Draco sat on the steps outside Malfoy Manor, his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands. It was just too much. Everything was happening so fast. All of the stuff being printed in the papers and all of Potters testimonies. He felt that he was losing credibility in the school. He gripped a handful of hair in each hand and groaned in frustration. He straightened up when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs behind him.
"Draco, get up! Stop lazing around" his father barked at him
Draco looked over his shoulder and stood quickly when he saw Lucius. "Yes father… I'm sorry" He muttered, his eyes on the steps.
"Why are you moping about anyway?"
"I'm not moping father." Draco said. Malfoy's don't mope. "I was just… thinking is all."
His father's eyes skimmed over his face "About?"
"School" Draco lied quickly.
"There is no more school" Lucius said shortly.
"Quidditch" He said, trying to keep his voice even. "School as in Quidditch"
Lucius stuidied his son's face. "Don't. Lie."
He ran his fingers through his hair. He knew his father was skilled in legilimency but Bellatrix had been trying to teach him to block him out. "I'm… I'm not." He said, trying to put into practice what he had been taught.
Lucius knew his son was lying, but decided to let is pass. "Shape up; The Dark Lord will grace us with his presence soon. I don't want you to bring down the family name with your…'thinking.'"
Draco bit his lip hard to keep back his response about 'bringing down the family name.' He looked down at the ground again. "Yes father. I'll go change." His father let him pass. Draco purposefully nudged Lucius with his shoulder as he passed, playing it off as if it were an accident. "Sorry sir" He muttered before opening the door to the manor. Lucius squinted his eyes at Draco, but let him be.
Draco walked upstairs and changed into black dress pants, a black button down shirt with the Slytherin crest on the pocket, a Slytherin colored tie and a black blazer. He fixed his hair in the mirror and sighed. "Here we go…" He muttered, coming back downstairs.
"Back straight, Draco" his aunt Bellatrix barked at him.
"Yes Aunt Bella" He muttered, standing straighter. Sometimes he hated being a Malfoy. "You look lovely this evening."
Bellatrix smiled her black-toothed smile.
"He'll be here soon!" said Narcissa anxiously, and Bellatrix's eyes darted - like beatles - towards the door.
Draco smiled at Narcissa and kissed her cheek. "You look stunning mother" He said. If there was one person in the world that Draco adored, it was his mother. He put his hands behind his back, grasping his left wrist.
She smiled at her son, but quickly stiffened up as Lucius descended down the stairs. "It's time." she said softly. "Lucius, summon him."
Draco felt his body tense when Lucius entered the room. His father's presence always made him nervous. Lucius nodded at his wife and touched his forearm. Draco's eyes darted to the mark on his fathers arm. He knew one day, he would have one in the same spot and he wasn't sure yet how he felt about it. They all felt a cold wind decend upon them, when shortly enough in front of them emerged The Dark Lord. Draco bowed deeply. "Welcome my lord" He said, exactly how Lucius had taught him.
He smiled at Draco. "Thank you, Young Malfoy." Draco smiled and stepped back a bit, his eyes darting quickly to his father.
"Welcome" said Lucius his arms expanding over their manor.
"My lord." Narcissa said, bowing her head and curtsying, "Welcome to our home." She smiled. "Dinner will be ready soon."
"Thank you my lady" the Dark Lord almost smiled.
Narcissa turned and headed for the kitchen. "Bella! Can you come help me please?" She asked, looking over her shoulder.
"No, Cissy. I'm entertaining our guest."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Then it will take a bit longer" She said, disappearing into the kitchen. Draco looked at Lucius before brushing a bit of hair from his face. "My lord would you like to wait for dinner in the sitting room?"
Narcissa looked proudly at her son. Draco led them all into the family room, a smile on his face. There was a silence. The Dark Lord and Bellatrix seemed the only ones at ease. Draco walked over to the far wall and leaned back against it, his eyes scanning over the room. Lucius was ticking his leg, nervously
Draco cleared his throat a bit. "How's work father?" He asked, trying to break some tension.
"Well, Draco." Lucius said in a forced-calm. "But I'm sure Our Lord here, has more important things to discuss than my profession." Draco nodded, biting his lip. It was becoming a bad nervous habit of his.
Narcissa came out of the kitchen. "Dinner is ready" Draco sighed, thankful for the bit of a break. He followed his mother back to the kitchen and stood behind his seat. He had learned not to sit until his father had.
The Dark Lord was the first to sit, at the Head of the table, followed by Lucius and Bellatrix, then Narcissa, and finally sat in his seat and stayed relatively relaxed. The eating order remained the same.
Draco ate silently. Narcissa smiled. "So my lord, what brings you here this evening?"
The Dark Lord looked up at Narcissa. "I enjoy your company" he said simply
She smiled even brighter. "Well thank you my lord. It's truly an honor."
He nodded. Draco fidgeted slightly in his seat. This atmosphere felt off in the room and it was driving him insane. They ate in silence
Once everyone was finished, Narcissa took their plates away. Draco had leaned forward against the table a little, hoping no one would notice. At last the exhuasting meal was over. Bellatrix looked over at Voldemort. "My lord, I trust you have been well?"
"Indeed, and yourself, dear?"
"I've been well my lord. I've been following orders as well as teaching Draco some new spells." She said, smiling
"Unfortunately, you have not been improving his Occumency. He has been uncomfortable all night."
All eyes turned to Draco. Draco straightened up in his chair and caught his fathers eyes. "I…" He started but words failed to come to him. ' Draco you Idiot!' He thought to himself.
The Dark Lord laughed, "and now we're angry. I swear, I dont even need to read your mind, boy, you wear your heart on your sleeve."
He bit his lip again and looked down. "My apologies my lord. It's been a… stressful time lately and I'm not as in control of myself as I usually am."
"I understand. You feel lost, misunderstood, you're questioning your fate." He got up swiftly. "Perhaps, Draco, you should be questioning where your loyalties lie." and with that, disapparated.
Draco drew in a sharp breath. It was true, he /had/ been questioning his fate, but he knew his loyalty was to lord Voldemort. He looked around the table, panic spreading through him. Narcissa cleared her throat. "Draco… Dear… why don't you go ahead and head up to bed." She suggested, wanting to get at least a floor between him and Lucius. Draco nodded quickly and dismissed himself.
Narcissa turned to Lucius. "Don't. Let yourself calm down before you do /anything/" She said, reading his expression. Draco ran up to his room quickly. Draco locked himself in his room; tears escaping. Narcissa put her hands on Lucius' shoulders. "You will /not/ hurt our son. Understand?" She told him.
This was a mess; Where were Draco's loyalties? With his family, ultimatley, but he was fighting things he wasn't prepared to fight for. Draco calmed himself down enough to stop the tears. 'Malfoy's don't cry…' He thought to himself. He stood and looked at himself in a mirror, wiping his eyes. He knew there was a war starting; but he wasn't prepared to fight. He wanted to fight, but he wasn't ready. He was lost - forced into something he didn't want to do.