Okay, I wrote this chapter BEFORE the last two, so there might be some things that don't completely jive. I tried to fix them, but I'm not sure it all works. Lol.
Also, this might be it guys. I mean, I'm not going to rule out more, and I realize this isn't very endy (meaning, AT ALL), but...I'm feeling done. You all do remember that this was supposed to be a one-shot, right? I mean, this went from 3,305 words to...whatever it is now...just shy of 35,000 words (without A/Ns)? I promise that I'll keep it on the table for a bit though (i.e. "in progress"), but if nothing else strikes my fancy, then it's being shelved (switched to "complete") and I'm washing my hands of it.
Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing and favoriting. It's been fun!
Warning: This chapter is smutless and lacking in adorable kids. Sorry.
Happy Birthday!
Approximately ten months later...
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
~ o ~
Now, a year after Sirius and Lyra had been born, Draco and Harry sat in one of many grand rooms at Malfoy Manor, enjoying yet another one of Narcissa Malfoy's lovely get-togethers. During the year, the woman had thrown many a party; first, a small family gathering for the Christmas hols, just twenty-three days after the twins' birth, then several more...a joyous adoption celebration at the end of January, Saint Valentine's Day in February, Easter Day in late March, a joint birthday party for Aria and Teddy in April, Orion and Corvus' birthday party in May, one for Draco a few days later in June, another one in June for Caelum, Harry's birthday in July, a joint birthday party in mid-September for Andromeda and herself, a costume party for Halloween in October, a birthday party for Scorpius in November, and now Sirius and Lyra. The woman had been busy, busy!
"This really is very kind of your mum," said Harry. Draco'd been grumbling about yet another gathering at the manor and Harry wanted to reassure his boyfriend that it was fine with him.
Draco sighed. "Yes, I know, but...it would be nice if my father would take part."
Harry followed the blond's glowering gaze over to his father and frowned; Lucius Malfoy sat across the room, all by himself, pretending to be occupied with a book—though they both knew the man was paying attention to every detail.
"Do you think he'll ever recover from this?" the dark-haired man asked, referring to the relationship he shared with the Malfoy patriarch's only son.
Draco shrugged. "Fuck if I know."
Pursing his lips, Harry reached out and took up Draco's hand. For a moment his touch was resisted, then Draco gave in and grasped back.
"He'll get used to us. Give him time, hon—" Harry started—but stopped.
Glaring, because he hated it when Harry called him that or any other pet name—it was so undignified—Draco snapped. "Father has had more than enough time to get used to us, Potter! I'm sick of his shite! He completely ignores my children...our children. He glares daggers at you. I really think he'd make an attempt on your life if he thought he could get away with it."
Harry chuckled. "Probably."
"No probably about it!" Draco growled, his gray eyes blazing furiously. "He's such an arse! And he avoids me altogether. How can a father pretend his own son doesn't exist? He's only here because Mother's making him attend, you know."
Harry nodded. Of course he knew all those things. "It's fine, Draco. The part about me, I mean," he said. "I mean, I don't particularly like him either, but...I would like things to be different. And, at least he's here...even if he's being coerced. I wonder how your mother did it. Got him here, I mean."
Draco shrugged. "Who knows! She probably threatened him with dire consequences."
"You think she's withholding sex?"
Draco's entire face scrunched up. "That's disgusting, Potter! Don't be vulgar!"
Harry laughed. "You sound just like your mother when you say that," he said, giving Draco's hand a little squeeze. "Relax. Everything will fall into place sooner or later."
"Pfft! More like never," scoffed the blond.
"Harry dear," Narcissa cut in. "May I speak with you? In the kitchens."
Smiling up at Draco's mother, Harry nodded. "Sure. I'll be right there."
Returning his smile, the blonde woman moved away from them and Harry looked back at Draco.
"You're not naïve enough to think your parents don't engage in—"
"Harry! I swear to Merlin, if you finish that sentence, I'm going to Crucio you," Draco hissed as he pulled his hand from Harry's and glared.
The dark-haired man snickered; it was far too easy to rile the blond up, but Harry loved doing it. "What do you suppose your mother wants? Should I be scared?"
"Scared? Of Mother?" Draco shook his head. "You know she adores you."
"Yeah, well...still. It's all a bit ominous, don't you think? Her wanting to see me privately. Plus, she can be a scary witch when she wants to be. Look how she keeps your father in line."
"Just go see what she wants! And I'm going to go make an attempt at talking with Father."
