Mine

by Raquelle Rox

Lucius Malfoy's greatest desire was own something that would be his and only his, not belonging to the Malfoy name. He hadn't thought that was possible until Draco Malfoy came along and turned Lucius into a loving father but what happens when Lucius decides that Draco needs discipline, not devotion and distances himself from Draco? A touching one-shot, featuring Lucius and Draco.

MINE

Author's note: This is an AU. It is a one-shot exploring the relationship of Draco and Lucius Malfoy.

Author's note 2: I just corrected the grammatical errors.

I am thinking about writing another Harry potter fanfic but id like to know, which would you prefer; another Draco and Lucius father/son fluff or a relationship blossoming between Harry and Snape to turn into an eventual father/son fic?

Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination. All these amazing characters are purely JK Rowling's creation.

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Mine…a word almost foreign to Lucius Malfoy's tongue…almost. It is quite surprising that a man of Lucius Malfoy's fortune can call very few things his own. But that was the sad truth, Lucius Malfoy had realised and accepted a long time ago but that didn't make the thought any less painful to bear. As Lucius Malfoy sat on his expensive recliner in his richly decorated study, sipping exquisite wine whilst his father, Abraxas Malfoy, who was visiting his mansion, ranted on about the current wizarding politics. Lucius nodded at all the right moments and expressed short, clipped opinions of his own when appropriate but let Abraxas lead the conversation for his mind had wandered far away, to his innermost thought; the thought that plagued his life, his one failure and yet it was his most precious thought for it was that thought that kept him human; his thought to have something he knew he could never have, his human desire to gain what was beyond his capabilities, his sole wish to own something meaningful that was only his, to be able to call something 'mine'.

You see, despite his huge fortune and powerful influence in the wizarding world, Lucius Malfoy had realised that there were very few things that were his and only his. As a child, he had thought the manor would one day be his and only his but when that day had come, Lucius had realised that, like every other thing he owned, the manor belonged to the Malfoy title. He couldn't design the manor as he saw fit, the manor was to look as it was expected of any home of the Malfoys to look. He had then, oh so innocently, thought that his wife would be his and only his and he was delighted at the prospect of marrying Narcissa, a gorgeous brilliant witch who would make a fine wife to any man lucky enough to win her hand in marriage. However, after a few months of marriage, Lucius had come to the dismaying conclusion that his wife too belonged to the Malfoy name and not to Lucius Malfoy specifically; his wife dressed as expected of a maiden of the Malfoy family to dress and acted as was expected of her, not as Lucius desired, not that he had ever asked her to, because, of course, as the head of the Malfoy family, he was expected to ensure all members of the Malfoy family acted as was expected of them. What was even more depressing was the fact that Lucius knew that despite his unexpressed love for her, his wife only loved the Malfoy name and had no affections to spare for Lucius. She did her duty as a wife and spent the rest of the day at balls and galas.

The only thing that came close to being only Lucius's was his silver cane for no one, but Lucius had ever touched the object, aside from the blacksmith who had manufactured it especially for Lucius. The blacksmith had died a few days after its completion and so Lucius was the only living person who had ever laid hands on his precious cane, even the house elves weren't allowed to clean it. And that brought Lucius a sliver of joy. However, the cane was just that, a cane, his cane but a cane nonetheless. Lucius wanted something special to be his, something that he could love, and it could love him, but he had satisfied himself with the possession of his precious cane, accepting the fact that the Malfoy name came with such a price. And then came along Draco Malfoy.

At Draco's birth, Lucius was well rehearsed in what was expected of him and how he was to make Draco Malfoy's expectations clear to the little boy as he grew. He knew he was expected to raise the baby boy with the same distance and firmness his father had shown him, and he was fully prepared to do it…until he heard his boy's cry. He couldn't stop himself from rushing to the new-born baby, sparing his wife a brief glance in the process. To this day he couldn't tell you what possessed him to snatch the little baby away from the midwife the way he had, as if she was tainting him, and cradle the child with a gentleness he didn't know he could possess. Upon his father and wife's insistences he had reluctantly handed the baby over to the caretaker they had hired the week before after holding the child in his arms for an hour or so.

