𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 • (𝐝.𝐦.)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐧

♔

The kiss with Montague only left me confused.

After it, we went back inside and got cleaned up, both of us acting like little kids with crushes, but silently, I was recounting the experience over and over again in my head.

A kiss in the rain... romantic, right? I didn't know what to feel anymore.

I thought this was exactly what I wanted, but here I was, left to wonder.

That night, after dinner with Blaise and the rest of the Slytherins, I found my way into a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. I threw a chunky-knit cardigan over it and when midnight rolled around, I remembered I left my journal and book downstairs.

Perfect, this way I could go down and get it, and pick up where I left off.

When I got downstairs, the common room was empty, and I went to the couch I had occupied earlier.

I looked everywhere but couldn't find the two items anywhere. It was a nightmare, I began to frantically look around but to no avail.

"Looking for these?" I heard someone say from behind me, and the unmistakable voice told me it was Draco.

I turned around to see what he meant, and when I saw he held my books, I let out a breath of relief.

"What are you doing with those?" I asked accusingly, my relief turning into suspicion.

"I found them on the couch. I knew they were yours and I knew you'd probably be here tonight so I just made sure nobody else took them," He explained.

I found it difficult to express how I was feeling towards him right now. It was a nice gesture, but that's exactly why I was confused.

Draco Malfoy wasn't nice.

He was mean and callous and pompous. He wasn't compassionate. He wasn't thoughtful. He wasn't caring.

Without a word, I took my things out of his outstretched arms and nodded silently at him.

"No 'thank you'?" He snapped and I was once again graced with his attitude.

"Thank you," I said simply, not wanting to egg him on.

He had nothing to say to that, so he just nodded as if he was proud of himself. He got what he wanted.

I sat down on the couch, curling up into myself and opening the book again to begin reading. The fireplace was lit, so I decided to take my heavy sweater off, throwing it to the side of me.

I read for a grand total of two minutes before I heard his voice again.

"So... Maggie Warrington and Graham Montague?" He said, and I furrowed my brow.

"What?"

"You and Montague. You're a thing now, right? At least, that's what he's been telling the team," He said.

This had captured my attention, and I turned to face him completely.

"What exactly has he been telling the team?" I asked, and Draco smirked at me.

"That's got your attention, has it?"

"Yes, it has. I don't want him saying anything that isn't true," I said, and his smirk went away. "Well, all he's said is relating to the bet-"

"What bet?" I asked furiously, and he realized I had no idea what he was talking about.

"You really don't know?"

"Draco, tell me what the hell is going on," I snapped, fury raging through my veins.

He took a brief pause, trying to think of what to say, and I shook my head in disbelief.

"He made a bet he could fuck you before the three weeks was up," He said, and I stared at him.

"He what? When did he-"

"The day you two met. He came back into the locker room and talked about it. He said you were hot and Crabbe bet him 10 Galleons he couldn't get you to kiss him in a week's time," He said.

Suddenly, he didn't seem so cocky and looked a bit embarrassed.

"Obviously, the bet escalated to shagging you, and the money went up as well," Draco said. 

"Oh," I sighed, running my fingers through my hair.

Then I began to laugh lightly.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked, and I looked over at him, a strange smile still on my face.

"I'm just glad that kiss wasn't a good one," I admitted.

He looked truly bewildered by my answer. I was feeling very relieved this whole thing was a ruse, it made my life so much easier. 

After that kiss, I felt guilty that I didn't like him back the way he might've liked me, but this made everything so much simpler. 

He was an asshole, this couldn't be better. 

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked, and I rolled my eyes. 

"Wouldn't you like to know," I scoffed. As if I was going to tell Montague's teammate the master plan I was cooking up in my head. 

I needed something good, I wanted to humiliate this guy. He was misogynistic and in need of a lesson about what happens when you act like a douchebag.

I would enlist the help of the Weasley twins for this, but that was a project for another day. 

I looked back at my book, reading further after Lizzy had rejected Mr. Collins. Her mother was in an uproar, beside herself that her daughter had turned down the marriage proposal, but I loved the lines exchanged between her father and her. 

"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do."

It was always a favorite of mine, especially the chaos that came from Mrs. Bennett directly after. 

I stifled a laugh under my breath at the exchange, one of my favorites in the whole book, and I felt Draco's eyes on me after.

"What are you laughing at?" He asked, and I kept reading. 

"You ask a lot of questions, Malfoy," I said, and I heard him scoff. 

"Well, it would be nice if you answered any of them." 

I smiled to myself at his tone. It was softer than before, more tolerable. 

"It's one of my favorite parts of this book. It's funny," I said, and he peered at the book cover. 

"I've never heard of that book," He said, and I shrugged. 

"I didn't think you would, it's a Muggle book." 

"You read that Muggle garbage? I would never-"

"Shh, just let me enjoy it. It's my favorite book, I got it from my mom," I said, not wanting him to continue trashing my beloved story. 

"Okay," He simply said, going back to his own work. 

I don't remember when I fell asleep, but when I woke up it was about four in the morning and the fire was out. 

I was alone in the common room, but draped over me was my sweater, and next to me, my book with a piece of paper resting on top. 

You were on Chapter 21.

- D.M.

♔

he's lowkey sweet. don't tell anyone, though. but like... come on... awwww.