ALLURING || D.M.

Chapter 30

The evening buzzed with gentle laughter, people moving around the grounds, clinking of glasses and conversation flowing. "Where on earth is that girl?" Rabastan voiced in obfuscation as all he could see in the distance were manicured hedges. The Bakken boy was sitting in utter silence, alone at a table full of young Hogwarts students busting all around him, and his daughter was nowhere to be found.

He noticed she wasn't there a while ago, but surely she merely had to go to the lavatory or perhaps to get a drink. Ten, fifteen minutes and yet she hadn't returned. Around ten different songs had been played and five people had intended to converse with him. So where the hell is she? Soon enough, Kaspar Bakken would also notice his son there pathetically sitting, and that deal would also go down the drain.

Doesn't she see I am doing this for her own good? For her future? Her good name? "Dear" Grethel asked gently, walking towards him, her gown glinting under the lamplight, embroidery catching light like spider silk, "You have been standing there for quite a while". He turned to her with his brows furrowed, his drink had grown warm by all the time lying still in his hand, "Where is Lilianne?" he asked flatly.

"I..." She stuttered, truthfully she had no idea. So far she assumed she'd slipped away to hide somewhere until it was time to go, she surely didn't expect her husband to notice. "Maybe with her friends" She offered, faltering just a little. "She's clearly not there" He snapped, tone clipped as his eyes set on the lonely boy a few metres away, "The Bakken boy is by himself, that is not the image we need to project" he complained, turning to look around the garden again.

Grethel inhaled quietly, steadying herself, "Last I saw her she was dancing with Draco Malfoy" she stated slowly. Grethel knew they were friends. He was helping her get away, like he and his friends did with Flint, as Lilianne told her months ago. Rabastan's expression turned to confusion, he looked pointedly to the dancing floor, music sounding but the pair was not there.

"They're not there now" He stated coldly. Grethel searched in her peripheral vision, now worried too. "Well..."

"It is unacceptable to leave him alone just like that, I don't even see Malfoy anywhere" Rabastan growled, setting his untouched glass on a passing tray held by the nearest elf. Grethel let some air out, rapidly looking around for something other than teal centrepieces, "Darling..." she touched his arm, eyes squinting at brown curly hair, "Darling, she is right there".

One minute she wasn't and the next she was, as though conjured from thin air. Right beside a dessert table near the door with her back turned to them. Grethel blinked twice in surprise, how had she missed her own daughter, it was a deep corner, partially hidden by tables and lily bushes. Maybe the girl had been there all along and they simply couldn't see that spot.

Her husband grumbled, heading that direction without a word. Now, she knew Rabastan enough to know he'd never make a scene in public, especially if it involved his family. That would be more of a Rodolphus or Bellatrix thing to do. But that didn't mean he would not force her to go back to the boy he was trying to set her up with. He never really went quiet.

Grethel was a quick step behind him when he reached their daughter. "Where on earth have you been?" The father asked firmly, voice firm yet not quite raised. Lilianne spun, startled. Her eyes enlarged as she rapidly chewed the little piece of berry tart she had in her mouth.

"Father" She did not know what to say, she was certainly not about to tell him she'd spent the last half hour, possibly more, making out with her boyfriend in a corridor. Mostly because he didn't know about said boyfriend. She could not very well say she'd been making polite conversation and mingling, he was not stupid.

"Darling, you had us worried to death" Grethel soothed, forcing a smile. "That would be my fault, I'm afraid" A fourth voice joined, three heads turning to see the Malfoy boy step out of the corner beside the table with an easy air about him.