Hey Guys!
This is my first Drarry Fanfic (EVER) so please tell me what you think. I originally intended it to be a one-shot but it was getting too long so it will most likely be a three-shot, maybe even a five-shot, depending on how long the chapters get :D Can't tell you when the next part will be out because (ask the readers of Scars) I have no time-management skills - none. So It could be next week, could be next month but please be patient with me!
Summary: Draco Malfoy left the wizarding world behind years ago and has since crafted his own life and career in Muggle Canada. So how do things work out when Potter and his family end up staying in his flat to wait out a vicious storm? Can a delicate understanding and friendship grow into something more?
Rating: K+
Pairing: Draco/Harry
Author: Aidrian-Nite
Enjoy!
The pub was quite busy considering that it wasn't quite evening. Most of the tables were occupied and the regulars filled up the seats by the bar, talking in hushed tones amongst themselves over their drinks. Draco wasn't actually that surprised - what with the winter storm that was currently raging outside, obscuring the view of the usually-bustling street beyond the large windows. He guessed that most people had stepped inside in the hopes of waiting out the worst of it before heading home. With the fires burning merrily in the grates, it wasn't exactly a difficult choice to make.
Draco had always liked the little pub. It reminded him quite a lot of the Three Broomsticks with the cosy atmosphere and the fires and candles. He allowed a smile to grace his lips at the memories of his hours in Hogsmeade with his fellow Slytherins. He missed it sometimes but when he glanced around at the new community that had accepted him, he couldn't imagine himself returning to his old life.
"Evening, Drake!"
The blond man was pulled from his thoughts by the familiar shout. He looked up and felt his lips tug upwards against his will at the familiar auburn curls and contagious grin of his friend who had slumped into a chair at the bar. "Good evening, Jack. What can I get you today?"
Jack wrinkled his nose, "Geez, will you ever stop being so uptight? You don't have you be so formal all the time. But since you asked, I'll have a can of Fosters."
Draco shook his head, "My stirling upbringing simply won't allow for informalities, Jacoby."
"Ugh!" Jack winced, "Fine - I'll get off your 'stirling upbringing' if you promise to stop calling me by my full name when I annoy you." His eyes widened and he pouted in a way that Draco would have found attractive had he not known the man. "Honestly, what were Mom and Dad thinking when they called me Jacoby?"
Draco shrugged, "It could be worse - you could have had my parents and been stuck with a horrid name like Draconis." Jack smothered the usual giggles in the crook of his elbow and Draco glared, "Yes, yes, laugh all you want. Are you forgetting exactly who is serving you your drinks every night?"
As his friend forced his chuckles to subside, Draco ducked to the fridge and pulled out a cold can of Fosters for his friend, "Do you want this in a glass?"
"Nah, the can's good."
Draco handed the can over and accepted the money he was handed without checking it - he trusted his best friend not to short-change him after all. He moved over to the till and opened it automatically, dropping the coins in without having to pay much attention. He could still remember when he had first entered muggle Canada and how long it had taken him to get used to the currency. At the time, he had been so desperate for an escape from the wizarding world and everything that it meant to be a Malfoy that posing as a muggle had seemed like a brilliant idea. He had met up with an acquaintance who was willing to exchange his galleons for Canadian dollars then he had rented the first room that was suitable for his needs, which just so happened to be above the pub where he soon found himself working. Being a barman had never been on his list of things he expected to be, but he had needed a way of earning money and his landlord, Brian, had been looking for a worker. Draco had soon discovered that his career could be rather enjoyable - especially when his mean streak got a kick out of barring people for being too drunk. Not long after he started work (and figured out how to work the blasted till) he befriended Jack and smoothly integrated himself into the close-knit community. That had been almost six years ago and he had never been happier.
"Earth to Drake!"
The blond blinked and returned his attention to Jack, who was pouting like a child again. "Yes?"
His friend sighed loudly and folded his arms, "I've been asking you for the past few minutes if you are actually going to turn up to singles night next week."
