"You're dead, Potter."
"Funny, you would think I'd stop walking around…"
I'll be heading home tomorrow, but I've made sure to steer clear of Potter. If he keeps this up then I may just bend to his will and may ruin both of us. Sighing to myself I turned away from the Astronomy Tower window and found myself face to face with Potter. "Go out with me." He said in a serious voice.
"Sure," I responded without thinking. My eyes widened and I took a step back, pressing myself against the window, oh damn. I took several deep breaths and then forced myself to leave the tower one step at a time but he managed to follow me looking a bit smug and extremely happy. How the hell am I supposed to hurt that smiling face of his? It makes no sense! How am I supposed to do that, exactly?
"What made you say yes?" Potter asked smugly causing me to curse under my breath as I walked even faster, hoping to lose my new 'boyfriend.' He just ran forward and hurried alongside me. Scowling I tried to think of the bluntest way to say it.
"I wasn't thinking." I explained but he just laughed and his grin widened.
"So you wanted me so bad it was a subconscious decision?" He smirked but I just let out an exasperated cry and ran to the dungeons knowing the Slytherins there will protect me. Potter followed looking too happy for words, but apparently he wasn't lacking them. "This is amazing! I didn't this it would actually work. But have you been thinking of me like I've been thinking of you?" He asked then stopped and frowned. "Nah, I kind of doubt it. You don't seem like the type."
"I'm sorry but it was a mistake. I screwed up okay! I'm not your boyfriend!" I growled but for some reason as soon as I said them I stopped myself and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This can't work."
Potter's eyes were narrowed and he looked ready to kill but at the same time there was a bitter edge to it.
"I can make it work, I can tell the world to go screw itself and I can ignore all the publicity and gossip. I can do it for you, Draco. Everything I want to do I can do for you." He smiled softly and reached a hand out towards me. "All you have to do is let me." It won't be that simple, life is never that simple. Potter could cut my strings, and he could warm up my frozen soul. It would probably be like breathing to someone as incredible as him. But I don't love Potter, although I do like him more than any other suitor I know of. This isn't something we can just try and if it doesn't work just end it. This is something we have to stick with. Taking his hand slowly I scowled.
"If you need help making this work then just let me know, you shouldn't be doing everything on your own like some damn hero. You're just a human, Potter. That's all you are." I informed him in a bored tone but he just looked at me in shock before grinning widely.
"This is going to work! I know it will! I can make sure of it, with your help of course! Oh man this is so brilliant!" Harry cheered and then dragged me toward the dungeons. "Okay so after school is over and your parents buy you the store I want you to wait for me to contact you okay? It shouldn't be long; I just have to secure my position as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
I nodded slowly and ran a hand through my white-blond hair. "Then I will wait for you." I agreed just as we reached the entrance to the Slytherin common room. I turned around to see him smiling at me. Leaning forward he pressed his lips against mine and smirked lightly into the kiss.
"Thank you for saying yes." He whispered then kissed my cheek and left. I glared after his form, still not understanding how the hell this happened, but when I felt something inside of me… something that seemed to be freed a little… that made me give a real genuine smile. My fingers traced along the silk of my robes, tomorrow I'll be dressed in the finest of clothing for a Potions Master. Then soon after I'll be with Potter… no, I'm going to be with Harry.
I walked into the common room and accepted a butterbeer tossed my way by a fellow Slytherin. "We'll be adults as of tomorrow! Finally able to get a job and be productive and stuff," Blaise laughed holding something that looked suspiciously like Firewhisky. I nodded and smiled before walking past his shocked form towards Goyle who looked depressed as he gazed out the window.
"He won't ever be an adult. Died when he was sixteen after all," Goyle grunted with shiny eyes. I nodded for a moment and then pat his shoulder.
"If you ever want to talk or hang out then just drop by Hogsmeade and visit me, okay?" I said, actually meaning it. "We should be friends like we were before we went to Hogwarts. I liked it better back then, didn't you?" I asked making him nod as he choked back something.
The common room is actually pretty quiet for a last night. It helps that not many of us are here. Too much bad press, too many people made to be villains, and too many shattered dreams. But mine are just forming.
"You're acting different, like you did when you used to care about shit. What changed you?" He grumbled but looked a bit pleased about my sudden "change," then again he may just be hungry. I shrugged my shoulders but I couldn't hide a grin that fighting to get free. I'm happy right now. Nothing anyone can say or guess will change that. I'm just happy and with good reason.
"I don't know… maybe it's my new boyfriend." He just nodded as though it makes perfect sense, I didn't care that he didn't really have a reaction about the news but I did look out the window with him, waiting for a new day to begin.
