Lucius Malfoy grabbed his fallen son with a flash and a snarl, frustration clearly portrayed through the sharp bite of the fingers digging into the back of his neck. Draco, who had barely gotten out of an excruciating shower by order of his father had startled when he saw his father sitting on his bed, and had been grateful that he had changed prior to having walked out of the bathroom though he had certainly not expected his father to be waiting in his room for him to finish his shoulder And really should I not expect these things by now? Hope is foolish at the best of times. Without loosing a beat, Lucius apperated them to the Avery house. Draco had not known why they were leaving, particularly after his Father had punished him, as normally he was given at least a little while to come back to himself after a severe punishment such as this, but all he was given was an order to shower and nothing more because they abruptly needed to go somewhere. Whatever it was had to do with Avery, naturally, and Draco suspected it was why his father ended his punishment early as well. He could not be overly angry then, when his Father pushed him away and ordered him upstairs, to which Draco hastily obeyed, rushing up the stairs as fast as he could go.

Lucius, sneering at his son's hasty escape, longing to beat him once more for the lack of dignity that he showed so effortlessly, He was stopped by the sound of footsteps and a voice, causing his lip to curl but he forced his face to remain once more blank.

"Is he here?" Tom asked frustrated at the sheer length of time that he had had to wait already. He was not known for his patience, after all, though he could deal with it later. He had a feeling that he would have to handle it all later.

"Yes, I told him to got to the upper rooms, as you had instructed." Lucius said carelessly.

"Good, and you had better hope that this works, Lucius, because if it does not..." Tom took a threatening step forward, and the thirty-something year old scrambled backwards a bit, from the formidable 16 year old. It was an almost laughable sight, truly.

"Don....don't worry, I am sure that it will go smoothly..." Lucius gulped and added. "My Lord."

"It had better, I do not like mistakes, or mishaps." Tom turned, before pausing and turning back to Lucius and Avery. "Make sure you leave over the next few days. I am going to need a long while with the Malfoy boy. You may return afterwards, but do not make things difficult."

"Of c-course not, My Lord." Lucius stuttered out. Tom smiled maliciously at the pathetic form of a man, for all his apathy towards violence and even his own son, it was pathetic how he stuttered the moment he saw Tom Riddle, a mere halfblood-it was somewhat funny really-and left the room.

He found the youngest Malfoy alone, in the back corner of a dark room. He was sitting by himself, pressing his body gently against the wall, and looked genuinely exhausted and tired. He had his eyes closed, but he was clearly aware of his surrounding, as he tensed when Tom came closer towards the door. He flipped on the light, causing the young boy to jump up and try to stand. He looked anxious, and, that was indeed his major emotion when Tom looked into the boy's outer layer thoughts. His eyes widened when they landed on Tom's figure. He made a whining sound in the back of his throat, before freezing. He opened his mouth once in an attempt to make a sound, before closing it quickly. He glanced at Tom before Tom realized what the boy was waiting for: A Command. He was uncertain what to do. Tom smiled inwardly, yes, this boy would be perfect.

"Hello, little one, what is your name?" Tom feigned ignorance. Draco made a move to speak, but could not manage to make the words. He was too panicked. "Hey, hey, hey, it's alright. I can get you water? Are you hungry?" Draco nodded hesitantly unsure whether that was a good answer, but from what he had learned living with Lucius the honest answer was always the best one, even if it was only to be mocked upon later. "Alright, I shall return soon." Tom walked to the door, before glancing back. "You can sit down if you want." He watched as the boy practically fell to the ground, legs shaking from the exhausted effort it took to stay standing.

Tom hummed interested in the boy, as he grabbed water. The boy was incredibly obedient. He had no doubt this was likely to do with the fact that Lucius had been beating him earlier, likely right before coming to the Avery Household, Tom was no idiot he knew what it looked like trying to contain ones'self after a beating, he had enough of those to understand the sentiment somewhat. If Tom could gain his trust, it would be best, but still maintain a bit of that fear, the boy would be the perfect servant, perfectly obedient.

