Chapter 32 - The End of Part 2

June 5 1987

The eight of them looked about at one another as the port key came to an end. The excitable birthday boy looked expectantly from one beloved face to another.

He didn't know why they were all waiting so long to get there selves together. He wanted to go into the pitch.

"I really am getting to old to travel by port key." Complained Eliza as she got back to her feet with some help from Severus.

"Can we go in now?" asked Draco once he had seen his nana was alright.

"Very well." His father nodded. "Led the way."

Taking his elder cousin by the hand, Lucius followed Draco with his eyes as he and Nymphadora ran ahead.

Nymphadora.

When his son had requested that he be taken to the Quidditch final for his birthday he had thought they were going to be accompanied by the Crabbes, Goyles, the Notts. Nice respectable families who he had things in common with. Good families who he wanted Draco to socialise with.

But no, his son, never one to do things by halves had asked very politely if the Tonks might accompany them to the game, so that he found it near impossible to refuse him. The final three in the company was as predictable – Eliza, Jane and Severus Snape.

There were also other reasons he would have preferred not to see the Tonks' that day. It may be seven years to the day since he had gained a son, but that day was of course significant for another rather less happy reason.

Seven long, drawn out years had passed since he had last held that beloved angel of his in his arms. Andromeda was watching for signs of his continued grief for her sister he was sure.

He was not going to give her the satisfaction. As ever his grief was and remained utterly private as he was sure Narcissa would have wanted it to be. She had been an intensely private women he wistfully remembered.

"Don't go too far ahead kids!" Ted called after them as they run without fear into the crowd.

As a present, Lucius had made sure they had a box to themselves. After all it wasn't every day that a young man turned as entire seven years old. And after everything he had been through when he had been six, Lucius was still making it up to Draco, who now over six months after the dreadful things that had happened to him seemed much recovered. But still... that did not help his father's guilt that he had let it happen to begin with.

He hated being out with the blood traitors. But he would do it for his son. It could be endured.

Having paid for them all, he handed over the tickets to the attendants and caught up with the ever excitable pair of children. Pointing the way he watched as a restored Draco confidently went up to the high stands with his cousin and chose his sit.

As the adults arrived he saw Draco's eyes look from him to the seat on the right of him longingly. However, when usually observant Severus failed to notice that, he settle to sit on the right of the potions master to the disappointment of his son who was sure had it been six months earlier, Lucius would have insisted on sitting next to him throughout the game.

It was not that Lucius was not still just as loving to his son in private, but he was beginning to feel it was time he with drew in the eyes of the public. The Malfoy's had never been renowned for mollycoddling their heirs and he was not going to begin that tradition now.

Draco, knowing better, did not complain and was soon looking around the pitch happily with his elder cousin. Of course, Quidditch was not the only thing the two cousins were talking about that day.

"Was Hogwarts really wonderful?" asked Draco.

"I had so much fun, it was brilliant. It's so different from being at home; you are going to love it when it is your turn to go."

"What's your best subject?" he enquired.

Dora, who was quite peeved she had to be spending her holiday with one of her teachers as it was looking warily at Snape.

"Transfiguration. McGonagall isn't as scary as I thought at first. You get used to her." She informed him.

At seven, Draco was beginning to think about it more and more. He knew he had entire four years before he had to go and that was more than fine by him. In truth he was more than a little apprehensive about school for some reason. The thought of months at a time being so far from home alarmed him. Again, he looked to his father who had engaged into a conversation with Jane. He could not image life without him. Or her. Months and months apart at a time...

The party arrived about fifteen minutes before the game was due to begin. All of them were comfortable enough before the game between the Kenmare Kestrels and the Chudley Cannons. As ever, supporting the Irish team was a passion of the young Malfoy.

"Do you reckon they are going to win?" he asked his uncle.

"With any luck, or we are going to have a birthday boy who is in a very foul mood aren't we?" he supposed.

