Chapter Text
Draco isn't sure when it first happened. Maybe it was when he was 5? Or perhaps it was that one instance when he was 7 or 8? Either way it happened. Of course it wasn't particularly a good thing, but it helped him. By this point of time that was the only thing that mattered to him.
"Draco, this is Kevin. I expect you to get along nicely with this boy" Lucius said to his son, partionally hidden by his leg. With gentle nudging he managed to get his son in front of him. Draco carefully walked forward after a reassuring glance from his mother.
"Hello there, my name is Draco Malfoy and I'm seven years old." He introduced with his hand outstretched. The other boy stood there for a minute with a small frown. Kevin looked at Draco, seemingly unpleased with whatever he saw. Once Draco's polite smile began to twitch and become nervous Kevin grinned.
"Hello to you to Draco. My name is Kevin and I do believe we'll be great friends." He shook his hand as Draco began to beam. He was so excited. His first friend! They went to Draco's room where he began to show his toys.
Thinking back on it perhaps that was one of the bigger reasons why it happened.
"As... interesting as these all seem, why don't we do something else?" Kevin began, dropping one of Draco's more cared for toys. He gave a tiny frown at that before his face was filled with confusion. "Like what? Going outside?"
Kevin smelled slowly as an idea formed in his head. "Yes, that's precisely what we should do. We could look at the garden that you have, it really does look nice in the front, or we could play some type of game." Draco paused as he gave it some thought. If they stayed within a few yards of the door they would be fine. He gave a small nod and with that they went outside.
"Shouldn't we tell them we're heading outside?" Draco began, something rubbing him the wrong way, as he followed Kevin outside "In case they need us for something?"
Kevin let out a large sigh while he shook his head. "If they need us they can send out a house elf for us. Now let's go, I wanna play hide-and- seek!" Draco nodded, not seeing the flaw of logic in that. It was true that his parents would send an elf sometimes to fetch him. If they did it then than they could do it now. Despite this Draco still couldn't get rid of that nagging feeling inside of him.
After explaining the game to Draco, Kevin ran and hid in the amount of space Draco insisted they stay in as Draco closed his eyes and began to count. Quickly Draco was able to find him, knowing the good spots to hide behind. "I found you!" He exclaimed with childish glee. Kevin nodded and gave out a laugh. "No fair, you know this area inside and out." The other nodded at this. "Of course I do! I live here!"
They went a few more rounds like this, the unease dissolving, before Kevin spoke. "Why don't we go further? We've already used all the spots to hide here." Draco nodded along and like around. He could see at least five more spots to hide but he wasn't going to point them out. Besides, this was his first friend, he didn't want to let him down so soon after meeting. So, again, he followed what Kevin did despite the unease that began to fill him again.
Slowly, without his notice, they moved far away from his comfort zone to play in. "One more round, then we can stop and head back inside." Kevin pleaded when the other pointed this out. He nodded and turned to go hide. As he went further into the maze than they had he did his best to keep track of markers. A rose here, five twigs there, a small hedge opening right there. When he heard "ready or not here I come!" he sat on a stone bench that was hidden in the clearing he found.
On his seat he waited there for the sounds of his friends footsteps. After awhile he shrugged before getting up to explore this spot. Kevin did seem to take longer finding him with each round. There in the center of the small alcove was a pond. He kneeld before wincing. He really shouldn't be getting his new clothes dirty but it was too late. Deciding he already got them muddy he stayed where he was.
Inside the pond he could see some fish swimming around. The colors and patterns intrigued him. He sat there for awhile before the name of them came to mind. Koi fish. They really were pretty. He rolled up his sleeve and let his arm slip into the water. The koi fish swam around, some letting Draco pet them. Slowly, the feeling of unease began to fill him.
He sat up as he shouted his friends name. "Kevin?"
No response.
Again he shouted, "Kevin?" panic beginning to set in.
And again, no response.
If the doze he began to get sitting with the fish was still there than it sure was gone now. He began to trace his steps back as he still shouted his friends name.
"Draco!" He finally heard.
He sighed in relief at this. "What happened? I was waiting for you to find me."
There was a pause before Kevin yelled back, "You took too long to find so I began to head back. I really am tired of playing with you for now so I'm heading home now." Draco stood there, confused, before the words set in.
"Wait don't leave me here!" He yelled, beginning to jog, still following his steps back.
"Its been fun Draco! Maybe we could play again soon."
At this his jog turned into him running. "Wait Kevin! It won't take me long! Just wait a minute!" He seemed to miss a mark but that didn't matter.
"Bye Draco."
He stopped and blinked, "Kevin?" he yelled. Nothing. "Kevin?" He yelled louder. No response. Panic set in and he ran.
