A/N: This is just a little on Draco's pov, ya know, what's happening to him while all this is going on...oh, and this chapter will have a twist, one that I hope gives my story a little extra flavor. once again, sorry for the wait.

"talking"

'thinking'

time change, character change

The War of Lemuria and the Prince of Avalon

Chp 4-Security Blanket

(Draco's POV)

"Draco." Cold eyes gazed at him, completely impassive and uncaring. Draco stared into that unflinching gaze, worried but refusing to show it. He schooled his features into a look of interested respect.

It had been a long summer. All they had done was train, practicing the spells he'd learned at school, and then new Dark spells that Lucius had taught him. And Draco had learned well. He had the scars and bruises to prove it. In the Malfoy household, failure was not acceptable.

Blaise had been over a lot that summer too, training with him and healing him afterwards. Blaise hated what Lucius did to his son, and whenever Draco was badly injured he dressed the boy in his silk pjs and lay him down, crawling into bed next to him and sharing body heat. Lucius knew of this, but he didn't care. Blaise's father was a friend of his, and so long as the boy helped his son improve and heal it didn't matter what he did.

'So why does he have that look on his face? Why do I feel as if I should run the other way? Why do I feel as if my life is about to change?'

"Yes father?" Came the reply, showing nothing of Draco's inner turmoil. 'What have I done now?' he wondered with dread.

"It has come to my attention that you haven't been spending much time with Pansy." It wasn't a question. Pansy was Draco's betrothed; he was to marry her and inherit her fortune, continuing the Malfoy line. Draco grimaced.

"Our situation is... rather...delicate." He replied, making his face cold and unreadable as he had been taught. 'Shit! I'm not ready for this... he wasn't supposed to notice yet!'

"Explain." Lucius said simply, sternly. His eyes bored into Draco, gray as slate and just as hard, cold, and unfeeling.



"Pansy is... rather...annoying, father. If I am to wed her, I must refrain from killing the girl." 'At least that part is true. I hate the stupid bitch!'

Lucius stood quietly, silently telling, no, ordering, his son to continue.

"I decided that she and I need a break before I do so. Once I return to school, if you wish it of me, I will end our break," he began carefully. "But I do not want to spend any more time with her than I have to." he spoke softly, choosing his words carefully, as if his father was a bomb that could go off at any given time. Which was quite accurate actually.

"Well, I suppose I must give you some credit Draco. You planned ahead, and managed to overcome your emotions. And you've finally learned to be an excellent liar." He said that last bit with an evilly manic grin on his face as he approached his son.

Draco gulped silently but kept his fear off his face. 'shit'.

"I learned from the best." He said grimly, not daring to deny it as he planted his feet in the ground and refused to back down. When Lucius was only a few steps away he stopped.

"You have one more chance Draco. Why are you not with Pansy?" Lucius glared at his son. Draco just gaped. His father never gave second chances. 'It must be because I'm not running, and still not showing emotions'.

"I truly cannot stand her father. The prat is always trying to get in my bed, and she doesn't listen when I tell her I'm not in the mood and she refuses to allow me to leave for practice at night. Aside from that... I prefer men father." At this Draco made special care not to look away. If he looked down now his father would think he was ashamed, and he was superior to that. Shame meant weakness; therefore he could not back down.

'I've taught him well...' Lucius thought as he looked into his son's defiant eyes. Those dark, stormy grey eyes just dared him to say anything. Lucius was proud of his son, but dared not admit it.

"I see. Well, I am glad you decided to tell me the truth." Draco stared.

"You...you knew?" Despite his shock, Draco managed to keep his composure, unaware that as he did so his father swelled with pride.

"I caught Blaise in bed with you one night, kissing you as you slept. A few nights after I was walking past your rooms and heard the two of you. It pleases me to know that you are a true Malfoy, never one to let someone make you scream. And I do mean NEVER."

"Oh..."

"Oh, and Draco?"



"Yes father?"

"You may break up with Pansy. Though you WILL have an heir. I don't care if you have a surrogate mother, as long as she is pure-blood. I do not care who you date, nor who you sleep with. You are my son, and I will always love you." Lucius said as he turned, robes billowing, and left the room.

Draco collapsed in shock. 'Father...loves me? He hasn't been this kind since...since I was four...At least that's over with. I can't wait to tell Blaise! He's my best friend... And a damned good kisser too!' Draco blushed as he stood and managed to make his way to his room.

(Lucius's POV)

'I know love is a weakness... but even the dark lord does not look down on the loving of his son. I know Draco thought I was going to hurt him... hell, even I'm surprised at myself. But he handled himself so well, refusing to back down, even knowing what I could do to him. But how can I blame him? I was afraid this might happen. I've been expecting it. After all, my first real love was with... a male... and I would've done anything to get his love. But that stupid bastard didn't even give me a chance!' Lucius turned around and used the Reductor curse to blow up the nearest random object, which happened to be the silver sliding glass doors leading on to a beautiful white balcony.

