AN: Story belongs to me. The Potter universe belongs to the Queen.
25th October 2002
Draco Malfoy didn't even stumble as he jumped out of the fireplace at Potter Manor. Without even stopping to brush off the soot from his robes or hair he rushed into the hall like a madman on a mission. He collided with an elf; or rather that nefarious creature collided with him making him lose his balance. He cursed as he struggled to get to his feet.
"Here, let me help you Mr. Malfoy." The elf squeaked, offering Draco a hand. Draco waved it off and jumped up. "Where is he?" He growled at the house elf already running up the stairs. "Master Harry is not well at all. He needs rest. You cannot meet him." Draco banged his fists on the banisters as he hit an invisible barrier near the top of the stairs.
"Let me through." Draco said through clenched teeth, eyes flashing dangerously. He ignored the portraits who were admonishing him for his behaviour. "No." The elf replied calmly, "Master Harry is unwell. He needs rest. You cannot meet him. I can call mistress Ginny if you need to meet someone urgently. But you will have to please wait in the drawing room."
"No, I have to see him." Draco replied, barely keeping himself from wringing his hands.
"I am sorry Mister Malfoy. But you cannot meet master." The elf repeated calmly.
"You don't understand!" Draco shouted angrily, "Something has happened. I need to see him."
"Malfoy?"
Draco turned; it was Ginny Weasley, Potter's fiancé. Draco almost rolled his eyes to heaven in gratitude. She would understand, she would take him to Potter and Potter would have to help Draco.
"Weasley." He said, "I need to meet Potter. It's something urgent."
"Harry is unwell, Malfoy." Draco started shaking his head violently, "Can't this wait?"
Draco glared at her. "Look Weasley, I am not very happy about being here. I wouldn't be here if something really bad hadn't happened. Let me through Potter really needs to know this."
"What is it, Malfoy? Maybe I can help or someone else. I can call a couple of aurors from his office. Is your mother fine?"
"My mother is fine. Its Aunt Andromeda and Teddy- they were supposed to come home yesterday. They didn't show up, we never got any owl either. This morning I went to their place. It was empty, no signs of struggle. They are missing. I don't know what to do. Potter has to help. It's his Godson we are talking about." Draco looked at her helplessly, trying very hard to not breakdown in front of Ginny Weasley.
"Bashful, please let Mr. Malfoy through. And bring some tea to the study." She gave Draco a weird look before turning on her heel and walking down the long corridor. Draco hurried after her into the study.
"Sit." Weasley said, pointing out to the armchair in front of her. Draco dropped into the chair and thanked her for the tea. Before he could ask her to bring him to Potter, he heard a knock behind him. He turned to see a very tired Andromeda Tonks standing by the door. Draco rushed up to his aunt and before he could stop himself and act like a Malfoy should, now that he knew his aunt was fine, he had gathered her in his arms.
"Oh thank Merlin! Mother and I have been worried sick. We waited for your owl last night when that didn't turn up, I went over to check your house and it was empty. I thought- I thought… Thank Merlin, you are fine. Is Teddy with you? Is he here? Is he okay? Aunt Meda you look tired, did something happen? Is Teddy fine? Does Potter know?"
Draco would have asked a million questions all centered around Teddy had Weasley not put a silencing charm on him. He glared at her angrily, before turning to look worriedly at his aunt. She smiled tiredly at him. "Teddy is here. Don't worry. I am sorry I wasn't able to send that owl last night or this morning. Harry and Teddy are down with Dragon Pox. Teddy was burning up last night. All of us were so busy trying to get his fever down that I forgot to send you an owl. His fever broke a couple of hours ago. I was on my way to get some sleep when Doc told me that you were here."
Draco gave out a sigh of relief. It was only Dragon Pox. He had it when he was six. Not the best thing to happen to a kid, but it was a children's disease. "Can I go see him? I won't wake him up?"
"You don't have to worry about that. Teddy becomes extremely chatty during the full moon or when he is sick. He is busy driving Harry crazy. He will be glad to see you. But Draco dragon pox is a communicable disease. I can't permit you to see him if you haven't already had it."
