Rockabye Malfoy

Harry breathed in the morning air and let it out in a content sigh. Sunday dawns were always his favorite, peaceful and beautiful. He'd been able to enjoy them a lot more recently, what with Voldemort gone for good now.

"Still a morning person I see."

Harry grinned as someone ruffled his hair, wrapping a long arm around his neck.

"Surprised you're up this early, Sirius," he said, beaming up at his godfather. "Especially since you don't have to be."

"It can happen once in a while," Sirius laughed, scratching his chin as he stretched his arms over his burly midnight hair. "I'll probably be back in bed in a half hour anyway."

Harry wouldn't put it past him. They sat silently, staring at the ever changing sky as the sun rose from slumber. Sirius wrapped an arm around his godson again and they both thought of that moment when they almost lost each other. If Bellatrix hadn't slipped at the last minute, hadn't fallen into the portal herself, had managed to hit Sirius with her hex, they wouldn't be there together, enjoying the peace. It was funny how fate worked that way.

"Gotten all your homework done then?" Sirius asked softly.

"All except Potions," Harry said. "But it isn't due till Wednesday."

"Isn't it an essay?"

"...Possibly."

"Then shouldn't you it get done soon, so you can get it out of the way?"

"Yes," Harry grumbled grudgingly, never turning from the brightening sky.

Sirius snickered.

"You'd think you would be a little happier when speaking about Potions," he said. "Especially since it's Remus and Tonks teaching this year."

"Yes, well, I would be, if I still wasn't so bad at it," Harry sighed. "I almost blew up the classroom Friday. If it weren't for..."

He stopped himself and Sirius nodded.

"How is the boy? Has he spoken to you yet?"

"I haven't tried to make him," Harry said with a cringe. "I mean, he probably wouldn't want to. His father is in Azkaban, and it looks like his mother could go there too. I'm probably the last person he wants to talk to."

SIrius nodded silently. His nose was scrunched as he thought.

"I would think that you, of everyone, would have been against him coming back," he said. "And yet, you were the only one who seemed to be begging for it."

He laughed a little.

"You and those two brilliant ruffians."

Harry smiled a little as he pictured Ron and Hermione, hushedly asking him if he was sure, then barking at the others to do as he said, because he must have a reason for wanting Draco back in school.

"I just...know that he doesn't have anywhere else to go," Harry told his godfather. "And it wasn't really his fault he had to join Voldemort's side. He was only seventeen, and under his parents' guidance. If it's anyone's fault it's theirs."

"He could have refused, Harry."

"I know. But did you hear how his mother said his name? When I was pretending to be dead, and Voldemort was asking who would join him? I would have gone too, if Mom had called to me like that."

Harry shrugged as the wind blew through his tangled mane of shadows.

"He was doing what his parents had always told him was right. I feel more sorry for him than anything."

"Well don't feel too sorry for the bleeding idiot, or it'll go right to his head!"

Harry smirked and turned to see Ron and Hermione come out onto the steps.

"You and Hermione, I don't understand you," Ron said with a yawn. "The sun moves in the sky every day. I don't see the reason to watch it start."

"Honestly, Ron, you'd think we woke you up at four instead of six," Hermione laughed, squeezing his hand as they sat down. "Besides, sunrises and sunsets are some of the most beautiful things we can see every day."

Ron smirked as he slapped Harry on the back and turned to her.

"You're one of the most beautiful things I can see every day," he told her. "And I don't have to get up at six in the morning to see you."

Hermione blushed as he turned back to Harry.

"Why were you so sure that the Slytherins and Malfoy should come back?" he asked. "I mean, Pansy literally asked why we weren't handing you over, and Blaise has been helping Malfoy since a year and a half ago, and then Malfoy - "

"He straight up joined Voldemort's army, Harry," Hermione finished for him. "You can't tell me that that's something easily forgiven."

Sirius was looking between them with a glint in his eye. He had thought that his godson would get away with just telling his friends that he thought Malfoy should stay, but apparently he was mistaken.

"You're linking him up with his family," Harry reasoned. "His father was the one loyal to Voldemort, his father taught him all the wrong things about Muggleborns and his father is being punished for it. Malfoy was released because he was still a kid and was pressured to take the Dark Mark and join Voldemort, by everyone he knew."

"Yeah, but, he could have said no at any point," Ron argued.

