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“Dad?” Scorpius asks one rainy afternoon. “Why doesn’t grandma live here?”
Frowning, Draco pulls away from his book and looks down at his son. Scorpius was playing video games at the foot of the couch. He had just finished all his homework and Draco was very proud of how well he did on everything, so video games on a school night was the treat he got. He was alone in the house with his seven year old. Hermione and Lyra were having an overnight stay at her mother’s new house. They have been helping her move in today, but eventually someone had to take Scorpius home to make sure he would be ready for school the next day. Hermione insisted he go, seeing as the heavy lifting was mostly taken care of and now they only needed to unpack. She could have also apparated home with Lyra after unpacking, but Draco supposes Hermione wanted to make sure her mother felt at home in her new place. She lived closer to them now, so they would surely see her more often.
But why was Scorpius asking about why his grandmother didn’t live with them? Where did he even get the idea? They never lived together for more than a few weeks and that was years before Scorpius was even born. But, Draco supposes his son wanted to see his grandmother more often because she always spoiled him with toys and chocolates.
“Well… because grandma has her own place. She lives closer to us now, so you’ll see her more often, but we don’t have a spare bedroom for—”
“No, not that grandma, I mean my other grandma. Why does she live so far away?”
Draco freezes.
His mother. Scorpius is talking about his mother.
They had visited Narcissa a total of two times in the past ten years. Once when Scorpius was one year old and the second time was when Lyra turned one year old. That was last year and of course Scorpius was with them. And this time around he was old enough to understand that this woman was Draco’s mother. It had only been a brief courteous visit. They had lunch, spoke for a bit, had tea, took a stroll in the gardens and then left.
Draco doesn’t hate his mother. He couldn’t bear to do it. But their relationship is different.
Different from Hermione and her morher’s relationship.
She loved him in her own way, that Draco was sure of. But they were just too different. She accepted the customs and old ways that she was raised in. She didn’t just believe all that bullshit. She lived by it. She embraced it. Even after seeing all the madness of it. It was who she was and Draco couldn’t fault her for it.
But he also could never stand by it.
Draco had his mother’s eyes and all her poise, but he never had the kind of cold blood that ran through her veins.
He thought it necessary to introduce her to his children, not because he wanted to brag, or show off, or even rub it in her face that the wife she didn’t approve of gifted him such beautiful children. But because it was the right thing to do.
Hermione, being the kind and forgiving soul that she was, agreed and despite everything, both visits had been calm and pleasant.
But, if Draco ever needed some kind of motherly advice, whether it be an opinion on a birthday gift for his wife or a question about parenting, he would be knocking on Molly’s door and not flying over to France.
“Because she likes living in France.” His answer is stiff and Scorpius is probably old enough now to notice this.
“But… don’t you miss her?” Why is he asking this now?
Draco leans back against the couch, taking a deep breath as he goes. He had expected these kinds of questions last year after the visit. Scorpius had been just a bit confused when he was introduced to Narcissa, but he had accepted the situation and just called her ‘grandma’ like it was the most natural thing in the world. Draco had even noticed it taking his mother off guard for a second. After the visit no further questions were asked.
At least until now.
“I have you, and Lyra and your mother and so many other people by my side…” He starts, careful with his words because he doesn’t want his son to misinterpret his words. “I don’t miss my mother, Scorpius. But it’s not because I don’t love her. It’s just how things are and how they probably will forever be.”
“Oh… okay.” He doesn’t seem to truly understand, but he turns back to the game.
A few minutes pass and Draco notices that the character on screen isn’t actually moving around anymore. He doesn’t like the fact that Scorpius is confused about all of this, but he also doesn’t know how to even begin explaining everything.
“What about your dad? Where is he?” The question doesn’t even hit him as hard as he always thought it would. But he also lets out a shaky breath and moves to sit up straight.
“Come up here.” He pats the space next to him and Scorpius abandons the game and climbs up on the couch. Eyes round and beautiful, just like Hermione’s, but also icy blue just like his own. “Love, you know how mom and I told you that long ago there was a bad wizard that wanted to hurt people like your mother and the ones that didn’t have magic?”
“Yeah! Uncle Harry told me the story too. He said he kicked that wizard's butt.” His enthusiasm puts a smile on Draco’s face.
“Well… don’t believe everything Harry says, he couldn’t have done any butt kicking without your mother.” Not that Harry ever claimed anything different, but Draco will forever do his best to knock that ego down a few pegs. For Potter’s own good. “But listen, there’s something else you need to know about that time. My father wasn’t a good man. He tried to help that bad wizard and he ended up hurting a lot of people. When I was still very young he told me that I should hate certain people and I believed him. I wasn’t always good either, but I never wanted to hurt people and I eventually found my way. You’re mother and Harry helped me a lot and I’m very happy I had them by my side. But my father never changed and when everything ended and the bad wizard was gone, my father got sent to a place where only bad people go. We'll never see him again, but he deserved it and we don't need him in our lives.” Scorpius’ big eyes look watery and Draco wishes he could have spared him this story. Or maybe even bring himself to badmouth Lucious even more, his son shouldn’t feel any kind of sympathy towards a man that would probably curse his very existence.
He takes his son in a tight embrace and gently caresses his back.
“Don’t worry about it love, he doesn’t deserve your worry, and you’re better off without him as a grandfather. You have people around you that love you unconditionally and—” Scorpius shakes his head in Draco’s embrace. Confused, Draco pulls back to look at his son. Tears run down his face as he quickly pulls Draco in for his own hug.
“I’m really sorry, dad.” What on earth is he on about? His sadness feels so profound and it only confuses Draco further. Something rises in his throat and with Scorpius’ next words, Draco feels his heart bleed a little. “I’m sorry you didn’t have a great dad, like I do.”