Draco clasped his hand tightly in mine as we watched the billowing steam appear across the horizon.

"It'll be okay," he murmured fiercely in my ear, pulling me close to his side, "just remember, whatever happens, I love you."

My heart was thudding as I squeezed his hand back, desperately trying to make the most of the feel of his touch upon mine, because deep down, I knew this wasn't going to end well.

As soon as the train pulled to a stop on the platform, our entwined hands reluctantly fell apart.

Doors started slamming open along the length of the train. I held my breath as our eyes scanned the bodies falling out onto the bustling platform.

"Scorp!" Draco called as the familiar blond-haired boy stepped down from one of the open compartment doors.

Scorpius turned towards us, grinning as my dark-haired son appeared behind him, jumping down onto the platform. They were about to discover the truth.

My throat tightened as they headed towards us, dragging their trunks behind them. I couldn't help but glance fearfully up at Draco, who gave me a swift, nervous grimace.

"Hey Dad, hey Etta," Scorpius grinned, looking to the both of us, "you wouldn't believe the spells Al and I have learnt this term!"

"Hey, Scorp," I said shakily, giving him a nervous smile, "it's good to see you again."

Albus scowled in the background as he watched Scorpius give me a brief hug. I offered my son a warm smile, calling him over, but he just looked moodily away.

Well, this was a great fucking start.

Panicking, my eyes met Draco's again. He cleared his throat.

"Er, boys," he said glancing nervously between the two of them. "Etta and I thought it would be nice that we all go straight back to hers. We- we have something to tell you."

My heart hammered so hard in my chest as I looked to my son who had stopped scowling at me and was now instead narrowing his eyes suspiciously up at Draco.

Oh my fucking god.

"Oh... alright." Scorpius said, his eyes darting between the two of us in confusion. "What is it? Is everything okay?"

"You mean you're fucking my mum?"

Horrified, my eyes flew to Albus who was scowling furiously at Draco.

"Albus!" I cried, horror filling my gut as I glanced up at Draco for help. This was already going horribly wrong.

"Look, let's just get back home," Draco ordered, his voice beginning to sound strangled as he quickly reached for Scorpius's trunk. "This is not the place-"

"Dad, it's not true is it?" Scorpius asked, his voice small.

A pink tinge rose to Draco's cheeks. His silence said it all.

Scorpius's face paled as he looked from me to Draco, realisation dawning in his eyes.

"But... mum..." came Scorpius's quiet voice, twisting my heart, "it's not even been a year."

"Scorp-" Draco began, reaching out to him, but Scorpius quickly moved back so that Draco's hand hit nothing but air.

"Classy, mother. Fucking my best friends dad whose wife has just died. Way to whore yourself out!"

My jaw dropped open in disbelief at my son's venomous words. Draco straightened up, turning furiously to Albus.

"Do not speak to your mother like that!" He flared up at him.

But Albus just looked at him with deep contempt. "Piss off! Don't think you can start acting like my dad just because you've fucked my mum. You're not my father!"

Oh my god, I couldn't believe this. I looked around, horrified, hoping no one was witnessing this Greek tragedy unfolding in the middle of the platform.

Draco took a menacing step towards Albus, who responded by squaring his chest up to him.

"There's a lot you don't understand," Draco hissed down at him, "about your mother and I. We go way back, long before you were born."

"So what?! You went to school together - tell me something I don't already know!" Albus spat angrily back, his face starting to turn puce with anger.

"We weren't just school associates, Albus! Your mother and I have always been more than that."

"What are you saying, Dad?" Scorpius asked horrified, "what about Mum?"

Oh, shit. This was going horribly wrong.

Draco whirled around to look at Scorpius whose pale face was starting to turn green.

"I'm sorry, son," Draco said regretfully, "but there's something I need to confess."

"What? Other than you fucking my Mum?" Bloody Albus again. "What else is there?"

Draco span back to Albus. He swallowed.

"Wait!" I cried, panic hardening my lungs. "Not here, please-"

"I'm not going anywhere with you unless you tell us right now." Albus said coldly to me.

"Dad, please," Scorpius begged looking whiter than ever.

Draco drove his hands through his hair, his eyes wild with panic. "The thing is-" he stuttered, looking from Scorpius to Albus, back to Scorpius again. "The thing is-"

"OH, JUST SAY IT!"

