More Than a Year

by Tigergirl

Sequel to Just a Year. It's been months since Harry's life was saved from a rare deadly disease. As far as Nico's concerned, Harry's family and no one can convince him otherwise. Except someone new is showing interest in Harry and Nico's not sure what to think.

Title: More Than a Year

Author: Tigergirl

Rated: M

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters. Only my adorable little Nico.

Summary: Sequel to Just a Year. It's been months since Harry's life was saved from a rare deadly disease. As far as Nico's concerned, Harry's family and no one can convince him otherwise. Except someone new is showing interest in Harry and Nico's not sure what to think.

Author's Note: To all my readers and reviewers from "Just a Year," thank you for all your kind words and thoughts. I had no idea that fan fic would be so well liked. You never know how things will go, especially when introducing Original Characters.

CHAPTER ONE

Almost a year ago, on a bright morning at home, Harry was surprised by the sudden appearance of a small child. He had no idea that rare meeting would lead to several months of adventures. He developed a new friendship with the Malfoy-Snape's, including the Malfoy Patriarch. It was unfortunate he had made an enemy of his now ex-wife.

The rare disease that had been slowly breaking down his magical core had weakened him to a stay in Saint Mungo's. The combined efforts of his doctor, Hermione, and Severus helped to procure a cure to save his life. The cure had nearly been administered too late, thanks to the interference of Narcissa.

Now, the divorce was final and Narcissa was on monitored house arrest in an undisclosed location outside of the London area.

Harry shook his head as he ate his breakfast. No one had been more infuriated with the Wizengamot's decision than Lucius. A shiver danced up Harry's back. The man had gladly reminded the Wizengamot why one does not piss off Lucius Malfoy. Draco had been worried about his father's heart, but the elderly Malfoy had brushed him off.

"I survived a heart attack and a lifetime married to that heartless, parasitic, coma-inducing assault on the ocular sense harpy. The Wizengamot is cake compared to that."

Lucius had returned to the Ministry of Magic to push the way for new reforms and changes. He had helped finally cast Fudge out of office. The man had been replaced with someone Lucius knew had the best interests of the people in mind.

"Mr. Harry!"

Harry braced himself before turning around and swiftly catching Nico. The young boy threw his arms around him in a warm yet light hug. His father had warned him he still had to take it easy on Harry. Nico leaned back in Harry's arms so he could look back at the man.

"Good morning, Nico, and a very Happy Birthday," Harry greeted.

Nico giggled. He threw his arms up and out from his sides.

"Mr. Harry, it's not my birfday. My birfday is Sat-er-day," Nico replied, slowly pronouncing Saturday.

Harry grinned.

"Well, today is Friday and tomorrow is Saturday and I won't see you tomorrow," Harry reminded him.

Nico pouted.

"That means I won't see you next week."

Harry flashed him a knowing smile while nodding.

"That's right. Your family is taking you on a vacation next week. So it'll be like your birthday lasts a whole week," Harry said, before putting the child down.

Nico chewed on his lip. His father often told him not to, but he still did it sometimes. Most times, he did it when he wanted to say something, but refrained from doing so. He wanted to tell Mr. Harry he was family so he should be coming on the trip, too.

"How do you feel about turning six?" Harry asked.

Nico popped his mouth open in surprise.

"Mr. Harry! Not six. Five!" Nico said, throwing up his hand wide open.

Harry chuckled, tapping himself on the head and shaking it. He reached down and slapped Nico a high five.

"Five, of course! How could I have forgotten?"

Nico's head flopped from side to side. Harry finished his breakfast real quick and choked down his vitamins.

"Are you ready for your birthday surprise?" Harry asked.

Nico's head rattled forward and backward.

"Yes! Yes! Tell me, tell me!" Nico exclaimed.

Harry picked up something from the kitchen island counter. He handed them down to Nico. The little boy separated the two items so he was holding a rectangular shape in each hand. It felt and looked like paper.

"Paper?" Nico asked.

Harry stifled his laughter. Instead he beamed from ear to ear.

"Nope. Those are tickets," Harry explained.

"Ticks? What for?"

"The exhibition game between the Chudley Cannons and the Holyhead Harpies."

