Poison Ivy || Draco Malfoy

36 - Cold Showers

And he would start by getting her some clothes. She couldn't keep walking around in his shirts and boxer shorts.

"Shit," Draco muttered to himself as he slammed the fridge door shut. So much for that cold shower.

*****

I was woken from my sleep by a distant bang.

I blinked, trying to focus my eyes on my surroundings. I couldn't work out where I was or what I was doing there.

And then, as though a tonne of bricks had just fell down from the ceiling on top of me; I remembered.

Percy. The escape. Draco.

I felt my cheeks flame in humiliation as I recalled how I had begged the white-blond haired Slytherin to stay with me. What must he think? I'd literally just walked out on my fiancé and then was pleading with another man to hold me all before the night was through.

Shame didn't even begin to describe the way I felt about myself, especially when it was evident that he'd snuck away at the first opportunity.

I felt a cold trickle of fear as I thought about Percy. He would surely know by now that I had walked away. What was going through his mind? Was he angry? Upset, even?

Trying to swallow down the great ball of anxiety I felt, I climbed out of bed and hesitantly made my way over to the door.

The inviting smell of coffee hit me as soon as I stepped out into the hallway, and I could hear sounds coming from the general kitchen area.

I felt ridiculously apprehensive as I slowly made my way towards it, wondering what Draco would be like and praying he wasn't regretting ever inviting me to turn to him.

However, I needn't had worried, because as soon as I made my appearance, he turned to face me with such a genuine look of warmth and relief in his eyes.

"Coffee?" he asked, holding up a mug.

Slowly, I nodded, tugging self consciously at the t-shirt and boxer shorts that hung awkwardly around my body. Draco was already attired in his standard black suit and I felt hideously underdressed.

But this was just a reminder that I had no clothes; I had nothing. I'd walked away from everything, and the cold reminder of what I'd done hit so hard that I found myself trembling quite uncontrollably.

"Ivy, it's okay," Draco said at once, abandoning his station behind the kitchen counter to swiftly cross the room towards me. "I'm going to take care of you, I promise."

As soon as he reached me, he pulled me into his arms and I found myself clinging to him desperately back, relishing in the safeness of his fierce embrace.

I sighed into him, burying my face into his neck as his hands gently soothed my back. He smelt wonderful; a mixture of coffee and expensive cologne.

"Come on," he murmured, breaking away to clasp my shaking hand in his. "I've made us something to eat."

I let him lead me towards the kitchen area where he had indeed set out two plates of scrambled egg on top of the island.

Perching myself on a stool, I smiled gratefully as he passed me a steaming mug of coffee.

"You didn't have to do all this," I said, picking up my fork and tentatively started to prod at the delicious smelling food in front of me.

Despite my ordeal, I found I was surprisingly ravenous. I closed my eyes in bliss as I took a modest sized mouthful of egg. It was sublime.

When I opened them again, I noticed Draco was watching me with a look of nervous apprehension in his eyes; his own breakfast laying untouched in front of him.

I swallowed, suddenly feeling somewhat self conscious. I wanted to tell him to stop looking at me like that - as though I was made of delicate china and he was afraid I would shatter before his very eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said, his eyes flashing determinedly as though he'd just read my mind. "I just can't stand the thought of him hurting you."

Shakily, I placed the fork back down onto my plate, suddenly losing the appetite I'd just had.

"What am I going to do, Draco?" I found myself asking quite unexpectedly as my voice trembled in fear. "How do I get through this? I don't even have my wand, let alone any clothes."

In one swift movement, Draco had leapt down from his stool and was by my side, tilting my chin up in his long slender fingers so that I was forced to look up into his piercing grey eyes.

"I'm going to help you, Ivy," he growled, his fierce, heated breath hitting my face. "I'm going to help you get your fucking life back together and be free of that bastard if it's the last thing I do."

As I looked back up into his eyes, I had the most vivid image of throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him hard. It was so strong - not to mention horrendously inappropriate - that it literally took my breath away.

"Ivy?" Draco frowned, his fingers still cupping my chin as his grey eyes penetrated mine.

"Draco, I- I-"

However, my pathetic stuttering was interrupted by a loud buzzing sound, causing Draco to drop his hand in alarm.

"What's that?" I asked stupidly, my heart racing wildly in my chest as the sound seemed to heighten and become more urgent.

But of course I meant 'who is that?'

For someone was downstairs, and by the impatient tones of the buzzer, they were not a happy visitor.

*****