Forbidden
By Leah
Chapter 9
So this is Christmas Part I
Draco stared listlessly at the ceiling. It was December 20th and outside white crystals of snow were falling steadily onto the grounds of Hogwarts. It would be his last day in the common room for a while; tomorrow he would be going home for the Christmas vacation.
He scoffed at the thought. 'Home to what? An empty mansion, all the money I could want...and no-one there to say a Happy Christmas.' He pushed himself off the couch and walked to his room; he should at least start packing now and not leave it to the morning.
He paused mid-step and turned to the door, he had heard a small creak that was so soft he wasn't even sure he heard a thing.
But he did; she was there. Neither said a word, neither knew what could be said.
Her eyes widened and she looked very much like a deer caught in headlights, though he reckoned he was mirroring that look. The silence was suffocating and wanted to say something -anything- to ease the tension. Maybe apologize...
'No, I didn't do anything wrong, she was the one who-' But his lips moved without his minds consent.
"Gran-" and then she was gone. She practically bolted into her room, without even uttering a sound. He heard the door slam and the lion in her portrait roar.
He let out a sigh and let his head roll back. He contemplated waiting on her to leave her room, afterall she couldn't stay in there forever, but after two minutes of thought he continued to his room.
They had things they needed to talk about; he was to be married to Pansy, she had a boyfriend, and there was so much more. But for once even he, Draco Malfoy, felt that this was something he was to afraid to do.
He closed the door to his room and went for his trunk, beginning to pack; all the while wondering when their little game of cat and mouse had turned into something so serious.
Hermione curled onto her bed with Crookshanks lying behind her. Her heart still beat furiously in her chest and her mind was racing, all because of him.
What was he going to say to her? Would he bring it up?
God she hoped not.
That night replayed itself in her head so many times in the past few weeks that she practically had every breath, every touch, every sound, every feeling...every sensation memorized. Yet she would still find herself shocked and left asking why?
Why did she go to him? Why did she kiss him?
Why...did she run away from him?
She hated herself every time that question came up. She told herself over and over that she left because it was wrong and she loved Ron. She was meant for Ron, and he for her.
She snuggled closer to the orange cat and sniffled. "Crookshanks, I'm a complete idiot." The cat responded with a soft meow.
She took comfort in the thought that she would be away from him for a few days. Normally a break from school and her studies (especially with N.E.W.T.S coming up) would have made her distraught, but with all of the things going on, she couldn't wait for the chance to get away from Hogwarts. She just wanted to forget about him, and about Ron.
She let out another sniffle. 'Ron.' Last week she gave herself to him.
She told herself that it was because she loved him and wouldn't want anyone else to be her first. But she knew she was lying to herself, trying to make her heart believe her minds words.
She knew that she only did it to prove to herself that she felt nothing for Draco. But she did; and doing that with Ron only made her believe it more.
It wasn't completely horrid or anything; just awkward. It was the both of their first times, and they knew what to do, but when it actually came to doing it, it was just...odd.
And then came the pain, she tried not to scream, nearly succeeding in biting her lip bloody to keep it in. And Ron was no help in comforting her. He panicked and nearly fainted when she bled.
It was also one of the most uncomfortable things she had ever experienced. They had to do it outside, on the ground near the Forbidden Forest so no one would see. But the whole time there were stones and gravel digging into her back and there were twigs in her hair and dirt on her clothes. She even got a nasty scrape in her shoulder from a rock .
To say the least it wasn't exactly the rose petals on the bed, soft music in the background and magical love making she always envisioned her first time to be.
Needless to say, the next day she felt horrible; physically and emotionally. She nearly threw up when she glanced Draco across the Great Hall at breakfast.
Ron of course was beaming and from the looks she received from many of the Gryffindor boys she guessed he told them all the sordid details.
