Disclaimer: Only the plot and a the few unrecognizable characters belong to me!
A/N: Thank you to all the lovely people who reviewed!
CHAPTER TEN
They stood outside the magnificent French doors, patiently waiting for someone to open the door to welcome them.
Draco thought that it was an unusually long wait, seeing as this trip was pre-planned.
After about two minutes, a tall and thin man opened the door, and Draco found himself staring with horror at the man's hair, then his eyes moved lower to the three long scars visible on his left cheek.
Scars so similar to the one on his back, Draco wondered if Fenrir Greyback had too attacked the man standing in front of him. Was he cursed too?
Probably not, Draco's mind told him. The man was probably unlucky enough to come across Greyback on a bad day. Dolohov and Greyback aren't buddy-buddy with each other, they don't stick together everywhere they go like Potter and Weasley and attack people together. No, definitely not.
"Pleasure to meet you, Lady Malfoy, Malfoy. I'm William Weasley, but please do call me Bill." He said, extending his hand.
Ah, that explains the mop of red hair, Draco thought. But what's a Weasley doing with a Greyback scratch on his face?
Narcissa happily took Bill's hand. "Pleasure is all mine, Bill."
Draco took his hand, "Nice to meet you, Weasley."
They stood there awkwardly, waiting for Bill to show them in, but he seemed hesitant. Just then, an old woman appeared beside Bill, looking flustered.
"Narcissa, Draco!" She explained. "I'm so sorry, things have been a mess, and I should have remembered to owl you!"
Narcissa frowned, while Draco kept his neutral face though his interested was raised by a bit. "What's going on, Apolline?"
Ah, Apolline, Fleur Delacour's mother, so we're at the Delacour's residence. That explains the Weasley.
Apolline Delacour sighed. "Gabrielle's boyfriend was murdered, just hours ago!"
Narcissa gasped with horror, while Draco raised an eyebrow. "Murdered?" Narcissa echoed. "How?"
Apolline shook her head. "Come in, I'll explain while we're inside."
The two ladies' heels clattered on the marble floor, as the four of them walked down foyer.
"We have been busy handling the muggle police, and dealing with Gabrielle, who's distraught, that we forgot to owl you to postpone this visit! Narcissa, I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused, you too, Draco, but I'm afraid this trip would go to waste."
"Nonsense!" Narcissa replied with a wave of her hand. "Since we're already here, is there anything we can help you with?"
Apolline sighed and shook her head. "Fleur and Bill just rushed over from Shell Cottage, she's with Gabrielle now. My husband is dealing with the police, and Bill is about to go to the Ministry. Oh, what a mess! Please, do take a seat!"
Draco sat beside his mother, watching Bill enter another room through a door out of the corner of his eyes. Shame, he wanted to talk to that man.
"How was he murdered, Pauline?" Narcissa asked, using Apolline's nickname.
"He was staying with his parents in muggle Paris, and during the middle of the night he heard some noises. He went out to check, and found burglars trying to rob a shop. He tried to stop them, but they had muggle guns. Shot him, straight through the heart. He died on the spot."
Narcissa maintained a look of horror through the short story, and Draco too felt a tinge of sorrow for the boy. An act of kindness, and he ended up getting killed. "Is there anything we can do to help?"
Before Apolline can reply, Fleur came running into the living area. "Mother, she's not listening to me! She's bawling her eyes out, clutching to those bears that he'd given her as if her life depended on it. She's not willing to rest until we let her out of her room and go see him."
Apolline sighed, not knowing what to say.
"Don't sound so annoyed, Fleur. Imagine how you would react if anything happened to Weasley."
That shut off the annoyed look on her face as she turned to glare at Draco.
"Just stay with her, Fleur, I will think of something in a second."
Fleur huffed and turned; storming back towards where she had came from.
"Perhaps you could join me while I go to the boy's family, Narcissa. We could buy a calming or sleeping draught for Gabrielle, she's not been sleeping since the patronus was sent from his parents, and she has been a right mess."
Draco frowned. "I can take care of that."
Apolline looked up at him, surprised.
"Go to his family, Mrs. Delacour, I'll take care of the Potions. I do run a Potions company, if you recall."
Apolline's mouth formed an 'o' shape, nodding. "Thank you so much, Draco, please, get her to rest. She needs it."
