There To Comfort Him

Summary: Draco returns to Hogwarts a broken young man. He is shunned by all, his former friends are all against him, and he is narrowly avoiding Azkaban…and his own death. With his father out to kill him and his mother either dead or in hiding, Draco Malfoy has nothing to live for. But can Ginny Weasely change that? Takes place after Half Blood Prince, ignores Deathly Hallows.

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter never will.

Draco Malfoy got off the Hogwarts Express. Normally he'd have his friends with him, and they'd be laughing at some poor first years expense. But not this year. This year he didn't have any friends. It was a wonder he hadn't been thrown into Azkaban to rot. Lord knows he deserved it.

Has he made his way to the carriages, he received death glares from the students around him. Normally, it would be him giving the glares not receiving them, but not after last year. No. This year he would be surprised if he even made it through the first month of the school year. If it wasn't one of Voldemorts Junior Death Eaters that did the did, then it would surely be one of the other students.

"Not that there are any students left this year", Draco thought to himself has he looked around at the small number of students.

After the attack on the school last year parents had started to doubt the safety of Hogwarts. The Slytherins however had nothing to worry about. If they're parents weren't Death Eaters themselves then they were supporters. But Draco didn't see one Slytherin above sixth year, other than Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott among others. "Probably all off doing that maniacs bidding", Draco thought to himself has his carriage took him to the castle.

After his failure he had done a complete reevaluation of the Death Eaters. He had once idolized his father, wanting to follow exactly in his footsteps. That was before Voldemort had given him his task, which he'd known and hoped he would fail.

"The so-called Lord Voldemort is nothing more than a mad man. Slaughtering people in an insane attempt to achieve an impossible goal, and finding other madmen to help him do it. In the end they'll all either wind up dead or in Azkaban. Just like me", Draco thought to himself.

At that last thought, his lips formed into a smile.

"After last summer maybe death won't be too bad"

---- ---- ---- ----

Ginny Weasely sat at the Gryffindor table. The Great Halls normally full seats and loud conversations were absent, which added to the dismal atmosphere. The lack of students was so great that they had almost closed down the school. But there were some parents who still wanted their children to have an education no matter what the risks. "Too bad Moms not that way", Ginny thought to herself.

It was true. Mr. And Mrs. Weasely had told their daughter at the beginning of the summer that she wouldn't be returning to school, and she'd been furious at them. She had fought with her mother all summer about it but she wouldn't budge. But then after Harry, Ron, and Hermione had vanished she gave in. "I guess I should at least thank him for that", she thought.

Her eyes scanned the tables and she almost instantly saw a familiar pair of steel gray eyes and platinum blonde hair. She almost gasped in surprise. She hadn't ever expected to see him in Hogwarts again, much less alive or not in prison. But there he was, Draco Malfoy, sitting by himself at the end of the Slytherin table.

For once, he didn't have that air of superiority or arrogance about him that she'd come to loathe. Instead he looked…defeated. Has if he'd been broken down and built back up again. His arrogance had now been replaced with acceptance. Has if he'd acknowledged his fate and accepted it.

"It's a wonder he's even alive, let alone free", she thought, "how he managed to get accepted back into Hogwarts is something I'll never know".

The sorting didn't take very long. There were only about thirty first years, most of which were sorted into Slytherin. "Their parents are probably Death Eaters", Ginny thought has she watched them sit down at the Slytherin table. The Hall suddenly silenced has McGonogall stood to give her speech.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, and to those of you returning, welcome bag", the stern Headmistress began, "First, I would like to introduce your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Professor Remus Lupin".

There were applause, the students who had already had Lupin applauded louder. Ginny smiled, glad to see a familiar face. And then suddenly a thought occurred to her. "He's here to keep an eye on him. To make sure he does nothing wrong", Ginny thought to herself.

"Just a few quick reminders. Due to recent events certain security measures have been put into place. Has usual the Forbidden Forest is off limits, and no student is allowed to go anywhere unaccompanied. Depending on what happens Hogsmede trips may or may not be cancelled. Quidditch will continue has usual. Now let us enjoy the feast".

---- ---- ---- ----

The food was terrific has usual, but the feast was lacking its usual energy. Everyone seemed so depressed that the feast wasn't enjoyable has it usually was. The happiness that was normally present was gone, and replaced by despair. "And it's all my fault. Or at least, part of it is anyway", Draco thought to himself.

The feast was over quickly and the students began to file out of the Great Hall. Normally Draco would've wanted to go back to the Slytherin Common Room and shag Pansy, but now the thought utterly disgusted him. He shot a quick glance at the girl, watching her has she babbled on to Nott about something. He shook his head.

"I can't believe I used to actually fancy that slut. She's nothing more than a spoiled little girl. She has no idea what she's getting into by throwing her life away for a monster", Draco thought feeling somewhat sorry for her.

He waited outside the Great Hall for Professor Lupin to show up. He knew that there'd be at least one Order member watching him while he was at school. But he had expected it to be a top notch auror, instead, he got the werewolf professor. He was actually kind of relieved, Lupin would be nicer than an auror.

"Follow me Mr. Malfoy", he said, with disdain for the last word.

