The Mark of a Death Eater

Christmas Tears

The next morning, I didn't dress in the heavy velvet dress I was intending to. Instead, I wore a dark red one, with cream piping. Zayn's fire opal necklace went beautifully with it, and I smiled, thinking of him.

I walked downstairs slowly, not sure what to anticipate. The stony house wasn't decorated much. A glittering tree stood in the lounge, and the fireplace hung only with mistletoe, but it felt fine.
The long table was occupied by four people. Narcissa Malfoy looking splendid and graceful, stood talking softly to Bellatrix Lestrange, who was looking down at a slice of pie as if it had insulted her. Across her sat a man with dark hair, eating silently. Draco was watching his mother and aunt, not touching any of the food on his plate.

I cleared my throat. "Morning," I said. Narcissa straightened and smiled at me. "Good morning," she replied.
"Merry Christmas," I said softly.
"And to you," she said.

Draco offered me a small smile, and stood up to pull out a chair next to him. I sat down lightly, and cast my eyes to the man sitting diagonally to me.
"Emma, this is Rudolphus Lestrange. Bella's husband." So that's why he looked familiar. His face was probably side-by-side with his wife's on 'wanted' posters. That reminded me, I was sure I'd seen his name in the newspaper as being imprisoned. I'd have to ask Draco about that later.

The man gave me an appraising look, and I turned my face away, disliking him.
It seemed a shame to waste all that food, it did look delicious but I was thinking about the meeting, and my stomach didn't seem up for eating. I had a few bites, to be polite, and excused myself.

Upstairs, Asteria was perched on the windowsill, hooting softly. She had a slim, grey box in her claws and pushed it over to me. I stroked her and gave a few owl treats I had.

In the box was a note from Ginny Weasley and a slim, bright blue and green quill. I was expecting her to have returned the gift I sent, and the note to say something like: 'Emmerentia Verygreen, didn't know you had a heart.' Instead, she wrote, 'Thanks for the necklace. You wouldn't believe that at that exact time, I was thinking of sending this to you.' I felt a sudden gratefulness for this friendship I didn't deserve.

A soft rap on the door startled me. Draco leaned against it. "It's present time," he said. He grinned suddenly. "I think you'll love my gift," he said.
He was right.
Narcissa gave me a gorgeous but completely useless bag, because with it's large rhinestone decoration, I would never use it. She left Draco and I alone then, and thanked me for her gift.
"Rudolphus and Bellatrix left," he said, undoing his gift. He paused to look up at me. "I'm sorry they make you uncomfortable." He pulled out the playing gloves and smiled. "Quiddich," he murmured, as if it brought back many nostalgic thoughts. I wondered if maybe it was a bad idea to get him those. Then he pulled out he coat I manage to buy. "I thought a light colour would make a nice difference," I said, referring to the light inside of the coat. "It's warm," he said, pressing the inside of it first against his cheek, then mine.
"Here you go," he said, handing me a small box.
I gasped at the gift. "Where do you keep getting these?" I demanded.
It was another ring. This time it had a large emerald, with a snake coiled around it. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
"It matches your other jewelry," he said.
"It does, I breathed. "Thank you." I wrapped him in a hug.

The day passed slowly. We spent it laying in the sun, talking, reading books, and evading the inevitable subject for as long as possible.
What would tomorrow bring?

Night came, and I dressed robotically in my dark blue pajamas with the white stars on them, and tried to ease my fear and sleep. I couldn't do it. Two hours after I tried, with no luck, I rose from the pale sheets and paced the room. I felt more awake than ever and it was upsetting since I wanted nothing more than to sleep and not think about impending doom.

The portrait in my room laughed at me. She had a soft and musical voice. "Stop pacing dear. Don't you know it makes panic worse?" she asked. I stopped in front of her and took a look. She was pretty and young, with very long, light hair. She had rings on her fingers, and was painted in light green and white robes. The hangings behind her matched my walls.
She smiled at my observation and winked at me. Her eyes were grey.

Finally, I sighed, and clutching my fire opal necklace, I made my way to where I knew Draco's room was.
My bare feet made no sound on the wooden floors.

"Can't sleep?" Draco called out from his room. I couldn't see him in the dark, but I nodded in the direction of his voice. "Come on," he said. I wasn't sure if he meant for me to come over to his room, but I came seeking someone to talk to, so I did.

The room was mostly shadow, but the area around his bed was filled with light from a lamp below his window. He was sitting on his bed, hunched over, in a white vest and a pajama pants.
He sat up and leaned against the ornate headboard, and gestured for me to sit beside him. I curled up to his side, and he wrapped his arms around my shoulders while I stretched mine around his waist. We sat like that for a while, not talking. I could feel his muscles under his shirt, and very out of the blue, thought of what Daphne would say to me if she knew I had my arms wrapped around who she thought was my boyfriend.

After a while, he let go of me, and pulled open his duvet.
"Do you want to sleep here tonight?" he asked. I hesitated for second, then climbed in after him.
"Thank you," I whispered softly.
This was a side to Draco Malfoy that I'd never seen before, but it was a side I loved.

Draco turned over to his side and I faced my back to him, hoping I'd be able to sleep.
I gasped in shock when I felt his hand sliding around my waist, gently turning me around. His face was just inches away from mine, his hand still tight on my waist. His light eyes searched my face for a second, then his hand relaxed. "It's reassuring, seeing your face," he explained to me. His voice, in whispers sent a shiver down me.

Draco closed his eyes and let out a sigh.
"We're going to be okay," I said. He knew I was lying. We weren't going to be okay.
He opened his eyes, and they looked beautiful and cold in the light. Like the aquamarine in the necklace I bought for Narcissa.
"You don't know what he's like Em," he whispered. "Every time I close my eyes, he's there. I can feel all the pain, all the fear, multiplied." My heart beat a little out of rhythm, because I'd never seen him so hurt, so unbearably helpless.
"I'm a coward Em," he choked out. My heart broke for him, then, and I hugged him tightly, not feeling the least bit awkward. It took willpower not to break down, but I channelled all my pain into holding him tighter, and he held on all the more.
I thought about me, how all I did was run. Pick on people other than me. Rely on the strength of others to pull me through. Then i thought of him. His willpower. His strength. His courage to face more than what was just unknown. He spent all this time creating a mask everyone came to believe was him, but he had to grow up too fast, and now he had to pull us both through death. I was the coward.

"Oh Draco," I whispered. "You're the bravest person I know."

And it was against my hair that his tears I couldn't see spilled.