Drarry - Bloody Hell

A Long Year

Draco's POV

The summer started off fine. I came home to my mother's warm embrace, followed by a stern glare from my father. I even lasted the first two weeks without a beating from my father. It wasn't until the Dark Lord called a Death Eater meeting that thing started to turn sour.

The meeting started out normally enough. All the Death Eaters sitting around a long dark table in silence, but then the Dark Lord announced something. I was to get my Dark Mark. However, this was not all. He planned on giving me a choice, so that he could watch me flail and worry for his amusement. The choice was as follows: Take the Dark Mark, or suffer.

Looking back, I probably should have taken the Dark Mark. It would have been so much easier, but alias, I was too proud, too stuck-up, and far too terrified of the Dark Lord to take on the Dark Mark, so I chose to suffer. Little did I know what this entailed.

When the Dark Lord says suffer, this can mean a variety of things. You could be sacrificed to Nagini, the Dark Lord's snake, or take on the cruciartus curse until you pass out, but the Dark Lord had something special in mind for me. I was to become a vampire.

Vampires are creatures of legend to muggles. Seen as fiction describes them. Strong, handsome, and sparkling. To wizards, however, vampires are curses. If a vampire is in your household, you and your family are disgraces. So when I was turned, I was almost imminently cast out of the Malfoy Manor, and left to fend for myself.

Me, being fairly smart, took the Night Bus to the Leaky Cauldron and stayed there for the night. The rest of the summer went by and I found myself sleeping in all kinds of strange places, like beside the garbage, or on a park bench. Places you would never expect to find a Malfoy. I fed from animals found around the city in the dead of night. Mostly squirrels, but the occasional pidgin or rabbit.

Today, however, was the day that I will be returning to Hogwarts. I walk through the wall, and onto platform 9 3/4. Trying to keep the appearance that nothing had happened to me, I stick my nose in the air. With a quick glance around, I see parents lovingly sending their children off.

"Draco!" I hear someone call, and turn to find Blaise and Pansy standing to my left.

"Hey guys," I reply, walking over to them.

"We got your letters," Blaise says, and I swallow hard, "You alright mate?"

"Yeah. I guess so," I say, dragging my hand through my hair, "It's just a lot, but I'm fine."

"Oh, good!" Pansy exclaims, and attacks me with a fierce hug.

"Let's get on the train before it leaves," Blaise points out, and we start towards the Hogwarts Express.

Walking down the isle of the train, we approach our usual compartment. The first compartment that the trolley stops at. However, we find it already full of Ravenclaws. With a huff, I turn towards another compartment, the only one left with enough room for the three of us. Unfortunately, it holds the Golden Trio.

Glancing at each other, I let out a sigh, and open the compartment door. Immediately, all eyes turn towards me. Granger looks up from her book, jaw clenched and eyes scanning Pansy, Blaise, and I. Weasel's face morphs into a scowl, and his ears turn red with anger, while Potter's look tired, as though he's just so done that he doesn't even care anymore.

I roll my eyes, and state, "It seems as though this is the only compartment that's not full."

Weasel is the first to answer, "Oh poor you! Go sit in the toilets where you belong, Malfoy!"

I smirk, and faintly hear Blaise mumble something close to, "I'm too fabulous for the toilets!"

I move to enter the compartment, sitting next to Potter, and across from Weasel. Pansy soon comes to join me, leaving Blaise to sit next to the very annoyed Weasel.

As I sit next to Potter, his scent quaffs over me. He smells positively wonderful. Although I had only fed yesterday, and I felt myself wanting nothing more than to bite his neck, and taste his blood.

"Don't get a hint do you?" Weasel shouts, "Get out!"

I cross my arms, "You know, I don't think I will."

Granger is the next one to speak, "This may only be a rumor, Malfoy, but people are saying that you didn't stay at your manor during the summer. May I ask why?"

Exchanging glances with the other Slytherins, before replying. "I stayed with my Godfather most of the summer. Why do you ask?"

Granger's eyes narrowed, almost as if she could tell that I was lying. "Just curious."

Weasel scoffs, "Probably getting Death Eater training."

I glare at him, but don't open my mouth to retort. I was getting Death Eater training, that is, before I was turned. I find myself subconsciously rubbing my left forearm. Granger stares at my arm, and I can almost see the gears turning in her head. Suddenly, her eyes widen, and she stares at me. Oh! She thinks I have the Dark Mark!

Unfortunately, the same thought seems to occur to Weasel.

"You have the Dark Mark!" He screeches, "You evil monster!"

All eyes are on me, and I find myself wishing nothing more than to disappear. The monster comment hit too close to home for my comfort, and Pansy seemed to notice this, and she placed a gentle hand on my thigh.

I bite my lip. "If you would excuse me, I'm going to the washroom."

As the walk through the door, Weasel shouts at me, "And never come back you foul beast!"

Walking towards the restrooms, I push through a crowd of Second year Gryffindors, who then start blabbering my ear off about how rude I am.

I make my way into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me. I look into the mirror. My limp, pale, blonde hair is messy, despite my attempts this morning to fix it. The bags under my eyes are strikingly noticeable, and my skin looks almost sickly.

Despite my best efforts, my mind circles around to what Weasel said. Although he doesn't know it, he was correct, just about the wrong thing. I am a monster.

I don't know how long I sat there, and before I know it, the train stops. We've arrived at Hogwarts.

Walking off the train, I turn towards Pansy and Blaise, who were standing near the back of the crowd. Moving over to them, I walk past the golden trio, and can hear Weasel jeering at me and I pass.

This is going to be a long year. 

Words: 1164