Daphne: The first real chapter of this story! I hope that you are enjoying
it, and I hope that you send in reviews to tell me what you think of it!
I'd really appreciate it! A lot of people tell me that this story and 'The
Phoenix's Prophecy' overlap. Well, that is because the stories are all
linked together. Even 'The Chosen Ones' will overlap with the last two,
because it comes right out of these two stories!
Anyway, on with this chapter!
~*~*~*~
To Be A Malfoy
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 1.
~*~*~*~
"Malfoy. When you're done with that report, you're free to go."
I looked up to see my boss, Stephen McKay, looming over my desk. I merely nodded to him, and continued to read the progression report, which I had been putting off for the past two days. When I was through, I gave a sigh of relief and packed up my briefcase. Then I hurried to the apparation room and apparated home to my two-room condo.
I had been living in New York for two months now, and I was only just starting to get used to it. It had not been hard to find a job at the American Ministry of Magic (or AMM as we call it), and I soon found myself working in the finance department under Stephen. Though he acted strict, he was actually a nice guy who had helped me find a half-way decent place to live. Sure, it wasn't Malfoy Manor, but it was good enough for a guy who was trying to re-build his life.
It was a condo building rented out specifically to wizards and witches, which made it easier for me to become accustomed with fact that it was in an all-muggle neighborhood. It was a second-floor condo, next door to an old wizarding couple who were really quite friendly. The catch was, my apartments came with a pregnant cat who had been abandoned by her previous owners. So now, I was stuck with a cat (I named her Nora, after Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris), which would soon become four cats.
Looking around my flat idly, I noticed that I wasn't feeling very hungry yet, even though it had reached seven. Seeing that the cat had taken refuge in my chair, and didn't look like she was going to abandon it anytime soon, I decided to take a walk on the nearby beach before settling down for the night.
Having lived here for two months, I had realized that living near the coast did have it's advantages. The sun-ups were spectacular, and the sun-sets were even better to watch, when reflected on the water of the Atlantic ocean. I rarely saw anyone else on the beach at this time of night, so it was quickly becoming one of my haunts. Unfortunately, that was not the case tonight.
As I watched the sun set across the beach, I marveled at the pinks, blues, and purples that were splattered across the sky. I wondered how I had ever missed seeing this as a boy growing up.....but then again, maybe it was better that I hadn't. I might not have appreciated it as much.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
A soft voice spoke behind me, causing me to turn. Behind me stood a young woman, no older than myself. She had long brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and bright blue eyes that reflected the light of the sunset. She was slim, and quite a bit shorter than my six-foot-three height.
"Yeah." I managed, allowing my eyes to search her face. Her face was heart- shaped, and a pale ivory color, though her cheeks seemed to hold a natural flush in them. Her nose was a button, compared to the rest of her face, though her big eyes seemed to make up for that. Her gaze was trained at the sky, but I could tell that she knew I was still watching her.
"I love watching the sun rise and set. It seems so mystical compared to the rest of the day." She continued in that soft voice. I allowed my eyes to narrow as I processed what she had said. For a muggle, she seemed pretty smart...either that, or overly imaginative...
"You're a wizard, aren't you?" She asked, her attention snapping back to me. Her blue eyes bored into mine, as waves of shock and slight alarm filled me.
"Wh...what? Why do you think that?" I stammered, taking a step back from her. Her eyes twinkled at me.
"Because muggles don't usually carry sticks in their pockets." She murmured, pointing to my front left pocket. I felt my cheeks flush and glared at her.
"Are you a witch?" I asked. She smiled and shook her head.
"No. My cousin is, though. She's told me all about the wizarding world, and told me what to watch for." She looked pointedly at my wand, and then stuck out her hand.
"I'm Kaitlynn Ross."
I stared at her hand in slight discomfort, then remembered that 1) I was no longer under my father's orders, and 2) it was polite to respond when talking to a lady, whether she was muggle or not.
"Draco Malfoy." I muttered, shaking her hand shortly. I couldn't help but notice how soft and warm her small hand seemed in mine. She beamed up at me.
"It is nice to meet someone who enjoys nature as much as I do." She commented, turning her attention back to the sky. I froze for a moment, thinking this one over. I had never actually thought of myself as a nature- lover, but now that she mentioned it...