He returned with a large glass of water, and the boy looked up in disbelief. Apparently he hadn't expected him to actually return. Tom gave a small smile, allowing his eyes to loose their icy edge, and take a more assuring feel to them. The boy reached towards the water, before catching himself, and looking up at Tom unsure. Tom almost wanted to enjoy just how perfect the Malfoy heir was. It was more than what he had expected. While he figured that Lucius likely had warned him against disobedience whilst at the Avery house, and he knew that the other was confused, Tom was still in awe at just how perfect the Heir was for his uses.

"Go ahead." He said, and the boy gave an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. He grabbed the water gulping it down hastily, causing Tom to be somewhat alarmed. "Hey, slow down!" Tom realized how he sounded, more so by the startled lost look that the Malfoy heir gave than anything else, and hastened to redeem himself. "I don't want you to make yourself sick." Draco slowed himself his eyes still guarded and wary, but obeying Tom nonetheless, with effort, and soon the whole glass was empty. "Feel better?" He asked. Draco nodded. "Think you could answer my question now?" Draco's eyes widened and he made a whining noise at the realization that he had not obeyed the older boy's original request. The question.

"It's alright, calm down. You aren't in trouble." Tom stated softly, still remaining a few feet from the other. The boy calmed instantly.

"Draco Malfoy," The boy said unsure "That's my-my name." He said, picking at his fingertips.

"Nice to meet you, I am Tom Riddle." The boy's head jerked up.

"Tom Riddle? As in the young Lord Voldermort Tom Riddle?" Tom nodded simply, his face remaining impassive as he noticed the boy heading to continue. "I heard Potter talking about you. He seemed to think that you were dead, something about last year and a chamber? I am not entirely sure what went down, but apparently according to Potter you stole the soul of someone and drug them to the Chamber of Secrets. Then you got killed by a Basilisk fang, but Potter wasn't really able to recall most of the details, and as far as I was aware he was acting insane. This year was not much better if the Dementor incidents were anythign to say by it. That boy is obtuse as Goyle sometimes. I..." The boy stopped himself suddenly, and began biting at his lower lip, lowering his head, and dropping his shoulders. He had spoken too much, and entirely unprompted as well! His father would likely be furious.

"Yes, I am Tom Riddle, as in the young Lord Voldermort, but...I am not the same Lord Voldermort your parents followed. He was a nut case, and absolutely insane if what I have heard of him is accurate. I am actually intelligent, and have a heart, more or less." Tom said calmly insinuating that he was more on Draco's side than his parents, that he was different from the monster his parents undoubtedly spoke of in hushed whispers. It was more or less true, but the other did not need to know the extent of these things. Draco looked up, and gave a small smile.

"So...you aren't angry??" the boy was incredibly insecure, Tom noticed. He wanted approval. he was desperate for it. Made sense, as he never got it at home. Lucius' neglect and regular punishments over anything and everything, and Narcissa being almost no help whatsoever it was not all that shocking. "I spoke out of turn, Father would..."

"No, I am not angry." Tom cut Draco off, stopping the thought short. He did not need to be compared to Draco's father. "You were excited and probably a little nervous. It happens." The boy's eyes widened at the admission. "For now I am stuck in this house. Avery, or whatever his name is, is supposed to be my fake 'father' or whatever." Tom sighed long-sufferingly. "He is really annoying. Most of the adults that claim to be my 'supporters' are. I don't know what my older self was thinking. Some of them are incredibly idiotic. I can hardly stand any of them. Than there's the fact that they seem to treat me more like a second in command, despite the fact that I am supposed to be their leader. It is rather frustrating. Can't even follow simple orders. Keep calling me 'kid' or 'child' it is so annoying." Draco smiled hesitantly, unsure of what to say to that. Tom realized that he was overloading the boy, but that was entirely the point of this. "About this...this Harry Potter though, I believe you mentioned him, I am curious..."

"Are you hurt?" Tom asked suddenly, after allowing Draco to spend about thirty minutes venting on about Harry Potter. The boy was sounding like a self entitled brat to Tom. Then again he was just getting one side of the story, there may be some merit to what Draco was saying, and perhaps Draco was being a tad bit overdramatic. Only time would tell. Draco looked up and seemed to be at war with himself.

