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Chapter 49



New Attitudes





Knock, knock. It was Wednesday afternoon and Anna was relaxing in the teachers lounge.



"Enter."



Draco stuck his head in the door.



"Professor Twigg-Jones? A minute, please?"



"Certainly, Mister Malfoy. Come in."



Entering, Draco looked around. The room was empty, he hoped, but those nosy D.A.'s were probably lurking somewhere.



"No one else is here, Mister Malfoy," Anna smiled at him. "You may speak freely."



"Oh, ok." He smiled sheepishly. "I just, well, I need to tell you that I've been doing a lot of thinking and I don't hate you for killing my father. You were right, it was self defense. I thought about what you said and I would have done the same thing if I'd have been in your place. I'm sorry I yelled at you."



"Apology accepted, but Draco... you, of all people, do not need to apologize to me. I know what you are going through; been there, done that. It was the grief and rage erupting. I fully expected you to scream at me. No hard feelings."



She extended her hand and he shook it.



"One day, when it's a little less painful - for both of us - I'll tell you about what happened at Briarwood and the first time your father and I had a confrontation in a garden."



"When he killed your father?"



"Yes."



"That's the 'one time' Professor Snape was talking about, isn't it?"



"Indeed. From the distance of years, it's an interesting study in tactics. Some other time."



X # X # X



Anna tilted her head as she looked at Draco.



"Something else is troubling you. Can I help?"



Draco drew in a breath and then sighed and shrugged.



"I honestly don't know if you can. I feel like I'm all alone. Nobody's there for me anymore. Everyone I always thought would just be there.../isn't/. My father is dead, through his own foolishness and now my mother has deserted me, just disappeared."



"Draco, don't be too harsh on her. Yes, she's left you to plot your own course in life, but desert you? No. She's undoubtedly thinking of you constantly, worrying about you, whether you believe it or not."



"Then why...?"



"You're of age, Draco. Narcissa must have realized she was about to be forced out of the equation by Voldemort. The hardest thing she's ever had to do, probably, was to turn away from you and focus on herself and the baby she's carrying. She has enough faith in you to make the right decision.



"I also believe she's making sure you can't be forced to make a choice you're not /comfortable with. Respect her bravery, at defying Voldemort in the only way open to her; denying him more hostages, pawns to use in his quest for power. /And his control of you and your family fortune."



"I have to go and face him sometime, but..."



"Why/? You don't have to go to him. Make /that choice. Don't go."



"He'll kill me."



"Not if you're here at Hogwarts."



"What?"



"Why go home to Malfoy Manor? To live by yourself? You don't even have a house elf. Stay here this summer. Professor Dumbledore, Severus, Minerva, Filius, Sybil, Hagrid, they /all /live here year round. Well, the jury's still out on Sybil, but..."



Draco chuckled, then shook his head.



"But I'm expected to..."



"To what? By whom? /You're of age/, Draco, make your /own /plans...Look, you were brave enough to come to me, let me ask you a question."



"Ok."



"Has anyone/; Voldemort, your aunt Bella, Peter Pettigrew, /anyone from that side, contacted you since your father's death or when your mother went into hiding?"



"No."



"So, you're on your own. No invitations or standing orders for you to report for duty, so to speak?"



"No."



"Good. Since they obviously don't care about how you are or what you are doing, make your own summer plans. Go talk to Professor Dumbledore. Ask to stay here. Be honest with him, Draco. He really does have your best interests at heart. You are not alone."



X # X # X



"What about Professor Snape?"



"What about him?"



"He's ... a Death Eater."



"Hummm. Well, Voldemort will probably contact Severus, then, when it becomes apparent where you are staying. If I know Severus, he'll convince Voldemort to let you stay here, safe under his 'watchful eye'. However, I wouldn't go to Hogsmeade with Severus. It would be too easy to Disparate with you in tow. Better go with Albus or Professor McGonagall, if you must get out and stretch your legs, so to speak."



