Half-Dimension

Part 19

Tom flicked through the letter that Lucius had given him. He had to admit, he had been surprised to get one so early in the month from the stubborn Pureblood. He did not often write until the very last moment, likely out of spite, but Tom did not mind it as long as he wrote the reports. Lucius still had some trouble accepting the fact that he was in a higher position. Just as Severus was slowly making his way to becoming his Right Hand, not Lucius. Tom had already contemplated switching the positions for a while now, considering that despite Lucius' status, Severus was more reliable. As was evidenced in the difference in frequency of their letters. Severus sent his weekly, on the Friday of every week, whereas Tom was surprised if he got more than one from Lucius. The man was cutting it close every month as well. 

He read through the letter, and felt himself getting quite...alarmed? Shocked? Something similar to those. He could not say that he was too surprised about Draco's response though. The utter denial that he had, and the frustration that everyone was overthinking things was one that he was quite familiar with. He found himself amused by that. Furthermore, he was a bit surprised, however, about Lucius's end of his letter. There was more to just the bare minimum reporting. He felt himself smile slightly at the end. A request. Lucius was...requesting something from him. Oh, the way he framed the words it was not so obvious, but Tom had gotten quite used to Lucius, by now. He knew how the other worded his requests. It left something, almost laughable in what he wanted to reply back, he would not though, considering it was Draco that was at risk here. 

Tom tapped his fingers on the desk in front of him, wondering how he should address this. It would definitely take some...persuasion on his end. Despite what it was that Lucius seemed to think, Draco was not a person who was inclined to obey him just because Tom was the one who asked. He was much like Severus and, particularly, Lucius in that regard. Although he did very much seem to value his opinions on things, he was not going to listen just because Tom told him to. Tom quite appreciated that in a person, although he was quite happy that Draco seemed to be so much like his brother and his brother's lover. After all, they both obeyed him in the end, despite whatever Tom may do to make them do so. 

Draco was also different from his brother and his brother's friend. Despite the similarities between Lucius and Severus, Draco was quite unique in a few ways. For one, he was obviously frightened of him, but he did not let that overcome him. His fear was a different sort of fear, as well, Tom could tell. It was a fear of something that was him, yet...not. Draco, unlike many, feared who he could become, not who he was now. It was a different kind of fear, that Tom would bet Draco himself was not entirely aware of. Draco feared someone that Tom had yet to be, but was on fast track of becoming one with. It was definitely something that he could appreciate. It reminded him of the same fear that Dumbledore had. 

Yet, it was different, as well. Unlike Dumbledore, Draco shoved that fear aside when talking to him. When gazing upon him, Tom saw a healthy dose of worry, anxiety, but also awe, as though he was shocked that Tom was speaking to him. It made Tom wonder...exactly what had happened to Draco to make him such an odd dose of contradiction. He did not have the ability to ask such things, yet. He would...he would obtain that ability, and it would seem he would obtain it quite sooner than he had initially anticipated. 

"Curious," Tom thought aloud to himself. "How easily one can change their perceptions." He smirked as he pulled a fresh roll of parchement out, and dipped his quill in Ink. He would have to convince Draco, yes, but Draco himself was not likely to put up much of a fight. He regarded Tom as an equal, in some ways, and as a superior in most other ways. Tom did not know why, considering that even Lucius had not had much talk with him before the new year at Hogwarts, but it was clear that Draco regard Tom highly, and without the same sense of prejudice that many tended to apply to him. His blood ability did not seem to matter too much to Draco, although the two did share a dislike for muggleborns, and Muggles as a general rule. 

-

"You told Tom?" Draco came barreling down the stairs a good fifteen hours later. Classes had ended, and as such, most of the Slytherins who did not do Quidditch were in the common room. Everyone turned to look at the flurry of the youngest Malfoy entering the room, anger and fire in his eyes. 

"Well," Draco shook his head, tilting his head mockingly. 

"Well? Out with it." Draco hissed. The two just stared with wide eyes at this side of Draco. "Nothing to say?" Draco questioned, suddenly overly calm, which had many people inching to the other side of the common room, or scrambling to the walls. "Interesting, I know that you were asked to keep...reports on me, I was told about this you know. What I find interesting, is that you thought you would ask him to request in lue of yourself since you asking did not work." 

"Did he tell you that too?" Draco scoffed at Lucius' question. 

"What do you think? We do keep a rather steady stream of communication, you know. While I admit, it is quite interesting to see the new way you would go, I find myself tempted to refuse, just because you went behind my back." Draco's eyes took on a slightly crazed gleam to them. 

"Draco, wait..." Severus attempted to calm him, but Draco was not having it, glaring him down until the other slowly sat back down hands up in surrender. There was a certain weight to the air that had them almost suffocating. Lucius quietly sent a stream to one of his roommates that happened to be on the stairs at the time, before he had stayed to look into what was going on. 

They needed Tom to get here. Now.