Roses

Jessica huffed and crossed her arms, slumping against the table in Malfoy Manor. The waltz that reminded her of twinkling chime bells and fancy violins thumped against her mind, dulling it and making her wish a thousand times harder that she was back at home, wearing her favourite pajamas while reading a book or slurping tea.

Either way, she really wished she wasn’t here.

It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy slipping on a pretty gown and matching heels, or spending hours pampering herself into oblivion with essential oils and amorous smelling perfume but she wasn’t really feeling it today. Usually, she was almost excited to attend one of her parent-in-law’s glamorous balls with Draco at her arm but she wasn’t feeling it today.

Her dark eyes flicked up to the scene before her and she watched it unravel. People were dancing like clockwork, their footwork perfect to the rhythm, while others conversed lightly with each other and she would spot a few groups laughing with each other, clinking champagne glasses together in a private toast.

Draco had always told her that his family annual balls used to be a lot more menacing that this, and the laughter that he used to hear wasn’t from a light-hearted tale. He explained how Narcissa had insisted they help re-instate their family name by continuing the Malfoy family tradition at the manor and it had worked tremendously. Annually, the Winter Ball would take place at the grand manor (the date varied every time) and soon, everyone wanted to be the one to receive the precious invite.

From across the room, Jess spotted a few of her old class mates from Hogwarts and she watched as they chatted with many others, smiling at some stupid joke. Her lips tugged upwards at the scene but she groaned and shook her head, frowning. She… They shouldn’t be here. It was the 14th of February and here she sat, waiting impatiently for her husband to join her.

Finally, she saw him enter the room with an empty chute of bubbling champagne. He looked as handsome as Adonis with topaz eyes and a smile that could make even the strongest weak. Jess tilted her head to one side and traced his features easier than drawing breath. She had done it so many times that it had become next to instinct. He must have felt her eyes on him as his own flickered and darted to hers.

She frowned instantly and diverted her own gaze then crossed her arms. She felt her lips pout but she didn’t care if it upset Draco that she wasn’t enjoying herself. She wanted him to know that she didn’t want to be here. But, where was the fun in telling him?

He slowly approached her and slid into the seat opposite her. She let go of a huge sigh and twisted in her chair, making sure she wasn’t facing him. Draco’s lips curled and he leant on an elbow.

“Why does my darling wife look like she’s about to burst into flames?” he asked, his voice velvety and deep. She tapped her long nails on the table top and shrugged. Draco scowled.

“The silent treatment?” He asked again and Jessica only shrugged. Shrugging always annoyed him and she could see the lines in his face slowly appear.

“You’re annoyed with me.” It wasn’t a question. She sucked her teeth and let her eyes meet his. He saw her exasperation and scratched the back of his neck. Raising the glass to his lips, Draco downed his drink in one and gave the second to Jess.

“Is it because it’s Valentine’s Day?” he wondered, leaning back on his chair. He sat there and admired Jess for a while, letting his gaze absorb her as though he was staring at the Mona Lisa and she squirmed in her seat. His pale gaze travelled up and down her curves, wondering what he should do to her to turn her frown upside down. Naturally, he had plenty of ideas but none of them were entirely appropriate at the moment. But, that would soon change.

When Jessica stayed silent, he laughed to himself. She had no idea. “I’m surprised you even care, darling. Valentine’s Day is a consumerist idea made up by companies who want to shove heart-shaped sweets and chocolate down everyone’s throats.”

Jess finally broke and unravelled her arms. She smoothed a stray hair from her fringe and gave Draco her award-winning smile. “That’s not the only thing people are shoving down their throats on Valentine’s Day, is it?”

Draco scoffed and grinned at the innuendo. She had returned. He nodded and leant back on his chair, making the legs creak. “No its not. Is that why you’re upset?”

“If your inferring that I want something shoved down my throat then you are clearly misinterpreting my hilarious jokes, sweetheart,” she told him and grabbed the champagne glass. She glanced over his shoulder and saw Narcissa and Lucius making conversation with a few ministry officials. “How long are we staying here for?”

Draco arched an eyebrow and fiddled with his top button. “Not long. I’m bored.”

Jess could have cheered… but she didn’t. “Ok, because so am I. Isn’t there somewhere else we can go?” she wondered, dropping her anger for a second and Draco’s mischievous smile returned for the shortest of seconds.

“What did you have in mind?”

Jess fidgeted, trying not to blush. “I wasn’t implying that we-,”

“Sure,” he drawled and glanced to her untouched champagne.

“Drink up, love,” he told her and she narrowed her eyes.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because,” he traced his own glass and smirked to himself, “you’ll need the energy. Hurry,” he murmured and Jess gulped down the sparkling wine. It tickled her nose and she winced but once the final drop left her glass, Draco stood up and offered her his hand.

