Chapter IX
The rest of the holydays were much less eventful. I had to tell mother where I went that evening, but obviously not all. I just told her that Hermione had found my ring. Mother didn`t seem to believe at all, but she didn`t asked more about the subject. On the last morning of the break, I was eating breakfast when the Daily Prophet arrived.
It`s been a long time since I got one. I started reading, and it seems that they don`t talk about my father anymore, or about me. Potter was still mentioned here and there, not that it`s something new. I wouldn`t be surprised if they build a monument for him in Diagon Alley.
But the thing that caught my attention was a death report. It seems like the Ministry is having a hard time trying to caught a supposed ex Death Eater. I bet it`s giving Scarface a good headache. The Boy Who Lived can`t get a simple murdered? I knew he would have trouble without Hermione and her brains. Can`t blame the bloke, the Weasel isn`t much help.
-Is there something new about the deaths?
I almost forgot that mother was there. She was holding a cup of tea and looking at me with a curious face.
-Not much. It seems the killer is giving Potter some work to do.
-Oh yes, I heard that him and the Weasley boy are Aurors.
-Yeah, Shacklebolt got them in.
-What surprised me was that the girl didn`t went with them.
-Hermione unfortunately don`t has a good sense when it comes to pick friends. Like I told before, she is too forgiving and nice for her own good. She likes the two of them, but she`s still a bookworm.
-You`re different son.
I took my eyes off the news and looked in her direction. She had that caring look on, and was smiling kindly at me.
-The war changes people mother, even if you don`t want to. I was a bastard at that time, still am sometimes, but I`m trying. I know you don`t like to talk about this, but I don`t want to be like him.
Her smile faded, and she looked at me sadly.
-I don`t want too. I loved your father son, but I don`t want you to have the same fate of him. You`re happy, I can see that, it`s just...It still hurts.
-I know mother, and I really want to make it stop, but I don`t know how.
-It`s not something that you have to do Draco, it`s not your responsibility. I just need some time. The pain will lessen with time son.
Later that day I was back at my common room. Hermione`s door was still closed, and I haven`t seen her yet. After getting all my things in their places, I started to read. A few minutes later the portrait hole swung open, and I could see the two girls.
-Ginger! Nice to see you here, still trying to get me I see.
Weasley looked at me fuming, but she signed as she walked to my armchair, and reached her hand out.
-What is this?
-Malfoy, you are still a git-
-Why thank you Weasley.
-And I still don`t trust you-
-Seriously? I haven`t noticed.
-Draco, can you shut up and listen?!
Hermione was standing in the middle of the room, with crossed arms and looking disapprovingly at me.
-Right, sorry. Go ahead ginger.
-You bloody bastard, asshole-
-Ginny.
Red sighed again, looked at Hermione and began to talk.
-Like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, I don`t like you Malfoy, but for Hermione ( she emphasized that part ) I`ll call it a truce.
I was a little taken aback with this. A Weasley trying to be civil with me. I think hell just froze. I looked at Hermione again and she was with that sickening hoping face of hers. I have a feeling that I will regret it in the future, but screw it. I took ginger`s hand and smirked at her.
-Ok ginger, a truce. I knew you couldn`t resist my charms for too long.
-Hermione, I`m already beginning to regret it.
-Don`t worry Gin, he is just putting on an image. Draco`s a softie.
-Granger, we have to establish some rules here, you can`t go that far.
-Don`t even try Draco.
And she was gone to her bedroom. Ginger began to go there too, but I stopped her.
-Ginger, she´s alright?
She stopped almost at Hermione`s door, before turning to look at me.
-Yes. `Mione worry too much. She thought that you would think she wanted the ring, and would be furious. She really don`t want you to be like before. Honestly, she thinks that she can solve everything. Don`t you dare blame her for anything, she was too kind to you.
-I know, and I won`t. Thanks ginger.
-No problem ferret.
-Own not this again.
To her credit, she smiled.
-It will never end, stop hoping. And Malfoy?
-What?
-About my brother, I don`t really blame you for that. At the beginning yes, but now I see it was all His fault. We were in that mess, and you made wrong choices. It was a war, and as much as I miss him, and I do, every day, I can`t blame you.
I was almost speechless. I began to feel that sense of relief burning at the pit of my stomach, and I smiled at her. It`s really good to hear something like that, even if I can`t forgive myself.
-Thank you Ginny.
-Now let's stop here, it`s really awkward that we´re talking almost friendly.
I grinned at that.
-Told you no one can resist me. But as much as I would love to see the betrayed face of Potter, gingers are not my type. Sorry Red.
