Always. (A Draco Malfoy Story)

Visions.

Draco knocks on our room door the morning after the Yule Ball. Tori answers, still half-asleep as if his frantic knocks woke him up.
"Is Joy awake yet?" Tori runs her eyes, "Hm? She's not here." Draco started to get concerned, "Then where is she?" Tori takes a deep sigh, "Draco, you just woke me up. I haven't a single clue where she is." Tori closes the door, and crawls back to bed.
He stands in the hallway of the girls dormitory, wondering where I could be.

-

Draco took the chance to ask Professor Snape if he has any idea of my whereabouts.

Draco knocks on the office door. "Enter."

"Do you know where Joy is?" He leans his head into the door frame before fully entering Snape's office. Snape is grading some tests on his desk. "Miss Deveroux has been requested to return home." Worried, Draco goes into a fit. "What?! Why?!"
Snape looks up at Draco, before taking off his reading glasses.
"I am not at liberty to say, as well as it does not concern you, Mr. Malfoy." Draco runs closer to the desk where Snape is sitting. "Is she ok?! Is she hurt?!"
"She was distraught when she left. Otherwise, I have not heard from her." He puts his glasses back on his face, before resuming his paperwork.

Draco runs straight to the owlery to send out a letter.

-

I've been having a difficult time sleeping through the next few nights. I have dreams that start off with full darkness, just straight black.

I'm standing in a room, alone. There's pillars in different areas of the room. I walk around and see something covered by a cloak. I walk up to it and rip the covering off... it's a mirror. I look at my reflection and I see myself smile. I touch my own face and realize the reflection is doing it on its own. I take a step back in fear but stop as I see another body walking up to me in the reflection. It's Draco? He grabs my hand and smiles. Mother and Father show up in the reflection as well, right behind us. They're also smiling, but they look... almost translucent. Suddenly, the mirror cracks as the glass falls to the floor. Behind where the glass use to be, the Dark Mark develops in dark red ink.

I have the same dream every single night. I wake up in a panic with sweat dripping down my head.

I get up from my bed and decide to get a snack from the kitchen. I bring my book with me just in case I have the urge to read in front of the fireplace.

Father has requested for me to come home. Mother has been sent to Azkaban. He won't tell me what for, but I'm sure it has something to do with her work with the Dark Lord. He wanted to be aware of the situation at home before the Daily Prophet runs the article. I've decided to stay home for a few nights during the holidays, to take care of any issues pertaining to Mother's situation. I hope she's alright. She may be a death eater, but she's still my Mother.

I grab some fruit from our fridge and rinse it well. I sit on the counter as I enjoy them one by one. A light goes on in the hallway from the basement and I see Binky walking up. "Miss Joy, would you like me to cook you something better to eat?"
I shake my head, "It's alright, Binky. This is fine. You may go back to sleep."
Binky turns back around, about to head down to the basement when a thought occurred to me. "Binky?" He looks back to me. "Yes, Miss Joy?"
"Do you know the elf that serves the Malfoy's?" He nods, "Yes, Miss Joy." "Why does he stutter and you don't?"

"Miss Joy, you are a wonderful master." I look at him puzzled. "You're not making sense, Binky." He begins to twiddle with his cloth covering. "Master and Mrs. Master do not punish me the way Dibby gets punished." I'm even more confused, "Dibby?" Binky looks as me with sorrowful eyes. I realize, "His name is Dibby." Binky nods, "Dibby is Dobby's brother, Miss Joy. Dobby used to serve the Malfoy's too." I take another bite of fruit. "Used to?"
"Dobby's Master has provided him with clothing. Dobby is now free." I saw a smile on Binky's face. I jump off the counter and crouch down to Binky's height. "Binky, if you're ever unhappy in this home, I will gladly provide you with clothing." Binky's smile grew bigger, "I do not want leave you, Miss Joy. I am happy to serve you. Miss Joy, I'm not going anywhere."

Binky retreated back to the basement as the lights shut off. I continued to stare in the area where I last saw Binky when the words lingered around.

I'm not going anywhere.

That's exactly what Draco said.

Draco.

I haven't thought about him lately, or at least I tried not to. Every time I think of him, Olivia comes to mind. Then the scene of them kissing replays in my head for hours of the day. My excused absence expires in a few days.  I need to return to Hogwarts soon.

Father soon joins me in the kitchen. "Joy, it's the middle of the night. Why are you up?"
"Nightmares. Then I got hungry." He looks at me, with his head cocked to the side. I feel him trying to read me. I take another bite of fruit. "It's not going to work." He slightly raises his head. "I see your lessons with Severus have been successful." I raise my eyebrows in agreement. "What... visions do you see when you're asleep?" He approaches me with interest. I squint my eyes at him as he moves, "Why?" He softens his look, "I am a concerned father, Joy." I scoff, "Since when?" I pop a grape in my mouth and open my book to start reading.
"It wouldn't be in relation to... the Dark Lord, would it?" I give him a side eye before returning to reading. I don't realize my Father is now with grin. He leaves me alone in the kitchen, but mentioned on his way out that a letter came for me a few days ago that he's forgotten about, and that's it's located in the foyer.

I walk over in search of said letter. I see it placed on the entrance table. I flip it over to see who could be trying to reach me. In the upper left corner, I see the letters:

D.M.