Dangerous Addiction M.R, T.N

Seventeen - (edited)

Nothing safe is worth the drive.

The room stops spinning, and the familiar manor surrounds me with voices from some room. I spent most of my summers at the manor with Draco as a kid. Most of my memories of my loves come from these walls, both good and bad. I remember me overhearing my mother tell Cissy she was sick here. That day changed my life even if I didnt realise back then that it would take her away from me. I got my mark here; every life-changing memory is from the manor.

"Come on," Mattheo steps into the dining room, and I quickly grab his hand and pull him back.

"What are you doing?"

"What is going to happen today?" A deep sigh leaves his mouth as he meets my gaze. I am hungover and I need to prepare myself for any kind of bad news.

"Rosie-"

"Mattheo, if anything is going to happen to me, I need you to-" This time, he grabs my hand and stares into my eyes. It's not terrifying, but something tells me I can trust him, which is the last thing I should do. It's my first time being around these people without Draco, and I realise I have no one I can trust, not even my father.

"Nothing is going to happen to you. Listen, my father needs you: you are one of the last people he would kill or even hurt. He needs you, Rosie. We all need you in this." He looks slightly uncomfortable with what he just said and lets go of my hand.

"We need everyone if there's going to be a war."

"I get it; you dont have to explain." I stare at the door, ignoring his eyes to not make this more weird than it already is.

"Let's go; your father is in there." I watch him enter the room, but he turns around and faces me, probably waiting for me to join him.

"Ahh, my son and the beautiful Rosalita Black. Welcome." My eyes fall over the room, but they stop at my father, who is staring at me. I haven't answered his letter since I returned to Hogwarts. He got me into this shit; he sold me to the dark lord only for him to get more loyalty.

"Regulus, why don't you tell Rosie about yesterday's events? Leave." My father walks up to me. His steps aren't, and he doesn't look excited to see me. He is cold, a dark soul has taken over him and I realise this is nothing like it used to be.

"Dont give me that look, Rosie." I roll my eyes at my father as we walk into another room, to stay alone from the other followers.

"What? Its not like I have a reason to hate you or something?" The sarcasm leaves my mouth, and he stares at me. The anger in his eyes is nothing I am used to. He can be rude but lord, I dont think I have ever seen him angry in this way. Not since the day my mother died, at least.

"Why haven't you answered my letters? I thought you were dead. I had to write to Draco to see if everything was alright with my daughter." Now he wants to play protective, caring father? He hasn't looked at me for months; he wasn't even there for me when my mother died.

"I didnt have time okay? So what, it's not like you would take your time to read it anyway?" He grabs my arm with pure anger in his eyes.

"Dont talk to me like that, Rosie. I am your father." Enough is enough, isn't it?

"Then so fucking act like it. Who was there for me when my mother died? Who, tell me. Because it sure wasn't you. Who prepared me and helped me through the dark mark ceremony? I'm sixteen, Dad, and I am just a girl." Suddenly his anger was gone. I can't read his emotions for a moment. Everything stopped for a moment between us.

"Was this how you wanted me to turn out when I was five? Was this how you planned for me to turn out when we played in the garden? Do you know how hard it was to lose the only one who was there for you? The only one you could trust?" Tears run down my cheeks as my father watches and lets me let go of my emotions in front of him.

"Do you know how that feels?" I whisper the last words watching him with regret in his eyes.

"I know..." I stare at him in shock.

"What did you say?"

"I said I know." He almost screams out the words, like he kept it in for too long and had to get his frustration out.

"Your mother was the only one who loved me; she was my safety. My family never cared or loved me, Rosie. Why do you think you never met your grandparents? Or had someone give you birthday gifts besides your mother and me. I had no one before I met her. I loved her, and when she died, I lost everything. No one could love me the way she did." I stare at him, not saying anything, taking in his words. The words and anger that almost made me flinch.

"I did." I say, no emotions or excitement in my words, just the truth. He turns his head up, staring at me.

"I dont know how to take care of a child alone. I can't be the father you want me to be."

"I am not a child... And I am not asking for you to take care of me. All I want is my father to see me for who I am. I am not just an object you can use as a death eater. I am your daughter. And you are wrong. You do have something; you have me. But when I am dead, you have nothing left. Nothing at all." Tears roll down his eyes. This is my first time seeing my father like this in years. He was so vulnerable, so lost in his own world.

"What happened yesterday?" I look to my left and see a painting of Draco and Narcissa on the wall. Remembering that even in this cruel world, I will always have them.

"We killed someone from the order; Bellatrix killed someone." I look back at my father.

"Who?" His gaze meets mine, and it becomes silent for a minute before he opens his mouth.

"Sirius Black," Black? Sirius Black? My father's only brother, my uncle. I haven't met him, but I have never actually. But I know what he did to my father and family as a child. It's the story of a Black family. A few months ago, I thought he was dead; everyone did. But then they found him, and he was an animus.

"I-Were you there?" I dont know how my father would feel about seeing his brother die. I mean, no one wants that? Right?

"I was" damn.

"I dont know what to say," I whisper but he only smiles at me.

"It's a good thing, Rosie. I already thought he was dead. Now he is for sure." I nod slowly, watching the door open only for Mattheo to walk in.

"Come on, we have to leave." My eyes walk from Mattheo to my father.

"I am sorry, I have to go." A smile spreads his lips.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" I nod slowly before walking over to the brown-haired boy. He stared at me, confused, and I shook my head before grabbing his arm so he would approach us back to the castle.

"What happened after I left?" I ask as we return to the common room.

"Nothing new, updates about the task." He lets go of me and sighs. I take in the smell of the common room, realising no better smell makes me feel as safe and happy as this room. It's my only home at this point.

"Mattheo-"

"Rosie, we are not friends. We are co-workers with the task. Dont talk to me as if we are more than that." My heart aches for a second. Of course, I didnt think we would ever become friends or anything near that. But I can't help but enjoy spending time with him for the last couple of weeks.

"I know," he nods and looks away, towards the room's dark walls.

"We have planned the task. We dont have to work on the task before it's time to complete it." I nod slowly, sucking in my lips as I take in the silence. It's not uncomfortable, but I would rather want him to leave than have this tension.

"Great, I guess I will see you then." He nods before leaving me alone in the common room and I lean towards the wall behind me.

"You are back!" Iris walks into the room, almost running towards me as she throws herself over me to embrace me.

"Everything alright?" I force a smile.

"It's just a lot," she smiles faintly, leaving a kiss on my cheek.

"Let's get you a bath."

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Don't forget to check out my new Mattheo book "timeless Texting"