Broken: a Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 34 - I Know You

He was cunning, deceitful and assured of himself until he touched her soft skin. Then something not only awoke in him, but it took over his mind. His world became unimportant, a blur banished. The only thing that mattered was her; touching her more, kissing her mouth, her neck, her breasts. He tried to be gentle with her body and her fine clothes, careful not to leave bruises or rip the lace, but it seemed she never cared, she wanted him no matter what.

Draco missed Alexia's presence over the next week, and she missed his. But they could not risk anything. They had once and look where it had landed them! Alexia clearly didn't want to go public when he had spoken to her in the hallway, so he kept up his snobby, egocentric act, with his dirty yet seductive language as an added bonus.
Little did Draco know, Alexia was struggling to handle the situation and hide the truth as well as him.

"You are never to be seen wearing that skirt ever in this school. I bet it's been made by filthy Muggles! It is clearly a fake and you are clearly trying to make fun of me." Alexia snapped at a fourth-year Slytherin who was waiting for her friend one afternoon after classes in the Slutherin Dungeons.
The girl frowned but knew she stood no chance. Slowly, she walked back to her dormitory, keeping her eyes fixed to the floor.
"I have that skirt and I will be the only one wearing it around here." Alexia said, not necessarily to the girl, but more so to inform Pansy and Daphne beside her.

"So anyway, as I was saying," Alexia began as they headed out the dungeon, "it's the last Hogsmeade trip this weekend for the term."
"We should go!" Pansy said.
"We have studying, Pansy." Daphne stated. "Not to mention, that will just be dangerous for Alexia right now, right?" She questioned Alexia.
Alexia scowled, "I just want to go for a quick drink and escape from this place. I don't plan to stay long!"
Daphne's face was pale, "Oh, of course. Sorry Alexia, I-"
"Don't worry about it. Come on we need to get some studying done."

•••

On Friday afternoon, Alexia sat in her last lesson for the day, Potions. A soft, light rain had been developing throughout the day, so a dripping sound had become constant in the dreary dungeons. They had spent the last few lessons revising potions which they had made that year, and today's lesson was the Draught of Peace. Although Alexia was making good progress, she wasn't very interested or focused in what she was doing, and if it wasn't for her miraculous, natural talent, she would have probably set her cauldron into flames several times.
"Everything okay, Miss Burke?" Snape said, peering over her shoulder slyly.
"Oh," Alexia said, slightly startled, "Yes, Professor."
"Good." he said. "May I have a word to you after class?"
"Yes, of course, Professor."
He nodded and strode away to his desk.

Alexia took a little longer to pack up at the end of the lesson. She spent just a little extra time cleaning and putting away her equipment, putting off whatever it was Snape wanted to speak to her about. She did not know what it would be, but whatever it was, it was most likely something negative.
Across the room, Draco too was taking his time. Occasionally, he glanced over at Alexia, thinking she could not see. But she could. And she wanted desperately to look back at him, into his mysterious yet gorgeous, cold, grey eyes. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. He could read her, he always knew how she felt, and understood her so well; her eyes were the gateway to her soul but she wasn't sure she wanted him to enter.
Finally, Alexia placed the last of her books in her bag and looked up. Draco was gone. Just like that.

"Professor?" Alexia said to Snape who was shuffling a pile of papers on his desk.
He looked up, "Take a seat."
Alexia obeyed and sat across from him.
"Draco and you," he started.
"Professor! It's all lies! Draco loathes me!" Alexia interrupted.
"Miss Burke, I think you forget what a skilled wizard I am." Snape sharply said.
Alexia looked down. He was a Legilimens; he could easily tell she was lying. "I'm sorry, Professor," she said quietly.
"Do you ever wonder why neither Mr or Mrs Malfoy or your parents haven't contacted you about this matter?" Snape questioned.
Alexia shook her head, she honestly hadn't.
"You're lucky I took matters into my own hands," Snape said.
"Do they know the truth?"
Snape nodded once.
"Are they angry?"
"They were quite..." he searched for the right word "...confounded."
Alexia looked away and sighed.
"I convinced them that now was not the time to create tension or quarrel amongst one another. I told them that Draco and yourself are still young and make mistakes."
As Snape said the last word, Alexia knew it was not a mistake. But she didn't dare argue.
"And," he continued, "I informed them you have promised to be much more careful, whether you intend to go ahead with yourselves or not."
Alexia nodded, still not looking at Snape.
"Do you?"
"Yes, I promise Professor." she said.
"Good. Pass this on to Draco, please." Snape requested.
"I will."
"You may go now."
"Professor?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you," Alexia said.
Snape lowered his head slightly.
Alexia took her bag, stood, pushed the seat closer to the desk and left.