The night before they were to go to school, the Malfoys made reservations at the most high profile wizard restaurant in London. Rhyann wore a sleek new black dress robe and put her hair up at Narcissa's suggestion. She would have politely ignored the blonde witch if Lucius had not been in the room with them at the time. Narcissa also presented her with family heirloom mother-of-pearl earrings which she always had planned on giving her daughter-in-law. They were tiny and delicate things, but the weight of coerced obligation made them seem much heavier than they truly were.
Edgar and his family met them at the restaurant. Rhyann directed her suppressed frustration at her little cousins, glaring at them threateningly each time they did something that could even be close to misbehaving. As she had promised Draco, she was polite and nice to the rest of them. She was only eager to get this night over with and be on her way to Hogwarts the next day.
"A toast, a toast!" Narcissa raised her glass before their meal arrived. She waited until everyone else held some wine in their hands and then smiled lovingly at her son. "To Draco who has made us all so very proud by making Head Boy this year. I'm going to miss you so much while you're gone, darling."
The glasses clinked together with a 'cheers' and everyone took a sip. Draco was grinning smugly. Narcissa then turned her soft blue eyes to the dreamer. "And to Rhyann. You have been such a blessing on our household. I will miss you as well. The only consolation I have is that one day you will be a permanent member of the Malfoy family."
Rhyann gave her a gracious smile but it was not heart-felt. The wine glasses tinkled against each other again and the cheers was a little softer this time. Lucius took a longer drink of the fine red vintage with his eyes fixed on her. Finally, after a moment of silence, he spoke coolly. "You have lived up to our expectations this summer, Rhyann. I know that behavior will continue while you're at school this year." His silvery eyes told her that she would or else something she did not want to happen would. "For that, we have invited two more guests to dine with us this evening."
His gaze went over her shoulder and she turned her head to follow it. The dreamer let out a little gasp and was out of her chair in a flash, rushing over to the two wizards that stood in the entrance waiting to be seated. She could feel the tears in her eyes at the sight of them and did not care if everyone in the restaurant thought she was a bit nuts for running over to them as she did.
Tristian was the first to step forward and gather her into his arms. He lifted her up from the floor and spun her around, whispering to her how much he had missed her and loved her. He finally set her down and placed a kiss upon her forehead, winking at her to give her courage to get through this.
Darcy was much more composed when he embraced her, but his hug was no less fierce. He rubbed her back soothingly and complimented her on how lovely she looked. Though his expression was calm, his dark eyes shimmered with emotion. He murmured that they were home now and everything would be alright. The tone of that statement indicated that he was going to see if he could loosen the Malfoys hold over her, over all of them. She wished she could give him all her strength to do so.
The hostess of the restaurant was waiting patiently for them to finish their greetings. Rhyann ignored her and hooked one arm through each of her uncles'. She had so many questions for them, but she dared not ask any of them there. She was happy enough to see them and know that they were well.
As they approached the table, all the others stood up to welcome Darcy and Tristian back. She could see by Draco's face that he had not known that her uncles would be guests at this dinner as well. He might tell his father all that he knew, but most certainly Lucius did not tell his son everything. Rhyann really hoped that her boyfriend would one day finally open his eyes to how his father was using him but there were other things more within reach that one could pray to the gods for.
Two more chairs were added to their table. Draco pulled his right up next to hers and either held her hand or had his arm around her slender shoulders the whole time. She could feel how tense he was and the feeling that he was guarding his claim. Her uncles - who sat on her other side - pretended to take no note of it at all. There were no challenges and it seemed like a very jovial dinner on the surface.
Darcy and Tristian had been sent all over Europe as the Dark Lord's ambassadors. They had spent their summer traveling and meeting countless pureblooded families that sympathized with Voldemort's cause. It sounded much more tedious than anything else, but Rhyann knew that though they had not been in any dire situations, they had been in danger nonetheless. Danger not from their enemies but from those on their own side.
The night that she had at first wished to be done with was going by too swiftly. Unlike her usual self, Rhyann ordered dessert and drew out sipping her after-dinner tea for as long as possible. Anything to give her more time with her uncles. Unfortunately the restaurant was emptying and Lucius announced it was time that they return home since it would be an early morning the next day.
The petite dreamer felt her eyes getting misty again, but obediently bid her uncles good-bye for the time being. At least they were home in London now. They were safe and she would do what she could to make sure they stayed that way. At Hogwarts, she could at least write to them and be sure that Lucius was not opening her letters first.
She ached to go back to Rookwood Manor with Darcy and Tristian even for the night, but she did not dare to ask. Draco was acting too defensive and she knew that this dinner was the only kindness Lucius would allow her for the time being even though all summer she had been going into the sleeping minds of his business rivals, gathering their secrets for him. She guessed he must have profited greatly from her doings, but he never said what he did with the things she told him or how they benefited him. The young dreamer had only done what she was told for the sake of her family.
