Chapter 29- Lost And Found

Disclaimer:- I don't own anything… I hope you know what's after that. :P

"They tried to bury me without realizing that I was a seed."
-Unknown

UPDATED: 2 SEPTEMBER, 2016


Draco disapparated to the Malfoy manor, once he exited Astoria's apartment, and immediately made his way towards his mother's room. Thoughts of how he would console her, once he breaks such news, were revolving around his mind. He didn't even see in which direction he was going and was surprised when on seeing himself standing exactly where he wanted to, the master bedroom, that is, his parent's room.

He knocked twice on the door, before entering, only to find Narcissa sitting in front of the dressing table, wearing gorgeous purple robes, smiling and humming a Celestina Warbeck song. Undoubtedly, his presence went unnoticed.

Draco smiled sadly, looking all over the room, which had been redecorated beautifully, and traipsed to stand behind his mother. Five minutes later, as she painted the last nail of her right hand, looked up towards the mirror and yelped in surprise. Draco chuckled, seeing his mother react in such a way. He sat down on the floor, on her right, and took both her hands in his hands.

"You look beautiful, like always," he said, grinning as his eyes tearing up. It had been more than three years since he had seen Narcissa touch the dressing table and spend quality time before the mirror applying just the right amount of cosmetics to make her natural features bedazzle.

Narcissa smiled, caressing Draco's hair. "It is a special day. How can I not get ready? Your father will be home… it feels like I haven't seen him in centuries."

"Wait…" he observed her face critically and continued, "How did you know about this? I got this news yesterday…?"

"That girl…" –she caught hold of her dress sleeve and twirled it in her fingers, looking guilty- "the one I called a gold digger visited the day before yesterday."

"Astoria visited you…? Why am I hearing this right now?"

"Isn't it obvious? She came to inform me about your father..."

"And you didn't kick her out?" Draco asked, smirking. "Didn't you hate her? Didn't you think she was after our money?"

"Oh, shut up," she said, ruffling his hair. "I made a mistake. I apologized to her as well. She was pretty shocked, said that she never expected me to utter such words for her. Kind girl, though. Very pretty and sophisticated, she is a good woman. Don't you agree with me, Draco?"

His cheeks flushed. "There you go talking about nonsensical things… but yeah…"

"Say no more! I am on top of the world, as of yesterday. Lucius will be returning home today, the ministry is letting him go. However, I they will still be keeping a close eye on him because of his two years of house arrest remaining to complete... I am happy that he'll be with us again. I wonder how brutally the aurors must have forced him to convey every bit of information he had concealed from them."

"How can you be happy to see him?! … I could barely sleep last night. With everything that has happened… I can't respect him anymore. Doesn't the thought of him interrupting our lives make you cringe?"

"Cringe?! Draco Lucius Malfoy, he is your father…!" Narcissa exclaimed, standing up abruptly and walking towards the opposite side of the bedroom.

"I am petrified of living in my own house, mother. I have been taking the dreamless potion continuously for the past three years… If I forget to do so, the nightmares kill me. If it wasn't for Astoria yesterday… I… Geez… You don't need to know that," Draco spat, hitting the nearest wall, savagely.

Narcissa gaped at her son's actions, as tears threatened to fall, and said, "I understand and I want to apologize for all that, Draco. Nevertheless, I beg you; give your father one chance. A lot has to be said and several misunderstandings have to be cleared today because I can't handle this cold war between father and son anymore. I love you so much, do this for me. Please."

Draco sighed. He got up, marched up to her and pulled her into a hug. "Don't cry, mum. All your make-up will be smudged," he said, trying to diffuse the sudden tension that had arisen. "I will do this for you. That is why I am here. You can't handle such a tense atmosphere on your own, so lean on me. I am your knight and shining armour, after all."

"I thought you will be that girl's knight and shining armour," Narcissa said sobbing. "You can go to her, if you want. My king will be next to me from now on."

"Does that mean you approve of Astoria?" Draco asked, raising his eyebrows.

She nodded. "I have no choice left. She was way too tender-hearted. When she told me this news, I started crying right in front of her. It was an ugly situation. I couldn't control my emotions and… she held me for an hour, consoling me. I am indebted to such an act of compassion."

"Her presence is like a healing potion… immensely soothing. But she doesn't need a knight instead a chef!"

"Chef?" Narcissa said, moving away from Draco and dabbing her face carefully with her handkerchief.

"Long story, i will tell you about that some other time. At this moment, I am only interested in what she said to you? You rarely change your opinions about people and things so easily."

"Let's just say, she has her way with words. And the last time someone hugged me in such a loving manner was when Andromeda saw me crying in the Slytherin common room. I can't hate her anymore, even though my son is infatuated with her."

"I am not infatuated…!" Draco exclaimed.

"Oh shut up! A person who has part of the Black family blood running through his veins should never deny his love."

"Black family? What about the Malfoy family?"