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Draco Malfoy. But I've got to go. See you around!" With this, she spun away, walking swiftly up another sandy path towards some beach-side cottages. I stared after her for a moment, then began to walk back towards my house. My mind was left spinning from this strange encounter, and I didn't even realize that I had reached home, until I nearly hit my head on the front door.
"Muggles." I muttered as a final thought, before I went inside and locked the door behind me.
~*~*~*~
Over the next few days, I found my mind continuously wandering back to that girl I had met on the beach. I had tried to fight it, mostly because she was a muggle, and I was a respectable, pure-blooded wizard with morals. But my mind refused to take that as a logical reason, and tortured me by bringing her face back to my memory.
Even my co-workers seemed to notice that I was more distracted than usual. More often than not, I came out of my reverie to find Stephen McKay grinning knowingly at me. Though he was only two years older than me (and my boss), he seemed to be the most logical person to talk with on the subject.
He too, was a pure-blood from a rather...assertive family, and had married a muggle-born woman they believed to be 'below' their class. Being from the family that he was, he knew exactly who I was, and what sort of family I had come from. But also being an open type of person, he had given me the benefit of the doubt, and I had learned to trust him above anyone I had ever met before, save maybe for Potter (though I would never admit it).
So in a way, he became more like a friend to me, then a boss. And since things like this usually go both ways, I became more of a friend than an employee to him.
I suppose it was for this reason that a week later, he waited until our lunch-break to corner me. I was sitting at a corner table in the eating courts, when he came and sat down across from me.
"So...what's on your mind, Malfoy?"
I looked up, surprised that he even dared to ask. Then I shot him a frown that in the past, had made others cower. But not him, unfortunately. He just grinned.
"You stare into space like a lovesick fool, you rarely eat, your eyes get glazed, you..."
"Enough! I get the point." I moaned, smacking my forehead with my hand. He chuckled.
"Is it a girl?"
"Maybe." I grunted.
"Who is it?" He questioned, smirking. I glared at him.
"I don't know. I met her on the beach last week. I only talked to her for a few minutes...no, actually, *she* talked, I just stood there like a star- dazed fool." I muttered. He laughed outright, now.
"That's just like you, Drake. Honestly. You need to learn how to talk with women."
"She was a muggle."
This got him to stop laughing. His brown eyes became serious and he ran a hand through his dark brown hair. I could almost see the wheels turning in his head, as he thought over what I had just admitted.
"You're not your father, Draco." He finally said. I sighed.
"I know. But in a way...I am the essence of him. I've hated muggles and muggle-borns all my life. I was taught to hate them. Then this girl comes along and it's almost like she's unconsciously trying to tear apart everything I've known since I was small." I ranted. He smiled.
"When I met Rachael, it was like that. She tore down all my barriers and look what's happened. I'm married to her. I love her more than anything. She showed me that my family wasn't always right." Stephen murmured. I shrugged.
"That's you, McKay. I'm a *Malfoy*. I am known as the ultimate evil, next to Voldemort. I am a muggle murderer." I stated. His face darkened.
"Have you ever murdered anyone?"
"No."
"Were you a Death Eater? Did you follow Voldemort?"
"I followed his ideals..."
"That doesn't count, Malfoy! You are not your father! You are not Voldemort's lackey! You may have been cruel, brainwashed, and horrible, but you can change that. You are your own man, now. You make your own decisions, you make your own life." Stephen finished, folding his arms. I felt stunned for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Therefore, you should feel no guilt or hate when you talk to this girl. You are a new man. Give it a chance."
I thought this over for a moment, and then smiled slightly.
"How do you know I will ever see her again?" I asked teasingly. He grinned.
"Trust me, Malfoy. You will."
~*~*~*~
You know, if I didn't know better, I would have thought that Stephen McKay was psychic. Of course, then I would have to add that he is also a huge git. Why?
Because the day after we had our little 'chat', I saw Kaitlynn Ross again.
I was sitting at my desk going over the itinerary for a meeting we were having later in the afternoon, when I heard two female voices coming towards our office. I looked up to see Stephen's face glowing as he looked expectantly at the door. There was a knock, then:
"Steve, honey? Can we come in?"
Stephen grinned and stood up.
"Sure!"
The door swung open to reveal two women. A black-haired one that I had only seen in the pictures on Stephen's desk, and the other that I had seen not so long ago...
"Why, Draco Malfoy! What a pleasant surprise!" Kaitlynn chirped, her blue eyes lighting up. Her hair was pulled back into a braid today, making her look even younger than she was. I stood up, unsure of what else to do. I noticed that Stephen was greeting the other woman in a whole different way, and tried not to smirk. Kaitlynn seemed to notice as well, because she grinned and rolled her eyes.
"Honestly you two. Get a room!" She teased, as the two guilty people came up for air. They shot her mean looks, but stopped their activity.
"We just finished with a little shopping and Rachael insisted that we come to visit. She had to put a spell on me so I could see the building, but I managed! Rachael's the cousin I was telling you about, by the way." Kaitlynn explained to me, who was really the only person listening. I smiled, but it dropped when I saw the strange look that Rachael was shooting me.
"Malfoy? As in, Draco Malfoy?" She asked. I immediately knew that she had heard of my reputation, and felt my heart sink. Would I never be free of that?
"Yes. Honey, this is Draco Malfoy, my friend and coworker." Stephen obviously noticed the danger signs as well. Her face softened and I realized that she was also giving me the benefit of the doubt.
"Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Malfoy. So you're the one Kate's been talking so much about." As Rachael said this, I shot Kaitlynn a startled look. I noticed that her cheeks turned slightly red.
"We've met, yes." I said shortly, not wanting to embarrass the girl any more than necessary. I admit, I was relieved to find out that I wasn't the only one obsessing about that meeting on the beach!
"Darling, Kate and I were thinking about having a picnic on the beach tonight. Why don't you bring Mr. Malfoy along?" Rachael suggested. A wave of shock and slight pleasure wafted over me, when I heard this suggestion. Kaitlynn was nodding eagerly, and Stephen shot me a 'look'. I shrugged and then nodded, and he smiled.
"Sounds great. We'll meet you at the beach at say...seven?" He prompted, looking at me. I nodded again, still unable to say anything.
"Ok. Well, I guess we'll see you then. Love you!" Rachael murmured, leaning over to kiss Stephen again. I rolled my eyes and realized that Kaitlynn had done the same thing. We smiled at each other, and then Rachael dragged her from the room, leaving me wondering what had just happened. I didn't even noticed that Stephen had sat back down, until I heard a chuckle.
"So...you're sweet on my cousin-in-law. Who would've thought?" He asked teasingly. I turned to glare at him.
"I'm not sweet on her." I retorted, sitting back down and hunching over my work. He mumbled something that I almost swear sounded like:
"Maybe not yet..."
~*~*~*~
"You're here! Finally!" Rachael crowed, throwing herself into Stephen's arms. I chuckled as he nearly fell over onto the soft white sand, but managed to keep his balance, somehow. Kaitlynn was already seated, placing things out on the checkered picnic blanket. I decided that since Stephen was busy, I would be a gentleman and help her.
"I'm glad you came. Usually when we have these things, I feel like such a third wheel. But now, at least, I have someone to talk to." She stated, as she handed me the napkins to arrange. I decided then, to begin being the 'new' Draco Malfoy right here and now. So instead of staying silent and mauling over things, I simply grinned.
"Yeah. We can be third wheels together." I muttered to her, as the lovebirds came to sit down. She giggled and finished setting out the food. The couple across from us helped themselves and began to eat without further adieu. Kaitlynn and I shared another 'look'.
"Well, thanks for all the appreciation, guys." She called in an overly loud voice. The two in question turned to grin guiltily at us, before continuing. Kaitlynn sighed and set about getting her own food.
"Help yourself. We made extra, just for you." She murmured, handing me a plate. I smiled and did as she told.
"You know, where I come from, we'd be having fried chicken, pickles, olives, and salad items right now, instead of sandwiches and chips." I informed her. She looked at me in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yes. And we'd be eating at a picnic table. I'm afraid to say my mother was a bit of a spoil-sport when it came to such things. She refused to eat anything but the best, and hated to eat on the ground." I informed her. I wondered why I was telling her such things, but to my surprise, I didn't really mind.
"What else did you do?" She asked, looking genuinely curious.
"Well, we never left the grounds of our home. My father didn't..." I stopped here, my face darkening. She must have noticed, because she set her plate down and stared at me.
"What was your family like?" She asked. I looked at my food and shook my head.
"I'd rather not talk about it right now."
"Later?" She asked insistently, sending me puppy-dog eyes. I felt my resolve melt.
"Maybe." This caused her face to light up again, and she continued eating her meal. After we were all through, Stephen and Rachael decided to take a walk up the beach a little ways. Kaitlynn managed to get me to agree to take a walk down the other way, so as not to run into them.
