Opening the Gate

Opening the Gate

~ Chapter 6 ~

It's like lighting candles in the rain-

Sometimes life can be a pain,

But don't give up without a fight.

- the Ataris (life makes no sense)

It must have been at least midnight, but Draco was still lying awake in bed. Lupin had promised that he'd take Draco to see his mother tomorrow. It would be a month since the accident. A month since his father died. A month since he came here.

Draco rolled over onto his side. It had been a whole month yet everyone still looked at him in the same way, as if they expected him to steal something or to betray what they were doing. Whenever there was a meeting being held all of the kids went up into the attic, the only time Granger, or Potter, or Weasley ever spoke a decent word to him. And they were constantly watching him, making sure he didn't do anything.

There was really only one person who was good to him here: Ginny. He remembered that one night when she had snuck into his room and they spent the whole night talking. It had started off as polite small talk, Quidditch and such, but then it moved onto deeper things: hopes, dreams, stuff like that. Ginny shared her darkest secret with him, the Chamber of Secretes, Tom Riddle, and how he had manipulated her. She trusted Draco, unlike everyone else.

He groaned as he rolled over a second time. This was a nightmare, why couldn't he sleep? He remembered the countless nights when he couldn't sleep at the Manor.

One time when he was really little and couldn't sleep he got out of his bed and went looking for his parents, though that wouldn't do much good. He must have been about four or five, because up until about then he had been pretty innocent; it was before his father had poisoned his soul. Draco went into the parlor and found his dad, Lucius, on the couch making love with some woman. Draco had stood there, this whole scene new to him, mesmerized. He stood there for a long time until his father finally realized that he was in the room and shot a sharp look at him. Draco had silently crept off and went into his parent's room where he found his mother sitting on the bed, staring, fixed on absolutely nothing.

"Mom, I can't sleep," he had said as he crawled into bed with her.

She gently placed a hand on his head as she continued to stare.

"Mom, what's dad doing downstairs with that lady?" he had asked innocently.

His mother stopped staring at the wall and looked down at him.

"Something really bad, Draco. Something really bad."

Draco rolled over a third time, then sat up. This was ridiculous. He got out of bed and left the room. He walked slowly and carefully down the rickety stairs, careful not to make a sound. Of course, if anyone caught him they'd automatically assume that he was up to no good. Draco went into the kitchen, it looked even more uninviting at night. He opened the refrigerator and basked in its yellow glow as he looked for something to eat. He ended up choosing an apple and took a seat on the counter. This house was pretty nice when it was empty. He took a bite out of his apple and looked around absentmindedly; the feeble wooden table, the matching wooden cabinets, the semi-rusted kitchen appliances, the old countertop.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps in the hall. Draco squeezed into the corner, not knowing anywhere else to go. The next moment a person with flaming red hair came into the kitchen. Potter's friend Weasley. Ron opened the fridge and looked inside. Next, he stuck his hand inside of the refrigerator and when he pulled it back out he was holding an apple.

"Nice choice."

Ron jumped a foot and spun around.

Draco withdrew from the shadows holding his own apple in plain view.

"What are you doing up at this hour of the night?" asked Ron suspiciously.

"Probably the same reason as you, Weasley. I couldn't sleep," Draco coolly replied.

Ron just stood there glaring at him, not knowing what to say.

"These apples are really good, you should eat yours," Draco said taking a bite out of his own piece of fruit.

Ron simply kept his ground then, began to slowly shake his head in disbelief. Draco shrugged and turned away from Ron. He began looking out the window on his right, the moon shone bright, but the thick grove of trees blocked the light from entering the room. After Draco finished his apple he, got off the counter, threw the core away, and started to leave.

"What are you doing to Ginny?" asked Ron viciously.

Draco turned around and looked at Weasley. He still had the untouched apple in one hand and he was wearing an angry expression on his face.

"You still haven't eaten that apple?" asked Draco innocently.

"Shut it, Malfoy, answer my question."

Draco chewed on his tongue a little. Would Weasley even believe the truth?

"What do you mean?" He slowly said the words.

