Hello my lovely readers! I hope you are all doing well and enjoy this chapter. Tell me what you think of the different POV in this chapter!
I don't own anything from Harry Potter.
"You have odd spaces in your memories," Draco commented to her, a couple days later. Astoria's brow furrowed in confusion and she shook her head, only just waking up. She rubbed her eyes tiredly, stretching her body out. Draco seemed to like going through her head when he woke up before her, she noticed. She was used to not having privacy, but it was odd waking up to it. "It's as if someone did a messy memory charm. Your father?"
"My father is excellent at memory charms," she said slowly, fear creeping over her. What did he mean? Someone obliviated her against her knowledge?
Why were so many people always meddling with her mind?
Draco watched her as she grew upset, his cool grey eyes searching hers. "Do you have an idea then if it wasn't him?"
"No.." She truly didn't. She did not have a lot of relationships with people to have a specific person to suspect. Though, it would make sense if someone had noticed her witness something they didn't want her to witness, or overhear something they didn't want her to overhear. "It could be anyone, really."
"I might be able to uncover them. They seem quite badly done," he told her, looking slightly angry. She wondered if the anger was over feeling protective over her, she hoped it was.
"I don't know if I want to know," she told him, knowing full well she did want to know. She definitely needed to know.
"I do. What if they did something to you?"
"Like what..?" She asked cautiously and Draco didn't reply. She sighed and looked over at the time. "The Aurors are coming back today," she told him, changing the subject.
"Mmm. Brilliant."
"I'm sure they will be extra irritating today after what happened."
"Most definitely."
"Which means," she said carefully, trying to approach the situation gently. "We should be on extra convincing behavior so they don't suspect us of having any participation in what happened."
"If you are expecting me to offer Granger tea and biscuits while asking about her family and the weather you can fuck off," he said, his voice cool.
"Not necessarily that far, but just try to cooperate. It's better if we just act as upset with what's going on as they are. Well, maybe not quite as upset, but still upset."
Draco stood from the bed, not replying to her before undressing himself and going into the bathroom to shower. Astoria blushed and looked away from his nude body before laying back against the pillows when she heard him start the shower, not wanting to get out of bed to get ready for a day of interrogation.
By the time Theodore made it home, it was already the dark hours of the morning. Despite the time, his mother was in the sitting room as she often was with two different bottles of alcohol he didn't bother to identify. He walked to her quietly, disappointed at the sight of her he had come to know, sitting beside her. "Mum, it's late isn't it?"
Sylvia Nott looked at her son tiredly with deep, bloodshot eyes. "Yes, I suppose it is. Why are you just getting home then?" She asked him, taking his hand and kissing it, her motions slightly sloppy.
He had grown used to his mother in this state. Her dark brown hair disheveled in result of her constantly grabbing onto it as she slumped over whatever surface held her drink, her light brown eyes surrounded by reddened whites. No matter how used to it he had become, seeing his beautiful mother in this pitiful state pained him to his core. It had only become worse and more frequent with time, and he feared the rising pattern would continue until it couldn't rise any longer.
"I was at Malfoy's with Blaise. We were going to come here to discuss things with father, but there was an incident with his wife, and then her mother came and things were distracted," he told her, returning the kiss to her hand that she had taken his with.
"His wife? The Greengrass girl?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
He shouldn't have mentioned her, especially with his mother drunk.
"Yes, that is who he married, mum," he told her levelly. She knew the answer already, and the fact she was making him confirm it irritated him.
"Hmm, yes. I thought we didn't want that to happen?" She asked, scowling and pursing her lips.
"You didn't want it to happen for different reasons than I," he sighed, watching her pour herself another drink.
"Again, I thought we didn't want that to happen?"
"I did what I could."
"Why don't I believe you? You're a charming boy, Theo. More charming than Malfoy. All that time at Hogwarts, and you're telling me you did everything you could?"
"She wasn't after his charms," he told her, thinking of how Astoria never did seem fond of Malfoy at all.
She did, however, seem quite fond of him.
He felt a feeling of possessiveness fall over him and bitterness quickly followed. She would never be his.
"Maybe not, but you could have made her forget what she was after."
"I did what I could," he repeated, shifting in his seat. His mother went on about her plotting especially in the later hours when she had been drinking throughout the day.
His mother shook her head, her hair falling into her face. "For Merlin's sake, Theodore. You wanted her for yourself? Her family is the reason she doesn't even look at you," she snapped.
"That isn't true, mother. She made efforts with you and father so obviously she looked at us," he replied, rolling his eyes. It was Sylvia's fault he never would have attached his name to Astoria's, not the Nott name itself. "You act as if our name is at the bottom of the pile. We are close to the Malfoys."
"Well we've worked our way back up in recent years," she growled. "And they can consider us an option all they'd like. I'd rather die than marry you to an offspring of that woman and her husband. You say her mother was there? How terrible for you. I do hope you didn't speak to her."
"I did."
Sylvia gave her son a dull look and pushed the hair out of her face, looking impatient with it as it kept falling. "Was she as pleasant as she always has been?"