Leaning back into the chair Draco waited for the game to begin. And when it got going Draco found it to be without a doubt the best game he had ever been too. It was certainly the quickest. It was said that the Kestrels had all got new brooms for the game and had been training harder than they ever had before. They wanted so desperately to win the cup that year. The rumours were only confirmed by how they played.

Dora wasn't that fussed who won, and just enjoyed the game and being with her kid cousin again. She had been right. She had missed him so much when she had been at school that year and he had found it odd as well to go so long without the two of them seeing one another. Too see the two together laughing and joking did the girl's mother a world of good.

"Can me and Draco go and get a drink?" asked Dora as half time was called. The Kestrels were up but their seeker had not yet managed to catch the snitch. The game had been in full swing for over an hour and both teams had needed the rest to recover themselves.

Ted nodded once he saw Lucius give his permission and handed them over a couple of sickles each.

"Be sure to be back by the time they are back in play." He instructed his daughter and his nephew. Once the children were gone Ted noted the atmosphere was more tense than it had been before. It was the kids they were there for after all.

The two bolted down the stairs.

Draco felt as if it had been a long time since he had been to a game like this, and he was sure the stadium had got bigger since the last time they had come. There were people selling all types of things and there were people dancing and chanting. The atmosphere for the game was superb. There was so much to entertain the Quidditch goers. Little figuring players jumping about of broomsticks, little Blugers that had been charmed to fly towards them and were just in time to miss them, flags of the two teams trying to gain new fans by magically encasing random supporters till they swapped sides.

It was while he was looking at all this that he released he was alone. Nymph had gone on without him, and he was by himself. She must have assumed he was behind her. If the stadium had seemed big when they were together, it was massive now.

Turning back the way they had come he tried to remember the way back to the six adults – but he couldn't! Panic swamped his head as he tried to retrace the path that would lead him to Lucius but he couldn't. He just couldn't!

"Fred, George this isn't funny anymore!" he heard a cry. Apparently he wasn't the only one by himself.

He turned to see a gangly little boy looking about the stadium. He looked roughly the same age as he was and he had no one about him. As the two lads caught one another, the little boy with ginger hair sighed.

"Did your brothers run off without you too?" he asked.

Draco shook his head.

"I don't have any brothers. I was going to get a drink with my cousin, but I got distracted. She's gone on without me." There was more than a hint of panic in his voice.

"Well at least your cousin didn't mean too by the sounds of things. I think this is the twin's idea of a joke."

Deciding that there was safety in numbers, the two boys unspokenly decided to stay together till they could find their way back to their families.

"Who are you supporting?" asked Draco keen to make small talk as they walked one way about the stadium and then the other, eager for a sight of either Dora or the infamous twins.

"The Cannons." Draco screwed up his face leaving his new friend in no doubt that he definitely did not.

The friendly banter between the boys begun and before long the two found they were quite comfortable in each other's company and liked one another very much. The red head seemed an affable, kind lad who matched Draco's sensitive yet excitable nature.

A horn sounded.

"That's the beginning of the second half!"

Remembering Teds warning, Draco begun to panic once more. He wanted to be back in the box safely seated between his uncle and cousin.

"What's your name?" he asked trying to keep conversation from drying up which was the only thing at that moment that was keeping him calm. He was sure that there walk about the stadium had only taken them further from their respective families and now it did not seem like such a good idea. He should have waited where he was lost. At least then he had been near his father.

"Ron," he replied. "What yours?"

"Draco."

The two shared a smile and a friendship that would pass through the idea of purebloods and blood traitors begun. However, for that day at least, it seemed as if the boy's time together was coming to an end.

"Ron, thank god." A tall man with a head full of thick red hair the same colour as his sons (five trailed along behind him) approached them. Draco noted that the two who looked closest in age to Ron were now looking deep in disgrace.

Without a second thought the man who could only be his father lifted Ron up into his arms and held him tightly.

