Ulla had been the one to pick Varian up. They apparitioned into the family living room, where the two remained silent for a moment. Then his mother looked at him. "You at least socked him real good with that uppercut I showed you, right?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"That's all I want to know. I don't care who started it, but if you want to talk about why, I'm more than open." She set her back on a hook, acting nonchalant.

"He just spread this stupid rumor about me and this girl. It was ruining her reputation," Varian admitted. He wasn't surprised that his mother didn't care about the fight and was more focused that he was ok.  His father would probably be a little upset it became violent.

"A girl, huh? Which one?" His mother passed him a teasing smirk.

"Yeah, the one that broke my rib," Varian deadpanned, deciding to ignore the implication.  He was not in the mood to address the assumptions of his and Ginny's relationship anymore.  After all, he literally just duked out Draco Malfoy for spreading a false rumor about it.

"The Weasley?" She didn't even try to cover up her surprise.

"Yeah?"

Ulla crossed her arms as she raised a brow.  "It's just, I thought you didn't like the Weasleys?"

"Never claimed I didn't.  Draco didn't like them, so naturally they weren't exactly too keen on me."  He shrugged. "But I guess we're friends now."

"You should be.  No one punches their childhood friend over just anybody," Ulla said.

"I don't even know what we were," he admitted quietly.

She passed him a sad look before wrapping her arms around him in a hug.  "Falling out with friends isn't an easy thing.  Especially when you've known them for so long and everything is going to change.  Give it some time, you'll feel better."

The teen remembered his mother mentioning a friend she once had when she was younger.  How they eventually had a falling out.  Although, he couldn't remember why or what her friend's name was.  But he supposed that she understood a little bit about what was going on.  Or at least how he felt.

The day was long and seconds felt like minutes.  He spent most of his day in his room, reading about potions.  Honestly, he half expected to be grounded or something, but his mother was a firm believer was getting in trouble with school didn't extend at home.  From past experiences, his father usually agreed, but he still liked to talk about what he would like Varian to do in the future.  He supposed he would probably expect that talk after dinner when his father was back from work.

Varian rubbed his forehead as he leaned back against the headboard to his bed, book laying open in his lap.  His mother never cared that he befriended the Malfoy heir.  She was just happy he made a friend.  On the other hand, his father never really liked the Malfoys, particularly Lucius.  But he didn't vocally express his dislike for the family, not wanting to judge Draco for his father's sins.  But, to be fair, Draco was never a great role model, much like Quirin had pointed out.  And as much as Varian hated to admit it, but perhaps his father was right about being skeptical about their friendship, always expecting to go down in flames.

But the adrenaline from the fight had worn off. Had he done wrong? Sure, maybe out right attacking Draco wasn't the best choice.  Maybe they could have talked, but he had tried.  Draco seemed to be determined that what he said about him and Ginny was in his right.  But what had Varian done to deserve hatred from Draco.  Was he truly a fool for believing they had any type of friendship all these years.  Was it all a lie?  Or if they truly were, what happened to change that so suddenly?

Either way, what was done was done.  Whatever they did or didn't have was severed and there was no coming back from that.  Things were going to be different when he returned.  The Slytherins were going to hate him no doubt. Chances were the other houses wouldn't want to be associated with him either.

It didn't matter.  He just needed to focus on his studies, lay low, and finish his school.  He was never great at making friends and now he wasn't sure if he was capable of keeping them or if they were even worth the trouble.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco was picked up by a house elf.  A stupid house elf.  His father couldn't be bothered to get him himself, not that he was sure he would want his father to speak with him at the moment.  But was his mother so busy as well that she too couldn't see him?

In other words, he wanted his mother.  Not that he would ever admit aloud.  Other kids got to run to their parents when they had problem.  How come he had be set on a waiting list?  And when his father made time, it would only be to scream at him.  This time, it would probably be for letting a half-blood get the better of him, embarrassing the family name.  Or whatever.  He didn't really care at the moment to worry about future consequences.

On the bright side, he got to be alone in his room, unbothered by unwanted conversation.  Heck, he was even getting a week break from school.  He was getting a mental break, which was something he could use after the commotion he just caused.

Unfortunately, it was easy to get bored when he was trying to keep himself from thinking.  No Crabbe and Goyle.  No Pansy.  No Varian.  No Harry Potter, Weasely, or the stupid mudblood to pick on.  Although it only ever made him feel better temporarily.  The win never lasted long and lately he hadn't been very good at his comebacks, so all he got was a roasting from a Weasley and sometimes even from Granger.

If he was being honest, he wondered what things could have been like if his family weren't Death Eaters.  He'd still be at Hogwarts, still chummy with Varian.  He wouldn't be building a small rebellion against the Dark Lord with Pansy, which lead to cutting ties with Varian.  He probably wouldn't constantly looking over his shoulder because of the fear of being found out that he didn't want to be a part of the Death Eaters, that he didn't have the same beliefs.  A part of him was beginning to question his views in the wizarding status.

After all, Varian was a half-blood not a pure-blood.  He never vocalized it, but Varian had always been an equal in his eyes.  Unlike Crabbe and Goyle, who were he sometimes felt were dimwitted goons, and they were pure-blood.

