A/N: Well, it's been quite a while since I've written a story and I'm grateful that I looked at the assignments over on the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry forum because one of the tasks certainly inspired me and this is the result. I would like to thank my alpha/beta team: bondgirltrb, Ciel, Holisticpixie and SybilEvergreen, for all of their help with this. All rights to Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling.
With that said, enjoy the story.
While the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams were bickering over the training schedule, Hermione and Ron had left the stands to join Harry. From the way the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams were heatedly throwing insults back and forth, it was clear that what Draco Malfoy had said had also hit a nerve with Hermione. She didn't care for Draco's attitude. Just because he was a pureblood, he had to rub it in that his family was wealthy to make everyone else look bad. She had to wonder whether Flint even wanted the blond on his team - she'd seen the way he shot glares at Draco now and then - or whether he'd had any choice in the matter, at all. That being said, she wasn't going to stand idly back, she had to say something to shut him up.
"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," Hermione stated sharply, her chestnut brown gaze finding Draco's grey one as she continued, "They got in on pure talent."
The smug smirk that had graced Draco's porcelain lips mere moments ago slipped as her barb hit its mark. She could see through him for what he was, but she wasn't afraid to say it either, and that unnerved him. He heard the hushed whispers of discussion from his teammates around him, bristling him further.
Draco knew he wasn't well liked among the Slytherin team due to the superior way he carried himself, that he was tolerated at best. However, he was determined that once they saw his skill on the sleek Nimbus 2001, he held that they would surely warm to him and show him respect as he deserved. What he couldn't have was Granger putting him down in front of his peers. Voice dripping with venom, he spat back, "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."
He hadn't expected for her to understand the meaning behind the name, given her Muggle upbringing, but the damage was done. He should have known. She was intelligent and would have probably read about it somewhere. The colour in her cheeks drained away, while her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Whatever pride he'd felt mere seconds ago vanished at seeing the hurt on her face. He never thought he'd feel this sick to his stomach, watching her hurry away from the throng of students on the pitch to get away from him.
You aren't as cold hearted as you think you are, you aren't like your father no matter how much you try to be, his conscience commented but he ignored it. Within moments of Granger leaving, the uproar his words had caused escalated around him as one of the Weasley twins launched himself towards Draco, russet brown eyes filled with rage.
"You little blond bastard," he seethed, only to be stopped by Wood grabbing him, forcibly keeping him away from Draco.
"No, Fred, this is not the place, nor the time," Oliver said sternly to his team mate, resoluteness in his own brown eyes. He too was angry on Potter's friend's behalf, but attacking the young student would do nothing.
Draco turned his gaze to Ron who had took his wand out and was pointing it directly at Draco, while Harry looked on in angry shock. It was the other Weasley twin that stopped Ron, kneeling down in front of him to block Draco from his sight.
"Ron, he isn't worth it."
"But, George, he called Hermione that…"
"I know what he called her, mate, but you trying to hex him into next week isn't a good idea, even if he deserves it. You and Harry go and find Hermione, alright?"
The brothers shared a look before Ron nodded, put his wand away and left the Quidditch grounds with Harry.
Breathing a sigh of relief that he had got out of not one, but two near scrapes, Draco turned, only to realise that whatever luck he thought was on his side was in fact long gone.
His captain, Marcus Flint grabbed him by his Quidditch robes lifting him up off the ground with relevant ease. Draco gulped visibly. He was in for it now. Marcus was built stockily and didn't beat around the bush.
Yeah, well, you deserve it, his conscience chimed in, and the thing is you know you do, don't you?
Marcus glared at Draco; his hazel eyes furious. There was a restrained strength to his grip on the younger wizard, his carefully controlled rage making him even more dangerous.
He couldn't believe the gall Draco had to say that to Hermione Granger. The word itself sickened Marcus to his very core. He may be a pureblood, the Flint family being a solid member of the 'Sacred Twenty-Eight', but Marcus, along with his parents, didn't believe in blood purity like the others did. He could see that Draco was already being moulded by his father and it was a shame. He was going to set the young boy straight, to hell with the consequences.
"Marcus, mate, is this wise? You know who his father is," Adrian whispered as he stood beside his friend, yet not making a move to make him put Draco down.
"I'm not afraid of Lucius Malfoy, Adrian. Granger was right, this one did buy his way in because of his father. We may be Slytherins, but we show respect, you know that," Marcus replied, turning to meet his friend's gaze.
When Adrian didn't protest, Marcus turned back to Draco and snarled, "That was bang out of order, Malfoy! I don't care if your father is on the board of governors for Hogwarts, nor that he bought the new brooms to get you a place on the team. You might be a Slytherin, but you portray everything that we get slated for. You show some respect for your fellow students, no matter their house, or their blood. As for training, you can sit this one out." Marcus released Draco, dropping him onto the ground, his legs shaky before his broom was snatched from his grasp as Professor Snape strode onto the pitch, his black cloak billowing behind him.
"What is going on here?" Snape asked in his familiar deep monotone, his onyx gaze going from the dishevelled Draco to Marcus, whose shoulders were tight with unrestrained fury.
Marcus met his Head of House's gaze head on, his voice clear, "I think you should ask Malfoy about that, Professor." With that, he joined Adrian and returned to the team to discuss whether to train that day or not.
"Well, Mister Malfoy…" Severus began, looking at his godson whose eyes betrayed him, guilt shimmering within the grey depths. The well-crafted mask he usually wore, carefully moulded under his father's tutelage, was down now. Before Snape was the boy he knew.
Draco met his godfather's gaze firmly, even though in that moment all he wanted to do was look anywhere else. He knew that Severus was disappointed in him for making a scene, and he knew what was to come once he explained the sin he'd committed.
