Oh, Shit

6

Both Draco and Tom waited a bit before going to the Alley. In the end, they waited about two weeks, just before having to leave for school. There were multiple reasons for this, really. They did not want to draw too much attention, and waiting very last minute ensured that anyone they did run into was in haste and likely would not wish to hang around to speak with him. Not just that, but a second reason, at least for Malfoy, was that he himself was not really ready to see Diagon Alley yet. Thankfully, when he proposed that they wait, Tom did not comment on the sudden odd emotion that had coursed through the Malfoy boy. He was grateful for that, Draco knew that he was not really containing himself as best as he should be. Tom had mentioned that was what he typically did because of the third reason. The other Orphans. As scared of Tom as they were, it had become sort of a game of chance and dare to mess with Tom's belongings. It was not something Tom could not handle himself, but it was tedious, and he disliked having to worry about.

"Okay, so we got permission from the Matron to leave for the day." Draco sighed out the moment that he opened the doors a smile curling on his face. "Although I think it was really just her happy that we were leaving for the day. She would have likely agreed no matter what." Tom hummed and nodded, that seemed about right. The matrons had been like that with him before as well. It would seem considering Draco was finally able to pry Tom out with whatever insanity it was that the Matrons thought him infused with, they had been not one to disagree. This was becoming obvious in the way Draco definitely exploited it.

Then again, Draco would definitely be a Slytherin, so he supposed that was not really all that surprising. At first, Tom had not really known what to think. He did not particularly care what others thought of him, that would be far beneath him. Therefore, he had not cared for the soft mutterings of the matrons. It would seem that Draco had listened, though, and what he had found was rather interesting. Apparently they were of the opinion that he had been cursed or something. That did not really surprise him, considering they had thought much the same when he was younger.

It would seem as though, considering Draco's arrival, his warfare with the other orphans that were stupid enough to mess with him had diminished quite decently. In fact, it was such a different, apparently, in his behavior that the Matrons thought that Draco had some power to aid in excorcisms. Personally Tom thought it was stupid, but considering he normally had to either fight or sneak out of the orphanage to get to Diagon Alley. It did not really bother him most of the time, but seeing how easily that Draco got the permission still amused him. They really must see him as some sort of demonic entity.

"I see, well, we should head out then, we do not know how long this venture will take." Tom stated simply, waving a hand elegantly. Draco smiled. He was glad that he was going to go with Tom, somehow, he felt as though it was going to be a bit more safe when he was with Tom, rather than Draco being by himself. He just...could not get over the danger out this last summer. It left him shuddering. He knew that his Father had more than every intent to aid the Dark Lord, but the consequences...they had been earthshattering. The Dark Lord was terrifying. Draco also thought that he was more than a little bit crazy. He normally would not make such accusations, but the man was definitely insane. Madness and power did not really work well together in Draco's mind. He may have been powerful, but whatever had happened caused Draco to see none of the intelligence, and only the fear of Voldermorts followers. Of course, Draco understood that, but he was supposed to be of vast intelligence as well as power, and sometimes...Well, Draco could not deny that he had been smart, but he was really just insane. His thoughts and plots were mostly headed by his Father or Mother, and Draco was fairly sure that was mostly why he had even managed to take over the ministry in the first place. Fear worked well, but only so much. Because of the Dark Lord, a lot of places that were normally perfectly safe, were not, and Draco himself had dealt with that considering the Dark Lord had been in his own home. The thought brought a shudder to his body.

"Are you alright?" Tom asked, pulling Draco from his thoughts, "I told you to brink your jacket." Draco rolled his eyes. That was not the point, and he was not cold. he had told Tom this multiple times before and he would continue to say it now. "Now, first thing to do, go to Gringotts." Draco furrowed his brows at that, beating the ferocious cold winds, it should not be this cold, but it was rather early in the morning. At least it was a normal chill, and not the abnormal one that seemed to proliferate through the entire magical community.

"Why? We have the funds from the Professor. It is not as though I can access the family fault."

"No, you cant." Tom admitted softly, a smile playing at his lips. "That does not mean I don't have my own little bit of funds." Draco stared at Tom shaking his head softly. He could not ask Tom to do that.

"No," Draco said sternly. "I do not feel as though that is right." Tom sighed, pulling Draco in by his shoulder, pinning him to the side of a building and staring at him sternly, his eyes dark.

"Did I ask?" He asked his head tilted as though he were genuinely curious. "As it were, we are not going to take much out of my personal vault, but I think you vastly underestimate how I climbed ranks the first couple years at Hogwarts." Tom said, his voice purposefully light. "We cannot exactly come in with the finest of clothes, and that is useless, but I also refuse to go back to Hogwarts in rags. I ran a little...gambling scheme, as well as tutoring business that was quite profitable. There is no need to be so...worried. Barring that, you can't go to Hogwarts in some...fancy clothes, not if we are going to play up your being an abandoned orphan." Draco nodded, feeling a tad bit better about the situation.

"I overstepped, that was my mistake." Tom hummed, he did not quite apologize, but then again, it was close enough that it kind of still counted. It was an acknowledgement, which was more than Tom normally got from Slytherins. He gave Draco a smile.

"Good of you to know it."