Full Circle

Chapter 23 - Breaking the Habit

His black robe flapped angrily behind him as Malfoy ran hurriedly down the stone staircase to the Slytherin dungeons. As he descended, the hallway grew darker and the walls began to emit a cold dank feel that was barely noticeable to the students who lived there. He muttered the password quickly to gain access to the dormitory and averted his eyes when his fellow classmates focused their attention on his entrance.

"Well if it isn't Draco Malfoy..." called out Graham Pritchard, keeper of the house team, as the current conversation came to a screeching halt. "Long time no see." Graham and several other Slytherins were lounging lazily in front of the fireplace and playing card games. "Er, just out of curiosity - do you plan on showing up at a Quidditch practice any time soon?"

"Yeah, Malfoy," whistled Malcolm Baddock from the sofa. "I thought you were supposed to be the captain."

Draco paused for a moment and looked at the boys through the invisible wall that now separated them. He found no humor in these ironic taunts.

"Hard to tell, nowadays," said Theodore Nott. "Hasn't caught a snitch all year! It's no wonder we're losing to Ravenclaw." "Listen. If your too busy wallowing in the corner to keep up with the team, Malfoy, we'll gladly replace you," Graham smiled, while Crabbe and Goyle snorted in the background.

Stupid gorillas, Draco thought as he stared at his former companions. You wouldn't even be on the Slytherin team if it hadn't been for me. Barely knew which direction to hit the bludgers half the bloody time. Malfoy tried to ignore the remarks and continued walking.

"Now that Daddy's no longer around to keep tabs on your performance, why continue to waste our time pretending you're any good at the sport?" taunted Theodore. Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"You know what? Maybe I will quit the team," he snapped. "Then you'd have the opportunity to take over as captain, Nott. Isn't that what your father would do? Sit on the sidelines until someone powerful gets bumped and then jump at the chance to ease into a new position? Loathsome creature. Go ahead and follow in your father's footsteps, Teddy. Just don't hate because I won't follow mine." The other members of the team stared at him, wide mouthed, while he spoke. "What are you looking at?" He sneered. "Why don't the rest of you gits can go wank off and leave me the hell alone."

Malfoy was not three feet outside of the common room when Pansy Parkinson spotted him from amongst her pack of giggling girlfriends. "I'll meet up with you in a few minutes" she whispered to Tracy Davis and Daphne Greengrass. They took one look at Draco and nodded.

Inwardly, Draco groaned. "Listen, Pansy. I don't have time to talk. Have you seen my mother anywhere?"

"No, I haven't seen her since potions," Pansy sighed. It was obvious that Malfoy was distracted, which did not please her in the slightest. She looked him over for a moment before exclaiming, "Oh, Draco! What's wrong?" He couldn't help but notice how closely she was standing to him. Did she always smell so strongly of lime?

"You look so utterly miserable. Is there some way I could..." she cooed, fingering the collar of his shirt "...cheer you up?"

"No now," he replied through gritted teeth and looking over her shoulder down the length of the corridor. Pansy had a habit of being flirtatious at the moments he least wanted to be around her. "Hey look! Blaise is sitting over by the portrait of Damien LaGorge looking absolutely wretched. Why don't you bring a little sunshine to his day?"

Her pouty lips thinned into an unforgiving line. "Listen, Malfoy. I don't know what's been going on with you recently, but don't you dare start thinking you're special enough to be turning down my offers. They certainly don't come around every day - from anyone."

His irritation was growing by the moment. "Really? Because I was pretty convinced you'd been handing out free invitations to almost everyone in this House."

She glared at him in disgust. "No need to be hateful, Draco. Just because I'm one of the few who will overlook your...shortcomings," she said, loud enough for others to hear.

Draco averted his eyes and turned away from the sounds of laughter. He'd never been the person to put up a decent fight. Without a pack of larger boys to back him up, he really was nothing but a spineless little ferret.

