Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Damien, Cecil, and my own plot.
I would like to thank doublelily, k8ebug, Miss.Lame, VillianValkyrie, rhcproxmysox, PerpetuallyInsane, cutie1789, TakinMyLastBreath14, gary loves sporks, and daRk mGic for being my very first reviewers. :)
K8ebug-I don't know. I pronounce like it was spelled Cecile, just without the "e". But whatever, at least we both know it's a girl.
daRk mGic- Lol. It's great to know that I still have that certain skill.
Chapter Two
The Wedding of the Century
Recap: Damien, Hermione and Draco's son, wakes up in the middle of the night by Hermione's sobs of sadness from receiving an invitation to a wedding for Cecil and Draco. Damien looks through his mother's old mementos, finding clippings from 13 years ago, showing him proof of how Harry and Ron have moved on with their lives. He also finds a note from Dumbledore, noting for Hermione to stay in hiding until they find her. He has many flashbacks to where Hermione explains what happened.
"Damien, are you sure you want to go? I don't even know why you even sent back a reply."
"Because I want to see the face of that stupid wanker that made you cry nearly every single night. Plus, I want to be able to pick him out of a crowd when I kill him."
"Damien, hush yourself. You're only thirteen. You don't even know the whole story."
"I don't? Then please, do share."
She waved the air as if to dismiss the topic.
"Never mind about that. You cannot hate your father. You don't even know what hate means. To hate someone, you…you…well…um…you just can't all right? You cannot hate your father."
"Mum, honestly. I've done so many things that I shouldn't have. I've done curses far beyond my age and you're telling me I can't hate someone? You've gone bonkers mum. You really have."
"Damien,"
She held my shoulders tightly, her voice more stern and forceful than what I'm used to.
"He is your father. Nothing you say or do will change that. You need to learn how to grow up and move on. Forgive him. He has done nothing to you intentionally. If you can't do it because of him, then do it for me."
So many things in her sentence contradicted everything she's been doing.
"You are not one to talk mum. Let's just leave it at that."
"Excuse you! Explain yourself. Now. I'm not going to take that from some thirteen-year old punk, alright?"
I was shocked by my mother's sudden harshness. Only when dueling has she ever been aggressive. She has never showed me the 'rough side of her tongue'.
"Why can't you move on? Huh? Answer me that. You've hung over the same idiot for thirteen years. Never dating anyone else. When finally a good guy comes along and shows interest in you, you just blow him off. I would do anything for you mum because you are my mom. But forgiving him…will take a lot."
"I love him Damien. He loves me too. I know he does. Why can't you see that?" She whispered.
"That was more than ten years ago mum."
"I love him enough to want him to be happy, with or without me. That just shows you how much I love him."
"No! That doesn't! That just shows that you have a good head on your shoulders and that you can forgive and forget. He doesn't deserve forgiveness, not for something like that."
She opened her mouth to refute, but she just hesitated. She bit her bottom lip and continued applying her makeup.
I stood in front of the full-length mirror, checking over myself in a tux. With platinum blonde hair that I kept spiked, thin lips that could curl into the infamous Malfoy smirk, and stormy gray eyes, I was supposedly a duplicate of my father. I stood at an impressive five foot eight inches with a slight build. I had to keep in shape when fighting of vengeful deatheaters. I looked at my mother through the mirror.
How could she be so forgiving for a guy that caused her so much pain? How? How could she forgive any of them? They forgot about her and here she is, still caring for him enough to go to a wedding to another woman. They carried on with their lives while she fought for hers, sometimes barely escaping with it.
She is right in some points. He's your father damn it. Suck it up. People make mistakes.
No, she's going to see how much he forgot about her when he says his vows and profess his undying love to another woman. It hurts her to even receive the invitation; it's going to devastate her when he says it.
And that's good?
I know that she can deal with the pain, but the feeling of it is going to help her move on. It's perfect.
Which is why you replied to the invitation.
Correct.
"You look just like him you know." She remarked, smoothing out my shoulders and fixing the bow.
