Pros & Cons

8. The Meeting

Draco was on the Hogwarts Express on his way home for the half term, he was sitting with Zabini, Nott and Parkinson. He'd tuned out of their conversation hours ago, his mind was too full with his current problems to listen to Parkinson bitch about a random Ravenclaw.

He couldn't help but think about what happened with Gardner yesterday, Draco was completely and utterly embarrassed. He'd let himself be so weak in front of her and even touched her. Although he couldn't understand why he wasn't repulsed by her touch like he was with Granger, somehow she didn't feel as filthy as Granger did.

What am I talking about, she's a mudblood.

Don't even get him started on how he told her that he didn't have detention. He visibly cringed at the thought. Why the fuck would he tell her that, especially when he didn't even understand why he had gone to the detention in the first place.

"... and did you see Gardner sitting by herself, I mean she has no friends besides the Gryffindork trio - I bet they don't even like her!" Parkinson chortled.

"What?" Draco looked away from the window and turned to engage with the group.

"Oh, I was just saying how Gardner's sat in a train compartment by herself. That girl seriously has no friends - how pathetic"

Draco had used that exact word to describe Gardner before, but the way Pansy said it sent a flicker of rage through him that he suppressed.

He thought for a moment about going to her compartment to clear up everything about last night.

No, that's such a stupid fucking idea. Why would I even want to spend another minute alone with her.

He tried to focus his mind back onto the task at hand. I mean here he was literally about to face The Dark Lord and he's thinking about some Gryffindor mudblood.

Nonetheless he pushed the thought to the back of his mind and rested his head against the frosty glass of the window, watching the passing scenery and hoping to drift off to sleep.

By the time Draco was back at the manor it was dusk and he wanted to get some rest before tomorrow.

"Draco" Narcissa gushed, giving him a light hug.

"Mother"

"Come to the kitchen, dinner's been prepared"

He followed his mother into the kitchen and sat at the table as she finished off the food with the last few flicks of her wand. She then waltzed over to him and sat in the seat opposite.

"Are you prepared to give your progress report at the meeting tomorrow?"

"Um... yes. Mostly"

"Draco" his mother said slowly, raising an eyebrow.

"The cabinet, I'm trying my best but the bloody thing isn't responding to any of the repair spells. I've got a backup plan incase I can't fix it"

"Which is?"

"I've found this necklace, it's full of dark magic. If I hex it and get it to Dumbledore then it would kill him and I wouldn't even have to use an unforgivable" he looked at his mother hopefully, but her quizzical expression hadn't faltered.

"You know The Dark Lord needs you to kill Dumbledore, that was what your task specifically-"

"Yes I know but it never stated I had to use the killing curse. Plus, it would still be me who killed him just not directly"

Narcissa reached out her hand and held her sons.

"I don't think you you've thought this through-"