(February 28, 2010)

"I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just prayed to a God that I don't believe in
'Cause I got time while she got freedom
'Cause when a heart breaks, no it don't break
No it don't break, no it don't breakeven, no
What am I gonna do
When the best part of me was always you
And what am I supposed to say
When I'm all choked up and you're okay"
Breakeven- The Script

~Draco Malfoy~

My mind went blank.

-That couldn't be my father. He looked like nothing before.

I was on the last step of the staircase and I didn't want to take a step closer. My legs wouldn't move at all.

"D-Draco. Don't b-be rude," my mother said in a shaken voice. I knew what was going inside her head, 'How can this be my husband, my lover? What had they done to him?' she looked at me with pleading eyes, begging me not to start anything. I took one step off the stair case. I couldn't keep my eyes off the Dementors that were next to him. I didn't notice that I was shivering until I looked down at my hand.

-I wonder if that cloak of theirs even keep them warm? No wonder they don't show them selves, they must be ice zombies or something.

I took my eyes off the Dementors for a couple of minutes and evaluated my father, since I was closer.

He looked awful. His blond hair was a complete mess like it hasn't been washed or brushed since the last time I saw him. He kept his head low, but I saw some of his face. It was weak, pale, dirty, and hollow. Looking like the Dementors sucked his soul every morning for breakfast, I caught a quick glance at the Dementor at my fathers right. It stood still, probably laughing at me under his hood. I looked back at my father. He was slouching as if his back couldn't keep straight anymore. His clothes were wrinkled, ripped. He had chains on his hands and legs. My father was looking down, trying not to make eye contact. I got closer to my father.

"Look at me," I ordered.

I could tell he hesitated. Then he looked at me. I took a step back, shocked. He surely has changed, his face showed it. His eyes looked at me with shame. They were small as if he hadn't seen daylight for years. His cheeks had bruises on him. His lips were chapped and were forming a thin line. He looked… weak, helpless.

-That can't be my father. It can't be. My father is strong, stubborn, a fighter.

I couldn't look at him anymore. I walked towards my mother's side. She got hold on my hand and I tried to control my mother's shaking hand.

"You can let him go now," my mother said trying to sound in control.

The Dementors looked at each other and dropped my father on the floor. I heard my father grunt as they did that. Part of me wanted to go help him up, but the other part of me told me to stay still. My mother didn't even make a step towards him. After a few uneasy glances at the Dementors, they left, well to the outside of our house acting like guards. My father knelled on the floor with his head down. I saw through the corner of my eye my mother pick up her wand and say a spell that unlocks the chains on my fathers hands and legs.

I hear the click of the chains locks and the heavy metal hit the tiles of our entrance way. My mother briskly walks towards my father and gives him a hug. She bursted into tears.

"Oh how much I have missed you!" she whimpers.

My father didn't say a word, he didn't even hug my mother back. Instead he pushes her out of his reach and she stumbles backwards to me. I caught her before she hit the floor. My mother looked up at my father in bewilderment.

"Don't touch me. I don't need pity from you," he said maliciously.

My mother straightened up and stood rigid in confusion in front of me. I saw this man that I didn't even know anymore, take a couple of steps to the staircase. He had a hard time walking up them and when he finally reached the top he walked into his master bathroom and turned on the shower. I saw my mother's shoulders slump and her head began to hang low. The words that Professor Snape said to me about my mother at the library came back to me. I wrapped my hands around her and it instantly felt calming even with the chaos that already happened today.

"Don't worry give him some time to adjust," I told her.

She nodded her head and brushed her fingers to her cheek to wipe away the tears. Looking at her like this made me feel uncomfortable. Deep down I knew there was more of these feelings coming. Our main door opens and Severus Snape stood in the doorway. His hair was tied back in a small pony tail but some strands of hair was falling out, he wore a remote dress suit and he was carrying a bottle of whiskey.