Ron looked at him skeptically, but then decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"You and Ginny seem to be spending a lot of time together and any time she spends time with a Malfoy can't be good. What are you up to?"

"Nothing," said Draco.

Draco could see Ron blink a couple of times in confusion.

"Nothing? You are a Malfoy right? What happened to that whole 'Malfoy/Weasley hate' thing?" said Ron in mild shock.

"Oh, don't worry Weasley," smiled Draco, "I still hate you."

"Then why are you spending time Ginny?" he could tell he was starting to really aggravate Ron.

"I don't need to answer to a Weasley," said Draco with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. With that he turned and started to walk away. Suddenly a thought struck him.

"Hey, Weasley," that call was unnecessary, for Ron was still watching his every move. "Your older brother, the one who works with dragons-"

"Charlie?"

"Yeah. Ask him who one of his best friends is."

Draco smiled to himself as he left a very bewildered Ron in the kitchen.

***

"Wake up. Wake up! WAKE UP!!!"

Draco opened his eyes to see Ginny poking him and screaming at him. When she saw he was awake she smiled down at him.

"You missed breakfast, and it was especially delicious this morning," she teased. "Lupin said I should let you sleep though and that you weren't going to the Manor today."

Draco hoisted himself up and Ginny sat herself down on his bed.

"Sometimes he's still with me," she explained to him, "you know, Tom Riddle. He can't make me do anything but when I'm alone he'll talk to me. Sometimes he tries to make me forgive him, but sometimes he taunts me. It's not that bad anymore, just once every couple of months."

"Yeah, Lupin is taking me to see my mother," Draco calmly replied.

Ginny's eyes widened.

"Oh I'm so sorry," she gasped.

"It's okay," he replied. "Hey do you want to come? It'll make me feel better."

Draco looked at Ginny sadly. His father had done this to her, made her see Tom Riddle. She shouldn't be able to see such things. But if she didn't, would she be friends with him right now?

Ginny gave him a soothing smile.

"Of course I will," she said, and patted his knee gently through the blanket.

Draco returned the smile; at least Ginny would make him feel a little better when he was there. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and got up. He walked over to his dresser and could feel Ginny's eyes watching him.

"I'm sorry," Draco mumbled sadly to her. He hung his head miserably but he still knew she was watching him.

"Why?" she asked innocently, lifting up his head. "You didn't do that to me."

"But my father did."

"Like I said the first time, you are not your father."

Draco opened the dresser and pulled out a clean shirt, and then smiled to himself as he pulled off the shirt he was currently wearing. He heard Ginny let out a little squeal and he turned to look at her. She had her hands over her eyes, but he could tell by the spaces between her fingers that she was looking. He walked over to her and pulled her hands off her eyes

"You grew up in a house full of boys; you know what a shirtless guy looks like. Sorry, you don't qualify in having Virgin eyes," he grinned

Ginny smiled back at him and he put a new shirt on, then he stopped.

"Hey Ginny, could you close your eyes for about two seconds? Thanks."

Draco pulled off his pants and he supposed Ginny was still looking, but chose to ignore it. After all, who could blame her? He pulled on a new pair of pants, then turned around to face Ginny again.

"You can open your eyes now," he said.

"I know," replied Draco. "It's just, I know how he is. I'd bet he'd sell me away to Voldemort if I wasn't his son..."

Ginny was smiling again. She seemed much happier since they had forgiven each other. No wonder Ron was suspicious.

"Come on, let's go," said Draco as he held out a hand to pull Ginny up.

He opened the door, and they both went out into the hall.

"Oy! What were you two doing?" yelled Ron as he stomped after them.

"Ron we were just - "

"Weasley, I didn't know your sister was so flexible."

Ginny shot him a sharp glance and Ron looked as if he ware going to explode.

"Stay away from my sister!" Ron growled then pushed Draco into wall.

Draco could feel the hate swelling up inside of him as he got up. He was ready to punch Weasley in the mouth that would shut him up for good. But he saw Ginny staring, terrified, at the both of them. Two people she cared so much for, fighting over her. Draco was torn in two. One side wanted to make Ginny happy. The other side wanted to keep going, keep fighting. He clenched and unclenched his fists as he slowly came to a conclusion.

