Chapter 13
September trundled along nicely and the weather turned cooler, which Neville wasn't sorry to see. He enjoyed the long days of summer but the heat in the greenhouses was often unbearable and made work an absolute pain in the neck. He appreciated the gentle descent into autumn and welcomed the shift in the weather and changing of the season.
"And what's in here then? Shall we see if we can find Uncle Neville?"
Neville looked up from the plant he was potting to see Draco entering the greenhouse, Teddy on his hip. "Ah! Our guest has arrived, I see," he said with a smile, finishing his task and grabbing a damp rag to clean his hands on.
"Andromeda dropped him off half an hour ago. She should be back for him this evening. Want to come for a stroll with us?"
"Love to. I've had more than enough of these flipping plants for one day. I think I'm justified in bunking off."
He untied his apron and followed Draco out of the greenhouse, giving Teddy a tickle under the chin as he reached out happily for him. They headed for the field that backed onto the manor's land, the ground still nice and dry and a lovely warm breeze ruffling through the trees. Draco let Teddy get down and the little boy toddled ahead of them, his attention grabbed by something new every 30 seconds.
"Uncle Draco, but-fly," he pointed as a Brimstone fluttered past them.
"Well done, sweetheart. What else can you see?" Draco asked.
"Cows. Cows say moo," Teddy replied, pointing to the far corner of the field where a group of Jerseys were lazing in the shade, swatting at flies with their tails and giving them a cursory glance.
"They do indeed," Draco agreed with a smile.
"Uncle Draco…we have ice cream?"
Draco laughed and Neville smiled, saying, "When we go inside, Teddy. I promise you can have a big bowl of ice cream, any flavour you want."
Teddy beamed and grabbed a handful of grass, giving it to Neville and saying, "For you, Uncle Ned."
He hadn't quite learnt how to say 'Neville' and had settled on 'Ned' instead, something that Draco found absolutely hilarious. "Wow, you've been given a present," Draco said with a smile. "That's pretty high praise in toddler language."
Neville returned the smile and pocketed the grass, not wanting to offend Teddy by discarding his generous offering. They took him through the field and down to the river, the little boy absolutely fascinated to see if he could see any fish and refusing to move from his spot on the riverbank until he'd found one.
Draco and Neville sat with him, taking turns to reply to his questions and interacting with the little noises and observations he made. His speech was coming along well and he was almost speaking in full sentences, although he always spoke more when he was in company he felt comfortable with.
"I had a letter from my mother this morning," Draco said quietly as he watched Teddy pick daisies, making sure he wasn't too near the edge of the riverbank.
"Oh?" Neville asked, surprised. They hadn't spoken about Narcissa since their falling-out a couple of weeks prior and Neville hadn't been keen to mention her again. Things had been good between them and he didn't want to do anything to rock the boat or to make him feel as wretched as he had done when he and Draco had been apart.
"My father's being moved to a prison…overseas. She doesn't say where and I doubt she'd tell me if I asked but it's unlikely that he'll ever return to Britain."
"Her handiwork, I take it?" Neville asked, knowing it was the direct result of his conversation with the woman.
Draco nodded. "Although she doesn't say as much, of course. Something tells me I'll never see him again."
"Does that bother you?"
"It should," Draco said with a sigh. "But I can't have him in my life anymore, he brings nothing but pain and torment. I don't know…I'll sleep more soundly with an ocean between us."
Neville shifted a little closer and tucked a finger beneath Draco's chin, his thumb caressing the man's jaw softly. "I know I shouldn't have interfered but I'm not sorry your mother's acted on it. I can't stand the thought of him hurting you again."
Draco leant forward and pressed his lips lightly to Neville's in a delightfully soft kiss that sent flutters through Neville's stomach. A giggle from Teddy broke them apart, Draco smiling as his cheeks flushed attractively, saying, "It's rude to stare, Master Lupin."
"Uncle Draco, kiss!" Teddy said, still giggling, and Draco picked him up and kissed his cheeks.
He was so good with the little boy and Neville couldn't help but smile as he watched them together, thinking what a wonderful father Draco would be when he had children. When they had children, Neville corrected himself mentally, the thought jarring him slightly. He'd always planned to have children, not like this, of course, not under these circumstances, but fatherhood had always been something he had one day aspired to.