"You don't have to worry about that. I had it when I was six. I will send mum an owl so that she doesn't worry a lot and then go see Teddy."
Draco climbed the stairs cursing old pureblood marriage customs. He couldn't believe that Malfoys were related to Potters, that at some point in history, a Malfoy was married to a Potter and they had half Malfoy, half Potter children. He took a left turn on the second floor, the door to the fourth room was open. He stood there debating about whether he should knock or not when Teddy's voice floated to him.
"I will be aunt Ginny's boyfriend when I grow up a little more. And later on when I become as big as you are; I will marry aunt Ginny." Draco smirked; Teddy really was the most interesting kid in the world.
"Teddybear, but aunt Ginny would be old by the time you grow up."
"No, you would get old. Aunt Ginny will never get old." Draco burst out laughing. He heard footsteps approaching the door. Potter was covered in boils which gave a greenish tint to his face. "Malfoy?" Potter asked surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"Uncle Drake!" Potter's question was answered when a turquoise haired missile launched itself on Draco. Draco deftly picked up the boy. "Teddy! You shouldn't be running in your state. You should rest." Draco looked at Potter, as if asking for permission to enter the room. Potter stepped aside and allowed him to enter the room. Potter followed and settled himself on the armchair as Draco tucked Teddy in who promptly sat up in bed. "Uncle Drake, do you know I am a meta- metaorphagus like my mum. Look I can turn by hair blue." Teddy turned his hair blue and then green, followed by two more colours before he fell back on his bed exhausted. Draco watched Teddy as the little boy made buzzing noises before dozing off. How on earth was this kid so energetic in such sickness?
"I have been wondering that for a while too." Potter said quietly. Draco turned to look at him, but Potter was watching Teddy with such tenderness that Draco felt jealous. Obviously, Potter shared a bond with Teddy. For a wild moment Draco wanted to pick Teddy up and leave and never let anyone get in between Teddy and himself. He wished Teddy was all his.
"You know, initially I felt that resentment too." Potter added conversationally.
"What resentment are you talking about Potter?"
"You know what I am talking about. I hated it when Teddy would come back from Malfoy Manor and keep turning his hair and eyes to match yours or talk about you. It felt like you were stealing him away from me. I still hate it when he visits you, but then I see how much he cares about you. How happy he is about seeing you and I just accept it. But be warned Malfoy, if you ever hurt Teddy, you would have me to answer to."
Draco scoffed. He would never hurt Teddy; he would die for Teddy before hurting him. "As if Potter. I won't hide it. I hate how much he cares about you. But he is happy with you and even when I am not happy about it, I will live. But if you ever abandon him, even for his own protection, I would make sure that you never get to see him."
Harry's eyes flashed angrily. How dare Malfoy say anything like that! He would never abandon Teddy. "As if you can stop me from seeing him, if he wants to see me I will move heaven and earth to make that possible."
"And what if he doesn't want to see you?"
"Teddy would never do that with me. I don't know about you though." Harry spat angrily.
"What do you mean by that Potter? Why will Teddy not want to see me?" Deep down Draco knew what Potter's answer would be, he feared the same but he would be damned if he showed his fear.
"Oh! I don't know, maybe he wouldn't want to see you when he finds out that your father and you were in league with the people who killed his parents." Potter said.
Draco shot out of bed, pulling his wand in the process. Harry despite his illness was fast; he pulled out his wand at the same time. Both stood facing each other wands out ready to hex when the door opened behind Harry.
"What in the name of Merlin is going on here?" Ginny asked as she strode in and stood in front of both the men. Her eyes narrowed as she saw their outstretched hands and the wands pointing at each other. With her hands on her hips, Draco had to admit that the woman looked intimidating. "Harry?" It was more of a warning and less of a question. Draco quickly dropped his hand and stuffed his wand in pocket. He saw Potter do the same.
"Nothing happened, Ginny. We were just talking." Potter replied hesitantly.
