So, this is the first story I've written in a while. It's going to be long and I don't have much time to write, it's finals week at my college (screams) but I have the next several chapters already written, I expect that I should manage to get through without disappearing or flunking out of school. It will be Snarry eventually, but there will be a lot of build-up. A lot. The other pairings are: Sirius/Remus and Draco/OC (Yes, I'm aware a lot of people hate OCs but I think it's working alright). Hermione's relationship will be a surprise and I don't have any other planned pairings, if you have something you'd like to see then say so, I'll consider it. Oh, mind the rating, it will make more sense in later chapters. Now, without further nonsense, here's the story!
Actually, here's more nonsense: anything you recognize isn't mine. Please don't sue the stressed college girl.
A cold, dank dungeon that reeked of piss and blood and that musty desperation that comes from a slow, painful death. The walls were stone, the floor was stained concrete, and there were manacles and large cages everywhere. One cage was occupied, a girl sitting in the center, relaxed despite her surroundings. She watched through mostly-closed eyes as a boy came into view, carrying a basket. She smiled mysteriously and shut her eyes. All was well.
"Here's your food." A tray was shoved through the slot in the door. The girl accepted it, smiling at the impeccably dressed boy.
"Thank you, Elfy." She returned to sit cross-legged and sipped the water, eyeing the boy who was perched in the seat he had conjured outside her cage. There was silence while she picked at the bread, closing her eyes whenever she placed a piece in her mouth as though it were the finest chocolate, something to savor, instead of the plain, dry loaf that it was. Suddenly the boy huffed and stood up, stalking towards the cage angrily.
"Here. Don't tell anyone I gave it to you." He muttered darkly, thrusting his hand through the bars and waiting impatiently for her to stand up and take the parcel from him. She didn't look at it, instead she grinned at him, taking his hand and kissing the knuckles.
"You shouldn't have, you'll get in trouble." He jerked his hand back, dropping back into his seat while she inspected the carefully-tied handkerchief. She opened and smiled in delight when she saw the strawberries.
"If you keep your mouth shut, no one will know." He replied. She only smiled at him again, carefully nibbling on a sweet berry.
"You are far too kind, my dear Elfy." She murmured, eyebrows knit with worry. "They'll notice, maybe not now, but soon. Lucius has already been wondering why the potions aren't working, he knows that I have help." Draco rubbed his face, tired, exhausted really, and saw her standing in front of him, behind the bars obviously, clearly worried for him. He raised an eyebrow as he stood, stepping forward to allow her to reach his hand.
"You do realize that you're the one locked in the dungeon, not me, right?" he asked as she stroked his palm with light fingers.
"Yes, but he can't kill me. Well, yet." She squeezed his hand in hers and looked him square in the eye. "You know I can protect you, you know that what he's doing is wrong, and you know there's another way. What's stopping you?" The boy sighed, entwining their fingers together as he tried to explain his fears. "Elfy, I promise you." She pressed forward, wanting to reach through the bars but resisting, pulling him towards her instead. "All you have to do is go through with the plan exactly as I said and you'll be away from him forever. And I will do my best for Lady Narcissa as well, you know that." Draco looked at the girl for a long moment before sighing. He nodded.
"Alright, tomorrow. The Dark Lord is coming tomorrow evening, so we both must be out by lunch. What do you need to call your people?" The girl smiled, kissing his palm and then resting it against her cheek.
"I will call tonight, I already have all that I need." He nodded sharply and, allowing his fingers to trace quietly down her face, he stepped back. He sat back down in his seat and she returned to her meal. Silence reigned in the dungeon as the two teens sat, both consumed by their thoughts. After she had finished eating, she gently slid the tray out through the slot in the door. He took it wordlessly, returning it to the basket. He turned and glanced at her, watching as she smiled down at the strawberry-stained handkerchief. She looked at him and handed it through the bar.
"Don't throw that away- or wash it- I want it back exactly as it is." He shook his head at her request, order really, before acquiescing.
"Sleep well, dear Elfy." She called as he left with the basket. He turned, nodding sharply, his ice mask already on his face.
"And you as well."
00000
"It's time." A harsh whisper, directly in front of her. The girl's eyes snapped open and she grinned at the determined face.
"I just finished the call, darling Elf. Good timing. I need your hand, if you don't mind." The boy immediately held out his hand and she grasped it lightly, waving her right hand through the air and shutting her eyes. The boy felt a draw on his energy and calmed himself, allowing her to use it as she willed. Her eyes reopened and she pulled herself up, not releasing his hand. "Thank you. The other two will be arriving soon, they'll all be at the front door in eight minutes. He'll be there in eight and a half, so we best hurry."
"The wards are down and fa- Lucius will notice any second." He replied, tightening his grip on her hand, his wand hand twitching toward his hip at every stray sound.
