『 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗲 』

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗇- 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭

THE NEXT WEEK came by quickly. Alex walked into the ballroom in the Slytherin manor, which was filled with teenagers from different pureblood families.

He was wearing a black suit— his hair neat, and so was everything else about him.

"Look who joined," teased Blaise Zabini, who was with his friends— Draco, Daphne, and Pansy.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Hello to you too, Zabini."

"Draco has news. Don't you, Draco?" Blaise clapped the boy on the back, who groaned.

"Apparently, I'm not dying," said Draco.

"Cheers to that," Pansy raised the glass of champagne in her hands, clinking it with Daphne's and Blaise's.

Alex's lips quirked, but it was gone as soon as it came, his eyes focused on Draco.

"He's not done," grinned Blaise like the best news in the world was coming.

Draco immediately shook his head. "That's it."

Blaise frowned in confusion. "Really, man? You were just talking about how you have to get—"

"Shut up, Blaise," said Draco, glancing at Alex subtly.

Blaise shrugged, taking a sip of the glass of champagne in his hand. "Fine. Pansy, would you like to dance?"

"I'd love to," said Pansy, walking away with the boy.

Daphne looked between the two boys, who stopped noticing her by now. She shook her head, also walking away— probably to dance with someone.

Draco grabbed the nearest glass of alcohol, drinking it all in one gulp.

Alex's brows creased, but he didn't say anything, looking away.

"Alex," said Draco. "I need to talk to you."

The other boy nodded, taking out a cigarette from his pocket as always, and walking out of the ballroom with Draco.

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ »̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»

Exhaling smoke from his mouth, Alex asked, "What do you need to talk about?" as soon as they were alone in the hallway, not near the ballroom anymore.

Draco let out a breath and started shaking, his back to the wall. It took a few moments for Alex to realize that Draco was crying.

Draco held out a hand.

Alex, knowing what he meant, put a cigarette in his hand.

Draco put it between his lips, eyes closed. "Can you light it up for me?" He whispered, still not opening his eyes.

Alex took a lighter out from his pocket and put a hand on Draco's jaw, but this time, he didn't immediately light the cigarette up.

He wiped a few tears from Draco's cheeks softly, then lit it up for him, both of them not talking, nor breathing.

Draco felt coldness as soon as Alex let go of his jaw. He took the boy's wrist, taking a drag from his cigarette and opening his eyes.

Slowly, Draco put Alex's hand back on his jaw.

Alex didn't stop him.

"Your eyes are beautiful," whispered Draco.

A smile spread over Alex's face. "Thanks."

The other boy's eyes moved to his lips. "And your smile is.. it's beautiful."

Alex frowned when Draco's eyes teared up again. "Draco, what's wrong?"

Draco leaned into the hand now on his cheek and sighed.

He said five words that made Alex look shocked.

Five words that made Alex take a few steps back with widened eyes and parted lips.

Draco looked like he regretted saying them, but he forced himself not to look away from the other boy.

Alex's face became completely stoic only a minute later and Draco almost believed that the reaction he just saw was just an imagination.

"Repeat it," Alex almost demanded.

"I have to get betrothed."

"To whom?"

Draco let out a breath, not looking at him anymore. "My father will choose. He said he'll choose a nice and beautiful pureblood woman."

"When will you get married to her?"

"When she'll be ready."

Alex didn't talk.

"Say something, Alex," Draco practically begged, looking at him again.

The other boy exhaled smoke from his mouth, still not replying.

"Alex," said a voice behind him.

Alex turned around.

"It's time," said Tom— or, Voldemort, as he had his glamour on.

Alex sneered in disgust then nodded, he took another drag from his cigarette and crushed it, still not looking at Draco. "I'm coming."

Voldemort nodded, vanishing out of sight in a few seconds.

Draco grabbed Alex's wrist just before the boy could go. "Alex—"

Alex grabbed Draco's wrist with his other hand and made him let go, jaw clenched. "Don't touch me."

Draco flinched at the anger behind those words. "I'm so sorry.." he whispered as the boy walked away as fast as he could.