Draco had to get out of the room for any reason. It was still tense between Astoria and himself so soon after the divorce and having young Scorpius sick wasn't helping in that matter at all. Asking his ex-wife if she'd like a cup of tea and the cold glance in response spurred him out the door.
He wasted ten long minutes staring at the choices he had for tea flavors even though he'd automatically fall back on his favorite. Draco was brought out of his debate over peppermint or lemon by a quiet cough behind him.
"Are you going to choose something?" Harry Potter was behind him with a smile on his face. "Nice to see you Draco," he stuck out a hand.
Draco debated on ignoring it but it would have been childish to do so. "Potter," he said coolly taking the hand in his.
"It's been fourteen years Draco, you can call me Harry." A small hand pulled on Potter's sleeve.
"Daddy, I'm hungry." Draco blinked at the resemblance between Potter and the child.
"Okay," Potter picked the boy up and hefted him onto one hip. Draco noted the casted arm. "James, my oldest, thought it would be brilliant to try and fly, and bring Albus along for the ride." Albus grinned shyly. "He didn't want the bone fixed with magic, so we had the Doc cast it."
Draco raised a pale eyebrow, "doesn't like magic?"
"James told him the story about what Lockhart did in my second year." Comically they both shared an eye roll at the mention of their former-"teacher".
"Daddy..." Albus said quietly, "I'm hungry."
"Right." Potter shifted, "it was good seeing you again Draco. We should..." Potter trailed off uncertainly.
"I have a son," Draco was even surprised by the words coming out of his mouth, "the same age as Albus. We should get together some time...a play...date?"
Potter brightened, "that sounds wonderful Draco. What do you say, Albus?"
Albus smiled, "awesome."
Draco found himself smiling back at the child. "We'll iron out the details at work one day?" Both gentlemen worked at the Ministry it wouldn't been inconvenient to find each other.
"Lovely," they shook again and Draco headed back to Scorpius' room. Tea forgotten.
o0o
"What if he doesn't like me?" Scorpius blinked up at Draco with wide, gray eyes.
Draco patted his head softly, "he's a Potter, it's in his Gryfindor blood to give you a chance." The reference went over the five year's old head, but he smiled with the reassurance.
"Okay, Papa." He placed his small hand within Draco's and prepared himself to floo with a small shake of his body.
Draco stepped into the Potter living room expecting a brood of children and the Potter's waiting but it was only small Albus on the couch with a plate of cookies next to him.
"Daddy was called to the Ministry. He was gonna call you but I really wanted to play with Scor'ius." Albus tumbled off the couch and came to stand in front of them. "Hi," he held out his hand, "I'm Albus Se'erus."
"I'm Scorpius," Scorpius shook it firmly.
"Scor-p-ius," Albus said slowly, working the 'p' off his tongue.
"You're not here alone are you, Albus?" Draco looked around, amazed at how silent a Potter-Weasley home could be.
"Oh no, Mister Malfoy, James is upstairs and Lily is with our neighbor. Daddy said he wouldn't be long. Wanna go to my room? I helped Daddy make cookies for snacks." Albus took Scorpius by the hand and dragged him off, his son gave him a frightful look over his shoulder and Draco offered an encouraging smile.
Draco looked at the mantel above the fireplace. It was lined with pictures of all three children, along with Potter and the she-Weasley. A happy family.
The fireplace came alive and Draco took a step back to allow Potter room to exit. He came out brushing himself off and smiled when his eyes landed on Draco.
"Draco." He ran a hand through his permanent bed-mused hair. "I thought I'd be able to get back before you got here. Damn Ministry always calling."
Draco nodded, his meager job didn't demand much of him and he kept it mostly to have a reason to leave the house. Especially now with Scorpius gone with Astoria more and more. "How would they survive," he drawled out.
Potter laughed, "they would, I'm sure." He checked his watch, "I'll only be a moment. I need to pick Lily up from the neighbors." Potter put a jacket on, it seemed they didn't bother with robes too much.
When Potter returned he held a bundled, sleeping baby in his arms. He put her gently into a bassinet and placed a silence spell over it. A godsend, Draco remembered, when Scorpius was first born. No sound in, only out.
