Affirmation
"Why is the wedding on Saturday, anyway?" Lucius asked as he sipped his aqua vitae.
"For urgent, unexplainable reasons," David replied, swirling his brandy neatly.
"And what reasons would those be?" Lucius asked from his chair by the bay window.
"Um, you know, the urgent, unexplainable ones."
"Oh. All right."
"So… " David began slowly. "It's a tragedy that Crabbe passed away so gruesomely, don't you think?"
"Indeed," Lucius brooded as he finished the rum he held. "Draco loved his friend very much, and he has locked himself up in his room because of his sorrow."
"Yes, it must be very tragic for him indeed."
"So it would seem." Lucius rose, and so did David. The conversation was growing rather uncomfortable over the death of one of the friends of the family. David cleared his throat.
"Send Draco my condolences on the death of his friend."
"I shall." Lucius was cold and distant, both on purpose and accidentally. He wanted to have a meaningful conversation with David, but he was too broken up over Crabbe's death to feel anything. Now Crabbe, there was a boy who would have made a good Death Eater. He would have been perfect; he would have followed orders without question, his loyalty would have been pure. It was a shame really.
Now, Draco on the other hand, he was different. He had goals and ambitions, and a mind. Not really Death Eater material. The biggest flaw in Draco was that he felt emotions. Sure, he never showed his emotions to anyone, but still. The emotions were there, and they would get him into trouble one day. Or worse, dead.
"I'll be seeing you then… "
"Ah!" It was Snape. "Lucius, I was just hoping we might have a word, but seeing how you are busy and what not… "
"Oh no," Lucius smiled slightly. "David here was just leaving. Do come in, won't you?"
"Yes, thank you," Snape nodded at David as the man walked by. There was an unsure, tense moment before the two separated paths, like neither knew what the other would do once they couldn't see each other. But the moment passed and Snape sat across from Lucius as the door clicked shut.
"So," Lucius purred as he poured himself another glass. "What brings you to my study at so late an hour?"
"I wanted to discuss Draco's progress as a student."
"Oh." Lucius sank into his chair. "Drink?" Snape eyed the yellow tonic and nodded. "It's over there," Lucius pointed with a shaking finger. "Help yourself."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now. The boy. Speak."
"Ah, yes," Snape eyed the ceiling before pouring himself a drink. The boy would be right in the middle of… shit. His glass was too full. Oh well. He'd sip it longer. "Draco is a fine student… "
"Must you leave so soon?" Draco was hugging Ginny close under the newly used sheets. She was gazing out the balcony, her heart beating wildly for thousands of reasons. Draco, Harry, Hermione, Crabbe. Her… gulp… banishment. The sun was about to rise, even though there was no sign of it.
"Yes," Ginny sighed as she rolled over to face her husband.
"But think of all the fantastic things I could do, like I did," he persisted. Ginny laughed a little and took his face in her hands.
"What you did last night is illegal in most countries."
"I know. But I'm Draco Malfoy. And you're Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Therefore, we could do that anywhere your little heart wants to."
"I'm tired. Isn't four times in one night enough for you?"
"I don't know… I mean, with you here like you are, and me here like I am, I could go for it again."
"I can't believe you."
"Neither can I."
Ginny laughed and pushed him away. "I love you, even though you're a fool."
"And I love you, even though you're the most beautiful woman on the planet."
"Oh, shut up. I'm not going to let you do it again."
"Why not? I thought you liked it!" Draco lifted himself up and hovered over her. He wore a huge smile, and Ginny shook her head.
"It's not that I don't like it, it's just that I did it four times last night. And I am tired. Get it? I would love to do it again, hell, I wish I could do it all the time, but I am exhausted. Tired. You know, mortals feel that way sometimes." Ginny pulled Draco closer to her slowly, not a trace of a smile on her face.
"Well, young and tender mortal, I love what I see, I love what I feel. And as your God, I command you to do it again."
"No."
"Will you say no to your God?"
"No, I will say 'no' to my husband. Now, if you please, I need to get going."
Draco leaned close to Ginny and kissed her slowly. His eyes didn't close, and he kept them on hers. "Please," he begged. He kissed her neck. "Please," he asked sweetly. Ginny shook her head. He kissed her chest. "Please," he whimpered. Ginny shook her head. Draco kissed her stomach. "Please, " he whispered. Ginny knew she was going to let him, but she still resisted for fun. His head was lost and Ginny gasped.
"Okay!" She nearly shouted as she sat upright. Draco came back up, a bit red in the face, but smiling nonetheless. He gently shoved her down and kissed her sweetly.
