"Mama! Look at that!"

Six- year old Draco ran forward and pressed his face to window of the sweet-shop watching in fascination the new chocolate dragons that were flying around inside.

"I want one!" he said, without turning.

"No Draco ...I…"

"Noooooooooooooooo! I WANT one! I WANT ONE NOW!" his face wore a familiar pout.

He suddenly felt himself being lifted off the ground.

"Let me go…" he kicked out and then stopped as he faced his father.

"Papa!" he threw his arms around the man who now held him over six-feet above the ground.

"Why the tantrum, Dragon?" Lucius asked hugging him back.

" 'Cos I want that chocl't dragon…but mama says no." the boy said sulkily.

"Oh! Come Narcissa, one little dragon. It's not that bad." Lucius smiled across at his wife.

She sighed, "Very well, Lucius. But he needs to be able to take no for an answer!"

"He will. One day." He smiled and carried his son in to choose a dragon.

Narcissa smiled as she watched them go in. Lucius with Draco was so different from Lucius with other people!

She saw the tall man with silver blond hair, bend down to Draco, through the window. The sharp, aquiline features were soft and she knew that the hard, blue-grey eyes would be shining.

A few minutes later they came out. Draco still in Lucius' arms.

"Tea, Madam Malfoy?" Lucius asked, offering her his free arm.

"Of course," she smiled.

Together they entered the elegant and very exclusive tea shop in the more prosperous section of Diagon Alley.

Once they had ordered, Lucius set his son down in the chair next to his and watched him eating his chocolate dragon. There was something in the absorbed and very grave way that he was eating it that made both his parents laugh out.

The boy looked up, puzzled and then when he realised they were laughing at him;

"That's not…p'lite." He said reproachfully.

"I beg your pardon." Lucius said gravely, though his mouth still twitched.

As their tea was laid out before them, Draco reached out a sticky hand for a sugar-cube.

"Not with dirty hands! I'll give you one!" Narcissa placed one delicately in the tiny hand.

"Another." He demanded.

"No Draco! You've already had the chocolate. That's enough now."

"I want another…"

"First finish that one." His father said.

Still scowling, he started nibbling the cube.

"You spoil him. He always wants more!" Narcissa frowned at her husband.

"Perhaps he's heard his mother in bed?" Lucius murmured with a wicked grin.

"Lucius!" Narcissa blushed.

"Don't blush Narc! It makes me want to kiss you." Her husband said with another grin.

A smile lit up her face, "Really Lucius! You are incorrigible!" she blew him a kiss.

Draco was watching the proceedings with a great deal of interest.

"I want a kiss too!" he stated.

"Oh yes, my dragon." His mother picked him up and cuddled him close. Draco stuck his tongue out at his father, "She didn't hug you." He said haughtily.

"She'll pay for that later." His father said in a low voice with a meaningful look at Narcissa. She laughed again.

"We'll see. Anyway, I must leave now for an appointment at Madame Malkin's. I'll see both of you at home."

"mama…get me icecream!" Draco pleaded as she got up.

"You had a chocolate and a sugar cube Draco!" both his parents looked horrified.

"So? I want 'n icecreaaaaaaaamm." His pout was forming.

"No Draco. You've had enough…"

"IIIIIIiiccccccceeeeeeecream!"

Narcissa smiled sweetly at her husband. "I must leave now Lucius, darling. Best of luck."

"Wait! Narc! You can't…you're the expert at this!"

"Its time you learnt to discipline your son, Lucius! Its all up to you, today!" she smiled again and went off, leaving her husband in the biggest fix of his life!

Finally he turned to Draco and said, "No Draco. You aren't getting an icecream!"

"But I waaaaaaaant one, papa!"

Lucius felt himself melting under the child's tearful gaze…then he forced himself.

"No Draco. Come, we're leaving."

"But Papa…."

"Draco! I said no." his tone was sharp and the novelty of it shut his son up.

Sighing, Lucius picked the child up and walked out, well aware that he was earning a lot of attention. Once outside, he Apparated to the Manor, wishing that Narcissa would return soon.

By the time they had reached the Manor, however, Draco had recovered and was now building himself up to throw a grand tantrum.

Lucius had hardly set him down, when he began to yell, "I want an icecream! You're not nice! You said no. I HATE you!"

"Draco…" Lucius stared at him in despair.

"I wanted an iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccecream!" Draco wailed, "You're evil! I hate you! I hate you!"

'Draco. Dragon.. Listen…"

"Go away. GO AWAY! Dirty Mudblood!"

"DRACO!" he towered over his son, furious now. But his son had never seen him in a temper before and went on crying,

'You are…you are a mudblood and…"

"That's it." Lucius hissed. Picking his son up he stalked up the stairs and dumped Draco into his bed unceremoniously.

"You will stay here till you are ready to be polite." He said and strode out, locking the door behind him.

Draco stared uncomprehendingly at the door for a few minutes, and then it struck him. This is what his mother had always threatened to do, but it was the first time it had been done….and his father never yelled!

Frowning, Draco touched his arm gingerly, wincing as he reached the spot where Lucius had grabbed him. He had always defeated his father at duels!

This sudden strength surprised him. Perhaps….perhaps he shouldn't have yelled like that!

He suddenly remembered his father's furious face as he had left the room and then he heard his grandma Black's voice, high and spiteful, "If you're a bad boy then your parents will never love you and they'll leave you and go off."

Had he been bad? Would papa…

He suddenly ran to the door, hammering on it with his little fists, "Papa. PAPA! PAPA!
Come back! I love you…I'm sorry!" he fell into a sobbing heap against his door.

"Did you hear something?" Lucius, glanced at his wife. They were in the study admiring her new robes.

"I don't know…" Narcissa looked up, frowning.

"I thought I did…"

"DRACO!" It suddenly struck Lucius!

Dropping the gown he held, he ran up the stairs, followed by Narcissa.

He pushed open the door and saw his son, half-asleep, still sobbing, in the middle of the room.

"Draco!" he bent down.

"Papa!" the sleepy boy reached up.

"You haven't left me?"

"Left you? Draco, why would I leave you?" Lucius smoothed the boy's hair as he lifted him up.

"Gran'ma Black said you would…if I was bad. I'm sorry papa! I didn't mean to be bad…don't leave me!" he clung to Lucius.

"Dragon!" Lucius' voice was husky, "Dragon! Of course I won't leave you! I'll always love you, Draco! This was a punishment was being rude to me and calling me a mudblood! But I'll never leave you…whatever you do! Whatever you do! I love you Dragon." He hugged his son close.

"I love you too papa! I'm sorry! I love you an'…." But he had fallen asleep on his father's shoulder.

Later that night as they stood over him, proud parents, Lucius turned to his wife, "Did I ever, my darling, tell you what a complete bat your mother is?"

"I don't believe you did…but I dropped by and told her so." Narcissa smiled grimly, recalling the interview.

"Mama…" Draco reached out and grabbed her hand in his sleep.

Lucius, his arm around Narcissa smiled…how much he loved the two of them. Oh how much!…..this was how he wanted the rest of his life to be!

First thing tomorrow, he would go to Dumbledore and get his Dark Mark removed…..