Father of the Year

FATHER OF THE YEAR

Safely shrouded in the forest's dense foliage, he watched them.

Lucius Malfoy wasn't a stalker, just an observer. He observed his son and his friends, running about as if they were a bunch of hyperactive three year olds and not the eighteen year olds that they were about to become. The familiar Malfoy trademark sneer curled his lips in disgust.

He'd never understand what his son saw in that girlfriend of his, which was why he was resorting to these drastic measures. Despite what his son believed, he wanted to know; it was slightly more than that, really. He needed to know. He was genuinely interested in what that Mudblood of his could give him that was so special.

Their laughter rang out to echo in his ears, ricocheting throughout his mind and drawing his gaze to them. Potter was tossing a Muggle ball around with the Weasley boy and his kid sister while Draco slipped behind the Granger girl.

Confusion furrowed his brow as he watched his son smile down at the girl in his arms and lightly kiss the top of her head. Where he had learned to do that was beyond him. His confusion mounted when the stupid girl just stood there and smiled at no one in particular. She didn't even turn to face Draco, just smiled at nothing and covered his arms with her own.

Something shifted inside him as he watched the two. It had to be disgust, he concluded. That tight feeling in his stomach was only him repressing the urge to vomit at the scene before him; and it most certainly was not guilt for what he was about to do.

Another strange feeling flooded him when he noticed his son taking Granger's hand in his. It was a simple enough gesture, but spoke volumes to the father.

Lucius slid further into the flora as the group grew steadily closer. They were close enough for him to hear them, talking animatedly about nothing.

He observed them in nothing but sick fascination, forever the outsider looking in. It was curious, the way they acted together. Their laughter and voices filled with unfathomable cheer.

A slight rustling to his right grabbed his attention.

Snapping his head to the source of the noise, he sneered and lifted his chin superiorly.

"Crabbe and I are ready at your word, Lucius," announced a gruff, overweight man in dark robes, a hood covering his facial features.

Lucius smirked. "Of course you are, Goyle. Remember, take her quickly and do not harm the others. Once you have her portkey back to the Manor."

Goyle grunted his understanding and went to find Crabbe.

Lucius looked back at the unsuspecting teenagers. It didn't really have to come to this. If Draco had only taken Hermione to him for his approval, it would never have come to this. True, he would never have given it, but it was the principal of the matter. Lucius truly hated not knowing anything about this girl that had affected his son so. He consoled himself knowing that he'd discover what was so 'special' about her soon enough.

Turning his back on the scene of terror he knew was to come, Lucius made his way through the Forbidden Forest, the picture of his son smiling at the Granger girl forever burned in the back of his mind.

~*~

When it happened, it happened fast; too fast, in fact, for Draco to do anything to stop it.

One moment they were all walking happily around the grounds and the next thing he knew, Hermione was being wrenched from his side and he was being hit with a stunning charm. When Draco came to, he immediately began to scan the area for her.

His gaze lightly went to the others to take in their conditions. Ron, too, had been hit with a stunning charm, but it had lifted as soon as their attackers fled. Ginny looked shaken, but other than that was completely fine. But the most peculiar thing of all was that Harry, too, was fine.

It had been Death Eaters, Draco was sure about that. The attack had clearly failed, though, since Harry was there, helping Ron to his feet and in perfect health.

Draco looked around for one more person. Craning his neck to the side he searched for her, but she was no where in sight.

Panic and fear drained his face of all color as realization dawned on him.

"Draco? Draco, what is it?" asked a clearly concerned Ginny.

Ron and Harry turned to him, furrowing their brows in confusion at his sickly pallor color.

One word escaped his thin lips; one word uttered with so much emotion, fear, meaning and love. "Hermione," he uttered in a terrified whisper.

The others frowned and looked around for her, finally noticing that she was no where in sight.

"Dumbledore," Harry announced, and without any questions the four of them took off at a breakneck speed towards the castle.

It would appear that the attack wasn't a failure after all, and was indeed, quite a success.

~*~

Lucius Malfoy paced feverishly in one of his many sitting rooms, his expensive designer robes billowing out behind him for dramatic effect.

He had her now; it was over. All he had to do was walk into one of his parlors and she'd be there, scared, afraid, and completely at his mercy.