Malfoy could overhear Daphne consoling Pansy after she returned to the common room. "I wouldn't worry about it, Pansy. You should be glad you're not Draco's type: red haired and poor as dirt like that dreadful Weasley girl."

"Eww, you're right. Then I'd have to wear my brother's hand me downs and hide from my crazy muggle loving father. How awful!" Pansy squealed.

Malfoy was staring so intently at the ground as he walked that he didn't see his mother until he walked straight into her.

"Where have you been?" She asked, without so much of a hello. "Getting in trouble again?"

Draco opened his mouth, but Professor Malfoy grabbed him by the arm and pulled him off to the side.

"Must I keep a constant eye on you, boy? Every time I turn my back during the past few days, I find out you've been cheeky and stubborn to someone!" She leaned very close to him, her porcelain face unnaturally splotchy. "I know what you said to Nott back there. Don't you realize how dangerous it is to talk like that?"

"But mother! They were picking on me! Telling me I was no good at Quidditch," he rebutted, shoving his hands into his pockets. Immediately he remembered its contents.

"And you think getting mouthy with them and bringing up his father..." The last two words she whispered harshly "...what exactly is that going to solve? It does nothing but make you a future target...in more ways than one."

"Speaking of targets," he pulled the photograph out of his pocket and showed it to his mother. "It came with a note," he said solemnly. "Somehow Father has broken free. We need to tell Professor Snape or maybe even Professor McGonagall."

Narcissa glanced down at the picture with little interest. Ginny Weasley was being forced to stand on her tippy-toes, her arms pulled taunt above her head - bound at the wrists by cold metal chains attached to the ceiling - leaving her dangling precariously above a hard stone floor. Her mouth was bound by a cloth (how showy, Draco thought, a simple silencing charm would have worked just as well) and her eyes flitted around the room desperately, her vision weak without her glasses. She had been struggling against her confines when Draco had first looked at the photograph, but since then it appears she had grown tired and wished to hang simply. But every time she relaxed her feet, the metal began to cut into her wrists once more (there were already dried traces of blood down her forearms) and she was compelled to remain standing.

Mrs. Malfoy handed to picture back to her son. "First off all, you're father has not escaped. He was still fluttering around angrily in his cage when I checked on him this morning. Second, Professor Snape is not here. He left Sunday evening to try and find that Potter boy. I received an owl from him just now stating that the situation has been resolved and they shall be returning here tomorrow morning. As for Professor McGonagall, she has taken her tea and gone to bed early. Apparently there is a little virus being passed around by the staff members. Quite nasty, I hear."

A hint of panic fluttered within him. "But he sent me a note, mother. He said I was a traitor."

"Sounds like a prank pulled by your classmates to get your goat. You must stop overacting like this, Draco. I know these last few weeks have been wearing down on you, but it's very unlike you to be so flippant with your emotions. That's how you reveal weaknesses to the enemy. By showing them that it bothers you - you're placing yourself in a dangerous position. Remember that." Her expression began to soften as she looked at her son. His face seemed abnormally pale and thin - even for him. "Why are you so worried about this girl anyway?"

"I'm not worried," he replied, quickly. "The only reason I bother is because of the unspoken rule - the one about saving another wizard's life." He glanced up at his mother for a sign of recognition. "You know, the reason Professor Snape's been watching out for that stupid berk Potter all these years - even though he loathes him."

Nacrissa's blank expression surprised Draco. "You were the one who told me that, mother. You said that James Potter had saved his life when they were teenagers here at Hogwarts by stopping him from being attacked by that deranged werewolf. That's why Professor Snape keeps Potter from getting himself killed - it's the wizarding rule of indebted lives."

"Yes, yes of course," Mrs. Malfoy nodded, distractedly. "So this is why you feel compelled to look out for the welfare of yet another foolish Gryffindor?"

Draco was quiet for a moment before he spoke in an awkward tone. "It's more than just foolish bravery, mother. Ginny Weasley saved my life - and yours - from the hands of my father. I don't know of anyone in this school that would have even bothered."