"Truthfully speaking, Malfoy's are coward when it comes to showing their significant other the true power of their love. The only Malfoy who broke that stereo type was your grandfather. I don't think you remember but when you were seven you got one long lecture from your father because you acted inappropriately during Daphne's birthday party and…"

"He told me to choose a wife between Daphne and Pansy. And when I asked what was the best way to handle a rough situation for example, if I don't love the girl then what should be done and I clearly recollect him advicing me to keep a mistress. Honestly, that idea always made me feel disgusted."

"You see, by saying that he hurt me even though he loves me tremendously. He refrained to show his love in front of you, especially, saying that it would be a bad influence on you. I didn't agree on that… I wish I could show you how I anxious I actually am. I feel like a teenager going on my first date with my boyfriend."

Draco laughed. "If you are a teenager then what am I?"

Narcissa rolled her eyes and said, "Just a little heads up, you are going to have a heated argument with him, of course. In case he asks about the betrothal, just say that he never agreed with his then why should you do the same?"

"What does that mean?" he asked, curiously.

Narcissa smiled, her cheeks tinted red, and said, "I am not telling you the whole thing but let's conclude this by me telling you that he didn't find Bella appealing at all and used to kiss me every night at the Astronomy tower."

"Why am I hearing this for the very first time?!"

"Oh, shut up Draco. If this makes you shudder, I wonder how you'll react when I tell you the story of how I spent thirteen hours in labour and even show you the memory of how Lucius was shuddering next to me because he was so worried," Narcissa said, laughing heartily.

"I have mixed feelings about this," Draco said, shaking. "I better go and take a bath before the ministry officials arrive. You carry on."

Narcissa laughed again before nodding.


"Are you feeling better after the bath?" Narcissa asked, descending the staircase and coming towards Draco's direction.

He stopped pacing back and forth in front of the main entrance to Malfoy Manor and said, "I won't feel better until I have confronted him."

"Don't be irrational in any way. He has travelled a long way, at least keep that much in mind," Narcissa snapped, dusting the imaginary dust on his robes.

"I am not a kid anymore, I can handle every…"

He stops all movement as the sound of the door bell echoes all over the manor and his ears. He felt sick as if its sound was literally strangling him to death. Thoughts of apparating far away from Wiltshire started popping up in his mind. Shivering more than usual on the cold January morning, he kept clenching and unclenching his fists not being able to comprehend his next move. Taking a long and deep breath, he huffed up his chest and marched towards the door. A part of him wanted all that to merely be a bad dream… that was easier to handle for him than confronting his own father.

"Draco," Narcissa called, her voice had a more cheerful tone to it than he had remembered.

He closed his eyes and remised all of the pain he had felt till date because of that man but that was nothing compared to what his mother had bared. And that was why, just for her happiness, he decided to face his old man with the tiny amount of love that he still had.

Undoing the latch, he pulled open the door only to be blinded by the sudden intrusion of sunlight over his eyes. In almost ten seconds, his eyes were filled with tears; the person on the door threw her arms over his shoulders and hugged him as if her life depended on it. Keeping one of his hands on her head and the other on her waist, he chortled.

"You okay?" he asked, stroking her hair and noticing the huge crowd of aurors and hit wizards and witches standing by the Manor gate.

She pulled away and hit him gently on the shoulder. "I should be asking you such a question Dragon. I, as a matter of fact, am in quite a hurry."

"I meant your pain from yesterday. Have you taken the painless potion or not? And I not letting you work while you are bleeding like a monster. Why don't you just stay here for the time being?"

"You just called me a monster, jerk! And stay here for leisure? That's a luxury I can't afford."

He grinned and said, "Don't overwork. I don't want you to collapse... Forgive me for leaving without informing this morning."

"Ah, don't worry about that. If you had woken me up I definitely would've slit your throat."

"That's makes me uneasy," he said, truthfully. "Do you really have to return to the ministry? Call me selfish though I wish you could stand next to me and hold my hand through the time span of me and my father facing each other."

She nodded and giggled. "In simpler words, your whole life?"

"Basically!"

"I am cheering you on Dragon; consider me as one of your major support systems."

"Pardon me, I just need some space to walk," interrupted a well known.

"Dad!" Astoria exclaimed, looking at Cepheus, "What are you doing? There is loads of space on our left and right side, why do you have to interrupt us like this?"

Cepheus opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He glanced at Draco, giving him his signature 'I hate you' eye that Astoria was very well aware of as she had seen him act in such a peculiar manner while dealing with people he despised a lot.

"Sir," Draco saluted Cepheus before bowing down in front of him in respect. "It's been quite a long time since I last saw you. You look handsomer, somehow."

"I won't melt by such childish flattering statements," he stated proudly.

"Then why are you grinning?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Oh Astoria, I didn't even see you there. You look tired, are you sleeping properly?"

"That's a white lie father. And not really, last night he," she pointed at Draco, "didn't even let me snooze off for more than half an hour. It was almost after dawn when I was able to get some shut eye and I had an early call to the Ministry so I wasn't even able to cover these tired eyes with make-up."

"Exactly what were you doing," Cepheus questioned, showing Draco his daunting fist.

"Nothing," Astoria spat, irritated. "I am going to talk to Narcissa now, kindly refrain from following me."

Cepheus and Draco looked at the retrieving figure of Astoria and sighed. "I have my eyes on you Draco," Cepheus stated softly, making sure no one could hear them.

"I am not afraid of you, father-in-law. You should start thinking of me as your future son-in-law as well because I am not going to stop until I make your daughter fall head over heels in love with me."

"I am never going to call you my… son," Cepheus gritted his teeth, saying the last word.

Draco laughed. "You did so at this very moment, father-in-law. One funny man you are... Even if it's with force, you are considering me a part of your family, that's enough for me."

Cepheus frowned, placing his hand firmly on Draco's back. "It'll be fine. Your father, I do not like that man for obvious reasons. Astoria is scared of him, till this very day. Initially she was given duty at the custodial headquarters as well… Wherever Lucius was, she would run in the opposite direction and if ever looked eye to eye with him, she either froze or fainted. She had to submit a handwritten application and get a healer signed certificate and show it to the head of her department only then was she excused from that duty."

"She never told me that," said Draco, looking at Astoria, who was talking to his mother, with saddened eyes.

"Why would she? She has an awfully fragile ego. What I am trying to say, Draco, is that you don't need to hide the fact that you are worried. Everyone knows how far you've come. If you want to cry and hug your father, no one will judge you or think of you as weeping cry baby. You've been through a lot… also Margaret wanted me to tell you that you are always welcome at our home. Although, you must maintain the distance of approximately one metre from Astoria."

"I would like to apologize, father-in-law, I can't promise staying away from your daughter. Try and understand my situation; you were young and in love, as well. Also, I might consider occasionally dropping by your house, it's been quite a while since I last saw Mother-in-law as well."

"Don't… I am still young and in love... But I was never as disobedient as you!"

"Astoria tells me differently, she's been sharing things with me and I never heard her say that you came in the obedient category. In fact, you ran away from home and…"

"Blackmailing me, eh?"

"Of-course not, sir."

"Sir?" Astoria asked, popping out of nowhere.

"Astoria!" Draco and Cepheus almost jumped.

She adjusted herself in between them, trying to keep them apart from each other. She then pulled onto Draco's robes, getting his attention on to her without her father noticing, and then slipped her hand in his and squeezed it firmly. "He's here," she whispered, "in a few seconds, he'll be walking in. Are you worried?"

Draco shook his head and smiled. "Nope. The one who should be worrying is you, you freeze when you see him."

Astoria's eyes went wide. "Who told you…?"

Thud!

The door burst open, blinding the eyes of those standing inside the darkened manor. As everyone waited for their eyes to adjust to the bright light, they didn't witness how Narcissa ran in Lucius directions and threw her hands over him, kissing his whole face and crying at the same time.

Draco was flabbergasted. It was the first time he had seen his parents behave in such a manner. If it would've been any couple other than the Malfoy's, they would've surely gotten a huge round of applause accompanied by loud wolf whistling. Even if it was for just a minute, he thought that he too had a normal family, a normal life, a normal past… he wished he could make all that true.

Narcissa pulled away from Lucius and gently stroked the sides of his face, as tears continued to fall. They unceasingly kept on staring into each other's eyes but didn't exchange a single word. Almost, so to speak, they were communicating with their eyes. Smiles framed their tired, senile faces as they pulled each other closer.

Just by looking at the exchange of such tendering vows of affection, made Draco curl up into a ball and cry in a far away corner of the manor. He tried his hardest not to let his emotions flow without control but it became more and more intolerable by the second. He didn't remember the last time he had seen his father smile like that. That, strangely, made his heart elevate with happiness. During school times as well, he couldn't recall the last times his parents indulge themselves in the shambles of public display of affection.

A familiar hand slipped into his hand and squeezed it, softly. Through the corner of his eyes, Draco could see Astoria smile, her benevolent self bubbling with joy as she kept on glancing back and forth from the kissing couple to him. Not only did that little action took away all of his anxiety but made him calmer and rapturous. Earning an eensy nudge from Cepheus, who was now standing just behind him and Astoria, and thumbs up from Astoria, he slowly walked closer to Lucius and Narcissa.

Each step closer to them forcefully compelled his heart to beat faster. Thoughts of what he should say to his father, after more than three years of being completely in dark from him, started to revolve around his head. He tried to recall all the rules he had learned from him but none came to mind. 'Should I bow down or shake hands? Or maybe just keep my distance?' he thought.

"Draco," said Narcissa, extending her hand for him to take as he drew closer. She noticed his red eyes and smiled sadly; prodding him to draw nearer faster once she had grabbed his hand.

And finally, after one hell of a long period, the father and son stood face to face. Not saying any word, simply trying to understand their individual embedded emotions. Draco observed how beaten down and sick Lucius looked, his receding hairline was much more prominent now and whatever hair he did have left was tied neatly in a ponytail. He looked older than his age because of the prominent bags under his eyes and visible wrinkles. The robes he was wearing were old and tore at some places. He had been limping as well, when he had walked in, and was holding on to his walking stick.

