❃
𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆
"Astoria wants us to go on a fucking Easter egg hunt. Can you fucking believe that? She's bloody fourteen years old," Daphne scoffed from across the table, the thawing grasses passing us by as we sat on the train.
"I wouldn't mind an egg hunt. Sounds a bit fun actually," Naevah smiled, flipping through a magazine, her legs hugged to her chest with a bright yellow blanket wrapped around her shoulders.
"An egg hunt at Malfoy Manor? We'd be bloody murdered," Blaise chuckled, "we've got too many meetings to do something so childish. I'm with Daph on this one."
"Oh please, you know you want to," Naevah elbowed him gently, shaking her head as she returned to her browsing.
"Hey, you okay?" Draco whispered, gently squeezing my thigh. I'd begun sitting on his lap during train rides instead of Pansy's. She found it annoying at first, but seemed to enjoy the extra legroom.
"Mhm," I gave him a small nod and smile.
"Are you sure?" he mumbled, holding my waist as we went over a bump.
"I'm fine, Draco."
He huffed.
"We'll talk about it later, okay?" he kissed my cheek, going silent as I lay my head on his chest.
Per usual, Narcissa picked us up at the platform, apparating us back to Malfoy Manor where everyone was waiting for our arrival.
Including him.
Draco squeezed my hand as we entered, my Father eyeing my school skirt as we walked through the doors.
"Welcome back," Mrs. Nott gave us all hugs.
"Where's Bella?" I asked Narcissa, who looked at me with saddened eyes.
"On vacation," heavy boots clunked on the floor, headed in my direction, "I guess you're stuck with me now," he smirked evilly, reaching out a hand to grab my wrist.
"Touch her and I'll kill you," Draco growled, pulling me behind him.
"Silly boy. Overprotective, I see. Last time I remember, you couldn't save her," he chuckled, "all you did was stand and watch. You're weak."
"I may have been then but not anymore, I won't let you hurt her, not again-"
"Draco," Lucius hit his shoulder, "Shut. Your. Mouth."
"You're all fucking evil," Draco seethed, taking me and the rest of the group upstairs, away from the adults.
"You shouldn't fight them, Draco, it'll only make him angrier," I whispered to him as we all sat in a circle on Pansy's bedroom floor, taking a couple of unrolled blunts from Naevah's backpack.
"It's a matter of your safety. I'm gonna argue," he answered dryly, rolling a blunt with his fingers, licking his tongue along the side before lighting it, putting it to his lips with a deep inhale.
He passed it to me, knowing it might take away some of the pain.
We spent the rest of our night smoking.
It helped us forget.
Narcissa had done our door's protective enchantments that evening.
When I awoke early in the morning to get a glass of water from the kitchen, I caught her and Lucius arguing. He hit her. I flinched so hard at the sound I'd nearly dropped my glass on the floor, a water spill now soaking through the rug in the hallway. I pattered back up to Draco's room without a sound.
"Where'd you go?" Draco asked from his bed as sunlight began to pour into the room, sitting my glass on his desk.
"Just to get some water, I was thirsty," I said, plopping down next to him.
"I don't like you leaving, especially when I don't know where you are," he pulled me into his chest as I fussed with his morning hair.
"I can take care of myself for the most part, I made sure he was sleeping first."
"It doesn't matter, Flower. What if he did something? I can't-I just, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself," he huffed, wrapping his hands tightly around my waist.
"Thank you for caring, but I'm okay," I smiled softly.
"Do you promise?" he held out his pinky finger.
"I promise," I whispered, linking mine around his, before planting a soft kiss on his lips.
The week passed by quickly, once again managing to avoid my Father despite his efforts to make contact with me.
Astoria insisted on painting Easter eggs, which Narcissa and I helped with. She took paintbrushes and watercolors from her cabinet, and we painted them at the kitchen table.
I remember painting with Narcissa in the sunroom of the Manor as a child. It was the only room on the entire estate that wasn't dark and doomed; the walls were covered in vivid canvases, both Narcissa and my paintings sitting on easels and tables. She had taught me to paint. That room was my escape from reality.
Even so I hadn't stepped inside of it in ages.
My paintings when I was a child were vibrant; calming. Visions of pastel flower fields, princesses and their ethereal dresses, kind homes and tropical beaches.
Ever since Draco had pushed me to start again, they'd been... dark.
Bruises and pill bottles. Oversexualization and self expression. Abandonment and sorrow. Knives and suicide.
I kept them under my dormitory bed in a box. I didn't want anybody to see.
If they found them, they'd know what goes on inside of my mind.
I'd prefer to keep that to myself.
"Green or black?" Draco held up two ties, putting on his clothing for tonight's meeting with The Dark Lord.
"Green," I smiled, adjusting my silver necklace.
"Need some help?" Draco came behind me, zipping my black dress up, pulling my hair out of the way. "I need to ask my Mum something about the meeting, can you sit tight for a minute? She's down the hall, I'll be back in no time," he asked, gently kissing the side of my neck as I leaned on his back.
