The Afflicted Pretty Boy ~ Book 3 of the Pretty Boy trilogy

Chapter 4

As I put my travel bag onto the table, the room goes black and I get a whiff of Harry Potter.

Blaise calls out "What was that?"

As the stupid joke subsides, I tell Blaise "It's probably just some first year playing around."

When I take a seat, he asks "What's in the bag?"

I scoff, before telling him "Lucius packed me a lunch." He gives a light chuckle and I open the bag, releasing strong smell, that I know he can smell.

He takes in a deep breath, before asking "Is that a steak?" I nod, before pulling out a book "What book is that?"

I read the title aloud "The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde." I smirk at the irony, before telling him "That'll be funny for you, later."

He gives a confused look and I slide my potion into my jacket pocket, next to my smokes "Is that..." he presses his lips into a fine line.

I lie "It's a draught of peace." He cocks an eyebrow to me and I tell him "It's been a very difficult summer."

He gives a short nod before I shut the bag. He leans forward and whispers "I heard you and Harry broke up."

I nod to him and explain "I broke up with him."

He cocks an eyebrow to me and asks "Why?" I press my lips into a fine line, before looking around the compartment "Will you tell me later?"

I hum, before telling him "I think you already know why I broke up with him." He looks taken aback, before I nod.

He sighs "Merlin, Draco!" He leans back on the chair and looks me over "Why didn't you tell me?"

I shrug, before telling him "You had your own problems." I scoff "Say, how's your mum's seventh husband doing?"

He nods "He's actually dead, remember. Mum is actually on number eight." I chuckle and he sighs "My mum really just needs a sign floating over her head."

"Run while you can?" I ask and he hums, before I ask "What about you and..." I hum "You two still together?"

He sighs "I don't know. We had this big fight, last night. In short, he signed with Puddlemere, and he's going to be in Russia when we're off for Christmas."

I furrow my brow "So, was it a distance thing, or...?"

He sighs, before telling me "I love him, but fuck, I could wring his neck over his obsession of Quidditch." He gives a sad look, before telling me "And I can't give him an ultimatum, because I know he'll pick Quidditch."

I scoff, before declaring "I would have given him that ultimatum, you know?" He looks down to the table and I give a warm smile "You worried he'll end it?"

He sighs, before explaining "The fight got really bad. I called him developmentally delayed, because he got held back two years."

I scoff "He wasn't the brightest, was he?"

He gives a weak smile "He's dyslexic, like Ron." I take in a deep breath, before he sighs "I miss him, already."

I scoff "Yeah, I know." I lean back in my chair and sigh "It's hard. Harry was at my house, last week, and I was very tempted to crawl back in bed with him."

He sighs and asks "Should I write him? Tell him that I'll come to him, during our Christmas break?"

I shrug, before telling him "You'll be old enough to apperate." He nods, before digging into his bag to retrieve his parchment, ink, and quill.

As he writes, he asks "Is there any chance of you and Harry getting back together?"

I shrug, before looking out the window "Nope." He gives a weak smile, before I tell him "I just can't risk it."

He furrows his brow "If anybody could handle it, he would." I scoff, before picking up the book and starting to read.

About an hour later, Blaise asks "What would happen if you saw Harry with someone else?"

I look up from my book and give a polite smile, before declaring "I wouldn't blame him, or whomever he's with. I'd be glad he moved on with, even if it hurt me."

As I flip a page, I tell him "I've already moved on."

He cocks an eyebrow to me and asks "Are you dating someone, already? After you were with him for nearly two years?"

I close the book and state "Not seeing anyone. Just partying my way through liver and lung."

He gives a weak smile and asks "You been sleeping around?" I give him a knowing look and he sighs "Draco... tell me you used protection."

I furrow my brow, before declaring "I'm not an idiot." He takes a deep breath and we drift into silence again.

~

Blaise nudges me awake and tells me "We're at Hogwarts." I look out the window to find it's dark out.

Blaise, Harry, and I are the only ones in the compartment. I look to him and ask "Wait outside for me, will you?"

He gives a short nod and steps out of the compartment. When he's off the train, I stand and place my bag on the table, along with my bird.

As I strap the bag over my shoulder, I speak to him "You've tried to be sneaky, Pottah, and I truly do applaud you, but you haven't been good enough."

He remains silent, but I can smell his fear. I scoff at him and insist "I'm not going to hurt you."

As he continues to play possum, I look to where I think his eyes are, ordering "Stop following me, or you're going to get hurt."

As I grab my bird, I lean over to grab my walking stick "Rather by me, or by others. Your safety is in danger if you're anywhere near me."

I look him in the eyes again "Move on, for your own good."

As I step up to the door, I stop and tell him "This is your last warning." And with that, I walk off the train.

As i put my bird and my bag on a trolley, I can see two shoes dropping down in the window.