Chapter 3
June 4th 1998
Tilting the long handle of his broom down Draco descended from the sky towards the field to the right of the garden. Landing softly on two feet he spelled his broom to fly back to the shed with the rest of his quidditch equipment. The fall of Voldemort had been good to Draco. Without the snake like man living in his house, the constant fear Draco had felt since fourth year had finally gone away. He found that though those times in his childhood still affected him greatly he was finally healing. Gaining back some of the weight he had lost during those rough years filled out Draco in a good way and quidditch had truly helped him become more defined. Not to mention, that as he aged his features had softened. He still carried himself like an aristocrat from years of practice but he no longer looked so hard and angled and he no longer sneered down at people believing he was better than them. Sweeping his blond hair back, that he no longer kept gelled but instead let fall to just above his eyes, he made his way over to the bench he knew his mother loved to sit at during lunch time.
Just as Draco had suspected his mother was sitting on the bench looking out over the small pond surrounding by beautiful vibrant red rose bushes. Her long hair flowed down her back looking slightly more white than Malfoy blond these days. Looking at his mother it was not hard to notice that she had also taken the fall of Voldemort well considering the outcome of the war. Surprising both Malfoy's remaining at Malfoy Manor their trial had gone better than expected. They had both expected to have joined Lucius in Azkaban for their crimes during Voldemort's time but mercy was given for them during their trial. Potter, of all people, had played a vital role of their staying out of prison.
On the day of the trials Lucius Malfoy was judged first. He was found guilty of willingly taking the dark mark, performing numerous unforgivable curses, rape, and murder. It was a surprise to no one, including his family when the verdict of guilty was stated so clearly at the trial. What people don't know is that Draco felt a sense of relief wash through him hearing that his father was sentenced to Azkaban for life. When Narcissa was judged next the court was surprised to find her lawyer had found a character witness on her side. When the lawyer asked for the wizarding hero, the chosen one, to take the stand Draco thought his childhood nemesis was playing a cruel trick on his family. It was then that Potter explained how without his mother lying to Voldemort about Potter's death the light side never would have won the war. When Draco noticed the crowd changing their stares at his mother from glaring to sympathy he realized that he had never been as grateful to see Potter's untidy black hair and scar. When Narcissa's sentence of one year's house arrest was called out it was clear to anyone in the room that Draco almost wept with relief.
Lastly, on the day of the trials Draco took the stand as it was his turn to hear his ruling. He believed that he was going to go to Azkaban like his father; he had just prayed it wouldn't be for the rest of his life. He wasn't shocked when his mother took the stand saying he was forced to take the mark. It was true, Voldemort had threatened his parents and it was punishment for his father's failures. He could, however, remember Potter taking the stand as if it happened yesterday and not a month ago.
Malfoy's lawyer, a tall thin man wearing a baggy suit, had just asked for the second witness to step forward. The crowd was even more shocked to see Potter take the stand for Draco than they had when he took the stand for his mother. It wasn't uncommon knowledge that the two boys had grown up in a feud. Malfoy wondered why his lawyer had gone through all this trouble to win his case. No one had wanted to help the Malfoy's in the aftermath of the war, even with the money they had offered, so this lawyer had been assigned to all three of his families cases.
"Please state your name for the court," the lawyer said.
"My name is Harry James Potter."
"And you are here because you believe you have relevant details for this case. Details that you believe will help my client Draco Malfoy."
"I do."
Draco had been sitting on the edge of his seat during the brief interaction. What on Earth could Potter say that would make Draco seem like less of a bully to him. The prosecutor, a short pudgy man wearing a crisp black suit with a food stain on his tie, seemed to be thinking the same thing for he had a smug smile on his face.
"Please share the first relevant event for the court." His lawyer asked his childhood classmate.
"The first time I knew that Malfoy was acting under the threat of his parent's lives was the night our old Headmaster Albus Dumbledore died." Draco cringed as he heard Potter state he was going to talk about this night. Now he knew Potter was just playing a joke on him because Potter hadn't been in the astronomy tower the night in question. Once again the prosecutor seemed to be thinking the same thing as Draco as he shook his head smiling.
"I object," he shouted, "The Malfoy boy has already testified about the night in question and he never mentioned the presence of Mr. Potter."
"If you would please let Mr. Potter finish his encounter of the events you will find you understand why my client was unaware of his presence," Malfoy's lawyer stated clearly. "Continue please Mr. Potter."
