Beauty and the Beast [Draco Malfoy]

Chapter Twenty-Three

Draco's POV:

My grip on Lizzie's waist tightened tremendously at those three words that Yaxley spoke that night. I felt her muscles clench under my hand.

"T-that can't be," she whispered. "My dad was a muggle."

"I'm afraid not. Where do you think your magic came from?" Yaxley smirked. I wasn't feeling this conversation to begin with, but now I just wanted to hex the bloke into next year.

"My mum said he was a muggle," Liz's voice shook. "My f-father is a muggle."

"I hid my powers from her."

"Y-you left us." Now not only her voice shook, but her body began to tremble as well.

"What was I supposed to do? A pureblood runs off with a muggle and has two muggle kids. Not exactly the kind of story to tell around the dinner table," the man deadpanned.

"My mum had to work three jobs just to keep us alive. She raised us on bread and crackers because you left her with nothing," Lizzie seethed.

Bread and crackers? Liz was raised on bread and crackers when I had a full meal three times a day? I suddenly felt very spoiled.

"It's not my fault the old crow went and got pregnant," he laughed. I noticed that Lizzie's fists were in balls by her sides. If I knew anything about my best friend, this man was in danger of getting hurt.

"How. Dare. You," she sneered with more ferocity than I had ever seen before in her. She took a step towards Yaxley and stared him straight in the eyes. "How dare you speak of my mother that way. You abandoned your own family. You left us with nothing more than a memory. Barely even that. I had to grow up without a father. How does that make you feel? I only had my mum to read me bedtime stories or teach me to ride a bike. Grayson had to grow up without his dad too. He didn't have anyone to wrestle with or to play catch with. You broke our hearts and you have the audacity to call my mother an 'old crow' to my face?"

The people around us had frozen and began to watch the exchange. Tension sparked through the air like electricity, making my hair stand on end. Lizzie was angry. Very angry.

"There was no way I was going to stay with a muggle. Your mum was just something fun to pass time after my time at Hogwarts," Yaxley retorted with a smirk. He was enjoying seeing Lizzie so angry. He wanted to see her burst.

Lizzie's bicep clenched and I knew what was coming before it happened. She drew back her fist, but before it could connect with Yaxley's jaw, I caught it swiftly. The sound of our skin connecting resounded through the air around us.

"Alright, Liz. I think we've spent enough time down here. It's time for bed," I grunted, dropping her fist and wrapping my arm around her waist. I began to lead her away from Yaxley.

"Yeah that's right, go run off with your ickle boyfriend. Merlin knows you're just his something fun too," he cackled behind us. Lizzie twisted around like the speed of light and lunged at Yaxley viciously. My arm remained wrapped around her waist and held her back.

"Lizzie, no," I dictated firmly.

"Let me go, Draco," she growled, struggling to free herself from my grasp. She sure as hell was strong, but I was stronger. She pried at my fingers to try and break away from me, but I was holding on to her tight.

"No. We're going to bed," I stated as I walked away with her.

"Just one punch," she argued, still writhing in my arms.

"No. You aren't punching anyone," I muttered. More people were staring.

"You heard what he said!" she snapped.