Draco felt his shoulders tense without meaning to and broke eye contact with Jack in favour of cleaning the spotless glass in his hand. "I have work."
"No you don't. I checked the rota yesterday."
"Well I have other plans." Draco insisted, refusing to acknowledge that he sounded pathetic even to himself. One consequence of moving to Canada seemed to be that he lost his Slytherin snark.
"No you don't."
"How would you know?"
"I know you."
"Not that well."
"Well enough to know when you are avoiding the subject."
Draco groaned and gave up with the glass, placing it under the bar and throwing the towel over his shoulder. "Can you drop it, please? I'm not going."
Annoyed, he went to move to the other end of the bar but Jack followed. "C'mon, Drake! You need to get back out there!"
"I don't need to do anything. I'm perfectly fine the way I am." Draco said, glaring at his friend in a way that would make normal people back off immediately. Unfortunately, Jack had never been normal and was so used to spending time with Draco that he had developed immunity to the glare. Another bad thing about Canada - the people were too resilient.
"You're fine being lonely?"
"And who said I'm lonely?"
Jack didn't say anything, just looked at Draco with a raised eyebrow and those piercing blue eyes that somehow seemed to be able to stare right through you. Draco had cursed those eyes more that a few times since they had met.
"Fine. I guess I am a little lonely," He admitted, accepting the fact that there was no point in lying, "But I'm still not going to some stupid singles night on my own."
Jack looked looked highly offended, "Hey! It's not stupid and you won't be alone. I'll go too."
Draco raised an eyebrow, "Denise dumped you already?"
"What do you mean 'already'?"
"Great, now I owe Brian money…"
"What?!"
Draco laughed out loud as his friend sat there blushing with his mouth hanging wide open and a few of the other patrons chuckled as well. Jack looked about ready to cut Draco a new one for betting on his love life - again - when the door burst open, hitting the back wall loudly, the wind blowing out a few candles.
"Daddy!"
Standing in the doorway, dripping water onto the hardwood floor, was a child. Her red hair was in disarray from the wind but was sticking to her skin like her clothes because of the snow. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold and her eyes were scared and wild. She was on her own.
"Daddy, where are you?" Frantically, she began to scan the faces at the tables and the bar, her eyes filling up with tears when obviously she couldn't pin-point her father. "Daddy!"
At this point, the bar had gone silent apart from her cries and Draco was the first to move to her aid. He hurried over, Jack hot on his heels, and knelt in front of the shaking girl. She was really crying now, the tears rolling down her face and Draco felt a tug at his heart.
"Hush, Sweetheart, it's alright. You're alright…" He crooned. He reached out a hand to place on her small shoulder but she cowered away from his touch. "What's the matter, Sweetheart, are you hurt?" She didn't answer and Draco shot a worried look over his shoulder at Jack who had shut the doors to keep out the cold.
"Sweetheart, you need to tell me if you are hurt anywhere, okay?" Draco inched closer and she backed away again. Frowning, he went for a different tactic. "What's your name?"
For a moment, it looked like she wasn't going to say anything then she looked up to reveal startlingly bright green eyes that looked eerily familiar to Draco, though he couldn't remember when he had seen them before. "Can't say…"
Draco kept his voice calm and kind, "Why not?"
She looked around to the room full of people who were all obviously listening in, even if they weren't looking, "Daddy said no talking to strangers."
Draco smiled at her reassuringly, "In that case, my name is Draco." He held his hand out for her to shake but she looked puzzled. "If we know each other's names then we aren't strangers anymore and then I can try and help you find your Daddy."
She frowned for a moment, as if thinking his words over carefully before placing her petite hand in his own. "Lily."
"Well then, Lily," Draco said, smiling and rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand in a comforting manner, "How about we get you warm and dry by the fire and you can tell us what happened? And," He leaned forwards like he was telling a secret, "I might even tell Jack here to go and make you some hot chocolate."
Her eyes lit up, "With cream?"
