Chapter 2

Happy Family

"I think that's all we need to discuss here, I will work on the minister, the rest of you lay low and stand by until I give you the word. Are we clear? Do nothing to attract attention to yourselves. Am I clear?" There was a nodding around the table, and general murmurs of assent at Lucious's instructions.

"I do not think that we are quite finished, actually Lucious." Declared the one person who would dare to oppose Lucious, Aunt Bella. "We have not yet dealt with the issue of the role Draco is to play, considering he is now a Death Eater." Bella said slyly, giving Draco a tiny nudge and wink. Draco had been forced to sit through an hour of debating over the best way to handle the minister, and he was on the point of dozing off to sleep when he heard his name mentioned.

"Ah, yes. Draco, how could I have forgotten?" Lucious hissed dangerously, glaring at Bella. "Draco will try to become Potter's friend and position himself strategically so that we can get to the Potter boy through him, I hardly thought there was any question on that matter." Lucious said to the room at large, raising his voice so that everyone at the far end of the table could hear every syllable.

Draco sat up straighter, now that the attention of the room was focused on him. He felt himself flushing and sweating slightly in his palms. Him and Harry become friends? Impossible. Harry would never trust him.

"Very good." Bella said, not very convincingly. She was barely able to hide her contempt for the fact that Lucious had once again stolen her thunder and attention. She had wanted to be the one to declare the obvious plan of what was to be done with Draco. No one heard Bella getting the last word, for everyone had already begun to stir restlessly and shuffle papers away.

"The meeting's over. Welcome back faithful friends. We have our work cut out for us. Draco, you can go to bed, I'll see you in the morning. Don't say a word to your mother, as I know she is standing at the top of the stairs waiting for you, go up the back way why don't you?" Lucious whispered in his sons ear, much to the displeasure of Bella.

Bella attempted to move closer and hear the whispered conversation, but she was too late. Draco had already slipped through the crowd and up the back stairs to his bedroom. Looking behind him as he went up the stairs he saw his father head Bella off and engage her in conversation. She smiled blankly enough, but anyone could have seen the barely concealed rage in her eyes.

Draco locked the door to his bedroom and leaned against it. He took a deep breath and walked across the room to him window. He leaned his head against the glass and watched the window fog over from his breath.

He looked out at the grounds surrounding his house. There was a pool outside, and a patio. There were trees that he remembered climbing as a boy, there were so many memories on those grounds.

There was the fort he had made at he age of seven where he had run away for three days when he had been mad at his father.

There was the place where he had made friends with a baby rabbit and come out every day waiting for it with a carrot. By the end of the summer it had been waiting for him when he arrived. Draco had been devastated when he had found the poor broken body of a rabbit half eaten by one of the seven manor cats.

There was the little brook that ran across one corner of the yard where Draco used to go frog hunting. Draco smiled at the memories.

There was the hammock where he and his mother used to lie and sing songs together.

That had been many years ago, before Draco had started Hogwarts, or heard of Death Eaters and Voldemort. He had lived a very privileged and sheltered childhood. Then he had found out about everything, started Hogwarts, and met Harry Potter. He had been told before going to school to do whatever it took to become friends with the Potter boy, but Harry had not wanted anything to do with him. His father had been very upset about that.

Draco lay down on his bed without changing into his night clothes. He hugged a pillow to his chest and closed his eyes. As he fell asleep a tear trickled out of the corner of his eye and leaked down the side of his face. He had always admired his father, always wanted to be just like him, always willing and eager to do anything for his fathers approval. Unfortunately, his father only ever saw him as an implement for increasing his power and influence with the Dark Lord.

The next morning Draco rose to the sunlight filtering through his windowpane and the chirping of the birds outside his window. The summer was drawing to a close, and soon the birds would not be there, but Draco would not be around to watch there migration as he would be back at school, playing at his fathers powerful and dangerous game.

Draco changed out of his clothes from yesterday and went into the bathroom. He splashed water on his face to wake himself up, and brushed his teeth. He had red marks on his face from where he had slept on top of his sleeve button. Draco walked downstairs slowly, trying not to make any noise. He heard the familiar raised voices of his parents. His mother sounded close to tears.

"How could you have Lucious? He's our baby!" Pleaded his mother futily.

"What choice did I have? She was leaving me no options Narcissa. What would you have had me done? Risk the Lords anger?" Demanded Lucious resignedly.

"Yes! Get some gumption and stand up for yourself and your family for once!" Narcissa raged.

"For once? For once! Do you have any idea what I do for this family on a daily basis? Shut up about things you don't understand woman!" Lucious yelled, storming out of the kitchen. Draco heard his mother sobbing. Draco resigned himself to the inevitable and walked slowly down the stairs.

"Mum, shh. It's okay, he doesn't mean anything by it." Draco said consolingly, sitting down at the counter next to his mother.

