Empire (D.M)

Part eleven

The fire crackled in the stone fireplace and the rain pattered against the tall windows in the Slytherin common room. On the black leather couches sat her and Marlize squeezed together warming their hands, and Ezra laid on his back with his head resting on Marlize's lap. On the other couch sat Noelle reading a book with Blaise and Draco next to her. Theo was sat to the side, his feet flung up over the armrest of the armchair he was sitting in. 

"I'm bored" Ezra called out, reaching his hand up to twirl a strand of Marlize's silvery blonde hair in between his thumb and index finger. The two of them weren't a thing, but he clearly adored everything about her.

"Me too" Blaise groaned, looking between the burning fire and Ezra.

Noelle kept quiet, flipping a page in her old book and Theo fiddled with the laces of his shiny black shoes. Low chatter was heard from the other Slytherin students around them, and footsteps echoed as a few girls dressed in black, silver and deep green walked through the passage in the stone wall. 

"Wanna do something fun?" Ezra asked Blaise, letting go of Marlize's hair.

"Depends on what you consider fun" Blaise scoffed, resting his head in his hands.

"Sneak into Filch's office and see what dirt he has on us?" 

"No thank you" Blaise said, shaking his head "that cat of his will get us busted"

"Drinking?" Ezra suggested, earning a harsh look from his twin sister.

"It's Wednesday Ezra!"

"So?" he questioned, pouting his lips towards Noelle as Blaise laughed.

"If you're drinking then I'm joining" Draco said, looking over at them.

"They're not drinking Draco, it's Wednesday!"

The boring Wednesday slowly turned into a Friday, and she found herself sitting in the Slytherin common room with Noelle after her last class, doing her advanced potions homework. Marlize skipped into the common room, closely followed by Ezra and Theo.

"Hello my darlings" Ezra bursted out, laying his arms around her and Noelle "what are you two up to?"

"Homework Ezra"

"On a Friday? Boring" the boy with the chocolate brown curls groaned, reaching his hands onto the table to close their books "we're having a party"

"Hey" Noelle sighed, smacking her brother "we're not, we're studying you ass"

"Alice" Ezra sighed sweetly, sitting down next to her and stroking her cheek "please tell me that you will ditch my boring ass sister and come to my dorm for a small get together?"

"Of course" she laughed, poking Noelle in her ribs "your sister is coming too"

"Yes" Ezra bursted out, standing up and skipping over to his sister "besides... Blaise is gonna be there"

"Oh my god Ezra" Noelle groaned, banging her fists down on the wooden table before she turned to face her brother "stop trying to make me and Blaise happen, I do not fancy him"

"Oh it will happen Nonnie" Ezra said, kissing his sister on her cheek before he ran off, dragging Marlize and Theo with him. She couldn't help but laugh, however Noelle did not look pleased at all. She was uncertain if Noelle did take a special liking to the boy with the dark eyes, however she would consider them a good match. 

Blaise had asked Noelle to the Yule ball in their fourth year, as friends of course, and ever since that day Ezra seemed to think they the two of them would somehow fall in love with each other. It hasn't happened yet, but she wouldn't put it past Ezra to be right in the end. She could certainly see them together.

Ezra himself had taken Marlize to the dance, and it was no secret that he had a crush on her even back then. But Ezra was in some kind of self denial about it, for he was scared to get tied down.

She had gone with Draco, for he had asked her early on. Theo went with Pansy and Crabbe and Goyle went with Daphne and Millicent. 

"Come on Noelle" she said, packing her books back into her book bag "let loose a little"

"Fine" Noelle groaned, following her back to their dorm. 

She dropped her book bag on her bed before she changed out of her Slytherin uniform, pulling on a off white turtleneck sweater and black corduroy trousers. She turned around to find Noelle sitting on her bed, brushing through her chocolate curls. Noelle had changed into her usual array of dark clothes and she sat with her legs crossed.

"It'll be fun Noelle" she laughed, taking a seat next to her on the bed "and your brother is right... Blaise will be there"

"Not you too" Noelle laughed, smacking her lightly on her arm "there's nothing going on between me and Blaise"

"But you want there to be?" she asked teasingly, batting her black eyelashes towards her friend.

"No..." Noelle trailed, looking away.

"But you think he's attractive?" she asked, standing up "you at least must think he's good looking Noelle I mean come on... that jawbone, that sulky look and those lips, he's a dream"

"Fine" Noelle laughed, putting her hairbrush away "he's attractive, he's a dream or whatever"

The two girls laughed as they walked over to the boys dormitories and knocked on the heavy wooden door to room number 22. A familiar face opened the door, smirking down at her.

"Hey Alice, hello Noelle"

"Hey Malfoy" Noelle hummed, walking past the pale boy into the room.

"Hi Draco" she said quietly, gazing up at him as he leaned against the door.

"Come in" he said, moving out of the way. She stepped into the room as he closed the door behind him. On the floor sat Marlize, Theo and Ezra. Blaise laid on his bed, his arms behind his head. Noelle sat down next to Marlize, quick to grab a cup of elderflower wine. 

"Alice darling" Ezra cooed as she sat down on the floor next to him. Ezra pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and Draco groaned, sitting down on the opposite side of them. She watched with curious eyes as he poured himself a cup of knotgrass mead and began downing it.

"Blaise come sit on the floor" Ezra said, nodding his head towards the boy with the brown eyes. Blaise crawled down from his bed, plopping down next to Draco on the floor. 