The sun had long since set, and a full moon was rising over the water, sending beams of watery white light across the beach. We walked in silence for a while, until she spoke.
"Rachael told me about the Malfoy's, once. But you don't seem anything like what she told me." She mussed. I winced, feeling like a criminal.
"I used to be. But I'm trying to break out of that, now." I muttered, not even sure if she had heard me. It seems she had.
"What was your family like?" She questioned softly. My steps slowed a bit, and I found my gaze trained on the white sand beneath my feet.
"They were horrible...at least, my parents were. My father was a Death-eater, my mother was a strong follower of Voldemort. My sister, however, wanted nothing to do with that and turned to the light side. I, on the other hand, was stuck under my father's thumb."
She was silent for a while.
"Is that why you went neutral in the war? Why you didn't choose either side?" She asked, pushing her braid over her shoulder. I felt my body freeze. I had expected her to hate me, to run away, to scream, when I told her my story. But not this. I had never expected her to accept it and treat me as though I was a normal person. The reality of what was happening struck me and I felt my heart lighten.
"I suppose. I didn't want to follow Voldemort. I didn't want to live under my father for the rest of my life. But I also wasn't good enough to be on the light side...at least, not yet." I admitted. She sighed lightly.
"From what I've seen, you're not a bad person. Just misunderstood, both by others and by yourself." She murmured. My heart stopped as she said this, and I thought it over quickly.
"Maybe so..." I relented.
"But I also know something. You can't stay on the fence forever, Draco Malfoy. You'll have to choose." She stated. I frowned in confusion.
"What?"
"You will have to choose a side someday. You can't just stay neutral, it's impossible. You'll have to make a decision, and soon." She informed me. It was then that I realized she was right. I couldn't just run away from being a Malfoy, nor could I allow the Malfoy name to stay in the evil place it was now. I would have to choose. And by going neutral, I had already made my decision, though I had not known it at the time.
My heart lightened once more, and it felt as though the entire earth had been lifted from my shoulders. I had a new life, a new future, and a new destiny. I was a new man.
"You're right. I can't." I allowed myself to chuckle here, and a smile broke out on her face, the moonlight shining in her eyes.
"You are an amazing person, Draco Malfoy. I hope you know that." She stated, making me laugh.
"So are you, Kaitlynn Ross. So are you."
~*~*~*~
Anyway, on with this chapter!
~*~*~*~
To Be A Malfoy
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 1.
~*~*~*~
"Malfoy. When you're done with that report, you're free to go."
I looked up to see my boss, Stephen McKay, looming over my desk. I merely nodded to him, and continued to read the progression report, which I had been putting off for the past two days. When I was through, I gave a sigh of relief and packed up my briefcase. Then I hurried to the apparation room and apparated home to my two-room condo.
I had been living in New York for two months now, and I was only just starting to get used to it. It had not been hard to find a job at the American Ministry of Magic (or AMM as we call it), and I soon found myself working in the finance department under Stephen. Though he acted strict, he was actually a nice guy who had helped me find a half-way decent place to live. Sure, it wasn't Malfoy Manor, but it was good enough for a guy who was trying to re-build his life.
It was a condo building rented out specifically to wizards and witches, which made it easier for me to become accustomed with fact that it was in an all-muggle neighborhood. It was a second-floor condo, next door to an old wizarding couple who were really quite friendly. The catch was, my apartments came with a pregnant cat who had been abandoned by her previous owners. So now, I was stuck with a cat (I named her Nora, after Filch's cat, Mrs. Norris), which would soon become four cats.
Looking around my flat idly, I noticed that I wasn't feeling very hungry yet, even though it had reached seven. Seeing that the cat had taken refuge in my chair, and didn't look like she was going to abandon it anytime soon, I decided to take a walk on the nearby beach before settling down for the night.
Having lived here for two months, I had realized that living near the coast did have it's advantages. The sun-ups were spectacular, and the sun-sets were even better to watch, when reflected on the water of the Atlantic ocean. I rarely saw anyone else on the beach at this time of night, so it was quickly becoming one of my haunts. Unfortunately, that was not the case tonight.
As I watched the sun set across the beach, I marveled at the pinks, blues, and purples that were splattered across the sky. I wondered how I had ever missed seeing this as a boy growing up.....but then again, maybe it was better that I hadn't. I might not have appreciated it as much.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
A soft voice spoke behind me, causing me to turn. Behind me stood a young woman, no older than myself. She had long brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and bright blue eyes that reflected the light of the sunset. She was slim, and quite a bit shorter than my six-foot-three height.