When he had held the boy, Lucius had felt an indescribable happiness as if maybe the child could fill the void in Lucius's heart, as if he could be his and only his. However, his bubble popped when he was told to hand the baby over to the nanny who had seemed an essential employee a few moments ago but now was unwanted in Lucius's opinion. Yet, he handed the child over, albeit reluctantly. As he did so, he felt as if he was giving up his one chance at happiness along with it, his one chance to make the child his and only his. But this needed to be done, the child wasn't his, the child, like everything else in his life, belonged to the Malfoy name, for he was the heir of the Malfoy fortune. The child didn't belong to Lucius alone… or did he?

As soon as the caretaker had gotten a hold of him, the baby had begun shrieking in earnest. Despite the sudden overwhelming urge to scoop his baby into his arms and fire the caretaker on the spot, Lucius had remained seated and had quietly witnessed ten minutes go by as the caretaker tried to quieten the baby with no success. Finally, as his father left the room to announce the arrival of the Malfoy heir and Narcissa fell asleep, with the instruction "get the baby under control" to the caretaker, Lucius stood up and silently took the baby from her arms and sent her to her quarters. As soon as the Lucius secured the baby in his arms, the baby quietened, content to sleep in his father's secure arms.

"Mine…You are mine little Draco" Lucius whispered softly as he rocked the infant and the baby emitted a small sigh as if to voice his agreement.

XXX

'If only that could have lasted,' Lucius thought bitterly, forcing himself out of the fond memory of Draco's birth. That moment of happiness had lasted until Draco's eighth birthday and that was Lucius's fault. Lucius had fallen in love with Draco the moment he had carried the child in his arms and at that very moment, he had sworn to do right by him. And so, one little Draco Malfoy had grown with the unconditional love of his father. Abandoning the Malfoy style of upbringing, Lucius had raised Draco with love and care, always being there for him, spending time playing with him and always having time to listen to his inane babble. However, Lucius had by no way spoilt the child. Though he fawned over the child, Draco had suffered his father's wrath on more than one occasion. Lucius had blossomed into a loving but strict parent who was quick to hand out both affections and punishments, though he was never abusive, and despite being known for his fiery temper, Lucius was proud to admit that he had never lost his temper with Draco, at least not until the lad's eighth birthday.

Draco had grown up under his father's protection. Though, Draco had had his share of spankings and scolding from his father, Lucius had forbidden anyone else from doing so. Lucius remembered, with great resentment, the day Narcissa had decided to test him.

Lucius had returned early from work and was making his way over to the living room where he had been told his wife and son were by his house elves. As he approached the doorway, he heard Draco's whine.

"Mommy listen to me. I want to introduce you to Colonel Fluffy," a five-year-old Draco spoke as he held out a stuffed dog toy wearing an army uniform.

"Draco how many times must I tell you, you are to call me mother. Besides, I'm busy. Show that to your father once he arrives," came Narcissa's irritated response. Before Draco could object, Narcissa glanced at the clock and exclaimed "Oh Dear, my friends will be here any minute. Draco go to your room now. Go on, off you go," Narcissa added when Draco stubbornly refused to move. "No! First meet Colonel Fluffy," Draco whined. Really, it was a simple enough request in Lucius's opinion, but he knew his wife could be more arrogant than himself sometimes and so Lucius decided to make his presence known but before he could fully enter the room, a resounding slap rang in his ears, freezing him to the spot.

"What did you say to me? You horrid little boy! How dare you disobey me?" Narcissa shrieked. Draco's whimper of pain, as Narcissa shook him fiercely with every word she spat, snapped Lucius out of his shock and he marched into the room. "Just whatdo you think you are doing," he whispered menacingly. Two sets of blond heads immediately snapped to his direction, one alight with relief while the other morphed to fright. Narcissa immediately retracted her skinny hands from Draco. Upon release from his mother's clutches, Draco rushed to his father. As Draco drew nearer, Lucius kneeled and opened his arms and his child immediately jumped into them. He then slowly stood to his full height and turned his head to examine the little boy wrapped securely in his arms. "Are you alright?" Lucius whispered in a tone that he reserved for only Draco. "Uh huh," Draco nodded, "I'm s... sorry D... daddy!" and with that Draco launched into heart wrenching sobs as he clutched Lucius's robes. "Oh, my little dragon. Don't be. I'm not upset with you."

"You're not?" Draco asked, raising his head from its previous position against Lucius's chest and that's when he saw it, a mixture of doubt and confusion in the child's glistening eyes. For a second, Lucius's eyes mimicked the confusion he saw in Draco's until it dawned on him that despite his readily offered comfort, Draco must have sensed the stiffness of his stance and the fire in his eyes and mistaken the anger Lucius felt towards Narcissa as anger meant for Draco. The thought itself was too much to bear and Lucius rushed to reassure Draco as he left the parlor, putting as much distance between Narcissa and Draco as possible.