"God you scared me so much, you must let your brothers wind you up Ron. They told me what they did." He said. It was only then that the child with blonde hair caught his eye. "And who are you?" he asked kindly, with just a hint of suspicion in his voice.

There was something jolly, and instantly likable about this man Draco thought to himself. He had many children and was bound therefore to be extremely paternal. But as Draco looked at them, more closely, the whole family together, he had to say he didn't think he had ever seen a group like them.

Their clothes all looked very old and well worn. The boys, whether it had been playing or just because they needed a good wash had smudges on their faces. He was reminded of the chimney sweepers his uncle Ted had once told him about in the muggle world. They were nothing like the well dressed, smart people he was used to meeting.

He was just about to answer for himself, when someone other than Ron did it for him. "Draco! Oh thank god – Lucius, calm down, he's here."

Draco turned to see his aunt. He didn't think he had ever seen such an expression of relief cross her aristocratic features.

"Ooh kid thank god," she said as she swooped down upon him in the same fashion that Ron's father had and took him up in to her arms. Once there, she kissed his head and smoothed down his hair before pulling away and looking at him critically as if she was looking for any signs that something had happened to him. Ever since there emotional reunion after everything had happened with Maria, she was more doggedly determined to keep him safe and play a part in his life than ever before.

It was as he looked over her shoulder that he saw his father coming towards them, his face torn between relief and anger. Draco could not have been gone from him or more than half an hour but when he didn't know where the boy was...Lucius had felt as if he could not breathe. On today of all days, the day he had lost his mother!

Going over to the women and boy clasped in one another arms he put his arm over his son and kissed his forehead.

"Are you ok? Draco where were you?"

Behind him he watched as the rest of their party trail up to them, Dora in tears. Draco cringed as he tried to image the reaction she would have received from his father when she got back up to their box alone.

"I – dad, it wasn't Dora fault. I didn't keep up with her and I got distracted by everything that was going on about me – "

"Come on boys..." he heard a voice say quietly and he watched as Ron was set down, beckoned to follow his father. They group seemed like a mother duck and her babies wondering off.

Draco was looking long enough to see his father through a disapproving look at the entire family and the red headed wizard look at him with just as much annoyance before Draco returned to look at his aunt jumper which had suddenly become very interesting.

Ron looked back just as his family walked out of sight to see the blonde boy be put down on the floor by the black haired women before he seemed to try and take shelter in his father's robe.

"Come on Ronnie, we have missed enough of the game already!" Arthur called to his smallest son.

It was not long till Draco found himself back in the box, this time wedged safely between his aunt and his father who seemed over protective once more. Nymph was left between her least favourite professor and her father, and seemed to enjoy the rest of the match about as much as Draco did. Despite the fact that nothing had happened (he hadn't even found himself in trouble) he still felt shook up. And the look between that man and his father... Well he didn't understand it.

Though he cheered in all the right places and was delighted by the fact that the Kenmare Kestrels won the game in the end, the magic seemed to have rather been taken out of the day for him. Some times what went unsaid effected people more than what was.

After the game, the group went back to the Malfoy manor where a tea was laid on for them. It was then that Draco sort out his cousin once more.

"I didn't mean too if I got you into trouble." He said to her.

The red rims that had appeared about her eyes at the game had now gone, and her hair was cannery yellow. She seemed to have bounced back from nearly losing him better than he had.

"It's ok. But next time we go out any where together you have to watch where you are going kid," she said to him. But then, she was a day dreamer too. She supposed she could put it down to a family trait. More so than he was in fact. He full well knew she was the biggest clutz the Black family had ever produced.

The two indulged themselves on cake (chocolate, made by Eliza's own loving hand), popped the party poppers (the strings seemed to circulate throughout the first level of the manor for a good half an hour before they came down) and enjoyed a few good stories from Ted about their elders Hogwarts days.

All too soon it seemed he was back in his room with Jane as he got ready for bed.