So Draco Malfoy spent the first afternoon of his holiday making calming and sleeping draughts for the Delacour princess.
He sighed, funny what life can do to you.
He needed to re-think his 'accident' now, with all these problems going on here. He thought that the Delacours aren't able to deal with another death.
Hell, when did I get so considerate?
A voice inside him spoke up. It's because of Hermione, you dope.
He shook his head to rid it of the voice, and continue chopping the lavender needed for the sleeping potion. He had decided to give her the standard sleeping potion, instead of the one that he had given to Hermione.
A simple muggle robbery, and someone is killed. He wondered if the boy brought his wand. How was he unable to protect himself when the muggles shot him?
Perhaps he had no idea what a muggle gun was and couldn't react in time?
Fuck, Draco swore. Why am I talking to myself?
A dull pain shot through his head, and he raised a hand to summon his red potion. No one was around, and he had specifically asked to work in peace, so he would be able to take his potion. Nobody would see his red eyes. He wondered if Blaise had found out what was causing this inconvenient side effect, and removed it for the potion they were boiling currently.
Draco downed a vial of potion, and started to prepare the herbs for the standard ingredients. He could feel blood rush towards his eyes, and he stop for a moment for his pupils to adjust before continuing.
He continued working until around half an hour later, both the sleeping and calming draught were completed.
"Dina." He called for the house-elf the Delacours owned. "Please bring me to Miss. Gabrielle's room."
"Yes, Sir Draco, Dina will bring sir there now."
He followed the elf up a couple of marble staircases and down a few hallways until they reached a set of double doors.
"Thank you Dina, you may go."
The elf nodded and popped away, while Draco knocked on the door.
Fleur opened it a few moments later, and Draco rolled his eyes at the incessant crying he could hear.
"Is that the-
"Yes. May I go in?"
Fleur seemed skeptical, but nodded all the same. She opened the door wider for him to step through.
As soon as the room came into view, Draco felt a tinge of annoyance grow within him. It was not that he was being a prat, but her room gave off such a 'girl' feel that made his skin crawl. It was uncomfortable. He couldn't help but think of how organized and simple Hermione's room was.
Sensing an extra presence, Gabrielle looked up from her pillow and gasped, burying her face into it again.
Draco suppressed an eye roll, putting down the tray of hot chocolate and sleeping draught on her bedside table. Hell, he was nice enough to put the calming draught into the hot chocolate, and he would not be happy if she did not drink it. He sat down on the chair beside her bed.
"Gabrielle?" Fleur prodded. "Come on, sit up, Mal-Draco brought some hot chocolate for you."
Gabrielle sat up with a huff. "What are you doing here?" She spat, glaring at him.
Fleur looked genuinely surprised at her sister's reaction towards him.
"Gaby, that's not the way to speak to our guests!" She exclaimed.
"What are you doing here?" Gabrielle asked again, ignoring her sister. Her tear-stained face made her look so ugly, Draco thought. He remembered her to be such a cute girl, like an angel, about five years younger than him, when they first met.
Well, he could vaguely remember why she had such a bad impression of him. That was part of the reason why he had come into her room.
No, he would not apologize; he would simply explain his actions.
"Fleur, do you mind leaving us for fifteen minutes? I would like to speak to your sister."
"What makes you think I would do that?" Fleur retorted.
"No, Fleur, leave. I want to hear what he has to say." Gabrielle sniffed, wiping some tears off her face.
Fleur had no idea if Draco was using this 'speak to Gabrielle' thing to distract her from her dead boyfriend, or if he genuinely wanted to speak to her sister. Nevertheless, it has stopped Gabrielle from crying and crying only, so she left the room, giving them the necessary privacy.
Draco put up a 'muffliato' charm.
"You two-faced arrogant pig!" Gabrielle shouted at him, and Draco immediately put up both hands, as if surrendering.
"Woah, Gabrielle. I'm not going to do anything to you, so don't get your knickers into a twist."
"What are you doing in my home?"
"Your Mother invited my Mother and I over for Christmas, don't you remember? Or is your mind filled with pictures and memories of that dead boyfriend of yours?"
Something sparked in her eyes, and her nostrils flared with anger, and Draco mentally slapped himself. Of all the things to start off with, he chose to be mean to her!
