Chapter 1- Details

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"Acceptance: The one word that has so much bearing on our hearts. But, it's up to you to decide. Do you give up, or do you pick up your feet and walk toward the unknown? After all, the unexpected...is what changes our lives."

-Meredith Grey

Chapter 1- Details

Friday October 29th, 1999 07:16am

Eighth year, created for those whose studies were neglected due to the war and the one year Draco Malfoy dreaded returning to. He would have rather stayed at home, helping his mother fix up the Manor after Voldemort's downfall, than be back in the school that he no longer felt accepted in. The Battle of Hogwarts last year forced everyone to change, grow up even; the one thing it didn't do though, was change anyone's opinions of him or his house. Only twelve students, including him-self, came back for the repeated year and of the other eleven, only three were his actual friends.

Terry Boot, a Ravenclaw that wanted nothing to do with Draco, two no name Hufflepuff's that basically ignored him as well, which was unusual for their house since they were known to like everyone. Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley also returned but continued to act weary of him and his group of friends yet they were at least trying to be civil, and then there was Hermione Granger, the know-it-all bookworm Draco tormented the most, strangely tolerating him more than the rest.

It still surprised him that she even so much as looked in his direction after the shit he put her through, but Draco knew it was only because they all shared a single common room which forced them to be closer to each other than they liked. However, Hermione almost seemed to go out of her way to strike up a conversation with him; he just wasn't the one to budge and accept her. It also didn't help that he was partnered with her in potions class.

Despite the inconvenient bunking situation, everyone was excited for the day ahead as the Halloween Ball was scheduled after dinner in the Great Hall. It was the one time Draco could pretend to be someone else and no one would know it was him. But as he lay in his bed in the early hours of the morning staring up at the ceiling, he thought strongly about just skipping the ball this year. He didn't have a costume and it is not like anyone would care that he didn't go...well anyone but Pansy.

Pansy Parkinson was not known for hearing, let alone accepting, the word no. She always got what she wanted precisely when she wanted and there was no way she would allow him to ditch the ball to stay hidden in his room all night. He was happy she no longer pursued him in the boyfriend department and was now blissfully dating Blaise Zabini, but she still tried to force him to do things he didn't want. Sometimes he appreciated it but other times he just wanted to ring her neck.

Theodore Nott was also one to try and persuade him to go out with the group, however since the war Draco didn't really want to do much in the way of fun anymore. He constantly felt the weight of guilt pressing on him and there was absolutely no way anyone could help him lift it. Although his friends tried their best to help him out of his depression, the only thing he knew would work was gaining the forgiveness from the muggle-born girl he watched thrash in pain on his Drawing Room floor.

That day at the Manor constantly plagued his mind and he cursed himself each and every day for not being able to do anything to help her. She was right there, lying on the cold floor in front of him getting carved up by his Aunt for merely existing, and he did nothing to stop it. He never said a word, never tried to convince Bellatrix that Hermione didn't know anything, never ran to help her...nothing. Draco had seen people get tortured before and it always made his stomach churn, but something about hearing Hermione's screams as his psychotic Aunt tortured her for hours, created an anguishing sickness inside of him.

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