I sincerely apologize to my few readers for how insanely long it has been since I updated. Honestly, I'm the type of person who gets inspiration in very short bursts so I usually end up starting things but not finishing them. In addition, I will fully admit I'm more cut out to be a reader than a writer which also played a part in what happened. I was also really struggling with the direction I wanted to take this in. I love dark Draco and good Draco stories in equal measure and I wasn't sure which I wanted for my story. Hell, I might even have turned it into a creature fic where Draco was a veela. I really had no idea where it was going so I just stopped. Anyway, since I last updated, I've finished high school, as well as my first semester of college... I'm taking a creative writing course this semester and was re-inspired to return to this story because I decided how I wanted it to end, so here it is.
Fourth Year:
As they had grown older, the gap between the two had only grown wider. As easily as Draco came into his position as the Slytherin Prince, Hermione had become the Gryffindor Princess and a member of the Golden Trio along with Potter and Weasley. Instead of fading, his obsession with her had only grown worse. Hermione had proven herself more intelligent than any of her peers; even himself though he was loathe to admit it. Over the years he had come to the conclusion that he had to have her at any cost. She was easily the best of their class and as his parents had often told him, Malfoys only had the best.
Draco was home for the summer holidays. He was surprised to find that he rather missed the company of his schoolmates. He missed the snarky banter he had with Blaise who had been his good friend for a very long time since the Malfoys and the Zabinis often met at social gatherings along with the other distinguished, pureblood families. There was in fact such a gathering tonight at the Parkinson's so he wouldn't be lonely for long, he mused as he wandered aimlessly down one of the many hallways of the manor.
It was rather quiet there since his father was often away on business and his mother was occupied with planning some event or another. Even when they were home, they were distant parents. They did love him, of course, and his mother had been quite affectionate when he was younger, but now that he was older, she was keeping her distance from him so that he may grow from a boy to a man. Such was the pureblood way. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to have a large family like the Weasleys and have many siblings to play with. At least at Hogwarts he had his housemates to amuse himself with, but back home at the manor he was alone.
He was surprised by a sudden pop. It was Mitzy, one of the house elfs.
"Young master. Mistress is saying yous is needing to be get dressed sir. She is saying yous is going to be leaving soon." Draco dismissed her with a wave of his hand and turned back around towards his room. He donned the dress robes that were set out for him on his bed and took a quick look in the mirror. Blonde hair, pale skin, pointy chin, steel grey eyes. He was the quintessential image of a Malfoy, just like his father. Even his black robes looked like the ones his father always wore in public.
When they reached the Parkinson's, his family was graciously greeted by Lord and Lady Parkinson.
"Lord and Lady Malfoy, it is so good to see you." Rose Parkinson gushed reaching out to embrace his mother and exchange air kisses as his father stoically gave Cassius Parkinson a firm handshake and a cool smile. They were ushered into the salon where all the other families already were. Malfoys were always fashionably late. Most of the families were mingling with one another. Though the scene appeared casual and the people within it relaxed, Draco knew different. Such events were anything but relaxed. As a Malfoy he had been instructed from a young age about how to maintain a calm disposition in public and never give anything away. It would not do to give any advantage to the enemy, and in gatherings like this, everyone was the enemy. While the adults seemed to lightly joke about this matter or another he knew they were secretly looking for a sign of weakness that they could prey on. Every passing comment was a carefully crafted weapon and every question was to be regarded with suspicion.
It was all quite tedious, Draco mused but at his age he could appreciate such methods. Within the Slytherin common room, such skills were carefully honed to perfection and Draco's adeptness at this fine art had quickly allowed him to gain control. After all, it was his rightful place as a Malfoy to be at the top anyway. Even amongst the rest of the purebloods, who were so highly distinguished within the wizarding community, the Malfoys were the crème de la crème. Their lineage and purity was documented far further back than many other families barring only a scant few such as the Potters, though they could no longer be considered a pureblood family since their only surviving member and heir was a halfblood. He sneered at the thought of Harry Potter. Perfect Potter the Golden Boy of Gryffindor.