"Harry Potter! I can't believe you were going to have a duel in here. Teddy is sick, you could have hit him and who knows what that would have done to him." Weasley didn't even raise her voice but Draco flinched. "And you." She said turning to him. He backed away from her, feeling ashamed of himself. "You come running in here like a madman because you thought that Teddy was in danger and yet, here you are with your wand out ready to hex Harry while Teddy is in the same room." Draco looked down; his guilt burning through him but Weasley did not stop there. "Really? Is your hatred for each other much more than what you feel for Teddy? Here you are fighting over the boy who loves you equally. Can't you be happy about it?"
When Ginny didn't get a reply from either of them, she knew they were not ready to let go. She pinched the bridge of her nose to calm herself. "Harry, go to your room and get some rest." Potter made a noise of protest, Weasley's eyes flashed dangerously and Draco watched amusedly as Potter nodded and turned to leave.
"Malfoy, you should go home too. He needs rest." Potter said as he turned to look at Draco, challenge evident in his eyes.
"No." Draco stated clearly and planted himself on Teddy's bed.
"What do you mean by no? Teddy needs his rest. I thought you cared about him." Potter sneered.
"I don't have to prove anything to you. But I am staying to take care of Teddy."
Potter bristled. "Are you saying that we can't take care of Teddy?"
"Seeing that you are suffering from dragon pox yourself, I would say no. Weasley is in the middle of the season and she really can't stop playing now, unless she hurts herself fatally. Aunt Meda is not exactly young and dragon pox needs constant attention."
"The house elves would gladly look after him. Not to mention the Weasleys and our other friends."
Draco bristled. "I would never have thought that you would leave a child in the hands of house elves. I was brought up by house elves. Trust me Potter; you need a person around you when you are sick. I am not leaving Teddy."
"Don't try to make it look like you care more about him-"
"That is enough." Ginny cut in firmly. "If you want to stay, you will call it truce with Harry right now." Potter smirked as Draco glared at Weasley.
"And if you know what is good for you, you will call it truce too Harry. I am not going to let the two of you destroy Teddy because you couldn't let go of your childish aggression against each other."
"Childish aggression!" Potter exclaimed flabbergasted. "Childish aggression, you say-"
"Harry Potter! You will shake hands with Draco Malfoy and call it a truce for the sake of your Godson or I would be having a word with Andromeda about banning both of you from ever meeting Teddy."
That did it for Harry and Draco, both of them moved forward and touched each other's fingers and let go really fast. Harry was reminded of Sirius and Snape, the way they had shaken hands over his hospital bed on the night Voldemort had returned. Harry had vowed to be as reckless a Godfather to Teddy as Sirius had been to him. But now he realized how much Sirius had compromised for Harry's sake. To shake hands with your nemesis for the sake of your child was one the toughest things Harry had ever done, coming second to walking to his death and losing everyone he loved to Voldemort. Harry walked out of the room. "I will get a guest room prepared for you then." Ginny said. Draco looked at her, he guessed he could be civil with her.
"That won't be necessary. I don't mind sleeping on the couch. Plus even you know he needs constant supervision for the next 4 days at least." Ginny nodded. "If you don't mind me saying it, so does Potter. I noticed he was scratching his neck."
Draco smirked as she swore. "Honestly that man! Sometimes I wonder who the child really is in this household." She muttered to herself. "I will take care of it. Thank you."
Draco nodded in acknowledgement before she left the room. "Oh! And just call Bashful or Grumpy if you need anything." She added before leaving Draco alone. Draco sighed; looking at Teddy he knew that Teddy would be asleep for a while. Giving him enough time to step out and call his elf. To his surprise Pringle didn't appear as Draco called him. That had never happened. Elf magic bound an elf to its master. Pringle should be able to break all barriers and come to him. He tried again but to no avail. Maybe Pringle could appear in a certain part of the Manor. He started walking down the steps calling Pringle's name every few steps.
"Your elf won't be able to enter the Manor." Cassiopeia Potter told Draco. Draco stared at her. She was a Malfoy through and through, pale skin, platinum blond hair and stormy grey eyes. He couldn't believe his Grandfather's great aunt was married to a Potter.
"Why not? Elf magic surpasses wizard magic and wards."
