DISCLAIMER: HP belongs to JKR. The storyline, all new characters, new character development, new developments are my intellectual property. Glorioux.

Haunted

Draco took his cue and closed the door. He ran to his room, tears of anger ran down his cheeks. He went for his wand, damn, not there; he remembered the hidden one, from the war. He was going to get it and would kill them both, traitors. He remembered he hadn't closed his trousers and with disgust he cleaned his hand.

He had been so aroused by the beauty of the act witnessed, by the sheer eroticism of their encounter, that he hadn't interrupted them, and instead he joined and pleasured himself. His circle of friends often performed for the others, they weren't bashful. There were rooms set just for that; there was however no comparison to what he had just seen. Those witnessed before were tawdry; moreover, those shows were devoid of the emotions, and the sheer beauty of his father's and Hermione's union disturbed him.

He was afraid that he had been given a rare gift, to have witnessed a communion of flesh and soul. Magic release that reached him, although he had heard about practitioners of magical sex, he was sure this was something else. Nothing like that had ever happened to him because he was selfish, because he had the best witch and he hadn't treated her right. What on earth was wrong with him?

What made him angrier was the way Hermione's face had lit up. He had lost her, and it was his father's fault. This was easy to say but not easy accept. He couldn't accept that he had lost her, and it occurred to him, he would ask her to marry him.

He should have done it before and be more discrete about his affairs. He opened the door to go into his room ready to get the wand; a demon was gnawing at his brain and whispering murderous words. He wouldn't kill her, but Lucius Malfoy, no longer his father, was good as dead.

And what he saw made him reel back. It was his mother, and she was crying and talking to whom, who was that, oh his uncle Rodolphus. This wasn't possible and fear seized him.

"Mother can you see me. Mother," Draco called, but neither Narcissa nor Rodolphus looked at him. He came closer to better hear their conversation.

"Bella was neither your fault nor mine." Rodolphus held his mother's hand.

"We all noticed her changes, just as Draco is changing now. It wasn't all at once, little by little. I wished we hadn't been made to see her been taken by those demons, she was screaming in horror. I must tell you that I was also scared of her angry ghost intent on hurting us further."

Draco's was covered by goose-bumps, he wasn't like his aunt Bella, and he would no longer allow the demon's voice talking to him.

"I don't want my Draco to be in that terrible place where some of the Death Eaters ended, and he is going that way, selfish, lying, cheating, and using those witches." Draco saw her mother's ghostly tears, and he trembled in fear. He felt very cold.

"Worst of all, how could he be so callous and not care if he could make Hermione sick. He pushes her and injures her, tells her hurtful things that aren't true. And to make her more dependent on him, he drove her friends away, and so much more. He is behaving just as those who ended up on the other place. We spoiled him too much after losing all those babies,"
her voice trailed off.

What babies, what was mother talking about? And he injured her? Yeah, maybe, he was angry when others wanted her.

"Mother, what babies, I am not like that, what babies?" They didn't even look at him.

"I had lost three babies, by the time I became pregnant with Draco. I went into bed confinement starting the second trimester; it was boring and tiring, but anything for him. Did you know I didn't even eat sweets, we even slept in separate beds, and Lucius stayed home to keep me company; I think this was the time when the spoiling began."

Draco had never heard about any of this, he assumed his parents just had their quota heir and had been too selfish to try for more.

"Draco was really damaged by that horrible monster we all followed blindly, he wanted to demonstrate how tough he was, my poor baby. If it hadn't been for Severus promising to kill Dumbledore, he wouldn't be alive."

Draco was amazed, how was it possible that he had never heard any of this, had his godfather given up his reputation for him?

"Lucius felt so guilty for asking so much from him, he attempted to appease the Dark Lord and even offered his life in exchange for Draco's. He didn't accept that, but took his offer to let him torture him whenever he wanted to. Voldemort wasn't kind, he liked to humiliate Lucius. The Dark Lord often casted Cruciatus upon Lucius just for fun," she cried.

"Don't cry Cissy, I am sure Lucius did it out of love it for his son. Lucius has always loved him better than himself." He reassured her.

"It is true, his family always came first. He allowed his body to be raped by filthy snatchers, so either Draco or I wouldn't have to suffer that same fate. Cheater, he still made you rape me, and he still tortured Rabastan. And we are dead because he allowed Bella to have her way. We were all crazy to follow him. I wish we could talk to Draco before is too late."