"Fancy a cup of tea?" He motioned for Draco to follow and led them to the kitchen.
"Peppermint?" he asked, not expecting it. It wasn't a favorite amongst many.
Potter grinned, "that's Albus' favorite. Imagine that." He set to making the tea. "Already dragged Scorpius off, I bet."
"To his room, yes. Friendly child." Draco took a seat at the well-worn table, his fingertips idly stroking the soft wood.
Potter had his back to him but Draco could tell a proud smile came over his face. "He was happy to have some one to play with."
"He doesn't have a gaggle of Weasley cousin to play with?" Draco raised his brow, unbelieving.
Potter shrugged his shoulders, "sometimes playing with family all the time can be tiring. They fight, a lot. And get along, but Albus welcomed someone new."
Draco had been thankful also, it wasn't easy for him to set up a thing like this for Scorpius. Astoria had no problems, but Scorpius had confided in him that playing with the likes of Crabbe and Goyle's children were not the best of times.
Two sets of small feet pounded down the stairs. Scorpius and Albus came skidding into the room. "Can we go outside?" Albus rushed out upon seeing his father. "I want to show Scor my clubhouse. He's never seen a clubhouse before."
"Please, Papa?" Scorpius clasped his hands together in front of him.
Draco was slightly taken back by the hopeful smile on his son's face. It was new, and Draco rather liked the wide-eye happiness. He looked at Potter and nodded his approval.
"Sure, go right ahead." The boys tore from the room, "put on jackets!" He shouted after them, "give Scorpius one of yours to wear!"
A muffled, "sure!" sounded from some where.
Potter set a cup of tea in front of Draco and took the seat across from him. "They're getting along," he noted with a pleased smile.
"They are." Draco took a sip of his tea, "thank you," he tilted his cup. It was frighteningly close to the way he took it and only added a half a spoon more of sugar to make it perfect. "The wife is away, I assume?"
Potter smiled a bit tightly, "Quidditch season, it takes her away a lot."
"Not as much as when she was playing, though." Draco loathed, slightly, to admit he knew a little of the she-Weasley's career. Astoria adored the Holyhead Harpies; he became well versed in their ins and outs.
Potter answered with a roll of his shoulders, "sometimes." He subtly changed the subject, "given any thought to the new Ministry regulations?"
They spent a good hour on polite small-talk. Their conversation became more relaxed and Draco had even accidentally slipped on a few 'Harry's when addressing Potter.
The children came trudging back in, tired and dirty. "Hungry..." Albus trailed off climbing up onto a chair and Scorpius took the one next to him. The boy certainly had the Weasley appetite.
"Very hungry," Scorpius added, pillowing his head on his arms.
Potter chuckled and stood, "I'll get you something to eat boys."
"Scorpius and I should get going actually, it's getting late," Draco went to stand but was stopped by two unison groans.
"Already, Papa?" Scorpius blinked up at him with pleading eyes, "can't we stay just a little while longer?"
"Yes, please, Mister Malfoy?" Albus gave him a pleading look.
Draco folded faster than he ever had in his life, "okay, I suppose you can be fed before we leave."
It was well worth the smile Scorpius gave him, then turned on Albus.
Potter smiled too, "you're always welcomed Draco, Scorpius."
The boys shared a high-five and Draco breathed a laugh; he'd never seen his son act so much like a child. Scorpius wasn't structured with propriety and rules like he was so much at home. He was trying to let loose more with Scorpius then his own father had been with him. Draco was honestly trying to learn from the past. But Astoria very much took all of their respective upbringings seriously and at times expected too much of their child.
"Thank you, Harry," Draco found himself for the first time returning one of Potter's smiles.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter
Written for tresa_cho for a prompt they left at comment_fic (go check that place out!)
Really sorry if this is ridden with canon mistakes (and about Ginny, I love her, I do!) I wrote it late and sort of just went with the idea instead of obsessiving over time line and the like, like I would normally do with past/future fic. And the only reason the marriages are like they are is because it was suppose to be slashy. Just never got there.