Breaking Free (Book 3 of the Lost Potter Series)

Memory Day 2/Return of Old Flames

A/N: Psst! Check out my updates page to find a link to a twitter poll regarding who a certain OC protagonist should end up with🤭

Draco's next shift to watch over Olivia (which was easily his favourite part of the day since no one tried to make awkward conversation with him) was the next day from noon to three pm. Sirius' shift was after his, and Draco spent most of his time wondering where he'd be pushed off to once the other man took over.

It was five after three when the still-bandaged man finally made his way into the room, finally changed from the operating attire Madam Pomfrey had sent him home in.

"You might not want to go downstairs, whatever you do," Sirius started instead of any casual greeting, "Plenty of guests. They've allegedly been cleared, but I wouldn't risk it."

"Guests?" Draco parroted, "Who is it?"

Sirius shrugged and plopped hard onto Ginny's barely made bed, "Apparently Fleur's immediate family plus whoever Charlie brought with him. I don't know for sure, haven't been to say hello."

"If they have been cleared, why not?"

Sirius gave Draco a deadpan look, "Gee, really? I should just walk down and introduce myself? Hullo I'm mass murderer Sirius Black, how do you do?" He held out a fake hand to accompany his mocking tone.

"Ah right," Draco cringed at his own stupidity but did his best not to show it.

Sirius shrugged again, though Draco noticed the wince that accompanied it, "just rather not scare anyone away from the wedding. You're probably fine, though, I hear Charlie's girlfriend is American and Fleur's family is obviously French, so I doubt the Malfoy name is familiar to them."

Draco kept his gaze on Olivia as he felt the guilt creep up again at the mere association of him with his father, "I'll stay up here, if it's alright with you. Only friend I've got is here."

Sirius' gaze softened as Draco met his eyes again, though Draco quickly shifted them away from the grey irises that seemed to know too much yet nothing at all.

"Alright by me. Besides, if Liv does need help, it might be useful to have another set of hands," Sirius had such a stupid look of containing his laughter at his own joke that Draco couldn't help but snicker.

"That's the first one I've made post-operation. You should feel honoured," Sirius said playfully, his demeanour feeling very different than the previous days' worth— well, towards Draco, at least.

Draco couldn't help himself, "Not to ruin this good fortune, but why are you suddenly being nice to me? I thought I was the dirty spy who was up to no good."

Sirius' smile faltered but he responded anyway, "You remind me of my younger brother, Regulus. He and I had our differences, naturally, but we kept loyal to each other despite our warring sides. Though I'm glad to see you joining the good side before it's too late."

Draco could faintly remember a Regulus Black being mentioned at home as a loyal Death Eater, but no details or anything about what he'd done, "It was too late for him, I take it? I remember mother mentioning him as being loyal to the Death Eater cause."

Sirius nodded, "He was apparently trying to play them from the inside, but got himself killed in the process. He and your mother were close at Hogwarts, despite her being five or six years older. She's the one who told me of his death."

"I'm sorry." Draco said quietly, staring into his hands and wondering what his life would even be like if he lost Olivia.

Another shrug, another wince, "It was years ago now. Before the whole Azkaban business." There was a pause as Sirius took a deep sigh, "If there's one thing I'm glad for with this stupid memory business it's that she won't remember all of Azkaban. That place is hell on Earth."