A Family Affair

Slowly, painfully, Draco Malfoy opened his eyes. The whiteness all around blinded him, and he squinted his eyes shut again. Every nerve ending in his body seemed to be on fire, burning, pulsing - hurting.

He became aware of a low, pitiful moaning sound. Realising he was the one making that sound, he clenched his jaw to try to bite back the moans and cried out as the movement brought a fresh wave of pain rolling over him.

A cool hand touched his face as it moved to cup his head and lift it slightly. A sickly sweet concoction was forced into his mouth, and he swallowed reflexively. The potion brought with it blessed oblivion.

****************

When next Draco awoke, the pain had subsided, although it was still present. His nerve endings still sparked and pulsed, but the burning ache had faded away. The room was still overly bright, but Draco had a strange feeling that the brightness was somehow connected to the problem with his misfiring synapses

The piteous moaning, too, had gone. For this, Draco was most grateful.

Fighting to force his eyes open, Draco tossed his head slightly on the sweat-damp pillow. Hermione gently dabbed at his fevered skin with a cool cloth, wishing fervently that there was something more she could do. He turned his face toward her, and she brushed the hair back from his brow.

When Draco's eyes fluttered open, Hermione gasped in surprise.

"Draco?" Her voice was tremulous.

The grey eyes slipped shut again, but his hands moved on the sheets, his fingers flexing as he struggled to regain conscious control of his sluggish limbs. Hermione slid her hand down to rest beneath his, and he grasped her fingers ever so slightly.

"Alex misses you," Hermione said softly. "And Sean." She paused. "We all do."

Draco's fingers pressed against her hand again. She pressed back, very gently.

"Rest now, Draco. But don't forget about us, all right?"

Hermione thought she saw one corner of his mouth crook upward ever so slightly, for just a moment. Later the mediwitch would tell her she had probably imagined it, but Hermione knew that Draco had smirked at her.

*******************

Hermione was still sitting by Draco's side when he came fully awake for the first time, and he wondered idly if she had been with him for however long he had been unconscious. She was leaning back in the chair she occupied beside his bed with her eyes closed, but Draco could tell that she was not sleeping. Licking his dry lips, he tried to call out to her.

"Hermione," he rasped weakly.

Brown eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice, and Hermione shifted instantly from the chair to the edge of Draco's bed. She took his hand in hers and smiled down at him. To his groggy mind, she looked like an angel.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him gently.

"I've been better," he managed to reply.

Grinning at his light-hearted response, Hermione set about rearranging Draco and his pillows to allow him to sit up a little in the bed. She gave him a little water, and he smiled at her gratefully. He was weak as a kitten, and honestly wanted nothing more than to drift back to sleep, but he had questions.

"What happened?" he asked, allowing his eyes to slip closed again.

"I only know parts of it," Hermione explained. "Ron and I decided that you and Harry were taking far too long with the wards, and suspected that you two had done something stupid - which, of course, you had. We had no idea where you were, exactly, but when we found the wards down and the front door unlocked, it was fairly obvious you had gone inside. So we followed. I don't need to tell you how big that place is....we had no idea which direction to go - until we heard Lucius casting the Killing Curse. I've never seen anyone move so quickly in my entire life; Ron went racing through the house, but when I caught him up, I was certain he had been too late. You and Harry were both just lying there..." Hermione's voice caught for a moment, but she steadied herself and forged ahead. "Ron had Lucius bound by the time I caught up with him, and was just standing there, staring at his sister like he had never seen her before. She smiled sweetly at the two of us, and then turned and cast some curse on you that even I had never heard of.....I stunned her, but it was a bit late by then to do you much good."

"Ron stopped my father killing me," Draco mused.

"Actually, no. Ron says he got there too late to stop him casting the curse. In fact, until Ginny hexed you, he thought you were dead. We've no idea how you managed to escape that one."

Draco pondered the information for a moment, trying to recall those last moments, but there was a large blank where the memory should be. It reminded him a little of all the times he had downed too many shots of tequila and couldn't remember a bloody thing the next morning. He lost that train of thought completely when Hermione brushed a stray lock of hair from his face; he turned to nuzzle against her hand, reveling in the feeling of her soft, cool hands against his skin.

"How's Ginny?" he mumbled against Hermione's palm.

"Not so well. She's feeling terribly guilty about what she did to you and Harry, even though it wasn't her fault."

"Imperius?"

Hermione nodded sadly. "The mediwizards and her family have discussed having her memory of the whole thing Obliterated, but Ginny insists that she doesn't want anyone messing about with her memories."

"That's a good sign, I'd think," Draco suggested.

"I think so, too."

Draco's eyes fluttered open again, and he forced them to focus on Hermione's. He licked his lips nervously, afraid to ask the question foremost in his mind.

"And what of Harry?" he asked at last, his voice hushed.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "I was supposed to let him know as soon as you were awake."

"He's all right then?" Draco asked, relief washing over him.

"He's still recovering from his fall - those stairs really did a nasty number on him - but he'll be fine," Hermione assured him. "In fact, he's better than he has been in a very long time. He's going back to teaching his classes next week. Apparently, he's finally realised that he really wants to live."

