Disclaimer:
I do not own anything about the Harry Potter book series. Not the plot, not the places, not the characters, etc. They all belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling and I do not any in way, shape, or form intend to pass them off as my own.

Author's Note:
I received the idea for this short one shot while I was in the park last week. Something about the moment between the father and son just jumped out at me and screamed Draco and Scorpius Malfoy. I don't know why but I can just see it happening between the two after Draco emotionally changed and had a family. The story doesn't focus on Scorpius until the end.
If you have any questions and/or comments please leave them in a review. Beneficial criticism, whether it is good or bad, is welcome. If you spot any grammar errors please notify me as well; I'm not the best whenever it comes to proof reading. Thank you for reading! =]
- Kelly

The Effects of War let me Love
~** A Draco and Scorpius Malfoy one shot **~

The effects that war can leave on a man are perhaps never ending. Each man reacts in his own way to how he observes concepts after he has seen some of the most gruesome images imagined.

Once the battles are fought a few men who served will have become hard with grief and sorrow, being pained with memories of their happier years. They would be scarred with emotionless fear remembering the horrible sights witnessed and possibly caused by their own hands. All the while, some men will realize what is most important in life and how much their wrong-doings have tarnished it. These men had to face the terrors of war before their eyes were opened to the light and to love.

For Draco Malfoy, the son of the famous Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, it was in fact the latter that crept amongst his heart. And he was glad it did. After the war he grew sick and tired of bickering with classmates and holding his head higher than needed. He saw Harry Potter and his gang fight for what was right and he oddly admired how much they sacrificed for each other; nothing but the wholesome essence of love could make a person so selfless like that. He quickly comprehended the disgusting, prejudice views that he was raised to believe in. The word Mudblood no longer was a part of his extensive vocabulary.

From the moment Lord Voldemort had his fall Draco vowed that if he ever did have children, he would teach them the importance of true love. Not the love that he himself had grown up with – always getting his way and everything he wanted with money, never talking to his parents, and looking down upon anyone but Purebloods with a turned up nose. No, that simply would not due for the young Malfoy. He instead would spend time with his babies by telling stories about his time at Hogwarts, playing games like Hide and Seek, tickling them until he heard laughter, and actually having conversations together. He would be the world's greatest father even if it would be the only right thing he had ever done. He was determined.

Almost two years after the Second Wizarding War (2000) Draco moved away from his family, his old life, for a fresh beginning in the twenty-first century. Yes, he still loved his father and mother even after they had been so horrid, but he didn't want any chance of falling back into the black pit. He had seen the light, felt it on his heart, welcomed it, and craved for it. He replaced his snide remarks for friendly compliments and turned the scowl on his face into a smile that lit up his sharp features. He began to make trips once and awhile to Muggle-London finding curiosity in the 'normal' life of the people and the weird items their shops contained.

For once, Draco's life was quite well. No, he viewed it as better than well. It was absolutely brilliant. And after each day passed it seemed to become more fantastic. He began to work as a bartender at the Leaky Cauldron for money (he no longer depended on his father to keep up with his needs). Once he had bought a small flat and was doing just fine finically, he was at the happiest he had ever been.

To add onto the fairy tale ending, Draco met Astoria Greengrass one night while he was working. Astoria was a beautiful witch that shared the same views about his new life. Her sister was in the same year and house as Draco when at Hogwarts. Needless to say, they quickly formed a close bond. She came to the bar every Friday night just to see him. They learned about each other's history and soon their feelings grew deeper. And as in every fairy tale I have ever read, they married and had a charming son together.

Now was the time that Draco needed to keep his promise to himself.

- - - - - - - - - -

It was a cool October evening and Draco was in the park with his son Scorpius like every other Saturday. He and his three-year-old son always came here to play while Astoria cooked dinner at home (she also wanted a little alone time being the only female in the household). Draco enjoyed this time with Scorpius, even if it was only for an hour. To him, it was the best hour of his week. He was able to receive some fresh air, let his stress simply melt away, and make his son happy. He lived entirely to make his little boy happy.

