Broomsticks and the Big Apple

Broomstick’s and The Big Apple

Chapter 9

Draco couldn’t go back to the penthouse without finding Luke. It had been three days and still no word from Luke. He knew Hermione would send her patronus if the boy had arrived safely back at home, and since she hadn’t, he knew he must keep searching for the lost and confused, invisible boy. He talked to the aurors on The Strip and even visited a few potion shops in the wizarding red light district. He was walking aimlessly when an idea suddenly sprang to mind. Luke would need money if he intended to pull this off. True, as an invisible boy, he could just steal what he needed, but Luke was wealthy and Draco knew that Luke wouldn’t resort to stealing unless he had to. He was used to throwing handfuls of galleons around. Money didn’t have much meaning to the boy, it was just something he’d always had and never worried about, and Draco knew that. He decided to step into the Wizarding bank, to see if his son had made any withdrawals.

Draco was met with many stares. It had been three days of wandering the streets in search of his son. He knew he must have looked pretty rough. He had thick stubble on his face and even though he had cast cleansing charms over himself, he still looked like he’d been wearing the same suit for three days (because he had).

“May I help you Mr. Malfoy?” The bank manager said.

“I’d like to know if my son, Lucius Malfoy, has been in to withdraw any galleons.” The bank manager immediately set to work, politely excusing himself in order to browse through their records. Draco hated the American wizarding bank. The goblin’s didn’t run the financial institutions in this country and the regular wizards that worked there were most incompetant. He was used to the efficient and expedited way the goblin’s at Gringot’s ran the wizarding bank. He tapped his foot impatiently and finally the bank manager returned.

“Yes Minister Malfoy. Your son was in this morning in fact. He wanted to withdraw 100,000 galleons, but because of his age, we were only able to give him 10,000 galleons. Anything more then 10,000 would require your signature or your wife’s. I told him that I could owl you but he refused, took the money and left. I hope there is no problem.”

“No, that’s fine. However, if he comes in again I want you to stall him and send for me immediately. Tell me, was he visible?” Draco asked. The man furrowed his brow as if thinking.

“I’m sorry sir, I don’t understand.”

“Never mind.” Draco left. At least he knew now that Luke was not invisible all of the time. This gave him hope that he could somehow find him. Draco passed by a corner store in a less shopped and traveled section of The Strip. He popped in and bought some jeans and a button up denim shirt. At least he could be comfortable while he searched. The witchclerk was a nice enough young woman who allowed him to change in the back room. He rifled through his wallet and pulled out the picture of Luke that he had been showing around to the various merchants on The Strip and surrounding streets, and asked the woman if she had seen Luke. She nodded sympathetically and Draco left the shop with a defeated expression.

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Luke nearly ran smack into Hermione in the halls of his school. His mother was carrying a large stack of books in her arms, and when Luke passed her by, she stopped suddenly, as if sensing his presence. She dropped her books and Luke scurried away towards the potions room. He knew the room would be empty during this period, and he wanted to restock his pantry with some of the harder to find ingredients that the stores didn’t sell. He was rounding the corner when his brother popped out of the Transfiguration classroom. Luke was happy to see that Scorpius looked okay after the fire incident. He was accidentally slammed against the wall by Damien Stratton, who turned around and looked, but then turned his attentions on the older Malfoy boy. He had two large thugs known as the Bartholomew twins flanking either side of him. They had failed a couple of grades and almost had full beards. The three boys reeked havoc and fear throughout he school and nobody wanted to angle with them.

“I heard your brother ran away, Scorpius. What’s the matter? Finally figure out that your whole family are worthless arseholes? Merlin you and your dad look like fags.”

“Fuck off Stratton, or I’ll put you in the hospital wing again. How did it feel eating dirt during Friday’s game?” Scorpius said, fake lunging at him and Damien flinched. He backed away, clearly frightened of Scorpius after his fall. He still had visible bruises from the quidditch match. The twins suddenly moved on Scorpius, as Luke stood invisible, his body plastered against the castle wall, watching the scene play out.

“Scorpius, there you are! I was wondering if you wanted to join me in the library for study hall?” Persephone had wandered upon the scene. She could see what was about to happen, in that Scorpius was about to get beat up by Stratton and the twins in a totally unfair fight of three on one.

“Is that your girlfriend? Really, I want to know, because she doesn’t have tits. Can’t tell if it’s a boy or a girl. Maybe it’s neither,” Damien said laughing and punching one of the twins in the arm jokingly.

“Your so dead Stratton!” Scorpius pulled his wand on the boy.

“Expelliarmus!” Damien disarmed Scorpius.

