I'm so so SO sorry for the delayed update, for those of you who have stuck with me from the beginning, and those who have read the A/N: notes you'll know my father is on the mend after a heartache and is having another surgery come in a few weeks, but I'll try to get another update out soon! OH it's a longer Chapter as promised :D YAY!

Thank you so much Ptera, you're the best!

~I Blame the Letter for It All~

-Chapter Twelve-

Back at Before the Beginning

Draco and Harry stared uncertainly at each other as they heard the door shutting behind Dumbledore. "Now what?" It was the same question on both their minds but it was Draco who voiced it.

"Well…" Harry seemed a bit hesitant in what he wanted to say. "I'm not sure…"

"It's kind of nice we get to make up our own minds now." Draco tried to offer a smile to Harry but it felt sort of out of place there, so dropped it.

Harry felt a sharp pain in his chest at the dropped smile and blunt words. "Yeah, it is." Harry wasn't sure which hurt worse: hearing the words or voicing a false agreement.

"So…" Draco took a side long glance at Harry. "I guess we're not married anymore."

"I guess not." Harry did his best to make sure no hurt shown in his voice.

"I bet Granger and the Weasel will be happy about that." Draco's tone was light and slightly teasing.

"Yeah, I bet they will be." Harry's laugh sounded slightly broken to even his own ears.

Taking in a deep breath Harry straightened his shoulders. "At least now I won't have to face Mrs. Weasley." The thought of avoiding a slightly teary, hurt and most likely angry Molly Weasley was actually one of the few things he could think of that lightened the load on his heart even the slightest little bit.

"Good thing we never mentioned the kids, huh? We'll have to figure something out concerning them." Draco kept his voice light and easy as if they were talking about what they planned to have for dinner instead of splitting their family apart.

At the mention of the children Harry could literally feel a spider web of cracks spread across his heart. Hardening his voice, he said, "That's easy enough, we'll each take one. They have separate names; there should be no problems that way."

"Can you believe this after all these weeks? I mean seriously, we should find out who is responsible. After all, they could have really screwed up." Draco shook his head as if to dispel the tinge of anger forming in his eyes. "I mean we could have actually fallen in love, or done something stupid like make life-changing and life-long plans."

"Yeah, then we would have been in a real mess." Harry bit his lips to hold back the tears.

"I'd best go pack and get Briar ready; I'll let you and Rosetta stay here. We'll go stay with my father, 'til Dumbledore can arrange something else." Draco stood with a purpose-filled air about him.

Harry nodded with a small smile. "I go get Briar things together for you." He hurried from the room to the nursery keeping his steps fast but steady.

… … …

Personally Harry wasn't quite sure how he did it, how he kept the tears at bay and the sadness and hurt from his voice until after Draco had left with Briar.

Harry thought his heart would just stop beating as he watched Draco place Briar in the same bassinet he had arrived at Private Drive in, and walked out the door. It felt like losing Sirius all over again, only twice as bad.

Slowly Harry made his way back to the nursery and over to the daisy yellow crib doing his best to ignore the other crib in the room. Rosa slept peacefully without so much as a twitch of recognition that her brother was no longer in the same room as her, or that he most likely wouldn't be back.

Taking the sleeping babe into his arms, he made his way back downstairs and into one of the spare rooms that he had connected to his office for when he needed to rest for a moment or two and didn't want to disturb Draco or the children. Now though he waved his wand toward the bed enlarging it to ensure there was no way Rosa would fall in the night.

Harry couldn't bring himself to sleep in the same room, much less the same bed he had come to think of as his and Draco's. Arranging the pillows as a type of secure wall around Rosa, Harry laid down, watching as she continued in undisturbed sleep.

… … …

Draco opened his eyes, blinking several times trying to figure out why his ceiling was the star strewn one of his child hood. A sniffling cry immediately brought him back to the present and the memories of last night. Taking in a shaky breath, Draco pushed the covers away and called out in what he hoped was a soothing voice. "I'm coming Bri… Be right there."

