Painkiller - A Drarry Fanfiction

Part 018

"Sorry to repeat myself, but again, make sure to—"

I roll my eyes. "Keep my hand steady—I get it."

If it wasn't the time of day when Draco's smile made me smile along and not get irrationally annoyed, I might have punched his face in. It was a long day—there's only so much of him I can put up with.

Draco sits in his spot as golden hour arrives, leaning against the concrete wall of the tunnel. "I guess we should call it a day before you murder me," he says, running his fingers through his hair filled with the day's dust.

I sit, too. My legs feel sore. "I'm glad you're getting a hang of me," I say.

He chuckles. The highs of his face lighten in the setting sun, filled warm and soft. There's something about Draco and the sunset, I've noticed, that stirs something in my chest. But maybe I shouldn't stare. It's pretty noticeable when I stare.

"You okay?" Draco says, definitely noticing.

I catch myself and blink away, heat in my cheeks. Hopefully the tunnel's shadows stop him from seeing me embarrass myself. "Not really, no," I say. "I wonder whose fault that is."

"You're doing good, just so you know," he says. "Some people's bodies don't handle suddenly using magic very well. I read about cases where the person gets even sicker than when their own body was actively killing them. I was... worried that would happen to you. But it didn't, so. That's good."

I pause picking at the concrete pebbles and glance up. "Does that happen commonly?"

Draco shakes his head.

I chuckle, ignoring my heart skip a beat "Why would you be worried about that, then?"

"Because— Well, your nightmares seemed..." he hesitates then stops. He flashes a smile. "You know what—it doesn't matter. I'm not worried anymore. Like I said, you're doing good."

"Uh, okay?" I say, confused.

But before I can be my stubborn self and ask further, Draco stands. "We should get home. I think we're already late for dinner."

I push myself off the ground after him, deciding to brush it off. "Probably should get something to eat, then. There's a place—"

"I have to run to the post office, actually," he interrupts. "I'll find something for us. You go home and take a shower."

I blink at him. "What just happened?" I say, unable to brush it off. "Why are you suddenly like this?"

He blinks back. "Like what?"

"I dunno—you were normal a minute ago, now you're not telling me shit. Did I miss something?"

He smiles again, but it isn't normal, either. "I just need to go to the post office and I figured you'd prefer not to walk more than you have to. You didn't miss anything."

I eye him. His smile drops in awkward twitches. "I'll pretend to believe you, only because you're getting food."

There seems to be as much a bitter taste in Draco's mouth as is in mine, but as we walk out of the tunnel, I keep my word.

/////

That bitterness was not good for me. I was distracted by it, enough to not notice how the television was so loud I could hear it from the front porch, to not remember Vernon's drunk habit of claiming the living room for watching his shows, to not think before opening the door to hell.

What I should have done was at least wait for Draco, but I solo-dived into my own grave instead. What I should have done was turn back around when I smelled beer, but I mindlessly peeked into the living room instead. What I should have done was run to my room when Vernon caught me in the entrance, but I froze in place like a pathetic idiot instead.