Scorpius lunged on him for real, amidst Persephone’s pleas that they just leave and forget what was said about her. He caught him in the jaw and Damien went down. The twins now leapt on Scorpius and a brawl began. Damien scrambled back to his feet, spitting blood from his mouth and punched Scorpius hard in the gut several times, while the twins held his thrashing arms, pinning him. Persephone slapped at the Stratton boy trying in earnest to get him to quit hitting Scorpius, but he just knocked her backwards on her arse, and Persephone began to cry. Serena rounded the corner and ran to her little sister, helping her up and wrapping a protective arm around her, though she didn’t seem to mind that Scorpius was getting his arse kicked by the boys. Without warning one of the boys screamed out in pain. Blood began to trickle from his ear. The other boy let go of Scorpius and now he was being pummeled against the wall, as if by invisible forces. Scorpius was too embroiled in tackling Damien Stratton on the floor and beating the tar out of him, to notice that someone else was kicking the twins arses. One boy ran down the hallway crying about phantom spirits, while the other spun on his feet, panicked and begging whatever it was that was hitting him repeatedly in the face, to stop.

“Ghosts! I’ve been cursed!” The second twin finally ran off, holding his crotch, as if he had accidentally peed his pants. Luke hadn’t realized that his mouth was bleeding as he spat blood onto the floor. He looked up and saw Professor Masterson staring at him. Luke looked down and realized his blood was visible. He scurried away from the group. Scorpius, was now being pulled off Stratton by Professor Masterson. This gave Luke the perfect chance to get into the potions panty.

He had nearly finished taking all of the ingredients he needed for his invisibility potion, and for a couple of other concoctions he was brewing, when a voice spoke to him.

“Your mother and father are beside themselves. When are you going to go home?”

Luke spun around and checked his disguise. He was still invisible, but the potion bottle appeared to be flying of its own volition in the air as he poured the sea salt and belladonna into a vial and stuffed it into his robes. Luke tried to slip around Professor Masterson, but the Professor reached out and held him tightly by the arm. “Sit down Luke.” He put the boy into a chair and then sat down across from him.

“Look, just let me go. I’m not ever going back,” Luke finally said.

“No Luke. Your mother hasn’t slept in days and your father hasn’t even been home since you disappeared. He’s out there right now searching for you. You are being immature and thoughtless. Though…It was nice what you did for your brother just now. Scorpius will probably receive many detentions, but what you did was honorable. Sometimes big brothers, need the love and support from their younger brothers. It isn’t always the other way around.” Professor Masterson looked affected to Luke.

“You don’t know me. So why do you keep interfering in my life? If you’re going to turn me in, then just do it and let’s be done with this.”

“Do you think you’re the only person to grow up feeling unusual, different, from the rest of your family? I grew up with vampires you know. Do you want to see what my family did to me? I’m sure when you see it, you will think twice about how awful your own family is.” Professor Masterson rolled up his sleeve to reveal hundreds of scars. They looked like they were caused from bites. Luke felt the potion starting to wane. His arms began to flicker and within moments, he was fully visible again.

“Did your family really do that to you?” Luke asked.

“If you want to call them that.”

“Well you turned out alright, so it couldn’t have been that bad,” Luke said, clamming up again.

“I did some hurtful things Luke. I hurt people as a way of dealing with my own iner turmoil.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I want to help you, and maybe because I feel like it’s my penance. Tell me what’s troubling you. I won’t turn you in, if you tell me. And I want the truth.” Luke tried to get up and leave, but Professor Masterson gently pushed him back down into the chair.

“I don’t fit in, okay! My father thinks I’m soft and my mother babies me to death.”

“Have you tried changing that perception? I mean, why do you think your father thinks you’re soft?”

“He never asks me to play quidditch with him on weekends. He always plays with Scorpius.”

“So you ran away because you want to play quidditch and your father won’t let you?”

“No, not really.”

“Did you tell him that you want to play quidditch like Scorpius?”

“No. I mean…I guess I never told him.” Luke said.

“Then how is he supposed to know? I know adults can be daft sometimes, but we aren’t mind readers,” Professor Masterson kind of chuckled at that thought, but continued. “Your mother is a mother, pure and simple. All mothers baby their kids to some extent. I’m sure if you talked to her and told her your feelings though, that she would loosen the reigns on you a bit. Have you tried that?”

“No. I guess I haven’t.”

“Seems to me, that running away was a bit drastic. You should always exhaust all avenues before you give up. Even when you have given up, all hope is never completely gone.”

“What do you mean? Did you make up with your family, after what they did to you?”

