Disclaimer: Of course I own nothing ::sniff:: oh well.
Author's Note: Yes I know, it's way later than I wanted to update too. Sorry. As always feel free to email me. the chapter and let me know what you think!
CHAPTER FOUR
"I don't want to be like my father," Draco said abruptly.
"Pardon me?" I asked, I was confused. That came out of nowhere.
"That's why I'm here. That's why Dumbledore let me stay this summer."
I just looked at him, debating the validity of his statement. As much as I hated Dumbledore right now, I highly doubted that he could be stupid enough to let a Death Eater-in training stay at Hogwarts. Not knowing how to respond to what he said, I opted for the ever popular sarcastic response, "Congratulations."
"Can you stop being so damned sarcastic for five minutes?" Draco snapped. Apparently he was at his limit for the day. But what did I care? All I was to him was a Mudblood, nothing more and nothing less.
I sighed and just looked at him. What did he expect me to say?
He must have realized I wasn't going to respond. "I just thought you'd like to know that. I may be a bastard at times…" I gave him a look, "okay, all the time. But, I'm not evil."
"Could've fooled me." I couldn't stop the sarcasm, it had a mind of its own.
Draco growled at me. The man actually growled at me. "You think I actually liked acting like I did?! Never would I have imagined myself that way. You have to understand, if my father ever got wind of the fact that I never wanted to be like him then he would have used other, less pleasant, means of persuasion. The man would not be above torturing his own flesh and blood to get the desired results. It was easier to pretend and then try to get away when things got too bad. That's why I came to Dumbledore. I knew, as much as I'd had to admit it, that he could help me if I asked for it." He looked down as he finished his story, as though he was embarrassed by it.
I didn't say anything for a moment, pausing to take in all the information. "So what…are we supposed to be friends now, just because you decided not to join the dark side of the force?"
At first all I got out of him was a blank look at my Star Wars reference, I sighed. There were down sides to being a pureblood I guess. After the blank look dissolved, something else took its place, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was.
"Well, not friends per se. At least, not yet," he said, eyes still on the ground. Apparently his shoes were very interesting.
"Damn straight we won't be friends! You've treated me, and my friends, like shit for the last couple years. That cannot easily be forgiven. And frankly, I'm not in a forgiving mood right now anyway. You've done nothing to show that you can be something other than a selfish bastard." I was breathing heavily by the end of my speech. I was nearly furious. How dare he think that I would forget about everything that he's said, and done, to me in the past. They were not things that can be forgiven at the drop of a hat.
Draco held his arms out in a placating manner, "Look, I understand that I've been a complete ass for the entire duration of the time I've known you, and I know that can't change overnight. I'm not asking for that. I just want a chance to try and make it up to you. Please."
I looked at him for a moment, tamping down on the urge to meet that with a sarcastic rebuttal. Something in his eyes, as cliché as that may sound, told me that he was being serious. Or, as serious as he could get.
I'd give him his change, and then when he fails I'll stand back and laugh at him. But, if he did, for some reason, prove that he changed, well then…we'd cross that if need be.
