A/N: As promised, here is a chapter from Draco's POV, just to give a little fresh perspective on the story. Again, this one is a little dark so consider yourself forewarned. Hope ya like it!

Draco felt broken. As if someone had reached inside his chest and was ripping tiny shreds of his heart out piece by piece. He needed escape. Escape from this incessant feeling of suffocation, of feeling trapped in his own home.

Lucius had left early that morning, the day after Christmas, yet the weight of his presence still hung like a shadow over Draco. The mark of his visit was still visible, stretching down the cheek of Draco's wife. Rage roiled inside of him, half at Lucius for harming Astoria, half at himself for failing to do anything about it.

Running a shaking hand through his hair, Draco watched from a recliner across the drawing room as Astoria and Scorpius played a quiet game of Wizard's chess. His grey eyes roved over the pale face of his wife, his jaw clenching as they passed over the pink scar on her cheek. He and Amanda had hastily stitched up the cut and applied the proper healing ingredients, but he knew it would always leave a mark.

Scorpius seemed to be in better shape than his wife, though by comparison he hadn't had his face cut open. Draco watched, a flicker of pride flowing through him as his son captured Astoria's queen. He was quite the chess player, much as he had been during his adolescence.

The brief sense of pride was soon replaced by fear, Draco fully understanding himself what the boy was going through. Scorpius was being pressured to meet the unrealistic expectations of his prudish grandfather rather than merely being himself and enjoying his time at Hogwarts. The similarities to Draco's own time at the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were a bit haunting.

It was his last full day with his and Astoria's son before Scorpius was whisked away back to Hogwarts. Draco had been wanting to do something special for the boy, but now with his wife's condition to consider, he wasn't sure. Still, the knowledge that every move he made was being watched was more than overwhelming to him. He was severely tempted to just give it all up, give up the façade of being perfectly alright when all the while he felt he was rotting away inside.

"Why don't we go away for the night?" Draco asked, causing his wife and son to look up in surprise from their game.

"To where?" Astoria inquired curiously.

"Just somewhere different." Draco replied, thinking carefully before speaking. He could almost feel the portraits around the room straining their painted ears to listen and glean any information that they could.

"That sounds fun." Scorpius said, his voice taunt. Draco could tell he was being careful as well. They were trodding on precarious ground, now. If they pulled this off, they would get an evening away from Lucius' prying eyes.

"I have a place in mind," Draco responded, giving Astoria a meaningful glance so as not to ask where.

"When shall we leave then?" Astoria implored, giving him a barely perceptible nod.

"Let's say half an hour." Draco answered, trying to hold in a smile at the thought of finally being free of Lucius, even if only for a while.

"Very well." His wife replied, standing to her feet. Draco watched as she grabbed the table to steady herself. She was still a little shaky after what had transpired with Lucius, both mentally and physically.

Draco's eyes followed her thin frame as it walked effortlessly out of the room with an almost ethereal aura about her. It amazed him how she could still be so strong after all that had happened, everything he had put her through. Then again, she had always been a strong woman. Much stronger than he had ever been.

The three Malfoy's met in the entrance hallway over thirty minutes later, Scorpius and Draco sharing the luggage between the two of them. Draco shuffled around his bags, then grabbed onto his wife and son standing on both sides of him. Imagining the place he had decided on, Draco side-apparated his family with a loud pop.

They reappeared moments later in front of a large, white building that stood at least five stories tall. A glance around told Draco they had arrived at his desired location.

They were in Scotland, in front of a building that stood atop a large cliff that hung over the roaring swells of the ocean. Draco smiled, instantly feeling as if a giant burden had been lifted from his shoulders. This was where he and Astoria had come for their five-year anniversary. It was a hotel entirely for witches and wizards, and known across the magical community to be a quality establishment.

The sparse, olive-green grass crunched underneath their feet as Draco led them to the front entrance. They walked into the building to be instantly greeted by the smells of a warm fire and good food. Draco felt his spirits lifting already, though the fear still held on in the back of his mind.

"I can help you here, sir." One of the clerks said from the front desk. The older man with a toothy grin and a balding head beckoned for them to step forward.

"Yes, I need a room for the three of us." Draco replied, stepping up to the desk. The man scribbled away on his notebook.

"Aye, and what would be the name for ye party?" the clerk queried.

"Malfoy." Draco responded. The clerk raised his eyebrows, but scribbled down the information nonetheless. Draco paid him, watching as the man inspected the money and nodded in satisfaction.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy." He replied, taking a key off the rack behind him. "You're in room 259, William here will show you up there. Oi! William!" the clerk yelled at a young man snoozing lazily in an armchair next to the desk. The younger employee bolted awake, then proceeded to take their bags and escort them to their room.

