Author's Notes: The hit counter for this story has gone over 2,000! I'm so thrilled that people are enjoying it as much as I am. (Although it's interesting how the numbers for each chapter go down…I hope that doesn't mean people are stopping reading…perhaps I shouldn't look at the hit counter.)

Anyway, this chapter is full of shmoop and unresearched information about garden vegetables. Hope you enjoy! I'm hoping to post the next chapter within a few days, taking advantage of my Spring Break.

Chapter 10 Here There Be Dragons

"Dagon!" Harry shouted gleefully and tightened his grip on Corbin's hand, starting to run.

"Yes, it's a mama dragon and her baby." Corbin answered, allowing Harry to pull him closer to the enclosure. Harry put one small hand on the fencing and stood on tiptoe to see better but the rail of the fence remained right in front of his face. Before Corbin could move, Cassius swung Harry up in his arms.

"Baby?" Harry pointed.

"Yes, it's a baby. It's four months old," Corbin looked down the brochure he'd picked up as Cassius had handed the tickets to the wizard at the gate. "See how much smaller it is than its mama?"

"Its scales won't grow in for a few more months. We could come back again to see it," Cassius said, kissing Harry's cheek (#1 on the TLC list), "Would you like that?"

"Yes!" Harry answered excitedly, watching as the baby dragon started to follow its mama across the enclosure to the shade of the trees. They stood watching as two young female dragons drank from the clear stream. Corbin felt Harry's small hand land on his shoulder, but when he looked over Harry's eyes were still fixed on the dragons ambling about.

After a while, they walked through the hatchery, where they were able to see a baby dragon hatch under the careful watch of its mother. Then they went through the gift shop where Cassius pulled various items off the shelves and put them into the basket held by the shopwitch. (Being a Malfoy had its perks, no matter what Cassius might say.) Harry followed Cassius closely, small hand tangled in the hem of his shirt, nodding when he was asked if he would like something but never picking anything up himself.

After the gift shop, they stopped to get ice cream, sitting on a picnic bench to eat it while Cassius checked on the train ride Corbin had read about in the guide book. Harry gripped his ice cream cone tightly, the vanilla ice cream melting all over his fist and getting all over his face as he ate it.

He looked up at Corbin and smiled.

Corbin smiled back before leaning forward impulsively and kissing Harry's forehead.

"The next train leaves in ten minutes, it'll take us around all the enclosures." Cassius said as he walked up, "Have to finish the ice cream first though."

"All right," Corbin handed his cone to Cassius to finish, as he reached in his pocket for the extra napkins he'd taken from the ice cream stand.

Harry held out his cone to Corbin. "Done."

"You're done? You're sure?" Corbin asked, taking the cone from Harry only after he'd nodded. The ice cream was all gone, either on Harry or in his tummy. Corbin gently wiped Harry's hands and face before they walked over to where the train ride started.

"Best to have the little one on your lap," the tour-witch said kindly as she took their tickets, "to help him see better."

"Thank you." Corbin answered, walking down the aisle to the back row and sliding onto the seat, pulling Harry onto his lap. Cassius sat next to him, one arm slung across the back of the seat, his fingers warm against Corbin's shoulder. The train filled up with other families, and Corbin could feel Cassius assessing them all. He heard the Malfoy name being mentioned in hushed voices. Harry clutched his hand as the train started with a lurch. Corbin pressed another kiss to Harry's cheek as Cassius pointed out a dragon sleeping under a large tree.

"That's the daddy dragon, he protects the mama dragon and the baby." Corbin said, "When he's not sleeping.

The dragon let out a loud snore and Harry pointed, "Cassius."

"I don't snore that loudly," Cassius said with a laugh. Corbin adjusted Harry's hat, and wondered if he needed to apply more sun-block to Harry's face.

