Chapter 21
“Luc!”
Draco’s head whipped around at the voice. He thought it might be coming from inside the manor. He'd been playing with a flower while dad read beside him, but now he'd put it down to look around.
“Luc!” The voice called again, and Draco watched curiously as he realized it was his uncle. The wizard ran really fast out the doors, down the stairs, and across the lawn to the garden yelling dad’s name all the way. He was grinning wide, and it made Draco want to smile too from where he sat in the grass. “Luc! You’ll never believe it!” Uncle Thoros cheered again. Draco’s brows jumped as he came closer and then suddenly he was being picked up. Draco giggled loudly as Uncle Thoros started spinning them really quickly.
“What is it?” He heard dad say, standing and moving towards them and Draco tried to cover his smile with his elbow when Uncle Thoros slowly stopped spinning. Dad had a bad shoulder so he couldn't always do spins and mum said Draco should try not to rub it in too much when others could.
“She did it!” Uncle Thoros grinned again, and this time he turned Draco around with him to look at dad. “My beautiful incredible girl! She did it!”
Draco wasn’t sure if he was talking about Emmy or Aunt Kassi but he smiled with the wizard anyway. Everyone liked Aunt Cassi and Draco definitely liked Emmy. He thought he might like Emmy a lot because dad said that one day Emmy would be his witch.
Dad was smiling too as he looked at Uncle Thoros, “What happened?” He asked curiously.
Uncle Thoros lifted Draco into the air then, for a moment tossing him high into the sky before catching him. He did it twice and Draco’s eyes closed as he started falling again, his heartbeat feeling bumpity at the sensation, but it ended quickly as dad seemed to catch him and pull away.
“Thoros I swe—” He started but got interrupted.
“Oh, come on Luc!” Uncle Thoros laughed, but when Draco’s looked up, dad was smoothing his hair down with a hand. Draco wrapped his arms around dad’s neck, he loved it when he’d hold him. Dad said one day he’d get too big for his good arm, so Draco was determined enjoy it as much as possible while he could.
“You can’t just throw a child!” Dad snapped at Uncle Thoros, squeezing Draco tighter. “What if he’d gotten hurt?!”
“We’re wizards!” Uncle laughed, but Draco didn’t think dad found it funny because his brows got scrunchy. Draco used his finger to flatten one down which earned him a funny look from dad before he started scrunching again.
“You’re careless. Some of us only get one child, you bastard. I’d rather not have my son damage his brain before he can even pick up a broom.” He ran another hand over Draco’s hair and Draco buried his face in dad’s neck.
“Oh, come off it,” Draco could practically hear Uncle Thoros rolling his eyes. “You know I’m careful. Cissa would have my head. Now can we please get back to me? The whole reason I’m here is to brag, and I’d like to get on with it.”
Dad’s chest moved up and down as he sighed, and Draco giggled at the feeling.
“See? Even Draco knows you’re being dramatic.” Uncle said.
Dad pulled away from Draco for a moment, throwing him a playful brow, “Indeed? Have you switched sides, dear?” he asked and Draco giggled again, shaking his head.
“No!” He cheered, knowing the right answer. “Nevfer! 'M a Ma-foy.”
Dad's smile in response made Draco’s head feel nice and very proud as he looked back at Uncle Thoros who’d stepped closer.
“I could always bribe you, you know?” he began, poking a finger in Draco’s belly though he tried his best to pull away.
“No, you can’t!” Draco protested. “I’m a Ma-foy!"”
Uncle Thoros smiled big, “Yeah, you are kiddo. But my daughter’s not!” he said and for some reason Draco didn’t like that. Mum said he would be Emmy’s one day, but Emmy was a Nott and Draco was a Malfoy. They couldn’t very well be different. He frowned in thought for a moment before it hit him, and he jumped in dad’s arms.
“I make her a Ma-foy!” He said and dad patted his head as Uncle Thoros started laughing.
“That’s my boy!” He told him and Draco grinned because he must’ve gotten the answer right.
“Yeah, well, that’s the plan.” Uncle Thoros smiled.
For a moment they were all smiling before dad walked Draco and uncle towards the table in the garden and sat.
