Note to readers: Thanks for reading my little story here, and thanks for all your reviews. I appreciate it. I made this chapter short and I think you will understand why. Just don't be too upset. All I can say is trust me. I have this story plotted all the way to the end. Thanks again to my beta readers VioletJersey and Rainpuddle. Now on with the story.
Chapter 18
"Ssh, Alex. Don't cry."
Draco hated seeing the sadness on his son's face. He hadn't wanted anyone to see him in this condition, least of all Alex. But despite his own pain, Draco felt, in the most odd of ways, happy. His son and the woman he loved were here. He could reach through the bars and touch his son. Death had been calling him for quite some time, but he refused to succumb no matter how bad the beatings had been. For every bruise and wounds the guards had inflicted, he had fought back tenfold. Or at least tried to. Draco refused to give in. Twelve years ago he would have gladly resigned himself to fate, but now Draco couldn't. Not with the possibility of seeing Alex again.
This time he wasn't hallucinating as he had done many nights before. The small hand he held in his own really was Alex's. He glanced up at the brown eyes that were so much like those of his son. Though they were separated by more than a physical barrier, Draco could sense Ginny's warmth. The hate he had expected to see wasn't there; ven in the dim light of the prison he could see the pain on her face, for him and for their son. No words passed between Draco and Ginny. The only sound was the cries of the young boy they had created.
Dammit, Malfoy's never cry! Why should his son have to see him so powerless? He wanted to break free from these walls and protect his son whose bruises were meant for him. But how could he do that when he couldn't even help himself? What a weak man I am! He wanted to throw something, anything to give vent to the frustration that coursed through his veins. But he had to show Alex that he was in control. Although others held the key, his mind was still his own. "Alex, I'm okay. It's much worse than it looks. Don't cry."
"You're lying," Alex said in between his sniffles, clutching onto his father's hand.
"Draco," Ginny whispered.
She had said his name again, in the same familiar way she had done years before. Draco held onto her voice, willing himself to be closer. He laid his head upon the cool metal bars of his cell. Say my name again, Ginny. Say my name again. Her voice would give him something to hold onto when the beatings became more than he could bear.
"Draco." Soft fingers danced tenderly on his face. She held one of his cheeks in her palm, muttering silently, "Not this. I didn't want this."
Draco leaned into her palm, closing his eyes. He pretended that Ginny was absolving him of all the sins he had committed against her and others, for which their son would have to pay. He wanted to apologize, yet he couldn't bring himself to say the words - I'm sorry. She wouldn't believe him, no one believed him. After what he had done, who would?
Alex started to shake uncontrollably. Draco knew what he had to do - he needed Ginny to listen to him. She had to understand. For twelve years he had missed the two most important people in his life. He missed Ginny's smile even in the darkest of places, the sound of her voice whispering wants and needs in his ear. He missed his son's unwavering love.
"I never wanted to hurt you Ginny," Draco said roughly, moving his lips to her hand, he kissed the smooth skin of her palm. "I never wanted to hurt you."
***
Time seemed to stand still.
Draco's kiss was feather soft, but she felt it deep within her. Hadn't she heard those same words many years before? Except the roles had been reversed.
Ginny was lying injured on a cold dungeon floor. The same Death Eater who had beaten her had returned. She should have been afraid of the grey eyed Death Eater. He was the one who made her bleed. He was the one who made her bruise. But why was she reaching for this man?
"I never wanted to hurt you, Ginny!" Never before had she seen Draco Malfoy cry. "I'm sorry Ginny! " From this young man that Ginny had always thought cold, came tears. Real tears. Ginny could feel the wetness fall upon her face, taste the saltiness of it as it reached the corners of her mouth.
She felt tired. So very tired. Sleep was calling for her, but he would not let her out of his grasp. Draco chanted healing spell after healing spell urging her to stay awake just a bit longer. Her brown eyes fluttered open to connect with a sea of grey.
"Forgive me Ginny." He whispered
She brought her hands to his face, wiping the tears that bordered his eyes. "I forgive you."
"I forgive you."
She saw Draco swallow hard, his question laced with hope. "Ginny?"
Harsh reality crept in as she found herself lost in the same grey eyes as the Death Eater who begged for forgiveness. Withdrawing her shaky hand from Draco, Ginny forced herself to stand. Leaning against the opposite wall, she tried to gain the strength to face the revelations before her. A rush of emotions pummeled Ginny, sharp, fast, and brutal. Nothing had prepared her for what she had felt in those few fleeting seconds. Fear. Shame. Sadness. Love. Ginny's heart thudded painfully with the realization. She had loved him.
Her chest tightened at the sight of both father and son, sharing in each other's pain. Alex weeping against the steel bars as Draco kissed him lightly on the forehead, his gaze never leaving hers. A prison cell separated Draco and Alex ,but blood bound them. No longer could she look past the fact that she had given birth to a Malfoy.
A beautiful Malfoy. Just like his father.
A grave mistake had been made and she had to make it right. Ginny flew down the corridor that lead straight to the guard who was calmly reading the latest edition of the Quibbler. Biting hard on her lower lip, she strove to control her rioting emotions. "I want a healer now!"
