Back to Black- Draco Malfoy

27| jealous

I stared at her on the ground. Didn't mean much to me if I was being honest. Around the way, I could see most of the witches and wizards in the building not paying attention, too busy drinking or snogging.

The 3 people that did pay attention, unfortunately, were the 3 that I came with. Especially to the looks of Malfoy, I could tell he was either confused or frustrated with me at the time. I was too, but with myself..what came over me?

I should have felt relaxed. Instead, my hands were trembling slightly, knuckles red from the punch I’d just thrown. I stared at them for a moment, feeling the tension coiled up in my chest before I finally looked up at Draco, who was watching me with a raised brow, a smirk playing on his lips.

“She had it coming,” I muttered, glancing at the girl who was now scrambling to her feet, her hand clutching her jaw. People around us were staring, whispering, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going to apologize.

Draco leaned back, a cool amusement in his eyes, like this was all just a bit of fun for him. “Bit possessive, aren’t we?”

I shot him a sharp look. “She was practically drooling all over you. Right in front of me.” My voice was low, but the edge in it surprised even me. Why was I like this?

He shrugged nonchalantly, but there was something flickering in his expression,  no...something like pride, maybe. Or approval? “Not the first time someone’s stared at me, Briar.”

I scoffed, brushing my hair back as I tried to steady myself. "Yeah, well, I’m not about to sit there and watch her undress you with her eyes. Not today."

Draco's smirk deepened, and he leaned closer, lowering his voice. “You’re vicious when you’re jealous, you know that?”

“Jealous?” I huffed, though I could feel my face getting warmer. “I’m just not going to let anyone think they can disrespect you like that.”

His gaze lingered on me, and for a second, his usual arrogance softened. “Don’t worry,” he said, almost too quietly for anyone else to hear. “I didn’t mind.”

I clenched my fists again, but this time, it wasn’t out of anger. I wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline from the punch still running through me, or something else entirely, but whatever it was, Draco Malfoy had no idea what he'd just unleashed.

I exhaled sharply, trying to steady my breathing, but my pulse was still racing. Draco had a way of making everything feel more intense, more charged. I glanced over at the girl again—she was gone now, probably nursing her pride as much as her jaw. Part of me felt a flicker of guilt, but it was drowned out by the satisfaction in Draco’s eyes.

He was still watching me, leaning forward a little, like he was trying to gauge my next move. “What?” I asked, my voice more defensive than I intended.

“Nothing.” He paused, but his eyes were locked on mine, studying me. “Just didn’t think you had it in you to be that... territorial.” he said and I immediately scoffed along.

“I’m not territorial,” I shot back quickly. Too quickly. “I’m just—” I stuttered. I was so confident till now..what changed.

“Not willing to share?” he finished for me, his smirk widening. He was enjoying this way too much for my liking.

I glared at him, but the truth of his words hung in the air between us. I couldn’t deny it, not when every nerve in my body felt like it was on high alert, like I’d been pushed to some edge I didn’t even know I was standing on. “Maybe,” I muttered, looking away, feeling the heat rise in my face again.

He tilted his head, clearly amused. “It’s not a bad look on you, Briar. In fact…” His voice dropped as he leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “I kind of like it.”

The way he said it sent a shiver down my spine, and I clenched my fists tighter, willing myself to stay composed. I couldn’t let him know how much that affected me—how much he affected me.

But he knew. Of course, he knew.

“I don’t do it for you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but there was an edge of defiance in it. “I do it for me.”

Draco leaned back, his smirk still firmly in place. “If you say so.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to hold onto my anger, but it was slipping away, replaced by something else—something more dangerous. “You think this is funny?”

“I think it’s fascinating,” he corrected, his voice as smooth as ever. “You, of all people, punching someone over me.”

I scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

But even as I said it, I could feel the tension between us shifting. The way he was looking at me now—it wasn’t just amusement anymore. There was something darker in his eyes, something that made my stomach flip in a way that had nothing to do with the punch.

“Come on, Briar,” he said, his voice low and teasing. “Admit it. You like this—feeling like you’ve got some claim on me.”

I bit my lip, struggling to keep my cool. He was baiting me, and I knew it, but damn it if I didn’t want to take the bait. “Maybe I do,” I finally said, locking eyes with him. “But only because you let me.”

For the first time, his smirk faltered just slightly, and I felt a surge of satisfaction at the flicker of surprise in his eyes. I leaned in closer, my voice barely a whisper. “Don’t think for a second you can play games with me, Draco. I know exactly what I’m doing.”

His expression shifted, something darker and more intense flickering across his face. “Do you?”

There was no amusement in his voice now, only challenge. And in that moment, everything else in The Three Broomsticks—the chatter, the clinking glasses, the warmth of the fire—faded away. It was just me and him, caught in this unspoken tension, this battle of wills.

I didn’t back down. “You tell me.”

For a moment, neither of us moved, the air between us electric. Then, slowly, Draco leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine. “Alright, Briar,” he said, his voice softer now, more serious. “You’ve made your point.”

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I forced myself to remain calm. “Good.”

Draco’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, his usual arrogance tempered by something else—something I couldn’t quite read. Finally, he nodded. “I guess we’re even then.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Even?”

“For the punch,” he said, his smirk returning. “And for whatever the hell this is between us.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, despite the tension still simmering under the surface. “I wouldn’t call it even just yet.”

Draco’s eyes glinted with something dangerous.

Before he could finish his thought, we were once again interrupted by the two that tagged along with us.

"Ready to go back?" Blaise asked and Theo shook his head yes with downing another drink. We all didn't want to get too intoxicated since we had classes in the morning.

"We'll go back but one question. Briar." Draco turned the attention to me as best as he could. I nodded to signal for him to keep going and finish his sentence.

He came up close to me as we were all getting up and dropped his voice way down low to say, "Don't let your jealously show before it's too hard to handle."

Damn you, Draco Lucius Malfoy.