#damn you lucius malfoy you are such a bad father

[dragonsrule5]

AHHHHHHHHHHH MY MAURADERS/HARRY POTTER ERA IS REQUESTING TO COME BACK AND MY LOGICAL BRAIN SECTOR CANT FIND ANY VALUD REASON TO FORMALLY SAY NOOOOOOO

NOT THAT I DONT STILL LOVE THEM, BUT YOU DONT UNDERSTAND. I MY INSOMNIA LEVELS WENT UP TENFOLD IM GONNA BE A SLEEPLESS ZOMBIE AGAINNNN FDFBGTGHGG

[the-phoenix-heart]

Sorting Hat Chats - The Malfoys

Since the Malfoys have been a bit of a hot topic lately, I decided to give them their sorting post similar to what I did with the Weasleys...3 years ago??? Where does the time go??

Anyway, this is an explanation of the system I am using by @wisteria-lodge.

LUCIUS MALFOY is blatantly a Badger secondary. His methods are to make donations to people, goad Arthur Weasley into a fight so he can slip Ginny the diary, he uses blackmail against the other members of the Board of Governors, calling in favors, and when in the hall of prophecies with Harry and his gang his strategy is to talk him into giving the prophecy over. It's what makes him so effective in the first five books, but is also why once everyone knows the truth about him he is in a constant state of free fall.

As for his primary, I think it's fairly obvious that he's a Snake. He can look like a Badger, dehumanizing muggleborns and joining the Death Eaters, but that's a performance. When the chips are down, what Lucius really cares about himself, his wife, and his son. Snake Lucius is willing to get rid of every association to the Death Eaters he had, and in the Second Wizarding War is not enjoying himself at ALL. He's also clearly got that Snake hedonism to him.

NARCISSA MALFOY née BLACK is an equally blatant Snake primary, although she doesn't appear to even play the part of a Badger. Everything to her is her son and her husband (and her husband takes a backseat to her son usually). Narcissa doesn't even appear to like Bellatrix all that much anymore since Bella is a threat to her family. Down to the end her motivation is always to keep Draco safe, damn the consequences.

As for her secondary, since she's such a minor character you can probably make an argument for any of them. But I personally think she's a Snake secondary, making her a Double Snake. This is a woman who lies to Voldemort's face and doesn't get caught. Who is willing to go behind his back and make back-alley deals with someone like Snape.

I've sorted DRACO MALFOY once before with @awinterrain which you can read right here, but I would like to reiterate it and expand on it.

Draco may be the epitome of Slytherin in the books, and he may hate Hufflepuffs and think of them as "duffers," but this boy is Double Badger down to his bones. This is a boy who cares deeply about communities. He defines himself by them, first as a Malfoy, then as a Slytherin, then as a Seeker on the quidditch team, then as part of the Inquisitorial Squad, then as a death eater (which he doesn't care for). I think at the beginning of the series he's a good case for an Immature Badger primary, where he just IS the group he's into and nothing outside of this.

His Badger primary can look very insular and Snake-like, partially because pureblood culture alienates everyone outside of it, and partially because his family is so Snakey that it colors the look of his Badger primary. Idk if I would even call it a performance or a model, it's more like a flavor.

But he does start to look like a Snake primary in his Sixth Year, where he's single-mindedly focused on saving his family. That's because in Sixth Year he burns after joining the Death Eaters. And it's honestly really sad, but it's because Draco has realized his communities are toxic and not good for him. The Death Eaters aren't good, they're the reason his father is in prison and his mother is in danger. This is the year where he really stops engaging with his peers and is sort of just coasting on his former reputation.

But that Badger shine is still there, and it's in the fact that Draco Malfoy has to kill Dumbledore and cannot do it. A true Snake Draco Malfoy would probably have gone through with it, even if it he felt bad about it. Badger Draco, who spent books 1-5 shit talking Dumbledore at any opportunity, cannot do it. I think it's because 1. He isn't ready for casual murder, and 2. I think Dumbledore for Draco represents one more community that he identifies with-Hogwarts. And clearly he does care about Hogwarts (I don't think the Room of Requirement would reveal itself to him if he did).

As for his secondary, Draco is his father in miniature. Draco is a tattle tail, he has bodyguards that follow him around, he usually goads Harry into confrontations so Harry gets into trouble and Draco can have plausible deniability. What's most interesting to me though is Draco's proclivity for elaborate smear campaigns. The "Potter Stinks" badges are HIS work as is the "Weasley is Our King" song, which is very...mean badgery. Like this is his community building with Slytherin (arguably all of Hogwarts with the badges), and using his powers to bully Harry. It's funny, despite everything. He does perform Snake though, to make everything look quicker or look like his mother.

Even his methods when he has to kill Dumbledore are Badger powered. Working on the Vanishing Cabinet all year, poisoning Professor Slughorn's mead he intended to give Dumbledore, and charming Rosmerta to imperious Katie Bell. But, he still has that influence from his mom where he can lie to someone's face (though not as convincingly).

I think Draco looks at his father's Badger performance, and thus thinks they house match. And it explains why he is so wary of his father after the Death Eater reveal, since Draco has realized he does not enjoy that sort of Badger primary.

As a bonus I decided to sort BELLATRIX LESTRANGE née BLACK as well. Since for some reason the movies always advertised her as part of the Malfoys. No doubt about it she is a Lion secondary. I don't think Bellatrix has every learned the meaning of the word subtle. She never lies in the series, just blasts the truth out whenever, and is always an attack first think never character.

As for her primary, can she be anything other than exploded snake primary? Her everything is Voldemort. She doesn't really care for anyone outside of him, with the exception of Narcissa, who stopped liking Bellatrix when she became a danger to her son. I think at one point she had a Badger performance or model that allowed her to willingly marry someone like Rodolphus who she doesn't appear to like, but by the time she's going to Azkaban she doesn't care. It's honestly such a Black Family sorting. Sirius was a Snake Lion as well, and the culture of the "Noble and Most Ancient House of Black" seems to just be Snake coded in general.

So...

Lucius Malfoy - Snake primary, Badger performance/Badger secondary

Narcissa Malfoy nee Black - Snake primary/Snake secondary

Draco Malfoy - Badger primary, Immature at the start, burns in his Sixth Year, has a Snake performance or flavor/Badger secondary, Snake performance

Bonus:

Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black - Exploded Snake primary, Badger performance/model long discarded/Lion secondary

Sirius Black - Snake primary/Lion secondary

[philosogarts]

Draco always knew he was never destined for a long life. There, at that moment, while analyzing the paintings in that cursed mansion, he realized that he would carry the pains of his relatives forever. His existence had been shaped and decided by people who would never understand what it was like to be an abomination. No, they didn't know, they didn't know anything about it.

The fourth year was about to begin and the pressure to be the prodigy was in the air. The wind coming from the south blew on his face, messing up his hair. Anxiety eroded his pores, and the long-awaited day had finally arrived. Draco could swear he had waited for that moment for years. The vacation was over; it meant he could go back to being just Draco, not Draco Lucius Malfoy. It was exhausting to pretend to be someone who was not, or rather, to do things that I hated. This corroded its essence in its entirety.

Upon hearing steps approaching, Draco automatically adjusted his posture. Lucius, with his defiant look, approached him and said, without looking away: "You need to stand out, don't even consider being in second place because of a bad blood. Do you understand me? Don't make jokes. If you take a step out of the line, know that I will not hesitate to go to Hogwarts to have a little chat with you."

Draco swallowed it dry and just agreed. "Okay, Dad," he replied. He hated that word, he hated his own father, but, above all, he missed him.

Leaving that thought aside, he said goodbye to his mother. A part of him cried out to hug her and say how much he loved her, wishing she would be fine, but he couldn't, not with his father watching. So he was content with a discreet smile. He would send letters, I was sure of that.

Some time later, he arrived at the station. The relief he felt was unmizable. He felt like screaming, jumping, smiling until his face hurt. Until he felt a tug on his clothes: it was Theodore. Your best friend, your most beloved companion. The joy of seeing Theo's face after so long was so intense that Draco couldn't even think about the next step, he simply went straight into his friend's arms.

"Theo, you idiot, I missed you so much. My bones missed you, damn it," Draco said, feeling dizzy.

"Draco, my love, I felt even more. My God, I missed your hug," Theo replied with a smile, but soon his expression changed. "You grew up more than me, again."

Draco couldn't stop laughing. It was amazing, just minutes before, he could have thrown himself on the train tracks, but now he would do anything to run away with Theo. "Do you expect me to apologize for growing up, Theodore?" he provoked, having fun with the situation.

"You know I'm not going to be mad at you right now, it's a very special moment. I really missed you," Theo said with a sigh.

"I missed it too, at home everything is so... loud. I felt alone all the time."

"But you have me, you blonde."

"Oh, that's envy, I presume."

And when Draco thought that his world was finally taking color again, his blood froze. His father watched him all this time. He saw the hug. He saw the smiles. He saw everything.

Draco finally allowed himself to feel good. Sometimes the world seemed too overwhelming to bear, but with Theo it was different, it was never too much, and even if it was, it was good to hear him.

The trip continued smoothly on the way to Hogwarts. At one point, Draco decided to walk on the train with Theo.

"I swear to Merlin that I spent every vacation wishing to eat these sweets from the train," Theo said, looking at Draco with a radiant smile.

"I spent all my vacation wishing to run away, run far away, until I forgot who I am," Draco confessed this time.

"That way, you would forget me," Theo said with a fun expression.

"You know I'll never forget you."

When Draco said that, he felt like he bumped into someone. Until your world turned upside down. There he was, the magnificent Potter. His hair was still a mess, his crooked glasses were the same, but Draco couldn't explain what he felt. He is handsome, a thought screamed in his mind, and Draco felt obliged not to think about it anymore.

"Well, well, the Scar is here, in the same place as me, breathing the same air as me. It's an honor. Could you give me an autograph? I heard you're not humble at all, Potter, but maybe I can do it, right?" said Draco, feeling happier than ever.

"Shut up, Malfoy. At this point, everyone already knows that you really want an autograph of mine," Harry replied with a fun air.

"Oh, me? Spare me. You're drooling over me, Potter."

"See you around, Malfoy."

"I hope I don't see you anymore, Potter."

[decrsum]

❛ A lot can happen in a few weeks. ❜ ( from draco malfoy ) — @lightcreators CATCHING FIRE (2013) SENTENCE STARTERS

    ❝ A lot can happen in a few minutes, even. ❞ Lounging in the plush, green chair in the Slytherin common room. One leg over the other, and two fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. Tired. So damn tired. ❝ Pansy again? You two broken up yet? ❞ Draco normally never gives Mattheo the time of day. Especially if he's with his posse. So the fact that the blond golden child of Slytherin finally said some words to him, could probably mean nothing good.

    Mattheo and Draco simply did not run in the same circles, despite being in the same house. Each and every time the two exchanged looks, it was nothing but mean stares at one another. Why? Because some may say they are equally as popular and equally as bad. The Darcy family isn't exactly well-liked by most, and neither is Malfoy's. Mattheo has heard his father complain about Lucius Malfoy plenty of times.

    ❝ I will humor you this afternoon. — What's on your mind, Malfoy? ❞ Mattheo gave a sigh and straightened up his back. The way he slouched in that chair was no good for his spine and he could feel it. But he could also at the very least pretend that he cares.

[messers-moony]

He’s Safe With Me | R.B

Paring: Regulus Black X Fem!Half-Blood!Reader

Summary: A little boy brightens Regulus’ days after his brother leaves him.

Inspiration: Click & Click

Growing up always left a bittersweet taste in people's mouths. While it was nice to gain freedom and more privileges that growing up included, the new responsibilities made it bitter. It was the leaving, the stress, and the idea of putting your childhood behind you that brought the sour taste to people's tongues. 

Regulus never thought that he’d have to grow up so fast. 

The summer months were always Regulus’ favorite. They were the months that, despite everything, Sirius would come home to Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and be a resident there for the two months of holiday. Maybe during Hogwarts, they would sneer at each other and argue with one another, but at home, it wasn’t like that. 

Sirius was sixteen, and Regulus was fifteen, but that didn’t stop Sirius from taking the hits meant for Regulus. It didn’t stop him from taking the blame, so Regulus was safe. Afterward, Regulus would hear Sirius whimpering in his bedroom and silent cries. Sometimes, he’d even fall asleep outside his door, or if he were brave enough, he’d go inside and lay beside him. 

They were boys, but from the moment they were born, they had to be adults. Their childhood was stripped from them, and responsibilities piled on top of another. From the minute they were born, they had to sit straight, use proper manners, try to court girls, be charming, study, and be mature, but they were boys. They were bound to be a ruckus. 

Regulus could remember running around Uncle Alphard with Sirius when he was three. Uncle Alphard had a vast plot of land with a big house on the corner. He had cherry blossom trees planted all around the manor, and it gave the boys an area to run. When Regulus caught up to him, eventually, he’d jump on his brother's back, and Sirius always caught him when he fell. 

So why couldn’t Sirius catch him now?

He heard the window open from Sirius’ room and already had a feeling he knew what was happening. Earlier that day, he heard the shuffling of clothes and items in the room beside his own. Regulus swallowed the growing lump in his throat and opened Sirius’ door to find exactly what he suspected. Sirius had a trunk packed and head out of the window. When the door opened, he hit his head on the bottom of the window. 

“God damn it.” Sirius muttered in pain as he retracted from halfway out the window. 

“Sirius…?” Regulus hated how small his voice sounded. 

Sirius turned to face his little brother fiddling with a Gryffindor tie, tears in his eyes, “Regulus….”

“Please, wait.” Regulus pleaded softly, and Sirius wanted to, but he couldn’t, “Reg, I- I can’t. I can’t stay here anymore.” Sirius stuttered as tears filled his vision. 

Why couldn’t Sirius stay? He felt like a little boy again begging and pleading for Sirius to hold him during the thunderstorms that used to take cover of the skies. Mother always dragged him out of the bedroom, and Regulus would be left wailing begging for Sirius. Regulus would sit on his bed crisscrossed, holding a blanket close to his heart, praying, “Please, Siri, please.”

He could remember when Sirius and Regulus were forced to become enemies. Remembering when Sirius came home from his first year, he was shut in his room with multiple locks. Regulus would weep beg for him to save him from their mother and father. When the first Cruciatus Curse hit, he screamed Sirius’ name. 

“Please, Siri, you- you can’t leave.”

“Regulus,” Sirius stepped forward to cup his brother's cheek who reached just beneath his chin, “I��m sorry.”

Regulus leaned into his brother's touch, knowing it would probably be the last time, “I wanna be home….” 

“You are home, Regulus.” Sirius replied, confused but still soft and Regulus looked up at him with tears streaming down his face, “Home is wherever I’m with you….”

Sirius had tears trickling down his pale cheeks as he placed his chin on top of Regulus’ head, embracing him tightly, “Please don’t go….”

“Please. I’m begging you.” Regulus was whimpering, keening, wailing, “Siri, please.”

“It’s safer with me gone.” Sirius confessed, “You’ll be safer here. They won’t use the crucio curse on you, not with you being the only one left.”

Regulus was fisting the back of his shirt, the Gryffindor tie still in his hand, “They know that if they hurt one of us, the other one hurts more. With me gone, that leverage disappears.”

“I don’t care.” Regulus cried, “I just want you.”

Sirius kissed the top of his head and parted from his brother's tight embrace, “I love you, Regulus.”

“But-“ Regulus swallowed, “You love James more.”

Sirius didn’t answer, and Regulus let his head fall, staring at the wooden floor, fiddling with the silk tie. He felt guilty. He felt like it was all his fault. Maybe if Regulus had taken more curses, perhaps if he had been a better brother. Maybe if Regulus were strong enough to disobey his parents as Sirius did, then Sirius wouldn’t be leaving right now. 

“Perhaps not in this lifetime, but perhaps in another, I’d be able to stay.” Sirius replied solemnly, leaving Regulus’ heart to shatter like a ripped piece of paper. 

Regulus sniffled, “I guess… this is goodbye.”

“I suppose it is,” Sirius said as he approached the window again. 

This time Regulus didn’t stop him. He knew he had nothing on James. Regulus would always be second to James no matter how hard he tried. Sirius threw the trunk onto the outside ground and sat on the edge of the window, looking beneath him. He turned around one more time before leaping onto the soft grass. 

Maybe the summer months weren’t Regulus’ favorite months anymore. 

The start of fifth year was dreadful. Regulus didn’t feel anything when he approached the Hogwarts Express. It felt like half of his heart had gone and disappeared. All the compartments were full, and Regulus would have to share with someone, which worsened the experience.

He saw the Marauders compartment. It was filled with the usual four boys, but inside was a girl. She was stunning with her soft appearing hair and sharp features. She was the epitome of beauty, and she made the entire compartment laugh with a quick wit she seemed to have made. 

Regulus passed it until he found a compartment with Lucius Malfoy and Evan Rosier. He slid the door open and took place beside Evan. Both boys welcomed him in with a smile. He couldn’t help but think back to the girl in the Marauders compartment. He had seen her before, but he couldn’t place it where. 

She hadn’t changed into her robes, so it was impossible to know what house she was in, but she still looked stunning in Muggle clothing. He noticed her style was comparative to Sirius’. The black ripped jeans, the doc martens on her feet, and a tee-shirt he couldn’t make out due to the jacket she wore over it. 

They entered Hogwarts and went into the Great Hall, where everyone sat at their respected tables. Regulus couldn’t help himself but try and search for her. He was shocked when she entered the Great Hall with green and silver robes. 

It didn’t make sense. Why did she get to be included? The Marauders hated Slytherins, yet she seemed to be so close with them. Regulus was a Slytherin, and he was related to one of the Marauders, yet he still wasn’t included. His heart swelled with a sense of jealousy and envy. 

Nonetheless, she took her seat beside Leia, a pureblood with long brown hair and blue eyes. They were talking until the sorting ceremony began. The sorting ceremony was long and drawled out, but the girl looked strangely intrigued. She watched intently as a little boy with shaggy brown hair and green eyes who was introduced as Romeo L/n sat onto the stool where McGonagall placed the hat onto his head.

It pondered for a while, a maximum of two minutes, but the hat finally exclaimed, “Slytherin!” The boy smiled brightly and approached the girl. He was bouncing over to her with a gleeful smile on his face. The little boy had dimples and straight teeth. He hugged her tightly, and she kissed his cheek. 

“Congratulations, Romeo.” 

“I’m just like you, sis!” Romeo grinned. 

She smiled, “You’re just like me, love.”

“Congratulations, Ro!” Leia exclaimed, “So happy for you.”

He hugged the other girl, “Thanks, Leia.”

“C’mere, Rom,” Y/n patted the seat beside her, “Sit.”

The little boy sat beside his sister and allowed her to put her arms around his neck, holding him close to her chest, “Love you, Romeo.”

“I love you too, Y/n.”

Regulus grimaced. So she had a little brother, and her name was Y/n. Regulus looked back at the stool where first years were sitting. He glanced slightly at Sirius from across the room, who was smiling brightly as James placed an arm around his shoulders. Regulus would always be second best. 

The first few weeks of fifth-year weren’t that bad. It went smoothly, and people didn’t talk to Regulus. He was cold and snappy. It turned people away, which he was thankful for. He didn’t want people to talk to him. He felt numb and unresponsive, like he was the shell of who he uses to be. 

He was in the library with a Transfiguration book in front of him. The pages were dull, and he couldn’t retain anything he was reading. He missed Sirius’ brilliance in Transfiguration. He missed Sirius tutoring him in hidden places of the library so their mother wouldn’t curse him for low marks. 

A hand had gently tugged at his robe, and he went to snap when he saw familiar green eyes, “Um, excuse me, you’re Regulus, right?”

“Yeah, Regulus Black.” Regulus replied, hoping the last name would deter him, but the boy only smiled, “I’m Romeo L/n. Professor Slughorn said that you could tutor me in Potions.”

Romeo sat across from Regulus and plopped down his supplies, “I’m absolutely rubbish at Potions, but my marks in Herbology and Charms are pretty okay. Mum says they need work, but I’m trying the best I can.”

Regulus tilted his head, “What are your marks in Herbology and Charms?”

“I have an Exceeds Expectations in both.” Romeo muttered, “Mum says that I can do better, though.”

“Exceeds Expectations is good. That’s remarkable for a first year. You’re starting out with no knowledge. For just starting, I’d say you’re doing great.” Regulus replied. 

He didn’t know why he felt the need to comfort this boy. Maybe because he saw himself in the boy in front of him, he could hear his own mother scolding him for his Acceptable in Transfiguration in his first year. 

“Will you tutor me, please?”

Regulus hesitated, “I guess I’m not great at Potions either.”

“Y/n says your fantastic!” Romeo replied, “She talks about you quite a bit.”

“She does?”

“Mhm!” He hummed, “Used to send me letters at home talking about you.”

Regulus’ face flushed, and he gave a tiny smile, “I didn’t even know who she was.”

“She does that on purpose. She knew you wouldn’t like her because of her relationship with Sirius. They’re close friends.” 

“Have you spoken to any of them?”

“Yeah.” Romeo's smile was bright, “Sirius was the one who told me to talk to you. He said that you were nice.” 

“Sirius did?”

“Yeah, and Y/n, of course.” 

Regulus smiled; maybe Sirius wasn’t completely gone, “I’ll tutor you.”

“You will?”

“Yeah. Why not.” 

Without a second thought, Romeo had jumped up and embraced the older boy. Regulus stiffened, and Romeo pulled away with wide green eyes, “I’m- I’m sorry. I should’ve asked.”

Regulus embraced the boy again, and Romeo leaned into his touch. He felt safe in the Black boy's arms, almost the same feeling he got when Y/n wrapped her arms around him. Regulus’ embrace was soft, comforting, and sweet. Romeo could smell the broom polish from being the Slytherin Seeker, cinnamon, and a hint of sandalwood. 

Romeo gave Regulus a smile before sitting back down, and they began studying together. Later that evening, Romeo had entered the Great Hall for dinner with him. The first year smiled at him before approaching his sister at the Gryffindor table, where he took his spot beside her. 

“Hey, Rom.” Y/n greeted, “Hey, sis.” 

“Did you talk to Regulus?” Y/n asked, “Is he gonna tutor you?”

Romeo nodded, “Yeah! He’s really nice!” 

Sirius gave a subtle smile, “That’s brilliant, Romeo.”

Romeo and Regulus became quick friends despite Regulus’ reluctance. Romeo thought of Regulus like an older brother, and Regulus protected him like one. He was a target for many older Gryffindors, and Regulus would always take the hits or duel them for him. 

These actions didn’t come without consequences. Regulus’ home life got worse, and letters often came about his friendship with the other Slytherin boy. They didn’t enjoy the fact that they were half-bloods and didn’t believe in pureblood supremacy. Regulus would sit in the Astronomy tower with the letter reading it with a dry face looking at the stars. 

The door to the tower opened, and Regulus didn’t move. Their footsteps were light and patted across the concrete until they saw him. She sat beside him with her legs crossed while Regulus dangled. She saw the parchment in his hand and took it from them. He allowed it. There was nothing terrible in it other than his mother threatening to throw him out if he didn’t stop talking to that half-blood. 

She read it while Regulus stared at the night sky. Y/n placed it back down on the concrete pavement without a word. She fiddled with her hands and put them back in her lap. Regulus was so silent and so peaceful. But she had to break the silence.

“I really appreciate you doing what you do for Romeo.” Y/n said quietly, “He thinks of you like an older brother.”

Regulus chuckled softly, “He’s energetic, that one.”

“Yeah. He’s got a lot of energy.” Y/n replied, “He hates sitting still. But he really appreciates that you can work with that.” 

“He gets irritating sometimes, but I try to keep him intrigued.”

“It works.”

“I’m glad.”

It was silent again, “I’m sure he’s told you plenty. He’s not very good at keeping secrets.”

Regulus smirked, and for a moment, he looked like Sirius, “You wrote letters about me?”

“I like you, Regulus.” Y/n confessed, “More than I should.”

He intertwined his hand with hers, “I like you too.”

Y/n smiled at squeezed his hand. Regulus leaned his head on her shoulder and began to tell her about the stars. He went into extreme depth of every constellation, planet, and star. Y/n noticed that he skipped Canis Major but didn’t say anything. She knew of Sirius’ departure the previous summer and how badly Regulus had been hurt thanks to Sirius’ description. It wasn’t good to rub salt in a still-open wound. 

When Regulus got the mark months later, they didn’t separate. She stood by his side and helped him through it. They didn’t tell anyone about it, not even Romeo. It wasn’t until the war was over that they decided to let everyone know. Y/n had allowed a sigh of relief when she found out that Peter was in Azkaban and her friends were still alive. 

Regulus was sleeping when she grabbed a bit of parchment to write to Sirius. Y/n dipped the quill in black ink and began writing smoothly. The ink embedded the paper like old friends, and when it dried, she handed it to her owl, Astoria. The following afternoon when Remus and Sirius were still entangled together from the previous night, the owl tapped on the window. 

Sirius groaned and stood up from the bed. He grabbed the parchment as the owl flew off. The writing was perfect calligraphy, and Sirius smiled at the note written on the parchment. His heart slowed its beat with relief. 

“He’s safe with me.”

[believinghurts]

Their Daughter

Authors Note: I swear I posted this before, but I can’t find it anywhere on my account so I’m thinking Tumblr deleted it. I did add a little onto the end if this part so if you have read I would advise to read it again. Please don’t copy to other sites.

Warnings: yelling, crying, uhhhhh

The week and a half at Malfoy Manor passed way too fast for Ali’s liking. In all honesty, she wasn’t looking forward to spending the rest of her summer with the Weasley bunch and Potter. School started in three weeks as it was and she knew that she would be seeing plenty of them there, and spending even more time with them made her want to vomit. She felt like she was able to breathe when she was with the Malfoys. She missed her Uncles but spending so much time with Narcissa and her friends helped take her mind off of everything.

After their first trip to Diagon Alley, they want another time just Narcissa and Ali to spend some quality time together and that’s how Ali was ending up with a trunk so full she and Draco had to sit on it to close it, her friends were around the Manor a lot more. Pansy, Theo, and Blaise had stayed the night after their families had dinner together meaning that they all slept in the living room after talking late into the night. Ali was woken up by her aunt shaking her awake, telling her that if she wanted Blaise to stay breathing she needed to move. Somehow that night the two had ended up right beside each other with Ali’s head on Blaise's right arm while his left was under his head. This was something that Draco now used to blackmail Ali into doing things he didn’t want to do since he knew his father would murder any boy that so much looked at Ali.

Ali sighed before calling the house-elf to take her trunk downstairs. Doing a quick once over of her royal blue bedroom she grabbed her wand before making her way down the stairs. She left to go back home today and as excited as she was to see Regulus and Remus, the knot forming in her stomach at seeing Sirius made her ill. Her confidence had grown some after talking with Narcissa about what was going on at home. Cissa assured her that Sirius was just being Sirius and not seeing the hurt he was inflicting. Ali wanted to believe her aunt's words that he would come around more when he knew that the Malfoys were not a threat. She had made sure Ali knew that she was just as good if not better than the Potter boy because she didn’t judge anyone no matter their house. Draco was livid when he found out what was happening between Sirius and Ali, blaming it all on Potter for being the snake that he feared Draco was so much. Draco had made her swear that if Harry or anyone said anything to make her upset that she would write Draco right away and he would be there in a heartbeat.

“I knew that dress would look stunning on you,” Narcissa stood as Ali entered the living room. Ali smiled at her aunt as she kissed her on the cheek. She did a little spin when Narcissa motioned her to do so causing the dark blue dress to flare out at the bottom right above her knees. Cissa had insisted she bought it even if it wasn’t something Ali would have normally worn. She had paired it with her favorite white combat boots and black tights making the little white spots on the sleeves stand out even more. Narcissa hugged Ali once more, and Ali knew she didn’t want to send her back to Grimmauld Place, but school started soon and Ali wanted to spend some more time with Regulus and get her stuff ready. “We are going to miss you so don’t forget to write, and we will see you at the train station.”

Ali nodded, hugging her aunt close before moving onto Lucius who kissed her cheek wishing her good luck at home and to write if she needed anything. Draco was last, he tried to act indifferent, but Ali knew he didn’t want her to leave. She stuck her hand out causing him to roll his eyes before pulling her into a hug. Draco had grown quite a bit the last couple of years making Ali eye level with his shoulder. “Write to me the minute something goes wrong, and I’ll be there to save you. Potter be damned.”

Ali giggled, “Of course, Dray. Behave for mother, and make sure if you see our friends that you tell them I’ll see them soon.”

Ali grabbed her trunk while Lucius called for Winks the house-elf to come apparate Ali back home. She gave her extended family one last smile before grabbing Winks's hand. They landed across the street of Grimmauld Place, Ali gave Winks a bar of chocolate out of her pocket before bidding goodbye. She walked in the door hearing noise coming from the living room and dining area. It was just after lunch so she assumed everyone was still hanging out there. She debated going straight to her room first but decided not to. She pulled her trunk behind her till she reached the dining room. There everyone was, immediately Ali wished she was back at the Manor where it was peaceful and she wasn’t getting stared at like she was right now. She pulled down the sleeves on her dress a little more not noticing how big of a mistake that was.

She saw Regulus standing in the corner, he smiled at her. Regulus was happy that Ali got to stay away for a little bit. He was able to give Sirius a piece of his mind, which happened often, without Ali overhearing. Screaming matches could be heard coming from the study more often than not after someone made rude comments about Ali or her friends. Sirius still had acted like Ali was staying with the Dark Lord himself instead of family and it had pushed Regulus to the edge more than once. Regulus knew that Remus was on the same page as him, he was over the comments from Sirius. Regulus had noticed that Harry didn’t say anything bad about her or Slytherins if Remus was present. He had taken a liking to the oldest two Weasleys and Fleur, they were nice to Ali and Fleur often defended her by saying kind things. Regulus knew that Fleur stuck out in the Weasley family, he had seen the looks some of the younger ones would give her. He felt bad for her and often tried to make sure she felt comfortable, much like he knew she did for Ali.

