Father and Son

~Chapter 7~

About 'physical relationships'

When Ginny went up the stairs, she saw her twins sitting at the top of it. Diana looked at her with something like sympathy from her watery eyes and David seemed even paler than he was, looking shocked. She inwardly cursed herself for yelling that loud.

'Stop eavesdropping on your father and me!' she snapped, blinking away the tears building up in her eyes.

'It can hardly be called eavesdropping, only if you mean that we need to drop our ears from the eaves to miss what you are saying!' David sneered. 'I don't know what I liked better tonight: the noises coming from Potter's bedroom or your familiar shouting downstairs. Oh wait, I think it was the sound of this little brat throwing up!'

'David!' Diana hissed.

'What?' he snapped back at her, immediately regretting it. It was not her he was angry with.

'I think your father is going to leave any moment. If you'd like to go home with him, you should hurry up,' Ginny said, sniffing.

She rushed through them to her bedroom.

'Mum!' Diana shouted and tried to go after her, but Ginny had already locked the door.

'Ginevra, open up, please!' Luna said, suddenly standing next to Diana making her jump.

'Go away! I want to be alone!' Ginny's teary voice shouted from the inside.

'Diana!' David called for her from the staircase. 'Are you coming?'

Diana was torn between following her brother home and shouting the hell out of her father or staying and comforting her mum.

'I'll look after her, you can go home, if you like to,' Luna said, smiling understandingly at her.

'All right,' she said. 'Mum, I love you!' she shouted at the closed door and then went down the stairs to follow her brother.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'Dad!' Diana shouted, when she entered Malfoy Manor through the fireplace.

'Don't!' Draco growled, walking towards the main staircase in the big hall.

Diana followed him. 'How could you...?'

'I said, don't!' Draco roared, without looking at her.

'But I...'

'Go to your room, Diana!' he ordered firmly.

'Come on, Di, leave it,' David tried to calm his sister. He put an arm on her shoulder and steered her to their rooms.

As soon as the twins had vanished, Draco suddenly slowed down and came to a halt. He had intended to go to his bedroom to get a few hours of sleep. But the memory of Ginny waiting there for him like she used to, was more than painful. And even more painful was the idea of having to climb into an empty and cold bed. So he decided to sleep on the sofa in his study.

He was about to turn, when he heard the damp sound of crying.

Oh, shit! Amaris! he thought.

Not bothering to knock, he entered her rooms, which were only a few doors away from his bedroom.

Amaris lay on her bed crying into her sheets. He was glad to see her wearing a dressing-gown, as he carefully approached.

'Amaris, darling,' he said in a soft voice, not wanting to frighten her, but she jumped anyway upon hearing his voice.

'Dad!' she cried out, a new flood of tears running over her cheeks.

'What did he do? I swear, if he hurt you I'll rip him into so little pieces that they'll be able to fill him into an hourglass!'

That only made her cry harder.

'He... and... I... he left and...' She wasn't able to get out a decent sentence between her sobs, and her eyes were red from crying.

'I'll kill him!' he said and turned.

'NO!' she screamed, making him stop.

Draco looked closely at his daughter and then at her bed. It didn't look used apart from Amaris lying on top of the blankets.

He sat down next to her, taking her in is arm, but she struggled to get away from him.

'I'm not a child, dad!' she protested, her blue eyes flashing angry.

'No you aren't,' he said, trying to calm himself and let go of her. 'And I suppose, that's why you are crying, isn't it? Adult-problems?'

'You don't understand!' she cried out hysterically.

'Perhaps you should talk to your mother,' he said, his voice suddenly cold.

'No, she'd go bonkers if she knew...'

'She knows,' Draco interrupted her.

'You told her?'

'I told her, you asked Blaise for a contraception-spell. And we made our assumptions, but... What happened? Sky never stroke me the type to just... get his fun and then leave.' Oh hell! I'm talking with my daughter about shagging!

Amaris saw the pained look on her father's face.

'He didn't. We didn't... Oh god, I can't talk to you about it!' She tried to wipe her tears away which were starting up again and again.

'No, tell me. I'm... I promise I won't tell your mum,' he said looking at her reddened face, which was framed by her long black hair.

