Chapter 4
“Uncle, you asked to see me?” Draco asked standing in the doorway to the Potion classroom.
Severus Snape looked up from his desk. “Sit.” He commanded. “Explain.” The sallow-skinned man demanded.
“Explain what?” He asked defensive before tagging on a “sir,” belatedly.
“Don’t be coy and don’t think you can play games with me boy. If word has reached me it will eventually reach your fathers.” Severus warned. But he was surprised that it didn’t trigger a reaction. Well a reaction beyond glaring.
“A Malfoy deserves and pursues only the best.” Was the blondes very unhelpful comment. And Severus felt compelled to throttle his godson. If that didn’t just show Lucius’ caring for his heir and son. Severus may have been a brother in arms but he never let himself be convinced Lucius saw them as equals. A halfblood? Never. No Lucius in his hubris never planned on needing Severus to step in and actually raise the Malfoy heir.
But Cissa? She was a different story. His passion potions and hers herbology and her son. He knew her family had seen him as nothing more than a pet. A means to an end. Cygnus and Druella would have never approved of a genuine friendship.
“I did warn her that I wouldn’t get a serious answer from you.” Severus commented his headache growing.
“That is a serious answer uncle and you can go give it to father if you like. He won’t let Theo join us for Christmas. And if he wants to punish me he’s welcome to try.” Draco announced.
“He won’t be beating you,” Severus answered. “Your mother and I have him convinced you have manipulated her away from her house.”
“Hello Dragon.” His mother’s voice called from the office. “Imagine my surprise to discover the news my son was writing to me for hair care tips for a witch not of this world.” But she got very serious as she stepped into the room. “Darling, you must be very careful. Your father,”
“My father needs an heir.” Draco insisted.
“There is plenty your father could do without killing you my joy.” She warned pensive and worried.
“Then father would be a hypocrite.” Draco insisted stubbornly. “And I don’t care what father says! I don’t care about father at all!” Draco yelled trying his best to not start crying; he was so mad. He glared at both. “Mother, do you know who knows every answer to every question a teacher has? Who gets almost every spell on the first try? She’s had access to her magic a month and she is already tutoring second years. If I deserve the best and she’s the best, why wouldn’t I overlook her unfortunate circumstances of her birth?”
“And is that what this is my love? Exploiting a resource?” She asked, focusing on his face.
Draco glared. “It’s what I will tell father what it is.”
Severus snorted. “Maybe he is slightly your son after all. But Cissa you saw how things ended with….”
Narcissa stared intently at her son.
“Mum,” he said using such informal language that he would have been punished at home. “She actually likes us.”
“Oh I am sure she approves of your behaviour since the start of the year.” Severus commented.
Narcissa watched her son turn a bright shade of pink. “We have come to an agreement. If I am going to be what she considers to be nasty then I cannot go after low hanging fruit. She thinks we are better than that.” And this she had to fight to keep a relieved smile off her face.
Her sweet Dragon had turned into the spitting image of her hate filled husband. Yes she cared about preserving their culture but not through genocide. Their community too was small and there were other measures that could be explored.