It actually gave him a pleasantly warm feeling somewhere in his chest to think of sharing that with Draco. He would never have imagined, all those months ago when their marriage had been new that he would one day feel so content about raising a family with the man but now the idea was…a surprisingly happy one.
They strolled down to the bridge and played Pooh Sticks then watched as a family of ducks came along, Teddy absolutely delighted by the ducklings. He wouldn't leave until the ducks had swum past the point of visibility and then only would consent to leave when Draco promised him a trip to the village shop to get a small bag of penny sweets.
"Andromeda's going to kill you," Neville warned as Draco filled the bag up to bursting.
"If I buy you a bag will you promise not to rat me out?"
"Sweeten the deal with a kiss and I'll see what I can do."
"That almost sounded romantic," Draco said teasingly, giving him a peck on the lips before he turned his attention back to Teddy, who was trying to stuff a handful of flying saucers into the already full bag of sweets.
They returned to the manor and Teddy got his promised bowl of ice cream, which he ate in the garden while Draco and Neville took turns entertaining him. He was a very easy-going child although he had enough energy to power a small neighbourhood. He could be entertained easily enough though with anything to keep his hands busy or anything that would distract him. Draco's favourite thing to do was charm inanimate objects to act out little movements that had Teddy thoroughly enchanted.
Andromeda picked him up around 5 and Neville was sorry to see the little boy go, although his sorrow was short-lived as Draco dragged him into the house and had him naked and seeing stars fairly soon after. Later, they sat in the den, Neville reading through some material his professor had recommended and Draco writing up notes for an essay he was writing on the potion that included the new species of plant Neville had been cultivating.
They were sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, each with their backs propped up against the armrest. Draco had his bare feet resting in Neville's lap and Neville couldn't help but reach out and wrap a hand around them while he read, absent-mindedly caressing the soft skin and letting his thumb trail along the delicate arches.
"Read that through for me and tell me if it makes sense," Draco said, handing Neville his notebook and wiggling his toes to make sure Neville knew to keep up his attentions.
"Mm, fine," Neville said, reading through the paragraph, "but I'd make a point of stressing that the cross-pollination enhances the properties rather than damaging them."
"Right, yes, good point. I meant to make a note of that. Cheers."
He took the notebook and made a few further scribbles then chucked it down on the floor. He leant his head back and shifted to make himself more comfortable, insinuating his foot further into Neville's lap.
"Stop it," Neville said with a smile, looking up at the man over the rim of his book. "I'm concentrating."
"Am I distracting you?" Draco asked innocently.
"You're always distracting me," Neville said with a snort.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You take everything as a compliment. It's a wonder you can get through the door with a head that big."
"You shouldn't speak to me like that, you might hurt my feelings," Draco said, prodding his foot gently against Neville's groin. He grinned when Neville shot him another reproachful look and said, "I know you like my feet, don't complain."
Neville flushed and said, "Well…they're nice." He tried to focus his attention on his book and wrapped his hand around the foot that wasn't trying to do naughty things with its toes.
"You think so?" Draco asked, clearly unwilling to let him concentrate.
"Yes," Neville said with a smile. "Let's face it, pretty much every inch of you is gorgeous."
"You flatter me," Draco said, fluttering his eyelashes and Neville gave his foot a squeeze.
"Don't be a prat," he said with a laugh.
"I'll try not to, no promises though. You're pretty easy on the eye yourself, you know."
Neville huffed and tried to hide behind his book. "I'm alright, I suppose. Nothing to write home about."
"Oh shut up, you're ridiculously handsome."
Neville scratched at his nose and said, "Well…I…I mean I've grown into my looks a bit, I suppose. Bit of an ugly duckling really."
"No," Draco said, his expression going from teasing to soft, "you were handsome at school. From 5th year onwards…there was something about you."
Neville gaped, feeling his blush intensify. "You…you thought I was…at school…you…"
Draco laughed and reached out to rub Neville's thigh. "How is it you can be so commanding during sex and yet sitting here in the den you blush trying to ask if I fancied you?"
Neville shrugged, feeling flustered, and said, "I guess sex is just…playing a part."
Draco frowned, ceasing his gentle stroking of Neville's thigh and said, "You're playing a part when we sleep together? You have to…put it on?"
"No," Neville said hurriedly, "no not like that. I just meant – "
"It's ok," Draco said quietly, his expression suddenly sombre, "I get what you meant."
