RUDE [George Weasley||Draco Malfoy]

PAST 28

~One last time to make it good~

"My mother wants your distant relatives as far away from our table," I tell Draco when I sit down on his bed: "She said something along the lines that they aren't the best looking people or something."

Draco lets out a laugh: "You'd be pleased to know that they don't even show up. Something got in their way, so your mother doesn't need to worry at all."

"Good," I sigh: "Does your mother has any special wishes?"

"Yes, she wants to be part when you get ready. She said something that she hasn't managed to get a daughter she has to be part of it with her daughter-in-law."

"Noted, it will be hell to have mother and her there, but whatever," I mumble.

I stare at my finger, feeling tears welling up again.

Draco shifts uncomfortably. The past days he got to know my moody side. The side of me that isn't joy and laughter. I tried to suppress it, but I couldn't.

"Okay, I can't do this any longer," he suddenly speaks up.

I look up at him irritated.

"I can't keep seeing you like this. Neither of us is alright. I have to cancel this whole wedding."

My eyes widen: "Draco, we both know we can't just do this."

"Well not just as simple as that, but I gave it a lot of thought and I realized if we gave them a reason that would dishonor your or my name with a marriage even more, they wouldn't want it. Because the whole reason we even have to marry is to wash my name clear, if we find something that would make it just as worse, we would be fine."

"I could tell a lie that I am pregnant," I offer weakly.

"Then they would just think it is mine and that wouldn't change a single thing unless a big fat monologue by your parents," he shrugs.

"Then what else do you have in mind? We can't stop this."

"What if I tell the ministry that I was the one killing Dumbledore."

It feels like a huge weight is put on the both of us in this moment.

"But, but we already know it was Snape who did it," I stand up.

"Yes, but what if I declare that it was actually me and Potter did see the wrong thing. It was my mission after all and –"

"No Draco, no. No way I let you do this."

"But it would bring me in such a bad name, that even your parents name can't clean it," he looks at me.

"This wouldn't just bring you a bad name, this would bring you a temporary stay in Azkaban! I'm not letting you do this. You are not a bad person Draco, you don't deserve to go in there."

"But I did wrong things!"

"You did mistakes!," I get a bit louder: "Everyone makes them. Yours were more severe yes, however, you were also pushed into something, you were young by Rowena's sake, you thought that what you did was right at that moment, but you aren't that little kid any longer. You simply made mistakes, that doesn't mean you should rot in there just like your father."

"I rather stay in a loveless marriage with you for the rest of my life than having you into Azkaban, so don't you dare admit something wrong."

"Okay," he nods: "Convinced. But there got to bet something, anything. We are purebloods, there has to be something we can frame us, our families are particularly build of lies."

I run a hand through my hair and over my face. This is stressing me out.

"My family once had forbidden dark objects, but I doubt that would help us," he thinks aloud.

"I have something," I suddenly blurt out.

"What?"

"I have something," I take a deep breath: "Something that could stop your family from wanting to be engaged into this."

If I'm going to admit this, I will take a huge risk. I can ruin everything. Everything I have ever owned.

"What exactly is that?," Draco sits down on his bed again and pulls me down with him, facing me with his body.

"The company our family is built upon; it is a known fact that many house elves work on the plantation. What isn't known that my family kind of steals. Many house elves we own, are from other families. I found out that my parents use some powerful charms to confuse the owners into ordering the elves to us."

"That means that two thirds of the elves we have, aren't actually ours. They steal them in a way. If that ever comes out they are doomed, or at least their company. Which will dishonor the name and the monthly income will decrease drastically, especially with people like Granger who want the best for other magical creatures."

"Therefore, my family won't be financially stable for the rest of their lives, which may cause troubles to your family as well, since they depended on our money."

Draco blinks a few times before letting out a deep groan: "Ally, do you know what might happen to you if you ever say that out there in the open?"

"I don't care any longer! I was being a coward long enough. I'm done being scared of them. I let that pass way too long. I will do something against this now and if this means I will lose everything I have in the end, that's fine by me."

"Are you sure you want to do that?," Draco genially sounds worried about me.

"Yes. I made mistakes myself all my life, I should have said something earlier, so this is my chance to make it good."