RIDDLE ME THIS

37

it had been two days since Draco, Matteo, Tom, Pansy and i received dark marks.

we had spent the forty-eight hours in bed at Malfoy Manor.

Draco and i shared his room, Matteo and Pansy had one next door, and Tom was opposite them.

none of us had said a word.

we ate and drank, showered and got back into bed.

Narcissa had wrapped all our arms in white bandages but it had done little to ease the brain-splitting ache.

i'd had more than enough time to think about what Bellatrix had told me.

Draco Malfoy loved me.

i think i loved him too... but i had never really loved anyone except my brothers.

i had no idea how i would tell if i did.

one of the Malfoys' house elves, Gimble, had been in and out offering us snacks and board games, but i shook my head at it every time.

Draco flat out ignored the elf.

he stared at the ceiling, occasionally falling asleep, sometimes pulling me closer and kissing my head.

my hand rested on his chest and i spent most of the time staring at the ring, turning my hand this way and that, watching the way the it shone as light caught it at different angles.

"Sir and Madam," Gimble entered slowly. "Mr Malfoy has requested you both in the living room."

i shook my head at him.

"Mr Malfoy says you must come at once." the elf persisted.

Draco sighed deeply and got up, helping me up after him.

we walked out of his bedroom for the first time in two days just as Matteo and Pansy exited their room.

i heard Tom's door open and close behind us and we all headed down to the living room together.

Mr and Mrs Malfoy were already seated and there was a large sofa intended for all of us.

we got settled and waited silently.

after a while, Mr Malfoy cleared his throat.

"i am aware that none of you have spoken yet." he tapped a finger on the arm of his chair.

nobody so much as nodded.

"i think it will be good if you do." Narcissa smiled encouragingly. "receiving a dark mark is never pleasant but you must learn to live with it."

"we will leave the room, but you must speak. please."

Draco nodded slowly, triggering the rest of us to follow suit.

"good," Narcissa and Lucius stood. "we'll leave you to it."

nobody spoke for a long while, but eventually i opened my mouth.

"i'm so sorry," i said at the same time as my two brothers.

we all stared at each other.

"why are you sorry?" Draco looked at the three of us in turn.

"none of this would have happened if we didn't go to London." i twisted a lock of hair around my finger.

"that would make it my fault." Pansy's tone told us she wasn't trying to make us feel bad.

"it's nobody's fault." Tom stated. "we wanted to find out about... Marella... and we didn't know there would be consequences."

we lapsed back into silence.

"we just need to suck it up." Matteo unwrapped the bandage on his arm. "i know it sounds tough but unless one of you has a time turner, we can't undo this."

i sighed. "you're right. sulking never got us anywhere."

"except in more trouble." Tom inputted.

"so we just... act like nothing happened?" Pansy frowned.

the three of us nodded.

"it's just a tattoo at the end of the day, right?" Draco shrugged.

"essentially," Tom unwrapped his bandage too, and the rest of us followed suit.

we all stared at our forearms where the dark mark now rested, and would rest forever.

"do you want to play Quidditch or something?" Draco asked.

"sure," Matteo stood and brushed his trousers down. "it'll take our mind off things."

we followed Draco through the house and into a room filled with everything a Quidditch player would ever need.

there was just about every broomstick ever made mounted on the walls.

lightweight cloaks, heavyweight cloaks, waterproof cloaks...

gloves with little studs on them to help you keep hold of the ball and sticky pots of resin which helped you stay on your broom.

"Jesus Christ, Draco." Tom looked around in awe. "where did all this come from?"

"shops, antique dealers, family and friends..." Draco picked up a broom from the wall. "help yourselves."

i felt like a child on Christmas, running about and taking anything i fancied.

i started off with a heavyweight cloak because there had been frost covering the window that morning.

i fastened it around my neck and then picked out some studded gloves, rolling them into a ball to avoid being stabbed.

next i walked along the endless rows of brooms, touching each one until i found the perfect one.

it was a sleek, black, limited edition Thunderbolt VII.

"where on earth did you get this?!" i called to Draco.

he appeared from somewhere, looking at the broom in my hands.

"my Father knows people." he answered lightly.

"i've wanted one of these for ages but i could never find one." i turned the broom over in my hands.

"well you have now," he grinned down at me. "keep it."

"what?" i sighed. "but you've already given me so much-"

"a ring." he raised his eyebrows. "a very small ring at that."

"one, it's a family heirloom." i reminded him. "two, it means a lot to me. and three, i haven't given you anything in return!"

"you've given me more than enough." he stroked my cheek. "take the broom, Lola."

i stared up at him. "fine. but i'm getting you the biggest, best Christmas present you could ever dream of."

he laughed and kissed my head. "i can't wait."