"No, not in his mind," Sirius said. He was starting to see Harry's point. "To refuse the Dark Lord's wishes would have disgraced his family name, would have branded him a failure. And the Dark Lord didn't like failures. He would have put pressure on the boy himself, tortured him, or his mother, his father, maybe even Bellatrix. Crazy as she was, she was his aunt. One way or another, I don't see how Draco could refuse."

Hermione and Ron thought about that, then looked at each other and nodded. It made sense when explained.

"Leave it to the great Harry Potter," Ron teased, throwing an arm around his friend. "Always thinkin' between the lines."

"I'm not 'the great' anymore," Harry corrected goodnaturedly. "I'm just Harry."

"That's a relief," Hermione grinned. "The first name was much too long for you."

They laughed at her joke, then fell silent. Hermione rested her head against Ron's shoulder and stroked the top of his hand with her thumb as he placed his chin on top of her curls. Harry smiled at them and again wished that him and Ginny had worked out; it hadn't been a huge falling out, or even an angry one. They just, didn't fit right, so decided to remain friends. Sirius nudged him with his shoulder and gave him an understanding smile. It was always nice to have someone who could understand him even when he was quiet.

"Professor Tonks, I would like an explanation for why you are acting so strange - "

"I would but we're a little stressed right now, he won't stop crying!"

Everyone turned and watched Nymphadora Tonks and Severus Snape racing past them, obviously in distress. They looked at each other, then quickly followed after.

"Everything alright, Tonks?" Sirius asked as the four of them caught up.

"Oh, Sirius, I'm not sure," Tonks said, her brow knit together as they stormed down the hall. "There was an accident with one of the students. He was creating a potion, trying to get it right, and was asking Remus and I for help - "

"An obvious mistake, if I may say so," Snape said dryly. While much less biting now that the war was over, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher still retained

"We were doing fine," Tonks continued, glaring at him as if to see how serious he was. "And Remus and I turned to get something things to clean up a spill, and when we turned around he was gone!"

"Gone?" Hermione asked. "Like vanished?"

"Well, not entirely," Tonks admitted, stopping them all just outside of the Potions room. "You see, he's still there, he's just...changed. Drastically."

A shrill noise came from behind the door, and everyone stared at it as if there was a monster inside.

"What, did they turn into some sort of animal?" Ron asked, tightening his grip on Hermione's hand.

"Something of the sort," Tonks sighed, turning a wince to Snape. "Promise you won't be mad?"

Snape's eyes narrowed at her, but he remained silent. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

The shrieking instantly got louder, causing everyone to cringe. Remus was in the center of the large classroom, rocking something in a billowing black cloak. He gave a loud sigh of relief when everyone came inside.

"Thank goodness!" he cried, rushing to his wife and shoving the bundle into her arms. "He's a squawking mess! Even Teddy doesn't cry as much!"

As if to prove his point, the squirming object let out another shrill, deafening everyone for a moment.

"Who is it?" Snape asked through his teeth as Sirius slipped beside Tonks and lifted up the black fabric.

His black eyes widened as he took in the tiny face before him.

"Oh goodness," he marvelled.

"What? What is it?"

"Well, let's just say I'm no longer wondering why Tonks was begging you not to be angry."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all craned their necks to try and see what he meant as Snape snatched the shrieking object from Tonks and threw off the fabric.

The shock on his face would have been funny to the three teens, if they weren't busy picking their jaws up off the floor.

"Malfoy?!" they all cried.

The tiny tot with white blonde hair flinched at his name and started to cry again. Snape was holding him under his shoulders, at arm's length, so his feet dangled over the floor, and it was definitely freaking the poor thing out. His giant, silver blue eyes would stay open for a moment before he'd suck in air and start to shrill again. Ron was the first to cover his ears.

"Bloody hell!" the redhead cried. "He sounds like a Mandrake!"

"What happened?!" Snape shouted over the shrieking.

"He was brewing a potion that makes skin deformities disappear!" Remus cried. "Obviously he didn't need it, but I told him if he could get it correct then I would give him extra credit."

"He must've put in a wrong ingredient!" Tonks added, reaching over and rubbing the sobbing baby's back. "I'd say he's no older than four now."

"Got quite a set of lungs though," Harry groaned, the next to cover his ears. "Are you sure you're holding him right, Professor?"

"Mind your tongue, Potter, I know what I'm doing!" Snape snapped, looking his godson over once more. The spell had effected only his body, so his gray sweater was practically a dress on him and the sleeves went all the way down to his feet.

"You're not holding him right at all, Severus!" Tonks scolded, snatching the child from him and placing him on her hip. "Children aren't rag dolls you can just let hang."

