A Powerful and Painful Addiction

Chapter 2: Midnight and Morning Madness

"Young man, what are you doing up at...one thirty-seven in the morning?" Narcissa scolded Draco after looking at the enchanted Muggle clock above the fireplace.

"I'm doing some last minute research," Draco stated back smoothly as though it was the truth, knowing that with his mother's pursed lips, she wasn't buying into it. Draco snapped the book shut and mentally cursed himself, seeing as the book's proper place among the other reading material was directly behind his furious mother.

"We have to leave at quarter past nine tomorrow to pick up Noelle and Joely so..." Narcissa snatched the thick, heavy, gray leather-bound book from Draco's grasp.

He knew that her main focus had been to steal the book all along and interrogate him on his choice of what was chosen for 'research,' but didn't know when she'd strike like the venomous cobra she could be. Narcissa was always quicker than the eye. Well Draco's eyes anyways. Nothing passed his father's beady eye though. He felt a catch in his throat while trying to think of clever excuses he could recite. He held the book tight enough to prohibit it from leaving his arms, but not tight enough to raise suspicion. He was caught off his guard sooner than he anticipated.

"What kind of research requires your nose to be stuck in Ancient Ones to Zealous Types: Curses for Your Everyday Activities, hmm?" Her lips were in a harsh, thin line and her right eyebrow cocked. "Draco, this book is full of nothing but dark magic. Now answer me-- what are you doing with this book?" Her voice was very stern.

All Draco could say was, "My Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Mother. Who knows what kinds of useful information this book could hold." He pulled the biggest fake smile this side of the river Thames. Draco how stupid do you think your mum is? She's not buying it! he thought to himself. Oh bloody hell, here it comes! The verbal blow was eminent.

"Draco Malfoy, how stupid do you think I am? You're not pulling the cloak over my eyes on this one, no sir. Now tell me the truth!" Narcissa's anger was as clear as glass, not to mention as hot as the kiln used to make the finest glassware Malfoy Manor possessed. He knew his mum saw right through him, and all he could do was turn his face toward the wing of the plush, leather armchair he was occupying. His breathing became labored and intense simultaneously. He was actually nervous to look at his own mother.

Narcissa set the book on Draco's lap. Sensing the pressure on his legs, he snapped his head towards the book and then returned to his wing facing position. She pulled the ties of her silk robe tighter and knelt, facing her son. She removed his hands from the arms of the chair and placed them on the book. Thousands of thoughts ran through Draco's already confused and hazy mind. Narcissa placed her left hand on top of Draco's and reached for his chin, holding it gently in her right, something she had rarely done before.

"Draco, look at me." She turned his chin to face her and looked into his nearly lost eyes. He noticed that her eyes were glistening in the firelight with tears. She gave a sniffle and cleared her throat. "Darling, I know you're concerned if not worried about Joely, but all your curiosity is going to do is frustrate you and make you ill-tempered. What Joely needs is a friend, not someone looking in book after book behind her back, trying to diagnose her as though she is a specimen for a study. Be that friend, Draco. You will find out in time. With her family history, she will more than likely be sorted into Slytherin, so that gives you plenty of chances outside of classes to get to know her. Don't press the issue and nag for answers... that will only make her trust in you fade and cause her to become uncomfortable with being around not only you, but possibly everyone." Tears were flowing in sequenced drops as though they were on a timer.

"Mum, please don't cry! I can't stand to see a woman cry, let alone my own mother. The days and years of your tears are no more, so please don't cry." Draco was lightly begging at this point. His heart was literally aching watching his mother shed the salty droplets. His breath caught in his chest. "Mum, I know that you and Father know, so why am I to be the one left in the dark?"

"Draco, you know I can't answer that."

Draco gave an exasperated sigh, standing up abruptly letting the book fall to the floor with a loud thud that echoed in the vast library. He walked over the fireplace and propped himself against the mantle with his left hand, bracing himself as he became engrossed in the fire. He pushed himself off, placing both hands into his pockets without taking his eyes away from the ballet of red, orange, yellow and blue flames on the crackling white-hot logs. Draco began a repetition of rocking on his feet, sighing, running his hands though his hair, and looking back and forth between his mother and the blaze.

"Draco, please listen to me!"

"Why am I the one to remain clueless? What if..." He sat down beside his mother on the dark, hardwood floor, "what if there's something that I can do but..."

"There's nothing you - "

"Maybe there is and no one knows it! We'll never know unless someone gives me some answers!"

