Broken: a Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 25 - Holding On

In the morning, the warm sun shone brilliantly through the windows of Hogwarts Castle. Alexia escaped out into the grounds alone to spend some time thinking. She wandered through the overgrown grass, beneath the tall trees and finally settled, sitting on a large rock beside the Black Lake. The surface of the lake was as smooth as glass and the water glittered invitingly. In the open air, Alexia was able to clear her mind much more easily and just think, compared to when she was stuck in the dark Slytherin Dungeons. Like hail on a roof, she tapped her fingers anxiously on the rock. Each of her perfectly polished nails clicked relentlessly, similarly to the thudding of a fast-paced heart beat. This ordinary sunny day would either see the beginning of a new life or snap her hopes in two.

After a long night and morning of thinking, Alexia finally made the decision on what she wanted to do with the situation she had described to Daphne in Herbology the day before, the situation that had been causing her quite some grief. She had two options - either she could stay with Sullivan Fawley for a little longer and she wouldn't be risking experiencing heartbreak or feelings (the two words made her nervous as she thought of them) or she could end whatever it was with Sullivan, move on with things and take a chance with Draco. It might not have seemed like it, but it was a hard decision, and it was late in the morning when Alexia headed back to the castle to find Sullivan.

Alexia and Sullivan hadn't seen each other since Thursday at lunch, before Sullivan and Draco had their fight that afternoon. Alexia would've had a go at him but she hadn't seen him since, and even if she had, that wasn't what she was concerned about currently.
Alexia was on her way up the main staircase when she met Sullivan coming in the opposite direction.
"I was looking for you!" Sullivan said with a grin.
"And I was looking for you," Alexia replied.
Sullivan leaned in and kissed her on the lips. It wasn't just a quick peck, it was real and long kiss which Alexia responded to immediately. Students passing by couldn't help but stare at the two. Alexia and Sullivan didn't care, it wasn't like the attention was anything new.
When they finally broke away, Alexia told Sullivan that she needed to talk to him somewhere in quiet. Sullivan thought that this meant something else, so after winking at Alexia, he obediently followed her to an empty classroom, shutting the door behind them.

Sullivan strutted over to Alexia who had sat down on top of a desk and closed in on her so they were only inches apart. He bit his lip in a seductive manner, but for some reason she wasn't turned on by his favourite suggestive move and she didn't look interested at all. Instead, she looked very distracted. So instead he tried to sweet talk her. "Alexia, you look exceptionally lovely this morning," he said, "I've missed you dearly the past few days."
Alexia raised her eyebrows, "Sullivan, I look terrible! I haven't gone fine dining in months and I haven't bought a new outfit in weeks!" she exclaimed.
"Ah, the problems of being wealthy, huh?"
Alexia nodded, "There are many." she said. "You're well-off, you should understand?"
"I'm nowhere near as well-off as you," Sullivan said.
"Yeah-" Alexia stopped; she almost forgot about the money problems her mother was supposedly facing. She was about to admit them to Sullivan but changed her mind. Over the past six months, Alexia had learnt not to trust each and every person just because they were close to you. If she told Sullivan, it could quite possibly end up on the cover of Witch Weekly or Spella Weekly. And by now the money problem could've been resolved - how was Alexia supposed to know? No one bothered to contact her anymore. "Yeah, I suppose," she eventually finished.

