A witch's heart [Draco Malfoy x oc]

I swear

Trigger warning: display of a panic attack

I rushed to the headmasters office after dinner.

"Miss Eletherya ? What are you doing here ?"

Professor McGonagall approached me. Quickly, I answered, "Tom said he has something to tell me. It is urgent. May I use your fireplace?"
McGonagall smiled. "Of course, of course. Follow me."
She uttered the password and we entered the office. It was well-organized and clean, the wall armed with portraits of sleeping or working wizards and witches.
"The headmasters?", I asked.

My transfiguration professor nodded. "Indeed. Now, Eletherya, I will take my leave. Do greet Tom from me."
"Sure thing", I said, and sat down in front of the fireplace. The lack of a functioning clock turned out to rob me of my sense for time; it was half past eight and I had rushed for nothing. I kept forgetting that the spell 'tempus' existed. There was just too much on my mind.

Growing bored by the minute, I summoned my sketchbook from the ring. A few headmasters noticed and started posing.
"Makes sure to get my left side, young Lady!", a head master from the Victorian era said. "It will flatter your sketchbook."
I held in a laugh and started sketching.

"Niela?"
My head went up. There was a voice, coming straight out of the fire. A second later, Tom's head appeared.

Oh hell no. That looked really bizarre.

"How are you ?", Tom asked. The constantly moving fire moved his features. I couldn't tell wether he was smiling or baring his teeth for a fight.

"Good", I said, "but you look like a decapitated fire-ghost, which will probably haunt my dreams."
He laughed. The fire made him sound distorted.
"I'm sorry I can't be there in person. You sure you're doing good?"
"I'm okay", I insisted.
That's a lie.
No, it's not.

"I'm happy to hear that. Listen Niela, I don't know how to say it, but, I've got news." Tom let out a nervous laugh. Good Gods. This really must be something important.
"Is it good news ?", I asked, trying to mentally prepare myself.
"Well", he said and chewed on his bottom lip. His hand went through his hair, trying to fix something that was perfectly fine.
"Depends on how you take it."
That's not helping, I wanted to say, but let it be. He was nervous enough as is.

Tom took a deep breath. "We're getting married."
I frowned. "Who's getting married?"
"James and I. We're getting married, with your permission of course."

It took a bit for the information to arrive in my head. Tom was getting married. To James ... my father.

I beamed.

"Holy shit, that's amazing!"

Tom hesitantly raised an eyebrow. "It is?"

"Of course. Gods, here I was wondering when you'd get together and now you're married, well almost."
"With your permission", Tom grinned, "James set that as a condition. He didn't want you to feel hurt."
"I'm not hurt, I'm happy. This is great, I can't believe you were so nervous. But why the rush?"

Tom avoided my face. "We just wanted to do it as fast as we can."
He wasn't one to rush. Also, Dad's extremely patient. He'd usually wait and take his time - if he could.

A sharp pain tugged at my head.

Maybe Dad couldn't wait. Maybe there was not enough time left.

"What are you not telling me ?"
"Niela, you don't look -"
"Spill it, Tom. Don't lie to me."
"He told me not to tell you."
"You're his guardian, not his servant." I looked into the fire, stared at the face in flames. The pain worsened. My vision blurred.