Crushed by knowledge
By the time the Yule holidays rolled around, Draco found himself proud not to have broken any of the rules his father had set for him.
1. Draco wasn't slacking off in his classes. On the contrary, he was top of all his classes. He had even beaten Granger, who, of course, was furious about it.
2. Draco had been sorted into Slytherin, as anticipated, and within the Slytherin hierarchy he had even made it up the ladder quite far already. If his calculations were to be trusted- which they quite certainly were, if no complications would arise in the foreseeable future - then he would make it to the top without any problem till the end of the school year.
3. Draco had not so much as talked to any Mudbloods in his year, much less befriended one, so he was safe on that too. With his primary friends, Blaise and Theo both being Slytherin, he seemed to be on the green side of things. Quite literally.
4. Draco had exceeded in his stellar pureblood performance. So much so, that only by reputation Muggleborn students naturally went out of their way to avoid him. Of course that same reputation had also made Potter snarl back at Draco more often then not, but Draco didn't really care about that, now did he?
He was still very much confident in his ability to provoke and taunt his neighbor unnoticed by even Potter himself, making the boy stumble over his words when Draco perposefully misunderstood him or making Potter notice his own inability to perform a task.
But of course, Potter was merely a play thing, not a friend. Draco Malfoy could never befriend anyone that self centered.
For the 5. rule, there had, however, been comments about his hatred of sunlight from Blaise, joking about how one could mistake Draco for a vampire. So naturally, any connections between Draco and vampires had to be eliminated immediately. Even if they were only jokes now, there was always a threat of these suspicions sticking. And Draco couldn't have that now, could he? He had to make his parents proud. He wasn't supposed to bring shame to the Malfoy name.
So that same day, Draco had found himself in the library. Again. Researching charms and potions to block out sunlight or to dimm the effects of it.
And surely enough, a few sleepless nights later there it had been.
A simple hangover potion to lessen the effects of sunlight on ones body, as well as another spell to keep sunlight from ones skin. That charm in particular was normally used in warmer regions of the world, to impede sunburn and cool the skin. This particular charm had been created by a young german witch in the 1760's, who had studied at Uagado wizarding school in Uganda.
Draco was quite enamoured with her tails about the Mountains of the Moon, the school was placed upon. The teaching methods seemed to catch Daco's attention as well. A whole school filled with Animagi sounded quite nice as well.
The last tine he had checked Severus' library he had come across a book about the school as well. Now Draco scorned himself for not taking it with him. Perhaps a detour before dinner was in order.
--
The sun had already set. most of his classmates still at dinner, Draco stepped up to his godfathers door, casting the spell he had heard Severus murmur so often, and stealing himself into the darkness of his office. It was not much of an office but more of a library. One even more cozy than even the Hogwarts library, which was already a step up from the lifeless shelves of Malfoy Manor.
Listening closely for any sound from inside, Draco breathed out a mischievous chuckle. It almost wondered him that Severus hadn't yet found out about the young boys thievery. But perhaps Severus had more urgent matters to occupy his mind with. He certainly looked very busy all the time. He was a teacher after all.
Sadly, Severus didn't have as much time for Draco as the white haired boy had originally thought.
That made the time the two of them did spend together, even more worth it, though.
Every Saturday the two of them met for tea in Severus' office. A ruse for discussing possible complications with Draco's bloddy little problem.
- Severus had sneered at the name, as if in memiry but kept quite. -
Most of the time though it turned into somewhat of an interview, Draco getting way too excited, and asking questions about everything and nothing. Other days Draco just rambled on about his week.
And, although, Severus didn't seem interested most of the time, Draco knew that he really was. Whenever those broad dark shoulders relaxed and the grim expression on his godfathers face softened, Draco knew he had Severus hooked. Because at the end of the day, they both needed someone to confide in. Someone who knew their struggles. And it sometimes felt good just to be.
Even when Draco was the one talking most of the time, he could feel that Severus enjoyed it. Severus liked to avoid his problems by either restricting them to a time frame or by occupying himself with something else. In Draco's case, someone else.
Approaching the bookcase on the immediate right of the door, Draco's eyes searched for the familiar silver cover he remembered seeing there before.
Surely enough, after only a few minutes, there it was. The only problem being it's high placement on the bookshelve. He tried the charm to call it down, but he couldn't think of the books name and try and error would cost him too much time. Severus would be returning any moment now.
With one last look towards the door, Draco placed his hands as high as he could reach, grabbing the shelve there, found footing on one of the lower ones and climbed up the bookshelve. He felt a little wobbly at first, but as soon as he stepped upon the next higher shelve, his confidence returned in strides.
