𝐀𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀 , d. malfoy

01. blood ties

He clicks his pen twice, narrowed eyes running along the lines of his page. For a second, his tongue peeks out, quickly dashing along his bottom lip before hiding back inside his silent mouth.

She glanced at him every now and then, her pen held still against the plain page. It had been almost half an hour now that they both sat in this unspoken stalemate. Quietness had made itself home in this room, with rain throwing itself harshly against the windows in an attempt to intrude.

Suddenly, Draco drops his pen, letting it roll off the desk and crash to the ground. He rests his arms over the table, and throws his head down with a big huff. She let out a sigh. What's been bothering him?

The artificial lights in the empty library hung over their heads, pulling a bright shine from his blonde locks and she silently watched as if he was the greatest miracle yet.

"Draco." He hums in response, a subtle sound rummaging out from the depth of his jumper, from under the warmth of his collar which had rolled up to cover his chin and part of his mouth.

"Draco, talk to me."

He shakes his head, and she caught the slight curls of his head bounce with his actions, "No, thanks." He mutters, letting out another deep sigh.

His behaviour made her frown. She'd known him for years now, but never so much as to see this particular side of him.

She closed her book and combed her fingers through her dark hair. After tidying up, she pushed back, allowing the scrape of the chair to let out a loud screech.

Draco lifts his head, his cheeks flushed with the softest pink and she felt her chest warm at the sight.

"I'm going to bed." His eyes darted her face, looking for signs of sarcasm, but he frowns upon realising how serious she was. Draco huffs out an annoyed breath, before shifting in his seat till he was finally poised. She had noticed his soft gaze, like worry washed over his lenses.

Draco looks away, trying his utmost to avoid her stare, "he's alive." It comes out as a whisper, so soft, that she could've mistaken it for the wind had she not been watching the movement of his lips.

He licks his bitten lips and takes a short breath, "I saw him."

She stood with her eyebrows drawn together, eyes suddenly blinking as if the sun was blocking her very sight. He caught the wheels turning in her mind, the confusion brewing in her gaze. She wanted an explanation.

So she sat down, her bag slowly sliding off of her shoulder and plopping to the ground next to her. She placed her elbows on the table, chin resting on the height of her palms.

"Where?"

He shakes his head exasperatedly, throwing wisps of his hair in every direction, "here. At first, I wasn't sure. When he turned, I swear I felt my heart stop."

Her eyes widened with disbelief, there was no way that his twin was alive. She let her gaze fall, the sound of the rain pattering against the walls tapped into her thoughts. "I mean, I know what you're thinking, that it's impossible, right?" She shook her head, hoping to remove the memories from years ago that resurfaced and played like an old film. "Don't worry, he won't find us."

Light once again trickles onto his blonde locks — had they always been so bright? Draco shuffles closer, drawing nearer till his breath fell onto her cheeks. He throws two arms around her waist, holding, comforting, clutching onto her for dear life. She had found solace and warmth in his hold, though even still, the beats of her heart rejecting her attempts to calm.

"He won't find us, ever." He leans back, eyes watching hers. His hand cups her cheek, other hand pushing away stray hairs that stuck to her face. She caught the narrowing of his eyes, his fingers pressing deeper into the skin of her jaw till she felt unable to move. She took note of his tired skin, his ruffled hair, his deep grey eyes. — wait.

What's said in a whisper, ends in a scream. She had always loved Draco's soft blue eyes. But looking into them once again felt different, something felt twisted.

She blinked, slowly, in hopes that her eyes were deceiving her. It's not possible because...Draco's eyes are not grey.

Her hands fall numb, body suddenly losing it's strength. Perhaps he read the shock in her eyes, because he slides his hand down her neck, pressing with an iron grip. She felt her breath get stuck in her throat, tears pricking at the back of her eyes.

He shakes his head slowly and begins tutting once again. Not-Draco smirks, pink lips pulling to one side. He blinks, shutting away and then revealing those deep grey eyes that had locked her into a fearful position. "He won't find you again...because I have already found you."

❪ an excerpt from my book that i will probably never end up publishing. rip. ❫