Ivy || Draco Malfoy

6

He stopped for a second to look at me putting his potion down from his lips. I knew he saw something in me that touched him, but I couldn't figure out what. His eyes were sad as the moment of silence passed us. I could see an inner conflict play out in his eyes. There was something that he didn't want to tell me, but I would find out eventually. I didn't even dare use Legilimency on him.

"Your mother meant a great deal to me," he answered finally through thin lips.

"My mother?" I asked. I assumed he was talking about Lily and not my adoptive mother.

"You look just like she did when we were at Hogwarts. I loved her very much." His eyes were swimming with memories that I wanted more than anything to have access to. My newfound talent was so tempting but I knew the limits. As much as some weaker minds would have no idea, I knew that Snape was skilled in mind reading and blocking the mind. I would only see what he wanted me to see.

"She was Muggleborn." I said trying to pry more of an answer out of him. If he was fond of my supposed Muggleborn mother, he couldn't possibly be interested in what Voldemort was spewing.

"You have to understand that when Voldemort rose to power, it was expected if you came from a rather respected family to join him. But as I said I loved your mother and that meant a great deal to me more than dark magic ever did. I was in a very similar position to the young Malfoy." His voice was unlike him, soft and sad. I couldn't even imagine a young Professor struggling with doing what his family expected of him or be with the one he loved. He clearly made a choice, but I didn't think it was my business. I didn't have much of a connection with the Potters and it didn't bother me that he once loved my mother as much as it probably should.

"Why don't you tell him that?" I asked avoiding talking more about a family I never knew. It didn't make me sad exactly, but it did bring on emotions that left me confused.

"I've tried. He refuses to talk to me like I said." I concluded again that I would have to talk to Draco.

"Does he know about the unbreakable vow?" I prodded again. I was sure that Snape would soon get tired of my questions, but I was a curious soul.

"Oh yes. His favourite words are that he doesn't need help and the Dark Lord entrusted him to do what he has to do." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"I feel sad for him," I said out of the blue distracted by my annoyance with Malfoy's behaviour.

"Sad?"

"I feel sad for all my friends. Their lives are difficult. Pansy Parkinson's is getting married this summer. I can't imagine having to live a life like that." I needed someone to talk to about the small horrors that I was discovering and the only person other than my friends that I tended to talk to was Professor Snape.

"So, I've heard from her parents." Snape sounded disapproving but didn't comment further.

"I just feel like I'm losing control. Things just keep getting stranger and darker."

"War will do the to a person." He confirmed my feelings with a nod. His words weren't comforting.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about Harry?" I mumbled completely forgetting the real reason that I was in Professor's office after class.

"I think you should at least speak to him. He's been acting suspiciously. Just see what he's up to."

"Why is he acting suspiciously?

"I think he's interested in what you and Malfoy have been up to." He said. "Oh, by the way, Slughorn wanted you to go to his Christmas party," Professor said with a coy smile. He knew by sliding it into the conversation quickly I might not notice. Oh, but I noticed.