A/N: Sorry I've been off and on all summer, but this is when my job is the busiest. So hopefully from here on out I'll be more consistent.
Chapter Thirty-Three:
"What do you mean, I can't have them for Christmas?" Ginny shrieked.
Harry blinked calmly, gazing tiredly at his ex-wife. "That was the arrangement. You can have Gabby and Chris the week before Christmas and Dell during the day for three out of those seven."
"How do I do that? How do I have Christmas with the girls and explain to Anna and Darren it's not their turn?" she spat.
Now he was getting agitated. "Hire a babysitter, Gin! Use your brain! It'll work out! But I've already made a shitload of plans that can't change."
"Why can't I have Dell then?"
"She isn't ready, Gin. I asked her and she's not ready for the pressure. I respected you when our roles were reversed, why can't you return the favor?" He stood pleading.
"Why are you using this to make me angry Harry?"
"This isn't about you, Gin! Granted, I may be selfish of their time, but this is about what the girls want. And what they need."
"Oh and what do they need?" she drawled, crossing her arms.
"Chris needs to feel like she's not under a microscope and have the freedom to go out with her boyfriend, to make decisions and mistakes. And she is stifled by the Malfoy stigma when she's there. Gabby is five months pregnant and not only does she want to to stay in walking distance of her bed, she's told me flat out that you stress her out. She needs a stress-free holiday away from the judgement she had to endure all term from her peers. And Dell needs to learn to be happy again...and if she really blames herself for what went down between us, do you really thinks she needs the visual reminder of Draco?"
"See! There you go bringing it up to throw it-"
"Shut up! Take what you can or keep arguing and watch the amount of time decrease," he growled lowly.
Ginny stared in disbelief. He really wasn't going to budge. This firmer side of the man was...interesting. If he had been this way when they were together they might have lasted longer. "You will be hearing from my husband."
"I'm shaking in my boots," he drawled, not responding to her stamped foot before she left through the floo. He sighed and scratched his head. "Ho, Ho, Ho Merry Christmas."
It was the first day back from school during the winter break and the twins planned on sleeping half of the day, eating, and then going back to bed. They were terribly mistaken.
Cold air shot them from their slumber as Harry pulled their blankets off of them. It was still dark outside. Both boys stared in sleepy fear until indignant anger cracked the silent stare down.
"Harry what's the big idea!" Josiah cried.
"Yeah, who do you think you are!" Samson yelled.
"You may call me Sensei," Harry grinned in a most foreboding way. "Get up! Get dressed and meet me down stairs in two minutes. And don't think I won't make it worse the next time I have to come up here." He hummed casually as he strolled down the hall.
The twins blinked at each other and then leapt up to comply with the powerful wizard.
Harry winked playfully at Hermione as he entered the Davis kitchen. She hummed in groggy satisfaction when he enveloped her in his arms. "We'll be back in three hours. May I take you out on a date tonight, my lady?"
"Please do, kind sir," she teased kissing him chastely. "Don't work them too hard, babe. There's firewood that needs chopping."
Harry chuckled as she disappeared into her wing of the house. He turned at the sound of the boys stumbling down the stairs. "Let's go for a jog shall we?"
The boys were utterly confused, but nodded in consent. Five miles later, the twins could barely breathe and inwardly leaping up and down at the stop. Harry Potter was barely sweating. They were at a peaceful pond, the fog rolling off the frozen surface.
"Have a seat, gentlemen." Once again they didn't oppose him.
"Sir?" Samson breathed.
"What is this about?" Josiah finished, panting softly.
Harry reclined back, sighing. "You two have an anger management problem...and it worries your mother. Since one of my goals in life is to free her of all her worries and burdens...I am stepping in."
The boys glanced between each other, ashamed that they had worried her.
"So...are you still grieving your father?" the man asked bluntly, gazing at them in calm warmth. "You were eight at the time. I imagine it would anger you to have your hero fall so suddenly."
Immediately, Josiah lunged forward. "Don't talk about him! You don't know him!"
Harry held his calm expression moving his eyes to observe Samson, who was watching with sad, watery eyes. Excellent.
"Jojo...he's trying to help..." Samson said firmly.
Josiah sat back, trying to console his brother. Harry watched in affection. "You know, for how alike you try to convince the world you are...you two are vastly different. Part of managing this anger you have is accepting you're upset. And you have to start living your life with discipline until you are ready to confront those emotions like men."
"What do you mean?" Samson asked, wiping his eyes. Harry grinned, the boy was steady and consistent. Unlike Josiah who was passionate and emotional.
