Sleeping Beauty
The best part of not being the heir of your family was that you could lay down in your bed and nobody gave a damn. At least, that is what Abraxas Malfoy thought while lying on his bed doing nothing. His summer holidays consisted in this routine: eat, sleep, rehears and repeat. He would check his correspondence every once in a while, but what was the use? All the letters of all those poor girls that promised him eternal love, family and a wild night he wouldn't forget... What was it all for when the only girl that he cared about didn’t even look in his way? He never actually cared about a girl before. But now, his heart beat at the rhythm of Druella Rosier.
Maybe it was because she was playing hard-to-get. He understood, of course, Druella was engaged officially. He didn’t have the right to woo her. But he knew when a girl liked him and he could feel this was the case. It wasn’t because she ignored him, it was in the way in which she did such thing. The way she avoided eye contact. The way in which she would talk to him with no tone in her voice. Even the way in which her handwriting appeared in the vague letters that she wrote.
“There it is!” he exclaimed to himself when he saw her owl tapping on his window.
You have to come! Everyone will be here. The letter read. It will be the best party of your MOTHERFUCKING life! Please... Drue.
Well... with so much insistence, he had to go. Actually, he already was going to the party. He just wanted her to beg a little. Plus, he liked how she had let herself go in the letter. Getting ready was hard, as he wanted to dress to impress, but also look like he had grabbed the first thing he had found in his closet. After the preparation, he used the Floo Network to arrive to the Black’s beach house in Hastings. He was elegantly late, as most of the teenagers were already drinking and enjoying themselves. It wasn’t difficult for him to nice that none of his usual crowd was there. Similar to the crowd in that Hufflepuff party, in which he had sneaked into just to make a move on Druella.
“Ladies” Abraxas said when he found both Druella and Bella standing in one of the party corners.
“Brax! What are you doing here?” his friend asked him.
He knew that what she really meant was who invited you.
They were close, very platonic friends, but they would never share the same crowd that was for sure.
“Druella invited me” he smiled at the lovely girl standing next to his friend.
“Hello, Abraxas. 'Thought you weren’t gonna make it” she spoke without even stammering.
“I couldn’t miss The Best Party of My Motherfucking Life, as you described it” he grinned at her and she blushed.
Oh, she looked gorgeous with a little bit of colour in her cheeks. Apparently, Bella found this completely odd, but she didn’t bring it up. She still looked quite pleased with the interaction she had just witnessed.
“Well, I’m gonna grab another drink” Ofelia found her way out of their war of stares. “'Glad you came, Brax. Bye-bye, Drue” she winked at the curly girl and then left them alone.
With all of her to himself, he took a moment to appreciate her figure. How come no one had noticed how beautiful she was? Well, maybe they had, but they weren’t as stupid as he was to try and make a move.
“Would you stop staring at me?” she remarked, still with her cheeks blushing. “It’s rude.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean to be rude” he apologised. “I just can’t stop admiring you.”
“Don’t think that I don’t know what you’re doing” she rolled her eyes. “Let me tell you I’m engaged and you aren’t going to get it.”
“Why did you invite me then? You know I like you” he raised his voice a little bit. “And what is that thing that you think that I’m trying to get from you?”
“My virginity.”
Oh, now he was angry.
“Am I that transparent?” he said bitterly. “Yes, Druella, I came here just to fuck you. No other reason. Very clever.”
He turned around ready to leave. Why would he assume this would work?
“Wait” she grabbed his elbow. “What am I supposed to believe? You are into me because I don’t shake my tail every time you appear.”
“Why, yes, but-”
“I like you” she confessed. “I do, but I have a promise to fulfill.”
“I’m not trying to get you” he confessed as well. “I just want to... spend time with you... because I like you as well.”
“Can we... spend time together... now?”
“I would love that.”
