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WITH VICTORIA BEING EXCUSED FROM CLASSES, SHE HAD MUCH WORK TO CATCH UP ON. the nightstand beside the girl's hospital bed with filled with textbooks and papers sticking out from each and every direction.

     "are you coming?", draco suddenly asked as he fed the girl some spaghetti bolognaise.

     victoria momentarily stopped writing her essay as she then continued without even glancing up at the boy.

     "to?"

"the quidditch game of course", draco said as if it were the most obvious thing ever.

"if you save me a seat", victoria smoothly replied as the girl finally finished her essay.

"hm".

victoria then stacked the essay in her potions textbook, sighed as she just plopped back against her bed. the girl was finished with her work and that was that; no more working.

"can you...stay?", victoria mumbled as draco stood up.

before the boy had left, he raised a brow as he sighed, putting the plate of unfinished food beside the girl's hospital bed.

     though the girl has been missing class, draco had been feeding her and making sure she ate every meal, even if he was slightly late for his next class.

     draco sat back down as he stretched his hand towards the girl's face, gently caressing it as victoria just smiled, closing her eyes.

the girl leaned her face towards draco's warm hand, making him internally conflicted.

unconsciously, the boy's hand turned to where the back of his palm had carelessly graced the girl's rosy lips.

victoria held the boy's hand as she pressed a small kiss against the back of his hand, sliding down more as she felt draco's hand run across her face and up to her hairline.

draco brushed victoria's baby hair away from her face as he waited for the girl to eventually fall asleep.

the boy wasn't sure what to feel to be honest. one moment she's pushing him away, breaking up with him, and another, she's desiring his presence.

it was as if she was playing him; it was as if this was just a playdate to her.

though he couldn't resist glancing at her when he was with other girls, he couldn't just leave her to wither in pain in the dark halls. he couldn't just abandon her when she needed him the most, even though that was exactly what she did.

draco just quietly let out a sigh as he internally cursed himself for coming back to victoria once again. and when he saw the girl hold onto his hand while asleep, he couldn't help but want more.

"fuck", he muttered beneath his breath.

•♛•

"I see you're feeling better", harry commented as victoria simply just nodded.

     "I'm here to watch draco today", victoria genuinely smiled, too tired to even fake it anymore.

     "should we meet at the astronomy tower tonight then?", harry whispered, to which victoria had agreed.

     the boy then hastily left as he had no business watching the slytherin versus ravenclaw match. harry had better things to concern himself with, such as the horcruxes. victoria sat beside luna, who had willingly joined the girl for the game and brought some snacks for victoria to munch on, much to her delight.

     "CAPTAIN OF THE SLYTHERIN TEAM, DRACO MALFOY!"

     the crowd behind victoria went wild as the girl just watched the proud boy enter the field with the firebolt that she had promptly given to him, as she had no use for it anyways.

     "cookie?", luna offered, to which victoria gladly took one from the bag.

"say luna, if you were to hide your most prized possessions, where would you hide them?", victoria casually asked.

victoria always quite valued the girl's opinion, as luna was not only a ravenclaw, but one that understood more than what the common person would.

the girl's thoughts were out of the box, exactly what would aide victoria in opening her mind.

     "mm...places that would probably mean a lot to me", luna answered, making victoria ponder.

voldemort was a cruel man. victoria wasn't sure if anything truly mattered to him, or if any place was specifically special.

     'perhaps the orphanage? no no...he seemed to despise that place. plus, he wouldn't be foolish enough to hide a horcrux amongst the muggles. but what if—'

"oh look, draco caught the snitch", luna pointed out, making victoria look up at the boy.

     indeed, draco malfoy proudly lifted the snitch up as he grinned, glancing over at victoria, who just gave him a smile and a small nod.

     the boy then hastily reached victoria, who was still in the stands with luna as nearly everyone filed out of the stadium.

"well?"

"hm? you did splendid", victoria complimented as she stood up, causing draco to instinctively support the girl by grabbing onto her arm and waist.

     "only splendid? not charming? not fantastic, tremendous, or magnificent?"

victoria let out a small chuckle.

"yes you did all that. you went above and beyond", victoria said as the two started to walk away, with luna beside them.

     "oh, and thanks for coming to the game with me luna", victoria smiled as the girl just smiled back.

     "I'll be going now. see you two later then", luna waved as she skipped towards where victoria had assumed the library.

"in that case, I suppose I'll head back to the hospital wing. see you lat—"

"victoria", draco interrupted, making the girl hum in response at the boy's sudden change in tone.

"is it true?", the boy questioned, making victoria confused.

"what is?"

"you're meeting with potter tonight? at the astronomy tower?"

"how'd you—"

"so it is true huh", draco scoffed. "I knew it. I should've known from the very beginning. you were just earning my pity and using my feelings so that you can meet up with someone else. AND POTTER AT THAT!!"

"no, draco, listen! I'm meeting with him because we—"

"shut it! I don't need to listen to your lies anymore. just leave me alone", the boy huffed as he swiftly walked away, only to be stopped by victoria herself.

     "please draco, it's not what you think! I haven't been with anyone ever since our breakup. please believe me! nothing is going on between us!!", victoria cried, looking more desperate than ever.

draco felt his heartstrings tug at the sight. he had strongly persuaded himself to just walk away, just don't care, just let her fall down to her knees and wallow in tears.

but he couldn't no matter how hard he tried.

"please believe me draco", victoria whimpered out, holding tightly onto the boy's hands.

"then let me come alon—"

"NO! I-I mean..."

"you have nothing to hide right? then let me come along", draco bargained, making victoria simply just sigh.

she supposed that it'd be fine as long as he didn't know the whole story. that is, if her and harry could keep it to themselves with draco present.

"fine, but you must not speak of this to anyone else", victoria murmured.

"what time?"

"midnight tonight. I'll come by your dorm".

draco nodded as he wiped the girl's tears off her face, choosing to believe in her just this once.

"if you lie to me, the entire school should know of this", draco threatened as he hastily left, leaving the girl alone on the grassy field.

victoria simply closed her eyes as she felt the air around her gently blow against her face.

it has been a while, a long while, since she has felt this terrible.

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