Curse Of Pain

Chapter 25

Draco's POV

The days only seem to be getting longer. The nights are restless and full of worry.

I was a coward back then during my time at Hogwarts. Has any of that changed? Am I still the cowardly Slytherin that hid behind my father? That did what I was told even when my body and soul told me to do differently?

Can I even protect the ones I love? I couldn't back then. Could I now? I don't know.

I want to. There's nothing in me that wants me to hide behind someone again. I want to fight and stand with the ones I love, but what if it meant nothing? What if they all got hurt and there was nothing I could do about it? I don't think I could ever forgive myself!

"Ah! Damnit!" I shouted in frustration.

"Draco?" Harry asked. Currently Harry is grading papers while I'm supposed to be making dinner. "Did you burn yourself or something? Are you alright?" He got up from his spot and started inspecting my hands.

"Sorry. I didn't hurt myself, I was just lost in thought is all." I said looking away from him.

"About what?" He questioned.

"Nothing in particular. Sorry I freaked you out."

Harry stared at me. I didn't know what he was thinking as I refused to look at him.

"If it's about the fire again-"

"It's not about the fire. Not entirely." I replied quickly, cutting him off.

"Then what is it?" I stood there silently. Not entirely sure of what to tell him. "Draco. Look at me." My gaze met his as he gripped my hands tightly in his. "Talk to me. I can't help you if you don't tell me." He whispered.

"I'm just worried. What if I can't protect any of you? I couldn't seem to do anything during the war, what would make now any different?"

Harry frowned at me slightly. "That was a very different time, not to mention we were just kids. We didn't know what we were doing. You got backed up into a wall and no one helped you see a different path and so you never found one. Not at the time at least. You're an entirely different person now compared to who you were back then. You've got a family and people you want to protect. We want to protect you too, so we'll stay together through this. Have each other's backs. Right?"

I smiled softly at Harry's words. "Right."

He too smiled before kissing me on the lips. I responded immediately, wanting this feeling to never end. Never wanting Harry to leave my side.

Leave my side. I don't want Harry leaving my side. I need him. Him and Scorpius are the only lights in my life. Even Teddy is like a son to me. I couldn't lose any of them. If I lost him, I don't know what I'd do.

His curse. On top of everything else we have to deal with, I still have no clue on finding a cure for the curse placed upon him.

I pulled away gently. "Harry, there's somewhere I need to go after dinner."

His face turned into confusion. A look of anxiety must have crossed my eyes as he looked at me with concern. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. There's something I need to do and I have to do it alone."

"You're not going to go after Crabbe on your own now, right?"

I gave him a reassuring smile. "No. I promise that's not it at all. There's just some things I need to get off my chest and seek answers for. I promise I'll tell you when I get back."

"Alright. I trust you, but if you're not back by the time I put the kids to bed then I'm coming to find you and I'm bringing an entire Auror team with me, ok?"

"Deal." I kissed him lightly again before turning back to finish dinner.

Only a short time later did the four of us. Teddy, Scorpius, Harry, and I sat at the dinner table diving into the meal I just finished preparing.

We were silent. Not much conversation flowed around the table. Everyone seemed to be in their own worlds, especially me.

I was doubting what I was about to do. I don't think I can do this.

How can I confront the one man I despise more than anything after eleven years of no contact?

He doesn't even know that Scorpius exists and I already know that I'm gonna get hell when he finds out that I'm helping and dating Harry Potter.

He probably despises Harry because if he hadn't of destroyed Voldemort then my father would be living it up right about now instead of being forever locked away in Azkaban.

"Draco?" I looked up to see the kids have already run off. Harry stood next to me, leaning against the table slightly. "Are you alright?"

I nodded my head slightly. Not really knowing if I believe myself. "Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking."

He smiled slightly at me, probably knowing there's more to it. "Alright. How about you run and get that errand done and maybe we can have a chat? You can tell me about what's going on."

I sighed and looked away. "I'm not good at hiding anything, am I?"

"No, not really. You were terrible about it in school too."

I laughed slightly. He's definitely not wrong. "Alright." I said standing up and wrapping my hands around Harry's waist and pulling him close to me. "I promise I'll tell you what's been going on when I get back. There's just some things I need to do, but the moment I have, I'll tell you."

Harry kissed me lightly on the lips. A sweet and gentle kiss, full of nothing but love. "Hurry up and go. I'm not going to bed until you get back and I'm pretty sure you're going to be out for awhile."

"Ok. I'll see you later tonight." He nodded his head as I pulled away and left the house.

My heart felt like it was racing and my hands had grown increasingly sweaty as I approached the main entrance to Azkaban, being greeted by an Auror.

"Draco Malfoy. I'm here to seen my father. Lucius Malfoy. I have an appointment." I told the man.

He simply grunted before signalling me to follow him.

He led me to a room a little far into the prison. I saw dementors flying about and the atmosphere was cold and there was no life in the air.

Once we entered the gray, heavily sealed off room, I noticed a table and two chairs. One was occupied. A man I knew too well was chained to the table. His hands and feet bound tightly.

His face was incredibly pale and sunken in, he looked like a skeleton almost. Covered in dirt and grime. His long white hair was now matted black and stuck up in weird places.

His eyes as he made contact with me were cold and lifeless.

I have never seen a scarier version of my father until now. It seems Azkaban has really driven him to a breaking point.

I stood far from him, not really interested in sitting down or getting anywhere near him.

"Hello. Father."