"Drake, I'm not acting when we're together," Neville said, desperately wanting to explain himself. "What I…what I feel isn't forced or false. I just mean that it feels easier to…be like that when I can…I don't know…be a character."
"Well," said Draco, removing his feet from Neville's lap, "maybe one day you'll sleep with me as yourself."
"Drake – "
"I should go and write these notes up properly. I've got a ton of work to do and I really don't want to get behind."
He got up and Neville watched him go, knowing he'd made a huge mistake and wanting to kick himself for it. He'd made a pig's ear of explaining what he meant and now Draco had gone away thinking that he was forcing himself to enjoy it every time they slept together.
The truth of course was that he could barely keep his hands off the man. Whether it was having ridiculously fantastic sex or simply sitting as they had been that night, comfortable and content with one another, all he ever wanted was to be close to him.
Why did everything always have to be one step forward and two steps back? Why were they constantly having these misunderstandings and finding themselves at odds with one another? The truth of the matter was that neither of them knew where they stood with the other; they were constantly second-guessing what was happening and how the other felt because of the very nature of their marriage. Draco, more than Neville, seemed to feel it acutely and Neville hated the idea that he'd hurt the man with his thoughtlessness.
He was relieved when Draco joined him for breakfast the next morning, thankful that they weren't about to go through another week of avoiding one another and living in frosty silences. It was clear that things weren't exactly back to normal though and conversation was rather limited over the breakfast table.
"You're working today?" Neville ventured as he watched Draco butter a stack of toast he'd left to go cold.
"Mm," Draco said, still focused on his toast. "Usual hours so there's no need to come and get me."
"I don't mind. We could…go and get something eat if you fancy. Anywhere you'd recommend in Bristol?"
"Really, it isn't necessary. I have a lot of work to be getting on with."
Neville sighed and said, "Alright, fair enough."
They ate in silence and Neville just wanted to reach out and wrap Draco up in a hug. He wanted to assure him that he was deeply attracted to him, that of course he didn't have to fake it when they were together, he was just an idiot who said everything wrong. It was times like this he wished he could use magic to make himself less of a moron.
Draco left for work and Neville mooched around the greenhouses, wondering what he could do to make it up to his husband. Perhaps he should just take a vow of silence; it would surely be for the best in the long run.
Around midday he was about to head back up to house to grab some lunch when an owl appeared bearing a letter. A quick scan of the missive made his blood run cold and he ripped off his apron and charmed his clothes clean before he headed to the house. He grabbed a scrap of parchment from his study and wrote a quick note to Draco, leaving it in the kitchen where he was likely to find it, then went to the den and flooed directly to St Mungo's.
He found Ron in the emergency department, pacing back and forth in the corridor with a face as white as a sheet. "Ron! What's happening? How is he?"
"Fuck, Nev, I don't know," Ron said, clearly beside himself. "They haven't told me anything and I'm out of my mind here."
"Ok, ok. Just…let's try and stay calm. What happened?"
"He was out on manoeuvres with his team, they were tracking a smuggling ring and he was part of the 2nd team as a trainee. I don't know…he was…hit with some kind of curse. They brought him straight here and owled me. Now…I'm just waiting for answers."
"It'll be alright," Neville tried to assure him, trying not to panic. "He's in the best place and…bloody hell…it's Harry. A stray curse isn't going to stop him."
Ron gave a strained laugh and said, "Yeah, yeah you're right. He'll be fine, I know he will."
He cast a look back at the doors behind them and slumped down in one of the uncomfortable-looking chairs, his face pale. Neville sat beside him and tried to slow the beating of his heart. Harry couldn't come through all he had done just to be taken out by a bloody curse that likely wasn't even meant for him. It would have been too unfair; he couldn't believe the universe would act in such a way.
Hermione arrived half an hour or so after Neville had, just as panicked and upset. "I came as soon as I could get away," she said as she hugged Ron tightly. "Oh God, Ron…has there been any news? Have they told you anything?"
"Nothing," Ron said, his voice tight. "We're just…waiting."
"I wish I had something clever to say," Hermione said with a frustrated sigh, "but all I can do now is hope."
"It's all any of us can do, love," Ron said, squeezing her shoulders and pressing a kiss to her temple.