Draco knew he shouldn't have done this. Knew he should have stayed inside or at least in the area of the garden that he memorize. Just like he knew Kevin really did leave him here in the garden maze by himself. Tears began to swell and fall as each turn he took lead him to a new area he hadn't passed on his way in. On occasion, whenever he realized this, he stopped and turned back only to find he was in a new place.
Further and further he ran, tears still falling, legs getting tireder with each step. Eventually he found himself in a large opening. Inside there was a fountain, an alcove, and a few benches along with many different flowers and vines decorating the place. The sight of this soothed him a bit but did nothing for him being lost, except it did. He was in the center of the garden maze.
Draco fell to his knees as his crying began again. "Mummy!" He screamed, terrified, "Daddy!" Soon the light of the sky darkened as the moon began to rise. At this his screams renewed with a desperateness he hadn't known himself capable of. With each name he screamed the quieter it got till he yelled his voice gone. Quietly he sobbed as he lay on the floor next to the fountain.
Yes, this was most defiantly the cause of one.
When it seemed he could neither cry not scream anymore a thought accured to him. Dobby. He scrambled upright as he forced the last of his voice to come out. "Dobby." He whispered. Immediately the house elf popped up in front of him.
"Yes sir young master Malfoy sir?" Dobby said upon appearance. The house elf gasped at the sight of Draco. There he stood, new clothes covered in spots of mud, scrapes on his palms from him tripping in his haste, teartracks down his face, eyes red and face blotched with red. "Oh no!" Dobby began, tugging on his ears, "This is Doppy's fault ain't it? Will be in so much trouble when they see this. I'm sorry young master Malfoy sir!"
Draco shook his head as he forced the elf to stop hurting himself. Dobby looked up at him with inquisitive. Draco opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He frowned at this. Pointing at his throat he shook his head. Dobby scrunched his eyebrows before he figured it out.
"Can young master Malfoy sir not speak?" He gasped. Draco nodded as he put his hands together in a pleading motion before in the direction of his house. "Young master Malfoy sir wants to go home?" Dobby asked, making sure he wasn't mistaken. At Draco's nod Doppy too the end of Draco's sleeve before apparating back to Draco's room.
With this Dobby bowed before trying to leave. Before he could the pull of something on his clothes stopped him. When he looked up he saw Draco's pleading eyes as he shook his head. At that moment Dobby came to a silent understanding. With that he walked downstairs and into the lounge room where Draco's parents say with Draco still holding onto his clothes.
"Draco, there you are. Kevin left quite the while ago saying you got tired and wanted to sleep." Narcissa said before looking up. At the sight of Draco she gasped. She stood, beginning to head over to him, when he ran towards her hugging her her legs. Despite the mud he was getting all over her robes Narcissa let him stay there.
Soon she was able to sit him on the couch. Across from them sat Lucius with a slight frown gracing his face. No matter the amount of coaxing they were unable to get Draco to speak. When Narcissa turned to look at her husband, who had moved to the other side of their son, was when she noticed Dobby. There he stood, scared, in the corner but seemingly unwilling to leave.
Calmly she began to speak although her eyes displayed elsewise. "Dobby, come here" she bagan, "and explain what happened." He took tentative steps forward and stepped into the spot she indicated before speaking.
"Dobby found young master Malfoy sir in the garden by himself ma'am. I's had nothing to do with it, promise! Hes was by himself when I's found him!"
The slight twitch of her eyebrow displayed how displeased she was. Dobby flinched. With a glance she saw Draco's nod even with his head buried into her side. She shared a nervous glance with her husband before sighing. "You are dismissed Dobby."
He gave a worried whine as he nodded while frantically glancing between her and Draco. At the sight of Draco's nod his shoulders sagged and he gave a relieved sigh before popping out and to wherever he went.
When Draco finally got his voice back he convinced his parents that he still wanted to be friends with Kevin. It was his first friend. Friends are important. It was probably just this once. With great displeaser they continued to let Kevin over.
It was not just that one time.
Each time Kevin came over he found a new way to tourment Draco. And with each time it got worse and worse. Just like with each time Draco told his parents about it less and less as he seemed to forget more and more of each experience.
This continued until finally, a year later, it seemed something inside Draco snapped.
This time he was tied up as his face was repeatedly dunked below the surface of another pond somewhere in the garden maze. His body flailed as he struggled against his bonds. When the last of his air went out Kevin pulled him back up.
"See? Isn't this so much more fun than riding on that stupid broom you got for you Christmas?" Kevin spoke, glee dropping from his voice. Said broom laid to the side broken into thirds. Draco's lip began to shake as he avoided the urge to cry. "Ready! One! Two! Three!" He said before dunking Draco back below the water and holding him there.
Draco's vision began to fade, as he had gotten used to, while his body sagged. Kevin pulled him back up and poked his cheek. "Come on now, it's no fun ic you don't put up a fight."
