F-I-N-A-L-L-Y.

If there are any of my dear readers left, you probably wondered if my thumb had gone stuck in a dark narrow place or something and it almost had. The inspiration has been, as you all have noticed, zero for months.
A writer's nightmare! (shivering all over)

BUT! The last chapter's up as the magic finally returned! Back from the dead! So, in this one we take farewell of the Malfoys and leave them to whatever fate awaiting, as is the best to do with that family, which you all know. And the magic returned thanks to reviewer Courtney, who offered me cookies. Send her a rose or two, will you?
And since this is the last one, I have answered all reviews on the latest chapter after the story. If there's too much questions after this (I wish!), I will write answers, labelling it as chapter eleven.

The reviews have been dropping in continuously and I can not enough express how happy you've made me with your commentaries to each chapter. It's been a true pleasure and lots of fun! I owe you guys and gals. Hm. I owe you enough to present a chapter of twenty pages, which in my case, is very long. So, a thousand bad excuses that it took me so long to finish and I can only hope you'll enjoy the chapter…see you in the epilogue!

Yours truly, Redfern

25TH DECEMBER, PART TWO: THE TRAITOR'S DANCE

There was a moment between waking and dreaming when everything was perfect.
The pillows and covers were perfectly soft against him and a warm body was pressed against his back, his father's arm protectively around his waist and this sweet exhaustion lingering…
And then the morning pulled him into merciless ache in a multitude of muscles and a mouth dry as a desert.
He opened his eyes and discovered a newly added bottle of fresh water by his bedside.
Lucius was apparently still asleep and Draco did his very best to be smooth as a thief not to wake him as he reached for the bottle and lifted his head to remain half-sitting, supported on his elbow.
The water made all the difference.
Soon all the comfort of the bed came rushing back and Draco turned, only to lie down again beside Lucius, burying his face in his father's shoulder.
And slowly, as delicate as an insect, he felt Lucius' fingers play along his spine, softer and with more tenderness that Draco ever had thought his father capable of.
Draco relaxed into it and answered with a few light kisses on Lucius' neck. Soon the hand on his back moved up to caress his hair and their lips met, Draco taking a shivering pleasure from the heat the kiss caused between his loins. Their tongues moved slower against each other now, as if they tried to memorize the other's shape and taste.
Lucius used his other hand to caress Draco's thighs, his buttocks, the small of his back and Draco pressed himself willingly against the warm body, feeling how his growing erection responded to the touch.
And this time it all went so soft and smooth…Lucius hand slowly making its way down Draco's stomach, whose skin prickled in response, and the hand manipulating, teasing, while their mouths were still locked together. Draco's small moans and sighs that were stifled by his father's mouth and then the hand guiding his to Lucius' larger sex, directing the smaller hand to do as desired before leaving it to its own devices.
Draco could not remember when his other hand became involved in pleasing his father as well. The place and event seemed to swirl somewhere far out of time and space. All that mattered was this raging hunger that seemed unable to be stilled.
And then that overheated tension snapped into delirious pleasure, leaving warm wetness on his stomach and over his father's hands and a moment later, Draco's hands was soaking wet from the evidence of Lucius' release as well. The kiss continued and Draco realised, as his breathing settled down, that they had never stopped kissing even once during the entire act.
When the kiss was finally broken, Lucius rolled over on his back and Draco snuggled close to him immediately, resting his head on his father's arm while his hand snuck up on Lucius' chest.
It was dead quiet between them and Draco anxiously peeked up to survey Lucius' face. His father seemed to be in deep thought, his eyes fixed on the roof and his free hand absently stroking Draco's arm.
This was a classic dilemma. Draco wanted nothing more than to break the uncomfortable silence, just to be reassured that everything was alright between them but he knew just what sort of miscalculation that could turn out to be and kept quiet.
Hoping that Lucius was not having second thoughts about last night.
Wishing that he was not already bored with their secret.
Praying he would not be thrown out and sent back to his room with no further sign of affection.
"We are expected for breakfast in less than an hour."
Draco had a small start at the words and frowned.
Was that it? Had Lucius spent his time thinking about the arrangements for breakfast?
Draco felt insulted but chose not to show it.
"Should I go back to my room and get ready, then?" He suggested, more than a little disappointed.
Lucius turned his head to look at him and displayed an unexpected smirk.
"Not just yet, I think." Lucius whispered and stroke a few strands of Draco's hair neatly in place. "There are washing facilities in here after all, if you remember."
Draco could not help but flashing a mischievous, dark smirk back. Of course he remembered. If nothing else, the throbbing pain in his nether regions was reminding him constantly of it.
The bathroom visit turned out to be nothing like the hot but violent activities that had taken place there hours ago. They were both in the shower together, letting the warm water wash off any evidence of the night. Lucius took his time making sure Draco was properly cleansed and by the time he had finished, Draco was ready for another tumble between the sheets.
But Lucius only smiled sadistically at the younger Malfoy's physical reaction to the caresses of the sponge and wrapped a towel around him instead.
"You need to get dressed now." Lucius whispered, giving him a light kiss on the forehead.
Draco sighed in frustration and looked up at his father's face to scan it for any possible openings to discuss the matter.
It was no surprise to be met with an uncompromising frown.
"Right." Draco said, accepting defeat. "I guess I know what to do about it myself anyway."
Lucius hand was on his cheek and he kissed the pale fingers before turning to go. He had no time to reach the bathroom door before his father had grabbed him by his upper arms and pressed him against the tile, holding him steady through a very fierce kiss.
Then all of a sudden he was free again and Lucius reached for the door handle himself to hold the door up while Draco stood gasping.
"You better leave at once." Lucius demanded.
Draco made his way out with a content smirk, giving Lucius an evil glare.
"See you at breakfast, father."

