Breakfast that morning was a sombre affair. My 'father' sat at the head of the table in his usual space and i continued to appear the ever obedient dark heiress. "Farther…" I begin, worried my first attempt at pulling on daddy dearest strings.
"Yes my child" he beckons to me.
"Well, it's just…" I fumbled over my words, surprisingly, Voldemort stared at me patiently, I know this is not something any other person experienced from him.
"I was just wondering" I begin again after clearing my throat and straightening my back. "Whether I could go to Diagon Alley." he raises an eye, I would say eyebrow but there was lack of presence of one to say the least. "It's just, school begins in a few weeks, I need some new books, and I have been in the manor all summer break and… and i thought it would be fun to just hangout and…"
Voldemort raises a hand and I instantly silence myself.
"It is dangerous little one."
"Please, I promise I will be careful-"
"Very well Broderick will-"
"Farther, can Draco take me?" I interject, I wanted to go so badly but the effort of leaving is almost not worth it if Broderick was breathing down my neck.
"Aria dear, its dangerous, I can't risk someone taking you away from me again."
"Farther, every day for the last month you have enrolled me in lessons to practise defensive and attack spells, Draco is also exceptionally gifted, I would be more than safe with him for a quick shopping trip." I could see my 'father' faltering a little in bending to my whims. "Also I'm so grateful to you for finding me, I am no longer an orphan and I have a heritage I am proud of, I would risk losing that, I simply want to have fun for a little bit."
Voldemort chuckled "very well my child." he turned to Draco. "She is not to leave your sight.
Malfoy's father smirked, he seemed to relish being part of the inner circle, not only himself, but his son to by receiving direct orders.
"Exceptionally gifted?" Draco snorts as I emerge from the fireplace of 'Quality Quidditch Supplies' I shove him and walk past, chuckling to myself. There was no way for me save face her.
We stroll together shop from shop, me chatting animatedly, Draco more sombre, but a soft smile creased his face and that was enough for me to know we were both enjoying our time. "I would be careful with that silver tongue of yours Ari."
"Oh yeah, what are you gonna do? Go crying to father about it?" I ask playfully as I lightly punch his arm.
He catches my his fist in his hand, hold it still even though I pushed with all my might to punch forward. "You'll be in Slytherin in a few weeks, I know every nook and cranny in our common room, if your precious yet creepy doll was to be found hiding behind a certain portrait, or swinging from a certain chandelier, well I may just know whoever did it and how they did it."
I burst out laughing "Don't you dare hurt her!" I exclaim, pushing my first with all my might, failing and deciding to try and trip him. In this I was successful, except he fell straight into me, we crashed to the ground laughing, but this was cut short when two of my fathers followers appeared from the shadows and helped us up. "What the hell I say" as the slowly melt back into the shadows.
"I guess your father wanted to make sure you were really safe." to say I was pissed off was an understatement. I caught sight of Florean Fortescue's Ice cream parlour, I grabbed Draco's hand and made a beeline for it. Despite the current bleak times and certain lack of hustle and bustle Diagon Alley usually experienced, the ice cream parlour was heaving, young witches and wizards stood outside as magical floating banana splits swam in gleaming glass bowls besides the customers, floating on small whit clouds as enchanted spoons loaded themselves up and choo chooed their way into the owners mouth. Gosh I loved magic, but now wasn't the time to get distracted. I chose the ice cream shop as it was crowded enough with brightly clothed young witches and wizards that death eaters would struggle to blend in amongst the young populace. I didn't really have an ulterior motive for coming here. I just wanted a second of peace knowing whatever I said or felt wasn't reported back to my father dearest.
After we managed to squeeze our way into the shop, I noticed a couple suddenly vacate their table and practically elbowed myself to the seat. "You're terrifying in a crowd, you know that?" Draco breathed as he slumped into his seat. I simply smiled at him as I began to peruse the menu. Draco snapped his fingers in a very entitled manner and instantly a waitress was by our table.
