(A.N. This chapter is more exciting. PLEASE give a THOUGHT OUT and
CRITICAL review!!! You don't know how much this helps me!)
Draco stepped out of the black car elegantly, his light blonde hair blowing back into the afternoon wind. He gazed up at the huge stone manor that he called his home. It loomed up into the deep blue sky like a rock embedded in a flowing river. He began to walk up the smooth stone steps to the front doors of the mansion. A few moments later the house-elf ran out, bow fervently to Draco.
"Welcome home, Master Malfoy, may Croch take your luggage?"
"Yes, Croch, and bring me a cup of tea after that," Draco said quietly, his eyes glinting maliciously. His favorite past time at the manor was making Croch work relentlessly. He loved to see the poor house-elf become exhausted yet still obey his every command.
Draco laughed to himself and entered the mansion. It was chilly inside, as if the sunlight didn't reach past the tinted windows. The foyer was barren of any furniture, consisting of only cold marble floors and bare walls. Draco limbed the stairs to his room. It would be warmer there.
A few hours later Croch called Draco down to dinner. Draco came to sit at the long mahogany table. His mother sat at the far end and Draco sat down next to her.
"Welcome home, Draco, it is good to have you back at the manor," his mother said, smiling at him.
"I'm happy to be home," Draco said half-heartedly. This was the first time all day that anyone besides Croch had talked to him at the manor, much less acknowledged his presence.
At that moment Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, appeared in the doorway, holding his silver cane that he carried everywhere. It was not that Lucius needed it to walk with, but it was, to him, a representation of his wealth and power. Lucius sat down and immediately servants began carrying in silver platters with a variety of foods laden upon them. As Draco tasted the food, he found it to be better tasting than the usual Hogwarts food, but starker and not as warm.
"Draco, my dear boy, I'm happy to have you home," Lucius drawled. Draco only nodded and looked up into his father's steely silver eyes. Lucius had never called Draco his 'dear boy.' He seemed exceptionally happy that night. The rest of the dinner went by in silence until Lucius spoke.
"Draco, I have not forgotten that next week is your sixteenth birthday." Lucius paused, beaming at him. Draco's stomach did a strange little flip and he looked up.
"Sixteen is a big number, Draco. You will become a man at sixteen. A big number deserves a big present," Lucius was looking positively excited now. Could it be? Draco wondered, excitement coursing through him. A Firebolt II, the newest model of a broomstick yet? The broomstick that can outstrip Harry Potter's by at least three meters? Draco had been wanting nothing more ever since the broom had come out two weeks ago. It would be the perfect birthday present, Draco marveled.
"Draco, I have gotten you . . . " Draco waited in suspense, his heart pounding. Suddenly Draco's mother grabbed Lucius's arm.
"Perhaps you should show him, Lucius, dear. It will come as a bit of a surprise otherwise," she said quietly. Lucius frowned at her for a moment, then nodded.
"Narcissa is right, Draco. Come to my chambers after supper and I will show you."
Draco fervently wondered what this huge surprise could be. Why were they hiding it from him? And why was his father giving him his present do early? As supper was finished, Draco climbed up to his room and opened the window, gazing out at the star-filled night. He looked up to Lucius so much. Draco looked up to how he had acquired so much power and money, and how he had most of the Ministry in the palm of his hand. I will be just like him, Draco thought, I will not let my father down in upholding the family name. The young Malfoy could suddenly feel the excitement mounting in his chest. Too anxious to wait any longer, he slammed the window shut and made his way down to his father's chambers. They were lower than the rest of the house, so it got colder and colder as he descended.
Finally Draco arrived at his father's door and knocked softly.
"Come in, Draco," drawled his father. Draco entered the huge room and glanced around. He was seldom invited to his father's chambers, and Draco now noticed that everything was a shade of dark green. His father was looking exceptionally pleased at that moment.
"I placed your birthday present in the dungeons. Follow me, Draco."
His father swept through the doorway, walking in huge strides. Draco tried his best to follow his father without shivering. They walked down a few staircases and corridors until they were deep underground, into the Malfoy dungeons. Here was where his father kept most secret and treasured things. There was a wine cellar, a storage room, and many smaller underground rooms, branching off from the main hall. Lucius came to a halt in front of a small, grimy looking door. Draco stared up at his father in confusion. No, Draco thought suddenly, it can't be. Why are we . . . ? The door clanged opened magically and Lucius swept inside, blocking Draco's view of the object lying there. Draco stepped in anxiously and peered around his father. Draco could barely suppress a scream at what lie before him.
What he saw was far from the Firebolt II he had been hoping for.