Not to mention the fact that the Dark Lord was struggling to take down a half-blood. Not to mention the Dark Lord himself was a half-blood while making claims pure-bloods were elite.  And making the pure-bloods follow and bow to him. So it was either pure-bloods were elite or they weren't. Either the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord were wrong.

Eventually, Draco ventured out of his room, slowly wandering around the halls of the Malfoy Manor.  He came to a large room with a grand piano.  Sitting down, he began to slide his fingers across the keys, debating on what to play. After a moment, he began to hit the keys to Hedwig's Theme.

"At least you're remaining stimulus."

The keys let out a loud, horrendous echo as a startled Draco slammed down on them. He turned himself around to face the speaker.  Immediately, his vision was met the tall figure of his father standing in the doorway.

Recovering himself, Draco lifted his chin up as he straightened his back.  "Hello, Father."

The man merely walked into the room before resting his weight on his cane.  "Suspended?"

"It's only for a week, Father," he bit off.

"Fighting was it?  Was it that Potter boy?"

Draco broke eye contact, but only for a second before returning it.  "No.  It was Meyer."

"Meyer. Meyer..." The man began to mumble, trying to recall the name.  "Meyer, like Quirin Meyer?"

The blond raised a brow.  "Yes.  But his son.  My roommate of practically five years."

"Oh, yes! That one," Lucius said, recognition crossing his face.  Then it darkened sightly.  "What lead to that?"

"We see things in a very different light.  I believe it's safe to say he will never be a Death Eater."

The man merely snorted.  "Whether or not he agrees to help, he still has his uses."

"How so?" Draco asked before he could think.

His father began to slowly pace around the piano.  He was a man who often had to remain still, so walking was a sign of a relaxed mood.  Draco was please, because it meant that his father didn't care about his suspension and he would not be yelled at.  Hopefully.

"Awhile back, I left him a little gift."

The Slytherin Prince did not like the sound of that.  Tom Riddle's diary flashed in his memory and his body went stiff.  No.  His father couldn't have.  Did his father give it to Varian? Of all people, he gave it to the one person Draco was willing to tarnish his reputation over?  And not to mention the fact that he, Draco Malfoy, had been unconsciously sabotaging his own father's schemes and said scheme was now in the hands of the youngest Weasley.

"What is it?" Lucius gave his son a questioning look.  Suddenly, a frown deepened on his face.  "You already know about the diary.  Of for the love of-Draco! Don't tell me you touched that thing!"

The teen winced.  "If you're worried I'm cursed by it, I'm not. I recognized it from the start."

"Did you touch it?" Lucius grabbed his chin.  Not harshly but enough for Draco's heart to start beating a little faster.

"Well... I..."

"Oh, by Merlin's hat!" The man seethed, letting go of his son's jaw.  "Does the boy still have it?"

Tentatively, the younger Malfoy shook his head.  Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose.  "Then, tell me, Draco, who does?"

"The pesky Weasley girl," he muttered, looking away.  "Took the bloody thing from me by her own stupidity.  Thought she should bloody well keep it as long as it wasn't in my room."

His father thought about the new information.  "The Weasley girl?  We can work with that.  But, Draco.  Never interfere with the Dark Lord's plans.  Ever.  If you see something like that, leave it be.  Never touch, remove, or even do anything more than acknowledge it.  Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Father," he answered.

A sigh escaped the man's mouth before he looked at Draco again.  "You're suspended for a week?"

He nodded.  "It seems to be that way."

The Death Eater pondered for a month before his expression became stern.  "For the remainder of you suspension, you are to remain in your room."

What? Draco blinked.  It wasn't like he hadn't been punished before.  Despite what many believed, his father was a very strict man and was no different with his son.  He didn't leave Draco off the hook.  But Draco had to admit that he was confused above what he was being punished for exactly.  And he supposed his expression showed his confusion since father followed up.

"You did tell me you knew exactly what that diary was and interfered with it, knowing it would be part of the Dark Lord's plans.  Considering I'll have to report the new whereabouts of the diary, I'll also must leave out the fact that my own son was the one who got in the was of our initial plans."

Well, Draco did dig that grave for himself didn't he?  And he supposed he never did exactly think about the consequences it would have to the Dark Lord's army when he tried to relocate it. "Very, well, Father..." He mumbled.

His father gave him a curt nod before briskly walking out the room, his robes flapping behind him.  Letting out a sigh, Draco reluctantly dragged himself to his room where he would be stuck for the next week.  A week of complete boredom.

But he supposed it could have been far worse and should probably count himself lucky.  His father had done much harsher punishments in the past.  Yet, the last thing Draco wanted was to be alone with his thoughts, but it was always like that.  And perhaps that was his fault, the reason he was always alone.  After all, what accomplishments had he done to deserve the respect and love he continued to demand as a child?

He ran a hand down his face, the weight of the day wearing on his shoulders.  If he wasn't so exhausted, he might have even cried.  But he was a Malfoy.  He was too proud to cry.  Not even on his own, in a room where no one could see him and would not disturb him until dinner.  Varian was always the better one with handling his emotions.  Even if he thought it made Varian annoying at first.