16

I spent the next few days by my mothers side. I felt almost guilty about what happened to her. I know it wasn't necessarily my fault but I still felt the need to be with her.

It was also Christmas Eve which meant the party was tonight. I wasn't really in the mood for it, but I remember Daphne saying she was coming and that it was a small gathering so I'm sure it won't be too bad.

After taking my daily walk in the garden with my mother, where she hounded me about how Draco and I were doing, I decided to go get ready.

When I walked into the bedroom Draco was already there, looked to be reading a book. He turned and looked at me.

"I'm sorry who are you?" He asked with a small smile.

"Ha. Ha" I gave him a glare.

"I seem to be missing my fiancé you haven't seen her anywhere have you?" He closed his book and got up. He was making jokes about how I spent all my time with my mother for a few days. How funny.

"No she probably ran away. Couldn't be bothered with you anymore" I said shrugging.

"Figures" he said with a smirk. "If you see her, tell her I miss spending time with her" he said with charm.

"I'll be sure to let her know" I gave him a wink trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. I walked to the closet pulling out a red dress.

"Tired of black?" He snickered behind me. When I turned he was leaning against the bed.

"You have no idea" I started to walk to the bathroom but was stopped by his hand on my arm.

"You know it's not your fault right?" I didn't look back at him. I just nodded.

"I hated seeing her like that. I just... part of me wishes it was me instead of her" I muttered. He walked in front of me forcing me to look at him.

"There no point thinking like that when it comes to him. You'll drive yourself crazy... trust me. I've been there." I just nodded and continued to the bathroom to get ready. I didn't realize how long I was taking until Draco knocked.

"The party already started, what are you doing in there?" He yelled through the door. I opened it, ready to go.

"I was just taking my time" I muttered.

"You a bit nervous?" He chuckled.

"Just not really in the mood" I shrugged.

"Come on, we'll have fun. Promise" he gave me a smile and put his arm out for me to take. I slipped my arm through his as he brought me to the staircase.

This was not a small gathering. There were people milling about at the bottom of the stairs. Most of them I didn't recognize, some I did from school. That's when I saw

"Daphne" I whispered under my breath. A smile grew on my face. I pulled Draco with me down the stairs and attacked her in a hug.

"Y/n! I missed you!" I squeezed her tight

"I missed you too! You didn't write me!" I said pulling out of our hug. Her smile faltered.

"It's been... busy.." that didn't sound good.

"Busy?" She looked behind me to see Draco standing over us. We both looked at him.

"I'll go find Blaise" he whispered leaving us alone. I pulled her into the main room and off to the side.

"My parents and I have been fighting... a lot" she said. "They tried to set me up with some 40 year old" she gagged.

"What the hell" I muttered.

"Yeah.. so I've just been trying to get out of it. They have pretty much taken away all my 'privileges' including writing letters to friends." He face fell so I gave her another hug.

"I'm sorry. I wish there was more I could do." I rubbed her back to try and comfort her.

"It is what it is. I'll keep fighting them until I'm out of school. Then I can move out and be with Katie you know." I gave her a soft smile as we pulled out of our hug.

"A light at the end of the tunnel" she smiled back.

"Yeah exactly." She then continued to ask me about my break so far, I told her every detail. And she hooked on one thing I didn't think she would of all the things that have happened. "So you two are getting closer then huh?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yeah. You were right he can be an ass sometimes." I turned to see him talking with Blaise. We made eye contact and he smiled at me. "But he's actually been really great through all of this." I sighed turning my attention back to her.

"Mhm" she smirked.

"What?"

"Oh nothing." She walked past me towards Blaise and Draco, Blaise pulled me into a hug.

"Good to see you again Avery, keeping Draco in line I assume?" He asked

"Trying my best" I said with a laugh.

It was nice to catch up with them. It felt like we were back at Hogwarts which put a warmth in my heart. That is until another piece of my Hogwarts experience came up to Daphne and I while we were alone.

"Did Draco come to his senses and finally leave you?" Pansy smirked at me. I just gave her a fake smile.

"You're such a charmer Parkinson" I said sighing. She rolled her eyes and walked away from me, and up to Draco. I groaned loudly. "I hate her" I muttered.

