Dragon and Angel

CHAPTER FOUR

TELLING DRACO

As he waited for his father to say something, Draco couldn't help but think Lucius was acting very odd. He seemed almost uncomfortable, and his mother's smile looked as though it had been painted on, not at all natural.

Lucius cleared his throat subtly. "Draco, do you recall a witch by the name of Ginevra Wesley?"

"Ginevra Wesley? I think she may have been a year below myself at Hogwarts. A Gryffindor -- that I'm sure of." Draco certainly remembered Ginevra, how could he forget her.

"Ah, and when was the last time you would have seen Miss Weasley?" Lucius was being extremely careful with his line of questioning.

"I don't remember exactly... probably the year I graduated, on the Hogwarts Express." Draco wasn't sure where this was going, but he didn't like the sudden interest his father was showing in his Ginny.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I think so." Draco was growing more anxious with every question. He had seen Ginny since he had graduated, but he hadn't seen her since she had graduated, the year after he -- just before he left to manage the French office of Malfoy Holdings.

"I see, well--"

Draco cut his father off; he simply couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "Father is there a problem? I apologise, but you don't come to the office when we had important meetings set for today, yet you left the Manor before I did, stating you would meet me there and then you leave a message insisting on my return to the Manor as soon as possible. Now you seem to be very interested in Miss Weasley and, for the life of Merlin, I can't imagine why."

"Patience, Draco. I will explain. I simply needed some, shall we say, background information on the girl first. I made somewhat of a discovery this morning, whilst attending to some business in Diagon Alley, prior to arriving at the office."

"And your discovery?" Draco pressed, not really sure if he wanted Lucius to answer that question. Though he had been back in Britain for two years, he had made no attempt to contact Ginny. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but it just didn't seem like a good idea, especially, after the way he'd left. He still felt twinges of guilt over leaving her that way -- most disturbing, when guilt wasn't an emotion he was particularly comfortable with.

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Ginny had just made her way back to her private chambers at Hogwarts, for the final time -- being Head Girl definitely had its advantages. The graduation party in Gryffindor Tower, where she had just been, would probably go on until dawn, but she had other plans for this evening. As she entered her private room, an arm snaked around her waist and she felt light kisses traveling up her neck.

"Hello there, beautiful," Draco growled against her neck.

"How did you get in here? I was going to change and meet you by the lake." Ginny was not really surprised to see her lover of two years standing in her private rooms. Draco always managed to sneak in somehow, just to surprise her.

"I snuck in during the Graduation Ceremony, and I've been waiting for you ever since."

"Oh my god, you've waited all this time for me?" Guilt began to gnaw at her stomach. If only she had known he was here, she wouldn't have gone to the party in the tower.

"Yeah, well -- I need to tell you something."

"Yes?" Ginny purred, a seductive smile creeping over her face.

Draco walked her over to the bed and sat her down, then knelt before her holding both of her hands. "Umm... Gin, I've decided to take Father's offer. To run the French Office of Malfoy Holdings." Draco was staring at their entwined hands, afraid of what he may see if he was to look at her beautiful face.

"You're going to France?"

He could hear her voice trembling and knew there would be tears running down her face, tears he had caused.

"I'm sorry, Gin, but I need to go. It'll give me the chance to step out from my fathers shadow. I can't do that in London," Draco tried to explain as he looked up to her face. "Look, maybe I should just go. Coming here tonight wasn't a good idea."

"No. Stay with me, one last time," Ginny pleaded. "Then tomorrow, we'll worry about saying goodbye."

Draco wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs. "Okay, I'll stay." He smiled, as he stood up and lent in for a passionate kiss.

He left the next morning, while she slept. His only goodbye, a note --

My Darling Angel

I'm sorry for leaving this way, but I knew I wouldn't be able say goodbye to you. I love you Gin, more than you'll ever know and I'll never forget you. Please don't hate me.

Love You

Forever

Dragon

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"I was on the way to the office, having decided to walk from Knockturn Alley, when I overheard Miss Weasley berating her small son in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies." Lucius was watching Draco very closely for any reaction.

"She has a son?" Draco almost choked, trying not to let the emotion show in his voice. Perhaps she had married. It had been over five years since he had last seen her.

"Yes, she has a son. This is where it gets interesting." Lucius paused to further gage Draco's reaction. His son seemed to be struggling to maintain his usual controlled manner.

"Oh Lucius! Please, just get on with it!" It was the first time Narcissa had spoken since they had taken their seats.

