A/N Disclaimer I do not own anything Harry Potter, only the idea for this story and original characters. This is my first Dramione fic! I always wanted to write one and since the new book just came out I decided to do this one. It alternates between following Draco and Hermione every other chapter. This first chapter is Draco and the next will be Hermione. Also this story does NOT comply with epilogue or The Cursed Child. REVIEW, FOLLOW & FAVORITE to let me know if I should continue with the story! ENJOY DRAMIONE FANS. It'll be a slow burn but oh so worth it. Tension galore.
Chapter One – The Cursed Malfoy
Some days Draco Malfoy truly felt like he was cursed, like the day his father failed the Dark Lord causing him to be punished with the task of killing Dumbledore. There was also that whole year that death eaters inhabited Malfoy Manor and he was tormented every other day by his aunt Bellatrix.
Growing up Draco Malfoy felt remarkably lonely, having no siblings and no close friends at school. Sure he had a few friends but most of them were just annoying. He could never let anyone past the wall that he had built up. After the Battle at Hogwarts he only occasionally talked to Pansy and Blaise, both of whom are in the same predicament as him, being outcasts.
Draco had heard recently that Pansy had went to America, without her family, and was apparently pursuing a fashion career. He couldn't help but be happy for her, he wishes desperately that his life could have taken that route. Instead he met a pretty young witch at Blaise Zabini's wedding, named Astoria Greengrass, and the two got married, having Scorpius not even a year later.
That was the happiest Draco has ever felt. Draco felt as if maybe his curse of being alone and hated had come to an end. But it hadn't. Misfortune struck again in the form of a hereditary dark curse which slowly and painfully sucked Astoria away from him just two years aft Scorpius was born. The Malfoy remained cursed.
August 2nd 2016 – 6:03 p.m. Diagon Alley
In the dark of night, it was easy to miss the black cloak swishing through the shadows of Diagon Alley. His polyjuice potion would wear off in just a few minutes and he still had to grab Scorpius' presents from Weasley's Wizards Wheezes. The child had never personally gotten to go to the shop, but knowing every little detail about Diagon Alley, he was obsessed with it. Draco wanted to get him a broom but thought it would draw too much attention.
Trying to look as least suspicious as possible, Draco slips into the store and pulls the hood of the cloak from his head. He forces himself to steady his breath and quickly skim the loud shop for some goodies Scorpius would like for his big day. He grabbed some pumpkin pasties, which Draco remembers being fond of back in his Hogwarts days. Droobles, Otters Fizzy Orange Juice, a multitude of quills, licorice wands, dragon roasted nuts and a Pygmy Puff for good measure. Cut off from his Gringotts account Draco had little magical money. He paid for his stuff mostly with muggle money now. His galleon stash that he kept at Malfoy Manor has been enough to supply for his twice a year trips to Diagon Alley since Scorpius was four. Scorpius wasn't like he was as a child. Draco got absolutely everything his heart desired. Scorpius, on the other hand, has to accept the occasional goodies from Diagon Alley.
The line for checkout isn't long as it's almost closing time. The store only has maybe ten patrons in it, barely filling the large store. Before approaching the counter Draco glances quickly into the reflective glass of the Weasley's Dragon Roasted Nuts reflective glass. His polyjuice face still in place, he makes his way to the counter which is currently being ran by one of the men Draco never thought he would see again, Ronald Weasley.
Draco's breath catches in his throat as he fights to keep his composure.
It's just Weasley, the least threatening of the golden trio. Breathe Draco breathe. Blimey when did I become such a pansy.
Weasley looks much like he did the last time Draco had laid eyes on him except he was cleaner, rounder and now has a few wrinkles. Draco had heard a few years back that Weasley has married Granger, shocker there. Draco thought anyone with eyeballs could tell she was in love with him since their first year at Hogwarts.
"Oy mate, how's the night doing ya?" Ron asks nonchalantly, ringing up the items on the counter. He doesn't give the man in front of him a second glance considering instead of seeing Draco's blonde hair and menacing face he saw all through high school, he's seeing the face of a dark haired muggle man who is one of the parents at Scorpius' school.
"Fine." Draco grunts shortly, clearing his throat awkwardly. Ron still doesn't look up as he uses his wand to transform the items into a trademark WWW box.
"57 galleons even will be your total and I included in your package instructions for your pygmy puff. They are quite easy to care for."
Draco hands over the money with a shaky hand. "Thank you. I'll make sure my son follows all the instructions." Draco says barely over a whisper.
"Oy it's for your son?" Weasley asks processing the money and making eye contact with Draco for the first time.
"For his birthday." Draco replies, stretching his hand forward to grab the box.
"Wait." Ron spouts out with vigor as he grabs the box back. Draco's heart drops. Had the polyjuice ran out? Was he himself again?
Ron lifts his wants slowly into the air as Draco's heart palpitates with fear. He had his wand but using it would only put him in more trouble should the ministry find out. Maybe Weasley would only jinx him and not kill him, surely they wouldn't just let him get away with murder, even if it was the murder of Draco Malfoy.
Ron twirls the wand around but doesn't point it directly at Draco, instead he points to the box on the counter. A large blue bow erupts from the top of the wand along with black wrapping paper, enveloping the cardboard box and making it look like a present.
Weasley breaks into a small smile and slowly pushes the wrapped box forward.