"Anyway, why are you playing so hard to get today? Are you trying to hide your motives, because if you want more sex, all you need to do is ask." Sullivan said to Alexia.
Alexia looked down at her feet, "It's kind of the opposite..." she said.
Sullivan titled his head, wanting more information.
"We've been seeing each other for a while Sullivan and I guess... I think it's time we wrap things up, you know?" Alexia said.
"Oh," Sullivan said slowly, "We have been I suppose."
"Yeah," Alexia awkwardly mumbled.
"Is it your mother?" Sullivan asked, slumping down onto the opposite desk.
"No, it's nothing to do with her. I haven't heard from her in a while." Alexia replied.
Sullivan nodded, "It's got to do with Malfoy then?"
Alexia sighed, "I'd be lying if I said no."
Sullivan scoffed.
"But," Alexia started, "It's got more to do with myself. It's what I want to do. I want to move on with my life and to do that, I need to start afresh."
"Yeah, I understand. I suppose if Malfoy's not keeping up his womanizer reputation, I better, huh?" said Sullivan.
Alexia smiled and nodded, "Trust me, it wasn't easy for me to decide this. Sullivan, I've honestly really liked having you there for me. I know what we had wasn't anything serious or special but you made me feel better during one of the hardest times. I wish I didn't have to do this, but I've come to realise that it's me who has to put an end to this hard time, not someone else." Alexia told him, suddenly feeling much better about herself and her decision already.
"Yeah, makes sense. I guess it's time I move on too. This has definitely been the longest I've been with someone!" Sullivan said.
Alexia laughed, "Wish I could say the same, but someone bet you to it!"
Sullivan grinned, "Hey, you're welcome to say no but do you want to hang out together one last time tonight? No sex or anything, just fun." He asked sincerely.
Alexia smiled, "I'd like that."

Now that Alexia had gotten that over and done with, her mind was set upon finding Draco and telling him that she had ended things with Sullivan, and hopefully she would also be able to amend any of their problems.
As Alexia walked dwn to the Slytherin Common Room she began to feel nervous. In her mind she thought of elaborate reasons for why everything would turn out alright, but still a tiny voice in the back of her mind spoke of nothing but trouble ahead.

In the Common Room, Draco was sitting on one of the sofas, polishing his broomstick with the new servicing kit his mother had sent him last week.
"When's the next match?" Alexia asked approaching him.
Draco looked up, "Not until May," he replied.
Alexia nodded, "I won't miss it this time. I'll be on top of things, so I won't need to stay back and finish assignments."
"You say that now," Draco said.
Alexia sighed and sat on the sofa opposite his, "I ended things with Sullivan, so this time I'll have no excuses."
Draco couldn't hide the look of shock on his face, "What?" he said.
"I'm not with him anymore."
"I wasn't expecting that." Draco said.
Alexia grabbed Draco's servicing kit and started fiddling it, trying to control her anxiousness. A few silent moments passed before she spoke, "Draco, I was hoping that we could go back to being the best friends we were before we let all this get inbetween us."
Draco chuckled, "Al, we never stopped being the best friends we are. We always will be no matter what." he told her.
Alexia's worried face twisted into a big smile. Draco skillfully maneuvered onto the sofa she was seated on and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug. His embrace was warm and his arms clung around her petite body protectively. Alexia held onto him tightly, not wanting the moment to end. Draco was right, they were best friends no matter what.

•••

Once the day had ended, the Hogwarts students had finished dinner and were heading to bed, Draco and Pansy Parkinson began their Prefect night duties. Although it had been warm during the day, the sun had long gone and now the cold air crept under their clothes and wrapped around them like a coat as they ascended up a staircase to the higher floors.
As they checked one of the floors, Draco stopped walking and looked out a nearby window. There, out in the grounds was Alexia, twirling around on the lawn, laughing. Beside her was Sullivan. He was sitting watching her, cheering and whistling, taking regular sips from a large bottle of liquor. Alexia stopped and dizzily fell into Sullivan's embrace, still smiling and giggling in the sweet way she did. Sullivan passed her the bottle and she took a big sip. She drunkly waved the bottle around in the air, then snuggled up into Sullivan.

"That's got to be hard," Pansy said from behind Draco. She had crept up behind him and was watching the two also.
"She- she told me today she wasn't seeing him anymore..." Draco said.
Pansy chuffed, "You can't believe everything Alexia says, you know her! She's deceitful and scheming, and she never stops until she gets what she wants." she said, yet she said with the slightest note of admiration.
"I know, but it really sounded like she was telling me the entire truth today. I've lost her too many times already and I'm not losing her again!" he said with determination and desperation.
"Well fight for her Draco!" Pansy said, "Her whole perfect life is caving in! She needs you. Right now she's broken."