"Ah.. okay.. yea. So as I was saying I saw Malfoy on the night of Dumbledore's death. Dumbledore and I had just flown onto the astronomy tower from gathering a Horocrux. We heard bangs and shouts and we both seemed to realize death eaters were in the castle at the same time when we heard a pair of footsteps coming up to the tower. Dumbledore petrified me and placed my father's old invisibility cloak over me so that I could not move or make a sound. I could still hear and see what was taking place on the tower. That was when Malfoy came through the door and disarmed Dumbledore. He looked so scared, Malfoy not Dumbledore. Dumbledore tried to tell Malfoy that he didn't have to go through with this but Malfoy said that Voldemort would kill his parents. Even then he had already lowered his wand when Bellatrix and others came through the door. Even when being yelled at he did not raise his wand. He could have killed Dumbledore but he didn't and I believe the only reason he let death eaters into the castle in the first place was because his parents were threatened."
The crowd was quietly taking in everything that Potter had just said about Draco and Draco could see that once again the chosen boy was swaying some people.
"Do you have another event that you would like to discuss Mr. Potter," Draco's lawyer questioned. This time Draco truly could not think of anything else that Potter could say to help his side, not that he wasn't already grateful for everything he had done. So he was even more surprised when Potter interrupted his thoughts once again.
"Yes, I have one more key event that allows me to believe Malfoy was just as much of a victim in this war as the rest of us, if not more." A quiet murmuring sounded throughout crowd at that statement. Many of the people in the room had been subjected to war crimes or had lost loved ones. Therefore, hearing the chosen one state Draco may have been more of a victim was a shock to most. "Ron, Hermione, and I were in hiding looking for Voldemort's Horocurxs when I was angry and said his name, even with the taboo."
"Yes, and you were brought to Malfoy's residence. Where you not?" questioned Malfoy's lawyer.
"Yes, that is correct," Potter continued, "We were brought to Malfoy Manner by a few snatchers. When we arrived at the manor Malfoy's father was unsure of our true identities due to Hermione sending a stinging hex at my face. Malfoy Senior didn't want to call Voldemort for fear that they were wrong and they didn't have me in their possession so they called Draco down to identify us. I saw it in his eyes that Malfoy knew it was me but he didn't give my identity away. He saved my life. If Voldemort had been called before the Horocruxs were destroyed I don't know if we would have won the war."
"But Malfoy's aunt tortured your friend and he didn't do anything to help her. Is that not true?" asked the prosecutor. Malfoy felt a cold sheen sweat settle over his skin thinking about that day. He knew he was done with that question for he had let Granger be tortured in his own home.
"What was he supposed to do?" Potter responded, once again stumping the room. "If he had tried to stop Bellatrix from torturing my friend Hermione would have been tortured worse than she was, if not killed. If Bellatrix believed her pureblood nephew cared about Hermione she would have been killed. Anyway, Hermione told me she saw Malfoy's face during her torture and he looked terrified. I don't believe he took pleasure out of watching my friend be tortured."
After that very few more questions were asked of Potter. Draco knows he owes Potter his life, something he is not happy about for he doesn't like owing anyone anything. Potter was the reason he was allowed to approach his mother in the garden. After Potter's testimony he was sentenced to only one month house arrest, and a fine that did not even put a true dent in the Malfoy vaults, though it was probably a large number for most other wizards.
Finally standing next to his mother, Draco greeted her with a smile.
"Hello mother," he said. The smile was new for him and his mother both as they were trying to learn what it meant to be a family that was allowed to freely show their emotions.
"Hello Draco dear," his mother replied taking his hand and sitting him down next to her on the bench. "How was your ride, you have certainly been improving your quidditch skills lately."
"It was wonderful. I love the feeling of being free."
Narcissa smiled at him before looking out towards the pond again. She started to scratch one of the nails on her thumb, one of the only giveaways that she was nervous about something.
"What is it mother," Draco asked causing his mother to turn around and look at him once again.
"Well, this is something that has always been a possibility but it was improbable that it would occur. However, given the signs that I have been noticing this week I think there may be a chance you will be one of the few Malfoy men that come into their inheritance on their eighteenth birthday." Ms. Malfoy explained calmly.
