Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 31

I don't speak to Draco for the rest of the day, and I don't have any intentions on doing so lightly. I am seething when I find out that we are sharing a bed tonight. I have half a right mind to go and sleep in a different room, but I shall be adamant to avoid suspicion. I'm not giving in that easily. 'Lyssa -'
'Nope.' I shake my head, both in ebbing disbelief and intolerable annoyance. 'Just don't.'
'Hear me out -'
'Draco, I keep giving you second chances, and you're messing every single one up.'
'I'm protecting you, us!'

I abruptly turn on my heel. 'If my parents knew you were muggle-born, they'd see to it that we never spoke again. We'd have to break up, and I'm not losing you.' At this, I allow myself to guffaw.
'Right.'
'I'm telling the truth.'
'It's been a long day. All I want to do is go to sleep and forget this whole affair ever happened.'
'The "us"?' I see a scarce amount of vulnerability pass over Draco's feaututes, but he corrects them.
'The part where you lie to everyone and ditch everything I thought you were.' I snap.

'Now, turn around.'
'Why?' Draco shoots.
'Because I want to change without you looking.'
'Come on, we're all friends here.'
'If I weren't mad maybe I wouldn't mind as much. Look away.' I growl at him. He turns to face the wall and I pull off my jeans and t-shirt, to replace them with an exceedingly long top. Now I wish I brought bottoms. I rake in my bag for a pair, but they are non existing within its depths. 'Okay, you can look now.' I mumble, taking my hand out of the bag and zipping it up. Draco surveys me a moment, and I do my best to hold his gaze.

I pull out my book from my bag and begin to read. 'What did you do to that bag?'
'I told you.' I snap ferociously. 'I just tweaked it a bit.' I flop onto a side of the bed and open my book, Wuthering Heights, and start to read, the book miraculously close to my face so I don't see Draco, who is currently changing. My eyes linger on the name Heathcliff. He reminds me so much of Draco. He's cruel and heartless. Draco is like that to everyone, especially when angry. Sure, I thought he'd opened up for me, but he's just as closed up as the character of which his traits match.

'What're you reading?' Draco asks awkwardly.
'A most extraordinary book about yourself, Mr Malfoy.' I reply stonily.
'What?'
'Wuthering Heights. Muggle book. You should read it, you are very much alike Heathcliff.'
'Who?' I snap the book shut and observe Draco keenly.
'Heathcliff. The handsome one that the poor girl falls in love with, despite the fact that he is cold and cruel. And she can't stop herself being in love with him because she is in too deep.' My throat tightens but I hold back any emotion. Draco's eyes have narrowed ever so slightly. 'Now, goodnight to you, sir.' I exhale, turning over and scooting right to the end of the bed, switching off the already dark lamp, luring us into darkness, and going to close my eyes. I hear a heavy release of breath. 'Have it your way.' Draco murmurs.

I toss and I turn. When I do finally lull myself into the gentle boundaries of sleep, it is lightly, if hardly at all. My consciousness feels possessed by a vivid awareness of awakened senses, which at its finest is making my eyes struggle with it and my brain scream out in agony. I argue with myself for the majority of the night in this haughty house, hearing nothing but a threatening silence and an odd creak of house elves. Draco turns into me a few times, and it takes all of my efforts to push him away from me. The thought of his face when I told him I thought him cold and cruel haunts my mind throughout my conscious hours and my unconscious ones, and silent tears trickle down my face for the majority of the night.

At one point when I wake, I find myself curled into a ball, my face nuzzled into Draco's chest, which is rising and falling with deep sleep. Our legs are tangled and Draco has one of his arms lazily wrapped around my body. I feel the knot in my chest relax a little, and I take in a deep breath. I risk a look up into Draco's pale and sleeping features. God, he looks adorable. Shut up, I tell myself. He lied to you. I pull away from Draco and find some parchment and a quill as efficiently as possible, scrawling a note to an individual:

Hermione,

Things are going downhill at Draco's. It's not something which one can explain simply over an owl, that will have to wait until I see you at the Weasley's. Any advice?
Love,
Alyssia

I find Feathers in her cage and open Draco's window, once my letter is tied securely to her foot, and I send her off. 'Lyssa?' I hear Draco moan sleepily, and I hear shuffling. I gasp and shut the window on my fingers, the sting causing me to wince, with an unpleasant throbbing lacing itself through the muscles of my hand. 'Emergency owl.' I mutter when I see the outline sit up.
'Come back to bed, I miss you.' Draco slurs with tiredness, shuffling under the covers. 'I'm mad at you, remember?' I chuckle.
'I'm sure you can forgive me.'
'I'd like to say unlikely, but I don't think that'll happen.' I laugh, and Draco scoots over and grabs me by the waist, pulling me back into the bed and under the sheets. 'I did only do it to protect you. Not just from them.'
'What's that supposed to mean?' I ask inquisitively.
'Nothing you need to worry about.' Draco shakes his head, and I try to not let the thought linger.

Then, I hear two loud sets of hurried footsteps, hushed voices. I sit up, and Draco puts an arm around me, the both of us staring at the door. '- He must be warned, Lucius.'
'In the morning, I'm sure he's asleep now. Besides, we cannot yet put our trust in Alyssia. She is friends with Potter, we'd be risking everything.'
'She will be asleep. It will be easier to get Draco now than any other time. Please, Lucius.' I hear Narcissa begging.
'Pretend to be asleep.' Draco hisses, turning over with his arm still around me. I turn the other way but remain nuzzled into him. The door opens and my eyes snap shut, listening. 'Draco,' I hear someone whisper, and Draco's body is no longer pressed against mine. The door is closed once again.

I feel tense in waiting. I sit up in bed, my head resting against the glossy black headboard. I'm alone for a good ten minutes. When Draco returns, I can't help but note the vicious amounts of fear now etched upon his face. He's paler, his eyes have lost their light, and his mouth is a thin line. 'Is everything okay?' I ask feebly. Draco seems to snap out of a daze. 'Fine, fine. Nothing important, Lyssa. Let's go back to sleep, I haven't hardly slept a wink.'
'Me either.' I yawn as Draco climbs back into bed and wraps his arms around me. Yet something has changed, and it's something I pick up straight away. The hug isn't just warming. It's a million times more protective than the last.