The weeks went by and I had the shock of a lifetime. My parents had gotten killed in a 'gas explosion' which was really just another wizard that wanted revenge for what had happened to his parents during the time of Voldemort's rule. He had snuck past the security my parents had and killed them while they lay in bed. He then preceded to set the house on fire to keep any muggles from discovering what had happened. The US Department of Magic had ruled that it was probably someone from Europe considering during Voldemort's reign they had lived in England. They were working with the Ministry of Magic to try and find the killer.
My sister and I were left alone. I was only seventeen and until my twenty-first birthday I wouldn't be able to touch the trustfund my parents had made for me. Camille moved in with me into the apartment. I had a bedroom designed to fit her things into the small space. Cam was depressed one could tell just by looking at her but Marcus was helping her adjust and she knew I was there.
I took a few days off my job to sort my parents affairs and make the arrangement for their burial. They were to be laid to rest in the cemetery in Salem where Camille and I could easily walk to from the school.
The day before their funeral I went into work because I didn't have anymore sick days left. My sister stayed with me all day in my classes. Cam sat on a stool behind my desk working on a project she wouldn't let me see. She kept saying it was a secret for my birthday. I didn't ask for details. My classes went smoothly until the last class of the day. A student came up to my desk with a note card. On the note it informed me that the Malfoys would be coming for the funeral the next day. Great...
"Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa are coming for mom and dad's..." I trailed off but I knew that Camille understood. She nodded and kept gluing things into her scrapbook. When the bell rang I wanted to cry with relief. I'd gotten through the day without being a mess. Cam pack her things away in her bag and she grabbed my hand. I packed my gradebook and papers into my backpack heading to the door. Waving only a simple spell on the door we left.
"Why didn't you put the usual charms on the door?" she asked shyly as if I'd snap at her for wondering.
"Honestly Cam I don't care anymore..." She frowned at me pausing before adding,
"Artemis it's not as if just because they're gone we can't live without them." I thought about that for a while.
"Cam have you seen the papers I had to go through with the lawyers?" She shook her head but waited for my answer.
"There were the papers concerning the house, then the trustfunds, Dad's stocks and bonds and Mom's inheritance from Grandma. Then there were the cousins that I haven't seen in years looking for a hand out and some I'd never heard of in my life..." I stopped my rant when she gasped.
"Sorry Artemis I didn't...know..." I softened my gaze as I looked down at her.
"No it's my fault Camille. I didn't want you to know. I want you to have as much of a childhood as you can before you have to grow up," I stroked my fingers through her hair. The honey colored strands so like our mother's. I laid a kiss on her head as we went inside our apartment building. We went up the stairs and to our floor. Taking out my keys I dropped them and cursed.
A pale hand picked them up handing them to me. Draco stood behind us looking so serious it would have made me want to laugh if I wasn't so annoyed with his presense. He looked as good as ever, his hair was brushed back as if he'd just run his hand through it and his eyes were a soft grey.
"Hello Artemis..." Camille looked between the two of us nervously. I didn't blame her. She took the key out of my hand and let herself in leaving Draco and I alone.
"Hello Malfoy," he flinched when I called him by his surname. I didn't want him here, I didn't want him anywhere near me.
"Look Artemis I'm sorry about your parents. I liked them very much, they were always very kind to me," I growled at him.
"They always treated you as the son they never had. Even when it was at the cost of ignoring their own daughter," once when we were little we'd been playing in the yard. Draco had bumped his elbow while I'd scrapped my knee open. They had run to his side to check on him while they ignored my cries. Actually that might be one of the reasons I hated him. He'd taken my parents attention away from me.
"Draco you can come to the funeral but don't come near me." I slammed the door in his face. I hissed before rubbing a hand down my face and leaving the doorway to go make dinner for me and my sister.
The day of the funeral it was raining. Of course that's better then snow but it was still raining. It wasn't that light rain that tickles you when it falls it was a sheet of icy rain that felt like hail but in liquid form. My sister and I dressed in pure black to show our mourning, my sister looked so innocent dressed in a modest black dress with a headscarf wrapped around her face. Her eyes were red and puffy, she'd been crying on and off all morning, like the rain falling outside out window. I was wearing a black pantsuit that I'd complained to my mother about. Wearing it to her funeral was like a last desperate call to her. 'Hey I'm wearing it okay? Please come back'. She wouldn't of course but today just cemented that fact in reality. I was seventeen, my parents were dead, I had to care for my fourteen year old sister and I had to fight to keep our posessions. Sometime life's a bitch.