"That's true young Malfoy. But Harry is a lot smarter than that. He knows that elves can smuggle people in and out of anywhere. All Potter, Black, Weasley, Longbottom and several other properties have been warded off by the elves. The only way for a strange elf to enter this Manor would be with his/her master that too if the Master has been given the rights by the Lord of the Manor to apparate directly at his gates. Since you don't have the rights, the wards will not allow your elf to enter the Manor."
"So, I would have to go home to get my things?"
"I think so."
"Very well, can you please ask someone to keep an eye on Teddy till I come back?"
"Young Teddy is precious to all of us. Don't worry, I will tell one of the elves to look after him." She smiled warmly at him.
Draco nodded before swiftly going down the steps trying to remember his way to the room he had appeared into. His thoughts moved back to Cassiopeia Potter nee' Malfoy. She looked like a Malfoy but there was something different about her. She didn't look so proud and aloof as all Malfoys were supposed to look. This is the second time Draco had seen her smile warmly at him. He knew for a fact that all Malfoys were taught to keep a cool expressionless mask on at all times, he knew she had learnt it too, but then what changed her?
Draco finally arrived in the hall he checked a couple of rooms before finding the right room and stepped into the fireplace to go home.
"Darry doesn't like it when I call him daddy. He says Moony da is my dad. I know Moony da is my dad but Darry is my daddy. Grandma says he kept trying to stop me from calling him daddy and start calling him Harry or Uncle Harry so I started calling him Darry." Draco heard Teddy say as he entered the room with his trunk shrunken in his pocket.
"Uncle Drake, you are back!" Teddy yelled happily as he jumped up on his bed. Draco caught him before Teddy could jump down from his bed. "Easy there kid. You don't want another ouchie do you?" Teddy laughed but settled down on his bed. "I made a new friend today and she is much nicer than Victoire." Teddy told Draco.
"Really and who is she?"
"Aunt Ginny's friend. She told me I could call her "Tori". She is in the bathroom, she helped clean up the itchies and then sent me to bed."
"Hey Teddy, who are you talking to? You know Harry isn't supposed to be here." Astoria Greengrass froze as she saw Draco Malfoy sitting on the bed next to Teddy Lupin. "Malfoy?"
"Greengrass." Draco greeted her formally. He hadn't seen her after their final year at Hogwarts. For the longest time Draco nursed a soft corner for the youngest Greengrass and was heartbroken when she had started dating Boot. He wasn't ready for the mad fluttering of his heart when he saw her again. He kept his expressionless mask intact.
"What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.
Typical Ravenclaw. "My mother and Teddy's grandmother are sisters. So that makes me Teddy's uncle or cousin or something." He replied with a shrug. Inside his stomach was flipping violently. "What are you doing here?" He asked in an attempt to elevate the awkward silence.
"I am a healer. Ginny mostly comes to me when she needs a healer. She asked me to take a look at Harry and Teddy. So here I am."
"So, what is your verdict?" Draco asked playfully tickling Teddy who shrieked with laughter. "Does this little monster need mittens?" He grinned at her still struggling with Teddy who was trying to get away from him.
"He is surprisingly well behaved for a four year old. I have kept some mitten on his bedside table just in case. They have a temporary gluing charm on them. His Godfather however, needed mittens with a permanent gluing charm."
Draco nodded as Teddy who was able to finally wriggle out of his grasp, jumped down the bed and performed a victory dance before running off to Greengrass and hugging her legs. She laughed and Draco's heart beat faster. He watched as she grabbed Teddy and then helped him to his bed placed a couple of board games and colouring books in front of him and then ruffled his hair affectionately.
"I have stalked up the bathroom cabinet. He is an energetic child, but he needs his rest. Give him a sleeping potion in half an hour. He really needs to sleep it out." Draco nodded. "It was nice to see you again, Malfoy." She smiled and walked away. Draco watched her retreating form.
"You look like Darry." Teddy said going back to colouring his hippogriff in a violent shade of pink.
"Huh?" Draco asked not really understanding, how he could ever look like Potter.
"He looks like that when he watches Aunt Ginny." Teddy said seriously looking into his eyes.
"Huh!" Alarm bells rang in his head. Merlin! That kid was observant. "I want to listen to a story." Teddy demanded suddenly.