Ali hugged her uncle tight, she had missed the safety feeling that came from burying herself in his chest. Remus was quick to join the two, squeezing Ali to him before kissing her head. Ali quickly tucked herself back into Regulus' side. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, “How was it? Did you have fun?”

Ali smiled at him and Remus, “I did. Pansy, Blaise, and Theo stayed over after we had dinner with their families. Cissa took me shopping, twice mind you. Draco almost made the house explode with some potion he was trying to make to dye Theos hair. It was supposed to change with his mood, but instead, it ended up all over the ceiling. Aunt Cissa didn’t stop yelling at him for an hour,” She laughed at the memory of Draco’s face while his mother yelled that he had ruined her ceiling. “Um, what else?” She knew Regulus wanted to know exactly what she did. He was always interested in her life often making her tell stories from school in detail. She was never allowed to leave with just a generic ‘fine’ that some teenagers got away with. “Oh Lucius took us to Hogsmede, claiming that it was to get Cissa some sugar quills, but the number of chocolate frogs said differently. Oh, Cissa told me to tell you that she ordered me new school robes and that you needed to pick them up or she could bring them to the station.”

“You didn’t tell me you needed robes?” Regulus raised his eyebrow, surely she would have told him if she needed something like that.

“Oh I don’t, but Draco did since he grew again and Cissa said I should just get some so I have extras. I-”

“Why don’t you just brag some more,” an icy voice cut her off. Ali looked to see Sirius standing behind Harry with his hands on his shoulders. She hadn’t noticed him when she came in so she was wondering what all he had heard. She wasn’t bragging about anything. She knew the Weasley’s had financial problems, but this was her home. She was allowed to talk about things she did with her Aunts even if it was out spending an obscene amount of money.

“I-I wasn’t bragging,” Ali stuttered, “I just was telling Uncle Regulus what I-I had done.”

“Oh yeah right. You had fun, right? That’s good,” Sirius walked around the table towards Ali who naturally stepped closer to Regulus. Her uncle tensed when he saw that Ali was scared of his brother. “So why are you wearing long sleeves? It’s like 80 degrees out. You must be warm in them.”

“Sirius,” Remus’s tone was a warning. He knew what Sirius was thinking, but he had hope that Sirius knew not to do it.

Sirius ignored Remus continuing to walk towards his brother and daughter. “You decided that you wanted to match Regulus too? Spend some time with the Dark Lord the past couple of weeks?”

“Sirius you stop this instant she didn’t do anything,” Molly spoke up for the girl while pushing the other children out of the room. She tried to get Harry to leave but gave up after he insisted he stayed where he was.

“No, Molly, cause you to see Regulus was her age when he got the mark. And I’m starting to wonder if Ali doesn't have it as well. Spies the both of them. Playing the part of perfect uncle and niece. Show me your arm, Alianova.”

Ali stayed where she was, not moving an inch. She felt her breath pick up as Sirius walked closer. “Ali, I said show me your arm.” She shook her head no. She didn’t have anything to hide, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of listening to him. He hadn’t earned her trust or respect at this point. Sirius reached out and grabbed Ali’s arm. That was when all Hell broke out.

Sirius had enough time to push her sleeve up before he was shoved back by Regulus. Ali cried out when Sirius’s nails dug into her skin hard enough to bleed. Remus grabbed Sirius, pulling him back while he stared in shock at Ali who had tears streaming down her cheek staring at him in disbelief.

Regulus lunged at Sirius only to be held back by Bill Weasley, “Stop. Stop, Regulus. Ali needs you. Go.” He lightly pushed Regulus back towards Ali. Regulus felt this heart crack in his chest when he saw that Ali sitting on the floor holding her arm to her chest. Her tears dripping down her chin as she watched Remus pace in front of Sirius who was still looking at her.

Regulus knelt beside Ali gently pulling her arm to him revealing the four scratch marks on the pale flesh. Each had drops of blood running down the sides. Regulus grabbed the tea towel off the counter-pressing it to the wound. Ali leaned into his shoulder letting her tears catch on the fabric of his shirt. She was trembling from the shock that someone who was supposed to love her could hurt her like this. She had always known of the Black Temper; it was famous really. But even when she saw her grandmother and Regulus angry, they had never hurt her. Sirius was her father; it was his job to protect her was it not? She understood that he never wanted her, she was a mistake. Ali had come to terms when that a long time ago, but for him to actively hurt her shook her to her core. Ali was focused on Regulus, but from the corner of her eye, she could see Remus shaking with rage at Sirius. Regulus cupped her cheeks in his hands wiping away her falling tears. “Are you okay?”

She numbly nodded at her uncle. “Ali, I am so sorry-”

“NO,” The venom in Ali’s voice shocked those that were in the room as she stood with Regulus’s help. “No. You don’t get to apologize. You knew what you were doing and you didn’t care! You never have. And never will. I get it okay?” Ali walked towards Sirius so she was a couple of feet in front of him, but near the stairs to make her exit if she couldn't handle it anymore. “I know that I wasn’t planned or wanted. I know that I’m not Harry Bloody Potter, but you know what I am? I’m YOUR daughter. That doesn’t matter, does it? You don’t care that it's your job to raise me and protect me and love me. You never did it. I have no memories of you. Not one. My uncles told me how good of a parent you were when I was little, but I don’t believe that anymore. Hell, if someone told me you put me in a room and left me there it would be more believable.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose letting out a sigh. She never stood up to people much, but she was sick and tired of Sirius thinking he could act like this towards her. “I used to look up to you. I never listened to the bad things people said because I thought you were good. I wanted to make you proud of me even if I never got to meet you. Then you got out. But instead of coming for your flesh and blood, you came for him,” She flung her arm in Harry’s general direction. “You were never there for me. That’s fine too. Wanna know why? Because I have people who are always there for me. People who love me unconditionally, and make me see that I am enough. Do you know who those people are? A big chunk of them is the Malfoys. I had a lot of fun staying with them, but one of my favorite parts was when Lucius told me that even if you didn’t see how great of a daughter I was that he and Regulus did. The Lucius Malfoy made ME feel better because you treat me like rubbish.”

Ali walked closer to Sirius. The only noise in the room was coming from her, and if she stopped talking a pin dropping could be heard. Regulus was stunned by her outburst but knew deep down that it was coming. Sirius had pushed her too far, and once Ali was done it was going to take a lot more than Bill Weasley to hold him back. “I have never called anyone else ‘Dad’, but now I regret it. Regulus is more of my father than you could ever be. I hope you have fun with your son.” She spat looking Sirius in the eye before turning on her heel fleeing up the stairs. Tears fell again as she shut and locked her door behind her, sliding down the other side of it. Even if what she said was true it didn’t mean that it hurt any less knowing that Sirius would never choose her.

Downstairs Regulus was fuming. He was shocked that Ali called him ‘dad’ even if he had wanted that for as long as he could remember. But the other part of him wanted to break Sirius in half. He felt the rage coming back from when he was a child. He felt the urge to kill but knew that he wouldn’t. He couldn’t think of himself, he had too much at stake. He hadn’t been able to think of himself for the last fifteen years. Sirius had done a lot of messed up things in his life, but this took the cake. Regulus forgave him a long time ago for him leaving, and for the bullying that he did to Regulus through school, but this was unforgivable. Ali was a child who didn’t understand why she wasn’t good enough or why her father was hell-bent on her being on the side with the Dark Lord when she was the furthest away from him.

Regulus stood brushing off his hands on his pants before stalking towards Sirius how a predator stalks its prey. He saw Bill and Arthur move forward a few inches more than likely ready to intervene if needed. Remus’s eyes had a little more green in them than normal probably due to the rage he was feeling and the fact that the full moon was less than a week away. It was honestly shocking that Remus hadn’t thrown Sirius into the wall yet. Regulus stopped when he was toe to toe with his brother.

“How dare you do what you just did to her! She is a child, Sirius. She is supposed to be your child,” Regulus’s voice was eerily calm when he spoke making the hairs on Remus’s neck stand from the amount of venom present. “Frankly I have no idea how she is half you. All she wanted to do was get away from all the stress that has come from living here the past couple of months. She has been a shell of herself since you came back really, but when she came through those doors I saw her coming back to herself. That couldn’t happen though, could it? Had to accuse her of having the Dark Mark, which she didn’t, but when she refused to show you because she doesn’t owe you anything you hurt her. You made her bleed. She is your daughter and you made her bleed. Do us all a favor and leave her alone. I opened this home to you and the Order because it was the right thing to do. Ali agreed that she wanted to help, but this can’t keep happening. I can’t put her at risk anymore. So leave her alone and if she sheds another tear because of you then you will leave.”

Sirius stood stunned. His younger brother hadn’t stood up for himself even when they were children. That was the most he had heard Regulus talk in his life. He felt bad that he had hurt Ali, he never meant to, but he has to protect Harry and the Order. He doesn’t trust the Malfoys and Ali had been there. How was he to know that she didn’t have the Mark? All she had to do was show her arm. Simple really. He glanced around the room as Regulus walked away not waiting for his response. Sirius knew that Regulus meant what he had said. Molly had started cleaning up the kitchen with a sad look in her eyes, while Arthur and Bill had left the room. Remus met his eyes but shook his head at him disappointed. “Come on, Harry. I need a walk.”

------------------

Ali wasn’t sure how long she had been sitting on the floor of her room. It was quiet downstairs which was concerning, but she didn’t think much of it. Hopefully Regulus hadn’t killed Sirius, but if he did she wouldn’t blame him. She had cried herself numb. She didn’t have any tears left, her throat was scratchy from the sobs. Part of her wanted to go back to Malfoy Manor where she was safe and welcomed, but the other part of her wanted to find her uncle and have him read to her like he did when she was a child.

A knock at her door pulled her from her musings. “Al? Open the door darling. It’s just me.” Regulus’s voice came from the other side.

Very slowly Ali stood up leaning onto the table by the door for support. She turned the lock and instantly Regulus opened the door. He kissed her forehead before leading her to her bed. Ali had yet to change out of her dress, but she didn’t really care. Regulus snagged the blanket off the foot of her bed before gently pushing her down into it and covering them both with the blue and silver blanket. Ali positioned herself with her head on Regulus' shoulder. Exhaustion weighing down heavy on her. Even though it was early she could feel her eyes droop as he carded a hand through her hair. “Thank you, dad. For loving me.”

Regulus’s heart swelled and broke with those words, but he didn’t get a chance to respond before her soft snores filled the room.

———————-

Regulus wasn’t sure how much time had passed as he stroked his niece's hair. He was mad at his brother for basically throwing away the only good thing that had ever come from the Black family. Sirius was too blinded by the past to see what was right in front of him. As children, Sirius often told Regulus that he was their family's favorite and that it bothered him, but if he knew what it was like to be less loved then how can he love Harry more than Ali? He understood that Harry was Sirius's Godson, but couldn’t he love Ali and Harry equally. If Sirius made the effort maybe Ali and the other children could even be friends. His heart ached from the emotional battle that Ali was going through right now. Even if Sirius didn’t see it, he and Remus did. Ali’s light was dimmer than before and just when she was lighting up again Sirius snuffed it out.

Carefully sliding out from under Ali and placing a pillow under her head Regulus left the room. He shut the door behind him casting a locking spell so she wouldn’t be bothered. He needed to speak with Remus first before doing anything. They needed to decide what to do about Ali. As much as Regulus wanted to spend time with her before she went back to school he didn’t want her to be this upset anymore. He walked into the study to find Remus and Nymphadora sitting near the fireplace.

“How is she?” Nymphadora blurted the question as soon as she saw her cousin. Remus had owled her after Ali had gone to her room. The older sister in her wanted to go up to Sirius and give him a piece of her mind, but she knew that it wouldn’t do any good.

“She’s asleep for now. All the fighting has exhausted her. I honestly don’t know what to do. I want her here this is her home, but if Sirius doesn’t stop acting like the brut that he is it is going to hurt her more. Speaking of Sirius, where is he? It’s quiet.” Regulus flopped down on the chair across from Remus and Nymphadora raking a hand through his hair. His worry for Ali was causing him a headache. On one hand, he wanted to send Ali to stay at the Malfoy Manor for the remainder of summer, but on the other, he wanted to hold her close and have her stay in her home where she belonged.

“Sirius left with Harry after you went upstairs. He hasn’t been home since. The Weasleys stepped out to Diagonal Ally to get the kids stuff for school.” Remus replied. He was secretly thankful that the house was mainly empty. This way at least Ali could come down if she felt like it without the chance of someone bothering her. Remus was having the same thoughts as Regulus about keeping Ali at home virus's sending her to the Manor. HE just wanted his niece happy. The hope that he had of Airius and Ali having the father/daughter relationship was gone. If only Remus could get Sirius to open his eyes to the pain he was causing to the girl, but Sirius was nothing if not stubborn.

“I think I am going to write Cissa and see if she can keep Ali for the rest of summer. If that’s what it takes for her to be happy no healthy then so be it. We can see her off at the -“

“I don’t want to leave,” Ali’s voice interrupted. “I want to stay here with you. Please don’t make me leave. I can handle it, I promise.”

Ali knew that she and regulus were going to have to talks about the fact that she called him dad, but that was a private conversation. Right now she needed to convince the adults in the room that she didn’t need to leave. She could take Sirius. Yes the words that he had said hurt her and the actions he did tonight furthered that hurt in her heart, but she was done. She didn’t owe him anything, and it was clear she knew that he didn’t want to be her father. She had meant what she said to regulus. He was her father in all the ways that counted. He loved her unconditionally, was always there for her, and protected her.

She went and sat on the couch in between Nymphadora and Remus who wrapped an arm around her pulling her close to his chest. “It might be best if you went and stayed for the rest of the summer at the Manor, Al. This isn’t good for you mentally. We all can see how drained you are.”

“No, this is my home. I can handle it. I have you all plus the older Weasleys and Fleur. You all protect me and if I need to get away for a little bit I’ll owl Blaise or Draco to go to Diagonal Ally or something. I want to spend time with you. Times are hard right now and you never know when you are going to lose someone and I would like to have as much time with each of you just in case.”

Regulus leaned forward taking Ali’s hand in his, “nothing, and I mean nothing is going to happen to us. I love you more than you could ever imagine and if you want to stay here you can.” Ali smiles brightly at that before Regukus cut her off, “but you have to tell me, Remus, or Severus, if anything happens. And you have to come out of your room. I am not having you locking yourself away again. Got it?”

Ali pounced on Regulus hugging his neck tight. She was excited to spend some more time with her family. She had meant what she said about never knowing when something was going to happen. Wizards had been disappearing all over London and she was genuinely scared something was going to happen to her loved ones. She was going to make it a point to take plenty of photos and make enough memories to last a lifetime the next couple of weeks.

Regulus held his niece tight, fighting back the tears when she whispered, “Thanks, Dad,” into his ear. He had been called a lot of things in his life, but this was one title he was going to wear proudly.

Remus’s voice interrupted the moment, “wait for a second, why are you going to owl Blaise? We have an agreement young lady no boys till your thirty!”

Ali’s giggle was music to those in the room with her, and for the first time that summer they all saw Ali smile at home the brightest she had since everyone arrived.

[fleur2pint]

the train ride back

pairing: draco malfoy x fem!reader

summary: after having a sex free summer, your needs get to you when you see draco on the train. you two then go to the train bathrooms and fuck it out

warnings: teasing, blowjobs, handjobs, degradation, begging, choking, the whole sha-bang

word count: 2.5k+

a/n: this is totally not my best work, i actually wrote this a long time ago so don’t expect something grand like how i normally write. i had this in my wattpad drafts for a while and decided to just clean it out and put this one on here. anywayssssss enjoy!

You step onto the Hogwarts Express eager for the next school year beginning; you have double-checked everything you packed making sure you're ready for the new year. All summer all you could think about was getting back to Hogwarts to see your friends, to get back to learning, but most importantly to see your boyfriend, Draco. You two have been seeing each other since your fourth-year, and you both were going on your sixth-year. I wonder if he's okay; you think to yourself; he hadn't written to me all summer. It's true, Draco didn't even attempt to communicate with you through the summer, for all you know he could've been dead. That troubled you but you couldn't let it ruin your day, you walk down the small aisle of train cabins to try to find an empty one for just you and Draco just in case he did show up, after all, you wanted to catch up with him from the long break. You squeeze through clusters of students trying to get their own cabin as well, suddenly you feel a sharp tug on your wrist pulling you into a cabin, falling into someone's arms. You lay in their embrace in a tad bit of shock, but they pull you up and whirl you around to look at them. "Hey, babe." Draco says to you smiling as he pulls you in for a hug, you didn't recognize him at first but you knew that damn smile from anywhere, cheeky and smug yet warm. You instantly threw your arms around him and laughed to yourself out of excitement.

"Draco, you're here! You didn't write to me all summer, what happened? Are you okay?" You pull away from him and look into his icy blues out of wonder and looking for answers. "Just... Family stuff." He answered you knew exactly what he meant, so you didn't question him any more. Ever since he was born he's always had problems with his father, he's never been good enough for his dad, and has always done something to make his father dislike him. He told you all this when you had first met in our third-year, you felt bad for him knowing that he was simply misunderstood, he just wanted his father to be proud when him trying too hard was just making him look like a show-off which strangely Lucius hated. "Tell me about your summer, love." He said walking to the cabin door and sealing it shut, then walking back over to the seats and sitting in the one opposite from you. "All I did was stay home with my family and catch up on schoolwork," You said, glancing down at my lap to examine your uniform skirt that had ridden up a little. "I also waited for a letter from you, but I never got one." You tease making sure you didn't dig a wound in him. He lightly smiled at your joke as he gazed out the window to see all the parents waving to their children and saying goodbye as the loud train horn roared. The vibrations of the train moving filled every cabin.

"You don't understand how much I missed you, y/n like seriously." He said looking back at you and grabbing your hand to bring up to his lip to lightly kiss it. He then looks at your fingers and sees the special ring that he had provided you when you two first met. He knew right away when he laid eyes on you he would have you all to himself, almost like love at first sight for him, but for you it took time. "I wish I could have visited you at the manor," You say tilting forward a bit and softly grasping his knee, "and seeing your parents," You move your hand up to his thigh slowly, "and to be with you every single day." He was looking down at your hand while you were looking at him, waiting for him to say something about your actions.

This was the first summer you've even gone through without him, meaning you had no one to scratch the yearning you had internally, sexually. You were starving for his touch, but you didn't want to come off too firm. He looked up at you and smirked, "I see what you're doing, y/n." He says while patting away your hand from his thigh. "I know what you want, but I can't give it to you right now." He got up and switched seats to the side you were sitting on to grab your thigh that was extremely exposed by your skirt. "Maybe if you're good, I'll reward you tonight after dinner. Does that sound good, darling?" He murmurs softly into your ear. He knew how this made you feel when he whispered like this to you, but that's what he wanted. He wants you hot and bothered. He wanted to be a tease, but you couldn't help it. You needed him now.

You turned and looked at him up and down. He did the same to you but couldn't show how badly he wanted you as well. You felt his cold hand move up your thigh, slowly proceeding to tease you, with each inch closer to your heat, the butterflies inside you growing. You couldn't help but place your lips on his, before the interlocked they softly brushed against each other sending sparks between you two. You brought your hand up to his face to caress it sensually, his hand started moving inward towards your heat. He pulled away from your lips to look down at his hand kneading the inside of your thigh. "Is this what you want?" He says inches away from your open lips, breathing breathily from his touch.

As he was about to dive into your panties, he pulled his hand away and stood up to walk out of the cabin you were staying in. You whined at him for leaving you in a needy position. You let him leave the cabin and think about where he was going. You let go of the thoughts and just sit and wait for him to come back. He was gone for almost 20 minutes so you went to go look for him. The only place you could think of was the bathroom. You get up from your seat and walk over to the cabin sliding door and shove it open, stepping out into the hall, passing cabin after cabin until you reach the back of the train car. You look to your right then your left to study the gender signs on each door. You step into the small bathroom that has the little man on it. You look around the small restroom, examining the urinals, the sinks, the walls, the soft yellow dim lit lights.

You hear a muffled faint grunt from one of the stalls, you look over in the noise's direction. "Draco?" You say softly hoping you would get an answer back. You hear the person in the stall stop breathing, they click their tongue before acknowledging you, "y/n?" Draco asks back, you hear the jangle of a belt and pants, your eyes widen for you know what he was doing and why he was here for so long. "You've been in here for 20 minutes, are you okay?" You ask while tiptoeing towards his stall door. You could now hear his heavy breaths. "Yeah, I'm fi-" He starts. He was looking down at his unbuttoned pants then looked up at you once he heard the squeak of the stall door. He jumped when he saw you out of embarrassment and shock that you were there in front of him. He looked down at the bulge in his pants and knew that you had caught him. You lean in the door frame with your arms crossed in front of you while you scoff at him, "Wow, looks like you couldn't control yourself." He looks up at you and rolls his eyes at you in response. He tries to get up but you walk over to him and force him back down onto the toilet seat.

As you shoved him down onto the seat, you got on your knees to be at the same level as his crotch. You lay your hands on his knees and slid them up to his upper thigh. He let out a small whimper. "You know if you wanted this so bad you could've told me." You say looking up into his eyes seductively then looking down at his growing bulge. "Let's take a look, shall we?" You say pulling down the rest of his pants, leaving his exposed area only covered by his underwear. You palm his length through the thin material of his briefs, he throws his head back and places his hands on the stall walls next to him on both sides. "y/n... please.." He breathes softly, you giggle at his needy-ness, "Please what, Draco?" You say, continuing to feel him through his underwear, "Stop teasing and suck me off already." He says semi-moaning, "Now was that so hard?" You pull down his briefs to reveal his length to you.

You look at it looking back at you, you then look up to Draco looking at you with anticipation, expecting you to do something with it. "God, if you're going to sit there then I'll do something." He grabs the back of your hair and balls it in his hand and shoves you down to take his length into your mouth. This caught you off guard making you gag from him forcing you on him too hard, "Now get to work, bitch." He removes his hand from your hair as you bobbed up and down him, each time hitting the back of your throat, but he didn't care. You hollowed out your cheeks and looked up at him which you knew drives him crazy. He let out a quivery moan which turned you on. Seeing him weak like this for you was one of the best feelings in the world. You feel your jaw get tired so you remove yourself from him, making a pop sound coming off. He looks down at you with confusion.

You replace your mouth with your hands and continue the up and down movement. You knew he liked hand jobs much more so he could look at your whole face while he still got off. He bit his lower lip and groaned again, he didn't enjoy making a lot of noise when you guys did things like this out of insecurity and you would always try to reassure him it was okay, but in this case, doing it in a public restroom where anyone could come in wasn't the best place to just let go. You noticed his face started to get red, meaning he was close to his climax, his eyebrows knit together as his mouth made an 'o' shape. Right when you knew he was going to cum you removed your hand from him, you looked up at him with devilish eyes, and got up from your knees to walk out of the stall. You smiled at the spot you had just put him in, suddenly you felt a sharp pull on your wrist that had spun you around to face him. He pushed you up against the now closed and locked stall door, making sure you had no escape.

"You know you can't just do that, so now since you're being a tease you have to face the consequences." He murmurs into your ear. This makes your body get hot from excitement but also fear. He twirls you around so you're now facing the stall door, he pushes you into the door making you grunt for a small bit of pain. He hastily lifts your skirt, exposing your half-clothed ass to him, he looks at you hungrily while also admiring your body inch by inch. He pulls down your panties till they hit the floor. You step out of them and leave them on the floor. Draco takes his foot and plants it against yours to try to spread your legs for easier access to your core. He then takes a finger and brings it down to your backside, then attacks your delicate area with it, feeling how wet you are, this makes your legs quiver.

"Yeah, you like that don't you?" He says while pushing a finger inside of you, causing you to whimper. "Fucking slut." He says while pulling his hand away from you to replace it with his length. This once again catches you off guard, but in the best way. It's been so long since you've had this feeling and now that it's finally happening, it was a bit overwhelming. As he rammed into you he let out a groan causing you to moan out of arousal. He starts pumping into you at a normal pace and you can't help but cry out, the sheer feeling of him just being with you made you needy. All that was heard were soft grunts and moans throughout the bathroom, and what made it all hotter was that there could be people listening right now. His thrust started getting faster and with that, your walls started to bind around his length.

Draco placed his hands on the door in front of you on both sides of your head as he sped up once again. It turned him on to see you like this under him and his command. He looked at your neck and thought of the best way to finish. He takes his hand away from the door and coils it around your neck making you whine, he pulls your head back to his chest with his hand still wrapped around your neck, still thrusting into you. You couldn't help it anymore, you needed to release, but you knew that if you did when he didn't order you too he would have to go further, and as much as you craved that you knew this wasn't the best environment. "Draco please, I need-" "Don't you dare." He moans into your ear, just the way he was talking to you made you want to just melt. You took your arms and wrapped them around his neck with him behind you, pressing your two hot bodies closer together. With our bodies closer, he could thrust further into you making you just about scream, "Fuck, Draco please I can't hold it anymore." You say hold as much composure as you can without squealing for the whole train car to hear.

"You gotta beg for it." He says also on the edge of climaxing as well, "Please, Draco, I've been so good. I deserve it, I'm all yours." You say, voice shaky from pleasure, suddenly he lays his forehead into the crook of your neck, "Go ahead." He says while his voice cracked a little from him also reaching his climax, you felt the vibrations of his voice on your back as he said this making you reach your limit. You threw your head back and pleasure as you cried out while riding out your orgasm. Once you were done, Draco took his hand away from your neck and hunched over to pick up your panties. You spun around to face him with your panties hanging off the tip of his finger, "Happy first day back to us." He says to you, you look into his eyes and throw him an annoyed look while he smiles down at you. He squeezed past you to unlock the stall door and leave the bathroom while you put on your panties. You then walked over to the mirror to fix yourself back up, you then walked out of the bathroom with a smirk on your face you knew wouldn't go away for a while.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Could you talk about the Statute of Secrecy? Or the Ministry’s corruption in General :)

Well, those are two different things. Given that I believe I have an ask floating somewhere in my inbox on the Statute, I suppose we’ll talk about the Ministry of Magic today.

I feel like this is such a broad topic though that I’m not quite sure where to start. I guess I’ll just throw spaghetti at the internet wall and see what sticks.

The Ministry is a Reflection of Society Who Never Admitted They Were the Death Eaters

In the ministry of Harry Potter’s era the Ministry is hopelessly corrupt and filled to the brim with spies (more on this in a later section). Lucius Malfoy, very high up in an unofficial capacity in the Ministry and owner of the Ministry’s mouth piece: The Daily Prophet, was a known Death Eater with a very flimsy excuse.

How is he even able to wield so much influence, you ask? Well, I think it’s not just because of Fudge picking the wrong friends.

I think most the population probably does believe Lucius Malfoy is innocent the way Fudge does. I think it’s a very small subsection, i.e. Dumbledore’s lackies, who go “Nah, ain’t buying it.” I think that, in 1981, when it came time to reveal just how many were Death Eaters and how far this went many people just couldn’t handle it.

Because it was to the point where the nation wasn’t battling Death Eaters, Death Eaters were the nation. Look at the members, these are and were the most influential and prominent families in the country, who combined hold a non-small minority of seats in the Wizengamot. More, these were only the participants, combine those who given anti-muggle and muggleborn sentiment (which I believe are pervasive even among those who claim they fight for the rights of muggles and muggleborns) and you get a nation that is suddenly facing a huge cultural issue that was never previously acknowledged.

We’re talking an entire purge of the Wizengamot, of the Ministry, of the major families and cornerstones of this society. The Black family is completely and utterly destroyed.

People were and remain throughout the 1990′s, desperate to believe it was not as bad as it was or isn’t as bad as it is. If Lucius Malfoy says he was never really a Death Eater then he was never really a Death Eater.

The Ministry is Lousy With Corruption and Spies

What’s hilarious to me is not only is the Ministry incompetent. It is positively flooded with spies. Given the ministry’s overbloated, it’s not even a sizeable minority of employees, but nonetheless every major department has at least one person (if not more) who works for somebody else.

Most work for Tom Riddle. He seems to have intelligence in every department. Through Lucius, who is working pretty much as an unofficial aide to Fudge, he has access to Fudge, complete control of the Daily Prophet, and a voice on the Hogwarts’ board of governors.

Through Rockwood, Tom has direct access to the Department of Mysteries which Lucius is then able to take full advantage of.

Lucius is able to set up an ambush in the Department of Mysteries, getting escaped convicts into the building with the none the wiser, and, had his sole purpose not been a prophecy that only Harry Potter and the Dark Lord can touch, he would have been able to take what he liked. (Though it was always odd to me that the plan was to get Harry Potter to do it, when the better solution would have been to polyjuice Tom Riddle into someone else, set up a tour with the department, and then Tom wanders off conveniently to pick up the prophecy. My theory, I suppose, is that chasing after the prophecy was mostly an exercise in punishing Lucius. And then Lucius fucked up.)

And of course, in book seven, Tom Riddle makes a puppet minister. Point being, to me, it always said a lot that in Book Seven Tom just sort of walks into the building and says, “I’m in charge now” and everyone says “okay”. There was no second Wizarding War, it was a bloodless coup that met zero resistance from anyone but angry school children. 

But that’s Tom’s spies, we also have other spies. Who am I talking about, Dumbledore’s folks of course.

Shacklebolt, Moody, Tonks, and Arthur Weasley are all spies, they just don’t have the introspection to even realize it (which really tells you something about the state of corruption in the ministry). They all work for the ministry, yes, but they in fact pass on information to and serve another master, whose goals do not always align with the government and was a hop skip and a jump away from overthrowing the government at any given moment.

And they don’t even really realize they’re doing this! There doesn’t even seem to be a thought of “I’m doing this for the greater good”, they don’t seem to acknowledge that what they’re doing is very very very bad. Arthur, in fact, is appalled when Percy refuses to do this (well, he’s upset for a lot of reasons, such as that he thinks Percy is spying on Arthur for the minister, but in there is also that Percy refuses to help out with the Order or follow Dumbledore without question). 