"I see you've not changed."
She turned the corner, struggling to balance the books in her hand. The next thing she knew, she collided with something hard and fell backwards, books and bag flying everywhere.
Hermione grunted. "I'm so sorry!" She gasped, pushing her hair back and looked around for the person she knocked into, finding him or her nowhere in sight. She got up, wondering who in the world could be so rude, and turned to see Draco Malfoy sauntering off, making a exaggerated action of dusting off his robes.
"Draco Malfoy!" She shouted, angry that he did not help her or accept her apology.
But what did she expect? He was Draco Malfoy, and she was not even 'human' to him.
He stopped, gave a loud sigh, and turned around. "What do you want, Granger?"
"You could have helped me up."
"Why would I help you?"
"At least I had manners, and I apologized! Don't you feel ashamed to call yourself a pureblood when you don't even have the basic courtesy to help someone up or accept their apology?"
"Who do you think you are, you filthy mudblood, expecting me to be polite to you?"
A soft gasp sounded behind them, but neither took notice.
Hermione folded her arms and tilted her head upwards, looking down her nose at him.
"I'm disappointed, Malfoy. Harry and Ron were right; you are a snobby little kid, believing everything daddy says."
Anger sparked in Draco eyes, and he stormed towards Hermione. "Fine, you want me to pick up the books for you?"
He bent and picked up a couple of books nearest to him, and held them towards Hermione. "Here, take them."
Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. She tentatively reached out to take the books from him, but before she could reach them, he dropped them on the floor again.
"Oops, hands slipped. I'm only going to help you once, mudblood. Have fun!" He sniggered and swaggered off again, laughing to himself.
Hermione growled, picking up a book and hurled it towards him. "Malfoy you pig!"
He miraculously caught the book. Merlin, that boy had eyes at the back of his head. He turned back around. "Nice try, beaver." He threw the book back towards the side, and Hermione scrambled to catch it, but she tripped on another book, and sprawled onto the floor.
Draco only laughed and walked away.
As he turned another corner, he saw a little girl whom he recognized as Fleur Delacour's cute little sister standing in the middle of the hallway, glaring at him.
He barely spared her a glance.
"That was mean." She said before he could pass her.
Draco paused in his steps.
"Gabrielle, is it? You're a pureblood, aren't you?"
She nodded mutely.
"Well, Gabrielle, you have to learn that mudbloods like Granger don't deserve our attention. We are way above them."
"But Hermione is nice to me."
Draco rolled his eyes. "She's nice to everyone."
"She's nicer than you."
Draco held back another eye roll. "I'm only nice to people who deserve it. You should too, Gabrielle. The world is full of mudblood scum, don't bother about them."
He moved away – he had better things to do than explain pureblood superiority to a nine year old girl.
Draco sighed, rubbing temples. "I'm sorry, that was a wrong thing to say."
Gabrielle scoffed. "You, the great Malfoy, are apologizing? Am I hearing you wrongly, because I know you wouldn't do that to save your life nine years ago."
"Gabrielle, are you seriously going to let what happened nine years ago change your impression of me forever? Just because of what I acted like in front of Granger? You don't even know me! Besides, it's been nine years, how do you know I've not changed?"
"So you do know why I dislike you so much. How's Hermione?"
"She's doing great." He answered, before muttering "but not for long" to himself.
Gabrielle heard it. "What do you mean 'but not for long'? Are you still bullying her, treating her like scum? When will you grow up?"
"I've changed, Gabrielle." Draco stressed. She was clearly agitated. He held up the cup of calming draught induced hot chocolate. "You should drink this before we continue."
"How do I know it's not poisoned?"
Draco let out an exasperated grunt. "Seriously, did you grow up being poisoned? Just drink it."
Gabrielle looked at him warily, but took a sip nonetheless. The relaxing sensation soothed her body, and she visibly relaxed, a smile growing on her face.
"Calming potion."
"No, it was poison." Draco retorted sarcastically.
She glared at him. "Fine, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for thinking it was poison, or sorry for thinking I've not changed?"
"I don't recall you proving you've changed."
"Was not poisoning you not enough?"
"No."
"Hermione's working for me."
"Working for you? What, as a slave?"
"No." This time, it was Draco's turn to glare at her. "She's my assistant, in my Potion's Company."