After that she had taken to staying in Ginny's dormitories when she wasn't in class. (Thankfully none of the sixth year girls questioned as to why she was staying with them.) Ron had tried a few times after that to have sex again, but she would say she had to study or something of that sort, once or twice even saying she had a head or stomach ache. He would believe her, but always sulked in silence for a while.
Not that Hermione minded much.
The next morning the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were filled with the noises of excited children getting ready to leave for home for the holidays, or of animals flapping, scurrying or jumping intheir cages.
Hermione managed to slip away from the crowds without having to talk to many people and snagged an empty carriage. In minutes she was at the train station where hundreds of children were piling onto the black and red Hogwarts Express.
She spared two quick glances up and down the platform for her friends, though she was not entirely sure she wanted to find them. Seeing them nowhere she boarded the train -pulling her trunk and Crookshanks behind her- and set out for an empty compartment.
Unfortunately in each car every compartment she passed had occupants, so -though she knew some of the people in the compartments, and knew they wouldn't mind her staying in with them for the ride- she continued looking for an empty compartment. She really wasn't in the mood to be around people today, with a sigh she continued to the back of the train, her arm beginning to ache from pulling her trunk.
Before she knew what was happening she felt a hand grip her free arm and roughly pull her into a compartment to her left, causing her to drop her trunk and Crookshanks' cage (the cat hissed loudly) in the process. She nearly screamed in surprise and turned to face her captor; her eyes widened.
"Ginny? Merlin! What on earth is the matter with you?" The younger girl smiled sheepishly before leaving the compartment, returning seconds later with her cat and trunk.
"Well I figured you would want to be alone and have no-one bother you so you could think. And you weren't here yet and all the compartments were filling up so I took it upon myself to save you one." The girl finished with a triumphant smile and tried to push Hermione's trunk into the luggage compartment. After minutes of struggling to lift the thing she sighed in defeat and left it on the floor, there would be more than enough room with it only being the two of them anyway.
"Blimey Hermione, are you taking every one of your text books home with you?" Hermione ignored the grinning girl and gave her a withering glare.
"If you thought I wanted to be with no-one, why are you here?" Her words weren't harsh, just questioning, and Ginny didn't seem offended in the least.
Instead she grinned and dropped her bum onto the red velvet seat. "Come now Hermione," She began with a cheeky grin, "you know I'm your no-one."
In other parts of the train, Draco wasn't as lucky. He sent a cold look to the three people sitting across from him, all of whom were oblivious.
Pansy was magically filing her nails. 'Merlin forbid she lift a hand to do it herself.' Meanwhile Crabbe and Goyle were... well doing something idiotic he was sure.
The only person in the compartment he could have a decent conversation with was Blasie, but currently the boy seemed to have developed a case of lockjaw.
'Brought on by having to be so close to Pansy for so long no doubt.' Draco sighed and looked out the window at the scenery whizzing by, and leaned his head against the glass, letting his mind roam.
Moments later he was brought out of his daze by the sound of the compartment door slamming shut and the feeling of the seat next to him sinking slightly under a persons weight. Looking next to him he saw Pansy instead of Blaise. Apparently the boy had stormed out when Parkinson moved into the seat between himself and Draco. There was, after all, only so much Parkinson one man could stand.
"Draco," She practically purred in his ear. He shuddered slightly when her hand grazed dangerously close to the crotch of his pants.
He may not like the girl per se, but he was a teenage boy with teenage boy hormones.
Pansy smiled to herself, knowing she had his full attention. "What are you going to be doing for Christmas Drakie?"
He would have told her it was none of her business or something of that nature, but whatever clever retort he had died on his lips when her dainty hand slipped into his pants. Instead he sent a glare to Crabbe and Goyle, making them leave the compartment without a glance behind them.
Pansy smirked and continued her ministrations. 'Men are too easy.'
"I was thinking," She continued, her words soft as her lips grazing the skin behind his ear, "since you're going to be at the Manor all by yourself, I could come over and...keep you company."
