She || Drastoria

4 - Drag

Draco sat down heavily on the top step, removing a packet of cigarettes from his pocket.

"You know that shit can kill you?"

Draco snapped his head up, his heart giving an infuriating flutter as Astoria appeared out of the shadows from down in the grounds, slowly sauntering up the steps towards him.

"I thought you left," he said coolly, withdrawing one of the long white sticks which he defiantly lit, his eyes never leaving hers as he pulled long and deep on it, silently daring her to continue her fucking lecture.

Truth be told, he was getting fucked off at himself for being so pathetic over her. He had half a mind to march right back into the party and shove his tongue down the first girl he came across.

So, it was to his surprise when she sat down next to him, plucked the cigarette from between his fingers, and helped herself to a drag.

"I just needed to get some air," she said, blowing a long plume of smoke out of the corner of her mouth.

She passed it back to him, a wry smile flickering at her lips as their eyes met.

He chuckled softly, taking another pull of the cigarette, the tip slightly moistened from her lips.

A sort of companionable silence fell between them as they continued to share the smoke. It occurred to Draco that he could just offer her her own one, but he found he rather liked the intimacy of this act.

When music began to play from inside the party, indicating the end of the speeches, Draco stubbed out the last of the cigarette and flicked away the stub.

"Want to go back inside?" He asked, warily glancing back at her, still not entirely sure what had upset her earlier.

She pulled a face, looking out into the night as she wrapped her bare arms around herself, shivering. Draco was sorely tempted to offer her his jacket but he didn't want to act like a simp.

"I can't stand them," she said bitterly. "I can't stand any of them. The things they say... the way they act. Doesn't it bother you?"

He gave her a blank look. "Bother me? Why should it bother me?"

"It's like they are all living in a deluded bubble, where the rich mingle with only the rich, pure bloods with pure bloods. They act as though the world outside of their posh expensive Manor houses doesn't exist."

Draco just stared at her, baffled, not understanding what was wrong with that. Wasn't life about looking out for number one?

But he remained silent... listening, curious as to what she had to say.

"You know, there are thousands, no- millions of Muggles dying every single day from illness's that we have the ability to cure with potions they have no idea about," she continued, and he watched as two pink dots rose to her cheeks, whether from the chill in the air or from giving such an impassioned speech, he couldn't tell. "And don't get me started on 'fatal' human damage caused by tragic Muggle accidents which can be reversed with a simple flick of our wands..."

He was mesmerised by her beauty, wanting her to continue just so he could watch her like this a little while longer. But after a while she stopped, staring at him with questioning eyes, and he realised she was waiting for him to respond.

Sighing heavily, Draco withdrew another cigarette, tapping the tip agitatedly against the pack whilst he thought of an appropriate response. Clearly, the girl had strong opinions on the subject and he didn't want to outright offend her.

"I just don't see the point of getting upset over things we can't change." He shrugged, settling for what he hoped was a diplomatic answer.

"But who says we can't change it?" She said, her eyes suddenly sparking fiercely up at him, shaking her head when he offered up the pack to her. "Potter may have won us the war, but we didn't really win it. Not when nothing has really changed."