Smother Me
By Eriksleadinglady
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Disclaimer: If I owned this, my name would be JK Rowling. And it isn't. Der.
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Chapter 2: Unwanted Invitation
Draco plopped lazily on his couch, glancing around him at the white walls trimmed with gold. The paintings on the walls were exquisite; the plants situated variously throughout the house - charming; the statues in the garden and in the foreway were nothing less than divine. However, no matter how enthralling the mansion was and the things in it, Draco couldn't help but hate it.
Perhaps it was because it was so large, that with only two people living in it, it seemed empty. Each morning, when he awoke in his bed, he looked up at the ceiling and saw white. Just plain, simple, not at all elegant white.
Every day the manor seemed so empty, the house so quiet, but he still stayed. Mainly it was because his mother refused to leave; the house held too many "happy" memories to just up and leave. To Draco, however, there were no happy memories, just haunting shadows.
Around every corner, he expected to see Death Eaters parading around, using his house as a base. Even though he knew that they were all in Azkaban - or dead - the memories just couldn't escape him.
It was after that night, the night that Snape had killed Dumbledore, and he, Draco, had failed, that his family started to work for the other side. Perhaps it was because their prejudice didn't seem enough to fight for anymore. Too many people were getting hurt, and the Dark Lord only wanted power; purebloods would not reign supreme, like he said, but He would reign supreme.
It was dangerous for them to be on both sides, but with some well-trained legilimency, it was possible. When they found out that Snape, too, was working for both sides, they were shocked - he was in the inner circle and the Dark Lord appeared to honestly trust him. They knew that they were all in the gravest danger, but in order to make up for their past mistakes, they felt it was only right.
Unfortunately, of the four spies only Draco and Narcissa survived. It was a peculiar feeling seeing someone you loved dead on the battlefield, someone you knew was good and had loved just like everyone else, but had given his or her own life for a cause. It was hard to say who had been more upset: himself or his mother. Over time, he was sure it was his mother. She still sometimes spoke of him as if he were alive, but then she caught herself and this strange look would come into her eyes.
Lucius, although he had put him through so much pain - had caused so much pain - he realized his mistakes in the end. It must have been when Draco became a Death Eater that everything changed. After all, Draco was terrified of what was happening around him and the atmosphere he was in. Lucius must have loved his son and his family more than the Dark Lord, and Draco was sure that he wasn't all evil.
Draco sighed, deciding that he had wasted enough thoughts on his father for one day. He desperately wanted to get out of the old manor and go do something. He wandered up the stairs and found himself in his mother's room.
"Yes, Draco, dear?" she asked upon seeing him. She was reclining in bed, reading a novel about… wait. Was that a muggle novel?
Draco furrowed his brow, but shrugged it off. His mother had been acting different lately...
"Would you like to go out, Mother?" he asked plainly.
"Well, I do need some new dress-robes."
After noticing the jeans and t-shirt he was wearing, she added pointedly, "And you could use some new ones yourself."
Draco rolled his eyes. "I will, of course, change before we go. No need to go all motherly on me."
"But that is what I do best, you know." Her eyes twinkled radiantly.
He nodded his head toward the door. "Let's just go before I change my mind."
Putting her book down, she rose from her seat and followed him downstairs. After changing into more proper attire, Draco apparated them to Diagon Alley where they went into Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.
Immediately, the squat owner of the shop greeted them. She greeted them so fervently that Draco knew she did not get such VIP guests often.
"Welcome, welcome! I did not expect to see the Malfoys in today! What brings you here, hmm? New robes for you, Narcissa? Or Draco, perhaps?" the witch asked excitedly.
Narcissa offered a beautiful smile. "Both, actually."
Madam Malkin's eyes widened. "Oh my! Should I grab some examples? Did you have anything in mind, like self-ironing, beautifying, slimming, fattening, lengthening, or temperature-adjusting?"
"Just the best that you have," offered Draco, annoyed with the woman's impertinence.
That immediately sent her on her way, leaving the two Malfoys free to look around the shop.
Draco wandered around the shop, eyeing all the many colored robe sets the shop had to offer. There was every color under the rainbow and more. There were pastels, patterned, and layered robe ideas, too. Although the colors were something to behold, he found it all to be boring - dresses, shopping, and such just were not his things. He let his mind wander like his body did, until, after rounding a corner, he ran straight into Hermione and Ginny.
"Excuse me," he offered, biting his tongue from saying 'Watch it Granger' like it wanted to.
Ginny's eyes widened. "Is that Draco Malfoy actually being polite? Or am I imagining things?"
Draco smirked. "Oh, no. Luckily enough for you, I exist in your real world and not just in your fantasies."
Ginny immediately reddened, but still responded snarkily "Yes, sadly enough that is true. But that still does not stop me from having fantasies about your death."
Hermione put a hand up to her mouth to hide her laughter.
