Ease My Pain
Facing your mistakes
Chapter - 3
Facing your mistakes
"Um- Mr. Malfoy- Um -Dad- That is- He- Posteria's fever- fainted-" Albus Severus Potter was mumbling incoherently and Draco simply stared for the first couple of minutes. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. He had never imagined that Albus or Potter would contact Draco themselves.
"Don't know what to do. I-" Albus muttered and then became silent very suddenly. Draco came out of his stupor because he did not have any time to waste.
"Mr. Potter." Draco spoke softly and Albus looked at him, his eyes wide and frightened and he was sweating and his lips were trembling and Draco heard a wand falling on the floor.
Before Draco could do anything Albus started muttering "No No no no no. Please no." and to his horror the boy huddled on the floor, his knees folded on his chest and his face on his knees, sweating and mumbling incoherently. He was thankful to the boy for not closing the firecall at least.
"Scorpius, Scorpius Come here. Scorpius." He shouted and realized a second later that it was a wrong move because his loud voice frightened Albus and now the boy was crying and shaking someone's body.
Oh Merlin, it must be Potter.
"Dad, dad. Please wake up. What if they come back? DAD. You promised that no one will be able to enter our house now. DAD. Please." The boy was crying hysterically "I- I must close the firecall."
Sweet Merlin, no. Thought Draco and shouted again, his voice utterly panicked "SCORPIUS. SCORPIUS. COME HERE QUICKLY."
"I AM COMING. COMING. FATHER. WAIT. ANOTHER MINUTE AND I WILL BE THERE." His son shouted and very abruptly Albus stopped crying. Draco was amazed by what happened next.
Albus stopped sobbing abruptly and blinked at him. As the boy crawled towards the fire, Draco felt a pang of guilt in his heart. He was responsible for the fact that Albus was reduced to this- this sobbing, frightened mess.
But there was something wrong with the boy. His eyes had transformed from frightened to cautious and sharp too quickly. Draco took a few minutes to study Albus's eyes. There was something, something that Albus kept hidden. But Draco is a mind healer and can sense it from Albus's posture, from his sharp eyes.
"Where is he?" Albus asked, his green eyes still cautious and Draco turned his face around and muttered, his voice annoyed, "Honestly, Scorpius. How much time does it take to walk twenty steps? Will you bloody hurry up?"
The door slammed open and Scorpius entered. He was about to shout at Draco but a look at the fire and Scorpius's eyes bulged wide open and his legs shook.
"Scorpius" Albus choked desperately. Draco looked at Albus, wondering why the boy had cut off and realized that Albus was sweating again and looking behind him repeatedly as if he was afraid that someone would barge inside the room. This was to be expected of course. It must be overwhelming and sudden for the child.
Scorpius's expression. Merlin.
It was priceless. His eyes burned with hope and relief but Draco could see sadness and pain in their depths as well.
Draco moved aside slowly and tried to make himself invisible. He still remembered what Potter had told him. He had said that Albus would talk to no one except Scorpius.
Potter had been right in other aspects as well. The boy who was standing in the floo was traumatized and had just gone through a panic attack in front of him. Had Scorpius not arrived on time, Merlin only knew what would have happened.
"Scorpius" The boy whispered again and Scorpius breathed "Albus, how are you?" His son could barely prevent his voice from shaking.
"Dad- dad is having Posteriors Fever and no one can cure it except your father."
"We need to cure your father as soon as possible. This fever will require a surgery and it is a long process." Draco whispered, testing the waters.
"Okay." Albus muttered, his eyes blank and Draco backed off with Scorpius. Albus came in first and then Draco sent his elf to retrieve Potter too. All the while, Albus was silent and and too still.
Draco took Albus towards the Eastern wing and told him that the wing will belong to him and Potter and that no-one would ever enter the wing without Albus's or Potter's express permission.
Albus looked relieved but he looked tense too.
As Draco retreated towards his healing wing and Scorpius retreated to his own room, his eyes still dazed, he wondered if Albus was worse off then he had thought. There was something very very wrong with the child.
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