Nico shrieked in excitement, throwing the small papers up in the air. Harry toppled over backwards into the island when the young boy tackled him at the knees.

"YAY!"

/…/

With a great big orange hat threatening to drop over his eyes and a matching oversized scarf wrapped around his neck, Nico was grinning ear to ear. He could see the whole Quidditch field from the great position he and Harry sat at. The stadium was a sea of green and orange. It was the game of games as Holyhead had added their first male teammates since their founding in 1203.

Nico was especially happy because their box included a few other kids, too. If anyone in the box recognized Harry, they didn't bring it up. Then again everyone's attention was on the game. Harry brought down the binoculars and held them so Nico could look through them.

"Do you know that player?" Harry asked.

Nico watched as the Cannons' Keeper made an impressive maneuver that resulted in him batting the quaffle away with his broom. Nico turned and grinned big at Harry.

"Oliver Wood! He's my fav'ite! But he's a 'nited Player!" Nico said, looking at Harry in confusion.

Harry smiled. He noticed when Nico got particularly excited about something, his speech tended to blend together or omit speech sounds.

"I didn't know he was your favorite. He just joined the Cannons a month ago. Did you get to watch him when he played for Puddlemore United?" Harry questioned.

Nico shook his head.

"Papa was a'pposed to take me last year, but the game was canneled," Nico told him.

"Canceled, huh? That stinks. After the game, they'll have some of the players signing autographs. What do you say we try and get you one from him?" Harry questioned.

Harry knew he had his answer when Nico's smile split across his face. The game seemed to last forever. The Harpies gave the Cannons a great competition, but in the end the Canons won with a last second score and their Seeker catching the Snitch. The roar of the crowd was so loud Harry had to press his hands over Nico's ears to suppress some of the noise.

Since this was only the first win in the last twelve years for the Cannons, there were only a handful of people grappling for autographs. Most of the fans were swarming all over the Harpies, despite their last second loss. Harry hung back while Nico squeezed through the reporters and older kids. He tripped over a rude older kid, but was luckily caught. When he looked up, Nico was surprised to see his favorite Quidditch player was the one who caught him.

"All right there, little guy?" Oliver asked.

Nico nodded. Oliver straightened him so he could stand. Nico held up his hat with a nervous look on his face. Oliver smiled.

"Would you like me to autograph that for you?" Oliver asked.

Nico nodded again.

"Yes, please, Mr. Wood," Nico answered.

Oliver chuckled as he took the hat and signed it with a marker one of his teammates passed him.

"You can call me Oliver, kiddo," Oliver told him.

Oliver passed him back the hat. Nico grinned as he pulled his hat down over his ears. He tilted it back so he could still look up at Oliver.

"Thank you, Mr. Oliver!"

Rolling his eyes, Oliver couldn't help, but smile. He patted Nico on his shoulder. He leaned down so he could be heard over the flashes of press cameras.

"You're not here alone, are you?" Oliver questioned, a small look of concern crossing his face.

Nico shook his head. He pointed back through the crowd from the way he had come.

"My nanny, Mr. Harry. He got me tick…et…s to the game," Nico said, pausing to sound out his new word.

Oliver's head snapped up, scanning over the heads for a familiar face. He finally spotted Harry standing underneath a tree, well hidden from everyone's view. Oliver nodded his head to him and Harry returned it. From his distance, Harry could see the two perfectly.

He watched as Oliver knelt down on one knee and spoke quietly to Nico with his head facing away from the press. Whatever he said had little Nico excitedly nodding his head. Harry smiled when he watched the two pose for some pictures. He followed Nico with his eyes as the little boy made his way back to him.

Harry took Nico in his arms and picked him up to hold him at his waist.

"Did you get your autograph?" Harry asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Yes! And Mr. Oliver…Mr. Oliver…Mr. Oliver…"

Harry chuckled.

"Slow down. Take a deep breath."

Nico sucked in a big breath and blew it back out in Harry's face. Harry snorted.

"Now try again," Harry said.

"Mr. Oliver inviteded me and you to lunch. I said yes!" Pause. Tiny sad smile. "Is that okay?"

Harry's stomach suddenly gave a great grumble. Nico looked down then back up to Harry's face. The older wizard laughed.

