Cold Love || Draco Malfoy

9- The Falllout

Jessica could barely focus as she walked through the corridors the next morning, her thoughts consumed by the intensity of what had happened with Draco. It felt unreal—like a dream she couldn't shake.

But as soon as she spotted Dean waiting for her near the entrance to the Great Hall, a wave of guilt hit her like a cold splash of water. She forced a smile as she approached him, but the warmth she usually felt was tinged with doubt.

"Hey, you alright?" Dean asked, his brows furrowed in concern. He reached out to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, his touch gentle.

"Yeah, just tired," Jessica replied, her voice sounding hollow even to herself. She immediately regretted it. Dean's kindness and sincerity only made the gnawing guilt worse.

The day dragged on in a blur of lessons and awkward conversations. Dean was attentive and caring, but every time he tried to get closer, Jessica found herself pulling away. Her mind kept flashing back to Draco—his touch, his intense gaze, the way he made her feel.

It was wrong, wasn't it? She should want to be with someone like Dean—someone who made her feel safe. But safety didn't make her pulse race like it did with Draco.

As the hours passed, Dean began to notice her distant behavior. In Charms, he leaned closer and whispered, "You've been quiet all day. Something wrong?"

Jessica forced another smile. "I'm fine, really. Just... a lot on my mind."

Dean nodded, but she could see the doubt in his eyes. He didn't press the issue, but his uncertainty was clear.

Meanwhile, Draco's mood was getting darker by the hour. He watched from a distance as Jessica and Dean walked together, his fists clenching involuntarily. The possessiveness that gripped him felt like poison in his veins.

He'd always told himself that Jessica was just a distraction—someone to toy with to pass the time. But that excuse no longer held weight. The way he felt about her was different. It was consuming him, driving him mad with jealousy whenever she was with Dean.

Tahlia, ever the opportunist, noticed the shift in Draco. She was unusually kind to Jessica that day, her voice dripping with fake sweetness every time she spoke.

"Oh, Jessica, love the way you did your hair today! It's so pretty," she said with a sugary smile that sent shivers down Jessica's spine. Tahlia's sudden friendliness wasn't comforting; it was unnerving.

---

Later that evening, Draco couldn't take it anymore. He found Jessica alone in one of the lesser-used corridors, her face pale and strained. Without a word, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into a shadowed alcove.

"What's wrong with you?" Draco's voice was low and rough, filled with frustration. "You've been avoiding me all day."

Jessica jerked her hand back, glaring at him. "Avoiding you? I'm trying to figure out how I feel! And you're making it worse."

Draco's expression tightened. "Oh, so it's easier for you when you're with Dean? Is that it? You think he's going to make everything better?" His voice was laced with bitterness, jealousy simmering beneath every word.

"That's not fair!" Jessica snapped back. "Dean cares about me, he's not... he's not playing games."

The accusation stung, and Draco's eyes flashed with anger. "You think I'm playing games with you? Do you have any idea what it's like watching you with him, pretending that what happened between us meant nothing?"

The air between them crackled with tension, neither of them willing to back down. They were too close—Jessica could feel the heat radiating from him, her pulse quickening despite everything screaming at her to walk away.