Chapter 2: Pending Insanity and Promising Vow

"So, Dragon," his mother said. "Did you have fun today?"

Gray eyes peered up at the questioning woman as she smiled down at him, a knowing gleam in her eyes that was unnerving. On one hand he wanted the silence to continue to show her that he was still annoyed with her and the other parents' intervening. On the other hand, she could misinterpret his silence as displeasure, which meant that today would be the last time he ever saw his friend again.

A ripple of fear shot through his chest. He quickly nodded his head.

To his amazement-and slight annoyance-the knowing look in his mother's eyes didn't disappear. It remained there, flashing. She smiled to herself as she tucked him in, smoothening out his blankets. Usually the house-elves were tasked with the chore of putting him to bed, but sometimes his mother liked to do the job herself, so they could have private time together.

Apparently she decided that their private time would be tonight.

After straightening his sheets, fluffing his pillows, and making sure he was tucked in, she sat down on the bed.

"So I take it by your nodding that Harry was in fact not like the other children?"

He nodded again, this time with a soft smile curving his lips.

"Really?" She arched a slim, dark eyebrow. "So you two did get along well?"

Even though he could see the trap she was setting with her words, even though he was determined to stick it out with the silence to prove how annoyed he still was, he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face.

The smile, however, did chip away as he thought about the day and a lesson Father taught him.

One of the many, many things Father told him was that a Malfoy does not regret.

"Not only is regretting a trifle thing," he had said. "but it gives people the excuse to weep and wallow over what could have instead of focusing on the main objective, which would be the future. Time waits for no one, Draco. Nothing speeds up the process more than regret."

Draco didn't understand what he meant at the time, but nodded anyway because it was expected of him.

Even now he still didn't completely understand what his father had meant, but he did grasp one thing from the lesson.

Malfoys do not regret.

However, the young Malfoy found himself breaking that rule, regretting the prayer he had sent to Merlin before the Potters had arrived.

In his defense, he didn't mean for that prayer to come true. He thought the Sunday tea would go on forever, that his guest would have him tightening his fists and gritting his teeth. He thought the Potters would be boring. Also, he sent plenty of prayers to Merlin before, but those went unanswered. How was he to know that the Great Wizard would grant him this wish?

Time flew by in a blink of an eye. Draco and Harry-his new best friend, his boy, his Harry-spent every second of that time playing and laughing together. Playing with Slyther who taught them more on the technique of sliding and hissing, which the boys studied and copied. Though they didn't attempt the serpent salute again; Draco thought it should be saved for something special. He showed Harry more of his toys, his heart swelling at the amazement beaming in Harry's eyes. When they were done with the toys in the toy-chest, Draco took his playmate over to the playroom that carried even more treasures.

It was where their mothers had found them. Lying in the middle of the floor, discarded toys around them, hands entwined and shoulders touching.

"Aww," He recognized that tone and voice. Mother was cooing.

"They look so sweet and peaceful," Lily dropped her voice to a whisper, not wanting to disturb them. Draco was already awake when he heard his mother, but refused to open his eyes or move. He was happy just where he was. "I honestly don't want to wake them up."

"Me neither."

But they did. If it had been because they were needed for dinner, Draco would've understood that. Or to announce that they were staying longer. The news would have had him beaming for weeks. Sadly that wasn't the case. The boys were awakened because it was time for the Potters to go.

Meaning Harry had to go.

Draco fought against it tooth and nail.

"No!" He held onto his friend for dear life, as if they were about to separated. Which they were, no thanks to their parents.

"Draco." Mother was using her brittle voice. The no-nonsense voice. A signal warning him to watch himself.

"No!"

"Draconis." His father was now involved, using his full name. A sign that he was trenching on thin ice. By the tone of his voice, Draco knew that the ice was very thin, becoming frailer by the second.

Unfortunately for his parents, his determination to keep his boy around was stronger than his fear of crossing them.

"My Harry!"

Father muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. Mother opened her mouth to order him to behave, but then paused, taking in what she was seeing, listening closely to what she was hearing. Puzzlement danced across her face, disappearing as quickly as it appeared, replaced with a small, strange, almost-knowing smile.

