Big things happen in this chapter :)

-xXx-

Chapter 8

"Obviously you don't have to. It's your choice, obviously.", Scorpius winced at his slight babble. Yet Draco thought it was kind of cute. And he banished the thought immediately. He wasn't going soft. He really wasn't. But he was... shocked. He looked at Hermione for an answer, an almost frightened look ingrained in his eyes, to which she jerkily yet subtly nodded her head. That small authorization, consent, permission egged him on to say, "Yes. I'd be honored to". Hermione tried to hide her smile but he caught it. And he liked it. It seemed... familiar in a completely unfamiliar way.

"How do you like your eggs?", Hermione interrupted, "scrambled or sunny-side?", but as he went to reply with 'sunny-side', Scorpius began to say,

"Mother... you never c", Hermione gave him a somewhat threatening, eye widened glance. A warning.

"Just ignore Scorpius.", she replied as she turned on her heel and reentered the doorway to where Draco had slept less than a mere hour ago. After his Mother said this, Scorpius sighed as if defeated before following her, leaving Draco alone in the foyer. He knew he should've followed immediately but he couldn't help but allow his eyes to roam over the area and discovered something he didn't like. Not one bit. Donned on the walls lay photographs, all Muggle, he realized, there was some, most, of either Scorpius alone or with Hermione but there was one which made him clench his hands into blanched fists and caused him to swallow an almost animalistic noise. On the wall there was a photograph of two people, taken from behind, who were holding hands. One was Scorpius, made obvious by the tuff of almost white hair. The other? Draco hadn't an inkling. It was a man, he was sure of that, with hair a similar shade to Hermione's own. A small, rational part of his brain fought it could easily be a relative but the bigger, dominating side that had an urge to protect what was his, knew it wasn't. He just knew.

"What are you doing, Mr Malfoy", Scorpius asked, coming into sight. Draco winced at the too formal name his son had given him. But what else was he to call him? Father? He could've snorted at the thought. He wouldn't even call the man he knew for over twenty years that, so how could he expect Scorpius to call him that? He wasn't a hypocrite.

"Nothing. You have a lovely home", he smiled but it felt forced and fake. He didn't like that. But then again he rarely smiled a genuine smile and he didn't mind that. But something had changed, it seems.

Scorpions snorted at his remark, "your house, castle, palace, manor or whatever you prefer, is much nicer.", Draco was speechless. Before he could reply, Scorpius asked a question.

"Can I ask you something?", he seems shy and not at all like the confident child Draco had began to associate with him. Draco nodded his agreement, "Does it bother you?", the question made no sense to Draco, "That I was raised as a human… Or a muggle?", it was obvious he himself didn't like it.

"I", he hadn't given that much thought but he was on the spot and had to think of something, "Well I'm not thrilled. But I suppose it could be worse.", he relied, hoping the reply was genuine but gentle enough for the child.

"How? Could it've been worse, that is.", Scorpius asked, seeming almost too eager.

"Well you could be homeless and starving. But I was thinking for along the lines of the fact that you're lucky you have such an amazing Mother. She was exceptionally brave and clever, you know. I remember, at school, her nose was always either buried in a book or doing revision. Then there was the time she spent fighting Voldemort. She sacrificed major parts of her youth for everyone and thing. She was bloody brilliant, your mother", this time he smiled genuinely but was unsure were the nostalgia had risen from. It unnerved him. Slightly. It took more than mere feelings to shake Draco Malfoy up.

"Who's Voldymard?", Scorpius asked, brows furrowed. Draco gaped. How the fuck had she hidden such a thing from her son. He grew up unknowing to the fact his mother was a heroine that the wizarding world looked up to. He was confused. And shocked. And couldn't wait to hear explanation as to why. But first he had this pickle to remove.

"Erm… Just forget I said anything?", he finished weakly. If he had even a fraction of his parents' stubbornness, he wouldn't give up. Damn it.

Scorpius looked at him to the door his mother was in. And he ran. And Draco groaned. But proceeded after him. His years of Quidditch made him fast but it seemed Scorpius had inherited his stealthiness and beat him to Hermione, who was struggling to cook eggs. Making him laugh. Which in turn made her look at them. She widened her eyes at them.

