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

Chapter Twenty Three

Anastasia's POV

"Dorian!" I ran through the grass to him. "I've been looking for you?"

"Why?" He scrunched his face.

"I was wondering if we could have lunch."

"Together?"

"Yes, together."

He glanced around and then looked back to me and nodded. "Okay, sure."

"We can grab food from the Great Hall, but since you'd be with me, we can find somewhere else in the castle to eat."

We rushed in and scooped food onto our plates before the other students came in. Then, we left to eat in the Astronomy Tower.

We chewed our food and then Dorian sat up and looked around.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

"Isn't this where the old headmaster died?"

I gulped. "Who told you that?"

"I don't know... People talk about it."

"Well... yes... that's what I've heard too."

He started eating again. His hair was neat, but not combed back like it used to be. He still had this childlike aura to him. Or maybe that was just because I was his mother.

"What was it like... living here during the war?"

"Um... I don't know. It was really dark and scary. And everyone always seemed really empty. This isn't lunchtime conversation, is it?"

He shrugged. "Well, I'm curious and you've never told me before so when else should I ask?"

"...I suppose you're right..."

"Another time," he interjected with a slightly frustrated smile. "Did you love dad when you met him?"

"Wha- I- Really coming in with the hard questions, huh?"

He ignored me and took another bite.

"Well... it's not that simple. When I met your dad, I was a child and I wasn't really ready to be married. I blamed the actions of our parents on him and that wasn't fair."

"Do you love him now?"

I paused for a second to think of how to form the words. It felt like he had just asked how babies were made. "Yes, I care about him very much, Dorian."

"I don't mean 'I've known him for so long and he's the father of my child so I have to love him' kind of love. Like passionate love. Like you would pick him over anyone else every single time."

I wasn't sure when my son got so eloquent. It was awful. "Have you felt that kind of love before?"

"You're changing the subject."

"And you're avoiding my question," I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Touché."

Dorian's POV

There was a strategy to this. I wasn't sure what it was, but I'm sure there was a strategy. Instead, I chose to just ask any question I wanted to know and see what her face gave away. I would much rather be eating lunch with my friends but I suppose it worked out. Cindy would probably be with Scorp, Ti was probably chugging his "migraine juice" and I got to do some detective work.

"So... Professor Malfoy."

"What about him?"

"You guys are friends, huh?"

"Yes."

"You knew each other when you went to Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

"Cool cool. What was he like?"

"Well, he was a Slytherin, like you. I don't know if I should spill all of his beans when he's your professor now, though."

"Oh come on. I just wanna know more. My friend is dating Scorpius anyway."

"Wait... Cindy? Cindy and Scorpius are dating?"

"Yes."

She covered her mouth and giggled. "Oh I'm so teasing Draco about that later."

"So you are still talking to him?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"I just hadn't seen him sneak into your room in a while."

She choked on the food she'd just eaten and smacked her hand to her chest. "Excuse me?"

"What? You're friends, right? You hang out to catch up, don't you?" I put more food in my mouth in an attempt to hide my smirk.

She coughed a little bit. "Yes- yeah- yes. Sharing old stories."

"Like what? Tell me some stories."

"Well uh... Like what do you want to know?"

She was flustered. It was kinda funny. And yet there was a bitterness to the sweet, because I had been right the whole time. She was so afraid to answer, because she understood the same thing that I realized when I first read the diary. Children are supposed to think that their parents were specially handcrafted for each other and as a parent it was her job to keep up that facade as long as she could. Growing up kinda sucked. But I had to find out someday that Santa Claus wasn't real.

Should I ask it? Right now? Should I ask exactly what I want to, just to see what she says?

I took a deep breath which came out shakier than expected.

"Do you love him?"

"Your dad? You already asked me that and I told you-"

"No. Professor Malfoy. Draco. Do you love him?"

She stared at me like the girl in the last entry of the princess' secret diary.

"No."

My internal lie detector was beeping like an air raid siren.