Recovery

Author Notes: well, bloody hell, it's not letting me to any html! *cries pittifully* i miss my italics. oh well, might as well go back to the non-html form of writing if it's no use anyhow. And, yes people, i know that I have miss-spellings, sorry. But i have this habit of re-reading to check for grammar and spelling, and then critisizing my work so harshly that i end up deleting the whole story. so... it's safer this way. and i would use a beta... but I'm a paranoid little person.


Recovery - Chapter Four


While the rest of the school watched Draco was shock and curiosity, the Slytherins seemed to ignore the suddenly quiet member of their group. No doubt, though Draco would deny it, becuase he had slowly become isolated from his peers. It happened slowly, so slowly it seemed to jump up from behind everyone, only allowing them to see before it was too late. A month had passed since the dreadful event and Thanksgiving was not far. Goyle had rissen to the absence of Draco and was basically controlling the Slytherin group that once followed Draco's every whim.

Draco's final reaction to the event was to just turn numb. He didn't react to taunting. He didn't react to friendliness. He didn't even react when Harry Potter fell off his broom during the first Quiditch game of the year. The only people he allowed near him was Blaise Zabini and Millicent Bullstrode. This was only becuase they didn't mind the new him and felt they should at least keep him within human contact.

Ron no longer came to him to help with his grief. Although Draco was clueless as to why, and he would never admit to even himself that he noticed the red head avoiding him. Draco stuck with wandering the halls inbetween classes, avoiding the Slytherin common room at all cost. He never spoke to Crabbe and Goyle, and tried to not look at them.

It was during Double Potions, during the week of Thanksgiving, that Draco was pulled temporarily out of his own mental battles. Dennis Creavey had entered the room, looking terrified, clutching a small piece of parchment in his fist. His eyes darted around the room, lag brg briefly on Draco, before stopping on Porfessor Snape. The Potions MAster glared at him, daring him to say a single word. Dennis gulped and walked between the tables. He handed the parchment to Professor Snape, who glared at him until he ran out fot he classroom. Snape looked down at the parchemnt, then up at Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy, your needed in Professor Dumbledore's office." He told him, handing the slip of paper to the blonde.

"Now, sir?" Draco asked.

"Yes. You will be expected to come later today to make up the work you will miss." Snape said. Draco nodded absentmindedly and picked up his bag.

The trip to the Headmaster's office was short. Draco kept his eyes on the floor, ignoring anyone he came across. The gargoyle jumped out of way way and Draco stepped onto the moving stairs. He quickly straightened his robes and placed an indifferent expression on his face all before knowcking ont he door. He heard a muffled "Enter" and opened the door. He had stepped inside and walked up to the Headmaster's desk before he noticed the figure sitting in one fo the chairs.

"Father?"

"Draco." The tall, long blonde Malfoy stood, gripping his snake-head cane in one hand and nodding a greeting to his son. He lookt Dut Dumbledore, who stood.

"I shall leave you two to talk." Dumbledore announced, entering the door in the back of the room. Draco gulped and avoided looking at his father, opting instead to look at the sleeping Headmasters on the wall.

"I have good news and bad news, son." His father's cold voice told him.

"Yes, Father?"

"The bad is I have heard a few rumors that I highly dissaproved of, Draco." Lucius Malfoy narrowed his eyes at his son, looking him up and down. Draco felt himself wanting to hide, but held his head higher. "Is it true you have not been spending time with young Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Yes, sir." Draco replied softly.

"And that you have taken to hanging around that Zabini boy?" Lucius hissed.

"Not often, sir."

"You do realize they are a rival family, do you not?" Draco nodded at his fathers words. "I expect you to disengage your time with him immediately and get back on track, Draco!"

"Of course, Father." Draco said automatically.

"Now, something good has happened, my son." Lucius developed a smile on his face. To Draco, though, it looked more like a sneer. "We have decided the time has come for you to join the family business, Draco. You know what that means."

"Yes, Father." Draco whispered, his mind reeling. "W-When?"

"Christmas break." He replied. The head of the Malfoy family looked around the room, sneered slightly, and started for the door. "I will see you then, Draco. And I expect you to revive your once perfect name around here."

"Yes, Father." Draco repeated.

Draco faintly heard the door close, but didn't acknowledge it. It wasn't until a hand put a small amount of pressure on his arm that he moved, only to the seat next to him. He could not believe this. His father was about to let that Snake-King tatoo some stupid thing on his arm and call him a servant? It was ridiculous. Draco mumbled something under his breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that Mr. Malfoy?" A voice asked near him. Draco raised his eyes to see Headmaster Dumbledore sitting at his desk. Dumbledore looked at him a moment, eyes twinkling. Then he picked up a small jar, opened the lid, and held it out to Draco. "Lemon drop?"

"No thanks." Draco whispered. He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, trying to figure out what all this meant. He attempted to take a deep breath, but his lungs constricted. He couldn't breathe. "Sorry, Headmaster, I must go."

Standing, the pale blonde literally ran from the room. He passed the corridors of the school, hardly acknowledging the students he pushed to the side. He was nearly to the front doors when he ran smack into another body and was hurtled to the ground due to his momentum.

"Oi, watch it!" A voice yelled. Draco blinked and looked up to see a familiar red head standing and dusting off his faded school robes. Ron looked over at him, his mouth dropping. "Malfoy? What happed to you? You look like you saw a ghost."

"N-nothing." Draco stuttered, standing. "I have to go, Weasel."

With that, Draco started running again, opening the front doors fo the catle and throwing himself into the rain outside. Ron watched him go, eyes wide. He looked at the two figures that just appeared in the hall.

"Hey, Ron!" Harry greeted. "You okay?"

"Yea... Uh, can I talk to you guys later?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione shared a glance. "Please? I need to check something real quick."

"Okay." Hermione said slowly, grabbing Harry's arm. "Come on, Harryt's t's get on to lunch."

Ron watched the leave before tightening his robe around him and stepping through the still opened doors and into the pounding rain. He scanned the grounds, then started on his way, heading for a blonde figure next to the lake.