One angsty chapter coming right up. I was listening to these wonderful songs called 'White Blank Page' and 'I Gave You All' by Mumford and Sons and for me they kind of hit the head of the nail with this chapter. I know from a personal experience that unresolved issues will bite you in the arse later if you don't deal with them. But I hope the chapter is not too depressing. Please be kind and give me a review, not matter how small. It's a writer's dream to have feedback which inspires to keep up the work.
Chapter 24
If Neville had to describe his state of mind, it would have been something between confused and jumping with joy. Being lip-locked with your secret love interest was exhilarating, but totally unbelievable from Neville's point of view. This was Ron Weasley kissing him.
" Bloody hell..." Ron panted out as he pulled away from Neville.
Neville gaped at the other teen, but before he could get any words out, Ron pressed a finger to the teen's lips.
" Don't say anything, hear me out... This is going to sound mental, but ever since Christmas, I've been thinking about you. And I thought I was going mad, for thinking of you like that. And I get it if you think I'm being an idiot right now, but..." Ron rambled.
Neville cut him off and said " Ron, I didn't understand a word you just said. What are you on about?"
" Merlin's beard... I like you, Nev, really like you. Bloody hell, I think I might be in love with you." Ron ranted.
The dark-haired Gryffindor looked gobsmacked after Ron's confession.
" Blimey, I'm in love with you." the redhead said in wonder, like he had just figured it out himself.
Neville said " Ron..."
" I made an idiot out of myself just now, didn't I?" Ron was slightly panicking now.
The dark-haired wizard said with a small smirk " You did, but it's okay. I think I might be in love with you too."
With no big effort, Neville crashed their mouths together once more.
X
Morning came and like Harry had predicted, many people had stayed over. Except for McGonagall, who did not want to leave Hogwarts unattended and the Minister, who was needed in the Ministry. The breakfast table was half-filled with wizards and witches, who were all in various states of awakening. It was no surprise that only a few of them were morning persons, chipper and ready to start the day. Severus was the only one who was suffering from any kind of hangover. That last glass of whiskey should not have happened.
" Could someone pass me the juice?" asked Ginny, whilst yawning madly.
Luna handed over the jug and asked " Has anyone seen Neville this morning?"
" I reckon his still sleeping." Ginny told the girl.
Luna smiled " I'm glad he and Ron worked things out."
" Trust me, we're all grateful for that. Ron was getting on my bloody nerves." Draco said, walking towards the table.
Bill kissed his boyfriend, who had just joined the group for breakfast and said " Did you happen to see your dad and Harry on your way down?"
Draco grumbled " Nope, best bet that their still in bed or otherwise occupied."
" At least they used a silencing charm." Ginny offered nonchalantly.
Severus grunted " Be thankful for small miracles."
A chipper voice from the doorway alerted everyone that Tonks was definitely a morning person " Morning! Tell me there's coffee."
" Is your mother coming down for breakfast?" Remus asked.
Tonks slumped next to Bill and said " She's on her way... Hey, where's Harry?"
" Obviously not here." Snape drawled.
Tonks grinned and said " Probably shagging my uncle."
" Dora, what have I told you about being crude?" Andromeda chided as she came into the room.
Tonks winced " Sorry, Mum."
" Now, be a dear and go fetch Harry and Lucius. I want to have breakfast among family." Andromeda said in a tone that left no room for argument .
As Tonks was getting up, Draco said " I'll go. I've interrupted more than one snogging session, wouldn't want Dora to be scarred for life."
" Thanks, little Lucius." Tonks smirked.
Knocking on the master bedroom door, Draco waited. When no answer came, the blonde braced himself and twisted the door handle. Realising that the door was not locked, Draco pushed it open. He expected to see his father and Harry all over each other or at least some snogging, but it was nothing like he had imagined
Harry was sitting up in bed, back resting against the headboard; all the while running his fingers through the blonde mane belonging to the elder Malfoy.
Lifting his gaze from the book, he had been reading when Draco came in, Harry said " Good morning, Draco."
" What are you doing?" the young blonde asked.
Harry smirked and said " What? Did you think all your father and I did was have sex..."
" I might have thought so, yes." the blonde teen admitted with a small smile.
The green-eyed wizard asked " Did you need anything, other than to make sure we hadn't shagged ourselves into our graves?"
" Andromeda wanted to have breakfast with family, that includes you and my father." Draco said.
Harry smiled " We'll be down in a few, after I wake Sleeping Beauty here."
" Sleeping what?" the blonde was confused.
Harry explained " It's a muggle fairytale. There's a girl, who fell into an eternal sleep after some mean witch cursed her and then the prince woke her up by kissing her. It's just a figure of speech."
" If you're going to snog my father for him to wake up, I'll go downstairs and tell them you're on your way. " Draco told the other teen and made a move to leave.
The dark-haired one said " I'll try my best."
Leaning in, Harry whispered to Lucius " Love, time to get up."
Muttering in his sleep, the older man peered open one silver orb.
" Lucius, we're going down for breakfast. You have less than 10 minutes to get ready." Harry said.
