Horses and owls
Draco opened the heavy door; he squinted in the winter sunlight, and then closed it behind him.
Wrapping his arms around him to keep off the cold he started walking to nowhere in particular, it gave him a chance to think.
He thought about his mother and how much he loved her and could never imagine his life without her, he thought of his father, how things would never be alright between them and how much he wished they were.
Miriam, Ookamay, then of Crabbe and Goyle.
He snorted, Crabbe and Goyle, Vincent and Gregory, if they didn't want to be friends with him then fine, he wouldn't beg for their friendship. He kicked a stone angrily and watched as it shot across the ground and landed amongst the gravel.
He sighed and once again took out the small box he always carried in his pocket and drew out the tiny needle, pricking his finger he let the miniscule drop of blood fall into the key hole of the great wrought iron gates, they swung open and he walked through, stopping to let them close, then walked on through the snow.
Friends, friends, who needed- he stopped his train of angry thoughts and ran his hand through his pale hair.
He wanted this walk to be relaxing, but he was making himself feel agitated and angry.
He hated that side of him, the side that taunted the Gryffindors and made the golden trio's lives hell.
But sometimes he couldn't help himself, something made him angry and he couldn't let it go.
He always felt that way at school, never at home. The second he saw the scarlet train he felt the sneer take its place and his foul attitude kick in, and he hated it.
He had inherited it from his father, a rage that often blinded him, he was of course not as bad as Lucius, but sometimes he would say something that was really cruel and spiteful. Like mudblood.
Urgh, I don't want to hear that word, I don't want to think of any of it right now.
He felt his pace quicken and his breathing grew laboured.
He stopped and looked out at the brilliant scene in front of him, the white fields stretched out in front of him, and the large Malfoy stables.
A sudden thought struck him, the stables.
A ride, that's what he needed, a good long ride to cool his anger down.
So suddenly feeling a little excited he made his way down to the paddock and stable.
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Lucius stormed out of his study looking for answers, he needed to talk with Narcissa, stalking through the corridors he suddenly found himself at Draco's room.
A thought came to him, for some reason he knew Draco had something to do with all this, whatever all this was.
He opened the door and started to search.
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He walked over to the paddock and leaned against the wooden fencing surrounding it, he looked admiringly at the three horses grazing in front of him, his father's horse, his mother's horse and his own horse.
All three were Arabians, with there prominent heads and beautiful high carried tails.
His father's was a gorgeous powerful flea bitten grey gelding with black mane and tail. Lucius hadn't believed in giving the horses named, said they were just animals, so Draco named him Jupiter. He was a proud horse and difficult to control, though his father was equally proud and would never let just an animal get the better of him, but when they did ride, Jupiter was the fastest of the three, he had a strong swift stride and his muscles would ripple under his magnificent coat.
His mother's horse was a palomino mare with a coat of golden satin and a cream mane and tail. She was a beauty, with a fiery temperament, Narcissa and Morning Glory would ride as if they were one and they looked like pure magic.
Now in Draco's opinion he had the most amazing horse of them all, the greatest horse in the world!
Nightwish was young but magnificent, he was a blue roan with a black mane and tail, he was sometimes uncertain when riding, and could easily get distracted, but Draco was a very good rider and was determined to break him of that habit.
Draco whistled, all three Arabians lifted there heads, ears pricked forward in interest, Jupiter lowered his head lazily, and Glory did the same. But Nightwish, remembering Draco whickered softly and broke into a trot, taking graceful steps toward him.
Draco smiled as Nightwish nudged him with a strong head, pushing Draco back as he wasn't feeling his strongest, Draco reached into his pocket and brought out at a packet of mints, holding his palm flat he let the roans soft muzzle gently take a mint and crunch it in his powerful jaws.
The house elves that took care of the horses were all gone and it always made Draco feel guilty that he didn't solely take care of his horse, but he could always brush it off as it was there jobs, though that feeling of guilt didn't always go away.
He walked over to the stable block looking for the grooming equipment; he never used magic on a horse, since they were the few type of animal that found magic distressing and confusing.
Slipping a head collar on Nightwish he tied him securely and set to work.
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Lucius looked through draws and cabinets, searching for something unusual, he wasn't sure what, but he was sure he would know what it was when he saw it.
