Friends
T.A 3001
Draco woke up with his eyes feeling sore and his mother’s voice telling him to run at the back of his mind, he curled up further on the bed, not willing to leave the warm spot. He lay there until the sun was high up in the sky and the birds were no longer chirping.
There was a knock on his door, he ignored it.
“Draco?” A warm gentle voice called through the door.
Draco sighed and got up, she was the one person he couldn’t ignore.
“Hello Arwen.” He opened the door and walked towards the wash-basin to rinse out his face, he must look horrible after yesterday.
Lord Elrond had helped him strip down to his under-robes, tucked him in and soothed his finger in his hair while he told him stories until he fell asleep. The Lord had told him the story of Beren and Luthien and he had wept again but for a very different reason, a better reason.
“Do you want to continue your lessons today?”
Draco had been taking lessons with the elves, Arwen taught him Sindarin, Elrond taught him the history of Middle-Earth whenever he had time to spare and Glorfindel and the twins taught him in the arts of sword and bow and arrows. Draco had been a most adept student, he was after all the second best student, right below Granger.
“Yeah.” He went to pick out his robes for the day, he was feeling up for black on black, he chose the darkest robes he owned.
“Adar told me you would be sombre today, though he neglected to tell me why.” Lord Elrond was the most loved person in this world in Draco’s mind at the moment.
Draco hummed in reply. Arwen turned around when Draco moved to take off his robes, Arwen waited for Draco to say something.
“Arwen?” He asked solemnly.
“Hmm?” A pause.
“What would you say if I told you I’m not a good person?”
Arwen hummed in thought. Was this what Draco and her father had talked about before? Did someone say something to Draco? She knew Mithrandir didn’t seem to like Draco for some reason.
“I would ask you what kind of person you are if you are not good.”
“I’ve killed people, I’ve tortured people, I actively did not like the one person prophesised to defeat our dark lord.” Draco daren’t look at Arwen, afraid of what he would be able to read across her face.
Arwen sighed, “Draco I cannot judge you without knowing everything.” Though what he said would have certainly made her be on her guard against someone but after knowing him for so long, Draco just didn't seem like the kind of person he was portraying himself to be. There was always more than one side to a story.
Draco turned to look at Arwen with a carefully curious gaze, he hasn’t ever heard anyone say that to him ever. He has always been judged based on his bloodline, family, Hogwarts house, and the company he kept. None has ever thought to ask him what he thought truthfully.
“Are you not afraid of me for having done what I did?”
Arwen shook her head and smiled at him, “Draco I have known you for little over a month, but I know you would not have taken such measures were it not for a reason. War is a treacherous field, desperate measures will always be taken. Just like how I would not condemn my father for his actions, I would not condemn you my friend.”
Draco sat down beside Arwen, “Thank you for being fair Arwen, I will cherish you as a dear friend.”
Arwen placed her hand over Draco’s, “As will I, I will be here should you need someone to listen or a shoulder to cry on, as will Adar, Ro’ and Dan’.”
Draco was thankful he had ended up with this family of elves. They were caring, Lord Elrond had respected his privacy and did not force him to tell of his story before he was ready, Elladan and Elrohir had saved a bleeding stranger and kept him company while he was bedridden, Arwen had offered to teach a stranger their language and had given him a fair chance, these were the first four people he had met in Middle-Earth and they were already plenty better than the ‘light’ side of the Wizarding World.
Yes, Draco was very thankful.
Draco was currently stood in front of Imladris’ east gate, this one lower towards the grounds and sheltered from the sky by trees. He much preferred the west gate that stood high over the rivers and was open to the skies but he had to agree that this one was much more easier to traverse as it lead directly into the woods as opposed to sharp mountains roads. Arwen and her family and Gandalf stood by his side.
Weeks has passed since that particular conversation between Draco and Elrond, Gandalf was still mistrustful of Draco, giving him looks from time to time. Draco didn’t care, he’d often look down his nose at the old wizard anyways, even though he was shorter, he had years of training. He cared not for the opinions of those that cared not for him.
They were waiting for the arrival of Lord Elrond’s adopted son, Estel. Arwen and the twins had told plenty of tales of Estel to Draco during his recovery, and also about Isildur and the One Ring when he was well enough to walk to the mural and see with his very own eyes the shards of Narsil. Draco thought the One Ring was eerily similar to a Horcrux, which he didn’t like the sound of it at all.
The clip-clop of horse hooves could be heard as horse and rider approached the entrance. Draco glanced over at Arwen, she looked like she was trying to keep her grin under control but was failing tremendously.
The twins told him that her and Estel had a sort of thing going on but their father wasn’t really approving of it. Draco thought of how kind and pleasant Lord Elrond was, it must take a lot to garner disapproval from him.
Draco tried to think of it from his perspective, wondered how it would feel for his adopted son to court his daughter. It was odd for Draco but he didn’t think elves would find that odd, hell the twins were courting each other, Draco couldn’t think of anything else that was more extreme than that. Maybe it was the fact that Arwen could choose to become mortal and die, that would certainly make Draco want to secure Arwen away.
Draco was sort of glad that the elves were so accepting of pretty much anything, his inclination for men was as normal as it gets among elves. But, he was just tossed out of his world, this was probably not time to think about romance, like how it wasn’t time to think about romance for the past 3 years. ‘To bloody hell with it I’m going to look my fill at these elves, they’re all old to me anyways.’
Draco sort of gawked with surprise when Estel came into view. He had ruggish dark hair that reached his shoulders, tired grey-blue eyes, ‘and a very very nice face.’ Draco thought. He had assumed someone raised by elves would prefer to keep their appearances fairer and neater. Even the twins when they came back from their mad hunt of Orcs looked as if they didn’t have a hair out of place. Estel dressed in ragged browns that were so different to elven dressing. Though despite his appearances he lacked not in grace as he swung off his horse like fluid water.
Estel was brought into a three-way embrace with the twins as soon as he was off his horse, he then greeted Lord Elrond with a hand to his heart and a bow. The man’s smile widened when he looked at Arwen and Draco could see the love spark in his eyes, though they couldn’t exactly greet with a bold kiss right in front of their father so Estel had greeted her with a kiss to the back of her hand instead.
Then Elrond was talking to Estel in Sindarin and all Draco could catch from the fast pace they spoke was ‘guest’ ‘Imladris’ ‘Draco’ and ‘later’, they were talking about him he supposed.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, I am known as Aragorn son of Arathorn, otherwise known as Estel.” Estel held no hostility in his voice, he trusted his adopted father to make the right choices in allies. He extended his hand for Draco in the manner of men.
Draco grasped the offered arm solidly, “And a pleasure to meet you, Estel, I am Draco son of Lucius.” Draco supposed that they had no last names in Middle-Earth, how did they know who was in what family?
“I’d be glad to make your acquaintance though I find myself in need of freshening up after the journey.” Estel said while inclining his head towards Draco.
“No troubles, I’m sure Arwen will find a way to introduce us again at a later time.” Draco gave him a good natured smile in return.
With the pleasantries done they each went their separate ways, Draco taking a pit stop at his rooms to change into a tunic and trousers before going off in search of the twins for their archery lesson of the day.