Tainted Love

New Year's Eve

DRACO

"Don't come near me," Astoria growled, holding out her hand like a barrier between them.

They had left the ball and were standing in a field waiting for the car to pick them up. The moonlight wasn't strong enough to catch Astoria's dress - she was no longer sparkling. Small mercies.

Draco had only taken a step towards her. He didn't intend to go further, didn't want to be near her, but he supposed he shouldn't tell her that now. He stared at the road in front of them instead.

Astoria moved in his periphery. Perhaps she wanted him to speak so that she could say something back, so that they could have it out. It was a good idea on her part - they might as well get it all in the open - but Draco didn't want to speak to her.

She didn't let his silence stop her.

"You knew," she said, her voice waspish, "you knew how important this was to me."

Draco blinked, raising his gaze from the road and fastening it on Astoria's face instead. She stared back at him in what looked like open loathing. He wondered whether she might break up with him right now and some part of him hoped that she would. He was too much of a coward to do it himself.

"I did what you asked," he said.

He had. He had danced with her, poured her champagne, stood at her arm while she conversed with an endless variety of important people. If anybody else was watching them, Draco was sure that they would think him the perfect match for her.

"You think that because you danced with me I'll just forget everything else?" She asked, her eyes flaring in anger. "You think I'll just ignore the fact that you went off with her?"

Draco shut his eyes for a second. "Nothing happened, Astoria, you're being ridiculous. I went to the bathroom."

"You followed her. And you were gone for twenty minutes. Do you think I'm stupid?"

"No," Draco said.

There was a silence. She exhaled loudly, a huff of disbelief. Draco hadn't really thought about what he would tell Astoria when he left to follow Iris. He had just been thinking about Iris waiting for him, wanting him.

In truth, Draco sometimes forgot that he and Astoria weren't simply using each other. Sometimes he woke up and believed that they had discussed some sort of mutual arrangement wherein he used her to mend his reputation and she used him to gain more esteem in the press.

They were using each other like that. But there was something else for Astoria. She was actually attracted to him. She liked him, liked being around him, liked fucking him. If Astoria slept with someone else Draco would be almost thankful.

But him sleeping with someone else would hurt her. Was hurting her right now. He had failed to consider that.

"I suppose I should break up with you," she said, her voice hard. There was something in it, though, something that seemed almost like a challenge. She wanted him to ask her not to. She wanted him to beg for her to stay with him.

If he didn't, it would be over.

Draco looked up at the moon. It was nowhere near full - just a tiny crescent. If he stayed silent she would break up with him and he would be rid of her. It would be that easy. Then he could... he could...

"Don't," he said.

"Why shouldn't I?"

Because I want my name back. Because I need you to please my mother. Because having you is sometimes better than having nobody at all. Because you make Iris angry. Because it would look even worse for me in the Prophet if we were through.