𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 2008

What Could Have Been (And What Was)

Title: What Could Have Been (And What Was)
Author: amanuensis1
Team: Fanon
Prompt: Judgment
Wordcount: Just under 7,000 (MS Word says 6826 without the headers
Rating: R
Warnings: Infidelity
Summary: Neither epilogue-compliant nor EWE; seven separate demonstrations that you can't stop the signal.

Harry watches his sons walk away from him, watches them board the train and the train slide out of the station until it's gone from sight, the phantom hand which grips his heart squeezing him breathless. When his wife's hand slips into his, fingers interlacing with his own, the pressure in his chest eases.

Lily is involved in a thumb war with Hugo and will probably mind herself well enough for a few minutes. Harry looks back through the dissipating steam at the figures of Malfoy and his wife.

Nineteen years, since he has seen Malfoy face-to-face. It had been on the tip of Harry's tongue to tell Albus Severus Don't let Scorpius Malfoy beat you at Quidditch, before Ron had opened his mouth and said nearly the same thing to Rose and Hermione had come down on him, scandalized that he'd be promoting the rivalry already. Hermione never changes—neither does Ron, and it's why he loves them so.

Though in this case he has to agree with Hermione—Ron warning Rose about a boy would probably have the opposite desired effect. His daughter'll come home dating the Malfoy spawn, more like.

And what if Albus is in Slytherin? Harry hopes Ginny didn't hear quite all of their conversation—she'll take Harry to task for it if she did, because that's all the motivation Albus Severus needs to do the contrary thing himself—ask to be in Slytherin, make that dubious house his personal project, change its reputation from within. He's eleven. Eleven. Harry's sure it wouldn't have stopped Hermione at that age, had she understood the workings of the Hogwarts houses enough to ask, and Albus is like Hermione in many ways.

But Ginny is still squeezing his hand, so likely she didn't catch quite all of what was said, unless she's saving the scold for a time when Harry's less vulnerable. Harry knows it's not right to have a favourite child but he knows Ginny has to see, even if she never says it outright. Putting Albus Severus on the train to Hogwarts for his first time has been a particularly wrenching day for Harry.

So he's glad he didn't make the crack about Quidditch or about Scorpius Malfoy. By tomorrow he'll know what house Albus is in when the news arrives by owl—Albus will surely write to tell them, if he isn't sorted into Slytherin, and James definitely will write if Albus is.

Harry has the feeling tomorrow may be too late.

Gently he releases Ginny's hand, turns and begins to move through the last wisps of steam towards Malfoy and his wife, who have not moved. Neither do they as he approaches.

"Mrs. Malfoy." Harry gives her a nod and a bit of a smile, not wanting to obligate her to shake hands. "Draco." He thinks it is the first time he has spoken that name aloud, without appending Malfoy onto it. To Draco he gives another nod, another bit of smile, neither of them as deep as those he gave to Astoria Malfoy.

From both he gets the nod in return—Draco's is more of a quick jerk. Astoria returns the smile a bit broader than Harry had given it. "Mr. Potter. Good day."

It is greeting, not dismissal, so Harry forges on, thinking of Albus and of Scorpius and of a handshake never completed, twenty-five years ago almost to the day. "Scorpius is your only child, isn't he?" Bugger, Harry thinks—now he's made it sound like they should have more, that Harry's got something to lord over Malfoy. To cover the gaffe he forces a laugh. "God, it's hard sending them off for the first time. Thought I was over it once James had done, but I was wrong—it's no easier this year either."