Dark Times for Draco Malfoy

Concerned with the mental welfare of the students involved, Professor McGonagall collected them and brought them to the Great Hall. Snape felt obligated to assist her, and together they tried to answer any question the students might have concerning the attack on Draco on the balcony. Worst off was Hermione Granger. She couldn't stop sobbing. After the initial shock, she remembered it was she who'd dared the eudaimon to clear off. And in response, he had raped Draco in front of everybody. Telling this to the rest of the affected group made her cry even more, and she stated she felt responsible. Snape was actually agreeing with her. He thought it quite possible it was her fault and that she made the wrong decision, but he wisely kept his mouth shut in front of McGonagall. As to where Snape could provide knowledge but little sympathy, McGonagall compensated by being all sympathetic. They wanted to discuss the rape, and McGonagall seized the opportunity to speak about morals and the obligation that every boy had as for being the superior strength in a relationship. Snape wished he could have cut his own ears off at hearing this, and quickly shifted the subject of moral obligation over to Draco's current situation. It was imperative that the boy was to be left alone. Malfoy needed support and guidance, not wry remarks about misunderstood alignments and taunts about hearsay. At this, Snape glanced at Harry with a look which spoke volumes. Snape said that he would hit down hard on any student who was reported to abuse Draco verbally in the future, and he also said with stern voice that whatever specific reasons the eudaimon had for targeting Draco, was none of the student's business. Further, he said that Draco wished to remain a student at Hogwarts until it was time, and he strongly urged those present to treat Draco as a normal, fellow student. There was no need for stigmatizing him. Afterwards, the students were dismissed and given the rest of the day off.


Rumours.
The students had difficult questions about the rape. Questions they hardly dared admitting to themselves that they had. And it was the sort of question they couldn't ask the professors about. So the girls talked among themselves, not heeding the bystanders who hadn't witnessed anything at all. The boys who'd been involved acted similarily, and soon, one feather off the goose turned into ten and twenty. Looking to Draco for answers, students crammed the doorway to the medical wing. They all wanted a glimpse of the newly made martyr. Speculations about what kind of misdeeds he'd done, fluttered wildly, but it remained unanswered. Madam Pomfrey saw herself forced to lock down the medical wing so Draco could have some peace. She ushered the students away with decisive kindness. Not even Hermione or Harry was allowed inside.

Harry decided to relay the story of the rescue of Luna Lovegood to Hermione, Neville, Ron, Dean, Ginny and other Gryffindors who by chance stood by. He explained about the conversation in Dumbledore's office which had prompted Draco to throw himself off the balcony, but most of all, Harry spoke about how Draco had managed to get the eudaimon to help him save Luna. It was the edauimon who had instructed him in how to deflect the blast. Then Harry continued on about Sturd the Bird and Goleiny, and how the eudaimon had attacked the Slytherins while Draco had been with them at Hagrid's. Harry felt obligated to tell. Like Hermione, he felt to blame. He'd cornered Draco, and it had contributed to push the blond Slytherin over the brink.

"It's a Death Sentence. Draco knows he's dying."

By the end of the day at Hogwarts, the common rooms were buzzing with talk about the eudaimon and Draco. What Draco so desperately had been trying to avoid, was out in the open without him knowing it.


The Slytherins
The Slytherin Common Room was packed with, well, Slytherins who were holding a crisis meeting with professor Snape. They vigorously discussed Draco Malfoy's future in the Slytherin dorms. The facts were clear: Draco would be raped into insanity and then at some point, he would kill himself. Draco had no future. His ties to the demon gave him no power, no advantages, no nothing. And Draco was rendered useless to his Slytherin peers. He failed to control the eudaimon. A sure sign of weakness from a young wizard who was practically royalty, being related to the great house of Black. They cared not that it was a rather unrealistic thing to expect from a sixteen year old wizard in training. Draco had for a long time aspired to become something more. It was too bad about the rapes. But Draco's failure to deal with the winged demon was even worse, and many a Slytherin found himself holding Draco in contempt for just that.
Snape listened as the students stood in turn and argued why Draco should be removed. He was a menace. The evil should be taken by the root and destroyed. Draco should be put out of his misery and the rest of the students would be safe. Another Slytherin, a girl, stood, and countered the statement. If Draco committed suicide, then the eudaimon would simply go and pick another target. And it could easily be any one of them, she said, pointing around at her fellow students. Several people nodded in agreement. No, Draco needed to be watched, and he had to stay alive, to stay the target of eudaimon for the benefit of his fellow students. He should be proud to sacrifice himself as a good Slytherin. What she really meant to say, Snape knew, was that 'let's be glad it's him and not us!'