Harry nodded. "All right, but...try not to let him discourage you," he said—then added, "I mean it," when he caught Draco's eye. He could tell the other man was already feeling disheartened. Both of them were standing now and, despite the fact that Lucius Malfoy was in the room and could easily see them—and wouldn't approve—Harry pulled Draco close and kissed him, first on the forehead and then on his pink pouting lips. "I love you," he whispered after nibbling on Draco's lips enough to make them redden.
"Thanks a lot, Potter! I'm sure Father loved that stunning display," Draco bitched—though he was clearly warmed by Harry's actions and words.
Harry grinned, but wouldn't release the blond until he heard what he wanted to hear.
"Love you too, Harry," Draco finally said.
Leaning in, Harry nipped at Draco's mouth again, then gave his bum a loving slap and walked away.
~ o ~
"That was positively revolting," Lucius Malfoy drawled as Draco walked up to him. He didn't even bother to look up from his book.
"I'm surprised you're aware of anything going on in the room, Father...since you can't even be arsed to participate."
After pretending to finish his paragraph, Lucius finally lowering the book, then glared up at his son. "Don't get smart, Draco. And I don't appreciate the language."
Draco rolled his eyes. "My apologies, Father."
The outside corner of Lucius' left eye twitched. "That was hardly sincere."
"When you show sincerity, then I'll reciprocate."
"What is it that you want?" the older man asked, looking bored.
"Just a moment of your time, Father."
Looking down at his book, Lucius picked up a silver page marker and gently closed his book over it, then stood up. "We can speak in my study," he said—then started away without looking back to see whether or not Draco followed.
~ o ~
In the main kitchens, Harry found Narcissa physically pulling a cookie sheet out of the oven and smiled at the image she gave him. Wearing a pale yellow apron with a spattering of flour on the front and a pair of thick baby blue oven mitts, she looked like the face of domesticity.
"Here, let me help you, Narcissa," Harry said, crossing the room to assist the woman as soon as he recovered. "Where's Mipsy?"
"Oh. She's entertaining the children," the woman said. "I actually enjoy baking, Harry. It's relaxing. And, it's the best way to manipulate that stubborn husband of mine. He loves these."
Harry laughed.
"I'm sorry he's so horrible to you, dear."
Harry shrugged. "I'm more bothered by his treatment of the children. Or, more accurately, his lack of attention to them. It hurts their feelings and...Draco's too, though he refuses to truly admit it."
Narcissa frowned. "I'm not sure what to do about that," she said as she used her wand to magick the cookies off the cookie sheet and onto a cooling rack, then walked the pan to the sink and washed it by hand. "Lucius is just so...stubborn."
Harry smiled as he watched her work—he was amused that she'd used magic to transfer the cookies, but not to remove them from the oven or wash the pan—but frowned when she'd finished and looked at him.
"Draco is like his father in that way," he said. "An obstinate git, at times."
"Is he?"
Harry shrugged. "It took us years to bury the hatchet."
"Bury the hatchet?" the blonde woman queried as she dried her hands on a cloth then Vanished it.
"Oh. Um. Sorry. It's a Muggle saying I learned when I was over in America on business. It means to make peace...settle differences."
"Ahh," she said, giving a nod of understanding. "We have a similar saying: holster ones wand. Though, it's hardly ever used." Then she smiled at Harry and took his hands. "I am ever so pleased that you and my Draco have...buried your wands," she said, mixing the two metaphors. "It's wonderful for a mother to see her son happy."
Harry grinned. "Well, that is what I want...to make Draco happy."
"I am so glad to hear that, dear," she said. "So...why then have you not proposed a bonding?"
Harry blinked. "A what now?" he asked, confused. He thought they'd already bonded. Wasn't that the reason why no other wizard was capable of impregnating his boyfriend anymore?
"A bonding, dear," she repeated. "It's like a Muggle marriage ceremony."
"Oh. Is that possible for two wizards?" Harry asked, surprised. "Because some Muggles frown on that."
Narcissa nodded. "Some in the magical community do as well, dear, but...yes, it's quite possible. I doubt Draco's mentioned it, but I'm sure he would prefer to be legally bonded as well as physically. He was, after all, raised to believe it is proper. And I would like to see my grandchildren grow up in a proper home."
Harry frowned. "I was raised that way too, Narcissa...that people should be properly wed before having children, but...I hardly think that matters to people these days."
Narcissa's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, but it does, Harry. It matters to Dra—"
"Wait. You didn't let me finish," Harry said, interrupting her. "Please don't misunderstand. I would like to marry Draco...bond with him...but these things take time. I know we've done things backwards, but...we'll get there. I promise."
