4
t h a n t o p h o b i a
the phobia of losing someone you love
❁❁❁
Draco left the dining hall bitterly. He refused to believe that his mother actually suggested he be married to someone when there were many reasons he just couldn't. But what upset him more is the fact that she told him to forget, like she did. He could never do that, even if he tried.
But Draco knew himself that Scorpius would start asking questions. He may be five now, but he will soon grow older and start realizing things. Things like the dark mark, the awful things that happened in this very manor, the Malfoy reputation, (Y/N)... There were just too many secrets Draco was keeping from the little boy and it pained him.
He shook the thoughts of the conversation away when he entered his bedroom, seeing Scorpius still soundly asleep to his relief. Thank Merlin he wasn't woken up by the argument. Draco wouldn't know what to say to him if he was, but gratefully the manor was large and the walls weren't thin.
Opening his closet, he grabbed one of his black suits and a black tie from one of his drawers. It definitely was a little too formal to get ice cream in, but Draco liked the classy look in any occasion. It showed his importance and pride.
Perhaps the old Draco was still in him more evidently than he thought.
He quickly changed into the black suit, making sure the fabric was smooth and crisp. Glancing at himself in front of a mirror, he still felt something was missing. His eyes darted to something sparkling on his bed, the silver pin. He walked over and grabbed it from the bed, examining it in his hand. Memories of the night he first wore it came to him the more he thought about it.
"Oh, darling- you look absolutely smashing." She smiled as she tied the black necktie around him. "I love it when you wear a suit."
"But don't I always look this good, (Y/N)?" He teased, grabbing her soft hands in his.
She rolled her eyes playfully, and lightly pushed him away, "Hush, you. Don't get cocky."
"It's not like you hate it when I'm a bit of a show-off," Draco's lips curled, pulling her back. "Especially when it comes to you."
"Admittedly, you're quite right," She grinned, but her eyes gazed back down to his suit. "Something's missing."
"What is it?"
She crossed her arms and stared intently at Draco's attire, thinking what to add. Her eyes then widened as she scurried over to his school trunk, opening it.
Draco raised a brow, "What are you-"
"Here it is!" She exclaimed, standing up and holding the pin in front of him. "I give you this for Christmas and you tuck it away into your trunk?"
Although her eyes showed that she wasn't mad, Draco still felt the blood rush to his cheeks. "S-Sorry! I was planning on wearing it when winter break was over, on my uniform... I swear."
Well, he wasn't lying at the very least. She seemed to know this too and smirked as she went to place the pin in the very front of his black tie, to be seen by all. As if proud of her work, she stood back and placed her hands on her hips, admiring Draco's appearance. "There, now you look complete."
"Really?" He turned around to the mirror behind him but nodded in agreement once he saw his reflection.
She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, leaning her head on his shoulder. She had to stand on her tippy-toes to do so since Draco was taller than her. They both knowingly chuckled at the fact.
"Absolutely smashing." She whispered.
Draco smiled at the pin and the memories behind it before he pinned it onto the very front of his tie, where it always had been. As he did so, Scorpius stirred beside him on the bed.
The little boy rubbed his eyes with his palms before sitting up with his eyes still drooping from waking up. Scorpius yawned and finally glanced up at his already-dressed father. "Huh?"
Draco lifted the boy out of bed, "Morning, Scorpius. Ready to go out for ice cream, today?"
Scorpius beamed and clapped his hands together excitedly. "Ice cream!"
"Alright, alright. Let's go get you ready." Draco carried Scorpius to the bathroom, putting him down to turn on the bath water and pump some soap into the water. He took off his suit jacket, for a moment he regretted getting ready before Scorpius did. Nonetheless, he rolled up his sleeves and got Scorpius ready for the bath.
Soon Scorpius was in the warm bath water, surrounded by bubbles. To amuse the little boy, Draco used his wand to cast a floating charm among some of the bubbles. Scorpius splashed the water in joy, but luckily Draco was out of range.
After about fifteen minutes of washing Scorpius and letting him play in the water, Draco decided it was time to take him out and dry him. It wasn't long until he was fully dressed and ready to have some breakfast. Afterward, they would be off to Diagon Alley.
The two entered the dining hall, where Narcissa was still reading in the same chair she always sat in. Scorpius's plate of eggs and toast was already on the table. Narcissa gave an upset glare towards Draco, and he knew the conversation from earlier was one she still wanted to discuss later. She quickly looked back to Scorpius and beamed.
"Good morning, sweetheart!" She kissed the little boy's cheeks as he hopped into his chair and started eating.
"Good morning, grandma!" The boy squeaked, mouth full of toast.
Draco sat down in the seat next to Scorpius, grabbing a napkin and ready to wipe any food from the little boy's mouth. Without taking another glance into Narcissa's direction, he spoke, "Mother, after breakfast I am going to take Scorpius out to Diagon Alley."
"I thought we were going out to ice cream?" Scorpius said.
"We are, the ice cream shop is in Diagon Alley," Draco replied, placing a reassuring hand on the little boy's shoulder.
"Just be careful, Draco," Narcissa warned, but smiled knowing that the little boy was finally going out to have some fun.
"Of course, mother."
