The Downfall (Theo Nott FF)

28. Silent Night

Marilyn had left West Manor. All her parents could talk about was her new arrangement. it was driving her crazy. She felt guilty. Theo wouldn't talk to her the whole train ride. He hadn't sent her an owl the whole week they'd been back at their homes. Her parents bringing her arrangement up all the time wasn't helping her feel better.

She stood at the gate of Malfoy Manor, having trekked through the snow to get there.

"Lyn? I wasn't expecting you." Draco called from his perch in his open bedroom window.

Marilyn looked up.

"Can I come in?" She asked, her nose red and her cheeks puffed.

Draco simply chuckled and with a swish of his wand, the gate opened, leading Marilyn to the front door of Malfoy Manor. Draco met her at the door, opening it for her and embracing her in a hug.

"You alright?" He asked as he took her coat.

Marilyn nodded her head.

"Yes of course...I just needed to get out of the house you know? My mum and dad were just going on and on about the arrangement and it's just..."

"Difficult." Draco nodded.

"Yeah, can I stay here tonight? Do you mind?" Marilyn asked.

Draco chuckled.

"Of course you can. Just find any empty bedroom, we've got loads." He smirked. "I've got a guest at the moment so...I'll be getting back to them."

"Astoria?" Marilyn smirked.

Draco shook his head, chuckling to himself.

"Who is it then!?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you"

And with that, Draco Malfoy disappeared up the stairs, leaving Marilyn alone. She wandered to the large kitchen near the front entryway.

Draco's mom was flipping through the daily prophet, sat at the large kitchen table.

"Hi Mrs.Malfoy, I hope you don't mind, I've asked Draco if I could stay the night here." Marilyn said, sitting across from Narcissa at the table.

"Oh of course, I'm glad you're here." Narcissa smiled at the girl. "How are things going with the new arrangement? I know you weren't too pleased with the first one."

Marilyn sighed, chuckling a bit remembering that Narcissa was there when she found out about her previous arrangement to Theo. She wished she hadn't been so upset. It was much better than the new arrangement.

"I sure wish I had been more grateful for my first arrangement." She pressed her lips together.

"Well yes, your relationship with Theodore has been broken hasn't it?" Narcissa sighed longingly.

"Relationship- No...did Draco say-" Marilyn became flustered, she and Theo had kept their relationship private as best they could, not wanting to cause any commotion.

"No darling but I saw you dance together at his ball, then again at your ball. There's no pretending you are anything else but in love."

Marilyn stared down at her hands.

"I like him a lot." She whispered. "But we had this fight and I can't even resolve things because he thinks I wanted this to happen." She said fighting tears.

"Theodore does not like to talk about his feelings." Narcissa spoke softly. "He lived here when his father was in Azkaban and his mother had passed. He was 9 years old. I'd try and talk to him, get him to open up. He never did."

"He says he comes here a lot."

"He does. He's very rarely opened up about his feelings. He'll tell me the bare minimum to get me off his back...but..."

"...There's more to it." Marilyn sighed, finishing her sentence, knowing what Narcissa meant all too well.

Narcissa nodded.

"He seemed happy with you." Narcissa gave her a small smile.

"Oh GOD eavesdropping in this house is so BORING" a voice shouted from the kitchen door.

"Bella that's rude!" Narcissa scoffed as her sister stepped into the kitchen with a grin.

"Oh- Bellatrix...I'm sorry I wasn't-" Marilyn stammered.

"Talking about how much you don't want to marry my son?" Bellatrix said plainly.

"Bella-" Narcissa started.

Bellatrix shrugged with a hum.

"If you don't want to marry him, don't." Bellatrix stated.

"It's not that I don't want to marry him, I barely know him. I just...it's complicated." Marilyn shook her head.

"So wait you do want to marry Mattheo? What about Theo?" Narcissa asked.

"No I want to be with Theo...but my parents want me to follow the Dark Lords wishes and I do like Mattheo and maybe I could marry him, but...I didn't get to see Theo through. Things were going well between us and maybe they would have worked out really well...or maybe they wouldn't I dunno. But we didn't even get to try." Marilyn spilled out, not being able to stop herself from opening up to the sisters.

Bellatrix nodded her head and Narcissa grabbed Marilyn's hand across the table.

"Well you can't be with someone when you're still wondering 'what might have been' with another." Narcissa said thoughtfully. "Talk to Theo. See how he feels. You won't be able to change your arrangement but perhaps you can delay it."

Marilyn nodded.

"Thank you."