Daddy issues

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE: Carefully watching

TW: flashback to torture

*Annabella's POV*

-•- 2 weeks later -•-
I looked to my right to see an injured Draco lying in his bed, his pale skin looking a tone of ashy grey and his hair dishevelled. I remembered that he took a bad beating the other day -we both did. Lucius had found out about some of the fights I had been in before term ended; one of the Beauxbatons girls' parents had sent a letter of concern to him about my behaviour and expressed her disappointment. Apparently, one of the girls was a Rosier, so the family was loosely related to the Malfoys and, regrettably, loyal followers of my father -meaning that I was in deep shit...

As I watched his near lifeless body in front of me -yet somehow still angelic and peaceful- I couldn't help but think back to what had happened when he found out.

*****Flashback*****

I had been blacking out more frequently in the last week or so. The worst one yet, was on Christmas Day, after I found out about my 'powers'. We got onto the topic of what happened in the summer and he hurt Draco after he had talked out of line. Draco took it well though, he bounced right back and had fought through the pain... I remember screaming for Draco -praying he wasn't hurt but all I could see was black. Apparently, I had yelled at Lucius and flung the cruciatus curse right back at him. I didn't remember any of that though. All I know, was that I woke up the next morning with Draco wrapped up in my arms and a banging headache. Fuzziness was clouding my thoughts that entire day.

A few days ago, was when Lucius had found out about the letter and the fights.

I was laying on my bed, curled up under the blankets, my head resting on Draco's shoulder as we watched my muggle television show. This one was called 'Casualty'. It was rather strange seeing how the muggles healed simple wounds with no magic. There was one person who had a stab wound and all of the doctors seemed to be panicking saying he would die... all they had to do was cast an episkey (would have that small injury healed in no time at all, really...)

We lay snuggled like that for a while, not saying anything -both entirely consumed by the prospect of muggles using prices of metal and string to heal a wound... they were stitching the person up like a piece of torn fabric? I switched the channel over to watch the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, I found the main character quite funny actually. That was until we heard my door being blown completely off of its hinges and a furious Lucius standing in the doorway, his wand pointed straight at my head. The whole house had been filled with tension and apprehension ever since my fight with Lucius. But this, this unsettled me. I felt Draco tense beside me and squeeze my arm tightly. We both looked on in horror as Lucius then turned his gaze toward the muggle tv in front of us -still blasting the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme tune.

"What is this?!" The elder Malfoy pointed his wand at the tv with distaste.

"A tv..." I answered in a small voice, knowing I had been caught.

"I know what it is you idiot! I'm asking why you are bothering to spend such precious time -which you could be doing schoolwork on- as to bother utilising a filthy invention?!"

"I... Well, I-"

"YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES! AND YOU!..." he paused for a second, looking directly at his son, "YOU DARW TO ENCOURAGE SUCH BEHAVIOUR FROM HER?! YOU ARE NO SON OF MINE! GET OUT! GO!"

"NO!" Draco shouted, rolling over to the other side of the bed to protect me. He held an arm around me, keeping me close to him at all times.

"HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME! YOU BRING NOTHING BUT SHAME AND DISHONOUR TO THIS PRESTIGIOUS FAMILY! FOR CENTURIES WE HAVE BEEN THE MOST RESPECTED WIZARDING FAMILY IN THE WORLD! AND I AM NOT ABOUT TO HAVE YOU TARNISH THAT REPUTATION! THE PAIR OF YOU!"

"I SAID NO! I'M NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU ALONE IN A ROOM WITH HER EVER AGAIN! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAD BOUGHT SHAME AND DISHONOUR TO THIS FAMILY! NOT ME, NOT ANNABELLA, YOU!" Draco rose from the bed but was quickly knocked off of his feet by Lucius. With his bare hands. He whacked him around the head with his fist, sending Draco to the floor.

He proceeded to tie Draco up with a charm and continuously hex him, jinx him, curse him and hit him. Just about anything imaginable was done to the boy. I couldn't bare to watch. I had tried to pull Lucius away from Draco but it only resulted in me being sent to the floor with a blow to the stomach. I screamed and cried in terror for Draco's life; Narcissa had heard and came running up the stairs. She stood in the corner silently crying but knowing that there was nothing she could do unless she wanted to end up dead. When Lucius has his fits of rage, there is nothing anybody can do except be there to help the victim in the aftermath... if they make it out alive.

Shortly after, Lucius had finished- leaving a bloody and beaten Draco for Narcissa to tend to. He circled the bedroom and shut the door with a swish of his wand.

"Now... What to do with you?..." He chuckled darkly, "I received a letter from the Rosiers informing me that a fight occurred between their youngest daughter -Monique- and you... I thought you had controlled your temper, darling? Well, well, well... I told them I would punish you accordingly... It's time I see to it." Malice. Nothing but pure malice laced his tone of voice. He was plotting, he was planning, he was scheming. Whatever he had planned, I best be ready for it. So much for him seeing me like a daughter, he beats me and Draco and expects nothing but love in return... this is one fucked up family then.

*****end of flashback*****

I looked down at my body; I still had cuts and bruises that were yet to heal from the harsh hands of Lucius Malfoy. My knuckles were wrecked from my attempts to fight back. However, I had resorted to magic instead when warding him off. After he had attacked Draco, I was fuming and when he advanced on me, I expelled some sort of barrier that blocked him from me. I'm not sure exactly how I did it, it just happened. All I remember is lilac waves erupting from my body and blasting Lucius ten feet back and smashing him against the wall -hard.

I watched the blonde boy in front of me carefully as I felt a small hand tap my thigh. Kit. My darling, Kit. Clearly he wanted something as I could see he was growing impatient from me not answering and instead admiring his cuteness.

"Hmm, what do you want, Kit?" I hummed gently, still keeping a watch on Draco.

"Hug..." The small boy replied quite plain and simply. I mean fair enough, although we didn't embrace eachother as a family that often, I would always hug Kit as I felt he deserved a happy childhood -one filled with love and affection with the absence of such pain and trauma. I picked him up gently and placed him on my lap as I sat in the chair next to Draco's bed, pulling Kit in tightly to my chest.

Occasionally, Draco would stir from his otherwise peaceful sleep, bit other than that Kit and I stayed entwined, carefully watching his older brother.

A/n: I'm sorry this chapter is so short! I've been going through some personal shiiiit, but I'm okay now. This is more of a filler chapter anyway -just like a small update on what has happened over the Christmas break before there will be a time jump. It's a bit traumatic sorry but yeah lol

Kisses xx