Unspoken
By: Resident Goddess
Rated: PG-13

CHAPTER 1

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its corresponding characters belong to JK Rowling and not I, this story does, however.

Summary: The summer before his 6th year Draco is punished for not taking the Dark Mark of Voldemort. Upon returning to school, the rest of the student body is surprised to see him mute. The Gryffindors see it as a blessing until they learn the real truth--now they'll do anything to get his voice back.

Beware--slash.

Thanks to: Nytd, Jare, Nara, Kitori, Melody, Fanny chan, The Slayer, Cooldot, Deriver, Ruz and Niki for reviewing! I love you guys!

Draco's thoughts: Italics
Writing: Bold

***

It was a dark and stormy day. Really, it was. The clouds hung low over the train station platforms, and they growled angrily from the sky. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger said goodbye to Molly Weasley by one of the pillars of Platform 9 3/4. Ginny was already on the train, having said goodbye earlier.

"It looks like you might get some rain on your first day back." Molly said, hugging Ron. Ron wriggled out of her grasp and patted her on the shoulder lightly.

"Goodbye mum. See you at Christmas."

"Can't I get a picture?" Molly said holding a camera and looking like she was really intent on it. Ron groaned. He had gotten little sleep the night before and was irritable.

"Of course you may." Hermione said, smoothing her skirt. She grabbed both Harry and Ron by their shoulders and pulled them into an embrace for the camera. When Molly snapped the picture, Ron's eyes were closed and Harry had a surprised look on his face with his mouth open slightly. Hermione looked picture perfect in between them, a charming smile on her face.

After saying goodbye again, they all boarded the train with their trunks and found a empty compartment. The sound of heavy raindrops on the top of the car followed them.

Once situated, Ron promptly fell asleep, and Hermione pulled out a book. Harry was content with just looking out the window at the streaking rain, and Ron's snores soon filled the compartment. The train was on the move.

***

Bloody Lucius. Stupid curse. Bugger.

"Hey, Draco, what're you going to do if one of the Professors asks you a question?" Crabbe and Goyle were sitting across from each other, Goyle was snoring loudly with his head leaning up against the window. Draco rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to make a smart-ass retort, but he closed it quickly again, realizing that it wouldn't do anything. He patiently sighed and opened the bag on the seat next to him. It contained a roll of parchment and a quill, and on the parchment he wrote Answer, of course. What would *you* do if one of the Professors asked you a question?

"Errr…"

That's what I thought. Stupid git.

Exactly.

Why can't I have some reasonably intelligent friends? Please, someone, just curse them so they have at least one puny brain cell between them.

"Malfoy!" The compartment door slid open.

Oh bugger. The Slytherin slut himself. I guess his half brain cell added to each of their 1/4 brain cells makes one full one? Not what I was wanting thanks for the effort. Not.

"Heard you were having a few problems with your voice." Blaise plunked down beside Goyle and looked at him with a wrinkled nose. In the same breath he pinched Goyle's rather large nose closed with his thumb and index finger, causing Goyle to snort terribly through his mouth. Blaise grimaced. Draco gave him a sarcastic look. "Oh, not speaking to me? Still mad about our little interlude last year?"

If you would call it that, you tried to jump me, you git! You slimy piece of something revolting!

Draco pulled out his parchment again. No, of course not. What gave you that idea?

"Hmm, so the rumors must be true, then. Your father, yeah? What'd you do this time?"

Refused to get that ugly black thing on my arm. Blaise looked at the parchment and frowned.

"Uh huh. Positively slimy." Draco looked him over.

Don't see you getting it on yourself. At least I've chosen a side, Mr. We-were-under-the-imperius-curse-sorry-about-that.

Stupid git.

Blaise was frowning by then. "That was my parents, thank you. And no, I haven't taken the Dark Mark. Yet." He sounded unsure. "It's just that last year Dumbledore got me thinking…"

Oh please. Not him, not that Mudblood loving git. If you're going to do something, do it because of revenge! REVENGE, man! Revenge on your father for being a bloody idiot! Revenge on your mother for marrying him and producing a bloody idiot in his wake!

