The Legend of Chime

Chapter nineteen

Elizabeth awoke the next morning with a shiver as the coldness of the room seeped into her bare skin. She kept her eyes closed as she reached for the blankets to cover herself back up, but found they resisted her tugging. She rolled over and smiled as she suddenly remembered the events of last night. Harry was rolled up in her blankets so tight she could barely see the top of his head. She quietly laughed as she gently maneuvered the blankets out from underneath him. She pulled them across her naked form and snuggled herself closer to Harry trying to get warm again. Her cold body roused him and he let out a slow hiss of discomfort as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Serves you right. You took all the blankets," she said groggily then she shivered again as Harry's warmth engulfed her. After a few minutes, he clasped her to him then rolled over, positioning himself over her.

"Nice Valentine's day, I could definitely get use to this. Even with your cold feet," he said, kissing her neck.

"Today is Valentine's Day, isn't it? I forgot. You know, I should be terribly angry with you, Harry," she said, attempting a disapproving voice, but was unable to hide her smile. "You could have been caught. You can still get caught." She closed her eyes and let out a barely audible groan as he found the sensitive area just below her ear.

Harry continued his loving administrations between his words. "No one knows I'm an animagus, besides the people at headquarters, and I left Ron a note, to cover for me," he whispered. "I'll be studying transposing in my room all morning."

Elizabeth tried to keep her train of thought as Harry tried his best to distract her with his tongue. "And what will . . . oh, God . . . I mean . . . mmm . . . Harry, I can't think when you do that," she said breathlessly.

He lifted his head and stared into her eyes with a seductive smile. "That's the point, Elizabeth," he whispered and started to lower his head once more, but Elizabeth pushed at his shoulders.

"And what will you do if you get caught here, Mr. I've-got-everything-covered. Olivia usually comes up to fill the bath while I'm still in bed. It's become her habit. I believe she does it for Malfoy too. Who, by the way, is across the hall and probably heard every moan and groan last night and knows you're here," she said in a rush before she was completely distracted again.

Harry's face became serious. "Do you care if Malfoy knows I'm here?" he asked calmly.

Elizabeth stared into his beautiful green eyes and smiled. Harry was jealous. "No. As long as he keeps his mouth shut," she said honestly. "But he might wonder how you got here."

"I don't really care what Malfoy thinks, Elizabeth," Harry said with a note of irritation.

"I just don't want you in danger, Harry. That's all. Who knows what my grandmother would do if she knew you were here," she said quietly. Harry leaned down and kissed her then smiled.

"Maybe she would insist I make an honest woman of you."

"Maybe. But very doubtful. She would probably make me memorise the names of every child born out of wedlock this century in alphabetical order, while standing over me, listing all my inadequacies as a Fairchild, but not before, she sent Frederick after you," she said with a laugh, softly jabbing a finger into his chest.

"Bring on the house-elf. I can take 'em," Harry said jokingly.

Elizabeth snorted. "Frederick's not a house-elf. He's her wolfhound. And a rather large one at that."

"Talon is not afraid of a wolfhound."

"And who is Talon?"

"Yours truly," said Harry with a grin.

"Oh. I get it. Hermione come up with that?"

"No. Actually, I did. Hermione wanted some Latin name meaning Falcon. Ron voted for Featherhead," Elizabeth laughed and Harry rolled his eyes, "He said he was kidding only after I punched him."

"And how long have you been able to change into Talon?"

Harry shrugged. "A few weeks. It'll help me eventually become an Auror. At least now, I won't have to worry about the Concealment and Disguise part of the training."

"So are Hermione and Ron also Animagi now?"

"Hermione is. She's a fox. Ron just decided to try last week. It might take him awhile yet," said Harry.

"A fox? Sounds about right. So what is Hermione's nickname? Vixen?" Elizabeth asked with a laugh.

Harry laughed as well. "No. She goes by Vulpes. Ron suggested Bushtail and got wacked in the back of the head."

Elizabeth giggled. "So do you know what Ron is going to transform into yet?"

"No clue," Harry said, playing with a lock of her hair.

The sound of the doorknob jiggling made Elizabeth freeze and catch her breath. "It's all right. I sealed it last night after you fell asleep," Harry whispered. A moment later, there was a knock at the door.

"Mistress Fairchild? The door is locked?"

