Chapter 1
The battle was over and good had won out. Draco had nearly died in the fire that had consumed the room of requirement, and scores of others had perished in the battle. Those that had followed the Dark Lord and who had not perished in the battle had been imprisoned to await trial including his father. He could not believe that Harry Potter had saved his life after all that he had done to him in the past. Perhaps there was more to being good than his father had led him to believe.
Draco had been raised to think that those who were good were weak and that thinking of yourself instead of others gave you power. The Dark Lord had followed that principle. Sure he had followers, but he never hesitated to sacrifice them if it would save himself. Draco had thought that Potter was weak because his friends were always there to help him, but it only made him stronger. Even so Harry had been on his own when he defeated Voldemort. No, Potter was not weak even if he did rely on his friends.
He stared out of his window. It was finally clear outside, the dementors that had sided with Voldemort had been dealt with and they were no longer spreading their gloominess throughout the country. Draco was glad they were gone, he never like them and though he would never admit it to anyone, he had been scared of them too. His room was dismal, reflecting his mood, bare and gray he hadn't bothered to unpack after returning home. He knew the ministry, once everything was in order again, would come to the house to investigate his father. If anyone ever found out about his attack on Dumbledore that ultimately led to his death no doubt they would throw him in Azkaban, or worse. No he needed to leave this place and go somewhere no one knew the name Malfoy. It would be hard on his mother, but she was hardly in any condition to travel with him.
He thought about his mother, his one comfort as a child but no longer. Lucius' imprisonment had shaken her terribly and her once calm and polished demeanor had been replaced by an anxious and distraught shell. She wandered through the large house at all hours of the day and night. Once she called Draco by his father's name and after he had angrily corrected she spent the next two days crying in her room. Her magic was off as well and since they no longer had a house elf there hadn't been much to eat except for what he could fix himself. No, his mother was no longer the witch she once was and he would leave her behind him just as he was leaving the rest of life and world behind.
Glumly he packed one of his wizarding robes deep inside his duffle bag and piled most of the few muggle clothes he owned on top of it. His wand he tucked into his back pocket making sure it was covered by his sweatshirt. Everything else he would leave behind when he left.
Taking one last look around him he gripped his bag firmly in one hand and closed his eyes, focusing on Diagon Alley. With a pop he disappeared from his room. A moment later his mother poked her head into his room. Seeing that he was gone she sat on his bed and buried her head in one of his robes and began to sob.
Chapter 2
Draco's small room at the Leaky Cauldron was not much better than the room he had left behind but at least it had a window that overlooked the ever changing Diagon Alley. He jingled the coins in his pocket as he stared at the wizarding bank in the distance. Only one galleon, ten sickles and a handful of knuts remained, he would have to do something soon or he would run out of money. However, that was easier said than done since everytime he ventured from his room he had to face the burning stares and hateful whispers of other witches and wizards.
Still, today would have to be the day. The sun was shining and he longed to be part of the crowd. He brushed his pale blond hair back from his face and left his room, locking the door behind him and descending the stairs. He took his wand from his pocket and tapped it on the bricks, opening the passageway to Diagon Alley. He stepped through and tilted his head up to the sun. It felt good to be outside again.
He threaded his way through the witches and wizards that crowded the streets as they peered through the windows of the newly reopened shops. He caught snippets of conversations but kept his eyes forward, aimed at Gringott's. Once in the bank it only took a moment for a goblin to usher him through the new security features and into the cart that would take him to the Malfoy vault. The goblin muttered grumpily to himself as he looked over Malfoy through a lens that was meant to reveal if Malfoy was under any spells. Malfoy felt a twinge of guilt. It was his family's vault that had been broken into by Harry Potter and his friends when they were searching for something. No doubt the Dark Lord had given his father something to hide in there for him and if it hadn't been for that Potter and his friends never would have broken in, cursed a goblin and freed one the dragons that had guarded the vault all of which resulted in these heightened security measures. A moment later he was seated in the cart behind the goblin and hurtling down into the depths of the bank, only stopping when they reached the Malfoy's vault.
He loaded his pockets with as much money as he could carry then returned to the cart. He remembered coming to the vault when he was younger and staring longingly at some of the objects in it only to have his hand slapped away by his father. At the thought of his father he felt his hands clench in anger. Whatever enchantment the trinkets in the vault might have had no longer interested him. Even their gold luster seemed faded.
He stepped from the cart and walked into the lobby toward the exit. He stumbled as his eyes were dazzled by the sunlight that flowed through the large window. As he reached for the door he stumbled against another wizard that was just entering. "Sorry," Draco mumbled before continuing on, not wishing to be noticed by the wizard and his friends.
"Malfoy?"
Draco winced at hearing his last name and groaned inwardly when he looked up to see Harry Potter staring at him. Draco glanced past Harry to see Granger and Ron standing together with Ginny behind him. He wondered if they would do something and toyed with idea of drawing his wand; but decided against it.
Harry watch the emotions chase each other across Malfoy's face. The truth was it had been the apology that had stopped Harry in his tracks. He had never in his life heard those words come from Malfoy's mouth. He examined Draco closely and saw somebody completely different from the boy he'd known only a few months earlier. This person was different, broken, haunted. Harry turned to the others, "Go on, I'll catch up in a minute." Draco could see that they didn't trust him alone with Harry but they went anyway. "Are you okay?"
