I'll Take That Chance

CH 2 - You Could Apologize

"Harry, mate, you've got to come back with us!" Ron implored for the third time that morning. "It wont be the same without you."

"Ron's right, Harry, but we'll support your decision just the same," Hermione said with a pointed look at Ron.

"I know. I've been doing a lot of thinking about it and I'm still not quite sure. The two of you will be so busy with your Head Boy and Girl duties and I know this sounds selfish, but I dont know if I would feel comfortable being alone all the time."

"You wont be alone, Harry. We'll make sure of that."

"I know. I know it sounds ridiculous but when we're together were a team, and alone I feel like I'm a mess. Plus, I've got so many memories there and I feel like it would be too hard to be too alone with my thoughts and the wounds of the battle are still fresh, you know," he rambled nervously.

"Harry, you will always have us. We all have the bad nightmares and the moments where we just need to take a step back and calm ourselves, but they are getting better. And we can tell yours are too. We keep a close eye on you, you know," Hermione said kindly, placing her hand on his arm.

"And if we did need to take some time to step back or reset ourselves, McGonagall will just let us be. This may actually be a quiet year for a change." They all shared a laugh and that helped Harry make up his mind. He sent Ron's owl off with two letters, an acceptance for McGonagall and a polite 'lets wait a year' for Kingsley. He went to sleep that evening with the great feeling he would be returning to Hogwarts.

The next morning while Harry moved around gathering his things, his eyes landed on the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. The top story was Lucius Malfoy. 'Death Eater Lucius Malfoy Sentenced to the Dementors Kiss!' The accompanying photo jumped out at him next and Harry looked more closely at it. Draco and Narcissa Malfoy could be seen hanging their heads as Lucius sneered up at them and the Wizengamot while receiving his sentence. He felt no remorse for the man, but he did feel a twinge of something for Draco and his mother. He must have seen them as they were coming from this trial. He though of how different Draco had seemed towards the end of it all. As tormented as he had been by the young man, he was still human. Like himself, he was a child of circumstance; Draco had just gone in the wrong direction from the very beginning. He had never had anyone to show him the right way. And he didnt know much of Narcissa Malfoy, but she had saved his life only a few short months ago.

"What have you got there?" Ron walked in and scanned the paper. "Ah, spineless git."

"Which one?" Harry asked, looking down between the faces of the three Malfoys.

"Does it matter? Lucius deserves what he gets, they all do. I still dont know how Draco got off on his charges."

"It was a little shocking," Harry admitted. "He never would have killed Dumbledore though, and he didnt rat me out at the Manor that day either." He hadnt told Ron and Hermione about seeing the Malfoys at the Ministry. Ron raised his eyebrow at him but them he smiled and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"We're rid of him now though. There's no way he would show his ferret face Hogwarts!"

***

"Have you made your decision yet, son?" Draco looked up to see his mother standing in the doorway. Her usually thin face was looking much too angular nowadays and her bright eyes were weary. She had always seemed so tall when he was growing up and now he was shocked by how small she really was.

"Mother, I dont feel like I can leave you here alone."

"Draco, you know I wont be alone. I'll be just fine. I think you're more worried about returning to Hogwarts."

"That's not true. I dont think you need to be left alone right now," he repeated. But to be honest he was worried about returning to school. He put his head in his hands. He knew she could see right through him. "I cant change my past and they all know who I am and what I've done. I've been merciless to them all. And as cowardly as it sounds, I dont want to hear what they all have to say about me, about us." His insides squirmed at the thought.

"You aren't there for acceptance dear, you are there to finish school. Minerva and Horace have both promised they would keep an eye out for you." She walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I'll be fine, Draco. I think you need to do this for you and for your future. She placed a soft kiss on the top of his head, something she had been doing a lot more of recently. Our dinner guest will be here soon, dont be late to come down." He smiled after her. When she closed his door he looked at his closet and started a mental list of things he would need at school.

A few hours later, Draco was standing in the kitchen watching the three women at the dining table discuss his upcoming year at Hogwarts. Precautions, boundaries, etc. It sounded more like he was going to be a prisoner instead of a student. He let out a quiet sigh and turned into the hall and wandered into the room with the nightlight on. A tiny baby was sleeping in a crib near the window and Draco could just barely hear his tiny little breaths. He walked over and rested his forearms on the railing and watched as the blue-haired child slumbered peacefully. His tiny little fists were clenched and his lips moved as he dreamt. Draco wondered if he could remember his parents. Draco had never known his cousin before she had been killed and the year he had been taught by Lupin he had merely shrugged him off and teased him ruthlessly. And now their tiny little boy was an orphan at such a young age. Draco leaned down and gently ran the back of two fingers across his soft cheek, and then brushed a lock of brilliant hair off his forehead and he smiled.

"He's sweet, isnt he?" Andromeda Tonks asked him as she walked in and stood beside him. "He'll be up soon if you'd like to go ahead and pick him up."

"No, I'll let him sleep. Plus, I get so nervous with him."

"I know, but he is your cousin and I also know you secretly enjoy being around him," she said with a sly smile and he grinned.

"I do. He's just so small and perfect and innocent. I have the feeling he'd be a lot better off never knowing he's related to me or the Malfoy family at all." He thought of when Teddy would eventually go off to Hogwarts and dreaded the thought of him finding out how awful Draco had been there.

"Well, what about my family, the Blacks? What about Bella?" Andromeda had a hard time saying her sisters name but she carried on. "She was my sister and she murdered my only daughter and her husband and orphaned my beautiful grandbaby. When he's older he'll be told of the war. And he will be told about his family, all of them. And I'll make sure he knows the good of you dear. I know we've only been recently reacquainted but I know you have a good heart. Under all the pain and smirks and grimaces, I know you are a wonderful young man. Youll help me protect him, wont you? Hell need you around, he needs positive male role models to look up to."

"Well, Im not sure how good I'll be, but I'll certainly try my hardest. Everyone in the wizarding world hates me and I dont want him to see that or have to feel the pain from it."

"You can always do what your mother did." Draco raised his eyebrows. "You could apologize. I know you both made public apologies after your trials, but I mean more personal ones. To the people you may have hurt the most, the way your mother did with me." Draco immediately thought of a young man with wild black hair, green eyes, and an annoying knack for mischief. His aunt smiled at him and brushed a lock of his hair off his forehead the way he had just done with Teddy. He smiled back and they left the little boy to dream. Professor McGonagall was just getting up to leave when they walked back into the kitchen.

"Well Mr. Malfoy, are you going to be joining us back at school?" He nodded at her and tried to hide his trepidation. She nodded back and grabbed her wand from the table. "I'll be back to escort you to the school by Floo. You will not have to join the first nights feast if you wish not, but you will be expected at breakfast the next morning."

"Yes ma'am." He watched as she stepped into the fireplace. "Professor?" She turned to look at him and she watched him carefully. "Thank you, for everything," he said with all the sincerity he had. She smiled at him and then disappeared.

"I guess that settles it," his mother said quietly. He shrugged and smiled. He was going to need all the nerve he could muster to get him through this year.