Give Me One More Chance
This chapter is dedicated to my 360th reviewer:
c a n d y m a n d y 2 5 2 3
Pairings: James/Lucius
Rating: Kneazle
Disclaimer: The characters of Harry Potter are not mine; they are the property of JK Rowling and Warner Bros. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
W A R N I N G: This is about male pregnancy (possibly) and male/male relationships. I'm letting you know now what the relationships WILL contain. So, if you are AGAINST such pairings, please find something else more to your liking, you have been WARNED.
Flames will be ignored.
Beta-read by: Mitts. Thank you for taking on another project with me! Any mistakes after she has done her work are mine.
Notes: I know it's been a while and I'm sorry. I lost my flash drive with all my updates and future chapters. I was fortunate enough to have found a printed copy with all my hand written notes in my other computer bag (does happy dance). Sadly, if anyone is waiting for Worlds Apart or A Mate for Sesshoumaru to be updated, it's going to be a long wait. I am attempting to remember some of the scenes and dialogue and the process is slow going. Please be patient with me.
Special thank you to: Slytherin vs Gryffindor yahoo group, DracoRiddlePotter, jeanbean2006, Eve27, Utena-Puchiko-nyu, sweetteetwo, mochiusagi, Madame de Coeur, Silverinumiko, Sarahamanda and for those who read and didn't review thank you for even taking the time read up to this chapter.
Summary: Twenty-one year old James Potter finds himself in a precarious situation after he split with his boyfriend. Only his friends and family knows about it, but what happens when his ex-lover comes back?
Enjoy!
oOoOoOo
Chapter 24: Summer Before Year 5
Life for the Malfoy family continued on in a more sedate fashion now, with the exception of James being sick most mornings.
Harry and Draco watched as their mother carefully meandered himself into the dining room and plopped down into the nearest chair. Neither heir said a word as James rested his head on his folded arms, moaning pitifully in obvious misery like a wounded animal.
Lucien peered over the top of the newspaper he'd been reading to run a critical eye over his son-in-law, and what his saw was not pleasing to his grey eyes. What had Lucius been doing to his husband? James looked a frightful mess. The object of Lucien's inner musings walked in, and he was going to berate his son for keeping James from getting the proper rest that the man obviously needed.
"Lucius, just the person I wanted to see," Lucien said causing his son to pause in confusion. The elder Malfoy carefully re-folded his paper, making sure that the ceases were aligned with the edges before giving his only child and heir his undivided attention.
"Yes, Father?"
"What is wrong with your husband? I understand the need to keep him up at night, but really? Give the poor man a break," Lucien chastised, displeased with his son about his lustful behavior. Lucius was not a teenager any longer! He needed to show some self-restraint.
"I'm not sure what you're referring to, Father? James and I have not been up at night recently, or have you forgotten? I've been meeting with Calhoun preparing for the hearing coming up," Lucius replied sitting down at the table with his usual choice of food—two crepes topped with strawberries, and a glass of orange juice with a shot of Firewhiskey.
Gasping slightly, Lucien did forget. "Then pray tell, what is the matter with James? He looks like he's about to be sic-"
James bolted from the room before Lucien finished his sentence. Eight pairs of wide quicksilver orbs glanced worriedly in the direction that the former Gryffindor had taken.
Lucius swiftly chased after his mate to the bathroom closest to the dining room once he overcame his initial shock. Retching drifted into the hallway where Lucius was standing. He wasn't sure if his should enter or not. But his concern for James out weighted the tongue lashing he might receive.
Upon walking into the modest bathing room, Lucius picked-up a hand towel, turning on the taps to soak the piece of cloth in Luke warm water, and pressed it to the back of James' neck once James lifted his head out of the toilet.
Lucius filled one of the empty glasses with refreshing cold water and handed it to his lover. James gratefully accepted it, using some of the water to slosh around in his mouth spitting it into the toilet, ridding it of the terrible after affects of vomiting. Then James shakily sat back against Lucius with his eyes closed.
"Now, would you like to tell what is wrong with you, love?" Lucius asked, running his hand up and down James' arm in a soothing motion.
"Nothing, sweetheart. I think I picked-up a bug or something while we were on holiday, that's all," James replied, attempting to get the rolling in his stomach under control.
"Hmm… well, if that's the case then I'm sure you wouldn't mind, Madame Arterberry, to have a look at you. We've been home for nearly a month, you shouldn't be sick, and if you have picked-up a virus it should had been treated immediately," Lucius commented as he assisted his husband to stand, then guiding him to the stairs, preparing to take James back to their room and put him bed.
