Draco's POV:

Once all of my clothes had been washed and hung up in my wardrobe, I went down to join Mother for dinner. The house elves had made us a nice dinner that was way better than what Hogwarts or even Aberforth had been providing us. We were going to be eating tagliatelle with chanterelle mushrooms in a white wine sauce. It was my mother's favorite and to see her enjoying it made me enjoy it that much more.

"Should we be expecting any visitors?" I asked, a few silent minutes into our dinner.

Should I expect to run into Voldemort?

"Your father will be gone for a few more days. When he returns, some others may be returning with him," she answered, looking down at her pasta, knowing what I had been implying.

In a few days.

"What should I be expecting when he returns?" I queried, scared of the answer that could fall from her red lips.

What will he make me do?

"I couldn't say," she admitted, looking at me with a guilty expression of trepidation.

Like myself, Mother wanted no part of Voldemort's little game. She, like myself, had simply been dragged into it by Father, who Voldemort had under his thumb. She, like myself, wanted nothing more than for Harry Potter to come and destroy the ugly snake, freeing us all from his darkness. But she, like myself, was dreading what would become of our family come the end of this war, no matter who wins.

"Bloody hell," I muttered with a sigh.

"Language, Draco," she snapped.

"Sorry, Mum," I replied, somewhat guiltily. I took a bite of the pasta and watched the frown on my mother's face deepen.

I was about to apologize again when Winny, the little house elf I was familiar with, apparated into the room, making me jump slightly.

"Hello, Winny," Mother greeted the small creature. "What is it?"

"Mistress Malfoy," Winny squeaked, nervously twiddling her hands and looking at her grimy feet. "A girl at the door asked Winny to retrieve Master Malfoy."

I sighed deeply. "Winny, does this girl happen to have a scar on her cheek. Right here?" I asked, pointing to the area under my eye, where, about a year prior, a certain grey-eyed girl I knew got cut during a raid of her house.

"Yessir, Master Malfoy. Winny saw it herself," Winny said, nodding enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Winny," I sighed. "I'll go let her in."

"Draco?" Mother questioned as I stood from my chair, the legs screeching as I pushed away from the table.

"It's Lizzie," I confided with a frown, rubbing a hand across my face. "I told her she was not to come, but she is a bit... strong willed, if you must."

"I see," she replied, equally as troubled as I was. "Well, go let the dear in. We don't want to leave her waiting." She waved a manicured hand at me and I walked through the dining room and to the entrance hall.

"Elizabeth Samuels," I snapped, upon opening the door and seeing the girl standing on the doorstep. She was dressed in muggle jeans and a grey jumper, with a hesitant and guilty smile on her face.

"Draco Malfoy," she greeted calmly, raising a hand in a small wave.

"I thought I told you not to come here," I scowled, my hand still tightly clenching the door knob. "You need to go back to Grayson's flat."

"I thought I told you that I didn't want you in this house alone," she spoke, mocking me.

I huffed angrily, pursing my lips. "Please go home, Lizzie."

"You are my home, Draco," she whispered pleadingly. "I don't want you to have to spend your Easter holiday locked up in a place where Death roams the halls like it owns the place."

"I don't want you here, Lizzie. It's not safe for you."

"And it's safe for you?" she countered easily.

"No- Yes- I mean- ugh. Lizzie, just please go back to Grayson's!" I stammered.

"I'm not leaving." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

I stepped through the doorway onto the doorstep, placing my hands on the girl's shoulders. "Listen, it's sweet that you don't want me alone, but there is not a chance in Merlin's saggy balls that I am going to let you into this house!"

"Draco, mind your language when you are in the presence of a lady," my mother spoke from behind me. I rolled my eyes and sighed, knowing where this was going.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Lizzie grinned, shrugging off my hands, stepping around me, and holding out a hand. "How wonderful to see you again."

"Lizzie, dear," Mother replied, stepping through the door and embracing Lizzie warmly, as if she were her own daughter. "How many times must I tell you, it's Narcissa when it comes to you."

"More than once, ma'am," Lizzie smiled.

"Aren't you just a lamb. Why don't you come in. Draco and I were just having dinner and we would love for you to join us," Mother said, leading Lizzie into the Manor. "I'm sure the house elves made more than enough for just the two of us."

"I would love nothing more," Lizzie agreed, letting Mother lead her.

"Mother," I interrupted, stopping her. "Don't you think it would be best for Lizzie to spend the holiday with her brother?"

"Nonsense, she's here now, so she might as well join us for dinner. I hope you like tagliatelle."

"I can't say that I know what that is, but I'm sure it will be delicious," Lizzie replied, giving me snarky smile.

Bloody fucking hell.

I had lost.

Lizzie was being lead into the building where Voldemort held and tortured his prisoners, condemning them to a fate worse than hell.

And Lizzie was going to see it all first hand.