Innocent | d. malfoy

- fifty three -

Aria Rowen

"Aria?"

'Henry' took a step forward, but I backed away so that I could stand as close as possible to Draco.

He seemed just as confused as we all were, but he didn't hesitate to place his arm around my waist.

"Answer me..." I whispered the words as I stared at the three of them. Henry. Evelyn. Millie. It couldn't be my parents. They died. They died in a car accident when I was just a mere toddler. I was the only one that survived. "Are you Henry and Evelyn Rowen?"

The silence was overwhelming until Henry decided to speak again. "I think we should all head to the back for a chat."

I stood speechless and unsure of how to respond. They weren't answering my questions and it was making me frustrated. I had so much to ask these people, but for some reason I couldn't make myself speak or even think properly enough to do so.

I snapped back into reality as Draco gave me a small nudge, and I looked up from the ground to see the man and his wife motion for us to follow them behind the counter.

I walked slowly, thinking of all the questions I would get to ask them when they finally open up to me... when they finally explain themselves.

"Here..." He gestured to a couch where Draco and I both sat down. We watched as he and his wife each took an armchair across from us.

Millie traveled up a flight of stairs, probably not wanting to get caught in the middle of whatever this was. I didn't blame her, and curiosity was the only thing standing in the way of me walking out of the shop and running as far away from this place as possible.

I was about to hear the truth... but I didn't know if I was ready to hear it.

"You look well, dear..." The woman sent me a weak smile, but I didn't return it. "You're probably wondering about— well— everything, and you have a right to know—"

"Of course I have a right to know..." I sent them a cold stare, waiting for their explanations. "I have a right to know why I grew up without my parents, don't you think so?"

Their faces paled at my response, probably realizing that I wasn't going to take any part of this well at all.

"Um— you see—" Henry scratched the back of his head, not wanting to speak further. "I'm sure you want an explanation..."

I sent them a nod, followed by a sarcastic smile. If I stopped being angry, then the only emotion that would replace that would be sadness, and it would sweep in before I have the chance to stop it.

"Aria..." My mother used the calmest voice that she could manage, obviously thinking that it would make the situation better. "...we— we weren't ready to have a child—"

"Start at the beginning," I tried my hardest to keep my voice steady, and my grip on Draco's hand beside me was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.

The couple exchanged a glance before turning back to face me.

"Well," Evelyn cleared her throat before continuing. "When we had you... we thought that we were ready— financially. About a year after you were born, we— well, we fell into quite a bit of debt. Far too much to singlehandedly raise a child."

I felt my eyes begin to water, but I refused to cry.

"We didn't know what to do... the money... it kept running out..."

"So what? You staged your death?" I gave a scoff as I stared at them.

"Exactly... we needed a way out— we changed our last names and set up this place... it was the easiest way—"