After the events of Halloween, the arrival of Christmas was a welcome distraction. Hogwarts had been decked out in its usual array of splendid decorations. Students were all looking forward to spending Christmas at home - the entire school was pretty much leaving due to the circumstances.

Ebony was not excited, however. She sat in the window in the common room, the quiet buzz of chatter in her ears. Her hand gripped a letter tightly. She sighed. She didn't want to go home but as always, a stern reminder from her father stopped her from signing up to stay over the holidays. The thought of the endless parties and dinners made her feel sick. Family gatherings were not her favourite, spending an evening stuck in a room full of arseholes was in fact Ebony's idea of a personal hell. It was tiring pretending to be someone she wasn't but it was what had to be done to stay on her parent's good side. She just wasn't sure how much longer she could do it for. How much longer she could go on before it broke her completely.

"You alright?" His voice brought her out from her thoughts. Ebony drew her knees up to her chest to give Neville space to sit.

"Always alright me." She said with a smile. Neville rolled his eyes.

"Sure, " He said, eyes trailing to the letter in her hand. "Gotta go home for Christmas?"

"Unfortunately."

"Any chance you could-"

"Nope." She sighed. "I'll be fine." Neville didn't look like he believed her, she didn't blame him. He smiled sadly at her before shaking it off and giving her a wide grin.

"Fancy a game of Gobstones?"

"Why not."

...

When the train pulled into Kings cross Ebony thought she was going to be sick. It was always the same. Being at Hogwarts, away from everything gave her a feeling of euphoria that she couldn't quite explain, almost like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. Then the holidays came and brought it all crashing down.

Neville was gathering his things but Ebony stayed rooted to her seat, trying to melt into it. Perhaps if she stayed long enough the train would simply go back to Hogwarts.

"You coming?" He looked at her with a smile that was just a bit too wide. She sighed and dragged herself up, forcing her legs to move. She swung her rucksack over her shoulder, almost taking Neville out as she did so. "You trying to kill me?" He said, looking offended. The corners of her mouth twitched upwards.

They squeezed their way along the corridor but before they reached the door Neville stopped her. "I know they don't let you write," He looked her straight in the eyes. He did the same thing every year, "but if you need anything, you know how to find me."

"Thanks," she smiled, "but I'll be alright, I promise." Ebony wasn't sure if she was trying to convince him or herself. Either way, it didn't work. "Merry Christmas Neville." She gave him one last look before slipping out of the train and almost crashing into a blur of blonde.

"You took your time."

Ebony rolled her eyes at her cousin but Draco didn't see, having already slipped back into whatever conversation he was having with his friends as they wandered down the platform. She looked back to see Neville's grandmother fussing over him. Ebony suppressed a giggle as she watched her spit on a handkerchief to wipe dirt off his chin, despite Neville's disgusted protests.

Her smile quickly vanished when she met the glare of Lucius Malfoy who merely sighed at her before ushering his wife and son towards the station Floo network.

"And Merry fucking Christmas to me." She muttered before following

...

He watched her walk down the platform, tagging along behind Draco. He felt so helpless. He wanted nothing more than to grab her and hold her. Tell her everything would be okay, that he'd never let anyone lay another finger on her ever again. Show her that people could be kind, that the world didn't have to be made of darkness. Tell her she didn't have to go through this. He desperately wanted to save the fire inside her, the fire that made him feel so alive when he was with her. Her laugh, the light of her eyes. He wanted to save her. He wanted her to let him in. Because maybe that would all be enough to save them both.

But he couldn't do any of it, instead he had to watch her walk away with her head down, her spirit already disappearing inside her. It broke his heart. He turned away.

...

Ebony leant against the wall and stared at the chandelier above the ballroom. It was ugly, looked as if it was made of cobwebs and just didn't fit the weird gothic vibe of the rest of the house. Clearly, Dolohov was not one for interior design.

"You look like you're having the time of your life." Draco appeared beside her with drinks in hand. He offered her the glass. She took a drink, using all her self control not to just down it. Being tipsy would not end well, she needed to keep her guard up and not say anything she shouldn't.

"Finally escaped from your mother then?" She said. Draco let out a huge sigh.

"I love her but that woman drives me insane. Once she starts talking she doesn't stop." Ebony snickered. "I see you slipped away fairly quickly."