Draco was surprised by Harry's solicitous tone. "Sure."
"What are you doing now? Have you started working yet?" Harry could see that Draco did not expect his kindness.
"No. Not really. I moved out. No one would want to hire a Malfoy anyway."
"Well," Harry couldn't believe he was feeling sorry for Draco. "I'm sure you'll find something, people will calm down."
"Come on Harry!" Ron was waiting impatiently by the cart.
"Well I guess I'll see you around."
"Yeah, sure," Draco didn't think that he would ever see Harry again. "Hey Harry?"
"Yeah?" Harry was conscious off the fact that Draco had used his first name.
"Um, I never really got a chance to, um, to thank you. You know, for saving my life when you didn't have to."
Harry stared at him, his eyes wide, "I did have to, but your welcome." Draco turned to leave, "Hey Draco?" Draco turned back, "Come to dinner with us." Harry didn't know why he said that, but he couldn't take it back. What would the others say once he told them?
Before he even realized he was doing it Draco nodded, "sure."
"It's a muggle place Hermione and me are taking Ron and Ginny. We just have to get some muggle money and then we'll meet you out here if you still want to go." Draco nodded again and Harry went to join Ron and the others.
Chapter 3
Draco couldn't believe that he had just accepted an invitation to dinner from Harry Potter. Still, it could be fun, he had enjoyed muggle food the one time his mother had acquiesced to his whining and allowed him to get some. He stood in line to change his money and handed over his silver sickles in exchange for crisp, paper British pound notes. Realizing that no one in the muggle world would know who he was he handed over the rest of his wizarding money for the goblin behind the counter to change. When he was done his wallet was fat with new pound notes.
Harry had told the others in the cart about his invitation to Malfoy and although they all protested Hermione eventually agreed and Ron and Ginny stopped complaining about it although each maintained that it would ruin their evening. Once they were done changing their money they made their way to Draco and together all five of them stepped into the daylight. They walked silently, each of them harboring their own secret thoughts.
As they stood on the road in front of the Leaky Cauldron Draco began to regret his decision to join them. "Look, maybe I should just go home. I don't want to ruin your evening and it's obvious that I am."
"No Draco," Hermione held out her hand, "you obviously need to be with people."
"Yes, but not with people who judge me on past and foolish actions or by my father's actions." He realized that he was shaking and his fists were clenched.
Harry wanted to say something but Ron beat him to it. "Look Draco, I'm not saying I can forgive you for all the shit you put us through at Hogwarts or for being a part of Dumbledore's murder but Harry's told us that you had it rough and much of it wasn't your fault. So, what I'm trying to say," he took a deep breath and held out his hand, "if Harry thinks you're okay, then so do I."
Draco shook Ron's hand and smiled bemusedly. "Thanks, I know I did a lot of things that can't and shouldn't be forgiven, but I am trying to make things right."
"Well, now that Hallmark moment's over, let's get to the restaurant, I'm starving." They all laughed and Draco even smiled as Harry put his arm around Ginny and led them all down the street.
The restaurant they had picked was well known in the muggle world for its birthday parties and even though it wasn't one of theirs Harry told the waitress that it was both Ron and Ginny's birthday. Soon they were both outfitted with comical hats while the wait staff sang to them. After they had eaten their fill of their flaming dessert Ron suggested they move on to a pub, which Harry seconded provided it was a muggle pub.
Once there Ron took all of Hermione's pounds to play at the Pacman machine while Ginny pulled Harry to the dance floor. Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat and stared at Hermione.
"Harry said you moved out. Have you been staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Yes."
"Haven't you got anyone else to go to?"
"No one who would have me."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Hermione was surprised to realize just how sorry she really was.
"I was thinking perhaps of getting out of the wizard world, at least for a while, and going someplace where no one would recognize me."
"I could see how you'd want to do something like that."
"But I need some help, I don't know anything about living in the muggle world."
"Harry and I could help you."
"You've done enough already."
"Don't worry about it, you can bunk with us, we have a spare sofa."
"Well, I don't know, I mean don't you think…"
Hermione wouldn't let him finish, "Harry! Harry! Don't you think it's a good idea?"
Harry took a gulp from his pint glass, "What's a good idea?"
"Malfoy staying with us until he finds a place of his own."
Ron and Harry both spluttered into their glasses. "He's got a place at the Leaky Cauldron."
"Yes, but that won't do for long term. He wants to move to a muggle village, but there are things he needs to learn…like…like to how to work a toaster!"
"Work a toaster?" Ron began to laugh. "No offense but I think he has to worry about more important things than working a toaster. Besides, Malfoy living in a muggle village? After all he did to you in school?"
"Ron, that's unfair. Everyone deserves a second chance. And that's why he wants to move some place where no one knows the name Malfoy."
Harry watched as Ron and Hermione began to argue and looked at Malfoy sitting there looking incredibly uncomfortable. He felt Ginny's hand on his knee. "Hermione's right Harry, he deserves a second chance just like Snape did. Where would you be if Dumbledore hadn't given Snape a second chance. Where would any of us be?"
He squeezed her hand, "Hermione's right Ron. Draco can stay with us on the sofa until things get sorted."
Ron looked at him with his mouth open and Hermione clasped her hands gratefully. Draco looked relieved, "Thanks again Harry."
