A/N: Thank you to the following people: cookyc, darkskyslove, Gryffindor Rat, Kigen Dawn and Angel-Miyu. Your reviewsare great thank you.
Chapter Two
Ginny refused to acknowledge Scorpius and refused to let him sleep in the same room as Al. So Harry slept in the guest room with Scorpius in his mosses basket, until he could order another cot.
Harry explained to James that they were babysitting Scorpius for a while. He cried and said he didn't want another brother he wanted a sister.
Hermione and Ron came over the next day to see what Ginny had been ranting and raving over. Harry handed them the letter and waited.
"Oh Harry what if Draco is killed? Are you really going to raise Scorpius until he is of age?" she asked startled.
"No – Yes. I don't know. Hopefully will catch Yaxley within a month and Draco will return for his son before Scorpius has even realised he was gone. I was abandoned on a doorstep of the Dursley's and I don't want to palm him off on someone else." Harry was firm, none of this was Scorpius' fault, and he was an innocent child.
"I understand Harry. Maybe we should take him in. Ginny isn't happy at all, we have Rose and Hugo, one more isn't going to cause too much trouble." Hermione offered.
"No. Malfoy would have left him at yours if he wanted you to look after him. I know I'm overacting, but he tasked me to protect his son and I will." He was adamant.
Ron and Hermione nodded, "We understand Harry. But let us help and maybe let me watch over Scorpius whilst you go with Ron to get an Auror update." She logically said.
"Fine. But don't take him out of this house. I will be an hour tops." Harry was fiercely protective of Scorpius, he would hate for Malfoy to return and discover Harry failed in taking care of him.
After a few heated discussions at the Ministry Harry returned to his house. He played with James, and cuddled Al. He wouldn't neglect his own children, Scorpius would have to fit in with the rest of them. Harry learnt that Yaxley had been sighted at a random muggle address, further investigation showed that it was the last known address for Malfoy.
Yaxley had turned the place upside down and found no clues to Malfoys whereabouts. Harry knew Yaxley could be anywhere by now. It frustrated the hell out of him. He tried to talk to Ginny and managed to appease her by convincing her that it would only be unril Yaxley was caught and that would be really soon.
Ginny still refused to acknowledge Scorpius, if Harry was showering and Scorpius started crying, Ginny would ignore him. Harry would rush to Scorpius and see to him, half showered and irritated at Ginny's immature behaviour.
Harry was surprised that the bag left with Scorpius had a variety of clothes and toys, so he didn't have to buy anything new. Well not until Scorpius grew out of them, and he hoped Draco would return before then.
Generally life wasn't too disrupted, parents that had twins managed with two young babies. So when he was watching Al and Scorpius is was no different. They were good babies and behaved, giving him time to play with James, do housework and try and talk sense into Ginny.
He had opted to work from home. Refusing fieldwork and just doing paperwork and have regular meetings and updates with his colleagues. He was technically on extended holiday, but he still worked. He had to help find Yaxley.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned months. It was now nearing Scorpius first birthday and Draco hadn't returned. No news of his or Yaxley's death either. Yaxley had been spotted a few times, he had also gone after a few other death eater families. But it had all gone quiet, as if Yaxley was waiting it out.
Harry had returned to work, he left Scorpius with Molly. Molly would look after James and Al whilst he and Ginny worked, she offered to take Scorpius too. Harry had ensured that the wards were strong at The Burrow, even before Scorpius came along. Just to protect the Weasleys and his own children.
Malfoy couldn't expect him to quit work to bring up Scorpius, he hoped Malfoy would understand that Molly Weasley was his best option. He trusted her 100%, she would treat Scorpius as one of her own grandchildren.
In the five months that he had been watching over Scorpius he had fallen for the little guy. He was an adorable baby, well behaved and cute as hell. Everyone had accepted Scorpius apart from Ginny. She acted spiteful toward him and was jealous of the time Harry spent with him.
They constantly argued over it. He couldn't believe she was acting this way. Scorpius was a baby and needed to be looked after – she had nothing to be jealous of.
They were currently arguing over Harry's plans to give Scorpius a first year birthday party.
"You're not having it in my house." She screeched.
Harry raised his eyebrows, "I think you'll find it is our house Ginny. I have every right to give him a birthday party. He deserves to have memories. I grew up with no celebration for my birthdays or Christmas and it was awful. Don't take that away from Scorpius." He calmly but firmly warned her.
"Whatever but I'm not going. Nor are the kids." She snapped.
