Never Give Up

Chapter Thirteen

‘Scorpius, listen to me,’ Draco Malfoy pleaded as they stood on the busy platform. Every year it was the same ritual they went through: arriving at Kings Cross and getting to platform nine and three quarters, Draco would try and say goodbye to his son but Scorpius would completely ignore him, and they would wait side by side until it was time for Scorpius to get on the train. Draco sighed, ‘son... look at me.’

Scorpius didn't even turn around or acknowledge him in any way. It was as though he was talking to a brick wall. Draco stared at Scorpius’ blonde hair which was so unlike his in pattern. Draco usually had his hair slicked back to look neat and well groomed when he went to Hogwarts but Scorpius was different; his hair was a wavy beach blonde colour and was left to hang the way he woke up, his eyes were the same grey as Draco and Lucius’ were.

Scorpius had decided to stop slicking his hair back in his fourth year and never told his father the reason why although Draco never asked him the reason either. Draco grabbed Scorpius’ arm, getting angry at being ignored by his son, and turned him around. He looked so much like Lucius when he frowned that Draco found it hard not to imagine his father looking like this when he went to school.

‘Dad!’ Scorpius yelled and tried to get out of his fierce grip. He didn't really want to talk to Draco today; it seemed like they fought quite a bit lately.

‘I love you, you know that, right?’ Draco muttered and his heart hurt as his son looked around in order to ensure no one could hear them. Was he really embarrassed to hear his father say the thing that most fathers said to their sons? Draco assumed it was normal but it still hurt, ‘this is your last year in Hogwarts and you will try your hardest to make something of yourself, understand?’

‘Whatever, Dad,’ Scorpius muttered back and his grey eyes flickered behind him as the train sounded. Draco pulled his son in for a hug which Scorpius did not appreciate as he pulled away immediately, ‘I have to go now.’

‘Scorpius, wait!’ Draco grabbed him as he started for the train. Scorpius turned to him and rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath, ‘you’ll be home for Christmas, I hope?’

‘I don’t know, Dad!’ Scorpius moaned and grabbed his trunk and his owl, ‘I’ll send you an owl later!’

Draco sighed dejectedly as his son walked to the steaming, grand train. He watched as Scorpius joined his friend that was standing near the door before going into the train. Draco dug his hands in his pockets, his heart ached as he realised that his son was slipping from his grasp... and he tried, he tried hard, to give him everything he ever wanted but it seemed to not be enough.

For a thirty five year old man, Draco looked quite young. He was also unmarried which had to have an effect on his looks. The only change in Draco at thirty five years old was his hair as it had begun to get thinner – he was not bald as of yet. His body, face and everything else was pretty much the same, maybe a little bulkier than before since he spent some time working out. He lived in a small apartment with his son and had not seen Astoria since she gave birth to Scorpius and left forever. Even the way he acted and stood suggested he was a young soul in a middle aged body.

 All the other students were waving to their parents but Draco knew that Scorpius wasn’t one of them – he was probably sitting at the back of the train with his good for nothing friends. He hoped he wouldn’t get into trouble this year and that he respected his teachers although Draco was bought back to his school years and how he acted towards everyone. Scorpius wasn’t as bad, thankfully.  Draco took a few steps back and leaned against a pillar casually as he waited for the train to take off. His eyes darted to the train window as a girl opened it up and leaned out.