BANALITY : Draco Malfoy

70

I do not know how long I am supposed to wait. I suppose that since I have no idea which of Blaise's many properties I am being kept inside if any, it could be longer than I anticipated. I decide to lie on the ground. If Blaise comes back first, I need him to think that I've given up. So, I spill some of the Ogden's on my jumper, and I swish it around in my mouth, before spitting it back into the bottle. If he comes back, I want him to think I've drunk through my sorrows.

I lie on the ground for quite some more time. My body is so very tired, but I do not dare sleep in case he returns. If there were windows, I might know if it is getting closer to the morning. Perhaps it has been longer.

The stairs above me creak. I do not stand up anymore.

Blaise walks down the stairs. I only glance at him out of the corner of my eye.

"I see you know how to cast a summoning charm," Blaise says. He rips the bottle out of my fingers. I watch him inspect the inside before he drinks from it. "Tell me, what else did you try?"

"Shove off," my voice is quiet. I roll over and squint as if the light from the dim oil lamp is so bright it hurts.

Blaise takes another sip.

"Tell me, what did you do?" he repeats. "I could pull it out of your head if I wanted to, you know. It could be my memory instead of yours. I think you would prefer talking though."

Even if I have bested him, I don't want to give him the satisfaction of an answer.

Blaise sits on the ground next to me. The bottle of Ogden's rolls away on the ground. He grabs me by the neck and drags my head towards him. I choke and sputter, trying to claw his hands off of me.

"There's that fight," he says. His face is close to mine, his nose brushing mine. "You know, it's easier to touch a filthy mudblood like you when I'm drinking. Even having watched every time Draco touched you, I still don't understand how he fucked you. I suppose a hole is a hole to some, but I thought he had better standards."

I need my arms to keep myself propped up, or otherwise, his hands around my neck would choke me. If I was able to move, I might try to put my hands on his face. If he can barely stand to touch my skin, I wonder how he would react to my hands on his body.

"Why are you so fucking quiet? It's not..." he trails off. Then, he shoves me onto the ground. "What have you done?"

I do not say anything to him. I just want to close my eyes. I'm unsure of how tired I am.

There is a loud crack upstairs. Blaise stands up.

"What the fuck did you do?" his voice is heavy and hard.

He looks up the stairs and back at me. My wand is next to me on the ground. I cannot disarm him. He has proven way stronger than me. I hate him. I want him to hurt as I've hurt. You need to mean the Cruciatus Curse to use it.

"Obliviate," I say because that hurts even more than any torture.

My wand guides me, twisting in my hand. All I want is for him to lose the sound of the bang upstairs. It sounded like Draco apparating into here. Blaise stiffens. He looks at me, and he blinks a few times.

Then, he laughs, "are you going to hurt me? You are no match for me."

"I'm not afraid to make things messy," I say. I try to make my voice louder without causing suspicion. "Unlike you, I'm not a fucking coward who hides the bad things I've done."