A/N: Thanks to Grovek26, Mariel, Cordee, Ramyfan, aryaaa, AMBERJANUS and happyhoper for their reviews.
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**This chapter deals with some pretty confusing issues that are well known as 'love' and 'remorse'. It also deals with double standards of same feeling for different persons based on prejudice.
The album of OC's has been updated.
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For adult theme this chapter is rated M. (HIGH MATURITY)
Disclaimer: The copyright to Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling. Any other characters are purely work of fiction and any resemblance is co-incidental.
Chapter 58: The New Knight.
Audré was intently looking at the chess board on her reading table.
It was a miniature of the game she was playing in real life.
The pieces were all set with Hermione – the white queen, Alexis – the white king, Draco – the black king, Adrian – the white bishop, Apolline and her movements – the white rook and last but not the least, Narcissa – the Knight. Everything was moving according to Audré's plans and sooner or later she would have succeeded in her mission had it not been for her esteemed nephew, the black king, who suddenly hoodwinked her and came closer to the white queen, Hermione in just one move.
And now the pieces needed to be rearranged.
It was a tedious job but Audré will not back out until she won the game.
She considered the basic principles of chess. What was it that her grandfather taught her about life and chess?
'First principle of any game is simplicity, little Audré.' Her grandfather Pierre Laval had told her during her chess lessons, 'You have to be simple in your ways. Remember that complexity is like a web which will entangle us if we don't remain alert. It only creates chaos and confusion and deviates us from our goals. Chess or no chess, it is not a way to solve any problem, Audré. Remember that the solution to any problem is simple and it is always before our eyes. You just have to look for it.'
So, she just has to look for it, doesn't she?
Audré frowned and focused her eyes on the lone knight standing in a corner.
Narcissa Malfoy.
In chess, there are only two pieces that can start any game – the pawns and the knights. The knights also have another advantage in them. While most of the pieces are more powerful than knights, they can't jump over other pieces in order to proceed. The knight is the only piece that can jump over any other chess piece while moving from one corner to the other in 2x3 rectangles of squares.
Audré's lips twisted into a smile.
Her grandfather had been correct. The solution to every problem indeed is - simple. She just had to look for it.
All she needed was a piece who can jump between Draco and Hermione – the black king and the white queen.
Who can be better than the Knight?
For in chess the knight can make a move that even the Queen cannot make.
'You are damned for hoodwinking me, Draco, you are damned.' Audré smirked and left her chambers in pursuit of her sister-in-law, Narcissa Malfoy.
She found her in her suite, dressed in her plain black attire and reading a book on Wizarding history.
"I hope I am not disturbing you, Narcissa." Audré walked over and joined the woman in black who shook her head and smiled before motioning her to sit.
"Not at all, Audré, not at all." She said as she placed a bookmark between the pages and closed it, "In fact, I was rather bored and wanted to visit you but then thought that you might be busy with your preparations for tomorrow's hearing."
"Hearing? Who cares about that?" Audré waved her hand dismissively, "I am not worried to the least about it. I have already assessed Metzner and I am going to let him win a few arguments. So, it really doesn't matter what happens tomorrow."
"It doesn't matter?" Narcissa's eyebrows threatened to disappear in her hair line, "Why not? You said it yourself that you are very serious about it? Then why this sudden change of tactic?"
"Because tactics say that sometimes, in order to win the war you have to let yourself lose a few battles." Audré replied, slowly creating the environment for the manipulations that will follow soon, "Thus, I came to you to inform you that tomorrow we will have cross questioning session of the eye-witnesses of the Attempt to Murder on the Minister of Magic. Sadly, it includes you too and believe me, Narcissa, I wouldn't have bothered in your Mourning had it not been really important."
"You mean I have to testify in Wizengamot against Rochés?" Narcissa asked her.
Audré shook her head lightly, "No, you don't have to testify against Rochés. All you need to do is to tell them what you saw. Rest is in my hands. I know how to use it against him." She assured her confidently.
"You know what, sometimes I wonder why you are so desperate to prove him guilty, Audré. I mean, I can understand that it is your job and you are pretty serious about your comeback case but the way you plan…" Narcissa gave Audré a curious look, "…reminds me of…" she stopped abruptly.
"Of?" Audré was interested to know the rest of the sentence.
"Please don't take it otherwise, Audré, I know you are not like him." Narcissa's defensive stand left doubts in Audré's mind as to whom she was indicating, "Your cold headed plans sometimes remind me of…The Dark Lord."
"Nice compliment." Audré was highly amused, "My father would have loved to see this moment, you know, Narcissa, when his only daughter was compared to none other than Lord Voldemort – the darkest lord in a century."
"I said, I meant no offense, Audré." Narcissa held out her hands in surrender, "You are one of kindest woman that I have ever had the fortune to meet and I love and admire you. I know you care about us and you will do anything to protect us. But the way you killed all those men just because they attacked Adrian or ate that book of curses or your stunt of losing battles on purpose to win the war – all these make you look like a cold hearted plotter. It is not necessarily that you are one." She said calmly.
