A/N: Disclaimer same as every other chapter.

My father's hand was on my shoulder only seconds after Al apparated away. Wouldn't be wise? Of course it was wise! How did he not see that?

"I think you and I need to have a bit of a chat." I could hear the anger in his voice, but I didn't respond. He had been following us since we left the owlry, but I didn't think Albus noticed. I mentally smiled at how engrosed he was with the owls. They had been fine specimens though so it was understandable.

I looked back, nodded to my Father, and with in moments we were in his office at our London estate.

We faced off for a moment before Father went around to sit behind his desk. It was his normal, "I'm pissed off," space. I was not in the mood for lecture though. Al was none of his business.

I waited patiently for my Father to speak first, and when he did his face was alight with irritation. Not that his face had been friendly since we had entered his domain.

"Would you mind telling me just what the hell you think you were doing with that young man?"

I winged up an eyebrow for ironic affect, and saw my Father's face darken. Alright, he was a little more pissed than I had first thought. Father's face was blank with anger, but I had no idea why.

"I believe we were walking and enjoying each other's company." I stated it calmly.

Now Father's own eye brow winged up, as he sat further back in his chair, eyeing me.

"And you thought that was wise idea?"

"Why wouldn't it be? The young man has money, and power. Isn't that all you require of my friendships?"

I watched to see if Father would take the bait, but he didn't.

"Oh, come now. Friendship was the furthest thing from your mind Scorpius! I'm going to only say this once son so pay very close attention, Albus Potter is off limits to you."

I almost laughed, but then realized he was serious. He deigned to actually tell me who I could fuck? Not that, that was what I wanted out of Albus. Was it? Maybe, I thought for a moment and then shook it off. Right now my intentions did not matter.

I stayed quiet long enough that my Father seemed to think the conversation was over, and he got up from his chair. I waited until he was almost out the door before I got in my parting shot.

"Why is he off limits? Is it because you never had the balls to go after his Father? That doesn't mean I shall be the same with his son."

Fahter went very still, and for just a moment I contemplated that I had gone too far. Perhaps I had overstepped that mark, the one I had toed so carefully in the past. The long seconds of silence filled the room with tension. Finally, he turned around to face me, and let out a long sigh.

"What do you know Scorpius?"

"More than you think I do." My Father didn't look amused, but then I hadn't meant the statement to be funny.

"Obviously."

I tried to collect my thoughts before speaking. "Just because you made your choice, doesn't mean that I am going to make the same one."

His bark of unamused laughter echoed throughout the room. My father wore his mask almost twenty four hours a day, but just for a moment I thought I saw a crack in it. Pain flashed through his eyes, but was quickly covered. I knew no one else would have caught it but me. The Malfoys were experts at this game.

"Choice Scorpius? Merlin, you really are clueless to the ways of the world, aren't you?"

Cold anger ran up my body so quickly I had pulled out my wand before even knowing I did so. I retracted it as soon as a realized what I had done. My Father saw it though, and his eyes widened.

"I'm more traveled than you are," I announced hotly. I was. My Father wasn't a monk, but I had certainly been educated in the ways of the world. I was the toast of society. My Father was in the loop, and he knew it.

He nodded, and put his hands in his pants pockets. The fact that he was agreeing with me didn't make me feel a concession would be coming though.

"Yes, however you have yet to take your life seriously Scorpius. I was like you once. I hate to reiterate what others say and be so redundant, but the war changed everyone. We all grew up so fast, and maybe I expect too much out of you by expecting that level of maturity."

He was, I thought to myself. My Father was popular in society, but he was still somewhat of a boor. He never went to popular clubs or concerts. I knew he could see the opinion on my face, but I doubt it mattered much to him. He smiled without humor, and sighed again. I didn't understand what he wanted of me.

"I wanted you to grow up worry free Scorpius, and I am proud of you, but maybe its time you started taking life just a bit more serious. Now you can throw that advice in the dirt if you want, or mull over it for months. But keep this in mind: James and Albus Potter were raised solely by a man who believes in no intimate attachments, aside from with his sons and others which I can count on one hand. Those boys are exactly like him. They have money, power, intelligence, breeding, and lastly, no desire or concept of what a relationship is or could offer."

I couldn't speak, as my Father nailed me with his hard gaze. "So you keep that in mind while you play the field and then try to seduce a Potter. Keep in mind that in his view you can offer him nothing beneficial, even more, your reputation of leaving lovers tossed to the side precedes you. What on earth would he gain from such a relationship? Believe me, he is the type that has a current pro con list of having the slightest conversation with you. I mean this kindly, but please don't make a fool out of yourself. You're a Malfoy son, act like it."

My Father nodded, and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there. I felt my eyes start to tear, but I had no idea why. I turned to the large windows, and furiously wiped at them.

