The Afterparty
After the meeting officially ends, it's more socialising.
Fleur immediately made her way over, abandoning her beau to whisper furiously into Draco's ear, " To disrespect you so! In your own house!"
He gave her a wry smile completely without humour, " I expected worse. They will never be kind to us."
"I know, why they see money and beauty as an attack confuses me to no end." She replied, frowning angrily.
" Would you like a drink?" Draco asked, changing the subject. He didn't envy Fleur, trying to make peace with the Weasley's could not be pleasant.
He held his elbow out to her, walking her to the personal sitting room, which would offer more privacy than the ones open to the public.
Also, Bill, (and seriously, the Weasley matriarch must truly hate her children, Bill? Ronald? The only decent names of the lot were Percy, who was massively annoying, and Ginerva, who was borderline rabid) couldn't follow them this way, as only approved guests could access the private quarters.
Draco could feel the house seething at having several Weasley's on the grounds. Though the Black's had never had a blood-feud with them like the Malfoy's had, the ties between both of Draco's houses were close enough they shared in their hatred.
When they got to the sitting room, he sat, resting his cane on the wall to free his hand and knock on the wall fondly.
Fleur noticed the action, and took a seat across from him, " The house is upset?"
"Not in any serious way, it's agitated to play host to so many redheads." Draco replied, as the fireplace lit itself and coffee appeared on the side tables.
Fleur looked guilty at that, she knew of the blood feud, " I would not have entertained him if I did not love him so," she sighed, " His family can be a nightmare, I do not blame the house for its agitation."
Draco smiled softly, " I will not begrudge you your love, I'm glad you've found one who sees you, as I hope he does," He took a small sip of the coffee, " Though if I hear he's even looked at you wrong, I will kill him."
Fleur laughed into her hand, snorting in a decidedly unladylike fashion, " Thank you, Darling, but I doubt it will be necessary, a little more training and he will be perfect."
She eyed him, eyes lingering on his cane and face, " Speaking of love, how is your finacé? I know you said you had left him to keep an eye on Hogwarts, but I don't imagine he was happy with it, or you leaving."
" You would be right," Draco sighed, " He did not get the chance to be upset, because I did not tell him I was leaving. I know, I know," Draco placated, holding up his hands when Fleur frowned reproachfully at him, " You cannot argue that he would have accepted my decision, and I did leave a letter explaining. He knows me, so he should not be so surprised. As much as I hate it, I have to do my duty to my family."
" You speak of duty too much, Draco, what of your duty to your heart?" She asked.
Draco pursed his lips, " You sound exactly like him. But I could never turn my back on my family, not now, not ever. I will do, and have done, everything I can to ensure no harm comes to them."
'Well, not everything', his mind whispers, 'you turned down Dumbledore's offer.'
So the question was raised, could he protect his family better here, or at The Manor?
" What about harm to you? You cannot argue that they will be alright with you throwing yourself into danger in their stead." She gave a pointed look at his cane.
" You may ask, I won't be offended." He said simply, cradling his cup in his bad hand, the heat soothing it's ache.
" How? What could you have possibly done in the past few months to injure yourself so?" She asked, leaning back and taking a sip of her own coffee.
Draco took a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it with his finger as usual and taking a slow drag before he spoke.
" You don't know the half of it, I injured my right arm and side too, in a fight with Fenrir Greyback." He hadn't realised till now, but he hadn't told anyone about killing Greyback, not Lupin, not Sirius, not Dumbledore. It felt nice, to unburden himself. To finally tell someone about the horror that was his first official duel with a Death Eater, even if it had brought him nothing but lasting shame, in the form of a limp. He made the split second decision to leave out the incident with Potter, that was too personal, too vulnerable.
Fleur's face had lost most of its colour, and she seemed to be holding something back, but eventually she spoke, " How long ago? What happened?"
"About two and a half weeks? Three? I'm not entirely sure, the fight took much from me, as you can guess." He waved to the cane, " I was picking off Death Eaters in the Malfoy Forests for a few weeks, but I was a fool and forgot my moon cycles. Fenrir and his pact caught me without my wand."
