thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

"Ahh! Explains why you'd be around here." His smile was easy, friendly, and he looked utterly relaxed about talking to a stranger. That kind of person - the kind Draco knew few if any of. "Well, if you're exploring..." The Muggle looked around, then his smile towards Draco grew before offering his hand. "Nice to meet you. Name's Jake, and you are?"

He couldn't help but find the Muggle interesting. He was different...laid back and had an open personality about him. This was new for Draco as he was always taught to be more reserved and guarded...careful with who you associated with. He was breaking so many rules today.

And he enjoyed it...breaking from this mold his parents tried had enforced on him since day one. It seemed rather easy to talk with him...and Draco had a hard time trying to decide what was okay to say and not. Hesitantly he held out his hand as well and shook Jake's hand. He wasn't one to shake hands with anyone and the fact that he shook Jake's hand was a gesture to show that he was trying to change.

"Er...the name's Draco..." he responded with a sheepish grin. He knew his name had to stand out as even in the wizarding world people always gave odd reactions to his name. "My mother has a big thing with constellations..."

Edited 2015-10-16 23:17 (UTC)

The sheepishness and the explanation got a laugh out of Jake, giving Draco's hand a firm shake without being crushing or too weak. "I was just about to ask if you had hippie parents or they were really into that old movie Dragonheart." Having fun with it without being teasing, he held the grip for a second longer before letting go. "Constellation is pretty cool, though. Better name than Jake." That grin again.

Lucky finally stopped leaning so hard into Draco and was sniffing at the sidewalk curiously, but Jake's attention was on Draco. "What sort of scene you into?"

Draco's handshake was pretty firm, noting that Jake was trying to not appear to imposing or weak with it. He hid the confusion about the movie as he had no clue what one was...he had heard other students mentioning movies from time to time...but that seemed to be very Muggle and the way Jake was talking about it concluded it. He took no offense to the teasing.

Quickly, he glanced at his watch to see how much time he had left, with out trying to be rude. He certainly wasn't trying to cut Jake off, he was actually enjoying himself. He knew he couldn't afford to miss the meeting Remus had set up for him. He made a face realizing that not a lot of time was left.

"I'll simply go with what you have to suggest." Draco answered. "Only I can't hang around too much longer, I have a meeting to attend to that I can't afford to miss."

"Sorry to hear it," Jake said with that sort of tone that suggested he meant it. He gave a bit of a shrug before he looked back, giving a little nudge on the lease to get his dog's attention. "Don't want to keep you. If you're the type who likes to have some fun though, there's not too much to do around here, but we're having a party tonight. Why don't you come over? Welcome you to the neighborhood, even if it's only temporary."

Dark eyes glinted as he laughed. "Unless you'd rather stick with the family."

Draco was a little surprised by the invitation, only he kept his reaction with an impassive expression. He was trying hard to read into it, unsure of what to make of it. It certainly felt like a sincere invitation. As much as Draco wanted to trust Jake, he didn't want to blindly trust him either.

The thought to be among other people his age...even if they were Muggle was tempting. Then there was the fact he hadn't been to a party before...at least none that weren't formal. Nor, did he want to sound needy and desperate.

"And where do I meet if I decide to attend?" Draco replied.

"What's your number? I'll text you the address and time," Jake said as he pulled out his phone, unlocking it with a press of his thumb to the home button before looking back up to Draco. "Isn't going to be a big party, but a bunch of the local guys getting together. Maybe see if we can swipe something to drink?" That easy laugh again, waiting for the phone number he thought he'd get.

"I tend to not rely on my phone. I think it takes away a lot of the freedom with being tied down to a simple device like that. It's bad enough having to have a watch an eye on time." Draco answered. Really he couldn't understand why Muggles were so focused on them.

So this group wanted to drink. He wasn't too keen on the idea, but he still may check it out. He was more familiar with wines then beers. He wondered if getting the drinks was some kind of test to see what he was like. He raised an eyebrow. "What drinks are you looking to get?"

