Cynical Relations

Lacie groaned softly as she awoke, her skin prickling with goose bumps as the cold air of the dormitory attacked her. She looked to her left and frowned when she saw that Draco had tightly curled himself in the thick green and silver duvet. ‘Typical Draco, taking everything for himself’ she thought with a small smile replacing her previous frown quickly.

He looked so peaceful whilst he slept; his face was relaxed and his blonde hair was messy and fell into his forehead. Pushing herself up, she sat cross-legged and looked down at him, not being able to resist reaching across and pushing the hair away from his pale skin. She chuckled softly as his eyebrows furrowed and his hand twitched before he reached up and scratched slightly at where she had just touched him. His blue eyes fluttered open and he hazily took in his surroundings.

“Good morning,” She said softly, “Do you mind sharing the duvet?” Draco mumbled an incoherent response. He shuffled around a bit before raising his arm so that she could slip into the warmth. Draco closed his eyes again and pulled Lacie tight against his body.

“Why were you being such an idiot last night at dinner?” Lacie questioned as she snuggled up to his firm body, not knowing why she was moving so fast with the Slytherin.

“Do we have to talk about this right now?” He mumbled sleepily as he rested his hand on her hip, beneath her shirt. His fingers gently traced shapes over her skin causing a tingling sensation.

“Do you not think we’re moving too fast, Draco?”

“You’re not going to let me go back to sleep are you?” Draco mumbled, opening his eyes to see her laugh.

“Nope.”

***

What was she doing? Lacie had asked herself the question several times but was still not satisfied when she couldn’t reach a plausible answer. It was stupid and extremely risky. Draco was a dangerous boy. Sure, when she kissed him her heart would stutter and her breathing would become shallow but that wasn’t a good enough reason alone for her to put her trust in him. He was manipulative after all.

Draco however was happy with the progress that they’d been making. At the back of his mind he knew that he didn’t actually need to get this close his target but he just used the excuse that it was all helping his seal the bet. Dating Pansy for a month would be pure torture.

***

Draco was softly playing with her fingers as she sat between his legs on the bed later that morning. Her back was against his chest whilst his arms locked around her.

“You’re kinder than you let on,” Lacie uttered as she stared down at their entwined hands.

“People would walk all over me.”

“And that gives you the right to do that to them instead?”

“Yes,” Lacie turned in his arms, looking at Draco with furrowed eyebrows.

“Don’t give me that look, Lacie,” Draco said and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before she had the chance to turn back around.

“I’ve got a present for you,” Draco said quickly, deciding that the previous topic wasn’t worth them arguing over. He moved slightly so that he could reach across to his bedside table. Pulling open the drawer he then returned to his previous position and placed the rectangular black box in her hands.

“Draco,” She uttered and couldn’t help but let out a rather cliché gasp as she opened the box and saw the necklace inside of it. Carefully she fingered the delicate silver chain and then the five tear drop diamonds that fell from it. The diamonds decreased in size and glittered in the light of the room, mesmerising the sixteen year old. Honestly, it reminded Lacie of the kind of jewellery that her mother would splurge on and she felt like she shouldn’t have even been touching it.

“I can’t accept this,” She uttered as she closed the lid carefully. Lacie turned in his arms again, looking to him with widened brown eyes.

“I bought it especially for you,” He said softly and kissed her attentively.

“But we have barely been together for a day Draco. I highly doubt I deserve something as expensive as this.”

“Well you are special Lacie,” He said softly, bright blue eyes boring into her own brown ones, “And I thought that you could maybe wear it to the Yule Ball.” Lacie sighed and put the box down to her side. She was about to pull out of Draco’s arms but he tightened his hold on her.

“Just hear me out, Lace,” He mumbled into her neck, turning on that Malfoy charm. “You mean a lot to me and I just want you to come to the ball with me. We would both have such a good time so I don’t see why you don’t want to go.”

“Augh, you’re so persistent,” She fumed, trying not to melt into his touch as he placed lingering kisses to the sensitive skin of her neck.

“It’s because I really want you to accompany me, you deserve to have a good time.”

“Draco, I’ve spent six years in the shadows. If I suddenly walk into the ball with you, people are going to stare. I look stupid enough in dresses as it is. I don’t want to do something that I feel so uncomfortable doing,” Lacie sighed, rubbing her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

“You just have to ignore those people. Would you rather just sit in your dormitory all night alone?”

“That’s what I’ve done every other year.”

“Well break the tradition. Even if it’s only for this year, please Lacie,” She turned in his arms and studied his face for a few minutes, “Please.”

“Oh fine! I’ll go!” Lacie snapped, giving in to the desperation that had been in his voice.

“Thank you,” Draco kissed her hard but she pulled away.

“I’m not promising to have fun though,” She resisted the urge to sulk as she turned back around and Draco smiled triumphantly.

“Cheer up, Lacie, it’s not the end of the world,” Draco teased playfully before jabbing her in her sides making the girl laugh and squirm in his arm. All he had to do now was make sure that she actually turned up.