The Way Your Words Have Haunted Me | Scorpius and Melissa
Scorpius watched Melissa take her drink, thinking of his own he had left on the bookshelf. His hand continued to cress around her wedding ring while she finally opened up to him. Though immediately he felt bad. Whatever torments you to drink at night. He hated it being phrased like that, but it was spot on unfortunately. But what hit worst was that she felt responsible. He had never wanted to drag her into his moods. He drank to get out of his moods, to blur it all out in a haze. That it was affecting her so was never his intention, though now that they were living together it was harder to keep this to himself. So he simply felt guilt, guilt for feeling bad, as if he owed Melissa his happiness. He had convinced himself he did, having married her and agreed to spend his life with her. He owed her his happiness and his love and his support, and unsurprisingly he was failing, like he always did.
“Potter will gather enough evidence,” he tried to assure Melissa, though he didn’t think his words strong enough, not good enough. She was right to have her fears. He had no doubt that Daphne was in Ignatius’ line of fire more than ever now that Melissa had gone. It only meant that this plan had to work, though he had his doubts that he did not express. “As for Hector,” he made another attempt, “we can add him to the list of people allowed to enter this residence, so that he may visit.” They could do that. His suggestion could work. He wasn’t a complete failure at assurances.
Scorpius already had taken this upon himself, despite her assertions not to. “Maybe you should let me take the owls, so you don’t have to see them,” he suggested. “The howlers too, if any more come. I’ll deal with it. You shouldn’t have to be plagued by them.” He could do that, he knew he could deal with that, to make sure Melissa no longer had to read whatever awful things they were saying to her. “Your father will be gone soon. You will be free of him, you will no longer have to worry about receiving more threats from him.” Still not as convincing as he hoped, but it was worth a go.
He searched around his head for something else, anything else, he could say that would help in this situation. Something that would cheer her up, assure her somehow. He had his elf bring his drink to him while he thought, taking the distraction to sort through his head. It pleased him when he landed on something he thought worthy of saying. “Grandmama is on our side,” he informed Melissa. “After the wedding was over she agreed to speak to Potter on your behalf, against your father. She’s always rather detested him, so you know that her support will be invaluable.” He had to question how much this would help Melissa, but he tried to sound positive for her sake. He took a drink, ready to read into Melissa’s response for an idea of whether he had been successful or a failure again.
“I know the Auror will do what he can.” Melissa started, still unwilling to use the name Potter if she could help it. To be fair, she knew it was not James' fault that Scorpius had chosen his sister to fall in love with. She just did not need to think about Lily anymore than she already was, which happened to be more often than she would like. There were constant comparisons being done in her head. She hated that he loved someone so different from her. Melissa could never be Lily, they were too different from each other. “I actually do not think it would be best to allow Hector to visit us here. He may only be allowed to do so with the stipulation that he tell someone where I have been hiding. I do not think he would do that to me, but I do know how manipulative my paternal side can be.” She added at the end. As much as it hurt her to blatantly refuse his company, she did not trust that he could keep quiet in this situation.
Scorpius' encouragement was sweet and she could tell that he was trying to make her feel better. It had a temporary affect on her mood, allowing her to offer the smallest of smiles. In all honesty she was lingering on the hope that he was right. She had gone along with his plan to get rid of her father because she trusted him. Knowing her father had her wary that the plan would actually work, but she still wanted to try. “I can give the owls to you if you wish, but I do deserve them. I am going against my own father, and even though he deserves to be punished for the way he has treated his family, he is still my blood. Hurting him will serve to hurt all the Rosier side, unless they were to disown him and that I highly doubt would ever happen. You know how messy public shame can be for a family. Grandpa Rosier is going to die in Azkaban because of his time spent as a Death Eater. I deserve every single scolding from them because I am going to hurt them with this, too.”
Melissa watched him put his drink to his lips and followed suit, when she took away her glass was empty. Silently, she wondered if this was how it would always be with them. Chasing their feelings away with liquid dinners instead of choosing to face them. Already it was obvious that they managed to be quite functional with large amount of liquor in their system. Melissa if she would end up like their grandmother Dione, who she had spent a considerable amount of her childhood with. She had quite the wine habit. Of course, she tried to keep it hidden, but there was no mistaking the smell of fermented grapes when she was near enough. Would they always be leaning on this crutch instead of trying to face their problems head on? If they continued on the path she wasn't sure what the future would hold
“Narcissa, really?' It actually surprised her and brought a bit more hope to her eyes. Narcissa Malfoy was a strong and respected woman in the wizarding community. “Her help is completely invaluable. That is actually quite amazing and unexpecte. I will be sure to send her a thank you letter.” Spritz appeared with her drink refreshed. It was then that she remembered something that Grayson had told her when he had come to talk. Open up to him and perhaps he will open up to you. “Scorp, you know I really do appreciate everything you have done for me and offer to do and the way you have been able to put your own problems aside to take care of me through these rough patches.” She leaned into him. “It is not your fault that I worry so much. All the changes haven't been the easiest to adjust to, even if it is for the better. I am not always the best at optimism and I know that. I also know I am not the best at talking about the things on my mind. I just... I don't want to be the one to add to your stress.”