Mrs. Malfoy stared at Draco incredulously. "Do you have..." she wrinkled her nose "...feelings for this girl?"

"No." Draco replied. "Are you kidding? Absolutely not. Especially considering... who she is..." He shoved the photo back into his pocket. "I'm just concerned what might happen to me if I ignore the fact that she is in danger."

"Ah, protecting your own interests, I see," his mother smiled. "That's more like the Draco I know. But honestly, the girl is of no concern of yours. My advice to you is to toss the picture in a bin and head upstairs to finish the essay for my class tomorrow. I know you haven't started it and do not think I won't dock points if you hand it in late."

"Of course not, mother," Draco sighed. She leaned forward to give him a quick peck on his forehead, but it was as she pulled away that Draco felt a sudden queasy feeling in his stomach. Before he could say another word, she had headed off through the main entrance of the dungeons. Draco sighed and removed the photograph from his pocket once again. Glancing at his watch, he wondered if it would be too late to sneak out into the yard for a short walk to clear his head. For some reason he was not satisfied by his mother's attempt to dismiss his concerns regarding his father. That and he was perturbed by the fact that his mother smelled faintly like cabbage...

---------------------------------------------------------

"Voila!" Neville said to himself when he had finished trimming the last of the flutterby bushes in the greenhouses. As Professor Sprout's student assistant, it was not unusual for him to stop by between classes or after dinner to spruce up the place, check on the growth of sneezewort plants or crush some ginger root for the potions classes. The fifth years were working on Befuddlement charms this week - one of the last lessons they'd learn before taking their O.W.L's in June.

Neville wiped his forehead with the back of his arm, removed his dragon skin gloves and tossed them in a bucket in the corner. He hung up his black apron on the hook behind the greenhouse door. It was nearly nine o'clock; he noticed as he glanced at the watch his grandmother had given him for Christmas. It was still a surprise to him that after five months that he hadn't yet lost it. Neville pointed his wand at the lanterns hanging overhead and muttered "nox" - the room flickered into darkness. He stepped out of the glass door, closing it quietly behind him and locking it with the key he kept around his neck.

"Have you seen Ginny?" an airy voice asked almost causing Neville to jump out of his skin. There had been no greeting or warning of her presence - he had not even heard the muffled sound of footsteps on the pathway. Neville turned around to evaluate his visitor.

Luna stood before him looking like the victim of a horrid prank. She was soaking wet - from the long matted strands of blond hair that framed her face to the bright pink socks scrunched around her ankles. Randomly there were small twigs poking out and water weeds clinging to the fabric of her robes. Yet her wide eyed expression did not hint that there was anything out of the ordinary with regards to her appearance. She waited patiently for Neville's reply.

"No, I haven't seen her since breakfast. I was hoping to catch up with her at some point today to talk about..." his voice trailed off, looking her up and down. "Er, Luna? What happened to you?"

"The lake. I didn't find any grindylows in there, despite what Professor Snape told us. Thank goodness Ophelia had already eaten or else I'm sure she would not have been pleased to see me."

"Ophelia?"

"The squid," Luna replied without blinking.

Neville raised his eyebrows and stifled a grin. "Should I ask why you were in the lake in the first place?"

"Investigating," Luna replied simply. "That's why I was looking for Ginny. I found something that I think she would want to know about. I debated about whether I should go to the lake first, after dinner, or try to speak with Ronald-"

"Ron Weasley?" Neville squeaked in a voice much younger than his own. "What for?"

"To get to the bottom of the situation. Poor boy. Ginny told me about the mark. It's a terrible thing, really. He must be feeling quite guilty right about now."

Neville, who had been avoiding Ron since Saturday, shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know what to think. He's been leaving the dorm room at night, usually once a week or so. I'm not sure how he gets out of Hogwarts without being seen and I've never been able to force myself to stay awake until he returns." He glanced at Luna, who was listening intensely. "I had no idea where he was going. Could have been nicking food from the kitchens for all I knew. I should have asked..."