In those few short sentences he explained not only his derision of my life style but his own abilities. Did he wish I was like Potter's sons? So tied up in being correct that they had no fun. I may have made papers often but I ensured I did nothing that would bring shame or embarrassment to our name. I ensured that I had top grades in my classes, signed up for the appropriate clubs, attended business functions, and I was the Slytherin Prince my Father was.

Why was that not enough now? I remembered all of his looks though as I stayed out all night and thought that maybe it was never enough. He was proud of me in many ways, but this was not one of them. The thing was, he was actually right. I could see myself making a fool out of myself over Albus Potter-Black and him doing nothing to encourage it.

And for what benefit? Another notch in my post. I sat down in a large easy chair, and realized that I had decisions to make about my life. Questions and paths I had yet to answer or determine the direction of.

XXXXXXXXXXX

That night at dinner I wondered how to bring up the subject of the owls to my Father. When I got home I thought about flooing to his office right away and then realized that it would not be appropriate. Then as I looked down at the snow white birds ,I realized I actually had no idea if my Father would want them. There was every possibility that he wanted Hedwig left in the past… as he did so many other things. I hoped not. I was prepared to stand up to him if he told me he didn't want them.

Much to my surprise I realized that I wanted them. Earlier, I had sent a house elf out for a large perch, which was now in my room, and all the accessories that an in home owl would have. Ours usually stayed in the owlry, and landed on a few designated perches around the estates.

I was determined that would not happen with Hedwig's decendants. For some reason they just seemed so much more than the average owls we had.

"Albus, are you alright? You have yet to say a word."

I looked up from my half eaten plate to my Father's face and then down to his empty plate. I felt my face flush, as I realized I had been pushing my food around long enough that it was noticeable. James looked at me in concern too.

I hadn't told him about the boys, as I had taken to calling them, either. If I got in trouble over this, hopefully James would be spared.

"I went to London today. Diagon Alley." I said it with casualness and tried not to react to my father's narrowed gaze. Yeah, I thought to myself, this was not going to go down well.

"Oh?" He said it in that quiet tone. The one that meant he was waiting for me to finish digging the hole I had started.

"Yes. I looked it up in the floo directory since I wanted some new books. Interesting place."

I lied straight faced. I was actually better at it then one might assume. My Father looked like he didn't believe a word.

"And that's what you were hesitant to tell me?"

And that's when I was able to cover my tracks with the truth. He would think I was guilty for the owls, and not tracking down his history. Or having lunch with Scorpius Malfoy.

"No. I was hesitant to tell you that I bought two owls. Young males. I'm keeping them as indoor pets."

I looked straight into his face so he would know I was serious. They were going to be indoor pets.

"Al, you know I prefer you not getting attached to animals. They are just fragile. However, if that's what you really want then alright."

My mouth almost dropped open. "Really?" I know I sounded surprised, I was.

Father looked at me and smiled, as though he were amused. "You're old enough to make some of your own decisions in life Albus. Not all of course," I rolled my eyes. "but I've given you the lecture about this enough. If you can take the pain when they inevitably die, which will happen sooner or later, then you can have them inside."

I gandered a look at James and saw his confusion. There was no need to for another owl, and we all knew it.

"However, as interesting as that may be, you are leaving out part of the story."

I knew he would catch on. It was the war instincts.

"Yes well, they happen to not just be any owls. They are decendents of Hedwig." I said it calm, fast, and clear. Then I gulped down half a glass of wine in one shot.

Father slammed his chair back, getting up so quickly that it was nearly knocked over. His face was a white as a sheet. Was that anger? Merlin, in that moment I wished I knew.

"Where?" He asked in a husky tone, that I had no notion how to interpret.

"My room." Father was off through the door before I even finished. I glanced to James who looked pissed. I knew he would be, and only shrugged before getting up and walking quickly to follow our Father.

I could hear James' footsteps following my own through out the halls and stairways to the private wing of the house.

I stood in the doorway of my room not knowing what to expect. It certainly was not the sight before me though. I thought he would be angry or annoyed in various levels. Instead, Father was stroking their soft feathers with a gentleness I had only seen him display with us.

"Why didn't you tell me?" James whispered furiously in my ear.

I shrugged. "You shouldn't have been blamed if it all went south," I whispered back.

He sighed loudly, and I almost smiled. It was the sound that meant he knew further arguing with me would be pointless.

I finally walked over to the owl's perches, and was a little surprised to see that they had taken to my Father so quickly. It had taken a few hours for them to finish considering me, but yet they glowed under Father's touch.

Father's face was still white, but not deathly so. Thankfully. We stayed in silence longminutes, James and I at the door and my Father silently stroking the preening birds.

