A ROSE:
BEAUTIFUL YET PRICKING
✩
This is not happening again.
Are you fucking kidding me?
My thoughts ran a mile a minute while simultaneously halting to a complete stop, going blank.
I walked into the Slytherin common room, freezing at the sight in front of me. Further in the room, Draco sat on one of the couches in front of the fireplace. Mara sat on his lap, their lips connected.
I'm dreaming. I have to be dreaming.
Because unlike last time, I'm not just seeing the carefully set up components on Mara's game board-this time, it's right in front of my eyes. Draco's hand on her hip as she sits on his lap; he whispered quiet words against her mouth, his lips brushing hers, her eyes closed.
Oh, God. I'm going to be sick.
Seconds passed and they remained in the same position. If Mara was jumping his bones, he would have pushed her off. What the fuck is he doing?
Unwittingly, my mind flashed to Halloween night when she walked into the common room in her sultry and exposed outfit. Draco couldn't keep her eyes off her. Evil as she may be, she was a walking goddess-appearance wise, at the least. Hell, even I wouldn't be able to resist her.
With a tightness in my chest that made air feel like razor blades running through my lungs, I bolted before I was seen. Rushing elsewhere, I found myself frantically knocking on Pansy's bedroom door.
"Merlin-what's-" Pansy's face fell when she saw the look on my face. "Elysia, what happened? Bubba, why are you crying?"
I didn't even know I was.
"I don't-I can't believe what I saw but I have to believe it because I quite literally saw it with my own eyes and-well, it's hard to imagine what else it could have been other than what it quite literally looked to be." I paced, rapidly blinking away the tears that blurred my vision. "Pansy, I can't breathe. Oh, God. I'm dying-not literally but it fucking feels like it-"
"Elysia!" Yelling, Pansy gripped onto my shoulders to stop me from both pacing and ranting. "Calm down. Breathe."
Looking her dead in the eye, I did as she said. She took deep breaths with me, plenty until I calmed slightly.
Guiding me to her bed, she sat us both down. "Tell me what happened."
I choked on a sob before a free-fall of tears began. I couldn't contain it. I burst like a well and cried in Pansy's arms, my chest having grown tight enough for no intake of breath to be nearly enough. I actually could not breathe.
"He's with Mara," I choked out. "I know-last time-she-but this time-"
After all of Mara's games and her last deception, I didn't want to believe it. Draco wouldn't do that, he wouldn't. I know he wouldn't.
But-
The break we took and the things he had said to me beforehand. Those words rang in my head and every doubt and insecurity I thought had rid, now rose back to the surface to yell right in my ears. Loud and clear, every healed wound opened back up to remind me that maybe I still am just wreckage.
Draco did everything to show me otherwise-yet still, I was crippling under my own insecurities which was a reflection of me rather than him.
Ultimately, Draco had said those things to me, telling me how terribly I drain him-and despite his apologizes and profuse efforts in telling me he hadn't meant those things-which I knew he didn't, not entirely-those words still lingered. They were there. I couldn't ever forget them. Whether he means them or not, there was a part of him that did feel that way without even realizing it, otherwise he'd never be able to say such a thing without thinking it.
Had it not been for that, maybe I wouldn't consider the worst so quickly right now.
But because of it, it made it all the more easier for doubts to rise and insecurities to make me second-guess what Draco was capable of. I hated myself for it.
Pansy sighed heavily as she let me cry into her shoulder; her arm wrapped around me, her fingers running through my hair. "I'm sure whatever you saw, there's an explanation."
"I know," I wheezed out between sobs. "I just need a second to cry-because fuck, that sight was-so fucking hurtful, oh God. Then I'll consider hearing him out."
Pansy only nodded and continued comforting me.
Draco wouldn't-
No, no he wouldn't. I know he wouldn't.
But, fuck-I'm so spent; so terribly sick and tired and worn to the bone from Mara and her bullshit. Why can't she just leave us be? Why the fuck is she out to get me?
Groaning incoherent sounds, I sniffled and pulled away from Pansy. I crawled further into her bed, going under the covers and hugging the blanket close to my chest.
I'm just so tired-of Mara and her games, constantly being on edge because of her, waiting in anticipation for what she will do next, never knowing what she has up her sleeve or how far she's willing to go.
