Hello readers!
Just so you all know, I went ahead and bumped the story rating up to M, just to be safe. There is a bit of language in this chapter and that is sure to continue. Future dark scenes are in store.
I apologize profusely for how long it took me to write this chapter. I intended to have it done months ago, but my semester at university took over my life. At the moment, I am in Kenya doing some research, and finding the time (and the Internet connection) to work on posting this has been insanely difficult. Please forgive me! *bows*
In more positive news, I will be graduating in December! The time has flown by so quickly.
…
The Great Room was abuzz with gossip, and all eyes were fixed upon the Slytherin table and Draco Malfoy. He sat as normal, calmly sipping his tea and daintily eating his breakfast with the manners of a high-class heir.
Pansy slid in across from him. It was very easy, as all the other Slytherins sat at least seven feet away from Draco. After she had sat, she heard the whispers: "Blood traitor." "Mudblood-lover." "Disgrace!" Copies of the Daily Prophet were everywhere, being whispered over and pointed at.
Draco sat calmly with composure, but the tiny tremble of his hands as he cut a poached egg betrayed him to anyone who knew him well. He did not care in the slightest what the Hogwarts students thought of him, his apprehension was in reserve for his father's reaction.
Suddenly there was an outburst from the Gryffindor table as Ron Weasley finally began to read the article. "LIES! He's a DEATH EATER, there is no way my brother would agree to this! He must have used some kind of dark magic!" Ron's face was red (but verging on purple) with anger as he stood and shook the paper in Draco's direction. Potter and Granger held him back as he struggled to run at Draco.
Just then, though, something unexpected happened to silence the onlookers. The Great Hall doors swung open, and Fleur Delacour and the other Beauxbatons students entered through the double doors. Almost as if they did not sense the tension in the room, the French students slipped into the Slytherin table, filling up the empty space around Draco Malfoy.
Although it would have been impossible not to notice that Draco was being shunned, Fleur did not acknowledge it. Instead, she greeted him warmly. "Draco, I hope you are feeling better this morning. That wound looked awful." Her heavily accented words were caring and friendly.
A tiny smile crossed Draco's lips, but he did not indulge his feelings any further. "I am well, thank you Fleur. The Healers took good care of me."
Pansy snorted, but didn't contradict him. "You did excellent on the Task, Fleur. It is nice to see a witch doing so well in the midst of the schools' finest wizards. It shows what we are capable of." She leaned forwards, outstretching her hand. "My name is Pansy Parkinson; it is nice to finally meet you. Draco and I have known each other practically since birth."
As the girls were talking, the Owls swooped in a delivered mail. Draco discreetly tucked a letter into his robe, deciding it would be best to read it in private later. No one seemed to notice that he had received a letter.
Fleur beamed at Pansy. "It is good to know you, Pansy. We girls should stick together."
The room finally seemed to be recovering from the shock of Fleur and Draco being friends, especially Ron Weasley. He began to storm back over towards Draco, face nearly purple with rage. "What did you do to my brother, Death Eater?" he demanded, hands fisted at his side.
Draco turned calmly, sunlight lighting up his aristocratic features as he regarded Ron regally. "Weasley, I do believe that I formally withdrew the feud between our families. There is nothing I would rather do less than argue with you."
The whole Hall seemed to draw a collective breath, waiting for Ron's response. Harry and Hermione stood on either side of Ron, watching the conversation with wide eyes and tense hands ready to draw their wands.
"And that's it, is it? You expect me to just forget everything you've done? Every last time you called 'Mione a Mudblood? The diary your father gave to Ginny that was almost responsible for her death?" Ron couldn't control his rage, and hauled Draco to his feet by his robes. "Is that what you expect?"
Draco coolly met Ron's eyes. "When did I say that? I don't expect anything from you. It's your brother I am friends with." With a slight sneer, he pulled his robes from Ron's hands (careful not to touch his skin because of possible Flashes) and smoothed down the rumpled fabric. "Stop making a scene, you and Potter can do that well enough without involving me."
Ron moved to attack again, but Hermione held him back. "Ron, come on. He's not worth it, let it go." She whispered into the youngest Weasley boy's ear, but Draco still heard her.
With an ironic twist of the lips, Draco slid back into his seat, turning his back to the Golden Trio and informing them how much he cared what they thought of him. Downing the dregs of his tea, Draco pushed away his plate and stood, walking out of the Great Hall. His head was held high and his posture was powerful. However, his hands were shoved deep into his robe pockets, his left ghosting over the letter he had yet to open, the letter that might change his fate.
Pansy tagged at his heels, determined not to leave him alone. When they reached the Slytherin Common Room, Draco waved and she disappeared into the Girl's dormitory, none the wiser about the letter that was practically burning a hole in his pocket.
Casting a quick notice-me-not charm, Draco left the Common room and walked to Snape's office, which he knew would be empty. The Potions Professor had been in the Great Hall when he had left, and was likely to stay for some time to gauge the various reactions to the news. Sliding down the wall outside the office (even Draco was not gifted with knowledge of Severus's office password or a spare key) he slid the letter open with a single finger. He felt secure in the knowledge that no student would hang around a Professor's office, especially Snape's.