With every word out of his mouth, Fleur's grip on the arm of the chair tightened, her knuckles turning white.
" If it wasn't for the kindness of the forest, I would have fallen, but fortunately I only had to fight Greyback fully. But even one on one . . ." He took another drag of the cigarette, smiling grimly, " Well, if I hadn't had help, safe to say we would not be having this conversation."
They would have never found his body, he realised, the forest would likely try to return him, but if he had fallen to Greyback, he would not have been recognizable, if there was even a body left.
" What will you do if he returns?" Fleur asked, looking away.
" Returns?" Draco said, tilting his head in confusion, before he realised his mistake, " He will never hurt me again, I killed him."
Fleur whipped her head around, mouth hanging open. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Draco leaned forward to check on her when she launched herself from her own chair and into his arms. She clutched at him, burying her face in his shoulder.
Draco blinked, his arms hovering awkwardly. He didn't truly understand what the hug was for, but it had been a long time before anyone he trusted had touched him at all. The last hug he'd gotten was probably from Blaise, before he'd left. He patted Fleur's shoulder twice, hesitating to speak.
" Are you alright?" He asked.
Fleur shot upright, putting both hands on his shoulders and sitting next to him, " Am I alright! You ask me if I am alright!" She shouted, face melting into concern, and she put a hand on his face, " Draco, you have just told me you fought Fenrir Greyback, one of the most vicious and cruel Death Eaters there is, and not only did you live to tell the tale, but you killed him, avenging hundreds!" She shook him softly, " I do not know if I am heartbroken you had to experience it, or proud you've done it all with such grace!"
Draco removed her hand before it could accidentally brush his scars, though he immediately missed its warmth, " It is not truly so impressive, all I have to show for my epic battle is permanent disability."
" Draco!" Fleur hissed, " Remus cannot even hear his name without flinching, you have done the world a great service, and any wounds you sustained while doing it are battle scars, which should be hailed as proof of your strength."
Draco would be lying if he said the words didn't warm him, but still, he was not so dumb as to think them true, " It is not half so easy, you know that. Others will not see it as you do."
Fleur looked angry now, " Fuck what they would see." She growled, surprising Draco, " You have given yourself over and over for your family, the least they could do is accept you as you are. It would not matter if you sustained your injuries falling down the Morgana-damned stairs , you would still be no less of a wizard, your family knows that."
Draco took Fleurs hand, " Thank you, Fleur. I-" He paused, looking away, "I will try to remember your words when the day comes to face them again."
Fleur nodded, accepting that he would not argue with her, " If I am not proven true, I will sign over my ancestral home."
" Oh Salazar," He groaned, " Please do not, I have enough houses as it is."
" A fine problem to have." Fleur smiled, moving back to the chair across from him, " Now I am going to yell at you about leaving your fiancé with only a letter."
" And I would deserve it." Draco replied, " But someone is calling for me."
It wasn't even a lie, he could hear Lupin from somewhere in the house, calling his name. He dreaded to answer, but if it got him out of one of Fleur's lectures, he'd do almost anything.
Fleur squinted suspiciously, but let him walk her to the door. The second it opened, Draco was greeted with the sight of Bill Weasley fuming silently.
"There you are Fleur! I've been looking everywhere! What happened?" He demanded, grabbing his lover's arm.
Fleur gently shook him off, giving him a chastising look, "I was catching up with a friend."
Bill glared at Draco unsubtly, and Draco could hear Lupin's calling getting louder, so he released Fluer's arm, " You were right, he does need more training." Draco smiled.
" I will see you as soon as I can, Draco." She called, walking Bill to the door.
After watching them leave, Draco went to go find Lupin, who was wandering near-aimlessly in his search.
He didn't see Draco, so Draco positioned himself in a dark corner and let him make a fool out of himself for a few more seconds.
When Lupin began to look dejected, Draco stepped out of the shadows, "Well there's no need to shout."
