Adeleine Potter: The Shifting Shadows, Draco fanfic

Part 16

Back at the party, the atmosphere was electric, the music pulsing through the room like a living entity. The Slytherin common room was bathed in dim, green-tinted light, casting long shadows that danced along with the students. I tried to lose myself in the energy, but my mind kept drifting back to Draco and the way he had looked at me earlier. It was as if he was searching for something in my eyes, something I wasn't sure I had the strength to give him.

Just as I was beginning to feel the effects of the Firewhiskey again, a movement caught my eye. Draco brushed past me, his stride purposeful as he headed straight for Daphne. For a moment, I thought I was imagining it, but then reality struck like a blow to the chest.

He took her face in his hands, his grip firm yet tender. Without a second's hesitation, he pulled her in and kissed her. This was no casual peck, no accidental brush of lips. This was raw, passionate—a kiss that held emotion and intent. My breath hitched as I watched, the scene unfolding before me like some twisted nightmare. It was a kiss filled with fire, with the kind of desperate intensity that spoke volumes.

And in that moment, I knew I'd made the right decision. Leaving him was the only choice I could have made, but that knowledge didn't dull the sharp pain slicing through my chest. It stung, a bitter ache that pulsed with every beat of my heart.

Pushing the hurt down, I turned on my heel and made my way across the room, my eyes locking onto Mattheo, who was still lounging on the couch, looking both bored and annoyed as a girl draped herself over him. I hesitated, wondering if I was interrupting something, but the moment Mattheo saw me, his expression shifted.

Relief washed over his features as he jumped to his feet, extricating himself from the girl's clutches with a look of exasperation. "Babe, there you are," he called out, his voice carrying over the din of the party. He shot the girl a look that was both apologetic and firm. "Want to dance?" he asked, but there was a hint of something more in his tone, a silent plea for rescue.

The girl pouted but didn't argue, sensing the dismissal in his words. As she slunk away, I nodded, forcing a smile onto my lips. "Let's have a few more shots first," Mattheo suggested, his gaze flicking briefly in the direction of Draco and Daphne. His expression darkened as he made a disgusted face. "Seems like we could both use it right now," he added, his voice laced with a bitterness that matched my own.

I smiled, this time more genuine, appreciating his effort to distract me. We made our way to the bar, where Mattheo lined up four shots of Firewhiskey for each of us. Without hesitation, we downed them one by one, the liquid fire burning its way down my throat and settling in my stomach like a comforting heat. The edge of my pain dulled slightly, replaced by a warm haze.

Mattheo slammed his last shot glass down on the counter and grinned at me, though there was a hint of something sad in his eyes. "Now, let's dance," he shouted, his voice barely audible over the pounding music.

His hand found mine, and he led me to the center of the room, where the crowd parted to make way for us. Whispers rippled through the students, their eyes wide with surprise. A Potter and a Riddle, together. It was the kind of scandal that would fuel gossip for weeks.

I felt their stares, their judgmental eyes burning into me, and suddenly, the courage I'd found in the Firewhiskey began to falter. I glanced up at Mattheo, seeking reassurance.

He must have noticed my unease because he gently took my arms and wrapped them around his neck, his hands settling on my waist. "Don't pay attention to them," he whispered, leaning close enough that his breath tickled my ear. "Just look at me."

I did as he said, meeting his gaze. His eyes, a deep amber in the dim light, held mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. The world around us seemed to blur, the music and voices fading into the background. We moved together, our bodies swaying slowly despite the upbeat rhythm of the music, lost in our own world.