Disclaimer:
Mirror Mirror on the Wall,
No one owns Harry cept J.K. Rowl.
Woah! I never imagined that my fic would gain so many reviews after having none the first chapter! Special kudos go to Smenzer, thanks for the constructive criticism, Jibs, who has been here since the beginning and was the only reason I didn't just quit, Mokona Deh Bunny, cReAtIvE-tHoUgHtS, and Reyna, who all helped create the storyline from here on out. Thanks, it would've been plot holes without you.
Shout outs also go to all those who reviewed. I needed the support greatly in my time of unpopularity. You have helped picked up the shattered pieces of my ego. (I'm such a Slytherin!)
Chapter 7: A very hard bargain
Draco paced back and forth before the door which lead to Dumbledore's office. He was all too aware of how long McGonogal's eyes had followed his form, making sure he wouldn't run away this time. Draco sighed. For once the responsibility for his actions had caught up with him, but it wasn't all bad. He had changed loyalties, though in truth was no nicer to the enemy than he'd ever been before, he had escaped his father's plan for him, which was good because it really pissed him off, and he'd killed one of the slimiest gits known to man. Draco glanced over at McGonogal, contemplating whether it was safe to sit down. He moved towards her spot on a bench, almost sat down, then decided against it and walked off, with her eyes still following him.
Draco scuffed the floor with his foot. Harry and Ron were the ones responsible for his new found dilemma. In their infinite wisdom, they had gone for help. But when help arrived, what had taken place seemed all too clear. Draco had used a very illegal curse, one that could land him in Azkaban, whether it be self defense or no. Draco prayed that something incredibly fortunate would happen to him, allowing him to go free. Draco knew in his gut however, that fate was finally tired of getting him out of trouble, and there was no way out.
Suddenly the door to Dumbledore's office opened, revealing exactly the person Draco had been dreading to see all summer, Lucius Malfoy. Draco had heard something about him being informed as to the particulars of Hermione's kidnapping, which was just dandy in Draco's opinion. He felt rather like a delinquent high schooler, something he was constantly called by Harriet Granger, Hermione's mother. Draco groaned inwardly as Dumbledore motioned him into his office and shut the door behind them.
In the office, was a large ash desk with various papers shrewn about the surface, a large bird cage containing a phoenix, two blue swede armchairs, and one dark blue dragon leather sofa which looked extremely uncomfortable. So when offered a seat by the headmaster, Draco opted for an armchair. His father took a seat on the sofa, mainly because it was across from Draco, who couldn't help but smile at Lucius's face upon sitting down. The headmaster sat down at his desk, making him look very much like a civil suits judge.
"Excuse me," Lucius sneered, "but could we have some privacy?" Draco growled. The question had obviously been phrased to offend, and while not a particular fan of Dumbledore, Draco certainly had nothing against him. Dumbledore nodded and rose to leave. Lucius waited rather impatiently for him to shut the door, then began his speech.
"So the prodigal son returns. I am very disappointed in you." Draco had expected no less, being that he'd run away, but was confused about the uncharacteristic muggle reference. "My own son, the murderer of one of the most trusted Death eaters!" Draco paled. He'd killed a Death eater.
'Well, that certainly explains how he both knew about and broke into the chamber of secrets.'
"But-" Lucius continued, "being that you did defeat a Death eater, my master has taken an even greater interest in you. So here are your options. You either become a Death eater, or I'll leave you to be sent to Azkaban."
Draco was shocked. Never before had his father been this straight forward, he always manipulated you until you didn't know the difference between up or down. 'He's gone soft,' Draco couldn't help but note.
"No, Father." Draco stated firmly. Lucius may have lost his touch, but Draco most certainly had not. "You either get me out of this mess, or the Malfoy's only heir will marry a mudblood." Draco made sure to refer to himself as the only heir to the Malfoy family to make sure his father knew damn well that the reputation of the family rested on his decision. Lucius smiled.
"You drive a hard bargain."
"Well, I know that our family's reputation is more important to you than a measly difference in opinions." Draco smirked. He'd won, and he knew it all too well.
"Yes, but you also care about it." Lucius smirked back. "You're bluffing."
Draco groaned. His father was such a pain in the ass sometimes, well actually all the time really. Draco didn't allow his composure to slip. One thing he'd learned, act iinvincible and people will be ggullibleenough to believe you.
"I highly doubt you'll be boosting how much I care about this family when I run it into the ground. So what'll it be?" Draco saw his father's face pale.