Only five to go now. A bit bolder now Draco stepped up another set, reaching the half way point.
For Salazar's sake, this bookshelve hadn't looked half as high from the ground. On the next step ,however, Draco suddenly stopped, when he heard a set of steps coming closer from outside. Hastily he pulled himself up another few inches, trying to find footing.
The footsteps had now stopped.
Draco deerly hoped that they had just passed.
But there was breathing.
Then mumbling.
And then the door opened itself easily.
One breath later Draco locked eyes with his very surprised godfather, who schooled his face into an annoyed glare very quickly.
Trying to stabilize himself whilst looking back at Severus Draco momentarily lost his footing, holding on to the upper part of the bookshelve he was gripping with his hands.
But sadly wizarding physics, while working differently than muggle physics, still couldn't stop the bookshelve from dangerously swaying and just as easily collapsing downwards, away from the wall.
Severus had already drawn his wand, but still stunned by surprise the moment of hesitation meant Draco's downfall. Quite literally.
But perhaps Draco had been wrong and Severus had acted. Because, although, laying on the ground covered by the dark wood of the bookshelve as well as, again, quite literally being crushed by knowledge, Draco didn't feel a thing. Well there was the weight of both a wooden construction and a few hundred books stacked on him. So of course there was pressure. But it didn't really crush him. It was more or less bearable.
However, peering up through one of the shelves, Draco finally found Severus' face. And that was not a happy face. Nor was it a 'you can be glad that I just saved your ass', face.
There was too much horror written upon his features for that. This face screamed: 'I just accidentally killed the Malfoy Black heir. My godson. And his parents are gonna ripp my heart out, with their own hands, and slowly watch me die in pain and agony.'
At least Draco would probably think that if he had been the one to kill him. That would've been suicide though, so would there really be any repercussions? He was getting off track.
A flick of Severus' wand was enough to, send all the books around them flying into the air, while the bookshelve righted itself on the wall again.
With another flick, all of the books started moving again, making their way to their rightful places on the bookshelve. Before the last few books had even placed themselves on their shelf again, Severus was suddenly next to Draco, looking him over with eyes more frightened than Draco had ever seen them.
Spells were cast in quick succession, then after a moment of silent confusion, they were cast again. And again and...
"Severus, what is it?"
Draco asked, now frightened himself.
Was he dead? Was he only seeing this from the after life? Was this the end to his as of yet boring life? Was being bitten by some noname vampire really the hight of his life? Would being top student in First Year really be his greatest achievement? Why was Severus looking at him so quizzically?
"Why are you looking at me like that? Am I dead?"
Severus didn't aswer, so, of course, Draco slowly began to panick.
"Merlin, don't tell me I'm dead before I ever even kissed someone."
Severus frown deepened, turned more deadpan.
"THAT'S what you're concerned about? Snogging?"
Hearing those words from Severus' would've been almost comical, if Draco wasn't dead.
Or dying.
Or something...
Well, thinking about it, he didn't feel very dead. Well not more than every other minute of the day. Nor like he was dying. He felt quite fine actually. He could hear his own heart beating evenly in his chest, even though it's slow rythm sometimes made him think that his body was dead already.
Were Vampires really alive?
"Oddly enough, you're fine."
Severus mumbled another spell.
"Not even a scratch."
For Salazar's sake. Draco had never heard him sound so astonished. And maybe there was a bit of relief in there as well. Wow. Draco had never seen such a wide range of emotion in his godfather.
"Most peculiar."
Severus suddenly stood up and strode over towards his desk, before draco could as much as move, his godfather was back again. This time with a needle.
"This might prick a little."
"What do you..Ouch. what was that for?"
When Severus withdrew from his arm again, Draco could finally see what he had done. There was a needle in his godfathers hand. However the needle wasn't really straight. It almost seemed as if it had been crushed by some brutal force.
"Did you feel that?"
Severus gaze was sternly fixed on Draco. Unreadable again.
"Of course I felt that. You poked me."
Draco snarled back. He only now realised how shaken he himself still felt.
"I mean did it hurt you."
Severus expression softened a bit, realizing his godsons distress.
"No."
Draco took a deep breath to calm himself. He could feel the dampening charm wear off slowly, scents filling his nose one by one.
"It was more of a surprised ouch."
Draco explained, when Severus features didn't change.
"I still don't like being poked though."
For the first time Draco could remember, he saw a small smile drawing up on Severus' face.
A smile of acquired knowledge.
A smile of relief.
A smile of affection.
And Draco smiled back.