Come Back to Me (Don't Save Me Book 3)

Chapter 86: My Lady

The next few days were exhausting as we prepared for Arthur's return. I could practically feel Harry's guilt dragging him down anytime I was in a room with him. He tried to hide it with a fake smile but it wasn't fooling me or Sirius, though I couldn't understand why the emotion felt so powerful and was threatening to consume me. It was as if I could feel the same emotion, a guilt over something I couldn't quite identify. Though, this guilt wasn't nearly as powerful as the fear I sensed in him. It was buried deep but still there, bubbling beneath the surface. I'd tried to speak with him but anytime I asked him about it he simply shut down, promising he was fine and that I had nothing to worry about. Ever since he'd been to visit Arthur a few days ago he hadn't seemed the same. Something had bothered him that day but he refused to speak about it.

Sirius and I hadn't spoken about what transpired the night we fell asleep together. I could feel him watching me at times, waiting for me to say something, but there was nothing to say. He didn't understand why I'd been so desperate to speak to Severus as he thought we'd broken up, just another question I didn't have an answer to.

Ginny and I were walking toward the kitchen when a sickening voice caught our attention.

"Filthy blood traitor, Weasley!" Walburga hissed from the portrait as Ginny and I passed her.

"Shut up, old bag!" I hissed.

"Y/n Y/l/n, conspiring with Weasleys. A disgrace. It's no wonder the Dark Lord tried to kill the little brats' father!"

Ginny froze at this as we reached the kitchen and I placed a hand on her shoulder before turning toward the hallway. "Kreacher, please shut that bloody portrait up!" I hissed.

"Of course, My Lady," the elf answered, drawing a curtain over the portrait. I froze in my tracks. The only time I'd ever heard someone address me that way were the Death Eaters when it was announced that I was Voldemort's daughter. I turned back to him and he stared at me, curiously, a small smirk on his face before bowing and leaving. I guided Ginny into the kitchen, trying to ignore the pit forming in my stomach.

"You alright, pup?" Sirius asked as Kreacher quickly scurried away. I turned to face Sirius.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm fine," I answered, turning back to the place Kreacher had once stood.

"Y/n?" It was Remus this time. He stood up from the table, walking toward me and taking my hand. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"What?"

"Y/n, what's wrong?"

"Has something happened?" Molly asked from across the kitchen. Sirius stood up, making his way toward me and I could feel myself growing agitated with all the eyes.

"No. No, everything's fine."

"Y/n, talk to me, please. What happened with Kreacher just then?" Remus asked.

"It's really not important, Remus. I promise. Please, can we just... talk about something else?"

"Y/n," Remus continued, his voice holding a warning tone. I sighed, knowing they weren't going to let this go.

"Seriously, it's stupid. Kreacher addressed me as 'My Lady.' The only people who've ever done that have been Death Eaters. It was just a silly coincidence. That's all."

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look but they dropped the topic nonetheless. No one said anything more and finally Arthur was released from the hospital and brought back to the house. It felt, for a moment, as if things might be okay. We laughed, exchanging Christmas gifts, and laughing about silly little things that hardly made any sense. Even Harry seemed to relax somewhat and I was relieved. If only this feeling could've lasted forever.