"Sorted Too Young"
Dumbledore tells Snape, "Sometimes, Snape, I think we sort them too young."
CHAPTER 18 – SAYING GOODBYE
The weekend with Teddy went far better than the week of the full moon before. Draco had made strides, he thought. It started out warm, not in temperature (though it was summer), but warm because Teddy hugged Draco with as much joy as he had Hermione the last time.
At least someone loves me, thought Draco.
It wasn't necessarily easy to handle the boy alone over the weekend, but Draco wanted to do it, needed to do it. He needed to prove to himself that he could. Hermione and Harry were easy to reach if he needed help and that was oddly reassuring. Very odd. He, Draco, trusting to the help of his greatest adversary Harry and the mudblood Hermione. He shook his head of those thoughts. He owed them a a life debt.
Teddy was still endless energy, but at least slept at night. Afternoon was the hardest for them both on Saturday. Sunday realized napping together in the afternoon solved the problem. He almost wanted to keep Teddy longer, but needed to establish this routine because of school that would start in September.
When the doctor arrived, Draco voiced his concern of the weekend, "Teddy is four years old. He hasn't spoken a word, nothing coherent. Does he not talk?"
"Children who experience traumas often go through a phase of silence, like the trauma casts silencio on them and takes time to wear off," explained the doctor. "He will speak when he is ready, have you tried other methods of communication? He gestures for me. I was thinking of trying music this week with him."
Music. Draco missed music. He had been classically trained in piano, not that he ever made that known at Hogwarts. His mother loved his playing.
Teddy left with the Dr. Schmeiss with another fuss, but it was not nearly as bad as last time. Sunday night felt so very very long without anyone there.
Sleep came slow and filled with nightmares. The good thing about being alone was that no one heard your screams of terror, the moans of fear or the sobs that came with the nightmares and bad memories in the night. The bad thing about being alone was that no one heard your screams of terror, the moans of fear or the sobs that came with the nightmares and bad memories in the night. He sat in bed sucking in great gulps of air as the sweat rolled down his face and back and chest. He scrubbed his tears away with his blanket.
He fumbled for his wand on the bedside. It fell to the floor and he scrambled to lean over the edge and snatch it. "Ll-lumos." A weak light shone pale blue then faded out. "Lumos," Draco spoke more clearly and firmly to achieve a proper illumination. The house was quiet and dark. The dark scared him a great deal these days. The candle he had lit died out in the night. He knew it would but had hoped to sleep through the night so it would not matter.
A bang was heard downstairs. Stomping and shuffling, too. The movement of many people drove Draco to his feet. The Weasleys were due back tomorrow afternoon or evening. Who would break in? Could anyone break in? What if Lucius found a way? It would not be the first time. Would the Weasleys sense it? Draco wouldn't as it was not his house magic. Would Lucius bring his followers? Did he have followers? Draco limped to the door with his cane in his left and his wand in his right. He let the light dim to the barest fraction. He had to do something. He had to manage to either call for help or escape. He wasn't really sure about apparating. Getting splinched was not on the agenda for his life, thanks. He couldn't let Lucius and his followers leave deadly curses lingering for the Weasleys to accidentally touch.
In his mind, Draco ran through many of the offensive spells he knew, a few defensive ones, and a good number of dark magic ones too. He cautiously stepped into the hallway. "Draco?" Molly's voice sounded almost beside him. He yelped in surprise. "Oh dear boy! I am so sorry. We were trying to be quiet to not wake you." He grew his lit wand to a brightness to see her more clearly and sighed. They came home early. She pulled his face closer and kissed his cheek in welcome. "My my," she touched his damp hair. "Another nightmare?" Draco found himself simply nodding to her motherly comfort. "Go back to bed, dear. I'll bring in some warm milk for you. Nevermind us and our noises, we'll all be settled in soon."
He was too tired and out of sorts to argue or even raise his own mantle of stoicism and perfection. So with messy bed-head, sweat-damp face and body, Draco limped back to bed. He wondered who comforted Teddy. He wondered who comforted Hermione and Harry. Maybe they comforted each other. He tried not to worry that he was being an interloper there. The warm milk worked miracles. It was sweetened with a little vanilla and honey. Was it spelled for sleep? He didn't get to think far on that thought before sleep took him.
The house was once again full of Weasleys and noise in the morning over breakfast. Arthur was strangely quiet around Draco through breakfast but cornered him later. "You did not have to do what you did. We've managed just fine financially."
"It was the only thing I knew I could do," Draco countered defensively. "I owe you… my life." Life debt.
Arthur nodded. How else would a Malfoy try to make reparations. "Thank you. But next time, ask. Surprises like that scare me. I don't like owing anyone anything. And so far, the Weasleys are not bound by any debts or any other magical bindings."
Draco nodded feeling a little ashamed to have not really thought about that. It made sense. If he were in Arthur's place and a windfall magically found its way into his bank account, he'd react the same way. Malfoys also have not owed anyone in any way as far as Draco knew, until now. He owed his life to the Weasleys, to Harry Potter and especially to Hermione Granger. He did not dare tell her yet that she essentially owned him. His life was in her very hands and spirit for so long. All she had to do was doubt or let go. She had no reason to hold him to this world, but he was deeply grateful that she had. He now had a second chance at life, because of her. That sort of debt was magical and as old as bloodbinding, maybe older. He recognised the phrase she has whispered occasionally to him to help him when breathing and living felt impossible. He wished she wouldn't do it. She didn't know she was reinforcing a bond deeper than the unbreakable vow. It was a problem he would have to deal with at some point, but not today, not yet, hopefully not for several years.
Arthur patted Draco's cheek, snapping him from his thoughts. Draco's cheeks burned. "Noticed your packed things. Are you… going somewhere?"
Molly rounding the corner like only a mother could with the incredible bat ears that mothers seemed to have naturally. "Draco's leaving?" Soon the whole house knew and were gathering.
Draco sighed. He appreciated how these people spoke to him like a peer, like a mature adult, unlike his father who treated him like he was twelve with no real mind of his own. He hoped that continued and that no one would be insulted. "I… ehem… yes. Potter invited me to Grimauld Place. I thought I would go there for a little while. My mother was a Black and I hope to learn a little from that house, and… maybe teach Harry about the house magic. He doesn't know much of it from what I saw when I visited last week." He saw Ginny lift a broken object she noticed while standing and listening. "Ah.. oh. That… I missed fixing that. Teddy was here."
They all just looked at him for a few moments before accepting his decision. Most of the younger Weasleys dispersed. Ron's sceptical wary look was not missed. Draco murmured, "Harry wants Ron to visit too since Ron neglected writing."
Ron instantly winced at the scathing look his mother gave him. Oops. He made his escape the second Molly turned back to Draco.
"Arthur, Molly, if I may be so informal." They both nodded. They never expected him to be formal. "Thank you for all that you have done, for all your care, for…"
Arthur hugged him suddenly cutting off his recitation. "Hush lad. We know."
Remembering Harry's advice and feeling weird and awkward, he leaned a little and initiated a hug with Molly who instantly teared up. "Oh Draco, you write to us. If you need anything, we'll come. And you visit at Christmas with Harry and Hermione. You are family now."
Draco swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat. He had to clear it several times before risking the floo to Grimauld Place. The Weasleys crowded hominess vanished in green flames that flared and vanished again to reveal the cold antique dark fireplace of the sitting room on the main floor of Grimauld Place. Kreacher had done as he was told and the room was clean, dust free, the sheets gone. It looked almost normal. It still felt cold and empty and unused.
A/N: I hope you are all liking what I am writing.