A/N: This is a shorter one for you. It is a bit more depressing than I meant for it to be, but what can I say? The next chapter should be lighter and take longer for me to update, as I am working on two stories right now. Anyway, I am not JK Rowling, just a 19 year old girl from New Jersey (but nothing like those freaks from 'Jersey Shore') I do not own Harry Potter, just Leo Malfoy. ~Zie

Chapter Two: Free

Being a rock is very boring. They can't see or hear anything. They can't feel anything and they have no sense of time. The only thing Leo can do is think about how bored he is. He can't tell where he is or how long he has been a rock; but at least he is not doing house work and he isn't hungry.

Draco Apperated just outside the gates of the cemetery. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground and according to the Daily Prophet he found, it was supposed to snow tomorrow, on Christmas Eve day. The Dark Lord had given him orders to check on Nagini, make sure she was safe. All Draco knows is that Nagini is at Bathilda Bagshot's flat, but were was that? And when he finds the place, what is he supposed to do? Ask for Nagini?

Sighing, Draco pushed opened the gates and found himself face to face with a huge statue of Harry Potter. Stumbling backwards in shock, Draco realized that it was actually James Potter he was looking at. However, Harry Potter was also in the statue, an infant being held by his mother, Lily. Tears welled in the blonde's eyes as he turned away and studied the cemetery. It was about noon, no way Harry and his friends would be stupid enough to come here in broad daylight.

Looking around, Draco went to the back of the cemetery and pulled off his mask as if it was burning him. He then pulled out the rock and his wand, before using the Homorphus Charm to return Leo to his human form. The little boy looked around, wide eyed and shivering, before Draco realized that he was still in rags similar to a house elf. Rummaging through the rucksack, Draco pulled out a sweater and a thick pair of sweatpants, along with a blanket. As he helped Leo get changed, Draco noticed for the first time how small and scarred his brother's body was. Once he was changed, Leo looked up at Draco with wide grey eyes. "Does this mean I am free, sir?"

Draco blinked in shock. Spreading out another blanket, he helped Leo sit next to him before casting a spell that made the surrounding area warmer. "Leo, Father treated you terribly. Whether you are a squib or not; you are still a four year old boy, not a house elf. I promise, you will never have to do house elf work again."

The boy pulled his blanket tighter around himself. "But sir. What if I grow up and live in a house without house elves?"

Draco smiled patiently. "You're right, Leo. Not many wizarding houses have house elves. If you do live in one without a house elf, you will have to do work yourself. But, you won't have Father standing over your shoulder. By then, you will have your own family. By then, we would have helped Harry Potter vanquish You-know-who!" Draco's smile grew. "By then, we will both be free."

Leo nervously returned his brother's smile, before asking another pestering and equally important question. "May I please have my scrapes now, sir?"

Grinning, Draco pulled out a packet of dried fruit and duplicated it before passing one to Leo. After helping the child open it, the young man addressed the young boy. "Leo, you may call me Draco if you'd like."

The boy smiled as he stuffed a dried pear into his mouth. "Okay Draco. Can I really eat this whole bag? Is this all I get to eat today?"

Draco pulled his brother close and beamed sadly at the child. "Yes Leo. I'm afraid we are limited on food right now. But I can make it last as long as possible. That is your lunch. Later we can share something for a snack. I'll figure out dinner later. That fruit is all yours."

With that, Draco finally started on his own fruit while Leo looked at him in awe.

Shortly after they finished eating, Leo turned to Draco yet again. "Excuse me, Draco? What is this place?"

Draco was shocked before remembering that his brother never left the Manor; hell, he rarely left the hidden cellar room. "Well, Leo. This place is called a cemetery. Um … Do you know what it means to die?"

Leo thought for a moment. "When you die, you go to sleep forever, right?"

Draco nodded solemnly. "That's right. Do you see those big stones over there? Well … when a person dies, their body stays here while their soul … moves on. When someone dies, most people choose to bury them in the ground, like tucking them into a big underground bed. Those stones mark where the dead people are buried."

Leo studied Draco's face and nodded. "What's a soul? And what do you mean by moving on?"

Draco sighed; this was not what he thought his first real conversation would be. "Well, a soul is what makes a person the way they are. It's hard to explain. If a person is good, they have a good soul; if they are bad, they have a bad soul. What you do in your life determines what type of soul you have." Here Draco paused and, after deciding against telling the toddler about Dementors, thought about Leo's second question. "When a person dies, their soul leaves their body. If they have a good soul, then their soul goes to a place called Heaven, which is very nice. If they have a bad soul, then their soul goes to a place called Hell, which is a bad, scary place."

It wasn't until Leo touched Draco's cheek and examined the dampness on his finger that Draco realized he was crying.