A/N: Thanks to Surugusasa, Grovek26 and SereniteRose for their kind reviews on last chapter.
Thanks everyone for all the follows and favourites.
** In this chapter we resolve two more issues that were previously mentioned. For me, boy or girl, every child is first and foremost a human being and those who deny him/her that right aren't humans at all. In a world where there are thousands of foeticides everyday solely based on a particular gender, it's high time that we value humans, not their sexes. Also, no remorse is remorse unless the person musters courage to confess it.
Well I guess that's all and now please enjoy and don't forget to leave a review.
**I have made a page in Pinterest, wholly dedicated to TPA, where almost all the characters as I see them (both HP and OC) as well as major and minor things are available as images. It doesn't require accounts and the link in my profile for those who'd like to visit it.
**My fiction 'The Poisoned Apple' has been nominated for The Hogwarts award in the category Hermione Romance. It is posted on the site and I would like you to cast your vote on the site under 'vote' tab.
The website is hogwartsawards DOT weebly DOT com **replace DOT with a . The link can also be found in my profile.
For adult words and themes this Chapter is rated: M
Disclaimer: The copyright to Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling. Any other characters are purely work of fiction and any resemblances are co-incidental.
Chapter 68: Pleasant and Unpleasant Purges.
Draco looked up at the shop signboard before him and frowned.
It definitely didn't read Naphtalines. The words Antique and Dentellés that were etched on the wide display windows on either side of the blue entry door were also missing. Nothing was left of what once used to be Old Clopin's Antique shop.
On its place, another bold sign proclaimed that the shop was now solely dedicated to pets:
Power Paws
Suppliers of imported and native felines, canines, kittens, puppies and beyond…
Underneath it and behind the wide front displays Draco could see numerous shiny cages containing every possible kind of cats and dogs that their breed would allow them to exist. There were blue eyed white furry Persian ones, sleek black Bombay cats with yellow lamp like eyes, Tabby, Siamese, British shorthair, Russian blue, Manx and furry Norwegian ones - all staring back at him and Draco suppressed an involuntary shudder. Cats always made him feel sick and there has never been an occasion when he hasn't sneezed in their presence. Numerous times he had kicked Millicent's cat out of boy's dormitory just because he couldn't hold the sight of it and if allowed, he would've done the same to Filch's cat too. He felt grateful for the large 'Closed' sign hanging behind the wood paneled glass door. It has spared him the horror of visiting the shop.
Leaving the Château on pursuit of Hermione's locket, Draco had decided to visit the place from where it all started: the antique shop in Ruelle Les Halles. He hasn't at all expected the shop owner to still possess the locket that was sold almost six years ago but somehow, in the back of his mind, Draco knew it the right place to begin with. Maybe he would find a way to trace the current owner and if possible buy it from him or her. True that he highly doubted if Clopin ever kept a record of things he bought and sold but then again, Malfoys always know how wriggle out necessary information be it manually or magically.
But now that there was no shop to visit and investigate the whereabouts of that locket, Draco wondered where he should begin. The row of shops that were located on this side of the alleys of Les Halles were solely dedicated to ingredients that were mostly used to brew illegal Potions interspersed with a few pet-shops in between. There was no other antique shop in the vicinity and his morale slightly subdued, Draco decided to ask some of the nearby shop owners about Naphtalines.
"It closed years ago, Monsieur." A man with yellowish teeth, several of which were missing, informed him but when Draco asked exactly how many years ago did the shop close, he couldn't provide an answer. Instead he offered him to buy an ounce of his very best eel's eyes and ignoring his calls with one of trademark Malfoy sneers, Draco walked past the large barrel.
He wasn't fortunate with the rest of the shop owners. Some said that they were newcomers here; some said they haven't paid attention to their fellow shop owners and some enquired back suspiciously why he was asking about Old Clopin. Furious and irritated, Draco left without an answer.
'There must be a way, Draco, there must be a way.' he smacked his palm in impatience, 'Think, Draco, think.'
It was as if the answer was waiting just for this particular moment and it came into view as soon as Draco walked out into the main street again.
A shop with elaborate pompous decoration named - 'Le Gâterie de Tricaud' was standing boldly beside the main road and Draco blinked twice before it fully hit his senses.
"Tricaud Treats", he murmured the name in English, vaguely remembering that his Sorbonne peer Dominique's full name was Dominique Tricaud and his father owned a shop at Ruelle Les Halles.
What a pleasant co-incidence!
He can visit the place and ask Dominique about Clopin's shop. In Apolline's third batch of memories, the old man had said that he was in antique business for almost seventy years and now was a chance to test how true that statement was.
It didn't take Draco more than ten long strides to cross the alley in between and reach the shop. He stood outside for a while, examining the exterior.
From outside it appeared as a gourmet chocolate and candy store. The large front display window boasted behind it a staggering collection of every kind of sweets, candies and chocolates imaginable. There were small cubes of pastel-coloured marshmallows, bite-sized pâte de fruits, stacks of artisanal Mazet pralines, tubes full of jolly bergamot candies and glorious jars of caramels - all piled up in mouthwatering heaps. A large collection of Chocolate Skeletons, Chocolate Wands, Fever Fudges, Flaming Kiwis, Mice Pops, Peppermint Toads and Jumpling Snakes were also stacked in one corner and remembering Honeydukes, Draco sighed deeply.
Where did those golden days of his carefree childhood go?
When he could ask his parents to give him whatever he wanted.
When he could walk behind his father and be relieved that he was in charge of everything.
When he could scold Crabbe and Goyle for pigging over sweets and still buy a generous amount for himself?
Where were those days gone?
Now he was alone with none but his own shadow to accompany him.
There was no father to walk behind.
Nobody to scold for gluttony.
And definitely nobody to ask something from.
Because he was the man now.
The man in charge of his family.