"I assure you, Narcissa, that I am indeed the cold –hearted plotter that you think I am." Audré couldn't help to spoil the fun, "And that brings me to my next plot."
"What plot?" Narcissa asked her.
"When are you planning to come out of this sanctuary?" Audré started executing her plan.
"Why? What's wrong with me being here?" Narcissa frowned slightly, "You know I am Mourning."
"No, nothing is wrong, Narcissa. I may not be a Black but I am well accustomed with traditions that pureblood widows follow when they mourn for their husbands." Audré was solemn, "I am in no way between or against your Mourning. I myself mourned for Morpheus for almost ten years, so who am I do ask you to come out of your sanctuary?" Audré asked and took the history book that Narcissa was reading, "You see, Narcissa, we sometimes forget that we live in present." She opened the book and turned the pages, "No, no, don't worry, I will not eat it." she showed her the intact book noticing Narcissa's slight apprehensive gaze, "I was merely pointing out that sometimes, we opt to live in the past that we think was better than the present. Like I would love to go back to my days with Morpheus and I am sure you would love be back with Lucius too. We loved them and maybe we still love them. Remember what you told me that day on breakfast table?" she asked and Narcissa nodded, "You said, 'Only we know what we have lost in them.'" she quoted her, "Yes, only we know what we lost but we still have a lot of other things that can't be abandoned. I have my children – Julian and Lillian and you have your son, daughter-in-law and a wonderful grandson – Adrian. You are their guardian now, Narcissa. After his father, Draco may be the Head of the Family but you are the head of the Head of Family. You have the experience of running a household, maintaining relationships, and looking after a family that this young couple hardly has. True that it is Draco's second marriage but last time he and Astoria were under your and Lucius's care. So, practically, he had to do nothing and therefore he is a complete imbecile when it comes to running a family. On the other hand, it's Jean's first marriage and regrettably it is with the man she hates most in this world – her assaulter. You can't blame her if she doesn't feel enthusiastic about making a new home. So, it is your duty now, Narcissa, to make it happen."
"Make what happen?" Narcissa was giving Audré a piercing gaze of her blue eyes.
"Complete the job that you failed first time." Audré was dead calm, "The job of making Draco."
"Making Draco?" Narcissa repeated after her, perplexed, "I don't get you, Audré. Please explain."
Audré took a deep breath before starting, "There has been a new development in the story, Narcissa. Remember last Friday when Draco and Jean received a letter from St. Joan's asking to them to meet the headmistress? Well, it turned out that Adrian wasn't responding the way little kids do when they talk about their parents and it created a stir among the teaching staffs. He is the youngest wizard in the school and being Draco and Jean's son, it is no wonder that he is very good in his studies too. So, they all have high hopes with this little boy and were surprised when they learned that Adrian hardly talks about his father. Adrian has his father's looks and there was no doubt about his paternity when Draco turned up there. So, the headmistress enquired from Draco and Jean as to why their son was becoming increasingly reclusive and they had no way but to admit the bitter truth." She said and Narcissa's eyes widened in horror, "Of course they didn't tell her the real truth about Adrian's mode of conception." Audré's added deciphering the gesture correctly, "They told her about the abduction and Claiming and after that, the headmistress asked Draco and Jean to work on their relationship for the sake of their innocent son."
"All this happened and I don't even know?" Narcissa was showing just the kind of reaction that Audré was expecting, "Why didn't you tell me earlier, Audré?"
"Why should I?" Audré shrugged, "You said you are Mourning and that you didn't want to be disturbed." She said innocently.
"But this is outrageous!" Narcissa stood up in shock, "I mean how can they force her to accept her violator?"
"If this is your reaction to half of the story, I wonder what will you do when you hear the other half?" Audré was elated internally but appeared calm, "Later on, your son made a Wizarding surrender before Jean and asked her to be civil with him in return."
"Has he gone mad?" Narcissa spat, "Husband or not how can a woman be civil with her assaulter?"
"Exactly." Audré was close to her goal now, "Jean had been tolerant enough to Draco after what she went through and there is no way anyone can ask more from her. So, I think it is Draco who needs the lessons and it is high time that you finish the unfinished job. Besides, I am going to tell you how to do that, Narcissa." she declared solemnly.
The look on her sister-in-law's face indicated that she was damn serious this time.
"I want you to be present whenever Draco and Jean meet each other outside their quarters." Audré took up the knight and placed it between the king and queen on chess board, "Most probably it will be in my parlour and if I am not wrong it will be in the evenings when Adrian does his homeworks. I am assessing this because Draco would try to be more involved in his son's education and I want you to be present there to show your son that he can't always have his ways. I want to complete the act of protecting this innocent woman from being thrust into the presence of her violator. I want you to prove which side you are on this time – Draco or Jean. You have no idea what influences you have on Draco, Narcissa. With you there, he won't dare to disturb Jean with his eccentric manners. Meanwhile, you get the chance to build your son once again so that when time comes, Jean can decide about their fates."
