Draco was confused. How had the Ministry known about his life with his father? It was all just too confusing for him. Lucius, he was in Askaban now, and Narcissa, was on the run. How, how had they found out? He was very careful, Lucius, always making sure that Draco was ingrained with enough fear and horror of his Father that Draco telling anyone about it was just inconceivable. How had they found out? Lucius was bound to blame him, and if/when he escaped from Askaban, well, torture is not something out of depth for him.
"Where am I going to live?" Draco asked Dumbledore. "I mean, I doubt anyone would want to take care of me considering everything, I just don't think..."
"Draco, that has already been arranged. The family has been contacted, and after a very long debate with the other members, it has been agreed that you should live with them."
"Who are they?"
"They will get you once you are on the platform. Don't worry. I think this will be the best summer that you have had in a while." Dumbledore said kindly. Draco nodded, not willing himself to speak. He was confused, because he just didn't know what to do now. He doubted that his new 'guardians' would be any better than Lucius was. After all, almost all Slytherins beat their children to get them in line, none actually went as far as to torture their kids, in that Lucius was worse than everyone else. Now, Draco just wasn't sure what he was going to do.
Draco stayed huddled in the back corner of the compartment of the train he was in which was near the front. The train came to a sudden stop. Draco stayed behind. He was unsure of what to do.
Ron, Ginny, Fred and George, ran up to their parents. "Where's Malfoy?" Ron asked.
"I don't know, he hasn't come off the train yet." Molly Weasley said.
"Well, he's got to be on there." Arthur said. "I'll go take a look."
It didn't take long for him to find Draco. He was in one of the first compartments. Draco was pressed against the back wall, under the window. His knees were up against his chest, his arms wrapped around his knees. He pressed his body against the back of the wall when Arthur opened the compartment.
"Why didn't you come out?" Arthur asked. Draco did not answer, he hung his head, his shoulders quivering, tense. "Come on," Arthur said. "Get up." Draco slowly stood up. He kept his head cast downward. "Let's go," Draco followed him, keeping a slight distance from the Weasley. "Alright, found him!" Arthur said happily. Molly collected Draco into a deep hug, causing him to stiffen and become more rigid than a board.
"It's good to have you." Molly said in a cheerful voice. Draco continued to stay tense once she finally let him go. "You will be seeing us until you are at least seventeen." Molly said happily. Draco was unsure of what happened. Why would the Weasley help him?
"Alright, I'll take Draco and Ginny, you take Fred, George and Ron." Arthur said. Molly nodded, smiling. Molly went first, with the Twins and Ron. They apparated away. Ginny took her father's hand. "Draco," Draco flinched when Arthur grabbed his shoulder. "Just keep still."
"I know, my father has apparated me several times before." Draco whispered.
They were soon at the Weasley house, and Draco stood completely still, though very tense. "I'll take you to your room." Arthur said, trying to dispense of the tense atmosphere. Not that it worked very well.
Draco was taken to a side of the the house and a room that was painted green. He looked at them a bit questioningly. "We sort of decorated it in green and silver. We can get your things from your room at the Manor later." Arthur explained kindly.
"Thank you, Sir," Draco said, bowing his head.
"Dinner will be done soon, we will call for you."
"Yes, Sir," Arthur left. Draco sunk to the floor. He was shaking. At least he was somewhat safe now. He would be able to hear the footsteps coming up or down the halls.
"Bobby!" Draco somewhat shouted. A male house elf apparated right into his room. Big eyes watched the young master carefully.
"Is Master Draco alright, does Master Draco need Bobby to heal him again?" Bobby asked, fussing around him.
"No, Bobby, it's alright. I have something that I want you to do." Draco said simply, Bobby slowly backing off now knowing that his master was alright.
"Yes, Master Draco, anything for Master." Draco smiled slightly.
"Could you bring my things from my room in the Manor, here? It is going to be a lot of apperating, but I would like it if I didn't have to go there."
"Of course, Master Draco." Bobby disappeared.