A father in charge of his son.
A husband in charge of his wife.
A son in charge on his mother.
He was the man now, not the coward boy who used to hide behind the shadow of his rich father and the statement - 'wait till my father hears about this'.
"S'il te plait, maman, S'il te plaiiiiiiiiiit."
"Non, Jean. Je ne ai pas les moyens de l'acheter ."
It was the word Jean that brought Draco out of his musings and turning his head sideways, he saw a little girl insistently tugging the skirt of her mother's dress and pointing at a large jar of Chocolate Truffles there were on display. She kept pleading to her mother to buy her some Chocolate Truffles while the woman shook her head resolutely and said she couldn't afford it.
Several things about that one scene captured Draco's attention. The little girl named Jean not only shared her name with Hermione, she also had the same kind of brown curls that Hermione had. She also seemed as stubborn as her as she wouldn't let go of her mother's skirt unless her demand was fulfilled and Draco simply stared at her in awe.
"Let's go, Jean, people are looking at us." The woman suddenly noticed Draco watching them closely and said in an undertone before taking her daughter by her little arm and trying to lead her off the store front forcefully. Before she left the girl turned back looked at him and their eyes met.
Draco let out an inaudible gasp.
Jean's eyes were chocolate brown too; just like Hermione's. And they were tearful at the moment.
Draco didn't know what happened to him suddenly.
The woman just stepped on the main street, dragging her almost crying daughter behind her when Draco almost ran before her and stopped her on the track.
"Bonjour Madame." He greeted the displeased and scowling woman, "Can I please talk to you for a moment?"
"Why?" the woman asked back, all the while examining Draco from head to foot with suspicious eyes.
"Is your daughter's name Jean?" Draco didn't reply and asked instead while the girl peeped from behind her mother with tearful big brown eyes.
The woman raised an eyebrow, "So?"
"Can I buy her those Chocolate Truffles?" Draco didn't wait for the introduction and offered immediately.
The woman pursed her lips in evident anger, "Look, Monsieur, I thank you for the kindness but we are not beggars." She said haughtily.
"It's not that." Draco just couldn't take his eyes of little Jean, she seemed to have charmed him with her innocence, "I have a son like her. His name is Adrian and he likes Chocolate truffles too." he said remembering Adrian's favourite treat, "She reminded me of him."
"Reminded you?" The woman's features softened considerably, "Why is he sick or…"
"He's alive and well." Draco deciphered the rest of the sentence without it being spoken to, "We just don't get along well." He confessed, "He lives with his mother. Her name is Jean too."
"Oh! I am very sorry." The previously angry woman was suddenly looking very kind, "Look, Monsieur, I understand your sentiments for them but I really can't allow you to buy those truffles for Jean. I have money but need to spend them on more important things. Please forgive me but I am sorry." she said, shaking her head in dignified manner and tried to bypass Draco in an attempt to leave with her daughter.
Draco didn't know how to stop them.
"Draco? What are you doing here?"
Looking past the now retreating woman's shoulder, Draco discovered Dominique standing before the shop, wiping his hands on his black apron with a deep frown on his face.
"See, Madame, that shop is my friend's." Draco didn't reply to his peer's enquiry and stopped the woman again, "Please, Madame, I'll be my honour to buy little Jean something for Hallowe'en." There was no way this girl would be deprived of her favourite chocolate like Hermione was six years ago when she had no money.
"Maman, pleeeeeeease." It appeared that the little girl knew some basic English as she deciphered the meaning of the ongoing conversation between her mother and Draco, "Maman, S'il te plaiiiiiiiiiit!" she pulled her skirt again.
"Madame, please!" Draco didn't know what was driving him for he has never pleaded before anyone, let alone impoverished people whom he avoided at all costs, "It's just a gift." He stated solemnly.
"Okay, okay!" the woman let out a defeated sigh, "Okay Monsieur you can buy it for her but only Chocolate Truffles. Nothing else." She warned him urgently.
"Will anyone please tell me what's going on here, Draco?" Dominique upon receiving no answer walked over to them and asked again.
The woman was about to reply when Draco stopped her. "Shut up, Dominique, go and fetch me two large boxes of those Truffles." he didn't reply either and ordered him instead, "I'll explain it to you later." He said giving Dominique a deliberate look.
"Whatever." Dominique dismissed him indignantly before disappearing inside the shop. He came out a minute later with two large boxes of truffles which Draco didn't ask permission before taking from him.
"Here, little Jean." he bent low before the girl, who was still peeping at him from behind her mother's long skirt, "It's for you." he said offering the boxes to her.
But instead of taking them from him, little Jean simply hid her face behind her mother.
"She is a bit shy with strangers." Her mother said fondly, trying to pull her daughter out from behind her, "But she is a good girl; helps maman to take care of her little brothers. Jean, come out now and take that gift from good Monsieur. Come out now." she nudged her daughter forward.
Upon her mother's assurance, little Jean came out from her hideout, gave Dominique a timid glance, reached out and took the boxes Draco was offering before clutching it to her heart and wrapping her arms around them as if they were some priceless treasure. There was something about that innocent girl whose name, hairs and eyes were same as that of Hermione that melted Draco's heart and stroking her curls, he gave her his most charming smile.
"Are you happy now?" he asked little Jean who simply nodded in response.
"How old are you?" Draco asked again, "My son Adrian will turn six this January." He mentioned Adrian on purpose to encourage the girl to talk.
"Cinq." Was the only curt reply he received.
"Five years." Draco widened his eyes in amazement, "You are almost a little lady now."
"Jean, you didn't thank the good Monsieur for the gift." Jean's mother reminded her and giving Draco a shy smile for the very first time, little Jean mumbled a 'merci' before retreating behind her mother again.
"Merci, Monsieur." The woman thanked him as Draco straightened up, "May you reunite with your family soon." She said with a kind smile before leaving with her daughter in tow.
