It angered her. Isla felt so provoked by the manners both of the boys carried. Never in her life had she been through anything similar to this.

With Cedric — it was easy, calm. She didn't have to bend herself inside out for his pleasure, she simply did what she wished to do, and he was happy about it.

But not them, no.

They preyed on her as if her whole existence was for their own pleasure. They toyed with her and threw her away as soon as they felt done with her.

Isla didn't care that Theodore's family would disapprove of her. It wasn't a matter she'd be insecure about because she knew he wanted her. He craved to be with her, and that was all that mattered to her.

But not to him. He didn't think it was worth it, and then he left — he walked away from her as if nothing had ever happened between them, and it caused her eyes to tear up and her mind to cave every time she thought about it.

While Draco wouldn't do a thing, he didn't look at her apart from when he wished for her to do something. He didn't respect her in the slightest, yet it felt like a thunderstorm inside her chest as if she craved answers from him.

It drove the girl mad, insane, almost, that she in no reality was capable of wrapping her head around all of it.

The days turned darker, and the wind cooled as the weeks since Theodore left passed. Two weeks and three days, she counted the time, and it didn't make any sense to her why she kept track of it.

She just did.

It felt good, feeling like she had some sort of control in the oblivion.

She was sitting in the window of her room, on the sill with her books in her lap and her quill as she fiddled with in between her fingers.

The late autumn sun trapped her attention for a mere minute, consuming her so deeply that she didn't hear the girl walking into their room.

Ava didn't spend any time in there anymore. She stayed with Blaise and only entered when she wished to get something, but she always made certain that Isla wasn't there when she did.

Flinching by the sudden sound of a squeaky drawer as it opened, Isla snapped her neck, looking at the girl hunched down over her dresser. A strange silence trickled them, and they looked at each other from afar.

''I was just—'' Ava mumbled, standing tall on her feet, gesturing towards the drawer filled clothes, ''I was just getting some clothes, I'm sorry if I—''

''No—'' Isla breathed, her wide eyes hooded again, ''It's alright, I wasn't expecting you, that's all.''

Ava hummed, clenching her fingers around the fabric of the green shirt she was holding, and it turned quiet again. Neither of them had anything to say to the other — the fight they had spoken loudly enough for the both of them.

''Isla, can we—'' Ava spun around, her eyes flickering over the girl seated on the window sill, the sun glimmering across her hair, ''I heard about Theodore, and I'm so sorry—''

Feeling as her forced smile faded, she peered down onto her lap, her eyelashes suddenly heavy, ''What about Theodore?'' Isla mumbled quietly.

Flopping down onto her bed, next to the window, Ava sighed, expressively, ''That he left... Blaise told me.''

Isla nodded, still not looking up at her friend, ''He did,''

She didn't know what else to say to that. He did leave, and he had failed to reach out to her ever since.

''I'm sorry about that. I heard you two got pretty close and... I'm sorry he left,'' Ava lowered, her fingers stroking along with the cover of her bed, ''Apparently, Malfoy is taking it hard too, I know you guys had some... things going on, but they're still best friends, and Blaise found him passed out in the common room the other day.''

Isla's sight snapped to Ava's, and a frown climbed her, confusingly, ''What? When?''

''Two days ago, he'd been drinking a lot again, and he told Blaise he's upset with Theodore leaving, he didn't say a thing to Malfoy before he left, not to anyone. Draco said he was in detention one night, and then he wasn't,'' Ava informed, "All he got was a note on his nightstand."

She shook her head, feeling so guilty that it made her jaws clench. Her insides wrenched, ''He said—'' Isla swallowed, ''I didn't mean—''

''I know,'' Ava said, nodding her comfort from a distance. She usually did that, ''I know you didn't. It's not on you. If he left, that's his choice to take responsibility for, not yours.''

''I don't want anyone to be upset,'' Isla shifted around, her legs hanging over the ledge, ''I didn't want this, I didn't mean to come between them—''

''I know, and you didn't,'' Ava sounded upset for her friend, wishing that she could to more than just talk to her, but somewhere along the weeks Isla and Ava didn't talk to each other, she realized she's not that person for Isla anymore, she couldn't be, ''It's not your fault.''

''But it is, it's my fault,'' Isla indeed believed that, ''It's my fault because I didn't think about it until it was too late, I let myself just drown in them, and it's not fair...To anyone.''

''So did they...'' Ava disagreed, propping herself up on her elbows, ''I don't think you can blame anyone with this, not when feelings are involved. You can't help what you feel, Isla.''

