Draco Malfoy (madmalfoy) wrote in fourteenshades, @ 2014-04-22 23:20:00 |
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Current mood: | indescribable |
Entry tags: | colin creevey, draco malfoy, myrtle mallory, x-pansy parkinson |
Someone is back in town.
WHO: Draco Malfoy & Colin Creevey - PART ONE
WHAT: Someone needs a little sorting.
WHERE: His "real world" cottage and then back to where it all began.
WHEN: Wednesday afternoon.
RATING: PG-13 (language & mental health issues)
WARNINGS: There is talk of mental health so it might be triggering for some.
STATUS: Completed in GDOCS.
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WHO: Draco & Pansy - PART TWO
WHAT: Sending a (borrowed) owl.
WHERE: Sent from the Genealogist's Office.
WHEN After meeting with Colin.
WHY: Draco needs confirmation
STATUS: Completed in comments.
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WHO: Draco Malfoy & Myrtle Mallory - PART THREE
WHAT: Reassurances
WHERE: Malfoy Manor
WHEN: Wednesday evening
RATING: PG
STATUS: Started in GDOCS & TBC in comments.
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DRACO & COLIN Draco Malfoy was only a few weeks shy of his twentieth birthday, but he did not anticipate his special day. He hadn’t celebrated a birthday since he turned sixteen. How could he celebrate his life after all the tragedy he saw? How could he mark another year when far more deserving individuals were buried in dirt? He couldn't. Too bad his Mental Healer had other ideas. While he begrudgingly admitted he felt better since he agreed to sessions, he still thought her newest idea was barmy. He didn't want to write out his bloody life story. How was that going to help? Sure, the journals she made him keep worked out well, but...he didn't care about his damn birthday. He could just ignore the assignment. It is not like he was back at Hogwarts; the Healer couldn't give him detention. You are only cheating yourself. He gritted his teeth. His inner dialog really got on his nerves. He couldn't escape it since moving to the secluded cottage. Well, whatever. It wasn't like anyone besides Healer Anderson would see what he wrote. Go outside. Get some air. He groaned. If his own voice didn't nag him, his healer's did. He grabbed a light jacket and the plain brown journal he used for Anderson's assignments. The cool spring air felt nice. He finally started venturing outside in the last few months. He still refused to go into town, but he felt safe sitting under the tree across from his little home. No one ever called besides his mother. He preferred it that way. He wrote a few mates, but he refused all visitors besides Narcissa. He was so serious about being alone that he even had the letters sent through Narcissa. Hardly anyone would suspect where he lived; very few knew the town. He planned to keep it that way. It was better than a bloody concealment charm. He still knew what the rags said. He heard it on the wireless. He suspected his mother tore out the articles in the papers she sent him, but she couldn't keep him from hearing the radio. "Mad Malfoy," he muttered. He let out a small laugh. “Probably am.” Why else was he held up in the middle of nowhere writing nonsense to please a Mental Healer? Well, at least it was something to do. He popped open the book, glanced over the questions, and started writing. His quill scratched across the parchment quickly. Once he started those silly things, the words always flowed. He was nearly finished when he heard someone shout his name. He was so startled that he dropped his ink across the bottom of his page. “Ah, fuck.” He glanced around. He was certain a male yelled for him, but how was that possible? No one knew he was there. His mother wouldn't tell and there was no way anyone could guess. For a sickening moment, he wondered if Lucius convinced his healer to spill the beans. No, no, he'd know his dad's voice no matter how long it had been since he last saw Lucius. ~~~~~~~~~~ Colin hadn’t really been himself the past week. It wasn’t that he was a complete mess, but he was just off. Mary tried her hardest to cheer him up, and for the most part, it worked well, but his mind was elsewhere. He missed his best friend, and he wanted to make sure everything was set up in case he ever left. He wanted to make sure all of his money went to Dennis or to Mary. He didn’t want to forget what he had with her, but he also knew that if he ever came back…he would be too young, too immature to appreciate her and what she meant to him now. He didn’t want to leave, but he had to be prepared in case he did. It was something that Draco’s sudden disappearance had reminded him of. But not today. He closed the shop early, and grasped his camera as tightly as he could. Whenever Colin was upset, he always found himself behind the lenses. It was a comfort, and a way of looking at things differently. He almost hadn’t realized, as he wandered the village taking pictures, that he’d wound up at the lake. It was a good source of memories, where he’d first met Draco, where he’d gone ice skating with Mac. He brought his camera to his eye, and zoomed in slightly, before he’d realized there was a person by the tree in the corner of his picture. Was that a blond head? Was that… "DRACO!" He shouted as loudly as he could, his camera slipping from his hand (secured by a black strap around his neck). He ran towards him, it didn’t even matter that Draco might not even know who he was. He ran around the lake, until he was red in the face and almost out of breath, skidding to a stop when he got near enough to him. He couldn’t help but stare at him. "Hey, mate!" ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco was just taking in the sight of the lake and realizing his cottage disappeared when he noticed someone racing toward him. He dropped his book and scrambled to his feet just in time to draw his wand. He hadn’t used it for any sort of defensive spell in years so he sure hoped it was like getting back up on a broom after a fall. However, he didn’t shout any spells. The last time he yelled a spell before looking, Potter tore his chest open with Sectumsempra. He was surprised when the bloke skidded to a stop. Was he wearing a camera? Draco kept his wand pointed toward the arrival, but glanced the boy up and down. Draco noticed his companion didn’t have a drawn wand. He also didn’t see anyone else coming to join them. "What are you doing---" Wait, wait. This bloke was familiar. Draco cocked his head. It was impossible. "Creevey? How---" No, no. Bloody hell. Draco memorized the list of the dead like it was a bible. Even though he never killed anyone, he felt responsible for every death. His healer pointed out how ludicrous that thought was (in kinder words), but Draco couldn’t help the irrational feeling. He took a deep breath. “Fuck, Draco, get a grip.” He was talking to himself now. Obviously he was hallucinating. Yes, he was hallucinating and that explained why the long dead Colin Creevey appeared alongside a lake that didn’t exist next to Draco’s cottage. He lowered his wand and slumped down next to the tree again. He closed his eyes and covered his ears. If he just calmed himself, the evil vision would pass. It always did. He took a deep breath and glanced up. Colin was still there. ~~~~~~~~~~ Colin’s breath hitched a bit when he noticed that Draco had his wand out at him. It wasn’t that Colin thought Draco would hurt him, because even though he didn’t know that Colin was his best friend, he knew Draco didn’t want to hurt anyone, especially since he seemed to be from after the war age wise. Colin’s heart sank as Draco covered his ears and closed his eyes---he was definitely from after the war. Colin just knelt beside him and waited for him to calm himself down. "Hey, Draco." He said softly when he opened his eyes again, he put a hand gently on his shoulder, as proof that he was there and not some figment or ghost. "Hey, this is… going to sound crazy, but you’re safe here, alright? My name is Colin, and I’m nineteen and very much alive. Your mother is here too. This village… it is a bubble that exists outside of time itself, and magic pulls us here at random, okay?" He chewed his lip, he knew that he had Draco’s journals, and that he could prove himself, but he didn’t exactly carry them on him in the off chance his best friend would show up. He could write Mary or Dennis to fetch them for him, because he didn’t want to leave Draco alone right then, or he could accio them he supposed, but he wasn’t certain he wanted to thrust all of that information on him all at once anyway. "What year is it for you? It was 1998 when I came here, but that was… shit about three years ago now." ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco was getting better at sleeping again. Most days, he didn’t even need potions so it couldn’t be that he took too much of them, but how else could he be hallucinating so badly? This vision was new since normally only images from the past haunted him. Out of all the dead to haunt him, why Colin? Draco could recall a few snide comments tossed the Gryffindor's way, but Draco didn’t think he ever really did anything to him. Now Fred? Snape? Hell, his dead disowned family members? He could see why they might bother him. He tensed at the touch of his shoulder, but there was something calming about the way Creevey spoke to him. His words were nonsense, but Draco didn’t feel threatened. Why didn’t he feel threatened? "Wait, why can I feel…" He lifted Colin’s hand off his shoulder. "Bloody hell, is this a tactile dream?" He shook his head. Whatever the rags said, he wasn’t crazy. Depressed, sure. Pissed at himself? Sure. Scared? Absolutely. But Draco Malfoy didn’t bloody hallucinate in the middle of the damn day. Nightmares spooked him during his slumber, but...no, this was different. He rubbed his forehead. "1998," he repeated. "That was when...I hate that year. Oh, hell, what am I saying? It is 2000. It is 2000 and this is some sort of test. Healer Anderson must have put stock in what those rags say about me. I knew I shouldn’t trust her." He peered intently at Colin’s face. "You are terrible," he spat. "Pretending to be someone who was taken far too young just for a test. And why Creevey? Trying to show me how much I fucked up? I already know!" His voice was rising as his anger grew. “I know he didn’t deserve it. He was just some innocent kid who loved everything about magic and…” His voice cracked. He was obviously failing whatever test Anderson was putting him through. "Just go away! Transfigure everything back!" ~~~~~~~~~~ Colin did open his mouth to say things, but couldn’t find the proper place to interrupt Draco. And maybe Draco just needed to get it all out anyway. Colin moved from a kneeling position, to