"There was a point in my life...around your age...when all of my pain and hardships built up inside and I behaved much like Josiah does...quick to anger, slow to forgive. And then when it began to hurt my friends and family I internalized it, letting it seep out every so often keeping people away at an even farther distance. The only person I could truly count on was myself, everyone else was either unreliable or likely to be hurt by association," he breathed, watching the understanding bloom on their faces. "Then there came a point when because my self wasn't in check my magic began to run untamed. For the prophesied hero of the world that wouldn't do. So Dumbledore sent me away for a year. It's a time that no one likes to discuss because the war got worse and I left and...well at any rate I needed to learn to handle my emotions in a better way than that."
"Where did you go?" Josiah asked.
"He sent me to Tibet."
"But that doesn't exist anymore-"
"There is one monastery that is owned by wizards concealed from the rest of the world that is still considered Tibetan soil."
"What does this have to do with us?"
"Well first I will teach you discipline and then, when you can find peace there, Elemental Mage skills. Josiah you will learn the ways of Fire." A ball of fire formed in his hand as he spoke and danced about changing shape on his whim. "You are more passionate than controlled. Like fire you rise up and rage without warning and slowly burn out. In some ways that quality is enviable...but can be overbearing to others at time." The fire fizzled out, water taking it's place. "Samson, Water is your element, because you are steady like the tide. You can be calm and still like a pond, but at times your emotions rise up like a tidal wave, taking out everyone in its wake. Once again desirable at some level, but tends to drown out the rest of the world."
The boys had unhindered excitement in their eyes. "So what do we do?" Samson asked.
"Every morning we get up and run ten miles, then we train, then in your exhaustion you serve others. Then when your body is physically ready I will teach you this magic, but only when I'm certain you can control your tempers...and only if you can keep your school work and social life in tact as well." He stood and pulled them both to their feet. "Your first lesson: Sometimes the best revenge is to not react at all."
The boys looked thoughtful, nodding. Harry nodded toward the road. "Let's get back, your mum has plenty of chores for you to do."
The three jogged back to the manor. The boys looked up at their teacher expectantly. Harry retrieved the list of things to be done from his girlfriend. "No breakfast until this list is complete."
"But...why don't our brothers have to too?" Josiah asked, angry jealousy rising in his eyes. "This will take all morning."
"Second Lesson: Your happiness is found in serving others...happily."
Josiah deflated and took the list, the two boys disappearing to do the chores. Harry smirked at their outraged yells when he summoned their wands to his hand. "No Magic," he called.
Stretching his back, the man trudged inside to collapse on the sofa next to Hermione, his head cradled in her lap. He gazed up at her smiling face, and shut his eyes in bliss. "Is this entirely fair?" she asked, running her fingers through his raven hair.
"No...but you have to stop bailing them out, Mione. They have the potential to be amazing young men. You said you trusted me in this matter, just leave it be."
Hermione stared at him. That was the closest thing to bitterness she'd heard cross those lips since the pensieve incident. "What happened yesterday, Harry?" she asked softly.
He opened his eyes, tired anger flowed from those green depths. "Ginny tried to get me to change my decision about how much time she gets this holiday...It got heated. I...The way I responded reminded me of her when our roles were reversed."
Hermione leaned down and kissed him. "You aren't her, Harry. Your motives now are clearly different than hers were back then. From what I understand she lorded over you, using them as away to get what she wanted from you. You may be selfish...but only because you want them all to yourself to shower them with affection...Gin wants them to make you feel like shit."
Harry grinned. "I'm sorry I was short with you a moment ago," he whispered.
"If that was you being short...then I can't wait for the twins' training to be complete," she joked.
Harry chuckled as he rose to his feet. "Well, I'm going to get cleaned up and see what the girls are up to. I'll be back around lunch to return their wands. If you could make a grocery list...we'll go shopping for you and maybe you could take Dell out?"
"That would be lovely. So when they're finished, feed them, let them shower, and...?"
"No napping," he said warmly. "I'll be back with a daily schedule for them and we'll go grocery shopping and then they can have free time for the rest of the day. If they're tired they can't have the energy to be angry."
She stood and kissed him lovingly, smiling at how hungrily he returned the embrace. She pulled back and kissed the tip of his nose. "Go on. You smell terrible."
"That is the aroma of a full grown man, madame. Inhale it and savor it," he growled playfully as he backed into the floo.
Harry showered and had his morning coffee as he made breakfast. Then at eight in the morning, as he did every morning his girls were home he went and woke each with a soft greeting and a kiss on the forehead. The three never protested but got up and sleepily stumbled down to the breakfast nook in the kitchen to eat. He had always done that even when they were little...even when they were angry at him...even if he had been disappointed with their actions the day before. He always started each day the same loving way.
Harry served them calmly and then tucked into the large booth happily. "So what is the plan today, my girls?"