"Yeah." I managed, allowing my eyes to search her face. Her face was heart- shaped, and a pale ivory color, though her cheeks seemed to hold a natural flush in them. Her nose was a button, compared to the rest of her face, though her big eyes seemed to make up for that. Her gaze was trained at the sky, but I could tell that she knew I was still watching her.
"I love watching the sun rise and set. It seems so mystical compared to the rest of the day." She continued in that soft voice. I allowed my eyes to narrow as I processed what she had said. For a muggle, she seemed pretty smart...either that, or overly imaginative...
"You're a wizard, aren't you?" She asked, her attention snapping back to me. Her blue eyes bored into mine, as waves of shock and slight alarm filled me.
"Wh...what? Why do you think that?" I stammered, taking a step back from her. Her eyes twinkled at me.
"Because muggles don't usually carry sticks in their pockets." She murmured, pointing to my front left pocket. I felt my cheeks flush and glared at her.
"Are you a witch?" I asked. She smiled and shook her head.
"No. My cousin is, though. She's told me all about the wizarding world, and told me what to watch for." She looked pointedly at my wand, and then stuck out her hand.
"I'm Kaitlynn Ross."
I stared at her hand in slight discomfort, then remembered that 1) I was no longer under my father's orders, and 2) it was polite to respond when talking to a lady, whether she was muggle or not.
"Draco Malfoy." I muttered, shaking her hand shortly. I couldn't help but notice how soft and warm her small hand seemed in mine. She beamed up at me.
"It is nice to meet someone who enjoys nature as much as I do." She commented, turning her attention back to the sky. I froze for a moment, thinking this one over. I had never actually thought of myself as a nature- lover, but now that she mentioned it...
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Draco Malfoy. But I've got to go. See you around!" With this, she spun away, walking swiftly up another sandy path towards some beach-side cottages. I stared after her for a moment, then began to walk back towards my house. My mind was left spinning from this strange encounter, and I didn't even realize that I had reached home, until I nearly hit my head on the front door.
"Muggles." I muttered as a final thought, before I went inside and locked the door behind me.
~*~*~*~
Over the next few days, I found my mind continuously wandering back to that girl I had met on the beach. I had tried to fight it, mostly because she was a muggle, and I was a respectable, pure-blooded wizard with morals. But my mind refused to take that as a logical reason, and tortured me by bringing her face back to my memory.
Even my co-workers seemed to notice that I was more distracted than usual. More often than not, I came out of my reverie to find Stephen McKay grinning knowingly at me. Though he was only two years older than me (and my boss), he seemed to be the most logical person to talk with on the subject.
He too, was a pure-blood from a rather...assertive family, and had married a muggle-born woman they believed to be 'below' their class. Being from the family that he was, he knew exactly who I was, and what sort of family I had come from. But also being an open type of person, he had given me the benefit of the doubt, and I had learned to trust him above anyone I had ever met before, save maybe for Potter (though I would never admit it).
So in a way, he became more like a friend to me, then a boss. And since things like this usually go both ways, I became more of a friend than an employee to him.
I suppose it was for this reason that a week later, he waited until our lunch-break to corner me. I was sitting at a corner table in the eating courts, when he came and sat down across from me.
"So...what's on your mind, Malfoy?"
I looked up, surprised that he even dared to ask. Then I shot him a frown that in the past, had made others cower. But not him, unfortunately. He just grinned.
"You stare into space like a lovesick fool, you rarely eat, your eyes get glazed, you..."
"Enough! I get the point." I moaned, smacking my forehead with my hand. He chuckled.
"Is it a girl?"
"Maybe." I grunted.
"Who is it?" He questioned, smirking. I glared at him.
"I don't know. I met her on the beach last week. I only talked to her for a few minutes...no, actually, *she* talked, I just stood there like a star- dazed fool." I muttered. He laughed outright, now.
"That's just like you, Drake. Honestly. You need to learn how to talk with women."
"She was a muggle."
This got him to stop laughing. His brown eyes became serious and he ran a hand through his dark brown hair. I could almost see the wheels turning in his head, as he thought over what I had just admitted.
"You're not your father, Draco." He finally said. I sighed.
