Something Golden

37.

"Yes. Alright. Sure. Understood." The call ends and the flames return to its usual red and orange coloring as I step away from the fireplace. The floor is rattling from the blaring music coming from downstairs and I already have a headache. Partying is the last thing I want to do right now, regardless of the fact that students from all houses will be in attendance. I give my bed one last longing look and let out a sigh before turning the knob and heading downstairs.

This is the most packed it has ever been and in all honesty I'm surprised. With the rumors of myself flying through the corridors I would have assumed that no one would dare to step foot into the Slytherin common room, to take the chance to even be near me and it's disappointing that I was wrong.

I locate Blaise by the sound of his voice which is easily heard over everything else. He's off in the corner with Theo, Pansy and Astoria. Perfect. I can mingle for a few minutes and stand just close enough to Astoria so that he has something to report back at the end of the week. Adjusting my tie, I push through the sea of students and close in on them.

"Lieutenant!" Blaise mocks, stiffening and straightening his posture as he raises a flat hand to the corner of his eyebrow. I snap the back of my hand into his stomach which causes him to hunch over. "It was an honor to be assaulted by you sir."

"Blaise, shut the fuck up." I groan, taking a seat beside Theo on the couch. "You don't have to speak to me that way here." Pansy, who is sat in Theo's lap, offers me a bottle and I gladly accept. Blaise claims the chair across from us and slumps down into it.

"Well fuck me for not wanting to end up on your bad side." He says. "Though I'm not sure you even have a good one."

I'm about to say something when I feel a finger tap on my shoulder, looking up I see Astoria.

"Hello." She smiles.

"Hi."

"Can I?"

I move closer to Theo to offer her space beside me but instead she takes it upon herself to sit in my lap. Theo, Pansy and Blaise all stare at us with wide eyes, their bodies still as if a bomb was about to set off. "What do you think you're doing?" I hiss. "Just relax." She whispers, patting my chest. "I know what I'm doing." I wrap my fingers around her wrist and remove it from my body. "Don't touch me." I threaten and she obeys.

Like I said, embarrassingly submissive but right now I find myself grateful for it.

Refusing to make anymore physical contact with her than I already am, I drape my right arm along the backside of the couch just behind Theo and bring my left hand, which is clinging tightly onto the bottle, up to my mouth. Everyone takes this as a cue that nothing is out of the ordinary and to continue on with their night.

I've been checking my watch every 30 seconds for the last 5 minutes. Just 10 more and then I will have reached an acceptable time to leave and go back to my room.

"That's a nice watch." Astoria says. "Was it a gift?"

My fingers wrap even tighter around the glass bottle, so tight that I wouldn't be surprised if it shattered in my hand. My jaw tightens and teeth grind as I attempt to maintain my composure. She isn't aware that such a seemingly innocent question is enough to unravel all the work I've put into keeping certain emotions and feelings at bay.

Thankfully, Astoria isn't clueless when it comes to reading body language. She takes notice of mine and changes the subject entirely, this time addressing the entire group.

10 minutes. Just 10 more minutes.

"And then he literally spit in my sandwich!" Blaise exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air.