"I knew you'd see things my way."
"If you hadn't cheated… "
"Love, there are no rules in the game of love."
"Well then," Ginny bit her lip playfully. "I win!" She pushed Draco back and straddled him.
Lucius was asleep. He was actually snoring very loudly. Snape sat, wide eyed, staring into space. He hoped Draco had fulfilled his share of want for the next few years, because there was no way that he was willing to do that again. Actually talking to Malfoy? Yuck! Now Snape understood why Draco hated his father so much. The man was so full of himself! All he talked about in his drunken stupor was himself and how Crabbe was the better son.
Son? Crabbe wasn't even remotely related to the family. At least, that's what Snape thought. But then again, it was one of those crazy, mixed-up Pureblood things. Who knows what went on in the heads of those people.
Snape sighed and peeled himself from the chair he was sitting in. It was hard to stand, and his legs were wobbly. It would be a mighty feat if he could make it to his bed and not collapse. With a tad bit of trouble, Snape staggered into the guest quarters and passed out on his bed. It was two in the morning, and the day had not yet shaken it ugly head.
Now, Draco was a cruel and vicious man – ask anyone who went to Hogwarts. He had always been that way. Life had made it so he couldn't really be like other people, in fact, his whole life, he had been told by his father that he was better than other people, and that he shouldn't act like them. His father was an alcoholic and like some alcoholics in their drunken rages, had beaten his son. The beatings had toughened Draco growing up, to the point where he lost his childhood hopes and dreams and the charm and joy that is common with most children. And in his new strength against his father, Draco learned to take advantage of his father's disposition.
Eventually, Lucius lost the battle with his son. The beatings had become more and more frequent when the boy was home, and finally Lucius broke Draco's arm. The 13 year old had been defending himself against his father's harsh blows a few days after school had been released. It had to do something with Potter – as it always did. (It was no wonder that Draco hated Harry so much after a time, considering he was beaten incessantly because of the other boy's actions.) Draco backed away, as he always did, and his father lunged after him with his fists and the Stick and broke his arm and shattered his collar bone. Those are the kinds of things a person doesn't forget, even after the person has apologized and bought things for silence.
So it was. Draco never let himself come near to his father again. And he began to hate him, loath him, scorn him. There was a deep and utter hate for his whole family, and that was when he wanted to be loved and normal. It was bad enough that he had to hate people to defend himself, but it was another thing for that hate to build up a false image and betray the people around him to be nice to him because he would kill them if they weren't nice. Sure, Draco was as mean as hell, and he stole and lied and didn't feel bad for it. But he was missing love from his diet of life, and it cut him deep. He wanted love more than anything…
Draco caressed Ginny's hair as she slept beside him. She loved him. There she was, peacefully murmuring in her sleep, clinging to his body, and she loved him. She knew his inadequacies and she still loved him. She was fully aware of the monster that covered up the man, and yet she still loved him. But why? It is the age-old question of lovers – why.
Ginny raised her head and caught his troubled eyes with hers. She smiled and touched his face with a warm hand, and he leaned into it.
"Good morning, angel," he purred to her as he sat up on his arm.
"Good morning," she murmured. She closed her eyes and yawned, pushing the sleep past her. It was morning. Shoot! It was morning! Ginny sat up quickly. She glanced around her and shook her head quickly. The sun was already up, and she was still here.
"What?" Draco asked as she rolled out of the bed.
"Morning," she gushed as she searched for her clothes. Draco looked out the window and shook his head vigorously.
"Damn!" he sighed as he slammed his fist on the bed. "Love, stay. I'll keep you here and you can wait for me to get things settled around here… "
"No," Ginny sighed as she pulled on her knickers. "I'm afraid I can't." Ginny shoved her legs in her pants and pulled them up.
"Why?" he whined. Ginny tugged her shirt over her head and climbed on the bed with Draco. She straddled him and touched his face. He smiled and leaned close to her, kissing her and rubbing her back. She pulled back and moved some hair out of his face.
"Because I have to go. If you don't remember," she paused and sighed. "I'm banished. Technically, this place counts as the wizarding world." Ginny rolled off of Draco and sat on the edge of the bed. She pulled on her shoes and leaned forward. Draco leaned close to her and hugged her from behind. "I'm sorry," she sighed as she turned around. She kissed him and touched his naked chest softly.
"Oh, yeah," he laughed. "I'll get dressed too." He bounded out of the bed and threw on some clothes. In a flash, he was at her side.
"You're a fool," she laughed as she tried pushing him away. Draco shook his head and caught her hands on his. His eyes settled on hers and he raised her hands to his lips and kissed her hands softly.