The breakfast went down as the most pleasant one in Malfoy manor history that Draco had ever experienced, at least to begin with.
It was easier than ever to keep the perfect face up and the usual tension concerning what fault Lucius might find in his behaviour was more than relieved since last night. It was not that he expected his father to drop his constant striving for perfection in his surroundings, but it was just not as frightening anymore. Or, rather, the fear had taken a very pleasant turn…
Everyone was in their best morning robes in the presence of Christmas and to illustrate the importance of the day, several chandeliers were lit on and around the table, giving off tiny magical silvery showers of snow.
And then there was the elf choir.
A frightened quartet of house elves, adorned with all sorts of glittery gadgets you could find in a Christmas tree, stood in a corner of the dining room to accompany the breakfast with some traditional Christmas Carols. They were extremely careful not to sing too loud as to disturb the conversation, knowing what cruel punishments that would await them afterwards.
Draco had heard all those songs hundreds of times, all from Solar invictus sacrifice to Lit the heathen bonfires.
Only this time they had a soothing and cheering effect he had never felt before. Maybe this was the first time he actually experienced a true Christmas spirit.
At least until Pansy opened her mouth.
"Did you enjoy yourself last night, Draco?" She whispered with a casual voice, while reaching after an orange in the large silvery bowl.
Draco froze for less than a second before realising that there was no way she could know what she was talking about.
"Maybe I did." He whispered back with poisonous malice. "So what are you going to do about it?"
"Really, Draco." She answered in the same low, chilly voice. "Why should I do anything? It seems that you've dragged yourself down way below all dignity." She held him under a steady gaze while peeling her orange. "Who could have imagined? But I guess nobody else would have you, being the disgusting creep you are."
Draco heightened an eyebrow and prepared to strike back, but all words seemed to leave his mouth as Pansy very slowly and calculating turned her head towards the short end of the table, where his parents sat, before giving Draco a meaning glance.
Draco focused all his strength to keep his face. She would not have the pleasure of sending him into panic! But it was impossible, the things she claimed to know. His father had been so careful with security. It did not make sense!
And the mere shock of imagining Pansy to have viewed their nightly activities was enough to get really sick…!
Had she seen them sneak up to Lucius' office and kiss before they went in? The blood in Draco's veins turned to ice at the thought. But there was no other way she could know, was there?
"Draco? Are you feeling all right?"
It was Narcissa's voice and Draco turned his head slowly to face his mother.
He could see Lucius beside her, heightening an eyebrow in his usual bored expression that came on whenever Draco's health was discussed. But a quick glance straight at Draco, lasting less than a heartbeat, made the younger Malfoy's entrails dance around in an odd, exciting way.
"I'm fine, mother." Draco replied with a shaky smile.
"You look awfully pale." She pressed.
"Well" Draco said, gaining more strength in his voice. "I am a Malfoy after all."
At this, civilised laughter broke out around the table and Narcissa dropped the matter.
Draco smirked in his usual self-assured manner, but had to use all his self-control, including some reserves, to keep up the perfect surface. Breakfast was about to warp into full horror and he could do absolutely nothing, not even when Pansy leaned across the table with a sweet smile and whispered to him in a triumphant voice:
"I have you now."

