Father and Son

~Chapter 14~

Secrets and Revelations

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

I will not make
The same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break
The way you did, you fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes

I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing

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

August, 2015

They sat on the terrace of Potter Hall in the warm evening sun, eating and discussing the events of the day.

There were the Potters, Hermione and Ron, Arthur and Molly Weasley, who came over for dinner once a week, and of course, Ginny, Diana, Amaris, and Draco.

Ginny had returned to the Manor to fetch Amaris. To her relief, Draco hadn't been there. Instead, Amaris had made her a scene. She refused to move out but had agreed to come to Potter Hall for dinner.

Draco watched her now with a contemplating expression. He still didn't know what to think of Amaris. On the one hand, her relationship to the twins seemed normal, even positive in view of the fact that she'd helped them with their plan the previous day. But on the other hand, Draco had seen her coldness towards her sister when she had entered the living room before dinner and found Diana still crying. At first, she'd looked shocked, but when she'd learned the reason of Diana's grief, she'd turned colder then a freezing December night.

'Don't be stupid, Diana. Pull yourself together for Merlin's sake. You're a Malfoy. You look just pathetic.' And before Diana had sprung up to scream at her or hex her, she'd left the room again, indifferent to her sister's tears.

Draco had recognized the cold tone of her voice, the words that came out so indifferently. Draco had heard them often during his youth. Every time he would cry, his father had told him the same thing, and like Amaris, he had always walked away, leaving him alone.

A Malfoy trait, he thought. She can't bear feelings, especially not tears. They are a sign of weakness for her.

'I don't understand why you had to forge this contract. You know very well that this was dangerous!' Molly reprimanded her grandchildren.

'Who said the contract was forged?' Amaris put in, smiling innocently.

'Don't kid yourself, Amaris. Everybody who knows Malfoy was able to see he was clearly shocked to find his signature under the contract. He'd rather die than betroth his daughter to Harry,' Hermione said seriously.

'Telling the judges the truth would have sufficed,' Molly said, intensely irritated.

'Sure, Grandma, and wizards can fly without brooms,' Amaris said mockingly.

Molly wanted to say something again, when Draco cut her off. 'He bribed the witnesses! And until the Ministry found out, Potter would have spent a few months in Azkaban already. He didn't play fair either!'

'That's no argument. And if your father likes to call Harry by his last name, that doesn't mean it's appropriate for you, too,' Arthur said, quietly but serious.

'But Grandpa, I couldn't possibly...'

'No, Diana, it was wrong of you, whatever reasons you might have had for it.'

'You're ignorant,' Diana said, and folded her arms in front of her chest.

'And you're cheeky, young Lady,' Molly said sharply.

'Molly, I think David and Diana are right. Draco is capable of everything, and he would have moved heaven and earth to get Harry imprisoned. They only protected Harry, and now you keep on biting their heads off,' Ginny rushed to their defense.

'Sirius was not guilty, and he sat in Azkaban for twelve years because of mislaid evidences. Lucius Malfoy, on the other hand, always managed to easily get off. The world is not fair, Molly, sometimes it's necessary to break the law. We know I'm not guilty, so it doesn't matter that the evidence was forged.'

'You just have to face it, Grandma: we don't live in a fairytale were the good guys always win in the end. If you want to have a happy end, you'll have to work for it,' Amaris said haughtily and smirked.

Draco also smirked to himself. She's a Malfoy to the core!

And still, she had the courage to get cheeky with Molly Weasley. Not even her own children dared to do that so openly.

'Ginny, you didn't raise them well enough if they don't believe that the good can win over the evil,' Molly said. She had fixed Amaris with an icy glare that didn't affect the young girl in the slightest.

'They do believe that good can triumph over evil!' Ginny defended her children, looking at them expectantly.

'Of course, we do. It's just that we know that our father has his ways to win as well,' Diana said.

'Your father once chose the Light side as well, because he knew that it is stronger than the Dark side,' Arthur said.

'Or he was just too coward to stay a Death Eater when it looked like they would lose,' Diana shrugged.

'Diana Maria Malfoy! I forbid you to speak of your father like this! You are lucky that your father did choose the Light side, and that was certainly neither easy nor safe. If he hadn't, then perhaps you would be a Death Eater as well by now, crouching in front of your Master and hoping he'll be pleased enough with you not to kill you!' Ginny scolded her harshly.

Diana shot up, her body shaking with rage.

'Why do you still defend him? You already realised he's a bloody arse, but you are giving in to him, aren't you? Like you always did. I can't understand you, Mum! Why do you keep on forgiving him?'

'Your mother has certainly not forgiven him,' Molly said coldly. 'And I will not have you use this kind of language, young Lady, especially not when addressing your mother!' she scolded.

Diana ignored her and kept staring at Ginny.