Torture and I held a close connection and an intimate history. I'd have to say, the worst part was never knowing what was coming. If you knew, you could prepare yourself-mentally, at the least.
Sighing, Pansy stood and hovered above me. She brushed my hair out of my face before wiping the wetness from my cheeks with the back of her hand. "I'll be back."
"Where are you going?" I croaked.
"To kill him. Better yet, to kill her."
I didn't have the energy to stop her.
-
Draco
Sitting in the common room with a book in hand, I found myself elated. Sheer happiness ran through my veins-I had never known such a delightful feeling. Everything just felt right in the world.
Elysia made my life perfect.
Then, the elation came crumbling down like an avalanche.
Strutting right over to me in all her Godforsaken depravity, Mara plucked the book out of my hands and tossed it aside. Enzo couldn't have put it better when he called her a tornado.
Leaning back, I sighed heavily. "Need something, Silvius? Oh-wait, I don't care."
I moved to get up but she pushed me back down with a hand on my chest. Impeding me further, she crawled right onto my lap, her knees bent on either side of my legs. "Not so fast, Malfoy."
I held my hands up in the air to refrain from strangling her right here and now. "I've never considered hitting a girl before you. Hell if I'll let you add that to my list of sins-" I seethed, vision turning red. "Get the fuck off before I do something that might get me expelled, imprisoned, even."
Trailing a pointy finger down my chest, she smiled ever-so innocently. "Your girlfriend is kind, isn't she? I'd assume she wouldn't mind sharing."
Closing my eyes, I exhaled slowly.
Calm, calm, calm, Malfoy.
She doesn't deserve the reaction she's pining for.
"Come on," she whined. "Humour me. You lot are no fun."
"Get the fuck off me." I spoke evenly though I could feel my blood bubbling as it turned acidic.
Mara hummed, careless as ever. She leaned her face close to mine; I could smell the fresh mint on her warm breath that suddenly reeked bitterly to me-merely because it was her. "You snogged me once, don't act like you didn't like it." She spoke quiet against my lips, one finger hooking around the collar of my shirt.
My jaw clenched and unclenched as I fought to remain composed and unaffected. That was what she wanted-for me to give her some sort of a reaction that would indicate she had the control. Exactly why I would refuse to display it. "You jumped me then, the same way you are now," I spat. "You do realize this is sexual assault, you psycho bitch."
Mara laughed airily, entirely amused. Her eyes sparked with delight-something I couldn't fathom. Does inflicting misery arouse her or some shit?
"Don't be dramatic," she cooed.
In a quick movement, she closed her eyes and kissed my lips slow and soft. I didn't move. Still and froze, I didn't even blink. She bit my lip hard after the gentle kiss.
Gripping one side of her hip hard enough for it to bruise, while she remained distracted in her violation, I shifted slightly as my other hand reached into the back pocket of my pants. Subtle and without her noticing, I pulled out my wand.
"Do you practice being this pathetic?" I asked quietly, contemptuous, against her lips that still hovered above mine. This works only with the element of surprise. She's fast-I'll giver her that.
Mara breath out a laugh. "That's the best you got, Malfoy? That's pathetic."
My lip curled into a sneer. "Sweetheart, I haven't shown you near the best I've got."
My wand hidden beside my hip, I pointed it at her.
"That's-"
"Locomotor Wibbly."
Cutting her off, I muttered the quiet incantation right onto her lips that she hadn't pulled away from mine.
Her legs turned to jelly as she fell limp against my body. Scowling, I shoved her off me-not bothering to even watch as she fell onto the floor with a loud thud that caught many attentions.
Mara gaped up at me, her face growing red. Lying on the ground with her legs wobbling like jello, she couldn't move. "Malfoy-"
"What the fuck is going on?" Looking over my shoulder, I watched Pansy approach. She came to stand beside me, both of us looking down at Mara who waggled like a fish out of water.
Mara screamed, literally. "Malfoy-get me the fuck out of this-what the-DRACO!"
I raised my eyebrows at her, smug as ever with a smirk stretching across my face. "Stay the fuck away from me, Mara. Elysia too-all of us, actually." Speaking calmly, I leaned down to get closer to her face and jabbed the tip of my wand into her cheek. "I will warn you, the next spell I throw at you will be nowhere near this kind."