"You think of everything, don't you?"



"No, I just have a very devious mind and can sort of guess what people might do. Better to plan ahead for various possibilities than get caught with your pants down."



"What?"



"Old Muggle expression; it means getting caught off guard."



"Oh. Why weren't you in Slytherin, the way your mind works?"



"Only the Sorting Hat knows."



They both laugh.



X # X # X



"Draco, I know this past month has been difficult. I know how hard it must have been to come to me like this, but it shows you can listen and learn and think for yourself. You have come of age and your Mother would be proud of you. I'd let her know what you've decided, if you have any way of contacting her."



"She sends an owl, occasionally, but I never know when. It's getting near the end of term and she'll want to know my plans. I suppose I should let her know what I decided."



"I wouldn't go into details and reasons behind your decision. Just say you're going to spend the summer here. She'll put two and two together. Narcissa's a smart cookie."



Draco gave her a long hard look.



"Do you know where she is? You aren't her..."



"Draco/.../Think/. Would Narcissa be in the same /county as me, much less talk to me? I did kill her husband. Not the most shining recommendation for a Secret Keeper."



"Yeah," Draco grinned and dropped his head, shaking it. "Sounded stupid the minute I said it. What was I thinking?"



"I was speaking generally, /as a woman/. What would /I /do, as a mother? That's all."



"I hope she's safe."



"I do, too, Draco. I do, too."



"Guess I'll go talk with Professor Dumbledore, then."



"Sounds like a plan. How do you come up with these ideas?" Anna smiled at him and winked.



"I listen and learn." He grinned back at her, but his smile faded a bit. "Thank you...Anna."



"You're welcome, Draco."



She opened her arms and he walked up to her and gave her a hug.



"My, you're getting tall."



"That's what Mother says." Draco smiled, sadly. "I miss her."



"No more than she misses you, I bet."



"Well, I better go. I've got a class in ten minutes." Draco headed for the door.



"Oh, dear, so do I. Thanks for reminding me, or I'd have been late."



"As usual." Draco teased, opening the door and holding it for her.



"Don't be cheeky."



"Me?" Draco put his hand on his heart, all innocence, but laughing. "After you, Professor."



"If you need to talk, my door is always open, Draco."



"It always has been, hasn't it?"



"Yes, always."



X # X # X



"Potter!"



Harry spun around and saw Draco Malfoy walking toward him.



"What do you want, Malfoy?"



"Just a minute of your time; I have something to tell you."



"You have something to say that I'd be interested in hearing?"



"Don't get smart with me, Potter" Draco said as he caught up with Harry. "That's Granger's job."



Harry eyed him suspiciously. Draco, making a joke, and a good one at that?



"What is it?"



Looking about to make sure they weren't overheard, Draco seemed slightly embarrassed.



"Look, Potter...Harry. I'm staying here at Hogwarts this summer, for a couple of reasons. One, my mother went into hiding, to avoid being kidnapped by..."



"Voldemort."



"Yeah...Voldemort."



Harry's eyes widened when Draco said the name aloud.



"Second...I'm not joining the Death Eaters. I'm of age and that's my decision and I thought you should know. We're on the same side now, strange as that seems."



"Why? What changed your mind? You're going against generations of Malfoy family tradition."



"Hey, if Sirius Black can do it, why can't I?"



Harry bristled at the mention of his Godfather, but then realized Draco was correct.



"True. Well, in that case, Draco, I'm glad to know it."



"This doesn't mean we'll ever be best friends, like you and Weasley, but at least you know where I stand."



"Yeah, but, why?"



"Besides my father being an idiot and getting himself killed trying to impress a maniac, I've been doing a lot of thinking and I've talked with Professor Dumbledore and Anna and..."



"Anna?"



"Yes, Anna. That's her name, isn't it?"



"Right, sorry."



"Anyway, I realize that if my own mother and Anna Twigg-Jones could apparently have the same opinion about Voldemort and wind up on the same side in this war, maybe I should rethink my options before I made any permanent decisions."