Draco saw how his uncle Rodolphus tried to comfort his mother whose sobs tore him apart, and how could he have known that his father had done so much for him

Draco's biggest worry was Bella's fate. He was horrified to hear about the demons. He knew of them, he had seen the pictures in his father's library. His grandparents had told him demons existed, and his father had been angry at them for scaring him. He later told him that demons were nothing to worry about it because he was such a good little wizard, and he soon forgot about them, until now.

"Draco thought I didn't know, but I did. He has already destroyed a few lives, and after I passed I learned a few of his darker sins. Can you imagine if she knew he had a hand on her parent's dead? How could he have done to them, they were much younger than us," she stopped to sob.

Gods, that couple, the very pretty Muggle they had raped, including him, and they had killed them when they fought. Hermione would hate him.

"I talked for a few minutes to Miss Granger, but we were cut off. I want to tell her to stay away from Draco. Draco needs to go away, to one of the healers in Asia, to clean the dark stains as we all did after the war. A great sacrifice would surely go a long way to pay for his redemption. A costly price to lift the debt he has incurred with his actions."

Draco was horrified, "Mother if I change, if I let others be happy, will I end up in the terrible place where aunt Bella ended up?"

He had never told his parents of the killings, rapes and tortures, he had taken part. How could he tell them that he had gone hunting Muggles with his cronies, and he was forever afraid one of the couples he had help torture and kill might had been Hermione's parents. But probably not, he had never asked, but Blaise mentioned she had sent her parents to Australia, he could only hop, maybe his mother was wrong.

"Draco can you see me, Draco?" All they had said was true, except for the Bella part; they imagined it, and Rodolphus had seen a couple of souls being hauled away by shadowed winged figures; it could have happened, so why were they being pulled away?

"Here mother, here I am, I want to change, don't go, mother..." But his mother disappeared before he could reach her. No matter, he had made a decision. His father and mother had both been right. The darkness was growing; it started when he had been asked to kill Dumbledore, and the dark mark had taken its toll. His only regret was losing his witch, he wished he could take it all back, but he knew it was too late. He had known she was his salvation, and he had squandered it away.

He had been ashamed that Hermione was a Muggle and had let those like Marcus call her Muddy. And there was his father treating her with reverence, like he should have done. Tears of bitter regret wouldn't stop falling, he was sure he would never marry, he remember the old gypsy telling him that, that he would hold his love in his arms and would cast it away for rubbish. Everything had come to pass, and he didn't even made an effort to change it. He was forgetting that hope should never end.

Chapter 5- Epilogue

A nNew Dawn

Hermione woke up; she was alone in the room, well not alone, because Negus had taken over half of the bed. Brutus lay on the floor; he was probably a bit sore from the stinging hex. No Lucius, where had he gone? Lucius, she loved him, who was she fooling?

She needed to call in sick, postpone her deposition. Besides she was restless with all the conflict, there was something buried in the recesses of her mind, trying to come to the surface, she had forgotten something important, what?

First things first, talk to Draco. She should have done after he moved the engagement for the second time, Narcissa had been right.

She knocked at Draco's door, no answer, knocked again. Maybe he was down eating breakfast, she would see him there.

Lucius was walking her way, "Good morning," he came by her side and kissed her forehead. "Sorry for leaving this morning, I had a visitor early today. Francois Goyle, he works for me. He had a disturbing report of the witches who had worked for us. I must see Draco."

"One second," he held her and kissed her, and she could feel his arousal. "I am so hungry for you, gods, it will never be enough." He pulled her hand inside his trousers, only his breathing could be heard. At her touch, he trembled; she hadn't seen him in the day time and couldn't get over at his expression of pure bliss. He held her hand and closed his trousers, "I want to indulge in a day in bed with you. I am still not sure this is real. I love you, don't change your mind, I am so afraid."

"I won't, I love you, who knows for how long. I must have loved the two of you at the same time. But I no longer know who he is." She kissed his chin. "So Draco isn't in his room, where could he have gone."

"He has to be there, Axel indicated he hasn't gone anywhere."

"If he is in there why doesn't he answer."

Lucius tried the knob, and the door opened. Draco lay on the floor, a small pool of blood by his head. Lucius wouldn't move him, he just covered him up. Muctis was called. Hermione sat by his side crying. "Oh Draco, what has been done to you? I don't want you to be hurt, please be ok."

Lucius heart cringed, he didn't want something bad to happen to Draco but he didn't want to lose the witch he loved. He looked at her crying and even then, his eyes feasted on her. She was a nymph, her body curvy but not fat, maybe a little thin. He remembered her naked sex, and he bit his lip not to moan. His son lying in a pool of blood, and all he could think was of the moments together.

