Chapter 12
After a few days of sulking from Tabitha, which was barely noticed from Harry and Ron, Tabitha finally started speaking to her brother and Slytherin friends again. "How are you doing?" Theo asked hesitantly upon finding her in the library. Tabitha sighed before looking at her brother.
"Hurting. If you didn't tell me that Draco was working for You – Know – Who what else haven't you told me?" Theo sighed as he sat down across from her.
"Nothing, I promise."
"Are you going to become one." Theo did not answer. "Theo they hurt people like me."
"But you're not a muggle born anymore."
"Maybe not by blood, but I was raised a muggle, I still prefer muggle things to magical ones, or haven't you noticed my notes are taken in muggle pens and notebooks instead of quills and parchment. I might be pureblood by title but I will always be a muggle at heart." The twins fell silent as Tabitha glared at her brother, daring him to say something. "I need to finish this, it's the project for Snape and the sooner I finish it the sooner I can stop working with Draco."
"You know he's sorry he hurt you." Theo said.
"Theo, I don't want to talk to you about this." Tabitha said, closing her books and leaving the library.
The following day as Tabitha walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts, she walked up to Snape's desk and handed him the rolls of parchment. "I put the finishing touches on this last night."
"Very good, stay behind with Draco after class so we can discuss it."
"Yes sir." Tabitha sighed as she walked to her desk. After class, spending most of it trying to ignore Draco's looks, Tabitha went up to Snape's desk with Draco. "So how was the project?" He asked.
"We got some books from both of our family libraries," Tabitha explained. "So that helped a lot, the Hogwarts library had very few books on the subject."
"You did help Draco, didn't you?" Snape asked the boy.
"Yes, I did, my father even helped me find some books in our library for us." Draco explained.
"Good, you two may go now." Snape said.
"Tabitha." Draco said as Tabitha walked away. "Damn." He muttered.
"What's wrong?" Snape asked.
"She found out I'm a Death Eater, she broke up with me, and is barely talking to me or Theo or Daphne." Snape just shook his head, then waved Draco away.
Over the next few weeks Tabitha returned her focus on her studies and her apparition lesson on a Saturday. She and Ron went down together, hiding him from Lavender any time she came near, and walked around the town of Hogsmeade once the lesson was over. Tabitha purchased a few books, a set of three matching bracelets, each with a little half heart on them. "For both of my mothers and me," Tabitha explained upon showing them to Daphne. "Since my muggle mother is going to Australia before I end school for the year, I want her to be able to remember me, and I thought one for my birth mother for mother's Day would make her happy. It's a little late, but I'm sure she'll understand."
"Of course she will, and I'm sure she'll love it." Daphne told her friend. "Are you returning home for Easter Holiday?"
"For a few days, I'm probably going to spend the most of it helping my muggle parents pack up the house so they can move. The day following my return after Easter Holiday they are going to Australia to find a house, and will start mailing things there once they find it."
"What are they sending?"
"Everything, while I'm there over holidays we are going furniture shopping. I basically get to redecorate the house how I want." Tabitha explained.
"I'm sure the Notts have some furniture that you are more than welcome to, they are your birthright after all. Theo," Daphne turned to her boyfriend as he joined them. "Your family has some furniture for Tabitha to take since she's getting her muggle house?"
"Of course, you can ask mother once we get to the house, or write her when we reach the school." Theo answered. "Are you still having your muggle like week or whatever?"
"I'm not sure," Tabitha admitted. "No one's agreed to come."
"I'll be there," Daphne promised. "I'm sure Theo will be there too."
"I guess." Theo said. "Not sure why I have to go." Tabitha glared at him.
"Never mind, I'll see you later." Tabitha said, walking away from the couple.
A few weeks later the students going home for the holidays made their way to the Hogwarts Express and to Kings Cross Station. Once there Tabitha and Theo met with their parents who greeted them each with hugs. "I got you a belated Mother's Day present." Tabitha told Adrianna as they made their way to the Floo Networks. She handed Adrianna the box with the bracelet. "Oh Tabitha I love it." Adrianna said.
"I have one that matches, together the two half hearts make one. It's a little cheese, but I thought it was sweet. Especially, since I now own my muggle home I'll be spending a lot of time there." Tabitha explained as the family made their way through the Floo.
"I love." Adrianna said hugging her daughter once they all arrived home. "I also have some furniture set aside for you to look at, as well as some in our family vault we can go look at tomorrow. When are you going to the muggle world?"
"The day after tomorrow, I want to help my adopted parents pack, I'll be back a few days before we leave for school again." Tabitha and Adrianna made their way through the house to a different room where a bunch of furniture was sitting. Tabitha looked around for a second, pausing at a king size bed. "This is amazing." She said trailing her hand across it. "Too bad I already have a bed."
"Use your bed for the guest bedroom." Adrianna suggested. "There's nothing wrong with getting a new bed when you get your own place, now come on, it's time for dinner." The two women walked to the dining room and sat beside the two men. "Theo,' Adrianna said. "Narcissa told me Draco's staying at the school during the holidays is that true?" Tabitha froze for a second then continued on with her meal.
