Dark Times for Draco Malfoy

(Author's note: Maps of the floors in Hogwarts castle is difficult to find on the web, so I've taken a little inspiration from harrypotter.wikia.com.)

The house elves moved his things. That way, he didn't have to bear the shame of packing his stuff while the other Slytherins watched. Draco didn't want to look anyone in the eye. Snape waited patiently while Draco got dressed, thanked Madam Pomfrey for all help, once again. He took a deep breath before he walked out of the hospital wing, accompanied by professor Snape. Suppressing the impulse to reach for Snape's hand and hold on to it, Draco felt like a little boy without his parents. As if he read Draco's mind, Snape draped an arm around Draco's shoulders, and it was more than Draco had dared to hope for. The act of benevolence almost brought Draco to tears. Walking out of the wing and into the corridors of Hogwarts was mind-wrenching. Everybody stopped whatever they were doing and turned to look at him. Conversations ceased and a deafening silence spread out throughout the crowds of students, and they all moved aside to let Draco and Snape through. Professor Snape's grim face suggested that anyone who tried to stop them, would suffer dire consequences.

They walked silently down from the third floor to the second floor. Turning right, Malfoy directed his footsteps towards a side corridor which would lead to Professor Snape's office. He followed Snape in silence, relieved everytime the path ahead was void of people. He recognized the small hall connecting Snape's private quarters with his office. It also connected Snape's office to the Defence Against the Dark Arts' classroom by two sets of staircases. They stopped by a modest looking wooden door. Snape flicked his wand and the door swung open, revealing a modest room previously used for storage. Now, it contained a simple bed laid with fresh sheets, a chair, a desk with drawers and a candlestick on top of it. Quill and inkhouse. Parchment. Draco recognized his textbooks neatly placed on the center of the desk. Boxes with clothes and other stuff was lined up next to the wall opposite the bed. The brick wall was naked and dark. Snape put a hand on his shoulder, and he presented the blond with a key. Snape pointed to the symbols around the doorway.
"To ward off demons and unwanted visitors. If it works on eudaimons, remains to be seen". With that said, Snape left him. Draco stepped inside and he turned to look over his shoulder, gazing up at the runes magically engraved over the door. Please, please work! Just as soon as he'd wished it, Draco remembered something else: What if it worked? The discovery alone was a sensation. And perhaps an opportunity for Draco to reclaim his position among the Slytherins! No, no, this was madness. Draco sat down on the bed. They'd cast him out. Why would he want to go back there? Shoving the thoughts aside, Draco unpacked a few items. He put on a fresh school uniform while he thought about many things. About the future. About Neville. About fair and unfair. About parents and upbringing. He thought about Harry. About Hermione. About Luna. About lunch and how to face the other students again. He thought about power. Draco would keep his head low, his gaze to the ground and carry on as if nothing had happened. He had to or he would lose it. And he would use the little power he had to set right an old wrong.


Too much, too soon.
It was lunch time in the Great Hall. Hermione Granger sat at the longtable, looking daggers at Crabbe and Goyle who snickered at her. She was so upset she couldn't eat. Harry was more practical about it, thinking there was little to be done about the news at the moment. Food first. Draco Malfoy later. And Ron, well Ron being Ron did as he always did. He thought about it for a minute. Let the news sink in before his mind swept it all away in a massive tidal wave. It was after all lunch.

"How can the pair of you sit there and stuff your faces with food, knowing that poor Draco is houseless?!" Hermione fumed at Harry and Ron.

"Hermione, there's nothing we can do. So the Slytherins turned him out! It's not like having him there would have made a difference. I can understand them you know. Witnessing something like that must have been....horrible. I understand that they don't want to go through that again" Ron said, chewing off another big bite of his baloney sandwich. "Uh oh, there's Draco!" Ron looked like he was watching a Muggle movie. His eyes went wide open to the point where his eyeballs threatened to pop out. He continued to absentmindedly eat off his sandwich while his eyes were glued to Draco Malfoy. Harry turned to stare as well, and so did Hermione and about every else present at the longtables. Her brows were knit up in a deep frown, looking sadly over to the blond who seemed lost in thought as he slowly wandered into the hall. Turning their heads as he walked past them, the golden trio scrutinized Draco. He was looking pale, with dark circles beneath his eyes. His white-blonde hair was slightly ruffled and he had a haunted expression on his face. His brows were drawn together in a frown, and he looked oh so tired. Not once did he look up to meet anyone's gaze. He seated himself at the end of the golden trio's long table - the Gryffindor longtable - but no one made any comment. He arranged himself a sandwich made of toast, ham, cheese and salad leaves. He filled his glass to the rim with orange juice. He ate greedily, keeping his gaze to the table, and gulped down the entire glass without pausing to breathe. He made himself another sandwich, and it disappeared down his belly just as quickly as the first one. Draco had no idea he'd been that hungry. He produced his wand and swirled it for a cup of tea. The hot liquid felt good against his lips. Tonight, he'd go and have a shower. However trivial, it was a plan. A goal for the day. He'd brought his textbooks on Advanced Potionmaking. He would attend the afternoon double lesson i Potions with Slughorn. Nutrition improved his mood a little, but he still didn't feel like like exchanging glances with anybody. He browsed through his textbooks in stead, and tried to focus on the words. Tried to get a grip. Tried to find a balance. To find anything interesting which would stop the whispers filling the great hall. He heard his name on their lips.

