𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓖𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 || 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲

Chapter 5 - Cannon Ball

Ophelia made it to her room, slamming the door behind her she locked it with a spell. She was heaving, shaking, her breaths labored, her fingers trembling. She pressed her back against the door, the cool wood took her out of her chaotic mind for just a moment as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

            A knock at the door caused Ophelia's eyes to shoot open, her green orbs were wide, practically shaking in their sockets.

            "Wh- who is it?" Ophelia choked out as she remained pressed firmly against the door.

            "It is Dobby Miss Oakham, I heard Miss running, and Miss slammed her door, is everything alright Miss?"

            Ophelia let out a sigh of relief and her body relaxed into the door as she took another deep breath.

            "Everything's fine Dobby," her voice hitched in her throat, "Sorry to have startled you, good night,"

            "Good night, Miss," The little voice squeaked through the wood.

***

            Ophelia avoided Lucius the rest of the week, or was he avoiding her? Either way their paths did not cross until the Friday which was a particularly warm day for a British summer. Thirty-three degrees Celsius and still said to rise through the afternoon, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Ophelia took pity on the young Malfoy and after an hour of mathematics agreed for them both to spend the remainder of the morning, and of course the afternoon, down by the lake beyond the rose gardens.

            "I'm going to do a cannon ball, watch!" Draco yelled as he ran down the wooden pier. The boy jumped, tucking his knees, and landed in the water with a splash. Ophelia watched from her towel on the grassy banking, she leant back, on both arms, taking in the sun's rays in her white bikini as she watched the boy carefully as he resurfaced in the surprisingly clear water.

"Did you see?!" Draco called out as his white blonde hair stuck to his forehead.

"I did! It was such a huge splash!" Ophelia shouted enthusiastically with a warm smile.

"I think we should see how big a splash Miss Oakham can make," A voice announced from behind her, Ophelia glanced up, over her shoulder, through her thick ringlets and saw Mr Malfoy stood behind her, with both hands resting on his cane, which dug into the grass.

Ophelia tried not to look for too long, instead turning her attention back to Draco, she tried her best to ignore him, but she couldn't help but nervously sneak looks at the man. She noticed his white shirt was unbuttoned low, a little too low for her liking.

"Excellent idea, father!" Draco yelled as he ran out of the shallows and up the banking towards his governess. "Come on, your turn!"

"No thank you Draco, I'm quite alright here, watching over you,"

Lucius could detect the nervousness in her voice, it was mild, but it was there.

"I'll keep an eye on the boy, you go have some fun in the water," Lucius offered as he lowered himself down next to Ophelia on the grass. She would have accepted just to get away from Lucius, but alas the girl could not swim, and was in fact terrified of the water. Draco eagerly grabbed onto Ophelia's wrist, tugging her enthusiastically.

"Come on, please?" Draco begged in a whiny little voice.

"No, sorry Draco, I'll watch you though, you're the cannon ball expert clearly!" Ophelia tried to smile through her words.

Lucius eyed the girl suspiciously, before waving off his son, who retreated back to the pier with a scowl on his face.

"Why ever would you disappoint the boy like that?" Lucius tutted teasingly, his eyes wondered over her olive skin, so much of her he had never seen before... and yet his most desired pieces of skin were covered in white lycra. Ophelia ignored him instead opting to keep an eye on the boy who jumped off the pier into the water, she never let her eyes off the boy when he was in the water, and a lump in her throat formed when he went under for extended period of times. She let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding when he resurfaced each time.