The Ties That Bind Us DRARRY

Chapter 4

Potter grabbed his inkbottle and placed it on the right top end of the parchment.

"Here, you can just hold this end," he mumbled and Draco quickly obeyed. It didn't improve their embarrassing situation by much, but Draco could at least straighten a little so his cheek wasn't threatened by Potter's touch. They were still too damn close, however. As Potter leaned in to write, Draco had to stare at his ear. For the next two hours, he reminded himself.

Potter's quill scratched on the parchment, getting on Draco's nerves quickly.

Scratch, scratch, scratch. It just wouldn't stop.

"This is ridiculous," Draco snapped. Both of his arms were going numb, especially the one tied to Potter's waist. He yanked it sharply, hoping to free himself.

"Ow!" Potter winced but didn't look up. "Stop it. It's pointless."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Potter, I didn't realise you wished to stay like this as long as possible." Draco lowered his voice, edged closer, and asked, "Is this doing something for you?" He leaned in and blew over Potter's ear. Potter rewarded him with a gasp and a shudder. "It does, doesn't it?" Draco grinned triumphantly.

"Urgh!" Potter shuddered again. "If by doing something you mean making me feel queasy, then, yes."

Draco breathed hotly over Potter's neck.

"Malfoy!" Potter spluttered and turned, trying to move his head away. He couldn't move very far and when he turned around to glare at Draco, their noses were only inches apart.

Draco stared at Potter's face, mesmerised. He had never been so close to Potter before. Merlin, Potter's eyes were green. Maybe it just seemed that way because of the lighting, or because Draco was looking at them through Potter's glasses, or because Potter's eyelashes were very dark and long, framing Potter's eyes with contrasting darkness, but it was the most intense green colour Draco had ever seen. Or maybe he had gone insane. Why the fuck was he staring at Potter's eyes, anyway?

"What are you doing?" Potter asked. 

It was a reasonable question. Draco wished he knew the answer.

"I'm bored," he claimed. Now that he thought about it, blowing over Potter's ear had been a very odd thing to do. Entertaining at the time, but odd. Why had he done it?

"Really?" Potter asked in mock surprise. "Bored during a detention? But they're such fun, normally."

"Normally, I don't have to stare at the ugliest prat in school."

"I don't see how you could possibly do that without a mirror."

Draco narrowed his eyes and, failing to think of an appropriate quip, he yanked his body sharply to the right. Expectedly, Potter choked, his free hand flying to the ropes on his neck. Distracted though he was, Potter retaliated immediately by pressing his hand firmly to Draco's crotch, but Draco was ready for him. He grabbed Potter's fingers and twisted them backwards cruelly. Potter grimaced in pain, swung his right arm toward Draco and grabbed a fistful of Draco's hair, pulling on it savagely.

"Fuck!" Draco cried. "Really, Potter? Hair-pulling?" He panted as tears of pain gathered in the corners of his eyes. "You're such a girl!"

Draco grabbed Potter's hip and tried to crush his squirming body with his arm. He only managed to pull Potter even closer to his chest.

"Let go!" Potter said in a strained voice, obviously in as much pain as Draco was.

Draco squeezed Potter's body even harder, hoping he'd cause him enough pain to make him release Draco's hair. However, Potter refused to budge and he thrashed around savagely. In the midst of their struggle, Draco felt Potter's lips brush against his temple before Potter's warm breath tickled his ear. For a second, Draco thought that Potter would bite him, but Potter merely growled, "Let go," again.