The Three Keys

A/N: I do not own any Harry Potter Characters, just my Laurel and her family and anyone you’ve not recognized...Ah yes and the plot too!

A/N: Dear Readers…I just can’t justify dropping these little 3-5 page jobs on you one at a time…So here you go Chapters 9 & 10.

As is the usual, check the bottom of Chapter 10 for A/N Shoutouts.

Oh sigh, I don’t have Draco and Lucius together too often, so just enjoy the scrumptious goodness of BOTH MALFOY MEN in the same place at the same time!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER 9 – DRACO AND LUCIUS

Draco shivered, he was struck suddenly by how cold it was. He looked down at his body and was surprised to see he was soaking wet. A strong wind took his hair and blew it about his head…foggily he looked around, dimly aware that rain was splattering and pelting his skin like tiny little tacks, sending chills running over his body. He was so cold.

‘How did I get outside?’ He was standing at a shoreline, the sand, gravely and coarse was sopping and thick, like wet cement. Trying to take a step he glanced down, his feet, covered in his heavy boots and calves were sunk in. He tried to pull them out as a huge wave came crashing to shore and hit him square on, knocking him over. Struggling to regain his balance he fell forward and swallowed a large gulp of seawater. If his feet had not been encased in the sand he surly would have gone tumbling and washed out to sea.

Draco yanked himself up now, sputtering and gasping for air as thunder pounded in his ears and rumbled the ground around him. He hunched over, clutching his stomach and wretched up more seawater, shivering. Draco tried to pull his feet out of the sand again and then he heard it….a cold, self satisfied laugh that echoed through him filling the air. Instinctively he reached for his wand, as he looked around wary and alert. ‘Where was it coming from?’ He struggled to focus through the howling wind, making the laugh dance through his ears and bouncing off the looming rocks lodged at the surf’s edge.

Draco gasped as a scream rang out, sending terror shooting through him like a knife in his gut. His head snapped up, water stinging his eyes, as he looked straight out into the blackness of the ocean, a lightning flashed in the distance and he caught a glimpse of two figures out at sea…

’Hovering above the water?’…No, as another flash lit up the sky he saw clearly now, a large rock out in the ocean several meters from the shoreline, on it stood a tall figure with a cloak shielding their face and a woman.

The woman was wearing a dark cloak, he could see it was soaked through and stuck to her body, her long dark hair was blowing across her face; Draco could not see it at all. Her body was bound with thick ropes and she was being held tightly by the cloaked stranger. He could see she was struggling against her bindings, thrashing and screaming in a futile attempt at escape.

Draco realized she was speaking…The scream was his name. “DRACOOOO!”

He began stumbling and frantically pulling himself out of the sand now, desperate to reach her…He knew her, he had to get to her…

Draco tried to scream, but nothing would come out. “I’m here!” he finally managed, but the wind lost his words. He ran into the water without hesitation, the waves crashing against him, over and over – blinding him, engulfing and dragging him down again and again. He was gasping and dizzy from the water swallowed and the icy temperature of the sea. Finally, exhausted and bloody from bashing against the rocks below the shoreline he dragged himself back to the beach.

He couldn’t get to her!

“NO!” he screamed, “PLEASE, PLEASE NOOO!” he sank down on his knees looking thru the rain coming in sheets at him and trying to see over the waves rolling and bashing against the rock where they stood.

The laugh pierced his ears again, whoever it was, was enjoying Draco’s desperation and knew he could not swim.

“DRACO! RUN PLEASE...SAVE YOURSELF!...DRACO…I…” he heard her clearly, as if she were standing next to him, even through the howling of the rain and wind… She was concerned for him?

Draco could not worry himself with questions now, he was frightened for the woman…The man had grabbed her and begun shaking her in an effort to silence her pleas to Draco. Even from his great distance and through the rain he could see her head whipping from side to side from the force of her captor’s abuse. He had to STOP him!

Draco looked at the cloaked man, and hurled a spell at him…nothing. With growing foreboding he realized the distance was too great to effectively cast a spell and he could not risk hitting her…

The man was laughing again and with a swoop picked up the woman and held her over the edge of the rock, mocking Draco and cackling hysterically into the wind. Draco watched, helpless and horrified as the man heaved and tossed her into the waves. He saw her falling, as if in slow motion into the water and disappearing under the turbulent blackness.

Draco could not believe it, his eyes flying wide as he screamed “NOOOOO!” his voice sounded hoarse, sweat beaded all over his face – he was soaking wet and scrambled to get up, caught in something, fell with a thud and shot up, hands spread wide looking around and trying frantically to focus….

‘She was drowning…she’s going to die…I can’t get to her!’

It was dark, but quiet now – the wind gone, no rain on his skin, he trembled as his eyes adjusted to the darkness…heart thudding in his chest, the only sound his own ragged breathing.

“DAMN IT!” he screamed, fisting his hands into his hair in frustration.

He knew where he was, turning Draco looked with loathing at his huge four-poster bed and the sheets pooled around his feet, where he’d struggled against them and fallen off his bed.

He was at Malfoy Manor.

It was a dream, a fresh shudder ran through him….the same dream…

Draco took a shaky breath and when sure he could move ran to the bathroom, retching and feeling as if the seawater was still lodged in his chest. After several minutes of calming himself he decided to take a shower to ease his tension. Stripping off his clothes he looked down at his legs, they ached and he was sure there would be bruises from dashing against the rocks…. But no, they were clear and unmarked.

Stepping from the hot shower, he raked his hands through his hair, his mind on the girl. He wished, oh how he wished he could see her face – just one look... The rational side of Draco soothed him, ‘Malfoy, you’re being a git, it’s just a stupid dream.’

