Waiting | Lucius Malfoy

Chapter Twenty-Four | Truth Truth Truth

Standing outside of Theo's flat, Guinevere cursed herself for not having a drink before arriving. Not normally a nervous person, she could feel her hands shaking slightly as she released the knocker and anxiously awaited the door swinging open.

She looked down at her boots, as she began to reach for her wand - a simple alohomora could save her the embarrassment of waiting in the street. Just as she'd turned to scan the street for muggles, she heard the familiar clang of the internal locks being released. She turned and was met with an all too familiar face.

"Surprise, G."

There stood Draco, hair slicked back and straightening his cufflinks.

Guinevere was silent, trying to figure out her next move. She could apparate straight to the Manor, sure, but the street was too busy for that kind of magic. She could simply walk away, but did she want to draw attention to herself standing before Draco? Who knew if the Daily Prophet were nearby, desperate for a story. "You could be slightly happier to see me, G." Draco jeered, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside.

"You should be in Paris, should you not?" Guinevere said, pulling herself from his grasp, her words dripping with poison.

"Parole week, G. Surely you haven't forgotten about that? After all, my father has his meeting this week. I would have presumed you would have been well aware."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh? I think you do." He replied, baring his teeth as he cast a wicked smile at her. "Nevertheless, you're here to see Theo." He spun on his heel, his long steps cascading through the hall. "Come," he shouted as he entered the lounge.

Guinevere was frozen in place. He couldn't know, could he? Theo surely wouldn't have told him. Maybe he knew about Lucius allowing her access to the Manor, or her shares in the Matriarch. That could be enough to get him riled up like this. He'd always had a short temper - particularly when it came to matters of his own family.

As she entered the sitting room, she found them both, tumblers in hand. She removed her jacket and strode confidently to sit on the couch across from them. She now understood the task at hand - be a master manipulator and get out of there as soon as possible.

"So, you're engaged, I hear?" Guinevere asked Draco, as she pulled a bottle of Elf Wine from her bag. "Lovely. Emily must be so pleased."

"Elouise." Draco quipped, studying his glass intensely. "Yes, I must say, I never thought I'd be this happy in a relationship, but here I am. Her father approves and we're set to get married next year. A muggle ceremony, it's all the rage." His sky blue eyes were scanning Guinevere, so much so that she felt herself look away from him to defuse the tension.

"Excellent news. I presume Theo will be your best man?" She looked closely at Theo for the first time, trying to get a feeling for his body language. Had he been expecting Draco or had he showed up unannounced?

"I am indeed," Theo replied shortly, before taking a sip from his glass. "Draco popped round to ask me while he was back in London. Nice of him to stay once he heard you were coming round."

It was clear that this wasn't part of some elaborate plot after all. If anything, this was the best-case scenario. It was time for Guinevere to bluff, something she had gotten excellent at over her years of family life with the Malfoys.

"So, Draco. I presume you've heard about your father and I's arrangement?" As soon as she'd spoken, she was interrupted with Theo spluttering liquid, clearly taken aback by Guinevere's brashness. "I've been using the Manor's library for research."