Malfoy raped!

The Slytherin in him wanted to rise quickly from the chair and shout out in anger, telling the lot of them to just piss off! The sudden rage within was promptly washed away as Draco realised someone was sitting down directly opposite him.

Harry Potter.

Draco sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off an oncoming panic attack. Expecting a speech about how Slytherins were unwanted at the Gryffindor table, Draco shut his textbook. He would take his teacup, his books and leave before Potter got the opportunity to punch him. Getting up, Draco was still too late, for Harry reahced up and grabbed the Slytherin's arm which still lingered on the table.

"Don't go, Draco" Harry told him softly. Draco glanced at him briefly, but remained half-standing, not sure what to do about his arm which was in contact with Harry's hand. Draco's gaze was all over the place. Making eye contact was difficult, nevertheless, Harry stared intently at him. "Listen, are you attending Potions class today?" Harry waited for Draco to answer. He could see the blond struggling within, obviously not sure what to make of the sudden contact between them. Finally, Draco sighed, gently - and despite himself, reluctantly - pulling his arm away from Harry's light touch.

"I am still allowed to attend class, mister Potter" Draco told him quietly, with a tone brimming of restrained tears, "If you don't like it, you must take that up with the Headmaster." Draco shuddered quite involuntarily, and picked up his teacup. Had he come across too impolite? Was Potter offended?

"It's teamwork today, in Slughorn's class. And since Ron is teaming with Hermione, I have no one to brew with. Are you free?" Harry suddenly asked out of the blue.

It was a trick question. It had to be. If Draco said yes, then Harry would laugh, wouldn't he? And he would say that 'too bad for you, you spineless evil slime'. But what if Draco said no? Would Harry be slighted? Draco's panic was blooming in his chest. He started to move backwards, away from Potter.
Pride, Snape's voice rang in Draco's head, 'your father's pride got in the way'. Was it possible that deep inside, Draco was about to let his own pride come in the way? Potter was reaching out a hand, after all. But it was happening in front of every body. Including the Slytherins. But what did he owe them? They'd cast him out. Draco focused and fixed his gaze on Harry just long enough to nod in accord.

"Great. By the way, has anybody given you the notes from the previous sessions you missed?"
Draco only shook his head, making his retreat hastily. Harry made as if to follow. Draco looked in disbelief as Harry moved up next to him, casually tucking his hands in his trousers, as he said:

"Why don't we go to your place and I'll show you what you've missed!"

Coming out in the entrance hall, Draco had to lean to the nearest wall. He had trouble breathing and his pulse was racing. Harry was about to ask him if he as all right when an all too familiar hand stopped the Gryffindor. Looking over his shoulder, Potter found Professor Snape with a displeased look on his sour face.

"Mister Potter" Snape stated venomously, "is clearly in lack of social skills today. Five points from Gryffindor!"

"For what?!" Harry exclaimed.

"For lack of proper decorum! Mister Malfoy just got out of sickbed and already you've cornered him" Snape growled. Draco took the opportunity to slip away. He needed some space. He couldn't breathe. The lump in his throat was blocking his windpipe - at least that's how it felt. He put the key in the lock to his room, twisted it and opened the door. Shutting it with a loud bang after him, Draco threw himself onto his bed, allowing the restrained sobs to ebb out along with relentless panic.

Snape and Harry had watched him leave. It amused Snape to see the perplexed look on Potter's face. The boy didn't have a clue. Nevertheless, Snape said: "Too much, Potter. Too soon. Tell me: What kind of animal does mister Malfoy remind you of?"

Harry stood in thought for a moment. At the top of his mind, he replied: "A scared, cornered ferret." Snape only arched an eyebrow at him before he turned on his heel and left for the Great Hall.


Afternoon class

"Ah, mister Malfoy!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed as he saw the blond Slytherin appear through the doorway. Draco was early, and the eccentric professor was just finishing his preparations. "It is good to see you back on your feet again" the cheerful Slughorn chirped. "Come in, dear boy. Since your're first you get to choose where to sit!"

Slughorn watced Draco smile briefly at him before the boy took his cauldron and placed it at the closest table. Draco put the cauldron into position, placed his books next to it and took a seat.

"Well, well, nasty business, this eudaimon. Personally, I'd given a lot to meet him! Fancy that, an actual eudaimon!" Professor Slughorn clapped his hands together mirthfully. "Draco, every person alive bears within them the capacity to do better. To change, to push the limits and become something greater. For those who are truly evil, it doesn't take much. One act of kindness is all it takes to start down a path to a better life. And that capacity is what an eudaimon often looks for when it targets a potential victim. Do you have that capacity, Draco?"

Slughorn paused. He had sat down on a chair opposite Draco at the far end of the table. "I think you have. I've been watching you, you know" Slughorn said with a smirk and tapped the left side of his nose with his left index finger, winking at Draco, "and since the start of the schoolyear, your merits have opened doors to opportunities your father only could dream of!"

