A Forbidden Love

Chapter 25: A Family Destroyed

Walking back to the Slytherin common room, I can't shake the smile of my face. I can practically use my face as a flashlight, I'm beaming so brightly. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting on the couch by the fireplace. They turn when they hear me walk in.

"What's got you so happy?" Crabbe asks suspiciously.

"Nothing," I say, smiling wider.

"Yeah right. I don't think you've ever smiled before. Spill," Goyle says..

"Nope."

Suddenly, Goyle's face changes from a look of confusion to a look of understanding. "You were screwing Potter, weren't you?" he asks.

"What? No!" I say. I can feel my cheeks reddening.

"Yes you were!" Crabbe says with a laugh.

"No! Really, I wasn't."

"Ok fine. You were snogging him," Goyle says.

I blush so hard. "Maybe," I say weakly.

"Oh my God! Seriously?" they say is unison.

I nod. "Oooh! Tell us all about it!" Crabbe exclaims.

"Ew, no."

"Oh fine," they say with a sigh. I laugh and sit down next to them.

The rest of the school year goes by in a blur. They turned out to be really relaxing and easy because Potter was in it. Every week, we meet in the room of requirement. Whoever enters last, always enters to a face full of kisses. Then we sit and talk about our week, apologize for any bullying that went on during the week, and kiss some more.

The week after Valentine's Day, I made him promise I was the only one. I sent him Valentines, he sent me some as well, but I wasn't the only one. I found out that Ginny was falling for him too. I don't do too well with jealousy, so I made him promise. He laughed and said of course. Boy, do I really like him.

This week, I'm the last in and I'm met with a bunch of kisses like always. He sits me down and tells me about his adventures with the diary. I feel a pang of guilt as he's talking. He tells me that Riddle showed him that Hagrid opened the chamber the last time. I don't have the strength to tell him that Riddle lied because I'd have to tell him about my part of the plan. I can't do that. We've come so far already. I am not going to ruin it.

We continue to meet every week, until Granger is petrified. At that point, I can't look Potter in the eyes so I pretend to be sick. I tell him I can't meet him because I don't want him to get sick.

About a month after Granger was petrified, four long weeks without seeing him, he enters the Chamber of Secrets. Ginny was taken down into the chamber the night before. I felt awful all day. The guilt kept building up inside me. I could barely bring myself to move, so I don't.

I can't sleep at all at night. I'm worried for his safety. I just got him. I can't lose him already. I'm worried for Ginny's safety. She didn't deserve all this. Right now, I'm worried for everyone's safety. I can't believe I'm a part of this.

I get restless and eventually climb out of bed and take a walk. I hide by Dumbledore's office, knowing that's the first place they would go. It's almost morning and they're no where to be seen. I feel sicker the more time I wait for them.

Finally, I see them running through the hall to his office. I breath a sigh of relief. They made it out. Potter's alive. Ginny's alive. Everyone's alive. I turn to go when Dad finds me in my hiding spot. I see Dobby motioning for me to run, but I have nowhere to go.

"Dad... Uh... What are you doing here?" I stutter.

"Just here to see why my planned failed. You had nothing to do with it right?"

"No! I did everything you told me too. It almost worked if it hadn't been for Potter!" I say that last part with a scowl.

"Oh, so you've finally figured out how annoying he is?"

I feel myself blushing. Stop! Not now! Ugh. Dad sees it too. Suddenly, he's staring me down and read my mind.

"You're dating him! You are such a betrayal! Why couldn't I have gotten a good son?" he screams at me. He turns on his heel with one last glare and heads up to Dumbledore's office.

I want to run and cry, but I'm scared for Potter. I've seen everyone but him come down. I have no clue what Dad's going to do to him, but it can't be good. I run up to the door to listen, but I can't hear anything.

After twenty long minutes of waiting, Dad and Dobby come down. Father is scowling. I figure that means something bad has happened. Well, bad for him, good for us.

Sure enough, I see Potter run down behind him with the diary in a sock. I'm confused by the fact that the diary is in a sock but relieved by the fact that he his okay. That means Father didn't do anything. I sigh with relief for the second time today.

I cringe when Potter gives the diary to Dad. I want to smack him for his stupidity. Father rips off the sock and throws it to Dobby. I can't help but snicker quietly. He just unintentionally freed his house elf. He completely deserved that. The only problem is that I loved Dobby.

Father threatens Potter and turns to leave. I am shocked that he didn't try to kill him.

Father turns to go and calls Dobby, but Dobby yells, "Master has given Dobby a sock! Dobby is free!"

Father turns around and sees the sock. He turns to face Potter's grinning face. He scowls.

"You lost me my servant, boy!" he yells to Potter. To most, it probably seemed that he was talking about Dobby, but I have a feeling Dobby was not the only servant he was talking about. He was talking about me too.

I see Father lunge at Potter, and I reach out, unable to protect him. I shield my eyes. I can't watch. I look up when I hear the loud bang. I'm sure that Potter is beaten to a pulp. Instead, I see Father thrown backwards against the wall, Dobby in front of Potter. Oh do I love Dobby.

In that moment, after all that just happened, I disown my father. He will, from now on, be Lucius to me and nothing more.