He nodded seriously, "And marshmallows."
Jack moved so that Lily could see him too, "And sprinkles."
Lily smiled up at him and wiped the rest of her tears away on the back of her hand. Draco stood up and led Lily over to the arm chairs right next to the fire, which were quickly vacated by the young couple who had been sitting there, both of them shooting Draco concerned looks. The blond nodded to them, reassuring them that he had the situation handled for now. He lifted Lily up so she could sit back properly and pulled the throw blanket off the back of the chair and wrapped it snugly around her shoulders. "Here we go, Sweetheart, this should do for now. Then when you have calmed down and we've got some hot chocolate in you, I'll get you some dry clothes, alright?"
Lily nodded, "Thank you, sir."
"I told you, call me Draco. After all, friends call each other by their names, don't they?"
The little girl blushed and nodded shyly. They sat in companionable silence for a few moments until Jack returned with a steaming cup which he handed to the girl who smiled up at him sweetly. Draco was hit with a sense of nostalgia at the smile - with the sense that he should know who the girl was and it was toying with the back of his mind that she was familiar yet he couldn't quite grasp the thought. He shrugged it off and decided that enough people had lost interest in her by now.
"Sweetheart, I need you to tell me what happened, alright?"
Lily looked into her chocolate, her wet hair hanging in front of her eyes. "I didn't mean too. We were outside and it started to snow real bad. I only stopped for a second because I thought I saw a fairy and then Daddy was gone and I couldn't find him." She was crying again and Draco couldn't stop the instinct to move over and pull her onto his lap so he could hold her close.
"Hush, Sweetheart, everything will be fine." He rubbed small circles between her shoulder blades and rocked her gently, the comforting movement instant and familiar. "I'm sure your Daddy couldn't have gone far."
She sniffled rather cutely and turned tear-filled green orbs to look at Jack, who was crouching near by, "Will my Daddy be mad?"
Jack shook his head, "I don't think he will be. If I were your Daddy, I'd be really proud that you found somewhere warm and safe to wait instead of searching in this storm. It was really very clever of you."
"Oh…"
Without conscious thought, Draco began running his hands through Lily's long, red hair which was drying quickly in the warmth of the fire. He gently separated the knots his fingers encountered, knowing from experience that if her hair dried with those huge knots in it, it would sting when she brushed them out later on. The movement seemed to calm her down and she snuggled into Draco's embrace, obviously taking comfort in the father-like hug. Draco chose to ignore the voice in his head that said that he never had this embrace as a child.
"Alright, Sweetheart?"
Lily nodded and looked up at him with wide, green eyes. "Yes. I'm okay...I miss my Daddy…"
Jack scooted forwards to offer his own comfort, his bright blue eyes looking almost mystical in the fire light. He had a very friendly face and Draco could tell that Lily liked him. "I'm sure you're Dad will find you soon. It's just taking him a little bit longer because of the storm, alright. No need to worry."
Lily nodded and quickly lunged forwards, wrapping Jack in a quick hug before pulling back and smiling shyly, and adorable little blush dusting her cheeks. "Thanks. And thank you, Draco."
The blond man smiled indulgently, happy that the little girl had remembered his name, "Anytime, Sweetheart."
They sat there for a while, conversing quietly amongst the three of them and drinking hot chocolate. Lily's eyelids were just beginning to droop when the pub door slammed open for the second time that night, admitting a tall, pale man with dark and untidy hair. Behind him followed two more children with the same features, one taller than the other. All of them were sopping wet and shivering.
"Please! Has anyone seen a little girl?" The man called desperately, scanning the faces just as Lily had when she arrived thirty minutes earlier.
"Daddy!" Suddenly wide awake, Lily leaped out of Draco's arms and right into the outstretched ones of her father, who hoisted her up to hold her close. She wrapped her legs around his torso and buried her head in his neck while he hid his own face in her fiery red hair.
"Oh, Lily! Oh, I'm so glad you're safe!" He crouched and placed her on the floor, "Your brothers and I were so worried."
