Title: Protecting Daddy
Rating: General
Word Count: 400
Warnings: Talks of bullies
Draco sat in his home office going over documents for a case he was working on. He sat instead watching the small dark haired six-year-old boy dressed in Lightening McQueen pajamas pace back and forth in front of the opened door.
"Leo, come in here." Draco commanded.
"Hi, Daddy." Leo slowly shuffled towards his father. Draco turned his chair allowing Leo to climb up into his lap while snuggling close to his father.
"Did you have a bad dream?"
"No, I wanted to talk to you."
Draco frowned, "I'm sorry buddy. I know I haven't been around a lot. What is it you need?"
Leo played with a string on the bottom of his shirt as tears welled in his deep brown eyes, "I don't want to go back to school. The kids are mean."
Draco of all people knew how mean kids could be. "They are? In what ways are they mean?"
Sniffing Leo replied, "They say bad things about you. I told them you are the bestest Daddy. They tell me I'm stupid. I'm not stupid. I can already read big books and they can't read the baby books."
Draco felt his heart clenching. He hated how his past created problems for his family. Taking a deep breath Draco wiped Leo's face and spoke softly to his young son.
"Leo, you're not stupid. I'm going to tell you a story. I'm glad you told them I was a good Daddy, but Leo, my strong-willed lion, I wasn't always nice or good. When I was in school at Hogwarts, I was mean to many people, including Mummy. I did a number of terrible things even some unforgivable things to my classmates."
Draco rolled up his sleeves and while his children had seen his mark, he never went to explain it until it was necessary. Leo traced the skull and snake, "Daddy, this means you were mean?"
"Yes, it means that Daddy was one of the meanest." Draco felt his eyes water as tears silently rolled down his cheeks looking at his youngest son in the eyes.
Leo looked between his father's face and his mark on Draco's arm.
From the doorway, Hermione held her breath when she saw her son wrap his arms around his father's neck before wiping away Draco's tears, whispering, "Don't cry Daddy. I'm a strong lion and I will protect you."