Abraxas wasn’t sure what had just happened, but he was delighted as he guided the girl into the improvised dancefloor. Although women weren’t really allowed to inherit their own money, Druella Rosier was the heir of her family. After her father had died poisoned in his own house, her life had changed upside down. Her mother, Adelaide, had taken control of all her moves and life choices to protect her and her sisters from the media and the vultures. Since she had a use of reason, she knew she was supposed to marry Cygnus. It didn’t matter how much he sickened her. The night of her engagement, her mum sat her down to discuss why she had tried to run away from her destiny.
Druella wasn’t surprised when her mother confessed that she had never liked her husband. That was an understatement. And although she didn’t want that for her life, she had to recognize that love just wasn’t for her.
“What are your plans when you finish school?” she tried some small talk while they danced.
“Probably work at Gringotts” he responded. “Bella is always talking about how we have to solve the bloody issues that are in there.”
“Wow!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know that you wanted to work.”
“I’m not a silly, rich, little boy, Drue” he grinned. “I’m full of surprises.”
“Sure.”
“What about you? What are you doing after school?”
“Get married.”
Ouch! He wasn’t sure what to respond to that. He knew she was a tough nut to crack, but why did she had to be so hard on him. Why couldn't she at least try?
“Sorry, that’s the answer I’m supposed to give”
She wanted to open up. It didn't matter how hard it was for her.
“What is the real answered then?”
“I want to be a healer” she confessed.
“I think you’d be an amazing healer.”
“Shut up.”
“Really!” he insisted. “If I ever break my arm, I know that I'll look for you.”
“Why would you break your arm?” she laughed.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Ahh!” Druella jumped when she felt a cold liquid going down her spine.
“Oh, I’m so sorry” a drunk girl apologized with her empty glass in her hand.
The Slytherin girl took a deep breath to control her anger. Her whole back was covered by whatever alcoholic beverage the girl was having. So, she walked away to change her clothes, while Abraxas followed her upstairs. She was at the guests' dorm, which she was sharing with Ofelia. The room had two beds and a walking closet that she entered to get changed.
“I’ll wait here” Abraxas indicated sitting in Druella’s bed. “Are you going to sleep?”
“It’s late. I’m tired” she smiled when she came out of the closets wearing her nightgown.
“You are a grandma” he declared lying in the bed.
“Yes” she admitted. “Look, it was nice having you. I spent quite a good time.”
“You’re kicking me out.”
“I don’t mean it like that...”
“But I should go” he concluded.
“Yeah, probably” she agreed lying next to him.
He didn’t stand up though, he just lied there smiling and admiring her eyes.
“Has anyone ever told you that you have amazing eyes?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what I like about you so much? That you’re sincere over everything.” She couldn’t help by laughing. “I’m telling you: your sincerity and your eyes. That’s what I love about you.”
“Wow, maybe the L-word is too much” she stopped laughing.
“Sorry” he whispered. “I just can’t stop saying nice things about you” he confessed, as sleep started to win both of them. “You should try it, saying nice things.”
“About you?”
“Whatever you want, baby.”
“I... I like how your hair is always shiny and silky” she confessed. “I like how kind you are behind that cocky attitude you pretend to have.”
“I’m cocky?”
“You pretend you are” she confirmed it and he laughed with his eyes closed. “And I love that you insist so much to get my attention.”
“Yeah, I’ve been trying really hard” he whispered almost falling asleep. “But only because I liked you for a while and it really made me sad that you’re getting married with someone else. I guess that since we were little kids and me and the boys would talk about our dream wives, I always pictured you by my side. I’m sad that I was slow enough not to court you before.”
“I don’t love Cygnus.”
“I know. That is why it hurts so much” he explained, but only heard a soft snore in return. “Drue?”
She had finally fallen asleep. Merlin, he was so hooked he even liked how she was a heavy breather. He found it adorable. He couldn’t resist to give her a little peck in the lips, even if she wouldn’t know that they had have their first kiss ever that exact night.