Title: The Perfect Wife
Author: slytherin-nette
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters you recognize from the HP books in this story. All I own is the plot. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling. She rocks.
Pairings: DM/femHP, RW/LrM, BZ/HG, SB/RV, BM/??, AM/?? and many others.
Warnings: This is a Post-Hogwarts story so it will be slightly more mature than TPG but equally insane. Wahaha. Also, this story contains PREGNANCY, RATED scenes and SLASH relationships.
A/N: I am on a ROLL here! :D My grad classes will be kicking up with midterms and projects again in the next two weeks so I'm trying to write as much now while I still time. I really want to finish this story. ;) I got kinda lazy to cut out the deleted scene so I've marked it instead. Just skip over it if it's not your thing. Note that the events of this chapter happen about THREE months after the twins were born. Enjoy!
Chapter 10 – New Responsibilities
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Harry fisted her hair and banged her head against the wall of the Malfoy Manor nursery in frustration, turning back and flailing her hands at her two hysterically wailing twin sons in the crib. Garrett and Gabriel's flushed cheeks were streaked with tears and the two infants were practically screaming their lungs out – their shrill voices echoing around the room and killing their mother's ears.
"Aw COME ON, you two! Stop crying? Please? C—come on, M—mommy's getting a little tired here…Ehehe..O—okay? P—please stop?" Harry stammered helplessly, kneeling down right between their two cribs and trying to distribute her attention from one crying twin to the other.
"A—are you hungry? D—do you need a diaper change? What do you want? Why are you crying?!" She croaked out, feeling the ridiculous urge to cry herself as she pinched the bridge of her nose in thought. If anything, her efforts did nothing but make the twins cry even louder – unknowingly causing their mother to start banging her head repeatedly on the bars of Gabriel's crib.
"Aaaarghhh, you two! I just fed you! Burped you! Changed your diapers! Cleaned you! What more do you want? Do I look like I'm good at this mommy stuff to you?! Look at me! Do I look like I know what I'm doing?!" Harry groaned out loud to no one in particular, collapsing onto her back on the carpeted floor between their cribs.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Oh god…Wah this! Wah that! My ears are positively bleeding!" Harry banged her head one last time against the carpet before forcing herself to jump back up onto her feet.
"Alright, alright! U—uhm…Let's see here… Aha! I got it! You guys want stuffed toys, right? Babies always want stuffed toys! Here!" She yanked her wand out of her robes and swished it in the air, summoning about a dozen stuffed animals into each of the twins' cribs. Garrett and Gabriel took one look at the stuffed toys around them, blinked, whimpered before turning back to their desperately smiling mother and simultaneously burst into tears again.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Aaaaaaargh! Don't cry! Don't cry! Okay, okay! No stuffed toys then! Alright! Uhm…" Harry fumbled clumsily around the dozens of scattered toys around the nursery as she wracked her brain for a solution. "U—uhm! HERE! I got it!" She swished her wand around again and transfigured two baby rattles made of diamond – waving it above the twins' faces.
"You Malfoys always like shiny, expensive stuff right? Gold? Diamonds? Anything else horribly overpriced? Here, look at this! Pretty isn't it? Preeeeetty…" Harry winced in anticipation and waved the rattles over their heads to get their attention but Garrett and Gabriel paid her no attention and continued to wail their lungs out at her in growing impatience.
"I didn't think so either. Ugh! Stop CRYING, you two! You've been crying for two HOURS! Please?! Let Mommy get some rest, please?!" Harry's voice cracked and she waved the rattles away. She resorted to kneeling down in front of their cribs again, folding her hands together in a pleading pose and practically bowing to them in a gesture of surrender.
"PLEASE, I'm begging you! I'm DYING here! PLEASE calm down!" She whined in a voice almost as equally crying as her two sons, burying her face into her hands a minute later when all Garrett and Gabriel did to answer her was to wail even louder.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Ugh…Merlin, help me…." Harry whimpered uselessly to herself as she smacked her face and covered her mouth with her hands in thought. Garrett and Gabriel looked slightly tired at this point and their cheeks were wet with tears but they still wouldn't let up – kicking and squirming uncomfortably in their separate baby cribs and coughing every now and then in exhaustion.
"Will you at least wait until your Father gets back home from the office, guys? I'm being double-teamed here! This isn't fair!" Harry wailed pathetically, flailing her arms out at them again. Gabriel seemed to let up for a minute and blinked tearfully at her with a soft baby whimper while Garrett kicked and screamed some more, his eyes clenched shut and his cheeks flushed dark red.
Within a couple of minutes, Garrett somehow coerced his brother into joining him again and Gabriel burst out into tears once more – their shrill voices all but making Harry want to tear her ears out in frustration. "Argh! Alright, maybe you guys want more milk or something? I don't know, let's see!" Harry grumbled miserably as she ran to fetch two bottles of milk, returning quickly and bending down towards Garrett's crib to offer it gently to his mouth.
The infant squirmed and fidgeted about in refusal, coughing the milk back up and spitting it right back into his mother's face. Harry froze in mild irritation, raising a towel and using it to wipe the white liquid off her face. "Brilliant…Thank you, Garrett…That's just perfect." She mumbled, sighing and trying to offer the other milk bottle to Gabriel instead.
Gabriel turned and just whimpered loudly the same way, kicking his legs against his mother's chest. Sighing, Harry set the bottle back down and took a couple of hurried steps backward – only to crash her ankles clumsily against the large toy chest behind her.
"Whoa, What's this— MOTHER OF – LOOK OUT!" She cursed and ended up stumbling – arse-first – into the large open toy chest, causing the toys inside to splatter all around until she eventually ended up buried in a mountain of baby building blocks and stuffed, magically moving animals.
"Ugh…" Harry winced irritably and pulled herself back up from the toy chest with great difficulty, wincing and rubbing at her behind in pain. "That's going to bruise…First time I have a mark on my arse that didn't come from your perverted Father."
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Kids! Did you not see that Mommy could have been seriously INJURED back there?!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Yeah, yeah…I know! Malfoys always get what they want. Tsch! I just wish I knew what that WAS!" She wailed back helplessly, wincing again as she got up and began to run around the different scattered toys and materials around the nursery room in a growing state of panic.
"Alright, alright! Let's see here…" Harry ran over to the nearby closet and began pulling everything out of it at random, holding it up in the air so the twins could see what it was.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"You want a story?! You want mommy to read you a story?! There's The Tales of Beedle the Bard right here! You want to hear all about your great Peverell ancestry—"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Ehehe…Alright, I guess not." She winced and held up another object – what appeared to be a collection of magically enchanted, toy dragons about the size of her palm.
