Secrets & Slytherins

Chapter 34: The Punch

"It will all work out in the end, mate," Noah assured his friend.

"I don't think I can do this," admitted Draco, his hair messy and his eyes looking rather bloodshot. The boy hadn't slept in days. "It's too much pressure."

"I won't sugarcoat it, alright? The situation you're in sucks, but maybe you shouldn't focus on it right now. Take your mind off of everything and come to the party tonight. Get wasted and hook up with Pansy or something," Noah suggested.

Draco scoffed, objecting, "No way. Anyone but Pansy. She's so clingy that I swear my arm is about to fall off."

The two boys laughed in the Slytherin dormitory, which was lit by a few candles and lanterns as the sun began to set. The light danced across the dark green curtains and bedsheets.

"So, you and Parker?" Draco asked after a few minutes, an eyebrow raised.

Noah simply nodded, trying to keep the corners of his lips from tugging upward.

"You have to be careful," Draco warned. "You know that, right?"

Noah sighed, running a hand through his hair, tugging roughly on the roots of it. "Yeah, I know that, alright?"

"You haven't told her yet, have you?"

"There's a lot I haven't told her," Noah sighed, looking down at his shoes.

"That's probably for the best."

Noah stood up, walking over to the dresser on the opposite side of the room to gaze in the mirror. "I hate lying to her."

"Everyone lies, Dolohov. You need to get used to sneaking around and lying without hesitation," Draco explained.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Noah asked, turning back around to look at the boy, no longer wanting to stare at his own reflection. "Are you coming to the party or not?"

"I was thinking about staying in bed and sulking all alone with a bottle of firewhiskey, actually."

"Here's an idea," Noah started, reaching under his bed and feeling around for a moment before pulling out a large bottle and tossing it toward Draco. The boy caught it and looked down at the label. "Bring the firewhiskey to the party and sulk around other people instead."

"Alright, alright," Draco replied, twisting it open and taking a sip. It burned his throat but his expression never faltered.

"I have to go meet Grace, but I'll see you in the Room of Requirement later."

"I'll be too far gone by then to see much, but sure, see you later," Draco mumbled, raising the bottle as his friend left the dormitory shaking his head.

Noah made his way out of the Slytherin common room. He was supposed to meet Grace outside the library, but when he arrived, she was nowhere to be found. He walked through the entrance of the library, nearly crashing into Grace as she rounded the corner of a bookshelf.

"There you are," Noah said, slightly startled.

"Sorry, we were studying and lost track of time."

"We?" Noah asked, his forehead wrinkling.

Grace looked over her shoulder for the girl she was referring to. It only took a moment for Rachel to appear from behind the bookshelf.

"Hello, Noah," she said in a sickly sweet voice. "Grace and I were just doing some homework. She's such a great study partner."

"It was nothing, really. I'm glad I could help," Grace responded with a small smile.

"No, it was great. I would have failed the next Care of Magical Creatures exam if it wasn't for you," Rachel insisted, a grin on her face. "Hey, we should hang out at the party later!"