The Malfoys and Me

21. An Unhappy Reunion ~PART 2~

**A/N**
Not 2nd perspective anymore, 3rd. Also past tense. Because I said so.

"Wha—" a door slammed in Brittney's face, and she opened her eyes. What in the— she jumped as something warm touched her arm, and reached instinctively for her wand— which of course wasn't there. What was—

"Scorpius! What is the meaning of—" That voice, Brittney felt her face drain of blood in an instant and she spun around, hoping, praying, it wasn't who she thought it was.

"Malfoy," she hissed, practically spitting venom.

Sh**, Draco thought. Sh** sh** SH**! This is really, REALLY—

"Scorpius!" Draco yelled, pounding on the door in earnest. "What are you doing?" A different voice, Y/n's voice, came from the door Brittney was shoved through.

"Sorry, you two," she nearly giggled, "we're not letting you out of there until you settle your differences and let us be friends!"

"Oh, of all the," Brittney said, fuming. "Y/n, let me out this instant or so help me—"

"No can do," came Y/n's sing-song reply. "Now, Scorpius and I are going to get a snack, you two have fun!"

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, you get right back here, and—"

"Bye, dad!" Scorpius yelled back gleefully, and the two's footsteps could be heard exiting the room. There was a long, tense silence.

"Bec," Draco said, uncomfortably.

"Malfoy," Brittney practically growled, tensing as if to strike. "If I had my wand you'd be a dead man."

"I— Brittney, I'm—"

"Sorry? Is that what you were going to say? That you're sorry? I don't want to hear it, Draco, I just don't want to—" Draco acted quickly, desperately, grabbing her arm, and pressing hard.

"Just listen, Brittney," Brittney froze, and Draco let out a long sigh. "I'm happily married. I have no desire to rake up the past, but I see now that it must be done. Will you let me at least attempt to explain myself?" Brittney seemed to snap out of it, and wrenched her wrist from his grasp.

"Alright," she said through her teeth, "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Thank you. I know... I know that I acted... immaturely and... harmfully in the past—" Brittney cut him off with a scoff and sat on the floor.

"You showed up drunk—and UNINVITED—to John's and my one year anniversary party, turned John into a guinea pig, and kicked him into the path of an oncoming car." Draco winced.

"Yes, that. Brittney, I'm so terribly sorry about that. I can't even begin to explain to you how deeply I regret that day, and how it's influenced my life. I haven't touched a bottle since that day, I swear." Brittney's eyes widened slightly.

"I had... just gotten in an argument with my father that day, and... well, I felt it pretty hard. I'm not using that as an excuse but..." he sank to the floor, eyes glossed over, as if he were peering into the past. "...anyway, I was obviously heavily intoxicated when I arrived at your party and... I just saw red. I don't even remember turning John into a... a rodent or kicking him, but I do know that I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I know that doesn't mean much but..."

"Go on," Brittney's voice was soft, but still wary, guarded against some suspected evil. "I'm... I'm listening."

"I only remember the... the aftermath of the hit. I... I'll never forget that. I'd sworn never ever to take another's life, and yet... there he was; a poor, defenceless muggle who'd done nothing but marry the woman he loved. And I'd killed him. I hadn't been in my right mind, but I'd killed him." Draco's head dropped into his hands, and his voice gained almost a pleading quality, reminiscent of his childhood.

"All I've wanted to do," he continued, "for thirteen years, is to apologise to you and to his family, but the day after... it happened, Astoria told me she was pregnant, and I—" his words caught in his throat. "I couldn't tell her what I'd done. I didn't want to think of it ever again. I'm so, so sorry, Brittney." He looked over his fingers and met Brittney's gaze for a brief moment. "She looks like John." Upon receiving no reply, he gestured vaguely to his face with a hand in a defeated sort of way and looked down again. "Has his nose."

There was silence. Brittney was stunned. "Draco, I..." she took a deep breath. "Thank you." Draco's head came up again sharply, eyes wide in disbelief. "I accept your apology. I've been holding this grudge for over a decade; it's about time I forget it— forget him."

"No," Draco cried with a fervour with surprised Brittney, "never that; remember him, cherish him as he was and as he could have been. You loved him, don't ever forget that. It is only when we forget someone that they are truly dead."

There was silence for a long moment, but it didn't feel half as tense. "Thank you, Draco," Brittney took a deep breath. "I forgive you." Draco breathed—what he hoped—was an imperceptible sigh of relief.

"Thank you. You really don't know what that means to me." With that, he stood up, and helped Brittney up as well. "Now," he said, brushing himself off, "Who's going to tell the kids we've sorted ourselves out?"

As if on cue, a sharp rap at the door was heard, followed by someone saying past a mouthful of something, "Have you guys figured yourselves out, yet?"

"Yes," Brittney said, only a hint of a smile on her lips, "now will you let us out?" In response, the door opened on the two troublemakers, boxes of crackers cradled in their arms, with an unholy amount stuffed in their mouths. Brittney and Draco stepped out of the closet.

"Can Scorpius and I stay friends now, mum?" Y/n said, spewing cracker crumbs from her overstuffed mouth. Brittney looked over at Draco, who offered her the ghost of a smile.

"Yes," she said, smiling at her daughter. "You and Scorpius can stay friends."