"What kind of story?"
"Scary story?"
"You know you don't sleep well after that."
"No, I promise I won't be scared now. I am a big boy."
Draco snorted in response.
"Uncle Drake." Teddy whined, pouting so convincingly that Draco gave in.
"Okay, but one story." He warned. "And then you will have to take your potion and sleep. Promise?"
"Yes."
"Which scary story then?"
"The one where the man had a hairy heart."
Draco groaned. "Merlin kid! You know the story off by heart."
"But I want that story."
"Okay fine. Now you get under your sheets and get ready for bed. I will come back with your potion and then tell you the story."
"Okay." Teddy said jumping up and clearing his bed.
Draco smiled as he walked into the bathroom to the sleeping potion. Unlike popular belief, most pureblood wizards rarely used their wands or magic at home for simple day-to-day things. They liked keeping fit and moving around. As Draco opened the cabinet he heard a muffled thud from the room. "Teddy?" he called. "Teddy, are you alright?" He hastily picked up a vial and moved out of the bathroom.
"Hey, Teddy are you alright?" Draco asked as he entered the room. What he saw froze his blood. Teddy was lying on the floor unconscious and his nose was bleeding. "Teddy!" Draco ran up to Teddy, kneeling down before him. "Hey, wake up. Come on Teddy, wake up." He tried desperately to shake Teddy out of his state. "Teddy, come on. I need help. Help! HELP!" Several loud cracks echoed in the room at the same time.
"Mr. Malfoy what is it? Why is little master Teddy on the floor? Did he hurt himself?" an elf asked him.
"I don't know what's wrong with him. Someone please go get a healer and someone please go get Potter and aunt Meda and my mother." The elves disapparated with loud cracks as Draco picked Teddy up and put him on his bed and started rubbing his palms and feet. "Come on Teddy. Wake up. Please. Please, I will give anything you want. Tell you the scariest of stories. Please wake up Teddy." He muttered over and over again.
"What is- Teddy!" Potter exclaimed as he ran to the bed. "What's wrong with him? Why is he unconscious? Why is his nose bleeding? Did you call Astoria and Andromeda?"
"I don't know what happened to him. He was fine when I left him in his bed to go get his sleeping potion. I was gone for less than a minute and when I came back he was on the floor knocked out with a nosebleed. I have tried everything, his nosebleed isn't stopping. And his hands and legs are getting cold. I am just trying to keep him warm. Help me keep him warm, please."
"Draco?" Draco looked up as he heard his mother who was standing on the door with his aunt looking quite alarmed.
"Mum! I left for a minute to get his sleeping potion and he fainted and he is not waking up!" Draco told her as he frantically rubbed Teddy's hands. "He is getting so cold. Look. Its all my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone. I should have just summoned the potion to me. What have I done? He was right, he was right. I poison everything I touch." Draco sobbed with his head in his hands. Narcissa said nothing, just hugged her broken son.
"It's not your fault." Andromeda said looking like a ghost as she leant on the door frame. "Dragon pox is fatal for werewolves. I thought it won't affect him because he was recovering so well but I guess I was wrong." Andromeda looked close to losing her sanity.
"No." Potter said firmly. "Teddy will be fine. We will take him to St. Mungo's and they will heal him." He got up from the bed and walked up to Andromeda. "Do you hear me, Andromeda?" He asked her shaking her brittle frame. "Teddy will be fine. He has got to come back to us. Life cannot be this cruel to us. He will be fine. Let's take him to St. Mungo's."
"Harry your elf said something is wrong with Teddy. He was fine when I left ten minutes ago." Astoria said appearing next to him along with Happy.
"Thank goodness you are here Astoria. Teddy passed out quite suddenly and his body is getting colder plus his nosebleed won't stop. Andromeda thinks the dragon pox virus is not reacting very well with his werewolf genes."
"Oh!" Astoria said turning to look at Draco who was crying openly, as he frantically rubbed Teddy's tiny hands and feet. He looked so desperate it broke Astoria's heart. "Right, we need to stabilise him before running a few tests. Let's take him to St. Mungo's. Don't worry, we have a cure. It would be painful for him but there is a cure we just have to wait for him to wake up."