It was that moment when Draco realized what Hermione must have felt when the old Muggle woman whom she had helped in carrying her staffs, gave her blessings that she be blessed with the most beautiful and innocent child in the world. Prior to this moment, that fragment of memory held a different meaning for him but now as he watched the happy little girl hopping alongside her mother, he understood what powers those apparently valueless words held.
'I pray to Lord and I pray to Holy Mother that you have the most beautiful and innocent child in the world.'
Yes, Hermione had been blessed with Adrian – the most charming boy that ever walked on this planet.
'May you reunite with your family soon.'
Draco sincerely hoped that like the previous one, this one also came true.
"When you are done with your staring, Draco Malfoy, you can come in." Dominique's sharp jibe reached his ears and not minding to retort he kept looking fixedly at the direction of little Jean.
"I wish I had a daughter like her." he said suddenly, not knowing what really brought out that particular comment. Considering the fact that Draco never really cared for a daughter and was appalled that Hermione had wished to have a daughter instead of a son, this proclamation was unprecedented.
"You want to kidnap her?" Dominique asked and huffing in displeasure, Draco turned his attention to his companion.
"Are you a pea brain or something?" he asked him coolly, "Which part of my statement said that I wanted to kidnap her? I just said I wish I had a daughter like her."
"What for?" Dominique asked back, indignantly, "As far as I know, Malfoys don't have daughters. Then why will you break your family traditions?"
"Which inept moron said that Malfoys don't have daughters?" Draco was beside himself in anger, "Where did my sister Lillian come from then? Did she spring out of earth one fine morning?"
"I meant the real Malfoys, Draco." Dominique was completely nonplussed, "Not the Chombrun Malfoys."
"Meaning?" Draco's temper was shooting up with each passing moment, "What you mean by 'not the Chombrun Malfoys.'
"Never you mind." Dominique was calm as he ushered a furious Draco inside the shop, "Come, let's talk over a nice glass of elf-made meads."
"I am in no mood for wines." Draco snapped, now looking around the shop with black and white tiled floor, shelves upon shelves of most exotic sweets and candies, air thick with the smell of rich cocoa, "You once said you are poor. Now I see what that poor means. This place is roaring in business and you are rolling in galleons." He said pointedly, glancing over the small shop that was crammed with kids and their parents.
"Who is the pea brain now?" Dominique snorted as he took off his apron and folded it neatly, "This is a candy shop Draco, not a jewelry shop. Most of the items that we sell here are very reasonably priced – two knuts, three sickles, one galleon. Besides, it isn't crowded like this always. It's the day before Hallowe'en and I thought any pea brain such as yourself would know that it is time to buy treats for kids."
That reminded Draco that he hasn't bought anything for his own kid though he has given one to a completely stranger girl whose name and features matched Hermione.
"This way." Dominique instructed Draco, showing him a tightly spiraled staircase at the back of the crowded shop, "I think I can manage to take an hour off." He examined the counters where three men and a woman in pink outfit and black apron were working tirelessly to cope up with the onslaught of weekend customers.
"You live here?" Draco asked, almost petrified at the idea that how could someone live in a place that was roaring with outsiders all the time and there was very little chance of privacy.
"No. I live on the Moon and this staircase will take me straight up there." Dominique rolled his eyes and started climbing them, two at a time.
Shaking his head in disbelief and wondering where his search for Old Clopin would lead him to, Draco followed suit silently.
His peer escorted him to the topmost floor where a door led them to a single room with a large terrace in front. It was very airy and sunlight poured in through the spacious windows. From the bed to the table to the book shelves or the broom that was propped against the wall, the place was very neat and clean considering that it belonged to a bachelor.
"Never been to a more disgraceful place, I guess." Dominique noticed Draco's slight frown as he looked around the small room, "I think you'll need to spend an extra hour in shower scrubbing away the stink of cheapness."
By this time, Draco's anger has subsided and he sat down on the bed, which was the only reasonable option if he considered the threadbare sofa, with a disdainful look, "I think I'll need an entire day to clean the filth. By the way, you should mark the day on calendar as 'the day honourable Draco Malfoy set his foot on my room' and celebrate it every year."
"Yeah I think I should do that and ask my future kids to celebrate it too." Dominique settled on the threadbare sofa on the room, "Now tell me what will you take? Tea? Coffee? Butterbeer?" he asked, "I know people like you don't take food in substandard places like this but don't worry. You can brush your teeth for an extra two minutes to clean the traces while taking that extended bath." He shrugged.
Draco smirked, "Butterbeer." He replied and Dominique took out his wand, "Because they are already canned and free from touch."
"Right." Dominique nodded and waved his wand to cast a non-verbal Summoning Charm, "So what was that little drama that was being staged before our shop? Draco Malfoy giving out sweets to a stranger girl? Has the world gone to dogs?"
"What has dogs got to do with any of these matters?" Draco liked the banters they had over perfectly normal things, "What's wrong if Draco Malfoy suddenly decides to give a little girl something she wanted so much?" he asked as two Butterbeer cans zoomed in.
"Wrong is not in the ac, Draco, but in the name." Dominique snatched his can from midair like an expert Keeper, "Real Malfoys never invest on anything unless they get back something in return."
"I don't know why you are differentiating between me and my uncle's family, Dominique, but I assure you both the families are linked with many charitable organizations." Draco retaliated, "And not all of them are for showoff purpose."
Dominique didn't respond and sipped his Butterbeer in silence, "So what brought you here, Draco?" he asked evenly, "I don't think you came here to hand out sweets among poor kids."
"No, I didn't." Draco replied, taking a swig from his Butterbeer, "In fact, I wasn't even planning to come here. It was by co-incidence that I found your shop and met that girl."
"Hmm." Dominique nodded absentmindedly, "And what was the incident before that co-incidence?"
