Disclaimer: It's JK Rowling's.

Aha! I have decided to end the era of the similar title chapters. I dunno if you noticed or not. *shrugs* Oh well. I've decided to go on the 'Symbolic Flower' thing.

School has started for me. Sigh.

Harry smiled hesitantly and pushed forward an open file on their special case. Several blurry photos were clipped to other files: receipts, hotel check-ins, train tickets, etc. Working late had proved fruitful, especially with the help of Martin Doucet. He and his wife, Astoria, now lived with the Potters for over two weeks and were surprisingly, pleasant guests.

Hermione pointed to one of the photos, her brown eyes trained on him. "Are these pictures all of the same man?"

He nodded. "We don't know his name yet, but he was always seen near the scene of the crime. His latest plane ticket goes all the way to-"

"Why would he need a plane ticket if he's a wizard?" Ron interrupted. "More importantly, what in bloody hell is goin' on here!"

Hermione snarled at him, tossing him her cellphone. "Here's the audio recording of the meeting we had a few weeks ago. Listen to it outside, if you could."

Ron nodded mutely, his blue eyes tinged with sorrow. Harry sympathized for both of his best friends, but more on Ron's part. He was trying to reconcile with her, but all she did was push him away. It didn't make much sense to him. After Ron closed the door, the trio jumped right back into the conversation. Draco took a few of the receipts, scanning them quickly before tossing them back on the desk. "Hey!" Harry growled, scrambling to put them back in the order that they were. He spent three hours placing all of them in chronological order to help with the case. Hermione gingerly took the three photos, offering him a coaxed out grin, and tried pointing out tiny, seemingly insignificant details. They debated quietly together until Ron came back in. The redhead seemed sullen, but enlightened at the same time. He ran a hand through his hair, letting them fall back to its original spot. "Hermione..."

"Ron," she hissed back. It seemed like an eternity, for honestly, it was. He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, his hands dug sheepishly in his pockets. He constantly opened his mouth to speak, but would shake his head and shut them up again. Draco slammed down the hotel bill he was holding and demanded coolly, "If you have something to say, Weasley," he said Ron's name like it was a contagious disease, "Say it now. We have something we're working on."

Ron glared at Draco before nodding his head. He straightened his slumped shoulders, hands balled into tight fists as his lips slowly mouthed what he was planning to say. He looked as though he were bravely delivering the news of her parents' death. "I'm sorry for being a monster," he choked out, his form crumbling down as the words tumbled out of his mouth.

Hermione froze, clenching her fists until her knuckles were white. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the floor, her curls creating a curtain hiding her face. He frowned, crossing the tiny office until he was kneeling in front of her and staring into her deep brown eyes. "If I could take it all back, I would. I woulda treated you better. Honest. I-I...Someday... I know we'll be friends," he crooned gently, taking her tiny fists into his. "We'll be back to the way we were before."

Draco reeled back and punched Ron square in the jaw, his eyes narrowed. Ron tumbled back, his head crashing against Harry's desk. "Don't give her that bullshit," Draco murmured, rubbing his fist from the blow. Hermione fell out of her chair and onto her knees, quickly pulling out her wand and waving it over Ron's chest. "Damn it, Malfoy! He's unconscious!"

Harry rushed over, pulling out his wand as well. He shot Draco a death glare and pointed to the door. "Out."

"Potter-"

He picked up the file and flung it in the blond's direction, his green eyes flashing with anger. "OUT!"

Draco glared right back, ignoring the papers fluttering to the floor, and stalked out. Hermione whispered, "Ennervate."

Ron's eyes fluttered open and Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He groaned, gently prodding his swollen and bleeding cheek. "Agh...what happened?"
"I punched you. Sorry," Hermione quickly explained, waving her wand and reducing the swelling. He shook his head and gave a crooked grin. "I'm sure I deserved it...whatever I said."

Draco looked around anxiously before pulling open a janitor's closet and slipping inside. He cast a silencing charm, as well as a concealment charm so no one would enter in accidentally, staring at the messy alignment of various cleaning supplies. He sucked in his breath, another wave of horrible memories washing through him yet again.

Astoria stood before him, a serene smile placed on her gentle features. She was clothed in baby blue dress robes, her black curls tamed and pulled back. Her pale skin was rosy with flurried excitement as her personal house elf stood beside her. Draco was holding the newborn Scorpius in his arms, his grey eyes stone cold to mask his pain. She placed a friendly kiss on his cheek, ignoring the baby's presence, and smoothed down Draco's platinum locks. "Someday, we can forget this all happened. We'll be back to who we were before. We'll live the lives that we wanted. This couldn't have been possible without you. Thank you, Draco."

She left, and Draco handed his son to an idle elf and retreated to his room. For the first month of his young son's life, he ignored him. It hurt too much. Scorpius Harry Malfoy was an exact replica of his distant father, save for his nose. His nose was smooth like his mother's. 'He just had to get his mother's sodding nose,' he growled, staring down at the picture he received from the photographer he hired the day Scorpius was born.

One summer night, Draco felt an odd sensation in his chest. The throbbing emotional gash he received from Astoria's abandonment no longer occupied in his heart. It wasn't killing him so much. He felt empty, restless even. He wandered the hallways, careful not to awaken the sleeping portraits. A soft squeak resonated in the empty hallway, compelling him to follow the noise. Scorpius lay in his crib, his face red and soaked with tears. Draco rushed to his side, quickly picking his only son up and bringing him close to his chest. "Shhhh...Daddy's here."