A smug smirk touched his handsome features. As she should be, his mind nastily sneered.

He knew that she had been left alone to ponder her fate; that she was most likely envisioning something dire and terrible was going to happen to her. Another sneer crossed his face. She wouldn't be harmed; she had only been taken for a questioning. He knew that he could easily find the poor girl and put her fears of death to rest, but he didn't want to ruin his reputation by acting as if he were actually worried about the stupid chit. And besides, where would the fun be if she knew her fate?

It had been exactly a day and a half, no more, no less, since the kidnapping. She'd probably scared herself shitless by now, which meant she would easily comply. As long as the girl was uncertain of her fate, he'd have the upper hand, and that was exactly the way he wanted it.

"Goyle," he called out in a sharp, commanding voice.

The overweight man lumbered forward obediently.

Malfoy sneered at his companion in distaste. "Take me to the parlor you stashed the Granger girl in," he ordered imperiously.

Goyle's brow creased in confusion, a very familiar expression with him. "Parlor?" he asked.

Lucius gave an exasperated sigh. "Yes, you imbecile, the parlor; you know, it's a type of waiting room. It has four walls, a ceiling, and a floor, ringing any bells?"

Goyle gave a grunt. "She's not in the parlor," he informed.

Lucius became deathly still and narrowed his eyes on a squirming Goyle. "What did you say?" he hissed.

"I- err, that is Crabbe, didn't take her to the parlor," he stammered.

In two quick strides, Lucius was looming over the other man. "And where, might I ask, was she taken?" he said in a voice far more lethal for its quietness.

Goyle shifted from foot to foot. "Well, uh, the moment we arrived she was taken to the dungeons and given to Avery."

One would simply believe that the part of that statement that encouraged Lucius's wrath was the fact that Hermione had been taken to the dungeons; this, however, was not the case.

Avery was a Death Eater notorious for his violent behaviors towards those weaker than him, especially women. While Lucius knew full well what Avery was capable of, he could rest assured that the girl had not been raped. Contrary to popular belief, he did not permit such primitive activities in his home, nor did he condone them.

But that did not mean she had come to no harm. Avery was most renowned for his knowledge of poisonous snakes. He was a cruel man to those in his care, and he used his wisdom of said snakes in cruel ways. His melodramatic tendencies to poison his victims with a venomous snake bite, combined with his explosive temper added up to form a force to be reckoned with. But the Granger girl had most certainly not known this.

Still using that quiet, calm voice, Lucius promised, "If he has harmed her, you're life will be the forfeit."

With that said he swept purposefully out of the room, ignoring Goyle's look of pure fear. He took quick, precise steps towards the dungeons, forcing himself not to run. It would be alright; he was overreacting, he assured himself. But still, that little sliver of fear rooted deep in his gut told him otherwise. Much could happen within the span of a day and a half, especially in the Malfoy dungeons.

Down two flights of stairs, three trap doors, five corridors and one secret passageway later, Lucius Malfoy finally arrived at the renowned dungeons, and what he saw made him curse most vehemently under his breath.

There, huddled in a small, childlike ball in the furthest corner of the cell, was a very pale and weak looking Hermione.

"Ahh, Mr. Malfoy, sir. I see you have come to praise me of my work with your latest prisoner! Rather snippy at first, I must admit. Damn stubborn, the little Mudblood was, but as you can see, I've sufficiently seen to that!"

Lucius turned slowly around to face the maddeningly grinning Avery. Cold fury blinded him as Avery went on about how he had 'sufficiently handled' the girl. But Avery, unfortunately for him, did not notice Lucius's wrath; therefore, the poor fool continued relaying his actions to an incensed Lucius Malfoy, unknowingly signing his own death warrant.

As Avery beamed with pride as he came to the part of introducing Hermione to one of his many poisonous snakes, Lucius brought out his wand, pointing it at a very confused jailor.

With a nonchalant twist of the wrist, Lucius proclaimed, "Avada Kedavra," in a drawl filled with anger and hated.

Avery collapsed in an unbecoming heap on the stone floor, his look of confusion forever plastered on his lifeless face.