Reaching into the crib he had gotten one of the house elves to retrieve from storage, he realized it was the same crib he himself had used as a babe.

A knock came at the door, and with a sigh Draco called for who ever it was to come in, knowing full well it was his father. "Hello my boys, I thought you should see this." Lucius offered the newest publication of the Daily Prophet to his son.

Draco looked it over and with another sigh dropped it onto the bed. "Potter is going to have a fit when he reads that."

… … …

Harry Potter Pulls Prank as Ploy for Attention

By: Esken Hobson

It has come to this reporter's attention that the information given to said reporter pertaining to the marriage of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy was falsified. It is now believed that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy made a staged show of being married as a type of prank, and as a message to said reporter and the wizardry world about the damage of believing something that is untrue.

According to an anonymous employee of the Legal Documentation Ward, the marriage contract papers were not legally binding and were most likely filed as part of the prank.

"It could also have very easily been a ploy to get attention once more. He could be feeling now that he saved the Wizardry World he will start falling into the background." Haley Kinston was kind enough to offer her medical advice on the situation. As a graduate of Wizardry Social Psychology who obtained a rank of the third from the top of her class, Ms. Kinston's medical observations are highly respected. "As a child who grew up with so much attention, admiration and constant indulgence of his whims, suddenly being pushed from the spot-light would be scary and upsetting for Harry."

Unfortunately Draco Malfoy has been unreachable for a statement, however …

… … …

Harry slammed the paper down, "That man!"

"Honestly Potter, control yourself." Surprisingly the person sitting straight backed in his chair by the fire studying Harry closely was none other then Hogwarts most hated Professor Severus Snape.

"I knew I recognized that name. I'll bet you 20 gallons he was the one who wrote the first article and the second." He made a pointing gesture at the offensive paper as he continued his rant. "Can you believe the nerve of him and that… that… that woman? Pranks, Ploys for attention, WHIMS!"

Severus would never admit it but he had the strangest urge to laugh at the young man's facial expressions at the moment. Clearing his throat instead, he glared at the young man pacing in front of the fire. "Mr. Potter, please be so good as to adjourn that inane pacing, and take a seat."

Harry made a huffing sound as he collapsed onto the chair across from Severus. He placed his head in his hands and took deep, slow breaths.

Severus was slightly startled at a slight hiccupping sound and sudden shaking that started at the boy's shoulders and soon consumed the lad's whole body. He had been worried about this. To be honest, since the moment Draco had brought Harry hurt and unconscious to him, he had been expecting something along the line of this.

Pulling a small vile from one of his many inner holsters for keeping such things Severus stood and made his way to the shaking lad. "Take this Potter, drink it all."

Harry raised his head just enough to see through the fringe of his hair. He stared at the vile for a moment before raising his head a bit higher to stair into the man's eyes. "Honestly! As if I would conspire to poison you after spending so much time, energy and effort into keeping you alive…"

Harry gave a slightly trembling, impish smile as he reached a shaking hand for the vile. Severus, seeing the state the boy's hands were in, swatted it away and moved in placing the lip of the vile to Harry's lips.

Tilting it, Severus made sure all of it made its way into the boy's mouth and that none remained. "Swallow." Harry did so, then opened his mouth showing his Professor that he had followed the older man's order. Slowly the shakes started to dissolve, untill they were gone altogether.

"Thank you, sir." Harry's cheeks were tinted a light pink at his embarrassment of loosing control of his own body especially in front of none other than snarky Snape.

"You're welcome, Potter. Are you ready to go?"

Harry turned tired eyes to the man. He had only just been informed that he would be expected to arrive by train just as all the other children did to keep his summer where abouts as unknown as possible. "You'll keep her with you wont you? You won't let anything happen to her?"

Severus was half scared the boy was about to fall into another fit of uncontrollable emotions. "Of course I will, Potter. She will be safe and sound and returned to you this evening in the same health you left her. You have my word."