"Excuse me?" Hawthorne set his paper aside, slowly rising from his chair to stand face to face with Ginny. "Did I hear right? You want a healer for that Death Eater? Here, I mistakenly thought someone such as yourself would see the service we guards at Azkaban are providing for Wizarding society. "
"You heard me right the first time!" Ginny spat, her heart beating frantically. She was not above using her father's position as a threat. Draco's condition warranted immediate medical attention. Ginny would not stand by and watch him die. "Get me a healer now or you'll find yourself out of a job!"
Hawthorne laughed grimly, "I've already lost so much thanks to that Death Eater. Losing my job is the least of my worries. In fact, I'm looking forward to it. " He stepped closer to Ginny, backing her against the damp stone walls, "The last Death Eater that graced these hallowed halls never made it to his appointment with the Dementors. I've waited for a day like this. Never have I forgotten what they did to my family and to me. The Malfoys will pay."
"Mummy?" Ginny looked down to find Alex standing between her and the guard. He was trying to protect her!
Hawthorne shook his head in disgust, "He's poisoned you, that's what. Poisoned you with a devil child that should never have existed!"
A fearless Ginny lifted her chin and did not back down. "That's my child!" she said in a voice strong and sure. The infamous Weasley temper took over as she raised her hand to strike the guard. He caught her hand in midair, twisting it behind her back.
"Leave my mum alone!"
Metal bars rattled down the dim hallway as Draco's voice joined his son's, "Touch her Hawthorne and I will kill you!"
Oblivious to little arms that were trying their hardest to pummel him, Hawthorne shoved Ginny away causing her to stumble against the wall. "I don't hit women Miss Weasley." Hawthorne hissed grabbing Alex, "But little demons I do."
Ginny ran after her son being dragged by Hawthorne. "Mummy!" echoed through the halls.
"No!" Ginny screamed, a boost of adrenaline sending her racing after the cruel man who held Alex. All she could think of was her child, her mind didn't register the wand pointed in her direction. The last words she heard were "Petrificus Totalis!" Rigidity took over her body, ever increasing blackness overcame her mind as she hit the floor.
***
Draco shook the metal bars of the cell, his knuckles turning white. "Let go of my son!"
In front of Draco's cell, Hawthorne stood in a sick display of pride holding a struggling Alex in a stranglehold. "There's a muggle saying. An eye for and eye. A tooth for a tooth." He increased his choking headlock on Alex, his face rapidly turning blue for lack of oxygen, "And I must add my own, a life for a life."
Alarm and anger rippled along Draco's spine. This guard meant to kill his son. "This has nothing to do with Alex," Draco said, attempting to sound calm. He was afraid of what would happen if he infuriated Hawthorne any further. "This is between you and me. Let him go."
Hawthorne tilted his head as if considering it for a moment and then shook his head. "I don't think so."
"You'll be in Azkaban, just like me. Is that what you want?" Draco asked, trying to reason with the guard. "No family, no friends. I'm not worth it, Hawthorne." Draco couldn't help the hint of pleading in his words. Alex was fighting less and less, gasping for air. He could see the fear in his son's eyes. So close, yet so far.
"My family is all dead, thanks to you." Hawthorne said with a laugh . "Now Malfoy, you will get what you deserve. Watch your precious little son die before your eyes, as I watched my parents die."
Terrified for Alex, Draco beat his hands against the bars as Hawthorne sharply jabbed his wand into Alex's temple. "My son is innocent! He hasn't done anything to you!" Lunging his arms through the bars he attempted to grab at Hawthorne who remained out of reach.
"Should I use the Cruciatus curse or perhaps the killing curse?" Hawthorne tapped the wand against Alex's head pretending to be in deep thought, "Decisions, decisions!"
Being faced with the possibility that he would not be able to save Alex, made Draco lose all semblance of control. "Please!" Draco begged no longer able to hold his emotions back. "Kill me instead!" There was nothing he could do. Hope was fading with each passing second. With Ginny unconscious, his son was truly alone. He was going to lose Alex again and this time it would be for good. "Kill me instead!" Draco screamed again, hurling himself against his cell door, willing it to come crashing down. "Kill me!"
Hawthorne tucked his wand into his pocket, smiling sadistically. He took hold of Alex's small neck with both hands. "Maybe I'll just kill him the old fashioned muggle way."
Alex struggled against his attacker, clawing at the man in a fight he could not win. "Father," Alex cried weakly before slumping over, lifeless in the guards arms.
"NO!" Draco's shoulders trembled at the sight of Alex . The emptiness and loss ate away at his insides, clawing at his throat as tears flooded his eyes. The world came crashing down in one moment of helplessness. If he had protected Ginny twelve years ago; if he had confessed to Ron, Hermione, and Harry; if he had forced Ginny to hear him out, Alex would still be alive.
"Weak boy you have there Malfoy. Didn't even have a chance to torture the boy with the Cruciatus. Guess that means I'll just have to reserve it for you," he said, tossing Alex's limp body against the wall.
Collapsing against the bars, Draco sobbed uncontrollably as intense agony filled every fiber of his body.
Alex was gone.
TBC