He smiled and grabbed her, pulling her into him roughly. “C’mon, let’s go on a quick tour of the infamous manor,” he told her and Jess laughed.

“Draco, I’ve been around the manor thousands of-,”

“Just come on,” he urged under his breath and practically dragged her from the ballroom. Jess noticed the swaying but she didn’t say a word, she simply clung to his arm and let him drag her through the entrance hall and up the stone staircase. The pictures of the Malfoys ancestors kept quiet as they stumbled past and Jess wondered what on earth Draco was doing. He was grinning to himself and caressing the arm of Jess’ he was holding. The callused fingers made shivers climb and fall down her spine, but it was a normal occurrence. Every time he touched her, she couldn’t help but quake. He had an unfathomable effect on her.

The halls were labyrinthine but Jess knew where she was. She had seen this door before, and had been through it one too many times. Draco skidded to a halt in front of his childhood bedroom and smiled at his valentine. He backed into the room alone, quickly shutting the door before Jess could even catch a glimpse of Draco’s old bedroom and she frowned.

“What the fuck?” She mumbled to herself and she waited a few seconds. No sound came from behind the door so she took a deep breath and entered.

Suddenly, flecks of red exploded in front of her and millions of red rose petals fell from every direction then they fell gracefully to the floor. Jess’ jaw dropped and she admired the extremely merry Draco standing in the centre of the room, his arms open wider than the grin on his face.

“SURPRISE!” He shouted and Jessica burst out laughing. She walked forward and kissed him slowly on the mouth, savouring the last drops of Draco’s champagne-flavoured lips. He cupped her face and deepened the kiss but she pulled away and playfully shoved his chest.

“You’re actually an asshole,” she told him and he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Yeah, but it was unexpected, right?” he guessed, feeling smug and Jess nodded.

“Obviously, I thought you had forgotten all about it. I thought you didn’t care about Valentine’s Day?” Draco frowned and slipped his strong hands around her bare neck and shoulders, stroking her silk smooth skin.

“Of course I hadn’t. You honestly think I would have forgotten that night a few years ago at our old place? You really think I forgot the Nerds-,”

“Oh shut your dirty mouth, Malfoy,” she crooned and pulled his face towards hers. His stubble tickled her cheeks but she enjoyed it as she glazed his lips with her tongue, the fruits and mint taste overpowering the alcohol. Draco groaned and abruptly pushed Jessica backwards until her back met the wall. She felt a few of his pictures and posters on her skin but she wasn’t too focused on what was digging into her back as what was in front of her was too ensnaring.

His warm hands trailed from her shoulders, along her ribs, across her stomach until he reached her hips. His fingers dug deep and he creased the expensive material of her dress. The hem was rising higher and she giggled, scratching her nails through his hair until it became an unruly mess.

His kisses grew hotter and harder, and he bit and sucked at her skin. Her neck and shoulders soon became a canvas for his red love marks, some of them resembling the rose petals around them. His fingers became desperate and he bunched her dress up around her hips, and she gasped softly. Her own hands were busying themselves with the buttons of his shirt and soon, it lay at their feet. Jessica unbuckled his belt and dropped it to the floor, liking the sound it made.

“If only teenage me knew that in a few years, Jessica Hunter would be leaning against this wall, begging for mercy,” he whispered against her neck and she smirked.

“Begging for mercy? Really?”

Draco caught her eye and unzipped her dress, “Really.” His patterned stroke released sounds from Jess that didn’t know was possible. Her spine arched and she found herself pining for her husband. They had done this a thousand times yet the sensation of lust always came as quite a surprise. She felt flustered and shaky but it was the best feeling in the world.

“Merlin’s fucking beard, Draco,” she gasped and slipped her hands into his waist band. He closed his eyes and sighed. “I told you,” he growled.

“Don’t you even dare,” she murmured and squeezed his hips, making him tense and ready. His perfect lips planted rosebud kisses on her stinging lips and he let her lace underwear pool at her ankles. She wrapped her thighs around his and held onto him tightly as he pressed her harder into the bedroom wall.

“Thank fuck for sound-proofing spells,” he grunted and Jessica laughed, agreeing with his comment. If the party-goers below their feet found out…

Their bodies moved as one, growing faster and faster, until Jess yanked on Draco’s hair and her legs turned to jelly. She trembled and he panted, coming to an ecstatic ending. He bit down on the softness on her neck and all they could hear for a few moments was their synced heavy breathing.

Jessica looked him in the eye and smiled, pecking him lightly on the lips. “Thank you for the roses,” she told him and he grabbed a handful off of the dresser beside them and threw it into her face, making her laugh.

“You’re welcome.”