Draco Malfoy and the Chamber of Secrets. Book 2.
Draco unraveled the parchment and read over the letter that Harry Potter had sent him.
Draco,
Hedwig brought your owl to me, she must have found him while she was free to fly around. He was tired like he had been flying for days! He seems alright, but I'll have him stay the night to make sure he rests before heading out again. He looked like Ron's owl, disoriented and struggling to stand.
Your letters, as well as Hermione's and Ron's were being blocked. It's not a problem any longer, I am staying with the Weasley's for the rest of the summer. I can't go into much more detail about it then that.
I must ask Draco, if that really was your third letter to me why try so hard to get a response? I must admit I wouldn't have kept writing. Still it leads me to wonder even more. What do you really want from me? You've said so yourself we can't really be friends. Your far more civil on paper, but at Hogwarts you'll be back to hexes and curses.
I'm curious as to what you have to say for yourself,
Harry Potter
Draco smiled down at the letter, feeling a sense of calm. Harry had replied, he was alright! That night Draco slept peacefully, but as his mind wandered into rest he thought of what his letter might say in reply.
The next morning Draco didn't have time to write Harry, instead he got himself dressed and ready to arrive at Crabbe's house. Monstin, Lucius's house elf came to Draco's call, bringing the carriage with him. "Your ride, sir." He said, Draco walked past the house elf, sneering at just how gnarled the creature's face had become.
Crabbe's house was not anything like Malfoy Manor. Instead it was a smaller house, one on a lane with five other wizarding houses. The front yard was cleanly cut, with flowers growing along the fence. Draco got out, slicking his hair back as he strode to the front door. Crabbe's mother answered, her face fearful of the young Malfoy. The Crabbe family had owed a great debt to the Malfoy Manor, but Draco was never sure of what that had meant.
"Ah… M-M-Mister Malfoy, I expect your hear to play with our dear, Vincent?" She asked, clasping her hands together to stop them from shaking.
"Yes." Draco said coldly to the woman, walking into her home. She closed the door behind him. The house was kept clean, but it was cluttered. Stacks of magazines littered the tables, and Draco could smell a hint of something foul. He pulled on the gloves he wore wanting to keep his wrists clean underneath the cloth.
Crabbe jogged out of his room, carrying a duffle bag over his shoulder. "Draco, lets head outside, there's something I want to show you!"
Draco followed his friend outside, wondering what the boy could possibly show him. Crabbe lead him out of the wizarding community to a near by creek. He brought out long fishing rods, and smiled, "thought we could catch some snapper eels!"
Draco cracked his knuckles and nodded, taking one of the rods. He took his gloves off, sending the line out with a wave of the rod. Crabbe laughed softly, sending his out further. The lay on the bank, and began idly chatting.
"Goyle's been under house arrest." Crabbe said softly, looking over at Draco. "Yeah, apparently he hasn't been getting along with his dad. He said they've been having a lot more fight recently."
Draco felt a little hurt hearing this. Neither Crabbe nor Goyle had sent him any letters, why hadn't Goyle contacted him about these problems? "He doesn't get along with his father?"
Crabbe bit his lip, as if stopping himself from saying too much. He began, "Well…You see…"
Draco's line went taught and immediately both boys jumped to their feet. They pulled the rod, working against the eel in the water. The magical line coiled around the fish, tying it into a net. They pulled the big creature up onto the bank. It swirled and flopped around on the bank, gasping for breath.
Crabbe took a knife out of his bag, stabbing the creature in the head. Draco watched his friend, he was smiling happily as the creature stopped it's fluttering. Crabbe dug the knife in deeper, goo dripping from the creature's mouth as the knife went deeper into it's head.
They explored the wooded area near the creek, the duffle bag keeping the eel from getting ripe. Hours went by as the traveled through the brush, Draco sneering as he neared areas of mud and slime. Crabbe hesitated, but finally got the courage to say, "Why not get your hands dirty a little? You'll never do anything interesting if you don't at least try to enjoy life."
Draco huffed, "I enjoy things just fine. Just not usually outdoors."
Crabbe raised an eyebrow, " What is there to do inside, except boring studies and wasting away in the dark."
Draco frowned, "I'd rather be inside. Unless you want to play some Quidditch." Crabbe nodded his head, casting a side ways glance at Draco.
After only playing a small game of quiddich Draco's carriage came to pick him up. Crabbe seemed a bit relieved as Draco headed towards the buggy, his mother clasping the big boy's shoulder. Draco waved to his friend, who gave a polite wave back. As Draco traveled home he wondered what he meant to his friends. Crabbe and Goyle had always been in his life, but how did they really feel towards him? How would Harry feel towards him?
Once home Draco at with his mother and father, but there seemed to be an unusual coldness between them, more so then usual. Lucius ate slowly, sneering at his meal. Narcissa finished her bite of steak, looking pointedly at Lucius. "How was Severus? I heard he visited you for lunch at the ministry."
Draco drank from his goblet, watching the two of them.
"Yes, he dropped by. I dare not say it was more work, then lunch. He was making an appeal to become the next Defense teacher." Lucius sighed softly putting his fork down, "Gilderoy has become a favorite with the other Governors, so the point was moot."
Narcissa seemed to glare at her husband, "You've never taken lunch guests before, why was Severus such a special case?" She asked, taking another bite of the steak.
Draco bit his lip, many times his mother had asked to join Lucius for lunch, but the man always replied with some form of 'no'. This must have been why they were being so blunt with each other.
"Cissa, I have told you. Severus is an old friend, and he came on official business. All I did was have… a meal, it was just a quick bite to eat." Lucius smiled coldly at her, as if toying with her.
Draco coughed, "I saw Crabbe today, we caught a snapper eel. It didn't end up tasting very good, but I brought home it's conductor glands. Maybe you could show me how to use it in an thunder potion, Father?"