❁
Eventually, the two Malfoys arrived in Diagon Alley by the Floo Network (in which Draco sternly told Scorpius to speak very clearly when he used it) and they were making their way to the different stores. Draco decided he wanted to show Scorpius around before going to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
"One day we're going to go here to buy your school supplies for Hogwarts," Draco said, holding onto Scorpius's hand.
"Hogwarts?" Scorpius asked, glancing up at his father.
"School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Scorpius's face lit up at the thought of learning magic, and eagerly pulled Draco's suit sleeve. "Will I learn to be good at magic like you, daddy?"
"You'll be better." Draco smiled, knowing that he definitely will prepare Scorpius well before school starts. He looked around at the shops, unsure of where they were going. "Is there anywhere you'd like to go, Scorpius?"
Scorpius took a moment to think before something came to mind. "Can we look at the owls?"
Draco nodded, leading them into Eeylops Owl Emporium. Instantly, Scorpius ran up to the different owls and admired all of them happily. Draco followed after, trying not to grimace from the smell.
"I wish I had an owl," Scorpius said, focused upon a particular brown owl.
"You'll get one when you go to Hogwarts," Draco replied, now looking at the same owl.
"Is Hogwarts fun, daddy?"
Draco took a moment to think, remembering if Hogwarts was fun for him before sixth year. In all honesty, he was too focused on ruining Harry Potter to know of any other joys of Hogwarts. Except one, and that was her. She made Hogwarts bearable. Draco hated everything else; the teachers, the headmaster, everyone who wasn't in Slytherin or pureblood... But he surely wasn't going to tell Scorpius this.
He looked at Scorpius's hopeful eyes before saying, "When you find the right people, it will be."
Scorpius seemed to like this answer very much and grinned. "I can't wait."
For a couple more hours, the two hopped from store to store, looking at all the fun items that were being sold. Draco showed him all sorts of things, telling his son about how much he'll learn about them when he finally gets to Hogwarts. Draco knew Scorpius loved to learn new things. But the little boy soon grew a bit hungry and wanted to finally receive his ice cream as promised. So they made their way into Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
"Two small cones of chocolate ice cream, please." Said Draco to the worker, an older man who Draco assumed was the new owner since Florean Fortescue was no longer alive.
Draco momentarily lets go of Scorpius's hand to fetch out some of the money from his pocket, ready to pay.
"That'll be four sickles-" Started the older man, but he looked up and gasped when he saw who was his customer. "Hey, you're that Malfoy boy! The one that crossed to the other side during the battle-"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Draco muttered, not giving direct eye contact as he placed the sickles on the counter.
"Course you do, disgusting Death Eat-"
"May I just purchase some ice cream for me and my son, please." Draco interrupted once again, but this time not wanting Scorpius to hear those last words.
The worker snickered and spat, "There was another worthless Malfoy born? The world certainly did not need another evil-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Draco drew his wand and pointed it at the neck of the man, his eyes burning with anger. "Don't you dare say a word about my son, filthy little-"
All around Draco, the customers gasped. One of the ladies panicked and yelled from the far side of the parlour, "Put that down, boy!"
The man, however, didn't react like anybody thought he would. Instead, he smirked. "Some father you are, he's not even with you."
"What?" Draco's eyes widened in horror, and to his surprise- Scorpius was no longer next to him. Panic began to fill him, and his eyes searching frantically for the familiar blonde hair of a Malfoy. But Scorpius wasn't in the parlour anymore. "Bloody hell..."
The people in the shop erupted in whispers and remarks, judging Draco from afar. However, Draco couldn't care less. He needed to find his son.
"The Malfoys are a sorry excuse for wizards..." Said an old woman, "Let alone, ones of pure blood."
"Disgrace to the whole Wizarding World!"
"Cowards, they are!" Commented another.
Pushing past everyone who stood in his way, Draco quickly ran out of the doors, worrying where his son might've wandered off to. The remarks from all the witches and wizards only continued from the customers of the ice cream shop.
"Scorpius?" Draco's eyes went left to right, but all he could see were other wizards. He began searching everywhere around him, "Scorpius! Where are you?"
He couldn't have gone far, he was just there not only a minute ago. Draco resorted to asking everyone around him, in hopes that one of them knew Scorpius's whereabouts.
"Have you seen a little boy, about five-"
"Pardon me, have you seen-"
"Ma'am, may I ask you-"
Every single one of them rushed past Draco, not giving a care. He kept searching all around the nearby shops, looking high and low- but Scorpius was nowhere to be seen. Sure, he had only been gone for a few minutes, but in a few minutes so much can happen in Diagon Alley. With all the wizards and witches hurrying from place to place, a little boy like Scorpius could accidentally turn into the wrong street. Which leads to another worrisome thought to fill Draco as he looked into the distance in fright.
"Please, please, please, tell me you didn't go into Knockturn Alley, Scorpius," Draco whispered, his eyes landing to the direction of Knockturn Alley. A broken feeling began to fill Draco, for he did not want to lose his son he loved and cared for dearly. He stood back in place in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, still darting his eyes everywhere, hoping that maybe Scorpius would think to come back here if he was searching for his father.
But Draco wasn't broken out of his worrying thoughts until he felt a light tap on his shoulder, followed by an all too familiar voice.
"Excuse me, sir? I believe I've found your son."