Ok, here is chapter four!

The next few weeks passed in a blur, days somehow disappeared into the clutches of St. Mungos and Draco's community service completion was fast approaching.

So when he had finished it was bittersweet.

There was no doubt that he would not miss the bustling hospital and its ridiculous staff, nor the whiney and judgmental patients that landed themselves there in the first place.

Yet he found himself longing for something to do in the upcoming week that prelude Hogwarts. He felt no desire to spend any time at the rotten hospital but he was healed enough to recognize that he could appreciate the structure that it gave him in the time after the war.

Merlin only knows how many hours he would have spent locked away in his own study going over every single detail of his life and scrutinizing his very existence.

He walked slowly down the grand staircase, letting his forefinger trail along the intricate woodwork and cool metal, his eyes trained on the stair in front of each foot as he stepped down.

He walked through the parlor room and past the locked dinning room into a smaller, makeshift dinning area that Draco and Narcissa had taken to eating their meals in, nothing would ever have them in that room again.

Draco took a seat beside his mother, not looking into her eyes, or even speaking to her, they had little words to say to one another of late, though that could be attributed to the letters they, or rather she, had begun to receive from Lucius Malfoy.

Draco, a few days ago, had noted with a sneer, "It seems the old ways have crumbled at Azkaban, if father, one of the most hated men in the entire Wizarding world, is allowed to write his scorned family instead of wallow in his misery and lost hope"

His mother had not taken kindly to this as she had started to rely on the messages as little tidbits to keep her smiling through the days, knowing her husband was not being tortured or 'treated unjustly'.

Draco held no emotion for the man any longer, yes there had been a point in his life where Draco Malfoy would have, and did, anything for the approval of his father, but now he was a grown man, well almost, and he no longer sought approval from a monster.

Having voiced these opinions to his mother, she gave him such a glare that he was surprised holes had not been burnt through his clothing and skin, possibly even his bones. He had also received a sound yelling at, and it felt horrible to be scolded like a child so they chose their word to each other wisely, settling on little in the end.

His mother sipped her tea and looking longingly at the service door for the house elves. Draco knew her impatient looks were for the morning letters not for her food, which she still barely touched on good days.

It was becoming a chore to look after Narcissa and Draco was certainly worried for her well being while he was away at school.

When the house elf did walk in he carried a silver platter with 3 letters upon it, Narcissa greedily took the letters, cast aside the first two and tore open the third, she skimmed it and then began to read.

My dearest wife,

I cant be sure that you are reading these letters, and I wouldn't blame you if they ended up in the fire, burning, I supposed I will never know because the guards tell us that being high security we are not allowed visitors or letters, even contact of any kind. The thought that I shall never see you makes me feel even worse for what has transpired, but you must look on the bright side, you have Draco and he, being the beneficiary for everything now, will look after you very well. I hope to secure the documents and make everything his like you wished for soon, but I daresay they don't know the word quickly around here. You must make sure that he understands the responsibility that surrounds the position, and the requirements that he must complete. I trust that you will make a fine selection for Draco and-

"Stop. Is this all you do anymore? Read these pathetic letters from a useless man who you will never see again? You know what, I don't care, read them, praise them, live by them, do whatever you bloody want to but Merlin mother, don't drag me into this as well. We were lucky to get out as unscathed as we have, I never want to be a part of that again." He said indicating the letter which represented all that was left of his father.

To his credit he did not rise from the table, but he did reach across and retrieve the toast, refusing to meet his mothers stunned gaze.

She didn't say a word, but set the letter down, albeit reluctantly. And Draco knew she would read it again when he was not around.

She reached for the other two, tearing them open with far less fervor as she had the first. After skimming the first she set it down, the third she only eyed, then held out for him.

He took it carefully and recognized almost immediately that it was from Hogwarts. His school supply list no doubt. So he opened the letter and read lazily, he was correct, the letter contained all the school supplies that he was required to get.