"I see that the Dementors are evaluating the premises. So that means Lucius is here. Am I right?"

We look at him in irony.

"What happened?" he asked while taking a look at my mother.

Later That Evening:

I observed my surroundings at the dinner table. The table was filled end to end with food that was barely touching unlike the whiskey bottle that my father keeps drinking from. He sat at the end of the table. Since he took a shower and cleaned himself up a bit, it wasn't that difficult to look at him. His long blond hair was tied back, he changed into one of his favorite suits, and his cold grey eyes seemed to be apathetical. He never took his eyes off of my mother. It was like he was the hunter and she was the prey; watching her every movement. I faced my mother and saw that she was looking down at her plate, fidgeting with the food. Her long shiny hair hiding her face. I looked at the person that I was sitting across from. Snape ate his food awkwardly. I could tell that he wanted to leave, have a distraction happened, or at least have a descent conversation. Anything to make this awkward atmosphere go away. We looked at each other making communication with our faces. 'say something' I mouthed to him. 'no' he said.

"What are you two talking about?"

The sudden sound flabbergasted me.

"Nothing," I said softly.

My father took another swing of the bottle of whiskey. I looked down at my mashed potatoes.

"Yeah. Nothing. That's what this damn family has been doing for years," my father muttered. Snape looked down at his plate, dreading to hear this conversation go any farther.

I felt my insides heat up.

-How dare he!

"Nothing? Is that what you think? It's not my fault that you were forced to be in Azkaban. Mother here tried her hardest to get you out of it. If it wasn't for her, you'd be in Azkaban for the rest of your life. One thing you can at least do is thank her," I said furiously and jumped out of my seat.

Everyone went quiet. I looked at my father. I saw anger in his eyes. It was like fire from hell was rising in his cold gray eyes. I stood my ground, trying to keep my legs from breaking. My father got out of his seat and started to walk towards me.

"Is that what you think? You think I am that stubborn and naïve to understand what the hell is happening here?" my father looked down at me.

"Lucius," Severus Snape started and got off from his seat.

"Not now Severus," my father said and raised his hand in Snapes' direction.

"I am very aware of what Narcsissa did and I am very grateful for that. But, you is whom I'm disappointed in. "

I swallowed.

"My son didn't try once to speak with me, didn't try to help me out in that war we had but instead failed. Do you know how it feels like to have a son that disappoints you in every way? If anything, you should be in Azkaban!" he said getting louder and louder with every word.

I heard my mother's scrape from the chair on the wood floor and heard her heels walk on the floor. She put her hand on Lucius chest pushing him farther and farther back from me.

"Lucius, that is enough," she said. He stumbled a little from the alcohol he drank and sat down heavily in his chair. He took a sip of the whiskey while keeping his eyes on me. Snape was looking at me with concern in his eyes. I knew what he was thinking. Azkaban. I relaxed my hands from the ball that they were forming. I took in on what happened. I looked at my father who my mother was talking softly too. I turned around on my heel and walked back up to my room without a sound.

~Hermione Granger~

I was awoken by the beam of light that was shining through my window. I faced the digital alarm clock and read the time, 9:00 am. I got off of my bed and walked to the bathroom. I did my usual routine: wash face; brush teeth; brush hair. I stepped out of the bathroom not bothering to change and walked out into the hallway. Everything seemed to be quiet and calm. I walked down the staircase cautiously waiting for someone to jump out and scare me. No one did. I wandered my self towards the living room where the brightly lit Christmas tree was standing. I stared in awe as I rotated around it and examine all of the ornaments and the colorful lights. From the tree, the room smelled like fresh pine.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

I turned around and saw my mother standing there in her Christmas pajamas with my father by her side. I smiled.

"Sure is."

My parents walked down the stairs and walked to my side. For a few moments we stared at the tree.

"How about we open the presents?" my father asked while leaning down and picking up a small red box and handing it to my mother. She gratefully takes it and tears open the red wrapping paper.

