Underneath the Mistletoe

ChapterEleven

Draco's POV
SecondYear

"Draco!" Pansy snapped "Oh for Merlin's sake! What has been up with you lately?" she demanded impatiently giving him a look of half curiosity and half irritation.

Draco rubbed the back of his neck. He was so sore, his back and shoulders ached. Stifling a yawn he looked at Pansy "What were you saying?"

She shook her head, her bob of black hair swaying back and forth with it "I was asking whether or not you were staying back for Christmas again this year."

Sighing Draco rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand. He was so tired and definitely not in the mood for 'Q and A with Pansy Parkinson' (but then when was he?)

"I'm not sure yet Pansy, why?" Draco sat back in the plush arm chair in front of the crackling fire. Pansy clucked her tongue in a way he didn't like but thankfully said no more on the topic and instead went back to scratching away with her quill. Trying not to snap Draco focused on the assignment Mcgonagall was having them write. Around Pansy and himself the night was still young, students filtered in and out of the dimly lit room at a steady trickle. Draco's focus drifted and he glanced behind the back of his armchair. A long mahogany wooden table ran down the center of the room, smooth chairs of the same make were neatly pushed in. Slytherin's of every year from one to seven sat around that table.

Older students sat completing homework, poker faces laid on thick, not a hint of emotion seeping through. Younger students sat with their posse mocking each other. Draco turned back to the roaring fire and breathed in the crisp dungeon air that was getting colder by the day as the Holiday Season rolled around.

Soon pine trees would stand whimsically tall in every room, candles would burn and drip hot wax, wind would slip through the cracks in the windows and chill the students who walked the corridors as they walked from class to class. And soon, just as Pansy had reminded him, students would start deciding whether or not they would be staying at Hogwarts for the Holiday.

Draco should not have needed to wonder. He should have been going back to the Malfoy Manor for Christmas. For as long as he could remember each Christmas of his life had been spent at the Manor. His parents would host a party on Christmas Eve that would start early in the night and go on until quite late. Their house would be full of witches and wizards dressed in their finest, champagne and other alcoholic beverages would get passed around, the sound of glasses clinking would echo, the marble floors would gleam, and formal voices would buzz throughout the rooms. Draco always wore a new suit, his blonde hair always slicked back, and he would be getting introduced to witches and wizards  up in high positions to cement his own for the future.

But he did have to wonder because his last Christmas had not been spent at The Malfoy Manor,  his Mother had sent him a letter explaining that he could not come home for The Holiday, instead he'd have to remain at Hogwarts. At first the prospects had appeared black until a most unlikely character had changed the prospects to pure and blinding white. Draco had spent his last Christmas with Harry Potter. He had in fact enjoyed it, until the prick had held out his hand to Draco offering his friendship.

It was something he tried not to dwell on too often, especially since he had turned Potter's offer down.

Draco clenched his eyes shut and grasped the chair's arms so tightly his fingers turned white. He stood abruptly causing his ink to rattle on the table he had set up. Sweeping all his work supplies into his bag Draco left the Common Room without a word to Pansy or any other Slytherin (quite aware of all the curious stares that followed him into the boy's dorm he shared with Blaise, Crabbe,Goyle, and Theodore)

Dropping his school bag at the end of his bed Draco refrained from running his hands through his hair, as this would only make it stand up on end in a mess(something Potter did not seem to comprehend) His breathing was becoming shallow and Draco couldn't explain why he was filled with such rage. When his breath caught in his throat Draco's anger only grew, he would not cry! His eyes started to fill against his will with salty droplets that blurred his vision. 'Malfoys do not cry, they don't cry, crying is pathetic' Draco told himself. When those tears still threatened to spill he kicked the closest thing to him, which turned out to be Blaise's dresser. Pain shot through his foot and Draco bit his lip so hard to hold back a cry of pain that he drew blood.

Falling back into his bed Draco regained his composure, his eyes now danced with black splotches "Wonderful" Draco huffed taking off his shoes and arranging them neatly under his bed. He pulled off his socks and looked at the foot he'd kicked Blaise's dresser with. He wiggled his toes and when nothing seemed awfully wrong he stood up and applied some pressure. Draco sucked in a sharp breath, it was only a little tender he told himself. Sighing Draco grimaced at the scuff mark his shoe had left behind on the beautiful furniture.

Sucking the blood from his lip, Draco turned away from the dresser and began to get ready for bed. He hoped he would get at least a few hours of sleep tonight.

-x-

Welcome to Second Year!! Poor Draco confused ever his emotions eh?Most of second year will likely be in Draco's POV and I'm really happy about the way this is all going so far. If you could it would mean alot if you'd leave a comment or a vote(It would mean even more if you recommended my fic to a friend:) So how was your first month back to school?(Mine was disgusting I can't even)

((Also you are so totally welcome for a second chapter this week;)jk