Restricted

Chapter 22. Fresh Start

Upon entering his dorm, Adrian promptly slid off his shoes as he shut the door behind them.

Madeline followed, kicking off her own and nudging them together beside his under the desk.

Suddenly very aware of where she stood, the nerves of her idea to spend their afternoon studying in here made their way in.

That morning, she had set out to take up Draco's offer of a Hangover Potion, a draught she was still baffled by that he regularly brewed.

A grumpy, sleep-ridden Draco had extended her three vials; one for herself, Daphne, and a third for Jolie when she returned from Gryffindor Tower. In making her way from the boys dormitories, Adrian had caught her as he left his own room dressed in his morning flying attire.

Having stood in front of the silver Prefect plaque, the plan emerged instantaneously.

After she had briefly given him the tale of the party (making sure to avoid the mention of Truth or Dare altogether), Madeline insisted she preferred anything but the crowded library to host this evening's studying.

Once Adrian heard her recounting and saw the remnant smears of makeup across her face, he had been more than happy to offer the quiet sanctuary of his dorm. 

Initially, she thought it to be an excellent idea. A voice in the back of her mind said otherwise, that her theory to test her affections towards Adrian was ridiculous.

But it wouldn't hurt to know she could want him in that way. If his presence or flirting made her heart thunder and lungs ache. If there was a way to ensure she wanted him and only him.

It was worth a try.

Madeline removed her cloak from her shoulders, extending it to his waiting hands so that he could lay it over the single desk chair.

Exposing her ensemble, she smoothed the front of her mahogany thin knit jumper, layered over a casual white button down blouse.

The skirt she chose, black and pleated, was shorter than her uniform but just long enough to be considered casual but still presentable. All in an effort to look as though she didn't, in fact, have a pile of sequins and liquor-soaked sleeves bunched in the corner of her room.

She took the importance of washing the night before from her mind entirely very seriously.

Her hair, however, she had styled in a similar fashion to the windswept loose curls she now loved.

Madeline stole glances to take in the spacious room, finding it was just as she remembered it last.

Pristine, almost eerily neat and tidy.

His bedding was perfectly turned down a hand's length from the singular pillow at the head. The desk was without a parchment out of place. A distant scent of his shampoo wafted from the loo, most likely from this morning's shower.

Without the steam that loomed between them before, his room was much colder than now.

"I have something for you," Adrian said, drawing her attention from the cold creeping up from the floor through her socks.

Unlatching his bag, he turned to hide whatever it was from her sight.

"Close your eyes," he said over his shoulder.

Her lips turned up into a grin as she followed his instruction.

She rocked onto her heels, giddy at the sounds of him sifting through his bag. His gentle touch suddenly guided her palms up as he placed something in her hands. She tried guessing at what it was immediately.