You'll be the Death of Me

Chapter 67

Draco chewed his food with distinct purpose. He wanted to shove every morsel he could find into his mouth as though he were Ron Weasley, but he held himself back and ate with the manners his mother and father had drilled into him since birth, though he certainly was eating a lot.

"Having another plate?" Graces asked in disbelief.

"I am," Draco declared, awaiting to hear his sister make some comment about his eating habits this morning.

"Good," she smiled softly, looking down on her plate contently. "I'm glad you're taking care of yourself."

Draco let out a small laugh and continued to tuck in. It was easy to take care of himself when his every move wasn't being observed by someone who wanted to hurt him. Nott leaving for holiday was the best thing that had happened to him in months. Graham was now in charge of reporting his every move and the older boy had insisted that he use this time to get some rest and put some meat back on his bones. He still worked on his task, but not the way he had been before. Then again with Graham helping he didn't have a sick feeling in his stomach when he went a few hours without tinkering with it.

"Do you want to play Quidditch today?" Graces asked hopefully. "It was just so much fun yesterday and I was thinking that—"

"Sounds great," Draco nodded, between bites. "I want to get some work done this afternoon, but we could play a game after breakfast."

Graces smiled brilliantly at the prospect and Draco held back the urge to move from where he was sitting and scoop her up tightly. He really wanted to repair this distance between them. He hated not being familiar with one another and Graham had mentioned that he should take this time to enjoy spending time with her. Draco wondered if he told him that because he suspected that he would be killed in just a few months, a create happy memories for her to hold onto kind of thing.

"Graham!" Graces called excitedly. Draco looked over at the other boy and could tell that Graham really didn't want to be noticed. It seemed like he was just trying to grab something to eat, so he could go off and be alone. "Would you want to play a game of Quidditch after breakfast with us? Nothing fancy and obviously not a full player game."

"Uh, no, but thank you," Graham murmured gruffly, his eyes darting away from Draco.

"Oh, okay." Draco could tell his sister was a bit deflated by Graham's response, and the other boy could tell too. Graham blushed slightly and promised to see her later before hurrying out of the Great Hall. Graces frowned and looked over at Draco. "What's going on with you and Graham?" she asked, her tone close to being accusing. "I thought he was helping you. Why does he not want to be in the same room with you? He was like this yesterday as well."

Draco finished the sausage he was chewing and took a long sip of tea, before he responded.

"Graham and I slept together the other night," he admitted casually, enjoying the way Graces' mouth dropped open. "I've written the whole thing off as just a night of weakness. He was upset; I was upset and it just happened, but he's not taking it so well. So now he's just avoiding me."

Draco took another sip of tea to hide his grin as his sister looked close to hyperventilating. She had yet to close her mouth and her eyes darted around her as though she were reading a book that could make sense of all this.

"Y-you slept with Graham," she repeated.

"I did, and I must say if you do choose to marry him you will be a very happy girl."

"Do you have a problem with me sleeping with Graham?" Draco asked, when Graces let out some noise of disgust.

"No! Of course not!" Graces exclaimed. "Not if that's what you want," she murmured uncomfortably. "I just don't like the suggestion of sleeping with someone you have. It's weird and-and far too gross."