Dreams.
In his dream, Draco ran as fast as he could. He knew he was going for the balcony, and from there, he would jump. Running from Harry Potter was not what he wanted to be doing right now.

"It doesn't matter anyway, Potter. It's not as if I'll ever get married!" Draco turned his head and shouted over his shoulder. Allowing Potter to catch up with him, the Gryffindor crashed into the Slytherin and seized the grey west of his school uniform with both hands. Shoving Draco hard against the corridor wall, Harry nearly knocked the breath out of Draco. He then proceeded to crash his lips unpon the lips of the blond, tasting the rosy, full lips of the Slytherin who had been his nemesis for six years. moaning loudly, Harry earned himself much scorn from nearby portraits who sighed in disgust, grunting at them to stop the indecency immediately. Draco was out of breath. They were being watched, and Harry kept his body pressed against Malfoy, effectively pinning the blond against the wall while he ground a growing bulge beneath his trousers against Draco's crotch. The bulge throbbed ardently, and Harry had no pretentions about hiding his lust from Malfoy. The complaints of the portraits grew in volume, as Draco boldly reached down to engulf the bulge with his right hand, rubbing and stroking across the fabric of its confines. Gluing his lips to Harry Potter's deep red ones, he entered Potter's mouth with his tongue, delving deep into unknown territory. The tips of the tongues met, and lashed at eachother playfully, driving both Gryffindor and Slytherin delirious with lust. Draco broke the kiss and said: "I must have you inside me before I die, Potter!" Potter's eyes were dark and veiled with craving, and his cheeks were flushed and his red lips swollen, hungry for more.
The clothes flew from their bodies. Naked, they earned themselves more verbal abuse from the paintings, but neither Gryffindor nor Slytherin paid them no heed. They were completely lost in each other, wrapped in lust from head to toe. Then Harry said: "Even in the deepest darkness, there is light."

"Whatever. Just shag me. Nice and hard" Draco replied breathlessly. Leaning against the wall behind him, Draco lifted his left leg, and Harry took hold of it and closed the gap between them. Positioning himself, he slid inside Draco's puckered entrance without any effort at all. The filling sensation made Draco's slightly larger erection throb achingly, and the blond sighed and arched his neck, exposing the tender flesh on his throat. nipple rubbed against nipple, and torso against torso as Harry locked Draco's throbbing manhood between them when he began to thrust in and out. Draco was dizzy with ecstacy. It was the perfect way to end an imperfect life. But Draco wanted more. He couldn't get Harry deep enough inside, and the blond felt like one big hole yearning to be brimming with Harry Potter's sex. Draco embraced Potter, he wanted a living, breathing piece of him inside. Harry grasped Draco's cheeks, and lifted the blond up on his hips, before he grinded Draco against the wall again with a loud slam. Draco felt himself sink to the hilt of Harry Potter's throbbing sword, and the friction caused Draco to erupt. The semen was smeared on their bellies, and the wet and sticky sensation caused the veil on Harry's eyes to grow thicker, replacing simmering lust with smoldering desire. Draco was pleased with the feral look in the face of his counterpart, and he was content to yield to the Gryffindor, abandoning himself completely and to have no worries, just enjoying being enjoyed by someone else whom he really trusted. Harry pounded away ferociously, making Draco feel as if he was about to be split in half. The final sin. The ultimate-....! Harry began to drift away, sliding out of Draco. Their embrace was undone, though Potter reached for him, clearly wanting to be with him. Draco reached also, but something drove them apart. Darkness swallowed Harry without a noise from the Gryffindor, leaving Draco still simmering with lust. Waking to find himself in bed at the medical wing of Madam Omfrey's - again - Draco opened his eyes briefly. Of course. the eudaimon was messing with his mind again. Having it off with Harry Potter had been wishful thinking. Right? Draco wouldn't have dared to touch Potter, let alone insinuate the possibility of the two of them together. And Potter? He wouldn't want anything to do with Malfoy. Draco guessed that Harry would vomit at the idea of placing his hand anywhere near Draco's crotch. Draco wasn't worth looking twice at, these days. It had been a wonderful dream, though, and Draco closed his eyes again, hoping for more.

Evening came, and with it darkness on the serene snow. Dumbledore sat by Draco's bed when the blond just woke from a short nap. Draco sighed troubledly. Dumbledore was the last person he wanted to be facing right now. He knew he'd broken the one condition they had. As if Dumbledore had read his mind, the headmaster said: "I will try to let you stay for as long as possible. But as you understand, the parents and the Ministry will find out about this, and they will, because of their ignorance and their fear, demand that the source of this terror be removed from the school grounds. At least now, Draco, everyone knows why you've been distraught. It was unfortuneatley imperative to inform those involved about the eudaimon and its nature."