"Okay, how about toy dragons then? You want to play with toy dragons, you two? They look awfully realistic—OW! HOLY MERLIN, that thing BITES! It's DANGEROUS!" Harry jumped to her feet and began running around the room in panic in pursuit of the tiny Hungarian Horntail toy that had escaped her fingers and was now flying around the room.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Aha! I caught it!" Harry grinned in triumph and shoved the Hungarian Horntail miniature back into its case. "No worries, kids! Mommy's got everything under control and no tiny toy dragon is going to hurt you! I can't believe your stupid Father bought those dangerous things—"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Ehrm….Ehehe…Right…" Harry raced back over to several more scattered toy chests and began rifling messily through them in search of something to calm the twins down.
"Teddy bears?"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Uhm…Golden snitch? Look how shiny and pretty it is—"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Cornish pixie? Wow, it's so amazingly lifelike…Hey hold on a tick…THAT'S NOT A TOY! That thing's REAL! It was hiding in the chest—WAAAH! I TOUCHED IT! EW!" Harry jumped up from her seat in panic and began to chase the rogue pixie around the room again, jumping maniacally around and using a random pillow she had grabbed from somewhere to swipe at it in the air.
"GET BACK HERE YOU EVIL PIXIE! YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE NEAR MY SONS!"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"IMMOBULUS!" Harry breathed a sigh of relief when the pixie froze suspended in mid-air just as it was nearing Gabriel's crib. With another flick of her wand, she sent the pixie out of the room through the open window, making sure to shut the drapes behind it.
"Right. That takes care of that…Now if I could just fix—"
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"—right…That problem. Uhm…Let's see here…How about this—ARGH!" Harry yelped out loud as she accidentally tripped over another chest behind her, flailing her hands helplessly as she fell backwards into what seemed like a chest filled with numerous hats and toy props.
"I think your Grandparents bought you a tad bit too many toys…" Harry mumbled as she tried to stand back up, reaching up to remove the bright, colorful jester hat that had fallen onto her head. Before she could remove it, however, she froze in surprise when she realized the room was silent.
Slowly raising her head back up, her eyes widened when she saw that Garrett and Gabriel seemed to have stopped crying altogether and were staring intently at her from several feet away – their green eyes stained with tears but otherwise wide with avid interest as they stared at the colorful hat on her head.
Blinking back at them and slowly gathering her limbs from the mess of hats and toys around her, Harry slowly began to stand up – keeping her gaze carefully trained on the twins' wide, blinking eyes. As though sensing her confusion, Gabriel blinked at her and let out a soft, happy little gurgle, flailing his tiny hands out as though in amusement at his mother.
Garrett mirrored his brother's actions and gurgled at her the same way, his lips tugging into what almost seemed like a happy smile. Harry stared at them in amazement, her face frozen in an expression of incredulity and reluctant amusement. Shaking her head to herself, she chuckled and slowly reached down to pull a toy scepter from the toy chest behind her.
"Hmm…So…This is what you two wanted. You just wanted Mommy to make a complete clown of herself for you, huh? You are your father's sons after all aren't you, you little Slytherin rascals?" She teased lightly, making several faces at them and eliciting more adorable sounds.
Garrett and Gabriel squirmed in response, their faces suddenly bright with happiness as they stared expectantly up at their mother's face with big green eyes. Their gazes lingered on the bright colored jester hat resting on her head and they smiled again, their tiny legs kicking excitedly.
Harry laughed at this, reaching back down into the chest to pull out another similar scepter for her other hand before she straightened back up and adjusted the jester hat carefully onto her head. "Alright then…You want a show? I'll give you a show. I'll have you know…That I happen to be a very good stage performer. I do a mean tapdance!" She hopped up into the air for emphasis, earning herself an adorable set of high-pitched giggles from her watching sons.
She couldn't help smiling to herself at the incredibly beautiful sound of their laughter, shaking her head as she took several steps closer and stood in directly in front of their cribs. "And now…I shall regale you both with a talented and expert display of my utterly detestable dancing skills!" She exclaimed in a dramatic voice, pausing to take a deep bow before them.
When she stood back up, she was wearing a bright red clown nose on her face and she was grinning widely – causing even more gurgles and giggles from her twin sons as they watched her. Holding back her own laughter, she steadied herself and began hopping around in what she hoped was a kind of movement that was somewhat reminiscent of a tapdance – all the while twirling both toy scepters around her fingers and tossing them up over her head.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts! Hoggy warty Hogwarts! Teach us something, pleeeaaase!" She hopped up on one foot and twirled around with her scepters raised dramatically; nearly tripping over herself had she not jumped back up and accidentally knocked into a nearby table.
Garrett gurgled happily while Gabriel giggled, their eyes wide with wonder as they watched their mother make a complete fool out of herself. "Whether we be old and bald…" Harry paused and scrunched up her face, pretending to use the scepters as canes. "Or young with scabby knees!" She took several hops again and twirled around once more before falling to her knees.
Grinning, she jumped back up and tap-danced a couple more times. "Our heads could do some filling—" She used one of the scepters and pretended to knock herself on the head. "—with some interesting stuff…" Taking several steps backwards, she was just about to hop up onto the nearby table behind her when she bumped into something rather solid – and shaking with pent up laughter.
"For now they're bare and full of air…"
Harry froze immediately at the sound of the familiar, incredibly amused drawling voice, her cheeks flushing dark red with horror and mortification.
"Dead flies and bits of fluff…Did I get the lyrics right, Potter?"
Turning around very slowly, the toy scepters Harry held slipped listlessly from her hands to clang loudly onto the floor but she didn't hear them. Instead, she forced her beet red, cringing face into a half-cringe, half-smile at the figure of her husband behind her, who was still decked out in his corporate attire and was watching her blankly from where he stood near the nursery entrance.
A roguish, handsome smirk was on Draco's face as he watched Harry's expression shift from shock to utter humiliation, her pale cheeks flushing almost as red as the color of her shirt. She bit her lip and managed a helpless smile, failing to realize the bright red nose she was still wearing.
"I—I was just…Playing with the…Ehehe…H—how long have you been standing there?"
Draco arched a single eyebrow and smirked wider, his silver eyes twinkling with mirth as he crossed his arms smugly over his chest. He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe again and crossed one of his ankles lazily behind the other.