He said it has if it were a curse, and in a way it was. When you were a Malfoy, you were held at very high standards and had little control over your life. Standards such as getting the highest marks in school, and behaving exactly has you were told. If not the consequences were severe. And Draco had the scars to prove it.

True the name commanded respect but what good is respect when in reality it's fear? The people who Draco had once thought of has friends were in reality just too afraid of his father to be his enemies. Draco now realized that he never had any real friends, just allies who couldn't be trusted. In Draco's case, he was expected to follow in his father's footsteps and become a Death Eater, and marry a wealthy pureblood witch. There had been a time when that appealed greatly to Draco, but it was long past.

They came to the familiar stone gargoyle that led to the Headmasters, or rather now, Headmistress's office. Looking back he seriously regretted the old mans death. Even though he hadn't been the one to use the killing curse, he was directly responsible. He had after all, been the one to let the Death Eaters into the school. He thought back to that night, the night that had ruined his life. The old mans last words still haunted him.

After Dumbledore had told him that his mother and father would be protected if he switched sides, he had hesitated. His father could rot in hell, but his mother…he cared deeply for her. All his life his mother had been the one to comfort him whenever he needed it. She had always cared for him when his father didn't. Draco had always thought that his father cared for him, at least until the summer after his fourth year when Voldemort had come back. He was used to his fathers beatings by then, but it was that night that he realized that his only purpose in life was to carry on his fathers legacy. He was nothing more than his fathers heir. That had become even more apparent after his failure to the Dark Lord. He remembered almost word for word the letter he'd received from Azkaban…

Draco

The Dark Lord has informed me that you, my son and heir, have failed him and me in your task. I must say that I am very disappointed in you. Not only have you failed the Dark Lord, but you have failed your Mother and I. Has you know I do not tolerate failure. You are no longer my son and have been forfeited your inheritance. I cannot allow a weakling like you to carry on my family name. I leave your fate in the hands of the Dark Lord.

Lucious

Draco shook the memory out of his head and focused on the present. He didn't want to think about what had happened after that letter. He followed Lupin up the winding staircase to the McGonogalls office.

Upon entering his office he sat down in front of the stern old woman. The expression on her face hid the hatred she had to feel for him. He didn't blame her. It was a wonder he was able to convince her to let him back into Hogwarts.

"Mr. Malfoy, I believe you can understand if I want to make this brief", she began.

He didn't answer and she went on.

"This is simply to remind you of the terms of our agreement, after that you are on your own. You will not be allowed to participate in quidditch or any other extracurricular activity. You will have your own separate quarters away from the students and you will not be allowed any unsupervised visits. You will be back in your quarters no later than 9 'O Clock unless it is for a class. You will not be permitted to return home for the holidays and will not be able to go to any Hogsmede weekends assuming we have them. Fail to meet any of these terms Mr. Malfoy and I will not hesitate to send you straight to Azkaban where you belong. Do I make myself clear?"

I nodded my head, "Yes ma'am", I said to her.

---- ---- ---- ----

Ginny moved silently through the dark corridors. The rest of the Gryffindors were busy getting settled into their dormitories but Ginny didn't. She needed to move around and be away from her fellow housemates. Besides, none of her friends would be attending this year. Not that she had many to speak of.

Her friends who hadn't come back to school were either in a separate house or were in the boys dormitory. The fact that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had snuck off somewhere only meant that she wouldn't be their tagalong anymore. The more she thought about them, the more she realized she didn't really miss them, except for Ron.

Hermione hadn't really been her friend either. They were more like acquaintances. They'd talked before and they always shared the same room at the Burrow, but that was it. Hermione rarely even helped Ginny with homework because she tended to do it all by herself. "That's why I'm taking seventh year classes", she thought to herself. It was true. In her letter McGonogall had stated that Ginny had the option of taking seventh year potions, DADA, charms, and transfiguration. Hermione had always received top marks but she had never been promoted a year. She had been so jealous. She hadn't outright said it but it was obvious. "Just like her affection for Ron", she thought smiling.

It was painfully obvious to everyone that they fancied each other, they just wouldn't admit it. Ron had always been her favorite of her brothers, but she hated his overprotective streak. She understood he cared for her but he couldn't seem to realize that she was sixteen and could take care of herself. Especially after what had happened in her first year. After that her family insisted on treating her like a child. Just because she was the youngest and because she was a girl, she got sheltered from the world. She hated being protected, it made her feel helpless when she wasn't. That's another thing she didn't miss, Harry and Ron always trying to protect her.

"Harry Potter. I used to think he was the man of my dreams", she mused has she made her way through the dark castle.

For her first three years at Hogwarts, she was practically in love with Harry. Then during her fourth year reality began to hit. Harry wasn't interested in her, and never would be. She had accepted that, and had moved on. She had realized that Harry had been nothing more than a childhood crush. And then last year he had suddenly realized that she existed. For the short time their relationship had lasted, Ginny had been in heaven. She had given up on him and it was like her dreams had suddenly come true. And then has soon has it started, it ended. He had told her that them being together was too dangerous and he had to leave in order to protect her.

"What a load of crap", she mused, "if he wanted to break up with me I wouldn't of cared".

He hadn't told her but she had known he had wanted to. Harry had never been very good with relationships, and she was no exception.

In the end she had few real friends at Hogwarts. She was alone. Little did she know, that was about to change.

Dark Mastermind