The Afflicted Pretty Boy ~ Book 3 of the Pretty Boy trilogy

Chapter 23

The next morning, I awaken to feel a hand in my hair. Colin sits next to my head, brushing his fingers over my hair "Good morning, darling." he whispers, softly.

I stare up at him, blankly, trying to tell if there's anyone else in the room. When I don't hear any, I speak to him, softly "Why don't you get out of here, baby love?"

He furrows his brow and asks "Why would I do that?" I give him a look and he sighs "Draco, you're talking nonsense!"

I look up to him and order "Get out of here, Colin." He scoffs, and moves to kiss me, but I push him away, softly "Leave, Colin." He furrows his brow, before I tell him "It's over."

He scoffs, before asking "What do you mean?" I give him a knowing look, before he sets his jaw "Why?"

I give him a weak smile "I can't risk hurting you." His lip starts to quiver and I declare "If I truly love you, I have to let you go."

He shakes his head as tears come to his eyes "I don't want to go!" He whines out as he trembles out a sob.

I nod, before declaring "I don't want you to go, either, baby love." He chokes on sobs as I reach up to take his hand "But you've got to."

He furrows his brow and asks "What if I..." he thinks for a second "What if I stick around for the sex?"

I give him a weak smile, before kissing his hand "That won't work." Tears slide down his cheek and speak softly "Go on, now. If you stay, it'll just be harder."

He nods, before standing up and stepping towards the door, only to stop at my feet. He stands there for a moment, before declaring "You were my first love."

I give him a weak smile, before declaring "You were my second." He gives me a sad smile and I insist "It doesn't mean I love you any less."

He sniffles, before nodding "I love you, too."

I give him a weak smile and he walks out.

~

I jolt awake when the curtain yanks open. Pansy stands at the bottom of the bed and I ask "What do you want?"

She motions towards my chest and asks "How are you feeling?" I grunt as I sit up and she looks around, before pulling a flask out of her robes and offering "Fire whiskey?"

I look her over, before reaching out and taking it from her. When I open the flask, I sniff it to insure it's not poisoned. I taste it to insure it's safe.

She chuckles, softly "If I wanted to win you over, why would I poison you?" I cock an eyebrow to her and she takes it from me.

She takes a long swig, before handing it back. When I take a long swig, she asks "How's the chest?"

I look her over, reading her. After I deam she's not a threat, I tell her "They said I'll be on bed rest for the next month. Said I'll be in the infirmary until the end of term." I sigh, before taking a long swig "To be honest, I think they just want to insure I don't drink."

She hums, before declaring "Well, I don't see why I couldn't bring you more." I hum, before taking another swig.

As she sits on the foot of my bed, I ask "What, are you trying to manipulate me into some fucked up type of Stockholm Syndrome?"

She chuckles, before declaring "That implies a sense of innocence in one of us." She shrugs, before remarking "Neither of us have a shred of innocence left."

I take a deep breath, before taking another swig. She shrugs, and clarifies "We're both a couple of monsters."

I hum, before asking "What makes you a monster?"

She shrugs, before telling me "You'll just have to wait and see."

I cock an eyebrow to her, before asking "Is Dumbledore back, yet?" She shakes her head and I sigh, before telling her "He's been gone since forever."

She nods, before asking "He's full of shit, you know?" She shrugs "He preaches peace, but he's the biggest monster of us all."

I give an unsure look, before asking "What has he done that's so bad?"

She gives a smug smirk "If he truly bought your-" she quotes her fingers doubtingly "'rape' story, why would Crabbe, Goyle, and I still be here?"

I set my jaw and think about it, before tightening the cap on the flask and handing it back to her. She gives a confused look and I tell her "I'm don't want it."

She scoffs, before tossing it on the bed and standing "Just because you insist you don't like me, we both know you need that flask."

After she walks out, I stare at the flask in hatred. And despite my desire to resist, I can't stop myself from picking it up.

As I unscrew the cap, I take a shakey breath and weigh my options. But, as soon as that fire whiskey touches my tounge, I can't control myself as I demolish the rest of the flask.

And the next day, Pansy returns with another flask. And another, and another...

And as the days pass in a blur, she stays, just long enough to give me my alcohol, and for a brief talk.

At first, it was about how Colin was reaching to the break up. Then it was how Blaise was upset about being turned away at the infirmary door, by a spell. After that, it was about how Katie didn't remember anything.

Finally, near the end of term, she tried to kiss me. I pushed her off, of course, but as she walked away, she told me something that pissed me off.

She told me that Albus Dumbledore was back, and he was only back for a matter of hours. And he's supposed to be back, tonight.