Ruined (Dramione)

XII - The Portrait of Albus Dumbledore

Everyone is dancing in the middle of the dancefloor. But I, I'm not. I'm not fond of parties, really. I want to strangle myself for not bringing a book. Ugh. I must know parties like this are really boring.

"Mum, why aren't you dancing?" Scorpius asked me because I remained in our table while everyone else is partying.

Harry and Ginny were dancing like there's no tomorrow as well Pansy and Blaise. They've reconciled a while ago, by the way.

And Draco, that ferret is gone as soon as the rock music filled the Great Hall. I wonder where he went.

"I'm not good at it, Scorpy. You know that. But I'm thinking, want to walk around the castle?" I asked and I stretched my hand so he smiled widely.

"Of course Mummy!" he said as he grabs my outstretched hand so we stood up and his tiny hand held mine.

We walk out of the Great Hall and head to Dumbledore's office whose office of McGonagall. His pale, gray orbs can't find its place while we're walking down the halls of Hogwarts, especially when he saw the portraits move.

"Mummy why is it that the portraits are moving?" my son asked while were walking towards McGonagall's office.

"It's because it's enchanted. I told you to read your copy of Hogwarts: A History isn't it? You didn't read it did you? " I asked, narrowing my chocolate brown eyes on him but he just smiled at me. The same smile he used to do when he didn't do something I told him to do.

"Mum it's too thick! And it's quite old. " he told me.

"Of course it is. It's much older than me or you."

"Mum, I don't want to read old books."

"Scorpius Draco, I told you, if you want to be like me, you have to start reading that book now." I told him.

"Well hello, Miss Granger." My son and I looked for the portrait where the voice came from and we found it in the place where the gargoyle stood before.

The office of the headmistress is now guarded by Professor Albus Dumbledore.

"Professor!" we went to him and Scorp looked at him with respect for I told him all about Albus Dumbledore.

"You're the one Mummy's told me! You're the great wizard, Albus Dumbledore!" he told Professor Dumbledore's portrait.

"Oh yes I am, young wizard. Who are you?" he asked my son.

"I am Scorpius Draco, sir."

"Oh a Malfoy-Granger offspring? I'm glad that the young Mister Malfoy has been able to go back to the path where he really belonged." He told me with a huge smile on his time-worn face.

"I'm sorry Sir?" I wondered at his statement. What is he trying to say?

"Miss Granger, I've seen it his eyes, his actions, that night in the Astronomy tower. But no one can see it in his words for he, insulted you, pretended to loathe you for nearly all of your life aren't he? Mister Malfoy concealed everything he felt for you to save you from a terrible fate you we're about to face when the Dark Lord found out. He knew his father will kill you if he knew."

"Mummy, are you okay? You we're about to cry." My son said so I immediately wiped the tears that were about to fall.

"I'm fine, Scorpy." I told him.

"You see Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy has no choice but to do what the Dark Lord asked him to do. But you are his safe haven. He drowned himself thoughts of you. He calmed himself with your image in his mind."

"But sir, how did you know all about this?"

"I've seen it in his eyes, in his actions. When you were petrified, he was almost every day staying at the hospital wing, secretly guarding you. I've seen him a lot of times sneaking at night, only to find out that he's watching you. During the Yule Ball, when you are dancing with the Durmstrang champion, Mr. Krum, pain is visible in his eyes. I saw that in him more than in Mr. Weasley's."

A tear fell from my right eyes as I heard Professor Dumbledore's words.

"Did you ever wonder why freshly mown grass, new parchment and spearmint toothpaste was the aroma you smelled in Amortentia, Miss Granger?" I shook my head.

I always wondered why I smelt freshly mown grass in the Amortentia concoction that day. I thought it was Ron's because of the new parchment and spearmint toothpaste aroma but I found out that they never had their gardened mowed.

"The Malfoy's garden is being mowed every week. Mister Malfoy loves the smell of a freshly mown grass and he uses spearmint toothpaste. Lastly, his mother sends him new parchments and quills every month. You are attracted to him, no, you love him Miss Granger. You loved him since the day he was attacked by the hippogriff. That's why your patronus is an otter because Draco Malfoy once had an otter for a pet when he was a child."

"Mummy, why are you crying?" my son asked me because tears were running down my face upon Professor Dumbledore's words.

"I'm fine son." I told him and smiled afterwards.

"Professor, may we leave for a while?"

"Oh sure Miss Granger. I'm glad that you and he end up together. Congratulations. I'm looking forward to see this young Malfoy in the halls of Hogwarts in the next years."

"T-thank you Professor." I said, smiling back at the man who used to our teacher. To the man who gave up his life to save the Wizarding World.

We walked back to the Great Hall only to find out that everyone is gone. The hall was silent. But the chairs and tables were there.

"Where the bloody hell, are they?" even the teachers, musicians, singers and the staffs were gone.

"Mum where's Uncle Harry and the others?" he asked me.

"I don't know Scorpy. We can ask the prefects." So we walked towards a couple of prefects who were standing in the entrance of the Great Hall.

"Excuse me? Where is everyone?" I asked one of them. But none of them answered me.

"Miss Granger, please follow us." He told me. So I held my son's hand even tighter and reached for my wand, hidden in my purse. Thankfully I put an undetectable extendable charm in this purse.

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