Healer Muctis came; he examined Draco, and declared that he would be fine. He had a deep gash above his eye brow, from hitting the sharp edge of the heavy low table, the one in front of the fireplace, and there wasn't a fracture. Someone had tried to hurt him, he wouldn't say who.

"Yes, one of the people here came into the room; we got into a fight, and when I saw the wand ready to hex me, I jumped to knock out their hand and during the struggle I was thrown against the table." Then he looked at Lucius, his eyes full of sadness and regret. Lucius knew that the sound at the door had been Draco, but he didn't lower his eyes. He had told Draco that she was fair game.

"Father, could you please make sure that Marcus and the others don't leave the house. If you could have Dexel or Axiom make sure it is so. I think if Hermione could call Harry that would be good."

The days that followed were a blur. Hermione wouldn't let Lucius near her until Draco's situation was resolved. Lucius was ever afraid, strangely Draco didn't even approach her or try to kiss her or touch her again. He was friendly, yet reserved, he had turned into a shell of his former days. Arrangements were made for his departure, and Lucius waited, not being able to sleep too well.

He went to the vault, {{found what he wished for and went back home.

A couple weeks later, the Prophet had published the scandal that still rocked their small society after several months.

Marcus Flint and Delores Umbridge's niece had wanted to extort a large amount of money from Draco Malfoy. They had procured witches for the Quidditch players, mostly for Draco, they all had worked at Malfoy's industries, and an investigation had uncovered they were also siphoning funds through a complex scam. The Aurors, led by Harry Potter had found evidence of about a nefarious scheme. They were intentionally infecting the married players, and also the ones in serious relationships, with magically modified Muggle illnesses transmitted through sex. They were all being blackmailed.

Draco left as agreed, it had been heart wrenching, but both Lucius and Hermione hoped for a real change

She sat at the sofa reading a book; he sat at the end, half reclined, just watching her. He looked inside his vest's pocket and took a small box and laid it upon his chest.

He chuckled at her peeking occasionally; she had followed the entire transaction and didn't ask any questions. He caught her looking at the box and he shrugged his shoulders; after a few minutes, he called her with on finger. She smiled coyly and continued reading. He noticed she was in the same page for over five minutes.

In one fluid movement she was in all fours crawling towards him, and she tried to snatch the box but he caught her and pulled her to him.

"I need a kiss first, I has been three weeks since this started." He didn't ask again and his lips were on hers. He was no longer playful, his eyes dark with desire.

"My love, you stayed with me," his hands touched her face and his lips went back to her. She could feel his arousal and cried. His hand went under her long skirt.

"What have we here, how is that such a serious witch has forgone wearing knickers? " His knuckles caressed her moist and warm mound, and his hips moved forward and pressed hard against her.

He flipped her over and a few seconds later his mouth was where it longed to be for days, with his tongue and lips, he was at her sex, "I was right, it is pure ambrosia."

A while later, their clothes back on, she sat on his lap. He caressed her back and kissed her head occasionally.

"I want to make Narcissa's time on this earth come to an end. Would you marry me?"

Three months later.

"The dress is too small. We should have had a small wedding, how could I have asked Molly to help me?"

"Because you aren't too clever for a witch so smart, "Angelina laughed, the other witches joined in. "And the dress is not too small, you look like a fairy princess, a dress embroidered with real pearls and made out fairy silk, perfect for you, for all the press." A big laughter followed the comment.

"Don't remind me. I told her, "Sure Molly and thanks, you can help, but I want a very intimate wedding." I let her plan without even asking until two weeks had gone by." She stopped to drink more water she was warm from struggling with corsets and other torture devices.

"Where was I, "How many I asked?" Can you believe 300 guests, she tells me everyone is expecting an invitation and besides they are printed. And then Kingsley the opportunist gets involved. Oh yes, now we have public relations, the couple of the year, the millionaire, die hard-Death Eater and the heroine. Everyone's role model, he says. Hmm, such a role model knocked at first shag. I forgot to cast a charm, thinking he would do that. He said he forgot, I wonder, for days after I had a niggling feeling at the back of my mind; I knew I had forgotten something."

"I would have also forgotten if I had been with Lucius," Luna said dreamily.

"Hermione, by the way is Draco coming? How is he doing? What a shock, Umbridge's niece, and she tried to blackmail Draco? And then nearly killed him? Was all the printed stuff true?" Pansy had been gone with Ron for a few months. She had inherited from a relative in the continent and took a sabbatical to see the summer home left to them, so she was behind the news, they had come back for the wedding.

