5
r e t r o u v a i l l e
the joy of meeting or finding someone again after a long separation; rediscovery
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"Zabini," Draco muttered, turning around to face the source of the voice.
He was greeted by Blaise Zabini, an old friend from Hogwarts. The two were both in Slytherin, pureblood, and from respected families. It was only natural that they were friends back then. However, Draco hasn't talked to anyone from Hogwarts for a while now, and the sight of one of his old friends was not expected. By the looks of it, Zabini must've thought so too.
"Malfoy," Zabini mocked, crossing his arms. "What a surprise."
Draco didn't see any reason to play catch up with him and was wondering about a more important matter. It appeared as though Zabini didn't even have Scorpius.
"Where is he?" Draco asked.
"Oh, right," Zabini said, letting out a low chuckle. "Well, you see..."
The blonde instantly drew his wand out, gripping it tightly as his brows furrowed. "Tell me, Zabini, right now."
"Alright, alright." Zabini cleared his throat. "You see, I lied to you."
"Obviously." Draco scoffed. "Listen, I have no time for your games. My son is lost-"
"Let me finish. I lied to you because I am not the one who found your son."
"Then where the hell-"
"Why, he's right over there, with her." Zabini pointed his finger towards a girl, her back turned. In her arms, was Scorpius. She appeared to be looking left and right, trying to find something. "She found him."
Draco felt a feeling of relief rush over him, knowing that Scorpius was found by someone who wasn't dangerous or odd. Whoever it was, must've been with the Zabini and knew him. After all, it was a known fact that the Zabinis only associated themselves with only respectable people.
Zabini gave a strange look to Draco, before smirking once again. He whistled to the girl, causing her to turn her attention towards the two men.
"Blaise! I thought you were lost too. Did you find this boy's-"
But the moment the girl turned around, Draco felt his heart stop, his mind blank, and his body tense. Instantly, the feeling of relief was drained. A new feeling filled him, one of shock and disbelief. Draco was completely tongue-tied.
It was her- but how could this be?
She ran up to Zabini, Scorpius still in her arms, but her gaze soon met Draco's. "Ah, there he is! Good job Blaise, you helped somebody for once."
Draco blinked several times, trying to determine if this woman in front of him was a figment of his imagination or not. But every time he opened his eyes, she was still there, her eyes and her smile sparkling.
She didn't even change that much over the years. Maybe she looked a little messier and she was now wearing a burgundy trench coat instead of a Hogwarts uniform, but she was still the beautiful girl Draco met so many years ago.
Draco didn't know what to say or feel, other than stand there in shock. The situation was absolutely surreal. After years and restless nights, was this how the two were supposed to meet again? Her finding him? Or rather, her finding his son- their son.
And she didn't even remember. Of course she didn't remember.
What should he do? What should he say?
He was only broken out of his shock when Scorpius hugged his leg tightly and the woman in front of him shook his arm gently. Her touch even still felt the same...
"Hey, are you okay?" She asked him worriedly. "You look like you just saw a Boggart!"
"Oh, I believe he's perfectly fine," Zabini said.
"Nonsense, Blaise! He's so tense! How are you so insensitive sometimes?" She lightly nudged Blaise in the ribs with her elbow before focusing back on Draco. "Sir?"
Zabini only continued to study Draco intently as he spoke, "Don't worry about it too much, I think he's just shocked to finally find someone he loved once again... After such a long time."
Draco's gray eyes flickered from the woman to Zabini, and that's when he realized the double meaning behind Zabini's words. But why was he saying them?
"Aww. sir, your son is perfectly fine," She cooed, her smile now turning sad. "Merlin's beard, it must've been so worrisome! I completely understand."
"I-I um..." Draco managed to stutter, not able to find any of the right words. Somehow Draco's hand subconsciously went to Scorpius's with the fear of losing him again.
"How old is he?" Zabini interrupted, his arms were crossed once again.
Draco turned to Zabini, breaking his gaze away from the woman in front of him. The shock that took over him blew over as quickly as it came. "Excuse me?"
"I just want to know."
