Rivals | D.M

23. The Unexpected Partner

Draco's POV

I dreamt of honeyed skin and snow white petalled vines.

It was odd being so enthralled by someone's touch, It was like I was being pulled to her throughout the day. I found myself sitting closer to her at meal times, just close enough to hear her laugh but far enough away that no one would notice. It was nice having something good to myself. Something to be excited about.

I tried not to delve too deep into my thoughts about her. That was dangerous territory I wasn't ready to dive into yet, or any time soon.

Last night I wanted to see her though, truly experience her and feel her. She did not disappoint, she was everything and more.

I was awakened from my thoughts, to a very ugly and boisterous Goyle, shoving me into a handful of younger students gathering outside Potions class.

"Dude wake up"

I snarl at him as he pushes through the crowd and into the class. I was keen to get inside and see Aster, my first class with her today. I couldn't talk to her like I wanted to but at least I could see her, maybe tease her a little. Watch that little smirk grow on her pretty freckled face.

I pull my stool up to the table, opposite two empty stools waiting for Aster and Bainbridge.

Two boiling cauldrons stand on either side of the long table, a sour smell drifting in waves from them both.

Aster finally walks in, her olive skin flushed, her dark hair tumbled long down her back in waves. I watch as she looks around the class, her expression stern. Bainbridge doesn't follow her, and I wonder if that's who she's looking for. Aster sits down, plonking her textbooks onto the table in front of her before she looks up. Her green eyes find mine. She quickly looks back down at her textbook but not before I spy a small smirk hiding in the corner of her mouth.

Bainbridge doesn't turn up to class, and I can feel Aster's tension from across the room. I watch as she scribbles mindlessly with her quill, her teeth gritted, her round cheeks puffed.

Professor Slughorn starts the class, mumbling about a potion we were to concoct today, the boiling remnants from the first batch sizzling on our tables. Without delay, students start to partner up, and I realise begrudgingly that Crabbe and Goyle have claimed the cauldron nearest to me, leaving me to find myself a new partner and cauldron. Of course, the only other student in the room without a partner is Aster. Are the gods working against me or are they in my favour today?

I awkwardly hover to her side of the table, telling Crabbe and Goyle to go fuck themselves in the process.

"Don't want to be my partner Malfoy?" She greets me, her eyes shimmering. She grabs her textbook and props it up on the brass stand in front of her.

"Wouldn't say that" I mumble, irritated by the turn of events.

I've wanted to be this close to her all day but now, I feel incredibly vulnerable. 

She grins while she sets up today's potions ingredients, sorting and organising them. That's when I notice my ring still on her thumb. A thrill washes over me.

"Nice ring" I mumble quietly, busying myself with my own notebook.

Her hand quickly covers the ring in question, her eyes darting to me.

"Sorry, I forgot." she stammers, pulling the ring off her thumb and handing it to my under the desk.

I chuckle at her twitchiness.

"It's ok. Nobody saw you wear it right?" I ask quietly, suddenly very aware that we could easily have been caught. Luckily, only a few people can probably identify that the ring is mine.