"Yup, he's working on his project for You – Know – Who." Theo said. "And Tabitha won't let him come over any more." Tabitha shot her brother a face.
"What do you mean?" Theodore asked. "I thought you and Draco were playing nice?" Tabitha sighed.
"We were, we even started dating," Theodore growled. "It didn't last long, about a month or so, it ended when I found out he was a Death Eater." Theodore froze. "I know you're one, how else would He had been here. My problem was he didn't tell me when we started dating, I wouldn't have agreed with him, but I should have known from the beginning you know?" The rest of the meal was quiet, and Tabitha went up to her bedroom.
The following day Tabitha and Adrianna went to Gringotts, looking at family heirlooms. Adrianna naturally questioned her daughter for more information about her and Draco, but Tabitha refused to answer any questions. "I'm still hurting," Tabitha finally told her mother when they arrived home that afternoon. "I actually really liked Draco, so forgive me if I don't feel like talking about it." With that she walked up to her room. "I'll eat dinner in my room, and go to my muggle house first thing tomorrow." Adrianna sighed as she walked into the library where her husband was sitting.
"I should curse that boy." Theodore looked at his wife in confusion. "Draco, he really hurt Tabitha."
"Too bad I can't kill him." Theodore muttered.
"She has enough men to look after her, she doesn't need you." Adrianna reassured her husband. "She already has Harry, Ron, and Theo." Theodore just grumbled as he returned to his book., earning a laugh from his wife. The following day Tabitha said her goodbyes to the Notts before taking the Floo to the Grangers. Jean and Hank greeted their daughter with enthusiasm, Jean loving the bracelet Tabitha got her. The family of three started organizing which rooms they wanted to pack up first then over the next few days they pack up little trinkets, books, and various home décor. On Wednesday of the week following Easter Sunday Theo knocked on the Granger's door. "Theo." Tabitha greeted him. "What's up?"
"Mother sent me to see if you need any help before you return to the house tomorrow."
"Of course," Jean said popping up beside Tabitha, "Come on in, you can help Frank move the guest bedroom furniture into the car then into the storage unit." Jean went back into the house and Tabitha grabbed her brother's arm as he entered.
"No magic," She hissed. "They might be understanding but magic still makes them uncomfortable, and since it's my last day with them before I return to school and they move to Australia I don't need them to be uncomfortable."
"Of course not," Theo promised. "Come on, you know you can trust me." He gave her a smile as he walked into the house and up the stairs to the third bedroom. "I did." Tabitha muttered as she went into the kitchen to help her mother pack up the seasonal dinnerware. That evening, after saying goodbye to Theo, the Grangers went out for dinner one last time. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" Jean asked Tabitha as they waited for their meal. "This will be the first time you'll be alone without us for more than a few weeks."
"I'll be fine mum," Tabitha reassured her mother. "The Notts and the Weasleys have promised to check in on the house while I'm in school. You will be sending me money for bills and groceries, and if I need help Adrianna and Molly are a call away."
"You promise to behave yourself while on your own?" Hank asked. "No boys."
"I can promise to behave myself, but I can't promise no boys. I'm sure Ron and Harry would like to come and escape the drama of their own families, and Theo will pop over to make sure I'm safe like any brother."
"Hank," Jean said. "You know we raised a good girl; she's not going to have a party without telling us."
"Of course not," Tabitha said. "You know I don't like parties, the closest I'm going to get is having a few of my wizarding friends over to live as muggles for a few weeks, give them a little perspective."
"That's our daughter." Hank chuckled. "Let's eat and call it a night." The following day, and the rest of the holiday, Tabitha spent it with the Notts, going over home décor options with Adrianna, Daphne, and Ginny.
Upon returning to school Tabitha went back to ignoring Draco, barely looking at him, but noticing his coloring was going back to sickly pale again. She, along with Ron, Theo, and Daphne, studied for the apparition test. "I'm sure we got this." Theo tried to reassure the group one study session. Harry did not respond, he still felt uncomfortable around the Slytherins, but Ron and Tabitha had finally made up, so he was forced to deal with them. "You and Tabitha might be good." Ron complained. "You two have successful practice, I'm still having trouble."
"Why haven't you joined us at the practices?" Theo asked Harry.
"I have other stuff to do." Harry shrugged. Tabitha just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Harry was still obsessing over catching Draco, though in her opinion he needed to focus on figuring out how to get the memory from Slughorn and told him as much the day of the Apparition test, before walking down to Hogsmeade with Theo, Daphne, and Ron. The twins congratulated each other on passing, and Tabitha placed an arm around Ron's shoulders. "You'll get it next time Ron," She reassured him. "It was just a half an eyebrow, rather stupid that you failed." Harry, upon hearing that, completely agreed. That evening, while waiting to hear from Harry about his adventure with Felix Felicis she was joined by a raving Ginny. "That annoying little." Ginny grumbled as she sat beside Tabitha on her bed. "I broke up with Dean." Tabitha looked at Ginny in shock. "He's been crazy protective, and it got annoying."