Harry paints the Dumbledore’s Army threat that Umbridge saw as something utterly ridiculous, but honestly if I was the ministry I would be worried about this. Dumbledore’s people have infiltrated the ministry just as deeply and badly as the Death Eaters, Dumbledore’s known for recruiting children into his vigilante organization, I don’t know what he’s doing with an army of schoolchildren but I can smell a coup coming.

Anyway, I’m getting off track, point being though that corruption is not only expected and accepted by the ministry, they cannot recognize what it even is. They’re at the point where paying bribes is allocated in their budget.

I Don’t Blame the Ministry For Not Thinking Tom Riddle Was Anti-Jesus

Fudge is designed to get a lot of flack for his outright denial that Voldemort had returned from the dead. He, and other denier characters, are meant to be fools with their heads in the sand who can’t see the obvious.

I ask what about it was obvious?

The only witness to Tom Riddle’s resurrection, Harry Potter, has a known history of erratic behavior.

The previous year, he’d performed illegal magic on his muggle aunt and run away from home. During the previous school year, Harry was revealed to be a parselmouth in a time when the Chamber of Secrets was presumably opened and the mystery was never fully solved (remember, that it was a possessed Ginny never comes to light for more than a few people.) Beyond that, since his first day of school, Harry is routinely in and out of detention, constantly out after curfew, and only seems to not be in serious trouble because he’s openly favored by Dumbledore (who gives him hundreds of points for breaking one of his school rules, during the Philosopher’s Stone fiasco in first year). In 1994, Harry is entered into the Tri-Wizard Tournament under very suspicious circumstances.

We know why all this happens to Harry but from the outside he looks like a delinquent. In fact, he kind of is a delinquent. 

Point being, the only witness is not only Harry Potter (who is already sketch) but it’s Harry Potter holding a dead body of a rival in the tournament.

And he’s claiming that a man who has been nearly fifteen years dead, a man who held the nation in terror and Harry Potter is beloved for destroying, has returned from the grave and conveniently murdered Cedric.

Why is Cedric dead? Well, you see, he and Harry both touched the goblet at the same time because they were going to share the reward. The goblet, a national treasure, was turned into a portkey so that Voldemort could kidnap him.

Why didn’t Voldemort just kidnap him at any other point during the year where he’s guaranteed not to get tag a longs or the wrong kid? Uh... VOLDEMORT IS BACK (for the record, I think it’s because Barty got hung up on the goblet scheme and was determined to ruin his father’s day.)

Where is Voldemort at this very moment? Being evil, somewhere, that is not right here. No, Harry has zero evidence this happened.

Frankly, I wouldn’t believe Harry either.

And when Dumbledore goes about promoting this as sound evidence that Tom Riddle has in fact returned, it starts to get even sketchier. Rather than sounding the alarm, Dumbledore is using this boy’s madness to stir the public into a panic that he, perhaps, plans to take advantage of.

After Dumbledore does that, I would suspect that, even if Harry does give me a memory of the graveyard scene that his head had been tampered with by Dumbledore.

And it’s so convenient that, of all the names Harry picked, it’s Voldemort who killed Cedric. It seems like a ploy to not only deflect the fact that he murdered Cedric but 

Harry’s very upset when some don’t take him at his word but Harry’s also a dumbass and a psychopath. He hates everyone who doesn’t agree with him.

More importantly, necromancy isn’t a thing in the Harry Potter universe. People don’t rise from the dead. Horcruxes exist, but they’re extremely rare, and it seems like no one ever really makes use of them.

So, yeah, not unreasonable that Fudge didn’t immediately go, “My god, Voldemort has risen from the dead! LIGHT THE BEACONS AND SUMMON ROHAN!”

So yeah, it’d take me seeing Voldemort waltzing through the Department Mysteries to go “... Goddammit, this man is more unkillable than Sheev Palpatine.”

After the Epilogue, I am Certain It’s Still the Same Damn Ministry

People hate the epilogue, but in a way, I love it, because it confirms many of my headcanons: these people don’t learn a goddamn thing.

Nothing in their society seems to have changed. Instead of one set of families holding all the power it’s now a new set of families and friends holding all the power. The difference being that they are now all in some way connected to Harry Potter.

Nepotism’s still the name of the game, we still see only human children boarding the Hogwarts Express so you know shit hasn’t changed for the goblins, Draco Malfoy’s alive and well and holds a position in the Ministry that Kingsly graciously allows him to have, it’s just now you have Hermione writing all your laws for you.

The Wizarding World is still the Wizarding World in every single capacity. The only difference is that Voldemort is dead again. Hooray.

Harry and friends simply don’t have the introspection to even realize it.

[charliedawn]

Imagine being an old classmate of Lucius and him stumbling upon your shop

As soon as the blond boy enters your shop, you know that trouble is not far behind. The boy is touching an item when another man comes in and warns the child by hitting his hand that was handling said item with his cane, sending him a stern look.

" Come on, Scorpius. Stop acting like a child. You shouldn't touch things that aren't yours. Your father would be ashamed.."

The voice, the look, the hair..Oh no..You would have recognized that condescending tone anywhere. You are about to back away slowly and hide in the back shop when the man coughs from behind you to get your attention.

" Shopkeeper, I am searching for a crystal ball for my grandson's class of Divination. Do you have any of those ?"

The hair at the back of your neck stand on edge at the pompous voice dripping with disdain, but you force yourself to smile and turn around to greet the client.

" For sure, sir. Please, follow me."

He doesn't seem to have recognized you yet and you thank Merlin for that miracle. You show him the different crystal balls and he inspects each one of them with the minutiae of a true expert, but you know that deep down, he is absolutely clueless. You almost let out a snort when he chooses the most useless of the crystal balls to buy, surely because it is the most expensive one and that the Malfoys ever had only one motto : Higher is the price Better quality it must be. You still cash it in and try to contain your laughter at the bad deal the man had just bestowed upon himself. However, you fail to see his brat outside, practicing the Alohomora spell on your front door and before you could truly comprehend what had happened, your door shuts close and traps you both inside. Lucius pales at his grandson's action and immediately withdraws his wand to open the door, but the spell doesn't work and he groans in annoyance.

" What is this ?! Why don't my spells work ?!"

You sigh before looking at your watch..6 o'clock. Of course.

" It won't work. Because of the many thieves roaming the street at night, I spelled this door to not succumb to any spell after 6 o'clock at night..It won't open until 6 o'clock tomorrow morning."

He turns towards you, obviously unnerved and is about to yell at your incompetence when a sudden glimmer of recognition lits up his eyes.

" Wait..I know you..You were in my house. Your name is Y/N, isn't it ?"

You scoff before mockingly clapping.

" Bravo ! Took you long enough.."

He growls at your mocking gesture before looking at the door with a scowl.

" Were you always that irresponsible ?"

You rise an eyebrow before rebutting.

" And you, were you always that annoying ? On second thoughts, don't answer that..this is why nobody invited you to the Yule Ball !"

He blushes in embarrassment and mumbles angrily.

" Why you little..Because I had Narcissa !"

You roll your eyes before replying with a jeering tone.

" Thanks Merlin, you had her ! Or you would still be a virgin !"

You would have never thought to see such passionate hatred in Lucius' eyes, him who usually remained so calm and who always had the perfect comeback. But, as you are both trapped, you sigh before getting two chairs and placing them next to each other while he stands still. You sit down and cross your arms before sighing exasperatedly at him.

" Are you going to stay up all night ? Come on, I don't bite..often."

He humphs at that last part before looking at the chair, maybe trying to decipher if there are any traps under the cushion. But, he finally indulges. You both sit next to each other in silence until Lucius sighs and admits.

" You're wrong, you know ? Someone did invite me..I never knew who it was though ? However, what I do remember, is the effort they had put inside the letter..The silver lines moving like snakes around the paper and the green velvet envelope..They even used perfume: a rich fragrance of mint, leather and a hint of fresh nightingale. No name had been written though and this is why I thought it was Narcissa, since she had been trying to find a way to invite me for a while..But then, I asked her about it and she never dared to admit that it was her who wrote it, I found it cute at the time..But now that the divorce is in motion, I really doubt that it was her."

He sighs loudly before pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers, exhausted. You had noticed the heavy eyebags and could only imagine what a single grandfather Lucius could be like. No wonder his grandkid locked him inside. But, since he had been nice enough to share his worries with you, it's only normal that you do the same.

" My shop is on the verge of collapsing, nobody is interested in buying quills and papers now that they have those damn muggle phones..It must be me ? I live in the past and now, reality is hitting me hard in the face.."

He listens to you without interrupting and smiles nearly compassionately at you.

" Guess muggles aren't that great anymore, huh ? I knew that, at some point, our worlds would merge, I just didn't want the Wizarding World to be lost forever..It's sad really."

You can't help but laugh bitterly at his comment.

" A Malfoy will remain a Malfoy ! Always with your ideas of purity and against any kind of change ! If you had just been a little more open-minded, maybe you wouldn't be the most hated family in all the Wizarding World ?"

He only scoffs dismissively at your comment.

" What is the point of being liked when you have power ?"

You look at him and smirk.

" Power ? True power doesn't come from money, Lucius..If you had been paying a little bit more attention, you would have known that power comes in many different shapes and forms..Everybody could have power over anybody, if they only know how to play their assets.. "

He arks an eyebrow at you before smirking as well and asks almost daringly.

" Really ? And what power do you have over me then ?"

The both of you ferociously stare at each other for a while and then, you finally decide to jump on him and tackle him to the ground, to his greatest astonishment. Before he can do anything, you take his cane and throw it away. You then take some nearby rope and, in a few minutes, Lucius is defenseless. When he tries to speak, you put your hand around his throat and squeeze. He grits his teeths and you smile victoriously.

" What was that you were saying about true power ? See how easy it was for me to take the upper hand ? You Malfoy men, always playing the same dangerous game..Over and over again. Never learning that it takes a woman to truly feel powerful..Now that Narcissa is gone, it would be a shame if I were to bite your head off ? Who is going to save you ? Your son ? I doubt it..He hates you. Your wife was your best protection, people always underestimate the power of a mother..But, dear Lucius, you should have known better than treat everyone you come across as pathetic worthless worms..Now, you can either tell me that you were wrong, or I'll tell everyone that a mere half-blood has put the great Lucius Malfoy on his back.."

His eyes widen at the revelation before remembering that he had never seen your mother..Your father was a metamorphmagus and many respected him and that had always been enough..He should have definitely digged deeper. He groans, trying to free himself, but to no avail. He finally glares up at you with everything he feels: disgust being a very distinctive look on him.

" Let me go this instant, you filthy mud..!"

But before he could finish his sentence, you bit his shoulder so profoundly that he finds himself on the verge of screaming..He only hisses instead and you then whisper in his ear.

" Ask nicely..and I may consider it."

He sighs, how could he have been so stupid ? And now, he is pretty sure the memory of submitting to the halfblood would stay in his mind forever..

" Could you please let me go ?"

He finally asks politely but, he is surprised when you start kissing up the side of his neck.

" See ? You can be nice when you want to.."

He groans, still frustrated, but also strangely aroused by all this..But, of course that, he would never admit it to you. He only closes his eyes and hopes that you will stop when you notice that he isn't paying attention to you anymore. However, you aren't going to let him go so easily. You take him suddenly by the chin to force him to look back at your flashing yellow eyes and, to his surprise, you growl.

" Eyes on me, pretty boy..You wanted to see real power ? I'll show you what real power looks like.."

Again, you attack his neck and grind against him until he sees stars.

" You..You will never.."

He tries to speak, but his words get lost when you get him out of his coat and throw it to the ground carelessly.

" Hey ! That coat costs more than your whole damn muggle shop !"

You bite him again, a little less hard on his clavicle, only to shut him up again and roll your eyes playfully at him.

" Me who always thought that you were an ice king, you are just a snow princess.."

He opens his eyes wide at the nickname before glaring at you.

" What did you call me, parasite ?"

You dramatically put your hand at the level of your chest, as if the insult had hurt you before smirking down at him.

" What ? Is that the best you got ? Parasite ? Well, don't forget that said parasite is the one who is making you harder than rock right now..Must hurt, isn't it baby ?"

He clenches his jaw hard at your taunting tone before suddenly raising his pelvis to hit yours, making you moan loudly. When you open your eyes again, he is grinning up at you and asks mockingly.

" What was that ? I thought you said you were going to show me power, but all I hear are the purrs of a pitiful kitten who thinks she is a predator.."

You growl and put your hands around his throat. You aren't playing anymore and want to kill him..To kill him for everything he had done, everything he was..

" Die, you piece of trash !"

But, far from being affected by your sudden death sentence, Lucius only smiles weakly at you and takes your wrists that are shaking around his throat. He takes your moment of inattention to flip you under him, your wrists pinned to the floor.

" It isn't fair.."

You mumble almost in tears as he frowns in incomprehension at you. Why are you crying ? You are the one who had attacked him first, and now you are the one saying that it isn't fair ? As if you could read minds, you try to explain.

" I tried so hard to escape..To escape from you Malfoys and the misery that you seem to surround those who try to get close to you..But even years later, I still end up crossing your damned path !"

He tilts his head to the side, surprised by your sudden outburst and stares at you while you start sobbing and wiggle to set yourself free. When he is sure that you aren't going to attack him again, he slowly shifts his hands from around your wrists to gently wrap them around your waist. He then cradles you in his arms and puts his chin on the top of your head before closing his eyes, calmly stroking your back with his hand to soothe you. It takes a few moments for the both of you to calm down and get back to a normal regular breathing rhythm.

" Soon, I'll be out of your shop and you will never see me again.."

You know that he is trying to reassure you, but the realization makes your heart skip a beat in fear. You would not see him again..He would never know who wrote him that letter all those years ago..He would forget about you. Narcissa had been clear on what would happen to you if you ever dared tell him who was the true writer of the letter..But, would it really matter now ? Narcissa was gone and Lucius was there, his arms wrapped around you. Also, surprisingly, had not make a move to get his wand back to Avada Kedavra you yet. It was a good sign, right ? You look up at him and as soon as your eyes meet, you know that he isn't going to hurt you. You then look at the crystal bowl that he had bought, broken and splattered on the floor. You sigh before reluctantly standing up and getting your most precious crystal ball out of the shelf and giving it to him. He frowns in confusion at your gift.

" What are you doing ? I haven't paid for that one.."

You smile genuinely up at Lucius before silently picking his coat up and running your hand on the soft material before giving it back to him as well.

" I think it should be better if you would take a moment to rest, Mr Malfoy..My behavior was inappropriate and I shouldn't have acted the way I did. It was foolish of me and I humbly ask that you do not sue the shop for my mistake. It is already in a very bad condition and I do not have the money to pay you back for what I did to you.."

He opens his eyes wide in shock before looking at the items in his hands, and finally lays them on a nearby table.

" I do not care about all that now. I don't even understand you. At first, you say that you hate me and try to kill me, then you bite me and try to seduce me in a very odd and savage way, and now this ? What are you trying to tell me, Y/N ?"

You bawl your hands into fists and bite your inner cheek in order not to say anything and turn around to leave. He is to never know who you are or why you are angry at him..You thought he was smart, but you had to admit that he was not the one you thought he was.

" This is where we part ways, my ice prince. Tomorrow, you will come back to your kingdom of paper people and fake happiness and I'll be just another insignificant person that you will forget..Until then, I suggest we both sleep our separate ways. The sofa on your right will be just enough comfort for you and I'll be sleeping in the back with the best company one can have: books."

He stares at you for a few seconds, dumbfounded, before following you and locking the door behind him. You squint your eyes suspiciously as he flashes you a dark grin.

" After all this time, I finally found you.."

The dangerous vibe he is giving you makes you quiver in fear and you step back until you hit the wall. He chuckles at you poor attempt to escape and when he looks up at you again, you can see that his icy blue eyes are nearly glowing in the dark. He gets out his cane that you regret not having taken and slowly makes his way to you, running the tip of his wand on the many books kept on the shelves. You suddenly feel cold sweat running down your back, is he going to kill you ? You wonder as he stops just in front of you and his eyes brighten as he slowly makes a mental map of your body with his eyes that give away a certain appreciation..Is he planning on disposing of your body piece by piece ? Suddenly, he take you by the jaw and forces you to look directly in his eyes as he runs the tip of his wand on your cheek, neck and collarbone. He then leans forward and whispers in his low baritone voice.

" I hope you had fun teasing me..Because it will be the last time I'll ever allow you to make a fool out of me..What ? You thought I wouldn't recognize the perfume ? You stink of the same thing you sprayed that letter ages ago..And, if it wasn't for that, there is only one person that I've ever heard call me ice prince."

He knew. He knows. Oh no..You feel your eyes sprinkle with tears in front of the truth. When you think things couldn't get any worse, he summons said letter with his magic and smirks at your horrified expression.

" I kept it. Want me to refresh your memory ?"

He doesn't wait for an answer before starting reading out loud the subject of your embarrassment.

" My ice prince, I have been considering over the past few months to ask you humbly to accompany me to the Yule Ball. My dreams are filled with your scent and marvelous blue eyes that seem to light up a path to Heaven. When I close my eyes, my thoughts are filled with images of your delicate..Oh my !"

He stops abruptly and glances at you with a sinful smile.

" I had forgotten how detailed the letter was..I remember making Narcissa very happy the following day. To think that it could have been you..You must be feeling so disappointed.."

You blush vividly and try to get out of his grip by scratching his face, but he takes both of wrists and pins them above your head with one hand before continuing reading, not the least bothered.

"Oh no, my darling..You'll stay right there and listen to every word you wrote me..You'll listen and I'll make sure that you remember all of them by heart by the end of the night.. That way, you can shout all you want about how you've put the great Malfoy on his back, but I'll have the immense pleasure to tell everyone who I've succeeded in bringing to her knees."

Your heartbeat quickens at his words and you try to get back up, but Lucius doesn't let you. He pins you down to the table while motioning you to stay quiet.

" You..You're evil.."

You manage to gasp out and he chuckles, as if the insult in itself was some kind of hilarious joke.

" Coming from you ? It's a compliment, my dear..You bit me and tried to kill me. Now, where was I ? Ah, yes..Your delicate hands around my throat and your tongue against the crook of my neck.."

He leans in and slowly and sensually licks your neck from your collarbone to that place behind your ear. He then proceeds to whisper in the shell of your ear.

" I must admit, you are far more responsive than Narcissa at the time.."

His hand lowers itself agonizingly slow down your waist until he reaches your waist and suddenly uses it as leverage to drag you towards him brutally, as if to make you realize that it is happening, that he is here, that it isn't all just a dream..

" Your lips look irresistibly pleasing, my dear..Mind if I get a taste ?"

Before you can say anything, his lips are upon yours and his tongue is invading every crevice of your mouth. You roll your hips against him as a response and he slowly drags his other hand from your wrist to your throat. He squeezes lightly and with your free hands, you cradle his face for him to stay still.

"..I've never seen such beautiful sapphire eyes and only the thought of you makes me want to sing and dance.."

The letter falls from his hand as he understands that he doesn't have to remind you..as you've never truly forgotten. He kisses you again, but sweetly this time. Before you can continue however, he stands up and gets out of the room, leaving you hot and bothered.

" What are you doing ?!"

You yell, almost in despair and he only chuckles before closing the door behind him.

" I did what I said. You won't forget that letter any time soon..However, I can't allow myself to be seen with an half-blood..It would be improper."

" Im..Improper..?"

You repeat, as if dumbstruck by the fact that you may have been played with..You look at the door with a glare before getting up and walking determinedly towards the door. You try to open it, but find it locked.

" Lucius ! Open this door right now !"

But you are only met with a laugh from the other side.

" Good night."

You try to open it by force, but it doesn't work and you can't do anything but declare defeat. You get back to the table and sit on it before burying your face in your arms, trying to muffle your tears as Lucius had, once again, tricked you. But, to your surprise, you hear the door opening and see Lucius standing there, guilt written all over his features.

" I..I didn't think that you would actually cry.."

You don't know what angers you the most : his genuine shock or the fact that he is now staring at you, completely lost ? You try to get past him, but he doesn't let you and cages you in his arms.

" Come on..You know I was only playing. I was going to open it soon enough.."

You try to get out of his grip, but the man is not ready to let you go any time soon. He even tightens his hold on you and you finally lean back, inhaling his very expensive cologne.

" Am I just a game to you, Lucius ?"

You ask with a heavy heart and he decides to answer truthfully.

" At first..you were. But, now ? I don't think so. After the war, I understood that I may have acted wrong. I'm still trying to get better. I may have had very bad ideas over this concept of pure-blood supremacy and other..But, I know now thanks to my son and my grandson that I acted out and I wish to make amends. I truly do. This is why, I think I want to give it a try..Will you help me ? Please ?"

You are taken aback by such honesty in Lucius, but still nod in agreement.

" I have had many phases in my life, some when I hated you and some when I lov..liked you. I don't think that you are a bad man, Lucius. I just think that you are a very ambitious and very proud person. If you could just spend some time with people like me..You would see that we aren't so different..This is why I'm willing to make the first step."

He looks at your outstretched hand for a moment before finally taking it with a small smile.

" I'm looking forward to working with you, Miss Y/N."

The next day, Lucius is finally free from the shop and remains courteous. He even apologizes on behalf of his grandson and Draco seems surprised by his sudden change in behavior.

" Did you use magic on him or what ?"

He asks you in a whisper, but you only laugh heartily and shake your head.

" No. I just talked to him..and he listened."

Lucius smiles, his eyes creasing a bit and you glance at each other with a knowing look. Lucius would be back. He had still much to learn afterall..

[rainydayhogwartsimagines]

The Arrangement (Draco x reader)

Warnings: smut, abuse, yelling, arguing, mentions of suicide and death

You paced, the light of the fireplace shining off your side as you did. "Would you stop pacing!? That noise is driving me insane!" Draco snapped. You glared at him as he sat on the ladder, reading a book with a calm demeanor. You shook your head. "This is easy for you. This isn't as life altering for you as it is for me." You snapped. "And just how is this 'life altering'?" Draco asked. "I will be forced to give up my aspirations and dreams to be your wife if your father agrees to this." You snapped. Draco rolled his eyes and you continued pacing. The wonderful plusses to an arranged marriage. Draco would never ask you to give up your future, even if he was to be your husband. Of course you didn't know that, you barely knew the boy aside from his wonderful comments directed towards you at school. Of course he knew more about you than you were aware of. Your father was in that group of asshole purebloods. And if this evening worked in his favor you'd be involved with Draco Malfoy.

The door opened and Lucius looked at you and then Draco. "Draco. Do you accept Y/n's hand" say no. Please say no-- "I do." He said. Your father's smile unsettled you and you shook your head. "I don't see how this is fair! Why should I have to--" "Silence!" You father snapped. Draco noticed your retreat into yourself and the satisfied look on his face made Draco very aware of his presence. "She will live here with us and take up what we see fit... Is this to your satisfaction?" Lucius asked. "Indeed. Best of luck. She's the most hardheaded of my daughters." Your father said. You gave him a glare as Draco walked with Lucius to see them out, leaving you and Narcissa alone. You sat in a seat in front of the library fireplace, seething in your own anger. "I know how this felt... I used to be like you." She said. "Your marriage was arranged too?" You asked. "mm hmm. Yes and I was quite angry when Lucius agreed. He said it was all about decorum but I don't think he wanted to upset his father... Truth be told I think that's why Draco said yes as well." Narcissa said softly. You turned your attention to the crackles in the fire. "I'm hoping you'll give Draco a chance... I know he's a stubborn boy. Fine, but stubborn... Don't write him off just yet." Narcissa told you. You nodded.

Cut to two weeks later and you two were usually busy. But the times you did spend together was usually festered with bickering. Yelling was not uncommon either. With the amount of eye rolling present, it was a damn wonder your eyes didn't get stuck in either of your heads.

You sat at the table in the library reading a letter addressed to you. You were reading the same line again and again "your brother Charles is dead" you slammed the letter down and scared the crap out of Draco as you did. "Jesus woman! What in the blazes-- Y/n?" He noticed the shock on your face followed by anger and sadness and he walked over to the letter, reading it as he did. He looked at you and then the letter before disappearing with it. "Great. So now he thinks I'm over dramatic" you muttered. Quite the contrary considering he went to his father and showed him the letter.

"They tell her this news in a letter!? A fucking letter!?" Draco asked. "Language Draco... Though this is... Troubling... How is she handling this?" Lucius asked. "She was shocked I think..." Draco sighed. "Don't you think that her fiancée should comfort her?" Lucius asked. "She finds no comfort with me... She usually just insults me." Draco admitted. Lucius rose a brow and got up, walking to the library. You leaned up and sighed. "I'm sorry for your loss Y/n... If you need anything at all we're here." Lucius said softly. You nodded. "I'd like to be alone if you don't mind..." You said softly. Draco and Lucius left you to your thoughts. Still, Draco was seething. A letter? Your father tells you through a letter? You must've sat alone for hours in that room, staring at the fire in tears. The door opened again and Draco sat down, handing you the letter. You took it, looking at it and then tossing it into the fire. Draco rose a brow watching you. "A letter." You scoffed. "He tells me he's dead in a LETTER." You said, throwing a book. Draco stood up watching you. "after everything I've withstood and am dealing with he gives me a fucking letter!?" You said to yourself. "That isn't fair to you." Draco said. You again, scoffed, sitting back down and staring at the fire. "There's a lot he's done that hasn't been fair to me." You murmured as you pulled your sleeves over your hands. Draco rose a brow but turned back to the fire. "Thank you." You muttered. "For listening to me." Draco looked over at you, noticing the numbed stare into the fire as you both watched the parchment burn in the fireplace.

You took weeks to grieve, spending most of that time in your room or the library. However after a while normality resumed and you and Draco were at each other's throats once more. "You are the biggest pain in my arse you know that?!" You asked. "I'm the biggest pain-- Have you met you!? Every five damn minutes it's a new insult!" Draco sighed. "Well maybe if you weren't so angry all the time it wouldn't be so bad!" You said.  "I only do that because someone is hurdling insults at me." He said. You sighed. "This is hard okay? I'm not at home, my brother is dead and now I'm in some arranged marriage with a boy who tormented me in school, excuse me if I'm not exactly fond of this experience." You grumbled. You sat in front of the fire, Draco sitting in the chair next to you. "This isn't exactly easy for me either y'know." Draco muttered. You stared at the fire as it popped. The door opened and you turned around to see Lucius and Narcissa. "Enjoying each other's company?" Narcissa asked. "Hardly" both of you replied. Well at least the two of you could agree on that.

Draco sighed and you muttered something. "Hmm. Dinner is in thirty minutes. Try to be civil." Lucius said. You nodded and sighed as they both left. "This is ridiculous, surely we can get along." Draco said. You didn't say anything. "Y/n we're getting married, we need to at least try to be civil." He said. You let out a sharp sigh. "I know you hate me--" "I don't hate you Draco." You muttered. "....You don't?" He asked. "No. Strongly dislike? Yes. Hate, no." You said. "we need to find some common ground." Draco said. "Fine." You sighed. "We don't hate each other." You said. "Alright. Fine." He nodded. "Is our marriage saved yet?" You asked sarcastically. "Are you always this optimistic or is that just the new engagement?" He asked. "Getting Seven rejected suitors does that to you! Especially when I don't want to be here in the first place" You snapped. "Seven-- SEVEN!? Good God woman what made that happen!?" He asked. You walked out into the hall. "Does pure spite count for something?" You asked. "Wha-- No it doesn't!" Draco said making Lucius and Narcissa look at each other as they heard you two bicker. "Then I have no clue, must be something in the water. I'm perfectly lovely" You concluded. "Perfectly lovely my arse, you've been insufferable since you've been here!" He sighed. "Well if spite counted we would have an answer" you said making Lucius bite back a laugh. "Sometimes I think you're lucky I agreed to this because you'd be a bitter spinster if I said no!" Draco griped making Narcissa grip Lucius' hand to stop from laughing. "Oh is this your idea of sweet talk!? If so, oh take me now! I think I'm falling for you due to your pretentious ass!" You said making Lucius almost snort. "Great! Include that in the vows then, along with the fact that this will be the longest marriage of a lifetime!" Draco concluded. "Insufferable twit!" You snapped. "Bitter spinster!" He shot back before you opened the dining room's doors to see Draco's parents, remaining composed as they looked at you. "Is everything alright?" Narcissa asked. "Ahem... Yes." You said, Draco leaning on the door to seem more natural. "What's for dinner?" He asked. Lucius looked over to Narcissa "Oh lovely bitter spinster, what is for dinner?" Lucius teased making you and Draco flush with embarrassment. The evening for the most part was silent until the end of dinner. "Did you ever take up any hobbies at home Y/n?" Lucius asked, perhaps to help you and Draco find common ground. "Well... I took up fencing for a while." You said and Draco stifled a snort. You glared at him. "What's so funny over there?" You asked. "Nothing, but you'd think for such a graceful sport you'd remain a bit more proper." he said. "Why you little--" "Ahem." Narcissa cleared her throat, eyeing the two of you. "Was there any more.. Creative outlets available to you?" Lucius asked. "My sisters and I were required to take up chorus and an instrument." You murmured. "What was yours?" Draco asked, beating his father to the question. "Violin and piano." you answered. "Were you any good at chorus?" Narcissa asked. "Not exactly." You said. Draco gave an amused smile but halted when he noticed the distant and pained expression. "It's why I picked up two instruments." You said. "I see..." Lucius said, making the same observations as Draco. You cleared your throat, seemingly coming out of the fog that you were in. "Why the questions, if you don't mind me asking?" You asked. "Your room will be ready by tomorrow and we're making sure we have the accommodations for you." Narcissa said. "But... I already have a room?" You said confused. "A room for you and Draco." Lucius said making you both look up, full focus. "I'm sorry, what!?" Draco asked. "You two are to be married, it is customary--" "Father." "For the husband and wife to share their rooms. In fact both of you are sleeping together tonight." Lucius said. Both of you shot murderous glares to each other. "you two are excused." Lucius finally said.

