Enchanted By The Thought

TWENTY SEVEN: WORTH LESS THAN A REP

Beware the person who stabs you and then tells the whole world they're the one who's bleeding

Beth had a new glow to her and she was awfully happy all the time. It made her brother suspicious but he was glad that she wasn't gloomy anymore. But he did notice how his sister's and Malfoy's eyes seemed to always be glued to each other whenever they were near each other. Beth noticed as well and she told Draco that he needed to quit staring at her all the time. They sat in the Room of Requirement in the little room that it turned into whenever they wanted to be around each other. Draco's head was in her lap and he was playing with rubik's cube. He almost had it completed. Her hands ran through his hair as she talked to him. "Harry's noticing something's different between us. I can feel his suspicion. You need to stop staring at me all the time." She told him.

Draco looked at her, his fingers pausing. "I can't help it. I see you and that's all I can focus on." He answered and she giggled, rolling her eyes. Draco, her romantic knight. "What? It's true. I don't care if people know about us! You're all I care about." He told her and she smiled, her heart aching.

He told her this all the time. I don't care what people see! But they never held hands in public, he never told his friends about their relationship. It was constant secrecy. She sighed. "Yeah, sure." She muttered and he paused, looking at her. "You say that but when are you actually going to mean it?"

Draco sat up, staring at her. "What's that supposed to mean?" He answered, sounding irritated.

Beth glowered at him. "You tell me you don't care what people think but I'm still a secret." She answered, bristling.

Her prince scoffed and rolled his eyes. "This isn't for me, Beth. This is for you. I don't want you to lose everyone for me."

His words reminded her the betrayal her brother had felt when they'd kissed on the pitch. She closed her eyes tightly. "You're not that special." She replied bitterly and Draco stood up.

"Merlin's fuck, Elizabeth! You don't understand anything, you know that? Not everything is about you. You're trying to bend me in so many different directions, I'm not a stretchy toy you can just play with!" Draco yelled at her and she flinched back, her eyes wide. Her bad mood evaporated instantly. "Great, now I'm the bad guy. Again." Draco muttered under his breath and ran a hand through his hair.

Beth was unsure of what to say; was she bending him in different directions? "I'm sorry Draco." She whispered and he glanced at her, his eyes softening.

"Hey, I love you Beth." He told her quietly and sat beside her, pulling her close to him. "Nothing will ever change that." Beth closed her eyes, curling up against him. "I might be busy for a few days so we won't be able to meet up but think of me, alright? And we'll keep our relationship under the radar, you know." Draco said and the bitterness reappeared.

"No, Draco." Beth finally spoke up, realizing she was not going to allow Draco to manipulate her into what he wanted. "You choose or you lose. Me or your rep." She pulled away and stood up, looking down at him. The anger had returned in his eyes. "It shouldn't have to be a choice." She whispered sadly and headed for the door. She paused with her hand on the handle, her back to him. "When you decide, you know where to find me."

With that, she opened the door and left.

~

Harry and Beth were invited to Slughorn's party. Beth was unsure of who to bring as a date; she was torn between her friends. She finally decided to invite Seamus. He was delighted and promised not to act strangely. "You're not interested in me, are you?" Seamus asked her as they walked down to the party. Beth let out a small giggle, earning a smile from her date.