"Not that long…Say uhm…Potter…? I've been thinking…Those…tap-dancing skills…" The corners of Draco's lips quirked upwards as he tried to restrain a smile. "Was that the reason you – as you personally mentioned – managed to hook up with twice as many women as Weasley did? Or were you simply just practicing for a solo rendition of 'Hogwarts, a Musical'?"
Harry's cheeks colored even more, if possible, and she glared meekly at her smirking husband.
"Why you slimy, conceited, arrogant brat—"
Draco held up a hand to cut her off, unable to wipe the smirk off his face as he gestured nonchalantly to the bright red clown nose on her face.
"Oh by the way, Potter…You...You have a little something on your…face…" Draco's restraint broke down at this point and he emitted a choked-up sound that sounded suspiciously like laughter.
Harry's eyes widened in embarrassment as she reached up and hastily yanked the red nose off.
"I—I was just…I was trying to get the twins to stop crying, I—"
Draco arched an eyebrow again, smiling smugly at her as he waited for her attempt at an explanation. When she couldn't seem to be able to do anything stutter at him, she turned to her curiously watching twin sons instead and gave them a helpless, sheepish grin.
"…And THIS, my dear Garrett and Gabriel, is where I exit…STAGE RIGHT."
With that, a thoroughly embarrassed Harry Potter ducked her head behind her hand and bolted out of the room amidst the sounds of Draco's amused, heartfelt laughter.
Byron sighed and massaged his knuckles in exasperation when he heard Anton and Louis' arguing voices as he walked by the Malfoy Manor dining room that morning. It was a custom in the Malfoy family that though they lived in scattered estates all around Europe, each Malfoy son was required to sleep at least three nights a week in Malfoy Manor – the center estate of the entire clan.
It seemed that it just so happened to be his luck that week that the day he had chosen to stay in Malfoy Manor was the exact same day that Anton announced his little surprise to the family – his sudden and impending engagement to none other than Miss Ginevra Weasley.
Needless to say, Louis was not at all pleased with this little piece of information. The older Malfoy had nearly fainted when Anton had told him of his engagement and this was followed by Draco practically exploding and banging his head repeatedly on the dining table in frustration while screaming at the top of his lungs "NOT ANOTHER WEASLEY! NOT ANOTHER WEASLEY!"
Not really one for familial theatrics at this point, Byron had managed to slip away from the room without being noticed and Harry had followed soon after – if only to confirm the announcement with Ginny herself. After saying goodbye to each other, he and the Malfoy Mistress had parted ways and soon enough, he was walking to the nearby apparition rooms so he could head off to work.
Next time, I'm going to plan my routine visits to the Manor so that I'm sure Anton isn't here. He thought irritably to himself, sighing in frustration as he ran a hand through his dark hair and finally stepped into the apparition point. One second and a single pop of apparition later, he found himself making his way through the crowd of arriving officials in the Ministry lobby.
After waving and nodding to several of his friends and acquaintances, he rode the elevator up to the Department of Unspeakables and finally entered through the office entrance, pausing and looking around in confusion when he noticed that the other Unspeakable agents looked a bit fidgety.
Quirking his lips into an amused grin, he walked over to Lydia, Ashford's personal secretary, and asked her in a cajoling tone of voice. "Hey…What's with everyone? They all look like they've committed a serious crime or something." He kidded, raising an eyebrow as he took in Lydia's cringe.
The 30-year-old secretary shook her head and gestured discreetly to Vincent Ashford's office several rooms away. "They're all concerned about Ashford…He came in acting rather drunk this morning and now he's making a complete mess of his paperwork in his office. He's not getting any work done at all." She whispered in a low voice, causing Byron's eyebrows to hike up in shock.
Blinking, he turned his gaze hastily to the Head Unspeakable's office and sure enough, Vincent Ashford was holding up a stack of papers to his face and was looking at it as though it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life, his blue eyes looking disoriented and hazy.
"Merlin's beard…" Byron muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he nodded his gratitude to Lydia and began to head over to the Head office. He was a couple of feet away from the door when a firm hand reached out and held him back by his arm, turning him around so that he was looking into Spencer Addison's handsome, grinning face.
"Byron! I was just thinking about you! How's Harry? When is she coming back to work?" He asked cheerfully, his hazel eyes peering intently into the other Unspeakable's golden brown orbs but Byron just gave him a distracted smile, his gaze flicking over his shoulder.
"Good morning, Spence. I reckon Harry should be coming back to work after a couple more weeks. Give or take." He answered hastily and he was just about to walk off when Spencer spoke up again, directing Byron's attention to the uncertain look on his face.
"That's great! I was really starting to miss her around here. Anyway, that wasn't actually why I wanted to talk to you…Uhm. I was wondering…You know The Weird Sisters? They're actually going to be doing a concert in London next week and I was kind of hoping that—"
Byron cut Spencer off sharply by giving him an impatient nod and smile. "Spencer, this really isn't a good time right now for me to talk. Can you bring this up again later? I need to speak with Ashford about something really important." He interrupted, failing to see the disappointed look in Spencer's face as his flicked his eyes back over to Ashford's office.
Flushing slightly in embarrassment, Spencer forced out a laugh to hide his reaction and nodded, offering Byron a crooked smile. "O—of course, Byron…I'll ask you again later when you're free." He looked a little put out when Byron merely gave him another distracted nod and smile.
"Great. I'll talk to you later then." He didn't wait for Spencer's to answer as he walked on ahead and finally pushed through the doors of the Head Unspeakable's office, wincing when he was met with Vincent's dazed blue eyes blinking up dazedly at him from where he sat behind his desk.
"Ma—Malfoy?" He slurred drunkenly, blinking a couple of times as he looked up and tried to make out Byron's exasperated features. "Ishat you…? Why're you so blurry and shaky like that?" He drawled, setting the papers in his hand down as Byron sighed and walked into the office.
He walked right up to Vincent's desk and offered the other man his hand. "Sir…It's nine in the morning and you're drunk as a codger…Come on, I'm going to bring you down to the infirmary so that they can give you a potion to get you sober." He offered, reaching out to him again but Vincent growled and shoved him away, nearly stumbling from his seat at the effort.
"Goway! I dowanna get sober! I'm fine…Jusht get back to work!" He slurred again, pushing Byron's offered hands away and trying to reach for the remaining folders on his desk. "I'm not drunk, shee?! I'm working right now! I'm trying to get shome work done! Shtop bothering me!" He snapped, the folders slipping from his hand and scattering all over the floor behind his desk.
Byron sighed again and took a step back, shaking his head as he watched Vincent stand up and struggle to pick the papers back up off the floor. "H—hold on a tick…Shtupid shlippery papers…Who makes theesh stupid reports neway? Why do I have to read them all? S'boring!" He blurted out, oblivious to the smile on Byron's face as he took several steps toward him.
