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⚠️TW: Mention of domestic abuse.
Domestic abuse hotline (US): 1.800.799.7233 or visit thehotline.org
*Scroll to the end of the chapter for more details on the TW to help inform your decision about whether or not you are comfortable reading this first part*
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August 30th, 1995 cont...
Malfoy's correct, of course, and we're called back downstairs by the head house-elf, Gangly, for dessert.
During dessert we're informed that the betrothal ceremony will happen this summer, July to be exact. Officially. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.
Malfoy stays quiet but scowls into his trifle. I manage to bite my tongue, nodding with a smile as I dream up ways to derail the ceremony.
Dessert ends and we swiftly excuse ourselves, exchanging pleasantries and saying goodbye until Christmas. Narcissa and my mother promise to write to each other— Lucius and Father mention something about a meeting. Work, I suppose.
Malfoy and I give awkward nods to each other, not much of a goodbye.
And then I'm being ushered away by Father, gripping onto my wrist as we descend the stairs, much more forceful than when we arrived.
We reach the hill outside of the gates and in a quick pop!— we're back in the foyer of our own manor.
"You, young lady, are lucky we were able to save that— they nearly backed out of the betrothal all together!" My father scolds, letting go of my wrist immediately.
"Lucky?" I scoff, "You think I want to marry that arsehole—?"
"Language, Violet!" My mother gasps, popping into the foyer just in time.
"You will be betrothed come July, like it or not. End of discussion." My father frowns, pulling out his wand with a menacing glare in his eyes.
"I refuse to promise my life away to that brat." I glare defiantly back at him, rolling my shoulders back and staring him down as confidently as possible.
A mistake.
He casts two quick diffindo's on the backs of my ankles— I hardly even flinch anymore. I swallow thickly and hold his eyes, trying to straighten even taller if possible. Mother looks on with a pitiful frown, one that screams 'If you had behaved yourself...'
If she really pitied me, maybe one of these times she would stop him.
"Room, now." Father rumbles. "Breakfast at 6 o'clock sharp tomorrow."
I give a small nod and turn away, holding in any pain as I rush up the stairs towards my bedroom. I ignore my mother's calls, saying goodnight, and shut my door tightly, locking it behind me.
A single tear runs down my face, but I bite back any others as I survey the damage. Only two cuts today. Not that bad. Last year after the Malfoy's I must've gotten at least ten (I went on for twenty minutes at that dinner about the importance of wizards being educated on the muggle world— Mother had looked as though she was going to faint).
I seal the cuts up with my wand, wincing slightly as I find the hem of my gown already stained red. With a shaky sigh, I tear it off, leaving it on a heap in the ground and rushing into my bathroom. I rummage through the drawers, searching for a healing ointment I managed to nick from Madam Pomfrey second year.
YOU ARE READING
For Better, For Worse
Fanfiction"I take you, Draco Malfoy, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part." Since the time we were children, being betrothed to the Malf...