Harry nodded, making his way to the small rolling basinet he kept on this floor to be able to keep the children close no mater what room he and Draco were in. Leaning down he gently tucked the small rose blanket up under Rosa's chin and kissed her cheek. "Daddy will be back soon, flower. Be good for your Grand-da." He did one last smoothing of the blanket before stepping away.

Severus stared at Harry much like a guppy, he was positive if the Potter brat turned around and saw the shock on his face he'd never live it down. "Grand-da, Potter?"

Harry looked over his shoulder and nodded with a slight blush. "Uh yeah… I… I mean… Uh, well, I thought my father and Godfather aren't here anymore and you'll be spending so much time with her and all…" Harry felt like a complete stuttering mess.

Snape took pity on the young man. "Potter, thank you. I'm honoured." Severus would probably die from embarrassment if anyone ever noticed, but over the weeks he had become fond of his arch-enemy's son and his and Draco's children. Clearing his throat he made his way to the door calling over his shoulder, "We really should be going, or the train will leave without you, and we'll have locate a flying car, and I have no intention of doing so."

Harry stopped mid-step, his mouth agape and staring after the man walking away from him with long strides. 'Did Snape just make a joke?'

"Hey! Wait a minute, that was years ago! When are you guys going to let it go? Gee, can't a couple of guys make a mistake?" Harry yelled after the figure before running to catch up.

Snape snorted inwardly glad his remark had, had a positive effect on Potter's mood.

… … …

"Draco, Darling! I just knew those articles about you and Potter couldn't possible be true! Oh dear, you're looking wonderful. I've missed you so!" Pansy had a hold on Draco's arm that he was sure was cutting of his circulation.

"It's good to see you as well Pans, but perhaps you could allow blood flow to reach my hand." Draco raised an eye brow as he lightly flexed his arm just enough to direct her attention to what he was talking about.

"Oh, I'm sorry Darling! I've just been so worried. You disappeared and never even sent me a single letter to let me know you were well. I was afraid I would die an old maid, should you never return." Draco fought desperately not to laugh hysterically at Pansy's worry.

The sight of Harry appearing through the crowd next to Severus quickly cut all need to laugh like a hot knife through butter.

Harry looked tired and slightly worn and, Draco wondered if Rosa was letting him get enough sleep. Briar was a relatively quiet baby, where as Rosa had a tendency to be a good bit fussy.

Draco sighed. Harry had in more than one way plainly stated that they were through and that their children were now each their child.

Draco allowed Pansy to pull him onto the train and toward a compartment that she had secured earlier.

… … …

Harry waved goodbye to Severus before making his way onto train. He had not bothered with the deception of luggage, making it easy to simply find an empty compartment and sit down with-out the trouble of loading and securing his trunk.

He was in the last section of the train in the next to last compartment when the door opened and a meek lad poked his head in. "Oh sorry." He went to close the door, but

Harry impulsively called out to the boy.

"Wait, come on in. You're not likely to find a completely empty compartment this close to leaving, might as well go ahead and take a seat." Harry waved him to the empty seat across from him at the nervous look on the boy's face.

The boy sat on the edge of his seat unsure of what he was supposed to do. "Hi…" Harry had never heard a greeting sound so much like a question.

"Hi, what's your name?" Harry offered what he hoped was an encouraging smile.

The boy looked startled. "Scott, Scottie Heath."

"Scott." Harry said it as if he were trying it on for size. "I'm Harry. You're a first year right?" Even for a first year the boy seemed a nervous wreck

"I… I don't know, I'm new."

Harry gave a warm smile. "You weren't raised knowing magic were you?"

The boy shook his head, a scared and worried look on his face.

"No worries, neither was I. In fact, you'll find a great many aren't. Just so you know you'll be a first year. There are seven years, and each year you'll go up a level. I'm a seventh year and this is my last year at Hogwarts." Harry almost laughed at the sigh of relief.

