How They Fell

Chapter Twenty Nine


Malfoy sat waiting in the Headmasters office gratefully sipping a cup of tea. He was feeling exhausted and having Dumbledore interrogate him was really the last thing that he wanted right now.

He had been left alone for half an hour or so while Dumbledore questioned Nott and the others. To be honest Draco was thankful for the respite. He didn’t think that Dumbledore would punish him. After all, this had all been Dumbledore’s intention and was entirely due to his manipulations; annoying old coot.

His mind wondered back to the battle. Only twenty of Nott’s previous twenty five followers had faced him and the looks on some of their faces clearly said that they did not wish to be there; Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle a part of that group. Draco was pretty certain that Dumbledore would be carefully manoeuvring them into a position were they would turn to support him.

That left Nott a group of fourteen followers. To Draco this was unsurprising; the group was made up of the children of death eaters and certain characters from which he did not expect anything else.

Still, only fourteen new supporters, and none of them particularly creative, the Dark Lord would not be pleased. Draco smiled a thin smile of triumph. Next time the Dark Lord chose to kill purebloods he would have to consider just how many supporters he would be losing and how valuable they would be. Draco knew that part of his fury would be that he had lost two such useful supporters as the Malfoy’s. That made him feel very smug.

But God he felt exhausted! Blocking that many spells and the concentration it took! It had been worth it though, the look of surprise and even awe on everyone’s face. And he knew that reports of it would already be circling around Slytherin house making people confident in his power as leader and therefore more likely to follow.

He had succeeded in his goal and fulfilled his family’s expectations. A wide grin covered his face and a feeling of satisfaction filled him.

It faded gradually as he remembered Nott’s last curse. The feeling of the crucio pulsing towards him was something he would never forget. But then he had felt something else. A ward flung around him with Harry’s magical signature all over it.

Neither it nor his shield could have stopped the curse of course, but the memory warmed him. In spite of how horrible he had been to Potter recently, the other boy was still good enough to try to protect him when he needed it. He couldn’t have totally alienated him with his actions and perhaps there was a chance that they could talk a bit, get over it…

But no!

Draco’s face went hard, anger once more suffusing it.

No that was weakness! That way would lead to trouble and the possibility of…Not that Potter was even interested. But that wasn’t the point! He, Draco, should not be interested! And there was no way in hell that he was going to let anyone see for a moment that he was!

No, he had made his decision. He would follow his blood and do what was expected from his name.

The door of the office creaked open and Dumbledore entered, an odd mixture of satisfaction and yet sadness evident in his movements.

“Ah, Draco,” he said smiling warmly.

‘Of course now I’ve gone and done what he wanted me to I get upgraded to being referred to by my first name. Great.’ Draco thought somewhat bitterly.

“Professor,” Draco replied with a head nod.

Dumbledore sat down behind his desk.

“More tea?”

“No, thank you.”

There was a pause before Dumbledore smiled at Draco.

“I must congratulate you Mr. Malfoy on your superb blocking skills. They made quite an impression on Nott’s little group and no doubt on the rest of the school as well.” Dumbledore looked at him kindly. There was a pause as Dumbledore made himself a cup of tea and stirred it meditatively.

“I was pleased to find you working so well with Mr. Potter over the holidays,” he said with a slight smile which made Draco wonder just how much the headmaster could know. He was answered as Dumbledore continued.

“Of course there is still quite a bit of enmity between you, but that you can overcome it at need shows a great deal of maturity. I think thirty house points should be suitable.”

“Thank you, sir,” Draco replied, bemused.

“And you have taken such great,” there was a momentary pause, “care, with your house recently that I feel another twenty points are in order.”

Fifty points! That would certainly make Slytherin house sit up and pay attention. Not only had he broken one of the school rules by duelling in a corridor and gotten away with it, but he was now being rewarded for his actions. Oh yes, Slytherin house would respect him even more now, believing him to have wrangled his way out of it. Damn the headmaster was clever!

Draco found it amusing that Dumbledore was being so circumspect in his way of congratulating him. Never actually stating what he was being praised for, but dancing around the subject. He briefly wondered how the man had been placed in Gryffindor.

His thoughts were interrupted as Dumbledore continued.

“And with this incident, fighting off an attack made on Hogwarts by the Death Eaters…” Draco was fighting hard to keep a straight face. “It is a rare success.” He paused slightly, perhaps a ghost of a smile flitting across his face. “I therefore think that another fifty points are necessary to express the gratitude of myself and the staff.”

One hundred points!

Draco couldn’t hide a half smirk.

“Thank you,” Draco said, feeling rather self-satisfied. However, he quickly checked the emotion, realizing that this was the perfect moment to obtain some more information from Dumbledore.

“What will happen to Nott and the others?” he asked his voice carefully bland.

Dumbledore’s face became stern.

