"When we enter the dining room, say hello to no one. Sit on my left, and don't make eye contact with anyone at the table but me. Don't touch the food until I do so, and don't you dare place your elbows on the table. Someone will ask if you want some wine. Say no. Even if they offer it again, say no. Speak only when you are spoken to, and any conversation should be as neutral and brief as possible. Actually, just let me do all of the talking."
"This is degrading," I hissed to Draco in the dim corridor outside of the guest bedroom. "I don't suppose you also want me to service you under the table?"
Draco leaned in, his voice lowered to a menacing whisper. "I'm doing this to save both of our asses. Every witch and wizard present tonight is deadly. Don't think that I'm doing this because I want to."
I narrowed my eyes. "Bullshit. You wanted me so badly before that you were willing to beg. I bet you get some sick, twisted satisfaction out of forcing me to finally be your girlfriend because the only other choice is death."
I thought for a second I had gone too far, for Draco's face twisted into an expression of alarm. His arm raised, and I flinched, but his hand landed firmly upon the wall behind me. I inhaled, ready to demand what on earth he thought he was doing, but before the words left my mouth, his face swooped down to kiss me firmly on the lips.
I should have struggled. Draco's decision to kiss me in the middle of a heated argument made my blood boil; but the reality of it was, it completely swept my mind blank of any thoughts. His taste was so familiar, and the warmth of his mouth excited every nerve in my body. There's no way he could kiss me like this and not mean it. There's just no way...
"Am I interrupting something?"
A woman's voice made Draco pull away, and I realized then that she was the reason why Draco had kissed me so suddenly. I stifled a gasp when I beheld the sight of her. Her dark curly hair was a mass around her head, resembling a crow's nest, framing her pale, scarred face. And her eyes were crazed, darting about while she grinned mindlessly at the sight of us.
"Out for another stroll around the Manor, Bellatrix?" Draco asked, not moving from his spot between me and the woman. It was evident he didn't like this person, but nevertheless spoke to her with a kind of neutral respect.
She laughed, but it was more of a guttural crackle. "Just seeing all that there is to see." Her tongue peeked out between her teeth when she spoke. "Pretty thing you got there." She eyed me up and down. I remembered what Draco told me about eye contact, and I avoided her gaze by looking at the floor.
"I would like some time alone with her, if you'd be so kind," Draco said to the woman. A nice way to tell her to scram.
I heard the swishing of her long gown as she walked past us. "Of course, of course. Wouldn't want to get in the way of young love." She cackled again. "I'll see you two bunnies at dinner."
Draco held his position over me until Bellatrix left. As soon as she was out of sight, Draco's hand dropped and he backed away, putting some space between us.
"Don't look so distraught," Draco spat, noticing my pale expression. "I only kissed you so you'd be quiet."
I shook the remaining tingle of the kiss from my body and uttered a hoarse, "fine," giving no indication that the kiss had actually been quite earth-shattering.
"I believe dinner is ready," Draco said with a frown. An indication that it was time for us to make our appearance before the Dark Lord. The knots in my stomach clenched even tighter.
My mouth was dry as bones. "I don't think I'm ready to see him," I whispered, referring to You-Know-Who. Draco exhaled through his nose in contempt.
"He's a busy man, you know," Draco informed me, "There's a good chance he may not even be there."
I took a few shaky breaths, but I still didn't feel better. "Give me my wand, Draco."
He shook his head. "You're safer without it. Trust me."
He extended an arm, gesturing for me to take it. I forced myself to loop my left arm through his right. We walked arm-in-arm the whole way to the dining room. He didn't have to keep me on his arm the whole time, but he did- and I was secretly grateful for the knowledge that he was on my side in this. He wouldn't let harm befall me tonight.
No, he's only going to force a kiss on me every chance he gets.
We stood before the closed doors to the dining room. Before Draco opened the door for me, he leaned in my ear and whispered, "Stand up straight. Don't let them know you're frightened."
You jackass, that only frightens me more, I wanted to say, but he opened the large door without warning, giving me just enough time to brace myself by straightening my back and tilting my chin forward.
All at once, everyone's deadly stares were upon us. Led forward by Draco's arm, we entered the room of Death Eaters seated around one of the longest dining tables I had ever seen. As per Draco's instructions, I forbid myself to look at any of them, so I feigned interest in the lavish, timeless decorations of the dimly-lit dining room.
Whispers ensued after our entrance. "That's the girl." "So young..." "I thought Crabbe said she was a blonde?" "Who cares, she's cute."
Draco pulled out a chair for me. I would say thank you, but I'm pretty sure if I did, I would be breaking one of his "rules". I sat wordlessly, letting my curious gaze lower slightly to finally view the people I would be dining with.
Upon scanning the crowd, it became clear why Snape had warned me to stay away from Draco- for these were the people he chose to associate with. There were about thirteen of them; all deep in conversation with one another, but some stealing pointed glances my way. The scary woman we encountered earlier, Bellatrix, was sitting on the farthest end of the table from us, grinning wickedly at me. The chairs at either head of the table were left empty, presumably for Draco's father and the Dark Lord- who wasn't here. Thank goodness.
It was obvious within seconds that I didn't belong. Draco himself hardly belonged with these people; tough-as-nails aficionados, all of which looked like they could kill even without a wand. I bet every person here has uttered the killing curse. But try not to think about that. Draco sat stiffly beside me, his expression hardened and unreadable. He mechanically took a sip of dark red wine from a goblet. I also had wine at my place setting, but decided it was wise to abstain as per Draco's rules. The warnings he had given me earlier only made me jumpy and nervous- which was only made worse by Draco acting so damn sulky for some reason. He wasn't behaving like how he did when he was at Hogwarts; at school, he walked around like he owned the place. But here, he literally did own the place- so why did he look so dead-eyed?