"Do you know Old Clopin?" Draco asked directly, "He had an antique shop down that…"
"Who doesn't know Old Clopin?" Dominique cut off Draco with a loud snort, "Or more accurately absinthe Clopin. Why? Why him of all people?"
"Listen, Dominique, right now I am in no mood for nice little chit chat." Draco said impatiently, finally finding a way to reach that old crook, "If you know anything about him just spit it out so that I can go and find him."
"Fine." Dominique was, as always unfazed by Draco's insistent rant, "You can find him in his grave which is in St. Claude communal cemetery for wizards and witches." He replied plainly.
"What?" Draco spluttered and gripped the Butterbeer can tightly, "Clopin is dead?"
"Yes." Dominique answered, straight faced, "Why? Never heard of anybody dying before?"
Draco tsk'ed in annoyance, "When did he die? How?" he asked, crestfallen. With Clopin's death, his chance of looking for Hermione's locket was virtually impossible now. The locket could be anywhere.
"It's been almost three years." Dominique finished his drink and threw the can on the rubbish bin where it landed neatly, "He was a heavy drinker and was addicted to absinthe. I hope as a Potions researcher in the Ministry you know what absinthe is made of."
"Grand wormwood, green anise and sweet fennel." Draco replied, remembering the list of wines wormwood was used, "It's highly alcoholic and a powerful hallucinogen due to presence of wormwood in it."
"Right, Monsieur Potions researcher." Dominique sighed, "Clopin was, I said, heavily addicted to absinthe. He used to say it opens up his mind and he can work best when he is on absinthe. But it really got the better of him one day. We still don't know how it happened but some speculate that he must have used a spell or something and it caused a fire that couldn't be extinguished no matter how many counter spells were used. Within an hour he and his shop were burnt to a pile of ashes and rubble. What remained of him, mostly charred bones, was buried by the ministry officials in St. Claude's cemetery."
"Do you think it was Fiendfyre?" Draco couldn't think of any other inextinguishable fire though he was having difficulty in believing that that old rag as Clopin had the power to conjure such a dark magic, "But in that case other shops would have been affected too because Fiendfyre spreads like mad." He remembered his encounter with it in the Room of Requirements.
"I don't know." Dominique shrugged, "No one knows what really happened that night and that's why they refrain from answering any questions regarding him. Honestly speaking, Draco I can't blame them for that. The Ministry punishment for involvement in Dark Magic is very severe. It's either a Life Sentence in Château d'If without parole or a Kiss. And who would want to be in trouble for a man who killed himself over absinthe addiction?"
For Draco that explained why Clopin's neighbours kept their mouth shut. They must have taken him as an undercover Ministry official probing Clopin's mysterious death.
But that wasn't going to solve his problem regarding the locket he so desperately sought and Draco wondered where to begin now that almost all clues were burnt to ashes.
"Draco?" he heard Dominique called his name, "Can I ask you something?"
"What? Why I gave those truffles to that girl?" Draco suspected the rant over that topic wasn't quite over.
"No." Dominique shook his head, his light brown eyes directly on Draco's grey pair, "I want to know why that girl's mother said 'may you reunite with you family soon'." He asked solemnly.
As if a bomb has suddenly exploded, the room went very quiet. Draco stared at his peer unblinkingly, his heart beating almost near his throat. Numerous lies popped up inside his head, each far-fetched than the previous and he fisted his hand tightly, crumpling the Butterbeer can.
"Don't take me wrong, Draco, I have no intention to interfere in your private matters." Dominique's feature was extremely calm as he started, "In fact, I have no interest in anyone's private matters – not even Eva's, my girlfriend. But there is something about you that's very odd."
"Like?" Draco's voice sounded dead to himself.
"Take our first meeting for example. You said you are married when I said girls are staring at you and yet you don't have a wedding band in your left hand. You said you have a son and his name is Adrian but I have never seen you bringing him in during Quidditch practices or during our first match where you were a Seeker. You said you were in a bet with your wife when you lied to that postman and send that flock of owls to deliver a hundred letters but you never told me who won it when it was I who helped you. I can give you a list of things that I find untrue about your statement, Draco, but I don't want to embarrass you; that's not my intention. And now you buy truffles for a complete stranger girl and her mother prays that you reunite with your family soon. It makes one want to think that your family is actually de…"
"They are alive and well." Draco didn't let Dominique finish the rest of the sentence, realizing that he was right in his observation, "They are alive, Dominique and…and you know them." he stated.
"I know them?" Dominique frowned, "How?"
Draco rubbed his forehead wearily and closed his eyes. He knew if he answered that question it would inevitably lead him to some very unpleasant ones. But how long would he be able to hide the truth. Dominique was Eva's boyfriend and there was no doubt in Draco's mind that Eva knew the truth about Hermione and Adrian. The loathing look she had given him the night he got married to Hermione was enough to convey that.
'Don't tell him, Draco, don't tell him the truth.' The voice that taunted him when he was at his most vulnerable moments, said inside his head, 'Don't breathe a word about it. Lie, lie, Draco, lie. You are a brilliant liar.'
Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
There was no way he was going to lie now.
"Yes. You know them Dominique." He opened his eyes and stated as solemnly as he could, "My wife is Eva's friend Jean Granger and my son is her son – Adrian."
As if another bomb has exploded, Dominique simply gaped at him.
"Jjjeeaannn?" he stammered, his brown eyes wide in undulated amazement, "Adrian?" he repeated after Draco.
"Yes, you heard me right. Jean and Adrian. They are my family." Draco didn't know from where all this courage was coming from all of a sudden, "I am Hermione Jean Granger's husband and Adrian's father." he proclaimed solemnly.