A reel of memories played in the back of Draco's mind, every minute detail of how he was treated brutally by Lucius rushed back to him. Nevertheless, tears of joy fell down his cheeks and at that moment, Lucius did the unthinkable. He embraced his son and his wife, just a few seconds later though, and cried. His hoarse voice echoing through the empty house in addition to the sobbing of Narcissa and Draco.


Once Narcissa and Lucius were escorted to the study for some final rules and regulations talk by a ministry official, Draco sighed, disheartened, and crouched on the floor, on the same spot he had been standing about ten minutes ago and hugging his father. His initial plan had backfired. Along with that, he had broken the golden rule by crying; there was a strict rule in the Malfoy manor and that was: 'No man would ever shed tears in the threshold of such a respected family'. The maker of this rule, his great-great-grandfather, if had seen such a sight, he would've definitely thrown everyone out immediately.

If talking about a drastic change in the thought process of a human being, they were definitely one of the best examples of a set that had altered almost every aspect of the way they used to look upon the crowd. The old version of Malfoy's would've cursed and shot defensive spells at the hundred Ministry officials that were, at that moment, checking each and every nook and cranny of the manor or used any kind of restraining means in order to protect their beloved items, which were seen as a threat to the wizarding world by the Ministry laws. But this time none of that exaggeration over such an ordeal happened; it was similar to security breach taken place at any other wizard's or witch's house.

He buried his face in the cup of his hands and succoured with his own sorry self. He, truly, needed to stop his emotions from getting the best of him, which he mentally compared to an overly emotional woman. All he could think about was to find a secluded corner, anywhere in the world, and sulk there his entire remaining life.

"Ow!" He mumbled as Astoria punched him and then forcefully made him remove his hands from his face to look at her as she sat in front of him. "Are you here to make fun of me?"

"Why would I do that? I am not you."

"You…! Never mind, I am not in the mood to talk."

"I know. I can sense your don't-come-near-me aura. Adorable."

"Shut up! You saw what happened and I…"

"And you couldn't act the way you wanted to," Astoria said, punching him in the stomach. "Stop being a baby and man up! Sitting here and sulking over the fact that you shed a few tears, pathetic! Why do men think that showing emotions is directly proportional to them being weak?"

"No…"

"Quiet! I am talking. Where was I?" Astoria added, scratching her forehead. "Ah, hear me Draco Malfoy and hear me good. You are going to get your arse to the room where your parents are and sort out the misunderstandings and fallacy that exists. You have exactly forty hours to do so and then I am going to treat you. Though, if you fail, mind you, the consequences will be severe."

Draco swallowed hard and nodded. "I…" he said, coughing and rubbing his stomach, "wanted you to stay by my side."

Her eyes softened. She stroked his cheek with her thumb and said, "Sorry. Ministry services are calling me. Nevertheless, stay the night with your parents. They are getting old, they need you. Don't abandon them because if you do something like that I will kill you in front of them."

"Scary," he said, smiling. "You don't have to worry about such a thing occurring, ever. Do you think I'll be able to live after doing that? I am not as cold hearted as everything claims me to be. Believe in me?"

"Always." She kissed his forehead and got up.

He stood up as well and dusted his robes. "I understand why women like forehead kiss; they're endearing and give a sense of full-fledged support. You are like my pseudo-temporary-girlfriend. Ever thought of becoming my real one?"

"Oho! So, that's why you were calling my dad sir. Already trying to butter up your pseudo-temporary-parents?"

"Determined to make you and them permanent."

"I don't think that'll happen, your mother hates me. Right?"

"You took care of that when you comforted her. She has opened her heart for you now, won't close it anytime soon."

"And what about Derek?"

"We can ship him to another continent."

Astoria laughed, blushing. "I have to go."

"Shall I escort you out?"

"Not this time. I hope I can become a regular guest, is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, I know that that will be our future but with you as something more important." She smiled and turned away and was about was disapparate when he stopped her and said, "Astoria, I am proud of you."

"Because I didn't freeze today, I reckon father did tell you that. It's because Draco is my replenishing potion."

He smiled and said, "You didn't call me Dragon this time." She grinned back, winking at him and then apparated away, leaving the sweet scent of the vanilla shampoo he remembered so well.


Draco stood outside Lucius' study, waiting for the Aurors and Hit wizards to leave. He kept judging each thought he had in his mind that he wanted to confront Lucius with and trying to reason out why he had chosen it in the first place. Things of the past must remain in the past, that's what he wanted to think but his father needed to know the truth. A debate regarding that was something he was having with himself. He was utterly confused and wished Astoria was there to put some thought into his two and a half kilogram lump of useless brain.

The door opened and the three Ministry officials exited the room, satisfied with the final arrangements, not making a contact with Draco even though he bowed a little in order to great them. Embarrassed by the lack of response, Draco marched in, pissed off, and walked towards the deep end of the room, past the seven shelves of books, kept side by side, and towards the desk next to which his parents were lost in each other's embrace.