'I always forgive him because of the same reason why you always forgave him,' Ginny said seriously. 'You know why. We both did it because we love him more than would be good for us. You love your father. From the moment you could walk, you always preferred to stumble into his arms than walk into mine. Your first word was 'Daddy'. And now he hurt you. Your perfect father hurt you. That's why you're so upset.'

'You know what? I'm out of it! I tried to help you. Both of you. Tried to save what's left of your relationship. But I'm getting nothing for it. You're the most ungrateful persons I've ever met. You're so selfish! You and Dad, you haven't thought about us for one bloody minute! But I don't care anymore. I'm going back to Hogwarts after the holidays, and next year, I become of age, and I won't have to see you again. If you were trying to get rid of me, you've done it!'

Diana left the room without looking back, heading for her room upstairs.

As soon as Diana had left, Ginny broke down in tears.

'How can she say something like this?' Molly said indignantly.

'She's right, you know,' Amaris said coldly. 'Nobody asks us how we feel about the divorce. It doesn't just concern Mum and Dad. We're a family, and if they want to split it, I think we, as a part of it, should have a say in this, too.'

Luna had taken Ginny in her arms and tried to soothe her.

'They just say what's in their heart. You shouldn't cry over it, you should be glad that you know what's troubling their feelings,' Luna said calmly.

This comment earned her a reprimanding glance from Molly Weasley.

'Diana will calm down again. She said things she didn't mean to,' Ron said.

'No,' Hermione said. 'I think she meant everything she said. She's not a little child anymore. She's nearly a grown-up woman and those words... they were harsh but honest.'

'But...' Molly spluttered.

'Gin, I don't want to make you feel worse, but Amaris and Diana have a point. Just because they are your children doesn't mean they don't have a right to be treated and respected like adults,' Harry said, his voice gentle and calming. 'You are a family, and they should have a say in this too. You shouldn't tell them to mind their own business and keep out of it.'

'I never...' Ginny tried to defend herself.

'You obviously did,' Hermione cut her off. 'You just vented the anger you feel towards Draco on her, and that's not fair. It sounded as if you were jealous that your children prefer to stay with their father.'

'And it's fair that they are siding with him? Leaving me alone?'

'You left us, Mum, not the other way round,' Draco pointed out. It was still strange for him to call her 'Mum', but he just couldn't hold back and not participate in this argument.

Ginny looked utterly helpless, and it tore his heart into pieces to see her like that. 'He loves you!' he said fervently. 'If you'd just listen to him...'

'I did listen to him. I listened to his lies countless times. You don't know what it feels like to be betrayed like that, to be taken for granted!' Ginny's sobs started up again, and she covered her face in tears. Draco stood up from the table, making his way to his mother, who was sitting opposite to him.

He stood in front of her, taking her hands away from her face lightly.

'Look at me,' he said softly, but demanding.

Ginny obeyed and he put his hand on her cheek gently, wiping her tears away with his thumb. With the other one, Draco brushed her long, red strands of hair out of her face. Their eyes locked, and for a moment, Ginny thought that her son looked so much like his father; like Draco when she'd fallen in love with him. His behavior, the look in his eyes, the simple gesture of taking her face in his hands... how could she fail to notice how much David resembled him?

'You know you still love him,' Draco whispered. 'Stop crying and sort this out for Merlin's sake! You know how much he needs you to make things right.'

'I don't want to anymore. Why can't he fix it for once?' Ginny responded, not taking her eyes from his. 'I don't have the strength for it.'

'Tell him,' Draco said and turned to leave.

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

When he went upstairs, he remembered that Diana was already in their room.

He supposed she was crying again, but when he was about to enter the bedroom they shared, he heard her talking to somebody. Then there was a second voice. A male voice.

Draco's face darkened. Probably a boyfriend.

He pressed his ear to the white door. It took a while till he understood what they were saying. Diana was talking quietly, but she seemed to have stopped crying.

'They've all forgotten who you are, Diana,' the male voice said.

It didn't sound soothing at all. It was cold, harsh, even commanding.

'They've forgotten that you are one of the last pure-bloods who haven't turned traitor. They are always just pretending to know what's wrong or right, but they live in anarchy and chaos. They have no morals and no values anymore. You, Diana, only tried to make them see their mistakes. You have your reasons for refusing to obey them.'

'Please, take me with you! I don't want to stay here anymore!' Diana pleaded.

'I can't, and you know it. It would endanger everything we've worked so hard for.'

There was silence for a minute.

'I know,' Diana gave in, sounding defeated.

'I'll fetch you as soon as everything is ready, Diana. It won't be long till we can finally live together.'

'I'll miss you,' Diana said.

There was noise inside the room.

'Be careful, Cassius.' The sound of a retreating broom was followed by sudden steps on the stairs.

David hurriedly entered the room before someone could catch him eavesdropping on the door.