"I'm your husband," he replied as he let her hands fall. "And I can't stand seeing my wife driven away because she was protecting herself."
"But I wasn't," Ginny cried as she turned away suddenly. "That's why I'm being banished. He killed her, Draco. We were walking away, peacefully, and he killed her out of spite." Ginny sat on the bed and stared down at her hands. "I loved her, Draco. She was my best friend in the whole world. She was going to get married, she was in love too. How would you feel if I died?" She broke off, her emotions almost undoing her nerves. A tear fell from her eye and she shook her head. "I can't stay. I can't imagine how you feel. He was your best friend. Oh, I'm so sorry… " She laid her head down on the pillow and cried softly.
"Don't think that way," Draco purred as he moved close to her and stroked her hair. "I love you much more than I even liked him. I don't know what I would do without you."
"You'd probably be better off," Ginny sniffed as she stood away from him.
"No, no, no." Draco rose and took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. "I wouldn't live without you."
"Neither would I," Ginny whispered as she squeezed Draco.
"Draco," Snape's voice called from the door. Draco lifted Ginny's chin and kissed her tenderly.
"I love you," he whispered in her ear as he pulled away from her to open the door.
"Ah, there you are. Your father is up, and I'm sure he will be in here to discuss your wedding… if you know what I mean." Draco shuddered.
"Yes," he nodded. "I understand." He turned back around to Ginny, who had moved to the balcony. "Ginny, wait up," he jogged toward her and closed the doors behind them once he was outside.
"It's a beautiful day," Ginny sighed as she turned back to face him.
"It is, isn't it?"
"Yes." Ginny sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid this is where I part you, my love. I'm bad at long good-byes." Draco nodded at her and kissed her passionately. He ran his fingers through her hair once more and felt her under him once more, and then in a second, she had pushed him away.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you." She smiled a bit before she vanished in a loud pop. Draco sighed and stared into the rising sun.
"Draco!" Snape hissed from inside. Draco pulled the doors open and stepped inside. Draco nodded at the man and stepped out of his room and glided down the stairs. He would be very cheery to his father, even though he didn't want to be.
"Draco!" Lucius was sober again. He was waiting in the foyer, sitting at the piano and pushing a few random keys. The irony of that unused piano was that Narcissa had insisted that Draco take lessons to improve his reflexes. After six years of the best tutors, Draco had walked away a very good pianist who knew more about music and composition than he did about reflexes. He still could play Mozart and Pachabel and Brahms and Bach, the well known Muggles composers, and he could also play the more intricate Williams and Roquemore. That style of piano involved enchanting the piano and what not, and it was complicated.
"Yes father?" Draco's attention snapped back to the present.
"Play me something."
"But father, it's been so long." Such a liar. Draco smiled a bit.
"Oh, nonsense. Play. Anything."
"Yes father." Draco walked over to the piano and his father left the seat. In a heart beat, Draco had sat down and rested his fingers over a dominant 7th C chord. Draco smiled a bit. His father didn't have the slightest on what a dominant 7th C chord was. In another instant, Draco considered songs. The only thing that could come to his mind was Brahms' Waltz, Op. 39. Draco pressed the first notes and stopped.
"What?" Lucius was leaning over the black polished wood, his head supported by his hands. "Why did you stop?"
"What do you want of me, father?" Draco looked up at the man who had sired him. He wasn't really a father. He had been there, but he was more Death Eater than father. He was involved in his own purpose, and could care less how his child turned out.
"I want you to play. Whatever that was, it was nice. Play. Go on, I know you can. Play something."
"Yes, sir." Draco sighed slightly and pressed the first notes again. After the first chords, he couldn't stop his hands, and they played out the melody that was so close to his heart. His hands moved expertly around the keyboard, and played just the perfect thing in time. It was beautiful and moving to watch his hands, how they caressed the keys so gently and yet made such a powerful sound come forth. Suddenly the piece moved, and Draco's body moved with it, an unknown passion for the craft creeping out of him and flowing through every pore. As all true musicians know music, when it moves you, you move with it. To resist would be fatal. And so it was with Draco. His love for Ginny took shape in the melody and the harmony and he played as though he never would play again.
The song was over before anyone in the room wanted it to be. Snape stood at the door, listening silently with awe. Lucius gazed at his son with amazement, and from beyond the door, Narcissa stood and smiled at her son. Draco sat and stared at the keys, shocked at himself. He had released the music inside of his soul, and he wanted it back. Music was precious to him, and he wanted it back, bottled up inside of him where no one could hear it. It was the only feeling he allowed himself to have as a child, and to share it was almost like crying. It was forbidden.
