Draco Malfoy's Perspective

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

They had just come back into sight of the house when Narcissa appeared at the back door. "Draco, we have guests. Come inside, and please escort Violet upstairs."

Draco nodded, placing his hand on the small of her back to lead her inside. Quietly he said, "Go to my room. Close the door. Do not come out until I come for you."

"I'm no child, Draco. I can handle–"

"Please, Violet." He looked her dead in the eye and she got the sense that she would have nightmares if she were to see or hear what was about to happen, so she nodded. "Thank you." He seemed sincere too.

She walked upstairs, hesitated at his door, and walked in. But she pressed her ear against the door and cursed herself for not yet being seventeen and for not purchasing any of the Weasley's Extendable Ears while they were in Diagon Alley.

Downstairs, Draco slid his hands into his pockets and looked into their formal dining room, where his mother usually brought their guests. He nearly rolled his eyes.

"Come give Aunty Bella a kiss, Draco!" Bellatrix screamed. He stayed put. "Oh, alright. Who's this girl? Violet, did I hear Sissy say?"

"There's no one else here," Draco said. "I was out alone."

"Really? Because I've got to be sure you aren't harbouring any Mudbloods before we begin our talk. Wouldn't want to be responsible for such valuable secrets getting out." And she shoved past them, fleeing up the stairs. Draco turned after her, but his mother grabbed his arm. He waited.

Violet was a Pureblood; even if Bellatrix did find her, there would be nothing wrong with her being here.

"Hide her," Draco urged his mother. Violet didn't need to be involved in any of this. He didn't even want to be involved in any of this.

"I can't," Narcissa said. Any magic she did, Bellatrix would see. She didn't want the girl to suffer either, but there was nothing for her to do.

Bellatrix flung open the door to the guest bedroom, peered inside, and said, "No one else here, eh?"

"She's gone out–Diagon Alley. She needed new quills," Draco said. "We are alone."

Bellatrix turned to his bedroom. He pursed his lips and blurted, "Respect my privacy, please, and don't go in."

She turned. "Respect your privacy? No one's got any privacy, boy! Not around here!" She pushed the door open and walked in, and Draco felt pale. A few long seconds passed before Bellatrix came back out. "Alright then. How long until the girl returns?"

"She just left. We have hours."

She nodded and descended the staircase, returning to the dining room. Draco looked once up the stairs, wondering where she had gone, and followed her in. No doubt Bellatrix was here to check on the plan, and how well he trusted the vanishing cabinet to work in time.

In Draco's bedroom, Violet had squeezed and pushed herself into a cupboard the size of a house elf. It was painful, but it was better than being found.

Once the door shut again and she heard Bellatrix on the other side of it, she fell out and slowly stretched her muscles, then went to the bookshelves and scanned for one to read. She found a book with the spine turned in and remembered how hastily he had shoved it on so she couldn't see what it was called. She pulled it from the shelf.

Why Purebloods and Muggleborns Aren't Any Different

She pulled another.

Muggleborns and Their Contribution to Society

And another.

Why the Term 'Mudblood' Should Be Abolished

She kept pulling books whose spines faced in, and was left with a stack of books all about how good Muggleborns were. She almost laughed, but covered her mouth. Draco had been reading about Muggleborns because he thought she was one.

She looked at the door, as if she would see him through it, and smiled. Then she replaced the books, and took out one on Proper Wand Care, relaxing on his bed to read it.

When Bellatrix finally left, Draco went upstairs to fetch Violet, and opened the door to find a book open on his bed, but no Violet. "Violet?" Draco called, looking around at the empty room. Surely she hadn't left, or done magic? Or both?

A cupboard door burst open and she fell out, rubbing her ribs. "I hate you sometimes," she panted. "My elbow was in my rib because you came up so quickly."

"Is that where you were before?" He laughed, walking over and peering inside. "It's half the size you are!"

"I know; that's what makes it painful. Help me up." She brushed herself off and stretched. "So, what did she want?"

"Nothing important." He gave her an obviously fake smile, but she didn't question him. "Reading, were you?" He picked up the book. "Got this one years ago."

"I was bored. Didn't feel like reading...anything else." She almost mentioned the books on Muggleborns, but thought better of it. "You've got a lot of boring books."

"You think? Well you haven't heard of most of this, growing up as a Muggle." Then he paused. "Pureblood. Still trying to remember that."

She chuckled. "It doesn't matter to me."

"I know that."

"I think your bookshelf is a bit full. You should get rid of a few," she ventured. This was for his protection.

"Really? Which ones?"

"Every one that has its spine hidden." He turned back to look at her. "Don't give me that look; you can't be surprised by this."

"Why should I get rid of them?"

"Because your aunt nearly saw them. She's probably my aunt too, come to think of it. Twelfth cousin thrice removed or something of the sort."

He was already gathering the books into his hands. Violet took them. "Once we get to school, I'll burn them. The covers are so thick they wouldn't burn without magic."

He nodded and allowed her to sneak them to her trunk. "You think that if my family finds these books, they'll do something awful."

"That's what I'm afraid of, yes." She covered the books with her robes.

"My mother wouldn't do anything but get rid of them; purge both of our memories. It's the Dark Lord who can't know about them."

"Good thing I've got them then." She smiled. "And as soon as we get to the train, I'm going to make you forget them."

"That would be safer," he agreed.

"I sense something else coming," she said, straightening up and looking directly at him.

"But erasing my memory of the books may also erase my memory of this morning."

She nodded slowly, "It was the result of your reading. Erase the memory of the books, and we become enemies again."

"But if you don't, it would be possible for me to be labeled a blood traitor and be killed."

"Or tortured. So it's settled. I'll try not to erase any memory not directly dealing with the books, but I don't think I'll be able to get that specific."

He nodded. "And if I forget, tell me that you're a Pureblood again."

"No. If you don't accept me as a Muggleborn, you don't get to know that I'm a Pureblood."

He smiled. "Fair enough."