The Snapeling

Chapter 4: Branding Me Of Malice

By eight o'clock, Mina was ready to leave. She had to chosen her lilac strapless that tumbled right down to her ankles, she then slipped on her silver high heels, they matched the silver sequined band that wrapped around the middle of the dress, along with her silver clutch bag. She felt more lie she was going to Yule rather than a Deatheater meeting. She had to be extremly quiet as not to alert some of the students still stirring around in the common room. Mina paced slowly in her high heels, the clopping noise echoing around the stone walls, she descended the stairs to see her father was waiting at the bottom, Draco standing next to him, Mina felt happy that they were both there to see how she looked, her father smiled for once, his dark brown eyes flickering over his daughter.

"Mina, darling, you look so elegant and beautiful." he said, as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Mina smiled and basked in his attention, before he marched ahead, and Draco and Mina strolled lazily behind him.

"Mina.. you look amazing," Draco whispered, astounded. She smiled to him and batted her eyelashes.

"Thankyou, hopefully it will pay off..." she giggled, as her father waited for them by the door.

"Ready?" he asked, as they nodded; Mina hated this part. "Good, let's be off then." Snape said as all three of them clasped hands and formed into the shadow ball that was Mina's father. They shot up through the glass window and out into the night air, the shadow ball seemed to keep them warm, Mina couldn't find herself in this mass dark cloud, it was all a blur, she felt like she couldn't breathe. But as soon as she was getting scared for her life; the trip was over and the shadow ball bolted fast to the soppy earth that was outside the gates of the Malfoy Manor, the shadow then fell down to thier ankles and immersed away.

"Come on, lest we be late," Snape said, pacing ahead, beckoning Mina and Draco from behind him. They looked to each other and shrugged before practically running to keep up with him. Mina's heels pierced through the mud as the moon beamed down on the eerie manor house, Mina clutched Draco's arm subtley.

"Draco, I'm scared," she whispered quietly, as he clasped her hand. One lone owl hooted from the tree as Draco gulped himself, it was a little spooky.

"It's fine Mina, I'm right here if you need me..." he whispered, as Snape turned around to check they were still there; they leapt apart and looked around, blushing considerably. He narrowed his glance before running into the door, as the two of them laughed at him.

"Grow up, what immature humour..." he huffed, touching his beak nose to check it was still there. He then rapped his fist on the door, as Narcissa opened the door to see him, Mina and her son.

"Welcome all," she said quietly, as Snape and Mina passed first, and she sneakly kissed Draco's cheek as he marched in, wiping it away almost immediantly, embarrassed.

Snape pushed his weight onto the heavy door that led into the dining room, all of the Deatheater's and Lord Voldermort gathered around a very long, elegant table.

"Severus, welcome," Voldermort ushered lightly, as Mina soon followed after her father. "Mina dear, you grow up more and more everytime I see you, you look beautiful this evening..." he complimented, a rare thing from him.

"Thankyou Lord..." Mina said quickly, pulling out a chair. They all watched as Draco was the last to come in with his mother.

"Draco, my boy, lovely to see you again," The Dark Lord said politley, the aura about him was more relaxed this evening. He then looked to Narcissa. "Is that all Cissa?" he asked, as she nodded to him, pulling out her seat inbetween her husband and son, Draco being next to Mina, and they secretly clasped hands under the table. Voldermort coughed slightly to signal he was about to speak.