"Well, let's call it a night and go and get your things."
Ron stood up, "Now I know I said I was okay with him coming to dinner but not this. He is not moving in with my girlfriend!"
Hermione bristled, "Girlfriend?! Who said I was your girlfriend?"
"But 'mione!"
"No Ronald, you can't pick me up whenever you feel like it. Harry I'll see you back at our place, you too Draco. Ginny I'll talk to you later." With that she stormed out of the pub and into the night. Ron ran after her.
Ginny and Harry laughed at the stricken look on Draco's face. "Don't worry this happens all the time. Although she's right, if he wants to call her that he needs to qualify their relationship."
"True, come on let's get out of here," Harry fished for his wallet.
"No don't worry about it," Draco put a ten pound note on the table, "is that enough?"
"Yes, that'll do." Together the three of them exited the pub and began walking back to the Leaky Cauldron.
Chapter 4
An hour later Draco was standing outside flat 7G in a small brick building. He knocked softly and the door was thrown open. "Here you are at last!"
"So thanks again." Draco entered the flat and looked around. Hermione pointed to the doors.
"That's my room, Harry's is over there and that's the bathroom. I've put some blankets on the sofa for you. Get some rest and tomorrow we'll tackle the toaster," she smiled and turned to go. "Oh, and this," she pointed to the switch on the wall, "turns off the lights when you're ready to go to sleep."
"You don't use magic?"
"Not for that. Harry and I grew up in the muggle world, this is what we're used to. Good night."
"Good night." He watched Hermione disappear into her room. Quickly he changed into his pajamas and went to the light switch. He pressed it and the lights went out. He pressed it again and they came back on. He shrugged his shoulders and walked around the room. He perused the bookshelves and noticed that Hermione had kept all of her textbooks from Hogwarts, even the Monster Book of Monsters from their third year. His eyes stopped on a thoroughly non-wizard book and he pulled it from the shelf. The picture on the front did not move but it did interest him since the house looked very similar to his own. He read the title, Little Lord Fauntleroy.
Sitting on the sofa he wrapped a blanket around him and began to read. The story absorbed him and he kept reading even when the sun began to peek through the curtains on the window. When the little boy was separated from his mother Draco wondered why they didn't send owls to each other. And when the lady came forward to challenge the boy's place as Lord Fauntleroy Draco wondered why some one didn't just administer a truth serum to the woman. Still he finished the book and thought that it was quite good even without magic in it. He stretched and yawned.
"Good morning, didn't you sleep?"
Draco looked up to see Harry standing in the doorway. "I got caught up in this book. It's quite good, even without magic."
"You should read Tolkien, he's great. What would you like for breakfast?"
"Whatever you're having is fine."
"Cool." Draco watched as Harry began putting pans on the stove and turning knobs. Soon the bacon was sizzling away and the kettle was whistling on the stove. Hermione appeared, as if on cue, her bushy hair held back in a ponytail and a dressing gown on. "He read all of that book last night Hermione."
"Good. Reading will help him learn about the muggle world. Maybe we could find you a job in a muggle bookshop. Is that something that would interest you? Do you like books?"
"Sure. I don't know what else I could do."
"Well, I've spoken with someone I know from work, and they think they have a roommate in mind for you. It's the family of a squib who married a muggle. Only one magical child there, but they think you could be a sort of mentor," Hermione watched Draco's reaction. She had picked the most un-Draco like situation she could find.
"Alright, I'll give it a try." His first thought was to reject this proposal outright but he was certain that a partially magical house was better than no magic at all. He thought about what his father would say if he could see him now. Thinking about that now hardened his resolve to see his plan through.
"Good. Stay here for a week, we'll train you up a bit then you'll be fit for muggle society." Harry dug into his breakfast enthusiastically.
Draco quietly picked at his breakfast. He was dying to ask them why they were being so kind to him. Suddenly he couldn't contain it any longer. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Well," Hermione exchanged a look with Harry, "everyone deserves a second chance. And you seem to really want to change."
"Harry what about you? I treated you like shit at school and you…you know things that could put me away forever."
Harry's thoughts returned to that night at the top of the tower. "You could've killed Dumbledore that night but you didn't, something inside of you wouldn't let you." He remembered Snape's memory of Dumbledore pardoning him. "Besides, I knew some one very much like you who saw how wrong he'd been and changed his ways because a kind old man offered to help him. Now I'm trying to do the same." Draco wondered who Harry was talking about but he could see that Harry would say no more about it so he let it drop.
Chapter 5
A week later everyone felt comfortable enough that Draco knew what he was doing that they thought he was ready. Harry and Hermione went with him when he left to move in with Carvers. Although he would never admit it he was nervous, but he was glad to have them with him.
They seemed like nice enough people. Mr. Carver owned a bookshop that he was happy to employ Draco at. He had left nearly every aspect of the wizarding world behind when he married his muggle wife, although she knew that he was a wizard. Mrs. Carver was plump and kind and smelled, Draco thought, of plums and wood smoke when she came to shake his hand. When the third member of the Carver family was introduced he didn't know what to think.
Wilhemina Carver, Mina to her friends, was the Carver's eldest child, their only daughter and a squib. More importantly at least to Draco was that she was beautiful. He had forgotten how to speak when she clasped his hand with her soft and creamy hand. Harry had to nudge him to get him to speak. "Nice to meet you, I'm Draco."
