A short alternate ending to "To Love or to Lose"
September 1st, 2017
Harry woke up to a screaming toddler. Groaning, he turned around to tell Draco to take care of his baby. Draco wasn't there.
Harry sat up and slipped his house shoes on, making his way to the nursery that housed Gwen Narcissa Potter. Draco and Harry had adopted her two years ago. She was born to a muggle and a Wizard on December 27th, 2015, but both of them had been drug addicts. Defying all odds, Gwen was born completely healthy, with only one underdeveloped lung. She was home within a month.
"Hey Baby, how are you?" She clapped her hands.
"Daddy! I'm hungry!" She said.
"Well, let's fix that."
Harry walked into the kitchen, and spied Albus and Scorpius sitting on the counter. "How many times do I have to tell you, don't sit on the counter. I put my food there." The two boys hopped down, Albus glaring at a snickering Liam.
"Okay, Liam, will you please grab me the pancake mix?" Liam nodded.
"Daddy, can we have chocolate chips?" Scorpius asked.
"Of course, it's your guy's day after all. Can you believe that you're going to Hogwarts?"
"I can't believe they're going to Hogwarts." Teddy said. His hair today was bright purple, which was Lily's favorite color.
Lily followed Teddy into the room, carrying her stuffed dragon that Draco had given her for her 7th birthday.
"Good morning, sweetheart! Do you want chocolate chips in your pancakes?"
"No." She said quietly, standing in front of the picture of Draco and Harry's wedding five years previous.
Harry and Draco had been married on February 6th, 2012. It was the ten year anniversary of their break up, and Draco, loving a bit of flair, had deliberately picked the date. He never really let it go that Harry had left him without any cause other than a simple misunderstanding. Of course, during the best man speech, Ron made sure to explain to everyone the amount of drama involved in Harry's life, only to lead to marrying his schoolyard bully.
Daphne, who was Harry's other best man (she insisted, 'man of honor' she had said) gave a long, drunken speech aimed to Draco, that if he ever hurt Harry, she would personally castrate him. Draco simply tipped his glass to her.
Their honeymoon was spent in the Bahamas. Harry, much to Draco's annoyance, insisted on a 100% muggle vacation. Draco, being in love with him, agreed.
They spent their years married in bliss, and three years into the marriage they adopted Gwen, their seventh child. Harry insisted they would have no other children to raise. Draco insisted they would.
"We are not having any more children Draco. We have seven. Seven children, Draco! We still have to work you know. I mean, being an unspeakable is harder work than being Head Auror, and you're telling me you want to add to your stress level?" Harry had said, Draco sniffed his nose which was in the air. "Yes."
"Do you want a waffle then? I know they are your favorite."
"Yes." Lily said, picking at the table.
"Chocolate chips?"
"Yes."
"Hey, Lily! Are you excited for us to go to Hogwarts?" Scorpius said.
"No."
"Why?" He asked, confused.
"I don't want you to leave." She replied.
"But Lily, Al and Scorp going to Hogwarts means that you are one year closer to going yourself!" Liam said, giving her a hug from the side, which she pulled out of.
"Yeah, Lil! What house do you think you'll be in? What about Al and Scorp?" James piped in. "I personally think Al will be in Slytherin. I'm not too sure about Scorp though. Maybe he'll join Liam in Ravenclaw."
"I won't be in Slytherin!"
"I won't be in Ravenclaw!"
"I think so, too." Lily said, drinking from the glass of orange juice Teddy had placed in front of her.
"Why not?" Harry asked, serving the children pancakes.
"I don't want to be in Slytherin! I want to be in Gryffindor like you, Dad." Albus said.
"And I want Slytherin because Dad was in Slytherin, Daddy." (Scorpius had called Harry Daddy since he was five years old. Harry was always "Dad" to everyone but Scorpius, and Draco was always "Daddy" to James, Albus, and Lily.)
"Ah, I see. Well, no matter where you get placed, we'll be proud of you. I mean, look at Teddy. He got put into Hufflepuff and he turned out alright. Kind of."
"Hey!" Teddy said, while the other kids laughed.
"Lily, you didn't answer James; what house do you think you'll be in?"
"I want Ravenclaw so I can be with Lee." She said, smiling at her older brother.
"Aw. I'm touched." He said.
"Why doesn't anyone want to be in Gryffindor because I'm in Gryffindor?" James said.
"That's exactly the reason, Jamie." Scorpius said, earning a piece of pancake thrown at him.
Harry was about to serve the pancakes and waffles when the front door slammed open. "Good morning! Sorry, big emergency." Draco leaned over the table and pecked Harry on the mouth, receiving groans from all of the children.
"Morning. Will you cut the strawberries?" Harry asked, setting the syrup on the table, catching it as it began to fall as Albus and Liam fought over it. "Knock it off, we have plenty to go around."