"Ahem!" The sound of throat clearing made Lucius and Narcissa almost jump apart.

"Draco," Narcissa said, trying to make her voice sound calm and not at all like an overly-enthusiastic teenage girl. "You must be tired. How about you return to your room for the day and rest?"

He smirked, looking at his father who sat down on his chair, behind the desk, and was adjusting his tie whilst looking at him curiously. "Father."

Lucius smiled. "How have you been, Draco?" he said, weakly. "I heard you are a healer, even when I was against that career you still pursued it, but I am proud." Draco looked at his father, with shocked eyes, when he heard that word he had been longing to hear since every part of his childhood and his teenage life. "I have been a bad father, haven't I?"

"That's not true," he said, unemotionally.

Lucius gave him a amused smiled and said, "You have developed the audacity to lie to your own father. Are you afraid that I will be unhappy if you say the truth?"

"Not at all," he boldly replied.

"The atmosphere of this room is quite tensed. Truly because we lack the quality of frequently expressing our love for one another." Lucius stood and walked towards the nearby window and pulled open the curtains, letting the refreshing sunlight sweep in, before sitting by the sill and sighing.

"One more mistake that I made was not let the sun purify this dead piece of wood that is supposedly my house. I could write a whole book about the mistakes I made in the past."

"Lucius," Narcissa cried, walking towards him and sitting by his side.

He cupped her face gently and held onto both her hands. "I feel like I haven't appreciated either of you much. These past three years are quite blurry to me, probably because of the heavy doses of Veritaserum they used to give me. I didn't know that they can cause hallucinations when taken in excess. Did you, Draco?"

"No, are you sure the medicines were correct?"

"They might've tampered with them to keep the information a secret but that hardly matters now. I am home and that's what I wanted. Also, you didn't answer my question, Draco?"

"Oh, I am fine. Have loads of work, first at St Mungo's and then at the Ministry. We've been dealing with…"-he stopped trying to find the right words- "traitors who are trying to…"

"Death Eaters, you mean?" Lucius said, with an unflinching expression. "Come to think of it, I was just like them. Maybe part of me still is. But it's all vain, fighting on behalf of the dark lord when the only person he cared for was himself. I begged and begged him yet he didn't listen to me. I even thought that if I provided him shelter, his respect for me will increase. How stupid I really was?"

"Lucius what are you saying," interrupted Narcissa, looking at his face with concern. "Let's go to the bedroom, you must sleep."

"No, Narcissa. Not today, I want to get all of this off my chest. If you don't want to hear me and Draco discuss this matter then you can retire to bed, you must've been stressed as well. If I was able to understand even a part of our son, I know that he wants a confrontation. And I will give him one."

"Father, how did you…?"

"I may look disturbed though my mind is alert and Draco," he pointed towards his face, "I make that same expression when I need to talk about something important. Do you not want to get this thing over with?"

"I want to; it has been slowly eating me alive. How could you sacrifice your own family?!" Draco yelled as his temper rose, his voice echoing around the study. "He simply used me as a mere pawn for oblation for your sins. And you hid in the study, sulking like a moron."

"Draco, stop it!" Narcissa retorted, standing up abruptly, not letting go of Lucius' hand.

"Were you fully content with the way things were moving? Did you not have enough courage to even protect your own wife from the perverted clutches of those bastards? Or your son from sleeping in his own puddle of blood? Because, honestly, it felt like you didn't even bother to take a stand and put your life on stake for us! I used to idolize you. I wanted to become you. I tried so hard but now if I reminisce about those things, it's all vain."

"I agree," Lucius replied, still looking outside the window and squeezing Narcissa's hand tightly. "Indeed, I was one hell of a bad father. That is why I am repenting now. I can't change the past although the only hope that I have left is to reconstruct my relation with either of you."

"What if I refuse to give you the chance to do so?" Draco retorted, impatiently.

"Humans make mistakes; me being one as well, I am no different. I choose the wrong side of war twice and still, both of you have stuck with me. Maybe not by words but by emotions. I willingly opt to penitent... Unless I repent fully, I won't step out of this house and hereby, accept this sentence of home-arrest with utmost respect, civility and deference."

"Empty words?" Draco asked.

"No. The result of my remaining sanity and regained self-righteous. And the regretful sensibility that I regained when I saw that girl, the one who was standing beside you today."

"Astoria?"

"Yes," Lucius nodded, looking at Draco with remorseful eyes. "Rumour's of her freezing when she caught sight of me reached my ears while I was locked up. This was the first time in two and a half years that I saw her... I wanted to apologize but I am too big of a coward to do so... Are you close?"

"Yeah," Draco said, tingeing red. "She is better now and under my constant watch. I wouldn't let anything happen to her, I pledge that as a man."

"I see," Lucius said, standing up. "I reckon your brothel with the Parkinson girl is officially over."

"Yes. And I do not agree to reinstate our marriage contract every again, until the end of times and beyond."