Several patronuses shot out of Harry's wand and soared out in different directions before the group moved to St. Mungo's. Harry refused to stay in another room and requested a bed next to Teddy. Draco paced the room as Harry sat on his bed worrying about Teddy who was in the examination room. One by one the Weasley's and Granger arrived. They were surprised to see Narcissa and Draco but did not comment. Granger and the Weasley girl even nodded in their direction before sitting down and waiting for the healers.
Draco sat by Teddy's bed. The healers had kept him under observation for 48 hours, hoping that he would wake up in the stipulated time. If he did wake up in 48 hours, they said they would be able to help him heal, if not they would wait for another 24 hours but if Teddy did not wake up in the next 72 hours. Then he would slip into a coma and eventually- NO! He would NOT go there. Teddy will wake up. Teddy has to wake up.
Draco sat there, silently willing Teddy to wake up. He did not know what day or date it was. He knew that in another 30 minutes those 48 hours would be over and Teddy had to wake up before that. His eyes burned, the world, this hospital, Potter's visitors were a dull hum in his ears. Time itself was moving slowly. He knew Potter tried to talk to him at times. He knew he responded too, but he didn't understand the conversation. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't bother looking up.
"Malfoy?" Granger's voice pulled him out of his stupor but not for long, conversations were over rated really. "Malfoy, maybe you should go home, get some rest. You have been sitting on this chair for two days now."
"Thanks for the concern Granger but I am not leaving Teddy again. I shouldn't have left him alone in the first place. I am not going anywhere."
"So, fine. Sleep here. Next to Teddy, but you need to get some rest. You look like crap."
"Thank you for the compliment and concern again but I cannot sleep."
"What do you mean by you cannot sleep?" She asked incredulously.
What was wrong with Granger? Didn't she understand, small talk was useless. He didn't need her concern. He needed Teddy to wake up before the next fifteen minutes were up. What?! He had been talking to Granger for fifteen minutes now someone should record this moment in history.
"Malfoy?" Granger was shaking him now. "Malfoy?"
"What's wrong with him?" He heard Weasley behind her.
"I don't know Ron. He said he couldn't sleep." Turning back to Draco she shook him again. "Malfoy, when was the last time you slept?"
He shrugged, he honestly didn't remember. "Okay, when was the last time you woke up after a goodnight's sleep?"
He knew that one. He had slept soundly because he had thought of Teddy and was excited about seeing him the next day. He had woken up feeling fresh and well rested. That felt like a lifetime ago though.
"Malfoy? Hey, Malfoy?" This time someone else was shaking him, a Weasley one of those popular funny twins. Of all the Weasleys Draco liked the twins best, he was horrified when he had seen Fred Weasley's body. "I think he has gone in a shock, should I slap him?"
"That won't be necessary Weasley. I was just thinking about the answer to Granger's question. I woke up after a good sleep on the morning of the day Teddy and Aunt Meda were supposed to visit us."
"What?!" Granger yelped. "Malfoy, you haven't slept at all in over 72 hours! You need to get some rest."
"I will sleep when Teddy wakes up. Now please leave me be."
"But-" Granger had started to say something but then she moved away with the two Weasley boys.
56 hours and Teddy had still not opened his eyes. Draco refused to abandon hope. Astoria had observed Draco sitting in the same position for 56 hours, from what Hermione Granger had told Ginny Weasley, he must have been awake for more than 85 hours. She had watched Harry Potter struggle to stay awake in his sickness to keep a watch on Teddy. Astoria was amazed at the display of such love and devotion.
"Hey" She said softly as she sat on the edge of Teddy's bed next to Draco. He didn't reply but his hand twitched slightly. She placed her hand on top of his. "He will wake up. He is so well loved. He would wake up."
