Title: The Largest Task of All. (Part 2)
Rating: PG-13
Sequel to Family MattersSummary: A poem and that all important meeting of Malfoy Jnr and Snr
A/N: next chapter as soon as I can humanly manage (without re-reading book 5 constantly…pah! LMAO)
The day of the meeting with Lucius dawned clear to find Draco sitting very much alone on top of the astronomy tower writing and drawing trying to syphon off the feelings of aprehension that hung over Hogwarts and himself.
Very few people had stayed behind over the holidays. Harry had of course, so had Ron and Hermione. The rest of the prefects had gone home and so he sat on the top of the astronomy tower alone.
Harry walked onto the roof and placed a cloak over Draco's back. He caught the title of the piece he was working on. "The Largest task of all." He read aloud. Draco finished the poem and sighed at it. He then crumpled it up and sat it beside him.
"It was terrible"
"Draco…You're going to be fine."
"Im going to loose him…" he closed his eyes. Yes he fought with his father, what teen didn't? Yes, he had dissagreements about muggles and the best way to deal with them.
But generally speaking Draco and Lucius got on fine, Draco respected his father a great deal and was sick with the thought of going through the rest of his life without him.
"Draco?"
Draco let out a frustrated sigh and stood up. "I'm sorry Harry… This is something I need to do alone." He said this rather angrily and Harry steped back. "Im sorry I'm just… Draco I don't know what to do. I've been pussy footing round you for the past few days. I don't know what to do."
"You just don't get it Harry! I know I love you, but, its my father! My family… I don't know if I'd be able to cope if he completely disowend me."
Harry sighed and walked towards the exit of the astronomy tower.
"I got on fine without either of my parents or any real family to speak of and im alive. I got by. So will you."
With that Harry walked downstairs and Draco cursed his own stupidity.
Harry couldn't understand, he had no reference.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Harry sat in his prefect dorm a plan forming ever so carefully in his mind. He didn't know about the unconditional love of a parent, the closest thing he had to it was Sirius. The meeting with Draco being a perfect example of his acceptance.
Harry knew Draco felt like this, and how upset he was about the prospect of loosing Lucius.
What he thought however was that he highly doubted that Lucius knew just how much Draco needed him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Mr Malfoy,
I thought that you should see this, Draco wrote this about you.
H. Potter
"The Largest Task of All
Do not judge me on who resides in my heart
Do not mock me when my heart gets broken
All I need is for you to stay here
By my side
As my father
Do not force me down the road you want me to take
Do not pain me or find destruction in my wake
Do not live your life through me
But take joy in my joy
Take love from my love
Do not leave me in an island of lonely thoughts
Do not leave me, don't make me think that you've forgot
Your son
Today to you may seem like trivia
On a day so cold and fair
Today for you may be like any other
But this I need to make clear
This task you have lay down for me
Shouldn't make me fall
But to lay my soul out
Cold and bare
Is the Largest Task of All."
Lucius re-read the letter and poem and it struk him that he had the realationship with his own son that he had never had the fortune to have with his own father. Harry, for one reason or another, thought Lucius should see this.
Lucius was grateful the boy had sent this. It gave him a better understanding of where Draco was coming from.
Lucius was, at this moment sitting in the largley deserted Great Hall. Only Dumbledore was in eating a late breakfast. Draco came down and looked at him and smiled tentitavley " Father."
He sat across from his father who smiled "That was my seat when I was here. Your mother sat here where I am."
"That's Blaise's seat."
"Zabini?"
Draco nodded.
"I believe you promised me an explanation"
Draco nodded and Lucius pocketed the letter. "I thought I'd take you to where it started and explain what happened."
Draco took Lucius up the great climb of the astronomy tower and Lucius laughed inwardly at the thoughts of him and Narcissa up the tower.
Draco took him out onto the roof and the snow that had fallen the night before was undisturbed except near the lake where the Gryffindor trio were sitting building a large snowman.
Lucius looked at Draco "It started here?"
Draco steadied his nerves. "Yes…it started here." He was quiet and Lucius moved towards him frowning. "Draco?"
"I came up here… before the summer… I came up with a knife. I was going to kill myself."
Draco looked down at the ground watching Harry and Hermione shove fistfuls of snow down Ron's robes. Lucius was too stunned to speak and Draco looked at him to see his mouth hanging open slightly.
"Why?"
Draco looked away silently took the glamour of his arm turned and showed it to his father and Lucius closed his eyes. The poem Draco had written hitting home;
"Do not force me down the road you want me to take
Do not pain me or find destruction in my wake"
"What stopped you?"
He was almost afraid of the answer.
"Harry."