"Mother!", he shouted and, instinctively, Draco went to cover his mouth with his hand. But Hermione sent a scathing look in his direction so he rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. "Who is Vaultmard?", Draco was bursting to laugh. But Hermione looked composed, though on further inspection, her eyes were dripping with fury and lips in a grim line.

"He is, was", she corrected, "a terrible man who is no longer with us", Draco couldn't believe how she was shrugging it off, as is defeating the worlds most horrific man was a daily task. Though with Granger, you never know. He had no doubt she could take on the world and emerge victorious without a disheveled strand of hair from her now pristine look.

"Are you sure that's it, Granger?", he taunted. He believed his son should know the full truth. But it had to be from his mothers mouth. It just did.

"Yes", she said, as if ending the conversation. But he wasn't quite ready for it to have ended.

"100%?", he asked, when he saw her look of warning his egging continued, "because I seem to remember differently. But if you can't, I could refresh your memory", he nostrils flared in annoyance. Or anger. Probably both. But Scorpius just looked on, wanting to know where to this was going. And Draco intended it to go somewhere indeed.

"You see, Scorpius, there was a boy who, even though he was only, how old, Granger? You knew him much better than I did.", he smirked at her reaction but when she chose not to say anything, he took the mic, "let's say he was about… A few months. Okay you got that?", Scorpius nodded, despite the visible annoyance etched on Hermione's face, yet she remained mute. For once. "So before this… Special child was born, there was a man. Well I guess he was a child first, and orphan at that, the ones without parents seem to be the most messed up sort", this made Hermione say something.

"Shut up, Malfoy!", she eventually bursted. She was red with anger. He didn't understand why. All he had mentioned was Harry as a baby and Voldemort as an orphan. Nothing major. Until it clicked. Scorpius hadn't had parents. Not really. Sure, he had Hermione but a child needed both mother and father figures in their life. "Story time is over. I'd very much prefer it if you left. You abused my hospitality and brought up misfortunes from the past. Where they should stay. As, it seems, should you", Draco's heart sank. Fuck that, his gut, stomach and every important organ was on the floor with his jaw. He couldn't below her.

"Do what you like.", he replied coldly, "it was you that sought me out. You who invaded my privacy and entered my home without permission, you who upset my House Elf. You who kept my fucking child from me.", his voice was steady and cold but he was in both fury and agony. Though, evidently, his furious side was being projected and amplified.

"That house is half mine now!", she shouted, unlike him. "And you think I wanted to be a single mother to your child? That I wanted to leave my life behind? My friends? My livelihood? Everything. You got everything that was mapped out for you. Me? I got uncertainty and nothing ever went my way. And it's all your fault!", she continued with her loud and raging voice. "I have nothing because of you. And now the wizarding world hates me for screwing your life up and having your child. They think I've ruined your life, without a thought for me. Everyone thinks I'm a whore", she ended on a whisper, now acutely aware of the fact Scorpius had witnessed their encounter. He was looking at her as of she was a stranger. And she was. She wasn't the woman he grew up around. That was a façade created for his benefit. And so that Draco wouldn't have the responsibility of a child. But she reigned her temped in. Draco was gobsmacked. She'd kept all this anger pent up inside of her. Her wrath was hard to take, especially since it rocked him to the core. His very essence unable to remain as cold and unforgiving as usual.

"I'm sorry. I really am. But I know nothing I can say can change anything. Though I intend to spend the rest of my life apologising for your hardships. You were young. So young. You deserved to live your life", he apologised, words he'd never imagine saying to her. Ever. He looked down at his son, to see tears speckling his face. Emotion was drawn on his face more clearly than a sharpie ever could. He forced his chin up to look at him, " you too bud. I wish, so much, that I had been here for you. But I wasn't. I don't blame your mother. I blame myself. I was immature. And irresponsible. I wouldn't have had the ability to be the good Father I want to be. Oh, how I want it", he breathed out, looking at the ceiling.

Scorpius blinked. And he was gone.