AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy New Year! Here's your gift.
DISCLAIMER: I still don't own Harry Potter.
"ADRIENNE ZABINI!" a voice shouted over the noise of the platform. "GET OVER HERE!"
Adrienne sighed and mumbled something to Blaise as they excused themselves from their significant others. Draco's hand slipped from hers as she walked through the crowd and towards their sister, the owner of the loudest voice on the platform. Blaise brushed his sister's hair down, and Adrienne brushed her hair from her eyes. Before any last minute, primping could be done she was swept into a rib crushing embrace by her older sister.
"Hello, baby sister!" Cornelia said as she squeezed Adrienne. The youngest Zabini coughed, and tried, in vain, to push out of her sisters arms. "I've missed you so."
"And I, you," Adrienne said gasping for air. After a moment, Cornelia released her and moved to embrace Blaise. Adrienne smoothed her shirt and hair, as she inhaled the precious oxygen she'd been denied while her sister was suffocating her. Blaise being much stronger, than she, pulled out of Cornelia's grasp with ease, after an appropriate amount of time. "It's really lovely to see you, Cornelia. Are you here for the service?"
"Yes, I am. But that's not what I want to talk about. I want to see your fiancé," Cornelia mused. "Mum says it's the Malfoy boy. He was a cute little thing when he was younger."
Adrienne rolled her eyes and excused herself to go and retrieve Draco. She spotted him talking with his mother and father. She sighed her nerves jumbling together again, and walked over to them. She'd always been under the impression that his father, Lucius, didn't like her. Of course, as Draco pointed out every time she allowed the thought to pass her lips, he wouldn't have picked her for his betrothed if he did. However, she knew that his mother, Narcissa, didn't think that Adrienne was good enough for her son. She'd heard her say it when she was walking about the manor last summer. Draco had no answer for that.
"Ah, Miss. Adrienne," Mr. Malfoy mused as she appeared through the thinning crowd. "It's lovely to see you."
"And you, Mr. Malfoy," Adrienne said politely as she stopped next to Draco. "And it's always a pleasure to see you, Mrs. Malfoy."
"We were just talking about you," Narcissa said. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss. My father passed when I was in my sixth year as well. Dragonpox," she informed. Adrienne nodded her head, unsure of what else to do. "Draco, here, was just asking if he could stay with you and your family for three days. Is that fine with your mother?"
Adrienne bit off a scoff and nodded. "Perfectly fine with her," Adrienne said. Of course, her mother would only be within ten miles of the manor for the service and then she'd be gone. She'd never know that Draco was staying at the manor for three days. Adrienne rolled her dark eyes and then looked over at the Malfoy parents. "We'll take good care of him, and makes sure that he eats three square meals a day," she informed. "Promise."
"Well, if it's okay with your mother," Narcissa said. She leaned down and kissed her son's cheek. "We'll see you in three days, Draco. Good-bye, Adrienne."
The Malfoy parents disappeared into the crowd, and Draco leaned against the trolley beside him. Adrienne brushed her hair from her eyes and motioned for him to follow her to her family. Her sister was waiting where she left her standing and chatting with Blaise. Blaise looked over and pointed to the approaching couple, taking the attention away from him and to Adrienne. Cornelia turned her attention to Draco and Adrienne, and smirked.
"Yeah, you grew up nicely, little Malfoy," she said. Draco looked at Adrienne from the corner of his eye and saw her shrug. That's just how her sister was, and Draco knew that. So the only way to respond to that was to smile and return the complement, and he did exactly that.
"Adrienne, Blaise," their mother greeted as they walked into the manor. Adrienne ducked avoiding her mother's embrace. Blaise, however, wasn't fast enough, and he was caught in his mother's embrace. "Adrienne, come and hug your mother."
"I'll pass," she said. "I'll show you around. Draco, Mum, Mum, Draco," she introduced as she headed up the stairs. "Now everyone knows everyone," she replied. "Come we only have a moment before we have to get dressed for the service. Come on then."
"It stats in an hour," her mother called up the stairs.