Draco barely understood what Slughorn was talking about. Just then, the rest of the class sidled in. Draco was glad for the sudden peptalk, but his head was brimming with questions.and he smiled back as Slughorn winked knowingly at him. Draco was surprised. He had no idea the eccentric old man knew so much, but the best was yet to come.

As Harry had promised, the Gryffindor took up a seat next to Draco. He placed his cauldron on the desk and placed his books in a heap on the desk next to it. As opposed to Draco, Harry never had his affairs in order. His books were scruffy, placed together in random order, his cauldron so-and-so cleaned but nevertheless smelled from the last brewing. His parchments were all over the place, torn at the edges and smeared with blotches of ink, full of Harry's thumbprints and bits and pieces of food stains. Harry's parchments weren't just parchments with notes jotted down. They told a history about Harry Potter's daily life, and it amused Draco to see the Gryffindor struggle to tidy it all up. Harry was good at taking notes, though, and he was meticious about it. Harry wrote about three times as many notes than Draco. Draco had a knack for remembering things in the right order. He could almost memorize a photo.

Draco felt even more out of place as he watched Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley take up seats at the same table opposite Draco and Harry. Draco wanted to say something to Harry. He was certain the Gryffindor was having second thoughts. Draco didn't even turn his head to watch as Crabbe and Goyle entered the room, talking among themselves as if Draco had never existed.
Professor Slughorn clapped his hands together, attracting their attention.

"Today we are going to brew a series of random elixirs. As I'm sure you've all read, elixirs are highly potent and often used by Mediwizards and Aurors. They are dense, and crammed to the very last drop with effect. Together, you will brew two elixirs, and for the winning team, I have a surprise behind my desk here, which shall be revealed at the end of the session. But now, first of all, welcome back, Draco. Good to have you here with us again. Ah, I see you've teamed up with Harry, here. Now, this is going to be in deed a very interesting session, with the two most qualified students in this class on the same team! Good luck to you. Before we start however, I am going to take ten minutes to talk to you about something very important which involves Draco and the eduaimon. You've all heard about the circumstances young Draco currently finds himself in, and I understand that there is some confusion concerning this demon and his conduct. As there is only me and Professor Dumbledore who has had previous experiences with the targets of eudaimons, we've decided to go out with a bit more information. First of all, should you happen upon the eudaimon and Draco, it is vital for your own and for Draco's safety that you leave at once. If you linger, or do anything to come between an eudaimon and its victim, the eudaimon will consider it a challenge to its victim's body and the eudaimon will act upon it. If you don't leave freely, it will resort to violence, and that is what some of you witnessed up there. An eudaimon would rather kill its own victim before it is given over to the challenger. Secondly, an eudaimon cannot be countered with ordinary magic. It can only be countered by a higher authority than itself. These authorities exist."
To this, Draco lifted his head to gaze at Professor Slughorn. A higher authority than the demon? Was that possible?

"Thirdly and last. In my opinion, Draco should have been dead by the start of October. I'm sorry to be blunt about this, but there really isn't any other way to convey it. Victims usually last somewhere around two weeks up till a month before they commit suicide. Draco's been dealing with the eduaimon's torture since the beginning of the school year, which to me suggests that there is something strange at work here. This is not how an eudaimon usually goes about its victims. Several eyewitnesses who claim that the eudaimon intervened when Draco jumped from the balcony. In other words, it did not let him fall. And that goes against everything I've ever seen previously. I therefore urge each and everyone of you - and the Slytherins in particular - to not give up on Draco just yet. I have seen the nut cases! Believe me. I have seen them just days before they set fire to their own bodies, or before they leapt off the tallest roof. I've watched them eat live rats or pour hot liquid oil down their throats!" Slughorn rested his knuckles on his desk and leaned forward, eyeing the gathering of students before him. "Draco" he continued with resolution in his voice, "is nowhere near insanity. Do not drive him away from you, but embrace him and encourage him so that he may have the strength to learn how to control this beast!" Slughorn drew his breath before he continued: "You're all wondering what it is that Draco did to deserve such a fate. I tell you this: He is no more guilty of anything than Harry Potter is!"

The last comment got the students whispering and talking amongst themselves. Harry looked bewildered about as his name was mentioned. Draco stared down at his desk. He was silent, but his heart was racing! Finally, he was learning something of value! Something which made a difference in his dreary existence, and it was balm to his very soul to hear Slughorn's authoritative voice thunder with certainty. Unlike Snape's vague remarks about the demon subject, Slughorn seemed to know what he was talking about, and he talked on Draco's behalf!

"But what did you do, Draco?!"

The students fell silent just as Ron blurted out with the question. Hermione immediately scorned him, hitting his shoulder with one of her books. Draco sighed. He was looking for the words. He wanted to run out of the class room, but he checked himself. Forcing himself to look at the students, he cleared his voice. He folded his hands , and said;

"I - I was told I would suffer because of my father's sins. Because he's a Death Eater. Because he's a bad man. And - and because of my attitude towards many of you over the years. I was told that because of my aunt, I am indirectly responsible for the mental state of Neville Longbottom's parents, and on a general basis I am to die because I am an evil...person. The, uhm, list - as it were - is very long."

