Fatal Rose

Suffocate (Mattheo)

"Riddle!" Theo busted through the door to the common room. He was out of breath and sweating.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It's Ember. She's on the tower. Hurry." He panted out and we both took off running.

"Em please don't. Please get down from the ledge." Draco was pleading, holding his hand out for her to grab but she just shook her head.
"No I can't do this anymore. I can't feel anymore. I need this to be over. I can't I can't I can't." She sobbed. She looked up at me and a sad smile crept at the corners of her mouth. "I'm sorry Matty." She fell backwards off the ledge.

"Ember no!!" I yelled as I was ripped from the nightmare. I sat up and threw the blankets off of me. I was drenched in cold sweat. Fuck not again. This is the same nightmare I've had about her for months now. I was getting fucking sick and tired of it.
I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was after nine in the morning already. I slept for almost 12 hours. I guess after the last two days of chaos I needed it. I slowly got out of bed and threw on a pair of sweats and a t shirt from my closet, that I thankfully neglected to clear out when I was here last, and made my way downstairs.

The manor was quiet as I headed into the sitting room. Most of the death eaters had been sent on assignments leaving only the Malfoy's, Ember and I here with a few lower ranking members.
Draco was seated in an armchair in front of the fireplace, nursing a cup of coffee. He didn't even look up or notice me come in until I threw myself down in the chair across from him and started lighting up a cigarette.
"Mornin'." He mumbled and slightly nodded in my direction. "Happen to have a spare?"
I cocked my head at him surprised when I realized what he was talking about. "Since when do you smoke?"
He rolled his eyes, "Do you have one or not Riddle?" He said in a clipped tone.
I pulled a smoke out of the pack and tossed that and a lighter over to him. "Long night I guess?"
He lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, slowly blowing out the smoke through his nose. "She's having nightmares." He leaned forward in the chair, his leg shaking nervously up and down. He took another drag.
"That's nothing new for her mate. What are they about this time?" I've dealt with Ember and her nightmares her entire life. Normally it's a memory that's on replay over and over again. They're always brought on by major changes or events and given the last few days it's no surprise they've already started.
Draco dragged his hand through his hair and looked up at me. "Johnathan. It was when she came home and found him choking her mother trying to kill her. She burned him to stop him." He shook his head and sighed, "She never told me anything about him. I didn't realize how awful he was."
I looked at him confused, "Normally her nightmares are memories. I don't remember her ever burning him. She never used that ability on anyone."
"It was a memory. It happened 3 days before they died. Wait... she never told you about it? I just assumed... she tells you everything." Draco sat back in the chair and snickered to himself like he was proud he knew something about her that I didn't already know. Proud that she trusted him with something she apparently didn't trust me with.
Whatever I'll let him have his moment. I tossed my cigarette onto the tray on the side table and lit up another one. "Well I guess it's a good thing her parents had no magic or he would've over powered her."
Draco furrowed his brows together, "What do you mean they had no magic? They were both Pureblood wizards and death eaters. That makes no sense." He retorted.
"When they left Britain for New York, they had to apply with the American ministry for asylum. As war criminals the American ministry of magic stripped both of them of their abilities basically forcing them to live their remaining lives as muggles. The only reason they were even allowed to stay was because they had us with them. That's why Johnathan turned to drinking which just intensified the damage to his mind and body that years of dark magic had done to him. It's also why Aria became so weak and submissive. Dark magic gave them a false sense of power and superiority and without it they felt like they were nothing." I explained.
Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "That explains why she's so scared." He whispered to himself.
We sat in silence for a while. One of the house elves brought another pot of coffee in and set it down on the table between us. It had been a long time since he and I had talked like this. Truth be told I missed him. It's been so lonely since that night of the party without him or Ember to talk to. The entire group fell apart and went our separate ways. I felt betrayed when Ember chose Draco and defended him from me. I didn't want to have to swallow my pride so I didn't plan on reconciling with any of them until Theo forced Pansy, Blaise and I to talk on the train. When Em and Draco walked by hand in hand and I saw the look on her face; I realized how badly I fucked up. My best friend. My sister. I left her alone for months and for what?
I cleared my throat after a while and he turned his attention toward me. "How did you not realize she was pregnant? I mean there had to be signs before now." After the words left my mouth I realized how accusatory my tone was. His face fell and he shook his head.
"We weren't together. The only time I was even close to her was in lessons. She was avoiding me and I was busy with Umbridge and Prefect responsibilities."
I sat up, "What do you mean you weren't together? That night of the party... I assumed she forgave you when she protected you." The realization struck me that Ember had been completely alone for months. The two people that vowed to love and protect her just abandoned her.
"She told me that night she couldn't be with me. I said some pretty horrible things the night before and with getting in a fight with Weasley and then accidentally breaking her nose... she said it wasn't good for us to be together. I think she was trying to make it easier if she decided to kill herself before joining you know who. I kept as close a watch on her as I could without being too invasive. Finally I couldn't take being away from her anymore and I found her on the tower the morning of her birthday and gave her the ring and she took me back." I saw tears start forming in his eyes and he turned away so I wouldn't see him crying.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