Unsure what the smile had meant, he turned over to the Potters, hoping they could be persuaded. He was surprised to see the same strange smile his mother wore on Lily's face, one that brightened as the women exchanged a private look.

"Can he stay? Please?" He was prepared to use his best trick: the puppy-eyes and pouted lips, two charms that always got him what he wanted.

"Can I, Mommy?" Draco almost broke his pouting mask, hearing Harry speak. Like the great friend he was, he was offering backup. "At least for tonight? Please Daddy."

"Well," For a second, it looked like the twin puppy-eyes were working. James was thinking about the situation, rubbing his chin. "It would mean a free night-"

"James."

If there was one thing stronger than the puppy eyes, it was a wife's scolding. Whatever James was about to say came to halt. Not wanting to get on his wife's bad side, he raised his hands and stepped back.

"Please mommy."

"Please mother. Father."

Lily and Mother exchanged another look; one that caused those strange smiles to widen the longer the look went on. Lily finally broke the private eye-conversation, kneeling down before the boys.

"Sadly we need to go. We have work and Harry has school tomorrow," The hopeful smiles fell instantly. "But I promise we'll be back soon."

"You promise?" Harry asked.

"I promise."

"You promise?" Draco asked his parents.

Father nodded. His mother smiled.

"We promise."

Mother had promised again after their departure, in which the boys hugged each other long and so tight their fathers had to step in to separate them. James with his hands, Father with his cane. She promised again at dinner when he asked her again. And she had answered for the third time as she was readying him for bed.

"You promise that Harry will back?"

"I promise, Dragon."

"Soon?"

"Soon."

Another lesson Father had taught him: a true man never went back on his word. Never broke a promise. Promises were sacred duties. Contracts constructed by one that were meant to be fulfilled by the other. If you broke a promise, it had a negative effort on your character, which could affect you greatly in terms of reputation. Thankfully his parents, his father especially, were people who took great pride in character, which was why they never broke a promise. He came to learn the Potters also believed in the seriousness in keeping promises.

Because, just as the adults had said, Harry came back to the Manor the very next day. Then the day after that. Then the day after that and the day after that.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks changed into months. Months became a full year. Each moment, every second spent together, altering between the Malfoy Manor and Godric's Hollow, filled with endless games of tag and hide-and-seek in his mother's gardens, drunk from the intoxicatingly sweet floral perfume and the fun they were having. Racing each other on their toy-brooms, building forts from pillows and blankets where they camped at during sleepovers, creating armies of snowmen and snow-ball ammo in the heavy winter, having adventures in whatever scenario the glamour in his playroom decided for them whether it was pirates battling the fierce seas or outlaws in the wild west running from the deputies, huddling together under the blankets and wading through the nights and storms with the adventure stories Draco would read out loud and the songs Harry hummed or sang. It was simper activities compared to the other things they did, but Draco like them just the same. Sometimes even more. Whenever the storms got too much, the thunder and lightning too loud, Harry would sing, understanding from the tight hold Draco had on him and the tight tension of his body that he needed something else to focus on.

Nothing soothed his fears more than hearing Harry's pure, gentle voice sing songs of life under the sea, a child always being in a mother's heart, and a beauty being courted by a beast.

"Where did you learn those songs?" he asked his boy one night under their blanket tent. The lightening storm has lessened to heavy rain that patted against the windows, but Harry continued to hum his songs as he stroked his hair.

"From Disney movies. Mommy brought me a whole case of them. Then the CDs when she saw how much I liked the songs."

Draco lifted his head that was resting on Harry's chest. The movement caused Harry to stop stroking his hair, withdrawing his hand. Unsatisfied, Draco took his hand and placed it back on his hair. When Harry's fingers began to move, threading through the white-blonde strands, he asked his next question.

"What's Disney?"

Harry looked so stunned; Draco wished he had a camera to capture the moment.

"It's a Muggle-thing, isn't it?"

Harry rolled his eyes. Draco smirked. "They're good movies, Draco. I bet you'd like them if you watched them."