"We do, sir…We make those reports because you ask us to. Personally, I wouldn't mind not making them anymore too." He quipped, slowly walking over to where the drunken man was huddled and crouching down so he could help him pick the papers back up.
Sensing his presence, Vincent gave another impatient growl and attempted to shove Byron away. "I shaid GOWAY MALFOY! I don't need your help! I'm the department of this Head and I know what I'm doing! I'm bloody brilliant!" He tried to shove Byron away again but unfortunately, his motor senses weren't working that well and he ended up sprawled on the floor instead.
Byron couldn't prevent the smirk on his lips as he reached down and offered the other man a hand. "I know you're brilliant as the 'department of this Head' sir…I see it everyday when I watch you fight. I just…don't think that you're any more brilliant than the rest of us here are when you're drunk and falling all over yourself like this." He retorted with a wry smile, muffling a laugh when Vincent shoved his hands away and scowled childishly up at him.
"I told you! I'm not drunk! I'm jusht…tipshy, is all! Watch! I can get up!" He tried to prove his point by raising himself up to a sitting position from the floor.
THUNK!
Byron cringed to himself at the sound of Vincent's head bumping very painfully against the front edge of his table, shaking his head and smirking again and the older man fell back down onto the floor and stared up at the ceiling with a disoriented grimace of pain on his face.
"Hmm….S'alright…Maybe I am a little drunk…" He finally grumbled out, scowling childishly again as Byron hid another smirk and began to gather the scattered papers from the floor. "I won't tell anyone about this, sir…Don't worry. Just let me get you down to the infirmary." He promised, looking down in mild surprise when he saw the way Vincent was looking at him with wide, questioning eyes.
"B—But…Ain't I allowed to be drunk…Once in awhile? You…Malfoy…D'you…D'you shometimes jush wanna…disappear from it all? Make it all just…go away? All the pressure…All the pain…?" His blue eyes blinked up blearily at Byron, an expression of weariness in them that he had never seen before.
"I—I'm not sure what you mean, sir—"
Vincent raised a hand and massaged the bridge of his nose in exhaustion, sighing and blinking back at the ceiling of his office. "Jussht…Get away from everything…? You know…" He laughed harshly and shook his head, a harsh sneer making its way onto his face. "A—all m'life…I've been…hailed…as the only successful pureblood son in my family…" He scoffed and covered his face with his hand.
"I won all those bloody awardsh…all those shhtupid medalsh… D'you know how hard it ish to be the only son of a traditional pureblood family…?!" He snapped out loud, causing Byron to wince but nod slowly to himself in quiet understanding. "I think I may have an idea of what you mean, sir…" He responded softly, watching as Vincent shook his head and let out an exasperated grunt.
"...I wasssh my father'smosht treasured child…He shpoke all the time of how p—proud he wasssh and how I washh going to be family head one day…I wanted to be…y'know?"
He hiccupped and when Byron reached out and offered a hand again to help him up, Vincent surprised him by grabbing it and yanking him down – causing the metamorphagus to meep when he ended up sprawled over Vincent's larger frame, their faces mere inches apart.
"S—sir, I—"
Vincent continued to speak drunkenly as though nothing had happened.
"And then…One day…He finds out I'm gay and ish like…'You're a disgrace, Vincent! How can you be queer?! You need to provide an heir for thish family! Ish your reshponshibility! You will marry a woman!'" The Head Unspeakable laughed harshly, shaking his head at the memory.
Byron bit his lip, unsure of what to say to him and more concentrated on the fact that he body was right on top of his boss' lean, muscular frame. Get your mind out of the gutter, Malfoy! This isn't the right time to think about that! He scolded himself, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
Vincent didn't seem to notice his dilemma and drawled on further.
"I rebelled, o'course…Ran away from home…Went to Unspeakable training…Became the bessht darn Unspeakable agent there was…" He stopped and sighed, looking incredibly worn out. "…And then…What do you know…ten years later…He comes back…knocking on my door…begging me to come back to the family." He snorted in disgust, oblivious to the way Byron's eyes had widened in shock.
"I'm sorry to hear that, sir. Did you talk to him?"
Vincent shook his head, sneering harshly. "He's a shtupid, sshelf-centered old man! I hate his guts! Told him I'm never going to marry a woman! Shlammed the door in his face!" He began laughing to himself after he said this, finally looking up and meeting Byron's soft, sympathetic eyes.
"O'course in the end…Shtill me who's the loser, huh…? I like men but I can't even hold onto a worthwhile relationship with one…Ish no different than dating women…Nothing worksh!" He slurred, hiccupping again and blinking rapidly to refocus his vision when it began to blur.
"Just got back from a meeting with Severus…Another failed relationship…Heh…What else is new? Behind all those bloody awards, shtupid titles and distinctions…Shtill alone…I really am just a shorry little loser…" He drawled, finally looking back up directly into Byron's wide eyes and noticing for the first time how close their faces actually were.
Byron stiffened instantly when their eyes met, blood rushing into his pale cheeks. Vincent blinked at him for several minutes, his handsome features creased into a thoughtful frown. The Head Unspeakable looked as though he had just realized the fact that Byron was inadvertently pinning him to the floor behind his table and that they were looking up directly into each other's wide eyes.
Gulping, Byron's nervous gaze flicked involuntarily to Vincent's lips – noting with a delightful shudder that their bodies were so close together that he could smell the tingly scent of the cologne emanating from the other man's robes. Finally, after what seemed like an hour of silence, the corner of Vincent's lips finally quirked upwards into a small but genuine grin.
Reaching a hand up, he traced a finger lightly down the smaller man's pale cheek. "You know…If I've never said it before, Malfoy…You make me feel very uneasy…I think I've grown a tad bit more fond of you than I'd like…" He murmured dazedly, his blue eyes roaming over Byron's face.
At his words, Byron managed a teasing grin and gave a short laugh. "I'm glad to hear that, sir…It's always nice to hear that your boss likes you. That's always a good thing." He kidded nervously, wincing to himself when he heard the sheer idiocy of his own words.
Vincent didn't seem to mind, however, and just grinned again, his sharp blue eyes softening for the briefest second as he cupped a hand over Byron's cheek. "That's probablywhy. You act like such a fool sometimes…Like a kid…It's…quite endearing." He mused to no one in particular, watching as Byron colored again and tried to cover his embarrassment by trying to pull away.
