549Chapter One: A Mother's Influence
He rolled over to the sun in his eyes and cursed silently. "Bloody sun," he murmured as he rolled out of the beam of light, his bare stomach sliding under the silk sheets. He was not ready to get up yet and face the happy world. He started to settle back down into a normal pattern of breathing, but was soon interrupted as he heard a noise outside his door. He lifted his head as a knock came to the door. He held his breath, listening.
"Son? Draco, are you awake?" his mother's soft voice muffled against the other side of the door.
Draco breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm awake mother," he said, sitting up, his back resting against the deep oak headboard. "You can come in."
The door slowly opened as Narcissa entered. She looked tired and worn, as though she had been going through life without sleep for ages. Draco heart tightened for an instant when he saw her. Lucius had really run her down over the last couple of months. Of course, Draco was never home to help her. He had been out wandering like a lost soul, spending time anywhere except home, especially the magical workhouse, what Muggles called a gym. He felt that he was part responsible for his mother's pain.
She came and sat down to his right on the edge of the bed, gently creasing the red velvet covers that rested above the silk. She motherly pushed a strand of hair behind his ear, and Draco could almost hear the pain in her heart at every aching move she made. She smiled.
"You start your final year of Hogwarts today," she said smiling.
Draco fought back the impulse to roll his eyes at the thought of being in the same school as Potter, Weasley and the Mudblood. He smiled gently at his mother, fighting back the impulse to frown.
"Yes mother. This may be the best year yet. After all, I am head boy this year," he said, knowing that would lighten his mother's worn face.
She brightened. "I'm very proud of you Draco," she said, pausing, "…your father is too, I'm sure."
Once again, Draco fought back the impulse to roll his eyes. He patted his mother on the hand, satisfying her. "I'm sure too, mother," he said, trying not to grit his teeth.
Narcissa smiled, and Draco could have sworn he saw a tear almost begin to form, but she stood up before he could get a good look. "Anyway, it's time for you to get up," she said, her moment of weakness gone. "Breakfast will be waiting for you downstairs."
Draco nodded. "Thank you mother," he said. She smiled, making her way to the door. "Will you be ready in twenty minutes?"
Draco smiled. "I'll be ready in ten."
***
The ride to the train station was always the best part of his beginning of the new year of Hogwarts. Draco was always alone in the carriage that took him there. He had insisted gently to his mother that he ride to the train station rather than use a bit of magic to apparate there. He appreciated the quiet and quality that the ride to the station gave him. He had time to think and wonder what the new year at Hogwarts would bring. Of course Potter, Weasley, and the Mudblood would be there, but the idea didn't turn his stomach as much as it used to. Over the past few years, he realized how much like his father he was becoming, and he didn't like it at all. He had decided to stop going out of his way to bother the trio. He would bother them, of course, every now and then to make sure that they didn't think he was going soft. Whenever Draco made a smart remark to Potter, he still felt the small part of his father in the back of his head, cheering him on. His father…
Narcissa had told him that his father had gone south to look into plans of the Dark Lord's. He had told Narcissa to tell Draco that he would not be home to see him off. Draco didn't care- he was relieved. He had hardly seen his father in the past few months of summer. He had spent all his time at the gym or around the town area. During the beginning of summer, his father tried to convince him to become a Death Eater. Draco had humbly refused, trying as best he could to take the opposite of every path that his father took. After that, Lucius would not even look at the boy, and Draco thought it best not to be around the house when he was home.
His poor mother. Lucius had taken his anger for Draco out on his wife all summer. Draco knew that his mother would never stand up to Lucius, so Draco began training during the day, working out without the help of magic, strengthening his body in the event that he might have to fight his father, without the use of wands. He was ready to stand up to his father if he had to. He knew his father hated him, that he had just wanted an heir to carry on the family evil. Draco did not want to be anything like his father- a slave driver, a wife beater, a heartless piece of steel trapped in a wizard's shell.
As the carriage came to a stop, and he saw everyone running here and there with their bags, he couldn't help but smile to himself. As much as he pretended to detest everything that had to do with Hogwarts, he didn't. He loved the commotion, the excitement of opportunity, the thought of starting new.
Leaving dooming thoughts of his father in the carriage, Draco stepped out onto the platform.
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Tell me whether or not that seems "Draco" enough for you. Remember it's his last year, so I tried to make it seem like he matured a bit, but not completely. Review please!