Dell, who had gotten outspoken in the last week, spoke first. "I have an appointment with Madame Pomphrey today and we have the joint family meeting tonight, right?"
"Yes, we're having dinner at the Davis Manor, then the family meeting, and then Hermione and I are going out on a date. Do you want me to come to the appointment?" He asked taking a bite of his eggs.
She bit her lip nervously. "Yes...please."
"Excellent...oh and Hermione has a free afternoon and wanted to know if you'd like to go out with her today."
"Just me?" she asked excitedly. He nodded. "I really would like to!"
"Good. I'll be working with the twins as much as possible this holiday on their anger issues...including today. What about you two?"
"Zane and I have a baby appointment and then a Lamaze class...and then I think we are watching Jacob while Hermione is out. Then we are also going out after the meeting tonight. If we have any time between the class and babysitting we may go nursery shopping."
"Do you need money?" Harry inquired, knowing what the young man had in mind for that night.
"Well usually Zane pays for everything, but it wouldn't hurt to have some on hand."
Harry reached into his billfold and pulled out the Gringott's card that was in Gabby's name. He kept one for each of the girls. He held it out to her. She thanked him and looked to Chris to give her report.
"Well...Eli and I are going shopping and what not after lunch today and then there's dinner and the meeting and then we'll be watching Jacob while you are out."
Harry reached into his wallet a second time for Chris' card and thinking a moment, handed Dell hers as well. "It all sounds very eventful indeed. I for one haven't a moment alone with Hermione since Teddy came into our lives. Therefore I can't wait for tonight," he smiled.
The girls giggled at their father's giddiness chatting about nothing. "So how did Mum take the news?"Chris asked.
Harry paused in his eating and glanced at each girl. "Well she wasn't happy with me, but she'll manage. Look if she takes it out on you feel free to come home. Gin is in a weird place right now."
"And what about me?" Dell asked in a shaky voice.
"I told her that you would be coming home every night and if the pressure is too much for you while you are there that you could choose not to go. Listen you are all getting to an age where you can have a say in this. You should give your mother some time, but if it gets overwhelming do what you need to do to handle it..." he gazed at his youngest. "In the most healthy way possible."
Dell nodded, tears welling into her eyes as she let Harry pull her into a sheltering hug. "What I mean to say is this...I will gladly fight your battles for you for as long as you wish me too, but at some point you have to grow from girls to young women and stand up to your mother or whoever else oppresses you...I know I haven't been the best example in that area in the past, but I'm doing my best now...does any of this make sense?"
Chris and Gabby nodded. Harry felt Dell nod against his chest. "On a lighter note, tomorrow we should get a tree and decorate the house. Do you two think you can pry yourselves away from those boys and have a day with your old man?"
Gabby chuckled, rising to go get ready. "That's a rational request I suppose," she drawled. "I have to go or I'll be late."
Chris nodded. "I'll tell him to leave me be tomorrow, Dad. You need me to do the dishes?" she asked shifting her gaze to her little sister huddled in his arms.
"Yes, thank you." He watched the girl levitate all the dishes away. Silently he lifted the youngest Potter, still in her nightie, up and carried her to the living room. "Now, doodle-bug, what is all this?" he asked softly.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a burden."
He lifted her chin so that she would look him in the eye. "Listen, Delilah. You are not a burden to anyone, do you understand? If anything, you are a joy to me. There is nothing you can do, nothing you have done, that can make me hate you, have me stop loving you, or disappoint me enough to make me abandon you. I love you, so very much. It...distresses me to think I have not made you certain of this. What can I do you prove that nothing short of death itself could keep me from rushing to your aid? That you are cherished and dearly loved more than you can ever fathom? What can I do you ease your burdens, my love?"
Harry had said similar things repeatedly over the last month and always, to his sadness, was met with dead eyes. But this time tears prickled in the back of his throat when the realization and relief that he meant every word sparked life into her hazel orbs. "Daddy..."
"Whoever said real men don't cry, was an idiot," he sniffled.
He was cute when he cried over them, Delilah realized. She swallowed back her own tears and wiped his away with her fingers. She felt like she could breath for the first time in ages. "T-To answer you questions...you're doing a damn good job so far," she croaked.
Harry snickered, kissing her forehead. "Hermione says chasing after her boys is exhausting. All this crying I do with you girls has to trump that for certain."
Delilah stood and began to go upstairs. "Dad?"
Harry swallowed his tears. "Yeah," he said through his snot.
"Thanks," she said, running up the stairs.
Harry smiled from his place on the sofa. "Why can't I stop crying? God, I'm such a woman sometimes," he chastised himself, attempting to pull himself together.