"But Draco, you're my baby! I don't want you to be a part of all this madness." Sobbed Narcissa even louder, looking up with a tear drenched countenance and red blotches on her face. Draco handed her a kleenex and she blew her nose hard.

"Mum, he didn't have a choice. He did the best he could. She trapped him, and you know how rare it is that dad gets talked into a corner. There was nothing he could have done, and I'll be safe at school." Draco told her soothingly.

"I never thought I'd say it, but thank goodness for Albus Dumbledore. I'm not worried about anything happening to you while you're at school. Nothing can so long as he's around." Narcissa said, standing up and straightening her dress. "Now, shall we have some breakfast?" She asked, snapping her fingers to summon a houself, and acting as if nothing had happened. "I'd like some pancakes with lots of butter and syrup and strawberries. And a fresh pot of tea. Draco?" Narcissa told the houself with as much an air of authority as she could assume

"I'll have the same." Muttered Draco half heartedly.

"Have you finished your summer homework?" Narcissa asked conversationally as they sat down at opposite ends of the long table and started eating their breakfast.

"A while ago." Draco replied, not looking up from his food.

"Oh. Are you excited for school to start?" She asked, taking another stab. Draco looked up, started at her for a moment, and then looked down without speaking a word. Giving up, Narcissa set in to her food as well and the meal passed in silence. Draco finished first and stood up from the table, leaving his empty plates for the houselves. "What are you up to today?" Asked Narcissa to his retreating back.

"Maybe flying some. Thinking of taking a swim later." Draco replied, again without looking round at her.

He went up the stairs to his room and changed into flying robes, grabbing his broom on his way out the door. He went back down to the yard and out the back door. On his way out he saw his mother sitting alone at the big table, looking at her plate but not eating. He saw a tear run down her face and drop on to her plate.

Draco went out onto the field and soared into the air. It was as if he left all of his anger on the ground when he flew. He sped on his Nimbus 2001 around in circles, diving occasionally, and speeding higher and higher into the air. Draco sped and sped and sped faster and faster, the wind whipping his blonde hair into his face. He felt dizzy and on the verge of vomiting, but he pushed his broom even fatster. He had spent the majority of his summer on his broom, flying at breakneck speeds.

Draco had red cheeks from the windburn when he landed, and was cold from the higher altitude and the speed at which he had been going. He went upstairs, shivering slightly, goosebumps standing out on his legs and arms. He jumped into the steaming hot shower and felt the water rushing over him, scalding his skin and turning him from tan to red with heat. His skin was tingling and stinging from the abrupt change in temperature, but he did not care. He welcomed the pain. The outer pain was nothing compared to what he was suffering on the inside. Draco faced the water streaming from the shower head and let it wash over his face, through his hair. He scrubbbed himself with a vengence, and washed his hair vigorously.

He got out of the shower what felt like hours later. He felt empty and sad and angry, but did not know why. He wrapped the towel around himself, and glanced at the mirror. He could not see his reflection due to the fog covering the mirror. He was glad of it.

Draco went into his bedroom and locked the door. It was only just now noon. What would he do with himsef in the remaining week until school? Draco changed into his pajamas and took a long nap, waking with sleep breath and feeling disoriented at around three o'clock. Draco did not know what to do with himself.

He lazed around the house for the next few days, taking frequent naps and showers. He ate a lot, but always when his parents were not around. Somehow he could not bare to face his father after the conversation he had overheard between his mother and him. He didn't want to talk about Voldemort, or Death Eaters, or his 'new responsibilities.' He did not want to talk about a game plan for ho to deal with Harry Potter. Draco was sick of all of it. He was sick of his 'family duties', and the life he would be forced to live because of who his parents were.

Draco punched his pillow in frustration. He had already visited Diagon Alley when the Hogwarts letters first arrived. He was, once again, a prefect. It was beyond Draco why the headmaster kept making him a prefect. Didn't he know that Draco would use the power to torment younger Gryfindor students? This year was going to be a lot less fun than the last. In addition to NEWT prep, more work, and prefect duties, he would also have to be nice to Weasle and Potter. And the mud blood Granger.

Draco hid in his room for the remainder of the week, he read a few books, and generally lazed about. He yelled at several houselves. Yelling at one in particular gave him a vindictive pleasure, it was the familiar looking one with abnormally large floppy ears, and big green eyes. His name was Dotty or something of the kind. Malfoy rolled on to his side and looked out of the window. His eyes glazed over, and it was not long until he fell asleep.

Authors Note: Anyone pick up any particular hints or clues for the coming chapters? Wink wink. (that was sort of another hint...) Anyway, I hope to post soon. ANy feedback, ideas, suggestions, constructive critisism is welcome, so please, please, review away. And also, what do you think he should have gotten on the OWLs? Im thinking all 12, but whatever. It hasn't come up yet, and I'll deal with it when it does. So anyway, review, and if youre bored, I have other stories posted for you to read! haha. Tell me if you like it so I know whether or not to continue posting!