Different
Draco carefully stepped in front and away from Severus when he saw the garden. From his bedroom window, he could hardly see the gardens but now, it was so clear and smelt amazing, unlike anything Draco had smelt before. Draco took another step forward, squatting, then gently patting the flowers on the ground. "That's your mother's favourite, Draco." Severus helpfully informed as Draco's fingers touched the daffodils. He looked at Severus for consent and Severus knelt beside him, carefully picking a few daffodils before handing them to Draco. Draco smiled and thanked Severus. Draco went around the garden, excitedly picking a few more. Severus followed the toddler around, afraid he'd injure himself, but also picking a few more for Draco.
Draco presented to Severus those that they'd collected and set them on the ground. Severus and Draco both say together. Draco started making patterns with the lot. "Let's make something for your mother?" Draco looked up to Severus and nodded enthusiastically. Severus gave him a small smile.
Severus started arranging, picking, tying the flowers. Draco watched in curiosity, trying to imitate Severus. Severus would stop once in a while to guide Draco. They were making flower crowns. Draco was pretty quick to learn and very good with his hands.
Severus finished with his and adjusted it, setting it on Draco's head. Draco looked up at the light weight, as though thoughtful see it properly. Draco touched the flower crown and caressed it. He set down the one he was working on and took Severus' handiwork. It was beautiful. Draco was mesmerized and begged Severus to teach him. They spent the next few hours picking and making flower crowns.
Draco ran in the manor upon seeing his mother. He hid the best flower crown he made behind him. He beckoned his mother to bend down a little so Draco could reach her. Narcissa looked behind Draco, where Severus, wearing a flower crown Draco made, was. She laughed and got down before Draco. She gave Draco a hug, making Draco chuckle as he slide the flower crown on his mother's head. His godfather was amused but said nothing. Narcissa let go and touched Draco cheeks. Draco clapped at Narcissa. "You're always beautiful, mummy!" Draco leaned into Narcissa once again. Narcissa lifted Draco and walked to Severus. "Thank you for bringing him out." Severus nodded, a small blush rising up his neck. Draco's two hands covered his mouth at Severus' embarrassment. Narcissa patted Draco and Severus just faked coughed. Another happy event for Draco!
Draco internally wished it wouldn't end. He didn't want it to. Ever.
>•𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕤•<
Draco wandered around the halls, looking for dear Dobby. With Astarot tucked ruthlessly under his armpits, he tiptoed and tried to reach the handle of the kitchen door. He tried a few times, missing plenty. He settled the dragon down and tried again. But this time, someone opened the door.
"Dobby!" Draco cheered. Draco giggled and latched on to Dobby. "Young Master Draco, what can Dobby get for you?" Dobby patted Draco's back. Draco pretended to think, putting a pinger to his chin. "Juice, please, Dobby!" Draco grinned, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He grabbed Astarot and followed Dobby into the kitchen.
The kitchen was where Draco used to go to avoid his father whenever he knew that his father would be after him. Draco would sit with Dobby and whisper to him. They would talk for hours until Draco feels that it's safe to leave. Dobby was one to not leave. Always protecting and helping whenever he could.
Draco shuffled around the kitchen. searching for any other house elves. There, right at the sink, was Ara, another house elf that is fond of Draco. "Ara," Draco tapped the elf. She turned and sqeaked "Draco" delightfully. Ara, though spends less time with Draco, has always been around his mother instead, from the Black House, thus Draco felt that it would be okay to trust Ara like Dobby.
Dobby comes again and give cheeky Draco his grape juice. Draco asked for them to sit with him and drink some juice together. Unable to resist and reject Draco's offer, the house elves got themselves their own cup of juice and sat on Draco's either side on the floor, leaning on the cabinets of the kitchen counter, Astarot on Draco's thigh.
This was fun. Chatting and very uninterruptedly. Draco shared what he dreamt last night about him riding Astarot, like the snow globe Severus gifted him last Christmas. If only everyday could be like that.
>•𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕤•<
Draco hid under the covers, covering his ears with his hands. All curled up in the corner of the bed nearest to the walls, he slowly started rocking back and fourth. Downstairs, he could hear the yelling of his father. No, there were no screaming, just Draco. But Draco can't get them out of his head. He hears his mother too. She's in pain. And more voices. Good people. Bad people.
Draco's breathing got harder as time went on, his chest heaving up and down quickly. Hyperventilation. Draco was shaking hard, tears welled in his eyes, spilling uncontrollably. "Go away- hic... Go away, go away, GO AWAY!" He was the one screaming now.
"He won't escape," a voice said.
"Feel alive." Another begged.
"PLEASE!"
"TAKE ME!"
"Avada Kedavra-"
"My Lord," His father...
"-is dead!"
"Please, let me help you."
More and more voices overlapped, most of which he didn't recognise. But it overwhelmed him. Too much. Too much. Another voice came through. It was different though. Not evil, scared, or begging, it was calming.
Draco opened his eyes. His mother was in front of him. She had removed the blanket that was draped over Draco and is now on her lap. She was desperately trying to get Draco back, to reality. Draco sobbed in his mother's arm. She was crying too, asking is Draco was okay, what had happened, so on and so fourth. Draco couldn't stop though. He could still hear the whispers, they weren't going away.
Narcissa tried. Soothing, talking, everything, but his boy was still... out of it. Draco could feel the love from his mother, he wanted to talk, but he couldn't, it was all trapped in his throat.
