His Final Riddle

12. Remember your place

"You're back?" Draco walks into the kitchen where I'm hiding in the corner sipping at a cup of tea.

I nod slowly "I am." I look around the empty and unusually quiet kitchen "where are all the house elves?"

Draco shrugs "who knows."

He comes to stand besides the stool I am sat on, he leans back against the wall watching me. He is wearing his usual black suit with smart dress shoes. As he leans back however I see his ankles are bare, his white pale skin contrasting against the darkness of his suit.

He reaches for the tea in my hand drawing my attention away from his outfit "so how was your Christmas?" He takes it from me taking a sip before handing it back to me.

My eyes widen slightly as it reminds me so much of Draco a year ago.

"My Christmas was interesting that's for sure" I place the empty tea cup on the side and look up at Draco "how was yours? How's your mum doing?"

Draco sighs heavily "fucking weird. Mum didn't get out of bed, sometimes I'm not sure she even notices me you know. She just stares at the ceiling or talks to old photos of her and dad. She's losing her fucking mind."

"She's hurting. She's depressed and most likely scared. You said your parents have always been together, always had each other. Well she's alone now, you're changing, the whole world is changing. She has a group of evil wizards using her family home as their fucked up secret lair and she can't do anything about it. She probably feels like she can't protect you anymore." I stand up and wash my cup in the sink "she knows you're there Draco. Trust me, as someone who wasn't able to leave their bed once from grief, she knows what's happening she just can't find the energy to respond. But she knows."

Draco nods sharply "I suppose." He grows silent as he looks out the large window across the grounds "I'll be returning to school in three days, come with me? Pretty sure some of the seventh years are planning an insane New Year's party."

I smile at him "sounds good."

Draco offers me a small smile back, footsteps sound from the corridor and Draco freezes. He looks at me his eyes worried "that's my aunt. She's looking for you, slip out the back and I'll distract her."

I shake my head "no, running from her is just delaying the inevitable." I walk towards the door "it's fine I can handle this."

"I know you can" Draco's words follow me as I walk out with my head held high.

"Stand up you pathetic girl" Bellatrix swipes her wand in the air a sharp pain hits my cheek.

"Stop!" I cry out clutching my now bleeding cheek as I push myself to stand up. My wand hangs loosely in my fingers.

"Best in your year is what Severus told us all." Bellatrix circles me her eyes narrowed as though she is a predator circling her prey. "Stand up and face me, fight back."

A sob escapes my throat as I tilt my head up, my hairs over my face as blood streams down my cheek. I stand with my legs shoulder width apart, clenching my wand I stare her down.

"That's it" she smiles demonically "I can see the hate in your eyes" she leans forward slightly her voice becoming a whisper "I can taste your magic."

Clenching my jaw I watch her carefully, before quickly raising my wand aiming it at her heart "internum acidum."

A dark red light shoots from my wand straight to her heart, Bellatrix's eyes widen as she quickly raises her wand shooting up a shield. My spell hits the shield with a loud bang, red lights fills the room as sparks of acid fly around us both.