professor? ( ✓ )

chapter thirteen

"Draco, dear, welcome home!" Narcissa Malfoy greeted her son almost as soon as he'd made his way into the Manor. She wrapped her thin arms around him in a tight hug, and rested her head in the crook of his neck, a smile on her perfectly painted lips.

Draco hugged his mother in return, but his gaze remained cold. He dropped his luggage onto the polished floor, and breathes heavily through his nose as his mother continued to hug him. When she pulled away, she looked up at him, joyful eyes meeting his stormy ones.

"Are you alright, love? Care for some tea?" She asked, a frown etching itself onto her face as she brushed her fingers on the side of his arm, tracing the material of his cloak.

"I'd love some tea." He answered in return, shaking his head slightly to make himself refocus. He abandoned his luggage, and followed his mother to the lounge, where a freshly brewed pot of tea waited for them, stirring a copious amount of milk and sugar into each drink.

When it had finished stirring itself, Narcissa handed a porcelain cup of the tea to her son, who sipped at it thoughtfully. Then, she took one for herself. She watched her son, who sat elegantly in his arm chair; one leg crossed over the other, and a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"How's Hogwarts this year, dear?" She asked once he failed to start the conversation. She took another thoughtful sip, and placed her cup down on the saucer.

"It's... It's Hogwarts," Draco decided, not sure how else to put it. "And my students dislike me, much like they disliked Severus."

"You've taken over his class?" Narcissa frowned at the mentioning of students disliking her son. She knew that he was now teaching some of the younger years that her son had gone to school with, and she knew that there were definitely people who didn't like him... or any Malfoy for that matter.

"Of course I have, Mother. Potions are my finest skill, and it's better that I teach it, rather than crazy old Slughorn." Draco explained, rolling his eyes as he took another drink, and then placed his cup on a saucer as well.

"And you're teaching classes with Harry Potter?" The mention of Potter's name brought a goosebumps to Draco's skin, and he exhaled heavily. The previous day's events would be etched into his mind forever, and he felt disheartened by the fact that he had royally turned things to rubbish with the other wizard. All his life, he'd just wanted to be Harry Potter's friend, but with his latest stunt, he knew there was absolutely no way that would ever be possible now.

"I am, indeed. In fact, he and I have been quite... close to one another over these last few weeks." Narcissa rose her eyebrows at that, reaching for her tea.

"A relationship? Draco, you've never told me you were-"

"Not like that, Mother. Merlin! No, we are partners of the non-romantic kind. McGonagall, she forced he and I into a temporary bond as if to mellow us out, and we were living in the same quarters for a bit, but that's over with. Our only association with one another now is when we teach the Dueling Club." The blond explained fervently, a blush prominent on his pale cheeks. As he spoke, memories of the day before crossed his mind again, and his expression fell as he winced.

"They've started the Dueling Club up again? How nice. Of course it would be Minerva to try and mend things between the two of you. Honestly, I don't understand why the two of you hate the other so much. He seemed like such a nice boy, in spite of his insufferable fame, and association with... Muggleborns. And how could anyone refuse the offered friendship from my son in First Year?" His mother rambled, and he tried his best to focus on his tea, only setting the cup down once more when she'd ceased ranting.

"I heard he was originally meant for Slytherin." He answered honestly.

"Of course he was! The boy had survived The Dark Lord's attempt on his life; that boy was reeking with Dark Magic." Narcissa rolled her eyes. She hadn't approved of everything her husband had done, and she hadn't been fond of taking the life of an innocent boy, and so her only real issue with Harry Potter was his refusal of friendship to her beloved son.