He was shaking, and he started as Slughorn put a hand comfortingly on his shoulder, nodding approvingly at him. Draco exchanged glances with him, understanding that Ron's blunt question was more than adequately answered. Slughorn seemed thoughtful, and he leaned against his desk, folding his arms across his chest before he said: "Courage, boys and girls. Pure and honest courage."

There it was, all of it out in the open. Draco had never felt more naked.

“Like I said, Draco is no more guilty than anyone else sitting in this classroom. I Know things about your parents which would make you shudder! No one is without sin. Now we let that be the end of it and we turn to elixir making, everyone! The teams shall brew, as I said, two quick elixirs that does something amusing! Impress me!"
Draco's biggest problem wasn't the elixirs. It was looking at Harry Potter. At all, how to start a conversation with an ex-enemy he did not know anything about. Potter was stealing glances at him.

The chatter around the tables increased as the teams began to discuss among themselves about different elixirs. But Draco could very well hear that there lay something restrained over the way they talked. And as he glanced over to them, Draco caught them staring at him. Talking about him. He seriously considered shutting his books and take his cauldron and leave. He accidentally glanced over the table and he looked straight into the brown eyes of Hermione Granger. She smiled timidly at him, with an apologetic look on her face. Beams of sunlight had protruded into the classroom, and from behind, the rays played in her unruly hair like a halo of pristine light. Seeing her like that, Draco nearly fell off his chair.

He couldn't help but to smile back, and it was something he'd never done with more heartfelt emotion. He felt shattered. Undone by her beauty, and her smile seeped through flesh, bone and marrow, and Draco knew he could never be vile to her again. The enchantment was momentarily broken as Draco glanced over to Ron. He too, was bathed in a similar golden light, but his red hair made it look like his head was on fire. He came across to Draco as a fiery avenger with murder on his mind judging by the look on his face. He was glancing at Draco's smile towards Hermione, to Hermione herself, noticing the shy looks she sent Draco. The unexpected flare of chemistry between the Gryffindor girl and the Slytherin boy was evident.

Ron was not pleased.

Harry wasn't blind either. But instead, he said: “Perhaps we should make an elixir for the ladies?” he said playfully, glancing over to Draco's. “Flowers growing out of their hair?” It was unknown territory. Harry and Draco had never shared humour in the past.

“Not growing. Popping!” Draco said carefully, gesturing with his hands near his ears.

“You're right. The growing sensation can't be very nice” Harry laughed. Draco smiled at him.

Hermione rolled her eyes before she said: “There is a spell which works for that!” Checking himself, Draco lowered his gaze and said: “It was just a suggestion. No harm meant.” Attempting to break the tension, Harry intervened: “No I think it's a great idea. What's a sordid spell versus the fun of trying to brew it as an elixir?”

Ron was silent. He exchanged glances with Hermione and Harry, but refrained from commenting.

“And what shall our second elixir be about?”

“Well” Draco began, “if I may, I would try to brew an elixir which would put a smile on Ronald's face”. Draco glanced shyly over to where Ron was sitting. That had probably been way over the top, but Ron's grumbling attitude was seriously getting to Draco.

“Sod off, Malfoy!” Ron exclaimed. For a moment they sat in silence, not sure what to make of Ron's outburst. Draco didn't feel welcome at all at their table, but then Hermione burst out in an uncontrolled giggle, and so did Harry.

“Yeah, come on Ron! Smile a little. It's only Malfoy” Harry said. With that, Ron flashed a lopsided grin. They all watched Hermione turn on the flame beneath her cauldron. Harry did the same.

“Shall we start with a pint of water?” he suggested, looking over to Draco. Draco nodded in return, allowing himself a weak smile. He listened to Hermione and Ron argue about what kind of elixir to make, and Harry constantly craved Draco's attention, asking the Slytherin whether or not he thought it would be the right amount.

Draco spent the double hour feeling cocooned by their friendliness and humour, and it was a welcome change to be had. He had no words to express his bliss, and he was reminded of what happiness was. He wanted more of this. His heart sang with the sentiment, and as the hours progressed he became bolder, discussing with Harry about how to get the elixirs right. Professor Slughorn conjured himself a cup of tea while he listened and observed his students. Circling the tables he once in a while put down his cup while discussed with the students, and it so happened to be left on Draco's table for some time. Wondering what to put in their next elixir, Draco picked up a spoon and added a few tablespoons of tea to their otherwise bland elixir. Ron widened his eyes as Draco boldly added two Selnegar bladder-stones, some green chopped Popsprout and pair of Cheltenham Red Bouncing beans. Harry stirred in the pot with a wicked grin. The Slytherin and the Gryffindor were beyond the point of actually making something that worked. They'd reached a much more fun stage, and that was experimenting. It boiled vigorously in Harry's cauldron. Hermione only looked at them with an aloof expression, arching one eyebrow at the bubbling substance which threatened to boil over any second. Her's and Ron's cauldron had a brew in it which simmered quietly away with a nice ruddy colour in it. Draco's and Harry's brew had an angry purple which looked far from inviting.

The other elixir seemed far more modest in its behaviour. It was golden in colour and simmered calmly in Draco's cauldron. It smelled of sun flowers, Thyme and roses and the aroma sifted out and mixed together with the other smells from the tables until the classroom was packed with scents from floor to ceiling. Harry added half a tea spoon of Popsprout to their golden mix as well, and the fluid instantly assumed a more aggressive, boiling behaviour.

