arranged / dm

03

December 26th.

"She hasn't turned up?" Michael spoke in the foyer of Malfoy Manor. News of Amara's disappearance spread like wildfire and panic had arisen. Draco stood behind his father as Mr. Blackwood went off in a panicked voice about his daughter's absence.

"No. Draco had also said he does not know where she went. We can only hope to find her now. If we can't, the deal must not continue." Lucius said coldly.

Draco had secretly begun to grow worried for the missing girl. Sure, he knew of her plan and had even assisted her in the escape. But he knew young wizards and witches were being taken and tortured into insanity. He knew no one would know if she had truly done what he had told her. He could only hope she was fine and living a good life in the village miles away from here.

"We will alert you as soon as we know something." Michael sighed before turning and leaving.

"Draco, if you know something, speak now." Narcissa said calmly to him. Draco shrugged his shoulders and went to his room where he began tearing up letters.

✩☾✩

Amara had been running. Avoiding the man who had been chasing her since she left. She had slowly made her way back to her home and wished to be away from this risk. She was covered in dirt and blood. Her head pounded as she walked, taking slow steps in an attempt to silence her footsteps. The man had thrown several curses at her and had tried to kill her an hour earlier. She barely escaped and apparated to a clearing close to the Blackwood Manor. Tears stained her face as she approached the edge of the woods. A building slowly came into view as the sunlight disappeared steadily.

Her hand gripped the doorknob and she pushed open the doors revealing a worried Lucille Blackwood.

"Mother?" She said. Her mother looked at her, eyes wide in fear as she examined body.

"Are you alright? What happened? Does anything hurt?" Questions fell out of her mouth like water as she held Amara's face in her hands.

"Oh we must tell the Malfoy's. We'll apparate, it's the quickest way." Lucille's hand latched onto Amara's forearm and turned on the spot, sending them spiraling toward the Malfoy Manor.

Their feet made contact with the stone pathway to the grand doors. Lucille tensed beside her daughter before sending the younger girl ahead of herself.

"You go first. It will be good for them to see you before they see me." Amara slowly walked to the door, her body tensing more with every step she took. The door swung open as she approached it, revealing a small house-elf. His eyes widened and a smile spread on his face.

"Master Narcissa! Amara Blackwood is here!"

Footsteps echoed in the hall and a relieved Narcissa appeared around the corner. "Dear are you alright? Come in, come in." Her hands met Amara's arms and pulled her gently inside. "Lucille, thank you for bringing her." The Malfoy woman's arm was draped on Amara's shoulders. "Lucius will be relieved that we don't have to find a new partner. He's been frantic all day."

Amara knew the Malfoy's only truly care about helping themselves. But to hear someone admit that out loud spoke on new levels Amara didn't know existed.

"We're just glad she's home." Lucille blurted, her scowl exposing her true feelings clearly.

"Well.." Narcissa paused, her sights setting in on the blond boy that had appeared in the doorway. "Well yes of course. We all are."

Amara was guided to Draco. Her glare bore into his soul and set everything on fire—similar to a house fire, destroying everything it touches.

"Take her to the room. We've collectively decided it's best for both families to stay together until the wedding. We don't want to take any chances." Before Amara could open her mouth to object, she was once more being dragged by Draco Malfoy through the Manor.

This time, the pair passed his door. "Where are you fucking taking me?" The boy refused to answer. He instead continued to drag her behind him through the empty halls of Malfoy Manor. "Malfoy let go of me." She demanded, trying to remove herself from his grip.

"Shut the fuck up, Blackwood, and just follow me. It's not that difficult." Draco took long strides making it hard for Amara to keep up with him. His fingers remained digging into her soft skin even as they approached a door.

Malfoy was rough with her. He pulled her by the arm and threw her in the room, closing the door behind them. "What the hell are we doing in a spare room?" Amara cocked an eyebrow and leaned on the wall—Draco had kept a dangerous glare on her the whole time, his tongue swiping against the inside of his cheek.

"You really had to fuck this up, didn't you? I mean, seriously, how hard is it to run away to a village. Are you that dumb?" Malfoy radiated anger as he took strides toward Amara, her feet instinctively moving her backwards.

"Maybe this isn't something you could understand but when it becomes a choice between life and death you-"

"Maybe you should've died then."

His tone was laced with hot anger and his gaze was dangerously terrifying. They seemed to flash red and for a moment Amara feared him, deeply. "Excuse me?" She gasped, shoving her hands in her pockets.

"You damn well heard me. If you would've stayed we could be out of this." His hands were in fists as he shot daggers at the girl recoiling back in fear under his gaze. Even so, she still stood her ground.

"Does your pea brain comprehend that you could also run? Go get Astoria and get the fuck out! Don't place a weight on my shoulders and take care of the issue yourself."

"So you're just going to give in to this marriage?" He scoffed.

"Fuck no. But you could run away. Unless you're too much of a coward. I see nothing has changed." Amara pushed past Draco, her shoulder hitting his arm harshly. "Don't bother with anything else, Malfoy. If you really want to control this, do it yourself. I'm not risking my life again just so you can fuck Astoria Greengrass." She threw the door open and strutted down the hall, finding a fixed up guest room to make herself comfortable in.

The curtains were pulled over the window, hindering any light from coming in and illuminating the room with soft moonlight. The tall bookcases loomed over the queen sized bed and casted shadows over the entirety of the space she had found herself in. It was almost peaceful—much more peaceful than the contents of Draco Malfoy's room for certain. Though, he owned a much larger bed.

Amara climbed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Her back rested on the soft mattress beneath her and her hands felt the silk sheets slowly. Silence was bestowed over her and she thought of what life could be if she wasn't stuck in the mess she had stumbled into.

Maybe she'd be happy. It's possible she'd be working, living a much better life. Any and all dreams of a happy future had fled Amara Blackwood the second she was Marked and deemed as "evil." Nothing could change the fact that she was bad. She was the bad guy. That was the most painful of all.

The peace was soon disrupted by a knock on the wooden door. Amara shot up, her eyes glued to the door as she rose to her feet fully prepared to face Lucius Malfoy. The sound of a voice could be heard. But instead of releasing worry and helping Amara, her body tensed—her body tensed in anger. She rolled her eyes and leaned her back against the slab of wood.

"Blackwood I saw you go in there." He mumbled through the door.

"Fucking leave me alone, Draco."