New Malfoy Heir
Sebastian Granger, son of Hermione Granger, has been revealed to be the long lost heir to the Malfoy fortune. The Lost Boy, if you will. His father, Draco Malfoy, has sent in a letter to the Prophet confirming that he is in fact the boy's father. One has to wonder what this means for his second legitimate son, Scorpius Mafoy. Or better yet, one has to wonder what Astoria Malfoy may be thinking now that it is out in the open.
Mister Malfoy stated in his letter that "I can no longer keep it a secret as I have dedicated my life since the war trying to make up for the crimes of my family, but now it is time for me to make up for my own crimes. I have a second son."
Now is this just a publicity stunt to avoid dung being thrown in his face before it actually came out another way or if perhaps Draco Malfoy has in fact found a heart during his time trying to redeem himself. Could Draco Malfoy view his firstborn son as a mistake or 'crime against his family'? Why would anyone want to be part of that fiasco?
Rumor has it that he may have told the Prophet before openly telling his wife. Do I sense a bit of a couples quarrel here? Perhaps Misses Malfoy is frightened by the prospect that her husband may still have feelings for the mother of his first son.
And what will Miss Hermione Granger think of her old beau's sudden need to confess such a salacious detail? Perhaps she pressured Mister Malfoy into releasing this information by suggesting he should before she does. Maybe Miss Granger is after some compensation for years of secrecy and lone parenting, Mister Malfoy certainly has the funds for it. Wouldn't that light a fire under Astoria Malfoy? Have no doubt that Misses Malfoy is going to fight for what is hers.
There will be blood, but whose will it be? Stay tuned, readers.
- Rita Skeeter
There will be blood. There will be blood. Rita Skeeter was as out of her mind as ever, she was trying to start a blood feud and Hermione could only roll her eyes at the idea of it. As she stared at the paper and glared at the moving picture of Rita Skeeter, she realized why it was that Sebastian had not come home but opted to stay with the Longbottoms last night. He knew that there was going to be something in the Daily Prophet and didn't want to face her after she read it. Not that it mattered because she wasn't thinking about getting after her son. In fact, as she pulled her cloak around her shoulders and headed to the fireplace she was not even thinking about Sebastian or the fact that Rita was already pitting him against his younger brother. All she was thinking about was ringing a specific pale neck of a man named Draco Bloody Malfoy.
Floo powder in hand she stepped into the fireplace before throwing it down and nearly shouting: "Malfoy Manor!"
Hermione stepped out of the green flames covered in ash, but not caring as she strode across the rather expensive looking carpet in front of the fireplace. Her feet left behind ashen footprints before she came to a stop in the middle of the living room. Daily Prophet still clutched in her left hand, she looked around and found no one there. Funny, how her anger could get the better of her but when it came to Sebastian there was really no limit to what she would do.
"Draco Malfoy, get your arse down here this instant!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, momentarily forgetting the small fact that he did not live alone.
"Excuse me. Who are you to come into this home and make demands?"
The voice was far too feminine to be Draco's and when Hermione turned to look at the double doors that led out onto the terrace she found herself met with the cold, calculating gaze of one Astoria Malfoy. She did not look at all amused but rather annoyed and angry.
"Where is Draco?"
"I don't see why that's any of your business."
"It damn well is my business. Have you seen the Prophet today?"
"I don't read that rubbish."
"Well, you should have yourself a good read then."
The Prophet was practically thrown at Astoria; she barely managed to grab it before it fell away from her. Hazel-green eyes scanned the article slowly before they went wide momentarily and she tossed the paper aside without warning. That annoyed look she'd been wearing moments ago was nothing compared to the one that she was wearing now. It was perfect timing too because just then Draco walked into the living room and was greeted by the rather cold glares of his wife and his ex-lover.
"What have you done?" Astoria shouted at him, but as she was going to continue her demands she was quieted by his glare.
It caused her to go stiff and she just held her tongue, having to remind herself that they were in the presence of someone lesser than they were. Hermione could not bear witness to their problems; Merlin only knew who she would tell.
"What are you doing here, Granger?" Draco asked as he looked away from his wife.
"I'm here because you told the whole damned world about my son!"
"Our son."
"Our son, then!"
"And? What of it?"