"No, he sent his regrets; it might be a long time before we see him again. Yes, it was unfortunately mostly true. As for Draco, he has changed a lot. He is learning a new way of life with the family of Lucius' estate managers. You haven't met them, they are very shy. They live in a secluded island owned by the Malfoys." Her demeanor had changed to one of sadness.

"Do you mind if I could be alone for a few minutes, just want to talk to my parents." They all noticed her eyes were red. Talking about Draco made her sad.

They all understood her. Her parents had been dead since before the war ended; it had been a big blow. They never made to Australia; they were taken at the airport and killed outside. The bodies had been left inside a rubbish bin, one of the commercial ones. There not the first ones Muggles, they had been raped, tortured and killed. Some said well dressed young men were seen talking them.

When the witches left, Hermione pulled out the album with her family pictures. Her eyes full of tears, "Mammy, Daddy, I am marrying today. Be happy for me, I love him. I'm not sure if you would have liked him, he was one of the bad ones during the war, but he has changed a lot. He loves me and treats me very well..."

"We know dear." A voice answered behind her.

Her imagination was going to kill her, "Hermione look behind you, we found them and brought them to you. By the way, I love your dress."

That was Narcissa's voice. She had never re-appeared after that one time.

Standing around her, she could see Narcissa, a somewhat younger version, with a small blond boy holding her hand, and a toddler girl in her arms. Standing next to her was Rodolphus Lestrange, with two more boys all below ten; all the children were blond but for the little girl. She had heard about Narcissa's miscarriages, and she figured the age was irrelevant; time didn't work the same wherever she was at.

Her parents stood besides Narcissa. They were back in younger versions, and they appeared a little sad, yet happy.

"Narcissa showed us the way, we were allowed to come and see you in your wedding day. You look beautiful, and we see that you will make us grandparents a little early." Her father stopped at seeing her turned red, and both parents looked at her hand now over her belly. They all chuckled.

"It is fine; you were born two months after our wedding, must run in the family. I must talk fast, we are only allowed a few minutes, turns out we are in a different side from the Muggles, we aren't Muggle, or not entirely, imagine that. I met my real family, look for the Diggory Family. The couple who was murdered in South Africa was from the same branch of Cedric, who we also met. It turns out that your mother is a second generation squib, and we met by mere chance. You are actually a second or third cousin three times removed of Cissy Black. Your grandmother was the third cousin of Cygnus and Orion Black, the name was Ursas Adela. "

His father stopped and stood in front of his daughter, he held her and kissed her forehead. She surprisingly felt a spongy form, almost solid. Her mother also came forward and both held their beloved daughter.

"Sweetie, I am so glad to be able to see you in your wedding dress. We want you to be happy and maybe find some of the family. We cannot stay for the wedding, but we will be allowed to watch from another place. Maybe we will be allowed to come when you have a baby. You look beautiful sweet curly pea. We love you. Tell your husband to take care of you."

She didn't cry, instead the happiness she felt was filling her heart and repairing the broken pieces remaining inside.

She looked at all of them, realizing that Rodolphus and Narcissa were looking very chummy, right down loving, darn, Rodolphus was now holding her waist and kissing her cheek. Narcissa winked and then pointed at her shoes. They were beautiful and not the same from before. She smiled happily and the figures faded out.

A hard knock at the door, it was Lucius. "You look lovely, I am so sorry you are sad, your parents are watching you from wherever they are. How are the mummy and my baby feeling?" He asked lovingly, Hermione was swooning at his beauty; he looked like a prince from one of her fairy tales.

"We are fine, and yes they are watching, I will tell you after the wedding. I still don't get it, how could we both forget to cast a contraceptive charm the first times? "

Not forgetting, we didn't forget, Lucius thought if he had to bet, he would bet the guilty party was a ghostly figure.

"Have I told you that you look like a fairy princess? I am sure that Narcissa would be honored if she had known you used the fabrics she left for your wedding robes, and the shoes she helped you select. Hmm, I still don't get the shoe joke, nor do I want to. She also helped me buy your wedding ring, which I resented at the time." He held her with care not to ruin her clothes or make up.

"Do you know you how happy you make me? And do you know something, Narcissa was right. I wish I could tell her personally. I should have accepted her plan since the first day. I want to thank her over and over again. Imagine our souls were looking for one another all along. I wish I could thank her personally. I do miss Draco and hope he can really change." His eyes were moist with the joy of this day, and the sorrows of yesterdays past.

"You have, bye my dear, be happy. I already am." Narcissa told him, but he couldn't hear. It was okay, he had told her and that was enough.

Finis

A/N: Thanks to all