Twisted

Disclaimer: I did not create any of the Harry Potter characters, etc.

Warning: Nothing too out there, but if you do find anything offensive, please feel free to tell me.

A/N: I seem to have hit a stumbling block in this fic, but I am trying to get it finished. Please bear with my poor writing for now, and hopefully it will pass!

Helpless

Draco sat down in the dark, dank, potions class, his eyes automatically settling on Ginny as she took her seat next to her friends on the table in front of him. She smiled at him in a friendly manner, her eyes lighting up with that certain warm glow that always made him feel better. It amazed him how only a few days ago he had been staring at her, wishing that she would smile at him just how she was now. It was surprising how things could change so drastically, but he was glad things had changed. Ginny was special, and though he was not sure what it was that attracted him to her, there was definitely something. Whether it was the warm, sympathetic expression in her chestnut eyes, or the friendly smile on her lips, she had a way with him that made him feel like he wasn’t a monster, and that he really was just Draco Malfoy.

Draco smiled to himself as he remembered the way he, Pansy and Ginny had laughed after the silly joke in emphasising each other’s names. It felt good to laugh like that. In that moment, he had forgotten that he was going to become a werewolf; he had forgotten that his mother had been murdered and that Lucius was hunting him. In that moment he had felt happy just like every other laughing student in the school.

“What do you think Snape is going to set us this time?” Pansy asked, her sly smile curling her lips. Draco thought it was good to see Pansy smiling again. She had been so worried lately, and he knew it was unfair to drag Pansy down with him. He thought that by pushing her away he was doing her a favour, and that she would forget about him and just move on with her life, but he had underestimated her. Pansy was a true friend, and he realised that despite the fact Slytherins were supposed to be ambitious and only think of themselves, Pansy had shown him her loyalty and her bravery, much like the Gryffindors they had all detested so much.

“Draco?” Pansy said, her smile falling slightly at his distant expression. Draco realised that he had forgotten to answer her question and shrugged.

“Who knows, but I am guessing it will be something difficult. You know how he loves to test us.”

Pansy nodded her head and turned her eyes back to the front. Draco followed her gaze and stared at Professor Snape who was preparing his lesson on the chalkboard. The greasy haired potions master turned his black eyes on the class, a small smile on his lips. Draco inwardly sighed, realising that this was going to be a tough class; there was only one reason Snape smiled like that.

“Today you will be preparing the wolfsbane potion.” Professor Snape said in his soft voice. His eyes met Draco’s for a brief moment, giving a small nod. Draco gave a small nod back to show he understood. They were having this lesson because of him, for Draco already knew that Snape could not always be there to make the potion. He was grateful for Snape doing this for him, because that way he would never be afraid of hurting anyone.

“If you have done the reading then you will know that the wolfsbane potion allows a werewolf to become harmless and sleep throughout the full moon period. This potion is very difficult to concoct, so I expect you to at least try to follow the instructions carefully, for the wolfsbane potion will be useless unless made perfectly.”

There was a lot of muttering in the class but Draco did not care. He was just glad that he was getting this chance to learn how to create the potion before it was too late. Hermione Granger seemed to have found a problem with Snape’s choice, as Draco heard her muttering to Ginny, “But wolfsbane potion isn’t on the curriculum; we’re supposed to be doing weakening solution.”

Ginny shrugged and picked up her quill to write down the instructions. Draco could see Potter getting a thoughtful expression on his face as he turned to the two girls beside him.

“I suppose Snape decided to change it to something more beneficial to us. I mean there has been an increase in werewolf attacks lately.”

“Yeah, but it isn’t like we’re going to be attacked in the school.” Ronald Weasley said with a snort. “I mean, how many werewolves do you know going to Hogwarts?”

Ginny sighed and looked at her three friends with an annoyed expression. “I can’t concentrate with all of you jabbering about your silly suspicions. Harry is right in saying this is a beneficial potion to know, so if you don’t mind, I would like to try make this potion without being distracted!”