"Cheers mate" he says before disappearing into the store to finish stocking the shelves. Draco stands petrified before grabbing the box and rushing out of the store. He glances at his watch, 2 minutes left until it wears off. He'd have to wait outside the estate until the polyjuice ran out, he didn't want Scorpius to know. Although Scorpius knew very well that Draco was not accepted into the wizarding society anymore since he did not pay the retribution, Draco wanted his son to think of him as a sneaky ninja, not someone who was a coward and had to hide their face to be seen in public.
Scorpius' life was not all Draco hoped it would be. He imagined a life much different than his own childhood. He imagined Scorpius being able to go to Quidditch and other wizarding events and playing with other wizarding children, learning tricks before even attending Hogwarts. Scorpius didn't get to do any of it.
Scorpius has been punished all his life for the past sins of his father and Draco absolutely hated it. He didn't want Scorpius to be associated with his dark past but the only way he's been able to protect his son from harsh judgment is put them up in a muggle town. He of course let Scorpius live a magical life in the safety of their home, but the child knew that he was forbidden to do it elsewhere. It was quite unfair.
As the polyjuice potion finally ran it's course Draco apparated inside Malfoy Manor to the living room where his 10-year-old son waited anxiously. The small boy looked just like his father with piercing grey eyes and shaggy platinum hair. His young face glowed as Draco approached with the large wrapped package. Every year the young Malfoy begs to go to Diagon Alley and every year Draco has to tell him no but to make it up he'll go get him some treats.
"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes!" He screams as he rips the wrapping paper off the box to reveal the name. The little boy, obsessed with the store, had absolutely no clue of the tumultuous past that his father has with the Weasley family.
Scorpius tears through the package, eyes wide and his lips slightly parted. Draco watches in complete awe of his son. Of all the terrible things he's done in his life, this little boy was his ray of sunshine.
Draco allows Scorpius to stay up late and play with his pygmy puff who he named Daisy. Draco thought it was an odd name but Scorpius explained it's because they always take Daisies when they go to visit his grandmother. Although Scorpius had never met Lucius, but he loves to visit Narcissa.
After the war, Lucius decided to stay in Malfoy Manor. Narcissa couldn't bear it and neither could Draco. Too many tortured nights and vivid memories would flood his brain. After three days of staying there they left. Lucius refused to accompany them. His mother claimed he never tried to contact her after, despite her attempts to reach out. She still truly loved him but she would not go back. The war had made her a changed woman. When Scorpius was about five she suffered from some unknown curse causing her to become bedridden. To spare Draco the burden she insisted she be moved into a permanent facility at St. Mungo's where Draco and Scorpius visit regularly.
"So when are you going to do it?" Scorpius asks meekly, barely glancing up at his father through his eyelashes.
Draco lets out a slightly aggravated sigh. He thought tonight of all nights he could escape Scorpius asking him this question. Scorpius wanted him to claim reformation and pay the retribution owed to the ministry. Without this act Scorpius would not be invited to attend Hogwarts next year or any other wizarding school for that matter.
After the war, when they first implemented the retribution system, the Malfoys and other big death eater families couldn't even show their faces. Rarely would any death eaters actually turn themselves in. They would pay the retribution when captured after they stood trial to see if they reformed. The retribution price was steep at 50% of the guilty's entire estate.
Draco had been careful to never be found out by the ministry. Paying the restitution would leave them with even less than they have now.
"Scorp..." Draco begins. Scorpius could already tell by the sound of his father's voice that the answer would be no.
"But why not. Father it has been years." Scorpius whined.
"It's not that easy Scorp." Draco tries to explain, reaching out to place a hand on the boy's shoulder. Scorpius pulls away like Draco's hand is on fire.
"Scorpius." Draco pleads, but Scorpius is no longer listening as he grasps his birthday box in his arms and quickly scurries off to his room.
"Happy Birthday." Draco says, collapsing on the couch and rubbing his long fingers through his platinum hair.
Draco paced in his office, not getting any work done. 2 days had passed since Scorpius' birthday but the father and son had barely spoken to one another. Draco had tried over breakfast and in the car on the way to his school but Scorpius was just not in the mood to talk. Draco tried giving him space but it doesn't seem to be working.
He knows he should just contact the ministry and pay the retribution. He had heard that Longbottom and Granger had taken over some of the higher offices and were pretty lenient on reformers as long as they pay. They even gave some reformers jobs at the ministry doing small things like cleaning or organizing the owl post.
Should he do it? Should he not? Was his son's happiness worth him turning himself into the ministry?
Taking a shot of firewhiskey, the one bottle he is able to snatch a year, he yanks a piece of stationary and jots down a short letter. Sweat beads down his face. Was he really doing this? Yes, he was...for Scorpius.
He hastily puts the letter in an envelope, scribbling "Death Eater Department" and pulls his owl out of it's cage.
"Take this to the ministry Haston, quickly". Draco secures the letter in the owl's beak and lets it out of the window.
Draco sinks to the floor by the window. His stomach drops, his heart beating out of his chest. He just knows his whole life is about to change.
No more hiding.
The Malfoy's are back.
A/N What did you guys think? Review and let me know if you think I should continue. Next chapter will be Miss. Ministry of Magic herself, Hermione Granger-Weasley. What are y'alls thoughts on Draco?