Winning Lucius

Chapter 2 Homecoming [I Was Wrong by Social Distortion]

Taking Hermione's advice, Lucius apologized to Narcissa and professed his undying love in the longest most difficult letter he ever wrote. He anxiously awaited a reply which he never received. He didn't write his son though because he had no idea where to begin and doubted if Draco would even read it. On December 9^th, the council released Lucius from Azkaban. To his surprise, Narcissa awaited him outside the prison and greeted him with a fiery kiss. He spent two glorious weeks with his wife in Paris, enjoying a second honeymoon. After, he opted to stay at the Leaky Cauldron, despite Narcissa's insistence that Draco would welcome him home.

Soon after, Narcissa informed him that Draco confided in her that he planned to propose to Hermione in January at her Moscow book signing, with hopes of marriage in the coming spring. Such a momentous occasion, yet his son hadn't said a word about it or anything to him at all, though he wasn't surprised. Indeed, he had anticipated it after Draco confronted him about her. In anticipation, he kept a few strands of Draco's hair from his last visit just in case.

Knowing the inevitable, he gathered a few strands of Hermione's hair that he found on the back of her chair during her last visit of his incarceration. While at the Leaky Cauldron, he prepared a potion to see if he should even consider approving the match. All his life, he and many of his compatriots held the belief that Mudblood offspring would be weak wizards and witches. Certainly, he didn't want the Malfoy line to grow weak. He always wanted the line to strengthen.

Now with this potion, he would find out once and for all what would happen to the line. He held up the chalky grey potion and dropped a strand of Hermione's hair and one from Draco. For one hundred and one minutes, he anxiously awaited the results: the darker green the potion turned the more powerful and resourceful wizards their children, and hence the Malfoy line, would be. After nearly two hours of waiting, with a gleeful smile, Lucius picked up the vile of blackish green liquid. Lucius reflected that he had once followed a powerful Mudblood so why wouldn't one produce heirs worthy of the Malfoy name.

A few days prior to Christmas, he didn't see Narcissa since she busied herself with preparations. Through her tears, she manipulated him into coming home for Christmas. On Christmas day, she welcomed him into Malfoy Mansion. "Darling, I'm so glad you're here." His blood raced as it always did when she kissed him passionately. Clearly feeling his reaction, she whispered, "Tonight my love," as she led him in.

His home hadn't changed much but had brightened a little with some strange muggle Christmas ornaments, probably Hermione's touch. The scent of ham, pumpkin pie and cinnamon filled the warm air inside. "Where is my son?"

"This way." She took him to the living room which looked out into the backyard where Draco and Hermione made a snowman. "Hermione's parents will be joining us for Christmas dinner. I hope you don't mind."

"Only Draco can choose visitors nowadays," he stated bitterly.

"This is Christmas. We are all working to get along," she said sternly. He shrugged nonchalantly. "Despite everything that has happened, he still loves you." She took his hand. "He stood up to you. It takes a strong wizard to do that." She kissed his cheek. They watched as Draco and Hermione laughed and kissed. "Have you ever seen him so happy?"

In truth, he hadn't. "Would you ask him to come to my study? Whenever he finishes," he stated wryly as they continued kissing. "I wish to speak with him." Promptly, he walked away. He found his study exactly as he left it. Apparently, his son hadn't completely banished him.

A little while later, he heard hushed arguing. When he investigated, he overheard Hermione saying, "Will you please speak to your father? It is Christmas. At least hear what he has to say."

Then his son replied, "I have nothing to say to that man. Besides, he probably will tell me how disappointed he is in me and to kick you out of the house."

"If he's mean, then leave but give him a chance," she pleaded. "Of all people, you should be very grateful for second chances."

With that, he retreated to his study. Soon after, he heard a knock on the door. "Enter."

Draco entered without even so much as a glance towards him and quietly shut the door behind him. "Thank you for coming," he said mechanically. "It means so much to mother." The much younger version of himself sat in front of his desk, arms folded, jaws tensed with controlled hostility. From his son's expression, he would rather be in Azkaban than anywhere near his father.

He didn't refer to him as father. Something he never had been remiss in acknowledging which hurt more than his entire prison sentence. "Thank you for inviting me." Lucius stared out into the snow wanting to move past this emotional turmoil as quickly as he could. "I understand that Miss Granger might be joining the family." Immediately, glancing at him, fury flashed in Draco's eyes as his hands gripped the arms of the chair. "She's intelligent and spirited. She'll be an excellent addition to the family." His son relaxed a little, resting his chin on interlocked fingers, and indignantly stared into oblivion. "Generations of Malfoy have lived here. When she joins our family, will she do the same?"