Edited 2015-10-17 14:00 (UTC)

"Your parents drank deep on the 70s, I can tell." Jake laughed, gesturing out as he spoke with a hand. "It's cool, though. As for drinks... whatever we can get our hands on, I guess. If you've got a hook up with something, bring it. We'll hang out, maybe play some video games, whatever. Just a fun kind of night. Mm, if I can't text you though..." He dug into his jeans pocket and dragged out a small piece of paper and looked around, then held out a finger. "Hold on." He dashed into a nearby shop, and when he came back out, it had an address on it and a time - 8PM.

"Here. If you want, come by."

Oh if only he knew...Draco shook his head but said nothing. He was more amused by Jake's response. To a degree he understood where Jake was coming from especially with the bit of information Draco felt he could give. Still, he was way off the mark.

"Thanks," Draco replied and tucked the piece of paper in his pants pocket. "I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to swing by."

Jake raised a hand in goodbye. "Hope to see you there, Draco," he said with a nod, that smile remaining, before he gave a cluck of his tongue to his dog. "Come on, Lucky!"

Lucky gave one more quick lick of Draco's hand before dog and owner started down the street towards the residential area up the street, the iced coffee dangling from Jake's hand as they walked.

Which left Draco enough time to get back to Remus' home, if he could find the way.

Draco raised his hand as well and gave a final pat on Lucky's head before he turned in the opposite direction. Now the real test began to see if could find his way back.

Also, he wondered where Tonks was. How much of it had she seen? He had tried his best to keep an eye out for her, but with all the commotion going on it was hard. Or was Tonks Jake? At this point he didn't know and he assumed he would learn later.

Eventually he found his way back to Remus's home. There were a couple of times where he thought he made a wrong turn when he didn't see a familiar landmark, but to his own relief he did find his way back home...with out having to use magic.

Draco would see a rare sort of side of his former teacher when he arrived home because while Tonks was there, Teddy tucked up in a cradle nearby that was slowly swinging on its own, Remus was sitting on the front room sofa in what proved to be actually perhaps a touch on the shocking side, for he was in a decent suit. He stood up when Draco returned through the front door and smiled as he adjusted the edge of it.

"Good to see you back, and just in time." He didn't seem shocked or anything, and Tonks had a bit of a smile on her lips as she turned to check on her son. "We'll still need to hurry to make sure we're there on time, however."

"Sorry about that...I tried to get back sooner."

Draco replied. He couldn't help but have an amused look. It was indeed rare to see Remus in a suit.

He quickly ran upstairs to grab a suit jacket and tossed his sweater off and place the jacket on. He quickly brushed his hair and made sure he was presentable and then headed back down.

He was still nervous about this meeting and being back in the wizarding community. Let alone what Tonks had seen and thought.

Remus usually had on a series of simple outfits, almost Muggle like, instead of wearing the usual robes that the wizarding community at large preferred. However, the suit he wore today was definitely of a more wizarding taste, though strangely new for him. Tonks probably put him up to it.

When Draco came back down, Remus gave him one of those perpetually slightly-off smiles of his. "Let's get going." He and Tonks shared a brief kiss and Tonks gave him a look that meant more than her words before she grinned. Remus briefly brushed his fingertips over Teddy's head before he nodded to Draco.

"We're in luck - right down the street we've a connected Floo right to the Ministry, so we don't have to work too much on getting around." He locked the front door behind him, but gave a greeting to a neighbor who was outside before they headed back towards the shops.

In fact, he turned into the soap shop and gave a quick greeting to the woman behind the counter. "Afternoon, Mabel. Mind if we borrow the floo?" he asked, leaning in so they wouldn't be over heard.

"Go right back, Remus. Good luck today."

He gave a weak smile and followed Remus. Of course the soap shop would be connected. He was glad that he hadn't stopped in. Still it didn't stop them from seeing or possibly hearing anything.

Draco kept his head low and didn't make eye contact with anyone. He wasn't sure what to expect and mainly tried to steady his own nerves.

Remus, however, caught that behavior and hesitated when they appeared, leaning into murmur, "you don't want to seem ashamed, but you don't want to look as haughty as everyone believes your family. Keep your gaze level and act as if you're here for a reason, because you are. Now follow me."

With that attempted pep talk, Remus started to lead the way through the Ministry. The place they were going seemed to have quite the security around it, and several Aurors eyed Draco uncertainly. Remus spoke to someone about their appointment, and she nodded and gestured for him to go in.

