I know exactly who I want to be
Pov - no one
Lucius Malfoy, 16
Lucius was walking to his class. It was the last class of the day. Potions. He was normally very good at this class. As he had it with Severus and he was really smart and would always help him. But lately his grades had been slipping. No one seemed to notice and even if they did they didn’t care enough to ask. He walked into the classroom. He was the first one in the class, and he realized most people had the option to skip one class. Many, including Severus. Choose to skip the last period. He was stressed about the end of the semester coming up, he didn’t want his father to see his dropping grades. So he chose to go to all his classes so he could catch up on work. So he took a seat at the front of the class like aways. Slughorn smiled when he saw Lucius, Lucius was one of his favorite students. And had been for years! Lucius returned the smile as he opened the text book. Slughorn probably didn't have any planned material for today, so Lucius would just work on not yet compiled assignments or things that needed to be turned in soon. The two didn't exchange many words during the class period other than small talk and questions. By the time the class was over Lucius got 6 assignments done and 3 projects. Which was a win in his eyes. He hadn’t expected to do that much. He decided instead of going to dinner after class he would go to some of his other professors' classrooms and get some work done. He needs to get his grades up as quickly as possible. So he did. He went to DADA, Herbology and Charms getting a few assignments done in each class. He went to the library after all that, doing a few more assignments before finally going to the dorms. Once he got to the dorms he didn’t even bother with changing his clothing before getting in bed and falling asleep.
The next morning he awoke. He was the first one up. Like always. He realized he fell asleep in his uniform so he walked to the closet grabbing one of his other uniforms and made his way to the bathroom. Changing quickly, brushing his pin straight hair. Brushing his teeth and putting on some cologne and walking out the dorm, going to the dinning hall he considered eating. He didn't eat dinner yesterday. But decided angst, instead he walked to the library to do more assignments. He finished 3 for every class before classes started, so about… 21 assignments? He thought before he hurried his way to his first class. Turning in the assignments,, doing the work, going to the next class, doing the same, rinse and repeat for all 7 classes. He skipped all 3 meals today. Spending his free time in the library getting more work done. He desperately needs his grades to be all 100s. He didn’t want to face Abraxas with anything less than a 100. Too afraid and ashamed to do so. He has barely said a word all today. When classes were done he went to the dorms, this time he did change clothes before falling asleep.
The next day was all the same. Wake up, get dressed, go to the library, go to class, skip lunch, go to the library, go to class, spend free time in the library, go to class, skip dinner, go to the library. Go to the dorms, sleep, repeat.
By the third day of this routine, he’d realized he had not been eating, but he shrugged it off going to the library. He felt more dizzy than normal. Getting light headed whenever he stood. He ignored it, going through the motions of the day. He got to the dorm rooms, took a shower. Got in bed. And just laid there, thinking about how the end of the semester was in two days. This stressed him out just a little. But he pushed it to the back of his mind. Finally falling asleep.
He awoke realizing it was Saturday he got out of bed and went to the bathroom, he brushed his shoulder length hair, pulled half of it back into a little ponytail, tying a ribbon around it. He got dressed in casual clothes, not his uniform like normal. Although his clothes weren’t exactly casual by the standards of others, they were to him. A collared shirt and a black blazer and matching dress pants. He put on some colongen and walked to the dining hall, deciding to actually eat today. He sat down, got some food, quickly ate and went back to the dorms. He got on the ground and pulled his cello out from under his bed. Going to the common room, opening the case and sitting on a stool as he rubbed the bow in the rosin, with a little effort he pulled the cello out of the case, setting it in between his legs and began to play. Evan Rosier, a fifth year student. Walking into the common room looking at Lucius who had just begun to play, he stopped for a second as he saw Evan. he was going to apologize and put it away if it was bothering him but Evan asked a question “Can I play with you? I have a Violin, I need some practice with duets.” he suggested, Lucius smiled “Of course!” he said as he watched Evan return the smile and go to grab his Violin. When Evan came back Lucius had gotten out some sheet paper, he asked Evan what he wanted to play, they settled on one and began the duet. It had been quite awhile since Lucius had done a duet but they continued and they sounded pretty good together, he could Tell Evan was pretty new to Violin but it didn’t bother him. He played amazingly, adapting to Lucius’s quicker approach to music. By the time they finished the song a few other students stopped by to listen. He felt really good about his Cello skills. And he should because he had been playing since he was young. Evan felt pretty confident as well, even if he had only started playing in first year. As they closed the song a few clapped and awed at the duet. Lucius smiled and put down his bow. Evan followed soon after, taking a seat in the chair next to Lucius. “That was amazing! Thank you, Lucius.” Evan said with a smile, Lucius smiled back “Of course! It's always amazing to do duets! And I admittedly haven’t done one in years so it was nice to have the opportunity! We can play together any time.” Lucius ended off. Evan smiled at his response and they parted ways.
Later in the day Lucius walked to all his classes asking about grades, they all said the same. “ You have a 100, good job, Lucius!” he would smile, thank the Professor and move on. Then he went to the library, returned a few books and checked a few more out. He spent the day reading and talking to friends. He ate lunch and dinner. And took a nice long shower at the end of the day.
He woke up the next morning. Before everyone else. Just like always, it was 6:30 am, he got up, went to the bathroom, got dressed, brushed his teeth, put on Cologne, and went to the common room. Greeted Evan who was playing Violin with Regulus Black and Barty Crouch Jr as an audience, Evan asked if he wanted to duet, Lucius said yes, going to the dorm and grabbing his cello. They played in sync. Regulus was impressed and asked how long they had been dueting for, when Lucius told him this was their second time he was even more interested stating it usually takes awhile for partners to adapt to one another. They laughed and took the complements from the two. Then the four slytherins went to breakfast together. They ate and giggled and talked, and for the first time Lucius finally felt like he was a part of a friend group. And the four of them stayed together the entire day, until it was almost midnight. When they returned to their dorms. Lucius went to sleep that night feeling good, although the dread of the next day being the end of the semester damped his mood just a bit.
The next day came and went with the usual schedule but he spent his free time with Evan, Barty and Regulus. He even dared to call them his friends when walking a new transfer student around the school. He went to the Dining hall and sat with them, he saw Severus and decided to invite him to sit with them, he agreed and suddenly all five of them were friends and he forgot about the stress of his father, even if only for a moment.
He didn’t hear anything from his father all day so he was pretty sure he was in the clear to return for the upcoming holidays. He smiled when Regulus, Evan and Barty bid their goodbyes and walked away from him and Severus. The two walked to their own dorms retiring for the night, Lucius took a shower, dyed his hair, and got into bed. Severus did the same.
Once more Lucius woke up first. He got out of bed, got dressed in the bathroom, did his hair, brushed his teeth, put on cologne, checked the clock to see it was just barely 6:30. “So I got up too early..” he wondered. But shrugged. Deciding it was a great time to practice cello. He played for about 20 minutes before the other 4 got up and they decided to go to breakfast together. The day went smoothly, he went to all his classes, giving them all 100% of his effort. ‘Because god forbid he get anything less than a 100.’ He realized he had used the lord's name in vain during his train of thought, so as soon as he was alone he dropped to his knees and prayed for forgiveness. Getting up, dusting himself off and walking to his next class. Giving it his all. All day he thought about why he even tried at all. Other than trying to above punishment. He didn’t even want a traditional job. He wanted to play cello for a living or do ballet.. Yes he knew that those were muggle jobs, but he didn’t care, he just wanted to do something he enjoyed. But his father made that choice not him.