𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙨 // d.m

• twenty •

" straight out the front door "
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As I walk down the narrow pathway, towards the black metal gates, I look up into the serene blue sky and try to calm myself down as much as I can.

I'm meeting his parents for the first time, I can't be showing how anxious or upset I am.

I lightly push the large gates and they squeak open, I walk briskly through them as the wind slams them back together.

A mansion is in front of me, looking exactly like the charm Draco gifted me, which I am still clutching in my hand tightly.

I step on to the porch and debate if I should knock on the door. After an anxious moment, my brave hand moves up to the 'M' shaped knocker and bangs it against the door, it echoes the whole door loudly.

I hear someone moving around inside, scrambling to unlock the door quickly.

"Who might you be?" A small house elf asks as the door swings open and I step forward, looking down the black painted hallway.

"I am Avery Monucay. I need to see Draco please..." I exclaim quietly, trying to hear if anyone else is home.

"That will not be possible at this time. Miss, the Malfoy family are out of the house" He says politely, slowly closing the door on me, but I push it back open with my foot.

"Would it be okay if I waited inside? Surely they wouldn't care and I don't mind waiting either" I announce, the house elf looks around nervously but gestures for me to come inside, so I step through the doorway and into the hall.

"Master Malfoy mentioned that someone might be coming, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you wait in Draco's bedroom, out of the way" he says and guides me into a parlor and up some magnificent dark oak stairs, on to the next floor of the house, where the bedrooms are.

"This is Master Draco's bedroom, you can sit down there, they should be back any minute now" the house elf declares and shuts the door gently behind him, I hear his small feet going back down the stairs.

His bedroom is quite big, the king size bed takes up most of the space but there is a small sofa, a desk and a chest of draws. Another door is to my left, probably leading into his bathroom or a closet.

I sit down on edge of his bed for a few minutes, I am nervous and tense, patiently waiting to hear Draco come upstairs and his surprised face when he finds me sat here.

I take a deep breath in, smelling expensive cologne, like it was sprayed only a few hours ago, and then I breathe out, calming down for what seems like the one hundredth time today.

My eyes start to droop and I fall backwards on to the soft, bouncy mattress, into a well needed sleep.

-

I hear someone coming up the stairs slowly and cursing to themself. I sit up quickly just as the door knob turns and Draco steps inside.

He doesn't notice me at first so I stand up and get behind him.

"Hey" I say, he doesn't jump but he turns around, a small smile on his face.

"Hey, you came" Draco exclaims, reaching for my hand to hold.

"Of course I did, I managed to figure out your very obvious message through the charm" I giggle and pull him into a hug, his arms go tightly around my waist, I feel so safe and loved.

"Wait... you said a charm? I didn't send you anything, my father banned me from sending my owl to anyone..." He exclaims, the tone in his voice starts to sound panicky and distressed.

"What do you mean? You really didn't send this charm?..." I ask and hand him the charm from my pocket, he examines it carefully and then suddenly throws it across his bedroom, angrily.

"Draco..." I whisper nervously, "who sent it to me?"

"My father, he found out about you, that's why he banned me from sending owls, so I couldn't contact you, I tried to explain that I- I love you..." Draco explains and brushes my hair with his fingers, forcing him to smile.

"Does he know I'm here... your father or your mother?" I ask nervously, I'm heating up and I feel faint.

"Most likely, we won't go downstairs unless they say anything, okay?" Draco assures me and sits me down on his bed next to him.

"Yes okay, I also have to tell you something that happened... I don't know how to say it-" I announce, my throat burns again, as I try to hold back my tears.

"Tell me" He says and places his hand on my shoulder.

I tell him about what my father did and that my mother is dead, I am still unsure of why it happened and I keep telling myself it was because my father was a psychopath and not because he doesn't like the Malfoy family.

"Your mother... is dead?" Draco whispers, as a tear leaks from my eye and drips down my face, he wipes it away for me.

"Mhm" I mumble as I flash back to earlier and more tears fall down my face.

"I'm so sorry. This is all my fucking fault! If I was more careful and my father didn't find out, your mother would still be alive! Her death is my fault... I am a killer! How could I do this to you? I should have just stayed away from-" Draco exclaims angrily, he gets up and kicks his chest of draws as hard as he can.

I don't like seeing him like this, it is making me feel worse, it wasn't his fault and it probably wasn't even his father's fault, it is just my abusive father's fault.

"Stop!" I yell, way too loud, hopefully no one heard.

"What? I did this to you, I don't know how you are still sitting there, like nothing happened..." He says and walks over to me, I stand up so we are inches away from each other's faces.

"I'm still here because I know this wasn't your fault, and I love you, I will love you no matter what" I whisper and kiss his cheek softly.

"Please just sit down with me so we can talk, I didn't come here to blame you or talk about my weird ass family... I want to spend the rest of the summer with you, and I want us to enjoy it, but yes, I am upset about my mother, who wouldn't be? I just thought that you would be able to help me take my mind off of it..." I exclaim as Draco stands still, trying to hold in his emotions.

"Okay... I can do that French girl, I'll try and make this the best summer break for you, considering the situation anyway..." He agrees and I think he is slowly relaxing now.

"Thanks Draco, and I need to ask another favour from you..." I exclaim, already feeling terrible again.

"Go on..." Draco replies, and lifts his eyebrows unnecessarily at me.

"I want to go back to my house. Just to collect some clothes and things, but my mother might still be there... where I said goodbye to her-" I say, my head spinning and my legs feel weak.

"Shh" He comforts me, "We can go back there soon... your father will have probably cleared out by now and we will get your belongings, does that sound okay?"

"Yes, I think so. But what about your parents?" I ask, tensing up just thinking about talking to them.

"What about them?" He replies simply.

"Well, won't they know when we apparate?"

"No, because we are going to walk straight out the front door."

"Is that a good idea?-"

"Of course it isn't, but I want to annoy them."

"So smart of you, make your already scary mad parents, even angrier!"

"My parents aren't scary-"

"Your father carries a fucking weapon around with him!"

"So does every wizard, duh-"

"Shut up, you are not helping my sanity!"

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