After spending the next two hours with Draco in attempt to improve his mood and then putting him down for a nap after Draco's adventure with Colonel Fluffy had been narrated in detail to Lucius and both father and son had had a batch of milk and cookies, Lucius left a snoring Draco bundled in blankets and set off in search for his wife. Suffice to say, after Lucius had finished dealing with her, Narcissa was thoroughly repentant.

Lucius smiled sadly at the memory. He missed those times and despite his attempts, he couldn't forget the way he had messed everything up.

Three days before Draco's eighth birthday, Lucius and Draco were lounging around in the living room, Lucius sitting back on a sofa with Draco's head on his lap as his child laid on the sofa, informing his father of the kind of cake and presents he wanted for his birthday. "The cake has to have eight layers, one for each year but no cheese flavour. Oh and at least three different chocolate flavours…"

Lucius chuckled at Draco's requests as they ranged from chocolate cakes to racing broomsticks. Lucius was just about to remind Draco that he could have a real racing broomstick upon his admission to Hogwarts when a voice Lucius hadn't heard in eight years reached his ears and Lucius froze for the voice belonged to the most despicable man he had ever met.

"What do we have here?"

"Hello…father."

"Son," Abraxas exclaimed politely as he took a seat opposite Lucius and stared at the father and son in unconcealed disapproval. Sensing the tension, Draco propped up his elbow and turned slightly to face his father, confusion evident in his eyes. "Draco, this is your grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy," Lucius said with gritted teeth. "Father, this is Draco, my son."

Abraxas Malfoy gave a slight nod before turning his head towards his grandson. His gaze scanned an oblivious Draco Malfoy for a few moments before his eyes returned to Lucius's, openly expressing disapproval at Draco's poor stance, messy hair and the lack of an appropriate greeting presumably. Despite being an adult and having not seen his judgemental father since Draco's birth, a small part of Lucius still yearned to please him and could not stand his father's clear displeasure. And so, Lucius gave Draco a firm nudge and spoke strictly "Draco, greet your grandfather." Draco scrambled to obey upon hearing his father's reprimanding tone. Lucius knew Draco was very sensitive to his moods and the poor boy had probably sensed the undercurrent of resentment in Lucius's tone when he had introduced his father. Draco hadn't meant to be rude, his worry for his father's sudden change in mood had just distracted him. As Draco warily made his way over to Abraxas, Lucius realised with a pang that he shouldn't have commanded in such a harsh tone. Draco hated to upset his father and rarely disobeyed Lucius. He didn't deserve to have Lucius's bad mood directed at him. No matter, he would just apologise to Draco later, in private.

"Good afternoon grandfather," Draco spoke softly.

"Good afternoon. Tell me boy, do you take this much time to greet all elders?" Abraxas said venomously. Draco blinked, unused to such treatment and turned to his father, an action that had not gone unnoticed by Abraxas. Lucius couldn't believe his father had said that. On second thought, he could. As Draco turned to look at him, his eyes shining of confusion and asking for help which Lucius rushed to provide. "Draco go on to your room. I have some private matters to discuss with my father." Draco flashed him a grateful smile. "Goodbye grandfather," Draco said politely and for a second Lucius thought that the disaster had been prevented, that is until Draco spoke his next words before leaving the room, "Bye Dad."

Lucius winced internally as his father's sharp gaze turned to him, "He calls you 'Dad'?" Abraxas exclaimed, outraged. "I do not mind father," Lucius spoke with a calmness he didn't feel. "And Narcissa?" his father prompted. Lucius groaned internally before replying nonchalantly "He calls her mother. She prefers it."

"As she should," his father said with an air of approval, an approval that Lucius had yet to have directed at him.

"How are you father?" Lucius decided to ask in an attempt to change the subject.

"I am well. I arrived half an hour ago and had a very interesting conversation with Narcissa. Of course, I admit when she said that you were spoiling the boy, I thought her to be exaggerating but I see that I was wrong."