Picking my book off the ground, I stood back up.
Pansy shot Mara a wink before the two of us turned to walk away. "You have fun down there, love."
Mara yelled and cursed and cried at our backs as we strode away, self-satisfied and high off smugness.
When we got far enough from her, Pansy grabbed my arm and halted me to a stop. She turned my body to face hers. "Amazing as that was, what's going on, Draco?"
I rolled my eyes. "She jumped me again, Pansy. Frankly, I don't have the energy to bother telling the tale. I reckon I handled it well enough, though."
Pansy glanced over my shoulder in Mara's direction. We could still hear her seething curses. "I see you did handle it."
I narrowed my eyes; Pansy's expression was unsettled and almost anxious. "What? What is it?"
Sighing, Pansy's eyes flickered back onto mine. "I caught the good end of this spectacle but I'm afraid Elysia caught the worse end that-I'm sure looked to be something other than what it was."
Fucking hell.
Craning my neck back, I groaned aloud. "Merlin, she's going to hate me, isn't she? I would think the worse-I don't want to imagine what she's thinking."
Pansy offered a sheepish smile. "She trusts you, Draco. She'll hear you out-I'm sure she knows it's just Mara playing another one of her games." Pansy paused, frowning slightly. Her eyes held both concern and sympathy for Elysia. "I think she's just tired of this bullshit, you know? She needs a break from everything, really."
I nodded slowly, exhaling heavily.
I'm fucking tired too.
"Thank you," I grumbled wearily. "Where is she?"
"My room."
"You're a good friend, Parkinson," I called over my shoulder, already having left and headed to Pansy's room.
Quietly entering the room, Elysia was curled up in a ball in her bed with her back towards the door. The blanket hugging her tightly and quiet sniffles sounding. My heart deflated.
Regardless of what the circumstances, I hated seeing her like this. I hated knowing it was even possible to her to feel this way. If I could, I would rid everything in the world that had power to hurt her.
I suppose that would include myself.
I scrambled into the bed beside her, my arms wrapping around her torso as I pulled her further into me; her back pressing against my chest. She sighed defeatedly.
I brushed aside some of her hair and kissed her shoulder. "My love," I spoke quietly. "Nothing happened. I would never-"
"I know," she cut me off, her voice thick from crying and coming out in a weak croak. She sniffled. "I know you wouldn't. I trust you."
My heart doesn't just beat faster because of her, my heart beats entirely for her. She is the sweetest feeling I have ever known. Loving her comes as naturally as breathing. I'm quite literally going mad-in love.
I nuzzled my face in the crook of her neck, absorbing her warmth and fragrance of flowers-like stepping outside at dawn as nature welcomes spring and it's blooming flowers that colour the world in hues of beauty.
Entirely what she is-a flower, perhaps. A rose. Delicate like the silken layers of petals. The aroma of her sweetness following where she goes. The sweetest thing to grow from a vine.
"I'm sorry," I whispered against her skin. "I should have-I don't know. Pushed her away sooner."
Still sniffling, Elysia twisted her body around so she could face me. "Why didn't you?"
With eyes puffed and red-rimmed and her bottom lip quivering the slightest, she still managed to grace the room with her angelic mien.
Biting back a frown, I brushed the wetness from her cheeks. "I needed the element of surprise to use the Jelly-Legs Curse." Saying it aloud made it seem so much stupider.
Elysia blinked. "What?"
I smiled sheepishly. "Granted, I could have found a better way than to let her-harass me."
Elysia cracked a small smile before quickly forcing it away. "Jelly legs?" She hummed thoughtfully. "Not bad. I would have used Vermiculus instead."
Merlin, I could not contain my smile. "Turning her into a worm-smart. I didn't think of that one. We'll have to save it for next time."
Tucking her chin into her chest, Elysia tried to hide her frown from me. "I don't want there to be a next time, Draco. I'm-I'm just so tired of her."
"I know, my love." I rested my head on top of hers. "So am I."
Pulling away from me, Elysia rubbed her eyes harshly as she sat up. "Come on," rolling over my body, she got out of bed and slipped on her shoes. On a mission, she didn't even look at me as she grabbed my arm and started pulling me along with her.