"Listen to me!" She placed her hands on Draco's shoulders tightly and gave a shake. "I have never demanded you to heed my advice; that was always your father's doing. I've always felt that I should give you my opinion and let you decide what you think is right, but this time I'm demanding it from you! There is nothing you can do! Do you understand me? Let it go, if you really care for her... let it go and enjoy her company."

"Mother..." He was now fidgeting in his position.

"No buts, Draco, the conversation is over. Now get to bed," Narcissa said with a severe face.

"Goodnight then, Mum," he said while standing up.

"Goodnight, Draco, sleep tight, tomorrow is a big day." She gave her son a kiss on the cheek and departed from the library.

Draco exited a few minutes later with both hands in his pockets. As he walked up the grand, marble staircase to his room, only then had he realized how much of his summer had been spent in five of the six libraries the manor possessed. The sixth one was curiously off limits to him.

"Five libraries... five libraries in this damn house I have access to, and not one fucking book to help me." Draco was now so thoroughly irate he knew he wouldn't sleep a wink... or so he thought. He removed his clothes to nothing but his black, monogrammed boxers, brushed his teeth and washed his face without even knowing it due to being so deep in thought about not only Joely, but about his mother's warning.

He checked his trunk for the gabillionth time that day knowing that he hadn't forgotten to pack anything, but was forcing himself into it to try and concentrate on something else.

He climbed into his bed of dark green, satin sheets feeling worse than miserable, if that was possible. He lay on his back with his fingers laced together behind his head. He felt excited to be seeing Joely tomorrow and returning to Hogwarts with her, but he was deeply depressed about not being able to help her. He turned to the bedside table to his right, staring at the only three pictures placed upon it. The first picture was of him and Joely having a food fight with a white, sticky substance she deemed "Cool Whip"; another was of the two friends bouncing on a circular table called a "trampopline" or that's what Draco thought it was called. But the third picture was by far his favorite: it showed them at a get together that was planned suddenly one morning by the McGill's, at their residence. Draco and his parents were the only ones there besides the McGills. They were all out back by the pool and Draco was holding Joely, bridal style, teasing her about throwing her in. He knew he would forever hold that moment in not only his heart, but his mind as well. That was the first day that Joely never screamed or winced in pain when he touched her, or even grazed her for that matter. He remembered her screaming, "NO! Draco please don't do it!" but that was in excitement, not agony.

Eventually, he did throw her in, but she had such a strong grip on his arm, she brought her with him. She dunked him under the surface and a full blown water war was waged. Draco couldn't help but chuckle thinking about that day. He was now actually laughing for the first time in weeks. He enjoyed the remembrance of holding her in his arms.

He returned to lying on his back and laced his fingers together again. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep wondering what would come of his next two years at Hogwarts. When his alarm went off the next morning, only one dream was allowed to be recalled. He screwed his thoughts together and remembered being in a room surrounded by large, glass wall cases that were filled with hundreds, if not thousands of daggers. Some had straight blades, while others had crooked, jagged or serrated blades and edges. Some had metal handles while others wood; and some were jewel encrusted suggesting family heirlooms. However, he remembered one striking his interest intensely, but his memory of its description was fading by the second. He slapped his forehead, racking his brain in frustration to remember but was failing his task. "UGH, Draco think!" he yelled.

His mother knocked on the door gently. "Draco?"

"It's open."

"Ah, good, you're up. Well, you best be getting a move on; you obviously still have to get dressed. Would you like your breakfast sent up?"

"No, I'll be down shortly, but thank you."

"All right. Whimsy will be up to take your trunk when you're ready."

"Thanks, Mum."

Draco checked his appearance over in the mirror once more. It was obvious that he was dressing to impress with his black, ribbed, half-zip sweater pullover; gray slacks and polished black shoes. Of course, he would do anything just about to make Weasley feel lower then he was. When he was satisfied with his lucrative look, he left for breakfast.

........................................................

Noelle, Narcissa, and Draco were standing in the grand entrance hall of Eagle Terrace, also known the McGill residence. Sean began his declination down the stairs fixing his cufflinks when he was stopped by his wife's voice.

"Sean, would you please go and see if Joely is dressed and ready to leave? The train leaves promptly at eleven!"

"Noelle, would you stop and breathe for two seconds, as you can see there is Greta, and her trunk... all right, so maybe her trunk isn't down here as of yet." Just as he was speaking a house-elf was bringing Joely's trunk down the stairs. "Ah, see she's ready now," Sean smirked, intentionally annoying his wife.

