All the characters belong to JK Rowling.
OBLIVIATE
Scorpius Malfoy
Scorpius was having a breakfast with his parents. His father, at the head of the table, his mother at the end, while he was in the middle. There was not a syllable spoken by any of them, there wasn't a any sound except for the clinking of their cutlery, anyway. This was how it was every Sunday, when his mother would come to drop him back to the Manor after he spent the Saturday with her or rather with his house elf at her place. Not that it was particularly cheery on the other days of the week when it was just him and his father. This was just how the things were at the Malfoy Manor, even when his parents were married, all the meals were silent affairs. His father was always indifferent to his mother and most of the times to him also. He knew his parents were not a love match. His grandfather had drafted a marriage contract with Greengrasses, only days after his father was born. But then so was with most of the aristocrats. His uncle Theodore and aunt Daphne also had a contractual marriage but theirs was happy match, at least compared to his parents. It always bugged him how happy Teddy's parent always were whenever he visited the Nott Manor. They were not overly affectionate but at least they looked warmly at each other unlike his father who rarely even looked at his mother. He sometimes read about his father in the Prophet. It featured about the new initiatives taken by Malfoy Industries or the donations to the St Mungo's, personally made by Draco Malfoy. He had mostly gotten past his image as deatheater with all the donations he made to the ministry and Hogwarts but there were also many who still saw him as a deatheater. So, he knew his father was a busy man. He was rarely present at the Manor, mostly away for the business.
He was surprised that since his parents' divorce his father was now more at home. He even occasionally came to his room to talk to him for hours and that was saying something because he hardly recalled seeing his father more than an hour a day. He would give him a smile that was only reserved for him, rise from the breakfast table and floo to the work and that was it. It was enough for Scorpius; he knew his father never smiled at anyone not even at Grandma Cissa when they visited his grandparents at the Malfoy House every first of the month. But now his father voluntarily sought him out, which he had never done when he was married, he smiled more often at him and even once chuckled when he told him the story how the Peacocks had pecked and chased around Teddy when he tried to feed them chocolate frogs. Simply said he loved his father even when he rarely saw him, he knew his father was a good man. Unlike his mother who only talked to him when she felt the need to give him lessons on how to behave like a Malfoy and a pureblood.
His thoughts were halted when Tinkle, his father's house elf apparated at end the end of the table.
"Tinkle is sorry to disturb Master. But a young lady flooed in your sitting room wanting to meet you. Tinkle told the miss that Master cannot meet her when the miss started to scream 'DRACO MALFOY! YOU COME OUT HERE THIS INSTANCE!' Tinkle silenced her and blocked the siting room Master." Tinkle screeched. He was surprised that someone could pass through the floo without given any access. Even the Notts needed the permission to floo in when they visited.
"Already entertaining the ladies, are we now Draco. I will not be disgraced as such." His mother scowled. The thought left him uneasy and he looked up at his father for confirmation.
But his father looked surprised so he must not have known about the intruder. He ignored his ex-wife, like he usually did and turned to Tinkle.
"Did you not ask her who she was Tinkle."
"Tinkle asked the miss but she only screamed and then started crying and then screamed again. Tinkle had to put fingers in his ears."
Just as he was about to open his mouth. The dining room doors flew open and the witch in question stormed in. Scorpius recognized her at once. Even with her eyes red and lips thinned in a line, there was hardly anyone in the wizarding world who couldn't recognize Hermione Granger. Honestly speaking Scorpius was awestruck. He had only ever read about the witch in The Prophet or books but he never saw her in person.
"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY" She yelled at father, who only looked like he had seen Salazar himself.
"Hermione." His father whispered. "Wh…what are you doing here." He had never heard his father stammer. His hands were shaking and his usually emotionless face contorted with such emotions, he could hardly name. Scorpius didn't know what was happening. He knew his father and the Golden Trio shared a deep animosity but that was in the past.