"That won't do in this world my boy," Mr. Carver clapped him on the shoulder, "have you thought of a new name, Drake perhaps?"
"Drake?" Draco had never realized that his name was strange, but he supposed that in the wizarding world it wasn't. "I guess that's okay."
"Mina will show you to your room then you can come and have some tea," Mrs. Carver pushed them toward the stairs.
Draco followed Mina up the stairs, "so you're a wizard huh?"
"What?" He had been too busy staring at Mina's long curly brown hair instead of listening to her; he had never seen anything like it.
"A wizard?" She laughed.
"Oh, yeah. And you're a…a…"
"A squib? That's me, not an ounce of magic in me. Father says he had a squib grandparent."
"Oh, my family's had nothing but purebloods in it for hundreds of years."
"Purebloods?"
"Sorry, I mean wizards."
"Father says that even the "purest" families have non-magic people in them, otherwise they would've died out long ago," she said nonchalantly.
Draco felt an old rage boil up inside him. "Not my family."
"Sorry, I didn't realize it was such a big deal. This is your room," she said opening a door, "you know, Phillip's going to love you."
"Phillip?"
She sat on the bed and bounced a few times, filling Draco's head with things he'd never even considered before. "My younger brother. He's starting at Hogwart's this fall. That's one of the reasons dad decided to let you stay here."
"Oh." He turned away from her and looked out the window. "This is a very nice room, thank you."
"Don't worry about it Drake," she slapped him on the back and smiled mischievously, "see you downstairs."
Draco followed a few minutes later. Harry was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, "How's it look?"
"Okay, different, but okay. You're leaving?"
"Ginny's waiting for me. I'll send you an owl in a few days and we'll grab a bite or something."
"Sure, see you." Harry and Hermione left and Draco joined the Carvers for tea. He was no longer surprised when the kettle was taken off the stove instead of whistling on the table or by many of the other things that muggle did in place of magic. At the tea table he met Phillip, who was so excited to learn that Draco was a wizard that he barely stopped talking long enough to drink his tea.
Draco enjoyed himself immensely at the Carvers. It was so nice to be around people who knew nothing about his past. Every night when he crawled into bed he gave a silent thanks for his luck and his new friends before switching of his light and falling asleep.
The week went by quickly and Draco couldn't remember when he had spent such pleasant busy hours. On Thursday Hedwig arrived with a note from Harry inviting him out. Taking a chance Draco decided to ask Mina to join him. He hadn't been able to get her out of his head. He was elated when she agreed and he spent the rest of the day in eager anticipation for the evening to come.
Chapter 6
Draco couldn't remember the last time he'd had such an enjoyable evening. Mina was a joy to be around and he felt like he was really accepted by Harry and his friends. For him the evening ended far too soon. He walked quietly with Mina from the tube station to their door. Mina put the key in the lock then turned to look at Draco. She was so close to him he could feel the warmth that radiated from her. "I had a really nice time tonight."
"Yeah me too," he shuffled his feet and tried to look any place but her mouth, which he wanted to kiss with nearly every fiber of his being.
"I had always thought that most wizards were stuck up and didn't think much of non-magic folk, but your friends are so nice." Draco knew she wouldn't feel the same if she had known the people he had been friends with the previous year. "You're so nice."
"I like you too," he felt himself blush. He hated blushing because he knew it was so obvious since he was so pale.
"Good. Then maybe you won't mind if I do this," Mina leaned forward and gently brushed her lips against his. It lasted only a moment but Draco felt the sparks fly between them. Before he could react she opened the door and slipped inside. Draco followed a moment later and went straight to his room. He had never been kissed like that before and it seemed like he could still feel her achingly soft lips on his.
He followed after her into the house, quietly calling her name, but she had already disappeared up the stairs. He locked the door and went up to his room. He thought about knocking on her door, he could see that her light was still on, but he thought better of it. Instead he went into his room and laid on his bed, only bothering to remove his shoes. There was a lot to think about now. He didn't remember closing his eyes but soon it was morning and he had to get up and go to work.
The novelty of taking the tube to work was still there. Every day he would rub the tokens with his fingers as he stood in line at the turnstile. He pressed through and waited with everyone for the next train to come. He watched the people as they read their newspapers or listened to their music players and swayed to the rhythm of the train. When he got off the train it was just a few blocks to the bookshop.
The shop was between dingy café and what the muggles called a video store. It didn't get a lot of business, but that didn't seem to bother Mr. Carver. Draco was able to sit and read to his heart's content. He read all the classics then moved onto modern fiction. On days when the shop was really slow and Mr. Carver trusted him enough to leave Draco alone in the shop he would sneak into the children's section and look through them. The stories muggles told to their children weren't that different from ones his mother had told them, many of them even involved magic, still he preferred "Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump". He loved that no longer had to see the shock of recognition on people's faces. As the days passed he felt himself slipping deeper and deeper into the muggle world.
Chapter 7
In the fall Mina joined Draco at Harry's birthday party and the next day they all went with Phillip to Diagon Alley. Mina was entranced by everything and felt just like Phillip did as they went to buy his wand and an owl. They passed in front of the quidditch supply store and Phillip was drawn to the window. "Do wizards really fly on broomsticks?"
