Harry awoke to a knock on his door. "Come in," he mumbled.

Shasta, his eleven-year-old daughter walked in slowly, "Daddy, I had a weird dream."

"Come here and tell me about it," he said, sitting up and patting the bed.

Shasta sat beside her father and snuggled into his side as he pulled her curly blonde hair from her face.

"I was looking through the keyhole to a room, I'm not sure where it was, but I know it's someplae I've been before. Anyway, there were two men in the room - you and a man with long blonde hair. And you were fighting, but I couldn't tell what you were fighting about. But it was weird. I know the other man, but I know I've never met him."

Harry sighed, running his fingers through his shoulder-length hair, then across the stubble on his cheeks and chin. He pulled the covers from his legs and strolled to the dresser across the room. He sighed again as he picked his wallet up from it's top, opened it, and pulled a worn photo from inside. It was a Muggle photo of himself and Draco, taken a week before he had realised he was pregnant. He took the picture over to Shasta and showed it to her, "Is this him?"

Shasts studdied the photo. "Yes, I think it's an older version of him. Who is he?" She asked looking back up at her father.

"He was my boyfriend. Many years ago..." Harry glanced at the clock. It read 4:56am. "Are you ready for school, love?"

"Just a bit more packing to do."

"Why don't you go get that done while I make breakfast. Just a few more hours before we need to get to the platform."

Shasta nodded and hopped of the bed, hurrying to her room. Harry quickly changed from his pajama pants to jeans and a blue button-down shirt before heading downstairs to make waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, sausage, and scrambled eggs. It was six o'clock when Shasta came down into the kitchen to find Harry dishing up the eggs.

After they finished eating, Harry grabbed his car keys and hoisted Shasta's trunk onto one shoulder before loading it into the boot of his small sedan. He opened the passenger door for Shasta before seating himself behind the wheel and beginning the drive to King's Cross Station. Once there, Harry refused to get a trolley for Shasta's trunk, insisting that he could carry it. When they reached the barrier between platforms nine and ten, he told Shasta to run at it, that he would be right behind her. After she had stepped through, he casually leaned against it, and fell through.He had just enough time to grit his teeth as he saw his blonde-haired daughter run smack into his blonde ex-boyfriend on her way to the train. His free hand subconciously found itself rubbing at the stubble still on his cheeks as he watched Draco bend down and greet his daughter.

Harry took a deep breath and strolled up to the duo. Shasta turned to her father. "Daddy, meet Mr. Malfoy. He says he's going to teach me potions!"

There was a tense moment as their eyes met before Harry extended his hand, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco accepted the handshake, but withdrew his hand quickly. "The same to you, Mr. Potter." He smiled sadly. "I had hoped, upon discovering this lovely girl was your daughter to meet your husband. He must be working."

Harry drew in a shaky breath. "I'm not married," he replied before turning to Shasta, "I'll load your trunk for you. Why don't you go find Ben and Gem?" He drew her into a one-armed hug, and kissed her cheek. "I love you, baby-girl. Write me lots of owls."

Harry turned to Draco. "I need to get this on the train. I'll see you around."

Harry turned and began walking to the baggage car when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "She's mine, isn't she, Harry?"

Harry sighed and murmured "Yes" before hurrying off to the rear of the train.

Harry took his time getting home, and discovered Hermione and Ron waiting for him in his den.

"...Yes?" he asked dropping his keys on the bookshelf by the doorway.

"We saw you talking to Draco on the platform," Ron stated getting up.

Harry sighed. "I really don't want to discuss this right now. What house do you suppose the twins will be in?"

Hermione, taking Harry's cue, replied, "I thin Gem will be in Ravenclaw. Ben, on the other hand is definitely a Gryffindor. What about Shasta?"

"I think she'll be in Slytherin, actually," Harry grinned.

The three chatted amiably until Ron remembered, "Bugger! 'Mione, my pot roast is in the oven!"

Harry laughed as his two best friends hurriedly flooed home. His laughter didn't last long, though. He simply knew he would get an owl or a fire-call from Draco, and not a pleasant one either. Harry took his wallet from his back pocket and for the second time that day removed Draco's picture. He stared at it for several minutes before clutching to his chest and as heaving sobs racked his body.

And this is the form that greeted Draco as his head popped into Harry's fireplace. Every harsh word he had prepared on the train ride died on his lips as he saw the broken form before him. "You lied to me," he whispered.

Harry's head snapped up and the photo fluttered to the floor as his hands hurriedly brushed away his tears. "Yes," he mumbled. "I was going to tell you after the war was over, but... She was nine. How do you explain that to a nine-year-old?"

"Why did you lie to me to begin with?"

"You were going to stop going to the meetings, and that's as good as signing your own death sentance. At least I would know you were alive, even if you weren't mine."

"Oh, Harry..." Draco's murmur was almost inaudible. "Can I... Can I come over for a little while? Just - Just to talk?"

A half-smile graced Harry's lips as he nodded.

Just as Draco's head disappeared, an owl flew through the open window. It was Janquil, the owl Harry had bought Shasta for her pet, with a note tied to her leg.

Daddy!

It's so amazing here! I see why you loved it so much!

I'm sorry I didn't write you as soon as I found out, but we had to listen to the Prefect's speach and then Professor Malfoy's - He's my head of house. I'm in Slytherin, by the way. I'm psyched about potions. And transfiguration sounds amazing, too!

Love you.

Harry smiled to himself as he finished reading, not hearing the pop of the floo activating.

"Good news?" Draco asked, standing beside the fireplace.

"Yes, my daughter got in to the house I knew she would. Apparently, she loves Hogwarts as much as I did."

"Those were the days, huh?"

"Yeah. Would you like some tea, or something else to drink?"

"Tea's wonderful. If you still drink that ginger stuff you used to."

"I do," Harry said as he led Draco into the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove.