Through the Years (Dramione Genderswap Fanfic)

Chapter Five: Fifth Year

Something had definitely changed.

Ever since she went home to the Malfoy Manor over summer, Iris already braced herself with this 'inevitable change' that her father had written to her on her last day in Hogwarts. He was being vague, always has been, but he hinted that there would be more visitors during her stay in Malfoy Manor and he expected her to be on her best behavior. As the sole heiress of the Malfoy family, he expected nothing less than perfect from her.

Suffice to say, there was terror in her heart ever since. With Cedric Diggory's death coupled by Harry Potter's ridiculous, but eerie, claim that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was back, well... Iris wasn't stupid to deny that his father's strange letter was connected to all of it.

The Malfoys were highly regarded in the society, especially since they were one of the oldest Pureblood families and part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. She knew of her father's fascination in the Dark Arts but she'd been hearing rumors ever since she went to Hogwarts. Rumors that Lucius Malfoy had willingly allied himself with Voldemort during the First Wizarding War. Her father told her that he was Imperio-d, that he had no choice, and Iris accepted that. Apparently, there were those who didn't believe Lucius' words. She had been adamantly defending Lucius ever since, because she knew her father wasn't stupid. Besides, he was a man of arrogance and pride! He answered to no one.

She had clung to that thought all throughout the Hogwarts Express ride home. By the time she walked out of the barrier between 9 and 10, she actually felt marginally better.

Her steps faltered when it was only her mother who came to escort her home.

"Your father's been very busy for the past few days, Iris," Narcissa Malfoy simply said.

The horror in her heart came back full force. Her father always, always waited for her in King's Cross, no matter what time or how late it was in the day. 'Keeping up appearances' he always told her. At least he was there, no matter his ulterior motives. Iris knew her father hated being in public places teeming with mudbloods and filthy muggles after all.

For the next few days, she'd seen a flurry of her father, always accompanied with shady looking men she never thought he'd willingly associate himself with. Lucius Malfoy had a fair share of suspicious associates in the past, but there was an increase in number of wizards and witches screaming dark magic who just came to their pristine manor every day, without fail.

"What is going on, Mother?" Iris firmly asked one day in disgruntlement when Lucius failed to accompany them for afternoon tea for the umpteenth time. The blonde Slytherin glared at her tea, remembering all the days Lucius would get angry at her when she was a few minutes late for their tea time or her dress robes weren't appropriate enough.

Narcissa merely gave her a small smile. "Do not concern yourself with your father's affairs, Iris dear," she assured. "You are too young to understand." Then, she lifted the cup to her lips elegantly that Iris never seemed to perfect. Such peacefulness was shattered, however, when Iris pointedly noted how her mother's hand were shaking.

And then... and then, he came.

She had seen him, from a great distance. She just finished doing her summer Potions homework in the vast Malfoy library and realized it was already late. As a yawn tore out from her mouth, she noticed a flurry of black robes and shuffling footsteps, all hastily going to their drawing room. The place had been off limits to her ever since she went home; it was where her father kept on bringing their guests over and Iris, although admittedly curious, never bothered to investigate.

But this time, it had gone too far. She rarely saw her father, her mother's pretend nonchalance was driving her insane, and she just needed some answers.