As if on cue, the two boys who had been waiting patiently, water droplets dripping from their noses and hair, rushed forwards and hugged their sister from either side, squishing her smaller form between their taller and slightly broader bodies.
"Where were you, Lil?"
"What happened?
"How did you get here?
The two boys started asking questions in quick succession and both Draco and Lily's father noticed how overwhelmed the little girl was becoming and the dark haired man silenced the two boys with a 'Dad' look that Draco was very familiar with.
"Boys."
They backed away, both looking a little sheepish. "Sorry." They mumbled.
The man just shook his head and returned his attention to his daughter, "Lil, what happened, Honey? Are you hurt?"
Lily shook her head and smiled, "I'm okay. I got lost in the snow and I couldn't see you. I got scared and then I came here, looking for you. Then Draco helped me."
"Draco?"
Deciding that it would be a good time to make himself known, Draco stood and walked over to the reunited family. "That would be me." He held his hand out politely to the man who was still crouched before his daughter. His hand was clasped tightly as the man rose. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Draco Mal...foy…"
In that moment, in the space of time that it took for the man to straighten, Draco forgot how to speak. He forgot how to think. He forgot how to breathe. Because in that moment, his past came back to him like a punch in the gut in the form of startling, emerald green eyes, hidden beneath an unruly mop of black hair and a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt.
Both men stood there, hands still clasped and completely lost for words until, somehow, Draco managed to choke, "P-Potter?"
If anything, the other man looked even more shocked than Draco and he could only nod, mouth slightly open and his eyes wide and he surveyed the former Slytherin. The children fidgeted, they were able to sense the odd tension between their father and the nice man who had helped Lily but the two men didn't even notice the interested stares they were attracting.
Draco was too busy trying to control his breathing as his mind was overloaded with memories from his time at school. Those dark times that he had tried so desperately to forget in that world that he wanted nothing more to do with. His hand, the hand that was currently holding Harry Potter's hand, had once held a wand that was nearly used to kill. A wand that Harry had held and used for good. A wand that Harry had graciously returned even though Draco wasn't fit to wield it. The man standing before him had been his nemesis, his arch rival and his saving grace. His hope.
A hand on his shoulder snapped him out of the past and with a gasp he dropped Potter's hand. Jack was standing by his side, staring at him worriedly.
"Are you okay, Drake?"
The blond nodded dumbly then cleared his throat, "Yes, I'm okay. Just a little shocked, that's all."
Jack raised an eyebrow (something Draco had taught his how to do), "I'd say you were more than shocked - you went white. Well, whiter than usual."
"I just never expected to see...Not here, I mean…" Draco didn't even know what it was he was trying to tell his friend. That his most hated enemy whom he hadn't seen since he abandoned his old life was standing before him and now he had absolutely no idea how he should act or speak or think because somehow Harry Potter had found his way to Canada?
"Draco, what are you talking about?"
"We're old friends."
Draco's head whipped around to look at Potter who had spoken. The dark-haired man was smiling slightly and Draco couldn't help but think that it was a very nice smile. Then his words caught up with him. Old friends?
"I'm sorry, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Harry Potter." Potter held his hand out to Jack who shook it warily, still feeling tension radiating off Draco.
"Jack Wilson. Friends, you say?" The threatening undertone was subtle but Draco noticed it and felt a rush of gratitude and affection for his long-time friend. Even though his annoyed Draco sixty percent of the time, he was kind-hearted and very protective of Drac and the other pub residents.
Potter it seemed, also noticed the warning in Jack's tone and looked once again at Draco who was still somewhat at a loss. Those disarming emerald eyes locked with his own and his breath caught in his throat. No wonder he recognised Lily - she had those Potter eyes and the Weasley hair.
"Yes, we went to school together and...well we haven't seen a whole lot of each other since then, really." Potter ran his hand through his wet hair, a gesture that Draco remembered Potter was fond of when he was nervous. He was glad to know he wasn't the only one who was shaken up from the encounter. "How long has it been, Malfoy? Ten years since we last saw each other?"
