Draco's Reason

Time

Beta'd by my friend Taylor Dong. She's the one that you need to thank for updates.

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Draco sat listening to the sound of chatter from the four house tables, checking the window every few minutes for the eagle owl he knew would fly in. He picked at his food with his fork, only raising it to his mouth when someone glanced at him. The flash of wings caught Draco's eye and he glanced at the high windows where the owls were flying in. He found his owl and watched it trace a path straight towards him. It was carrying a letter. When it landed Draco grabbed the letter from it and slipped it into his pocket.

    He stood up and silently made his way towards the doors. Slipping through them he glanced around. When he saw no one around he ran to an empty classroom. Upon entering he closed and locked the door. He sat on the floor with his back against the door.  Taking the letter out of his pocket he noticed his hands start to shake. He opened it slowly and started to read through it. It read;

    Draco,

    Your mother and I are very worried about what you are doing at Hogwarts. I will be flooing into the Slytherin common room at ten tonight to check on you. You are to be there before I arrive. I expect you to be alone as well.

And the disgraces you call siblings are still alive. They continue saying that you will come back and protect them. As I told you when we found out that they had no magic, if you want them to stay here you have to take care of them. They are like house elves. They are both stupid and vile creatures that are unable to take care of themselves.

Remember that I will arrive at exactly ten and I expect you to be there. Alone. Do not disappoint me in any way tonight. Otherwise I may have to take precautionary measures to ensure that the Malfoy name is upheld.

Lucius Malfoy

    Draco drew in a shaky breath and released it slowly. They were still alive. His reasons to live are still alive. He felt his hands stop shaking and slowly stood up. He unlocked the door and walked out of the classroom. He started to walk back to the Great Hall when he heard voices coming towards him. Rounding the corner and walking straight towards him were none other than the "Golden Trio". He schooled his face into a sneer when the weasel looked up and saw him.

Ron stopped short and glared daggers at the blond a few feet away from him and his friends. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't realise that I had to have your permission to go anywhere on school campus weasel," Draco drawled in an almost bored tone. He really hated having to confront the people in front of him but it was necessary to his father's plan for him. He had to make everyone- outside of who his father said- despise him. And almost everyone in their second year with him hated him.

"-stard!" Draco rolled his eyes at the end of what he assumed was an insult. He hadn't been listening.

"Why don't you get your little girlfriend to help you improve your vocabulary. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to class," Draco said. And with that he slipped past the three and left them standing in the same spots as before.

He sighed as soon as they were out of hearing range and started to think about what would happen tonight. 'He knows I'm coming home for the summer holiday on Thursday. Why would he come to the school today? What happened to make him question what I'm doing? I sent my weekly letter home yesterday. I'll have to ask him tonight.' Draco flinched at the thought of having to ask his father anything. Lucius saw questions as nothing more than insubordination and he did not tolerate that.