Without even unfolding the letter, he knew he was in deep shite. The darkness of the ink bled through the back of the page, showcasing Lucius Malfoy's furious, heavy hand. The note read simply, Clear your schedule. You will return to the Manor this evening. A carriage will be sent. LM
Feeling suddenly woozy, Draco laid his head in his hands and took deep breaths, trying to calm himself from the sudden wave of utter panic that washed over him. Gathering his strength, he rose to his feet, pocketed the letter, and went about his business, trying to forget the words he had just read.
Throughout the rest of the day, Draco walked through classes and meals with a sense of dread hanging over everything. While his façade was perfectly in place, he couldn't focus and his body was tense. He was just going through the motions, mind blank.
After his last class, when his friends were gathering up their books and quills, Draco laid a hand on Theo's robed, bony shoulder and whispered, "I will be going to the Manor tonight. Stall Potter's meeting until I come back."
A flash of sympathy crossed Theo's hazel eyes, and he squeezed Draco's shoulder, trying to offer a bit of comfort. "Be safe, you wanker." He whispered back before hefting his bag on his shoulder and exiting the classroom. Pansy and Blaise tried to linger, but Theodore pulled them along, leaving Draco alone.
Draco stood frozen for a few moments before forcing himself to move. His own footsteps sounded loud, yet the silence was stifling. The worst part about this situation was that he could not predict his father's actions. Disownment would have been definite, but Draco had no other siblings to become the heir so he was unsure his father would go there. It was possible that his father would have him transferred to Durmstrang, but Draco's mother would protest against that just as she had when Draco had been entering into his first year. He was sure that his father would try to force him to obey with the curse, but Draco hoped to be able to resist that as well.
Whatever happened, it was sure to be unpleasant. With slow steps, Draco approached the front of the castle, where a carriage waited just as his father had informed him it would be. The driver was silent, so Draco said nothing in return as he stepped inside the carriage. He carried only his book bag, not having bothered to return to his room to leave it. Cracking open the Transfiguration textbook, he tried to occupy his mind with something other than what-ifs.
Upon his arrival at Malfoy Manor, neither of his parents were outside waiting to greet him. The driver opened the door and Draco stepped out, still marveling at the stuffy silence that seemed to follow him like a great cloud.
Again smoothing his robes, Draco approached the Manor, feeling the Wards tingle over his skin as he entered the protected part of the home, passing through the main gates. He made his way to the door, which opened with a great creak.
Heavy footsteps carried him into the dining hall, where his parents sat in flickering candlelight. Both wore grim expressions that expressed their displeasure. Draco's heart sank as he stepped closer, face blank. "Mother, Father." He greeted politely, slipping into a chair across from his mother.
Lucius Malfoy sat at the head of the table. "My very foolish son." His tone was deep and poisonous, and the sound of it sent chills down Draco's spine. "You have disappointed me."
Draco wanted to laugh at the predictable words, but he couldn't dredge up the amusement when his heart was shrouded with dread. "Yes." He agreed simply instead, meeting his father's eyes. "It seems I have."
A fist slammed down onto the table, causing both Narcissa and Draco to jump at the sudden sound. "Apologizing to blood-traitors? You bring dishonor to the family." Lucius's voice deepened, and his eyes blazed in anger as he regarded Draco.
Draco said nothing, deciding that his father was in such a mood that reason was unlikely to improve his situation. It was then that his mother spoke. "Draco, what possessed you to do something as senseless as ending a blood feud that has been going on for decades?" Her voice pleaded with him for answers, but he had none that he was willing to give so he remained silent.
Lucius Malfoy, seeing that they were not going to receive much of a response from Draco, stood from his seat and moved to stand behind Draco. His hands descended onto Draco's shoulders, and he gripped his son tightly, threateningly. "If I didn't know better, I would say that your grandfather somehow got to you. This is exactly like what he might do, sympathizing with blood traitors and Muggle-lovers." He spat the words as if they were poisonous. "I am in a position of influence, Draco, and I cannot have my own son undermining by efforts." He lifted his wand and steadily pointed it at Draco. "Obey me. Cut all ties with the Weasley family forever."
Draco could feel the compulsion, like a heavy weight over his skin. It was just like when Viktor had placed him under the curse, and he had tried to resist it. Now, however, the compulsion was not nearly as strong, considering that his father's curse was not a real but a quasi-Imperius curse. "I am sorry, father. I cannot act against our family's best interest, even at your behest."
The hands tightened into a painful, vise-like grip. "You are a cur and an insolent scoundrel!" Lucius Malfoy pulled Draco from the chair and stared into his eyes, still gripping his shoulders tightly. "Do not disobey me, Draco. You know what I am capable of. Overcome this weakness and uphold your honor."
Draco held back a flinch at the reminder but closed his eyes, unable to bear looking his furious father in the face any longer. "I am doing what I must. You may do what you must." He replied simply.
A resounding slap was heard across the room, and Draco staggered back from the force of the heavy-handed blow his father had just dealt him, clutching his face but remaining blessedly silent. Words usually made his father more furious, so he had learned to hold his tongue. He could feel the area below his eye beginning to swell already.
Narcissa gasped from the other side of the table, but made no move to interfere.
"Remember your place, Draco." Lucius Malfoy hissed through clenched teeth. "Flippancy does not become you. You are the heir to the House of Malfoy, and you will act accordingly." He stared Draco down harshly. "You have one last opportunity to wash your hands of this foolishness, before I am forced to impose consequences. Will you desist from this idiocy?"