Narcissa was thoughtful when she replied, "It isn't as easy as it sounds, Audré, for Draco has always been very a stubborn kid. He never lets go of what he cherishes. Never. He will cry, beg, fight and maybe even die but he will not stop until he gets what he wants. Just like Lucius was when he was alive, maybe even more. But he always gets what he wants in the end. Always." She sighed, "I haven't been around him lately but I can read my son's eyes. I can tell from his looks that he was fallen for his wife like he fell for his son. And if he truly wants her now, then Merlin forbid, Audré because he will get to her no matter what. If there is one thing that I learned about the Malfoys in all these years it is that they never stop until they succeed. They will go to any lengths but they will never stop."
"Sounds like you are scared of your own son?" Audré teased Narcissa lightly.
"Maybe, I am, Audré, maybe I am. You don't know Draco. I do. I clearly remember what he did when he was just seven years old. Lucius was going to Italy and Draco said he wanted to go with him too. But Lucius wouldn't take him. No matter how hard he tried, Lucius's answer remained the same - No. Then on the third day, Draco threw such a tantrum that all the window panes in Lucius's study smashed." Narcissa recounted and Audré listened intently, "First it was a paper weight thrown at the window but soon all the other heavy objects followed. He nearly brought the place down and when Lucius was extremely angry with him. He, however, later on found out that it was his son's first outburst of magic and thus he forgave Draco for all the mess and took him to Italy as a reward."
"I told you before, Narcissa, and I am telling you this again, you and Lucius tailor-made Draco what he is today and therefore it is your responsibility to amend it." the tone of accusation in Audré's voice wasn't missed on Narcissa, "But instead of working to put it together again, what are you doing? You are cutting yourself up from the world and mourning for your dead husband and Lucius is turning on his grave while Draco is on the path of destruction of an innocent woman and her son. I must applaud you for your exceptional achievement." She stood up to leave, "I thought that you were really remorseful for your past mistakes, Narcissa, but it appears that you still love to live in them like the history book you are reading now." She threw the book on Narcissa's lap and left without another backward glance.
Once outside, Audré smirked and composed herself.
'For that spectacular piece of acting, Audré Chombrun Malfoy, you are entitled to hell.' She thought as she started for her daughter, Lillian's chamber.
•••••
Draco's body was burning from fever.
The third installment of Lupus Venom had been painful than ever and the snake that bit his left shoulder was so ugly looking that Draco didn't feel much like asking what species it belonged to.
He was knocked off cold for a whole day and when he had returned to his senses on Saturday evening, he couldn't move a muscle to say that he was very thirsty. He had drifted into an uneasy sleep soon afterwards but woke up from terrible thirst from time to time.
It was not until Hermione had come that all his thirst was quenched forever.
The beautiful woman was dressed modestly in a rippling blue gown made of unknown material. It was accentuating her curves, something that Draco noticed for the very first time. Her dazzling brown pair of eyes were enticing than ever and on her head full of glorious brown curls that adorned her shoulders, Hermione wore a floral band made of freshest of daisies.
Draco could swear all that he had, that this was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes upon.
Hermione was holding a small pitcher in her hands and Draco knelt before her, cupping his trembling hands silently asking for the water.
"Thirsty are we, dear husband?" she asked Draco playfully.
"We?" Draco didn't miss the use of plural number instead of singular, "We?" he repeated incredulously.
"Yes, husband, you heard me right. We." She smiled mysteriously at him and held out her left hand at him.
Draco noticed that the wedding ring that he had given her was in its rightful place - Hermione's left ring finger. Delighted, he took the offered hand to get to his feet.
But that was not all. No sooner had he stood up, Hermione pulled Draco closer and leveled their eyes.
"You eyes are like storm, Draco." she pushed back his hair and cleared the visual pathway, "I would love to get lost in them."
"Really?" Draco was finally getting to the bottom of all this mystery, "How?"
Hermione tilted her head an inch and deliberately showed him her lips.
"I offer you a drink for my lips in exchange of a tour of your stormy eyes." Hermione's breaths were brushing Draco's dry and chapped lips, "Deal?" she winked.
Eyeing Hermione's wet succulent lips Draco need not telling twice.
"I will prove that I am better than Delacour." Draco embraced her and joined their lips.
It was one of the best moments of Draco's life – that kiss with Hermione. Her lips were so soft and gentle that Draco just couldn't get enough from them. Her breath was fragrant, he could feel her heart beat quickening as he gently deepened the kiss and she kissed him back with equal enthusiasm.
'I am sorry for hurting you, Hermione. Please forgive me.' Draco told her with his eyes, 'Please don't leave me alone.' He begged. 'I am so alone after Astoria died.'
