" No glue, no bag of tricks…"
It was the day the students were due to go back to Hogwarts, and Draco sat by the Malfoy breakfast table. He couldn't help thinking something was terribly wrong with the picture as he arrived, and the feeling increased only moments after he had taken a seat.
His father was in an oddly cheerful mood and was overly friendly to him.
"Good morning son. Sleep well?" Lucious sat at the head of the table and was cutting away on a piece of bacon.
"Uh… yes, sir. I did." It was visible that the boy tensed dramatically at the elder mans question. Draco sat down and began buttering a toast. As he was munching away on the crisp bread he thanked any deity listening that he wasn't addicted to the cigarettes. Otherwise he'd been sitting in the kitchen with a cup of strong coffee and a pack of fags in front of him. Or then he'd been in one of the foulest moods possible in his craving for one. But he just ate his food and drank his juice.
"You seem awfully cheery this morning, dear," Narcissa said, beating Draco on the line
A smile graced the otherwise grim features of the patriarch. The rest of the family stayed behind the safety walls they had created after living under the same roof as Lucious for so many years.
"And why shouldn't I my darling wife," he replied lifting the newspaper. "It's a beautiful day, and I thought it would be a nice thing it we, as a family went together to the train station,"
The rest of the morning went on rather uneventfully. Busy and hectic, yes, but no major blowouts when it came to the members of the family.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Draco walked around the room he once considered his, but all he felt now was something similar to the feeling one has while leaving a hotel room. No sentimentality, no regret. No nothing. His face was cold and unfeeling as he looked out the French windows, and his insides were all blank. He knew in a way he was caught in that house for all eternity if his mother wouldn't turn his fathers mind around. But what were the chances for that?
He sighed and turned his back on a room he had considered home for so long. He had never really pondered too much on the meaning of growing old. But now he understood without even granting it a thought. His past, his childhood, was that room and the grand house which had gone in heritance in his family for centuries. It wasn't the grand, drafty halls of Hogwarts that was the transistorial phase. Hogwarts had been the oven in which he had hardened his formed clay, but somewhere before he was popped in there, someone or something had changed him.
He walked down the stairs.
The manor was no longer his home. His heart wasn't in it. He had set his mind on finding a new life on his own, on his own premises, his own means and on his own way. He didn't want his father to tell him exactly how his future was to be lived. He wanted to be his own.
He met his parents in the hallway, his belongings already loaded into the luxurious car. How he resented that vehicle. It was only a sign of decadence, and the snobbery of some inbred believes that some were better than others by birthright. He himself had believed it at one moment. People believed he still did, while the truth of it all was the opposite.
"You all set, son?" Lucious asked with a smile.
"Yeah. It's all packed Father," Draco responded in a way easily mistaken as him not wanting to leave for school. His father seemed to interpret it in that way, and took his son by the shoulders and tried to comfort him in the best way possible, while leading him inside the car.
"There, there Draco. It is only one semester left, and then you can do what ever you wish to. I've spoken with some of my acquaintances, and they have told me that whether you wish to enter the working career, higher education or just lounge around until you've decided about your future, it is just to ask and you'll have it," Lucious continued to talk while they sat in the car. Draco on the other hand only listened with a half an ear, keeping his features the same semi passive, worried, and pensive way.
While his father was talking about possible futures of a Malfoy in the wizarding world, the boy thought 'My god… his smile looks really weird. I know it is perfect in every way and so on. I mean. Straight, white teeth, doesn't get too wide, not too toothy, never shows the gums. But it looks strained. I wonder if my smile looks like that? My god, I wonder how I look in the eyes of anyone!? Am I just the slimy brat who's getting what ever he wishes?' he shook his head ever so slightly, not hearing his fathers conversation to him. He had obviously turned down to a proposition his father had offered him.
The older man narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Draco," the name made the younger one snap his head up in attention "Where you listening to a single word I was saying?" the voice was soft and friendly on the surface, but Draco could hear the razor blade cutting through the pillow he was tried to be lulled onto.
