Rivals | D.M

41. Going Home

Aster's POV

"Malfoy's been looking for you" Blaise says as I approach him in the common room.

I look at him surprised. I hadn't seen Draco since Potions, maybe he was still mad about me leaving him like that still.

"Where is he?" I ask Blaise, one eyebrow raised.

"Said he would be in his  room?" Blaise cringes, his cheeks going a slight pink under his dark skin.

I laugh at his awkwardness.

"He told you this?"

Blaise nods, his lips turned up in disgust, "He looked like he was going to combust just from speaking to me, I don't  know how you put up with him" he mutters, before returning to his magazine on the couch.

I laugh and squeeze his arm in comfort, before heading off to the boys dormitory. I lean on one of the walls separating the boys from the girls and wait for a group of boys to leave the hallway before I make my way to Draco's door.

With the all clear, I rush towards his room and push the heavy door open. His room is a mess, his trunk splayed on his bed. I watch as he mutters a charm to sort his clothes into his trunk.

"What's going on?" I ask, slightly worried. I lock the door behind me and make my way to the opposite side of his bed to face him.

His grey eyes are narrowed, his lips tight.

"Fuck, finally. I've been looking for you all afternoon" he mumbles, giving me a stern look.

"Sorry I was studying in the library" I mumble, my mind still trying to catch up with the fact he was packing his bags. Christmas break wasn't for another two weeks. Why was he packing now?

"I need to go home" he says simply, swishing his wand to shut the trunk on his bed. The sound reverberates through the room, filling the odd silence between us.

I stare at his trunk in disbelief.

"Why?"

"I got a letter from my father that said I needed to go home immediately" he says as he makes he way around his bed and towards me. His face relaxes once his eyes meet mine, he pulls his white school shirt sleeves up revealing his pale strong arms.

His warmth immediately engulfs me, the smell of fresh peppermint makes my frayed nerves slightly less tangled. I watch as he picks up his hand and cups my cheek, brushing his fingers on my jaw.

"I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye" he murmurs, his eyes softly looking at my lips.

"Why do you have to go home?" I ask him, looking up into his eyes for an answer.

"He didn't say but I can't not go" he grumbles, his jaw clenching.

He leaves his hand on my cheek and brings his lips to mine, softly grazing them before pulling away.

"I thought you were angry at me" I murmured, my mind muddled from his kiss and the fact he was leaving so soon.

"Never, Flint" he smirks. He removes his hand from my cheek and I instantly feel cold from his absence.

"Will you be back?"

"After Christmas I expect...I hope" he says turning away and flicking his wand to move his trunk off his bed.

I absentmindedly move my hand to my chest and quickly remember that I still had his ring. For a quick second, I thought about not giving it back to him.

"Uh, your ring?" I mumble, threading the necklace between my fingers and undoing the clasp to release it.

"Your father probably would ask where it was if you weren't wearing it" I explain awkwardly. I feel my cheeks heat up as I thumble the ring and pass it to Draco.