"You smell amazing."
I looked at George as I walked past him, seeing the way his eyes were glued to my body.
I was only wearing a sports bra and a pair of shorts, which was fine. I was comfortable.
Groaning, I leaned against the counter and watched as George made the sandwiches for lunch.
"I bought a new shampoo today." I told him. "It's good isn't it?"
George hummed in response, preparing lunch while constantly glancing at me.
"Is there anything you would like to say or something?" I asked, backing up from the counter before opening my arms and spinning around once.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Well... you can't seem to stop looking at my boobs."
He grinned and went to say something when the sound of the doorbell filled the house.
"I'll get that." I said and walked out of the kitchen, continuing to the entrance hall.
I opened the door and my expression dropped when I saw Malcolm there.
"Oh... it's you." I breathed, resting my arm against the door. "What do you want?"
"I—"
His eyes dropped to my chest and I suddenly became aware of what I was wearing, quickly folding my arms over my chest to try and hide my cleavage.
Malcolm cleared his throat and then looked at my face.
"I've given you space since the whole thing with Jeremy and I—"
"You mean the whole thing when you invited him onto your home while Leah was sleeping under your roof?" I asked. "After you encouraged her to lie to me so she could stay with you. You even picked her up at Hogwarts so that I wouldn't see her get off the Hogwarts express. You know that classified as a kidnapping, right?"
"Kidnapping?" He scoffed. "That's my kid."
"You don't have custody of her, Malcolm. You took her to your house and I didn't know where she was. I thought she was at Hogwarts, so yeah, taking a child without letting her legal guardian know, is classified as kidnapping."
Malcolm took a deep breath, then nodded.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually." He said. "Can I come in?"
I thought about it, biting my lip as I stared him down, then stepped aside to let him in.
"We can talk in the kitchen where George is."
"George?" He asked. "Seriously? You need your bodyguard there?"
"My bodyguard? No. My husband? Yes." I nodded, closing the door. "Take your shoes off. We don't wear shoes in our house."
He pushed off his shoes before he followed me into the kitchen. George looked up and when he saw Malcolm, he slowly put the knife down as he had been cutting the sandwiches up.
I turned around to face Malcolm.
"Talk."
He sighed.
"I got the court date. Did you?"
I nodded.
"I wanted to tell you that I'm not trying to take Leah away from you."
"No?" I laughed. "Because you suing me for custody makes it feel like you are."
Malcolm brushed a hand over his face, taking a step towards me which caused George to straighten up, watching him with an intense gaze.
"I just want to see her." He said. "I was hoping to scare you into settling so we could have split custody again but if you're not even willing to do that, I think it's best that I have her."
"You think—" I laughed. "...that's a great joke, Malcolm. It really is."
"I'm not fucking around here, Dahlia!" He yelled at me.
"Mum, I'm home!" I heard Elsie shout through the house, causing me to sigh.
Elsie was home a few days from Hogwarts due to come business at the Ministry. George was adopting her officially upon her request.
"I need you to—" I stopped talking when Elsie entered the kitchen, freezing when she saw Malcolm.
He looked at her and offered a small smile.
"Hi, darling."
"What's he doing here?" Elsie looked at me, then at George and then at me again.
"I came to talk to your mother." Malcolm told her but she ignored her, her eyes fixated on me.
"Mum?"
"He was just leaving, love... don't worry."
"Leaving? No." Malcolm shook his head. "I need you to not mention the entire thing with Jeremy in court."
I stared at him for a moment, then inhaled sharply.
"You're kidding me... right? You endangered your own daughter and now you want me to not mention it at the custody hearing?"
"I didn't endanger her!" He spat at me. "I kept her safe that night. She didn't spend one minute alone with him."
"No but she was in the same room as him!" I shot back. "She was scared out of her mind, Malcolm. I need you to leave."
He ran his hand over his mouth before he let out a laugh before he turned to Elsie.
"Elenora... I know I have been a shitty father, and a shitty husband to your mother as well but I've been sober for six months... I'm doing therapy. Once I've won this case—"
"You mean the case where you want to fight for Leah?" Elsie cut him off. "But not me?"
"Elsie—"
"You're right. You've been a shitty father." Elsie nodded. "I watched you beat up my mum when I was just seven years old... I was scared to tell you what house I was sorted into because I was scared that you would get angry. I've tried for years to get your approval and I know you love me dad but you can't get over the fact that I'm not in Slytherin like you or mum and now you don't even want me."
She was tearing up as she spoke.
"But that's okay." She breathed. "Because in a few days, George will officially be my dad... and you won't."
She marched out of the kitchen and ran up into Freddie's room which was a place she found comfort in. When Freddie lived at home and they were here for the holidays, she'd always go up there and spend time with him when upset.
He became her best friend through the years.
"What?" Malcolm looked at me, then at George. "That isn't happening. That's my daughter, not yours."
"Mate, it really isn't up to you." George said. "It's being handled soon and you don't have custody so it's up to her, Dahlia and myself."
Malcolm looked at me again.
"What have you told her? There's no way she would want to get adopted by this dipshit."
"Do not—" I stepped closer to him. "...talk about him like that. Believe it or not, Malcolm, but this was her decision and I understand why. I'm tired of you as well. She can't count on you."