"You insult me so?"
"You act like him too." She joked, walking away.
"Now that hurt."
I followed her to the porch where she stood, leaning against the beam, staring in to the sky. Rays of the setting sun shone against her radiant skin, giving her a luminous aura. Her glittering yellow sundress shone against the hazy background. A gentle breeze blew past, causing a few strands of her chestnut hair to stray from her magically curled hair. I stared in awe at the mere simplicity of her beauty. She isn't just any witch. She is a teenage mother as well that taught me so well. She's a woman that has endured so much pain in her life yet she has enough room in her heart to forgive all that crossed her. I admired her for that and I was proud to say I had a muggleborn mother. It made me livid to think that people would actually hurt her without regret, move on with their lives, and her still want them apart of her life.
"Mum? How do you do it?"
"Do what, Damien?"
"Forgive people. How? It's not that I haven't tried. But there's nothing good to make me think of. I mean, I know the story and I know nothing good of them to allow me to forgive them."
She sighed heavily, something she's been doing a lot lately ever since she ever got that letter.
"Hun, your father…how do I say this? He's something different. Much like yourself."
I gave her a disgusted face. I hated being compared to him for the mere reason that I would never ever hurt a woman in such ways that he has over his years at Hogwarts.
"Just listen. No matter how much you deny that you are not like him, you are in so many ways. We have had out ups and down, mostly downs, but the good times that we had, I will never ever forget them. He did hurt me. I admit that. They all hurt me alright. I have accepted that. But I love him. I love them all. I can't imagine what I would be without them. They taught me things that I would have never know without them.
"Your father is a good man. He just made some horrid mistakes. Before you judge him, look at yourself. You are so much like him. Sometimes, I think that I should've told him about you when I got the chance, but I never did. I think that things would've been different. You wouldn't be as bitter and you would know how to forgive him. I just hope in time that you can."
"As much as I love you mum, the chances of me forgiving him are slim to none. It's getting late, we should go."
I slipped my wand into my pocket and held her hand as we both appeared in front of the Malfoy Manor. She put her shawl over her face, the shadow enclosing her face. People were slowly filing into the enclosed area.
"Guest number?" asked a small house elf with a monotonous voice.
"Sixty-eight."
He scanned through the large guest book with his wand. His eyes bulged at our name as he called over another elf quickly. He whispered something inaudible into his ear. Within the next second, the elf disappeared as we were given clearance. Three humongous guards began to search mother as I stood back.
"Are you not going to search the boy?" asked an elderly woman behind us, eyeing me suspiciously.
I gave her a devilish glare as the guard shook his head.
"We are not permitted to search minors." He said gruffly.
I gave the elderly lady a smug look as I led mother to our seats. I could tell by the way she continued to shift in her seat that she was anxious. I was pretty confident myself. I knew that he would do say something in his vows that would make her break down and force her to move on. I saw the scene perfectly in my head and it gave me chills down my spine.
This is wrong…No it isn't. It's for the best intentions.
Yeah, the best intentions but you're doing it in the wrong way. I mean, hurting your own mother?
That's the only way she'll finally believe that he moved on. By seeing his own wedding to another woman after all the promises that he made. It'll crush her and pain her but it will get through to her.
I suppose…-HGDM-
"Sir, Damien and mother have arrived. We tried to keep track of them but we lost them in the crowd."
I cursed silently to myself but dismissed the fidgety elf. I adjusted my "tux", as muggles call it, and waited patiently for the wedding to begin.
"Draco. I can't being to tell you how proud of you I am." Mother said, hugging me tightly.
"Thank you."
It's like a dream, the perfect wedding with the perfect people.
Indeed, but I saw the bride as someone else.
Don't even start this. Not now.
You act as though she killed something close to you.
She did! She killed my heart.
Now you are over exaggerating. So she ran, big deal. So she broke your heart. You broke hers! It's called karma. Suck it up.
I don't have to. I have Cecil and that's all I need.
Hermione gave you something that you know Cecil can never even manage to get near.