"Those involved?! How many?!" Draco wailed.

"About fifteen students more or less witnessed the unfortunate attack on you. And word gets around fast in this place. You must prepare yourself." Dumbledore paused to see Draco's reaction. "They are worried. About you and their own safety. They fear the unknown, and now that they have seen evil, they fear it even more. They have many questions. Many do not understand, and many more have compassion with you and the situation you're in. I meant to encourage you, when we spoke in my office earlier today. Perhaps I haven't fully understood the depths of what you're being put through. I didn't think....!" Dumbledore hesitated, before he continued, "I didn't think about the fact that rape also is a form of torture. I am truly sorry, Draco. I had no idea it happened with such a high frequency."

"Do - do they know why he's targeted me?"

"No, Draco. That remains a matter between you and the eudaimon." Dumbledore watcehd as the blond Slytherin turned his face away, as he crumbled in tears.

"He - he said that I have to suffer because I am mean and cruel to - to others! And that I have to suffer for - for my father's sins. Because he's a Death Eater and a bad man...!" Draco wailed between sobs. "I don't want to be a bad person...!" Draco stuttered, fighting to breathe. "Please! He comes with the darkness. Please, always comes around three a.m.-...!"

"-of course. The witching hour" Dumbledore interrupted, "when the veil between the spirit world and our world is at its thinnest. And when you are all worn out from sleepless hours and constant worry, he comes to rape you. I am afraid, Draco, that all I can do is to try to make him see reason. If you want, I shall stay here with you tonight and see if we can get him to talk, shall we?"
Draco only nodded. Every limb was sore and his abdomen complained and it hurt to move.

Madam Pomfrey later brought him something to eat. A hot soup, but he could hardly sit. Halfway lying, halfway sitting in an awkward position, Draco mechanically opened his mouth as Madam Pomfrey fed him the soup. He didn't really see any point in eating. Nothing mattered any more. Absolutely nothing.

Dumbledore and Snape returned to Draco's sickbed a little later that day. They looked quite serious, as if they'd discovered something they didn't like about Draco. Fearing the worst, Draco braced himself.

“My dear Draco” Dumbledore began, “it would seem that your fellow Slytherins have asked that you remove your person from the Slytherin dorm. They fear the eudaimon, naturally, and they see him as a threat. They wish to shield themselves from your encounters with the eudaimon. They would rather that you left the school entirely, but as headmaster I invoke the right to allow you to at least live on our premises. When you are up to it, Professor Snape will escort you to a suitable room which I hope will be adequate. As I stated earlier, you are welcome to attend your classes as usual.”

Dumbledore paused, watching Draco's reaction. The blond didn't reply, and neither did he try to shield his tears. He kept his head bowed, staring into the bedspread covering his sore and aching body.

“I can't go home”, Draco finally sobbed, “Melchior swore he'd hurt her if I tried.”

“So you stay away from your mother in order to protect her. That is a very noble thing of you to do, Draco. But has she been informed?”

“Yes. I've … written. Now and then. To tell her. And to inform her of my grades, and – and-....!” Draco lost his train of thought.

“That's also very good of you, Draco” Dumbledore praised him with soft voice. Going silent, Dumbledore let out an unintentional sigh which gave away his despair over the hopeless situation. He clasped his hands together and sat down on the edge of Draco's bed. With his right hand he cupped Draco's soft chin and lifted his gaze up to me his own. “Even in the deepest darknesses, Draco, there is always a freckle of light. I have heard, that Sparrow demons, are good-natured once you get beneath their skin. I urge you, from the bottom of my heart Draco, to hold on for a little while longer! I know that you now don't have any hopes, that everything is painted black and useless. But think about the good things, the good days, Draco. Think about Luna Lovegood and the romantic dinner you treated her to. Think about love. You saved her life. That's got to count for something! I believe in you Draco. Just hold on to that tiny speck of light. There must be a way to make the eudaimon see reason!” Dumbledore's frustration lined every syllable. “I beg you, Draco, if you think you can't hold on any more, please come and see me or Professor Snape, or Professor McGonagall before you do anything else. Please promise me this!”

Draco nodded weakly. His mind was blank, fatigued from feeling too much emotion. Too much hopelessness. Dumbledore placed a comforting hand on Draco's right shoulder before the elder wizard got to his feet. He said: “I see you, Draco. I see your pain. You're not alone in this. There's many students now who have seen what you go through and they sympathize.”