You and Draco went to the library. "Oh tell me you have somewhere else to brood" You grumbled. "I do not brood and for your information, you're in my house!" He said. "Well in that case, if you're so fucking proud of the house, have fun sleeping on the floor!" You yelled. He huffed and so did you, the door opening and Narcissa stepping in. "Mother, tell me father is joking." Draco begged. "I'm afraid he isn't. And for good reason." She said. "What does that mean?" You asked. "it means, dear, that you and Draco need to basically be locked in a room together until you act at least somewhat civil." Narcissa said. "I would assume by the arguing you would want to separate us." you uttered. You looked up. "Sorry." you said. "But making us share a room? Come on mother, locking us in here would've been easier!" Draco said. "Here has distractions. In a room elsewhere forces you to talk." Narcissa said. "Mother--" "Draco, no arguing." She said leaving. "This has got to be the worst day." You sighed, slumping down to the floor. "You're being dramatic." He sighed. He reached for the door handle. "Are you coming?" He asked. "I hate that we have no other options." You uttered, getting up and following. You walked into the room which was dark and bland, yet still sleek and elegant. "No offense but uhm... Do you guys all have the same obsession with the color black?" You asked, referring to the black floor and wall trims. "Ask my father, personally I'm more of a fan of blue." He shrugged. That explained the greyish blue wallpaper in the room. Draco slipped off his shirt and you jumped and looked away. "You do realize we're bound to see--" "Do not remind me!" You groaned. He chuckled, changing his clothes as you changed into yours. "You act like--" He turned to see your back, riddled with scars. Some faded, barely noticeable, others more present and difficult to ignore. "I can feel you staring Draco." you said, sliding on your shirt. Draco turned away. "It's the scars right? That made you stare?" you asked. "Where did those... How are they there?" He asked. Silence fell upon the room, not even the sound of fabric against skin was active. He turned around to see you standing still. You seemed spaced out at the question. "Y/n?" He asked. You cleared your throat, changing. "My father." You finally answered. He frowned. "Can we not talk about this please? This is not something--" "Alright" Draco said, a concerned observing expression on his face. You swore for a moment it almost appeared that he cared.

You laid down, facing towards the window away from Draco, while his back was turned to you. Both of you slept for the most part through the night, but something was off. He felt you shift multiple times, leaving him awake. He almost woke you up for a snarky comment but you shot forward, gasping for air as you did. He leaned forward, putting a hand on your back. "Y/n? What's wrong-- hey look at me" he said. You gripped your head and shook. "I-I can't even get his voice-- I can't get it to stop--" you whimpered. He frowned, understanding the "he" you were referring to. He pulled you closer to him. "I'm here Y/n..." He said softly. You leaned back against him, your chest constantly rising and falling. "Breathe Y/n." He said softly. You listened, softening your breathing. He slowly let go and you whimpered. "Don't let me go." you whispered. He pulled you to him, resting your head on his chest.

The morning started with Narcissa opening the door expecting to see a murderous sight. Instead she was met with seeing Draco holding you close to him, his chest falling and rising with your head rested on him. "Lucius!" she whisper-shouted. Lucius walked over and rose a brow. "Curious." he muttered. They left you alone though, not daring to interrupt the civility in the house. You woke up first, the sunlight hitting your face causing you to wince and lean up. The sudden movement made Draco wake up. What did he have his arm around? He blinked a few times, seeing you stretch. Oh. OH.

He looked at you surprised. "Draco, are you alright?" You asked, noticing his wild eyed stare. "I'm not dead?" He asked. You rolled your eyes and got up, him doing the same a few minutes later. You both dressed in silence, you unsure what to say. Usually you had some remark for anything, right now you were at a loss for words. Draco was right there when you needed him, he reacted the way you needed him to. "Thank you Draco... For last night." You found your self saying as Draco adjusted his sleeves. He looked over, his hair of course looking very elegant as it usually did.  "I'm here any time you need me Y/n..." He began. You struggled with a button in the back and he pushed aside your hair, fixing it for you. "I know we argue. But I don't want you to feel like you're ever alone or helpless." He said softly. "I don't think I could ever feel alone when I have a strange blonde man following me." you teased. That made him smile... That wasn't a jab, that was a joke. You turned around to face him and you snorted. "You went to Hogwarts, how many years? And you still cannot figure out how to tie a fucking tie?" You asked with a snort. He rolled his eyes and you took its sides and began tying it. He rose a brow, watching your small hands at work before you made a perfect tie. "Thank you..." He said. "You're..." You looked in his eyes. "Your... eyes are silver?" You asked. He rose a brow. "You've never noticed?" He asked."Usually when I'm focused on you I'm forming new insults and not focused actually on you." You said with a small laugh. He chuckled. "And now?" He asked. "I'm... I don't think I'm so angry with you anymore." You admitted.

The week was strange to both of you. Any insults that were thrown were more of a joking matter, any time Draco actually spent time with you, you actually enjoyed it. Lucius nearly died when he was looking for Draco and found him reading next to you by resting his head in your lap. You were smiling. As in: "Head over heels now" smiling. Then came the family dinner. The protocol required that the family of the bride to be to have dinner with the groom's family. You absolutely dreaded this more than anything. "I'll be with you the whole time Y/n." Draco assured. You shook your head. "It won't stop him from getting inside my mind, trust me." You muttered as you changed behind a partition. Draco sighed. "The tie? Again? Seriously Draco, seven years at Hogwarts and you never learned how to tie a tie?" You asked. He sighed again, getting antsy before your hands wandered to his tie. He looked at you and swallowed. "Y/n.." He paused. "I know I know: I need to stop mocking you for this tie thing, but seriously Draco that's almost two thousand whole days to learn--" "You look beautiful." He said softly. You blushed, avoiding his eyes because you knew if you saw them you'd basically be putty in his hands. "Thank you..." You mumbled. You almost pulled away your hand but he stopped you, holding it. Something about this was just... Reassuring. You cleared your throat, pulling away. "We should get downstairs... My father hates waiting." You murmured.

You walked in, standing at your chair and waiting for Lucius to allow you to sit. The silent stares from your mother made you almost shake and Draco could see that. Lucius finally entered, noticing your facial expressions and giving Draco a "is she okay" look. Draco looked at your mother and then back at Lucius. Lucius nodded and took his place, allowing you to sit down. Dinner was stressful to say the least, the silence making you very uneasy. "Y/n, darling you've hardly touched your food, are you feeling alright?" Narcissa asked. "Yes ma'am." You mumbled. Draco rose a brow and your father almost seemed... Happy. With you're discomfort.

"Y/n has taken quite well to Draco. The two are practically inseparable now." Narcissa said. Draco hid a small smile. "Has Y/n been keeping up with her lessons?" Your father asked. "....Yes. she's quite exceptional with piano." Lucius answered with a brow raised. "Lilian was exceptional with piano as well. Better actually." He said. You frowned and Draco put a hand over yours, looking at you. "Y/n always had trouble prioritizing her duties." Your mother said. "Maybe she had trouble because she was trying to ignore the obvious--" Lucius shook his head and Draco gripped your hand. You put a hand on his arm and shook your head. He swallowed but nodded. "Hmm." Your father made a noise of acknowledgement. "in two weeks time is the engagement party. Is there any requests?" Lucius asked. Almost finished. Thank God. "Do not be afraid to discipline my daughter if she doesn't do something to your liking." Your father answered.

Sound seemed to drown out, him staring daggers into you. "She isn't cattle!" Draco finally snapped. "Stop it." You thought, your throat not working to form even a whisper. "You don't know the kind of pain he's capable of" "She is a human being who I happen to care about, do not ever expect me or my family to hurt her the same way you have." Draco growled. Lucius paused. "What?" He asked. “Make the voice stop.” You thought, retreating into yourself. "She has scars father--" "This is absolutely ridiculous!" Your father halted and Lucius was now looking at your father from head to toe. Narcissa frowned and glared at him before noticing you. "Make it stop, please just get this to stop." You thought to yourself as you shook. "Draco get Y/n out of here." She said. He opened his mouth but stopped noticing the pure terror on your face. "Y/n?" Draco whispered. You were shaking and Draco pulled you up, walking you to the library. He closed the door and you shook. "Y/n--" "Please don't hurt me" you whimpered. Draco sat you down and kneeled in front of you. "Y/n I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe." He said softly. He cupped your cheek. "What did they do to you?" He asked making you break down into sobs.

He held you close, soothing you until you fell asleep and then carried you to bed. He sighed, running a hand over his face, closing the bedroom door as he stood outside of it. He walked to his father's study to find Lucius looking out the window and drinking. "Father--" "Is it really true?" Lucius asked. "Did he beat her?" He asked. Draco sucked in a breath. "Yes. She has nightmares father, she'll wake up crying." Draco answered. Lucius sat down the glass Draco could only assume was filled with scotch and turned around. "We must tread carefully then. He can retract this engagement as long as it is within these coming weeks." Lucius said. "Surely he wouldn't." Draco said. "He would if it meant someone finding out." Lucius answered. "I halted him from doing that very action tonight. I understand your anger. I too am cross, but you must control this in his presence or else we're sending that girl into a lion's den." Lucius said. "Yes father." Draco said. After a long silence Draco reached for the door. "Son." Lucius said. He looked over with a confused glance. "I'm proud of you for protecting her." Lucius said. Draco gave a small smile, walking back to you.

You were still asleep, most likely exhausted. Draco changed, laying next to you. You instinctively moved into his arms, Draco holding you as you slept. "Thank you." You murmured. He kissed your head. "Anything for you dear."

The next morning Draco woke up before you. You leaned up, getting changed before walking out. You walked through the halls, looking through the windows and out to the garden. It was raining today. You felt a hand land on your shoulder. You turned to see Draco and you smiled. "Morning." You mumbled. "Good morning." He said. "Would you mind taking a walk with me?" He asked. You rose a brow but followed him. You walked through the manor, you confused. "Any particular reason you wanted to walk?" You asked. "I mainly wanted to enjoy your company." He admitted. "O-oh..." You said with a small blush coming to your cheeks. "Uh.... I wanted to say thank you... Draco... For last night. You... It meant a lot." You said. "It was nothing... I'm glad that you trust me though." He said. "Draco... I know that I'm a bit... Flawed. But I want you to know that if you need anything that I'm here." You said. He smiled, looking at you. His silver eyes seemed to pierce through you as he stared. "Draco--" "Y/n, good you're awake. Would you mind stepping into my study?" Lucius asked.

You sighed. "Duty calls." You muttered before stepping in. You closed the door and took a moment to get rid of the rosy cheeks induced by Draco. "Are you alright?" He asked. "Hmm? Yes what did you-- Marie!?" You gaped. Your sister turned around. "Hello darling." She said with a soothing smile. She rose and you hugged her. "My goodness, what brings you here?" You asked. "I wanted to see you before you got married! That and I want to also meet your husband to be!" She said. "Oh! Aha... Well--" "Where is the boy--" "I'll get him!" You said. You stepped out. Oh God... She's so perky she might kill Draco with smiles.

Draco rose a brow, leaning off the wall. "Were you just... Standing out here?" You asked. "Hmm. Yes I planned on spending most of my day with you." He said. You smiled slightly. "Ahaha... Well my sister Marie wants to meet you." You said. "She does?" Draco asked. "Yes... Though I'm afraid her happy demeanor might kill your whole brooding attitude that you maintain." You chuckled. He gave you a small smirk. "I do not brood." He said before walking in. "Yes. You do." You said taking his hand with both of your hands. He smiled at the obvious excitement to see your sister. Marie stood up and curtsied to him. "Pleasure to meet you Draco." She said. He took her hand and kissed it, before rising and taking his place next to you. "Oh he's polite. A lot better than that boy Joanna almost married." Marie said. You tried not to snort. "The boy from Noughtington?" You asked. "Indeed. That boy was a walking disaster." Marie chuckled. "With the--" "Fondue fountain." You both said before laughing. Draco smiled at your laughing and Marie noticed. He was smitten. Oh it was so obvious. "Draco, are you looking forward to marrying my sister?" She asked. Draco looked at you with a chuckle. "Well if the first week of marriage is like her first week here I think I can wait." He teased. You resisted again to laugh. "...What was so bad about your first week?" Marie asked after noticing the amused look on Lucius face. "She absolutely tormented the boy." Lucius chuckled. "Tormented? Oh no that's an understatement-- she followed me around just to insult me." He said with a laugh. You chuckled and seemed to be looking at him with affection. "But." He began looking at you and taking your hand. "I wouldn't change a thing about her." He said. Your cheeks again heated up, becoming slightly noticeable as you smiled. Marie smiled.

"I'm glad she has found someone to love her. Some of father's arrangements..." Marie cleared her throat. "It doesn't bode well." She said. You nodded knowingly. "Elizabeth, may she rest in peace." You both said in unison. Draco rose a brow. "You've lost a sister?" Lucius asked. "She was the eldest. I'm afraid father misjudged the family and..." Marie cleared her throat. "They drove her to suicide." You said. "Promise me you two" Marie said to Lucius and Draco. "You will keep my father away from Y/n." She said. "Well we--" "I swear to you if he lays a finger on her I will not hesitate to return that favor." Draco said making you blush again. He was so serious and hellbent on keeping you safe. "We promise you she's safe here." Lucius said softly, taking notice of Draco's determined look.

You noticed the rain had stopped as did Draco. "Would you mind allowing Y/n and I to go on a walk? Y/n loves the garden after it rains." Draco asked. He noticed that? Christ, is there anything this boy didn't know about you? "You're excused, Marie how long are you staying?" Lucius asked. "Until the wedding." She said. You all froze. "This is my favorite sister, I'm making sure this is the right place for her, surely you understand." Marie said. Lucius nodded. "Very well." Lucius said. "Enjoy your walk you two." Marie said. You both walked out and Draco let out a long breath. "She's... Perky?" He said. "Told she'd interrupting the brooding." You said with a chuckle. "I, once again, do not brood!" He said. You laughed and he smiled. "You've been smiling a lot more lately though, I will give you that." You said. "I've been enjoying my company." He said to you. You smiled, tucking a loose strand behind your ear.

You observed the roses as Draco sat in the garden, him noticing your love for the roses. "Draco?" You asked. "Hmm?" He made a noise to acknowledge your call while sitting up straight. "How did you know I liked the garden after it rains?" You asked. Draco pondered. "I think it was more after observing you." He asked. "You've observed me?" You asked. He chuckled. "I do. I do that more than I think you realize." He said. You looked over, a slight amusement daring to play on your lips. "What did you notice?" You asked. "hmm." He stood up looking at you. "You enjoy reading." He said. "Well that's obvious, our first conversation was in a library." You laughed. "You pace when you're upset, to which I do the same." He said. "Continue." You said with a smile. "You actually do carry yourself properly almost standing sometimes like you have a sword, especially when you argue." He noticed. "Oh?" "I suspect that's because to you, arguing is a battle of wits." He teased. You rolled your eyes with a laugh. "If it doesn't rain, around this time you're outside here, reading. Usually a female writer like Bronte or Austen." He said. How did he-- "You always have your hair up in some sort of way, most likely to keep yourself from having to mess with it while you're reading." He stepped closer. "You have tea with my mother on Wednesday." He took your hand, holding it. "Your hand still has the callouses from the violin." Your heart was pounding. "The roses are your favorite, I think you love to feel the petals" he said, getting closer to you. You could feel his breath now. "You stare at me when you don't think I'm watching and you make notes of my movement because you know it reflects how I truly feel." He whispered. You both stood in silence, only the chirping of birds sounding off. Draco's eyes were staring into yours, almost as if they were searching. His hand held your cheek and your heart pounded. "Draco..." You whispered. You had to say something didn't you? Why on earth did you say this boy's name? "I think I..." You swallowed. "I think--" "Y/nnnn! Narcissa wanted you!" Marie called. "I'm beginning to despise your sister." He murmured, still very close to your face. "I should go." You said softly. He nodded and stepped back, your face returning to the cool air of the midday. You walked past. "Y/n." Draco said making you turn around.

It all happened so quickly. The pull of his hand, your lips on his, my God they were warm. "When you are finished, come to library." He said softly. "As... As you wish..." You said shocked. You pulled away, eyes still wide as you walked. Marie rose a brow as you came into her view, your fingers lightly pressing your bottom lip with a shocked face. "Y/n are you ill? You look like you've seen a ghost." Marie asked. "...What? Oh yes! Yes I'm fine!" You said quickly walking into the manor. Marie rose a brow but Draco soon came into view with a smile and shaking of the head. He almost seemed... Giddy?

Marie looked at you and then Draco and rose a brow. "Y/n did something happen between you and your fiancée?" She asked. "What!? What in the world would make you think that!? Haha, Marie you're so ridiculous, where's Narcissa!?" You asked. She squinted at your expression. "...The day room... For tea... It's Wednesday dear." Marie reminded. "I know you have tea with my mother on Wednesdays..." "Right... Right! I should go!" You said, walking quickly your face getting redder as you walked.

You walked into the day room, sitting down with a frantic look. "Y/n? Are you alright dear?" Narcissa asked. You closed the door and ran a hand over your face. "Your son has got my mind running all over the place!" You said. She gave an amused smile. "Has he now?" She asked. "He took a walk with me and started talking about how he looks at me when I'm not looking-- has he lost his mind!?" You asked. "Well--" "And then he had the gall to kiss me!" You groaned. "...... He did what?" Narcissa asked, a wide smile showing. "At least try to hide the joy here, he's literally driving me to the brink of insanity." You said. "Sorry, yes. He kissed you?" Narcissa asked. "Yes! Marie came to fetch me and he just-- Gah! Did you know he observes me!?" You groaned. "why do you think you're going mad?" Narcissa asked. "That has to be what this feeling is right!? I'm descending into madness!?" You asked frantically as you paced. "Wait, what feeling?" Narcissa asked. "that feeling that just comes around when Draco is around!" You said. Narcissa could see this clearly. When you said Draco's name, the sentence ended with you smiling. You paused, realizing the smile. "SEE!? HE'S GOT ME SMILING LIKE A GIT!" you whined. Narcissa laughed. "Y/n. You're not mad." Narcissa assured. "Then what the hell is ailing me? Oh God is it something else worse?" You asked. "You're in love."  Narcissa said. You laughed. "No. No that's not... No!" You said. "Darling you can't say Draco's name without smiling." Narcissa said. "Sure I can. Draco-- Damn it!" You hissed after you smiled. Draco who was walking by heard his name. "Is it so out of the realm of possibility?" Narcissa asked. "I mean... No..." You mumbled. "Tell me, what have you observed from Draco." Narcissa said. You sat down. "he's a twat." You mumbled making him shake his head with a smile. "He's intelligent though... My god he keeps his wits about himself." You muttered. "And?" Narcissa asked. "And he always is there when I need him...." You mumbled. "And he's right there every morning... Holding me." You said smiling to yourself. Draco smiled to himself. "And he..." You shook your head with a small laugh. "He reminds me of Mr. Darcy." You said. "how so?" She asked. "He has the same retorts... And he doesn't hold any punches when he talks to me." You said. "And that pleases you?" Narcissa asked. "It means he knows I can handle myself..." You said. You looked over at Narcissa, that warm feeling returning. "I'm in love aren't I?" You asked. "Head over heels." Narcissa said. Draco smiled, walking past.

"what's got you so giddy mister Draco?" Marie asked. He cleared his throat. "It's just a very... Very good day don't you think?" He asked. She rose a brow. "I suppose?" She said as he entered the library. "What on earth have I walked into?" She muttered to herself. She walked into the day room. "Uhm. Mrs. Malfoy?" Marie asked making you look up. "Hmm?" She asked. "Something strange is happening." Marie said. "Oh?" Narcissa asked. "...Yes Draco was smiling like a madman earlier he almost seemed... Giddy? And poor Y/n walked out of the garden looking like she's seen a ghost." Marie said confused. "Wait, when did you see Draco?" You asked. "Just now, he was walking past--" "Oh no." You said, cheeks heating up. "What's wrong?" Marie asked. "It appears that we need THICKER DOORS." You groaned making Narcissa chuckle. You got up and sighed. "Where are you off to?" Marie asked. "Killing an eavesdropping moron." You muttered making Narcissa almost snort.

You stepped into the library and Draco looked up with a kind smile. Damn that adorable face. "Eavesdrop anything interesting lately?" You asked with a straight face. Draco chuckled. "It appears someone has become smitten." He said. "Oh ha ha." You said with an eye roll. "It appears we both feel the same way as well." He said softly. You looked at him, brows raised. "I don't... Think I quite follow... You.. you love me?" You asked. Draco laughed and shook his head. "Of course I do Y/n." Draco said, shutting the book in his hand. He set it down. "You have become my world Y/n... I can only hope I've done the same for you." He said softly. You let a smile fall over you. "Yes... Yes you have." You admitted. He again, held your cheek. "I love you Y/n." He said softly. "I love you too Draco." You said softly. The gap between the two of you came to a close and he dropped the book entirely making you jump. He chuckled as did you before you noticed your sister standing there shocked. Your eyes widened and you shoved Draco away making him confused before he too noticed Marie. "Well it's too late now, I've already seen your... Festivities." She snorted. You rose a brow. "Festivities? Really Marie?" You asked. "I didn't know you were in here!" She said. "All you said before you left was you were killing someone!" Marie added making Draco snort. You picked up his book and smacked his arm with it. "Idiot." You murmured. "Yes, I am your idiot though." He said softly. You smiled. "Are you prepared for the day after tomorrow?" Marie asked. "What's then?" You asked. She blinked. "....You cannot be serious. How on earth do you forget your own birthday!?" She asked. Draco looked at you shocked. "Your birthday is this week!?" He asked. "It is!?" You asked. "My God woman, how have you lived this long?" She asked with a grin. "I'm sorry I barely remembered it's Wednesday today and you're expecting me to know that my birthday is in two days?" You asked making Draco laugh. "Draco really turned your head that much around hmm?" She teased. Your cheeks turned pink at the mention and Draco laughed. "To be fair she does the same for me." Draco said. "Oh do I now?" You asked with a laugh. "Why do you think I can never seem to put a tie on?" He asked. You blinked a few times. "What?" You asked. "You're correct, we've been to a private school Y/n, one of which includes ties in the uniform. I've had plenty of practice but living with you has made it very difficult to focus, especially  as of late." He teased. Your face was redder by the second. "Oh come now Draco, you're teasing her too intensely. Any more jabs at her now and she'll be as red as a tomato." Marie laughed. "You two are going to be the death of me!" You whined as you walked towards the door. "Where are you off to?" Draco asked. "Away, far away. I swear you two exist to torment my mental state." You groaned making him laugh as you left. "You really do love her." Marie noticed. Draco smiled. "Indeed I do." He said with that ridiculous smile on his face. Marie shook her head. "Did you not realize it was her birthday?" She asked. "No. She never mentioned it to me, I'm honestly surprised that your father never brought it up." Draco said. "They never celebrated birthdays. Mother always did, father, never." Marie said. "Every time I've met your mother she doesn't appear to care." He said. "That's because she's our stepmother." Marie said softly. Draco rose a brow. "Is you mother... Divorced?" "Passed on I'm afraid. When Y/n was nine." Marie explained. "I see..." Draco said. "Was you father--" "In the pleasant mood he's always in? Yes. All the time." She muttered.

"hmm." Draco nodded. "Elizabeth took the beatings after mother died... And then when Wesley and I married it was Y/n." Marie said. "... You're a twin?" Draco noticed. "Hmm? Oh no! No we happened to marry around the same. Y/n's a triplet  though." Marie answered. "What?" Draco asked, clearly surprised. "Oh yes. Thomas and..." Marie frowned. "Charles..." She muttered. Draco paused. "Oh... Oh no." Draco said realizing something. "What's wrong?" Marie asked. "was she close to Charles?" Draco asked. "Thomas and him both were." Marie said. "Then I know why she didn't want to remember her birthday." Draco said. Marie facepalmed. "I feel so stupid I didn't catch on before." She said. Draco cleared his throat, before his eyes seemed to get huge. "What's with you?" Marie asked. "I don't have a present for my own fiancée..." He muttered. "Ohhh... Oh shite, I don't either." Marie said. "Wha-- you're the one that mentioned her birthday!" He said. "it took her twin sending me a letter to realize it was in two days!" Marie said. "...Diagon alley!" He said, snapping his fingers. "What?" She asked "We have to go to Diagon alley, now! We've got floo powder!" He said.

"Draco she spends most of her free time with you we would need..." She paused. "A distraction-- would your parents be willing to help?" Marie asked. Draco set down the book and walked out. He stepped into his father's study. "Father are you busy?" He asked. "Well--" "I need you to distract Y/n for two hours." Draco said. "....Why, pray tell do you need me to distract her?" Lucius asked. "Y/n's birthday is in two days, I need to get her a gift." Draco said. "Two days? My goodness, why hasn't she said anything?" Lucius asked. "She hasn't kept up with the days since she moved in." Draco explained. "Alright... How should I go about distracting her?" Lucius asked. "Give her something to do-- Books! She loves to read or-- Maybe get her to practice music!" Draco pondered. "Wait! You haven't spent that much quality time with her, just get to know her!" He said. ".....Alright, how do I do that exactly?" Lucius asked. "Father, just do what you do with me." He said. "But what if she's easily distracted--" "I really need this father." Draco begged. Lucius let out a long sigh and Draco stared at his father. "...fine... Send her in." Lucius said. "Thank you father!" Draco said with relief. "Have fun." He murmured as Draco ran off to find you.

It didn't take long to find you, you were sitting on the bench, reading. Your ,h/c strands moving ever so slightly because of the breeze. Draco smiled as he walked over. You felt as if someone was watching you as you read, putting down your book to see Draco. "Hi." You said softly. God your voice.... Seriously what did Draco drink this morning that made you lovely to him? "Father... Wanted to speak with you." Draco said. "Hmm? Alright... Draco are you okay you seem... Distracted?" You asked. "You look radiant today, that's all." He said making you smile. "what did I do today to earn your attention this often?" You asked curiously. "hmm... I'm not sure, does breathing count?" Draco asked. He kneeled so he was closer to your face. "Your eyes are something poetry is often written about." He said looking at you. "Did someone slip you Amortentia this morning?" You asked. "Nope. Just in love. That's all." He said. You put your book beside you, cupping his face in your hands. Draco smiled, moving strands of hair out of your eyes. You pressed a kiss to his forehead and sighed. "I suppose I should go see what your father needs--" "He can wait... For a little bit." Draco said with a smile. You laughed and rolled your eyes. "You're a child." You said. "No, I just would like my future wife's attention." He said making you smile. He kissed you, making you smile. He loved seeing that smile now. Used to it was almost a sign of mockery or the result of him falling. Now it was the best parts of his day. He kissed your lips a couple of more times and you laughed. "I really should go see what your father wants Draco." You said. He smiled and rolled his eyes. "Fine, but we are definitely continuing this later." Draco said with a devious smirk. You shook your head as you walked into the manor. You walked to Lucius' study and he looked up.

"Draco said you needed me?" You asked. "Uh..." Lucius seemed to halt his entire brain. Shit. One job Lucius. You have one job. "...I... Realized that I don't really know you as well as Narcissa does... So..." He noticed Marie and Draco running into the library with a bag of floo powder. He flicked his wand ever so slightly so the door would close. "So?" You asked, raising a brow. "So tell me about yourself!" He said, way too excited in the subject. "Well... Uhm... What would you like to know?" You asked. Shit. "Uh--" seriously man, can you make another fucking noise!? The sounds of muffled shouting made you turn your head. "What's your favorite number!?" Lucius asked, a slight deranged look appearing in his eyes. "....What?" You asked. ".... What's your favorite number?" He asked. What kind of question is that? "...Eight... I guess?" You answered confused. "Alright, Draco wanted me to get to know you, I have absolutely no clue how to go about this." Lucius finally snapped. You blinked. "But... Our relationship is fine?" You said confused. "Yes well he thinks we need to be closer." Lucius said. "Hmm.. does that mean I'm allowed to ask questions too?" You asked. "Please do, this awkward silence will drive me mad if it's held long enough." He said. "How do you know my father?" You asked. "He works in the ministry. I was also present for his second marriage." Lucius said. "I didn't see you there?" You said confused. "I made it very very brief." He said making you nod. "Do you get along with your stepmother?" Lucius asked. "... Not particularly." You admitted. "Hmm. Good to know. She was dreadful even during the wedding." Lucius said making you laugh. "Yep. sounds like her." You nodded. "Do... Hmm." Lucius pondered if his next question would make you uncomfortable. "do you enjoy the company of any of your family?" He asked. "All of my siblings are kinder than my parents. They could see the favoritism at a young age and stopped trying to please him as much as I did." You explained. "Hmm... Well your brother would like to visit Friday--" you seemed to perk up at the mention of your brother. "Thomas?" You asked. "Yes... And Wesley." He nodded. "I love spending time with my brothers sir." You said with a smile. "I can see that. I'll let them know they're welcome to come here." He said. "I will warn you... They might pull what Marie did and stay here until the wedding." You warned. "It is customary for the family of the bride to stay with us a week prior from the wedding... Even though this is about three weeks early, I'll allow it." Lucius assured. You rose a brow. "Three weeks?" You asked. "Hmm?" Lucius asked. "The wedding...is in three weeks?" You asked. "Technically four. Why?" Lucius asked. "Nothing I just... It's the first I've heard an official date." You admitted. "I suppose you should talk to Narcissa about a dress... I'm not sure that's actually in order." Lucius said. You opened your mouth before hearing a loud crash making you stand. "What in the blazes was that!?" You asked. "Uhh--" you reached for the handle and the door opened before you could reach it. "....Draco what the hell happened to you?" You asked. "...Floo powder explosion" he admitted as he was covered in ash and soot. Lucius facepalmed and you started laughing making both of the men look at you. "You're ridiculous, you know that?" You asked Draco, wiping away the ash on his face. He smiled and laughed. "Yes, it appears that way doesn't it?" He asked. You shook your head. "Wait... Why would you need floo powder--" "I'm going to take a bath! I'll be back." Draco said before kissing your cheek and leaving. You rose a brow and turned back around. "You were distracting me weren't you?" You asked. "What? No no no I--" you gave him a blank stare. "Yes. Yes I was."

