Chapter 3
Once we arrived at Malfoy Manor, I couldn't help but feel my breath hitch. I haven't been here since.. everything went down. "It's so big!" I didn't reply instead I just walked through the gates and noticed the flowers planted in the front, lilies and narcissus'. They were so beautiful. "They are very pretty dad but can we please go? I want to see Scorp."
I laughed at my son's impatience, he was just like me when I first arrived to Diagon Alley, curious to know everybody and to see everything.
“Let’s go then.” I said walking up the stairs to the door, taking a deep breath before raising my hand to knock. There was a bit of commotion on the other side of the door, I heard a woman yell and footsteps racing to the door.
The door quickly opened revealing a small Scorpius compared to the huge door to the manor. I smiled down at him. “Hello Scorpius, can we come in?” He practically jumped to the side to give us room. “Of course Mr. Potter.” I put Albus down and allowed him to run inside, following after him. Scorpius closed the door behind me. “Thank you, Scorpius.”
“You’re welcome. Just down this hallway is papa and my grandma.”
When I got to the end of the hallway I expected to be greeted with the same sight as I was that night we were captured but instead, it was bright. There were paintings on the walls, more windows to brighten things up more, toys were scrambled around the floor, they even had a sitting area with a fancy couch and a muggle television. It was lively in here.
“Mr. Potter!” I heard someone exclaim beside me. “Come in darling, how have you been?” I smile as Narcissa Malfoy is making her way to me with a soft smile on her face. “Hello Mrs. Malfoy, please call me Harry.”
“Okay Harry, only if you call me Narcissa.”
“Deal.”
She looked down next to me and her smile got even bigger. “You must be Albus.”
“Yes ma’am.”
She chuckled at the politeness. “I’m Narcissa, I’m Scorpius’s grandmother.”
“It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Likewise sweetheart. Draco is just getting fixed up, Scorpius why don’t you show Albus your room and you two can play. Behave though.”
Scorpius smiled lovingly at his grandmother before taking Albus’s hand and running with him down the hall.
Narcissa ushered me to another room, it looked like the dining room. “Would you like tea?”
“Not right now thank you.”
I took a seat and she followed my actions and sat down right in front of me. “When I saw how happy Scorpius was about his new friend yesterday I was wondering how soon you would pay a visit here.”
“How did Mal- Draco take the news then? At school he seemed fine in front of the children but it must’ve been a shock, I know it was for me when I saw Scorpius.”
“He took it as well as he could. Truthfully, Scorpius never really knows children his own age, except Cerelia. Occasionally the two get together but their fathers are so busy to arrange play dates. Scorpius is a very unique child, other children don’t really understand him. Draco would never get in the way of Scorpius making a friend, no matter what type of relationship he has with the father.”
I smiled a bit at that, maybe fatherhood was really all it took to end this rivalry between us.
“I heard about Lucius, I’m so sorry.”
“No need to apologize. I’m glad I still have Draco though. Without Lucius here the house was so empty. Also Harry, thank you so much for everything you did for us we wouldn’t be where we are now without you.”
“No need to thank me, I should be the one thanking you for saving me back then.”
She squeezed my hand and let it go and flashed me a warm smile. We both went silent. Not in an awkward way, more in a comfortable way.
We heard footsteps approaching quickly and Malfoy rounded the corner. Narcissa’s face immediately lit up. “Hi darling.” She stood up and they hugged, both smiling. I also found myself smiling a bit but made sure to look away before I was caught.
“I’m going to give you and Harry some time to catch up while I go read.”
Malfoy look hesitant and taking his mothers seat in front of me but before he could protest she was out of the room. He sighed and sat down. The first few moments were very awkward and we were avoiding looking at each other.
“So Potter, how did you become a teacher?”
The sudden question startled me, not expecting him to speak up.
“Well I was an Auror as you probably know, but probably five months after Albus I had to quit. Ginny left and that job was far too dangerous especially since I was the only one looking after him. I had pretty many job offers but I never took any until this school contacted me. I was interested in watching over Albus and working at the same time so it works out.”
Malfoy just nodded along with me and he’s surprisingly a really good listener.
“Have you spoken with Ginevra ever since she left?”
I hesitated for a second before shaking my head no.
“Everything after the war was a lot for her, I think having Albus was more than she expected it to be. Luckily Albus was a baby when she left, I can tell he wants to know her though.”
“It must’ve been hard, I know it was hard for me when Astoria passed I had no idea what I was doing.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, I really am.”
“Although her passing hurts, I can admit we were never truly in love with one another as a wife and a husband should be but we were excellent partners together.”
“What do you do now?” I asked.
“I’m a healer for animals.”
“Really? Malfoy that’s brilliant. How did that come about?”
“I always wanted to be a healer at St Mungo’s but since I’m a former death eater, it’s something that’s not likely to happen. One day I was in Bath, just visiting and this kitten is all alone with a broken paw so I went somewhere hidden and healed him. Ever since then I opened a clinic to help magic and non magic animals.”
“Do you like it?”
“I love it. I think I love it more than I would love being a healer.”
I nodded and noticed there was a smile on my face while looking at Malfoy. He hasn’t changed much at all. He still obviously puts a lot of effort into his hair which was longer, and clothes. He had some more facial hair since the last time I’d seen him, suits him very well. He’s gotten way more handsome.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by loud fits of laughter and some playful yelling. The corner of Malfoy’s lips quirked up and a small smile rested on his face. He looked good smiling.
“They’ll be tired in thirty minutes if they keep up like that.” Malfoy said.
“Isn’t this strange? We haven’t seen each other since everything’s happened and now I’m in your home sitting in front of you and listening to our children play together.”
“It is quite strange, never thought I would have Potter and Potter in the manor, I am thankful you are here though.”
“I’m very thankful that you allowed me to come.”
-
The rest of the time went quick, Draco offered to make dinner for everybody, Albus couldn’t even keep his eyes opened so Harry decided they should leave right after dinner. The two boys hugged, Harry and Draco shared a nod, and they left.
“Can I apparate, love?” Harry asked Albus while brushing a few stray hairs out of his face. Albus just nodded his head. Harry picked him up and apparated to their home.
Although he still owned it, Harry no longer lived at Grimmauld Place. Instead he lived at a cottage a little outside of Hogsmeade.
Harry went inside of his house and immediately washed Albus up and got him in his pajamas. He put him into bed and sat with him until he was sleeping.
“Did you have fun today Al?”
“I had the best time of my life, Scorpius is my best friend.” Harry smiled.
“I’m really glad you met him darling, go to sleep and you’ll see him tomorrow.”
After hearing that it didn’t even take the boy a second before he was knocked out. Harry stood up and kissed his head and left his room.
When Harry got settled into his bed the only thing in his mind before he fell asleep was Malfoy. He kept thinking of the way he looked while talking about his job. Then Harry’s mind began to wander and he tried picturing Malfoy doing his job. It didn’t take long for Harry to fall asleep after that, and that night he maybe had a dream about Draco Malfoy tending to a kitten.