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

Chapter 29

The next day, Colin taps me awake and I roll over on the couch to find him sipping a cup of coffee while he sits on the ground.

He flips through the news, before asking "Was that you?" I squint at find that the news reports it with a comical headline.

"Three pillars of the community violently attacked by vicious animal"

I scoff at that "Pillars of the community, my arse." He presses his lips into a fine line.

He nods, before giving a weak smile "Merry Christmas." I scoff, before he motions towards his cup "Do you want some?"

I sniff the air and ask "Is that peppermint?" He nods and I scratch my forehead "Why?"

He shrugs, before declaring "It's coffee creamer."

I sigh, before declaring "Black, two sugars."

As I follow him into the kitchen, he asks "What do you want for breakfast?"

I give him a weak smile, before declaring "I don't care." I look him over "What do you want?"

He turns to the fridge and frowns "We could make cinnamon buns."

As soon as he rakes the roll out, his owl swoops in and drops the daily prophet on the kitchen table.

I quickly pick it up and read the headline aloud "Werewolf kills three muggles. Unknown lycanthrope."

I set my jaw, before tossing it down. He runs his hand over my back and rests his chin on my shoulder "Nobody is going to find out it was you."

I press my lips into a fine line "Other werewolves will know." I look to him "And if Greyback or Remus goes to investigate. They've got a trail of scent to a photo box."

He gives a weak smile "Greyback wouldn't know to come here. Remus doesn't know we're fucking."

I hum, before he asks "Wanna get high and forget about it?"

I give a weak smile "I could never forget. I've never been able to."

He shrugs, before declaring "We could make you forget."

~

After two whole days of holding up in Colin's house, making snowmen and baking biscuits, we sit at the table for tea.

As he reaches for a snowman, I chew on my Christmas tree. The front door opens and Colin looks back and smiles "Hey guys!"

I can see his family round the corner and Dennis asks "Did you two sleep with each other?"

I check on my tea and Colin chuckles, before insisting "No. No, we didn't." He pats my back "We're just good friends."

Andrew looks me over, before asking looking to Dennis "Why don't you go upstairs and unpack your bag?"

He snatches a couple of biscuits, before running upstairs.

When Andrew and Debbie take a seat at the table, Debbie states "We saw the news."

"They lied." Colin states, before looking to me "Tell them what happened?"

I take a sip of tea, before starting "I was in a club." They cock an eyebrow to me and I explain "I was drinking..." I look down in shame "And I was on Molly, and acid." They sigh and I continue "I was coming down, and I was going to spark up in the alleyway."

Colin furrows his brow "You were high?"

I nod, before continuing on "Those three guys grabbed my." I motion my finger in a circular motion "I- ah..." I scoff and look up at I bat my eyes, trying not to cry "They called me a fairy, and an AIDS monkey." I furrow my brow and shake my head "It didn't phase me. I've heard them both, hundreds of times."

I sigh and look down at the table "Then the third guy... he pulled out a blade..." I look up and shake my head with wide eyes "And I went ballistic."

Andrew furrows his brow "Was it the drugs? Were you paranoid?"

Colin shakes his head, before whispering to his parents "Draco was almost castrated, three years ago." He furrows his brow "During the second-"

He looks at me in worry and I explain "I saw the knife, and I immediately remembered it."

Debbie furrows her brow "Are you on any drugs, now?" I shake my head and she looks to Andrew "Are there any drugs in my house, other than marijuana?"

I look to Colin in shock "She knows about that?"

He cocks an eyebrow to me "Who do you think buys my bud?" I look to his parents and give an amazed look.

I take a moment, before answering "I've got a load of grass in my bag, along with a few packs of cigarettes. Other than that, no."

Andrew gives a short nod, before ordering "Don't drink my whiskey, and you can stay."

I nod, before Debbie asks "What have you boys been up to?"

Colin motions towards the backyard "We built a snowman." Then he points to the biscuits "We made gingerbread men and Christmas biscuits."

Andrew grabs a gingerbread men and snaps it in half, giving it a taste.

He nods, before declaring "Pretty good."

~

In the silence of the dark corridor, I can see light ahead. In confusion, I step towards the Hogwarts windows to find the moon is full.

The beast inside of me boils and I turn to run away, only I stop when I hear a mad cackling.

In the dark, I can make out the figures of Bellatrix Lestrange, Fenrir Greyback, and Voldemort.

As I panic, I turn and start toward the other exit, only Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe, stand in the edge of the light.

"Let it in, Draco." Pansy insists, before declaring "We both know you're pretending to be something you're not."

I shake my head, before screaming out "No! No!" I turn back to find Bellatrix, Fenrir, and Voldemort closing in.

As they close me in, my chest burns and I scream in agony "Get away! Let me out!"

Tears slip from my eyes and I hide my eyes from the moon "I don't want to be a monster!"

My back aches as I start to transform "No!" I howl "Let me out!" I growl, before barking "Get away! No! No! No!"

I jump awake as a pillow hits me "Draco!" Colin calls out.

The Creevey family stands on the opposite side of the living room. Colin knows this is the best way to wake me.

As I pant for air, I sit up and and look over their worried faces. Colin comes to sit next to me and asks "What was it this time?"

I set my jaw, giving him a look. He nods, before looking to his parents. Debbie kisses Dennis's head, before ordering "Go back to bed."

Dennis grunts in response, before disappearing up the stairs. When his door shuts, Colin rubs my back "What was it?"

"Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, Voldemort, Lestrange, Greyback." I tell him and Andrew gives a confused look.

"First three are his rapists. Greyback bit him. Lestrange is his crazy arse aunt." Colin explains.

I nod, before explaining "They were holding me in the moonlight. Forcing me into being the beast."

Colin rests his head on my shoulder and asks "When was your last nightmare?"

I give a weak smile "Last night."

He hums, before looking to his parents "Head to bed. We'll spark up, and stay up to watch some films."

Debbie cocks an eyebrow to him "No sex."

Colin scoffs, before looking to me "Grab your bud and head up to my room."