Lucius didn't say anything just let Draco continue "Harry reciting a poem standing on that ledge over there. I thought he had it all… all the fame, friends, flying ability…everything. But as it turned out he didn't… he was as alone as I was. Surrounded by people he was still all alone..."
'Do not leave me in an island of lonely thoughts'"…I knew you did love me… I know that you always will but I didn't see it or feel it."
'Do not leave me, don't make me think that you've forgot
Your son'
"We dived head first into a physical relationship, both of us making the other feel alive… I don't know when I realised I loved him… probably when I tried to dump him. But…"
Draco turned round "I need him. I'm sorry if its not what you wanted to hear but it's the truth."
Lucius surveyed his son.
"Do you know what I think?"
Draco steadied himself and shook his head "No sir."
"I think… I have some things to tell you."
Lucius sat down against the stone wall of one of the building and Draco sat beside him.
"I never told you about your grandfather and there was a reason for it. Tell me Draco, in your memory have I ever hit you?"
Draco thought back through the years and while Lucius had struck him once or twice to merely stop him doing something dangerous he could not recall a time when Lucius had beat him or hit him.
Draco shook his head.
"Now. To many people that may seem strange, I am the type of man that would maybe hit their child. But I know it does no good."
Draco looked at his father curiously "I had a sister, she was a great deal younger than I. Her name was Hope. Your grandmother named her. Now, strangely enough, you have never seen a 'malfoy woman'. Malfoys rarely have daughters. Its just one of those things. But I had a sister and she was a trademark Malfoy woman."
Draco had a vision of a tall thin woman, with blonde whispy hair and delicate features. Lucius went on.
"She had dark brown hair, her brown hair had blonde natural streaks and she had very rounded features, not angled like the men of our family. She was indeed beautiful. Deep dark eyes that would hold men in thrall. She was in the same year as Severus Snape, he loved her im sure. I think Sirius Black would remember her."
"What happened?" asked Draco
"Agustus Malfoy was simply put, a bastard. He believed in his fists rather than his tongue. He hit me a lot when I was at home, I revelled in the safety that Hogwarts gave. I still have scars to this day to what that man did to me. It was Hope's fifth year at Hogwarts, she and Severus Snape were named prefects and she came home at Christmas and I remember she fought back when Augustus attacked her for dropping some marks. He hit her hard across the head and killed her."
Lucius looked deeply pained by the memory. "He fobbed it off as an attack by a group of robbers that had been going about ancient manors at the time."
He looked at Draco "When Narcissa had you Draco…I was so happy but I was frightened too. I did not want to turn out like my father so I pushed you away. Lived only on my beliefs of Voldemort and the death of Muggles… I was so sure that's the way you thought too…I thought you were merely frightened. I pushed you away so thoroughly it seems I did not know that you thought it was madness…"
Lucius looked irritable at his son "And trust you to choose the most awkward person for me to get on with. Narcissa, can not accept your sexual preference… I myself have no problem with it. We cant help who we are…"
"What about muggles? Can they help who they are?"
Lucius was again left speechless. "you have me there…why don't we agree to disagree on that point? I have trouble it being Potter not the fact it's a man. I can cope with that. Voldemort is going to want answers. If I tell him it is a ploy he will want Potter delivered to him. If I tell him the truth he will forbid me to contact you."
"I know… do what you think will be best father."
Lucius stood up and looked down at the three Gryffindor's below who had now abandoned their snowman in favour of an all out war.
"Shouldn't you introduce me to your partner?"
Draco sighed relieved and walked down the stairs side by side with his father unaware that Harry had helped save the relationship he had with his father.
TBC
Thanks To
Dragonbrat: …..omg *meekly* she confirmed it… who you talking to? *looks round…* her? Him? Not me…
Lil HP fan: Hello, I NEVER abandon fics, never, I occasionally restart or I explain why I haven't continued. There's always good reasons. And im used to being yelled at for not updating so dun worry
Christina: Withdrawl? *blush* *takes mallowmars and munches them* :-D
Queen Li: 1) Thanksises 2) I'll get back to this 3) The tyre and The Cheat, that alone is worth ruling 4) *happy* yeah you will 5) I refer you to the fact that it was your fault, and as my 1st rule of religion, it *was* your fault. In my holy book it is known as "The day of the many fanfics" and you are the person that caused it. *grin*
NayNymic: You got ur answer and now I bet you *really* want more
Mic: here you go more! Thanks for your review.
Crazy Bitch: everytime I write that name I feel like im insulting you lol. But, anyhoo hope you liked the chapter (I love remus) and I hope you like the next chapter too.
Loner Fox: lol, thank you thank you. *smile* Nice review and love the name