The manor was in great turmoil as house elves and wizard decorators swarmed the public rooms, creating a setting of unearthly beauty for the arriving guests. The ballroom floor was enchanted to look like a frozen sea, with glimpses of impressive creatures such as sharks and octopuses underneath its surface. The walls became snow white, as if a million icicles had grown together and turned into a sparkling, magical cave. And from the ceiling high above the dance floor hung the real icicles, transparent diamond stakes catching the flames from over a hundred candles to create an impressive lightshow.
And the real beauty about it was that all the portraits and weapons on the wall was still fixed in place as if the manor had never been anything else than this winter world.
Draco was in his room to change clothes for the evening, fingers shaking slightly as he fastened the silver clasp on his new oxen blood robes. After the traditional opening of the expensive Christmas gifts, he had started to realise the importance to go through with his plans for Pansy. The idea was to make his father jealous enough at the ball to get a reason for getting rid of her.
There was no time and place to scheme and yet Draco's mind had worked on high speed during every moment of the day to get a grip and prepare for the waiting assault from Pansy. He more or less expected her to walk through the door with blackmail intentions when she actually did.
At first Draco did not hear the door open and suddenly she was just standing there, a reflection in his mirror that turned out to be very real.
"What can I do for you, Pansy?" He asked formally without giving her as much as one look.
"No, Draco." She replied haughtily. "The question is: What can I do for you? Should I smack your reputation up real bad, or maybe destroy it completely?"
"Don't be silly, Pansy. You only think you know something."
Pansy snuck up next to him, leaning against the huge mirror.
"So, what do I think I know, then?"
"You tell me." Draco shrugged.
Pansy shot him a very unnerving smile.
"Are you sure you would not die from the embarrassment, Draco? Caught with a parent. Yuk!"
Draco turned to face her now, feeling a different kind of cold creeping up his spine. When it came to Lucius, it was the one thing Pansy could not be allowed to destroy, no matter how severe the losses.
"I always knew your family was completely fucked in the head." Pansy continued. "My parents told me very early you see, about keeping my face no matter what weird, mental things I heard and saw when I was here."
"Did they, now?" Draco answered in a low voice.
Maybe he should just strangle her and hide her in the closet right now. But he had to restrain the fury. They would miss her downstairs at the ball and it wasn't worth it, getting into all that trouble, even if his father certainly would find a way to clear him from all suspicion.
Or was it?
"I'll give you this, Draco. You certainly uphold the family reputation."
"Just get to the point, Pansy." Draco sighed, trying to sound bored.
"Isn't it clear enough? Well, you always were a bit slow, with your big ego dimming your sight."
Pansy took a step closer to him, making it even harder not to slip his fingers around her neck.
"You just do as I say when I say and the silence is reassured." She announced.
Now Draco could not help but smirk.
"You're an infant, a twat!" He replied mockingly. "Nobody will believe you!"
"Ah, but I have proof." She claimed, raising her eyebrow. "And by the way, never, ever use that language to me again if you want me to stay quiet."
"What proof do you think you have?" Draco replied in disbelief.
"A parchment…" She began.
"A parchment!" Draco echoed, unimpressed.
"…And photographs."
The room was dead silent for a few moments. Pansy smiled with superiority and Draco's smirk froze on his lips and faded slowly.
"You're lying." He whispered.
"Am I?" Well, you have another parent who might want to have the pictures in an envelope by dinner, right where the welcoming speech should be."
There were no more words spoken between them, for at that moment the door opened again and Lucius stood in the doorway.
Draco's heart made a terrified leap, before he realised that Pansy probably would die before confronting his father with it.
"See you at dinner." Pansy smiled and walked out, gaining a suspicious frown from Lucius that she probably did not notice at all.
Draco realised what could come out of it and made an effort to relieve the tension immediately.
"She just keeps hanging after me." He sighed. "But she has nothing for it."
"Really?" Lucius said coolly and shut the door.
Draco raised an eyebrow at his father's dead serious face.
"Really, father."
Draco couldn't stop an amused smirk from rising, but it disappeared as quickly as it arrived when Lucius locked the door and whispered the right words for a silencing spell, without taking his eyes from Draco.
This was definitely the time to talk about Pansy's insinuations, but something told him that it was going to be harder than it seemed.
Lucius approached him calmly and gripped Draco's chin with a gloved hand.
It was wicked feeling the smooth, thin leather against the skin. It was a turn on out of nowhere and the slight fear of what his father would do was as thrilling in that forbidden way.
"Father." Draco managed to breathe. "We need to talk."
"Do we?"
Suddenly Draco's back was slammed into the wall and a fierce kiss stopped any words from leaving his mouth. He moaned slightly, it could not be helped, and then they were in his desk chair, Lucius placing himself there, while arranging Draco in his lap, facing his father while straddling over his thighs.
The grip around Draco's hips was very hard and he did not doubt for a second that it would leave bruises. It was dizzying, just imagining what could happen in that chair, but this thing with Pansy, it was too serious…
"She knows something." Draco whispered and then let out a startled sound as Lucius teeth claimed a fresh tender spot on his neck and sucked.
It swept him away enough to press his growing erection against his father's, enough to let the gloved hands open up his robes just enough to leave him ready for entrance. A leather covered finger was already playing there, at the gates of pleasure and he responded the little he could as his hands were guided behind his back and held there with one firm grip.
"Father, please!" He gasped, but he was not sure whether he meant 'father, please, we need to talk' or 'father, please, take me'.
It became evident that Lucius was not going to thwart his plans at any rate as he suddenly took hold of Draco's hip again to press him down over his newly unfolded erection.
"That's it, take it!" Lucius hissed and it was small mercy that there was something applied to make it a little less painful.
Of course, it still hurt like hell, as Draco was sore from yesterday and it took a lot of whimpers and moans before it filled him up completely and held him firmly in place.
There it was again, that feeling of being completely conquered, invaded and this time, weightless. But the pain…!
He tried to move his hips a little, only to adjust, but Lucius still held his hands firmly and caught Draco's buttocks with his free hand.
"Go on." Lucius ordered him. "Move."
Draco's face was burning hot, he was most likely blushing severely and the hurting and the excitement overcame him. The only way to get release in any way was to do as told and he did, but not without tears streaming down his cheeks that his father licked every now and then.
How could this get him going so much? He winced and got harder from the leather stroking his buttocks, his back and the nape of his neck as he moved, deeply impaled on his father's sex.
Maybe Pansy was right about the thing with his family being completely fucked in the head. What did it matter? It was their business after all. They were Malfoys and the less people knew about their internal matters, the happier these people were.
He was aching to come, almost crying and gasping about that more than the pain. And as an answer to his prayers, the leather glove moved to stroke him right there. Draco gratefully moved fiercer, forcing the hard limb to slide in and out of him despite the increasing pain and Lucius ceased the stroking just for the second it took to pinch Draco's nipple real hard.
Draco cried out from it and opened his eyes, not realising they had been shut until now. His father's eyes were slits that seemed to glow in the dusky room and when the leather fingers worked him again, his mind went blank.
"Oh, father…father…"
Lucius suddenly thrusted into him very hard and Draco screamed aloud from it, coming at the same time. His entire body responded and for those delirious moments it was impossible to separate the pain from the pleasure. They were the same thing entirely, just like him and his father.
The same.
Then he was falling back to reality and Lucius lifted him off, separating them.
Draco stood leaning against his desk with trembling legs, trying to get the giddiness under control. Lucius was getting his robes in order, putting everything in its place and Draco followed the example with unsteady hands.
"Pansy knows about us."
It was probably not the best time to bring it up, but it had to be said before Lucius left the room. His father was a pragmatic person, he should understand.
"Does she?" Lucius said, as if responding to a commentary about the weather.
"Yeah." Draco confirmed and was surprised to see a playful smirk meeting him.
"Intriguing."
"She claims she has pictures."
At this, Lucius gave him a sunny smile and took hold of Draco's upper arms, leaning down to nibble at Draco's lower lip.
"What are on these pictures, I wonder?" Lucius whispered in his ear. "You, all spread out on the bed, being taken from the front and from behind? Maybe she even caught the appealing detail of your blood soiling the sheets?"
Draco felt his blush keeping back on but said nothing. Why had not his father flied into a rage over the information?
"We should…" Draco began.
"No." Lucius cut him off. "I'd like her to have these pictures and you are to remain calm about it."
Before Draco could answer back, Lucius coaxed him into a deep kiss and then left the room quickly. Draco stood staring at the door for a moment before resuming his dress-up for the evening.
This night was going to be quite something to remember, for sure.

"Good evening, aunt Bellatrix."
"Good evening, Draco, dear! You look smashing!"
"Thank you, aunt. So do you!"
The right smile was applied. She moved on.
Professor Snape was greeted by his parents in the doorway. He was going to reach Draco within seconds. And tonight Draco had strived and attained perfection. His behaviour, his clothes and his good looks and whatever. All was in place. Only, he walked slightly stiffer than usual, but nobody but Lucius would see it or care to look for the signs.
"Good evening, Draco."
"Good evening, professor Snape!" Draco shot him a friendly smile.
"All is well with you, I trust?"
Snape raised an eyebrow in polite curiosity, but Draco could see him scanning for something in Draco's face. What was this all about? He had not forgotten to cover up any marks this time. There was nothing to see…and then it came to mind that Severus was an occlumency-expert.
"It's perfect! See you in the great hall!" Draco smiled and quickly turned to the next guest.
"Minister Fudge! What a pleasure…!"

