He's attractive. Very attractive. Sometimes, she has to bite her tongue from saying anything to her mother because she knows she'll get kicked out. But she can't help the way she feels towards Him. She doesn't expect him to watch her, all the time...
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Cordelia zipped up her jacket, her hair in a pony tail.
She'd learned a long time ago, that she didn't need to fix her face before she fixed what was broken inside of her mind. So she didn't put on makeup anymore, hardly ever. She doesn't do her hair often, and she doesn't dress for the people around her.
Slipping in her earbuds, she turned the volume up, not to loud, but loud enough to block out the street noises. She did her morning run, and this time, she took Brax with her.
Scorpius didn't come with her, but not because he didn't care. Because she slammed a paper on his door last night that told him to leave her alone. He thought she was just having another mute episode, or maybe a panic attack— or maybe, she just wanted space.
He wasn't aware she'd heard him on the phone, and she was so, so angry about it. Just a stepsister. Weirdo. Who? Cordelia? No!
The more she ran, the more she thought about it, and the more it just cracked her heart. Deeper, and deeper, until finally, it's deep enough for tears to spring to her eyes. Cordelia doesn't cry. The last time she did, was when she was nine years old and her father had gotten hit by a crucio curse. She didn't cry when he died, by then, all of her tears were used up as anger towards her mother.
Scorpius was the only person she had.
And now she's embarrassed to be around him because he called her weird.
—
"Cordelia," her mother spoke sharply at the dinner table, Mr. Malfoy and Scorpius sitting down except for her. "Your brother is talking to you."
Her lips remained sealed, and she had to admit that she hated it. Hated how everytime something was triggered in her mind, she just shut up. She learned to do that at twelve, when her mother had blown up at her and told her to just stay quiet and leave her alone. She learned to just shut up.
Cordelia continued to roll her pastry's, and eventually, she put them in the oven.
Days had passed, and she hadn't even spoken a word to anyone. The only time she does, is when she's at work, and it's two words only.
"Cordelia Annalise!" Her mother shouted, and her shoulders only tensed, but her eyes closed. "Fucking speak!"
"Stop it," Scorpius snapped, laying down his fork. "Yellings only gonna make it worse. God, you're a fucking asshole."
"Watch it," Draco gritted his teeth, watching his son clench his jaw. "You will not speak to her like that."
God, Cordelia wanted to scream her lungs out. She wanted to understand why Scorpius cared so much about her but made her feel like she was a weirdo.
"I will if she keeps yelling," Scorpius stood up, his jaw clenched. "I'll say it since you won't, father. She's a horrible mother. Has been, and always will be."
Cordelia wanted to shoot herself in the lungs.
Running out of the kitchen, she went up to her bedroom, and gathered herself back. She clutched her chest, and rubbed her temple, and all she wanted right now was for Scorpius to sit across from her and ask her what kind of flowers she liked or how her work was.
Instead, all she got was Brax, trying to curl into her lap.
And later, she'd slipped on some sweatpants and a skin tight black jacket, zipping it up and curling it at the neck. She'd walked straight out the door and didn't care about leaving her pastrys, all she wanted was to get away from here. She just had to save up, and then she could move out.
The bar was a little busy at night, but not too loud where everybody just sits. The dance floor is a place she'd never go, but the at the bar, where people just sit and drink, was okay for her.
Hours passed, and she felt like passing out, but she really, really didn't want to go and see that Scorpius had waited for her return.
A body took a seat a few seats down from her, and she sighed. "Go away, Scorpius."
"Wrong Malfoy, Cordelia."
Her eyes shot up, looking at Mr. Malfoy, his blue eyes washing back at her. She hated blue. Hated that color with all of her heart, so she looked anywhere else but his eyes, and clutched onto the drink a little harder in her hands.
"Oh— Um.. uh—.." she decided to just stop talking in general, her mouth closing.
Mr. Malfoy looked at her again, watched the way she just stared at the counter, twisting the little band on her wrist. He scanned her body, and he had to clear his throat to stop himself from thinking about things he shouldn't. But the way her thighs expanded as she sat in the stool, and how the jacket hugged her body, it made him curse under his breath.
"What are you doing here?"
His voice sent chills down her spine, despite the fact that she was warm. "Don't know. You?"
"Your mother walked out, didn't say where she was going." He hated how they were speaking to each other across from four seats. "So, I guess here I am."
She hummed softly, "My mother cheats on you, you know that right?"
Almost immediately, Draco's shoulders tensed. "With who?"
"Not sure," Cordelia swirled her straw around in her drink, "She just cheats on you when you're gone."
His jaw clenched, "And you're just now telling me this?"
"Well," she raised her eyebrows, "You're a dick, Mr. Malfoy. And you talk to me like I'm a child. Besides, I thought it was obvious."
It was silent, and then, he was getting out of his seat, reaching into his pocket to grab his wallet. "Come on, we're going home." He laid a 20 on the table, and Cordelia refused to get out of her seat.
"I don't want to leave my coke without drinking it," she lowered her eyes, her hair falling in front of her face.
"Okay, then talk." He took a seat right next to her, watching her face grow with confusion. "Why are you ignoring Scorpius?"
Her heart felt like it was being squeezed all over again. Scorpius was one of her weaknesses, he was her best friend, and to hear him say that she was just a step sister and call her a weirdo— it made her want to sob. But she couldn't. No tears would come out.
She breathed in, and exhaled, her chest rising and falling. She really, really didn't want to panic in front of her soon-to-be stepfather, but when she clutched onto her shoulders, he could see it in her eyes.
"Cordelia.." he slid out of his seat again, reaching to grab her out of her chair and take her home, but she turned the other way, out of his reach. "Cordelia, stop."
She didnt, only kept walking.
"You will fucking listen to me."
Halting, her stomach caved in. She turned around, and looked him straight in the eyes, her chest aching at the sight of his blue eyes.
"You, will never be my father. Ever. So don't order me around like you are." He went to say something, but she was already out of the door, her hands wrapping around her waist.