"I—I hardly act like that on purpose. I just feel so foolish around you—" He stopped talking altogether when Vincent had leaned in and finally caught his lips in a deep, searing kiss, the hand he had on Byron's cheek curling backwards to wrap around his neck and pull him back down against him.
All coherent thoughts and formed protests forgotten, Byron's eyes widened in shock before they immediately fluttered closed as he leaned in and wrapped his arms around the other man's neck. He heard a brief sound of what sounded like the door opening but he paid no attention, completely unaware of the figure that had entered Vincent's office and was now making his way behind his desk.
"Sir…? Are you in here? I've got those reports you wanted me to finish so I'll just leave them on your de—"
The last of Spencer's sentence died on his lips when he caught sight of the two passionately entangled figures on the floor behind the table. He stood there for several seconds – shocked into stillness and unable to do anything else except stare at the two men with a frown marring his features.
Before either Byron or Vincent could notice him, Spencer sighed heavily, dropped the reports in his hand down onto the table and stalked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
Ugh…So tired… So sleepy…Who knew taking care of children was this hard…? I wonder how other parents manage. Harry thought to herself as she slipped off her bathrobe and stepped into the shower that night, closing her eyes as the cold water trailed soothingly down her smooth, pale skin.
She reached up above her nape to unclasp the tie around her hair, sighing wearily as the long, black strands cascaded gracefully down her back. As much as she knew Draco liked her hair long, she had tried numerous times to cut it short – only to scream in frustration the very next morning when she saw that her hair grew stubbornly back to its original length as though refusing to be cut.
Ugh. I had the same problem when I was a boy. My hair is just as stubborn as I am.
Rolling her eyes to herself, she began to shampoo her hair into a rich, strawberry-scented lather – pausing every now and then to rinse out the occasional suds that got into her eyes. Setting the shampoo bottle back down, she hummed softly and began to wash herself with soap – closing her eyes in relaxation as the water rinsed itself over her exhausted body.
Hmm…I miss work. I wonder if Ashford has any new assignments for me yet…She thought idly to herself, her green eyes glazing over slightly in deep thought. I wonder how I'm going to balance it all…Wife…Mother…Unspeakable…Ugh. Being a woman just makes it all so complicated. She sighed and shook her head, setting the soap back down onto the shower shelves.
It wasn't that she didn't know what her responsibilities were now. She knew them perfectly well. It wasn't that she didn't like being a mother either – she loved Garrett and Gabriel so much that it scared her, but that wasn't the problem. Her job had always eaten up a lot of her time with Draco. If anything, she had learned that well during the first year of their marriage. She just hoped she wouldn't have to make similar sacrifices in the future when it came to her children.
I've never had a mother 'or' a father…How am I so sure I'm not going to screw this up? Harry closed her eyes and buried her face into her hands, letting out a deep, heavy sigh. Then, taking another calming breath, she shook her head and gave herself a mental kick to the head.
I'm not alone in this…Draco's sure to know more about this parenting stuff than I do…I'm sure we'll manage and help each other out. Harry assured herself, nodding in self-assurance. Ironically enough, just as she was about to rinse out the bubbles in her hair, she heard the shower doors slide open behind her – causing her to roll her eyes to herself and smile in mild amusement.
"You are such a pervert, Draco…"
Sure enough, she was answered by a low chuckle followed by a strong hand wrapping itself languidly around her waist from behind. Her husband leaned down and pressed his lips very heatedly along the curve of her neck, causing her to close her eyes in pleasure and lean back against him.
"Mmmhmm… I can't help it…It's been awhile since I laid eyes on this gorgeous, perfect, utterly shaggable body…" Draco drawled teasingly against her ear, eliciting more delightful shivers from his wife as his hands began to wander lingeringly around the different curves of her body.
Harry rolled her eyes to herself, leaning her head back against his shoulder as his hands continued to re-explore her body with slow, possessive movements. "Where are the twins? Are they asleep?" She asked idly, biting back a moan when his reached up and began to massage her breasts.
Draco bit down hard on the skin of her shoulder, smirking to himself in satisfaction when he pulled away to inspect the blatant red mark.
"They're in the nursery…I checked up on them about fifteen minutes ago and they were still fast asleep. It should be a couple more hours before they wake up again. We have time…Don't worry." He whispered suggestively, using his free hand to pull her closer against him, silently marveling at the way the curvature of her slender body seemed to fit so perfectly against his own lean frame.
She seemed to have the same thought and chuckled softly, tilting her head obediently to the side to allow him better access to her neck. "You love doing that, don't you?" She mused out loud, causing Draco to grin again as he began to bite and lick along her pulse point.
"I like the fact that your body complements mine so perfectly. It just makes it all the more satisfying when I shove myself in you as deep as possible." He hissed into her ear, causing her cheeks to flush and her entire body to heat up despite the cold water running down their naked bodies.
She tried to move away from him when she heard the lust in his voice but Draco's arms tightened around her, keeping her trapped firmly against him.
"Draco, the twins—"
"Won't wake up for another two to three hours. I told you, Harry…You weren't listening, were you...?" Draco interrupted her lazily, leaning down and biting hard on her neck again.
When she felt his arousal pressing behind her, her cheeks darkened even more and she tried to move away again – only to have one of Draco's hands tighten painfully around her arm and another wrapping itself securely around her waist to keep her in place. She could almost hear the sneer in his voice when he moved his hand down and began to trail it teasingly along her inner thigh.
"You know you like it too, Potter…Don't you…? Me taking you hard and rough…Your legs wrapped around my waist while I pound you senseless…Making you scream until your throat is sore…" His voice trailed off again and Harry resisted the urge to shiver, closing her eyes tightly when she felt the similar feelings of intense arousal exploding in the wetness that was growing between her legs.
Draco sensed her reaction to his words immediately and smirked, teasing her relentlessly by trailing his fingers along the skin of her inner thigh. He could already feel her body melting against him and the way her breaths were coming in shallow pants but still he held himself back.
He reached up and pulled her long hair up with a single hand – exposing her pale, slender nape. With a low growl, he leaned down and began to lick a slow, lazy trail along the sensitive area – sending goosebumps racing all over her trembling body.
Harry closed her eyes and let out a soft gasp, reaching a hand backwards and wrapping it around his neck to pull him down closer against her. "Mmm…Draco…Please…" She whispered softly, her voice heavy with lust as she pressed herself back teasingly against him in impatience.
*START OF RATED SCENE*
She felt his body respond immediately to her ministrations – his arousal hardening and pressing itself insistently against her while his other hand tightened painfully around her waist, yanking her against him. She winced when he used the hand he had grasped through her hair to yank her head backwards, eliciting a soft cry of pain from her lips.
