Disclaimer: After this, please refer back to the prologue for the disclaimer. I'm too darned lazy to retype things like that...
A/N Low and behold! Chapter one is here! I thought that it wouldn't be out so soon, but I saw that it was like four pages on my comp so I made the executive decision to post it as such! It's also been so long since I have the time (AP tests and all) to type up some of the ideas I had for the story that I forgot some. So sad..Anyways! On a happier note, please enjoy this next installment!
Chapter 1
Draco stood with his mother on the threshold of the Noir Cottage, Narcissa's own plot of land. The house was far smaller than any of the Malfoy manors or estates, only one story and comprised of two wings leading from the family room. The family room had a large fireplace etched with ethereal sprites, obviously the focus of the entire house. From the left, there was a hallway leading to the master bedroom painted in shades of lavenders with an adjoining restroom in cool greens. Narcissa took that room.
Another hall broke from the family room, leading on the right into a modest room in blues. Draco took that room, since the color scheme was the same as his room in the Manor. Across from his room was a guest bedroom in neutral cream and beige. The bathroom to the side was in calming grays.
From the family room, right near the entrance was the kitchen, a large and spacious affair in light greens and white. There was a small dining room, set off to the side, obviously there only for appearances or for special affairs. There was a basement, stretching out below the entire house. It had shelves and shelves of books, obviously a library. Another fireplace sculpted intricately with an imitation of a bookshelf was set in the center of the room, surrounded by comfortable chairs and sofas. An oak desk a set to the side, an antique lamp perched on it.
Draco smiled in delight when he caught sight of the empty bookshelves and immediately began filling them with his own books and then his mother's. Steps sounded behind him as his mother lighted the numerous, round orb lamps that floated randomly around the library. One came over and hovered by Draco's shoulder while another followed his mother. Narcissa smiled at his son.
"How do you like it?"
Draco grinned like he did when he was a child, genuine happiness lighting his gray eyes. "It's beautiful, mum. I never knew you had a place like this!"
"You never knew for a reason Draco."
Sobered instantly, Draco stopped in his motions and said quietly, "So that father wouldn't know, right? So that we would have someplace to run to when I finally came out of father's shadow."
Narcissa nodded sadly and sighed. "I never wanted things to turn out the way they did, but I knew that sooner of later we would have to run or you would be under his thumb."
"I never wanted to be under his thumb. Maybe I did when I was a child…but when I fell in love…"
"With?" Narcissa gently prompted her son.
Draco dropped his eyes to study the floor, and whispered, "When I fell in love with Harry Potter."
Narcisssa sighed and enveloped her son in her arms. "Oh Draco."
Draco let out a half-hearted laugh, "Yeah, I know. The Perfect Death Eater's son falling in love with the-boy-who-lived. How much more ironic could it get?"
Narcisssa smiled into her son's hair, and she said dryly, "More 'man' now than 'boy'."
Laughing as his own hands came to rest on his mother's shoulders, he replied. "That is true."
They stood there for a while like that, simply embracing one another. Finally, Narcissa drew away.
"I almost forgot why I came down here for, besides to see how you liked the library. Our papers came through. We're fully free from Lucius now, and he can no longer lay a finger on us."
"Really?" Draco smiled almost bitterly. "Let's hope it stays that way."
Silence fell and then Draco shrugged his shoulders. Turning back to the books, he waved his wand and let the books slid into place by themselves, softly laughing, "Am I glad that my 17th birthday has already past…"
He took his mother's hand and led her toward the stairs leading back up into the family room. "So, what should we make for dinner tonight?"
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"Mum, we need to stop by Treigh Alley. We're out of fresh fruits and we need some more vegetables and meats."
Narcissa looked up from her place by the flowerbed, sweaty and tired from her past hour of labor. She mopped her brow. "Really? That completely slipped my mind. Do you want me to come with you?"
Draco studied his mother knee-deep in the dirt and laughed, something he had been doing more often than he had done in the past seventeen years of his life. "No thanks mother. I think you need a shower before you do anything else. I'll come back with groceries and then make dinner. Do you need anything?"
"Hmm…No, I don't think so…get some of those delicious ChocoCats?"
"ChocoCats? Mum! I think you're gaining an addiction!"
"Nonsense! But don't forget them okay?"
Draco laughed as he stepped back into the house to use the floo, "Whatever you say mother. Whatever you say."
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The floo system spit him out in a dimly lit back room set aside especially for the purpose of giving floo-travelers a moment to compose themselves. Draco dusted himself off and then walked out of the room into a sunny café.
A stick thin woman dressed in casual summer shorts and short sleeves with a head of spiked blinding violet hair turned at the chime of the bell, beaming at the sight of Draco.
"Draco! It's been too long!"
Laughing as he approached the woman, Draco replied, "Too long? Claudia, I was just here a week ago!"
"Want some tea before you go?"
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm just going in and going out. Mother's waiting for me and dinner."
Claudia shrugged, "Okay, whatever. See you next week or so then?"
"Yes. See you."
Draco left the airy café and went directly to the open air market that made Treigh Alley notable. He nodded in greeting to the vendors, all of them knowing Draco by name after his and his mother's frequent visits after moving into Noir Cottage. Efficiently, he picked out what he needed, bargaining expertly with the vendors.
Just as he was walking back toward the café, a pitiful whine caught his attention. Draco tipped his head to the side, listening for the whine again. It came from a nearby dark ally where two stores met. To satisfy his curiosity, Draco walked cautiously towards the whine, and almost dropped his purchases when he saw a small, dirt covered, skinny dog limping out of a dark corner.
His gray eyes gentled and he knelt, holding out his free hand toward the animal, like a peace offering. Inspiration struck him and he slowly reached into his purchases and withdrew a grape. He held it out to the stray, tempting it with food. Warily, the dirty stray inched closer and took the grape from Draco's fingers. Draco reached up and rubbed the stray's ears softly. The dog whined in pleasure. Draco smiled. "How would you like to come home with me?"
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A/N And there I leave you with a cliffy (not really, but humor me). Why, you ask? Well, simply because I forgot what I wanted to name the dog. Stupid APs...Now, if you like, please review. If you don't like, please flame. It's kinda cold right now anyways...(my window is open and a breeze is coming through. Oh, and it's night so don't say anything like, "Are you crazy? Cold in the SUMMER?!" I have a reasonable excuse. And even if I didn't, I don't care. Remember, review please!
