The Malfoy's Secret [Draco Malfoy fanfic]

Chapter 15

I don't own any of the characters apart from Melanie Malfoy. All of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

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"Would you mind giving me and Melanie a moment alone please."

It wasn't a request, it was an order. Mother looked at me nervously before I gave her a nod. Draco was looking between me and father with a terrified look on his face. They both reluctantly moved over to the other wall and out of sight, leaving father looking happier. I gulped quietly; trying not to show him how scared I was to be in this situation.

"Come and stand closer Melanie." Again, it wasn't a request, it was an order. Tentatively, I moved to the door of his cell and looked at the man before me properly for the first time since he had told me I would be attending Hogwarts.

"What are you doing here?" His voice sounded calm and controlled, which made my level of fear rise even higher. I quickly glanced over my shoulder. Maybe I was hoping that my mother or Draco would stop hiding and come to help me, or maybe I was trying to find myself some time. I wasn't too sure myself.

I turned back to look at my 'father' and licked my lips slowly. "I'm here to visit you, mother wanted some company so me and Draco offered to come with her," I told him, my voice barely above a whisper. The scowl on his face told me that he obviously didn't like the statement that I had given him.

"Why aren't you both in school working on you know what?!" he hissed at me. I flinched at his tone and took a small step back, trying to at least get a little bit of distance between us. I know why he did it though; it would be so that no one would overhear us.

"We got called to a Death Eater meeting last night, so mother thought it would be nice for us to stay at home for Christmas Day, to come and visit you and then travel back to the school tomorrow morning." I explained, also keeping my voice low, but for different reasons to his.

"Well I don't think that's the wisest decision." he snarled at me. I just looked up at him, starting to feel slightly annoyed at the manner he was talking to me.

"We knew you wouldn't, but it's not exactly up to you..." I mumbled, making sure my voice was low enough for father not to hear me.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Well, tell your mother that I want you back in school before the end of the night." he told me, sitting back slightly to make it look like he had won this small argument. I glanced over my shoulder again, but my mother and Draco were still hidden in the shadows somewhere.

"Tell her yourself in a minute when she comes back around." I told him bluntly. He opened his mouth to say something about how I had talked to him, but I quickly cut him off. "You don't treat us like your family! You treat us like your servants! I'm your daughter. You're meant to care for me and not let me end in situations like this!" I screamed at him.

"Melanie, I -"

"No, you listen to me. Draco accepted this mission so he could make you proud! He felt like you didn't care about him enough, so he got into this mess for you. I accepted this mission because I wanted to be there for my brother, and because I finally wanted you to take some notice in me and for you to be proud to have me as your daughter!"

I could hear footsteps coming up behind me, but I didn't know who was there. Anger pumped through my body as I finally let all the feelings towards the man in front of me. All year, I had bottled them up and tried to pretend I felt differently.

"Come on Mel," Draco said, gently pulling on my arm to pull me away from the cell. I didn't move, still staring out my father.

"Don't speak to me like that Melanie! You have no right to do that, I have been respectable towards-" he never did get to finish his sentence.