Within an hour, Draco and Bobby had completely finished furnishing Draco's new room. The walls were green, and a large poster was hung with the Slytherin House Crest. Another poster was were all the Rules of Respect and Rules of Conduct were written. There were many. At least fifty each. Draco's bed was fitted with his green bedspread, which wasn't fancy, but worked perfectly fine. Draco had his dresser painted green, with the curtesy of Bobby, and all of his clothes, which were either school clothes and robes, or dress robes and clothes, or suits with random black robes. All of his clothes besides school clothes were either black, green, silver, grey, or very dark blue. He had his books and school supplies all placed nicely in a bookshelf that was in the corner. His green curtains from his room was hung over the windows, dimming the entire room and casting a dim green light over it. Bobby clicked his fingers and the hardwood floors were cleaned, and turned silver. Draco helped dust. All in all, his room was a lot like that at the manor, although, there was definitely a different air about it. Draco sat on his bed. He smiled at Bobby.
"Thank you so much Bobby! I really didn't want to have to deal with the Manor right now." Draco whispered. His broomstick was in the corner.
"What is Master Draco going to do if Mister Lucius get out?" Draco's face filled with immediate fear and anxiety.
"I honestly don't know, Bobby. Lucius will be furious. I don't know how anyone found out about what he was doing. I was really careful at school. I mean, other Slytherins and even Ravenclaws were wondering what really went on. I never talked about it, I even put a mufflito spell around my bed to make sure nobody knew about my nightmares. I honestly have no clue how anyone found out. It is practically driving me crazy."
"Mister Lucius will indeed come for Master Draco first."
"I know! That is what is frightening. He will blame me. Without proper knowledge of what happened, which I don't even have. Wait, did you just call Lucius Mister?" Draco asked, confused.
"Yes, Master Draco, as Mister Lucius is now in Askaban, Draco is Bobby's new master."
"Oh, wasn't expecting that." Draco said. "At least neither of us have to deal with Lucius now, right?" Draco said, forcing a laugh. "Make sure nobody knows that I call my father Lucius when I'm alone. I don't want questions."
"Yes, Master Draco."
"Thanks, Bobby. Uh, can you go get some of Mother's things for me?" Draco asked, and gave Bobby a long and clear cut list of everything he wanted that was still at the Manor. He twisted the Serpent ring that was on his left pointer finger as he talked.
"Bobby will get on it right away."
"Thank you," Bobby disapperated and left for the manor. A knock shook Draco from his reverie. He was confused for a moment.
"Draco, dinner is ready." Arthur said. This confused Draco. Usually Draco's name was yelled out and he was expected to get downstairs in a specific amount of time, and his father always just burst into his room, never knocked. This was going to take some immense getting used to. Draco told Bobby that he'd be out of his room for a bit, and to make sure nobody saw him. Bobby bowed and Draco left the room, racing down the stairs. He stood on the edge of the stairs, knowing that he had taken more than the acceptable amount of time to get downstairs.
"Ah, Draco, there you are!" Molly said. Draco flinched at this.
"I am sorry, for taking longer than acceptable." Draco said quietly. He was staring at the floor, and Arthur and Molly exchanged glances, while Percy, Ginny, the Twins, and Ron just stared at him with utter disbelief.
"Uh, Malfoy, there isn't a specific amount of time you have to get here by." Percy said.
"I am confused." Draco said, looked straight into Percy's eyes. "My Father always told me that once called upon it was disrespectful to not come as ordered in under five minutes." It was clear that he was confused. Arthur moved towards him, and Draco instictively moved back.
"Draco, you don't have to come here within five minutes once we call on you. It isn't considered disrespectful, unless you are given a specific amount of time to react by." Draco mere nodded curtly, still clearly confused.
"Come on, Dear," Molly said, pulling out a chair for him. He carefully moved towards the chair and sat down quickly. Draco put his hands in his lap, folded carefully, looking down.