“I’m trying to. I was lucky enough to fall in love with a beautiful witch. I tried pushing her away for a very long time. And Luke, I was much more messed up then you. Not that you are messed up, but you are confused. After a while, she was able to talk me into getting counseling and eventually I was able to put the pieces of my life back together.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Luke looked up at the Professor who now had misty eyes.

“Because, I owe your father.” The Professor got up at that and turned to leave. “Come back and talk to me if you feel lonely. Please consider going home though, and remember what I said. It’s never too late.” Luke sat at the desk for a few minutes considering what the Professor said. He finally drank the last of his potion mix and watched as he returned to invisible.

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The Upper West Side, the Lower West Side, the Upper East Side and Downtown. Draco had covered all of these parts of the city, checking with every underground potion store he could, in search of Luke. He really was invisible. Draco didn’t believe it possible that not one soul had seen his son. Somebody had to have some information. He just had to find that someone and that would lead him to Luke. He had cried many times over the last several days since Luke’s disappearance. He felt completely useless as a father and husband. He communicated by owl with Hermione and while her letters all showed the brave face she was trying to put on for him, he knew she was heartbroken inside.

Draco shivered in the late November New York chill. It would snow soon and the thought of Luke living on the street somewhere, scared Draco to no end. He cursed himself for wanting to kick his arse when this first happened. If he saw him right now, he would hug his son so tightly and would tell him that he loved him a thousand times over. He was walking the beaten street when an owl swooped down and dropped a letter on him. He opened it and read.

Dear Draco,

We will be arriving tomorrow for a visit. Narcissa missed you and Hermione and the grandkids, immensely. I suppose I’d have to say that I miss you all too. The Manor just isn’t the same without you. We will be staying in your hotel for the duration of out visit. We expect to stay until after Christmas. See you soon.

Lucius,

P.S. There is a matter of the utmost urgency that I need to discuss with you.

He crumpled up the parchment and apparrated back home.

“Draco!” Hermione came running to her husband.

“I didn’t find him Hermione. I’m sorry I let you down.” Draco had been avoiding this conversation like the plague. He didn’t like appearing as a failure in his wife’s eyes.

“Don’t be silly. We will find him Draco. Thank you for all that you are doing.” Hermione threw her arms around Draco and buried her face in his chest. “You’re so tense and you look horrible. Growing a beard now?” Hermione pulled on the fuzz on his face and kissed his cheek. “Let me draw you a relaxing bath.” Hermione left and Scorpius bounded into living room with a black eye and cuts on his arms.

“Missed you Dad. No sign of him I take it?”

“No good leads,” Draco said sitting down on the sofa and hanging his head low.

“I think he was at school today. I got in a fight and somebody stepped in and helped me, though when I asked who it was nobody seemed to know.” Draco lifted his head, a fleeting expression of hope on his face.

“Did you tell your mother?”

“Not yet. I didn’t want to get her hopes up, but I’ll keep my eyes open at school. He might try and talk to me. I’m less threatening then you and Mum.” Draco felt horrible hearing Scorpius say that, even though he knew it to be true. His first instinct when this all went down was to throttle Luke for the stunt he pulled. Now he felt horrible for feeling that way. This was obviously much more then a childhood prank.

Hermione came back out and ushered Draco into the bathroom where she had prepared a bath. She added lavender oils to sooth his knotted muscles and tired limbs and helped him out of his clothes.

“Lean back Dragon. I’m going to give you a clean, close shave.” Draco closed his eyes as Hermione applied the shaving cream and stroked the razor down face. When she was done, she wiped his face with a clean towel and then leant over to kiss the cleanly shaven skin of his face.

“I love you, you know. Don’t beat yourself up because you haven’t found him. He’s resourceful and smart. It’s no wonder you haven’t been able to find him.” Draco closed his eyes, holding back tears. He so wanted to bring Luke home with him. He suddenly felt a warm hand under the water and felt Hermione’s hand stroking his member. She licked his lips and kissed him lovingly and Draco felt some of the tension begin to slip away. With long hard strokes she rubbed him continuously.

“Draco will you make love to me? I feel so empty inside.” Draco nodded and Hermione stood and slowly stripped. He watched his beautiful wife, with all her curves and he was reminded of just how good things used to be when his family was whole. She slipped into the tub with him, straddling him and Draco pushed her down over himself. She leaned down on his chest and Draco thrust his hips up and into her. Hermione rocked over him as both moved together in the warm, soothing water.

“I love you so much,” Draco whispered in her ear. It wasn’t a marathon of sex, just two people loving each other and making love to each other, perhaps lessening the sorrow they both felt in their hearts, if only for a short time.

“I love you too Dragon.”