Their families had been in opposition long before he and Potter had been born and even before the rise of Voldemort. Whereas the Malfoys were the unofficial head of the "Dark" families, considered so because they chose to preserve the old ways and refused to yield to the growing number of mudbloods and those who called for mingling between the muggle and wizarding worlds, the Potters were at the opposite end. They had been the leader of the Light families such as the Longbottoms, Weasleys, Prewetts, and Shacklebolts. Their line had always been strong and it was rumored that they traced their lineage back to Godric Gryffindor himself. Of course, none of that mattered now that their blood was tainted. It was frightening how easily one decision, James Potter's choice to marry the mudblood Lily Potter, had erased centuries of family tradition and social standing. Though the Light families did not care about such things as blood purity, the others did and in their minds the Potter line had ended with James Potter.
Draco was brought out of his rumination when Pansy suddenly grabbed his arm.
"Draco! You're not even listening to me!" She whined, pouting and making a face that looked decidedly pug-like. Draco rolled his eyes and sat up straight, pulling his arm away from her.
"Of course I am Pansy," he drawled, "You were talking about some girl and what she was wearing?"
"Yes! That Brown girl, Lavender! She was wearing last season's robes in Diagon Alley and - " Pansy went on and on satisfied that she had Draco's full attention. Draco looked to his right at Blaise and rolled his eyes again, getting a smirk and commiserating eye roll in return. He slowly looked around the table remembering his father's advice about honing his observational skills.
"Sometimes Draco, the things that go unsaid are even more revealing that what is said." He hadn't fully understood what his father meant at the time, but now it was an invaluable skill. While many of the others were as adept in conversing as he was, one could often tell another's thoughts by their actions and posture.
Like the adults, they were seated around a round table so that everyone could easily see and converse with one another. Pansy was seated to his left, obviously taking advantage of her role as hostess to monopolize the conversation and assert her position over the other girls. The Greengrass girls, Daphne and Astoria, were seated on Pansy's left and appeared to be listening intently to Pansy though he could tell by the way their eyes flicked around the room that they were bored out of their minds. Next to them were Tracey Davis, and Millicent Bullstrode who appeared equally disinterested though they too appeared to be giving Pansy their undivided attention. To his right sat Blaise, Theo, Crabbe, and Goyle, thus completing the circle. The boys weren't even bothering to pay attention to Pansy, preferring to discuss the latest in Quidditch news.
Draco leaned over to Blaise and said in a low voice "We need to do something about Potter and that stupid sidekick of his."
"And what would you propose Draco? I'm all for it, but remember how your plan with the midnight duel went during first year?" Blaise raised an eyebrow at him as Draco flushed at the memory of how his plan had backfired and landed not just the two idiots in detention, but also himself.
"You have to go for the weakest link," Theo interjected, leaning over to join in the scheming. "Take out the mudblood first. She's obviously the brains behind the trio but I think she'll be an easier target as well."
"Do you have any ideas?" Blaise asked eagerly. Draco stayed silent and tried to ignore the red hot anger he felt at the thought of Granger as a target.
"She's obviously lonely yeah? I mean, she's friends with the two of them now but I'm sure even you two heard about how she was in the bathroom crying on Halloween night. She's starving for attention. All we need is for someone to make friends with her and slowly drive a wedge between them. Without her, Potter and Weasley will be absolutely useless." Theo explained, smirking at them.
"Brilliant! I think you should do it Draco." Blaise added, looking over at him.
"Me? Have you forgotten that she hates me? I've made her life hell for as long as we've known each other."
"Yes, but you're also the most manipulative out of the three of us." Blaise flinched away as Draco faked a punch at him. " Hey, I meant that as a compliment!" Draco caught his mother giving him a disapproving glare and settled down. "Just listen, we all know your parents have trained you well. Just tell her some sob story about how you've been raised to think blood purity is everything but you've seen the light and want to change your ways or something like that. I'm sure you can come up with something."
Draco turned the idea over in his mind. On the one hand, this plan would probably involve a fair amount of apologizing and groveling, both of which he detested and avoided at all costs. On the other hand though, he would be able to get closer to her without the suspicion of his friends or worry about his actions getting back to his parents. After several moments of careful deliberation, he made up his mind.
"Fine. Since I'm obviously the most capable out of the three of us, I'll take up the burden of having to make nice with the mudblood." he drawled, being careful to mask his excitement. He was definitely looking forward to the end of the holidays.
So, I did it. I make no promises about when the next chapter will be up because classes just started up again. I'll probably be writing in my free time but we'll see. Now that I actually know how I want the story to go, writing should be easier and much faster.