Draco's mind finally began to recover from the shock and he answered a little shakily, "Something like that, yes."
Then Potter did something that Draco never expected him to do. He smiled. Not that small polite smile that Draco had seen so often in the Prophet but a huge, happy smile. The kind that Draco had only ever seen directed at the Weasley brood or Granger. And without his consent, his own lips twitched upwards slightly, both in response to Potter's grin and at the oddity of the situation.
"I must say though, Malfoy, this was probably the last place I ever expected to bump into you. Though I am glad you were here to take care of my daughter. Looks like I owe you one."
Draco shook his head, "You don't owe me anything, Potter." Neither of the other men failed to notice how Draco's tone became more sombre with this statement or how Draco refused to meet Potter's eyes. "But I never expected to see you here either. Are you visiting someone?"
Potter blinked and looked a little sheepish, "No actually. We were driving through on our way to Montreal and stopped for some lunch. Then the storm blew in and we got lost and...yeah."
Jack chuckled, "There is no storm like a Canadian storm in Winter. It will ease up a little but they can last for weeks on end. You're best bet is to try and find a place to stay round here for at least a few days."
"Okay, are there any hotels nearby? We should probably go and get dry quickly before the kids get ill, then I need to try and find our car and get our bags…"
Draco's mouth moved before his mind gave it permission to, "You could always stay here."
Potter, Jack and the two boys looked at Draco in shock while Lily practically beamed.
"Here?" Potter asked after a moment.
Fighting down the blush that threatened to bloom, Draco nodded. "Yes. I own half of this place and I live upstairs. We have some spare beds, if you want them."
The Saviour of the Wizarding world looked quizzical, as if wondering why Draco was even offering. Truthfully, Draco was wondering the exact same thing. Surely inviting Potter into his home would only spark uncomfortable interrogations and the old hatred between the two. Not to mention that Draco was perfectly happy with his life the way it was and having a notoriously curious Harry Potter interfere was only likely to bring back more memories and feelings that Draco was more than happy to keep hidden away. No, he should just retract his offer and suggest that hotel that was two minutes walk away and that he knew was currently empty. Both he and Potter would surely be more comfortable with that.
Then he looked down and saw Lily smiling a big toothy grin at him and his resolve crumbled. Again. "The children should probably get some warm clothes and hot food tonight anyway. I have clothes that will fit them and it saves you having to drag them through the storm again. You could always check into a hotel if it gets any better by morning."
Potter considered the offer for about five seconds before his nodded and his eyes sparked with an emotion that Draco didn't quite catch but that looked suspiciously like gratitude. "Alright then, if you don't mind. Besides, it'll give us the chance to...catch up." He smiled again and Draco smiled back before holding a hand out to Lily.
"Let's go and get you settled in then." Lily grabbed his hand and he began to lead the family towards the bar when Jack stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He leaned in so that Potter couldn't hear.
"Are you sure about this, Draco?"
Draco nodded and then realised that it was the truth. "Positive. This is a good thing."
Jack searched his face before he stepped away with a grin of his own. "Alrighty then! I will see you guys tomorrow then. I'm off to brave the storm - Goodnight gentlemen, little Lady." He added with a wink at Lily who giggled.
Draco called out to his partner, "I'm heading up now, Brian. Will you be alright?"
"Sure thing, kiddo. See you tomorrow."
"Goodnight."
Many of the pub patrons also called out their farewells and Draco either answered or waved with nods and easy smiles. He really loved his little pub.
He led the little family up the stairs that led to his flat and he braced himself before opening the door and leading them into the hall, locking the door behind them once they had all filed in.
"Please remove your shoes - the carpet in the living room stains easily."
As they all did as he asked, Draco noticed Potter scan the hallway and the open-plan living and dining room that joined it. It wasn't anything special - creams, pale yellows, whites and browns made up the basic colour scheme and gave the flat a warm and welcoming feel. There was a coat rack and a large mirror hanging on the wall, which gave the cramped hallway a larger feel.
