

"Well," A low laugh escaped his lips. "Nobody gets under your skin quite like Malfoy does," He shrugged casually, another piece of the tart in his mouth afterwards.

"You do," I scowled, offended by his observation that was 100% true.

Kai only laughed, shaking his head before resting it on my shoulder, the height difference making his posture awkward enough for my lips to twitch into a smile at the sight.

"That's different," he argued, eyes closing and a cheeky smile on his lips. "I know you love me, so it doesn't count."

I snorted humorously, side-eyeing the boy on my shoulder playfully. "Mhm," I hummed. "Whatever makes you sleep better at night, Kai." My hand ruffled through his hair as condescendingly as it could, and he quickly sat up straight again as he slapped my hand away from him.

He proceeded to mirror my action exactly, hand ruffling through his brown curls — though, this time, he seemed pleased with the outcome.

When my eyes darted through the great hall once more, eventually, they landed on the Slytherin table again. And, eventually, they landed on Malfoy;

The boy busy talking to Daphne Greengrass sat to his left, a smirk sprawled across his face as she twirled a strand of her hair in between her fingers.

I could never stand the girl, mostly because Gwen had fought with her sister — Astoria Greengrass — once, and they hadn't stopped hating each other since. It was childish, of course, but our disdain towards the other was mutual.

So, when I saw her bat her lashes, twirl her hair and laugh loudly enough for the whole hall to hear, and when I saw Malfoy's charming smile and the way his hand lightly cupped her shoulder whenever he spoke, I swallowed my initial reaction of throwing up, and instead took it as an opportunity.

Because if they kept it up like this, I was positive I'd have at least a few hours — though, hours might be very generous of me — of uninterrupted time in the room of requirements while he was... busy.

His hand snaked around Daphne's back, pulling her close enough for his lips to be right by her ear. His eyes were pointed towards the ground, a soundless laugh escaping his lips before he looked up and whispered something in her ear.

Though, instead of looking at her or closing his eyes, they fell on me. And his nose right by her ear crinkled up as the smirk on his lips grew wider. His eyes lingered on me, and I couldn't bring myself to look away either.

— It was like a particularly nasty accident you just couldn't look away from, I told myself.

And then she giggled, the sound not getting all the way over to the Ravenclaw table but her facial expression making it obvious. She giggled, and she blushed, and she brushed a strand of brown hair behind her ear before they got up at the same time, Malfoy holding out his arm for her to get up with ease.

He almost managed to act like a gentleman in order to get laid. 

A/N: not Draco hooking up with his potential wife's sister, PLEASE the way I'm 99% sure this had to have happened makes it all the messier 

Also, Kai appreciation pls I love this man so much

I hope you liked this chapter!!

See you tomorrow. <3