Chapter Nine: Finally a Friend

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Oh well…

Hi again. This is probably going to be the last chapter. I don't know… I might write something more, but I haven't decided yet. Most likely I won't…maybe I will…who knows…

Anyway, enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Laughing…his father was laughing as he handed Draco his first broom. Draco could hardly contain his excitement as the toy floated at waist level, hovering in front of him. Draco giggled and got on, hovering about for a while. Then something happened, and he was on the ground, crying over a scraped knee.

"Don't cry, Draco." Lucius Malfoy said, picking up Draco, and setting him on his feet. "It will heal."

"But it hurts, daddy…" Draco said, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I know…" Lucius murmured, setting the broom in front of Draco, one arm held close to his body. "It always does, son…"

Something in his father's voice made Draco stop and look at him. Lucius smiled at Draco, the expression something that would be foreign to him in his later years. "Are you okay?"

Lucius patted Draco on the head. "I'm fine, Draco." The tiny young blond hugged Lucius' upper arm, small hands lifting up the robe sleeve when he winced.

Draco stared at the mark on Lucius' forearm. "Daddy, what's that?"

Lucius gently pushed Draco's hands away, turning the boy to the toy broom. "It's nothing. Let's try to fly again, shall we?"

But Draco looked up at his father with confusion in his eyes. "It's scary."

"We'll go in the grass, all right? Flying isn't scary; it's fun."

Draco shook his head from side to side. "No…the picture…it's scary…"

Lucius looked at his son for a moment, a strange expression on his face. "Yes…it is." Lucius pulled down his sleeve, picking up the broom and Draco in one arm. "Let's go see your mother. We'll try flying again tomorrow."

Draco leaning against Lucius' shoulder, hands grabbing at his robe collar and back. "Do I have to fly, daddy?" He asked in a small voice. "It takes me away, and then I can't see you anymore…"

Lucius held his son close, starting through the grass field that was behind the Manor. "Someday, Draco, you'll have the picture on your forearm."

"Why?"

"Because you are my son." Lucius said. "And when you get that mark, all you'll have is flying. And the flying will take you away, especially where you can't see me."

"But I don't want to go away." Draco said, his light voice raising. "I want to stay here with you!"

Lucius hugged Draco tightly for a moment, stepping onto the gravel path. "You'll forget you ever said that, son."

"No, I won't…" Draco said softly. "I promise."  Lucius didn't reply, but only hugged him tighter. **

"Promise…" Draco muttered, hands fisting in sheets and pillows. "Dad…"

"Draco?"

Draco rolled over, eyes opening slowly. He had forgotten about that…why was he remembering now? That was one of the last times that Lucius Malfoy and his son had ever behaved like normal family relations. That was right before times got dark, and the Mark was being redistributed. That was before Lucius Malfoy…had died.

"How are you feeling?"

Draco's glance shifted upwards, capturing a familiar lavender gaze. His more recent memory flooded back, and Draco sat up quickly. Gemini braced him as he gasped, breath leaving him. He looked down at himself, seeing the bandages, and around the room, recognizing the hospital wing. "What—but I thought we were—" He stopped and started again. "What happened?"

Gemini smiled at him, but it didn't quite meet her eyes. "The usual. Your spell weakened Voldemort…there was so much blood… and then Harry faced him again."

Draco kissed her lightly, feeling slightly light-headed. "About that…I thought he was dead…"

"Apparently not." Gemini said. "Dumbledore came by…explained it by saying that he will never truly be dead, as long as those bound to him were willing to have him be alive…"

Draco sighed. "Blood bonds."

Gemini nodded. "But Harry killed him…again…" She indicated a nearby bed, where a sleeping Hermione and Ron were keeping a vigil. "I expect he'll have to keep doing so."

Draco nudged off the covers, bare feet curling away from the cold floor. Gemini frowned, but helped him to stand. Together, he hobbled over to Harry's bedside, Draco silently cursing Voldemort's sadistic tendencies that ended in tiny cuts on the soles of his feet. Gemini braced Draco as they stood over Harry.

The Boy Who Lived (yet another time) was awake. Emerald eyes were bloodshot, standing out in a pasty grey face. He had no outward gashes or wounds, but it seemed as if part of his soul had been leeched from him. The effect was unnerving and slightly sickening. And Draco told him so.

"Be nice…" Gemini warned in his ear.

"Sorry…" Draco murmured, as Harry wearily flipped him the bird. "I couldn't resist." He paused for a moment, staring at Harry as the Gryffindor was staring at him. "Thanks." He said simply.

"She made me do it." Harry said with a half smile, indicating Gemini. They chuckled, coughing weakly.

"You two are quite the sight…" Gemini said, shaking her head. "Back to bed for you." And she and Draco hobbled off once more.

~*~*~*~

The time passed as fast as a drugged snail, and the lagging time was spent healing and quietly recovering. Draco held onto his Gemini, and held onto what he was slowly realizing truly mattered in his life. He would never be anything other than a vain, high-minded person, but that didn't mean that he couldn't adopt some more lovable qualities either.

Sitting on the train, silently listening to Gemini and Harry chatter to Hermione and Ron, Draco stared at his reflection in the window. It was like he didn't know himself anymore. He was associating with Gryffindors, for God's sake…sitting with them, loving one of them… What did it bring him? Isolation from his house…abandonment from his Quidditch team…infinite happiness with the girl in his arms. So much lost…so much gained.

"Something off the trolley, dears?"

Draco watched for a moment as Harry and Ron began to dig in their pockets for loose coin. He stood wobbly, heading to the door. "I got it." He stepped outside.

"Got you, Malfoy." A deep voice growled. Draco was grasped by the front of his robes, the face of a very pissed Blaise Zabini in his direct sight.

"Effin let go of me!" Draco demanded, punching Blaise in the stomach. He was released, and Blaise staggered backwards. Crabbe and Goyle melted out of the darkness to one side. Things were going good…but now… Blaise pulled out his wand, a livid look on his face. Crabbe and Goyle did the same, mimicking the movement. "Wandless, Draco?" Blaise said nastily. "How unfortunate…"

Draco took a half step backwards, reaching for his wand in his back pocket. Blaise shook his weapon at him, causing him to pause.

"Not a move, Malfoy…" Blaise said lowly. "You've betrayed us for the final time, you son of a—"

"Expelladarmis!" Chorused Hermione, Harry and Ron.

Wands went flying, and the three Slytherins fell in a giant heap in the hall. Ron went over to the door, tossed out the wands, and gave Blaise a good kick before shutting the door. Hermione said a spell over lock, and it glowed faintly.

"Done and done!" Ron said, putting his wand back in his pocket. He looked at Draco. "You all right, there?"

Draco had a peculiar look on his face. "You actually jumped to my defence. Again." He glanced at Harry and Hermione. "All three of you."

Ron shrugged, a small smile on his face. "Don't worry; it won't happen again."

Draco smiled, sitting back into the train seat. He wound his arms around Gemini, an amused look on his face. "I'm sure."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know it's short, but I wanted to give you something that let you know I'm alive.

Cheers!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~