"I'm sure she will. She loves it here and shows tremendous support of almost all of our family traditions," Draco explained defiantly.

"That is good. I wouldn't want that tradition to change." He continued to stare out the window into the snow unable to bare the well deserved anger in his son's eyes. "I'm sure you will have a happy marriage."

As Draco sat deep in thought, Lucius saw all those years of torment that he caused, reflected in his son's eyes replacing the anger from before. "I have caused you so much anguish for so many years." He felt very uncomfortable in this new territory. "You never deserved any of it." He reached his hand to his eyes, refusing to show weakness. "Despite it all, you're making the Malfoy name great once more." In a shaky voice, he spoke quietly, "When you have children, you won't make the mistake of treating them so horribly that you to lose their love." He glanced at his son who sat in apathetic contemplation, regaining emotional control. "Every year, when you gave me my birthday present, you would tell me you loved me. The last time you didn't and I can't blame you." He gripped his cane so tightly his knuckles whitened. "Why would any son love a father who never told him how proud he was of him," he stated in a distance voice, "or more importantly, how much he loved him."

"I'm sorry Draco. You deserved a better father but I couldn't ask for a better son." His son's expression went to sorrow. "Once the festivities are done, I'll leave. You have my word; I'll not interfere in your lives." Forgiveness seemed remote as Draco stared down quietly.

After some time, he saw a single tear roll down his son's cheek. "I have vague memories as a young child that you loved me then but later you stopped. When I got older, I kept trying to remember what I did wrong." Another tear rolled down his cheek. "What did I do?"

"You never did anything wrong. It was me. I distanced myself because I feared treating you worse."

Another tear followed more silent contemplation. "I understand." Draco then regained his composure. "You really love me and are proud?" Lucius nodded. "You support my career and my possible marriage," he asked incredulously. Lucius nodded. "I'm not sure who you are anymore."

"I would like to be your father, again." In admission of his past mistakes, he said, "This time I'll act like one."

Draco gathered his thoughts for awhile longer. "Forgiveness can have the most wonderful results. I have learned that recently." Unexpectedly, Draco hugged him tightly. "I love you, father. You don't need to leave." Lucius hugged his son for the first time. "Your present is in the top drawer of your desk." He opened the desk to find the petition for Draco to become head of the family, still sealed and undelivered. "I never wanted you not to be head of this family. I only wanted new direction."

"You were being resourceful and got what you wanted." He smiled looking at his son with pride. "Just like I taught you."

"Father, would you have lunch with me tomorrow? I need to discuss some things with you in private."

"Of course, now, send in Miss Granger, please." He saw in his son a resolute protectiveness that he never saw before. "I promise to be civil."

Draco excused himself. Shortly, there after Hermione came into his study. "Miss Granger, I'm glad you joined us for the holidays. Thank you for visiting me and your clemency despite our past. Because of you, I have been welcomed back into this family. You have my gratitude."

"You're welcome," she said.

"You have proven that certain beliefs that I believed true about muggle borns, were false. Those prejudices have been so ingrained in me that I doubt if they will ever be completely erased. However, I am trying."

"I understand Mr. Malfoy," she stated solemnly. "I'm working through my own."

"I'm glad we have an understanding." He took her hand. "Let's rejoin the rest of the family for Christmas."

The next day over a lunch of Monte Cristo sandwiches, both Malfoy men's favorite, Lucius intently listened as his son bonded with him. "Father," Draco asked, "would you initially speak to Hermione's parents about our possible engagement? I think they're convinced we're too young." He shifted uncomfortably. "You are very convincing."

Tradition dictated that one of the groom's parents, usually the father, present a case for marriage to the bride's parents outlining their son's merits and how a marriage of the two would be beneficial. If the proposal was well received, then the groom would be officially presented to her parents. Then he may propose to her at a time and place of his choosing. "I will, as long as they will receive me," he replied. "Do they accept our traditions?"

"They'll have to," Draco stated adamantly. "Both sides have and will continue to make compromises, as long as all the Malfoy traditions are met." He smiled slyly. "I stand firm on it. This is a great family and will continue to be so."

"You make me proud," Lucius replied.

Draco then shifted around nervously. "The veela heritage has come to fruition in me. It manifested itself in certain physical abilities also the need to bond." Draco looked as if he expected to be admonished. "I loved Hermione before the veela part of me strengthened. I chose to let it be part of me and I bonded with her. I couldn't be happier."

"I'm glad and I am still very proud of you," he assured him.

Lucius presented his son to the Granger family, outlining the merits of uniting the families and how much the couple loved each other. They expressed concern over the couple's young age but Lucius alleviated their concerns. With the eventual marriage, he decided he should extend the Malfoy influence into the Muggle world as well, but covertly.