"I know. But in a way...I am the essence of him. I've hated muggles and muggle-borns all my life. I was taught to hate them. Then this girl comes along and it's almost like she's unconsciously trying to tear apart everything I've known since I was small." I ranted. He smiled.
"When I met Rachael, it was like that. She tore down all my barriers and look what's happened. I'm married to her. I love her more than anything. She showed me that my family wasn't always right." Stephen murmured. I shrugged.
"That's you, McKay. I'm a *Malfoy*. I am known as the ultimate evil, next to Voldemort. I am a muggle murderer." I stated. His face darkened.
"Have you ever murdered anyone?"
"No."
"Were you a Death Eater? Did you follow Voldemort?"
"I followed his ideals..."
"That doesn't count, Malfoy! You are not your father! You are not Voldemort's lackey! You may have been cruel, brainwashed, and horrible, but you can change that. You are your own man, now. You make your own decisions, you make your own life." Stephen finished, folding his arms. I felt stunned for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Therefore, you should feel no guilt or hate when you talk to this girl. You are a new man. Give it a chance."
I thought this over for a moment, and then smiled slightly.
"How do you know I will ever see her again?" I asked teasingly. He grinned.
"Trust me, Malfoy. You will."
~*~*~*~
You know, if I didn't know better, I would have thought that Stephen McKay was psychic. Of course, then I would have to add that he is also a huge git. Why?
Because the day after we had our little 'chat', I saw Kaitlynn Ross again.
I was sitting at my desk going over the itinerary for a meeting we were having later in the afternoon, when I heard two female voices coming towards our office. I looked up to see Stephen's face glowing as he looked expectantly at the door. There was a knock, then:
"Steve, honey? Can we come in?"
Stephen grinned and stood up.
"Sure!"
The door swung open to reveal two women. A black-haired one that I had only seen in the pictures on Stephen's desk, and the other that I had seen not so long ago...
"Why, Draco Malfoy! What a pleasant surprise!" Kaitlynn chirped, her blue eyes lighting up. Her hair was pulled back into a braid today, making her look even younger than she was. I stood up, unsure of what else to do. I noticed that Stephen was greeting the other woman in a whole different way, and tried not to smirk. Kaitlynn seemed to notice as well, because she grinned and rolled her eyes.
"Honestly you two. Get a room!" She teased, as the two guilty people came up for air. They shot her mean looks, but stopped their activity.
"We just finished with a little shopping and Rachael insisted that we come to visit. She had to put a spell on me so I could see the building, but I managed! Rachael's the cousin I was telling you about, by the way." Kaitlynn explained to me, who was really the only person listening. I smiled, but it dropped when I saw the strange look that Rachael was shooting me.
"Malfoy? As in, Draco Malfoy?" She asked. I immediately knew that she had heard of my reputation, and felt my heart sink. Would I never be free of that?
"Yes. Honey, this is Draco Malfoy, my friend and coworker." Stephen obviously noticed the danger signs as well. Her face softened and I realized that she was also giving me the benefit of the doubt.
"Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Malfoy. So you're the one Kate's been talking so much about." As Rachael said this, I shot Kaitlynn a startled look. I noticed that her cheeks turned slightly red.
"We've met, yes." I said shortly, not wanting to embarrass the girl any more than necessary. I admit, I was relieved to find out that I wasn't the only one obsessing about that meeting on the beach!
"Darling, Kate and I were thinking about having a picnic on the beach tonight. Why don't you bring Mr. Malfoy along?" Rachael suggested. A wave of shock and slight pleasure wafted over me, when I heard this suggestion. Kaitlynn was nodding eagerly, and Stephen shot me a 'look'. I shrugged and then nodded, and he smiled.
"Sounds great. We'll meet you at the beach at say...seven?" He prompted, looking at me. I nodded again, still unable to say anything.
"Ok. Well, I guess we'll see you then. Love you!" Rachael murmured, leaning over to kiss Stephen again. I rolled my eyes and realized that Kaitlynn had done the same thing. We smiled at each other, and then Rachael dragged her from the room, leaving me wondering what had just happened. I didn't even noticed that Stephen had sat back down, until I heard a chuckle.
"So...you're sweet on my cousin-in-law. Who would've thought?" He asked teasingly. I turned to glare at him.
"I'm not sweet on her." I retorted, sitting back down and hunching over my work. He mumbled something that I almost swear sounded like:
"Maybe not yet..."