It was test time, and Harry volunteered to try out the mysterious purple solution. A few seconds and his ears began to tickle ferociously. He developed a serious itch in his ears and his skin turned red and irritated. Small blisters started to grow along the pinna and the lobule, and they popped up, forming hundreds of angry red mushrooms. Swelling, they very soon popped into beautiful flowers covering both of Harry's ear. Draco was laughing so hard along with his fellow students he could hardly sit straight on his chair. Needless to say, Harry was very relieved to see it was a relative short-lived elixir as the flowers popped away after about five minutes, obliterating in a shower of flower petals.

“Brilliant!” he exclaimed, acknowledgedly patting Draco hard on the shoulder.

After class, the golden trio retired either to the Gryffindor common room or to other classes. Draco had the opportunity to walk Hermione to Ancient Runes class which he himself also attended. Walking alone with her made his heart pound fast, and all though words were hard to find, he tried to smile at her and act as politely as possibly. He tried not to cling. Or seem tense. But to be casual – all though also here everyone stared at him and looked at him with pity or contempt – depending on their house. Holding on to the good moment he'd just shared with the Gryffindors made it all bearable. But when they entered the class room, Draco felt he'd outstayed his moment with her, wondering if he should take up a seat at another desk just in case she'd grown weary of him. He decided to ignore her, so he promptly sat down at one desk in the middle section of the class room, doing his best to seem unaffected by whatever choice she would make. He held his breath, felt his heart race and his palms go sweaty as she rounded the corner of the desk in question, rolled her eyes at some giggling Ravenclaws at the neighbouring table and promptly seated herself next to Draco. She swung her head in his direction, flicked her hair so it cascaded over her right shoulder, and she asked innocently: “Do you mind if I sit here?”
Did he mind? Did Draco Malfoy mind? He, who was among the lowest scum to wander the face of the Earth, did he mind that Hermione Granger seated herself next to him?!

He smiled shyly at her and shook his head, thrilled to have her willingly sit next to him. He felt dirty, tainted and useless compared to the pristine beauty next to him, and the guilt over having called her a mud-blood – to even have conceived the notion of ever calling her that – was next to unbearable. It didn't take a genius to understand why she chose to do this. Hermione was known for her compassion towards others – compassion on the verge of stupidity sometimes, like with the blunder about freeing the house-elves at Hogwarts – still she cared more for others than she did for herself. Hermione had a strong sense of justice, and Draco suspected that said sense had more to do with her sudden benevolence and tolerance than anything else. He so wanted to tell her that he regretted his behaviour the past years. He had been a fool. She had no duty concerning the new school misfit that was Draco Malfoy. He decided he couldn't die tonight. He had business to attend to. He had to write her a letter, letting her know how he felt and how sorry he was.

The professor of Ancient Runes seemed somewhat distracted by Draco's presence. A part of the tutoring consisted of copying notes or making direct transcripts, and the professor often swivelled an extra round at Draco's table to look at the way he copied the text. The professor's odd behaviour made Draco uneasy, making him feel as if he was unwanted. As class finally ended, the professor asked Draco to linger while the others exited. Looking down his nose at Draco, over his spectacles, he eyed the blond Slytherin before he folded his arms above his chest and said: “Mister Malfoy, your letters glow blue when you write. Any idea why?”

To this, Draco only shook his head in wonder.

“Mystic runes, when written perfectly, can be used to create a number of spells and curses which - together with the spoken magic – opens for a wide range of magical combinations which creates a totality in the use of magic. It is an art which requires decades to master, and some study these combinations their entire lives without fully understanding it or mastering it. It is quite simple to know when you got it right, though. The letters glow! This is quite remarkable, Mister Malfoy!” The professor seemed so delighted he was beaming with ecstasy. “In all my years teaching Ancient runes, I've only met a handful students who mastered the art, and those were only last years! The head master must be informed! These powers ensure you a solid job where ever you should wish to apply, all though I must say that with such great knowledge comes responsibility.”

Draco was speechless. He watched the professor collect his books before he bid Draco a good day and went back to his study. Draco felt a strange mixture of pride of having impressed his teacher, but he was also petrified as realisation had struck him about something far more troublesome: This wasn't his work, his achievement. It was something in his veins, seeping through to his flesh, pulsating with ancient magic. Demon magic. Draco felt dizzy. He felt like a fraud who'd just cheated on his exam and been exposed. The professor would let Dumbledore know. And Dumbledore would know it was the work of the eudaimon! He was cursed! Everything he touched became tainted by the eudaimon's magic. Draco tried so hard to restore his father's name, to be a good boy, but the eudaimon was destroying his chances. Now, he would not only be a shame, a disgrace to his family. Draco would be known as a fraud as well.

Anxiety pounded feverishly in his heart as he made it back to his room. It was imperative he started to set things right before the eudaimon messed up too much of his life. Sitting down by the desk, Draco loosened his tie and began to write.

