Chapter Six: The Father

“Lily, Rose, this is my father, Draco Malfoy,” Scorpius said, gesturing to the blond man standing across the expansive parlor, arms crossed over his chest as he surveyed his guests.

Lily didn’t move, barely breathing as her eyes remained locked on the older man. He was the same age as her father and a business tycoon. His upper class upbringing was evident in the way he carried himself, the obvious quality of his expensive robes, and his aristocratic features. His white-blond hair was cut short but clearly by a stylist, just reaching the collar of his robes, a few strands falling in front of his eyes. He was handsome in a way her father never was, never could have been, of that there was no doubt. Seeing him for the first time, Lily could finally imagine what had once been a short-lived romance between her mother and this man. Being able to imagine it, to acknowledge that it could have happened, though, did nothing to bring peace to her troubled mind.

Scorpius’ father swept his gaze over Rose and then Lily, his silver eyes stopping on hers, a shadow of what could have been pain crossing his features and suddenly, Lily knew. Swallowing thickly, Lily tried to take her eyes away from him but didn’t dare, already feeling tears pressing against her, sure to make themselves known if she made any sudden movements. Her fingers clenched and unclenched at her side as she tried to relieve the tension from her body, unwilling to reveal her discomfort at being in Draco Malfoy’s presence. She kept up an inner monologue with herself, reminding herself that this was what she had wanted; she had wanted to meet this man, to see for herself...

‘To see what?’ she asked herself.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, girls,” Mr. Malfoy said smoothly, uncrossing his arms and stepping towards them. He shook hands with Rose first, asking after her parents, whom Rose replied were fine and doing well. He nodded curtly and turned his attention on Lily, lightly taking her hand in his. Lily reflected that his hands were smooth and warm, easily enveloping hers.

“I’m sure you’re asked about your famous father by every witch or wizard who meets you,” he said with a faint twitch of his lips, though Lily noticed the amusement didn’t reach his silver eyes. “How about your mother?” he asked. “How is she?”

Lily felt her throat close up, wondering what to say. She had no doubt that her mother had once loved this man, possibly still did. She should have hated him for the place he tried to take in her mother’s heart, the place that was her father’s, but looking in his eyes and seeing them so full of deadened pain, she couldn’t hate him and for that she hated herself.

“She’s good,” she croaked out.

He smiled then, his silver eyes softening, and Lily hated herself even more, her anger boiling just under the surface and wanting to lash out. “That’s good to hear,” he murmured. He lightly squeezed her hand and released it, stepping back slightly. “My wife is planning a dinner party for tomorrow night; she’s been looking forward to hosting another ever since Scorpius returned to Hogwarts after Christmas holidays, but she wanted him home, of course. Why don’t you girls come? Scorpius could do with the companionship, I’m sure.” He glanced back over his shoulder then and lowered his voice conspiringly, “He thinks the parties are dead boring. I thought the same thing at his age.”

Scorpius rolled his eyes but seemed pleased that his father had so welcomingly invited his two friends. Rose wondered if he had spoken to his father about it earlier and her heart fluttered slightly. “That sounds lovely,” she enthused a little breathlessly.

“You’ll both come, then?” Scorpius asked, looking to Rose a little hopefully, and she smiled.

“We’d love to.”

Scorpius smiled in response before turning to Lily, lightly nudging her. “What about you, Lils?”

“Oh, erm, well…”

Rose bit her tongue, somewhat hoping that Lily would decline, coveting the chance to have sometime with Scorpius to herself.

Scorpius though, seemed to have a different idea. “Come on, Lils,” he prodded.

Lily’s eyes flitted between Scorpius and his father, something stirring in the older man’s eyes that caught her attention. “Your parents are welcome too, of course. Both of your parents,” he added, dipping his head in Rose’s direction.

Lily’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. “Thank you. I’ll tell them.”

Mr. Malfoy nodded his head. “Well then, I’ll leave you all. I have a few important owls to answer. A pleasure meeting both of you, and I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening. Scorpius can see to it that you get proper invitations, of course.”

Scorpius impatiently waved his father off as if to say ‘I got it’ and Mr. Malfoy nodded his head once more, grabbing a wine glass from the sideboard as he left the parlor.

Scorpius was the first to speak, frowning when he had to repeat himself as neither girl had seemed to hear him the first time. “I asked if you wanted to play a quick round of Keeper practice on the lawn. I’ve got enough spare brooms to outfit a league team.”

“Sure,” Lily nodded, her excitement at the prospect of flying acting as the perfect mask to her madly whirling mind, already planning how to ensure her parents attended the dinner party the next night, morbidly curious to observe her mother and Mr. Malfoy in the same room. Rose followed after them with a slight nod of her head, lost in worried thoughts as she considered the consequences of inviting her family to a dinner party hosted by the Malfoy family.

When Lily got home later that afternoon, she had already made up her mind to invite her parents; it was just a matter of finding the right timing. Her mother was busily preparing dinner in the kitchen when she walked in the door. “Oh Lily, how was your afternoon with Rose?” she asked, stirring gravy for the potatoes with her wand tip.

