xiv. pride

You know how it is, having a family. How it is to complain and hate on and make fun of them. And hell, you're more than entitled to, aren't you? Because you're part of it, the whole damn mess.

You can say whatever you want and feel nothing but they- they don't have damn right.

That doesn't stop them though, never has. Never has it stopped the name of Malfoy from being spat in the streets and corridors and in your ear. Your father is a monster, just like his father before him. Your mother is weak and pathetic for marrying into the damn family and your grandmother is just a frigid ice queen, isn't she?

(whisperwhisper)

You can hear it, all of it, contrary to popular belief. Every single sentence makes your blood boil and temper flare.

(because no one makes fun of your family, no one. except you of course)

...

You're rebuilding a castle and the feat is huge. You've been laying the foundation for years around the scattered pieces of M a l f o y. First year and you're the Slytherin with the heart of gold. Third year and you've become fast friends with a Potter.

(Potter? A Malfoy and a Potter?)

Sixth year it's a prefect and quidditch captain to boot now that Scamander is gone.

And sixth year the castle is starting to wear.

In retrospect, the comment should not have caused such an uproar and okay, maybe, maybe you over-reacted. But you still feel justified, after all it was a slight on her and a slight on you and a slight on your whole family. What kind of friend would you be if let it slide?

Henry Smith's eye swells instantly. Yours barely bears a mark.

Rose approaches you later, frowning in disapproval, "That was unnecessary, you know." You don't turn your head but glance at her in the edge of your vision.

"Wrong. It was completely necessary."

"Damn it, Scorpius! It was not! You're just feeding it by reacting. Whatever foul horseshit that comes out of that tosser's mouth gains solidity when you turn and haul off on him!"

Now you turn, glaring at your best friend with the blue eyes and auburn curls and only the best intentions.

"Rose, get out."

...

Pride is something that is sometimes illogical to outside viewer. Yet to you it all makes perfect sense when you shyly owl Harry Potter for an interview and send it to Lorcan who in turn shoots it down to Roxanne who eagerly edits and publishes it in the Daily Prophet the following week.

(The paper has pulled a 180 since twenty years ago. Being purchased by Andromeda Tonks probably didn't hurt either)

The front page has a colored photo of your parents and grandmother. They wave tentatively, but look pleased.

(And all of them have on their best aristocratic smile)

Pride the headline reads above it, The secrets and truths of the Malfoy and Black families, with an exclusive interview by Harry Potter.

When you sees the last name, you knows you're set because years after the end of the war the name 'Potter' still draws attention.

Blacks and Greengrasses Who Broke Tradition and Who Really Brought About Voldemort's Death? and Who Killed Dumbledore?

The headers cause you to grin, grateful that Harry had agreed to share some details about those infamous nights to be added to the stories you already knew. Because even though you sometimes hate your name and your family and everything they had stood for in the past century,

You were also fiercely proud of them.

a/n: Because Narcissa saved Harry's life by claiming he was dead and Draco chose not to kill Dumbledore (albeit, more out of fear than anything). Also, I figured the Greengrasses' weren't too pleased at having an ex-death eater for a son-in-law after the war.