"Go for it, I'll let you in when you knock."
He quickly shut the door behind him as I plopped back down on his bed with a magazine.
I got through two pages before a heavy fist hit the door.
"Coming," I said, "that was quick-"
"Hello, Maybelle."
He stared down at my chest, his hand meeting my waist as he backed me into the room, closing the door.
"Don't touch me," I whimpered, "get out."
"I've missed you so much, didn't you miss me, babygirl?" he pressed his large hand to my cheek as I tried to wiggle out of his grasp.
"D-DRACO, DRACO HELP ME," I screamed, his hand now covering my mouth.
"Nuh uh uh," he tsked, "your little boyfriend is busy," he began to pull the straps of my dress off my shoulders, "I'm surprised, after everything he's seen, that he still wants you," he said calmly, muffled screams continuing to leave my lips, tears streaming down my face, ruining my mascara.
"Draco," I sobbed.
"You're used, Maybelle. No man wants a woman that's been used-"
The next thing I know he was on the floor.
Draco leaned over him, punch after punch bloodying his knuckles as I watched my Father bleed from his eyes and mouth, his jaw and nose broken from the blows.
He continued to throw punches after he was unconscious.
"Draco," I whimpered, curled up in a ball on his bed.
"What the hell is going on-oh my Merlin," Narcissa placed her hand over her heart as she gasped in horror.
"Shh, you're okay, I got you, it's gonna be okay, Flower. Just breathe," he pulled my shaking body into his lap, fixing my dress straps before cleaning his hands with a quick swish of his wand.
I sobbed into his arms as I watched everyone burst through the door, Narcissa, Theo and Blaise helping to carry his unconscious body away.
"I hate to be the one to say it, but we've got a meeting, May baby," Mrs. Nott exclaimed, sitting down next to me on the bed as she wiped my ruined makeup from my face.
"Come," she took my shoulder, my arms practically hugging Draco as I struggled to even walk down to the dining room.
"Mr. Cliffdane has been taken to St. Mungo's hospital," The Dark Lord spoke as we sat down.
We all stared down at the table.
"How are you, May?" he spoke, fake hints of sympathy laced in his voice.
"I'm okay," I managed to choke out, my cheeks still stained with tears.
"I can't say the same for your Father," he looked to Draco, "I'd say Draco's act was out of bravery, however he took it exceedingly too far. Nearly killing someone so high in my ranks, in our ranks, is truly unacceptable."
"Yes, My Lord," Draco spoke quietly, his voice quivering as he clenched my hand under the table.
"I never did like Mr. Cliffdane, but you must understand you will have to be punished for your actions. Maybelle's limitations and advantages do not apply to you," he motioned for Draco to stand.
He slowly let go of my hand.
"No, please no, this isn't his fault, please," I begged, Narcissa quickly holding me back by the arms as I struggled to escape her grasp.
"Cover her ears," The Dark Lord spoke, pointing his wand at Draco.
Narcissa's hands slowly placed her hands over the sides of my head as I surrendered, melting into her embrace.
"Crucio."
I squeezed my eyes shut as Draco's body hit the ground, and despite my muffled hearing, I didn't hear him scream.
The spell was still tormenting his body when I opened my eyes, pain engraved on his reddened face as he stared up at me, his blue eyes bloodshot with tears. Soft whimpers left my lips as I shook my head in defeat, his body going limp on the floor, the spell ending.
"Take him upstairs."
I spent the next five hours sitting next to his unconscious body, entrapped in a deep sleep as he rested under his covers. My left hand lightly stroked his blonde hair, My right hand protected in his palm.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," I whispered.
He gently squeezed my hand.
I sat for another hour.
"I feel like fucking shit," he groaned, making me jump at the sudden break in the silence.
"Go figure," I mumbled, handing him a glass of water.
"How long was I out?" he winced as he sat up to take a sip, his muscles sore from the spell.
"Six hours."
"And you sat here on your ass the entire time?"
"Don't flatter yourself," I smiled, taking his water and placing it back on his nightstand as he crashed back into his pillows.
"Why-" I hesitated, "why did you do that?"
"What're you talking about? You mean, why did I beat him up? Because he fucking deserved it, Flower, I don't regret my decision whatsoever, if that's what you're asking-"
"No, Draco," I shook my head with a nervous laugh, taking his hand in mine. "Why didn't you scream?"
His eyes looked grief-stricken.
"I think you already know the answer to that question."
"Is it wrong for me to want to hear you say it out loud?" I pleaded, brushing his hair from his eyes with my thumb.
He drew in a deep breath.
"I didn't scream, because-" he sighed, "because I know it would've sent you into a panic attack. And no matter how much pain I have to endure, I-I wouldn't want to be the cause of that."
"Thank you," I whispered, kissing his bruised knuckles.
He nodded.
The same boy who I thought had hated me for the past seven years had just taken the cruciatus curse for me.
It's peculiar how quickly things change.
❃
𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒕𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒅𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 <3
~ 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝, 𝚒𝚕𝚢