Unplanned Liars • Draco Malfoy

25. Home, sweet home

When we woke up on the next day, the thing I knew that was going to come happened.

My owl brought me a letter from my parents when I was still in bed. I sighed as I opened the envelope. There was a piece of parchment full of my mother's untidy scribblings.

Aurora!
We've just found out about what happened at Hogwarts! Dumbledore dead, how come? I heard Death Eaters had broken into school, is it true? And how is it even possible? Are you safe? Father and I will come for you the first thing tomorrow, pack yourself and be ready, you've got to come back home as soon as possible. Write back immediately.
Love, Mother

I had to come back to school - Merlin knew when I'd see him again. I'd need to sneak out of the house or pretend I'm going somewhere else, but they wouldn't let me, not in this state of things.

And how was I supposed to come back to school? McGonagall and Slughorn have seen me - with Bellatrix herself, if it wasn't enough. And Potter must have seen me running with Draco as well...

I finally managed to come up with a better idea and wrote a short reply.

I'm safe. Yes, they broke into the school. You don't have to come, I can Apparate already. I'll come home in the evening.
A.

I was about to give the paper to my owl when I heard knocking on the door.

"Come in," I said lazily, still staring at the parchment. The door opened and I looked up to see Draco.

"Are you okay?" I asked as it was the first thing I wanted to know.

He nodded slightly, walking up to me.

"And you?"

"Been better," I sighed heavily and handed him the letter. He eyed it quickly and then stared at me in shock.

"You're going home?"

"I have to, they know I can't be at school."

"When will I see you again?"

I shrugged, my heartbeat increasing.

"When I find a way to sneak out of the house."

I tied the piece of parchment to my owl's leg and stood up to open the window for it widely.

"I told them I'd come in the evening," I said, turning back to him. This started a very tense silence between us.

Back then I really and truly wanted to confess to him. Because I had nothing to lose - I'd come back home anyways and I wouldn't see him for a long time, what meant I wouldn't be too embarrassed if he rejected me.

But he probably didn't even think about such things in the last two weeks... He was too scared... Besides, I doubt that he wanted to have any girlfriend in this state of things.

If it wasn't enough, I'm a Slytherin and talking about my feelings isn't really my favourite thing to do.

And that's why that silence just lasted until Cepheus called us for breakfast.

The evening came much faster than I wanted, but I had to go. I decided to Apparate in an usually empty street close to my house because, since it was located in Muggle London, there was a risk of somebody seeing me.

I had everything ready, except for my mind. I bid goodbye to Narcissa and Cepheus and went out of the Manor with Draco.

"Well. Time to go," I said quietly. "We'll be in touch. Somehow. You stay safe."

"You meant you stay safe. My house isn't a prison," he replied, snorting.

I sighed, because he was partly right. Now it was really going to be like a prison.

"Alright... Listen, the longer we say goodbye the worse it'll be. So I'll just go," I said definitely and not giving him a chance to answer, Disapparated.

Half a minute later I was knocking on the door of my house.

"Y/N!" was all I heard as it opened, my Mother embracing me tightly. "Thanks Merlin you're here. All safe? Nobody's seen you? You've grown up so much!"

"I'm okay, okay... Mum, you're going to strangle me..."

She let me go and I walked into the house. Once the door closed behind me, my Mother levitated my trunk upstairs.

"Come, the dinner is ready," she beckoned me to the kitchen.

"Where is Dad?" I asked as I couldn't see him anywhere.

"At work, still at work, they have quite a mayhem at the Ministry after that attack!"

"They always have a mayhem," I muttered under my breath as I walked up to the sink to wash my hands.

Once both me and my Mother were sitting by the table, she started to interview me, what I had expected.

"Now, Aurora, tell your mother, have you found yourself a boyfriend?"

"Mum..." I sighed, putting my fork on the plate with a clank.

"It is nothing wrong with this, Aurora! You're so mature already," she said, running her fingers through my hair.

"But you make it sound like I'm five."

"I just want to know whether my daughter has felt this - you know - feeling."

Suddenly, it hit me. I had an idea. I knew how to come back to Draco. And this was my chance.

"I actually... Um... I am on good terms with Blaise nowadays," I said quietly.

"Blaise?" my Mother frowned.

"Blaise Zabini, remember him?"

"Oh, yes, Zabini! I do know his mother! She's an interesting witch, and mind you, wealthy one... Eight husbands..."

"Yes, that's him. And I wonder... Can I spend some time at his house during summer?" I asked hopefully.

"Naturally! I'm so happy you got over Draco. His father is still in Azkaban, a nasty bit of work if you ask me. Bet they had something to do with that attack."

"Yeah... Thanks Mum," I looked at my plate intensely. Not that I had something to do with that attack as well. As I held my head down while staring at the plate, my necklace fell out from behind my shirt.

"What is this necklace?" she asked immediately.

"Oh, I got it from Blaise for Christmas," I replied quickly and she smiled.

"Mum, I'll just go to sleep, you know? I'm tired after all that."

"Yes, naturally, go," she said, waving her wand and all the plates rose into the air.

I went upstairs and opened the white door of my room. Here reality hit me hard in the face.

My room was nothing like the Malfoy Manor. It wasn't this huge, had a single bed, blueish walls which were fading, a typical white ceiling, brownish pannels and a desk with a chair. It wasn't this bad, but it looked like a Muggle bedroom. My spellbooks didn't differ much from any Muggle books while standing on my shelves. It was all Muggle-like. Because even though my house was concealed between the others, it was still like the ones next to it.

My father said we won't be using any Muggle stuff except for the house.
But it still felt no magical at all. When I looked out of the window, what could I see? Muggle cars, Muggle buildings, Muggles.

Actually only a few things in my room remained extraordinary for Muggles: a broomstick - to be ridden, not to be swept with, a Slytherin banner on the wall, a cauldron and a cage with an owl.

I threw myself onto my bed. I wondered if Voldemort showed up at the Manor... Was he pleased? Dumbledore was dead, he had to be... But on the other hand...

If it all went well, I'd be seeing Draco tomorrow.