the sweetest con [d.m]

fifteen

"I've been thinking."

Mavi drops onto the L-shaped sofa, nestling herself into the crook she likes, opening her mouth to continue just as Draco says from his position at the end of the sofa, not glancing up from his files, "That's never good."

She scowls and tosses a pillow at him which he catches with one hand, still not looking up, although a smile plays at his lips. "Shut up and listen to me, you twat."

He places the pillow down beside him and glances up, strands of his hair still damp from his shower. "Yes, ma'am."

She stretches her legs out, ignoring the way her stomach flips and he lets a hand drift to slide up and down her calf, almost absent-mindedly. If there's anything she's learned about him, it's that he likes to be touching her in some way at all times. She feels like that's how he convinces himself she's safe.

Her heart warms but she continues, "How did Aumutage get through the Wards?"

Immediately, Draco tenses, his hand stilling on her bare leg, eyes flicking to hers.

"You always keep the Wards up," she tells him, tilting her head. "So how'd he get through?"

His fingertips trace shapes along her skin, sending shivers dancing down her spine. "He must've found a way to break them."

"Did you check?"

He shakes his head. "I didn't. After I found you in the kitchen, I was so focused on trapping him here that I just reinforced them. I didn't even check for any damage."

She frowns. "And you can't now?"

Another shake of his head.

Mavi sighs, sinking back into the pillows, stretching herself out more and pushing his files off his lap, replacing them with her legs. "I thought if he'd found a way to break them, you might be able to pick up remnants of his magic."

"We probably would've been able to," Draco says, slowly, hiding a smile at her blatant demand, hands sliding up and down her legs. "But either way, it wouldn't have helped. Not if he knows how to counter a Trace."

She sighs again. "I'm tired of being hunted."

Draco's eyes darken. He's been more protective over her than usual ever since the incident. He never leaves her home alone and there are Aurors stationed outside the house for good measure. "He's getting desperate if he was willing to come right into Malfoy Manor to get you."

"That's good?"

"It means he's more prone to making mistakes," he responds, tipping his head back against the sofa. "Like dropping his key."

"That didn't help though," she reminds him, glumly. "He never showed up at the motel."

"Yes—but it's still a step closer." He pinches her thigh and she jolts, batting his hand away. "Being an Auror isn't all duels and action, you know. A good portion of it requires being patient."

"Sounds like a sorry fucking job to me," she mutters, picking at her shorts and earns herself another pinch. "Stop that!"

He has a mischievous grin on his face — but he halts his teasing, warm hands gliding up and down her skin. "How's your father?"

She blinks at the change in topic. "He's alright. Not much improvement since the day he got up on his own."

"That's a bloody huge improvement though," he reminds her. "I told you you'd come up with something."

Mavi snorts. "He passed out for two days straight after that. I don't think that's something we should be celebrating."

A pinch to her ankle and she glares at him. "I'm just saying," she says, "I can do better."