"I… I made a fool of myself and the team by showing off," Draco said.
"There must be more to it than that, because I saw the way Mr Flint was looking at you as he held you off the ground. My office, Mister Malfoy, now," Severus drawled, turning on his heel he swept away from the pitch, without looking behind him.
Draco trailed behind his godfather, his eyes on the gravel path before him as they made their way back up to the castle. He felt sick again with what he'd done, but he knew there was no way he could take it back. It wasn't as though he had a Time-Turner to hand. If his father had been there at the time, he would have revelled in the spectacle. His mother, however, would have shied away, possibly with the same disappointment he knew Severus would hold for him soon enough.
When they reached Severus' office in the dungeons, Severus sat down at his desk, the mahogany wood seeming to shine from the dim light of the sconces on the stone walls and the fire burning away in the hearth. He watched Draco steadily, waiting for him to continue the tale.
"Granger made a mockery out of me, suggesting that I bought my way onto the team, so, I… I called her a filthy little Mudblood." There was no malice in Draco's voice as he explained, only a deep regret that was evident to Severus' ears. A regret Severus knew well, as he had been unable to repair the damage of the word in his own life with Lily, for which he carried the guilt to this day.
Severus' eyes turned to slits. He had half a mind in that moment to scold the boy more severely than he had planned: he had known there had been more to the scene earlier, and for it to be this of all things… The displeasure he felt that the boy had learned nothing concerned him. He knew the ugly power that slur held and the hurt that it caused once released. He sighed and stood up to his full height, making Draco feel smaller than he already did. Severus massaged his temples with his long, elegant fingers as he stood by the hearth staring into the fire while he tried to find the right thing to say to his godson.
After a few minutes, though the silence as well as the tension made it seem like an eternity for Draco, Severus finally turned back around to face him. "I'm very disappointed in you, Draco. I thought you knew better than to hurl such vile insults. Tell me, am I a Mudblood too in your eyes? My father was a Muggle after all."
"No, Uncle, I would never…"
Severus' raised hand halted Draco in his tracks. "So, then what gives you the right to say such a thing to a witch in your very year?"
"I… I don't know…"
"You and I both know that isn't the truth. She made you feel inferior, and you had to put her in her place, didn't you? By tarnishing her blood status."
Draco didn't speak, he couldn't in that moment, he simply nodded his head, his eyes on his shoes. Severus covered the distance between them until there were only inches separating him from the young wizard. "Look at me."
Draco didn't want to look at his godfather, he was ashamed of himself. If given the choice, he would have run from the room like the coward he was, far away where no one could find him. It felt like his guilt and shame were crushing the very life out of him. He lifted his head slowly, grey eyes glistening with unshed tears. Severus exhaled. Seeing his godson vulnerable like this was a punch to the gut. Kneeling down in front of him, so that they were near enough the same height, he gently placed a hand on Draco's shoulder and spoke with as much gentleness as he could, "Draco, you can't walk around this school like you own it, nor can you buy people's friendship. You have a choice. You do not have to be your father's double just because of your name. I'm deducting twenty points for your behaviour, and I think an apology is in order for Miss Granger."
A single tear rolled down Draco's pale, alabaster cheek, he could feel his bottom lip tremble. His father would not stand to see such vulnerability in a Malfoy heir, but he knew his godfather wasn't judging him.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Severus."
Severus placed his free hand on Draco's cheek softly. "I know the burden you carry, Draco. But you do not have to follow in his path if you don't want to. You are here to learn, yes, but also to enjoy your time, to have adventures and form friendships. Don't let your father's shadow taint that."
Draco wiped away the tears that followed the first and hugged Severus, who held him for a few moments, feeling his godson relax.
When he was ready, Draco broke free from the embrace and stepped back. He was at ease now. He would no longer wear the mask. His true self needed to be in control. "I should go and find Granger."
"Yes, I think you should."
"Thank you, Uncle Severus," Draco said before turning and leaving the office as Severus watched his retreating figure until he was out of sight.
When Draco emerged from the dungeons into the Entrance Hall, he began to walk towards the large oak doors to search for the bushy haired witch. Just at that moment she entered the hall with Harry and Ron by her side.
As he steeled himself for what might come, he made his way over to them, stopping a few steps away.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Potter demanded, taking a step forward, his body blocking Hermione protectively, emerald green eyes gleaming threateningly.
Ignoring him, Draco looked directly at Hermione. "Granger, can I talk with you for a moment, please?"
"Why? So, you can insult her again?" Ron stated, stepping forward on the other side of her, the boys acting like her guards. Draco was glad that they were protective of her, and he knew he had earned the animosity oozing from them.
"Harry… Ron… go and get a seat in the Great Hall before dinner begins. I won't be long," Hermione said gently but decisively, looking at them both. She had no intention of backing down.
Draco could tell from their faces that they didn't want to leave her alone with him, but they acquiesced to her all the same, even though they glared at him as they left. When they had vanished from sight into the Great Hall, Hermione met his gaze. "Whatever you have to say, Malfoy, go ahead."
"I came to apologise. What I called you was wrong, and I am sorry for it, truly, Granger."
Hermione stood there for a moment, studying him as she let the words that had fallen from his lips sink in. She observed his face carefully, looking for any sign of deception, but she was only met by earnest regret and sincerity. She knew if the boys had been here and heard him, they would have told her to walk away. While she could understand where they would be coming from, she did wonder if their hatred for the boy in front of her, blurred the lines of what they thought was in her best interests, at times. She was a witch who could make her own choices and she was going to give him another chance.
A/N: If you enjoyed reading this, feel free to leave a review with your thoughts.
Until next time,
Grace x
