Sweets: The Tale of Astoria Greengrass

A Candle in the Wind

Funeral-goers laid flowers on top of her casket. Draco couldn't stand to watch. He knew why most of them had come. They wanted to see the woman that supposedly was the mother of the Dark Lord's child. Never mind how much Draco tried to make the rumors go away, never mind that his son resembled him in almost every way, the general public was under the impression that Astoria had him with the Dark Lord using a Time Turner. That's what everyone thought, now that she was dead.

Scorpius stuck close to him, not wanting to venture into the crowd of relatives they never let him meet or strangers who wanted to see if the rumors were true by staring into his face. That was just fine by Draco. His son usually shied away from him. Not because Draco was cruel to him or anything like that. It was because he was closer to Astoria, and he knew what Draco had done. That had to be terrifying for him to grow up with, Draco realized in a few moments of clarity throughout the boy's childhood.

Still, Draco was surprised to see Hagrid amongst the gawkers. He was ashamed. He'd tried to ruin that man's life, and he didn't even have an excuse for it. He was a malicious thirteen year old boy filled with prejudices his parents had taught him. He should've known better- Astoria did, at that age.

Scorpius brightened though, at seeing Hagrid, and waved. Hagrid smiled and walked over to the father and son.

It was then that Draco remembered that he had signed Scorpius up for Care of Magical Creatures this year.

"Hello, Scorpius," Hagrid said. "Yeh must be feeling sad today."

Scorpius nodded.

"So I brought yeh these," Hagrid said, and he pulled out of his pocket photographs. Draco recognized when they were taken immediately. Astoria's sixth year. She was out by the paddocks in those photos, caring for unicorns, hippogriffs, thestrals, and many other types of beasts.

Scorpius took them eagerly, along with slightly burnt cookies. "Thank you, Professor Hagrid."

"I just thought yeh might be needing that today," Hagrid said with a sad smile. "I remember when my dad died, how I felt. I wish someone had sat me down and told me that everything was gonna be alright, so that's what I'm telling you now- it hurts, but it will get better. At least yeh still have one parent looking out for yeh. Doesn't make it hurt less, but at least yeh have some support- don' be afraid to talk to him."

Scorpius nodded. Draco was surprised that Hagrid said anything positive about him. He tried to ruin his life as a child!

"Could you go see Grandmother Narcissa?" Draco asked. "I need to speak with your teacher, if you don't mind."

Thise wide gray eyes looked from Hagrid to Draco.

"Go on, I'll talk to yeh more in a bit," he said.

Scorpius scurried away, just leaving Draco and Hagrid.

"I'm sorry," Draco said. "I was horrible to you as a child. I wanted to tell you ai'm sorry for that. I appreciate you being kind to my son, even though you have every reason not to-"

"I wouldn't punish a son for what his father did," Hagrid said. "Whether that father is yeh or Yeh-Know-Who. Besides, he's like his mummy. He's got skill with the beasts."

"Really?" Draco asked.

Hagrid shrugged. "More enthusiasm than skill right now, but that's alright. He still takes after Astoria."

"Why are you here?" Draco asked.

"Teh pay my respects teh one of my best students," Hagrid said. "She had the makings of a great magizoologist. Reminded me a bit of my friend, Newt."

"I'm sure she'd have liked it, that you were here," Draco said. He hesitated. "Does that mean that you don't believe the rumor, then?"

"That Scorpius is her son with Yeh-Know-Who?" Hagrid asked. "Of course not. I've said that whenever someone's tried to be cruel to Scorpius about it. Not that a half-giant's word does much good, but it does at least make my class a safe place for him."

"Thank you," Draco said, aware that he was about to cry. This teacher, that he was so cruel to, had done more than Potter ever had for him. It was more than he deserved.

"Ah, well, it's the least I can do teh make my class fun," Hagrid said. "Besides, Astoria and Scorpius don't deserve that. That's not who they are."

"Thank you," Draco said, and the tears began to fall.

Hagrid shifted uncomfortably and pulled out a handkerchief. Draco took it, and blew his nose. Hagrid patted him on the back.

"It's hard, isn't it? I know yeh must be missing her terribly," Hagrid said. "It's so terrible, seeing the good die young."

It was all Draco could do to nod.

"She was a good kid," he continued. "It's such a shame."

Draco nodded. He could see Luna Lovegood and Rolf Scamander instructing their twins to put very odd, colorful flowers on her grave. Astoria's best friend, Alice Caruso, was crying in a corner with her husband.

"Thank you," Draco repeated. "For putting aside what you must think of me for my son and wife."

"I forgave yeh a long time ago, Malfoy," Hagrid said. "Yeh were a kid, and yeh've changed. That's all that matters now."

Draco sobbed again, this time in relief. Redemption was one step at a time.