The Great hall was truly a wonder to behold.
And with all the visitors mingling in their expensive, tasteful robes, creating a colourful contrast to all the white and diamond-sparkling surroundings, the interior design was truly complete. Narcissa had received a thousand compliments for the idea already and after dinner, which was the smoothest one Draco have had in days, the table and chairs disappeared into thin air, leaving small showers of glistening snow in its wake. The guests were mightily impressed as usual and most of them were in a very good mood, since they worked for or sympathized with the Dark Lord, who was on the move.
Draco found himself wondering what Lord Voldemort was doing this evening, at Christmas. Was he invited and would he come if he was? Maybe he was celebrating with other dark lords…The thought became too crazy and Draco fought back a smile while suppressing the thought. Such ideas could cost a lot if somebody read his mind.
The orchestra was ready soon enough and opened the ball with traditional melodies from the early times of Merlin and Morgaine. The grown ups hit the dancefloor immediately (save for professor Snape, who rarely danced) and two or three songs were passing as Narcissa and his father danced with each other…looking truly in love. The deep, intimate looks they shared and Lucius hand on her back, too far down…
"DRACO!" Pansy was sliding across the floor in her stunning silk dress robes with a few girlfriends tailing after her.
She looked perfectly charming and nothing in her behaviour could ever reveal that they where anything else than boyfriend-girlfriend, dating, in love. Draco forced himself to receive her the same way and as she embraced him graciously and kissed him on the cheek, he did the same, whispering 'slut' in her ear with a loving smile.
She introduced her friends and Draco did everything to charm them, which turned out to be real easy. They were almost drooling after a few charismatic smirks and clever remarks.
"Dance with me, Draco!" She urged and Draco offered her arm to her as the trained gentleman he was.
But suddenly another arm shot between them and Lucius stood there, smiling down at Pansy.
"Do you mind to do me the honour?" Lucius asked politely. "I think it is time that I let my wife go and share her with others."
Draco could hear the meaning in the way Lucius expressed his words, but he doubted that Pansy did.
"I'd be delighted, Mr Malfoy!" Pansy shone and strode out to the dance floor.
Draco was left with a strange stab in his chest as he saw them walk out into the dance. Dark poison seemed to flood his veins. What was this?
Reason said that his father was only acting as expected, but the other darker voice in him was full of suspicion.
Perhaps Lucius had a taste for young blood. Maybe he simply aimed to fuck as many of Draco's friends and enemies at school as possible.
No, he did what he had to, right? But he eyed Pansy very strangely and then it struck Draco like a poisoned knife in the back. He was flirting with her!
But his father had said he weren't touching anybody except family…and he might as well have lied about that.
Well, he was not going to stand there as a loser with Pansy's cute but mindless friends. There was heavy stuff needed now to get Lucius' attention, he knew that.
It did not take long until he had found Mrs MacNair who seemed to cast appreciating glances and he pulled his big moves on her. The husband was nowhere in sight. Perfect.
She was gorgeous, this wife, midnight black hair and dark brown sensual eyes, with a heart-shaped face and delicious lips and when Draco asked her to dance she was more than eager to agree to it. As the orchestra started to play a new tune, several of the older guests clapped their hands and suddenly everybody seemed to be on their feet, ready to dance.
"Do you know this one?" Mrs MacNair asked with a hungry smile.
"I can't say I've heard it." Draco replied politely, his eyes wandering to keep Lucius in sight.
"Then remember this: It is called the Traitor's Dance." She explained. "When the music stops in the middle of the song, it will be gone for only a few seconds before continuing. During the short silence you will leave me and steal somebody else's dancing partner. If you fail to find someone before the music starts, both you and the girl being left over must leave the dance floor. But be attentive. Sometimes other men try to sneak into the dance, leaving too few ladies to find. Be quick!"
"I will!" Draco smiled.
Moments later they were whirling in the dance and Draco found it hard to keep his face while Mrs MacNair's hands were wandering down to place themselves on his ass. Maybe he had underestimated her, but what did it matter? The music would break at any moment and then Draco would run for it, to safer arms.
And…there! Swift running was heard and some laughter and then Draco was caught up with aunt Bellatrix.
"Draco dear!" She purred as the music started again. "You have really grown during the autumn!"
No, really! What was this thing about relatives making moves on him?
"So have you, aunt Bellatrix." He replied and left her with a frozen face as the music stopped again.
This time he got stuck with his mother.
Fortunately, she did not make any strange moves, but danced as correctly as it would be expected of a Mrs Malfoy.
"Pansy has gone upstairs, Draco." She informed him. "Have you been fighting again?"
"No, mother." Draco lied, feigning surprise.
"You should go after her. People talk."
"Yes mother, I will." Draco smiled and had no intention about doing so at all.
But as he danced, he could see neither Pansy nor Lucius!
A quick glance to the stairs revealed them disappearing hand in hand upstairs, just out of sight.
No way! It was time to leave the dance floor as soon as the music stopped again and commit patricide for all he knew!
A red haze clouded his sight. He should win a prize for keeping his face up in a situation like this.
It couldn't be true, it couldn't be true…
The music stopped and he ran for it, out from the dance where people were feigning treachery, as if faking it was needed in this house!
He headed for the stairs at a quick pace and almost crashed into Edwin, who appeared very suddenly before him.
"Draco, wait!"
"Move along, Edwin!" Draco hissed in a deadly voice.
"No, I mean…"
Draco started to walk up the stairs, closely followed by his schoolmate.
"It's all right, I know about it!" Edwin panted, as he tried to keep an even pace with a furious Draco.
"Know about what, Edwin?" Draco said in a warning voice.
Had Pansy published his dirty secret in The Quibbler?
Edwin followed Draco in silence until they reached the top of the stairs. As soon as Draco turned right and out of sight from the guests downstairs, Edwin ran to block Draco's way again.
"About us." Edwin said firmly.
And before Draco could even express his complete lack of understanding, Edwin reached to kiss him.
Draco pushed Edwin backwards in pure shock and stared at his friend for a moment, who stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. What sort of a game was this? But Edwin's eyes looked genuinely hurt and scanned Draco's face for any response at all.
And then it hit him.
All the questions from Edwin about who had been giving him the mark on the throat, the inquiring about if Draco would take Pansy to the ball and all the chattering about Ministry Law for ages. Even daring Draco to stay during the spin the bottle-game. Edwin never wanted Pansy, it was Draco he had a crush on!
"This is a bit too much at the moment." Draco stated and moved past Edwin.
"But…!" Edwin protested behind him. "Pansy said that you had the same feelings and…"
"Pansy is a disgusting, slimy whore who's going to die!" Draco snarled.