Draco rolled his eyes but requested another song, which Harry was happy to oblige. He suppose he could have argued, but instead stayed quiet, enjoying the feel of Harry's fingers running through his hair and the sweet song filling the quiet air.

One of the things he would never understand about his friend was Harry's obsession with things Muggle. Then again the word obsession seemed too strong. Unlike wizards who oohed and awed over the strange inventions and manners of Muggles, Harry was already familiar with them, becoming quite the little expert. Thanks to Aunt Lily, who wanted her son to grow up with knowledge of both his parents' worlds, becoming a great wizard with the manners of a pureblood and understanding of the non-magical world.

One early, autumn morning Draco was bouncing on his heels, anxiously waiting for Uncle Severus to be done with his tea so they could go to Harry's.

His parents were needed at France, so they called Severus to watch over him. He wasn't able to, though. The same weekend they had to be in Paris, he was going with Aunt Lily to Egypt to study a new disease that's been affecting magical and non-magical beings. James said that he would look after the boys, joked that it could become a boys' only weekend. However at the very last minute he received a urgent message from Fudge that he was needed at Austria that very weekend for Auror business.

Still, Uncle James assured them the boys'only weekend would go on.

"You'll have real fun with the babysitter I got for you two." Uncle smiled at them over dinner.

The babysitter was a man that Uncle trusted above everyone else, his best friend and Harry's godfather, Sirius Black.

Draco was vaguely familiar with the name. Sirius was his mother's cousin, a very distant one. When he asked his mother for more information about the man, she refused to say anything more than the fact that Sirius was an unusual man. He was annoyed with the answer, but chose not to push it. As tight-lipped as she was on her cousin, she managed to persuade his father to let him go. She even managed to have Snape keep his complaints about Black to himself.

"Uncle Severus!"

His godfather glared at him from across the table. His mother watched on, amused.

"Narcissa."

"You know as well I as I do how impatient Draco can be."

"I have a fairly good idea."

"Uncle Severus!"

The man shot him a dark look that could peel paint from the wall. Unfortunately for Severus, just as his parents were immune to his pouting lip, he was immune to the man's glares. Huffing, Severus turned over to his parents for support. His father was too focused on his letter to offer any. His mother simply laughed.

Sighing deeply, Severus finished the last sip of his tea and rose from the table. "Come along then, brat."

Yes! Draco rolled his last bits of eggs onto his toast, shoving the breakfast into his mouth before he hopped off his seat and hugged his father goodbye.

"I expect you to behave while you are under Black's watch, Draco."

"I will." he promised.

His father didn't look convinced, but still kissed his forehead and said his goodbye. Mother escorted them over to the fireplace, preparing the Floo.

"I expect the same, Dragon," She kneeled down to look him straight in the eye. "You are to be good while you're under Sirius' care. Don't think just because you have a new sitter that you can get away with trouble."

Uncle Severus snorted, rolling his eyes. "Merlin himself could watch over them and those two would still find a way to get into trouble."

"Not true!" Draco snapped. "Not always."

His godfather and Mother traded a look before looking down at him.

"Only sometimes." Draco huffed.

"Too many sometimes," his godfather chimed in. Loudly. Annoyingly. "Especially for my taste."

Huffing, Draco pouted his lips and crossed his arms, looking away. It wasn't their fault that they craved adventure the way Uncle James' craved coffee or how his mother craved shopping. They were kids. The need for mischief and thrill was in their blood. It also wasn't their fault that their parents and Severus-especially him-didn't understand their fun.

"Even so, Dragon," Mother said. "I expect you to behave."

"Yes Mother."

She pulled him into a warm, tight hug, giving another hug she asked him to pass onto Harry. Once he got his things, he grabbed Severus' hand.

"Godric's Hollow." Severus commanded, tossing the green powder. In a flash they were gone.

Godric's Hollow never failed to take Draco's breath away. It was a mind-boggling sight compared to what he had been familiar with at the Manor. Complete polar opposites, which reminded him of how he and Harry were. Unlike the Malfoys, the Potters lived in a neighborhood as opposed to a private estate. Thankfully, there were wide, bush-filled gaps between each house, getting every house-owner a sense of privacy. Though the house was small compared to the Manor, it was still large in a modest way and beautiful in a pretty way. Fresh, green grass with a wide front-porch, a huge backyard with tall trees and a playground set the boys often used.