Condemned, was probably more like it. But Draco didn't say that out loud. There was no need. Like there was no need to speak up about the real reasons why the Slytherins decided to cast him out. Contempt. Self-preservation. Fear. Disgust. Shame. Through his tears, Draco glanced up at Professor Snape. A part from being the head of the house of Slytherin, Draco couldn't fathom why Snape was still around, looking down at him with compassion painted all over his sombre features. Snape was a Death Eater. Draco had failed the Dark Lord. Why was he still at Draco's side? It was beyond Draco, and staring into Snape's eyes gave him no answers.

“Look to those who truly are your friends in these times, Draco. Accept their support, let them cheer you up. Find your way back to the light.” Dumbledore made to leave shortly after. He looked to Snape, who lingered. Nodding approvingly, Dumbledore then left. Snape remained, like a big sombre statue.

“Do not concern yourself with the opinions of the Slytherins. They do not see the greater picture, I'm afraid. Obviously you do realize that this could go from bad to worse considering that there are many powerful Slytherin families who has a say in Hogwart's economy, hence in part the decision to remove you from the dorm. We do not want the Ministry involved. You do of course understand, don't you, Draco?”

Draco only nodded once more. He felt as if he was being punished. He didn't watch as Snape sidled by the length of the bed and seated himself on the chair next to it. Silence. Neither Slytherin spoke, and Draco finally managed to check his tears. It was out of character for Snape to be acting that way, Draco thought. He was getting suspicious, and realised he was afraid it perhaps was the eudaimon wearing Snape's shape. Glancing over to where Snape was sitting, Draco thought he saw Melchior sit there in his stead, grinning evilly from ear to ear. Draco gasped, and started in his bed, staring at Snape, scrutinizing him for a second before he allowed himself to relax again.
“What was it that you just saw? Or what you just thought you saw?!” Professor Snape drawled.

“I- I thought I saw the eudaimon sitting there, instead of you...!” Draco replied weakly.

“You do realize that his sperm in poison to you blood and mind? It is an eye-opener, it opens your mind to the things living in the shadows. It makes you see what is real, and what is not real. The first signs of madness.”

To this information, Draco only sighed. Then he continued: “I can no longer say, Professor, that I'm proud to have been chosen by the Dark Lord. I was blind. All I kept seeing in my head, was the images of him as they dragged him off to Azkaban. This is all his fault....!” Draco wailed. He immediately checked himself and dried away the tears with the back of his left hand.

“Your father...” Snape began, “always did have a tendency to let his pride get in the way. Even as far back as in his days at Hogwarts. But what your father did, he did for you.”

“You mean to say he thought of me when he became a Death Eater?” Draco's voice shook with retrained tears.

“He wanted to make our world a better place for those of pure wizarding blood, knowing you'd grow up in it.” Professor Snape sighed. “And so would you, had it been your child.”

“I don't think my father would have agreed that slaying infants like Harry Potter was the right tactic to make the world a better place. In fact, I think our world is a better place already because Potter's in it! To think I could have had him as my friend! But no, I had to go and be like my father. As you say, the pride got in the way. And now I have no hope of ever settling things straight with him. He hates me!” Draco hissed, fighting with a new lump in his throat.

“You say that as if it's a bad thing” Snape said. He had his eye fixed on something unseen standing not too far away, but within earshot. His brows knitted in wonder and suspicion. Through Draco's sobs he swore he'd heard breathing and stifled sobs.
“I was stupid, you know, to be slighted by him when I was eleven, thinking I owned the world. I reached out my hand to Harry Potter in front of every body and he declined my so-called friendship. What a joke I was!”

“Why concern yourself with Potter? I can't imagine not having his friendship as much of a loss.” Snape replied rather rhetorically. There it was again. The breathing. A small, almost unnoticeable ruffle of fabric.

“On the contrary, Professor. He has an inner warmth. A nice smile. He has courage. And stupid looking glasses. He has genuine friends. Who'd do anything for him. He's nice to everybody.”

“He has his mother's eyes” Snape replied thoughtfully, not taking his eyes off one particular patch some metres away from the bed. Narrowing his eyes to mere slits, he listened as Draco continued: “I've always admired him. And hated him. But right now, I would have done anything for a kind word from him. He always looks at me like he wants to kill me. At the same time I understand his hatred for me. My dad hasn't exactly made life easy for him. Nor have I. I guess I deserve his scorn.”

“Life, Draco, is littered with possibilities for redemption. Though, redemption may not always come in the shape we want it.” Snape glanced over to Draco. The blond was crying again, and Snape felt a genuine sting of compassion for the Slytherin. “You should rest. There's no use wasting your strength on tears, mister Malfoy. Perhaps....I could find you a potion to help you sleep. Eternally!” Snape added, raising one eyebrow. Malfoy glanced over to him, and nodded weakly. Perhaps there was light in the dark after all.