"…And I think that since Voldemort was obviously defeated by a one-year-old, we can rule out the idea that he would actually get somewhere…"

My lord, he's on a rant! Yack, yack, yack. Maybe he has more then half a brain cell, after all. I'll credit him with a whole brain cell. You lucky lad, you.

Do you mind? This kid over here is sporting the Dark Mark.

Blaise shrugged, but regarded both Crabbe and Goyle somewhat warily.

A bloody genius.

***

The train screeched to a halt in front of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. By that time the rain had only started coming down faster and harder, and all students were dreading getting off the Hogwarts Express.

But get off they did, and each and every student wished that they had not. It was not only the rain, but the wind had also picked up, and it was blowing wretchedly hard. Everyone except for the first years scampered into the school, and the little ones were left to follow Professor Flitwick into the school. Ron didn't even notice that Hagrid was not in his usual spot taking the first years until Harry pointed it out to him.

"Must be still working with Dumbledore to get Voldemort." Harry said,

"The name, the name!" Ron screeched, covering his ears. Harry eyed him, apparently he was still recovering from his nap.

"I thought we got over this last y--" Hermione was stopped by a loud thud echoed through the hall. It was quickly downed out by hundreds of voices, and it was hard for her to place it for a moment.

"Bugger." Said Harry from the ground, he had slipped on the tiled floor, which was slippery and wet. Apparently that had been the thud. But Harry wasn't looking at Hermione, he was looking up past her, and he seemed to have a thin blush on his cheeks. Zabini, Malfoy and his cronies were standing behind Hermione and all were snickering wildly.

"Poor Potter. No balance, no brains, no tact." Blaise said, then looked at Draco, "Right, Malfoy?"

Draco glared at a smug looking Blaise, but he didn't bother to reply. Harry was still on the floor, and Ron had his arms folded and was glaring at Malfoy.

"What, like you've got any, Zabini?" Ron was blushing deeply. Hermione could tell that it was quite a chore for him to keep his voice deadly with Blaise staring up at him with a seductive look on his face. Hermione rolled her eyes, she was immune to Blaise's charm.

"Half a brain more then you, Weasley. What, you have to sell the other half to get bread money? Doubt it was worth that much."

"Shut up, Zabini." Harry said, he had gotten up and was currently twisting around to see if he had a wet spot on his rear. He couldn't see it, but everyone else could, and it just sent Zabini, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle into bigger fits of laughter.

"Maybe you should go clean up, Potter. You could use Weasley's slice of bread to soak up the water."

"Zabini! Shut the hell up or I'm going to--"

"What? Whack me with your famous piece of bread?"

It all happened very fast, Ron had jumped on Blaise and was in the process of wrestling him to the ground. Harry had grabbed Ron and was trying to pull him off of the smaller boy, and Crabbe and Goyle were rooting Blaise on. Malfoy was just standing there with an abused look on his face. He still had the same look on his face when Professor McGonagall pushed her way through the crowd that had gathered and used magic to separate them. The result? A leg-locking curse on Ron and a firm grip on Blaise's right ear.

"What--what is this?" She sputtered angrily, "The first day of school! Zabini, Weasley, explain yourselves!"

"He jumped me!"

"He was insulting my family!"

"Mr. Weasley! You should know by now that WORDS are not a legitimate reason to POUNCE on someone!"

"Professor--!"

"Mr. Potter," She whirled on Harry, then turned to Malfoy, "Mr. Malfoy can you attest--" She stopped, something sparking in her eyes. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, I need to see you immediately after the sorting ceremony, if you will." She turned back to Harry, "Can you and Miss Granger attest to this--this--disturbing demeanor in which these boys have presented?"

"Er?" Harry said, a blank look on his face, Hermione jumped in.

