Blood Status
DracoXOC Fanfic
Disclaimer: Not JK Rowling, But Elizabeth Marshall and alot of what gets twisted is of my own creation
Chapter Fifteen:
"We have less than a day left of holiday, I hate how soon we must go back." Pansy whined as she sprawled across the rug in her satin pajamas. Elizabeth cocked a brow at the brunette, her arms out and fingers kissed the curls of the venetian rug below them. Draco walked back into the room, his pajamas matching the pair that Blaize wore. Astoria grinned like a bright light bulb behind them as she saw the group sprawled before her, her hands pushed the boys forward.
"So….?" The blond bounced nearly out of her satin garments.
"As always, you're the best designer." Daphne rolled her eyes as she put out her arms. Astoria leapt into her sister's arm and cuddled down into her older siblings embrace. Daphne wore a tasteful silk tank with matching shorts, all with butterfly and rose designs placed along the silk. Elizabeth sported something similar, but with more vintage design along the sides, and lace straps and edges. Every year, Astoria's present to them all were personalized matching pajamas in the person's favorite fabric type. Blaize loved cotton, Pansy satin, Daphne and Elizabeth silk, Draco and Astoria velvet.
"Yes Astoria, always the fashionesta." Elizabeth teased as she winked at the youngest of the crew. Astoria brimmed with pride as she bounced towards the tree to grab her first gift. As always, youngest first.
"So my present from Elizabeth is that you will be my accountant and business partner when I start my fashion line, right?" Astoria winked at Elizabeth before she tore into the obvious Elizabeth gift. Other than the 'for A from E', it was obvious because Elizabeth hand wrapped her gifts with brightly colored, polar bear wrapping paper, every year. Astoria's face blew up as she saw the rather stylish brief case tote and matching wallet. "Are you serious? Val Jeva hasn't even come out with his line yet! How did you get this?"
"I know a few fashion designers." Elizabeth chuckled before she turned and grabbed a box of her wrapping paper with Draco's name on it. "Next."
He narrowed his eyes on her suspiciously, only to take it lightly from her. "Is this public appropriate?" He tested. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and slapped him as gently as she could on the arm.
"Just open it." Elizabeth hissed as he grinned and ripped into the paper. It flew behind him as he stopped. There before him was the newest Arthimancy and Potion's bibles. His eyes went wide only to look at her with the same looks.
"I didn't… I never told … anyone." He whispered.
"You think that I wouldn't know what internships you had put applications for fifth year, then you're as dumb as you look." Elizabeth added, only to be interrupted as he pushed the books down and pulled her into a kiss. There were loud, audible groans, and a few whistles, as Blaize slapped at Draco's leg.
"Keep it in the bedroom, horn dog." Blaize teased, but when Elizabeth caught his glance, she could see it. Pride. Happiness. For the first time in a while, she could see them all smile, even Draco. How was it, that she was so enveloped in this love and fun, when the darkness sat just outside the room they were hold up in. The Greengrass mansion was not the Malfoy manor, but with a little tender push from Elizabeth, they decided to hold it here.
Gifts went around the tree, everyone surrounded. One calender journal from Astoria, a pair of beautiful skirts from Daphne, the newest business bible from Pansy, a cookbook of Japanese quizine from Blaize, and a fresh quill and parchment set from Draco, Elizabeth placed them all in neat place beside her, and excused herself. She needed to call her parents and remind them she still cared and loved about them. Despite their traitorous ways in disappearing before christmas and apologizing by buying her clothing from all their journeys. Not that she wasn't grateful for their gifts, they were kind and well thought of. But she had hoped to see them before school.
Mostly because she hadn't held them in so long.
Three Muggle-born raids had happened over the holiday. Each time, she felt her heart shatter. She read about them, she held onto Maybel and whispered that she was not afraid. Even Professor Snape visited, he would make sure she was not as affected by the depression that festered in her heart. But ever since the day she came back from the Malfoy Manor, she could see the change in his attitude. Atleast, towards her. He did not bring it up, in fact, he avoided and for that she was thankful.
But as he had before, she knew that he would not wait for long. He would say it was a nice day for a walk, and then she would get the scolding she could not handle.
Elizabeth had broken his one rule.
And made her life much worse than it had before. Before she was just a name, a name that came from Draco's lips when he spoke of where he was going.
Now she was a face, a personaliy, a toy and pawn all in one. Fear shot through her belly as she picked up the phone in the house and began to dial her mother's hotel room. Just as she heard the dial tone, she began to breath again. Her fingers felt like static as she waited for their answer.
Please be okay.
Please be alive.
Please be…
Please….
"The person you are trying to reach is not available.-"She slammed the infernal device down and turned to press her back into the wall. Today, on all days, there had been a raid in Italy. Her parents were spending Christmas in Italy, to cook for higher ups. It would seem so innocence, they were just chefs. But they were muggles!
"Are you alright?" Elizabeth jumped in her skin as she turned to see Blaize and his inquiring brow quirked.
"Yes." She choked out, afraid of the lie being written on her face.
"Liar." He accused. She smiled softly, painfully, as she nodded.
"Parents?"
"How are you so perceptive?" Elizabeth gasped for air.
"Because you didn't say once that they wanted you home for dinner, or comment on anything about food. You always talk of them on christmas, and what they made for breakfast." Blaize stated with a soft smile. His embrace was not a surprize. As she found, her friends had taken it easy on her. They approached slowly and wrapped their arms around her as softly and slowly as humanly possible.
"They…. They didn't come home for christmas." She whimpered, unable to lie, even now.
