A Life Worth Choosing

Author Note: Oki, so before you read this, you are going to want to go back to the previous chapter where I added a few more pages to the end of the chapter. Sorry about that, I had to rearrange teh chapters to make the story make for sense.

Chapter 16: Tearful Goodbye (Sorry it's short)

“Alright everyone. Lets get a move on. The train leaves in two hours!” Severus' voice echoed throughout the foyer.

Draco stood at the top of the stairs watching as everyone hurried to depart for King's Cross Station.

Charlie, Bill and Severus were loading the trunks into the fireplace, while Molly fussed over Trevor and Travis; making sure they were snuggled up to keep out the cold. PJ sat at the foot of the stairs reading a book, ignoring his mother who stood before him rattling off a check list of items he would be needing.

Narcissa, with the help of Hermione and Fleur, was rushing around from pot to pot looking for the Floo Powder that had mysteriously disappeared over night. Tonks, attempting to help, hurried to repair a vase she had knocked over while searching.

Draco cringed at the sounds of squawks and the occasional mews which were closely followed by the loud outbursts of curses coming from Ron as he and Harry along with Aiden, James, and Aimon prepared the pets for the long trip back to Hogwarts.

Feeling useless, Draco turned from his post and walked down the hall to find Kaeda's door slightly ajar as the sound of giggles wafted out into the hall. Draco knocked softly before pushing the door open.

“Need help with anything?” he asked.

“No thanks,” Kaeda answered, obviously still not talking to Draco no matter how many times he tried to apologizes the night before.

“Uncle Charlie already took our things. Kaeda and I are just keeping an eye on the little ones until we are ready to go,” Jacey explained.

“Oh, Ok then,” Draco said starting to turn away.

“Daddy!” Kaeda stopped him.

Draco turned hoping his apology had finally been accepted.

“Is Mum here yet?”

Disappointed, Draco just shook his head and continued down the hall to the library where he found Teddy, Avery, Marcel and Junior gathered around a table trying to squeeze in some last minute homework that they had `forgotten' to do over the holiday. Draco stood quietly at the door, listening in on their conversation.

“Hey Avery, what does it mean to write Phonetically?” Teddy asked.

“How should I know, I never took Ancient Runes,” Avery answered absentmindedly scribbling on a parchemnt.

“Doesn't your mother teach the class?” Marcel laughed.

“So? Ask J.R., he's her pet!” Avery joked.

“It means to skip double letters and silent letters,” Junior answered matter-of-factly.

“As in, Teddy would be spelt T-E-D-Y,” Marcel explained further. “Hey Avery, what are the ingredient for Poly Juice Potion? Avery? Avery?”

“Huh?” Avery looked up a little dazed.

“Are you feeling alright, Mate?”

“I'm fine, Marcel. Why do you ask?”

“I don't know. You just seem a bit- distracted lately.”

“Really? How so?” Avery asked a little annoyed.

“Well, for one, you've written the same sentence at least four times already,” Junior observed, looking across the table at his parchment.

“I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind with graduation and all.”

“Really?” Teddy asked. “So, Avery, when did you change your name to Kaeda Potter?” he asked noticing the mistake in the name blot.

“Bloody Hell!” Avery burst out loud trying to scribble out his mistake. “Anyone got any more parchment?”

“Yea, there's some in my desk drawer in my room,” Junior answered.

“Man, he's got it bad,” Marcel blurted after Avery cleared the room. “What's the deal with those two anyway?”

“No clue!” Junior shrugged. “Kade's been acting weird too, though.”

“They didn't even say two words to each other during breakfast this morning,” Teddy added.

“So what about those ingredients? I got powder bicorn horn, leeches, shredded boomslang skin, and I can't think of the other four,” Marcel said getting back on track.

“Isn't there knotgrass?” Junior offered.

“Yes, and Lacewing flies stewed for twelve days,” Teddy added.

“Actually it's twenty-one days,” Draco interrupted. You also need fluxweed picked at full moon and something from whom you want to become.”

“Right! Thanks Mr. Malfoy,” Marcel beamed hurrying to write down the answer before he forgot.

“Please, call me Draco!” he insisted. “So, anything else you need help with?”

Before any one could answer, Junior gathered up his things and left the room.