And with that Abraxas launched into a tirade about how Lucius's behaviour would only harm Draco in the long term, how it was essential that Draco be brought up like a Malfoy. Though Lucius tried desperately to ignore him, his words pierced Lucius's heart and brought about a wave of self- doubt. Lucius began to wonder whether he had been selfish, was his over protective nature harmful for Draco in the long term, was his father right, could he be raising Draco to be disrespectful? No, no, his father was wrong. He would be gone tomorrow morning and things would return to normal, he hoped.

After enduring a lengthy lecture about the Malfoy name and the need to preserve its meaning, both Lucius and Abraxas headed down to the dining hall where both Narcissa and Draco sat awaiting their arrival. Lucius's eyes flashed as they landed on Narcissa but immediately softened when Draco caught his gaze and flashed him a small smile that Lucius couldn't help but return. And just like that, Lucius felt his mood improving. He only hoped his father wouldn't start at the dining table. However, he supposed that was too much to expect from Abraxas Malfoy as his father seemed to be in a judging mood today. However, this time his victim was Draco. The next half hour passed by with Abraxas demanding to know Draco's interests and making it his business to find some flaw in each. Despite desperately wanting to put a stop to it, Lucius said nothing. He supposed he shouldn't shelter Draco from everything. 'Draco should be a little tough', Lucius reasoned rationally. To his credit, Draco took the criticism well and responded politely to each question. However, he was only a human and a child at that. Soon, Draco reached said limits. "Flying, you call riding on a traineetoy broom flying? My boy, I have seen kids half your age doing much better tricks on real brooms. At this rate, the kids at Hogwarts will ride circles around you. I say, Lucius is in for some disappointing years ahead of him," Abraxas finished menacingly. Lucius gulped as Abraxas ended his rant, horrified at the realisation that abraxas had found Draco's weakness. However, before Lucius could put an end to it. Draco shrieked "Shut up, just shut up! You are a horrible, sadistic old man!"

Lucius sat frozen on the spot. He couldn't believe Draco had just said that. He had endured his father's taunts his entire life without a word. He had entertained vile thoughts about his father but had never actually said anything for he respected his father. It was expected of him as a Malfoy. And that was when it dawned on Lucius that he had failed to teach Draco the respect he should have. He had wronged Draco. He shouldn't have raised Draco any differently than he himself had been brought up. After all, he had turned out to be a fine young man.

Before Lucius could so much as open his mouth to reprimand his son, a resounding slap echoed around the room as Abraxas's hand collided with Draco's right cheek. Instead of shame or submission, Draco's face took on a hue of outrage and he turned to his father expectantly. However, instead of standing up for Draco as had in the past, Lucius fixed his son with a reproving glare that caused Draco to falter. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, I suggest you apologize to your grandfather for you appalling behaviour immediately. Now Draco," Lucius added when Draco just stared open mouthed at him. "S... sorry grandfather," Draco muttered meekly, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Abraxas smiled smugly before ordering Draco to his room and adding another slap when Draco merely stared at Lucius in response. "Listen to your grandfather," Lucius had simply said before Draco had rushed out of the room with hunched shoulders and head bowed. Narcissa had looked on with shock mingled with satisfaction and approval.

From that day on, Lucius had distanced himself from Draco. Upon returning from work, Lucius used to immediately engulf an awaiting Draco in a hug and carry the child upstairs as Draco recounted the events of the day. However, the day after the dinner disaster when he hadn't stood up for Draco, Lucius returned home to find, as usual, Draco practically jumping with joy at seeing him. "Dad!' Draco exclaimed as he ran to Lucius and raised his arms in the universal gesture indicating his desire to be picked up. Lucius's heart melted at the fact that Draco could forgive him for yesterday so easily, as if it had never happened. However, he strengthened his resolve and stated, "you are too old for this Draco and from now on, you will address me as 'Father'." Lucius then made his way up the stairs alone, leaving a gobsmacked Draco behind. As the days went by, Draco continued to wait by the door for Lucius's return despite Lucius's cold treatment. Lucius just ignored Draco when he would enter the house and would send Draco back to his room with the excuse of unfinished important work when Draco would show up at his study to tell him about his day. Lucius also gave Narcissa more rights in Draco's upbringing and had actually scolded Draco for disobeying his mother when he had come complaining to him about his mother having slapped him. A week passed by and eventually Draco stopped coming to his father altogether. Draco did not greet him by the door, didn't bother him when he was at his study and stopped trying to initiate conversation with him at dinner. And Lucius dint know whether he should be happy at his success, relieved that Draco wouldn't make it any harder than it had to be or sad that Draco had given up on him.

