Draco's Deal

Chapter Eleven: Bonding Time

"Stop flinching, darling. I'm not going to bite," Nagini hisses, her forked tongue flicking against my cheek.

"Nagini, get you and your slimy sack of scales away from me or I will bite you," I snap back, shrugging the devilish snake off of my shoulders.

I've been sitting in this same chair for over an hour now, trying not to think about my current situation. The time seems to go by slower than it should, almost never moving as I swing my legs over the edge. At this point, I would kill to escape this dimly lit, emerald green lined room.

The color's starting to make me sick.

"Tch, you're feistier than I remember," she grumbles as she slithers up onto the table next to me, "Nowhere near as fun to be around."

"I guess I could say the same for-"

"Girls, girls, please at least try to get along," Voldemort states with a smile as he walks into the dim room. He sits a tray of scones and tea on the table next to Nagini before sitting in a chair across from me. "We will all be seeing a lot more of each other from now on, after all."

"Yes, my Lord," Nagini sighs.

I simply turn my eyes away in disgust, sneering my lips slightly. I hear Voldemort let out a sharp exhale of irritation. Not even a second later I feel his clawed fingers gripping my chin, forcing my eyes to stare into his.

"Isn't that right, my dear?"

"Whatever you say, Voldemort," I spit, rolling my eyes at the grey-skinned man before me. With a low growl he releases my chin, allowing me to fall back into my seat.

"It's Father to you, you ungrateful little ophidian," he sneers at me, his eyes becoming grimly dark. "You would think that after everything I've gifted you with, even your very life, that you would be more appreciative."

"Well please forgive me if I don't show gratitude to the very man that murdered my helpless mother directly in front of me."

Voldemort slams his fist on the table, causing the pile of scones to topple and the tea to splash slightly out of the cups. His hand comes forward and wraps tightly around my wrist, lurching me towards him.

"That was the past," he seethes, mere centimeters from my face. My blood runs cold and my entire body goes pale as his hand tightens around my wrist. "If you can't disregard that tiny little detail, then you can be next, my darling daughter. Do you understand me?!"

I can't seem to get any words to slip through my trembling lips, even if I wanted them to. A frog tries to embed itself inside of my throat, nearly suffocating me.

"I said do you understand me?!" Voldemort screams, causing a small screech to finally dislodge the words in my throat.

"Yes," I breathe, almost panting.

"Yes what?" The Dark Lord growls through gritted teeth, his cold eyes never leaving my own.

"Yes, Father," I reply meekly.

He immediately releases his grip on me, sitting me gently back into my seat. I flinch as he raises a clawed hand up to my flushed cheek, wiping away tears I didn't know I was shedding. Letting my eyes fall to my wrist, I nearly gasp at the purple and black marks already present on my skin.

"I apologize, my dear, I never wanted to lay a finger on you. It's just, I need you to understand that I'm here for you now," he smiles at me, sending chills down my already trembling spine. Raising his wand and muttering a few words, he removes the bruise from my wrist. "Besides, I need to enjoy my time with you now seeing as how our visitor will be arriving soon."

My eyebrows raise sharply, "V-Visitor?" I squeak, clutching my hand around my now unbruised wrist.

"Why, yes, Darling. That young Malfoy lad, Draco, is coming by to assemble the arrangements," he explains, a creepily warm smile tracing his lips.

"What arrangements?" I ask, leaning forward slightly in my seat, "If you don't mind me asking, Father," I add quickly, trying to maintain on his good side. Though, I don't think that's highly possible.

"The arrangements for your marriage, of course."

My jaw drops and my eyes go wide as I stare at the pale wizard sipping on tea in front of me. He sends me a baffled look, lowering the cup from his lips. With a quirked brow he lets out a dry scoff.

"Is that a problem?" Voldemort asks, sitting the cup of tea back onto the table, "It's not like you two aren't courting regardless. Why not be joined in matrimony? Besides, his father is one of my greatest allies at the moment. This marriage would benefit me- I mean- us greatly."

He wants me to marry Draco? Oh dear Merlin, I can't breathe.

"Wh-When do you plan on scheduling the wedding?" I ask, nearly choking on the last word.

"Oh, I suppose a week will give us enough time to plan, or maybe even sooner. Saturday, maybe?" He says, shrugging his shoulders with a small sigh. "I've already got your dress and his suit tailored. All that's left to do is the guest list."

"D-Dress? G-Guest list? What?" I stammer, holding tightly onto the armrests of the chair so I don't faint out of it.

"Why yes, my dear. It only seemed fitting that I took the wedding planning off of your hands, seeing as how you're in the middle of your final year," he chuckles darkly as he stands up from his seat, "Now, come with me. I want you to look presentable for our guest."

As I stare at his outstretched hand I can't help but feel I have two options. Two options that, either way, are going to change my life drastically.

I could take his hand and follow him to whatever grim place he's leading me. Go through with marrying Draco, only to give myself and Draco an even worse reputation than we already have. Then by doing this, endangering not only myself, but the remainder of my peers at Hogwarts.

Or I could just kill him.

•••

short chapter, i know. but the next chapter is going to be very long and very important.

it will also be in a third person pov, so i apologize in advance if it doesn't sound good.

enjoy!