Elizabeth gave him a knowing expression. "That would be Olivia," she whispered and turned her head away from Harry to shout loud enough so that Olivia could hear her, "It's all right, Olivia. I'm already in the bath. I woke up early this morning."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you a brilliant liar?" he said. Elizabeth pinched him on the bum and put a finger to her lips.

"Very good, Mistress. I'll be back later to deliver your evening robes for tonight."

Harry waited a minute before allowing a chuckle as he leaned slightly away from her. "A bath? That sounds interesting. Haven't been there yet."

Elizabeth pushed herself onto her elbows. "You are enjoying this immensely, aren't you? Ron was right. I believe you thrive on looking for trouble, Mr. Potter," she said then kissed him deeply. He returned her kiss then slowly pulled away and rolled out of bed. "Where are you going?" she asked, watching his naked bum cross the floor.

He didn't turn around as he answered her. "I'm drawing you a bath, Mistress Fairchild."

An hour later, they were both smelling like lilacs as they dressed. A light tapping came at the window and they looked up to see Cap resting on the windowsill. Harry turned to Elizabeth with a sad smile. "I asked him to return." He reached for her hand as they crossed to the window.

"How long will it take you to reach headquarters?" asked Elizabeth nervously, leaning down to swing open the window. Cap hopped down onto the cushioned window seat.

Harry shrugged. "Not long. A couple hours at the most. It'll be a lot easier during the day," Harry looked out at the overcast sky, "At least it's not raining anymore."

"Easier and more dangerous," Elizabeth said quietly, as she turned to stroke Cap. She glanced back up at Harry. "Be careful. No . . . look at me . . . really, be careful. And no matter how much I need you . . . I forbid you to do this again. It's too risky. Someone could see you and . . ."

"And think I was a falcon chasing an owl for breakfast, Elizabeth," said Harry, raising his hand to caress her face. "I know what I'm doing. Have a little faith in me."

Elizabeth swallowed hard against the sudden onslaught of emotion that was threatening to overtake her and leaned into his touch. Her eyes misted over, but she attempted a smile. "I do." She paused. "I am just frightened for you, is all. Let me know when you get there. I'll worry until then."

Harry nodded then lowered his head and kissed her one last time then stepped away from her. A moment later, he transformed into Talon.

Elizabeth turned to Cap. "Get him home safely, Cap. I'm depending on you." Cap ruffled his feathers importantly and with a quiet hoot flew out the window with Talon right behind.

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The house was bursting with activity as Elizabeth made her way down to the dinning room for breakfast much later than usual. House-elves, whom she had rarely seen outside the kitchen, were popping up here and there cleaning everything, refurbishing vases with fresh flowers, rearranging furniture, delivering foodstuffs to the kitchens, all in preparation for tonight's festivities. When she walked into the dinning room, she was somewhat relieved to find that Malfoy was the only person left at the table.

"Where are they?" Elizabeth asked Malfoy curiously, flicking her head in the direction of the empty seats as she sat down at the table. She noticed he wasn't really eating his food, just pushing it around his plate a bit with his fork.

Malfoy only briefly looked up at her before he answered, "In the library."

Elizabeth watched him as a house-elf served her food. He wasn't acting like his normal, arrogant self. He was lounging back in his chair, staring at his food as if deep in thought. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but then thought better of it. She didn't really want to know if he had heard anything from her room last night. She thought it best just to let it go. She picked up her fork and started eating. But several times during the course of her meal, she noticed Malfoy subtly watching her.

What is it with me and eating that people find so bloody fascinating?

"What is it, Malfoy?" she said, slightly annoyed. "Do I have something stuck in my teeth or something?"

He stared at her for several more minutes and Elizabeth felt her temper start to rise. "I think you might want to pay a visit to the library, Elizabeth," he said quietly then slowly pushed himself away from the table and walked out of the dinning room.

Elizabeth frowned then gave a deep sigh and pushed herself up from the table then walked across the foyer to the library door. The door was slightly ajar so she silently pushed it open and slipped inside.

No one noticed her entrance so she remained in the shadows, not wanting to make her presence known yet. Her grandmother was sitting at the desk reading several pieces of parchment. Narcissa and Mr. Couture were standing next to her as if waiting for her approval. Elizabeth silently wondered what sort of business would involve Narcissa. As she watched, her grandmother picked up her quill and signed her name at the bottom of the last page then handed the documents to Narcissa, who also signed her name. When Narcissa was done, she handed them to back to Mr. Couture with a brilliant smile. "The contract will still be binding with only my signature?"