'But my son...' Lucius's eyes softened dramatically. 'He's doing so well... and he's turning out a lot like me... and as hard as I train him, it is for his own good. I will forever worship the dark lord, for I am too caught up in the power to ever be free. But Draco... I can only hope he'll use his dark magic to avoid my lord, for however much I say otherwise, I do not want such an innocent creature to become tainted, as I was. I was young and in love... and I f I hadn't been in so much pain I could have been free. But I wanted revenge... and I still do!' His eyes grew dark until they were a deep, navy blue, and all of a sudden the balcony itself exploded and fell down into the pool.

'How could he have done that to me? I know I hadn't exactly been nice... but he never even allowed me to explain why. But I will get my revenge, and my dark lord will help. Until then, I need to protect Draco...' he thought as he repaired the balcony and door.

'My son doesn't love Blaise, I can see that, but I can also see that Blaise loves him. That's why the child gets cold around me whenever I train Drake. But I must... if I do not push him past his limits, no one will. And then he won't stand a chance in refusing the dark mark. So I have to do it... even if I make him hate me. He's my son... and I love him. My Draco...my fierce little dragon. He's learned his lessons well. But tonight I slipped. From now on I have to make it appear as though he imagined that I told him. Love is weakness, and I cannot afford to be weak. Neither can my son. Tomorrow we train harder than ever. I have a bad feeling that he's going to need it, and soon. I shall call Blaise's father and have him send the boy over to tend to Draco's wounds tomorrow. Besides, I'm sure they'll want a night to themselves...' Lucius grinned mischievously as he called Mr. Zambini.



"Yes, send Blaise over. I'm going to train Draco tomorrow and he's going to need to recuperate. Thank you." Lucius hung up the phone and 15 minutes later led Blaise to Draco's room.

(Blaise's POV)

"Blaise? What are you doing here?"

"Your father called me over."

"So I'm training tomorrow then... I knew it was too good to be true."

"What?" Blaise asked in concern at the look of sadness in Draco's eyes. He never allowed anyone to see his emotions. Not even him.

"My father knows, Blaise. He knows that I'm gay, and that we are currently sleeping together." 'sleeping together, not dating. I only wish...' he sighed wistfully and sat down next to Draco.

"What's so bad about that? He invited me over, so he can't be mad..."

"No. He accepted it. And he said no matter who I'm with..." Draco faltered and looked down.

Blaise put his hand under Draco's chin and gently lifted his head.

"No matter who you're with...?" he prompted, not releasing Draco's delicate face.

"He'll always love me." Blaise stared in shock.

"Well...that's...unexpected." 'Fuck! Lucius is planning to make up for the remark tomorrow! That's why he called! And Draco won't be able to handle it! I know he hides his exhaustion, but I see it in his eyes, where no one else dares to look. I see the sadness, the emptiness. I see the cold. Yet no matter how hard I try to warm his icy heart, I'll never be more than a friend to him. ...v.v...'

"Blaise? Earth to Blaise? I'm talking to you!" Draco snapped. "Seriously, you're starting to remind me of Crabbe and Goyle."

"Huh? Sorry Drake, I'm just worried about tomorrow."

"Don't be. I'll be fine. Let's just get some sleep, okay?"

"Alright." He said as he lay down next to his lover, wishing that Draco shared his love. Soon Blaise heard deep, even breathing, and he gently kissed Draco's lips as he slept.



"Goodnight, my love. I will do all I can to help you tomorrow... but you have to face him alone. I'm sorry..." He whispered as a single tear slid down his cheek and landed on Draco's lips. Blaise looked at the silver haired boy lovingly, before kissing away the tear and drifting off to sleep.

(Draco's POV)

'He thought I was asleep. I'm not. I've learned many things from living with my father. And I'm going to pay for hearing his comment. But something bad is going to happen... much worse than just being pushed too hard. But I'm better than that! I don't have stupid Gryffindor instincts! Still... I feel a little better knowing Blaise is here. He's my best friend... the only person I could ever talk to. But friends make you weak. I know that I'm hurting him... which is why things will change when we go back to school. He's not my boyfriend... he's my best friend. And he knows it. He deserves to find love, and as his friend I don't want to stop him. But I cannot afford that weakness any longer. After today I will cease to be Blaise's friend. I need no one! I can face my father on my own; I don't want him to help. I don't want him to love me. He helps bring me back to the warmth when I'm cold, but I'm always still chilly, and he doesn't bring back the light. He doesn't even know about the darkness. How I'm blind from minutes, to hours, after a training session. How I'm alone in the dark. He brings back some of the warmth, but none of the light. Mother has explained much to me, and I know that Blaise isn't my heart, but rather my security blanket. And I'm too old for such a thing. I'm a Malfoy, and I'm 16. I don't need a security blanket anymore; I can face my life alone. And I'll have to tell him that tomorrow... before it's too late.' Draco thought as he drifted off to sleep at last.

Like? I know it was a little weird, but it is essential to the plot. review review review. what do you guys think? tell me? -runs and hides behind a rock-

Lunadia