I was gripped by the familiar pull of apparation as Gwen and I traveled back to the manor. I had decided to show Gwen my favorite ice cream shop a few blocks away from Luigi's and then a park nearby where we sat and talked for a bit longer. She was an interesting creature. Gwen wanted nothing more in life than to be a performer, she had refused to sing for me when I had asked but I had a feeling I would see her perform eventually. This marriage screwed her over, and I felt terrible because it was partly my fault. I wanted to help her. I was turning into a softie.
"Come on!" She laughed as she stumbled when we landed on the porch step.
"Sorry." I smiled.
"Its way past my curfew, Brian is going to be going crazy!" She rolled her eyes as I opened the door.
"Will he mind if I walk you to your door then?" I asked, going out on a whim.
"Yes." She said looking toward the stairs.
"Oh," I trailed off feeling deflated.
"I never said I would mind." She said taking my hand again.
I smiled at her guiding her towards the stairs. Our hands fit together perfectly and it made me feel odd when she pulled hers out of my grasp. I looked back at her wondering why she'd done such a thing when I realized that she had stopped to take her sneakers off.
"You know, there isn't a rule about shoes in the house." I smirked down at her.
"It's a habit." She replied rolling her eyes in my direction.
"Whatever you say."
As she picked them up and came up to my level she grabbed my hand again "Shall we?" she asked smirking back. I guided her upstairs in reply. We walked in silence, probably because she was so tired and we had exhausted nearly every topic of conversation. It wasn't an awkward silence though, more of a comfortable one, the kind of thing where speaking may ruin the moment. As we rounded the corner to her room we heard male voices speaking and then I was hit by a small force as I was pushed behind a green drape and a hand was put over my mouth.
She was much shorter than me. The top of her head barely came to my chin. I looked down at her with an amused face and lowered my mouth to her ear causing her to shiver at my warm breath.
"You know if you wanted to snog me in private all you had to do was ask." I whispered, smirking.
She looked up at me with pink cheeks and put her finger to her lips and nodded her head towards the voices, she wanted to eavesdrop.
"I had fun tonight." I heard one unfamiliar voice say, probably Brian.
"I did too." I heard Blaise reply.
"We should do it again sometime." This conversation was getting ridiculously awkward ridiculously fast.
"We should, before you go back to school." Nice Blaise, whatever happened to 'playing it cool'?
Then I felt Gwen tilt her head up towards me and I looked down, she was rolling her eyes in their direction which caused me to let out an almost silent laugh.
"Did you hear that?" Brian asked.
"No." Blaise replied obviously not caring, then it got really quiet and I got really curious.
I looked down at Gwen to see her slightly peeking out at them then returning immediately with her hand over her mouth; she was laughing.
"Well I'll see you at breakfast, Brian." Blaise said.
"Good night." Brian giggled and then the door closed.
I looked down at Gwen and realized what had just happened. She saw me going to laugh and immediately put her hand over my mouth to stop me but it was too late.
"Didn't mean to interrupt." Blaise smirked as he pulled back the drape revealing Gwen and I in a not so innocent position.
"We weren't!" Gwen said putting her hands up and stepping away from me, and I felt different; it was like I missed holding her. Weird.
"Whatever you say." Blaise smirked and walked off whistling to himself.
Then we lost it for good. Gwen was crying from laughing so hard and I thought that maybe I might see my dinner again. I couldn't remember the last time I had ever laughed so hard in my entire life; and it felt good.
"I can't breathe!" Gwen giggled as she attempted to right herself from all the laughter.
"I can't either!" I laughed back, gaining my composure gradually.
As we finally turned into normal human beings who could breathe without laughing I stared into her surprisingly blue eyes, something I had never noticed before.
"Thank you for tonight, Draco." She smiled up at me.
"Anytime." I smiled back walking with her for the ten steps over to her door; I was turning into such a cliché.
"I can't remember the last time that I laughed so hard." She giggled again.
"Me neither." We stood in silence a moment longer not sure what to do. "Good night, Gwendolyn."
"That's the most unfortunate name in the world. I hate it. Please call me Gwen." She complained.
