Chapter 1: Unhappiness

Draco sat with his back on his door, blocking the entrance of the man that was yelling at him with anger. He had said something in front of his father regarding his mistreatment of their house elf and that was all it took for Lucius Malfoy to burst into rage. Draco had always feared him, and he knew that whatever he said, if it was against his father believes it would end this way.

His mother had said nothing. Like always. Draco had never felt more alone than in that moment and for a second, he thought of what would have happened if his family was different. If he had born in a different family or what if his father for once was a loving and caring man. What if his mother had said something or intervened every time Lucius had an outburst of anger towards his only son. What if he had friends that came from families that loved their children and did not just have them for the sake of their family name. What if…

Draco thought of the golden trio for a moment. How every each of them had families that loved them at one point.

The Weasleys were known for the size of the family and how loving and caring both parents were with their children. Potter's parents had died protecting him.

They gave their lives for his.

Even Draco knew that the only explanation for that decision was love for his only child.

Probably Granger also had loving parents, he couldn't know for sure as he had never really talked or even listen to her. The only thing she knew about her was that she was muggle-born. Probably she was loved as well.

Sure, Draco's mother had sacrificed her believes for him during the war and that had cost them everything, but... was that all the love she had for him?

The war had ended, and the world had returned to 'normal' and so did his life. His parents barely suffered in the eyes of the magic world, because of his mother's actions but because of her mother´s actions Lord Voldemort was gone. For good.

The magic community had celebrated for days. But not his family. Lucius had fallen into a constant state of rage. Rage for what he had done to his saviour, rage towards his wife that sacrificed their master for her child, rage at Draco for making his family weak.

He had nowhere to go. His friends were in the same situation as he was, or even worse. His parents were let go with a slap on the wrist while some of the parents of his friends were sent to Azkaban. He was all alone.

The screams had died down. Lucius had finally calm down. Draco did no longer need to block the entry to his room. He got up from the floor, cleaning his clothes and pulling his hair from his eyes. He heard a small crack, the sound of someone apparate nearby. It was Bissy, the house-elf that he had defended from his father. "Master Draco" – He heard, he did not turn to look at her or to even acknowledge her presence. – "Bissy is okay, master." – She said again, and with that the same crack sound filled the room. He was alone again.

Bissy had been his house elf since he was a child. And after Potter had freed Dobby, she had been the only on in Malfoy Manor to care for him.

He was alone. He had always been, and the thought of Bissy and Dobby being his only carers made proof of what his mind kept repeating. "I´m alone" – He said in a whisper to himself. – "All alone" – repeated once more and then, without expecting it a loud noise and a violent tremor shook Malfoy Manor.

For three seconds everything moved, as if an earthquake had decided that the moment, he had a revelation it was time for shaking the earth to make everything worse. It felt like 3 seconds, but it could've been longer. He could not remember.

The movement made some of his belongings hanging from the walls fall, including the family portrait that his mother had insisted on hanging on his wall. It was not a big portrait, but it was heavy, and the fall had made it crack right in the middle where he was in the portrait.

The earth stopped moving and with that came more silence. No one checked on him. In fact, it seemed as if no one had noticed what had happened. Or just did not care for him and his safety. With that thought in his mind, Draco decided to go to sleep. It wasn't as if he had any other plans, and most certainly would not go downstairs to where his parents were.

While lying in his bed, he thought again of the golden trio. – "It must be nice to be loved" – He whispered to himself before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

Lights everywhere.

People laughing.

Warmth.

Ugly sweaters with a D in the middle.

Butterbeer.

Trips to Hogsmeade.

Gryffindor!

Startled, Draco opened his eyes, as if he just had the worst nightmare, he could've had. Everything was still dark, but he was no longer in his room. He was in what looked like his dormitory. His Hogwarts dormitory. He couldn't see properly but the banners were not green and silver which was impossible. I must be still dreaming – he thought for himself while turning in his bed. He closed his eyes again, thinking it was all dream until he heard a voice that recognised as Ron Weasleys. "Spiders, spiders everywhere and they want me to dance "– The voice said with a tint of terror before falling back into silence.

Draco slowly opened his eyes again and silently began to stand up from his bed. Desperately searched for his wand and once he found it cast Lumos. The light brightened the room and to his horror the banners were in fact not green and silver, but red and gold. And lions, lions everywhere.

He was in the damn dormitory of Gryffindor. How did he get there? How did he even managed to enter the Gryffindor wing?!

His heart began pounding in his chest and threatening him with killing him. He couldn't breathe. This was a nightmare. How was he back in Hogwarts?! After the war ended, he hadn't gone back to that place. He never even returned for his N.E. .

He could feel the panic growing in his veins. This is a nightmare – he kept repeating for himself while running away from the dormitory and down the stairs to the common room. Everything was spinning and he couldn't breathe.

