Punishment and Salvation

Published: May 25, 2025

Draco was pulled out of his recovery bed by his father. He was weak, spent. His magic was depleted, low.

"Draco... the wolf believes he has found Potter! Come and confirm it and earn some good favor from the Dark Lord."

Draco noted that his father didn't say that he would forgive him. The Dark Lord loved torturing him too much for that. Before Draco left his room, he applied the glamour spells that had shielded his condition for so long.

When Draco walked into the foyer, he recognized Weasley and Granger immediately. His heart beat faster. There was another male on the floor, kneeling. His face was misshapen. Even before his father shoved him to his knees in front of the mystery man, he was sure it was Potter.

"Well, Draco? Is it Potter?" his father growled.

"Tell us, boy, and we'll be rewarded!" Aunt Bella spat.

"You mean I'll be rewarded," Greyback hissed.

While his aunt and father argued with Greyback, Draco stared into Potter's green eyes. Potter blinked as though seeing through his own disguise. Glamours couldn't hide the fear and misery in Draco's eyes. Potter was astonished, but then Draco could see desperation in Potter's eyes. He was pleading, silently, to help him, but he couldn't. It wasn't just his life on the line, now. He lowered his eyes, helpless to save him. He hadn't seen Potter since his failure at the Tower, except for that Dream.

"Silence!" his father spat. "Draco! Is it Potter?"

As much as he wanted to say no, he couldn't risk it. "I don't know."

Greyback snarled, "What do ya mean you don't know?"

"I don't know," he repeated, refusing to look at Potter, again.

"Listen, you coward," his father snarled, grabbing him by the shirt.

"No! Wait! Where did you get that sword!" his aunt shrieked.

His father released him, and Draco fled to his room. He dropped the glamour immediately, revealing his weight loss and scars. Even at school, it was hard to eat, hard to put on weight, despite his condition. He walked over to the small bed and peered down at the rosy-cheeked boy, whose eyes lit up happily when he came closer. He tickled the small infant's tummy, and the boy giggled, already breaking milestone marks. He was special. He was his.

Draco shivered as he felt a small probe on the wards. His father hadn't removed his access, yet. The Dark Lord was testing him with having the ability to escape. He wouldn't dare risk it. However, Draco, unlike his father, had a wand. He checked and found that his former elf, Dobby, was trying to get in.

"Dobby?" he called, and the elf appeared, looking wary.

"Master Draco?"

"Go! Save Potter and his friends! They're in the basement!"

Dobby left without another word. In for a Knut, in for a galleon, as the saying goes. Potter needed to escape... to win. Potter needed to save them... his son.

A sudden burn on his arm made him shudder and drop to his knees. He knew he had to hide his tiny son, so he pushed the crib into the closet and waited for more punishment.

****

Less than a month later, Draco found Potter again. Crabbe and Goyle made him come with them, and they cornered Potter in the Room of Hidden Things.

"That's my mother's wand, Potter," Draco said, alerting the Chosen One to their presence. His mother told him how Potter had taken her wand and Aunt Bella's.

"Winner's keepers, Malfoy," Potter replied back, sensing he was outgunned. "So, why didn't you all run?"

"Stop talking and give up, Potter!" Crabbe sneered loudly.

"Why would I?" Potter shot back, readying his wand.

Draco felt ill at the idea of fighting. "No! The Dark Lord wants Potter alive!"

"Shut up, coward!" Goyle hissed.

"You really are a bitch," Crabbe said, glaring at him, disgusted.

Draco went red. His "friends" knew what his punishment was. "But...."

"You and your da are done!"

Potter used that opportunity to attack, and Granger and Weasley showed up. Crabbe and Goyle started cursing everything they could. Draco ducked out of the way and stunned Goyle when he tried to kill Granger. Crabbe swore at him but then cast the Fiendfyre spell, and magical fire exploded out of his wand.

Draco knew they were dead but ran anyway, climbing onto the bookcases to get higher. He magicked Goyle to safety, but the flames collapsed the bookcase Goyle was on and he fell into the flames. The heat and smoke were overwhelming. The air was super hot, but before he could try to save himself, Potter came back for him on a broomstick.

Draco couldn't believe it, and grabbed Potter's hand. Potter heaved him up and behind him and, in the commotion, Potter dropped his mother's wand into the flames.

"Shit," Potter swore. "Hold on!" Potter turned away from the door and into the flames.

"What are you doing!?" Draco screamed.

Potter ignored him and flew through the smoke. He coughed as he searched for the target. Draco applied the Bubble Head Charm to both of them, so they could see and breathe, again.

"Thanks," Potter shouted, as he turned downward to collect the tiara-like thing off a bust. Then Potter flipped the broom back toward the door at full speed as flames roared behind them.

Draco saw they were heading to the hallway wall at full speed and shouted, "Arresto momentum!"

They still hit hard and fell to the floor. Thankfully, Granger cast the doors shut.

"Holy Merlin!" Weasley yelled.

"That was Fiendfyre! That was so dangerous! They both are gone," Granger said, aghast.

Draco wasn't upset that they were gone. Both had been gloating about his punishment and nearly took advantage of him, as his punishment was known to all. Death Eaters, including both their dads, had taken their turn. Blaise had made sure they didn't try to take him, though.

Draco watched the Horcrux melt and only somewhat listened to the Golden Boy and his minions discuss it and the bloody snake. However, fighting down the hall drew Granger and Weasley to help, and he was left alone with Potter.