"Everyone calls you Gwen." I complained back.
"Exactly!"
"But I'm not everyone." I smirked.
"Fine. You can call me anything but Gwendolyn." She replied giving me a flirty smile.
"How about short stack?" I joked.
"No way in hell you're going to call me that!" She said in seriousness.
"Curly?" I asked.
"No."
"Hasting?"
"That sounds like you hate me!"
"Lyn?"
"Brian has dibs."
"Mike?"
"Mike?" She repeated.
"Kidding." I replied, and then I came up with an idea. "What about Doll?"
"Doll?" She repeated again.
"Yeah you know Gwendolyn. It's perfect."
"I like it." She smiled up at me.
"Well then, good night Doll." I smirked.
"Goodnight...Dray." She replied stretching on her tip toes and giving me a peck on the cheek. "See you in the morning."
As she walked through her door and shut it I couldn't help but holding my cheek where her lips had just been.
Is it possible to actually like the woman you marry?
GHDM
Waking up the next morning was hell. When I walked in Brian wanted minute by minute details so of course I wanted the same, in the end sleep wasn't reached until nearly two a.m. Rolling on my back and staring up at the ceiling I smiled to myself, the previous night hadn't been so bad. I nudged the lump next to me only to receive a groan in response.
"Get up sleepy head!" I sang to him.
"No." he moaned burying his head back into the pillow.
"Oh hey Blaise, what are you doing in here? Good god man put on a shirt!" I said to no one in particular in an attempt to wake up my best friend.
"What?"Brian sprang up looking around for the aforementioned boy. "You witch!"
"Abra kadabra!" I smirked standing up and stretching my sore back.
I left him alone as I pulled some more appropriate clothes to change into when I went to look for breakfast after my shower.
Walking into the huge bathroom was like walking into a dream. It was all white tiles with light blue walls and a large bay window looking out over the back of the Malfoy properties sat by the mirror. No matter how much I didn't like them, the Malfoys knew how to treat a guest.
I walked over to the shower and pulled my hair up into a bun before turning on the knob to warm. I shimmied out of my bootie shorts and tank top, kicking them to the side, and stepped into the warm spray of the jet. Letting the warm water spray my back was heaven as I poured my favorite vanilla shower gel into my palm and began to lather it onto my skin.
From outside of the door I heard a quick knock and then someone opening the door.
"I just need to brush my teeth!" Brian called to me, as if I cared.
For the past two years I had lived in the boy's theatre dorm at PASOM because of a certain girl who had it out for me. She once charmed my shampoo to make my hair blue and shaved my head while I slept. Since then I had thought it best to stay in a safer domain. Living with Brian had exposed us to one another and it had gotten to the point where neither of us particularly cared anymore.
"Trying to look good for Drakie?" Brian teased as I rinsed off the soap from my body.
"Trying to impress Blazie?" I teased back, turning off the warm jet.
"Touché." He replied spitting out his tooth paste and walking over to the shower to hand me my towel.
"Thanks." I replied as I took the fluffy white thing from him. He gave a non committal noise as he walked out of the bathroom and back into our room.
I walked over to the counter where I had set my favorite pair of black sweatpants that read POSSUM down one leg and a dark blue tank top. I pulled on my various under garments and clothes then gave myself a good look in the mirror as I set about taming my hair for breakfast.
After a good five minutes with a comb I gave up, pulling the mess into a side braid that I fastened with a bright blue rubber band, it would have to do.
Walking out into the bedroom and finding it empty didn't surprise me at all. Brian was in a rush to see Blaise this morning, last night must have been one hell of a night. I set out to find the breakfast room, hoping it was down stairs near the door.
After a looking around for ten minutes I was lost. Malfoy Manor was huge and I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. So I did the thing anyone else would have done in my situation.
"HELLO?" I called. "I'm LOST!" No answer "DRACO? BLAISE? BRIAN?" Still no answer. "HELP! I'VE FALLEN AND I CAN'T GET UP!"
"Just press the button around your neck then!" I heard Brian call from down the hallway.
