Growing Up in Malfoy Manor

.: Epilogue – Platform 9 ¾ :.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and anything related to it belong to J.K. Rowling and/or Warner Bros.

.:-:.

As Draco stepped onto the Hogwarts Express flanked by Crabbe and Goyle after bidding farewell to his parents, he looked around rather wistfully. He, Daphne, Pansy, Blaise and Theo had often discussed their first trip to Hogwarts. Little had they known their plans would never come to pass. At least he could still speak to Pansy, although he knew she didn't enjoy spending time with Crabbe or Goyle. Not that he particularly enjoyed their company either, but he didn't have much choice, did he?

Looking around for an empty compartment as his larger companions trailed dutifully behind him, he accidentally bumped into someone. Straightening and preparing a retort about watching their step, his voice died in his throat as his eyes found Theo's. His erstwhile friend held his gaze for a second before averting his eyes and brushing quickly past. Resisting the urge to turn around, Draco half-heartedly continued to his search for a compartment; at least that way he wouldn't run into anyone else.

.:-:.

After meeting up with Pansy and cajoling her into sharing a compartment despite Crabbe and Goyle, he spent most of the ride in his seat. Once, he convinced the other boys to come with him to check out the rumors of Harry Potter's presence as he could see Pansy's annoyance building. After his offer of friendship was rejected, which he convinced himself did not have the same sting that accompanied his parents' announcement that Daphne was no longer fit for friendship and Theo and Blaise were unavailable, Goyle had to get bitten by a rat, of all things. As they hurried to make their exit, he caught a glimpse of a shockingly familiar face. Although she didn't see him thanks to Crabbe's bulk, he recognized her as the Muggle, (no, Muggleborn, he realized) from the store all those years ago. He couldn't help the surge of resentment that rose upon seeing her, however unfair it was—after all, she had set off a chain of events that resulted in everything going wrong. Putting her out of his mind, for now at least, he stalked back to the compartment with the other two scrambling after him.

.:-:.

That night, Draco settled into his bed, going through the night's events – the five of them had all made it into Slytherin, three of them in the same dormitory room. After waiting a bit until he could hear the telltale snores of Crabbe and Goyle, he pushed his curtains aside.

"Are either of you awake?" he asked quietly. It was comforting to know that Crabbe and Goyle could probably sleep through a herd of rampaging hippogriffs, but he didn't want to disturb either Blaise or Theo if they were already asleep.

There was a brief silence, during which he tried to quell his disappointment, before two voices replied in the darkness.

"I'm awake," said Theo.

"Yeah, me too," replied Blaise.

Another silence fell between them, awkward and highlighting the fact that this was the first time they had spoken to each other in years. Draco wracked his brain for several moments before plunging ahead.

"We said we'd always be friends, didn't we?" he asked, a bit uncertainly. "Our – our parents don't have to know…"

"You want to sneak around?" Theo asked, wary.

"It wouldn't be easy," warned Blaise.

"I know," sighed Draco, "But…"

More silence. "I've missed you guys too," confessed Blaise, "Traveling around got boring fast."

"Yeah," agreed Theo, his voice slowly gaining in confidence, "Hogwarts is pretty big, we'd probably figure something out."

"Brilliant!" Draco breathed in relief.

"What about Pansy and Daphne?" Blaise wanted to know.

"I could ask Pansy about it," Draco suggested. He and Pansy had never had the opportunity to discuss anything like this, though, with their parents, Crabbe or Goyle, and tutors constantly hovering. He had no idea if she'd be willing to take the risk. "I'll have to ask her tomorrow."

"Speaking of tomorrow, we'd best get to sleep now," said Theo.

After they bid each other good night, Draco lay back in his bed, a heavy weight gone from his chest.

.:-:.

The next morning Draco woke up early and dragged Crabbe and Goyle up to the Great Hall for breakfast. Upon arriving and letting the other two settle into their meals, he pretended to have forgotten something and told them he'd meet them for their first class. That problem taken care of, he headed back to the Slytherin common room to catch Pansy before she left.

When she finally emerged from the girls' dormitories, he quickly went up to her.

"Pansy," he said seriously, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Blinking in surprise, she agreed. He caught sight of Daphne leaving the dormitories as they left the common room and felt a small pang as well as a surge of hope as he noticed Pansy glancing toward her as well.

"What is it that you have to ambush me before breakfast?" Pansy demanded after they ducked into an empty hall.

"I talked to Blaise and Theo last night," Draco blurted out. Pansy stared at him, biting her lip.

"I haven't talked to Daphne," she admitted, looking away guiltily.

"Would you?" he asked anxiously. "It'd – the three of us, me, Theo and Blaise, I mean – we want to be friends again. We'd have to sneak around of course but…" He trailed off, watching Pansy.

She closed her eyes for a few moments, before letting out a soft sigh. "I'd like that too," she admitted. "I'll talk to her. How…?"

Draco couldn't help the wide smile that spread across his face, and Pansy couldn't help returning it.

"I'll let you know."

.:-:.