Lucius smiled happily, not the forced smile he had shown before but his true one and for the first time since he stepped into the house, and said, "What if I force you to rekindle the already dead romance?"

"You are capable of such deeds but I am not the weak boy you used to know. I am a man and will take my own decisions."

"I see…"

"I won't be manipulated by you anymore father! Not this time because I already have someone I appreciate and… and… and she means the world to me," he turned away and clenched his fist, bowing his head.

Draco heard the sound of footsteps coming near him and then felt a gentle hand land on his head. Lucius gazed at him, affectionately, and started stroking his hair like Narcissa did sometimes. "I know. I am… proud of you, son." Tears, unceremoniously, started to fall from Draco's eyes on hearing those words. "I made enough bad decisions for you and your mother. Not anymore. I am giving you the freedom of doing whatever you want to and setting a new Malfoy rule. I quote, 'A Malfoy man will, from this moment on, be the judge of their own destiny. He will not get influenced by some third party's decision and thus, make his own happiness his number one priority'."

"You know," he said sobbing, trying to show his father his crying face, "she is a half-blood. How would you…?"

"It's not my life, it's yours and I know that you will take the correct decision, Draco. Because you are not a foolish man like me, you inherited your mother's brain. And even if I try to stop you, do you think you will listen to me now? You said it yourself, you are a man. I prefer actions over words, though, and would like to see how you take up the role of becoming a true man. Show me how much you love the girl because when a Malfoy really falls in love, he won't lose to anyone till he has the girl next to him forever. The best example this ability is your mother and my relationship, she stuck with me on the wrong side of the war twice and still loves me. Can you find one like that?"

"Already have but... It will bother you, have a half-blood daughter-in-law? Malfoy's are known for their blood purity, right?" Draco asked.

"Living by rules and regulations my whole life has made me one arrogant and unemotional man who has no instincts left. And I don't want to impose any of those things on you anymore. I just want to spend my remaining days with your mother, in peace, and hope to die after seeing the beautiful faces of my grandchildren. That is all I want from life."

He wiped his tears on his shirt sleeves and looked at Lucius. "Aren't you going to scold me? Remember that saying, 'A Malfoy never cries.'"

Tears filled Lucius eyes as he heard what his father's last words on his death bed once again. He clearly remembered how, even during his last moments, Abraxas was scolding him for crying. "'A Malfoy evolves with time', that is what we will follow," Lucius said, embracing Draco.

Narcissa kept looking outside the window, silently letting her tears flow. She didn't remember the last time she had been so happy. All she wanted to do was to use a voice enhancing charm and announce to the whole world about the reconciliation of her husband and son. The world seemed a lot more beautiful to her, from that moment on. Like the filter in her eyes, which hid all the serenity of the world, had been removed from her eyes. The grass, birds, sun and everything was never that perfect. She was lost in the symphony of the two men, she loved more than anything, crying in front of her. That was her definition of heaven, her family. Her beautiful reunited family.


"Astoria, good work today," said Logan, a new member of the Hit department.

"Oh," she reacted suddenly, almost falling down from her chair, "Sorry, what?"

Logan laughed. "Don't stress yourself out, Miss Greengrass."

"Yeah," she said, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. "I mean, I haven't been doing so. It's been one long day for me. My only desire, right now, is to sleep tight all night long."

"Really?" Logan questioned, raising his eyebrows. "Will you not spend time with Mr Hatchette?"

"Derek?" Astoria stretched her hands above her head and got up, took her purse in her hand. "No. He is out on a…"

Logan shook his head. "I happen to see him almost five minutes ago."

"That's not possible. He would've told me if… he… had… returned."

"I don't know much Miss Greengrass but I really respect you and it would be better if you see yourself what is going because when I saw him he wasn't alone."

"You're lying," she spat, feeling extremely frazzled. She ran her fingers through her hair and immediately ran towards the Obliviator's department. Her heart was racing and she felt a need to just stop, lie down on the floor and think of that as just a mere bad dream. A part of her mind was telling her that she might've taken Logan's words in the wrong sense but her gut feeling was indicating something else. And she always trusted her instincts.

On reaching the Obliviotor's office, she tried to hide her state of trepidation while making eye contact with every one present there. She walked as fast as she could, restraining her inner self from screaming and destroying everything in her way. Derek wasn't on his desk but it was completely covered with important documents; worse thoughts kept popping up in her mind.

Before she could understand what she was doing, she involuntarily barged into a secluded room near the toilets. Though, it wasn't her instincts, something... rather someone had been controlling her. But that was the last thing she cared about at that moment as she gaped at her boyfriend pulling himself away from Heidi, a fellow obliviator.

Frozen, she gaped at either. Trying to decipher the right words but only tears fell. Taking one step at a time, she moved towards Derek, as he adjusted his robes, and slapped him hard right across the face. He didn't even stop her from doing so; just kept looking down in shame. Heidi marched up to Astoria's side and started blabbing random words but none of it made sense to her at that moment and so she slapped Heidi as well, just to shut up her up.