"Elizabeth, you're being silly, it's just one holiday. You'll see them all summer." Blaize chuckled lowly as he held her close.
"I just miss them-"
"Draco already told me about your sadness." Blaize spoke. "You are more than just missing them."
"That weasel, I'll gut him." Elizabeth grumbled as she tried to pull from the embrace. Blaize refused for a moment, before he actually let her escape.
"He loves you, more than any woman I've ever seen him care for." He flicked her lightly on the nose. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and swatted at his hand. No wonder they had been so gentle as of late. Draco already advised them. But she worried what he said the reason behind her depression was. Not even Draco knew, and he never asked.
"Good, just let me know when he loves me more than any woman and man, then I'll be impressed." She teased.
"Ah, well, Elizabeth, he'll never love you more than me… or himself." Blaize winked, only to evade her slap with a chuckle.
"Go on, get you little snake. Slither on." She shooed as she shoved him back towards the room.
~!~ ~!~ ~!~
Professor Snape sat across from her in the office, his eyes on her direct and narrowed, but never accusing. Just expectant. She was to speak first, and Elizabeth wasn't ready to speak just yet.
They sat in silence as she looked down to her lap. His eyes bore a hole into her skull.
"Fine." She groaned. With a sigh, she looked up at him and watched his lips grow into a triumphant smirk. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, but sighed once more and threw her hands in her lap. "What do you want me to say? I'm human and I'm an imbecile." She growled.
"Yes… and?" He asked with a cocked brow.
"You're foul." She hissed lowly as she leaned back in her chair. Snape chuckled before he lay his hands on his desk. "You call me here just to spit back in my face what I already know? I have two tests this week, I must study."
Elizabeth motioned to leave her seat in his office, only to be shot back down by a force of magic. Her audible moan of pain, groan of anger, and the whine of the chair as she was forced back down. Snape was up on his feet and around the desk in a flash and his wand at her throat. Elizabeth sat there, eyes unwavered as she glared at him.
"You don't flinch, it'll keep you safe." He murmured.
"I don't do a whole slew of things anymore." She hissed as she clenched the chair and her teeth together. Elizabeth leaned forward just an inch and pressed the wand into her throat harder. With her eyes narrowed, she looked up at Snape whose glance only darkened.
"Is one of them listen to rules?"
"I guess." Her voice was light but unwavering. Snape bent down so he was not so above her.
"I told you to never go in that house." He growled. "And now, I have a letter for you." He pulled out the paper and slapped it into her lap. His wand was gone from her body as she leaned back and picked up the roll of parchment. She unrolled it, her eyes darted between the paper and Snape. But as it opened to words, her eyes widened with horror as she took it in.
"What is this?" She hissed with disgust.
"A letter of interest in you." Snape's voice was light. "He handed this to me not too late after you left the home. I was only warned of your presence there when Draco came to me in a panic. For some reason, the Lord believes you willing to help Draco in his task."
There on the paper was a small note. Obviously given as a task. Take Elizabeth, and bring her to the next meeting. He wanted her to help Draco kill Dumbledore.
"That's his task?" Her voice finally wavered as her hands and body shook. "He is forcing Draco to murder Dumbledore." She whimpered as the paper trembled in her hands. There was more. The few sentences held so much more, and it stabbed her chest as she looked to the paper. He wanted her to 'help' which could only mean that he wanted her to do more than just kill the old fool. She probably had a task completely separate from Dumbledore. That fear that was in her stomach embedded itself in her ribs and her thighs, it ate at her flesh and grew like the infection it was.
"And he wants you to ensure it gets done. He's fed up with the Malfoy failures thus far." Snape spoke as he sat upon the edge of his desk. Elizabeth looked up from the parchment as she shook her head.
"No… I won't help him." She whimpered and shot the chair back from her as she stood. She ignored the clatter it made as the chair fell to the floor. Snape cocked a brow as she trembled there before him, the parchment in her hand, crumpled in her fist.
"You were just so willing to murder Ms. Bell to cover your ass… killing Dumbledore to save Draco too much for you?" He asked with a dark look on his face.
"Shut up! I won't murder the old fool just because some tyriant asks me too!" She snapped. That's when his wand was back at her throat and her back was forced up against the door directly behind them. The space between her professor and her, and the door and her spine was nothing at Snape's behalf. He was fast, much faster than she anticipated.
"You selfish girl, you won't help him when you're asked, but when it involves you, you will?" He snarled. "If Draco does not comply, he will be murdered!" His wand jabbed into her throat like a knife, but never broke the skin.
"Don't you see! I'm saving him!" She snapped and struggled against her professor's hand.
"Oh! And how do you see that?" He asked.
"Because he won't just ask me to kill Dumbledore. That will be first… he'll ask me to kill Draco next!" She cried out in pain. And just like that, he dropped her. Elizabeth fell to the floor in a crumple, her body shook harsher. Her left hand clenched her right arm, her nails dug into her skin and fresh blood poked at her nails. Clipped in an attempt to keep her from harming herself again. It was not enough.
Snape stepped back as he looked down at her as she calmed down the shakes by her fingers that dug into her skin harder. "And why do you think that?"
"Because… that's what I'd do." She whispered as she looked up to Snape. Her face was contorted in pain and suffering, but the explosive anger he just held was now back to his all-knowing smirk. She furrowed her brows as he nodded.
"Good, then you've come to the same conclusion I have. Go clean up. Must not let Draco see you so shaken, so soon after the holidays. The boy worries too much already."