"That was… superb." Lucius stood up straight. Draco sighed and closed the piano. He wanted to get this day over with so he could leave to Paris.
"Thank you. Now, can we talk?"
"What? Oh, sure." Lucius' shoulders slumped and he walked over to one of the chairs. "Have a seat." Without hesitation, Draco sat down. "So… " Lucius sighed as he eyed the rum on the far wall.
"The wedding," Draco reminded.
"Oh yes. That. All right. But first, I want to discuss that performance. It was so… sad. So tragic. Why?"
"I am sad, father."
"It's because of Crabbe, isn't it? I know, I'm very torn up about it." Draco stared at his father. He shook his head a little. There are times that you speak your mind and when you play along. Now is a time to play along, he decided.
"Yes. He was my best friend, you know."
"More like a cousin, I should think." This sent Lucius into a fit. His face turned red and he shook his fist a little. "Damn that girl. If ever I should see her, I swear on my life I will kill her, with my bear hands if I have to." This shocked Draco, but he let no sign of it show.
"Yes. If you found some kind of poison that would work slowly on her, I would find the means to administer it to her and kill her slowly and painfully for what she did to my dear friend." Draco shivered inside of his world. He loved her more than he loved himself, and he could never harm a hair on her head, even if she asked him to.
"Yes, but you could never go into the Muggle world. At any rate, the wedding. It is tomorrow, if you don't remember."
"How could I forget?" Draco sighed to himself.
"What?" Lucius asked from his chair.
"Oh, I said 'How wonderful.'" Draco smiled falsely.
"Yes. Now, I have planned for you to meet Callista again, today in Hogsmead. She is looking forward to seeing you."
"Oh joy," Draco moaned softly. He slid down in his chair a fraction of a centimeter and his father noticed.
"What is this? I thought you liked her! Tell me why you suddenly hate her, tell me!" Lucius rose from his chair and moved over to Draco, and raised a fist. Draco jumped out his chair instinctively and moved toward a weapon of some kind, but he didn't find one.
"I never said that. All I did was slouch."
"Which means you hate her!"
"No!" Draco was shouting now too. "I never said anything. I just don't want to be married right now, okay? I'm not ready for that kind of a thing now. I'm so close to getting a job at the Ministry, and… " He was cut off by his father's shouting.
"THE MINISTRY!" His father was livid. "I can't believe you! I was 19 and had no job of any kind when I was married. I wanted a job, yes, but I knew my role in my family! Draco," his father's voice grew softer. "You must uphold your family before you think about work."
"Father… "
"Let me finish!" Lucius snapped. "You have really no part in this house other than continuing the Pureblood line. That is your job for the next few years. Produce an heir, that is all I want before I die. The Malfoy's must have an heir, son… "
Draco fumed silently behind his cool eyes. It was one of the things he had inherited from his father: the calm, cool outside and boiling inside. He had maybe already produced an heir for all he knew, and it would be Pureblood. Good, pure blood. A child of love.
A child.
Draco's eyes misted over as his father continued to yell at him about how important family was. There was some stints at him, but it was all lost at his ears. What would the child look like? Would it have red hair, or blond? Cool, grey Malfoy eyes, or fiery, green Weasley eyes? Pale skin or ruddy? Tall and lean or tall and stocky? What kind of care was required for a child? What languages would be taught? Music, or no?
Suddenly, the heavy responsibility fell over Draco and he felt himself sinking beneath its weight. A child was so much more than he wanted right now. He wanted to be in love, and young, not tired and a father. But he imagined the joy that might accompany such news. He had to be positive. Draco sighed slightly and focused his eyes again. His father was still talking about family and the importance of an heir, as if he had not heard it a million times already. Draco shook his head and smiled to himself. He knew his father would not let him out of the wedding alive until he finally agreed to do it. An idea struck Draco.
Draco's big intake of breath surprised Lucius. He stopped his lecture and stared at his son for a second. Before he could speak again, Draco's voice filled the room. "I will gladly meet with Callista today. And I will marry her tomorrow."
Lucius was taken aback. This was a great change. He had hated only minutes earlier. What would bring about the sudden change, other than his fantastic speech? He smiled at his son. "I knew you would see things my way." But wait, that wasn't right. Draco would never change his mind so quickly. This made Lucius angry. "I want you to go to her," he hissed, anger creeping into his voice. "I know you are lying. I don't want to see you until you have grown up!"
"Fine." Draco hissed back. "If you'll excuse me," Draco didn't finish what he was thinking, which was, 'So I can go die quietly in my room.'