"Don't sound like he cares either way," Sirius said, cringing at the next set of shrieking. "Seems he's content just to cry!"

"Is there a spell to reverse this...deaging?" Remus asked Snape.

"Well you're the new Potions Professor, shouldn't you know?"

"You've been doing it for the past however many years, don't blame me for asking!"

"Sirius, you try holding him!" Tonks insisted as her husband and Snape started battling. "Sometimes children can only stand one person!"

"I doubt it'll be me, since I probably resemble a hairy goblin," Sirius grumbled.

Still he took the child and attempted to rock him. One look at the dark man and the toddler's shrieking escalated.

"Just drop him already, it's only Malfoy," Ron snarled, shoving the palm of his hands harder against his ears.

"Ronald!" Hermione seethed, slapping him on the arm. "That's an awful thing to say! He's only a child!"

Ron started to defend himself, but stopped and nodded that she was right. Luckily only she and Harry heard him.

"It's not working, someone else try!" Sirius growled, holding the toddler away from him.

"I will," Hermione offered. In all honesty she'd been begging silently to hold the tike, since he was utterly adorable and she hoped he would sense her desire to be a mother and calm down.

Sirius hurriedly handed the child over and Hermione rocked him gently, smoothing his hair away from his face. The toddler shoved her hands away with an indignant shrill and continued to cry, his face turning red.

"Oh buggers," Hermione groaned. "Even at four Draco still hates me."

"Alright, let me try," Ron sighed, holding his arms out for him.

His girlfriend eyed him suspiciously.

"I swear, I won't drop him!"

She sighed and carefully handed him over. Ron bounced him on his hip and did his best to smile.

"Hey there Malfoy, what's wrong?" he asked as the child's cries quieted slightly. "Can't be that mad, I mean, you don't have to have classes anymore."

Somehow his comment caused the child's eyes to water even more and his cries increased again.

"How does that upset you?! I'd have been thrilled!"

"He's not comfortable with any of us!" Tonks sighed. "Maybe we should grab some of the Slytherins and give that a try!"

"If we don't do something he's going to pass out," Sirius said, eyeing the boy's cherry face worriedly. "He can only scream so much before he gives out."

"Your turn Harry!" Ron declared, trying to pass Draco off.

"Oh no, I'm not holding him!" Harry said as he backed away.

"But everyone else has tried! What happened to that 'I understand him' bit from earlier?!"

"He wasn't four when I said it!"

"Harry, just try!" Hermione begged.

He looked around and saw the others were looking at him in the same way (save for Lupin and Snape, who were too deep in their argument to care what was happening).

"Oh bloody...fine! Give him here!"

Ron practically shoved Draco into his arms and they waited. Harry mimicked Ron's bouncing him and Hermione's hair tousling, hoping one or the other would calm the child. Draco continued to cry, but it was slowly diminishing in volume and his eyes were open, staring at Harry as tears and snot dripped from his face. A minute later, maybe longer, and to everyone's surprise, Draco had stopped crying.

The absence of shrieking brought Remus and Snape out of their argument, and Harry reddened at everyone's stares. The toddler in his arms sniffled, staring at him, then wiped his nose on his extra long sleeve. His big eyes examined the raven haired boy before he tilted his head and choked out his first word:

"Hawry?"

The fact that Draco knew Potter's name was shocking to everyone, including Harry, and none of them spoke. The white-blonde finally tore his eyes from him and looked around at the people staring. His lower lip jutted out and he wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, shoving his face into his shoulder.

"Stop stawing!" he commanded through Harry's shirt. This brought everyone back from their trances right quick, and Tonks had to put her hand over her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing.

"Well isn't this adorable!" she snickered.

"And completely unexpected," Ron added, still staring at his friend.

Harry awkwardly adjusted Draco and sheepishly looked at the adults.

"Um, maybe," he stammered. "He remembers me because we've...hated each other for so long?"

"Hatred wouldn't bring about that reaction," Sirius told him with a smirk.

"How odd," Remus mumbled, rubbing his chin. "Usually those who are deaged don't remember anything."

"Not anything from their later years," Snape corrected, eyeing Harry and Draco suspiciously. "But they will remember events that happen during and before the age they stop at."

Harry looked at him blankly, then down at the toddler snuggling into his shoulder. Draco shifted so he peeked out at him with one bleary eye.

"Potter, have you met Mr. Malfoy before?" Snape asked as Harry wiped whatever tears remained on the boy's face away. "Perhaps at the same age he is?"