They seated themselves again and steeled themselves against a potentially long wait. All attempts at conversation failed dismally; they couldn't talk about anything while Harry was lying on the other side of the obnoxiously-coloured yellow door, possibly fighting for his life. Time seemed to drag, every minute feeling like an hour and no news came.
Neville felt so awful for Ron. The man looked absolutely sick to his stomach and he could only imagine how frightened he must be. To have to sit in a hospital corridor waiting for news on the man you loved…Neville couldn't imagine anything worse. His stomach twisted to think it might be Draco beyond those doors. If the attack from his father had been more serious, Neville himself might have been the one nervously waiting for news, anxiously hoping that his husband was alright.
He heard a noise from the opposite end of the corridor and turned to see Draco approaching them, as though Neville's thoughts had summoned him. He stood just in time for Draco to wrap his arms around him and he returned the gesture with a sigh of relief, feeling lucky that he was able to so when Ron couldn't.
"I got home and found your note," Draco said as he pulled back. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione and said, "No news, I take it?"
"None," Neville said, shaking his head, feeling the quite overpowering urge to keep Draco as close as he physically could but telling himself to behave and not to be so ridiculous.
"Ron, I'm so sorry," Draco said gently, moving past Neville to take the seat next to the man. "He'll…he'll be fine, I know he will. He's…he's Harry."
Ron reached out and gave Draco's hand a squeeze, summoning up a smile and saying, "Thanks, Drake."
Draco reached into his pocket and re-sized something that turned out to be a large bag. "I um…I brought you a flask of fresh coffee and made you some sandwiches. I know it'll be the last thing you're thinking of but you'll need to eat. There's also a blanket and a pillow in there, in case…well in case you have to stay overnight, and I put a couple of books in, just to take your mind off things."
"Draco…" Ron said, taking the bag from him and looking nonplussed, "that's so kind. I don't…I don't know what to say."
"It's nothing," Draco said, his cheeks flushed. "I just…wanted to help."
"This really means a lot," Ron said, his voice thick. "You're a good friend."
Draco looked overwhelmed and Neville sat beside him, sliding a hand over his thigh and giving it a gentle squeeze. Draco turned to look at him and offered a watery smile before he shifted so he was pressed against Neville's side. Neville placed an arm around the man's shoulders and held him close, wanting to keep him that way.
He knew things were still slightly strained between them after their misunderstanding last night but it paled into insignificance next to the worry over Harry's condition and the need to be near to one another, to draw comfort from each other's touch.
"Have you eaten?" Draco asked him quietly as the afternoon drew on towards dinner time.
"Not hungry at the moment," Neville said. "You?"
"No, me neither. Hermione, do you want me to go and get you anything?" Draco offered.
She smiled at him and said, "I'm fine, thanks. I'll have to go soon; I have a seminar I'm not allowed to miss although it feels so wrong to leave."
"No," Ron said, shaking his head. "You go, 'Mione. You can't get in trouble and I'll let you know the second I hear anything."
She waited as long as she could, hoping that they would have news of Harry but none came and she left reluctantly, looking more anxious and upset than Neville had seen her in years. Despite the many changes that had taken place since school, Ron and Harry were still her boys and she cared for them more than anyone. They would always be a trio, even with Harry and Ron involved romantically, and Neville loved the bond the three of them shared, especially as he was included more in it these days.
"Guys, you should head home," Ron said as he rubbed at his face tiredly. "You don't have to wait here with me."
"Of course we do," Draco argued. "We can't leave you alone, that would be awful."
Ron gave him a tired smile and said, "Thanks, I appreciate it."
"Have some coffee and a sandwich," Draco insisted. "You need to keep your strength up, as much of a cliché as it is."
"You're giving my mum a run for her money, Draco. She'd be ever so proud to see you bossing me around like this."
"Does she know what's happened?" Neville asked as Ron extracted the flask from the bag and fished out a few mugs.
"Yeah, but she has Bill's kids at the moment and can't leave them," Ron said with a sigh, pouring the coffee out then passing Neville and Draco a mug each. "She's beside herself, as you can imagine, but she's best off where she is."