For the first time he looked into her eyes and Astoria felt as if he had opened the gates of his soul for her. She could see pure torture and pain in them. He was broken and it looked like Teddy was the only think holding him together. Her heart ached to comfort him, before she knew it; she had pulled him in a fierce hug. He leant his forehead on her shoulder and sobbed. Only the tears were few and far in between, she made smoothing circles on his back, as his entire frame shook harder. Tears leaked down her eyes at his pain. They sat like that for 6 hours. Draco kept count of all the hours. Then Teddy's fingers twitched under Draco's hand. He moved away from Astoria and stared at his hand. Teddy's fingers twitched under his hand again, this time with a little more force.
"Draco? Draco? What is it?" Astoria asked shaking him slightly.
"His fingers twitched twice but- LOOK! His feet twitched!" Before she could say anything, Teddy let out a low moan. She jumped, "Do nothing, don't jostle him. Let him wake up on his own, I will go call the head healer."
Ginny who had stayed back with Harry had woken up with a jerk at Draco's shout and was already running out to the lobby to get Andromeda, Narcissa and Bill. Harry who was under a strong sleeping potion was woken up when the healers threw everyone including Draco out. Half an hour later the healers came out and informed them that Teddy had indeed woken up and had asked for them already. They were allowed to meet him for now. But she also told them that Teddy's road to recovery would be painful and they would have to toughen themselves.
Teddy was already chatting with Harry when Andromeda ran in and hugged him, kissing him all the while. Teddy pulled away making a face at being kissed. Draco stood by the door. He didn't know if he should enter or not. Among his various prayers he had desperately prayed that if Teddy wakes up, he would take the punishment and stay away from him. If it meant that Teddy gets to live, he would happily fade out of Teddy's life. He didn't know which prayer was answered. Before he could make a decision Ginny Weasley had pulled him in and pushed him towards Teddy. He looked at Potter who gave him a knowing smile and nodded encouragingly and just like that Draco knew that he might not like Potter and Potter might not like him but they would always protect the other's relationship with Teddy.
"Uncle Drake!" Teddy beamed at him, throwing his arms open and reaching out for him.
"Hey kid. You gave us a big scare." Draco said gathering the little child up in his arms.
"I saw mum and Moony da." Teddy said suddenly, "We played and chased butterflies and watched the clouds. Then mum asked me if I was ready to go home. But then you came and Darry came and Grandma came and asked me if I was ready to go home. So, I asked mum and Moony da to wait a bit. I just wanted to tell you that I was going home with mum and Moony da. But when I returned, they were gone. So, I came back home with you." He smiled showing off his dimples as the adults sat in stunned silence. They had come this close to losing Teddy. But then Harry mused, love was the most powerful magic of all times.
Teddy protested as he was kissed goodnight by his grandma and great aunt before they left for the Malfoy Manor. He protested loudly when Bill ruffled his hair and proceeded home. He climbed down his bed despite several protests and crawled on top of Harry's chest but reached a hand for Draco. He tapped Draco's hand rhythmically; Draco could feel the exhaustion of the past days catching up with him. "Uncle Drake?" Teddy said sleepily. "Hmmm…"
"Why did you say you would go away if I wake up? I don't want you to go away. Promise you won't go away?"
Draco looked up to notice that Potter was watching him. He nodded in understanding. "I promise kid. I won't go away."
"I love you, Uncle Drake. So much." Teddy said as he spread his hands wide on either side of Potter.
Draco laughed. "I love you too kid. I love you too." He said kissing Teddy's tiny palm.
"Hey, Malfoy. I think you should get some sleep now." Potter said quietly as Weasley returned after talking to the Healers about Teddy's treatment.
"We will talk in the morning. Malfoy here really needs to sleep and Harry you need to sleep too." Ginny said as both men looked at her expectantly. Both of them nodded. "You can sleep in Teddy's bed. He won't leave me tonight." Potter said.
Draco nodded; he slept off as soon as his head hit the pillow. "Who would have thought that Malfoy was capable of loving someone so much. Whoever he falls in love with would be a lucky woman." Ginny muttered as she leant in to kiss Harry and Teddy goodnight. Harry nodded looking at Malfoy again.
"You know, he reminds me of dad. I mean lets face it. Dad was a pompous jerk to the people he didn't care about but he was fiercely loyal and devoted to those he loved. Maybe Malfoy is like that. I just realized that any person who is capable of sitting for 60 plus hours on a hard chair without complain or sleep for someone they love can't be all bad." Ginny laughed before giving him a final kiss and going off to sleep on the couch.
