Beyond Appearances

Title: Beyond Appearances


Author: Liadyn Malfoy


Archived: Fanfiction.net & adult-fanfiction.org


Summary: Harry and Draco are returning to Hogwarts for their seventh year. Though this year is different. Alliances are formed and together they learn that there is always something beyond the appearance and that everyone wears a mask.


Rating: NC-17


Pairings: Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione...may be others!!


Beta: Candlewyk


Disclaimer: Hey There Guys!!! I know you already know this but I have to tell you again. I don not own Harry Potter or anything related to him. I'm not making money off of any of my stories. I just do this for the fun of it.




Chapter Three


Change Of Heart




Draco walked into the sitting room, where he knew his mother would be. Sure enough he found her sitting in one of the overstuffed armchairs, feet resting on an ottoman , book in her lap, and a glass of brandy in her hand. A picture of elegance.


"I'm going riding, mother. If you need me I will be in the west pasture."


Narcissa waved her hand dismissively before turning back to her book. Draco nodded and left the manor, quickly making his way down to the stables. Once out of the house he breathed a sigh of relief. He hated being locked in that drafty old mansion and the last week had been even worse than normal. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.


Draco entered the stables and made his way to the far back corner, pulling out several sugar cubes from his pocket. In the farthest stall was an old mare, an elegant sign hung above the door declaring that her name was Asphodel. Her coat was dull from age, her eyes were slowly failing, and she no longer could bear a passenger but she was still by far his favorite.


"Hey girl." he greeted softly, slipping into the stall. He rested his right hand on her, gently rubbing small soothing circles into her flank. With his other hand he fed her the sugar cubes. "Father's not very happy with me."


When she finished the sugar she nuzzled him in the side, looking for more. When she found none she went back to munching on the straw that littered her stall.


"Every Friday father has a dinner guest, usually one of his pathetic friends from Voldemort's inner circle. This time it wasn't one of his lackeys it was Voldemort himself. Up until that moment I had fully intended to follow my father and become a faithful Death Eater, after all what else could a Malfoy really do? I watched my father interact with the Dark Lord and talk about killing muggles and muggleborns as though it was a daily occurrence, and for them it probably is. Sure I dislike muggles for their single track way of thinking but I don't want to rid the world of them. As much as I hate to admit it the wizarding world would not be able to survive without them."


Draco sighed and leaned his head against Asphodel's flank.


"Do you know what I did then? I told the Dark Lord that I was not interested in becoming a Death Eater. Can you believe it? I thought I was dead on the spot. Do you know what he did? He laughed. He laughed and went back to eating his dinner. When he left all he said was that it was a shame that I had changed my mind. I'm not stupid. I know that wasn't the end of it. No one turned down the Dark Lord and lived to tell about it, and I know he would not allow me to be the first. Father was furious. When Voldemort had left he locked me into the dungeons for several days, periodically showing up to shout curses through the bars on my cell. Mother on the other hand didn't even bother to check on me. I guess it interfered with her schedule. I really shouldn't complain though. At least I have memories of her being a parent, unlike the man I am forced to call Father." Draco explained. "You know what? You are so lucky that you never knew your parents, then again you probably been better off then I am."


A small pop outside the stall caused the mare to shy away. Draco instantly reached for his wand. "Who's there?"


"It's Zazu, Master Draco." A small house elf squeaked. "You is wanted at the manor. Master Lucius has returned."


Draco nodded, dismissing the elf.


"Looks like father's got his second wind. He's probably thought up a slew of new curses. It would be a terrible shame to waste them." Draco sighed, giving the mare one last pat and leaving the stable.


He walked slowly up to the manor. Whatever was waiting for him was something that he wasn't going to like. Lucius had probably come up with what he called a solution, which usually involved some crack pot scheme to get them back into Voldemort's good graces. He wouldn't have summoned him to simply yell at him. If that was all he wanted he would have waited until Draco had returned to the manor.


With one last look at the grounds Draco entered the house through the front doors. The house was quiet. There wasn't even a house elf waiting at the door and all the pictures had fled their frames.


"Father?" Draco called, hanging up his cloak. The only reply was the sound of his footsteps echoing down the empty corridor. With a creased brow Draco moved towards the sitting room with caution. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong.


With a steady hand he pushed open the door. His mother was sitting in the same armchair. Her head had fallen to rest against the back of the chair, her book lay in her lap never to be finished, her left arm hung over the armrest where her glass of brandy had shattered onto the floor. She was no longer among the living.


"Mum?" Draco whispered, moving further into the room. He knelt beside her and checked for a pulse. As he had suspected there was no steady beat. . He reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.


"Beautiful even in death."


Draco spun around and came face to face with his father and several other Death Eaters. All of them looked as though Christmas had come early. Realization sunk in and cause Draco to take a step back. Anger following closely behind.


"You bastard." Draco growled. "You fucking bastard! She was your wife and you killed her!"


"The end justifies the means, Draco. She was in the way."


"In the way? Of what?"



"You." Lucius replied, sitting gracefully in one of the chairs. "Now that she is gone you have nothing holding you back. There is nothing preventing you from becoming a Death Eater."


"Is this is what this is about?" Draco asked, incredulously. "Whether or not I'll become a Death Eater?"


"Of course, although I can't really blame you. I did teach you to respect your parents." Lucius sighed, glancing over at Narcissa's body. "She never did want you to become a Death Eater. Stupid fool."


"Mother had nothing to do with my decision not to join you and your pathetic excuse for a leader!"


"Do not insult the Dark Lord in my presence." Lucius growled, turning his wand on his son. "You have no idea of the power he has."


"You know what? He can keep it and you can have the pleasure of knowing that I will continue to respect and honor my parents...well at least the one that was actually a parent." Draco sneered. "Given time I probably would have given in and joined but now that you've done this, you can take the offer and shove it right up your arse!"


Lucius rose with a deadly glare. "If you refuse than you will die."


Draco glanced around the room. There were seven Death Eaters blocking the rooms only exit and Lucius stood in front of him. He might stand a chance against Lucius but not all of them. The only other options were Floo and apparation.



The fireplace was out of the question. There was no way he could make it to the fireplace without being cursed, which only left him with apparating. There was a dozen wards preventing people form apparating on or off the Malfoy grounds, but they all allowed a Malfoy to pass through. This way only his father then he stood a chance of surviving. The only problem with this plan that he didn't know whether or not the wards had been disabled to let the Death Eaters through. If they weren't then he was going to have a lot of angry Death Eaters on his tail.


"Do you understand Draco?" Lucius snapped. "If you refuse the Dark Mark you will be killed."



Draco looked up with a smirk. "Then kill me."


With a loud pop he apparated. After several moments of passing through space, Draco landed in Diagon Alley. As soon as he regained his balance he took of running. Hopefully he would be able to lose them in muggle London.


As he reached the gate into London he heard several loud pops indicating that the wards had been disabled. Death Eaters were now in Diagon Alley.