Lupin jumped, whirling on Draco with a terrified expression, "How long have you been there?" He asked, voice strained.
"Not long," Draco answered, "What did you need from me?"
Lupin's hands clutched at his chest, but he spoke steadily, "Dumbledore would like to speak to you."
Draco snorted, "And he's incapable of finding me himself because? Does the bastard never do anything on his own behalf?"
Lupin looked angry at that, before seeming to realise he had no leg to stand on. His shoulders deflated, and he simply turned to lead Draco back to the same study they had their last 'conversation' in.
The professor stopped outside, not even bothering with an official dismissal, and Draco walked in.
Dumbledore was still seated behind Draco's desk, but he didn't point it out, choosing to abandon the more petty of his power plays.
The old man smiled at Draco, no hint of the annoyance Draco knew for a fact the man must feel, "So, Draco, have you decided?"
Of course, Draco barely restrained an eye roll, "Ah yes, the open hostility really swayed me to your cause."
"When fighting a war, we must put aside personal differences." Dumbledore said mildly.
"Sacrifice?" Draco scoffed, "I'm already letting you use my house, my family. You'd still ask me for more? How greedy can you be?"
"In my experience, those labelled greedy by history often think themselves noble." Dumbledore tilted his head, studying Draco.
Draco smiled, "And do you? Think of yourself as noble, that is."
Dumbledore was silent, and Draco let himself get comfortable, the answer didn't truly mean much to him either way. He took the opportunity to study his former headmaster, from the garish, but still expensive and obviously custom made robes, to the charmed spectacles, every inch of him reeked of hypocrisy.
"No. No I do not." Dumbledore replied, well after the silence would have become awkward, had either of them cared about that sort of thing.
"And you expect me to? You expect any moral arguments of right and wrong to sway me? You had best abandon whatever appeal to better nature you have planned, and sink to my level." He looked the headmaster in the eyes for perhaps the first time in his life, "I am not a good man, Albus Dumbledore."
He felt a small brush against his mind, a weak attempt at legilimency, more for show than anything else. Though he knew he could easily keep Dumbledore out, or at least enact suitable revenge if he tried, the feeling of a foreign presence in his mind caused his occlumency shields to snap tight and his expression to tighten.
Dumbledore smiled, something that made his hackles rise, "No, Draco, you are not a man at all."
Draco bared his teeth, "If you think you'll intimidate me, that won't work either. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together figures it out after a month of knowing me, which is why, I suspect, your precious order had no idea."
He stood, brushing imaginary dust from his robes, "Well, as unpleasant as it always is to see you, good day."
Draco walked out, not expecting a return of his goodbye, and not receiving one. In a strange sense of Deja-vu, Sirius was waiting outside in the hallway, looking nervous. Once was a coincidence, but twice . . .
Draco looked at his cousin, "Did you need something?" He asked. Draco had actually grown rather fond of Sirius, he was the only person in this Merlin-damned house that seemed to understand the meaning of the word funny.
"Ah, no." Sirius said, rocking back and forth on his heels like a schoolboy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "I just- ah-"
Draco sighed, "Just spit it out, Sirius."
"Oi! I'm getting there!" His cousin scowled, "I just wanted to say- that you-" He frowned, like it was physically painful for him to say the words he wanted to, "You handled that meeting- not awfully."
Draco blinked at him for a few moments, before it became too much, and bent over with the force of his laughter.
"Oi!" Sirius yelled, though the corners of his mouth twitched.
"Oh!" Draco laughed, clutching at his side, where the scars still twinged, though even that couldn't distract Draco from his mirth, " Not awfully? Is that all! What high praise!"
"Brat. I was trying to compliment you!" Sirius forced out through his own laughter.
In truth, neither of them knew what was so funny. It could have been Sirius' inability to express his emotions in any meaningful way, or a realisation of just how absurd their lives had become, or just a breakdown a long time in the making, both Blacks succumbing to the family madness at once. But Draco let himself have this.
He could go back to being afraid tomorrow.