"Welcome to Florean Fortescue's, what can I get you young sir." I raised an eyebrow at Draco. I'm pretty sure this wasn't the same level of assistance that everyone received here.
"Yes a pumpkin and rum double scoop and a chocolate mudslide for the girl." I scoffed, I wasn't sure if this is how he treated every girl he dined alone with but if so, I found it amusing more than charming.
As I was scoping delicious chocolate ice cream into my mouth I scanned around for any sign of my father's goons, I hadn't seen them enter. I did, however, spot a bright patch of ginger in the crowd, then two patches of fiery orange. I caught a pair of glistening eyes and I smiled even more. Fred had spotted me and our eyes held each other's gaze. It felt so good to him, to see laughter even in his eyes.
"What are you grinning at?" he asked almost demandingly.
"Oh nothing, just the waitress calling you young sir, as if you're not a total ass." I fake laughed too distract him, he rolled his eyes and I excused myself to the bathroom, just as I was entering the bathroom door I feigned left, slinking around the perimeter of the walls as I slowly made my way around the shop, bobbing and weaving between customers to get to the twins, they had both spotted me know and their eyes never left mind. Just as tangled myself from a bunch of tween witches i crashed into their arms, they both embraced me, I felt george pull away first and after a lingering moment I felt Fred take a slight step back.
"What are you doing here?" I breathed.
"One of our new sweets may have accidentally found it's way in Ginny's breakfast" Chimed in Fred.
"And it may have caused her teeth to turn all shades of the rainbow." started George.
"And her teeth may or may not glow in the dark." again started Fred.
"So we May be have to buy her her favourite ice cream to cheer her up." Again finished George.
I laughed hysterically at their insistent pranks. Then my eyes grew wide. "So they're all here? Harry too?" I exclaimed. The boys nodded. But my smile faltered. "But it's too dangerous to see them?" Fred frowned and nodded again.
"Order 42!" a lady behind the counter yelled and George walked off to thrive Ginny's sundae cone.
Fred reached out and gently brushed some hair behind my ear. "How are you holding up?" he asked gingerly. I looked up at him and gave him a small smile, knowing my words would betray me. His hand still gently rested on the side of my head and I noticed his wrists smelled like freshly blown out candles and melted sugar. Most likely due to all the sweets he conjured up with his identical counterpart.
"Aria!" I heard Draco shout as he abruptly stands and stalks over. I hear the jingle of the door before the door itself slams against the walls.
"Miss Riddle" a voice beckons, trying to locate me. Draco pushes his way over to me, in one swift moment he pulls Fred's hand away from me and shoves him to he falls on the ground between two booths. A commotions starts and people begin to panic.
"Aria! The same voice beckons for me in a demanding tone.
I panic and look around. Draco sighs and grabs my face forcefully but tentatively in his hands, crashing his lips against mine. My eyes shoot open as his soft lips envelop mine. I begin to close my eyes to sink into his touch. I was suddenly pulled off of him and apparated back to the manor.
I'm standing in the hallway outside the library when Draco appears apperated by the other cloaked figure assigned to watch me. When they look us over once to check we're in one piece they stalk off.
Once they turn the corned Draco shoves me against a wall, face inches from mine, seething with anger.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he emits, I don;t have words and just look up at him, searching for my friend in his eyes. "If you had been spotted with the Wesley, not only talking but basically holding him… did you want your father to never let you out of his sight again, did you want him to hurt me or my family for not following orders?" I had never seen him talk so many words at once or look at me with such ferocity.
"No, I-"
"No what?" he cuts.
"He was just comforting me"
"I don't care." he states. "No reason is good enough"
He pushes away from the wall and stalks off.
"Wait." I call smally. I hear him sigh and turn around. He facial expression read 'what now'
"Why did… you kiss me?"
"Because if your father asks why we were hard to locate, saying a couple of tenagers sneaked off to make out is far less worse than you fattensising with the literal enemy." he huffed, wiping his lips on his sleeve, turning around on one heel and stalking away.