Draco just continued to look at his mother confused. "Mother, all Malfoy men come into their inheritance when their father passes on the lord title or becomes unfit for themselves to hold it. I've had my inheritance since father was sent to Azkaban."
Shaking her head softly Narcissa let out a sigh. "No, I'm not talking about the money or the title. I understand that you are now entitled to the estate. Oh, I'm sorry your father and I have never talked to you about this we just thought the possibility of this occurring was so unlikely. But dear it is not something that you should fear. The fact that you are coming into your inheritance means that you are stronger than many of your ancestors." Narcissa finished her mini rant before looking once again at Draco. Noticing that he still looked confused she continued.
"Draco, the Malfoy family has veela blood in its history. Veela are very uncommon in males and due to the fact that Malfoy's tend to only have male children it has not been a serious problem in a long time. It is very rare that the gene is not dormant in a male for the male has to be exceptionally strong to handle the change that occurs on the males eighteenth birthday. However, due to the face that I also had dormant veela in my blood your father and I knew it was a possibility the gene would not be dormant for you. Even knowing this we did not believe it would effect you, it hasn't effected a Malfoy in three hundred years. I'm afraid however, that I have already seen the beginning. Your eyes turn black when you are feeling extremely emotional and you have become more agile in the past few days. It may mean nothing if your birthday comes and goes but I fear you may become a full or partial veela when the clock strikes midnight tonight."
Silence was endless after Draco's mother finished her explanation of what she was worried about. Draco did not know how to respond to the news he had just received. How is it possible for a Malfoy to be part veela if they were pureblood? Was it something that was swept under the rug so long ago or did it use to be something that was cherished? What would happen if he did become a full fledged veela?
"Mother," he started calmly. Draco had always been good at hiding his emotions behind a blank slate, something he learned form an early age to keep his father happy. "What does it mean if I become a veela?"
"Well, the side effects are that you will become stronger and faster, your senses will heighten, and you will become more in tune with your magic. There will be two sides of you, you as you are now, and you as a veela. The stronger a veela you are the longer the turn will be on your birthday and the more painful the process will be. According to veela records the longest turn of a veela was 13 hours. And there is one more major thing," at this Narcissa hesitated. She did not know how to tell her son that he would lose some of the freedom he now desperately craved and loved. Draco gave her a nod of encouragement to finish her thought.
"When a male becomes a veela he will be extremely tired due to the long painful change. The first thing the veela will do is sleep and during your first sleep as a veela you will dream of a girl. This girl will be your mate, you one true soul mate, and the one girl on the planet that was made for you in character, knowledge, and magical ability. You will feel drawn to her and you will mark her as your mate when you find her. After marking the girl you will have one year for her to accept the mark."
Draco thought about this. He did not want his choice to be taken away but he saw the benefits of having a partner who could match him in everyway. He was upset that he finally gained the right to marry whom he wanted, now that he was in charge of the estate and no longer had to convince his father he believed in blood purity. Thinking back to what his mother had said he realized something was not explained to him.
"Wait, what happens if my mate does not accept the mark within the year?"
"You will die of heartbreak," Narcissa said sadly, "But you mustn't worry about that now. Even after the war Malfoy's have a lot of money and you are extremely handsome my boy. You should not worry about the girl not accepting you for I cannot think of a girl you can't win over. Sure she may not like you at first but that is because she does not know you."
"Mother I must go think about what you have told me," Draco responded and then swiftly stood up from the bench and made his way back into the manor towards his rooms. He needed a shower after playing quidditch and he needed to clear his mind to think. Even with his mother's words of encouragement Draco was anxious about having to woo a girl in a year. Sure he had never had trouble with women before but he had been on the wrong side of the war, no matter the reasons. That was not something easy to look over.
Reaching his destination Draco stripped of his clothes and turned on the tap to the shower. He brushed his teeth while he waited for the steam to fog up the mirror, letting him know that the temperature of the shower was to his liking. Stepping in Draco let the water fall against him as he stood there thinking of what he would do and hoping that his mother had been wrong and that tonight when the clock strikes midnight and it officially becomes his birthday nothing happens.
Okay okay okay! Sorry for all the backstory for the fic I promise the next chapter will finally start having some Hermione/Draco interactions (which I'm super excited to write)! Shout out to my reviewer Adela-Elli for always leaving a review. I love hearing from the readers letting me know what they think so everyone read and review!