Potter eyed him, cautiously. Draco couldn't keep eye contact with anyone nowadays. Fear was his constant companion. Potter seemed to be assessing him, somehow able to see through his glamours. Draco couldn't look at him, coward through and through. Potter, however, glanced back to his friends, worriedly. His hand open and closed as he fretted, empty-handed. Potter was defenseless again.

Well, fuck. Potter needed a wand. Potter was about to leave when Draco touched his arm, and Potter looked back into his eyes. It almost physically hurt, but Draco slowly held out his wand, his only defense, for him to take, hoping, praying with all his might that Potter would win.

"What?" Potter gasped, looking shocked at his offer.

"Finish him... please...."

Potter took the wand and double-checked that he hadn't changed his mind. "What happened to you?" Potter asked, but Draco looked away.

"More than you can imagine. Go, Potter."

"Thanks... take care of yourself, Malfoy."

Potter went towards his mates and cast a powerful Protego spell to deflect a spell heading toward the twins. Malfoy went the opposite way and managed to grab a wand from a down Death Eater. He Disillusioned himself and went through the battle Stunning all Death Eaters he found.

Hours later, Draco saw Hagrid carrying Potter and dropping him to the ground in the courtyard. The Dark Lord said it was over and to join him. But there was no way Draco would willingly cross over to him, again. However, Neville charged, and the Dark Lord tried to punish him, but Neville cut off the snake's head with a giant sword. In the commotion, Draco realized Harry had disappeared.

Everyone was pushed into the building, and Potter came back from the dead. He challenged the Dark Lord in front of everyone and explained the Dark Lord was doomed.

"You want to know why the Elder Wand doesn't work? It recognized a new owner before Snape could kill Dumbledore. Someone who never even touched that wand." Potter explained. "And the wand accepted him as its new owner... Draco Malfoy."

The Dark Lord scoffed. "Ha! It is no matter. You no longer have the twin cores. After I deal with you, I'll deal with that coward, once and for all."

Potter barked a laugh, as Draco cringed from his title. "But you're too late. Draco Malfoy gave this wand to me a few hours ago. Let's see if the Elder Wand knows who its true owner is! Expelliarmus!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Draco could hardly watch but managed to keep his eyes open for the end. The Dark Lord was vanquished at Potter's hand. He and his son were finally free. He saw the crowd storm Potter, but Draco was suddenly grabbed by his father and dragged out of the hall into a classroom nearby.

"How did Potter get your wand!" his father demanded to know.

Draco felt strong for once. "I gave it to him!"

His father slapped him. "How dare you... you bloodtraitor whore!"

Draco's eyes filled with tears, and his mother stopped his father from hitting him, again. "Don't!"

Lucius turned on her. "Don't stop me from...."

But Draco Stunned him, standing up to his father for the first time. He looked at his father on the floor and then at his mother. "It's over."

She nodded.

"Where is he?" Draco demanded. His mother had promised to take care of his son.

"Your father made me leave him behind at the Manor."

Draco grit his teeth but refrained from calling his mother names. He asked her to come with him, but she looked at her husband and chose him, again.

"I'll stay. Go... find peace. I will always love you," she said, but her words felt weak. She chose Lucius at the end, and Draco didn't try to sway her.

The celebration was dying down in the Great Hall, but also despair and sadness was setting in. A lot of people were dead. He even heard cries to secure the prisoners and take their wands. Draco knew his time to escape was closing. He ran down to his dorm first and magicked everything into his bag that had an Undetectable Extension Charm on it, before sneaking up into the Head's office and using the floo to get home.

The Manor was quiet, but Draco ran to his room. His son, his heart, was crying, pleading for attention. He picked him up, and his boy immediately stopped crying. He Summoned a milk bottle and fed his son, unsure when his mother had fed him last. He gave his son extra love and affection as he finished the bottle. He was furious his mother had left him alone. His son's hands touched his face as though happy to see him, the sweet child that he was.

Draco had been so worried about him, but his father had placed his son in his wife's care and sent him back to school under threat of pain. Thankfully, his son looked fed and wasn't hurt, at least. Draco wanted to stay here, get his son to sleep and find his own bed... but this was the Dark Lord's base of operations. The war was over, and Draco wasn't on the winner's side. He made a wrap and tucked his boy in, close to his chest. He could look down easily and see his son, who giggled happily up at him. He was worth everything.

Draco quickly swept the room, packing everything he could think of: clothes, supplies and books for a life on the run. He had heard how Potter survived a year with the whole country after him. That was what he had to do. He couldn't be caught. He was a Death Eater, a marked criminal... a known coward and worse. Everyone would know what he was, and his son would be shunned... a pariah.

Draco had to make sure his son was safe from all that. No matter what, his small baby boy was innocent. He had to be kept away from the hate and scorn that would follow the Malfoy name. No... Malfoy wouldn't be his last name. Draco wouldn't tell his son his last name or even his own name...Draco. No, he would be his Papa, and that was it. Draco decided it would be safer if he never said his first or last name, again.

Draco looked around his former home and couldn't bring himself to take anything of sentimental value. He wanted nothing to remember this place or this family. The place where he was branded, where his innocence was taken, and he was torn apart. No, this wasn't his home. It was his prison. He went back to his room and shouldered his bag. He was about to leave when his eyes landed on his secret cubby spot under the floorboards.

He couldn't risk bringing the box under it to school. He bent down and pried it out. He put the secret box into his bag. Then he walked out of the house to the end of the wards and Apparated away, hoping his son would handle the journey okay.