A/N: So, ladies (and gentlemen?)
I'm in Edinburgh, once again, sat within spitting distance of the cafe where JKR wrote Philosopher's Stone. And I found out something really cool yesterday... just around the corner from here there's a church called Greyfriars, and in the graveyard there's a tombstone for a man called Thomas Riddle. I just about came in my pants when I saw that! Serious shivers down the spine moment. On talking to some locals, apparently JKR used to wander around this area quite a lot, and obviously took inspiration from some of the old tombstones for her character names. We also found a stone for a man named McGonagall, and another for a boy called Hugo. I'll put some pictures up on my tumblr later, go check them out! For now, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
-HFS xx
Chapter 29- Making Babies
There was only one thing between Bear and the plate of biscuits that his dad had left on the coffee table in the living room. And that one thing was about half a room of open space.
In the grand scheme of things it wasn't that large a distance. He could, surely, cross it on his hands and knees, as was his most common mode of transportation. But, with the encouragement of his dads holding on to his hands, he'd been trying this thing where he just used his legs… four legs bad, two legs good. And the problem was, when he was on his hands and knees he couldn't see the biscuits any more, so how could he be sure they would still be there when he got to the coffee table?
No, it was no use.
There was only one way to get between here (here being the soft blanket covering the floor, where he had been presented with a large pile of blocks, a wooden train that made little puffs of smoke, and his stuffed hippogriff), and where he wanted to be. Which was over there.
One of his dads, the one with sunshine hair, was sitting in the chair sideways with his legs over the arm, reading and humming to himself. And not paying Bear any attention at all.
His other dad, the one with the nighttime hair, had his head stuck in the fire talking to someone.
Time was of the essence.
Bear put his hands on the floor and stuck his bum up in the air, rearing up onto his legs. He wobbled precariously, then landed back on his bum again. Bear pouted. Trying again, he stood, wobbled, corrected himself, and got a glorious view of the plate of biscuits. They had bourbons!
As he took his first, tentative, wobbling steps towards the biscuits, Daddy's snitch swirled over his head and fluttered in mad circles in front of his other daddy's head, distracting him from his book.
"Holy shit!" Draco exclaimed as Bear took another step towards the biscuits.
"Ow," Harry said as he hit his head, withdrawing from the fire. "What do you want?"
"Look," Draco said.
Bear took another step, his arms held out by his sides for balance.
"Oh my god," Harry breathed.
As Bear approached the table at a toddling run, Harry tightened his grip on his wand preparing to freeze, levitate or push things out of the way as necessary. Bear let out a little squeal of delight as he reached the table, grabbing hold of the edge and hauling himself up far enough to be able to reach his biscuity goal.
"You know this is all Weasley's fault," Draco said as Bear grabbed hold of a biscuit and Harry finally decided it was safe to pull the baby into a big, messy, chocolately hug.
"Good boy," he said, pressing his face into Bear's neck. "Aren't you a clever boy?"
Bear held out his biscuit, his prize, as if to say 'yes, and look what I found'.
Their ambition to officially adopt Bear as their son was progressing; the backing of the Minister for Magic behind them was no small matter, and Hermione's help and considerable skills meant that they had already filed their paperwork to the Ministry.
From time to time they'd get an owl from Hermione with more things for them to sign, or read, or an appointment from someone from the Department for Child Protection wanting to meet them or inspect their home. It was a small price to pay, and even as the press and public got behind them it was clear that there was still a long way to go.
As Narcissa learned that their chances of adopting Bear would be seriously hindered by Draco not living at home with his family, she decided, quite firmly, that he should not stay at the Manor any longer. It was a delicate balance of enveloping a new person into their little extended family… Harry was sure that they were still a way away from inviting Narcissa to family meals with the Weasleys, but the relationship between them was beginning to grow.
The first time Bear had been introduced to his newest grandmother he drooled all down the front of her cream silk blouse. With the onset of teething this wasn't unusual, but Harry still felt like burying his face in the crocheted pillows in the parlour at Malfoy Manor and groaning. Clearly, Harry had underestimated the fact that this woman was also a mother who duly vanished the spit and passed Bear a chewy something to entertain him.