He was so caught up in his aim he forgot to eat. By the time he finally put down the quill, it was late and the school had fallen silent. If he survived the night he would personally deliver the letters in the morning. He went to the bathroom at the sixth floor, carrying the letters with him in case he bumped into either of the recipients. And just so, he happened upon Neville Longbottom. Neville was his usual self, and he immediately cringed as he walked into Draco in the doorway. Draco hadn't even touched him, but Neville went about like some hurt, confused chicken and backed off, veered aimlessly for a second while he waited for the bomb to drop and then decided to flee by making it through the now empty doorway as Draco had moved into the bathroom.

“Mister Longbottom?” Draco asked, just as Neville attempted to pass him. Nervous about being around Draco, Neville hesitated somewhat grudgingly before he mustered up the courage to look Draco in the eye. Draco and Neville had far from a good relationship, since Draco had contributed much to Neville's bad self-esteem through incessant taunting and demeaning pranks. Producing a letter from his back pocket, Draco politely presented it to the Gryffindor. Neville stood in wonder for a moment before he accepted the letter, relieving Draco of kilos of pressure from his shoulders in the process. Neville scrutinized it. The envelope had his name on it, and he gazed from it and over to Draco with question in his eye. Draco couldn't bear to look at him any longer, dreading Neville's reaction. The Gryffindor could get seriously pissed from reading its content, nevertheless it had to be done this way. Draco didn't turn to see Neville leave. He did however hear the Gryffindor as he uttered a yelp of pain, probably having banged his toe into something on the way out.

Having returned to his room, Draco immediately went to bed. He was exhausted and wanted to have some decent rest. But the moment he put out the candles and shut his eyelids, an endless parade of images of the day's events and the days prior to that, forced their way into his mind. No matter how hard he tried, Draco always returned to Potion's class with Slughorn, and Slughorn's words which had been stewing in the back of his mind all afternoon.

'This is not how an eudaimon usually goes about its victims.'

Slughorn had been right. Now that the anxiety and the worry about facing his fellow students were over, Draco realized the old toad was right. Melchior had saved him from falling down from the balcony, and it had been the others – Harry and Hermione – who in good faith, thinking they could goad off a demon, had spurred Melchior to rape Draco in front of everybody. Which in turn led Draco to think of Hermione and his actions lately. He'd pleaded for Melchior not to harm her. It had worked. In a sense. It had harmed him in stead, but if Melchior hadn't, Draco wouldn't have been sitting opposite her today. He wouldn't have gotten to see the way her beauty revealed itself to him. So it had been worth it. Opening his eyes again, Draco realised something; If enduring Melchior's torture meant befriending other students who didn't despise him too much, like the Gryffindors, like Luna, then it would be worth it. Friends outside Slytherin was better than no friends at all. And what Potter had done for him today by taking him into their midst and pairing up with him in front of everybody in class, was so indescribably honourable and courageous that it made Draco cringe in guilt knowing the taunts he'd put the Boy Who Lived through over the years. How could Draco have been so wrong?! How was it possible to have been so blind? Draco shut his eyes tight in self-disgust and sighed. Just a few more days, it was all he needed. A few more days of sanity so he could set things right and clear his conscience. A few more days!


Three A.M.

Draco was sound asleep. He did not hear the lock in his door twist soundlessly. He didn't see the door to his room swing open into the room without as much as a creak. Professor Snape however, did. He had been waiting for this moment the entire night. He had his door ajar, and used the slit to monitor the demonic apparition which now unfolded over by Draco Malfoy's door. It was Draco's eudaimon. And as it folded itself out of darkness and fully materialized, Snape admitted to himself that this was one agonizingly beautiful looking eudaimon. The Sparrows certainly went out of their way when they made their bodies. Snape tried to control his breathing to a minimum, keeping his wand at the ready while he spied on the eudaimon who was currently touching the runes with his fingers.

Clever, a sensual male voice whispered in the professor's head.

Clever indeed, Severus Snape! The voice slithered itself through his mind again. It made Snape weak in the knee and he felt his legs buckle underneath his weight. Falling to his knees, he looked in horror as the door to his office slowly creaked open to reveal the eudaimon in his finest glory, clad in black knee-long tunic ordained with flimsy silver pattern. The brown softly curled hair cascaded over his shoulders, framing a pale face, a narrow yet masculine chin and the eyes – oh the eyes stared playfully down at the professor who struggled to regain control of his body. Those black orbs seemed without depth, and the faint sea green colour which lighted up the room through a looking glass to the bottom of the lake gave the eudaimon's exterior a supernatural glow. An evil glow.

Professor Snape felt a tremble ripple through his body as his head was filled to the rim with images of Draco Malfoy with his limbs entangled with Melchior's. Shaking his head unconsciously, Snape wanted to lose the images of the blond Slytherin arching his neck as he moaned out his pleasure, Draco's breath crystal clear in Snape's mind as it hitched and Draco shuddered with lust. Almost feeling the sparks flying off Draco's fingertips as he dug his nails into the back of the eudaimon on top of him, Snape staggered to his feet only to lose balance again. He was overcome with sudden lust, and for the first time in years – was it really that long? – Snape felt his own cock explode with life, rising into a rock hard erection in matter of seconds. His vision blurred as he watched Melchior step out of the doorway. Unable to control his own feet, Snape felt himself rise. Staggering outside into the corridor, his mind began to understand what was about to happen. His fingers were as if frozen. He could not reach his own wand, and his horror only increased as his feet was directed towards Malfoy's wide open door. Mustering whatever willpower he could find, Snape clutched at the frames of the doorway, holding back. He even put his feet up against the walls on the outside, understanding that this was the last stand or he would be forced to rape Draco in Melchior's stead. He wanted to scream at Draco, to make him aware of the situation, to at least reach for his wand and attempt to save them both from the horror they were moments away from undergoing. Draco was dear to him, like the son he never had. As dear as Harry, who had his mothers eyes. He felt the eudaimon's grip on his body diminish. Like a sack of potatoes, Snape fell in through the doorway, and it was that thump which brought Draco out from his sleep.