"I've been looking everywhere for you! Where have you been?" I asked.
"Lost, but I think I found something quite interesting. Care to see it?" Brian asked mischievously.
"Is it bad?" I asked, unsure.
"No." He lied.
"Fine." I agreed.
"Follow me." He turned around and started going down I hallway I hadn't seen moments before. It wound around forever. There were doors on both side and a staircase that led up stairs. "Come on" he ordered taking a right onto the staircase and beckoning me with a finger.
I wasn't 100% sure about this but I decided to go against my better judgment and follow my best friend up the stairs and down another hall way. "This place is huge." I muttered taking in the fact that I had yet to come to a dead end that day.
"I know! Okay its right over…" He trailed off counting doors or something until he stopped at the one he wanted "here!"
"This is a door." I stated.
"I know." He smiled.
"Do I open it?" I asked.
"If you want to." He continued smiling.
"Okay that's it, what's behind this door?" I asked, but he didn't get a chance to answer because suddenly it was jerked open.
There in all his morning glory was Draco Malfoy with nothing but a pair of sweatpants on. Being a seeing girl I took full advantage of the view.
"Hot damn." Brian muttered taking in the view as well.
"Like what you see, Doll?" Draco smirked over at my half open mouth.
"No." I muttered looking away.
"Is there a reason you are outside my bedroom shouting at this ungodly hour?"
"It's eleven fifteen." I pointed out, a perfectly acceptable hour in my mind.
"Still doesn't answer my question." He smirked over at me.
"We're lost." I muttered.
"I'm sorry?" He asked not hearing me.
"Wecan'tfindthekitchen." I said slurring it together so as not to embarrass myself.
"You what?" He asked.
"We can't find the god damned kitchen! Quit playing games with me Malfoy, I'm hungry and I want a sandwich!" I all but shouted at the infuriating man opposite me.
"She's feisty in the mornings." Draco smirked over at Brian who was still admiring Draco's well toned six pack. "Let me grab a jacket."
He disappeared into his room and returned a second later in a green and silver jacket that read his name on the back. "Quidditch?" Brian asked.
"Yep, I'm seeker." He smirked as if this meant something to Brian and I, which it didn't.
"Cool!" Brian nodded his head. "So where do we go for food?"
"It's just downstairs and the tenth door on the right." Draco pointed out.
"Oh wow! How did we miss that?" I muttered sarcastically.
"You didn't have such a sexy guide." My fiancé smirked; he was kind of getting on my nerves.
"That's for sure." I heard Brian say under his breath just loud enough for only me to hear.
"Did you sleep well?" Draco asked attempting to take my hand which I then shoved into the pocket of my sweatpants. No matter how much I liked holding his hand, I would not do it when he was being a jerk.
"Oh I slept beautifully." Brian beamed over at our guide.
"And you Doll?" He asked.
"I slept terribly the bed was lumpy and someone kept kicking me." I lied.
"You could always come sleep with me; my bed is incredibly soft and big enough for two!" He smirked.
"Well aren't you lucky?" I replied sarcastically.
"So where did you say the kitchen was again?" Brian asked quickly sensing my anger and wanting to get as far away as possible.
"Down the stairs tenth door to the right." Draco answered, obviously not sensing the danger.
"Later." Brian muttered as he dashed down the stairs away from me.
"So how was your night, Doll?" Draco drawled doing an awkward 'back you into the wall' kind of thing.
"Fine. You?" I replied, not caring.
"Lonely." He smirked.
"Poor kid, maybe if you made a friend that wouldn't be the case." I smiled.
"Why don't you and I go back to bed?" He whispered as my back hit the wall.
"What?" I asked, appalled at his question yet somehow slightly excited by it.
"You heard me." He muttered leaning down so our faces were inches apart. My heart starting beating fast and I could barely think straight, he was about to kiss me. I couldn't think I needed to breathe.
"Get off me Malfoy." I said trying to push him away unsuccessfully.
"Or what?" He asked not taking the hint and leaning in closer.
"Or I injure something very precious to you." I replied looking down at his crotch, he took the hint.