"But, why stay...Oh, I get it; Malfoy Manor is empty and you'd be alone and vulnerable to 'persuasion' from Voldemort."



"More likely my Aunt Bella."



"Yeah...her, too. Well, if you've talked to the Headmaster and Anna, I know you're sincere."



"Why would you assume that?"



"Because they are two of the three people in the world that I know you can't lie to. They'd realize it in an instant."



"Who's the third?"



"Snape."



"Ah...right. Well, I thought you should know, too." Draco turned and started to walk away.



"Draco." Harry called, and Draco stopped and turned back. "Do you want me to tell the others?"



Walking back the few steps he'd taken, Draco shook his head.



"Not right now. When school is out, on the Express home, you can tell them, then."



"Right. Mind if I ask a question?"



Draco shook his head.



"Have you heard from your mother? Is she alright?"



"Yeah, she's safe and doing well. I'm going to be a big brother in October, did you know? It's a girl, by the way."



"Really? Cool. Tell her we all said Hello and good luck, Ok?"



"I think she'd appreciate that, Harry. Thanks."



"What are friends for, Draco?"



Harry put out his hand and Draco shook it. They smiled at each other and then headed off in opposite directions.



Stepping out of the shadows of an unused classroom nearby, Anna and Professor Dumbledore exchanged glances and silently walked away down different hallways.



X # X # X



Anna was pacing back and forth outside of the Great Hall, waiting to greet each of her fifth year students after they completed the practical portion of their O.W.L.s. exam. They had all stated, with absolute confidence, that the written portion of the exam had been very comprehensive but not at all difficult.



As each student came out, they gave her a thumb's up before heading to their common rooms. A few came over and gave her a hug and thanked her, but generally, they were more concerned with getting started on cramming for their last exam tomorrow: Potions.



Emerging from the stairs that led to the Slytherin dungeons, Professor Snape crossed the entrance hall to where Anna was pacing.



"Mother Hen Syndrome?" He gave her the smallest of smiles, then frowned. "Are you feeling alright? You look a bit ragged."



"I'm a nervous wreck, Severus," she whispered. "How do you stand it?"



"I only concern myself with those students I consider intelligent enough to have a chance of getting marks good enough for my N.E.W.T.s. class. Whereas, you're stressing out about the entire fifth year. They can't /all /pass."



"Oh, yes, they /can /and they /will/."



She turned to face him, but saw some Slytherins coming up the stairs from their common room and put her hands on her hips. Seeing her eyes flick back and forth, Severus realizes what she was about to do.



"You've got nothing better to do than skulk around here in the hallway?" he growled, giving her a wink.



"Not that it's any of your business, Professor," Anna turned from him, walked a few steps and spun around, "but I concern myself with all of my students, not just those from a particular House."



"Admirable. Time consuming and stressful, but admirable."



"Don't you have a Bezoar to boil or something?" she cocked her head at him.



"Charming."



He turned and swept up the stairs to the teachers lounge. The Slytherins snickered and headed off to their different destinations.



Tears burned in Anna's eyes. She would have given almost anything to have been able to walk into Severus' embrace and have him just hold her. She was fast reaching the end of her rope and the O.W.L.s. couldn't be over soon enough. That should lighten the load considerably. Just end of year exams and then some peace and quiet.



She knew that was not really a possibility; with Voldemort hovering in the background, but the thought of time off was what she was clinging to, in order to hold her focus.



The last of her students came through the door from the Great Hall, smiling. Heaving a big sigh, she smiled and waved at them, then turned and headed up the stairs to tea. Maybe, with any luck, she and Severus could have a little time alone in the teachers lounge, but if it was a typical afternoon, there would be at least a dozen other teachers there. So a quick word was about all she really expected.



/Soon/, she said to herself, /soon we'll be together again/.



That brought a small smile to her face and she lifted her chin and continued up the stairs with a bit more spring in her step.