Narcissa let out a relieved breath, then smiled—which made her blue eyes light up and sparkle beautifully. "Oh, thank Salazar. I thought you were going to tell me you had no intention of bonding with Draco. He would be devastated."
Harry shook his head. "On the contrary," he said, "I was actually trying to think of a way to ask him about making this more permanent, but I didn't know what our options were. Obviously, I've never done this before. I'd like to get it right. But Draco isn't just anyone; it'll have to be perfect."
"I think that, as long as it's you and he knows you love him, nothing else will matter," she said. "In fact, as much as I'd love to give you both the grandest wedding ever, I think Draco would prefer it more if you two just slipped away and did it privately."
"I think I'd like that better too," Harry said, a silly grin on his face.
"Oh good. I am so glad you're receptive. I was so afraid..."
Harry frowned as Narcissa's words trailed off. "That I didn't really want him?"
She shrugged. "Well, like you said, you two have had a rough time over the years, and...it's not like you planned for this. Draco and the babies and a house full of children. I'm not sure there's a person in your life who would blame you if you didn't want this and chose not to be a part of it. But I thank you for staying and for loving my little dragon."
Harry grinned. "I do, Narcissa...love your dragon."
"I guess he's yours now, isn't he?" she said quietly, her eyes sad, as if she were losing her one and only son.
"I don't mind sharing him, Narcissa."
"You're such a good man, Harry dear. Our Draco is so lucky."
"As am I."
~ o ~
"All right, Draco, you now have my undivided attention," said Lucius Malfoy as he settled himself in the chair behind his desk and folded his hands in his lap. "What is it that you want?"
"For starters, I would very much like it if you'd acknowledge all your grandchildren. I have seven children, you know. Not just Scorpius."
Lucius' lips thinned. "Scorpius is the only one conceived and birthed naturally and, as such, he is the only one I consider a Malfoy heir."
Draco frowned. He'd known his father wasn't happy with how his children had come about, but he hadn't known the man basically despised them. "They're still my children, Father. Conceived by a Malfoy and carried within a Malfoy body. How does that make them any less than Scorpius?"
"That first one is...a Goyle," the man said, his lip curling with disgust.
"First off, the first one has a name. It's Caelum. Caelum Vincentius Malfoy!" Draco barked.
"Malfoy-Potter," Lucius corrected.
"Whatever!" Draco snapped. "And second, there is no Goyle in him at this point. As you can plainly see, if you took the time to actually look at him, he is one hundred percent Malfoy after eight years."
Lucius waved his hand dismissively. "One's beginnings are extremely important, Draco. Have you learned nothing in your twenty-eight years?"
"I think where one ends up and how he gets there ought to be much more important than where he starts out. In any case, Caelum is my son. My first child. Your grandson. Why would anything but that matter?"
Lucius ignored the question. "And your second two are mutants. They don't even look like Malfoys anymore."
Frowning, Draco shook his head. "They too have names, Father. And you know very well why Orion and Corvus have changed. They've shifted because of Harry...because Harry's biologically their other father," he explained—even though he knew his father already knew these things. "It's a good thing that we know this now. I'm happy for them. And they do still look like Malfoys...they have our eyes, if not our hair."
Lucius shook his head. "And the girl?"
"Aria is Harry's now too. She's shifted to be his genetically as well, because he and I have bonded. It's as simple as that."
"She's a mutant."
Draco reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Aria's not misshapen, Father. She's perfect! Have you looked at her lately? She always had the shape of mother's face and eyes and now she has her coloring as well. She's lovely."
"They're just not the same as Scorpius, Draco," said Lucius, shaking his head again.
"Same...different...all children are different, Father. Why can't you just accept them?"
"Because I cannot!"
Draco huffed. "I did not miss the adoring looks you and mother had on your faces when you held Sirius and Lyra in the hospital after they were born."
Lucius glanced away. "You were imagining things."
"I wasn't."
"That was a year ago, Draco. They will receive no adoration from me."
"Merlin, you are such a bastard!" Draco growled as he began to pace. "How can you be so bloody cold?!"
Again, Lucius ignored his son's question. "So, are we finished here?" he asked instead, moving to stand up.
"No! We are not fucking finished here!" the younger man bellowed, gesticulating wildly. "I am so tired of your shite!"
"I see you've learned a few colorful words from Potter," Lucius said during his son's rant—basically to himself. "So uncivilized. Comes from poor stock."
"Oh, for Salazar's sake! Do you even hear yourself?! You sound just like Harry's ignorant Muggle relatives."
Lucius made a show of shuddering. "Do not compare me to those insignificant creatures, Draco."
