Transfixed: A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 35

We arrived in front of the sprawling mansion: black and cold and giant. I stumbled slightly as we landed on the wet grass; apparating was still new to me, and it was even more disorienting when I didn't know where I was apparating to.

"You alright?" Snape asked halfheartedly as he looked straight ahead at the massive front door. I swallowed hard and fought off the wave of dizziness.

"Just fine, thanks," I responded, letting my sarcasm hang in the air.

We stood for a moment and looked straight up at the house.

"Do you remember everything I told you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

We approached the front door and Snape pounded with the rusted brass knocker. I felt myself wincing as I waited for what was to come, but Snape prodded me in the side.

"Relax. You need to look like you want to be here or they'll kill you."

"Great pep talk. Thanks, Professor." I straightened up and tried to relax the muscles in my face as much as humanly possible. The door opened, and there stood Wormtail, just as scrawny and greasy as I remembered.

"Good evening, Wormtail," Snape said in his usual drone. Wormtail stepped aside as we entered the house. The foyer was grand and dark at the same time. The walls were an emerald green, and photos of the Malfoy family hung from large frames. I followed Snape through the foyer into an enormous great room. My eyes were immediately drawn to the massive crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling. As I took everything in, however, I was surprised to see that the room was devoid of all furniture except for a couple of armchairs by the roaring fireplace. Small details began to reveal themselves. The great dust pileup, the torn curtains that covered the windows, and the creaky floorboards showed that this once-glorious castle had since been left unkempt and untended.

"Where is she?" Snape said dryly to Wormtail, who had scurried in behind us.

"I'm right here, Severus," said a female voice as a figure appeared at the base of the marble staircase. As she came into view, I realized that the voice was that of Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. She wore a long black dress with white lace on the bodice, and her white-blonde hair was hanging loosely by her shoulders. When her eyes fixed on me, she smiled.

"And this must be our guest," she said. I tried not to show my surprise at the pleasantness in her voice. I had never met Narcissa Malfoy, but I had assumed she would be just as odious as her husband.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy," I said, holding out my hand.

"Please, call me Narcissa," she said as she shook my hand firmly. "Would you like me to show you to your room? That way you can set down your things before you join us in the dining room."

My instinct was to look back to Snape for reassurance, but I fought the urge and kept my gaze on her. "That would be perfect. Thank you."

I followed her up the marble staircase to the upstairs hallway.

"So, your family are pure bloods, are they not?" she asked as we weaved through the hallway.

"Yes," I replied, before adding, "and I'm very proud of it."

"As you should be," she said breezily. "It's only a shame that your family remained blood traitors. Don't feel bad though, there is only so much you could do. At least you made the right choice."

My initial feelings of her diminished quickly as I heard that, and the fact that she was still a Malfoy made itself blatantly clear. I felt my hands tighten into fists at my side as I followed her. Breathe, I reminded myself. You have to act as if you agree.