Producing the Lumos spell, Draco started as he saw Snape collapse in through his doorway. Behind him loomed Melchior. The eudaimon had a wicked grin which played at the corner of his mouth. Snape groaned. He was still alive and that was a relief to Draco. Sitting up in bed. Draco eyed the creature from the netherworld.

“Once again” the eudaimon sighed, sounding bored, “someone comes between me and my prey. Seriously, wizard! Your barrier is no more than a prickle to my skin! Did you really think you could best me?!” Melchior laughed.

Snape was on hands and feet, moving away at a slow pace inwards into the room.
“I did it out of love!” Professor Snape sighed, “he is almost my son! Mine...! I wish him only the best!” the dark haired professor mumbled, “I did it to protect him!” Snape mumbled, becoming more incoherent by the minute. “You must...honour...the..rules...!” Snape went limp. It reminded Draco of how he'd been numbed by Melchior so many times. Turning his attention to Draco, Melchior did not seem pleased.

“Yes” he hissed at the blond Slytherin, “I must honour the rules.”

Draco was shaking with terror. He feared Snape was dead, and checked the impulse to run over to the lifeless professor to check on him. Instead Draco said: “What rules? Please, what rules, Melchior?”

To this, Melchior only smiled at him before he approached the blond. “You're a smart boy. You figure it out.”

“Please, he only tried to help me..., please leave him alone!” Draco pleaded, finally deciding it was worth risking it. He ventured out of his bed. He heard Snape gasp. The professor turned his head as he exclaimed: “No, don't touch me, Draco. You mustn't come near me! Don't give him an excuse to rape you again!”

“Draco will return to his bed and he will remove his undergarments, won't you my boy?” Melchior said sternly. It wasn't a request, it was a command which was meant to be obeyed without hesitation.

“Demon, you must honour the rules!” Snape exclaimed again, more desperation in his voice this time.

“Oh, I'll honour the rules all right. But not being able to lift a finger against Draco doesn't mean I can't lift it at you, Sir.” Melchior said, never taking his eyes of Draco. Snape was whirled so fast around by an unseen power that it almost knocked the breath out of the former Slytherin. “And I do believe it's in order for you to pay the price this time and not Draco, seeing how it was you who put up the barrier” Melchior added venomously. Draco could see Snape was fighting himself, but nevertheless, the former potions professor soon made it over to where Draco was standing. Draco backed away, as he realised what was gong on. It was just like Slughorn had described it. Snape had wandered in on the demon's territory, he'd come between them and now something terrible was about to unfold. Snape was trying to say something as he got up on his knees infront of Draco. The old man wailed, but could not help but to place his hands on Draco's hips. Mechanically, the fingers grazed the soft pale skin as they clawed for the lining of Draco's pyjamas.

“You have to stop me, you have to stop me...!” Snape mumbled frantically, searching the half dark for Draco's eyes. Draco was still holding his wand, but now that Snape was this close, Draco saw no use for it. Hurting Snape was exactly what the eudaimon wanted him to do. This was a test of character, to see if Draco would be his old Slytherin and resort to self-preservation before sacrifice.

“Know that I won't hold this against you, Professor” Draco replied timidly. He shuddered as his pants became undone. Snape forced them down to his ankles, and he immediately buried his face against Draco's bruised thigh as he moaned in frustration and unwanted lust. Draco felt the professor's breath ghost his sensitive skin as Snape's lips brushed close to Draco's limp manhood. Shuddering again, Draco straightened his back and involuntarily bucked against Snape as the professor's hands travelled behind the blond in one fluid movement to cup the blond's rounded cheeks. Though possessed, Snape sure had a sensual, arousing way of going about it, treating Draco as if he was a piece of rare porcelain. Somehow, Snape managed tomake him feel loved. Perhaps it had just been the words, perhaps it was Draco who just so desperately wanted to feel that way. Draco decided he would rest his hands on top of Snape's shoulders and see if it did anything for me. Melchior was looking amused. The demonic bastard. Snape sighed again, disgruntled and obviously uncomfortable with the situation.

“I have no desire to hurt you” he said through a moan, gazing up at Draco. He moved his hands upwards and frontwise on Draco's torso, brushing calloused fingers across nipples still in the making. Sixteen years old, and already Draco's body had had to endure so much. Using Draco for support, Snape got to his feet. He clasped Draco's shoulders with both hands, attempting to shake off the control he was under, but Melchior only snickered at his attempt.

“Come now, professor” Melchior hissed sarcastically, “let's be frank with Malfoy now and tell him a part of you always wanted this!”

