ATTENTION READERS: This is the sequel to 'The Rookwood Dreamer.' It is highly recommended if you read that story first lest you not understand half of what is going on in this one!
The house elf handed her the tea. It was black as she preferred it. The petite young woman did not even look the little creature's way or offer a thank you. She continued staring off towards the horizon over the gardens as if she were waiting for something.
Usually when she took her tea outside in the garden, Narcissa joined her. The older witch would chatter on pleasantly about this or that. She had liked to talk about the future wedding, but Rhyann had placed some suggestions in her sleeping mind to steer her away from such talk. Just little subtle nudges that no one would notice and it would be like the subject had worked its way out of Narcissa's system.
The mistress of Malfoy Manor had absolutely no defenses around her mind. Rhyann at first thought it a bit odd and then very soon realized that it was because the woman knew very little of her husband's business. She almost thought the lack of barriers was a dare, to see if she would take a sleeping mind hostage or harm one of the family.
There were moments at the beginning of the summer when the dreamer felt that desperate, but she always restrained herself. Even if one of the Malfoys merely skinned a knee doing something, she did not want to be blamed and have her uncles suffer the consequences. Taking no action had been a good thing in some ways. The tension eased, especially in Draco's case. Yet she knew that Lucius was ever watchful and was supremely careful not to step out of bounds with him… not in any way that he would know, that is.
Rhyann stood up and smoothed out her deep purple robes. She had taken to wearing that color and black all the time. The Rookwood family colors. Narcissa had bought her a wardrobe full of new clothes until she went into her mind to stop that compulsion as well. The blonde had a very pliable mind. She guessed that is why Lucius had chosen her to be his wife because, as she had learned this summer, everyone was a tool for him.
Picking up her tea cup and saucer, she strolled into the elaborate gardens. It was her favorite place to be alone. They had nothing of the wild as there was near Rookwood Manor, but the hundreds of exotic flowers and the immaculately trimmed figures in bushes were very beautiful. There was a rose garden with rare violet roses from Asia and a hedge maze that she had memorized before her first month at the manor was done.
Now there was only one week of the summer left and though she had hated the idea of having to go back to Hogwarts, Rhyann was looking forward to it. She would be out from under this oppressive roof. Of course she knew Lucius would set up some sort of system to keep her under his thumb. Draco always told him everything, too, except about their intimate moments. Even then, she wondered how much his father knew.
She had never been let out of the sight of at least one of the Malfoys outside of the manor for the whole summer. She went to Diagon Alley with Narcissa. Draco went with her when she visited Pansy or the Notts. She was not allowed to see Hermione or anyone associated with her. Lucius had made it clear she was not to have anything more to do with blood traitors and filthy mudbloods. So she had to keep making pathetic excuses to the Gryffindor all summer.
She had only seen one of her uncles the entire summer. Edgar had remained in London to take care of the family business. He was allowed to visit with his wife and children any time they pleased. Though Rhyann did love him, he had always been her least favorite of her uncles. Edgar lacked the backbone the rest of them had and she was sure he was stored very nicely in Lucius' pocket.
Edgar always assured her that Darcy and Tristian were alright. He never gave her any details, but at least she believed him over anything the Malfoys said to her. He would pat her hand comfortingly and tell her she should be lucky to be in the position she was. Though she could always see something behind his dark eyes that was saddened by the losses of the Rookwood family.
Rhyann held the tea in one hand and let the other brush over some feathery petals of a bunch of multi-colored carnations. They were a larger breed than she had ever seen before and every time she passed by them in the garden, they seemed to have gotten bigger. So engrossed in her thoughts and the quiet of the gardens that the popping sound behind her startled her to such an extent that she dropped cup and saucer to the cobbled path. The valuable china shattered and tea splashed over her shoes and on the bottom of her robe.
Spinning around, she wore a mask of stern disapproval. "I had told you to stop doing that! If you want to see me, walk out here. Your legs are still in perfect working order as far as I know."
Draco grinned at her, unfazed by her reaction. "I like to practice apparating to where you are. It's different than normal apparating." Leaning over, he placed a quick kiss upon her lips and held up two envelopes from the school in his left hand. "Besides, this news could not wait."