sitting next to his best friend (who of course, didn’t know they were best friends). He tried to think of what to say, should he call for Draco’s mother? Should he get one of the kids… no, they didn’t need to see him this upset. So, Colin just sat there with him, far enough that they weren’t touching, but close enough that he could grab Draco if he needed to. "I know you’re not mad," Colin said finally, "And I’ve never met a Healer named Anderson, but you’ve told me about her before." Colin drummed his fingers rather nervously on his knee as he spoke. "This is a village that pulls people from their lives, and puts them here for a little while. Think of it as… sort of a vacation. Plenty of people are here. You don’t have to worry, because it doesn’t… affect anything in your real life. You’re still doing whatever you were doing back home, only now you’re here too. Like a copy of yourself. You exist simultaneously." There was another short pause, "There are plenty of people here. Your mother for one. And some of your other family members. The founders are here. See, people come and go all the time." Colin ran a hand through his hair for a moment before breaking the news, "You were here before too. We were best friends you and I, which I know seems hard to believe at first, but when I re-introduce you to alcohol and ice cream, I think you’ll reconsider." He chuckled a bit there, careful to watch Draco’s reactions. ~~~~~~~~~~ It was an outrageous story, but there was something about Colin that made Draco trust him. He didn’t know his current feelings mirrored earlier ones from nearly two years before that day. He didn’t say anything right away; he needed to digest. He also noticed Colin knew about his love of ice cream laced with alcohol. No one knew that since he always felt he’d be judged for such a "common" thing. He merely nodded and peered down at his journal, which was lightly shaking. "What?" He looked where he had just been writing. He saw several scribbles in varying hand-writings. He noticed once he checked the responses, the damn thing stopped vibrating. "Fuck," he said. He looked back at Colin since he seemed so, well, certain of everything. "I suppose the people writing are also telling the truth about who they are then?" His head was suddenly throbbing. Did Colin say other family members? He sure hoped Lucius wasn’t there. "We are mates," he said as if he was trying it on for size. "I don’t think I’ve spoken to a person outside a letter other than my mum or healer in years." ~~~~~~~~~~ Colin nodded a bit, waiting patiently for Draco to look at his journal. "Most of them are pretty honest, I think anyway." He smiled a bit. He stood then, stretching his legs for a moment. "You were a popular person last time you were here, which was literally like a week ago," Colin told him with a grin. He offered his hand to Draco, to help him up. "I’ve got some things to show you. As your best mate, you gave me a few things, should you ever pop out and pop back in. It should explain everything better than I ever could, cause it’s your words and stuff. Plus, I have pictures back at my shop." ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco learned long ago that he shouldn’t trust strangers. The war definitely taught him not to trust strangers. Still, he found himself accepting Colin’s hand. Once he was on his feet, he gave him a strange look. "Popular? You certainly have the wrong bloke, Colin." Worst case? He was walking into a really bad trap that would get him killed. Best case? It was just some elaborate test from Anderson. However, after reading those replies, hearing Colin’s story, and seeing his surroundings changed in a matter of minutes, the story of a magical village rang true. Was there bloody anything that wizards would stop at? He wondered what madman wanted power this time. ~~~~~~~~~~ "I know, it seems hard to believe. If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I wouldn’t have believed it either." Colin winked at Draco playfully, clapping Draco on the shoulder as he stood up. To be honest, Colin couldn’t stop smiling. Finally, his best friend was back. And maybe it had only been a week since he left, but it had been over a year since they’d really been separated and it seemed like a long time to him. "You’ll see when I show you your journal--- and Pansy has a copy too, just in case you think it’s some sort of really fancy lie. And your mum is here, and she could probably help you understand things too, in case you don’t trust your own words. But lots of people will be happy to see you, like Lilu and Albus, and Polaris and Roxy and Cress and…" Colin turned to look at Draco fully. "We’re just all really happy to have you back, mate." ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco couldn’t keep up with Colin’s energetic speech, but he wasn’t a moron so he could tell Colin was genuinely happy to see him. It helped ease his earlier concern about tests and death traps. Still, he didn’t recognize half those names. He was relieved that Colin mentioned his mother and Pansy at least. He decided that he would follow Colin to those notes he kept mentioning. He could always get Narcissa or Pansy to confirm later. It felt right going with Colin for the moment. "Lil-what? Cress…?" He held a hand up. "Right, the notes will explain." He actually smiled then. It was a small, hesitant smile, but a smile all the same. How could he deny being happy that someone - anyone - was actually glad he was anywhere? It was too good to be true, but Draco wanted to believe it. Heck, if it was a dream, at least it was a nice one. ~~~~~~~~~~ "The notes will explain everything, Or I mean, I’m sure they will. I haven’t read them or anything, cause they’re yours." Colin couldn’t help but grin. It wasn’t a terribly long trek to Colin’s cottage, where Kirke greeted the two rather excitedly before Colin ran upstairs and came back with the books that Draco had given him. "These are all yours," he said softly, "You’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as you want to look over them. It’s up to you. Are you hungry? Do you need anything?" ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco was more than happy allowing Colin to take the lead. He let him chatter away as he tried to catch onto key phrases to file away. Draco was also careful to watch their path just in case. Colin had a lot of energy; Draco was not used to people with that much energy. However, there was something pleasant about it too. Colin’s exuberance made him feel more alive than he had in a long time. Nonetheless, Draco knew the present Colin wasn’t the same young boy he remembered from school. Sure, Colin seemed happy, but there was a maturity about him too. "Thank you," he said as he sidestepped Kirke. The dog was relentless so Draco finally bent down to pat his head. "Alright, alright. Good...boy?" He guessed. He glanced over his shoulder toward Colin. "No, no thank you. I am fine." The thought of food made his stomach turn. He took the books and stack of notes. "If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay a bit. Perhaps you can answer some questions?" He held the books up. “I am sure there will be questions judging by the size of these things.” Well, at least this alternate version of himself was thorough. ~~~~~~~~~~ "Kirke likes you, Don’t mind him." Colin said with a bit of a grin. Colin nodded when Draco said he might stay around a bit, and frankly it didn’t bother Colin at all. He was just pleased to have his friend back around. "Or course, take as long as you need, mate. I’d be more than happy to answer your questions when I can, yeah." He smiled. ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco couldn’t imagine any animal besides maybe his owl liking him (and that was only because he gave the damn thing treats), but Colin seemed right about Kirke too. Brave new world and all that, Draco supposed. He nodded. "Thank you," he said again. "I am not sure how I would have managed if you hadn’t found me." The stupid journal was vibrating again. He glanced at it. More comments. Bloody hell, he’d worry about all that later. He didn’t have time to let embarrassment take over. He had work to do. Pansy, love If I said I was in an odd little magical village suspended in time and space, you would tell me --- what exactly? -Draco Draco had a lot to wrap his head around in only a few hours. He was writing an assignment for his mental healer one minute and plopped into a time-warped magical village the next. After Colin convinced him that he wasn't hallucinating, they spent the next several hours pouring over Draco's old journal entries, personal notes, and Colin's photographs. Once Draco left the Gryffindor, he took inventory of the Genealogist Office. Thank Merlin his other self had the foresight to keep all the family trees there so they didn't disappear when he did. His head pounded and he really needed to sleep, but he knew he couldn't see anyone or respond to any of the comments on his entry before he gathered as much information as he could. He already let down so many of these people at home; he didn't want to let them down again by not being the same bloke who left them only a week ago. He at least needed to know who was who and what his relationship with each was like; he read all the journals, but he still couldn't believe some of these people gave him a second chance. He didn't feel ready, but would he ever? He did the best he could. However, answering the journal replies could wait. From listening to Colin, he suspected he needed to see Myrtle first. His mother was an adult. His children were grown and had a support system outside of him. Fleur was an adult with other friends around. His friends were adults. Myrtle was a depressed little girl who apparently needed him. Draco was afraid of letting her down, but he well-remembered all the nights her ghost listened to him cry in the loo. She saved his life that night he fought with Harry too. He may not have known Myrtle as she was, but he read all he could of their conversations and digested as much as he could from Colin's lengthy explanation. It was strange seeing the Manor again. He had not stepped foot in the place for two years; his last memories were not pleasant. Still, he pushed those reminders aside as he pushed the door open. He knew his other self lived with Lily Luna Potter, Polaris Malfoy, and Myrtle Mallory. It was a peculiar grouping, but Draco could believe it from the exchanges he read. He knew he'd love his family no matter what, but getting a head start by reading up definitely helped. He didn't see anyone, but he felt odd about calling out even if the place technically belonged to him. He sighed as he realized he was basically wandering around his own home. He