"…and that we were to meet up here!"
"What?"
Draco turned and stared at Edwin.
"Pansy said that you wanted to meet me up here." Edwin whispered and lowered his gaze to the floor.
"Where?" Draco lowered his voice. Edwin was but a victim in whatever game was set and Draco was not intended to hit the junk pile with him anytime soon.
"In your room." Edwin replied and got to his feet.
Draco had never received such a hurt glare from anybody, but he could not think straight at this moment. He rushed to his room and drew out his wand.
"Alohomora!"
The lock clicked and Draco burst in to the waiting disaster.
The bed was empty, but he heard noises from the bathroom. Deciding that a simple Avada Kedavra would not satisfy his blood thirst, he pulled a ritual knife out of a drawer before advancing into the toilet.
He was no more than three steps inside when somebody grabbed him from behind and threw him right down to the floor by his wrist. He still had his knife in the caught hand and the attacker smashed his fist as hard as he could on his fingers, causing Draco to drop the knife with a howl.
"Quiet!" A command rang out and Draco recognised the voice as well as the smell.
It was Lucius. Draco held still for the moments it took Lucius to let him go. Then he rose from the floor and corrected his robes before aiming his fist at Lucius' face in the speed of lightning. His father had sidestepped and hit his elbow into Draco's temple before the fist found it's goal and Draco sank down to the floor again, gasping from the exploding pain in his head.
"You…you're dead!" Draco pressed out.
"I'm warning you!" Lucius snapped. "There is no time for all this, however thoughtful it was of you to show your affection with that knife."
With this, he grabbed hold of Draco and dragged him out of the bathroom and further out of his private quarters.
"I don't want to see you right now." Draco murmured, his full balance slowly returning from the blow.
"You do not decide such things, Draco." Lucius replied in a warning voice.
"What are we doing out here in the corridor? Are you going to kick the shit out of me here?"
Lucius answered by slamming him into a wall again and pinning him there.
"I will cut the hands off that Macnair-bitch!" He hissed in Draco's ear, using a rare voice that made Draco's blood chill. "As for you, you little promiscuous tramp, I'll flog your buttocks bloody until you no longer feel her imprint."
Then he attacked Draco´s mouth and bit his lower lip so hard the blood rushed out immediately.
"OW!" Draco yelled. "Where's Pan…"
"Shut up!" Lucius demanded and pushed his tongue into Draco's mouth, starting to rip open parts of his robe.
This was crazy and totally unlike his father. Draco was still boiling with anger and Lucius seemed to have lost his mind, making out with him in the hallway for all to see, clearly on his way into a penalty fuck!
It was then he realised that somebody was watching them. Slowly, he managed to turn his head to get it confirmed.
Narcissa stood less than twenty feet away from them, her delicate face ash grey and her often so arrogant face twisted into a mask of pure shock and horror.
Lucius seemed to have noticed too, as Draco was released and left to support himself with one hand on the wall.
"Mother!" Draco said in a strange, powerless voice.
Narcissa's face remained carved in stone for a moment more and then the cold hatred trickled into it as she turned around and made quite an exit from the scene.
Draco stared at Lucius for a moment, who looked strangely content and held a small coin in his hand. It made no sense.
Then Draco started to follow her, even though it was still hard to walk properly.
"Mother, wait!" He pleaded, not entirely sure why he needed to explain himself.
She turned to him again, looking like a furious ice queen as she pointed her finger at him.
"I knew it." She announced. "I knew it would end up like this, sooner or later. How long, Lucius? Since he was five…six? Perhaps younger?"
"Oh, please!" Lucius protested, but he did not show any signs of real anger or insult.
Narcissa turned to walk again and Draco could not have it.
"Stop! Let me explain!"
Draco heightened his voice in desperation, but Narcissa did not even bother to turn around as she answered him.
"I don't care about your motifs or about you, Draco." She said in a horrifyingly cold voice as she headed for the stairs. "I've loathed you since you were born and I hope he has really hurt you, when making you one of his little whores!"
Draco stopped short by the words, as if hit by an arrow. They were in the hallway with the balcony and the stairs leading down now and Narcissa hurried down the first footsteps with a determination Draco had rarely seen. He tried to get a word out, but all air seemed lost to him.
Then a door opened just in front of him and Pansy stepped out, hurrying down the stairs just behind his mother.
And then she pushed her.
Time seemed to stand still as he saw Pansy reach her hands out and strike them hard into Narcissa's back. And she fell, trying at first to get a hold of the banister, but Pansy kicked away her hand and then she fell with a scream lasting no longer than her first hard encounter with the marble stairs. A sinister crack of bones shattering broke Draco's paralysis.
"MOTHER!" Draco shouted and tried to run after her.
At that moment he felt Lucius' hands on his shoulders, holding him back.
"It's too late." Lucius whispered.
Narcissa continued to fall, hitting the stairs several fateful times before rolling down to the floor far below them. Her neck seemed bent in a very unnatural way and from their view, Draco could see a small group of guests approaching the stairs. They were seconds away from discovering her corpse.
Then everything seemed to happen at once.
Pansy, who had so far remained unmoving on the staircase, watching her victim fall to a certain death, backed up again at the speed of lightning and cast Lucius a very strange glance before disappearing into the room she came from, shutting the door firmly behind her.
Lucius drew Draco back and further down the hallway out of sight as the first screams rose from below.
Draco was pushed and dragged all the way back to his room, despite wild attempts to break free and rush back. Finally Lucius caught his wrists with both hands and faced him, locking his sharp stone grey eyes with Draco's.
"You need to stay at your room until you're calm." Lucius explained, surprisingly collected. "If you need anything, call for a house elf."
"But…" Draco breathed, trembling from the shock.
"No!" Lucius interrupted him. "You won't say anything reasonable at this moment. Do as I say!"
Draco only nodded and went into his room, not taking his eyes from Lucius until he shut the door behind him.
His heart was beating frantically and he had no intention of staying in his room. As soon Lucius presumably had gone out of reach he was going to open the door and find out what in Merlin's name he had just witnessed.
Everything was spinning around him, like small pieces of a puzzle that did not fit together or made any sense.
He took a few deep breaths and tried to gather his wits, fighting back the need to cry. It did not feel all that real yet and there was no time to get emotional. Where should he start?
He fell back on his bed, completely exhausted, and stared up at the roof, trying one piece of the puzzle after the other.
Who were involved?
Pansy, Lucius and…Edwin? But his mother had wanted him to go after Pansy as well. Coincidence?
Pansy knew stuff about Draco and his father, so why would she do it? Why Narcissa and not Lucius?
Then it struck him. The evidence!
He needed to get to Pansy's room and find it before she returned!