Rolling his eyes, the younger man shrugged. "Why? It's true. They hate him for the part of him that's magic and you hate him for the part of him that's not. And both of you blame it on breeding."
"Bad breeding is a problem," Lucius said disdainfully.
"And I would very much like it if you'd drop your contempt. It's really quite unbecoming after all this time."
The elder Malfoy snorted. "I cannot help how I feel. You know I do not approve of your...relationship with Potter—"
"Well, Harry's not going anywhere, Father, so you need to get over it!"
"I don't need to do anything," Lucius countered.
Frowning, Draco shifted on his feet. "Did you not once tell me that it was not prudent to appear less than fond of him, Father?" he asked, parroting his father's words back to him.
"Pfft!" the older man scoffed. "You were twelve at the time, Draco, and you are well aware that that was all about appearances. I did not mean that you should procreate with the man. He is beneath you."
"Except for when I'm beneath him," mumbled Draco.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," Draco said—then turned pleading eyes on his father. "I love him," he whispered. "I would like to bond with him...with your blessing."
"You are bonded to him," Lucius said through clenched teeth.
Draco shook his head. "You know what I mean. I want a proper bonding ceremony."
"So, have one," Lucius said flippantly. "No one is stopping you."
Shifting again, Draco moved to sit in the chair facing his father, then looked him directly in the eyes. "I want to commission a ring with the family crest, Father...to give to Harry."
Lucius pursed his lips. "That's not going to happen, Draco. I will not have a half-blood, especially that one, wearing the Malfoy family crest. It would be unseemly."
Draco fought to remain upright, but he wanted to slump over and break down. "There is no convincing you, is there?" he asked, his tone flat.
"Maybe you should ask your mother for access to the Black family crest," the older man suggested. "To be honest, I think your Potter would prefer it."
"Harry!" Draco snapped, leaning forward in his chair. "His name. Is Harry! And yes, maybe I'll do just that...and change my name to Black too, since apparently I'm not good enough to be a Malfoy anymore."
Lucius blinked at this, surprised. "I did not say you're not good enough. I said that—"
"I know what you said, Father," Draco interrupted, "but your meaning is crystal clear. You won't accept six of my seven children or the man who's in my life. None of them are going anywhere, so...I guess means I'm out too!"
And with that Draco was on his feet and out of his father's study—and trying to compose himself before he reached the room that held his family.
~ o ~
As soon as Draco entered the room where everyone was gathered, Harry knew he was upset. His face was pleasant enough, but the dark-haired man could easily see through the mask.
"What happened?"
Draco shook his head. "My father is never going to accept us," he said flatly.
Harry frowned.
"I need a drink."
"What would you like?" Harry asked immediately. "Wine or Firewhisky?"
Draco laughed. "As much as the situation calls for a nice stiff Firewhisky, Mother would be appalled if I were to start in on the hard stuff at a children's party."
"Right. Wine it is then. Red or white?"
"Red. Mother keeps the elf-made wine in the main drawing room."
Harry shuddered. "I hate that room."
"Sorry."
"It's okay," the green-eyed man said as he leaned in and kissed Draco's cheek. "I'll be right back."
~ o ~
Harry moved quickly through the ground floor of the manor and up to the first floor drawing room where Draco said the wine would be. Even after all the years that had passed, he was still a bit creeped out by the things that had taken place here. The fact that Voldemort had taken the place over and murdered people here...that he and his friends had been held hostage, Hermione tortured, here. Harry shuddered.
"Is there something I can do for you, Mister Potter?" came a voice from the doorway.
Not quite startled, Harry turned. "Um. Draco wanted some wine, Mister Malfoy, so I told him I'd get it."
Lucius Malfoy stood there for a second without saying anything, then crossed the room and opened a cabinet. Pulling out a bottle, he uncorked it, poured himself a glass, then handed the bottle to Harry.
"What would it take to make you disappear, Potter?" the older man asked.
For a moment, all Harry could do was stare—and then he laughed. "I'm not going anywhere, Mister Malfoy."
Lucius' eyes narrowed. "There are ways to get rid of you."
"Hmm. Others have tried, but...as you can see, still here," Harry said.
"This is true," agreed Lucius. "But maybe I could...make it worth your while."
Harry's brows shot up. "Worth my while to leave my children and the man I love?" He shook his head. "Never."
The older man winced at Harry's proclamation of love. "You cannot possibly love Draco that much."
"Why, because you don't?"
"I resent that, Mister Potter. There is no end to a father's love."
"As a father myself, I understand the concept completely," Harry said, "but I'm not sure that you do. If this is true for you, and you love Draco as you profess, then why can't you just accept that Draco and I are together?"
