Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters, only the plot…the rest is all J.K.Rowling's… (this is getting old!)

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Hermione's eyes softened, and she patted the ground beside her. Malfoy stood there, and closed his eyes, sighing yet again. When he opened them, he was met with the expectant gaze of his best friend.

He was ready.

'It all began when I was six…' he began.

A/N: Hey, it's me! Now, if you have any questions on this chapter, tell them to me in your review! On another note, I just fell down the stairs on Friday, and almost wrecked my knee –not to mention my head –so be thankful I wrote this chapter and to show me your appreciation, REVIEW!

Um… Now what did I want to say? Um, okay, never mind! I'll let you read this chapter!

'I had always lived happy at the Malfoy Manor' Draco went on 'my parents, both Deatheaters, had always way more important things to do than to stay with me. And honestly, I didn't mind. The house elves took care of me, and unlike my parents, I cared for them too. In the end, it was that that has brought me all these troubles.'

Draco paused for a few moments to catch his breath then, after a look shared with Blaise, he continued 'Being Deatheaters, my parents always received some followers of Voldemort in their house, humans or other creatures. When I was six, there was this centaur –or so I thought at the beginning –that came to visit, with some news. He and my father went in the library to discuss. A house elf came five minutes later and informed me that I was to bring a tray of food for the centaur.'

FLASHBACK

A six year old Draco entered the library, carrying in his small arms a tray on which were deposited some refreshments for the centaur.

As he approached the mighty creature, Draco thought there was something wrong with it. He eyed it curiously, while putting the tray on the table, and finally deduced it wasn't a pure breed centaur, because of the color of his skin –that was unlike the one of most centaurs –and his eyes.

'What are you staring at, human?' the centaur asked.

'N-nothing, sir' Draco said fearfully.

'Leave him, Nerasco, he's only a child' Lucious cackled evilly.

Nerasco nodded curtly, and Draco shivered, not knowing yet that that name would remain forever engraved in his memory, along with the cruelties that had then begun.

Little Draco stood there, in the middle of the room, not exactly knowing what to do, and the two adults took no notice of him.

About five minutes later, a little house elf entered –one of Draco's favorites, actually –and wanted to remove the tray.

Unfortunately, because of its petite silhouette, the tray somehow staggered in his arms, and its remaining contents spilled on the floor, and on the centaur's hoofs.

'You inconsiderate and worthless creature' Nerasco bellowed 'Look what you did!'

Without waiting for an answer, he beated the elf with his hoofs, making sure to make it scream in agony.

Malfoy watched horrifies as his friend was being stepped on by the centaur, and his father did nothing, merely enjoying the show.

Finally not able to shut up anymore, he yelled 'No!'

The centaur stopped, and turned to Draco in surprise, then in evil appreciation.

'You dare give orders, human?' he asked Draco.

'N-no, mighty centaur, only please do not hurt my friend!' Draco begged, bowing before the creature.

The words he had just said he would regret for the rest of his youth.

The centaur's eyes flashed dangerously, and it turned to Lucious 'Your son befriends house elves? And he dares call me a centaur?' he hissed angrily.

To Draco, he said 'I am no centaur, human. I am a Minstar, follower of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

In a flash, Draco realized his mistake. And he knew that the punishment for what he had just said would be enormous.

'I think punishment is in order, Nerasco' said Lucious 'and since it is you who has been offended, you may choose it.'

Nerasco smirked evilly, and said 'No, Lucious, no. I already know what punishment to inflect upon your son. And it will be one he won't soon forget.'

Draco gulped, knowing that it was not good.

Nerasco took him by the arm, and dragged him across the room and out.

Draco was crying and screaming 'No! Father! Please, don't let him hurt me! Father, please! FATHER!'

But Lucious did nothing but stay at the desk, smiling coldly, no emotion on his face.

The house elves watched in despair as their protégé was dragged to its room, crying and debating, but not being able to escape the Minstar's grip.

Once in Draco's room, Nerasco freed him.

'Now, you will pay for your insolence' he announced.

He took a whip that he had hidden all along, ad ordered to Draco to remove his shirt.

