Percy Jackson at Hogwarts

Evil Doesn't Buy Happiness

Draco PoV

I don't know what to think about my "friendship" with Percy. It's suspicious that out of nowhere he decided he wanted to be friends with me, especially considering his friendship with Potter and placement in Gryffindor. Naturally disposed to hate each other, it's hard to image a Gryffindor approaching me, a Slytherin, without ulterior motives. On one hand, Jackson could be trying to expose my secrets, whatever he thought they were, on the other hand, he could genuinely want to be friends with me. It's hard to image someone exactly like Potter wants to be friends with me. In all honesty though, he did make a fair point. I have never done anything rude to him so he had no reason to hate me.

Plus, this could be more beneficial to me than expected. As he correctly assumed, Crabbe and Goyle were hardly what you would call intellectual. They followed me around like hypnotized minions and did my bidding with no brain for themselves. Blaise was intelligent, but he was also the type of Slytherin that defined Slytherin, not exactly someone you held closely. Despite that though, Blaise and I are close because who he is to others isn't all he is. Parkinson is more of a nuisance than anything, but she's tolerable because we come from the same kind of family, knowing that, it's hard not to identify with her.

Jackson could be my escape, someone intellectual that I could talk to, someone who didn't know anything about me and wouldn't judge. Someone who wasn't pressured under the intimidating watch of mother and father driven Slytherins. It would be nice to be able to start over. The few days that we've been friends, Jackson's been able to take my mind off of everything that's going on in my life. But every time we part, it all comes rushing back and I hate myself for the situation that I'm in, I hate my father for forcing me into it.

This mark that mars my skin, no one will think twice. No one will take the time to ask me whether or not it was my choice, not just because it means I'm a death eater, but also because my parents are death eaters and my last name is Malfoy. No one will know about the countless nights I spend scratching my arm until it bleeds because I can't stand the sight of the mark, a symbol that represented - reminded me of how much control I don't have in my life, how much I hate it, how much I hate myself.

Sometimes, while I lie there with my bleeding arm, the mark no longer visible, I wish one of two things; that I stop existing, or that I could have a happy, normal life like most of the students at Hogwarts. I don't care how I stop existing, maybe I die, or maybe I was never born, just as long as I don't exist. That would solve so many problems. I wouldn't be in the situation I'm in now,  I wouldn't have the pressure of a war breathing down my neck. I wouldn't have to think about what would happen if Voldemort won or how much more people would die at his hands. I wouldn't have to put on a facade everyday, I wouldn't have to live in a school where everyone hates me. Potter wouldn't have to worry about my pathetic self bullying him. I wouldn't have to face the fear of all that I would have to do, all the possible future blood that would stain my hands, only visible in my minds eye.

Happiness, a now foreign concept to me. No, not happiness, contentment, for if I had no happiness I wouldn't be able to produce the genuine laughs I do around Percy and Blaise. Contentment is the foreign concept. What I would do to have a normal and happy life, one I could feel content about. One without the fear and hatred that runs rampant in the one I have, with friends who care about me as much as Weasley, Granger, and Potter do each other, or Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, friends who don't have to worry about those things either.

All these secrets I hold, words I don't dare utter out loud even to myself, but come out in the form of sobs, yet still locked inside for words themselves never touch the air. And they never will, for that would mean freedom, and if I ever am free, they are secrets that would never be shared. Not because I would fear death, but because my freedom would make them simply horrid memories that I would move on from, seeking happine - no, contentment.

"Draco, I would think you intelligent enough not to fall for charming tricks." Lucius Malfoy sneered at me, having demanded an on site meeting with himself, Snape, and I after I informed him of Jackson and I's budding "friendship." Here we sat, in the cold dank office, discussing something I'd rather not.

"You would think right, father. Jackson is genuine, why, I couldn't possibly imagine, but genuine. I appeal to this more for the benefit of having intelligent life to converse with. My minions are hardly what you would call intelligent life." I had to keep my composure, he couldn't know how much I needed this. My father's eyebrows creased elegantly, in a way only a seasoned Malfoy could.

"You're hardly what one could call intelligent life." He drawled. "Genuine is dangerous. Genuine leads to caring, and caring leads to attention, and attention leads to 'loving intervention,' and that cannot happen, will not happen." His face was blank, drawn expressionless, but somehow conveying the pure idiocy he thought of me. Snape has yet to say a word.

"Lucius, you haven't met the boy, you know nothing about him." Snape drawled out nasally. If my godfather was on my side, which it seems he is, the I have a better chance. Strangely, my father perked up at the response.

"Indeed it is true, I have never met Jackson." He turned smirking at me as if he knew more than I knew. "That can't last. Christmas break is coming up, is it not, Draco?" He didn't give me any time to respond. "Invite him to spend the holiday at Malfoy Manor. After his stay, I'll make my decision." Minutes later, I was still staring at the how empty chair wher my father once sat. Snape leaned forward.

"I don't know what you're doing, Draco, but you better do. I get the feeling Jackson's not who anyone thinks he is, so be careful and don't mess up. Now get out of my office, and head up to your common room." I numbly rose out of my chair and left the room, dreading the upcoming holidays more than I usually do. Walking to the Slytherin common room, I thought what my father could be planning, what nasty tricks he had up his sleeve. Jackson at Malfoy Manor, is he mad?

Up ahead, I noticed Jackson himself standing in front of a window, hands tucked casually in his pockets, staring into the darkness of the night. His face was dark, but expressionless, eyes a shade darker than usual, glinting. As I passed, I paused momentarily, my eyes catching his in the window's reflection. For a while, Jackson just stared at me, nothing about his his expression or eyes changing, lips still set in hard animosity. It unnerved me, but then his eyes focused, causing me to realize they weren't focused like they seemed, and he seemed to realize he was even looking at me. Jackson smiled, eyes lightening slightly. I smiled in return and walked away.

As I headed back to the Slytherin commons, I could help but think, maybe even Jackson might benefit from this friendship too.

§§

It's done! Oh my lah!

I love Draco so much, words cannot express.

What'd you guys think? Sorry it took so long.

I actually have the next chapter already written, but I don't want to post it back to back. I'll probably post it in about 5 days.

Vote, comment, and good night! (I LOVE DRACO!)