Noelle glowered at her husband. "Sean Harrison McGill, do not, I repeat do not argue with me this morning!"

"All right, all right I'm just trying to ease your nerves, love. Joely is going to be just fine; Hogwarts was the best time of my life - before I married you of course," he said with a big fake smile.

Narcissa was trying to suppress her laughter but ended up causing a chain reaction of hysterics between the three adults.

"Can you just please check on her anyways?" she said wide-eyed.

"Yes, I have to say goodbye anyway seeing as I'm leaving in a few minutes." He kissed Noelle's forehead and jogged up the stairs two at a time.

"Sometimes that man gets under my skin and makes me completely insane. Narcissa, tell me again why I married him?" she asked with a look of pure confusion.

"I have no idea; I just went to school with him for seven years. Well actually I used him as a mediator to attract Lucius' attention, but after that..."

Draco snorted under his breath, dropping his head toward the floor at hearing his mother talk about how she went about pursuing his father.

"Well..." Sean said with a smirk, "she said that she's been ready for half an hour."

"Oh bless the fates!" Noelle exclaimed.

"But..."

"But, but, but what? But what, Sean?"

"She's not dressed yet."

"Oh great Poseidon, that girl is wearing down my nerves this morning!"

"Noelle!" said Narcissa, taking a firm hold of Noelle's forearm. "Calm down. We have plenty of time. Draco was up at half past seven and he was still late getting out the door."

They both looked at Draco who shrugged and said, "What!" with a smirk.

"Well I'm off," said Sean. "Draco, have a wonderful term." They exchanged handshakes. "Narcissa, it was a pleasure seeing you this early." He lightly kissed her hand. "And I'll see you after work." He kissed Noelle's tender lips and walked out the door.

"Okay, I think I remember now why I married him." Noelle and Narcissa chuckled.

Giggling should be made illegal! Draco thought to himself.

"What's this I hear about Draco taking longer to get ready than me?" Joely said with a bite of toast in her mouth, the bitten half in her left hand, and a glass of apple juice in the right. Draco noticed that of all the colors in the world that she could be wearing, she was dressed in a black tee and hunter green pajama pants. There was no doubt in his mind that she was a Slytherin. She couldn't help but stare at the platinum blonde. His black sweater mixed with his sterling silver eyes caused her to drown in her thoughts.

"Hey you, what's up?" Joely grinned.

"'Morning."

Joely's gape fest was interrupted with "Joely, please, please go get dressed!" from Noelle.

"All right, all right give me five minutes and I'll be ready! Man... you freak out over the littlest things; you need to chill out, Mom!" Joely walked up the stairs with an unintentional swing in her hips that was completely her own natural walk. It was rather seductive and Draco loosely gawked. He felt a lump rise in his throat that he tried with all his might to swallow, but couldn't.

Five minutes later...

"OH, MOTHER!"

"Oh bloody hell; I was hoping that she wouldn't notice."

"Notice what?" asked Narcissa who shared a bewildered look with Draco.

Less than fifteen seconds later, Joely came bounding down the corridor stopping at the banister still not dressed.

"Mother, where is it?" she hissed.

"Joely, I'll send it to you first thing tomorrow."

"No! I want to take it with me, what if I need it?"

"Do not tell me 'no,' young lady; you won't be in need of it anytime soon. I made sure of that, so therefore I will send it you tomorrow."

"But..."

"No buts about it, that's it. Now get upstairs and get dressed so we can go - scoot."

"Grrr!" Joely growled, then stomped her foot before storming up the marble staircase.

"She growls?" Draco asked with a wide grin.

"Yes, she growls, yells, and makes any other noise that says 'I'm angry'." All three laughed.

"Is she all right?"

"You know, Draco, I don't know if she's nervous, frustrated, or going through sugar withdrawals," Noelle laughed. "Actually, I think that maybe her mind has finally been destroyed from all those years of cartoons and sugar."

"What are cartoons?"

"They're animated figures on a screen," Joely said walking down the stairs. She was wearing a pair of indigo jeans, and an army patched button up with a white tee underneath. Draco knew this was the Muggle clothing which she was adamant about wearing. She never wore wizard robes, or wizard quality clothing unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Okay, I'm ready to go now."

"Ah, thank the fates!" cried out Noelle.

"Excuse me, Mrs. McGill, but your transportation is ready," said a house-elf.

"Thank you very much, Stippley. Well let's hit the road, shall we? We don't want to be late!" Joely had the strange suspicion that her mom was more excited about her departure than she was.