Draco did not meet his father's eyes. "I have chosen my path, Father, and you will not turn me aside from it." The Ice Prince of Slytherin was actually a little amazed by the words coming out of his mouth. He had never expected that it would be so easy to defy his father. Before, the words had always gotten stuck in his throat, and he ended up meekly nodded and obeying like the perfect son. It was difficult to tell how much of that had been the curse, and how much had been Draco's own undesired compliance.
A blaze of fury lit up Lucius Malfoy's eyes, so much like Draco's own. He opened his mouth to speak, and Draco interrupted him. (Looking back, that was probably one of the most stupid decisions he had ever made.) "The honor of the Malfoy family is not the same under my perspective as it is yours. Therefore, I will do what I must to direct the House of Malfoy in the direction that is more profitable and honorable, even if it is direct opposition to the choices you make."
The fury of Lucius Malfoy simmered down into something cold and intensely more frightening. "Then I have failed to teach you correctly about your duty." Stepping forwards, he rapped Draco sharply across the legs with his cane, sending his son tumbling to the floor. "You have taken away the painless option of punishment through your empty-headed ways, so I have no choice but to do this the brutish way." He looked up for a moment and met his wife's horrified eyes. "Narcissa, please excuse yourself. We will discuss the other matters at a later time."
Draco's mother gave him a helpless glance, and for a moment he thought she would intervene, but then she turned her back and quickly left the room. That moment of abandonment, of watching his own mother turn her back on him, was more excruciating to Draco than anything else that happened that evening.
Pain colored the rest of the night. Pureblooded families were quite old-fashioned, especially in their preferred methods of punishment and torture. Lucius Malfoy preferred a barbed whip, with sharp shards of glass embedded into the leather. For many long minutes (Draco did not know how much time passed, but he suspected it was around an hour) the long whip cut across his back as his father punished him for his disobedience. The only thing that kept him from passing out was the saddened look on his father's face, the look of deep disappointment and regret that Draco would not follow principles the family deemed important. The look on his father's face cut deeper than the whip strokes.
Sometime later, his father coiled the whip back up, exited the room, and left Draco alone on the floor, bloodied and weak. It was many moments later before he had the strength to haul himself to his feet and drag his battered body down the hall to an empty bedroom. Every slight movement left burning trails of pain across his bloodied back, and it was all he could do not to cry out at the blistering agony.
Panting at the exertion, he lowered himself, face-first, onto the bed and touched the silver mark upon his hand. Viktor…I need you to get me out of here. I need to see Snape.
The response was immediate. Where are you?
Malfoy Manor. I'm…injured. Draco's breathing was still labored, and sweat shone on his forehead. Quickly, I might sleep otherwise.
Almost immediately, the pop of Apparation sounded and Viktor hovered over him, expression darkening at all the blood. "We will Apparate now." He informed Draco, gently lifting him up and frowning at Draco's grimace of pain and the sheen of sweat upon his brow. Seeing slender, refined Draco in this state was difficult for Viktor.
After a disorienting feeling caused by the Apparation, they were in Snape's office. Sitting at his desk, Snape tensed and lifted his wand at the intrusion. Seeing the situation, anger crossed his expression and he took some determined steps towards Draco. "Bring him this way," He ordered Viktor, unlocking a hidden door and gesturing to a bed.
Draco's lips were pressed together tightly to hold back his sounds of pain. His school shirt was in shreds and soaked with his blood. Viktor carefully extricated his arms from the remnants of the sleeves, pausing when the pain was too much for Draco to recover.
Snape was beyond caring about the mess. He directly poured three healing potions over his back, instead of having Draco ingest them. The bleeding stopped, and the wounds started to close, but they were very swollen and red despite the potions.
"How are you going to fly after the Cup in this state, Draco?" Severus hissed, disapproval written across his whole expression.
Draco laughed breathily, exhausted and certainly not amused. "Save the lecture for later, Severus. I have heard enough tonight." His words were sharp.
Snape's face cleared and he sighed. "Of course." After a moment of hesitation, he put a hand on Draco's head and added, "If it is any consolation, you did the right thing."
Chuckles, more like breaths, escaped Draco's lips. "Not really, but I appreciate the effort, especially coming from you." His eyes fluttered closed, exhausted.
Viktor watched as Snape smothered Draco's injuries in healing potions and salves and bandages. "You did it, Draco. You stood up to him and resisted the curse."
"I did. It was actually easier than I was expecting." Draco smiled, but then sobered at the remembrance of his mother's actions. His eyes clouded and he realized that he could no longer rely on his family for anything. It was time to become completely self-sufficient and completely cut off his weaknesses.
Snape finished bandaging the wounds and spoke briskly, "Because of your resistance to healing potions, I couldn't do a lot. To give you more is dangerous, so it will still be painful. Be very careful, or the wounds will reopen. You can't afford to lose much more blood; you will probably already be weak for two or three days."
Viktor helped Draco to sit and Snape handed him two blood replenishing potions. "Drink up." The professor ordered the younger Slytherin. Draco did as he was told. "Don't tell the others about this." Draco finally said, wincing as he stood up unsteadily. "Especially Charlie. He will feel responsible and that is absolutely ridiculous."
Snape rolled his eyes. "They will likely find out anyways." But he nodded nonetheless. "Stay here for tonight and return to your dormitory in the morning. You weren't supposed to return tonight anyway."
"Thanks. Both of you." The blonde Slytherin slumped back down onto the bed and closed his eyes. The other two took that as their cue to exit and waved off the lights.
Draco was asleep in moments, exhausted from the turmoil of the day.
….. ….. ….. …. …. … … … … … … …
When he awoke, the wounds were sore and painful, but bearable. Movement hurt less than it had previously. Blessedly, he had a long sleep with no visions, most likely induced from his body's complete and utter lack of energy.
Checking the time and finding it a bit later than he usually woke up, Draco transfigured one of the blankets into a shirt and pulled it on carefully. Several times the fabric caught a wound on his back and he bit back a yelp. He threw a glamour over his bruised cheek and walked as quickly as he could bear back to the Slytherin Dungeon. Pansy, Theodore, and Blaise were waiting inside.
"Where have you been?" Theo hissed, blue eyes annoyed. "We were worried!"
Draco's eyes were hard as flint, and of a color to match. "You knew I went home." He said shortly, not bothering to say more. "When is this meeting with Potter and his cronies?"
His three friends exchanged looks and decided not to confront him about his own family matters. Pansy answered. "Twenty minutes. Luna will meet us there. Snape's office, as planned."
Draco cursed under his breath and slipped past his Housemates into the dormitory. "Not enough time to shower, then." He grabbed a change of clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. Fortunately, none of his roommates noticed this unusual action. Typically, Draco was comfortable changing in the room, but because of obvious reasons he preferred not to do so covered in bandages. Quickly changing his clothes into something more presentable, he combed his hair and put on cologne to mask the scent of blood that still clung to him.
Seven minutes later he emerged, perfectly pressed and put together.
Pansy shook her head in admiration. "I can do that, but you do it so much faster and better." She complimented him.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Years of practice. Let's get to Snape's office. Where's Greg?"
Theo smirked. "He went ahead to prepare a few surprises, just in case. Professor Snape should be there also."
Draco smirked back. "He's a nasty blighter if you aren't his friend." He commented off-handedly, not bothering to hide his amusement. "Thanks, Theodore, for passing along the message yesterday." He clapped his Housemate on the back. "We will be back soon. You know what to do if we aren't."
Theo nodded. "Of course. Good luck." He disappeared back into the dormitory.
Pansy, Blaise, and Draco left the Common Room and meandered to Snape's office. To their surprise, Luna Lovegood and Cedric Diggory waited outside, chatting amiably like old friends.
Diggory must be Potter's neutral party. Wonder if he will bring Granger or the Weasel along. Draco thought to himself.
Luna spotted the three newcomers first. "Hi Dragon!" she greeted cheerfully, before pausing. She tapped her cheek meaningfully. "You're looking a little blue there." Everyone was confused by her cryptic comment except Draco, who nodded with a grimace.
Cedric blinked awkwardly at her familiar address to Draco, unsure what to say. He somehow got the impression that Draco didn't care for him much, so he muttered a simple, "Hello," and left it at that.
Pansy smirked at Cedric, finding his uneasiness amusing. "A Puff, hm? Well, we have quite the assortment. Students from every house involved! As expected from Potter, I suppose."
Blaise stood silently, looking cold and serious, and Draco greeted Luna with a tiny smile and a polite nod. To Cedric, he simply said, "Diggory. Is Potter on his way?"
Cedric shrugged uneasily. "Should be, but I don't know."
Goyle suddenly stepped outside, causing Cedric to jump, startled. Goyle smirked at the reaction. "Come inside, Snape is in the Lab. He said if we break anything, Potter's paying for it."
Pansy snickered. "If it wasn't Professor Snape's things, I might be tempted to break everything just to annoy Potter. But it would annoy Snape too, so…better not." It was amusing for her to note the difference between Diggory and Lovegood: in the midst of the Snakes, Luna was wacky and comfortable as she was anywhere else, while Cedric looked afraid for his life (which might have something to do with Blaise's intimidating smoldering in the corner).
Just then, a noise came from around the corridor, and Potter's shaggy mop of hair came into sight. To Draco's surprise, he had done the sensible thing and brought the Granger girl instead of the Weasel.
There was a tense silence as Potter and Granger took in the people assembled. To Draco's inner satisfaction, a light of surprise flickered in Potter's eyes when he saw Luna there. Above all else, he certainly didn't want to become predictable to Potter.
Wordlessly, Draco stepped inside the office, and his companions followed. Ironically, they gathered around the table Draco had sat at yesterday morning to discuss Third Task plans. Once everyone had taken a seat, Draco got straight to the point. "Tell me why we're here, Potter."
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, unsure where to start. "For God's sake," Draco muttered under his breath, irritated with the lack of direct speech.
Blaise quirked a smile, overhearing the impatiently uttered words. "They're Gryffs, Drake. They don't know how to handle you."
"Don't call me that," was the expected quiet reply.
Finally Hermione began to speak. "Harry told me a little about your conversation before…well…" she trailed off, unsure how to phrase it.
"Before he pummeled me?" Draco bit back acidly, not bothering to spare anyone's feelings. "Do continue."
"Well, he told me about what you said, about his magic being out of control. And I think you're right." Hermione bit her lip, glancing at Harry in concern.
"I am so relieved; I couldn't bear to have you disagree with me." Draco retorted sarcastically. "The point, Granger? I am not exactly bursting with anticipation here."
Pansy, Greg, and Blaise smirked from the sidelines, Cedric blinked owlishly at the back-and-forth, and Luna simply smiled sunnily.
"I need your help." Harry Potter finally spoke up, meeting Draco's stone-cold eyes.
"Well, perhaps you should have thought of that before I ended up in the Hospital Wing, hm?" Draco narrowed his eyes, words merciless in their honesty.
"I tried everything, searched the entire library, and there's nothing like this written about anywhere! But you seem to know something." The bushy-haired witch looked at Draco with hopeful eyes.
Draco crossed his arms over his chest and leaned forward on the table, careful not to brush his injured back against the chair. "What's in it for me?" he asked bluntly.
Harry eyed him warily. "What do you want?"
"I could do your homework for the rest of the term!" Hermione volunteered.
Draco sneered at her. "We're not like your Weasley, schoolwork is something that comes naturally to us. Not to mention my marks are comparable to yours. No thank you."
Harry's brows knitted together at the unfavorable mention of Ron, but he didn't protest. "Do you want me to let Krum win the Tournament?"
Again, Draco gave him a disdainful look, and barked out an unamused laugh. "Let him win? He will win regardless of what you do. Don't be an imbecile."
"What, then, Malfoy?! What is it that you want!" Harry's exasperated words burst forth, tired of Draco making him feel stupid.
Draco laid his palms flat on the table and leaned forward. "The Invisibility Cloak: let me borrow it for the rest of the term."
Granger's eyes widened dramatically. "How does he know about that?" she hissed to Harry, looking shocked.
"Do you think I'm a moron? Obviously, when someone disappears before your eyes after attacking you, that's the clearest solution. So, hand it over Potter. Unless…you don't actually want my help."
Harry wavered, unsure what to do. "I can't let you keep it forever. And you have to promise not to hurt anyone or do anything underhanded." He stipulated.
Draco rolled his eyes impatiently. "Draw out a contract if you want, Potter. But you can't tell me what I can and can't do with it, other than not hurting anyone who is on your side." The Ice Prince laced his fingers together and placed them behind his head, leaning back comfortably. "So? I tell Granger what I know, and you lend me that Cloak. Deal?"
Hermione cut in. "You can't use the Cloak to embarrass us, either. No hurting or embarrassing anyone."
Draco smiled, wolf-like. "You lot embarrass yourselves enough already, no need to add to that mess." However, he was careful not to explicitly agree to anything.
Pansy choked back her laugh before chipping in. "So? Agreed, Potter?"
Luna added her two cents as well. "The cloak will be used in an unexpected way, but you will be thankful for that unconventional usage later rather than angry. The Nargles told me so."
Harry looked at Hermione, who nodded determinedly. Next, he looked to Cedric.
The Hufflepuff Champion had a few words to add. "You also should agree not to use the Cloak to cheat or interfere in the Triwizard Tournament."
Draco chose his words carefully. "I will do nothing that hinders the Champions from competing fairly." He offered.
Cedric nodded, satisfied. Pansy tapped Blaise's back repeatedly, emphasizing her excitement. Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were not as careful with their words as Slytherins were, clearly. Draco's statement didn't actually limit his actions much, other than not directly going after a single Champion. Going after all four was a different matter...
Hermione was smart enough to catch them if she was concentrating, but her brain had already moved on to the information Draco had promised, which was her main priority. "So what is wrong with Harry?"
Draco held up his hand, smirking. "Bring the cloak here first and then I will tell you."
Harry reached into his school bag and pulled out the cloak, setting it on the table in front of him. "It's here. Now tell 'Mione what you know."
Draco's face settled into his poker face. "Diggory, Luna, Pansy, Greg…step outside for a bit please. Potter and Granger are the only ones who need to hear this, and Blaise will stay to make the number equal. I think we are done here, other than that. Return to your dormitories."
Granger nodded to Cedric, and so the others did as Draco ordered. Once they had left, Draco began to speak. "Have you heard of the difference between wild and domesticated magic, Granger?"
Blaise groaned and threw himself onto the sofa a few paces away. "Oh, not this again. It's Draco's favorite rant."
Granger pursed her lips. "No, I can't say that I have."
Draco gave her a basic summary, as he had given Charlie before. "Potter's problem has two parts, really: there is a lack of discipline that breaks down his control, as well as a large amount of wild magic gathering around that chaotic control. Wild magic is chaos, and so it is drawn, in some way, to chaos." He crossed his arms over his chest, taking time to arrange the words in his head before he spoke them. "Think of it this way: a moth drawn to the flame. The moth is the magic; the flame is Potter. Potter is like a beacon to the chaos. In order to fix it, you have to fix the power leak. Either work off the extra magic, store it, or keep it in check, which you seem to be failing at. Strong wizards, when younger, often have the same problem to a much lesser degree. That's what accidental magic is the result of. Take into account that Potter is a strong wizard and has some relation to Voldemort, and it makes sense that there is such a strong difference."
Harry pushed the cloak across the table to Draco, who caught it with a smirk. "As we agreed, Malfoy. Return it properly, as our terms said."
Draco sneered back. "A Malfoy conducts himself with honor regarding business, Potter. Rest assured." He stood, turning to Blaise. The other boy stood, smiling at the success, and unknowingly clapped Draco on his upper back in celebration.
White-hot fire shot through Draco's body. He held back a scream, just barely, but a strangled sound escaped from his lips in its place. Three pairs of eyes shot to the Malfoy heir's face. Blaise knew right away what was wrong, and the glint in Granger's eye was evidence of her suspicion. Potter just looked confused. "Malfoy? Is something wrong?"
Blaise swore vehemently, causing the Gryffindor's eyebrows to shoot up in affront and mortification. "You bastard. You fucking bastard! Why didn't you say anything, you wanker? Shite!" He dragged Granger and Potter out the door, ignoring their questions. "We're done here!" he snapped at the two Gryffindors. "Fuck off!" Slamming the door closed, he ran his hands through his hair in stress. "I can't believe you." Tugging the clothes Draco wore in his anger, he growled. "Get this off, now. Damn it, you bloody idiot…"
Draco's lips twitched into a smile. "Language, Blaise." He teased his friend, before casting a silencing spell just in case the two nosy Gryffindors tried to listen from outside.
The Italian boy bared his teeth in response. "You think this is funny, Draco? Because I am not fucking laughing!"
Draco raised his hands in mock self-defense, slowly shrugging out of his clothes with a wince. The wounds had reopened at Blaise's casual touch, and blood seeped through his white collared shirt and the bandages, which he peeled off. "You asked for it." He reminded the Italian boy when Blaise gasped at the sight of Draco's whip-scarred back.
"Shite, Drake! Your father is a sick bastard." Blaise pulled his wand from his sleeve and cast a healing spell, which closed the wounds. He grabbed a pillow from the sofa and Transfigured it into cloth, which he tore. With one part he dabbed the blood away from the wounds, and with another part he re-bandaged the long, deep cuts.
Draco allowed Blaise to take care of his injuries in silence, regretting not saying anything before because now Blaise was majorly pissed off. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't want you guys to feel like the plans needed to change. It will be healed by the time I need to fly during the Third Task."
Blaise gritted his teeth, trying not to take his anger out on Draco. "Look, Draco, I am not going to get angry or try to change the plans. They have to happen regardless of how stupid we feel you are being. However, I do take offense at you not trusting me with this. As your best friend, this is the kind of thing I need to know in order to help you. I can't believe that you of all people could be such a hypocrite."
Draco wilted a bit; he had always been a poor friend and he knew it. He was lucky to have so many great people to watch his back and let him know when he screwed up. "You're right, and I'm sorry. You know how hard it is to talk about weaknesses for someone in a family like mine…" he trailed off, quickly looking away from the bloodied cloth Blaise had set down on the table. He hated the reminder of his father's deeds. Gathering himself back together, he straightened his posture and met Blaise's dark eyes, his own gaze steel grey and determined. "I would prefer if you kept this to yourself, Blaise. With your help we can take care of this safely."
"And the scars?' Blaise pressed. "You know someone else will see them eventually. Don't be a fucking idiot."
Draco laughed, but there was no amusement in his tone. "It won't be the first scar, Blaise. The others will be mad if they find out, but not surprised. Purebloods know they come with the territory." Charlie's face popped into his mind, and his smile dimmed a little. "Well, most Purebloods." He amended quietly, suddenly feeling small.
Blaise sensed the direction of his thoughts. "There are things Weasley will never understand." He muttered, waving his wand to burn away the dirtied cloth and all physical evidence of Draco's wounds. He stared at Draco, a very intense look in his eyes. "That is why you need me. And Pansy, and Theodore. We get it, so don't feel like you have to hide things like this from us." He grumbled a few uncomplimentary things about Draco's stubbornness under his breath. "Don't say I didn't warn you when the others find out and want to strangle you for being a moron."
Draco looked down at his feet, unable to respond to that. He knew Blaise was right, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything to the Slytherins, either. The Malfoy heir cast a cleaning spell on his shirt, getting the blood out of it, and pulled it back on, buttoning it securely. "Thank you, Blaise. I am sorry to have disappointed you." He hefted the Invisibility Cloak into his arms: it was surprisingly heavy. No doubt the cloth was very thick and durable. "Now shall we try this thing out?" a mischievous look crossed the Malfoy heir's face, making him look very boyish and several years younger than his age.
A laugh bubbled from Blaise's throat, despite his still present concern for Draco's health. "I thought you'd never ask."
…
After the day's classes, Draco found himself milling about, unsure what to do with himself. Tomorrow was the last full day he had before the Third Task, and the tension was eating him alive. Absentmindedly, he paced back and forth across the Common Room floor, ignoring the pull in his back from the reopened wounds. Blaise, Theo, Greg, and Pansy watched him as they lounged across the sofas.
"Calm down, Draco. You're going to wear a hole in the floor with all that pacing." Pansy commented mildly, not seeming very concerned.
Draco didn't even seem to hear her, but suddenly he ground to a halt. "Diggory. I need to talk to Diggory." He mumbled to himself, before turning on his heel and striding quickly from the dungeon.
Exchanging looks with the other Slytherins, Theo scrambled up and after Draco, playing bodyguard. "Cedric Diggory? What do you need him for?"
Draco didn't pause, still keeping up his quick walking pace. "He wants more information. So I'll give him some. I need his peacemaking aptitude if I want to keep Potter's attention elsewhere. Otherwise, he will keep trying to fight with me. It is a waste of both our time and energy, and it needs to stop. He won't listen to someone telling him that unless they are clearly uninfluenced by me."
Theo rolled his eyes but kept up with Draco's speed. "If you say so, mate. Just be careful how much you tell him."
Draco smiled slightly as he walked, lost in thought. "The important part about revealing personal clues is that you reveal the same thing to everyone, but make them think it is new information. That way, everyone who thinks they have inside information knows precisely the same few harmless facts."
Theo shook his head in admiration. "You Malfoys do have the head for this kind of thing. Practically raised in it since birth, there isn't really a way you could be poor at manipulation. Still, it is pretty frightening. I am glad that there will never come a time that I am your enemy."
Draco's heart jumped in his chest in shock at the sudden words that he perceived as incredibly sappy...for a Slytherin. "Theodore!" he complained, whirling to regard his friend with no little amusement. "Since when did you become so touchy-feely? I would have never guessed you had this sensitive side in you."
Theo gave him the middle finger and grumbled, "Shut up, you git."
Draco just snickered and turned back around, continuing on towards the Hufflepuff dormitories. "Shall we hold hands and skip up to meet Diggory?" he continued to tease Theo.
Theo eyed Draco in annoyance, sniping back, "Sorry, Drake, you're not exactly my type. Too dramatic, and definitely too annoying."
Draco smirked back. "I am certainly too pretty, as well." It was well-known in Slytherin that Theo was openly gay and not ashamed of his preferences whatsoever, despite the stigma against same sex couples still present in the Wizarding world.
"Very humble of you." Theo rolled his eyes. "You do remember that I went to the Yule Ball with Fleur, yes? She is certainly prettier than you."
Draco couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Fleur only went with you because she knew you had no intention of putting the moves on her." With a devilish smile, he elbowed Theo in the side. "I have no such guarantee."
Theo wrinkled his nose. "No way in hell would I ever date you, mate. That's disgusting."
Draco grinned, glad for the lighthearted back and forth. "The feeling is mutual." He assured his friend. "Now, I hope this bout of sentimentality that came out of nowhere is sufficiently expended?"
Theo grunted. "See if I try to say something nice ever again, if this is what comes of it." But his tone was light and amused. They arrived outside the dormitory and Theo poked his head inside after assuring the painting that he was only calling someone out to the hallway. "Someone send out Diggory, would you?" he called.
The Hufflepuffs, being terrified of the older Slytherins, scrambled to obey. Five minutes later Cedric was outside, looking surprised to see Draco. "Malfoy…what are you doing here?" he asked politely.
Draco jerked his head away from the dormitories, indicating that he wished to talk elsewhere. "I wanted to propose an exchange." He began vaguely, wanting to ensure that the other Hufflepuffs heard nothing important.
When they were a safe distance away, he continued, "I want you to keep Potter off my back. I am not doing anything that he needs to be concerned about and he is wasting time fighting with me when he should be much more concerned with the Death Eaters." And the resurrection of Voldemort.
"Let's say I agree. How do I know that you won't go off and do something terrible, just because Harry is finally convinced you aren't all that bad?" Cedric, knowing the existence of Draco's seer abilities, was more willing to see him as someone "light." He had never heard of a dark wizard that was a Seer.
"To be fair, there is no guarantee. Let's just think back over all the other years I have been at Hogwarts, shall we? Was there honestly anything I did that was actually bordering on evil? Or was it just annoying and self-righteous, just like you would expect a Malfoy to behave?" Draco's lips twitched in slight amusement. "I am a Malfoy, and until it is advantageous to me to behave otherwise, I continue to act as others expect me to. Surely a Pureblood such as yourself would realize the importance of social masks, not to mention the prevalence. If people see what they expect to see, they don't look deeper. It is a useful tool."
Cedric acknowledged Draco's point. "There is nothing you have done that was truly awful, I will grant you that. However, you also haven't done anything that inspires trustworthiness, either."
Draco snorted, but somehow the sound managed to be elegant. "I don't want to inspire trustworthiness. People who are trusted are noticed. It is much better for me remain inconspicuous, I get into less trouble that way. It is the same with this Potter situation. Why don't you lot understand that I just want to fly under the radar and be a typical snotty Pureblood heir?"
Cedric frowned. "I am beginning to understand that. What concerns me is that I don't understand why."
Exasperated, Draco threw his hands up to demonstrate his frustration. "Do I have to spell it out for you, Diggory? Merlin! Nearly every Seer throughout history eventually ended up being killed because other wizards wanted to use their power. After somehow cornering the Seer, power-hungry wizards discover that the power is not really easily obtained or controlled, and decide to get rid of the Seer instead. It happened over and over. Attention will get me killed. Do you want to be the cause of my death? Do you think Potter would? Need I remind you that my Father was once involved with Death Eaters?" While every pore of his being leaked frustration and desperation for Cedric's benefit and his words were technically true, Draco was careful not to reveal the full truth. In all aspects it genuinely appeared that Draco feared for his life.
Cedric Diggory could not sense any deception from the Slytherin Ice Prince. "I understand now. So what is it exactly that you think I can help with? Harry and I aren't really close, you know."
Draco waved off the question, annoyed. "It doesn't matter. Potter is easily influenced as long as he doesn't have something against you. In your case he has no reason to mistrust you, so he won't. All you have to do is redirect his focus a little bit, try to bridge the gap between what he thinks he is seeing and what I actually intend. I have heard rumors that you are interested in becoming a wizard counselor or therapist. Think of it as good experience for your future career. Potter will be better off when he isn't constantly assuming I am up to no good and leaping in to save the day." Rubbing his forehead wearily, the young Slytherin muttered, "It will save me a headache too. Damn hero complex…"
Cedric's lips twitched. He would have never guessed Draco would have this side, he almost seemed…human. As soon as the thought crossed his mind he inwardly berated himself. What kind of psychologist would he be if judgment was his first response to those inching toward the darker side of magic? Draco was a teenage boy, younger than Cedric himself was. To judge him based on the actions of Lucius Malfoy was unfair, and Cedric resolved then to do better. To be better, and not to assume he knew someone based on their reputation. "Deal. I think you're right, and for what it's worth, I apologize for assuming I knew what you were like based on what other people say about you. That was unfair of me."
Draco's eyebrows quirked up in surprise. He hadn't expected Diggory to be so reasonable. "Thanks, I suppose. Well, well. This was more productive than I expected." He appraised Cedric in a calculating manner, grey eyes thoughtful.
Cedric couldn't hold back a smile, happy to have surprised the Malfoy heir. "You know, I am always available if there is anything, anything at all, that you want to talk about." He ventured, hoping he wasn't being too pushy.
Draco actually laughed out loud at that, and Theo's snickers sounded from behind them. "Why, Diggory…are you offering to be my personal therapist?" His tone was of wicked delight, finding the notion terribly amusing.
"That's exactly what I am saying." Cedric agreed cheerfully, not seeming to notice that Draco had been joking.
Put off by the unexpected agreement, Draco blinked in shock for a few moments before regaining his composure. "How intriguing." He finally managed. Theo's snickers behind him increased in volume, so Draco silenced him with a thrown elbow. A muffled grunt replaced the snickering sound.
Cedric tried to placate him. "I admit the idea seems crazy, but I just wanted to offer. If you ever need someone to just talk things through with, you know where to find me." He watched Draco's eyes carefully, trying to determine Draco's true reaction.
A flash of amusement and approval were the only emotions Cedric was able to note. The Hufflepuff sighed to himself at the lack of facial expression Draco allowed. "Thank you for the offer, but our business is concluded for now." Draco stated calmly. A wry smile quirked up Draco's lips, and he added, "I think psychology is a suitable field for you." The look lent a boyish air to the normally stoic Slytherin.
Cedric simply smiled in return and went back into his dormitory, waving goodbye over his shoulder.
Theo dissolved into a flurry of giggles, ignoring Draco's poisonous glare. "You have a therapist now!" he got out between his peals of laughter.
"Laugh it up while you can, Theo. You're next." Draco's eyes promised painful retribution.
Theo just grinned and wiped tears of laughter away from the corner of his eyes. "Too good!" He exclaimed. "I think I like that one. He's got balls for a Hufflepuff. Handsome, too." Suddenly he paused and cocked his head pensively. "You know, Draco, I didn't even think about it until this moment, but you sure do surround yourself with attractive people. Me, Pansy, Blaise, Fleur, Viktor, Diggory, even that Weasley of yours. Greg is getting there, too, the more he works out. Looking at the guy to girl ratio…my odds are good." He smirked at Draco.
Draco rolled his eyes. "If you say so. Besides…" he looked down his nose at Theodore, "why would I be friends with someone who isn't attractive?" his eyes revealed his jest and he gave a snobbish sniff.
The two Slytherins returned to their own Common Room, where the rest of their friend group was still sitting in the same area chatting and doing homework.
Blaise was the first to notice their entrance. "How did it go?"
Theo plopped onto the couch, nearly launching Pansy in the air. "You know Drake. He can talk anyone into anything."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that. But yes, I was successful. Diggory will do his best to get Potter off my back. Which will probably mean you guys can stop watching him so closely as well." He glanced at Greg. "Tomorrow is a Hogsmeade day, right?"
The bulky boy nodded. "That's right. Do you want me to do something there?"
Draco considered it. "I am not sure yet, I will have to think on it. If we could plan out what supplies we need and get them without being too conspicuous, that would be lovely."
Pansy smirked. "Such a quintessential British chap." She teased Draco about his vocabulary. The aristocratic Malfoy rolled his eyes. "If you say so." He answered noncommittedly.
Casting a quick Tempus charm, Draco saw that the time was around eight pm. "I am going to get an early start on a project in the dormitory. Don't come in unless you want to sleep; I can't afford the distraction." He waved and disappeared into the dormitory, an absent look in his eyes.
The rest watched him go with amusement. "Guess we won't see him until tomorrow." Pansy shook her head in exasperation. Turning to Theo, she asked him, "What did you do for the Transfiguration essay?"
When the boys entered into the dormitory that night and went to sleep, Draco's wand was still illuminated as he pored over a huge tome of what look like a foreign language. They didn't wait up and fell into their beds, quickly falling asleep.
…