"Never show your filthy face to me again," Astoria spat, turning around and walking out of the room.

"Astoria, wait I can explain," Derek shouted from behind her.

Astoria completely ignored him and kept swaggering away. She knew she won't ever forgive a guy like him, whatever his reasons might've been cheating was never the solution. Once she exited the ministry, in a jiffy, she swiftly apparated to Diagon Alley, just outside her apartment building.

She was about to enter the building when a familiar looking silhouette stopped her. "That was one hell of a show right now, wasn't it Greengrass," Ralph Jimlean stepped out of the shadows of the entrance and faced Astoria clearly, with a smirk on his face.

"What do you want?! I trying to curse your sorry arse, the last time we met in the board meeting after the attack, wasn't enough to scare you away from me?!" she snapped.

"Nothing much," –he grabbed her hand roughly and shoved a letter in it- "Wanted to deliver this to you personally."

"Who's this from?"

"I like your directness. Why don't you take a nice long bath and then read this in peace. If I were you, I would keep my loved ones close… You know, Greengrass, I am hearing absurd rumours about you. For example, how your actions just now, when you confronted Derek, were actually involuntary. Are you sure someone is not playing with your silly little self."

"How did you…"

Before she could finish her sentence, he disapparated after bowing. She kept looking at the empty space for a full minute, clenching the letter in her fists, and running the very incident in her mind countless number of times. 'How did he know?' she thought, panicking.

"Astoria," Derek voice echoed around the alley as he came running towards her.

"Shove off," she spat, keeping the letter in her purse and hurrying up the stairs with Derek following close. "Stay away! Can't you understand, we are done! Go back to Heidi."

"Astoria, we weren't doing anything!"

"Then why is your shirt so ruffled up and why are you wearing lipstick?! The truth is wide out in the open. You were caught red handed! Leave, you arsehole, I don't want you near me." She ranted away, climbing up the stairs. Reaching the apartment, she hurried inside and banged the door shut before throwing her purse on the floor and collapsing unceremoniously on the couch and crying.

Derek barged inside her home and fell on his knees in front of her. "Give me one last chance, Astoria. I beg you!"

"One of the things my mum taught me about relationships was that to never trust a guy who comes begging after committing the serious crime of cheating because he will repeat that same mistake."

"That's not true at all, I will change I promise."

"Bullshit!" she spat, getting up and walking towards the bedroom but before that Derek grabbed her hand roughly and pulled her towards himself.

"Don't you understand, I said I was sorry! Just accept it, will you?!"

"No way in hell will I ever do that!" she snapped, pulling her hand away and glaring at him. "You wouldn't have cheated if you had actually loved me."

"Oh, shut up now!" he yelled. "I am sick of your nonsense. That is why I was with Heidi. You wanna know the truth; I will tell you just that. She wasn't the only woman I have been with ever since we started dating. Couldn't you understand this simple fact that when I was away in Paris for weeks, without contacting you, I was actually having fun behind your back."

"N… No… that can't be…" she stammered, looking quite uneasy.

"Are you exceedingly naive, huh?!" he yelled again. "Whenever you have your shit going on like this, I can't handle it. It makes me mad. I mean you still get sad thinking about the war. What the hell is wrong with you?! It's been three years, woman! Get over it! This is the reason we fight, I hate how you think everything should be related to your moods. No wonder we fight and then storm off to cool off with one of my other girlfriends who don't make my life hell!"

"Astoria, are you alright?" Cormac said, knocking the door from outside.

Astoria's eyes teared up. "I trusted you," she mumbled.

"Oh yeah, well I just wanted to have a good time but there you go being all whiny and pathetic. I am not your babysitter!"

"In a relationship, both the partners should support and love each other. That's what makes or break it. How could you expect me to be happy and cheerful all the time when I have already told you all that that has happened?!"

"Because I don't care. You remember the day I asked you out at the Ministry, you were talking to Heidi in the elevator before I got in. Well, whatever we had was way past whatever me and Heidi did. She is way more fun. You just sulk."

"Astoria!" Cormac called again.

"But you… com… comforted me when Draco and I had a fight…"

"Uh… that's because I had just returned after spending a great day with Heidi and Zenia and, call me a creep, but I wanted to spend a great night with you."

"I don't want to believe all this. You pathetic bastard!"

"Watch your fucking mouth! I will rip you in half!"

"I was always scared of you when you yelled at me. Do you even care about how I feel? Was this all just a plaything for you? I wondered why you were so jealous of Draco being an important part of my life, it's a good thing that he came back because if he hadn't I would've been deceived enough by you and even would've thought of blindly marrying you. Since the day, you spit on my efforts a part of me had given up on this relationship but a tiny part was still clinging on to you. Not anymore though."

"Astoria, what is going on?!" Cormac yelled once more, slamming his fists on the door.

"You are free to go and have as many relationships you want to have. I really couldn't care less!" Astoria added.

"You bitch!" Derek snapped, raising his hand up to slap her.

