Harry Potter One Shots (Vol. I)

Fresh Start (Draco Malfoy)

So I had this entire one shot written up to post it on Saturday but I managed to save something else over it, beginning a long stage of panic where I scrambled to remember most of what I'd written. I had to rewrite it all - mostly within the space of a single day and frankly, I think it was better the first time. But if I spend any longer on this today, then I might just scream. Anyway, here it is ~

What were you supposed to do when you'd finished with school? Honestly, I could count on one hand just how many of my school friends had any idea about what they were going to do with their lives now that we had graduated. Merlin knew I certainly didn't have a clue. Coming home to an England that was still recuperating from the aftereffects of the battle – a year on at that – made it all that much more difficult. With the country trying to gather itself to its previous glory, I just wanted to stay home, especially because my mother hadn't let me return home from Beauxbatons during the holidays in case something happened. For over three years I had been forbidden from coming home, and now I wanted nothing more than to remain within its four walls.

My mother seemed to have other ideas – not that she'd actually say it blatantly. Instead, she was doing the very Slytherin thing and trying to manipulate me with her words into doing what she wanted. She seemed to forget that I took after her – hell, if I'd attended Hogwarts then I'd probably have been sorted into Slytherin myself. But I sat without a word, listening to her as she talked over lunch about how lonely Mrs Malfoy seemed to be lately.

Realising that mother had stopped talking and was watching me for an answer, I tried not to sigh. Spearing a piece of asparagus with my fork, I lowered my eyes to my plate and reluctantly asked, "Well, what about it?"

"It's not like she gets many guests anymore," she started, and I rolled my eyes. Merlin's beard could she be any more obvious?

"Well, why don't you go and visit her theb?"

"You know I'm going out of the country with your father for a holiday." I looked up in time to see her purse her lips, "Why don't you go and visit them? Maybe stay with them for a while?"

"I don't see what having to entertain me will do for her."

"You grew up spending weeks at a time at the Manor," mother pointed out. "You know Narcissa considers you the daughter she never had – she's done so much for you."

"You've done equally as much for Draco – the son you never had. And with that, I think this conversation can come to a close."

Mother sighed, more than a little frustrated that this conversation wasn't going the way she wanted it to. What I didn't understand was why she didn't admit that she didn't want me to stick around home while she was away with father? Why was she spinning this angle of being the caring friend – I mean she did care for Mrs Malfoy, but I doubted her only intentions were for me to help her fiend.

"Listen to me," she started again, wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "She's my best friend, you know that, and sadly she's turned into a shadow of her former self since her husband was locked away in Azkaban and I want to help her however I can. Maybe having another presence in the Manor will help her." With a sigh, I pushed away from the table and prepared to leave when she added, "Draco's the same."

The words – damn them and damn me too – had me stilling in my seat just like mother knew they would. Fiddling with the bracelet on my wrist, I asked quietly, "What about Draco?"

"His mother's worried about him."

"She's always worried about him. There's nothing new about that."