The blonde slowly hoisted himself up and Harry said " Rise and shine."
" You're not the one who is sore." Lucius deadpanned.
Draco, who was still by the door, groaned " I so didn't need to know that."
Lucius turned towards the door and asked " When did you get here, Draco?"
" Draco came to get us for breakfast." the teen next to Lucius said.
The elder Malfoy told his son " Unless you want to get an eyeful, I suggest you leave."
The younger blonde got the message and left.
" I'd like an eyeful, Mr. Malfoy." Harry said suggestively.
Lucius stood in all his naked glory and said " We have less than 5 minutes."
X
" So, where do we go from here?" asked Neville.
Ron, who was sitting on the foot of the bed, said " Well... I was kind of hoping you'd want to... date me."
" Dating, as in going on actual dates, holding hands in public and generally acting like a couple?" Neville questioned.
Ron sighed " I know that my mum's been acting like a complete nightmare these last few weeks, but I ain't afraid of her anymore. She was part of the reason I didn't act sooner. I mean, she had just disowned her own son for being gay and ranted about how Bill was an abomination. I got scared and I was conflicted about my feelings and what my mum would do if she knew. But it's weird, you know... She actually did me a favour by showing her true colours. Now I know where I stand with her. My dad and brothers will support me or Ginny will have kittens if they don't. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't want to hide. I'll be happy to shout it from the rooftops."
Neville said with a smile " I thought you avoided me because of that kiss under the mistletoe."
" I did for a bit, but because I couldn't figure out why it made me feel the way it did. I thought I was straight, never to venture to the other side. But it confused me and made me think about it harder. I know I can be thick and Hermione will vouch for me, but once I realised that I liked you more than just a friend, I had to do some soul-searching. And then Blaise showed up.." Ron explained as much as he could.
The dark-haired teen asked " Blaise? What does Zabini got to do with anything?"
" I thought he fancied you and that you fancied him, 'cause you spent so much time together at Christmas. I got jealous and then Draco told me that if I didn't get a move on, Blaise will make his moves on you." the redhead said.
Neville burst out laughing " Zabini, really? I mean he's great looking and all, but we have nothing in common other than Herbology. After spending some time in his company I realised that we would not have much to talk about. He's a flirt and a charmer, but I don't fancy him. And you mean to tell me that Draco Malfoy gave you advise on your love life?"
" Yeah, absolutely mental. But I guess I owe him a thanks anyway. He made me see a few things, which I didn't want to see before." Ron said.
Longbottom sighed " I had already come to terms with it. I was sure you'd never even look my way, add the fact that you were only interested in girls and I felt like a fool for wanting something I was never going to have. It's a bit surreal to hear you tell me these things, when I'm still thinking that it's a dream or worse, a nightmare."
Ron crawled closer to Neville, who was sitting on the other end of the large bed. The redhead took Neville's hand into his and said " Does this feel real to you? I'm here and I'm saying that it is real. I know I've acted like jerk and I can be a bit dim when it comes to relationships, but I want us to try."
" I believe you, I do... but I'm me, Neville Longbottom. Useless at everything, average looking and a right klutz when it comes to actually using my wand. I'm a nobody, Ron." the dark-haired teen said sadly
Ron didn't like what he was hearing. Hadn't Neville gotten over his self-esteem issues?
" Listen to me! You're a smart, brave wizard, who can stand up to Voldemort himself. You're bleeding gorgeous, Neville, and you have the kindest of hearts. You are an amazing wizard, who I would be proud to call my boyfriend. You're somebody, Neville." the Weasley told the other.
Wiping away a lone tear, Neville said with a chuckle " I'll need you to tell me that on daily basis. I've spent a lot of time not believing in myself, it's hard to suddenly believe."
" I'll just have to remind you every day how amazing you are." Ron said and captured the other's chin between his finger and thumb.
As Ron leaned in, Neville smiled and closed the gap between them. Neither had ever felt such welcomed heat in the pits of their stomach. Neville could swear his skin was tingling with magic and as Ron pushed him down onto the bed, the dark-haired teen bit his lip. The redhead was hovering above Neville, too far gone to think about how inexperienced he really was when pleasuring another male. Neville, who as untouched as the day he was born, also struggled with his passion overloading his ability to be rational. But they weren't two fumbling teens, having their first awkward grope. Somehow they knew how to move and what to expect from the other. Positioning himself so that he could rub his growing desire against something solid, Ron found an interesting spot on Neville's neck. It made the dark-haired Gryffindor moan shamelessly and arch into Ron's body. When the redhead had time to process the ongoing events, he saw how deliciously puffy Neville's lips were from all of their kissing and the way his skin glistened with moisture.
" You're stunning." Ron murmured in admiration.
Neville managed to give Ron a shy smile before the redhead rolled them over, pulling Neville on top of him.
" We should probably stop." Neville panted.
Ron said " Yeah... "
" I haven't done... well anything really." Neville confessed.
The redhead said " Me neither, with a bloke I mean. Lavender..."
" I guess we're both new to this." the other teen said.
Ron kissed Neville again and suggested " How about we take it slow, until we're ready."
