The sun had just begun to rise as he mounted the Nimbus 2001. The morning chill went directly to his bones and made his teeth chatter. Shorts and a tee-shirt were not what a regular wizard would wear, especially this early, and he suspected he would grab attention if he hadn't got out of there quick. The wound on his arm was also hurting worse then the first time and was gushing blood every few minutes, regardless of the hotel towels he had tied around it.

None of that worried him as much as leaving her. He hadn't wanted to leave Hermione for anything. She was gorgeous with her long bushy hair hanging wildly about her slim body. He could still taste her on his lips. Just the thought of her got him excited and he wanted to run back up to the hotel, knock out the ridiculous Weasley boy and make love to her slowly and with all the time in the world.

A twig snapped somewhere near Draco. He turned his head quickly around and it was only a grounds keeper, though he was looking at the blond haired man with question in his eyes. Draco only waved and did a small push- off from the ground, hovered for a second then rose high into the air, to the back of Holly Horris's. He did a couple loop-dee-loops, being the show- off he always was, then headed back to Malfoy Manor.

The ride was extremely cold as he neared his house. He had to ride high so no Muggle could spot him when he came over London. On top of the clouds, all the London lights looked like tiny stars glistening below him instead of above. The view was nice but the gusts of air were so cold, his fingers felt glued to the broomstick. It didn't seem so long to get to Holly Horris's before. The only thing that was making him bear the long cold ride was the heat he could remember of Hermione's body next to his. He could've stared at the sweat glistening across her perfect chest for centuries and listened to her heart beat, with its soft thumps, for even longer then life would allow him.

When Draco had made love to her he didn't think of his mother, Pansy or even his father. He forgot he was even a Malfoy. All he could think about was how he wanted to hold her and never leave her.

That Weasley though, he couldn't bear the thought of her leaving him to crawl back in bed with that idiot red head. He didn't even have enough money to get a promise ring, let alone take care of a woman. Yet, now, neither did Draco. He had always teased Ron about being poor and now he was in the same shoes with him, though he hated to think of it that way. Lucius was always especially disgusted by the Weasley family for not just their lack of money but of their keen interest in Muggles. Being young and impressionable, Draco hadn't taken one thought to even trying to like any of the Weasley's. Ron was always getting in the way anyhow, especially now.

Looking at the situation, nearly everything seemed to be in the way. It almost seemed impossible but to Draco it made him even more excited about taking the challenge. He could be beat down to completely nothing, but knowing that Hermione was still in love him made him get back up and keep trying.

Malfoy Manor rose through the clouds. Draco's thoughts drained out of his head when he hovered closer to his window that was emitting light into the dark night. Being with Hermione had almost made all of the terrible things that happened to him be forgotten. It couldn't be forgotten now. He was happier flying in the dead cold of night then being near this place.

One of the doors to the young Malfoy's room was swinging open and making quite a racket. It seemed like a foreboding doom was waiting for him. The emerald green curtains brushed against his face as he landed on the outstretched balcony. Draco expected hands to reach out from the fluttering fabric and grab him but they only continued their soft flapping melody into the wind.

He brushed the curtains aside and closed to the balcony door silently. Everything seemed the same as he had left it, save for the small burning candle on his night stand. The trunk that had all of his Hogwarts memories in it was still open, with the contents messily scattered on the floor. His bed was still unmade and the pillows wrinkled. It might have calmed him, but as a Malfoy he was used to having servants clean his room nearly every time he left it. When he was young he would completely wreck his room just to come back in fifteen minutes and everything is tidy without a hint of someone being there. The room being messy had meant his mother forbid the house elves in his room. Her doing that meant she had something planned for him.

As if his mind was connected with hers, a gentle rap tapped on his bedroom door.

"No company tonight, thanks," he called across the room, sounding as polite as he could muster. He wanted her to go away.

"Don't be an old fool, Draco," his mother cooed. "Let your mother in like a gentleman. I have much news for you, my son."

"Your news can never be good, woman. Now, leave me be."

The lock clicked loudly and Narcissa strolled in, wearing a gown of pure silver silk that nearly hung off of her bony body. Her hair was up tight to her skull with a silver dragon clasp with blood red rubies for eyes. Not one hair was out of place.

"Sit down," she commanded, pointing to the bed with a long skinny finger. He humored her and walked slowly to the bed, resting his shoulder on one of the bed posts.

"I said sit!" she snapped, her nostrils flaring. She was losing her temper so early in their meeting. His runaway scheme had definitely flustered her feathers and inside Draco smiled. He also sat down.