"Are you going to eat?" Arthur asked, after ten minutes passed and Draco hadn't eaten anything. Draco looked up confused.
"I'm sorry," He breathed. "I was not aware that I was given permission already." Draco said softly, his voice barely audible.
"Yes, you may eat, eat up!" Molly said. Draco looked at Arthur, who nodded and smiled. Draco took another deep breath, and ate little and rather quickly. Than he stayed at the table, when he was done. He once again folded his hands in his lap and looked downwards.
"Might I leave, now, Sir?" Draco asked, glancing at Arthur.
"Uh, sure, ya, you don't have to ask that." Draco inhaled and Molly took his plate and put it in the sink where it washed itself and put itself back. Draco rushed upstairs. He opened his room door, and quickly walked inside slumping down by the door.
"Master Draco, is everything alright? Are you in trouble? Are you hurt? What happened?" Bobby asked, materializing out of nowhere, sensing Draco's distress.
"No, Bobby, I'm fine, nothing happened! I am not hurt, nothing bad happened." Bobby was confused now.
"Nothing....nothing bad?"
"No, Bobby, Nothing bad."
"Well, master Draco, what is the reason for your distress?"
Percy stood up next, and headed to his room, which was right next to Malfoy's. He laid on his bed, when he heard talking. One voice was obviously Malfoy's, the other, he didn't know. He cast a spell, allowing him to hear more clearly.
"That is the problem, Bobby. Nothing bad happened. I can't understand why not! You know how dinner is like with Lucius. Mother always uncomfortable, Lucius always telling me to get things for him, the trouble I get into if I don't get what he wants fast enough. The uncomfortable silence. Everything. This was the opposite. I can't understand why! There was talking. TALKING! For crying out loud! If I so much as uttered one word other than 'yes, Father', 'Understand, Father', 'very well, Father' or their likenesses Lucius would be furious. Next thing you know I am on the floor. I just don't get it. How can a family be so nice?"
"Well, Master Draco, Mister Lucius is not the best of parents."
"I know that. I mean, Blaise, his dad is not nearly as bad as Lucius, but, I just can't get over the fact that Arthur and Molly were nice. I don't get it!" Draco was about to tear his head off in confusion. "Not only that, they told me that unless I was given a specific time to do something, it wasn't considered disrespectful to answer in over five minutes. I can't understand it! I was late!" Draco was obviously distressed. "I was late by at least two minutes. You know how Lucius gets if I am any more than five minutes late responding to one of his summons. He gets furious, going on and on about how I disrespected him and that it cannot go without being punished."
"Master Draco, might Bobby speak?"
"Of course, go ahead."
"Bobby assures Master Draco that this family is just nice. Master Draco's family is not how families usually work together."
"But they are so nice!" Draco said, not getting the point.
"Master Draco, Bobby can assure you that there is no alternative motive behind their kindness. They care about Master. They want to help Master, nothing more."
"Are you certain, Bobby? I mean, I remember that the only time that Father was nice to anyone was when he wanted something."
"Bobby is certain, Master. Just try to understand, that Mister Arthur and Misses Molly are just generally nice people."
"And there is no doubt about any of this?" Draco asked.
"None, Master Draco."
"Alright." Draco seemed to accept that.
Percy couldn't believe it. He had always thought Malfoy to be an arrogant Git, but maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was just a scared teenager, not knowing what to do. He had to be, if he was talking to his house elf in such a manner.
Draco had nightmares that night. Per the usual.
"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!" Draco jerked himself up from the floor. "GET DOWN HERE IMMEDIATELY!" It was his Father, oh great, he was drunk again. This was not good. Draco rushed himself down the long staircases just barely making it in time.
"Yes, Father?"
"What do you call this crap?" Lucius pushed a paper into his hands. It was his report card. He could not understand what was wrong with it. He had gotten Exceeds Expectations on everything.
"What is wrong with it?" He asked, confused. He may have been eleven, but he still did not understand what was wrong. He had done perfectly fine.
