After leaving Hermione alone in her dorm, Draco headed back to his own common room, his mind filled with an empty sense of longing. Being in the Gryffindor common room made him pine for a home and a family to call his own, something he'd never really had, but always wanted. He only truly felt at home there, even though he was surrounded by those he had once seen as enemies.
He entered the Slytherin common room feeling dejected and lonely, wanting only someone to comfort him.
"Draco, what's wrong?" Blaise asked him as soon as he sat down.
"Nothing," he sighed, "I'm just tired, that's all."
"Is it Hermione?" Blaise inquired, trying to sound curious.
"No."
"Miss your mum?"
"Yeah, actually," Draco admitted, but didn't feel too keen on talking about it. Luckily for him, he didn't have to, for Professor Snape entered the common room, looking pointedly at Draco.
"Professor?"
"Draco, the Headmaster wishes to speak to you," Snape said tersely.
"Ermm... about what, sir?"
"I'm not sure, Mr. Malfoy, or else I'd have already told you. Come now," Snape said, leading Draco back into the corridor.
When they arrived at Professor Dumbledore's office, Snape gave the password ("Ice Mice") and left Draco there alone.
"Professor?" Draco called up the spiral stair.
"Come up, Draco," Dumbledore's calming voice called back.
Draco found him seated behind his large desk, a sherbet lemon in his hand.
"Would you like one?" he asked, offering the sweet to Draco.
"No, thank you, sir."
"You must be curious as to why I have called you here," Dumbledore stated quietly, and Draco nodded. "Several months ago, you left me the key, so to speak, to your father's study, wherein I found many very interesting things. However, on a trip to the kitchen one day after a rousing afternoon of searching, I happened across your mother's library. I must say that even as an old man, my curiosity is as young as ever, so I had a bit of a look around. Under a book on your mother's desk, I found this," and with that, Dumbledore pulled out a heavy parchment envelope with Draco's name signed neatly on the front.
"I thought you should like to read it," he added, almost as an afterthought, handing the envelope to Draco, who held it so carefully in his hands, as though it were made of spun sugar.
"May I go, sir?" Draco asked, wanting to read the letter alone.
"Of course. Good afternoon to you, Draco. Do come back if you need anything."
'Erm... sure," Draco said distractedly, and with that he was gone.