"She insulted you."
His mother laughed loudly, shaking her head. "Of course she did. She is a petty cunt," she chuckled coldly.
"Astoria defended you," he told her, tilting his head slightly in an attempt to get her attention on his eyes as he tried to make his point.
"Oh did she? She seems like a sweet girl," Sylvia nodded, looking slightly lifted at the thought of being defended.
"Exactly."
Which was why he wouldn't destroy her. He couldn't manipulate her into trusting him only to hurt her, to be the cause of pain in her innocent clear blue eyes. He had gotten a taste of that already, and he couldn't handle the guilt. No matter how much he wanted her, no matter how much Malfoy didn't deserve her.
No matter how good it had felt to have her affections.
Sylvia huffed. "Oh Theo, it's not a personal attack towards her. You are well aware of that. Sometimes you are far too sensitive. However, sometimes children have to pay for their parents transgressions. Besides, you could have had her. She could have been yours, but now she belongs to Draco, and you know he doesn't treat her well. You would have at least treated her well."
"As you just said, you would rather die than marry me to her," he said stiffly, feeling a pang of desire at her words as well as anger for Malfoy for not caring for the well being of his wife, his wife that only wanted to please him.
"Yes, well. You could have enjoyed her until you had to marry at least," she quipped, shrugging slightly.
Ruined her, his mother meant. He could have used her and tossed her aside to leave her humiliated along with her family who she practically killed herself to please. Her whole life had been about being a proper daughter, and if he took that away she would be nothing. He had tried, he had tried to enjoy her like his mother had said.
He did enjoy her.
And that was why he had to end it.
"I certainly can't do anything about it now. Malfoy has a tight hold on her, and after what happened earlier I'm sure she won't even be able to leave the Manor. She barely looks at me anyway. She's afraid of making him angry. He's jealous of me," he said, smirking slightly. He was envious of him, which Theodore could only barely revel in seeing as he was sure it was no where near the jealousy he felt.
"Theodore. Imagine how it would look if Mrs. Malfoy cheated on her new husband," his mother said, her eyes glittering. "I mean honestly, Theo. Perhaps once she's thrown out you can keep her here as a pet, just as your father has his pets. It would be a charitable act, really. She would be safe here and you're kinder than any lowly, older pure-blood in need of a young wife."
His stomach churned at the thought of degrading Astoria in such a way, to treat her as his whore, a plaything while he had a wife separate from her that he presented in public and had children with.
She was Malfoy's whore.
That's how he had spoken of her, anyway. Gloating about their sex life and suggesting disgusting acts towards her in front of them only to make Theodore jealous as if Astoria was a toy. The disrespect towards Astoria disgusted him. Was that not why they had sex with random women openly but married completely different women than those of which they played with? Because their wives were meant to be above being spoken of in such a way?
"Leave the family alone, Sylvia," Joseph Nott said flatly, entering the room. His father was dressed as if he was going out, which Theodore was sure he was. He often left late in the night.
His parents relationship had never been anything near loving, but it had worsened once his father had returned from Azkaban.
"Theo," his mother said thoughtfully, ignoring his father. "Do you know how I got this scar?" She asked, motioning to the faint mark under her arm and he heard his father snort.
He shook his head, watching her carefully. "Krat did this at school while your father laughed. She was always attacking me," she told him dramatically, nodding before motioning to another mark. "And this is from your father."
Theodore waited for the explanation, slightly confused. His father barely went near Sylvia, and he most definitely never abused her.
"It's quite pathetic to attempt to use magic on someone when their back is turned, isn't it, Sylvia?" Joseph asked, his voice mocking.
"You see? He did this to me at school, protecting precious Krat, and still he protects her now. The reason is beyond me."
"I'm protecting myself and my name. I did not work to regain my place of status for as long as I did for you to destroy it over your petty revenge. Revenge always comes with more revenge and if you jeopardize the reputation of my name and the future of our son as heir by setting the Greengrass family on us I will throw you out onto the streets and you'll have to whore yourself in order to pay for your alcohol so you can continue to be the drunk mess you are," he hissed, stepping towards her a couple steps as he spoke, his form tall and intimidating.
Theodore winced slightly at his words, the image of his mother in such a situation paining him.
"You are privileged," his father continued when Sylvia had looked at him defiantly. "I let you do whatever the hell you want. I let you ruin yourself with your disgusting habit, I let you have your space. I don't put my hands on you, though, perhaps that's what you need. Maybe if you were married to Lucius Malfoy he would drink enough for the both of you while beating the problem out of you, but I don't do that, do I? Yet you still won't get over your bitterness. Get over it, Sylvia. Move on."
"Move on," Sylvia scoffed loudly. "You're telling me to move on? What a joke. You are a joke! You can't even look in the same direction as the woman. Yet I have to sit there and talk with them even more and put on a smiling face because you can't be bothered to do it yourself because it's you that can't move on."
