Draco knew he was not a prisoner at Grimmauld Place, yet he also knew he could not leave the walls without risking his life. Perhaps it was just that, or the fact the girl he lusted after lived just one set of stairs away, that helped in his decision to remain where he was.
He had for the best remained stowed away in the room that Sirius had given him, stating it was once his brothers, that he'd made mistakes, and paid for them. But for his part Draco had gratefully settled himself into a life of hiding away in his room, no real decisions regarding his future had been made yet, and a future of this room seemed pretty promising, where could he go now anyway? The people he would consider as friends would surely know that something had happened, leaving him potentially alone in this.
He sighed and looked at his reflection in the mirror, and saw someone completely foreign to him. How far had he fallen?
Christmas could not come quick enough, as for the first time since getting back everyone was in one room, well almost, Draco had not emerged from his room yet, however the other continued with the usual unwrapping of their presents, everyone had received a fetching jumper form Molly as per usual.
The Weasley matriarch looked around, when she noticed the Slytherins absence; she slipped away and moved up the stairs, knocking on his bed room door. The boy pulled the door open and she was faced with a tired looking lad, she smiled comfortingly at him.
"Here you go, dear, Merry Christmas," She said handing him his presents, he looked surprised as he accepted them, when she didn't leave immediately he realised he should open the lumpy package she had handed him. Carefully he undid the wrapping and pulled from it a lumpy blue jumper, he's never had a hand made present before, usually they were expensive trinkets that meant little, but as he looked at the careful knitting he knew she must have spent time on this.
"Thank you," he croaked, holding the jumper in his hands, and looking at Molly with such sincerity.
"Not at all, dear, now I expect to see you downstairs in time for lunch, alright mister," She told him sternly, no one had ever really spoken to him like that before, and he was surprised by the feeling of jealousy he felt to the Weasley children, and their ever caring mother.
The room was packed, every one of the Weasleys was there, two young men, one with a pony tail, sat beside the girls from Beauxbatons, she had been in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, she was currently wrapped around the redhead with the pony tail, a wedding ring on her finger. The other was leaning back in his seat, Ginny beside him with Aimee listening to whatever story he was telling them, Draco noticed scars on his arms and figured he was in something dangerous. There was another young man, slightly weedy looking, Draco remembered him to be Head Boy at one point. The twins were as usual sat with their heads together, gins on their faces.
Molly was as per usual fussing over everybody, while Arthur sat beside Sirius talking with small smiles on their faces. It seemed the almost perfect family setting, but there were still more places that remained to be filled, the empty spaces were soon filled when another group filed into the kitchen. He instantly recognised his Aunt Andromeda, she looked a lot like Bellatrix, tall and slim with waves of black hair.
She looked at him and paused, sadness in her eyes.
"I am sorry about your mother," She said to him with honesty. Draco nodded his head, unable to say anything, and she moved past him, her muggleborn husband beside her.
Behind them was Draco's cousin, Nymphadora, her hair a rich brown, she was in fact rather pretty. Her stomach was starting to bulge, it was clear she was pregnant, a few months along at least.
The blonde boy looked around the room, there were lots of smiling faces, Harry was beside Sirius, listening to his and Arthur's conversation, Hermione was beside one of the twins listening as they exchanged ideas. Draco Malfoy clearly did not belong here; this was not where he was meant to be.