Pushing her lips together, Isla's sight grounded, staring at her feet as they swayed over the floorboards, ''I know, it's just hurtful, knowing that everyone is hurting right now.''

''A lot of people are. It's not just you. Everyone got two choices, and everyone is confused. No one really knows what to do.'' Ava huffed, bowing her head at her friend, and she stood up again, ''It's a strange world we're living in, Isla, all we can do is live with it, accept it, and you know...''

''Yeah,'' She said, gripping the wood with her fingers and shoving herself off the sill, ''I know,''

Ava lingered for a mere minute, waiting if her friend wanted to say something more, but she didn't, ''Well, I better go before Blaise cuss me out for being late.''

Chuckling as she nodded, Isla leaned her lower back against the wall, ''Then you better do that. I'll see you around, I guess.''

''There was something else I meant to ask you,'' Ava spun around in the doorway, her face mantled in a doubtful look, ''I don't know if it's bad timing—''

''Just ask me,'' Crossing her arms and raising her chin, the warmth of the last loops of sun heated through the window, ''It's alright—''

''I am moving in with Blaise,''

Blinking quickly, Isla stared at her, wide-eyed. Shocked almost.

''Oh?'' She mumbled, and she looked away, not really against the idea of Ava and her not living in the same room anymore, ''Well, if that's what you want—''

''But that means Leo needs to switch rooms, and I was meaning to ask you—''

Ava was hewed off by Isla nodding rapidly, ''Of course, he can stay in here.''

Isla couldn't help but feel hurt by Ava, wanting to switch rooms, but at the same time, she wasn't. It would be better for her to live with Leo, they had always got along better, and their dynamics matched ultimately.

''I didn't know how to ask you—'' Ava half-whispered, ''I know we had a fight, but that's not why I'm—''

''It's alright,'' Isla forced a smile, her eyes dragging across the room, not looking at her friend anymore.

It made Ava sigh out loudly as she took another step back, ''I want to be with him, that's all. Thank you for understanding,'' She said before slipping out in the hallway and closing the door after her. Leaving Isla confused behind.

_____

She spent the rest of that night in the Astronomy tower, gathering her thoughts and breathing in the well-needed peace she craved, and as she walked back, she hoped that her friend would be done moving out her things.

Isla didn't want to disturb them as they moved Ava's things to Blaise's room, and Leo settling his belongings in her room. She just wished to get it over with so that she could go to bed.

Her eyes were heavy, and her mouth tasted dry as she strolled her way through the late-night, back to her room, and with a twitch of her wand, she unlocked the door, shoving it open, and she gasped.

The look of Mila, on top of Leo, completely exposed in his bed, caused her to choke on the breath she was inhaling.

''What the—'' Isla shouted, turning around and cursing to herself underneath her breath, ''Leo, for God's sake, this wasn't what I meant when I said you could move in here!''

''Fuck—'' Leo muttered, throwing Mila off of him, and both of them wrapped themselves in the covers, ''We didn't think you'd be back—''

''No, because why would I possibly be going to my own room in the middle of the night?'' Isla spat out, truly bothered for what she'd walked in on, ''You know what, hand me my blanket.''

''Your what—''

''My blanket, Leo!'' She stood with her spine against them, her eyes glued to the end of the corridor, ''Just, throw it here.''

''Isla, I'll go—'' Mila sounded terrified, her breaths shallow at the embarrassment she felt drowning her from within, ''I'm sorry, we didn't—''

''Just...'' Isla sighed, annoyingly, ''Just give me my blanket, and I'll go.''

''Isla—''

''Oh my God,'' Isla was growing so impatient now, covering her eyes with the palm of her hand and turning into the room. She marched up to her bed, snatching the covers off of it, and she aimed to walk back to the doorway.

Leo forced himself off the bed, knitting the sheets around his waist, ''Isla, we're sorry—''

''Have a good night!'' She muttered before slamming the door shut behind her, and she strolled down the dormitory. Not that she was mad at them for doing what they'd been doing, but because she was tired and all the girl wished for was to sleep.

Isla dropped down onto one of the couches in the empty common room, kicking her shoes off and dragging her legs up onto the soft fabric. Huffing quietly to herself, she hauled at a pillow, resting her head on it.

She blankly stared into the sparkling fire, slowly feeling how her eyelids gave into her slumber. The sound of glister as it echoed through the large room soothed her, and she nestled up, her body heavy upon the velvet material.