"I'll see what I can do. Don't worry, I've gotten out of worse." Lucius patted Draco's shoulder in shock and left the room. Draco grinned as soon as he'd left the room. That was easier than he'd thought it would be. For the second time, he was glad to be a Malfoy.
Dumbledore stumbled back into the room, obviously shocked by the state in which Lucius left.
"So," Dumbledore sstuttered "You have your father out matched have you?" Draco wondered in amazement at how fast Dumbledore had guessed. That man really was a genius.
"More or less I believe." Draco spotted a little twinkle appear in the headmaster's eyes.
"Good. I believe someone should've stood up to him long ago. But to have it be his own son was exactly what he needed." Draco could tell Dumbledore was thoroughly enjoying this. "Well, Your dear friends Harry and Ron put in a good word for you. Most of them consisted of iincantand self-defense. Oh yes, and my personal favorite, hero." Draco's mask of superiority broke. It was totally astonishing to him. Harry and Ron hadn't even known him that long, and already, they were risking their own reputations to help him out.
"I never. . ." sstutteredDraco.
"You're their friend. Though I personally think I agree with them, even if your mmethodsare considered questionable by others."
Draco pondered this. He'd never had this long of a conversation with the headmaster before, and now he understood why Harry enjoyed it so much.
"Care for a lemon drop?"
-----
Draco left Dumbledore's office thirty minutes and a pocket full of lemon drops later. He decided it was too late to visit Hermione, though he very much wished to, so instead he went to find his new best friends. Quickly though, he was met by a large group of Slytherins. At their head was Blaise Zambini.
"So here he is, the ddelinquentSlytherin prince. So, how does it feel to save a mudblood?" Draco continued to walk, trying not to get hhimselfin even more trouble. "What? Couldn't Daddy save you?"
Draco couldn't believe he was getting this kind of treatment. After all, he was a Malfoy. And no one spoke to a Malfoy that way, not even his father. Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at Blaise's tthroat
"For one thing, Hermione Granger is not a Mudblood. And for another, I am still a Malfoy, and as such I demand you treat me with respect." Blaise put up his hands in defense.
"Sorry boss. You are still the boss right?" Draco's glare tightened on him.
"No. I am not 'the boss' anymore. But unless you want to end up like Sean McKlain, I suggest you leave myself, and the rest of my friends alone."
Blaise smirked. "Don't try to fool yourself, you don't have friends. You're a Malfoy." Draco pretended to turn away but swung back around and punched him in the jaw. He somehow knew he'd get in trouble for that too, but at this point, it really didn't seem to matter much.
Draco stood his ground against them as Crabbe and Goyle moved to pick up their new master. 'What weaklings,' Draco scoffed, 'having to depend on someone else to think for them. And Blaise, what a git. If he only knew how strong it feels to be completely iindependent I don't need them anymore, and they can't even understand why. How pathetic.' The Slytherins finally cleared away from Malfoy and continued their way down the corridor. Only then did Draco begin to search once more for Harry and Ron.
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find
The better part of me
I'm more than a bird...I'm more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
And It's not easy, to be me
Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I'll never see
It may sound absurd...but don't be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And It's not easy, to be me
Draco couldn't understand completely what it was he was feeling. It was like he was free, but at the same time no one understood why that was so important. He just wanted to find the best of himself, but the old things kept popping in on him at the strangest times. He knew for sure that he wasn't going crazy, but if someone told him that he was, he might've actually believed them. He knew that he had every right to be upset, but he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he was no longer invincible. He was no longer a gang leader, no longer a symbol, he was human. He was human, but at the same time, he was still a Slytherin.
Draco stared down the rest of the Corridor. Suddenly he caught sight of a flashes of black and bright red. In seconds Harry and Ron had met him and were interrogating him on how exactly he'd escaped going to Azkaban.
"How the hell did you pull this one off Draco?" Harry prodded.
"Whatever it was, it must've been bloody brilliant!" Ron burst.
"It wasn't bloody brilliant. I just used my father's love for the family rreputationagainst him. I told him if he didn't pull some strings, I would marry a mudblood. Of course he didn't really think about how I'd be incapable of marrying from Azkaban, but he was really frazzled. He didn't even say 'hi son, where the hell have you been all summer?' He just wanted to make me a Death eater." Harry and Ron tried to listen to the intelligible ramble that followed, but they had to admit it was rather pointless and reminded them of the ones Hermione was constantly breaking into, so finally they just gave up.