Sweet Justice

Chapter 2

One month had passed since the sentencing and the discretionary period given by the Ministry was almost up. With the time they were given they had to pack their possessions (which was quite a task with no magic), find a place to live, and if possible, line up a job. Draco had discussed his finances with his mother, since his father had all but stopped speaking to them, and had decided to spend over half of his money on purchasing an apartment in London. If there was one thing he didn't want to worry about, it was rent.

Narcissa had opted to rent a penthouse not far from where Draco was staying for the time. Perhaps she would have purchased another home with her husband, but it was difficult to discuss finances when your partner gives you the cold shoulder. She still grasped hope that her husband would come out of his desolation, but in the last few frantic days of packing she was losing her patience with him. While she and Draco, along with the remaining house elf, moved a mansion's full of furniture into storage and moving trucks Lucius remained in his study, emerging only for the essentials.

The final moving truck was due to arrive in about an hour, so while Narcissa scoured the house, making sure that all the last minute heirlooms were well padded and safe, Draco sat in his bedroom for the last time. Sighing, he lay back on his bed, staring at the oxidized copper ceiling. It almost didn't seem like his room without his possessions in it. His gray walls once had posters, photos, and a Slytherin tapestry covering them, but they were now bare. The only evidence of them now was a stray tack or nail. In his corner was propped his Nimbus 2001 broom, his essential clothes, and a bag of toiletries. That and his lone mattress on the floor was all that remained. Closing his eyes he tried to imagine his room the way it once was.

His daydream was broken when he heard muffled yelling emanating from the living room.

It was his mothers voice that he was first able to make out as he rushed down the stairs. “...absolutely had it with you! I'm not too fond of the verdict either, but we're together and we still have our freedom! I am trying to make the best of it and you are making things very difficult!”

“If you had not lied to the Dark Lord in the first place then Potter would be dead and He would still be alive and reining over the mud-bloods and blood traitors, instead of us having to loose everything to line their pockets!”

“We would have lost everything if we were in Azkaban anyway, what is the difference?”

“It would have been divided up among out kin! Not given to the filthy masses. I would have rather died then be forced into false charity. Potter vouching for us at the trial was the worst thing that could have happened.” Lucius just now noticed that Draco had entered the room. “You agree with me, don't you Son?”

Draco looked from his father to his mother and back again before responding. “Um...Father, I actually agree with Mother. I am not happy about loosing our estate and power, but we have our freedom and-” His words were cut off when Lucius backhanded him across the face. Hard. Narcissa gasped.

“How could you say that, you little shit! Have you learned nothing from how I raised you?” Lucius spat. “How could you agree with this worthless bitch!?” He said, pointing at Narcissa.

Draco stepped toward his father. “Don't you call my mother a worthless bitch. You would be rotting in prison if it weren't for her.”

“Don't you give me cheek!” Lucius made to strike him again, but backed away at the last instant, missing the blow by a breath. Advancing on his son, he was intercepted by Narcissa.

“Stop it!” She yelled, putting a hand on her husbands chest.

His target blocked, Lucius vented on her. With a cry, she fell to the ground at the blow.

Draco saw red. His heart pounded in his ears as he ran towards his father who was approaching Narcissa for a second strike. Before Draco was aware of what he was doing his fist was making contact with his fathers jaw. Lucius was pulled off the ground for several feet before he collided with the back of a padded bookshelf and fell to the floor, dazed.

Narcissa was being helped to her feet when Lucius regained his senses. Wincing with pain, he spat a tooth into his palm. “You.” He hissed as he approached. “How dare you. You disgrace the Malfoy name.”

“I think you accomplished that long before I did, Father.” Said Draco with the strongest voice he had ever used against Lucius. “Up until recently I thought you had taught me how to be a man, but all you've taught me is how to be high-and-mighty, cruel, pretentious prick.”

Lucius was now seething with almost tangible anger. “Get out. Get out of my house! Both of you!”

Draco's chest tightened, but his resolve held. “I would be glad to leave, but it is not your house. Not anymore.”

