Just to let all of you know in advance, this chapter is going to be about the Malfoys.

Sorry if you were expecting more of the fizz and fizzle between our dear Hermione and Draco. For that, you'll have to wait. The next chapter maybe? Who knows?

Disclaimer is in the first chapter.

Playing with Fire
Chapter 2: Revelations

Draco found his father in the lounge.

Lucius Malfoy was lazing on a comfortable-looking sofa with his elegant arm draped on the armrest. His blond hair, the same shade as his son's was beginning to thin out, with subtle, almost-unnoticeable grey streaks in them. His cheekbones were still as high as ever, his eyes glinting, reflecting the soft firelight. The décor of the lounge was simple, yet tasteful. Together, Lucius Malfoy paired with the wealthy décor of the room portrayed a picture of perfect aristocracy.

Lucius looked up and he saw his son striding towards him with a tight expression upon his face. Hmm, wonder what ticked off the little prince this time? he thought with a wry smile.

"Father," Draco said with a tightly controlled voice and a slight bow of his head. "I've just received a letter from Hogwarts." He paused, seeking to gain the full attention of his father.

Lucius merely raised an eyebrow and looked at him, urging him to continue.

"That Potter-git has been made Head Boy."

Lucius continued to regard Draco with a still, blank expression on his face. It was as if Draco just announced that it was a sunny day outside.

On the other hand, Draco waited impatiently for his father to give a reaction towards his earth-shattering news. Shifting from foot to foot, Draco continued to stare at his father. Why doesn't he look the least fazed about Potter being Head Boy? Isn't he the one was looking forward to reading my appointment letter? What the hell is going on?

"Father?" Draco called irritably. When his father continued to gaze at him with that unblinking stare of his, Draco felt this urge to stomp his feet, pulling his hair. He must have some kind of reaction to this ridiculous news, any reaction at all. But, how can he possibly just…just… sit there like that??

"Father! Are you listening to me?! Harry Potter, Dumbledore's Golden Boy, the world's so called savior is Head Boy! And all I get is a worthless prefect badge with some stupid spell cast upon it. It's not fair! My grades are far better than his, my academia……" while ranting off his anger, Draco's face became redder and redder by the second. His voice climbed up towards higher volumes.

When he finally ran out of steam, Draco looked at his still unresponsive father. It was as if Lucius was in his own little world. Defeated, Draco dropped his shoulders forwards and closed his eyes to hide his frustration.

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Looking at his six-foot-five and rather angry son, Lucius thought back to the days when Draco was still a young eleven-year-old child. He already had that icy, mean demeanor about him even then. As Draco was ranting on and on, Lucius wondered if his own son really did have any friends to call his own, feeling guilt arising within him.

Was I too strict with him then, asking too much? Anyhow, Lucius blamed himself for shaping Draco into someone who many thought to be spoilt, arrogant and even possibly, cold-hearted.

Realizing that he was actually feeling guilty and responsible of the well-being of Draco, Lucius chuckled silently at himself. How did it come to this? he asked himself. If it were two years ago, he would be outraged and would've brought Draco along with him and demanded to have a meeting with Dumbledore without a second thought.

But now, he just sat there, thinking. Thinking of everything that happened before the downfall of Lord Voldemort… Thinking back on his own actions…… Thinking back on his many disastrous decisions…...

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Start of Flashback

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The Malfoys have always been rich. However, Lucius never once felt contented with what he owned. He craved for superiority and power. Therefore he gained the favor of the Ministry by actively participating in charity events. Others soon learned to watch their words and actions when Lucius was present, least certain word of discreet information or unintended insult was directed towards someone who is in a position to make life hell for them. Lucius' position on the social ladder rocketed within just a year to be just about a rung below the Minister of Magic.

He grew to love manipulating the emotions and thoughts of people around him. His wife, Narcissa Malfoy spent her days having afternoon teas or planning balls while gossiping with the wives of other Ministers. However, Lucius was still unhappy. He wanted more. It felt like something was still missing from his life, a gaping hole in the middle of the road towards his eternal happiness.

It was through the rumors that Lucius Malfoy found out about Lord Voldemort, his loyal band of Death Eaters and his ideals about pure-blooded wizardry. Lucius' interest was heightened when he heard that Lord Voldemort promises power, glory and even the secret of immortality towards his followers.

That was how he and his friends Crabbe and Goyle went forth to seek acceptance into the group of Death Eaters. Lucius was immediately initiated. The Dark Lord as they call him was especially pleased to have someone so high-ranked in social circles to join him. Of course, Lucius never knew that.

Lucius was surprised to see Bellatrix, his own sister-in-law and ex-lover to be one of the Death Eaters. She was the only female amongst them but her position within the group was high, if not the highest. Lucius' competitive streak in him drove him to make extra efforts to gain the favor of the Dark Lord.

Driven by obsession of being the best, Lucius lost sight of reality as he participated in the activities of the Dark Lord. He was influenced by the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. Lucius even slowly came to enjoy sports of muggle-torture and came to hate muggles, Muggle-borns, half-breeds and any other living creature who is not a pure-blooded wizard. However, he made an exception to tolerate house-elves as they live only to serve people like him.

As years pass, Lucius' marriage became strained due to the fact that Lucius spends all his time serving the Dark Lord. Even at times when his services were not required, he stayed in his study, plotting ways to further gain the Dark Lord's favor.

Nacissa's complaints of her husband not being there when she needed him most went unheeded. Even when she was in labor with Draco, Lucius was away having a discussion of plans with the Dark Lord. Due mostly to disappointment and heartache, Narcissa slowly withdrew into herself. After the birth of Draco, she hired a nursemaid and a succession of servants to care for her firstborn as she spent her days locked up in her own room.