Twisting back around Lucius gave another twist of his wand and the cell door slammed open, allowing him to stride in. He knelt by the girl, faintly noting that she was shivering. Without even thinking he draped his own cloak over her shoulders, feeling the bitter bite of the freezing air.

He conjured up a glass of water and a bowl of broth. Holding up the cup to her thin, blue lips he ordered, "Drink," in a firm, commanding voice.

Hermione did so, without asking any questions, sputtering over the water at first. Once the glass was empty, Lucius held the bowl up to her lips and again commanded her to drink, not letting her stop until every drop of broth had been drained.

Once he had accomplished that task, he sat back and took in the girl's condition. Her eye was already purple, there was a cut on her lip and there were several bruises that marred her small form. That wasn't what he was concerned about, however. What worried him most were the two small punctures on her left wrist. The skin around the two holes was discolored and already dying.

Too late, Lucius realized his mistake. He had killed the bastard without finding what snake had bitten her. Without knowing the species of snake, he could not brew up the potion with the anti-venom in it. He also failed to find out how long ago she had been bitten. For all he knew it could have been a few hours ago and she'd only last for a few more minutes...

As if reading his thoughts, she spoke in a croak, "I'm going to die."

Lucius snapped out of his thoughts to meet the surprisingly clear and focused eyes of Hermione Granger.

He honestly did not know what to say to that. Lucius Malfoy was no expert in comforting people; all he could think of was to lie to her. "Don't be silly, you stupid girl," he began awkwardly in a rough tone. "It's only a small bite."

Surprisingly enough the girl smiled at him, causing him to believe she was delirious. "Please, Mr. Malfoy, don't lie to me. I may be dying, but I'm far from stupid. I still have my head about me."

Lucius was shocked, to say the least, but was saved from replying when the girl continued. "I can feel the venom, you know. I can feel it coursing through my veins."

She held out her wrist out as if to show him. He took it with surprising gentleness and placed it back down beside her.

Hermione gave an ironic chuckle. "I guess I shouldn't have patronized him. I shouldn't have pushed him on. I'm stubborn that way, you see."

He did not see, not really. The girl was going to die; he knew as well as she, but she was hardly acting like it.

"Don't speak, save your strength," he ordered brusquely, unsure how to convey his worry for he had never felt the emotion. Indeed, he found the empathy too human, therefore it was beneath him.

Hermione gave an unladylike snort. "Save my strength? What's the use? I'll die anyway."

Silence followed in which Lucius fidgeted uncomfortably. He'd never really been alone with someone who was dying, at least someone that he didn't necessarily want to die. It wasn't that he cared for the stupid chit, but when he had taken her, he'd had no intention of harming her. And here she was, slowly but surely feeling her own life draining from her body. It was merely the principle of the matter. He was only mad that his orders had been ignored; that was all.

"Tell him that I love him," she said quite suddenly.

Lucius frowned, knowing exactly who she meant. "Tell him yourself when you see him again," he spat, unused to the feeling of guilt that suddenly seized him, and unhappy that she had made him feel sorry.

Hermione gave him a glare. "You and I both know, Mr. Malfoy, that I won't see him, ever again. Stop trying to spare me or my feelings, sir. I know I'm going to die. Therefore, you must tell him for me."

Lucius cocked his head in curiosity. "Why?" he questioned.

She looked confused. "Why, what?"

He looked at her directly, catching and holding her eyes that should have been brighter than and not as dull as they were. "Why do you wish for me to tell him?"

Hermione smiled sadly. "So he won't forget. Tell him often, since he might need reminding."

"How do you know that you love him, or that he loves you?" It was a characteristically harsh thing for him to do; to plant the seed of doubt in her mind, but it did not work.

She only smiled and answered, "He told me so, and I believe him."

Lucius snorted at her naïveté. "That simple?" he questioned, doubt evident in his voice.

Hermione frowned suddenly. "Well, no. I didn't believe him, not for a long time at first."

"What changed?" he asked.

"He did, I did; we both did, really. I remember when he first told me. We were in the library, paired up by Snape for a potions project and he just blurted it out," she chuckled here. "He had to repeat it since I didn't understand him the first time."

Lucius sneered at her. "And then you realized that you loved him too and fell into a passionate embrace?" he finished in disgust. He was surprised by Hermione's indignant huff.