Aunt Lily greeted them at the fireplace, smiling warmly. Draco wasted no time rushing into her open arms.

"Hello Draco."

"Hi Aunt Lily."

"How is it possible that every time I see you, you get more and more big?" She pulled him back to study him closely. "It won't be long before you boys are off to Hogwarts."

"Where they'll doubtlessly be getting themselves into more trouble."

There was a knowing, almost-wicked gleam that sparked in Lily's bright green eyes as she stood up and turned to the other guest. "Thankfully they'll have their Potions Professor and favorite uncle to keep an eye on them."

Uncle Severus looked like he'd rather be tasked with watching over the Gryffindors. Draco tried stifling his laughter by covering his mouth. But the laughter was hard to contain, growing louder as Lily joined in.

Severus glared at them both, though the glare became to lose some of its heat as he looked at the red-haired woman. The more she laughed, the more his face lost its harsh edge. Until a small, tentative smile touched his lips.

Just as Aunt Lily was one of the few people in the world Severus found worthy enough to befriend, she was one of the few people who could bring a smile out from of the grouch.

Draco knew there was one more person who possessed the same ability, who shared his mother's talent in stirring out smiles the same way he shared her sparkling green eyes. A person whose absence was greatly noticed by him.

"Where's Harry?"

Severus rolled his eyes while Aunt Lily chuckled, used to the question. It was always the first question Draco asked after the welcoming hugs.

"He's in the backyard."

Draco nodded in thanks and speeded off, ignoring Severus' grumbling and his aunt's warning to slow down.

Another difference between the Malfoy Manor and Godric's Hollow: even though it was late in autumn, it would hard to see that at the manor, thanks to the house-elves who raked and collected the leaves. In Godric's Hollow, the house-work was left for the owners since one of them didn't believe in the use of house-elves (which was silly to Draco, but chose not to question Aunt Lily's decisions) and wanted handle all matters of the house themselves. In terms of cooking Draco couldn't argue against since his aunt was an incredible cook, but the other stuff? Tending the quests? Handling the yard-work? Cleaning the house? It seemed like too much work for a family alone, especially when two of them worked long-hours at their jobs and the last of the trio was too small and young to take on the heavy stuff. The backyard was proof how hard managing a house could be. Leaves in multiple colors from scarlet red to a dark yellow poured from the trees like an autumn shower, adding more to the scattered piles of discarded leaves on the ground, spilling onto the patio table and slide.

Harry was on the swings, pushing his legs so hard that his feet nearly touched the top. A grin split his face as a familiar blonde came into the yard. "Draco!"

Draco grinned. After one last high swing, Harry leaped off the swing, landing on his feet with a slight stumble. He opened his arms just in time to accept the giant hug the boy sprung on him. A hug so big, so great it knocked the boys off their feet and into the leave-mountain behind them, sending dozens of rumpled leaves into the air.

"Harry," Draco whined playfully in between giggles. "You got leaves in my hair."

"It's a good look," He had the nerve to smirk at him. "Makes you look like a fall rainbow."

"Oh really? Let's see how it looks on you, git," Draco rolled them over, with him on top and Harry beneath him. Because Harry was the smaller of the two, he was no match for the strength of his taller and heavier friend who refused to budge, smirking down at his struggle. He grabbed a fistful of leaves in both hands and smeared them into his friend's black hair. "You're right. It is a good look. On you at least."

Harry huffed and after moments of struggling finally admitted defeat, which Draco accepted with another smirk. He laid his head on the boy's chest, which felt as warm and nice as his bed, and sighed happily as he felt a small hand brushing through his hair.

He looked over one of the trees that was close by the swing set, where he could see the tree house Harry and his daddy have been working on since summer. It seemed kinda odd that Uncle James decided to partake in doing something so laboring and Muggle, even odder that he insisted that they use tools instead of magic to work on it. In Draco's opinion it made things slower, but his uncle had smiled, ruffled his hair, and told him that it would be worth it in the end.