~*~*~*~
"You're here! Finally!" Rachael crowed, throwing herself into Stephen's arms. I chuckled as he nearly fell over onto the soft white sand, but managed to keep his balance, somehow. Kaitlynn was already seated, placing things out on the checkered picnic blanket. I decided that since Stephen was busy, I would be a gentleman and help her.
"I'm glad you came. Usually when we have these things, I feel like such a third wheel. But now, at least, I have someone to talk to." She stated, as she handed me the napkins to arrange. I decided then, to begin being the 'new' Draco Malfoy right here and now. So instead of staying silent and mauling over things, I simply grinned.
"Yeah. We can be third wheels together." I muttered to her, as the lovebirds came to sit down. She giggled and finished setting out the food. The couple across from us helped themselves and began to eat without further adieu. Kaitlynn and I shared another 'look'.
"Well, thanks for all the appreciation, guys." She called in an overly loud voice. The two in question turned to grin guiltily at us, before continuing. Kaitlynn sighed and set about getting her own food.
"Help yourself. We made extra, just for you." She murmured, handing me a plate. I smiled and did as she told.
"You know, where I come from, we'd be having fried chicken, pickles, olives, and salad items right now, instead of sandwiches and chips." I informed her. She looked at me in surprise.
"Really?"
"Yes. And we'd be eating at a picnic table. I'm afraid to say my mother was a bit of a spoil-sport when it came to such things. She refused to eat anything but the best, and hated to eat on the ground." I informed her. I wondered why I was telling her such things, but to my surprise, I didn't really mind.
"What else did you do?" She asked, looking genuinely curious.
"Well, we never left the grounds of our home. My father didn't..." I stopped here, my face darkening. She must have noticed, because she set her plate down and stared at me.
"What was your family like?" She asked. I looked at my food and shook my head.
"I'd rather not talk about it right now."
"Later?" She asked insistently, sending me puppy-dog eyes. I felt my resolve melt.
"Maybe." This caused her face to light up again, and she continued eating her meal. After we were all through, Stephen and Rachael decided to take a walk up the beach a little ways. Kaitlynn managed to get me to agree to take a walk down the other way, so as not to run into them.
The sun had long since set, and a full moon was rising over the water, sending beams of watery white light across the beach. We walked in silence for a while, until she spoke.
"Rachael told me about the Malfoy's, once. But you don't seem anything like what she told me." She mussed. I winced, feeling like a criminal.
"I used to be. But I'm trying to break out of that, now." I muttered, not even sure if she had heard me. It seems she had.
"What was your family like?" She questioned softly. My steps slowed a bit, and I found my gaze trained on the white sand beneath my feet.
"They were horrible...at least, my parents were. My father was a Death-eater, my mother was a strong follower of Voldemort. My sister, however, wanted nothing to do with that and turned to the light side. I, on the other hand, was stuck under my father's thumb."
She was silent for a while.
"Is that why you went neutral in the war? Why you didn't choose either side?" She asked, pushing her braid over her shoulder. I felt my body freeze. I had expected her to hate me, to run away, to scream, when I told her my story. But not this. I had never expected her to accept it and treat me as though I was a normal person. The reality of what was happening struck me and I felt my heart lighten.
"I suppose. I didn't want to follow Voldemort. I didn't want to live under my father for the rest of my life. But I also wasn't good enough to be on the light side...at least, not yet." I admitted. She sighed lightly.
"From what I've seen, you're not a bad person. Just misunderstood, both by others and by yourself." She murmured. My heart stopped as she said this, and I thought it over quickly.
"Maybe so..." I relented.
"But I also know something. You can't stay on the fence forever, Draco Malfoy. You'll have to choose." She stated. I frowned in confusion.
"What?"
"You will have to choose a side someday. You can't just stay neutral, it's impossible. You'll have to make a decision, and soon." She informed me. It was then that I realized she was right. I couldn't just run away from being a Malfoy, nor could I allow the Malfoy name to stay in the evil place it was now. I would have to choose. And by going neutral, I had already made my decision, though I had not known it at the time.
My heart lightened once more, and it felt as though the entire earth had been lifted from my shoulders. I had a new life, a new future, and a new destiny. I was a new man.
"You're right. I can't." I allowed myself to chuckle here, and a smile broke out on her face, the moonlight shining in her eyes.
"You are an amazing person, Draco Malfoy. I hope you know that." She stated, making me laugh.
"So are you, Kaitlynn Ross. So are you."
~*~*~*~