'Only if you promise to kiss me better next time.' Hermione deepened their kiss this time, blushing red all the while, 'I think you are actually way better than Delacour.' she winked.
Draco was lost in his bliss when someone jerked him awake.
Blinking several times, he had found that it was none other than the Chief Researcher of St. Lupus Facility - Henri Descartes.
"Good morning, Monsieur Malfoy." He had greeted him and Draco groaned internally for spoiling the glorious moment of his dream, "How are you doing this morning?"
'Damnable twit!' Draco had given the oblivious man a dark look before sitting up and flexing his arms and legs to regain some strength, "You know, Monsieur, sometimes I think, I am the foulest creature that walks on this planet. Otherwise, who would risk his life for a man who doesn't even understand that the man before him almost died in thirst?" he had demanded angrily.
"You were thirsty?" Descartes's concern was genuine, "I am sorry, Monsieur, but we can't tell that from physical signs. We can tell if a person is dehydrated but it is impossible to tell if a person is thirsty." He had pointed out.
"That's why I am reconsidering my decision to participate in this damned experiment." Draco spat and took out his frustration of untimely demise of his first kiss with Hermione, "I am leaving this instant." He jumped down from bed and winced a little from the stiffness of muscles.
"Monsieur, please, don't leave us at this point." behind him Descartes's voice was pleading as Draco started to get dressed, "We are at a crucial stage now and if you leave, the experiment will be a failure. I promise we will be careful next time."
"If ever there is a next time." Draco had donned his travelling cloak and left without a backward glance.
His mood had been extremely sour when he apparated to his uncle's Château ten minutes later and Draco was seriously considering leaving the experiment when the most interesting sight came into his view.
Hermione was talking to Alexis Delacour in the early morning of Sunday.
Draco had felt the taste of bitter bile in his mouth.
'Why is Delacour doing here?' he thought irritably, 'Is he here to kiss her?' Draco didn't know why he had jumped to that conclusion.
He had walked over to them nonetheless and addressed his wife by her given name first.
"Hermione…" he had rested his eyes on her and then noticed fresh tear tracks on her soft face that somehow vexed him, "Delacour." he shifted his eyes to Alexis for any sign of guilty act but the man was just as surprised as he was, "What happened, Hermione? Why are you crying?" he asked his wife again.
What Hermione had told her in reply was what he had been waiting to hear from her.
"I assure you, Malfoy, I am not having a love chat with Alexis." Hermione's voice had been uncharacteristically calm, "It is quite the contrary. Alexis just came to tell me that he wishes me a happy…life and a bright future… and I became emotional…" she broke off.
Draco himself didn't know what had made him do what he did next.
"That's wonderful. I hope we can be more receptive of each other from now on." He said to her with a genuine smile and forgetting his aunt's warning about not disturbing Hermione, he tried to wrap a comforting arm around her shoulder.
And that set Hermione up.
She had whipped out her wand and pointed it directly to his heart.
"Don't try to touch me ever again." She had said in a deadly whisper, "Consider yourself lucky that I am being civil with you, Malfoy but that doesn't mean I will tolerate everything." She spat.
Draco didn't know what to reply or how to save his face before an outsider, Alexis Delacour nonetheless. So, he had tried to remind her of their relationship and their new approach towards each other.
"But Hermione, I am your husband and we agreed…" Draco had started in a calm voice but Hermione silenced him with her shrill cry.
"I AM NO MAN'S HERMIONE, MALFOY, I AM NO MAN'S HERMIONE!" she had bellowed, "I AM MINE AND MINE ONLY." She was panting heavily when she turned to Alexis, who was gaping at her, "Thanks for coming, Alexis and a very good day to you." And with that she had tucked in her wand and left.
Draco was dumbfounded at his wife's reaction to his simple proclamation.
'What does she mean by telling me that she is no man's Hermione?' Draco was so annoyed that he hardly paid attention to the man standing next to him, Alexis Delacour, who left the scene silently, 'She is my wife so there is no doubt that she is mine. All I need is win her like Delacour did.'
Draco spent the rest of the Sunday in his suite, lying down for he felt feverish; not to mention the occasional bouts of paralyzing pain that numbed his senses.
On his bed and under two thick blankets, Draco was concentrating in having the dream where he and Hermione kissed when the door of his suite opened and feminine footfall approached his bed.
"Please leave me alone, aunt." he groaned from under his blankets, "I am in no mood for threats now."
"I am not Audré." His mother's voice replied and Draco froze, "And why should she threat you?" she asked him.
Overcoming his surprise, Draco removed the blankets and sat up.
There she was.
His mother, Narcissa Malfoy, dressed in plain black attire and strangely enough she was holding a tray in her pale elegant hands.
"I noticed that you were not at the dinner. So, I brought you some." She placed the food laden tray on his bed and settled down beside it, "I also need to talk to you." She said solemnly.
