Things Fall Apart

Between Chapters 29 and 30 of Fire and Ice: The End


Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all will have a good 2013. Here is my present to all of you.


Draco should have never agreed to be the one to show the new Auror the ropes. Natalie Rosewood, twenty-three year old, blonde, was the newest one on the team. Kingsley decided that their group needed another female, and he went with her. Why he chose a young girl was anyone's guess. At least half of the men on the floor were distracted by the young witch, that it was beginning to get frustrating. Draco didn't even need to be at the Ministry, but there he was. Haylee was recovering nicely on the other hand. Her vision was back, somewhat anyway. The healer told them that she would need to wear glasses, but he would take that over where she was back in September. Her legs though were another factor. Haylee may have been able to stand on two legs; however, it was either hit or miss as to how well she could move around. It pained him to watch her at those hour-long sessions at St. Mungo's. Countless tears had fallen since the classes started, but he was sure that it would be worth it in the end.

"Draco, honestly, you need to live a little!" Natalie insisted as she drug him through Diagon Alley. "You're either at the Ministry, St. Mungo's or at your house with your wife."

"There is a reason for that you know," he said. "And it seems that I need to get going. It's almost ten for God's sake. Haylee would be worried sick."

"Come on, Draco. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you were late one night," she brushed up against him. "Besides, I've been told that this bar is outstanding."

He really wasn't in favor of the idea. Being out late at a bar wasn't good. Especially with a twenty-three year old girl. Furthermore, this wasn't the only time he would be coming home late. It would be about the eighth time. Haylee was going to have his head.

"Fine, but only one drink." Why the hell did he just say yes?

"Excellent," she grabbed hold of Draco and pulled him into the bar. The inside was dark and filled with smoke. The people looked a bit dodgy as well.

"Just one drink," Draco said again. "Then I'm out of here."

"Whatever you say."

Except one drink soon turned into two which turned into three and then four. The time was nearing midnight and Draco was certain that his wife would be furious with him now. He really needed to go home.

"Natalie, I really need to be going," Draco rose to his feet, stumbling slightly as he reached for his coat.

"But Draco, you can't go," she placed her hand on his bicep. "Please stay."

"I can't," he muttered, lowering his head looking down.

"Please," she followed his action. "Please." And before Draco could even understand what was going on, the young Auror pressed her lips against his. The action did not go unseen. Onlookers whistled and catcalled whilst the couple was going at it.

Draco was frozen. He couldn't move his arms or his legs. He just stood there. As soon as a bright flash brought him out of his daze he knew he was in trouble. Roughly, he grabbed the blonde's shoulders and pushed her off of him.

"What the hell was that?" Draco exclaimed. "Do you have any idea-"

"Like you weren't enjoying it," Natalie fired back. "You wanted to just as much as I did. What's the matter, your wife not fulfilling your needs?" Draco glared at the witch before him, then shoved his way through the crowd that had formed. Once out of the bar, he apparated out of sight and back home.

The lights were out when he stepped through the door, not to say that was a surprise. It was midnight, why would Haylee be up. Slowly, Draco trudged up the stairs and into their bedroom. Just as he thought; Haylee's back was facing him while she slept. He changed into a pair of sleeping pants and a shirt then slid into the covers beside her. He hoped that when he woke up the next morning this awful night would all be a dream.

But Draco was wrong. When he opened his eyes the next morning, he found that his wife wasn't in bed beside him. Could she have made it down the stairs by herself? A loud crash coming from the kitchen confirmed his suspicions.

"What's going on down here?" Draco asked, stretching his arms above his head when he entered the room. "Hay, are you alright?"

The look she gave him tore at his heart. Her eyes were red and tears were spilling from her eyes. The Daily Prophet in her shaking fist.

"Is this why you were so late last night?" she asked so soft he almost couldn't hear her. "Is this why you were late for the past week and a half?"

"Hay, it's not," he made a move forward, but she quickly stepped back. "Please, just let me explain."

"Explain what?" she cried. "The picture explains it all!"

"Haylee, I swear I didn't do anything. It was all Natalie. She kissed me!"

"Right," Haylee looked at the moving picture again. "It certainly looks like you aren't doing anything. Not pushing her away; just standing there and letting her kiss you. Was she any good? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Now you're acting crazy," Draco said. "It means nothing to me. I love you. You should know that!"

