Chapter One
I close my eyes and the flashback starts
I close my eyes and the flashback starts
Notes- This is the re-edited version of "we were both young". As usual all characters and places belong to J.K. Rowling and in this case song lyrics from Taylor Swift "Love Song". Enjoy and please review they encourage me too keep writing. Love C.J.
Hermione looked in the mirror and pushed back a curl from her face. "Good enough," she thought. In reality she looked beautiful her bushy hair was softly curling and her face with little make up looked stunning. She closed her eyes for a second and saw the moment in her mind's eye as she a hundred times before. She saw the tall boy walk towards her. In reality though the chain of events had begun months earlier.
"Really Dumbledore I must protest," Professor McGonagall said.
"On what grounds Minerva?"
"Well for one the students, particularly the male students where hardly enthusiastic last time. Secondly it will be very expensive and thirdly the students are barely allowed to leave the castle let alone go to Hogsmeade to buy clothes."
"In dark days like these Minerva activities like a ball are exactly what the students need to keep their mind off what goes on outside this castle. I will write to Madam Malkin and ask her to come to the castle and bring the required clothes, materials etc. Only fourth years and above of course will be invited. They feel the pressure of this war more than any others."
"I suppose this is another argument that I am not going to win Albus." Dumbeldore's eyes flashed behind his glasses,
"Indeed Minerva," he replied.
"A ball!" Lavender Brown squealed at the poster on the notice board. Ron, who was stood next to her at the time, shook his head.
"Lavender I have gone deaf seriously."
"But Ron how can you not be excited?"
"Because he is a man," Ginny replied.
"Cheers sis," Ron said sarcastically.
"Honestly though guys can't you see what Dumbeldore is doing?" Ginny asked.
"Errrr….holding a pointless ball?" Ron asked. Ginny rolled her eyes "no holding a masked ball." Lavender squealed again she hadn't heard that apparently.
"He is creating an escape for us, from the world."
"So you are saying that the ball is essentially escapism from the war. To cheer us up and stop us thinking about you-know-who."
"Yes,"
"Well I think he has failed with me at least." Ron said darkly. Ron was partially right whilst most of the boys of the school did not seem very enthusiastic about the upcoming ball. They were all at least thinking about how annoying the girls of the school were being, dates and dress robes that were now too small rather than the war.
The female half of the school on the other hand seemed hugely excited about everything to do with the ball, dresses, makes up and masks being the most popular topics of conversation. In one fell swoop Dumbeldore appeared to have lifted the overbearing cloud on the castle for the students for all bar one.
Draco Malfoy was sat in his private room in the Slytherin dungeons as head boy it was one of the privileges offered. He sat with a bottle of fire whiskey next to him that he was sorely tempted to open. The reason why was the letter in his hand. As usual it contained more of his fathers writings of being in Azkabahn and how Draco should continue their link to Voldemort. It was clear to Draco that his father was slowly losing his sanity. He had been in Azkabahn eighteen months and lasted an admirably long time. Each letter Draco lost a little more of the father he grew up with and gained a little more of the mad fanatic that was replacing him.
Draco decided that he had to talk to someone his mother was ill and had been for some time. She barely recognized him and had lived for the last three moths in one room of Malfoy Manor visited only by a periodical doctor that reported no positive change. Draco put the letter from his father in his jeans pocket. He knew it was way past curfew but being head boy he had no curfew and no one to challenge him. Draco walked through the castle. It was well past midnight and the castle was silent. He was lost in his own thoughts when a loud croak broke the silence made by a frog that had probably escaped from potions. Draco stared at the frog that cowered into corner and hopped away. Draco continued onto the next floor. He stood at the entrance to the headmaster's office looking at the two gargoyles that stood in the way.
"Password?" one asked and for once in his life Draco was speechless.
"No password no entrance," the other said.
"Malfoy?" a voice asked.
"Granger?" Draco replied slightly relived, insufferable know-it-all as she was Granger was almost certain to know the password. "Do you know the password for Dumbledore's office?"
"Treacle toffee,"
"What is that?" Malfoy asked horrified at the sound of it. Hermione smiled "it is a muggle sweet," she smiled.
"She really was pretty when she smiled" he thought.
"If that is all Malfoy I really do have to go I'm on head girl duties."
"Sure," he said "Thanks Hermione."
"Your welcome Draco," he replied emphasising the last word.
"Treacle toffee." Draco said to the statue.
"All right," the gargoyle yawned "up you go but I don't think he will appreciate it at this hour." Draco doubted that a lot of all what he knew about Dumbeldore he highly doubted that he would mind or even be surprised by Draco turning up at his office at this hour.
"Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbeldore asked as the door opened in front of Draco despite him placing only a finger upon it. "How may I be of assistance?"
"I want protection."
"Mr. Malfoy you are a student of this school as long as you remain so you remain so you will have protection."
"I am leaving in the summer professor when I do I will be killed or kidnapped by the death eaters. I want to stay at Hogwarts when I graduate."
"Mr. Malfoy I cannot permit this but I will when you find a home protect it with all the magic that I have. I know that you are at great risk Mr. Malfoy but I do not want to cocoon you from the world."
"I know what the world holds I have seen it and him repeatedly my mother is dying and my father is going mad and I will become one of those when I leave this school." Draco realised that his voice had risen to a loud crescendo Dumbeldore however had not batted an eyelid. "You would do it for Potter," Draco said rather sulkily.
"I wouldn't," Dumbledore replied "Harry has already asked the same question. I cannot permit ex-students to remain in the castle but I will keep you all as safe as I can." Draco threw the letters from his father on the table on the in front of Dumbledore "Mr. Malfoy I can stop these letters but I would appreciate it if you simply sent them to me to look at. It may protect other students."
"Ok," Draco replied slowly. He spent the next few hours walking aimlessly through the corridors of Hogwarts. He understood Dumbledore's point Hogwarts could not be filled with ex-pupils but equally he did not want to live in a flat hiding from the world.
Hermione was settling into bed before she even thought of Draco. He had been cordial almost polite when they met outside Dumbledore's office. Which in itself was interesting Malfoy hadn't seemed to take to the elderly headmaster even in the head boy/girl meetings Draco had seemed in a rush to leave the office.