"I didn't want to worry you, Lucius. You have so much going on, and-"
"And you are my biggest concern, James. I'll firecall Madame Arterberry. She'll be very delighted to see you," Lucius said pulling the covers up over his ill spouse.
No longer fighting the weariness of his body, James gave into the sleep that was currently pulling him under. But before James was completely asleep he whispered, "Madame Arterberry is fine. I hadn't seen her in years. " Then he was out.
Lucius was extremely alarmed. He never seen James this tired, ever. He knew that it was more than a mere bug to get the best of his dark haired husband.
oOoOoOo
Quietly closing the door, Madame Arterberry made her way back downstairs to Lucius' study. In there, she not only found her employer, but his father and sons. She had been the attending healer to the Malfoy family since before Lucius was born.
Madame Arterberry sighed quietly, remembering when Lucien was so elated about the news of becoming a parent—it was the happiest moment of his and Lucas' lives.
oOo Flashback oOo
Just newly married, Lucien's expectations of being the Malfoy heir were weighted heavily upon his young shoulders.
The endless meetings with shareholders from various parts of Britain were a constant drain on Lucien and not to mention the potential investors from overseas. He couldn't figure out how his father managed to juggle a multi-million galleon business and a family.
His father, Abraxas, always harped on about, "If a man should be judged, let him be judged by the number of children he sired." That was Lucien's father's motto. Sadly, Lucien would be the only child.
Even though Abraxas was a hard man to get along with as well as a strewed businessman, he always valued his family and put them first before the goings-on of the family business. He usually tried to be at home in time to join his wife and son for dinner.
Unfortunately, his mother died a little before his fifth birthday. She took a nasty spill down the stairs while heavily pregnant, over balancing one morning on her way to join Lucien and his father for breakfast. His father didn't live long thereafter either. And thus, Lucien became the head Malfoy monarch at the age of seventeen.
At any rate, Lucien was feeling the pressures of his family of securing the Malfoy line with an heir. In addition to compound the never ending problems, his spouse of a couple of months has been under the weather for several days with no relief in sight of the headaches or fainting spells.
Another week past and Lucien decided that it was high time he put his foot down and called the family healer.
Madame Adamina Arterberry was a young medi-witch with flowing dark hair and bright green eyes. She was extremely short, standing at a mere five feet in height, but Madame Arterberry had grace in when she moved or talk. She was very forward and didn't cater to those in power. She did her job to the best of her ability and Madame Arterberry knew when to be discreet.
She graduated at the top of her class alongside Madame Pompfrey and came highly recommended, which was why Lucien liked her and it help a little that she was close in age to Lucien.
After a couple of hours of agonizing waiting, Madame Arterberry opened the door to the master suite granting entrance to Lucien.
Rushing to his spouse's bedside, Lucien didn't quite know how to read the expression on her face. She smiled kindly at him while motioning for Lucien to join his husband.
Sitting on the recently vacated chair, Lucien gripped his lover's hand in tightly.
"Lucien, please, you're hurting me."
Startled by the whispered hiss, Lucien loosened his hold. "I'm sorry, Lucas."
The delicate clearing of the throat brought their awareness back to the healer who was now smiling for all that she was worth.
"Well, Consort Lord Malfoy, would you like to inform your husband or shall I?" she asked respectfully, gazing at the aristocrats. She mentally shook her head; they were too young to be parents, who were just recently wedded. Lucas looked so fragile with his already pale skin and his small body frame was practically swallowed-up in the enormous four poster bed.
A deep crimson blush highlighted Lucas' fair visage, causing him to look more endearing to Lucien.
"You may tell him, Madame," Lucas replied in his low sultry voice.
Barely into adulthood and Lucas had mastered having a sexy seductive tone, yet Lucien was mesmerized by his husband's sensual sounding voice.
Lucien coughed, embarrassed at dreaming lustfully about Lucas in mixed company. "Yes, Madame, please continue."
"It appears after careful examination, Lord Malfoy that your husband is in a word, pregnant," Madame Arterberry announced.
Time seemed to have stop for Lucien as the words were deeply processed. A somewhat noticeable smile was tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Could you… Could you please repeat what you've just said, Madame, because I thought that you said my husband is pr-pregnant," Lucien stuttered, hope blooming in his chest at the revelation.
