The Mark of a Death Eater

Invitation

"You're so lucky." Daphne let out an exaggerated sigh. For the hundredth time that week, she was trying to convince me how lucky I was to attend Prof. Slughorn's Christmas party. 

As a general rule, I did not like people or parties. This party especially served as a reminder of the time I'd be forced to spend at The Malfoy Mansions this holiday. 

"I have to find a date," I said mournfully. "Yeah," she said in the same tone. Daphne would have given anything to go in my place. "Maybe Draco will come with me," I thought out loud. "Are you two arguing or something?" she asked. "Why'd you think that?" I asked. "Well, you two are going out now, I just assumed he would go with you anyway." I mentally shook myself. I'd forgotten that we were supposedly a couple. "I wish I could go with you," she said sadly. "Sorry Daph," I said, smiling a little and ruffling her hair. She frowned and patted it into place. "Y'know I would have liked nothing better," I said. She smiled up at me. "Oh I know," she accepted.

"Draco, d'you want to come with me to Slughorn's party?" I asked. We were sitting in front of the fire in the common room. He had a book open on his lap but he didn't se to be reading it -his eyes hadn't move from a place on the page since we'd sat. "No," he answered flatly. I could feel an angry and embarrassed blush covering my cheeks. "Why not?" I asked. "We're not busy that night. We don't have anything extra planned." His frown deepened. "Yeah, I'm busy though, Em," he answered. "He rose from the couch and left, seemingly angrily.  "Okay, that's fine," I said to no one. Did he not want to go with me for fear that people would think we were a couple? I knew most people already thought we were, so did it really matter? He was the one that said we should do it in any case. 

I still felt embarrassed. I realised that I'd been relying on Draco to accompany me. When had I become someone who relied on people? I thought over all the important people in my life. Daphne, of course, was my closest friend. She and I had been together for years now, and she put a lot of happiness and light into me. As much as I disliked admitting it, I loved my parents. They were unhelpful and not very supportive but I did love them. Rigel, my brother, was the closest person I had to me. I would do anything for him.  And then there was Zayn, who had been my person alongside Rigel all my life. I would love him forever, even if we weren't that close anymore. Somehow, Draco had become entangled with the important people. I cared for him now in ways I didn't recognize. It scared me a little, how much I cared. I'd always prided myself in not caring about anyone but myself. Now, however, I was genuinely afraid for Draco, and barely for myself.

I shook myself of these thoughts and made my way to Transfiguration. I was afraid I was lacking behind in my work, something I refused I accept. On my way, McLaggen cornered me. He leaned against a wall, eating from a bag of Berties. I was horrified by the way he wasn't checking what colour any of them were before eating them. "You going to Sluggy's party?" he asked. "Yeah. Who're you going with?" I asked. "Hmm? Oh, Granger," he answered nonchalantly. "You're... What?" "What?" he repeated. "Granger? Are you going out with her?" I asked incredulously. "Uh, yeah I suppose." He popped a few beans into his mouth then leaned over, coughing violently. "Urgh," he said, spitting into a tissue. "I don't want to know what that was," he said. He seemed to notice the way I was staring at him. "What? I like not knowing what flavor it is," he said. "Granger?" I repeated. He sighed. "I never will understand what you don't like about her. She and you will always be more alike than either of you realise." Before I could argue once more that I was nothing like her, he left me alone, staring at a wall. That was twice today I'd been walked away from.

We had class later on that day with the Ravenclaws. It only struck me, staring at the back of Mallika's head, that Zayn wouldn't be going to Slughorn's party. I could ask him, to go as friends, of course. 

I cornered him afterwards. I smiled at him and waved him over. He wove in between the students to stand next to me. "Evening," I said brightly. He surveyed me trough narrow eyes, with a slight smile on his lips. "What do you want?" he asked, but not harshly. I glared at him, my hands on my hips. "Why would you assume I'd want something from you?" I demanded. He laughed as if I was extremely amusing. "Anytime you're nice to me it's only because you need something," he teased. "I am nice to you!" I argued. "Of course you are," he said. He laughed again, probably at my expression. He had a bad habit of doing that. "Fine. Actually, I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me to Slughorn's party, but if it's too much to ask-" I turned and angrily walked away. He laughed and tried to catch up with me. "Emma," he laughed, catching my arm. I pulled my arm away. That only made him laugh more, and he encircled my waist, spinning me around to look at him. I tried to wriggle out of his grasp, to no avail. 

He seemed to be near to tears due to laughing. Laughing at me. "Of course I'll go with you," he said. "Why are you laughing?" I demanded. "Aren't you going out with Draco Malfoy now?" he asked me. Or some reason, that made me far more angry. I hated the 'Draco-and-I-as-a-couple' cover story. "I don't want you to come with me anymore," I retorted. I tried to get out of his arms, but instead of letting me go, he hugged me tightly, and despite me anger, I hugged him back, taking in his woodsy and parchment and chocolatey smell. "I'm going with you," he said simply. We stood in the corridor, oblivious to the people moving about, just taking in each other's warmth. "I miss you Em," he sighed, after a while. "I miss you too," I sighed, surprised at how very true that was. Whatever happens, Zayn would always be a part of me.