Henrietta Potter And The Slytherin Child - (A 'Henrietta Potter' sequel) || D.M

48 - Stag Nation

I swallowed, knowing with a heavy heart that he was right.

*****

"I want to visit my father."

My eyes flew open, wondering if I had heard correctly. It was a Sunday morning, and Draco and I were lazily dozing in bed.

"What's brought this on?" I asked drowsily, twisting my body round to face him. He was lying on his back staring up at the ceiling, looking deep in thought.

"With everything that's happened," he explained, his voice heavy as he looked at me with doleful eyes, "I just feel that I need to see him. Weasley bringing him up the other night made me think about him, about what I've lost. Despite his flaws, I loved him, Etta. He's my only remaining parent, and I guess I need some sort of closure."

Bloody Ron.

I wriggled my body, positioning myself so that I was lying on top of him. His mouth curved up into a small appreciative smile, and he wrapped his arms around me as I brought my lips down to meet his.

"If that's what you want to do, then do it," I said in between planting little butterfly kisses along his jaw, morning stubble scratching my face, "you know you've got my support."

"That's just it, Etta," he said, unwrapping his arms to cup my face in his hands, staring intently into my eyes, "I can't do this without you, I want you to come with me."

I froze, the idea of seeing that monster again horrified me. Even if he was Draco's father.

"I know it's a big ask," Draco murmured, evidently reading the apprehension in my eyes, "but this is why I've never visited him before, because I couldn't do it on my own. I couldn't do it without you."

I swallowed, my heart thudding. I already knew what my answer was going to be the second he had asked me.

Because I never could say no to Draco Malfoy.

*****

It wasn't usual for prisoners of Azkaban to receive visitors. This was down to the fact that nobody wanted to go near those horrid creatures. Dementors.

As Head Auror, however, I had made the occasional official visit, but even with my fucking awesome Patronus, it was still a miserable place to be for any length of time.

It was also not an easy place to get to. Planted right smack bang in the middle of the North Sea with an anti-Apparation charm set upon it, the only magical way to get there was by broomstick.

And it was not a pleasant journey to make.

Luckily, I was a flipping awesome flier.

The waves crashed violently below us underneath the ominous black sky as we neared the lonely island. Wind whipped the hair around us, and rain spattered down upon our faces, blinding our vision. This was how it always was. Gloomy in and out.

I felt Draco's arms tighten around my middle as I dodged a massive bolt of lightning that had smacked right into the sea below us, briefly lighting the entire body of water up. Out of nowhere, a great huge wave rose high in front of us and, knowing there was no time to fly over it, I yelled at Draco to brace himself. Leaning forwards on the broom, I shot full throttle through the wall of it before it had time to crash down upon us.

Breaking through the other side, I caught sight of the eerie silhouette of the looming fortress up ahead. I could already feel the despair and depression pressing down on me.

"We're here," I called back to Draco as I shakily released my tense grip on the broom to quickly cast a Patronus with my wand. The stag galloped in the air protectively beside us as we flew the remainder of the journey, finally landing on the rocky ground, both of us soaked through and shivering as we dismounted the Firebolt.

"I love you for this," Draco shouted above the noise of the crashing waves, pulling me ardently into his arms as he kissed the top of my head. I closed my eyes drawing strength from his comfort, already feeling weakened from the presence of the many, many Dementors. My Patronus wasn't going to be enough.

"C-can you cast a P-Patronus?" I shivered, my teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Draco's eyes filled with panic, "I-I've never been able to, not like you." I knew it must have killed him to say it.

"P-Please try, Draco," I implored, "otherwise I-I don't think I can go in there, my P-Patronus isn't strong enough for the both of us."

Releasing me from his arms, Draco stood back, shakily holding out his wand.

"Think of something happy," I encouraged, as his eyes hesitantly met mine, "think of a memory that has made you feel the happiest you have ever been."

He gave a solemn nod as he closed his eyes in concentration.

The fucker better be thinking about me.

"Expecto Patronum!"

And to both our surprise, out of the end of his wand, galloped a large white animal. It circled us once, twice, before coming to a halt next to my Patronus. My big, powerful stag.

My big, powerful stag which was fucking dwarfed by his super massive stag.

"Ha! What do you know, Potter," Draco drawled, his eyes glinting gleefully, "mine's bigger than yours."

Oh, for fuck's sake.

"Come on," I bristled haughtily, grabbing his hand as I headed us towards the entrance, feeling much stronger now that we had a Patronus on either side of us.

As soon as we entered the shelter of the prison, Draco lifted his wand and immediately began to dry my clothes.

"You know, you are cute when you get cross," he chuckled, seeing my sour expression as I glared at his Patronus, my arms furiously folded across my chest.

"Why a flipping stag? That's my thing! And of course yours has to be bigger!" I couldn't help but stomp my foot a little.

Draco chuckled harder, giving me such a tender look as he pulled me back into his arms. "Because, Potter, I love you. And I'm also me. You know I've got to go one better."

"Ugh," I sighed exasperatedly, unfolding my arms to circle them around his waist, "it's lucky you're so good looking."

"Not to mention big hands too," he smirked, winking down at me.

I just rolled my eyes. I was never going to give him the satisfaction of admitting that was true.

"Come on," I muttered, reluctantly pulling out of his warm embrace to straighten my Auror robes. "Let's go and see Daddy Dearest."

*****