He ran out of his room and made sure to use a different way, as not to bump into anyone. There was a lot of noise coming from the stairs now, the music had stopped downstairs and he heard the voices of his father and professor Snape a bit louder than the others. He heard enough to learn that they were waiting for a doctor and some auror working the Christmas shift at the ministry. Fudge made attempts to organize people, commanding house elves to make strong cups of tea and so on.
As soon as Draco reached Pansy's room, he locked the door firmly behind him, using several spells to keep it shut. He did not intend to get busted as he turned her room upside down.
He searched methodically, fierce and feverish, after the blackmail material and finally as he started to open the frames of the paintings under a lot of protests from the portraits who refused to cooperate with him, he found it.
A small envelope fell out and Draco caught it with his free hand and opened it hastily. It was a letter, directed to Pansy:

Dear Miss Parkinson

I regret to inform you that your crush on my son must come to a halt.
I have noticed how your jealousy has affected some of our guests very unfortunately. I write to you now only to make it clear to you that my son Draco is already claimed and I will not tolerate any more assaults on my guests. If you try to touch my Draco again, you immature, silly little girl, I will personally rip your eyes out with my nails and I might have used them as a necklace if they weren't so ugly. Draco is mine and he prefers someone who is experienced and mature. And above all, we keep it in the family. You never stood a chance. This is the only warning you will have. If you ignore it, or try to show this letter to anyone, you will not leave this house alive.

Sincerely yours,

Narcissa Malfoy

Draco drew his breath as all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. The neat, artistic handwriting was recognised immediately.
It was not his mother who had written this letter.