" I was thinking the same thing." said Neville.
The Weasley said "Well, great minds do think alike."
X
Everyone, except Andy, Dora and Draco, had excused themselves from the breakfast table, other things in mind, when Lucius and Harry finally made their way into the dining room.
Tonks shot the couple a knowing look and said " Good of you to finally grace us with your presence."
Harry told the metamorphmagus " I got distracted."
" I can't even fault you for that." Tonks said with a smile.
Andy said to her daughter " Dora, don't tease."
" Yes, Dora listen to your mother." Harry mocked.
Andromeda addressed the two wizards, who had just joined them " Did you sleep well?"
" We did, thank you." Lucius said politely.
Andy chuckled " Ah, yes... Sleeping Beauty, was it?"
Draco and Tonks snorted at the comment. Lucius asked " Am I missing something?"
" Ignore them, love." Harry told the blonde.
Tonks said " Fancy yourself as prince, eh Harry?"
Draco hauled with laughter and even the usually composed Andromeda was fighting the hilarity.
" Enough teasing. Now tell me dear, how are you doing with your studies?" Andy asked.
Harry told her " Fine, but I'm glad that it's almost over. Having Remus there makes it a bit better, he helps me with homework sometimes."
" I believe Severus is teaching as well?" Andromeda pointed out.
Draco answered " He's teaching D.A.D.A now."
" I do not know much about Severus, only what Harry has told me about the man. I'm afraid Sirius, with his childish rivalry, painted a rather bad picture for me. I loved my cousin dearly, but at times he was a bigger buffoon than that Fudge ever was." Andromeda explained.
Harry sighed " Sirius never got over his school yard bullying."
" Make no mistake, Sirius was a honourable man. But sometimes his hotheadedness and arrogance got the better of him. We were the rebels in our family, both disagreeing with their ideals and prejudice. That brought us closer and when my family decided that I would make a good Malfoy bride he was the only one who stood up for me. Of course after Ted and I got married, both Bella and Narcissa severed all ties to me, erasing me from their lives and minds. Sirius was my only link to the Blacks." the woman spoke softly.
Tonks said " You never told me that you were supposed to marry a Malfoy."
" Had I listened to my father, I would have. But I loved your father and couldn't give up one good thing in my life, that is before you were born." Andy told her child.
Draco asked " Narcissa was a replacement for you?"
" Yes, she was. I knew little about the Malfoys, but I knew enough. Dark magic, connections to a dark wizard rumoured to start an uproar in the Wizarding World. I had only met Lucius a couple of times, suave and charismatic though he was, my heart was already taken. The shame I brought to my family was more than they could take. Narcissa was the perfect witch to join two powerful pure-blood families. Our father thought he had hit the head of the nail with the match." said the former Black.
The younger blonde spoke morosely " Only problem was that he was wrong. The witch he had sired was nothing more than a money hungry wench without a scrap of affection inside. But the need for power was clearly more important than anything else."
" Draco..." sighed the elder Malfoy.
But the teen had not said his piece yet. Everything he had bottled up inside broke free, digging up everything Draco had buried away " Have you any idea how hard it was for me? All she needed me for was to secure her position as Lady Malfoy. You got your heir. Narcissa herself told me that had she gotten her way, I would have been dead before even seeing the light of day. All I was good for was making a charade of a marriage look good for others. I always accused Harry of being a spoiled brat, when in reality I was the brat, because how was I to know any better when I had no one to teach me otherwise. I had to pretend that I was somebody else; the snotty and arrogant son of a Malfoy. While Narcissa was too busy going through your vaults, I had to learn how to live without a mother. I was one parent short and then I almost lost you as well."
Harry did the only thing he could think of and motioned Tonks to leave the room with him. It was a personal matter between father and son.
No one even noticed the two leave as Lucius said " I did everything I could for you."
" It wasn't enough." Draco said sullenly.
Andromeda said softly " Listen to me. My sister was a lousy mother and a capricious wife, but you can't blame your father for that. I made the choice to run away, I am to blame for Narcissa's presence in your life, no one else. But you made it through without her. She doesn't deserve your anger, simply because she doesn't deserve anything from you, least of all your tears. I may not know the whole story, but what I do know is that your father would have done anything for you. Not because you are his heir, but because you are his son, his blood. Narcissa tried to poison your mind by telling vicious lies. I am sorry for allowing you to suffer with Narcissa for a mother, it is my guilt to carry. But never think that you were not wanted by Lucius. I see how much he cares for you and I have only seen you both for so little. Never fault him for that."
Lucius spoke quietly, yet with such sorrow in his voice " I am sorry for failing you. I am more regretful for the things I did not do, rather for what I did. I never intended for you to get hurt, though my intentions may not always be selfless. I neglected you when you needed me the most and I know that there is nothing for me to do about that now. I taught you all the wrong things and allowed Narcissa to do the same. All that anger inside of you is my doing. I was weak, my mind was clouded by what was offered and I didn't fight it. I owe you so much, yet I have done nothing but push you away. You gave me reason to live when it was the darkest of times. I've been a terrible father to you and I don't expect you to forgive me my wrongdoings, but know that I have always done everything in my power to protect you."
