Draco Lucius Malfoy (d_l_malfoy) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2016-12-20 20:39:00 |
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It had been a long week. Okay, maybe not that long. But Draco was not accustomed to the new hours being demanded of him. While he appreciated the financial gains of the promotion, Draco wasn’t as happy with the loss of free time. But his wallet was winning the argument about the use of his time. The only unfortunate part was that he ran out of time to plan for how to help Sydney learn to use her magic. Running out of time to woo her also made him decidedly unhappy. But working at the bookstore had allowed him to collect two books that he thought would be appropriate as a seasonal gift. That was what the sensible part of him had decided to buy. The other part of him - the part of him that spent a good portion of his dreams at night reliving their time in the closet - had different ideas about an appropriate Christmas present. He was attempting not to indulge that part of himself, but he sensed it would be a losing battle. So instead of dwelling on it, he collected two coffees and garnered seats for them near the fireplace which crackled with warmth. For a moment he was back in the back in the Slytherin common room, hoping to somehow find the downfall of Potthead. A smile touched the corners of his lips at the amusing thought, leaning back in his seat, legs sprawled out in front of him. That was why he missed Sydney’s entrance. *** Sydney didn't miss him, though. His white-blond hair was distinctive even if she hadn't been looking for him, and as she approached, she saw a few girls glance at him out of the corners of their eyes. A strange sensation twisted in her chest. She hurried forward to stake her claim. To the seat opposite him. “Something amusing?” she asked, having noticed his smile. Draco didn't smile much, she realized just then. There was something he did with his mouth that suggested amusement, but he didn't really smile. He was objectively quite attractive when he did that. Sydney didn't think she could be faulted for appreciating the symmetry of his face. *** Despite his healthy ego, Draco missed the fact that other girls were even looking at him. It just didn’t register on his radar, partly because he was reliving good memories and secondly because he was, as always, focused on Sydney to the exclusion of other female company. So as her voice broke through his thoughts, Draco came back to reality. His grey eyes turned to Sydney and his partial smile turned into a full on grin. “Hey there beautiful,” he said, gesturing at the free chair and the coffee sitting beside it. “Have a seat.” As she sat down, Draco commented, “I was just thinking about being back at Hogwarts. Sitting here with a warm drink and the fire… it was like being at school.” His grin slowly slid from his features. “One of the good memories.” If he was a girl, he would have sighed dramatically at that point, but he was a Malfoy so instead he merely changed the subject. “So what came up that distracted you from reading? I didn’t think that was possible.” *** Sydney reached for the coffee even before she’d fully sat down. Draco had certainly figured out what would draw her here and keep her here. Of course, she was mostly here to discuss magic - as distasteful as it was to her - but the coffee certainly helped. “Someone important from home arrived,” she explained, without going into detail. She didn’t want to get into the Moroi Court and Alchemists and their uneasy relationship. “I had to ensure her comfort and safety.” Wanting to move on, she pulled out a thick notebook and opened it up to the middle. “I made some notes on things I want to clarify,” she said. “Should we start?” *** That she didn’t share with him bothered Draco on a level that he couldn’t articulate. He wanted to be able to help, to fix things, and when she kept things so close to herself, he wasn’t able to do that. It bothered him and while he wanted to pry into why it was her job to see to this person, he didn’t. Mostly because he knew that would drive her away from him. And he couldn’t afford to lose any of the ground that he had already carefully gained. Her immediate delve right into business made Draco amused on the other hand. It was so like her - efficient and driven - keeping everything inside. The notebook made him smile and he scooted himself towards her, leaning towards her. The conversation could be had in public, but the locals might object to the topic so better to stick close. “Let us go then beautiful,” Draco said with a slight smile. “What’s first?” Mostly he wanted her to learn how to embrace her magic, but at the same time, he was greatly attracted to her because of her intelligence. “I’m curious about what your thoughts were in regards to my own about magic. I am hoping to learn as much as you