45. Chapter 45 (1/2)
previously on returning to his roots: chapter 44
draco made a move to follow his father, but not before narcissa reached out a hand as though imploring him to mind his words and be respectful.
draco automatically responded to his mother's unspoken entreaty. "don't worry mother. my remarks were crass and beneath me. there won't be any repeat performance. this is my father's house. there's no room here for yesterday's truths. excuse me."
/*/
draco entered the study expecting to be met with his father's pompous vitriol. instead, he was greeted by a calm man who uttered a few sentences. "i didn't want your mother to hear what i have to say. your comments were hurtful and inflammatory, as were mine. i would like to clear the air. remarks made today have no place in this manor. i am a stubborn wizard who once found it impossible to let go of old behaviors. however, in this post war world, i am striving to become a different person. with your help, i'll do just that. i understand why miss granger wouldn't step foot here. i want you to know i'm not adverse to meeting hermione wherever you and she deem acceptable."
"thank you father. i know you are not one for apologies," draco replied stiffly. "i appreciate the position you are taking. as a potential investor in severus' project, there's a good probability you and hermione will have the opportunity to meet. have a good evening."
/*/
his mother was nowhere to be found when draco left the study which allowed him to apparate away without an additional discussion. as he landed in hermione's flat, it did cross his mind that he'd gotten through one battle just to walk into the next even as hermione called out.
"you're back. i thought you might have decided to go straight to the house."
draco let out an irritated sigh wondering what part of, i'll be back to the flat sunday evening, she hadn't understood.
//
returning to his roots: chapter 45
"yes, i'm back, and a bit unsettled." draco answered easily. "what did you accomplish in our time apart? anything interesting?"
hermione thought draco's attitude was a bit off, but she chose to ignore it as she explained the goings on of the last twenty four hours.
draco listened quietly while hermione explained what she called her mundane saturday and interesting sunday morning remaining aloof as she told her story.
hermione was surprised draco didn't find her narrative as humorous as she had. "is there something wrong draco? i thought you of all people would find it funny that terry…"
draco shrugged. "you might want to keep
inging up his name, but i'm not interested in anything terry boot does. i'm long past that."
hermione felt as though she'd been slapped in the face. wasn't draco the one who had gone toe to toe with terry in this very room? she began to feel as though something happened during his visit to malfoy manor to upset him.
"is there something wrong draco?" she asked. "you seem out of sorts. you left here in the best of spirits, now…"
so it begins, he thought. "i'm still in good spirits hermione. i just don't feel all that chuffed over something boot the buffoon has done or is doing. forgive me."
hermione sat there flummoxed by draco's response. one day had changed, or seemed to have changed his opinion about terry. she was trying to remain calm, but draco was getting on her last nerve with his attitude.
"alright," huffed hermione, trying to keep things low key. "enough about my saturday and sunday. how was your time with the family?" she asked, emphasizing the words, the family. "what happened to put you in this shite mood?"
draco tried to remain calm as well. if they were going to talk, he didn't want either of them to start off on the wrong foot. "i'm not in a shite mood hermione. the visit with my parents went well. they had a lovely holiday."
draco wasn't behaving as she thought he should, and his attitude as well as his answers were infuriating her. he was acting like an arse.
"that's wonderful," hermione snapped sarcastically, raising her voice. "your parents had a lovely holiday. why the attitude? are you now having second thoughts about dating a muggleborn? i'm sure your parents…."
draco responded in a raised voice. "for fucks sake hermione. where did that question come from? please don't presume to know what i discussed with my parents. i came here in less than a talkative mood, so you immediately take it as some conspiracy. get a hold of yourself. because you think it, does not make it so."
hermione felt as though draco was being dismissive and argumentative. instead of trying to calm the situation, hermione went into hyper-drive, and began shouting. "don't you fucking dare talk to me like i'm shite under your shoes. i'll get a hold of myself when i'm damn good and ready. you're acting like a bloody prick, and i won't stand for it."
still a bit weary after the harsh words spoken between him and his father, draco made a decision. shaking his head, he put his half full glass down on the table determined not to apologize for anything. "you're upset. why don't we talk tomorrow? rather than sit here and argue, there are things i could be doing at home."
a distraught hermione watched draco walk out thinking this was not the way she had pictured their night going. draco was being a complete arse, and she was not going to let him get away with it. pulling on a long sleeved jumper, hermione left the flat close on draco's heels. he wasn't going to speak to her like that then walk away. she intended to sort his arse out good and proper.
/*/
esther, theo, conor and declan were in the midst of
unch when a slightly disoriented mick appeared in the doorway. "conor. i need to see you for a moment."
with a wink at theo, conor slapped his
other on the shoulder as he followed him out of the room.
"uncle mick has imbibed a little too much, but uncle conor will get him straightened out," offered declan without looking up from his plate.
esther glanced at theo to check what he thought about all this, and was surprised to find a blank look on her nephew's face. picking up her fork, esther continued with the meal. if mick's condition and declan's statement didn't bother theo, it didn't bother her.
again without looking up from his plate, declan spoke into the silence declaring there was nothing to worry about. uncle mick had been much worse in the past.
"enough declan. mick's state has nothing to do with you. conor will work it out."
"yes, father. it's just that i'm used to it is all. my grandmum taught me what to do if conor wasn't around."
"i said enough declan, and that's what i mean. what you had to do in the past is not something you will have to do in this house. finish your food."
"yes father."
esther couldn't help herself. she wasn't sure what declan meant by being taught what to do when conor wasn't around, so she asked. "am i to understand that your grandmum taught you spells?"
