Posted: Feb. 14, 2005
Chapter Seventeen: Come What May
Percy, Angelina, and Draco sat around the kitchen table to eat the breakfast that Percy had prepared. Draco noticed how Angelina and Percy purposely sat as far as they could from each other and avoided speaking with one another, other than the 'good morning' they had greeted each other with.
Angelina had told him that nothing had happened and he believed her, though the scene in front of him was making him think otherwise. "Ow!" Angelina dropped her fork and reached under the table. "Draco, move your hand," she demanded.
Draco had been resting his hand on Angelina's leg and without realizing it, he had started squeezing it. He let go and rose from the table, he knew needed to calm down. "Excuse me a moment." He walked towards the kitchen door, pushed it opened and walked out.
"Lina, about last night, I truly am sorry," Percy stated as soon as Draco was out of sight.
Angelina rubbed her leg. "It's okay. We were both a little out of it."
"Yeah, I know." He picked at his food. "It's just I don't want things to be weird between us," Percy confessed. "It's been nice having you here."
Angelina smiled. "I've enjoyed being here myself."
"So, are you going to tell him about last night?" Percy asked referring to Draco.
Angelina shook her head. "No. There's no need in talking about something that didn't happen, right?"
"Right," he agreed. He then stared at her for a moment. "I want to be honest with you, Lina."
Angelina looked back at him. "About what?"
He sighed. "I want you to know, that the offer I made last night, is still on the table. So if you ever change your mind."
"I won't," she said immediately.
"But if you do," he continued, as he reached across the table and took her hand. "Know that I'm always here." Angelina stared down at their hands for a moment and then looked at the man before her. He was right; he was certainly not the boy he had once been and before she even realized, she was nodding her head.
Percy smiled and feeling good about their conversation he relaxed and started to enjoy his breakfast. But that state of relaxation didn't last long as the kitchen door abruptly swung open and something swift and silver went flying through the air. "Ahhh!" A familiar looking dagger struck Percy in the shoulder and he fell out of his seat.
"Draco!" Angelina rose from her seat, but got up too quickly and fell back down into her chair.
Draco went over and pushed the raising Percy back down onto the floor. Taking the handle of the dagger he began to twist it and Percy once again yelled out.
"Draco! What in Merlin's name are you doing?" Angelina rose from her seat again and went to pull Draco off of Percy.
Draco removed the hand holding down Percy and replaced it with a knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a balled up piece of blue fabric. Percy stared at it for a moment and then a dawning look slowly appeared on his face. They were Angelina's cotton panties. "Yeah, I found these in the living room under the chair. Care to explain?"
"Draco," Angelina spoke up, trying to think quickly. "I- I um- I was folding laundry in the living room, I must have dropped them. Now get off of him!"
"Why are you protecting him?" Draco looked up at her.
"Huh?" Angelina was confused.
Draco looked back down at Percy. "What did you do? Threaten her not to tell me?" He twisted the dagger again. "Thought I was too stupid to figure it out? Huh?"
"Draco, what the hell are you talking about?" Angelina asked as she looked at Percy gritting his teeth trying to hold in his shouts of pain.
"Your hangover and bruised wrist, Tulip? Then there was the double-charmed lock door, the bad dream where you're yelling out, 'Stop Percy, no,' and your torn underwear in the living room." He yanked out the dagger and blood spurted all over the kitchen floor. "You bastard, you took advantage of my wife and now I'm going to cut off your little dick," he growled. "You said I could trust you!"
"That's not what happened, Draco!" Angelina got on her knees and applied pressure to Percy's wound. All the shouting had woken Rosalina up and they could hear faint crying coming from the guest room.
"I didn't betray your goddamn trust, Malfoy!" Percy finally spoke out.
"Shut up!" Draco jabbed the dagger once again into Percy.
"Stop!" Angelina yelled. She then slowly reached for Draco's hand holding the dagger and said softly, "Love, please let him go. He didn't hurt me. We were a little drunk, yes, and things got a bit out of hand-"
"So you fucked him?" She was cut off as she felt Draco's hand tighten around the dagger as he stared down Percy.
