Professor Riddle's favorite

29

"Merlin are you alright Selw....I mean Mrs. Riddle." I lift my head to the blond-haired boy next to me on the stone bench in the back yard of the castle surrounded by roses. "Don't call me that, call me by my own lastname." My short dress reveals the bruises on my legs, his pupils dilate ashis eyes explore my skin. "Is it that bad ?" And he's in, exactlyforty seconds, shorter than Tom could make me cry, I'm going to use that against him. I nod as I look at my feet kicking pebbles away from the gravelpath. "I'm sorry for you Selwyn." He looks up at the door of the castle where Tom and Lucius are talking , Lucius is walking up and down nervously. "I miss my old life, my friends." Plant the seed, water itoccasionally from now on, put it in the sun sometimes, and wait for it to bloom. "You're all I have left to remind me of my life before Tom."His pupils narrow as he looks at me, pity, he is easier to mold than clay, it must be because of the hatred he bears for Tom, he is too smart to fall for it so easily. "Who was it at the table, you know, the guy talking to Tom." This is what I mean, Draco is smart. "An old acquaintance."Tom calls me from the castle and I look at Draco with fear,men have a hero syndrome, he can become my hero and he will. I express my pain as I get up from the bench and lean on his leg to get up. "An acquaintance of yours too, I have to go, hopefully see you soon Draco." He grabs my arm and I grin, which I quickly hide as I look at him with doe eyes. "It'll be fine." I nod and walk to the door of the castle, Lucius' eyes also glide over the bruises on my legs, if they only knew how I enjoyed the hands that gave me the marks, how I begged to continue, how I came while they were inflicted. From under my hair I look anxiously at Lucius, maintaining my role to strengthen my credibility, knowing that they will gossip about it together in the carriage home."You're going with Draco." my eyes widen and I look at Tom, this was not the agreement, we did not discuss this. "It's only for a few days, Lucius and I have things to sort out, right Lucius?"He was clearly not aware of Tom's plan either, judging by the way he reacts. He puts his arm around my waist and turns me around, whispering in my ear."It's important, I'll pick you up afterwards, nothing crazy and if Draco so much as touches you with a finger I'll kill him, make sure he trusts you and wants to free you by the time I pick you up." I look at him "This was not the agreement." My words through clenched teeth. "Don't be like that, I'll pick you up afterwards, Narcissa will take good care of you like the child you are." He grins and kisses my temple before signaling Lucius who calls Draco. "Take Mrs. Riddle home, tell your mother I'll be home soon." Draco's eyes spit fire as he looks at Tom who is still grinning with his arm around my waist. "Yes father." He nods and I follow him to the door, I look back again at Tom who winks and is answered by my rolling eyes.Once again in the carriage with Draco, I stare out the window, angry and offended that he didn't share his plan before sending me away, a few days is abroad term when it comes to Tom. "What's he up to." I turn my head to the boy next to me who is playing with the ring on his finger. "This is a surprise for me too." I turn my head back to the window, I take in the castle that slowly becomes a dot.Normal boyfriends surprise their wives with abouquet of flowers, a weekend away to a romantic place, I get a cursed rose anda trip to Malfoy manor without him. His plan better be worth it, Draco clearshis throat and I roll my eyes in anticipation of his next question."He was the one in the bathroom, right?" A laugh escapes me and I turn my head."Seriously Draco?" He smiles back and shrugs. "I knew I was right." I shake my head and for a second I feel like the Hogwarts girl again. Laughing with a peer, no worries, no mental games, just a conversation.The carriage comes to an abrupt stop, there is a scream and Draco and I look ateach other. "What is happening." His hand over mine on the narrow benchof the carriage, thinking of Tom's words, I free my hand and open the door."Follow me." He doesn't think twice and follows me out of the carriage, into the dark forest that outlines Tom's castle, too far to find the way back but safe enough for now. Rays fly past our heads as we both use ourhands to keep branches away from our faces. "If this is your stupid boyfriend then..." Out of breath, our pace still quickening, I turn around. "Then what? What are you going to do?" He rolls his eyes as he pushes a branch out of his face, there is nothing except trees wherever