Lucius looked at Draco with a soft smile. "I believe that the recipe you would need is in my old copy of Potions of All Occasions."
The rest of dinner felt smoother after Draco had lifted the air from ministry talk. Lucius wasn't able to help Draco with the potion until a few days later, but Draco didn't mind waiting for his father's attention.
That night after dinner Draco wrote his letter to Harry, feeling a nervousness in himself as he wrote to words.
Dear Harry,
I can not deny that things would return they way they were. I will say that when no one is watching, if we are alone, I will always treat you like the friend I never had. I don't know why it's important for you to like me, but it is. I don't think Weasley would appreciate you calling me friend either. It's better this way. Lets just be both, friend and enemy.
I hope you agree,
Draco Malfoy.
Draco folded the note up, tying it to Rancor. "Alright buddy, take this back to Harry. Hopefully you can find him better this time. I got you a special treat." Draco held up huge rat with his fingers, dangling it for the bird. Rancor's talons dug deep into the rodent, eating it quickly. Draco washed his hand quickly, feeling grime from the dead rat rubbing off onto his hand. "Good bird." Rancor flapped his wings, soaring out of the window towards the Burrow.
Draco enjoyed the next few letters he received from Harry. Harry told Draco about degnoming the Weasley's yard, cleaning out pixies, and playing Quidditch. Draco couldn't understand the fascination Harry seemed to have with the basic of servant work. He almost felt jealous of Ronald Weasley at times. Which was absurd, he knew, as the boy had nothing material that Draco couldn't just summon up, but Ron was Harry's true friend. The adventures that Harry described, would never be shared with him. Draco crushed the last letter in his anger, but quickly smoothed it out again feeling a pinch of regret for hurting the one thing Harry had given him.
Before long classes were approaching, and Draco got his list of books from a Hogwarts owl.
SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2by Miranda Goshawk
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart
Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart
43 Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart
Draco sneered at the list of Lockhart books, and stopped reading the requirements. He gave the list to his father, who looked just as displeased with the list as he was. "Your mother is out with her friends tonight, Severus will be joining us for this evening. We shall take care of getting your supplies on Wednesday, I will be off for holiday."
Draco smiled, but before he could get out his excitement of spending time with his Father, Lucius spoke. "I must speak with you about your first year." Draco sat down next to his father, who looked sternly at him.
"Your grades we low enough to be beaten by a mudblood." His face contorted in anger, "You've brought shame to me, do you know what people like Arthur Weasley say about me? That my son spends more time pulling pranks on Harry Potter, then studying! That even a muggle born could out wit the Malfoys. Draco, you must make this right."
Draco felt tears well up in his eyes, "Father, I did better in classes then any of the Slytherins, I-"
"I also heard the Slytherins could have won house cup, if you hadn't been out after hours with some story about a dragon."
Again Draco tried to defend himself, "But, Sir! Hagrid… he did have-"
"No excuses Draco, I expect better results next year. Do I make myself clear?" Lucius closed his eyes, calming himself. "Draco. I understand you want to have fun at Hogwarts, I wanted that as well when I was your age, but the Malfoy name is to be held up above all else. That means you must always make me proud, you are my ONLY son, and I need you to be exemplary."
Draco just nodded, his eyes looking at the floor, feeling a heavy weight bare down upon him. He was relieved when Snape appeared in the fireplace, shaking his hair of stray dust. He looked at the two blonds, wondering if he had come in at the wrong moment.
Severus offered a package to Draco, offering the candy bread to his god son. "Lucius you seem in a foul mood, did you have a bad day at work?"
Lucius looked to Snape, the corner of his mouth moving up as he took in the view of his old friend. Lucius nodded, "Yes, it's been hellish working with wizards who have no sense of value. They've been conducting raids on artifacts, apparently security has gotten tighter on the black market." Lucius waved Draco, "Though we shall talk about it later, for now let us go into the arena."
The Arena was a large dark room in the Malfoy manor, much like a muggle theater. They sat in their chair, watching as lights flickered creating a holographic virtual reality. The magic lights danced around as the movie began to play. The room was pitch black, and all Draco could see were the soft outlines of Severus's face. Severus smiled down at him, summoning up a treat for him to eat. Lucius mumbled something about spoiling Draco, but the boy could care less as he munched on the popcorn.
The movie was typical, but enjoyable. It had mystery, romance, and action, all rolled up into an interesting plot. Draco stretched feeling a bit tired after their movie and excused himself for bed.
Severus watched as Draco left, turning to Lucius with a knowing glance. Lucius looked around paranoid, but moved closer to the dark haired man. "It's getting harder and harder with Cissa. She was quite angry with me about having you for lunch at the ministry."
Severus sneered coldly, "Did you tell her that you didn't actually eat any food?"
Lucius smiled, "That I did leave out. Severus…" He closed the distance, his lips pressing against the other mans.
"No more talk of your wife. You know it bothers me." Severus said, his hand brushing the blonds' hair. "It is too bad about Gilderoy, I just hope he's changed since the last time I saw him."
Lucius seemed to get a little angry, "Don't let him push you around, your not fourteen anymore, you can stand up for yourself."
Snape glared, "Well it's not like I've asked you to fight my battles." They both looked away, frowning. Severus shook his head and attempted to cheer Lucius up. "Still, I'll be alright. You wont need to worry about me."
Lucius smiled at Severus, pushing the taller man against the wall. "I need to have you come to the ministry more often, I enjoyed your…service."
Severus licked his lips, smiling evilly, "I hadn't seen you in quite a while, what can I say… I got needy."
Lucius place a hand on Severus's hip, feeling the curves of the man's body. "Let us retire to my room." With that Severus obediently obeyed, following the blond into the bedroom.