do through this process.” *** “Well, it’s hard to speak of magic in blanket terms because there are so many forms of it,” Sydney began, unconsciously shifting closer to him to better show him her notes. His presence felt almost...normal now, and she stayed in that position, her head bent towards his, as she went over her findings. *** “That’s one of the best things about it,” Draco commented with a grin. “It can be so much. And yet has so many limits. One of those limits you’ve already commented on - the need for a focus of some kind. Magic without a focus, in my case a wand, is a far more difficult piece. I can do it, but it definitely requires concentration - something that isn’t always possible.” Reaching into his pocket, Draco pulled out his wand. The movement jostled Sydney’s coffee, causing it to spill over slightly onto her hand. Though he could use magic to clean the spill with ease, the number of muggles around made sure that Draco’s natural inclination to hide magic from them come to the fore. Which meant, finding a mundane method of clean up. “I’m so sorry. Let me get something to clean that up,” Draco said, standing and moving to get some napkins. Unfortunately, the petite (and very beautiful) redhead walking the same way did not see him as her eyes were glued to her phone. She smacked into Draco, spilling his coffee, which he had been holding in his hand, all over Draco’s sweater. He closed his eyes, not thrilled with the sensation. Opening them, he looked at the redhead who immediately broke into coos of apology, grabbing napkins and wiping him off. Her words were clearly audible to those around them as she combined apologies with compliments on the softness of his sweater and his fine form. Her tone was clearly flirtatious as she invited him to come with her and get a new drink so she could make it up to him. *** Sydney was still mopping up the spilt coffee when she heard the commotion. Looking over, as she watched as a conventionally attractive woman all but poured herself into Draco. She couldn't tell if Draco was enjoying it - she wasn't good at picking up on expressions in the first place, and his was particularly opaque to her. She did know, however, that she felt a tight twist in her gut, the same as she felt when she’d stepped in to see all the girls looking at him discreetly. She turned away, scrubbing the table with such intensity the paper napkins started flaking off and rolling into little pills. Who did what to Draco and how he reacted wasn’t any of her business. It wasn’t as if she wanted him, so she had no claim on him. But he really shouldn’t go for someone so…obvious. *** What Sydney missed by looking away and scrubbing the table was Draco taking the woman’s wrist and removing it from touching him. While Draco appreciated the flattery of the flirtations of the other woman and the attention, he did not like to be touched by random people - it was an immediate turn off since he was not comfortable with that. More than that, Draco did not like to be pursued - especially by overtly aggressive women. He was the pursuer and women who came on to him and expected him to return that interest immediately left him cold. The redhead may be beautiful and most men would have immediately returned the attention, but Draco did not fall into line with ‘most’. All her actions had done was solidify his interest in Sydney. Stepping back to put space between them as he released her wrist, Draco immediately negated her offer. “I don’t think so,” he answered, cool as he looked at her - all emotion repressed and the icy Syltherin in full force as he stared her down. “I’m here with my girlfriend and you are most definitely not my type. If you’ll excuse me.” Stepping around the redhead (who gaped openly - she was definitely used to most men falling over themselves with gratitude at her interest), Draco collected some napkins and went back to Sydney. “I’m sorry I spilled your coffee, do you want me to get you another?” he asked, worried he had upset her, as he handed her some napkins. *** Draco’s response was almost impossible for Sydney to miss, especially when she was actively listening to the exchange that was going on between the two of them. She didn’t want to hear it, but some strange masochistic part of her insisted on paying attention. So when he mentioned his girlfriend, her head jerked up, and she met the redhead’s glare with a confused look of her own - one she turned to Draco when he returned. “Why did you say I was your girlfriend? I’m not.” *** Those pale eyebrows raised at her question. He hadn’t realised she had been listening. It didn’t change his to decision to say what he had said, but now he had to provide an explanation that didn’t send her running away. A part of Draco was tired of this aspect of their relationship - couldn’t she just accept that there was more between them? The rest of him