The Death Eater's Daughter

Chapter Twenty-Four - A Promise To Ginny

Luci spent the entire next day in bed. No one bothered her. She snuck out to use the bathroom when she knew that everyone was in the kitchen for a meal. And she thought she should probably be hungry too, but she wasn't. She was simply despondent and was experiencing no other sensations.

She tried to write, but she couldn't manage anything coherent. She tried to sleep, but she could only see his face. She tried to read, but the lines blurred before her tear-filled eyes.

She didn't know how this had happened. She'd spent half the night trying to talk herself out of it. But it was true. Somewhere along the line, she'd fallen in love with him. It wasn't anything that she could explain or defend, and logic had no power over her. Those nights spent in the drawing room, she'd learned that he was brilliant, sensitive, witty, brave, talented, gracious... It should have been obvious that she was going to lose her heart to him. She had only been focused on enjoying their time together. She had been in denial of what it could lead to.

And, of course, it kept tiptoeing into her mind that Draco probably hated her and would never trust her again. She didn't know how she was going to rectify that situation.

The only option was to kill herself. But that had never worked for her in the past.

It was a very long day of feeling sorry for herself. Her sheets were soaked in tears by the time she fell asleep again.

The next morning, she awoke early, the October cold chilling her to the bone. Her tribulations immediately flooded to the forefront of her consciousness.

But she couldn't spend another day locked in here. Obviously, no one had noticed that she was gone or given a shit, for that matter, but they might eventually. Probably not. Not even Harry.

And she feared that, if she reappeared, her skin would be glowing with her newfound emotions and everyone would see. They would know. And how would she explain?

Nonetheless, she donned her mask as best she could, cleaned herself up, and went down to the kitchen for breakfast.

Most of the usual inhabitants were already there, including Draco and his mother. She sat down as discretely as possible next to her brother.

"How are you feeling?" he asked straight away.

Narcissa frowned, as though she thought Luci might be contagious. "Were you ill?"

"Just really tired, that's all," Luci answered. "Not sick or anything."

This seemed a good enough explanation for the pair of them.

After breakfast, before shutting himself in his room, Draco told her, "I still need some time. Maybe lessons tomorrow?"

She nodded sullenly.

And no one else inquired into the previous day's absence again. It was a little insulting.

And it hurt very much indeed that Harry was paying no attention to her whatsoever. She had gone through all of that to help him, after all. Perhaps Ginny had forbid him to see her? Maybe if she talked to the girl she'd grown to resent...

Following an awkward dinner sitting next to Draco, Luci knocked on the door of the room that Ginny shared with Hermione.

The red-head answered, and upon seeing Luci, scowled.

"What do you want?"

Hermione looked up from her place at the desk.

"Um..." Luci began. "I, um, about the other day..."

Hermione stood. "Let her in, Ginny."

Ginny grimaced but obliged, and closed the door behind Luci.

"Listen, I just wanted to, um... Look, I was just helping Harry out. It wasn't anything more than that. Don't be angry with him."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. "Why do you care if I'm angry with him?"

Luci blinked. "I don't, I guess. But you shouldn't be. You just seemed really upset, and I wanted to let you know that there was no reason to be."

Hermione was frowning, and Luci wondered why.

"So you're not after my boyfriend?" asked Ginny accusingly, her hands on her hips.

The question stunned Luci. Was he her boyfriend again? Currently? Her stomach hurt.

And she spewed, "What?! No, of course not!"

The red-haired splendor wore an expression of distrust.

"Ginny," Luci assured, "I'm not after him. We're not even friends."

This was true, but she followed up by lying through her teeth. "I have no interest in him. You have nothing to worry about from me, okay?"

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "You promise?"

"I promise," replied Luci. "He's all yours. You belong together."

It nearly killed her to say it, but she believed it.

"You think?" Ginny half-smiled.

"Yes," Luci nodded. "It's kind of obvious."

"See, I told you, Ginny," Hermione piped up. "Everyone can see you're meant for each other."

The red-head outright grinned now.

Then she turned back to Luci. "Thanks. I feel better."

"You're welcome," said Luci, managing to return the smile. "Good night."

She left, feeling terribly guilty. She'd be able to keep her promise as far as not going after Harry. But she couldn't guarantee that her feelings for him might not eventually show. God, she hoped not. She hoped she'd be able to get rid of them before they ate a huge, gaping, visible hole into her chest.

When she made it back to her room, Severus was waiting in the fireplace.

"Late dinner?" he greeted her.

"Sure," she responded. "What's up?"

"Regarding the manner of which we spoke?" he eluded.

"Uh huh?"

"My research has been coming along quite splendidly. I may send someone via Floo to collect more information from you."

Luci raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"He is called Craig Cambias," explained Severus, "and we can trust him, though he is a Death Eater. Tell him everything you know."

She shook her head. "I don't know if I'm comfortable-"

"Do as I instruct," he cut in frostily.

Then he disappeared before she could protest.

"That man!" she growled aloud.

----------------------------------------

It was a few days more before Draco allowed Luci back into his room.

They had just returned from lunch, and he beckoned her to come in.

