Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Swallow Your Pride - 95

Draco

Aphrodite was blowing things way out of proportion. She was mad at me for her assumption that I had something to do with that Witch Weekly article. Based on one glance from little miss Parkinson, who was having an absolute field day now that Aphry was angry at me once again after what seemed like months.

Not that the assumption was wrong, per se. But she didn't know Rita Skeeter was still on school grounds under the cover of an unregistered animagus, and Pansy and I both gave her quotes for her articles that way...

On another note, I noticed quickly how difficult it became watching over Aphry's safety when she didn't want me around her. Ever since Snape slyly told me of my connection with Aphry, I had been fairly serious about watching her. I had to be discreet, though. I knew there was a risk in speaking to anybody, and even Severus Snape wrote a cryptic "Don't speak of this to anyone" note within the reading he'd assigned during our detention. And honestly, with his mood sometimes in serious matters, I was not tempted to test if this meant even him.

Friday night was abysmal. Everyone was supposed to be enjoying a nice common room party after the younger students went to bed. But not Aphry. I'm fairly sure she was trying to spite me as she curled up in a chair with a book.

Not a textbook, but one of those silly romance novels girls are wont to read. While I often thought seeing her in these more introverted moods was cute, this time it was not. I could usually distract her from the pages to offer a butterbeer a minute or two of idle chitchat, but tonight her head remained down as she ignored me.

And the avoidance continued the next day on our Hogsmeade visit. I first went to Honeydukes and bought her favourite ridiculously indulgent caramel apples from Honeydukes, the one with multiple types of nuts and drizzled with chocolate. No way she can ignore me with this thing. She wouldn't be able to resist.

I exited the candy shop and went to the three broomsticks, where I noticed Daphne and she had gone just minutes prior. When I entered, her back was to me as she sat across from Daphne.

Daphne saw me walking toward them, and she gave me a condescending head tilt that communicated her thoughts on my attempt. I ignored her.

Sliding to the side of the table between the two girls, I smoothly placed my peace offering in front of Aphry.

She looked at it, snatched it greedily, and then said. "Wow! A candy apple just appeared before me!" She then turned her gaze to Daphne and said enthusiastically. "Must be magic."

"Aphrodite," I ground out angrily. "You can't just ignore me."

She turned to me, a smile still on her face. She blinked several times, making her look innocent. Finally, I've gotten to her. "Then what have I been doing the past 24 hours, Malfoy?" She said condescendingly.

"Shit," I cursed under my breath. I hated when she called me by my family name. She had to be quite angry.

I bent down a bit to look her in the eyes, bracing myself on the edge of the table. "Aphry, please be reasonable. You are angry over a solitary look Pansy Parkinson gave me. You know she's been trying to get back at me since I broke up with her."

She tilted her butterbeer up to her lips, took a small sip, and then said, "I have plenty of evidence that you were heavily involved in both articles."

I put my hands on my hips. "Oh, yeah? Well, let's have this evidence then."

"Well you were quoted in the first article for one," she said.

"Okay, fair. But what about the second article? Where's the proof I had a hand in that?"

Her eyes went wide, shifting back and forth as she thought. I found it odd, but it was much odder when she said all of a sudden, "Excuse me, I need to go to the ladies' room." She stood from her chair and made her way to the toilets.

I collapsed into the chair next to hers, placing my chin in my hand as I rested my elbow on the table.

Daphne sighed in that amused sort of way. "You are going about this entirely wrong, Malfoy."

I had no issue with Daphne using my last name, but I couldn't help but tease. "And, Greengrass, what do you suppose I should do about it?"

She shrugged, "I have no clue. You'll have to make it up to her somehow."

"I bought her favourite candy!" I said, gesturing to the apple Aphry had left on the table.

The blonde laughed. "You are going to have to do better than that."

"Well, what should I do?" I repeated myself through gritted teeth, losing my patience.

She looked at me over the butterbeer I was sipping. That hint of amusement was still in her eyes. "This isn't your transfiguration homework, I'm afraid. I can't do this for you. You'll have to figure this out yourself." She paused for a brief moment, then sighed. "Although you might have to swallow your pride a bit."

An angry huff escaped me. "Well, I guess she'll be irritated if I'm still here when she gets back. Guess I go find Crabbe and Goyle or something. I suppose I'll see you back at the school."

She nodded and I left, mind whirling with what I could do to get in Aphry's good graces once again.