"You were calling me naïve…" Astoria stated, grasping Derek's hand roughly. "Trying to hit me? I am a well trained Hit witch, if you have forgotten. This gives me another reason to hate you," –she twisted his arm behind his back, so quickly that he couldn't even stop the actions, and slammed him against the wall- "you inequitably assumed that I was weak. Time to prove you wro…!"

Derek pushed her away and punched her hard on the chest. "You are a woman; you will always be weak compared to a man."

"Well, with that kind of mindset," she said, pushing him away from herself and then kicking him directly on the stomach twice before knocking him down on the floor with her powerful roundhouse kick, "you will always remain one inferior human being."

Derek gasped as she placed her foot on his chest and said, "Trying to play hard, are you?!" He tried to pull her down on the floor but she was quick in her actions, unlike him. She snatched her foot away from him, made him get up back on his feet by tugging him by his robes collar and then twisted his hands behind his back before pinning him up against the closest wall.

"Geez... you are one annoying guy, I wonder how I didn't kill that fucking attitude of yours. Good thing that you showed me your true colours just in time. No wonder I had a bad feeling when you first asked me out..."

"Astoria… stop," Cormac stated, dragging her away from Derek. "What are you doing?"

"How did you…?" she glanced towards the door and looked at Cormac, impatiently.

"Derek," Cormac said seriously, ignoring Astoria, "Get out."

Without a second thought, he marched out of the apartment, slamming the door shut. "What happened?" Cormac asked.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Good because I heard everything already."

"I knew it," she mumbled, smiling a bit.

"Do you want me to call someone? Your parents or Draco? Someone?"

"No, thanks... I think I should go and stay with my parents for a few days... Calm myself down."

"Yeah, should I inform Draco?"

"No, he… he has his own fight to win today. I don't want to be a bother."

"He won't think that way about you. Also I totally ship both of you together. You are way better off with him than that jerk, Derek."

"Thanks for the advice, Cormac. You aren't half as bad as you give the aura out."

"I'll take that as a compliemt," he smirked, bowing down for her.

"Will you do me a favor, drop me home. I don't have the energy to apparate on my own."

"Of course."

When Astoria told Margaret and Cepheus about the whole situation, were extremely supportive but angry as well. They understood the set of circumstances exceedingly well which was expected from them as her support system and loving parents. Margaret tried her best to cheer Astoria by her powerful embrace and then made her stomach happy by cooking lots of things that she liked. Cepheus, on the other hand, had always been sceptical of Derek and now had the chance to mutilate him in front of Diagon Alley. Astoria did try to stop him from doing such rash things but he was quite determined to avenge his only daughter.

All that really cheered her up for the night, although she very well knew that it would take her ample amount of time to actually make her life normal again. She wasn't looking forward to working with him at the Ministry; thoughts about him only made her scream with rage inside her head.

She returned to her bedroom, upstairs, after refusing both Margaret and Cepheus the opportunity to tuck her into bed and guard all night. She didn't want to stress them out anymore than she had already done. And wanted to be alone for sometime as well.

Stretching her hand above her head, she walked out on her room balcony and gazed over her silent surroundings. Her mind wondered towards Draco and the need to talk to him started to unease her. A part of her wanted him to react in the most violent way possible when she tells him the news about Derek yet she discarded such thoughts just because she didn't want to burden his already burdened self with her problems.

She leaned on the railings and smiled as cool air ran through her hair. The sweet sound of wind chimes, which Margaret had placed on the backdoor of the house, reached her ears. Her eyes suddenly went wide as she recalled about the letter Ralph had handed her. She ran back into the room and threw everything out of her mess-of-a-purse. On recovering the letter, she ripped open the envelope and gasped. The realization struck her like lightning strike; she could identify that handwriting anywhere and anytime.

Dear Astoria,
It has been quite a long time since I last met you. I wonder how much cuter little sister has gotten. How about we meet sometime in the near future? I have loads of things I want to share with you. On second thought, let's meet tomorrow around seven in the evening. Same place.
Your brother,
Colton

"Colton," Astoria whispered, ripping the letter into several small pieces. "What the hell do you want with me?!" She ran her hand over her hair; looking closely at the dark blue ends of her, now, shoulder length hair. Picking up her wand, she muttered a spell which changed the colour to its natural jet black and resisted the urge to hit the nearest wall. "I don't trust you," she said, burning the torn pieces of paper with the flick of her wand.


"Colton?" Emily asked, curiously.

"Who is he?" Scorpius interrupted.

Draco smiled. "If I tell you everything before the exact time, won't it spoil everything for you?"

"And why did he call mum his sister? We only have one uncle, Uncle Orion that is," Scorpius added, hastily.

"Colton... he is an interesting guy..." Draco smirked.


(A/N: So here is the new chapter, tell me what you thought about it. Are you curious who Colton is? Did you like the chapter? Lots more to come. I think the story will round up soon enough now. Approximately ten more chapters to go.)

Please review everyone and tell me your true thoughts about this. Any recommendations is always welcome and feel free to criticise me. Haha!
Also, I ask this again, please review everyone. It helps a lot. (^_^)