"Found them in Diagon Alley, huh?"

I heard a bit of amusement in the tone as well, and took a chance to smile at him.

"Well found the store you got Hedwig from, and then tracked down the breeder. Very rare line your Hedwig was from. And the owner keeps it a secret as well. The boys actually heil from the States."

Father nodded, not letting up his petting of the two boys.

"Going to tell me why you were spotted with Scorpius Malfoy at lunch?"

My breath caught in my throat, and I just barely caught the gasp. Shit. Who ratted me out? I thought I had given security good enough reason to be out on my own. Father didn't sound angry though. Just curious.

"Bugger wouldn't take no for an answer. It's alright though. I know he isn't a suitable companion."

The petting stopped and Father cocked his head at me. "Well I suppose that is your decision Al. I trust you know the right sort to be around. I was not questioning you judgment, son. I was just curious."

Which was relieving in itself since I hardly deserved that kind of trust. In the past I had made the mistake of becoming friends with one or two people that I shouldn't have, and the family paid a price. Not that our secrets and private lives had become public, but it had taken considerable power and influence to shut them up. I learned my lesson the hard way.

Though, Scorpius was not exactly attempting to be a friend. I mentally shrugged. Whatever he was attempting did not matter. It was not going to happen.

James came over soon enough and started getting to know the birds. They did not have names yet, so we tossed around possibilties, and laughed at the more ridiculous ideas.

Eventually we decided on Byron for the larger male, and Rome for the smaller. James had put Romeo into circulation, but it was just a little to girly for my tastes.

What surprised me most was as my Father left the room Byron flew after him. He landed right on my father's shoulder. I assumed Father would send him back to the perch. Instead they had some sort of staring contest which apparently Father lost. Eventually he told us it wasn't worth the trouble and left with a smug looking Byron.

James said not another word to me, but smiled and cuffed me on the back of the head lightly. The gesture said he understood, and I was forgiven for the portion that he didn't understand.

"Night Al."

I responded in kind, and then focused on Rome again. It was several hours before I could fall asleep, but I was happy with the days purchase. Hopefully I wouldn't regret it later though; any of it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I usually enjoyed my monthly night out with the mates. Time to drink, talk about kids, love lives, Quidditch results, or anything else that struck our fancy.

It was the one place where my name, Draco Malfoy, was not a title, a curse, or a headline with an exclamation point at the end. When Blaise, and few old Slytherin chums and I started frequenting the pub a few years ago, we arrived one night to find quite a few Gryffindors already had taken up residence.

To this day I'm not sure why any of us didn't walk out that night. Maybe it was the challenge of it, maybe we secretly wanted to get along with people who understood where we came from, or maybe it was the fact we needed alcohol quickly. Whatever the reason, it took a few times coming before we integrated well into a group of men who came to the pub every first Thursday night of the month.

Of course those that had been Slytherins stilled sneered and the Gryffindors still got smashed and talked loud, and the Hufflepuffs, well I found that alcohol actually made that lot more bearable. Hence my willingness to purchase drinks for Hogwarts alumni.

There was only one rule in the pub, one that all followed: nothing made it to the reporters. It had only happened once, and no one would ever dare try it again.

I made my usual rounds and played a few games a wizard billiards with a group of ravenclaws who had been a few years behind me.

Blaise was debating with Longbottom over something, and I went to listen in on the dispute. I derived no small amount of amusement watching Neville Longbottom's stubbornness win out against the best in the room. The man had changed so much since Hogwarts. He had developed into a man I respected, though would never admit to it.

"Bloody hell, I'm telling you Pansy already tried it Neville." I could hear Blaise sputtering, and knew immediately we were talking about Pansy's garden. The woman had a black thumb that killed every plant she touched.

Even Neville's thoughtful cactus gift had perished with in a month at the Zabini house. The damn thing hadn't even been touched.

Blaise had been trying to hire Neville for years to make them a garden and then tend to it. To most that would have been a bit insulting, but not when Blaise was offering the man a million galleons for it. Still Neville had refused, claiming he didn't have the time.

But Draco saw the man's eyes glow with amusement early on, and realized that Pansy and Blaise should really have been nicer to the man in Hogwarts. Eventually Neville would probably give in, but only when he decided he wanted a challenge that running a worldwide nursery business and organic potion ingredients company didn't provide. Well that, and when he decided his current friends had paid enough for their school day crimes.

Neville spotted Draco took the out from the conversation. "Ahh Draco. I hear you've been busy. The Statent merger and all."

Draco nodded, but refused to talk shop tonight. Thankfully he knew Neville didn't either. It was just the man's way of saying he paid attention to current events, which Draco did appreciate. Instead Draco turned the topic to a more pleasant one as he sipped his fire whiskey.