"No, I'm sorry father. My mind was on my graduation curriculum," he lied smoothly. Years had taught him the fine art of skilful lies. If he set his heart for it, even he could believe it. But now he knew he was lying, and his teacher of lies noticed the slip. His eyes remained narrowed as an eyebrow was raised in confirmation of his suspicion.
"I see…" the patriarch inspected the perfectly manicured nails, "And what is the reason for you to lie to me?" he looked at his son, eyebrow was still raised, but his eyes were now darker than what they were thirty seconds ago. He was beginning to get mad.
The boy remained silent as he looked out of the window, observing his fathers reflection in it.
"I see." The words were short and felt like a lash from a whip to his mind, yet he didn't wince. "The reason to why you won't participate in planning your future (here Draco thought 'Which you already have planned, thank you very much.'), you seem to prefer to dream about that nonsense set-up the ministry and Hogwarts has come up with," the boy had forgotten to observe his father and was too late in subduing his own reaction, and when his snapped to look at the old man, he realized he had blown every chance he had.
"There will be no such a thing." Lucious spat practically seething with rage. He knew he couldn't punish the boy amongst so many people, and so close to school start. "I'll make sure of it…" and with that, Lucious Malfoy, vanished from the car with a crack.
The two who remained in the car were left in silence. Narcissa who had been silent since the start of the trip waited a couple of seconds before breathing out.
"Well… That was rather interesting don't you think," Draco looked away and nodded slightly. He wasn't too happy over the mask she had slipped on as they had driven out through the gates. She was really a remarkably intelligent woman, but the mask restricted her capacities. To the rest of the society, Narcissa Malfoy, was probably the incarnation of the Mega Bimbo of ever one. She was very blond, her clothes were always of the latest fashion, be it magic or muggle, she was beautiful, but that beauty was sometimes ruined by a scrunched up nose, and the Über Bimbo stamp she had gotten some time ago. He hated to see how it held her back.
She sighed as she saw his resentment over her act, and put the mask away for a moment.
"Draco, I'm sorry," the simple words made him look at her. "I didn't mean to let things go there. I know I promised to help you with your father, but I couldn't. Not right yet," she looked outside and saw they were nearly there. Lucious had disaparated from the car somewhere mid way, and thanks to the magic cars, they had gotten away from various traffic jams and other whatnots, so the trip had been pleasantly short.
"I don't blame you mother," he said softly. "We both know what he is like." There was no need for any more words since they both had an unanimous understanding of the secret lives of the Malfoys. Instead they just held each others hands in a reassuring way. He held hers to tell her he forgave her for not interrupting this time, and he would forgive her for not succeeding. She held on to him to ensure him she would do anything in her power to make his father consent in Draco having a life of his own, outside of the manor.
The car stopped smoothly in front of Kings Cross station, and Draco soon found himself standing in front of the gate, looking at the vanishing rear lights of the car. He didn't need to stand there long before his first fellow Slytherins arrived, and he was only glad it wasn't a certain pug faced blond.
"Hey Draco!" came the rough voice, followed by the huge form of Gregory Goyle, who in turn was followed by his buddy Crabbe.
"Goyle," Draco greeted them with a nod, perfectly attuned to the public show everyone took for natural. "How are you?" The blond Slytherin could never stop to amaze over how that part of the silent duo had changed over the years. He no longer were the daft bully who only seemed to think of food and sleep.
"I'm alright. Ready for the last semester of school before we can get on to the freedom of the world?" The big man said with a lopsided grin, which could be attractive on others. On him it only looked slightly evil. Crabbe stayed out of the conversation, and resumed carrying the blonds luggage. "How about you then my man?"
Draco felt his features stiffen ever so slightly at the question, before putting on a superior smirk.
"Couldn't be better," the smile felt somewhat wrong on his face, like it was a forced grin. He noticed Goyle looking oddly at him, and hoped the brief slip of character had been unnoticed.
"Come on. Let's get on the train. Last chance to get the golden trio in to trouble." And with those words he walked off to the barrier of 9 ¾ , not seeing the slightly worried expression on the person who was closest to a friend he'd ever have. Neither of them needed to check on Crabbe, seeing he had walked on ahead of them. Sighing he too walked off towards the train.
