TITLE: Fairy Tales and Dragon Scales

THANKS TO: babli91, BadBonita, grimreaper101, and Lady Aqualyne FOR REVIEWING!

To Lady Aqualyne: I understand the need to vent about Severus lol. I have this posted on a couple of other sites and it's sort of nice to see everyone flipping out over him lol. Hopefully he can redeem himself to Harry, Addie, and my readers before long lol. It won't be easy, though.

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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

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Narcissa and Lucius paid Severus a visit late that night to get the truth. The man wasn't happy but explained everything to them anyway and returned to their son to shower him in affection and promises that everything would be okay and they would help in any way possible and left Severus with a considerable amount of Galleons for everything he had already done and would do for Draco. If only his wife was so caring and concerned for him. Astoria avoided him the rest of the night, not that he went out of his way to find her. He wanted to see Scorpius, but was too afraid to face his son right now and was honestly worried that Astoria wouldn't even let him see him. It made Draco wonder what Astoria would say if she could see her sister and knew what was happening to her. He briefly considered that she did know but then he figured Daphne didn't want anyone to know, least of all her immature and judgmental little sister. Would Astoria even care that her own sister was suffering?

To his surprise, Astoria was sitting in the living room, holding Scorpius close to her when Draco walked out the next morning. She was dolled up as always with her chocolate brown hair piled up on top of her head in luscious curls, her blue eyes narrowed at him as he appeared. She even wore a pretty pink dress and matching heels and had Scorpius all dressed up in a little suit. "Where are you two going?" Draco asked.

"That's none of your business, is it?" Astoria asked icily.

"It damn well is. He's my son, you know," Draco said, irritated by Astoria's attitude.

"If he turns out like you, Draco, I swear to Merlin," she growled.

"What? You'll disown him?" barked Draco.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Astoria snapped. "I will not have you tainting my son."

"Our son," Draco reminded her. "And I'm not tainting him!"

"No fight! Mummy, Daddy," Scorpius pleaded.

"We're not fighting, darling," Astoria said, kissing the top of his blond head. "Are you at least getting it fixed?"

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" Draco demanded.

"Well, nothing's gotten done yet. I doubt it ever will," Astoria said.

Draco frowned, feeling a bit uneasy. "What exactly are you saying, Astoria?"

"I can't have a husband like this and Scorpius doesn't need a father like this," Astoria replied coolly.

"And I don't need a wife like you, now do I?" Draco snapped. "I don't care if you stay or go, but if Scorpius isn't here when I get back you will have hell to deal with from the Ministry. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Astoria said coldly.

Draco marched to the fireplace and Flooed to St. Mungo's, his body trembling a bit as he did so and he stared at Scorpius as he disappeared, actually fearing he might never see his son again. He would just have to do better, involve himself as much as possible into the research of his own problem to help solve it. Draco rushed down the hallway to Seveurs's office and let himself in, surprised to see Addie sitting in the corner. She had been there the past few weeks, but Draco still wasn't used to her being there. Draco frowned at her as she sniffled and turned his gaze to Severus who was ignoring them both in favor of reading over his latest notes.

Draco cleared his throat. "Good morning, Severus."

"Mhm," Severus grunted in response.

"They know now…my family," he said uncertainly as he sat down in front of Severus's desk. His eyes moved back to Addie who was staring at the floor sadly. He actually felt his heart ache a bit for the little girl. How furious Harry would be if he could see her now, he couldn't help but think. Harry was always asking about Addie, and it was always the same. Nothing horrible was happening to her, but nothing good, either. Draco was starting to wonder if that was true. Addie didn't show any signs of being abused. Hermione had checked her before leaving Andromeda's when they "kidnapped" her that one day. But physical abuse wasn't the only abuse there was. Addie didn't seem as happy or outgoing or lively as most children her age and it was really sad to see. Even if she wasn't annoying like Hermione and Ron's kids.

"I realized when your parents demanded a meeting with me last night," Severus said dryly, finally looking up at him.

"Astoria isn't taking it well," Draco said.

"I am not your therapist, Draco," Severus said coldly, looking down at his notes again. "You are lucky I am doing what I am for you."

"But you're not doing it for me. You're doing it for Harry," Draco said calmly. He felt a bit afraid by that flash of anger in Severus's eyes. Addie seemed to notice it from where she was sitting and she cringed. That disturbed Draco more than anything else and he glared at his godfather.

"I owe Potter nothing," Severus snapped. "If you are only going to be a nuisance to me, you can leave now."

"I wouldn't be surprised if Astoria left me," Draco said, voice shaking a bit as he stood up. "And you know, I wouldn't care if she did. I'm just a disgrace as a husband, the way I am now. What really gets me is that she might try to take Scorpius with her. I haven't been around my son in ages and I've only done so for his own protection! I don't know what I would do if Astoria truly took him from me."

"What-" Severus began in irritation, throwing his quill down onto the desk.

"Would you even care if Addie was gone?" Draco demanded.

Severus scoffed and rolled his eyes, sitting back in his seat.

"Obviously you care a little bit," Draco said. "Otherwise you'd have passed her off to someone else." Severus's eyes flared dangerously and Draco shifted a bit, resisting the urge to back away from the desk. "I honestly don't understand why she's even still with you. Unless you just enjoy having someone to beat around."

"I do not hit my child. Not unless she's being punished," Severus said, obviously offended. "But nothing that would constitute abuse."

"I didn't mean you were literally beating her," Draco said. "But you don't treat her well. You know what it was like having shitty parents, so why on earth would you become one?"