"Not bloody likely," she scoffed, suddenly seized by a coughing fit.

Once the fit subsided, Lucius asked, simply to appease his curiosity, he assured himself; not that he truly cared, "What happened?"

"I thought he was lying to me; trying to trick me. I didn't trust him, thought it was all some kind of mean prank," she broke off with a fond smile. "I slapped him across the face and didn't speak to him for about a week."

Lucius raised a brow in astonishment. "Then how...?" he trailed off.

Here, Hermione's weak smile widened, picturing a memory that only she could see. Her eyes glazed over as she sighed. "It was the day before Christmas and the Common Room was, as per usual, filled with noise. I had taken a book and stolen out so that I could read in private. It was a beautiful day, so I decided to read out on the wharf they had just built by the lake. I remember it like it was yesterday."

Lucius tried valiantly not to sneer at her and demand that she get on with it.

"I was so engrossed in my book that I didn't notice Draco walking around the lake, Pansy hovering over him," she frowned in distaste at the mention of Pansy. "I didn't notice them, but Draco noticed me. Pansy caught him staring at me when he was apparently meant to be staring at her. I assume she got jealous and decided to draw Draco's attention back to her, supposedly where it belonged. He didn't notice her slink away, and I never heard her tip-toe in back of me. Before I knew what was happening, she had pushed me into the lake. I, naturally, flipped. You see, sir," she snapped out of the memory to catch Lucius's eye before continuing, "I didn't know how to swim."

Lucius was finally beginning to see where her narrative was going. Draco had saved her life and she had fallen in love with him, blah, blah, blah...

"Draco, somehow, knew this and dove into the lake after me. He hauled me out; saved my life he did," she grinned here. "I was sobbing, crying so hard that I could hardly breathe. He wrapped his arms around me," here, she hugged herself as if expecting to feel those very arms around her.

"And he told me I was fine; that everything was alright and that I was safe now. But you see, sir, that wasn't why I had been crying."

The girl had managed to surprise him yet again. "Why were you crying?" he prompted her.

"I had been reading my favorite book, Grimm's Fairy Tales. It's a Muggle book that my mother used to read to me when I was younger. When I went to Hogwarts my first year, she gave it to me so that I'd be able to read it when I couldn't sleep. I don't know why, but I kept bringing it every year after that; it was sort of my security blanket," a soft, sad smile touched her lips before she added, "and it was still in the lake."

Lucius frowned. No, he wouldn't feel sorry for the girl. If she was weak enough to cry over some book and depend on that book, then it served her right.

"Draco carried me all the way to the Hospital Wing and he stayed with me all through the night; never left my side no matter how many times I told him to," she complained fondly.

Lucius nodded and completed, "And then you realized that he really did love you." He tried not to wince as he said it.

"No, that's not what did it."

Seeing his brow furrowing in confusion, Hermione went on to explain, "I admit that him saving me had a great deal to do with it, but that's not when I knew for sure. You see, sir, it turned out that Draco left me only once for that night. He went back to that lake and fished out my book. After a few drying spells and cleaning charms, it was almost as good as new. He gave it back to me, you see, as my Christmas gift." She smiled almost as if she had been drugged.

"And that, Mr. Malfoy, was when I realized your son truly did care, because you see, he'd have saved anyone who had fallen into that lake, but he'd never go back to get a stupid book for that person, just because of the sentimental value."

This girl was truly confusing, to put it simply. He hadn't expected that she'd have been so suspicious of Draco. It was rather smart of her. Lucius had thought their tale to be the same clichéd, 'boy loves girl, girl loves boy, boy saves girl and lives happily ever after' deal. She'd continued to surprise and shock him with not only her side of the story, but her signs of respect towards him. She'd called him 'sir' and 'Mr. Malfoy,' showing nothing but respect to him even though she was slowly dying and he was mostly to blame.

She was coughing up blood now, as he mulled over how to respond.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, you know," he began suddenly. "You weren't supposed to have been touched or harmed, let alone die."

Lucius wasn't quite sure why he told her this, he just felt as though she had to know. That she had to know he really didn't want her to die. Not that she'd believe him, anyway.

