I'm Coming For You, Draco Malfoy!

'Pride' Doc Martens

A/N There's a brief nod to 'Turn' by sarahs_girl and published by @defyingdraco on Wattpad, I recommend it if you haven't read it.

There had been, to varying degrees, various outcries at our mild sentences but because Harry had thrown his weight behind us, people didn't seem to dare speak too loudly. And then Witch Weekly had decided to take Harry on his word and started to run a series of articles on the war's 'heroes', including publishing a special edition on the Fallen Fifty: a full-page spread on every person, plus a few additions including Dobby and Sirius Black, Cedric Diggory, Alastair 'Mad-Eye' Moody, and, of course, Albus Dumbledore. The other publishers soon jumped on the bandwagon but Witch Weekly was ahead of the game. We had been approached but interviews were declined. They still ran an article on us using desperate and distant sources but it painted mother and me as unwilling victims and even father was shown sympathetically to be in way past his depth in the grasp of a narcissistic monomaniac. It went someway to changing the tide of disapproval towards our family and I was relieved that there was a considerable drop in Howlers and Hexing letters being sent to us.

Mother and I spent the immediate weeks after Azkaban deep-cleansing the Manor. Father retreated to the garden, sometimes in fits of depression in which he would just sit in one of the nineteenth-century long greenhouses staring at the floor, other times he would spend the day in frenzied activity. One day we found father had summoned all the House-Elves to remove outside into the garden any furniture the Dark Lord had touched. There was an enormous bonfire roaring on the back lawn. Father appeared to be dancing around the flames bare-chested, in just his trousers and cackling. We decided to leave him to it, though mother did retrieve his socks and shoes, his shirt, waistcoat, and his best coat that were scattered about the grass. The fire burned for days, especially the heavy oak dining table, and the fire left a huge circular black scorch mark in the once perfectly-manicured grass. Another lunchtime, mother and I stopped our work to find father single-handedly, and rather erratically, trying to rip out the tall hedges that lined the long driveway. Mother gently guided him inside and bathed his scratched and bleeding hands. I summoned Isla, one of the House-Elves, and asked if there was a way that elf-magic could remove what was still standing. By evening the hedges were removed and beautiful smooth lawns edged the drive, offering considerable light to the frontage and removing some the threatening aspect that had haunted the Manor for decades. At least father was happier for the few days after these episodes. He took to warbling Celestina Warbeck lyrics at the top of his voice as he shuffled around the Manor in slippers. They were novelty green monster-feet slippers that mother and I had no idea where he'd got them from. I blamed Isla, though not aloud.

I grimaced as father's crooning echoed through the hallways:

'Oh, come and stir my cauldron
And if you do it right
I'll boil you up some hot, strong love
To keep you warm tonight!'

That was enough on its own to make me consider leaving home. That or vomiting. Leaving home would certainly provide the change I wanted. But, to a degree, I saw no point. In a matter of weeks, I would have to face the hell of Hogwarts again where, no doubt, I would be bullied, though I refused to let thoughts of returning to the school cow me. I couldn't help it if they were all idiots who didn't see the truth of the situation and I could more than handle myself, even with a restricted wand, should it be necessary. Anyway, I saw no point in leaving the Manor until I'd finished retaking my year seven. Plus, I was considerably concerned about leaving mother with father in this condition.

Instead, depending on father's state of mind, I would escape to London for the day, I often went shopping, exploring parts of the city my parents would never have considered taking me too. I visited major tourist attractions from London Zoo to the London Dungeons. I spent a lot of time in Carnaby Street, and Camden Market, and in Kensington Market. My staid black suits were swapped for ripped jeans and I brought a leather biker jacket. I couldn't help but be inspired by Harry, not just his tight jeans but when I saw a limited addition pair of Pride Doc Martens which bore a small Pride flag on the side and had rainbow laces, I was smitten. I nearly walked away from making an open statement about my sexuality but then I questioned what was father going to do about it, what could he do? He had no wand; he had no physical strength either. To be honest, he probably wouldn't notice anyway. Mother raised a perfectly-plucked eyebrow but didn't say a word as I re-fitted my wardrobe with pastel-coloured jumpers and t-shirts and muggle jeans. By far, my favourite new item of clothing was an oversized rainbow knit jumper. I loved the way it came down to the middle of my thighs and that the sleeves were too long. I like to wear it with a pair of Pansy's black leggings that I'd stolen, there was just something so satisfying in it, plus the leggings felt damned sexy as they hugged my skin. The day I bought that jumper was the day I told my parents that I refused to marry Astoria Greengrass and that I'd already informed the family lawyers I was reneging the engagement contract.