Oh yeah, and what would that be?
You already know. What's the point of asking?
Enlighten me.
Happiness.
I am happy! Dear Merlin! How many times am I going to have to tell you!
You call that happiness? I call it fake! Anyone can put on a bloody smile and say they're happy. It's not that bloody hard.
"Draco? Are you alright dear?"
I shook my head and smiled warmly at my mum's worried face.
"I'm fine. Really. Don't give me that look mum. If I say I'm fine than I am. Alright?"
"You lie even to your own mother? Well, I guess that's to be expected when you're having second thoughts."
"What!" I screamed, appalled at her thinking.
Oh shut up, she's your own mother. She knows you better than you know your bloody self.
"The hazy looks, the scrunched eyebrows, the fake smiles? You think that actually works on me? Please Draco, I know you better than anyone will ever…well, maybe one person knows you better, but you won't hear any of that now will you?"
"Make some sense."
"As long as I know that you know what I'm talking about I do not need to explain myself.
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Yes you do."
"I don't have time for this."
I began to walk away sourly, not wanting to hear another one of her rants.
"How much do you miss her?"
I stopped walking and turned around to see her standing there, hands folded in front of her. She was smiling in a way that scared me. A teasing look if anything. A look that says 'I know something you don't know but I'm going to dangle it in front of your face until you get it you stupid bloke.'
"How much do you want her back?"
I just stood there, giving her an unreadable look. Really, I was panicking inside. She reads me like an open book, something that she used to be able to do.
"How long are you willing to wait? She's not going to come back to you like this. Merlin, Draco. I thought I taught you better than this. You're not fooling anyone with this charade that you're pulling. It's been thirteen years Draco. Stop acting like a child. You're in your thirties and I'm getting old. I can't keep telling you what to do. Lucius has never been there to pick you up when you fall down, what makes you think he's going to do it now?
"Find her Draco. Tell her you love, that you miss her, that you never want to let her go…I know you want to."
She took a quick breath and opened her mouth to continue her much-loathed lecture. I held up my hand, stopping her.
"I am getting married to Cecil today. She was there when Hermione broke my heart. She was there through thick and thin. Right after I found out that Hermione gave birth to my son that is dead to the many years after the continuous relationships that I went through. You expect me to give all that up? All that security, all that love, and those memories for someone that, may or may not be dead? No. I won't do it."
"I'm not asking you to give up anything. I'm asking you to embrace something else. Embrace those hidden feelings. Let go of the grudge against her and unleash your love for her instead. Forget about Cecil. She's not the one you truly love! I know this! You know this! What's the point? Do this for you. If anything, do this for me." She cried out, grasping my hands tightly.
I pried her hands away and shook my head sternly.
"You're too late." I whispered austerely.
"Sir, she's ready. The guests are seated and we're just waiting on you."
I nodded and led my mother outside to her seat silently. I could feel her eyes on me, giving me sympathetic looks. But I didn't want her sympathy. I didn't want anything. I just wanted to get married. I wanted to have children, grow old, and die happy. Not with Cecil, that's for sure. It's all I ask for. I never asked for all this drama. Hermione never asked for a broken heart either.
I stood proudly next to Crabbe and Goyle, awaiting the slow song to begin. I scanned the crowd quickly. I was partly smug at how many people would arrive at a wedding in which they didn't know either the groom or the bride. The music began slowly, filling the air. The crowd turned slowly and faced the back entrance, waiting anxiously for her to come out. My heart leapt as I saw her emerge from behind the large wooden doors of the manor. Suddenly, my eyes blurred for a split second and where stood Cecil, I saw her. Wearing the same thing except when I saw her, my heart leapt for joy. But as soon as that split second was over, Cecil was back were she was and the vision I had of her was gone.
-HGDM-
The slow wedding music chimed through the air. All eyes followed the bride. She wore a large, white dress and a sheer veil that was draped delicately over her face. On her head perched a stunning diamond tiara. Mother didn't even look at her. I think she was the only one. Her eyes remained fixed on him. He was smiling quite brilliantly, not wide and anxiously, but seemingly fake. Too bad no one could tell. I scoffed and slouched lazily in my chair.
