(HP) Chasing Draco

Part 5

           

Lucius sighed as he heard the door of his study slam open. Honestly, Draco was a menace these days. Sometimes, he missed the good old days when he would stomp in here to scream at Lucius. Now he just barged in and interrupted his father's daily musings to prattle about the latest, amazing thing Potter had done. Lucius however was working, and he was not in the mood to sing praises of Potter the Magnificent.

"Draco, for the last time," he snapped. "I am happy for you - ecstatic, I assure you - but you are not to waltz in here unannounced and disrupt my... Mr Potter." Lucius stared at his intruder in mild surprise. The boy looked harried and anxious. He was even scruffier than usual and had clearly not slept. Lucius' sense of foreboding intensified.

"I won't take up too much of your time," Potter said. "I just came by to give you this." Lucius frowned but accepted the piece of paper from Potter. He glanced through it and took a minute to school his expression. "What's this?" he asked finally.

"I'm returning your money," Potter replied quietly.

"Mr Potter, we had a deal. If you think..."

"You misunderstand me, Lucius. I'm not going back on my word. I'm just returning your money."

"But your team... surely you..."

"I'll fund the Canons," Potter replied, as if this was the most natural thing in the world. "My parents planned their fortune well. I have enough to see the team through, at least for this season. And a win should bring in more sponsors so..."

"Mr Potter, forgive me for interrupting," Lucius managed. His head was reeling. Why would the boy do this? "If you recall, I have seen your bank accounts in the past. This..." he gestured vaguely at the document "is roughly seventy percent of everything you own."

"I know."

"I'm afraid I don't understand. You don't have to do this. I have every intention of fulfilling our terms if that's what..."

"I love your son."

Lucius stopped talking. Potter's eyes were soft but his voice was calm and determined. He stood proudly before Lucius and spoke like a man who knew what he was doing. "He means everything to me. I can't do this to him."

"Mr Potter..."

"Please. Just take it. If there's anything you want to give me at all, let it be your blessing."

There was nothing for it. Lucius nodded slowly and folded the cheque, placing it in his desk. Potter visibly relaxed and as much as he hated to admit it, Lucius' respect for the younger man increased tenfold. He had chosen well, indeed. "You have it," he said finally. "Both of you."

"Thank you," Potter smiled. "I..."

He was cut off by an elf bolting into the office. "Master," it squeaked. "The paper, if it pleases you sir."

Lucius sighed and waved the elf off, putting the Prophet on his desk and giving it a cursory look. "More news about you," he drawled, making Potter chuckle. "That Skeeter woman really earns her pay with..." Lucius trailed off, staring at the headlines.

The Potter Malfoy Saga: All Secrets Finally Revealed!

"What on earth..."

Lucius snatched it up again and scanned the top story.

Oh no. Oh Merlin, no.

How had they even...

Potter seemed to have caught on that something was amiss. He grabbed the paper and skimmed through it. By the time he was finished, he was pale and trembling. "Shite," he whispered.