The Child's Atrocity 8

Draco got up so hurriedly he nearly knocked over a chair in his clumsiness. He strode from the room, trying to appear strong but inside gaping at himself. Had he really just admitted to someone he barely even knew…someone he didn't care for in the least…a secret that his own daughter didn't know? Had he just admitted that Lisa Turpin had had an effect on him? Nervously he swallowed as he walked out of the villa with a bang. The morning sunshine was bright, warming him to the core—for he suddenly felt cold.

He hated Lisa Turpin. It almost didn't even register that she was Ivy's mother; he never thought about that bitch. His hatred for Lisa was deeper than his hatred for anyone else. Deeper than his hatred for Potter or Weasley or any of the people he'd disliked at school. He hadn't spoken with Lisa in seven years, and he was glad of it. Bringing her up made him so angry that sometimes he lost control on his magic…and blew things up. Feeling like an adolescent, Draco tried to calm himself and walked back inside, deciding to pretend that he hadn't just revealed a very raw part of himself.

Hermione was still sitting at the table, staring off into space. She didn't even acknowledge him when he walked in.

"I think I'll go to the beach," he told her shortly. "I'm sure the children will want to go, so I'll take them." And as an afterthought, perhaps as a consolation prize for not knowing his deep secret (note the sarcasm, he told himself), he added, "You're welcome to come."

He really hadn't expected her to take him up on the offer. "Okay," she said simply, and his expression soured. He didn't want to see any more of her, he really didn't. She was making him do things he hadn't done before…like open up, like talk. He hated it!

Hermione left to go tell Chase and Ivy to pack up for the beach, while Draco went upstairs to get some things. He magicked everything he needed into a basket and then shrunk that so it fit into his shorts' pocket.

"Are we all ready?" he descended the stairs coldly.

"Yes! Ohh I love the beach, I'm so glad we're finally getting out of the house," came Ivy's voice. "You'll love it Chase the water's sparkling blue."

"Are there sharks?" Chase asked excitedly, and Draco had to crack a grin. Boys. So different from girls!

"You shan't see any, but you might see a grindylow or something" Draco interrupted. "Now come on, let's go."

The four of them Flooed over to Ibiza, where there was one wizard beach establishment. "It's a great beach," Ivy exclaimed with a sigh of pleasure. "Come on Chase, let's go."

Draco watched with amusement and horror as the two children took off. He turned to the woman next to him, who looked worried. "Don't be such a worrier," he told her sullenly. "You are always worrying."

"And as if you're not?" she retorted with a glare. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm about to read. Don't interrupt."

Of course. Hermione would read. What else would she do on a beach? God forbid she'd get out and actually tan or something? No; she'd read, read, read. He…oh, she was infuriating!

Not even answering, Draco went down many yards so he was as far away from her as possible. Now that he was here, he might as well work on his tan (not like it would work. He was ridiculously pale).

Really.

Hermione actually didn't want to read. Here she was at a beach and she didn't want to read. What was wrong with her? With a sigh she glanced over at Draco, a few yards away. She didn't know why but she really wanted to talk to him. She wanted to find out more about his elusive past and his current anger towards it. The kids…where had they gone, anyway?

She decided to be mature.

She'd be the one who went over there and talked to him.

So putting down her book delicately, Hermione made her way over to where he was relaxing. "I think," she began slowly, "that we need to call something of a truce."

He sat up, really rather quickly. "What?!"

"A truce," she repeated firmly, cautiously sitting down next to him. "We need a truce. I cannot have us bicker in front of children."

"Speaking of," he growled, "where are those two?"

Hermione shrugged. "I think Chase mentioned something about exploring the length of the beach…I do hope they don't go out in the water too far," she added worriedly.

"Don't worry," Draco told her condescendingly. "I know that Ivy is smart enough to know that going out too far is dangerous with all the underwater creatures. I'm sure she'll explain it to Chase, if he's being rash."

"My son is not rash," Hermione argued, faintly annoyed. "See what I mean? We have to stop just… bugging each other about things like this. Draco, we haven't seen each other in many years…" Hermione trailed off, not believing that these words were coming out of her mouth. She didn't like him at all. When had she decided to be mature about this whole thing? It was kind of nice, actually. "Maybe this time," she finished, losing some of the fervor she had started with, "we can actually…not kill each other."

"Maybe," he said tersely, shrugging. "I doubt it."

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly."

"I'm being honest. I do not think it'll work; you and I don't get along and we won't get along. Now I'm trying to relax." After seeing Hermione's glare, he grudgingly added, "you're welcome to stay here."

"I think I will," she snapped back, lying down just a few feet away, and promptly falling asleep in the warm sand.

"You know," Ivy motioned to the adults, "I'm beginning to think it won't work."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Chase said smugly. "Only you wouldn't give up."