You ended up looking for Draco after an hour passed. "Draco can we-- OH MY GOD!" You screamed after seeing him naked. You slammed the door closed, your heart pounding as you stood there. You could hear him laughing. "I already told you it'd be bound to happen." Draco said. You almost seemed to be trying to hype yourself up to walk back in again. After all you did see.... GAH. NOT TIME TO THINK ABOUT THAT! You let out a long sigh. "Draco I'm walking in." You said. You could do this, you could do this you could-- you walked in and he was still shirtless making you nearly scream.

You could not do this.

Draco laughed, looking at your panic. "Love, this is bound to happen eventually." Draco said. "How are you so comfortable with this?" You asked staring at the ceiling. "I've shown you some very vulnerable parts of my personality. Personally: I'd prefer you see me naked over watching me in a vulnerable state." Draco said sliding on his shirt. You nodded. "Okay.... I guess that makes sense--" you said looking at Draco who was smiling at you. You rolled your eyes. "Take joy in my embarrassment, you're the one that has to deal with me having to take a bath later. Then we'll see who's embarrassed." You sassed. He chuckled. "Touché my dear, touché." He said. You looked in his eyes and smiled before squinting. ".... You're up to something!" You concluded. "What?" He asked. "You're up to something! I don't know what yet, but you're up to something!" You said. "I am not..." He looked into your eyes. "Okay I may have something planned but I'm not saying what that is!" He said. "Pffff... You crack like your father does!" You said with a laugh. "I do not-- Wait what does that mean?" He asked. "I asked if me being in his office was a distraction and he cracked." You said with a laugh. "Damn it father!" He groaned. "So. Whatcha hiding?" You asked with a smirk. He shook his head. "I'm not saying. "Dracooo... What are you hiding?" You asked again. "not tellinnnggg!" He said walking past you. You smirked, jumping onto his back making him jump. "What the hell--" "Tell me!" You said. "No!" He laughed. Marie snorted seeing you on his back. "Am I to assume this is about.... The thing?" Marie asked. Draco nodded with a laugh and you hung over his shoulder making him laugh harder. "Tell meeeee!" You said. He snorted and you laughed before almost hitting the floor. Draco managed to grab you beforehand and he laughed harder. He kissed your face and you smiled. "You will be the death of me I swear." He laughed.

Marie smiled. "we should get to dinner, I'm dying to get to know your parents!" Marie said. "They're really sweet." You said as Draco helped you up. You all walked into the dining room, taking your places. Lucius sat down, as did all of you. "So, there's a boy named Thomas that is to stay with us?" Narcissa asked. "Hmm? Yes, it's Y/n's brother." Lucius answered. "Oh! The triplet?" Narcissa asked. "You knew?" Draco asked. "I know plenty about your fiancee Draco, I have tea with her every Wednesday. You should join us one day, you might learn something new." Narcissa said. "Oh he knows plenty about Y/n. Interests, hobbies, career choices." Marie said. "Career choices?" Narcissa and Lucius asked. "Y/n would like to be an a Magizoologist." Draco said making you raise a brow. "A Magizoologist? Like uhm... What's that man's name, we've met him six or seven times?" Lucius asked Narcissa. "Newt Scamander?" She asked. "That's the one." He nodded. "Wait wait wait. You've met the Newt Scamander?" You asked. "He comes to the Christmas party every year." Draco said. "How-- what!?" You gaped. Draco smiled at your bewilderment. "So you wish to study magical creatures?" Narcissa asked. "Yes... I know it's crazy--" "It's not crazy dear, it's fascinating. When did you realize you wanted to study them?" Narcissa asked. "after I saved your son from a hippogriff." You said making Draco nearly choke on his drink. "What?" Lucius asked. "In our third year we were given a new course of magical creatures. Potter ended up getting along quite nicely in the course. Draco... Not so much." You teased. "He charged up to the damn thing and it nearly attacked him until I intervened." You said. Draco looked at you. "That... That was you." He remembered. "Yes I was usually put in the middle with your rivalry with Potter." You said to him. He frowned. "You... Were?" He asked. "Yes. The hippogriff was just one of many occasions. There was the sink explosion that occured after you pissed off George, the argument over the goblet of fire where Ron got heated and accidentally elbowed me in the nose after you insulted him, me getting in trouble after taking the blame for something you did by the headmaster from Durmstrang, and my least favorite-- the mandrake incident." You listed. "....I didn't realize I caused that much trouble." He said. "you gave Fred and George a run for their money." You admitted. "I'm genuinely sorry Y/n." He said. "I resented you for a very long time but it no longer bothers me." You shrugged. "...I do remember one incident with a creature in our fourth year." Draco recalled. Lucius rose a brow. "Oh yes the" "Dragon." Marie, you and Draco all recalled. "Dragon?!" Narcissa gaped. "Yes. In the tournament there was a challenge having to do with a dragon. Cedric nearly died to the damn thing." Draco began to explain. "There was this scholarship like program that I was a part of where I worked close with Charlie Weasley and Hagrid. So as my training started at the beginning of the year, I basically had to raise the dragons in the tournament." You explained. "She runs down there and calms it in seconds." Draco said making Lucius raise a brow. "Really?" He asked. "I mean... Keeping Milk grass in hand while petting a dragon comes in handy..." You shrugged. "Milk what?" Narcissa asked. "It's a grass that grows in the wizarding world-- It uh its smell is very potent, smells sweet but dragons love the stuff. It's the best way to keep them calm." You said, seeming more interested as you answered. You noticed everyone looking at you. "Sorry... I just... Uhm." You shifted. "You know, I bet Newt wouldn't mind speaking with you about career possibilities." Lucius said. You perked up as if you were a dog. "....Are you... Are you serious!?" You asked. "Consider it done" Lucius said. You stared at the table in shock. "Excuse my dear sister, her mind is now fried." Marie teased. "What about you dear, do you work?" Narcissa asked. "I'm a journalist." She said. "Oh goodness... Tell me you aren't like that plague of a woman, Rita Skeeter." Lucius said. Marie grimaced. "Absolutely not. I'd sooner shoot myself in the foot than stoop to that woman's level." Marie chuckled. "Good." Lucius said relieved. "what is it you write?" Narcissa asked. "I write travel entries." She said. "You travel?" Draco asked. You finally blinked away the disbelief. "She uhm." You cleared your throat. "She travels with her husband." You said. "So your husband and you travel?" Lucius asked. "He's a soldier." She said. "Oh. I take it he knows you're here?" Draco asked. "Yes, though he's usually out doing something... Dangerous." She admitted. "Sweet as can be though." You said. "God yes." Marie nodded. "How did you all manage to be in reliable marriages if your father is... Well your father." Draco asked. "Mm. Well when you're a noble you go to many parties. You meet people, you befriend them. We set up a system you see." Marie began. "We would basically befriend the noble boys and ask them politely to reject us so we could get to the one we actually would be okay marrying." Marie explained. "Or in Y/n's case, try to break them... And succeed." Marie added making Draco laugh. "She's spirited." Draco said with a smile looking over at you. You smiled in return, looking at him with love. Lucius noticed and smiled. "You're all excused." Lucius said. You walked down the hallways to your room.

You stretched before going to the bathroom. Draco got changed and read a book while waiting for you. You came out a few moments later in a towel making him glance up before returning to the book. Then he realized... He looked back up and you were changing into your usual night clothes. Christ you were gorgeous. "Draco, I can feel your staring." You said grabbing a shirt. ".... You're fucking beautiful." He gaped. You nearly turned around but your breasts being exposed made you turn back. "What the hell brought on the compliment?" You asked. "You. Literally looking like that." He said. "I always look like this?" You said confused. "Yes but you're beautiful-- Am I not supposed to compliment you when you look stunning?" He asked. You laughed sliding on the shirt and turning to him. "I think the day we get married you might lose your mind then." You said. "Mmm.." he looked at you and shook his head. "You were about to say something, what was it?" You asked laying down next to him. "It was nothing." Draco said. "what was it?" You asked. He shook his head. "I'm not entirely sure you'd want to hear it." He said. "Say it." You said with an eye roll. "Dracoooo--" "I'd absolutely ravage you on our wedding night dear, do not push it." He said in your ear making you turn crimson. He returned to his book as you stared off. "Y/n? Did I break you?" He asked. "Little bit." You squeaked out. He snorted and you made a noise almost reminiscent of a deflating balloon. He laughed and closed his book. "Have you not thought about this?" He asked. "What? Sleeping with you?" You asked. "Yes." He nodded. "I...." You swallowed you words down looking at him. "Uhm... Maybe a little too much." You said before looking away. "Really?" He asked. "Yes! Okay, maybe I have! A few... Dozen times, but at least I don't make comments like that!" You said making him laugh harder. "I didn't make you uncomfortable did I?" He asked. "No! No I just-- Gah, you're absolutely frustrating sometimes!" You groaned. "What? Had your impure thought of the day?" He teased. You scoffed. "I do not have an 'impure thought of the day'. I am perfectly capable of making you just as squeamish as you've made me!" You said defiantly. "Oh? Is that so? Well let's hear it then." He said. "What!?" You asked. "Let's hear you say something. Come on." He teased. "Draco--" "What impure thought has crossed your mind that could possibly make me this ridiculous?" He asked. You rolled your eyes. "And silence has filled you yet again dear, I'm beginning to notice a pattern of--" "If you don't stop with this talk, I will find some very creative and useful ways to make you shut it." You said in his ear. A chill shot down his spine as you took your book off your nightstand and read with him staring at you. "Oh what now!?" You asked. "You know, you still owe me from earlier." Draco said. "What?" You asked. "In the garden. When I kissed you." He reminded. You looked over at him. He was smiling in a way you hadn't seen before, all of his attention was solely focused on you. Your heart seemed to pound before you got up. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Getting some water." You said walking out. You closed the door and walked to Marie's room. "Marie? Can I come in?" You asked. "Yes dearie!" She said. You closed the door and she rose a brow. "You look like you've recovered from heat stroke, are you alright?" She asked.

"can I ask you a question?" You asked. "Yes?" She said confused. "When did you know you were ready to..." You paused. "Get married? Well I didn't have much of a choice--" "N-no... That you were ready to... Do it." You asked. "It? What is it?" Marie asked. You seemed to shift in place before she realized. "Ooohhh you mean sex!" She said. "SHHH! KEEP IT DOWN!" you said in a whisper shouting voice. "What? Afraid God will hear you?" Marie asked flatly. You sighed. "Why are you asking that though-- ohmygod do you think that you're going to?" She asked. "Well... I mean--" "I say go for it." Marie said. "Wha-- but how did you know?" You asked. "that I was ready?" Marie asked. "Yes!" You groaned. "because I trusted him. And I loved him." Marie said. "...You didn't feel it?" You asked. "I mean, yes it did involve me trusting myself to know that I was ready too." She said. "...Do you think you're ready?" Marie asked. You immediately thought of those ridiculously attractive grey eyes. "...I.. I am." You nodded. "Well... Then congratulations?" She asked. You got up. "Where are you going?" She asked. "Sleep." You said before leaving. You walked to your room and closed the door. "That must've been one big glass of water." Draco teased. You jumped at his voice and he rose a brow. "Darling are you alright--" "Did you mean what you said?" You asked. "what?" He asked. "Earlier, did you mean what you said?" You asked. "About...?" Draco said. "Draco, do you want to actually sleep with me?" You asked. "Is that an offer?" He asked sarcastically. "YES!" You said. "....Wait seriously?" He asked. "Welcome to the wonders of a fiancée, who will usually sleep with you if you ask--" he closed the door behind you, kissing you passionately. You halted all means of speech as you locked the door.

He pulled away. "Are you sure about this? Do you really--" "Please." You whispered. He kissed your neck, kissing that one spot that made you almost sink into him. "S-someone studied." You said with a laugh. He kissed you again, both of his hands on your body. You melted into his grasp almost shivering at his touch. "Tell me you want this and I'll keep going Y/n." Draco told you. "I want this Draco." You assured. He nodded, getting up and lifting you up. "What are--" "Bed." He said before kissing you passionately. You ran your fingers through his hair, as he sat you on the edge of the bed removing your shirt after pulling off his own his own. "What?" You asked. He chuckled and kissed you again. You held his face and he held you close as you both leaned back onto the bed. He kissed down your body, each kiss sweeter than the last. Your breath hitched as Draco pulled off your pj bottoms. He pulled off your underwear, his lips kissing your inner thigh making you almost shiver at the contact. His tongue moved and you gripped the sheets at the contact. "D-draco-- A-ah!" You gasped. He ran his fingers over your arms lightly before holding your hand as you held back a few moans. He pulled back before kissing you. "Draco... I need you." You whispered as he rested his forehead on yours. He kissed your forehead before inserting himself in you. You arched your back and gasped as he moved slowly. It hurt at first and he could tell, cupping your cheek with a hand. You slowed your breathing as the pain quickly went away. "You.. you can move." You whispered. As he quickened the pace as he ran his fingers over your arms and held your hands in his as you moaned. "Dr-Draco oh god--" you breathed. He kissed you, holding you close before both of you came.

He collapsed next to you looking at you. "So is this a regular thing now orrr--" "Oh bite your tongue." You said with a laugh. He kissed you and you smiled, resting your forehead on his. "I love you Y/n." He said. "I love you too Draco." You said softly. Sleep was easy to you that night, no nightmares bombarding your inner thoughts. You woke up to the morning light hitting your eyes. You blinked a few times and leaned up. Draco inhaled sharply before doing the same. "Morning." You said with a smile. "Morning." He said before kissing you. You let your feet touch the floor before immediately falling. Damn your sore legs, Marie couldn't have added that that might be a problem? Draco immediately got up and helped you up. "Uhm... Are you alright?" He asked as your legs shook. "You did this you little shit." You said. He resisted a snort and lifted you up. "Wha-- where are we going!?" You asked. "Bath, your muscles are sore Love." He said. "And how, pray tell, do you know this?" He asked. "I've asked some... Unsavory questions to friends who might've had sex in school?" He said. "You could just say you aren't a virgin, I mean who's that good their first time?" You said with a laugh as you slowly got into the tub. "Actually that was my first time." He said. "There is no way that's true." You said. Draco chuckled and turned on the hot water. "Despite what you believe, it's the truth." Draco said. "....What kind of questions did you ask these friends of yours!?" You realized making him snort.

You took a bath, your muscles, thankfully relaxing and allowing you to stand again. Draco left some clothes for you on the counter next to the sink. You put them on noticing a scar on your back and making you shake your head. You walked out and Draco was standing on the terrace of the room. You smiled and walked out, him wrapping an arm around you. "This is a beautiful day." Draco said. "If you start getting sappy I'm going to leave." You joked. He chuckled and kissed your face. You smiled and heard a knock on the door. "Did we ever unlock the door?" You asked. "No, I don't think we did." He answered. You opened the door and Marie was holding a cup of tea. "Morning you two." She said handing you the cup. "Mind if I whisk her away for a bit?" Marie asked Draco. "Not at all, have fun dear." He said before giving you a quick kiss and walking past you.

"Soooo." She said as you walked. You sipped the tea. "How was last night?" She asked making you cough it up. She chuckled. You coughed a few more times and finally answered. "Christ, give me a warning!" You said. "Well I think that was plenty of an answer." She said with a devious laugh. "So did you... Y'know?" She asked. "Marie!" You whined. "You roped me into this, remember that!" She said. "...It was nice." You finally said. "Oh so you did--" "YES OKAY, NOW CAN WE DROP IT!?" you begged. "Alright alright! So, read anything new lately?" She asked. "Well--" "Y/n, would you mind coming with me?" Lucius asked. You turned around. "Is everyone going to be asking me this today?" You asked. Marie took your cup and you rose a brow. "Go, I'll be out here." She said with a smile. You shrugged, walking with Lucius. "Where are we going?" You asked. "Now I'm sure you know the answer to this." Lucius said with a laugh. "Your study. Right! Right." You nodded making him chuckle you walked in and froze to a middle aged man in a blue jacket with a suit case.

"Merlin's beard... Do not tell me that's--" "Happy early birthday, this is Mr. Newt Scamander." Lucius said. "Gah.... I... I..." Your mind seemed to just freeze. "Is she having a stroke-- is she okay?" Newt worried. "No! No! I'm okay I just... Wow you're standing here in front of-- Niffler!?" You said making him raise a bow. You slipped past him, scooping up the magical creature and tickling it to get it to empty its pouch. Pens and coins toppled out and you chuckled. "Come on, there's more than that." You said before a pen dropped to the floor. Newt rose a brow, as you handed him the niffler. "He's a little devil this one, thank you." He said putting him in the suitcase. "So I suspect you know why I'm here?" Newt asked. "Uh... I apologize, I actually don't." You said. "Oh. Well I'm here to train you." He said. "Sorry what?" You asked. "I am here to take you on as an apprentice where you will study animals and eventually go into the field you'd like." He further explained. "I see... Wow.. uhm.. thank you Lucius." You said. "No need, he's heard of you." Lucius said. "Wait what-- seriously!?" You gaped. "It's not every day you hear of a student taming a dragon." Newt said. "I... I am rendered speechless I am so sorry." You said. "I'm quite anxious around people too, don't worry. Why don't you change into some pants and we'll begin work in the....?" He looked over to Lucius. "...Patio is fine." Lucius said. "Patio!" Newt nodded.

You basically sprinted for your room, changing as quickly as possible when Draco walked in. "Woah there, careful, what's going on?" Draco asked. "Newt Scamander is taking me on as an apprentice!" You said as you slid on pants. "Darling that's fantastic!" Draco said with a smile. "We're beginning work now, I am way too excited Merlin’s beard!" You said putting on a shirt. "Good luck!" He said. You nodded and ran out the door. He chuckled to himself and grabbed a book before feeling a hand on his shoulder he turned around and you kissed him before running off. "Love you!" You said. "Love you too!" He laughed.

You ran outside, dressing almost like Hermione when you two would hang out. Actually you were 95% sure this shirt was Hermoine’s. "Alright let's do this!" You said excitedly. He nodded and opened the suitcase before climbing into it. You stared at it for a minute before his hand popped out motioning for you to go down. You climbed down, seeing a small shack. "Woah... How come you never included this in your book?" You asked. "I didn't want to include it because my book ended up amongst the muggles as well." Newt said. "Ah." You nodded. "Hand me the bucket next to you dear." He said. You picked it up and he hacked a piece of meat into pieces. You noticed a picture near the door and you rose a brow. "Who's that?" You asked. "Hmm? Oh... An old friend." He said. You nodded and looked around at the tables, with scattered work supplies. "Alright. Let us begin." He said opening the wooden door. You walked through it and were met with various magical creatures, making you gape. "Wow." Was all you could muster out. He walked to a large creature, a glowing forehead. "Is this an Erumpent?" You asked. "Hmm? Yes, be careful the--" "Venom makes people explode." You said stepping back. He nodded. "You know a lot about this already." He noticed. "I read your book and worked with Charlie Weasley." You said looking at the mooncalves. He handed you pellets and you fed them with a smile. "Do you mind holding the niffler while I handle the Occamies?" He asked. You nodded and he handed you the small little guy, it staring up at you. You smiled and pet it, it nuzzling into your hand. "He seems to like you." Newt noticed. "Hmm?" You asked. "the Niffler, it likes you." Newt said. "Oh... He's a cute little guy." You said with a smile. You handed him back and Newt took him. "Every day you will be given an interaction with a new magical creature. Sometimes it will be in the case, other times it will not be." Newt explained. You nodded. "If you happen upon a creature that is to be in this case that isn't here please let me know or handle it with caution before bringing it to the case." He warned. "It happens often?" You asked. "No amount of locks can stop a Niffler." Newt said looking at him. You noticed a little green figure holding onto his jacket. "Hi there." You said softly. It retreated behind his coat's collar. "Pickett she's going to be here a while, you need to make friends." He said. Pickett slowly peaked his head out and you smiled. "A bowtruckle? Aren't they introverted?" You asked. "Yes they are, I must ask: were you a hufflepuff?" He asked. "Yes, how'd you know?" You asked. "I am too." He said pointing to the scarf on a rack. "you would think Hagrid would mention this." You laughed. He smiled and put down the now empty bucket. "Alright. Time for your first interaction. The Demiguise. What do you know about it?" He asked. "They can turn invisible and they're herbivores, aren't they?" You asked. "Yes." Newt nodded. He allowed one to climb up his arm before motioning for it to go to you. It climbed back to the floor, it climbing up your side like a sloth. You smiled. "Hi there." You said softly. It seemed to almost hug you. "did you name any of the creatures besides Pickett?" You asked. "Oh yes. All of them have names... Except for the Niffler that was near you earlier, he's a younger one." Newt said. "You should name him Bandit. It makes sense because of the--" "Stealing, how clever." Newt nodded. "What do you think, hmm?" He asked the Niffler. It seemed to have a positive response to the name. "Bandit." He nodded. "This is such a calm creature... Why would anyone ever want to hurt it?" You asked. "to make invisibility cloaks." Newt said with a frown. "Some times I think the biggest monsters are people." You muttered. "I share that sentiment." He agreed. You heard a knock and rose a brow. Newt slipped past you. "What's the Demiguise's name?" You asked. "Dougal." He answered before disappearing into the room. You smiled, looking at Dougal. "You're so soft... You almost remind me of a sloth." You muttered. Newt popped his head back out. "Dinner is ready." Newt said. "Wait, it's been that long?" You asked. Newt nodded and the Demiguise climbed down. You both walked out and you rose a brow. "Uh... Was the Niffler supposed to follow?" You asked as you noticed the Niffler on the patio table. "Bandit. No." Newt warned. It scurried off. "That's not good." You muttered before both of you booked it. You walked the hallway to the bedroom and frowned. "Y/n? Did Marie tell you that dinner was served or--" "Yes I'm coming I just.... Wait. Where's the box?" You asked. "What?" Draco asked. "The thimble box-- he was here-- Bandit!" You called. Draco rose a brow as you walked into your bedroom. You stopped in the doorway looking around. "What are you looking for?" Draco asked. "The niffler-- FOUND IT! NEWT!" you called. Newt sprinted down the hall to find it on your dresser trying to hold still. You sprinted to it catching it before it could run off. You tickled it and a bunch of shiny things hit the floor. "Bandit, come on... We know there's more." You said before a couple of other things hit the floor. "He's good." You said giving Bandit back. Draco rose a brow as you all walked to the dining room. "So... Why was there a Niffler in our room?" Draco asked. "A lock can't stop a Niffler." Newt said, referring to what he said to you earlier. "Okayy?" Draco said confused. "I'm going to put him back in the case, tell your father please." Newt said.

You sat at the table and Draco smiled looking at you. "Excited for your 19th birthday?" Marie asked. " I guess." You shrugged. "come on, you'll probably get to see Thomas!" She said. You smiled to yourself as Newt took a seat. "Your birthday is tomorrow?" He asked. "Yep." You shrugged. "not a fan?" Newt asked. "if you knew my father you'd get it." You shrugged. "Maybe I do, what's his name?" Newt asked. "Henry L/n." You shrugged. Newt's face dropped. "You know him?" Marie asked. "Very cruel hearted. Very angry." He said. "Yes, that sums him up perfectly." You said. " His wife was always kind, Dalia correct?" He asked. "Yes. She passed ten years ago." Marie said. "Oh... I'm sorry." Newt said. "It's alright. Mother was wonderful." You said. Narcissa noticed your eyes, them seeming to glaze over. "So, what about your brother, what's he like?" Lucius asked, hoping to catch your attention. You stayed silent though, deep in thought. "Y/n?" Draco asked softly. You snapped out of your fog. "Sorry, what was your question?" You asked. "your brother Thomas, what's he like?" Lucius asked. "Think of me, but male." You said. "Oh boy." Draco said making Marie chuckle. You rolled your eyes. " When is the engagement party?" You asked. "Two weeks." Narcissa said. "Who would you like to invite?" Lucius asked. "Well... Harry potter is a dear friend. And the Weasley's are like family. So is Hermione..." You said. "hmm. I'll invite them then."Lucius nodded. "You got along with Ron?" Draco asked. "Sometimes. He did get a little annoying fourth year though." You said. "Most of the time I've heard you talking about the Weasley's it was talking about Fred and George." Marie said. "They're like my brothers, Thomas loves them." You admitted. "Molly did always love you, as did Arthur." Marie nodded. "Did they know about... Your father?" Narcissa asked. "Yes. Y/n would often hide there to escape." Marie said. You took a long sip of water. "I see. So you all were really close."

"NO I DON'T WANT TO GO!" You could hear your screams in your mind making you swallow your water.

"LET GO OF ME!" you remembered, making you clear your throat.

You let out a small shaking breath which Draco heard. "May we be excused?" He asked looking at you. Lucius noticed the look in your eyes and nodded. Draco took your hand, helping you out of your seat before leaving the adults to speak. "Henry hurt that girl didn't he?" Newt asked. "Yes. According to Draco there's scars." Lucius nodded. "All of us have them.. except for the males." Marie said. "What?" Narcissa asked. "Father wanted sons. He wasn't a fan of a largely female household." Marie said. "I will admit though, Y/n usually took the beatings the worst though. She usually took them for the triplets." Marie explained. "triplets?" Lucius asked. "Yes. There was Elizabeth, the eldest, Joanna the second eldest, me, Y/n then the triplets, Susan, Lila and Elise." Marie said. "I see... Then three sons, correct?" Lucius asked. "Yes." She nodded. "Y/n herself is a triplet isn't she?" Narcissa asked. "Yes. Charles, Thomas and her are triplets. Joanna and Phillip are twins." Marie said. "Are multiple children such as twins common amongst your family?" Lucius asked. "Just in our home. Not sure why." She shrugged. "All the more to love though!" She chuckled. "Do you have any children?" Narcissa asked. "No, I'm afraid I'm incapable." Marie said. "Goodness. I'm so sorry." Narcissa said. "It's alright. My husband and I plan on adopting after the next move." She said. "Best of luck to you." Newt said. "thank you." She nodded.

You paced. "Why does my anxiety have to plague me at the dinner table, why?" You groaned. "Y/n, you're fine, father understands." Draco said softly. "I want to be normal. Why can't I be normal!?" You asked. "Because you're extraordinary." Draco said. "...Your positivity is both reassuring and annoying." You sighed before hugging him. He held you close, kissing your head. "I really do wish you'd be a bit more excited over your birthday though." Draco said. "What, is something happening that day?" You asked. "Darling you act like you've never actually..." He looked at you. "You've never celebrated a birthday have you?" Draco asked. "I have. With the Weasley's." You muttered. "Well this time you have a loving fiancée and your personal hero to keep you company." Draco said. You smiled. "Okay okay... I guess it's not... So bad but no cake, I'm actually not a fan of cake." You said. "Ah. Noted. Let's go to bed... After we put back what that Niffler thing tried to take." Draco said with a laugh.

You woke up in the middle of the night, not daring to wake Draco. You sat on the terrace, staring at the stars. You noticed the clock on the dresser hit twelve and you sighed. "Happy birthday to me" you murmured. You noticed Newt with a creature walking through the night and smiled. Maybe just maybe this birthday wouldn't be so bad.

You finally went back to bed and slept soundly for the rest of the night. Although the next morning you woke up with Draco carrying you breakfast. "Morning dear." He said. "What the-- what's this?" You asked. "Breakfast-- don't worry I didn't cook it." He assured. You laughed. "Thank you." You said kissing him. You both ate and laughed at stupid jokes before getting dressed. "I should go see if Newt needs anything before doing anything." You said. "Actually he's expecting you elsewhere." Draco said. "What do you have planned?" You asked. "You will see." Draco said with a smile. You rolled your eyes as you followed Draco. "I swear, I'm going to assume you've held the damn girl captive Marie with the way you're treating this!" You heard a voice say. "Is that--" "Thomas, relax the boy she's engaged to loves her and cares for her." Marie said. You opened the door and your eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Draco smiled as Thomas hugged you. "It's been too long!" He said. "You've otherwise gotten taller or I'm getting shorter." Thomas said making you laugh. "I've missed you! How's Delilah?" You asked. "Oh, she's lovely, she says hello she'll be here for the wedding along with the children." Thomas said. He noticed Draco and rose a brow. "Hello." Draco greeted. Thomas shook his hand before you noticed a glint. "Oh no." You sighed. "What's with you?" Thomas asked. "I think--" "WHAT IN THE BLAZES IS THAT!?" Narcissa screamed making Draco jump. You facepalmed. "Newt really needs a new locking device." You sighed before running out. You looked for the Demiguise, knowing damn well that Dougal probably turned invisible when Narcissa was frightened. "Dougal. Sweetie, I'm here." You said softly, looking for the slight disfigurement of it's invisibility. Finally you noticed it and picked it up. Dougal dropped the invisibility and you kissed it's head. "I'm here little guy. Let's find Newt okay?" You said. You walked with Dougal in your arms leaving Draco and Thomas both gaping at your calmness to the strange creature wrapped around you. "Newt! I found Dougal." You said. "What-- Oh goodness he must've slipped past." Newt said. You gave Dougal to Newt. "Oh Y/n, I'm actually glad you're here I have something for you." He said. You rose a brow as he pulled out Bandit. "Uh..." You paused. "He's yours. He has literally been found in your room four times this morning." Newt said. "How did I not wake up?" You asked. "No clue. Your fiancée screamed at one point after he saw him sleeping on your head." Newt said. "I'll keep him safe, don't worry." You said with a smile. "Hi Pickett." You greeted the small bowtruckle on Newt's coat. It peaked out and you smiled. "Morning-- Oh boy the small visitor is back." Draco said looking at the Niffler. "He's now your fiancée's, and yes they can be trained." Newt said. "Heard that you screamed this morning?" You asked Draco as Bandit seemed to perch on your shoulder. "Oh goodness did he! He also fell off the bed." Marie laughed. "Okay, not everyone wakes up and expects to see that next to them!" Draco said. "Oh yes. Bandit is sooo terrifying." You laughed. Thomas smiled and Draco shook his head. "He just likes shiny stuff but I think I can keep him from going ballistic over everything here." You said with a smile. The Niffler nuzzled into your touch making you smile. "Oh, father also has something for you." Draco said. "What? But he's already done so much?" You said confused. "Yes well, you are quickly becoming a favorite around here." Draco said kissing your head. You smiled and put the Niffler on Draco's shoulder. "Uhhh--" "He stays with us now, you'll have to be aquatinted eventually love." You said. Draco nodded and looked at the creature as you walked to the study. "Hello?" He said to him. Bandit cocked his head to the side confused by this new person.