Draco froze at my son's outburst. Slowly, he lowered his hands, letting his arms fall resignedly down by his sides as he glanced at me. Shakily, I nodded.

"Albus, I am your father."

A ringing silence filled the air as Draco's words sank in.

"WHAT?!" Albus spluttered, he looked to me, his eyes bulging out, "is it true? Is he my dad?"

I nodded, not being able to speak due to my throat constricting up. Tears started welling in my eyes as my heart pounded furiously against my ribcage.

"But how can that be?" Scorpius asked, mine and Draco's heads whipped back to him, "He's only a couple of weeks younger than me... that must mean... that must mean..."

Oh, god.

His face turned green as realisation dawned on him. He looked from Draco to me, his expression a mixture of disappointment and horror.

"I think I'm going to be sick," he said shakily.

"Scorp-" Draco reached out for him again, grabbing at his shoulder which Scorpius quickly shrugged off.

"Don't touch me!" Scorpius cried, his voice strangled with hurt and anger.

I felt dreadful. I felt like the shittiest human being on the planet. And this was coming from someone who grew up with the Dursley's!

"Did she know? Did mum know about what you did?" Scorpius spat, looking at Draco with complete disgust.

"Your dad didn't even know, Scorp," I said, stepping in, "he didn't find out about Albus until you started Hogwarts."

"That was three years ago!" Albus piped up angrily. "My dad has been under my nose this whole time and you didn't think to say anything?!"

"How long, Dad?" Scorpius asked before I could say anything. "How long have you and... her been together? Did you at least wait until Mum was dead before jumping into bed with another woman?"

He looked on in horror as Draco hesitated.

"It's complicated, Scorp,"

Oh, good one, Draco.

I had never seen Scorpius look so angry, never thought the boy even had it in him.

"I need to get out of here. NOW!" He screamed at Draco. "I want to go home, that is if I even have one still? Or did you go and sell it behind my back in favour of bunking up with her?!"

He jabbed a furious finger in my direction making both Draco and I flinch at the hatred in his voice.

"Of course you still have a home, Scorp," Draco said at once. "We'll go, we'll go there right now."

Draco turned around to look at me, I could see the panic flitting across his face. He had not expected this reaction. I, however, wasn't surprised.

Scorpius, upon seeing our exchange, huffed angrily and wheeled on the spot, storming up the platform, dragging his trunk behind him.

"Scorp!" Draco called, fear and panic strangling his voice. He looked back at me as though hoping I had the answer to what he was supposed to do next.

"Go," I urged, nodding my head vigorously, tears welling up in my eyes. "You need to put Scorpius first. Go!"

"You and Albus?" Draco asked questioningly. "I can send another car for you-"

"We'll be fine, just go," I said hurriedly as Scorpius's retreating figure began to vanish out of view. "You need to be there for Scorp. I'll deal with Al."

He reached out and gave my fingers a quick squeeze. "I love you," he said fiercely before letting go.

As he turned and raced up the platform after Scorpius, I looked to my son, who was watching me through hooded eyes, his arms folded lazily across his chest.

"Good one, mother," he snarled, giving a loud short bark of laughter. "The great Henrietta Potter strikes again!"

"Al," I quivered, tears now falling down my cheeks, "I'm so sorry."

But Albus just shook his head as though he had never been so disappointed in his life.

"Etta?"

I span around to see Ron standing behind me, his face full of worry and compassion. I had never been so pleased to see my best friend before.

"Al, go and take your trunk to your Aunt Hermione." Ron ordered authoritatively. "We can take you both home."

To my relief, Albus didn't argue, grabbing his trunk as he barged angrily past me.

"He hates me," I sobbed, as Ron turned back to me. "He hates me, and he has every reason to."

"Oh, Etta," he sighed heavily, striding over to immediately engulf me in his arms. "He'll come around; I promise. He's had a shock, that's all."

His hands rubbed my back, soothing me as I shook against him through my tears. And I was so grateful to him, so thankful that someone was taking control.

Because control was something I felt I no longer had a grip of. There was no telling what was going to happen next. All I knew was, that the happy life Draco and I had envisioned having, was certainly not going to be happening any time soon.

***