Staying Strong

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: As much as I would absolutely love to own Draco Malfoy, I do not own a thing.

It wasn't until that next morning that Draco's father, Lucius, was told that Draco had returned home. Storming through the door to the broken-down house, Lucius looked furiously around the room, his wife, Narcissa, following quietly from behind. "Serveus," He said, gripping Snapes shoulder. "Where is my son, Draco?"

Snape looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "He need's his rest."

Lucius gripped Snapes shoulder a little harder. "Don't play games with me, Serveus. Tell me where he is."

Snape simply smiled, brushing his hand off of his shoulder. "If you think that using force to try and get me to tell you where your son is, I am sorry, but I shall not tell you."

Dumbledore, noticing the furious look on Lucius's face, strode over to the group, his hand stuck out for Lucius to shake. "Lucius, I assure you that Draco is doing just fine."

Lucius looked at Dumbledore's hand in disgust. "Where is my son?" He said through his gritted teeth.

"Lucius, love," Narcissa began to say before Luicus turned to her, his eyes growing cold. "What did I tell you?"

Narcissa tried to look down at her feet but Lucius grabbed her cheeks. "You told me not to say anything." She said under her breath.

Lucius, satisfied, and turned back to Dumbledore and Snape. "Well," he crossed his arms over his chest. "Are you going to show me my son, or do I have to get the Ministry involved?"

Shaking his head, Dumbledore held up his hand. "No, Lucius, there will be no need for the Ministry just yet. I am more than sure that we will be meeting with them in the near future, but for now, we will indeed let you see your son."

Lucius nodded, his face holding no expression. Following Dumbledore past Snape and to the guarded door, he nodded to one of the guards and proceeded to enter the room, the arrangement of the room angering him. "Are you telling me that my son has been held in such a place as this?" He said as he looked around the room in horror.

Dumbledore nodded. "I am sorry, Lucius, but what did you expect him to stay in?"

"Well," Lucius picked a piece of paper from the wall. "I expected that he would stay in something that didn't look as though it had been through at least a billion centuries."

"Yes, yes I will try my best to remember that next time." Dumbledore said, clasping his hands together and turning towards the corner where Draco slept. Narcissa let out a small gasp as she saw her only child, cradling his knees to his chest as he leaned against the corner, his head resting peacefully on his shoulder. Not noticing the angry look at Lucius sent her, she quickly hurried over to Draco, brushing his hair away from his eyes, tears running down her cheeks.

"Narcissa," Lucius walked over to her and grasped her shoulder. "Leave the boy alone."

Narcissa looked up at Lucius and shook her head. "He is my son, too, Lucius."

"Don't you dare talk to me that way." Lucius growled. At the sound of his fathers voice, Draco instantly opened his eyes, a smile spread across his face as he looked directly into his mothers caring eyes. "Mum," Draco leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his mother, burring his face in her shoulder.

"Draco, sweetheart, I missed you so much." Narcissa said softly, running her hands through her son's hair.

Lucius cleared his throat, making Draco look up from his mothers shoulder. "Father," Draco sent his father a threatening glare.

"Draco, my dear boy, it's nice to see you have finally decided to come out of hiding." Lucius replied.

Draco got to his feet, Narcissa standing with him. "You disgust me," He spat.

"How dare you speak to me, your father, your provider, in such a tone." Lucius said calmly, his eyes burning through Draco's.

"What a marvelous father you are, sending someone out to destroy everything that makes him happy."

Lucius gave Draco a puzzled look. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I am talking about. You're just too afraid to admit it because you are a bloody coward." Draco said through his gritted teeth.

"Coward?" Lucius laughed. "Call me a coward, eh? If I remember clearly, you my son, where the one who ran away from his problem. Now, go on, call me a coward again."

"You sent someone to murder my girlfriend!" Draco yelled.

Lucius's eyes grew cold once more. "She is nothing but a filthy little Mudblood, and you know that. You are only dating her to get back at me, to make me furious."

Draco groaned. "It's always about you, father. It's ALWAYS about you! You know, I just don't get myself in a relationship for the heck of it, I do it JUST for you. JUST to make my father angry. Yes father, that is exactly why I am with Hermione."

"I agree with Draco." Narcissa said softly.

Lucius looked back at Narcissa and, removing his wand from his pocket, pointed it at her nose. "What did I tell you?"

"Lucius," Dumbledore stepped in front of Narcissa and Lucius. "That will be enough."

"You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do." Lucius snapped.

Dumbledore calmly raised a hand in front of him. "There is no need to raise your voice, for I respect your wishes, and now, I will kindly ask you to leave before I insist on calling in one of the guards."

Lucius slowly let down his wand, his eyes still locking with Dumbledore's. "No, no I can find my own way out. You can also count on the Ministry finding out about what you are doing to my son." he said as he made for the door, Narcissa slowly following from behind.

"Goodbye, sweetheart." Narcissa said to Draco before she exited the room.

"Goodbye, Mum." Draco replied softly, watching her leave him.

As Lucius and Narcissa exited the room, Snape and Remus quietly joined Dumbledore and Draco. "Is everything all right in here?" Remus asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, a cold breeze blowing through the window.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, yes everything is quite all right. Mr. Malfoy was just getting a little worked up, that's all." he said, clasping his hands together. "Now, I expect from your trip that you are very worn out, Mister Malfoy, so let us leave you to get some sleep."

"Headmaster," Draco spoke up as Dumbledore, Snape, and Remus walked towards the door.

"Yes, Mister Malfoy?" Dumbledore said, his hand on the doorknob.

Draco looked down at his shoes and than back at Dumbledore. "Do you think that I could see Hermione once more?"

Dumbledore looked over at Snape and Remus, both the men nodding their heads. "Only a few minutes, and then return back to this room."

Smiling brightly, Draco nodded. "Of course, Headmaster. Thank you much."

Nodding, Dumbledore exited the room, Snape following from behind. Remus, however, stood back, waiting for his chance to have a talk with Draco. "Mister Malfoy,"

Remus said, walking carefully over to Draco. "Do you mind if I have a word with you?"

Draco sat back on the floor. "Of course."

Remus, too, took a seat on the floor. His hands fidgeting uncomfortably, he looked up at Draco. "You know, Mister Malfoy,"

"Call me Draco," Draco interrupted.

Remus smiled. "Draco. You know, Draco," Remus looked down at his hands. "You are a very lucky young lad."

Draco leaned back on his hands, using them to prop him up as he looked up at the ceiling. "If you call having to live with a man like my father for the past sixteen years lucky, I am quite confused, for I don't know anyone that would want to be in my shoes."

Remus shook his head. "No, no I wasn't referring to your father, what I meant was that you are very lucky to have someone like Hermione in your life."

"I really don't think she wants me in her life anymore." Draco said blankly.

"Are you sure about that, Draco?"

Draco sighed. "After what I have done to her, I know that I sure wouldn't take me back if I were in her shoes."

"You know, Draco, Hermione is a very understanding young woman. I feel that all she needs is time, and I am more than sure that she will come around."

Draco nodded his head. "I hope that she forgives me. I really never meant to hurt her. I honestly could never do that when she has done nothing but love me."

Remus patted Draco's shoulder. "She will, Draco, she will. All you have to do is stay strong, keep on the positive side about this. If you do that, I am more than sure that Hermione will forgive you."

Author's Note: Hey there! You know, I think that this is probably my favorite chapter so far. To be honest, I'm not sure when I'll end this story. I was thinking chapter 10 or 11, but now I think it could possibly be around 12 or 13. Thanks to everyone that has reviewed, or is planning on reviewing!

Love

Jess