Severus then came in with a calming drought, pouring it down his throat as soon as he entered. Draco visibly calmed, his breathing much more stable. Narcissa still stroked Draco's hair, murmuring the words "You're safe baby, you're safe..." over and over again, like last time, after the fire incident. He was safe. Yes... he was.
>•𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤•<
Draco's father had hired a ton of teachers, coaches, everything. From Etiquette, to Dancing, to Quidditch, to Potions, to many more weird things that he shouldn't be learning at six. They were scary and strict. They would hit him for the smallest mistake and say that it's for his own good and that he wasn't any good, he needed more practise.
Today's final class just ended, and throughout today, he had earned many hits, ranging from thirty to fifty. The more Draco got hit, the more he realised how much he was a failure, how much he was a disgraced. He got more and more insecure, always trying to exceed expectations. While that's good, no six-year-old would stay up till late at night to fix his mistakes. But a father's approval was much more important than playing or whatever six-year-olds do. He wanted his father to finally notice him, see the good in him, that he could try his best and not be a disgrace. Maybe his father will finally acknowledge him. Maybe. Maybe one day. Just not now, just later.
Giving up meant losing, and Draco wasn't going to give in.
He knows it's unhealthy. Severus and Mum has said it time and time again but it never got through Draco's thick skull.
It's hard. Everything. He worked more, and the more he did, the more sleep deprived he was, the more tired, exhausted.
Now, seven, he should already be showing signs of accidental magic, any form. Anything. But Draco's hasn't. Not for the past year, not once. The exhaustion wore him out, thus his magic couldn't show itself. Father was furious as to why he was to exhausted and ghastly but Draco said nothing. Including mental exhaustion, there was more health problems, and the abuse by his father also gradually got worse.
Draco was taller than average but still thin. He ate, quite some bits. But he also had high metabolism, anxiety issues. He overheard his mother one day, speaking to Severus, that he might be overworking himself too much just for his father to notice him, see him for who he is but was also risking his health. He was gambling. He sure was. Whatever. all for father. Right?
>•𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤•<
One morning, Draco got seriously ill and couldn't get out of bed. Narcissa was worried and made his father cancel most of his classes. During that same very day, his mother found out about how the teachers 'taught'. She fired every single teacher except Ms Sinnigl, Draco's music teacher.
Draco laid in bed, feeling worse instead of better. It was hot. Not like that time, in the fire, just a bit less than that. He was sweating. And the voices came back. Ever since his classes started, he had never heard the voices, screaming and whispers ever again. Until today.
Draco feels weak. He isn't the same sweet kid from two years ago anymore. He's seven and is very different. This time, he's trying to make his father proud. He remembered the times when he hung out with his mother and Severus, when he first went out, or the only time... and with Dobby and Ara. Those were the innocent happy days, until all were forced upon him and Draco decided to take it. During the whole year, Draco never spent more than an hour with the people he once said he loved. It was... regretful... perhaps this is just his body telling his mind not to do something for someone who doesn't deserves it. Draco doesn't need his father. That's right... he never showed up at any significant point of his life. Just there. Draco has Mum, Severus, Dobby, Ara, he has more than he needs, the people he love are enough. Yeah, Draco'll stop this shit he set upon himself. He was going to make use of his childhood and make it a happy one. That'd be nice...
Narcissa then came in to receive a bunch of apologies and a fairly warm and tight hug. Narcissa held her son. Oh how much she failed as his mother, she couldn't even make him feel wanted and loved. Narcissa held him close. She wasn't letting go of him ever again.
Or so she thought.
>•𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤•<
"What is this? Why is Draco all packed up? Tell me, Lucius. Tell me!" Narcissa cried when she saw he son, head down staring at his shoes, with trunks. Lucius was sending Draco away. Why? She said she'd never let go. What's wrong with this man, the father. Why wouldn't he just give in or start acting like a mature man and a father?
"Boarding school. He can't attend Hogwarts yet, though I wanted Dumstrung... And you fired all the teachers, Narcissa." Bastard.
"Don't you dare. Draco's staying with me no matter what bullshit you say, Lucius," Narcissa sneered, grabbing Draco behind her. Draco just recovered and is going back to that harsh routine? No way would Narcissa let Draco out of her sight, let alone to boarding school. It was ridiculous. Draco is seven and is going to spend the next three to four years away in another unfamiliar place?
Draco tugged on the hem of her shirt, giving her a bitter smile. Narcissa got down and took both of Draco's hands into hers. "Draco..."
"It's okay, Mum. It's okay. I'm okay. I can go. I'm okay." Lies. Those were the lies Narcissa had heard Draco say to himself multiple times during that harsh period. Draco cried silent tears, wiping Narcissa's own. "Draco..."
"Two years. Just two years. I nee d him back after that. And you can see him again. Let's go." Lucius tugged Draco along, roughly pulling Draco by his thin wrist. Draco looked back one last time. "I'll write," He mouthed.. "I love you, mummy."
'Mummy'. Draco hadn't called Narcissa that in a year. It touched Narcissa. The two apparated and left, leaving only the memories. Narcissa got up, legs shaky from shock. She took a shuddering breath, stumbling backwards. Someone caught her. Severus.
"Severus, what should I do? I-I-I've failed so much as a mother already and now-" Severus just folded Narcissa into a hug, stroking her hair like how she would with Draco's. Narcissa cried on Severus. But Severus just stayed and listened and comforted. The house elves were, too, devastated but had to go back to work. Narcissa was sent into a depressive state, Severus visited more because of her, house elves less active and hyper than usual.
Guess that now the bright and sweet boy was gone. They don't know how much this 'boarding school' may change Draco.
>•𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤•<