Four months later…

Gamy's ballroom filled to maximum capacity. Not only was everyone there, from months before, who witnessed the day they were all trapped inside, but envious friends and relatives who had not been as fortunate, arrived to celebrate the day. The boys had to be talked into it. As far as Harry and Draco were concerned, they need not lift another finger to make up for lost wedding plans. Their mothers felt differently.

"Draco," Narcissa pleaded at the Potter's breakfast table, "You're my only child. I ask for this one thing that is precious to me."

Harry made a point of not looking at him. They all knew that wasn't true, the part about 'one thing.'

Lily smiled wistfully at them. "I have to admit, I feel the same way. You boys will be gone one day. You'll take the baby and go. At least give us the memories. The photos."

Their arms were twisted. But when it was all said and done, the idea of publicly celebrating his marriage, to people who hadn't been tricked into staying for it, did appeal to Harry. At four months pregnancy, Draco was more self-conscious about his body than ever. They agreed he wouldn't have to do public functions. One night with Harry's entire family privileged to their lovemaking, was quite enough. They were both still recovering from that. They were learning to look people in their eyes again and not feel they were being discussed when they entered a room. There could've been a dozen reasons why people got silent and went red, then started talking about the weather.

But when they were alone, Harry got his way. His kisses made sure of it.

"Okay," Draco gave in. "But I'm not ready to dance with every member of your family, so don't leave my side all night."

That was the anxiety talking. He looked as spectacular in his tuxedo, as the first day Harry laid eyes on him. Severus was right, he wasn't showing, and would probably end the term still able to shyly conceal it. Only Harry's family, and those closest to him, knew it was there. Once music and champagne started flowing, Draco's personal politics changed. He felt genuinely a part of everything going, and relaxed into conversation. He danced with Harry's friends, allowed people to touch his stomach, and played piano duets with Gamy on her antique upright.

At the highlight of the evening, Harry unveiled his gift to him. A one of a kind Bösendorfer, Imperial 290, with a black mirror finish. Beneath its many layers of lacquer, a dragon swam those dark depths. Green-blue scales glistened iridescently, emerging and disappearing deep inside the paint as if it were black water. Draco loved it.

He played for his new family. Classics and modern Kpop that only Emerald truly appreciated. She pulled Dudley onto the dance floor and showed him moves that had him cringing, but his laughter infected everyone around them. She looked like a sixteen year old girl again. It was anyone's guess when that would change.

Dudley wasn't the only one who was never going to be able to see her the same way again. Young wizards lined up to goof off with her. Sirius refused to let her out of his sight, until Remus demanded a dance. During their modern waltz, their gaze at one another grew so intense, that Blaise grabbed Hermione and pulled her, giggling, onto the floor. Ron refused to be outdone, and found the prettiest girl he could, to prove it.

Petunia, on the other hand, was smitten with her new wand. After the ceremony, she'd been so eager to get home to her husband, that Gamy's closets flew open with several old brooms that followed her throughout the house. Severus provided the explanation that they were eager to do her bidding, now that her magic had been triggered by the communal magic she'd shared with everyone who attended. Dudley too, could make small objects move, but his mother got wind of her abilities and ran with them. She insisted that Severus teach her some tricks, and spent Harry's banquet changing everyone's shoe color, to see which best went with their outfits.

Severus's and Elan's shared dance space, with Lucius and Narcissa, resulted in some friendly competition. But the evening ended with everyone getting what they came for, the sight of Harry and Draco still on the floor long after everyone else was stuffed and drunk. They looked at each other, and moved, as if they were the only ones in the room. It was at that point, that Lily turned to Narcissa and showed her how to do a hi-five.

Eleven months later…

Harry pulled into the gate of his home, admiring the asphalt repairs done since the night of the dragon. He was coming from shuttling a group of muggle business people back to their hotel. It had been a very successful meeting, and he couldn't wait to tell Draco and his father the good news. An American company wanted to buy his patent for his physical therapy bracelets. Draco was right, he could sell them on a larger scale. He had no interest in running a factory, but Draco said he didn't have to.

"You put up the start up costs or get investors. You let other people use their talents to run those things for you. All you have to do is invent, choose the most qualified to run your company, keep your eye on the accountants, and get out of everyone's way. I'll show you."

He entered through the back, waving at Gamy in her garden. In the kitchen, his head lifted to the sound of a piano, as he removed his jacket. That never got old, the sound of Draco enjoying his gift. He hurried downstairs to the old ballroom. After unveiling the piano, almost a year ago, it still sat in the same spot. Draco played it as often as he could. He was beginning to compose again, and itched for his own studio.

"Say the word," Harry had told him, "And we can start renovations."

"No. I have no need for a traditional studio. My hands are full with the baby, and I like it that way. I don't need anything competing with my time with her. My computer is fine for now."
"Chrisaliss isn't going anywhere. You can work while she sleeps. She doesn't need you to hold her while she rests."