"No! That's what I'm trying to say. Nothing happened," she replied. "Now let him go!" But he would not move. "Draco, baby, believe me. . . please."
Draco looked into his pleading wife's eyes. He then slowly pulled out his dagger, wiped it on Percy's shirt and placed it back into his holster. "Go see about Rose."
"No." She didn't trust him alone with Percy. "I'll see to Percy, you go check on Rosalina."
It took a moment before he spoke. "Fine." He stood. "See to him, but then we're leaving, you're not staying here anymore." Draco then left the kitchen.
Angelina said nothing as she pulled out her wand and addressed Percy's wounds. She was no Madam Pomfrey, but after having to deal with Draco that night he had come home after the Final Battle, she thought it was best to learn a few new skills.
"Thank you," Angelina finally said.
"For what?" Percy asked as he sat up.
"For not killing him," she stated. "I don't think Draco noticed in his anger, but I saw your hand, it was on your wand the whole time."
Percy shrugged. "How could I have attacked a man, who thought he was doing nothing more, than coming to the defense of his wife?" He sighed. "Besides, I was kind of a jerk last night."
"No, you're a good man, Percy."
He shook his head. "Now we both know that isn't true." He lifted himself off the floor and Angelina followed suit. "If I were, I wouldn't have the uncanny ability to drive everyone that I know or care about away."
"You're too hard on yourself." She put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"You may want to check on Malfoy before he starts to think we're doing something else in here."
At the mention of Draco, Angelina's ears perked up. "Do you hear that?" she asked.
There was a moment of silence before Percy shook his head. "I don't hear anything."
"Exactly. We should at least be able to hear Draco. He likes to sing to Rose to keep her calm."
Percy arched an eyebrow. "Malfoy sings?"
"I'm serious. Something's not right." Angelina's hand went to her stomach. "I'll be back."
Angelina left the kitchen; everything seemed fine in the living room, so she went down the hall to the guest bedroom. She stood in the doorway and saw Draco leaning on the crib stroking his daughter's head, as she fell back to sleep. "You lied to me," he said sensing her. "You said you would never lie to me and I believed you."
"I just didn't want you to harm him."
"I thought he had hurt you." He then turned his head to her. "So tell me, what else have you lied to me about?"
Angelina crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one side. "What secrets are you hiding from me? Because trust is a two way street, if you didn't know."
Draco weighed his options, he knew if he forced Angelina to play her hand, he would be forced to play is own and he wasn't ready to fold just yet. "Fine," his voice was dark as his focus went back to Rosalina. "You just better hope I don't find out on my own, because I will not be forgiving."
Angelina walked up to him and pulled him away from the crib until he was looking down at her. "Is that a threat, Draco?"
Draco narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. His expression then turned into one of concern as he shook his head and took a step back. "No, of course not. I didn't mean for it to come out that way."
Angelina sighed in relief. "I don't want to fight with you," she admitted.
"I don't want to fight either, but-" he groaned in frustration. "Dammit, Tulip." He stepped around her and began pacing the room. "I don't know what you want from me. Haven't I given you everything, haven't I. . . "
He went on, but Angelina was no longer paying attention as she recalled a conversation she had earlier that month. He has given you everything right down to his very soul and that has left him vulnerable.
She then thought, He didn't see the wand in Percy's hand because he was too worried thinking about me. If it had been anyone other than Percy they would have attacked. If I don't do something, Draco is going to get himself killed over me.
". . . so we'll pack and when Rose wakes up we'll go home." She caught the end of Draco's speech.
"No." Angelina looked to the floor. "I'm staying here."
Draco arched an eyebrow as he lowered his head and looked to his wife. "Excuse me?"
"We're trying too hard Draco." She shook her head slowly. "Love isn't supposed to be this hard or have this many trials." Draco looked at her in disbelief. "Maybe we should just finally stop lying to ourselves and admit that we were never a good match."
"Tulip, what are you doing?" he asked as he watched her take off her rings.
"I'm taking you up on your offer. Like I should have done the first time," she explained. "I want out, Draco." She reached for his hand and turned it palm up. She then gently gave him back the rings and closed his fingers around them. "I want out." The words were as painful to say as they were to hear.
