The Gryffindor Malfoy

Capítulo 23

Summary: Stella tells Carina a secret. Narcissa shares something with the two girls that she has never said before. Carina goes to the final of the Quidditch World Cup.

My summer holidays are more exciting than the last. My father is invited by the Minister himself to go to the Quidditch World Cup. Depending on him, I'm sure he'd only take Mum and Draco and leave Stella and me at home, but Mum would never allow that, so that's why we're all going to watch the final in the Minister's box.

At some point during the break, perhaps at the Sacred Twenty-Eight summer ball or on a day when Draco's friends come here or Draco visits them, my brother and Pansy Parkinson start dating. I don't even need to tell you how happy my father is that his son, the Malfoy heir, is dating a 'respectful' girl from a pure-blood Sacred Twenty-Eight family. Mum seems to be happy too. Seeing my parents so proud of Draco reminds me that, not only did I almost completely disappoint my father when I got sorted into Gryffindor, but when I get to an age when pure-bloods usually start arranging marriages between themselves, I know the time will come when I'll have to decide between my own family (marrying a pure-blood man) or my happiness (getting into a relationship with someone I really want, which is a far cry from what my parents expect of me). At least I have Stella to talk to about it, since she's the only one in the family who knows about my secret.

"Rina, do you realise that your situation is very similar to that of a certain person?" says Stella, as we sit on her bed, talking.

I tilt my head slightly to one side, not understanding who she's talking about.

"Who? Whoever it is, I'd urgently like to talk to that person..." I say sincerely.

Stella smiles, perhaps not believing that I haven't realised. "Think about it..." she starts to say. "Someone who also comes from a Sacred Twenty-Eight family."

Although there are only 28 families, the possibilities are still immense.

"Someone who had to choose between making their family proud or marrying their true love." she continues. "And someone who is closer, or at least was, to your family than you realise."

"How could I forget... of course, Aunt Andromeda!" I say.

Stella nods.

"I really want to meet her, but..."

"But you don't know how." she completes the sentence for me.

"Exactly." I say, sighing. "I don't want to talk about it in a letter, I don't even know if she'll accept me if I tell her I like girls..."

I'm so lost in my own thoughts and woes that I don't notice Stella's expression on her face.

"Rina." she calls me, her voice sounds slightly shaky, nervous.

I blink several times, coming back to reality. "Yes?" I say curiously, looking at her. Stella takes a deep breath, and the look on her face makes me worry. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

She nervously starts fiddling with the necklace Mum gave her for our first Christmas at Hogwarts, the yellow diamond necklace representing Hufflepuff.

"Well... Since you trusted me enough to share your secret..." she says, her voice lowered and she whispers, as if someone could hear us. "About you liking girls, you know?"

I nod slowly, curious to know what she wants to tell me. My eyes don't leave hers for a second, but Stella seems too nervous to look into mine.

"I-I..." she tries to say.

"You...?" I encourage her.

I see tears forming in her eyes, so it's my turn to comfort her about whatever she wants to tell me. I take one of her hands and squeeze it affectionately. "Stella, you know you can tell me anything, don't you?" I say. "I won't tell anyone and I won't judge you."