They stood in the Malfoy manor which seemly remarkably cold for the summer since Draco had walked in from meeting with some Death Eaters, presumably about Lucius. But what had came out of his mouth had not been about his jailed father, but about himself.
But Draco seem to be able to hear her whispered question, and answered her after pausing to take a deep breath. "The Dark Lord says he wants me at Hogwarts to kill Dumbledore," he stated plainly, trying to mask his fear with indifference.
"But –" his mother started, but stopped abruptly. She was shaking and her hand was covering her mouth as if to cover a scream that wanted to come out with a shaking hand. "You're barely sixteen!" she suddenly screamed. She seemed to have found her voice as she uncovered her both.. "You can't even be a Death Eater! You are far too young! How are you suppose to kill Dumbledore? The Dark Lord is even afraid of Dumbledore!" Narcissa began pacing back and forth in the living room of the Malfoy manor.
"Mother," Draco said in a whispered that was, to his shame, laced with fear, "I am already a Death Eater."
That stopped his mother's pacing and muttering to herself in an instant. "What? What did you say?" she asked, praying she had heard wrong, but knowing she had not.
"I'm already a Death Eater, Mother... I have the Dark Mark." Narcissa watched horrified as her only son thrust out his arm to show her the snake and skull down burned on his arm.
She whimpered in spite of herself. "But – but you're too young!" she screamed, as if in pain.
"Mother.. It is done. And I am proud," Draco said strongly, even though there was fear in his eyes.
"Proud? Proud of dying? Draco," she stepped in front of her son and looked him in the eye. "You will die trying. Dumbledore has followers. Dumbledore is a powerful wizard, Draco! You will die!"
Draco took a step back and looked at his mother in disbelief. "Do you mean to say I am weak" he asked with disgust.
"No, but you are young. Far to young to be trying to kill Dumbledore. The Dark Lord has not even successed in killing him!" Narcissa tried to explain, desperate to get her son to believe her. "The Dark Lord doesn't even expect you to kill Dumbledore for this is out of revenge! Revenge for your father being caught! This is all revenge! And... and I may loose you before of it." She started in a sccream, but ended in a whisper.
"I know. I know!" Draco suddenly cried in frustration. Narcissa backed up as if she'd been slapped. "Mother," he said in a low voice, looking at the ground, "I know I cannot kill him even if I try. But... but if I don't, the Dark Lord said he'd kill you. And Mother, I cannot allow you to die because of me!"
They stood in silence for a few moments, both lost in their own thoughts. "Draco," she whispered, but her voice was stronger now, suddenly. "I will find you help."
Suddenly, as if new life had entered her, she looked at her son. Reaching over she gave him a brief hug. Hugs were not given in the Malfoy household, so it was awkward, but they both needed the feeling of support in a hug now. "I will get you help," she whispered in his ear before letting him go.
Draco watched her in silence and awe, still feeling the warm of her embrace, as she grabbed her traveling cloak and leaving the manor without another word, but with the loud crack of Apparation. Draco wondered where his mother had gone. And who in their right mind would help him, the son of a jailed Death Eater? And a Death Eater himself...