As he did so, Nerasco began beating him over and over again, until all his back was red and there was blood coming from his wounds. Draco screamed each time the whip collided with his skin, but no success. His beater was a cruel tyrant.

Nerasco stopped whipping Draco just before the latter passed out. Before leaving the room, he said 'This will not be your last, believe me. Each month, at the full moon, I will come, and you will do better to wait for me here, if you do not wish a more sever punishment.'

Draco passed out, from the pain and exhaustion. He woke up hours later to find his back all bandaged, but no house elf near him.

END FLASHBACK

When he was done, Hermione and Ginny had their hands covering their mouths, their eyes widened in horror. Blaise could only look at Draco, tears in his eyes, crying for what his friend had supported all those years.

'And your father did nothing to stop it?' Polar asked Draco. His eyes were clouded, but one could not guess why.

'No' Draco shook his head. 'Nor my mother. They went on with their lives, completely oblivious to the fact that each full moon, their son was beated until passing out. It all ended when I came to Hogwarts, though, for they didn't want Dumbledore to alert the authorities.

But I never forgot Nerasco, not what I endured for five years. I still have the scars on my back as a reminder of the pain they caused.'

'T-that's why you killed Nerasco?' Hermione asked, her voice shaking.

'Yes' Draco said, and his eyes hardened. 'I'm sorry for calling you a you-know-what, Granger, but it was the only way to make Nerasco believe that I was on his side. When I remembered from where he was so familiar, my rage and anger resurfaced, and I only did what I had wanted to do all those years. Kill him.'

Polar nodded in understandment, and he slowly approached Draco. 'I am sorry for your pain, little Dragon, but I do wish to thank you for helping me kill the Minstar. I would be honored if you, and Blaise, would consider me among your friends.'

Draco raised his head, his eyes full of tears, and nodded to the centaur 'Of course we will.'

Hermione hugged Draco, whispering an 'I'm sorry', and surprisingly, he hugged her back, glad to finally have some friends.

They all stood in silence for a few moments, until Ginny couldn't take it anymore 'That bastard!' she yelled angrily, getting up.

The three teenagers watched in astonishment as she began kicking a tree, yelling obscenities.

Afraid she might hurt herself, Hermione tried to stop her, but Ginny wouldn't listen. Finally, Draco got up and went behind Ginny. 'You know, Weasley, I'm glad you didn't know about this sooner, or yet you may have really killed my father.'

Ginny stopped kicking the tree, and turned to Draco 'Yeah I really may have, I don't care if you're my enemy –or was –Malfoy, but no one deserves to have their youth taken away like that.'

Draco nodded, then did a surprising thing: he hugged Ginny and, after a few moments of surprise, the latter hugged him back.

Then, Draco turned to Blaise, who seemed to be in deep thought, his head bent.

'Blaise?' he asked him softly.

The Slytherin raised his head and Draco was touched to see the tears in his eyes. In one swift move, Blaise got up and hugged his friend, asking 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?'

Draco shrugged 'I wasn't ready.'

Blaise nodded slowly then he turned to the girls, and asked Hermione 'So, Granger, would you like to tell us how you met Polar?'

Smiling, Hermione looked at Polar, who nodded, then she began telling them her story.

When she was done, she was met with the astonished faces of her pairs.

'Y-you fought Nerasco?' Blaise asked.

'All alone?' Ginny went on.

Hermione nodded. 'Yes. Why, is that so hard to believe?'

'Well' Draco began 'I have to admit that is one side I'd never thought I would see on Hermione Granger.'

Laughing, the four teenagers spent a few more hours taking about bits and stuff, then fell asleep peacefully.

As Polar stood guard, he finally let his tears fall. With each tear that touched the ground, a small ball of light was formed.

Polar took one look at the sleepy four teenagers, then got up and, after one last glance, strode away.

His own path was awaiting.

OUF! Now that was a hard chapter to write, so I hope you appreciated it.

I want at least 10 good reviews for it before I post the next chapter.

In my estimation, there are at least 2-3 more chapters to write, so hopefully, I'll finish this fic before school starts.

This week, the updates may be a little swaying, because I have an important project to finish, but hopefully, I'll update the next chapter by Wednesday.

Read and review!

Tigerlilystar