A couple more weeks passed by and Lucius got used to the silence at the manor. Two weeks after the incident, Lucius arrived at the manor, later than usual for he had had a busy day at work. As he greeted his wife, something shiny at the top of the staircase caught his eye and he spotted little Draco, clad in pyjamas and holding a shiny robot peek down at him. After spending various sleepless nights drenched in guilt and self-loathing, the mere sight of his little boy brought a smile to Lucius's face and he gave his son a small wave. His wife too looked up. For a moment it looked like she wanted to say something but then she seemed to decide against it and walked off with the promise of getting dinner set up for him. "Alright, I'll just freshen up," Lucius called after her. When he returned his gaze to the top of the staircase, he noticed with utter dismay that Draco was gone.

The next day, Lucius returned home, and his gaze immediately found the top of the staircase…which was as lifeless as Lucius felt at that moment. The day after, Lucius arrived late as had the day he had seen Draco waiting for him. However, again, Draco was nowhere to be seen. After that day, Lucius started coming home late as he could satisfy his guilty conscience with false assurances that Draco did not come to see him as he had probably fallen asleep.

XXX

It had been six years since Lucius had changed his relationship with his son. Yet the memory of that day still haunts his dreams, Lucius still couldn't force his mind to forget the eight year old's innocent eyes glistening with hurt at Lucius's betrayal when he hadn't stood up for him in front of his grandfather. So many instances had occurred after that, yet that was the most painful to bear as it had marked the start of Lucius's well-concealed misery.

Lucius was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts when his father abruptly stood up. "Well, my boy, its getting late and I must go." Though Lucius sighed with relief inwardly, he put up a nonchalant façade and asked with the pretence of a good host "Don't you want to stay for dinner, father?"

"No, no I must leave, my boy. Do you mind if I use your floo?" Without waiting for a reply, Abraxas Malfoy reached for the floo powder on the mantle of the grand fireplace at the corner of Lucius's study. With a parting farewell, Abraxas was gone, swallowed by green flames. 'If only he would never return,' Lucius thought bitterly as he made his way to the parlor to inform Narcissa that his father would not be joining them for dinner. As he approached the doorway of the parlor, a resounding slap reached his ears. He sighed in resignation. Draco must have evoked his mother's ire again and Lucius knew he would have to punish the boy for it as he still couldn't trust Narcissa to not lose control during his punishment. Lucius leaned in the doorway, intending to hear the conversation and determine the degree of mischief committed so that he could decide whether he should get involved or not.

"You do not talk back to me!" Narcissa yelled.

"Sorry mother," a thirteen-year-old Draco spoke softly, his head bowed, and shoulders hunched, the picture of remorse. However, Lucius knew very well that it was simply a façade to appease his mother. When Draco was truly repentant, he would subconsciously shuffle his feet. However, Lucius decided not to interfere just yet.

"You come here for three months and you can't even spend them without causing some kind of mischief or other. What would your father say if he found out that you snuck off to Diagon Alley without permission or adult supervision?" At that, Draco's head snapped up, "I'm sorry mother. It won't happen again. Please don't tell father." Lucius bristled at Narcissa's claim. Draco knew very well that he was not allowed to leave the manor without permission. Besides, if he had just asked, Lucius would have had no qualms about taking him with him. 'Oh, he is going to be a very sorry boy once I'm though with him,' Lucius thought with growing anger. Just as Lucius took a step into the room, Narcissa, still oblivious to his presence, continued menacingly "Don't manipulate me Draco. You are turning into your father," she spat the word, making it clear that it was an insult. She then snarled "Disregarding the rules and then manipulating those around you to avoid consequences for your ill-advised actions. How disgustingly like him you are."

Lucius stiffened at Narcissa's rant. 'Well, we can't have my wife sully my name in front of my son, now can we?' Lucius thought with mounting rage. However, once again, before Lucius could make himself known, Draco's strong, yet emotional, voice boomed across the room "STOP! Don't you dare say a word against my father! Don't you dare!" Lucius blinked at Draco's pronouncement. His son was defending him. The son he had not defended in five years was defending him. The same son he had neglected, scolded unjustly and allowed to be mistreated by his mother and grandfather, was defending him. The lamp next to Narcissa smashed to a thousand pieces all of a sudden as a bout of uncharacteristic accidental magic gushed out form Draco. The lamp smashing snapped both parents from their state of frozen shock and Narcissa threateningly stomped over to Draco and raised her hand "Why you little…" but before she could strike her flinching son or complete her statement, Lucius made his way into the room. "Just what do you think you are doing," he whispered menacingly. Two sets of blond heads immediately snapped to his direction, Narcissa's face was alight with smugness while Draco's morphed into fright as they both stared at Lucius, both clearly expecting Lucius to soundly punish Draco. Lucius walked towards them calmly and beckoned Draco to him with his finger. Fully aware of the penalty for disobeying, Draco made his way over to his father, albeit reluctantly.

