Fierce Consequences [a main character x Snape/Malfoy fan-fiction]

Chapter 12: Open Alone

Songs for this chapter:
R.I.P. 2 My Youth - The Neighbourhood

Draco remained in infirmary for the rest of the weekend. He was taking Madame Pomfrey's orders seriously in the hopes of being able to keep their plans for his birthday weekend. So far the only plans were the Malfoy Manor and alcohol. Their friend group didn't seem to consist of much else lately.

Lucius stayed until Draco's mother, Narcissa, came. They wanted to make sure Draco was okay before returning home. It was obvious there was tension in the family as his parents would barely look at each other. Elora could see Draco shift in the infirmary bed whenever either of them were present, obviously irritated and uncomfortable that they were there.

Elora visited Draco often over the next few days. Partly because she still cared about him as a friend, but also because she wanted to see Lucius. His eyes would follow her through the room like she was a piece of meat and he was a hungry lion. It ignited something in her, a hunger she didn't know existed.

Slowly, his appearance at the castle ceased as Draco returned to his dorm and things went back to normal, but the things going through Elora's head were far from normal. She knew it was wrong. Snape had warned her, but she couldn't help it. It was like Lucius was a drug and she was slowly but surely becoming addicted to him.

"It's almost as if you have a death wish" Her professor's deep voice rang in her ears as she replayed the conversation she had with him on the astronomy tower. But she couldn't keep her thoughts off of him, and they were loud. If being around Lucius is asking for death, then RIP and enjoy my funeral, she thought.

Sitting in the great hall for dinner later that week, the group was engaged in a conversation about how much they hated the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

"I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's doing, but I feel like we haven't learned anything. Wouldn't it make sense to perfect all of the defensive spells we were forced to use during the war?" Aurelia said. Her friends nodded in agreement. The class had become something you dreaded. The amount of notes they were required to take caused her wrist to feel like it could fall off. The amount of reading assigned was enough to make her want to gouge her eyes out. All of that and none of them had been allowed to even raise their wands to practice in class, something that Elora had assumed would be a daily part of the lessons as a 7th year student.

Interrupting the conversation, the mail arrived. Elora paid little attention as she rarely received anything. Her parents worked too much to have time for her, so she never expected a letter or package from them. As letters and packages rained down on the table, Draco noticed a package drop from Elora's owl, Atlas. He snatched it up, reading the name on it and looking at her.

"Elora, this one's for you" he said, making her look up in confusion.

"That's not possible, I never receive anything" Elora replied thinking there must be some sort of mistake. She took the package from him as she looked at the address. It did have her name on it, but she didn't recognize the writing as either her parents'. There was no return address on the package, only confusing her more. She turned it around to open it, but noticed a small note on the back. She opened it, reading the cursive handwriting that graced the small piece of parchment

Open alone.
- L.

Elora's eyes widened as she realized who had sent her the package. Her friends looked at her expectantly, the suspense of what was inside the box killing them. She cleared her throat as she tried to come up with an excuse of why she couldn't open it.

"It's just from my brother" she lied. "It's nothing important, just some old stuff I left at home" Elora prayed they couldn't see right through her. Goyle rolled his eyes in boredom and shifted the conversation back to the newly hated professor. Elora slid the package on the bench next to her, wanting it out of sight to avoid any more questions.