Scopophobia ✹ ABRAXAS MALFOY

f i v e

I REGRETTED IT. 

When I'd shaken Abraxas's hand and sealed the deal, I had no idea what being 'friends' with him was like. We'd parted after finishing patrolling the dungeons; on my behalf when I hurried up the stairs so he couldn't kiss my hand again. Or worse. Then, this morning I woke thinking everything would be fine; it wasn't. 

The moment I walked into the common room, I saw Abraxas sitting on the couch, looking into the fire. Of course, he had to come over to me, and now he's next to me as we walk to the Great Hall for breakfast. Being the absolute gentleman he was, he offered his arm, and I had no choice but to take it. 

Everyone we walked past looked at us. They probably saw two students in Slytherin; a boy and a girl, both Prefects and looking completely at ease with each other. That was an absolute lie. My posture was so straight because I was stiff, and my teeth were bitting the inside of my cheek. 

Screw Abraxas and his attention-seeking hair.

When at last we neared the Great Hall, the boy simply had to speak. 

"You don't talk much, do you?"

I refused to look at him, keeping my gaze in front of us, "Is that a statement or a question?"

"Question." He hummed. 

"Am I obliged to answer?"

I saw him smirk out of the corner of my eye, "It would be very much appreciated."

I ignored the question, asking my own instead, "Why are you suddenly so interested in me?"

He shrugged, and I felt his gaze on me, "Call it interest, intrigue, curiosity, fascination-"

"All right, I get the point. Cut to the chase." I cut in.

He smirked, continuing, "You seemingly abruptly appeared out of no where, and I want to know where you've been." 

I rolled my eyes, "It's not your business."

"Well, I'm making it mine."

I scoffed as we walked through the open doors of the Great Hall. Immediately I felt numerous eyes on us, and I fought the urge to walk the other way, back to my dorm. Abraxas led us to the Slytherin table, walking past the place I usually sat in. 

"Where are you leading me Abraxas?" I sharply whispered, turning to face him. 

"To my group of friends. You'll love them." He responded, eyes flicking to mine for a second. 

"Friends? Love them?" I scoffed. 

"Call it what you will. You looked lonely last night, and I'm sure it wasn't the first time you've sat down there by yourself."

"I like the solitude. There's no brats like you to bother me." I instantly bit back. 

"Ouch. Anyway, with all the attention we've been getting, it wouldn't be right that you sit alone." He reasoned. 

"I wouldn't be getting any attention if you hadn't insisted on walking me here."

"Hush. You love my company."

Before I had the chance to respond, I noticed we'd arrived before Abraxas's group of 'friends'. On the other side of the table sat Riddle, Lestrange, and my brother; Orion. Reluctantly sitting down, yet thankfully next to Walburga; who I was eternally grateful to for sitting there, the group stopped eating to look at me. 

"Why's she here?" Lestrange questioned, pointing his empty fork at me as he looked up at Abraxas.

"I invited her to." Abraxas responded, sitting down in the only empty space left. Unfortunately, it was on the other side of me. 

"More like wouldn't let me go and commanded me to sit here." The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them. 

Riddle chuckled, going back to eating his food. Orion on the other hand, wouldn't stop looking at me. I guaranteed he didn't want me sitting here, and I didn't either. 

"I like her." Lestrange smirked, his fork still pointed at me.

"She doesn't like you." Walburga spoke up, "Especially since you're pointed a fork at her."

Orion smirked as the boy quickly put his fork down, yet made it seem funny instead of embarrassing.   

"At least it didn't have any food on it."

The conversation moved away from me as the topic, leaving me to gather food on my plate and start eating. I was incredibly thankful for Walburga's interruption; I didn't know how much longer I would last. And it had only been a few seconds. 

"See? They're not so bad." Abraxas muttered into my ear. 

I turned to face him, "I still prefer my solitude."

He chuckled, "At least you're bother's future betrothed is here." 

My gaze travelled to her for a second, a smile creeping onto my lips. 

"Besides," He continued, "Who would want to be alone when they could be with me?"

"Everyone with their sanity and common sense intact."

He laughed, "Then you must not have any sanity or common sense."

I rolled my eyes, "You basically forced me to sit here. It wasn't by choice."

Abraxas's face lost his smirk, going to a serious face that shocked me, "You think that bad of me?" He attempted a smile that looked extremely sad. 

"Why Abraxas? In all honesty, why did you... wish... for me to sit here?"

"In all honesty... I didn't want you to sit alone."

I attempted to cheer the conversation up a bit, smirking, "So the ice-cold Prince Malfoy has a compassionate side?"

"Ice-cold Prince?" He laughed. 

"You don't like the name? A few girls in Hufflepuff will be disappointed."

His laughs calmed down, "What did they nickname you?"

I looked back at my food, moving it around with my fork, "They didn't give me one. I was completely invisible before I got this badge. I was fine with being invisible. I was fine fitting in with the walls."

"But why fit in, when you were born to stand out?" He questioned, completely serious. 

My eyes widened at his words. Before I had the chance to respond with a mumble-jumble of words that probably wouldn't make sense, Abraxas was brought into the group's conversation. I zoned out, the noise lessoning as I thought about his words. 

"You don't talk much, do you?" 

I don't have anyone to talk to. 

"You seemingly abruptly appeared out of no where, and I want to know where you've been."

Why would you want to know?

 "You think that bad of me?"

I did. I'm not sure if I still do though. 

"In all honesty... I didn't want you to sit alone."

Do you care? Did you just say that to mock me being alone?

"But why fit in, when you were born to stand out?"

...