Lucius stood and walked away, not wanting to see the look of disappointment in his son's eyes.
Andromeda quickly took he seat next to Draco and wrapped her arm around the blonde's shoulder " Sometimes it's good to vent, get everything out. I know how you must feel, but when the dust settles, you'll both move on. Your father grew up without a mother as well, just like you. He knows the pain, but has locked it away some place deep. Your grandfather was nothing short of cruel and I'm not saying that it excuses Lucius, but you have to understand that your father isn't what he seems. He loves you and for you to say that he never cared for you, hurts him, just like it hurts you by saying it. He's a complicated man, but it isn't all his doing. I may not be your mother, but had things gone differently, I would have been lucky to have you as a son. I'm sorry it took me so long to reach out, but times were dark and treacherous. But you are a part of my family as I am a part of yours."
By the end of it, Draco was silently sobbing into Andy's shoulder. The blonde's issues with Lucius and his past were deeply woven into his very being. From a young age, he had seen cruelty and heard lies. As he grew, so did the fear; the fear of facing everything alone, because Lucius was gambling with their lives when following a mad man, at his own discretion or not.
Andromeda felt distress for the youth shedding tears in her embrace. A child, who has never known a mother's love. Andy cursed her sister into the nine circles of hell for all she had done to both her son and Lucius. To subject a child to hate and greed was something Andromeda felt appalled with. But she was here now and would do anything in her power to give her nephew the affection he so desperately craved.
X
Hermione was still in a daze and the idea of a wedding was wonderful yet scary. They wanted to wait until graduation, but graduation was five months away. It was a fairly long time, but planning a wedding would surely take up a lot of time. Her mother would be in her last months of pregnancy by the end of Spring and Hermione didn't want to put any pressure on her mum or dad. Ginny had already promised to help with everything, party planning being something the girl now loved. Arthur had suggested that they could have the wedding at the Burrow, but the happy couple had not even thought that far ahead. Another problem was Molly and the impending divorce from Arthur. She was Fred's mum, but Molly had made it quite clear that she would not tolerate Bill's lifestyle and as for Harry, she had cut all ties with the young man because his choice of a lover had angered the woman, perhaps even more so than her own son's choices. But Molly was not Hermione's problem, she had other more important things to think about. As she was walking back towards the Manor, she came across another new couple. Ron was wearing a impish grin, all the while tugging Neville forward.
" Hey, sister-in-law. Blimey, we're family now." Ron said with a smile.
Hermione said " You didn't come down for breakfast."
"I was kind of busy..." Ron shrugged.
The Gryffindor girl continued " Is there something you want to tell me?"
Neville saw Hermione pointedly looking at their interlaced hands.
Ron told the girl " Well, Neville's agreed to date me."
" And?" Hermione asked.
The redhead sighed " And I realised that I was being an idiot."
" I'm proud of you, Ron. And I'm happy for you two." Hermione pulled the two into a hug.
Neville chuckled " Can we please go inside, I'm freezing my bits off."
Walking towards the dining room, the three heard elevated voices, one of them definitely belonging to Draco.
" Wonder what's going on?" Ron inquired.
Neville said " We should go."
Hermione then saw Harry and Tonks leaving the room and walking into the sitting room across the hall.
" Let's go and find Harry. I don't know about you, but it sound to me that it's a personal issue, one that isn't meant for our ears." Hermione told the two boys.
Just before they could cross the hall, Lucius strode past them.
Neville asked " Was he..."
" Yeah." Ron told his boyfriend.
Hermione sighed " We should tell Harry."
X
Arthur was glad for Shell Cottage and its peaceful location. After having breakfast at Malfoy Manor, both he and Bill had Apparated to the cottage. The elder Weasley had received a letter from the solicitors working on his divorce, but he didn't want to deal with it while he was among his children who could do without the worries over Molly.
" Unless you can read it through the envelope, I think you ought to open it." Bill suggested.
Arthur said " I'm not sure if I want to know what's inside."
" You'll have to sooner or later." the younger redhead said.
The older man took a reassuring breath before tearing it open. Bill was beginning to worry after a little while when Arthur didn't utter a single word.
" What does it say?" asked Bill.
Arthur stammered out " They think I can win this...They say that we have enough proof of her mental illness and her use of illegal potions has a major part in the case against her. The contract could be proven invalid and declared null and void if we can prove that she was under the effects of an illegal potion when she signed the contract as a witness. Apparently there is a spell that can show how long she's been taking that potion we found. If it dates back more years than we have been married, it could mean that she was taking it while she signed the contract, making her an unfit witness. And all marriage contracts which do not have a signature of a witness are considered unlawful."
" That's brilliant." Bill said.
" Yes, in theory." Arthur added to his son's thought.
Bill said " We just need to have someone who's qualified to perform the spell on her."
" I'll have to meet with John. He will know what to do." Arthur said.
The younger Weasley said " I guess the Malfoy solicitors really did pull out all the stops."