"I'm not asking you what happened. I received an owl not only thirty minutes ago from Holly Horris herself. One of her early morning bellhops seemed to have run into your little." she sneered, looking for a decent way to put it, ".romantic rendezvous with the Muggle girl. He was quite confused because he believed the Malfoy's had checked out already and aside from that, young Master Malfoy had slapped that particular Muggle on the date we happened to check out." She stopped and smiled as if something had pleased her. "But what's so funny, my only son, is the same staff member seen her kissing that Weasley child the same day you must have left to see her. Now," she began to laugh uncontrollably, "if I'm not mistaken you've went back on everything you've ever known for this one unattractive, drab girl only to have her give herself to two men, one being your most hated enemy, in the same night." Narcissa's howls of laughter reverberated off the chilled walls and seemed to make it even colder.

Draco muttered something under his breath and she stopped in mid cackle. "Be a man and speak loudly or don't speak at all!"

"My worst enemy is you and no other," he said, looking at her with contempt.

Narcissa only giggled again and pressed herself against her son's chest. "Oh, my handsome boy, you have no idea who your enemies are. Your thoughts have never been your own. You are only a recreation of Lucius gone terribly wrong. He tried so hard to make you into a perfect model of him, though he insisted the reason you had gone so bad is being of my rotten blood inside of you. Lucius knew from the day you were born you would be a complete failure to him but for some reason insisted on trying anyway. Oh, how I wish he was here now to see how dreadful he did but as I said before, there's always the weak one in every bloodline."

He pushed her away and stood up, knocking his wounded forearm against the bedpost. He cried out and clutched it. He had totally forgotten about it; the cold had nearly numbed it on the ride back.

"Ah, your love wound, I thought it would be nearly healed." but Narcissa trailed off, staring at the wound that return for the third time and was dripping quickly onto the floor. "Draco--you didn't.you couldn't have done such a thing." She stopped and swallowed, collecting her thoughts. "I should've figured as much. The first born child of Malfoy blood is the one chosen to succeed his father. Giving your blood to her may allow her in the house, but she will never be welcome! You are a complete fool! EVEN IF SHE WERE A PUREBLOOD I WOULD NEVER ALLOW THAT WHORE HERE!"

Draco's fear mixed with rage exploded inside of him. "I AM the first born son! I WILL succeed my father! You can do whatever you like to me but I know who I am and I know what you've become. Hermione will be my wife and I will rid myself of Parkinson and this place will be mine. It's only a matter of time, Narcissa.I think you can feel that as plainly as I can."

Her skeletal frame was shaking with madness. Narcissa closed her eyes and perched her lips together to form and tight white line on her wrinkleless face. "You think this house, let alone I, would allow her to step one foot in here. SHE'S A MUDBLOOD! The house would swallow her alive and cause her to go insane, if I don't do it first. Even if your blood courses through her dirty veins, it doesn't cover up her Muggle heritage."

The candle that had been lit for Draco's homecoming was beginning to flicker at the end of its wick. The orange flames licked at the table now, trying to find something to bring its fire back to life. The light dimmed across Narcissa's face, where Draco couldn't see the look of recognition in her eyes.

"Sit down, Draco," she ushered him to the bed again. "Oh look at you, in that tee shirt and shorts. You almost look like a Muggle if you didn't have your father's distinctive white hair. You know, I should give you some credit. You probably didn't even have to think it out did you? So very smart, is my only son. You know when I met Lucius at Hogwarts he was the same as you, a little rebellious but, oh, how handsome and cocky he was. I had to have him, not only him but his name.to cover up what I am." Narcissa paused to make sure Draco was listening. "I told him I was a pureblood though I knew, my mother was a Muggle. At the time I thought he believed me but he didn't. He just wanted to use me, like he did so many other girls there.

"It was our 7th year, and I seduced him with a potion. That night we created the biggest mistake of our lives-you! He threatened to kill me but I knew he didn't have the guts to destroy two lives, one of which was half his. I threatened to expose his child to everyone as a half-breed if he didn't agree to marry me. From then on, our hate blossomed for each other. The rest, Draco, is now history since he is dead and the half-blooded wife still remains."

Draco, who had been tired from the ride before, was now exhausted and beat from her story. So he wasn't even a pureblood to begin with? Narcissa not only looked proud of herself but she looked at him as if he owed her something.

She stood up and brushed the wrinkles from her gown. Draco mechanically crawled into bed and pressed his face into the pillows, forcing out the urge to scream.

"Sleep now, young boy, and soon I will wake you with a surprise," she said before she closed the door. Draco hadn't been listening as he had feel asleep well before she had even locked the door again.

**

Sorry this one isn't as long as the others but I told you it's going to get better and it will! ^.^ Thanks for all the reviews!! If my all time consuming new game .hack//Infection gives me time to write, I should have the next chapter done Monday (it's Sat.). R&R pleeease!