What He Knew

Chapter 13

He went looked around quickly and ducked in, I quickly darted in after him, barely making it in. The room was chock a block with different objects, stacks of chairs, cabinets and odd objects surrounded me. I was grateful for the many hiding spaces as I followed Draco to the most unassuming item in the room, a boring cabinet. To my surprise he plucked a bird from a cage and placed it in the cabinet, muttering something low under his breath. I held my breath, afraid whatever was in the cupboard would kill the bird but when he opened it again, it was still in there chirping away. He swore very loudly then, slamming the door. He began whispering incantations I had never heard before, moving his wand in an almost ceremonial way.

Time and time again he placed the bird in the cabinet and every time he was getting more frustrated. I was lost for an explanation for his actions and the longer I stayed the more in the dark I became. 

My mind had started to wander after a while but I was brought back when I realised Draco was no longer in my vision. My heart sped up. Where was he? I didn't dare move incase I drew attention to myself, I stood frozen in place behind a pile of old chairs and tables, hoping to Merlin he wouldn't come up this aisle. Then I heard his footsteps. He was cussing softly under his breath, he rounded the top of the aisle and began making his way towards me, clearly looking for something. I closed my eyes trying to making my anxious breaths as quiet as possible. He stopped walking and looked around. 

"Who's there?" He yelled. Fuck. He knew someone was here, my only tiny advantage here was that he didn't know where or who. 

Two more steps forward. He was a metre from my hiding spot. My hand closed over my wand. One step. My heart would not shut up for even a moment. Another step. I tried to hold my breath. 

"Carpe Retractum!" He yelled pointed right at my hiding spot, I quickly rolled out of the reach of the spell but it sent the pile of chairs reeling in his direction. I rolled under the pile of tables and began to crawl along hoping to be discreet but Malfoy was on to me as a blue light hit the table right in front of me, causing me to roll out of my hiding spot.

"Rose!" he sneered, his wand pointed at me. I was still on the ground and he stood above me. 

"Expelliarmus!" I cried but he easily swerved. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing following me around like some weird fan?"

I went bright red, I may have been following him around but I definitely was no fan of his.

"I'm trying to see what the hell you're up to." I pushed myself backwards and stood up, keeping my wand aimed at him.

"And why would you care?" he spat

"Because I can tell it's no good and knowing you family I can tell it's to do with that dark shit," I said, stepping towards him.

"I heard you in the common room talking to your aunt, Draco. I bet she's just as bad as your father is. Death Eaters the lot of you. Pathetic."

Draco laughed. He actually laughed. His eyes dead, he stepped towards me, and hissed, "You've no clue do you?"

"About your family? Trust me I do, it's all over the papers, the whole country knows what kind of people-"

"Not my family, you idiot, your own family. You really have no idea what they did."

I stared at him blankly, what did he mean what my family did.

"What're you talking about?" I said, keeping my tone even.

"You really are as clueless as you seem. No wonder Potter picked you to try get information out of. You had no clue what was happening until it was right in front of you."

"Shut up you fowl git," I snarled.

"Oh you like to think you're all high and mighty and different to all the rest of us Slytherins. But you're not. You're just as twisted as all of us but at least we've accepted it."

"Just tell me what the hell you're on about, Malfoy."

"Your mother was a Death Eater, Rose. Obviously not a very good one considering the way she ended up but nonetheless she was one."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. My own mother, a Death Eater. That was insane... how would I not have known. Why wouldn't Aunt Vivianne have told me?

"You're bullshitting, Malfoy. Prove it."

"Oh I have nothing to prove to you. She was driven insane by torture and murdered. They only save that one for the real traitors. What's worse is what your mother did to your father."  

So my nightmares were true, that was how my mother went. Alone, hanging limply in the air.

He must've seen my face fall as he continued, "Oh, yeah, you didn't know this part either. Your mother gave up her own husband's location for her own gain. But all for what? After You Know Who disappeared she became a witness and pretended she'd been under the Imperius curse for the past 10 years. But please, tell me how bad my family is. At least we'd never turn on each other like your no good mother."

I was reeling. My mother had given up my own father's location? She had been just as bad, no, worse than the Malfoys. My wand hand was shaking and I couldn't keep a steady track on him.

"At least my mother didn't sail me down the same cursed river your family is. My mother didn't  sell my soul so she could keep on living. But your family, Malfoy, they're using you to buy themselves more time and they're making you do all the hard work. You're their dog," I spat.

I knew I'd angered him, I could tell he thought he was doing what was best for him and his family and this had touched a nerve he hadn't known existed. I could feel he was about to hex me but then he lowered his wand.

"Get the fuck out of here and don't even think about talking to me again." 

I took the opportunity and fled, stopping only at the door to look back at him, standing in the same spot, staring at me.