Draco spun around at the crunch of pebbles at the edge of the trees, every muscle in his body tense.
"Calm down, pretty boy, it's only me." Astoria Greengrass grinned, lowering her gaze as she sauntered towards him.
Will nobody leave me the fuck alone?
"What do you want, Astoria?"
"Hmm, seems Goyle was right, you are in a foul mood. Aren't you happy to see me?" She pouted, half pretence, half meaning it.
Draco turned around and rolled his eyes whilst lifting his gaze skywards, before quickly spinning on his heels to face her again.
"Hey, aren't you getting cold feet, standing in that ice-cold water?" She nodded at his shoes and socks on a rock a few yards away, keeping her gaze fixed on him. "You're insane Draco Malfoy, you know that? Coming out here past curfew, just to stand in the freezing cold." She took a step forward. "Here, let me warm you up a bit." She closed the small gap between them, getting the soles of her shoes wet and wrapping her arms around Draco's neck, pulling his face closer and placing her lips onto his.
Jesuschrist woman.
Her kiss was firm and dictating, yet playful as she teased his bottom lip between her teeth. He let himself indulge in the moment, letting her warm breath brush over his lips. He reciprocated the kiss, parting and meeting her lips repeatedly and gingerly placed tentative hands on her waist.
Then a thought began niggling at the back of his head. He gently pulled away.
"Astoria, how did you know I was down here? I told Goyle and Blaise I'd be in the kitchen getting dessert." He looked at her with a curiosity written on his expression.
She chuckled, leaving her arms draped around her boyfriend's neck so he couldn't step back into the water.
"Well it wasn't easy, let me tell you that. I spent a good fifteen minutes waiting at the kitchen before coming to the conclusion you'd either not come there at all or already left. After that I went back to the common room to double check Goyle had actually been paying attention, but after Blaise backed him up I figured why not try the lake shores one time before giving up. And here you are." She smiled falsely.
"You went through all that effort just to find me? Is there something you wanted to speak to me about?" Draco asked her, somewhat puzzled.
Astoria pushed her bottom lip forward ever so slightly and batted her heavy eyelashes. "I just wanted to see you, is that a problem?" She chimed.
In return Draco simply kissed her again, evading the question.
"Now aren't I a great girlfriend, cheering you up like that." She concluded in a husky whisper as she pulled away. The corners of his mouth twitched.
"Sure." He attempted a half-hearted smile.
She stepped out of his grasp. "Sure? That's all I get for risking detention and wet feet?" Now she really did look offended.
Well done, Draco, now you've set her off again.
"And don't even think about saying you didn't mean it like that!" She blurted as he opened his mouth to reply. He closed it abruptly, watching her in silence. The tension in her melodramatic stare was pushing him over the edge.
"Well then what the hell do you want me to say? If I'd have said anything else you'd still be pissed off at me! There's never any sodding pleasing you!" He finally erupted, all his built up rage exploding out. With that statement, he grabbed his socks, stuffed them into his shoes and stormed into the forest and back up towards school grounds, leaving an open-mouthed and dumbfounded Astoria Greengrass at the lake shore.
"Draco! Draco, what are you doing, where are going, leaving me like this?" She shrieked after him, but he wasn't paying attention. He concentrated on getting up the slope as fast as he could and away from his girlfriend.
By the time he reached the castle, Draco's robes were clammy and hanging untidily off his shoulder. He leant against the corridor wall, catching his breath. Once his heartbeat had slowed a little, he began to feel how cold and sore his feet had gotten and put his socks and shoes back on.
He felt dirty, grubby and sweaty, adding to his already atrocious mood, so he orientated himself and pinpointed the nearest boys' showers. He pondered over his behaviour towards his girlfriend as he slowly began walking along the corridor, not sure if he'd been in the right or just stooped down to her level of over-dramatising the situation.
A heavy sigh escaped his chest; today had been absolutely miserable, and with double potions tomorrow his mood was sure to only get worse. How was he supposed to put up with Slughorn's pathetic and self-involved ramblings for two whole consecutive hours? Not to mention Granger kissing his feet at every turn, and Weaselbee kissing hers. They were so sickly together; it was unbearable to be in their presence without eventually a wave of bile washing over you. Weasley was like her pet; Draco couldn't even begin to fathom if he had any pride at all underneath that bright orange mess of his.
"Ugh! Watch where you're going you imbecile!" Draco snapped at the person he'd just as inattentively run into.
Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy?" Madam Hooch met his grey eyes with her cat-like amber stare, icily penetrating his shocked gaze.
"Professor! Oh, I um ..." Draco stammered as he hastily stepped back from their collision.
"I think an apology is what you're searching for. Not to mention an explanation why you're out of bed after hours; many hours, might I add." She cocked an eyebrow. "Well, I'm waiting."
He hung his head, letting his messy hair cover his eyes and mumbled an insincere "Sorry." Could this day get any worse? It was like Karma was hunting him on his own broomstick, whilst he was running across a wet Quidditch pitch in only socks being chased by hexed bludgers with a broken wand in hand. That's how he felt.
"I'm going to take your silence as a lack of reasonable excuse to be out of bed, Mr. Malfoy?" Madame Hooch countered to the painful silence. Draco shrugged, boredom and misery on his face as raised his stare back to the yellow eyes opposing him. He was too tired to use his charm and intellect to get him out of this mess, and far too dirty and unmotivated to care.
"Very well, just as I suspected. 50 points will be taken from Slytherin. And you'll be serving detention polishing metals for the next week. Understood?"
A week? Brutal b-...! Who shat in her pumpkin juice, honestly! He tucked his chin in a feeble nod, exhaling slowly and coming to the conclusion she was in even worse mood than him - if that were in any way possible.
"Good. I'll be seeing you tomorrow at seven o'clock sharp in the trophy room. Don't be late, Malfoy. Now off to bed; and no detours!" With that Draco turned around and made his way into the dungeons, feeling a persistent stare in his back until he turned the corner to the narrow descending stone staircase.
Don't even get a shower. Spectacular.
Don't we all have days like that?
Well, maybe not ;) Reviews?