"That's why Adrian looked so familiar to me! He looks like you!" Dominique exclaimed softly and clapped on his cheek as if chastising himself over his foolishness, "I thought I have seen him before but I couldn't remember where. It was very crowded after the match was over. His eyes, nose, chin, lips…his hair…that particular shade of silvery blonde colour… they are all yours."
"Except for the curls." Draco added, "They are his mother's and it makes Adrian even more adorable than I ever was at the age of five and a half."
"Wow!" Dominique was still shocked, "Adrian is your son and Jean is your wife! Wow! But why would like to hide them from me? Especially when we are already related through Eva?"
Draco knew the moment of truth was coming and yet somehow he wasn't intimidated by it. He felt tired of carrying guilty secrets and now the burden has blown such out of proportions that even the act of breathing seemed like a horrible torture.
"Because I was afraid that Eva will tell you the truth." He replied honestly, "The truth about me and Hermione. The truth about Adrian. They are very bitter truths. And I wasn't prepared for it…wasn't ready for it to finally come out." He let out a heavy sigh, "But now I can't take it anymore. It's just eating me from inside…gnawing me…killing me and I…I want it…" he broke off and hung his head.
"Draco? What's wrong?" Dominique's voice, though dead calm was barely hiding a tone of concern, "Why are you so pale?"
Draco whipped out his wand and with flick, closed the door before casting a non-verbal Imperturbable Charm on it.
"Listen carefully, Dominique, you'll not judge Hermione for it. Nor will you blame or pity her." He warned him in a sibilant whisper that was determined, "You will not blame Adrian or pity him either. Because if you do that, Dominique, I'll perform my first and last murder by killing you."
Dominique looked half-puzzled and half-apprehensive, "Draco, I don't understand. Where does topic of this murder and killing comes from all of a sudden?"
Not replying his question, Draco walked and stood before one of the large windows that overlooked the busy streets below. He took a lungful of already cold air and looked up at the afternoon sky.
"I raped Hermione six years ago and Adrian is the fruit of that violent act."
The silence that followed was one of the longest he has ever encountered. It was eerie and heavy, like the truth he has just stated and it hung in the air like a black veil that separated him all his surroundings.
"It was during the war and the Dark Lord was using our place as his base against our will. Obviously there was no way we could make him go. They used to have Death Eater's meetings and…keep prisoners who were abducted in our cellar. Attending Hogwarts was mandatory that year and I had no option but to leave my parents in the middle of peril to go to Hogwarts. It was also required that all students should have their blood statused by the ministry and only pureblood were allowed to attend Hogwarts. Hermione being a Muggleborn was at run with his friends, hiding from the Ministry."
"I was at home for Easter. Mother insisted that I spent it at home and so I came. On the day of 29th March, some Snatchers brought an unconscious girl to our manor. My mother brought them inside. I didn't know it was Granger. I was upstairs, in my room when I suddenly heard my mother screaming for life. I thought one of those Snatchers have attacked her and bolted downstairs. I found Granger taking my mother as a hostage with her own wand. She threatened to kill her if she wasn't allowed to go."
Draco paused and bit his lips.
"I don't know what happened to me. The scene where my pureblood mother was taken a hostage by a mud…Muggleborn infuriated me beyond anything. I… I lost my temper…controls over my mind and body. I attacked her from behind and snatched away the wand from her hand. I dragged her by her hair and took her to our dungeon."
Draco closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
"I beat her brutally and raped her there."
"Nostradamus! Draco!"
"I left her there like that…naked and bruised all over and went to cleanse myself. The elves took her to our cellar with the other prisoners – Ollivander - a wandmaker, a girl by the name of Luna Lovegood and a goblin. Eventually her friends came and rescued her."
Draco slowly let out a painful breath and opened his eyes.
"She became pregnant. When she discovered it, she thought I'll kill her and the baby. So she decided to leave…"
"Enough, Draco, enough! Please stop! Please spare me the horror of listening to such abominable act." Dominique cut in, his voice shaking from raw emotion, "I know the rest. Eva told me how Jean came to France when she was pregnant. How she fought to be what she is today. How she raised her son – Adrian. I know it all. I just didn't know that she was assaulted. Eva also didn't tell me that Jean was married to her rapist and I am not even interested to know how you did that. But if you that think your truths will tarnish her image in my mind then you are very much mistaken." Draco could feel the heat and hatred in Dominique's voice, "She is an extremely brave woman…to decide to keep an unwanted baby…leave her country for it…give birth to him and raise him alone in a foreign country. It takes a lion's heart to be as brave as that, Draco, and nothing you say can change it. In fact, I respect her even more now. As for you, I don't know what to say. I never thought you were capable of doing that. Never. Especially after I saw how you beat the hell out of Loïc for calling your sister sexy. But remember, real men never hurt women."
"I am not a man, Dominique, I am a monster." Draco couldn't turn around and face his peer, "I am a monster and I deserve to die."
"Can you confess your crime before Wizengamot?" Dominique came to stand beside Draco, "Can you?" he asked solemnly.
"No." Draco replied truthfully, "I can't. My family name – Malfoy still commands some respect in the Wizarding world and if I confess my crime, it will ruin Hermione's hard built reputation. Not everyone is like you Dominique. Most people blame girls for their rapes – inappropriate clothes, inappropriate manners, the man being drunk and out of his wits, the girl being in the wrong place in wrong time. They try to justify their actions by blaming the woman. They'll judge Hermione for my crime and no matter what I say or do, that view can't be changed. But it's not even that. I shudder when I think what Adrian will do when he'll come to know the truth behind his birth. It'll shatter him for sure and he's the only kid I have now. I can't afford to let that happen, Dominique. I have already lost three sons before him." He turned his head sideways and looked at his peer.
Dominique was white faced and gaunt.
"You lost three sons?" he asked Draco, stunned, "Before Adrian?"
"They were from my first marriage to a woman named Astoria Greengrass. Our eldest son, Scorpius died when he was just two. The others died in their mother's womb and she followed them too." Draco replied.
