Hi y'all! I haven't updated in.... well, forever, but i'm working on it. Pleeeeaaaase review (i don't mind flames if they're productive!).
Wuv oo all!!
Sitting at the end of the breakfast table, Draco slowly brought his dry toast to his mouth, chewing silently. He leaned his head on the table before him, disdainfully eying the rest of his house. Some friends he had. A word from their parents, and they turn their backs on a friend they've had since childhood. Not that it mattered. He didn't need them. He was perfectly capable of making his way through life alone, but sometimes he wondered just how stupid these people were. They had more loyalty to some geezer (to whom taking candy from a baby wasn't considered a simple matter) over him. But, he reminded himself, it happened. And there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it.
As he lifted his juice, a light, grey feather drifted into the goblet, sticking to the side. Jerking his head up, he snatched a note from the impatient bird hovering near his sausage, nearly ripping the fragile stationary. As he slit the envelope with his fork, a feigned look of indifference on his face. The hawk that delivered the letter was one of a rare breed, controlled by the Malfoy family. The bird had planted a small seed of anxiety, which burrowed into his gut, obstinately refusing to budge. It took every bit of ill begotten training his father had given the boy to not show any of his inner turmoil. Searching inside himself for a tool that would help him to remain calm, he came upon the dark, imposing figure he projected on everyone else. Stonily, he meditated on the persona, quickly smothering the panic that had flared.
The letter (barely more then a note, really) bid him come to a house in Hogsmeade. Breathing heavily, Draco put the note down, and thought over his possibilities of escape, knowing instinctively that there were none. If he didn't go, his father would come to him. He was a parent, completely capable of removing Draco from school, and then he would have no options at all. He had to face his father. It didn't matter anyway. One way or another, Lucious would have his way. No matter what Draco did, the scales would forever be tipped towards his father. There was nothing left to do but wait.
Rising from the bench, he walked down the aisles of people, finishing their breakfasts. The whole day was ahead of him, with little to do but dread the coming of tomorrow. Hogsmeade weekend. It was going to be a dismal day.
Such a beautiful day! Hermione sighed, and tore her eyed from the sunny blue of the ceiling to her friends who, in the tradition of teenage boys, were being utterly disgusting. "Harry! Please, never put that much in your mouth again! I've seen way to much of those eggs!"
"Sorry Hermione" grumbled Ron, purveying Harry's thoughts, as he was still attempting to swallow the mass in his mouth.
"Gee, I wonder why you're both single!" She said sarcastically, watching their eyes bulge in response to her statement. They hated it when she teased them about their love lives. Of course, there wasn't all that much to tease about, so it was all in good fun.
"I'll have you know I've turned down dozens of offers since Megan and I broke up!" Ron fumed indignantly. Harry, having finally mastered the eggs, raised an eyebrow. "Okay, two, but it's only been a week! Given their time, the girls all flock to a Weasley." Up until this point, Hermione had managed to hold in her laughter, but Ron was just too much.
"I'm so sure they do, Ron!" she choked out, grinning profusely through her toast. Slowly calming herself, she sipped her juice again, catching her breath. "What's the plan for tomorrow?" Hermione asked, inquiring about the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend, "Just hanging out as usual?" Almost simultaneously, both boys lowered their heads.
"I kind of told Susie I would go get lunch with her...." Ron mumbled, his guilty face carefully studying the nicks in the table.
"No big deal. So, how 'bout you Harry, escorting someone?" She could tell by his face it wouldn't be her.
"Not quite..." he shuffled, "I've got detention with Snape." When he saw Hermione's reprimanding face, he added, "I got bored! How was I supposed to know boomslang skin was combustible?"
"Is that where that explosion came fro- never mind, I really don't want to know..." Hermione knew that her friends weren't abandoning her, but she was less than happy to resign herself to wandering alone.
Her juice splashed out, soaking her sleeve, as someone behind her bumped her into the table. She looked over her shoulder to see Malfoy's retreating back. "Git," she muttered to herself, as she reached for her napkin to mop up the mess, expecting to see him smirk at her. He didn't. He just kept on walking. She almost called after him, but caught herself. Why should she care if he was sullen? Just less of him to deal with.