You knocked on the door. "Come in." Lucius said. You walked in and he nodded. "Draco said you needed me." You said. He pushed a box forward making you raise a brow. "Open it." He said. You nodded and opened the box to see a Malfoy family ring resting in it. You looked at him and then the box. "This is a family ring." You said. "Yes. We wear these proudly and you are apart of our family now Y/n." He said. You smiled and slid it on your finger. "Thank you." You said. "You're wel--" you hugged Lucius catching him off guard. He slowly hugged you back and you pulled away. "Thank you. For everything." You said softly. "You're very welcome Y/n." He said. You heard Draco running. "Slow down! If he knows you're chasing him he'll just get crafty with hiding!" Newt warned. You facepalmed and walked out to find Bandit crawling up your pants leg. "He went to find Y/n!" Thomas said. "Oh now that's just precious." Marie said. You smiled, petting the creature before Thomas noticed the ring. "that's a family ring." He said. "Mmhmm." You nodded looking at him. "You're fitting in nicely here..." Thomas said. "You're going all brother on me again Thomas, I'm safe here I promise." You said softly. "As long as they are keeping father away from you." Thomas said. "They are Tommy." Marie said.

You all sat around in the garden. "how is Phillip?" You asked, using a coin to keep Bandit at bay. " Violet is pregnant." Thomas said. "Finally!" Marie said. "first child... How mad has he gone?" You asked. "Baby proofing EVERYTHING." Thomas laughed. Draco smiled as he sat next to you. "Tell me, have you been treating my sister well?" Thomas asked. "Yes Thomas. He has" you said with an eye roll. "I have. I love your sister." He said looking at you. "If you hurt her, mental or physical just know there's eight siblings who can and will kill you." He threatened. Draco looked at you. "If I ever did any of that I'd kill myself." Draco said. Thomas rose a brow. "... Good answer." Thomas said. "So... Marie tells me you two have gotten close" Thomas said. "Yes Thomas. Come on quit interrogating them--" "How close are we talkin' here?" He asked looking at Draco, practically searing holes into him. "...Uhm.." Draco looked really uncomfortable. "Thomas." You sighed. "I love her. Truly." Draco said. "Yes, tell me a fun fact about knowing my sister then. When was the first time you noticed her?" Thomas asked. Bandit chased the coin in a small circle. "The Yule ball in our fourth year." He admitted making all movement from you stop. "What?" You asked. "The Yule ball. You went with Fred because neither of you had dates, he was waiting by the steps, when you came down in a black dress." Draco said. "Y... You actually noticed?" You gaped. "how could I not? You were beautiful." Draco said with a smile. You continued to play with the coin and Bandit continued playing. "... I'll trust you. For now. One slip up though and I'm putting your corpse in a dumpster." Thomas said. Draco cleared his throat. "I didn't think you knew I existed." You admitted. "I knew. I noticed you in our second year when during Christmas you sat with me and said Merry Christmas." He reminded. "... No offense darling. But why'd you act like such an ass then?" You asked. "Because I didn't handle my feelings well. I was a child who took house wars WAY too seriously." Draco reminded. "Truth was I wanted to know you but I just didn't voice it properly." He admitted. "So. How did you not recognize that I was in the middle of that petty rivalry?" You asked. "I knew. And for the most part I tried to keep you out of it. I took a lot more hits than you remember." Draco said. "How so?" Thomas asked. "The fight in the bathroom. It started because it was about you. I asked Blaise, who by the way was the reason for a lot of the 'wrong place, wrong time' crap, to keep you out of it. He called me a Blood traitor, next thing I knew I punched him." Draco explained. Then it REALLY registered. All of the times you were in the center of crap, Blaise was the one who put you there. He always would slip it into your mind before hand. "I did care. But again, in school I was an ass who didn't want to admit that." Draco said. You kissed him and he smiled. "What was that for?" Draco asked. "Always looking out for me." You said with a smile. Thomas gagged and Marie rolled her eyes, dragging him off as she got up. "Why am I being dragged!?" Thomas asked. "Let's leave them alone for a bit!" Marie said shoving him inside.

You laughed and Bandit crawled into your lap, tired from chasing the coin. " Looks like you tired him out." Draco said. "Yep. I did that on purpose." You said with a smile. Draco pulled out a small box and you blinked. "Draco, you didn't need to get me anything." You said. "Hmm. But I did." He said. You opened it and smiled. "It's a locket... Draco it's beautiful." You said softly. Draco kissed you and you smiled. "Happy birthday darling." Draco said softly.

You ended up having fun for the most part, Draco enjoying seeing you with a smile. You'd have a few spaced out moments but overall you enjoyed the day. "So how's taking care of Bandit?" Newt asked. "I've figured out a way to tire him out and he now sleeps in my sock drawer." You said making Lucius raise a brow. "Have you enjoyed your birthday dear?" Narcissa asked. "For the first time I can actually say yes." You said with a smile. "I'm glad. We do enjoy seeing you happy here Y/n, you deserve to be." She said. "Joanna sent me a letter, she says happy birthday you two." Marie said sitting down. "How are the triplets?" You asked. "They're all taking up some interests." Marie said. "Elise's is literature isn't it?" You asked. "Yes, who would've thought that she picked up a trait from the sibling who impacted her the most?" Marie asked sarcastically. "Do the triplets not live with your father?" Draco asked. "No, Joanna took them after she moved." Thomas answered. "Thank goodness." Lucius nodded. "How's Jacob?" You asked making Newt nearly choke. "Newt, are you alright?" You asked. "Yes. Yes I'm fine." He nodded. Wrong Jacob, Newt. "He's well." Marie nodded. "Does your sister have children?" Lucius asked. "No, she's unable sir." Marie answered. "Is this a common thing amongst the women?" Narcissa asked. "Yes. But we've already made sure that Y/n is perfectly able to have children." Marie said. Draco smiled to himself thinking of the idea of you being a mother. "What is your other brother like?" Lucius asked Thomas. "Hmm? Oh Phillip? He's stern but at the end of the day would protect us from whatever would try to hurt us. He was father's favorite." Thomas answered. "Will you be staying with us?" Lucius asked. "if you don't mind." Thomas said. "Not at all. Newt did you sleep well last night in the cabin?" Lucius asked. "Yes, thank you. You rose a brow. "We have a cabin?" You asked. "Yes, more like a cottage really." Narcissa answered before a knock was heard. Lucius walked out and you took a sip of water. "I'm glad today has been great dear, it's always nice to see you with a smile." Narcissa said. "There she is!" A familiar female voice said making you stand up. "Molly!" You said with a smile. She hugged you as did the twins. "I invited them for dinner. After all this day should be celebrated with your family." Lucius said nodding to you. You smiled as Fred and George sat on your left. "Wait then that means--" "This place is huge." Ron gaped. "Ron!" Hermione and Ginny both hushed. "Well I mean he's not wrong." Harry said. Draco looked at Lucius with a "you couldn't have told me sooner!?" Look. "Harry!" You said with a smile. "Y/n! How's being engaged-- Christ we're getting old." He grimaced as he realized how adult that sounded. You laughed and Ginny hugged you. "It's been great actually, this is actually feels like home now." You answered making Lucius smile. "We're glad you're away from Henry." Arthur said sitting down. "Thomas, happy birthday to you too." Molly said. "Thank you Molly." he said with a smile. "How are all of you?" You asked. "Welllll..." Molly looked at Ginny. "Harry and I are engaged." Ginny said making you gasp. "Blazes-- congratulations!" You said. "So is Ron and Hermione." Harry said. You laughed. "You sure you can put up him that long?" You asked her making Hermione snort. "I'm not deaf!" Ron said. "We know." Everyone said in unison. You smiled before noticing something behind Newt. "Crap." You muttered. Draco noticed it too and he stood up. "You flank left, I'll go right." He said. Newt rose a brow as both of you cornered the Niffler. Bandit slipped past you though and you both exchanged a "Crap." Look before both of you chased after it. "What in the world?" Molly asked. "I gifted Y/n a niffler this morning. It appears to have waken up from it's nap." Newt said. "Wait, you're Newt Scamander!" Hermione said. "What like our old text book?" Ron asked. "Yes!" She said. "Oh. Hey! I knew that!" Ron said making Fred laugh. There was a loud noise followed by a "GOT HIM!" making Harry almost snort.

But it was the state that Draco returned that made everyone almost die of laughter. He was soaked. Or at least the top half of him was. "....What happened?" Narcissa asked, also trying to contain laughter. "He turned on the bath while I was chasing him." Draco said, dripping. Lucius nearly snorted as you walked out unscathed and the niffler resting on your shoulder. "Sh-shall we adjourn to the day room?" Narcissa asked trying not to laugh. "May I change... Please?" Draco asked. "Mmhmm." Lucius nodded. The second the door closed all of you started laughing. "I swear, Bandit almost seems to be taunting Draco." You laughed. "Right on little man." Fred said as he stood up, looking at the Niffler.

You all sat around, exchanging Hogwarts stories. Some making you laugh as you sat next to Draco (who was now dry.) You were happy, truly so. A smile never disappeared, especially now that it felt like your family was here. Draco even seemed to be civil with Harry, the two of them almost looking back at the past few years with amusement. Newt made sure the Niffler was put up for the rest of the night, noticing a tired expression. You were exhausted from all of the interaction, your head falling onto Draco's shoulder. He stopped talking, looking over at your sleeping face and smiled. "I'll be back to see you off." Draco said before lifting you up and carrying you out. He kissed your head, noticing again that the Niffler managed to get in here again but choosing to ignore the creature as it chose to rest on pillow near your head.

Draco did see them off, thanking them for being there for you. Molly smiled as they walked. "He's become a fine young man." She said. "Indeed." Arthur agreed. "Definitely more bearable than from what he was in school." Harry said. "Seems to really love Y/n." Hermione said. "He seems absolutely smitten." Ginny chuckled. "I'm worried about that." George said. "Why?" Molly asked. "What's Henry going to think?" Fred asked. Arthur nodded knowingly. "I see what you mean. But by this point it's out of his hands." Arthur said. "Hmm? How so?" George asked. "An arrangement like this would require the male's consent. The engagement can't be called off unless Draco chooses to." Arthur shrugged. "Thank God." Fred and George said in unison.

The next few weeks were dedicated to the wedding, dress after dress, flower after flower. Your escape lied with Newt and Draco, studying animals and spending time with Draco. Now the family was here in the manor, your father staying under the same roof making it hard to focus on anything. You wouldn't leave Draco's side, not once. Dinner would be painfully awkward with both of your brothers now drilling holes into Draco. Your sisters would try to get them to stop but your father would be making subtle jabs towards any confidence you may have built. Finally it was a day before the wedding and you were a mess. Stupid rules say that you were to not see Draco until the wedding. "are you excited?" Narcissa asked. "Yes. I just wish I could see him now." You sighed as you took a sip of tea. "I'm just glad it's out of father's hands now." Joanna mumbled. "Me too." You nodded. "I feel like he's lurking around every corner." Marie said with a sigh. "It's like we're always walking on thin ice or something." Elise murmured. "This whole week has stressed Draco out." You said. "Why?" Marie asked. "Why? Well let's see, we've got a man who's straight out of a fucking Lovecraft novel roaming about, we have my brothers mentally killing him in their minds, you have my step mother who lurks like a snake through the halls and the occasional animal getting lose." You said with a sigh as Bandit played with Sophia. "I just want to spend time with Draco. Is that bad?" You asked. "You've been jittery all week, I suppose he's like a comfort to you." Joanna said. "Jittery?" Narcissa asked. "She's been anxious all week. Lot of pacing." Joanna said. "Draco has been doing that all morning." Narcissa chuckled. "Really?" You asked. "Yes, he's been rambling all morning about you, saying he wants to make you happy" Narcissa said. All of the women made audible coos and you chuckled. "I love that man." You sighed. "I just wish I could SEE him. Like why the hell would you separate us?" You grumbled. "Funny, about a month ago you would've begged for this to happen." Narcissa teased. "Har. Har." You laughed dryly. You sighed and noticed a hippogriff through the window. "Shit." You said. "What-- What in Merlin's Beard is that!?" Joanna asked before you got up, rolling up your sleeves. "A hippogriff" you said before walking out.

Draco sighed. He never realized how much of his daily routine now revolved around you until he had to be separated from you. He bit into an apple before looking up at a looming shape to see a hippogriff. "...Fuck." he mumbled looking at it. It seemed to growl, watching his movements. What is it that you did that day that made it calm down before!? "uh... Nice bird... Thing?" He said confused. It got closer before you jumped in front of it. "Eli, eyes on me!" You said. It attempted to look at Draco but you snapped your fingers. "Eyes on me!" You said sternly. "Eli, it's me... Focus. Focus." You said soothingly. "Draco, bow." You instructed. He nodded and bowed to it, the hippogriff reciprocating the sentiment. "Good boy. Let's go find Newt." You said softly. You looked at Draco. "Wanna sneak off with me?" You asked. "Absolutely." Draco nodded. You both walked along side the creature to the patio. Newt now usually worked there but you were met with your father. "Fuck." You mumbled. "Ah. You." He said looking at you. "Father." You said. Eli seemed to not like the presence of him. "Uh oh." You mumbled watching Eli gear up. "Father bow." You said. "Excuse me?" He asked. "Bow! To the creature it will attack if you don't!" You warned. "I will not--" Eli reared up making it jump back until Newt intervened. "Into the case!" He said guiding him into it. He locked the case and sighed. "That thing needs to be put down." Henry said with a hiss. "That thing wouldn't have attacked if you would've listened!" Draco said. "Careful with that mouth boy." He said. "I tried to warn you." You said with a frown before noticing a Demiguise. "Newt how long has your case been unlocked?" You asked. "I'm not sure why?" You asked. "Dougal is in a tree." You said. Newt sighed and walked over to the tree. "These pests are a nuisance." Your father grumbled. "These 'pests' are amazing and if you had half a mind you'd see that!" You snapped. Your father scowled at you and seemed to gear up to hit you before a cane stopped him. "Touch her and the ministry will find out about your deeds Henry." Lucius warned. Henry scoffed. Your sisters came outside to see the commotion along with Narcissa. "You will do no such thing" your father said. "He can, and he will if he has evidence." Joanna said. "Shut your mouth--" "No! We have dealt with this enough Father! We're done!" Marie snapped. "Get out." Lucius said. "If I do, this is off." He threatened. No. No no-- "This is out of your hands Henry. I'm the one that officially initiated the engagement I'd have to be the one to call it off." Draco said, putting a protective arm around you. "Boy, you don't--" "Touch him and I will return nineteen years of favors, GET. OUT." You snapped making everyone surprised. He shook his head. "I am your father--" "You are a monster. There is a difference. I won't tell you again. Leave." You said. He scoffed before calling after your step mother. It ended with a loud slam of the front door making you take a long breath of relief. "It's over!" Joanna gaped. "Are you alright?" Lucius asked. "I am now." You said looking at Draco. He kissed your head and Thomas sighed. "We approve." Phillip finally said. "That's what it took?" You asked. "Yes, you passed, congrats." Thomas said. "...Thank you?"

Ultimately they decided not to do the traditional thing and separate you, you both spending the rest of the time together. However there was a strict "NO SLEEPING IN THE SAME ROOM" thing going on. It ultimately resulted in you sleeping in a room with your sisters. You wanted actual peace though and still snuck out, Draco doing the same. You both looked at the stars until both of you fell asleep. "Where did they go!?" Narcissa asked. "Found them." Lucius said motioning to you asleep against Draco. His arm was wrapped around you and your Niffler was on his lap asleep. "... We're using this against them later right?" Narcissa asked. "Oh most definitely." Lucius nodded.

You were woken up, forced to change into the dress you all decided on before Marie did your hair. "Any last thoughts?" You asked. "Yes. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be just fine." Joanna said with a smile. You nodded and Marie used the last hair pin. "You're all set." She said. You sucked in a breath and nodded. Narcissa left to get Lucius. "I'm getting married." You realized. "To Draco." Joanna said. "Who loves you." Marie reminded. Lucius opened the door and smiled. "You look beautiful." He said softly. You smiled and took his arm. "Thank you." You nodded. You swallowed down your anxieties. "Any advice?" You asked. "We're all fools in love." He quoted. You rose a brow as your siblings walked out.  "was that... Pride and prejudice?" You asked. "Indeed." He said with a smile. You walked forward to the door outside and your heart pounded. "Are you prepared for what's to come?" Lucius asked. "...No. but when are we ever?" You asked. Lucius nodded and the doors opened.

The air hit you and Draco stood ready, waiting for you to walk out. When you actually did Thomas was pretty sure he was going to pass out. "Holy. Shit." He mumbled. The Reverend eyed him and he cleared his throat stating at you. Lucius walked you to the end with a smile. "Today I've gained a daughter." He said. "Thank you father." You said making his smile wider as he sat next to Narcissa. You looked at Draco and he smiled. You didn't even hear half of whatever the Reverend was saying. You both said your vows, sliding on the silver bands that represented the union. "I now pronounce you husband and wife." He said. Draco kissed you with a smile.

Not a single soul was there with a straight face, all of them smiling. This love was pure and lovely, simple and plain for all to see. The coming years would provide interesting times, Newt's passing being a strange one when his suit case was left to you, as was the little bowtruckle known as Pickett that never left your side. When you had children they learned from what you did, breaking off from tradition as time passed. You sat in the study reading when your youngest daughter walked in. "Yes darling?" Draco asked making you look up. "For a school project I have to tell the story of my family so..." She sat down next to you. "....How did you two meet?" She asked. You and Draco exchanged smiles.

"That's a funny story..."

[theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin]

Lily Evans and Severus Snape: Headcanons

So, I was asked in the ask about Sirius and Regulus what I thought about Snape and Lily. At this point people are probably going, “Oh that Carnivorous Muffin is just clearly a Snape stan who thinks he could never do anything wrong and anyone who was slightly mean to him is evil.” Shockingly, I’m actually not, I just happen to think sexual harassment and attempted murder are bad and probably worse than JKR intended (I do think she was trying to go the “boys will be boys” route versus “oh my god, they just dumped pigs blood on Carrie at the prom and then threw her at a starving vampire”)

So let’s start on Snape.

First, Snape did live an incredibly shitty life, with circumstances beyond his control, that did lead to many of his poorer choices. In no way am I saying that it was alright for Snape to have grown up in an impoverished, abusive, household and endured years of humiliation and torment at school. 

That said, I believe that we all, in some respects, are responsible for our actions and our decisions. Yes, even when we come from non-privileged backgrounds. Life is hard, some people will have it much easier than you, that doesn’t excuse you becoming a domestic terrorist or tormenting and terrifying your students, young children, so much so that an entire generation comes out with a loathing and incompetence in your subject.

I guess let’s start back on his friendship with Lily Evans. We get... a really weird perspective from Snape on that friendship. Time and her tragic death have warped it into this strange worship where I’m not sure the Lily Evans that exists in his mind and memory is the one that really was there. She’s this shining Madonna idol who he failed, actively betrayed, is very very hung up about it years later.

I suspect they weren’t as good of friends as either of them thought they were and it comes down to Snape’s resentment of his own upbringing and muggles. I believe Snape was very racist towards muggles, specifically, due to his father. It was his way of grappling with his home life and only fueled by being in Slytherin. Lily was probably, in his mind, always a golden exception to the rule (Lily is the token, gold standard, muggleborn where she’s pretty, brilliant, charming, etc.) That Severus himself was a halfblood clearly caused him some angst. What I’m getting at is that I believe throughout their entire friendship, especially when they got to Hogwarts, there was an unacknowledged undercurrent of intense racism that eventually boiled up with that one incident in Snape’s fifth year.

Calling her that, while he views it as a slip of the tongue that damned him for all time, I see it more as a Freudian Slip. That sort of thing doesn’t just slip out from nowhere, not at that age when they both knew exactly what that word meant, it simmers beneath the surface, and was ultimately what he thought of her. Later, she became the Madonna figure that he views her as today (ironically perhaps even less of a person than he viewed her as at the time).

That said I think a number of factors played into the young Snape becoming a Death Eater. One, becoming friends with Lucius/that crowd who were all being sucked into Tom’s influence. Two, having his terrible home life and all the implications of Snape resenting his own blood status as well as muggles and muggle borns at large. Three, the loss of friendship with Lily (now there’s nothing to hold him back anymore, he has no reason to preserve muggleborn life). Fourth, Dumbledore’s letting Sirius, James, and Remus entirely off the hook in the werewolf incident.

That last one, especially, I imagine cemented Snape’s utter hatred of ‘the light’ (don’t get me started on the stupidity of light/dark in Harry Potter but I guess I’ll use the term) and those that cater to muggleborns. They’re hypocrites of the highest order, Dumbledore claiming to defend the poor and non-nobility, when he goes and does the exact opposite (James is the next lord Potter, Sirius is still pureblooded even if disowned, Severus Snape is a dirt poor halfblood). 

So what I’m saying is I understand why Snape did become a Death Eater, I do not condone this action. Especially as, unlike Regulus, Snape never gets cold feet. He loves being a Death Eater at first, he’s living the dream, getting all the revenge he ever wanted and burning the stupid wizarding world to the ground as he scrambles for ways to climb in Tom Riddle’s graces. We don’t see any hint that he was wavering, thinking of the fact that beloved Lily might die in battle, perhaps at his hand, until the prophecy. 

Now, I’m a little kinder than some about the prophecy. We know Snape overhears the first portion of the prophecy in early 1980. He eagerly rushes to the dark lord, regales him with the prophecy in both a) aid to the cause and b) in the hopes of climbing in the ranks and gaining the dark lord’s notice. At this point, Lily Evans is pregnant, perhaps knows the gender, but has not given birth. Months later, when both Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter are born at the end of July, Snape realizes he has signed Lily Evans’ death warrant (because despite Dumbledore talking, I imagine Tom always planned to kill off both children, Pettigrew just happened to make things convenient for Tom to go to the Potters first).

With Lily’s death now so inevitable, and her blood on his own hands, Snape has his existential crisis, goes to Dumbledore who puts the Potters in hiding and becomes a double agent. Snape also pleads for Lily’s life with Tom and he puts in a minimal amount of effort to spare the woman. 

Then Lily dies anyway and now Snape lives in the bitter cynicism most commonly seen in characters from Game of Thrones. He’s Dumbledore’s agent and sort of a Dirty Harry character, getting to see all the nasty things that many of the other order members never have to deal with. He’s one of the more intelligent characters in the series, able to see the truth of the world he lives in, but he also doesn’t care enough to actually do anything about it. He’s a bitter, resentful, and angry protector of Harry Potter, choosing to hate a naive child for all the reminders of his own terrible life (both in Lily, for failing and betraying her, and in James his most hated rival and tormentor). He gleefully enables the favoritism of Slytherin (my god how he panders to Draco Malfoy) while tormenting poor Neville into terror (that Neville’s greatest 13 year old fear is Snape is very telling).

Basically by the time we get to him in canon Snape not only isn’t happy but I think he doesn’t want to be happy. He’s accustomed to his bitterness, his cynicism, his quiet rage and moves forward out of both resignation, guilt, and a sense of obligation to a woman’s ghost. The actions he takes in canon aren’t so much for Harry as they are for the memory of Lily Evans.

Even if Snape could be happy at that point, change his life or his purpose, I do not think he would. He’s a man who has given up on life.

Now, onto Lily Evans.

You probably think I’m going to rail on her to for the sheer hypocrisy and nerve of marrying James Potter. I’m actually not. Lily Evans is one of my favorite characters in the Harry Potter series and probably the one I’d label as the most moral (though that’s a very low bar in Harry Potter, the characters are almost all assholes, but even so Lily would still be very high on the list).

You know what, I’m just going to damn myself and sound like a crazy person. Lily Evans always reads to me as a more moral young female Tom Riddle.

What the hell? You undoubtedly ask but I’ll explain.

Lily, while having a far more stable homelife than Tom Riddle, also comes from a muggleborn background. She’s exceptionally brilliant, very good looking, and very charming with a lot of people who would call her friends but no one close. Lily, aside from Snape (and that’s debatable), has no friends.

If Lily had not been a Gryffindor, and were Dumbledore not a raging misogynist, his Tom Riddle bells likely would have been ringing with her.

“But wait, that can’t be right!”

Oh, yes it can. First, as I went into above with Snape and Lily, there was something deeply wrong with that friendship. I believe they both considered themselves best friends, didn’t see many of the warning flags, but ultimately we see the giant fissure when Snape lets loose the m-word. Given all of that, I would not label them having been true friends in the first place. Just the appearance of friends.

Otherwise, while it’s very easily to canonically point out James’ friends it’s incredibly difficult to do so with Lily. First, people hardly remember Lily. We get Dumbledore talking about her like she’s the Virgin Mary, saving her son with the power of her love. We get Snape’s weird Virgin Mary impressions of her. Otherwise, it’s pretty much just Slughorn. Everyone else remembers that she married James and that was great because JAMES WAS SO COOL and that she had very striking eyes and was “nice”. Lily is less than a ghost in Harry Potter canon (sadly Harry never really realizing it).

Also, unlike James who has Sirius, Remus, and Peter to point towards (that are very important characters in canon). Lily has no one. The godmother was Alice Longbottom, a woman many years older than Lily and James who probably liked Lily well enough but I can’t imagine was a close friend. In canon there’s an offhand mention of two girls named Mary and Marlene but we don’t see much of them/Severus was always cited as Lily’s closest friend. As for Lily’s sister, well we know they’re estranged. I think it’s very telling that Lily writes a letter to Sirius, James’ best friend and certainly not hers, telling him that James is pouting over his invisibilty cloak. It’s because there was no one else to write.

So Lily Evans is a brilliant girl, who everyone likes and is very charming, but has no friends and led a very lonely and short life.

Here’s where my slack towards Lily comes in.

When she dumps Snape I completely understand why she did so. Snape dropping that word wasn’t simply a mistake, a moment of infinite regret, but something that revealed what he truly thought of her and where she came from. Lily was absolutely right in walking away.

However, without Snape, her closest friend is suddenly gone and the world is cold. As graduation approaches I imagine Lily’s career options become clearer and clearer. While very talented and smart, Lily is a muggleborn, what job she does manage to get (thanks to the sheer nepotism of the wizarding world/lack of jobs) will likely be through Slughorn if she manages to get a job at all. The world is cold and it is cruel and no one seems to even notice.

Cue James Potter. I do believe, probably until seventh year, Lily loathed James, not simply because of the horrifying things he did to Severus (and I’m sure she knew very little of it, Snape hiding most of it from her out of pride and shame), but because he’s just a giant dick. He’d make flirting with her a kind of game and joke to be shared with Sirius, something to hold over Snape’s head, like she’s a prize to be one.

However, by seventh year the werewolf incident has happened, Snape’s retreated further and further into Death Eater recruit land and she’s cut him off, and for all my “James is a dick” I do imagine he calmed down a little. Now that Snape is no longer friends with Lily/after the whole almost murder incident I imagine they didn’t bully him nearly as much as they used to. Though yes, they probably still bullied him, but Lily probably doesn’t know that now that she’s lost contact with Snape. 

James is charming and very good looking. He seems a bit more mature than he used to be. Lily is desperately lonely, living in a world that rejects everything she is, and James seems like one of the few who does support her (that James is more of a ‘pretty fly for a white guy’ kind of support for muggleborns doesn’t hit until later). So Lily is charmed and makes the largest mistake of her life, she and James start dating.

Now, given their extreme youth as well as Lily’s pedigree (say what you like, I don’t think Mr. and Mrs. Potter were thrilled that their son was dating a muggleborn) I imagine the wedding was a shot gun wedding and Lily got unintentionally pregnant. Yes, go ahead and throw fruit at me or call foul, I just can’t imagine they’d want a child that young while in the middle of a war while they’re part of an active resistance movement and only just out of Hogwarts.

Then things start snowballing downhill. Lily and James have just joined the resistance movement, Lily’s son is prophesied to defeat Voldemort, they strongly suspect one of James’ close friends is a spy, and they’re forced into hiding.

In hiding is where I imagine stress runs high and their marriage begins to fall apart. We know from Lily’s letter that James was routinely leaving hiding, using the cloak, so he could meet up with Sirius and Peter (I imagine Lupin’s on the out as they suspected he was the spy). While James might not realize what a big deal that was, I imagine Lily always did, and she begins to realize just what she’s gotten herself into but there’s no way out while in hiding.

Now we go really off the rails into headcanon territory in: what the hell is up with Harry Potter?

In my stories, I often choose the unwitting god route. Harry can’t die because he is a god, he becomes the master of death and always was the master of death. This is an answer, but it’s one that makes canon Harry a god and... I would not want canon Harry as a god. JKR and Dumbledore push the “Lily loved her child so much that it deflected death... multiple times” but this always felt... unsatisfying. Many parents love their children (fathers too, JKR, let’s not make this weird Virgin Mary thing) and yet Harry Potter alone in the history of mankind survives multiple times. 

