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Draco's day had been miserable. All he had been able to think about was the brunette girl with the tan skin and the brown eyes. She hadn't shown up to DADA or transfiguration, which was unlike her. Eleanor White was present and Draco knew that Juliet should be with her, but she was no where to be seen.
What started off as a way for him to defend his mind better, was turning into something more. His infatuation was growing and even though he'd willed himself to not let it happen, it was as if he couldn't control it. The urge to be around her was too strong, she was pulling him in and Draco wished that he could stop fighting it but it wasn't that simple. If he let himself care for her, she'd only be in danger. She'd become a pawn, a person that could be used against him, a weakness.
As the Malfoy heir walked into advanced potions, he felt his chest deflate when Juliet Walters was not in her seat next to Granger. He wondered whether she was okay, if she something bad had happened during the night. The only way to find out, would be to find Eleanor White.
Slughorn entered the classroom, setting his stuff onto his desk and straightening out his suit before he began to talk. They were still learning about amortentia and Draco was finding it quite irritating how all he could smell all lesson, was her. It was distracting.
"We will continue our work on amortentia today, in a few weeks I'd like to think you'd all be well enough prepared to brew the potion yourselves. But first we must-..."
Slughorn was cut off by the door opening. A tired looking Juliet walked in. She had eyeliner smudged under her eyes and her hair was an unruly mess on the top of her head. Scraped up into some kind of bun. Draco's eyes bore into her, he couldn't stop himself and subconsciously his eyes flickered down to her neck and even though she'd tried her best to cover the bruising, it was still visible. Draco felt rage course through his veins as he memorised every bruise and indent in her neck from Theodore's rings. His fists were clenched at his sides as the muscles in his jaw contracted.
"S-sorry I'm late sir" her voice was small and still hoarse. It would probably take days for it to get better.
"No worries Miss Walters...come gather around, you haven't missed much" the man smiled softly and Draco felt some relief. He didn't think Juliet could handle being shouted at right now, she looked as if she would fall apart any second.
Juliet walked timidly across the room and as her eyes looked over everyone, she saw that they were all staring at her. Probably at her neck. Or maybe at her unruly hair and makeup. She wasn't quite sure, but it put her on edge and in that second she made possibly the worst decision of her life. Juliet gulped before deciding to stand beside Draco. He too, seemed quite surprised at her actions after her outburst yesterday but it made sense, he was the only one who wouldn't look at her with speculation.
The small girl found herself pulling her robes tighter around her neck, hoping that the ground would swallow her whole. She nervously tapped her foot as anxiety coursed through her veins. Juliet knew that gossip spread quickly through Hogwarts and soon the whole school would know that she had rocked up to class with a neck covered in someone else's assault. Bile rose in her throat but she swallowed it down, hoping she could keep her composure just a little while longer.
After ten minutes of hearing the constant tapping of Juliet's foot, Draco couldn't stand it anymore. He needed to make her relax before it drove him insane. He thought quickly and the best solution he came up with, was to grab her hand. So he did. He laced his long slender fingers with hers, their hands locked together between their bodies, hidden between the fabric of their robes. He kept his eyes forwards, not daring to spare her a look but he squeezed her hand gently, hoping she understood.
Juliet gasped quietly at the contact of another's hand but of course it belonged to him. At first, she thought of snatching her hand away but his touch, was somewhat comforting and she needed all the comfort she could get right now. He gently squeezed her hand and Juliet felt a burst of warmth radiate through her body. She'd never felt anything like it and she wondered if he felt it too.
The two opposing teenagers stood like that for the rest of the lesson and when Slughorn dismissed them, Juliet found herself not wanting to let go but he dropped her hand first. It wasn't a surprise to her that he did, she expected it. Neither of them spoke as they left the classroom, they didn't even look at each other and Juliet wondered if it had even happened, maybe she imagined it.
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