Ookamay watched from her perch, highly disgruntled by this mans behaviour; she ruffled her feathers and hooted angrily.
Lucius looked up "oh shut up, you stupid bird"
He walked over to the desk, something caught his eye, two pieces of paper made into birds, intrigued he unravelled them and read.
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Draco mounted carefully and, gathering the reins, urged Nightwish into a walk; he was brushed, tacked and ready to go.
As they passed the other two horses they looked up and neighed out, Nightwish pinned his ears back momentarily, but Draco soothed him and they went on.
It felt good to up in the saddle again and he grinned broadly, though he felt he needed to get back in the feel of things, gently kicking Nightwishes sides and with a "Trot on" they were of on a steady, balanced trot.
Draco felt his stiff joints loosening, though his legs ached a little with the effort of the rising trot, but soon it felt natural as he adjusted to the rhythm and he relaxed into the gait.
Breathing in deeply he relished the moments of riding and the familiar, musty smell of horses.
After a while all previous thoughts were gone and he was enjoying being out side with his horse.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Lucius scrunched up the letters and as he threw them they burst into flames.
Crabbe and Goyle were powerful allies, with Draco no longer friends with the sons they would probably end those ties, meaning problems in the deatheaters circle also.
Draco had no right to end the friendship with the sons of Crabbe and Goyle! He had no idea what problems it would now cause for him! Lucius head started to hurt, and he had to rub his eyes to regain his focus.
A hoot broke his anger, he turned slowly to the owl, Draco would learn his lesson the hard way.
Lucius stalked toward her, Ookamay hooted in alarm and flapped her wings.
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Draco felt so happy and content, he patted the roans powerful and neck and muttered, "Good boy"
Suddenly having a burst of strength and confidence he nodded to himself, shortening his hold on the reins and gently touched the roan's sides with his heels.
Nightwish flicked his ears back and forth and immediately broke into a flowing canter; Draco gasped and quickly adjusted himself.
This felt wonderful! He leaned back into saddle yelled out a "Woo!"
He heard the roan's hooves thundering on the ground and the cold wind whipping his hair, after a while he felt himself grow tired and reluctantly slowed Nightwish to a trot, down to a walk.
He breathed out a "wow" and patted the horse, "Good boy"
Nightwish jerked his head up and down, and then settled.
Draco patted him again then decided, "Come on boy, let's go home"
So he pulled on the left rein and steered Nighwigh around, back the direction they had came.
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Miriam carried the clean white sheets over her shoulder, dragging most of it behind her.
One of last jobs of the day was making Master Malfoy's bed, or Draco's bed. She thought to herself that he would be able to do it himself, but remembered what she had said, we all have our own problems and we deal with them. She sighed.
As she neared the room she heard an awful screeching noise, she dropped the sheets and hurried into his room, what she saw made her gasp, Lucius holding Ookamay by the legs and seemed to be preparing to be break her neck. She screamed.
In surprise he let her go and she took of in a blind panic around the room, Lucius cursed and quickly closed the door with a spell, he then advanced toward Miriam who was still in shock in seeing Lucius prepare to kill Draco's owl.
She was snapped out of it by a kick in the ribs, it sent her across the room and she lay in a heap, whimpering. "You stupid house elf, look what you made me do!"
He then turned around "Come here you stupid bird!"
Miriam groaned and clutched her sides, please come through the door Draco, please come through the door!
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Draco was walking Nightwish past the paddock now, he was comfortably tired and was ready to un- tack Nightwish and take a rest.
He could tell Nightwish was feeling a little agitated, but didn't expect the next event to occur.
As they passed the paddock Jupiter noticed them and neighed, suddenly breaking into a canter, Nightwish rolled his eyes and reared, unseating Draco and then he, himself, broke into a canter.
Draco felt panicked; it rose as his foot slipped out of the stirrup. Oh Merlin, he felt himself slip further and further to one side.
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Lucius found Ookamay, he froze her with a spell and brought her to him, Miriam felt so desperate she squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears.
Lucius brought his hands slowly around her neck…
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Fear clenched Draco and his body ached with the effort of staying on, he was going to fall off and he knew it, he tried desperately to pull the panicked roan to a stop, but gave in and prepared himself to fall.