"she did," answered declan. "since i was six. i'm a bit ahead of my age."
while esther tried not to show her wariness, theo noticed a distinct tremble in both her hands. however, before he could comment, conor and mick came back to take a place at the table. mick seemed contrite as he sort of apologized to the table at large.
"don't know what i'd do without my family. sometimes i don't know my own limits. lovely table. the food looks delicious."
with that semi apology, the conversation around the table picked up with neither theo nor esther wanting mick to go into details. whatever was left unsaid, esther and theo were thinking along the same lines. grown wizards could do whatever they liked, but seven year old declan needed a talking to.
/*/
after
unch, mick and conor set about getting themselves ready to get back to their respective jobs. theo noticed declan seemed to be getting more maudlin as the hours ticked by. he could call declan aside and try to reassure him, but he didn't. this was the reality. mick and conor were leaving to get on with their lives, and he would remain in london. nothing he could say would change the outcome.
although he wasn't going to sugarcoat anything, theo watched his son go from one uncle's room to the other, as did esther. when the uncle's were all packed, they held a short consultation with theo asking if they could have a bit of personal time with declan.
"of course. you haven't stopped being his uncles because he's found his father. have at it. feel free to use the study." theo replied graciously.
/*/
mick and conor spoke to declan for just under an hour. when the three exited the study, declan was as red as a beet which alarmed theo to the extent he called declan to his side while asking for an explanation from the uncles.
"what have you said to a seven year old that would put him in such a state?" theo asked as he ran his wand up and down declan finding residues of miscast magic.
"calm down theo. neither mick nor myself would ever do anything to
ing harm to declan. he became overly emotional and let loose some accidental magic, but we have everything sorted. right declan?"
"yes uncle." declan responded tearfully. "everything has been sorted. as uncle conor stated, i became overly emotional. i mean you no disrespect father, aunt esther."
theo grabbed his son pulling him into a tight hug. "i understand declan. separating from what you've always known will be hard, but the uncles will always only be an international owl away. our home is their home. you, aunt esther, cely and i will work it all out. right now, i need you to calm down. okay?"
"no worries father. i'm calm. i'll miss my uncles, but i know i'll be fine with you. i'm sorry to have made a fuss."
conor and mick were emotional as well. they were leaving their boy. their mum was gone, now so was their boy. their family was
eaking up.
mick was first to speak. "my jobs have always kept me on the run, but i promise to notify you where i am."
conor who stood by nodding his head also promised to let declan know where he was. both uncles promised to visit, maybe not at the same time, but they would visit.
declan let out a big sigh. "i know you won't forget me uncles. i promise to make you, grandmum and my father proud. i look forward to your visits. now go out there and make me proud of you. like grandmum was fond of saying, it might be time for you two to start thinking about settling down."
conor and mick laughed. it was as though declan was channeling their mum.
/*/
the house was quiet after conor and mick left. declan had gone to his rooms, and was quietly studying theo's old copy of hogwarts, a history. esther went to declan's room just to watch him, but found herself fielding questions from the inquisitive child.
esther answered a few questions before realizing it was theo who should be conversing with her….. his son. just as she was about to excuse herself from the room, esther looked over to see theo leaning against the doorjamb.
"thank you for sitting in with declan, but i'll take it from here. there are things he and i need to discuss man to man. please have cely
ing in a fruit and vegetable platter."
declan chose that moment to glance up at theo with an angelic look on his face. "fruit is my favorite father. it will go well with our man to man talk."
theo reached out to rub declan's thick head of hair. "this man to man talk may not be what you expect."
raising his eyes from the book once again, declan searched theo's face as if trying to decipher something. evidently satisfied with what he'd seen in his father's face, declan gave a soft reply.
"i'm a strong wizard father. i can take it."
"of that i have no doubt son. why don't you wash up and get into your pajamas before cely
ings our platter? … declan?"
"yes father."
"no magic. you'll have plenty of time for that down the road. i wouldn't want law enforcement to come arrest you before you've had two sleeps in your new home."
declan smiled at his father as he closed the book. "i know you're having me on father. law enforcement doesn't arrest children, especially not a seven year old child living in a magical household miles away from the nearest muggle. it's right there in the book."
theo shook his head as he watched the bathroom door close behind declan. he had a very intelligent and perceptive son. theo sat there hoping that the strength and power his son was showing wasn't something he'd inherited from his despicable sperm donor.
/*/
cely arrived with the fruit and vegetable platter before declan returned from the bathroom, so theo helped himself, and was enjoying a lovely slice of apple when declan came back through.
grabbing a nice, red slice of strawberry, declan faced his father. "i don't think grandmum knew it was against the rules to teach me magic. even though i'm now down to attend hogwarts when i come of school age, that was not what grandmum had planned. she specifically told me that any schooling would be done by her and her alone. i miss her a lot you know. i miss our lessons."
declan's words surprised theo. he hadn't ever heard of any magical child who wasn't required to attend school at age eleven, and answered accordingly.
"well son, that might have been the plan while you lived in ireland, however, that's not what we do in england. every child except squib children must show up to hogwarts at age eleven unless there is some very important reason such as illness that keeps him away. not sending their child to school would get the parents into hot water with the ministry. that's why it was so important for us to get your paperwork in order. what i really wanted to discuss was your use of magic whether accidental or intentional. we are a magical household, so, as you've read, your use of magic won't register with the ministry. however, you may never use magic outside of this house, especially in the vicinity of muggles. that's the rule and the law. do you understand?"