Draco let out a muffled groan and Pansy's smirk widened. "We could Christen every room," She began dropping feather soft kisses along his jaw and neck. "After all, it will be my home too pretty soon." Those words cut through the haze in Draco's mind like a knife.
The boy's eyes shot open and he pushed Pansy away from him. He bolted out of the seat and fixed his pants before turning a fiery glare on the witch before him.
"I told you Parkinson," his words were as cold as ice, but Pansy's smirk never left her lips. "I will not marry you!"
Pansy let out a humorless laugh -much to Draco's chagrin- and stood; confidence seeping from every pore on her body.
"To bad for you Draco Malfoy, because I will be your wife. There is an iron-clad contract binding me to you; so on your eighteenth birthday, you will be my husband." She sent him a cold smile before coming to stand closer, pressing her body to his. He sent her a sneer but didn't retaliate.
"And I know you wouldn't dream of risking your money and name just for the love of a mudblood." Draco's eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. Pansy's devilish smile grew and she threw her arms around his neck.
"You're mine Draco," Her lips grazed his and he could feel her smirk.
"Get used to it."
Blaise was sick.
Actually disgusted to be more exact.
He couldn't stand to be in that compartment one more minute with Parkinson so obviously leering at Draco. The girl was so bloody annoying that she actually succeeded in making him physically sick without even moving.
So when she moved to sit in-between himself and Draco he had to get out of there, opting to wander the halls of the train aimlessly than to stay in there and loose his breakfast.
"Well what do we have here?" He mumbled passing by one particular compartment.
There sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head buried in a book was Hermione Granger. More importantly it was Hermione Granger minus her two ever-vigilant village idiots, instead there was only the youngest Weasley with her.
Draco's words about the girl played in his head. "...there is the Weaselette. I'm pretty sure that one is telling Granger that she should forget about Weasley. Only one in the family with brains, that one."
"Perfect." A devious smile slid onto his face and he wanted to pat himself on his back for his own brilliance; now he had a plan.
There was only one problem: Weaselette -as Draco had so affectionately termed her- was in there with Granger, while he needed her to be out in the halls with him.
He wracked his brain for a way to get her out of the compartment without alerting Granger, but came up with nothing. He was about to turn away in defeat when -as if sensing him- Ginny's eyes turned to the door and widened.
He nodded he head to her and shot a glance at Granger and then back to her. Ginny gave him the smallest of nods and excused herself from the compartment, telling Hermione she needed to use the loo.
She exited the compartment and motioned Blaise to follow her to the back of the train. 'Thank Merlin she has more brains than her brother, he would have taken years to get that.'
They slipped in to one of the few remaining empty compartments without drawing attention to themselves. Many people would question why a Gryffindor -Harry Potter's girlfriend no less- was sneaking into an empty compartment with one of Slytherin's top playboys if they were seen.
"Malfoy's friend correct?" Ginny began.
"Correct, though I prefer to be called Blaise." He sent her a very Slytherin smirk and she couldn't help but giggle. 'Do all the people in that House have to master the art of smirking or something?'
"Oh, an Italian," She said taking note of his accent, he sent her another charming smirk.
"Correct again. Now Ms. Weasley-"
"I prefer to be called Ginny." She gave him a cheeky grin and he let out a small chuckle.
"Ok then -Ginny- I guess you know what's going on with Draco and Granger?"
Ginny nodded, "You mean that they're both bloody stubborn as mules and won't accept that they actually like each other."
Blaise grinned "I like you; wouldn't happen to be single by any chance now would you?" He sent her a little wink which caused the girl to blush prettily.
"No sorry; dating Harry."
Blaise sighed and nodded, "Of course, Potter. Back to business then." He smirked and continued. "I propose we do something, just to give them a little nudge in the right direction you know."
"You mean do something sneaky and underhanded behind the backs of out best friends to get them together?" Ginny looked appalled and Blaise rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
'How could I forget Gryffindor's are all a bunch of goody goodies.'