"Hey, Ted." Teddy yawned in response.
"I think you can call me Dad if you want to."
"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" Teddy squealed in delight but neither Malfoy nor Ginny stirred. "I LOVE YOU, DADDY!"
Harry laughed. "Yes, Yes. I love you too. Now will you please keep it down? Your uncle Drake and Aunt Ginny are sleeping." Teddy nuzzled Harry's chest, hugging him harder and soon both God father and Godson were fast asleep.
One month later
Draco laughed silently as he heard Teddy's whine through his room's door. It had been three days since he had returned home and he was put under strict bed rest for another week just to give his tired body enough rest. "But Tori" he whined. "I have been a good boy. And I just want to go out for five minutes."
"Teddy, for the last time!" came her exasperated reply, "If you go out now, you will fall sick again. Do you want to spend another month in the hospital? Just three more days and I promise you I would take you out myself."
"No, I won't go out with you."
"Why not?"
"Because then that would be a date. Daddy takes Aunt Ginny out all the time, Uncle Ron takes Aunt Hermione out. Uncle Bill takes Aunt Fleur out, Uncle George takes Angie out. Uncle Percy takes Aunt Audrey out. And Uncle George says that Uncle Charlie is dating dragons. I will go out with a dragon. They are cool. Girls are icky and I don't want to kiss icky girls."
Draco couldn't hold it in. He went into Teddy's room and was quickly attacked by that human hurricane. He picked Teddy up and looked over at Astoria, barely hiding his amusement. Astoria huffed and left muttering something about being late for work.
That evening Draco decided to drop by St. Mungo's. He waited outside, he knew Astoria liked to walk a little in muggle London and get a cup of coffee from this little café after work. And true to his prediction Astoria came out, looking angelic. His stomach churned nervously.
"Hey." He called, keeping his cool façade intact. "Coffee?" He asked lifting the cups in his hand.
"Hi." She picked up a cup from his hand and smiled at him. "Thank you."
"What are you doing here by the way?" She asked curiously.
"Well, I was in the neighbourhood. I thought you might allow me to join you as you walk around muggle London. I am curious about this place. Its so different." He said looking around.
"Oh okay, sure come along." She said as she started walking down the pavement. Draco fell in step next to her with ease.
"Although," she said after moments of comfortable silence. "I thought and it might be presumptuous of me to say so, but I thought that you are here to ask me out on a date."
Draco blushed as she smirked. She had noticed how he kept stealing glances at her, always on the verge of saying something before changing his mind. "Yes, well I wanted to ask you out on a date." He admitted quietly.
"Then why didn't you?"
"You know who I am. You know what I was branded with. You know what my past is. I was a puppet and I chose to be one because I was too scared of going against him; too scared of being responsible for my family's death. You on the other hand were never afraid. You fought in the battle, you rebelled before that, you stood up for me when I was being bullied in school. You didn't judge me then but I knew you didn't like me much either. I didn't know-"
"You are not the same boy, Draco. If I sit down and think about it, I don't really know what I would have done. He had taken over your home, keeping your family hostage and from what I have seen of your devotion to Teddy and your love for him. I understand you would have done anything to keep them safe. I respect you for that."
"So, you don't see me as a- as a-"
"No, I see you as Draco Malfoy, the man that didn't sleep for more than 80 hours because he wanted to be there for the person he cared about."
"Thank you." He said softly.
"So, how about this Saturday? You pick me up at 8:00?"
"Sounds good."
"I will see you then. If not before that. You know, I have been craving some Chinese food for a while. I might go to that Chinese restaurant we passed, for lunch. Hopefully tomorrow."
"Yeah, you shouldn't ignore your cravings. Tomorrow, lunch sounds like a good idea to me."
She laughed, before reaching up and kissing his cheek. "I will see you tomorrow for lunch. Bye Draco." She said and disapparated.
"Yeah, bye." He said dreamily; whooping in that empty alley before apparating back to Malfoy Manor.
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