A/N: Oh yes…inspiration, and a little PRESENT. Since Machi LEFT ME. …Oh well. Her obsession with Draco and Lucius just inspires me sometimes. Ah…yes…well, hopefully at the beginning she will cry out loud with JOY. That's filling her HEART. Grr. And, since Hono's not calling me back, I'm just going to give up for now on that cause. Since she gave me half-credit for 'World's Greatest Phone Call', I will dedicate this to Machi-chan for being…my…cousin. Yeah. Draco is included in a tightly wrapped and portable package. Enjoy.

"Tongue-Tied and Terrified"

"And then we'd both go, down together
We may stay there forever
I'll just try to get up
And I'm sorry, this wasn't easy
When I asked you believe me, you never let go
But I let go.

I could only sing you sad songs
And you could sing along
And you could see the melody, that's been calling at your walls
This never will be right with me
And now you're trying desperately
But I'm, tongue-tied and terrified of what I'll say."—Mayday Parade, 'I'd Hate To Be You'

For the first time in a long time, Draco Malfoy could say that he was terrified. Narrowed eyes, white-knuckle grip, deadly glare; Oh, Draco knew that his father was displeased. Lucius Malfoy stormed into his large manner, his heels clicking against the floor with a sort of fading rhythm that was Draco's heartbeat. Sweat nearly trickled from every inch of the young blonde, his breathing very uneven and eyes darting to every part of his home. Lucius had retreated to his and Narcissa's room, brooding heavily. He had nearly knocked the glass of water from the nightstand off when he pivoted on his heel to pace. 'My own son…in love with that…that…half-blood!' Lucius growled in frustration, slamming his fist onto his dresser top. The loud noise was carried through the hallway, hitting Draco like a ton of bludgers. Draco flinched, his entire body now limp. He never wanted this to happen…never. All he wanted was for his father to smile graciously when Machi entered his vision, giving him an approving nod as if to say 'What a wonderful young girl, Draco. I'm proud of you,' Wasn't that what he had always wanted? Wasn't what Draco Malfoy had always wanted was his father's approval? For Lucius to be proud?

"Draco…" Lucius took long strides through the corridor, his cane clacking along-side him. The color of Lucius' skin was still and pale, but it was obvious that moments ago, he had been red as a tomato. Draco stood, barely, looking up at his father, trying not to let his lip tremble. Yes…Draco hadn't been this terrified in a LONG time…

"Y-yes…Father?" Draco's voice cracked, his heartbeat now pounding in his head. Lucius' stare was going to be the death of the young blonde. The older Malfoy planted his cane firmly against the floor, his grip tighter than it had ever been.

"Draco. What did you think I would say? Hm? Did you think that just because you are infatuated with this girl that I would…I would suddenly lower our family's standards of living for that…that half-blood?! Is that what you want, Draco, son? Do you want to become a blood-traitor?" Lucius' words were venomous as he spat them at Draco. His gray eyes flickered in the light of the room, every last bit of him shaking.

"Have you ever thought about how much of a prick you sound like, all the time?! Why don't you get off your bloody high-horse and—" without much warning, Lucius Malfoy raised his cane from it's planted spot on the ground and back-handed his son with the snake's head that topped it. The noise that escaped Draco's lips was not particularly common for him, nor was it a noise he had ever made before. This noise was filled with pain and shock. The young boy spluttered, falling backward with his hand holding his cheek that was bruised and red. Draco felt sick to his stomach, tears leaking from his eyes and he was coughing up blood. Lucius stood, un-phased and enraged. There was something different about the Death Eater, something that Draco could never understand about the man whom he called 'father'. Lucius knelt down, roughly grabbing Draco by his collar and pulled him close. He starred into his son's fearful gray eyes and noticed that somewhere, deep inside those irises, there was bravery. There was courage and there was strength. His son, this boy he had watched grow up to hate anyone who wasn't a pure-blood or who wasn't extremely rich or attractive, was standing up for someone and something he believed in and that rebellion…

…that rebellion was what made Draco, a Malfoy.

"You filthy traitor! Don't you ever speak to me that way ever again! I don't care if you love that half-blood or if you go off and marry the girl. You might even have children of your own…I don't. care. But, the only way that could happen is if you weren't my son…so, Draco…let me ask you this. Which, to you, is most important? Your family…or that dirty, filthy half-blood?" Lucius threw his son to the floor, releasing his collar and glaring. That was Draco's choice: Leave Machi…or leave his family. His insides felt like they were being torn apart, and his heart was being used in a tug-of-war game. Salty tears dared to betray him in his moment of weakness…he was scared and alone at that moment, frozen in time. All he wanted was for someone; anyone to tell him what he should do. Anyone…

"You…you would make your own son choose between…the girl he loves and his family? D-do…do you know how cruel that is?! That's just…sick! I-I…" the more he spluttered and mumbled, the more he felt like his head was swirling and his entire body was going to fall apart at the seams. The glue that once held Draco together was finally wearing off…

"Just. Choose." Lucius hissed.

"…," That was when Draco looked up to his father, still tasting the copper blood in his mouth and still feeling agonizing pain in his cheek, and suddenly knew that it didn't matter if Lucius disowned him or if Machi left him, or hell, if Voldemort killed him. He would be free from rule. No one could tell him what to do or who to be…

"Lucius,"

And then…

"I chose…"

…Draco made…

"And I choose…"

"Fuck you,"

…his last move. And he smirked smugly in the process.

The look on Lucius' face had never been seen before. His brow was no longer furrowed in anger, but raised in surprise. His mouth was wide, but closed so his lips were spread on his face. His shoulders were firm, but not tensed. His eyes were locked with Draco's, but saw nothing. Lucius had lost, and for the first time…it mattered more than the world.

"Goodbye, dad," Draco spat, turned away from the piercing eyes that had bored holes into his head. Each step the blonde took was now filled with pride, as he bounded up the stairs, rummaged through his room, and found a small scroll of paper to write upon. He took the quill and began to write:

Dear Machi,

Today was a very confusing day. Seeing you made my head spin, hearing my father call you a half-blood made my blood boil, getting a good hit to the face made my cheek burn, and telling Lucius off made my heart nearly bounce from my chest and onto the floor.

I don't care if I'm a blood-traitor. I don't care if all this is bollocks. I really don't.

I'm leaving tonight, away from this bloody house and away from this blood family.

Perhaps you have a spare room for your favorite Slytherin, eh?

I hope to see you as soon as possible. (Without it, my heart might explode)

With so much love…

Draco (no longer Malfoy)

Draco sent the scroll off by owl, gathering all the belongings that he really needed, hoping that his family would just burn the rest. It was all just a bad dream: a stupid memory that he could easily forget. It would be easy…wouldn't it?

Draco took one last look in the mirror, trying hard to look past the blotchy bruise that had infected his cheek like a disease. What he saw in that reflection was something completely new and foreign to him. It was something he would come to understand and accept…and maybe Machi might even accept it too. He smiled into the mirror, the ghost of his former self still watching and waiting for an answer.

Ah, yes…it SUCKED. But oh well. Machi's gonna have a spasm because Lucius hit Dorco. Le Gasp.

I know I got all sentimental and dorky, but hey…it's how I like it. Draco LOVES MACHI EVERYONE.

*cough*…yeah. Thanks for reading.