Amaris snorted. 'It's not as if you two were on speaking terms.'

Draco smirked.

'He turned me down,' Amaris said, not looking at him. Her voice was still shaky, but at least she had stopped crying.

'What?'

'He didn't want me.'

'Did he say so?' Draco asked incredulously.

'He said, he didn't want to sleep with me,' she sniffed.

'Why would a seventeen-year-old boy turn such a gorgeous girl down? Wait... don't tell me he's gay.'

Amaris frowned. Then she said angrily:

'Of course not! He's as straight as... He's not gay!'

'But...'

Tears welled up again. 'Dad, what if he thinks I'm ugly? Or what if he doesn't love me in that way?'

'Darling, if he thinks any of that he's both blind and stupid and not worthy of a Malfoy.'

'Oh, thanks a lot! You really helped me,' Amaris snapped.

'Look, I know I'm not someone who should give you advice about relationships...'

Amaris snorted.

Draco chose to ignore it and continued: '...but I think there might be a misunderstanding between you.'

'Like between you and mum?' Amaris asked mockingly.

Draco scowled at her. 'There are no misunderstandings between your mother and me. We just have different opinions which are no longer compatible.'

'So what are you trying to tell me?' Amaris inquired.

'Why don't you go and find out, what's wrong? Perhaps he was just scared and didn't have the guts to tell you.'

'I don't think he was scared. I know him, I would have noticed. And why would he be scared? It's not like he's still a virgin! Cathy told me that he was with some of those Gryffindor-tarts before we started dating.'

'Cathy?' Draco raised an eyebrow. As far as he knew, Catherine Finnegan was the most gossip-addicted woman alive. If you planned to say something ever again, you had to throw her out of the room and make it sound-proof.

'Didn't you talk to Sky?'

'I tried, he wouldn't tell me how many girls he had before me.'

'No, I mean, didn't you talk to him about sex?'

'No,' Amaris shrugged. 'We talked about...'us'...but we never discussed having sex anytime soon.'

'Never? He never asked you to sleep with him?'

Amaris shook her head.

'When I was dating your mum, I always tried something to check if she still said no. I can't believe he turned you down,' Draco said.

'If he was with other girls before we got together, I'm probably the reason he said no.'

'You are a million reasons to say yes. Sky must have had other reasons. You should talk to him.' Draco took her into his arms again.

'Would you take me there and wait for me?' she asked.

Draco nodded.

'And if it's really you he has a problem with, we'll buy him some glasses or deliver him to St.Mungo's.'

'Ripping him into pieces sounded good as well.' Amaris smirked.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next morning, Draco had breakfast in his study to avoid Diana and David, but when he read the newspaper, he decided that it would be inevitable to talk to them, so he send a house-elf to fetch Diana. Shortly after that it knocked at the door. To Draco's surprise Diana was accompanied by her siblings.

'I asked to have a word with Diana,' he drawled, rising from his chair.

'We know, father. But we'd like to have a word with you,' David responded indifferently.

After a moment of silence Draco decided that it was no use to send them away. They were far too stubborn. After all, their mother was a Weasley.

'Sit,' he ordered.

David, Diana, and Amaris sat down in the armchairs Draco had conjured up in front of his desk.

'Has anyone read the newspaper today?' Draco asked nonchalantly and passed the Daily Prophet to Diana.

David snatched it before she could get hold of it and read the article aloud:

Harry Potter - the Boy Who Lived Through the Enemy In-law.

Secret Affair Between the Hero of the Wizarding World and His Arch-enemy's Daughter Uncovered!

Harry Potter (34), defeater of You-Know-Who, famous ex-Quidditch-star, now Auror at the Ministry of Magic and married since 2010 was caught with Diana Malfoy (16), daughter of Draco Malfoy (35), the owner of Malfoy Holdings and Harry Potter's nemesis since school. The unusual couple was seen at Knockturn Alley, where they thought themselves safe of his wife Luna Potter (34) and Miss Malfoy's parents.

Unfortunately for them, Mister Malfoy went searching for his daughter and found the couple in a compromising kiss. The following fight ended with a triumphing Draco Malfoy, who took his poor, mislead daughter home.