With Draco cutting the strawberries and Harry serving the whipped cream, the kids were digging into their food in no time. Willing to sacrifice the cleanliness of Gwen, Draco and Harry made small talk.
"How is your back? Is it still bothering you?"
"Of course it is still hurting, you twit. I broke it." Draco rolled his eyes.
Harry laughed, "So what was this emergency?"
"I received a memo from Roger, telling me that Penelope was craving pickles and ice cream, and he was sick so he couldn't go. I didn't want to wake you so I brought her ice cream and pickles."
"Ginny never had strange cravings, but Daphne did. She craved nearly raw meat. Do you know how much steak we ate in nine months?" Harry shivered.
"Penelope was eternally grateful, however, and this is straight from her mouth, "Harry Potter, you better be there to take care of the next midnight craving. We can't have one dad pulling all the weight."
Harry rolled his eyes, "I still can't believe you convinced me to have another baby. You do realize that we have more children than the Weasley's now. Can you imagine how your younger self would react?"
"Yeah, yeah. Mother reminds me of this all the time, however she would never change anything, and neither would I. Or you."
Harry sighed, smiling at the messy dining room full of rambunctious children. "I know."
…
"Daphne!" Draco called, waving Blaise and Daphne over.
"Hello!" Daphne said, greeting Draco and Harry with a kiss and the children with embarrassing mom hugs.
"Albus! I can't believe that you're going to Hogwarts! I wish I could be there to see you get sorted."
"You say that to all of the children, Daphne." Draco laughed.
"And I mean it every time. Liam! Give your mother a hug!"
"Mom!" Liam whined, complying reluctantly.
"Hello Draco, Harry." Ron said, pulling Hugo and Rose over to play with their cousins.
"Uncle Ron!" Lily yelled, running to the man and giving him a kiss.
"Lils!"
Hermione stood beside Harry, grabbing his hand. "She looks just like Ginny, doesn't she?"
"She does." Harry said, "And she's more and more beautiful with every passing second."
"Harry Malfoy-Potter!" Draco yelled over the children, "Please, come help me!" He pleaded desperately.
"I'll see you in a second 'Mione, it would seem that my NEEDY HUSBAND NEEDS ME." He raised his voice and stuck his tongue out at Draco.
"Shove it, and take Gwen please. Scorpius needs help with his trunk."
"You got it. Come here, baby girl." Gwen reached her arms out and smiled at her dad who walked to Albus.
"You need help Al?"
"No I'm okay, thanks though." Harry sat Gwen down for a second to hug Albus tightly.
"You're going to be great, kiddo. You know that right?"
"Yes, dad. I'm really nervous. What if people hate me? What if I can't protect Scorp?"
"Scorpius is a big boy, and he can handle himself well enough. No one in the world could hate you with any good reason, so if they do they're not worth it. You'll make plenty of friends. If you need help, you have both Liam and James. Don't be afraid to owl us."
"Will you be okay if I do? You won't be too busy to answer with Lily and Gwen and the new baby?"
"Albus Severus Potter. We will never be too busy for you or any of our children. Don't ever forget that."
"Okay. I love you Dad."
"I love you too. Now go say goodbye to your father."
As soon as Albus left, Scorpius walked over to Harry, giving him a big hug. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, son. Please don't be afraid to owl us, or to ask your brothers for help with anything. Even if it's directions from James. The castle is big."
"I know." He said, not letting go.
The train gave the last warning whistle, and Harry pried Scorpius from his arms, kissing him on the head. "Better go. You'll be great."
Draco and Harry stood next to each other, Gwen on Harry's hip, Lily beside Daphne.
"I can't believe that they're going to Hogwarts." Harry sighed, rubbing his face with his open hand.
"Me either." Draco said, his eyes glistening.
"Fatherhood softened you, Draco."
"I didn't think it possible, but fatherhood softened you, as well, Potter."
Harry laughed, kissing his husband on the cheek.
…
Harry, Draco, Gwen, and Lily were eating dinner when the owls arrived with news.
"Rose was sorted into Ravenclaw." Harry read the letter, "Albus was sorted into Slytherin, and Scorpius was sorted into…" Harry hesitated, a smile growing on his face. "Scorpius is following in my footsteps." Draco groaned, understanding what that meant. "Gryffindor." Harry laughed, folding the letter for his records.
"Really?" Lily asked.
"I can't believe this." Draco said, a proud smile on his face. "I can't handle any more Gryffindors." He laughed.
…
Harry and Draco lay gasping in each other's arms, content smiles on their faces. They hadn't had a serious fight since Draco almost lost his life those few months ago.
"I can't imagine my life without you, Draco Malfoy-Potter." Harry said, kissing Draco sloppily.
"Of course you can't. I'm your sun." Draco said, beaming at the love of his life.
"You're not wrong."
"I love you Harry."
"I love you too."