The auror and the doctors had left the house with his mother's corpse hours ago and as the night fell over Malfoy manor, fewer sobs were heard by the hour. Bellatrix was naturally still in one of the tea rooms, being consoled by at least a handful of sexy single death eaters. Draco had naturally made an appearance downstairs as Narcissa's body was carried away, standing beside his father with a brave face, trying to look pressed to his limits to remain calm in front of his dead mother. Lucius had looked so aggrieved that it almost seemed unreal to have seen him that calm and calculating as she fell. And Pansy had played the perfect little girl, sobbing with a pink handkerchief as her victim was announced dead by the doctors.
But all the time there was just one thing in his mind and the opportunity for that would come as soon as most of the guests had gone to sleep or gathered in those groups downstairs who would not sleep this night.
There was another one who would not sleep and who was supposed to mourn with his son in solitude. Draco made his way to Lucius' office at this time of night and entered without knocking.
Lucius was sitting by his desk, letting the quill wander across the parchment with thoughtful ease. There was even a slight smile on his lips and he did not look as if he had shed a single tear during the entire night.
He looked up as Draco entered, watching as the door was shut and locked and remained perfectly calm despite the unconventional entrance.
"Draco." He said, never loosing that little smile. "You look a fright. Sit down and relax." Lucius dipped the quill in the inkbottle and scribbled a few more words down. "The show is over for today."
Draco watched his father in silence from the door a second or two before approaching him with slow silent steps.
Lucius hair hung loose as it often did at night and he still wore the feast robes, even though he undeniably looked a bit torn.
Draco did not dare to think about how he looked himself, but at this moment he did not care. He was to full of thoughts eating his mind and his heart away, to full of confused emotions battling each other furiously.
"You wrote the letter to Pansy." Draco stated. There was no feeling in the words. He felt too empty.
Lucius continued to write while answering a bit distractedly.
"Why, of course."
"So…" Draco continued, slowly seating himself in the chair in front of the desk, staring intensely at Lucius. "…You conspired with Pansy to have me follow you and somehow you knew moth…Narcissa was coming up just in time for our little scene in the hallway."
"Naturally."
"So, you pretended to know about the fake relation between me and Narcissa and set out to take revenge on your wife for it as well as me, joining causes with Pansy. Perfect."
Draco tried not to sound bitter but it was hard as small crumbles of feelings left from the day seemed to gather and rise.
"What do you aim at?" Lucius asked, studying Draco more intensely now.
"I want the truth from you. It is the least I deserve after all this."
Draco folded his arms in a stubborn gesture, despite his vast exhaustion, and continued to glare at Lucius, determined not to step back.
"So, what would you like to know?" Lucius said with an amused undertone in the words, as if deciding to play along.
"Everything."
"No, really…"
"When did you send that letter? How long have you been conspiring with Pansy behind my back and what about the pictures?"
"I sent the letter this morning and had Pansy at my office door quite early. The pictures was a lie, of course."
"…and the timing with mother who showed up just as we…"
"She had received a forged letter from one of her lovers, of course, to meet in your room for a tumble on your sheets. Just on time."
Draco made a slight face at the suggestion of his mother using his bed for such purposes and Lucius' smile deepened. Nothing seemed to shake his father from his good temper and it angered Draco in a strange way, it made frustration creep under his skin in a way that almost called for forcing a reaction out of him.
"The coin in your hand? While mother made it for the stairs?"
"A magical way to give signal to Pansy's entrance. She had a similar coin with her."
Draco sighed and looked down at his hands for a moment, inspecting his nails with no interest in them at all.
"Mother told me to go after Pansy down at the dance, when you slipped away. If she saw Pansy, she must have seen you."
There was a pause and Draco continued.
"So, that means she wanted me to go after you out of jealousy, or simple obsessive control impulse. That would be so like her."
"I suggest we leave this subject now, Draco."
Lucius rose and walked over to a handmade, beautifully decorated cupboard from the middle of the last century and unlocked it.
Draco only stared at him with contempt.
"What do you mean, leaving the subject? Is there anything else to speak about?"
"Well, for instance…" Lucius replied, "…there is the matter of the master bedroom being unattained for far too long…"
His father was about to remove something from the cupboard, but Draco had no more patience left with the situation. He rose from his chair and felt unexplainably provoked.
"And Pansy?"
"I'll leave her out to the ministry soon enough. After all, I had placed surveillance crystals over the stairs and believe me, Draco, she will not say a word about me since she's under the imperious, but on the other hand she will love to spill out her sins to the aurors. Except the part with you and Narcissa, of course. All taken care of."
"And I guess Edwin will fry to somehow for the distraction, whatever that was meant for." Draco murmured. "Did you ever think about what I was feeling about all this, that I might have wanted to…"
But Lucius had stopped his ministrations by the cupboard and turned to Draco with a strange frown. He was not smiling anymore. Finally.
"Edwin?" Lucius asked with a way too calm voice.
Draco realised at this moment that Edwin had probably just been one of Pansy's sick little games and lost interest for the subject.
"Never mind Edwin." Draco sighed.
But it was a little too late to turn the conversation around. Lucius was approaching him slowly now, with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"I insist, Draco. Tell me about the distraction."
"SO WHAT?" Draco suddenly shouted, unable to contain himself any longer. "What about your hand on my mother's ass while you danced, your kiss on her mouth in front of everyone and your slow dance with Pansy!"
Lucius grabbed a hold of him and slammed him into a bookshelf, his fist firmly attached to Draco's hair.
"The distraction, Draco. What about it?" Lucius said in a low, deadly voice.
"Do what the FUCK you want!"
Draco writhed and kicked, trying to get free, but Lucius seemed ready for murder or at least severe torture if he did not receive the information very soon and on instinct he chose to cooperate, if nothing else to get rid of the painful grip in his hair.
"Right, so Edwin kissed me, but I pushed him away and that's all. Let me go!"
But Lucius did not release him that easily.
"Why did he kiss you?"
"He's in love with me, who isn't? Except for you, that is." Draco spat out.
Lucius let go of him immediately after that, glaring at Draco with angry calculation.
Nothing could be kept inside anymore. A tear broke free and ran mercilessly down his cheek while he took several steps away from his father.
"You care about nobody but yourself!" Draco tried to suppress the other tears at all costs now, leaning towards the anger instead. "And when you're done with me you'll dispose of me, as easily as you did with mother. And what was that she said about your other little whores?"
"Did you think I was in celibacy for fifteen years?" Lucius whispered, but there was a clear warning in it.
"I don't care!" Draco swallowed and cursed inwardly for the second tear coming through. "I don't care about you or any more of this! Have your games to yourself! I've had it with you!"
Then he ran for the door, drawing his wand out to unlock it.
"Draco!"
"Don't talk to me!"
The world was coming apart. He might as well flee or die on the spot.
"Draco, stop!"
"Alohomora!"
A rift was opening inside of him, leaving devastating emptiness in its wake. He grabbed hold of the handle and opened the door to walk out, determined to never look back.
"I love you, Draco."
His legs refused to move. Not this weakness, no more of it! It had to be just another lie! And all he had to do was to turn around to see it in his father's face.
Draco turned slowly, his stomach clenching at the expected disappointment. But there was no feigned calm in Lucius face, no calculating mildness in his features.
Lucius stood rigid, as a pure embodiment of rage, glaring accusatively at Draco with a force that seemed unnatural.
And Draco's anger transformed into a distant fog that could not be gripped. He blinked in confusion.
"What?" He whispered.
"You…heard…me." Lucius hissed, immediately striving to mend his pride. "Shut the door. Now."
The door slid shut again with a clicking noise. But Draco remained fixed and could not take his eyes from Lucius or even less grasp what he had just heard.
"Are you telling the truth?" Draco finally asked.
Lucius face darkened.
"How dare you?"
But Draco could not be frightened at this moment. He was consumed with fascination, watching his father's reaction as he had just been forced to admit a weakness.
"And what do you answer back?" Lucius demanded in a typical parental voice, with a badly restrained threatening undertone.
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"You know the answer, you heard it when you had tricked veritaserum into me." He said in a low calm voice, deliberately creating a sharp contrast from Lucius' temper. "No, let's talk about you instead. Why do you love me? How?"
"Why don't you come here and find out?" Lucius replied in a sweet, dangerous voice.
"Maybe I should." Draco speculated, pretending to take his time to think for a second. "But then, perhaps you would need to calm down first."
"Or…" Lucius countered, "…your survival instinct needs to improve."
A smile slowly emerged on Draco's face. It was impossible to hold back. And just as he had thought he would never smile again. It was just too perfect, the dreaded Lucius Malfoy on the verge of an explosion, making a true effort not to lose control. All because of him.
"I love you too, father." Draco replied, walked up to Lucius and put his arms around the older Malfoy in a tight embrace.
Lucius hugged him back for nearly a second before he dragged Draco to the desk and wrestled him down on his back harshly, holding his hair in a firm grip.
This time Draco fought back wildly, but he was not the least surprised at Lucius' strong reaction. When Draco's robes were finally torn off and his hands were caught, Lucius had gotten bitemarks and clawmarks on his arms and fingers.
"I'll have you pay for this." Lucius informed him and Draco instantly knew he meant the love-word and not the fighting.
Within seconds Lucius was inside him, this time with the punishing refusal to prepare Draco with that slippery helpful liquid. Draco howled with pain and tried to get free, but to know avail. Lucius forced himself all the way in and rode him so hard that Draco soon resorted to crying and begging underneath on that cold, polished desk. Lucius' nails dug into his skin at his wrists and the other hand clawed his bare stomach and thighs until blood was drawn. There was no concern at all for his pleasure and as his father finished and streams of blood ran from the battered opening, the younger Malfoy was simply pulled up and pressed against the wall with his buttocks bare and his hands twisted up in a painful position in his back.
"When I said I was going to flog your buttocks bloody, I meant every word of it."
Draco was dizzy from the pain and the shock and did his best to shape words between the sobs.
"Father, please, I never…"
"Accio horsewhip!"
The force with which the whip was used was unexpectedly cruel. Draco was crying, screaming, begging and trying to catch his breath as the tender flesh of his buttocks became a bloody mess. He nearly lost his conscience several times and as Lucius had finished, Draco was hardly there anymore. He noted a bit drowsily that Lucius was lifting him up and soon he was resting on his stomach in that soft bed in the secret bedroom behind the office.
But the pain was so sharp that it cut through all exhaustion and attempts to rational thoughts. There was nothing to do but to sob and moan about it, but Draco understood why it had happened. If he had been able to do the same to Lucius because of the dance with his mother, then he would have and worse!
He felt his father's weight on the bedside and a cool hand was playing with his hair.
"You will never again allow anybody but me to touch you like that."
"Neither will you." Draco sobbed.
"If somebody's hands wanders to the wrong place again, you will be held responsible for it."
The voice was reprimanding but not stern and as Lucius joined him in bed, laying a protective arm over his back, Draco could breathe a little calmer. But sleeping was not to be hoped for.
The pain was dimming a little by those tender kisses on his tear drenched cheeks and the hand stroking his hair softly. The fireplace was also lit and created a soft, pleasant heat that made up for Draco's inability to wear a cover. Finally he turned his head slightly and kissed the hand that was stroking him.
"Now you've done it." Draco whispered, his voice weak from the strain. "There'll be no access on your behalf for at least weeks."
"There are other ways." Lucius smirked and ran a finger across Draco's soft lips. "And if you behave truly magnificently, I might help it to heal."
Draco glared cynically for an answer and moved slightly to lay his head closer to Lucius' chest.
"This plan of yours." Draco murmured. "You figured it out this morning before breakfast when we were in bed."
"Yes."
"It was horrible." Draco whispered. "For a moment I thought all you cared about was breakfast."
Lucius rewarded him with a smile at this and another kiss on the cheek.
"You'll learn, I'm sure."
Draco smiled back and dug his fingers into Lucius silvery hair. It was odd not to feel anymore remorse about his mother than he did and even weirder being content with the bad beating he had just received. Maybe this was what it meant to be a Malfoy. To really aim for the sweet destruction.
As for Lucius and himself, it was all about them now. His father had mentioned the master bedroom earlier and they would most likely move in there as soon as the guests had left. And whether Lucius planned to keep fucking him through a month or forever, Draco would put his bets on the latter. For no matter what had been at stake before, Draco could not imagine that Lucius had ever handed a weakness out to anyone in his life before this evening.
And Draco haddriven him to it.
"Are you going to kill Edwin?" Draco whispered in the midst of the red pain.
"As a matter of fact, I was just considering it." Lucius whispered back, stroking Draco over the hair and cheeks.
If that was not affection, what was?
"I love you, father."
Lucius kissed him on the forehead and Draco allowed all his demons to settle down and sleep, just for now.
A new world began tomorrow.