"Right," Haylee said. The tears still falling. She knew, deep down, that this was going to happen. As soon as he told her about the new Auror that he was supposed to train; that was the moment she lost him. "Just go."

"Haylee," Draco touched her shoulder.

"Don't Draco," she turned to walk away, but stumbled and collapsed to the hardwood floor.

"Haylee!"

"Don't touch me!" Haylee shouted, shoving his hands away from her.

"Haylee, you're in no position to-"

"Leave! I don't want you here," she exclaimed from the floor. "Go back to Natalie for all I care. Just get out of this house."

"Fine," he answered, not really meaning the word. Draco needed her to understand. The kiss meant nothing.


Ava hated being late. Her alarm didn't go off and know she had to rush down to the Great Hall, grab a bite to eat, and gun it to History of Magic. She was going to ask her parents for a new alarm for Christmas that was for sure. The one she had now was a piece of shit.

The hall was filled with noise when she came through the double doors. What could they all have been talking about? When she was seen, everyone stopped and became silent. Silverware clanged against the floor, and pity appeared in the eyes of those around her.

"What's going on, Jane?" Ava asked, sitting down in the open seat at the Gryffindor table. "What's the topic on everyone's mouths today?"

"Well," but Alice kicked her from across the table. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"OK, something is going on. Hand me the Prophet will you?" Ava asked.

"I don't think that will be a good idea," Jane said.

"I don't care if it's a good idea. Let me see the paper," Ava repeated. "Thank you."

But then she wish she hadn't taken it. Ava's heart plummeted the moment she saw the front cover. She dropped the pages as if they had burned her fingers. There was no way that picture was real. Her father would never do such a thing like that. Especially to her mum.

"We tried to tell you," Jane spoke softly. "It spread around like wildfire this morning. You weren't here, but Brandon had to deal with it. It wasn't pretty."

Ava couldn't think of any words to say. Never in her life would she believe that her father would cheat on her mum. They loved each other. Didn't they? The article in n the prophet suggested otherwise. She turned around when someone tapped her on the shoulder. It was Brandon, and he didn't look so happy either.

"It's OK, Ava," he embraced her. "It's OK."

"How is this OK?" Ava sobbed into his robes. "There is no way that Mum will be fine with this. She must be devastated."


The press would not let up as Draco tried to get through the Ministry. Bulbs flashed, questions were asked from every direction, and Draco was sick of it. It took him a good ten minutes to get to his office.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" he asked, seeing the dark-haired man sitting in the desk chair.

"I could ask you the same question," Harry answered, slamming the Daily Prophet onto the desk. "What the fuck is this, Malfoy?"

"Look, I can explain."

"Yes, you better explain before I Avada your ass," Harry snarled. "How could you do this to my sister? Your wife! And in the current state she is in! Are you mental?"

"Shut up, and let me talk!" Draco hollered. "It was all Natalie. I had nothing to do with it."

"That's not what it looks like," Harry whispered.

"I swear," Draco continued. "I'm here today to get her sorry ass fired. Have you seen her?"

"How could I not?" Harry asked. "She is eating it all up. You better fix this or so help me God I will kill you."

"Don't worry, I'll fix this. I'll fix everything," and just like that, the blond left. Back down to the sea of paparazzi in the main lobby.

Harry was right. There, in the middle of the flashes, stood the blonde Auror. Spreading lies that would surly destroy him and his family. A short, stubby man caught glimpse of him and started yelling out questions about their goings on. Natalie gave him a large, toothy grin and pulled him to her.

"Mr. Malfoy, how long has this affair been going on?"

"Mr. Malfoy, what would your wife have to say?"

"Ms. Rosewood, how did you manage to snatch him?" That was the last straw.

"Let me make one thing clear," Draco started. "There is nothing going on between Rosewood and I. Whatever she is telling you is completely untrue. I love my wife and I would never do something to break her trust."

"That's not what the picture looks like, Mr. Malfoy," one of the photographers said.

"Don't listen to him. Draco's a bit out of it after last night," Natalie jumped in. "As I was saying-"

"There is no need for you to say anything, Rosewood. I came down here to tell you to gather your belongings and leave. You're fired," Draco smiled slightly as the girl's mouth dropped to the floor.

"What?"