He used that leverage to lean down and hiss something dangerously into her ear, his voice a low, lust-darkened growl. "Don't you dare tease me, Potter…Don't you dare!" He followed this up by yanking on her hair again, pulling her head back so he could ravage her lips with a hard, bruising kiss.
His other hand crawled right up her thighs and forced its way between her legs, eliciting what would have been a sharp cry from Harry again had the sound not been muffled by Draco's lips pressed firmly against hers. The hand entangled in her hair loosened and climbed down to cup her breast just as about two of his fingers slipped themselves insistently into her in impatience.
"Oh god…" She broke away from his lips to gasp out loud again, moaning in pleasure when he added a third finger and began stroking her pleasure spot mercilessly. Draco smirked and reveled in the sounds this drew from her, pressing himself closer so that she was fully aware of his hard length.
When she moaned his name out in an aching whisper, Draco relented and turned her around impatiently to face him before smirking and shoving her impatiently against the wall. Harry was accustomed to his roughness by now and didn't protest, wincing only when her back crashed against the cold tiles and Draco pinned her hands down painfully with only one of his own.
She held back another whimper when he leaned down and took one nipple into his mouth, licking, biting and sucking hungrily. He pulled away after several moments and glanced back up so she could see his wicked leer and the way he was licking his lips, a malicious gleam in his eyes.
"Mmmm…That's the best milk I've ever tasted…" His smirk widened at the horrified blush that rushed into her cheeks and before she knew what was happening, he was sucking at her breast again, his other hand reaching down and clamping tightly on her arse, yanking her body against his.
"Oh god, Draco!"
The hand he had used to trap hers loosened and he brought it down hard on her bottom, the loud 'smacking sound' ringing clearly in Harry's ears. She stiffened and glared up at him in indignation. He met her look with a teasing grin before chuckling and lean down to whisper in her ear.
"How do you want me to take you, Harry…?" He whispered heatedly, licking the shell of her ear. This time, Jaimee was unable to hide the shivers that began to plague her entire body. He growled and began grinding himself against her, his hands moving down to cup her arse tightly.
She moaned and gasped at this, reaching her arms up and wrapping them around his neck. Her eyes clenched shut when he leaned down and began to suck at her breasts again, his tongue expertly teasing her nipples until she was positively crazy with the need to feel him deep inside her.
"Please…Oh god, don't stop…I want you…" She whispered achingly, finally allowing him to wrap her legs around his waist, clinging tightly onto his strong shoulders for support. He pressed her tighter against the tiled wall for added leverage, his hands supporting her by gripping her bottom.
Draco answered her with another self-satisfied smirk, leaning in and smashing their lips together in a hard, bruising kiss. "How…? How do you want me, Potter? I want you to tell me how I should take you…TELL ME." He hissed sharply when he pulled away, freeing one hand to grip her chin and force her face up to look intently at him.
She winced at his bruising grip but met his steely gray eyes, her breathing coming in deep, ragged pants. She knew exactly what her husband wanted to hear and she was happy to oblige him.
"Hard and rough, Malfoy…I want you to pound me so hard that I'll be moaning your name like a bloody prayer. Take me…Make me scream." She hissed back in the same harsh voice, her eyes narrowing in challenge at him and smirking when he glared right back and sneered.
It was only a second later that her smirk faded and transformed into a pained wince when Draco growled again and did exactly what she wanted – he slammed her hard against the wall and shoved himself hard into her in a single, brutal thrust – their bodies merging perfectly as one form.
"DRACO!" She shut her eyes tightly and dug her nails into his back, moaning loudly when Draco slammed into her again, a feral growl erupting from his throat and his eyes hard with a lust-heightened, animalistic hunger that seemed to darken the silver orbs into a near-black shade.
His hands tightened around her arse until she could feel the bruises beginning to form but she didn't care, her eyes closed in pleasure and her lips half-open in a silent scream. She heard his harsh grunts of exertion against her ear as he thrust into her a few more times – hitting her sweet spot each time and pressing her body against the wall over and over again.
Wincing again and again in a mixture of pain and pleasure, she reached a hand blindly to grip at the nearest thing beside her for support. Unfortunately, this was the shower rack of soap and shampoo bottles and at her fumbling, desperately clawing hands, the rack was dislodged easily and crashed noisily onto the floor – shampoo, conditioner and all kinds of soap scattering around them.
Draco ignored this and caught her stray, roaming hand with his, intertwining their fingers together and pinning it down on the wall above her head before leaning down to lavish attention on her breasts again. She felt him smirking again, his hands tightening painfully around her.
"Mmmm…Milk…Delicious…" He ignored her embarrassment and continued to thrust into her slender body for several more times, hissing when she began to claw and scratch at his back.
He leaned up from her breasts and caught her lips in another passionate kiss – sliding his tongue expertly into her mouth and initiating a fierce battle with hers. While she was caught up in their kiss, he used that time to pull her off the wall – her legs still wrapped around his waist and his hands still supporting her – and carried her out of the shower.
Their bodies were still joined tightly together when he managed to somehow stumble them out of the bathroom and into their large master bedroom, their forms dripping beads of water and suds of soap all over the carpeted floor. He broke their kiss and deposited her unceremoniously on the bed, turning her over roughly so that she was lying on her stomach.
"On your knees…" He hissed, positioning himself on his knees behind her so that his form was draped over her body and that his length was pressing into her wet entrance from behind. "I couldn't do my favorite position while you were pregnant, Potter. I've quite missed it." He drawled into her ear, waiting until she did exactly what he said before he shoved her back down against the sheets.
"Figures…I'll bet you're glad the pregnancy is over now since you can top me again—OH GOOD GOD! DRACO!" The rest of her sentence ended up as a loud, breathless scream when her husband shoved himself into her aching wetness again, his hands going down to grip her hips for support.
"DOWN!" He snapped impatiently and he reached down to position her so that only her head was nestled against the pillows and the rest of her body was raised and stretched out in a kneeling position before him. Once she had done his, he began to thrust hard and fast into her again from behind, using his grip on her hips to yank her back in time with his movements.
She bit hard on her lip until she tasted blood and clenched her eyes shut, her moans increasing in volume when her husband's thrusts picked up and he began pounding relentlessly into her body, slamming himself into her again and again until she felt the soreness between her legs.
"DRACO! PLEASE…OH GOD!" She clutched desperately at the blankets around her and just as Draco gave another rough thrust into her, her eyes rolled up to the back of her head and her vision exploded into a sea of blissful stars and blackness. A scream of pleasure tore itself from her throat as she finally came and she buried her head into the pillows, trying to muffle the loud sound.