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Luke liked watching her. She always had a cheerful face and just seeing her made him feel warm and happy inside. Drew was alone in her father and Uncle’s store. They had gone down to the docks to oversee a shipment to the Europeon Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes warehouse, leaving Drew alone in the store. Ron didn’t like leaving his daughter alone to man the store, but he was left without a choice on this early Saturday morning. Drew stocked shelves, humming happily and then flipped through a muggle teen magazine, browsing the latest in fashion and teen romance quizzes.

“I want my galleons back!” A balding middle-aged wizard approached the counter and slammed down a pair of extendable ears. Luke moved closer to Drew upon hearing the customer’s rants. Drew looked quite scared, but tried to deal with the wizard in a calm and rational manner.

“What seems to be the problem?”

“These ears, that’s what!” Drew picked up the ears and looked at them. They seemed to be in working order.

“You should put a warning on these things! I want my money back.”

“Okay just calm down. Why should there be a warning?”

“Because it doesn’t warn you about what you are going to hear with these things!”

“Sir, I am going to ask you to leave now. If you want a refund, then come back later and talk to my Dad. “

“I want my refund now! I had to listen to my wife shagging another wizard with these blasted things!”

“Sir, I’m really sorry for your dilemma, but the ears are in perfect working order, therefore I cannot issue a refund.” Drew stepped back uncomfortably from the counter. The customer’s face was turning red and he looked ready to blow his top. He threw the ears at Drew, hitting her on the side of the face and smashing into some bewitched candies behind the counter. The jars fell and shattered on the floor at Drew’s feet.

“Now they’re broken! I want my money back! I want my money back!” Drew ran for the back storeroom at this and the man took off after her. Suddenly his body lunged backwards and blood spurt from his nose. Again and the man gripped his face and then his gut, as he fell back against the ground. Drew watched with wide eyes. The man looked at her like she was the most powerful witch in the world and staggered to his feet, running from the store. Drew burst into a fit of laughter.

“Luke! I know its you. That was bloody brilliant! Show yourself to me, come on.” Drew was walking around the store holding her arms out and swatting at the air. She finally caught him and pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you Luke. I left my wand in the storeroom and I was going for it. Dad told me to always have my wand at the counter but I forgot today.”

“That guy was a serious prick,” Luke finally spoke.

“I know. He’s a regular customer too,” Drew laughed. “So tell me. Everyone is looking for you. You are about to get your picture put on a milk carton Luke,” Drew giggled again.

“I guess I’ll finally be as famous as my family name.” Luke said sarcastically.

“So Luke Malfoy…what were you doing in here anyways?” Drew Weasley had a sly smirk on her face.

“I was…I…” Luke was speechless. He came into the store frequently, on his way back to the motel.

“Yes? Go on then. You were watching me weren’t you? And it isn’t the first time either. I knew I felt somebody watching me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry silly,” Drew moved her hand up to rest on Luke’s shoulder. “Kiss me,” she said.

“What?”

“I said kiss me. Yes, kiss me or I’ll be forced to tell your parents that you are staying at that notell motel.”

“How did you…know?”

“I saw you there that day you ran into me and knocked my owl cage out of my hand. I was spying on you. You aren’t the only one who likes to look ya know,” Drew blushed and winked.

“Ahhh, very sneaky of you. So if I don’t kiss you, then you will tell my parents?”

“No. I just want you to kiss me. I won’t tell them. I wish I could see you though. You’re so good looking. Much better looking then your brother.” Luke blushed now. Of course you couldn’t see him, but he was blushing deep red.

“I got to go Drew. Thanks for not telling on me,” Luke said turning to leave. He stopped dead in his tracks and witnessed the disappointment on the Weasley girl’s face and without thinking, grabbed her tightly around the waist and pulled her into his body, laying one hell of a kiss on her lips. Her head fell back and Luke’s lips pressed against hers. Her lips were so soft and he couldn’t ever remember feeling this bloody good. Their kiss was long and passionate, though still innocent. He let her go finally and bolted from the store. Drucilla jumped up and down, squealing with effervescence just as Ron breezed through the doors of the Joke Shop.

“Why are you so giddy Drew?” Ron said squinting one eye suspiciously.

“Oh no reason. That balding jerk of a wizard came in today and gave me hard time.”

“And that makes you happy?” Ron inquired and Drew stopped to think for a moment and then jumped up and down on her feet again.

“Yes Daddy! I am positively walking on air!” She skipped into the storeroom and closed the door where she held her hand to her heart and tried to calm herself down. She couldn’t help it. She squealed again.

Ron took out a piece of parchment and scrawled a note to Hermione.

Hermione,

I’m pretty sure Luke was just in my store. I saw the door swing open on its own volition, just as I was arriving back from the port. Drucilla was extremely happy. I can only imagine why.

Ron

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