The first trial of his newfound resolve was when Scorpius had set up a tea party in the garden. Lucius had stumbled upon his five year old grandson in an over-sized shirt and a crown on his head. Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy legacy, was having a dress-up tea party? Why wasn't he playing quidditch, or reading? Sure, he would start Hogwarts only in a few years, but Draco had been well prepared for– Draco. His son. The one he had failed spectacularly. The same mistakes would not be made. Lucius took in a deep breath and observed the scene in front of him.
Scorpius was seated on the ground, his silver-white hair, so much like Lucius' own, was long. The crown on the fiver-year-old's head really made for a picture of a princess. In front of the child lay a set of porcelain tea set with gold inlay. Neatly in a circle, sat all of Scorpius' two stuffed toys. "Mr. Fuzzykins" – the stuffed dragon – had his tail wrapped around a cup and saucer. Lucius himself had charmed the dragon to let out puffs of smoke and move its head form side to side; occasionally swish its tail and stretch its wings. This was a gift to the child that had become the centre of Lucius' world ever so quickly, for his second birthday.
The second creature was a teddy bear named "Teddy" after the child's cousin, who had gifted the tattered bear to Scorpius when he first saw him in the crib. That wretched Potter boy had brought the tiny, blue-haired brat to St. Mungo's a few days after Scorpius had been born. Narcissa had invited her sister Andromeda to meet her grandchild– as a part of her "healing process" after the war. Potter, being the child's godfather and legal guardian had brought Teddy to meet his baby cousin. He had brought the bear with him, as his own comfort toy, but when Scorpius had gurgled happily at the bear, Teddy had gladly parted with it. Potter and Andromeda had beamed, eyes glistening, at this show of selflessness from their darling angel. Well, Lucius had thought, Scorpius would be far more selfless than Teddy Lupin, son of a werewolf.
"Granpa! Granpa!" Scorpius had yelled, excited to see the old man. He looked up beaming, three teeth missing, and two sets of identical grey eyes met. Their hair, too, was the same silver-blonde and both wore it long. Luciuc, because his father had; Scorpius because Lucius did. For Lucius it was like looking in a strange sort of mirror. For Scorpius, he was looking at his hero. The afternoon sun glinted off of his Granpa's white hair, so much like his own, giving him an ethereal glow. That, coupled with the light green robes he wore, made him look like one of Aunty Andy's angels. So, the little boy giggled over Lucius' correction of "Grandfather, not Granpa," and said promptly, "You look like Aunty Andy's angel!"
He giggled some more at Lucius' shocked expression, and odd smile.
Lucius stayed that way for far too long. He was stunned that anyone would ever dare to call him that. This little boy, this angel, his angel, saw him that way. He who had tortured and killed so many… they were unworthy though, but he needn't have enjoyed it that much. He, Lucius Malfoy, who was spat on when he walked through Diagon Alley, and had been called things far worse than "monstrous". He, was an angel to this young boy?
"Would you like to have some tea, Grandfather?" Scorpius asked, ever the gentleman, upon sensing something was wrong with Lucius. He even used the proper term to address his Granpa. This shook Lucius out of his reverie. The unintended compliment had frazzled him enough that he forgot that his grandson, heir to the Malfoy fortune, was having a tea party in a crown, sitting on the ground, no less. Instead, Lucius Malfoy gathered his robes and sat opposite young Scorpius, between Mr. Fuzzykins and Teddy. And they all had a wonderful afternoon tea.