A faint smile curving his lips, Draco let his eyes close again. "Tired," he muttered.

"Sleep then," she said softly as she leaned down to kiss his brow.

********************

"The Ministry is aware that you are back in Britain," Severus informed Draco as he swept into the bedroom where the younger man lay propped on pillows. As soon as the mediwizard in charge of him had allowed it, Draco had begged to be brought back to Severus' apartments at Hogwarts. Severus, of course, had readily agreed, and Draco had been there since, slowly recovering from the effects of the dark curse Ginny had used on him.

"And?" Draco asked, doing his level best to keep any hint of apprehension from his voice.

"The Daily Prophet has been annoyingly persistent in attempting to procure an exclusive interview with you," Severus continued, as if Draco hadn't even spoken. He sat on the edge of the bed, smirking slightly at the look of utter dismay on Draco's face. "Poppy told them in no uncertain terms that you were not to be disturbed. She can be very persuasive, you know."

Draco chuckled, relieved. "Yes, she can. I still think she's the only reason I got out of St. Mungo's."

"Actually, that was a group effort," he acknowledged, fussily fluffing Draco's pillows. "In regards to the Ministry, you have a meeting with certain officials this evening in Hogsmeade. The both of us do, actually. I am uncertain as to what to expect; however, Albus was smiling when he told me of the meeting, so I can only assume that it isn't anything too horrible."

"If the Ministry got the whole story, then they know about Alex, don't they?" Draco asked, suddenly understanding why Snape seemed so anxious.

"They know," Severus confirmed quietly.

Draco folded one of Severus' fidgeting hands into his own. "They won't take her from you Severus. I won't let them."

Snape patted the younger man's hand awkwardly. Just then, the outer door to the suite opened, and Alex's childish voice filled the rooms. The girl was chattering away brightly about her recent visit with Professor Dumbledore.

"...and he has a bird called Fox," Alex explained.

"Fawkes, Alex," Sirius corrected, not quite able to hold back a laugh.

"Oh. I wondered why you would call a bird a fox. Put me down now, Sean," Alex commanded.

"You forgot to say 'please'," Sean teased.

"Please put me down or I'll have Papa hex you," Alex said solemnly.

From the bedroom came the unmistakable sound of Draco's laugh and Snape's amused snort.

Draco wiped a tear of mirth from his eye as Alex bounded into the room, followed closely by Sean and Sirius. "There's no doubt as to which house you'll be sorted into," Draco teased his sister as she climbed onto the bed beside him.

Alex grinned up at him. "I shan't be sorted at all," she said. "Albus said the hat won't know what to do with me, and I'll just end up stuck sitting on the stool until someone can decide what to do about me."

At this, Draco laughed again, cuddling his small sibling close to him, the frilly lace of her dress scratching at his skin. After a moment, he forced his attention away from the little girl and addressed the wizards standing in the doorway.

"How's Harry?" he asked.

"Ron's packing him off to the Burrow for the weekend. Harry protested, saying he didn't want to intrude on Ginny's homecoming, but Ron insisted. Said all the noise and goings on would keep his mind occupied so he can't brood," Sirius replied. "Harry begged Remus to come along, so he wouldn't be the only non-Weasley there. Personally, I think the whole thing was an elaborate set-up to get Remus to go along, because as soon as he agreed, Harry seemed quite pleased to be going."

"It will be good for both of them," Draco agreed.

"For all of them," Severus corrected, his voice tinged with sorrow.

"I think I'd better get some rest," Draco said suddenly, though he didn't look at all tired. "Alex, run along, and keep these three out of trouble, will you?" he added, kissing Alex's blonde curls.

The girl nodded with a smile and then reached out to her Papa to be picked up. Severus lifted the child, giving Draco a grateful look. He needed this time with his daughter, just in case the meeting with the Ministry didn't go as they would like.

**************

Draco and Severus arrived at the Three Broomsticks almost a full hour before their meeting was scheduled to start. Sirius and Sean had insisted on coming along, for moral support if nothing else. Headmaster Dumbledore joined them a short time later, Madame Pomfrey by his side. Poppy immediately began to inquire as to how Draco was feeling - in great detail - and make certain that he wasn't overexerting himself.

Five minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin, a young man and a slightly older woman entered the room. The young woman seemed quiet and reserved; her long, curly black hair was tied back neatly and her no-nonsense midnight blue robes were tidy and freshly pressed. The man at her side seemed a living bundle of kinetic energy; one expected the youth to fly apart or spontaneously combust at any moment, even though physically he was fairly still. His sandy blonde hair curled around his handsome face and brushed just past the bottom of the Mandarin collar of his blue-black robes. The two moved forward almost as one to greet the assembled wizards.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," the woman greeted. "So very good to see you again. And you Madame Pomfrey, Professor Snape." With a smile she turned to Sirius. "I'm so very glad the truth finally came out Sirius," she said, shaking his hand warmly.

"Thank you, Penny," he replied. "How's Malcolm?"