Fuming, Lucius turned and stormed into his study, slamming the door behind him. Turning to his mother Draco said, “Mum, go to your apartment. I'll meet you there after bringing the last of my things to my place.” His mother was about to object when he cut her off. “The movers know what they're doing, they'll take care of the rest of it. Father will figure out what he will do on his own. Go on.”

Narcissa looked as if she was fighting off tears as she turned away, grabbing her purse and broom as she went. When Draco was sure she was gone he directed his attention to his fathers study. Opening the door without permission he found Lucius sitting at his desk, a full glass of firewhisky in his hand. “I'm leaving, you know where to find us when you feel like coming to your senses.” He said before slamming the door once again. Leaving a disturbed Lucius behind him.

Trudging up to his room he strapped his last minute bags to his broom, hoped on, and launched himself off his balcony.

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

Several hours later, after checking on his mother and stocking his new fridge with food, Draco's stomach started to growl. It was then that he realized, in all his seventeen years on the planet he had never once cooked a meal. Wondering if he would be permitted to borrow his mothers house elf once in a while, he pulled out a granny smith apple and took a bite of it instead. As he browsed the other contents of his fridge, there was a knock on the door.

Imagine his surprise when he found Lucius standing on the other side. His father was less inebriated than he imagined he would after seeing him hold such a full glass of firewhisky. Normally if he started drinking a bottle, he finished it. Especially when mad. Instead, his father looked years older. His eyes seemed puffy and irritated as if he was crying, his jaw already starting to bruise from where Draco had punched him, and his normal haughty stance was hunched and humble. Except in the presence of the Dark Lord, Draco had never seen his father seem so modest.

Standing to the side of the doorway, Draco made room for his father to enter.

Lucius didn't move.

“Yes, Father?” Draco asked, breaking the silence.

“I...” Lucius swallowed hard. “...wanted to apologize for how I've been behaving lately.” Draco's mouth opened slightly in shock. His father had never apologized to him for anything. “I've been a bastard to you and your mother and it took loosing a tooth to realize it.” He said rubbing his jaw.

“Do you want to come in?” Draco asked.

“No, thank you. I need to see your mother soon, too. I can't let this sit.” He looked into his sons gray eyes and cracked a smile. “I'm actually proud of you, contrary to what I said earlier. It took a lot of nerve to stand up to me the way that you did. You have more spine than Potter or I gave you credit for. You've really grown into a man.” He said, smiling weakly.

Draco wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't until Lucius crossed the threshold and embraced his son in a hug did Draco realized that his father was trembling. “Father, what's wrong?” He said, awkwardly hugging his father back.

“Nothing, nothing I'm fine.” He said backing away, his voice cracking. “I need to go see your mother before it gets too late.”

Draco could never remember his father in this condition. How hard had he really hit him? “Could you do me a favor, Draco?” Lucius asked as he turned to leave.

“What is it?”

“Don't be as narrow minded as I am. I've missed a lot of life's opportunities because of my pride.”

Draco swallowed hard. “I think I can do that.”

“Good man.” Said Lucius as he turned and vanished into the darkness.

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

A loud crack resounded in Draco's room and a small hand was tugging at his arm before he was even fully awake. The sound of a squeaky, urgent voice pulled him the rest of the way into consciousness. “Master Draco! Master Draco wake up, I need to take you to your mother! Something's happened to Master Lucius!”

Draco was already out of bed and into a pair of jeans before the words had fully processed. Throwing on a shirt and grabbing his shoes he took the small house elf's hand in his. “Take me.”

With another loud crack Draco felt the familiar pull of apperation and in one dizzying instant, he was in his mothers kitchen. His mother sobbing in his arms before he fully regained his balance. “Mum what happened?” He asked looking into her tear streaked face.

“L...Lucius.” She sobbed, glancing into the living room.

Pulling his mother with him, Draco walked tentatively into the lit room. Inside he found several healers in white robes surrounding his father where he appeared to have collapsed. His face was pale, his eyes open, staring at nothing. His mother sobbed harder into his shirt when one of the doctors stood up and sighed heavily. When he looked into Draco's gray eyes and mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' his heart fell into the pit of his stomach.

Lucius Malfoy was dead.

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