The next day everyone rushed around trying to get all their goodbyes in, but I was just walking through the halls outside in the grounds with a peaceful air around me. I like this, this feeling of everything beginning to change. It really is and soon I'm going to be off somewhere doing something with my life and it's all going to be because my strings are being cut. An owl dropped by in front of me during breakfast with a letter tied around its leg. I pulled the letter off and smirked seeing it was from my parents.
Dear Draco,
I'm pleased to inform you that the land for your shop has been paid for and the building will take three days, as soon as it is finished we will bring your things to your new place but in the meantime live in the hotel in the town. You are an adult now, we will not be taking care of you after this but will give you enough money to have a good start and something to work towards.
Make us proud.
Sincerely,
Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy
I folded the letter and then got ready to move on with my life. My parents are leaving it now, or so it seems, and I'm already beginning to work. Three days until I'll be in my own store, getting it ready to make me a living, it's all happening far too fast but this is the Malfoy way. They thrust their young into the fire and wait to see what happens with only the baby's strength and a little bit of magic knowledge to help.
"Aren't you going to be riding the train?" Blaise asked as everyone began heading in the general direction of the Hogwarts Express. I just shook my head as Harry and his friends walked by. He caught my eye and grinned making me smile in response. The sun is shining down on us all and trees are becoming green again.
"I'll be living in Hogsmeade from today on, so come visit whenever, alright?" I said with a soft expression, knowing full well that he may abandon me with everyone else soon. It shouldn't matter though, because if he's a true friend then he wouldn't and instead he'd accept what I'm about to do like everyone else in the bloody world ought to. It's terrifying though... and I hate being terrified.
"Alright then, I will, probably, eventually, maybe." Blaise joked but I just smirked and waved it off. Hogsmeade looked kind of far off from where I'm standing outside the front doors but it's not too bad, I can walk there easily and it's not like I have anything else I should be doing so I might as well head down to the restaurant. Blaise parted ways and headed off to catch up with some of his friends while I just continued on my walk. My skin felt a bit too warm with the sun glaring down at me but I could ignore it easily enough.
"Not going home, Malfoy? Does your family not love you anymore or something? Or have your parents abandoned you as soon as their little angel grew up?" Weasley laughed roughly but I just turned and smirked over at him and his friends, which of course included Potter.
"My parents would curse an angel if they ever saw one. Besides, they do love me, this is just the way my family shows their love. Your family probably coddles you into the adult world, well mine just thrusts me in with a bit of money to help me start out and then they wait to see if I can handle myself, if I can't then I'm disowned." I shrugged causing his eyes to widen as I just walked on.
"Draco, I'm sorry about that, hopefully things will change soon." Harry smirked making me shrug and turn around to leave but before I could get very far my wrist was grabbed and hot breath was bathing my ear. "I can't wait…" He murmured then let me go and left with his friends. It was like something out of a dream, a sick and twisted dream where everything seemed perfect and amazing but there was an underline of horror at what the future might hold.
When I got to Hogsmeade I watched as wizards and witches were walking and laughing from shop to shop, there were a few Hogwarts students like me who no longer need schooling. When I got to the hotel I was surprised when it turned out that my luggage has already been brought in, someone must have informed McGonagall about me staying here. That just makes this convenient. Crashing on my bed I looked at the ceiling and took in a deep breath. I'm an adult now, and I'm living on my own. There's a flat that will be built above my store and everything I own and all the potion supplies Severus has given me will be at the new store as well. I'm going to be all on my own… except I won't be. I smiled softly and placed my arm over my eyes.
I'll have Harry.
Harry will be there for me when I need him, he'll be able to take care of me and make sure that I'm okay and if I'm sick he'll look after me. Harry will believe in me and take my ideas seriously! He didn't laugh when I told him what I am going to be doing with my life; he even wants to be a part of it. This makes things different, better, and maybe just a little bit… worse. If only just a little.
My palms grew cold with sweat and soon I was digging my nails into my hands. It doesn't hurt yet but it's going to, and I have to be ready. Cold and distant is the only way to save myself after all, none of the words or cruel actions will hurt me. I have to make sure of it. I'm a Malfoy… so I know how to handle hate.
Four days later and he still hasn't shown up.
Standing in the dining room I worked on making an elixir for minor injuries that tastes like chocolate frogs. It's coming out better than I had planned but not quite up to par on it's healing properties. My eyes narrowed into slits but I knew it wouldn't help since he's still not here. That's the only thing that I can't stand about this. Other than that the pay isn't too pricey and my parents have donated a very generous amount of ingredients. As soon as they arrived I immediately begun to use them in order to have several different premade potions for sale although I will be selling mostly ingredients.
I took a deep breath and then smirked lightly at the finished result. Grabbing several vials I then began to fill them up before going into the shop and putting them where they go. Three more potions and then I have to wait for an owl with some slug horns and I will be ready to open. My eyes softened when I looked around the store. All the shelves are color coded; mainly featuring colors of the school houses to show different things students and residents can buy.
