Draco let out a slow steady sigh. Rubbing his eyes, he leaned forward and tried to make sense of the words in front of him. 'I can do this' he thought and just as his long pale fingers reached across for the pen, the sound of his mother's footsteps approaching, reached his ears.

"Draco, Darling? Are you ready?"

"Yes, Mother: Draco replied as he walked across his bedroom floor to open the heavy Oak door for her.

His mother looked up to see Draco standing there fully dressed in his St. Michaels' Prep uniform and stylish black shoes. Draco appeared tired, as usual, and had dark circles under his light silver eyes.

"Oh Darling, please tell me you haven't been up all night studying again?" Narcissa whispered softly.

"Mother, you know these exams are important to me and I want to succeed so I can go to University" Draco stressed as he glanced in the mirror, he quickly ran a comb through his soft blond hair and attempted to rub the dark circles away from his eyes.

Narcissa pinched the bridge of her nose and gave Draco an exasperated look. She loved her son dearly but times like these she felt like giving him a good shake. "Draco, you and I both know that these exams are unimportant, you will not be going to University. Please stop lying to yourself, you have known for a long time you'll be heading out to the country to work in your father's business. Stop with this ridiculous stubbornness. I am quite tired of this impetuous argument! Please darling take the day off and rest. You could do with some beauty sleep" Narcissa smiled sweetly and gave her son a gentle push towards the bed.

Draco stiffened and looked his mother in the eyes, he could feel his fingers curling into a fist and his heart racing as he repeated himself for the umpteenth time. He raised his eyes to look at his mother, "I will go to school today and I will graduate with top marks so that I can go to university on a full scholarship and become a lawyer! I will be 18 soon and you will have no hold over me! You or this supposed father of mine!" and feeling like he was about to explode, he stormed out of his room and ran down the stairs banging his feet like a spoiled child. Grabbing his grey coat and bag, Draco left the house and drove to school.

As he drove, Draco attempted to calm himself down and took a handful of shaky breaths. He was furious with himself and his mother. It was always the same, every bloody day they would have this argument and he'd upset his mother and unnerve himself. He hated it and wished for the day where he would never have to think about this problem, wonder who his father was or what exactly this man could do with Draco's life. He'd spent most of his life thinking about someone he'd never met.

Ever since Draco was born, it had always been him and his mother; he hadn't noticed the lack of a father till he started primary school and soon began to question his mother about this male character. In the 17 years of his life, the only information he had on his father was that he was wealthy enough to abandon his wife with all the financial support she'd need to survive without working and pay for a most respectable education for his son. Draco had never truly been bothered by this, his mother was always good to him and he loved her very much. He was happy with his life, until his 17th Birthday, when his mother informed him he would have to go and work in his father's company when he was 18. His father did not expect him to go to University, neither would he pay for it. To annoy Draco even further his mother couldn't explain what his father's business was and she wouldn't give a reason for his father never being around.

Once again that morning, Draco sighed, just as he pulled up to the school grounds. He drove past many of his classmates and parked the car around the back of the school. It wasn't that Draco was embarrassed by his car, quite the opposite actually, he adored it and wanted to ensure it would be safe. As the door of his Aston Martin DV9 closed gently, Draco caught sight of his friends Louisa and Edward, and walked towards them quickly with a smile on his face. Louisa had been whispering to Edward when she spotted Draco, her brown eyes grew wide and a smile broke across her porcelain face, grabbing Edward's hands she headed towards him. Edward was grinning and easily out pacing Louisa with his long legs but never too fast so he'd have to let go.

"Morning Drake, looking dreadful as always" Louisa chimed as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek, her brown curls falling out of her messy bun.

"And late as usual, let me guess another late night of study? Or a wonderful argument with your mother?" Edward joked as he hugged his best friend.

Draco laughed and smiled with a sparkle in his eyes "you know me too well. In fact, today it was both. So please be extra nice to me."

"We're always nice to you" replied Louisa and Edward in perfect harmony, glancing at each other mischievously.

Draco felt all the pressures and tensions release from his body and walked to class light hearted in the presence of great friends and the realisation that first class was double history. 'Perfect' Draco thought happily.

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xxxx