In Memoriam (Sequel To Hope For The Hopeless. Severus x Reader)

Mr & Mrs Malfoy

"Good evening, Narcissa," Severus replied then looked back to you. "Allow me introduce you to..."

"Esther," she finished, though made no effort to introduce herself. Severus glanced at Lucius, knowing full well, that had come from his instructions.

Esther. So this was going to be the tone for evening, you told yourself, glad that she'd not extended her hand to you, as you may have squeezed it a little too tightly.

She looked at you, seemingly puzzled and an icy silence befell the hollow hallway.

"Shall we?" Lucius tilted his head, looking down at his shorter wife. Her blue eyes drew themselves from your clearly unwanted presence, to her husband.

"Do lead the way, Lucius," she offered, her voice softening towards him. Then she followed without another word to you or Severus.

Severus wasn't giving much away, his face shut down and hard.

I thought she wanted me here? you asked as you also followed, with Severus behind. He had removed his hand from your back but was remaining close.

Severus, not expecting the sudden intrusion of his mind, didn't answer immediately.

She's figuring you out. Let her think she can trust you.

She looks at me like I'm vermin. I can't believe you've brought me here.

You agreed. Severus replied.

I didn't have much choice, did I?

Severus conceded. Though, he didn't feel that he had forced your hand in the matter. You had said yourself, you weren't doing it for him, maybe there was some untruth to that but Severus was hard pressed to believe you would do anything else for his sake.

Lucius pulled out the dark brown and black leather seat for his wife, letting her sit first and then took up his own, at the head of the table. Severus had pulled ahead of you slightly, mirroring Lucius' manners. However, his blonde friend was not happy with Severus' choice of arrangement and protested that you were to sit to his side. After-all, you were a first time guest, Severus was not.

You played the part, smiled and thanked Severus, knowing full well that you had two spectators. Narcissa's interest in you particularly intimidating.

It all felt fairly ridiculous. The table was made for at least 20, maybe more but there you were huddled on the end of it, with a house elf serving you an extravagant dinner on silver tableware. It was nicely decorated but it didn't feel homely in any of the ways you were familiar with. You ate quietly to begin with, although you were keen to get and hopefully remain on the Malfoy's good side, for as long as you could benefit from it, it didn't escape you that you had no idea how to actually do so. You felt world's apart from the people you were sat so close to.

"Draco wrote to me yesterday, he's still in a lot of pain by the sounds of it. I was thinking of sending in our family healer, I'm not sure the one there is doing enough. What would you say, Severus?" Narcissa asked, her parental concern the first flash of humanity you'd seen in her so far.

Severus slowly lowered his knife and fork onto the plate and wiped his mouth with the thick cotton cloth. There was nothing to wipe away, he was just buying himself a few seconds.

"I can assure you, I am keeping a close eye on him, he will be back to full health in good time."

"Just further incompetence," Lucius moaned, "I say it every year, he should have attended Durmstrang." He looked at you with a wicked smirk, "no offense, of course."