Traveling across the fine line between imagination and the real world, she didn't hear the boy stumbling into the dimmed common room until he let the door slam shut behind him. Freezing in her position, she tried to make herself tiny.

She didn't want anyone to catch her down there at the late hour, not like this, tired and tucked in her sheets. Hearing her heartbeat as it swelled in her ears by the steps severely striding past her, she held her breath.

Not exhaling until she heard the person walk up the stairs. Isla turned around, facing the backrest of the couch, and she closed her eyes again. Trying to calm herself, and just as she did — she felt someone hovering over her.

Not daring to open her eyes, she stayed still, her skin shuddering as she sensed her cover being readjusted over her and a familiar groan as the sheets clothing her thigh slipped off her body, revealing her skin.

Without reason, she flipped around, propping herself up on her elbows and her sight hooked in the damned ones, once more, ''Malfoy—'' Isla gulped.

He winced back at her sudden move, staring at her confusingly, ''Clarke, what the fuck?'' He gasped, his lips parted at the surprise of her being awake, ''I thought you were asleep—''

''What are you doing down here?'' She asked, her hues traveling down across his body, noticing the unbuttoned shirt, his suit pants properly fixed, ''It's past midnight—''

''What are you doing here?'' He was glaring at her now, lifting a brow and switching his attitude, ''Why the fuck are you sleeping on the couch?''

Shaking her head, she propped herself up entirely, leaning against the armrest with her legs crossed, trying not to smile at the fact that he was tucking her in, making sure she was safe and sound.

''I'm—'' Dragging a hand through her hair, she failed to realize that the fabric of her shirt had slipped down, and her collarbone was on full display for him, ''I couldn't be in my room, because Leo moved in today so him and Mila—''

''Leo did what?'' His eyes snapped from where her skin was exposed, and he shot her a severe look, ''Why would he move into your room? So what? He's staying in there now? With you? Alone?''

Isla laughed out, a shy curl on her lips as her fingers tangled in front of her, ''Yeah, he's living in my room now, and what's with the questions, Malfoy?'' She mocked, but she couldn't help to notice the mauve circles underneath his eyes and the exhausted mantle he carried, ''Malfoy, are you—''

''And what? The headmaster simply approved of this? You sleeping in the same room as a fucking boy?'' He was raising his voice now, folding his arms over his chest, ''I don't fucking think so, Clarke. You'll kick him out, or find somewhere else to sleep—''

''I'm sleeping here tonight, and for your information, Malfoy. He's my best friend. It's not what you think, so stop it, right now, please.'' Brushing strands of hair from her face, she glared back at him, ''You can't just walk in here, in the middle of the night and make demands that I kick my best friend out of our room. I know I let you get away with a lot, Malfoy, but this I won't—''

Rolling his eyes and gritting his teeth, he scoffed, slipping down onto the couch, at the far edge from hers, ''So what? You won't fuck him?''

Isla's spine shot straight at the way he was shaping his words, and a disgusted look climbed her, ''Are you completely out of your — No, Malfoy.''

Feeling bothered now, "I won't sleep with my best friend. What is up with you? From what I heard, you slept with someone before the party, so what I do, don't really concern you.''

Draco frowned, staring straight into the fireplace, ''I didn't fuck anyone.''

Isla rolled her eyes at that, shaking her head slightly, ''I'm sure you didn't.''

''I didn't.'' He stated, so gravely that it caused her neck to snap, watching him from her side of the couch, her brows knitted, ''I haven't slept with someone since Pansy.''

Pinching her eyes shut, she felt ashamed.

It turned quiet, and his head tilted, looking down at her legs as they held stretched between them and without reason — Draco lifted her ankles, shoving himself closer to her, and he settled her legs in his lap.

Something inside the blond told him to do that. To show the girl sitting next to him some humanity. He'd been ruthless with her. He knew that. And without truly knowing why, he felt bad for it.

Isla was kind to him, harsh and fair — but kind. He needed to give her a piece of that back before she got tired of him pushing her away.

''So don't say that, Clarke. Don't try to make me worse than I am.''

Blinking quickly, her brows quirked. Feeling his palms as they smoothly, nearly unconsciously stroked over her bare legs, ''I wasn't—'' She swallowed, thickly, ''I wasn't trying to make you out as a bad person.''