"About what?" Draco was feeling unnerved under his mother's gaze, 'Has she found out about the werewolf facility?' he thought apprehensively.
"About everything." Narcissa shrugged, "Your father may be dead, Draco, but I am still the Lady Narcissa Malfoy. Therefore, it is my duty to know what my family, particularly my son is doing nowadays." Her voice was serious, "Tell me, Draco, how is your studies going on?" she asked him.
Draco let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, "It is going well, mother." He replied and shifted a bit to make more room for his mother, "My grades are pretty good. I am regularly receiving my stipend. I am also playing as a Seeker for the Sorbonne Quidditch team. I won them our first match just a week ago."
Narcissa ladled some French Onion soup in a bowl and handed it to him, "You don't look very well." Her eyes roved down his puffy face and neck, "You sent me an owl telling me that you will be at your office on weekends. Is your job taking high tolls on you, Draco?" she asked him evenly.
The faint tinge of concern in his mother's voice made Draco's heart somersault in his chest, "No, mother, it is fine. I think I caught some flu." He lied to her, "I took some PepperUp Potion this evening and I hope I will be up and about soon." He assured his mother.
Narcissa handed Draco a spoon and motioned him to take his soup, "So, what is your job actually? I read your appointment letter and it just said that you are a potions researcher under the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
Suddenly feeling happy and hungry, Draco gulped down his soup and didn't look up until his bowl was half empty, "Well, a potion researcher in Department of Magical Law Enforcement works to invent new potions or modify the already available ones according to the need of the department. We have three wings – Espionage, Interrogation and Innovation. I work at the Innovation section meaning that I work to modify and invent potions that will serve various purposes. Those who work in Espionage make potions needed for spying and those who work in Interrogation wing make potions for interrogating criminals." He explained and hold out his bowl to his mother who took it from his hand and refilled it, "The advantages of working as a Potions researcher are many. For one, we have no fixed time for office and we can come and leave as we please. But we must make of an entry of what modifications or inventions we did before we leave our offices everyday so that our Head of the Wing can check that we are working properly. It gives me plenty of time to study Law. For another, we are allowed to carry our wands inside the ministry because we need them to cast different charms on potions. Also, we are paid well than most ministry workers."
"How much do they pay you?" Narcissa's question caught Draco off guard.
Draco was embarrassed to tell his mother the exact amount of his salary but he opted to stick to the truth this time, "Ten thousand galleons."
"Well that's what your father would have donated to St. Mungoes." Narcissa commented with a sigh, "But never mind, Draco, I am glad that you are slowly becoming the man I wanted you to be."
Draco felt a surge a gratitude for the woman who had become his everything since his father, wife and children passed away, "I am not what you think I am, mother." He said earnestly.
But to his surprise, Narcissa shook her head, "No, Draco, you are exactly what I think you are." She stated.
"Which is?" Draco's heart was sinking faster than a boulder in rapid currant, "Mother, I am sorry for all the awful things I did. I really am. Please, forgive me and take off this…" he stammered, "…this black dress. I can't stand to look at you when you are wearing it."
"And yet you are looking at me now." Narcissa said seemingly unaffected by Draco's proclamation, "Tell me what happened at Adrian's school that day? Why did the Headmistress call you and Jean?"
"You can call her Hermione." Draco corrected his mother, "Jean is her middle name and part of the identity she fashioned for herself."
"I am sorry to disappoint you, Draco, but I will not call Granger anything other than Jean." Narcissa's voice was firm, "She didn't fashion herself that identity, Draco, she made herself into what she strived to be and calling her by the name that she dislikes or doesn't want to be addressed is insensibility to its extreme. It's much like calling her Mudblood, the word that we both used whenever we dealt with people like her and now I understand how wrong it was of me…of you and of us."
Draco gulped anxiously. He was eager to make a truce with his mother and if that required him to call Hermione as Jean, he would follow it delightedly. Besides, Hermione doesn't seem to like her old name anymore.
"The Headmistress called us because she noticed that Adrian was behaving oddly when anyone asked him about his parents or his friends talked about their parents before him." Draco decided to address the previous question, "He was becoming increasingly reluctant to talk about his parents, especially about me - his father. She told us that kids of Adrian's age are always trying to impress their friends with a grand description of their fathers. Adrian's friends, Louis and Gina, aren't any different from them and I saw it with my own eyes how they were talking about their fathers before Adrian and how my little son was listening silently. It literally broke my heart." He confessed openly, "Herm…sorry, Jean is an excellent mother and I really can't fathom why Adrian didn't tell her anything. Otherwise we could've dealt with the issue earlier and Adrian needed not to feel embarrassed before his friends."
"How?" Narcissa stopped and asked him.
"Pardon?" Draco was puzzled.
"I asked how would you have solved the problem earlier had Adrian told his mother?" Narcissa elaborated the question.
"Well, we…we could have come at terms." Draco supplied feebly.