" Which I am very grateful for." the redhead said.
Bill asked " Has she tried to contact you?"
" No, not after the article in Daily Prophet came out. She's being stubborn, insisting that Harry's mind is being poisoned by the Malfoys. She honestly believes that Lucius is trying to make Harry go over to the dark side and forcing him to be the next Voldemort." Arthur told his son.
Bill stated " She's really losing it. It's like she isn't even the same person anymore."
" Severus did say that the longer she takes the potion, the more it affects her mind. She will continue to get worse if she doesn't get help. They can't reverse the effects, but they can make it a bit easier for her in St. Mungo's." said Arthur.
The eldest Weasley son said " Just when things were staring to get better, this happened."
"We'll get through this, all of us together." Arthur assured his firstborn.
Bill sighed and said " I hope so."
X
During his time in the Manor, Harry had discovered that whenever Lucius needed to think he could be found in the small sitting room upstairs. Pushing the door open, the green-eyed wizard came across a sight which made his heart ache.
" Drinking doesn't really solve anything, it only causes more problems." Harry said as he closed the door and walked in.
Lucius said " You sound like Severus."
" Maybe I do, but you know I'm right." the teen said.
The blonde retorted " Of course, Harry Potter knows best."
Harry closed the space between them and took the glass from Lucius's hand.
" Forgive me." Lucius quietly told the teen.
The dark-haired wizard placed the glass on the table and said " This isn't the answer."
" The glass is untouched, I couldn't even properly drown my sorrows." Lucius said.
Harry said " He has a right to be angry, I understand it all too well. But that does not mean that he doesn't care about you."
" I can't really blame him for hating me, I'm a horrible father." the blonde said.
The younger wizard said " You're not a bad father, Lucius. You tried to give him everything and it is not your fault that Narcissa couldn't bring herself to love her own son. You've made mistakes and Draco might never understand some of your reasons, but you did the best you could."
Lucius stood and with frustration walked to the window, he said " I'm the reason he became a Death Eater, I forced him to choose between his own life and mine. My best wasn't good enough. I raised him to fear and respect me, just like my father raised me. I wasn't there when he needed me, Harry. How can he feel anything other than disappointment towards me, when I have failed him as a father."
" You're right, you did disappoint him. You made a wrong choice and it landed you in Azkaban which resulted in him becoming a Death Eater. Voldemort wanted to punish you by punishing Draco. I know how scared he was, but he was willing to do it for you. Because you mattered more than anything to him. And you defected the war because of him, because Draco mattered more to you than a mad man's quest for power." Harry explained to the blonde.
" He was such a small baby, smaller than other newborns. The Healers said that on some level, a magical child depends on their mother's magic. While in the womb, Draco received very little magic from Narcissa. She did not connect with her own child, making her magic unable to give Draco what he needed. It's one of the reasons why Draco resembles me in looks and why our magic is extremely compatible; my magic provided for him. It is a miracle that he didn't turn out to be a Squib, with the lack of magic on Narcissa's part." Lucius explained to Harry.
Harry asked " Does Draco know this? "
" I've never spoken about it. I did not want to tell my son that his mother refused to bond with him, leaving him without care and magic." the blonde said.
The green-eyed teen asked " Would you have disowned him had he been a Squib?"
Lucius sighed and turned to face Harry " The only reason my marriage to Narcissa even took place was to have a heir; magically capable and powerful heir, preferably a male heir. In a way, Narcissa was right in her assessment that I only needed her for breeding. Her only use was giving the Malfoy line a successor. My father was satisfied when Narcissa fell pregnant and I was more than pleased about the prospect of never having to touch my wife again."
" You didn't answer my question, Lucius." the teen said.
The blonde countered " What do you want me to say? Yes, I would have been disappointed and more than irritated that the heir I so desperately needed was not going to be good enough. Would I have disowned him? Yes, most likely, even if to just please my father. Because it's the pure-blood way. We simply don't have non-magical children, it's a disgrace to our name. I prayed to whatever gods were out there that he would show signs of magic, that he would not be a useless Squib, who could not carry the Malfoy name. The moment I had him, the very moment I held him for the first time was the moment I knew that whatever I did to get him was worth it. Whatever I did to please my father was worth it, because he was perfect. My blood and my magic ran through his veins. It was the single most happiest moment of my life, seeing my son for the first time. How could someone think about something as meaningless as approval of others, when you're holding your own flesh and blood in your arms. But no matter how much I wanted him or loved him, I would have had no other choice than to turn my back on him had he been without magic. I would have had no choice, Harry."
Harry couldn't understand the ideals pure-bloods held so high in regard. A child, no matter magical or not, would be a blessing. The teen was sure that he would love his child no matter what, with or without magic. Surely having a son or daughter would be far more important than some outdated way of thinking. Harry himself was a half-blood, someone who according to pure-blood ideals was soiled with muggle blood. What if Harry wanted children with Lucius? Would the man see their children as inadequate to have his name? Would the man be unloving towards their child if it had no magic?
" Magic or not, a child is a blessing." Harry said angrily.