But deep down, Hermione already knew this, and told him as much. "I know; I know."

Filled with deep regret, Lucius rose to his feet and began to walk towards the cell door; the least he could do was leave her to die in peace. But something stopped him, well, someone stopped him, really. Two small words made their way to him, forever changing everything Lucius had been raised to believe, everything that he had stood for.

"I'm sorry."

He instantly froze and turned to face her. She was propped up against the hard, stone wall, clutching his cloak around her and shivering violently. She wasn't looking at him, and for a moment, Lucius thought he had been hearing things, but then Hermione continued.

"I'm sorry I ruined your sacrifice. Draco may not know what you did for him, but I do. He doesn't realize it, because he's too close to the picture to see it. I see, though. You gave up everything and became His servant so that you could give Draco everything you thought he could possibly need; power, money, respect. Draco had all of the new toys, never went wanting, except for one thing," she was rocking back and forward now, filled with so much emotion that her voice quivered in her earnestness.

"You couldn't give him the love he needed as a child. How could you when as His servant you destroyed and despised the word? That was all he ever really wanted, though. You gave him everything he could possibly wish for materialistically, but emotionally he was lacking. I gave him the one thing that you couldn't; love. And he threw it all back in your face. He forswore the Malfoy name because of me. Because of me, your sacrifice was for not."

Tears streamed down her face when she finally looked at him to repeat, "For this, I'm so very, very sorry."

And then she had fainted, depleting the last of her strength. Lucius stood there, rooted to the very floor in horror. This girl that he had thought hated him had just apologized for unintentionally ruining his sacrifice. This girl that he had never once met before this time had so easily seen through all of his defenses and his act, even though she was weakened. This girl saw him for what he was and understood.

And then it came to him and Lucius finally knew what his son saw in the girl. He understood why his son loved the girl and why he needed her. Draco had finally had the one thing he had always wanted, the one thing that Lucius had failed to give him, and he had just taken it away.

Lucius Malfoy had no illusions. He knew he was probably the least likely candidate to win Father of the Year, but he had only acted in his son's best interests. But what if he had been wrong all this time? What if his son didn't need power or money; what if he only needed her?

That was the precise moment that Lucius Malfoy changed. For better or worse, this girl had affected him. She had unknowingly saved a drowning man that had not even known he was drowning.

Now was his chance. Time seemed to slow until it came to a sluggish halt. Lucius saw two paths; two choices that would alter his very existence, and for once in his life, he made the right choice.

Lucius Malfoy had the chance to finally give his son all that he needed, and he did. Without a moment's hesitation, Lucius scooped up the unconscious girl and Apparated to the Hogwarts front gates.

Time seemed to return to normal and then speed ahead as he ran to the castle, hoping that Madam Pomfrey would be able to save this girl, his salvation.

Lucius suddenly found himself outside the Infirmary, not quite sure how he had gotten there so quickly, but not caring. He slammed open the door, creating quite the scene.

"Help! I need help over here!" he boomed in his typical, commanding voice.

Madam Pomfrey came over and did a double take at the sight before her. Lucius Malfoy was carefully placing an unconscious Hermione Granger on a bed while gently sweeping her hair out of her face. The moment's hesitation was gone once she realized that the Granger girl was in serious condition, however.

Lucius didn't even look at her as he informed, "She was bitten by a venomous snake, but I don't know what kind it was."

She briskly went to Hermione and began examining her patient, clucking her tongue disapprovingly.

"The venom has almost reached her lungs, if I don't extract it before it reaches there, she'll die, choking on her own blood," Madam Pomfrey confided in her usual blunt manner.

Lucius flashed the scowl that had caused many grown wizards to soil themselves, but it didn't really seem to have an effect on her. "Then what are you waiting for, woman! Do it!"

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "I'm afraid it's not a simple process and is very complicated since I don't know what species of snake bit her. I'll need to speak with Albus, perhaps Severus as well."

Lucius frantically scanned the room, his eyes landing on a wide-eyed student with flaming red hair. "You there, Weasley girl, go retrieve Snape and Dumbledore. Bring them here immediately!" he ordered, not unkindly. "Go now, you silly girl! This is a matter of life and death!"