"We are gathered here on this glorious day to bring together Draco and Cecil in happy matrimony. No better people are suited more for each other than these two here."
My ass they are.
"Their journey of life has been hard, but now, it may be easier now that they are willing to join together and share their lives with one another. We'll start off with the vows. Cecil?"
I looked to my right once more. My mother's eyes were fixated on the couple, looking ever so hopeful that something would go right. I grabbed her hands and squeezed it gently. She smiled weakly, but I know that it didn't mean anything. This was killing her.
I'm sorry mum, but it's for the best.
"Draco, it's been so long. The times we had, the memories we've made, and the countless laughs that we have shared, they'll never be forgotten and I want to continue to make more memories with you. You're experiences with your past girlfriend has been so hard and I know that it was difficult for you to get past her, but I'm just so happy that you were willing to try and Draco, you did it. I love you Draco and I always will."
I scoffed as I held my head high.
What a load. This bloke doesn't deserve anything.
Mum began squeezing my hand a little tighter, her nervousness shooting through her fingertips. He took a deep breath and for once, shed a purely happy smile. He took her hands in his and stared longingly into her eyes. Mum's shawl lay lazily on her arms, face fully exposed. She couldn't be bothered to be told to put it back over her head for her attention was intently placed on Draco.
"Cecil. I love you. Always and forever. Honestly. You are the woman of my dreams, the woman that I've been waiting for all of my life. I have never felt this way about any woman. What we have can't compare to anything else in this world. It can't be expressed in words alone. Through all the girls I've been through, I know that you're a keeper and to loose you is to like dieing. I can't afford to loose you. You're that special, beautiful, inspiring and that important. That's why I love you and no one else. You can't be replaced."
She beamed brightly. Mum was shaking. I looked to my side, eyes landing on her tear filled eyes. I felt horrible for what I was doing, but I knew that I would be better in the long run. She wiped her cheeks and sniffed silently as Draco and Cecil holding each other's hands and grinning widely.
"If you find this communion unjust and not right, speak not or forever hold your peace."
The couple didn't even bother to look up at the crowd. Suddenly, mother gathered her shawl upon her head and began walking out. I followed swiftly behind, looking back. The guests all gave us puzzled glances, a few angry as to be rude enough to leave a wedding right in the middle. I crinkled my nose at them as I took a hold of her arm and slowed her pace.
"I can't stay here Damien. It hurts too much. It just…hurts." She said between gentle sobs.
I shook my head understandingly. I heard a clatter behind me but I couldn't be bothered to actually look back, well, I didn't until a curse went flying over my shoulder. Mum instinctively whipped around and stepped in front of me. There in front of us was a grungy looking man in a tux way too small for him. He has an evil smirk on his face with his wand held out.
"Predictable you are." He laughed, an evil glint in his eyes.
"Now how did I know that you'd run back to your first love? Tear filled eyes there, mudblood? Let me put you out of your misery." He sang in a toying way.
She began biting her lip, an instant sign that she was nervous. If I didn't have my wand, I would be too, but that's not the case. I took out my wand and stood next to her. All eyes were on us now. I could see from the corner of my eye the humongous guards charging at us. I shot two of them with simple stunning spells as the death eater took care of the other one trying to tackle him. Screams filled the air as the curses hit the guards all the guest running to the exit-less side. My mother turned her back as she began to run. Sadly, her dress slowed her down, allowing the man to quickly seal the exit. He cackled loudly, eyes full of excitement.
"Too long have we chased you only to have our numbers dwindle down. Too long have we waited to kill you. Now is my chance. No where to run mudblood."
"Then take a bloody hint. You're never going to win." I spat.
"You say that now Damien. But when your mother lay dead in your arms, you'll soon know your place."
"I already do! Standing over your dieing body!"