"How?" Narcissa asked again, "You are asking me to believe that my pureblood son, Draco Malfoy, would have come at terms with a woman, whom he detested to the point of assaulting her, just because they share a child and the said child is embarrassed to admit his parentage?"
Draco fumbled for an appropriate answer, "Mother, I was merely suggesting that Adrian…" he was cut off when Narcissa held out a hand.
"Leave that poor boy out of this, Draco, tell me what you would have done to Jean if she did not become pregnant with your child? Would you feel the same remorse that you claim that you feel now? Would you feel the same urge to amend your ways or would you just deny the charges and walk away freely, just like you did six years ago?" she asked sharply.
Draco felt that his mother was no way better than his aunt Audré when it came to making him feel worthless. Truth be told, he wouldn't have cared about his crime towards Hermione had it not been for Adrian in the first place. He had somehow managed to live with his life with the lies that he had told himself and he wasn't willing to let go of it too soon. But after watching last two memories, Draco was feeling that his mother was right in saying that he had deprived his son of his birth right to be born in a normal way. Particularly, the second memory had been explicit to point out that he did inflict the boy under countless blames even before he was born. He had raised questions regarding Adrian's paternity.
"Tell me the truth, Draco. Tell me, if Astoria was alive and you had all three of your sons, would you still care for Adrian?" Narcissa's eyes were calm but held a piece of deep blue sky in them, "Do you really regret for your crimes towards this woman and this child?"
Draco opened his mouth but no word came out.
"I know you have no answer. I know you wouldn't have felt the way you feel now. I am your mother, Draco, and try as you might you can't hide what I see in your eyes." Narcissa's words ignited once again the remorse in Draco's heart, "You care for Adrian because you have no one else left. Why get married and produce your heir when such a wonderful child comes handy? After all, you had to do nothing. His mother brought him to this world…sacrificed her everything and fought to bring this child to world. And what did you do, Draco, what did you do? All you needed to do was rape her and then suddenly find out your lost heir when you had none then abduct him and force this tormented woman into a marriage. So, Jean was practically right when she said that you are a sperm donor, Draco, because what else did you do that could possibly be contributed to this child's conception?"
Draco was feeling guilty with every passing moment.
"That's the reason that I asked you, what you would have done to Jean if she did not become pregnant with your child. That's the reason I asked how you could have come at terms with this woman when you spent half of your life hating her. Don't you think your claim is a little too farfetched?" Narcissa's question was actually a statement.
Draco was determined not to leave the arena without some glory.
"Mother, I admit that you are right in assessing me that I wouldn't have felt the way I feel now had Adrian not been involved. Maybe I would be ignorant of her if Astoria was alive and would never pay Adrian the attention that he gets from me now." He replied earnestly, "But I am not the monster you take me as. I understand the full impact of my crime on my wife and son now. And I am willing to make amends after all these years."
"Why?" Narcissa was so calm that Draco suspected that she has come with an agenda for he had never seen his mother argue like this, "Why care now that the damage is done? Can you change it now?"
"No, I can't. But at least, I can try." Draco was equally calm.
"Which raises the same question, Draco, Why?" Narcissa was acting so stubborn that Draco was wondering what this conversation was leading them to, "Why, Draco, why?"
"Because I love them, mother, I love them." Draco replied flat out, "I want to make amends because I love Adrian and I love Hermione. It may sound ridiculous to you but I love them. And don't forget that you are also a pureblood supremacist like I was. Don't you remember what you said when you first learned that I got married to Hermione? Don't you remember how sad you were when you learnt that I have a half-blood son from a Muggleborn witch? Didn't you say that I defiled the Malfoy bloodline?" Draco's patience was running thin now.
"I remember everything I did and said, Draco." Narcissa's voice was steady, "I may not study Law or work at the Ministry as the potions researcher, Draco, but don't think that my memory is weak. I was a Slytherin too and my grades were pretty good when I was at Hogwarts. In fact Professor Slughorn, our Head of House, was quite pleased with it and if that memory of mine tells me correctly, then I would like to remind you the lies that you told me to pacify me, Draco. You told me that you and Jean had a one night stand while you both were drunk. Correct me if I am wrong, Draco, but didn't you tell me that I will love Adrian too because he looks just like you, he draws and flies like you. Didn't you say that it was an unfortunate incident that he is Jean's son instead of Astoria's and didn't you tell me that you are willing to bypass the unlucky event for the sake of his innocence and goodness? Then what happened so suddenly that Hermione Granger is the love of your life and you are willing to come at terms with her at any cost? Where did all this love come from Draco? Tell me." she challenged.
"I don't know, mother, where it came from. I don't know how it started. I just know that it is love and that's all I need to know." Draco stated boldly.
"You don't know because this feeling that you are claiming is 'love' isn't actually love." Narcissa said with supreme confidence, "It is a powerful infatuation. It is an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for Jean, someone you could hardly stand even a few days ago. Do you want to know why, Draco, why you are feeling this intense desire to have her?" she leaned forward and whispered at him.