"Mom, where are you and Mrs. Malfoy going after we leave?"

"Oh we're going to celebrate with a shopping trip!"

"Typical, you know you'd think that you'd be somewhat, oh I don't know... distraught about me leaving for a new school, but no, you're celebrating!" Joely harassed while entering the black luxury vehicle she was sharing with Draco, their mothers in a separate vehicle behind them. The ride was slightly quiet until Joely pulled out her crinkled Hogwarts letter and read and re-read it with interest.

"You all right? You look confused." Draco asked with raised eyebrows.

"Actually, I think I'm lost at some of this letter," said Joely, her brow furrowed in wonder.

"What's troubling you?"

"Well first why does it say that there's no need to change into my school robes before arriving. Did yours say that too?" Draco loved how cute she looked when she was curious.

"Yes, mine did say that, but yours is most likely because you haven't been sorted yet. Next question then," said a somewhat cocky Draco.

"Why would that matter?"

"I said I had the answer, not the reasoning behind it."

"What's a Prefect?" she asked looking into his eyes. She loved his eyes; so deep and mysterious, but yet open to the world.

"A Prefect is an above average student with exceptional marks, that helps patrol the hallways at night for out of bed students, and duties of the like to help the teachers. Why you ask?"

"Well this says that the slot of Prefect in Gryffindor was consigned and I am eligible for it should I make Gryffindor."

"Congratulations, Joely, but you won't make Gryffindor though. Which reminds me, what do you say I give you a tour of the castle tomorrow say at ten?"

"Not make Gryffindor? What - is there some kind of test I have to take that tells me where I belong?"

"No - there's test, you're just not Gryffindor material," he stated matter-of-factly.

"A tour? Sure, why not." She was slightly jumping in her seat with nerves but her eyes where wide with merriment and wonder, while her mind was whirling with why she wasn't 'Gryffindor material.' Was she not good enough for this prestigious-sounding house? But on the lighter side, she elated that she had Draco as her first Hogwarts friend. With her stomach bubbling like a hot cauldron with anticipation; she could sense that this was going to be a great year.

They arrived at Platform 9 ¾ and stored their trunks in a luggage compartment with ten minutes to spare. Eight of those minutes were spent by Joely trying to calm her teary-eyed mother.

"HA! I knew you'd be upset, you're too predictable, Mom, you really are. You know that don't you?"

"Yes of course I do, but I don't give a rat's ass that I'm..." Noelle's comment was halted by the train whistle sounding on the platform.

"Joely, c'mon let's go!" Draco hugged his mum and she kissed him goodbye on the cheek.

"Yeah okay, bye, Mom, love you; I'll write you and Dad when I get there for... well, you know. See you at Christmas. Goodbye, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Have a wonderful term, dear," said Narcissa.

"Thanks, I'm sure I will."

"Joely, c'mon it can get quite ugly when everyone is trying to find a compartment. I might have to hex someone, and it wouldn't be pleasant." Joely laughed and Draco had to peel her away from their mothers by literally pulling her by the waist.

"OKAY, okay let's go! 'Bye, Mom, 'bye, Mrs. Malfoy!"

"'Bye!" the mothers said together

Draco let go of her waist only to grab her right hand but was smacked on the arm by Joely's left hand.

"Draco, say goodbye to your mom!"

Draco's goodbye was a simply executed wave.

"Take care of Joely please, Draco," said Noelle.

"I will, I promise."

Neither Draco, nor Joely noticed four people staring at them as the two stepped onto the scarlet steam engine. Three were staring with interest at who she was, while the singular person stared with hatred and disgust. As the train gave its first pull forward, it jolted and sent Joely flying backwards into Draco, who thankfully caught her.

"I've never been on a train before," she laughed, looking up at him.

"How do you get to Salem and back?"

"Fly."

"They didn't ban flying carpets in America?" Draco looked puzzled.

"Ha, ha, no - we travel by plane."

"Oh right, I see," Draco smirked while Joely chortled, still entranced in his eyes.

"Well since you've never ridden a train before, therefore you can't exactly walk with my grace on a moving one at that; let's find a compartment and quick."

"Best idea I've heard in five minutes out of you," she blushed. They had so far had opened eight compartments doors, to find all completely full. She came up to the next door while Draco lagged behind at a previous door, apparently talking with some fellow classmates. She heard no noise coming from behind the entrance, so she jerked it out of the lock, hoping against hope, to have finally found an empty one.

"Oh, I'm really sorry I thought this one was empty." She proceeded to close the door when she heard -

"Hang on!"