Hidden Feelings - A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Dear Elizabeth,

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how to write this letter. How do you react to finding out your daughter has been partaking in one of the most dangerous tournaments known to the wizarding world? I'm disappointed that you felt you couldn't message me about this. I had to figure it out by the article in the latest paper. The front cover was of you and that boy.

Perhaps I should feel bad, given I'm the one who hasn't been paying attention to the news for the past few months. I went back and found everything. Do you know what it's like to see a picture of your daughter fighting a dragon from weeks ago that you were oblivious of? It's terrible, Elizabeth. Yet I feel worse that your mother and I have made you feel the need to hide these things from us. What if you were hurt in this? I'd get a letter from some stranger at the school telling me.

Please answer me as soon as possible. I want to hear everything; not to turn my back on how disappointed I am, but it's pretty amazing to fight a dragon. I miss you, Elizabeth.

Love, Dad

I stare at the paper, not knowing what to think. First Mother doesn't answer my own letter telling her about the tournament, then she doesn't even let Father know?

"What is it?" Ginny asks, seeing the disgruntled look on my face. I hand her the letter, and she reads it, her eyebrows furrowing. "Wow. Your Mum didn't let him know?"

I sigh. "Apparently not."

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," she says.

"Don't be. It gives me an excuse to actually talk to my dad," I say with a small laugh. "I haven't talked to him since the other summer."

Ginny, I've found, is one of the most trustworthy people in the world. After the night of the Yule Ball, I went and said thank you to her again, and we've been hanging out more ever since. I told her about my family situation, and I had been sitting in the library building up the courage to even open Father's letter until she approached me.

"You should write your mum, too," she tells me. "She really hasn't ever responded?"

"No. Even if she was mad at me, which she wasn't at all when I left, she would answer something like that." I fold up the letter, putting it back in the envelope. "I'll write them both."

••••••••••

Dear Father,

I understand why you're upset, but I didn't really think I was allowed to write to you. I assumed Mother would have told you, but I guess I'm not that surprised; she hasn't answered any of my letters all year. Could you make sure she's okay?

I do wish I had been able to tell you. I assume you've read our first interview. I swear, I don't know anything about why I was chosen. I didn't put my name in, and I surely don't have anything that makes me special enough to be a part of this. And if you're upset about anything Skeeter said about the divorce, then or over these past few months, I'm sorry. I kept everything I could to myself, but it seemed to spur her on more.

For the first task, yes, we had to fight dragons. I will admit that afterward, it felt amazing, but I definitely wouldn't do it again. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. I wish I could tell you about it all in person. Mad-Eye Moody, the auror, he helped me figure out a strategy. I tried to distract it as much as I could, which didn't work as well as I hoped but certainly saved my life a few times. I wasn't hurt badly, just burned some, and I tied with Harry for first place.

I miss you. I'm realizing that more and more as I write this. I miss you so much.

Please write me back soon, and let me know Mum is okay.

Love, Elizabeth

••••••••••

Dear Elizabeth,

This letter actually comes from both your mother and I.

I have to stop reading, staring blankly at the page. Both? The only way that could happen would be if...

It all clicks into place. Mum hasn't answered my letters because she hasn't been home.

This letter actually comes from both your mother and I, I read over again. We didn't want to tell you about this just yet because we didn't want to get your hopes up...your mother has been staying with me in Paris. Around the time you left to go to the World Cup, she wasn't in a very good place, and she wrote me, asking if she could come visit. I said yes, and since then, everything has felt how it used to before the divorce.

I feel my heart leap, a flutter of hope within me.

She's been here ever since. She apologizes for not replying, I'm sure none of us expected anything like this to arise. You should be getting a letter from her, too, but it'll come later. She says she has more to say to you.

As for the tournament...I don't know what to say. Is it bad to be so proud of having a daughter like you? You're full of surprises, Elizabeth, I swear. If I tried to imagine you fighting a dragon without the pictures I found in the paper, I couldn't have (and I don't mean that as an insult; I could picture you fighting one long before I pictured me). My fourteen-year-old is making history. You're one of the youngest to ever do this, and you're in first place. I want you to know that your mother is currently telling me to stop "encouraging" this.

The laugh that escapes my throat is what makes me realize my eyes are welling up. I wipe my cheek right as a tear falls, continuing to read.

I miss you too, Elizabeth, more than you could imagine. Your Mum and I plan on coming to your next task. We'll see you then, and we can't wait!

Love, Dad

I continue to stare at the paper, a huge smile on my face. Hermione walks into our dorm after a moment, pausing in the doorway as I look up.

"Is everything okay?" she asks, although I'm not sure if she's referring to my possibly insane smile or the fact that I'm on the verge of tears.

"Yes," I say, and this is the first time I've meant it in a long time.

A/N Sorry for the shorter chapter! I really wanted to get something out, and I had this idea for the chapter and it just didn't end up as long as I'd hoped. Thanks for dealing with the long waits! I have a summer intensive for dance starting Monday, so updates might be pretty infrequent, but I hope to get one or two more chapters out before it starts!