"Because if that's the case," Ginny smiled and leaned in, "I'm bloody in!" Blaise couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.
"If you and Potter ever end it, look me up." He sent her his charming half smile and Ginny couldn't contain her girlish giggle.
"Wait a moment," Ginny said as an idea just struck her, "I thought Malfoy was to marry Pansy, his betrothed or some archaic rubbish like that."
Blaise shrugged, "It's merely a contractual agreement between their parents," Ginny didn't seem swayed and he sent her a smirk, his eyes twinkling with mischief, "besides, there are some...extenuating circumstances which I'm sure make the contract not as iron-clad as one would think."
Ginny nodded and didn't question what those "extenuating circumstances" were. She knew it wasn't her business, and she guessed he wouldn't tell her anyway. But she did have a hunch that they were the same circumstances that caused the disagreement between Malfoy and Hermione a little before the Halloween Dance.
Blaise dismissed the topic and began telling her of his "ingenious" plan to bring their two friends together. Minutes into what Ginny had told him was utter lunacy the red head's head shot up and she sent the boy and incredulous look.
"ME!" She jabbed her finger to her chest for emphasis. "Why me? I can't bloody well do that! Why can't you do it? You are his best mate!"
Blaise remained impassive as he spoke. "I'm going to be in Italy for Christmas. And trust me I would if I could but I can't."
Ginny sent him a harsh glare. "So you expect me to waltz into Malfoy Manor shake hands with Malfoy and strike up a bloody conversation?" Blaise -much to her annoyance- nodded. "What am I going to say? 'Oh hi there Malfoy, lovely home, remember me? Ginny Weasley, or Weaselette if you prefer. I know we've had our differences in the past, you calling me a pauper I calling you a good for nothing daddy's boy and such. And I know you've hated my family for oh, say seven years or so; but I think we can put that behind us and be mates so I can help you tell my best friend -mudblood Granger as you used to call her- that you're hopelessly in love with her. Oh and lovely tea could you please pass that bloody scone?'"
Blaise looked unfazed by her sarcastic display. "Not at all,"
"Good, be-"
"Draco normally serves his guests finger foods, not tea and scones." Ginny looked at him as if he were insane, which she was sure wasn't too far from the truth.
"You're bloody mad aren't you? Completely off your rocker. Why on earth would I do that to myself?"
Blaise shrugged and leaned back into his seat. "Because you care about your friend's happiness like I do, and you want them to make little blue eyed, bushy haired, egotistic, know-it-all babies."
Ginny rolled her eyes and also leaned into her seat. "Oh yes, because I just can't wait to unleash that horror into the unsuspecting world."
Blaise chuckled, "You know," He began breaking the silence, "with Draco's drive to succeed and Granger's smarts, and their combined stubbornness, their child could rule the world."
"Yes, well we'd have to get them together first." Ginny muttered.
Minutes later they had the details of their ploy sorted out and Blaise told Ginny he would contact her via owl post sometime during the vacation. She nodded and bid him farewell, ("I never knew a Slytherin could be so...human, it was nice talking to you Blaise." "I never knew a Gryffindor could be so cunning. Damn Potter.") before returning to her compartment.
"Well that was an awfully long trip to the loo." Hermione said her head still in her book, though now it was a different book.
"Yes well-" A loud noise from outside cut off Ginny's sentence. It was the train's whistle signaling their arrival into muggle London would be soon.
The students on the train began to ready themselves for departure as the train began to slow. Soon it came to a lurching stop and the whistle blew again. The doors opened and the children rushed off the train into the arms of their parents who were waiting anxiously on the platform for them. Soon the station was filled with the noise of bustling feet, cries of joy, and the voices of students bidding their friends goodbye.