"I thought you might have been asking my magic level. You really mean that there are others like me?" The boy's eyes were shockingly wide searing for comforting information.

"Scott, when you got on the train pretty much every single person you laid your eyes on is like you. Whether they grew up around magic or not, we're all the same. If anyone says other wise you be sure to let me know. I'll set them straight in a hurry." Harry eased his face back into a friendly smile from the scowl he had unintentionally let slid onto his face. "Anything else I can set your mind at ease about?"

Scott asked question after question and Harry happily provided some form of an answer to each. It was hard to believe he had once been a young boy much like Scott with many of the same worries and fears.

"Is it true that there was a war that just ended?" Harry was a bit startled by the question but pushed it to the side.

"Yeah, actually. It ended around the end of last year's school term. No need to worry, things have been pretty peaceful since." Harry watched the boy nod as he thought it over.

"Are classes hard? I heard a boy talking about a professor they really didn't want to see again…" The boy's eyes and nose scrunched up as he tried to recall the name. "A snip, snap, sniple or something like that."

Harry couldn't hold in a laugh this time, just the thought of Snape's facial expression if he heard someone call him Sniple. "That would be Professor Snape. He'll be your Potion Master, and he has a pretty mean bark with a slightly meaner bite, but don't worry he's not as poisonous as he would like you to think."

Scott looked absolutely terrified. Harry smiled, "Just stay out of his way and do your best and you should be fine."

The great deal of the train ride continued on like this, Harry was pretty sure they were getting close to the school so he ushered Scott to get his robes on, pulling his own out of his pocket and enlarging them to their normal size. He was helping Scott straighten out his sleeve when the compartment door opened.

"Harry, there you are!" Hermione threw herself at Harry nearly knocking him over.

… … …

Draco made an excuse of needing to use the loo in order to escape the confining compartment Pansy had dragged him and trapped him in. He was escaping as far from said compartment as possible when he heard an unmistakable voice up ahead.

"Harry, I don't understand," Granger's voice sounded like she was of the verge of tears.

"I honestly don't care if you do right at this moment. I can't do this right now, and won't. Please just leave me alone." That was another voice that was unmistakable, this voice was engrained into every particle of Draco, he had no doubt what so ever who it was. "Just a second, Scott. I'll help you with that."

Draco's body tensed as Harry called an unfamiliar name that was defiantly mescaline to someone he couldn't see. 'So he's already replaced me, already got someone else's name on his lips.'

Draco had thought the worse place to be was in the compartment with Pansy and his old cronies but now he decided he much preferred it to this scene. So thinking, he turned to return to his previous location, not even realizing that his eyes had glassed over with unshed tears.

… … …

After the confrontation with Hermione and Ron, Harry really didn't feel like eating, but at the pleading look Scott had given him when he had ushered him toward the boats Harry had sighed and promised that he would see him in the great hall. So instead of escaping to his rooms and Rosa, he made his way to a seat near the head of the Gryffindor table with the hopes that Scott would see him and not be so nervous.

It wasn't long before the first years entered the hall in a muffled type of awe. Harry smiled as he watched Scott trying to find him among the crowd. He was near the front of the room and appeared to be biting a whole through his lip when he finally caught sight of Harry. He gave a sigh of relief and a small wave as he passed by.

Harry would have to be honest if asked. He paid little attention to Dumbledore's announcements, or to most of the sorting. He watched long enough to see where Scott would be placed and was slightly surprised when the Sorting Hat called out GRYFFINDOR.

Harry smiled and clapped along with the rest of his table and nodded his approval as the boy took a seat diagonally from his own seat. The rest of the evening was a blur. He remembered a brief conversation with Neville, and patting Scott on the shoulder when it came time to part, saying he'd see the lad later, but that was about the extent of it.

Harry kept his shoulders squared and his head held high till he reached his rooms and then let them sag, with… relief? He wasn't sure.

Thanks again and I hope everyone likes… I'm not sure if I'm going to make Scott a pretty constant character yet or not… what's everyone's thoughts?