"Yes, I used, when I played quidditch," that seemed like ages ago. "Harry and Ron did too."
"You played quidditch?"
"I still do," Ron pointed at a poster of his quidditch team, "and Harry was the youngest seeker in a century."
"What's a seeker?"
"They look for the golden snitch during the game."
"Tell me more about it!"
They all laughed at his enthusiasm. "I'll get you book Phillip and then you'll know when you see your first match at school."
"A book? You're just like dad, he thinks that everything can be learned from a book," he kicked his foot dejectedly at the ground.
Mina punched him gently, "and he's right."
"Phillip, there's a lot you can learn from books. Hermione was the smartest girl of our year and she learned it all from books." Draco smiled at Hermione and was pleased when she beamed back at him. "Don't worry, even first years from wizarding families don't know much when they get to Hogwarts."
"Okay," Phillip wasn't really satisfied.
"Come on, let's get some ice cream," Harry led them to the ice cream shop that had been run by Florian Fortescue.
After they ate Mina, Hermione and Ginny stayed behind with Phillip while Harry and Draco went to the bookshop. They found a copy of Quidditch Through the Ages and Draco fished out the seven sickles he needed to buy it and hurried back to Phillip. He was thrilled to have his first magic book and was quiet for the rest of the day as he watched the illustrated players fly around the pitch.
They went home for dinner, Harry and the others staying behind at the Leaky Cauldron. Phillip told his mother about all the cool things he had seen in Diagon Alley. He didn't stop until his father shushed him. Afterwards Phillip went to his room to read his books and Draco went to his room to read a totally non-magical book. He was propped up on his pillows reading when he heard a knock on his door. He sat up, "come in," he brushed his hand through his hair.
Mina opened the door a bit and poked her head in, "am I bothering you?"
"No," he swallowed, "I was just reading." He could tell that something was bothering her. "What's on your mind? You've been quiet since we got back."
She sat next to him on the bed, "I never realized that it was so different, the wizarding world. I thought that for dad to leave it that it couldn't possibly as wonderful as it seems."
"And now that you've seen a part of it?"
"It's even more awesome than I thought. I never knew that my dad had to give up so much to be with my mother."
"He must have loved her very much."
"I know," they sat quietly for a minute and Draco inched his hand closer to hers until they were just barely touching. "So why did you leave it all behind?" He didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say. "Tell me Draco, what was so horrible that you couldn't stay in world where magic makes nearly everything possible?"
He stood up, suddenly angry, "It was me okay? I was horrible, I did horrible things, things that can't possibly be forgiven. Every where I went people stared at me and judged me. No one knew the things I did, but they knew my father and they thought that meant they knew me! So I left, I came to a world that I had been taught to despise for no reason. A world full of kind, caring, beautiful," he paused and looked at Mina, "people, who judge me by my actions and not my fathers." He sat down and exhaled loudly, ruffling his hair as he did so.
"Draco," she took his hand, "whatever you've done in the past, it does not affect who you are now." She twined her fingers through his and brought his hand to her lips "I like who you are."
"That's because you don't know who I was."
"Maybe it's because I've seen the real you." She slid her hand around to the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair, and pulled him close. She kissed him, gently at first but more firmly as the kiss went on. He let his arms wrap around her as the kiss went on, holding her close. After what seemed like an eternity she pulled away, "I'd better go, mom would not be thrilled if she caught me in here. Goodnight Draco."
"Goodnight Mina," he watched her leave the room. He felt elated, like things were finally going right for him.
Chapter 8
In September Draco and Harry accompanied Phillip and his family to platform 9 and 3/4 to see him off on the Hogwarts Express. On the platform, surrounded by so many wizarding families people were beginning to look at them. Draco saw them whispering behind their hands and looking at him. Soon it could not go unnoticed any further by Phillip, "why is everyone looking at us?"
Harry, who had noticed that for the first time in a long time people were looking at someone besides him decided to speak up, "they're looking at me."
Draco gave Harry a relieved look, "that's right, you're standing with "The Boy Who Lived" Phillip."
"What does that mean, lived through what?"
"You'll learn about it at school Phillip. Now come on, you'll miss the train." Lord Voldemort was one of the reason's he had no real hesitation in leaving the wizarding world all those years ago.
"Have fun at school Phillip, don't be frightened."
"I will see you at the Christmas break, and write to you if you like."
"By owl?"
"It's the only way." Draco watched as Phillip boarded the train and remembered how nervous he had been when he boarded the train. Phillip would have to search out someone to share a compartment with and that would probably be his first friend at his new school. Draco never had to make new friends. Crabbe and Goyle were the son's of his father's friends. It was assumed that they would sit together on the train. Once sorted into Slytherin house it was ensured that Draco would see no one but those deemed worthy to be his friends, no matter how vile or stupid they were.
They waved as the train pulled away from the station. Draco was only too happy to leave the platform and the stares. Mina asked if they wanted to pop in at a pub for some lunch, but Draco brushed her off. Instead she went home with her father while Harry and Draco continued on to the Leaky Cauldron. He was keen to talk to Harry about certain things.
They sat silently, each drinking from their pints of butterbeer as they sat at the bar. Draco was not sure what to say, but he tried as best he could, "why do they all stare at me?"