Hermione looked up and down the platform quickly and spotted her parents who were still looking for her. "Oh thanks so much for everything Gin," Hermione said turning to her friend and giving her a hug. "I'll floo you later, tell Harry and Ron I'll chat with them soon." Ginny nodded and smiled to her friend before the other girl ran to her parents, her trunk and pet in tow.
"Oh and remember to try and relax Hermione!" Ginny yelled, though she wasn't entirely sure if her friend heard her over the noises of the excited crowd.
"Mum! Dad!" Hermione threw her arms around her parents, once again dropping her trunk and Crookshanks' cage -the poor cat let out an annoyed meow which no-one took note of.
"Oh honey! We've missed you so much!" Her mum said, practically showering her face with kisses while her father chuckled and grabbed her fallen trunk and cat.
"Come along ladies," He said jokingly. "Time to go; button up Hermione it's freezing outside." Hermione nodded and did as told, all the while grinning broadly.
She really did miss her parents and right then she wanted nothing more than to forget about school and catch up with them.
"So mum how's the baby?" Mrs. Granger -Aby- was absolutely glowing and rubbed a hand to her growing stomach.
"Fine dear, six more months to got, but your father insists on following me like a hound." Hermione giggled imagining her father annoying the poor woman to death.
They left the train station, the cold winter air hitting Hermione harshly in the face, making her eyes water. Her father wasn't kidding; it was unbelievably cold outside, even for this time of year. Soft flakes of snow drifted down from the sky, adding onto the growing two inch layer of glistening white on the ground.
They found her father's black Audi and her father packed the luggage into the trunk while she and her mother talked.
"So how school dear? How are Ron, Harry and Ginny doing? And that head boy, the poor dear, is he spending the holidays by himself?" Hermione winced, of course her mother would bring that up.
She knew she shouldn't have, but she told her mother of Malfoy's mother's death, and of his father being killed in the war. Her mother -ever the kind heart- told her she should have invited him over for the holidays saying it was terrible for any child to spend Christmas without a parent.
When she had sent the letter to her mother in early November, things between she and Malfoy had been relatively stable. She was actually going to ask him to come over; though she knew he would say no, he usually took kindness as pity.
But with the horrible turn of events as of late, she knew that asking him was out of the question.
"Harry, Ginny and Ron are fine mum," She said, bringing back her grin, only now it lacked its true happiness, if her mother noticed she didn't say anything. "And Malfoy had some business to take care of so he said he couldn't come. But enough about school, how have things been while I was gone."
Hermione smiled as her mother began telling her tales about the bothersome new people who moved in across the street. Hermione laughed and nodded along, but for a moment she swore she saw a head a stark blonde behind her mother, but then it disappeared.
Draco practically stormed off the train, harshly pushing the unfortunate fellows who were unlucky enough to be in his path out of the way.
He was positively livid.
Parkinson was a conniving witch; but she was a conniving witch who had a point. As much as he hated to admit it, he was stuck with her and he was sure that contract was loophole free. His father, though and idiotic follower of a madman, was an excellent businessman.
He passed through the barrier of Platform 9 3/4 and entered the muggle London train station.
He caught sight of Pansy walking behind her aunt, the girl promptly winked and blew him a kiss. He only scowled darkly and exited the train station.
'That damn witch has me trapped.' He spotted his black limousine -that was only used for a rare few trips through muggle London- and the family chauffeur.
He sighed and quickly dragged his trunk and midnight black owl towards the car, he was getting tired of the curious look that all the muggles sent him, and it was bloody cold. He left his things for the chauffeur to attend to and made a move to climb into the limo, but something caught his eye.
There, two cars in front of him, was Granger; a happy Granger talking to an older woman who he guessed was her mother. Her mum must have said something upsetting because for a moment he saw her eyes cloud over before she faked a smile and continued talking, her smile turned real once more as her mother went on with a story about something he couldn't catch.