Lucius replied " You don't understand, Harry. You were brought up differently."
" You mean because I grew up with muggles? You think I don't understand how stupid it is not love your children when they happen to have no magic." Harry retorted.
Lucius didn't know what to say. Harry's stance on the issue was clear and Lucius knew that the younger man would not see it through his eyes. Harry had been raised my muggles, not in the spirit of magic and the wizarding ways. It was pointless to argue with Harry because he would never understand the fear Lucius had felt after hearing that Draco could be a Squib. It wasn't the lack of love that would have made the blonde disown his son, but his father's wrath had Draco been as useless as a muggle. Pure-bloods didn't tolerate blood traitors, muggles and Squibs. Especially in their own bloodline.
" What if we ever have a child and it's not magical, would you hate them? Would you love them less for it?" Harry asked, thought dreading the answer.
Lucius was surprised to hear such a question and asked " What?"
" Would you ever get over your pure-blood nonsense? My mother was a muggle-born, making me a half-blood. Do you think less of me because I have dirty blood in me?" Harry pestered on.
The blonde snarled in frustration " Severus is a half-blood, yet his my best friend. Do you really think me to be this narrow-minded?"
" Well, you don't really have good track record when it comes to half-bloods or muggle-borns." Harry said.
The blonde said " I will not deny that I barely tolerate muggles. But my views come from my childhood and with a father like mine, you too would have kept your own opinions to yourself. What do you think the Dark Lord would have done to me had he known that I don't exactly share his ideals?"
" But you had no trouble becoming a Death Eater." said the younger man.
Lucius had to suppress the urge to raise his voice when he said " He was different when I joined him; saner and with a promising future ahead of him. He was charismatic and spoke about things that no one else dared to speak about, no matter how much they wanted to. He promised to make the Wizarding World better, how it was always supposed to be. Muggles were a threat to us, they still are. We got sucked in and only some of us understood the prize we were going to pay for being disillusioned by his promises. I was young and my father decided that we should align ourselves with him, be on the right side. When I saw what he planned to do, I tried to distance myself from him but it was all in vain. Then I had Draco to think about. I couldn't refuse him, simply because he had the power to destroy me."
Harry was silent. He hated the feeling of being at odds with Lucius. They weren't supposed to fight. Harry knew that they had a bad past, bringing it up would only make it that much harder for them to have a future. The teen didn't know what had made him so agitated, perhaps he hadn't really processed through his own emotions. The Dursleys hated him for being magical and treated him like vermin because of it. The pure-blood principles were similar to his uncle's, only in a reversed setting. Vernon hated magic, pure-bloods hated non-magical folk. In a way, Harry was reminded of his muggle relatives when hearing Lucius speak so highly of pure blood and his intolerant attitude towards non-magical children.
" Let's not fight over this... I guess we will just have to agree to disagree." Harry said in defeat, not wanting to keep the argument alive any longer.
Lucius told the green-eyed wizard " We have to accept that our past, upbringing and the way we see things differ from each other. I've lived longer than you, seen things you haven't and for us to disagree on something is only natural."
Harry sighed " I know and I understand, it was naive of me to think that love can conquer all. Obviously we still have some issues to overcome."
The blonde didn't say anything as he heard the door click shut behind him.
X
When Bill made it back to Malfoy Manor, he could feel that something was wrong. On his way upstairs he saw Harry walking aimlessly in the hallway.
" Hey, you look like you've seen a Dementor." Bill commented.
Harry said " More or less."
" Have you seen Draco?" the redhead asked.
The shorter wizard replied " Not recently. He and Lucius had a row. I think you're just what he needs right now."
" What did they fight about? I'll need some background information before I tackle the Dragon." Bill said.
Harry explained " Draco found out that Andromeda was betrothed to Lucius, but because she ran away, Narcissa was her replacement. He got angry and I said his piece about everything, including Lucius. I don't know what exactly was said, but Lucius is upset and I think Draco is the same. And now I had an argument with Lucius over the thing with Draco and some other issues we clearly need to talk about if we want to make a go at our relationship."
" Sounds serious." Bill stated.
Harry chuckled " Tell me about it... I'd try the library if I were you, it seems like a place I would go if I needed to think."
Bill thanked the teen and said " Don't let one fight ruin what you have. It's a natural part of a relationship and that's what couples do; they have fights and arguments which usually end with great make-up sex. Did you think it would be easy with Lucius? I've had my share of arguments with Draco. They're both Malfoys, meaning double the trouble. Just make sure you don't let him clam up and distance himself from you. Draco is so much like his father that it's scary."
Harry offered the redhead a smile and said " I'll remember that."
" Give it a few hours and you'll both cool off. But it is a Malfoy we're talking about, so give or take a day and you'll be as good as new." Bill advised.
X
Kingsley Shacklebolt sat in his office, listening to something that boggled him. All the years he had known Arthur Weasley he had never heard something as unbelievable as the story the redhead was telling him now. But even he had to admit that Molly had always seemed a bit neurotic.
" You want me to have the Auror Office send Aurors to your house to arrest your wife for the usage of illegal potions." the Minister of Magic said.
