addiction - draco malfoy

fourty six

'elizabeth' draco shook my shoulder, snapping me out of sleep. i forced myself to smile at him, hiding the frustration. peter still hadn't visited me, and i felt weirdly alone. 'happy christmas'. i shuffled over in bed, lifting the covers up to let him in next to me. he smiled, presenting me with a small wrapped present, about the size of my palm. 'what is it?' i asked, shaking it. 'well open it then, idiot' he scoffed. i elbowed him, laughing, starting to lightly edge open the parcel.

i peeled back the wrapping paper to reveal a small silver bracelet sitting in the middle, a candlestick pendant on it. 'peter helped me with the idea' draco said eagerly 'i can't take all the credit. he said you nearly stabbed him in the neck with one once protecting me when i was asleep. makes me sound like a bit of a sissy, but i suppose i'll let you take the position of the alpha male in this relationship'. he stopped, clearly realising that he'd been doing all the talking. 'what's up elizabeth? do you not like it?'
'i love it' i said softly, my chin wobbling 'it's the most thoughtful present anyone has ever gotten me'. i did love it, but i also didn't want it. as i slipped it on my wrist, i felt almost weighed down. like i was wearing the constant reminder of a power i was gifted but not strong enough to keep. a constant reminder that i was cut off completely now.

'come on then. get up. we have to get ready' draco started to stand, tugging on my hands. 'wait, wait, wait. you haven't got your present yet' i laughed, ignoring the tears that were threatening to spill from my eyes. 'you got me a present?' draco asked.
'of course' i grinned 'it's not as good as yours, but i tried'. i leant over him, pulling the gift out of my bedside table and passing it to him. i watched as he unwrapped it, a lot less carefully than i had, simply ripping at the wrapping paper rather than slowly unpicking it. he looked down at the small, perfectly water coloured image of him and his mother, kept safe in a glass frame. it was the same image that he had drawn on in the bathroom at school, just with his father cropped out of it. me and lily had spent hours on it, me attempting to pain it and lily fixing my mistakes. lily had always been the artistic one.

draco gulped hard, turning and kissing me quickly on the lips. 'i love it' he told me, reaching across and squeezing my hand. 'elizabeth, i love you. i know you're not ready to say that to me yet, and that's fine. but when you are ready, i'll be here. always'.
'thank you' i whispered.

we got ready, meeting up again to walk downstairs. christmas dinner with lucius wasnt something i was particularly looking forward to, but it was whatever. i liked narcissa, and draco would be there. it wasn't like i would be alone. i followed draco into the dining room, taking the guest place at the bottom of the table and returning narcissa's smile. 'elizabeth. i wasn't aware you were joining us' lucius announced tightly 'i wasn't actually aware you were staying at the manor at all over christmas, least at all christmas dinner'.
'dad' draco warned, shooting a pointed glance in his direction. 'it's okay' i whispered to draco, turning back to lucius 'yeah. sorry about that. thanks for having me'.
'you're always welcome' narcissa told me warmly 'isn't she lucius?'.

lucius didn't look like he agreed at all, but he nodded tightly, turning his attention away to scold a house elf for the cutlery being in the wrong place. i flinched as he kicked him, feeling that i'd rather be anywhere but here. i found it weird that none of the other house elves reacted, and that they seemed less unsettled by this than me, or even narcissa and draco. they must have experienced it a lot, to be this used to it. he kicked him again, and i couldn't contain myself this time as the house elf cried out in pain. 'you're hurting him' i said indignantly, turning lucius' attention long enough for the house elf to scurry away. 'this is how we teach house elves in prestigious households, though i wouldn't expect a half blood to know that' lucius hissed. it was silent for a minute, before i spoke again. 'i'm a pure blood, actually. i guess we're just nicer people than you. money didn't give my family a free pass to act like entitled pricks'.
'elizabeth' draco sighed, but it was obvious he wasn't really annoyed at me 'i think we should go eat somewhere else'.
'yes, i think you should' snapped lucius. i almost felt sorry for narcissa, as she smiled at me again, following draco back out into the corridor.

'your dad hates me' i groaned, as we walked back out to the treehouse. 'well i don't think the entitled prick comment helped much' draco told me 'but i doubt he hates you. he's just not used to people talking back to him'.
'is that a good or bad thing?' i asked.
'i dunno' draco shrugged 'depends on his mood i guess. might do him some good'. draco turned to me, kissing me again and taking my hand. 'anyway, it's christmas. let's be happy. christmas dinner in the treehouse?'
'i can't think of anything that would make me happier' i smiled.