Draco hissed when he felt her tighten around him, her body shivering violently in the heat of her climax. When she began to feel limp, he wrapped his arms around her to keep her up, summoning the last of his remaining strength as he began pummeling into her like a crazed animal.
His arms tightened around her when he felt her starting to shiver again as she began to build to another violent explosion. Just as he was ready to let himself go, he leaned down so that his chest was draped protectively over her back and placed a soft, loving kiss onto her nape.
"I love you, Harry…" He whispered, his voice harsh from his impending climax but she heard him perfectly. She turned her head slightly in her position so she could press their cheeks together.
"I love you too, 'Co…" She nuzzled his cheek again and closed her eyes when he resumed his efforts and began to thrust hard into her again. "I love it when we're joined deep like this…Love it when you're in me…Thrusting hard and rough…Taking me…Making me yours…Loving me…"
Draco's eyes clenched shut and a whimper escaped his lips at her words, his hands tightening desperately around her. He continued to listen to the softly whispered words that were bringing him closer to the edge much faster than any further acts of physical stimulation could.
"...I love the way you take me with such passion…The way you take me which that arrogant certainty that you know I'm yours completely…And I am, Draco…You know I'm yours…" She stopped when another involuntary moan escaped her lips – her body just on the brink of her second climax.
"H—Harry…D—don't stop…Keep t—telling me…Please…"
Draco bit his lip; his eyes darkened three shades of lust at this point to a blackened gray. He finally clenched them shut and reached down to intertwine his fingers with her hand on the bed.
"I love you…I love you…I love you…" She said this in time with his thrusts, her voice growing softer and shakier each time almost as much as Draco's efforts grew more desperate with each breath.
"I love you…I love you…I love you…I love you…I LOVE YOU!" She clenched her eyes shut again and just as Draco grunted and gave one last deep thrust into her, they both came violently – a high-pitched scream erupting from Jaimee's throat and a strangled, weakened whimper escaping her husband as he collapsed on top of her and spilled himself into the body of the woman he loved.
*END OF RATED SCENE*
"You think Anton is serious with Ginny?" Harry asked worriedly, turning her head slightly to the side to address Draco. The former Slytherin gave an irritated scoff in response and wrapped his arms tighter around her bare waist, curling himself around her so that his body was spooning hers comfortably underneath the white, silk blankets of their bed.
"How should I know, Potter? If we're lucky, Grandfather will be able to knock some sense into him and hopefully talk him out of marrying another Weasley. Ugh. They're coming over to the Manor tomorrow to discuss matters with Uncle Louis. I can't wait." He grumbled angrily, scowling further when Harry just rolled her eyes and nudged him sharply in annoyance.
"Don't talk about the Weasleys like that, Draco…They're one of the nicest families I've ever met. Besides, Ginny is a good match for Anton. She's feisty and has fierce spirit." Harry mused out loud with a smirk, causing Draco to roll his eyes again and tighten his arms around her waist.
"I wouldn't know, Harry. I never dated that chit like you did…I never even considered it. On that note…You know, I never quite understood your taste in women back in school." He chuckled to himself at the memory, earning another sharp nudge from Harry as she growled in irritation.
"Oh yeah? Well the girls I dated were much better than all those snobby, prissy little sluts you used to have hanging all over your arm all the time. Disgusting." She mocked with a scowl and hearing her words, Draco sniggered and poked her teasingly in the ribs.
"No need to be jealous, love…You know I'm all yours now." He drawled arrogantly and Harry would have snapped back something sarcastic at him had his words not brought a smile to her face.
"Prick."
"You know you love me."
She opened her mouth to confirm exactly this when a familiar sound suddenly rang out from the adjoining nursery in their bedroom, causing both Draco and Harry to grimace when the loud, wailing cries of Garrett and Gabriel's combined shrill voices began to fill the comforting silence.
Groaning, Harry ignored Draco's amused smirk and sighed in exhaustion, dropping her head down limply onto her pillow. She got up about half second later and was just about to stand up from the bed when Draco beat her to it, indicating for her to still with a small, reassuring grin.
"I'll get this, Harry…Get some rest." He told her, leaning over and dropping a kiss onto her cheek. Harry's eyebrows fused together and she watched him uncertainly as he began slipping on a pair of black pajama pants. "Are you sure, 'Co? It's really okay, I can help you with them—"
Draco shook his head and silenced the rest of her protests with a brief, chaste kiss. When he pulled back, he gave her a teasing wink and ran a hand through his slightly disheveled blonde hair. "I reckon you're a bit tired after your little Broadway performance awhile ago, Potter. Get some rest." He smirked at the irritated though highly embarrassed glare she gave him.
"Shut up, Malfoy." She grumbled, scowling at him as he gave her one last charming smile before exiting the room and heading towards the nursery. Smiling to herself anyway, she was just about to snuggle back underneath the covers when something from the window caught her eye.
Glancing up, she blinked in surprise at the familiar sight of Vincent Ashford's handsome, black eagle owl tapping its beak impatiently against the glass window panes. Sighing, Harry reluctantly got up and wrapped one of the silk sheets around her bare form, tying it securely around herself as she walked over to the window to let the owl into the room.
Great…I wonder what Ashford wants this time. I'm still on leave, he can't possibly give me any assignments right now. She wondered idly to herself, untying the strip of parchment from the eagle owl's leg. Reaching over to the nearby drawer, she handed the proud animal a rather large owl treat. After accepting it gratefully, he gave one last hoot before flying back into the night.
Once the owl had disappeared into the sky, Harry walked back carefully to the bed and sat down on the edge, carefully unfolding the letter in her hand and reading through Ashford's neat, carefully drafted letter in stunned silence.
Addressed to: HJ Potter,
I'll try to be as honest and direct to the point as I can with this letter. As you probably know by now, I'm not really the kind of person who's used to dealing with compliments – unless they're about me.
Harry couldn't help snorting to herself at this, shaking her head at Ashford's unrivaled arrogance. She swore to Merlin that the man was more full of himself than Draco was – and that was saying something altogether. Chuckling, she continued to read anyway.
You should probably have observed around the Ministry that many of the different Heads of Department have already begun choosing from among their underlings a potential successor to their position. Having passed your Auror written exam with flying colors, I'm sure you're aware that any Ministry official – no matter how exceptional on the job he is – can only remain Head of a particular department for a maximum of 10 consecutive years. Some of your friends have also been chosen by their department Heads and have already started their training.