Arthur said " Yes, that is what I am asking. I'm planning to divorce Molly, but due to a marriage contract I had no previous knowledge of I cannot simply file for a divorce. I have evidence that Molly has been using an illegal potion for mental illness. Severus Snape was the one who identified the potion as something that is only found in Knockturn Alley or in the black market. She has also been using a fertility potion which can only be used under the supervision of a trained Healer, its usage otherwise is illegal. My legal people found a way to annul our marriage contract, but for that to happen, I have to prove that she was under the influence of an illegal potion whilst signing the contract as a witness."
The Minister said " If she was under the influence of a potion that is considered to be illegal then it would make her signature invalid, making the entire contract void. I believe there is a spell to determinate whether Molly was using any kind of potion, even if it was years back."
" That is what my solicitor said. Kingsley, I'm not asking the Minister of Magic to help me. I'm asking a friend's help. She has brought my family enough suffering and I can't allow her to continue to do so. If there is a way for me to help her, I will do as much as I can. But right now all I am asking is your assistance in dissolving my marriage to her." the redhead tried to sway the man.
Shacklebolt looked thoughtful, but after a passing moment said " I will send a couple of Aurors to collect Molly. We can perform the needed spell while she is here. If she doesn't go with them willingly, we'll have to use force. You have made serious allegations against her, the use of an illegal potion is a punishable crime. The Auror Office needs to see the potions you spoke about, as well as Snape's statement seeing as he was the one who recognized them."
Arthur gave a relived sigh and told the other man " I'm grateful for your help, Kingsley. I was beginning to lose hope, but the Malfoy lawyers really dug deep and came up with a solution."
" Malfoy had his legal people help you?" the man asked with suspicion.
The redhead said " Yes, he did. He really has turned himself around. Harry has been good for him."
The Minister chuckled with his deep voice " It does seem a bit surreal because we are talking about Lucius Malfoy, but I have to admit that though he looks the same as before he certainly doesn't act like his usual arrogant self."
Arthur said " As unusual as it seems, Lucius is trying to be better. Even if it is just for Harry's sake."
"I'll take what I can get. Lucius Malfoy is filthy rich and knows more about politics than perhaps anyone else, including me. He is a dangerous opponent or an ally, you can't have both with that man. Having the Saviour of the Wizarding World at his side makes him even more enigmatic, whether that be in a positive sense or not." the Minister said.
Weasley said " The Daily Prophet either made it worse or made it easier for them to be accepted."
" The verdict is still out on that. The Ministry has had a few letters from concerned witches and wizards regarding Harry's relationship with Malfoy. I also got a few threatening letters from Bill, apparently the younger Malfoy had them gathered up when they had arrived." the man said.
The redhead man said " I'm afraid Molly was one of those 'concerned' people who sent letters, but she decided to send them directly to Harry and Lucius. Though the Howlers are both destroyed, she did make threats against Lucius. I don't recall the exact wording of the threat but she promised that justice will be done and that the Malfoys will pay for their crimes. She did not hold back when insulting Lucius and Draco."
" I'll give out the order right now. Perhaps sending Tonks will calm Molly down a bit, considering that they know one another." Kingsley suggested.
Arthur gave a nod and said " Whatever you think is best."
X
The library at Malfoy Manor was huge, a maze of bookshelves. As Bill rounded the corner, he saw his blonde lover sitting by the window, looking sullen and perhaps a bit sad.
" Hey." Bill offered the young Malfoy.
Draco gave Bill a look and asked " Did Andromeda sent you?"
" No, it was actually Harry who thought you might need me. But if you don't..." Bill said.
The blonde sighed " I do... Stay with me."
" Want to talk about it?" Bill questioned.
Draco asked " Harry told you, didn't he?"
" Some of it, but I'd like to hear it from you if you want to share with me." the redhead said.
The younger man exhaled and said " I blew up at my father, not much to talk about."
" Of course there is something to talk about, you can't bottle it all up." Bill urged on.
The blonde started to speak " I found out that my aunt Andromeda was the one betrothed to my father. Before she married a muggle that is. My dear mother was just a stand-in bride. I guess you all thought I had such a pristine life; the Malfoy heir with everything and everyone at his feet. Narcissa hated me, she hated the thought of having me. She never spoke out of love or kindness. I thought that there was something wrong with me, because my own mother didn't want to touch me or even look at me. I was about 6 or 7 years old when she told me that she never wanted to have me in the first place, but as a broodmare for a Malfoy she had to secure her place as Lady Malfoy and provide a heir. My father was all I had, but at times he was more concerned with everything else. I'm not saying that he wasn't a good father, but he wasn't there when I needed him. I was so scared when the Dark Lord gave me the task of killing Dumbledore, I knew I was as good as dead myself. He knew I wouldn't be able to do it, but he took pleasure in seeing me suffer. Through me he made my father suffer. When I thought that it couldn't get any worse, I found out that before ending up in Azkaban, my father made it so that I was the only one with access to our vaults and estates. My mother knew it and tried her best to get her hands on everything. If it had not been for Severus, I would have cracked under the pressure."