He sighed as he got no response before realising Draco's chest wasn't moving. "Come on, I didn't kill you now did I?" He said, his poking of Draco's cheek a bit frantic. Before he could realise what happened, Draco let in a quick inhale before biting Kevin's finger.
"Don't touch me." He growled out, managing to get to his feet with his arms still tied. His chest quickly rose and fell as it obtained the air robbed from it. Kevin sat on the floor as he clenched his bleeding finger. "Or what you brat? Gonna suck me in the water? Your the one with your hands tired" which was true.
Draco did have his hands tied. Not for lack of trying though. He just needed enough time with his arms away from Kevin so he wouldn't crush his fingers when he tried. This interaction gave him just that.
"Mmm" Draco hummed, "that's where you're wrong." The ropes around his arms fell to the floor. "I truly don't understand why he wants you as a freind so much."
Kevin looked confused before he stood up. "You're nothing but a pathetic nothing I play with to stave off boredom!" Kevin said, voice raised almost to a yell. The other shrugged as Kevin lunged himself at Draco. They scuffled for a while before Draco got the upper hand by biting Kevin's arm. He managed to tie Kevin's arms behind his back.
He dragged Kevin to the pond and had him kneel on the edge of it. "Truely" he began, "the pathetic one" before he gave a gentle push to Kevin his foot allowing him to fall in. With a yelp Kevin fell into the water. Draco crouched there a few seconds before rolling his eyes. "Really Draco, him? This is the garbage you choose as your friend?" He muttered before going into the water and retrieving Kevin.
As he breached the surface and was set on his stomach, Kevin coughed up the mouthfull he'd gotten falling in. Draco patted his back before speaking. "You truely are pathetic. Picking on an eight year old even when your ten? All because you wanna feel bigger and more important than you are. Draco may like you but I absolutely detest you. Next time you try to pull something like this your finger won't be the only thing that bleeds, alrighty?" Kevin nodded as fear laced his eyes. With that Draco called in Dobby.
"Yes sir young master Malfoy sir?" He began before looking up. He immediately squeaked. "Oh no! Not again!" He quickly grabbed Draco's outstretched hand and apparateted them to the door leading inside. Draco untied Kevin and let him run inside.
Draco frowned as he entered with Dobby by his side. Noticing how jumpy he seemed Draco stopped. "What's wrong Dobby?" He questioned. Dobby flinched and hunched his shoulders higher up.
"Well young master Malfoy sir, I's never seen you so mean to someone. So... Dobby is..." The house elf trailed off, tugging on his ears. Draco sighed as he made the elf stop hurting itself again.
"There's no need for you to ever be scared of us Dobby. You're always there to help us when we need it. We wouldn't dare dream of hurting you." Dobby nodded, accepting tuts although confused.
"Us?" He couldn't help asking.
"Yes, us." Draco began, "Draco and I."
Although this also confused Dobby he took it and accepted what was said. Together they walked into the lounge room where both Draco's and Kevin's parents sat. Kevin stood next to his parents cowering and still dripping wet.
"Hello Mr and Mrs. Fluer, hopefully you don't mind that Kevin and I got a little carried away while playing. We ended up falling right into the water. Isn't that right Kevin?" He said with a polite smile in place. At this Kevin jerked before nodding. "That's right mum, we got a little bit carried away while playing."
They grumbled about Kevin getting wet as all three Malfoys walked them to the door. "I do hope we get to play again Kevin." Draco said as a way of goodbye. Kevin sneered, "better watch it Malfoy." With the others parents already ahead he took great pleasure slamming the door in Kevin's face.
"Good riddance." He muttered.
"My haven, Draco, mannors!" His mother exclaimed in a rare manner of shock.
"I do apologize Mum, for the lack of mannors in front of you, but he didn't deserve any." He apologized before finishing, "I'm afraid you have the wrong name though Mum." Both of his parents gave him a confused look before Dobby popped back in holding Draco's broken broom. Neither paid attention.
"Wrong name? I do hope we would know the name of our own son." Lucius replied with an eyebrow raised.
"Yes, but not this one's." Upon their silence and Dobby's expectant look at what to call him Draco elaborated. "I am named Draco but I'm not named Draco. My name is Cepheus."
They all nodded in silence before his parents noticed the broken broom Dobby held in his hands. With a brief and non thorough explanation Cepheus headed up to bed after kissing both his Mum and Dad on the cheek.
Come morning during breakfast and Draco was confused as to why they called him Cepheus and why, it seemed, Kevin left so soon after visiting. But none of that mattered. He wouldn't meet Kevin again until his 3rd year in Hogwarts and Cepheus would have no reason to come out again until then. Out of sight, but certainly not out of mind for the other three residents of Malfoy Maner.