Draco ducked past Adrienne's mother and walked up the stairs behind her. The Zabini Manor wasn't as large as the Malfoy's, however, hers was better decorated. There were more colors and family portraits. Adrienne pointed to the den, the study, the library, and the bathrooms were. She then walked up four stairs and to a door. She pushed it open and said it was her room. It fit her well enough. The walls were a light grey, her favorite color. There was a large bay window with a window seat was on the far wall. The carpet was lush and full. There were pictures of her and Melanie on the walls. They were in all sorts of random places, France, Spain, and Italy were the ones that caught his eye. The was a desk under the pictures, where she did her homework and wrote letters, he presumed. Her bed was large and covered in light grey sheets as well. She kicked off her shoes and collapsed on her bed.
"Why won't you talk to your mother?" he asked her as he sat on her bed.
"You act as if you've never met her," she said to him. "She's vile."
"Ah," he hummed. "Well, you should get dressed," he commented.
Adrienne sighed, knowing that he was right, stood, and walked to her closet. After a moment of contemplation, she pulled out a simple floor length black dress and hung it on the door. Her brown eyes turned to Draco as he stood and walked across the room. "And where are you going?" she questioned. "You can stay," she added. "Just turn your back or something," she added nonchalantly. Draco shrugged and turned his back to her as she undressed. Before three minutes had passed she was saying, "Zip me with you?" Draco nodded and pulled the zipper on her dress up. He did so slowly, savoring the sight of her chocolate skin. "Done?" she asked as the zipper stopped and his hands fell from her back. She then turned and draped her arms around his neck, he followed suit wrapping his around her waist."Thank you."
"You are very welcome, my lady," he said pressing a chaste kiss on her lips. "Shall we go? I'm sure your sister, brother, and mother are waiting."
Adrienne rolled her eyes at the mention of her mother and pulled out of his grasp. She and Draco descended the stairs, dressed in all black, to spot the rest of the occupants off the home in all black. Blaise hadn't changed out of his black suit that he wore of the train, neither had Draco. Melanie, was wearing a knee length black dress with her hair pulled into a tight bun. Cornelia, wore a black pant suit. She'd always hated dresses. Mother Zabini was wearing a very seductive black dress, tight in all the right places, and low cut. Adrienne scoffed.
"Let us go, shall we?" Blaise drawled. "We're apparating there, so Mel and I will go with mother. You two can go with Cornelia."
She made a mental note to never be rude to Blaise again, as she and her betrothed walked to her older sister.
"Ready, you two?" Cornelia asked. The sixth years nodded. "Great, let's go."
The Zabini Family sat in the front row at the funeral service. The Missus was at the far end, Cornelia was next, then Melanie, Blaise, Adrienne, and finally Draco. Her right hand was wrapped around her brother's left. While her left hand was intertwined with Draco's right. Everyone in a while, Draco would looked over at her form the corner of his eye. Physically, she was calm and collected. The perfect example of a purebred child. However, to his and Blaise's trained eye, she was breaking. Her usual strong front that she put on seemed to shatter like glass as the service began. Her strong eyes seemed to crack with every word spoken. Her lips stayed pressed into a tight line. Her grasp on his hand continuously changed between non-existent and bone crushing.
As the funeral goers left, then Zabini family stood at the door and shook hands and kissed cheeks. Adrienne, being the youngest and closest to the deceased man, got the full front of the apologies and pity. And she took it all in stride.
Melanie approached Draco from behind and spoke slowly, "She'll need you tonight." Draco nodded, already knowing that she would. "Not to talk to, but for you to listen. Keep her secret, if she cries, let her. Don't tell anyone, she hates it when people know that she's weak. Protect her. She is my best friend."
"Thank you, Melanie."
Cornelia left as soon as Adrienne and Draco were safe. Adrienne said nothing as they walked to her bedroom. She didn't reply when her mother called out to her. Or her brother. She said nothing as they undressed and redressed for bed. She simply pulled the blankets back and crawled under them. Draco did the same, taking the advice that Melanie had giving him.
Before he could even formulate a thought, she rolled over and buried her face in his chest. Her hot tears soaked through his shirt. Draco pulled her close, wrapped his arm around her waist, and stroked her hair. A silent night would pass between them. A night silent save for her tears.