Two Houses (HarryxDraco)

Chapter 23

Dear Mother,

I'm sorry that I haven't had the time to write to you recently. Let me first assuage your fears that you expressed in your previous letter: I am fine. I will admit that this year hasn't been without its difficulties—as we both expected there would be—but in all honesty, things have been better than expected. Lessons are dull as always but I'm confident that I'll pass my N.E.W.T.s. easily enough. Interestingly, in place of a Quidditch Tournament, one of the professors has arranged for the seventh year students to perform a play in front of the school. You'll be pleased to hear that I have the starring role in the play...

Draco paused and read over what he had written. Of course, he'd omitted some key details from the letter, like the fact that it was his Muggle Studies professor who had arranged for them to be performing a famous Muggle play. But Draco had learned long ago that what his parents didn't know couldn't hurt them. It wasn't as though they'd ever see him perform in the play anyway. He also thought better than to mention the hassle he'd been receiving from the other students. The last thing that he needed was his mother marching up to McGonagall's office and demanding action against the perpetrators. Besides, since he and Harry had started seeing each other, the bullying from the other students didn't bother him nearly as much as it used to. Dipping his quill into ink, he continued to write.

I've met someone.

Draco immediately scratched that out. There was a part of him that wanted to tell his mother about Harry, to just be honest about his feelings, but deep down, he knew that he wouldn't do that. Draco Malfoy had never been famed for his bravery. He tried to imagine telling his parents and them being completely fine and accepting of his relationship with Harry but he knew that was wishful thinking. No, it was better just to keep things between him and Harry quiet for the time being—at least until Draco was certain of Harry's feelings for him, that whatever they had was something worth the risk of his parents' wrath. As strong as his feelings were for Harry, it was still early days in their relationship. His secret beau might live with his heart on his sleeve but Draco was far more cautious with his feelings. Draco thought for a moment what he could say to his mother instead before writing....

I've made a new friend. (Yes, that sounded much better) They've had a rather difficult couple of years as well and it's nice to talk to someone else who has had similar experiences. We have quite a few things in common, actually. They were as disappointed as I was about the lack of Quidditch this year but at least we can enjoy our weekend trips to Hogsmeade again.

Draco decided that it was best to keep things as vague as possible and give his mother just enough information to keep her ticking over until he saw her again over the Christmas holidays. He scribbled down a few other lines about missing her and the Manor, and, as an afterthought, added that he hoped Father was keeping well. His mother hadn't mentioned his father in her previous letter and Draco didn't care to ask about him. He assumed that the Malfoy patriarch was still cooped up in his drawing room, stewing over how hard done by he and the family were. Draco didn't much care for his father's self-pity and he had more important things to contend with, like memorising his lines for this bloody play.

Looking up from the draft letter he had resting on his lap, he watched as Harry, Ginny and Ron strode across the stage, rehearsing one of their scenes. He wasn't acting in any scenes today so had settled himself in one of the balconies, taking advantage of the free time to finally write back to his mother. He'd been meaning to do it for a few days now but what with all of his homework, rehearsals and sneaking about the castle with Harry, Draco had very little spare time to do anything else. Okay, perhaps he had been avoiding writing her a letter but better late than never, he reasoned.

"How are rehearsals coming along?"

Draco tensed as he recognised the voice and quickly covered his letter with a blank piece of parchment. Looking up, he was shocked to see Theo sidling along the narrow walkway before taking the empty seat beside him.