The next few days slipped by with ease. Fred and I had been closer than ever now we no longer cared what people thought about us spending time together.
He had waited outside of the Slytherin Common Room every morning so we could sit and have breakfast together. It made me excited to wake up and I felt the colour returning to my cheeks more so everyday.
Whatever had happened with Draco had been exciting but after the day in the bathroom it had dawned on me how twisted it all was. It would never be how it was with Fred. Draco would never hold a chair out for me or even really listen to me when we spoke to each other, so what was the point in enduring all of the mental torture.
This morning, I sat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast as I had been doing the last few days. The Great Hall felt especially buzzy this morning as it was a Friday. Plans were being made for the weekend, the weather was considerably less gloomy than usual and overall everyone always seemed to be in a better mood on a Friday at Hogwarts.
I glanced behind me at the Slytherin table to see Daphne and Blaise cuddled together again, speaking quietly to one another so nobody could hear. My eyes unintentionally searched for Draco but he wasn't there. I hadn't seen him at many meals this week, it was only the occasional dinner where he would sit with his head in his palm and stare into space.
"They look cosy" George nudged me, pointing over to Daphne and Blaise.
"Yes I think she's enjoying herself," I said with a shrug, "sorry mate"
"That's okay, that's okay, things are going quite well with Angelina actually" he whispered and nodded down the table in her direction.
I had forgotten how much I loved spending time with the Weasleys. Being with them nearly everyday over summer was bliss but when term time came back around our schedules made it impossible. Enjoying it for as long as I could, I excitedly chatted with them all until it was time for class, when a pit in my stomach formed as I remembered what I had first.
"Are you ready for Potions?" Daphne said softly, appearing behind me and playing with loose strands of my hair.
"I suppose" I groaned, getting to my feet.
"Have fun girls" the twins said in unison and I bent down to wrap my arms around Fred before we had to leave each other for the day.
"What a lovely view, Reading!" Adrian Pucey shouted from the Slytherin table and I immediately stood up straight. I moved my hand round to feel my skirt, I'd chosen a particularly short one today and had completely forgotten I was wearing deep, green lace underwear too. While bending over to say goodbye to Fred I must have completely flashed them.
"Shut it Pucey" Fred called back, not even turning back to look at him. Pucey grumbled something to himself and went back to his shovelling his breakfast into his mouth.
"In his defence it probably was a rather lovely view" George remarked, jokingly pretending to peer round at my skirt. Fred lifted the newspaper on the table and smacked his brother over the head with it.
"Oi, enough of that" Fred laughed. Me and Daphne giggled at the sight of their fake fight and waved our goodbyes before heading off to Potions.
The corridors felt especially alive today, the sun was shining and everyone seemed as if they had decided the weekend had already begun from the good moods I could see around me. But then I saw my dark cloud that would ruin it all.
Draco and Blaise were standing at the end of the corridor, practically blocking our way but of course Daphne was thrilled with this.
"Come on boys we don't want to be late" she crooned, tapping Blaise on the shoulder.
"Let's go then" he laughed and they started off down the corridor, immediately wrapped up in conversation as if it had picked back up from their last point.
Me and Draco hung back, walking side by side without a word said between us, as our friends galavanted off in front.
We were almost at Potions when Draco seemed to have spotted something that sparked his interest but I couldn't work out what it was. Until we reached a small weathered door, in one swift motion he'd grabbed my arm and pulled me through it.
The room was tiny and damp, it smelt like rotting wood and mud, when I finally fumbled about in my pocket for my wand to cast Lumos, I could see Draco had brought me into some kind of cupboard that stored old and damaged broomsticks.
Draco stood menacingly in front of the door, blocking the only the exit and a smirk spread across his face as he watched me panic before his eyes.
"What were you thinking with that little performance the other day?" Draco practically growled. I tried to push past him to leave, fearing that I would be late to class and that I was stuck in here with this maniac. He grabbed my arms and held them in front of my chest so I couldn't move.
"Do you want to get spanked again? It'd be my pleasure" Draco whispered, his lips impossibly close to my ear.
"Please Draco, we're already late" I whined, struggling against his grip but it only tightened.
"Have you given it up to him yet?" Draco whispered, lifting a hand to stroke across my cheek. He didn't look me in the eyes but was staring at each feature on my face intently, as if he was trying to memorise them. My heart wavered for a moment as I watched him but it quickly turn back to rage.
"No" I spat back. He drove me insane. How could he be so gentle sometimes but be so cruel?
"Good girl" he whispered and dove into my neck to leave soft kisses. He suckled every so often to emblazon my neck with his dark marks and the heat crept back in my core. He held my body firmly in place and I melted into his hands, letting my anger seep away with every kiss he planted.
I let him do this for god knows how long until my legs began trembling beneath me. I snapped out of my trance and jolted myself away.
"Draco we need to go to Potions" I whispered, "we're very late"
"We've missed most of it now anyway let's just stay here" Draco replied lazily, "or you can come back to my room?"
"No we need to go" I insisted. He gave a shrug and moved aside so I could open the door. Creaking the door open, I peered out the into the hallway. Nobody was in sight thank Merlin and we shuffled along to the class.
"And where have you two been?" Professor Snape bellowed, he didn't even turn around as we entered the room and continued writing on the blackboard in front.
"We-" I started.