It had also been decided that Andromeda would be moving out of her little cottage and into the Manor with her sister. Quite who was making these decisions wasn't clear… Despite all their history, it seemed that between Andromeda's losing a husband and daughter during the war and spending eight months in a coma, and Narcissa's experience being imprisoned for a year for war crimes were experiences from which both sisters could agree to reconciliation.
It wasn't until Draco mentioned it that Harry realised that the women had also lost a sister, and despite the truly deplorable things that Bellatrix had done, they were mourning the woman she once was.
xXx
"Are you ever going to tell me what the problem is?" Draco asked softly.
"Hmm? There's no problem," Harry said with his lips attached to Draco's neck. It was late, later than when they usually went to bed but neither man seemed ready to sleep just yet. They were kissing lazily and touching with no shame, only because they wanted to, and it felt good.
"Harry. Harry. Stop for a minute."
Harry pulled back and frowned. At the look on his face, Draco pulled him down into another kiss, then rolled Harry onto his side so they were facing each other.
"You've only ever bottomed twice," Draco said, pushing the hair back from Harry's face. "Every time I try to initiate going on top you shoot me down. So to speak."
Harry shrugged. "You like bottoming. And I like topping. Is that a problem?"
"You don't like bottoming?" Draco pressed.
"No!" Harry exclaimed. "It hurts, okay? I don't mind doing it if that's what you want, but I feel so much closer to you when I can be inside you. And you prefer it that way too."
"I like..." Draco said, then trailed off, blushing. He threaded his fingers through Harry's hair again. "I like looking up at you when you're inside me. I get lost in that, Harry, I don't think about anything except how much I love you and how good it feels. It doesn't hurt me because you're always so gentle.
"I want to show you that. I want for you to have it too."
"I don't know, Draco."
Draco leaned in and kissed him, capturing Harry's full bottom lip and sucking on it. "Give me tonight. I won't force you into anything but I think you'll like it."
"I trust you."
"I know. Take your clothes off."
As Harry stripped to nothing Draco reached for his bedside table and took out their usual tin of lubricant and a small pot of softly glowing liquid.
"What's that?"
Draco pulled his clothes off too. "It's something I made up."
"Yeah," Harry said, eyeing it suspiciously. "But what is it?"
"Shh," Draco told him. "Roll over."
Harry arranged himself lying on his front, his arms curled around a pillow held longways down his chest. Draco leaned over and pressed a kiss to the back of Harry's neck.
His hands skimmed up and down Harry's sides, lingering into covetous touches and gentle massage. After a few moments Harry felt Draco shift on the bed, then he was straddling Harry's hips and working the liquid into Harry's shoulders.
"Does it feel good?" Draco murmured.
Harry hummed in response.
As Draco's hands moved down his back, Harry noticed that something very strange was going on. Even though he knew, his rational brain told him so, that Draco's hands were kneading his lower back, he could still feel them on his shoulders.
"What the-" he started, but was broken off by Draco's gentle "Shh," and a chuckle.
"It's something I've been working on," Draco said in explanation.
Under Draco's strong, expert ministrations, Harry turned into a puddle of mush. He didn't protest when Draco pushed his legs up and apart, or when his hands started to knead his bum cheeks.
He did, however, nearly jump out of his skin when Draco's tongue licked from his balls to the base of his spine.
"Fuck!" Harry exclaimed.
"Harry, shut up," Draco said, teasing, but Harry knew he meant it.
With Draco's tongue lapping at his asshole, Harry suddenly woke the fuck up. The easy, lazy relaxation had been replaced with something vital and urgent, even as he still felt Draco's sure hands working the muscles in his shoulders.
Whatever this potion was, Draco could make a bloody fortune with it.
This thing... with his tongue... Harry decided he'd never quite felt something that pleasurable before in his life. It maybe even topped the first blowjob Draco had given him. Maybe. But still, he felt every nerve ending in his entire body curl, ready to spring, to blow at any time.
He whimpered at the loss of sensation as Draco flipped him over and started to gently tease the front of his body. When the tip of Draco's finger circled his nipple, Harry felt it over and over again, causing the flesh to peak and pucker in response.