It took me a long time but I had looked at other stores and how much they make their potions and ingredients cost and then I made sure to be the cheapest and have the highest quality of everything. My shop has to be the best and it must be perfect, if not then I could never hope to make it off okay when everyone finds out about Potter… if they find out.
After I was done concocting the potions I was surprised when an owl swooped in at that exact moment with a small package. "I can open! Bloody hell I can actually open!" I grinned but then scowled to myself. Just because I'm now able to open my store isn't enough for Potter to have actually missed anything in my life. No… I have to make him realize just how much he's missed while he's been taking his sweet time to visit me.
Leaving my store I walked to a pet smirked knowing how much father will be furious if I buy anything other than an owl, which means I will be buying a cat instead. The cat I chose is a mixture of grey and purple along with white, a calico apparently which means that it's a regular muggle cat. I looked into its bright blue eyes then smirked at it as the cat yowled. "You look a little funny with that stump of a tail." I murmured looking at her little stump as it wagged. "How much does she cost?" I demanded making the store owner jump and look from me to the cat with surprise.
"I didn't think she would get an owner at all… well I guess fifteen galleons will do it." He said looking a little smug. I just shrugged my shoulders and pulled out the gold from my wallet. I requested for him to bring me everything she will need along with instructions on how to take care of her, of course I did so with the promise of three gold galleons past his original price. His eyes widened as I gave him an extra gold coin for the cat before leaving, holding her in my arms. She looked up at me with an annoyed look making me smirk down at her.
"He was a bit of a bastard, wasn't he? I don't mind him overcharging me but he could have the decency to be discreet about it, otherwise any fool would know he's being a dick. Any old Slytherin can go in there and see exactly what he is." I smirked but then frowned a bit. I haven't been much of a Slytherin lately... maybe that part of me died with the war. It hurt having everything I had ever known ripped from my hands. The Manor is gone, my parents are now living in France, and two important people to me are dead. Never coming back again. It's almost as though I've turned into a Gryffindor, simply living a life I never wanted to live in order to help my family. But when I looked down she started to pur in my arms making me smile softly.
"You'll do, for the time being." I informed the cat but stroked her fur just as I opened the door to my shop. She purred softly when I set her down to roam free. Once everything was set up I finally used my magic to place a sign telling everyone that my store is open. In a matter of seconds I had a customer browsing the potions and ingredients. I watched the woman warily as my cat jumped up on the counter. Stroking the fur behind her ears and watched her eyes slowly close with pleasure, but my eyes never left the woman in the corner, with her dark hair and narrowed eyes.
"You do have valerian roots don't you? Why it's only a common potion ingredient after all." The customer said in a taunting tone making me put on a polite smile my mother had taught me at the age of three and led her to the common potion ingredients area, that's literally an area I had designed for those who needed to just grab something they needed quickly without having to go through series after series of roots and weeds. She huffed lightly but I was distracted as another customer walked in, looking thoroughly impressed with my array of potions and ingredients.
"My word, this collection is spectacular! Of course I'm sure your father would see to that and made sure to that in order to avoid bad press but… did you make all of these? They look almost as good and… blimey, some appear even better than Severus Snape's work!" The wizard cried with a broad grin making my smile become more genuine as I walked over to him.
"Yes I did make these, Snape would come by my house when I was just a child in order to teach me the art of potion making. He wanted me to be ahead of the crowd, so to speak. I tried a few new things here and there and if I gather enough then I hope to make a book… but probably in a couple years when the bad press dies down." I said softly and looked away from him feeling heat rise to my face.
"Well you deserve all the press you and your family get! You are and always will be a Death Eater! You sicken me, boy. I only came by today to see what kind of monstrosity Lucius and Narcissa were concocting under the wizarding world's noses but thanks to this young man I know it already. They want you to make them seem harmless and the farthest thing from ambitious as a person can be! That way they can climb the ranks again!" She cried, her dark hair billowing around her face in angry tufts. The wizard who had spoken of me kindly earlier scowled at the witch and huffed.
"If it wasn't for this boy's mother than Potter's plan most likely would have failed. The Dark Lord had to believe he was dead after all! They have done some good and this boy was simply protecting his mother and father! Are you really going to be angry at him for that? I would have done the same thing in his shoes but a lot worse! I wouldn't have hesitated in an attempt to kill Dumbledore even though I consider the man to have been a great friend! Stop being so hard on the boy and let him live his life in peace. He's already lost everything; don't take his opening day away from him too." The wizard growled causing the witch to cry out in fury and leave the store then and there. The wizard turned to me, his blue eyes looking bitter. "I'm so sorry my dear boy; you would think people would stop reading the rubbish in the Daily Prophet. To be honest I've dropped by here every day for the past week waiting for your shop to open, and I'm glad to came today. My name is Winfrey Noptkun and I was a friend of both Dumbledore and Snape. Good luck to you, my boy. I sincerely hope you make it in this hate infested world."