"Normally, a betrothal contract would require both parent's endorsements, but since Draco is of age and has consented to the conditions of the contract with his own signature, the contract is completely legal," said Mr. Couture pleasantly.

Betrothal contract? Why would . . .

Elizabeth felt all the colour drain from her face as the realisation hit her like a slap in the face. Her grandmother was pledging her to Malfoy. She suddenly noticed all eyes were now on her.

Her grandmother's face was unreadable. "Narcissa. Jean-Marc. Would you mind leaving my granddaughter and I alone?"

"Of course, Lady Isabella," said Mr. Couture as he filed the papers in his briefcase.

 

"I'll see you to the door, Mr. Couture," said Narcissa pleasantly. They both brushed past Elizabeth without another word and shut the door behind them.

"Have a seat, Elizabeth," said her grandmother, indicating the chair in front of the desk.

"No."

Her grandmother's eyes narrowed slightly. "Suit yourself. I don't approve of you eavesdropping on a private conversation, Elizabeth," she said coldly.

"Curious, I don't approve of you deciding whom I am to marry," Elizabeth said calmly. "Especially since you have no right."

"I have every right," her grandmother said sternly. "You have responsibilities to your name, Elizabeth. Responsibilities that you have yet to understand. Unfortunately, You have not grown up with the knowledge of the traditions that keep our blood pure. Nonetheless, I cannot allow your ignorance to damage the Fairchild name. You will marry Draco, a pureblood, and bare him children. That is the way it has always been in our family and that is the way it shall remain. You are the last of our line and therefore the responsibility to suitably marry is extremely important. Eventually with time, you will come to understand this."

"What I understand, grandmother, is that you see me more as a brood mare than a granddaughter," seethed Elizabeth, with a dangerous glint in her eye. "I won't allow you to live in this fantasy you have created. I will not marry Malfoy. I will not give him a child. I have already promised myself to Harry and I mean to keep my promise."

 "Harry Potter is a half-blood and is therefore unacceptable. Your word given to him is meaningless without my consent," her grandmother said coldly.

"Your consent means nothing to me," Elizabeth spat. "You didn't consent to my parents being together either, and yet, here I stand."

 Her grandmother's eyes narrowed."You will honour the contract or you will get nothing of your inheritance," she vowed.

Elizabeth gave a harsh laugh. "You are mad. Do you actually think any of this," she motioned around the room, "matters to me? I assure you. I can live quite happily without it."

"Don't force my hand, Elizabeth. Be warned. There are ways to insure your compliance that I would rather not have to resort to. They are highly unpleasant to say the least. But I assure you, I will do what is necessary," her grandmother said with deadly calm.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed. "Are you threatening me with an Unforgivable, grandmother?" she asked, deceptively quiet.

Her grandmother pushed herself up with her cane. "I do not deliver threats, child."

"You better hope it's powerful enough, grandmother, because you won't keep me here otherwise." Elizabeth turned on her heel and attempted to open the door, but the door wouldn't budge. She swung back around to find her grandmother holding her hand up with a cold smile.

"Prissy."

A second later, the house-elf appeared next to her grandmother. "Take my granddaughter to her room and keep her there until it is time for the dinner party tonight." Elizabeth's wand flew out of her pocket and into her grandmother's outstretched palm. "I'll keep this until I'm certain you will do what is in the best interest of the family, Elizabeth." She turned back toward Prissy. "Get rid of the looking glass she keeps inside her bedside table as well. I have permitted its use for far too long."

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That strange feeling had returned. The same one he had felt right before the attack on Hogwarts. The feeling that made him extremely edgy. He knew something was about to happen. He just didn't know what. His eyes searched everywhere as he soared over London. Nothing appeared out of place. He pushed himself to fly faster as they neared number twelve Grimmauld Place. As he reached his destination, he thought of the address and the house appeared again as if out of nowhere. He flew around to the back and entered through the open bedroom window.

 Ron was lounging on his bed with Hermione right next to him. She seemed to be reading aloud while Ron was listening, sort of. He seemed to find her neck quite distracting. They both jumped apart as Harry landed on his bed.

"It's about time, mate. We've been stuck up here all morning, waiting for you," said Ron sitting up on his bed as Harry transformed back to his normal self.

