My Blue Teddy
Chapter Two: My Daddy's Saviour
'You don't have to stay because Bill suggested it, y'know,' Harry orders some sandwiches and a jug of Butterbeer, contradicting his statement.
'I want to know if all the rumours I've read in the Prophet are true,' shrugs Malfoy, taking Scorpius' straw as had started blowing bubbles in his dad's tea.
'Mmm,' huffs the toddler, folding his arms and pouting.
'Ask away,' laughs the dark haired man, 'Anything you want, I have nothing to hide.'
'Really?' Malfoy smiles, attempting to keep his son still.
'But be careful,' Harry pushes Malfoy's hands away gently, passing the mini-Malfoy a sandwich, 'At this age, they hear everything and aren't ashamed to repeat themselves, best to keep it PG.'
Malfoy watches his son happily munching, slightly impressed, then faces Harry frowning, 'PG?'
'Oh – Muggle term – "Parental Guidance" – um, means safe for little ones to take in with an adult watching.' Harry rubs his chin, wondering if his explanation was any good.
'Ah,' the blonde smirks, 'so you thought I'd want to know something more… grown up?'
Harry blushes, was Malfoy flirting? 'Uh – well, um.'
Malfoy chuckles, 'honestly Potter, no need to get so flustered,' he brushes some crumbs off his son's face. Scorpius raises his eyebrows, glaring at Harry in concentration, 'Do you need to go to the bathroom, Scorpius?' the boy shakes his head, eyes locked on Harry, 'Do you mind looking after him for a few seconds?'
'Not at all, we'll be fine, aye Scor?' Harry smiles and Scorpius' eyes narrow.
Malfoy shifts his son in the bench and leaves the table, Harry opens his mouth to begin a toddler friendly conversation.
'You're Harry Potter?' Scorpius continues to glare, his fingers half in his mouth.
'Yes, does your dad talk about me?' Harry grins foolishly, wondering what kind of stories Malfoy has told his son.
'With Pansy – you're my daddy's saviour?'
Harry splutters, 'your daddy's what?'
'saviour,' the boy's brows knit together as if he were unsure of what he was saying.
'Um,' Harry blushes, 'Well, I wouldn't say that.'
'No, Pansy said it,' Scorpius begins to blow bubbles in his father's tea again.
'Um, I guess in a way… yes?' Harry takes the straw from Scorpius and hands him another sandwich, 'I don't think you should be repeating this…'
'So you're the one my daddy-'
But Harry didn't get to find out what he was to the older Malfoy as he slid back into the bench beside his son, 'so what are you two talking about?' he smiles at Scorpius, wiping crumbs from his face again.
'That Harry is your saviour,' the mini-Malfoy shoves at his father's hands.
Malfoy freezes his reach for food and Harry's blush deepens. The pub goes oddly silent and hot as the old rivals slowly make eye contact.
'Um,' Harry clears his throat, 'Pansy said it?' he offers, trying to break the awkwardness between them.
'Really,' Malfoy purses his lips.
'Uh-huh,' Scorpius says, oblivious to what he's done, reaches for his father's tea again, 'she also says-'
'You shouldn't listen to everything Pansy says,' Malfoy sucks in a breath at how snappish he sounded, as if he could take the tone back; but the damage was done and Scorpius' eyes begin to water.
'I – I didn't do-o anything!' he sniffs, and the adults were on him, cooing and assuring that it wasn't his fault.
'No you didn't'
'It's okay'
'Some things shouldn't be repeated.'
'Your father's right-'
'Come on, let's go home.'
'You didn't kno- wait; you're leaving?' Harry stares. Open mouthed.
'We are,' Malfoy lifts his son and bag, and begins to shuffle out of the bench.
'But,' Harry frowns slightly, 'you're not going to explain this to me?'
'No,' Malfoy struggles to hold his son to his chest.
'Harry's frown deepens, 'Malfoy-'
'It's none of your business.'
Harry sighs, feeling as if he was just transported back in time to their Hogwarts days of cursing each other. The famous man takes a deep breath, 'well,' he said, sounding a little defeated, 'besides this abrupt ending, it was nice seeing you again Malfoy, we should do it again.'
Harry bit his lip, he only intended to think the last bit.
Malfoy looks down at Harry suspiciously and Scorpius sniffs, drawing his attention away, '… would you like that, Scorpius?' he wipes a tear from his son's face.
'Yes,' whines the toddler around his fingers.
'Okay,' sighs Malfoy, and he smiles at Harry, 'Owl me sometime,' and with that, the pair of Malfoy's left the pub.
Harry didn't know what to make of what just happened, and it took all of his self-control not to firecall Hermione right then and there to gossip and get her to help him figure out what to do.