Cassius kept up a steady commentary about dragons as the train made its way around all the enclosures. Corbin was impressed by all the facts Cassius seemed to remember from Care of Magical Creatures, although he wondered if Cassius had been reading up when he went away in the mornings to study. Harry kept nodding so much that Corbin thought he might be getting dizzy. About half-way through the ride, Harry squirmed over to sit on Cassius's lap, one leg still across Corbin, to maintain his claim.

"'gain?" Harry asked as the train slowed to a stop.

"Not today. We'll ride it again when we come back." Cassius stood with Harry still in his arms. Corbin followed them off the train. When they got off the train, Cassius set Harry down and took his hand. Harry reached for Corbin's hand and then the three of them walked hand in hand towards the gate.


Corbin flipped over the pancakes in the griddle and yawned. He'd have loved to be snuggling with Cassius but Harry had a tendency to wake up with the sun.

"Garden?" Harry asked from the table, his legs swinging back and forth.

"Yes, we'll work in the garden after breakfast. We've got to pick tomatoes and I think some of the asparagus is ready." Corbin stirred the eggs in the other pan and checked on the potatoes browning in the oven.

"I was thinking we could go to Finnegan's Nursery."

"Oh?" Corbin looked over at Cassius who was sitting at the table in a t-shirt and shorts, just like Harry. In fact, they were wearing matching t-shirts bought at the Dragon Reserve gift shop the day before.

"It's traditional to plant a Yew Tree for family members who have died. We can plant them over near the pond, one each for Harry's mum and dad."

"That's a good idea." Corbin nodded.

"Foe my mum and dad?" Harry echoed.

"Remember we said they could do magic?" Cassius asked. Harry nodded. "They were very good people, they did good magic. And they fought against a very bad man."

"No cash?"

"No, they didn't die in a crash." Corbin said.

"They died fighting the bad man. Your dad protected you and your mum the best he could. And your mum took good care of you, she protected you too."

"Bad man?" Harry asked with concern.

"You stopped him, you made him go away." Cassius reached out and gently traced Harry's scar. "That's what this shows everyone. That's why everyone looks. You defeated someone that other very powerful witches and wizards couldn't."

Harry was quiet for a long moment, thinking. "We gets petty tees for mum and dad?"

"Yes, they will be very pretty trees." Corbin answered with a smile, setting Harry's plate in front of him.


"No," Harry shook his head. So far he'd vetoed five Yew trees that Corbin couldn't find any problem with. But they weren't, apparently, pretty enough in Harry's opinion. He'd informed everyone at the nursery that the trees would be for his dad and mum who had 'potato me'. Everyone had recognized his scar and just nodded.

Corbin looked over at the raspberry bushes, wondering if he could convince Cassius to plant a few in the corner of the garden. He was just crafting his argument when Harry's loud gasp interrupted his thoughts. Harry was between two Yew trees with a hand on each.

"We'll take them," Cassius said to Mr. Finnegan, "Just charge my account."

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy, very well. We'll have them delivered this afternoon." Mr. Finnegan nodded.

"We'll take them now, I don't think Harry is going to let them out of his sight," Corbin said, already recognizing the stubborn set to Harry's jaw.

"Of course, of course," Mr. Finnegan nodded again.


"Harry, don't stand right there, I'm worried I'll knock you over."

Harry was determined to be involved in the planting of the Yew trees, no matter that he wasn't strong enough to dig the holes, and he was trying to stand as close to Corbin as possible.

"I think I need help," Cassius said, resting on his shovel.

"I heps!" Harry shouted, dashing over to Cassius.

Corbin wiped the sweat from his forehead as he watched Cassius place Harry's hands on the shovel handle. Keeping his own hand where Harry couldn't see it, Cassius made it seem as if Harry was shoveling successfully.

"When you're done planting your dad's tree, you can come back over here and plant your mum's," Corbin said as he sank down on the grass.

"Baby dragons are very strong, even when they're very little," Cassius told Harry.

"Ike me?" Harry asked.

"Just like you," Cassius answered.