"Who doesn't" Daphne giggled.

As the night started to slow down, Daphne had to leave. I gave her the biggest hug goodbye before she left. "See you at Hogwarts?" She nodded and left. My heart dropped slightly knowing she was going back to a toxic home.

"Pansy seriously back off." I heard Draco snap.

"Oh come on baby, you know I can please you more than she can" her high pitched voice tried to say seductively. I turned to see her pushing herself against him. He was trapped against a wall. I walked over to them.

"Is there a problem?" I asked looking at her.

"Yeah you just showed up" she scoffed.

"Pansy no one wants you here just leave. I'd like to spend time with MY fiancé" I gave her a glare. She didn't budge. I grabbed Draco's hand and dragged him away from her. I pulled him into a room that ended up being the kitchen.

"You're hot when you're jealous." he said with a smirk.

"I'm not jealous" I lied.

"Whatever you say love, but it's a good look on you." his smirk was as big as ever. I rolled my eyes and started walking around the kitchen. "You need a drink?" He asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" At those words he grabbed a firewhiskey out of a glass cabinet and popped the cork. Handing me the bottle. I took a swig, as the contents burned my throat. He took a swig right after me. After a few shots I could feel myself becoming more loose.

"I really hate that girl" I said jumping up to sit in the counter. Draco laughed.

"I could have never guessed." He said bringing the firewhiskey to me, we had already made it a quarter of the way through the bottle. He handed the bottle over and put his hands on either side of me on the counter. Watching me take another gulp. The burning had stopped after the 3rd shot I took. I put the bottle in my lap. Draco was looking right into my eyes, with an amused expression.

"Are you drunk enough to admit you were jealous?" He raised his eyebrows. Without thinking I answered.

"Yes of course I was" I squinted my eyes at him.

"Interesting" he took the bottle from my hands.

"What like you've never been jealous?" I slurred.

"Course I have. Those damn letters made me rage." His expression got angrier.

"Hm I see." I leaned in closer to him and whispered. "Jealousy is a good look" We were inches from each other, if one of us moved forward in the slightest our lips would touch. The alcohol in my stomach was hiding the butterflies I would've felt in this moment. I grabbed the bottle from his hands and pulled away from him to get a swig.

"You drive me crazy y/n" he was smiling at me. Taking his hands off the counter. I jumped down, loosing my balance slightly but Draco caught me while trying not to laugh too hard.

"We should get to bed." I said through a giggle.

"Yeah you're wasted" he laughed at me. I smacked him gently before starting to stumble off to bed. Before I knew it I was being carried over Draco's shoulder since the halls seemed to be empty at this point. Before he dropped my on the bed. I laid there for a moment before propping myself up on my elbow.

"Thanks for the ride" I said sarcastically.

"Anytime" he gave me a wink before taking off his suit jacket. He was starting to unbutton his shirt when I got up myself. I was fumbling with the zipper of my dress and I heard him laugh. "Here let me" he walked over and I felt his hot breath on the back of my neck. His warm finger grazed my back as he unzipped my dress slowly. I stood there in shock for a moment, feeling as though I've sobered up from his touch. He shoved a shirt into my arms taking me out of my daze.

"Turn around" I glared at him he put his hands up to surrender and turned covering his eyes. I ripped my dress off and put on the shirt. I could tell it was Draco's because the sent of him filled my senses as I put it on. I climbed into bed after and he turned back around.

"You're not allowed to look either" he said pointing at me. I brought my hands to my face as I heard him start to undress. My drunk self separated my fingers to take a peak but I only saw him shirtless before he shouted "Hey! No peeking!" I closed them quickly again trying to hold in my laugh. I felt a weight come onto the bed and pull my hands down from my face. "You're a cheeky drunk" he whispered, amused. Before letting me go and getting under the covers himself. My eyelids started falling as soon as my head hit the pillow.

"Goodnight Draco" I said through a sigh.

"Goodnight y/n"

I raised my knee to get more comfortable and I was close enough to him where my foot grazed his leg. I felt his hand move to my leg, gently caressing my knee. His thumb started brushing back and forth as I drifted off.