"What-where are we going-Elysia-"
"Fuck her," she grumbled under her breath.
My eyes widened in panic although I continued allowing Elysia to pull me along, out of Pansy's room and back into the common room. I wouldn't put it past her to be fed up enough to murder Mara in cold blood-frankly, I'd help-but this was worrying me.
"Darling, slow down-"
"There she is." Elysia grinned wickedly when her eyes fell onto Mara. She stood at the far end of the common room with the Carrows, no less. Her expression uninterested as she listened to them drone on, seemingly not actually hearing a thing the Carrow twins rambled on about.
"Elysia, maybe we should-"
Ignoring my protests, Elysia dragged me right over until we stood in front of Mara. Mara's eyes narrowed as they flickered from the Carrows to Elysia and me. The disinterest quickly turned to venomous intrigue.
"What do we have here?" Mara snarled, her lip curling disdainfully. She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked between Elysia and me. "Are you going to sucker-punch me in the face for kissing your boyfriend?"
I was frozen.
I didn't know what Elysia was doing.
I didn't want to know how this would end.
I didn't have a clue what I could even say.
"Oh?" Elysia drawled in feign innocence. "You mean when you were violating him? I didn't think one would be so proud of their sex-offender title-although, I suppose it doesn't surprise me because we all already know you're a high functioning psychopath. What does it matter to add a few more attainments to your resume, right?" She peered up at Mara with naive doe-eyes.
A flower, perhaps, indeed.
A rose with thorns that cause you to bleed if you get to close.
This woman ravishes me.
I could only gape at Elysia, stunned and beautifully impressed. My brave little Gryffindor, standing her ground, valiant and unafraid to retaliate.
Mara, on the other hand, was the least bit impressed. Her face reddened in rage, her fists balling up at her sides. I could almost see steam coming out her nose and ears. Frightening as the mere sight of her was, Elysia didn't even flinch. Mara's anger only fuelled when she felt the presence of many watching eyes in the common room.
"Since you're so desperate, let me show you what it was you were aiming for-let me know if I hit the nail on the head." Elysia beamed an insincere smile at Mara.
Then, she turned to face me.
I blinked, not knowing what was happening.
Clasping her hands together behind my neck, she pulled me down and kissed me. I was frigid for only a second before kissing her back, unable to help myself. My hands snaked around her waist as I pulled her further into me.
Despite the audience around us, when Elysia kissed me my world reduced to a tiny bubble that held only the two of us. Everything else, including air itself, ceased to exist.
Her lips, always so warm and soft; silken with a gentleness like touching the clouds themselves. Tasting of fruity sweetness, her breath was enough to intoxicate. The slight part in her lips allowed my tongue to slip inside.
Warmth exploded in my chest, small sparks dancing across every inch of my skin. Every kiss of hers was compelling, leaving me dizzy when we parted; it taking more than just a moment for my mind to elucidate afterwards.
My mind was still spun when we pulled apart and Elysia turned to look at Mara again. She threw her an enchanting smile, her cheeks slightly reddened. "That is what it looks like when someone actually wants you. I hope you took notes."
Taking my hand in hers, Elysia turned away from Mara and pulled me along with her. She didn't say a word until we stepped out of the common room and were left alone in the dungeon corridors.
I was still trying to catch my breath when she pushed me against the stone wall and jabbed a finger in my chest. I stared at her, wide-eyed.
Her expression grew dangerously proprietorial, in a way I had never seen her before. It was thrilling, yet almost intimidating. I had never been more speechless.
"You-" she exhaled sharply, her eyes firing and finger pressing into me hard enough to bruise. Oh, God. "-are never going to kiss me ever again if you ever let her kiss you again. Understand, Draco?"
I blinked.
I could only nod. "Understood. Yes. Completely."
Elysia smiled sweetly, clasping her hands together. She tilted her head from side to side, adorably. "Good."
Can you die from being too much in love because I am about to.
She slipped her hand in mine and pulled me along, as I was still in a haze; heading away from the common room and dungeons. I was far too struck to even ask where we were going. She swung our hands as we walked.
"Merlin," she exhaled quietly. "That was terrifyingly exhilarating."
I could only look at her in amazement.