Tainted Love

Speaking Terms

IRIS

The Love Chamber hadn't changed in the two weeks Iris and Draco had been on break, and their dynamic hadn't changed either.

Iris thought that everything that had happened between them while they were away - Christmas Eve and New Year's - might mean that they would at least be on speaking terms when they returned. But it seemed like Draco was just as committed to silence as he was committed to Astoria.

It was raining outside the window, harder than Iris had ever seen it rain before. The downpour was beating down the grass in the field, pooling on the fallen leaves beneath the trees. It was strange seeing rain and not being able to hear it.

They were supposed to have finished their research assignment before winter holidays, but Shacklebolt wanted them to look further into a few specific cases.

It was busywork, but Iris didn't really mind. She didn't feel like working at her full capacity. The days would go by a lot faster if Iris could talk through the research with Draco, but it seemed like that wasn't in the cards.

It was Wednesday. They had been back three days. It felt like they had been back longer, but days are long when you're alone. Iris wasn't technically alone, but she might as well be. She and Draco were unwilling to recognize each other's existence lately.

When she left the Love Chamber at the end of the day, Tracey was waiting in the atrium.

"Please come out with me," she begged in lieu of a greeting.

"Is it an emergency?" Iris asked, slightly amused. Tracey didn't typically beg to go out on a weekday.

As if she had already agreed, Tracey grabbed Iris's arm and walked towards the lift. "Yes, mostly. And we haven't hung out together just us in a while. Theodore's stolen you away from me."

Iris chuckled, feeling her spirits lift a little bit. The lift opened and they stepped in, Tracey taking a dramatic breath. As the doors to the lift closed behind them, Iris caught sight of Draco walking into the atrium. She hadn't looked at him that much today. She used to look at him all the time - she couldn't help it. Maybe she was moving on.

But they made eye contact for a second and she felt like she was being punched in the gut. No, she wasn't moving on. Not yet.

Tracey side-alonged Iris to her apartment, where she explained the emergency situation to Iris as she curled her hair. Despite the pointed mediocracy of their previous relationship, Tracey was once again attempting to get in with Michael Corner.

"I think you'd be better off going after Millicent again," Iris said.

"She's seeing Emily Stewart's older sister now," Tracey replied, then, considering, "I could try to break them up, though. Millie was fun."

"You probably shouldn't," Iris grinned.

"You and your morals," Tracey muttered back, taking the Heating Charm off her hair and releasing her curls.

Iris smiled absentmindedly. Morals. Was it moral, hooking up with Draco twice and not telling Theodore about it? Probably not. It was probably immoral to touch Draco in the first place. Nothing about their relationship had ever been right-minded.

They ended up at the Leaky. It had been a while since Iris and Tracey had been alone together, and Iris had almost forgotten the easiness that Tracey imbibed every situation with. They could be running from Aurors in a back alley and Iris was sure she would be having the time of her life if Tracey was beside her.

Her curls were bouncing, always bouncing. She was a sight to behold on the dance floor, effortlessly drawing the eyes of all the other patrons at the bar. Iris didn't mind. She liked attention, but only in private. Only from people she cared about. Tracey liked attention from everyone and knew how to get it.