"I-well, that is..." The boy was nervous again.

"Show me." It was an order, and the boy seemed to recognize it as one immediately. Tom used his customary cold voice with it. He watched in fascination as the boy's eyes seemed to dilate at the order. What a strange reaction. It is not one I have gotten to my orders before. Tom gently probed the boy's thoughts.

He gave me an order...Should I obey or not...What would father say??? He would probably be pissed off....Who cares what the old bat thinks?...But he did specifically tell me...But Tom ordered me to....Forget it, Tom seems more likely to blow a top. Tom was amused at Draco's inside thoughts, and noticed when he seemed to cut his thoughts off, and obey the order Tom had given him. He pulled of his dark blue Tee, and folded it, placing it to the side. Draco took several deep breaths as he allowed Tom to rake his eyes over his bare torso.

Tom noticed several deep bruises, and light scraps. He sighed at the treatment. Reprimanding a child was one thing, but this...this was not okay. He did not doubt that this was the remenence as well, the boy likely healed himself at least a little bit. Draco was, he was told, second in his year, and being beat because he was not first, this seemed quite extensive for that. Tom would punish Lucius for it later. He took out his wand, noticing the terror that suddenly overcame the boy. He whimpered, and pushed himself back, a look of absolute fear in his silvery blue eyes.

"Calm down, little one, I am going to heal you, nothing else." He said quickly his voice projecting calm, trying to gain trust. The boy seemed suspicious.

"Really?" He asked, his voice had an accustomed hard edge to it, that Tom noticed as self preservation. An attempt not to show weakness, he had done it often with older Slytherin students, and Gryffindor ones as well. It was quite alarming to see it on a Malfoy.

"I promise, all I want to do is heal you, right now, those bruises are nasty." Tom said. The boy seemed to accept Tom's confession, and though still tense, allowed Tom to preform several healing spells on him, to heal his torso, and back and arms. It was not as though the Heir had much of a choice, something Tom was aware the other knew but he would take whatever it was that he could get at this point. About fifteen minutes later, he was finished, and Draco had put his shirt on once more. Tom stretched his awareness around the room to see if the adults were gone yet but...

"Lucius left, a few minutes ago. So did your pretend father Avery Jr." Draco said once he realized what Tom was doing. Tom looked at him curiously.

"How could you tell?" Draco looked Nervous, but answered nonetheless.

"I studied Magical Energies. I thought it could help alert me when Lucius comes or leaves. You know, so I had a heads up or whatever. Anyways. I learned how to do it at Hogwarts last year. It was really rather simple, despite Flit-wick saying it was a complex magic. I noticed that Lucius seems to have a more...potent aura around him, stronger than average, that is, I noticed when the magic around the house dimmed, and realized that he left. A minute or so later, Avery did too." Tom did not smile, but his eyes showed pleasure.

"I am impressed." Draco's eyes showed confusion. Tom expanded. "It is a complex magic to normal people. From what you told me, Potter and his pathetic friends would have trouble with it. I am impressed that you managed to catch onto it so quickly, and apply it so effortlessly. It is a great feat. Well done." Draco's entire continence lit up at the praise.

"Really?" He asked. ah, Tom thought. the Insecurity. Needs to be sure. Annoying it may be but this would help fast track his attachments to me so I cannot be overly agitated over Lucius' mistreatment of him.

"Yes, you did well." The boy seemed to buzz with the praise. he also seemed to be close to crashing from exhaustion. Tom was genuinely amused with the young Malfoy. He was endlessly complex. "Come, lay down, you must be tired." Once more Draco seemed to hesitate.

"But, what if Father find out?" He asked in a small, trembling voice, full of fear.

"Shh, it's alright." Tom said automatically, lifting his hands up in a defenseless gesture. "I will take care of him. After all, I am Tom Riddle. Despite the fact that I am not the Lord Voldermort that he followed, does not mean that I don't scare him to some degree. Don't worry." Draco seemed to relax at that. And, in less that a minute on the bed, fell into a deep sleep. Tom gazed fondly at the boy. He had a feeling that he would be falling farther into this than he was comfortable. He had to be careful.