Friday's Child // Draco Malfoy

26

CW: descriptions of fighting/battle - blood, injury, minor character death. 

AN - look who's finally writing again! I missed you guys & I missed this and I haven't written in so long. I really struggle to write during the semester - I find I can't juggle uni, work & writing so I'll probably be a lot less active. But, don't worry, I am still here, still writing - just much more slowly. <3 Also I currently just can't stop reading wolfstar fics on AO3 - I read like 2 a day hahahah sooo that's what I'm doing like 80% of the time (feel free to leave wolfstar recs in the comments, will be greatly appreciated - although I don't read sad ones so that narrows it down lol). 

Speaking of AO3 - I've started uploading this fic over there, so if you prefer AO3, or if you'd like to download the book onto your phone/tablet/reading device, it should be fully up to date over on AO3 soon! (with some grammatical corrections fyi) 

Anyway, I've talked too much already. Sorry for the wait and thanks for your patience Xxxxx

Since the loss of his wife, Xenophelius Lovegood loved his daughter's differently. Of course, he still adored them as he had when he'd first held them, he still felt that rush of love whenever he saw his girls laughing and smiling, he didn't love them any less. No. It was nothing like that at all. If anything he loved them more. 

Since losing his Pandora, Xenophelius loved his daughter's desperately, he loved them so his heart ached. 

He loved them with fear. 

He was so afraid. 

He wanted nothing more than to keep them in his pocket, so he knew that they were safe, and near. He would give life, body and limb to keep them safe - to ensure their happiness. No ask was too great to keep his girls safe. 

He'd tried not to suffocate them in the lone years bringing them up, he'd tried not to allow his fear and anxiety change the way he would have raised them if his wife had lived, he swallowed down his worry to allow them their freedom and independence, and tried not to involve himself too much in the matters that did not concern him. He thought he'd done quite well - he was so proud of his girls, they were wonderful young women - strong, intelligent, bold and fearless, everything their mother embodied. He believed, despite the fact his love for them was clouded with this overwhelming need to protect, he'd done a good job of keeping that to himself and being a reasonable and good father. 

It was this desperate and anxious paternal love that exploded in him every time he tried to convince Juno not to join The Order. She was putting herself right in the centre of danger, but no matter how much he begged and pleaded, no matter how much he tried to reason with her - her mind would not be changed. He felt useless as he watched his little girl play soldier in a battle that was way too big for her. 

Juno was determined. She was of age, and, though she hated upsetting her father, it was her prerogative. She'd promised herself she'd do all she could to help them win the war - and joining The Order was her first step. 

Thus, she'd spent her summer apparating to various safe locations to attend meetings with the highest ranking aurors, her professors - old and new, about a dozen Weasley's and a few of her peers, listening intently. Mad-eye Moody and Shacklebot, as the most experienced, took the reins and fell into the role of leaders - plotting aloud and barking orders. 

She gravitated towards Ron and Hermione, as Luna was not yet old enough to join, growing closer to them as the weeks of summer blurred by - they bonded over their shared love and concern for Harry. Many of The Order had made it clear they disapproved of the younger one's involvement, insisting they were too young, too inexperienced - but they were swiftly shut down, namely by Hermione, who argued that, not only were the three of age, but they were involved - it concerned them more than any of the 'adults' there (she had said that in dramatic air quotations, huffing a breath to emphasise her irritation at their belittlement). They were closer with Harry, they'd already been fighting off Dark Wizards for years beside him. As the closest to Harry, they would be fighting alongside him, they would be targeted, they would be going up against Voldemort as directly as it got  - they deserved to be a part of The Order just as much as anyone. The members of The Order kept quiet about their apprehension following that.