"I didn't know you were so feisty in the mornings." He drawled as I walked away from him towards the stairs.
"I didn't know you were so hormonal in the mornings." I drawled back turning around only to catch him staring at my backside. "My ass isn't even close to where my eyes are."
Is it possible to actually like the man you marry?
GHDM
I don't know what came over me, but something about the combination of sweatpants a tight shirt and waking up to Gwendolyn Hasting made me want nothing more than to snog her senseless. Watching her tight bum as she retreated towards the kitchen I couldn't help but smirk to myself; she had wanted me to do it, I was sure. Something about how close we were set her off and that's why she pushed me away so fast. Witches, I thought while rolling my eyes and going to follow her.
Most of breakfast was spent in silence, except for the occasional off handed comment but no real conversation. Blaise and Brian looked like they were slowly undressing each other with their eyes and Gwendolyn wouldn't even look at me for the whole meal. I guess I should feel bad about angering her, but she looked so beautiful when she was angry. Cut it out Malfoy, I thought to myself. Then I heard a tapping at the window and realized the date August 25th, only a week away from school.
"Hogwarts letters!" Blaise shouted as he jumped up to get them.
"The last one's we'll ever get." I muttered grabbing the letter passed over to me and opening it.
"HEAD BOY!" Blaise shouted jumping up as he did a weird little victory dance.
I did my best to hide my disappointment at the announcement, although he was my best friend and I was happy I couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy at his happy news. My father would have been so proud to have a son as head boy, maybe he may have even boasted about me to his colleagues at work but I may never know. Opening my letter I was met with extreme happiness that made me forget all about head boy as the quidditch captain's badge tumbled out of the envelope.
"QUIDDITCH CAPTAIN" I shouted joining in on Blaise's happy dance.
"Isn't this cute?" Brian muttered to Gwen.
"Dance with me Doll!" I said grabbing her hand and pulling her to my chest.
"I don't want to!" She protested attempting to pull away.
"I don't care!" I answered back, not loosening my hold on her as I began to twirl her around. Eventually she quit fighting and started dancing with me too, even laughing.
"I'm going to be sick!" She laughed as I continued turning her around and around.
"No you won't!" I laughed back. Then I tripped. We tumbled to the ground and I shifted us so that I would land against the hard woods and she could fall on top of me. The ground hit me hard knocking out my breath and then she hit me again knocking out whatever was left.
"Oaf!" She sputtered looking up to see if I was all right and realizing how close we were. "Are you…" she trailed off. We stared into each other's eyes, neither of us daring to break our gaze.
"Are you ok?" I asked not even blinking.
"Perfect." She whispered back still staring into my eyes.
I reached up and brushed a stray curl from her forehead to behind her ear causing her breathing to hitch. "Sorry." I muttered not meaning it at all and not daring to break my gaze.
"Don't worry about it." She muttered back leaning down so she was close to my face, close enough to kiss.
"GET A ROOM!" I heard someone shout, breaking us both out of our reservoir.
She sat up as fast as lightening and I felt a weight lifting off my chest, something I wasn't too fond of mind you. Glaring at my best friend I stood up brushing off my backside. "We were in one." I glared.
"Not alone." Blaise smirked back.
"Whatever." I continued glaring until I was sure he should have burned at the stake.
The tension could have been sliced with a knife, and I was almost thankful for what came next, almost.
"So, Brian and I are going to go shopping today!" Gwen said breaking my glare. "You boys can have some time to hang out."
"Awesome." Blaise smirked. It wasn't awesome at all cheeky bastard.
"When is Narcissa coming home?" she asked.
"She wants you home for dinner, dress nice, it's a formal affair." I answered. "7:00 sharp."
"Great. I'll see you then." She smiled turning to rush out the door.
"Doll!" I shouted, attempting to halt her retreat.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"You've got cream on your cheek." I replied stepping to her side and bringing my hand up to wipe it. "Just there."
"Thanks." She blushed. It was a beautiful color, crimson and it made her look like a school girl caught in the act of doing something awful, I liked it.
"See you at seven then." I smirked.