Luna stood firm. "It was obvious blackmail. I mean, once someone caught wind that The-Boy-Who-Lived was about to become a father - it was bound to stir up trouble with You-Know-Who. When I found out about it, I was half tempted to tell my father. Of course I didn't, but it would have made huge headlines for the Quibbler - probably would have bumped the Loch Ness story until the next month..." Luna noticed the look of utter confusion on Neville's face. "You are aware Harry and Hermione are going to have a baby, right? Well, actually more Hermione than Harry, but he certainly helped."

Neville's jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

"Just how much as Ginny told you?" Luna asked.

"Hermione Granger is pregnant?"

"Yes, yes. What else do you know?"

Neville closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "The mark - and that's only because Ginny and I saw it both at the same time. But wait!" He focused his sight on Luna again. "There was my detention on Sunday night. It was the strangest thing, really. Professors Malfoy and Snape were in his office when I arrived - it was almost as if he wasn't expecting me. Then when they came out Snape was acting all befuddled and excused me from detention for no reason at all. And Professor Malfoy," Neville shuddered. "She was sort of looking at me in a weird way. After it happened, I thought I should mention it to someone. I wanted to talk to Ginny about it, but..."

Luna placed her damp hand around Neville's arm. "Come on. Let's go!" She said without any explanation. Her shoes made loud squishy noises as they ran together across the darkened lawn.

The two students stood in silence on the banks surrounding the lake. A cool breeze rolled off the water and the leaves on the trees shivered slightly. A crescent moon and several twinkling stars were the only source of light until Luna flicked her wand. Neville watched her nervously as she stepped into the marshy water and felt around with her bare hands.

"Luna, why are we here? What does this have to do with anything?"

"It's funny that you mentioned Professor Malfoy," Luna replied. A few minutes of quiet passed. "Curses!" she muttered, as she continued to search. "Now I can't find it!"

"Find what?" asked Neville, surveying the area. He was starting to think Luna was quite batty. "Er, should you really be in the lake, Luna? What if something tries to bite you?"

"Oh, don't worry. I've already fallen in once," she reassured him with a smile. "Darn it! Where could it have gone?" She said to no one in particular.

"Well, how did you end up here in the first place?"

Luna stopped looking for a moment and put her hands on her hips. "I was walking with Ginny around the lake after lunch and we caught of glimpse of something floating in the water. It was right before Professor Snape showed up and asked-."

"That's impossible," said a sour voice interrupting the conversation. Draco Malfoy emerged from the bushes where he had been sitting alone when Neville and Luna had arrived. At first he had remained silent, since this was exactly the sort of company he had been trying to avoid, but as their discussion continued he couldn't help but interject.

Neville took a few steps back when he saw Malfoy approach. He feared Draco almost as much as he feared Professor Snape. "Don't worry, Longbottom. I'm not going to do anything to you. Look!" He gestured to the empty space around him. "I'm here by myself." Neville absorbed that information and stopped trying to run away but his furrowed brows showed that he was still unconvinced.

Luna remained motionless, up to her knees in murky water. She stared at Draco, her lips forming a tiny "o" of surprise.

"Relax, Loony. I'm not here to spy on your little make out session." He grinned slightly, reminded how good it felt to be on the giving end of an insult. "I'm just saying it's impossible that you saw Professor Snape this afternoon. He's been gone since Sunday evening on another rescue mission in search of Potter. It appears he is off fucking things up as usual."

Luna coughed. "Have you ever considered therapy, Draco? You seem to have loads of jealousy issues that you might want to work on. My dad knows this great psychiatrist in Yorkshire who-"

"If anyone here needs to see a shrink, it's not me," Malfoy grumbled.

Luna turned to Neville. "Did I mention Draco is the one responsible for Hermione becoming pregnant in the first place?"

"I thought you said Harry was the father!"

"Woah! I definitely did not have sex with the mudblood!" said Draco, throwing his hands into the air.