THE END

So, there it is.

Surely it's beautiful when two people share the same soul? ;-)

And now I'd like to ask you kindly to press the cute button below, you know which one, and give me your thumb up or thumb down. (Not that you haven't already spoiled me rotten with reviews). And as usual I would like to give my regards to you readers who really stayed through it all and suffered with the Malfoys and with my ambivalence at keeping the deadline here. And this time I have answered all 26 reviews. 26? Is that legal?

Icarus Malfoy: Vanilla in all honour, love, but doesn't this dark chocolate flavour look really tasty? winks. Thanks for your loyal service to the story. I owe you big!
Jellicos: Well, almost had you jump through fire there, huh? Sorry about the long delay. Love you!
Michelle: No critizism? Oh, I'll try to survive. (Feigns crying better than Pansy in my handkerchief) Thank you, dear!
Crystal 17: Posting it on what, honey, posting it on what?
Andybear09: Ha! You wrote 'catcha later!' That means you've practically signed up for another review and since the last one was so nice…(tries to look really needy)
Death of the endless: Yeah, don't we all just LOVE to read between the lines in the Potter chronicles? Thanks, sweetiepie!
Imp110: Wow…you read all nine on Christmas Eve? Didn't your Christmas get somewhat tainted by it? Could you look your parents in the eyes? Or did you love the stillness of your own holidays compared to Draco's?
Draco's first 101: Pure Brill? (blushes). Aw, you had me at 'hello'.
Xx-Dani-xX: And I made you wait forever, literally. Sorry. Hope it was worth a tiny bit of it. Kisses!
Mae: Yeah and finally more came up. Hoped you liked it and thanks love!
Wicheania: (Words cannot describe you! Kisses!)
Angelus McCauley: LoL…don't drool on your keyboard, Angelus-cakes! But if you're half as twisted as me, you already have…
Courtney: What can I say? Cookies always works. Hope you get lots of roses, love!
Malfoy's queen: All is well, rest assured, and I really hope life is sweet to you too. Thanks for staying with me all the way! Big hug and kiss!
GaBoO: Well, considering what you hoped for in your last review, I hope the chapter was not too disappointing. And I'm grateful beyond words for your stubbornness to stay through the story. You rock, GaBoO!
Katherine: Oh no, now you've made me cry! Dry your eyes love! Of course I did not abandon you…(I tried, but they caught me on the way to Tahonga).:D
Xrictusempax: Oh, So you're the one who's been standing outside my house, shooting at bypassers and my neighbours? I guess you moved back when you noticed that Sweden was not the place to be. You truly rock as a reviewer! My best wishes!
American brat: Oh, yes, and I used to send you mails, right? And I'm sorry for being a lazy idiot to a degree where my mail account deleted itself. As soon as I've got any time to even mail my close friends, I swear I'll try to write a few lines and hope that you will not want to kill me. Thanks for reviewing! Weird was truly the word!
Dracomalfoychick: And I love you too, honey! If I weren't gay I'd propose for your sweet reviews and if Lucius sees your nickname, he's going to come for you! Beware!
Kaji11: Guess I burned you on the 'update soon'-subject. Sorry!
Tav Gal: Well, the Malfoy stories never truly end, love. They just go to a special place where they live happily ever after. Promise!
A.O.T.I.F: Aaw…(blushes.) No, YOU must be the best, feeding my ego like that!
Aleurier: Sorry, I called your mom before I saw your review. ;P Nah…I bet she's out here under some strange nickname herself. Parents love Potter too! Thanks for reviewing, honey!
Desiree K Troy: You are really too sweet! But hey…kicking me on the chin? Are you sure it won't just get me going, judging by the screwed up stories I write? Thanks for reviewing so faithfully and truthfully!
Mir: Oh, my Gods…I'm afraid you've slayed quite a few while waiting, right? Bless their poor souls!
Impatient reader: Well, finally! A reality check! Yeah, as soon as I saw your review I hurried to finish the story. I'm glad you took the time to show your appreciation to the story. Love! (And if you were on of the other nicks here, then you managed to get two answers. Congratulations!)