A Story Told

With the exception of a few crudely drawn circle/blob figures made immediately after the incident (which were meant to be pictures of us together), I did not think of Ginny for a very long time. It wasn't until I had a little heart to heart with my dear father Lucius that my feelings for her came back into my consciousness.

I was eight years old when the Malfoy faction decided to head to the German estate for a short departure from the English countryside. I was very excited, because at the age of eight I had done about all there was to do in the countryside. There are only so many sheep to harass, and contrary to popular belief, watching them wander around in confusion does not provide with endless hours of gayety. It gets to be quite dull after a while really.

Lucius had not only bought a very luxurious train to take us to the estate, but also paid for the construction of several miles of track so that the carriage ride into the property would not be as long as it was previously. These measures were taken mainly for my mother and me, because I was a child and could not apperate, and because my mother preferred to ride in a style that magic could not grant. At the start of the journey, I was summoned into my father's private study on board the train.

"Draco, I'm in no mood to play games with you."

He said it in a nonchalant manner that meant there was no use fighting. It also wasn't a good sign that he was talking to the door. He hadn't even waited for me to enter to start speaking. I went inside with the feeling that I was in some kind of trouble.

"Draco, sit down. We have important things to discuss."

"Draco, as my son, but more importantly as a Malfoy, you are delegated with many responsibilities that must be handled with refinement. You are the newest member of the greatest, most powerful family in the Wizarding world. You will have money, fame, and whatever else you so desire at your fingertips whenever you wish. However, these splendors are not given lightly. You will be expected to behave in accordance with the Malfoy view of life. I myself shall guide you until such a time I deem you worthy of making your own decisions. You will choose the best in everything, especially in the company that you keep. You will not tarnish the great name of Malfoy by consorting with lesser, inferior wizards or participating in activities that are base and dishonorable. I say this to you now, because I will not be with you at all times. When you find yourself in a situation where it is not possible to consult me, it is up to you to decide what is in the best interest of the Malfoys. You are my son; the heir of the Malfoy name, fortune, image, and you will be a paradigm of wizardry."

All the time he was speaking he didn't look at me, and I became rather disturbed by the idea that my father was not only referring to his desk as "Draco", but that he was lecturing it as well. It wasn't until he lifted his head to ask me a question directly that I realized his words were meant for me.

"Draco, do you understand what I've just said to you?"

"Yes."

"No, you didn't. I'll tell you again when you're older, but until that time comes, if you refrain from burning down the manor you can consider yourself on good terms with your mother and me. You are dismissed."

When I left his study I fell into deep thought. I didn't know what on earth my father was going on about. I only recalled bits and pieces of what he said, and those weren't very clear. However, I did remember him saying something about who I could "consort" with. I didn't know what the meaning of the word was at the time, but I had a rough idea that it meant I couldn't play with everyone I wanted to. Suddenly I thought of her. She that haunted my dreams though I didn't know it. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, she didn't exactly "haunt" my anything, but I still remembered her then.

I spent the rest of that trip in my compartment, making finger paintings of fairies and dragons to give her as presents when I saw her. I can't say they were any more than slightly better than my previous attempts at art. In fact, they looked very much like blobs again. I was just finishing my latest picture (myself, wrestling a dragon) when the train arrived at the brand new Malfoy Station. As luck would have it, what do you think was the first thing that greeted me there?

"Baa. Baa. Baa" It was a whole heard of sheep grazing a countryside that looked suspiciously familiar.