Ginny Weasley did not need to be told twice. With lightning speed the young girl raced through the halls, ignoring the protesting ache in her side and in her head. She ran right into the Great Hall and up to the high table and gasped out to Dumbledore, "Lucius Malfoy... Hermione... you... Snape... go!"

Albus Dumbledore, a very smart man indeed, shot out of his chair, beckoned to Professor Snape to follow, and left the Great Hall at a near run, not once noticing the worried and curious expressions of the students and staff.

Ginny took a few calming breaths and turned towards the Gryffindor table, ignoring the fact that virtually everyone was staring at her. She went straight to Harry and Ron completely unawares with the fact that every eye followed her.

"Ginny, what is it? What's wrong?" Ron asked in sharp concern.

Ginny swallowed. "I was in the Infirmary to get that potion for my headache and Lucius Malfoy burst in-" Here, Ron cut her off.

"That bloody prat! What the hell is he doing here?" Ron shouted, gaining an even larger audience.

"Ron!" Ginny cut in abruptly. "That's not all of it! He was carrying Hermione! She was unconscious and he practically shouted hysterically at me to get Professor Dumbledore and Snape for help! Ron, she might die!"

Both boys paled and shot out of their seats. Through some unspoken agreement they all made their way to the Slytherin table, to Draco Malfoy in particular.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, having difficulty controlling the worry in his voice.

Harry met the boy's eyes and simply said, "Your father's brought Hermione to the Infirmary. They say she might die," his voice cracked on the word 'die.'

Draco paled significantly, trying to digest what he had just been told. His father brought Hermione here for help; Hermione needed help. And then finally, the last realization, Hermione might die. With that, Draco took off running towards the Hospital Wing, Ron, Harry and Ginny at his heels.

They arrived there in about half the time it should have taken them, but he did not think of that now. He burst into the ward, ignoring Madam Pomfrey's protests, and went straight to Hermione's side.

She already looked dead. Her skin was deathly white and death seemed to radiate from her body. Her breathing was low and shallow and sweat covered her brow. Every so often she would have a seizure and shake uncontrollably.

Dumbledore came up in back of him, answering his unasked questions. "We've already treated her, but I'm afraid I do not know if the antidote will reach her lungs in time. We have done all that we can for her; the rest is now up to her to decide."

No one needed to ask what Hermione's decision would be, for at that moment her body began to tremor violently and she suddenly launched upright, sputtering and gasping for the air she had had so much trouble reaching. But it came to her now, flowing into her lungs and expanding her chest in that faithful rhythm of time.

Lucius Malfoy's relief was so intense that he completely forgot himself and threw his arms around Hermione.

"Don't you ever do that again, young lady, do you hear me? You stupid Gryffindor! Nearly killed me with your antics!" he gushed.

Silence followed Lucius's outburst; it was that confused, shocked silence that echoed throughout the Infirmary and rebounded in their minds.

Hermione tenderly brought her arms around Lucius, smiling softly to herself as she pacified, "I'm sorry, sir. I'll never do that again," she promised.

Lucius gave a snort. "Of course you're sorry, and you bloody well never do that again, not if you know what's best for you."

Draco stood there, mouth agape as he watched the Mudblood hating wizard that was his father fuss over his Muggleborn girlfriend. What had happened to him over the last two days? What had this remarkable girl done to bring out this change in his usually hate-filled father?

And there was a change. Draco saw it in the man's eyes when he looked down at Hermione. The concern that was infused in his voice and evident in his gestures to her, everything the man did showed his transformation.

But then Draco smiled. He knew what had happened; Hermione had. She had changed him; it stood to reason that she could change his father, as well.

His smile widened into a delighted grin when Hermione stretched out her hand, blindly reaching out for him. He took her weak hand in his and allowed her to pull him down onto the bed beside her and his father.

And then the three embraced, filled to the brim with happiness and the feeling of completion.

As Lucius surreptitiously studied his son, he smiled deep down to himself in satisfaction. Draco was truly happy and for the first time in his life, Lucius was able to say it was because of something he himself had done. All he had ever wanted was for Draco to have it all; he had only ever wanted to give him the world at his feet. He did one better. He gave his son the girl that meant the world at his side.