"No, not that I can remember," Harry said.

"Bloody likely he wouldn't," Sirius said. "And even if they had met, it's not like Draco would be able to tell eighteen year old Harry is the same as the one he could've met."

"What do we do, Professor?" Hermione asked, looking at Remus.

"I don't know, to be honest," he sighed. "Even if I knew what had caused this the cure for it would take months to brew."

"Most likely there was too much bat wing or eyes in the cauldron," Snape sighed. "Draco is excellent in class, but he's almost always managed to put in too many bat parts."

"Well, I say the first thing we do is find McGonagall," Sirius said, smirking as Draco lifted his head and stared at Harry. "She'll be absolutely livid, but she needs to make arrangements for him, especially if this could be long term."

"I'm going to grab one of his roommates too," Tonks offered. "Like Mr. Zabini."

"Best leave it at him," Remus suggested. "There's no reason to bring such attention to the boy, especially if he's as easily frightened as he is."

"You four take Mr. Malfoy to McGonagall," Snape instructed Sirius and the Trio. "I am going to see what I can decipher from his cauldron."

Sirius started out the door first, followed by Ron and Hermione, and finally Harry and Draco.

"Whewe am I?" Draco whispered.

Harry cringed a little bit. Should he just be honest and tell Draco where he was? It could be a big shock to the boy.

"You're somewhere safe," he started awkwardly as he followed his friends down the hall. "It's a place called Hogwarts."

"Hogwawts?" Draco asked with wide eyes. "But, Mommy says I onwy go when I eweven!"

"Well...it's hard to explain, Malfoy…"

"Dwaco! Cawl me Dwaco, Hawry!"

Harry looked down at the young boy, a little surprised.

"Oh, uh, okay. Draco then. It's hard to explain, but trust me, you're safe."

Draco stared at him, as if trying to read if he was true.

"Okway Hawry," he decided, setting his head back on the boy's chest.

Harry rubbed his back a little nervously as Ron slowed down until he was beside them. He leaned forward and gave the sheepish toddler a grin.

"Hullo there," he greeted softly. "You feelin' any better?"

Draco just covered his face with Harry's shirt.

"Shy little bugger, isn't he?" Ron marveled. "Who would've guessed!"

"Yeah, not exactly how I expected him to be either," Harry agreed.

"Oi! You don't gotta be scared, little guy, I'm not going to hurt you."

Draco peeked out at him again.

"Pwomis?" he squeaked.

Ron grinned and put a hand over his heart.

"You have my word."

Reassured, Draco slowly lifted his head and smiled at the redhead. Ron beamed, straightening, as Harry shook his head.

"What's your angle?" he asked him.

"No angle," Ron told him. "Hermione was right. He's way too young right now to be the Malfoy we all extremely..."

He stopped himself when Draco tilted his head at him.

"...Knew well, and it'd be wrong to take it out on him when he wouldn't even know why."

He shrugged.

"So I might as well play nice. I mean, the Professors could have him fixed before we even get to McGonagall's office."

"And if they don't?"

"Then we give him to Blaise or something. That is, if he can connect with the little guy like you did."

He looked down at Draco again.

"Why'd you stop crying for Harry anyway, Malfoy?"

"Dwaco! My name is Dwaco!"

"Draco. Why'd you stop crying for Harry?"

"I wike Hawry," Draco said, smiling.

"Really?" Ron asked, laughing as Harry turned pink. "Why?"

"Because Mommy says he's a hewo!"

Harry and Ron screeched to a halt and stared at him.

"Come again?" Harry asked.

"Mommy says you'we a hewo," Draco repeated, reaching up and pointing at Harry's scar. "'Cause of youw scaw!"

He frowned a little.

"She wouldn't tell me why you got it, an' she neber tawked 'bout it wif Daddy, becawse he doesn't beweive you'we a hewo..."

He smiled at him again.

"But I do! When I gwow up, I wanna be youw fwiend so I can be a hewo too!"

Harry and Ron found themselves at a loss of words, and could only look from him to each other. This didn't seem at all like Draco, at least, not the one they had met. What had Lucius done to cause Draco to change so drastically?

"Harry, Ron!" Hermione called from around the corner.

"C-Coming!" Harry shouted as he and Ron started moving again.

They had to run to catch up, and Harry heard Draco laughing as he bounced in his arms. His heart sank for the poor boy, and hated that he was so nice as a four year old. It would've been much easier if he was a prat.