Soon everyone had drinks and the radio was turned on, playing Celestina Warbeck songs on a low volume. Ezra was on the floor, resting his head on Marlize's lap as usual and Noelle sat talking to Theo about something that had happened in charms class.

"Tell me Alice" Ezra hummed, looking up at her as she took a sip of her red currant rum drink "how are you?"

"I'm just fine Ezra" she laughed, looking down at the boy with the messy brown curls "how are you?"

"Splendid" he smiled widely at her, tilting his head up to take a sip of his dragon barrel brandy "magnificent, marvelous, brilliant, excellent..."

"Are you high again Darkwood?" Draco intervened teasingly, raising his eyebrows at Ezra as he drank his mead.

"Absolutely not" Ezra said quickly, fumbling to sit up "I am just excellent"

Draco let out a amused laugh as he poured two shots of fire whiskey, handing one to Ezra. She watched as the two boys downed the shots quickly and shook their heads. 

"Alright" Ezra said, crawling over to Draco "time to hug my brother"

Draco tried to push him off, but Ezra was persistent with wrapping his arms around him so finally he just let him. She laughed as she saw Ezra nuzzle his head onto Draco's shoulder, and Blaise shook his head.

"Mate your bisexuality is leaking out onto my mat" Draco joked, pointing to his black rug that they were sat on.

"Shut the fuck up Malfoy" Ezra murmured, smacking Draco's head "you love me and you know it"

"Fine brother" Draco laughed, drinking some of his mead.

"Hey" Ezra suddenly said, sitting up straighter and pulling on the collar of Draco's black sweater "what's this?"

Draco tried to pull away, but it was too late, Ezra had already seen the dark purple love bite she had left on the bottom of his neck two days ago. It was fading, but not fast enough.

"Oh mate" Theo said as he leaned over and peaked onto Draco's pale skin.

She felt herself sink back a little, almost trying to hide behind her cup of rum. 

"Fuck off" Draco scoffed, pulling at his collar.

"Damn" Ezra laughed, patting Draco on his cheek "you're getting around aren't ya mate?"

"I said fuck off Ezra"

"Who placed that there huh?" Ezra asked, a smirk upon his lips "miss Pansy Parkinson?"

"What's it to you?" Draco asked, something burning behind his cloudy grey eyes "are you jealous Darkwood?" 

"Hah, never in a million years" Ezra said, pouring him and Draco a shot each "never"

The two boys downed the shots and she bit her bottom lip, she couldn't stop thinking about the mark on his pale skin, it was making her heart beat a little harder with the lingering memories of him and her together in the out of order bathroom on the sixth floor.

"Lets play a game" Ezra said, downing another shot.

"Anything but truth and dare" Noelle groaned.

"Fine... twenty questions?" 

Everyone agreed, and Ezra poured everyone a shot. 

"Answer or take a shot" Ezra said, grabbing his wand and sending a small spark up into the air that twirled around before it landed in front of Draco "Malfoy would you sleep with anyone in this room?"

"Yes" he simply answered, sending another spark up into the air that landed in front of Theo "Nott what's your most embarrassing memory?"

Theo didn't answer, instead he downed his shot before he sent up another spark. She watched the spark as it danced along the room, landing in front of Ezra.

"Ezra who do you have a crush on?"

"Cute Theo, but I don't do crushes..." Ezra said with a smirk "no one can tie Ezra Darkwood down"

"Oh shut the fuck up, you definitely have a crush on a certain someone... tell us who it is" Theo argued.

"Nope... as I said, I don't do crushes"

"Then fucking drink asshole"

Ezra downed his shot with a pleased smile before he sent up another spark that landed in front of Noelle.

"Nonnie, do you think Blaise is attractive?"

"Yes" Noelle answered quickly, taking a sip of her wine before she sent a spark up with her wand that landed in front of Marlize "Lizzy someone has a crush on you, do you know who?"

Marlize looked down for a moment before she grabbed her shot and downed it. Theo let out a howl as everyone laughed. Another spark danced along the room, landing in front of Blaise.

"Who's the prettiest girl in this school?"

Blaise didn't answer, he instead downed his shot which made Ezra snort. Blaise sent up another spark into the air and it landed in front of Theo. 

"Nott, if you had to sleep with one of the professors who would it be?"

"Ah professor Trelawney for sure, she seems like she would be into some weird shit"

"Euw" Noelle said, smacking Theo on the arm as the rest of them laughed. 

Theo sent up another spark into the air, and she watched as it twirled around and inched closer to where she was sat on the floor.

"Alice" Theo said, gazing at her "you're close with Draco, tell me... do you know who placed that hickey on his neck? Was it Pansy?"

She muffled a laugh as she shook her head.

"I haven't got a clue"

"Oh you definitely know, I can see it on your face" Theo said, causing Ezra to look at her "who was it?"

"I'm not telling you" she laughed, picking her shot up and downing it.

"Fine" Theo groaned.

She sent a spark up and it landed in front of the boy with the brown messy curls.

"Ezra, would you ever sleep with a Gryffindor?"

"I suppose, if the sex is good enough" Ezra shrugged, smiling smugly before he sent up another spark that landed in front of Draco "Malfoy, you said that you would sleep with someone in this room... who is it?"

Draco shot Ezra a smug smirked before he picked up his shot glass and downed the fire whiskey. Ezra groaned, turning over on the floor.

So their dirty little secret remained a secret.