Draco opened his hand and stared at the rings sitting there. He then squeezed them tightly in his hand as he put them in his pocket. "I'm not just going to allow you to leave me, you know that."
"You said you wouldn't stop me."
"That was then." His face showed no sign of the pain and fear Angelina knew he was going through, but refused to show.
"Did you cheat on me?" Angelina suddenly asked.
"What?" His stoic expression was now gone as he heard the question.
"I didn't stutter," she replied. "I want to know."
"Angelina." He reached out for her, but she maneuvered herself out his reach.
"For once Draco, tell me the truth about something. Did you cheat on me?" she asked again.
Draco sighed and swallowed hard before saying. "Yes, and I regret it." He held his head high. Angelina wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes tightly. "Don't do that. Don't act like you're hurt," he said cruelly. "Because you're no better than I am; getting piss arse drunk and fooling around with Weasley."
"Maybe, but I didn't sleep with Percy."
"Yeah, that really gives me comfort. Because I'm sure if anything, Weasley was just too damn drunk to get it up."
"Oh, believe me," she smirked. "Unlike some people, Percy had no trouble in that department," she then gasped as the last syllable escaped her mouth. Draco's hand had snapped up and tightened itself around her small neck.
He then hissed, "Don't you dare-"
"What?" she cut him off. "Did I say something you didn't like? Did I offend the Great Draco Malfoy?" Her hands came up and she tried to loosen Draco's grip. "Huh? Are you going to beat me now?" Her face was impassive, but Draco could feel her tremble over his touch. "In front of our daughter no less?"
Draco turned his attention towards the crib, to see Rosalina had not fallen back to sleep, but was watching silently at the actions taking place between him and Angelina. He then yanked Angelina closer to him and said with his mouth close to her ear. "You want to leave me?" he thought a moment. "Fine. But don't you come crawling back when you realize you need me."
"Need you? Don't you get it Draco?" she asked. He could feel her warm breath on his neck. "I never needed," she hesitated, "or loved you. And it's funny that you think you were the reason I was sticking around. Come on now, I live the life of a fucking princess. A big house on a large estate with all the money I could ever spend. Plus the name 'Malfoy' that demands respect wherever I go," she chuckled.
"Being your wife was only a mild irritation that I simply put up with. Because who could ever love a controlling, possessive, cold-hearted, sadistic murderer, void of any real emotions?" She felt Draco's hand quickly drop from her neck and watched him step back. With her last words ringing in her ear, Angelina realized she couldn't do this to him. "Draco, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it," she said immediately and reached out to hug him, but Draco just stood there.
"Sad thing is, Tulip, somewhere deep inside of you, I think you did. Now take your filthy hands off me, before I make you," he snarled.
Angelina pulled away and as she did Draco turned and walked over to the crib. "What are you doing?" she asked in a panic.
"Taking what's mine," he said over his shoulder as he went to gather Rosalina in his arms.
"Stop!" She went and yanked him away from the crib. "She's my daughter too."
"As far as you should be concerned, you no longer have a daughter," he thought over his words. "Or a husband. You got what you want okay? So I hope you're very happy with Weasley."
"Draco, don't take her." She gently rested her hand upon his arm.
"Woman, you do not want to get in my way."
"Please, don't do this. Please, don't take her. I'm sorry, okay? I take it back, I take it all back," she grew upset. "Draco, I'm begging you, please-" Then without thinking she blurted out. "I can't lose another child!" Her body shook.
Draco's forehead creased as he swiftly turned to her. "Another?"
"You want to know the truth? Fine, I'll give you the truth; just don't take her from me!" She suddenly crumbled to her knees. "Please!" She was desperate.
"Tulip, what do you mean another?" He dropped to his knees in front of her and grabbed her arms. "Tell me now."
"Draco," she shook her head.
"Now woman," he demanded.
Angelina licked her lips and leaned her forehead against Draco's chest. She then began slowly. "I became pregnant at the end of my fifth year," she said in a small voice. "And I had convinced myself that the father of the child didn't want it, but it was me, I didn't want it. That summer I had already planned to go to South America to visit my aunt, so while I was there I found a clinic and I- I uh- had an um. . ." her voice trailed off.
