Green Apples and Parchment

Chapter Eight

Draco and I were in the library. I was trying to focus on the assignment, but I had the feeling that someone was watching me. Every time I looked up at Draco, his eyes were firmly on the parchment in front of him. Maybe I was just imagining things.

"Am I a bit distracting? Do you need me to move tables or something?" Draco caught my eyes as I looked up again, a smile on his face. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." I mumbled. I turned back to my potions book, but my eyes didn't read a single word on the page. My quill was grasped much too tightly in my hand.

He laughed. "Sure you don't. It's not like you're spending more time looking at me than our homework. I know I'm great to look at, but really Connolly, I need to get this done."

I kept my eyes down as my cheeks turned red. 

"If you really want to spend more time together, all you had to do was ask. We could arrange a separate meeting where you can look into my eyes all you want." Draco raised his eyebrows flirtatiously, a smirk on his face. 

"Thanks, but no thanks. I'll have to pass you up on that particular offer."

"You don't have to be ashamed of liking me, Connolly. Plenty of other girls here are in the same boat. I'd be worried if you didn't like me honestly."

It had been like this every time I was around Draco since the amortentia incident. Whenever we were alone, Draco would flirt with me and try to make me laugh. He always made a point to wear his cologne when we were together. But whenever anyone else was around, he would ignore me. My brain hurt trying to figure out why he acted like this. It was exhausting honestly.  As far as I could tell, he hadn't even told anyone what I had smelled in my love potion. I just wished I could figure him out. 

After a few minutes of silent working, I worked up the courage to speak to Draco. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Are you asking me out on a date? I'm busy tomorrow, there's a quidditch game against ravenclaw-"

"No, Malfoy. I'm not asking you out."

"Then what is is?" He leaned back in his seat, arms crossed as he stared at me. My courage faltered under his gaze. As much as I hated it, he had an impact on me. Draco noticed, and he smirked. "Are you sure you're not asking me out on a date, because it kind of seems like it."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Why do you act like this?"

The smile dropped off Draco's face, a scowl emerging instead. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Its just, you used to make fun of me all the time, but ever since... You don't really do that anymore. When it's just us, you're nice and you flirt with me. But anytime other people are around, you go back to ignoring me. I've been trying to figure you out, but I just can't. So why do you do it?"

Draco started gathering his stuff together. "Don't flatter yourself, Connolly. I'm not flirting with you. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Where are you going? We're not done with this."

"I have someplace to be." He stood up and began to walk away.

"Draco. Please." 

Draco stopped. 

"Just... tell me what's going on. Please." I sounded desperate, but I was past the point of caring. 

He turned around, a scowl on his face. "Do you think I liked smelling lavender, honey, and lilac in my amortentia? I was just as surprised as you. So don't pretend you're the victim here. You don't understand why I act the way I do? You're just as confusing, Cass! You smelled my cologne, and you keep looking at me, and I can tell that you're lying when you say you don't like me. But then you act like you hate me. I never know what's going on with you."

That was the first time he had ever called me by just my first name. "Lavender, honey, and lilac?" I murmured, more to myself than Draco. 

He glared at me, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Do you seriously not remember that?"

I paled as I remembered that my shampoo was lavender and honey, and my perfume was lilac scented. 

Draco scoffed. "You just made the connection, did you? I thought you were smart, but I guess you're a bit of an airhead after all."

"I was a little preoccupied that day! I wasn't really focused on what it smelled like to you. The scents went in one ear and out the other. It's not like I expected your amortentia to smell like me!"

"Yeah, neither did I." He turned, and started to walk away. 

"Draco-"

"Goodbye, Connolly. I'll see you later." Draco was clearly done talking to me, and left the library without another word. 

I sat back down at the table and buried my head in my hands. At least I figured some stuff out. Draco hadn't told everyone about me being attracted to him, because he was afraid of me doing the same to him. He was probably mortified, what with his whole "pureblood, rich, and slytherin only" thing he's got going on.

How could I be so stupid?