“Don't listen to him! I'll be the first to admit you're a handsome young man to behold, Draco. But that doesn't mean I've ever wanted to take it any further but to have paternal feelings for you” Professor Snape spoke swiftly in an attempt to best the eudaimon at his own game.

“Just get it over with” Draco whispered, he closed his eyes just as Snape cupped his chin in his hands and leaned in for a kiss. They were the lips of a man, no doubt about it. Not like Melchior's, whose were soft and tender, almost female to kiss. Looking into Snape's eyes, it pained Draco to see the shame and disgust on the elder man's face. Clearly, he did not want to do this. He could see Snape struggle with himself. The professor averted his gaze. He couldn't bear to look Draco in the eye knowing what he had to do to the blond boy.

“Turn, so I won't have to see my guilt reflect in your eyes” Snape said with great trouble. He was breathing hard, his dark eyes veiled with a mixed fog of lust and disgust over himself.

“No” Draco replied softly through gritted teeth, “all I ask is that you're gentle with me. Give me a nice memory, something I can hold on to in the dark!” Draco whispered, his lips ghosting Snape's while he spoke. “Do better than him” Draco added. He felt strangely calm, almost eagerly anticipating Snape's further actions. Snape glanced worriedly at the eudaimon, obviously considering his options before he returned his attention to Draco. He bent forward and kissed the youth again, more passionately than before. But quite unexpectedly, he turned towards the eudaimon again.

“What happens once I am finished with Draco?”

The question lingered in the air for a moment.

“You return to your quarters with a lesson well learnt about not to interfere and Draco goes back to sleeping soundly as a baby.”

“No repercussions towards Draco?”

“Young Malfoy here is simply being a good little whore following his orders. I see no reason -”

“ - make the vow!” Snape shouted so suddenly that Draco cringed. Melchior simply laughed and rolled his eyes. The way he suddenly shifted and became venomously serious, losing every trace of mirth on his face, was at best eerie.

“I solemnly swear I will not raise my hand at Draco Malfoy in revenge for what you're just about to commit towards him.”

“And swear you will not taunt him with words-!”

“-don't push it, Professor!” Melchior snarled. The angry response made Draco tense up. This was usually the moment when he was either hurt or when Melchior tore Draco's clothes asunder to get his way with the Slytherin. Just then, Draco realised that Snape had been grinding his hips against Draco's groin. Placing authoritative hands on the blond's shoulders, Snape led the boy backwards unto the bed. Disentangling the trousers from his feet, Draco moved onto the bed while Snape followed. He was undoing his breeches and hurriedly climbed unto the bed between Draco's legs. He had a fierce look of determination on his face, and Draco widened his eyes as Snape unveiled a throbbing erection of immense proportions. This wasn't going to take long unless Melchior decided he'd interfere more. Draco had never thought of Snape as particularly virile before, but the highly erotic display of the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor between his legs was quickly building up a tingle. He watched as the professor sighed in relief to find Draco well lubricated. Positioning himself, Snape inhaled loudly. He was trembling, showing apparent restraint, and he exercised great patience as he entered Draco's puckered entrance. It flattered the blond, and he had to smile, feeling like a virgin together with a much older and more experienced man who obviously thought his virgin meal to be made out of porcelain. Draco couldn't help himself, he had to touch Snape. He moved his hands across the dark fabric of his tunic all the way up to Snape's face, for the first time in his life touching a professor in such an intimate way. The skin on Snape's cheeks was soft, with a slight stubble, a typical coarse adult male's skin. He touched Snape's lips with his fingertips, and Snape kissed them gently as he'd begun to thrust. First with modesty, and as soon as he saw that Draco could take it, Snape set aside all moderation, thrusting away with such ferocity that Draco gasped at the sudden change of pace. Draco tried to forget the eudaimon who stood watching by the door. He wanted to derive whatever joy he could from this, feeling a lot more confident knowing Snape was all human. Focusing on the good feelings, he continued to let his hands roam on Snape's clothed body, and his hands inadvertently travelled down to the centre of pleasure. Finding the opening in Snape's clothes near the groin, Draco slipped his hands underneath. He craved naked flesh, and he busied himself undoing Snape's clothes while the professor thrust away at him with considerable strength. Placing his palms on Snape's naked torso was highly stimulating because he felt the elder man's muscles working, knowing it gave them both pleasure. Then, Snape shut his eyes tight and clenched his jaw, his thrusts weakened into rhythmical jolts, and Draco could tell the professor had just orgasmed. Breathing hard, the professor sat up and quickly arranged his private parts back into his trousers, folding buttons as fast as he could get his shivering fingers to work. Draco collected his legs and sat up. He picked up his trousers and put them on. By the time he looked up to Melchior again, the eudaimon had vanished. Snape moved out of the boy's bed and straightened his clothing in an effort to regain his usual composure. He looked surprised at Draco who presented him his wand.

“Thank you” he replied softly, accepting it from the blond Slytherin. He reached out and stroked Draco's cheek with his left thumb, unsure of what to say next. “Best keep this between ourselves.”

“Of course” Draco replied.

“Will you be able to sleep?”

“Yes” Draco lied. Leaving silently, Snape closed the door softly behind him.