Something Golden

89.

"What do you mean the manor?" Pansy calls out from across the room.

"Wait, we're going to the manor?" Blaise asks.

"What's this about the manor?" Potter adds.

"I've always wanted to see the infamous manor!" Freckles chimes in.

Granger is the only one who doesn't say anything.

Greyback's body topples over onto the ground, his hands gripping onto his neck as the gash from Theo's knife spurts out blood.

"We aren't going to the manor." He says as he approaches me. It takes only a minute or so for everyone else to huddle around as well and they're all talking at the same time and their voices are echoing so much in this giant empty fucking room, I can't even hear my own thoughts as the sound of theirs overpowers and my eyes are now locked onto Granger's and there's worry in them. Worry for me or for herself I really couldn't tell you right now because everyone is too loud and the voices in my head are too loud and I'm going to fucking lose it.

"Everyone shut up!" Granger shouts, every single one of them immediately falling silent, their jaws hanging as they stare at her. "Draco." She says as she clears the distance between us, her voice calmer – more level. "We can't go to the manor right now."

"Granger, if my father–"

She grabs onto my hands, shakes her head and says "We can't go to the manor right now. That's not to say we won't but in this moment you need time, we all need some time. If you don't take a second to process this, to properly plan this through, who knows what will happen. Let's go back to the hotel and give it the night, okay?" Why is she the calm one right now? If what Greyback said means what I think it means, and I'm almost positive it does, then she should be more infuriated than all of us combined but she's not. She's the only one still thinking straight, thinking logically.

As much as I want to storm into that damn house and tear every limb from my father's body right now, I know Granger is right.

7:00 pm

I'm already regretting agreeing to come back to the hotel. Just like at the warehouse, everyone has been talking nonstop. This is the first time that Granger's friends and mine are engaging in a proper conversation, a monumental moment. Too bad the monumental moment is the most aggravating thing I've ever experienced in my life. I fucking hate when people talk about me like I'm not in the damn room sitting just beside them. I get that they're worried, that they just want to keep me safe and all of that other bull shit but they aren't going to change my mind. I'm going to the manor, I'm going to go see my father.

"Have you met the man? He's a full on psychopath!" Potter exclaims.

"You do realize that I practically grew up at the manor, right?" Theo questions.

"All I'm saying is, if Malfoy goes in there then there's a high chance he won't come out."

"Always the optimistic sort Potter."

"I still don't see why we're even wasting our time weighing out the pros and cons." Pansy adds. "The answer is simple, none of us are going, especially Draco."

Not wanting to suffer through another second of this moronic debate, I get up from my seat and head to my room. Closing the door, I mutter an enchantment to prevent anyone from entering and also a reverse silencing charm. My shoulders drop as I let out a sigh of relief - finally some peace and quiet.

Walking over to the mirror in the left corner of the room, I remove my shirt and scan over every inch of my body. As much as people like to make me sound like someone who loves to stare at their own reflection, I'm not. I hate what I look like. I'm not saying I'm ugly by any means, I'm not a daft git. I have no shame in admitting that I'm a good looking guy. My hatred for my own appearance has nothing to do with my bone structure, muscle mass or the color of my eyes. It has to do with the scars that cover nearly every inch of my body. It has to do with the fact that the hatred my father has for me is permanently written into my skin, that the mistakes I've made are constantly staring back at me in the mirror.