"So, I guess this means Scorpius is my brother, then. Would have been nice to know, Mother."

"Al-"

We were back home, sat in the kitchen, facing off at opposite ends of the table.

"How am I supposed to look at him again?!" He bellowed, his eyes bulging out at me. "This is so embarrassing - you're embarrassing!"

"Don't you talk to me like that!" I yelled, wringing my hands through my hair, "you have no idea, Al, you have no idea what it has been like for me."

"Oh, please, Mother!" Albus scoffed, his lip curling up at me in disgust. "Spare me the sodding sob story."

"We love each other," I tried desperately to explain, to try and at least make him understand, "we have since we were at Hogwarts."

"If that's true, then why haven't we been living as a happy little family? Why is there Scorpius? Sounds like my darling daddy couldn't keep it in his pants!"

"It wasn't like that! After the war we were... separated. Draco married Scorpius's mother but his heart wasn't in it. When we bumped into each other years later, we had found our feelings hadn't changed. We knew it was wrong but we couldn't keep away. And then- and then Draco discovered that Astoria was pregnant. So, he did the right thing and stood by her. He had no idea that I was carrying you."

Albus was looking at me in complete mortification.

"The right thing?!" he spat incredulously, "he knocked up two women at the same time and here you are preaching about him like he's some kind of saint! I may only be fourteen years old mother, but even I can see that that's a shitty thing to do!"

I closed my eyes in utter shame. I had handled everything so wrong. I should have been honest with Albus from the start about why I could not disclose who his father was. Instead, I had thrown this bombshell on him and expected him to understand why his parents were such cock ups.

I briefly wondered how Draco was getting on with Scorpius. The poor boy had been so understandably hurt and angry. I hoped Draco was dealing with the situation better than I was.

But in all honesty, I couldn't see the boys ever being okay with this.

"Al, you have every right to be angry at me... at us," I sighed heavily, looking apprehensively at my son, "but the fact remains that Draco is still your father-"

"So fucking what?! What difference does it make? Where has he been the past fourteen years?! I can honestly say I'd be happy never to see that man ever again!"

"Please, Albus, don't speak like that!"

"Last Christmas? Was it going on then?! When he stayed with us? Were you sneaking him into your bedroom every night, having a good laugh at your clueless idiot sons?!"

"No! Albus, I promise; we did not resume anything until after you went back to Hogwarts! He went home and we realised we missed one another and didn't want to be apart anymore-"

"Well get used to it mother," he cut in angrily, "because if you take up with him again, I'm having nothing more to do with you. It's him or me!"

I felt as though I had been slapped. I sat back in my chair, slowing exhaling a long-drawn-out breath.

"You always come first with me, Al," I said steadily, looking solemnly into my son's eyes. "You must know that."

"Whatever," he snarled, scraping back his chair. "Until I see otherwise then I can't believe you."

And with that, he stormed out from the kitchen, slamming the door behind him.

*****

Draco's heart gave a heavy squeeze as he saw that the door of the room he used to share with Astoria was open.

Holding his breath, he stepped inside. Scorpius was stood over the bed, looking down at where his mother once lay.

"Please tell me you never brought her back here, Dad."

"Never," Draco said at once, relieved he could answer honestly.

Scorpius did not lift his head but instead reached out a hand as he tenderly stroked his mother's pillow. It broke Draco's heart.

"How could you have done this to her? How could you have done this to me?"

Draco swallowed, feeling a horrific pain in his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Scorp. I regret the hurt this has caused you. But I don't regret Etta. I could never. I know you don't understand, and I don't expect you to, but I love her. None of this was her fault, so if you are going to be mad at anyone then be mad at me-"

"I AM MAD AT YOU!" Scorpius's head whipped up as he glared at Draco in a way that he had never seen before. The anger and hurt in his face left Draco feeling momentarily winded.

"How could you have done that?" Scorpius continued shakily as Draco hung his head in shame. "To do what you did – to me... to Mum. I've always looked up to you, Dad. I've always thought that you were brave for everything you have been through. But today- today I discover that you are nothing but a coward. And I am ashamed to call you my father."

Draco snapped his head up, flinching. "Scorp, please-"

"You had another family all this time! You knew that my best friend was actually my brother! And you said nothing. I feel like you have been laughing at me, Dad. Have you? Have you been laughing? Because that's how it feels."

To Draco's horror, Scorpius's voice cracked as tears began to spill from his eyes. He immediately stepped towards him, wanting to comfort him.

"Son-"

"DON'T!"

Draco froze as Scorpius held his hand up in front of him.

"Just leave me alone, Dad," he sobbed, lowering himself down onto the bed. "I don't think I can even look at you anymore."

His heart racing, Draco slowly turned on the spot and walked resignedly out of the room. He had made such a mess of everything. His selfish behaviour had hurt everyone he loved. He had never hated himself more.

Lights dotted his vision as he came across the portrait of his father in the hallway. Without thinking, he threw a fist into it. It felt good so he did it again, and again, repeatedly smashing his knuckles through Lucius's proud face.