He smirked as he aimed a curse at mother. She barely dodged it, diving quickly to the side.
"What is the meaning of this!" Roared Draco.
I ignored the look of bewilderness on his face and focused on the man trying to kill my mother.
"Give it up deatheater. You didn't win last time, before that or when you first tried. I guess you never learn from your mistakes. Do you know not when to give up?"
He scoffed as he aimed his wand at her. She backed against the wall. I've never seen such a face of defiance on her face. I stared long and hard at this deatheater, taking in noticeable details. A quiet buzz fell over the crowd as the deatheater and I stared hard at each other. I stepped in front of her. He became to smirk and then bust out in a hearty laugh.
"What's the point? The fates for both of you are inevitable. You are both to die. It makes no difference if you die first or her."
"HELIUS!"
The powerful stunning spell hit his foot, causing his lungs to constrict rapidly, cutting off breathing space for a certain amount of time. His grasped his chest in pain, eyes wide with surprise. I spotted a window opposite the room. I grabbed mum's hand and dashed to it. Screams of surprise and fear cried through the air as we ran. I looked behind to find the deatheater regaining his breath and pointing his wand at mum's back.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" he screeched.
I gasped in shock as mum collapsed over me, dodging the curse entirely. My jaw hit the ground brutally. The taste of blood flowed through my mouth, few drops dripping from the corners of my mouth. Shrill screams and shouts erupted from everyone as I heard someone fly back from impact. I was too scared to open my eyes. Too afraid to see the damage that we caused.
Was this apart of the plan to move on? Did someone have to die to get your mum to move on?
No! It was an accident.
"Oh my god." Mum whispered out of breath.
When I opened my eyes, I couldn't think straight. All I saw were people running, jumping over chairs, a large crowd huddled over someone. I looked back and saw the deatheater cackling loudly, disapparating from the scene.
"Damien, we need to leave. Now."
"What happened?"
"I don't know, but we don't have any time to find out right now." She replied hurriedly, dragging me upward with strength I never knew she had.
We began looking for an exit. While I was looking, my eyes locked with Draco's. They were brimming with tears and hatred. He just continued looking down at the person on the floor. My breath hitched as I saw the bride lying dead on the floor.
Bloody hell, what have I done?
You didn't do anything. You didn't cast the spell.
…
"Mum, look."
She turned and held her hand to her mouth, dumbstruck like myself. Draco held her head in his lap, sobbing quietly, as his guests surrounded him and bowed their heads in sadness. We just kind of stood there in partial blame.
"We should leave. This isn't our place."
"Cecil, please, come back. Don't leave me. I need you." Draco sobbed loudly, stroking her cheek.
Mum's eyes filled with painful tears as we walked slowly.
"I've never loved anyone like I loved you. I never will. I love you Cecil, always and forever."
The tears came streaming down her face faster. I cold tell that what he was saying was not his first time saying it. It hurt her so much to hear him say that stuff about another woman.
"WAIT! Who are you two!" a random guest screamed, dragging attention away from Cecil to us. Mum kept her back to the crowd, but continued to grasp my hand.
"Murderers, that's who they are! Who the hell are you?" Draco asked, slowly rising.
"None of your business." I hissed.
"Well it is my bloody business since you just killed my fiancé. If I ever see your face again, I will be sure to kill you myself."
"Well I'm right here waiting. What are you scared of? Daddy to punish you?" I taunted.
The guests looked uneasy, exiting the small area behind them, leaving just Mum, Draco and myself all alone.
"No witnesses, just us. What are you waiting for?"
Hesitation flashed through his eyes. I smirked as I turned back around.
"Like I thought."
"CRUCIO!" he screamed from behind us.
I didn't even have time to turn around before I shut my eyes, wincing from the piercing pain in my arms. But the pain continued to remain at my arms, like someone was grabbing me and digging their nails in.
This isn't right.
