Hello!
Here's the next chapter. As always, thanks so much for the reviews. I can't believe how many this story is getting. Please keep reviewing and add this story to your favorites.
Disclaimer: Stuff from the Harry Potter books is not mine. Ok? Good.
As midday broke, Harry and Draco were getting ready to welcome their party guests. Hermione had married Ron's brother Charlie about six years ago and they had a pretty five year old girl named Jenny. Hermione was pregnant again and this time they were hoping for a boy.
Ron and long-time girlfriend Luna were an odd couple at first. They had a four year old daughter named Angelica, but everyone called her Angel. They also had twin two year olds named Lola and Johnny.
Ginny had married Dean Thomas, but they both had been married before. Ginny and Blaise Zambini had been married for just over a year before she packed herself and their baby Damien up and left him. It was a mutual separation and they both agreed they married too quickly.
Damien had since been adopted by Dean and had become Damien Thomas. Blaise didn't mind as he, like Draco, needed an heir and divorcing that heir's mother would look terrible on his family. His heir may not have even counted anymore.
Dean had married Lavender and they had twins together named Billy and Dawson.
Dean didn't see them anymore.
Seamus was also there with his wife Parviti and their children Murphy, Clover and Connor. As well as Remus and his girlfriend Tonks. They were unable to get married due to his condition, but they still had an adopted son and Tonks was six months pregnant. The other Weasleys had hoards of children. It was a huge shock when Hermione married Charlie, but every single one of them was married now.
Except Draco and Harry.
The children and their parents all arrived, including all the unnamed Weasleys, and the party began. As the adults talked, the older children organized games like pass-the-parcel and musical chairs.
The doorbell rang and Harry went to go and see who it was. It was Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy.
"Hello dear," Narcissa greeted Harry.
"Hi. Draco never told me you were coming."
"Well we were meant to be out of the country for a while but some of the arrangements fell through. I hope you don't mind."
"No. No, of course not. Come through."
As they stepped through the door, Mattie came bounding into the hallway.
"Daddy!"
Harry sighed mockingly and turned to face his son, "Yes Mattie?"
"Me and Cass - "
"You mean Cass and I."
"No, daddy. Me and Cass, not you and Cass."
Narcissa chuckled. Harry smiled. Mr. Malfoy remained blank.
"Anyway, we are still twins right?"
"Yes."
"And how long exacady -"
"Exactly. You mean exactly."
"That's what I said, exacady."
This time, Mrs. Malfoy and Harry both laughed. Finally, Mr. Malfoy's tough exterior began to break. He smirked at Mattie.
"Anyway, how long will we be twins for?"
"You're always going to be twins, sweetheart." Said Draco as he came into the hallway. Cass followed him, running to catch up with his papa and hold his papa's hand.
"You two are going to be twins for the rest of your lives." Draco explained gently to his only-slightly-younger son.
"Yeah, poor me." Cass mumbled - causing all the adults to laugh.
Shouts from the garden brought the relatives outside. The two new arrivals were greeted by the other adults. They began to chat away merrily.
"So, Draco. When are you finally going to make an honest man out of Harry, eh?" Ginny asked when the man in question had gone to fetch the cake.
"Soon, as long as I don't mess it up."
"How soon is soon?"
"Maybe another month or so."
"That certainly is soon."
Draco shrugged. "Not really. We'd been together for years before we separated and we still love each other."
Mr. Malfoy remained quiet, but Ron asked what everyone could tell he was thinking. "Harry says the boys don't count as heirs to you, only sons. Won't that ruin things?"
"No. I won't have to have a wife to have another child. The goblin directing the family duties says that all we need to do is get married and have another son. Then the duties are complete and I won't have to leave Harry or my boys."
"Well, that's alright then." Mrs. Malfoy spoke up, "as long as your duties are fulfilled, you can receive your inheritance."
The cake was modeled to look like Cass and Mattie. Their cute icing faces stared out, unmoving, at the real ones as they blew out five candles each. A quick catch from Draco saved Mattie's half when the little one nearly tripped into it. Cass quickly got out of the way of the cake and went to hold Draco's hand - as if he were possessive of him.