"Narcissa," Lucius warned. "I will deal with this in my way. If you wish to remain in the room, my dear, you will remain silent." Lucius did love her well, but he knew she could be over emotional at times, and he wanted to do this carefully, so he could be assured of the truth from Draco.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," Narcissa sniffed. "Draco, were you ever intimate with Ginevra Weasley?"

"Excuse me, Mother?" Draco did choke this time and was now more confused than ever. What on magical earth were his parents on about? Why was his mother asking questions like that?

"Narcissa, leave us. NOW!" Although he wasn't exactly angry with his wife, Lucius was trying to handle the situation delicately, and she had all but destroyed any chance he had of continuing to do so. The thought of simply asking Draco whether or not he had taken the witch into his bed had crossed his mind.

Narcissa knew that it would do no good to argue with her husband, and that he would not continue until she had left the room. She thought it was a fair question, really. She rose, bringing both men to their feet, and walked toward the door, turning back to Lucius once she had reached the threshold. "I will be in my chambers -- should you be wondering," she informed him, with a level of haughtiness in her voice that clearly communicated her displeasure at being dismissed.

Once Narcissa was out of sight, both men took their seats again and sat, regarding each other for a few short moments.

"Father, can you just tell me, what in Merlin's name is going on?"

"Very well, I've already told you that Miss Weasley has a son. Am I correct in assuming that you had no knowledge of the boy, prior to our current discussion?" Lucius knew he would have to get to the point a little faster now, but he still wanted to be careful.

"Yes, sir."

"I would also be correct in assuming you and Miss Weasley have, in the past, been intimate?"

"Umm... well... Why do you ask father?" Draco was sure he disliked where this was leading. Discussing his personal affairs, with his father, was not something he made a habit of doing.

"I'll take that as a yes, shall I?" Lucius smirked at his son, although the situation was far from amusing. Lucius had never seen his son so fidgety. Draco was almost squirming in his seat now.

"Father!"

"All right. When Miss Weasley was telling her son off, for wandering away from her, she used, what I would assume, was his full name." Lucius smiled as he continued, "You used to do that all the time to your mother too... just wander off. Narcissa would come home from shopping looking entirely harassed, swearing next time you would be remaining with the house elves, but of course next time would come and she would take you with her and you'd wander off again in search of something interesting to watch."

Ignoring Lucius' story of his behaviour when he was young, Draco asked, "What is the little boy's name?"

Draco realized, a moment too late, that his tone seemed almost desperate and his father had picked up on this, very quickly. He would have to tread very carefully from now, so as not to alert Lucius, any further, to his true feelings for the young woman.

"Why are you so interested, Draco?"

Draco cleared his throat. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Father, but it was you who introduced this topic for discussion."

Lucius raised an eyebrow at his son's last comment. He knew they could go on like this for hours, it was like dueling without wands and both were experts at this verbal sport.

"Very well, Miss Weasley addressed her son as 'Drake Arthur Weasley Malfoy'." Lucius ensured he spoke slowly and deliberately.

Draco stared at his father in disbelief. Had he heard correctly? -- 'Malfoy' -- Was he a father? No, it wasn't possible he hadn't seen her since 1999.

"The boy looks just as you did, at around that age. He has our hair, eyes and your spirit, from what I saw."

"No! Father, this isn't possible. I haven't seen Gin since she graduated, in June 1999. There's no way the child is mine." Draco was trying to make sense of what his father was telling him and not having much success.

"June 1999 you say? I rather think it is entirely possible. You see I'd estimate Drake to be about five years old."

Draco sat in his mother's winter parlor and placed his head in his hands. If everything Lucius had just told him was true, then he, Draco Lucius Malfoy, was a father. It just didn't make sense, so many questions were now forming in his mind -- he felt as though he might explode.

"I did try to speak with Miss Weasley, but she ran from me. Not before young Drake gave me a lovely bruised shin though," Lucius continued, in an attempt to lift Draco from his thoughts.

"She never told me," Draco said in barely a whisper.

"I didn't think so. What do you intend to do now?"

"I have to see him," Draco responded, his voice growing stronger as he stood up.

"Draco, it's late, you wouldn't be able to see him now, even if she were to allow you access." Lucius' reminder was firm, but gentle.

Draco ran his hands through his hair and sighed heavily. "You're right. Father, what if she doesn't let me see him?"

Standing next to his son, he placed a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye before responding. "We will convince her."

Draco nodded and smiled at his father. One thought consumed his mind now -- he had to see his son.

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