"Don't you dare call her that!" yelled Neville as he drew his wand.

"Hey, Butterfingers! Don't go pointing that thing at me."

"Take it back!" Neville hissed.

"Wait!" Luna interrupted. Both boys stopped and turned to watch as she splashed her way awkwardly to the shore. "What time did you say Snape leave on Sunday?"

"I don't know," Draco replied. "Probably after dinner sometime. Mother didn't say when exactly."

"Hmph," mumbled Neville. "Your mother..."

Draco stepped forward and stood face to face with Neville. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

For a moment it looked like Neville would cower from freight, but he merely stepped back to regain composure. "What that means, Malfoy, is that I saw your mother and Snape in his office at seven o'clock on Sunday evening and they were both acting very odd, if you ask me. Lots of noises and yelling going on until they discovered I was there - then they were quick to dismiss my detention. I mean, when does Snape ever cancel a detention?"

Draco smirked. "Especially for someone like you."

Neville ignored his comment. "Let's not forget the fact that Luna saw Snape this afternoon."

"And I should believer her - she's obviously a nutter!"

Luna looked coolly at Draco with her pale eyes. "The last time I saw Professor Snape, he asking Ginny to come to his office to discuss her Potions grades."

"See! That's nonsense! Professor Snape doesn't even teach potions anymore-" but as Draco said the words, they thickened in his mind.

"None of this seems the tiniest bit odd to you?" Luna asked. Malfoy said nothing.

Neville turned to him. "Have you seen Ginny at all today?" he asked quietly.

"No, I haven't," Malfoy replied hastily. "But then again, why would I?" He felt both of them staring at him and he shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Draco put his hands back into his robe pockets, his fingertips gently rubbing against the glossy surface of the photograph.

"I don't even know why I'm talking to you two anyway." He felt his throat tighten and a nagging feeling formed in the back of his mind. Tell them. "Stupid freaks." He blurted out loud - angry at them for insinuating that he would even care where she was. "If that silly little girl has gotten herself into some sort of trouble, it certainly isn't my fault."

In the distance a chorus of frogs croaked into the night air, filling the awkward gaps in the conversation. Draco hesitated for a moment, as if he was hovering on the edge of a very high cliff. His feet were on solid ground, but one wrong move and he'd find himself slipping - falling into a place he had never been before and had never wanted to go to. Luna and Neville exchanged glances, but said nothing. Slowly he turned and began to walk away.

"Listen, Malfoy!" Neville yelled into the darkness. "Just because you're incapable of feeling human emotion doesn't mean-" But Luna interrupted him.

"No, Neville. Leave him be. He'll suffer enough before its all over."

Draco's face flushed with color as he whipped around. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? What in Merlin's magic makes you think that you know anything about me?"

Luna remained unplussed. "First off, don't be so haughty to assume that your life is terribly more complex than any of ours. Second, you'd be surprised to learn that you and I have more in common that you could have ever thought."

"You and me, Loony. I hardly doubt that."

Luna did not reply, but quietly approached him. He began to step back, nervous about her close proximity. "Do you mind?"

Obviously she didn't. Luna reached into her own pockets and pulled out a small glistening circle of gold, holding it under his nose until he was forced to take it out of her hands.

"How did you get this?" Draco asked, as a hint of recognition flickered across his face. It was a ring and etched upon its sparkling surface was the image of a fox with a serpent draped around its neck. Encircling the image was the French words "Toujours Pur" along the top and the Latin word "Superbia" on the bottom. It was a symbol he had been familiar with his entire life - the merged family crests of his mother. The cunning fox had forever been the emblem for the long standing Black family - echoing the words "Always Pure". The snake was the chosen sign for the Malfoys and even as he stood staring at the ring, his father's words reverberated in his head. "Never be an insult to your family's pride, Draco." Familiar Superbia.

Luna did not look at Malfoy as she spoke. "On her hand, Draco," she whispered as she pointed out towards the lake.