DISCLAIMER: Anything and everything that you think belongs to J.K. Rowling, DOES belong to J.K. Rowling. She came up with the impossibly hot Draco Malfoy. I'm just borrowing a bit of her genius. (No, I'm not making any kind of profit off of all this)
As the old, dingy white car pulled to a stop on the gravel driveway, Draco surveyed his surroundings with distaste evident on his face. There was dust everywhere, and the stench of animals leaked through the open windows. "Are you certain this is necessary? I really don't think-"
"Mr. Malfoy, we've been through this a thousand times and I refuse to talk about it again. Get out of the car and get your trunk." Draco rolled his eyes but obeyed anyway. Even without her regal green robes, Professor McGonagall was a very commanding presence.
She's a lot like Father… only different, he thought with a slight, sad smile. Lugging the heavy suitcase out of the back seat, Draco turned toward the ugly, small country house, gave one last sniff of derision, and began to trudge up the driveway. It was going to be a long year.
A knock on the front door made Ellie rush from the kitchen, running fingers through her still-damp hair in efforts to make herself a bit more presentable. She opened the door and smiled brightly.
"Ms. McIntosh?"
The tall, thin woman on her front doorstep smiled back and held out her hand.
"Please, call me Catherine. This is Mr. Thomas," she said, gesturing to the rather sullen-looking young man standing next to her. Ellie shook Ms. McIntosh's hand before offering it to the boy.
"It's Drake, right? I'm Ellie." Drake looked at the hand Ellie offered as though it was a dead fish. She took it back quickly and asked them both to come in the house.
"Oh no, dear, I must be off to catch my flight. Drake, call me if you need anything. I'll be back to pick you up in July." The old woman gave Ellie one more smile before climbing back in the car and driving off in a puff of dust. Ellie shut the door and faced the tall young man.
"Your room's back here. If you wanna unpack now, that's fine… or you can wait until after supper. Either way, don't be late for mealtimes. Supper's in half an hour." Ellie opened the door to a small, sparsely furnished room in the back of the house. Drake hauled the oversized leather trunk into the room. Ellie waited a moment for some kind of reply, but when nothing showed itself, she shrugged and left, shutting the door behind her. It's going to be a long year, she thought as she headed to the kitchen.
Draco surveyed the little room with revulsion. It was everything he stood against. Poor, small, and very Muggle-like. He heaved a great sigh then began to unpack. The little muggle girl had told him not to be late for supper. As if she had any control over him! He would show up whenever he pleased, and there was nothing she could say or do that would change his mind. Draco pulled out T-shirt after T-shirt and was once more appalled by the fact that everything was so agonizingly muggle-like. A wizard of his fine standing should not be forced to wear muggle clothes, eat muggle food, and sleep in a muggle house for an entire year. Nevertheless, McGonagall was right, as usual. This punishment was necessary, no matter how painful.
After filling each drawer with various socks, jeans, shirts, and the like, Draco stood up and looked for a place to stuff his trunk. Finding no better option, he shoved it under his bed. It was a tight fit, and he wished for his wand. However, McGonagall had carefully explained her reasoning behind her "no magic" rule. Because she didn't quite trust Draco, she had kept his wand with her. Draco was therefore completely void of all magic for the time being. Rolling his eyes at the hilarity of his current situation, he stalked out of the room and down the hall, following his nose to the kitchen. The muggle girl was scurrying about, grabbing plates, spices, cups, and various utensils.
What's her name? Emmy? It's very commonplace and vulgar, whatever it is, Draco thought spitefully. He searched the room for a place to sit down, but finding none aside from the table, he opted to lean against the white countertop. His pale grey eyes followed the short brunette around the kitchen. She kept throwing glances at him, but refrained from speaking. Her dark brown hair, slightly damp, was beginning to frizz. She didn't seem to notice, just kept running about grabbing things. She wore a plain, faded t-shirt and shabby jeans with holes at the knee. Draco examined his own wardrobe and was horror-struck to find that his own clothes bore a sharp resemblance to hers. Of course, his t-shirt was not faded, nor did it bear a peeling picture of Eeyore on the front. His jeans were whole, too. Satisfied that he still looked like he belonged to a higher class than the girl, Draco went back to silently watching her.
When the front door suddenly opened, Draco barely resisted the urge to jump. Loud voices and laughter boomed from the hallway, and six men entered the kitchen. Draco stiffened. He didn't like large groups… at all.
Placing the dish of mashed potatoes on the supper table, Ellie stood back and admired her work. Everything in place, she turned to find her uncle trying to be friendly to Drake.
"You must be that Thomas boy! Welcome to Texas, son." Surprisingly, Drake shook the hand that was offered and even smiled. For the first time since his arrival, Ellie heard Drake speak.
"Thank you so much for opening your home to me, Mr. Greene. It's a pleasure to meet you." His voice was smooth, syrupy-sweet, and silky. The words flowed off his tongue as though he'd practiced them a hundred times. His British accent was very pronounced, and he articulated each word carefully. Ellie felt her blood rushing to her face. Why had he not shaken her hand, or spoken to her at all? Before she could react too strongly, her uncle turned to her and gave her a hug.
