The Cat Spirit
Chapter Ten: The Truth
"You wanted to see us, son?" Lucius drawled out as he entered the study with his wife.
"Indeed, father," Draco answered from his seat at the comfortable sofa close to the fireplace. Blaise was sitting next to him holding Lilian in his arms.
"I believe I've figured out who the other father is," the blond stated staring intently at his parents to pay close watch over their reactions.
Shock made its way to Lucius' eyes for a few seconds, enough time for his son to notice, before the composed mask was on his face again. Narcissa began smiling brightly and Draco could see how excited she was about having the last member of their family with them soon. Lucius coughed quietly.
"You believe, you've figured it out?" he said slowly. "Then tell me who do you think it is?"
"Harry Potter," Draco said with no hesitation. His upbringing wouldn't let him show his uncertainty.
"What let you to this conclusion?" Lucius asked before Narcissa could shout out her congratulations. Though Draco did notice her increased excitement. He then briefed his parents on the conversation he'd had with Blaise only a moment ago.
A silence fell into the room when he finished explaining. Neither of his parents said anything. Not admitting either way. Draco huffed in annoyance.
"Just say it!" Draco said. "I can already tell I'm correct from the way mother is about to jump up from her seat to congratulate me," he drawled out and Narcissa did hastily rise from her chair to hug her son.
"Indeed, you have come to the correct conclusion," Lucius said proud of his son. "Lilian's 'mother' is Harry Potter."
"And the other part…" Draco started asking his father who answered before the question was completely presented to him.
"Yes. Harry is a cat spirit," Lucius said with a sigh. "It's a good thing he's somewhere exploring, since I'm not sure what he would've wanted us to tell you when you found out."
"Please," Draco said with only a hint of desperation in his voice. "Tell me as much as you can." Narcissa smiled at him.
"The best place to start is probably the beginning," she said. "Harry came to us before his birthday and he was becoming more desperate every day. He knew he wouldn't be able to look after Lilian once she was born…" Narcissa started and continued mostly without interruption. Draco only asked a few questions for further detail.
"I wish you would have been there with us during the last months of his pregnancy," Narcissa sighed. "If you didn't love him, you would have fallen for him then."
"I wish I had been there, too," Draco admitted with a sad smile. "I would've wanted to see him and be a part of his pregnancy."
"You don't wish to fall for him?" Lucius asked prompting the answer he already knew from his son.
"I don't need to fall for him," Draco raised his voice. "I'm already in love with him!" Only then Draco realised what his father had done. "Hey! You did that on purpose!"
"Indeed I did," Lucius grinned. "I wasn't sure had you admitted your feelings to yourself yet."
"This is wonderful," Narcissa smiled. "Our family will finally be complete," she said before Draco had a chance to start a fight with his father.
"But, mother," Draco interrupted her. "I can't marry a cat, despite how much I would want to."
"That'll be no problem when you manage to turn Harry back into a human," Narcissa said excitedly her mind already on the wedding plans.
"Mrs. Malfoy, how will he do that?" Blaise asked to ease the situation for Draco.
"By confessing his feelings for Harry and to Harry," Lucius answered in the behalf of his wife, whose mind was elsewhere occupied.
"He has to confess his feelings-" Blaise paused. "-to a cat," he continued slowly. "I can see the comedy in that." Blaise laughed.
"The sooner the better," Lucius said.
"W-What?" Draco asked startled. "As in now?" he whispered.
"Oi! Don't chicken out now." Blaise said nudging his friend's shoulder. "Do it before all of your courage escapes," he laughed.
"I'm not afraid!" Draco hissed in the heat of the moment and stomped out of the room. He could hear Blaise's laughter on his expense and the soft chuckle of his father's from behind him. Draco closed the doors and their mirth quietened. And Draco's courage fled him when the silence fell over the corridor. He took a deep breath and went to look for the family cat.
It didn't take too long to find him. Shadow was sleeping on the window seat in the nursery. The black cat was purring in the sunlight. Draco smiled at the sight before he disturbed the cat's peace by lifting him up.
Harry was lazing out in the nursery. He was bored but lying in the sun was very comfortable and he didn't feel like moving. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened during his day and he was very pleased with himself. It had also made him unsuspecting of any disturbance.
Harry had a fright when someone suddenly lifted him up into their strong arms. He nearly scratched the man, before he recognized Draco who held him gently in his firm hold. Harry wondered what had brought up this behaviour. But at the moment he couldn't care less. Harry mewled in satisfaction and took a better position in his mate's arms. He felt safe.
