Title:  Sometimes it Hurts

Author:  " Kitten Malfoy"

Disclaimer:  The HP characters are not mine.

Warning:  SLASH

Dedication: This is for Princess because she has helped me stay away from this stage.

Author's Note:  Let me know if you want me to continue this.  It has been stuck in my head since last week and I couldn't write anything else until I got this out of my head.  Now I'll be able to continue writing my other fics as well.

     Draco Malfoy had been out late.  It was summer and he did not feel like returning to his father's abuse.  Instead, he had managed to become extremely intoxicated.  His fifth year was too difficult to let things clear up on their own.

     Deep down inside Draco knew that he had been at fault for his recent problems.  He knew, but refused to admit that being with Ron Weasley was one of the worst decisions he had made.  Draco reprimanded himself for being so blind.  It had been obvious that Ron and Harry were sleeping together.  But Draco had tried his hardest to ignore the evidence that had been right in front of him.

     The first person to point out what Draco later found out to be the truth was Vincent.  Vincent had made some ridiculous comment while they were settling down in the dorm late one night.  Draco did not want to believe it.  Who would want to?

     Draco thought that it wouldn't be this difficult.  He had thought that he really did not care that much about his relationship.  However, Draco cared more than he should have.  As much as he fought to keep his feelings at the level it all began he couldn't do it.  He never admitted tat to Ron.  Perhaps that was what forced the boy away from him.

     It hurt.  But the drinking helped.  With each glass of whatever he was able to order the pain lessened.  That's when Draco got sick.  He rushed out of the pub and fell on the hard concrete.  Everything was blurry and his head ached. 

     That didn't stop him.  As soon as Draco was able to stand he moved on to the next place, drinking more than he thought possible.  Finally, at around six o'clock in the morning Draco stumbled blindly into his bedroom.  Everything was exactly how he had left it the night before.  All Draco wanted now was to sleep his sickness away.

*    *    *

     " Draco!"  Someone was shaking Draco roughly.  " Draco, wake up!"  Something hit him hard.  Draco's eyes opened weakly.  His head was throbbing with pain; his stomach felt like he had eaten something rotten and there was a horrible taste in his mouth.

     " Wha-."  Draco had trouble speaking.  A figure slowly came into view over him. 

     " Draco, where were you last night?"  Lucius pulled Draco up, forcing him to sit on the bed.

     " What does it matter to you?"  Draco spat.  He was in too much pain to hold back.

     " What did you just say?"  Again something hit Draco's cheek.  It stung badly and the feeling woke Draco up enough for him to realize what was going on.

     " I-I…I was…"  Draco was not given time to explain.  Lucius pulled him from the bed.  Draco was terrified.  His father rarely got this angry but when he did there was no stopping him. 

     " I can't believe you've done it again!  This time you will be punished Draco."  Lucius frowned down at his son. 

*    *    *

     Draco lay on his bed staring at the ceiling.  His whole body ached.  It had been a long time since his father had done that much damage to him.  Draco supposed he deserved it.  He could have easily told his father that he was going to be out for the evening.  But then his father would want to know where he was going.  Draco could have lied and said he was staying with a friend, but who would have covered for him?  Vincent and Gregory were always trying to find ways to get him in trouble.      The only thing Draco liked about Vincent was that he had shown Draco the truth and not just spread rumors like Gregory had.  Draco was a little disappointed with how he found out but it was good that he did.      It hurt to remember that night.  Vincent had dragged Draco to the Astronomy tower claiming that he finally had proof.  When they had arrived there Draco saw all he needed to see.  Ron was lying on Harry, his shirt was unbuttoned and they were kissing.  That was all the evidence Draco needed.      Draco pretended that the sight didn't bother him.  It had.  It hurt him to see his lover in that position with his worst enemy.  Draco had fought the urge to scream and throw a fit.  Instead he chose to speak as if nothing had happened.  He lied to Ron, telling him that the relationship meant nothing to him and that he was only using Ron.  It even hurt Draco to say that but he kept it all hidden.  It was something he learned how to do a long time ago.

     That was over now.  Draco had other things that he had to concentrate on.  His father h ad informed him after the beating that as soon as the cuts and bruises healed it would be time for Draco to be accepted into the most elite of groups.  Draco really didn't want any part of it.  They ad the right idea but like most power hungry genocidal groups they went about it the wrong way.  It was a plan made to fail in Draco's opinion and Draco hated to fail.

     What bothered Draco most was that Severus Snape was to be a witness at his "initiation".  'Initiation', that was what his father had referred to it as.  Draco knew what was involved and nothing seemed too upsetting but he still did not want to go through with it.  But if that was what it would take to make his father proud and to help him forget about Ron, he would do it.