Draco was reminded of Hermione's claim that he coveted her and he was suddenly frightened to ask his mother why he felt so.
"Because, embarrassingly, after Astoria passed away you have no bed partner. A man sometimes needs to relieve himself and you have none. So, as your wife you attention naturally fell on Jean." Narcissa replied, "You are reconciling so that you can have her on your bed and then when you are done with her, it will be over."
Draco was out of his bed in an instant and pointing a firm finger at the door, asking his mother to leave.
"I have had enough of this claim that I want to have sex with my own rape victim and I am not taking this nonsense anymore." He was shaking from head to foot in rage, "I don't want to touch her that way."
"Then in what way would you like to touch her?" Narcissa showed no sign of leaving any sooner.
"With. Her. Consent." Draco spat furiously, "Just like I did with Astoria."
"Astoria was your wife with her own consent. She didn't marry you to save her only son." Narcissa's logic was leaving Draco breathless, "Listen, Draco, you may think any other way you like to delude yourself but this thing that you call love is anything but that." she said calmly, "I know it because I have been through it and while we – Lucius and I, never discussed our private lives with you, I can assure you that our love didn't start with love first. I am not here to torment or vex you. I am here to tell you some things that might change your perception of love." She patted on the bed, "Sit and let me tell you."
Draco, who had recently come to know the gruesome truth about his mother's marriage with his father, couldn't deny the offer of learning more about them. Still angry, he climbed on his bed and sat on his previous spot.
"You already know how Lucius and I got married." Narcissa cast a warming spell on Draco's soup and re-warmed it before handing it to him, "I was very depressed on my wedding day. I didn't even bother to look at myself in the mirror when they were grooming me. I was so lost that I don't even remember how I looked like as a bride, I just remember that your grandmother, Medusa came and gave me a family heirloom, a gem encrusted comb to be placed on my hair. She said that every Malfoy bride wears it on her wedding day and then my mother put it on my hair. Then my father walked me down the aisle and handed me to Lucius. It was that time, that I actually felt the heaviness of a man's gaze upon my body because your father was examining me carefully." She paused and sighed as Draco continued to eat, "I took vows with him and we got married. He brought me to Malfoy Manor. I have never felt so lonely and insecure in my entire life, not even with Dark Lord at our home. It was my wedding night but we hardly exchanged words. There was an awkward silence between us and I don't even remember how the first month flew away. I slowly started to settle down in Malfoy household and all the while when I was trying to be a good wife there was always a communication gap between us. I was respectful to my husband because we, the Black women, were taught to be so but try as I might I couldn't make myself fall in love with the man I hardly knew. We were like two distant people stuck in marriage, almost but not entirely like you and Jean. It took me a few monthes to understand what Lucius was like for he was very introvert. I was also pretty tense about my esteemed mother-in-law, Medusa, who would never let go of an opportunity to tease me. But somehow I always got off, even if I knew that it have done some major mistake and Medusa will verbally abuse me for it, someone always corrected them before it reached her ears. Like, I used to prepare the menu for dinner and there were numerous rules regarding what could and couldn't be served in the house of Malfoys; for example Muggle foods were not to be included and the wine should be different everyday of a month. It was a tedious job and with Medusa breathing down my neck to taunt me on my upbringing, I became more nervous. I sometimes made mistakes and sent wrong menus to the kitchen and by the time I remember them it was too late to change for elves needed time to prepare each course elaborately. But surprisingly, someone always corrected the menu before the dinner reached the table. At first I thought, it was the elves for they have been in this household since ages and they know everything. But then I found out that it was…" she paused and smiled.
"Father?" Draco was suddenly feeling a strange elation spreading through his veins, "It was father, wasn't he?"
Narcissa nodded, the ghost of her smile still etched on her lips, "He was so strange. I mean, I never thought that man could be that thoughtful but found out that he was. That is when I felt a strange attraction for the mysterious man who took care of his wife from behind the curtains. I thought it was love and I even deluded myself into believing it which made me more open to him. We started spending more time together – walking around the manor, sometimes doing gardening together, though my mother-in-law highly disapproved of it. It was so beautiful, Draco." Narcissa's eyes were shining with tears, "I have never felt something so wonderful. All day I waited for Lucius to return home so that we can walk in the gardens or talk. I deeply in this thought that he loved me until one night when he told me that he didn't." she paused.
"Then what was it?" Draco asked incredulously.
"Empathy." Narcissa replied quietly, "He felt for me because we got married to each other to save the family reputations when my elder sister and his elder brother ran away. He could feel the pain that I was going through and that was the reason he tried to save me from his mother's taunts about my sister Andromeda. It wasn't love Draco, it was empathy and the knowledge that it wasn't love, broke my heart. I became reclusive once again and tried hard not to show it to him but Lucius must have caught wind because he started to take better care of me. That I take as his guilt for breaking his young wife's heart. So, as I said Draco, what you feel for Jean isn't love but a strange attraction for an innocent woman based on your guilt that originated due to presence of Adrian. You said yourself that you wouldn't have cared about her otherwise. Maybe I was wrong in saying that it was a physical infatuation but it is nothing else. You still don't know what love is."
