Liquorice Honey (A Draco Malfoy x Reader fanfic)

7: A Silent Banquet

Wisp anxiously awaited her young mistress, no, her friend, to come back downstairs as soon as the already nasty seeming family stepped through the door. Amorita ran from (Y/N)'s room to keep the poor elf safe, and (Y/N) herself soon peeked through the door; she didn't speak, but she already knew that her father was aware of her immense fear in the current moment. He didn't call for her directly, but instead spoke about her jokingly in a conversation that (Y/N) only caught half of; ''I'm sure she'll be more confident with me alongside her. She's truly become a pretty girl in her many years of solitude...'' He winked up at his now blushing daughter. Draco's parents, whose names had slipped (Y/N)'s mind after years of not seeing them, looked rather disinterested, and the only real reason (Y/N) came downstairs was to whisper to Wisp, ''Just try and be humble, dear. I promise I'll make up for anything they do to you.'' Wisp smiled gently, pulling a chair out for (Y/N) and then one for everyone else. ''Ah, here's my dear girl,'' cooed (Y/N)'s father, ''You remember Lucius and Narcissa, don't you?'' Ah, so those were their names. (Y/N) nodded, ''Of course I do, father. I...I attended some of their banquets as a child...'' (Y/N) mentally slapped herself for that comment. Every banquet she'd attended had ended up in her talking more to the extremely talented pianist witch who often attended; she was very much like what (Y/N) imagined a female Draco to be, but of course, she was actually friends with the spoiled witch pianist. ''I'm...I'm truly saddened that I was stupid enough to stop attending. I'm sure father will make sure I'm in attendance from now on...'' Her father bit his lip a little, realising that his daughter was already struggling, and soon, the conversation switched to (Y/N)'s mother. ''I'm surprised she was prepared to attend this one, what with her dear mother being...'' He nodded before Narcissa could finish. She smiled a rather forced smile over at (Y/N) and said, ''My Draco tells me you weren't taking it too well. He actually seemed rather worried in his letters to me—'' (Y/N) watched as Draco did something to make sure his mother was cut off. Wanting to make him feel as bad as possible, (Y/N) made sure to add, ''It was a difficult time, yes, but a kindly sixth year helped me out of that.'' (Y/N) smiled in a catlike way, much like Opal. Draco glared back, obviously expecting her to have lied and said that he helped her. Wisp shuffled quietly over to (Y/N)'s father, and somehow, he seemed to know what she was about to say before she did. ''It appears that we've had a slight delay on the food. (Y/N), you and Draco may go up to your room if you wish; I'm sure our conversation will be most dull.'' (Y/N) was almost positive she saw Lucius glare at her father over that comment, but she complied, replying politely, ''Of course, father.'' (Y/N) climbed the stairs as gracefully as she could, making sure to ignore Draco's piercing glares into her back. As soon as she was in her room, she sat on her bed with a smirk. ''Aww, wittle Draco was worried about me!'' Exclaimed (Y/N), trying desperately to hide her actual happiness about that fact. He went bright pink and retorted, ''I wasn't! I mentioned you being a crybaby in one of my letters home, that's it! Just because you had a problem doesn't make me like you.'' (Y/N) grabbed a book from the shelf and flicked it open as she mumbled, ''Suit yourself, Malfoy. It's not like I'd be angry if you suddenly liked me.'' She smirked a little as she watched him pout ever so slightly in the corner, and then went back to her book. It had felt like only seconds passed before Draco was practically breathing down her neck as she read; ''Who are you, Hermione?'' he asked rather angrily, obviously put out about that fact that (Y/N) was planning to ignore him, ''Why are you reading some stupid Muggle book?'' (Y/N) rolled her eyes. ''Because,'' she said sweetly, ''It is far less emotionally draining than arguing with you.'' Draco made some sort of angry noise that very much resembled that of an irate cat, and whined back, ''Why do you have to be so...so (Y/N) all the time?! It's impossible to not want to start an argument with you!'' (Y/N) closed her book with a sigh, realising she wouldn't get much reading done. She gave Draco a steely glare as she spoke, ''Please get off of my bed. You're really the last person I want anywhere near it.'' (Y/N) blushed a little as her mind wandered; 'Stop, (Y/N), you're eleven!' she mentally yelled at herself, 'And you hate each other!'. Draco, being a stubborn little wart as usual, refused; ''The sofa smells of that stupid Kneazle thing. Your bed smells of...well, it's more bearable than that.'' (Y/N) sighed, letting a small smile grace her face. ''Fine then. You continue to sit there and be arrogant.'' She stood up and sat on the sofa herself, smirking all the while; ''Either way, I'm not sitting with you.'' His expression got even darker than it was before, and he muttered to himself, ''I suppose the things I said about you to that Opal girl were truer than I thought, furball. You really are as bad as Opal wrote.'' (Y/N) blinked in surprise, her playful expression falling away. ''What,'' she said slowly, ''did you tell her, exactly?'' Draco smirked. ''Just enough to paint the picture I see.'' (Y/N)'s eyes filled with tears again. She was able to hide her pain over the issues with other people, but for him to mention it so directly...(Y/N) was stunned to silence. She staggered back and very nearly fell from her window in her stupor. The room fell into silence; the only noise was the quiet chatter of the parents downstairs. (Y/N) fell to the ground, hugging her knees and trying desperately not to cry. She looked up with nothing but hatred in her eyes; ''I'm...I'm truly sorry that you're that narrow-minded.'' This distress-filled scene was enough to finally make Draco run out of retorts. Instead, he simply met (Y/N)'s sad eyes with his; ''Are you...'' mumbled (Y/N), ''Is that your way of apologising?!'' Draco looked away. ''I'm not sorry for how I feel about you, furball.'' (Y/N) went to curl back into her hunched over, defensive state, ''But I am sorry for bringing it back up. Does that suit you, princess?'' (Y/N) smiled ever so slightly through her fog of blue. ''I...I suppose it was mostly Opal's fault anyway...'' She stood up and acted on one of the strangest impulses she had ever felt. It was only momentary, but she hugged him. She hugged the boy she hated the most. And surprisingly, he didn't push her away, either; ''and I suppose this is your way of apologising for being a stupid little princess, furball?'' (Y/N) smiled as she pulled away. ''I suppose it is,'' her smile turned to a smirk, ''But you have no right to call me a princess, little 'prince of Slytherin'.'' He blushed ever so slightly before adding quickly, ''don't think me accepting your apology says that I'll be nice to you! People in school would think I'd gone mad if I suddenly became friendly with you, furball.'' (Y/N) rolled her eyes. ''Okay then, fine.'' Suddenly, a voice came from downstairs; apparently Draco's parents were already about to go. ''Finally. I thought I was going to be stuck here with you forever.'' He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him, and appeared to be gone in seconds. Gone, but still thinking about how (Y/N) had been able to forgive him...and how she hugged him. Her, a stupid little...he was kidding himself. He enjoyed it.

She must have sneaked him a love potion or something, because there was no way he was thinking about her this way voluntarily.

At least he hoped he wasn't.