appreciated the challenge that she offered. “Several reasons,” Draco said, matter of factly as he made sure the spill of her coffee was all cleaned up. He’d use magic on the spill on his sweater in a bit. “First of all, it quickly got that off annoying female to sod off. Secondly, it is an easier explanation of our relationship than ‘friend’ as that would only have encouraged her to continue her inappropriate behavior.” Draco paused and then figured he was in for a penny, in for a pound at this point. “Thirdly, in my opinion, it is a better descriptor of what I would prefer as a statement of our relationship.” Now he could only hope she didn’t get up and leave immediately upon his saying that. It was a risk of a kind, especially since he doubted she was remotely jealous of the redhead - more that she was irked that he had titled their relationship with a term she wouldn’t approve of. *** Sydney didn’t understand why he didn’t just tell the woman he wasn’t interested - and the fact that he wasn’t interested released some of the tension she felt - but maybe it was one of those things that she’d never had to learn or worry about as an Alchemist. It was his last words that caught - and kept - her attention. Draco wanted her to be his girlfriend? What did that even mean? Sydney had no idea what relationships were like; how could she be a girlfriend, even if she wanted to be his? Which she didn’t. Absolutely not. She shook her head vehemently. “Draco, you can’t - no.” Girlfriends and boyfriends kissed a lot, didn’t they? And Draco was a very good kisser… She shook her head even harder. “No.” *** Well she hadn’t run out. Draco considered that a tally in the success column. Better, she’d actually appeared to be entertaining the idea. That was quite unexpected. A definite mark in the success column. “I can’t?” Draco said, looking at her. “I believe that I can want whatever pleases me. Just because it may not be true, doesn’t mean I don’t want it.” Draco leaned against her chair, his arm around the back. It was enough to show they were close, but not crowd her personal space too much. “But, why no? Do you think that I don’t want to be with you? I believe we’ve had this conversation before,” Draco continued. “You are amazingly beautiful and that is only topped by the sexiness of your intelligence. Why wouldn’t I want to be with you?” He looked at her pointedly, expecting a response. Hopefully a verbal one - not just one that involved her leaving. *** “Because…” Sydney sputtered a bit, trying to find a counter to his argument. The fact of the matter was, she’d only known that she couldn’t - shouldn’t - be with him, and she had all sorts of reasons why. She’d never thought about having to debate why he’d want to be with her. She wasn’t anything he said she was, except for the intelligent part. She wasn’t beautiful, and she wasn’t sexy. That redhead who’d come up to him - she was beautiful and sexy. Not her. But even as she shored up her arguments for why they couldn’t be together, she couldn’t help but feel a thrill of warmth that he’d chosen her over the redhead. “Because you’re a wizard,” she finally said. “And you use magic, and - and it’s evil.” *** He couldn’t help but grin slightly at that statement. “My evilness and magic use neither impede nor enhance my desire to be with you so I am not sure that qualifies as a reason,” Draco pointed out. “And while I disagree that magic is inherently evil - people are evil, not magic - I don’t believe that wielding magic has anything to do with making me like you.” Pulling back his arm from the back of her chair, Draco tucked aside a loose strand of her hair. “I’m actually more intrigued by the fact that you don’t seem to believe you are beautiful or intelligent and that those qualities would attract me - or any man for that matter,” he commented, returning his arm to the back of her chair. “Not to mention the fact that you are now ignoring your own abilities with magic, does that make you an evil witch?” he inquired, eyebrows raising pointedly. *** Sydney grimaced. “Yes, it does make me an evil witch,” she said honestly. She was fair, at least, in her opinions. “Hence my desire to learn to control my magic, so it can’t be used to hurt anyone.” She turned her head away when he tucked her hair behind her ear, unnerved by the attention. “Draco...you and me, it can’t happen. You have magic and you embrace it. I...don’t.” *** Draco shook his head. Sydney’s past must be a very interesting place. Draco couldn’t name anyone who thought magic itself was inherently evil. No object was inherently evil - people were an entirely different story. Draco knew he had done some things that some would consider evil - he merely considered them a means to an end, but he didn’t consider himself evil because of it. “There is nothing about you that makes you evil Sydney,” Draco retorted. “Not even the magic