ADDICTED - [D.M.]

Twenty-Three - Leave.

Gracie's POV
Malfoy Manor - December 1996

I watch the house elves carrying bottles from the wine cellar up into the kitchen. They are so tiny, but so strong somehow. I am already on my second wine and it is only five pm. Daphne, Theo, Blaise, and Luna are supposed to arrive soon. We invited them over for Dinner before the Party is starting. Pansy is invited too, but we aren't sure if she is coming, she did not respond. My Ring makes a loud noise against the wine glass as I put it down on the table. I stare at it for a second. It makes me feel better immediately. Draco got it for me for Christmas. „It's a promise ring," he said. It was a cute present. Overall Christmas was fine, a little bit overwhelming, but fine. I feel like it was influenced by the number three. Three comments about my outfit. Three comments about my weight. Three comments about my boyfriend. Three secret cries in the bathroom about the comments. Sometimes I wonder how my parents can be so wonderful whilst their families are so horrible. I take another sip of the wine at the thought of my aunt. She is the sister of my mother and grew up in America, just like my mom. I don't why my mom can be so different even though they literally grew up in the same house, with the same parents and they went to the same school. My aunt is just like my grandfather; horrible. Rude, judging, and full of hatred. I know, it's a horrible thought and it probably doesn't make me better than them, but sometimes I am glad he is already dead. My grandmother is an angel, my mom is just like her. I don't get why my grandmother married a jerk like that. Mom always told me about the huge fights they had when she was a child. That's why she moved out as soon as she could, leaving her younger sister behind. That's probably why she is still mad at mom and takes it out on me. My favorite phrase from her this year was about my weight, "Oh! You lost some weight! You really needed to. Last time I saw you you were big. Was she bigger when you got together, Draco?" God, how much I hate her.  She is my only aunt since Dad is an only child. I never met my grandfather. He died early and Dad never talked about him. Dad's mother is a Dragon, she hates mom, she hates me, and she hates our family. Apparently, she never got over my dad's breakup with his first girlfriend. My grandmother loved her so much and Dad left her for "some American girl", my mother. I was surprised that she liked Draco or at least pretended to. She asked him a million questions, but only him. As soon as I made a sound she snarled at me and told me to shut up or she would just cut me off.
"You okay?" Draco walks by. I nod as he interrupted my thoughts. "Still thinking about it?" I nod again. He walks by again, heading to the door. "Come on, cheer up! They are here. We won't enter the new year sadly." I take a deep breath and follow him to the entrance. He is bored by my depressed mood. Even sex wasn't fun after Christmas.
"Hey! I missed you so much! How was Christmas? I have so much to tell you!" Daphne hugs me twice, she is so excited. Theo hands their bags to the house elf before greeting me.
"Hey, how are you?" He mumbles into my hair. I answer with a small smile and a short "alright". God, I hate myself in a bad mood. Blaise and Luna arrive just seconds later. I try my best to be happy. The wine earlier helped.

"So who's coming?" Asks Blaise as he shoves more hot pasta in his mouth.
"Who knows? I wrote on every invitation that everyone can come and everyone should bring friends as long as everyone brings a bottle of alcohol as admission," answers Draco.
"I think we send out at least 60 invitations," I add. Blaise looks impressed and excited.
"I don't know if we want to talk about this topic today, but I'll just ask: Will Pansy come?" Daphne's voice is unsteady.
"We gave her the same invitation as you received, she is invited to dinner and is free to tell her friends to come around," says Draco. Theo and Daphne nod.
"How about that, we won't talk about her till she shows up. If she doesn't come, she is no topic of any conversations tonight," suggests Blaise. I tell him it's a good idea and excuse myself to go to the bathroom. I think I might just got my period. I hate it when I get it, but that means I am not pregnant. I rush and lock the door behind me. I was right. Shit, I can't find any tampons. I am sure there are some in Draco's bathroom or my bags somewhere. I rush up the stairs. My heels are loud on the stairs. I shut the door behind me and start to dig in my clothes who are still packed in my bag. I can't find one. I hurry into the bathroom and over to the drawer. Luckily I left some last time I was here. I hear the door slightly open.
"What are you doing?" Asks Draco quietly. I stand in the door frame of the bathroom and hold up the tampon. "Oh." That's the only thing he can say. I put it inside of me and Draco watches me amazed. "That was so fast," he mumbles stunned. I grab a new pair of panties and quickly put them on in front of the mirror. Draco comes up behind me, "You sure you are okay?"
"Oh yeah, you know, I get this like every month," I laugh.
"No, I mean, in general." I look at myself in the mirror and turn to check if my outfit is alright. "You look stunning," assures Draco me.
"You think I gained weight over Christmas?"
"Stop that, you asked me that over a thousand times now. You did not gain weight. No one cares what your aunt or what your grandmother said!" I smile to myself. He tells me to come back downstairs as soon as I can. I stare at myself for another few seconds and listen to Draco's footsteps going down the stairs. I decide to follow him. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, the doorbell rings.
"I got it," I shout to the others in the dining room. If this is Pansy, I'll eat my hat. I open the door slightly. Guess I'll be eating my hat today.
"Hi," she says shyly. The girl next to her waves a little. I open the door further to get a better look. Shit, that's Hermione.
"Hey, come in! We just started eating, you are just in time!" I pull both of them into a hug. I close the door behind them and take their jackets. "Guys, Pansy and Hermione are here!" I yell to the others to prepare them for the shock. Everyone greets them nicely and we continue to have a conversation whilst still eating.