"He's five years old," Draco answered hesitantly, now fully aware of the Zabini's strange behavior.
"Is he now?"
"Do you know something, Zabini?"
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." He shrugged.
"I suppose you're not as quiet as you used to be," Draco remarked bitterly as Zabini eyed Draco with a look of suspicious interest.
The woman in between them watched the conversation in confusion, only making the assumption that the two must've known each other well from what was just stated.
"No, but I am still quite observant..." Zabini trailed off before speaking again, "But don't we both know that people changed after the war?"
Draco stayed silent, but he definitely knew that Blaise Zabini somehow found out about the situation of Scorpius Malfoy. Draco didn't know how or why Zabini knew, but he clearly did. What was even happening now? Wasn't he just getting ice cream for two not only a few minutes ago? Everything was just happening too fast and too all at once.
"Question is," Zabini took a step towards the Malfoys, "did you?"
Before Draco could say anything else, the woman who was quietly listening in before interrupted.
"Huh, you two have quite the history together, I see." She grinned as if she didn't hear the tension in the conversation. "How come I've never heard of this gentleman, Blaise?"
It was always like her to stop things before it got awkward or out of hand. Things might've changed after the war but she didn't... But Draco wasn't sure now if that was a good or bad thing.
It felt like a stab in the heart hearing her speak of Draco as if he was someone she's never met before. But in her mind, the two never did. To her, this was the first time she's ever met Draco Malfoy.
"Oh, we're not the only two people here who have a history together." Zabini snickered, "Besides, you wouldn't remember if I did mention Malfoy."
And Zabini was only making that pain in Draco's heart worse.
"You've been acting strange today, Blaise." She replied, checking a pocket watch. "Hey- aren't you supposed to be going to the owlery right now?"
Zabini nodded as he also glanced at the watch. "Right. Very well then, I'll leave you two here to chat." He took a small unnoticeable glance to the Malfoys before turning back to her. "I'll meet you at the ministry?"
"Yes, of course." She said.
"And you, Malfoy... I'll see you around." Zabini smirked, and moments later he was gone.
There was an awkward silence between the two. Scorpius wasn't speaking either, he just stared at his father with curiosity. Draco asked himself earlier what would he even do or say, but there was nothing. As much as he wanted to embrace the girl in front of him, kiss her, and to run his finger through her hair again- he just couldn't. Not because he didn't want to, but because she would probably react negatively.
All Draco felt was the pain in his heart.
But what a wonder it was how Draco could so easily shut off and hide his emotions and thoughts...
"Your son seemed to wander off to look at brooms. I think he wants to play Quidditch when he's older." She said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. he was worried and looked lost, though. I went up to him and asked where his parents were and..." She cleared her throat awkwardly but continued. "Well, he's here now and that's what's important."
"Thank you," Was all Draco managed to say. Despite the fact that she was here, he was still incredibly relieved that Scorpius was safe, he wouldn't know what he would do with himself if he wasn't.
"Oh, no problem." She grinned, her eyes on Scorpius. But a moment later she sighed, almost realizing something. "I best be going, though. I'm so sorry- I have quite a busy day ahead of me. but I'm glad I was able to help."
Wait, was she leaving already? Draco couldn't even take the time to process that she was here-
"Oh, yes, of course." Draco nodded, but the worry was filling him once again. "Uh- bye, I guess. Thank you again."
What was he saying? He needed her to stay-
"Good day, sir." She dismissed, turning around to be lost again in the crowd.
But no, she can't go. Not like this-
Draco had to think, and he had to think fast. There was only one thing that came to mind, and it was also to ensure that it was actually her and that this whole conversation was real.
Draco had to ask her a question in which he already knew the answer. He just had to.
But this whole conversation had to be real, as unbelievable as it was...
If she's real, he can't let her go like this. Not again.
"Wait!" Draco called after her, swiftly picking up Scorpius in his arms as he stepped towards her. "What's your name?"
She turned to face him, her beautiful smile- as real as it can be- still tugging at her lips as she replied, "(Y/N) Deveraux."