"Lucius is busy at the moment, in his study. Not certain what he's doing exactly, but his energy is very much aflutter. Plus, I may have set it swirling and buzzing around his head last night's session, so he's probably got a killer migraine right now." She replied, leading the boy out of her cell and heading unerringly towards a small room in the back of the dungeon. "He put my stuff in here and there's something calling me. Very intriguing."
"Aeris, we don't have time to play." The boy answered, anxiously glancing towards the entrance. "And anything 'calling' you from this house is likely very Dark and shouldn't be messed with."
"Oh, hush you. I know what I'm doing." She stroked the door gently, which shuddered and seemed to shimmer for a moment before swinging open. She released the boy's hand and walked in, grabbing her backpack off of the table and, after opening it, swept everything else that was on the table in. "You need to set up the diversion for the rescue, darling. Go along, and remember the coordinates." He looked at her, fear finally beating out his forced composure, and she smiled reassuringly. "Oh come here, Elf." He walked over stiffly and she pulled him into a tight hug, rubbing his back. "Everything will work out fine, no one will be hurt, and you will be happy if I have to bite you." He snorted and she let go, placing a soft hand on his cheek. "Hush now and buckle up, you can do this."
He nodded, straightened his shoulders, and a cool, blank look returned to his face. She nodded approvingly and he turned to leave. She smacked his arse as he walked away, winked at his affronted look, and turned back to her thievery, dumping more things into her seemingly-bottomless backpack.
"See you soon, Elfy. And don't forget my handkerchief!"
00000000
The boy was now sitting on a bed, holding in pale hands a dark silver ring. He turned the ring in his hands, examining the carefully woven strands, the dark stones on the side, and the brilliant opal eye. He sighed and flopped backwards, looking up towards the enchanted ceiling. A sudden thought occurred to him and he laughed.
"I'm steeling myself to stealing myself." He muttered to the empty air, a nearly hysterical giggle escaping before a calming breath quieted the panic. He looked over the room dispassionately, taking in the full closet of finery, the neatly made bed with silver inlays, the painstakingly applied charms to the ceiling to show an ever-changing nightscape. With a shake of the head, a straightening of the spine, the boy spun sharply on his heel and, with a crack, he was gone.
"Draco?" called a blond man quietly, authoritatively, head immediately snapping towards the room down the hall. He strode down the corridor to his son's room, tapping his cane on the door carefully, to prevent scratching the door. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, answer your door." At the silence, he pulled out his wand. "Alohomora"
He walked into the room and felt his feet trip an at-first imperceptible magical trigger. He whipped out his wand while a song burst into life.
I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
Don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
"Typical child, you think you know best. I thought I raised you better, Draco. And to use a muggle song, you besmirch the Malfoy name." The man pulled out his wand and snarled a Finite Incantatum but nothing happened. He looked around the room and found Draco gone, as well as trunk, owl, and broom stick. The man glanced at the child's desk and found the Lord's Heir ring, left behind and a stark contrast on the otherwise empty desk. The man tapped it with his wand, a sneer distorting the fae-like beauty of his face. He growled when it did nothing besides make the cursed muggle song grow louder. This was not helping the migraine that was forcing its way uncomfortably in his temple.
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
Become so tired, so much more aware
I'm becoming this, all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you
Can't you see that you're smothering me,
Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control?
'Cause everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you.
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
Every step that I take is another mistake to you.
(Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow)
And every second I waste is more than I can take.
He resisted the lowly urge to roll his eyes, barely, and impatiently waited for the song to end. "Melodramatic boy, would you like to know what smothering truly feels like?"
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there,
Become so tired, so much more aware
I'm becoming this, all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you.
And I know
I may end up failing too.
But I know
You were just like me with someone disappointed in you.
"Merlin, curse that thrice-blasted, insolent little child. How dare he insinuate that I was once similar to him, with his cowardly ways and impure thoughts, and cursed muggle music?" The man's face twisted like he had eaten a lemon and his grip tightened on his wand.
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there,
Become so tired, so much more aware.
I'm becoming this, all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you.
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there.
(I'm tired of being what you want me to be)
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there.
(I'm tired of being what you want me to be)
The music ended and there was silence for a moment before a voice sounded, crisp, clear and determined, out of the ring.
"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, give up my Malfoy blood and remove myself and any children begat by me from the Malfoy line. You may not contact me and no longer have any legal right to me or mine. Any attempt will result in letters contain certain information being sent to the aurors." The ring then exploded, leaving no trace. The man stared with one raised eyebrow at the desk where it had lain.
"Well played, Draco. Well played indeed." He turned with a flourish to inform Narcissa and the Dark Lord of the turncoat. "I taught you well."
So, how'd it go? I'm gonna upload the first three chapters all in one go, so feel free to wait on reviewing until chapter 3. Or don't. It's entirely up to you.