"Oh honey! It's beautiful," my mother gleams. I see my mother take out a pair of pearl earrings. There was a hug smile on her face and she leaned in to kiss my father. I looked at them kiss. When I was little I was embarrassed by my parents public display of affection, but now since I have grown up and understood how love can lift a persons heart, I didn't dare try to break apart my parents. That morning all of us exchanged presents with laughs and enlighten conversations.

~Draco Malfoy~

"Draco come here," I heard my father call me. I didn't want to go. It was bad enough that I had to act like nothing happened this morning at breakfast. Now I just wanted him to leave. What he said to me last night was uncalled for and completely misjudged.

"Draco!" my father bellowed. I walked out of my room and made my way downstairs to the den where he and my mother sat. The lights on the chandelier was dim and I barely distinguished who was sitting where. I spotted my mother sitting in a armchair. She was looking out the window, trying to pay attention to the rain that was falling from the sky.

"Do you think it was wise of you to embarrass me in front of our guest yesterday night?" he said coldly. My mother shifted her way towards Lucius shocked by the way her husband started to talk towards me.

-Not again.

~Hermione Granger~

The Next Day:

"Hermione are you sure you want to leave? I mean you just got here," my mother pleaded.

I looked down at the letter that Harry wrote to me saying that he would be at Hogwarts in thirty minutes.

"Mom please. I just want to spend my last Christmas break at Hogwarts. Don't worry next year and all of the years to come, I will stay much longer," I told my mom and kissed her on the cheek.

"It was nice seeing you again Hermione. Stay safe," my father said and kissed me on the forehead. I felt my body ache as the thought of leaving them again overwhelmed my mind.

-With Voldemort dead, they have nothing to worry about.

I said my goodbyes to my family and walked outside. I walked to the abandon street where no muggles go too. I found the portkey that Harry wrote in the letter, an old shoe. I touched it and all of the sudden I appeared in Hogmeade, the closet a portkey can get to Hogwarts. I brushed off the snow on my knees and got all of my luggage together.

"Here let me help you with that."

I nearly screamed in fright. I got my breathing in control as Harry approached me. I playfully shoved him on the shoulder.

"Don't scare me like that. It's already nightfall, do you know how scary it was being here all alone?" I said. All Harry could do is laugh.

"Sorry. Sorry," he said while helping me with some of the luggage. We walked down the pathway towards Hogwarts. The only light that we had was the full moon that was above our heads. Harry, like me, wanted to stay the rest of the Christmas break at Hogwarts. For the good times sake.

"So how is it going with you and Malfoy?" asked Harry.

-Great. The one topic I surely didn't want to talk about.

"How is it going with you and Ginny?" I sneered.

"Fine. Fine. I get your point."

We walked the rest of the way in silence. It wasn't awkward or anything. It actually felt nice.

~Draco Malfoy~

I stared at the portrait of the lady in front of me. She was sleeping so she was oblivious to my existence. I tiredly knocked on the painting. She jerked awake.

"Can you see that I am sle-" she didn't finish and looked right at me wide eyed.

"Oh my goodness," she said while covering her mouth with her hand.

"Forbidden lily," I faintly said. She had no use but open the entrance way while still having a ton of questions fill her mind.

~Hermione Granger~

I had finally fallen asleep after the long walk with Harry and the chores I had to do before going to bed. Apparently we left this whole dormitory a mess. After all of that cleaning I started the fire place and sat down on the couch reading the book for my transfiguration class. Somehow, I have moved my feet up to my room and climbed into bed falling fast to sleep. All of the sudden, I heard a noise downstairs. I jolted awake. My heart started to pound out of control. I placed my hand on my heart trying to clam it down. I listened very firmly to that specific noise. I heard the sound again but this time it was faint. I looked at the clock hanging on the wall next to the dresser.

-3 o'clock. Damn.

I grabbed my wand and exited my bedroom.