“Those that are unrepentant of their actions will be expelled, their wands will be broken and they will be watched.” Draco’s eyebrows twitched in surprise at the precautions, they would not stop Voldemort. “They might be tried, I don’t know.” Dumbledore said with a shrug, reading Draco’s thoughts.

“And those that are having second thoughts?”

“A rather more complicated matter. They will be suspended from school for a week and a mark will be placed in their permanent records ensuring that if another such incident occurred it would result in instant expulsion.”

Draco thought it sounded fair enough and tried to fight back a yawn. It was all important information but he was just so tired!

“I hope,” Dumbledore said looking at him searchingly, “that Miss Parkinson, Misters Crabbe and Goyle and the others will not be ostracised from their house for their actions?”

“No sir,” Draco responded.

“Good! In which case I think you had better go and…calm your common room, it is likely to be in some commotion.”

Draco nodded, fighting off his annoyance at receiving helpful suggestions at how to manage his house; he had promised Harry he wouldn’t let it get to him.

Damn! Why did everything relate back to Harry sodden Potter?

“Although there is one more thing that I would like to discuss with you.”

Draco braced himself expecting the worst, and it came.

“I realise that this is a difficult subject, but how is your father?”

Draco felt the lead weight which always filled him when he thought about Lucius settle in his stomach. Nevertheless he swallowed and attempted to answer.

“He is, much the same as he was. There is no improvement.”

Dumbledore nodded in understanding.

“I am sorry to hear it.”

Draco was tempted to snort, but his eyes caught Dumbledore’s and he stopped himself.

“In which case,” the headmaster continued, “it seems likely that he will never recover.”

Draco bowed his head, excepting the inevitability of that statement.

“We will therefore need a new Lord Malfoy.”

Draco’s head snapped up, his eyes bulging out of his head.

“And a new head of the House of Black,” he stated in his calm, even voice. “I suggest you apply for your inheritance as soon as possible Mr. Malfoy.”

Draco nodded speechless.

“Good,” said Dumbledore smiling the smile that said that he had achieved exactly what he wanted. “And once again I thank you for your involvement in this matter.” The headmaster was peering at him over the top of his half moon glasses in a way which Draco thought of as his intense look.

He nodded once more and left the office.

* * *

The common room had been in a state of confusion, but had silenced as soon as Draco had entered.

Really it had been great fun. The students who had closely followed Nott were all looking shifty and uncomfortable. The majority of the rest stared at him with barely concealed awe and a first year even squeaked when he brushed passed him.

Draco left the common room knowing that he was very definitely the leader of Slytherin once more and that no one in their right mind would try to contest his position. All in all a good days work, now he just needed a long sleep.

* * *

The weeks that followed were equally satisfactory. His grades continued to improve, once again placing him at the top of his classes (with the exception of Granger), people looked at him with amazement and made way for him in the corridors and Lucius was placed on a calming potion which made their weekly meetings a lot more comfortable. He was back on the Quidditch team and announced the fact with a stunning victory against Ravenclaw. He once again had friends and admirers to surround himself with whenever he wanted.

He also followed Dumbledore’s advice (although he hated to admit it) and applied to the ministry for the position of Lord Malfoy and all of the powers that title held to be granted to him.

The ministry were not happy about it. They did not want a new Lord Malfoy, not when the position had so much influence over the government, especially not one with questionable allegiances. And they didn’t even have proof that the old one was dead. However, it was his right; no one could deny him that. Draco hired the best wizard lawyers to argue his case and fill in the paperwork, and, astonishingly for the rest of the wizarding world he even had Dumbledore’s support. His case was further strengthened by the fact that his father had already been arrested, if Draco had been old enough then his assets would have been instantly passed onto him. It all boded for a case that the ministry simply could not refuse.

Draco knew that his assumption of the Malfoy and Black titles could only add to the sway he held over the Slytherins, as well as adding to his wealth and importance. It was a necessary and important step, although Draco still had mixed feelings about it.

The only grey cloud on the horizon was Potter, but Draco did his best to ignore it.

It was much easier when he surrounded himself with homework and friends and the February half term was looming with out him really noticing how the time had passed. It got to three quarters of the way through the term before Blaise interrupted his quiet peace.

“So how are things Draco?” he asked flopping into an armchair in the heads common room under the pretext of coming to borrow some notes.

Draco smiled crookedly and gracefully sat down on a sofa opposite him.

“Oh, so, so,” he answered with a noncommittal shrug.

Blaise snorted.

“Typical! You’re in a position most of Slytherin house would kill for and you’re only “so, so”. Hmpf! You Malfoy’s, never happy.”

“And what about yourself? You benefited pretty heavily from our success, why aren’t you skipping up and down in jubilation?”

“Because I would look like a right pofter!”

“You are a right pofter!”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean that I have to act like one.”

Draco rolled his eyes.

“You can be gay without acting gay Draco, as you well know.”

