Harry and Nike walked through the corridors of the Black Mansion, hand in hand, in complete silence. She was taking in all her surroundings for the first time because last night she had barely had a chance to, while he was afraid to say anything that might upset her again. As they neared the back of the house were the dining room was set, it seemed to lighten around them from the on coming sunlight. When they finally reached the room, they found that Ron was sitting at the table trying to eat. But on either side of him stood a tall, red haired boy and they were obviously pestering him.
"George..." Nike began as she stepped down the small flight of stairs and took him into a much needed hug. "Fred. How are you?" She asked as she embraced the second boy.
" How does she do that? Molly can't even tell them apart half the time!" Hermione said as she stepped next to Harry. He only shook his head as he smiled down at them.
" How are you feeling?" " Has Lucius been giving you any trouble?" " How long are you staying here?" " Do you need help moving anything in?" The twins were shooting questions back and forth at Nike so fast that she couldn't do anything but laugh at them. When they finally finished, she just smiled at them, then took them both into one big hug.
" Oh, I missed you guys so much." "Um...Nike?" Harry started from his spot at the top of the stairs and they all three turned to him. " Dumbledore needs Ron, 'Mione, and I at the school so we're going to be gone most the day. Will you be ok here?" " Oh, yeah, of course." " Don't worry Harry, we'll take good care of her." George said as he and Fred wrapped their arms around her.
Harry nodded at them and felt suddenly comfortable as he left with his two friends in tow. But he was soon to find out that Ron wasn't too happy about the whole arrangement.
"I don't know, Harry. Do you really think it's smart to leave her with those two? They've been getting worse, if that's even possible. And in her state, who knows what they could talk her in to." " Ronald, stop it! She'll be fine. Harry has other things to worry about today." Hermione said as they all got into the car. The two of them continued to argue about it as they began to pull out but Harry had tuned them out. He was sitting so that he could look back at the fading mansion and he kept telling himself that everything was going to be ok. It had to be.
After dinner that night Nike found herself alone in a trap. She stood in the chilling darkness at the bottom of the stairs that would take her to the third floor. If she climbed them she knew she would be heading to Harry's room, the one place she knew that sleep was guaranteed. But if she turned around, followed the corridor to the end, and turned right, she knew she would have to face something from the past that had been haunting her for a fortnight now.
She didn't know what it was but something strong was pulling at her from behind, trying to get to her to turn around. Maybe it was love, maybe it was curiosity. Either way, it was stronger than her longing for sleep and so she turned and began her decent down the hall. Excitement began to take over half way down the corridor and she found that she had broke into a run just to reach that door. The moment she finally burst through it, though, the feeling drained from her completely. The room seemed much more empty and alone then it had the previous night but she didn't seem to notice or care. Instead her gaze immediately shifted to the spot above the fire place.
Draco had been sitting cross-legged on the floor of his picture but when he saw her come through the door, he had leapt to his feet. They watched each other for a minute, then Draco bowed to her a little, but Nike only walked over to the open window and stared out into the inky sky.
" My name is Draco Malfoy. Do I know you?" Malfoy finally spoke after a few more moments of silence.
" I am Nike Vaugn Malfoy..." She said without looking at him.
" So... we're related then, is that it?" Nike quickly turned to him and wiped the look that was almost a smile off his face instantly.
" No. Draco... I am your wife."
"George..." Nike began as she stepped down the small flight of stairs and took him into a much needed hug. "Fred. How are you?" She asked as she embraced the second boy.
" How does she do that? Molly can't even tell them apart half the time!" Hermione said as she stepped next to Harry. He only shook his head as he smiled down at them.
" How are you feeling?" " Has Lucius been giving you any trouble?" " How long are you staying here?" " Do you need help moving anything in?" The twins were shooting questions back and forth at Nike so fast that she couldn't do anything but laugh at them. When they finally finished, she just smiled at them, then took them both into one big hug.
" Oh, I missed you guys so much." "Um...Nike?" Harry started from his spot at the top of the stairs and they all three turned to him. " Dumbledore needs Ron, 'Mione, and I at the school so we're going to be gone most the day. Will you be ok here?" " Oh, yeah, of course." " Don't worry Harry, we'll take good care of her." George said as he and Fred wrapped their arms around her.
Harry nodded at them and felt suddenly comfortable as he left with his two friends in tow. But he was soon to find out that Ron wasn't too happy about the whole arrangement.
"I don't know, Harry. Do you really think it's smart to leave her with those two? They've been getting worse, if that's even possible. And in her state, who knows what they could talk her in to." " Ronald, stop it! She'll be fine. Harry has other things to worry about today." Hermione said as they all got into the car. The two of them continued to argue about it as they began to pull out but Harry had tuned them out. He was sitting so that he could look back at the fading mansion and he kept telling himself that everything was going to be ok. It had to be.
After dinner that night Nike found herself alone in a trap. She stood in the chilling darkness at the bottom of the stairs that would take her to the third floor. If she climbed them she knew she would be heading to Harry's room, the one place she knew that sleep was guaranteed. But if she turned around, followed the corridor to the end, and turned right, she knew she would have to face something from the past that had been haunting her for a fortnight now.
She didn't know what it was but something strong was pulling at her from behind, trying to get to her to turn around. Maybe it was love, maybe it was curiosity. Either way, it was stronger than her longing for sleep and so she turned and began her decent down the hall. Excitement began to take over half way down the corridor and she found that she had broke into a run just to reach that door. The moment she finally burst through it, though, the feeling drained from her completely. The room seemed much more empty and alone then it had the previous night but she didn't seem to notice or care. Instead her gaze immediately shifted to the spot above the fire place.
Draco had been sitting cross-legged on the floor of his picture but when he saw her come through the door, he had leapt to his feet. They watched each other for a minute, then Draco bowed to her a little, but Nike only walked over to the open window and stared out into the inky sky.
" My name is Draco Malfoy. Do I know you?" Malfoy finally spoke after a few more moments of silence.
" I am Nike Vaugn Malfoy..." She said without looking at him.
" So... we're related then, is that it?" Nike quickly turned to him and wiped the look that was almost a smile off his face instantly.
" No. Draco... I am your wife."