Draco smiled to himself as he watched Potter, Granger, and Weasley all looking very sheepish and go back to their work. Ginny glanced back at him, smiling reassuringly. He realised she had stopped their talking for him. They had been treading on dangerous ground, and she had successfully stopped their suspicions without giving them more cause to be suspicious. She was a lot cleverer than he had given her credit for and found that very reassuring. If she had been like any of the other brainless Gryffindors he would have been worried. He had seen how useless they were at keeping secrets, but it seemed that Ginny had a brain on her head and knew how to keep people in the dark. This would benefit all of them, for it was crucial that his condition remain a secret.

“What are you looking so pleased about?” Pansy asked with a surprised expression. Draco looked at her and shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter. C’mon, let’s get this potion made.”

Pansy nodded and followed him to the front of the class where the others were collecting their ingredients. Once they had collected all the necessary ingredients, they headed back to their table. Draco noticed that Ginny was the only one still at the table, and quickly took his chance to talk to her.

“Thanks for before.” Draco whispered quickly, leaning down so no one would hear. Ginny nodded her head, the same friendly smile coming to her lips.

“Don’t worry about it.” Ginny whispered back. “Apart from not wanting them to get any more investigator ideas in their heads, I really do want to know how to make this potion.”

Draco laughed softly and took his seat behind her. Pansy sat down next to him and together they started to make the wolfsbane potion. Draco realised that it was a very difficult potion to make, but he was sure that he was doing everything right. He had never been exactly intelligent in school, as most of his good grades came from hard work. His father used to pressure him to beat Hermione Granger but Draco had since come to realise that it was highly unlikely he would ever achieve that. He did, however, pride himself in being a good potion maker. It seemed to just come naturally to him, and so he hoped that he would not disappoint Snape in not being able to concoct the wolfsbane potion, as this class had been set purely for him.

“Very well, bring your potions to me.” Snape commanded from the front of the class. Draco filled up a vial of the foul smelling liquid and brought it to the front. He could see Ginny and Granger with their vial, both beaming knowing that they had created the right potion. Potter and Weasley both looked apprehensive, as did many of the other class members, though a Ravenclaw girl and a Hufflepuff boy, neither of whom he knew very well, both seemed pleased with their result.

Snape looked down his nose at all the students who brought their potions up, making a few nasty remarks to Longbottom, Potter and Weasley. He said nothing to Granger and Ginny, which Draco took to mean they had passed, and gave a small nod to Draco and Pansy. He inwardly sighed in relief, glad to know that he could create the potion that could potentially save his life.

The bell rang and everyone started to file out of the classroom. Draco packed away his things and started heading out the door when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He looked around in surprise and saw Snape staring down at him.

“Come, Draco. We need to talk.”

A few students stared at Draco curiously, but soon lost interest and continued to head out the door. Pansy gazed at him with a frown, but Snape shook his head.

“Not this time, Miss Parkinson. I need to talk to Draco alone.”

Pansy nodded her head and walked out of the door, leaving Draco and Snape alone in the dungeon. Draco glanced back at Snape, a slight frown creasing between his brows. He was not sure what Snape wanted to say to him, but he knew better than to ask. It was best just to let Snape say his part and then ask questions later.

“It is good to see your potion skills are still up to scratch; it will come in handy for the future I am sure.”

Draco nodded, waiting for Snape to get over the formalities before they got down to business.

“My store cupboards will always be open to you so you can make the potion when you need it if I am not here to make it for you, but remember to use discretion; we do not want someone finding out what you are.”

Draco nodded again, and fidgeted slightly. Somehow he just knew this was not what Snape wanted to say to him and wished Snape would just hurry up. He watched as Snape went back to his desk and started shuffling around his papers. Feeling slightly annoyed, Draco folded his arms and waited impatiently for when Snape would tell him what was so crucial that he should miss his lunch for.

“You probably have already suspected this Draco,” Snape began, his eyes still scanning the many papers on his desk. “But it seems your father is trying to take you back from Dumbledore’s protection.”

Draco frowned slightly, unsure whether he should say anything. He did already know this, but it seemed Snape had more to say on the matter.

“Your father this note, which I think you should read.” Snape continued as he finally found the parchment he was looking for. “The Headmaster wished me to not tell you this but I thought you had a right to know.”