that resides in you. You are not evil.” Her last statement required more thought as a response. Draco looked off to the distance for a moment before turning his grey eyes back to her. “Can’t or won’t, Sydney?” he inquired. “Those are two different things. And just for the record, neither of those are going to change my mind about what I want.” Then he considered something and decided to test it out. “What if I stopped using magic all together?” His whole body revolted at the mere idea, but it had to be asked. “What if beliefs about magic wasn’t a barrier than you were using as a weapon to keep distance between us? What then? Because I don’t think it’s my use of magic that is holding you back. There is something else.” It was mere supposition on Draco’s part, but he sensed more to her story. She kept so much hidden - it was like magic itself - layers and layers to peel away to find the core. *** His offer had her turning back sharply to look at him, shocked. “You’d give up magic for me?” she asked, not quite believing it. Magic was power, and people didn’t just give up power. They latched onto it and grasped for more; that was entirely the reason why Alchemists existed: to protect humanity from getting access to that kind of power and destroying itself in the process. But if Draco was making the offer, if he was serious about it...then either magic wasn’t as corrupting as she’d been led to believe, or he really wanted her. Or both. Either option would shake the foundation of her beliefs. And as she tried to understand how it could happen, she just stared at him. “You’d really give up magic for me,” she repeated. Because if he could, if he would...then maybe the idea of them being together wasn’t such an impossibility. *** Though a good portion of him still was revolted at the very idea - you might as well as ask him to cut off his right arm - Draco meant what he said. He’d offered and it wasn’t something he would renege on. Okay, if it had been anyone else other than Sydney, he probably would have immediately taken back the offer. But Sydney… somehow in his mind she fell into a separate category of people he’d do just about anything for. Later he’d figure out how she managed to place herself in that category, but at the moment he wasn’t able to have that sort of introspection. Instead, he merely responded in the affirmative. “If my magic makes you that uncomfortable, then yes,” he answered, complete conviction in his tone. “I would give it up for you.” He wanted her to know that he wasn’t giving it up because it was evil or whatever she equated it with in her mind - he was doing it because he wanted to be with her. *** Unable to meet the intensity in his eyes, Sydney looked down - but her face was still turned towards him as she considered his offer. It was a big concession from him, and he was asking for something big from her in return: herself, willing to be with him. Chancing a sneak at him, she took in his classically good-looking features, so much like the Roman statues she admired, and the depth with which he looked at her. He looked at her like she was really worth giving up all that power for, and it was frightening and thrilling at once. After a long moment, she lifted her head to look at him fully. “I could get someone else to teach me magic,” she said hesitantly. “And if you’re really sure…” She licked her lips nervously. “I guess we could give it a try.” *** If Draco hadn’t already been seated, he would have promptly fallen over at her agreement. What in the name of Merlin had just happened? Somehow he’d agreed to give up magic, but in return he’d somehow won Sydney. His grey eyes assessed her as he tried to mentally fit together all the pieces of what it meant. First of all though, he wanted to make sure she understood being together the same way that he did. It was definitely not the time for misunderstandings. “Do you realize what you're agreeing to?” Draco knew he was not going to be some milktoast of a boyfriend and giving up magic was likely to make him a bit more difficult than usual. His long fingers came up to touch her face ever so gently - the faintest tremble of uncertainty in them. “This isn't something to be taken lightly. And I sense you've not a lot of … experience in this area.” He also had a great desire to refuse to allow her to have someone else teach her magic. He wanted the pleasure of seeing her learn and expanding her knowledge, but he supposed he couldn’t have it all… yet. *** His fingertips were soft and gentle on her face. Sydney reached up to cover his hand with hers, wanting a firmer touch. Now that he’d agreed not to use magic, she could allow herself to enjoy this and not fight so hard against her attraction to him. “I’m guessing there’ll be more kissing,” she said, her cheeks warming just thinking of the way he elicited such a passionate, emotional reaction from her