Conflict of Self
Chapter4-Aftershock
The boy just stood there and stared. Draco nailed himself firmly to the bed and just smiled back.
Frozen in the moment he was unaware that a further Slytherin had entered the room. This time a
non-descript girl. She glared at Draco and, swiftly linking her arm with the boy's, strutted out of
the room.
Draco was too happy with the results to have noticed the momentary invasion of privacy from the
Slytherin girl. He had just been able to show emotion at the same time as eliciting a negative
reaction from someone in expression of annoyance. This was too good. Too good.
-Draco, that really was not the desired effect-
"Oh really, and what was then?- He retorted
-Showing emotion Draco. Positive emotion. If you want to show the world that you can be a
genuine person then it would be worth your while toning down the whole "I hate everyone" aura a
little. Remember, you wanted to stop living this lie-
"No one said anything about having to be nice to people" said Draco haughtily, "If I wanted to be
nice to people I'd walk over to the sorting hat, place the tatty old rag on my head and put myself
elsewhere. I am a Slytherin you know. People expect a certain standard of behaviour from me"
-Draco, that was what you were trying to shake off. Now could you please stop being so obstinate
and make a little room for change. This isn't going to work if you expect free reign to contradict
every idea ever put into your head by anyone. There are certain truths, which, quite frankly, if you
alienate yourself from, will be your downfall. Draco, you won't get your own way every time.
You've had your fun playing with the nerves of your classmates but if you want to improve…-
"Oh, look who's talking. You know you are starting to sound quite frightfully like father. 'Draco if
you want to succeed…' Yes, we've already established that. I want to come to the crossroads
and take the right path, I don't expect to spend the rest of my days slumming about in the dorms.
I want to make the right decisions when I come to them though. I don't want to live my life
starched rigid so that I can devote my time to calculate the exact moments and choices. I want to
show emotion yes, but can you try and help me make this road a little less steep? There's only so
much that I can take as regards leaps and I think I've about exhausted it today. Goodnight"
With that, Draco closed the curtains around his bed, fully aware that it was in fact about 1:30.
-Naïve child- the voice spoke from within him –You should keep your wits about you. You cannot
shut me out. I am here to help and help I will, whether you like it or not!-
The master had spoken. The servant obeyed, positioning himself upright against the backing
board of the bed. A quiet rumble of chatter could be heard from outside the confines of the bed.
No doubt Draco's classmates had been informed of the whole showing emotion saga by the two
non-descripts and had come to get a closer look. Disappointed and hearing Draco's voice, they
turned their attentions to who he could possibly be entertaining within the fortress structure of his
curtains.
"Listen to them" Draco spoke "Do you think that those…those ingrates deserve the ability to see
inside my head? It would be my downfall. I won't smile for an audience you know, I'm not a
portrait on a wall for all to gaze at and ask questions. If they want to gawk at some cheesy smile
then why don't they just scurry off and harass Saint Potter, I'm sure he'd enjoy it"
-Draco, you are giving a slightly one-sided account here, admit at least that. You enjoyed the
release Draco. The one thing that I can't dictate for you. The one thing which gives you the power
over this. You can control how you feel about what you portray. I didn't make you happy then
Draco. That wasn't some picture-show for the onlookers, that was you. Now you can walk away
from that, back to the cold dark Draco Malfoy, back to the shell of a man-
The voice paused, just a second for effect. To Draco this seemed like an eternity. Everything that
he had ever been taught, all the values he had ever been shown, all the rules and regulations he
had been subjected to, were crumbling, piece by piece in his mind. Each and every one making a
loud crash as it reached the floor.
-Draco, you make the decision-
A/N: Finally. That has to be the quickest update that I have ever done. I'm continuing to enjoy
reading the reviews so please keep them coming. Also, please take notice as I blatantly plug
everything else I've written : Look in my profile under "stories authored" Thanks to Citrus Scented
for taking notice of my other work, I really appreciate your analysis of "Acrostics"
Chapter4-Aftershock
The boy just stood there and stared. Draco nailed himself firmly to the bed and just smiled back.
