Staged Hearts - Draco Malfoy (enemies to lovers)

13. Convincing

The corridors were buzzing with students, their chatter echoing off the stone walls.

Draco and Aria were walking side by side, the usual distance between them, though their hands were casually intertwined as part of their act.

Aria was distracted, her mind elsewhere, as they strolled through the hallway.

Draco, however, seemed more aware of their surroundings, especially when he spotted a familiar figure walking toward them—Clarissa.

His smirk appeared almost instantly. Clarissa, with her perfectly styled hair and sharp gaze, looked like she was out for blood, and Draco couldn’t help but find the situation amusing.

He nudged Aria with his elbow, getting her attention.

"Looks like we’ve got company," he whispered, his voice low enough for only her to hear.

Aria followed his gaze and instantly tensed when she saw Clarissa marching toward them.

She didn’t know what exactly Draco had in mind, but the glint in his eye wasn’t promising.

Before she could ask what he was planning, Draco suddenly turned towards her and, without warning, cupped her face with his hands.

"What are you—" she started, but her words were cut off when he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

Aria’s mind went completely blank. For a second, she was too shocked to react.

But then, instinctively, she found herself kissing him back, her hands rising to rest against his chest.

It was soft, warm, and far too real for what was supposed to be just an act.

There was something about the way his lips moved against hers, gentle yet firm, that made her knees weak.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathless.

Draco’s hand lingered on her face for a moment longer than necessary, his thumb brushing her cheek in a way that made her heart race.

For a moment, they locked eyes, and Aria could swear that neither of them was thinking about the charade they were supposed to be pulling off.

Clarissa had frozen in place, her eyes wide with disbelief and a flash of anger.

She was too obsessed with Draco that she couldn't get herself to believe that he was committed.

It was clear she hadn’t expected to see that—especially not from Draco and Aria, who had always been more rivals than anything else.

The silence that followed was broken by a loud whistle from behind them.

"Well, well, well. Look at that," Blaise’s voice growled as he sauntered over with Mattheo and  Lorenzo flanking him.

"That was a kiss worthy of the front page of the Daily Prophet."

Draco straightened, a cocky grin spreading across his face as he casually slung an arm around Aria’s shoulders.

"What can I say? We’re just that convincing."

Lorenzo smirked, crossing his arms. "Convincing? That looked pretty damn real to me."

Aria felt her face flush, but she quickly schooled her expression, shooting  Lorenzo a glare. "It’s called acting, Enzo. You should try it sometime."

Mattheo chuckled, giving her a playful nudge. "Acting, huh? Because that didn’t look like acting, love."

Pansy appeared next, shaking her head in disbelief but with a grin on her face.

"I’ve got to admit, that was pretty perfect. Even Clarissa looks like she’s about to explode."

Aria turned her head, catching sight of Clarissa’s retreating figure.

She was storming off, clearly furious, and muttering something under her breath.

The sight of it brought a sense of satisfaction, but at the same time, her heart was still racing from the kiss.

"That was a little extreme, don’t you think?" Aria muttered under her breath, glancing up at Draco.

She wasn’t sure if the flush in her cheeks was from the embarrassment of being teased by their friends or something else entirely.

Draco shrugged nonchalantly, though there was something different in his gaze—something softer. "Had to make it look convincing, didn’t I?"

Aria’s breath hitched slightly. “Convincing” .

She knew he was right, but that didn’t explain why her heart was still pounding in her chest or why, even now, she missed the feeling of his lips on hers.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Draco’s eyes flickered, and for a brief moment, the cocky façade dropped. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone, replaced by his usual grin.

"What’s the matter? Did I leave you wanting more?"

She rolled her eyes, trying to mask her own confusion. "You wish."

Before Draco could respond, Blaise clapped his hands together, clearly enjoying every second of their interaction.

"Alright, alright, break it up. We’re all happy you two are playing house now, but don’t go making the rest of us jealous."

Pansy snorted, nudging Blaise. "Speak for yourself. I’d rather not see them snogging in every corridor."

Enzo, however, was still smirking, clearly not buying their act. "Just remember, Aria. Fake relationships have a funny way of turning real."

Aria huffed, shoving  Lorenzo lightly. "I’ll keep that in mind, thanks."

The group continued down the corridor, their teasing lingering in the air.

But as they walked, Aria couldn’t shake the strange feeling that had settled in her chest.

That kiss—despite what they both said—hadn’t felt fake. Not in the slightest.

And by the way Draco kept sneaking glances at her, she had a feeling he was thinking the same thing.

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