Once Draco was standing to his right, Lucius turned his gaze towards Narcissa, "Exactly what were you saying about me Narcissa?" Lucius asked in mock innocence. Narcissa's eyes widened comically upon realising that her husband might have heard more of the conversation that she would have liked, Narcissa struggled to come up with a response, "I…umm…that is to say…how long have you been there?" Lucius simply smirked as he replied "long enough. Now why don't you make your way to our room where we will continue this conversation in private, after I have finished dealing with our disobedient son," at this, Lucius redirected his steely gaze towards his son who winced but said nothing. Narcissa whimpered softly in fear before nodding and leaving the room with as much dignity as she could muster at this point.

As soon as his wife's footsteps faded away, Lucius turned a stern glare towards his son, who truly was feeling guilty now as he squirmed on the spot. "Corner," Lucius stated as he pointed to the empty corner, furthest from them. At this, Draco did look up, "Father?" he asked, confused. after all, it had been years since Lucius had sent him to stand in a corner; usually, his father would deal with his disobedience swiftly and harshly as his father no longer relied on what his grandfather called lenient punishments. However, Lucius offered no explanation and just raised his eyebrows in response. Knowing better than to disobey, Draco meekly made his way to the corner. Some time passed by as Lucius rationally thought about the best course of action to take. His son had defended him in front of his mother, risking further punishment and the vase bursting was just an accident. However, he had also wilfully disobeyed him by sneaking off to Diagon Alley, Lucius couldn't just let that go. Half an hour later, mind made up, Lucius called Draco over to him, "Alright, Draco, you may come out of the corner now," Lucius exclaimed, his voice not as harsh as it usually was during Draco's punishments, a fact he was sure Draco must have noticed. Draco immediately turned around and their eyes met for a second before Draco lowered his. "Eyes up," Lucius commanded, and Draco's gaze snapped up obediently. As their gaze met once more, Draco's eyes full of contrition, Lucius's own eyes softened, and he opened his arms invitingly. Though he desperately wanted his son to accept the embrace, he hadn't expected his son to literally launch himself against Lucius's chest and immediately latch onto him, unhesitant. He had expected confusion, even scepticism, as he likely would have shown had his father had done something like that. But Draco hugged him as if the last five years had never happened and Lucius returned the embrace with a happiness he hadn't felt in five years. "I missed you Dad," Draco whispered. Lucius froze for just a moment before replying honestly "Me too."

XXXX

The father and son remained in the embrace for what felt like eternity before Lucius reluctantly broke the embrace. There were still things left to be said. "I'm sorry Draco."

Lucius would have laughed at Draco's gobsmacked expression if the situation was even minutely less serious. "I have failed you, my son. I am truly sorry Draco for letting things go on in the way they have. I… should have never let Abraxas hurt you that day. I deeply regret it and I know it is difficult for you to believe…"

"I forgive you," Draco interrupted. Now it was Lucius's turn to support a gobsmacked expression. "Why?" Lucius asked simply for he could not phrase it in any other way.

"I love you," Draco replied with equal simplicity his eyes shining with geniality. The simple phrase pierced Lucius's heart for it was a very heavy phrase in the Malfoy household; his father had never said it to him, Narcissa and Lucius never shared verbal affections either and Lucius had certainly never said that to Draco and yet here was his son telling him that he not only forgave him but loved him. Maybe Draco wasn't like any other Malfoy and maybe that was a good thing. It was at that moment that Lucius realised that Draco truly was his and only his. With tears in his eyes, Lucius softly admitted, his voice coming out coarse due to the lump in his throat, "I thought you had stopped loving me the day you stopped coming when I returned home." Lucius hadn't really expected a reply and he certainly hadn't expected the response he received "But Dad, I never stopped."

Lucius could have sworn his heart stopped for a moment at that claim. "W... what?"