"I am sorry. I am really sorry." Dominique's features were sincerely sad, "They were innocent. They shouldn't have paid for your crime."
"What do you mean 'they paid for my crime'?" Draco was appalled, "Why would they pay for it?"
"I don't know, Draco." Dominique seemed to regain some of his earlier confidence, "But think why would you loss all three of your sons? And your wife too? At least one of them could have survived. And why would you be left with nothing? Don't you think it's a silent payback for making an innocent woman sacrifice all she had for the sake of her son? Even to the point of marrying you?"
Draco didn't know what to reply, "But they died from a disease." He said desperately to rule out that horrible possibility.
"Be that as it may, Draco." Dominique said solemnly, "They died. All of them. And they were those whom you cared for. And you were made to face the truth; the truth that you confessed before me today. I am sure you must have forgotten all about had you not been brought to face the consequences."
In a sense, Dominique was right. Draco had forgotten the past for the sake of future.
"Yes, I did." he admitted shamefully, "I used to blame Hermione for it."
"There, you see. No crime goes unpunished." Dominique said solemnly, "You thought you could escape it and yet somehow you were punished brutally to make you come into your senses. But that doesn't explain why you confessed it before me now."
"I don't know myself. Malfoys never talk about their private lives. It's strictly prohibited." Draco sighed, "Maybe it's because I have no one. No one to talk to with an open heart." He said frankly, "Maybe I am remorseful for my acts. Maybe I want to get rid of these unwanted feelings and memories. Maybe like everyone I needed a release too. I don't know, Dominique, I just know that it's the right thing."
"I don't know what to say, Draco, I don't know what to feel." Dominique sighed and shook his head, "I mean, I am standing with a man who raped a woman when they were barely adults and I know that I should feel nothing but extreme repulsion. And I am feeling that. But somehow, seeing how you have suffered in past six years I can't but feel a bit sad for you too. You shouldn't have done that, Draco, you shouldn't have done that. Rape is a punishable crime."
"I know." Draco sighed too, "I know, Dominique. But I have never touched a woman against her will in my entire life."
"That's not an excuse to mitigate your crime." Dominique offered, looking down at the street below.
"No, it isn't." Draco agreed.
He felt strangely empty now. As if a mountain was moved away from over his chest; as if the invisible hands barring his breathing were removed; as if he could see, feel and live anew now that he has finally spoken the truth. For the first time, Draco understood the undeniable power of truth.
Truth was relief.
Truth was salvation.
"Does your family know about it?" he heard Dominique asking him.
"My mother and aunt knows." Draco replied, "My cousins don't."
"Do you plan to tell them too?"
"No. I can't. Lillian, my cousin whom I love like my own sister, will hate me the moment she'll come to know about it. Julian, I am sure will ask me to leave their home. Since my son is Claimed, he'll have to leave the Château too, with Hermione and right now I have no place to take them. Hermione told me on my face she will not go back to manor."
"So if you suffer, Draco, they are entitled to suffer too. Right?"
Draco wondered if there was a better way to put that like Dominique had done.
Yes, they were entitled to suffer together because neither Hermione nor Adrian was ready to accept him in their lives.
"Maybe." He commented vaguely, "But only for a while. After that, I am sure everything will be alright."
"How? Are you going to modify Jean's memory or slip her a Love Potion?" Dominique was back on action, "There is no way a woman like her will accept you. Ever."
"Neither." Draco replied solemnly, "I am going to give her all that she has lost for me. One by one. Every single one of them. After that I'm going to beg her forgiveness. True that I can't give her back that life she always dreamt of but Hermione has a very good heart. I can only hope that she'll forgive me and we'll start anew for the sake of the kid we share."
Dominique shook his head and sighed, "Complicated, Draco, that's very complicated. Very difficult. It's a war between a woman and a mother. But how are you going to know what she has sacrificed?"
"I have means." Draco said, smiling for the very first time, "Legal means."
"Is Old Clopin related to that legal mean?" Dominique arched a skeptic eyebrow.
"Very much so. He had a locket that Hermione sold to him when she first came to France." Draco explained, "It was her mother's last keepsake and she sold it because she was in desperate need of money."
"Understood." Dominique nodded wisely, "But we can't dig into his grave for that locket. Even if it was under his possession at that time, the fire must have destroyed it."
"We?" Draco didn't miss the plural form, "You are going to help me on this?"
"Why not?" Dominique asked back, "Don't think I am supporting you or glorifying your crime just because you confessed it to me. In my opinion, you have a long way to go Draco and I am just curious to see how it all ends."
"Better two than be alone." Draco murmured, "So how do you think I can collect information on that lost locket?"
Dominique tapped on his lips thoughtfully, "Let me think. I'll try to talk to Clopin's neighbours and see if I can wriggle anything from them." he suggested, "By the way, did you buy those chocolates for that little girl because…"
"Because her name is Jean and she has brown hair and eyes just like her." Draco knew that Dominique would eventually ask him about it, "Besides, Adrian loves truffles." He added and took out his money satchel.
"Keep your filthy money to yourself, Malfoy." Dominique shoved the pouch back into Draco's pocket and said indignantly, "It's Hallowe'en and Tricaud's still aren't that poor to take money for two boxes of truffles."
"They aren't filthy, Tricaud, I earned them." Draco said firmly.
"Then spend them well." Dominique said and opened the door, "Coming, aren't you?" he demanded.
"Where?" Draco asked, frowning at his sudden desire to leave.
"Where else? To the earth." Dominique rolled his eyes, "Have we spent enough time on the Moon? Or are you planning to reveal more dark secrets?"
Draco shook his head in disbelief. This man was more enigmatic than his aunt Audré.
Once downstairs, Dominique handed him another two boxes of truffle and Peppermint Toad.
