Chasing Dreams {Book 2: Chasing Butterflies}

Chapter 6: My Worst Enemy

Hello lovely fans! =) Worked on this today while watching the Half-Blood Prince. =) Hope you like it!

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"Do you know what it's like to be your own worst enemy?" –Never Surrender, Skillet

Draco read over the letter he had received from Audrey for the fifth time. The boy was trying to comprehend everything that was going on. So she was at the Weasleys? And they wanted to have him over for dinner? Was he reading it right?

He sighed, dropping the letter on the desk once again. Draco was completely unsure of what he was supposed to say back to her. For the first time in a while he couldn't think straight. Draco really didn't want to go to dinner at the Weasleys; not only would he have to deal with the subpar conditions of their home, but he was sure he was going to be interrogated further by people he really didn't have to need to impress. But at the same time, he knew it would give him the opportunity to see Audrey, and possibly win over some people who would be better suited to convincing her parents that he was alright.

He picked up the quill sitting next to him and started writing. But after writing only 'Dear Audrey' he didn't know what he was actually going to say. Draco stared at the blank parchment for several moments before his concentration was broken.

"Stumped are we?" Artemis' voice ruined the silence.

Draco turned his head to see Artemis standing in the doorway once again. "You always seem to just pop up at the most intriguing times," he sighed.

"Only when you seem to be in a moment of peril," Artemis winked, something Draco had never seen him do before. "So what seems to be your dilemma this time?"

Draco sighed again before tossing his cousin the parchment the letter had been written on. "Read it and find out."

Artemis barely caught it. He opened it carefully, holding it in his left hand as he began to read it. Within a few moments, he had completed reading the letter and tossed it back to his cousin. "So what's the problem here?" he asked. "She wants you to come to dinner with her."

"That's the problem," Draco said, though he thought it was obvious. "Last I knew, these people hated my guts, nor do I particularly care for them."

"Well obviously they've taken a liken to her, and are acting as stand-ins for her real parents who obviously suck at their job," Artemis elaborated. "If these people want you to come over for dinner, than I think it's wise for you to take the offer while it stands."

Draco sighed. "But Artemis, you don't get it. These are people who have continually harassed me for years now."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you've done your fair share of harassing over the years too. I know you all too well. You have never been one to keep your mouth shut."

"Maybe I did, but it's not the point," Draco went on. "Our families have never been friends, hardly even acquaintances. We don't know how to be cordial to each other. It's just impossible."

"Nothing is impossible," Artemis went on. "If this is in fact the girl you want to marry, you will have to get past whatever animosity is between the families, whether it's yours, hers, or theirs. If they want you over for dinner, Draco, there's a good possibility that they will be at the wedding as well."

Draco turned away from his cousin. Perhaps he was right. He immediately shook the thought. Artemis was always right. He always had been too. "So you think I should appease them and go?"

"Do I think you should go?" Artemis repeated the question as if he had thought it was stupid. "Uh... yea. I think you definitely should. Regardless to if you like the Weasleys or not, they are extending a branch to you. I mean... if they invited you, they obviously can't hate you too much."

Once again, Draco knew Artemis had a point. Maybe things were finally going to settle down now that Voldemort had been defeated. Maybe their families could get along. Going would be against everything Draco had ever been taught as a child, everything he had stood for during their time at Hogwarts. He didn't say anything as he pondered this, allowing Artemis to continue.

"Besides, it wouldn't kill you to get a few brownie points with them," he said. "Perhaps the Weasleys are the key to winning over Audrey's parents."

Draco had thought this himself, but he was sure Artemis had more reasoning behind it. He was curious to know how Artemis thought it would work. "How so?"

"Both of her parents work for the Ministry, correct? And so does Mr. Weasley," Artemis pointed out. "As much as I hate assumptions, it is simple to assume that her parents are more likely to trust the judgments of their coworker than that of her friends, or yours. If you get on their good side, it is likely he will pass on that information to her parents. And just like that-" Artemis snapped his fingers. "-you're in."

Draco thought about it for a moment. It made sense. He just wished he didn't have to go through all of that to get people to like him. Never in his life had Draco had to work to get someone's approval. Everything was smooth sailing for him; everything he had wanted had basically been handed to him on a silver platter. All but the McCarthys approval. But then again, he knew it was partially his fault that they didn't like him.

The boy pushed an errant strand of his blond hair from his eyes. He had always known joining the Death Eaters was going to be the worst mistake of his life. But it was what he wanted- that is until he realized that he wasn't going to get the fame and power he desired, when he realized that he was going to have to kill people, when Audrey's life had been threatened. Draco knew he should've stayed on the straight and narrow, but he couldn't resist, especially with his father egging him on every step of the way. He looked at the tattoo on his left forearm and it only made him angrier.

He glanced up to see Artemis leaning casually against the door frame, still watching him curiously. "Something else on your mind?" Artemis asked.

"Sometimes I think I'm my own worst enemy," Draco said quietly. "All of this could've been avoided hadn't I joined the Death Eaters."

A frown stretched across Artemis' face. "Well wasn't the deal you joined or they killed you and your parents?"

"Something like that," Draco muttered quietly. "Voldemort only wanted me to kill Dumbledore. He wanted me to fail in the attempt, getting myself killed in the process to punish my father for not retrieving the Prophecy from the Ministry." Draco paused for a second. "But what Voldemort didn't know is that Snape was helping Dumbledore, and myself, although I didn't know it at the time."

"So really it's not your fault," Artemis assured. "You did what you had to do to protect yourself and your family. You didn't kill the guy, or anyone else for that matter, so you really have nothing to be ashamed of."

"You don't get it do you? That's why they hate me," Draco snarled. "I made one stupid mistake, and it's going to haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Well tell them to shove it!" Artemis shot back. "No one is perfect- not me, not you, and surely not them. They've made mistakes too, and they'll have to learn to get passed yours as well. They can't dwell on the past forever."

"They'll sure try to," Draco said quietly.

Artemis rolled his eyes. "Stop being so hard on yourself. You've changed, and that's all that matters. You know that, Audrey knows that, I know that. Eventually they'll have no choice but to accept you. Now stop being a pessimist, and tell her you'll be there for dinner tomorrow." Artemis turned away from his cousin before adding, "And dinner here will be done momentarily, so I'd make it quick if I were you."

Draco watched the raven-haired boy walk away before he put his attention back to the letter he had to write. The small owl sitting on the desk next to him was a constant reminder of the girl he had to keep fighting for. There was no doubt about it; Draco was going to do to dinner whether he wanted to or not.