"No you cannot blackmail me with our children Ginny. That's low even for you. They will be there, I understand if you don't want to attend." He felt his magic flare, he was getting angry and he didn't want to lash out.
"Look I'm going to Diagon Alley to pick up party supplies. If you change your mind let me know." Harry was glad that the kids were at Molly's. He left and took a detour to a nearby park, the place always seemed quiet and helped calm him.
Harry always knew Ginny had a selfish uncaring side, but it never affected him much before. Yes she got angry when she fell pregnant early and that meant she had to stop playing professional quidditch, Harry thought she resented him for it. But she seemed happy enough with her job as the senior Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet.
Worse case scenario Harry was going to be looking after Scorpius for a long time, and he wanted Scorpius to have normal photos and memories to look back on. So he was making a big deal out of him turning one. Al had his first birthday, but Harry didn't dare suggest a joint party – Ginny would have flipped.
Harry was walking around the park when quite suddenly Draco Malfoy approached him. He kept looking around him, he spoke before Harry even registered what was happening.
"Harry, I don't have much time I cannot be seen here. I want you to give this to Scorpius please. It's a birthday card and present." He thrust a wrapped package in Harry's arms.
Harry accepted it and continued to stare at the man before him.
"How is he? Is he much trouble?" Draco asked in a rush.
Harry smiled at him, "Scorpius is a delightful baby. He's been teething but that's to be expected. He is having a birthday later. Oh and he…" Harry stopped himself, he wasn't sure if Malfoy would want to know. It was a bitter sweet thing.
"Yes, he what?" Draco asked as he glanced around once more.
"He took his first steps the other day. He's walking around, he's a bit unsteady and often falls on his bum, but the little guy doesn't give up." Harry was so proud of Scorpius, Al was also walking, but he wasn't as quick to start as Scorpius.
Draco turned to Harry and his eyes looked so sad, sad that he had missed this milestone in Scorpius' life, but he was smiling, "Tell him daddy thinks of him every day."
Harry stepped closer, "Look Malfoy come back with me. I can protect you too."
Draco shook his head, "I can't. I've got to go." He stepped back, before he apparated he added, "Thank you Harry."
Then he was gone as quick as he had appeared. Harry felt a pang of loneliness now that he had gone. He wished Malfoy would just accept his help and protection, for himself as well as his son.
Harry sighed and continued on to buy the things he needed for Scorpius party. He also purchased a photo album, he would take as many photos as possible, then gift it to Malfoy when he returned. He remembered the sheer happiness he felt when Hagrid gave him the photo album of his parents.
Scorpius had a lovely party and the Weasley family purchased him a mounting of gifts and clothes. Scorpius was truly treated like one of the family. Harry took plenty of photos and even filmed some of it, Draco could watch Scorpius walking around and babbling.
The press had discovered that Malfoy had disappeared and that Harry was pictured with Scorpius often, they soon printed stories and speculated to what had happened. Harry hoped that Yaxley would see that Draco no longer had Scorpius with him and would back off.
Again the months zoomed by. Harry had a standard routine, work, look after the kids, and argue with Ginny. Over and over, again and again he repeated this cycle.
Harry was just getting an ear bashing from Ginny yet again.
"Look Gin I can't stop Al from playing with Scorpius. They are both walking now and into everything. What do you want me to do, magic a barrier between them?" Harry joked.
"Don't be stupid. I want you to put him into foster care or something. You have been looking after him for over half a year now and there are no signs of Malfoy returning or Yaxley being caught." She hated that she had lost her husband, to work and to the kids. To someone else's kid as well.
"No. I don't care if it takes ten years for him to be caught and for Malfoy to return. I will not put Scorpius into foster care. The family have grown attached to him also and they wouldn't allow it. Ginny your being unreasonable." He felt like he had had this argument a hundred times.
"I'm being unreasonable. Malfoy dumped his brat onto us and you're not even friends." She whined.
"He didn't choose me because I was his friend. He trusted me to look after Scorpius and keep him safe. He chose me as he knew I would protect him no matter what." Harry had grown further apart from Ginny as the weeks passed by.
"Well the bastard, he knew it would cause trouble between us. He's doing it on purpose." She smugly said.
Harry snorted, "I hardly think he would willingly abandon his son just to piss you off. Scorpius is staying Ginny end of." He was fixed on it and he wouldn't budge.
"Well I have been offered my old spot back with The Holyhead Harpies. I wasn't going to consider it, but I might now." She told him with such venom.
"Ginny you know that job involves a lot of travel, you'd hardly see me or the kids." Harry calmly said, trying not to lose it with her.