didn't want to push the wrong door open and unwittingly invade a girl's privacy. He realized he had no choice other than to call. “Hello? Is anyone home?” ~~~~~~~~~~ Myrtle had a bad week. Draco had been the one thing in the village she didn’t doubt, he loved her despite her faults, he listen to her when she cried and cuddled her even when he really ought to be doing other things. He hugged her when she was sad, he protected her when she was scared and healed her when she scraped her knee. He was her father, better even than her own flesh and blood, and now he was gone. He might not even want anything to do with her if he ever came back, and then where would she be? Being in the Manor, it just reminded her of her inevitable heartbreak, even if Lily and Polaris insisted she was family, that they didn’t mind her being there, it just reminded her of him. But she didn’t want to be a disappointment and make everyone else more sad, so she suffered her own sadness quietly, it was in a way, something that was entirely familiar in a way that made her miss home. She hadn’t been sleeping well. Even after Lily came and gave her tea, and tucked her into bed, she found herself staring blankly at the ceiling just thinking. Of nothing really, as the shadows chased each other around her room. She was just laying there on the bed, not even trying to sleep anymore when the voice came down the hall. Perhaps she’d been imagining things, perhaps it was just Mr. Scorpius come by to see Lily, or Justin or Teddy to see Polaris. No one ever came to call on Myrtle. But curiosity had her on her feet, and the strange way it almost sounded as if Draco were talking in the hall. She didn’t leave her room, instead opting just to stick her head out of her door, ready to slam it in case of some sort of intruder. She blinked when she saw Draco. It was an imagination wasn’t it? It had to be. She just stood there blinking at him, her hands nervously balled and unballed. What would he think of her. “Hi…” She said slowly after a moment. ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco was not taking everything in stride, but he was giving it a good shot, which meant he was okay with faking it until he made it. However, he didn’t need to do much faking when he saw how shy and nervous Myrtle seemed. She seemed subdued, which wasn’t an adjective he’d use when describing the ghost he knew. Seeing her in the flesh took a moment to sink in, but he smiled quickly. “There you are,” he said. It was strange talking to people again, but he pushed that feeling aside. “Miss me?” He held a hand out; he didn’t want to startle her with coming too close too soon. ~~~~~~~~~~ That was definitely Draco, and he seemed to understand who she was without her having to explain it to him, which was nice. He’d probably spoken to Lily or Cressida already. She pulled herself more fully out of her room, still watching him with wide eyes. She stepped towards him until he was only a few feet away from her, still staring at him nervously. She nodded at him when he asked if she missed him. “Uh huh.” Myrtle stood there again for a second before she quickly closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco was taken aback for a second, but he reminded himself that this young girl knew him very well. She knew him at home and in the village. It was ironic that he remembered what she did for him in his world while she didn’t; yet, she had memories of him in their present world that he did not. It was easy to return the hug. He could feel she needed one as much as he did. For all his bravado, Draco always craved affection growing up. He got very little outside of Narcissa. Instinctively, he rubbed her back. “I am sorry I left,” he said gently. “It will be alright now.” ~~~~~~~~~~ Myrtle was crying, soft tears down her face. She wasn’t sad, she was just relieved. In her head, she’d imagined all sorts of scenarios, and even though some people tried to tell her he’d be back, she just knew it wouldn’t be the same. But here he was, and he was hugging her, and he was promising things and she was just so glad he was back. “Please don’t leave again,” She said softly, though she knew it wasn’t in his control. It wasn’t even that he’d been gone long, or that nobody had been looking after her, but Draco was special, he was her father and she just wanted him always. “I love you so much, Daddy.” ~~~~~~~~~~ Draco wasn’t accustomed to comforting people, but he guessed his other self did because this girl was definitely hugging him and crying and...did she just call him ‘daddy’? It was a lot to wrap his head around, but he found he wanted to live up to that. He was already such a disappointment at home. He was nowhere near old enough to be a dad to Myrtle or even his own two, but he vowed to do his best. Thank Merlin for the logs of his past. Thank Merlin for people like Colin and Pansy who humored his past self and kept those things. “I love you too, sweetheart.” He kept his arms around her, but craned his neck so he could look at her. “I know I don’t remember everything the same as you, but I read it all, alright? You have been special to me for a long time back in my own world so I know perfectly why we became family here.” He pressed a kiss against her forehead. “Have you been watching Spock for me? I can hardly believe I have a pet here. And how is Alsan?” Draco certainly did his homework. |