Tear Streaked

Tear Streaked - A Short Fan Fiction

Draco sat at the table, and looked down at the now cold meal that was in front of him. He moved his fork slowly around his plate, occasionally moving his peas from one end of it to the other. He slowly raised his head to gaze at his mother, who sat at the opposite end of the table to him. She was looking as beautiful as ever, although her eyes deceived the calm, cool exterior. She too, had not touched her food, and was gazing into the fireplace, mesmerized by it's flickering light. Her eyes were shining sorrowfully, and she hadn't said a word all evening. Even though the grand table was long, and the space between them great, Narcissa Malfoy seemed miles away to her son. She was off in her own world, thinking about Lucius. A solitary tear slipped down her impeccable cheek, and Draco looked away from his mother; the pain in her eyes was too much to bear.

His father had been taken away to Azkaban. When he first heard the news, he didn't believe it. His father was too smart and powerful to be captured, or so he thought. He did love his father. No matter what the rest of the world thought, the Malfoy's did love and care for each other. They might have had a slightly unorthodox way of showing it, but they did nevertheless.

Draco sighed softly in frustration. He missed his father, and he'd been holding in the emotion for two weeks now. It had been difficult trying to keep it together. He tried to keep his emotions in check for his mother's sake. If he didn't hold it together it'd just cause his mother more pain, and that was the last thing he wanted. But seeing her so distant from him made his heart wrench.

Narcissa looked up from the flickering light as her son sighed. She could see the conflicting emotions cross his young face. She brushed away the tear that had reluctantly escaped and she watched his brow furrow as he bit his lip; he had his father's full lips.

He was trying not to cry. He wouldn't let himself, but he felt the hot tears build up in his eyes, and he forcefully tried to blink them away. He had to keep himself together for this long; his feelings should not get the better of him! He hadn't cried since he was thirteen, why should he need to now? His mother's eyes were upon him. He could feel them. Draco had always been very good at hiding his emotions, but he was starting to unravel. He could feel his throat tighten, and bit his lip even harder in an attempt to relive the unwanted emotions that were running through his head. He jerkily placed his left elbow on the highly polished table and put his forehead into his hand, letting his silvery-blonde hair fall over the back of his long fingers. Superfluous tears flowed from his tightly closed eyes, leaving streaks down his porcelain skin.

Narcissa gracefully vacated the seat where she sat and silently moved over towards her son. He looked so alone at the end of the table. She pulled a chair next to his own and gently removed his arm from the hard table. Draco's head fell forward slightly at the removal of the hand, but he kept his gaze directed at the wood below him. He didn't want his mother to see him like this. Narcissa, ever so slowly, moved her refined hand towards her son's chin, and lifted his head up so that his eyes locked with hers.

Her silent suffering was reflected back at her, in her son's grey eyes. The boy she raised looked back at her with child-like innocence, and she found herself not only staring into the eyes of her only son, but the ones of her husband. She slowly wiped away the tear streaks that were falling slowly from Draco's eyes, and leant forward so that he could rest his head upon her shoulder.

Draco accepted the movement and gratefully rested his head. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around his mother and pulled her closer. She draped her arms onto his shoulder and held onto him delicately. They had not embraced for many a year, yet doing so now seemed so natural. Draco began to weep and his head started to shake slightly as Narcissa felt his tears flow into her shoulder. She moved one of her hands along the back of his neck and gently stroked her son's hair, resting her head on his as she did so. She began rocking back and forward in a soothing motion and made soft calming noises. She heard Draco let out a small sob and once again stroked his hair, their food now totally forgotten.

'Everything will be all right Draco,' she said softly, 'everything will be all right.'