Chapter 3: Truth and Telling

Snape and Dumbledore walked into Draco's room to find him cursing everything in sight.

Snape walked over and gently pulled the wand out of Draco's grasp. He then ushered him over to a sit by the fire, then sat in one of the other chairs, Dumbledore sitting in the other.

"We'd like to know, Draco, how long your fathers been hurting your mother and you." Dumbledore said quietly,

"Why the bloody hell do you care!?!" Draco screamed, jumping up and glaring at him.

"Mr. Malfoy, please sit back down." Draco did what he was told. "Now," Dumbledore said continuing, "I would like to know so that we could help ."

"Why? My father was a Death Eater! Why would you care what he did to his family?"

"Insolent boy!" Snape sneered. "Because you two didn't deserve it, that's why. Narcissa never wanted anything to do with the dark arts. In school she hated your father and his ties to the Dark Lord. When her family found she was in love with someone from a different house, they arranged a marriage to Lucias. She was forced into the whole bloody thing, Draco. Help her. Tell us what has happened. Be her voice."

Draco glared at him. "I hate him more than anything in the world."

Dumbledore got up and walked over to Draco, placing a have on his shoulder.

"We believe she's been under the Imperious Curse so that she wouldn't leave, or tell anyone what's happened."

Draco nodded. "I thought so too, after we learned about it in fourth year. Sometimes I would hear her calling out for her house-elf, Lacy. I think she fought the Curse, and was able to tell Lacy something's. Father, of course, found out and banished Lacy to work in the kitchens. After that, he locked mum up in her rooms, and no one was allowed into them except him. I would often lay awake at night, listening to her scream. I keener he was using the Cruciatus Curse on her. He liked to use that one on us the most, on me, mum and the house-elves.

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Severus, please fetch Lacy, and bring her to Narcissa's room, and tell her that she will be taking care of her again.

After Snape had swept out of the room, Dumbledore continued. "But she was allowed out to the Quidditch World Cup?"

"Yes, because father had to keep up his appearances. If he hadn't taken us, mum and I, with him, he thought people would talk. Come to the Manor. See the truth behind Lucias Malfoy. See how he really was. He took us only because he didn't want people to suspect things."

"Was he one of the Death Eaters levitating the muggles?"

Draco nodded. "Potter, Weasly and Granger guessed the same also."

Dumbledore nodded, smiling faintly. "Ah, yes, those three are awfully good at figuring things out. Now tell me, was your hatred towards the trio real or something you were forced to do because of you father."

Draco looked down at his hands, silent for a few minutes. "I guess it was a little of both. Father didn't want me to be friends with Potter, because he had reduced his master almost to nothing. I didn't try to be friends with him either...because I was jealous, I guess."

"Of?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Of the fact Potter's so bloody brilliant at Quidditch, that he has a beautiful best friend, because Weasly is surrounded by a huge, loving, caring family. I'm jealous of Hermione because she at the top of every class, something I try so hard to do to please father, and I've hurt her to much to please him, I honestly don't think I could make it up to her."

Draco realized a split second later that he had said too much. Good going, you git. Father hasn't been gone a month yet and you're already forgetting the first rule; never reveal your true feelings.

"Your father's gone, Draco," Dumbledore said quietly. "The rules he made are gone, the life you and your mother were forced to live is gone. Its time to start over, Draco."

Draco spun around in his chair and looked up at his headmaster. "You can read my thoughts?" he sputtered. It was more of a statement than a question.

Dumbledore merely smiled. "Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you try to get some sleep or something, just don't try to curse everything again."

Draco turned back around, slumped down and nodded. "I don't plan on moving. I've got to figure some things out. Like how to thank Potter and the rest of the Golden Trio for putting my father behind the walls of Azkaban, and how to apologize for almost six years of being horrible to them, especially Hermione."

Dumbledore clapped him on the back and turned toward the door. Once he reached it he looked back at Draco. "And Draco?" he called.

"Huh?"

"Your mother will he waking up tomorrow for a brief period of time between her doses of medication we are healing her with. The minister, Snape, and I thought that maybe you two would like to talk before her second dose. Merlin knows the last time you were allowed to talk to her without your father around."

Dumbledore looked at the back of the blonde boys head for a few minutes before shutting the door, and striding down the corridor to write a letter to a certain someone.