"You heard me," flashes of light began again. "Go to your cubical and clean it out. You are no longer welcome here," Natalie burst into tears and gunned it for the lifts. "And as for you rats, I love my wife. Nothing will ever change that. Bold it. Underline it, whatever. Now, if you will excuse me; I have somewhere I need to be."

"Malfoy!" Harry shouted from the upper level of the ministry.

"What?"

"You need to go to St. Mungo's. Now!"

"Shit!"


When Haylee awoke, her neck was sore as was the side of her head. The sunlight was coming in from the window was blinding, and the itchy sheets were rubbing against her skin. Not in a good way either. As her eyes adjusted, Haylee noticed that she was in one of the many rooms at St. Mungo's. How on earth did she end up there? To her surprise a familiar blond head was resting on the blanket holding her hand tightly. She smiled and brushed her fingers over the hair that fell on his forehead.

"Haylee," he muttered. "I'm so glad you are awake. You had me so worried. What was the last thing you remember?"

"Um, after you left I went into the bathroom," she answered. "I don't remember much after that. You were worried about me? Really?"

"You were passed out on the bathroom floor with blood pooled around your head!" Draco shouted. "Of course I was worried about you. I love you."

"Do you now?" Haylee asked.

"How could you even question it?" he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed tightly. "I set the record straight, and it should be the new headline tomorrow morning."

"I like where this is going," Haylee grinned. "When can I get out of here? I really want to go home and go to bed."

"You were sleeping for the past four hours. You want to go back to bed?"

"Have you ever slept in one of these beds?" Haylee asked. "Not the most comfortable thing in the world. Come with me?"

"Do you even need to ask? Are you up for leaving now? Maybe I should call a healer in here." he replied, helping Haylee to her feet.

"No! And as long as you're here with me; I'm up for anything. Let's go home," Haylee grabbed a hold of his arm. "We also need to send Ava and Brandon an owl when we get home. I'm sure they are worried sick about what has happened. We need to tell them that everything is alright."

"I can do that," they both stood before the door, awaiting the multiple flashes about to appear before them. "Are you ready to really give them something to talk about?"

"Are you kidding?" she pushed the doors open to the outside world. "I live for this stuff." And thus the questioning began.

"Mrs. Malfoy, what happened? What caused you to end up in the hospital?"

"Does it have anything to do with your husband's affair?"

"Mr. Malfoy, how does it feel to know that you actions have caused your wife to be submitted to St. Mungo's?" The couple stopped before the car and looked at the paparazzi head on.

"What you have seen in the Daily Prophet is completely untrue. I don't know where your sources came from, but I want everyone to know that my husband is no cheater and I love him very much." Draco smiled from her side. He knew she would understand. She knew he would never do something so crazy.

"But-"

"No more questions, thank you," she smiled before turning away from them.

"I love you so much," Draco stated as he kissed in front of everyone. The press going crazy. "Let's go home."

"Sounds good to me."


Ava had done something she had never done before. She had skipped all of her classes. As soon as her brother let her go, she ran up to her room, slammed the door closed, pulled the curtains around her bed, and cried her eyes out. Her family was falling apart, and there was nothing she could do about it.

It was around nine o' clock when the girl had finally calmed down. She had actually missed all of her classes. Her mum was going to kill her she thought over and over in her head while hugging the stuffed dragon to her chest. Something her father had gotten her when she was a baby. Did she really want to keep it after what had just happened?

A loud pecking noise broke Ava's concentration. She went over to the window, opened it, and in flew the owl. It was her parent's owl. Ava held back a sob and opened the letter:

Ava, (and Brandon if he's with you)

By now you have most likely seen the Daily Prophet and your father and I want you to know that you shouldn't believe it one bit. You know how that paper is anyway. It was all a misunderstanding, and your father and I are fine. Don't get worked up about it. You know we love each other very much. We will see you at Christmas

Love,

Mum and Dad

Ava let out a huge sigh and grinned. They were fine. Her family was fine.


GothKat2SlashFan- yup, I decided to do oneshots. I think they're fun actually. I have many in mind that I plan on doing, and not all of them, like this one, are sweet and fluffy.

HermioneandMarcus- why thank you. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I hope you liked this one as well.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- :P

Itachi-Uchiha-lover- Thanks. I'm glad you like the idea.