"I am quite hungry and I'm sure you are, too. Did Oliver tell you where he would meet us?"

Nico jumped up and down in Harry's arms. It made it difficult to balance himself and prevent himself from dropping Nico.

"Here, here! Mr. Oliver will come here!" Nico exclaimed.

Harry was happy he had cast a privacy spell around the space they stood in since Nico ran up. It not only kept the press from discovering him, but kept them from overhearing the small child. It wasn't long before everyone had dispersed. Not long after the press departed, a freshly showered Oliver appeared.

Harry took down the privacy spell and was enveloped in a big hug between the three of them. Oliver stepped back with a big grin on his face.

"It's great to see you again, Harry," Oliver greeted.

Nico's face scrunched up like he had caught a whiff of a bad smell.

"Again?"

Oliver and Harry shared a small chuckle.

"Before the Cannons and United, I was Quidditch Captain on the Gryffindor Team at Hogwarts. Your Mr. Harry here was Seeker for the team over my last couple years," Oliver explained.

Nico jerked around so hard to face Harry that Harry stumbled backwards. Oliver's hand caught his elbow and pulled him forward to rebalance him. Harry murmured a quiet thank you. He turned back to the questioning gaze on his young charge's face.

"Yes, I used to play Quidditch. I was recruited back in First Year, but how about we tell you about that over lunch?" Harry suggested as his stomach gave another grumble.

Oliver winked. "I happen to know this wonderful place nearby that serves the best macaroni and cheese."

With Harry's permission, Oliver took them side-along to the restaurant. Nico was beyond excited to be sitting between his favorite, all-time Quidditch star and his wonderful nanny. He was eating some of the best macaroni and cheese he had ever eaten. The two told him all about their days of playing on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"…and then he's standing there like he's about to hurl his lunch and OUT pops the Snitch!" Oliver explained.

Nico pealed out in giggles. Harry gave Oliver a playful glare.

"I did not swallow the Snitch. It got caught in my throat and I coughed it up," Harry replied.

Nico covered his mouth with his hands, but failed to cover the giggles spilling forth. Harry rolled his eyes while Oliver let out a small chuckle himself. Nico laughed himself into hiccups. Harry slid him his glass of water which he took several large gulps of. It took that and several deep breaths for his hiccups to leave.

"Did you enjoy today's game, kiddo?" Oliver asked.

Nico's smile lit up the whole room. Oliver wasn't sure he had ever seen such a happy child.

"It was great! Papa says the Cannons are the stinkiest team ever but…but…but you're the greatest player ever!" Nico exclaimed.

Oliver chuckled as he reached out and ruffled Nico's hair.

"That's awful kind of you to say. I guess you'll have to follow the Cannons and see what kind of year we have, eh? How about this? If we make it to the Quidditch Cup, you and Harry have guaranteed seats. My treat," Oliver offered.

Harry smiled as Oliver wrote down his floo address and slid it to Harry. He knew what the chances of that happening were. He politely wrote down his own floo address and slid it to Oliver. Nico cheered excitedly and started chattering away about this and that. At some point, Harry's gaze fell to the clock over Nico's head. Suddenly, with his eyes as wide as dinner plates, he flew to his feet.

"Bloody Hell! That's the time!? Your grandfather's gonna kill me! You should have been back an hour ago!"

Harry threw Nico over his shoulder, said a quick goodbye to Oliver, and bolted for the door. Nico waved at Oliver the whole way across the room, bobbing up and down with Harry's running.

"Bye, Mr. Oliver!" Nico shouted.

"Hey, kiddo! I never caught your name!" Oliver called to him.

"Nico Malfoy-Snape!" Nico called back to him as Harry disappeared out the door with him.

Oliver's face drained of color. He hated to be in Harry's situation. He only hoped the Malfoy Matriarch would take it easy on him. Then again, Oliver thought with the shake of his head, he wondered how Harry had come to be involved with the Malfoy's.

He smiled secretly to himself as he pulled out some money to pay the bill.

A story I hope Harry will tell me soon, Oliver thought.

END OF CHAPTER ONE

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this first chapter to the new story. I hope it didn't seem too rushed or you know…not good. I can always rewrite.