"Perhaps you should leave," Severus said darkly.

"Can't you just listen?" Draco pleaded. "If enough people tell you the same thing, shouldn't that say something?"

"It should say that I've heard it enough and don't need to hear it again," Severus growled.

"If you'd maybe change your attitude then maybe you won't have to hear it again!" Draco cried.

Severus was on his feet in an instant, wand drawn. Draco gulped and took a step back. "I do not need you or Granger or anyone who is barley into their adulthood telling me how to parent my own child."

"You sure about that?" Draco asked, eying Addie pointedly. "Look, I care about you and Addie and I didn't want to get involved, but…You could really fuck shit up for you and for Addie and for Harry if you can't start treating her better."

"She has a roof over her head, food in her stomach, clothes on her back, and many other luxuries! I don't hit her or starve her or anything of that nature. What more does she need?" Severus spat.

"Love…respect…compassion," Draco listed off.

"It may have escaped your notice, Draco, but I do not know how to love anyone," Severus hissed.

"Yes…You do," Draco said quietly. "Look, I don't mean coddle her…just…ease up a bit. It may kill your pride to do so, but maybe do something nice for her? Just a small treat or something?"

"We have work to do," Severus said gruffly sparing a short glance to his daughter. He knew Draco was right but he didn't want to admit it. He also didn't want to change and have everyone be right. He didn't want her to be happy. He didn't' want much of anyone to be happy when he was so miserable, actually. The mention of his own family, though, had hit hard and Severus wasn't sure what to do. Maybe he could take Draco's advice and just ease up without having to really go out of his way to be the world's greatest dad. It was just hard not to snap at her and take out his frustrations on her when she was there and she was so much like him…so much like Harry, that was.

Draco sighed, not sure if he had gotten through but feeling better that he had tried and he sat down and began to involve himself with the work Severus was doing.

While Draco and Severus went over the notes, Harry was flying Daphne to the lake. It was the lake where Lavender lived with a group of merepeople. Daphne had been in a wonderful mood all morning. Not only was she getting to see Lavender for the first time in over a week, but she was having what she called a pretty day. It was her best day as far as Harry could remember, only a few splotches of irritated red skin along her body. No more feathers, no more beak, only the lovely girl Daphne had always been. She had even chosen to wear one of the few outfits that belonged to her (though she had brought along Harry's Invisibility Cloak just in case her appearance changed for the worst). Her beautiful caramel colored hair was brushed out and she had taken the time to curl it and wash it and style it and everything (Harry didn't see the use, if she was going to be under water) and even a bit of makeup to her full lips and around her blue-gray eyes. She looked ready to go out on a date in a lovely low cut maroon dress and matching heels…Harry supposed she was. He hadn't seen her so happy in years and it was great to see her looking so lively and beautiful…a beauty aided by renewed confidence and pleasure.

The lake was just outside of Godric's Hollow and Harry landed by a tree and got down as low to the ground as he could so that Daphne could get off with more ease. When she was off, she turned to beam at him and hugged him and gave him a quick kiss. "Thank you so much, Harry," she whispered. "If you want you can fly around while I'm gone. But you know I won't be long," she said, pulling out the bit of gillyweed she managed to acquire. It would only last about an hour, maybe a little longer if she was lucky. She walked out and dipped her feet into the water and stuck the gillyweed in her mouth, walking further into the water as she swallowed it, wanting to waste no time. The moment she felt it start to take affect she jumped into the water and began swimming without care.

"Lavender?" Daphne called out in Mermish. She knew Lavender usually hung around the same areas most days and did so just in case Daphne was able to come by. There wasn't exactly a good way for them to communicate otherwise. She felt a bit anxious when Lavender didn't immediately respond and watched as fish swam by. She was hoping not to attract the other merepeople, as they didn't seem to like her very much. Just a few minutes later, Daphne grinned when Lavender swam up to her. She looked just like the other merepeople with her grayish skin, yellow eyes, and green hair…Most people would think she was ugly, but to Daphne she was lovely. Her eyes widened and she swam up to Daphne faster, smiling.

"Oh, Daphne! Are you cured?" she asked hopefully, eying Daphne up and down eagerly.

"Oh…No…Just having a good day," Daphne said, smile fading a bit at Lavender's disappointed look. She held out her arm to show Lavender the long oval-shaped mark still on her arm. "A lot of people are supposed to try and help us, though…I'm sure it won't be much longer now."

"That's great," Lavender replied with a giggle. "You look so beautiful, Daffy!"

"And you do, as well, Lav," Daphne said, blushing.

"Don't lie to me, Daph," Lavender said, shaking her head and reaching out to take Daphne's hands.

"Well, just because you don't think you doesn't mean you aren't," Daphne argued. "You're beautiful to me, Lavender, and that's all that should matter."

"It matters a lot," Lavender beamed. "I did fix my hair this morning." She giggled and shook her green hair all around her, showing off some of the flowers she had found to put in her locks.

"Perfect," breathed Daphne. Lavender Brown was the most amazing woman she had ever met. Daphne was absolutely smitten and had been since running into Lavender all those years ago, once the war was over and they were out of school. Daphne counted herself lucky to have found Lavender again and so accepting of how she was, especially since Lavender faced similar problems.

Lavender giggled and pulled on Daphne's hands, pulling the witch closer, wrapping her arms around her middle and kissing her deeply. Daphne wrapped her arms and legs around the mermaid and let Lavender swim her off to a more private area of the lake where they could snog in peace.

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A/N: Please review! A lot is coming up so stay tuned!