I nodded at him and felt my body fill with something kind… a stranger stuck up for me because he knew my situation and cared for my godfather. Perhaps someone is telling others that I'm not all bad, that's what I need right now… to have a few supporters as I'm out here in the adult world. Of course if Harry does show up and try to date me then I will probably lose those supporters but he probably won't. It's my opening day and he's not here, and I'll be sure to make it seem as though he's missed the world while he's been off doing whatever it is he's been doing. Time doesn't stop for Potter, no matter how much everyone believes it should.
But a week into my business being open and I already have regular customers along with regular troublemakers. Doesn't matter to me in the slightest though, it's not like he's here and even if he were it's not like he gives a damn. He's not here to see me or to be here for me. No way in hell and it's pissing me off. But at the same time I'm ice cold with apathy. It's kind of funny. I shut myself down completely. It's fun but at the same time not in the slightest, there's no pain when wizards come into my shop just to insult my family but there's also no hapiness when someone comes in to congratulate me on how hard I'm working to come back into the wizarding society full of prejudice and hate.
He's still not here though and that's the only thing that gets through my cold exterior. If he would just walk in through those doors and see me just once that'd be amazing, but it's not likely since I've been open a month now. My body felt frozen but then again I've been keeping the shop rather cold for some of my potions while my room is burning from potion making all the time. Despite the fact that an ex-Death Eater owns this shop, I still get a lot of business. There isn't a decent potions shop for hundreds of miles, and even though most can travel that distance easily, I still have one of the best quality shops in the entire world. That's just thanks to Severus though.
My cat sat down on my lap as I laid my head down on the counter and began to doze. I put an alarm on the door to silently warn me if someone comes into the store. I haven't been sleeping much so during dry times of the day I sleep for as long as possible before someone comes by to buy something from me. My brain became fuzzy just as the alarm went off making me sit up and look around. No one is here still even though the alarm went off. Blinking I got ready to sleep once again but that's when I saw a letter from Harry on the counter in front of me, I just glared and burned it on the spot. He needs to come see me himself, not send stupid letters my way.
For some reason I couldn't bring myself to care that I hadn't even bothered to open the letter. It just made me smile at my own strength and ability to put aside my minor obsession to live my life with my own standards. At the same time my stomach was aching with the knowledge that I'll never be able to read the letter that he wrote to me. Of course he could have written it in just a minute or two but even so I want to know… what he thought or was thinking. With a frown I forced myself to get up and go upstairs. I should work on something other than wasting my time moping about a stupid letter I should be happy I burned.
Maybe I should have frozen it instead… until it developed ice burns and died a slow painful death. Then again I would have been even more tempted to read it then now. It's kind of interesting though, thinking of a piece of parchment dying. I yawned softly and began to get my work table ready to make yet another potion. Severus' old potions book was in my hand with certain things crossed out and others made darker. He made sure to go through it with me to show me exactly what Potter had done and what I need to avoid. They were a series of secret meetings during the year that Severus was the Headmaster at Hogwarts. He was probably the best Headmaster to ever teach if only because he stopped Voldemort from truly taking over and he protected the students the best he could although he could never be called good. Severus was who he was and I like that.
Lies and illusions of trust and understanding, that's something to look up to and admire. It's something I want to be able to accomplish one day for the person I love, although I don't know who that would be at the moment. To be honest I don't even know the gender. It's not like I really care about that sort of thing, but Harry is seriously pissing me off. Taking a deep breath I did my best to get over the raw emotions filling me and instead focused on cooling myself down with a freezing potion. It's one that I've invented myself. It cools the mind down and numbs emotions that are becoming too strong. It's not like the Euphoria potion, I know the emotions are still there and never once do they go away but it's a temporary fix to make them dim down. At most the potion can be taken once a week. Any more than that and the user will have to be taken to St. Mungo's.
Once I started brewing an antidote for some common poisons that was too much of a bother to make a month ago I was suddenly stung slightly on my middle finger letting me know that a customer is in the shop. I placed a quick freezing spell on my potion so that time would freeze for the liquid and allow me to take care of the customer that has come to shop. When I got downstairs I was mildly surprised to see a nervous Granger waiting for me to come down. When she saw me she let out a light gasp of surprise then smiled at me, it looked more like a twitch but I didn't say anything. "Hello Malfoy! I've come by to… um… tell you that… er… Harry would like to see you. He knows you burnt the letter so he told me to come by here. Honestly he's being a coward but… can you just go see him?" She asked looking a bit exhausted and torn but she managed a slight smile that was genuine. But I shook my head causing the smile to fade.
"We have an arrangement and that's not how it works. I've got things to do here and I can't leave suddenly to go after him. I'm sorry Granger." I said softly and then turned around to go back upstairs.