joelle | d.m

45 | human shield

March, 1995.

"Draco."

"Yes, darling?" The blond flicked his eyes to her from his paperback, which he had over her knees.

Joey was still looking at her book that stood on her chest. Her legs rested over his thighs as she lay comfortably on the couch in her common room.

"I've decided that I'm going to start gaslighting you," she announced, and met his stare over her book. "But not in the bad way."

He frowned, confused. "You're going to start gaslighting me?"

"No." Her brows bundled together in bemusement. "I didn't say that. When did I say that?"

He stared at her, processing. "You said that," he told her quietly. "Just now, you did."

"Did I?" she mused. "I don't think I did, Malfoy."

"Oh." His lips went ajar, muddled.

She was smiling now. "I think you need to take a nap," she crooned. "Perhaps you're tired."

He nodded subtly, still frowning. "Yeah, I suppose I am," he agreed indulgently, and absently rubbed her leg with his free hand. "I only slept five hours last night."

"Mhm." Her smile broadened and a gleam of delight overcame her blackened eyes. "Busy with all your studies, huh?"

"But I did my studies after school yesterday," he replied slowly, puzzled. "I did, didn't I? We were in your dorm when I did them."

"No, you did them last night," she explained. "Last night when I was reading right next to you. You told me you had an essay left and that I could sleep if I wanted to, so I did."

"Oh, yeah." He had no recollection of this, but it made sense. "Yeah, I did. A-And I kissed you goodnight, right?"

"Yeah, you did," she softly said. "You kissed me goodnight."

"Okay, good. As long as I kissed you goodnight." He patted her thigh tenderly.

She quickly sat up and scooted closer to him. "No, I feel bad. I'm just joking," she said gently through an amused smile. "None of that happened."

"Did I not kiss you goodnight?" His frown deepened.

"You did not." She shook her head. "But you did though, so don't worry."

He blanked at her, so confused. "What?"

"Okay, don't worry." She held the side of his face and kissed his cheek ardently. "Just read your book."

"I didn't kiss you goodnight?" he inquired, trying to recall what happened the night before. "I always kiss you goodnight—even when you sleep in your dorm. I just kiss you goodnight before we depart."

"You kissed me goodnight," Joey assured him fondly. "Don't worry. We were reading together last night and you forgot to kiss me goodnight before you fell asleep. No big deal."

Draco blanked once more, brown pinched together in thought. "What?" he uttered. "Wha— I don't understand."

She nodded indulgently. "Me neither," she murmured, and pressed a brisk kiss on the side of his neck before laying back down to read her book.

He just sat there, befuddled. "So did I or did I not kiss you goodnight?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, alright. Makes sense." He bowed his head in understanding before diving back into his book.

They'd done something new. She gave him one of her favourite books and he gave her one of his. They had a week to finish the book and by the end of the week, they would tell each other their thoughts.