Hope to Sin, Draco Malfoy
Chapter Twelve: Ashes and Wine
Artist: A Fine Frenzy
Song: Ashes and Wine
About two months later I am in the Great Hall on a Friday morning asking Adrian if he's ready for the Holiday Quidditch tournament.
Adrian wraps his arm around me, pulls me in, and kisses the right side of my forehead while answering, "Yes babe I am. First up Ravenclaw and were going to smash them."
"Yeah well you're a chaser not a beater," I tease and give him a quick peck on the cheek.
He glares at me, "Har har Scarlett."
Draco sneers at Adrian, "This is not time to think about getting laid by your girlfriend. It's time to think about winning against Ravenclaw and then killing Gryffindor."
Adrian's curly hair flops in his face, "You are such snot Malfoy."
"Only to people who do not listen," Draco jeers back and then he takes one glimpse at me and can see the disappointment on my face and he changes his tone, "Forget what I said Pucey. Just hurry to the lockerooms."
Pucey shakes his head and kisses me before leaving to have the team meeting before the actual game.
Kasen comes and sits by me, "That boy is still irrevocably in love with you."
I sigh as I ask, "Which one?"
"Oooh good one," he makes a sizzling sound, "but I was talking about Malfoy."
Begging Kasen I say, "Please stop bringing him up. It just reminds me how much I cannot be with him."
Kasen throws his arms around me and apologizes, "I am sorry Scar, I keep forgetting."
Spilling tears fall down my face as I whisperingly confess in his ear, "Don't know what to do anymore, Kasen. I've lost the only love worth fighting for."
"Oh, Scarlett," he hugs me tighter.
After we have our embrace, I chuckle, "Gah I am such a girl."
"You and I both," Kasen admits while dabbing my cheeks with a semi-wet napkin.
I put on my green beanie, house color scarf, and grey insulated wool double breasted jacket. Rayna meets us with Lincoln on the way to the field.
Lincoln hunches over and slaps her hand to her forehead while sulking, "Darn I forgot you all were in Slytherin."
Luna skips by and chuckles, "Oh come on Lincoln I will escort you. Just don't let my mind wander." Lincoln grabs ahold of Luna's hand and they skip off.
Rayna, Kasen, and I link our arms together and strut to the field.
The wind is cold and fierce and throughout most of the game the three of us stay huddled while shouting and yelling for Slytherin. Most of us are surprised about the holiday quidditch match, seeing that Umbridge keeps cutting off more and more extra- curricular activities by the day. She almost banned quidditch altogether, but Draco's father had a meeting with her and she kept the one thing all of the student body enjoys.
Ravenclaw's seeker catches the snitch and they end up winning. All the Slytherins begin throwing trash at the winners and grumble profanities. Rayna and Kasen go off to the warm halls of the castle while I make my way to the Slytherin lockerooms.
Harry stops me, "Sorry about the game Scarlett."
I shrug my shoulders and express, "I'm not too worried about it. We suck."
At that Harry busts out laughing as he says, "Well I shall be seeing you soon then."
"Yep, in two days," as I shake my head up and down. I am about to say something else, but I rub it off.
Harry senses I am not finished and asks, "What else?"
A gulp goes down my throat as I earnestly burrow my eyebrows in and with a worrisome tone ask, "Is he an alright man?"
With a short snigger, Harry clips my shoulder in empathy as he answers, "More than alright. He's great."
When he gives me his answer a calming affect releases on me and I embrace Harry to symbol I am grateful for the information.
Snow flurries start to coat the sodden ground as I slop to the lockerooms. When I enter there is no one there but Draco.
In a rushed manner I inquire, "Where is everyone?"
"Told them all to take a hard day's wash in the prefect's bathroom," he tells.
Another question pops out, "Then why are you still here?"
He simply states, "Because I knew you would come here after the match."
I saunter leisurely over to Draco as I rest my palm against his cheek, "Draco. Please. Just. Stop," I beg with tears rimming my eyes.
Shuffling is outside the door and Adrian pops into view as he smiles warmly to me, "Hey I thought I might find you here."
I turn my head, "Here I am."