"Growing like a weed," she said, her blue eyes shining. "He looks just like his father, excepting the hair, of course." She turned toward Draco. "Mister Malfoy," she greeted holding out her hand. "Penelope Clearwater-Weasley, Department of Children's Welfare."

Draco fought down the urge to tell her not to call him Mister Malfoy and wondered briefly which of the Weasleys she belonged to as he reached out the shake her hand. "Please, call me Draco," he offered. "Forgive me for not standing. Madame Pomfrey won't allow it."

"Are you certain you aren't just playing up your malady for extra attention?" the other Ministry official asked, his voice playful.

Turning toward the man, Draco's retort died on his lips. "Blaise?" he asked, surprised to see his roommate from Hogwarts.

"Good to see you, Draco," Blaise said, stepping forward to shake hands. "I was relieved beyond words when I learned that you were in fact alive and well."

"Thanks," Draco said dumbly.

"Let's get down to business, shall we?" Blaise asked, holding out a seat for Penelope before taking his own across the table from Draco.

"There are a number of matters we need to discuss," Penelope began, "not the least of which is the future of one Miss Alexis Malfoy. I am here as Alexis' representative. Whatever decisions I make will be with her best interests in mind. That being said, I have it on good authority that Alex is a happy, healthy, well-adjusted, loved, and largely spoiled little angel," she continued with a wide grin. "I was at the home of my in-laws this afternoon, and Remus wouldn't shut up about her."

"He is rather taken with her," Sirius said, smiling.

Penelope laid a leather attaché case on the table before her, opened it, and lifted out a shef of parchments. "These," she said, pushing them across the table towards Snape, "are adoption papers. Signing them will make her your daughter in the eyes of the Ministry. For the first year, there will be visits by a case worker - that's me - to make certain that she's well taken care of. While I know that you don't like anyone meddling in your private affairs, I hope you'll understand that in this case, I consider it only a formality and will make the visits as painless as possible."

Severus devoured the parchment with his eyes, unbelieving. Beside him, Sirius leaned over to read the contract as well. When they had finished, Severus looked at Sirius, an unspoken question in his eyes.

Sirius smiled. He plucked up the self-inking quill Penelope had placed on the table and tucked it into Severus' hand. From down the table, Draco was beaming at him. He signed the papers.

"Congratulations, my boy," Albus said, his eyes twinkling merrily.

Severus merely sat back in his chair, stunned and relieved.

"Yes, congratulations, Professor," Blaise added. "Now, on to other business." He reached into the attaché and pulled forth a much larger stack of parchments. With a flourish, he laid the top one down in front of Draco. "The deed to Malfoy Manor. Currently, Aurors are checking it over and confiscating anything related to the Dark Arts. Such items will be catalogued, and you will have the choice of challenging the removal of them." He dropped a large stack of parchments in front of his wide-eyed friend. "These are the records of all of Lucius Malfoy's financial holdings. After careful research, they were deemed to be completely legal - if a bit shady in some cases. They are now yours, as well. Flip to the back, and at the bottom of the page you will find the so-called bottom line: you are a very wealth little bastard, Draco. More so than any of us imagined back at school," Blaise informed him with a smirk.

Sean peered over Draco's shoulder at the figure scribed on the page. "What does that convert to in US Dollars?" he asked.

Blaise grinned. "Well, let's see....carry the two....then from pounds to dollars..." he scribbled furiously on a spare bit of parchment. "Somewhere around 15 billion US Dollars."

Sean's mouth dropped open in shock. Draco just frowned and shook his head. "Half of this should be Alex's," he protested.

"Draco, everything was passed to you. As the oldest male child, it's all yours. What you choose to do with it is up to you," Blaise told him gently.

Draco rubbed his temples tiredly. "What's the rest of that?" he asked, indicating the pile of papers still sitting in front of Blaise.

One by one, Blaise handed the parchments over to Draco, explaining them as he went along. "Deed to the Villa in Nice. Deed to the Palazzo in Venice. Deed to your mother's family home in Cologne. Deed to you mother's vacation home in the Florida Keys - I think that was a wedding gift from my Grandmother. The woman was bit off in the head. Um...oh! This is from Cuthbert Hest - an offer to tutor you so you can sit your NEWTS."

"My NEWTS?" Draco exclaimed.

"Not that you need them, of course. You passed your OWLS, and you're over the age of 17, so you're considered a fully qualified wizard, but it's a kind offer, nevertheless," Penelope explained.

"What's a NEWT?" Sean asked, perplexed.

"Wizarding exams," Sirius explained. "Generally taken in the 7^th and final year of wizarding school."

"Oh."

"Useful in determining what one wants to do with one's life," Penelope added.

"I would think that Draco could do pretty much whatever he wanted," Sean said, staring again at the startlingly large figure on the accounting report.

"Of course he can," Sirius snapped. "He could even without all that," he said gesturing toward the report.

"There is one more thing," Blaise interrupted.

Draco turned his attention back to his old friend.

"As soon as you're able, there will be a small presentation ceremony. You, Potter, Granger, and Ron Weasley are all receiving orders of the Merlin, Third Class."