Three months later Draco eventually left his bedroom and started living
again. For weeks on end Erik had been looking after himself but finally
Draco had begun to want his son. Layla' death had been much, much worse
than he could ever have expected it to be. Probably because he hadn't been
prepared for it to be himself that killed her. Thinking back he couldn't
believe he had done it. But he had spent the last months looking back and
was determined not to let it happen again. The last few months had been
filled with so much misery and pain but now it was time to move on. For the
first time since Layla's funeral Draco showered and dressed. As he stepped
into the kitchen he saw the perfect symbol of what his life had become. The
place was stacked with dishes that neither he nor Erik could be bothered to
wash and there was a thick layer of dust covering everything. There was
also the stale smell of the endless take-aways that they had consumed. In a
miserable rage Draco had started an argument with Francis the housekeeper
and had fired her. Well, Draco thought, I'd better get started. And with
that he flung open the windows and began to clean.
By the time that Erik's sleepy face appeared in the room twenty minutes later the room was almost completely clean. The tired look on his face soon disappeared when it dawned on him that his father had actually gotten out of bed and was replaced by a small smile.
"Go back to bed, Erik. You look exhausted." Draco said with a smile. It had been a long time since he had paid that much attention to anyone and it felt good to be almost back to normal. On second thought nothing was normal anymore because Layla wasn't there but that was just something he would have to learn to live with. Misery wouldn't bring back his daughter so he might as well move on. He didn't know why he had woken up with this new philosophy but he was so glad that he had. For days now he had wanted to get up but just couldn't work up the enthusiasm for it. As he lifted the newspaper that he had just Apparated in and lifted his mug of coffee he smiled again. It was just brilliant to get a routine going again. He looked up to see Erik grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm awake now. I don't want to." Instead of waiting to see what his father would say he crossed the kitchen and began to pour orange juice and grill toast.
"Ok, but you have to make me some toast," Draco said smiling again. He just couldn't explain why he felt so happy today.
"Dad, do you want to go fishing today? Or we could go to the wood and fly for a while?"
"I don't think so. Let's take things one step at a time." He knew Erik would be disappointed but somehow Draco knew that he couldn't rush things. He must be getting too much practise at the mourning thing if he knew that much. Too much had happened lately to rush back into a routine. Maybe he would call Dean tomorrow and see how he was coping. Or maybe Ron would be better. Well he could call them both - it was the summer holidays and he had all the time in the world.
"Dad, will you go back to Hogwarts?" Draco paused before answering his son.
"Yes!" Erik smiled slightly.
"Good, I like having you there," Draco had been all ready to resign but when asked by the one person left that he loved he knew he couldn't quit. After all it was Hogwarts and life would be boring without it....
[A/N; I know it's a cheesy ending but I was running out of ideas. Plus I know the 'battle' was pretty crap but I couldn't think of anything else and I was getting sick of this story. If anyone has a better idea, let me know because even I don't like this very much. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed throughout.]
By the time that Erik's sleepy face appeared in the room twenty minutes later the room was almost completely clean. The tired look on his face soon disappeared when it dawned on him that his father had actually gotten out of bed and was replaced by a small smile.
"Go back to bed, Erik. You look exhausted." Draco said with a smile. It had been a long time since he had paid that much attention to anyone and it felt good to be almost back to normal. On second thought nothing was normal anymore because Layla wasn't there but that was just something he would have to learn to live with. Misery wouldn't bring back his daughter so he might as well move on. He didn't know why he had woken up with this new philosophy but he was so glad that he had. For days now he had wanted to get up but just couldn't work up the enthusiasm for it. As he lifted the newspaper that he had just Apparated in and lifted his mug of coffee he smiled again. It was just brilliant to get a routine going again. He looked up to see Erik grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm awake now. I don't want to." Instead of waiting to see what his father would say he crossed the kitchen and began to pour orange juice and grill toast.
"Ok, but you have to make me some toast," Draco said smiling again. He just couldn't explain why he felt so happy today.
"Dad, do you want to go fishing today? Or we could go to the wood and fly for a while?"
"I don't think so. Let's take things one step at a time." He knew Erik would be disappointed but somehow Draco knew that he couldn't rush things. He must be getting too much practise at the mourning thing if he knew that much. Too much had happened lately to rush back into a routine. Maybe he would call Dean tomorrow and see how he was coping. Or maybe Ron would be better. Well he could call them both - it was the summer holidays and he had all the time in the world.
"Dad, will you go back to Hogwarts?" Draco paused before answering his son.
"Yes!" Erik smiled slightly.
"Good, I like having you there," Draco had been all ready to resign but when asked by the one person left that he loved he knew he couldn't quit. After all it was Hogwarts and life would be boring without it....
[A/N; I know it's a cheesy ending but I was running out of ideas. Plus I know the 'battle' was pretty crap but I couldn't think of anything else and I was getting sick of this story. If anyone has a better idea, let me know because even I don't like this very much. Also thanks to everyone who reviewed throughout.]