Escape

When Draco returned home at night after meeting Potter, he was beaming with cheerfulness. His mother noticed Draco's happy mood and decided to comment on it.

"Draco dear, you might want to hide the sparkle in your grey eyes; your father might misinterpret it."

"What do you mean mother?" Draco asked.

"Are you in love?"

Draco didn't answer, instead raised an eyebrow with scepticism.

"You met your hopeful tonight; did you fall in love with him?" Narcissa rephrased her question.

"No mother, I did not fall in love with Harry Potter," Draco asserted.

Narcissa let out a disappointed sigh. Draco wondered if his mother was genuinely unhappy that he announced that he and Potter were incompatible or if she was anticipating his father's reaction. As she thought it over, Draco noticed his mother's eyes widen as he imagined his had when he arrived at Potter's residence in Islington.

"Draco," Narcissa whispered, "Harry Potter? As in Sirius…"

"As in Sirius Black, mother. Yes, I was surprised as well and it also means-"

"Severus Snape!"

Draco thought very carefully of his next set of words. He didn't want to lie to his mother but he didn't want her to know the entire truth as well.

"I was quite shocked to arrive at the house and be greeted by Sirius. All of this truly has been a happenstance. I had a nice conversation with Potter but we realised that we're not well-matched for each other, romantically. Yet, fate truly brought us together for perhaps another reason. Don't you think?"

"I truly don't know what to say Draco," Narcissa answered. She sank back into her chair in her study with a faraway look in her eyes. "Did you see him? Did you meet Severus?"

"No," Draco answered. "I believe he wasn't at their home when I had arrived. It was only Sirius and a woman named Hermione who had been in contact with Viola and arranged the meeting. I believe she isn't aware of the situation."

The mother and son conversation was interrupted when they heard Lucius call for Narcissa. Narcissa and Draco looked at each other in concern and nodded. Draco understood his mother's indication that perhaps, at the moment they shouldn't discuss the situation with Lucius.

"So Draco, how was the meeting?" Lucius asked removing his gloves and coat and placing them on the chair in the study. The house-butler immediately grabbed the articles and left the room.

"It was interesting," Draco answered.

"Care to elaborate?"

"I don't think we are compatible," Draco answered as Lucius raised an eyebrow. "He's a nice bloke, but we just didn't fit together."

"It was simply one meeting, you can't really tell anything with one meeting. Your mother and I courted for five dates before we were engaged," Lucius answered.

"Wow, five dates? That's huge!" Draco retorted with sarcasm.

"And, we were engaged for six months before we set a date to marry," Lucius continued ignoring Draco's outburst. "If you think he's nice then perhaps you should see him again. Especially if you were grinning like a fool throughout the meeting and it was only discontinued due to the weather."

Draco stared at his father. How could he possibly know all the details if the meeting only occurred several hours ago?

"Yes, I am aware of your meeting. I do not know what was discussed but the hopeful's representative had witnessed your reaction and informed Viola that your body language indicated that you were quite happy and rather at ease." Lucius walked up to his wife and kissed her hand. "Perhaps we can continue this conversation in the sitting room over some Brandy?" He turned to exit the room and Draco and his mother followed agreeably.

When they arrived in the other room Draco and Narcissa sat on the sofa as Lucius poured them a drink. "Father, I won't even discuss how disturbing it is to know that my supposed date was spied upon, and you seem to know all intricate details of it." Draco shuddered. "But, just because we were laughing it doesn't mean we are going to fall in love and work out well as a married couple. It could simply mean that we would make great friends. And, we did agree to become friends. He's not interested in me, just as much as I am not interested in him. Also, did your spy tell you that his father is Severus Snape?"

Narcissa touched Draco's arm immediately after his outburst. He glanced over at his mother and apologised with an expression of I know, but I couldn't help myself. Narcissa smiled back at her son, she knew it was unavoidable.

Lucius glared at Draco for a few moments before he spoke anything. "Severus…Snape is gay, and he's-"

"Married to Sirius Black. Yes, I met Sirius Black tonight and was informed that Harry Potter is their adopted son. I had no idea what I was walking into and since it was the hopeful's friends who had set up the meeting, they had no idea as well. You should be glad that we found each other to be incompatible; otherwise you would have to break the news that you didn't wish the marriage because of your own personal vendettas. That seems to be the case most of the time, anyway." Draco felt it in his heart that he had crossed the line. He always did his best to never retort to his father or engage in any arguments with his father, it never ended well. However, Draco was getting frustrated by being told what to do his entire life, and he knew that one of these days, he was going to snap. He wondered if tonight was that night.

"That's enough Draco," Narcissa declared.

Draco stood up and left the room. He returned to his section of the Manor.

Draco lived with his parents at his family fortress, but his space was separate from the rest of the Manor. His parents had gifted him this flat for his eighteenth birthday. Draco's flat had its own private driveway and a private garage. If Draco chose to use his private entrance his parents wouldn't know what times he kept and when, if his friends would come to visit. According to them it was all the privacy he could wish for. His flat also was attached to the Manor via a long hallway. He often left the connecting door unlocked so his parents could easily call upon him at his flat. Tonight was one of the nights when Draco locked the connecting door behind him. It was his declaration to leave him alone.

Draco entered his flat and grumbled incoherently. He needed air, he wished to leave but he didn't know where he'd go. He picked up his mobile and called Pansy, there was no answer. His boyfriend, Theodore, was working tonight so he knew that he would be unavailable. Draco called anyway. There was no answer and a few seconds later he received a text message from Theodore stating that he's working, he can't answer the phone. Draco sat on the sofa; legs crossed, and stared at his mobile. It was the holiday season, the rest of his drinking pals were travelling or visiting family. Draco felt hopeless, and he wished badly to speak to someone who might understand. Someone who would be his friend, who would take his side. He didn't know what exactly caused him to do it but Draco dialled a new number, the latest number he had stored in his mobile. It rang, the other party picked up.

"Hello?"

Draco smiled idiotically at the sound of Harry Potter's voice.

"Potter, it's Draco. Malfoy."

(A/N): Hello, thank you for reading. Please write a review or your thoughts on the story.