"Because that's your job," he snarled. "That's all you fucking have to do. Smile and then come home to this big mansion where you can waste yourself away drinking and bitching about all you love to bitch about." His father walked over to them, sliding one of the bottles closer to her. "Drink yourself to death if you wish, darling. I'm not stopping you," he said, smiling coldly at her while meeting her eyes before leaving the room and the house.
His mother trembled slightly beside him after the door slammed and Theodore watched her eyes as they filled with tears. "Mum," he said gently, concerned. She wasn't often too bothered by the arguments her and her father had, but occasionally they got to her.
She waved a hand, wiping her eyes before any tears fell. "I don't care if it's petty, Theo. We are all petty. I want them humiliated as they've humiliated others. How is it that their heir can turn out a blood traitor and it doesn't impact anything? Not a peep from anyone? It was if nothing happened!" She laughed incredulously. "It didn't even show on their faces. They just looked as if everything was normal and not as if they had just lost a son. Well, besides your little girlfriend. Wasn't quite as lively after that, was she? She couldn't have been too sad about it seeing as she was the one who told her father of what she had seen." A slight smile crossed Sylvia's face. "I made her see him, you know. Her brother with that mudblood girl. I had to. No one would believe me, would they? I may put on a convincing friendly face, but everyone knows of the history between our families."
A chill ran through him as she spoke, admitting to him that she had caused the family to find out about their son. He thought of Astoria after her brother had been disowned, the memory filling his head.
The Greengrass family entered the garden party, Freya Greengrass smiling and kissing a few different women she saw, laughing freely beside her husband as if nothing was amiss. The sisters stood by their parents' side as Aldrich Greengrass put his arm around his wife, the brother that had usually accompanied them vacant. Nine year old Theodore looked at little Astoria, who appeared much more groomed and put together than she usually did, though there were little rings under her distressed eyes and her face appeared hollow. Theodore frowned, watching his friend. He was alarmed at the state she was in, the free spirit about her gone. His mother behind him leaned close to his father, scowling slightly with concern. "Joseph, I'm not entirely sure that child is breathing," she murmured, watching Astoria who shook every so slightly every few seconds.
"Mmm. The kid looks like a cruciatus victim," he said, examining the young girl, his mouth setting into a line.
Theodore turned to look at Joseph, alarmed at his statement, his young eyes widening in fear for his friend. "She obviously isn't, Theo, relax. We don't torture children," he muttered to him dismissively. "Go say hello to her if that's what you want. Don't mention the boy."
"Yes, we mustn't mention the boy," Sylvia said bitterly, shaking her head.
Theodore went to Astoria slowly, approaching her with caution as it appeared she would be easily spooked. "Hello, Astoria. Are you okay?" He asked, frowning at how bloodshot her eyes was, similar to how his mother's sometimes were..
She blinked up at him, seeming to not recognize him at first. "Oh hi, Theodore," she said softly, her mouth turning up into a polite smile, but the smile didn't touch her eyes. "I'm okay. How are you?"
He shifted at his full name, uncomfortable at the odd formality the seven year old was presenting towards him. "I'm good. You look tired," he said slowly, choosing his words carefully.
"I'm not," she replied simply before walking towards the adults. Theodore didn't reply and followed next to her, watching her careful steps and how straight she stood. She brushed against his father as she passed him and jumped practically a mile into the air before apologizing profusely, cringing away from him and her voice grew thick as her eyes filled with tears, tears that seemed to alarm her more as she fought to keep from crying.
"It's quite alright, child. Relax," Joseph said, looking the child up and down with bewilderment and Theodore touched her arm gently with worry.
"Astoria," Aldrich called calmly from nearby, meeting Joseph's eyes with a neutral look before watching his daughter. "Come back over here. Please."
Astoria went quickly to her father who he kneeled down next to her before holding her face in his hands, looking into her eyes intently as he spoke to her words that Theodore couldn't make out from where he was standing. Aldrich stood and resumed the conversation he was having with a couple in front of him and his wife, his daughter seemingly more relaxed, her expression distant.
Theodore's eyes refocused on his mother sitting next to him, clearing the memory from his thoughts.
"She couldn't have been too sad about it."
He said nothing as his mother poured herself a drink, not knowing how to respond to what she had told him. Astoria had exposed her older brother to her parents? She had been so attached to him as a child from what Theodore could remember. Perhaps her loyalty to her father was just too great.
Sylvia fiddled with her braid that was only barely still intact, attempting to fix it, her eyes looking unfocused. Theodore stopped her hands gently, moving himself closer to take her hair down to redo the braid for her. "I think you should be done for the night," he said quietly.
"You didn't comment to your father how late it was," she said softly, referring to his words to her when he first came in.
Theodore didn't reply, tying her braid.
"Isn't it interesting the roles we have. Your father sleeps with countless women. Men can cheat on their wives any time they'd like, and here if little Astoria Malfoy sleeps with you it will practically be suicide," she said, standing up as he helped her before looking at his eyes. "You will get her to sleep with you, won't you?"
"I will do what I can."