Chapter 9 ~ New Problems
I should've said something in that stupid meeting. I should've just told everyone that Voldemort was gone for good.
I knew the meeting was going to be a disaster. It was the worst idea ever. The fact that there was a chance that Voldemort was back shook up everyone. I already had enough problems to deal with and trying to convince everyone that Voldemort hadn't returned was added to that list.
First things first, I had to deal with Draco. That was my biggest problem for now.
The argument that we had was in my head all day. I couldn't stop thinking about the hurtful things we said to each other. I didn't mean them, but Draco had pissed me off. It was that damn word vomit. I knew it would come back to haunt me.
After a long day at work, I put my stuff in my bag and organized my desk. I left my office, closing the door behind me. I looked around and didn't see Draco anywhere, so I left the Ministry of Magic without him.
What if Draco wasn't my husband? How would've things been different for me?
I imagined a world where Draco was not my husband. I tried to picture my life with someone else, having kids with someone else. I was happy, I had a stable job, and nothing was wrong. Draco Malfoy was not there. We weren't even co-workers in this world that I was imagining. In fact, it was like he didn't exist. I didn't think imagining a world without Draco Malfoy would be so easy. I wondered if Draco ever thought about a world without me in it.
When I got to the front door of my house, I unlocked the door and opened it, grabbing the mail that was on the floor in front of me when I entered the house. I closed the door behind me and made my way into the kitchen. I threw the mail and my bag on the counter and huffed a sigh.
"I need a drink," I told myself.
I went to grab a glass and the rest of the firewhisky we had when I heard the front door open and close. I knew it was Draco, so I went on with my drink. I was done pouring it when he came in the kitchen.
"I waited for you outside your office," he told me.
"Really? I didn't see you," I replied, not looking up at him. "I thought you had already left."
"I finished later than usual," he said. "Can we talk about what happened today?"
"No, we can't," I answered, taking a sip of my drink.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because we both said what we wanted to say," I replied.
"Max, I didn't mean anything that I said," Draco informed me. "I was just angry about the meeting. Your brother crossed the line."
I scoffed. "He's always crossing the line, isn't he?" I looked up at Draco, who looked genuinely sorry for what he did earlier today. "But he's not the only one who crossed the line."
"I know. I did, too," he said.
"Well, at least you admit it," I retorted, drinking more from my glass.
"Oh, wow, Max. It's not like you're the innocent one in all of this," Draco snapped.
"Excuse me?"
"You said some things to me as well. Don't act like you kept your mouth shut the entire time. I remember what you said."
I huffed a sigh, setting my drink down. "Fine. I may have been guilty of doing it as well. There, you happy?" I stormed out of the kitchen and headed up the stairs.
"Max, we're not done with this conversation!" Draco shouted, following me up the stairs
"Yes, we are!" I shouted back, walking into our bedroom.
"Max, listen to me," Draco said, his voice a bit softer once he was in the bedroom. "What I said today, in the meeting and in my office, I honestly didn't mean them. I was angry at the meeting and at your brother. They were just words, Max."
I scoffed, turning around to face Draco with my arms folded across my chest. "Right. They're just words. Well, it doesn't matter if you meant to say them or not, Draco, because they still hurt."
Draco shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "I know what it's like, having hurtful words said to me. I went through bullying at one point, Max."
"I'm sure you did." I sighed and turned away from him. "I just want to be alone right now."
I could tell that Draco was hurt by the way he said, "Okay." I heard him leave the room as I began to change into something more comfortable.
I just needed to be by myself for a bit. That was all I needed. It was what we both needed.
Once I was done changing clothes, I fell back on the bed and sighed. I reached up to my forehead and traced my lightning scar with my finger, remembering when it used to hurt all the time. The pain always left me scared and confused. It was like the Wizarding world was going in a panic all over again. I didn't like it when it happened the first time, and I sure as hell didn't like it now.
"Twenty-two years later and we're still arguing like we're teenagers," I said to myself.
After finally arguing with myself for five minutes, I managed to walk out of my bedroom and downstairs to finally talk to Draco. One of us had to break the silence sooner or later. When I got to the kitchen, Draco was leaning against the counter with a letter in his hands.
"Draco, we need to talk," I told him.
"Yeah, we do," he replied, looking up at the letter.
"I'm glad you agree with me," I said. "That meeting was just chaotic and--"
"No, not about that," he cut me off. "It's about Scorpius."
My heart dropped. "What happened? Is he okay?"
Draco shot me a worried look. "Professor McGonagall said in the letter that him and Albus didn't make it to Hogwarts." He paused for a moment. "They're both missing."
