Flowers and Oranges - Ron Weasley

FIFTEEN

Flashback

Without knocking, Leilani barged into her brother's room, being quick to close the door behind her. Draco's head snapped towards the door, instantly relaxing once he realized that it was just Leilani. However the calm did not last long once he noticed the frantic look on her face and he furrowed his brows when she cast a muffling charm with a motion of her hand "Lani? What's the matter?"

Her head snapped to him and she rushed over, sitting down next to him on his sofa, drawing her knees up to her chest "Did you hear?" her voice was raw, almost as if she was on the verge of tears. She turned to him, eyes wide "Did you hear who they're bringing here, Draco?"

Draco swallowed nervously, already dreading the answer "I did not. Who are they bringing here?"Her chest was still heaving, going up and down. When he noticed that she had trouble finding her words, he turned towards her and grabbed her hand, searching her eyes desperately "Leilani, i need you to tell me. Who are they bringing here?"

She nodded, taking a deep breath "They're bringing-"

Before she had time to finish her sentence, their father barged through the door, his bloodshot eyes finding them. Draco stood up as Leilani glanced down to her hands, both of them immediately recognizing the look in his face "What are you two doing hiding in here?" he hissed, marching forward "Both of you are needed in the drawing room"

Draco frowned, glancing down at Leilani who still didn't dare to move nor speak "Father...who is in our drawing room?"

Lucius paused, glancing down at his daughter who was busy fighting her tears. Then he looked up again and met his son's eyes, his own softening "It's Potter, Draco. With the Granger girl and the Weasley boy"

Leilani glanced up at the mention of him.

Draco froze, then blinked before forcing one, curt nod "I see. And I assume it is aunt Bellatrix who is requesting us?"

"Don't call her that" he hissed quietly, before he sighed again, not denying that statement "Now let's go, they're waiting for us"

Leilani watched as her brother's face turned completely cold, void of any emotion. He nodded once, before he walked out of his room without a word. She gulped, fiddling with her fingers as she avoided her fathers gaze "Father...I- I can't"

"Leilani, you must"

She shook her head, still sitting down, refusing to move "I won't. I can't. If I go out there she will make me-" she choked a sob, before taking a deep breath and looking straight into her fathers gray eyes "She will make me do it. I know them, Father. We...We went to school together. I won't survive if i do it"

Lucius stoic expression did not falter and with one curt nod, he moved towards the door, slightly pausing by the exit, speaking over his shoulder "I'll make something up" his eyes softened once, glancing down the hallway before looking back at her "Just- Just stay here, darling"

And that's what she did. Leilani sat there in the dark room, all alone in the quietness, wincing when the muffliato was starting to fade away. She stared down at her brother's green rug, a tear dripping down her face when the screaming began, knowing that if it weren't for her father, it would have been her inflicting it.

—

There was little Leilani could do but to stare at him, trying to hide the way her heart sped up in fright at the memory of that one horrid night. He was right, he hadn't seen her that night and throughout the events of the war she was kept in the Manor, trailing after her deranged aunt.