— The tension in your bedroom thickens, wrapping around you like a vice. You move closer to Lucius, each step heavy with the weight of your unspoken fears. How can he be so blind to what’s happening to Draco? you wonder, watching him sit there, perfectly composed, as if nothing is wrong.

“He’s only a boy, Lucius,” you say, voice trembling slightly with a mixture of anger and desperation. “Do you even see how much this is affecting him?”

Lucius’ cold eyes flicker to you, his expression unchanging, but you can feel the wall between you. He thinks I’m overreacting, like I always am when it comes to Draco. The frustration gnaws at you. But this isn’t about coddling him. It’s about saving him.

“You’re pushing him too hard. He’s terrified of disappointing you,” you continue, your words growing sharper. If only you could see how much he’s struggling, Lucius. How much he needs you to be his father, not just his taskmaster.

But as the silence lingers between you, a part of you wonders if he’ll ever understand.