Draco cradled his mug to his chest and nestled a little closer to Neville. Neville tried not to smile; this was no time to do so after all, but he just wanted the man as close as possible. He nuzzled his nose in Draco's hair and pressed a kiss to his temple, aware that Ron was watching him as he did so. He looked up, ready to offer an apologetic look at being so thoughtless when Ron's own partner was in such a dire situation but Ron merely gave him a puzzled smile and carried on sipping his coffee.
They sat quietly, perking up every time someone came through the doors only to have their hopes dashed when the person carried on walking without so much as a glance in their direction. It was tiring and frustrating, the boredom of endless waiting coupled with the overriding sense of fear mingling to make a thoroughly oppressive atmosphere.
"Mr Weasley?" came a voice eventually, and all three men were on their feet before the woman could make it fully out of the doors.
"That's me," Ron said, his eyes wide and his expression anxious. "How is he? Is he ok?"
"He's stable," the healer said and Ron's body slumped with relief. "It was touch and go for a while but we've extracted all the dark magic and placed him in a magical stasis. He'll be with us for about a week while he recovers but we're confident that he'll be just fine."
"Oh thank you!" Ron said, wrapping the healer up in a hug before she had time to blink. "Thank you, thank you so much!"
Neville and Draco exchanged an amused smile, both as relieved as Ron. "Um Ron, I think the healer would like to breathe now," Neville said as he snuck an arm around Draco's waist and pulled him to his side.
"What? Oh! Merlin, I'm so sorry," Ron said, releasing the woman and taking a step back.
"That's quite alright, Mr Weasley," the healer said with a laugh. "You can come through and see him now but he won't be awake for another 24 hours and then I think you'd best go home and get some sleep."
She gave him a smile and patted his shoulder before she turned and made her way back through the dreadful doors and Ron turned to face them both with a look of pure relief. "I think my heart actually stopped there for a moment," he said, a hand on his chest as he blew out a slow breath.
"Mine too," Neville said, feeling giddy, so thankful that Harry was going to be alright.
"Oh Merlin. I've never felt so relieved in my life. This bloody sod has to stop doing this to me, my blood pressure can't take it."
"He does like to live life on the edge," Draco agreed. "Go on, go through and see him, then make sure you take the healer's advice and go and get some sleep."
Ron grinned then stepped forward and wrapped them both up in a broad hug, squeezing them tightly and saying, "Thank you both for being here. I would have gone mad waiting here on my own."
He pulled back and gave them another grin, then clapped their shoulders and all but skipped off down the corridor and through the doors.
"Come on," Neville said, giving Draco's waist a squeeze, "let's go home."
They made their way down to the ground floor and the public floos, stepping through the fireplace one by one and arriving back in the den, both thankful to be home and being able to return there with good news.
"Merlin, what a day," Draco said with a sigh. "Thank God Harry's going to be alright, I was so worried."
"For one horrible moment I thought that would be it, that after everything we've all been through this would be how we lost him. I still feel a bit light-headed from the relief of it all."
Draco nodded. "You and me both. I think I'll go up and have a bath, my back's killing me from those horrible chairs."
"Hang on a sec," Neville said, catching his arm before he could leave. "I want to clear up what happened yesterday."
Draco frowned then said, "Oh that. Never mind, it doesn't matter."
"Yes it does," Neville insisted.
"Honestly, forget it. I'm just…I'm a little sensitive about this stuff I guess. It's fine."
He went to try and leave again but Neville gave his arm a tug and pulled him closer, sliding a hand up to cup his face gently. "I'm not leaving this to chance," he said firmly. "I'm not letting any misunderstandings slip between us. You are the most beautiful man I've ever met and I am intensely attracted to you. I've never had such fantastic sex and no, I'm not pretending, I just meant that…I'm so turned on by you that I have the confidence to be more forceful and assertive, which is a little out of character for me. It's all I can do to keep my hands off you throughout the day and when I'm not with you I fantasise about being with you. Do I make myself clear?"
Draco's lips quirked into a smile even as his cheeks flushed and his expression was tinged with embarrassment. "Drama queen," he said with an imperious tilt of his chin and Neville laughed.
"I'm serious," he insisted, letting his hand brush gently over Draco's jaw. "No pretence, no faking it, just me…absolutely crazy about you."
"You daft bastard," Draco whispered before he pulled himself tightly against Neville's body and swept him up in a kiss that had Neville's head spinning.
AN: Oh look, no horrible drama for the sake of it, just two adults trying to be honest with one another. Nice, eh?
