Blurry

"So, Miss Aldridge. You're mother tells me that you're time in America had been fruitful." The Barron said. A few of the other Dukes and Chairs whose attention had only been half on me, now peaked their interest. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and mumbled a soft 'of course she did..'
"Pardon?"
"America?" I beamed cheerfully. Letting my eyes widen in my smile. "Of course! It was quite the time."
"Where did you stay?" One of them asked. I pretended to think on this for a moment. Exaggerating my movements slightly. "New York mostly. With the occasional summer in California or Hawaii." Waving my hand, I brushed it off as if it hadn't mattered much.
"I've been to the Americas," Another of them boasted. "Foul country, a wonder how one could manage alone, as pretty as you." The man was tall, with very short and almost awkward hair. He stood beside the Barron and took my hand, placing a bland kiss upon it. For the briefest moment I could feel disgust grace my face. Realizing this I forced myself back into character.
I giggled, touched his arm slightly, but kept my eye on the others around me.
"Really now Fletcher," The Barron chuckled. His long pipe smoldering over with a blue smog. "Give the girl some time for the rest of us!"
The guy smiled his eyes never left mine. "Forgive me," he told the others. "I can't seem to help myself, Fletcher. Warren Fletcher. "
I felt small in that moment, uneasy, like that feeling you get when the room is just too unnaturally quiet. Out of habit my body took a large step backwards. I wanted as much space between us as possible.
The Barron chuckled and I tried to play it off as adorable and shy but you could tell that Fletcher noticed. He noticed and he didn't care.
I was done. I needed an escape rout. Anywhere and everywhere was better than here.
Here with Warren Fletcher's eyes scanning me over like some kind of strange challenge.
I quickly glanced about the room. Hoping to find my mother somewhere in sight, or someone whom I could excuse myself for properly, without suspicion.
'Damn' I mumbled, when finding none.
Suddenly, I felt the woosh of soft wind and a light touch at my lower back.
It was unlike me, but I froze.
"Pardon me Gents," Draco said. I could feel the pretense in his voice. Luckily enough, the others didn't. "But I must borrow Eliana, she is needed-"
Suddenly Fletcher stiffened and if his towering height could grow more, it did just that. "To what end, Malfoy?" He asked. "Is it you that is in need of her?"
Draco's expression remained emotionless, though his eyes slightly narrowed. "My father actually," he stated. I felt his hand lightly press into my hip. In a way it made me feel stable again. I let my hitched breath softly release from my chest.
Until Draco spoke again.
"He has a request."
"A request!" I exclaimed, my voice reacting without intention. I paused, questioning my own hearing. "What?"
Draco, he had that mischievous gleam in his eyes. It came with a smirk. "Mustn't keep father waiting." He told them.
Fletcher looked calm and casual. He took a sip of his wine and gave us a half-assed waved . "Whatever, if you must little Malfoy." He said but stopped me as I turned. His hand was loosely touching me yet it felt tight and unshakeable. "Tell your father not to keep her long, Eli and I have more to discuss." His eyes never left me though mine followed as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
There were intention in his words, of what well..
I didn't want to find out.
Draco said nothing but merely tugged me from my petrified state.
Once we were out of sight I bolted, dropping Draco's hand an aiming to leave the ballroom.
Draco followed me as I stormed out into the hall. The clang of my heels against the marble floors was giving me a headache. The house was huge and I hadn't a clue where I was headed, I just wanted something quiet.
Suddenly, I was yanked into an emptied sitting room. The door shut behind us.
"What, was that El?" He asked.
I sighed and started to pace. "Don't call me that." I snapped.
Draco merely smiled. "Did you Freeze because of Warren?"
"No." I lied.
His brow raised skeptically. Draco leaned casually against the doorframe. "Then it was because of me?"
I stopped to look at him. "Hell no."
He nodded, his arms folded and for awhile we didn't say anything.
Eventually Draco talked. "So.. You Fancy Warren?"
Again I stopped, glancing at the place where Fletcher's lips met my hand.. It started to shake slightly.
I forced it to stop and looked back to Draco. "Eww." Was all I managed to say.
"Ok.. So why the-"
"I Don't know! I don't, ok?" I could feel it, emotions boiling over the edge. I had to stop myself before I overloaded. "Where did you come from anyway?"
I plopped down onto a couch with a huff and looked at him. His smirk dropped and there was a light dust of color in his face. Instantly he looked away from me. A hand in his hair as he spoke.
"You looked nervous." He explained. "Warren.. The git had your hand and YOU looked nervous."
When his eyes fell back on me it was like he expected an answer.
"That's it?" I asked curiously. "You try an make me nervous all the time."
Draco gave me a look that clearly asked if I was that stupid. "I play with you. Knowing that my antics never really work."
My head tilted and I didn't really know where he was going with this. "So.. What?"
Draco sighed and flopped onto the couch. He kicked his legs up onto the coffee table and continued talking. "How long have we known eachother?"
"According to you or me?" I said, cautiously aware of where this conversation was going.
"Me."
"Long time." I said simply as I stood and paced again.
Draco looked as if he was about to say something but whatever it was had been discarded for a laugh. "God you're an idiot. You truly don't remember anything?" He asked.
I wondered over to the window and sighed. Unsure as to why I was about to tell him what I did.
A small black blur scampered about the gardens. A cat. It playfully bounced at the edge of a stream before darting beneath the bridge. "It comes an goes." I said softly. The words spilling from my mouth. "In flashes, like tiny lights that seem to find its way into a dark room."
I could feel the air rustle and a sudden heat behind me, though I never actually heard Draco move.
"Talk to me." He said. His voice seductively low and hushed. When I said nothing I felt his fingers softly trail down my arm. Again he whispered. "Talk to me."
I closed my eyes and took a breath, desperately trying forget he was there. "Being back here is like a strange dream.." I admitted finally. "Or a dream of a dream."
It shook me from my daze as two rather hefty guys crashed through the doorway and onto the floor, followed by Blaise whom merely walked over them, shaking his head in disappointment.
That nervous energy I had was instantly suppressed now that someone else had entered the room.
I almost thanked them for it.
"Zabini."
"Aldridge. " He nodded.
I looked throughout the room, not wanting to be in it a second longer. "I need a drink." I said, storming out the door and casually stepping over the two who where clearly spying on us mere moments before.
The boys followed, by my second shot of firewisky they found me alone at the bar. When I asked for another Draco took it from me.
"Hey! Malfoy, I'm paying for that!" I exclaimed.
Blaise took up the stool beside me. "It's an open bar Aldridge."
I scowled at him. "Duh, but it's still mine!" I whined. Draco wouldn't give it back. "You'll win our bet a lot easier if I'm smashed ya know." I told him.
He merely shrugged. "Possibly," he said.
"So.."
"What bet?" The brave goon who likes to stare asked.
"Mere's a bet?" The other one I didn't know said as he bit into a large muffin. Blaise swirled the liquid in his goblet as if he was bemused, but I could tell he wanted to know.
I sighed and quickly everything fell out of my mouth. "Draco bet me that I couldn't NOT be clumsy for a week. There. Now give it back. I'll even your odds Malfoy. Make things easier. "
I tried, my arms pawing at the shot glass. Draco held it above me and behind him, far enough out of reach as I climbed over him.
"You're really short ya know El." He said, clearly amused by it. My eyes narrowed and for a moment I stopped jumping.
"You're really a tool ya know Draco." I replied. The goons were laughing and Blaise only looked mildly interested.
"Is this how it's going to go every time you're around eachother?" Blaise asked.
"Possibly." The two of us said, each tone annoyed and dull. We looked to eachother and burst into a fit of laughter.
It was then that I felt it, the intimidating glare before he appeared. A swoop of a cloak and long white hair seemed immobile against his elegantly over the top robes.
Draco instantly stood and lowered the glass to the bar. "Father!" He exclaimed. "Th-there you are."
"Having fun are we?" Lucius Malfoy asked.
"Of course father!" Was Draco's eager reply.
Lucius smiled though it felt cold and weird. "Splendid." He said. His eyes making me weary of what might be next.
"Indeed," I said with a smile. Shaking away the nervous pit in my stomach, I glanced at Draco, then back to his father. "Draco's been quite.. Charming." I giggled and winked at the young Malfoy. It wasn't an entire lie and, honestly? Dealing with Draco was much better than dealing with either of our parents for the night.
Or Fletcher.. I didn't like Fletcher.
However, Lucius looked intrigued. "Really? How strange, I usually find Draco rather meek at these events."
I felt Draco's hand lightly tense against my back though his smug look told me that he was more than fine. "Father please.." He mumbled.
Lucius nodded to his son. "Right then," he said and then his eyes were on me. "I assume he has informed you?"
I blinked, a bit taken back by the question. Draco's arm suddenly left me and his hands found their way to his pockets. "Uh, not quite Father." He said.
For a moment I didn't know what it could be, then I remembered his conversation with Fletcher;
'Father, he has a request.'
Then suddenly my mouth dropped. I turned my full attention to the arrogant jerk. "You weren't kidding?" I wispered. Draco merely looked pleased.
Too pleased, in my opinion.
"Well, my dear," Lucius said. There was demand in his voice. "I have spoke to your mother and she agrees.. You will dance for us, yes?"
It was a rhetorical question. You do not refuse a Malfoy. Draco perhaps but that was mostly because we lingered on an equal level. This was different. As much as I wanted to, refusing a request from someone of such high social standing would be excessively rude, and the consequences of doing so were.. Scary.
I had to dance.. And Draco knew it. The corners of his lips grew into a childish smirk. I immediately turned to him for the briefest moment so only he could see the hatred in my eyes.
Then something clicked. An Idea slowly forming in my mind. I bounced energetically back around and smiled up at the elder Malfoy. "I'd be delighted." I said. "But..." Draco quickly pulled me into his chest and gave me a look that clearly asked what I was doing. I winked at him.
Winning, that's what I was doing.
"Only if Draco accompanies me," I said which caused Lucius some confusion so I added a quick; "On the piano, yes?"
Again another question that couldn't be refused.
I felt hands squeeze at my sides and I knew I had him. Hey, if I I'm going down, I'm taking the one responsible with me.
Draco spoke immediately his voice slightly higher than usual. "I haven't practiced!" He tried.
Lucius eyed his son. "Practice? Is that not what I hear while you're hoarded away in that vile bedroom of yours? Wasting time for hours on end."
Draco's grip on me tightened and I suddenly felt off, like I crossed some invisible line. I knew he'd be angry, but he almost seemed hurt.
Almost..
"Of course father." Draco said darkly.
Lucius merely smiled. "Wonderful. Then you will play and Eliana will dance." I nodded, Draco stood silent. "I'll set it up." With that Lucius turned on his heel, meaning to leave, but then had a quick thought. "Oh, Son? Play well. We wouldn't want you messing up for everyone, would we?"
"No sir." Draco said coldly. His father must have noted the slight amount of attitude from him for he paused but glanced at me and decided against scolding him for it.
Draco didn't remove his grip from me until his father was well beyond our sight. For a long moment after the five of us lingered against the silence.
It was Blaise who spoke first.
"What are you going to do?" He asked.
Draco toyed with my glass, thinking, before he downed the shot and asked for another. "Drink," he said simply. "And hope I don't fuck this up."

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