The carriage ride back to Malfoy Manor was mostly quiet. They commented on the restaurant and the good food. Narcissa seemed sleepy from too much wine and Rhyann thought her boyfriend's arm seemed permanently fixed around her now. She paid them no mind. She remembered only Darcy's whispered promises and Tristian's comforting humor.
Draco and Rhyann were told to go off to get some sleep when they arrived home. Lucius bid them each a good night and then led his own heavy-eyed wife towards the master bedroom in their own wing of the manor. The younger Malfoy took her hand and started them towards where their rooms were located.
"I don't think I've seen you smile all summer as you did tonight." Draco remarked softly, a bit of hurt in his tone.
"I was happy to see my uncles." She replied as a matter-of-factly. Rhyann knew that he knew the reason, but was only pointing it out because he wanted her to smile like that for him again. He just could never understand why she was so unhappy with the situation and that aggravated a lot.
He ran a hand through his blond locks which had grown out a little more over the past few months. "I guess you don't have any reason to worry any more then. You've seen that they're okay and they're back at home now. We can put all that behind us.."
"I'm not that naïve, Draco." She gave a little shake of her head. She felt far wiser than she had been at this time last year. Everyone had called her a girl back then and they were not wrong. Now things were different. She was different. "I know if I step out of line, they will still be in danger. It was not just a nudge to get me to accept my place. It is a life sentence imposed by your father, by our Lord, by…" You.
Draco sighed, tired of this old argument. He stopped them in the hall just outside of her room and turned to look down into her beautiful dark eyes. "It's all a matter of how you look at it, Rhyann, and you're just seeing what you want to see. Everyone wants what's best for you."
"Only I can decide what's best for me. Only I can know what I want." She interjected, unmoving in her stance.
He twirled a strand of her long hair around his fingers, still speaking quietly. "I thought you wanted me… I thought you wanted us together…"
Her hands came up to cup his face, emotion tightening her chest. "I do." Rhyann wanted them to be together. Marriage wasn't necessary for that. More than she wanted to be with him, she wanted to be able to trust him again. There had been no one for her to confide in. No one for her to go to and not a shoulder for her to lean on.
Draco took both her hands in his and pressed them to his chest. "Then this way we have that. We're together. And we'll be together always. Why doesn't that make you happy?"
"Dammit, Draco!" She went to pull her hands from his but it was a weak attempt. The dreamer looked down and away from him, trying to hold back the emotions that were threatening to overcome her. "I don't want to be with you this way. I don't want us to be forced to be together. I would be with you freely, without the bounds. I don't want your father controlling everything we do."
"My father doesn't.."
"He does!" Rhyann heard her voice crack. "You just can't see it because he's your father. You love him. Just like I love my uncles. But at least I don't let them control me."
"My father doesn't control me!" Draco finally got out. He bent his body forward so that he could put his forehead against hers. He could hear her heart racing and his own matched hers. He hated this. Things weren't meant to be this way between them. "Rhyann, I don't want to fight with you. I want things between us the way they were before."
"Then tell your father to let me and my family go." She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see his face and his reaction to that.
"He's just making sure…" Draco knew that they were going in circles. His father wanted only what was best for them. He had said it over and over again to his girlfriend, but she would not listen. He knew she was hurt by some things, but he had hoped she would eventually see that they were right in what they did. It pained him that she had not done so. He only wanted to be with her for the rest of their lives. Not only to be with her, but to be loved by her and to love her in return. So he stopped himself from continuing with what would only end up with them at odds with each other again. He kissed her tenderly instead. "Let's not do this tonight. Tomorrow's an important day. We'll be back at Hogwarts, away from my parents, and there we can heal our wounds together."
Rhyann still did not open her eyes at his kiss or his words. He did not get that Lucius was not the only wound between. Hogwarts would give her a little relief, but after the year was out, if nothing drastically changed, she would be right back here again. "Draco…"
He shushed her with another kiss. His lips lingering upon hers. "No more talking tonight." His arms wound around her lithe body, pulling her against him, and slowly having her move backwards into her room until her legs hit the side of her bed.
Part of her wanted to protest, to tell him that they should not be doing this. Picturing Darcy and Tristian from earlier in the night caused a stab of guilt to make her knees shaky. The other part of her that still loved Draco urged her forward. She still loved him and desired these intimate moments with him. She could not stop herself from feeling that way. It was too powerful and she was weak against it. It was the only comfort she could get from him these days and she so desperately needed it.
Her hands, still upon his chest, grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him down with her onto the bed. No, they would not argue any more tonight. Rhyann gave herself over to him and over to the only part of their relationship she felt was pure any more.