It was just like her to bugger off and think of herself and her career. To use Harry and Scorpius as an excuse, but really wanting to do her own thing as always. Harry knew if anyone asked she would claim that Scorpius had caused the rift between them.
"I know. But I'd be home a couple times a week. I can refuse the offer, if you give Scorpius up I'll stay." She bartered.
Harry glared at her, "You know that is despicable. You would bargain our kids seeing their mother against Scorpius being abandoned. I don't like who you have become, or more likely who you always were but I never knew."
She frowned at him, "What is that supposed to mean? We were happy before that Malfoy brat spoilt it."
Harry shook his head, "No we weren't. I think we were in denial. You have always resented me for knocking you up and ending your carer early. You haven't even tried to make an effort with Scorpius, he has done nothing to you Ginny. I didn't think you could be so heartless. I think that maybe you taking this job is what we both need." With that he left to go fetch the kids form The Burrow.
By the time Al and Scorpius celebrated their second birthdays Ginny and Harry were filling for divorce. Harry couldn't believe he had ever found her attractive, the selfish, spiteful and nasty women.
Luckily for Harry, Ginny thought highly of her career and did not challenge Harry to a custody battle. Instead Harry had the kids, she had joint custody and visited between quidditch tours and training. It wasn't very often and she would always complain about how close James and Al, were to Scorpius.
Yaxley was still a fugitive, they had come close a few times, but hadn't managed to capture him. Harry had no way of contacting Malfoy and he didn't appear again for Scorpius second birthday. He did send a gift via owl, so Harry knew he was still alive.
The Weasley family supported Harry fully. They all thought that Ginny's decision to leave her family to have a career was unacceptable. They didn't mind her having a career, just not one that took her away from her family so much.
Harry loved the kids, all three of them and even though he was sad to think his marriage had ended, he wouldn't change what had happened.
(Time skip)
Scorpius and Al were now four, almost five. It had been over four years since Harry took Scorpius in. The boys loved Scorpius very much and Scorpius didn't know any better. Harry had tried to teach him about his family and where he came from but Harry didn't know much about the Malfoy family history.
When Scorpius started school Harry had hired a pureblood to teach him all about pureblood society. If – no not if – when Malfoy returned he would appreciate that Scorpius was schooled properly in the traditional ways and informed of his heritage Harry thought.
They held a joint birthday party for Al and Scorpius and all the Weasleys and Weasley children attended. Scorpius was also good friends with the other Weasley children and he was a happy child.
Draco always managed to send a card and present for every birthday and Christmas since he left. Scorpius was now old enough to understand that Harry wasn't his real dad. Harry explained that Draco had to go away. But he loved Scorpius very much and that was why he still sent cards and presents.
Harry wasn't sure if Scorpius was old enough to understand the contents of the second letter. Draco had mentioned in his letter to Harry that he had written one for Scorpius to. Harry decided to wait a bit longer before giving it to him.
It was about three months after Scorpius fifth birthday when Harry had caught a lucky break. He suspected that someone had been watching them for some time now, he had a team of Aurors following him also.
Harry suspected that now Yaxley saw that Scorpius was older he would go after him. Harry would walk all three boys to their school on the corner of his street. So he didn't change his routine, but insisted that the Aurors follow in the shadows, ready to stun Yaxley if he appeared.
Harry had a gut feeling that today Yaxley would try and snatch Scorpius. Harry would normally hurry them along, but this time when Scorpius stopped to tie his lace Harry didn't rush him. Instead harry acted as if he didn't notice that Scorpius had stopped and continued walking.
Yaxley was more likely try and snatch him when Harry wasn't as close by. Harry was right a figure stepped out of the trees lining the park and before he even managed to look in Scorpius' direction Harry had stunned him and cast an Incarcerous.
The other Aurors descended and Harry scooped Scorpius up into a hug. Pulling James and Al in as well.
Harry conjured a Patronus and sent it to Hermione. He wanted her to watch the kids, they could miss school for one day. Ron was already there as one of the Aurors assessing the situation.
"James, Al and Scorpius you're going with Hermione whilst I make sure that bad man is put back in prison. See you boy's later okay." They nodded, they seemed happy enough to be missing a day of school.
Hermione arrived and made two trips apparating them to The Burrow.
When Harry approached Ron, he knew they had finally caught Yaxley. Ron's smile was huge and almost split his face in half. He pulled Harry into a one aimed hug.
"Yes we got the bastard." He happily declared.