"You heard me correctly, Lord Malfoy. Your husband is pregnant. Unfortunately, this is not in my field of expertise and will have to refer to a more qualified healer," she explained, but it was all for naught. The couple wasn't even paying her any attention now. They only had eyes for one another.
oOo End flashback oOo
Lucius was pacing back and forth in front the unlit fireplace as Lucien and the boys were watching his every step.
The healer sat down in one of the chairs that were situated in front of the large cherry wood desk. As always whenever she visited, Lucius' desk was an unorganized disarray. Out of the forty-something years of being the Malfoy's personal healer, Adamina had only seen Lucius desk cleaned once. The Malfoy lord must have passed on this trait on to his son of maintaining a messy workstation. How could either of them find anything in all that madness?
"Well, Madame Arterberry, what is wrong with my husband?" Lucius prodded, finally sitting down in his chair.
"I can tell you what it isn't. James isn't suffering from a bug of any kind, nor is he dying, I assure you," she answered, smiling as she saw his tense face relax as his shoulders eased downward.
Sighing in relief, Lucius leant back, closing his eyes in appreciation. James was okay, nothing more than… Nothing more than what? If James didn't catch a bug, then what was wrong?
"He's pregnant," Madame Arterberry stated as if she was reading his very thoughts.
Lucius nearly fell out of his chair. "He's what?"
"You heard me plain and clear, Mr. Malfoy, your husband is pregnant. And from the exam that I just conducted, he's about two months along, maybe three. How long has James been feeling ill?" she asked taking notes.
"I'm not sure, really. This morning was the first time that we've seen him unwell," Lucius honestly replied. He knew that James was particular about letting anyone know about him being sick and that wasn't often. But then again, Lucius had been so wrapped up in meetings he hadn't been paying all that much attention to James' health. He scolded himself for being inconsiderate toward his spouse.
"At any rate, since I'm not his regular healer, you should contact him or her immediately. I don't have much knowledge with male pregnancy, so I will forward all my findings to James' healer. And since I'm bound by patient-healer confidentiality, I will make a notation of a simple routine home visit. I will make not mention of your husband's condition. Good-day, gentlemen."
The healer was out the door in a heartbeat, leaving the Malfoy males in complete silence with one thought running through their minds. James was pregnant, again. Harry and Draco were simply delighted by the announcement. They were getting a baby brother or sister!
In all honesty, Lucius wasn't trying to impregnate his lover, but he wasn't going to down play his vitality either. Lucius wasn't quite sure how to process that bit of news, but he managed to hold himself together with a smug, satisfying look upon his face until his eyes rolled back.
Thunk!
He ended up a crumpled heap on the plush carpet in the middle of his study. Lucien smiled, leaning back into his seat.
"Well, it seems that your father finally realized he's to be a father yet again," Lucien said levitating his son onto lounge.
Draco and Harry quietly watched their grandfather. This was certainly going to be a very interesting few months for them.
oOoOoOo
"You saw what?" Blaise exclaimed, barely believing what his best friend was saying.
"You heard me, Blaise! I saw my parents… oh, never mind. This is something I shouldn't be telling to you and you better not repeat it. I would hate to have to use you for a potion of some kind," Orion said calmly but meaning every single word.
The Black heir apparent had been staying over at his friend's house for over a week now, ever since he walked-in on his parents having sex.
Orion wasn't ready to face them just yet. He knew his parents were still intimate especially by the way his father would just walk-up to his mum and snog him senseless causing Severus to forget what he was doing, or the way his mum cheeks would color whenever Sirius would walk-by giving a sly wink and a rogue smirk; but Orion never thought (in his wildest dreams or nightmares, depending on how he was analyzing it) that his parents were that sexually active!
The Slytherin gulped, knowing full well what his friend was capable of doing. Orion's mum and grandfather were both master Potion brewers and it would be no small feat for them to make a body vanish without a trace or even a hint of foul play. It was best to keep on their good sides at all times.
Then Blaise smirked, leaning toward Orion. "So, Black, now having seen what's it like… having sex… you're not at least curious about it?"
A fierce blush crept along Orion's tanned cheeks and down his neck. "Well, well… I—I nev-never really had any such impulses. Besides, if I got a witch up the duff, or worse, me getting knocked-up, my mum and dad would kill me, so no, I'm not having sex."
"Hmm… too bad. That little witch from Hufflepuff seemed a bit attracted to you," Blaise commented, easing back somewhat but staying within reach.
"What about you?"
"Me, I never kiss and tell," Blaise said.
"Sure."
"Come-on, dinner should almost be ready."