"What the two of you are doing is...improper. Offensive."
Harry rolled his eyes. "This is the twenty-first century, Mister Malfoy, most people are no longer offended by homosexuals. And...we're wizards. Draco has secured you an heir, seven of them, in fact, so you can rest assured that your family name will continue.
Lucius' lip curled up. "My family name is not Malfoy-Potter!"
Harry frowned. "Is that what's bothering you, sir?" he asked, confused.
Lucius did not answer at first—and then he said, "A year ago there were five children with the surname Malfoy...and then Draco birthed your offspring and suddenly there no longer were."
"If I'd known changing their names would have caused this," Harry whispered, trying to remember exactly when the blond man had seriously turned against them as a couple, "I would never have agreed to it. But it's done now, Mister Malfoy. The kids are happy. I'm happy. Draco's happy. And...I'd really like to marry him. Bond with him. Make no mistake, I'm going to do it no matter what you say, but I'd really rather have your blessing, because I know Draco wants your approval. He claims that he doesn't care, but I know that he does. It's what all children wish for, isn't it, parental approval? Draco's lucky to at least have a chance at that, because, unlike my parents, his are still alive. Couldn't you just give us this one little thing?"
Lucius just stared at him—and so Harry turned and walked out of the room.
~ o ~
At the end of the day—a very long day—when Draco and Harry and all their children were finally home again, the two men settled onto the sofa in the family's lounge to watch some television. It still amused Harry that Draco Malfoy's house had so many Muggle appliances and devices, but...the man had had to live more like a Muggle than a wizard for several years, so...
"So, I know you talked to my father," Draco whispered as he let his head sag to Harry's shoulder.
Tipping his own head over, so that it was leaning on the top of Draco's, Harry yawned and pushed his right hand into his trouser pocket. "Hmm."
Draco laughed. "What'd you say to him?"
"How'd you know I talked to Lucius?"
"He might have mentioned it before we left."
"He caught me in the drawing room when I was getting your wine," Harry admitted.
"I wondered what took you so bloody long."
Harry chuckled, then sighed. "He's upset that we changed the children's last names."
Draco sat up and looked at Harry. "Are you serious?"
Harry nodded. "He didn't say that...not in so many words, but...yeah, that's part of the problem. That and the fact that he finds our relationship 'improper' and 'offensive.'"
With a snort, Draco said, "Don't forget 'revolting.'"
"He is so full of shite, Draco," said Harry. "Do you remember his face in the hospital when the twins were born?"
Draco nodded. "I know, right?"
"Anyway, I hate being the cause of discord. If you want, we could...change their names back."
"First, not going to happen, Potter," Draco said quickly. "They are Malfoy-Potters and it's staying that way. And my father can go fuck himself if he doesn't like it! Second, you don't want that anyway. You want your children to have your surname just like any other man does. But thank you for being the bigger person and offering such a thing. I honestly don't know what I did to deserve you, but...thanks for that too. You are truly a wonderful man," Draco said, leaning forward to kiss the man next to him. Then he backed away slightly and grinned. "And third...my father gave in."
"What?!"
Draco nodded. "When I talked to him earlier, when you were having that chat with Mother, I basically threatened to change our names to Black if he was going to be such an arse. I didn't think he cared. It didn't seem like he did, but...when we were leaving, he told me he didn't want that. So I told him what it would take for us to remain Malfoy-Potters. He didn't like it, of course, but he had no choice but to capitulate."
"Hmm. Wow!" was all Harry could say.
Draco nodded. "Wow is right," he said, a huge smile on his face. "Now, I'd really like it if you would just take me to bed. I'm feeling a bit needy at the moment."
"Because that's something unusual," Harry quipped as he reached up and ran his fingers gently over the blond's somewhat stubbly jaw, then up into his hair before taking his lips in a fiery kiss.
"Bed," Draco hissed when it seemed like Harry might just take him on the downstairs sofa.
Grinning, Harry wrapped his arms around the blond, then Apparated them three floors up to their bedroom.
Note: So...ahh..., I know it was a lame title ("Happy Birthday!") when there were no kids and no real party interactions. I was going to have some of that too, but I got carried away with other shite...and then it just got long, so...sorry.
And hmm. While waiting for midnight (where I am) to post this, because I like to post at the very beginning of the 24-hour day, I'm finding that I'm not sure if I can end it here. I want to...I do...but it seems like there might just a teeny TINY bit more to write. Maybe. We'll see. *sigh*
Also, same as always...hit me with the typos! :-)
