Fuckboy {Draco Malfoy 18+}

39. beautiful pains.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Theo."

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Theodore."

Tap.tap.tap.tap.tap.

"THEODORE!" I rage.

Theo drops the quill he had been tapping against the table, looking at me as if he didn't even know I was sitting right next to him.

"Hm?"

The N.E.W.T exams start on Tuesday. It is currently Friday. And Theo's aggression has dissolved into raw fear.

The entire common room is filled with fifth and seventh years, cramming and cramming for O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s until all of our heads are fit to burst.

And Theo can't stop looking over at Daphne.

"I never should have asked her," Theo says, leaning in and shaking his head. "She's Pansy's best-"

"Pansy won't care," I scoff. "No offense, Theo," I conclude, because I sound insensitive.

Since the N.E.W.Ts are on Tuesday, the Seventh Year Ball is, in fact, tomorrow night.

Onyx is going with Blaise, Theo asked Daphne, I think Milicent is going with Crabbe, and Goyle's either going stag or with someone from another house.

I'm going with Fred Weasley.

And I think Pansy's still going with Draco.

There's a part of me, a very rogue part that I've been trying to silence, that hopes he dumped her after she nearly killed me.

I mean, they're never together anymore. He seems to be pissed at her, and from overheard conversations between Pansy and Daphne, she's pissed at him, too.

Don't know why.

So I'm hoping he doesn't take her. Because I don't think I could stand to watch it.

And so my selfish streak continues.

"Let's go, E," Onyx says, closing her book and making to stand. I give my best friend a look that says, 'do I have to'? And Onyx says 'you promised' with her eyes.

So I sigh and get up from the table.

"Have fun with your girl time," Blaise says, smirking at me.

"I'll make sure your suit is nice and pressed, darling," Onyx says, throwing Blaise a wink. He beams at her and I scoff but smile.

We have a full schedule, the day before the Ball. We're picking up our dresses, doing our nails, and using my birthday gift from Blaise: our two tickets to the spa in Hogsmede.

So we don't waste any time, Onyx dragging me by my hand as we make our way to the portrait hole. I don't let myself look at Draco as we pass, as he's studying by the fireplace with Crabbe and Goyle.

In that damned armchair.

---

"I wish it wasn't tomorrow," Onyx sighs.

I just laugh, looking over at her as a sweet elderly witch paints my toenails a slick black.

"You've been talking about it nonstop for weeks, O," I reply, trying not to squirm when the witch grabs my big toe.

Onyx looks down at her long fingernails, the deep sapphire shade looking absolutely devine against her skin tone.

"But this means it's almost over," she says, rather sadly.

I've thought about that, too. The Ball is tomorrow, the N.E.W.Ts start Tuesday, and soon we'll be packing up our dormitories for the last time, taking our final trip on the Hogwarts Express, and I may very well never see some of my classmates again.

It's a beautiful kind of pain.

"Enjoy it," I chastise my best friend. "I'm here with you, we're getting all dolled up. And I haven't complained once, so count your blessings."

Onyx smiles at me, and I think her eyes may be growing rather glassy as she looks at me.

"I love you, O," I say.

"I love you too, E."

---

The next morning is filled with an even bigger checklist.

Onyx wakes me up early, far earlier than I'd like for any other Saturday, and we go to breakfast with Theo and Blaise.

Theo's still looking over at Daphne and Parkinson nervously, and Blaise is still giving Onyx flirty eyes, but since our focus has turned from N.E.W.Ts to the Ball tonight, we're all rather cheerier.

I notice that Draco isn't here, as I always do.

But it's okay. Soon, we'll never have to see each other again. I won't have to feel my heart stab itself every time I look at him. And he won't have to be so sad anymore. He can find someone else and be happy.

Another beautiful pain.

Because if Draco was the sun, at least I got to be in his orbit, if only for a little while.

After breakfast, the four of us relax in the common room and play Exploding Snap. We drink firewhiskey and smoke cigarettes and Theo pouts when he loses.

Some things never change, and sometimes they shouldn't.

At around midday, Onyx and I escape up to the common room. She insists it will take us the rest of the day to get ready.

I obey without a single argument.

After I've had a shower, I let Onyx apply my makeup, as she's much better at it. The smoky black shadow and eyeliner makes my eyes pop and she spends at least ten minutes covering the dark circles under my eyes, the dark circles that I didn't used to have.

She tries to convince me to wear red lipstick but I refuse, lying and saying that it's simply a little much.

She does my hair in loose curls down my back, and I hold her hair pins while she tucks her strands into an elegant updo.

Pansy, Daphne, and Milicent are all up here, getting ready for the ball as well, and I think we've all gone completely mad. Or maybe we're just nostalgic.

Because Pansy helps Onyx tighten my corset, I zip up the back of Daphne's dress, and we all nearly cry when Milicent steps out in her ball gown.

"Ready, E?" Onyx asks me, taking my hand, right before we follow the other girls upstairs.

"Ready, O."