Thank you guys for the reviews! I really do appreciate them. I haven't really established a publishing schedule, but maybe along with some opinions about the writing, give me a day you'd like me to publish on every week? If I have a schedule I'm more likely to post chapters instead of becoming unmotivated and giving up. Again, you don't have to! I'm hopefully going to continue this story either way because I already have the basic plot in mind.

What will happen next? Let's find out! It'll be fun! I'll have fun...

I don't own Harry Potter, otherwise I'd have my own laptop.

Only in His Mind

Malfoy Manor, which never really held any warmth for him in the first place, seemed more like a prison to Draco than ever before. Ever since the battle, he and his family had not left the house for anything. The public was persecuting all Death Eaters and for their own safety, they held up in their estate sending servants to get what was necessary. Draco now spent his days in his room mostly, reading or practicing his spells, but every now and again he'd take the old silver wand box out of his wardrobe and look over its new contents; the Elder Wand. He never dared to use it of course. Simply having it in his possession was risk enough, he had decided.

If asked even now, the young Malfoy couldn't tell you whether it was the wand, his own creeping madness, or something else that caused it, but when the house became very quiet and Draco was between books or incantations, he would hear a voice. A very tiny whisper at the back of his mind suggesting his next piece of literature or reminding him of his wand motions. If he stopped what he was doing and listened, it would die away, but when he pretended it was normal and consulted with it, a conversation would ensue and he would be learning things in ways he never thought or quickly casting spell after spell with precision aim and accuracy.

Through the long days with little to no events, the voice served as a companion more intelligent than any pet. It could understand his thoughts and give advice that seemed sensible. The blonde wizard began to feel closer to it than any friend he ever had, though he never really had true friends. They were all attracted to him because of his family's power and position. This voice in his head didn't seem to care who he was or how many galleons he had to his name. Of course, he was too proud to admit he liked the voice even remotely, but he tried not to spurn it too often. Just enough so it wouldn't think he actually took its advice seriously.

This second consciousness gave the prison of his home a softer appeal. He was a man now, but could look at his childhood home through fresh eyes. The quiet lawn looked warmer with the albino peacocks strutting in the morning sun. The portraits of Malfoys and other purebloods long dead looked less as if they were judging his every move and instead took on a proud and protecting gaze. His antique four-post bed was less off a barren, unloving designated spot to lay his head, but a soft, warm cradle to curl up in and feel at peace.

The other members of the household took notice. The house elves rejoiced in the fact he was too distracted to abuse them as he regularly did. The young master even stopped kicking them down the marble staircase for sport or literally pulling the rug out from under them so he could watch them scramble to pick up spilt dishes.

Mister and Misses Malfoy, on the other hand, began to worry about their heir. To them, he was becoming unfocused and mumbled when he thought no one was around. Without Draco's knowledge, they consulted witches and wizards who were experts in behavior. All of them came to the same conclusion: coping mechanism for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. They thought the defeat of the Dark Lord or the demise of someone so close to his age had some deep and painful affect on his fragile, impressionable mind. They recommended monitored social stimulation and discipline to distract his mind. Narcissa knew her son better so wasn't so easily swayed, but Lucius took their words to heart and was determined to get his only son back to normal, for the sake of the family name. He immediately started planning lavish dinner parties and encouraged Draco to invite other pureblood children (and in light of recent events, invited certain half-blooded guests as well). Every week at least the Malfoys' mansion was full of young guests in their best party attire eating, drinking, chatting, and dancing the night away.

One such night, someone had decided to bring along a couple bottles of firewhiskey so the guests were more rowdy than usual. Draco was even more disgusted with the entire goings on in his house so he snuck an unopened bottle into his coat and calmly walked out into the fresh air away from other young witches and wizards. He came to a circular fountain in the hedge maze and sat on the rim staring at the full moon reflected in the water. For a while, he just sat there considering everything that had happened in the last year and at the same time keeping his mind blank of certain unpleasant thoughts. He finally picked up the bottle and examined the label and wax seal.

"Well, maybe some of this will ease my mind. Seems to have worked wonders on my guests," he spoke aloud. The last part he sneered at for he did not invite them. This was all just a part of some plan his parents had come up with to distract him or something. The only reason he was going along with it was to appease his father. "Oh well," he decided breaking the wax around the top of the bottle, "bottoms up." He motioned a cheer and put the opening to his lips, but before he could knock back the drink and feel the liquid fire burn his throat, a voice from somewhere in the dark spoke.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a deep, sophisticated voice felt to command from the shadow of a near by oak. A tall figure of a man was leaning on the trunk with his arms crossed, his right foot flat against the bark and bright white teeth showing in a mischievous half smirk half playful smile. "You wouldn't want to disappoint dear old Mummy and Daddy." He pushed off the tree with his foot and swaggered into the moon light slipping his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

Draco took the bottle from his mouth with the entirety of its contents accounted for. "Ha, my father. So long as I keep up appearances around anyone that matters I'm fine and we're the only ones out here."

The tall handsome stranger with neatly slicked back onyx hair gave a devilish grin then mock cooed at the wizard, "Aw, now if Papa heard you speaking in such a way you'd certainly be in trouble. I don't mean to keep you from ingesting that burning liquid to save you. Trust me, I could care less about your fate," the mysterious man sat down next to Draco on the fountain and kept eye contact with him, "I only mean to protect someone weaker than you right now. Your reckless actions could get him killed." The poisonous green eyes of this shadow man held Draco's slate grey ones. He didn't notice until it was too late the stranger had taken his bottle of liquor.

"Hey! Give that back-"

"Or what?" the man snickered as he took a drink out of the bottle and retreated into the darkness, "Your father will hear about this? Hahaha, believe you me, Draco dear, he may act when some underling is annoying you, but he will never believe this. Give it up." He then dissolved into the shadows leaving only an echo of "And don't let me catch you drinking again for the next year or so…"

Left alone and dumbfounded in the middle of his family's garden Draco brought his hand to his forehead and held it there. All he could manage was a soft, "bloody hell?" before quietly making the trek back to his home and muttering an excuse about a head ache and trudging up the stairs to his room. As soon as his head hit his pillow, he was out like a light not even bothering to change out of his party clothes.

Well, another chapter! I thank all of you who are following/favoriting this story. It's really encouraging. Even if you aren't marking it I love all you readers! Remember to comment a day that would work for you on which I shall/should update!