Le Malfoy de Mauvaise Foi

Chapter One

The summer of 96 had been long and dreary. The heat stifled one, yet the manor remained cold...colder than it had ever been. Father's absence was barely noticeable, as his presence at the manor had lessened over the past few years, both in mind and physical attendance. Since Voldemort had arisen and staked his claim on father; father had been, shall we say, preoccupied. And now he was gone...put in Azkaban by bloody Saint Potter, and I missed him.

When I say missed him, it was not the yearning ache you might suppose. There were no tears at midnight, no vengeful thoughts.... Let's say it was more like missing a limb, a part of you...the severest of separations. Numbness had descended over my body, and my ability to feel had fled my hardened soul.

That summer I turned too thought....

I deliberated very carefully that summer. Ignoring the sunny gardens, I preferred the coldness of the library. I read a lot that summer. I found many musty ancient tomes, which told me of my history, of the Malfoys ancient history. A history that made one shiver!

I discovered many secrets that summer, rummaging through long lost tomes. Secrets of betrayal, secrets of desire.... Secrets, which made you cool flesh slick with fear soaked sweat. Secrets, which sneaked up on you in the middle of the night, causing you tremble and shake in fright...or was it desire? I don't remember! Midnight terrors are soon forgotten in the brightness of a summer afternoon.

During the summer of 96, I battled on against my inner demons, and came to accept the hidden harsh truths of the world. I formed my plans and plotted my schemes, until finally; I was ready to show my face to the world again. In fact I looked forward, eager with anticipation, to stepping through Hogwarts ornate doors again.

With my stratagem held close, yet my ideals shattered, I stepped on to the Platform Nine and Three-Quarters a changed person.

---

I stood alone, amid the busy bustle of the platform, and watched on as fellow students mounted the train. Some dressed in robes, some in that awful Muggle clothing...all chattering loudly and happily to each other, as they clambered on board. An unlucky first year stumbled into me, receiving the full depth of the Malfoy scorn. "Watch where you're going, you little squirt," I reprimanded him, my lip curled into an intimidating sneer. The first year squeaked his 'sorry' at me and ran off down the platform, casting me a fearful look over his shoulder as he fled. Masking my features with cool contemplation, I too boarded the train.

Walking down the heaving corridor, I smirked internally as the crowded students, instantaneously, parted for me. I still enjoyed the power that I held; even though it may have been from repugnance rather than fear, the end results pleased me. Ah, I still held my status. So many things were full of uncertainty for me that year; the fact I still could command attention, soothed my damaged ego.

As I came towards the next compartment, a well known voice suddenly rang out.

"I know that Hermione, but the temptation was too great! Any one would have done the same thing....."

Shutting out the Weasleys irritating voice, I glanced into the compartment. If the Weasel was there then it surely followed that Potter was too. Yes, there he sat...untidy hair and all, still unchanged. A small smile graced his lips and he chewed on the corner of his lip, as if trying to hold in his mirth. Suddenly his eyes flew up and met mine. Bright green eyes!

Green and silver,

silver and green....

I watched on as he contented expression changed. Bright emerald eyes abruptly dulled as storm clouds gathered behind them. His forehead furrowed in to a scowl and he watched me back expectantly, his eyes narrowed in to slits. I was vaguely aware of four more pair of eyes upon me, as now alert to my presence, Granger and the Weasel watched me intently too.

The moment lingered, heavy with expectation.

Unaware of what I was doing my lips curved into a smile. An ambiguous smile, a smile full of connotations and, with that smile still plastered over my lips, I raised my hand to them in salutation.

Potter's eyebrows rose alarmingly and he blinked rapidly in surprise. Confusion showed clearly in his eyes and, at his comical expression, I had to stifle by laughter. Raising my eyebrows high, in one last gesture, I gave in to a smirk and passed on by. From behind me, I could hear Granger's steady voice warning Harry not to trust me, making me smirk all the more. Honestly, the Mudblood was really quite clever, quite insightful, I thought to myself and then, chuckling quietly, I moved on down the train.

Fortuitously, I soon found an empty compartment a short way down the corridor. Sliding the door open, I entered and sat myself down on the most highly sought after seat, by the window. Looking out of the window at the passing blur of green fields, I turned my thoughts to my friends. "Friends?" I questioned myself out loud. Could I really call them friends, wasn't enemies a better word? Could I trust even one of them? The unfortunate answer was no! None of the people that my father had graciously chosen for me could be called, friends! When my father had been in He-Who-Must Not-Be-Named good graces, had been in a position of the highest order; they had been controllable, but never trustworthy! But they had conceded to me and had stroked my ego when needed. But, now was different! I had to be careful. I had to tread cautiously around them, for one never knows when the vipers would strike. Yes indeed, I would have to be very vigilant amongst my friends.

Whilst lost in my own thoughts, my compartment door flew open...

and in walked Zabini.

"Malfoy," he grunted in my direction, by way of a greeting.

"Zabini," I greeted him back. Oh, how marvellous our witty repertoire was, I thought to myself contemptibly before continuing, "How was your summer?"

"Not too bad! How was yours?"

"Bloody fantastic, Zabini! I had a ball!" I threw back at him, shooting him a scathing look.

Realisation dawned on Zabini's face. "Oh sorry Malfoy, I wasn't thinking...." Blaise continued, but was cut of by the heat of my glare.

Was it an honest blunder or a snide way to gage my reaction, I pondered over this little conundrum, while trying to find some clue in his expression. But Zabini being the perfect Slytherin made it impossible to tell. The sound of the compartment door sliding open again and an all together too cheery, "Hullo!" broke us both out of our deliberations.

Pansy entered the compartment, all cheeriness and smiles. "Draco darling," she screeched into my ear, making my eardrums shatter. Air kissing my cheeks, the perfect society young lady, she then perched herself gracefully down next to me. "My poor darling," she continued in sugar-coated tones and patted my knee. "Was your summer awfully bad? It must have too terrible...."

Thankfully, Pansy's insincere sympathy was cut off by the gormless Goyle falling through the door; soon followed by the equally brainless Crabbe! Pansy screeched; the dullards blundered and Zabini just rolled his eyes.

During all the pandemonium, I hastily slipped Pansy's hand from my knee, barely holding in my revulsion. Leaning back into my seat, I folded my arms defensively across my chest and watched their on goings with a disdainful stare. When, suddenly, a flash of green distracted me.

Potter! I thought gleefully, as I raised my eyes to see him looking through the compartment window at me; watching me intently. Careful not to alert my fellow Slytherins to Potter's presence outside, I merely offered him the slightest cock of the eyebrow. Potter scowled back at me, through the glass, with a strangely contemplative look in his eyes. My behaviour before had clearly confused him, and I smiled internally at the thought.

Granger suddenly appeared behind him, to whisper something into his ear. Throwing me a disdainful look, she took Potter by the arm and ushered him away. I could almost hear her mutter those immortal words into his ear....

Harry, he isn't worth it!

As they leave, disappearing from my sight, I allowed myself a smug smile. My plot was working...so far! I had gained Potter's attention; I had made Potter feel unsure! A small step forward perhaps, but it was a crucial part of my devious tactics.

At that moment in time I could not have been happier!

Finally, turning my thoughts away from Potter, plots, and secret agendas, I turned my attention back to my friends. As their conversation washed over me, I couldn't help but think that this would be my year, the year of the snake!