"This rivalry between them must've gone really deep," Ivy lamented. "They didn't even do anything. I thought at least we could get them horribly mad at each other, but no, your mother had to go and call a truce, and my father stupidly agreed."

"He didn't agree," Chase pointed out.

"Yes he did," Ivy argued. "My dad will never straight out agree to anything, but I could completely tell he agreed and he'll do anything to keep the truce. For our sake. God! I really want to know what happened in their past! Why do they hate each other so much?"

"Dunno," Chase shrugged. "My mum never mentioned it. Maybe it had something to do with her friends—Harry and Ron."

"Harry Potter?" Ivy raised an eyebrow. "He came up a few times in History of Magic, he's in the history books and everything, and my dad said he knew him and found him to be dastardly high-headed."

"He's like my mum's best friend," Chase seemed surprised. "And I know him awfully well. He's really quite nice; he isn't high-headed at all."

"I suppose that that's where the dislike stems from," Ivy realized wisely. "They just disagree over Harry Potter is all."

"You're right," Chase conceded. "How childish of them! It's so stupid!"

"I know," Ivy nodded her head in accord. "they're being really dumb."

"Let's take them out to a sit-down dinner," Chase suggested, "and then you and I can cop-out half way through. They'll have to get along somewhat."

"They'll be so mad," Ivy cackled gleefully. "Can't wait. I'll suggest La Amiga de Marisol. Dad loves it."

"Okay," Chase started up towards them. "Let's break up their little siesta, shall we?"

"Yes of course," Ivy jumped on the idea and the two children made their way down to where Draco and Hermione were peacefully asleep.

Draco felt someone shaking him awake and he mumbled incoherently, until one particular voice became very clear. Ivy. Of course. Grumbling he sat up and frowned. "What? I don't want to be disturbed!"

"I'm bored," Ivy shrugged.

Draco could not have been more annoyed. Shooting her a look, he raised his hands to the heavens and sighed. "Merlin. We brought along a friend along with some, ah, extra baggage, and yet you claim boredom? I think not! Go play with Chase!"

"But I don't wanna….ooh, I've a brilliant idea!"

"Oh, Gods, Ivy, not another brilliant idea. Your last brilliant idea got me stuck with…" he pointed at Hermione who was still asleep.

"Please don't be rude," Ivy chided. "I think the two of you get along fabulously. It's evident she likes you, Dad."

Draco sputtered. "Ivy, are you serious?" he asked faintly. To suggest such a thing was sacrilege! "You must be kidding. Surely you have enough common sense to see that Chase's mother and I really don't get along?"

"It's a farce," Ivy smiled nonchalantly, and Draco was astounded.

"It's not a farce! Are you joking? We've never liked each other. We just don't…click."

"Au contraire," Ivy grinned now, looking positively cheerful. Draco shuddered. "I'd like to think that you and Ms. Granger – Hermione – only disagree because you had one person between you."

"And who, pray tell," Draco countered sarcastically, "could this one person be?"

"Harry Potter," Ivy crowed triumphantly. "You didn't like him, Hermione liked him, and that's where you guys began to argue! Am I right?"

"Why would you care so much?" Draco tried to switch tactics but it was all in vain. It seemed like his daughter was bent upon this conversation—something he really, truly, didn't want to have. "And Harry Potter, I've told you, is just a stuck-up little orphan prat!"

"Daddy! Such language!" Ivy teased with a wink. "And you wonder where I get it."

Draco grimaced but didn't say anything. Sometimes he let his temper get the better of him…

"Anyhow, I believe that you and Hermione never really disliked each other, you just didn't get along because of your friends…or enemies, in your case, Dad. Think about it. Anyway I want to know all about it; I suppose you were all schoolmates then."

"There's nothing to know," Draco told her shortly. "Nothing at all."

But as luck would have it, Hermione would choose that very instant to rise and rather languidly too. "Mmm," she stretched, and then Draco watched it register on her face that she was sleeping right by Draco and Ivy.

"Er, am I interrupting anything?" she asked worriedly.

Ivy laughed. "No, nothing. In fact you'll help me out."

"How so?" Draco noticed that Hermione looked suspicious. Good on her, he thought reasonably. She had every right to be; Ivy was conniving as hell and Chase probably was too.

"Well, Dad and I were just discussing his schooldays and you both went to school together, no?"

"Well, yes," Hermione looked bemused. Draco grinned. Time for her to suffer a bit under the scrutiny of a thirteen-year-old-inquisitive-little-monster!

Er, very nice and lovely monster, too.

"And you and Dad weren't friends?" Ivy prompted.

Hermione laughed. "I'd say we were far from friends," she conceded. "We didn't get along because he didn't like my friends very much…and he was a bit rude and immature," she shot Draco a mean little glare, which Draco immediately returned.