"She doesn't rest as often as you think she does. And when she's asleep, I have to sleep. She pretty much sets my schedule."

"Don't let that stop you from your studies."

"It doesn't stop me. It helps me. I now know what to do with myself every minute of the day."

"I wish you'd let me hire some help. A house elf might be nice."

"No elf is going to get to know my daughter better than I do. Not until she's five. If it's good enough for the Pope, it's good enough for me. And between your mom and mine, I'm lucky I have as much time with her as I do."

That conversation had ended with a peck on the cheek and a quickie on the floor beside the bassinet.

Now Harry followed a stream of notes. The melody grew fuller, pulling him along. As he approached the ballroom, he took off his shoes so that they wouldn't give him away. Draco's playing reached its climax and faded to a trickle of primary keys. He rounded the corner and saw him, sitting some distance away. He and the piano occupied a shaft of light. A single ray, that fell over the piano's sleek finish and cast elegant shadows on the floor. The dragon in the varnish, released a plume of gentle fire that never broke the surface. Beside his bench, the baby sat in her carrier, sucking on her hand.

The sight of her, excited him to no end. When she was born, she looked so much like Draco, that he couldn't really see any likeness to himself. And that was okay. He loved that she looked like him. Mr. Elan Strieber swore that one day she would have black hair, but her white tufts showed no sign of it yet. At six months, ten pounds healthier, he could see a little of himself in her. She turned her head when he spoke her name. She laughed when he jostled her belly. Her hands and feet went twitchy, when he bent down to her, and she struggled to coordinate her arms to reach out to him. That was heaven.

He was about to set foot into the room, when Draco's tempo changed, and the sweetest sound broke free from his mouth. The notes were high and sonorous, but he managed them nonetheless.

"The book of love is long and boring…
And written very long ago…"

What struck Harry, wasn't just the fact that Draco was singing. It was how he sung to their daughter. She was a captive audience, never taking her eyes off of him, as he leaned as close to her as possible without taking his hands off the keys.

"It's full of charts and facts and figures…
And instructions for dancing…"

Chrisaliss's toothless grin covered her face. She squirmed, feeling his love pour into her.

"But, I…
I love it when you read to me…"

He hit notes that exploded Harry's heart. He bent them, in a way that Harry didn't know he was capable of.

Chrisaliss squealed. Her eyes pooled with emotional intelligence. Harry knew she was born with it. It wasn't something she'd learn or develop. It was already hers.

"And you…
You can read me anything…"

His voice floated like a feather, to the end of the note, and evaporated in the stillness that followed.

If beauty was a bird, Harry had just ridden on its wings. He let the wall take all of his weight, and kept himself hidden. Draco pulled out his sheet notes and showed them to Chrisaliss. "All finished. You think anybody's going to want to hear this?"

He put it away, gathered his books in one hand, and picked up her carrier in the other.

"I thought I heard Harry's car. Let's go show Daddy what we did today."

End (64,000 words in 11 days! That's a novel, folks. And that's only half of the story!)

Credit: Song is, The Book of Love, as sung by Mario Spinetti (written by Peter Gabriel). Mario's version can be sampled on Amazon. I couldn't find a clip of it. I love it so much I bought it. He has other music on Youtube, his voice is unusual and spectacular. I wrote to him and he actually let me send him my books, though he's not a reader. It was his gift to me. Hope you check him out.

Note: I'm not sure where to put this. Some people might need it. I no longer explain how males can become pregnant in my writing (wore myself out with that, with Conception and my beloved Sonny). So here it is. Male pregnancy explained, the short version. This is just one way out of many. Sperm entering into the rectum causes the inner walls to release chemicals that react and result in the transformation of internal organs. The male grows a temporary environment suitable for gestating a child. His stomach does not generally protrude nearly as much as a female's would, because of the tilt of his pelvis. A male's tilts back. A female's tilts forward, pushing everything outward (Trademark, :-). Left to full term, his body will create an adjacent cavity (to the rectum) to push the child out with. However, the baby can usually be removed a little early, to lower safety/health risks to both parent and child.

Also, I never use lube between my guys. I like the idea of his body being intelligent enough to secrete antibacterial and slippery substances that are considered clean. This is magic and fantasy, after all.

Some of these ideas are staples that I will always use with my original characters as well as fanfiction. I came up with them between the years 2002 and 2006, so they're not stolen from fanfiction. (The self-secreting rectum IS partly from a Sentinel fic, that I've lost.) But feel free to use them if you want. Where would we be if we couldn't get inspired by the ideas of others? We all owe JK Rowling our deepest gratitude. I only mention this because I'm in love with the concepts and am proud that my imagination can find ways around traditional thinking. Also, someone said they "needed" an explanation. I no longer do.

Future plans: Finish Harry's Unbearable story, then focus on my books. I've used fanfiction to train myself to write small novels. I always seem to go for epics and am learning to be kinder to myself. Thanks to everyone for reading.