With Love, From the Asylum

Belladonna had known her neighbors all her life. Shed grown up alongside their son Draco, so Lucius and Narcissa were like second parents. Her and Draco used to play together and were best friends until she decided to go to school in France. Whenever she was back he was still at school and over the two years they had grown further and further apart. Thinking about it, it was three years now since shed seen him.

“Wear something nice hun, you know how the Malfoys like a formal dinner” her mom said smiling. Belladonna knew they’d both have trouble finding something to wear. She walked over to her closet and hunted out a dress. It was beautiful with a square neck line and long drippy sleeves. She pulled it on with a corset over the top. Shed changed a lot since Draco had seen her last. She’d been eleven and, as most eleven year olds do, had a boys figure. But that was far from the truth now.

She was finally all ready and opened the door to the hallway walking out slowly, she made her way the front door when her mother spotted her. “Oh I was planning to go together let me just get my coat” she said pulling it of the rack. The two of them walked out and her mom made her way down the path, but Belladonna turned, lifting the skirt of her dress up and jumped over the fence as her mom gasped in horror.

Closing her eyes as she jumped Belladonna knew she’d landed on something or someone. Opening them she saw the perfect blonde boy she'd ran into earlier. She had obviously knocked him over and was sitting on his chest, a leg either side. “Belle you cant just do… oh hello Draco” her mother had run all the way around. So this was Draco, she thought, my he’d changed just as much as her. She got off him and helped him to his feet.

“Belle?” he smirked as though it was amusing,” I guess you’d better come in then” he took her arm and let her inside, her mother following. They were led to large room with a long table in the middle. At that table sat Lucius and Narcissa. “Ah I see you found our guests Draco” Lucius said waving a hand at the empty chairs. This, Belladonna knew was an offer to sit and she did so.

Draco nodded, “Yes, Belle here” at the word Belle his lip twitched “dropped in.” Her mother shook her head in embarrassment. The Malfoys didn't' twig anything though. After he’d pulled out her seat for her Draco went and sat on the opposite side of the table with his parents and at that moment four maids came in carrying trays of food.

Halfway throughout the meal Belle's moms’ phone went of. She looked rather sheepish apologized and left the room to answer it. Whilst this was happening Belladonna felt as though she was being watched and looked up to see all three Malfoys staring at her. When they realized she'd seen they all looked down and carried on eating. After about half an hour her mom came back looking worried.

“What’s wrong mom” Belladonna asked out of pure boredom, no one spoke here unless they were told to it was kind of creepy but she was used to it. “That was your dad he said he really needed to meet up with me and discuss yo...I mean something of high importance.” She nodded knowing it would only be a row about whose fault it was she was so messed up.

“But he said that its best if you don’t come up, he …erm doesn't’t want to stress you out so soon after...” her mom carried on before trailing off. Belle was glad, she really didn’t want to go anyway and she wasn’t fussed as to where she was sent, anywhere would be preferable. Just thinking about it reminded her of before. It must have been when she was about twelve, Shed come home for the summer holidays before she went to her second year.

She’d flown home from her school in France and got of the plan. But no-one was waiting for her and she had to sit in the waiting room for over four hours. By the time her parents arrived it was dark and she’d received funny looks from a lot of people. Her mom had obviously been crying and her makeup had run all down her face. She'd got into the car and they’d driven home in silence. She'd spent the whole holidays in her room crying and her parents spent it arguing. She could not wait to go back to school.

“I can probably ship you of to your aunts house tomorrow and then leave to see your dad” her mom hated your aunt and was probably glad it was Belladonna not her. Belle just nodded not in the mood to speak anymore. Her heart hurt from remembering and she just wanted to cry. Draco looked at her and she had a feeling he knew she felt this way and he himself felt it a lot.

“There’s no need we have plenty of spare rooms, Belle can stay here, and she can even pick her own room” Lucius said smiling. “Oh no I can’t impose," her mom chipped in, secretly pleased knowing they wouldn’t let her take her to her aunts now, glad she wouldn’t have to make polite conversation as she dropped her of “But we insist. And any way it gives her and Draco a chance to catch up”

So belladonna ended up going home and packing. She lifted the two suitcases and dragged them back to the Malfoys. Halfway down the garden path a hand grabbed her and pulled her into the shadows. She turned to face whoever it was that was obviously going to murder her. And looked straight into the eyes of Draco.

“What are you doing?” she hissed her heart thudding in her chest. Alex smirked, “did I scare you?” he asked and laughed. “Don’t worry I'm not going to kiss you, or stab you either, I'm just giving you some advice,.” He said staring at her; he couldn’t help it she’d changed so much over the last three years

“And that advice would be..?” Belladonna asked impatiently, bringing him back to the real world. "Whatever it is that’s eating away at you, forget it there’s worse things going on and if my mother” he spat the word mother as though it tasted bad, "if she finds out she will only make it worse.” He turned and grabbed her suitcases and walked towards the house.

She ran after him and caught up in the hallway, “where do you want to sleep then?” he asked carrying the bags upstairs. He stopped again in a hallway and pointed to a door “that’s my room but all the others are free” then pointed to the door next to it, "and that’s the biggest.” Belladonna laughed, she should have guessed really. Then she shook her head maybe it was one of fates cruel jokes. She shrugged “I guess its that room then,” and opened the door.

Draco followed her in a dumped the suitcases on the bed. He smiled, “When did you change?” he asked her and she looked up in surprise, "we all change slowly Alex its part of being a teen,” she said slowly. He shook his head and tried to rephrase the question, “No I meant when did you become so sad, I saw you at dinner.” She nodded, she had understood what he’d meant but had hoped he wasn’t thinking it “ I don’t want to talk about this,” she said coldly and pushed him out the door.