daughter of wands (d.m)

XXV

I put my hood up, hiding from prying eyes as Draco and I trudged through the snow toward the train. Before we left I owled my aunt and told her I was staying at school over break with Athena, to much work to catch up on.

I knew she would understand but the whole thing left a bad feeling in my stomach, all the lying was weighing on me. But she was another person I had to keep safe, another person I couldn't stand to lose.

We snuck onto the train almost unnoticed, a few first years whispering to one an other as we sat across from each other in silence. The train lurched forward as I nestled into my seat, the long journey we had seeming overwhelmingly daunting.

Draco was quiet about his family so I knew very little about what I was getting myself into. I doubted he had any siblings as he had the attitude of an only child and he never spoke about pets.

He also mentioned in passing that we were going to his 'Manor' which to me sounds incredibly grand. But what would a family so small need with a giant mansion house?

I didn't feel now was the proper time to be asking such questions as the look on Draco's face was a mixture of 'nonchalant' and 'about to be sick.'

Luckily for the two of us, most of the Slytherins had wealthy families who had taken them out of school a few days earlier. The train was nearly empty besides a few students who napped peacefully or played cards as we travelled.

I peered our the window, sleep refusing to come as I watched the trees pass and my mind wandered over all the possible outcomes that this break could bring. I had so many unanswered thoughts, I knew resting on this train ride would be an impossible task.

I turn to back Draco, his eyes quivering as he forces them shut and slumps his head back on the seat cushion. His lashes flutter open as the trains bumps him back to reality, a sharp breath escaping from his parted lips.

He sighs shortly before reaching to his bag and pulling out a notebook, jotting down a few lines before placing it back in it's place. He crosses his arms and returns his gaze to the white capped hills.

"Draco?" I question quietly, suddenly very aware of the space between us. I lean forward and rest my elbows on the table that separated us, "What's your house like?"

He huffs our a laugh, "You're on your way to meet a group of Death Eaters and you're wondering what my house looks like?"

I shrug, maybe I was right in thinking this wasn't the right time to discuss such mundane things.

"I'm just trying to distract myself, besides if I'm going to spend my Christmas break at someone else's house, I'd at least like to know what I'm in for."

"It's... big," He begins, his eyes not meeting mine as he pictures it in his head. "It's... Dark. It doesn't really feel like a home, its more like an estate filled with antiques and paintings, things you can't touch, things that can break."

My heart flutters as he describes his house, his lower lip stuck between his teeth as he bites down hard.

I lean forward a little more, "Oh, that doesn't sound very pleasant. Did you like growing up there?"

He furrows his brow, "Not really. I wasn't allowed to do much, my father yelled at me if I so much as walked to fast. He was terrified I'd knock something over or spill my drink onto the fine carpets."

We laugh lightly together as he mocks his dad, the tension of the coming weeks becoming to much to bare.

"What about you, what's your house like?" He asks with a tone of genuine curiosity.

I smile to myself, my childhood memories flooding back. I close my eyes slightly as I imagine what it looked like when I was a little kid; the flowering garden, the bright yellow walls, the sun coming in through the windows.

I tear up as I picture it the last time I saw it, its small town charm stripped away in a matter of seconds.

"It was wonderful, everything a home should be." I fumble around with my fingers. "I had a big backyard with trees to climb and daises to pick. My neighbors had a swimming pool and in the summers I'd sit out and read a book. I loved it... but it's gone now."

He leans forward, a confused expression written across his face. "What do you mean it's gone?"

I look up to him, his shining blue eyes boring into mine. My heart begs me to tell him everything, lay everything that I've been holding inside out on the table. But I couldn't do that, not yet at least, and certainly not here.

I roll the sleeves of my sweater up, my nerves raising my internal temperature and heating me up. My eyes blur as the walls of the train close in as I try to focus on the boy in front of me.

"Um... Well I don't mean that's it's actually gone, it's just that... After my father died everything sort of changed."

"Oh," Draco says quietly, leaning back in his chair. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know he... passed."

I wave him off, "No don't worry about it, it was a long time ago..."

"I despise my father but I don't know what I'd do without him." He states, his gaze falling to the space between us. "Was be a wizard?"

I shrug stupidly, praying to move on from the topic of my family. "Uh I don't actually know, he was a soldier in America which is why my mom moved. She doesn't like to talk about him."

Draco scoffs proudly, "He must have been, I mean, you're too talented to be a halfblood."

"I guess..." I try to say matter of factly.

We stare at each other for a long moment, each of us waiting for the other to say something, until finally I break away and return to watching the passing scenery.

"I don't know if you'll like my family," He says, my gaze falling back to his.

I take in a deep breath, "Why's that?"

"We're an acquired taste, I suppose." He states, expressionless.

"Oh?" I retort with a small laugh.

He peaks behind him for a moment before leaning in, "And we're all... you know."

I nod, unfortunately understanding all to well what he's alluding to. "I guess I should get used to that."

He doesn't say anything in return, instead he looks past me and then over his shoulder once more before unbuttoning the wrist of his dress shirt and pushing it up to his elbow.

He turns his arm around to reveal a tattoo so black my vision started to blur. The drawing is a sinister looking skull with a snake coming out of its mouth.

"What's that?" I ask, looking up to him and meeting his tired eyes.

"It's a dark mark."

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