Draco used some of the potion and a lot of their usual lube as he gentle caressed Harry's balls and the base of his shaft; Harry was aching and leaking and wanting everything at once. When Draco pressed one finger inside, then two, his other hand held tight on Harry's jaw, angling their kisses to distract Harry from the discomfort.
"Okay?" Draco asked.
"Yeah."
Harry spread his legs and put his hands on Draco's lower back, wanting to feel it from all angles this time. He wanted it... wanted the closeness that Draco had told him about.
As Draco pressed into him, Harry felt something curl and tighten in his chest.
"Does it hurt?" Draco murmured, so softly Harry almost didn't hear him.
He shook his head 'no', not trusting his voice to quite work yet.
The lasting impression of Draco's fingers on his jaw just made it all so much more intimate. Draco knew how far to hold himself from Harry's face so that Harry could see him, even without his glasses those grey eyes were in crystal sharp clarity.
Draco rolled his hips again, so slowly, but Harry still cried out and arched his back from the bed. Draco kissed him through the next thrust, and the one after, letting his body adjust in its own time.
"Oh, wow..." Harry breathed.
"Yeah," Draco said, saying the words against Harry's lips, loathed to break contact. "You look so beautiful. I love you. I love you."
Harry held on, curling his hands around Draco's shoulders as they moved together. They weren't chasing an orgasm, not yet, anyway. It was bigger than that, more than that.
The feeling of Draco's hands on him, everywhere, like a lingering memory but more real than that... it grounded Harry in a way he hadn't felt when they'd done this before. He was surrounded by the man he loved; over, under, inside. He knew now what Draco meant about being lost with someone. Nothing existed other than them. All that mattered was that they were together.
"Is there any potion left?" Harry said, pulling back from the kiss long enough to ask the question.
"A little bit."
"Let me use it on you."
Draco nodded and pushed back up onto his hands.
"Wait," Harry said. "Don't... don't pull out, okay?"
Draco swallowed. "Okay," he whispered.
The jar was Summoned rather than reached for and Draco poured the last of the contents into Harry's hands. While Draco adjusted his position again Harry ran his fingers up and down Draco's sides, causing the other man to shiver in response. As their hips found a rhythm again Harry attacked Draco's mouth with renewed enthusiasm, needing these kisses almost more than he needed Draco's body.
Harry stretched his arm down to rub a little bit of the potion where Draco's spine met his ass. He was extra- sensitive here, Harry knew, and sure enough Draco shivered again at the touch.
"I'm close," Draco gasped.
It wasn't until he said it that Harry realised he was too. When he let go it was of more than just his inhibitions. Rather than his orgasm coming in one hot, hard spike through his cock, it grew slowly and built, thrumming through his body over and over as Draco rode his prostate, keeping the intensity going.
Harry felt it, Draco's orgasm, and kissed his boyfriend through it until they were both breathless and Harry was trembling hard.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked.
He couldn't find the words to agree. Draco rolled onto his side and pulled Harry close; with his head on Draco's chest Harry could hear the still pounding rhythm of Draco's heartbeat and still... still the feeling of hands rubbing his shoulders reassuringly.
And like that, that they fell asleep.
Draco woke first the next morning, not that that was unusual.
Harry was curled up, facing away from him and, like he did every morning, Draco felt an overwhelming rush of love and sheer gratitude for whatever deity had brought them together. Very carefully, Draco wrapped his body around Harry's and held him while he slept.
And that was how Harry woke up nearly an hour later - being held in a loose but protective embrace.
"Mm. Morning," he said, his voice still scratchy from sleep. "Why are you still here?"
It was a fair question. Draco had usually gotten up and started his day by this time.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay. After last night, I mean," Draco said as Harry rolled over to face him.
"Oh," Harry said. He rubbed his eyes and smiled. "I'm okay."
"Are you sore? You have a couple of bruises."
Harry looked down at the thumbprint sized bruises on his hipbones. "Oh."
Reaching for his wand, Draco leaned back and tapped the little purple circles and murmured an incantation to make them melt away. Then he placed his hand flat on Harry's lower back.