Harry looked from Hermione back to Ron. Both were blushing profusely. "Something tells me that wasn't such a hardship," he said with a knowing smile. Neither one would meet his eye for a moment. Hermione was the first to recover from the awkward silence.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Harry," she said, trying to sound stern. "Do you realise what it would have done to Elizabeth, not to mention everyone else, had you been caught by Death Eaters?" Harry rolled his eyes and Hermione lifted her chin. "If The Order were to find out what you did . . ."

"Well, they won't," interrupted Harry, "because you're not going to tell them. We all know that. So come down off that high horse, Hermione. Elizabeth said pretty much the same thing."

Hermione pressed her lips together then sighed. "Well, at least one of you knows to be cautious. So how is Elizabeth? Her letters are quite vague."

"She's lonely, but seems to be handling it fine. She wants to go back to Hogwarts as much as any of us," said Harry, walking over to put Professor Nigellus's portrait back up on the wall. He noticed the Professor was still missing, probably still upset about being turned around to face the wall. "Have you heard anything from him?" Harry asked.

"No. Probably still mad about you taking him down," said Ron with a shrug. "Good riddance, I say. Didn't much care for being spied on, to tell you the truth."

"Yeah," said Harry absently, walking back over to sit down on his bed. "Has there been any word from The Order about what Voldemort's up to?"

"No, last I heard, everything's still quiet," said Ron.

"Why, Harry?" asked Hermione. She studied him closely for a moment. "Is your scar hurting again?"

"Not so much my scar . . . just a strange feeling. Almost like I know something is about to happen, just not what," Harry admitted reluctantly. "I felt the same way right before Hogwarts was attacked, but I assumed it was because of Elizabeth leaving." He leaned over and picked up the mirror. He looked up at Hermione and Ron. "I told her I'd let her know I made it back safely."

Hermione pushed herself up from Ron's bed and pulled Ron with her. "We'll meet you downstairs for lunch. Tell her we said hello."

Harry gave them a grateful smile. "Thanks." He waited until the door had shut behind them before whispering her name.

Twenty minutes went by and Harry's anxiety increased. Elizabeth wasn't answering. He glanced at the clock. She knew he would be back around now. Something wasn't right. He pushed himself off his bed and strode downstairs to the kitchen.

"There you are, Harry dear. It's about time you put in an appearance," said Mrs. Weasley as he entered. She walked over and placed a plate of food in front of him as he sat down next to Ron.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry, but he ignored the food. "Has there been any news from the other members of the Order regarding Voldemort's whereabouts?"

Mrs. Weasley frowned and hesitated for a moment. "No. There has been nothing new."

Hermione gave him a questioning look.

"Elizabeth isn't answering her mirror," he said worriedly.

"I wouldn't worry about that, dear. Lady Isabella is suppose to be giving quite a dinner party tonight. She is probably just busy assisting with the preparations," said Mrs. Weasley. "Remus should be back from his watch shortly. I'm certain he will tell you the same. Now do eat something, dear. You must be starving."

Harry absently picked up his sandwich and started eating, though he didn't taste it at all. He knew Elizabeth. She wouldn't just forget. She would make certain she was in her room. Harry's gut twisted and he pushed the plate away. Something wasn't right.

Professor Lupin quietly entered the kitchen and Harry turned toward him as he took a seat next to him. Everyone murmured a greeting and Lupin gave them all a pleasant smile.

"Can I get you a spot of tea, Remus?" asked Mrs. Weasley, already pouring him a cup.

"Thanks, Molly," Lupin said wearily as he raised the steaming cup to his lips and took a sip.

"So you were watching Fairchild Manor last night?" asked Harry hesitantly. He had forgotten about her guard. "Everything all right?"

Lupin nodded his head as he lowered his cup. "A lot of activity, but nothing unusual." He paused for a moment. "Did see a strange flock of birds this morning though," he said casually and Harry slightly choked on his sandwich. Hermione flashed Harry a meaningful look and Mrs. Weasley gave Lupin a puzzled expression, but remained silent. "How is Elizabeth, Harry?" asked Lupin, innocently.

Harry searched his brain for a proper reply that would tell Professor Lupin what was going on, but still leave Mrs. Weasley in the dark. "The last time I spoke with her, she looked great . . . but I told her I would contact her around now and she isn't answering the mirror," he said.

Lupin frowned. "That doesn't sound like Elizabeth."

"That's what I was thinking. Is there anyway someone could check on her in person?" asked Harry.