"I don't suppose you would believe me if I told you they were staring at me?"
"No, but thanks for trying. I heard the snickers and whispers."
"I'm sorry I revealed so much about what happened that night with Dumbledore to Voldemort, and the others. Other than that I swear I haven't told anyone else, except Ron and Hermione, anything else that's happened. Just ignore them."
"That's really hard to do, ignore them. That's why I left."
"Well, you can't run away forever. Especially if you're just trying to hide it from other people, other people like, say Mina?"
"She thinks I'm a nice guy. What am I going to do if she finds out what a horrible person I was?"
"You want my actual opinion? It's not like I have a lot of experience with things like this."
"I'll take any help I can get I guess," he waved his glass at the bartender, indicating that he wanted another.
"Well, you should probably tell her the truth. Phillip's going to come back from school at Christmas and he'll know about me. He'll know about the final battle, people are going to tell him 'and this is where Harry Potter was standing when he killed Voldemort'. Then he'll tell people that he knows Harry Potter, which they probably won't believe and will doubt even more when he tells them that he knows Draco Malfoy too because everyone knows that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy would never be friends." He paused to drink from his glass. "They'll tell him about everything you got up to at school and then they'll tell him about your father. If he thinks you're his friend..."
"I am his friend."
"Well, if he thinks that he'll stand up for you and choose some quiet moment to talk to you when he gets back. Otherwise he'll believe and be really mad at you. Your only chance for salvation is to explain it to Mina, hopes that she sees how much you've changed and grown so that she can be an ally for you and help him understand."
"That's a lot of advice."
"Well, you asked," Harry finished his pint, "look, I've got to go."
"Date with Ginny?"
"A double, Ron's finally told Hermione that he wants to make things official."
"Oh," Draco didn't know what to say.
"Yeah, that's kind of what we thought, but whatever. Look I'll see you later yeah?"
"Yeah." Draco got up too and put some money on the bar. "I'll take off too." The parted ways outside the Leaky Cauldron, Draco to take the tube home and Harry to apparate from a nearby back alley to his apartment. There was much to think about and he doubted that he'd get much sleep that night.
Chapter 9
The months went by Christmas break was fast approaching. Draco was so worried about ruining things with Mina that he was never able to tell her the truth about who he had been. He had hoped that showing her his feelings the night they first kissed was enough to get by with.
He spent his days working at the bookstore, his nights with Mina and sometimes with Harry and his friends. He was saving a fair amount of money and was beginning to think about moving into his own place. His days were pleasurable and he had grown quite comfortable in his new life. Still as the day of Phillip's return approached he grew more and more nervous.
Draco had to work at the bookshop the day of Phillip's return, which was probably for the best, he didn't relish the idea of waiting on the platform again. By now Mr. Carver trusted him enough to let him close the shop, which Draco did at promptly six o'clock. Excited to hear about how Phillip had enjoyed his time at Hogwarts he decided to apparate back to the alley behind the house.
The happy chatter he could hear coming from the house stopped when he came in. Everyone seemed happy to see him, except for Phillip, whose face was overcome by doubt. Dinner was a rather quiet affair, Phillip avoiding Draco's gaze, only answering questions asked by his family.
After they were done eating Phillip went to his room to unpack. Draco followed him a few minutes later and knocked on his door. "Phil, can I come in?"
"I guess. Why don't you just hex the door down, isn't that what evil wizards do?"
Draco sighed and opened the door. "You didn't say much at dinner."
"I don't talk to servants of the Dark Lord."
"Only those who knew him and served him called him that."
"Is that why you left the wizarding world? Did you leave so you could hide out from the aurors?"
"Partly, but really I left because I wanted to change and I couldn't do that with everyone's preconceived notions about me dogging my every step."
"I read about what your father did, and how he's in Azkaban now."
"Yes, my father was an evil man and I did things that I am not proud of, that I'm very sorry for, but I am not evil," he could see that Phillip still did not believe him. "If I was so evil would Harry Potter be my friend?" He could see that fact got his attention. "People are always capable of change. That's what brought the Dark Lord down, his inability to change, to admit that he'd been wrong."
"So you're good now?"
"As good as I can be," that seemed to relieve Phillip.
"I'm glad. I stood up for you but I wasn't sure, especially after I read about your father. I'll still be your friend."
"I'm glad," Draco patted him on the shoulder. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Hey, I saw my first quidditch match. It was awesome! How come you didn't tell me more about it?"
"It's easier to explain now that you've seen it."
"Can you teach me to play it?"
"Maybe, we'll have to see," Phillip didn't have a broom and it had been a long time since Draco had flown. "Get some sleep." Draco left the room and went to his room. He was surprised to see Mina sitting on his bed. "What are you doing in here?"
"I heard what you said to Phil. I'm glad that you made him feel better."
"And do you think people can change?" Draco was standing very close to her now.
"I did not know you before so I do not know how much you have changed. I think you are good now and that's all I need to know," she kissed him, "goodnight Draco."
Chapter 10
The holidays were very busy for everyone and Draco enjoyed himself immensely. He bought presents for everyone, including a beautiful necklace for Mina. The feast was delicious and after eating he felt barely able to move. He was enjoying sitting next to Mina, her feet tucked under his legs for warmth, while he read a book that Mr. Carver had given him when Phillip came leaping into the room, "riding" his mother's broomstick from the kitchen.