"I'm back!" Draco shouted and Potter turned his quizzical gaze to Draco before running footsteps sounded from further in the flat and a young boy with a messy mop of blonde hair and a huge grin on his face came barrelling around the corner only to stop when he saw that they had company. "Oh, sorry, Papa." He smiled cheekily, grey eyes peeking out from behind a very long fringe.
"It's okay, Son. Come and say hello." Draco couldn't help but smile lovingly at his only child, regardless of the fact that Potter was watching his every move. "This is my...friend...Harry Potter and his children. They will be staying here for the night, maybe longer."
"Oh, okay."
Draco turned his son to face the four and realised that the other two children had no idea who he was. "Sorry I forgot to introduce myself earlier, boys. My name is Draco Malfoy but you may call me Draco. And this is my son, Scorpius."
Scorpius stepped forwards and held his hand out to Potter the way Draco had taught him, "It's nice to meet you, Mr…" He paused and, with a confused expression, looked back to Draco who chuckled and repeated the name, "Mr Potter."
The taller man laughed and crouched down and shook the offered hand in his much larger one, "Please, call me Harry."
Scorpius smiled, "Okay."
"This is my oldest son, James, he's ten." The taller of the two boys waved and Draco noticed that James didn't have the same green eyes as Lily and the other child but rather a light brown. "This is Albus, and he's eight." Potter placed a hand on the shoulder of his other son who smiled shyly at the two Malfoys.
Scorpius jumped on the spot a little bit in his excitement, "I'm eight too!"
"Well, you're tall for your age young man," Potter remarked and Scorpius puffed his chest out with pride, which made Draco roll his eyes. "And this is my daughter, Lily. She's seven next month."
After everyone had said hello and gotten acquainted, Draco decided that it was high time the children got warm and dry. He told Potter where the main bathroom was so that the children could have a warm bath. "I also have a shower in my ensuite, if James is okay to be left alone. Lily got mostly warm by the fire downstairs. While everyone is getting ready, I'll find you some dry clothes to sleep in."
"Thanks, that'd be great. James, why don't you follow Mr Malfoy and you can go and have a shower, alright?"
"'Kay, Dad."
Draco quickly showed James how to work the shower and left him to it, saying he would leave some clothes on his bed for when he was finished. He quickly went to Scorpius's room and found some clothes for Albus and some slightly smaller clothes for Lily and then enlarged some clothes for James, grateful that he had learned how to do some basic wandless magic.
He then took Scorpius to one side.
"Are you alright with them staying here, Kiddo?"
"Yeah, they seem nice. Will I be in your bed then?"
"I'm not sure yet."
Scorpius frowned cutely in that way that never failed to make Draco's heart melt. "Why are they staying here Papa?"
"They got lost." Draco answered, "There is a huge storm outside so I said they could stay here rather than finding a hotel."
"But Miss Ellen's hotel is empty, right? Why didn't they just go there?"
Draco paused and really thought about why he had asked them to stay. It was more logical that they go and stay with Ellen but a part of him...a part of him wanted to see how Potter was.
"I haven't seen Mr Potter in a very long time." Draco said in the end. "I guess I just wanted to make sure he and the children were going to be okay tonight."
Scorpius's intelligent eyes lit with understanding, "So you're helping him because you care about him? Like Jack, right?
Draco wanted to deny it, to tell his son that his relationship with Potter was absolutely nothing like his friendship with Jack but he quickly realised that he himself didn't know how to describe his relationship with the Boy who Lived. He couldn't say that he still loathed the ground that Potter walked on - they hadn't spoken to one another in nearly ten years, for Circe's sake. But he couldn't say that he saw Potter as a friend either. So to save himself the headache he agreed with his son, unaware that a certain green-eyed Saviour of the wizarding world was listening from the other side of the bathroom door.
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