A shock of static electricity jumped between them.
"Ow," Harry complained, laughing.
Draco leaned in to kiss him and it happened again. He pressed his lips together to ease the sting. "What the fuck?"
Harry reached out and touched the tip of his forefinger to Draco's nipple. Draco yelped. "I think," Harry said, amused, "That we may have discovered an unexpected side effect to your sex potion."
xXx
An hour later, after showers and getting Bear up and dressed and starting breakfast in the kitchen, they were still zapping each other with every touch. Hermione was supposed to be joining them for last minute preparations for their appeal with the Wizengamot... when she arrived she looked as sleek and professional as Harry had ever seen her.
"They've finally told me who will be governing your appeal." Hermione said. "It's Professor Basil Hall."
"That means nothing to me, Granger."
"He's conservative, old, and miserable."
"Fucking great."
"Exactly," she sighed.
Harry passed Draco a mug of tea and another zap of static jumped between them, eliciting a knowing glance and stifled giggle.
"What?" Hermione demanded. She noticed fucking everything.
"Nothing," Harry insisted.
"It's a sex thing, Granger," Draco said with the full intention of making her blush. It worked.
"Well, stop it," she said, flustered. "Go and put your robes on, we'll need to leave in a bit."
The courtroom, when they arrived, was packed. There were reporters all over the place, members of the public and Ministry officials who either wanted to watch the proceedings or actually had an interest in the outcome. Angelina had agreed to watch Bear for them; with George bringing Molly along later she said she'd have plenty of help if she needed it.
They made their way down to the sole table in the middle of the courtroom, facing the seats where the Wizengamot would soon file in, with the public viewing area behind them. Hermione seemed focussed, determined as she started to unpack her back and stacked an ungodly number of books and files on the desk.
"That's Professor Hall," she said in a low voice as the Wizengamot started to take their seats.
Hall was a short, squat, balding man who had tufts of white hair emanating from behind each ear but none on the top of his head. He wore thick glasses, giving his eyes an owlish look, and his vaguely bizarre appearance didn't fill Harry with hope. This was the man they had to convince that they were fit to be parents.
"Settle down, settle down," Professor Hall said, his voice clear and steady despite the number of people in the room and the chatter that filled it.
"Mr Malfoy... Mr Potter. Before we get underway I have to question your choice of representation. It is highly unusual for us to allow legal council to be provided by anyone other than an appointed legal professional, Miss Granger."
"I understand that," she said calmly. "However, I have extensive knowledge of this case and I believe, very strongly, in the arguments that I will be presenting to you. I have the full support of both Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy in representing them."
Professor Hall turned back to the assembled Wizengamot. "Does anyone have any protests against Miss Granger standing as legal council before we begin?"
He was met with silence. Professor Hall nodded and turned back to his paperwork, leaning close to the table to read the words on the page in a voice stunning in its monotony.
"Moving on. Presented to those assembled herein is the petition by Mr Harry James Potter and Mr Draco Malfoy for the legal adoption of the minor child Ted Remus Lupin. Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy were appointed the child's legal guardians by Madame O'Connell in June of last year and have remained so for all but the period of three weeks. In a separate petition filed by Miss Hermione Granger it is proposed that the so called 'ban' on same sex couples adopting children be overturned in light of recent social events and political change. You have in front of you a statement from the Minister of Magic advising of his recommended amendments to the current adoption law."
Professor Hall looked up from his paperwork and surveyed the rather packed courtroom.
"This will not turn into a media circus, ladies and gentlemen. Keep your thoughts to yourself unless you are called upon. We will deal with each case in turn; since all relevant parties are already here let us start with the formal petition for adoption. Miss Granger?"
Hermione stood, smoothed down the front of her shirt, picked up her notes and began to read. As Harry watched her he decided that out of all the breathtakingly amazing things that Hermione had done in the course of their friendship, this was possibly the most impressive. And heartfelt.
