Ortum Infernum [d.m]

Chapter Eight

Breathlessly, they stared at each other with flushed cheeks. Odette's face was practically burning. Draco cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair, messing up the artfully parted hairstyle.

Her brown eyes studied him carefully, watched how his chest heaved as he took in deep breaths to calm himself down. He was aroused.

This wasn't the first time it happened. Whenever their snogging sessions turned heated, Draco would break away, putting space between them as he tampered down his arousal. Leaving her to lean breathlessly against a wall, her rosy lips swollen and her mind in a daze.

A small piece of parchment slipped through the door and flew over to them. Draco eyed it for a moment as it floated in mid air before he snatched it up to read the content.

"My mother wish to see us in the sitting room."

She nodded and smoothed down the front of her dress. He stepped closer to her, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

He was flustered as he looked down at her. "I messed up your hair."

She smiled, memorising his expression. "Don't worry. I'll fix it in the bathroom."

Draco nodded his head towards a separate door that led to the bathroom. Odette felt herself flush scarlet when she saw her own reflection. Her lips were kiss-swollen and there were red marks across her neck. She re-fastened the bobby pins to hold her hair back in place, then dabbed at her neck with some cold water.

Draco's bathroom was lavish but practically empty. She examined the limited amount of bottles on the countertop, taking note of his cologne before she re-entered the main room.

Draco was tossing back a small vial, downing the entire content in one gulp.

He stuffed the stopper back into the bottle when she approached. He appeared embarrassed at being caught. Odette had noticed the colour of the potion, knew by heart that it was a Calming Draught. Often used to calm someone down after a shock, emotional outbursts or panic attacks but on occasion it could be used for—other purposes as well.

Once Draco was significantly calmed, they both ventured down to the sitting room where Narcissa was waiting for them, drinking tea. She announced that her parents had been contacted via the fireplace. Her mother had been delighted at the progression while her father was not quite.

"If you'd like, I can show you your sleeping quarters while Draco finish off the tea," Narcissa said with an underlying tone as she shot her son a look.

He seemed reluctant to remove himself from her side. But after another look from his mother, Draco sighed and moved over to slump down on one of the luxurious armchairs. His silver gaze watched Odette with a look she couldn't decipher.

With a nervous heart, she trailed behind Narcissa. As they ventured deeper into the manor house, the sounds of the older woman's heels clicking against the marble floor seemed to echo. They ascended a winding flight of stairs to the second floor, down a long corridor decorated with vintage wall-lamps and paintings of the Wiltshire countryside and some aristrocratic ancestors.

They watched wordlessly as she passed by.

Narcissa stopped at a door, opened it and gesture for her to enter. It appeared to be a guest bedroom at first glance but something seemed off about it. It looked too—personalised.

There was a four-poster bed on one side of the room, draped with ivory lace-trimmed curtains that were tied back to each post. The beddings were ivory and frilled. A magnificent wardrobe stood on the other end, the space was also occupied by a luxurious dressing table and a full body mirror.