Diana turned around hastily, trying to block the sight of the window.

Her face was white, but there were no signs of tears. Her lips, on the other hand, were bright pink.

'Now, now! Only one day engaged and already seeing other boys again?' Draco chastised her, smirking.

Diana's cheeks flushed, though the rest of her face remained defiant.

'David and I have an implicit agreement,' she said warningly. 'I turn a blind eye to his love life, and he turns one to mine.'

'Ah, too bad I'm not David,' Draco said, amused. 'So, it's love? Not just an affair?'

'It's none of your business!' Diana snapped.

'Cassius... Cassius who?'

'Even if you find it highly amusing to have eavesdropped on me, I won't tell you anything.'

'Come on, Diana. I just want to know you're in good hands.'

'Can't have me disgrace the family further, can we?' Diana sneered.

Draco got serious. 'Don't start that again. You didn't disgrace anyone.'

Diana nodded.

'What about the adults downstairs? Mum still crying?' she asked, although she didn't sound concerned at all.

'Don't know. She had stopped when I came up here,' Draco growled. 'So this boy... he's a pure-blood, isn't he?'

Diana hesitated before she nodded.

'I could tell that much. What was he talking about? What have you worked for? Why does he want to fetch you?' he asked.

'I can't tell you. David doesn't know, either. No one knows,' Diana said, pleading with her eyes not to ask further questions.

'You know, you're the only one who can help me in this time. If you leave me alone here, I can't guarantee that I won't be uncovered.'

'I can't be with you non-stop!' Diana defended herself. 'I might be leaving for a few days. You can owl me, if there's anything. Believe me, this is more important. I need to do it!' Diana said, as if he'd forbidden her to.

Draco looked at her, contemplating. What could be so important that she didn't even dare to tell him? Or her twin brother? Whatever it was, the voice of this Cassius didn't suggest anything good to Draco.

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

Draco paced up and down in Blaise's study.

'What am I supposed to do to win her back?' he roared. 'She's stubborn, she doesn't listen, and she doesn't want to see me!'

'I wouldn't want to see you either if you'd done those things to me. Honestly, Draco, what were you thinking? Blackmailing your own wife!' Pansy Parkinson put in. She sat on one of the chairs in front of Blaise's desk. The once so ugly girl had managed to make herself more than presentable with a lot of magic and spell-surgery. Black hair fell around her shoulders, and she impatiently brushed it aside, since it kept falling back into her now beautiful but artificial face. Every time Draco looked at her, he couldn't help but see the old Pansy, with her pig-nose that used to be turned up in disdain. That was the disadvantage of spell-surgery. It sometimes failed to work with people who knew the person very well before his or her change.

Blaise sat behind his desk. Although he was sorry for his cousin, he couldn't help but feel rather amused about the outcome of the trial. A smug smile had placed itself on his lips and hadn't left it since Draco had told him of the forged signature.

'It was Nott's idea!' Draco defended himself.

'Since when do you listen to Nott! It would have been the same if you'd asked Crabbe or Goyle!' Pansy said, snidely.

'They are dead!' Draco snapped, suddenly angry. 'Don't make jokes about them. You should be grateful it wasn't you!'

Pansy snorted, but didn't respond.

She thought herself as someone neutral in the second Wizarding War, because she had sat at home with her mother, although her father had been fighting on Voldemort's side. So, in her opinion, she'd neither lost nor won.

Draco resumed the pacing.

'Why is it so hard for you to accept that Potter's her friend?' Pansy asked.

'Because Potter might be just a little bit more than that!' Draco spat.

Pansy sighed, irritated. 'Do you have any proof of that?'

Draco opened his mouth.

'I mean, something else than the letter?' she cut him off.

'She wants a child with him! Bloody hell, how much more proof do I need?'

'If she did, she'd tell you. She was a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin!'

'She took over too many traits, living in a Slytherin family for nearly sixteen years,' Draco pointed out.

'I don't believe that Ginny would reduce herself to the affair of a married man. If she wanted Potter, she'd already have him. And why would she want a baby with him, when he's still married to his wife?' Pansy pointed out.

'And engaged to Diana.' Blaise chuckled. 'Honestly, Draco, that makes two of your women that he has now. He could marry your daughter and have your wife as his mistress.'

'Only you could be turned on by something that sick, Zabini!' Pansy snapped.

'It was a joke!'

'Do you see him laughing?'

'Would you two please stop that?' Draco said, and they both shut up. 'I paid a receptionist at her Gyn-wizard to give me some information from her medical file,' he told them.

'You didn't!' Pansy exclaimed. 'What did she tell you?'

'She sent me a letter telling me that she could hardly decipher the Gyn-wiz's handwriting. But what she could read is enough.'

He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a parchment.

