You'll be the Death of Me

Chapter 48

"Do you want some more wine?"

"No."

Draco nodded and continued to watch his sister as she stared up from her bed. Her eyes reflected a tortured look as she laid there absent from her body. She had been silent after Snape left and then started crying in the middle of the night. Dr. Harris had thought at first it was the pain, but Graces had shook her head and just asked to be left alone.

"Snape said someone will be in today to ensure we didn't use any magical means to help you," Draco informed quietly.

"Who?" Graces asked tiredly.

"I think it's going to be a healer. Probably a healer and a lackey. It should all be fine," Draco added unsure if he was saying it to convince Graces or himself. Graces nodded uncaringly and continued on with her distance.

"Would you like me to read to you?" Draco offered, unable to take the silence.

"No."

"Would you like me to firecall Thomas to return with Octavian?"

"No."

"Graces," Draco whispered urgently, holding his hands tight to keep them from vibrating. "You're scaring me."

Graces closed her eyes and her face twisted as she tried to swallow a sob. After a moment she took a shaking breath and turned her head to face him.

"What kind of man is our father?" Graces rasped, her eyes red from lack of sleep and tears.

"What kind of a question is that?" Draco frowned, trying to ignore the way his heart seemed to be jumping. "He's our father."

"Yes, but—" Graces took a shuddering breath and looked back up to the ceiling "Is he a good man? Is he—"

"He's the man that took care of us our whole lives," Draco said angrily. "He's the man that bought you your first broom, filled your closet with every dress imaginable, he's the man that fixed your cuts when you fell down and let you sleep in his bed when you were scared. He's the man that sired and raised you, the man that would never turn his back on you." Draco didn't know why he was so angry, why he was feeling so defensive. He had thought their father had failed them as well, he had thought— She's not asking if he failed. She's asking if he's a good man, if she should be ashamed that he's her father. "If you are wondering if our father is a good man, you are wondering if I'm a good man," Draco said darkly, shaking uncontrollably.

"Snape said he enjoyed hurting people, Draco. He said—"

"I think we can both agree that I myself have a touch of sadism," Draco broke in, standing up and pacing in front of her bed. "I've derived pleasure in humiliating others, inflicting pain, watching Potter and his lackeys suffer. Hell, I've been torturing Longbottom for yea—"

"It's not the same Draco," Graces breathed. "It's not. You're not a cruel, callous man. You're not heartless," Graces choked. "You don't really want to hurt people," Graces whispered looking up at him with shimmering eyes. "You just wanted father to see himself in you. I don't think you really enjoy causing pain. I think you just want to establish some sort of dominance. Bully, yes, but—but this... this is something different."

"Cruel, callous, heartless?" Draco repeated, feeling as though he had stupefied. "Those are the words you're going to use to describe our father. Our father. What's wrong with you? When has our father ever been—"

"You didn't see what Snape showed me," Graces sputtered. "You didn't see. He—he didn't hide anything. I saw in his head and he was pushing forward images of—of our father h—hurting people. Really hurting them, Draco. And—and he—he liked it. He seemed to enjoy watching them become more f—frightened and—"