He sniffled and wiped his face, "How are we supposed to take care of a baby? I mean what if we fuck this kid up like our parents did with us? I couldn't protect Ember from the dark lord so how the fuck am I supposed to protect our baby..." he looked up at the clock. "It's getting late. I'm gonna go check on her and see if she's awake yet." He fixed her a cup of coffee and I watched as he put 4 spoonfuls of honey in it just how she likes it. Little things like that make me grateful that she has him. He really does love her.
"Draco?" I called after him and he stopped and turned back around. "You're not going to fuck up your kid. You and Em will be amazing parents and you'll have plenty of help. No one's going to let anything happen to the baby. I promise." I gave him a reassuring smile.
"I sure hope you're right riddle." He sighed and left the room.
I sat back in the chair and stared at the fire, thinking about everything that's happened. Narcissa and Lucius knew about Ember being my sister and never said a word to me about it. If I would've known I never would have brought her here. I could've been more strategic about protecting her. If I never would've brought her here she wouldn't be pregnant right now, Charlee wouldn't be dead, Draco wouldn't be in this mess. So many lives ruined or changed forever because of one stupid decision to follow her parents orders and bringing her to Sirius after they died.
"Embers pregnant?" I heard a voice say softly from behind me. I shot up from the chair and found myself face to face with Enzo. Rage took hold and I grabbed him by the collar and shoved him forcefully up against the wall.
"What the fuck are you doing here Berkshire?" I spat. He was shaking and wouldn't look me in the eye. I could tell he was scared of me. Good.
"I... I just... I wanted to explain... I needed to explain myself. I... I never meant for any of this to happen."His voice was shaking with fear. The little git looked like he was about to shatter at any moment.
I shoved him harder up against the wall. I wanted to kill him. "You have 10 seconds to tell me why you did it. 10 seconds and then I'm going to kill you." I dropped my hands from his shirt and he slid down the wall. The sleeve on his jacket was pulled up and revealed the tail end of the dark mark. He noticed me eyeing it and pulled his sleeve up higher revealing the whole thing.
"My father was with him at the tournament last year. He was one of the death eaters in the graveyard with Potter and Diggory. When he failed to capture Harry and let him get away he gave my father two choices... I would have to take the mark and become a spy for him to keep an eye on you Ember and Potter or he would kill me and my baby sister." He mewled. He buried his head in his hands. "I never wanted anyone to get hurt. I was just trying to protect my family. My sister is only four years old. I couldn't let her die for my fathers mistake. I'm so sorry. I care about Ember and I never meant for it to go this far. I never meant for this to happen. I tried to jinx the potion because I knew what it was for but it's obvious now it didn't work. Please please forgive me." Enzo sobbed as he pulled his knees to his chest and held himself tightly.
I felt my throat tighten with anger. I wanted to rip him to pieces with my bare hands. That would be a slower death than just cursing him. I picked him up by the shirt and punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.
"Matty no!" Ember screamed and I was thrown back against the chair with such force it almost toppled over. I looked up to see Draco putting his wand back in his pocket. "Sorry mate. She has a tendency to throw herself in the middle of fights. She can't get hurt."
Ember was on the ground next to Enzo examining his face. "He didn't break anything thankfully." She glared up at me. "What the hell is your problem? Why would you attack Enzo like that?" She seethed. She stood up and helped Enzo off the ground dusting him off.
"He's the reason you're in this mess Ember. He was the spy for our father. He slipped you the potion. He's a traitor." I hissed.
"I think I'm going to have to agree with Riddle on this one darling." Draco said and rolled up his sleeves.
Ember stood in front of Enzo protectively. "You two aren't going to lay another finger on him. You act as if he had a choice in what he did. Mattheo you know as well as anyone he couldn't tell our father no. And you Draco. You are the one that told me you don't tell the dark lord no or did you forget that little tidbit from our fight that night?" Embers eyes darkened as she spoke.
"Ember..." Draco began but she quickly cut him off.
"No Draco! You two should be ashamed of yourselves. Enzo is just as much without any choice as the rest of us. He took the mark to save his sister. Same thing you did Mattheo. Same thing I did for both of you." Her voice broke as her eyes darted in between us. Her chest heaved with anger and frustration.
Why did she always have to be annoyingly right about everything? Ember saw the world as not simply right or wrong or black and white but in various shades of gray. She always saw the good in people and the intentions not the act itself no matter what the other person did.
I groaned and rolled my eyes, "Fine. I'm sorry Enzo. Truce?" I tried to get up but I was pinned to the chair by an invisible force.
"Oh sorry." Draco waved his wand and the force holding me down dissipated.
I got up and approached Enzo with my hand outstretched. He looked at it for a moment and then hesitantly took it. "I promise I won't try and kill you in the future." I sneered sarcastically at him.
Ember looked at Draco and gestured in between him and Enzo. He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "Truce." He shook Enzo's hand. "You're lucky that you're cute when you're angry." He chuckled and kissed Ember on the forehead. "Come on my fathers waiting for us." He pulled Ember along out of the sitting room leaving just Enzo and I alone.
"I really am sorry." Enzo whispered and gripped his sleeve.
"Save it Berkshire. I only forgave you for Ember's sake. She loves you. You should worship the ground she walks on because no one will be allowed to touch you with her around." I picked up my pack of cigarettes off the table and walked out of the room.