Broken

Memories

'I can't believe I forgot my purse! I'm so embarrassed!'

'Don't beat yourself up, Granger. You just came down with a case of Baby-Brainitis. It happens to the best of women. Astoria once left Scorpius in Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour...'

'She didn't?!'

'Yup, she did! She'd been struggling a lot with Baby Brain, so she'd taken to counting everything she had with her, to make sure she didn't forget anything. She knew she went into Diagon Alley with two items – the pram and her handbag. She knew she left Diagon Alley with two items – her handbag and her shopping bag. She didn't realise until she got home and went to take Scorpius out of the pram. She was so hysterical she couldn't apparate back to get him, she had to take the Knight Bus!'

'Oh no! Was Scorpius alright?!'

'Of course he was, the little monster slept through the whole thing, didn't even notice! Old Fortescue just wheeled the pram behind the counter and kept on serving until he figured out whose baby it was!'

'Surely you're joking?'

'Nope! It's all true, I swear! She started asking her friends about memory-enhancing potions after that, though,' Draco's smile suddenly faded.

'What happened?' Hermione asked, gingerly.

'I was working late at the Ministry one night,' Draco said dully, his eyes haunted. 'When I came home, I could hear Scorpius screaming himself hoarse. The house reeked of burnt chilli. Weird how you remember details like that. I found her on the kitchen floor.  Scorpius was in his playpen nearby. Her whole face was purple. Swollen beyond recognition. Turns out she had a severe allergy to one of the ingredients.  Went into anaphylactic shock. She survived the whole Wizarding War. Her family were branded blood traitors for hiding fugitives, did you know that? There was a price on her head, same as you. Escaped the Snatchers three times. Only to get bumped off by something so trivial.' Draco laughed hollowly.

Hermione reached across the distance between them and patted his arm awkwardly. A tear trickled down Draco's cheek. She pulled him into a hug, stroking his back as he sobbed into her shoulder. After a few moments, Draco stumbled backwards, his pale face red with embarrassment.

'Anyway,' he said briskly, wiping his face. 'That's when I decided I wanted to re-train as a Healer. My job at the Ministry was never exactly fulfilling, but it was what I'd always been expected to do. Plus I wasn't exactly qualified for much else. The world doesn't look so kindly on an ex-Death Eater. Especially one called Malfoy.' Draco's face contorted with self-loathing.

Hermione stayed quiet, not sure what to say.

'I asked McGonagall if it was possible to take my NEWTs this year. She sent me a few pamphlets and the list of text books I needed, then offered to let me use the library whenever I wanted. Even got the professors to agree to tutor me some evenings, once school started. She put in a good word for me to get some work experience here over the summer, then they let me stay on.' Draco shook his head in disbelief.

'So...you're raising your son as a single father, working at the Ministry, volunteering here and studying for your NEWTs? When do you sleep?!' Hermione was awed.

'I don't sleep much,' Draco shrugged. 'Too many memories, you know?'

'Yeah. I know.' Hermione whispered, unconsciously rubbing her arm. She stopped quickly when she noticed what she was doing, then realised Draco was doing the same.

Without speaking, Hermione reached over and grabbed Draco's left arm. She pushed up his sleeve to reveal a Dark Mark. It had faded over the years, but the snake entwined around a staring skull was still visible. Draco snatched his hand back and anxiously shoved his sleeve back down over it, refusing to look at Hermione.

'Draco, I-'

'I have to go,' he mumbled and tripped backwards away from Hermione.

'Draco, wait!'

Draco paused, his eyes downcast. Hermione didn't know what to say. She had never seen a Dark Mark so closely before.

'Would you...would you let me pay you back for the food?' She asked, lamely.

Draco looked up at her with a wry smile, hiding his emotions once again behind a mask of indifference.

'Nah, call it an early Christmas present,' he said, his voice loud with false cheer, before hurrying away.