Winter at the Manor

Dinner

Rose's POV

I stayed up in my room for a little while before coming down to the dinner table. "Hello Rose." Mr Malfoy greeted me as I came down. "have a seat."

I took a place on the right side of the table, middle section. Scorpius and Mr Malfoy took the end seats, and Sinestra started handing out the food. 

I started in on some Swiss steak and ate as politely as I could. I felt like a bowl in a china shop. 

"So, Rose, I want to know a bit more about you." Scorpius said. Mr Malfoy cringed. 

"What do you want to know?" I asked. 

"Um..." Scorpius froze up. 

I looked back at the food and silently wished for dinner to end. Mr Malfoy noticed my suffering and said, "So, are you working on any stories Rose?"

I nodded. "Yes, I am working on several."

Mr Malfoy nodded. "I'm not meaning to pry, but what are they about?"

Oh gosh how was I to respond?! Most of my stories are about dystopian worlds, but they look like people who wouldn't appreciate anything less than Gone with the Wind (which is very good, BTW)

"I write about dystopian societies and worlds." There I said it. 

He nodded. "Have you ever read the Hunger Games?"

He knew what those were? "Yes, they're some of my favourite books."

Scorpius had a dreamy look on his face and when I looked at him at him, I felt my own get hot. We just ate in silence for the rest of the meal. 

After I was done, Sinestra took my dishes to the kitchen. "Thank you Mr Malfoy, I'm going to get some sleep." I stood up and as gracefully as I could, walked away. 

I went up to the room I was sleeping in. I closed the door and, putting my weight on it, slid down. 

Well, I had just proved that I was an awkward bumbling disaster. 

I heard a soft knock on my door. "Who is it?" I asked. "It's Sinestra, Miss Rose." a high pitched voice squeaked. "May I come in?"

I stood up and opened the door, where Sinestra was waiting outside with a towel and a jar full of what looked like Rose petals. 

I let her in and she started running a bath. She led me into the bathroom, and wearing a bathing suit (It would have been too awkward) got in. 

Sinestra started washing me off, and I just thought. 

What was my family doing right then? I knew I had wondered that a lot, but I still wanted to know what they were doing. 

I also wondered what Delphi was doing right then. I sincerely hoped that she hadn't found me, then this would all be worthless. 

Sinestra was done at about that moment so she helped me out of the tub. With a snap of her fingers I was in a nightdress and my hair was brushed and braided. I went over to the bed and covered myself in the blanket. My mum, when she was tucking me in, would hug me and sing 'Dilly Dilly' as she did so. 

"Roses are red Dilly dilly violets are blue,
If you love me dilly dilly I will love you. 

Where the birds sing dilly dilly and the lambs play

We will be safe dilly dilly out of harm's way."

I fell asleep with the words in my head and in my heart.