"My mother prefers it when I'm not around, that way she can pretend that I don't exist. That is, until I say something outrageous in her vicinity, like 'Muggles are just people' or 'What's wrong with being in Gryffindor?' then she doesn't leave me alone." Ebony tightened her grip on the glass in her hand.

"Speaking from experience?"

"Maybe." She smiled guiltily. Silence hung between them as they stared into the room filled with their relatives, listening to the sound of chatter and polite laughter. It was quite a sight, some of the fanciest dress robes to be seen, majority of them ridiculously hideous. Ebony didn't understand how anyone could keep track of who was related to who , and how, when there were that many people. "You know some people spend Christmas Day in their house and only have a couple of friends and family round."

"We can't do what the commoners do my dear." He replied in a posh accent which made Ebony choke on her drink and then burp. He raised his eyebrows. "Very ladylike." She stuck middle finger up at him but smiled nonetheless.

"I've missed you Draco." Her cousin turned to her looking confused.

"We go to the same school, you see me all the time."

Ebony sighed. "I mean I've missed the real you. You know, when you're not being an arsehole." Draco looked down at his feet.

"You know why I do that."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it. Also, you don't have to be such a dick."

"Don't hold back, keep the insults coming." Ebony batted his arm. "It's not my fault Longbottom's an easy target. What the hell do you see in him anyway?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you." She replied, looking away.

"Well, I think you would prefer it to what's about to happen." Ebony furrowed her brow and turned to look where Draco was. Sure enough, her mother was coming in her direction, deep in conversation with some tight faced woman and a boy who seemed just older than Ebony.

"Kill me please." she groaned. She quickly drained her glass, resisting the urge to let out a belch just as they arrived.

"This is my daughter, Ebony," Bellatrix said, a false sweetness to her voice that made Ebony feel sick. "Ebony, this is Alexin Rowle." The boy let go of his mother's arm and reached for Ebony's hand, which he kissed. Ebony wanted to smack him across the face.

"Might I just say how beautiful you look on this fine evening Ebony."

'No you may not, get the fuck away from me,' was what she really wanted to say. Her mother was smiling at her through gritted teeth. "Why thank you." She replied smiling sweetly, thinking that maybe the ugly chandelier would be a great place to hang herself from. She could see Draco hiding a smirk behind his glass out of the corner of her eye. "You look quite ... nice yourself." She stammered, trying not to blush. In all honesty, Alexin's dress robes were hideous. They were a mouldy shade of green with lace around the edge that resembled the colour of sick. Alexin's mother cleared her throat.

"Well it was lovely to finally meet you, Ebony, your mother told us such nice things about you." Ebony wanted to laugh. Her mother? Saying nice things? That would be first.

She smiled again and gave a small wave as Alexin led his mother across the room. He face fell into a scowl as soon as they walked away.

"Well?" Her mother demanded.

"Well what?"

"Good match don't you think?"

Ebony's mouth dropped open. "Match? I'm thirteen for crying out loud, I'm not looking for a bloody husband."

Bellatrix grabbed her wrist and twisted it causing her to wince. "You'll do as I say if you know what's good for you. Besides, it's never to early to start planning." She pulled Ebony towards her and whispered in her ear. "And watch your fucking language."

And with that she dropped her grip and strode away, her heels echoing against the floor.

"Another drink?" Draco's voice made her jump, she'd forgotten he was there. She flopped back against the wall, rubbing her wrist.

"Do you even have to ask?"

...

Bellatrix wasn't at the breakfast table when Ebony came downstairs. Her father seemed to be in a foul mood, given the way he glared at the daily prophet. She sat silent for the entirety of the meal, unsure whether to risk asking about her mother's whereabouts. In the end, she gave in.

"Mother not joining us?" Ebony asked in a forced light tone.

"She's gone out," Rodolphus grunted from behind the paper. Ebony raised her parents rarely went out, even less so separately.

"Where's she gone?" She knew she was chancing it. Her father slammed to paper down on the table, making her jump.

"Does it concern you?"

"Er...no." Her answer sounded more like a question.

"Then you don't need to know." Her father snarled. "Get out of my sight, I'm very busy today and I'd rather not be interrupted."