"I saw you at the World Cup. You went with the family?"

Neville nodded, taking a swig from his own bottle. "Yes, I could never get away with not going. The kids love it so much. I saw you with Scorpius, but with the crush I wasn't moving from our box. And then, well you saw it." There was no beating around the bush about the Potter-Weasley incident.

"I thought I saw you near the Italian and English players box Neville come to think of it." Blaise mentioned and then chuckled. "You aren't defecting are you?" he asked in obvious jest.

Neville seemed solemn though, and I realized Blaise hadn't seen the incident.

"No, I was just chatting with Harry's sons."

I nodded, making a motion that illustrated my mirth. It was definitely not just a chat. I certainly didn't hear what was said but the Weasley's had played a part.

Blaise seemed to ponder the answer for moment though.

"Yes, I saw them a few nights ago. Merlin, I can't even remember what function it was. Too many of the bloody things." I often pitied Blaise, Pansy ended up dragging him to far more events than I went too. I could make a last minute excuse to any function, with no one the wiser. Pansy was not forgiving though.

"Yes I remember." Neville commented. "The family will be off in a few days though."

Blaise snorted. "Harry Potter stay in England any longer than absolutely necessary, nooo" he drew it out in sarcasm. It was true that everyone knew Harry Potter hated England. "Don't blame the bastard one bloody bit though," Blaise said seriously.

I kept quiet, while Neville glanced at me. Damn man was all too knowing. Whenever Potter was brought up the man looked to me for reactions. I never gave any.

We chatted for a few minutes about the actual World Cup before Blaise ran out of beer and went in search of another at the bar.

"I heard that Scorpius might be sniffing around Albus." Neville commented it lightly, but I saw the tension in his shoulders.

Whatever I thought about my son's actions in private, we presented a united front in public. "Don't worry he wont ruin the perfect Potter boy." I tried for sarcasm, but Neville's reaction told me I didn't succeed.

Neville cocked his head considering. "I never thought he would. You've done a good job with him Malfoy. You may think he's a little wild, but he does you proud."

I hated the man's perceptiveness, I thought again. I had thought that a lot in the past few years.

"You're not going to tell me he doesn't have shot in hell are you?" I asked.

Neville laughed in amusement, drawing the attention of several people for a few seconds.

"No, of course not. It's not my place."

He had not answered the question. Which told me all I needed to know. Scorpius really didn't have a shot in hell with the young man. Not that I wanted him too, I told myself.

"Have you seen Harry lately?" the question caught me a bit off guard.

"No," I answered lightly, and shrugged, "that man's schedule is far tighter then mine. I believe I passed him at a banquet a few months ago."

I thought Neville would press a bit, but the man only nodded and went back to his beer. Many who claimed an intimate relationship with one of the Potter's would throw it around a bit, but not Neville. That type of loud mouth beahvior actually hadn't happened in a while. I assume that it would get back to the Potters and the friendship would be no more.

Neville had been annoyingly loyal to Harry since the very beginning though.

"I was surprised you gave up on Harry."

I looked at him in shock though Neville did nothing more that take another sip of beer, so obviously unaware that he had shocked me. I could pretend not to know what he was talking about, but we both knew he knew. There really was no point. I could pretend that I had gotten over Potter, but likewise, I am sure we both knew that it wasn't true.

"Yes well the world would have been utterly charmed had I courted the famous Harry Potter," I announced sarcastically. Giving a roll of the eyes at the end for good measure.

"You'd be surprised Malfoy how many people were silently cheering you on and cursing you simultaneously when it became obvious you'd decided against taking on the challenge and manning up. Many thought it would be good for Harry."

Bless him, Neville actually looked serious. Yeah sure, Gryffindors and Harry Potter fans were lined up to see their savior despoiled by the so-called Slytherin Prince.

"Right," I drawled in a bored tone. I wanted this topic ended.

"Please Malfoy, no one could ever deny that you two had something. Some used to complain that you both gave more attention to each other than your current lovers. And as it became obvious Harry was headed down a certain path, well, more than one agreed that you were the only person likely to put some passion back into his life."

Neville recalled it all in such a reasonable tone that it was astonishing we weren't discussing the weather.

"Certain path. Yes, riches, fame, nobility, such a dastardly path for a Gryffindor. Merlin knows how Lord Potter could ever survive."

Neville just looked at me, though I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I hated it.

"You know better," he whispered, staring me straight in the eye, and then murmured his excuses and walked away. Bloody bastard was toying with me. Merlin, I hated when that man talked, because he was too bloody noble to tell lies.

I heard Blaise shout my name from the billiards and decided I would forget the conversation ever took place. Even as a thought it, I knew I was lying to myself.