Draco whispered something she couldn't hear as he securely wrapped his arms around her.
"I killed my baby and I wanted nothing more than to pushed it out of my mind and forget about it, like it never happened, but then. . ." She lifted her head and looked into husband's eye. "The real reason, I didn't tell you I was pregnant with Rose was because I didn't think I was going to be able to carry her to term. You see, something had gone wrong doing the procedure in South America and. . ."
She shook her head. "Draco, I can't give you anymore children. I can't give you an heir. Rosalina was a miracle within herself," she explained. "Your father knows, but I don't think he found out till after we were married. He tried to blackmail me with it, saying if you found out, you wouldn't want me."
Angelina then thought about Fred and what he had said to her that night he had found out about her and Draco's engagement.
But I always thought eventually we would be together. That you would one day take my name and be my wife. That one day you would have my children and we would grow old together. And if we can't have that, if we can't have it all, then there's no point in being together.
Before then Angelina had feared what would happen, if Fred had ever found out the truth, but they had never gotten that far in their relationship. That night when she broke down after he left, it wasn't only because he had left her because of Draco, but because he would have eventually left her anyway.
As she thought this she continued on with her conversation with Draco. "When I didn't give in to that, he told me, if I didn't leave you, I would be the reason you died. I didn't believe him before, but then this very morning. . . Draco, I don't want to leave you, but I will if it means you'll live. I need you to live."
"Tulip," he said gently as he took either side of her face. "Don't let my father manipulate you. Don't let him tear us apart."
"Did you see his wand?" she asked. "Did you see it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't you get it?" she asked angrily. "When it comes to me, you don't think straight and you're blind to everything around you, missing the obvious."
"Baby, now you're just talking nonsense. Nothing is going to happen to me, okay? Everything is under control. My father was doing nothing more than putting crazy ideas into your head. You just have to have faith in us."
"How? When we don't have faith in each other."
"You're wrong," he pulled her rings out of his pocket and slipped them back onto her finger. "Because I have faith in you. And as long as you love me, that will never change. So know, no matter what I do or what I say or how angry we get at each other; know that you are my heart- No," he changed his mind quickly. "You're more than that. You are my soul. The reason I wake, the very reason I breathe." Angelina inwardly smiled, it was the most he had ever said about how he felt for her.
Angelina squeezed his hands. "I'm sorry, Draco, about what I said before."
"Don't be. You were only trying to protect me, I see that now. And if anyone should be apologizing it's me." He put his hand on her cheek. "I should know you better, I should have seen through it." He shook his head. "I never meant to hurt you. . . I never mean to hurt you." He lightly kissed her forehead, her nose, and her lips. "You know that right?" She nodded her head. "It's just you caught me off guard and instinct kicked in. The thought of you being with someone else, the thought of you leaving me. . ." he paused and then said firmly, almost angrily. "Don't ever leave me, you understand?" She nodded again. "Say it," he demanded.
"I promise. I'll never leave you."
"Good," he said, beginning again with his butterfly kisses.
"I love you," Angelina said knowing Draco would never say it back to her, it just wasn't in his nature, but she realized that his warming eyes and relieved smile was all she ever needed as he pulled her close, but then all of sudden, there came a loud boom and a crashing sound from the front of the house. "What the hell was that?" Angelina asked as she lifted her head away from Draco.
"I don't know." He stood and pulled out his wand. "Stay here."
"No." She reached for her own wand on the nightstand.
"Angelina."
"Draco," she said sternly.
His shoulders drop, her tone was one he would not argue with. "Fine, but you will stay behind me." He then lifted his wand above his head and made a circle, putting up a ward to protect his daughter.
He then left the room with Angelina only a few steps behind. He immediately felt the cold winter air rush through the hall. He stepped into the living room to find the front door on the other side of the room. "Draco, watch out!" he suddenly heard Angelina yell, but before he could respond he saw a burst of bright light and then everything faded to black.
To Be Continued. . .
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A/N: Why is there no chapter preview you ask? Same reason chapter 10 didn't have one, for dramatic effect.