They had spent several frustrated evenings with piles of paperwork, digging out notes and case histories for her and now Harry heard some of his own words quoted back to him, making him smile with relief that all of their hard work hadn't been discarded by the boss. Next to him, Draco was taking deep breaths to calm himself. This, Harry knew, was a purely terrifying experience for Draco. The last time he had stood up in this courtroom was in his own defence for charges of War crimes.
Hermione wanted Harry to stand up and make the statement to the court, but it made more sense to him that Draco do it. Draco needed to prove, to himself as much as the world beyond the Ministry, that he was a good father. That he deserved this just as much as Harry did.
When he stood and faced the people who had wanted to imprison him only a year before, Harry thought he'd never be this proud of his partner ever again.
There were questions, of course, from the Wizengamot as soon as Draco finished.
"There has been considerable public interest in your desire to become parents," Professor Hall started.
"We are the first couple to ask for this," Draco said calmly, "So I think it's understandable that there is so much interest. I think, given the circumstances, we are better equipped possibly than any other same sex couple to be able to handle the media attention and public attention that the case will generate."
"And employing Rita Skeeter to fight your corner?"
"It's not against the law to give an interview, Mr Hall."
"How would you respond," he continued, brushing aside Draco's response, "To the claim that a child deserves to be raised by a mother and a father?"
Draco's eyes flicked to Harry, who stood. "May I answer that?" Harry asked. At Hall's nod, he continued. "Thank you. Bear doesn't have a mother and father, Mr Hall. They died. The only parents Bear has known since he was a few months old is Draco and I."
"For arguments' sake," Madame O'Connell said, smiling, "We could place him with an adoptive family where he could be placed with a mother and father."
"You could," Draco said, and Harry could hear the barely restrained frustration in his voice, "But you would be taking a child away from the only parents he has known, like Harry said. We have a secure, healthy, loving family here and the catalyst for us pursuing this adoption was the number of children at the Phoenix Orphanage who are already waiting for parents. It's frankly ridiculous and insulting to suggest moving him out of our care solely on the basis that we aren't a heterosexual couple."
Harry twitched his hand, brushing it against the back of Draco's in reassurance. Even now, the touch elicited another hot spark. "Bear's parents were friends of mine- Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks- Lupin. If you take Bear away from us you'll be taking him away from someone who knew his parents, who can tell him stories about them and make sure he knows his heritage, his family history. All these things are important. I, of all people, can tell you this with confidence."
There was a low level murmur of conversation that swept through the Wizengamot at this and Hermione smiled at him reassuringly. They were building a strong case.
To Harry, the wail of distress coming from the back of the room was immediately recognisable as Bear. A quick glance at Draco told him that his partner knew this too. When the scream turned into a high pitched cry for 'Daddy!', Harry addressed Madame O'Connell.
"Can I go to him, please?"
She looked to her colleagues and after receiving a few nods, she echoed her nod of approval.
Harry practically ran through the aisles, up the steps to get to the back where George was frantically trying to calm the crying baby.
"He woke up," George hissed.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I gathered that. Give him here."
Bear was handed over and Harry accepted a spare dummy from Angelina, cast a sterilising spell on it and hoisted Bear more securely on his shoulder. Almost immediately he started to calm down. He was painfully aware that every last person in the room was watching him as he headed back to their desk; Hermione looked a cross between bemused and exasperated and Draco seemed to be entertained by the whole mess.
Bear turned his hot cheek into Harry's neck and sniffled, his two fists creasing Harry's robes as he clung on tightly.
"Sorry," Harry said as he sat back down.
"Where are your socks?" Draco whispered to Bear. Bear pointed to his bare feet. "Yeah, socks," Draco said, leaning forward to kiss him on the head.
The court resumed around them, although Harry was paying less attention to it now. They had dressed Bear that morning in a long sleeved, light blue Tornado's t-shirt and jeans, not expecting that he'd be brought out in the public arena. The loss- of- socks issue was an ongoing battle with a toddler just learning to walk who loathed wearing shoes.
Harry gently rubbed Bear's back, rocking them both in his chair, watching as Bear's hair turned from black back to its regular sandy blond.
"Mr Potter," a voice interrupted his reverie.
"Yes?" he asked, searching for the source of the voice. An older witch caught his attention and he vaguely recognised her as one of the old- school, ultra- conservative group that Hermione had warned would be hard to convert.