"You have no idea what you have done, Draco! You never think before you rush off trying to mend your pride! He is going to go through hell for this. It's one thing to make me suffer it's another to go about doing that through Sebastian."
"Ever think this wasn't about you? The boy wanted to be claimed by me whether he said it or not, he wanted to know that I was proud to call him my son."
"No, you're not! You're just doing it because you think he or I would have done it!"
"Why should he be proud? Your son is a mistake, a stain on the Malfoy name now!" Astoria nearly shrieked.
"Shut up, Astoria," Draco said harshly as he glared daggers at his wife only to turn his eyes back to Hermione. "I don't give a damn what you would have done. I did this for Sebastian not for your or for me. He deserves to know who he is and he deserves the right not to hide it."
"You don't know a damn thing about what my son deserves! He deserves better than a man who would only claim him after another man is dead. He deserves better than a man who is barely a father to the child that he does claim!"
"Don't you dare. You don't know how I treat my son!"
"No, you're right I don't. But I do know that Sebastian, my son, deserves someone as good and decent as Ron more than someone as cold and cruel as you. Ron was the man he saw as his father, you…you are just the donor. That's all. So don't bother trying to be anything more now!"
Hermione did not waste a moment waiting for him to respond; instead she grabbed a handful of the floo powder next to the fireplace and stepped in. She turned around to glare at Draco, who was just staring at her a bit stunned.
"Stay away from my son, Draco. You will ruin his life like you ruined mine. It's the only thing you're good at."
Draco had never been so thoroughly struck down by anyone who wasn't his father, but Hermione managed to drive that knife deeper and deeper into his chest. Her words were like scalding hot water in already open wounds, but he managed to keep his composure even after she had been engulfed by green flames. It was a good thing too because he when he turned to leave the living room he found himself face to face with Astoria. The fury written on her face frightened him, but he wasn't going to allow her to see that. He straightened up and looked down on her before sizing her up with his gray eyes.
"Move."
"No. You will explain yourself or so help me, Draco."
"Explain what?"
"Why the hell you would release that information to the damned Prophet!"
"Because I could and it was my choice to make."
"No, no it wasn't. They mentioned my name in there and Scorpius'. Do you not care what this will do to our son? Or are you only thinking about shagging that damned mudblood again? Was it that good that it has you thinking like a fool?"
"I don't have the time for this," Draco said with a wave of his wrist as he made to walk passed her, but Astoria took a firm hold of his arm to keep him in place.
"Find the time," she whispered dangerously to him. "Now."
He wrenched his arm out of her grip and turned to face her again, realizing just how much he disliked her sometimes. Had there ever been a point when he loved Astoria? Yes, there had been because Merlin knew that she put up with a hell of a lot from him over the years. So he loved her in a way, but right now he wanted nothing to do with her whatsoever.
"What do you want from me, Astoria?"
"I want reassurance that you are not going to just throw away what we have for her. If you want your bastard son then fine, have him. But remember though he may be part of this family does not mean that she is."
"Fine."
"No, Draco. I want to hear you say you're not going to bother with Granger alone again."
"I won't bother with her alone again."
"Good because if you do and I even feel for a moment that this new vendetta of yours will cost our son anything then I will pick him up and leave."
Their eyes held one another for a long moment, Draco was trying to figure out if she would actually do such a thing or not. He could not deny the conviction in her hazel eyes; she was being completely genuine in her threat. Over her shoulder, he could see a picture of their son smiling over to him mid-giggle and he felt his heart clench in his chest. For all the things that were wrong with him and Astoria, Draco never lost love for Scorpius. Hell, his son was the main reason that he bothered to remain married to her because he was very much worried what she would do otherwise. There was no putting it passed Astoria; she definitely would keep Draco from ever seeing his son again if that is what it took to make him suffer the most.
"Understood."
"That's what I wanted to hear," Astoria said cheerily as she leaned up to press a gentle kiss to Draco's lips.
Once again he was stunned on how quickly her moods could shift, but he kissed her back if only not to give her another reason to lose her cool again. She was easier to stomach when she was being compliant and lately she was only compliant when he was. Though he was not surprised because his mother once told him that sooner or later Astoria was going to get the gull she needed to push him and there was no way he was going to be able to push back.
