Hey y'all. Happy Halloween for when the time comes. Work over the next 3 weeks is about to get crazy so hopefully I'll be able to do some writing in the middle. Hope you're all enjoying this. Big thanks to all the readers still here and Erimenthe and Guest101 for their reviews.
Lots of love,
LM xxxxxxx
Secrets, Lies and Discovering Truths-Part 21:
"So you're Lydia's mother," Narcissa said to Tina as the two headed back to Hogsmeade.
"Yes but Remus forced me to leave. I wanted to take her with me but he transformed and I was forced to run. He never hurt Lydia though. I made sure of that," Tina explained, "and then I headed off back to America and kept writing to her but he kept the letters from her."
"Is she safe with him?" Narcissa asked, worried about Lydia.
"I'd love to say yes but with the way they are…I did warn him that things would become more complicated when she started school but he wouldn't listen," Tina said, "that's why I need to stay close to Hogwarts, to keep an eye on things."
"I meant what I said about getting Lucius involved if I have to," Narcissa said, "if there's the slightest hint of things getting even worse between them then I will step in. I'm too involved to walk away now and she's the only one that's friends, proper friends with Draco." Tina nodded,
"Thank you Narcissa. That means a lot," she said as the two arrived back in the village.
Back up at the Castle and Lydia had been called into McGonagall's office and she sat there waiting for her Head of House to appear. She wondered what she'd done now. She was fed up with always being called to see staff. Her thoughts were interrupted when the Gryffindor Head walked in and Lydia stood up quickly,
"There was no need to get up Lydia," she said sweeping around and sitting in her chair behind her desk, "sit down and have a biscuit."
"Pardon professor?"
"A biscuit. Professor Dumbledore is rather fond of muggle food," McGonagall said. Lydia nodded and sat down with a biscuit, waiting to see what her Head of House wanted with her.
The silence was eventually broken,
"I would ask if you are OK but going by recent events you're not ok," the professor said, "why didn't you tell us? Was it because of your father?"
"Yes it is," Lydia said, "he's always making things worse for me. I never meant for things to get as bad as they did but I didn't want dad interfering. Nobody knows yet and that's the way I want it to stay."
"Lydia bullying is taken very seriously in Hogwarts no if you are then you need to tell us and we can deal with the situation. I've already had Narcissa Malfoy threatening to get involved and your father has said that is the last thing he wants," McGonagall said, "he does care about you though Lydia. I do know that."
"I know he cares about me but I need the space to breathe, to start sort out my own problems and just generally get my own life. How can I do that if he's always there trying to stop me from living my life?" Lydia sighed.
"It's his condition. It makes him extra protective of you. You're the only child he's got and he doesn't want to lose you."
"Well that is what will happen if he doesn't back off. Any major problems and I will find you," Lydia said before grabbing another biscuit and heading out of the office and towards the library. That was her place of safety. She shoved the rest of the biscuit into her mouth and walked into the library and headed to her usual corner only to find a boy with blonde hair sat in the seat next to the one she usually occupied. She instantly knew who it was and slipped into the seat next to him.
"Hey," she whispered.
"I got worried and wondered where you'd go," Draco whispered .
"Got called into McGonagall's office didn't I? But I escaped and came straight here," she whispered before spotting Madam Pince and pretended to be doing some work as she felt eyes on her.
"Mum's in Hogsmeade. She's not going anywhere until things settle down between you and your father," Draco whispered, "she's even threatening to get my father involved. She cares, more than she should." Lydia looked up at Draco,
"Is Tina with her too?" she asked.
"They both are staying," he whispered before leaning in and whispering something before heading off. Lydia grabbed her bag and followed soon after and found where Draco was.
"Thought we could talk better here," Draco said.
"Doesn't Pansy mind?" Lydia questioned.
"She doesn't know. Nobody does. Snape covers for me," Draco said shrugging his shoulders, "mum wants me to keep an eye on you. Look we know you can handle yourself but you cannot face this all by yourself. How did you find out her name?"
"Just heard someone saying it," Lydia said shrugging her shoulders, "she really does hate me. Most people do."
"I don't and, despite their pureblood beliefs, neither do my parents," Draco said, "the fact that my mother's staying around and my father is even threatening to get involved says a lot," he said wrapping an arm around her and holding her close, "everything will be ok in the end. You'll see Lydia. If you can't make it happen then my parents and Tina probably will. I can promise you that. I really can promise you that."