Draco might very well recognize the tall, stately figure of the current Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shaklebolt. Remus walked up to him and the two shook hands, then Kinsley focused his gaze on Draco.

"Draco Malfoy."

"I'm sorry, Draco replied in a soft voice. "I'm just really nervous..." Even after the pep talk, Draco's face paled even more when they approached the Aurors. He tried to do what Remus suggested, but he was struggling to not take off. He kept trying to tell himself that this wasn't some sort of trap that he had the right to be here. They had been pardoned.

The looks of the Aurors' faces didn't help and other employees that were around. The fact that this area needed so much security only told Draco so much...and now he knew why Remus wouldn't tell him who it was they would be seeing.

Draco froze in his spot when his eyes fell upon Kinsley. This was just as bad as having Lord Voldermort greet and hug him as he took him back to his side of things. He tried to hold his trembling hands together, but he forced himself to match Kinsley's gaze. He tried to respond back, but found that he couldn't speak. The words simply froze where they were.

"Lupin tells me of the story you wove to him, about what you were forced to do and what you chose to do in the face of your parents actions and He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named." Kingsley stepped closer, eyes not leaving Draco. It was only the three of them in the room, now, but there was no doubt that there would be protection on the Minister.

"And more so, he speaks that he believes your story. I find it strange that a man of his nature would speak for a Malfoy. Tell me, why has he done such a thing?"

It was a challenge, and Remus said nothing at all to it, not quite expressionless but it was very difficult to read. Nervous, perhaps, or maybe ashamed? He would always be different, even among those he considered friends and allies.

"He-- He showed us compassion even though none of us deserved it. Especially when we had given him and others a hard time in the past. We had hid in shame due to our failures and mistakes.

Had Remus not shown up when he did...and warned us... none of us would have survived the attack. --And we would have deserve it. He had every right to turn away from us, but he stayed....Where we would have ran if placed in such a situation."

As he spoke, Draco held his gaze with Kingsley. He tried not to look over at Remus...uncertain of what he would see there. His voice wavered as he spoke, but there was no malice in there or the haughty nature that came with the Malfoys.

"His act of bravery not only in front of the dementors, but to stay and help us had triggered something inside me. Something I thought I had buried a long time ago in order to follow in my family's footsteps.

Because of that... I put aside my own needs to help him out knowing that it shouldn't be a task he should do alone...especially with that many running around."

Kingsley made a small noise, not of agreement or disagreement, but thoughtfulness. His eyes did not look away from Draco, focused on the young man. "And now? Do you still chose to follow in your family's footsteps? They had chosen to walk a dark path, and since have not given any sign that they wish to repay the damage that they have done. They were pardoned due to what others have said, but their actions have spoken loudly since, even without words."

Edited 2015-10-18 22:26 (UTC)

"I want to help. I don't want to be that spoiled rich kid who did all the wrong choices. I want to redeem myself for my past actions...I want to save my family's name."

Draco replied as he sucked in his breath a bit to steady his nerves.

"My father hasn't been in the right state of mind since his imprisonment and the punishments he's received since then. My mother and I have been trying to keep him grounded...but it's getting harder to do so and she's starting to break more under the strain."

He wasn't looking for pity for them or forgiveness. It was merely an explanation.

"How far would you be willing to go to prove your words, Draco Malfoy?" He stepped forward, his voice low and pointed. "Would you drink of truth potion? Let your thoughts be drained to a pensive? Is your future worth more than that of your parents?"

Nearby, Remus' gaze had gone to Kingsley, clearly trying to understand where the man was going with this. This wasnt' what he had been expecting at all from the other man. This was... harsher. Perhaps he had been naive in how Draco would be handled...

"I--What do you mean about my parents? What will you do to them?" Draco replied confused and alarmed by the way this was changing. He had been about to agree, but then he didn't understand where this put his parents.

He stepped back as if to shrink away from Kingsley...suddenly feeling like the kid he was trying not to be.

"This is a question you must decide for yourself. Are you more than your family, than your parents, or are you your own man? If your parents prove to remain of the darkness that they had walked before, would you take up their side again as you had in the past?" Kingsley stepped forward again, his tall dark form almost looming despite the fact his expression remained neutral, his tone level. "What will you chose to do now, and then?"

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