"I'll do whatever I want, Weasley," Draco snarled, and began to walk away.

Ginny smiled happily at him, and Draco did the smiled back. But the next thing he knew, Ron was on top of him. He had jumped onto Draco from behind. From what Draco could see, Ron had his teeth clenched and was hitting Draco with all his might, though his aim was off. Draco tried to fight back, it was all he could do. He could hear Ginny yelling for Ron to stop but to no avail. Draco was in such an awkward position and could hardly get a punch in. Shortly thereafter he heard footsteps and gasps of people who responded to Ginny's pleas. And soon Ron was lifted off Draco.

"What did you think you were doing?" snarled Professor Snape, holding tightly to the back of Ron's shirt.

Ginny dropped down to Draco's side as he tried to wipe some of the blood off his face, Ron had really hit his nose hard and it was now bleeding. Everyone around him was yelling, and there was a heated argument between Ron and Snape.

"Are you okay?" asked Ginny timidly.

"I tried to stop him," said Draco sadly as he let his head flop onto the floor.

Potter and Granger both went to Ron's defense, while most of the adults agreed with Snape.

"I know, I know," comforted Ginny. Then she pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and began to wipe off Draco's face. He didn't even try to fight her off.

"Ronald Peter Weasley!" shouted Mrs. Weasley. "What you did was wrong and you know it! You should have had a little more self-control! No 'buts' Ron!"

With that the argument was over and everyone turned their attention to the injured. All Ron had were skinned knees and one bruise on his cheek, which he rubbed bitterly, on the other hand, Draco had a lot of bruises developing on his chest, a bloody nose, and he guessed from the way everyone was looking at him, a black eye.

"Rough day?" Lupin smiled.

Draco bitterly smiled back.

Lupin stuck out his hand and Draco took it. With surprising strength Lupin pulled Draco upright. Next, Lupin pulled out his wand and delicately tapped Draco's left eye and muttered a few words. Then he instructed Draco to take his hand away from his bleeding nose. Lupin tapped his nose and said a few words to stop the bleeding.

"Now lift up your shirt," Lupin calmly instructed.

"Why can't I just point to where the bruises are and you mend them with my shirt on?" asked Draco. He didn't feel quite right having an older man instruct him to lift up his shirt.

"Draco," Lupin sighed, "just lift up your shirt."

Reluctantly, he did as he was told. Lupin delicately began touching each of Draco's bruises.

"Ow! What in the bloody name of - ow! - Merlin are you - ow! - doing?"

"Making sure they are bruises, not birthmarks," said Lupin simply.

"I don't have any birthmarks, so would you please stop touching me. I'm starting to have suspicions about you," replied Draco.

Lupin just smiled and began mending the bruises. When he was done Draco quickly pulled his shirt back down. The situation was pretty weird right now, being instructed by a grown man to lift up his shirt. Then having the adult proceed to touch his bruises for, what seemed like, no reason at all. Draco wondered what other sorts of things Lupin was hiding, besides being a werewolf.

"So are you ready to go?" Lupin asked before Draco could dwell on the subject any longer.

"Yeah," said Draco.

"Okay. Goodbye Molly. Goodbye Ginny-"

"No," interrupted Draco, "Ginny's coming with us."

"Oh," said Lupin blankly, "okay then," he waved to everyone, then began to walk down the stairs. Ginny and Draco rushed after him.

They walked out of the house and down the street. It was a really sunny day and Draco had to squint to see properly. They walked quite a ways until they reached to the subway station. They hopped aboard the rumbling underground train, witch they rode for a while. When they got off they were in a busy muggle shopping district. They walked quickly until they got to a dirty shop called Purge and Dowse Ltd. Lupin leaned close to the window and began to speak quietly to the dummy in the window display.

"We're here to see Narcissa Malfoy," he said.

The dummy nodded and beckoned them in. Both Lupin and Ginny simply walked through the wall, so Draco followed their lead.

