Dark Wizard Collector: A Hogwarts Fanfiction

Chapter 50

A complete night's rest after the long nostalgic conversation gave me more energy for the next day. After breakfast, I stood with the master of the manor and watched the rising sun christen the day's blue skies. Lucius spoke with me quickly as he packed, but I could tell he knew something had changed between himself, myself, and his father.

"I don't care if you shagged him. It's probably good that he gets some action, maybe he won't be so cold. Though, I will say I am a bit disappointed."

"Lucius, did you actually think you and I could be together?"

"Well, I at least thought you'd be a good pull I could rely on whenever I needed it."

"You snake."

"Slytherin."

I hissed, and he laughed seeing that he had truly played me.

"Ta, Mae. I'm sure he'll keep it warm for me."

"You viper!"

Chuckling, Lucius ran from me, and I stopped chasing him as his father stood at the door to see his son off. Composing myself, I walked over to the Master of the Manor and seethed silently. Together, we stood in the threshold of Malfoy Manor and waved farewell to Lucius who was off to the Quidditch tournament with Wilkes and the others. "We age too quickly." I sighed, watching the youth in the bright day.

"Does that matter?"

Slowly, I looked at the noble face. "Abraxas, I haven't done anything with my life."

"You know, Maven, you could be standing here as a mother. The manor has missed the presence of a woman." The man said, watching Lucius pass through the iron gates, and then put an arm around my waist.

"I'm not capable of love."

"I have seen the way you have looked at a man."

"Grindelwald was a mistake."

"There was so much love in just one glance. Only a true woman could look like that— Mr. Malfoy stopped and lifted his head up a bit higher as if he was pulling back strong, wild emotions. "Once I saw in your eyes the affection toward Professor Grindelwald, I knew you were far from my reach, but I always loved you."

"Abraxas, why did you marry?"

"The Malfoy purebloods needed to continue." The baritone spoke with such a matter-of-fact tone that remorse began gripping me tightly. Gently, my sides were caressed and a kiss pressed onto my neck.

Abraxas' touch reminded me of his son's and I cleared my throat. "What happen to his mother?"

"She died in childbirth. The best healers and apothecaries could not help her." The sadness within the man's voice told me to ask no further questions of his deceased wife. I turned to face the tall wizard who had been my peer at Hogwarts.

Compassionately, I took up his big hands and placed kisses on the backs of them before returning inside to sit in the library.

Solace of the ceiling high shelves of books brought my thoughts to swirl about me like the wind blowing about the pages of an open book. Tears began falling from my eyes after contemplating my mistakes in life. If I had not been so reserved and antisocial, I could have had a family, but now I was stuck in a limbo I created. Minutes later, a warm hand touched my shoulder consolingly.

"Maven," Abraxas began, and I sniffed back stray tears from my blue eyes. "Let me see you as you are, please."

Timorous sighs shook my body as I looked up at the angular features of the handsome man. Soon, I had shapeshifted my features to reveal a woman a bit shorter than Maera, with dark eyes, and black hair that did not reach to my hips, but to the middle of my back instead. The pale skin of my countenance was slightly lined from stress and more round than the emaciated look that accentuated Maera's cheekbones and long nose. I was quite a different person from the appearance of the twenty year old girl I acted to be. My thin, colorless lips and worn hands were a sure sign of my age being twice of Maera's. "I'm hideous and old, Abraxas." I mumbled and dropped my gaze from his.

A heavy laugh echoed from the man as he took my face in his hands and lifted me to look at him again. "You are still a horrible liar." Abraxas smiled and brought me to stand and follow him through the large house. "I want to show you something that I think you will appreciate." A swift wave of the man's wand opened a secret door in the floor of the parlor. Descending into the chamber, I realized it held very dark magic; my body trembled with slight fear. "This." A small bottle was handed to me, I opened it, and a sensuous aroma wafted from within.

"Amortentia?"

"I thought of slipping it into your goblet every day, but I couldn't do it." His fingers traced the side of my face, and his hand held my head lovingly.

"I don't need it now." The bottle slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor.

Within seconds, my arms wrapped around the man's neck and I kissed him gently. Smiles of joy held our lips back from each other as we breathed slowly to forestall hasty actions. Abraxas swept me up in his arms and carried me through the abode.

Once inside his bedroom, my heart galloped like a racing horse. The man placed me on the edge of the large bed and knelt to untie the leather laces of my boots. Watching Abraxas take off my shoes put a smile on my face. When he finished I stood up, pulled my hair over my shoulders, and allowed him to pluck at the ribbons of my corset. Easily, the black dress slipped from my body; the matching lace knickers I wore contrasted against my pale skin.

Nervously, I played with the ends of my hair and faced the tall man. A soft smile lit his face as I stepped close to him, removed his dress shirt, and rested my hand on the silver buckle of his belt. I bit the bottom of my lip and blushed, wondering what exactly I was doing.

Now is not the time to think, Maven! My insides screamed at me, but I could not help pondering my deeds.