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Chapter 24
Draco tried to follow Hermione as soon as his feet responded to his mind, but Professor McGonagall stopped him the second he walked through the flew.
"Get out of my way I need to go with her. You don't understand Professor I have to go!" Draco had pleaded.
"Mr. Malfoy I may be getting older, but I am not stupid. Anyone could see the resemblance between you and your daughter. Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to see her. It's school policy that only immediate family is allowed to see an injured student." McGonagall stated.
"You just said you know I am her father that means I have just as much right to see her as Hermione." Draco snarled trying to shove past the older woman.
"I may know but its not legally acknowledged. Gemini was just attacked in my school. Do you think every student finding out you're her father is going to help? It will paint an even larger target on her back. It could ruin the few friendships she's managed to forge. This isn't about you Draco." McGonagall pointed out as she impressed him with her strength by standing firmly in place despite his attempts to move her.
Draco was beyond sick of people telling him it wasn't about him. His heart was racing, and this icy feeling of dread was enveloping him. He started to pace back and forth to burn to give his twitchy limbs something to do.
"Look Mr. Malfoy you need to leave for now." McGonagall said but raised her hand to silence his intention to interrupt her. "However, if you want to come back this evening after the students are in bed I believe we could arrange for you to see Gemini and Mrs. Granger. If Mrs. Granger agrees of course."
A tiny flicker of hope began to burn in his heart but there was also a sharp crescendo of rage. Unwilling to risk pissing off McGonagall into retracting her offer Draco simply nodded and stormed back to Blaise's place. When he arrived, Blaise was waiting with a drink already made. Draco didn't even thank him before downing the drink and pouring another.
Blaise watched his friend's pain-stricken face and allowed him to down several shots before taking the bottle away.
"Alright you have to talk to me man. Drinking isn't going to help. Is Gemini okay?" Blaise asked hoping that she was.
"I wouldn't know. Only immediate family is allowed to see the injured party." Draco snarled reaching for the bottle again, but Blaise simply moved it farther away.
"What are you talking about you're her father. It doesn't get much more immediate than that." Blaise asked slightly surprised Draco left without seeing her.
"Yea that's what I said but it's not legally recognized, so I have no right to see her. McGonagall also pointed out it could cause more harm than good if the students found out I was her father. She's my daughter Blaise and just by acknowledging it I could lead to her getting hurt worse. Hell, I don't even know how hurt she is! DAMN IT!" Draco screamed the last word throwing his empty glass at the wall and watching it shatter into a million pieces.
"Woah take a breath. Alright I know things are awful right now, but you need to pull yourself together. Hermione won't keep you from your kids alright. That's not who she is." Blaise pointed out trying to placate him.
"Ha it's what she's been doing for 11 damn years Blaise. Why change the game now?" Draco muttered sinking down into a chair. "But if your right I'll find out later. McGonagall said I can see her after the rest of the student body is in their rooms, if her majesty agrees of course."
"Well I can assure you she won't let you see her if you're drunk off your ass so grow up already! You can't solve every problem with alcohol Draco. Hermione said she was unconscious and injured usually that means a head injury or something along those lines right? Look if you want to help why don't you just do some research into specialized healers or potions. Drake you need to figure out a way to help that Hermione can't discredit. She doesn't want to need you. She's been on her own with those kids and she needs to know she's not alone anymore. Help her instead of trying to fight with her. Don't demand to see Gemini out of legal obligations that Hermione has denied you. Ask Draco. Tell her how scared you are. How you need to see your daughter is okay. That's what you need to do and if you won't then I don't know if I would blame Hermione for refusing to let you see Gemini." Blaise stated forcing Draco to hold his gaze. "Prove you want them Drake. Prove they matter. Stop just assuming that Hermione is going to just fall into your arms. I love you like a brother but that's just stupid. She doesn't trust you and honestly I don't think you trust her. So why don't you start there. Now get out of my house please all this enlightening has worn me out and I need a break from all of this."
Draco was gaping at Blaise and trying to come up with a response, but he couldn't. Blaise was right. God he was such an idiot. Draco simply nodded and headed home. He had some calls to make and some research to start. He was going to help his daughter and damn it he was going to help Hermione too. She wasn't alone anymore, and he was going to prove it to her, one way or another.
Albus did his best to drag his best friend to classes and make him take notes but overall he was failing miserably. It might have something to do with the fact that Albus himself was worried about Gem but that wasn't all of it.
Hogwarts had always seemed so safe from his father's stories of his classes. So fun and enticing like a hidden treasure map but now it seemed dangerous. Every shadow had started to scare him, every dark corridor could be hiding a foe. If he was really honest Albus just wanted to go home.
Still he tried to push against his own fears and help Aries get his mind off his sister.
"Hey you know that the Slytherin duo will do everything they can to help us out but we have to focus on our school work as well. Gem wouldn't want you to fall behind because of her." Albus pointed out.
"Well its not like she can yell at me. I can't focus on school Albus. They don't know when she's going to wake up. It could be tomorrow or it could take weeks. There isn't anything I can do. I'm useless to her right now so I need to know what happened. I need to find whoever did this. Don't ask me to just shove this aside and focus on school. Gemini is my sister. She will never come second place to anything." Aries shot back at him holding in his furious tears.
"I'm not say ignore her or finding who did this but Aries you need to focus on something else before you explode. You didn't eat this morning or at lunch you're so busy writing conspiracies on who would hurt her rather than notes on the class or what the homework is. Do you know what happened in any class?" Albus pointed out in a pleading tone. "I love Gem too but this is going to cause you to do something crazy. Take a breath and focus because you know the second Gem wakes up she is going to be demanding to know where the notes you took for her are. So you need to take those notes and help her that way because we both know my notes are never up to par for Miss Perfect Hand writing."
Aries started to chuckle a little and Albus felt lighter at the sound. Aries was completely devoted to his sister and went crazy when anything bad happened to her and this was by far the worst thing she had ever faced. So Albus understood how helpless his best friend was feeling so being able to make him laugh even a little warmed his heart. Aries's chuckles soon turned to sobs and his whole body started to shake with the force. Albus pulled him down on a bench and just sat with him as Aries released all the pain he had been holding in so hard. Albus sat there and was Aries's rock because that's what best friends do.