Musing to himself he muttered where he would need to go to get all the things, "Probably need new robes as well…" he muttered then his gaze went unwillingly to his left forearm and he stiffened. No he would make do with last years robes, he didn't want to be in a situation where any person could see his arm, even if they all knew what they would find there.

The truth was, removing the dark mark was something that Draco had wanted practically since he got it, not that he recognized that emotion, he was too set on being the perfect little death eater in training to see the error in his ways. Now, however, he had studied in his spare time ways to removed the mark, but no matter the complicated spells and potions he tries, nothing seems to work.

Narcissa sees her sons gaze fall on his covered left sleeve and immediately thinks of her own, she would have to be a fool to not want it removed but it does not bother her as much as it does her son. She may be grieving but she is not an idiot, she hears her son brewing and muttering incantations before he gives up in a fit of rage almost every night.

"Draco" she commands sharply, "You will be judged with or without the mark, don't be foolish. Get new robes." Then she rose from the table weakly and having already snatched the letter from her husband, she strides from the room, never having touched the food on her plate.

Draco ignores his mothers outburst and butters his toast slowly, eating carefully and thinking all the while about his impending trip to Diagon Alley. Eventually he finished, and having not found a valid reason not to go that very day he walks up to his room to collect a few things, grabs money and the list and steps into the fireplace once more.

"Diagon Alley" he called out and was quickly wished off to the now bustling shopping center that he remembered being desolate and gray, not filled with color beyond a doubt.

Draco was able to keep his hood up from most of the trip, stopping to get books and ingredients for potions and such, he had a decent relationship with the potions master of Diagon Alley, Master Bellior admired Draco's natural talent and his determination in finding a cure for the dark mark. He probably also enjoyed the gallons that Draco spent there.

"Mr. Malfoy, wonderful to see you again, I trust you have been working hard, any progress you wish to speak of?" he asked semi brightly.

Draco shook his head slightly, "I've tested every option there is really, every potion known to wizards I've tried them all. I've written my own, though I'm slightly apprehensive to try it though, I would rather like to keep all my body parts as they are" he drawled slowly.

The man nodded eagerly, "Well I would be pleased to help you with your ingredients, there isn't anything I cant get a hold of."

"That will come in very handy when I'm back at school, would you be willing to send me things there?"

"Yes, yes as long as their aren't too illegal" he said lowly, looking around the room for spies.

Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes and point out that the Ministry had more to worry about then an illegal dragon scale here and there for a 18 year old boy.

Draco handed him the school list as well as a list of his own, then sent the things he had just bought, magically, back to his study/ potion lab.

After speaking with master Bellior for a few minutes about the repercussions of testing unstable potions out on himself Draco ducked back onto the streets. His last stop of the day, Madam Malkin's, to get new robes. He sighed and stepped into the shop, there were two other families already there so he took a seat and opened a book.

"Draco?" A voice asked and he stiffened until he met the brilliant blue eyes of Daphne Greengrass.

"Daphne" he greeted with a nod, she sat next to him.

"My mother mentioned that you were at the ball, but I didn't see you" she said quietly.

Draco nodded, "Yes, mother has been on a 'get Draco married' crusade. I'm afraid yours and Blaise's relationship rendered you useless to her." He said

"Did you see Pansy there?" she asked again in the hushed tones.

Draco nodded swiftly, sure he had seen and spoken to her, but he didn't ever want to see her again.

"She's been worried about your relationship" Daphne said again, in her dull monotone voice.

"She needn't worry. We haven't got a relationship" he said curtly.

Daphne ignored this, "I heard you were going back too" she said.

"Less my choice then my mother and the Ministry's" he said.

"I heard about that too, your community service I mean. Its over now though isn't it?"

"Yes, but I'm still being tracked" he said, not bitterly like he would expect to feel, he just really didn't care.

"My… my sister said she danced with you at the ball, she's not… a consideration is she?" she asked plainly, with a disapproving look at Draco.

Draco now remembered Astoria Greengrass, her wit, her beauty, but he raised an eyebrow at Daphne, "I didn't even know you had a sister until that night, and now you're her protective older sister?" he said.

