Tainted Love

Frustration

DRACO

He pushed out of the Leaky Cauldron. The summer air was no better than the crowded interior of the bar - he still felt stuffy and cramped. At least it wasn't as noisy.

A couple walked out behind him and he stood aside to let them by. He didn't recognize either of them. The girl laughed, hanging onto the guy beside her, leaning into him. He didn't seem to mind.

Draco walked the other direction, trying to clear his head before apparating. It wasn't late - it had only been dark for a couple hours - but he found himself strangely exhausted. Or maybe just frustrated.

He had always found it difficult to differentiate between his emotions. Probably because he had been taught to tamp them down in favor of a cool demeanour for his entire life.

He definitely felt wrong, though. He knew that.

He stopped at the entrance to Knockturn Alley, staring into the sky. The stars twinkled above him. He had been named after a constellation - Draco, the dragon. Pureblood children were often named after stars. They believed they were just as superior and timeless.

There were many times that Draco had wished he could be in the sky instead of on the ground - to watch the war from above, safe with the knowledge that he couldn't get hurt, that he would outlive them all.

Pansy hadn't been named after a star. She had been named after a flower. But she had never suited her name - she wasn't delicate or grounded. She was beautiful, but not in the subdued way that flowers were. She was stunning, commanding attention. She should've been a star.

Iris was named after a flower, too. Life was strange that way.

Draco considered walking further, but he hadn't walked into Knockturn Alley for years and didn't plan on doing it tonight. He had bought the cabinets there at the beginning of sixth year. Just before everything went wrong.

He apparated home. The lift was uncomfortably hot. He was uncomfortably hot.

As he opened the door to his apartment and walked into the kitchen, the heat gave way to familiar frustration. He collapsed on his couch, wondering whether it would really be so terrible to fall asleep here. He wasn't sure he could bring himself to get up and walk to his bed.

As the events of the night poured through his mind, Draco felt slightly sick. He had gone after Iris, really done it, and she hadn't let him get what he wanted. Fuck.

He shouldn't have gone to the Leaky at all. Never mind how they had left it at work.

He hadn't meant to stay late in the Love Chamber earlier, but something in him gave in when the clock rang. He didn't want to speak to her or hear her speak, but there was some small part of him that secretly craved her. Just her body, though. Just the things he knew she could do.

And even if he didn't, he still wouldn't want her to have power over him. She had grabbed the last word from him at work - yes, you do, she had said, then turned and left.

Draco knew he couldn't let her have it. So he had gone to the Leaky Cauldron knowing she and her pathetic group of friends were always there on Fridays. He had gone to take the power back from her, to show her that she could never truly step to him.

Even though it was crowded and stuffy, stepping into the bar had imbibed Draco with a certain focus.

He caught sight of Iris immediately. Her hair was pulled up and she was wearing a short pink dress. She was laughing, staring at Tracey Davis, whose curls were bouncing around as she danced.

Draco turned and started walking towards the bar, delighting to himself when he saw Iris's head turn towards him in his periphery. She noticed him.