Draco was sitting on a cool, black bench while Scorpius ran around on the grass and played with the fallen, brown leaves upon it. He grinned to himself watching the child throw the dead leaves into the air, his chubby hands extended toward the sky as they fell back down. Scorpius' pure laughter buried its way into Draco's ears making his grin turn into a full-teeth-showing smile. His son repeated the action again and again not knowing nor caring that his father was looking at him as if he were a goofball.

Scorpius was an exact copy of Draco. He literally looked just like his father when he was three. Scorpius had hair so blonde that it was snowflake white and skin so pale it looked of porcelain. His small lips and cheeks were a lovable color of pink that would even put Barbie to shame. And you mustn't forget his eyes. His eyes were his most prominent feature and were like pools of molten steel – gray with a warm fire beneath them. To put it blankly, he looked like what one would picture to be an angel.

Draco heard the tell-tale ring of a vender's bell and sifted his eyes away from his son to see a man selling chocolate frogs. Apparently Scorpius did too because Draco heard his small gasp. He looked at the boy once more to see his eyes big, staring at the vender and his mouth in a small 'o' shape. Scorpius turned his head to his father and smirked before running over to him. Draco laughed at his shenanigans whilst Scorpius ran to him.

"Daddy!" he yelled stopping once at the bench and putting his tiny hands on Draco's knees.

Draco picked him up and sat him on his lap. His baby's little hands wrap around his neck as he said, "Yeah mate?"

"Do you looove me?" Scorpius asked drawling out the word love.

The older Malfoy chuckled knowing his acts, "You know I do Scor."

Scorpius once more smirked like a true Slytherin, "Then will you do me a favor? Pwease?"

"What is it mate?" Draco asked smiling.

The little one sighed, "Well, you see, I was wondering… if you would buy me a cho-cate fog?"

Draco laughed at his mischievous ways and how he pronounced chocolate frog. Running his hand lightly through Scorpius' hair he said firmly, "Now you know I can't do that Scorpius. Mummy is at home making us dinner. We're having pasta tonight."

Scorpius crinkled his nose at the mention of pasta. He utterly hated the food. He protested, "But Daddy, I don't like pasta. You know that. I would like it much better if I had a cho-cate fog."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Oh would you now?"

The child's head bobbed eagerly up and down.

"Scor, you may be happy, but you'll hurt Mummy's feelings if you don't eat what she cooked. I'm sure she's been working very hard on it just to make it yummy for you."

With that said, Draco tickled Scorpius' stomach making him giggle. He smiled and stopped tickling him after a moment whenever his son's eyebrows furrowed. Draco knew that meant he was in deep thought and probably up to no good.

Scorpius huffed, "Okay Daddy I will make you a deal."

Draco smirked wanting to hear this, "Alright. Tell me what your deal is."

Scorpius replied, "If you buy me a cho-cate fog I will split it between you and Mummy because you always say that I'm 'upposed to share. That way when I don't eat dinner Mummy won't be so sad and forgive me."

Draco chuckled at the innocence of Scorpius' words, "I don't want a chocolate frog Scor and Mummy won't want one either." He knew that Astoria was on a diet even thought she already looked perfect to him.

The younger male's eyes lit up and assumed excitedly, "So I can have it all to myself then?"

The man shook his head, "No Scorpius. You can't have a chocolate frog. It will ruin your dinner and Mummy will be mad at me for buying you one."

Scorpius thought a for awhile and then smirked again whispering, "But Daddy… what Mummy doesn't know won't hurt her."

Draco grinned. His son was a Malfoy inside and out. He pretended to contemplate it and knew Scorpius had him wrapped around his finger. He exhaled, "Well I guess one wouldn't hurt –"

Scorpius' eyes got huge as he jumped off of his father's lap. Smiling, Draco caught his arm gently.

"I'm not done mate," he told him as Scorpius turned to face him. "You have to promise me to eat at least half of your pasta."

"Okay!" he said with no hesitation hugging Draco with all of the power his tiny arms could muster. "I love you Daddy!"

Draco hugged him back smiling, "I love you too son. More than you could ever imagine."

Scorpius let go showing a gap-toothed beam, "Come on Daddy!" He pulled Draco to the vender laughing all the way.

- - - - - - - - - -

Yes, Draco Malfoy learned a lot through the effects of war.

He learned how to properly love.