"Come on Draco, let's practice!"
"Phil, you won't get very far on that, it doesn't fly."
"I know, but dad says I can't get a broomstick until I'm older. Besides if I flew here muggles would see. I wish we lived in a wizard village."
"I used to live in a wizard village, it wasn't that great," Draco frowned as he remembered his childhood home and thoughts of his mother rose unbidden in his mind.
"We could go there and you could teach me to fly there!" Phillip was so excited he was jumping up and down.
"I don't think your parents would like that very much."
"It'll be fine, Mina can drive us, you didn't live that far away did you?"
"Well, no, it's not that far away, but..."
Mina sat up, listening intently now. The idea of seeing where Draco had grown up and learning more about him intrigued her. "I don't mind driving Draco, it'll be fun."
Feeling outnumbered he shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, we can go tomorrow."
"Hooray!" Phillip threw his arms up in celebration before galloping out of the room. The idea of learning to play quidditch on a real flying broom was nearly too much for him to handle and he spent the rest of the night vibrating with pent up energy.
The next morning Draco didn't want to get out of bed, but Phillip roused him by jumping on the bed. He dressed quickly and ate a few bites of breakfast. Mina arrived at breakfast wearing a brilliant blue sweater that fit her snugly and brought out the color of her eyes. Draco wished that it was just them going, he would've enjoyed spending time alone with her. Instead Phillip was pulling each of them out the door.
The drive only took an hour on the highway. Soon they were rumbling through the quiet, curvy streets of Draco's village. He could see people watching them as they passed by store windows; a car was an unusual site since most wizards didn't use them, they didn't need to. Draco kept his gaze straight ahead, giving Mina the occasional direction. Soon the car stopped at a forbidding looking black iron gate.
Mina looked at him, her eyebrows raised, "this is where you live?"
"This used to be where I lived," he put emphasis on the past tense.
"Phillip go out and open the gate."
"No, I'll do it," he withdrew his wand from his pocket, "only magic can open it." He flicked the wand and the great gate swung open on rusty hinges. "Alright, you can drive through now."
Mina drove the car through the gate and began to follow the winding gravel drive up to the house. They were surrounded on each side by tall trees, their branches bare and stretched over the drive. Finally the house came into view and Draco heard Mina and Phillip gasp. He had never thought that his house was much to look at, but their comments informed him that it was, in fact something spectacular. "You didn't tell me you lived in a castle Draco."
"It's hardly a castle," he looked at the grey stones, the many windows and thought that it looked quite cold and dead.
Mina stopped the car, "well, it certainly looks like something pulled from a Victorian romance novel. Come on let's go."
"Hold on, let me go first. I haven't seen my mother in some time and it might be quite a shock if we all troop in together," he smiled nervously. If his mother knew that he was bringing a mudblood and a squib into her house she'd throw a fit. His wand shaking slightly in his hand he approached the house, and unlocked the door then stepped inside. "Mother?" He made his way slowly down the dimly lit hallway. "It's me Draco." He could hear footsteps above him and he began to climb the stairs.
Dust covered the banister and he could see cobwebs hanging in the corners. Obviously his mother had not kept up with the housework. He approached his mother's room where the noises were coming from and with some trepidation he opened the door.
The sight that greeted him was shocking. His mother sat at her dressing table, admiring herself in the mirror. Her feet were bare and dirty and the nightgown she was wearing looked as if it hadn't been changed in days. Her hair was greasy and matted and it looked as if it had bits of food stuck in it.
"Mother?"
"Draco?" She looked at him, a smile stretched across her thin face. "I knew you'd come back."
"Just to visit mother, I won't be staying." He stood stiffly as she embraced him, trying not to inhale the stench that surrounded her.
"My pretty boy. You wait a moment and I'll make you something to eat."
"No thank you, I'm not hungry."
"Your father will want to see you, make sure you see him before you leave," she was pulling clothes from her closet.
"Mother, father's gone. He's in Azkaban."
She stopped what she was doing and her lip began to tremble, "no, Lucius wouldn't leave me. He'll be back soon."
"Whatever. Listen stay here, I don't want any body to see you like this."
"You brought guests?" She made her way to the window and looked out, "she's pretty who is she."
"No one mom, I'll be gone soon."
"Who's her family?"
"The Carvers," he was growing exasperated with her.
"I don't know them, are they pure-blood?"
"No, no they're not okay?"
"Draco, a mudblood? Your father would not approve!"
"Yeah? Well, she's a squib too! How would he feel about that?" He took in her horror-stricken face and felt a sense of grim satisfaction. "You know what? I don't care! I don't care what he thinks and I don't care what you think."
"Consorting with mudbloods and squibs? The Dark Lord will be greatly displeased," she mumbled to herself, "no, I won't have it, not in my house." She turned back to Draco, "get her out of here. Get her out of here or I'll hex her myself!" She was screeching and waving her arms.
"You lay a hand on her and I swear..." he didn't get to finish his thought because she rushed at him, hitting and scratching. He turned and fled the room closing the door behind him. He held the doorknob as she tried to open it and withdrew his wand, "colloportus." The door sealed and he ran to his room to retrieve his broomstick. He left the room and took the stairs two at a time, ignoring the furious shrieks of his mother. Phillip and Mina were waiting outside. "Here Phillip, let's go someplace else to practice."