He hated to admit it, but she looked quite pretty with the snow falling around her like that and the happiness shining in her eyes. She was positively alight now that she was away from school, her cheeks were rosy and wind whipped her hair haphazardly around her face. The older woman must have said something funny for Hermione let out a small laugh. The sound reached his ears and he felt his lips tilt up slightly in a smile.
He shook his head and let out a great sigh, banishing the thoughts that arose from his head and got into the limo.
'Pansy will be the only woman for me soon.'
Two days had passed since everyone arrived home for the holidays. Christmas Eve was to be the next day and only a few minutes before midnight a large dark brown owl found itself in the room of Ginny Weasley in the great slanting house that she called home.
The owl happily munched on a treat as the red headed teen read a letter from his owner, Blaise Zabini.
Ginny yawned loudly yet again and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she tried very hard to comprehend the words in the letter, she was still unbelievably tired. It was 11:47 and she had been sound asleep since 9 -having spent a long day getting last minute Christmas presents- and right in the middle of a rather lovely dream of she and Harry and an abandoned classroom, she was awakened by a loud tapping outside her window.
She shook her head and focused on the letter and her task at hand, making a mental note to teach Zabini about time when next she saw him.
Ginny,
Hey, I can't talk much, just writing to tell you tomorrow would be the perfect time to put our plan into action. And don't worry, Draco won't do anything to you, actually he may yell a bit... and try to kick you out, but I think you can handle it. Well Good luck and tell me how it goes.
Happy Christmas,
Blaise
P.S.- I know it's late, I hope my owl didn't wake you.
Ginny glared half heartedly at the last line before grabbing her quill and a piece of parchment.
Zabini,
You annoying prat, does the concept of time not faze you. Just remember when we return to Hogwarts I owe you a serious Bat Boggy hex. And fine I will do it tomorrow...or should I say later today seeing as it is now midnight. Lovely way to be awoken on Christmas eve, a bloody owl bashing itself into my window.
Annoyed to the point of Homicide,
Ginny
Ginny rolled up the parchment and tried to tie it onto the owl's leg only to have the bird try to get away from her. After all one trip from Florence Italy to London was enough for one night, a second one would be the death of the poor creature. After moments of chasing the bird Ginny attached the letter to its leg and sent it on its way -much to the owls aggravation.
The girl once again dropped into her bed and snuggled under her sheet.
"Bloody boys and their bloody owls."
Hermione sighed to herself and finished wrapping the last of her Christmas presents for her friends.
She hadn't talked to any of them since she arrived back home, blaming it on all the last minute shopping and catching up with her parents. But she knew that she was only trying to avoid them.
'I'm not ready to face Ron yet.' She looked down at his present, wrapped in shimmering red paper, some Quidditch supplies that he had been longing for since he made the Gryffindor team last year.
Her eyes wandered to another present resting near to that one. It was much smaller and wrapped in a deep forest green paper. She didn't know what possessed her to buy the gift; she was walking along Diagon Alley with her parents a few days ago when it caught her eye and she knew she had to buy it for him.
It wasn't much really, she knew that compared to the presents he must have gotten in the past it paled in comparison, but she felt that she should at least get him something. At least, she felt that then; when she first saw it.
But now as she lay on her bed days later she wondered why she even bothered. He wouldn't accept it, and she didn't feel as if she had the strength to even send it to him.
'It's Christmas eve, I'm with my family and I'm in a happy relationship with someone I truly love. Malfoy should be the last thing on my mind.'
Her eyes slid shut and she rolled onto her side. A tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another and another, soon she was silently crying into her pillow.
'So why is he the only thing on my mind?'
Ginny Weasley, being the youngest and only female child of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, was able to get away with a lot. Her parents doted on her and treated her like a princess, but still left her alone when she needed to be and did not keep her under lock and key as they did her brothers. But on one early morning of December 24th at 11:45 AM when she told her mother she was to be traveling by floo to one Draco Malfoy's Manor, Mrs. Weasley drew the line... and surrounded it with barbed wire and guard dogs.