When they made it to Draco's room the blond put Harry on the floor while he shrugged of his robes and kicked off his shoes. Harry hadn't had time to move from the spot he'd been put on before Draco lifted him up again. Harry was pressed against Draco's chest and he could feel the man's heart beating faster than it should have.
Harry glanced worriedly at Draco's face and saw how concentrated and nervous he looked. Harry wondered what he blond was up to. Draco walked to the bed while carrying him and laid himself on it. Draco placed Harry on his chest, where Harry rolled around trying to find a comfortable position. He stilled on Draco and stretched out beginning to purr to show his satisfaction. Harry barely registered the spell Draco used to lock the door.
Draco chuckled when Shadow began purring. He locked the door so none could come in - or get out - interrupting his confession. Though he couldn't say it straight away. That would make Harry freak out or at last startle him badly. He'd have to start somewhere else.
"The last few months have been rather stressful," Draco admitted. "If I now relieve the pressure, you won't tell anyone, will you?" Emerald eyes looked back at him and only blinked.
"I'd better start at the beginning, don't you think?" Draco asked receiving no answer, not that he'd expected one from the cat, "I met him for the first time at the Madame Malking's. I'd heard so much about him during my childhood yet I didn't recognize him."
"Our first meeting didn't end well, neither did our second. I… got angry at him for rejecting my friendship. Even if I had caused it. I realized that later on," Draco said and noticed how tense Shadow had gotten. Harry probably knew now Draco was talking about him.
"I picked on him all the through our school years. Caused trouble to him and called him names," the blond continued taking a firm grip of the cat to prevent escape. "I'm not proud of it. For years I believed I hated him," he said feeling how Harry tried to pull away from his hold.
"During our sixth year I finally looked at him. Actually looked. I'd never noticed how beautiful he'd become." Draco said remembering the winter morning they'd bumped into each other in the hallway in the dungeons on their way to their Potions class.
'It's bizarre how it seems to be impossible for Gryffindor and Slytherin to end up in different Potions classes. They are always held together.' Draco wondered when he rushed to said class. He was late for a reason out of his hands. The other members of their dorm room spend too long in the shower and he couldn't possibly shower WITH them. It was not an option for a Malfoy. At least that's what his father had taught him before beginning of his first year.
When the others were ready he'd rushed to the shower. He'd made it out of the shower before the first class began but he still had to dress and get to the class room before Severus. That he hadn't managed. And now he was running to the classroom. He didn't want to miss much of the class, even if Severus wouldn't take points from him.
He neared the corner before the Potions class and ran around it. Only to crash into someone else. Draco groaned from the floor. He'd hit his backside to the stone floor. Draco quickly looked up ready to yell at whoever had collided with him. He inhaled sharply when seeing the bright emerald eyes looking at him. Draco couldn't believe his eyes.
Harry bloody Potter had transformed into an ethereal beauty without his notice. Delicate features, small mouth with kissable lips - not that Draco would ever admit it to anyone -, large eyes and that damn sexy, messy hair. School robes prevented him from taking note of Harr- POTTER'S body.
Potter started apologizing but Draco shortly interrupted him. They still had to make it to the class room. Draco lifted himself of the floor and dusted his clothes not that there was anything to dust off. They entered the classroom only a moment apart.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for your tardiness, Mr. Potter," Professor Snape drawled out.
"From then on I paid closer attention on him and my feelings began to reform," Draco said. "And then, after the last battle I…managed to bed him," he confessed not so proud of himself. "It was a mistake." The cat froze completely. "To take him like that. When he was not fully aware of himself," Draco sighed.
"I didn't care then. I'd wanted him for too long and the opportunity was too tempting," Draco said. "Then I was a complete brick," he snorted in self disgust. "I drove him away even if I…" he paused not daring to continue. Shadow had turned to look at him.
"You know what they say. There's a fine line between love and hate," Draco whispered. "My feelings for him had transformed into the opposite from what they were and I-" he paused again when his voice wavered. "I drove away the one thing I have strong feelings for. I simply panicked," the blond said slowly petting the cat.
"Not long after I found out I'd gotten him knocked up. Not that I knew it was him. I only found that out today," Draco said staring intently at Shadow. "I know it's you. You gave me such a beautiful daughter." Shadow butted his head against the blond's hand.
"I-" Draco started and hesitated in his nervousness. "I love you, Harry. I have for a long time now."
End of Chapter Ten
Next Chapter: The End
Disclaimer I do not own Harry Potter
One chapter to go. I'm not sure will I be making an epilogue, the chapter's title is rather final. We'll see if I have good enough ideas for it.
I hope I manage to finish this before my birthday, which means I have to write the next chapter very quickly. And with the ending of this chapter I believe you people would like me to finish quickly, too. Wish me luck!