A New Night (Sequel to PMSM) Draco Malfoy Fanfic {Completed}

Chapter Four

Draco's POV

I sat at the table at the Great Hall, just like I had for the past few years. I had nearly convinced myself that the girl I had seen early was merely a mirage; A strange hallucination brought by being in a place where being with her was so familiar. And then Mcgonagall said she had an announcement to make. And there was an extra seat at the Professor's table. And the doors were opening. And I felt those sickening, boyish butterflies that I had sixteen years ago. And suddenly not one single bit of me had any idea which version of myself I was.

I had barely heard a single one of the children be sorted, until they announced the name "Dorian Manchester."

Manchester.

It was a name I certainly couldn't forget. The man I had hated more than anyone. The man that was going to steal the love of my life. The man that made her so afraid of losing me. How utterly ironic that he wasn't the one to do it.

The young boy with midnight hair sat on the chair. A Ravenclaw, of course. Perhaps he'll be friends with my boy, I thought, although a part of me hoped I could limit seeing the boy as much as possible.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The child grinned and jumped from his seat. Apparently we had passed down a lot of each other.

I shot my head in Anastasia's direction. Her mouth was sitting open. Did she not expect it? As his mother, did she not realize that these were the traits that he held most dear?

All of the students stood to return to their dorms. The prefects gathered up the First Years to show them the common rooms of their houses. Then, the staff rose to leave. Nothing needs to be different. I stood up. But she didn't. I paused in front of the table, but kept walking. Nothing needs to be different.

"Draco," I felt my heart in the pit of my stomach. Everything needs to be different.

"Anastasia" I whispered, before turning to face her. "Welcome back."

"Thanks. I didn't know you worked here," her voice was almost the same, but changed in every way. It sounded the same but it felt different. Much like her voice in the infirmary. But it wasn't so much hurting as it was empty. Like there was no her inside.

"Oh," I thought perhaps she had come for me. "Yeah. Well, if you're gonna be here for a while then I'm sure we'll run into each other plenty. Have you met my boy yet? I assume Dorian is yours. The Slytherin."

"Yes, he is. We both actually were meant to have sons, huh?"

"Yeah. Called it," I chuckled weakly.

"Dad!" Scorpius saw me as I stepped into the corridor.

"Yes, Scorp?" I reached down and grabbed him, jabbing him in the sides as he let out joyful squeals.

"Ah! Stop! Daaaaaad!" I released him. "I just wanted to know if you packed my broom. I can't find it."

"My room, next to my desk. If Filch yells at you for going in there tell him I sent you and if he keeps yelling at you, ignore him."

He nodded, "got it. Thanks, dad. Hi... Princess?"

"Sorry, I nearly forgot. This is Anastasia. She and I knew each other when we went to school here."

"Nice to officially meet you," Scorpius held out his hand, but Anastasia looked to the floor and blushed. She did shake him and sob earlier so I suppose that had something to do with it. But then she returned the gesture and shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you too, Scorpius. You're a Ravenclaw?" She asked, side-eyeing me a bit.

"Yup. Dad says it's because Ravenclaw is the smartest, cleverest, best house there is."

"Did he say that?" Scropius nodded eagerly at her. "Well, he's right. I was a Ravenclaw too."

"Really?"

"Yup. You better go get your broom, but we'll have to get to know each other better," she curtsied as he started to back away.

My little boy giggled and bowed in return.

As he walked away, Anastasia mumbled, "he knows how to properly bid a princess farewell."

There was a silence again. Our act for the sake of the child was over. With it went that kind, little glimmer in Anastasia. Like, for a moment, she was talking to our own son and we'd spent the last thirteen years with each other.

"So," I cleared my throat, "how long will you be at Hogwarts?"

"A bit, I hope."

"Why'd you come?" I faced her and we both just stared for a while. She probably knew what I wanted to hear. She probably knew how I felt about my old decisions. She probably knew how I felt when she entered that room earlier. She always had a special way of knowing all too much about me. Or perhaps she lost her special touch in the decade we were apart.

"I... felt that I had left some of myself here. I came to find it."

I nodded. "I understand that all too well. I'll... be here if you need... anything... Bye, Anastasia. It's nice to see you."

"Bye."