Traitor: A Draco Malfoy Story

forty-six

I stretched out in the comfy four-poster bed, waiting for everyone to fall asleep or 1:00 to roll around, whichever came first, just thinking about the changes to our dorm room in the meantime.

I'd almost had trouble getting into my room since the password had changed to Tentacula. Parkinson had made sure to rub that in my face by whispering the password and attempting to slam the door behind her but lucky for me, her whisper was loud as hell and I got my foot in the door fast enough. I sighed.

I couldn't see the moon since it was a new moon tonight, on top of being cloudy, so the dorm was pitch black. I said the quickest "Lumos, Nox" combination, just to flash the clock above the door to see if it was 1:oo, and once I'd confirmed the time, I felt my way to the door.

The fire was so dim downstairs that it was almost as hard to see once I'd gotten outside the room. I started to feel my way to the stairs, raising my wand to light my path, when suddenly something grabbed me and didn't let go. It was a vice-like grip, and something thudded to the carpeted floor.

I let out a small shriek and illuminated the space with my wand to see what was grabbing me as I struggled. The light fell on the orb that sat still on the ground and the gnarled black hand that jutted out from the wall, encompassing my wrist. Shit.

I remembered Jenna telling me last year that Snape had to come and fix the mess this lamp holder created, but I didn't want him to come now. I'd never know what Malfoy wanted. I tried to pry the fingers away from my wrist but to no avail. I leaned back against the wall in frustration.

"Wow. Only you," drawled the blond as he came out of his dorm, the familiar smirk I'd regretfully missed recently on his face. What would Theo say if he heard what I was thinking? I wondered.

"Shut up," I growled. "Can you fix this?"

"I actually can," he said, walking in front of me and crossing his arms. "But this is way more entertaining."

"Malfoy, I swear to God," I snarled. "Get me out."

"You act like I'm the one that got you into this mess," He chuckled. "You did this to yourself, darling. I'm just enjoying the show."

Darling.

I shook my head, kicking any softness out of it and replacing it with anger.

"I hate you."

"Hmm," he smirked, lifting my chin with his pointer finger. "I beg to differ."

As much as I desperately wanted him to keep doing whatever it was he was doing, I turned my head away. "I told you, Malfoy. I'm not doing this with you. Whatever this is."

"Right," he scowled, crossing his arms again. "Because you're with Nott."

"I'm not with anyone," I corrected.

"Then it wouldn't be a problem if I just..." he trailed off, his fingers gently caressing my cheek before slipping down to lightly wrap around my throat, bringing my face inches from his.

I could barely think, the lust clouding my better judgment as he kissed me. I couldn't find the words to tell him to stop, because what he was doing was exactly what I wanted. But I couldn't.

With my free hand, I gently pushed his chest away from me. My head was still hazy with the intoxication of his touch as I mumbled. "Just get me out of this fucking hand."

He smirked as he whispered a spell that released my wrist. "Don't you see what I do to you? Nott can't do that."

"I'm not arguing whether or not you're better than the guy I'm talking to right now, let's just--didn't you have something you wanted to say to me? Let's go." I snapped my fingers impatiently as I walked down the steps to the common room. I could feel his smugness in the air.

He plopped down onto the couch in front of the fire, arm outstretched on the back. It was the same couch we'd sat on together before, and I couldn't help but think of those memories too, only with less than fond memories. It was all manipulation.

It's what I had to keep telling myself.

It's all lies.

Including the one I was telling to keep my conscience in check.

"Did you read what I gave you?" he asked, turning to me.

"Yes, and I have so many more questions," I sighed. "Starting with, did you know that for each day past due you have to pay ten galleons for an overdue restricted section book?"

His eyes darted to the fire, and then back at me. "Of course I did."

"I did the math. That's 8,600 galleons you would have had to spent in overdue fines."

His face was blank. "And?"

"What do you mean 'and'?" My voice rose. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have given the book back."

"When did you read the book?" He asked.

"Well...I mean I haven't yet, I only read your note," I said, the guilt creeping into my face in the form of a blush.

He smirked, raising his eyebrows. "See? You did need it all summer. I knew it." He ran a hand through his hair. "Overdue book fines aren't a big issue, Beckett. I told you before, I have everything I need. You needed it more than I needed to not pay a fine."

I looked at my hands, embarrassed at the reminder that his family was practically Wizard Royalty. "Right, sorry. Money means nothing to you."

"That's not what I--" He gritted his teeth. "Well? Did you learn anything? Did it help?"

I shrugged. "I mean, yeah."

"'Kay. Great."

"Great."

We sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, staring at the fire.

After a while, he broke it, still not looking at me. "Why Nott?"

"You asked me that already."

"You didn't answer."

Touché.

I took a deep breath before looking at him. "He was there for me after what happened at the party. He seemed cool then, and he's been really nice to me. A gentleman. Offers to carry my bag, all that stuff. I like him."

Malfoy rolled his eyes, but I could see some guilt in his face. "God, just go date a Hufflepuff. Maybe your friend Ethan?"

"We aren't talking right now. And no. I like Slytherins."

He smirked. "I remember."

I kicked his leg. "Stop."

"Why aren't you and Ethan talking?"

I scoffed. "Why are you pretending to care about me?"

His eyes darkened. "I've always cared about you. It was you that broke things off."

"It was barely a 'thing', just lies," I snapped, rolling my eyes.

He stared into the fire in silence. It seemed like he didn't have a good answer to that one.

"Well," he stood after a while, slipping his hands in his sweatpants pockets. "Enjoy your nice boy. I give it a week before you're tired of it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I snapped and I stood as well.

"I'm just saying," he shrugged, the glimmer of a glare on his face. "when you want pleasure, and we both know you will, you're not going to be running to him to give it to you."

"You don't know that," I spat. "And, more importantly, what's it to you, Malfoy?"

His brows furrowed for a second before he resumed his usual cold stature. "You can't stay away from me, and you know it. You already snuck out of your dorm to meet me and kissed me back upstairs. You say you broke it off, but you didn't."

I had begun to walk away, but at his comment, I whirled around. "You know what else I love about Theo?" I snarled. "He doesn't manipulate me."

I left him standing by the fire alone as I walked upstairs. I heard him pick something up and throw it against the wall, followed by a shattering sound, but I didn't stop to see what it was. I slipped into my dorm and then into bed trying to quiet my thoughts.