Draco shook his head he knew this was not just a dream. He’d been having the exact same one for the past few months, never varying, always surprising him as if it was the first time he’d had it, always leaving him shaken, confused and scared.

He managed to make it back to bed with a cool cloth over his eyes, his head pounding. “Relax,” he mumbled to himself…He was almost asleep again when there was a knock at the door.

Draco groaned but did not answer.

The door cracked open, “Master Draco, sir? I is so sorry to be disturbing you.” came a timid voice from the hallway. It was his personal house elf, Ivy.

“What?” he groaned.

“M-Master Draco…your father, he is home and he be wanting to see you right away sir.” she whispered.

“WHAT!” Draco sat bolt up right in bed, gasped and clutched at his throbbing temples.

Ivy trembled and scooted alongside the wall next to the door, pushing herself flat against it.

“When did he get home?” Draco said with icy calm.

Ivy whispered, “This afternoon Master Draco.”

“Ivy, what did we discuss about my father coming home?” his eyes narrowed with a murderous glare.

Ivy looked down, “To tell you straight away.” she croaked.

“And…you did not tell me straight away because?” he was up and throwing clothes on as he spoke.

“You, you were sleeping Master Draco.” Ivy whimpered, “You hasn’t slept in such a long time – I just be wanting you to get some rest sir…” she had fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

“SHIT!” he seethed, ignoring her. “I don’t need him here now...I’m in no mood to deal with Daddy Death tonight.” He turned his silvery blue gaze to the elf now. “Tell father I’ll be there in a moment. In his study?”

Ivy nodded and ran out of the room before he could rage at her anymore.

Draco stood before the mirror in his bathroom; he needed to get his composure together before he took one step into that study. If his father saw him looking like this he’d be done. Slowly he let his mask of indifference and coolness settle over him. He forced his breathing to be calm and his eyes slide to their usual half-lidded look. Running a comb through his hair and straightening the collar of his black, long sleeved shirt he headed down the stairs.

Draco steadied himself in the hallway, set his shoulders and swaggered into the study.

“Sorry to keep you waiting father.” Draco drawled as he lounged against the doorway, arms crossed, looking cool and bored.

“Draco, come in here boy.” Lucius snapped. “What have you been doing all afternoon?”

“I was taking a nap.” he said in a bored tone and shrugged his shoulders as he flounced into an armchair in front of his father’s desk.

Lucius was sitting behind his desk, arms folded looking at his son with a searching expression. He arched an eyebrow and drawled, “Exhausting evening last night?”

“Yes.” Draco replied. He saw the sneer pass across his father’s face and knew what he was thinking. Lucius always assumed that if Draco was up late it was because he was bedding some female. That was true, quite a bit of the time, but more often than Lucius guessed it was because Draco was studying, as was the case this past evening. He had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and he truly believed knowledge was power.

Draco was very smart, (brilliant if you asked him) and studying came easily. So he studied quite often, especially during the summer, as he didn’t have many friends and the few he did shied away from the manor.

Draco decided to let his father assume whatever he wanted. The sooner he got this little pow-wow over with the better.

“When did you get back?” he asked, his heavy lidded gaze never leaving his father.

This was their game, assessing each other, looking for signs of weakness.

“Earlier this afternoon. I would have come up to see you, but your mother,” Lucius inclined his head toward the couch at the center of the room, “and I were busy…catching up for lost time.” he finished, leering smile firmly in place.

Draco knew this was meant to upset him, he absolutely could NOT understand how his mother continued to sleep with this maniac. But his composure never slipped outwardly. Draco turned to look at the couch and was surprised to see his mother sitting quietly, legs and arms crossed with a haughty glare on her face fixed on Lucius.

“Hello Mother,” Draco drawled, “I didn’t see you there, forgive me.” He made no move to get up, but he was shaken. ‘What the hell was she doing here- SHIT!’

This is definitely bad if Lucius has her in on their little tête-à-tête.

When Lucius was discussing Voldermort’s plans with Draco he never had Narcissa sit in with them. Lucius was very guarded about anything he said in front of Narcissa. Draco could never understand that, but shrugged it off.

“Lucius,” Narcissa’s voice dripped ice, “Draco does not need to hear the details of our afternoon…Darling.” Her eyes narrowed and she fingered the waistband of her gown casually.

Lucius’ expression was unreadable, but he turned back to Draco, eyes fixed and cool. “Draco, your mother and I need to discuss some…important turn of events with you.”

Draco didn’t flinch. The only sign of outward turmoil was his jaw muscle twitching for a moment. He looked down at his hand and studied his nails, waiting until he was sure his voice would be cool and casual.

“Oh?” he sighed for effect, “What now father? Let me guess, you want me to kill Potter when I go back to school? Maybe at the sorting ceremony, to make a big show out of it, all daggers, blood and guts? Or better yet, you want to switch places with me this year so you can waltz into Hogwarts and do it yourself? Because father, I hate to let you in on the little secret but you can’t pass for 17 anymore.”

Draco’s eyes glittered maliciously. If there was one thing that ALWAYS got to Lucius it was his vanity. He hated getting older and was openly jealous of Draco’s good looks and youth…and Draco knew it.

It was an excellent disarming move as he saw his father’s composure slip just a bit as he regarded Draco with narrowed eyes. When he spoke his voice was calm.

“Manners boy, have I not taught you to always respect your elders?”

‘Ahhh, move in for the kill.’ Draco’s eyes showed no expression, but inside he was smirking. “Yes, ‘elder’ is the key word, isn’t it?” Draco said softly. He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes, they were cold and searching for the desired results on his father’s face.

Lucius flushed slightly and gritted his teeth, but otherwise showed no sign of being upset. Draco smirked openly now. ‘Success.’ he thought.

It was at times like this when Draco felt old beyond his years. He sighed inwardly and waited…

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________