"No. I don't care about her, I care about Pansy, she's my best friend and she loves you"

"She doesn't know what love it" Draco said harshly, "We never loved one another, she was convenient and I was practically royalty. We used each other"

"She loves you" Daphne said her voice hard. Then she stood up and left the shop without a word.

Draco sighed and returned to his novel before Madam Malkin called him back to stand on the platform, she had him strip off his shirt, "There we are, new school robes, yes?" she said, not recognizing the mark on his arm as he tried to hide it.

Then Astoria Greengrass appeared standing on the platform next to him, she looked bored and he couldn't help but glance at her figure, clad in fine red silks as she spoke to the lady taking measurements.

His left forearm felt heavy all the sudden and he trained his eyes on Madam Malkin's as she took measurements of his chest.

He felt Astoria's eyes on him, felt them burn down his body as she stared at him, he looked over swiftly to find her ogling his chest, he raised an eyebrow and she slide her eyes turning back to the front, her black curls flipping from the gesture.

Madam Malkin, to her credit, only flinched when she saw the dark mark on his arm, she never met his eyes and she was shaking profusely but she did not yell or scream or kick him out.

After he was finished and had waved his things home and he walked out to the front, pulling the sleeves down on his black silk shirt he suddenly felt cool hands grasp his left arm and he froze.

He looked to the side and saw her, her eyes were only on his arm as she pushed the fabric up and revealed the mark to herself, with purpose. He was frozen, there was no on else in the front of the shop but she stood there, she ran her cold finger over the mark carefully, entranced by it. Her head tilted to the side slightly and her cool breath so close to his skin he could feel it fan out along his arm when she breathed out, however faintly it was.

Suddenly he felt sick, that such a beautiful girl would seek this out, this mark of inhumanity and disgusting pasts. He yanked his arm away and her eyes flew to his, a picture of innocence took over her features, "I'm sorry" she said quietly, thought she didn't back away, only slowly let her arm fall to her side again.

His face was blank, he knew that, he was good at blank, he opened his mouth to tell her something rude, something that would chase her away, and keep her far, far away from him and his… diseased mind, But he couldn't form the words.

With his silence she gained confidence and rested her hand over his now covered arm, gently she looked deep into his eyes and leaned forward slightly, curiously, "Can I see it again?" this took him off guard and he almost lost his composure completely but instead he remained still as a statue, so she continued, "I didn't mean to startle you before. So?" she prodded but made no move to try and force him into showing her like before.

Draco took in the sight of her, what a strange girl she was, reading books out of order (much like he did), declining dances with him, her snarky attitude at the ball, and now this? Trying to see the dark mark on one of the most disgusting people in all of England. But the only coherent thought that he had that was not centered around self loathing was she's so beautiful.

It wasn't that Astoria Greengrass was drop dead gorgeous, which would usually have been a criteria if you even wanted to speak to a Malfoy (excluding Pansy of course). No, Astoria was small, delicate and short, she looked closer to frail then physically and emotionally strong. But she was feisty, and that drew Draco in faster then anything else. She captured his interest, however little he had left in him since the war, and she continued to surprise him. That was what was so beautiful about her, she was untainted.

Yes, he knew she was beautiful, and that made it all the worse that she was so freaking adamant about seeing his dark mark. Once again the sick feeling churned deep in his stomach and he felt even closer to being physically ill.

How could he respond, should he show her the mark? No, how could he even think to corrupt such an innocent soul as his father had once done to him. No Draco couldn't even entertain the idea of this form of perfection ever having to bear his burden, or see what a monster he was, because it would infect her too, and that was an unbearable thought for Draco Malfoy.

"I'm poison" he whispered harshly and hoarsely as he glided past her and advanced from the store faster then he usually moved, eager to leave and never have to look into her penetrating green orbs again, for fear of giving in to her every whim.

As Draco stalked back to his reclusive quarters, not so much as uttering a word to his stunned mother, he made a promise to himself, he would not taint Astoria Greengrass with himself, poison.