The Afflicted Pretty Boy ~ Book 3 of the Pretty Boy trilogy

Chapter 35

When we step back into the great hall, eyes fall on me. I lower my gaze and head back to Lucius.

As I sit next to him, I notice his walking stick lays next to him. Silently, I pull his wand out and take it out of the decorative handle.

When Harry squats next to me, he asks "Would you like your wand back?" I shake my hand, shortly.

I slide father's wand into his jacket pocket, before pressing mother's wand into the decorative handle and placing it into the walking stick.

As tears come to my eyes, I take father's hand in mine and tell him "You left me in good hands." Harry runs my back and I sniffle "I love you." A small smile plays on my lips and I remark "Dad."

I take a moment, before laying his hand on his chest and standing, walking stick in hand.

Harry gives me a weak smile, before asking "Are you okay?" I give a short nod, before starting towards the door. When I stop abruptly, he asks "Draco?"

I ignore him as I turn my head to look over Tonks and Remus. One thing sticks out.

I sigh and step forward. When I kneel between them, I place my walking stick down and enclose their hands in one another's.

As I pull myself up, Harry gives a weak hum "How sweet."

I don't even look at him as I state "I've learned something about star-crossed lovers." He looks at me, curious, and I state "The universe does everything it can to fuck them over." I motion towards Remus and Tonks "They, at least, deserve that."

And, in silence, I turn and walk out of the great hall, leaving Harry alone.

~

When I get back to the manor, Molly is on me, instantly "Draco Malfoy, where have you been?"

I move towards the table and pull out a chair to take a seat "I talked to Colin's parents. Told them-"

When I look to her, she gives a weak smile, before asking "Are you alright?"

I chuckle, tiredly, before standing and telling her "I never was." She gives a pitiful look and I declare "I'm going to bed."

When I get to my wing, I stop at the first door and take a moment, before opening the door.

Pin Cushion sits in the chair, opposite the door, next to father's silver necklace. A weak smile plays over my lips and I step forward to pick it up.

As I hold it to my chest, the smell gets to me and I break down.

~

After I jolt awake with a scream, I pant and listen for Teddy's cries. When several moments pass, I deam he's still asleep.

My door opens a crack and Harry pokes his head in and I wave him off "I didn't mean to wake you."

He steps in and sits on the edge of my bed, before declaring "I woke up an hour ago." He shrugs "I get them, too."

I nod, before laying back in bed. After a moment, I sigh "Do you mind?" He shrugs and I lift the blanket for him to slide under with me.

When I rest my head on his shoulder, he takes a smell of me "I missed that smell." He scoffs "It's stronger than it used to be."

I hum, before looking up to him "Everyone thinks a werewolf would smell different." I state and he moves a piece of hair out of my face "It only intensifies it."

We share a look, before I dive for his lips, hungrily.

~

Harry chuckle as I lay my head on shoulder, again "I missed that." I hum, before leaning forward to kiss him.

As I do, cries come from below and we chuckle, softly. When we pull away, Harry sighs "I'll get him."

I hum as he crawls out of bed and pulls on a pair of pajama pants. I whistle at him and he gives me an unamused look, before walking out.

When he's gone, my attention pulls to the bite mark on my wrist.

Over the past couple of years, I've felt that I've had to label myself. Good or evil. Man or beast.

And it isn't until this exact moment that I realize. I'm blessed with abilities during twenty-three of the twenty-eight days, and afflicted during the other five.

I'm neither good, nor bad. Man, nor beast.

I'm both.

~

"Draco, you need to run, as far as you can, as fast as you can! Get away from here!"

"Draco, run!"

"Welcome to the war."

"Father?" Teddy asks. When I look between him and Harry, I find they stare in concern.

Harry gives a weak smile "You hot lost in the moon again, love." He looks to Teddy and orders, politely "Help me with the drapes, darling."

As they move to close the curtains, I take a sip of water. When they return to their seats, Teddy gives a weak smile "I'm glad the moon cycle ended last night." He looks me over "Hopefully you're well enough to come to Platform 9¾ tomorrow?"

I nod, before rubbing my eyes and declaring "I'll be fine." He nods and his shaggy blue hair falls into his face "Are you excited about your last year at Hogwarts?"

He nods, before declaring "Fred is horrified that I won't be there next year. Rose is just... Rose."

Harry scoffs, before nodding "More focused on books than anything else. Just like her mother."

I chuckle and they look at me, lovingly, before I tell Teddy "I think you need a haircut."

He gives a high pitched squeal "Look who's talking!"

He's right. I haven't cut my hair since I turned. And after father died, I just couldn't.

I give a weak smile, before nodding "You're right. My hair is very long."

Harry shrugs "I like it."

Teddy scoffs "Yeah, you would, dad!" Harry smiles, proudly.

We slip into a comfortable silence, before I ask Teddy "Are you taking Pin Cushion?"

He shrugs "I always do." I nod and he jokes "If the other Gryffindors give me shit, I'll just remind them off my bad arse adoptive parents."

I scoff, before Harry takes a sip of wine, remarking "We are pretty bad arse."

~

The next day, we do the same thing that we do every year. We walked our son up to the elves, checked in his trunk, and watched him getting pulled away from us. Not to see him for nearly five months. Each time, we miss him within minutes.

*THE END*