"Draco's dad? Really, Mum?" Blaise asked angrily as soon as he entered the house. His mother was sitting calmly on the couch, seemingly absorbed in a recent edition of the Prophet. Blaise, however, knew that she had heard him and was simply ignoring him, and he was having none of it. Storming up to her, he snatched the paper away and glared at her.
"Explain. Yourself." It was almost a command, said in utter fury. Mrs Zabini met her son's fierce gaze with an unruffled coolness.
"I do not have to explain myself to you," she told him calmly. Blaise pinched his nose in indignation.
"You've been spreading rumours about Selw- about my stepfather, while you're the one who has been...meeting up with Lucius Malfoy behind his back," Blaise said, somewhat accusingly. His mother shrugged in response.
"And your point, son?" she asked, her voice sounding far too callous for his comfort.
"My point is that this isn't right, Mum. Are you that heartless, leading on two men like that again? And even if you are, can't you see this will lead to heartbreak for atleast one of them?"
Mrs Zabini carefully folded her newspaper and put it on the table. "Heartbreak? Perhaps. But it won't be mine. My heart is too thoroughly dried to be broken in a hurry, and I mean to live as long as I can."
"So you're going to keep doing this, then? Marry another rich pureblood, cheat on him, kill him, and move on? All for control over his money?" Blaise said in disbelief. He could not understand how his mother still saw nothing wrong with all of it.
"Murder? Not quite, dear. This time, I have some other plans actually. Simpler plans, really. You see, I have learned from...reliable sources, that killing my husband will be less beneficial than simply leaving him. Tragic, isn't it? I rather enjoy baffling those Aurors each time they come to investigate one of those deaths. But it seems the alimony from the divorce will be much more than what I get from his current will, so that is what I must do."
Blaise did not reply. He was still unable to convince himself that she intended to go through with it. He knew his mother had done worse before, of course, but he had hoped her perspective would change after the War, like his had. Obviously, he had been wrong.
"I'm surprised, Blaise. I had expected some commendation at least!" his mother suddenly said, with mock offence. He turned to her, seething.
"Commendation for what? Deciding to break your husband's heart, instead of killing him? Of course, then. Congratulations. Well done, Mum."
Saying so, he turned away from his mother and headed for the door.
"You're angry," Mrs Zabini said, not sounding like she really cared.
Blaise puased, and then laughed sharply, "Angry? No, of course I'm not angry. But I did forget to congratulate you about one more thing, actually."
"And what would that be?" she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.
"Congratulations on losing your son, Mrs Zabini," he said before walking out.
Notes: For the British Literature Challenge on The Golden Snitch! Prompt: unfaithfulness, divorce, Mrs Zabini, My heart is too thoroughly dried to be broken in a hurry, and I mean to live as long as I can.
Also for the Through the Universe Challenge: Prompt: Tragic.
And for the Star Wars Week Challenge. Prompt: Control