The boys left Blaise's bedroom to go downstairs, chatting away about what they would expect in the coming new school year at Hogwarts, and the past events of the Triwizard Tournament.
oOoOoOo
SIRIUS BLACK FOUND INOCCENT!
The infamous mass murderer, Sirius Orion Black, was found innocent of all accused crimes of slaughtering thirteen Muggles and former classmate, Peter Pettigrew, during the trial against Minister Corniuls Fudge; who wrongly accused Black of the heinous acts.
But the one crime Black was most noted for was the slaying of James Potter and Lily Evans with the attempted murder of the couple's young son, Harry Potter.
However, in recent news, James Potter was discovered not dead. He was in fact living with Muggles with no memory of his life as a wizard. As many readers recalled, it was brought to light a few weeks ago in another trial against the Minister, that Mr. Potter was legally bonded and officially married to no other than the well sought after Malfoy heir, Lucius.
With a devastating blow to the defense, it was proven that Sirius Black was not James Potter's Secret Keeper, but their very own close and personal friend, Peter Pettigrew. He was the one to betray Mr. Potter's location to You-Know-Who. However, in a strange twist of Fate, Mr. Potter was mugged on his way home in Godrick's Hallow.
Unfortunately, the attack left Miss Evans defending her godson against the Dark Lord—ultimately perishing at the Dark Lord hands.
Now what does this all means? It means that, Mr. Black will be re-instated as the proper Head of the Noble and Ancient House of Black, with his brother, Regulus, as the second heir apparent next to Sirius' own children.
And this reporter is sad to announce that both Black heirs are no longer eligible bachelors. During Sirius Black's most noteworthy prison brake, it was discovered he has been bound and married to none other than master Potions maker, Severus Snape, since 1978 with two children, Orion and Sheridan Black. And Regulus mate to registered werewolf, Remus J. Lupin with five children, Samantha, Amarantha, Remy, Renatus and a newly born baby girl.
After all Sirius Black and his family have been through, this reporter sincerely wishes them a safe and happy future.
Marshall MacMillen
Folding the paper closed and laying it upon the bedside table, Sirius had a satisfied look on his visage. To be finally free… words couldn't describe the content feeling that was bubbling in his stomach, threatening to overtake his emotions. For thirteen long years he waited to hear those glorious words, instead of having them repeat in a mockery of a fantasy. In addition to reading such splendid news, Sirius also received a special plaque from the new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour.
Sirius gazed down at his sleeping spouse carding slender fingers through luxurious raven tresses. This was the first time in weeks, since his recapture that he woken with Severus still lying next to him in bed and sound asleep no less.
Regardless of how young they looked, or how youthful they felt; worry marred Sirius' husband's beautiful face. He knew of the long hours Severus toiled away in his lab, during the latter half of the school term—only coming out to eat and to make sure the twins were behaving.
Whatever his lover was working on, it was starting to take its toll on Severus. Dark circles were appearing under tired obsidian orbs. Plus, Severus' skin was beginning to lose its' honey color. The one that hadn't diminished was Severus' appetite for sex.
Sirius truly believed Severus was taking some type of aphrodisiac. As much as Sirius liked to boast about his sexual prowess, he was not a fifteen any more, therefore needed a bit more time to catch his breath before commencing with seconds, thirds, fourths, and heaven help him, fifths. He wondered if his Will was updated, because at the rate they were going, Severus was going to fuck him to death.
With his mind made-up carefully easing out of bed in order not to disturb his mate, Sirius had some last minute shopping that needed to be completed before the twins go back to school.
Sirius was not going to allow Severus to self-destruct by working himself into the ground when they should be relaxing. They had too much to live for now. First on his list was to take a page out of Lucius' book. They (without the twins) were going on holiday somewhere might be what they needed.
Little did the former Gryffindor know was that his sly husband has something planned that would make even the Dark Lord proud.
oOo TBC oOo
A/N: How was that? Can anyone figure out what is going on with Severus? No, well stay-tuned for the next chapter.
Nemesis
oOoOo Teaser for Chapter 25 oOoOo
Not saying a word, Severus grabbed Harry by the arm and left the Headmaster's office with his son hot on his heels.
"Mum?"
"Orion, go back to you dorm. You'll see Harry later today," Severus said whirling on his older child causing Harry to gag.
"But-"
"No buts, young man. This is no longer your concern."
Taking his leave once more, Severus left Orion silently fuming in the middle of the corridor leading into the dungeons.
