NEMESIS || Draco Malfoy

38

That same night, I wandered the corridors like I always did to clear my head. It's become a habit again— one I didn't mind much.

It felt freeing, like I was the only person alive, with no responsibilities, tasks and homework weighing me down. Not up until I woke up in the mornings, anyway.

My feet carried me up the stairs, through the known corridors like it was muscle memory; ending up before the room of requirement without ever actively seeking it out.

The sight of it made me remember Malfoy, and immediately that well-needed calm before the storm disintegrated and turned into annoyance. There'd be no way back if I did what I intended to do to him.

And, so, I had a glimmer of hope that I'd be able to avoid it by simply destroying whatever progress he's made on that stupid cabinet of his. I hurried through the small aisles created by the mounts of clutter in the room, hoping my muscle memory would do the trick and lead me towards it.

Luckily, it did.

For way too long, I tried to find something that changed about the cabinet since the last time I examined it— spent at last fifteen minutes doing so. And yet, I found nothing.

It was still just a useless, old-looking cabinet—the same carvings on the outside of it, and still nothing inside it.

The sight of nothing once again made me groan in annoyance, hands in my hair as I leaned against the wooden thing with my head angled upwards. Another frustrated huff escaped my lips, and my hands ran across my face.

Ten minutes later, I found myself in the back of the room, the familiar grandfather's clock still barely standing in the corner. Like I did when I hid the Venectu, I heaved myself over the furniture blocking the way to it.

This time making sure I wouldn't accidentally knock anything off as I climbed over it.

There was no reason to assume anyone had found my little hiding spot for the poison, yet I held my breath when I opened the side-access-panel of the large clock, only exhaling in relief once my eyes had found the little, half-empty vial.

Wand in hand, levitating the Venectu out of its spot, I examined the container from outside to make sure none of the poisonous substance had accidentally leaked; twisting and turning it at every angle to not accidentally kill myself in the process of trying to kill Malfoy.

The plan was to get him out of my way, after all.

My heart was beating fast in my chest, the sound of it ringing through my ears as I hurried towards the exit like I was being chased. Every step followed the last one a little faster, and I was unsure where that sudden paranoia came from.

Nevertheless, I followed my urge to get out of the dark room as quickly as I could, slipping through the crack in the door and immediately running into a sturdy body.

The unexpected encounter made a startled gasp escape my lips, stumbling right back into the room with wide eyes.

"Did you just shriek?" My breath hitched at the familiar mockery in his voice, immediately recognising Malfoy and groaning in not only annoyance but embarrassment.

"I most certainly did not." The door closed behind him, my eyes snapping onto it as the noise of it falling into its hinges echoed through the large room. When they flickered back over to him, he was much closer than just five seconds ago.

My hand immediately found itself in the pocket of my coat, clutching around the vial as my face contorted into one of discomfort at his close proximity with the poison that's supposed to kill him in mere days time in between my fingers.

"Oh, you definitely did." His eyes fell down my body before darting back up, lingering on my hand in my pocket before levelling them with mine— a smirk forming on his lips as they met.

I glared at him, a scowl on my face at the sheer amusement prominent in his words. Though, I didn't bother denying it again. He noticed, and the smirk on his face turned into a wide grin. "Care to explain what you're doing here at—" He thought for a moment as he pushed the sleeve covering his watch upwards. "—three in the morning?"

My grip around the vial in my pocket tightened, and I shook my head with a shrug. "Not really."

Once more, his eyes flickered down to my hand, and I relaxed it almost immediately.

Cocking his head to the side, he huffed. "You do know I'm still a prefect, yeah?" He wondered. "At this point, I just have to assume you want me to punish you for being out here after curfew."

His words made me hum, remembering the initial plan and rolling it into motion right then and there. Taking a step towards him, I gave him a slick smile.

"Maybe I do," I began, being met with a cocked eyebrow as he gestured for me to elaborate. "You know, want to be punished—" As soon as he caught my innuendo, a subtle smirk played on his lips.

"Is that so?"

I shrugged. "Maybe," I repeated, trying not to lay it on too thickly. Though, by the way his face was mere inches from mine now, and his eyes lingered on my lips every few seconds, I didn't think I was.

"I told you; all you have to do is say the words, darling." Despite no one else in the room, his voice was nothing more than a whisper— like the words weren't supposed to be heard by anyone but me.

And his hot breath fanned against my lips as the words left his mouth, minty scent lingering in my nose and my eyes closing just for a second to enjoy it. Just long enough to almost make me believe it myself when I said, "Maybe I will."

My voice was just as low as his; the only reason I knew he heard me the way his body reacted to the words as his eyes fell to my lips.

Swallowing thickly, I took a single step backwards to look him directly in the eyes. "Not tonight," I corrected in a hum, and his eyes batted open to mirror my gaze. "But maybe I will."

My words were the only sound lingering in the otherwise quiet space as I made my way out of the room of requirements.

And I would say what he wanted me to say, eventually. Not tonight, and not tomorrow, either.

I would on the 20th of December, halfway through Slughorns Christmas party. I'd be in my dorm, instead, a glass of wine in hand as I gave Malfoy an identical one, laced with Venectu. 

A/N: I'm running out of things to talk about in my an's but whenever I don't do them people miss them lmaoo

Life's been stressful recently but I love this every other day uploading schedule it's so calming compared to every day updating jkbhgf

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed today's chapter!