"Ahh, isn't that cute? Cass doesn't want to share Draco."
The boys hadn't heard this. Mattie was busy trying to escape back to the cake and Cass was desperately holding on to Draco. Harry went inside to put the dishes in the sink
after they had been finished with. Cass was finally ushered away when the adults went back to talking, after eating cake.
Suddenly, Harry same outside. He looked very pale, but no one noticed except Draco.
"Gin, Dean, can you come go into the kitchen for a sec?"
They looked at each other strangely, then walked inside. Harry remained behind and Draco pulled him into a chair. No one except Harry knew that Draco had tried to pull him onto his lap.
"Wonder what that was all about?" Remus asked,
"Never mind that." Draco said as he noticed Harry stiffen. "How's things with you, cousin?"
Tonks smiled. "Oh, rather good actually. I've made three huge mistakes at work in the past two days - "
"They said it didn't matter…" Interjected Remus.
"And I've had terrible cravings for oranges and lemons."
They laughed and the conversation turned to Hermione. Charlie patted her bump lovingly.
"Ah, it's been a smooth ride so far. Hasn't it love?"
"Yeah. Mind you, when I was pregnant with Jenny it was awful."
"You're telling me." Charlie sighed dramatically. Everyone laughed and Hermione patted his arm gently.
During this time, Harry and Draco's chairs had edged closer together. Harry knew it was Draco who was doing it, but didn't say anything. Draco laced their fingers together and sealed their contact with a kiss.
Ginny came outside and sat down again. She looked furious and young Damien went to go and see what the matter was. She picked him up and sat him on her lap. Everyone stared as Dean came out of the house, a certain person following him.
"Gin, they're my kids! I can't just -"
"I would prefer if we had this conversation in private." Cooed a sickly voice. The party guests turned to see Dean's ex, Lavender. She looked very smug. Two clambering shapes stepped out of Harry's French doors.
"No." Ginny stated, letting Damien go. "No we won't have this conversation in private. This isn't a private matter anymore."
Draco felt Harry stiffen and he put his arms around him, finally pulling Harry into his lap. Harry clung to him as they shared a brief kiss.
"Look Lavender, you have to understand. Ginny and I - we're married!"
"Yes, like you and I were once. I'm not an idiot."
"Obviously." Ginny stated dryly.
"Dean, it's as simple as it can be. Marriage comes, marriage goes - ours did and it's not like she's got a perfect record either."
"How dare -"
"But, Dean Thomas, these two are your children. They don't just fade into the background. So, come on. Who's it going to be? Her or your kids?"
"Lavender, that's not fair -"
"Yes Dean it is fair. You not being a part of their lives isn't fair."
"YOU took them away from ME! YOU were the one who insisted on a custody battle!"
Lavender sighed and looked at her nails, "What's in the past is in the past. The ball's in your court now. Your marriage or your children."
Dean sank to his knees and Ginny rushed over to him, her hands on his shoulders.
"Bye you guys." Lavender said. She looked at Ginny, "As if that's going to work. I've got his kids."
She flounced off, scooping up Dawson and dragging Billy along by his hand. The twins looked back at the party before they disappeared through the door.
Everyone excused themselves and went inside. The children followed, wondering what the commotion was about. Harry and Draco began clearing up.
"We can fight this Dean. We can fight her."
He sighed and groaned, "No, Ginny."
"What?!"
"We can't fight her. I have been trying to do so since we separated. It isn't going to work."
"So what does that mean for us, hmm? You're going to walk out on me for her?"
"No," Dean said as he stood up, "For my kids. I'm so sorry Gin."
She turned away from him. "And I thought you were stronger than this."
She began to walk inside, taking Damien's hand as she stepped inside the French doors.
"You are going to un-adopt my son. You are going to file a divorce and then you are going to pack your things and leave my house. And you are going to start now, Thomas."
Ginny disappeared in the house. Harry walked up to Dean and put his hand on his shoulder.
"You can take some time out here if you want."
Dean nodded his thanks through watery eyes, and Harry and Draco went into the house. They closed the doors behind them .