Rhyann would be happy at Hogwarts if only for the fact that no one could apparate on the grounds. Ever since they were taught and got their licenses, Draco had been apparating every where and it seemed he most particularly enjoyed popping up where she was when she least expected it. She eyed the letters. "What news?"
With a flourish, he handed her one of the envelopes. The one that was addressed to her and, as she sourly noted, that was already opened. The seal of Hogwarts marked it as from the school. She knew it would contain the list of the supplies and books they would need this year. Draco had puffed out his chest a little and announced proudly, "I am Head Boy this year."
She flipped open her own letter and saw only the list of books along with the start date of the semester. The dreamer knew he was waiting for her comment, so she gave him as much of a smile as she could muster at the moment. "Congratulations. I'm sure your parents are very proud."
Draco's face fell slightly. "You could be a little more sincere in that, Rhyann. I really am happy about it."
After all that had happened and the betrayal he had dealt her, Rhyann had found that she still did love him. It had been maddening to deal with. There was much guilt that she did want to be with him. She knew she should hate him, but much to her dismay, she could not. She still cared about how he felt and that he loved her. She still craved his sweet kisses, his passionate embraces and to lay entwined with him in the darkness of his room at night trying to make no noises so no one else in the manor would know what they were up to.
She loved him, yes, but she could not trust him. It rendered new wounds in her heart every time she tried to reconcile it within herself. The dark eyed teen knew Draco loved her, but it was no pure unconditional love. He was his father's son, after all. She was determined not to have him treat her as Lucius treated Narcissa though. Rhyann would not be a pretty tool manipulated for his use in whatever manner he saw fit.
She knew that the blond truly did love her for she had entered his sleeping mind. The only strong barriers around it were her own and could not stop her. Draco honestly thought he was doing what was best for her. Every fiber of his being believed it. He also saw his father as a wizard to be admired and wanted to be grow up to be like him. They had fought several times over the summer about his father and what he was doing. Neither of them ever won an argument.
Rhyann was constantly pulled back and forth between her feelings. At times she felt as though she were being torn in two. If she could separate herself into two people, it would be so much easier. Every time she even had a loving feeling for him, she felt as though she were betraying her uncles. She reached up and stroked the side of his face softly. "I do mean it, Draco. Congratulations."
His hand came up to cover her own smaller one and he turned his head a bit to kiss the inside of her wrist. Draco's smile returned. "Thank you. The family is going out tonight to dinner to celebrate it. Perhaps you will wear one of the blue dress robes I like so much? Blue really does look lovely on you."
There were times he brought that up and was thinking back to the Yule Ball, she knew. He was also trying to get her out of the habit of wearing her family's colors. Rhyann gave him a look that said that it was futile for him to even try to get her to do so. "I already have in mind something I will wear."
He gave a little resigned shrug of his shoulders, unwilling to start arguing about it. "It's going to be an excellent school year this time around. I'm Head Boy, captain of my quidditch team and I have you." Draco gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. "I'm almost sad that it's going to be our last year there. I think I could handle another few years of that."
"You could always go on to a wizarding college if you like school so much." Sarcasm laced the edge of her voice.
Still holding her hand, he began to walk them back towards the manor. "I am thinking about it even though it really isn't necessary. I'll have the Malfoy empire waiting for me. Plus," he grinned down at her. "I have you as well. I won't go away to college and be separated from you. I'd marry you first so you'd have to come with me. Even though it is proper to wait until we're twenty-one and have a spring wedding as my mother wants. I can already see you so beautiful in blue with flowers woven through your hair."
Rhyann narrowed her eyes. "You know I don't like to talk about that."
"But we will be married some day, Rhyann. I still don't get why you haven't accepted it yet."
"You know nothing, Draco Malfoy." She snapped back at him and pried her hand free of his. The confrontations they had over the subject were fierce. He did not care she didn't want to be married and that she was being forced into it. She stomped off ahead of him and held up a hand for him not to follow. "If you want me in a decent mood for dinner this evening, you best just leave me alone for the rest of the day."
"Rhyann…" Draco sighed almost woefully. He loved her and it was clear at times how much she still loved him. He knew it. He could feel it within his heart and soul. He understood that she missed her family and it hurt her to have to be parted from them, but it was for her own good in the end. Both he and his father understood recognized that fact. He just didn't know why she kept fighting it and it was hurtful for both of them that she did.
The petite teen did not reply and kept walking back up to the manor without him.