She smirked at that, and I couldn`t help the thought that we can really make it work.
-In your dreams Malfoy.
And she entered the room.
I was alone for the rest of the day, until dinner. Blaise was seated at the end of the table, and the place was reclosed. I walked there and sat in silence. Something was telling me that he wanted to talk. About what I really didn`t have a clue. But Blaise is the kind of guy that talks smoothly when he wants something, and he tends to get you the more comfortable that he can, before asking anything.
-Hey Drake.
-Hi.
-So how were things with your mother? She`s better?
-Cut the crap and tell me what you want.
-Aw why you`re so cold? I`m really concerned with you.
-Like I believe that. So what is it?
He paused for a moment, and I could see his shoulders tense. He was looking at my eyes, almost like he was trying to search for something. I`m not an easy person to read, and this is one of the things I am proud of. When you live with crazy people that enjoy killing and torture as a past time, not show emotion can save you.
-Draco, has you seem the Prophet recently?
-Yes.
-Did you saw that part about the deaths?
-Yeah, Saint Potter seems to be having trouble. Why?
-My mother was talking to me. I don`t know if she was hallucinating or not, and I think it`s very possible, but I have to tell you. Now don`t freak out, it`s probably just some misunderstanding.
-Zabini I`m starting to get annoyed.
-Ok, listen...it`s about your father...
-My father is dead.
-Yes, I know. That`s why I think it`s nothing, and my mo-
-Zabini..
-Right. My mother was buying some things in Knockturn Alley and...she thinks she saw you father for a moment.
I stopped chewing my apple, and almost dropped my pumpkin juice. Blaise was looking apprehensively at me, like he was fearing my reaction. I didn`t understand why, it`s obvious that his mother just saw someone blond and thought that it was my father.
-Blaise, the Malfoy family isn`t the only one that have blond people. She just saw some bloke and thought he was him. My father is dead after all.
He dropped his gaze and began to poke his porridge. His shoulders were still rigid, and I had the feeling that it wasn`t all. When he talked again his voice was small and cautious.
-That`s what I told her. Mother too couldn`t believe. She was just walking to get some orders, and then she looked to her right, at a small dark alley, and a men with brown hair and about fifty suddenly became to chance into a blond, pale and skinny guy. She thought she saw some bloke when his Polyjuice Potion was wearing of, but then she got a glimpse of him, and she saw your father. Then she told me that she called his name, more from habit. She wasn`t expecting him to react, but he did.
Now he was looking at me again, and I could see the fear in his eyes.
-The guy turned and looked directly at her, then he smirked. My mother was speechless, and before she could do anything he was gone, like it was only her mind playing a trick. She came home shaking that evening, she was frightened.
My mind began to work without my noticing. It can`t be him, he is dead. After the battle the Ministry threw him in Azkaban. Mother cried so much, that she slept on my shoulder exhausted. It was a terrible day. He was brought to the room by Aurors, and when he sat at the chair in the middle of the place, chains held him there.
But I remember that he didn`t plead. He was silent all the time, and his eyes didn`t left me save for a moment or two when he glanced at Potter and then the Minister. He got a lifetime sentence, but when Shacklebolt called the Aurors back he grinned at me, and that was the last time I saw his face.
Four months later, when I was in the library at the manor I received a letter. They told me that he died three days before, and his body was thrown into the sea. My father wasn`t an Animagus like Sirius Black, and he didn`t have someone to take his place like Crouch. There`s no way he could escape. Sure Shacklebolt banned the dementors one month after he was there, but the people he put in charge are the best.
After all the trouble with the demeators, and the fact that Dumbledore never liked them to begin, it`s not a wrong choice to get rid of them. I never liked that things. When they got in the manor everything got even worse. The aisles were even more chilly, and no matter what I did, my room was always cold. The nightmares got worse too, and I tried to sleep the least possible, just so I couldn`t see what my dreams were like.
-Blaise, don`t worry. It wasn`t him. He`s dead and the only thing we have to worry now is homework.
-But Draco, if the possibility of been he is there, I think we should do something. I don`t know, tell Granger and ask her to talk with Potter. She can explain the situation, and Pot-
-Blaise, it`s nothing.
-But-
-Don`t worry. Your mother is still not used with the end of the war. I`ll not get Hermione worried for something like that. My father is dead. Now stop talking about this.
-I still think you should tell someone.
I didn`t talk for the rest of the night. Of course it`s not my father. The Ministry would know by now if he had fled. It`s just Blaise`s mother seen things, nothing to worry.