she isn't what she says

Chapter 11: Summer

'Villians are just like people, they scream just as loud, only no one hears them.' - Unknown

It was the worst on nights like this. Draco hated the loud voices coming from downstairs, hated how there were Death Eaters drunkenly destroying his house while celebrating a successful mission, especially when he was home for summer. The voices were getting louder by the minute and he knew it wouldn't be long before they found someone to torture; only minutes until the screaming would start again.

Pulling the pillow over his head, he tried to block out the noises. Cursing, not for the first time, that the Dark Lord had forbidden silencing charms around the Manor. He usually still managed to fall asleep, the noises around him following him into his dreams, turning them into nightmares. A loud crash from his sitting room woke Draco with a start. He heard voices—slurred, drunk, dangerous—and hastily fumbled for his wand on his nightstand. But he was too late.

His bedroom door flew open and people stepped into the darkness. The stench of dirt and alcohol they gave off made him feel sick, and his pulse. 

"Draaaa'ooo," came a slurred voice. "Wake up, we wanna play with youuu."

A Lumos was cast and Draco was horrified to realise that it was Greyback and two others of his pack; blood was dripping from their chins and their eyes were black and dead. He wanted to run, to hide somewhere, but his body was frozen with fear. He couldn't move, his breath was coming hard and his pulse drummed in his ears loud enough to deafen him. There was nothing he could do. All the while, Greyback crept closer and closer to his bed, murmuring words Draco couldn't make out anymore.

Suddenly there was a light coming from his left and Greyback and his pack stopped dead in their tracks, looking for the source of it. But Draco still couldn't move, not even to look at what was happening over there, at what made them stop.

It wasn't until someone touched his head that Draco realised he wasn't alone. A face appeared in front of him and Draco recognised it as Valencia's, eyes worried and mouth pressed into a thin line.

And just like that, everything around him went dark. When he came back to consciousness his room was brightly lit; his windows had been opened and fresh, cool air streamed into his room. He moved to look around and something cold dropped from his forehead. Draco nearly jumped before he realised what it was, someone had placed a cool flannel there while he was out.

"Draco?"

That voice made memories come crashing back in again and Draco's breath hitched. He couldn't do this anymore, he didn't want to be here, didn't want to— "Draco, it's alright. They're gone and they won't be coming back." Valencia's voice managed to get to him through his panic, guiding him, helping him to concentrate on anything other than his thoughts.

"I promise they won't come back here, or even near you, as it is. They'll suffer horrible pain if they even think about trying something like that again. I made sure of that. Try and sit up a bit, drink some water." A cold glass was pressed into his shaking hand and Draco managed to sit up just enough to take a sip of it. "Good. You're doing great. I have a Calming Draught for you if you want to take it." Closing his eyes, Draco only nodded. Valencia uncorked the vial with a pop before guiding it to his lips, where Draco gratefully swallowed the contents. He didn't care if it really was Calming Draught, he'd happily swallow poison right now, he didn't care.

The rest of the summer break wasn't any better. She hadn't told anyone about what happened between Theo and her, she didn't want anyone especially her parents and the Dark Lord to know that she had started to doubt her life as a Death Eater, already. However, when she saw her mother walk into her room and open the blinds, her mood changed, she realised how much she loved her mother and wanted to impress her.