The hole of grief
Draco POV
The telephone rang, drawing Draco out of his thoughts.
—Hello?’ he answered, his voice immediately attentive.
— Hi, Draco,’ he heard Abby say, her trembling voice betraying recent tears. Do you think you could come over to the house with Scorpius? Luna asked to see you.
Draco sat up, worried.
—Of course she did. Is everything all right?
— Uh,’ admitted Abby, the distress in her voice palpable. She got upset at school and then started crying a lot. He heard a barely restrained sob. I picked her up from school.
—I’ll be there as soon as I can with Scorpius,’ promised Draco, clenching his jaw.
—Thank you!
—Abby, you can always count on us,’ he added, trying to offer her some comfort.
As soon as he hung up, Draco turned to his son, explaining.
—We could bring a cake,’ suggested Scorpius.
—We can, yes,’ replied Draco with a smile, acknowledging Scorpius’s ability to find joy in everything.
On the way to Abby’s house, Draco scanned the surroundings, making sure there were no signs of a threat, even if the perpetrators had been brought to justice. Arriving at Abby’s, he knocked on the door and entered after being invited in.
—I’ve brought a snack,’ he announced, placing the box on the table.
Luna rushed towards him with open arms.
—Uncle Draco!’ she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of innocence and sadness.
Draco took her in his arms, his heart melting a little more. Scorpius then came over and hugged Abby, who smiled slightly.
—Come on, children, let’s play,’ suggested Draco, seeing that the weight of sadness was falling on Abby.
The children ran into the next room, leaving Draco and Abby alone for a moment. Draco sat down in a chair, while Abby sat opposite him, her head slightly bent.
—What more can I do to help her ?
—You’re already doing it, you’re there, you love and support her.
—She shouldn’t feel this way,’ she finally admitted, her voice trembling. Luna is so small.
Draco nodded, understanding the whirlwind of emotions she was going through.
—Luna has you. You do enough, I promise. How are you doing?
—Oh, I’ve got no choice. Life goes on.
He looked at her with compassion, not knowing what to say.
—I know how Luna feels, and that makes it even worse. When my mum died, I felt the same way. The anger, the confusion, the absence… all of it. I know what she’s feeling and, at the same time, I’m grieving for Samuel. It’s my job to protect her, but I can’t take away the pain. Abby continued, tears welling up in her eyes.
—I know Samuel is in my heart,’ she breathed, her eyes empty, ’but… it’s not enough. What I miss most is… the everyday. His laugh, our morning chats, the way he looked at me, the coffee he made… Him with Luna. It was all so banal, but now…
She fell silent, breathless, unable to continue, crying. The void Samuel had left was immense and always would be.
—You never forget,’ he said compassionately. You live around it. The pain never goes away completely, but it becomes easier to bear. Every day you’ll find a way to keep Samuel alive in your memories.
—I know,’ Abby replied, her voice barely audible. But I’d just like a moment with him. Even a minute. To hear his voice again. Abby burst into tears, grabbing a tissue.
—And so would l.
The two looked at each other, sharing a silence heavy with understanding. Draco knew he couldn’t take away the pain, Abby’s, Astoria’s, Scorpius’, his own.
It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, he thought, crying too. Society had moved on, away from his ideas. He’d succeeded, but… the world would always stay a little with those ideas.
—Luna needs you,’ he finally murmured. And you need her too. Together, you can support each other.
Abby nodded, sitting up a little.
—Thank you, Draco.
She smiled shyly, he knew it would be a long road, but it would be a road, for everyone, with the memory of Samuel.
Back home, Scorpius was quiet.
— Are you okay, Scorp?” Draco asked softly, glancing at his son.
Scorpius nodded but hesitated before speaking.
—Luna seemed really sad today, Dad. I don’t like seeing her like that. It makes my chest feel… heavy.”
—Oh, I know. He sit down, Scorpius coming on his lap. It’s hard, isn’t it? Seeing someone you care about in pain.”
Scorpius looked him:
—Do you think she’ll feel better someday? Like, really better?”
Draco sighed. “I think she will. But it’ll take time. Losing someone you love leaves a hole that never completely fills. But it doesn’t mean she won’t find happiness again. She has Abby, and she has you. And… she has us.
Scorpius turned toward him, his brow furrowed in thought.
—I wish I could do something more to help her.”
—You did more than you know,” Draco replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You made her smile today. You brought her some light, even if it was just for a little while. That’s what matters.”
Scorpius seemed to mull this over, then nodded slowly.
—Small things can be big things too.”
Draco felt a swell of pride at his son’s thoughtfulness. He reached over briefly, resting a hand on Scorpius’s shoulder.
—Exactly, Scorp. Small things can make all the difference.”
As they drove through the quiet streets, Draco’s thoughts turned inward. He thought of Abby’s tears, of the unbearable weight of her grief. He thought of Samuel. And he thought of his own losses, the pieces of his life that had crumbled away over the years.
There was a time when Draco had believed he could shield himself and those he loved from pain, that he could build walls high enough to keep the world’s harshness at bay. But life had taught him otherwise. Loss came for everyone, and no amount of power or planning could change that.
— Dad,” Scorpius’s voice broke through his thoughts. Mum, I know she mises oncle Samuel and you too.
Draco’s chest tightened, but he kept his voice steady. “I do. But you learn to carry it. The memories, the love. They become part of you. And even though it hurts, it also reminds you of how much they meant to you. That take time.
Scorpius nodded, his eyes glistening:
— I think I understand.”
They stayed in silence, but it wasn’t a heavy silence. It was the kind of quiet that allowed thoughts to settle, the kind that felt safe.
—I love you so much. That can never change.
—I love you too.