Chapter 8
Draco all of a sudden, can't speak. He wants to, not just speak but scream at the top of his lungs at harry. He doesn't know anything about Draco, he doesn't know what the previous years have been like and he certainly doesn't know what happened before his children were born. Flashbacks of crying and screaming plague his mind. He wants to say so much but he cannot so he just stares and stares with his mouth slightly parted. Only the sound of harry's heavy breathing is heard till Scorpius comes forward grasping draco's hand bringing him out of a horrid memory. "My dad is the best father ever!" Scorpius says proudly tightening his hold and estella nods. Harry just stares then sighs.
Before harry can say anything, draco turns around taking scorpius and estella with him. Harry doesn't stop him but he keeps on staring back at scorpius who looks at him confused. Once they reach home, as if like in routine, draco starts cooking, instructing the children to wash up. He doesn't want to change his clothes. The food is quickly made and he eats it in silence, scorpius and estella make small talk to which draco responds with one word answers. Scorpius tells him to change but draco doesn't want to. He washes the dishes next and puts the children to bed. Scorpius and estella hug draco mouthing an "I love you".
"Dad today was really fun. Doesn't matter what happened in the end, at least we snapped some great pictures." scorpius says and draco smiles at him, patting his head.
Once the children have fallen asleep, draco sits beside them in silence and in darkness. Only when their peaceful snores are heard, he makes his way into the bathroom and in an instant falls to the ground. There's no stopping him now and he cries and cries and cries, every now and then placing his hand on his mouth to make sure no sound escapes. He feels weak and he is weak. He hates it so much. He hates that today was supposed to be the best day of their lives and it became the worst. He hates that instead of making memories he will cherish forever, he has made memories that will forever haunt him. He gets up seeing his blotchy wet red face in the mirror and splashes water on it as more tears pour down, he grips the sides of the sink tightly wanting to break it or smash his own face against it. He has considered dying many times but the thought of his children remaining orphans due to their heritage stops him every time. Even if they live a terrible life now, at least they have draco - their father. But today harry made it seem like that didn't do any good either which is true because draco can't remember the last time such an opportunity to make money arised. He laughs thinking how the dynamics have shifted between him and harry, from being a malfoy heir to a death eater surviving on the streets and an orphan to being boy saviour of the world. It would have been splendid if roles were reversed and scorpius, estella were under harry's protection; even if he would be poor, he'd still be a better than draco for sure. Draco stares at his reflection trying to remember the last time he ever took out the kids to have a proper meal. They never had the money but truthfully even if they did, draco would be too scared of the wizards slandering him very second in fornt of his children. He wonders if scorpius somewhere felt harry is right and draco truly is incapable of handling him and estella. Scorpius is an angel, he wouldn't think that. Not until he grows up and all this pent up frustration from being poor and unworthy explodes causing him to resent draco forever. Draco doesn't want that. He will ask harry tomorrow for the money, his reputation be damned. He washes his face and changes his clothes, sleeping beside the two.
Harry stares in the same spot for a while till he sees a familiar figure approaching - hermione. "I thought it'd be better to let you be alone for a while." She rests her hand on harry cautiously and he sighs loudly.
"I don't know what happened mione."
"I don't either but you tried to do a good deed harry, it might be possible that draco and his children received the wrong message." She says assuring. "How about i chat with draco for you?"
"No! that man doesn't deserve my empathy or my time. We are done playing the good guys. Some people never change." Harry says frustratedly, ruffling and ruining his hair. "The stones, i don't want to see them, sell them all and send the money to malfoy."
"Harry." Hermione sighs pacing forward. "People found out the stones belong to malfoy."
"So?"
"They don't want to buy them, they would have considered if it wasn't for malfoy running outside frightened. They think the stones are evil and no matter how many times one traces them, they are not going to believe."
"What about the bids that were already placed? That money collected itself is alot for malfoy."
"The buyers wanted their money returned, if we didn't; they would have accused us of scamming them."
"Scamming? Harry potter doesn't scam! Why would you return the money without asking me?"
"They were going to come outside and attack malfoy, he was with his kids. It didn't seem right and even if we stopped them now, they would have located his house and troubled him there."
"All of you care about him and he thinks we have ill intentions! the audacity!" Harry remarks loudly. "I don't care anymore, i have a busy day tomorrow. Goodnight mione." Hermione smiles as he walks away.
The next day draco wakes up to an awake and busy scorpius. "Why are you up so early son?" He asks scooching towards him.
Scorpius instantly covers his drawing, shielding it from draco. "Nothing dad, just woke up early."
"What are you hiding?"
"It's a surprise." Scorpius lies, it was a surprise but not for draco. Draco nods, getting up and stretching himself. He could feel his eyes puffed up from the crying. Scorpius tugs on his pajamas. "Dad can i go outside for a while?"
"No, you are too young and you don't collect stones anymore." Draco says affirmatively. The last thing he wanted was for scorpius to leave the house after what had happened yesterday. Lord knows what potter fans might do to the kid. Scorpius pleads but draco denies every time. Draco himself starts getting ready. "Scorpius if you do want something, let me know."