The house elves carry the empty plates away and one comes back with wine. "When is everyone arriving?" Asks Theo.
"Around eight or nine. Let's go chill in the living room." We all follow Draco, of course, I take the red wine with me.
"Holy shit! Since when do you have an in-ground pool?" Shouts Theo to Draco as he presses his face against the window to get a look at it.
"Since always, but it was closed over the last years because no one went swimming. I wanted it open this summer, so the house elves prepared it-"
"Can we go swim?" Asks Theo excitedly.
"Theo the water is fucking cold-"
"I don't care, let's go swim!"
"No! Theo, don't you dare!" Yells Daphne at him. Theo slowly closes the door again. He looks very disappointed.

I guess it's ten pm. I am drunk. God, luckily I am drunk. The house is full. Here are so many people I don't even know. I stand in the door frame to the garden and watch Theo jump into the pool, followed by other quidditch players. He is going to be so sick next week. "Here, I got you shots," Draco whispers.
"You're an angel," I slur. We drink it quickly.
"You saw the Gryffindors?" Asks Draco. I shake my head whilst I turn around with a surprised look on my face. "Yeah, Pansy invited obviously. I never imagined them coming. As long as they don't do shit, I am cool with it." I nod and kiss him.

Draco's POV

"I'll go, eh, to- to the bathroom," she mumbles. She turns out of my arms and stumbles off. I should follow her before she falls. I walk up behind her and grab her by the waist. "No more drinks for you," I laugh. She groans but keeps walking.
"Wait, I'll be right with you," I say to her. She needs to wait for the bathroom anyway. She can do that by herself. I walk down the corridor. I push the door handle to my father's office down. I locked it. I head inside and stare at the messy papers on the floor. My gaze follows up on the black shoes. Then I stare into the eyes of Jack?
"Yo, man, it's not what it looks like!"
"What the hell are you doing?" I shout at him.
"I have to tell you something! I just looked for proof," he looks for excuses.
"You won't find anything in here. Get the fuck out!" I try my best to remain calm. I pull him out by his sleeve.
"Okay, okay, maybe I don't have proof, but let me just tell you one thing-"
"Then you'll leave!"
"Yeah, whatever. But you are involved in the plan of the dark lord." I stand there quietly. Well, rather speechless.
"Leave," I tell him again. I walk off before he does because I need to take care of Gracie. Do I tell her about this? No, I don't even think it's true. My mother would never approve of something like that. "Come on," I tell Gracie and pull her into the bathroom.

Gracie's POV

I dance with Daphne. The music is loud. I still feel so drunk and numb. I see how Blaise and Luna are making out a few feet away from us. I have no clue where Draco is or what time it is. I feel so lost. Everything is spinning. Daphne is having so much fun. She is even drunker than me. Is that even possible? Weed would be nice right now. I should go and look for some Hufflepuffs. They have always weed. Okay, never mind. This song is my favorite. I move my hips to the beat and sing along to the lyrics. Just like Daphne. I feel something on my waist. I look down and see hands grabbing my hips. Since when has Draco had black nails? I try to remember if I saw him painting them. I do not. I feel him pressing against me. I keep moving to the beat. I look up at Daphne. Why does she look so confused? Is she okay? Hopefully, she doesn't throw up now. "I knew you would like it," whispers a male voice in my ear. That is not Draco. I turn around and push away from him. I know him. What is his name? I don't remember. I stare at his devilish smirk. Who is he? What is he doing here? "Come on, waitress." I stand there frozen. Daphne grabs my arm and drags me away from him.
"Who was that?" I ask her, still confused. I feel so sober right now.
"This guy, Jack. From the rival party." I remember him. God, I feel disgusting. Where the fuck is Draco?
"Two minutes left!" Screams a guy behind me. I jump at his shouting. Shit, where is Draco? I want to kiss him at midnight. I leave Daphne standing there alone and start running around. I can't see any platinum blond hair. I rush outside to the pool. He is not there. I hurry into the kitchen. Everyone starts counting down from sixty. There he stands.
"Hey, are you okay? I got us drinks for midnight." He walks into the living room, where this huge clock is on the Tv. I follow him.
"Draco, wait. I need to tell you something."
He stops and turns around to face me, "I need to tell you something too."
"10!"
"I thought it was you-"
"9!"
"Who danced with me, but-"
"8!"
"It was this guy, Jack-"
"7!" I feel tears on my face.
"I am so sorry, Draco! I-"
"6!"
"I thought it was you."
"5!" He doesn't answer. "4!"
"Gracie," he whispers. Is that a tear on his cheek?
"3!"
"I am involved in the plan-"
"2!"
"Voldemort's plan."
"1!" I can't answer right now. "Happy new year!" Draco presses his lips onto mine. I taste the salty tears from me and him in the kiss.
"I am sorry," he whispers into my hair as he pulls away. He pulls me into a warm hug. I hope no one sees me crying. This is all too much. "I love you."