During his spare time that day, Draco looked around the grounds and castle for good secret meeting places. Unfortunately, he had to let Crabbe and Goyle tag along.

"Why're we wandering around outside now?" complained Goyle, looking annoyed. "And inside the castle earlier, too?"

"It'll be good for us to know our way around the place as much as we can," Draco replied convincingly. "It would hardly do for us to go around needing help simply because we're lost."

"All this walking around is making me hungry," Crabbe grumbled.

"Shut it," snapped Draco impatiently, "It isn't time for supper yet anyway."

After more exploration of the grounds accompanied by his still muttering housemates, he had decided upon a secluded area with plenty of shrubbery. During his reconnaissance inside the castle, he had found several out of the way classrooms and corridors that seemed promising.

Now they only had to figure out when to meet and how to get away without attracting attention.

.: -:.

Draco managed to catch Pansy in the common room a couple hours before supper. He dropped off his things in his trunk and headed back out with parchment, quill, ink, and Charms textbook in hand. He managed to lose Crabbe and Goyle by suggesting they play a game of Exploding Snap while he studied with Pansy.

"D'you want to help me figure out this charm? I don't think Flitwick explained it properly at all," Draco announced as he settled into a seat at Pansy's table.

"Sure," replied Pansy, shooting him a puzzled but expectant look; they both knew Flitwick had explained it perfectly well.

"Here's what I don't get," Draco said, smoothing out the parchment and scribbling down some words.

-Have you talked?-

"Hmm," Pansy said thoughtfully, reaching for the parchment and quill, "I think he meant…"

Yes, we're good. When and where?

"So kind of like this?" Draco asked, writing again.

-Not sure – will ask tonight. When are you free?-

Mostly whenever we don't have class. Unlike some people, we don't have constant chaperones. Pansy glanced over at the corner as she finished writing.

-Very funny. Probably the same for the others, so I guess we'll have to work around me.-

"Thanks, that makes everything so much clearer," he said aloud, nodding at Pansy.

"Sure thing, feel free to ask me for help whenever you're in danger of flunking out," she replied with a laugh.

Draco merely rolled his eyes and gathered up his things to head up for the meal.

.: -:.

After he could finally hear Crabbe and Goyle's snores that night, Draco sat up and pushed his curtains aside.

"Hey," he said quietly. He was met with two voices confirming Blaise and Theo were awake.

"So Pansy said she and Daphne are free pretty much whenever we're out of class. You two?"

"Same," Theo and Blaise agreed, also sitting up with their curtains pulled back.

"So it's just those two we have to worry about for now yeah? I can't believe we have to sleep through that every night," Blaise added with a grimace as Crabbe let out a particularly loud snort.

"Well, at least we know they're asleep," Draco replied, shrugging. He'd managed to grow used to the sound over time.

"How's Wednesday then? After supper maybe, before Astronomy?" Theo suggested.

"I can finish up early and let Crabbe and Goyle keep eating," Draco agreed.

"Sounds good. Where are we doing this?" Blaise asked.

"There's this empty room on the third floor," Draco began.

"Not the…" Theo started, remembering Dumbledore's warning at the Welcoming Feast.

"No, but it's sort of near there. I don't think anyone will be coming 'round," assured Draco.

He described the room he meant so that the other boys could find it. Finally, having settled on a plan, they bid each other good night and settled down to sleep.

.: -:.

Draco outlined their plans to Pansy the next morning and she assured him they would both be there. The remaining time until Wednesday evening could hardly pass fast enough, and before he knew it Draco was walking quietly toward their designated meeting room. He had eaten quickly and left before either Crabbe or Goyle were a third of the way through their own plates, so he expected to be the first one there. As such, he was surprised to find the room already occupied.

"Hi." It was a familiar voice, but uncharacteristically soft. Draco stared at its owner. He hadn't seen more than a glance of Daphne since they got to Hogwarts, and she was the only one of his friends that he had yet to speak to since everything had become so messed up.

"Hey," replied Draco quietly. There were a few moments of awkwardness as neither of them knew how to proceed, before Daphne straightened up and stepped closer. His remaining indecision falling away, he met her with a few steps and hugged her, Daphne responding in equal measure.

Suddenly, three more pairs of arms joined in. "Group hug!" said Blaise, grinning. The five of them broke apart, then, laughing. It was as though the past few years had never happened.

There were barely a few hours until they would have to sneak back toward the rest of the castle one by one, but the five of them made full use of them, reconnecting and reconciling. They were able to talk openly in a way that had been impossible through quick asides in dormitories and between classes. Blaise's stories of traveling and his mother's suitors prompted quick rundowns of what they had been through without each other, and each of them were glad to be among their best friends once more.

Although it would take time to figure out exactly where they stood with each other and get past old hurts and regrets, Draco, Daphne, Pansy, Blaise and Theo knew they would continue to find ways to support each other and continue this defiance of their parents. They were determined to get through everything together because they had already experienced what it was like to go on alone.

A/N: There you go, the end! A rather longer epilogue than I was expecting. Hopefully now this will stop nagging my conscience every couple of years. :)