"Did you have a good day sir?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did in the end. I admit I didn't enjoy the second half of the game after what happened but I am glad we won and tea was good. I don't think I have spent a birthday with my whole family before." He mused.

"No I don't suppose you have sir."

"I liked it. I'm going to ask if Uncle Ted, Aunt Andy and Dora can come next year too." He announced to her.

"Well then you must continue to be a good boy throughout your seventh year for your father to allow it. Have you done your teeth?" she checked.

"Not yet," he said before running off to the bathroom to do so, only stopping as he banged into his father who was entering the room, then tearing off again.

"I think he is going to have more energy this year, not less." Sighed the nurse with a chuckle.

"Indeed." Lucius agreed as he picked up a book and sat down on the bed. "The elder he gets the more trouble he is going to cause me." he realised.

"That's the nature of children sir. You watch, a decade more of raising that boy, and that lovely long blonde hair of yours will be a mass of grey thanks to Master Draco."

He smirked at her playful response and she curtseyed. "If your here to tuck him into bed sir, then I presume my duties are over for the day."

"Yes they are Jane."

"Well then I will bid you a good night sir," she said as she left the room, and as she walked out, it was her that this time clashed with the re-entering Draco. Realising the moment of de ja vu, the boy giggled as the nurse ruffled his hair with affection, and shut the door on her way out, leaving father and son alone.

Draco run over to the bed and jumped on. Rather than get under the covers he settled himself down next to his father who arm he linked his own through.

A kissed was placed on the top of his head. "You must never get lost somewhere like that again dragon. You don't know how scared I was when I didn't know where you were."

Draco smirked. "It wasn't like I did it on purpose you know," he told Lucius. "And besides – " he looked for a way to put it.

"What?"

"Well – you're my dad. Nothing scares you, you're fearless." He said to him causing Lucius to sigh inwardly. The others had always told him how much his son looked up to him, but that assertion hammered it home to him.

"Losing you does baby."

"Dad – I'm not a baby!" Inwardly, Lucius cheered. That had been the response he had been looking for when he affectionately called his 'baby' for some time now. Draco was some way up the road to recovery now. The bruises on his body had cleared up months ago.

Draco scowled, but whether he believed him or not Lucius had no idea. He'd say not by the way that his son was now looking about the room. A rather pensive expression was upon his young face.

"A galleon for your thoughts dragon..."

"That man who we saw at the Quidditch pitch today...you didn't like him very much, did you?"

"I won't deny he is not my favourite person in the world, no son." He admitted to him. He sneered at the mere thought of Arthur Weasley.

"Why don't you though? Ron was really nice."

"His son?"

"Yeah."

Lucius looked aghast at the idea of his son, his Draco, liking anything to do with a family such as the Weasleys. It had always been his opinion that it was bad enough he was forced to include the Tonks in his life. Otherwise, Lucius would have made damn sure that his son was completely oblivious to the fact that he even had an aunt called 'Andromeda.'

"Son, I think it is time the two of us had a little chat. You know, there are more than one type of wizard in this world don't you?"

"What like good or bad?"

"No," Lucius said to his usually perceptive son. "Pureblood, half-blood and muggle born. Some of us are better than others son. Let me explain..."

TO BE CONTINUED.

An: Ok, I know if I left it on chapter 31 it would have been a more fluffy ending, but its time some of the darker elements of Lucius and Draco's relationship begun to come to the forefront.

I hope this chapter also gave you all an insight to what Draco is going to be like when he gets to Hogwarts thanks to the introduction of everyone favourite red head.

Part three will begin in a couple of weeks. I need to re read Philosophers Stone. I know what Draco is going to do and how his role in the story has changed, but I need to get it in a bit more detail and do some more planning before I started writing.

Then, Lucius and Draco will return for the final (and I promise the longest) part of FS so far.

Anyway, I'll shut up now.

Please review!