Dilectio | Draco Malfoy x Reader

Sushi

Sushi was sick and tired of seeing how sad her owner was over the blond-haired, grey-eyed man. Day after day, night after night, Sushi watched as her witch put on a happy face to go to work just to come home and stare at the wall for hours on end. Her owner spent most nights pouring over files and in fits of restless sleep. Sushi tried everything she could think of. Jumping on her lap, rubbing her butt onto her face, always screaming at the wall—but nothing worked, her owner was still unresponsive most nights. Sushi knew that something had to be done.

It was almost a miracle when Theo opened the window just enough for her to squeeze her fluffy tummy through it.

I think it's time to lay off the treats, Sushi thinks to herself as she plops onto the fire escape from the window sill. She jumps down the stairs until she reaches the alley. She pops her head around the corner and starts heading down the street.

Mom will be pissed when she finds out I'm missing, but, once again, it is I who has to solve all of her problems—Sushi heads down a familiar seeming path.

———

Getting ready for work the next day, Draco is going over in his head about what all Astoria said to him last night. Draco, I am proud of you. It has been a while since anyone has told them they were proud of him. The thought of Astoria being proud of him puts a smile on his face as he exits his building.

For a reason he couldn't quite name, he decides to walk to work on this unusually sunny London day.

As he walks towards the Ministry, he has an unnerving feeling—as if someone...or something was watching him during his commute. He keeps glancing back behind him, double-checking that no one is following him. Unbeknownst to him, a calico cat has had its eyes on him since he left his flat.

Sushi has been waiting outside the blond man's apartment all night, waiting for him to go to work. She hangs back behind him as he heads into work. The wandering beast can sense that the man feels as if he is being followed. Every time his grey eyes look back, the calico ducks into an alleyway or behind another person trying not to be seen.

Sushi watches as the man and a woman walk down the street, arms linked as they sip their teas and nibble on a croissant and a blueberry scone.

"What do you mean they still aren't together? It's been what, seven years?" Astoria questions Draco about the current status of their friend's relationship.'

"Trust me, it baffles us all," Draco responds while chuckling at the realization.

"You have mentioned that you get headaches when you go too long without seeing her, right?" Astoria stares at him with a questioning look in her eye.

"Yeah, and let me tell you, it's bloody annoying not being able to cure it." He responds while rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

"Honestly, my head has been hurting for a few days. Do you think I found my soulmate, and we didn't realize it!?" She stops in her tracks, replaying all the recent interactions she has had in the past couple of days

"I don't know, did you?" Draco cocks his eyebrow at her, a playful smirk on his face.

"I wonder how Theo and Pansy manage it. They've never mentioned their headaches." Astoria speaks while still trying to put it together in her mind.

"I think they are both still in denial about it and try not to bring it up." He goes to take a sip of his tea and finds it empty. He tosses it in a nearby trash can.

A calico cat pops out from behind the trash can, running in between Draco's legs.

"Oh gosh, is that a cat?" Astoria is in shock as the animal rubs its body against Draco's legs, doing figure eights, making him lift his legs with a start.