“So, tell me.” Dad started as he set Draco back down on the ground. “What happened?”
Draco looked up at Uncle Thoros who was grinning from his chair as he said, “She shattered all the glass in the morning room is what happened!”
“Really?” Dad said and Draco’s eyes bounced between the two wizards who were both smiling and looking impressed. “What caused it?”
“Her brother!” Uncle Thoros laughed. “Damn boy tried to steal her fruit off her plate I think, and my wonderful girl lost it!”
“For fruit?” Dad asked at the same moment Draco had said, “Emmy?”
Uncle Thoros looked down at him for a second and lifted Draco to sit on his lap. “That’s right Dragon, your Emmy is officially a witch!”
Draco heard dad’s scoff behind him. “She was always a witch. Don’t be daft, she’s a Nott. Did you actually think yours and Kassi’s blood could possibly form anything else?”
Uncle Thoros threw a bad glare over Draco’s head and it made Draco chuckle. “Would it kill you to let me have my fun for just one day? Honestly Luc, twenty years of this shite and I deserve at least the slightest indulgence.”
Dad laughed at that. “Right, because last month at the pub didn’t count as—”
“We’re talking about the kids.” Uncle Thoros cut dad off loudly. Normally when people interrupted Draco’s dad he would start shouting, but mum said Uncle Thoros was special, so dad let him do whatever he liked.
“Sure,” Dad laughed behind Draco. “I’m so sorry for my mistake. Do continue, tell me about your little witch.”
Draco grinned; he knew who they were talking about now. “Emmy!” He told his uncle who nodded fondly at him.
“Yes, that’s right. My Emmy is officially a witch and had her first burst of magic today. You should be very proud of her Draco.”
Draco liked that idea a lot, “I do ma-gic twoo!” he told him.
“Oh yeah?” His uncle said. “Well, it sounds like you two might be perfect for each other then.”
Draco’s belly felt funny in a good way at that and he couldn’t help balling his tiny fists under his chin as he smiled downward, happily. Draco liked that idea even more. He didn’t know why but he wanted to be perfect for Emmy as much as possible. He wanted to make her really really happy and wondered how he could. Draco could make flowers. When he was in the garden for too long flowers would pop up wherever he wanted and in all his favourite colours. Did Emmy like flowers? Draco could bring her flowers, he was good at that. Draco’s mum and dad really liked it when he brought them flowers, Aunt Kassi and Theo called her flower sometimes, so Draco hoped she did too.
He realized he'd gotten distracted though so Draco looked back up at his uncle. But there was something funny about the way the wizard was watching him and it made Draco squirm a bit.
“Luc,” Uncle Thoros started quietly, one of his hands tightening on Draco's waist slightly to hold him still.
“Hmm?” Dad said.
“I feel as if I should ask for my contract back.”
Draco didn't really know what a contract was, but he knew his dad didn't like whatever that meant because when he spoke his voice was much firmer and it made Draco freeze. “What?”
Uncle Thoros was still watching him with the weird smile-serious expression and for some reason Draco couldn’t look away.
“I mean I know this is a generational thing, but I don’t think we’ve struck a fair deal if you didn’t tell me everything.” His voice sounded as light normal, but it felt very different and Draco didn't know why
He could hear his dad moving in his chair though.“What the hell are you talking about, Thor? This isn’t funny. I've told you everything. That contract is practically goblin-wrought. You know that.”
He didn’t know what was happening, but when Draco’s arms wrapped around his middle nervously, his uncle’s gaze softened slightly, and he finally looked away. Draco noticed his lip twitch upward a little as he said, “I mean if you think it’s a breeding thing, I’ve got no problem with it. But we should at least acknowledge the obvious, your son’s a metamorphmagus, Luc.”
“What did you just say?” Dad spoke carefully, in a way Draco had never heard him with Uncle Thoros before. Draco fought to swallow a lump that was forming in his throat. He didn’t know what he’d done, but Uncle was looking almost worried above him, and Draco was getting nervous.
“Luc, it’s not a big deal. It’s not like he’s a werewolf or some shite but I just thought you would’ve told me. I don’t actually care; we both know Kassi would kill me if I broke it—”
“My son is not a metamorphmagus.” Dad cut him off, spitting the last word. Draco didn’t know what a metranorfmangos was, but he knew he didn’t want to be one.