"Supper looks wonderful, Ellie. D'you need help with anything?"
"Nope, it's all done. Have a seat." She smiled up at Uncle Jonathan and began to sit down at the table. Suddenly remembering her cup was still in the kitchen, she jumped back up and ran back to retrieve it. By the time she returned to the table, everyone else was seated. There was Uncle, in his usual seat at the head of the table. On his right sat his assistant supervisor, Caleb Emery. The two had been friends since they were kids, and Caleb had proven over and over how useful he could be. In the next three seats down the table sat Ellie's cousins, Alex, Andy, and Austin. The twenty-year-old triplets all helped their dad on the ranch. On Uncle Jon's left sat Dusty, Ivan, and Henry, three other ranch hands. Then Ellie realized that her usual seat at the other end of the table was taken. Drake was sitting in her seat. Disliking the boy more as each minute passed, Ellie resigned herself to take the empty seat next to Henry. The middle-aged man smiled at her and winked. He knew that the newcomer had taken her spot.
Everyone seated, Uncle Jon bowed his head and held out each hand. Ellie copied his motions, taking Henry's work-roughened hand in her small left one. When her right hand remained empty, she snuck a look at the blonde sitting next to her. Drake had one eyebrow raised, a sneer twisting his handsome features. He seemed resigned to his fate though, since he lightly placed his left hand in Ellie's right. It was pale and soft, like a girl's, and Ellie held back a giggle. Drake was obviously a spoiled brat who had never done a day's work in his life.
After Uncle Jon gave thanks, the men's plates quickly filled with mashed potatoes, fried chicken, green beans, and biscuits. Ellie took a spoonful of gravy before passing the gravy boat to Drake. Then she realized he only had potatoes and beans on his plate.
"Are you a vegetarian?" She asked, trying to be polite. Her only reply was a scornful smile as the boy carefully picked up a drumstick, ignoring the gravy she offered. When he looked down at his plate, she stuck her tongue out at him. Andy caught her and started snickering. Drake's eyes shot up and stared at the other boy intensely. Ellie watched them compete, each willing the other to look away first. She was amazed when her cousin broke the stare and looked back down at his food. Ellie began eating her own chicken, not caring when the grease began to drip down her fingers.
"So Drake, do you have any siblings?" Uncle Jon asked. The rest of the table was quiet now, everyone curious about the new guy."No sir, I'm an only child." "Your parents must miss you very much, then."
Drake made a little laughing noise at this and began moving his green beans around his plate with his fork. "That's not likely, sir."
"Why?" Austin blurted, before his dad's glare could stop him. Even at twenty, the boy still seemed to lack a few social skills.
"I suppose they have bigger things to worry about, what with being in prison and all."
After shooting a withering glare at his sometimes-tactless son, Uncle Jon thought for a moment before replying.
"I'm sure that your parents will be free soon enough. They probably have the best lawyers." After a moment's awkward silence, Dusty began talking about normal things on the ranch, and Drake remained eating in silence. Ellie kept sneaking peeks at him. He had a nice profile, very aristocratic-looking. His pale skin and hair made it obvious that he spent very little time out-of-doors. His long fingers were picking at the chicken, as though trying to find a less-messy way to eat it. Ellie snickered before she could stop herself. Brown eyes met grey. Drake was sneering (apparently his favorite way to look at her) and his eyes dared her to keep laughing.
So she did.
The little muggle girl actually had the audacity to keep laughing! She was quietly sniggering, holding his gaze with her own. His eyes narrowed in an intense frown, and he was shocked when her grin widened and she raised an eyebrow at him. They continued their staring contest, just as he had with the black-haired boy she called her cousin. Finally, Draco glanced up when heard his name being whispered on the other side of the table. Two of the triplets were murmuring to each other, heads bent down a bit. From years of practicing, Draco tuned out every other noise and focused on the soft voices.
"He looks so much like him though! Acts like him too."
"That's impossible though. That series is a fictional story written by some woman in the UK. This guy is real."
"So you think its just coincidence that both are platinum blondes with grey eyes, tall pale and skinny, and abominably rude? Plus, their-" The voices stopped abruptly when the man sitting opposite from Draco spoke again.
"Tomorrow's Sunday, and our family will be at church all morning. D'you wanna come with us?"
Draco fought the urge to laugh at such an absurd notion, and merely declined as politely as possible.
"Are you sure?" Jon asked, concern evident in his voice. "I'm not sure if it's okay for you to be here alone."
"Sir, I'm twenty. I'm positive I'll be fine. Thank you for offering though. It was very kind of you." Draco smiled broadly, trying to assure the older man. The last thing he wanted to do was tag along to some worship service. Finally appeased, Jon stood up, carrying his plate in one hand and his cup in the other.
In the name of all that is Slytherin, will I actually be expected to clean like a house elf? Draco thought, heaving a great sigh. Seeing everyone else clearing their own places, he assumed he would be, and followed their lead. I cannot wait to be out of this hellhole. I don't see how they're able to live like this!