Draco stared at her. "Find something amusing, Granger?"
She only shook her head, still trying to hide her laughter, but failing miserably. He flicked his eyes between the two women, trying to decide whom to insult first, but before he could say anything, his mother walked up behind him.
"Are these some friends of yours, Draco, dear?" she asked, smiling brightly at the two beautiful, young women.
Draco was about to respond with a firm 'No' when Hermione piped, "Oh yes, Mrs. Malfoy. We are some of Draco's closest friends. I am Hermione Granger and this is Ginny Weasley."
She then offered her hand, which Narcissa shook fervently. "I believe Draco has mentioned your name once or twice, Hermione. And Ginny, you must be the youngest of the Weasleys?"
"Yes," was Ginny's only response.
"And Hermione, you are the same year as Draco, correct?"
"Yes, sadly I had the misfortune of going to Hogwarts with him," she offered playfully.
"Surely he wasn't so bad?" hoped Narcissa.
Hermione flicked her eyes over to Draco, trying to gauge his reaction, and not to her surprise, she found him scowling at her. She smiled brightly. "Oh, not at all! He only jabbered me and my friends constantly, gloating above us all."
How she managed to say that with a smile and make it sound completely without contempt, Draco never knew. Even his mother laughed, after some girl just openly insulted her son.
"Mother, let's -" he started, but was then cut off by said woman.
"Are you ladies buying new robes?"
They both nodded, holding up pieces of clothing that were in their arms. Hermione's robes were a dark maroon that cinched at the waist flatteringly, while Ginny's were a sky blue with a shorter length for the summer season.
Narcissa ohed and ahed at the items. "These are just beautiful! I hope Malkin will find something just as wonderful for me!"
"I am sure anything she grabs will simply look marvelous on you," said Hermione. Draco's stomach looped a couple of uneasy circles. Hermione was flattering his mother and succeeding, at that.
Narcissa blushed. Just then, an idea popped into her head and her eyes shined. "Why don't you pay for their gowns, Draco?" she quipped, looking at him. "Perhaps the purchase could be made as a peace offering to make up for all of the bad times?"
Her eyes were so bright and hopeful that Draco simply could not refuse.
But Hermione and Ginny could.
"Oh no, please, don't bother, we can -"
"Nonsense," said Draco, his mouth dry. "Allow me."
Both women were taken aback, their mouths nearly dropping to the floor. Narcissa only clapped her hands in glee as she took the robes from the girls and plopped them on Draco, who took them up to the counter to remain there while his mother shopped.
Then Malkin came back with five different sets of robes for Narcissa and one pair of the usual robes for Draco that he always bought: a silky black cape with a green undershirt and black trousers. All made from the best materials, of course.
Narcissa gladly took the items from the squat witch and went to go try them on. The first ones she came out in were a bright orange, which Draco crinkled his nose at. "Definitely not."
"Oh surely the colors aren't so bad?" she asked, observing herself in the mirror.
No one said a word.
"It makes you look like an orange slice," said Draco plainly.
Hermione jabbed him in the gut.
"I do suppose you're right, Draco," sighed Narcissa. Then she went to try on a different set.
"Can't you tell she really liked those?" whispered Hermione sharply.
Draco was about to respond when Narcissa came back out in a baby-pink, just below the knees, set of robes. Draco thought she looked absolutely amazing and had not seen her shine so brightly in such a long time.
"Well, what do you think?" she asked, giving a little twirl.
"You look absolutely radiant!" offered Hermione first.
"Spot on!" seconded Ginny.
"Draco?" asked Narcissa, hoping in her eyes that he, too, liked the robes.
"Yes," he replied shortly.
His mother turned to Madam Malkin and cried, "These are the ones!"
After she was done changing again, the group went up to the counter and Draco, rather grudgingly, paid for all four sets of robes. Of course, it wasn't a dent in his wallet or anything. He just hated buying robes for Weasley and Granger. Now that was just a waste of money.
Just as they left the shop and were about to split ways, Narcissa said, "Would you two
like to join us for dinner some time at the Manor?"
No. Please say no.
Hermione and Ginny looked at each other. "Oh no, Mrs. Malfoy, we wouldn't want to impose."
"Oh it would be no imposition at all! We would be glad to have you! It would be a nice change of pace."
Once again, the two girls exchanged glances.
"You can bring dates?" hoped Narcissa.
More hesitation, but then finally, "Oh, all right. You've convinced us."
Narcissa smiled. "Tomorrow night at seven, then?"
"Sounds perfect."
At last, they finally went their separate ways, and Draco dreaded tomorrow evening. After all, after his last outburst with Ron - who Hermione was sure to bring - he didn't know how well it would go over. But, if it would please his mother, he supposed that he could try - try - to be pleasant for one evening. But just one.
A/N: Next time: the dinner! Dun dun dun….