Draco smiled again upon entering their room. It was a spacious area, with a living room straight ahead and a kitchenette right as they walked in. Two bedrooms were also there, one off each side of the living room.

The bellboy took their bags to their rooms, the left after being tipped by Draco. Scorpius looked around the room, and Draco thought he looked pleased. Astoria took his hand squeezed it gently. Draco squeezed back, knowing she appreciated being brought back to this place.

They spent the afternoon exploring the area around the hotel, then came back for quick showers before dinner. Their evening meal, which they ate at the hotel's restaurant, was positively scrumptious, though Draco could still sense the stilted atmosphere between the members of his family. He knew they were all trying to enjoy their time away from Lucius, yet still terrified of the thought of going back.

When they retired to their room, Scorpius bade Draco and Astoria goodnight, then headed off to his own room. Draco followed his wife to their bedroom, softly closing the door behind them.

He changed out of his dinner clothes, then crawled into the king-sized bed wearing a pair of sweatpants and no shirt. Collapsing onto the mattress, he listened to the sounds of his wife preparing for bed in the bathroom. The familiar sense of guilt flashed through his mind as he thought of Astoria. Lucius had hurt her, and he had done nothing about it. Draco hastily shoved the thought away, telling himself now wasn't the time to worry about it. He had, after all, come here to forget.

Forgetting, as it seemed, was not such an easy task. Especially when the matter one should be forgetting was a matter regarding Lucius Malfoy. Draco was continuously haunted by his father, constantly terrorized by the thought of what would happen if he went against his father's wishes.

The exhaustion of it all rolled over Draco. As he drifted off into a listless sleep, the memories he had tried so hard to suppress sprang forth, reminding him of why he was so terrified of Lucius Malfoy…..

Draco tapped his foot nervously on the hardwood floor of his father's office. His hands were shaking as he awaited his father to enter the room. It would be the first time he had seen him in nearly a year.

It was less than a week after Draco had almost murdered Dumbledore. Severus Snape had brought him here, to Malfoy Manor, after the attack on Hogwarts by the Death Eaters to wait while Lord Voldemort freed his father from Azkaban. Word had arrived that afternoon that Lucius had been freed and was on his way to the Manor.

Draco knew how his father would react when he heard that he had failed his mission. He could almost imagine the mortified expression on Lucius' narrow face as he was told the news that his son had failed as a Death Eater.

"Draco." An icy, yet smooth voice said from the doorway. Draco jumped slightly, then immediately stood to his feet.

"Father." He said, trying to offer Lucius a smile. "It's good to see you." His father snorted, then turned to close the door behind him, his black cloak billowing behind him.

"What's this I hear of you failing to complete your mission?" Lucius inquired, his voice just as cold as it had been moments before. Draco hesitated, fully aware of the rage swirling in his father's grey eyes.

"I-I'm sorry." Draco responded, bowing his head.

"Pitiful." Lucius spat, glaring up and down at his son. Draco felt awash in shame under the scrutiny of the man he had tried so hard to please. Everything he had done had been done to make his father proud, yet in the end he hadn't even been able to accomplish that.

"I hope you'll forgive me." Draco replied, hopefully raising his head to meet the iron-cold gaze of his father. Lucius merely gave him a scornful look.

"Forgiveness and compassion have no place in the mind of a Death Eater." He said as if it should be obvious. Draco swallowed nervously.

"Of course. I-"

"It's pathetic, how shameful you are to the Malfoy name." Lucius interjected, his tone as freezing as the arctic. "A true Malfoy would never have let down their master." he paused and Draco flinched at the fury etched across his father's face. "Especially on a mission as important this one!" he suddenly yelled, causing Draco to stumble backwards into the front of his father's desk.

"It won't happen again." He hastily replied, gulping in terror as his father raised his wand and aimed it directly at his chest.

Lucius had 'punished' Draco from time to time. Draco saw it as a little more than that, but never said anything. There were the occasional cuts, the scrapes across his face and chest that quickly healed with the right spell or charm.

Draco could tell that was coming would be much worse. He had never seen his father this enraged before. Then again, he had let down Voldemort himself as well as Lucius.

"You have made me look like a fool!" Lucius bellowed, his eyes wide in fury as he stepped closer to Draco. "You have brought ruin and disgrace on this family!"

"Father, please," Draco pleaded, holding his hands up. He was too late. Lucius had already gone over the edge. He gave his wand a slight wave motion then muttered under his breath

"Diffindo."

