The Wicked One (A Drarry Fanfic)

Chapter 4: Family Ties

They had a cloudy October sky above them and a fresh wind brushed Draco’s hair gently. They were standing on a large field with lines and lines of tombstones that shaded from white to grey; some of them were adorned with crosses at the top. There were no flowers on the graves, however, and in spite of the oak and lime trees that decorated the lifeless burial ground with their colored red and orange leaves, the atmosphere in the graveyard was gloomy. He recognized the place because he had come with his mother every year as a child to visit his grandmother’s grave. They were at The Black Family Cemetery. 

Not too far away from where they were standing, there was an ebony coffin waiting beside a rectangular aperture on the ground; there was just one wizard dressed properly for the occasion and no one else; Draco assumed he was going to do the funeral service.

Professor McGonagall gave him a supporting pat on the back and said with a sigh:

“Well, this is where I leave you. I was told the funeral is private, but I could definitely stay if you agree, Mr. Malfoy.”

“It’s all right, Professor. I thank you for your offering, but I will be fine. You can come pick me up in thirty minutes.”

“Thirty minutes? I could pick you up in an hour if you please.”

“Thirty minutes is ok.”

“All right then,” she said hesitatingly; she obviously didn’t want to leave him alone, but insisted no more, “I’ll come for you later,” McGonagall touched her medallion and disappeared.

Draco had an uncomfortable feeling at the depressive view that was before him. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but he was definitely expecting someone to come. He thought of who could have come to his mother’s funeral, and realized Narcissa Malfoy had not many friends. She barely spoke to anyone who was not pure-blood, and even those people would be ashamed to show up. Suicide was considered shameful in the pure-blood tradition; it was seen as a kind of betrayal.

He didn’t even know who had arranged the funeral in the first place. He had thought his father had, but it was obvious that git was not even going to show up. After all, Narcissa was going to be buried as a Black and not in the Malfoys’ Family Crypt as they had planned together. Lucius was a conservative pure-blood, too, and he wouldn’t allow to be seen in a suicide funeral. He felt resentful at his father because he had the feeling he was at fault for his mother’s death. The simple thought made his blood burn inside his body, but he would have the time to deal with that.

He gathered his courage and walked firmly towards the coffin. He felt his chest heavy and a sudden lack of oxygen, but he kept walking. Just before he stopped by the coffin, a wizard Appeared with a loud crack.

“Oh, dear Draco, you have come!” Bellatrix Lestrange suffocated him in a violent hug, “I am so sorry about your mother.”

Draco had to push her away to breathe again. He hadn’t seen the witch since last year but she hadn’t changed much. Her heavy dark hair was messy as usual and she was wearing a long black lace dress for the occasion. He was not relieved to see her, but pleased that, at least, someone else had showed up.

“You must feel terrible. I feel terrible myself! If only I had been more watchful of Narcissa, she wouldn’t have done such a filthy thing! She was a coward, a COWARD!” her voice reverberated in the chilling wind. She grabbed Draco painfully by the shoulder and looked intensely into his eyes, “You must not be like your mother, Draco, or like the pussy of your father. You must be a man, you must be like the Dark Lord, you understand?”

“Yes,” he replied in a low voice and Bellatrix released her strong hold. He knew Bellatrix found Narcissa’s death shameful to the Black family; she was also a strong believer of old traditions. And even though she was a great witch, she was also completely mental. Her company in the funeral was not going to be comforting at all, but at least his mother was going to be buried decently and that was what mattered most to him at that moment.