*******
After sending a Patronus to Harry about Albus and Scorpius, Draco and I headed for the Ministry of Magic. There was no doubt in my mind that Harry and Ginny were on their way to meet with us. I was worried about Albus and Scorpius, wondering where they could be if they weren't at Hogwarts.
"Why do you think they're not at Hogwarts?" Draco asked me.
"How am I supposed to know?" I retorted. "I just hope they're okay."
Draco and I hurried inside the Ministry and made our way towards the next available elevator. When we reached the floor our offices were located, we headed for Harry's office to see if him and Ginny were here yet. But before we made it there, we ran into him. Literally.
"Sorry," I said to him. "Shall we go to your office to talk?"
He shook his head. "Ginny and Hermione are waiting for us in the Grand Meeting Room. Come on." He led us to the same room we were in for the meeting this morning. When we got there, Ginny and Hermione looked just as worried as we did. Harry shut the door behind us.
"Okay, so have we thoroughly searched beside the tracks?" Draco asked first.
"My department has searched once and is searching again," Harry answered.
"And the Trolley Witch is not able to tell us anything useful?" Draco questioned.
"The Trolley Witch is furious," Hermione spoke up. "She keeps talking about letting down Ottaline Gambol. She prides herself on her Hogwarts delivery record."
"Have there been any instances of magic reported by the Muggles?" Ginny asked.
Hermione shook her head. "None so far. I have made the Muggle Prime Minister aware and he is filing what is known as a misper. Sounds like a spell. It isn't."
Draco scoffed and shook his head. "So now we're relying on Muggles to find our children? Have we told them about Harry and Max's scars, too?"
I rolled my eyes. Not again.
Hermione sighed, sounding a bit annoyed already. "We're merely asking the Muggles to help, and who knows how Harry and Max's scars might be involved but it's certainly a matter we're taking seriously. Our Aurors are currently investigating anyone involved in Dark Magic and--"
"This is not Death Eater-related," Draco cut Hermione off.
"I'm not sure I share your confidence, Draco," Hermione admitted.
I could tell that Draco's blood was boiling. "I'm not confident, I'm right. The sort of cretins pursuing Dark Magic now...Scorpius is a Malfoy, they wouldn't dare."
"But his mother is a Potter," Harry stated. "Unless there's something new out there, something to--"
"Scorpius is a follower, not a leader, despite everything Max and I have tried to instill in him," Draco cut him off.
"Draco's right," I finally spoke up. "Scorpius wouldn't just jump off the train on his own."
"So it's undoubtedly Albus who got him from the train and my question is, where would he take him?" Draco added.
Ginny folded her arms over her chest. "Harry, they've run away. You and I know it."
Harry noticed that Ginny was staring at him, so he stared back. Of course, everyone else noticed it, too.
"Why are you two staring at each other like that?" I questioned them.
"Do you two know that they've run away? What aren't you telling us?" Draco asked. "Whatever information you're concealing, I recommend you share it now."
Harry sighed in defeat and looked at me, Draco, and Hermione. "Albus and I had an argument recently."
Draco raised his eyebrows at Harry. "And...?"
Harry hesitated, then made eye contact to Draco only. "And I told him that there were times when I wished he weren't my son."
Draco took a step towards Harry. "If anything happens to Scorpius..."
"Draco, nothing is going to happen to him," I assured him, trying to grab his arm, but he pulled it from my grasp.
Ginny intervened, stepping in between Draco and Harry. "Don't throw around threats, Draco. Please don't do that."
Draco was now furious. "My son is missing!" he roared.
"So is mine!" Ginny roared back.
Draco stepped back and took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a brief second, then opening them again. He looked over at Harry again. "If you need gold...Everything the Malfoys have...Scorpius is my sole heir...He's my only son."
"The Ministry has plenty in reserve, thank you, Draco," Hermione spoke up.
Draco turned around to leave the room, then he stopped and looked back at me and Harry. "I don't care what you two did or who you two saved. You both are a constant curse on the Malfoy family."
I looked at Draco with sadness as he opened the door and walked out of the room. I felt my heart fill up with pity and guilt.
"I can't believe he just said that about you two," Hermione spoke up after Draco left.
"You know what's the worst part about it?" I asked, looking at Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. "He's right."
~~~~~~~
A/N: Woaaah, an update from me?!?!?
Yeah, sorry this took so long. I was really struggling with this chapter. I'm just glad that I got this chapter finally done, lol.
Anyway, I have no idea when the next update will be. I gotta figure out what the next chapter is gonna be about, lol.
Comment, vote, thanks for being patient. XD
-A
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