Hermione Granger lie there, staring back at him through pale, tear- filled eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 3
COMING: 3 DAYS
Draco stepped out of the black car elegantly, his light blonde hair blowing back into the afternoon wind. He gazed up at the huge stone manor that he called his home. It loomed up into the deep blue sky like a rock embedded in a flowing river. He began to walk up the smooth stone steps to the front doors of the mansion. A few moments later the house-elf ran out, bow fervently to Draco.
"Welcome home, Master Malfoy, may Croch take your luggage?"
"Yes, Croch, and bring me a cup of tea after that," Draco said quietly, his eyes glinting maliciously. His favorite past time at the manor was making Croch work relentlessly. He loved to see the poor house-elf become exhausted yet still obey his every command.
Draco laughed to himself and entered the mansion. It was chilly inside, as if the sunlight didn't reach past the tinted windows. The foyer was barren of any furniture, consisting of only cold marble floors and bare walls. Draco limbed the stairs to his room. It would be warmer there.
A few hours later Croch called Draco down to dinner. Draco came to sit at the long mahogany table. His mother sat at the far end and Draco sat down next to her.
"Welcome home, Draco, it is good to have you back at the manor," his mother said, smiling at him.
"I'm happy to be home," Draco said half-heartedly. This was the first time all day that anyone besides Croch had talked to him at the manor, much less acknowledged his presence.
At that moment Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy, appeared in the doorway, holding his silver cane that he carried everywhere. It was not that Lucius needed it to walk with, but it was, to him, a representation of his wealth and power. Lucius sat down and immediately servants began carrying in silver platters with a variety of foods laden upon them. As Draco tasted the food, he found it to be better tasting than the usual Hogwarts food, but starker and not as warm.
"Draco, my dear boy, I'm happy to have you home," Lucius drawled. Draco only nodded and looked up into his father's steely silver eyes. Lucius had never called Draco his 'dear boy.' He seemed exceptionally happy that night. The rest of the dinner went by in silence until Lucius spoke.
"Draco, I have not forgotten that next week is your sixteenth birthday." Lucius paused, beaming at him. Draco's stomach did a strange little flip and he looked up.
"Sixteen is a big number, Draco. You will become a man at sixteen. A big number deserves a big present," Lucius was looking positively excited now. Could it be? Draco wondered, excitement coursing through him. A Firebolt II, the newest model of a broomstick yet? The broomstick that can outstrip Harry Potter's by at least three meters? Draco had been wanting nothing more ever since the broom had come out two weeks ago. It would be the perfect birthday present, Draco marveled.
"Draco, I have gotten you . . . " Draco waited in suspense, his heart pounding. Suddenly Draco's mother grabbed Lucius's arm.
"Perhaps you should show him, Lucius, dear. It will come as a bit of a surprise otherwise," she said quietly. Lucius frowned at her for a moment, then nodded.
"Narcissa is right, Draco. Come to my chambers after supper and I will show you."
Draco fervently wondered what this huge surprise could be. Why were they hiding it from him? And why was his father giving him his present do early? As supper was finished, Draco climbed up to his room and opened the window, gazing out at the star-filled night. He looked up to Lucius so much. Draco looked up to how he had acquired so much power and money, and how he had most of the Ministry in the palm of his hand. I will be just like him, Draco thought, I will not let my father down in upholding the family name. The young Malfoy could suddenly feel the excitement mounting in his chest. Too anxious to wait any longer, he slammed the window shut and made his way down to his father's chambers. They were lower than the rest of the house, so it got colder and colder as he descended.
Finally Draco arrived at his father's door and knocked softly.
"Come in, Draco," drawled his father. Draco entered the huge room and glanced around. He was seldom invited to his father's chambers, and Draco now noticed that everything was a shade of dark green. His father was looking exceptionally pleased at that moment.
"I placed your birthday present in the dungeons. Follow me, Draco."
His father swept through the doorway, walking in huge strides. Draco tried his best to follow his father without shivering. They walked down a few staircases and corridors until they were deep underground, into the Malfoy dungeons. Here was where his father kept most secret and treasured things. There was a wine cellar, a storage room, and many smaller underground rooms, branching off from the main hall. Lucius came to a halt in front of a small, grimy looking door. Draco stared up at his father in confusion. No, Draco thought suddenly, it can't be. Why are we . . . ? The door clanged opened magically and Lucius swept inside, blocking Draco's view of the object lying there. Draco stepped in anxiously and peered around his father. Draco could barely suppress a scream at what lie before him.
What he saw was far from the Firebolt II he had been hoping for.
Hermione Granger lie there, staring back at him through pale, tear- filled eyes.
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 3
COMING: 3 DAYS