"Oh, tell me about it! Tell me why you didn't like each other," Ivy smiled.

"Er, Ivy," Draco eluded the question, "where is Chase?"

"The little boys' room," Ivy brushed the attempt aside. "Now tell me all about it."

His daughter looked pointedly at Hermione and Draco fought the urge to breathe a sigh of relief. Let Hermione endure the bright limelight of Ivy's questions, thank Merlin.

"Well," Hermione began, looking rather awkward, "er, your father and I didn't really get along because we were in different Houses, and … umm…he was a bit mean."

Draco didn't want to elaborate but he knew he had to. "Well, she was very stuck-up and snobby. Always going on about how smart she was."

"I did not!" Hermione gasped.

"You so did," Draco told her grimly.

"Well, you were a first-class prat! Calling me such dirty names and bothering us so much!"

"Only because Potter was so bloody cocky!"

"He wasn't cocky at all; I don't know what you're on about! And you have to admit you were ridiculously rude!"

"So maybe I was," he bit back, "but it's not to say you weren't. You slapped me, you little…" he trailed off as he noticed that Ivy was watching with hungry eyes.

"Er, yes," she mumbled, also having just noticed they had an audience. "Sorry about that."

"Well then, I'm sorry about calling you names," he sighed. He had to act nicely for Ivy's sake.

"See now," Ivy put in her two cents' worth, "you've apologized for the past and you can move along. Now you both can get along marvelously and life will be wonderful!" she proclaimed optimistically.

"I don't think so," Draco and Hermione replied simultaneously, and then promptly shot each other ugly looks.

"See! You already think alike!" Ivy pointed out gleefully. "Anyhow, Daddy, I wanted to suggest La Amiga de Marisol for dinner tonight."

"I suppose," Draco told her grudgingly, "if you go somewhere else now. I've had enough of this conversation."

"Will do," Ivy agreed quickly and hopped off.

"The nerve," Draco muttered after her retreating back.

"I know, children," Hermione piped up from his side, looking sympathetic. "That really was awful, wasn't it? Twenty Questions from a child, no less. But it was awfully cute of her, I must say!"

"Cute?" Draco disagreed. "I'd hardly say so. Cute! Cute would be if she drew a butterfly in the sand or some girly thing like that. She was harassing me! Harassing us!"

"Oh, by gods don't take it so seriously. So you had to apologize to me, so what? You were setting a good example. And I'll have you know," Hermione looked straight at him, and when their eyes met he felt a bit funny, in a peculiar, not unpleasant way, "that I meant my apology. Your daughter's right. We aren't being mature about this in the least. And I did suggest a truce earlier…"

"Fine, I agree!" he spat. "It seems I cannot get any peace here at all! I came to escape and instead am roped into a truce with my mortal enemy and my own daughter turns against me!"

Hermione laughed. "You are being overly dramatic. I am by no means your mortal enemy and your daughter hasn't turned against you."

Draco chose not to answer. He felt childish and didn't want to act his age. "The kids are playing," he said dully. "Aren't you worried Chase will fall over and get a scratch?" He said it sarcastically and bitingly.

To his dismay Hermione did not get riled up and start yelling at him. Instead she was quiet for a moment, and then—"I've been thinking about that," she replied stiffly, "and I think you're right. I am…a bit overprotective about it. I'll let him play Quidditch from now on. And…I was wondering…" she trailed off.

"Yes?" Draco asked tiredly.

"well… if you'd be…if you'd do me a favor," she finally gushed out.

His instinct was to say an automatic no, but he deliberated and decided to give it a chance. "What?"

"Well, if you could maybe take Chase out for…er, a Quidditch game. Let him play with you." She looked hopeful, attractive even.

"Sure," the word was out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "I mean," he corrected, "that might be a possibility."

"Oh, thank you!" Her face broke out into a huge smile. "I really appreciate that and I'm sure Chase will just love it!"

Chase gestured over at the parents. "Ivy," he said seriously. "things have just taken a major turn."

"I realize," Ivy smiled demurely. "And do you know why? Because I instigated it. They're very cool now, they're definitely going to get along. Hah! So fun!"

"wait…that's not the fun part," Chase disagreed. "The fun part is when we set them up and they get so hopping mad!"

"It will come in due time," Ivy promised. "right now they have to realize that being in each other's company isn't a picnic with the Devil. And I think they just have. So part one is complete."

"And moving on…" Chase grinned evilly. "Oh, God, we're awful. My mum would kill me if she knew."

"But she doesn't! And she won't!"

If only Draco and Hermione knew how mutinous their children really were!

A/N: I'm sorry. The wait was long. The chapter might not be top-notch. I'm trying, I really am. Doing my best and I know I haven't uploaded anything in forever…well, here you go. Enjoy, I hope. And please, please review! I love them and they help a ton with writer's block.