Draco didn't realize it, but one thing he had in common with the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Make-His-Life-Hell was they both had nightmares.

Draco found himself standing at the top of the grand staircase in his family's ancestral home. At the bottom of the stairs was Hermione. Her hair had been pulled up beautifully to show off the graceful lines of her pretty neck. Little curls dropped here and there and lower curls brushed against her skin and her collarbone. White flowers dotted her hair and she held a bouquet of the flowers in her hands. The dress Hermione wore was of ivory cream silk and lace. The vision of her beauty quite took his breath away.

"This is what you bring into our home, Draco?" Lucius Malfoy stood behind the unwary girl, his wand pointed at his son. Draco had not heard the freezing charm that bound him fast in place upon the stairs.

"Please, father, don't..." Draco pleaded.

"A filthy mudblood," Lucius spat. The elder Malfoy's wand became a dagger, a dagger that slit silently across Hermione's throat. For a moment she stood as the blood spilled down over her dress, changing the lovely white flowers into red. Tears ran from her eyes and down her cheeks as she sank down upon her knees.

Draco wanted to scream, but anger and hatred burned hotter in his grey eyes than did his grief. "I'll kill you," he growled to his father.

Behind Lucius was the snake-faced Voldemort. The evil wizard planted a chaste kiss upon Lucius' cheek and drew his wand. "Ssssuch a pity, Lucssssiussss. Do not grieve, though, for I ssssshall take care of your ssssson for you. Avada..."

"Finish that curse, my lord, and I shall slaughter you like the Muggles you've killed." The Potions Master ripped off his Death Eater mask and pointed his wand at Voldemort's throat.

"Sssseverusss? You would betray me?" With a laugh the Dark Lord vanished and Lucius Malfoy twisted round, cracking his cane across Snape's skull. Snape fell to the ground as the blood from his wound began to drip down his face.

"Forget that you've betrayed our Master, Severus, you've betrayed me. I know what you did and I know you've turned my son against me. I look forward to killing you both." Lucius' honeyed voice was deceptive. Beneath his careful words was a sharpness that turned Draco's stomach.

Draco watched with horror as his father drew his wand from his cane and pointed it at the helpless potions master.

"Avada kedavra!"

The acid green light enveloped Lucius Malfoy and for one second the look he aimed at his son was of pure hatred. Draco dropped his wand and it clattered to the floor.

Draco jerked awake, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. He hated his bed at this moment and slipped from its covers to the chair by the fireplace. He curled up in the large chair and stared at the flames until the horror of his nightmare passed away and sleep, a dreamless sleep, finally claimed him.