Draco shook his head

“No thanks, Mr. Malfoy,” Teddy said starting to gather his things as well. “We should be leaving soon anyway.”

Draco waited for the boys to leave before sitting down at the table and resting his head on the cold wooden surface, thinking. He remained there for quite sometime until a soft voice brought him back to reality.

“Draco Malfoy! What on Earth are you doing in here? You're children are about to leave to go back to school and you're up here taking a nap?”

Draco looked up to see an angry Ginny standing over him, one hand on her hip and using the other to point a finger at him.

“I wasn't napping, I was just-”

“Get your arse downstairs and get moving!” she interrupted.

Draco jumped to his feet, too depressed to argue with her.

Draco followed Ginny down to the foyer where he found everyone was already saying their farewells. He stood back at the last step of the staircase as he watched Ginny fling herself at Junior and Kaeda, kissing them both as she said her goodbyes.

Draco thought back to the previous night when his mother explained how this day would work out. It was obvious that the Weasley Family was too large to all travel to the station together, therefor it had become tradition that the family all met here for a final reunion before the fathers, alone, would take the children onto Platform 9 3/4.

After the hundreds of farewells, hugs, and kisses, the children were all lined up at the fireplace, one by one, floo-ing themselves onto the Platform. Draco waited to be the last one.

As he arrived, he found Harry waiting for him.

“You three seem to be getting along just fine.”

“Nothing I do seems to work,” Draco shrugged, ignoring Harry's sarcasm.

“Well, you're here now, so at least you haven't given up,” said Ron, walking over to join the conversation.

“So, what do I do?” Draco asked desperate for advice.

Harry and Ron both looked to one another and shrugged.

“Nothing!” they both answered.

“Huh?”

“Keep doing what you're doing and eventually they will come around you,” Harry clarified.

“Now, that would be great if say- they weren't leaving any moment!” Draco said slightly agitated.

“Relax, Malfoy! Just go over there and help them with there trunks,” Ron gave him a small shove causing Draco to stumble slightly up to Junior and Kaeda who were attempting to load their trunks unto the train.

Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at the trunks, causing them to levitate up and onto the train.

“There you go,” he smiled. “Anything else you need help with?”

Kaeda gave a fake smile, “No thanks,” before climbing onto the train after Junior who walked away without a word.

Well- ah- have a great term,” he called after them. “Be sure to write!”

Draco step back and leaned against the wall, starring silently into the windows of the train where he could see Kaeda giggling away with small group of girls. Two windows down, Draco could also see Junior, gathering around in a compartment along with Marcel, Teddy, Avery, and a few others.

For what seemed like forever, Draco glanced back and forth between the windows, oblivious to anything that was happening around him until the warning whistle blew, signaling the last few moments before the trains departure. Hearing Harry calling out for him, Draco turned to leave, but something stopped him.

He turned on the spot just in time to see Kaeda and Junior running of the train towards him. Meeting them halfway, Draco fell to the ground as the two jumped into his arms.

“I'm sorry, Daddy!” Kaeda whispered into his ear.

“It's alright, Kaeda,” Draco assured her.

“We're going to miss you!”

“I'm going to miss you two too,” Draco said letting go of the two of them as a second whistle sounded.

“Take care of Mum for us?” Junior asked.

“I'll try,” Draco smiled. “You know how stubborn she can be.”

“I'm still mad at you!” Junior smiled as he placed his hand on his sister's shoulder to lead her back to the train.

Draco stood and watched as they took their seats, Harry, Ron, and Bill joining him. Together the four father waved until the train was no longer in their site.

“You did well,” Ron said patting him on the back before walking away.

“Yea mate, I cried the first time I put Marcel on the train his first year,” Bill added before leaving to join Ron.

Draco sniffed softly.

“You okay, mate?” Harry asked

“Sorry, just got something in my eye,” Draco lied whipping away a single tear.

“Everything work out alright?” Harry asked.

“Yes, thanks for the advice.”

“Anytime!” Harry smiled. “Let's get you home.”

Treat for Readers!: During an episode of writters block, I created dollz for some of the children characters. You can see them here....http://groups.msn.com/Hogwartsschool2/alwc.msnw ENJOY!

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