Slytherin Poison

twenty

"You visited her," Draco's eyes narrowed. "Madam Malkin."

I swallowed. "Did you always know about Delphini?"

Draco took a step forward and I saw how angry he was. "Delphini has a complicated past, Rosalyn. She is more than just Madam Malkin's granddaughter. If you could even call her that."

"What?" I was confused. "What do you mean?"

He didn't clarify anything. "You should go, Rosalyn. Don't go seeing her."

"I want to see her," I snapped. "I want to see how she was treated."

"She isn't harmed," Draco shouted back, defensive. "You wouldn't even recognize her anymore. She doesn't have the red hair or-"

I pushed past him, walking down the halls. This probably counted as intruding but I was desperate to know.

"Rosalyn," Draco then gripped my wrist and I stopped.

I turned around to stare at him, wondering if this was a joke. "Did you know she wasn't actually my cousin?"

He was searching my eyes frantically to see if he could find anything. I assessed him all the same. Dark circles under his eyes. A hint of longing. I could read his mind right now but I no longer saw the point in doing that.

This was my best friend but now Draco couldn't even read me anymore. Maybe he never could. Just what I let him see.

"Yes," Draco finally admitted. "I always knew."

I jerked my hand away from him and then stepped back, stunned.

I felt the betrayal seep in, even though it shouldn't have mattered. I betrayed him just as much. Still, it hurt a lot to know that Draco knew who Delphini was the whole time and still allowed me to be naïve. 

"You're right," I finally nodded to him, backing away faintly. "I should go."

"Rosalyn-" he yelled but I was already out the door.

Hours later, I found myself at Daphne's birthday affair.

It was so very Daphne.

She loved the color gold best and so that was the theme. It was very high society, where all the purebloods attended. I didn't want to come but it was Daphne's special day,

Here I was, trying hard to not get drunk.

"You look like you don't want to be here," Blaise observed very smartly.

I didn't.

At one end, Draco was there being polite and smiling with Pansy.

Pansy looked very pretty in her pink robes while Draco wore a deep green that suited him well. It hurt to see my best friend again. Draco had made eye contact with me but then looked away. So distant.

I wish I knew what he was thinking.

I grumbled at him as Blaise took my champagne. "You look ridiculous."

"And you look like a widow," Blaise almost cackled, drawing my attention back to him. I gave him a look and he composed himself. "Fine. Hot, but a little dead."

"You get the most love at a funeral, Blaise."

Since it was a masquerade party, we all had masks on. Everyone was taking on different shades, though gold was required. While Blaise chose an obnoxious white and gold to match Daphne, I was wearing black.