you look, the light is taken away by the branches, here and there the sound of a bird or other animal, out of breath, confused we take our seats on a log."This is definitely a test from your boyfriend and my father." I pluck some leaves from my hair. "Why would they do that? Tom would never leave me alone with you, not even for a test." He looks up and makes eyecontact "So he sees me as competition?" He wipes his blouse withpride. "I don't know if you should be proud of that, he said if you touched me with a finger he would kill you and technically you already didthat." His face contorts and he swallows, causing me to laugh and push my shoulder against his. "Come, do you know the way to your house from the carriage?" He nods and stands up, then extends his hand to help me up."Take it, I'm already dead." He laughs and I reach out my hand after  which he helps me up and he follows me on the way back to the carriage that seems more difficult to find than expected. There is a crackle and we both hold up our hands with our wands in them, our backs against each other, both awaiting what is to come. "Drop your wands." Several men in suits come from the bushes, it is not difficult to see who they are, employees of the ministry. "Do you want to take a chance?" I whisper to Draco."There are a lot of them." He's right, we can never over power them."Can't you disappear?" Both our hands still raised, we look around,there are at least eight men, for two children, cowards. "Not withyou." I drop my wand and hold my hands up. "Disappear and tell Tom what happened." A man approaches "Young man, you too, Mrs. Riddle kick your wand our way." I do as the man orders and start to cry."Now go, don't feel guilty!" I whisper through the tears, a blacksmoke follows, the men hold their arms over their foreheads, afraid of what is coming. "Stop the crocodile tears Mrs Riddle."I laugh and shrug my shoulders. "It was worth trying." I walk towards the men who take astep back. "Stretch out your arms, now!" Their wands pointed at me I look around and my devilish laugh leaves my mouth. "Am I seeing this correctly? Are you afraid of a girl , poor souls?" I extend my arms and they are sealed by clearly the leader of this mission. Two men hook their arms in mine, with a bag over my head I am led through the forest. "Watch your head." They help me into a vehicle, I bend over as far as possible while my dress slides over my buttocks and exposes my buttock, I hear a man clear his throat behind me. "Are you staring at a girl's ass right now? You perverts." Someone pushes me into the vehicle with brute force and I laugh as I make myself comfortable on the bench. "Where is your husband."Someone takes a seat next to me and his voice sounds like the man who chained my hands. "I am not married." He sighs "Where's Riddle?" I hum as I pretend to think. "I can't think straight when I can't see." his hand squeezes my thigh. 'We already knew that thinking is not your strong suit given your choice in men.' He laughs, followed by a laugh from another man. 'Ah, are the gentlemen jealous?' My hand pushes his off my leg,somewhat scared by the idea that I can't defend myself now, hopefully Draco will quickly reach Tom's location. The road is bumpy and I slide back and forth on the couch with my tied hands on my lap, trying to listen for any noise outside that might give me an indication of whether we are in a busy place or not. After a period that seems finite, the vehicle comes to an abrupt stop. "Riddle will never find you here, once all hope of a reconciliation with Tom is gone you will tell us everything you know." The man slowly removes my blindfold, my eyes adjust to the light. "There's nothing here?" A large open space surrounded by trees in the middle a largered flagpole . "That's right because you don't deserve more either." They laugh and finally the other man comes into view, his face is unknown, about forty years old, dressed in a suit with a short white beard. I am sent towards the pole and forced to sit down, a long chain hangs from thepole and is tied around my ankle, after which the cuffs are removed from myhands, I jump up without hesitation and bury my nails in the face of one of the two men. His scream causes the birds that were pecking the grass to abruptly leave the area and my laughter follows suit.The other man lashes out and hits my eye with his fist, causing me to fall backwards to the ground and hold back my tears. "Too bad, you're going to be hungry tonight." Running his hand over the scratches left by my nails,they turn and walk towards the carriage that brought us here. "Oh, it's going to rain tonight, good luck Mrs. Riddle."