Covet (Draco x Reader)

Chapter 10

The rest of the group weren't too far along the way, since Blaise and Flint were still pretty drunk and weaving through the halls. Crabbe and Goyle were grunting to them, demanding them to hold still. They were the only two out of the group who were strong enough to carry the drunkards back to the common room, but I still felt bad that the responsibility fell onto them. I could hear Draco muttering to himself about how pathetic they were.

I quickened my pace to reach them, but made sure to stay a couple of steps behind Draco and Pansy, who still hadn't made a sound to each other.

We were nearly at the bottom of the steps that led up to the common room when I saw Draco kneel down to tie his shoe. Since Pansy had been walking alongside him, she stopped to wait. It looked as if Draco told her to go on without him as he tied his shoe, because she appeared a bit conflicted — she probably wanted to stay with him — before turning to catch up with the others. I was just about to pass by him when he stood up.

"So you had fun tonight, did you?" He quipped while walking beside me. His hair glimmered beneath the dimly lit halls. The pale complexion of his skin complimented his gleaming silver eyes — eyes that had always seemed to be cruel and arrogant, but strikingly exhibited a gentleness tonight. His jawline was sharp, his cheekbones were well-defined. Had he always been so handsome?

Catching myself gazing for far too long, I turned and continued to stare straight ahead as we made our way up the stairs. "Yeah, I'm sure everyone did," I retorted. "It was a party after all."

"Yeah, well, not everyone had the same kind of fun as we did." His fingers brushed up against mine, and I realized how closely he had been walking by me.

Everyone had managed to cross the threshold of the portrait, and I could hear Crabbe and Goyle let out sighs of relief after plopping Blaise and Flint onto the couch. Pansy had been the last to step through when Draco took my hand and spun me around to face him. He'd made sure everyone was gone so it was just the two of us at the top of the steps.

"I had fun," he purred as he stepped towards me. Nervous, I stepped back until I felt the cold stone handrail behind me. I grabbed the balcony to regain my balance as Draco drew closer. He positioned himself so that he had one arm on each side of me.

"Brilliant," I answered sarcastically, trying to ignore the allure that had drawn me to him earlier tonight. "Now let me through, Malfoy."

"Draco," he corrected while tilting my chin up to him with his finger. It was hard to avoid his gaze when he looked at me like that — a hard truth I'd come to realize tonight. He lifted his right hand and tenderly stroked my cheek. "Are we really back to last names after tonight, Y/N?"

"Tonight was a mistake. An anomaly," I stated, trying to convince myself just as much as I was trying to convince him. 

"Don't lie, Y/N," he coaxed with a playful smile. His breath felt warm against me, and the scent of his skin beckoned me yet again. His lips were so close to mine, ripe for the kissing, but I couldn't let him have the satisfaction.

"I'm not lying," I muttered, avoiding his gaze. "Let me through, Draco. I'm tired." I attempted to shove him out of my way, but he placed a firm grip on my arm and set me back.

"I'm free to work on the Charms paper after Transfiguration next week. I'll wait for you then."

"And if I say 'no'?"

"I always get what I want. You should know that by now, Y/N," he smirked with that same devilish smile. "You'll have to work on it anyway, so why not work on it together?"

"If I say 'yes', will you let me go?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Yes. Okay."

Satisfied with my answer, he lowered his arms. I rolled my eyes in response and pushed forward.

Together, we walked to the entrance of the common room. In the amount of time we'd spent bantering by the stairway, the portrait had already closed, so Draco proceeded with the password, prompting the portrait to swing open. He turned and gave me one last smile before we stepped through, as if we were reentering reality back from our own little world.

Blaise was asleep on the couch by the fireplace with his empty bottle of liquor still in hand, and Flint was passed out in one of the armchairs next to him. Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy were nowhere to be seen, so I assumed they must've headed up to their rooms.

As I headed up the steps to the girls' dormitories, I turned back and saw that Draco had been watching me, as if to make sure I'd make it up the stairs okay. Sheepishly, I gave him one last nod and left the common room with the sight of his smile engrained in my mind until I'd closed my eyes and fallen asleep. Even then, I might've dreamt of him.