Draco felt a sharp pain slicing across his chest as his father made his first mark. He cried out, grabbing onto the desk behind him as the pain doubled from the next cut. He yelled in agony as his father continuously sliced at his chest. This was the worst he had ever experienced at the hands of his own father.

He was on his knees, doubling over from the pain when his father finally stopped. Draco managed to breathe in, his entire body trembling from the pain.

"Pathetic." Lucius sneered from above him. He pointed his wand again, then uttered a word Draco had never thought would leave his father's mouth. At least towards him. "Crucio."

He screamed, the intensity of the pain unbearable. He found himself writhing on the floor in excruciation, as the blinding, torturous pain boiled inside him incessantly. He could hear the screams leaving his mouth, the cries for mercy escaping from between his lips. His body was shaking so severely he could no longer see where his father.

Suddenly, it stopped. Draco collapsed onto the floor, the pain lessening to a dull throb. His chest was still smarting quite a bit from the wounds his father inflicted earlier, but they were nothing compared to…to that. Draco barely registered the sound of footsteps and saw his father towering above him.

"Do not fail me again." Lucius said, his words as cold as ice. He opened his mouth to continue and-

"Draco!" he jolted awake, sitting up and glancing around the hotel room frantically. Astoria was sitting next to him on the bed, wearing a pale, silk nightgown.

"What…?" Draco murmured, his brow furrowing as he realized he was out of breath, his chest heaving.

"You had a nightmare." Astoria answered simply. Draco looked into her hazel eyes and saw that they were filled with concern. He knew why. It had been years since he had had these bloody nightmares.

"I'm sorry." Draco replied, running a hand through his hair to find that his face was glistening with sweat. Sighing he returned his gaze to his wife. "This was supposed to be fun." He muttered, slumping back down on the mattress. Astoria followed suit, laying up against him and resting her smaller hand on his chest.

"What was your dream about?" she asked.

"Lucius." Was all Draco said. He didn't want to talk about it at this particular moment.

"I'm sorry." Astoria responded. She began tracing the various scars that stretched across his chest with her fingers. Draco closed his eyes, relishing her soft touch.

Astoria had been the one to piece him back together after the Second Wizarding War. Draco doubted he would have been able to move on if it hadn't been for her. He loved her more than life itself, and regretted more than anything the life he had dragged her into.

"Is he right?" Draco suddenly murmured thoughtfully. Astoria stopped her tracing and turned her face to look into his eyes.

"About what?" She inquired, narrowing her eyes.

"About being a terrible father." He answered quietly. Astoria's eyes widened.

"Absolutely not." She replied firmly. "You're a wonderful father, and a wonderful husband." Draco smiled sadly, reaching out to cup her cheek with his hand. He gently ran his thumb over her skin, marveling at its softness.

"You deserve so much better." He said softly. "You and Scorpius both. It's not fair, making you live like this."

"If it means being with you, then it's worth it." Astoria responded in an equally soft tone. She paused, then dawned a meaningful look. "All of it."

Draco felt tears prick his eyes, realizing what she meant. Gently pushing her over so she was on her back, he deftly rolled himself on top of her, careful to make sure the weight of his muscles body didn't crush her smaller frame. Breathing a bit more heavily, he looked down into her hazel eyes, his face hovering a mere inches above hers.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, his voice hoarse. He pressed a gently kiss onto her forehead, then left to leave a trail of equally tender kisses down the pink scar Lucius had made on her cheek. He felt her fingers digging into his silver hair as she pulled him down closer to her, resting his forehead on hers.

"Draco-" she began, but he interrupted.

"If he ever hurts you again, I'll kill him." Draco said, a bit more ferocious than he had meant.

"Draco-" she started again.

"Watching him hurt you was a thousand times worse than any Cruciatus curse, Astoria." Draco interjected, his voice dropping back to a whisper. "I can't go through that again." His voice cracked on the last syllable, and he felt his chest heaving as his emotion overcame him.

Draco felt Astoria's hot breath on his lips as she let out a soft gasp at his words. He tenderly parted her lips with his own, pressing a gentle kiss onto them. Fire shot through his veins as her hands cupped the back of his head, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. In the night that followed, Draco found comfort the only way he knew how;

In the arms of the only person capable of soothing his tortured soul.

A/N: I'm actually really proud of how this one turned out. If you want me to do a few more like these throughout the story let me know, and if you'd rather have me just stick to Rose and Scorpius, that's cool too. I think I may do a prequel to this one about Draco/Astoria…I'm starting to really like them, and Draco's really fun to write about. Anywho, hope you guys enjoyed this one! If you have time, leave a review and let me know what ya think!