"Your score in Transfiguration is not high enough. That Mudblood Granger go a point higher than you!" Draco's face was suddenly void of all color.
"Father, I..."
"No excuses, Draco. You know how I FEEL ABOUT EXCUSES!" Draco shuddered, trembling. "You failed. I gave you explicit instructions and YOU CAN'T EVEN FOLLOW THEM! UGH, you are so USELESS! CAN'T EVEN BEAT A MUDBLOOD!" Draco felt it before he saw it, the cane that knocked him to the ground, and the Cruciatus Curse.
"MASTER DRACO!" Bobby yelled. Draco shot up, shaking moving his hands over himself. "Is Master Draco alright."
"Fine, Bobby, I'm fine."
"Master Draco,"
"I am fine Bobby!" Draco said in a warning voice.
"Yes, Master."
"Uh, can you go the Manor and get my mother's potions? I didn't think of that before."
"Yes, Master Draco."
Draco sat up on his bed, shaking violently. Why was he never good enough. He was never good enough for his father, for his mother, for his family, for his friends, his teachers. Everything. He just didn't know WHY! He tried everything, but it was never good enough, nothing was ever actually good enough. Bobby appeared with several of his mother's potions.
"Thank you Bobby," Draco lined them all up, before picking one and drinking it. It was supposed to keep him awake. There was no way he was going to go back to sleep. He could not relive his past life much more.
"Master Draco," Bobby said carefully.
"Yes, Bobby?" Draco was entirely exhausted.
"Uh, was Master Draco having a nightmare/Memory again?"
"Yes, unfortunately. I didn't scream did I?" Draco asked, suddenly nervous.
"Yes, but it wasn't like your usual ones."
"How so?" Draco asked, wary.
"More pain, less loud, Master Draco." Bobby said. Draco took a deep breath. At least there was that.
Percy was up writing a letter to his girlfriend when he heard the scream. Of course, it wasn't prominent. He wanted to know if Draco was alright. But he didn't want to walk in on him in a nightmare, so he just cast the same spell as he had yesterday, and listened.
"Why though? I Mean, I was the best at everything. All Granger did was beat me in ONE class. I mean, it wasn't even by a large margin either. One percent. I mean, you would think that Father would be happy about that, but no. I mean, he didn't look at all my other classes, he looked at the one class where I failed to get the best score. Do you think he's right?" Draco asked Bobby. He was a conflicted boy. Percy thought. "I mean, I did fail him. I was not good enough. I failed him, and Mother, and I didn't do good enough. I just wasn't good enough. And that wasn't the only year either. I tried harder the next year, and every year since. I keep failing. I just am not good enough. And I can't do it good enough. Maybe Lucius was right. Maybe I really am useless. I can't even beat Granger. I mean, Transfiguration can be useful, of course, and I doubt Father did perfectly. I just, maybe he was right. Maybe I should just give up. I mean, it is obvious that I am not good enough, as I can't manage to beat Granger wholly in Transfiguration. Maybe...Maybe I really am worthless." Draco began to take deep breaths. Percy could hear him. Bobby, whom Percy guessed was the house-elf's name.
"Master Draco, Mister Lucius was wrong." A large fist to the head. "Anyways, you are not useless. Hardly anyone can get as high markings in your studies as you have. You aren't perfect. Nobody is perfect. Master Draco, you are very smart and intelligent. Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough, because you are a very intelligent young Wizard."
"But Father..."
"Master Draco,"
"Alright fine, can you go check the Manor for any healing spell books. I did some thinking, and I know that Father never would have taught her how to heal the pain from a cruciatus curse, as it is very powerful magic, but she did just that for me several times. I figured that it had to be in one of the books in the Library."
"Yes, Master Draco. Bobby goes now."
Percy could not believe the conversation that he had just overheard. Draco Malfoy was consulting a House-Elf for advice on his own personality. Man, Lucius must have really messed him up. Percy did not really full understand the completeness that Lucius screwed Draco's mind up, until the next day or so.