“scorpius,” draco called from his room. “could you come here for a second?” he was sat at his desk, his quill tapping the corner of the paper in front of him. a few seconds later, he heard the floor squeak with scorpius’ light footsteps. draco turned to see him stood in his doorway, his hands behind his back.
“yes, dad?” scorpius’ voice was quiet. he was stood straight up, his body tense.
“you got an owl,” draco spoke, shuffling through papers on his desk until he found it. he had recieved it earlier in the day, but hadn't worked up the courage to call scorpius over to read it. scorpius hadn't been speaking to him for a while. ever since the whole.. delphi situation, scorpius hadn't been the same.
“oh,” scorpius exhaled, grabbing the letter. it was from albus. he'd returned to school earlier than scorpius did, despite his parents’ wishes. scorpius read through it, his hands shaking slightly. the letter was perfectly normal. nothing seemed wrong. albus was just talking about what was happening in school without scorpius around. talking about how bored he was and how much he missed him. scorpius’ lip twitched as he finished reading it, folding it back up.
“was it anything important?” draco asked, despite having skimmed through it earlier to make sure it was nothing that concerned him.
“no,” scorpius answered, fidgeting with a part of the paper which seemed to be thinner than the others. “it was albus. he's, um, back at school already.”
“oh,” draco nodded. “do you think you're ready to go back?”
scorpius paused, staring down. reluctantly, he shook his head. he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
“that's alright,” draco replied. he sighed. scorpius shifted his weight onto one leg, and then back to the other, and repeated. “what, um, what have you been up to?”
scorpius swallowed. “not much,” he finally answered after a moment of thinking. “i- i started reading a new book.”
“oh, are you enjoying it?”
“i suppose.”
more silence.
“scorpius, if there's anything on your mind, you can tell me,” draco spoke up, his voice suddenly a bit louder and less uncomfortable. “i know that these last few weeks have been hard for you, and i'm sorry. i want to be here for you.”
scorpius nodded, not looking up.
“scorpius,” draco said again. scorpius didn't look up.
“son, look at me,” draco reached out to touch scorpius’ hand.
scorpius stiffened.
his eyes widened, and he pulled away quickly, staring up at his dad. draco moved back, his eyebrows furrowed. scorpius watched him carefully, backing away. he looked down at his hand, realizing what he'd done.
“i'm sorry, sir,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “i'm sorry, i didn't mean to-”
draco’s face softened.
sir…?
he stood, approaching scorpius. scorpius backed away further until he bumped into a wall. he hugged himself, looking down and shutting his eyes. draco stopped, realizing why scorpius was scared and what he was scared of.
“i'm not going to hurt you, scorpius,” draco exhaled, his eyes tilted sadly. he didn't know what had happened to his son in the other timeline, but he knew it had to be bad.
scorpius shook his head in disbelief.
“i promise,” draco said, desperation spilling out of him with every word. scorpius looked up, seeing how draco held himself. draco wasn't used to showing emotion, and he knew scorpius was alarmed by his sudden weakness. he didn't care. he needed his son to know how much he cared. he needed scorpius to see that he loved him, even if he was cold most of the time.
scorpius took a deep breath, making eye contact with draco for a split second. he sniffled, looking down at his hands and picking at his nails.
“scorpius,” draco exhaled. a thick silence surrounded the two of them. draco stood over his son, watching as he uncomfortably fidgeted with his hands. his body was slumped over in a way draco had never seen. scorpius usually had perfect posture. he'd never seen him this.. drained. “could.. we talk?”
scorpius nodded, not looking up. he swayed subtlety in the spot he stood in, his hands moving to his side to balance himself.
“you can sit,” draco said, gesturing to his bed. scorpius hardly ever visited draco in his bedroom, so draco knew he didn't feel comfortable in it.
scorpius nodded again, turning and sitting on the bed. he squished his legs together, his silhouette small as he cowered into himself. his head hung as he gently kicked his legs which dangled off the bed.
draco pulled his chair out from under his desk, taking a seat as well and facing his son. he leaned forward, watching scorpius intently.
“what.. happened to you?” draco asked. “i know you haven't told me everything. what did you leave out?”
scorpius’ face fell. he exhaled with closed eyes. “it- it was nothing. nothing important.”
“scorpius, please.”
the teen took a deep breath, gripping at the sleeve of his sweater. “i- i saw you. in that other timeline, i saw you. you- you were different. colder. it- it was like you didn't see me as your son.”
draco frowned, listening as scorpius spoke in a fragile voice.
“i- we argued,” scorpius continued. “i got mad at you for- for something that wasn't your fault- and i said something about mum- and- and that upset you.”
draco’s mouth fell open slightly. he wanted to say something, but he didn't know what. scorpius kept talking.
“you-” scorpius stopped, biting a piece of skin off of his lip. his leg bounced anxiously. “you grabbed me- by the back of my- my neck- and you pulled me onto the table- and-”
he paused. he looked up at draco, then quickly back down. he couldn't finish.
draco noticed he wasn't able to speak either.
draco had tears in his eyes. he didn't want to cry in front of his son. he knew he shouldn't be the one crying. but it hurt.
it hurt knowing scorpius was in pain, and he caused it. it hurt knowing his son had to deal with this all alone. he didn't have albus, and he wasn't able to come to his dad. he had no one. draco didn't experience it, but he could still feel the pressure scorpius had on him.
he knew what it was like.
draco stood from his chair, sitting on the bed beside scorpius. scorpius recoiled, barely looking up at draco.
“scorpius,” draco’s voice broke. scorpius had never heard him like this. “i love you. so much. and- and i'm sorry-”
“it isn't your fault,” scorpius interrupted. “you weren't the same person.”
“but it was still me ,” draco said. “you deserve a better father. i’m sorry. i know i'm not the greatest. but i love you. and i- i don't think i tell you enough.”
scorpius nodded, ignoring the tears which started to fall down his cheeks. draco ignored his own as well.
“i would never hurt you,” draco continued. “and- i know it's too late for that, and that other version of me did, but i promise that i won't. i wouldn't be able to live with myself if i hurt you.”
scorpius looked up at his father. draco truly saw scorpius for the first time, and scorpius truly saw his father as well. draco noticed how much of astoria was in his son. his heart was so pure and so kind, but the world was cruel and unfair. draco felt disgusted.
he wished his son had never had to go through any of the things he went through. he didn't deserve the bullying and the torture and the loneliness. he wished he could just take away his son’s pain. he cried, knowing that he couldn't.
draco’s eyes widened, feeling a set of arms wrap around his waist. he looked to his son, who had started to sob.
scorpius had never cried like this around him. it was always hard for him to open up. the only time draco could remember scorpius slightly opening up to him was when him and albus were separated. he had nobody else to turn to, and draco knew he was a last resort.
but this time was different. draco could see scorpius felt safe.
draco wrapped his arms around scorpius, holding him close to him. he put a hand on the boy’s head, caressing the back of his head and simultaneously untangling his messy hair. scorpius was never a fan of his hair being touched, and draco knew this, but scorpius didn't move. he didn't seem to mind.
“i love you, dad,” scorpius’ voice was barely audible.
“i love you, scorpius.”