Only when the painting was destroyed beyond recognition did he sink down to the floor, cradling his battered hand as he let out a loud, heart wrenching sob.

*****

I felt a horrible loneliness gnaw at my stomach as I climbed into bed that night. It seemed so huge and empty without Draco in it.

My phone started vibrating on my bedside table, making me jump. I picked it up and my heart leapt with joy at the name flashing across the screen.

"Draco," I breathed, answering immediately.

"I miss you." I closed my eyes at the comforting sound of his voice, swallowing down the lump that formed in my throat. "How's Albus doing?"

"Not good." I whispered, my eyes flicking guiltily to the door. "Scorpius?"

I heard him release a heavy sigh. I could almost see his features pinch in anguish and the clouding of pain in his pale eyes. "He hates me."

"Draco... what are we going to do?"

A heavy silence.

"Give it time."

"This hurts so much." My voice trembled as tears once again threatened in my eyes.

"Etta, I love you." His voice spoke solemnly down the phone. "Don't forget that. We'll find a way, I promise you."

"I wish you were here with me."

"I wish I were too, believe me."

Another silence. The thought of asking him to Apparate over was on the tip of my tongue. I could almost hear him thinking it too.

But we both knew it was too risky. In order to gain our boys trust back, we were going to have to stop sneaking around.

*****

"So, you and Draco have just stopped seeing each other?" Hermione asked, as we sat in her garden one sunny afternoon.

Summer had, so far, been a bitch. Albus barely refused to acknowledge me, and when he did, it was with a look of complete contempt. Nothing I said or did seemed to appease him despite my numerous attempts at trying to fix things ("Is there anything you'd like to do? Anyone you'd like to see?" "If you are talking about Scorpius, then I don't think so, Mother!").

I sighed, taking a long sip of my tea. "It's either that or feel the wrath of the boys anger."

"But doesn't Albus want to get to know his father? Doesn't he want to see Scorpius?"

"Ha! Don't make me laugh," I scoffed. "Al has forbidden me to even contact him. In fact, he said that if I ever see Draco again, then I would no longer be his mother."

"What?!" Hermione nearly choked on her tea. "Surely you didn't let him get away with saying that? I understand he's hurting but, at the end of the day, he can't stop you from being with Draco."

"If it were just Albus, Hermione, I would say 'stuff you - get used to it.' But it isn't - there's Scorpius to think of too, a boy who is still dealing with the loss of his mother."

We both fell silent as we glanced over to the bottom of the garden where Albus was sat scowling, looking thoroughly fed up as Rose, clad in Gryffindor Quidditch robes, showed off her broomstick skills to him.

"You must miss him. Draco, I mean."

"Yes, I do," I said, trying to ignore the painful wrench of my heart. "But it's not about us, it's about the boys, and we need to put them first."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief, taking another sip of her tea. "I don't envy you any of this, that's for sure."

"Anyway," I said, wanting to change the subject. "I wanted to ask if Al could come over tomorrow? I need to do a work thing."

"You know Al is welcome here anytime, but what work thing? I thought you had the summer off?"

"This can't wait - I've heard a rumour and I need to act on it. Fast."

"What rumour? It's nothing dangerous is it? You will be careful won't you, Etta?"

"I'm head Auror, Hermione! Nothing is too dangerous for me." I looked around for potential eavesdroppers and then leant towards Hermione, lowering my voice. "A Time-Turner, - at Theodore Nott's."

Hermione's eyes widened. I knew she could not resist the pull of a Time-Turner.

"A Time-Turner?" She breathed, her face lighting up with wonder. "This could be huge, Etta. But... but maybe you should take a team with you, just in case."

"No, that will just scare him off. I'll go under the pretence that I'm there to promote some Auror shite. You know, Keeping Your Home Secure From Dark Magic type thing."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "His parents are convicted Death Eaters that you helped put away. I doubt he'll be inviting you in to discuss Floo Network security over a cup of tea. Look, I know what you are going to say, but why not take Draco with you? They were school friends were they not?"

"NO!" I hissed. "I promised Albus I wouldn't see him this summer."

"Then leave it until they go back to Hogwarts. Honestly, I'd feel better if you had someone else with you who knows about this stuff."

"I'm HEAD Auror! I defeated the world's darkest wizard. Not flipping Draco!"

"I meant that he has past associations with the Notts, not to mention that he is a fellow Slytherin. Theo is less likely to be suspicious if he thinks Draco is there to simply reminisce about old times."

"I'm not dragging Draco away from trying to make amends with Scorpius." I stated defiantly. "This could set the boys back; they will see it as yet another betrayal. I'll be fine on my own. I'm a professional, after all."

"Okay," Hermione said hesitantly, her face filled with doubt. "But just promise me you'll be careful and take your alarm with you."

"Relax, Hermione," I said, giving my hand a dismissive wave. "I'm sure absolutely nothing will go wrong."

I mean really. She should have more faith in me.

***