Alex was apparently on dish-duty that night, since the green-eyed boy immediately began cleaning the kitchen. The triplets reminded Draco of Scarhead in a very unpleasant way.
Of course, I come here to escape my past and instead find myself confronted with it at every angle.
"Uncle, have you heard anything from Mom and Dad?" Draco found himself following the brunette and her uncle into the living room across the hall. Taking a seat on one of the couches, he listened to the muggles talk. He was surprised to find that he actually liked the girl's voice. It was soft and calming, and more vivacious than his mother's. Hers was always high, cold, and apathetic. Ellie's was warmer, gentler.
"Your parents made it to North Carolina just fine. Rachel picked them up from the airport and they made it home safe and sound."
Jon's voice was a deep bass, matching his tall, muscular form. Draco compared Jon to his father; they were alike in that they both had a very commanding presence. When either spoke, everyone listened. However, their likeness stopped there. Jon's whole countenance was warm and vibrant, from his dark brown hair and lively green eyes to his easy smile and rolling laughter. Lucius Malfoy was formal, imposing, and severe; Draco inherited his white-blond hair, grey eyes, and haughty mannerisms from his father. Draco realized his thoughts had been wandering for some time when he realized Ellie had left the room. Finding no reason to stay any longer, he too rose and exited, explaining to Jon that he was tired. Draco changed his clothes, got into bed, and sat thinking for another hour or so before finally drifting off into dream-troubled sleep.
The next morning, Draco rose long after the sun to an empty house and a foil-wrapped plate of quiche. The Greenes had left a note with the quiche, explaining that they would be home soon after lunch. Draco glanced at the clock and realized it was noon already. He ate the quiche after warming it in the microwave and left the plate in the sink. He may have to live in their house, but he didn't have to wash their dishes. Far too soon, he heard voices outside, along with the crunch of gravel. He was sitting on the couch when the family came inside, all annoyingly loud and much too happy. Jon entered the living room, and upon seeing the platinum head of hair, spoke.
"The kids are going swimming this afternoon. Care to join them?"
At first, Draco simply stared out the window at the hot, dry landscape. Then a flash of blue and brown caught his eye, and he saw a petite form in a flattering swimsuit sprinting across the yard. The corner of his mouth twitched, trying to smile.
"I think I do."
Ellie jumped into the murky lake water, hair flying behind her. She came up and hollered to her friend, Anna, who was still standing on the shore. A year older than Ellie, Anna was tall, blond, and engaged to Ellie's cousin Alex. After laughing at her friend's enthusiasm, Anna cannonballed after her, splashing Ellie. The two girls raced around for a while, waiting on the boys to join them. When the three black-haired young men finally showed themselves, they were accompanied by Drake.
"Why did he have to come?" Ellie said with a humph of displeasure.
"I don't know what you're complaining about Ellie. He's hot."
"Anna! You're engaged to my cousin! You cant go around calling other guys hot!"
"Oh, Alex is way hotter. I'm just saying I wouldn't be complaining if I were single and had an opportunity to look at that guy in a bathing suit."
Ellie rolled her eyes as her friend swam off to meet her fiancé. Drake had carefully climbed into the lake and appeared to be trying to keep his hair dry. Ellie couldn't help admiring his lean figure. His muscles rippled under gleaming, pale skin. Ellie wasn't surprised when Austin splashed Drake, laughing at the other boy's murderous look. Andy tackled Drake from one side and Austin from the other. A wrestling match ensued; since it was two against one, Alex decided to jump in, leaving Anna to join Ellie. Ellie clambered up the bank and sat down in a sunny spot, determined to get a good tan for once. Normally she just burnt.
"So why is such a handsome fella stayin' with you?" Anna settled down next to her.
"Well, we got a letter in the mail from some boarding school lady. It said that one of its former students, a kid named Drake Thomas, needed a place to hide. His parents were framed for leading a rebellion against the government in some tiny little province called Gorgantia, just off the border of Russia. They were members of the government itself, so it doesn't really make sense. They were really rich though; that's how they afforded to send their kid to a boarding school in Wales. Now, they're in jail, and the real leaders of the failed rebellion are free somewhere. Drake's parents apparently know a lot about the rebellion though, and they plan to talk at their trials. They're afraid that Drake will be targeted, and that the rebellion people think he knows something too. So he needs a safe place to stay until the real rebellion leaders are caught and his parents are freed."
"Wow… that's quite a story. So he's handsome, rich, and mysterious… he's eligible, right?"
"Anna!"
"What? I'm just trying to look out for my friend's wellbeing. I wont be happy until I see you settled down with someone and just as happy as Alex and I will be."
Ellie was about to reply when a wave of cold water splashed up on her, accompanied by Austin's laughter. She jumped back in the lake and exacted revenge on her amused cousin.
A/N: I'm new to this Fanfiction thing, so pardon the many mistakes I'm sure I'll make. Any constructive criticism is appreciated, so please review!
Also, I'm having trouble with the formatting stuff, so pardon the mess-ups in that area...