"Never mind, class is over. Get out of my sight" Professor Snape cut me off. As the class stood, we went to begin leaving with everyone but were silently beckoned to his desk.
"I want to see you back here at the end of lessons today. You've both got detention. 15 points from Slytherin" Professor Snape snapped and waved us away again with the flick of his elongated sleeves.
"See you later" Draco smirked, as he disappeared off to his next lesson with Blaise.
"What the fuck Celeste, you were right behind us, where did you go?" Daphne snapped once the boys were out of ear shot.
"He wanted to talk to me about something and we lost track of time" I lied.
"Do you think I'm stupid? I'm your best friend and I know when you're lying to me. Don't think I didn't hear the rumours about you and Malfoy in Potions, I thought if something had really happened I'd be the first to know! And him getting heated the other day when Fred came over, what was that all about?" Daphne was practically shouting at me. For a moment I tried to calm myself down but I felt she had no right to talk to me like this and I said something I knew I would immediately regret.
"Maybe if you weren't always cuddled up to Zabini you'd have any idea what was going on in my life" I shouted back. Instantly, I slapped my hand over my mouth I couldn't believe what I'd said to my friend. I didn't really care that she'd been spending so much time with Blaise, in fact I was happy for her but it was the only thing that came to mind.
"Oh piss off Celeste, enjoy your detention" Daphne snapped and stormed away from me.
Luckily, we didn't have any classes together for the rest of the day. I wanted to take back what I'd said, I never meant it I just got so caught up and couldn't take her questioning me about Draco.
The end of the day rolled around and I was exhausted. I should be heading back to the common room to enjoy my Friday night but instead I would be spending the next painful hour sat in a cold, dusty room with Snape and Draco.
Draco leant against the wall waiting outside the classroom and he didn't speak a word to me as I approached. We stood idly in silence waiting for Professor Snape to summon us. He finally rattled the door open and motioned for us to enter.
"You'll be creating the potion you missed today. Luckily for you both, you did an essay on it so you must have some idea about it already. Amortentia" Professor Snape explained. I rolled my eyes at irony of having to make the most powerful love potion with bloody Draco.
We opened our textbook and quickly got to work, I think we both wanted this to be over. Professor Snape placed himself at the front of class at his desk and began reading the day's newspaper.
We made light work of it, it helped that we were both doing quite well in Potions. Occasionally we'd bump into each other or our hands would brush against one another and my stomach would knot itself as our skin touched.
As the Amortentia came to life it started emitting a smell I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was a strange mix of homely scents and then sharp, expensive cologne. As I took in more I realised what I was smelling was both Fred and Draco, their scents colliding and battling with each other for dominance.
"I smell roses, raspberries and is that green tea?" Draco whispered in my ear. My breath caught. The perfume I wore smelt distinctly of roses, raspberries were my favourite fruit, I ate them every chance I could get when they were available at breakfast and everyday I used a green tea remedy on my skin. Draco smelt me in his Amortentia.
"Right, hour's up and I can smell that stench from here. I don't want to see either of you late to my class again" Professor Snape called and got to his feet, "I don't enjoy taking points away from my own house"
I let out a loud sigh of relief, it was over and I'd managed to get through the hour without any of Draco's antics.
"I wouldn't rest just yet Miss Reading, you still have to clear all of this up and no using magic" Professor Snape called as he left the room. Silence hung in the air and a groan ripped from my throat. I hated cleaning, let alone cleaning alone with a boy who was driving me insane.
"Finally" Draco said, as he firmly grabbed my waist and dove down to plant kisses on my neck, I shook him off. As I stood back and looked into to eyes, it felt like I was looking at a wounded animal.
"No Draco, I'm not doing this anymore" I said quietly.
"I told you, you can never deny me" Draco said through gritted teeth.
"I have to"
Draco slammed his hand against the desk and came closer.
"I have to have you" he said, quietly. He skimmed his hand over the top of my blouse and his other hand traced along my back. His breathing quickened and mine fell in a paced rhythm with his. Tingles spread over my body as he soft touch moved where it wanted to and he could see the effect it was having on me.
Fiercely, he clasped my waist again but this time locked his lips with mine. He kissed me with hunger, as if he believed it really was the last time and I couldn't help but return with my own furious need for him.
"You're irresistible to me" Draco breathed, pausing our kiss for a moment. He looked down at my blouse that clung tightly to my figure. I was usually quite covered with a robe and jumper so the shock of something so form fitting on my body were sending his thoughts awry.
He took both his large, pales hands to cup my chest and massaged gently. I tipped my head back in pleasure and let faint moans trickle from my lips. He slowly unbuttoned my blouse to reveal my delicate skin. His eyes grew large as he saw my breasts perked within my bralette and he took no time in burying his head in their depths.
He kissed gently and then began to leave harsh love bites along my breasts and up to my clavicle. He was ravenous, as though he was marking his territory. When he was done he leant back to admire his artwork and a smirk grew across his face.
Hushed pants forced their way out of me as I tried to control my breathing once he'd pulled away from my body. Draco let a single finger glide across the marks he'd made, almost like he was checking they didn't simply wipe away.
"Try explaining that to Fred" Draco remarked.
With that, he collected up his belongings and left the room. My thoughts were jumbled, I was in a frantic daze that turned to anger the moment I realised he'd left me to tidy our equipment.