Brave [2]

Chapter 8

"Teeny, water please." The voice feels familiar, and my eyes flicker open before I squeeze them shut again, the light sending a string of pain in my head. Immediately I can see the room go dark through my eyelids and try to open them again slowly, only to see Narcissa sitting there, a light smile on her face.

A House Elf, Teeny, enters the room with a tray; on the tray is a jug of water and a glass, although Teeny's hands are shaking violently, making everything clatter together. Narcissa doesn't seem to notice, taking the tray from her and placing it on the bed beside my legs. I pull myself up into a seated position, gripping the blanket tightly to hide how much my hands are shaking.

"Thank you," I whisper hoarsely as I take the filled glass from Narcissa, raising it to my lips. My hands shake too much for me to hold it steady and I have to put it down again, closing my eyes for a moment as I try to regain my composure. This is pathetic. If I'm shaking now, then what might happen if I'm forced to kill Dumbledore, if I need to kill anyone?

"I understand that this might seem frightening," she starts in a quiet voice, so soft that for a moment I swear I imagined her lips moving. "Betraying everything you've ever taught, everything you've ever known, to join the cause."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the bracelet Fred gave me turning gold on my right arm. I realise I'm no longer in my jeans and hoodie, but in a short, cotton nightie. I try to suppress the shiver of disgust at the thought of someone else dressing me, instead managing to take a desperately-needed sip of water.

My body relaxes slightly, letting the water wash down my throat. I finish the glass in a matter of seconds, and already Narcissa's taking it from my hands to refill. "How long was I asleep for?" I question quietly, not wanting to talk about what happened.

"Two days."

The glass slips from my hands, hitting the blanket, soaking me and it. I don't think Narcissa's noticed yet, lost in her own thoughts. "And Draco?" I ask after a moment, managing to keep my voice steady. I try not to think about how worried everyone back home would be.

Last Harry, Ron and Hermione know, I was listening in on a Death Eater meeting. Who knows what they might be thinking? And Fred and George know what's actually happening and I told them I'd be there when the shop closed that night. Who knows how worried they might be? And then Mrs Weasley would just be freaking out about everything.

"He woke up yesterday," she replies, and then seems to notice the water. With a wave of her wand, everything dries instantly. "What you did..." she starts quietly, but I'm not sure which thing I did she's talking about. Not until she says, "Helping Draco..." I fall silent, waiting for her to say something, but then she clears her throat and looks back at me. "Severus has done the Unbreakable Vow to protect my son."

I look at her for a moment, processing the information. I made Snape promise to me that he'd try to protect Draco, but I never made him go as far as to make the Unbreakable Vow. He never would've done it of his own accord. He was forced into it, but Narcissa would never have asked that of him. From what I've seen, she's not the kind of person to. It must've been Bellatrix. My hate for the woman who killed my father only grows.

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask quietly, knowing it's not something she should be talking about. I don't think Voldemort knows, or even Lucius, from how lowly she's speaking.

She hesitates, then tells me, "Because you were not included in the vow." I raise my eyebrows. It's the first proper conversation I've ever had with Draco's mother, and she's claiming to be worried for me? Why, just because I volunteered for the same job as her son? There must be something more to it. "And you are, of course, family."