He continued shrieking, not comfortable with the man holding him. The heartbeat was not familiar. His fists were in tight balls as he struggled against the confines of his blanket. Draco pulled them off, bringing him to a window and opening it to the summer air. A soft breeze blew by, eventually soothing both of their nerves. Curious grey eyes peered up at him, occasionally hiccuping and startling him. He stared back, slowly realizing that this was his son. Ignoring him was just following in his father's footsteps. Draco slowly bent down and gave him a hesitant kiss on the forehead, resting his own forehead against his. "Scorpius...My Scorpius. I'm your daddy. Hello..."

The memory was terrible, despite the first touching moment he had with Scorpius, but he couldn't help it. Astoria left him. He slammed his fist against the concrete wall. After three years, he was still bitter and still in love with her. But the need wasn't as strong. After years of separation, he seemed to accept it. She didn't love him. That was that. Draco straightened his suit, practicing his indifferent mask and returning outside to face Hermione and Harry's wrath. He removed the charms he had set up and headed back to Harry's office to apologize.

Draco stepped in, his chin held high as he coyly eyed the Golden Trio casually having a cup of coffee. Harry glowered at him, nodding at Hermione. She set her mug down on the desk and stood up, picking up the mustard yellow file and shooing him out of the office. He frowned. "Where are we going?"

"Germany."

"N-Now? I have to see Scorpius!"

She rolled her eyes, tugging him down to the apparition point. "He's at my parents' house. They'll take care of him for as long we're gone."

"But-"

"Malfoy, they're my parents. He'll be fine! I mean, look at me!" she gestured to herself with pride. He simply stared at her, lips pressed into a thin line. After a long pause, she buckled underneath his stare and forced him to Apparate already.

Hermione stumbled forward, Draco catching her fall before she fell to the ground. His gaze flickered with concern, not for her, but of the location. "You sure this is the right place?"

She nodded in disdain, looking up at the crumbling wooden cottage in front of them. Vines laced through the broken windows and out of the rotted wood panels, shrubs and dead grass adorning the walkway. Draco pulled out his wand cautiously and followed the steps to the chipped door. He twisted his wand slightly, the door swinging open from his nonverbal spell. Hermione followed after him, tossing one glance over her shoulder in case someone saw. No one would; the cottage was in the middle of a forest. "Granger!" Draco hissed, "Get in here!"

"Scared, Malfoy?" she asked dryly, edging her way inside. Light poured in from the holes all around the dingy old cottage, and she swore she saw a rat scurry by her feet. Draco stood next to a table in the middle of what appeared to be the den, holding an ornate card in his trembling fingers. She rushed to his side. In neat, scrawling letters was written:

Est magicae mortem.Scorpius. Consider this a warning and leave us be. - Yours truly, the Reapers

"Scorpius," the both breathed before rushing outside. Draco gripped Hermione's hand, his grey eyes as cold as ice. "Take me to him!" he demanded harshly. Hermione complied without complaint, trying to keep a calm face. Draco was alarmed enough already.

The two burst through the front door, eyes wide as they scanned the house. "Mum? Dad?" Hermione called, anxiety showing in her voice. Draco rushed around, growling in frustration as he accidentally broke a vase. He fixed it with a quick 'Reparo' and continued his search. "Hermione?" a tender voice called from upstairs. "Is that you, darling?"

Hermione grabbed Draco's arm and tugged him up the stairs. "He's up here."

"Mum! Has anyone been up here?" she asked, gripping her mother's shoulders a bit too tightly. She squirmed out of her daughter's grasp and shook her head. "No, not at all."

Draco rushed passed them without another glance, his eyes locking with Scorpius. He let out a breath of relief and scooped him up in his arms and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Scorp...you're sa-"

A blood curdling shriek filled the ear, bursting all of their eardrums. Scorpius squirmed out of his father's reach and tumbled to the floor. His face was pale as he coughed and wheezed, running away from his father's touch and ignoring the ringing pain in his bones from the fall. Draco chased after him, his eyes wide with fright. "Scorpius!"

"Draco, no!" Hermione tackled him to the floor, watching as Scorpius ran into her father's arms and wept bitterly, clutching his shirt and screaming in pain. Her mother rushed to his side, taking the child downstairs. Draco fought against her, pushing her off of him and scrambling to his feet. She jumped on his leg, preventing him from getting any closer. "Get off of me, Mudblood!" he shrieked, tugging her off of him. "He needs me!"

She ignored what he said, what he called her, for the time being. "Draco. Draco, listen to me! Est magicae mortem is a wizard killing curse! Any magic coming close to the wizard will drain them of their life and convert it to magic! If you want Scorpius to stay alive, we have to leave him!"

He shook his head, mumbling to himself as he weakly tried getting up and retreiving his son. Hermione hated seeing him like this. He looked like a wild beast unable to do anything. A caged beast forced to watch its child suffer. Remembering she had a wand, she performed a full body-bind curse on him, turning him over so he was staring at the ceiling. His grey eyes glared at her, but it slowly lost its spark when her words registered in his mind. After a few minutes, she released the spell. Taking his arm and guiding him out of the house, careful to avoid Scorpius, Hermione explained as hest she could why Scorpius had to stay with them. They nodded, still not quite understanding the situation. Draco paused outside of the door and gave one last look at his son. Scorpius reached one tiny hand out to him, tears still rolling down his cheeks. "Pa...pa?"

He sucked in one last breath and darted out. "I will keep him safe," he told her before Disapparating.

I'm so ashamed...this is the shortest chapter I've got. Ah, I'm so sorry, but my mind has had writer's block, and...gah, I'm sorry.

Anyway...the Rhododendron flower means 'beware' or 'caution'. Review please! :) (thank you so much