Desperate Measures

Chapter Four

"I run this house not you!"

Draco stood with his tiny hands clenched behind his mother and father's door, feeling helpless and powerless. He watched as his father, once again, hit his mother. She fell to the floor, her wand rolling away from her as Lucius swept down on her again, hitting her until blood dripped from her lips.

Draco, shaking, stepped forward. "Father," he said.

His father, who seemingly didn't hear Draco, continued to leer at Draco's mother.

Whimpering quietly, Draco said louder, "Father! Stop!" Draco's lips quivered slightly.

Lucius turned, his eyes blazing. Narcissa's eyes rolled back into her skull. She had passed out. Anger and fear warred in Draco's head. Anger won out and Draco stood his ground. He loved his mother more than anything in his world. He would not let anyone, let alone his own father, hurt his mother. "What did you say to me?" Lucius spat at Draco, as if he were the dirt that Lucius walked on.

"I said—" Draco hesitated, "I said to stop. Don't hurt mother."

Lucius gripped his wand in his left hand until his knuckles turned white. His right hand was clenched in a fist. He took four strides towards Draco and stopped right in front of Draco. Draco, who was only eight, tried to hide his shaking legs and quivering lips. "Do not," he said, his lips peeled back taut over his bared teeth, as if he were an animal, "talk to me like that. I will do as I please in my household and you will listen to me. Do you understand?"

Draco said nothing, his eyes glued to his mother on the floor, as if hoping that she would wake up and help him.

"Do you understand?"

Draco nodded.

"Speak!" Lucius shouted, spit flying from his lips.

Draco, feeling as if he were about to cry, said, "I understand."

Lucius grinned wickedly. "Now, off to bed."

Draco looked pleadingly at his mother. "Please don't hurt her anymore father."

"Would you rather take her punishment?"

Before Draco knew what he was doing, the words were already out of his mouth. "Yes."

Lucius sneered. "Very well then," he said with fierceness, then he swiftly slapped Draco, knocking him to the floor. "You're too damn stubborn."

That was the first time Lucius Malfoy hit Draco.

It would not be the last.

* * *

"Malfoy. Malfoy! Wake up!"

Draco shot up, and his forehead connected with Hermione's. "Ow," he murmured, rubbing his forehead. Hermione yelped and jumped backwards.

"Merlin!" She squeaked. "What do I get for trying to wake you up before we're late for breakfast?"

Draco sighed. "Sorry."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up her face. "What did you say?"

Draco swung his legs onto the floor and stretched. His messy hair fell into his eyes. "I said I'm sorry. I told you I was going to be civil to you."

With those words, Draco stood up to get ready for their first day of classes. He was going to be filling up his day as much as possible. He only had one free period, along with potions, transfiguration, charms, defense against the dark arts, history of magic, astronomy, herbology and ancient runes. Draco trailed up the stairs, Hermione in tow. "I put your things by the second dresser last night. And I let your owl out."