He shook his head silently, not sure what to do as he watched Uncle’s expression change. Uncle Thoros’s eyebrow moved upward, and he stood with Draco still in his arms. Draco noticed then that dad was also standing and for some reason it felt like they were both glaring.
“Lucius, I love you like a brother and I have my entire life. But I won’t tolerate you standing there and lying to my face about something that is clear as day. Your son is a metamorphmagus as I just watched his eyes change colours right in front of me. I did not imagine it so don’t tell me I did. They changed.”
“No.” was all dad said and suddenly Draco felt kind of cold. “NO.” He shouted, and Uncle Thoros’s arms shifted to tighten around Draco’s body.
“Lucius?” He said but Draco’s dad wasn’t listening because he’d started pacing.
“No. NO. NO.” Dad repeated, and Draco felt his eyes start to burn. “I won’t allow it.” He muttered.
“Lucius? What’s happening?” Uncle Thoros said but Draco’s dad wasn’t listening, he was just walking. “Lucius, I told you I don’t care! It’s not a big deal! I just wish I’d known!”
“D-d-dad,” Draco couldn’t help but stutter the word because he was scared. Dad looked angry, and dad never got angry at Draco or Uncle Thoros. Dad only got angry at people who were bad. But when dad looked up at him again, his eyes were dark and small, and Draco felt like running away but he couldn’t move because he was still being held. Instead, Draco buried his face in Uncle Thoros’s robes, trying not to cry but desperately failing.
“Lucius, stop!” His uncle urged. “You’re scaring your son!”
“THAT IS NOT MY FUCKING SON!” He screamed louder than Draco had ever heard and—and—and...
Draco startled awake, filled with panic. His head was throbbing and as he pushed himself up on his bed the stabbing sensation in his stomach reminded him of the day before. It was just a dream, he told himself as he tried to sit back. You're safe, with Theo at Hogwarts. Draco took a deep breath, his heart was racing though he couldn't place why and he needed to calm down.
He'd had another dream, that much he knew. But he couldn't recall what it was about, all he remembered was fear and maybe a bit of confusion.
As Draco let himself fall backwards onto his pillow he reached into his occlumency to focus. Sometimes if he was careful enough he'd be able to catch more from his forgotten visions. Usually it was just feelings, but even those felt like clues. Tonight though, nothing arose in his search. Growing up, the majority of Draco's dreams had been memories of his childhood. He remembered all of those like they were yesterday—a cursed side effect of natural occlumency. But there were other dreams, ones he didn't understand, ones he didn't remember. Draco knew them well because they always woke him in a fit of fear or anguish though he could never tell why. Sometimes he wondered if the mysterious visions were lost pieces of a memory or the work of his cruel imagination attempting to haunt him.
They were rarer, only tormenting him on occasion, but their effects always lasted longer. Even now a bout of chills racked his body as Draco tried to forget. Theo would notice in the morning, he was sure. His brother always noticed when dreams were bad, though Draco wasn't adept at hiding it. It was harder to stomach things like words and food when your mind felt as if everything bad was closing in.
Draco pulled up the quilt around him and tried to relax. It was difficult though when all of his pain potions had been weakened and he could barely move. He tried though, reaching his arm under his pillow and slowly pulling out the parchment he'd found waiting on his bed. Draco unfolded it carefully in his hands and read it again.
Good luck today, I’m sure you’ll be brilliant.
~ Hermione G.
Fuck, that only made it worse and Draco's heart ached. What a pathetic excuse for a wizard he was. She’d—Hermione—Emmeline, she’d written to him yesterday and he’d missed it. Draco had missed it and then he’d ruined everything because he’d never had the strength to really speak with his father.
He’d never deserve her; Draco knew it too well. Hermione deserved far better than the waste he was. But still, Draco folded the paper again in his hand and clutched it to his chest as he tried to drift off, remembering that morning that now felt so long ago when Hermione had let him hold her. He didn't want to think about how she'd likely never look at him the same way again. Because Draco wasn't sure what he'd do if that were true, so he let himself pretend that he could still hope.