"See you at seven." She replied blushing again and grabbing Brian's hand as he waved a quick goodbye to Blaise.
Today was going to be a long one.
GHDM
We didn't go shopping. Brian and I don't shop. Occasionally we would go thrifting, but that was a completely different experience. Shopping was our code. When Brian and I went 'shopping' we really just talked about what was going on, and with our love lives the way they were now we definitely needed some 'shopping'.
"See you at seven." Brian mocked as we barricaded our elves in my bedroom. "You totally have a thing for him."
"I do not."
"You do too!" He refuted "First you two go on your date, and then Blaise finds you behind the curtain, and no that thing in the kitchen! If you don't have a thing for him then you need to see a doctor because you my friend are insane!"
"I do not have a thing for Draco Malfoy! He's arrogant and rude and he's a total smart ass-"
"He's gorgeous, and he's built like a god, and don't forget the fact that he totally has a thing for you too!" He practically shouted at me.
"He does not have a thing for me! We are just trying to get along with one another!" I practically bellowed back.
"I wish I was trying to get along with him in that case." He muttered.
"Shut up."
"Lyn! He's handsome, smart, and athletic and he has the potential to be a nice guy." He reasoned.
"Yeah, when he's not busy being an ass hole." I spat.
"You like him, just admit it!"
"Why admit something that isn't true?" I asked avoiding his question.
"Do you like him?" Brian asked for real this time.
"As much as one can like rain in the middle of December." I answered.
"Then I'll leave you alone." He said crossing his arms and sitting down on my bed.
The truth is I didn't know whether or not I liked Draco. There were times, like this morning and last night, when I wanted to snog him senseless. And there were times, like this morning and our family dinner, when I wanted to punch his brains out. Men were crazy.
I was close to pulling my hair out when a huge eagle landed on the windowsill and began pecking at the glass.
"Letters." I jumped up nudging Brian as I ran towards the window.
"Already?" He asked joining me as I untied the packages from the eagle and it flew away.
"YEP!" I smiled handing him his. "On three."
"One" He muttered.
"Two." I counted.
"THREE!" We said together, ripping into the envelopes and beginning to read the contents.
Dear Gwendolyn Hasting,
It is your final year at The Performing Arts School of Magic and we are pleased to tell you that this year you have been chosen to play the following parts in our productions this year:
Hairspray: Penny Pingleton
Les Miserables: Fantine
In the Heights: Nina Rosario
Into the Woods: Witch
Camelot: Queen Guinevere
Chicago: Roxy Hart
We hope you are happy with the results of this year's casting. There will be student directed shows going on throughout the year that all students are welcome to audition for. Music, voice, dance, and acting teachers may choose to put on showcases of their own they may ask you to audition for as well. We hope you have a safe and pleasant journey back to the city as you come for your final year. Have a pleasant day.
Jonathan James Cross
"Trade?" Brian asked.
"Love to." I replied handing my list over to him and squealing at the results.
"Why are we always in love?" I asked laughing.
"We have great chemistry." He winked smiling over at me.
His list had included roles like Seaweed in Hairspray, Benny in In the Heights and King Arthur in Camelot all of them were romantic interests for my characters.
"Why do you always get cast as the black guy? You're blonde." I asked.
"I've got soul!" He joked until I fixed him with a serious look "All the guys in our department are white, that's why!"
"We have to celebrate!" I shouted.
"Ice cream?" Brian asked.
"ICE CREAM!" I shouted jumping up on the bed in celebration.
"Let's invite the boys." Brian suggested as he changed into shorts.
"Let's not!" I muttered getting down off the bed and rummaging in the closet to find a pair of jean shorts.
"Please? I really like Blaise and he won't just leave Draco alone." Brian pouted, sticking out his bottom lip for emphasis.
"I hate you." I stated pulling out my favorite pair of shorts and slipping them on. "We can invite them, but I won't like it."
"I love you!" Brian shouted pecking my cheek and dashing out of the room before I could think to protest.
Today was going to be a long one.
GHDM
Hey lovelies! Tell me what you think about it so far in a review. What do you think is gonna happen next? I'd love to hear from everyone!