One's True Nature

One’s True Nature


Chapter 3

Harry and Draco both exited the floo, though Draco hung back behind Harry, so adequate warning could be given of his accompaniment. Harry stepped forward and took of his robes. They stood in a decent sized kitchen with gray marble floors and white cupboards. Ginny was doing the dishes by magic and watching out a window as her children played some form of game that required Albus to be tied to a tree. She turned her head over her shoulder to say hello and stopped at Malfoy's eyes, downcast and out of place.

"You didn't say anything about guests Harry, you know how I feel about surprises." She said sweetly, as if it were no problem, but she wanted him to remember for next time. Harry sat down at a large oak table and motioned for Draco to also have a seat. Draco obeyed, he didn't understand what he was doing here, he wanted more than anything to find his son. He let out an agonized breath.

"Gin, this is work." Harry said calmly, "There are a few things I need and then, I need your silence on the matter." Ginny turned around and leaned up against the sink, careful not to let her dishwashing be interrupted. She looked at both men, then at her husband. She thought of many of the reasons they could have been there but none were what Harry said next. "Malfoy's son has been kidnapped." Her eyes filled with shock. "I need to go with him personally to get the boy back, Gin." Harry's words were direct and to the point. Draco didn't move his gaze in any direction, catching anyone's gaze he felt was a bad idea.

"Why you darling?" Ginny asked, voice confused and high. She looked at Malfoy, who seemed oddly keen on avoiding either of their eyes. Harry sighed. He knew his next words were not for Draco's ears.

"Would you excuse us Draco?" Harry said gently, he stood up from the table and walked over to Ginny, making sure to keep his movements soft and easy toward her so that he wouldn't arouse her Weasley temper. Draco moved from the room in stealthily silence. Harry took a deep breath and blew it out to set his body for what he may have to defend. "You know his situation Ginny, he has no allies in the Wizengamot and never mind the ministry. He would be eaten alive by his enemies if this got out." Harry looked at her eyes, she seemed to be thinking it over. "You know it's true, despite my testimony on his behalf, several people still believe he is evil, or at least guilty of some kind of crime. Some might enjoy this as a chance to see him pay, even if he'd done nothing."

"Isn't he guilty?" Ginny said, her mind clearly latching on to that word.

"He was our age Gin, he had no idea what he'd gotten into." Harry's words were warm and coaxing more than fact.

"Harry-" She started only to be silenced by Harry pressing a finger to her lips.

"Gin, I want you to go look into his eyes, if after that, you say I shouldn't help and leave him to the wolves, so be it.” Harry had seen Draco's eyes and found them empty of all the pride and feelings of being better than everyone, replaced with sadness and deep guilt. Harry had struggled to see that and not react. He only hoped that was what Ginny would see. He didn't have any other way of pulling her heartstrings to make sure he could keep it quiet.

The truth Draco knew, as he stood against the front of the house, was that Harry was probably helping him because of his son being in danger. He figured that Harry was reassuring his wife that he held no personal like for the blonde. Draco didn't have any misgivings about the fact that every wizard and witch in the greater countryside knew of him and like most high society, despised him and hoped he suffered. He wasn't really bitter, he had the strange sensation that that's just how it was supposed to end up, he was supposed to suffer. He absently rubbed his wrist that bore the mark, he hid it, but it didn't mean that he didn't think about it nearly everyday, driving himself crazy over the difficult memories it forced him to relive. He closed his eyes, it was about Scorpious now, not him. He hoped that his son would not have to suffer too badly and that Harry could convince his wife that his son needed help.

"Mister?" A smallish boy that looked much like Harry pulled on his sleeve. Draco looked at him. He gave the warm smile he felt was called for and spoke in an equally warm tone of voice.

"Yes?" He asked gently. His thoughts forgotten in the interruption.

"Aren't you Scorpious' Dad?" The boy asked softly, his eyes bright and curious.

"Yes I am." Draco said, not changing his tone.