''Yeah?'' He muttered, and he sounded so down to her, beaten, ''Is that why you accuse me of sleeping with everyone all the fucking time? Like I'm some fucking whore—''

''I'm sorry,''

Her words caused Draco to move his head, looking back at her. His pupils darkened, yet somehow his eyes glimmered, ''What?''

''I'm sorry,'' Isla said again, bending forward, closer to him, ''I'm sorry I do that, I'm sorry I accuse you.''

She indeed felt bad for it, as he looked away, rolling his tongue along the inside of his cheek, ''I guess I can't blame you for thinking that,'' He spoke, fast and coldly, ''But I... appreciate your apology, Clarke.''

''Oh?'' She felt a shy curl on her lips, peering away from him as well. Both of them plainly stared into the fire, and they remained there for moments, quietly next to each other.

Isla couldn't help but sneak a look at him from time to time, scanning his side profile — the sharp jaw, his Adam's apple as it poked out, his eyes staring intensely into the flames, and his hair, growing longer.

It was the first time she'd noticed that.

The blond strands fell utterly over his forehead, and she smiled to herself, shaking her head at the tickling feeling of the tips of his fingers, tracing small patterns over her legs. Isla could get used to this, even if he was rough with her. This silence and the calmness he brought and showed her — could make it worth it.

A yawn, escaping her throat, ripped through the quietness, and both of them nearly snapped out of the trance they held in, ''Well...'' She whispered, ''I should sleep and so should you, Malfoy. You look like a mess.''

Hissing at her as she withdrew her legs from him, giving him all the freedom to stand up and walk back to his room. Bending forward so that her face was close to his, she meant to shift around, to nestle back into the corner of the couch.

But he lingered. He studied her for a minute, hesitant to if he should do what he wanted to. Her breaths fanned his lips, and he licked his bottom one.

The tension grew quickly as the air thickened around them. Noses brushing against the other, and he didn't falter any longer. He couldn't. She was mesmerizing to him — Draco pushed his lips to hers.

His hand grasping at the back of her head to keep her close to him as he kissed her, ''Or—'' He mumbled into her mouth, moving his lips along with hers, ''Or you can sleep in my room, you don't have to stay— fuck—''

His hands gripping her waist, and he pushed her back, feeling as he lowered himself over her. Her thighs spreading wide for him to be nearer.

"Fuck, Clarke—" He muttered, kissing her so deeply, his hands slipping underneath her shirt, feeling her skin against his palms, "You are so fucking addicting—"

Isla shook at that, her nails clawing at his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair, pulling him close, "Mhm—" She hummed, melting right into him.

She couldn't stand against it. He was just as addicting to her.

Sensing his tongue as it battled hers. His hand on her jaw tensed and the other one brushing below her shirt — he ripped his lips from hers, tracing wet kisses down her cheek, over her throat, right to the brim of her shoulder.

His skin heated as his fingers pathed down her waist, over her thigh. He bucked himself closer, lowering over her and tensing his touch.

She moaned out softly, feeling his throbbing erection as it strained against her.

Isla's nails scratching down his clothed back, and it felt as if ice-cold water poured over him. Draco pulled away, letting go of Isla all together not to lose himself in her.

He couldn't afford that.

Heaving as her chest fell and rose heavily, she looked at him, so confused, but she didn't say a word. She waited for him to do so.

''If you want to, I mean—'' Gritting his jaws and he drew a deep breath, ''I don't like you sleeping down here, all alone. And there's an empty bed in my room if you—''

Isla screwed her eyes shut for just a second, attempting to gather her thoughts and say yes.

Say yes.

Say yes.

Say yes.

''No—'' She breathed, still feeling the taste of him on her lips, ''I don't want to bother you, and I'm fine, sleeping down here.''

He nodded, and even if he meant to hide it — Isla saw just how much her answer troubled him as he pushed himself up on two feet, his fingers tugging at the collar of his shirt.

''Good night, Clarke.'' He muttered, seriously again, and that soft tone in his vocals had blown away. He was upset with her, she could tell.

So was Isla. She was so displeased with herself for saying no, for not trying to give the blond the benefit of the doubt, and for not putting herself on the line just to see how he'd be with her. Hearing as Draco's steps echoed further away, she sighed out.

Panic flashed through her, and she, without reason, flew off the sofa, standing next to it, ''Wait, Malfoy—''

He halted, slightly peering over his shoulder, ''What?'' He snapped rudely, but she didn't mind.

The tips of her fingers grasped at the edges of her skirt, and she gazed at him as he turned around.

''I'd like to come with you... if the offer still stands?''

_____