Time Travel? Really!

Is there bliss in ignorance??

Disclaimer: Not mine.

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The Malfoy family had always prided themselves on maintaining their appearance in every way possible; how they appeared physically when they went out in public, the social and political reputations of their family in the Wizengamot and with alliances, and even their betrothals and familial roles were all carefully tailored to give the best possible impression of the House of Malfoy in the public eye.

Every single member of each generation had been brought up to stringently abide by these rules and act accordingly. Malfoys were notorious for digging their heels in and using traditional means to achieve their plans, such as the traditional courtship rituals used when a member was looking for a spouse. They could never be accused of impropriety.

When Lucius Malfoy had noticed the beauty and intrigue of the younger Slytherin Narcissa Black, he had followed proper channels by notifying his father the Lord Malfoy, and then contacting the Lord Black with an initial request. The two had only begun courting after the two families had agreed upon a betrothal contract and worked out the specific details.

For Draco Malfoy, his parents were the epitome of class and wealth; other families looked up to his parents as examples, they went to them for all manner of advice, and his family was the perfect family unit of a pure-blood House.

He remembered once as a young child when the family of three had been walking through Diagon Alley and came across a harried woman with a young child screaming for sweets. The mother had simply shouted back and dragged the child away, and Draco had never been more appalled at such behaviour in his short life.

The moment struck him deeply when he witnessed the identical sneers of disapproval cross his parents' faces. He'd made a small vow to himself - as serious as any six-year-old could be - that he would never act in a way that would earn that look from his parents. The very idea of receiving such a look from the two people he respected more than anything made him feel sick.

From then on he'd emulated his father's stately behaviour and followed his mother's advice the best he could. He knew one day he would be the Head of the family as Lord Malfoy, and made sure to act similarly to the current Lord. After all, surely his father would be the best example to follow?

Draco had been convinced his family was utterly perfect in every way possible and felt no qualms in proclaiming such statements to the other children he interacted with. Vince and Greg weren't all that smart so they'd immediately agreed with his words, as had a young Pansy who'd seemed determined to become close to him and went along with whatever he dictated.

He'd never quite understood why the young Blaise just gave him a small smirk whenever he said as such to him. Draco never saw the Italian boy that much, but whenever he did he had the urge to become better than him; Blaise had always had a somewhat indulgent smile on his face when he looked at Draco, as if he were simply humouring him. It had infuriated him.

It was because of a young Blaise Zabini that Draco made a second vow at nine to prove that he was better that everyone else in every way possible. After this the blonde boy became even louder and more pompous, and began putting on airs like his father every day.

Unfortunately for Draco, his parents' indulgence had given him a very warped perspective on what it meant to act in such a way in public. He saw a few other children but he rarely left the manor at all; he'd had a sheltered childhood that did nothing to prepare him for the real world or how to interact with others. He had no way of knowing that such behaviour wouldn't do him any favours.