I have never realised before quite how big the Ministry of Magic actually is. Of course, the whole place in meticulously organised so that you know precisely where you are at any given time…however, when it comes to finding somebody- particularly somebody who is practised in hiding in small places- it makes the task quite impossible and down to luck more than anything.

Of course, I look in all the most obvious places first; the fountain, places where there is food or anything particularly eye-catching. But Draco is nowhere. And nobody has seen him. No one is helping me! How could they not realise how important this is?

But what if somebody has found him?

I stop dead in my tracks as this repulsive thought enters my chaotic mind. What if my boy is being deliberately kept from me? I know for a fact that I am envied by many of my lower colleagues and it is entirely feasible that they would stoop so low as to steal my most precious thing away from me out of jealousy.

I ask no one else as I have no way of telling who is 'in on it' and who isn't. I trust nobody. I am alone.

Time moves slower as I search faster and as every minute drags by I become more and more frantic. I trip more often, my hair is a mess and my mind is a confused jumble of anger at myself for being stupid enough not to expect this and fury at Draco for betraying me in this way.

'Never again.' I promise myself- jaw clenched, body as taut as a bowstring. Never again will I even present such freedom. It is clear how loyal he is and he cannot be trusted not to return when I call him. Disappointment almost over rides my anger…almost.


I hear him before I see him. A high-pitched shriek, followed by a woman's outraged voice, "Don't you try and bite me, you little viper!" spurs me into a run and relief eases the tightness in my chest.

The colour pink hits me like a bright light as I dash into the room from which the yell came- Intense, sickly pink- and causes me to falter slightly. Then, recovering myself, I see my boy- writhing and hissing, as a small, ugly woman, who appears to be dressed as some sort of confectionery, holds him fast by the collar so high that he has to stand on tiptoe.

She is touching him and I have not allowed it! Nobody puts their filthy hands on my property without my permission! And to think of all the time I spent making him perfect this morning…

Draco twists hard, teeth bared and spitting like an angry cat, and his arms flail wildly and uselessly. The pink woman shakes his small body easily, her squashed-looking face fixed with a grim smile and sadistic eyes.

Neither of them is aware of my presence.

"What," I demand, my voice deadly calm yet loud enough that they both pay attention, "do you think you are doing to my son?"

She releases him immediately and Draco is dropped onto the floor, where he sits wide-eyed and slightly hunched. He knows instantly that I am upset with him. He knows how much trouble he is in. He regrets it, I am certain. And if he doesn't…well, he will.

"I caught him sneaking," she tells me triumphantly, pointing a fat finger down at my boy as though I am stupid enough not to know to whom she is referring. "And he refused to tell me what he was doing, so I grabbed him. Then the little demon tried to bite me!" Her lips- as pink as the rest of her- are pursed with indignation.

"You grabbed him?" I can feel my heart begin to thump with rage. 'Control yourself,' I think fiercely, fingers twitching. 'You cannot lose control here. You cannot be anything but perfectly collected here.'

"Yes, I grabbed him," she says, chin raised to look me haughtily in the eye. "He was wondering around, out of bounds. He might've been sent to spy on something…"

"And why would he be doing that?" I ask quietly, simmering at the implication.

She shrugs her pink shoulders. "Either that," she says with a smirk. "Or you failed to hold authority over him and he ran away. In which case you should be thanking me."

I twitched involuntarily- hearing it said from such a stupid, worthless woman makes Draco's betrayal a thousand times harder to bear. She is judging me as an adult and a father and it is all his fault. My authority and power is being questioned…threatened, even and by god is he going to pay for this!

But not now. Here, I am in complete control, or at the very least, I must appear to be.

I smile thinly. "Draco got lost trying to find the bathroom, that is all. There was no need to-" I grimaced inwardly and bit out, "touch him. And he will apologise for not cooperating." I glare down at my boy, who shrinks away from my furious stare. "Won't you Draco?"

Draco stays silent, looking up at me with big, nervous eyes.

"Say sorry," I snap, taking a threatening step towards where he is sitting.

"Sorry," he whispers obediently.

The ugly pink woman steps forward also. "Sorry what?"

Draco stares hopelessly from her to me, not understanding. "Sorry Father--?" he offers uncertainly.

I freeze, realising my mistake too late. He has not been trained for such a situation! He knows only what I have told him and his mind cannot yet think of a quick response by itself.

I can feel her eyes boring into me questioningly, but my own mind has gone completely blank and I cannot think of anything that could possibly rectify the situation.

Already, I can imagine the rumours and the gossip that will be spreading around the Ministry this time tomorrow…

"It has been a long day," I manage eventually. "And my son is tired. We're leaving, come."

I reach down- ignoring the small whimper of fear- and yank my boy to his feet. Draco does not struggle; he can sense my disappointment and becomes as docile as he is as home, in the way that he knows I favour.

I stalk passed her so quickly that Draco's feet barely skim the floor as I haul him out and away from the pink room, my face burning with humiliation.

A/N: Special thanks to War- it's review like that which makes my life worth while lol!

Lily xx