"Yes, they're both right, Professor. Zabini was saying some rude thing's about the Weasley's finances, and uh, Ron 'attacked' him."

"If you would call it that," Harry muttered from behind his hand.

"I see." Professor McGonagall said, still holding onto Blaise's ear. Ron was still on the floor, propping himself up with his hands. "You two I want to see after the sorting ceremony, in my office." She muttered a counter-spell under her breath and released Blaise's ear. "Now get to the Main Hall, and stay away from each other."

***

"Slimy gits." Ron muttered, "Piece of bread, what the hell? We may not be rich but we certainly aren't paupers!"

"Ron, do you even know what that word means?" Hermione asked, sitting next to him at the Gryffindor table. Harry was already sitting, and was desperately trying to avoid Colin Creevy.

"Of course I do! I wouldn't use it if I didn't know what it means!"

"That's ridiculous, Ron, you use words you don't know every day." Hermione opened a book and ignored Ron's outburst of anger. By the time Harry had fully fended off Colin's rather friendly attacks, Dumbledore had stood and was smiling down at them all.

"Welcome everyone to a new year of learning at Hogwarts! I would like to remind you of a few rules this year, as well as add a few new ones. As you know, the Forbidden Forest is off limits, as usual. Madam Hooch will now supervise Quidditch practices, and all arrangements must go through her. Due to the present circumstances concerning Voldemort, Care of Magical Creatures will now be taught inside the castle by Professor Grubby-Plank. Speaking of, please welcome two new additions to the Hogwart's staff. Professor Grubby-Plank and Professor Natyl, who will be filling in for Professor Snape while he attends to some out-of-country business." His eyes darted to Harry ever so quickly, and then returned to face the students. "Now, enjoy the sorting and the feast. I do hope that you all will have a resourceful year, and I hope that the inter-house relationships will improve." He glanced towards the Gryffindor table and then the Slytherin table. He then clapped his hands once and sat down. Almost immediately afterwards, Professor McGonagall came out carrying the Sorting Hat. She gingerly set it down on a stool and pulled the familiar looking scroll from her robes.

"Aarber, Meaghan!" A petite blond girl jumped out from nearly the back of the line and hurried up to the stool. She put on the hat and after a moment's decision, the hat barked out 'Hufflepuff!'

McGonagall went down her list, making several new additions to Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. When she was finished, she returned the scroll to her robes and distinctly made eye-contact with Ron, as if to make sure he wouldn't forget to come to her office. She whispered something to Dumbledore, who nodded, and then swiftly made her way out of the hall.

"Guess I should get a move-on, then." Ron mumbled and thrust his hands into his pockets. He looked quite dejected, and Harry shrugged and grabbed for a roll. "Stupid McGonagall, not even letting me have any dinner. Bugger." He walked off, mumbling. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Malfoy and Zabini also get up. Zabini was talking animatedly and Malfoy appeared to be scowling, as usual. Harry shrugged and took a bite of his roll.

"Any SPEW badges this year, Hermione? How about H. ELF?"

"That's H.E.L.F., Harry." Hermione said, "One of my better ideas. But no, not this year, no one seemed to pick up on it last year."

"Surprise, surprise." Harry mumbled.

***

"So anyway, I said, 'Marcus, you can't expect to immediately be on the Quidditch team. Dad doesn't have enough money to pay off both of us, you know'. Then he got all shirty with me, saying--"

The only thing that stopped Blaise was the piece of parchment in his face. Shut up.

"Suit yourself. I personally found the story intriguing."

Stupid git, stop talking, and stop trying to feel me up, too, it's giving me bad karma.

They had arrived at McGonagall's office, and Draco looked in the window and found that Weasley was already inside.

"Guess it's my show then, wish me luck."

I hope you fall and break your neck. And your leg, and your arm…

Blaise had opened the door, and Draco could hear McGonagall inside,

"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Zabini, please wait outside while I have a quick word with Mr. Malfoy. I trust that you will keep your limbs to yourselves, this time?"

