He woke up to a very peculiar feeling. He wasn't sure if it was morning or not, but the slightly tingling feeling on his thigh was certainly rousing him from sleep. He let out a small, tired noise and turned onto his side.

As soon as he felt that hand slip between both his legs, he jerked away, his eyes snapping open and his body lifting so that he was pressing his back against the headboard. It seemed as though his movements had been practiced, but there really was a good reason to panic.

"Quiet," the hooded figure hissed, "I can't stay here long. The Ministry officials will be here looking for me."

"Get out of here," Draco warned as he slowly edged his way off the opposite side of the bed. He searched out his wand on his bedside table, gripping it as soon as he felt it beneath his fingers. He stood there, silently and shakily watching his father.

"Now, now, Draco. You don't want a repeated punishment, do you?" Even though Draco couldn't see his father's expression, he could picture his eyes narrowing and that emotionless smirk forming.

"Please... get out. Like you said, the ministry officials could get here at any time." His tone shook; his legs seemed to be growing unable to hold his weight. Lucius chuckled.

"Scared, are you? Have you decided?"

There was silence.

"Have you?" Lucius' voice rose.

"No." Draco swallowed; his throat was beginning to burn.

"Do you need assistance, then?" Lucius took a smooth step to the side, so that he was beginning to move around the bed to where Draco stood. "You're a stubborn boy, Draco."

"Leave..." Draco said. It was hardly audible. "I'll curse you, father."

"You couldn't do that."

"I will."

"But aren't you happy to see me?" Lucius drawled. Draco could see him inching forward. He lifted his arm to try and keep his wand steady on the him. "After coming all this way just to see you?"

Draco remained unmoving and silent. Lucius took another step forward, so that he was a mere inch or two from Draco's wand point. He grinned. "I really am sorry you're angry, son, but you'll be joining me anyway. After your seventh year has finished."

When his father paused, Draco heard a small sound coming from somewhere outside his door. But he didn't dare look away from his father; he continued thinking of which curse he'd have to end up using.

"Don't you believe me? I am very sorry. You know that I..." Lucius paused for the second time, and before Draco had time to properly think of a spell, the man had snatched the wand roughly out of his hands. Draco jumped back. "... love you." Lucius finished. His grin turned to one that looked like he had truly gone mad.

"You should never threaten to attack your own father, Draco. You thought I wouldn't dare come back here, did you? Well, it's lucky I have. You've turned against me, instead of learning your lesson." Lucius advanced on him quickly, and Draco could only think to run. He turned and tried escaping by way across the bed.

His father ended up catching his ankle halfway across, and he pulled hard enough so that Draco's arms collapsed beneath him and he was being dragged backwards. "Stop! Let go of me! I've learned my lesson, I promise!"

"Oh, you have? Why didn't you say this earlier, when you were pointing your wand at me? Could it be because I'm ready to force it out of you again that you've finally chosen right?" Lucius stopped pulling and Draco gripped tightly onto his bed sheets. Tears had begun running down his cheeks again; he had been wrong.

"Yes... yes, please... don't hurt me. I promise I won't disobey you again..." Draco was pleading again. His mind was slowly becoming cloudy, making it hard to think. All he wanted now was for his father to be persuaded enough to leave him alone.

"Not good enough."

"W-what do you mean?" Draco asked quietly. His face was buried in his bed as to hide his obvious weakness.

"You know that you'll turn your back on me as soon as I agree to not use force." He made a short tsking sound.

"No, that's not true!"

"Then you'll allow me to punish you." Draco was jerked backward by his ankle again. Draco started kicking and pulling himself the opposite way.

"No, don't! Not like this! Please... you're just sick, father... don't do this to me. I'm your son! I promise that I'll listen now!"

Lucius had managed to take hold of both his legs to flip him forcefully over onto his back. Before he knew it, two larger hands were pinning him down. His father's face loomed above him.

"Get off of me!" Draco screamed. His head was definitely starting to hurt now; and tears were blurring his vision. His heart felt about ready to burst out his chest. His hands were pushing hard against his father's shoulders, but he wasn't budging. His legs were pinned beneath him.

"Not until I'm finished with" Lucius was cut off by the sound of shuffling outside the door. He fell still, while Draco still tried to fight him off with no success. After a few seconds, Lucius started speaking again, in a low whisper. "Tell anyone about this, and I'll torture you until you wish for something as fast as this." With that, Lucius climbed off of him to stand, then apparated.

Draco stayed where he was laying, trembling and looking up toward the spot his father had just been a moment ago. He only saw the ceiling now. He had been so close...

"Is someone screaming?" A soft voice asked from outside the door.

"Go to bed, mother!" Draco shouted, the words barely leaving him. When he heard the shuffling head down the hallway, he let out an angry cry and sat there huddled on his bed.