Rumour has it that Mister Malfoy's lawyers immediately instituted proceedings against Mister Potter for seducing an under-aged girl. Another well-informed source told us that Misses Ginevra Malfoy (34) née Weasley, currently resides at Potter Hall, which leads to the question if she knew of the forbidden relationship, even supported it.

The Department of Magical Law has already started inquiries about this case. According to Paragraph B of the Ethical Wizarding Law, it is illegal to have a physical relationship with an under-aged witch or wizard, and although Clause Two says that there's an exception if the couple is engaged, it is not likely that Mister Malfoy would have given his permission. In case it comes to a trial, Mister Potter would be charged with up to ten years of Azkaban.

'Ten years!' David repeated, astonished. 'That's heavy! Honestly, who would risk ten years of Azkaban for kissing Diana?' he joked.

'I can't believe they actually wrote that I kissed him. That's not a lie anymore, that's... that's...'

'...murder of reputation?' David offered, smirking at his sister.

He found this article highly amusing, in view of the fact that she had tricked him into watching the Weasley brats while this happened.

Diana glared at him.

'Why did you let them write all these lies?' she demanded to know, glaring at her father.

'Now it's my fault the rainbow-press write what they want to?' Draco asked, smirking as well.

'No, but your press department obviously had their fingers in this!' Diana sneered, throwing the article back at her father's desk. 'Honestly, "a triumphing Draco Malfoy". Don't overestimate yourself.'

Draco snorted. 'The people who talk to the Daily Prophet get paid by me, what do you think they'll say about their employer?'

'This is all a big lie! I never kissed Harry!' Diana exclaimed in indignation.

'And she'd never have a "physical relationship" with Harry Potter. She's a pure-blood and Slytherin. Don't you think it's a bit far fetched, dad?' Amaris added.

'Dad, why are you doing this to me? Can't you lead your fight against Harry and mum without pulling my name into the dirt?' Diana asked desperately.

'I didn't write this. And I told you more than once to watch where you are seen and with whom you are seen. A Malfoy accompanied by Harry Potter in Knockturn Alley. The press is just waiting for such scandals. It's your own fault they made a big story from it,' Draco responded coldly.

'You could have stopped them. You could have threatened them with judicial actions or bribed them. But you wanted them to write that didn't you?' Diana was fuming by now, and her temper was very much like her mother's.

'Regard it as a punishment,' Draco said.

'A punishment?' Diana repeated in a shrill voice. 'All I wanted to do was talk to mum to come her home again, and that's what I get for it? A punishment that will lead to a trial against me and Harry?'

'And mum,' Amaris put in.

'Mum?' David asked.

'She'll be accused of having known of the affair. That would mean she has supported a criminal act,' Amaris explained.

'That would look bad at a trial for the custody of Diana and me in case you two divorce, wouldn't it?' David sneered at his father.

'I can't believe you are using me for this! Dad, we were on your side until now. We wanted mum to come back. But you are forcing me to choose her side, why?'

Draco wanted to say something, but then realized what he was doing.

'I didn't know of the article until I read it just a few moments ago,' he confessed. 'I haven't spoken to the press department yet, and I haven't had any time to inform my lawyers. The Daily Prophet is responsible for this article, I didn't have my fingers in it.'

His children gave him some unbelieving looks.

'All right, maybe my press department had their fingers in it, but on their own account,' he growled and held up his hands defensively. 'But still, it's your fault, Diana. You brought yourself into this mess. And you're a Malfoy. You can deal with it on your own,' he returned to his cold reservedness.

'Listen to him, Di. He knows how to deal with "physical relationships".' David smirked, but his eyes remained cold and were now fixed on his father.

'Watch your mouth, young man. Don't you dare getting cheeky with me!' Draco warned, his voice dangerously threatening.

David regarded his father with daring eyes. He wasn't afraid of his father, but he had been taught to respect his parents. And he knew from experience that it was safer not to mess with him.

But he had no choice this time. They had decided to confront Draco about the accusations Ginny had thrown at him the night before. They were three against one, and to a point their father was at their mercy concerning the custody.

'Diana and David told me about this fling you had,' Amaris began the topic in a more diplomatic way than David had chosen to.

'I don't see why this is any of your business,' Draco said stubbornly.

