Summer With A Ferret

Week 2: Day 14

Draco awoke with a start. What was all that commotion downstairs? There were many voices, who were shouting. It sounded like there were a stampede of gazelles running all around. Then he heard Petunia, yelling "Stop, stop!" Followed by the sound of a sobbing Dudley.

He hadn't even realized he was just sitting there, staring at the door until he heard Harry sit up beside him.

"What's all the noise?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes, his voice still drowsy. He grabbed his glasses from the nightstand beside him.

"I... Don't know. I woke up to it a few minutes ago— What time is it?" He looked up at the clock. "It's not even 7 in the morning! This is ridiculous... I suppose we should go down there and-"

Suddenly the door burst open and in come the cousin. He was an ugly crier, Draco didn't take long to notice. Snot coming out of his nose with a scrunched up face and all.

"Dudley! What's happened?" Harry quickly stood to comfort him.

"M-Mum to- ld me to c- ome up h-here." Dudley sobbed in between sniffles. "There a-are off- officers downst- stairs an- and..." He stopped speaking and just continued to cry.

"Dudley? What's going—"

"Harry, give him a minute to compose himself. Then he can tell us what's going on clearly."

They helped him to sit on Harry's bed so he could breathe and calm down, while they sat on either side of him. After about five minutes, Draco asked Dudley if he was ready to continue, which he responded with one last sniffle and a nod.

"I woke up about twenty minutes before it all started. It was quiet and peaceful. I was talking with mum in the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. I opened it and there were six officers there looking for dad." He paused, took and deep breath, and continued. "They came to collect him. I think he's being arrested."

'Serves him right.' Draco thought to himself, desperately fighting the urge to say it aloud.

"Is that why he's often been disappearing?" Harry asked him.

"I don't know. Mum said she'd explain everything later. But right now she's arguing with them because they don't believe she doesn't know where he is."

"Does she know?" Draco wondered.

"He's been gone since last night. She says he didn't tell her. I believe that, since thats a lot like dad not to tell his own wife where he's going if it isn't work. Especially when... When he..." Dudley teared up again.

"When he goes out cheating." Harry finished sadly.

Dudley nodded.

"How many times have you caught him?" Draco's previously curious eyes softened to sadness.

"We've caught him four times, all with different, younger women. But he's probably done it much more. We've also followed his car late at night when he's gone off to strip clubs." Harry informed him, since Dudley looked like if he said another word he would break down into a mess of tears.

The blond's face widened with shock. He didn't know what to say. He took a moment to assure himself, realizing that the yelling had now stopped. He stared at the door again, then back at the other two boys.

A silent tear ran down Harry's face as he comfortingly put a hand on his cousin's shoulder. Dudley looked up and made eye contact with Harry's green eyes.

"I wonder what it will be like when dad's gone."

They sat in silence for about thirty seconds until Harry smirked, Dudley snorted, and they both broke into laughter. Draco was obviously confused. They were crying less than a moment ago.