"Draco," a woman to Draco's right leaned over to him. She was quite pretty in an elegant way, with dark hair that was pulled back to reveal the platinum hair beneath. I recognized her instantly as Draco's mother. "Aren't you going to introduce your guest?" I allowed myself to look her in the eye, and as I did so, her red lips curved into a kind smile.
Instantly the whole table hushed to listen, making me feel more self-conscious than ever. Draco gripped my hand under the table. He cast a quiet, subdued glance towards me before he looked back to his mother. When he spoke, he spoke to her. "This is Erica. My..." a pause to clear his throat, readying himself for the upcoming word, "...Girlfriend."
Upon hearing his declaration, the table of Death Eaters ooh'ed and ahh'd like rowdy perverts catcalling people on the street. I looked down at my lap, embarrassed.
"Look at him blush," a man remarked. I glanced at Draco, and saw that his face was indeed a shade of red I had never seen on him before. I think I was beginning to understand why they wanted to bring me here; Draco was like their little pet, the youngest one of the bunch that they all regarded as something of a source of entertainment. And I was the pet of the pet.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Erica," Draco's mother said to me, and it seemed like she actually meant it. "My name is Narcissa."
Figuring that this was one of those instances that I was allowed to speak, I replied humbly, "Thank you for hosting me." Although I doubt she's aware I'm here against my will.
"Tell us about yourself, Erica," a thin, tough-looking man in a large wool coat commanded. My mouth opened to speak, but Draco squeezed my hand firmly.
Draco spoke for me, immediately coming to my rescue like a guard dog. "She doesn't have to answer to you, Amycus."
Amycus raised his eyebrows at Draco's back-talk. "Forgive our curiosity, but it's rare to have a newcomer at the table," the woman beside him hissed, a gruesome smile on her lips. "Praytell, is she joining us... permanently?"
I gulped. I most definitely was not. Before Draco could come to my aid, his mother interjected, "I don't think that would be appropriate. She's still so young."
"Just how young is she?" Bellatrix blurted. "Why, she's as small as a second year." She cackled at her own joke, and a few other Death Eaters around her joined in.
"I'm sixteen," I said bravely, perhaps stupidly. The Death Eaters ceased their laughter to stare at me. Amusement twinkled in their eyes. Draco's grip tightened on my hand. I wasn't meant to speak out of turn.
Narcissa ignored the rudeness of her dinner guests and turned her torso to speak only to Draco and I. "How did you two meet?" A harmless, genuine question that most mothers would probably ask their sons when they bring home their girlfriend. I figured it would be best to let Draco take this one. He probably had some kind of concocted lie at the ready.
"She found me wounded in the common room one night, and healed me."
I blinked at Draco's words. He actually said the truth. Draco scoffed to himself and added, "I attempted to obliviate her afterwards, but she blocked it."
That story roused the Death Eaters once more.
"Ah-ha! She doesn't look it, but she's got some fight in her."
"Is that how young romances start nowadays?"
Narcissa looked at me. "You're familiar with healing magic?" she asked, her eyes alight with interest.
I nodded, quietly replying, "I would like to become a Healer." Draco looked at me, and in his expression I thought I saw something like approval. But that look was wiped clean as soon as Bellatrix spoke again.
"A Healer? We could use one of those," she said as she toyed with her wand in her hands. The other Death Eaters nodded in agreement. My stomach dropped. It seemed these people were eager for new recruits. And I was a prime candidate.
"She's not becoming a Death Eater," Draco stated, perhaps a bit too angrily- and the offended dinner guests blinked at his rousing display of insubordination. This time, it was me who gripped his hand tighter. Almost enough to cut off his circulation, in fact.
Narcissa stepped in and alleviated the tension. "I think what my son is trying to say," she addressed Bellatrix and the rest of her compatriots around her, "Is that you do not have to be a Death Eater to love one. I am proof of that." As she spoke, I hung on her every word, admiring her ability to remain so calm while commanding the room. "And I'm sure you all are well aware of the fact that a Death Eater's commitment to the Dark Lord is one that is not to be taken lightly. For who's to say it is not a commitment more serious than that of marriage?"
I gawked inwardly at her eloquence. I never guessed that Narcissa Malfoy, someone who was a mother and wife to two Death Eaters, was not one herself.
"Whatever," Bellatrix quipped, "It's not like we need a sissy little sixteen year old girl to serve Him, anyway."
Narcissa finished the conversation with a, "Right, then. Let's not let the food get cold."
After that, the chatter resumed, but it was no longer directed at me or Draco. He and I had plenty of opportunities to quit our hand holding; in fact, it made sense to use both hands when at a meal- but I could not seem to let go of him. He surprisingly permitted me to clutch his hand through the entirety of dinner. Maybe it was my nerves; or the constant mention of the Dark Lord, or maybe the pleasurable feeling of Draco in my hand again; but my body couldn't seem to let go. He never so much as flexed his hand or attempted to break free.
We only broke free when, after dinner was done and the plates were cleared, Bellatrix announced that the Dark Lord had just arrived.
"He's waiting for ya," she said, staring straight at Draco. "He's asking for an update on your mission to off the old man." Another gross, guttural laugh rose from her throat.
Draco cast a look to me, one that I knew was telling me to stay put. I let him rise, knowing that as long as I stuck with his mother, I would be alright.
"Oh, and he wants your little girlfriend, too."