Frozen in the moment he was unaware that a further Slytherin had entered the room. This time a
non-descript girl. She glared at Draco and, swiftly linking her arm with the boy's, strutted out of
the room.
Draco was too happy with the results to have noticed the momentary invasion of privacy from the
Slytherin girl. He had just been able to show emotion at the same time as eliciting a negative
reaction from someone in expression of annoyance. This was too good. Too good.
-Draco, that really was not the desired effect-
"Oh really, and what was then?- He retorted
-Showing emotion Draco. Positive emotion. If you want to show the world that you can be a
genuine person then it would be worth your while toning down the whole "I hate everyone" aura a
little. Remember, you wanted to stop living this lie-
"No one said anything about having to be nice to people" said Draco haughtily, "If I wanted to be
nice to people I'd walk over to the sorting hat, place the tatty old rag on my head and put myself
elsewhere. I am a Slytherin you know. People expect a certain standard of behaviour from me"
-Draco, that was what you were trying to shake off. Now could you please stop being so obstinate
and make a little room for change. This isn't going to work if you expect free reign to contradict
every idea ever put into your head by anyone. There are certain truths, which, quite frankly, if you
alienate yourself from, will be your downfall. Draco, you won't get your own way every time.
You've had your fun playing with the nerves of your classmates but if you want to improve…-
"Oh, look who's talking. You know you are starting to sound quite frightfully like father. 'Draco if
you want to succeed…' Yes, we've already established that. I want to come to the crossroads
and take the right path, I don't expect to spend the rest of my days slumming about in the dorms.
I want to make the right decisions when I come to them though. I don't want to live my life
starched rigid so that I can devote my time to calculate the exact moments and choices. I want to
show emotion yes, but can you try and help me make this road a little less steep? There's only so
much that I can take as regards leaps and I think I've about exhausted it today. Goodnight"
With that, Draco closed the curtains around his bed, fully aware that it was in fact about 1:30.
-Naïve child- the voice spoke from within him –You should keep your wits about you. You cannot
shut me out. I am here to help and help I will, whether you like it or not!-
The master had spoken. The servant obeyed, positioning himself upright against the backing
board of the bed. A quiet rumble of chatter could be heard from outside the confines of the bed.
No doubt Draco's classmates had been informed of the whole showing emotion saga by the two
non-descripts and had come to get a closer look. Disappointed and hearing Draco's voice, they
turned their attentions to who he could possibly be entertaining within the fortress structure of his
curtains.
"Listen to them" Draco spoke "Do you think that those…those ingrates deserve the ability to see
inside my head? It would be my downfall. I won't smile for an audience you know, I'm not a
portrait on a wall for all to gaze at and ask questions. If they want to gawk at some cheesy smile
then why don't they just scurry off and harass Saint Potter, I'm sure he'd enjoy it"
-Draco, you are giving a slightly one-sided account here, admit at least that. You enjoyed the
release Draco. The one thing that I can't dictate for you. The one thing which gives you the power
over this. You can control how you feel about what you portray. I didn't make you happy then
Draco. That wasn't some picture-show for the onlookers, that was you. Now you can walk away
from that, back to the cold dark Draco Malfoy, back to the shell of a man-
The voice paused, just a second for effect. To Draco this seemed like an eternity. Everything that
he had ever been taught, all the values he had ever been shown, all the rules and regulations he
had been subjected to, were crumbling, piece by piece in his mind. Each and every one making a
loud crash as it reached the floor.
-Draco, you make the decision-
A/N: Finally. That has to be the quickest update that I have ever done. I'm continuing to enjoy
reading the reviews so please keep them coming. Also, please take notice as I blatantly plug
everything else I've written : Look in my profile under "stories authored" Thanks to Citrus Scented
for taking notice of my other work, I really appreciate your analysis of "Acrostics"