"No daughter of mine is setting foot into that forsaken Manor! Especially not without giving me a proper explanation as to why!" Ginny long ago had given up on trying to hush her mother during her tirade. She didn't want the family to know that she was going to see Malfoy at all, in fact she was hoping she could sneak out and not have her mother notice. But that hope quickly died upon reaching downstairs at 9 'o clock to find her mother wide awake and readying breakfast.
'I really don't think that woman sleeps.' Ginny sighed and gave her mother her most innocent look, the one she had perfected years ago to always get what she wanted.
"Mum, you know I have never done anything wrong, so please believe me when I say I am going to do nothing wrong. I just need to speak to Malfoy in private about something very important." Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to speak but Ginny continued on quickly. "Mum nothing is going on between Malfoy and myself, of that you can be sure. But the matter is very very urgent and I'm sorry I can't tell you about it, but please can you let me go?"
Mrs. Weasley looked doubtful for a moment; it was Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, one of the most feared Death Eaters to have walked the earth, and from what she heard the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
But she knew Ginny was mature beyond her age and she did trust her child to not do anything ridiculous like her brothers.
'And she is gifted with hexes if anything were to go wrong.'
Mrs. Weasley sighed and hugged her daughter. "Mum!" Ginny whined loudly into the woman's shoulder. "I'm not going off to war or anything, I'm just stopping by his house."
"I know, but-" Her mother wiped away a tear and Ginny rolled her eyes. "You've just become so mature. I'm so proud."
Ginny finally pulled herself away from her mother. "Thanks mum," She grabbed a handful off floo powder and walked to the fireplace. "I'll be back in an hour or less hopefully. Please don't tell anyone, especially Ron...and Harry."
And with a yell of "Malfoy Manor" and a puff of green flames she was gone.
Mrs. Weasley sighed. "If only Fred and George could be that mature."
"And so Mr. Malfoy you are the sole owner of Malfoy Int'l., but since you are still in school the partners are currently taking care of the business." Draco zoned in and out of the lawyers monotonous droning. Since he returned to the Manor from Hogwarts he had been looking through papers, sorting out things from the Ministry and going through his parents' Wills with his lawyer Mr. Brimton. The lawyer was a portly man who normally reeked of scotch, though he was never drunk and Draco had never seen him drinking.
Though his father had died almost a year ago during the War he had never looked over the will, but Draco did know that all of his father's possessions were left to his mother and himself. But when the lawyer read the will to him he found that his father left everything to his mother initially, and when Draco left Hogwarts or if his mother were to die or become unable to perform her duties as head of the household, all possessions would go to Draco; leaving Narcissa with nothing.
'No love lost between those two.'
"Well that wraps it up Mr. Malfoy." Draco's attention was jerked back to the lawyer who was readying himself to leave. Draco shook his head and stood, extending his hand for the man to shake, which he did. "And I'm so sorry for your loss." Draco nodded mechanically and ushered the man to the door; he was getting tired of all these people giving him pitying looks and their faux sadness.
"Oh! Before I forget." Mr. Brimton spun around on his heel and pulled a sealed letter from his pocket and placed it in Draco's hand. "It's from your mother," Draco nodded, it did in fact bear the Malfoy seal and had his name scrawled in his mother's flawless penmanship on the front of the envelope. "She wished for it to be delivered to you by hand in the event of her death. Had it sealed away in a vault at Gringotts. Must be something very important." And with that the man bid Draco farewell and exited the Manor, most likely going to find a spot to apparate since the Manor grounds blocked apparation.
Draco slowly walked back to his father's old study, but his eyes were glued to the letter he held. His mother was a woman of many mysteries, so what was in the letter was anyone's guess.
Reaching the study, Draco pushed open the two large mahogany doors to find one of the last people he would ever expect to see sitting on his desk with a bright smile on her face.
"Hello Malfoy; you and I have a bit of talking to do."