𝑀𝒶 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝓁𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑒

𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓇𝓉𝓎-𝓉𝓌𝑜

(A/N mentions of past child abuse, read carefully)

As the days progressed, Draco only got worse

"Pathetic" Draco sneered

Hermione bit her tongue to prevent the tears from spilling, she kept repeating what Blaise told her

"Get up"

Hermione struggled to get up, she looked at him and saw the coldness in his eyes, she hated how her heart broke slightly

She hated how she felt about him, she wanted to stop, she wanted the butterflies to stop, they were just friends

Why couldn't her heart understand that?

"Malfoy I need a break" she panted "we've been at this for five hours nonstop, I'm going to injure myself if I keep pushing myself"

"How are you supposed to succeed if you can't handle some overexertion?" Draco asked her

"I can handle it Malfoy, but there is a limit to how much I can overexert myself and I've reached said limit" Hermione spat

She was tired, she was sweaty, she was heartbroken and she was done with his behaviour

"I'm trying to help you" he sneered

"Help me? You've been treating me horribly these past few days! I'm done! Figure out whatever pissed in your tea before you come and apologize to me!" she yelled and stormed away

Draco felt an uncomfortable sensation in his heart, he felt the urge to go after her but taking the first step the words on his fathers letter reminded him why he was doing what he was doing

He felt something wet fall on his face and cursed the ceiling for leaking, when he looked up and noticed that there wasn't a leak on the roof but there was water on his face

Bringing his hand to his face he noticed that he was crying

"Stop it" he ordered "stop crying"

He closed his eyes, trying and failing to repress the memory of one of many of his father's teachings

"Why are you crying boy?" His father sneered

Eleven year old Draco bit his tongue, he tried and failed to hide his report

"Sorry sir" he apologized

His father hit his hands with the top of his cane and ripped the parchment paper from him

"Beaten by the mudblood? Pathetic, I am ashamed to call you my son" Lucius Malfoy sneered

Draco fought the urge to cry again

He didn't get a warning when his father's palm met his cheek, Draco's head snapped to the side and Draco accidentally let the sob escape

"Stop crying, Malfoy's don't cry" Lucius sneered

His father's cane came down on his shoulder and Draco could feel the teeth of the snake break through his skin

Draco closed his eyes and willed himself to stop crying while his father beat him senseless

Draco shut his eyes until he saw stars behind his eyelids

He dropped to his knees and cradled the flower ring as he tried to calm himself down, he couldn't let her get hurt, his father would be unforgivable to her in order to punish him

He finally calmed down and exited the studio before he made his way to the head dorms, he needed to drink himself dumb, and he needed Blaise to make sure he didn't do anything stupid

"Draco"

Draco stilled his movements and turned around, Tracy Davis was leaning against the wall with a strand of hair between her manicured hands

"Davis"

The witch pushed off the wall and walked up to him

"I see you and the mudblood are having a falling out...finally coming to your senses?" She smirked and trailed a hand over his chest, Draco gripped her wrist and pushed her hand away from him

"You call her that name again and you won't have to worry about my father" he sneered darkly

"You threaten me Draco and your mudblood whore will face your father's wrath, there's nothing you can do to protect her, she's filth Malfoy"

A waved of protectiveness washed over him and Draco gripped her wrist tighter, hoping that she would flinch with pain

"Stay away from her" Draco warned, Davis moved closer to him and pushed her body into his

"There is a way for you to keep the slut safe" she whispered sultry "ruin the 'perfect' image she's made of you, prove to her that you haven't changed...because you haven't Draco, this façade won't last" she smirked and kissed him

It felt wrong, he felt guilty, but for what? He didn't know

Draco shoved her backwards and glared at her, she licked her lips and smirked at him

"Back off Davis" Draco warned

"Break her Draco, and I'll make sure that your father doesn't lay a hand on her" she said and walked away, Draco felt his breath hitch and his stomach join his heart at his feet

He stormed to the head dorms and up to Blaise's room, he looked through the cupboards and found Blaise's stash of firewhiskey and muggle marijuana

"Draco?" Blaise asked and entered the room

Draco lit the roll and inhaled sharply

"What happened?" Blaise asked

Draco told him everything, getting drunker and higher by the moment

"Draco—" Blaise began

The door opened and Theo walked in, stopping in his tracks when he saw Draco sulking

"What's the matter with him?" Theo asked Blaise

"Granger" Draco mumbled

Theo glanced to Blaise and raised an eyebrow at him awaiting an explanation

Blaise turned to Draco who was already hugging his pillow with a bottle of firewhiskey in his hand

Blaise sighed and told Theo everything while Draco got drunker and higher while Blaise explained

"Mhm...Theo..." Draco slurred and threw the pillow at him, Theo threw the pillow back at him

"I think he wants to cuddle" Blaise chuckled

"I-I want...Granger" Draco slurred "Theo's too...bony" he hiccuped

Theo rolled his eyes and showed him the middle finger

"Then you have to apologize" Blaise stated

"I...can't you i-idiot...my father...I need to keep her safe...I need to p-protect her...she's my friend" Draco told them drunkenly

"She can protect herself mate" Theo told him

"N-Not against my f-father"

"Draco—"

"No!" Draco yelled "you don't u-understand—it's—it's complicated"

"How Draco?" Theo asked him

Draco took another gulp of his firewhiskey

"Draco...do you like her?" Blaise asked him

"We're just friends..." Draco whispered

Even though some part of him didn't believe that anymore

And that really scared him