"What do you mean?" Tabitha asked closing her book.
"He kept getting annoyed when I hung out with you and Theo, since your father is a Death Eater and all, and kept trying to help me through the portal, I can get through the portal into the common room just fine on my own."
"You also have six older brothers to be protective over you," Tabitha pointed out. "You don't need a protective boyfriend as well."
"That's what I told him!" Ginny exclaimed. "But no." Ginny drew out the 'no'. Tabitha thought of Harry, who was unsuccessfully hiding his crush on Ginny, from Tabitha at least.
"Well, better things are coming your way, I promise." Tabitha smirked at Ginny's confused look.
Thankfully, the next two weeks were uneventful for Tabitha and her friends, besides doing schoolwork and enjoying the spring coming in. The second week in May, Tabitha was appalled to learn what Harry did to Draco and was kind of hurt that Ginny did not agree with her. The two were usually on the same side of things like this, Tabitha just left the group in the common room and went to the hospital wing and sighed at the sleeping pale boy. Tabitha hesitantly ran a hand across his forehead, brushing his bangs out of his face. "I figured you'd stop by." Snape said, appearing behind her.
"Don't tell anyone," Tabitha muttered. "I'm sure you heard what happened."
"He had no choice," Snape said. "Trust me, I know we're not close." Tabitha snorted. "But you are my Goddaughter, do you really think I'd stick up for someone I thought unworthy of you?"
"Yes." Tabitha admitted. "I know how much you hate my friends."
"Yes, Weasley and Potter I hate," Snape admitted. "But, like most of the kids in my house, never hated you, we hated that such a bright witch was in such an awful house."
"What," Tabitha scoffed. "Would you have treated me differently if I was in Ravenclaw like my mother?"
"Of course," Snape said. "You probably would have dated him sooner if you were in Ravenclaw too." Tabitha blushed. "He has fought with himself for three years, as someone who loved a muggleborn I knew that battle all too well. You should have seen how elated he was when it turned out you were a pureblood, a high up pureblood. His father now could only complain about your house, instead of your blood as well."
"He still should have told me." Tabitha muttered.
"Would you have stayed with him if you had known? Would you have kept it from your little nosy friends if you knew?" Tabitha thought for a moment.
"If it's true that he had no choice, then yes," Tabitha looked up at her Godfather. "Once we actually started to get along, we worked great together, I found someone who matched me, but knowing he kept this from me." Tabitha shook her head. "I should return, before anyone notices me missing, I won't forgive Harry for this, but I can't stop being his friend either."
"Not without explaining why you're so upset." Snape guessed. "You never told them." Tabitha snorted.
"You know Ron and Harry, imagine their reaction if they found out that I dated the one guy in our year that hated me as much as you and You – Know – Who, they would have thought I was cursed or something." Tabitha bent down and placed a kiss on Draco's forehead. "I'll see you in class, professor." With that she left the hospital wing. Snape stood in place for a moment, smirking at the grey eyes that met his black.
"I hate you." Draco muttered.
"No, you don't," Snape said. "I just gave you a chance with your witch again, if you can ever explain to her what actually happened." Draco sighed. "I'll let you sleep, but you really should find a way to explain to her, I did not pair you up for that project only for you to throw it away by being an idiot." With that he left the room.
Tabitha did not go to the Quidditch match, which was unsurprising to her friends, the month before exams she could always be found studying and not doing much else. Ginny glanced at her friend momentarily before heading down to the Quidditch Pitch, this was the longest the two girls have gone without talking, but Ginny was not sure she wanted to bridge that gap. She knew the spell Harry had cast was not exactly nice, but with the way Draco had hurt her, Ginny thought Tabitha would have been a bit more understanding. Following the Quidditch match Tabitha joined in the festivities, proud of her friend for catching the snitch, and for her housemates for winning the final game. She smiled at her two friends as Harry finally kissed Ginny, about time she thought to herself, and was not shocked at all when Ginny came up to her in the library the following day. "I'm sorry." Ginny said. "It's just…"
"You like Harry, have liked him since you started school, and the thought of him getting hurt from an Unforgivable thrown by my ex was not pleasant." Tabitha said. "I get it."
"That and Draco hurt you," Ginny sat down across from Tabitha. "I thought you'd be a little happy that he got hurt."
"Hurt, yes. But nearly dying?" Tabitha looked at Ginny. "Come on, I'm not that mean." Ginny chuckled.
"I guess you're right, I'm still sorry, I don't like fighting with you."
"I don't like fighting with you, now how did it go last night?" Tabitha asked, and smiled as Ginny explained what happened during her walk with Harry, and even cheered when it was revealed that they are now dating. "I'm so happy for you Gin." Tabitha said hugging her friend, happy that they finally made up.