"No i just felt like going outside today."
"What about estella, i will also leave then she will be alone. How about you stay inside for today."
Scorpius nods and draco kisses the kid and leaves. What could possibly go wrong. He will go and collect the money from harry, then he and his children will never have to stay here again. After a while scorpius gets up carefully holding the drawing in his hand and walks towards the door. He knows estella won't wake up any time soon and he will be back before draco returns. He sprints to luna's house which is few blocks away and starts banging on her door. She opens curious to see scorpius.
"Scorpius, what are you doing here? Where is draco?" She asks looking behind him and around.
"No time luna, you need to let me use your floo and go to harry potter's house, 12 grimmauld place." He heard it from a woman at the event.
"No, you father wouldn't approve." Luna says quickly.
"It will take a few minutes, please." He begs, he didn't think of luna saying no, she never did. But she didn't listen and insisted on inviting him inside till draco returns but scorpius didn't have time. He assured her, he'd return home and left walking in his apartment's direction till he was out of luna's view. He knew she'll call draco soon so he had to act fast and ran to pansy's house. He hasn't spoken much to her but draco did say that she loves him dearly and will do anything for him so it was time to test the waters today. With shaking optimism he reached her townhouse which screamed luxury and started knocking. After a while an elf appeared almost scaring scorpius.
"Who are you?" The elf asked and scorpius stammered. "Scorpius, draco malfoy's son"
"Ahh, come inside. I will get miss pansy right away." The elf said and opened the door as scorpius hesitantly walked inside. Draco told him to never trust strangers, especially creatures but this was pansy's house. He would be safe here. The elf disappeared somewhere and scorpius gawked at all the furniture, he could never afford to live in such a place. He had to tiptoe around, carefully to not break anything for each corner had fragile decorations placed. He was looking around till he saw light appear from a view, he turned and saw an illusion. A purple endless void and he walked close, it seemed exactly like the illusion that took draco, him and estella to the ministry. This is what he needed. He stepped inside nervously till he heard pansy's voice.
"Scorpius, where are you?" She asks and the elf starts coming towards his direction till pansy spots the light and runs. "Scorpius don't!" She screams.
But it's too late as scorpius whispers. "To harry potter's house, 12 grimmauld place." He closes his eyes with the void before he can see pansy and in a few seconds the void opens again. He steps out to what seems like a regular street till he turns and see 12 grimmauld place written in bold. He doesn't know if this is the place for it seems too messy and dirty, the plants not watered and the paint rusted. He's about to wander a bit when the door opens and harry steps outside in his pajamas. Lion pajamas which seem funny to scorpius so he laughs catching harry's attention.
Harry doesn't know if he's hallucinating or not because he swears he sees draco's kid laugh at him. Scorpius stops laughing and approaches harry with a smile as he takes a step back cautiously. Didn't malfoy's kids think they are muggles? How is here then?" Harry looks around and sees no on.
Scorpius stands in front of harry and stares for a while trying to form words but harry beats him to it. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to meet you." Scorpius says gaining confidence. He doesn't have much time, draco could be here any second.
"Where is malfoy?"
"I don't know, at work."
"Let's go to him."
"No, not now. He doesn't know i am here."
"So you know you aren't a muggle?" Harry raises an eyebrow confused, still sleepy.
"I am a muggle."
"How did you come here?" Harry asks annoyed.
"The void brought me."
"Void?"
"The one that took us to the ministry the first time."
"That was my floo, you can't use it. You must have your own then."
"Floo? Oh okay. But no." Scorpius rubs his chin nervously. "I used pansy parkinson's floo."
"She allowed you?"
"She didn't know. It was open."
Harry sighs frustratedly, he can't deal with this today. "I don't have time but do let your father know that you using a floo will be reported to the ministry." He's about to leave but scorpius grabs his hand quickly. "What are you doing?"
"Please don't tell anyone. I never disappoint father."
"Your father is nothing but a liar, lying about his children and about the stones." Harry remembers instantly scowling over yesterday's quarrel.
"My father is not! I just wanted to meet you and give you this." Scorpius says handing the paper to harry who throws it away angrily. "I am not going to be selling anything else for you, especially after what happened yesterday. Because of your father and you, i have to attend this long meeting proving my loyalty to my colleagues!"
"What? No, i don't mean" Scorpius says scared from harry's tone as well as broken from seeing the paper flying on to the road.
"Enough! You literally used your floo here to have me sell whatever it is that you drew but no one will buy it, you know why? Because everyone hates your father! Tell him that when he tells you to come butter me up again."
Scorpius is distraught, tears pour down his eyes as he turns walking down to retrieve the paper. Harry grunts turning around and walking inside. As scorpius picks up the paper, his tears fall on the drawing of harry potter he drew similar to the statue he saw at the event. He wipes his tears and is about to walk away when a loud horn is heard and as scorpius turns, he is pushed by a car.
Harry hears the sound and he halts, surely no one got hurt but he still shakily opens the door to see a panicked man come outside screaming for help as a young boy's body lays on the road with a paper clutched in hand. Harry gulps.