You'll be the Death of Me

Chapter 109

Miss Graces Malfoy,

We at Gringotts are writing to inform you that your access to the Malfoy vaults has been suspended. Access to your personal account has also been rescinded. This action was ordered by the primary beneficiary of the Malfoy estate, who is also trustee in charge of all personal accounts and inheritance of yourself until you come of age.

Please see the listed laws below that—

Neville's jaw tensed and he fought the urge to tear the damn letter up. Graces sat across the table from him watching for a reaction that he was sure he was not doing well to hide. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, he was so furious with Draco. Taking the accounts was a statement that reminded Graces of her place in their family.

"I'm adding you to my account tomorrow," he declared, standing up to get some water from the kitchen, hoping to hide how his face was burning with rage.

"I think we both know that isn't an option."

"Sure it is," Neville nodded, looking forward at the wall behind the sink and doing his best to rein in his temper.

Graces was silent for a moment and the slight scraping of the chair made him aware that she had stood. He didn't look over at her, couldn't look at her. She hovered near him and from the corner of his eye he could see her nervously fidgeting with her ring.

"Your Gran will not be happy when she sees my name on the family vault," she pointed out gently.

Neville's jaw tensed. "Well, good thing it's not her decision."

"Is that how you want her to find out about us?"

No, it wasn't. "I will tell her about us beforehand."

He knew very well that that conversation would not go well. He never expected it to go well if he was being honest, but if he told her like this it would be a complete disaster. He doubted even his Uncle Algie could withstand the hellfire his gran would rain down upon him.

"Neville," Graces sighed. "Be reasonable."

She pressed a gentle kiss to the back of his neck and wrapped her hands around him in an attempt to cool the fire that was taking over him.

"I am being reasonable," Neville spat, putting the water glass down and moving out of her arms. "More reasonable than your git of a brother."

Another mistake. Silence surrounded them at his words and Graces' refusal to rise to his anger somehow made it all worse. She looked as though he had slapped her and maybe in a way he had. She loved Draco, even through her anger she loved him, and he hadn't been able to say a kind word, or try to be understanding in regards to the other boy since seeing the bruising on her neck.

"I'm tired," she whispered defeatedly. "I'm going to bed."

She gently brushed her hand against his arm in a gesture he wasn't quite sure he understood. From the outside it looked like a calming touch, but in reality it felt empty. In fact she seemed empty, like a watering can that had spent all it's water and was still trying to give from the deep hollowness of itself. He watched helplessly as she walked to their bedroom. He was going to follow her, he was going to try and approach all this, but he also needed to understand it better.

He re-read the letter again. It wasn't the cause of this all. That laid in the rubble of Draco and Graces' bond. Graces had been right, he didn't understand what Draco meant to her, but he was beginning to. Each day that this quarrel between them lasted was another day that something was chipped away from her.