Most likely, Lily pulled off some insane bullshit with absolutely no resources and minimal education AND EVERYONE IGNORES IT. We do know that Lily crafted the blood wards, wards stronger than anything Dumbledore himself can come up with/than Voldemort can break. Ones that protect Harry not only at home but away from it as it melts Voldemort for simply touching his skin. Lily pulled off the impossible in only a few months and did it right under everyone’s nose.

This makes her easily one of the most intelligent characters in Harry Potter. Probably beating out Dumbledore and maybe tying with Tom Riddle. And Dumbledore tells us, “Your Virgin Mary mother loved you so much, Harry, that it courses through your veins and lights those that would want to harm you on fire.”

So, that’s Lily for you.

Now, that said, I’m probably a bit biased and clearly very lenient with her marrying James. To be honest it took me years to figure out why the hell Lily would ever marry James after what happened with Severus and was always one of those weird canon things I never quite understood. He’s that good looking and charming, I guess, was my response.

The answer I now land on with some confidence was that the world is that cruel and bleak and Lily was utterly alone for two years.

By the way, a side note/plug, of all my stories while head canons do pop up here and there I think “October” is one where they tend to crop up more. It’s a vast AU of canon, but it gives an idea of what I think x character would do in y situation. 

[ilove-cedricdiggory]

Fallen

Draco x Reader

Requested? - nope, but I'm sorry for this one 😅

Summary - The reader finds herself in a huge fight with Draco, their hearts both left broken. But, she was far more broken than him.

Trigger Warning - Mentions of Suicide, attempt of suicide, Draco being a rude arse jerk, cussing, angst.

I can make this into a part two if you guys want.

Two years after the war. Two whole years. You had met Draco in Diagon Alley, the both of you attempting to get your groceries before the rest of the rest of the wizarding world woke up, busying the streets, along with the isles of the store.

You had just gotten out of work, having found a job where you could work nights. You had incredible anxiety after the war, worried about every person around you with the possibility that they were still a death eater under cover. Your best friend, absolute best friend, for 6 years turned death eater, having no remorse when she tortured your parents right before your eyes.

From that moment on, the fear of someone being a dark wizard undercover. While the war was over, your fear was long gone. Meeting Draco, the both of you found yourself comforting each other through your fear. You were surprised with how easily you trusted Draco, if you're being honest with yourself. A confirmed death eater that let in the same ones that destroyed your school, the same one that walked into Voldemort's arms after his father called him to the wrong side.

But, you knew what it was like to pick the wrong thing, heck, you had the wrong friend for years and you had no clue. You expressed to Draco, when you first got together, that while you understood his position with his family, you also knew he technically always had a choice. Just like Sirius Black, he had a choice to pick right, he just didn't, and now he was learning how to pick right.

The two of you had grown to each other, learning how to protect the other when they needed it most, how to help them grow, and how to let the other breathe - or, you thought you did.

When you woke up this morning, you weren't expecting it to go the way it had. You had switched to days after a year of being with Draco, really wanting to spent the time you had awake, with your boyfriend. The two of you worked in silence for the first thirty minutes or so, always did. You both would brew your coffee, move to your "designated" seats, and sip the hot liquid as you silently planned your own days. This morning, you decided to owl for some breakfast before getting into the day.

You weren't sure how it started.

You had asked him a question about a few letters you found on his nightstand table while searching for a few coins, to which he replied casually. A few minutes later, it was him asking about a work assignment you said you needed to finish. The both of you were on your guard suddenly, when the owl flew in from his parents.

Lucius.

The way you despised his dad was different to your being. Growing up, you didn't hate many people, but even that hate wasn't even close to the level it was with his father. You met him twice, each time as horrible as it comes. Only, this letter seemed to be a reply to one? A reply in which, two paragraphs in, Lucius was telling Draco "I told you she was wrong for this family, wrong for you."

Each piece of your heart that you had ever pieced together crumbled into specs, the clear liquid filling your eyes after many nights of feeling free.

You guessed you actually did know how it started.

Your tears fell before a single word was spoken - yelled really. He was scolding you for reading his mail, you were broken from the words screamed. A fight worse than any fell upon the two of you, all silent plans for the day cancelled.

"You fucking bitch! My own shit, that's all I ask! You to leave my shit alone! Can you do anything fucking right?" Words like this coming from Draco hurt more than any others combined.

"How the fuck was I supposed to know it wasn't from the bakery, dipshit!" You had tossed the letter at his head, it crumpled into a ball. "Fuck, Draco, you act like I'm some know it all that can tell when things are meant for just you! And I open your mail all the damn time!" You had walked into the living room, slamming the bedroom door shut, leaving him to glare at the shut piece of wood.

He ripped open the door, slamming his feel on the floor as he made his way to you. The two of you screamed for hours, making your way through plenty of topics, leaving you both as broken as you were when you found each other.

"I don't know why the fuck I ever looked at you. You're fucking pathetic." He spat, his spit flying out his mouth and landing on the couch between the two of you. "Get the fuck out." You whispered, your eyes squeezed shut.

"What?" He asked, his eyes wide, your words leaving him stunned.

"I said, get the ever loving fuck out, Draco Malfoy! Fucking leave!" You yelled, rushing to the shared bedroom, yanking his clothes off of hangers and throwing them out a window you smashed open. You'll fix it later.

"Y/n, wait, wait, stop." He spoke, entering the room. "No, I won't stop. I didn't do a damn thing to you besides fucking love you, stand beside you. Get the fuck out!" You tossed his sock drawer out of the window before turning to him. "I will not fucking hesitate to call Arthur. I won't even call for ministry, I'll call for him and the rest of the boys to come over and drag you out their selves."

His eyes were wide, unshed tears filled to the brim. You pulled out your wand, raising it to him. "I swear, I will hex you so hard, Molly won't even know how to fix you." He stepped back, his eyes closing before he nodded once. You watched as he left, your eyes following him as he waved his wand, his clothes folding themselves and plopping into a bad you assumed he transfigured.

Once he disapparated away, your tears fell harder than before. You mumbled a quick fixing charm on the window before falling onto your bed, your sobs filling the air.

Worthless

Pathetic

Waste of space

Problematic

Your head filled of every word you ever told yourself, every word you ever heard, as it rebounded off the walls of your skull.

With a shaky breath, you pulled out the letters you wrote a year ago, each to a different beloved friend of your own.

Harry

Hermione

Ron

Ginny

Fred

George

Molly

Arthur

Draco

You took a deep breath, walking to the spare bedroom where you kept your owl, clearing your throat softly. "Take these to the Burrow, I'm sure they will all be there." You whispered softly, letting the bird from it's cage before tying the notes to it's leg. "This one to Draco." Your voice faltered at his name, tying his letter to its other leg.

Once she flew out your window, your feet walked to your bedroom, glancing around it with heavy eyes, before grabbing your wand once more and disapparating to Hogsmead, your feet carrying you to the school you were oh so familiar with.

It had taken about half a year, but Hogwarts was back to its former glory, the wonders of magic. It was July, the warm air around you as you entered the building. It's familiar hallways, the magic buzzing off the walls. Home.

Your feet carried you up to the astronomy tower where you had spent plenty nights, staring out into the wonders of the sky. It was late now, the sky almost black, as you stepped back out into the summer night air.

You wiped your nose, slowly stepping onto the ledge as you glanced out into the night.

"I wonder what it'll be like to see you again, Sirius." You whispered, your heart clenching.

You turned around, your back facing the sudden drop before you looked up to the sky, "See you soon, Pads." You took out your wand, lifting it up as you had, the night you all found Dumbledore, the tip of your wand lighting as you leaned backwards, the weight of your body slipping off the edge, you falling.

The sky was dark, the only light from your wand before you shut your eyes, a final breath filling your lungs.

Fallen.

[favefandomimagines]

I’m Done (d.m.)

Summary: draco has been cruel to you since the summer before your sixth year and you’ve had enough.

AN: sad girl hours but with a happy ending

Draco Malfoy had a reputation. Whether it was a good or bad one didn’t matter, he still had one.

You were used to his cruel comments about your friends and you did your best to keep him at bay most of the time. But the dynamic of your relationship had shifted and not for the better.

Draco’s letters to you over the Summer became very rare. You’d be surprised if you got one in a week. You tried not to let it bother you but it did leave a sour taste in your mouth.

Then on the train back to Hogwarts, he kept saying things about how much he wasn’t looking forward to his sixth year. How it was going to be a waste of his time.

You looked down at your hands when he said that, thinking about all the plans you had made for your sixth year. He thought they were a waste of time now.

Then came the cruel comments and digs about you and your house. You were a Gryffindor but from a pure blood family so it was okay that you were with him. Well, according to him.

By the time winter was approaching, you had grown accustomed to his cruel behavior and him telling you how lucky you were to be with him. Your friends began to worry for your mental state. They thought it can’t be good for someone to hear degrading things about them every day.

But you loved Draco. You didn’t know what was going on with him but you couldn’t leave him. Until he snapped that was.

You were standing at the Astronomy tower one evening, figuring Draco would be there. “Draco, are you okay?” You asked, placing a soft hand on his shoulder.

“I’m fine, Y/N, just go back to your common room.” He said, irritation in his voice. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s wrong. I’ve seen what’s going on with you but you won’t tell me anything.” You rebutted.

“Because telling you would be useless! You can’t do anything so I don’t know why you bother trying to help! God, I knew you weren’t bright but not this stupid.” He snapped. Instantly wishing he hadn’t said it.

You scoffed at his words as tears began stinging your eyes. “That’s it, Draco, I’m done. Ever since the beginning of term you have been mean and cruel and I have done nothing to deserve it. I am so terribly sorry that I care about you. I deserve better this. I don’t deserve to be treated like the scum of the Earth because you don’t want to tell me what the hell is going on with you.” You started.

“What, you’re going to break up with me?” Draco asked, figuring you were bluffing. “Yes. Yes, Draco, I’m breaking up with you. I’m not wasting my life staying with someone who doesn’t love me.” You answered.

Draco’s face fell at your words. He wasn’t expecting you to actually break up with him. But he couldn’t blame you. The stress and pressure that was put on him by his family had caused him to start lashing out at you. And you were right, you didn’t deserve it. You were just trying to help.

“Y/N,” He started. “No. Just stay away from me.” You said in a more hushed tone before leaving him alone. Draco stood there, trying to process what had exactly just happened. You left him. You finally left him and it was entirely his fault. 

He drove you to it and he wasn’t instantly regretting anything more. 

__

It had been exactly three weeks since you broke up with Draco and you were not going to let him see you miserable. You had far too much pride for that, making it way more evident as to why you were sorted into Gryffindor. 

But your efforts were futile because your appearance gave you away. You hadn’t slept in days and if you did it was only for a couple hours so you had very noticeable dark circles under your eyes. You lost a couple pounds due to you skipping some meals. 

Draco didn’t look any better. As a matter of fact he looked worse. He looked so frail that everyone thought if they nudged him ever so slightly he’d break. You breaking up with him was was the straw that broke the camel’s back and added on to having to fulfill his task for the Dark Lord. But no one knew. 

He told himself it was better this way. You’d be safe and Voldemort wouldn’t find out about you. But what if he saw his current state as a weakness and found out about you anyways? The only thing that saved you was the fact that Lucius didn’t know about you. Draco only told his mother about you and she was happy to see her son happy. Regardless of what house you were in. 

You were sitting in the Great Hall during your ‘free period’ trying to focus on getting your homework done. Your focus was depleted by Ron Weasley taking a seat next to you. 

“Hi, Y/N.” He greeted you. “Hello, Ron. What can I do for you?” You asked, turning to him with a small smile. “I just wanted to see how you were doing. Ever since Draco, we’ve all been worried about you.” He answered. “I’m okay. I promise. But I appreciate you worrying about me.” You told him, placing a hand on his arm. 

Ron’s gaze shifted to something behind you before a look of worry and awkwardness adorned his face. You turned around and your gaze fell to Draco standing a few feet away from you. 

Your eyes shifted downward as Draco turned around and left the Great Hall. “You really got him shaken up, Y/N. He must have really cared about you.” Ron commented. “That was the problem. He didn’t care about me.” You muttered.

Later that day, you were walking back to the common room from potions in the dungeons when someone grabbed your elbow and pulled you off to an empty corridor. 

“What the hell?” You questioned until you saw that the culprit was Draco. “What do you want, Draco?” You asked, quickly feeling uncomfortable under his gaze. “Weasley now? Really? You broke up with me for Weasley?” He questioned with a rather harsh tone. 

“I broke up with you because you were terrible to me! Ron was making sure I was okay because though I should be thrilled to be rid of your torment, I’m not. I don’t sleep, I barely eat and it’s all because I’m worried sick about you. And I shouldn’t because you don’t give a damn about me.” You yelled at him. 

“Of course I care about you! All I do is care about you! I-I can’t tell you what’s going on because you could end up dead if I do.” Draco said. “What are you talking about?” You questioned. 

Draco was silent and that silence was all you needed to connect the pieces. “No. No, please tell me you aren’t one of them.” You begged. “I wish I could.” He whispered. “He said he’d kill my family if I didn’t help him. He doesn’t know about you but he could find out and I will not have you get hurt because of me.” He added. “Draco, this isn’t you. You aren’t like them, you’re better than that.” You said. 

“You don’t understand, Y/N, I have to do this. It’s not as easy as just leaving.” He said before pulling up the sleeve of his robe. You took a couple small steps back at the sight of the dark mark in his forearm. 

Draco could tell that you were scared and he didn’t want you to be scared of him. 

“Y/N, please.” He said. You shook your head and all you could look at was the mark. “There’s no going back from this, Draco. No one ever stops being a Death Eater and after this is over you’re going to be locked up in Azkaban with the rest of them and you know that. Because you know that he’s not going to win. And I can’t see that happen to you.” You said. “But I love you, Y/N.” Draco said, his last stitch effort to get you back. 

“And I love you too but I can’t watch you do this to yourself.” You replied before walking away from him. 

__

It has been a year since the Battle of Hogwarts had been fought and won. You fought along side your friends and had to see the man you love forced into a situation he wanted no part of. 

Even a year later, Draco was all you thought of. And of course you heard the whisperings about his trial. How the ministry was asking for witnesses to testify. You got off lucky because no one outside of Hogwarts knew you were together.

In the end, all the charges were dropped because he was just a boy, forced to do the Dark Lord’s bidding in fear of losing his life and the lives of those he cared for.

You knew of this because Arthur Weasley got you a job at the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office so you heard all of the Ministry gossip and you had heard that Draco was let go. 

After the war, you spent a lot of time in muggle London because it was a nice change of scenery. You only ever ran into muggle-borns or half bloods so it came as a shock when you walked into your favorite bakery and caught sight of familiar platinum blonde hair.

You wished you could’ve turned around right then and there but it was already too late. The bell atop of the door alerted the other customers and his eyes landed on you.

He could see that the last place you wanted to he was there. Were you that disgusted that you couldn’t even be in the same room as him?

Draco decided to throw caution into the wind and approach you.

“Uh, hi, Y/N.” He greeted you. “Hello, Draco. I didn’t expect to see you here.” You said. “Here as in?” He questioned. “The muggle world. I know you weren’t fond of it back in school.” You explained.

“It’s really the only place I can go now without receiving death threats or getting kicked out.” He said. Your heart hurt for him upon hearing the reason for his escape.

You took a leap of faith, one that he could see you battling internally. “You can join me if you want. It’s no fun being alone.” You said.

He gave you a soft smile before sitting down with you.

The two of you caught up and talked. The first question you asked was how Narcissa was doing. She was always supportive of your relationship with her son. Draco asked how your parents were doing, to which you had to deliver the news that your father was killed by his aunt.

The look of indescribable guilt washed over his face as a slew of apologies came out. You could see that he regretted his actions back in Hogwarts and you assumed that if he could take it all back he would.

“If I could go back and say no, I would.” He said, proving your assumption to be correct. “I know. But we can’t change the past. We can only move forward.” You told him.

“I know who you really are, Draco. You’re not this evil person. You just need to let the rest of the world see it too. And yes, I know you hate being vulnerable.” You added.

He smiled softly at your words, happy that you still knew him. The real him.

“I miss you. Every single day.” Draco said. You were quiet for a moment, not really sure how to respond to him. “I’d be lying if I didn’t miss you too.” You finally said.

“Hurting you is one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you.” He told you. “I know that now. Back then, I wasn’t sure.” You replied. “Can you forgive me? You’d be the first to.” He asked.

You smiled sweetly at him as you placed your hand on top of his. “I already forgave you, Draco. After Fred died I knew I couldn’t hold on to grudges forever. Life is too short for that.” You said.

“I’m sorry about Fred. I know he was important to you. All of them were and I’m sorry I treated them so terribly.” Draco said. “You need to stop being so hard on yourself. You were a kid, Draco. An easy target for him. He was trying to make an example of you. He chose you because you didn’t believe in his cause. You think you did but the Draco I fell in love with didn’t side with him. He was torturing you. You were just a boy. Now it’s time to start being the person I know you are.” You told him, in an understanding but stern manner.

Draco appreciated your honesty in the matter. Of course he was going to be hard on himself, he was a Death Eater and it was his fault Bellatrix destroyed Hogwarts. But you were always the person who saw the good in him.

“I have a good way to start your redemption tour.” You added. “How? Half of the wizarding world hates me.” Draco questioned. “Be my date to Ron and Hermione’s wedding. I’d hate to go alone.” You answered. “Y/N, they’re not going to want me there.” He rebutted.

“You’d be surprised. Resentment is corrosive. They’ve learned to forgive.” You said. “How long did it take you to convince them of that?” Draco asked. “Actually, it was Mrs. Weasley. Ginny almost died because of Tom Riddle, it could have easily been her.” You said.

“Y/N, I love you but I don’t think it’s a good idea.” He told you. Your face fell slightly as you looked at your hands. “What?” Draco questioned. “You just told me you loved me.” You answered. “Because I do.” He said with absolute certainty.

Again, you paused. You couldn’t say it back just yet. Though you wanted too, you needed to learn to trust Draco again before saying those three words to him.

“I want to say it back, but I need to trust you again. It’s not that I haven’t felt that way since fourth year but we went through something extreme. I need time.” You said. “How about we start with Weasley and Granger’s wedding?” He suggested.

You smiled a giddy smile at him, relieved and thrilled that he had accepted your invitation. Both you and Draco had healing to do after the war. And doing that together would open the door to rebuilding your relationship.

[messers-moony]

One in the Same | R.B

Paring: Regulus Black X Wife!Reader

Summary: Reader notices Draco going through the same pain as her ex lover and desperately wants fix her faults.

“Mr.Malfoy, can you stay after class, please?” 

“‘Course, Professor Black.”

An average day in second year. Professor Black - Y/n - taught History of Magic after Professor Binns decided his time was up. Too long of teaching sleeping students who could care less about his lessons. However, once Y/n took over the position, kid's grades improved and people were no longer sleeping. She made things fun and inventive.

After class time was up, everyone filed out of the classroom aside from the blond Slytherin boy. Draco has always been on the good side of Professor Black. She was always extremely kind to him despite his rather sour attitude at times. But Draco was always hesitant to initiate a conversation to really speak his feelings to her. But this was the first time she had him stay after class. 

Y/n pulled out the chair in front of her desk as he sat down. His white-blond hair and gleaming blue eyes. His young face, not yet defined. Y/n with her h/c hair and curious glinted e/c eyes. 

“Draco, I want to start this by saying I don’t know what your home life is like.” Y/n began, “I went to Hogwarts with your parents, though, and he wasn’t always kind. Your mother was cordial with me, though.”

“If you don’t find me intruding, what’s your home life like?” 

“I- Um- It’s good.” Stammered Draco, “Father and Mother are always kind.”

Y/n’s eyes glinted with curiosity, “Lucius tolerated me.”

“Tolerated you?”

“I married one of his best friends.” Y/n chuckled, “He didn’t have a choice.”

Draco tilted his head, “Sirius?”

“Oh heavens no!” Y/n exclaimed, “Regulus. Sirius Black's brother.” 

“My- My dead cousin?” He queried. 

She nodded, “Yes. I married Regulus right after graduation. His parents weren’t thrilled, but he loved me so, here we are.”

“May I ask a question?”

“Shoot.”

“What were his parents like?”

“Horrible. The worst.” Y/n spat, “Sirius got the worst of it, but Regulus did occasionally too.”

“Walburga and Orion were awful. Using the crucio curse is not a great punishment for kids.” Draco’s eyes widened, “Both of them had scars from the curse. Sirius ran away at sixteen, and Regulus was used as their puppet. So used that at the age of eighteen, he felt like he had to prove himself. Which inevitably got him killed.”

“How did you deal with it?”

“Well, would you like my honest answer or my Professor answer?”

“Honest, please.”

“Between you and I, I still haven’t gotten over it.” Y/n shrugged, “I see something that reminds me of him, and I’m back at the start all over again. It takes time, and it’s taken plenty of time, but here I am, doing what I love. Teaching kids.”

“Anyways.” Y/n smiled, “You’re dismissed. I’m sorry I took up your time. However, if you ever feel the need to speak with me, let me know. Okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Draco picked up his bag, rustling as he stood up. The blond boy was still digesting all the information he gained. He couldn’t believe that his cousins got the crucio curse for a punishment. He thought his parents were bad. Theirs was way worse. Draco was about to walk out of the classroom but turned last minute to look at his Professor. 

“Professor?” 

“Yes, Draco?”

“There’s-“ He swallowed, “There’s a Quidditch match this Saturday. Slytherin versus Ravenclaw. If you have the time, I’d like you to come.”

“Of course. I’ll be there.” Y/n smiled. 

He walked out of the room without a second stop. He felt better about himself now. He had someone who genuinely seemed to care about him. Draco didn’t trust her just yet, but he wouldn’t be opposed to speaking with her as he had just now in the future. Professor Black had always been open and honest with her students. Perhaps that’s why kids liked her so much. 

Saturday arrived quicker than Y/n would’ve hoped for one reason. She, herself, didn’t own any Slytherin-colored merchandise anymore. But there was a box in her quarters that she brought with her to Hogwarts every year. Regulus’s old clothes meaning all his scarfs, ties, button-ups, pants, hats, etc. Y/n couldn’t seem to get rid of them. Frankly, she didn’t want to get rid of them either. 

Carefully she pulled the cardboard box from the top of her closet. Taking a pair of scissors and breaking the tape seal she had put on it multiple years ago. Inside laid many pieces of the evergreen and silver cloth. Y/n’s hands gravitated to the green and silver scarf. Bringing it to her nose, she was shocked. It still smelt like him. Godric, this was going to be more challenging than she initially thought. 

Nonetheless, she put it around her neck along with her button-up and tight-fit pants. Y/n put on the green gloves, much too big for her but had fit Regulus perfectly, the tie, and the scarf. It brought her a sense of nostalgia. It made Y/n feel like she was a fifth-year going out with Regulus on a date to Hogsmeade. But she wasn’t fifteen or in fifth year. Y/n was a Professor and a full-grown adult. And Regulus was dead. 

The game was going well for Slytherin at the beginning. But like most Quidditch games, things can change rather quickly. Ravenclaw was studious. That was for sure. They played skillfully. Y/n sat in the Professor stands with the rest of her colleagues. She sat between McGonagall and Flitwick. But white-blond hair caught her attention in front of her. Lucius Malfoy was here spectating his son. 

McGonagall nudged her, “Where’d you get the Slytherin gear?”

“Regulus.”

“How have you been, dear?” McGonagall questioned softly, “It’s been a whirlwind, but nothing I can do will bring him back, so ‘m still here for him. It’s what he would’ve wanted.” Y/n replied. 

Minerva placed a hand on the girl's knee, “If you need anything, let me know.”

“‘Course, Professor.”

The game ended tragically. Slytherin had just tied the game when Cho Chang had caught sight of the snitch. Sadly, she was able to grasp it before Draco. Leaving Slytherin with two-hundred and thirty points while Ravenclaw ended with three-hundred and eighty points. Lucius seemed furious with this conclusion and stormed off the stands. Y/n knew something was up, so she followed him. 

She came up in a deserted hallway in Hogwarts. Draco stood - now changed into the usual Hogwarts robes - and his father stood before him. From the view she had, Draco’s back was to her, and his father was towering over the boy. 

Lucius had a cold and icy voice, “You are insufferable!”

“You had one job, Draco! One! Catch the damn snitch.” He scolded, “Perhaps you were too daft to figure that out?”

“‘M sorry, father. I didn’t mean to. Honest.” Draco was pleading and begging for mercy; it made Y/n’s heartache at the familiar words. 

“Mum, Dad, I seriously didn’t mean to!” Regulus had cried after breaking a vase, “Excuses, excuses, they won’t get you anywhere in life, boy!” Orion shouted. 

Tears collected in his silver eyes, “‘M sorry! ‘M so sorry!”

Walburga pointed her wand at him, “Crucio.”

Lucius scoffed, “Malfoy’s don’t cry, wipe those tears.”

“Should‘ve sent you to Durmstrang. You come to Hogwarts and forget everything I’ve ever taught you.”

“Father, I really didn’t mean to! She just got there faster than me.” Draco begged. 

Y/n saw it before Draco did. Lucius raised his palm slowly, and Draco flinched. Y/n saw the pale hand rise into the air, and without a second thought, she ran in front of the young boy, taking the blow that was meant for Lucius’ son. Draco heard the sound but never felt the impact. Carefully he opened his eyes to see Professor Black standing in front of him, a hand on her cheek. 

“How dare you get in the way!” Lucius yelled, “How dare I? How dare you for trying to leave a hand on your son!” Y/n retorted her bright cheek red from impact. 

Draco was appalled, “Draco is your son! Not a toy or a puppet, and I will not stand for this!”

“You don’t have to, half breed.” Lucius seethed, “As you said, he’s my son. Not yours.”

“I could give less fucks!” Y/n exclaimed, “Draco is my student. I will not be having you lay your hands on my students.”

Lucius scoffed, “Where’s your child, mm?”

“Right, you don’t have one.” Lucius answered, “Because your blood-traitor of a husband decided to get himself killed!”

“Regulus was not a blood-traitor for trying to right his wrongs!”

“Regulus and Sirius were no different from each other.”

“Leave them out of this!”

“Oh, so it’s still a soft spot for you?”

“So help me, I’ll-“

“Petrificus Totalus.” Draco stated while holding his wand, causing his father to fall to the ground, paralyzed. 

Y/n stared at the body in shock, “Draco.”

She didn’t even have time to reprimand him before he burst into tears. Y/n turned quickly and embraced him into a much-needed hug while the boy sobbed on her shoulder. Y/n’s hands went through Draco’s white-blond hair gently while he let every emotion out. She pulled away and wiped the tears on his cheeks. 

“You’re going to be okay, I promise.” Y/n informed, and Draco nodded, “Th- Thank you, Professor.”

Y/n smiled and sent him off to the Slytherin common room, leaving her to deal with Lucius. The Professor dragged him to Madam Pomfrey to deal with. Later that night, in her quarters, while brushing her teeth, she noticed the considerable bruise covering her left cheek: Blue and purple hues mixed to create a dark blue-violet looking color, almost grey. 

Sixth year was now here. Y/n’s fourth year of teaching at Hogwarts, and she couldn’t have asked for a better job. On September 1st, she went through the floo-network to arrive in her teacher's quarters. Looking at the time, it seemed that students were just about reaching onto the grounds when a knock sounded at her door. 

“Come in!”

A blond boy, much taller, defined face, and grey eyes had just walked into her teacher's quarters, “Good evening, Professor.”

“Good evening, Draco.” Y/n greeted smiling brightly, “What's on your mind, sweetheart?”

Draco didn’t know where to begin as water collected on his lower lash line, and gently he pulled up his left sleeve. Godric, it felt like deva Vu all over again. 

“Y- Y/n.” Regulus called through his tears, “What’s wrong, baby?” Y/n asked, sitting beside him on the four-poster bed. 

Regulus couldn’t help the tears that helplessly fell down his cheeks. His eyes were silver and blurred. Cheeks flushed and hair knotted. This past summer had been a shit show for him with Sirius running away and just everything that had gone on. Regulus had never felt this hopeless before. 

“I- I need your help.”

“Of course, anything, baby.”

He swallowed, “Just know that I’ll love you forever. Okay?”

“‘Course.”

Gently, he released a breath of air and pulled up his left sleeve. The combined snake and skull only meaning one thing. Regulus was now a death eater to the Dark Lord. Tears sprung in Y/n’s eyes but not because of disappointment but because of worry. She didn’t know what she would do if Regulus were to be gone. 

“They forced me!” Regulus pleaded, “Please, please don’t leave me.” 

Regulus was weeping, and Y/n took him into her arms, “Shh, shh, I’m not disappointed. I’m just worried about you.”

“I don’t wanna- I don’t wanna do this.” Regulus whimpered, “Please help me.”

“I’m gonna help you ‘m love. Don’t worry.” 

“What happened this summer?” Y/n asked as Draco pulled back down his sleeve.

“Auntie Bella.”

Draco was trying so hard to swallow his tears as his Professor was now face to face with him, “Draco.”

How was her voice so sweet and calm, almost like she had done this before, “It’s okay to show emotion. It’s being human. Let it go, darling.”

Just like that, the dam broke, and Draco was a sobbing mess again. How was it that Professor Black had always managed to feel more like home than his actual parents? What had his mum done for him while Bellatrix was giving him the mark? She had just stood there watching pain contort on his face. Y/n felt more like a mother to him, more like family to him. 

“Shh. Shh. You’re safe here, Draco.”

“They- They want me-“ He was choking on his words, and Y/n placed her hands on his shoulders, “Take deep breaths and then explain. Okay?”

He began to inhale and exhale air at a slow pace, “They want me to-“ Draco swallowed, “They want me to kill Dumbledore.”

“Okay.” Y/n stated, letting out a breath of air, “You and I will get through this.” 

“You- You promise?” 

“I promise.”

Perhaps it was instinct now for Draco to stay after in her classroom. After every lesson, Draco would visit her in her classroom just to be in her company or to talk. What was it about Y/n that drew these people close to her? Ones with broken souls who believed that couldn’t be helped. Was it her kindness? Perhaps it was her caring nature—too many variables to pinpoint. 

