Villain's Love || Draco x OC

(5)

"Mara," is the first thing Professor Slughorn says when he opens his office door. He smiles at me goofily, as if we were distant friends and I've come to visit him.

"You called me, professor?" I push my tongue against the inside of my left cheek. I hope I'm not in any sort of trouble, and I also hope this meeting won't involve me meeting new people. 

"Yes, I did," he says. He steps aside and gestures for me to come in. "Take a seat," he instructs. I obey and sit on the couch, awkwardly sitting with my back straight. I watch the professor make his way over to the couch in front of the one I'm sitting on. He chuckles at nothing in particular, then leans back as he observes me. 

There's a silence between us before I clear my throat. 

"You look very much like your father," he states, looking into my eyes. "You know, he was a very clever student. I favoured him— he was the top in my class, despite his controversial intentions. Quite resourceful but dangerously ambitious. There was a time he came to me seeking information; I was confused as to why he was gathering knowledge on horcruxes... his new identity is the reason why."

I look at him, confused why he was telling me this. He ignores my weird look and continues. 

"He once came to me asking for advice. He said he had strange feelings for a Ravenclaw named Elizabeth Pokley."

Mother, I think, my heart dropping at the mention of her. Slughorn notices my sudden mood drop, but he doesn't stop there.

"Eliza was a bright witch. The brightest I've met. I immediately knew you were her daughter because I saw the same gleam I used to see in her eyes in yours. She was a very beautiful girl, so I understood where Tom was coming from. I asked him to elaborate, but that would require him to talk about his weaknesses. His only soft spot was for her... and I doubt that anything would stop him from getting her to become his. I caught them once together; he was so in love with her... she was the only person he trusted and the only person he thought was above him. I wish I was there to help him when she passed away." He shakes his head, sighing. 

Yeah, beautiful and clever did describe my mother. She... she was the source of my happiness... she made everything evil good. She was capable of making Father soft, and he's the most stone hearted person I know. I knew he loved her, but I never knew he loved her that much.

It warms my heart.

When Slughorn isn't looking, I wipe a tear from my eye. I hold back the rest, because showing my weaknesses is just as hard as it was for my father to.

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," he murmurs quietly. "I know this topic is difficult to talk about, but I wanted you to know that we remember her. We always will. And I also wanted you to know that your father was a good person for her. She would have been the only one who could've prevented him from becoming Voldemort. She just was too supporting to say something. It was too late when she decided what he was doing was wrong, and that loving him didn't mean she had to be unjust and do something wrong."

I can't.

I just can't.

I hide my face as tears stream down my cheeks.

Fuck. Fuck. I hate myself for being so weak when it comes to this topic. I need to leave.

"I... I should go," I whisper, more to myself.

Slughorn doesn't seem to acknowledge my tears. He just fixates on a smile and says, "before you leave, I want to invite you to join the Slughorn Party!"

I sniffle. Party?

"There's a dinner I'm planning, and I'm hoping you'd be there. Bright witches and wizards will be invited, so that would include Mr Potter and his girl friend— the one with bushy curly hair."