"Because of the protective charm around the house, no one can enter without a personal or written invitation from one of the occupants inside. Even animals that can easily get by the main gate, can't get inside the Manor house unless permitted," said Lupin grimly.

Suddenly, a jet of silvery dust came out from under the kitchen door, to hover in front of Lupin. It formed the image of a ghostly bird then quickly vanished. Lupin jumped up from the table and raced out of the kitchen without a word. A moment later, the front door slammed shut.

Harry turned to Mrs. Weasley who had risen from the table as well, but did not move to leave. "He was summoned by Dumbledore, wasn't he?" asked Harry. He remembered Dumbledore sending something similar from his wand to Hagrid in his fourth year after they had found Viktor Krum unconscious.

Mrs. Weasley reluctantly nodded her head as she started to gather the dishes from the table.

Something wasn't right.

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Her room should have been in shambles. She had thrown every valuable piece of furniture and trinket at the wall in her fury, but Prissy had nervously repaired everything that had shattered and splintered as soon as it hit the floor. Elizabeth thought about destroying them a second time as she watched the house-elf scrambled around the room replacing the items, but her rational side had awakened and she managed to quell the tempest that raged inside of her momentarily. And now she paced in front of her window, trying to think of a way out of this nightmare. But everything she thought of always came down to one of two things; it was either stay and be forced to marry Malfoy or leave and risk being captured by Death Eaters. If she wasn't certain she would be turned over to Voldemort, she almost would rather take her chances with the Death Eaters. Elizabeth growled in frustration.

She had been betrayed and made a prisoner by her own grandmother. She was furious with herself for not seeing the obvious signs.

My God, Elizabeth, She practically told you that first morning at breakfast with all that Gryffindor-Slytherin nonsense. Things you'll grow accustom to, my arse. If she tried to do it to your mother, why would she not attempt it with you? Except this time, she'll not allow you to make a fool out of her like your mother did. Shit!

Her grandmother never intended for her to return to Hogwarts. She knew that now. What made it worse was that Malfoy had known all along . . . and she had started to actually like him. She shook her head as she stopped her pacing and turned to gaze out the window. The sun was starting to set and the sky was streaked with ribbons of red, purple and orange clouds. But her mind registered nothing of the beautiful scene before her. She had been a fool. She had wanted a home. Somewhere to form roots of her own. She should have understood her grandmother only wanted a way to insure the Fairchild line continued. She had allowed her emotions to cloud her judgement and now she was paying the price.

The door to her room swung open and Elizabeth turned her head to find Malfoy closing the door behind him. Her fingers twitched as Malfoy strode toward her and Prissy squeaked nervously.

"I can see it in your eyes, you would love to throw me up against the wall. And were I in your position, I would do much worse," said Malfoy quietly. "But hear me out before you do something you might later regret."

"I doubt very seriously I would regret hurting you, Malfoy," she said between clenched teeth.

"Think about it, Elizabeth. Had I wanted to, I could have chosen to keep you in the dark until the day of the wedding. That is what your grandmother had wanted to do."

"There will be no wedding, Malfoy. Not between you and me."

Malfoy ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Look. Your grandmother planned this whole dinner party in an attempt to find a suitable husband for you. It's what pureblood families do and have done for centuries. I happen to be of the same status as you socially and financially so I was one of many on your grandmother's list of prospects. But this morning she decided that it would be me, after Olivia told her you had someone in your room. Evidently, she came to my room and found it empty and thought I was the person you were entertaining. When I came down to breakfast, Lady Isabella asked me into the library and flat out asked if I had ever been with you."

"And you couldn't lie!" snapped Elizabeth.

"The way she asked, she made it sound like you had already told her. So I just confirmed it. Then she pulled out the contract and asked me to sign," said Malfoy calmly.

"And you couldn't just tell her bloody No."

Malfoy stared at her for a moment. "It was either me or someone else in attendance tonight, Elizabeth. She said she would not have another bastard in the family." Malfoy held up his hands at her menacing glare. "Her words, not mine. The contract would have been signed tonight anyway. I figured it would be better for you if I signed."

"You couldn't have just told me! I could have made myself disgustingly hideous or something tonight so that no one would want to come near me," Elizabeth said, raising her voice.