Ms. Grangers chest only heaved, she swallowed hard, took a deep breath. "I remember." She whispered, lifted her gaze at his father, "Everything."
His father nearly toppled down, he grabbed the table, steadied himself and walked towards Ms. Granger. "What do you mean you remember?" He asked, his breath haggard and gazing at her like Scorpius had never seen him looking at anyone with half the emotions, not even at him.
"The sixth year and the run, everything. Before you obliviated me. I remember it all." She answered. What in Merlin's name was happening? His father had obliviated The Hermione Granger and not been thrown In Azkaban. Only then did he realize that she was wearing a hospital gown.
"You…you do? You really do? But how? I contacted every mind healer in the world since the war. I travelled to every country, funded them to research but no one got any cure. How?"
"Well no one had been tortured to death seconds after obliviating them." She shot back.
"Hermione, trust me. I could have given my life if it meant saving you. But if I had shown any emotions then we both know she could have killed us both. There isn't a single night when I am not haunted by those nightmares." He was practically begging her. Scorpius did not know which day they were talking about but he could guess that it was when the Golden trio was brought to the Malfoy Manor. He did not know any other details, but only few pieces mentioned here and there in the newspapers.
"I know that. But it has been ten years Draco. It was as if my mind knew that there was something missing. I thought I had tumor. Nobody knew what was happening to me. I thought I was dying. I was in the coma for four days now. And I remembered everything." She burst out crying, her sobs wracking her whole body. Scorpius was shocked when his father gathered her in his arms so tenderly but firm as if he already knew what he was doing.
"Shh…love. I am here now. We will figure it out. Now that I have you, all will be well." He was stroking her hair with his hand, caressing her back with other. Both of them forgetting the presence of the other two wizard and witch and the house elf.
"WHAT in Merlin's name is going on here." Ms. Granger was jolted back by his mother's scream. His father did not remove his arms. "Go to your home Astoria, the breakfast is over." He dismissed her.
"I will not be dismissed when my husband is fondling with other women." She shouted, her fury rising.
"Ex-husband. Our marriage contract is over. Go now or I will have to ask Tinkle to show you outside." His father had never looked so determined. Scorpius was tempted to ask his mother to go peacefully. He was not sure what his father would do. Just as he was about to speak Ms. Granger collapsed down in Father's hand.
"Hermione! What happened, love? Tinkle, get the family healer from St. Mungo's." He shouted at the elf but Tinkle looked like wasn't sure that this was master. Who could blame him, when Scorpius had never seen him behave as such?
"NOW! Tinkle." He hollered. Tinkle disappeared with a snap of his fingers.
"What is Hermione Granger doing in the Manor, Draco. And why are you acting as such with her?" His mother it seemed had once again gathered herself to speak.
"I suggest you leave now Astoria. I don't have any patience to deal with you. Mipsy! Show miss Greengrass out." Mipsy took her hand disappeared with a crack all without his mother noticing.
His father had situated Ms. Granger on the nearest couch when Tinkle appeared with the healer at the foot of the couch.
"Sweet Merlin! Is it Hermione Granger?" It seemed even the healer was boggled by Ms. Grangers presence in Malfoy Manor.
"Yes, it is Hermione Granger. Now do your work. She fell unconscious few seconds back. She was obliviated but now her memory has returned." He snapped at the healer. The healer, it seemed had only gone further into the shock after hearing this.
"Obliviated? But how. It is not possible Mr. Malfoy, for the memory to return."
"I know that, Healer Matthew. But I am telling you her memory has returned. I think that she flooed here from St. Mungos where she was in coma for four days." He retorted.
"Then we will have to talk to the healer who was in charge of her, Mr. Malfoy. And since the press did not know about this then it would have been kept hushed up."