The two of them hadn't been speaking much at meals, aside from pleasantries. It had been miserable. Luci was wishing desperately for some resolution.

Draco closed them into his room and began, "I've decided to forgive you after all."

It was condescending, but Luci tolerated it and smiled. "I'm glad."

"But there are conditions."

"Okay?"

"No more talking to Potter or any of his little friends," he said fiercely. "And when I ask you a question, you tell me the truth. I have a hard enough time with trust, and I'd like to think you're one of the few people that I can rely on."

She probably couldn't adhere to these so-called conditions, but she replied, "You can rely on me, Draco. I came here to protect you and I don't intend to fail."

"I don't need protection!" he spat, a brief flash of anger in his eyes. Then he sighed, "I just need to know that you're on my side, and not his."

Luci wanted so badly for them to be on the same side. It would make things so much easier, though she would still be caught in the middle of their hostility.

"You know I'm on your side," she assured him. "Now, can things get back to normal?"

"Normal?" scoffed her brother. "I can't remember normal."

She pressed her lips together. "You know, neither can I."

----------------------------------------

Luci had been trying to call Kristen for over a week now. In anguish, she'd tried everyone else too. She'd spoken to Amy once, though never about anything more substantial than the weather. Josh had picked up on the first ring, but she couldn't stand talking to him for long, because his thought process always went to mooning over their future relationship. Gag. And she'd cried to her mother a few times about being homesick.

But she'd kept everything bottled up inside of her until she finally heard Kristen's voice on the other end of the line. Then she burst open like a swollen dam.

"Hello?"

"Kristen, you've gotta help me!" exploded Luci madly.

"Luci? What is it?"

"I'm in love with him!"

"What?!" shrieked her best friend. "Who?"

"Harry!"

"Harry?"

"Yes!" Luci cried in frustration.

"Oh my god." Kristen sucked in a breath. "How did that happen?"

"I don't know! I just need you to tell me how to get out of it!"

"Get out of it?" she laughed. "You can't get out of love. Believe me, I've tried."

Luci moaned. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Make out with him?" came the casual comment.

"Kristen!"

"It's a perfectly good suggestion."

"No, it isn't!" hissed Luci. "He has a girlfriend. I have to make this go away."

"Girlfriend? You didn't mention a girlfriend."

"It's... recent. Sort of."

A short pause. "I'm sorry, Luce."

"Yeah, me too," she sighed dejectedly. "What do I do?"

"I... I dunno," Kristen started hesitantly. "Come home?"

"I can't."

"Well... can't you magical people control emotions or something?"

Luci gasped in epiphany. "Kristen, you're a genius!"

"I know."

"I'll find some kind of... some kind of anti-love spell! Yes! That'll save me!"

"Well, good luck," said Kristen, uncertain. "You sure you want out of it?"

"Of course I'm sure!"

"Really? Love is kind of nice though, isn't it?"

"Not unrequited love," groaned Luci. "It's torture. But I'm going to fix this."

She was feeling quite hopeful at the prospect of being free.

Kristen made a disapproving noise. "Sometimes, I think magic shouldn't be the solution."

Luci huffed. "You suggested it. And it's brilliant. And I'm doing it. Besides, it's the only solution I've got."

"You could tell him how you feel."

"Kristen... you don't think I've thought about that? But I can't. He's taken. It would be idiotic. He'd laugh and reject me and I'd be in an even worse place."

She could feel the tears pooling again. When had she become such a feeble creature?

"Okay," answered her best friend in defeat. "But you're throwing away something precious."

"Yeah, right," grumbled Luci. "If I don't do something, I'm throwing away my sanity, and I think I value that a little more than emotional turmoil."

"I just want you to be happy," said Kristen gently.

Luci inhaled heavily. "Thanks, I feel the same way. How's Maggie?"

"Things are good, for now. The painful times are worth it for what you feel when it's good."

"That's wonderful," smiled Luci. "You deserve the good."

"So do you. Don't forget. Before you brew some crazy potion, think about how you deserve the good."

----------------------------------------

Luci had immediately gone to her room, searching for the book that she had on removing jinxes. It was a good start anyway. She certainly felt like she'd been jinxed. She wondered if she could use the draught for curing Amortentia. It might be worth a try.

As she was digging through her desk drawer, she came across the pocket watch that Dumbledore had wanted her to give to Harry. She opened it, observed the tiny hands ticking rhythmically for a few seconds, then sighed and closed it again.

Christmas. It was two months away. Two months that she would be wasting away in this house, pining for an unavailable boy, hoping that something would happen that would allow her to go home. And if she could go home before Christmas, how would she get this gift into Harry's hands?

It was a beautiful watch. It glimmered as she held it in her tiny palm. Would Harry know that it had been the Headmaster's possession if it just ended up on his bed Christmas day, as was Wizarding fashion? Perhaps she could do something to make it a little bit more special, something to make it uniquely Dumbledore's.

She'd give it some thought. For now, she had to focus on finding something to get rid of these feelings, and on her other ambition to create a safe place where she could take Draco and get the hell out of here.