"They for my nephew, Adrian." he gave Draco a warning look, "The Toads will hop inside your stomach."
Draco looked down at the boxes and then at his peer.
No, his friend.
Dominique wasn't his peer anymore. Somehow, through his actions he has shown Draco what real friends were like.
"Why aren't you mad at me?" he asked the most logical question once he felt that he cared for the man now, "I told you the truth about me."
"I wish I could tell you the truth too, Draco, but it'll sound very harsh." Dominique replied, "Right now, I have to get back to my work. I am sure papa is wondering where I have disappeared."
It was then that a sudden idea popped in Draco's mind.
"Hey, Dominique, do you have Benedicks Bittermints?" he asked remembering the other half of his mission.
"Bittermints? Yes. Benedicks? No." Dominique replied, donning his black apron, "But why Benedicks?"
"They are Hermione's favourite." Draco answered, "Where can I get them?"
Dominique considered the question, "You can have a look at Betty Mundt's."
"Out of question." Draco dismissed the idea immediately, "Anywhere else?"
Dominique shook his head, "You can check the Muggle shops though." He suggested before walking behind the counter, "Anyway, see you later."
Draco nodded and left the candy shop.
Outside, it was already growing dark, the evening finally approaching and Draco just couldn't wait to see Adrian's reaction over his favourite sweets and also sort out a few uncomfortable truths with his mother.
He apparated back at Château, a new spring in his steps. The day had been an exhausting one and yet meaningful. This was the day he discovered the truth about Hermione, the truth about himself and confessed his crime to a man he only considered as his peer. He had also apologized to Hermione and asked for another chance. These were things he couldn't imagine himself doing even a month ago.
All in all, it was a good day for him except for a horrible nagging feeling in the back of his mind: that his wife and his sons had to pay for his crime against Hermione.
Narcissa was sitting alone in her suite when Draco entered it with a loud knock.
"Good evening, mother." He greeted her cordially, hiding the real intention behind his visit.
"Good evening." Narcissa said plainly, folding up what looked like a letter before gesturing Draco to take seat across her, "I was expecting you."
"You did?" Draco was pleasantly surprised at the idea that his mother was expecting him, "Here I am." He announced and smiled.
Narcissa, however, didn't smile back. She forcibly thrust the letter she was reading earlier into an envelope that bore an ornate 'G' and recognizing Greengrass coat of arms, Draco frowned slightly.
"Astoria's mother." Narcissa informed him curtly, looking very bitter all the while, "I never thought I'll live to see the day when I'll be called a murderer."
"Murderer?" Draco spluttered, flabbergasted, "Who…you mean Mrs. Greengrass…" he gave the crumpled letter a look of disbelief.
"Yes." Narcissa nodded, a lone tear escaping her right eye, "See how many honourable titles I have now? Rapist's mother? Murderer?" she let out a derisive laugh, "I wonder what's next?"
"You are not a murderer, mother." Draco was horrified beyond measure, "How dare she say that? How dare she call you a murderer? Enough is enough, mother. I have had enough of her baseless allegations that you didn't take proper care of Astoria. That she died because of you. But I am not having it anymore. I am going to sue her for…"
"No, Draco. You'll do nothing like that." Narcissa cut in before Draco could complete, "Now I understand what you meant when you said you'll not sue me for trying to give you an heir forcibly. You know about Royal Jelly. Don't you?"
Draco gulped. True that he came to seek the same truth from his mother but this wasn't how he had imagined it to be.
"I know you know, Draco." Narcissa was uncharacteristically solemn, "I know she met Audré. I know she told her. I am not a fool Draco."
"If it's a statement mother then I have nothing to say." Draco didn't know whether pursuing the topic would be a wise idea under the current circumstances. For one, Narcissa looked pale and sick and was in desperate need of consoling rather than more accusations. For another, he was deeply moved and sad by Audré's word about truth behind Astoria's death and in his anger, he spilled them on his mother.
Narcissa took a deep breath as if making up her about something and gave Draco a very calm look.
"I know you mourn Astoria's death, Draco." she started slowly, "I mourn it too. I mourn them all. Lucius. Astoria. Scorpius and your other unborn sons. I mourn them all, Draco, I mourn them all." She sighed heavily, "In our days, Draco, marriages were mostly arranged by parents in traditional pureblood families. We were Blacks - one of the core families of the Sacred Twenty Eight sect and like my other two sisters my parents arranged mine with one of the Crabbes."
"Crabbes?" Draco blinked, shocked, "You mean Vincent's father?"
"Yes, the very same." Narcissa nodded, "Pollux Black and Irma Crabbe were my grandparents and Blacks never married off their daughters unless they were related by blood. Like Sirius's mother, aunt Walburga was his father and my uncle Orion's first cousin. They said this kind of marriages ensured that the family wealth was kept among families and didn't pass outside it. Crabbes, Bulstrodes, Rosiers all are related to us by blood."
Draco was listening to his mother with rapt attention.
"But when Andromeda decided to marry that Muggleborn Ted Tonks and was therefore thrown out of home, it all changed. I was married off to Lucius as a punishment for trying to save her from Honour Killing."
"You told me all about it mother." Draco reminded her, impatient to know what happened next.
"Yes, I did." Narcissa said, "I told you how my early married life was. But I didn't tell you how you were born, Draco."
"What do you mean 'how I was born'?" Draco's voice was trembling now from a horrible anticipation. For a fleeting moment he envisioned himself as Adrian and a shiver went down his spine realizing how hard it was to stomach the truth.
"I miscarried twice before you were born." Narcissa said looking very white, "The first on my third month and the other on my second. Both were boys."
"But why?" Draco was shaking from head to foot now.
"I don't know. The Healers couldn't identify any cause. They said I was fine but somehow the babies were lost. And Medusa was livid that I have cost the Malfoys two successive heirs." Narcissa replied, "She gave me that Royal Jelly, told me not to fail her on a third time and desperate, I took it."
