𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 | Draco Malfoy

SEVENTEEN | if we don't talk again,

Draco finds himself almost unable to let Blair go in the morning, let her go to the Great Hall to have breakfast. Blair can't stop laughing.

"Five more minutes." Draco groans into her neck, having her pressed up against his door. Blair's been pressed up to it for a while already, since he didn't want her to go the first time. "You said that three times already. It's been over thirty minutes." She laughs, her hands holding on to his shirt.

"Because I don't want you to go." Draco says, placing kisses on her neck that tickle. Blair squirms, panting as she tries to wiggle herself free. "I—I promise to be back after breakfast, it'll only be an hour or so. I can stay a little while longer with you after. Emris's going to help me pack my bags, I always forget things." She says. The train leaves tomorrow morning, and she's obviously still dreading it.

"A whole hour without you— I feel like I might die.." Draco sighs, laughing in a low voice.

"Oh, you are dramatic." Blair giggles, pushing him off of her with a big smile on her face. Draco smirks as he steps closer yet again, taking her face into his hands and pressing a kiss to her lips. "Don't disregard my feelings, Miss Nott."

Blair feels him smile into the kiss, his mouth warm and inviting, like always. When he breaks it, he brushes the tip of his nose over hers. Blair's heart feels so whole— so loved, it's like moments like these are destined to last forever. But they don't.

"I love you." She whispers. A small part of her always expects more than she's getting, wishing for the same three words coming from him. Blair knows he can't say them yet, he promised he's working on himself and she decided to put her faith in him. But something inside of her will always yearn for it, until he's ready to confess, too.

"God, now I'm not letting you go at all.." Draco says, smothering her face with kisses. Even if he can't say it, Blair feels it, she knows it. Maybe it's not only the words she needs to focus on, but his actions. "No, no, you psycho. I have to go.." She chuckles.

"Be back in an hour, please." He says, raising his eyebrows as if to add another 'please?'. She stands on her tippy toes, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I will." Blair smiles as she leaves his room, smiling all the way into the corridors, until she reaches the Great Hall, and sees Atlas.

She takes in a deep breath, adjusting the sweater she's wearing— Draco's sweater. It's another one this time, a large, forest green cable knit sweater, with the scent of his cologne lingering on it. His clothes are just so much more comfortable.

She holds on to his sweater for support as she sits down with Atlas and Emris, her friends' heads raising. "Morning, B." Em smiles, handing Blair a sandwich from her own plate.

"Morning, Em," Blair says, taking the sandwich from Emris as her eyes move to Atlas. "Good morning."

Atlas appears as though he had no sleep at all, and only a bottle of liquor to keep him company. Guilt stings Blair right in her chest again. "Hey, B." He mumbles flatly, the nickname tearing even a greater hole into her heart. There's no wholeness now. What if she and Atlas will never be the same?

"What's going on between you two?" Emris says, frowning.

Atlas clenches his fist, his knuckles yet again wounded. He looks straight into Blair's eyes. "My fiancée has been having an affair for months and came up with the ridiculous idea last night to end our engagement over this man."

Blair sighs, looking down at her hands. She can't even get mad at him— he's right. She hurt him.

Emris takes a slow bite from her food, nodding. "And have you two had a normal conversation about it— you know, without yelling?" She's trying to stay calm, possibly the best she can do.