"Very well." He took up his wand from the holster, "Expecto Patronum." A huge silver otter flew up from his wand. Scorpius eyes widened with awe. He had never seen a patronus before but he had heard that only most powerful wizards and witches could produce the full-fledged corporeal ones and it was known that none of the Deatheaters except for Severus Snape could produce them. "Potter! It's Malfoy. Granger is at the Manor. Floo in here, I will open the wards and bring her healer."
Did his father had just invited the Harry Potter at the Manor? Scorpius took the seat at the table. The elf it seemed had cleaned it. He watched his father as he situated the pillow beside Ms. Granger's head. The healer was performing the diagnostic spells when the dinning room floo roared and Harry Potter and Ron Weasley appeared with their wands pointed at his father.
"What have you done to Hermione, Malfoy? Because if you did, I will hex you to an inch of your life." Mr. Weasley's face nearly resembling to his hair.
"What is Hermione doing here, Malfoy." Mr. Potter asked, his voice leveled.
"She came here after she woke in St. Mungos."
"Hermione would never set a foot in this house, MALFOY."
"Shut up, Weasley." He rolled his eyes turned to Mr. Potter, "You saw my patronus, Potter." He told, as if it explained everything. Mr. Potter looked like he had never seen his father before this.
"It is not possible." He whispered, perplexed.
"What is not possible, Harry? What is not possible." Mr. Weasley was clearly as clueless as Scorpius was.
"Expecto Patronum." His father swiveled his wand and the otter once again burst out, revolving the couch where Ms. Granger laid.
"That's Hermione's Patronus. How can Malfoy produce one? He is a deatheater." Mr. Weasley was still bewildered.
"I can give you my memories. There is a pensive in my study. But for now, you must contact Hermione's healer. She fell unconscious again." He ignored Mr. Weasley and continued speaking to Mr. Potter."
"Alright. But I want explanation how this happened after she wakes up."
"You have my word."
"Ron, you go get Healer Stokes. I will stay with Hermione."
Mr. Weasley looked warily at Father but still nodded his head and left via floo.
"Tinkle! Go get chairs for everyone."
"Yes, Master. Tinkle will do as Master says." Mr. Potter was noticing Tinkle, quite bewildered.
"Your house elf is wearing a dress." Mr. Potter noted as he seated in the chair Tinkle had conjured.
"Astute observation, Potter." His father just rolled his eyes at him continued gazing down at Ms. Granger.
"I meant, after seeing Dobby I did not except you to have a paid house elf. But then I did not expect to chat with you in your dinning room while my best friend was lying unconscious."
"Not every house elf was treated like Dobby. He was my father's house elf. Besides Hermione would have had my head if she knew if was slaving my house elves." Both of them chuckled.
Scorpius saw Mr. Potter look at him, noticing him for first time.
"You have a son, Malfoy." His father looked at him also noticing him for the first time.
"Oh! Well, this is Scorpius. Scorpius this is Mr. Potter." He introduced them.
"Hello, Mr. Potter." Mr. Potter just nodded at him.
"You are married Malfoy."
"No, I am not, Potter. I got a divorce. And I know where you are going with this. But it was a marriage contract. Which only could have been broken with the death of either Astoria or mine. There was a loophole though. After producing the heir, the marriage can be terminated after eight years. Which I did." Scorpius was aghast to hear this. He had known that his fathers had gotten married only because of the contract but to hear his father speak of him as if he was
only an obligation, stunned him.
Mr. Potter must have seen his expression. He turned to his father, "Perhaps, we should continue this discussion privately."
His fathers frowned then turned toward him, "Scorpius, I apologize for keeping you here. You can go to your room."
He got up and went outside of the room. He did not want to hear further. He had always wanted his father and mother to be like Mr. and Mrs. Nott, at the least as his Grandfather Lucius and Grandmother Cissa, his grandfather was not very best of men but he admired his wife, he respected her and he knew that they loved his father very much. His father, on the other hand never stood with his mother except during the balls. Scorpius was aware that his mother was not the cleverest sort of witch, but still she was beautiful and even if she was not very affectionate she was still his mother.