body. “But it’s not like we’re going to get married tomorrow or anything like that.” *** His hand slid against her cheek at the press of hers and his lips curved upwards at her statement. Amusement colored his voice as he agreed, “Kissing would have to definitely be part of the agreement. You should definitely plan on that. Closets being a decided possibility.” The pleasure of that memory showed clearly on his face. “But you are correct. It will still be a slow learning process.” Draco paused and grimaced momentarily. “You’re going to have to be willing to teach me how to do things the mundane way in return.” Again he kept to himself the displeasure he felt about not getting to teach her magic. It wasn’t so much about the magic as it was the pleasure of basking in her intelligence and learning. He couldn’t help but rub his thumb against the softness of her cheek. “Are you willing to help me with that?” *** “It’s only fair,” Sydney agreed seriously, letting her hand drop back to her lap to give his more freedom to explore her face. “And...I would not be averse to more kissing.” The admission came with a small, uncertain smile. She actually wanted to kiss him right there and then, but she was cognizant that there were lots of people around. “Maybe we can start your lessons tomorrow.” *** Again her words left Draco shocked, but this time it was definitely a pleasurable kind of shocked. His lips curved upwards further as pleasure skated across his skin. The urge to find a place to go and hide away with her right this moment was nigh on irresistible. But then again, why did he have to resist the temptation? She had agreed and he was giving up a great deal - he deserved a reward. Just a little one. Leaning towards Sydney, he, ever so gently, kissed her lips before pulling back to grin at her. “We probably should since I have a sweater than now requires laundering instead of a magical solution,” he commented, still in close to her. Everything about this now felt right. The lack of magic hurt, but was mediated by her and the closeness between them. *** This time, she didn't lean away. It was freeing, in a sense, to be able to enjoy his company and his closeness without feeling guilt about it. “Fortunately, coffee stains are easy to get out,” she told him. “Just run cold water over the back of it and scrub gently. Then tomorrow I can come over and teach you how to use the washing machine.” *** Draco couldn’t actually believe they had reached this point of acceptance. It was a relief. A portion of him remained nauseous about the idea of giving up his magic, but the rest of him looked at Sydney and knew it was the right choice - hands down. And he knew, over time, she would become more comfortable with her own magic and therefore his. But that was a later problem, not a now one. Now problems involved not being in a public location any longer. As she didn’t move away from his touch, Draco continued to stroke his hand along the softness of her cheek. “That means coming to my place,” he stated and a smirk turned up the corners of his lips. “And being alone with me.” It was not magic that made Draco evil - but the possibility of getting precisely what he wanted. *** Sydney felt herself colouring again as she remembered what had happened the last time they’d been alone together. But maybe she could actually enjoy herself now, rather than be confused and guilty that she was responding so passionately to an evil creature of the night. “We can’t kiss the entire time,” she told him, attempting to set some ground rules. “The main purpose of that visit is to teach you how to do laundry without magic.” *** Her blushes fascinated Draco. Every one of them showed how little knowledge she really had about being in a relationship. While Draco had not been in many relationships, he and Pansy had done a great deal of exploration. It was one of the best things about their relationship in his mind. Which meant that he had a lot to teach Sydney. His smirk widened. So maybe he would still have the pleasure of teaching her things. Leaning towards her, his lips gently trailed across her cheek. “But I respond better to learning things when I have proper incentive,” Draco whispered in her ear. “And I have so very much to learn.” Those grey eyes sparked with delight at the mere idea. Settling back into his chair, Draco grinned. “Now, would you like to tell me about your conclusions on your magic? Or should we perhaps find a closet?” He was willing to delay his own gratification … for the moment. *** The look she gave him told him exactly what she thought of that last idea. “Focus,” she told him primly. The thought of kissing him again without restraint might be an exciting one, but they were still in public. And they'd come here for a purpose. Sydney wasn't about to lose sight of that. The rest...well, they could figure that out another time. Tomorrow. |