What if He had a Choice?

37

Draco dutifully led the procession towards the Slytherin dorms, though he did not know the password, that was of little consequence. He would just wait for the Prefects to handle that part. However, he was getting tired of the stupid Gryffindors glaring at him for no reason. He knew that it was a bit odd that he had chosen to allow Tom to sit next to him, but the outright stares were not something he enjoyed. Gryffindors were just so...agitating. Draco doubted that he would ever get used to Gryffindors enough to actually be unbothered by their presence. He could play it off well, but they were so bloody impulsive it drew him mad. He breathed softly once he was outside of the crowd, pulling Tom, Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle with him. It was an effortless reaction, all that Draco really had to do was stand and they moved with him. It was, after all, the core of the Slytherin room. Draco and his pose, whatever was agreed upon between them would be agreed upon by the rest of the Slytherin house. Tom had always found that a bit interesting.

The procession paused just outside of the Slytherin common room, content to wait until the Head Boy came down. Draco could guess the password, but that seemed rather tedious when he could just wait a few more moments before the Head Boy decided to handle it and just give it to them one way or another. Draco leaned himself against the wall that the entrance was engraved in and waited calmly. Tom moved besides him, his fingers gently curling against Draco's wrist, the latter glanced at the sixth year a nervous smile on his lips as he turned to watch him. Yet, it was not easily noticed. Tom likely only noticed because Draco wanted him to, as much as he did not like to admit it. The Malfoys had that unique...feel towards them, the ability to hide their emotions, no matter how emotional they were, when it came to public situations was one of them.

"It is alright, Draco," Tom muttered under his breath, after having taken his spot near Draco's shoulder, leaning slightly against it, to which Draco nodded easily. Tom was quite proud of his little Snake. He was handling his emotions quite well considering they had an entire table of Slytherins rife with shock and confusion, and a ton of Gryffindors staring at the Slytherin table as though waiting for something. It had been quite the tense day, after all, both before getting to Hogwarts, and having obtained their entrance and the feast was nothing more than what they were used to, though. Tom had to admit, Draco was much better than his predecessor when it came to this sort of thing.

Abraxas was not bad, persay, Tom could not say that, it was unfair. However, there was something more self assured in the way Draco was handling this situation than Abraxas had in the past. When Tom had been involved in the overhaul of Abraxas, it had been a curious situation. Abraxas had embraced him, but it had taken a bit longer for the others. Tom was quite curious as to what this youngest generation of Malfoy would do. It was interesting that it once more had to do with him, he was the one throwing things to the wolves and forcing Malfoys to figure things out. It was ironic, to say the least. He was curious how the two Malfoys would handle the same situation.

Draco smirked as the Head Boy finally headed the way down, the Prefects were undoubtedly coming right behind him by at least a few moments. The door was opened at a simple word, and Draco hummed, not bothering to memorize it. It was going to change by morning, as it always did. Draco stretched as they entered the common rooms and was immediately assailed on all ends by irate Slytherins. Draco merely draped himself across the couch and watched and listened to them impassively.

The sight was certainly one to behold, and Tom was quite glad to have seen it. The boy was not anything like Abraxas, but he definitely had the inner Malfoy demeanor nonetheless. The way his gaze glazed across everyone's complaints, a disinterested look on his face. He then waited, and put his hand up, closing his eyes and sighing heavily. Everyone shut up, immediately, and Tom had to admit it was admirable the way he held the interest and control over everyone.

Draco turned his gaze towards Tom, who smirked but walked through the throng of people and towards Draco. The latter smiled towards him, made direct eye contact with the group who was silent, watching him in suspense. Draco extended his hand, threaded his fingers through Tom's own, and pulled Tom's body into his, wrapping his arm around his waist and turning back to stare at everyone blankly.

The group was just staring at them, not seeming to comprehend what it was that was going on. It was scandalous. A foreign, halfblood sixth year...Tom had to admit it was a rather bold declaration on Tom's part, but effective nonetheless. The cold gaze that Draco cast over his group let for no questions, no denying, no speaking up against what he was nonverbally declaring. Yet, Tom supposed that despite how...scandalous a statement that Draco was making, he could definitely use this to his advantage. He had done a similar think with the Golden Trio. Draco clearly had more of an emotional attachement to him than he would admit to himself. 

"Any other questions or comments you want to add?" Draco asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. Everyone was silent, not bothering to even shake their head as they began to simultaneously agree that they fucked up. Draco gave a bit of a smirk, and narrowed his eyes. "Good, leave." The group scattered almost immediately, whispering under their breaths, and Tom had no illusions that the news would likely be known throughout the common room the next morning.

"What are we waiting here for, still?" Tom questioned, his dark gaze taking in the slight flush of Draco's cheeks and the shaking of his fingers now that everyone's eyes were off of them. Tom did not allow the other to pull away and instead settled his weight more comfortably against Draco's body.

"Uncle Sev makes a speech every year the first night."