"I was born from Royal Jelly." Draco stated, finally seeing the hidden answer in his mother's words, "I was. Wasn't I?" he felt like an experiment that came out right rather than a human being.
"I had no choice, Draco. I needed to provide an heir to Malfoys, to Lucius. It was my duty as a pureblood wife and I did what was needed to be done." Narcissa said, defensively, "But I couldn't tell you that because I knew you'll not like it." she sighed, "I don't know what Audré told you about Royal Jelly but Astoria's mother got it totally wrong. I have no face to ask Audré what she heard about me or us, Draco, but Malfoys as far as I know, never used Royal Jelly in large scale. It was always used as a last resort; used only when a woman was unable to provide them a son. Why a son? Because the Malfoy property is Entailed and it will break if there is no male heir on the line. Like Sirius. He died without an heir and the Entail on Black property broke. That's why he was able to make a will and pass them to his godson Potter."
"You mean Scorpius wasn't conceived by Royal Jelly?" Draco was sitting on the edge of his seat, "You didn't give Astoria Royal Jelly?"
"No." Narcissa replied, looking shocked, "Why should I? She conceived him during your honeymoon in Italy. How was I supposed to know that?"
Draco slumped back on his chair. He hasn't felt this relieved in many years.
The truth that his mother wasn't responsible for Astoria's death brought on such a sense of release that Draco wondered how he has been living with it since he came to know about it. It was a strange mixture of feelings - of sadness, of lose, of respite and of grief.
"I know people harbour different kinds of misconceptions or theories about Royal Jelly." He heard Narcissa saying, "But not all of them are right. Royal Jelly simply increases the life span of female ovum. So that when they copulate with their partners, the male sperms, the ones that are lighter and faster swimmers can reach ovum and fertilize it. It makes sure that the child is a male. But some people think that all pureblood wives consume it in order to have a son or an heir. That's not entirely true."
"What's the truth then?" Draco asked, his heart beating fast.
Narcissa sighed, "Honestly, Draco, I don't know that entire truth myself. All I know is, I needed a son, an heir and I was unable to provide it naturally. So, when Medusa gave me Royal Jelly and explained what it did I took it without any second thoughts. And you were born. Safe and sound. Healthy. So, when Scorpius died and Astoria was planning to conceive again, I thought about you. I thought, like Royal Jelly saved you, it will save Astoria's next baby and I gave it to her with all good intentions. But it failed. Because she was hemophilic."
"Did you know that she was hemophilic?" Draco asked the most crucial question that would differentiate between a first-degree and second-degree murder.
Narcissa shook her head sadly, "Her mother never told me. I mean I knew that Aunt Hilda had it but I never enquired about her daughters or granddaughters. But now that I know it, I can understand her reasons behind it. Being hemophilic, Astoria was unable to provide a healthy male child to any man she would be married to. And since most purebloods must have at least one male child on the line, it would have been impossible to marry her off to a decent pureblood family. So, she took the opportunity when I asked Astoria's hand for you."
"So she was sacrificed? Like a scapegoat? All in the name of honour, heir and pureblood?" Draco finally deciphered the full meaning of their conversation.
"Honour?" Narcissa repeated, "You have no idea what the concept of Honour is Draco. You never saw the Blacks. My father died when you were merely two years or otherwise, he would've shown you the real meaning of Honour."
"Thank you very much, mother, but I think I am glad that he didn't live long to teach me that." Draco said, sullen, "I can understand that you aren't responsible for Astoria and my son's deaths, mother, but you never told me that she was my cousin. Otherwise, I wouldn't have consented on this marriage no matter what. But I did. Why? Because all my life I believed in that pureblood bullshit. All my life I parroted that belief; thought I must have a son. Why? Because we are Malfoys and they always have sons. They never die heirless. Their line has continued for a thousand years and it should never be broken. It is because of that crap that I never considered having a daughter. And look where it brought me today? The concepts, the beliefs that I worshipped stripped me off my most dear ones. Otherwise, Astoria would be alive now and we could be happy with live daughters than dead sons."
"Does that mean that you resent Adrian?" Narcissa asked, looking thoughtful, "That you'd have loved to have a daughter with Astoria than a son with Jean?"
"In all honesty, mother, I don't give it a damn now." Draco replied, remembering little Jean and his thought regarding her as his daughter, "Son or daughter they are my blood and I shouldn't have differentiated between them. I could've saved so many innocent lives." He sighed, "And I don't resent Adrian. He is still my son no matter how he was conceived or born and nothing in this world can change that fact." he said firmly and stood up, tired from all the truths, "What are you going to do with that letter?" he eyed the piece of parchment on the table.
"Today Monsieur Gustave sent Adrian a set of Charmed Origamis. Birds, horses, cows, lions." Narcissa didn't reply and said instead, "He was so delighted when they were flying and running around him and kept screaming 'I love grandpa' 'I love Grandpa'." She looked up at Draco, "I don't know what happened to me but for a moment, Draco, I thought he meant Lucius. His real grandpa." Her eyes filled with tears, "He got to hear that word – Grandpa from any of his grandsons."
Draco didn't know what to say in response. He knew his father's image of him didn't allow him to dream that big; to expect that he would've accepted Adrian as his grandson. But somehow it didn't make him feel sorry for the little boy; it made him sorry for the proud man who lost an opportunity to get to know a wonderful kid.
"You are not going to take that off. Are you?" he looked at her plain black attire.
"No." Narcissa shook her head, "Black for a Black. Till the end. That is the price for my crimes, Draco. The price of my lies. My pride. My wrong beliefs. The price of me failing as a mother. That's the path for me. Atonement."
Listening to his mother Draco wondered what was the price of his crime and way to his atonement.