Rivals | D.M

17. More than just a Hickey

Aster's POV

It had been days since I had last talked to Malfoy. He's been  avoiding me in class and in the common room. At one point, I caught him looking at me during lunch but as soon as I could cock just even one eyebrow his gaze was down and he was out the door. 

I don't think too much about it, instead I knuckle down on my schoolwork, which had ultimately been lacking the last few weeks. 

We were all working on our Transfiguration homework as Harper gushed over Fred, who was sitting a table over from us. I look up to find her gazing lustfully after him.

"Harps, seriously go get a room ugh" I say as I throw my rolled up parchment at her face. The parchment hits her with a soft thump and I give her a small grin.

"I can't believe he's been sitting in front of me for so long and I hadn't even noticed him before now" she says, her eyes still dreamy.

I cringe as I steal a look at Blaise, his eyes narrow as he pretends to study his textbook.

"You know I saw you take that tonic this morning Ast, you planning on seeing Dean after all?" she whispers from across the table, giving me a wink.

I blanch at her forwardness. You can never know how Harper will react to things, she has a knack of being unpredictable.

I shush her as I look up and down the table, hoping that no one has heard her. Blaise looks up, confusing settling into his eyes.

"Tonic?" he asks dumbfounded.

Harper bursts into a laugh that's trapped between her lips. I roll my eyes before looking over to see if Professor McGonagall had heard. I watch as the Professor strolls down the opposite side of the hall before I hiss at Harper.

"Can you not?" I say, my tolerance for her slipping quickly.

Harper ignores my outburst and instead grins at Blaise.

"A contraceptive tonic" she whispers, quietly this time.

Blaise eyes go so wide I swear they could have popped out of his head. Blood rushes to my cheeks. I pull my tie loose, desperate for some air to reach my trachea.

"Why?" He asks, his voice wavering.

"Because she's either had sex in the last 24 hours or shes planning to" Harper mutters, her eyes scanning the room for eavesdroppers.

"For fucks sake Harper, do you have to go around and tell everyone my business?" I mutter, keeping my eyes averted from Blaise's. I don't think I can ever look him in the eyes again. This is just not something you usually disclose to your male best friend.

Sometimes I despise having to share a room with her, I just hope Pansy and Millicent also didn't see my tonic this morning. That would be a disaster.

Harper's eyes twinkle with mischief before she looks back down at her homework.

"Who?" Blaise asks.

I look up to find his eyebrows furrowed and I see a flicker of concern wash over his dark eyes.

"No one" I mutter.

Desperate for this conversation to be over, I pick up my parchment and textbook and hand over my homework to Professor McGonagall before leaving.

As I walk out of the great hall and down the corridor towards the Owlery, I feel someone come up from behind me.

"I need to talk to you"

I spin round to find Draco, his eyes grave and his voice gruff.

"Whats up?" I ask, begging my heart to slow down.

The mere sight of him is already making my body crave things it shouldn't.

"I can't do this anymore" he says, his eyes not meeting mine.

I feel my stomach drop.

"Do what?" I ask innocently.

"Don't" he grunts. He digs his hands into his robe's pockets.

"What do you want Malfoy?" I ask, anger steadily rising.

He looks up at the change in my voice.

"Look I don't have time for this" I start, "I have bigger things to worry about".

His silver eyes narrow.

"You gave me a hickey" he says before pulling down his shirt and tie and revealing a small purple bruise nicely displayed on his neck.

I can't help but smile at my little creation.

"It's not funny" he grunts. I swear I see his eyes sparkle before he looks back down at his feet.

His timidness spurs something in me and before I know it, I'm flirting with him once again.

"I can do more than give you a hickey if that's what you want" I reply, keeping my voice low.

His eyes snap back up to mine and a smile tugs on his lips.

"No," he says shaking his head at me, "They know it wasn't Parkinson.''

I furrow my eyebrows at him, confusion washes over me.

"What do you mean?"

"They think I hook up with Parkinson... I don't...I mean not anymore. But she was there and she told them it wasn't her that gave me this" He points to the hickey again.

I'm not sure how to feel about this revelation. On one hand I feel slightly bemused about his sheepish nature right now and on the other I feel a strong sense of bitterness towards Pansy.

"Just don't tell them who?" I ask, raising one eyebrow.

He pulls out his hands from his robes and twists his ring on his finger. I watch absentmindedly, as he pulls it up and down his finger.

"People will start asking questions, I can't afford to..." he lets the sentence drift off into the cool air. I stare at him, my mouth suddenly dry.

"What, can't afford to be caught fucking a half-blood?" I finally spit out.

His eyes go wide for a milli-second before they narrow. Silver flames flicker in them as his anger floats up.

"No I can't. I should never have kissed you in the first place, it's disgusting quite frankly" he spits back at me.

I scoff. "Disgusting?! You weren't saying that the other morning when your dick was in my mouth" I say.

Crippling fury brews in my chest, an anger so violent I feel as if it's going to choke me.

He pauses, his mouth pulled into a stern line.

"You keep your mouth shut half-blood" he finally says through gritted teeth.

I step towards him. I look up into his eyes, his iris's go wide and if I knew him any better I would say he's enjoying this.

"Make me" I whisper. 

As if we were both the opposite sides of a magnet we pull towards each other, my lips now inches away. I listen to his breathing as it turns shallow, as if the air around us is too thick to gulp down. 

"You know you can't stay away from me Malfoy, no matter how hard you try" I tease, letting my breath tickle his neck. 

I watch as his Adams apple bobs, his eyes watch my lips and I give him a small smirk. 

"You're not disgusting, I didn't mean that " he whispers. His half apology makes me own breath hitch in my throat. 

I keep my eyes on his, desperate to keep my dominance steady. 

"Why does this keep happening?" he murmurs, more to himself that me. 

"Why can't we just submit to it?" I implore, my voice quiet and unsure. I don't know why, but I need him, I need us more than anything right now. I need to feel good. I need to feel a lot. 

"Ok" he replies, before he crashes his lips down onto mine.