"The child clearly has extraordinary skill," the witch said. She leaned forward, clasping her bony hands under her papery-skinned chin. "How do you plan to nurture this?"
"We have the support of his maternal grandmother, Andromeda Tonks, who has already showed us how to teach him how to control his skill, and he's starting to show signs of better control already. We're not pushing him at all. We're just letting him figure it out in his own time."
The witch sat back, apparently satisfied.
From the witnesses called by both the Ministry and Hermione, Ruth Finch nervously raised her hand.
"Yes?" the elderly witch asked.
"Nurse Finch, St Mungo's Hospital," she introduced herself. "I've been the child's assigned medical carer for the past fifteen months. Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy have kindly allowed me to research further Bear's Metamorphmagi abilities and conduct some non- invasive experiments with him. I am happy for the court to see any of the results of my research, all of which has shown that Bear is a happy, healthy, well adjusted child, especially considering his traumatic first few months in this world."
"Thank you, Nurse."
Ruth sat down, flushing slightly, and Harry smiled at her in thanks.
"Adoption, in the past, was only permitted to legally married couples, hence the ban by association on same sex couples adopting children." Tiberius Howsham, the wizard from their very first hearing, sat back in his chair as he spoke slowly. "Are you planning on marrying?"
Draco pressed his lips together to contain his laughter.
"Mr Howsham," Hermione said, "I'm sure you're aware that it is not possible under current wizarding law for Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy to marry. We aren't here today to debate that fact, although if the Wizengamot wishes to amend that law too, you will find no opposition from us. In fact, it may save us all time in a few years time when they may be ready to take that step."
The Wizengamot seemed to be split on this point; some smiled indulgently, others seemed appalled at the suggestion.
"This is not a petition to change the law on same sex marriage," Hall said, rising above the nervous, excited chatter that had started to hum through the room at Hermione's suggestion. "If and when that is the case, we will discuss it in the appropriate arena. Call your experts, Miss Granger. I daresay you have plenty."
"Yes, Professor Hall," Hermione said, smiling indulgently. "I do."
They sat and listened for hours as experts and witnesses were approached, questioned, prodded and cross- examined by members of the Wizengamot who had been doing their job for longer than Harry had been alive. Some of them, he supposed, had been doing the job for longer than all their ages combined.
Some were tedious, like the statistical expert on childcare that Hermione had dug up from somewhere or other and droned on with facts and figures like one of Professor Binns' more boring History of Magic classes. Others, like Lenore O'Connell, gave impassioned and convincing arguments as to why family situations such as theirs was beneficial for both parents and child.
Eventually, they seemed to wind things up.
"Does anyone have any further questions?" Professor Hall asked, looking around.
Me, Harry felt like saying, convinced, once again, that he hadn't done enough… there had to be something else he could say or do to convince them.
"Fine. Court dismissed. Miss Granger? You need to stay."
The courtroom erupted in activity and Hermione leaned in close to whisper in Harry's ear.
"We did really well. Don't worry. I'll come over as soon as I have any news."
"How long will that take?" Draco asked, relieving Harry of Bear's weight.
She shrugged apologetically. "At best, maybe late this afternoon. At worst a couple of days?"
"Oh, god," Draco groaned.
"Don't worry," she repeated as they started to get ushered from the room. "I'll speak to you as soon as I can."
They followed the rush of people, of reporters scribbling frantic notes or dictating to Quick Quotes Quills; family and friends and people offering their best wishes, of curious members of the public who could be supporters or opponents, there was no way of telling.
"Do you want to go for some lunch?" George asked as they finally caught up in the Atrium. "We could go to the Crup. Or the Leaky?"
"No, but thanks," Draco said. "The pubs will be packed and I don't know if I can stomach the attention."
George nodded. "Let us know when you hear, won't you?"
As the crowd finally started to thin Harry caught sight of a tall blonde woman standing by the fountain in the Atrium. With all of the people who had crowded the courtroom Harry hadn't noticed her before but now she made an imposing figure silhouetted against the re-commissioned fountain.
