Saturday dawned bright and clear, waking Draco from a fitful sleep. He rolled over and looked out the window for a moment, before dragging himself out of bed. He went through his morning ritual unthinking, and carefully dressed in a set of dress robes that Harry had given him. Draco hated to take them, but he knew he could pay Harry back when the probation was up. He drifted into the kitchen and took the plate Kreacher handed him. He ate without tasting anything. Harry entered as Draco finished the meal. Draco stood and went to the parlor. Harry and Ginny followed and the trio flooed over to the funeral parlor.
Draco stood next to his mother's casket. The dark mahogany gleamed in the soft lighting. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought she was sleeping. The soft blue material of the dress she had hidden set off the blonde streaks in her hair. He reached out and ran a hand over her cheek. A tear ran down his face unbidden. He turned away from the casket, and brushed the tear away. He looked out over the gathering of mourners. He thought he saw a familiar bushy brown head, but shook his head. She hadn't known his mother, and they weren't even friends, so why would she be there. Draco stepped up to the podium.
"I would like to thank you all for being here today. My mother would have appreciated it. My aunt, Andromeda Tonks, will be delivering the eulogy. Following that, we will be conducting the burial on the grounds outside. She will be laid to rest next to her parents." He bowed a little, and stepped down and sat. He sunk his head into his hands as Andromeda began speaking.
The graveside service was a lot simpler. Draco stood and listened to the minister speak, and then laid a flower down on the casket. That done, he walked off a little ways, leaving the other mourners to pay their respects. He found his father's gravestone. He stood there staring down at it for quite awhile.
"You were a bastard." he finally muttered at the ground. He turned to leave, and paused. He turned his head, and saw a set of whiskey colored eyes he knew all too well. He opened his mouth to speak, and the woman disappeared.
Hermione,
I buried mother today. I must be going crazy, because I could swear that I saw you there. I never would imagine that you would be. It is of no matter. I return to work tomorrow, so I will be able to fulfill your condition next weekend. I do appreciate being able to write to you.
Draco
Hermione sighed and shook her head as she left Mrs. Malfoy's funeral. There had been so much pain on his face, it had been hard to just walk away, but her phone had started to vibrate in her purse and so she'd stepped away to answer. Afterwards, she'd been really shaken up herself, so she'd just left. She apparated home and stepped into a nice hot shower, resting her forehead against the cool tile of the wall. She had just stepped out when the familiar pop of apparation filled her ears. She dressed quickly and opened the bathroom door to find Kreacher standing outside the door with a letter for her.
"Master Draco give this to Kreacher. For you."
"Thank you Kreacher. Go ahead and head on home; I'll owl him a response after a while. Oh and Kreacher, would you want to attend a party for Draco Malfoy?"
"A party for Master Draco? You wish Kreacher to come?"
"Of course! Though, you must remember, you cannot breathe a word of this to or around him."
Kreacher nodded happily then apparated home.
Sighing, Hermione sat down, read his letter then placed a quill to her mouth as she pondered over how to reply.
Draco,
I am happy to be of some help to you in your time of need. I promise you that you are not going crazy. I was at the funeral. I did not go for her, I went for you. I'm sorry that I was unable to say anything to you, but I had to leave quite suddenly. Ron called. Anyways, I really must get some sleep; I have a rather early start tomorrow. As for the conditions, you just take your time. I am in no hurry, and I know that you are still dealing with quite a lot at the moment.
Take care of yourself,
Hermione
Draco rolled out of bed and shot off a quick note to Hermione.
Hermione,
Why are you even talking to that ginger tosser? He's a jack ass. Ignore him.
Draco
He handed the letter off to Kreacher and ran out the door to work. He slammed into the kitchen 5 minutes late. He had to duck to dodge the pot D threw at his head.
"You're late. By the way, sorry to hear about your mum. Now get to work." Draco nodded sharply, grabbed his apron and got a move on.
About ten minutes after he had started peeling vegetables, D appeared at the door.
