We meet in words | Draco Malfoy

28.

Isabella

Isabella took in her surroundings. She yawned and stretched her limbs as she rubbed her eyes and tried to remember how she got here.

In Draco's room. His arm was slung around her.

When she looked outside, she could tell it was still dark, and she was straining her eyes to see the time on the analogue clock besides the bed, not knowing why she was awake at 12:58 a.m.

Her previous night's interactions came flooding back to her after a long and hard thought.

"You don't like the way I look."

"I think you're gorgeous." She held in a gasp, slapping her hand to her mouth, trying to figure out what to make of these incoming thoughts.

As she remembered Draco almost kissing her again, she squished her flushed cheeks together to keep them from turning any redder.

"I really want to kiss you. But not like this."

"Okay."

"Okay." She took a slow breath and turned to face Draco, who was sleeping soundly besides her.

She trailed her finger along his jawline, basking in the warmth he provided her. She pressed her lips together, uncertain, not wanting to let out an excited squeal.

He thought she was gorgeous. He, too, wanted to kiss her.

A small smile graced her features as she experienced a state of complete euphoria. Is this how it felt to be wanted?

She didn't want to let go of this feeling.

But her fantasy was shattered when she felt him tighten his grip on her waist. It became more aggressive and assertive. He soon began mumbling something she couldn't understand. She wiggled out of his grip, wincing at the pain, but it only angered him more.

His eyes shot open as he turned them over, glaring at her from above. Her heart ceased to beat.

He was strangling her.

"Draco." she tried to say, clawing his hands away from her throat.

"Draco!" As he blinked, he came face to face with a terrified Isabella, the murderous stare had vanished from his eyes.

Understanding what he had just done, he jumped off her and dashed as far away from the bed as he could.

He wouldn't dare to look her in the eyes, shaking his head.

She was kneeling on the bed now, staring at him in broken fear. He most likely mistook it for outright fear of him. But she was only worried about him. And his history. The monsters who never left him alone, even when he was sleeping.

"Draco." she coaxed.

"Please come back to bed." He shook his head and raised his eyes to meet hers before quickly walking into the bathroom and slamming the door shut.

She was startled by the sound and wondered what had happened.

She waited on the bed, not wanting to press any further. She sat and watched, her hands clasped together in worry.

The only sound she heard was the ticking of the clock; otherwise, silence would have been the only scream in that room. Her eyes widened when she heard the unmistakable sound of the door unlatching before it opened.

Draco stood in the doorway, looking at her with regret and guilt.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no, no." Shaking her head, she expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation.