Disclaimer to JK Rowling
Chapter Six: His Offence, My Disgrace?
And, absorbed in the new life he leads,
He recks not, he heeds
Nor his wrong nor his vengeance; both strike
On his senses alike.
Robert Browning from After
Draco waited anxiously as he ate his breakfast for his twin to arrive in the Great Hall for breakfast. He would have tried to talk to her the previous night, but she had been promptly swept up in a tide of scarlet and gold after the Feast had ended. The story of how Potter had fainted at the presence of a Dementor had travelled around the Great Hall quite quickly, and some of his had friends sniggered over the details over their main course. Draco, being in the knowledge that Lacie was tormented by nightmares, could not stop worrying about her.
There had been something in the pit of his stomach that knew that there was something wrong. On the train, he knew that the presence of the Dementors had been unpleasant, and he had mostly heard the raised voice of his father but somewhere within him he felt real fear, and it was something he did not attribute to himself. When the Dementors had left the train, he could not stop shaking, but again, it felt like an alien response. Thankfully, Pansy was keeping her distance from him and had not fussed over him. Theo noted that Draco was looking queasy. Draco was short with his reply.
Yes, one can always find joy with Dementors near them.
After the Sorting Feast, he allowed himself to be dragged to the Dungeons when he realised he was not going to be able to talk to Lacie. His circle of friends had seemed mildly intrigued by Draco's summer in France. He relished in describing in great detail about the luxurious villa and the constant sun to the envy of his friends, so much so, he had forgotten about his sister. By the next morning, however, Draco was back to worrying about his sister.
Professor Snape was handing out the timetables for his year when Lacie finally appeared with Hermione, Potter and Weasley in tow. Draco made to move but his Head of House stopped him by forcefully shoving him back into his seat. Draco cast him a reproachful look.
"You can do as you wish once I have handed you your timetable for the year, Mister Malfoy," he said, his voice was a low drawl that annoyed Draco. He could not fathom what pleasure Professor Snape was taking from keeping him in his seat and fussing about with the third-year timetables and handing out everyone else's before his.
The professor assessed it for a moment before, "I hope you continue to attain high marks in Potions despite the amount of subjects you are taking this year, I would not like to enrol you into remedial Potions because you are dillydallying with essays on Muggle transportation."
Draco nodded as he took his timetable from Snape and as the professor moved towards the fourth-years, Draco went to stand up to go to his sister. As he stood up, his timetable was snatched from his hands and Draco glared at the perpetrator.
"Since when were you taking Muggle Studies?" Theo asked with a grimace.
"Since my mother told me to," Draco answered, rolling his eyes overdramatically and pulling his timetable back, "She was adamant that I learn some compassion for Muggles considering Granger is a friend of the family."
He used air quotes at the notion of Hermione being a friend of the Malfoy family to highlight his disdain.
"What, even the big bad Draco Malfoy cannot go against his mother's wishes?" Blaise piped up as he sipped his coffee, he had that unpleasant glint in his eye that always seemed to deter Draco. Blaise was one of those friends that Draco had learned over the course of two years to keep close despite never really liking him, because of that old adage. It was better to know what he was up to, rather than be left in the dark and have the other boy scheme against Draco.
"You know better than to talk about one's mothers, Blaise," Draco said with a sickly sweet smile. He did not wait for him to respond, as he walked briskly across the Hall towards the Gryffindor table. Draco would never get used to the unpleasant glares from the immature Gryffindors, but for this reason it was worth it. He stopped short of Lacie when Weasley noticed him.
"Come to gloat about Harry just like your other smarmy friends, Malfoy?"
Lacie turned around and saw him. She gave him a weak smile.
"As much I would love to regale at how Potter fainted on the train, I have more important matters to attend to this morning," Draco retorted, he knelt on the ground beside Lacie before asking rather softly, "Are you alright?"
Her gaze followed him as he had knelt beside her, "You did not have to come over -…"
"I did, and you did not answer me."
There was something about Lacie's forced smile that felt hugely familiar, and unease danced between her grey eyes. She nodded at him, but there was something about it that did not convince Draco at all. However, Draco knew better than to talk about private matters under the gaze of nosy eavesdroppers. He watched as she turned to pick up a piece of toast, but before she could eat it, he plucked out of her fingers and bit into it. Lacie looked shocked for a moment, before pouting at him. After a moment, a small but genuine smile crept on her face.
If Draco was to achieve anything that morning, it was to cheer his sister up even infinitesimally. As he stood up, the stern Professor McGonagall was approaching her third-year Gryffindors. She seemed to make a beeline for him, the lioness of Hogwarts protecting her pride. She handed her students their timetables as she kept her stern gaze fixed upon him.
"Mister Malfoy, if you continue to loiter here, you will not be able to collect your timetable from Professor Snape," she said, a hard tone added to her usual bark. It was no secret that after Draco had told the entire school that the world would be better without Hermione Granger, a sentiment that he had regretted, that the Gryffindor matriarch held a certain disdain for him. It was also unfortunate that she had not been to a witness to his civility during the summer, too.
"I already have it," Draco said waving the piece of parchment that was his timetable. Lacie motioned for him to give it to her, and he did.
"You barely have any free time!" Lacie exclaimed as she pored over his timetable and compared it to her own.
Draco ran a hair through his hair as he grimaced, "I am taking one extra module compared to you, Professor Snape had to make allowances here and there, and it helps that I am the only Slytherin doing Muggle Studies…"
"You're doing Muggle Studies?" Weasley piped up. "Did someone cast a spell on the Malfoy family over the summer, or am I missing something?"
Honestly, how did one have sane thoughts in the morning with that inane commentary in the background?
"Ever the tone of surprise," Draco muttered so quietly that he made sure that his sister was the only one who could really hear, and possibly Hermione. The other girl had sat quietly during the encounter and was sat with a book propped against a teapot. Lacie chuckled quietly, to the annoyance of Weasley. Draco mussed her hair before casting the ever-disapproving Professor McGonagall a glance.
"See you in Transfiguration, Professor."
The Professor gave him a stiff nod, which was to be expected.
"Granger."
Hermione turned to face him and looked mildly surprised that he had addressed her. She watched him carefully, before saying with a hint of a smile,
"Malfoy."
x-x-x-x-x
Lacie almost skipped down the corridor towards the Great Hall as she finished her first Ancient Runes lesson, everything had been so fascinating. She loved the subject, and learning about the history of Runes was a lot more interesting than Goblin rebellions and witch-hunts. Hermione paced beside her, carrying what it seemed to be all her textbooks in her bag. It had confused her seeing her with so many books even though they only had four classes that day but Lacie dare not ask. She grinned as she turned a corner and saw her brother walking in the opposite direction towards them, whilst chatting to Theo.
"Draco," she said, catching her brother's attention. Draco raised an eyebrow at her before smirking. Lacie could not help but notice that smiles were appearing more frequently on Draco's face, as if some sort of tension had been lifted from him. It was a welcome change and she could not forget how attentive Draco had been in the morning. She was sure that he had come over to gloat over Harry and her own weakness in front of a Dementor. She was sure he was going to remind her of her training, and that he was going to write to Father. Instead, he was kind and caring, and made sure that she was feeling better after the encounter, a trait she had not seen since they were children.
"Lacie, you seem awfully chipper."
Lacie snorted, "As do you, have you had Ancient Runes yet? It is brilliant."
"No, I start it on Monday, but I think we have Muggle Studies together after lunch."
Lacie's grin widened, "Maybe we could all study together for Muggle Studies."
It was Draco's turn to snort, as he appraised Hermione up and down. Lacie did not appreciate the way he eyed up Hermione and she stepped in front of her friend defensively.
"I would rather not."
Lacie's expression soured. She did not understand what was so wrong with Hermione that made Draco hesitant to even study with her. It was not as if she asked Draco to propose to her friend. Lacie looked apologetically at Hermione, who looked nonplussed. Lacie was suddenly grateful to have such an understanding friend, and internally made a small promise to be a bit kinder to her.
She did not understand her brother, it was only two days ago when he was defending her against Ron and they were whispering in the Leaky Cauldron. Two weeks ago, they were laughing beside a swimming pool as Hermione taught Draco how to dive. It seemed as if once Draco donned his emerald and silver tie, he was back to being the no-good Slytherin.
Not that his House had hindered him from being attentive that morning.
"Intimidated that I could actually teach you a thing or two?" Hermione countered.
Draco scoffed, "A filthy mutt like you? Never."
Lacie gasped and shoved Draco for calling her friend a mutt. It was not as bad as when he used to call her 'Mudblood' but it was not really any better. It almost had the same meaning. Theo, beside Draco, looked slightly amused and Lacie wanted to swat that amused expression off his face.
"Draco!"
"What? I could not imagine knocking heads with the likes of her in the library."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Are you sure it wasn't your foul mouth that made Parkinson break off the engagement? I'm surprised they didn't do it seven years ago."
Lacie's mouth fell open. She had not expected Hermione to bring up that sort of information to throw back at her brother, especially as Lacie had told her in confidence. On one hand, she was glad that Hermione was defending herself from her brother, as Draco needed the occasional kick up the backside. On the other, she wanted to defend her brother and admonish Hermione for saying such a thing to him. She knew Hermione was going to be hurt by his sudden change in attitude, but she had not expected her to sink so low in her remarks.
Draco was now looking at the floor, and for some reason, he was smiling again.
"Of course."
Lacie was thoroughly confused as Hermione dragged her towards the Great Hall for lunch. On the way, they met Harry and Ron who were coming from their Divination lesson.
"Where did you go off to?" Ron asked Hermione, who was still pulling Lacie in the direction of the Great Hall.
"Ancient Runes," Lacie answered for him.
"But -…"
"I'm starving!" Hermione interrupted quite loudly, "So if we could hurry up to lunch, that would be great."
She did not know what had gotten into her friend, and why she was so suddenly so keen to get to lunch. Lacie had known Hermione for several years and eating was not her favourite part of her day. She was sure that Hermione would have wanted to know what to expect in her own first Divination class. But why would Hermione not be in Harry and Ron's class, surely as a Gryffindor they would be in the same class? Lacie pushed that thought from her mind, maybe because Hermione was taking on so many subjects that they worked around the Houses and put her in whatever class was more convenient, just as they had with Draco.
Also, why was her friend not more perturbed by Draco's behaviour? After the summer, Lacie was sure that Hermione and Draco were friends and would continue to be so when they got to Hogwarts. Why had they reverted to a slanging match in the middle of a corridor? Lacie mulled over it for a moment before tucking into her lunch, soon forgetting what she had been thinking at the sight of Ron devouring his food as if there was an impending famine.
x-x-x-x-x
"Where are you going?"
Hermione turned to Lacie as she started to leave the Common Room with her brimming bag. She had never been a great liar to Lacie, but for now, she had to try. What am I going to say?
"The library."
Hermione wasn't, for all intents and purposes, lying.
"It is the first day, Hermione, why are you going to the library?"
"Lacie, I'm taking more subjects than you, if I don't keep up, I'll only end up having to spend the rest of the year catching up and I have books to return."
Lacie looked taken aback by her response, but didn't question it. As Hermione clambered out of the portrait hold, she was surprised that Lacie had not questioned her. However, Lacie was sat in the middle of the Common Room, stitching and fussing with a pair of ballet shoes, and irritating Harry and Ron in the process. Hermione glanced at her watch as she rushed down the magical staircases. It was a few minutes before seven o'clock. She wondered for a moment if he had understood what she had meant. It had been so vague, and she wasn't too sure, but if she made it more obvious Lacie would have seen through it in a millisecond and she couldn't risk that. Not yet.
As it was the first day of term, the library was quieter than usual, and Hermione made her way through the bookshelves. Her first port of call was to return the books she had borrowed from the library over the summer. The librarian's eyes roved over the tomes and glowered at Hermione when she checked the little sheet in the front of one of them. Hermione had forgotten about the mark that had appeared on it and internally cursed herself.
"Water damage to school property is a punishable offence, Miss Granger," the librarian said with a stiff voice.
"Yes, but - …"
"No buts, detention on Saturday morning, you will sort through the influx of books that have been returned after the summer holidays."
"Yes, Madam Pince, but it really wasn't -…"
"What did I say about 'buts'? Whilst it may have not been your fault that damage occurred to this book, it was under your care when the damage occurred and therefore your responsibility."
Hermione opened her mouth to respond but knew better. As someone brushed past her, she could swear she could hear the faintest chuckle. She nodded as Madam Pince handed her a piece of parchment containing the details of her detention. She scowled at it for a moment and reminded herself to positively wring Lacie. She finally resigned herself to the tables in the library. She soon found the one in particular she was looking for and pulled her books out of her bag as well as her notebooks. She started on her Arithmancy homework, deducing her birth number and an essay on what that number meant.
A folded piece of parchment fluttered in front of Hermione, she peered at the parchment that was sitting atop her work and picked it up.
I thought you would not come.
Hermione looked across at the only other person sat on the elongated table that ran down the aisle between bookshelves and a small smile played on her lips. She could hear him scratching away at his work. She straightened the parchment, and wrote a response.
Why not?
She folded it back up after the ink had dried and flicked her wand. The parchment went flying across the table again and landed on his work. He glanced at it, and looked up at her. He raised an eyebrow at her before opening the parchment. Hermione heard his soft chuckle, and he wrote a response. The parchment zoomed back to her.
I thought you might have had a change of heart.
Why would I have a change of heart? Wasn't the idea to keep up appearances?
Hermione remembered back to their last night before Hogwarts, where she sat in between Draco and Fred to be a buffer. She particularly remembered him asking her if it was all right to keep being her friend but in private. At first, Hermione had felt a bit affronted, because surely they could be openly be friends. However, the more Draco explained, the more Hermione understood. She no more wanted to explain this 'friendship' to Harry and Ron did he to the likes of Nott and Zabini. Maybe once they could argue against the negative barrage they were to face, and then they could be more open about their friendship.
I cannot believe you brought Pansy into it, though.
Hermione winced. Lacie had expressed her anger that Hermione had said something that she had said in complete confidence in a corridor for anyone to hear. It also was slightly embarrassing for him, Hermione supposed. She couldn't imagine being only seven and having parents draw up marriage contracts for you. She was nearing fourteen and did not want to even think about it. It must have been difficult for Draco to have grown up with that over his head, and it explained why Pansy simply adored him for what seemed like little to no reason at all.
Are you angry?
More amused. Not as amused that it is the first day and you already have a detention.
That's Lacie's fault, not mine. She was the one that threw my book in the pool, and I'm stuck with the detention. I am going to kill her.
If you are expecting an apology from her, you will be waiting a long time. What do you have as your date number?
Nine.
Typical, only you would have the number that symbolises selfless deed and humanitarianism. Did you know that nine is also a magical number?
I thought seven was a magical number.
Usually, but I was speaking mathematically. Multiply any number by nine, and you will always be able reduce it to nine. If you add a number to nine, it will always reduce to itself. The influence of nine is quite intriguing.
He had written out some sums at the bottom of the parchment to illustrate his point and Hermione smiled. She looked across at him, but he was focused on his work, flicking through an Arithmancy textbook and scribbling notes. Hermione looked at the parchment in front of her, and noted that Draco had better handwriting than she had expected. In fact, it was probably nicer than Lacie's, but Hermione would rather face a Dementor again before telling her that. She wrote a quick note before sending it off.
They sat in silence, passing notes back and forth for the next hour mostly about the work that they had been set, or at least until Madam Pince told them that the third-year curfew was nearly arriving. Hermione packed her books up, almost mirroring the boy sat further away. Hermione watched as Draco studied the pieces of parchment that they had been sending back and forth, and as he walked to one of the blazing fireplaces in the library. He cast Hermione a cursory glance, and Hermione knew what he was about to do. She nodded.
He threw the notes in the fireplace and walked away. He was merely covering for himself, and as Hermione watched the parchment char and burn, she did not blame him.
x-x-x-x-x
Severus swept into the Hospital Wing, with such a gusto that all of the Slytherin third-years who were huddled around a single bed – yes, all of them – jumped aside and parted as if the Slytherin Head was the proverbial Red Sea.
The moment that he had been informed that his godson had been admitted to the Hospital Wing due to a Care of Magical Creatures lesson gone awry, he had cancelled the rest of his classes and rushed to the Hospital Wing to check on the idiotic boy. A rash decision, the Deputy Headmistress had noted as she reluctantly gave him the permission to do so, as Draco was in the care of one of the best Healers in the country. She, however, knew better than to keep Severus in a foul mood, especially where the boy was concerned. That was if she valued the glittering rubies sitting in her hourglass.
Don't tell me, Severus, the elder witch's words swam in his mind, you've finally found compassion, and you care for your godchildren at long last? Severus would rather bathe in a bath of Bubotuber pus than admit that he had an inkling of feeling towards Draco Malfoy or his twin, but he would take the Bubotuber pus over Narcissa Malfoy, who no doubt would flay him alive if she found out he had displayed indifference to her children.
"Why are all of you here? Have your lessons been magically cancelled and I am unaware of it?" he hissed at the lot of them, and most of them turned on their heel to scurry out of the Hospital Wing. Two people remained. The Parkinson girl was dillydallying and Theodore Nott was firmly rooted to the spot. Parkinson, it seemed, despite her family's shifting allegiance still cared for Draco but she was of no use in the Hospital Wing. Severus also knew that Draco would appreciate her dismissal.
"Parkinson, what are you still doing here, did you not hear me the first time?"
The girl whined a little, but knowing better than to cross the thunderous expression that Severus was wearing, she skulked out of the Hospital Wing. The matter of Nott, on the other hand…
"Nott, you have permission to stay with Mister Malfoy, but could you wait outside the Hospital Wing whilst I have a word with him?"
The boy looked at the whimpering boy on the bed, before back at Severus and nodded, turning briskly on his heel. Severus turned his attention back to the subject in question, and kept a cool mask affixed to his face.
"Have you completely lost your mind? I know for fine fact that you were not dropped on the head as a child, so my conclusion can only arrive to the fact that you have finally succumbed to insanity."
Draco Malfoy knew better than to mewl in front of him. He would garner more warmth from a houseplant than Severus Snape. The boy gave him a glare that was reminiscent of the woman that he was dreading hearing scarlet correspondence from.
"Well?"
"I am injured, you know."
"I did not come here to offer sympathy, boy, I came here to ascertain what in Merlin's name you hoped to achieve when you provoked a Hippogriff?"
"It attacked me!" the boy exclaimed, gesticulating and waving his injured arm and causing himself unnecessary pain. Draco wailed loudly and the matron rushed to his side, but not before Severus had sat next to him and had undone the bloody bandages wrapped around Draco's arm. He peered at the bloody mess, and the deep gashes in the boy's thin arm. The matron did not appear impressed by his brusqueness.
"Severus!"
"The injury is to the bone," Severus noted lifting the arm and peering at it from different angles. "Did you even so much even note that the Hippogriff you provoked had long, sharp talons?"
"It attacked me," Draco repeated, wincing his time.
"Hippogriffs are immensely proud creatures, and would not have attacked you without provocation, much like yourself," Severus said, still assessing at the deep wounds that were still oozing blood. He took the thick paste that Poppy had prepared and was about to apply to the boy's arm. Severus spread it carefully on his arm, and ignored the moans emanating from Draco.
"I forgot to warn you, this stings a little."
"A little?" The boy questioned incredulously. Severus slapped some more paste on, and Draco continued moaning. A small sound escaped the matron's lips but Severus ignored her.
"Maybe this is a lesson to hold your tongue, and think carefully about the consequences of your actions."
The boy grimaced, and stuck out his lower lip as he sulked. Severus bound the arm gently with bandages again. When he was done, he stood up and watched as the boy inspected his fresh bandages.
"Your talents are wasted as a Potions Master, Uncle Sev, you should have just become a Healer instead."
"Less of the smart mouth, Mister Malfoy, or I will tell Flint that your arm injury to so severe you can no longer play Quidditch."
Severus resisted the urge to chuckle as the boy glowered at him. After assuring Poppy that he would brew the necessary potions, he left the Hospital Wing. He informed Nott that the boy was to return to classes the next day, and the sullen boy nodded. Snape returned to his own quarters, readying himself to brew the onslaught of potions so his godson's arm did not fall off. The day had already taken for a worse before he even went into his office to see what awaited him there.
No less than three red envelopes sat bouncing on his desk, as did the owl that he had once gifted a friend. Severus pinched the bridge of his nose as he prepared for the onslaught to commence. Another owl floated through whatever damned entrance the winged menaces seemed to find to get into his office. This owl was carrying a plain envelope. Not wanting to particularly hear Narcissa screaming, he chose to open the plain one. He noted the luxurious stock as he propped the letter open before quickly scanning it.
"Fuck."
This day could actually get worse.
A/N: In reference to what Draco was saying, here is some maths.
Multiply by 9, reduce to 9: 5x9=45, 4+5=9 or 12x9=108, 1+0+8=9.
Add by 9, reduce to itself: 6+9=15, 1+5=6 or 8+9=17, 1+7=8
Therefore, the effect of 9 can be overpowering or it can have no effect, kinda neat, right?
Sorry, I was gone to long, but I will update today and Thursday to apologise for my extended hiatus. However, the thesis is finally in, I have officially completed my Masters degree and I have a bit of a break now. So after this Thursday, it will be back to updating every Thursday.
I love writing Snape/anyone stuff, it just is a different tone to the rest of the characters. Also, I know canonically Malfoy gets attacked during the first day at Hogwarts, but you know, fluff before fact.
Happy reading,
CSxo