"Draco, are you well?" – He heard in the distance in a muffled sound. He knew that voice, unfortunately. – "I think you're sleep walking. Come, sit with me by the fire "– Continued hearing, but this time he felt how she touched him. She grabbed him by the arm, softly and carefully leading him to the couch in front of the fire that adorned the centre of the common room. It was Hermione Granger. And she was being nice and looked worried for him.

This is a nightmare – Said once again, this time at loud. He heard the girl laughing at his comment and while shaking her lush and messy hair at the same rhythm as her head. "I don't think is a nightmare. I think I'd have a second head or there'd be multiple professor McGonagall chasing you, or something like that" – She said. She handed him a piece of chocolate like it was a natural thing to do for her. Like they were friends.

"Have you heard from your mother?" – He did not understand the question. He just stared at her, blinking as if he had no thoughts behind his eyes. – "You know, about Christmas. I know you said you wanted to spend it with us at the Weasleys, but I thought maybe your mom wanted to be with you for the festivities. And yes, I know that you haven't really talked to her since our first year but still... she is your mom. I know your aunt Andromeda will be at the Weasleys too, but ... I don't know" – She shrugged and in that second a rush of information came to him as if it had triggered and opened a trunk of memories, he did not know he had.

"Well, this is curious" – Said the sorting hat. "You're a Malfoy, but inside of you there's not the soul of a Malfoy. What to do... what to do..." – Kept repeating. – "You could do great things in this house, yes… I know. Gryffindor" – Exclaimed and for a second the Great Hall was filled with shock and surprise, being filled later with students clapping and celebrating his addition to the house.

"You are no longer a son of mine! Gryffindor? Do you know the disgrace you have brought upon us?! – Screamed the Howler in front of him. He had opened it in privacy, and he let a couple of tears fall through his cheeks. – You better not comeback to Malfoy manor. You are no longer welcome here. What will your father say when I tell him?!

"I'm Hermione Granger, and this is Ron Weasley and of course you already met Harry" – Said the girl shaking his hand with confidence. – "You can sit with us if you want. I was explaining Ron how to cast this spell. He keeps mispronouncing it .

"Dear Draco,

I've heard from the Weasleys that my dear and lost sister has decided that being a Gryffindor was the worst thing that could happen to her family. For us is not this way.

I know my sister and your father has said many things about me and my husband, but please remember you will always have a family in us. Your cousin, Nymphadora sends her love and wishes to see you soon.

Professor Dumbledore has updated your information and will inform us of your progress.

We have prepared a room for you, in your new home (if you decide to come).

Love,

Andromeda Tonks.

"Happy birthday, Draco" – Said Ron while giving him some wrapped candy and a awkward hug. Harry had a cake in his arms, with a misspelled message. – "Hagrid did the cake, he kept insisting that he knew what was writing but you can see he didn't" - He added laughing while the four of them sat in front of the fire in the common room.

"You have a present too from Mrs. Weasley" – Harry said from the first floor. Draco was still half asleep when he leaned through the ledge to see what his friends were doing. – "I think you got the same as me, but with your name on it" – He added scratching his arms under the ugly red and gold sweater. And Harry was right, Mrs. Weasley had knitted him the exact same sweater with a huge "D" in the middle of it.

As if the information was timed, Draco came back to his senses just as Hermione stopped talking about Christmas and how her parents had decided that they wanted to spend New Year's Eve at her grandparents' house in the south of France. He nodded, not really knowing what to say about it since he had not listened a word of what she had said. She noticed but just gave him a weird look before standing up and declaring that she needed to sleep.

She brushed his hair with her fingers quickly while saying good night and walked away. He could not describe the feeling of what had just happened. What were those memories, where did they came from. Was he dreaming?

So many questions. Not a single answer.

It must some sort of lucid dream, or a sleeping spell. – He thought for himself. He found himself alone in the middle of the common room of Gryffindor, being illuminated only by the flames. He could hear snoring coming from the portraits hanging on the walls. He still couldn't breathe. The heat coming from the fire calmed him for a moment, but his brain kept racing with different thoughts and ideas of what was happening. – maybe if I close my eyes and try to sleep again everything will be back to normal. - he thought and with the thought walked back to the dormitory, not without getting lost a couple of times in the process.

Finally, once in his bed or what he assumed was his bed, he covered himself with the blankets and forcefully closed his eyes. He managed to fall asleep, but not for long. After what he felt was 5 minutes of sleep, he heard someone waking them up.

"Good morning, time to wake up" – Draco complained in his sleepy state before realizing that he had woken up once again in the same place he went to sleep. The dormitory of Gryffindor. The memories that had rushed into his brain a couple of hours ago were still there. He was still in the same place.

He was a Gryffindor.

He was back at Hogwarts.

He was friends with the golden trio.

He let out a scream that tried to muffle with his pillow before feeling someone shaking him firmly.

"Draco, get up. We'll be late and Hermione will kill us. And you know that she knows how to make it look like an accident" – The voice said. He knew that voice. He despised that voice. He despised the owner of that voice.

It was Harry fucking Potter.

This really was a nightmare.