Warning: ļ¼£ontains HBP spoilers and slash. Implied one-sided Ron/Draco.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe or any of the characters.
Closing Your Mind
Draco heard a knock on the door of his room and knew that it was her.
On the day he had come back to the Manor after the last semester of his fifth year and found his aunt, Bellatrix, waiting for him in the sitting room, things had changed completely. After his father's fiasco at the Ministry and imprisonment in Azkaban, Draco knew some retribution was inevitable, yet hadn't expected things to move this fast.
Draco hastily rose up from his seat to the door. Behind the door stood Bellatrix, looking graceful and dignified as usual.
"I hope you are ready, Draco," she said quietly as she proceeded inside. Draco nodded shortly, closing the door and following after her. Bellatrix stopped at the center of the room and waited for him. Once they stood face to face, she took out her wand and looked straight at Draco.
"As I have explained to you last night, to become a capable Death Eater, Draco, you'll need to close your mind to your enemies. I'm sure you already understand that this will be undoubtedly necessary for you, especially when your'e trying to carry out the Dark Lord's order at Hogwarts with Dumbledore and Snape around."
"Yes, I understand," said Draco determinedly.
Bellatrix nodded, then raised her wand in position.
"We shall waste no time, then. Let us begin. Legilimens !"
Before Draco could concentrate, he was having flashbacks of memories. Draco was four, riding the broomstick for the first time. Then the memory shifted to the first day of Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express, his offered hand rejected by Potter, and then to a Quidditch match, the snitch snatched away by Potter at a spot mere inches from Draco's outstretched hand. Then out of no where, he could now hear the chorus of the song he had made himself, and he knew it was a different game this time. He saw Weasley looking desperate in front of the goal hoops, failing to catch the Quaffle. He saw Weasley's retreating back after the match, Weasley blushing hard and shaking when Draco imitated him dropping a Quaffle in the hallway, Weasley glaring in Draco's direction at the Great Hall, and-
"I don't think you're concentrating hard enough, Draco."
Bellatrix's voice came right inside his head, and Draco shuddered at the sudden intrusion. He gaped at the space in front of him, not meeting Bellatrix's eyes. He didn't know what to say, but he could feel her piercing glare directed to him. He felt cold sweat trickling down his neck. Visions of Weasley were the last things he wanted his aunt to see. He took one deep breath. 'Relax and concentrate', he thought to himself, and straightened up.
Bellatrix raised her wand before Draco's face for the second time.
"Now, let's try again. Do concentrate harder this time, Draco. Legilimens !"
This time, it started with visions of his father. Lucius was listening closely to Draco's news of the Gryffindor trio with a half-smile on his face. Lucius was looking disappointed finding out that Draco wasn't the best in his year. Lucius was looking livid facing Arthur Weasley at Flourish and Blotts. Draco noticed with interest that Weasley was turning bright red just as much as his father. He saw Weasley fuming when he called Granger a Mudblood. But then he now saw a big smile on Weasley's face as he saved the first goal at the final game of the season, and it secretly made his heart melt. In the shower room, where Draco had sneaked in, he saw streams of hot water running down Weasley's back, how he- but no, he went too far this time. These visions ought not to be seen by Bellatrix, realized Draco, and suddenly opened his eyes. Bellatrix was staring at him with ice cold eyes.
"I, that was..."
He tried to explain, but words failed him.
"Draco, this is no time to think about your own little problem."
Draco blushed hard. He felt her eyes lingering on his face, but didn't dare to look up.
"Just think of the importance of what we're doing and the possiblity of what may occur if you fail to master Occlumency. Clear your mind of all that rubbish before you go to sleep tonight, and we shall resume the lesson tomorrow. Goodnight, Draco."
"Goodnight, Aunt Bellatrix."
Draco managed to say back, his voice hoarse.
Bellatrix turned on her heels and walked out of the room. Listening to her retreating foot steps down the hall, Draco was shaking slightly, embarrassed. Why did he have to end up recalling such memories of him, for Merlin's sake, as if it were of any importance to him?
Draco walked over to the book shelf and pulled out an old hardcover book he had never read the contents of. Between the pages was a picture of Weasley and his family in Egyptian costumes, which Draco had cut out from the Daily Prophet some years ago. Giving it one last look, he tore the picture in half, and then to pieces. He felt a surge of pride as he did so.
Tomorrow, he would be more successful and Bellatrix would be proud.