'It is our business, when you cheat on our family. You know, no one is allowed to humiliate our mother like this, not even you, father.'

The fact that one of his daughters called him 'father' made him realize how serious the situation was. Amaris had obviously chosen to take over the lead and was speaking to him in a business tone. And Draco had seen grown-up men despair at the brick wall his eldest daughter could be when she was like this.

She was a Slytherin and a Malfoy, through and through. Worth of giving Lucius Malfoy a run for his money, and even though she had been crying in his arms only a few hours ago, Draco knew there was nothing left of that vulnerability now.

He leaned back in his chair.

'Go on,' he simply said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

'We want to know about this incident,' Amaris voiced their demand.

'What do you want to know? If she was good?' Draco sneered.

'Hell, dad!' Diana exclaimed in horror.

'When did it happen?' David asked. 'Mum, said something about France...'

'It was three years ago,' Draco interrupted him. 'On one of the meetings with the French department of Malfoy Holdings in Calais.'

Silence.

Draco sighed. They actually expected him to tell them everything.

'The negotiations about the contract we aimed at were successful and we celebrated afterwards in the bar of our hotel. I got a bit drunk and an ambitious young lady thought she'd give her carrier a little push and we ended up in her room.'

'An ambitious young lady?' Amaris repeated mockingly.

Draco ignored her. He looked at his son.

David had never thought that his father was like this until now.

'You were drunk?' he asked. 'You told us numerous times that a Malfoy is not supposed to drink so much that he loses control over what he's doing! But you seem to do it all the time! Only yesterday...'

'I was not drunk,' Draco pointed out.

'You...'

'I knew what I was doing!'

'Dad, you threw a Cruciatus curse at an auror! You'd already be in Azkaban if Harry had reported you!' Diana put in.

'The trouble with the ministry would have been worth it,' Draco snarled.

'And the night you met that woman?' David asked.

'Perhaps it wouldn't have happened if I had been sober, but in the end I can't blame it on the alcohol. I knew what I was doing and I wanted to.'

'You... you really risked your marriage with mum for... for this... woman?' David asked indignantly, shaking with rage.

'Her name was Chantal.'

'I don't care! I wouldn't even care if her name was Morgan le Fay!' David shouted at him.

They looked at each other for a while.

'Why?' David asked coldly.

When he didn't answer Amaris asked: 'Was it because of mum? Did you want to hurt her or get revenge on her?'

'No. It had nothing to do with your mum,' Draco said quietly. 'When you are married for so long, you sometimes want to have a change. Don't you understand that it was tempting for me? She was barely twenty. An attractive young woman that had certain interests in me. And Ginny wasn't around and she would have never known of it.'

'So it was nothing more than a confirmation for your male ego?' Amaris asked.

Draco quirked an eyebrow at her.

'In a way, yes.'

'I can't believe mum forgave you!' Diana said scowling at her father.

'Neither can I,' Draco admitted. 'But she did.'

'How did she find out?' David asked.

'I told her.'

'Why? You said she would have never known of it. Why did you hurt her?' David asked.

Diana wanted to snap something at him for suggesting his father should have kept it a secret. But then she remembered what Harry had told her, yesterday:

'You've got to handle your thoughts carefully and consider what would do more harm than help your relationship.'

'I had to tell her. It tortured me to see that she loved me, although I had down such a cruel thing. That she loved the man she thought I was, but that wasn't really me. I... I did it before. I cheated on her before two or three times...'

'You what?' David interrupted.

'...but it was always while we had an argument,' Draco continued, ignoring his son. 'We always did things that weren't right when we were angry with each other. Every time we made up we agreed to forget everything, so I never felt that I needed to tell her. But that time it was different. Everything was perfectly normal and we celebrated Christmas alone, because you three stayed at Hogwarts. And it was pure hell to hear her tell me how much she loved me.'

'So you told her,' Amaris guessed.

'She was crying a lot and we talked for days about it, but in the end she forgave me.'

'Why?' Amaris asked, seeming truly curious.

'Because I asked her to. She said that... that she still loved me. And that she forgave me because I told her and because I regretted it.'

After a few minutes of silence Draco went on: 'This time our parts are reversed. But I can't forgive her. And your mother can't admit it, so there won't be any hope for us.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~