Draco
“Thank you for allowing us this opportunity, headmistress.” Came the soft voice of Narcissa Malfoy as she gave Minerva a polite curtsey.
“I didn’t agree to this for you but for Severus. I hold no fondness for-“
“Draco,” said Severus, “come here.”
Draco kept his eyes cast down as he made his way from the floo to Severus’s portrait, he stopped before it, his shoulders hunched with tension, hands stuffed in the pockets of his robes.
“Draco, look at me.” Severus said quietly.
Draco took his gaze up to his former Professors, glancing over his painted form with bleared vision as he choked a sob back, Narcissa placed a comforting arm around her sons shoulders.
“Lucius?” Asked Severus, he smiled sadly as Narcissa shook her head, her mouth pressed into a thin line.
“He’s not adjusting well, Severus. He doesn’t leave the house, often, none of us do.” She explained.
Severus nodded and looked over Draco. The boy was ashen, his eyes sunken into the telltale hallows that screamed lack of sleep.
“Your newts, Draco? Did you take them?” Severus asked.
“I didn’t come here to talk about bloody newts!” Draco snapped, swiping at his eyes with his sleeves, “I got you killed! I got you killed…”
“Voldemort killed me, not you. You had as much control over my death as I did, you need to understand-“
“If I’d have listened to you, or, or taken Dumbledores offer you’d-“
“Have still had to kill Dumbledore. It was agreed between he and I, Voldemort would still have killed me over a wand I didn’t know existed. My death is not your fault, but Draco, if there is anything I could instil in you, anything I could change for you, it would be your take on blood status. The world is changing and it will leave you behind. If you’re ever to listen to anything I say, let it be this: muggleborns are-“
“I know. I already know.” Draco said bitterly, “granger is bloody brilliant. I’m sure Potter is only alive because of her brains, I don’t have the pressure on me anymore to-“
“Now Draco, your father and I-“
“You fucked up!” Draco snapped, “you did, you fucked up and I was the consequence, Professor Snape was the consequence! I was never allowed to form my own opinions, to see value in others because word would get back to Father through his connections. I want no part of it, he can rot in his study, drink himself to death for all I care!”
“Draco!” Narcissa gasped.
“Your father has many short comings, I know, I’ve been his friend for longer than you’ve been alive. But,” Severus weighed his next words carefully, “but he loves you and he loves your mother dearly. Often, love is someone’s only redeeming feature. I advise that you heed your own words and find value in others where you can.”
“Make your choices, Draco. We don’t care who you associate with as long as you are safe and… and happy.” Narcissa whispered, “it’s all we’ve ever wanted, you’re all we ever wanted.”
“But I wasn’t enough, was I? That’s why father joined you know who, he wanted more. Greed. It’s pathetic.” Draco spat.
“What do you want, Draco Malfoy?” Asked Severus.
“I want a family, I want to get married and… and be a father. I want peace.” He replied, the tension draining from his posture with his confession.
“Then do just that. You’ve got your whole life, but you won’t find peace if you hold onto pain.” Severus advised, cocking an eyebrow as Draco laughed.
“That sounds like something Dumbledore would say.”
“Yes well, we were painted by the same person so put it down to that, but take in what I’ve said. You’re growing into a man, no longer a boy.”
“I wish you were here, though.” Draco whispered quietly, locking eyes with the painted man, “I do. I wish you could be here for it, to have your own peace.”
“I found peace, I’m sure of it.”
“You deserve it, sir.”