The Girl Who Lied || Draco Malfoy

The Funeral

January, 1996

The rest of the days at Grimmauld dragged along in a haze of grief. The Weasleys stayed, yet even in the crowd of residents she felt that empty loneliness creep back.

Mrs. Weasley did her best to be strong for the children. Hyacinth watched from a distance how she would wipe her tears away the moment one of her kids came to her, giving them a strong hug and comforting words. Mrs. Weasley may have been the strongest woman she knew, up next to Professor McGonagall. Was anyone there to hug Mrs. Weasley when she needed it? Hyacinth attempted it one of those days after Arthur Weasley's death, wrapping Mrs. Weasley in a big hug, but Mrs. Weasley only tried to comfort Hyacinth instead. She didn't need comfort.

She felt nothing at all.

The Order hadn't placed the Imperturbable Charm on the door yet and Hyacinth sat on the stairs, knees tucked into her chest, and listened.

"It feels real now," someone said. One of the Order members that Hyacinth didn't really know, based on the unrecognizable voice. "Just like last time - the first death is the hardest."

They were wrong; Cho Chang was the first death.

"And hopefully the last," Tonks said, her steel determination strong in her tone.

"I was optimistic once, too," Moody grumbled.

Hyacinth felt inclined to agree.

"Arthur protected the Department of Mysteries from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named with his life," Sirius said. "Arthur died a hero. He protected the fate of Harry and Hyacinth, the fate of many others that would die if He retrieved the-"

The Weapon. What was the weapon?

"Sirius," Remus interrupted sternly. "We haven't charmed the door."

Sirius paused, listening. Hyacinth held her breath, frozen on the stairs, but it wasn't enough. He had that dog hearing, nearly as good as Remus' wolf hearing and better than Hyacinth's partial wolf hearing. Just good enough to pick up heartbeat. Sirius sighed. "Go to bed, little Red."

Hyacinth went to bed.

She spent her time in the library, devouring books and avoiding the others. If Sirius was worried about her reading material, which only centered around dangerous poisonous potions and venoms by happenstance, he said nothing. He would come sit next to her and let her curl her feet under his leg as they sat in silence while she read. Sometimes Remus would join them on the other side of the couch and read as well. Sirius would rest his hand on Remus' leg and work on the Daily Prophet's crossword, cursing under his breath.

"We should have a New Year's party," Sirius said in the library one day. Remus looked over the top of his book to raise a brow at Sirius. "And our party will be better than Lucius's stupid party!"

Right, the Malfoy Gala. "Who would we invite?" Hyacinth wondered.

"No one," Remus scolded, shocked that Hyacinth even entertained the idea. "Arthur's funeral is tomorrow."

"Which I can't attend," Sirius reminded Remus. "So what better way to celebrate his life than a party? Gather all of the Order, bring in the good alcohol."

"It's unbecoming to use another's life as an excuse to get what you want. You're making it about you."

Sirius ripped his hand off of Remus's leg. "Fine then. Happy fucking New Year. Enjoy the funeral with your girlfriend."

Hyacinth watched Sirius leave, blinking as the door slammed behind him. "You have a girlfriend?"

Remus sighed. "No, I... He's just being Sirius."