"Some of us," Blaise said, eyeing Ron suggestively. Ron shivered compulsively, but left the office and sat on a bench outside, as far away from Blaise as was possible. Draco went in and shut the door behind him.

McGonagall looked up from a piece of paper she was reading as he took a seat on the chair in front of her desk.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. I received word from your father this morning that you would be joining us with a er, impediment."

If that's what you would prefer to call it. I believe in my neck of the woods we call it a curse, but whatever floats your boat.

"Knowing not how long this will ah, last, your father suggested that we provide you with a certain leniency. Teachers will respect your, er, condition, and not ask you any questions during class. You will, however, be required to complete all homework assignments. Professor Dumbledore has spoken to all your professors, and if you wish, he will also speak to your year mates as well, if you wish."

Draco was shaking his head, no.

That's great, yes, let's have Dumbledore the Muggle-lover speak for me. It's bad enough that I can't respond to insults, but having Dumbledore tell everyone…that would be like putting a bird in a two-foot tall cage with a cat.

"All right, you may tell them yourself. Professor Dumbledore has also asked me to teach you a spell that will make it easier to communicate with your peers. It's called the Abiscus spell, and it puts thoughts into written words."

Like I can't write for myself. You have to rub in my handicap.

"I will demonstrate. Kamas Abiscus." She pointed in front of Draco and golden red words formed before his eyes. Concentrate on what you want to say, and whom you wish to say it to. "Kakanai." The words vanished. "Try it." Draco sighed and pointed his wand at McGonagall.

He opened his mouth and said Kamas Abiscus, though no one heard it but his wand, silver green words formed. I feel so dumb, dumb, dumb. Bugger, bugger, and bugger.

Blast, it worked, Draco thought, but those words, too, floated out of his wand, Bugger! Kakanai! Kakanai, I say! The word flow stopped, and Draco rubbed his forehead, irritated.

"Well, now that you've got that down, you may return to the feast, I'm sure it's still in progress. On your way out please send Mr. Zabini and Mr. Weasley in to receive their punishment."

Draco nodded and pushed open the door. He whistled to Blaise and jerked his thumb in the direction of the door. Both Blaise and Ron got up and walked in. Ron looked stark white, and Draco smirked to himself,

For once, the Weasel is getting punished when I'm not. Oh the pleasure of it all…

***

"Harry! Harry!" Ron came running up the stairs to the boy's dormitory with a half-eaten sandwich in his hand. Harry looked up from the Quidditch book he was reading and wrinkled his nose,

"What'd she give you? Two weeks?" Harry asked, his glasses falling off his nose. Ron looked at him like he had no idea what he was talking about, then realization dawned.

"Oh, no. One week, anyway, I was sitting--of course I was sitting--anyway, I was sitting on the bench outside McGonagall's office, you know--"

"Yeah,"

"And the door was ajar, and I could hear McGonagall talking to Malfoy, right, except he wasn't saying anything, and she was going on about Malfoy having problems communicating. Then she taught him a spell that would do something--I couldn't see inside, but anyway, I could hear, and Malfoy didn't say a thing. Not a bloody thing, anyway, Harry, I just realized, you know what I realized?"

"What did you realize?"

"That Malfoy didn't talk at all when the whole exchange with Zabini was going on, and he didn't come in and see us on the train as usual…I think something happened to him over the summer."

"Like what?" Harry asked, Ron had his full attention now, and he was following the taller red-head with his eyes.

"I--I don't think he can speak."

[End chapter 1]

***

A/N: Wow, I was going on pure adrenaline there. I was rebounding off of my STUPID math homework!!! Ugh. Anyway, I'm really happy that you guys liked the prelude, I hope that this chapter lives up to your expectations as well! Please review!! Reviews keep me going!! You should have the next installment sometime next week or this weekend. REVIEW PLEASEEEE!