Deliverance | Draco Malfoy

Three

tw: This chapter contains sexual content & mentions of abuse. Read with caution.

"You aren't much more than a pretty face, are you, hun?" Theodore teased me with a cocky grin as he kicked his feet up on the potions table. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye before I mixed the next ingredient into the cauldron. His caramel curls were perfectly ruffled across his forehead, and he gave me his most charming look. I don't think I've met a bigger womanizer in my life.

"How did I ever strike such luck to be your potions partner, Nott?" I asked with annoyance. "Salazar sure did see the stars align when he allowed it to happen." I tilted my head sarcastically and focused on my work. Theo placed his hand over his heart and he frowned up at me.

"You wound me, Rookwood." He sucked in a harsh breath and pretended to pull a dagger from his chest. "You certainly would be much better company to me if you put that snippy tongue to a different use. Heard you're really good with it." He winked, his tongue running over his top teeth as he looked me up and down. A snicker from behind him caught my attention, and my eyes glanced to meet Gregory Goyle, who had apparently been listening in on our disagreement this entire time. 

You couldn't find privacy anywhere in this castle. The secrets run through the walls.

"You're an ass— and I'm smarter than you and four of your dim witted little boyfriends combined. You know that." I snarled back at him as I looked around at the Slytherin boys surrounding us.

He didn't take it to heart before his fingers traced the back of my hand that hung at my hip. I flinched back from the sudden touch, but still managed to freeze in place. He took his feet back down, and leaned forward in his chair to rest his chin in his palm. He elbow sat over the ingredients list I needed, and he batted his long, dark lashes at me.

"You need to relax." He chuckled under his breath. "I like to think we're friends-"

"So that suddenly means I should give you sexual favors?" I bit towards him.

"No-" he took in my agitation patiently. "Outside of your relationship with Montague... I'd like to think that we're friends, so-"

"Oh, yes, Theodore." I laughed dryly and put the ingredients down. "Because you tend to do so much for me. Why wouldn't we be classified as friends? It's not like you didn't ditch me like the rest of them 4 years ago." I remarked with a bitter stare.

"If you'd let me finish my sentence, this conversation would be going a lot smoother." he laughed at my abrasiveness. "I just know you have a lot going on in that dark little head of yours. Only talking to Zabini about everything has to get hard. I was just saying that if you wanted to talk about it all sometime, me and you could make the time to do just that. It's easier to have multiple people in your corner." He sat up straight, and his humor had suddenly turned to sincerity.

"I don't have much trust in you to begin with." I admitted, stirring the potion and watching it change colors. Perfect. Just like every other assignment I ever completed turned out. "What makes you think I even have anything to say?" I added.

"Because it's a scary world we're in." He said seriously, keeping his voice low and inching closer. "Malfoy's Mark will just be the first of an awakening. We're not kids anymore. Salazar knows I could use some talking, too." He seemed genuine in his response. "I wouldn't even tell Montague anything you tell me if that makes you feel better. I find him to be a bit of a prick." He tacked on. My suspicions were only growing as he spoke more.

"I don't buy that. I feel like I'm being set up." I shook my head. "All you guys ever do is find ways to torment me. I'm not falling for this." I rearranged the items in our workspace so it was more organized.