Restricted | Draco Malfoy

31

My mother zipped up my dress behind me and brushed off my shoulders to soothe my tension. She didn't say a single word before she left the bathroom, leaving me to stare at myself in the mirror. The beauty I withheld clearly didn't match the brooding expression on my face.

The dress I had on was tight fitted around my slim body, strapless, and short enough to cut off at the middle of my thighs. I was hesitant about it. It was very pretty, and I knew it would pull the attention I wanted deep down. But I shouldn't be searching for attention from that blonde ferret.

I had a light eyeshadow look on with some lipgloss. I was trying to keep this entire disaster as low key as I possibly could. It was an important occasion— I suppose, if finding out whether or not your life was being signed away classified as important— but I didn't dare feel like giving any efforts for the Malfoy name. They didn't deserve my good graces.

I liked the new me that I had been developing in recent weeks. I didn't give two shits what anyone thought about me or my business, and I was growing into someone that embraced their independence instead of loathing it. I had found a new confidence within myself, and I'd do anything to keep myself from reverting back to old habits.

Anything.

I took the essentials I had packed to travel down the stairs to the main foyer to wait for my parents. I looked down at my delicate hands and fiddled with my cold fingers as I waited. Draco's silver ring was still sitting on my pointer finger, staring back at me. Taunting me. So much for that speech about not wanting any ties with that handsome little devil, huh?

Even if I had my mind made up about where the two of us stood, my chest caved any time I had tried taking the stupid piece of jewelry off. Was that wrong of me?

I felt like it was deep down because I was just being a hypocrite, but taking the ring off made it a reality. Then he would no longer be a part of me. And there were days where it felt like I needed to keep a piece of him with me at all times.

The sound of my mother's high heels coming down the stairs pulled my attention away from the glistening jewels on my hand and back to our reality. A soft smile worked its way on to my flushed lips to greet her presence. Without even returning the expression, she fixed a few of my loose curls and stood next to me. Preparing me to face my doom. Ensuring that I was nothing less than presentable for the friends her and my father held so dear to their cold hearts.

I shouldn't feel so much pressure building in my gut as I thought about facing the Malfoy's for a second time. But still, my stomach churned like no other as I anticipated the meeting I was going to have this afternoon.

"I love this style on you." My mother flipped the edges of my hair just above my shoulder. "I'm glad you talked me into cutting it. It really brings out the curves of your bone structure." She complimented me. Coming from her, that was a high compliment. Beauty was one of the most important values she had in life. I mumbled a weak thank you and felt my knees start jittering while we waited for my father.

I knew he was upstairs in his study packing away all his secretive files and papers that he wanted to disclose with Lucius. I kept my nose out of that room nowadays. The less I knew, the better my conscience felt. Out of sight, out of mind. 

"Ready?" He asked my mother and I as he descended the staircase with his belongings. Both my mother and I gave him a uniformed nod in agreement. 

No, I'm not ready. That's what my mind wanted to shout at him. An entire week spent at the Malfoy Manor in Draco's presence? What had I done to deserve this type of bad karma?

My father Apparated away from the foyer with a pop, and I let out a breath I had been holding for far too long to steady my heart rate. My nose crinkled when my mother grabbed my arm and sent us into the same orbit of travel.