"Alright…What's his point?" Harry grumbled under her breath, feeling a twinge of impatience.
In any case, I'm on my seventh year as Head of the Unspeakable Department now. Pretty soon, I'll need to start training a potential successor to my position as Head Unspeakable Agent.
Harry's eyes widened at this point but she kept silent and forced herself to continue reading.
As you noticed, the responsibility of being Head Unspeakable Agent is definitely not an easy feat and requires a lot of further training and experience. As the Head of this department, it is my responsibility to make sure that the person who succeeds me is not only well-qualified for the job but is also fully knowledgeable in all the skills he or she will be needing in his or her field.
The first part of the letter ended at this and Harry had to turn the parchment over to the other side to read the rest of what Ashford had written.
I hope you're not daft, Potter. I'm specifically writing you this letter now because I've chosen YOU as the next possible Head Unspeakable Agent after my term. I'm sure I don't have to elaborate to you the rewards, benefits and most of all – duties that come from accepting such a position.
"Bloody hell! That's wicked!" Harry exclaimed, grinning as she bounced excitedly on the bed.
If you're interested in the position, you should know that I'll be taking you under my wing for the next two years. You'll be working directly and personally with me on all the highest-rated missions and field assignments. You'll be my chosen apprentice and I'll be showing you all the ropes about what it takes to be the next successful Head Unspeakable Agent. Think of it as a rich, learning experience.
Harry could practically hear the smugness in Ashford's written words at that last sentence.
I feel obligated to warn you, Harry. This is obviously going to take effort and dedication. If you accept this opportunity, I'll be expecting a lot more from you within the next two years and I absolutely will not accept ANY excuses for any kind of failure or non-compliance with given orders. I understand this may take a heavy toll on you given your other responsibilities so I want you to think carefully about this and make the right decision. I'm not pressuring you to accept the job. You're free to decline and I'll simply move on to the next potential Unspeakable I've chosen.
"What are you talking about, Ashford?! This is amazing, of course I accept!" Harry exclaimed out loud to no one in particular, jumping up from her bed and pacing the room as she read the last few lines of the letter in her hands.
However…Should you choose to accept and you become my chosen apprentice, I will submit your name to the Minister of Magic right away and I'll begin training you the minute you get back from your leave. I look forward to your final decision till then so choose carefully, Potter. This is an opportunity of a lifetime but it may not mean as much if you don't understand the serious consequences it will entail. Congratulations and I hope to see you joining us again soon.
Signed: Vincent Ashford, Head: Department of Unspeakables
Finally setting the letter back down onto a nearby table, Harry blinked to herself for several minutes as though trying to process what she had just taken in. Her green eyes clouded over in thought as she pondered the meaning behind Ashford's written words.
What does he mean by that? 'Understand the consequences it will entail'? Is he talking about the fact that I have children now? She thought in confusion, walking back over to the bed and sitting down on the edge. She stared off into empty space for a long time, trying to sort her own thoughts.
There was no question that she wanted this job. In fact, this was the very position she had been aiming for when she first learned of the Department of Unspeakables back in her seventh year. Her dream of once becoming Head of the Auror Department had now shifted into becoming the Head of the Unspeakable Department instead and she was more than certain she could do the job well.
Harry nodded slowly to herself, her eyes brightening in affirmation. Besides…It's not like Draco's going to hold me back. We got over that issue LONG ago when he gave up family tradition to go to Romania with me. I'm sure it won't be a problem. She thought to herself with a small smile.
And as to her added responsibilities, Harry had always believed in the skill and importance of good time management. It was that exact same skill that had helped her defeat an insanely evil wizard trying to kill her and still manage to keep up with her studies back in Hogwarts. She was certain that a couple of sleepless nights and balancing acts wouldn't be a problem.
That settles it then…She thought with a smile, wrapping the sheets tighter around herself as she walked over to the nearby table to write out her response to Ashford. When she finished and folded the parchment neatly in her hand, she glanced up and arched an eyebrow in sudden realization.
Hmm. That's…Odd…I was so caught up in Ashford's letter that I didn't realize the twins had stopped crying. I wonder what Draco did to get them to quiet down. She mused to herself, chuckling and shaking her head as she tucked the letter into her hand and made her way to the nursery.
She stopped just as she entered through the spacious room and blinked in shock at the sight of Garrett and Gabriel sleeping peacefully in their respective cribs, their tiny baby forms tucked carefully behind clean white blankets. Both her sons' pale cheeks were tinted with a flushed shade of pink and their tiny chests rose up evenly with each breath, indicating that they were, in fact, asleep.
Reaching up to scratch her head in confusion, Harry took one quick scan around the room for her husband – rolling her eyes in fond amusement when she saw that the toys she had scattered around the floor earlier that afternoon were now tucked away in their respective trunks.
Obsessive-compulsive, neat freak…She thought with a smirk, scanning the room again in search of Draco. She found him fast asleep on one of the lush couches in the far corner of the room, his entire form laid out along the length of the couch and his head resting against the pillows.
That wasn't what made the amused smirk on Harry's face melt into a reluctant smile, however. Her green eyes softened and she felt an overwhelming tenderness bursting in her chest as she approached his sleeping form, careful not to make any noise lest she wake him up.
Discarded on the floor beside the couch Draco was sleeping on, two bright, colorful toy scepters were laid out – standing out so obtrusively amidst the dark green carpet. Trailing her eyes further up, Harry allowed another amused smile when she finally rested her gaze on her husband's handsome, sleeping face – flicking her gaze up a bit more to the bright colored jester hat that he had unwittingly forgotten to remove from his head in his exhaustion.
Draco, you idiot… Harry held back an affectionate chuckle and shook her head, walking right up to him and using a single hand to stroke his cheek. Draco shifted slightly in response and turned over to his side, inadvertently providing her with more space on the couch beside him.
Smiling to herself, Harry shrugged and laid herself out onto the space beside him, unwrapping the large blanket around her form so she could drape it over both their bodies. With that, she yawned and snuggled herself against his bare chest, grinning mischievously as she reached up and carefully adjusted the jester hat on his head.
"Good night…You silly Slytherin."
She gave him one last, sweet kiss on the cheek before she closed her eyes and began to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.
A/N: Aw…Draco can be such a cutie when he wants to be, huh? :D I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Unfortunately, the next one will take a couple of weeks. Like I said, my exams and projects will be starting again soon and I won't have as much free time to write. :c
Next Chapter: Two Year Time Lapse…That's all I'm going to say. Let's see what happens. ;)
PLEASE REVIEW! CHEERS!