And He Shall Rise From the Ashes

"Lies and secrets, they are like a cancer in the soul. They eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind." - Cassandra Clare

Malfoy Manor was silent, choked under years of dust and secrets.

It had been a long time since he had set foot in this place. The few pictures that hadn't been covered up stared down at him accusingly. Their harsh gazes said what they would not.

That he had abandoned this place.

Draco felt a slight twinge of guilt as he looked around at the neglect. This had once been a beautiful place. Now, the carpets released small clouds of dust at every step and the curtains trembled with what was surely a doxy infestation.

It had changed, and so had he.

He ran a hand across the faded, peeling wallpaper and sighed. This had been his haven in simpler times. Times when his father had been his hero. A man who could do no wrong.

His family had fled this manor and what it stood for years ago. Left the furniture and the paintings and the family heirlooms. Left their prejudices in these rooms and then locked the doors.

Now that he had returned, Draco was reminded painfully of what this place used to be. This house, where he had run up and down the halls barefoot as a child, had been home to a demon. For that is surely what You-Know-Who had been. A serpent in the form of a man, who had dripped words of poison into his family's ears.

The Malfoy Manor became synonymous with death and murder. Hate and cruelty. Destruction and devastation. Draco had not been able to be proud of this place or his family's name for a very long time.

But now, all that was about to change. Because he was expecting a son. It was still strange to think that in just a few short months, he was going to be a father.

And that was the whole reason for being here. He wanted to make this house into something that he and his family could be proud of again. Draco wanted his son to be able to run down these halls barefoot just like he had.

He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but, eventually, this place was going to be a home again.