"Isn't this a good place?"
Draco could hear his mother banging on her window, "um, I know a better place."
"Who's that?" Draco looked where Mina was pointing.
"No one," he tried to turn her away from the house.
"Draco is that...is that your mother?"
He was about to answer her when another voice answered from behind him. Draco groaned inwardly, anything but this. "Yeah Draco, is that your mum?"
Chapter 11
Draco turned around to see Nott and Goyle standing there. "Heard your mum's gone round the bend Draco."
"Shut up Goyle," Draco clenched his fist around his wand.
"Nott and I were just having a butterbeer in town when he says 'Ain't that Draco in that auto there?' and I told him that it couldn't possibly be. Draco wouldn't be caught dead in muggle car."
"Mina, take Phillip and go wait in the car."
"So we followed this car and turns out it was you." Nott sneered.
Draco made sure that Phillip was in the car, "listen you two brainless gits, get off my property before I curse you so bad you'd wish you were a muggle."
"So you hangin' with mudbloods now? Is that your girlfriend?"
"You leave her out of this," he advanced toward Goyle.
"Impedimentia!" Nott shot his curse at Mina and she stumbled, falling. Goyle and Nott laughed but were taken completely off guard when Draco lunged toward Nott and began pummeling him with his fists.
"Stupify!" Draco was thrown back by Goyle's curse.
Nott stood up, wiping the blood from his nose. "You're gonna regret that you filthy blood-traitor."
"Hold him Nott," Goyle cracked his knuckles menacingly while Nott dragged Malfoy up from the ground and pinned his arms behind him. "For years I thought you were the coolest thing around," Goyle punched him in the stomach, "the way I followed you around, it makes me sick now that I think about it," he punched him again, and again. Mina cried out, still unable to move on the ground. "Did you tell them how you used to treat the mudbloods?"
"Shut up Goyle."
"Did you tell her how you allowed Fenrir and other members of the Dark Lord's army into Hogwarts the night Dumbledore was killed?" He continued to beat Draco. Through his rapidly swelling eye and disheveled hair he could see Mina staring at him in disbelief. There was nothing he could say or do, it was all true. He was beginning to wonder how they would get out of this situation. It seemed hopeless, his wand was out of reach on the ground.
Just when everything seemed impossible and Draco was about to lose consciousness Phillip stepped from the car, "Leave him alone!"
"Phillip get back in the car," Mina screamed.
"Listen to your squib sister mudblood, we'll take care of you later," Goyle chuckled.
Phillip stood his ground and raised his wand, "Expelliarmus!"
Goyle was thrown backwards, Nott released Draco just enough for him to get to his wand and aim it at Nott, "Sectumsempra!" Nott dodged the curse but it grazed his arm; blood spurted from the wound and he rolled on the ground clutching it and crying out. "I told you get off my property!"
Goyle staggered up, pulling Nott after him and they limped down the drive, "this isn't over you filthy bloodtraitor!"
Chapter 12
Draco stumbled over to Mina and released the curse and allowing her to stand finally. "Mina I'm..."
"I don't want to hear it Draco. Phillip get in the car, we're going home."
"But I want to stay and practice flying."
"No Phillip, give him his broom back."
"The broom was a gift, he can keep it. Mina, I can explain everything."
"I'm sure you can, but I don't want to hear it. I don't ever want to see you again. Now Phillip get in the car."
Phillip climbed in, holding the broomstick. He waved weakly at Draco through the window. "Mina wait, please!"
"Don't come back to the house Draco, I'll make something up for mum and dad, but if you come around I'll tell them the truth," she paused for a moment and stared at him, tears glistening her eyes, "goodbye Draco." She got in the car and started the engine and began driving down the driveway.
Draco ran after the car, but he was out of breath and it hurt to move thanks to Goyle's thorough tenderizing. Giving up he collapsed on the ground and held his head in his hands. He began to cry, realizing that his new life that he'd been working toward had just come tumbling down around him. He didn't know how long he sat there but looking up he noticed that the sky had grown dark and he was shivering in the cold winter weather.
Slowly he stood and walked back to the manor. His mother was still banging at the window and he thought about what to do about her. Perhaps he could send her to St. Mungo's, although who knew what she might inadvertently reveal. No, she should remain in the safety of Malfoy Manor, he would advertise for a nurse immediately. Until then he would have a healer come to examine her.
The healer arrived moments after Draco withdrew his head from the fireplace. After he directed the healer to his mother's room and unlocked the door he returned to the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea. He could hear their voices drifting through the floorboards and he wondered what the doctor was saying to his mother. No matter what the doctor's opinion he would keep her at the house. In time she would come to realize that his father would never return and he could only hope that in time she would learn to accept him as he was.
His confrontation with Nott and Goyle had made him realize that it was impossible for him to leave his wizarding past behind him. People would stare and whisper, but he would show them how he was different by his actions and with his words. The choice was his to be good or evil, and he realized, it always had been.
In the morning he would look for a job in the wizard world. He would ask Mr. Carver to send him his belongings and he would settle into his new life at Malfoy Manor. Work would need done on the house but his family had the money. Perhaps he would invite others to stay with him. And perhaps he would be able to help someone the way so many had helped him.