Draco took the parchment from Snape’s hands and scanned the familiar writing he recognised as his father’s. His eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curling into a snarl as he read:

“I congratulate you, Dumbledore, for showing me your benevolence and taking in my son; however, I find that there is a problem in this. As he is my son, I have to tell you that I will be taking him back. Hand him back to me and we can forget this whole matter, but I should tell that if you refuse to cooperate, I will not rest until he ends up like the corpse that has so usefully delivered this letter…”

“Corpse?” Draco asked in surprise, his brow furrowing together as he looked at Snape. Draco thought he could see Snape shifting uncomfortably and realised this was a discussion Snape did not want to be having with him.

“Your mother, Draco.” Snape said in an oddly pained voice, his dark eyes filling with an emotion that Draco had rarely seen. “He left your mother’s body at the castle gates with this letter in her hands.”

Draco glared at the letter that he clasped in his fingers, feeling the bitterness building inside him. “Well, he certainly got his point across, didn’t he.” Draco muttered angrily. He glanced back up at Snape, noticing the sympathetic expression in the cold man’s eyes. Snape had never acted like this towards him. He had spoiled him in class; treated him like the rich boy’s son he was, but he had never looked at him with such undisguised sympathy and regret. Draco had always wondered if Snape had cared about his mother, and now seeing the man looking so shaken, he realised his suspicions were correct. It seemed every day was a new day of learning, and just over these past few weeks he had experienced his eyes being opened many times to the truth around him.

“What does the Headmaster plan to do?” Draco asked suddenly. He did not want to discuss his mother with Snape. Even if Snape did love Narcissa in some way, in Draco’s eyes she was still his mother and his father’s wife; he could not just ignore that. No matter how much he hated Lucius right now, he was the man who had raised him and loved his mother. Though things had changed, Draco could not change his feelings for his parents. He hated and loved Lucius, and that meant he would always be his father in some way.

“He’s going to increase the wards around the castle, but he will not hand you back to your father, Draco; you need not fear that.”

Draco nodded his head, frowning over everything he had learned. He had always suspected that Lucius would try getting him back, but hearing his suspicions made concrete added a new sort of fear inside him. Sure he had made claims that he would get his revenge, but that was all they were: just words vented in the heat of his rage. To know that his father was really trying to get him, maybe even kill him, just made everything seem so much more crucial. It seemed his time was running out, and he was unsure of what the outcome would be.

“Professor,” Draco began slowly, his eyes lifting to look into the older man’s sallow face. “Can I…Could I see my mother’s body?”

Snape nodded his head silently, knowing how important this was to Draco. “Of course. We were going to prepare her body for the funeral, but you may see her before we do that.”

“Thank you.” Draco said sincerely, glad that he could finally find some closure with his mother’s death.

He followed Snape out of the room to where Narcissa’s body was being kept. Snape seemed to understand that Draco wanted to be alone because he shut the door behind him, leaving Draco alone in the room. Draco stared at the shut door and glanced back to where his mother’s body lay. He walked over, seeing her familiar features and felt a sudden tug at his heart. He could feel his eyes burning slightly, the tears gathering to fall slowly down his face. Reaching out, Draco ran his fingers along her soft, pale face, feeling the icy chill of death clinging to her skin. Her eyes had been shut to hide the fear and terror that had been frozen in the cerulean depths, but he wished he could have seen the strong expression in her eyes once more, if only to erase the terrible memory of what he had seen moments before her life had been extinguished.

“Mother, I miss you so much.” Draco whispered through his tears, falling to his knees in utter helplessness in front of her body. He clutched her cold, lifeless hands, staring at the blank expression on her face. The dark clouds in his life had parted for a small moment with Ginny coming into his life, but it would take much longer to heal the wounds he had faced, and had yet to face. He wanted it to be different, but how could he ignore the situation he was in? He wanted to laugh, to live life freely, but he couldn’t. In a way he was just a helpless boy. Though he wanted nothing more than to be able to avenge his mother’s death and get even with Lucius, deep down he knew that he would not be able to do it. He was afraid, so afraid it made him feel sick, yet there was nothing he could do.

“Give me the strength I need to do this, Mother. Please!”

A/N: Sorry this chapter is short. The next one will be longer. There are probably a lot of typos in this too, but I didn’t have time to really go over it.