That comment got right up Draco’s nose.

“What do you mean?” he asked in a threatening drawl. Unfortunately Blaise knew him too well and only responded by raining a sarcastic eyebrow.

“No point in going all malevolent Draco, it won’t work.”

“That is a matter of opinion.”

“Yes it is, but you won’t move me off the subject either.”

Draco glared at him.

Blaise rolled his eyes again in a gesture that Draco was sure would slowly drive him mad.

“I just don’t understand,” Blaise continued.

“Understand what?” growled Draco.

“You and the whole gay thing.” By this time Draco was looking at him in a way which would have had most people running for the nearest exit, Blaise only blinked and went on.

“I mean it’s not like you’re homophobic, you like me for example and you like to hear about my relationships - don’t pretend not to,” he said cutting Draco off before he could argue. “Your not confused about it, you know you like men as well as women, event though you try to convince me otherwise. Which just leaves denial,” Blaise shot him a piercing glance, raking over his reaction to his words.

Draco slowly raised an eyebrow and answered with a look that clearly said ‘I’m a Malfoy for Merlin’s sake, you can’t get information out of me that easily.’

“And lets face it denial is never a healthy option,” Blaise said, unrelenting. “You can’t repress something forever you know. Eventually it bubbles out, and usually in a manner which is much more explosive that if you’d just given into in initially.”

“I do know the symptoms of denial Blaise and I don’t see the point in you re-educating me in psychology.”

Blaise maddeningly rolled his eyes again.

“Denial it is then.”

Draco had to hold back a growl. He did not want to be discussing this right now.

“But why Draco? That’s what I don’t understand. Granted it’s not socially acceptable, but that’s not really a problem, you just keep it quiet. I know that you can do that.”

“We are not having this conversation!”

“Oh yes we are! It’s what friends are for – and yes before you argue Draco we are friends! And we both know that there is no one else that you can tell this stuff to, unless you made a few of them over the holidays that I don’t know about.”

Draco blushed a dull red, but luckily Blaise continued on regardless.

“So I don’t know why you don’t just dabble in it a bit. What harm can it do?”

Draco petulantly crossed his arms and looked away.

“Stop acting like a two year old and bloody tell me.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know and because I think that what you’re doing at the moment is bollocks!”

The corner of Draco’s mouth twitched upwards. When Blasie got affronted and pissed off he really was quite funny.

“And besides it will do you good,” Blaise paused expectantly, but nothing came. “Come on Draco! Just tell me why you’re denying it!”

“I’m not denying it.”

There was a pause. Draco dammed himself for speaking.

“You’re not denying it?”

Draco simultaneously rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Then what?”

“Simple, I’ve just decided that I would rather not be attracted to men. I still like girls and that will be more than enough for me!”

To his consternation Blaise laughed.

“You would!” he continued to chuckle. “Only a Malfoy could come up with something that ridiculous!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Draco snapped, furious that Blaise was laughing at him.

Blaise’s laughter stopped suddenly and his eyes fixed on him.

“That’s it, is it!”

Draco once more cursed his rouge tongue. Really Harry had been the worst influence.

Damn! Why did he think of Harry now?

Potter! Damn it! Potter!

However, his self-rebuttal was cut off by Blaise.

“But why? I mean, forgive me for being brutally honest, I mean I can understand why you kept it quiet before…but now? It doesn’t even have to be permanent, just a quick dabble. I mean, there’s no one to mind.”

“I mind!”

Blaise thought about the statement for a moment.

“But that’s stupid. You can’t change it.”

“I will!”

“How? By taking a non-gay potion? Casting an anti-bloke-attraction charm?”

“You’re being facetious!”

“You’re being stupid.”

This time Draco did actually growl.

“Get out!” He said in clipped tones.

Blaise studied him for a moment and evidently decided not to push it any more.

He sighed heavily as he stood up.

“Fine…I’ll have to try again another time.”

“Out!”

“Going, don’t worry. See you at dinner, good luck with the potions essay, it’s a bugger,” Blaise said calmly as he left through the portrait hole.

Draco threw a pillow across the room.

* * *

He ignored Blaise for a month after that conversation.

Unfortunately this meant that he was ignoring both Blaise and Potter, leaving his life feeling dull, although he would never acknowledge it.

In general half term and the weeks immediately after passed with him feeling as though he were on an auto-broom. He did the work, got the grades, completed his Head’s duties perfectly, but looking back on it the days were just a jumble with nothing visceral or exciting about them. Draco was vaguely aware of the horrible feeling, reminiscent of the autumn term, that he was just watching life pass, not actually living it. But this awareness was promptly shoved to the side as part of the list of things that he didn’t want to deal with.

Draco therefore found himself only being able to describe his life as ok, which really wasn’t so bad, he convinced himself, not after the horror of the autumn term.

***********
Author's note: Thank you all for your LOVELY reveiws!!!