'It says Ginny is on conception potions that should guarantee her fertility. Potter is sleeping with her since months ago, but until now, she hasn't gotten pregnant. Tomorrow they have an appointment. Ginny is going to be inseminated.'

Pansy and Blaise looked at him, shocked.

Pansy snatched the parchment from his hand when he stopped talking.

'It's still unclear which method will be used. There's the way of doing it artificially, but the chances for a pregnancy are not very high. Another method would be the natural one but with the help of spells. The Muggle insemination was suggested, but turned down because the child would be a Squib.'

When Pansy had finished, she looked up at him sympathetically.

'He's shagging my wife!' Draco said, defeated. 'And he gives her what I can't give her anymore: a child.'

'And you still want her back?' Blaise asked carefully.

Draco snatched the parchment from Pansy and tore it apart.

'I don't want to believe it. Because Pansy is right. It's not like Gin to do something like that; but perhaps I don't know her anymore.'

'This wasn't the complete medical file, was it?' Blaise asked.

'No, only parts of it,' Draco said. 'And yes, I still want her back! I love her, for Merlin's sake!'

'I don't think you should give a damn about this report,' Blaise said.

'And what if it's right?' Pansy snapped. 'You can't expect Draco to take her back after what she's done.'

'And what has he done? You won't believe it, but a wife can drive you to adultery - some of mine have. And a man can drive a woman to adultery, too,' Blaise stated.

'You mean I drove her into his arms?' Draco asked, looking downcast.

'I don't know, mate, but you haven't been the perfect husband, either, have you?'

Draco was silent for a while.

'I'm not going to let this happen,' he said. 'I'll go to this appointment tomorrow, and I'll talk to her again.'

'What if it's what she really wants?' Pansy asked. 'I mean, I don't think it is, but what if she really wants Potter? Will you let her go?'

Draco looked at his wedding bond. 'I don't know.'

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

Hermione sat on their bed, reading a book, when Ron entered the bedroom.

She looked up at him, smiling. 'Are the kids asleep?' she asked.

Ron nodded. 'What are you reading there?' he inquired, trying to read the title of the book, while undressing.

'It's about women that have difficulties to get pregnant,' she said, continuing her reading.

Ron climbed under the blanket and snuggled up to her, so he was able to read as well.

'Are you thinking about having another child?' Ron asked carefully. 'You know you can't have...'

'Heaven no! Three is more than enough. Why do you think I let myself get sterilized?'

'Wheew! I already saw myself moving in to St. Mungo's,' Ron said.

'Wait. If I'd wanted another child, would you have consented?' Hermione asked, surprised.

''Mione, we've been married long enough for me to know that it's useless to argue with you if you're completely determined to do something.' Ron grinned at his wife, who swatted him playfully.

'You're such an anti-romantic! You could have just said you would do everything for me, but no....'

'Well, at least I'm honest! And you love me being anti-romantic,' he protested.

'Yeah, because with you, it's sweet.' She smiled and kissed him.

'Mmh, Mrs Weasley, I like your suggestion,' he growled after they parted again.

'I'm afraid this'll have to wait a little, Mister Weasley.' She reopened her book again.

Ron groaned in annoyance.

'What are you reading this for if you don't want any more children?'

'Because our best mate does, and you know it!'

'I even would have allowed him to use my beautiful wife as a breeding machine if she wasn't already infertile, but now he's getting between me and my good-night-shag!' Ron complained.

'I think he has found a new breeding machine,' Hermione remarked and pulled back a strand of her hair.

'Who?' Ron asked.

Hermione didn't answer but kept reading.

'I know you heard my question, so why don't you tell me?'

'Oh my... did you know that the most successful and common way of getting a surrogate mother pregnant is sleeping with her?'

'Darling, you have three children. You should know that a woman becomes pregnant when one sleeps with her!'

'I mean... Muggles manage to get the surrogate mother pregnant without sex.'

'The Muggle way doesn't work with witches,' Ron said.

'What do you mean doesn't work?'

'The child will inevitably be a Squib,' he told her.

'There's a similar method like the Muggle insemination, but the chances of getting pregnant aren't very high. Two in a thousand or something. That's why surrogate mother-ship is very seldom in the wizarding world.'

'And you would have let me do this?' Hermione asked curiously.

'You would have been one of the two that get pregnant.' Ron shrugged, but gave her a lopsided grin.

'How do you know so much about it?' Hermione asked.

'I'm a Weasley,' he said as if that'd explain everything. 'Believe me, Weasleys know everything about getting a witch pregnant. Wanna have an example?' he asked, taking the book from her hands and throwing it to the floor.

Then he pulled his wife over himself and kissed her.

'I fear you'll be unsuccessful this time,' Hermione remarked.

'I hope I'll be unsuccessful. On the other hand, Harry could have the fourth one.'

'I'm sure he'd prefer a child from another Weasley,' Hermione said, but Ron was already too busy to have heard it.

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