Suddenly he was in St. Mungo's busy reception area, where many people were already waiting to be tended to by the witches and wizards in lime green robes. He felt horribly out of place with his pale, untouched skin, around all these burnt and blotchy patients. He was starting to wish Lupin left his black eye alone. He looked to his left where Ginny and Lupin had stood, but they were gone. Draco spun around quickly but they were no where to bee seen. Finally he spotted them at the service desk in the front of the room, and he hastily dashed towards them.

"We'd like to see Narcissa Malfoy," said Lupin politely.

The brown haired wizard on duty picked up a clipboard and looked at it. He lifted his head slowly, and Draco could see the pity in his eyes.

"Fourth floor, Janus Thickey ward," the clerk said, and then gave them a weak smile.

"Thanks," said Lupin and they made their way up the stairs.

Once they got up there, Lupin said that Draco could take as long as he wanted and that he'd be in the Tea Room when they were done. Draco nodded and pushed on the door, but it didn't budge.

"Damn it," he muttered viciously then kicked it.

He heard footsteps coming from the other side of the door, then a pleasant looking witch peered at them through the window, and quickly let them inside.

"You must be Narcissa's boy," she said. Draco just nodded. "Come in."

He took a step into the ward and looked around. All sorts of people were in here, some with a face full of hair and some who were talking fluently in gibberish and one in powder blue robes...

"Miss! I know you! You came back for more autographs, I suppose!"

"Is that-" Draco began to whisper in Ginny's ear.

"Yes, Ex-Professor Lockhart," she muttered and waved back.

They walked on until they got to the second to last bed in the ward. There lay a sleeping Narcissa Malfoy. The lady who was in charge of the ward brought over two stools and they sat down next to the bed. Draco looked around uneasily at the pictures around her bed. Almost all of them were pictures of him...

***

Ginny felt bad for Draco, it was hard enough seeing her father when he was in St. Mungo's, she couldn't begin to imagine him permanently damaged. Narcissa stirred a bit and then opened her eyes. She looked at Draco, then Ginny, then back at Draco, then at the pictures on the wall. Narcissa then pointed at the pictures and back at Draco.

"Very good Narcissa," said the motherly ward-keeper as she passed. "It is your son."

Narcissa then put a bony hand on Ginny's knee.

Flash.

Ginny was back at Malfoy Manor looking up at Narcissa and Lucius fighting on the top of the stairs.

"Today is the day Narcissa," said Lucius sternly as he held his wand in one hand and a green globe in his other, gloved, hand. "The boy is sixteen, the perfect age."

"The 'boy' has a name, Lucius," said Narcissa, "he should have a choice."

"Do you think," Lucius' tone was deadly, "that I'd honestly chance sixteen years of preparation, eleven years of training, my own life? What if he said no Narcissa? All that would have been wasted. I'd be dead!"

"Your life?" screamed Narcissa, "What about Draco's life? Forced to serve the Dark lord for eternity. What kind of life is that?"

"The life I created him for!" thundered Lucius. "Do you have any idea how much debt I'm in with the Dark Lord? DO YOU? He said I'd no longer be in debt if I created the perfect servant for him, so I did with your help! Now comes the time he gets him!"

"Not if I can do anything about it," said Narcissa in a deadly whisper, but then she began to scream. "Dra-"

"Crucio!" Lucius roared.

Narcissa's eyes widened and she began screaming, high pitched, blood curdling screeches. As she did this Draco's father touched the globe with the hand that wasn't wearing a glove. Narcissa was soon writhing on the floor in pain. All Lucius did was laugh and step over the wriggling, screaming body.

Ginny heard the doors bang open behind her and she spun around. Practically the whole Order behind her.

"Stupefy!" they all called in unison.

Lucius dropped the orb and wand as he fell, open-mouthed, to the ground next to the twitching Narcissa.

Flash.

Ginny was back at the ward. She looked, wide-eyed, at Narcissa, who seemed to be smiling at her. No, she must be imagining things.

"What did you see?" asked Draco.