"I have something of his, I wanted to give it back before the holiday, but I forgot." The boy hurriedly said, "Will you wait right here?" Draco nodded to the boy, who then bolted into the house. As he did however, he accidentally ran into his mother, he was coming out the door. A brief yelp of sorry was heard and then Draco saw the woman emerge from the house. He didn't meet her gaze as she stepped out. He could tell she'd come to see him from the tension that seemed to burst forth when she stepped from the threshold.

Then, she just stood there, watching him. He caught himself spying her from the side of his right eye. He wanted anything than another gaze of judgement, presumed guilt, real or imagined by him had nearly driven him crazy. He'd sought treatment in France about three years after the war was over. The people, though safe from Voldemort seemed unwilling to give him any peace, always looking at him as if he were some kind of monster. It was this that had caused his parents to leave for Germany, unable to live normal lives as they imagined them, never again to be accepted by high society. Draco was young and proud, or stupid. He spent the next several years as a recluse, never doing much except donating to causes and sometimes arguing on behalf of some poor witch or wizard in front of the Wizengamot.

The truth was, his wife had been his nurse during his breakdown. He had seen more death than most people who had just simply judged him. The cold empty accusing eyes always seemed to find him as if he'd been the one to curse them. He remembered them all twenty-five men and women, and yes, two children. He didn't know why he'd married her. She'd never asked him for more than his trust. He'd married her because she'd been the only one who stopped the dreams that haunted him and caused him to wake up screaming. She'd given him Scorpious and in grand fashion, after nearly eight years, his parents came back into his life. He wished in bitterness that they hadn't ever been his parents as he rubbed the mark again.

He was shocked out of his thoughts when a boy, burst forth from the door bumping his mother again and apologizing again. "Here you go Mr. Malfoy." The boy handed him a worn sweatshirt and another scarf, a plain green one that Draco's mother had made Scorpious for his fifth birthday. "I ripped my old flying shirt and so Scorp, he gave me th-" Draco touched the top of the boy's head softly, his features warm and a distant smile on his features. Ginny was frozen in quiet amazement. She had never seen Draco's features ever this genuine.

"What's your name son?" He asked, his eyes melting a bit of their cold blank gaze.

"Ummmm...Albus!" The boy said nervously.

"Well Albus, I will be sure to tell him that you want to get that back to him, but how about you hold on to that until I can bring him to pick it up?" Draco's eyes were soft and gentle. Ginny was feeling a tightness in her chest.

"Ok, but Mr. Malfoy, how come he hasn't sent me an owl yet? He said he would as soon as he could." The boy's eyes were searching him painfully and Ginny was about to step in, when he spoke.

"He is a bit busy with the whole family, but I will have him write you as soon as I get back, ok?" Draco looked in pain to anyone that might be looking, Ginny was breaking down.

"Thanks." The boy said excitedly and ran back into the house.

Draco leaned back up against the side of the house and let out a painful sigh. Ginny stepped to the front of him and pressed a hand to his cheek, which caused him to open his eyes and stare directly down into hers. She couldn't look for more than a few seconds before she pulled away. "Draco, he'll get your son back, I know he will." She seemed as though she might cry to Draco, who felt alarmed at this prospect, he didn't deal well with weeping and he didn't do well with emotions period.

"Thanks, Mrs. Potter." He said, unable to bring himself to treat her as an equal to him, she wasn't weasel, she wasn't Ginny, she was someone he owed respect for even allowing him into her home with no deep sense of objection. She looked as though she wanted to admonish him for not calling her Ginny, but she didn't want to see his eyes again, she turned and walked into the house.

Harry worked at gathering some items for what he guessed would be quite a trip. He looked around his office for anything he might be forgetting and laughed as he realized his office looked a lot like Ron's bedroom at the burrow. Ginny never came in and he was sort of glad now, he was very embarrassed by the chaos that consumed the space. He located the small pendant he'd been searching for. He only needed to make sure Hermione still had the globe that George had made. It was a way to make an instant port key whenever he touched the pendant and chanted the words George had instructed, Ron and Hermione could use the globe as a port key to wherever he was. George was a jokester by trade, despite losing Fred, but he was also a very gifted inventor of magic.