"Mrs Malfoy," Harry said.
"Mr Potter." She nodded in greeting. "Draco."
"Mother. I didn't see you in the courtroom."
Draco slipped his hand into Harry's as they crossed the nearly empty Atrium. A few people looked, but Harry didn't care. He was beyond that, for the time being.
Narcissa was wearing black again; a long, floor skimming dress with her robes fastened at her throat with a silver clasp. Her hair was loose around her shoulders and her wand was loosely gripped in her hand, as if she couldn't bear to be parted from it, even in the relative security of the Ministry.
"I wouldn't have missed it," she said, leaning in to kiss Draco on the cheek. "Well done, darling."
"Thank you."
"Would you like to come back to the house?" Harry asked. "We have some time, now."
Draco's mother pressed her lips together as if suppressing a smile. "No thank you. I have a lunch appointment. Another time, maybe." She turned to her son. "Must run, darling. So proud of you."
She pressed her lips to Bear's head, murmured something to him that Harry didn't catch, and with a practiced swirl of her wand, she Disapparated.
xXx
Hermione Apparated into the hallway to be polite, not entirely sure where Draco and Harry would be or what they would be doing. She clutched a large envelope to her chest protectively as she followed the noise coming from the kitchen. Bear was sat in his high chair throwing grapes from the shallow wooden tray; it appeared that Draco had been assigned the job of catching them with a freezing spell then sending them back towards Bear's mouth.
Both men had removed the outer layer of their robes and Harry had rolled the sleeves of his white shirt up to the elbows.
"Granger," Draco said, noticing her for the first time. "We weren't expecting you back so soon."
She waited until Harry had turned to face her too, then held out the envelope. "Congratulations, guys," she said. "It's a boy."
In the beat of silence that followed, Harry's mouth dropped open and Bear threw a grape at Draco's head.
"Are you serious?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. They signed off on the adoption a few minutes ago. They'll debate bringing it into law for another few days at least, but I can see it happening before the weekend. He's yours, guys."
Draco whooped with excitement and leapt up and into Harry's arms, swinging them both round in a circle that ended with a brief, hard kiss. Bear applauded their efforts.
When Harry turned back to thank the girl that had made it all happen for them there was a dampness on her cheek that could only have been caused by a few stray tears.
"Happy tears," she protested, laughing as Harry gathered her up in his arms.
"Thank you," he murmured into her hair. Draco had lifted Bear out of his high chair and offered Hermione his hand to shake, which she ignored and pulled him down into another hug.
"We couldn't have done it without you," he told her. "Well, we could have, but it would have taken us years."
Laughing, Hermione wiped her cheeks again. "I can't believe how quickly they came to a decision. It was like they had no arguments left. I don't know how long they'll take to debate the rest of the law out but…"
"Is this it?" Harry asked, taking the now slightly crumpled envelope from her hands.
"Yeah."
"Do we have to sign anything?"
Hermione nodded, spreading the papers out along the kitchen table. "If you do it now then I'll take it back to the Ministry. Kingsley has already signed it, so I just have to get it stamped and filed and then it's done."
Draco summoned a quill and ink from the drawer.
"Look," Hermione said, pointing to the space where they should sign. "It's only ever said 'Mother' and 'Father' before. You're the first people in history to ever have this form…"
Under the first space titled 'Father', Draco signed his name, then gave the quill to Harry, who passed Bear into Draco's arms then signed next to the second space for 'Father'. Next to the space for 'Witness', Hermione signed and printed her name.
"It's good," Draco said. "That your name is on here too. It's important that he knows that you made this happen."
Hermione nodded and blushed a little at his praise. "It was important to me, too."
She kissed Bear, offered her congratulations again as she stacked the papers and slipped them back into the envelope, then Disapparated.
"So," Harry said, pulling Draco back into his arms. "What do we do now?"
Draco smiled. "We get to drag him up for the next seventeen years. He's ours now. No going back."
"I don't think I want to."
"We could start planning the next one?"
Harry laughed at that. "Let's just deal with this one first, okay?"
Draco hummed into a kiss that lingered for a moment longer than it should. "Okay."
