its all about blood - angelrider93

Chapter 2 - Revelations

Draco slowly opened his eyes and stared up at the white ceiling, he recognized it immediately as the ceiling in the Hogwarts infirmary. Closing his eyes, he tried to remember the events that would have led to him laying flat on his back in the infirmary again. Then he remembered. A huge Manticore stalking him as he took a walk down near the Black Lake, Potter screaming at him and shoving him out of the way just as it launched itself at him, seeing Potter go down under the claws and fangs of the Manticore, pushing himself to his feet and throwing curse after curse at it, then feeling nothing but pain as the Manticore launched itself at him, finally after only a few seconds that seemed like hours, the weight of the Manticore lifted and just as he lost consciousness he heard screaming and various harried voices. Hearing something shifting beside him, Draco opened his eyes again and looked to his left. His eyes narrowed in confusion at the slumped figure sitting in the chair beside his bed, 'It couldn't be?'

"Father?" Draco rasped out. At his voice Lucius's head snapped up and instantly he was on his feet and leaning down over his son,

"Draco, how are you feeling?" Draco was shocked at his father's obvious concern but didn't show it,

"Like I just went ten rounds with a wild Manticore, where's Mother?"

"She's having a sleep, she was here all night" Lucius answered softly, then noticing his son's shock and confusion he picked up a glass and held it to his son's lips, "Madam Pomfrey said that you had to drink this when you awoke" Draco drank the bitter tasting potion obediently, then looked up at his father with wary eyes,

"Father? What is going on?"

"Just relax for now, when you feel stronger you and I need to have a talk" Lucius answered, as he watched the potion take effect and his son drift off into slumber.

When Draco next awoke, it was his mother that he found sitting beside him reading the latest edition of Hogwarts: A History.

"Mother? Why are you reading that?" Narcissa looked up and smiled gently at her son, before leaning over and placing a soft kiss on his forehead,

"I haven't read this book since I was here at Hogwarts, its quite interesting actually" puzzled by the kiss that his normally stiff mother had bestowed upon him, Draco asked a question that had been burning on his mind since he had woken up to see his father's concerned face.

"Mother, what is going on? You and father are both acting quite weird, has someone placed you under the Imperius curse or something?" Draco frowned when his mother laughed at his question, his mother never laughed naturally, it was always a forced laugh,

"No Draco, we are not under any curse, we are just acting how we normally would"

"But neither of you are acting normal, that's just it!"

"Your father will explain it when he comes back, he wants to talk to you about some things"

"Why can't you explain it?"

"Because its something that your father wants to do" Narcissa replied as she handed him a glass. Draco grimaced as he again swallowed the bitter potion then handed the glass back to his mother. "You just get some rest now and when you wake up again your father should be here and you can talk" Narcissa stated as she put the glass back on the low table next to the bed. Draco nodded then once again submitted to slumber.

When Draco woke for the third time he saw his father sitting in the chair watching him,

"Father, what's going on? You and Mother are acting weird and its freaking me out" Draco stated as he slowly sat up and reclined against the pillows, Lucius sighed,