Winter (Draco x Reader)

Chapter 12- Golden Dots*

That night, dinner was tense. Full of whispers and untold truths, trembling hands hidden beneath the table, and guilty eyes. Even the house-elves, generally so bubbly and affable as they served us the various courses, kept their heads down tonight, their answers one-worded asides.

I cut up my meat methodically, from time to time taking minute bites that I chewed too much to fill the silence. My father wouldn't even look at me, so after a while, it was my mother who attempted to make an effort despite her red, swollen eyes: "How was your last day, Y/N?"

"Good," I replied slightly too eagerly, relieved to finally cut through the fog of oppressive fear that shrouded the table. "Hogwarts is beautiful around this time of year. When I left, the Great Hall was being decorated to resemble an ice palace. Mother, you should have seen it."

My father interjected in a deep voice, "How wonderful, dear. I remember how it was when I was your age. I used to love spending Christmas at Hogwarts."

I frowned, setting my fork gently onto my napkin at his words. My father was as Pureblooded as one could get, according to the books on the matter I had had to read most attentively, and his family was alive. Of course, we didn't visit any of my father's side of the family, but that was because he had fallen out with them twenty years ago. It didn't make sense that he would've stayed at Hogwarts, especially for Christmas...

Taking a deep breath and putting on my poker face, I asked lightly, "Father, when did you spend Christmas at Hogwarts?"

His knife clattered onto the plate and my mother cringed back unnecessarily. "Y/N, I thought you knew that I don't like you asking questions, especially trivial ones of this sort."

I could see the anger slowly seeping into his eyes and decided to widen mine innocently, piping, "Of course, please excuse me, Father. I was merely curious about what kind of festivities they had, like if perhaps, they held a dance."

He seemed appeased. "Still, I would suggest you fill your mind with less frivolous concerns in the future. I trust your marks are still what they ought to be?"

"Yes, Father," I replied in a small voice. "Professor Snape complimented my potion the other day."

He nodded once, eyes flashing with recognition at the name. My mother cleared her throat uneasily as our house elves brought out dessert. "Darling, we have some bad news for you."

I stopped eating my slice of treacle tart, offering her a perplexed glance. "Very bad or just somewhat bad?"

"Your grandmother-- your father's mother -- is grievously sick. Despite the differences she and your father may have had in the past, she has made us understand that it is very important that we visit her instantly," she said lightly, bringing strawberry sponge cake to her lips. "Naturally, we wouldn't impose this on you, darling, so we think it would be best if you returned to Hogwarts for the remainder of the holidays."

I bit my lip to prevent it from quivering. I had spent all of two hours with them, and yet my parents were already getting rid of me. I didn't know if that was how all parents acted, but if so, I didn't understand why they had children. It wasn't right. "Of course. If that's what you wish..."

"Y/N, I'm sorry," she replied gently, laying a hand over mine for a small second before it returned to its previous task of sectioning her cake. "The only other option would have been for you to stay with the Malfoys, but I wasn't sure if you would take to that."

I choked on a bit of tart and coughed loudly. Oh no. Anything but that; anything but Draco for two weeks.

"Hogwarts is fine," I wheezed.