"I never stopped," Draco repeated. He then hesitated, debating whether to continue or not but finally said "Well, mother never really liked me waiting at the door for you. She said it was only appropriate for wives to greet their husbands upon their return. I didn't really pay her much attention because I liked it and I knew you did. Besides she couldn't do anything about it. But then…. things changed and well, she expressed her displeasure often, so I started watching you return from the top of the staircase but then you saw me that day and so did mother. The next day…well, mother wasn't happy," Draco paused then, and Lucius continued for him instead "and then you stopped coming," he finished sadly but Draco shook his head. "No, I knew mother would keep an eye on the staircase, so I started watching you return from the broom closet. I would sneak in there at half past eight and you would usually come home by nine. Then, after you would go upstairs to change, and mother would go to the kitchen to tell the elves to get dinner ready for you, I would sneak back in my room. I still do it when I return for the summer," Draco finished.

Lucius could do nothing but stare at his son in amazement and curse himself for coming home late and forcing his son to stay up after his bedtime, in a broom closet no less, not to mention his stupidity in never actually going to Draco's room to check up on him…And Narcissa…Oh the things he would do to her….

But for now, he pulled his son against his chest once again and relished the fact that he hadn't been too late, his son was still his.

XXX

A few moments later, Lucius pulled back from their second embrace and cleared his throat. Even though, he would love nothing more than to enjoy milk and cookies with his son for old time's sake, there was still the matter of his disobedience in sneaking to Diagon Alley. Draco seemed to sense the change in atmosphere for he stiffened and his face turned remorseful whilst his eyes silently pleaded for leniency. Lucius simply pinched the bridge of his nose to steel his resolve and then demanded in a stern tone "Draco, care to tell me what possessed you to sneak off to Diagon Alley? You know perfectly well that you aren't allowed to leave the manor without permission and how I feel about disobedience, so I can't imagine why you would do something like this? Why didn't you just ask me?" Draco looked at him briefly before lowering his gaze to the floor and shrugged as if that explained everything. Well, Lucius was having none of the surly teenage attitude, so he abruptly turned around, well aware that Draco's eyes were trained on his retreating figure as he picked up the cane he had abandoned at the doorway and made his way back to a rapidly paling Draco. "No father, please," Draco predictably pleaded. Lucius resisted the urge to smirk; just because he didn't have any intention of using the cane on his son didn't mean that the cane couldn't loosen his son's tongue. "Well, then, answer my question Draco," he spoke calmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. And obligingly Draco muttered "I asked mother and she refused to take me." Lucius couldn't understand why she'd refuse but still…" Why didn't you ask me?" at Draco's stubborn silence, Lucius lightly tapped his cane on the floor and Draco's whimper immediately reached his ear. "Well?' he prompted. "I couldn't… I didn't want you there." At Lucius's hurt expression, Draco hastily continued "I…urgh…I wanted to buy you a present for Father's Day," Draco said resignedly, shocking Lucius for the umpteenth time today. Narcissa had refused to take Draco to buy a present for him? But then "You have never before bought me a present for Father's Day, what changed this year?" it wasn't accusatory, Lucius genuinely wanted to know. "I do. Every year, I buy one from a catalogue at Hogwarts using my allowance and place it on the desk in your study, but mother always sees it and she throws it out, saying that you don't need such clutter. This year, I …umm… spent my entire allowance on the Hogsmeade trip so I thought I'd buy a silver tip quill that I had seen at Diagon Alley." Lucius was once more shocked beyond belief at Narcissa's behaviour, Draco's determination and Draco's love for him. How could Draco possibly have known that he was thinking about purchasing a new quill? "Oh dragon," Lucius used the nickname he hadn't used in five years as he pulled Draco towards and placed a kiss on the top of his head and whispered, "I love you."

Draco smiled as he hugged Lucius tightly. After a few moments, Lucius raised his hand high and landing a single searing swat to the unprotected behind of an unsuspecting Draco and predictably Draco squawked "OW!"

"Well, you did sneak out," Lucius smirked.

"Wait, so that's it, that's my punishment?" Draco asked tentatively, eyeing the cane leaning against the sofa. Lucius followed his gaze and smiled. "yes, that's it, this time," he added firmly. Draco smiled in response.

"Why though, Draco? How could you love me so much after all that's happened?" Lucius asked, too ashamed to say after all I've done.

Draco looked up to his father and said innocently "Because I am yours and you are mine."

.