Innocent | d. malfoy

- thirty three -

Aria Rowen

"Draco— what the fuck?" I looked in his bathroom mirror as I pulled up the hem of my shirt.

Just between my ribcage and waist was a thin cut where the letters D and M had been carved into the delicate skin. The area was slightly red and stung when I touched it— no surprise there.

I was so tired when we woke up that I must've missed it when getting ready this morning.

We didn't get the luxury of sleeping in after our... late night, due to the fact that we were supposed to be on the train less than an hour from now.

Draco confidently wandered into the bathroom and smirked when he saw what I was looking at.

He wrapped his arms around me and briefly kissed the top of my head before pulling away. "Now you'll be reminded who's taking care of you... and when it fades I'll just give you another one."

I playfully rolled my eyes and went back to styling my hair.

I was about to spend two weeks with Draco and his mother. Aside from when I was younger, this would be the first Christmas I was ever going to experience away from Hogwarts. It wasn't that I didn't like my muggle foster family, they just weren't ideal people that I wanted to spend time with.

I would turn eighteen a few weeks before I graduate, and then I would be on my own. I'd have to get a job— then a place to live— and then money to buy food, pay bills. It was all too stressful to think about, so I didn't.

Not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous. Draco had warned me about his mother and her beliefs surrounding blood purity, but he told me that she was nowhere near as bad as his father— if anything... his mother was generous. He thought that since I was a pureblood I would be granted a pardon by her.

Luckily I wouldn't have to meet his father, because according to Draco he was still locked away in Azkaban and awaiting a trial date.

Draco had previously mentioned to me how he hoped that his father would be sentenced to life, just so that he would never have to see him again.

I felt bad for him— but I was at least glad that we had something to relate to about each other.

•••

Draco and I stepped off of the train and onto the bustling platform where eager children ran back and forth while parents waited to pick up their kids.

"Ready to go?" Draco picked up the end of our trunk which we'd both managed to fit all of our belongings into.

"Yeah—"

"Hey Malfoy..."

Draco and I both turned around at the mention of his name to see Luke Carrow clutching the hand of the girl from the formal. The couple approached us and I could hear Draco give an audible sigh. "Yes?"

"Just wanted to wish you and your... girlfriend... a happy holidays," Luke gave a raise of his eyebrows as he spoke.

"Same for you and yours," Draco didn't smile as he spoke, and I could tell that Luke wanted to get more of a reaction out of him.

"Going home to the manor, I see... does Narcissa know about your secret little Hufflepuff?"

"Fuck off mate."

"I mean— you keep her hidden away from all of us... ashamed or something—?"

Carrow didn't get the chance to finish speaking before Draco grabbed my wrist and apparated us away from the platform, and before I knew it we were standing in front of a giant home.