"Why would she willingly work for you?"
"Because I've changed."
"Yeah," Gabrielle scoffed. "That explains a lot."
Draco sighed, for the nth time. Did he really have to tell her everything? He still had to give her the sleeping draught. "Do you really want me to tell you everything?"
"Yes."
"Alright."
She looked surprised.
"If I'm not feeling so tired today, I would make you take the unbreakable vow." He said.
Gabrielle's eyes widened, alarmed.
"But I trust you're a sensible girl, you would respect my privacy, so don't repeat any of this to your sister, your mother, my mother, or even those bears of yours, alright? At least, not now."
He lied; he wasn't going to make her take the unbreakable vow because he needed someone to explain his death later. He might not even tell her the whole real story.
"Well, you heard about the war – your sister was involved in it. Potter got my Mother and I out of the Azkaban sentence, so I went in auror training, and I became an auror. Potter became my partner, and we rounded up Deatheaters together. Being partnered with me helped, because I was once part of them, I knew how each of them worked, how they behaved, what they would do. But then one of them caught me off guard on a mission, and he cursed me. The curse was undetectable, so the healers let me out of the hospital without healing it."
"B-but, how do you know it was there?"
"I knew he cursed me, and I felt the curse too. It started off as headaches, chest pains, and then they slowly started to get worse. It was like a Cruciatus curse contained to my head or chest, eating me up. Greyback, you know, the werewolf? Yeah, he scratched me too, right across my back. I think it works with the curse – they reopen and are covered with boils. Hurts like fuck because the scratches reopen millimeter by millimeter."
"If it's not healed, then… you'll die?"
Draco shrugged. She caught on fast.
"No!" She gasped. "Is that why you said 'not for long'? Because you know your time is coming? Hermione… she cares about you?"
Draco looked away and pursed his lips.
"Oh my…" Gabrielle whispered. "You love her! You love her, that's why you've been so mean to her! You have to get help, Malfoy! This is ridiculous, this is serious, you can't just expect me to keep quiet about this! You have to tell Narcissa, or someone!"
"Just keep it a secret for me, Gabrielle. Give me some time, I'll tell Narcissa soon."
"Please Draco, you have to get help."
Tears were welling in her eyes again. Crap.
"I am. A friend has been researching and making the cure for me – we have a lab in the office specially for this."
"You have to save yourself, there can't be another death… Pierro, I miss him so much…" She was openly crying now.
Draco grimaced. The 'muffliato' charm was broken when Fleur pushed the door open.
"Everything alright here? Oh Merlin, Gabby, stop crying! Please!"
Draco stood, and leaned over the bed and held up Gabrielle's hand, which was still holding the cup of hot chocolate. He pushed it towards her lips, and she took a sip. "Please, I trust you on this, keep it to yourself. I will tell them when I'm ready." He whispered.
Draco moved to leave the room, but stopped at the door.
"S'il te plait Gabrielle, sois forte. Sois forte pour lui. Je ne crois pas qu'il veuille que tu sois comme ça. Il aurait voulu que tu tournes la page et que tu continues à avancer. Ne t'arrêtes pas de vivre parce qu'il est mort, mais vis parce qu'il a, à un moment, fait partie de ta vie."
And the door shut behind him.
A/N:
S'il te plait Gabrielle, sois forte. Sois forte pour lui. Je ne crois pas qu'il veuille que tu sois comme ça. Il aurait voulu que tu tournes la page et que tu continues à avancer. Ne t'arrêtes pas de vivre parce qu'il est mort, mais vis parce qu'il a, à un moment, fait partie de ta vie.
Please stay strong, Gabrielle. Stay strong for him. I believe he does not want you to be like this. He would want you to let go and move on with life. Don't stop living because he died, live because he was once part of your life.
Thank you so much to my new reader, Barbabelle, for pointing out my horrible google-translated french, and giving me the correct version! I've learnt french for 2 months but gave it up due to my busy schedule! ): I'm hoping to take it up again, I find that it's really a beautiful language! Thank you so much once again for your help, hope you've enjoyed my story so far!
Sorry for the lack of action, it's coming! And also, I apologise if the updates are slowing down! Year 5 has started for me and I'm extremely busy with school now! Please be patient and forgive me!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
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