UNKNOWN | D.M (UNRAVEL BOOK 4)

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Without thinking, Aine's body turned away from the Inquisitorial Squad members. She caught a glimpse of Pansy Parkinson's smug grin and her fists clenched even harder, feeling her sharp nails digging into her palms, creating deep crescents. She couldn't believe her eyes and for a brief moment, she wondered if her sight had deceived her when she saw the glistening badge on Draco's uniform, proudly declaring that he was a member of the group of students that Umbridge had hand-picked to ensure order amongst the cohort. Just a single peek of the violet and silver pin on his robes felt like a slap to Aine's face.

Her breaths grew laboured and short gasps escaped from her lips, she could feel the cold air bite into her lungs, attempting to cool off the adrenaline but it did nothing but wore her out even more. Aine's legs took flight even faster, not knowing why she was even running away in the first place. It wasn't as if she was caught sneaking around nearing curfew hours, nor was she doing anything illegal yet why does it feel like she had done something wrong? It wasn't as if she was the one who was caught. 

Why... Why am I running away? 

The girl screamed into her mind, millions of thoughts rushed into her brain as she tries to fathom what she had seen earlier. There must be a mistake! She tries to smear deception over the truth, There has to be a reason for it... But no matter how much Aine tried to think of one, she couldn't. Her mind was all over the place and her thoughts were equally scrambled up as well. But if there was one thing she knew she was feeling, it was that she was utterly shocked, confused and betrayed. 

She chewed her lips, feeling tears pricking into the sides of her eyes as her heart thumped quicker and louder. She shook her head and blinks away the tears. No... Just when she thought that everything was going well between the two of them, things had taken a turn rather unexpectedly.

The surroundings around Aine grew silent and the only sound she could hear was her ragged gasps as she ran away. Her breath hitches when her wrist suddenly gets caught by someone she knew all too well. The ring on his finger brushed on her hand, sending a momentary coolness to her skin. Without casting a look at him, Aine snatches her arm away, freeing herself as she tries to scamper away.

"Aine, wait—!" the voice calls out desperately from behind but Aine ignores it. She couldn't face him. Not now.

There was another tug on the sleeves of her robes before Draco finally caught up, overtaking her in front. He stretches his arms to the side, blocking her from fleeing away again. The two exchanged a long gaze, their faces reflecting in each other's eyes. Finally, they were given the time to stop for a second just to breathe and catch their breaths.

Huffing and puffing in unison, their shoulders and chests rise and fall as they inhale oxygen into their systems. Their faces were pale as the moonlight, beads of sweat gathering on their foreheads, trickling down the napes of their neck. There was no telling how much they had both run, considering the flight of stairs they had gone. It was safe to say that they were definitely on the other side of the castle from where they last saw the other person.

Draco groans, coughing a couple of times from the lack of energy as he ran his fingers through his dampened fringe, combing it back before he straightens himself. He met a pained glare from Aine before his lips were pursed together. There was a lot of explaining he was going to have to do and for the first time, he didn't want this to go wrong. Not like the last time. He couldn't afford to be on bad terms with Aine again, like before. Exhaling one last time, he calls to her in a soft gentle tone, "Aine..."

The girl narrows her golden pupils at him, just a single word uttered by him made her heart skip a beat and flutter like she was on cloud nine even at a time like this. Hatred or besotted. She didn't know what to feel, especially after seeing what she had seen. Aine adverted her eyes away, anger surging in her veins. "What the hell are you doing?" she asks him, her cold tone catching Draco off guard and he grew baffled.