Marcus had come over to escort Camille to the cemetery , he was a good guy. I was happy there was someone like Marcus there for my sister when she needed it the most. He was everything she needed, he listened when she talked, was patient when she screamed and held her when she cried. I knew they were meant to be together and I already knew he meant to keep her. When we'd gotten home from the summer he'd asked permission from my father to marry her when they graduated. The plan was still set and I wasn't going to hold them back. I watched them as Marcus opened an umbrella and held out his hand for hers. She clutched it as if it was the only thing keeping her head afloat in a flood. I locked the door and we began our walk to the cemetery in silence.
The rain pitter pattered on the wooden cases of the caskets as they lay there by the grave. Twin caskets shined as the water ran off the sides. A small group of people surrounded the graves as the priest read the last prayer. Some were my parents friends, some relatives and some were people there just to support my sister and I. Marcus stood with us as part of the family when the ceremony was over and the caskets were lowered to their resting place. Camille leaned against him tears running down her cheeks. He just wrapped an arm around her and held her tight. I was numb just standing there, people said there respects and I nodded and responded as if on autopilot. When the crowd has dispersed I guided Marcus and Camille back to the apartment. Marcus was staying the night and I check on them periodically. Cam was snuggled against his side drawing strength from his presense, his body was curled around hers protectively. Seeing them laying there made me ache and smile. I was sorry my parents would miss seeing Camille grow up and have a family but I was happy that I was allowed to see such a sight. I shut the door to her room quietly not wanting to disturb them.
I went to the kitchen and took down a bottle of FireWhiskey from the upper cabinet. I poured a shot and swallowed it, another shot and another followed. I was about to pour another when a pale hand stopped the bottle. Draco was standing in my kitchen. I didn't understand why he was here. When I opened my mouth to speak he spoke over me.
"Camille gave me an extra key." Thanks Camille... "She thought you might need someone to watch you," She was worried about me...
"That doesn't give you the right to come into my home. It's known as breaking and entering and is a crime punishable by law," I said glaring at him weakly. I didn't have enough energy to give him a full glare. He took the bottle of alcohol closed it up placing it back in the cabinet. I wanted to say something but I couldn't and waited for him to say something, I didn't have to wait long.
"Jesus, Artemis how long has it been since you got a good night's sleep?" he asked rubbing his thumb lightly over the dark shadows beneath my eyes.
"God, how could I ever resist your suave charms and flattery Malfoy." I chuckle sarcastically, "For your information I couldn't sleep alright...I have a lot on my mind right now," I protested, his expression of arrogance set off my temper.
"I have to make sure Camille's okay, that we have enough to eat, enough to pay the rent. My classes need to be taught and papers need to be graded. I have to fight with lawyers all the time now and family I've never even heard of are coming out of the woodwork. If that wasn't enough add on making the arrangements for my parents Mass and funeral. Which by the way isn't cheap! You know I can't have my trustfund until I'm twenty-one. That was the only money my parents left me that isn't guarded by lawyers and I can't get it! Teaching doesn't exactly give me a lot of income and most of what I have goes into an account for Camille in case something like this happens to me! So she isn't screwed like I am!"
"Why aren't you living in your parent's house?" he asked carefully which just sent me on another rant.
"The papers have to be set up. The deed to the house has to be changed and some cousin I've haven't seen in years is laying claim to it." I felt exhausted...last night I had tried to sleep but my dreams were filled with nightmares. I couldn't deal with trying to figure out if I liked this guy, those were teenage problems I had to figure out how we were going to survive.
"I know your hurt by your parents death Artemis," he said.
"You don't know jack shit about me," I snarled.
"I know that getting drunk isn't going to solve your problems," I hissed at him knowing it was true. I was hurt on the inside deeper then any drug could help me. Plus I couldn't tell Camille, her dreams should be happy and her childhood burden free but the food was cheap she could tell. Her forehead creased with worry when she looked at me now but she never complained. I love my sister truly I do, she is heaven sent. I just wish there was a way I could take away her pain but I couldn't bring back our parents nor could I replace them. We both knew that.
Draco took the empty shotglass from my hand placing it in the sink and guided me to my bedroom. I gave him a skeptical look but he ignored it. He pulled back the cover and laid me down. He tucked me in, kissing my forehead as he turned out the lights. He turned to leave but I grabbed his wrist.
"Please don't leave me alone..." I pleaded, I didn't know if I actually liked him or not. I would figure it out later but right now I couldn't face the dark alone. He nodded and took off his shoes before he laid beside me pulling me backward against his chest. I felt him place his arm delicatly around my waist, darkness came over me in a soft blanket. Soothing and thankfully dreamless.