I peeked my eyes open to find mother in front of me, indeed grasping my arms and digging in her nails. Her face was twisted in pain. She slowly let go, dropping to her knees in pain. Her breathing was deep and slow, but no tear fell from her eyes. Draco stood there in awe, surprised that someone would take a Cruciatus curse for someone else. I helped her up as Draco picked up Cecil's body and began walking away. Mum stared back at them with sorrowful eyes. She grabbed my hand and apparated us back to our house. She walked inside in silence, not even bothering to look back.
Fool proof huh? Perfect huh?
Oh, stuff it.
I watched mum from her doorway. She sat on her plush cotton bed, scribbling furiously away on a small piece of parchment. She went to the back of the garden and snipped a small white lily in full bloom and tied to the note to it. She said a small spell and the note and flower was gone. She sighed as she walked back inside and lay on her bed, falling asleep instantly.
-HGDM-
I sent her body to the magical morgue and sent out a report to the Ministry. Like they'll do anything about it. I sat alone on a bench near my small lake. I stared into the water sadly. We both loved this spot. We would sit here and talk and maybe take a dip. I became to shake. I don't know whether it was from anger or sadness, but I was shaking. The guests had left in a hurry, probably to spread the news. It was just too much. My own fiancé dieing at her own wedding. Sabotage? I wasn't sure. How can I be? I couldn't even hear myself think because of the scenes flashing throughout my mind. It was too quick, too sudden. I ran a hand through my hair, pulling on it extra hard out of frustration. I didn't even bother to look back at the chaos that would have been our reception. It was too much to bear. There was nothing I could say, nothing I could do. All I could was just sit there and mope, and even that hurt too much. I looked up to the sun and squinted, blinded by the brightness. I felt a small weight on my lap but I didn't bother to look. It was probably my heart. It's no longer thriving like it was when Cecil was with me. Now it's just a shattered, cold mess lying inside of me. Never have I felt such pain.
Sure you haven't…
I stood up quickly, something dropping from my lap. I looked down curiously at the lily. It was in full-bloom. I felt the soft petals and smelled it quickly. It was gorgeous. There was a small piece of paper attached to it. Something about it told me that it wasn't good, not to open it, just drop it and walk away. But curiosity got the best of me. If someone took the time to write this and attach it to a perfect lily, then shouldn't I open it? I delicately untied it and unraveled it, careful not to hurt the flower. The strange sensation from the flower wanted me to never hurt it, just to cherish forever, even if it died. It meant something…I didn't know why, but I didn't care. It's just a feeling I got. My breath hitched as the writing stuck my eyes. I read it over and over again, sinking farther and farther inside of my head. If I was confused before, what I was feeling now was beyond that. I couldn't even talk. My throat dried up as well as my eyes, causing me to blink continuously. I just couldn't believe this.
You said that you'd love me forever. You said you'd never let me go. I was the love of your life. I was the one that you wanted to marry. You said that I was the only one you ever wanted to be with, no matter what. You said that I was the one. Well, you lied.
I held it limply in my hands as I fell back onto the bench. I put my head in my hands and groaned loudly.
"WHY!" I screamed. I shoved the piece of paper into my pocket roughly, slightly tearing it up. The lily lay on the lush grass ground. I glared down angrily at it. She was doing this just to spite me.
Or to prove a point you blind bastard.
I lifted my foot to crush the small lily. But I just couldn't bring myself to slam it down. I could see myself doing it in my mind, driving my heel straight into the heart of the flower, burying into the dirt. I just couldn't do it though. I sighed as I placed my foot down and grabbed the flower. I held it tightly in my hand. None of this made sense and I didn't want any of it to. I didn't want to admit that a part of me knew that Hermione was alive somewhere out there. I didn't want to admit that I still loved her. Sorting this out would just make these feelings come out in the open and that is just something that I can't do. Not right now anyways.
A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long but I've been bombarded with work. Just incase I'm going to start putting recaps because I know the intervals in which I do update might be long. I think it will be better than having you go back and skim the last chapter. I hope it helps, if you don't, send me a review and tell me not to put it up anymore and I won't. R & R my lovelies and I will love you forever and always.
