Chapter 4 - Thank you
Draco flicked through the large leather bound book and flicked through the pages. He found the names he was looking for:
Narcissa Black Malfoy born 1966 linked with a double line to Lucius Malfoy born 1963 leading down with a single line to Draco Malfoy born 1984.
Draco sighed, another book not updated. He placed the book on the rather large pile of others and levitated them over to, Madame Pince, the librarian's desk. He slammed them down with his wand. She jumped in shock as her papers flew about. Half the library looked up interested to see the commotion
"Really dear, was that necessary?" said Madame Pince looking up angrily at Draco as she gathered her papers together
"These books haven't been updated" he complained
"Oh?"
"Yes, if you look here-" Draco opened one of the books and pointed to the names of his parents "You see, it only has their births written down. Their deaths aren't recorded. I think they should be" Draco ordered
"Well dear, I can't do that now can I…they will be soon" she was feeling rather scared. The tall seventh year seemed so angry and crazed that she did not wish to say anything that might anger him. It was obvious his parents were dead. "Why don't you put them back on the shelf?"
"Why don't I leave them here and then you won't forget about them" he said walking off.
He was walking past a book shelf when he heard a whisper
"Malfoy!" came a girl's hushed voice
Draco looked over to see a bushy haired girl holding a book partly in front of her face.
"What?" Draco whispered back. Granger motioned with her hand for him to come towards her. He did so
"Malfoy…are you alright?"
"I'm fine…is that all"
Granger shook her head
"I just wanted to say, I'm really sorry about your parents and I'm so sorry about Ron's behaviour. That was wrong of him"
"Yes it was" said Draco. He stormed off.
"Look Malfoy…I've never liked you" she said catching up with him "and I sure know you don't like me but…if you ever need someone to talk to-"
Draco rolled his eyes and continued walking
--
Granger had her quill in her hand and was scratching away so fast at her parchment that Draco could barely see the quill. He had been pondering what Granger had said. If it was true that his parents were muggles, then all the insulting comments he had thrown at her before were hypocritical and false, for that would mean he was the same as her.
"Mr. Malfoy how much work have you done?" came a sharp voice. Draco rolled his eyes and looked up to see McGonagall glaring at him. Some of the class stopped writing and turned around. "How much?" she repeated
Draco raised an unsmirking eyebrow at her. McGonagall looked down at his parchment; it was completely bare of any writing. "Could you gather your things together please Mr Malfoy, and leave my class room!" She walked away over to her desk. Draco picked up his quill and hurried a quick note on a spare bit of parchment
Granger,
Meet me behind the wall near the Herbology greenhouses at lunch
D.M
Ps. come alone!
He folded it into his fist and threw his belongings into his school bag. He threw back his chair and walked down the aisle between the desks. As he went past Granger's table he threw the little piece of parchment onto her desk, so quickly that no one would notice.
--
Draco leaned miserably against the wall, what was he getting himself into. What if she downright laughed in his face?
There she was. Her chestnut brown hair was bouncing on her shoulders as she ran over to him.
"You wanted to see me Malfoy?"
"Are you alone?" he asked making sure her little boyfriends were not hanging around.
"Yes, but why all the secrecy, Malfoy?"
"It would do neither your or my reputation any good for us to be seen together, besides, there is something I need to discuss with you…a secret?"
Granger looked curious; she looked down at the grass
"Let's sit down. Perhaps that will make it easier for you" she said
Draco nodded and the two sat down on the grass. Momentarily in silence
"You know how I've always called you mudblood?" he started. She nodded. "Well it was never anything really personal. That's just the way I've been raised and…"
"Stop the flattery Malfoy, it doesn't work on me. What do you want?"
"Well…uh, when I my mother died…she told me something. Something which has changed my life forever" Granger looked up at him with her big brown eyes curiously "My mother told me that…that I wasn't her child or my father's child"
"W-what?" said Granger, her eyes wide "You mean you and Lucius Malfoy aren't related?"
"Weren't related Granger if you hadn't noticed he's dead now!" said Draco icily
"Sorry" she said blushing
"Professor Dumbledore, Snape and I have been trying to find out who my real parents are…and…well they think I'm a mudblood"
Granger gasped
"But they could be wrong?"
"I was found in a muggle orphanage…only a muggle would put their child in a muggle orphanage!"
Granger looked like she wanted to burst out laughing but was concealing it very well.
"Malfoy, why are you telling me all this? Is it because I'm muggle born?"
Draco sighed and nodded.
"And I've realised that calling you mudblood must seem really hypocritical now you know the truth"
Granger shook her head
"Put it in the past" she smiled.
"Thank you" said Draco
"No…thank you"