" Your mother was a real piece of work, but don't you think you're being a bit harsh on your dad?" Bill inquired.
Draco asked " How would you feel then?"
" Angry and miserable, I'd feel like the entire world was out to get me... But I wouldn't blame my dad for not doing enough. Draco, you are lucky to have a father, who is willing to do anything for you. A father who would give is life for you. Do you think it was easy on him, not being able to look after you while he was locked up? He was doing a mad man's bidding, because he was desperate to keep you out of it. You were the perfect candidate to join his Death Eaters, with or without your approval. Your father was one of his high-ranking followers, making you the perfect protégé to one day join his ranks as well. Do you think your father would have wanted you to make the same mistake he did when he was your age? Do you think he wanted you to have that kind of a future? You can be angry at him for not being there when you were a child but you can't fault him for anything else. He did what he had to do to keep you safe, far away from Voldemort and his ways. You took his Mark so you could help your father. Surely neither of you wanted things to go the way they did but you can't change what has been done. During the Battle of Hogwarts, you both defected. You, because you never wanted to be a part of it. Your dad defected because of you, he helped Harry because he wanted you to have a better future, without Voldemort in it." Bill lectured the younger man.
Draco said solemnly " I know you're right, but... I've been handling it by myself, because I feel like I can't talk about it. Have you actually seen my father? I mean he's so authoritative and even I get scared when he's in one of his moods. I'm afraid to open up to him, because I don't want to make him think I'm weak, unfit to be a Malfoy."
" Stop thinking like that. You stood up to him when you told him that you'd rather be disowned then give up on us. You're not weak, Draco. I agree that your dad is intimidating, at times he even scares me. But you're so much stronger and braver than what I'm seeing right now. You have to talk to him at some point. Right now you're both upset and might say things you don't mean. Your dad loves you and I promise you that he will listen and understand you. You are not so different from one another." the redhead assured his lover.
Taking Bill's hand into his, Draco said " I hate it when you make sense."
Bill said with a smile " And I love to hear you admit it. It will be alright, you'll see."
Draco gave Bill a soft kiss and said " If you say so."
X
Molly was home alone, something that was a usual sight these days. But Molly wasn't too bothered by it, she knew that in the end they'll all come crawling back. No, she had far more important things to think about. She was convinced that Harry was under some kind of spell, because there was no way that the Saviour of the Light was willingly with a Malfoy. No, Molly knew that there was some kind of foul play behind it. Her letter hadn't had any kind of effect and the woman was sure that Malfoy had done something to Harry. Her Harry would never do such a disgusting thing as kissing another man, a Malfoy no less. There had to be a reason, Molly was sure. Perhaps Bill had somehow turned Harry against her, making him think that he too liked men. Harry was meant to marry Ginny, he precious little girl. She was being stubborn too, but Molly knew that her daughter wouldn't abandon her own mother. Molly needed a plan, something that will make Harry see that he's bewitched and make her own children understand that defying their mother would not be acceptable. She'll deal with Arthur as well. How dare her own husband ignore her and berate her for insulting their son, when she was right. But her first course of action was to get Harry away from that bastard Malfoy. There had to be something she could do? A way to get rid of Lucius and his spawn, making her plans to have Ginny marry Harry a reality.
Before Molly could start working on a plan, two Aurors appeared. Among them was Tonks.
" Molly Weasley, you are to come with us." one of the Aurors said.
The redheaded woman asked " What is the meaning of this?"
Tonks stepped forward " There are some things that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would like to question you about. You will have to come with us, Molly."
" Question about what? I haven't done anything?" Molly shrieked.
The other Auror said " We are investigating the usage of illegal potions and threats made via Howler. If you would please come with us quietly."
Molly seethed " Illegal potions? I think you have made a mistake."
"No, there is no mistake. Unless you are not Molly Weasley née Prewett." said the Auror.
Tonks tried again " Molly, don't make it more difficult than it has to be. These are the charges and we are to take you in."
Molly shook her head " No, you have no right... I want you to leave!"
The Auror with Tonks sighed " If you resist, we will have to use force."
The Weasley woman said " Get out of my house! Now!"
After having gotten permission from the his senior supervisor, the Auror made a move to apprehend the woman in question, but Molly was already fuelled with anger. She whipped out her wand and aimed it at the Auror.
" Molly, don't do anything stupid. Put away your wand and come with us willingly." Tonks said, hand on her own wand.
But the woman was too far gone and shot a hex at the junior Auror which the man luckily dodged. After a few more tries at shooting borderline dark spells at the two Aurors, Molly got stunned by Tonks.
" We'll add assault to the list of charges." Tonks said.
The other said " She put up one hell of a fight. Some of those hexes were not what you call harmless. We'll have to have her wand checked, right?"
" Yes, and if we find any dark spells, she will be charged for them as well. Attacking an Auror is a serious thing." the woman explained.
" I wouldn't want to face her wand again that's for sure." the Auror said.
Dora told the other Auror " Hopefully we won't have to. Come on, let's take her in. She'll be a nightmare when she comes around."