"They need you out front to help dish. I got a noob I can put on spud duty today." Draco grinned at the man, and handed over the peeler. He went out to the front, and one of the women set him up to dish out mashed potatoes. She made sure he knew what he was doing, and then bustled over to the door. Draco was shocked as he saw how ragged the people coming in were. They were dressed in clothing that was in poorer condition than the cheap things he wore. Many of them were rather dirty, and they all looked tired, and world weary. A few people stopped and talked to him as he dished them up. He heard stories about their children, the jobs they had had, and the life they now lived. One woman came through with a small boy. The boy was the spitting image of Draco when he was young. The same platinum hair, albeit filthy, and large steel gray eyes stared out of the child's face. Draco hung his head ashamed. It had only taken him a few moments to connect the dots. The woman had likely been one of the muggles his father had assaulted in the last few years of his life. Draco got the woman's name from a volunteer, and vowed to himself that he would do something to help the boy and his mother. He was tired when he was done for the day, more so than he had ever been. He left work, and returned to the house he was now considering home. He smirked a bit as he climbed the stairs to his room. Who knew that his arch enemy in childhood would be the one who sheltered him now?
Harry came home around his usual time. He was alone; as Ginny had returned to the Burrow once she was sure Draco wouldn't kill himself. He wandered up the stairs, and found Draco lying on his back in the middle of the hallway, staring at the ceiling.
"What's wrong with you Malfoy?"
"I've had a bit of a shock."
"What would that be?"
"I've found out that I have a brother." Harry's eyes widened and he sat on the floor next to the prone man.
"Whatya mean?"
"I was assigned to this kitchen because of one reason. There is a woman who brings her son there to eat. The son has to be my brother. The woman was likely one of the captives my father had sixth year. I'm sure she has been obliviated, and doesn't remember how she got pregnant. I would like to help them... Maybe get to know my brother." Harry nodded at the man.
"I'll see what I can do from the ministry side of things, okay?" Draco looked over at Harry.
"Thanks mate."
Hermione read over his letter, then sat down and started writing her response.
You ignorant git,
I never said that I was talking to him! He is trying to talk to me, not that it's any of your business who I talk to at all! You do not own me!
Hermione
Hermione read over her reply, and then reread his letter. She shook her head and crumpled up the letter that she'd just written.
Draco,
Thank you for the concern, but it is unneeded. I am sure, now, that I can actually make the correct choice in whatever I do concerning Ronald Weasley. If I do give him that second chance he keeps asking for, it will be only after I carefully consider all the pros and cons of having a relationship with him again, and decide that the pros outweigh the cons. How are you holding up?
Hope all is well,
Hermione
She read over the new reply, nodded and sent it off. Now to start making plans for Draco's surprise party, the witch thought as a pop indicated that her best girl friend had just apparated into her flat.
Draco kept an eye out for the woman and the boy everyday he worked. Finally, his day off had come. He fidgeted all the way through the meeting with his parole officer, and practically ran to Harry's office. Harry had sent him notice through Kreacher earlier that morning. He had found out some information on the woman. Draco burst into the office. He froze when he saw the woman sitting in front of Harry's desk, they boy in her lap. A witch from Magical Law Enforcement also sat there. Harry grinned at Draco.
"Come in and sit."
After a lengthy meeting, Draco left the office, the boy in his arms. The woman hadn't been a muggle, but a squib. She had in fact been captured and abused by Lucius Malfoy. She had decided that she wanted to completely leave the magical world, but she could not do that while the boy was in her custody. They had filled out dozens of pieces of paperwork, and Draco was now the boy's legal guardian, under the supervision of Harry until his sentence was over. Draco walked to the floos in silence, still quite in shock over the whole situation. They stood in line with Harry, waiting to go home. A small blonde witch looked over.
"Oh, what a cute little one! Is he yours?" Draco shook his head.
"He's my brother."
"Oh my then, what's your name little one." The child raise his eyes up to Draco. Draco nodded. The boy turned to the witch.
"My name is Thuban Draconis Malfoy."
Hermione,
I am going to have to put off the condition for another week. If you would like to know why, let me know, although Ginny or Harry may have more time at the moment. In fact, come by tomorrow, and I will tell you in person what's going on. I did fully intend to go today, but I had other pressing matters to attend to.
Draco
