If the War Never Happened (years 3-4)

Chapter Twenty-two-Draco's Holiday

"Constantly torn between the craving for love and the desire to feel nothing."

-R.H Sin
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The first letter had arrived on the first night of break, bringing a huge smile to my face.

Dear Dray,
I hope your break is going well so far. Mine is going great, we just had a family movie night with the Potters and Lupins. What have you done?
My dad and I talked and he surprisingly said that it's up to my discretion whether or not to be your friend. I told him I'm still thinking about it, haha.
I can't wait to hear back from you.
- Rea

Friend, there was that word again. God, what was she doing to me.
I sighed and sat on my bed and read the letter again. I laughed when she had wrote I'm still thinking about it, that git.

I went walked over to my desk to write her back, but the words wouldn't come out, friend just kept running thought my mind.

The word friend continued to run through my mind and I knew I had to distance myself from her. She had taken that invisible string that tied me to her, and started to delicately weave it into my heart. If we couldn't be what we wanted to be, I had to stop her from sewing.

I carefully folded the letter and put it in my dresser drawer, took my wand out and locked it.

My father had not shown up to the manor yet. This was typical of him even though it was Christmas Eve.
My mum and I kept to ourselves for the most part, only talking at meal times. I was counting down the days until Zabini and Nott would come, so I wouldn't feel so alone. My time at the manor was never pleasant, and I counted the days till I would go back to Hogwarts. Time passed slow and I spent most of my time reading. Reading was a great way to escape the sad reality in which I lived. Some days I would take walks around the manor, but as it was freezing out, it was never that often.

The next morning, I woke up and went downstairs to open presents. As I walked down the stairs I quickly peaked into my fathers study, but he wasn't there, typical, and I went into the living room to see mum.

We both opened our presents together, I had been given a new broom and a maintenance kit along with it, a new all black suit, and some candy. Mum had received a necklace from father and a bracelet from me. She hugged me and when I looked into her eyes I could tell she was sad and tired.

"Happy Christmas, my son," she said.
"Happy Christmas, mum," I said giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Christmas was never a special holiday for our family, but my mum tried and I loved her for it.

After presents we made our way into the dinning area for lunch. I hated being in the same place where my nightmares plague my thoughts every night, it was even worse being in that room. The elves had made a lunch big enough for five people, even though it was just the two of us. It was always just the two of us. We sat and ate while we made small talk about my year so far at Hogwarts.

Then, my mum asked a question that made me almost choke on my chicken.
"So were those ice skates really for the Parkinson girl?" She asked.
I cleared my throat and said, "yes, mother."
She looked at me for a moment and smiled and asked, "what is she like?"
My mother was never good at being as conniving as my father, at least with me, I knew she knew I was lying.

I tried my best to talk about Parkinson as if I thought the world of the girl. I quite literally wanted to throw up in my mouth the entire time.

My mother looked at me and smirked, "We can pretend that you adore that girl, but I look forward to meeting the girl who really has made my son a better man."