Author: enchanted nightingale

Beta Reader: pussycatadamah

Timeline: Book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Pairs: Harry/Lucius

Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I merely use them in my plot for fun.

Chapter 29 – Heart to Heart

Blaise Zabini sat across from Draco Malfoy. They were in the blond teen's house, seated on the grass of the Quidditch field that sat in the Manor's grounds. Blaise had noticed a change in the blond Slytherin from the beginning of the summer. Draco had grown quiet, prone to bouts of brooding and it worried the Italian wizard. Up until that point Draco's friend had hesitated asking what was on the blonde's mind but now he just had to know in order to help the other teen.

"I cannot help you unless you tell me," he said and grey eyes regarded him with scrutiny.

"I think father plans to divorce mother."

Blaise blinked. "Why now?"

"He has a new lover," Draco responded.

"Draco, both of them have had lovers before, you know this."

The Malfoy heir shook his head. "It's different this time."

"How?"

"I'm not sure I can say," Draco admitted. He turned to look away from Blaise. "How is it?"

"Having a different stepfather?"

Draco nodded.

"You know my mother. No one really sticks around much to make an impression. They are more her lovers than parental figures in any case," Blaise admitted. "Also, we both know that for your father to actually have someone and see him serious enough to even consider a divorce..."

"He plans to marry that person," Draco said, his voice strangely hoarse.

"Draco? You look pale," Blaise was alarmed.

"It's nothing."

"Lying to me is pointless."

"I can't..."

"I'm not asking for answers," Blaise cut the blond off. "But is there a way I can help?"

Draco shrugged. "I know who father wants."

"Okay, you hate that person then."

Another shrug from the blond.

"Then tell your father," the other teen suggested. "He won't ever choose a bed warmer over his son."

"I'm not sure," Draco reluctantly muttered. "Father... He said something about magical matches."

Blaise frowned. "What kind of matches?"

"Sex magic and conduits, stuff like that," Draco reluctantly revealed. He had wanted to talk about this with someone for a while now and Blaise seemed like the safest bet.

When the Italian teen sucked in a breath, the blond wizard stared at his best friend.

"Blaise?"

"You mean your father met his match?"

Draco nodded.

"That... that's incredibly rare," Blaise muttered.

The Malfoy heir looked surprised. "You know about that kind of magic?"

"Of course. Mother is a Hestia Princess, at least technically. Since the Roman times her family were deeply involved in those rituals. There was been a conduit at least every other generation in our family. Actually, I am one as well. I am hoping to find my match but..." he trailed off. "So, your father found his, huh? A man, right?"

Draco nodded; his father's preferences known to those near the family.

"And the other guy?" Blaise asked.

"I vowed not to say," Draco replied.

"Oh."

"I'm just not sure what I should do."

"You hate that person that much?"

"It's more of a mutual dislike," the blond wizard admitted. "Father... I doubt he will like it if we fight."

Blaise had a contemplative look on his face. "Then write to the guy."

Grey eyes went wide. "Write?"

"Yes," the other Slytherin insisted. "Bridge the gap, mend the fence, come to an understanding. I bet, and correct me if I'm wrong, that your father would never be attracted to anyone stupid."

Draco grew silent and then, finally, after a while he nodded and turned his gaze to the sky. He stood, grasping the broom next to him.

"How about another game?" he asked Blaise.

The dark skinned wizard grinned. "Prepared to get your arse whooped."

"You wish," the Malfoy heir scoffed with exaggerated pomp that had the both of them laughing, any gloomy thoughts temporarily forgotten.

Severus looked out of the window at his godson and the Zabini boy as they took to the skies again. His back was to Lucius. The blond had just informed him that Draco knew about Potter and furthermore, that father and son had discussed extensively about the Dark Lord and what being a Death Eater contained. For once Snape was glad Lucius had been frank with his son because the Potion Master's greatest fear had been his godson's safety ever since Voldemort attained a body.

"He seems subdued," Snape observed as he turned to look at Lucius again.

"He is," Lucius admitted. "And he's been avoiding me when possible."

"What is he more angry about?"

"Harry."

"Well, I should have expected it. What about the Death Eaters?"

The blond wizard shook his head. "If I had to choose one word aside from disillusioned it would be disappointed."

"He's hardly the first kid to realise their parents are not gods," Severus said with a bit of an edge in his voice.

"It's never easy though," Lucius replied, thinking back to the time his own father, Abraxas Malfoy, had been his hero. He could relate to how Draco felt and it pained him because of that very reason.

Snape sighed. "Just one of the reasons I don't have a brat of my own," he muttered and Lucius glared. "Never mind me and my logical actions, what about your toy boy? How does Draco feel about him?"

"I have no idea," the blond wizard replied. "He won't talk to me."

"But he will talk to the Zabini boy."

Lucius gave a shrug. "Madam Zabini has buried men, six of which that boy has met. I believe there is no one more suitable to offer Draco advice."

"But will that be good advice or bad?" Severus asked.

"Time will tell."

"If you are sure about this..."

"I am," Lucius stressed.

"Very well. Shall we change the subject to something vile?"

Grey eyes darkened. "He summoned you?"

Severus nodded.

"How bad was it?" Lucius asked.

"For me? Not so much," the dark eyed wizard admitted.

Lucius frowned. "Elaborate."

"Whatever that monster did to get a body seems to have weakened him."

"He did not look weak at the graveyard."

"Perhaps it was the rush from the power of the ritual," Severus pondered. "Because when I saw him..." he shuddered. "His skin was nearly peeling off like a snake changing skins. His magic was erratic as well, like he cannot control it. Most of that information I got it from Crabbe's mind."

"He called Crabbe to him?"

Severus nodded. "Yes and even that guy could tell things are wrong."

"Hm, Harry did say he drank Unicorn blood."

Snape shuddered. "Yes, he did."

"And we all know that to kill a Unicorn your soul is literally cursed."

The Potions Master blinked, a sudden realisation coming to him. "Perhaps that is what happens, the punishment for killing a Unicorn."

"If this is it, it could not have happened to a better monster," Lucius decided. "Do you think he could be dying?"

"Yes," Severus stated. "I am no medi-wizard but the state he was in..."

Lucius let a rather sadistic grin form on his face. "How about we speed things along?"

Snape arched an eyebrow. "You have a plan, I take it?"

"I'm a Malfoy; we always have plans in the making."

"Yes, for creating dark lords, not killing them."

"Really Severus, why are you being so argumentative?"

"Just seeing how far your toy boy has changed you."

Lucius nodded. "And?"

"It's definitely for the better," Severus decided. "You have not changed; you are still ruthless and down right evil..."

"Compliments Severus?"

"But you care for that boy."

"He's mine," Lucius stated.

"Yes, I know that now. The plan if you will?"

"First, you need to know that we need a Weasley in on this."

Snape sighed. "I'll write to the Curse Breaker later. Now talk."

End of chapter.