"Yeah, busy being an arse." She muttered under her breath as she got up from the table.

"What was that?"

"Nothing sir."

Her father rolled his eyes and went back to his paper.

...

The house had been silent all day. Ebony had no idea what her father was doing but after her chat with him at breakfast, she thought it best that she just stay out of his way. She lay on her bed with a book on her lap, watching the sky turn pink as the sun set behind the trees.

One week. That was all. One more week and she'd be back to Hogwarts. She just needed to hold on.

It was then that she heard him thumping up the stairs. What the fuck did he want? Ebony tossed her book aside and got up to open the door but her father got there first.

Rodolphus looked a mess. His shirt cuffs and collar were undone and his waistcoat was hanging open. She could smell the alcohol from where she was standing. "Its all your fault." His voice was bitter and sharp. Ebony just stared at him.

"I don't.."

"It's your fault she hates me." He spat, his gaze burning into her. "She's never loved me but we got along fine, we made it work just the two of us." He staggered towards her, still glaring. Ebony backed up against the wall. "Then...then you came along and ruined everything." His breath reeked of firewhiskey. "You came along and suddenly we were supposed to be a proper family." He laughed. "Your dear mother didn't like that." She tensed as he reached out and put his hand on her cheek. "Everyone thought we would never have children. When you arrived people thought that maybe you weren't ours. But no. You've got her beauty." He dropped his hand. "At least that's something."

He stumbled and fell onto her bed. Ebony had seen both her parents drunk but she had never seen her father this bad. She remained rooted to her spot against the wall. She couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. Was she really the cause of her parents' miserable marriage?. She couldn't picture them ever getting along. They had screaming matches almost every night, snapped at one another constantly. She didn't think you could find two people that got along worse than they did.

"Who the hell is Enid Blyton?"

She snapped her head towards her father who was holding her book in his hands.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Of all the books she could've left lying around, it had to be a muggle one. It was called 'The Famous Five' and Hermione had given it to her after she saw her reading it and asked what it was about. It was fascinating, a group of children going on grand adventures. Hermione didn't even get annoyed when she constantly asked about the different muggle things. Ebony had been so careful to keep it hidden away in her trunk up till now. To be fair she hadn't expected her father to burst into her room like that.

"Well?" Her father snapped.

"Er.. she's...she's an author." Ebony stammered. She thought about just making a run for it and finding a place to hide until he had cooled off but she felt stuck to the wall.

"I can bloody well see that you smart ass." Rodolphus snarled, discarding the book and rising from the bed. "It's just, Blyton. Not a well respected wizarding author, not one I've heard of anyway."

Ebony watched with wide eyes as her father unbuckled his belt and slid it out of his trousers. He towered above her and smacked it against his hand. "So," he said, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Are you going to try and convince me otherwise or will you admit that you brought muggle filth into my house?" Ebony's whole body was trembling. She wasn't sure what to say. "WELL!?" Her father roared, smacking the belt against the wall next to her which made her squeal.

"It's muggle." She mumbled, not daring to meet her father's eyes.

The next thing she knew the wind was knocked out of her and she was doubled over in pain. The belt had struck her stomach, causing her skin to sting. Rodolphus grabbed his daughter by the chin and forced her to look in his eyes. "Listen here." Another blow, this time across her shins. His gaze stayed fixed on her. She looked at him with watery eyes. "I don't know what you are playing at." He struck her shins again. Ebony whimpered and tried to pull herself out of his grip but he held on tight. "You're a Lestrange." His words sprayed spit on her face. "It's time you started acting like it."

He threw her to the floor. She crumpled into a ball as he landed blow after blow, the leather burned her back as it hit. She cried out for it to stop but he paid no attention. By the time he was done, Ebony was curled up on her side, silent tears rolling down her face.

"Pathetic." He spat, giving her a sharp kick to the ribs and then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Ebony didn't move. She stared numbly at the door, her breath shaky. Her father had never been so violent. Her mother was the psychopath, the one with the violent temper, Rodolphus preferred to just watch.

She imagined what Neville would be doing now. Maybe talking to Trevor or reading a new book that he got for Christmas under the covers. Maybe her was thinking of her, like she was of him. Maybe he was worrying as usual. Her mouth curled into a small smile.

"I'm okay." She breathed. "You're with me."