The moment Y/n heard crying in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, she knew something was wrong. Approaching cautiously, she saw Harry Potter doing the same behind Draco, who stood facing the basin, dried tears on his cheeks. Everything happened too fast for Y/n to understand. But when Harry spoke an incantation that left Draco bleeding out on the floor, everything changed. 

She was jumping into action hastily, falling to her knees beside the blond-haired boy while Harry was almost in tears at his mistake. Y/n took her wand out and began muttering spells to heal the boy's chest. Harry was now in a heap on the floor, tears filling his glorious emerald eyes while the Professor took care of his harm. It took ten minutes before the bleeding stopped, and Y/n turned to face Harry. 

“Harry.” 

“‘M sorry. I- I didn’t know…”

“It’s okay. I’m just glad I was here.” Y/n replied, and Harry looked like a mess, “I need you to go to the Gryffindor tower and not speak of this to anyone, okay?”

He nodded and stood up sluggishly. Harry left the bathroom, leaving Y/n with an unconscious Draco. Sighing heavily, she picked up the boy and lugged him to the hospital wing, where he was taken care of. The following day an owl was pecking at Y/n’s window, leading her to wake up and take the note from the owl’s foot. 

“Draco won’t stop calling for you.”

Y/n freshened up, brushing her teeth, hair, and a change of clothes before making her way to the Hospital Wing. It was quite a ways away from. Her section of the school, but if Draco needed her, she needed to be there even if it was six o’clock in the morning. Her shoes made a light tap along with the wood as she walked and hesitantly opened the big door to the infirmary. 

“Oh, thank Merlin!” Madam Pomfrey said with her hand over her heart, “Draco has been asking for you, my dear.”

She gave a tiny smile as Pomfrey pointed to where Draco was lying. Carefully she stripped back some of the white curtain and pulled a chair beside his bed. Y/n took his hand in his. It was cold and pale. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine holding Regulus’ hand in the same exact way after a horrible Bludger accident. 

An hour later, Draco finally woke up, “Mornin’ sweetheart.”

“Professor, you- you came.”

She smiled, “You called for me, of course, I’d come.”

Draco pushed himself up into a sitting position, his grey eyes locked on her warm e/c ones, “Sorry, I just, didn’t expect you to come.”

“How are you feeling?” 

“I feel okay. Little sore but nothing I haven’t been through.” 

Y/n smiled sadly, “I knew a boy just like you, you know?”

“You did?” Draco asked, and she nodded, “I did.”

“Could you tell me about him?”

“Well, he was strong, smart, and closed off. His home life wasn’t too great either and was forced into being what his parents were too.” Draco looked eager for more, “Eventually, he realized that this wasn’t the life he wanted. He no longer cared about his parent's approval. He just wanted to be him, but by then, it was too late.”

“Too late?”

She nodded, “He was already in too late, so he did the only thing he thought of. Betraying his parents, his family. He was so caught up in what he was doing he didn’t realize what he was doing, and now, because of that, he’s no longer with us.”

“But you aren’t too late, Draco.” Y/n stressed, tightening her grip on his hand, “Let me save you. Let me help you.”

Tears ebbed at the corners of his eyes, “Please.”

Y/n took him in her arms and rubbed his back soothingly, “You aren’t alone. I’m here for you.”

It took months, but everything was over. It felt like time had stopped. Y/n could remember the terror standing outside of Hogwarts as the death eaters stood on the other side. Narcissa was calling for him - the boy who had no choice - and Draco was panicking as Lucius began calling his name. 

Draco swallowed and shook his head. 

It was the feeling of relief that brought Y/n solace. Draco took the step that Regulus took, and she would make sure he didn’t pay for it. The relief felt like a breath of fresh air now that the war was over. Y/n had stepped into the Great Hall panicking, hoping, praying that he was okay. At that moment she saw it. 

He was crouched in the corner. People were glaring at him all around. Draco saw. He saw the Weasleys crying over Fred. He saw Harry look empty, staring at Remus Lupin and Nymphadora. The way Lavender Brown’s parents sobbed over her dead body. He saw the way Dennis Creevey was yelling and screaming in pain at seeing his deceased older brother. Draco could remember how close they were. 

Nonetheless, he stood up and ran into her arms: his solace, home, and safe place. Draco couldn’t remember what it felt like to be held this tight. He dug his nose into her neck and just remembered to breathe. She pulled away to see a small smile playing on his lips. Y/n cupped his cheeks gently. 

“I’m so, so proud of you.” Y/n smiled, “I can't explain how proud I am of you. You did it.”

Draco smiled and leaned into her hands, “Thanks, mum.”

[believinghurts]

Their Daughter Pt 4

Warnings: Crying, yelling, mentions of blood, body harm

Check out the other parts on my Masterlist before reading this! Reblog, like, or comment!  The week and a half at Malfoy Manor passed way too fast for Ali’s liking. In all honesty, she wasn’t looking forward to spending the rest of her summer with the Weasley bunch and Potter. School started in three weeks as it was and she knew that she would be seeing plenty of them there, and spending even more time with them made her want to vomit. She felt like she was able to breathe when she was with the Malfoys. She missed her Uncles but spending so much time with Narcissa and her friends helped take her mind off of everything. 

After their first trip to Diagon Alley, they want another time just Narcissa and Ali to spend some quality time together and that’s how Ali was ending up with a trunk so full she and Draco had to sit on it to close it, her friends were around the Manor a lot more. Pansy, Theo, and Blaise had stayed the night after their families had dinner together meaning that they all slept in the living room after talking late into the night. Ali was woken up by her aunt shaking her awake, telling her that if she wanted Blaise to stay breathing she needed to move. Somehow that night the two had ended up right beside each other with Ali’s head on Blaise's right arm while his left was under his head. This was something that Draco now used to blackmail Ali into doing things he didn’t want to do since he knew his father would murder any boy that so much looked at Ali. 

Ali sighed before calling the house-elf to take her trunk downstairs. Doing a quick once over of her royal blue bedroom she grabbed her wand before making her way down the stairs. She left to go back home today and as excited as she was to see Regulus and Remus, the knot forming in her stomach at seeing Sirius made her ill. Her confidence had grown some after talking with Narcissa about what was going on at home. Cissa assured her that Sirius was just being Sirius and not seeing the hurt he was inflicting. Ali wanted to believe her aunt's words that he would come around more when he knew that the Malfoys were not a threat. She had made sure Ali knew that she was just as good if not better than the Potter boy because she didn’t judge anyone no matter their house. Draco was livid when he found out what was happening between Sirius and Ali, blaming it all on Potter for being the snake that he feared Draco was so much. Draco had made her swear that if Harry or anyone said anything to make her upset that she would write Draco right away and he would be there in a heartbeat. 

“I knew that dress would look stunning on you,” Narcissa stood as Ali entered the living room. Ali smiled at her aunt as she kissed her on the cheek. She did a little spin when Narcissa motioned her to do so causing the dark blue dress to flare out at the bottom right above her knees. Cissa had insisted she bought it even if it wasn’t something Ali would have normally worn. She had paired it with her favorite white combat boots and black tights making the little white spots on the sleeves stand out even more. Narcissa hugged Ali once more, and Ali knew she didn’t want to send her back to Grimmauld Place, but school started soon and Ali wanted to spend some more time with Regulus and get her stuff ready.  “We are going to miss you so don’t forget to write, and we will see you at the train station.” 

Ali nodded, hugging her aunt close before moving onto Lucius who kissed her cheek wishing her good luck at home and to write if she needed anything. Draco was last, he tried to act indifferent, but Ali knew he didn’t want her to leave. She stuck her hand out causing him to roll his eyes before pulling her into a hug. Draco had grown quite a bit the last couple of years making Ali eye level with his shoulder. “Write to me the minute something goes wrong, and I’ll be there to save you. Potter be damned.” 

Ali giggled, “Of course, Dray. Behave for mother, and make sure if you see our friends that you tell them I’ll see them soon.”

Ali grabbed her trunk while Lucius called for Winks the house-elf to come apparate Ali back home. She gave her extended family one last smile before grabbing Winks's hand. They landed across the street of Grimmauld Place, Ali gave Winks a bar of chocolate out of her pocket before bidding goodbye. She walked in the door hearing noise coming from the living room and dining area. It was just after lunch so she assumed everyone was still hanging out there. She debated going straight to her room first but decided not to. She pulled her trunk behind her till she reached the dining room. There everyone was, immediately Ali wished she was back at the Manor where it was peaceful and she wasn’t getting stared at like she was right now. She pulled down the sleeves on her dress a little more not noticing how big of a mistake that was. 

She saw Regulus standing in the corner, he smiled at her. Regulus was happy that Ali got to stay away for a little bit. He was able to give Sirius a piece of his mind, which happened often, without Ali overhearing. Screaming matches could be heard coming from the study more often than not after someone made rude comments about Ali or her friends. Sirius still had acted like Ali was staying with the Dark Lord himself instead of family and it had pushed Regulus to the edge more than once. Regulus knew that Remus was on the same page as him, he was over the comments from Sirius. Regulus had noticed that Harry didn’t say anything bad about her or Slytherins if Remus was present. He had taken a liking to the oldest two Weasleys and Fleur, they were nice to Ali and Fleur often defended her by saying kind things. Regulus knew that Fleur stuck out in the Weasley family, he had seen the looks some of the younger ones would give her. He felt bad for her and often tried to make sure she felt comfortable, much like he knew she did for Ali. 

Ali hugged her uncle tight, she had missed the safety feeling that came from burying herself in his chest. Remus was quick to join the two, squeezing Ali to him before kissing her head. Ali quickly tucked herself back into Regulus' side. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, “How was it? Did you have fun?” 

Ali smiled at him and Remus, “I did. Pansy, Blaise, and Theo stayed over after we had dinner with their families. Cissa took me shopping, twice mind you. Draco almost made the house explode with some potion he was trying to make to dye Theos hair. It was supposed to change with his mood, but instead, it ended up all over the ceiling. Aunt Cissa didn’t stop yelling at him for an hour,” She laughed at the memory of Draco’s face while his mother yelled that he had ruined her ceiling. “Um, what else?” She knew Regulus wanted to know exactly what she did. He was always interested in her life often making her tell stories from school in detail. She was never allowed to leave with just a generic ‘fine’ that some teenagers got away with. “Oh Lucius took us to Hogsmede, claiming that it was to get Cissa some sugar quills, but the number of chocolate frogs said differently. Oh, Cissa told me to tell you that she ordered me new school robes and that you needed to pick them up or she could bring them to the station.” 

“You didn’t tell me you needed robes?” Regulus raised his eyebrow, surely she would have told him if she needed something like that. 

“Oh I don’t, but Draco did since he grew again and Cissa said I should just get some so I have extras. I-” 

“Why don’t you just brag some more,” an icy voice cut her off. Ali looked to see Sirius standing behind Harry with his hands on his shoulders. She hadn’t noticed him when she came in so she was wondering what all he had heard. She wasn’t bragging about anything. She knew the Weasley’s had financial problems, but this was her home. She was allowed to talk about things she did with her Aunts even if it was out spending an obscene amount of money. 

“I-I wasn’t bragging,” Ali stuttered, “I just was telling Uncle Regulus what I-I had done.” 

“Oh yeah right. You had fun, right? That’s good,” Sirius walked around the table towards Ali who naturally stepped closer to Regulus. Her uncle tensed when he saw that Ali was scared of his brother. “So why are you wearing long sleeves? It’s like 80 degrees out. You must be warm in them.” 

“Sirius,” Remus’s tone was a warning. He knew what Sirius was thinking, but he had hope that Sirius knew not to do it. 

Sirius ignored Remus continuing to walk towards his brother and daughter. “You decided that you wanted to match Regulus too? Spend some time with the Dark Lord the past couple of weeks?” 

“Sirius you stop this instant she didn’t do anything,” Molly spoke up for the girl while pushing the other children out of the room. She tried to get Harry to leave but gave up after he insisted he stayed where he was.

“No, Molly, cause you to see Regulus was her age when he got the mark. And I’m starting to wonder if Ali doesn't have it as well. Spies the both of them. Playing the part of perfect uncle and niece. Show me your arm, Alianova.” 

Ali stayed where she was, not moving an inch. She felt her breath pick up as Sirius walked closer. “Ali, I said show me your arm.” She shook her head no. She didn’t have anything to hide, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of listening to him. He hadn’t earned her trust or respect at this point. Sirius reached out and grabbed Ali’s arm. That was when all Hell broke out. 

Sirius had enough time to push her sleeve up before he was shoved back by Regulus. Ali cried out when Sirius’s nails dug into her skin hard enough to bleed. Remus grabbed Sirius, pulling him back while he stared in shock at Ali who had tears streaming down her cheek staring at him in disbelief. 

Regulus lunged at Sirius only to be held back by Bill Weasley, “Stop. Stop, Regulus. Ali needs you. Go.” He lightly pushed Regulus back towards Ali. Regulus felt this heart crack in his chest when he saw that Ali sitting on the floor holding her arm to her chest. Her tears dripping down her chin as she watched Remus pace in front of Sirius who was still looking at her. 

Regulus knelt beside Ali gently pulling her arm to him revealing the four scratch marks on the pale flesh. Each had drops of blood running down the sides. Regulus grabbed the tea towel off the counter-pressing it to the wound. Ali leaned into his shoulder letting her tears catch on the fabric of his shirt. She was trembling from the shock that someone who was supposed to love her could hurt her like this. She had always known of the Black Temper; it was famous really. But even when she saw her grandmother and Regulus angry, they had never hurt her. Sirius was her father; it was his job to protect her was it not? She understood that he never wanted her, she was a mistake. Ali had come to terms when that a long time ago, but for him to actively hurt her shook her to her core. Ali was focused on Regulus, but from the corner of her eye, she could see Remus shaking with rage at Sirius. Regulus cupped her cheeks in his hands wiping away her falling tears. “Are you okay?” 

She numbly nodded at her uncle. “Ali, I am so sorry-”

“NO,” The venom in Ali’s voice shocked those that were in the room as she stood with Regulus’s help. “No. You don’t get to apologize. You knew what you were doing and you didn’t care! You never have. And never will. I get it okay?” Ali walked towards Sirius so she was a couple of feet in front of him, but near the stairs to make her exit if she couldn't handle it anymore. “I know that I wasn’t planned or wanted. I know that I’m not Harry Bloody Potter, but you know what I am? I’m YOUR daughter. That doesn’t matter, does it? You don’t care that it's your job to raise me and protect me and love me. You never did it. I have no memories of you. Not one. My uncles told me how good of a parent you were when I was little, but I don’t believe that anymore. Hell, if someone told me you put me in a room and left me there it would be more believable.” 

She pinched the bridge of her nose letting out a sigh. She never stood up to people much, but she was sick and tired of Sirius thinking he could act like this towards her. “I used to look up to you. I never listened to the bad things people said because I thought you were good. I wanted to make you proud of me even if I never got to meet you. Then you got out. But instead of coming for your flesh and blood, you came for him,” She flung her arm in Harry’s general direction. “You were never there for me. That’s fine too. Wanna know why? Because I have people who are always there for me. People who love me unconditionally, and make me see that I am enough. Do you know who those people are? A big chunk of them is the Malfoys. I had a lot of fun staying with them, but one of my favorite parts was when Lucius told me that even if you didn’t see how great of a daughter I was that he and Regulus did. The Lucius Malfoy made ME feel better because you treat me like rubbish.” 

Ali walked closer to Sirius. The only noise in the room was coming from her, and if she stopped talking a pin dropping could be heard. Regulus was stunned by her outburst but knew deep down that it was coming. Sirius had pushed her too far, and once Ali was done it was going to take a lot more than Bill Weasley to hold him back. “I have never called anyone else ‘Dad’, but now I regret it. Regulus is more of my father than you could ever be. I hope you have fun with your son.” She spat looking Sirius in the eye before turning on her heel fleeing up the stairs. Tears fell again as she shut and locked her door behind her, sliding down the other side of it. Even if what she said was true it didn’t mean that it hurt any less knowing that Sirius would never choose her. 

Downstairs Regulus was fuming. He was shocked that Ali called him ‘dad’ even if he had wanted that for as long as he could remember. But the other part of him wanted to break Sirius in half. He felt the rage coming back from when he was a child. He felt the urge to kill but knew that he wouldn’t. He couldn’t think of himself, he had too much at stake. He hadn’t been able to think of himself for the last fifteen years. Sirius had done a lot of messed up things in his life, but this took the cake. Regulus forgave him a long time ago for him leaving, and for the bullying that he did to Regulus through school, but this was unforgivable. Ali was a child who didn’t understand why she wasn’t good enough or why her father was hell-bent on her being on the side with the Dark Lord when she was the furthest away from him. 

Regulus stood brushing off his hands on his pants before stalking towards Sirius how a predator stalks its prey. He saw Bill and Arthur move forward a few inches more than likely ready to intervene if needed. Remus’s eyes had a little more green in them than normal probably due to the rage he was feeling and the fact that the full moon was less than a week away. It was honestly shocking that Remus hadn’t thrown Sirius into the wall yet. Regulus stopped when he was toe to toe with his brother.

 “How dare you do what you just did to her! She is a child, Sirius. She is supposed to be your child,” Regulus’s voice was eerily calm when he spoke making the hairs on Remus’s neck stand from the amount of venom present. “Frankly I have no idea how she is half you. All she wanted to do was get away from all the stress that has come from living here the past couple of months. She has been a shell of herself since you came back really, but when she came through those doors I saw her coming back to herself. That couldn’t happen though, could it? Had to accuse her of having the Dark Mark, which she didn’t, but when she refused to show you because she doesn’t owe you anything you hurt her. You made her bleed. She is your daughter and you made her bleed. Do us all a favor and leave her alone. I opened this home to you and the Order because it was the right thing to do. Ali agreed that she wanted to help, but this can’t keep happening. I can’t put her at risk anymore. So leave her alone and if she sheds another tear because of you then you will leave.” 

Sirius stood stunned. His younger brother hadn’t stood up for himself even when they were children. That was the most he had heard Regulus talk in his life. He felt bad that he had hurt Ali, he never meant to, but he has to protect Harry and the Order. He doesn’t trust the Malfoys and Ali had been there. How was he to know that she didn’t have the Mark? All she had to do was show her arm. Simple really. He glanced around the room as Regulus walked away not waiting for his response. Sirius knew that Regulus meant what he had said. Molly had started cleaning up the kitchen with a sad look in her eyes, while Arthur and Bill had left the room. Remus met his eyes but shook his head at him disappointed. “Come on, Harry. I need a walk.”  

------------------

Ali wasn’t sure how long she had been sitting on the floor of her room. It was quiet downstairs which was concerning, but she didn’t think much of it. Hopefully Regulus hadn’t killed Sirius, but if he did she wouldn’t blame him. She had cried herself numb. She didn’t have any tears left, her throat was scratchy from the sobs. Part of her wanted to go back to Malfoy Manor where she was safe and welcomed, but the other part of her wanted to find her uncle and have him read to her like he did when she was a child. 

A knock at her door pulled her from her musings. “Al? Open the door darling. It’s just me.” Regulus’s voice came from the other side. 

Very slowly Ali stood up leaning onto the table by the door for support. She turned the lock and instantly Regulus opened the door. He kissed her forehead before leading her to her bed. Ali had yet to change out of her dress, but she didn’t really care. Regulus snagged the blanket off the foot of her bed before gently pushing her down into it and covering them both with the blue and silver blanket. Ali positioned herself with her head on Regulus' shoulder. Exhaustion weighing down heavy on her. Even though it was early she could feel her eyes droop as he carded a hand through her hair. “Thank you, dad. For loving me.” 

Regulus’s heart swelled and broke with those words, but he didn’t get a chance to respond before her soft snores filled the room.

[random-imagines-blog]

Empty Walls {Sirius Back x Reader}

Requested by: Anonymous Wordcount: 2380 Summary: A lot of the order is pretty untrusting of any Slytherins joining their midst - but there is one person who accepts you. Warnings: Mentions of character death.

Molly Weasley shoved a plate of food in front of you, so harshly that little puddles of gravy spilt onto the table, making a small mess. You thanked her regardless of her hostility, and cleaned up the gravy with your own napkin, embroidered with your initials. She was a wonderfully sweet woman most of the time - but you just so happened to be a Malfoy. Despite your loyalty to the Order of the Phoenix, many of its members still didn’t trust you yet, because of your surname. It was more about that than the fact that you had been in Slytherin, while everyone else around here seemed either to be a Gryffindor or even a Hufflepuff. You tied your blonde hair out of your face and started to eat self-consciously, knowing that there were eyes on you no matter what. Sirius Black’s to be specific. He always seemed to be watching.

The room filled with the sound of eating as everyone dug into Molly’s delicious food. You were the first done, vacating your seat quickly and washed the dish - by hand - in the sink. You had grown up completely spoiled, with the house elves doing all of the cooking and cleaning, so earning your place here had been difficult at first. You didn’t mean to be spoiled. You just couldn’t help how you were raised.

Grimmauld Place. It was dark and it was dingy, but there was one place in this house in particular that you were drawn to. The wall with the family portraits - your own included. All of the little faces of your family, and then the burned out one of Mr. Sirius Black. Your eyes went to your brother and you smirked to yourself. He was painted in that little hat. He always hated that picture, which made you love it even more. You then saw your parents, Lucius and Narcissa. They both looked a little snooty, which was how they tended to appear to the world. But they were never like that when it was just the family together. Your fingers graced your mother’s face. You missed her, a lot. She still sent you owls, and your father would always add his own little notes. They loved you, despite the fact that most of their friends saw you as a traitor. That your actions nearly put a bounty on their own heads, like the rest of the order.

But you were going to help take him down before he could try to collect.

“Do you really like staring at your own face that much?” A deep voice came from behind you. You didn’t turn around. It was Mr. Black himself. He always seemed to be following you around. He was probably the most mistrustful of the lot. You just ignored him, and put your fingers over your father. You missed him as well. His opinion was the one that you had been most scared of - but you were doing what he was too cowardly to do. You were making the right choice.

You didn’t even pay attention to your little portrait. You knew what you looked like. You didn’t give into the vanity that the rest of the Malfoys seemed to have. You preferred knowledge over looks.

“It’s not that bad of a picture. Mine was awful. They made me cut my hair for it, so I looked like some dapper gentleman,” Sirius said. He had come and stood right behind you. You didn’t realize how close he was until then. If you took even one step backwards, you would have bumped into him.

“So it’s a good thing that your place is burnt out then?” You asked.

“I like to think of it more as an empty space,” Sirius said. “I’ll probably paint over the whole damn thing one of these days. Most of these people, I don’t feel like I’m that related to anyway. Like you.”

“We’re  hardly related. It’s like ... many branches away,” You said with a shrug. He may be some sort of cousin but it never felt that way to you either. When you looked at him, you saw ... well, a handsome man, even with all of that hair and those tattoos. You had seen photos of him when he was younger and you had some pretty obscene thoughts one should not be having over family members. He’d been, to put it roughly, a hunk. “Why haven’t you painted over it by now?”

“The room needed some sort of decor,” Sirius shrugged. “I don’t know what I’d do with an empty wall.”

“Well, knowing you, I’m sure you’d hang a very flattering portrait of yourself,” You mused, clicking your tongue. “Dorian Gray style.”

“What?” Sirius asked. You laughed then, remembering that someone like him probably hasn’t picked up a book since his time at Hogwarts, let alone one written by a muggle.

“Nothing,” You said, shaking your head. “So what can I help you with? Does Molly need help with something?”

“Why would Molly need help with anything?” Sirius asked, taking a seat in one of his favorite chairs in the bedroom.

“I don’t know - you all seem to think that housework is female only work-” You started but Sirius cut you off.

“Not at all,” He said, shaking his head, those unruly waves flying around him. “I actually wanted to talk to you myself. And it’s really not about housework.”

“Well, talk away,” You said, settling into a chair of your own, facing away from those painted walls.

“I’ve been keeping my eye on you for a while now. I knew your father back in school and-”

“Yes, I’ve heard some of the stories,” You interrupted, crossing your legs. “There’s no need to go into a lot of backstory. I know you don’t trust me and that’s what you want to talk about, isn’t it?”

“Do you always go around making up all of these assumptions?” Sirius asked, curiously. “I don’t distrust you, I actually wanted to tell you that I think you’re doing an amazing job. Especially for someone so young.”

Your mouth went dry at the unexpected praise that he was bestowing on you. “Well, thanks. That actually means a lot to me. It’s been hard, since I had to give up everything but saving the world seems pretty worth it. Wanna tell Molly what you think, because that woman has had it out for me since day one.”

“She’ll come around. She’s just mistrustful of Slytherins, that’s all.”

You were quiet for a couple of minutes there, thinking about all of the times that you had tried to proven yourself to the Order. You had gone out on dangerous missions without hesitation. You had fought people who had once been dear family friends. You were trying to protect the world, which seemed bigger than just one family.

“Guess I just have to give it time - and hope that we have enough of it,” You sighed, realizing there wasn’t much in this situation that you could do. “You’re not so bad yourself, Black. Even if you come from a family of, well, us. Snakes and all.”

“Thanks,” He chuckled. “I’ll take that to heart.”

-

Since you had already graduated from Hogwarts, you spent a lot of time among the rest of the adults. Molly was finally warming up to you just a little, if only because she had no children to keep her busy now that they were all back at school. You were one of the youngest in the Order, having just left school the year before, and so she doted on you. Or, at the very least, she didn’t make a mess of your food anymore.

“Fancy taking me for a walk?” Sirius asked you one day, leash in hand. You laughed, knowing exactly what he had meant. It was the only way that he could leave this house. Being disguised as Snuffles, the big black dog. And the only way not to get Animal Control called on him was to have someone walk him around.

You nodded, also feeling the need to get out of the stifling nature of the house. Get away from the screams of the portrait and the gloominess that clung around every corer despite you and Molly’s attempt to cheer the place up a bit. Sirius turned into his dog form, and you put the leash and collar on him - which always felt weird, no matter how many times you did it. His tongue lolled out as he grew excited for the fresh air and it was enough to make you laugh.

These walks became more and more frequent - especially because sometimes, when you were in a more isolated part of town, Sirius would turn back into his human self and you would have a coffee and sit in a park, enjoying the early fall nature. You ended up having some really long conversations. About everything. You told him some stories about his godson, Harry, and his friends at school - they were rather infamous and it seemed like you knew a lot about them despite not being in their house. And your brother’s complaints, of course.

It didn’t take long for you to realize that you were falling for this much older man, despite the age gap and the fact that he had been in Azkaban for years, and that this was hardly the time for love, given the fact that there was a war that was growing in importance more and more each day.

-

“To the ones that we have lost,” Arthur Weasley said, raising his glass in toast over his head.

It was  not a happy occasion that you were celebrating here tonight, back at Grimmauld Place. “To the ones that we have lost,” you toasted back in return. And then you drank deeply from your flask - Firewhiskey having become a solace these days.

Sirius was taking things particularly hard - the war may be over, but the cost of that victory was entirely too high. He was tearing himself apart about it, but you couldn’t blame him. He lost his only other best friend. And the Weasleys had lost two sons - one to death, and one to the attack of a werewolf, though Bill was pulling through swimmingly.

You stood up slowly, which garnered the attention of the rest of the people around you. “I can’t be here,” You admitted, finding it too hard to be around loved ones, when they weren’t exactly the ones that you wanted.

You went down the hallway into the room with the family portrait on it, your wand in your hand as you closed the door, but you did not lock it. “What have you done to be remembered for?” You asked the portrait of yourself, and of your parents.

“I think this is a long time coming,” Sirius said, staggering into the room. “Patat Pingere.”

“What are you doing?” You asked, as the paint started to peel off of the walls, and then dissolve into nothing, leaving only the bare baseboards that they must have been before the family tree. You watched as you, your parents and the rest of them just seemed to disappear, like you never existed.

“You deserve to be remembered,” Sirius said, leaning against the doorframe, taking in the sight of all of that white. “So we’ll repaint you now, as you are. And... and Remus. And Tonks. And Fred... the others...”

You nodded, looking at the potential of it now. All of the noble house of Black had disappeared, and most of them were better off being remembered - entirely unlike everyone that you had just lost, and whose death was still pulling at your heart.

“And yours,” You said, looking over at Sirius. You were surprised to see that his head was down, and a sob racked through his entire body, and he was barely keeping himself upright.

You rushed to his side and took his weight upon your shoulder, half-dragging and half-carrying him to his favorite chair and helped to lower him into it. He didn’t let you go, so you had no choice but to sit with him. You curled up in his lap like a kitten, and he held you while sobbing into the shoulder of your robes.

You were through with crying - you’ve made yourself dehydrated with it and nothing ever seemed to get better, but seeing Sirius like this was still draining nonetheless. “You’re not completely alone Sirius - you have me.”

That seemed to help somewhat, for his shoulders stopped shaking as much, but he did continue to hold onto you tightly, making sure that you could not leave, even if you had wanted to. You didn’t want to, you wanted to stay and make sure that he knew - that he knew that you would not leave him.

“I love you.”

You weren’t expecting that from him, especially not at this time, but you began to run your fingers through the dirty, straggly hair.

“I love you too.”

“Don’t just say that if you don’t mean it. I can’t take anything more, I just-”

You’ve never seen him so vulnerable before. Even when he was in the middle of a fight, with spells going around him, narrowly missing him, he usually had some excitement showing on his face. But this was a defeated man, who seemed ready to break at the slightest negativity.

“I mean it, with every bit of me. I really, truly do,” You told him, detangling a few knots with your fingers, your wand having dropped on the floor when it seemed like he was falling. “I love you, Sirius Black.”

“Can we fix this - these empty walls?” Sirius’s head rose just a little.

You nodded, looking into his dark eyes, which had the same expression as a dog that had just been kicked. “Yes, I think we can. I know we can. Let’s start tomorrow.”