Hiraeth // draco malfoy

SIX

feelings mutual

Dru sat slightly uncomfortably on the sofa in Draco Malfoy's apartment. Her hands gripping the cold glass of whiskey, as he seated himself beside her, holding his own. She felt a bit anxious. I mean, technically, Draco Malfoy was a stranger. Even after the numerous times that they smoked together, their conversations usually revolved around small talk. So to her, he was a mystery. A handsome mystery with lots of woman coming in and out of his flat, but he held her interest nonetheless. "What's she like?" She broke the thick air that weighed heavily around them, like fog in the early morning.

"My mother?" Draco responded.

" Well, if you'd like to tell me about the college girl who stormed out of here, that's fine too." Dru shrugged, taking another sip from her glass. Dru was an awkward girl. Always either rambling on about pointless things or not talking at all. It really just depended on the person, or the day. Seeing this photo of his mother reminded her a lot of her own. The clear love, in which radiated from their smiles and the pride glimmering in their eyes for their children. It felt comforting, but also disheartened her for her own selfish reasons.

"She's quiet, mostly. But she puts family before anything, really. Even though sometimes I don't think she actually knows me completely." He stopped himself, questioning why he just opened up to her like that. What was it about this girl? Clearing his throat, he spoke again. "How about yours?" Dru thought for a moment. She hadn't spoken of her parents in a long while. Even if she saw them in everything she loved. The willow tree outside their old home, the water of the lakes she often took walks by, even the moon floating above her each night. They were undeniably everywhere.

"She uh, died, actually." She managed to stifle out. Draco's body stiffened up, tensely. Even though he's experience enough death to fill three lifetimes that it never really phased him, he somehow still felt for the girl.

"I'm sorry." He muttered in a hushed tone, examining her body language and noting quickly that she had some walls clearly guarding her.

"Don't be." She forced a smile, unsure what to say.

"Your father?" He questioned, truly just wanting to know more about her. But her eyes glazed down to the glass in her hands and the sudden realization hit him. "Oh, I'm so-"

"It's okay." She shook her head, looking up to him once again. Draco felt even more pity for the girl. No family to be there for her, no parents to console her when times got hard. It was no winder she was always at her friends place. Fear of being alone, suffocating by the emptiness that consumed her. Her own personal hell of unwanted solitude. He understand much more now.

"If you don't mind me asking, and tell me to fuck off if you don't want to respond, but what happened?" She usually dreaded this question. She hadn't been asked it in years, but for some reason, the answer came quickly out of her mouth like silk.

"Plane crash. Three years before 9/11. My great aunt told me it was a terrorist attack, but the plane nor the passengers were ever recovered from the Atlantic." She took another drink. Draco wasn't sure what exactly to say to this. It's not like he could trauma bond with his own personal stories from hell, things he's endured and caused. "And my great aunt passed last year, to answer that question if you were wondering." This poor girl has lost everyone. The room grew flat again. And she wanted to break the tension. "Well, I sure could use a smoke." She stood up, and he followed suit. But she began heading for the door.

"Where you headed?" He asked, with a slight mock in his tone.

"To smoke?" She motioned to the door.

"You do see the balcony right to my left, right?" She laughed at this now, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Excuse me for not wanting to be rude." She mocked back, and the corner of his mouth turned up into a slight grin, as he led her out there. Lighting both their cigarettes, he leaned his back against the railing, facing her. Dru's hair was somewhat disheveled, and her makeup was wearing thin, but for some reason, her entire being was intoxicating. And he found her more addicting than these little cancer sticks he admired so much. Yet, he hardly knew her, but by gods, he wanted to. Even if it went against everything he stood for. Like an angel and a demon, destined to be apart. But the universe pulling them together anyways.

"So that date of yours?" He questioned, curiously.

"Oh, don't even get me started." She laughed.

"That bad?" Good, he thought. His greediness was unbecoming and he took her, in a sense, as a challenge he wanted to conquer. But, unlike all the previous women, he found himself having respect for her. She didn't seem like one of the whores he would toss to the side like trash. He racked his brain trying to figure out what was so special about this practical, normal new girl.

"Horrible. Not only did he just boast about himself and all his money, he actually had the nerve to kiss me while walking out and then proceed to invite me to his pent house Upstate. And yes, he made it very clear he had a pent house." She rolled her eyes. But Draco's jealous blood began to boil. What the hell is it about this damn girl? He wondered. Even though he's always been a jealous person, he never has been over a girl. Even at Hogwarts, he didn't even take an interest in them. He preferred one night stands. Less complicated, less messy. He liked it that way. "On top of that, he practically stalked me at my work and asked me out again, but this time, without my friends coming along." She scoffed in disgust. Now, Draco was angry.

"Want me to take care of it?" He blurted out in all seriousness. But luckily, Dru didn't catch on, so she laughed.

"What? You also a hitman, Draco Malfoy?"

"I can be." He shrugged, tossing the cigarette filter to the ground below. He hadn't felt this free in a very long time. Even if it was just playful banter, he actually got to forget about himself for just a little while.

"Can I confess something?" She stammered, nervously. His heart dropped. What does she know?

"Anything."

"Okay, it's going to sound totally crazy, but I feel like I've known you my whole life. Talking to you just comes so easy. I mean, I think I've said more to you in the past week or so than I ever have to anyone else." Her face flushed a scarlet red from embarrassment. This was one of those times where she talked too much. But shockingly enough, he agreed. In his mind at least. He wasn't the type to become too vulnerable with anyone. So the silence came again. And before anything else could be said, a sudden noise emerged from inside the flat and an unfamiliar voice spoke up.

"Oi! Malfoy!"