Harry surveyed the chaos of his office one last time and decided he couldn't locate anymore useful things for their journey. He left, made his way into the kitchen and James was standing there with his mum, she looked shell shocked. Harry knew she must have spoken with Malfoy.

"James?" Harry called softly. The boy made his way over to where his father was across the kitchen. Harry put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Son, I am going away for some days now. Very hush hush stuff, you remember what I said about that work right son?" The boy nodded. "Good, I want you to help your mum as much as you can and take care of your sister and brother." James nodded again. Harry gave his shoulder a pat. "Good boy." He looked at his wife. "Gin, I don't know how easy it will be to stay in contact, but Ron should be in touch with me." She walked over to him and they kissed softly.

"Be careful." She said into his shoulder when she hugged him

"I will love." Harry said softly. He smiled at James who was making gagging faces behind him.

Harry put on his aurors robes and strode from the house. He was looking forward to fieldwork, he knew Ron would be extremely jealous. He had no choice however in the matter of leaving Ron behind, in most cases, the auror office would require red tape and such to be tackled and that could take a day and a half, but in truth Harry was more afraid that without Ron there, the office would fall into chaos and people who'd been seeking his seat of power would use it, perhaps to their own advantages. Harry wished sometimes that Voldemort had survived, at least that way, he knew who the enemies might be.

He said goodbye to Albus and Lilly, who looked sad that he would be away on the rare holiday they got to be together. Draco remembered with guilt how much he loved to go home and spend time with his family when it came time for the holiday. Harry finally turned to him and walked toward him. Draco was entranced, this was of course the most famed and indeed accomplished wizard of his time. He seemed to make the world move around him rather than walk and Draco had to shake his head free of the stupid notion quickly as he was clapped softly on the shoulder.

"Ready?" Harry said, his face determined.

"I know that it's a crime scene, but is there a way to get into my home?" Draco asked, not looking into Harry's eyes.

"Sure, but you can't tell anyone, I'm not supposed to do that kind of thing." Harry thought he saw Draco grimace or smile, with that, they appirated to Malfoy Manor. Harry wasn't shocked by the surroundings, having been here years ago. "Ok, what do we do now?" Harry asked.

Draco was frozen. "Someone's here." Draco's words were like a snake, hissed and sharp. Harry drew his wand in an instant. Draco did the same, though his hand shook with fear. Harry took note of that. He moved his eyes from Malfoy to the gate and wondered how Draco knew someone was there.

Harry leapt back in surprise when a man seeming fell out of thin air at Draco's feet. Draco's expression was one of recognition and shock. "Ted, Teddy Nott?" Draco's breath was caught, as he too had been surprised. There was blood rushing from the man's body as if it had somewhere to get to before it dried. Draco knelt down and looked at the man with deep adoration or sorrow, Harry couldn't tell.

"I tried to-" The man spoke. "So sorry Draco-" He seemed to be forcing his words out and causing more blood to push out of what Harry hand now assumed was a gaping wound on his back. "I couldn't-he's a good boy Draco-" Then his body shook and Draco seemed unable to move. Harry saw tears move down his face. "I tried to stop them but-" And that was the last word he ever spoke, his eyes wide, his chest still, walkway soaked in blood.

"Oh god, Teddy, Teddy, please." Draco's pleas were painful. He didn't make any move to touch the man, but he wanted to close the eyes, they seemed to find him, just like the others, except these seemed to be apologizing and Draco finally pulled away from their gaze and stood up. "Potter," He said in an icy tone. "I don't care about anything of the law you protect. They have my son, I will get him back, even if it means I have to kill them all to do it."

Harry didn't say a word, he knew that whoever had done this would regret it deeply.