Lucius did not even notice the change in his own wife as he continued to spend his days with his gang of Death Eaters. Draco grew up a lonely and neglected boy. His only amusement is when sons of the other Death Eaters came over to spend the day with him while their fathers went on a mission for the Dark Lord. Even then Draco had never forged any true friendship with them.

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Until one day, Lord Voldemort disappeared.

The Death Eaters found out that he died after trying to kill an infant by the name of Harry Potter. However, Lucius refused to believe that his master was dead as he knew that the Dark Lord had taken precautions to ensure that he will not leave the world of mortals. As to what the precautions were, Lucius was never informed of them.

By pleading to be under the Imperius Curse, Lucius avoided being thrown into Azkaban and continued his life as before. For the next eleven years, he silently worked to search for his master and help him regain his power.

Finally, the Dark Lord regained the power he once wielded. Lucius immediately became one of his most trusted Death Eaters. However, Lucius was blamed for Draco's inability to carry out the Dark Lord's orders. As a result, the Dark Lord's plan to overtake Hogwarts was ruined. Draco's failure allowed the Order of the Phoenix time to gather, regroup and attack the Death Eaters instead.

Lord Voldemort was furious. He hexed Draco with Dark curses so badly that Draco was rendered unconscious for two days no matter what reviving spells were used. He tortured Lucius with the Cruciatus curse for not training Draco to kill without batting an eye. Lastly, he tortured Narcissa Malfoy in front of all the other Death Eaters including Lucius. Lord Voldemort taunted and teased her mercilessly before ending her life.

Draco was never close to his mother. He knew her at most as the person who gave birth to him. As the person who picked out his clothes. She was just a mere being in his life. Therefore, Draco felt only shock, regret and mild sadness when he received news of his mother's death. However, Narcissa's fate hit Lucius like a boulder, sending him crashing down to earth.

Till now, Lucius could still recall the way his wife writhed and screamed in agony on that cold, marble floor while he stood by, unable to do anything. His want and need for power and everything else he was after vanished in that second. Instead, revenge was what he craved for. Revenge against that sick-minded freak who wanted to take over the whole wizarding world.

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That was how Lucius came to work as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Together, he and Severus Snape reported any information on the Dark Lord to Albus Dumbledore.

Finally, the final death and fate of Lord Voldemort was sealed on that fateful day where he planned to ambush Harry Potter once he left Privet Drive. Lord Voldemort went alone, with only Snape accompanying him for he expected to meet little resistance. Instead, the whole Order was waiting for him. Even Lucius was there. He was the one who sneered at Voldemort, telling him that all of his horcruxes were destroyed by the members of the Order, Snape and himself.

Even though Voldemort was surprised and caught off guard then, he managed to put up an incredible fight. Many members of the Order were severely injured before Voldemort even began to show a sign of weakness. Snape was injured most badly for Voldemort never treat betrayers kindly. After exchanging blows after blows, Voldemort began to weaken. His summons for his Death Eaters were useless as the anti-Apparition spells triggered earlier prevented them to Apparate to his aid and thus, his escape was also barred.Harry was the one who dealt the killing blow which ended his miserable life.

Lucius remembered standing over the Voldemort's body. He expected to feel triumph, and victory. Instead, he only felt emptiness and passiveness over the death of Lord Voldemort.

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End of flashback

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Looking back at his dejected looking son, Lucius realized that he didn't want Draco to live a life like his. He wanted his son to have a relatively normal life, to have friends he can count on, to just live his days peacefully without all the craziness that was present in his own life. Merlin! I even hope that he'll fall in love, get married, have children and grow old peacefully.

Realizing that Draco was still expecting a reaction from him, Lucius cleared his throat to indicate that he was about to speak. Draco raised his eyes hopefully. Ha! Serves the school right to think that Potter would make a better Head Boy than me. Father is going to scare those thick-skulled idiots so badly. That'll teach them to slight a Malfoy. Thought Draco with devious joy.

"So, Potter is Head Boy?" asked Lucius.

"Yes, that's what I just told you!!!" Draco cried indignantly. "Weren't you listening?!" he grumbled under his breath.

Lucius pretended not to hear what Draco was grumbling about. Instead, he just leaned back comfortably into his seat and replied, "I see. Potter is Head Boy."

Argh! How many times do I have to confirm it with him? Is he deaf or just that old enough to be senile? Draco's anger was once again bubbling. If I hear him say the words 'Potter is Head Boy' again, I'll……Before he could finish his sentence, Lucius' next question interrupted Draco's thoughts.

"So?"

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TBC.

Author's Note:

Sorry for updating so late. Have been busy plus I was stuck and didn't know how to complete the flashback at one point. Sorry! Still, I did increase the word count for this chapter. Haha. Anyway, I hope I didn't disappoint too many of you. Just didn't want Lucius to play the role of evil father any longer. I felt that it was too overrated in all other Dramiones.

I'm sure some of you noticed that I didn't mention Draco trying to kill Dumbledore. I just thought that the story wouldn't make sense if Draco was allowed to stay in Hogwarts unharmed if that happened. So I just mentioned him not completing Voldemort's orders. Didn't want to dig a hole for myself by specifying what Draco had to do. Maybe in the later chapters.

I'm foreseeing that I'm going to have another block when I start writing the next chapter. So am now warning you guys before hand that it'll take quite some time before it's up.

Well, I know this chapter is really Dramiong-lacking, but I wanted you guys to have a clearer picture on how Draco's life is. Also know that there is not much to comment about, but reviews will really be appreciated. Thanks!