“Good,” Lily answered, leaning back against the doorframe between the kitchen and the dining room. “We weren’t in Diagon Alley for very long at all, though.”

“You weren’t?” her mother asked, turning around to face her with a curious expression.

“No, we ran into Scorpius Malfoy. Remember, I told you about him?” Her mother made a small sound of acknowledgement, turning back to stir the gravy. “Well,” Lily continued, “he invited Rose and me to his house for a few hours. We played a pick-up game of Quidditch, you know, hung out and all that.”

“Mmhmm.”

“His dad was there, Draco Malfoy. He was at school with you and Dad, right?”

Lily’s mother grunted in response, focusing her attention on the last of the dinner preparations, though Lily noticed her mother’s hands had briefly clenched and unclenched. “Anyway,” she plowed on ahead, “his dad invited us to a dinner party tomorrow night. I’ve got the invitation and everything right here,” she said, brandishing the official-looking envelope. “He made sure I invited you and Dad to come as well.”

“When is this dinner party?” her mother asked, her voice shaking slightly.

“Tomorrow night at seven.”

“Oh, honey, I don’t think that’s going to work. I think your father and I have plans already…”

“Really? I don’t remember you saying anything before.”

Just then, there was a faint crack of Apparition and Lily turned to see the front door open as her father stepped inside. “Hey, Lils!” he called, sweeping his daughter into a brief hug and peering in on his wife’s cooking. “Oh, I am starved! Ginny, this looks great!” he enthused, releasing his daughter as he walked further into the kitchen and snatched a roll just out of the oven.

His wife lightly swatted at his hand. “Don’t you even start that, Harry James Potter. Dinner won’t be ready for another ten minutes, and I hate it when you sneak food beforehand.”

“It’s hardly sneaking when it’s done in plain sight,” Harry argued back playfully, quickly backing down and holding his hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright. Lily, why don’t you help me set the table.”

Lily rolled her eyes but grabbed a handful of cutlery, afraid she was losing her chance. “Dad, did you and Mum make plans for tomorrow night?” she asked innocently, watching her mother’s reaction out of the corner of her eye as she laid out the silverware.

“Er, no I don’t think so,” Harry replied, his forehead creasing as he glanced back at his wife. “Gin?”

“Lily,” her mother sighed, looking slightly upset, “I never said you couldn’t attend the party yourself, but I don’t think your father and I need to be making an appearance as well, that’s all.”

“What party?” Harry asked, his brow furrowed as he glanced between his wife and daughter.

“The dinner party at Scorpius’ tomorrow night,” Lily replied, “Mr. Malfoy invited all of us.”

“Lily, I really don’t think that’s such a good idea…” her mother began, holding her hand to her brow and trailing off, shooting an appealing look to her husband, who had stopped setting out plates.

“Lily, would you go ahead and fetch your brothers for us? Tell them dinner’s almost ready.”

Lily nodded once, quietly slipping out of the room and around the corner where she leaned against the wall, carefully listening in on her parents’ hushed discussion.

Harry abandoned the stack of plates he’d been setting out and walked towards his wife, who was pointedly staring at the floor and wringing her hands together. “Ginny,” he lifted up her chin, feeling a slight pang at the sight of her watery eyes.

“I don’t want to go, Harry. There’s no reason we should,” she whispered.

“It’s a dinner party, Gin. That’s all. I’m not going to say you can’t go or try to prevent you from going.”

She shook her head, wetting her lips. “It’s not that, Harry. I-I just don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Look at me,” he urged, lifting her chin once more and lightly running a finger down her cheek, his green eyes sincere. “I have never held it against you, Ginny. Not once.”

“I know,” she whispered, glancing downwards once more and trying not to cry.

“You lived with him for almost a year, sweetheart. It’s alright if you want to see him again.”

Lily sucked in a breath from her position around the corner, her eardrums echoing her father’s hushed words, confirming everything she suspected. She licked her lips and focused her attention back on her parents' quiet voices, sure her mother was crying.

“Please, Harry, let’s not go. I can’t-” her mother’s voice broke.

“Shh,” Harry wrapped his wife in a hug, gently rubbing her back and lightly kissing the corner of her eyelid. “It’s alright, we won’t go, okay? Hey, why don’t you dress up tomorrow anyway? Hmm? I’ll take you out to that nice restaurant in Diagon Alley, the new one?” The woman in his arms sniffled but nodded her head, her lips twitching as she looked back up to meet her husband’s gaze.

“You’re too good to me.”

“How else would I deserve you?” he teased, lightly tugging on a loose curl of her red hair.

She swiped at her eyes, taking a slightly shuddering breath. “I’m going to go wash up before Lily and the boys come back in. Will you check on the potatoes for me?”

“Of course.”

She sent him a grateful smile and moved to leave the room and head down the hall towards the bathroom. Lily was already gone from her hiding place before Ginny passed.

Author notes: Thanks again to Miss Opal for the quick beta! Please R&R! ;)