On the Differences Between Soulmates and Lifemates

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters therein belong to J.K. Rowling and are borrowed by the author. Any other, original characters belong to the author. Don't take them they'll run away and come back home to me.

Chapter 6: Meanwhile, At Malfoy Manor

Draco paid an unannounced visit to his ancestral home that Sunday morning. He assumed his mother would be expecting him. She always did, even when he went for weeks without visiting. She adored her only child, and she went to great lengths to let him know it without letting her husband know.

Narcissa Black Malfoy lived a life of fear. She feared the Dark Lord, she feared her husband, and she feared the loss of her darling boy. Draco often pitied his mother, and he wondered if the pity he felt for her meant that he loved her. His father had taught him that to love was to be weak.

To that end, Lucius Malfoy ruled his small family with an iron fist. He kept his wife under lock and key when he was away from the manor. The servants were beaten when they disobeyed, and the few maids were not maids when they left, by any stretch of the imagination. The servants paid no attention to anything other than the day-to-day running of the manor. Draco was raised by a series of stern governesses that were just focused on getting him into Hogwart's and out of their hair.

Draco used the Floo System to get to Malfoy Manor. His mother was sitting in her music room when Draco arrived. He exited the dusty fireplace and headed for her. Narcissa Malfoy's head popped up when she heard the familiar tread of her son's footsteps. She smiled for a moment before Lucius showed up, effectively ending what could have been a less than nasty situation.

"Ah, Draco, what a pleasure. You should have owled beforehand, to let us know you were coming. This is fortuitous, however, as we have quite the job for you. The very beginning of your service to our Lord," Lucius said in a cold voice.

Lucius led Draco to a chair and sat him down before telling him the details of his first assignment. Draco shuddered at the idea of beginning his servitude while his mother sat stone-still. As the details dragged on, Draco turned his thoughts back to Hogwart's and the project awaiting him and Hermione. He shut his eyes as Lucius finished his explanation.

Draco wasn't paying attention and Lucius had to repeat his name a few times before he came back to life.

"So sorry, father. My mind was elsewhere. I heard the details, and I will carry the mission out to the best of my abilities. May I leave now?" Draco said respectfully.

"Can't you stay for dinner, dear?" Narcissa said hopefully.

CRACK! "Narcissa, your constant coddling of the boy is the reason why we've had to wait so long to gain his service to the Lord!" Lucius spat as he smacked Narcissa across the face so hard her head snapped back.

"Mother!" Draco cried, catching her as she collapsed off of her stool.

"Draco, get back to Hogwart's this instant! Your mother will be taken care of." Lucius threw Draco bodily towards the nearest fireplace. Draco stumbled backwards, his body heavy as he saw that his mother didn't get up. Turning, he ran to the fireplace, tossing the floo powder in and yelling "Hogwart's!" as he reached it.

Draco came to in the sitting room in his prefect dorm. A cool washcloth was over his eyes, and a soft humming could be heard. He reached up and removed the washcloth, assuming Madam Pomfrey would be standing over him.

Instead, he saw Hermione's curly head bent over a potions text, a lock of hair locked in her mouth as she scribbled notes on a long piece of parchment. She didn't even seem to realize where she was or the fact that Draco was conscious.

"Ahem," Draco cleared his throat.

Hermione jumped. She turned to look at him and managed a sick smile. "Mornin', sunshine. What happened to you? I came in here to discuss potions with you, and I found you unconscious on the floor, half in the fireplace, half out."

"Did you forget that the potions project was a ruse to keep your friends from killing me and worrying about you?" Draco winced as he sat up. He must have hit the wall when Lucius threw him, because his entire body felt as if someone had played quidditch while using him as the bludger.

"Well, as a member of the Slug Club, which met as soon as I got back from the Burrow earlier, I can tell you that Slughorn will be assigning a project this week. Those of us in the Club were allowed to pick our partners, and I, in a moment of temporary insanity, chose you. Incidentally, you are invited to come to the next meeting. But that's beside the point. What happened to you? Should I go get Madam Pomfrey or the Headmaster for you?" Hermione would not be dissuaded.

"I had a lovely visit with my parents this morning. Daddy was just proving how much his loved me," Draco said viciously, rising to his feet. When he got there, however, he realized that he couldn't stay upright. "Bloody fuck!"

Hermione bolted out of her chair and over to Draco, catching and helping him to a chair. "Draco, it's late, and it wasn't too long ago that I found you. You must've been out cold for a long time. You need to be more careful. Here, I did have Dobby bring you some food from dinner. Eat something and then get yourself to bed."

"Fine. You can go now, Mudblood," Draco was hurt, and he took it out on Hermione.

"Don't call me that, Draco. Or I'll call you a snake. Now get some food in you and then I'll help you to your bed before I leave. Hurry up, its late," Hermione urged him.

Draco picked up a fork and looked at her. "Just how late is it, Hermione?"

"Oh, about 12:30, 1:00," she said quietly.

Draco paled again. "Bloody hell. You need to get out of here, before someone sees."

"Draco, we're prefects. No professor is going to come check on us. And Ron won't kill you. Everything's settled," Hermione laughed a little at the expression on his face. "Don't worry so much about your reputation."

Draco dragged himself out of the chair and pulled Hermione along with him. He pulled out his wand and opened the door, shoving her through.

"What's going on?" Hermione hissed, worried as she began to understand that what Draco was afraid of wouldn't be anything to do with Hogwart's.

"Later, Hermione. But for now, just go. I'll see you tomorrow, I promise," Draco said, squeezing her arm as he let her out of his room. He slammed the door behind her and charmed the locks, adding a silencing charm before he returned to the table and ate what his stomach would allow.

It wasn't long before Draco had another visitor.