"What happened next?" Draco was hungry for more, "How did you fall in love in the end?"
"Lucius made me fall for him." Narcissa replied plainly.
"But how? Did he give you expensive gifts or took you out for dinner?" Draco wasn't ready to let go of the story until he found out the secret.
"Long story, Draco, but for tonight, be contented with what you learned about your parents. For outsiders, Lucius might be a vicious man but for me he was a very special person." Narcissa finally stood up, "I would like you to finish the rest of your food and take good care of yourself." She left as abruptly as she came.
Draco was left to ponder over his mother's words.
Was his mother right in saying that he didn't love Hermione but harboured a terrible infatuation for her?
Was she right in saying that he was frustrated for not having a partner?
He did have a dream where he was kissing Hermione but it was nothing serious.
Or was it the beginning of what Hermione said as 'coveting'?
Does he really covet her?
Draco pushed aside the half empty tray and got out of his bed.
He desperately needed to take a shower and think on the issue.
•••••
"Jean, dearest, can we have a walk?" Hermione was about to leave the dining room after dinner when she heard Audré's voice calling her from behind.
"Yes, of course, why not." She tried to suppress the morning's events when she had screamed at Draco and Alexis at the garden telling them that she was no man's Hermione, "Can I take…" she motioned at her son with her eyes and enquired if they will be having any serious conversation.
"Otherwise, who is going to help this poor old woman walk?" Audré winked at Hermione and held out a hand to Adrian, "My dear little man, will you help your frail old grandma take a walk after dinner?" she asked him politely.
Adrian need not telling twice and soon Hermione and her son were on either side of Audré, walking on the garden paths.
"Where is Lillian?" Hermione felt a suffocating embarrassment as she enquired of her sister-in-law, "She wasn't at dinner."
"Lillian is tired and she is sleeping in her suite. The other person that you will not enquire about is also tired and sleeping in his suite." She referred to Draco Malfoy, "I know you are curious to learn why we are having this walk but this is just a walk. Nothing else. No hidden agendas." She said plainly.
They walked silently for a while after which Audré suddenly turned to Hermione.
"Julian is still at office working on the letter that you received through Gringotts post and he informed me through the Floo that he is hopeful that he will trace the identity of its sender." Audré said calmly and squeezed Hermione's hand gently, "I want you to know that you are never alone in anything." She smiled at her.
Hermione smiled back with difficulty, the pain of letting Alexis go and the apprehension of being civil to Draco was still numbing her senses and try as she might she couldn't forget the dream that Alexis had recounted to her.
'I was standing on a meadow full daisies…and you were there…sitting under an olive tree…Adrian was playing with his rabbit and the air scented of honeysuckle…Adrian called me… 'Papa, come here'… he called me 'Papa'…he said he was waiting for me…and I walked over to you…you…' Alexis's voice was still ringing in Hermione's ears, '…you were…preg…pregnant…and I sat beside you…you said that maman told that we are going to have a daughter…and Adrian exclaimed happily…he was becoming a big brother…and I leaned forward and…we…kiss…'
"Sometimes, dearest, we don't have control over our dreams." She heard Audré commented lightly, "Dream, though created by our brains, is the reflection of the innermost desires of our hearts. Strange, isn't it, Jean, for we always regard brain and heart separately but note how they work synchronously to make what we really are. I know that you are having a serious conflict between your brain and your heart for they are telling you to do two different things. But in the end it is the heart that wins, dear, because without heart, Adrian wouldn't be here."
Hermione was amazed at how perfectly Audré described her problem of her inner conflict. She was also true regarding Adrian for Hermione's brain had told her to abort him but her heart couldn't accept killing of an innocent life that was growing strongly inside her.
"But I sacrificed my heart the night I walked down the aisle with him." Hermione's indications were clear, "Now it is only pumping the blood through my veins."
"Sometimes, I think you are too righteous for your own good, Jean." Audré was giving Hermione a strange smile, "Why lose hope when there are still so many moves to play?"
"What move, aunt?" Hermione was mildly curious for she knew that deciphering the true meaning of Audré's words were almost impossible.
"You will understand soon enough, Jean." Audré remarked as they turned a corner and faced the bold view of the Château standing before them, "Remember, just like a building isn't built in a day and a life and a dream isn't destroyed overnight. There is always something to hold on. There is always a way to get to what you want." she looked up at the star scattered night, "And there is no night with the light of the stars to guide you through it."
As always Audré's words were enigmatic but strangely comforting and Hermione couldn't smile at her genuinely for the very first time that day.