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With a crack and a terrible screech the bird's neck was broken; Lucius let Ookamay fall to the ground and looked at the body in disgust, "Maybe that will teach him"
He left the room, his head throbbing, he needed to sit down.
Miriam walked over to the dead body of Draco's owl, tears began to form in her large orb like eyes, Draco would be crushed.
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Just then Jupiter veered of and Nightwish flicked his ears back, changing his pace, he slowed to a trot, down to a walk, Draco panted hard but managed to pull himself upright and stuck his foot back in the stirrup.
He sat for a while in shock; he should be used to this kind of thing by now.
He laughed a nervous laugh and patted the blue roan's neck, "good boy" Draco knew Nightwish had only broken into a canter 'because Jupiter had spooked him, and also knew that when Nightwish had sensed Draco was in trouble had tried all he could to help.
He walked Nightwish to the yard and carefully dismounted. He rubbed his aching muscles and then turned to Nightwish and gave him another mint. "Thanks boy, that was wonderful, though maybe a little too much excitement for one day"
The horse whickered softly as Draco rubbed his velvety muzzle, and then started to take his tack of and rub him down.
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Draco finally entered his bedroom, tired and ready to collapse on his four poster bed, what he saw made his stomach do flips and his insides grow cold, he chocked.
Miriam stood, tears in her eyes, in her arms was the dead body of Ookamay, her neck twisted and her head falling limp, Draco wretched and his legs gave in beneath him, he collapsed in a heap on the ground.
Miriam gasped and hurried over, "Draco-"she began, but he cut her off.
In a voice barley above a whisper he said "what happened?"
She suddenly felt scared, Lucius had done so much to Draco, now he had killed his dearly loved pet, how could she tell him what had happened?
"Oh Draco, please, just-"
He began to break into sobs, "Please, Miriam just tell me!"
She flinched, he never called her Miriam.
She handed him the body of Ookamay.
He took it, his body shaking with crying, tears falling down his face.
He looked the beautiful body of his beloved owl, and couldn't bear it; he held her feathered body close and wept.
"Oh Draco" Miriam cried also, she had to tell him, he deserved that.
"It was Lucius"
He stopped crying, and looked up slowly; his eyes were red and puffy.
"What?"
"He was in here, holding her, I tried to stop him, but, I just couldn't, he-he, killed her Draco, I don't know why, but he-"
Draco stood up and placed Ookamay on his bed, then kissing her drew out his wand, he looked at her for the last time, his faithful pet, swift, trustworthy, loving Ookamay, it wasn't her fault, she didn't need to get brought into this whole mess with his father and him.
She must have been so afraid, so- so desperate to escape, so confused that he wasn't there to save her, to hold her, why- why did her last moments have to be in the arms of that-that monster? Why did she have to feel such fear, she should have died peacefully, in his arms. He just couldn't bear it.
"I love you, good bye, beautiful girl"
He closed his eyes, still the tears poured forth, and turned his head away holding out his wand, with one last racking sob he muttered the spell, and her body turned into a pile of ash. He looked back and the sight made him break down.
Miriam had watched the scene, her hand covering her mouth, uncontrollable tears pouring down her face; she walked slowly to the pile of ash that was once Ookamay and conjured a box, sweeping the ashes into them.
She moved over to Draco and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Draco, are you alright?"
He wiped his face with his sleeve and looked at her with pain in his eyes, taking the box he got up and placed it on his desk. He gripped the front of his desk and let his head fall, shadow covered his eyes.
"Draco?"
He lifted his head, once again wiped his tear stained face, a darkness crossed his features and it scared Miriam.
"Draco, please talk to me"
He turned and stalked out of the room.
"Draco where are you going?"
"DRACO!"
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You all hate me now, don't you? I hadn't originally planned to kill off Ookamay, but the idea just crossed me, I'll miss her! It's terrible to loose a pet, and Draco is going to be suffering serious angst.
But Lucius is going to suffer serious pain, he deserves it!
I know about horses but I'm not an expert, so if anybody found any mistakes regarding the horse scenes please tell me! And I named Draco's horse "Nightwish" after one of my favourite bands. Lol!
Please review that was the longest and most difficult chapter I've written!
Huge thanks to my reviewers!
Catrihowlmancarthakispy and IceAngel89.
60 reviews! That is a lot for me!