For the Hogwarts Forum
Love in Motion: AbraxasDruella
Count Your Buttons: Druella Black, "Can you keep a secret?", quill, lower
Abraxas sits across from her at the table in the common room. Druella bites her lip, quickly lowering her gaze back to her Astronomy homework. She tries to ignore the flutter of excitement that erupts through her body at his sudden presence, but it's hard. The words in her textbook seem to blur together, and her hand trembles as she tries to write.
"Can you keep a secret?" he asks.
Druella sets her quill aside and returns her gaze to him. Abraxas Malfoy is infinitely more interesting in schoolwork. Her brows raise, a smile playing at her lips.
He leans in dangerously close. She can feel his warm breath tickle her skin at this distance. "Is that a yes or no?"
"Yes." She tries to hold his gaze, but the flutter in her stomach intensifies when she sees those beautiful icy blue eyes. She tries to focus on his lips instead, but the flutter is replaced by the warmth of desire.
She wonders if Abraxas knows the effect he has on her. Probably. He's always so cool, collected, and in control. This is problem some twisted game for him, but Druella is more than happy to play along.
He leans in even closer; Druella bites back a groan. Too close. Much too close. So improper. Somehow, she loves it.
"I'm going to marry you one day," he tells her, the corners of his lips quirking upward.
Druella pulls back, her heart racing. She tries to laugh because it's just a joke; Abraxas is only teasing her. "Very funny." She hates how tight her voice sounds.
Abraxas leans back in his chair. Druella wonders if she only imagines the brief flicker of pain that flashes across his handsome features. She must have, because, in a blink of an eye, he is all arrogance and smooth confidence again. "Funny?" He folds his arms over his chest, icy eyes fixed upon her. "What's so funny about being hopelessly in love with you?"
Druella swallows dryly. It isn't a joke? Her eyes scan his face, searching for a punchline; she only finds sincerity. "You have never shown any interest in me before. It seems a bit sudden that you are now planning our wedding."
Abraxas snorts, amusement clear in his grin. He shakes his head. "I have shown plenty of interest in you," he insists. "It's not my fault you haven't been paying attention."
She frowns. Abraxas has always been there for her. Ever since her first year, they've been damn near inseparable. He's held her hand countless times and whispered sweet things in her ear. He's surprised her with flowers and little notes. She had always assumed he'd done those things out of friendship, though she had wished they had been actions of love.
And now she realizes they had been love.
A smile plays at her lips, and she reaches over, taking his hand. Her fingers brush softly over his knuckles. "Druella Malfoy has a nice ring to it," she says quietly.
"It sounds perfect," he agrees, lifting her hand to his lips and offering it a gentle kiss.