Before I turn to leave, Draco grabs my wrist and hastily reveals into the crevice of my ear, "I know I have to shut it out. I've got no claim on you now. Not allowed to wear your freedom down."
His eyes burn with hopelessness as I take Adrian's hand and we walk out into the brisk cold together.
The stroll up to the castle makes my cheeks burn as I begin to think about Draco. Why has he not moved on? He never goes through this much trouble for a girl. Maybe Kasen has been right the whole time and Draco actually is in love with me. A shudder runs throughout my body. The mere thought of Draco Malfoy in love is preposterous. Draco barely has a soul.
Adrian asks me as we enter the doors, "Do you think Malfoy has been acting weird?"
"Different how?" I counter wanting to know what he is hinting at.
He smiles while telling me, "Like he's still an asshole, but he's not being a womanizing asshole."
I joke, "Well tell me how you really feel."
Adrian laughs at my witticism, but continues on his Draco inspection, "Malfoy usually has a girl he is hanging over every week, except he has not had a girl since the first month of school and that was in August."
"Maybe he has found a girl and is keeping with her," I give him some input as we head to our common room.
A grunt guffaw comes from Adrian and voices, "When Azkaban freezes over. Malfoy has not kept a long term girlfriend since forever."
I wiggle my eyebrows and say in high soprano tone, "Maybe she's from Beaubuxton Academy,"
"All those French gals," Adrian licks his lips just to annoy me.
With a punch to the shoulder, Adrian tries to duck but gets hit with every punch I dish, "You know I don't care about those French gals. I already have you."
Guilt begins to seep into my pores and burrow in the center of my bones. I see how Adrian cares for me and I stand here lying to him with my words. Each kiss I receive and give there is an underlying falseness of deceit, because all I can imagine are those vivid pale blue eyes and irresistible smirk.
We are ambling hand in hand and the way the setting of the sun sets on the dingy dungeon walls there is bronzy metallic lettering and it reads "Will you go to the Christmas Eve ball with me?"
I reply in a shaky voice, "I would love to Adrian!"
He grabs me up into his arms and plants one on my lips. To make sure he is not always the one initiating, Adrian slowly places me on the ground and I back him into the wall. I interlock our fingers together and raise them above his head as I delicately kiss his neck.
In a hoarse tone Adrian whispers, "Someone is feeling frisky."
I murmur in his ear sexily, "Who else would I want to go with? I want you."
Suddenly Adrian flips me to where my back is against the wall as he slips his hand beneath my blouse and toys with the hem of my bra. I place my index finger to his lips and smile with a pout, "Not here. Later at the ball."
"At the ball?" Adrian asks in surprise.
"Yep," is all I say and tug on his tie.
Adrian and I are laughing as we enter the common room and the gang is sitting on the floor and chairs around the fire.
Rayna inquires, "Where have you two been?"
"Took a stroll around the castle and that is why Draco made it here before us," I answer her.
Blaise holds Rayna's hand and I give her a small smile and thumbs up as she mouths "thank you".
Rayna begins talking again and informs all of us, "Okay so tomorrow night is the Malfoy's Christmas Eve ball. I am going with Kasen because Blaise and his family are going on a vacation that has already been paid for. Adrian is obviously going with Scarlett. Sebastian is going stag to pick up the cougars," and we all chuckle and then she continues, "And uh apparently Draco is taking Camilla Sans."
"What?" I choke out and cannot stop coughing.
Draco leans on the armchair and smirks at me, "That is correct I am taking Camilla. She will be fun in all the right ways."
"I am right here," Camilla calls out while waving her fingers.
I accidently slip out, "And no one cares. We all know you're a slut."
Everyone gasps, but Draco stands there chuckling to himself.
My hands cover my mouth as I apologize, "I am sorry Camilla. It just slipped out."
She huffs and puffs like the damn wolf from the Three Little Pigs and leaves to go to the girls dormitories.
Adrian comments, "You cease to amaze to me."
Sebastian also says, "Told you that she belonged in this house. Isn't that correct Malfoy?"
Draco stops chuckling as he glances from me to Sebastian. He is remembering the talk they had together about his feelings for me. The awkward moment passes and the rest of the night we have a good time talking and laughing by the fire before we have to go to our dormitories and start packing for our leave for the holidays.
