Hateful Love

Chapter Thirty-Seven

          Before I can think any more on it, a shrill, “Draco!” distracts me. I turn reluctantly to see my mother practically running down the hall towards me, her eyes glistening with tears. I don’t even try to stop her as she pulls me into a bone-crushing hug, whispering in my ear, “I’ve missed you so, so much, sweetheart.”

          Normally, I would push her off me and complain about how she was smothering me, but I don’t seem to have the strength this time. As she slowly pulls away and holds me at arms length, I notice how haunted and dull her figure is, even worse than when I left over two months ago. My mother looks me over carefully, and I can tell she’s thinking the exact same thing about me.

          “Is—is something wrong?” she asks cautiously, gazing at my red eyes and deathly white face.

          I swallow hard and force myself to nod, knowing if I try to say anything that nothing will come out. Yes. Something is wrong, but you can never understand even if I try to explain.

          My mother gives a weak smile, but she wears the same expression both Snape and Blaise gave me earlier. She grips my shoulders tightly as she says almost guiltily, “Draco, your father and I…we…we need you to do something for us.”

          Oh god…not another task, please no.

          When I don’t attempt to say anything in return, my mother continues shakily, “The Dark Lord…we haven’t done much to please him these past few months. Your father had an idea…so he spoke with Yaxley about it. You remember him, don’t you?”

          I give another stiff nod, feeling sick at the mention of Yaxley. He’s just like the rest of the Death Eaters, and I’m just as disgusted by him. My mother has tears threatening to spill over as she says, “Well, Yaxley agreed to your father’s idea, but…I’m afraid you won’t like it, sweetheart.”

          I swallow once more and force out in an unnaturally thick voice, “Just tell me what it is.”

          “…do you remember…that Yaxley had a daughter?”

          “I…what?” I remember her, sure; she’s a Death Eater as well, but Yaxley never lets her come to any of the meetings. I’ve only seen her once—I just remember being angry that I had to come to the meetings and she didn’t. But I don’t see what Yaxley’s daughter has to do with anything.

          My mother is now opening and closing her mouth, unsure of what to say. She stammers out, “Draco, we…you and her, we need you to—“

          The sudden appearance of Lucius Malfoy in the doorway of the living room stops my mother’s struggle to find the right words. She turns to him hopelessly, searching his dull eyes for some sort of help. I look up at my father and see how terrible he looks, so thin that most of his bones are visible. I glance away quickly, not wanting to see how completely broken he looks now.

          Lucius steps beside my mother, looking down at me blankly. He offers no greeting, just says to me emotionlessly, “You and Yaxley’s daughter are to marry by the winter of next year.”

          The words don’t register in my mind for quite a while. As I slowly attempt to put two and two together, my parents watch me carefully for my reaction. I realize Lucius is gazing down at me as though he expects me to accept this without question, while my mother is looking at me fearfully like I might explode at any second. I force myself to blink a few times, trying desperately not to vomit up my insides all over the marble flooring. Did he really just suggest…marriage?