Draco Of Penzance

"Two and Twenty now he's rising

And alone he's fit to fly.

Which we're bent on signalizing,

With unusual relvery."

Pour the Pirate Sherry

Draco rolled his shoulder in it's socket. He resisted the urge to fall to his knees and scream with joy. Four years in Azkaban could do that to a guy.

But he had to maintain his dignity. He wouldn't have himself made a fool on his birthday.

And what a fantastic present. Finally he gets out of prison in time to turn twenty two.

He pulled on his jacket, not caring that it wasn't the jacket he had come with. Four years here had taught him to appreciate what he could. A jacket was better than none.

He nodded politly to the gaurds in passing. They nodded back. Draco had always been a fast learner and had learned quickly how far he could push his superiours. And what he could get away with.

He took the hat Eric Stratton offered him with another polite nod. Him and the other gaurds hada bet going on how long before he broke. He had proved Eric right and lasted the whole time.

Draco stepped out of the prison and into the light. He took the air deep into his lungs.

Four years ago he hadn't run when they came for him. The war was over when he walked into the prison. He was tried and convicted on one account of attempted manslaughter. He took the sentence. It was inevitable. He took it with grace and calm. It was only four years.

Four years can change a man. When Draco entered he was a scared boy. Now he was a man. He could appreciate the freedom of the world. He knew he would take nothing for granted.

He smiled as he recognized the figure that ran at him. He caught his mother in his arms and swung her around, hugging her close. Merlin he had missed this. He set her down. He was five inches taller than her now. He was thin but he had kept up his exercise and he could have held her up longer.

"Hi Mum."

"Draco!" There were tears in her eyes. "Four years and all you have to say is Hi Mum?"

He grinned and hugged her slight frame again. "Sorry. I missed you."

He turned the baseball cap on his head around and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Let's go home."

Narcissa stopped. "Um, about that..."

(A/N: Yet another new story. Let me know what you think!