Midnight Rain

Chapter Seven

Athania woke up on Saturday morning to find Lucius sleeping on the small couch in her room.

After last night, the two ended up staying up into the wee hours of the morning, just talking.

She went to turn to her nightstand for a book when there was a knock at her door, Lucius jolting awake.

"It's okay," she says, wondering why he was so jumpy.

She opened the door to find a daily prophet copy on the ground that a house elf must've left.

"What is it?" he asks in his raspy morning voice, sitting up on the couch.

"The Daily Prophet. I have a subscription to keep up with the world outside of Hogwarts," she tells him as she takes a seat on the couch with him.

"Anything new?" he asks as he runs his fingers through his hair.

"A death eater attack at Diagon Alley. Two deaths, countless shops damaged," Athania tells him as she reads through the article.

"What?" Lucius stops messing with his hair, unaware of any attack.

"I know, it's terrible," Athania innocently says.

"Your father's the head of the auror office, right? Does he have any say on it?" Lucius frantically asks.

"Yes, there's an interview piece at the bottom. Nothing he hasn't said in any other article," she tells Lucius as she hands him the paper.

She rises from her couch and sits down at her mirror, fixing her hair for the day when she sees him set the paper down.

"Truly unfortunate," he says before looking up at her. "How would you like to come home with me this weekend?" he asks.

"What?" Athania asks as she turns her head to look at him.

"My fathers going to be wrapped up at work all weekend because of this attack, my mother's traveled to Ireland to visit her sister and my brother is staying here this time. I figured you'd want some alone time after the hellacious week you've had," he offers.

"I'd love to, but what about Regulus and Sirius. What if they need me?" she asks, once again putting her brothers before herself.

"Sirius is a big boy, he can handle himself. As for Regulus, he will be perfectly fine. Plus, Andromeda would be here if he needed anything," he explains her options.

"Athania, I admire how caring you are but you are not a mother yet. You do not have to act as such," he says as he gets up from the couch.

"Okay," she decided.

"Really?" he asks with a smile.

"You're right. I need to get away from here for a little while," she told him.

"I was hoping you'd agree. Get dressed and we'll apparate," he says excitedly as he leaves for next door to get changed as well.

She quickly got dressed for the day, deciding on a silk, emerald blouse, a black skirt, and a pair of gray ankle boots. She brushed her hair and pulled it into a loose bun with a black scrunchie before doing a small bit of makeup.

She exited her room to find Lucius waiting on her.

"I can't wait to show you the house," he says as he holds out his hand for her, apparating as soon as she places hers in his.

Athania regains her footing on the floor of the manor after Lucius had apparated the pair. She opened her eyes to find that they were in the ballroom where the two danced for the first time.