Malfoy gave her a sympathetic smile. "Even if you were successful in making yourself completely revolting, which I highly doubt is possible, your status alone would have found you a husband. You're practically bloody wizarding royalty, for Merlin's sake." He shook his head. "Your grandmother has been planning this since the moment she first laid eyes on you, Elizabeth. You're her only salvation to carry on the Fairchild pureblood traditions which she's even more fanatical about it than my father."

"She's completely insane, is what she is. Even when I do marry, I will no longer be a Fairchild. I'm only half-Fairchild now," Elizabeth's eyes widened as a thought occurred to her, "She doesn't know we are related. We can't marry. We are cousins, Malfoy."

"Third cousins, twice removed, which means I am more distantly related to you than most purebloods, Elizabeth. And the contract specifies all children born are to be named Fairchild-Malfoy."

"She's thought of bloody everything, has she?" Elizabeth said, starting to pace again. 

"Not everything, Elizabeth," said Malfoy quietly, stopping Elizabeth in her tracks. She slowly swung back around toward him with a confused frown and Malfoy smiled. "Do you want to play honest or pretend? I can do either."

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Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky, blocking the light from the setting sun far off in the distance. Harry watched from the drawing room window as it rose higher and higher then mingled with the dark clouds above. It hadn't taken long for them to find out why Professor Lupin had been summoned. An hour after he had left, a burst of fire had suddenly appeared in front of Mrs. Weasley and she had snatched up the scroll of parchment with a single golden phoenix feather. The Ministry of Magic was under attack. A group of Death Eaters and Giants had somehow forced their way inside. Every available wizard and witch had been called into battle. But Harry and the others were not told any further details as Mrs. Weasley crumpled the parchment in her hand. No one knew how long the others would be gone. Harry just hoped that they would return unharmed.

He glanced over at Ron and Ginny who were sitting on the nearby sofa. They had been unusually quiet since their mother had read the letter out loud. He knew they were worried. They all were. Time ticked by extremely slow as they all waited, not saying a word.

The sky turned dark as night approached and the smoke could no longer be seen curling ominously in the distance. Harry allowed the curtains to fall back into place as he moved to sit in a nearby armchair. As he sat down, he rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. Hermione had gone into the kitchen to help Mrs. Weasley make some sandwiches and now returned to set a plate on the small table next to the sofa. But no one moved to touch them, not even Hermione.

The candle that sat on the small table sunk lower and lower as time passed. Harry put his head in his hands and gradually allowed his eyes to close. After a few minutes, he drifted into a restless sleep.

He was waiting deep in the forest. A large stone altar was standing in front of him, surrounded by a circle of stone benches. He looked up at the half-moon as it peeked out from behind the drifting clouds. They would bring her soon. His heartbeat increased with anticipation. His goal would soon be within his grasp. He would soon have power beyond anything he has never felt before. The power to conquer death forever.

Suddenly, several cloaked figures in hoods apparated and knelt in front of him. But one of their number crawled toward him with his head bowed, holding up a double-edged black hilted steel knife. "Master, we have acquired what you requested from the ministry."

He saw his long-fingered white hand reach out to take the knife. He threw back his head and laughed, the sound was a sadistic, high-pitched hiss.

Harry's scar seared with pain and he jolted upright in his chair. He put his hand to his scar and winced. Voldemort was very pleased.

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Elizabeth eyed Malfoy suspiciously. "Why should I trust you?"

"Because you have no other choice," said Malfoy smoothly. "Your grandmother sent me up here to try to convince you that marrying me wouldn't be so horrible. For some reason, she thinks I have some influence over you. But If I'm not successful, she fully intends to use the Imperius curse on you tonight. You were correct in your assumption. She is quite mad, but she is also quite determined in this endeavor of hers."

Elizabeth shook her head. It was still hard to believe this was happening to her. The morning had started off so well. "Why would she believe that I am suddenly fine with all this? I have already told her that I wouldn't stay here if she tried to force me to marry you. I even told her I planned on marrying Harry."

"Believe me. She'll accept your sudden compliance," Malfoy said evasively.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked stubbornly.

Malfoy's jaw tensed. "Because I told her you only went out with Potter for the notoriety, but were sleeping with me the whole time you were at Hogwarts," he growled. "She found this explanation quite plausible, I assure you."

Elizabeth still wasn't convinced. "Why would you help me, Malfoy? You'll get nothing in return."

His steel eyes met her blue and held for several minutes. "Let's just say, I owe you one . . . and I always repay my debts."