Author: enchanted nightingale
Beta: pussycatadamah
Timeline: After Book 7. I've taken many liberties with the timeline. Details as the story progresses.
Pairs:Harry Potter/Lucius Malfoy
Disclaimer:The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I merely use them in my plot for fun.
Chapter 2
Grimmauld Place was a quiet neighbourhood and Number 12, which was under Fidelius, was not an exception. Out of the four occupants, two were asleep. Kreacher, the aged house elf was walking through the house tidying up for the day while Andromeda Tonks, formerly Black, was busy in the kitchen. Being back in her aunt's house was strange to her. The London house of the Black's used to be a dreary and dark place but after the newest owner was through with redecorating the house had a whole new look. The dark woods and old tapestries had given the place the air of a haunted house. Now lighter woods and bright colours made it more inviting and homier. The ugly portraits and garish decapitated elf heads were burned to oblivion and new Muggle and magical pictures gave it a happier note, as well as the many framed pictures of a happy toddler with various hair colours and older pictures of the Potters and the Tonks and the Lupins. Harry Potter had done a great job creating a home for him and his godson, practically his son by the way he treated the child. Kreacher had also changed for the better and no foul words could be heard from his mouth. The newest occupant was the widowed witch after much cajoling from Harry and the added treat of seeing her grandson whenever she liked. So she was now rooming with a barely twenty year old wizard, a toddler and a house elf and she kept an eye on the newest males of her life.
Andromeda was a perceptive witch and she was proud of this fact. She had supported her decision to part ways with her family for the love of a Muggleborn man. She had not broken under the pressure then and she was not about to do so now. She knew how to see between words, she had to in order to protect her family. She was still an attractive woman, as most Blacks tended to be when they matured. Her once completely dark black hair had prominent white streaks. The grief and losses in her life had dimmed the light in her eyes somewhat but her grandson and her nephew's godson were the only ones who could make the witch smile. And they seemed to succeed in their goal as her gloomy spells were fewer and tended to hit her when she was alone. She had in no way forgotten the loss of her husband and daughter but the pain was not so bitter any more. Now, after the war, after the loss of her beloved husband and her darling daughter she had come across a new kind of family. Had anyone ever told her that the so called Saviour of Magical Britain would be staying with her she would never believe them.
The witch saw said youth stumble into the kitchen, his hair worse than a bird nest, wearing a pair of baggy pyjama bottoms and a simple flannel top. He looked adorable, like a kid really, especially as he was carrying an even smaller child on his hip. Andromeda's smile widened as her baby grandson, barely two years old, had the same and even worse bed hair than his godfather and looked adorable in his cute pyjamas that had magical animals rolling around the mint coloured fabric. Both boys were rubbing sleep from their eyes. Any lingering dark thoughts were expelled from her mind.
Unable to help herself anymore, the witch giggled at the sight they made.
"'Morning," Harry nodded at her. Teddy waved a bit before nodding off against Harry's chest.
Andromeda shook her head. "You two," she said with merriment. "Kreacher has breakfast ready. As soon as you're awake I want to hear everything about your Beltane celebration Harry. And you will tell me why you boys are so tired today."
Harry immediately agreed and followed her into the kitchen. Andromeda managed to coax Teddy out of his godfather's lap so the young man could eat his breakfast in relative peace. Once the former Gryffindor had some coffee in his system, the witch started drilling him for answers.
"It was in the middle of Snowdonia a very quiet location. Apart from us," Harry told her. "It was very nice. The atmosphere, the food."
"What did you bring?" Andromeda asked.
"Well, I baked some bread. Kreacher nearly had a fit when he saw me in the kitchen," the wizard told her.
Andromeda smiled. "Oh, I bet he did. I also bet that the bread must have tasted wonderful."
Harry blushed at the praise.
"What else?" the witch inquired. "You came back near dawn I hear."
"You know, I believe house elves are bigger gossips than some witches I knew from Gryffindor," Harry sighed.
"He means well," Andromeda told Harry. "He has taken a great liking to you; he practically adores you much like he did Regulus."
Harry said nothing to that; it was after all the truth. He soon started telling Andromeda all about the Beltane festivities with vivid gestures and a whole new light in his eyes.
"I was told a hunt took place," the witch hinted.
The raven haired wizard blushed making Andromeda certain she had hit a goldmine of gossip. "Oho, now I'm even more curious than before. Did my Harry participate in a hunt?"
Harry shrugged. His face had turned a rather adorable shade of red and the colour kept spreading.
"Hm, was it nice? Who did magic pair you up with, a boy or a girl?" Andromeda cleverly guessed that Harry had ended up having sex with one of the participants of the hunt.
"A man."
The witch studied him. "Then he was older than you. And since there cannot be stronger wizards, at least power wise, you must have topped."
Harry gaped.
"Do mind the flies," Andromeda teased. "I hear the taste is awful."
The green eyed wizard rolled his eyes. The witch could give insults like any decent Slytherin. The fact that she had married a Muggle did not erase the fact that she was a Black and that he, Harry, had slept with her sister's husband, no matter how estranged the two witches were. He knew he needed to at least tell one person about this lest he burst from carrying a secret as big as this. Andromeda was a good candidate and she would either hex him or laugh her head off.
"I did top," Harry admitted, not meeting her eyes.
"Oh? And who was your lucky broodmare?"
"You've met him before. You're even related to him," Harry told her.
The witch frowned in thought.
"I topped Lucius Malfoy," Harry declared.
Andromeda blinked. And then she started laughing. Teddy looked up from his milk bottle and his colour changing milk at the loud sound, watching his grandma with wide, adorable eyes.
"Come on, it's not that funny," Harry muttered.
"Oh, my Harry, you are simply precious. You bring so much happiness in my life."
"It's not funny when it's me you're getting your kinks from."
Andromeda caught her breath and gave him a pat on the head.
"Pinch my cheek and I'll draw my wand on you," Harry warned her.
"Worry not my dear jester; I believe I have enough happy thoughts to conjure an army of Patroni. Though if any of them resemble youthful nude men…"
"Andromeda!" Harry exclaimed scandalized.
The witch burst in giggles. Harry turned to his godson, picking the boy up tenderly. The child was giving Andromeda awed looks.
"Yes, your Nana is insane," he told Teddy. "I hope it skips your generation," he added solemnly.
End of chapter
