A/N: I've always felt intrigued with the idea of Malfoy having a conscience, and JKR shows some hints in the books, too. Here goes… Also, title is in progress. If you have a better idea, please let me know!
Chapter One: The Dark Lord Ascending
Severus Snape entered the dark room, his black robes billowing out behind him. A woman hung silently over the table, her tortured body floating morosely in the air. Draco Malfoy's eyes flitted up to Charity Burbage, the old Muggle Studies teacher. He was almost unable to stop himself from looking.
It wasn't like Draco liked the woman. In fact, he nearly hated her and her outlandish obsession with Muggle. He had abhorred her subject and all those who studied it, but Draco almost felt sorry for the woman. No, that couldn't have been it- it was just…weird, because he knew her. That was it. It was weird. His gray eyes quickly glanced upward toward her pained face, and just as quickly looked away, a guilty expression on his face.
"Lucius, I see no need for you to have a wand anymore," intoned the snakelike man standing next to Draco's father. Draco saw defiance momentarily flash across his father's eyes, before it was hastily replaced with a look of mixed fear and submission.
"My Lord?" he replied hoarsely.
"Your wand, Lucius. I require your wand." Lord Voldemort bent menacingly over Lucius Malfoy, his red eyes full of malice.
"I…" Draco's father intoned weakly. His eyes flashed over to his family. Narcissa Malfoy was gazing straight ahead, eyes focused on some thing on the wall across from her. Draco waited, his breath lodged in his throat. Lord Voldemort had given them so much; so much that he could take away in a heartbeat. A small touch from Narcissa Malfoy, and Lucius handed his wand over to Voldemort. Feeling defeated, Draco released the breath h was holding and resumed semi-covertly glancing at the floating woman. Draco, left alone to his thoughts, tuned out the Death Eaters' conversation once more.
Since Lord Voldemort had put up a near permanent residence at his house, Draco felt a if his home was a minefield. If he didn't keep his mouth shut, tread carefully, and disappear into his dark surroundings, he would be blown up.
A loud, pained groan interrupted his thoughts. The floating woman had awoken, and the snakelike man was pointing Lucius' want at her, making her slowly come toward him. The sight was terrible. She wasn't just a body anymore, Draco realized. She was a person with a family. with friends, with a life- a life the Dark Lord would surely soon extinguish.
"Do you recognize our guest, Severus?" Lord Voldemort hissed with menace. Snape nodded, his face displaying no emotion. Even though Draco recognized Professor Burbage, he hoped with all of his heart that the Dark Lord would not single him out…
"And you, Draco? Do you recognize our guest?" Draco Malfoy was walking in his minefield again. He looked up at Professor Burbage; her eyes averted to his, pleading. Unable to stand the sight, Draco looked down and shook his head meaninglessly.
"But you would not have taken her classes," Voldemort prompted. Unsure of how to respond, Draco gave another tentative shake of the head. As Draco sighed with relief, the Dark Lord's gaze left him as he began to address the room as a whole.
"For those of you who do not know, we are joined here tonight by Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Draco looked at his Aunt Bellatrix, only to see a look of heinous mirth cross her face.
"Yes…Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about Muggles…of how they are not so different from us…" Bellatrix Lestrange cackled loudly with the expectance of what everyone knew was coming, and spat on the floor. Professor Burbage squirmed awkwardly to face Professor Snape.
"Severus…please…please…" she whimpered. The desperate sound of her please scared Draco even more than the mere sight of her eerily floating body.
"Silence." Voldemort flicked his wand, and Professor Burbage did as commanded. "Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of Wizarding children, last week Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defense of Mudbloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge. The dwindling of purebloods, says Professor Burbage, is a most desirable circumstance…she would have us all mate with Muggles…or, no doubt, werewolves…"
Draco flinched; Voldemort had taken yet another stab at their family. When the Dark Lord spoke, each word was like a knife thrown at Professor Burbage, filled with spite. Professor Burbage turned to Professor Snape again, desperate tears streaming down her face. Draco couldn't bear to watch.
"Avada Kedavra," Voldemort intoned cruelly, and her body slammed onto the table. The shock of it made several Death Eaters jump back; Draco Malfoy fell out of his chair.
"Dinner, Nagini," Voldemort crooned to his awful pet. Draco felt forced to watch as the serpent devoured the teacher he once knew.
A/N: Please review! If you liked it, let me know! If you didn't like it, let me know and tell me why! If you're interested, I have Chapter 2 written. It's just not typed up yet. I'll post it when I have time.