Lost And Found

THE PHILANDERER FATHER

Hermione looked at Draco.

He was fast asleep.

Under the effect of a vial of Dreamless Sleep.

She sighed as she looked at the old journal opened on her lap. A few simple spells ensured that it was indeed written by Narcissa Malfoy and the text dated back somewhere around thirty years ago.

And there was no mistake in understanding those simple lines which suddenly seemed to change everything.

Draco Malfoy was not the son of Narcissa Malfoy - at least according to the journal. Unless, Narcissa had a twisted sense of humour to write such maddening lies in her journal or she was drunk or delirious when she imagined those lines to be true - any of which were highly unlikely.

Draco stirred in his sleep, snuggled into the blanket and was sleeping soundly again.

His face was devoid of any tension, frawns or any creases. In his sleep, he looked much younger. The faint sound of snoring and the slight parting between his lips made Hermione strangely emotional. Something deep inside her heart churned for this man, this helpless man who had to endure so much at such a short span of his life and yet, his suffering was not over.

Hermione didn't know what should they do with that information or rather, what Draco would do with the information. Both his parents were dead already. So, there was no point in yelling at their departed souls for hiding such a life changing secret for ever. Neither did it change any of his history with his family. But there was a chance that he could try to find his biological parents. Again there was a question whether they were alive or not.

She couldn't think anymore. She felt so very tired. Amidst everything that was already going on in their lives, this single line was the most unexpected and uncalled for.

Hermione rubbed her tired eyes with her palms. There was no use in staying awake late, if she wasn't doing anything useful at all. She muttered a wandless "Nox" and snuggled on to the bed, inside the warm blanket beside her husband.

Before sleep finally took over, she stared at his face for minutes, contemplating something and then finally said in a very low whisper, "I am still afraid to say it aloud. But I so very much want you to know that... I love you... Draco."

*****

"It says that she is not... correction, was not my mother. But it says nothing about him, my father!" Draco said, exasperated after a long discussion with Hermione about his origin.

"What about him?" asked Hermione.

"Well, there are two options. Either I am his son with someone else other than his wife or both of my parents are entirely different people."

"The second option doesn't sound practical. Because that would make you a, well, non-Malfoy?" Hermione said in an unsure voice.

"Yeah. That's true. My father wouldn't leave his wealth to someone who is not of the superior Malfoy bloodline."

A tap at the window interrupted their conversation. It was a barn owl with a letter attached to its legs.

"Aha! It's here", said Draco. Opening the window, he let it in. The owl flew to the nearest table and sat on it, waiting eagerly for some treats.

"You seem to be expecting this letter", Hermione said.

"Yes, I was", Draco said as he unattached the letter from the owl after giving it treats.

"Well?"

"I wrote to my father's old lawyer. I know he won't be of much help as he wasn't exactly close to my father. But he is the only one alive or out of prison or someone without much reason to kill us", he scoffed, "I asked him about my father's...umm...habits about visiting women. I don't know if it is possible for him to have much knowledge about this. But still, I thought to give it a try."

"Oh. And what did he write in reply?"

"Let me see. Okay.... My condolence to you and your family for your recent loss and blah blah blah.... As you know very well that I wasn't very close to your father....'course I do....some other blah blah about how a man of your father's status would not lower himself by being close to me....okay, here is something useful....hmm....with all due respect to your father, he was not faithful in his marriage....not much of a surprise.....hmm..."

"Draco, do you remember that I am standing here eagerly to know what the lawyer has written?" Hermione snapped.

"Huh!"

"I can't make out anything from the way you are talking."

"Oh. Sorry. Here, read it. The second last paragraph. It's nothing much of an information, but still...."

Hermione looked at the said part of the letter. It was written-

"As of my knowledge, Mr Malfoy Senior never visited the shady establishments of Nocturnal Alley. He had a few mistresses here and there, I believe. At least that is what can be figured out from some particular expenses shown in his accounts. Aside from that, there are some rumours, of which I have no proof. I am hesitant to share this information with you, sir. But, I have heard more than once in higher social circles that, in his younger days, when Mr Malfoy used to travel different parts of the continent, he indulged into inappropriate and clandestine relationships with ladies of the high society, regardless of their marital status or his own. But, as I have told before, I don't have any way to prove this."

When she finished reading, Hermione looked at Draco and searched for the emotions on his face. But he was again hiding behind his mask of blank expression.

"Draco?"

"It's all right, Hermione. I am fine. I grew up with the knowledge of my father's derogatory views about women in general and as I grew older, I became almost certain that he wasn't faithful in his marriage. Then at the time of the war, I witnessed how pervert and lecher of a man he was. The information in this letter is nothing new to me. It just makes my lifelong suspicions correct."

"Then why are you Occluding so heavily that your face is an emotionless mask and your eyes nothing but two hollow holes?"

Draco let out a humorless chuckle and said, "Because, after all these years, I still feel so much hatred towards him that if I let myself go with it, I'll become mad."

Without saying anything, Hermione reached for him and held him in a tight embrace.

After quite a few minutes or longer, Draco let out a deep breath. He hugged Hermione more tightly and murmured softly, "Thank you for being there. Thank you for coming back to me. You have no idea how much I missed you, missed this connection between us."

"I am here now and that's all that matters", she said.

Draco nodded in agreement and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

After some silent moments, Hermione said, "Draco, after reading the letter, I was thinking something...well....I might be wrong, but..."

"Don't worry. At this point all we can do is to try with some guess works or pure intuition. So, what's it?"

"Well, although I didn't know your father very closely, not that I regret it, of course, I knew him enough to know how prejudiced he was regarding bloodlines or purity et cetera. In that case, do you think that he would let the child of some random prostitute become his heir?"

"Hmm... We can think along the line. Your assumption seems to have valid point. So, now, if we strike off the mistresses from the equation, then we should start with..."

"His secret affairs with ladies of high society abroad", Hermione said.

"So, that means", Draco said hesitantly, "You think that I might have foreign origin?"

"From the facts we have, it seems very much probable."

------------
A/N: Hey, dear readers, I am back.

Here is the new chapter for you. Let me know what you think of it. If you like it, don't forget to vote, comment and share with your friends.

See you on next Sunday.