Did he even really want to see the blonde man again? Sure it was nice for a little while, and that only had been because of Scorpius. Surely the only thing they had in common to discuss were children.
Harry recalled his first year on the Hogwarts Express when Malfoy had extended his hand and demanded his friendship – could he take a grown up Malfoy's hand now?
Harry frowns. If anything he had to find out what Scorpius was going to confess. Was he going to say that Malfoy hates, despises, loathes Harry? That Malfoy wanted him dead? Whatever it was, Malfoy was quick to stop him and was surely on the way to confront Parkison about it.
'Harry.'
The famous man snaps his head up to Rosemerta and out of his thoughts, 'Oh, sorry.'
She shakes her head and points out the window at a reporter running away with a camera in hand, 'Sorry dear – if I spotted him sooner I'd have hexed him away for you.'
Harry groans and bangs his forehead against the table, 'Brilliant… don't worry about it Rosemerta… we'll see what front page news I bring tomorrow.' Harry smiles gently at her, 'will you let Bill know to bring Teddy home for me please?'
'Sure thing love, see you around.'
o~O~o~O~o~O~o
'So, how'd your date go?'
Teddy shrugs, 'was all right.'
Harry levitates a potato bake into the oven, 'what did you do?'
'Nothing really… Bill took us to a café near the post office, was nice I guess… kinda boring.'
Harry smiles, tossing a salad. 'Do you think you'll ask her out again?'
'Maybe … what about your date?'
The salad explodes, 'What?!'
'With that blonde guy, am I wrong? He seemed nice,' Teddy kneels down to pick up lettuce leaves from the floor.
'It wasn't a date… and he's… okay I guess,' Harry sighs and magicks the soiled vegetables to the sink to rinse.
'Oh, who is he then?'
'Just someone I went to school with,' Harry frowns, 'you'll probably not see him again.'
Teddy mimics his guardian's expression, 'why not? You looked happy today – you should owl him.'
'Er, maybe… I don't see any kind of relationship developing to be honest,' Harry continues with dinner.
'So you've doomed it already?' Teddy sighs and Harry chops a tomato aggressively.
'No – it's just, he and I didn't get on well in school. That's all.'
'yeah right, if that means smiling, laughing and cooing over his son, you guys obviously hate each other,' Teddy rolls his eyes, dumping the refreshed lettuce into the bowl.
Harry frowns more, Teddy was spending too much time with Ron, 'If I owl him, will you let it go?'
'One condition,' Remus' son smirks.
'What is it?' Harry eyes him suspiciously.
'Tell me his name.'
'… Draco Malfoy.'
Teddy smiles, 'can I see the letters you send?'
Harry rolls his eyes and peeks into the oven 'You only had one condition… and I doubt there will be letters.'
'Party pooper,' Teddy pokes out his tongue, 'I bet you two will really get on.'
'Stop talking about things you know nothing about,' Harry rolls his neck and summons cutlery to the table, 'go wash up, dinner will be ready soon.'
An argument ensued about the importance of washing before eating.
o~O~o~O~o~O~o
Hey Malfoy,
So I'm taking your suggestion to owl you… obviously I'm useless at letters.
As I said today, it was nice seeing you, maybe we could grab a drink some time.
HP.
Harry glares at the tiny script and Teddy snorts.
'You're sooooo romantic Harry.'
'You go on one date and become an expert on it, aye?' Harry raises an eyebrow and Teddy smirks, 'besides, not trying to be romantic…' he glares at the letter again.
'Well at least on my first date I got a kiss,' and the boy was out the door, giggling.
'Hey! I thought you said your date was boring!' Harry shouts after him, 'kissing isn't boring!' Harry sighs, pouting, his ten-year-old godson was getting more action than him. The famous man frowns at the letter, considering tearing it up and going to bed. Sighing again, he attaches the letter to Carol, his new owl.
It tore him up inside to buy a new owl after Hedwig, but everyone insisted that he needed to communicate with the outside world. Carol is a pretty owl with fluffy black feathers, that turned ashen under certain light, she was appropriately named due to her happy singing evert night.
'Good girl,' whispers Harry, pressing a treat to her beak.
Carol took off, chirping at the stars towards Malfoy Manor, and Harry pinches the bridge of his nose.
The Chosen One couldn't even count all the reasons not to contact Malfoy and how bad the consequences would be that popped into his head, but it was too late now. The owl was gone.
Remembering the reporter at the pub, Harry sighs again, 'right…' he says to the empty room, 'I think I deserve a drink.'
A/N
I hope you're all enjoying this, I can't guarantee lengthy chapters like this every upload, but I'll do my best to be consistent with at least one to two uploads a week.
Review means inspiration and dancing like a Hippogriff!