"How long until you're finally done with the tree house?"

"Daddy thinks we should be done next summer. I can't wait," Harry used his elbows to prop him up. Draco stayed on his chest, but lifted his head up slightly to look at him. "You know it would be done a lot faster if you pitched in."

Draco smiled sweetly at his best friend. "Now, Harry, I think we already have a nice arrangement. You and Uncle James work on the tree house while I supervise from the comfort of the patio."

"Prat."

"Git." Draco grabbed a leave and crushed in his hands, dropping its bits onto Harry's hair.

"Boys," Lily called. "Come inside. There's someone here to see you."

The boys traded a look before Draco finally got off Harry and helped him up. They dusted themselves clean of the leaves, though it took Draco awhile to get the leaves out of Harry's thick hair.

"That must be Sirius. I can't wait for you to meet him," Harry beamed. "He's loads of fun."

He calls his godfather by his first name? How odd. Draco tried to imagine doing the same with Severus and knew a cold glare would be the least of his worries. He grabbed onto his friend's hand and followed him back inside the house.

The Floo was set, but only Aunt Lily was ready to go. The two men sitting across from each other were too preoccupied glaring, one scowling, the other smirking. One those men was Uncle Severus, using his signature, particularly-dark glares that were usually reserved for James. The other man was tall, from what Draco could see, with the handsome features of an aristocrat, his skin darkened to a light caramel color as if he had spent days out in the sun, striking grey eyes that were bright with humor and mischief, and long, fine black hair resting on his shoulders. Face alone, Draco would have thought that he was a lord or an image from a painting. His clothes told a different story. A white, puffy-sleeved shirt underneath an unbuttoned olive-green vest and chocolate-brown pants tucked into black buckled boots.

He reminded Draco of a pirate. Or a gypsy.

Definitely a gypsy, Draco decided, looking over at him. The man carried a light, care-free presence that wrapped around him like a cloak.

"Sirius!" Harry happily cried.

The smirking, gypsy-looking man pulled away from his glaring partner to open his arms, which caught his excited godson. A grin brightened the man's face as he lifted Harry over his head before settling him down on his lap, where he gave him a proper hug.

"Hey kiddo. How are you?"

"Good."

"Let me have look at you," Harry pulled back. Sirius ruffled his messy hair. "You've gotten so big."

"I'm the shortest kid in my class."

"Well then you're the tallest short person I've ever seen."

Harry laughed. Draco couldn't resist cracking a smile. Severus rolled his eyes.

"As usual, Black," he drawled the name with obvious distaste. "You and common sense can never meet."

"While you and bitterness are happily married." Sirius answered back with a biting smile.

Severus snarled. Draco was beginning to understand why Uncle James was good friends with the man. They both took great pleasure in pushing Severus' buttons.

Harry slide off Sirius' lap and went over to the other couch, climbing onto Severus to give him a warm hug. Even Severus wasn't immune to Harry's sweet smile, putting off a remark to Sirius long enough to hug the boy back and pat his head.

The exchange didn't go unnoticed by Sirius, who looked both amazed and amused. "If I had known that all it would take for the old snake to relax is a cute kiddo, I would have insisted Lily and James had him earlier."

"Sirius." Lily warned.

Severus snarled at the man. Harry laughed, and made room for Draco as he came over to join him on Severus' lap.

"You know, Snivellus, if teaching gets too boring for you, I can see a very promising career for you as furniture. The kids seem to find you comfy enough."

"At least I have a career, Black," Severus snapped. "What is it you do again? Wander aimlessly through the globe dressed in rags like a street urchin."

Sirius welcomed the taunt with a cool nod and smile. "And as you can see it, it has done wonders for me," He waved a hand over his face that was still youthful and glowing. A vast contrast to Severus whose face was tight and already lined with pre-mature wrinkles. "Sadly I can't say the same for you, Snivellus. But hey," He shrugged. "In Greece, some people find wrinkles and gray hair to be embracing."

"If it weren't for the fact there are two six year olds in my presence-"

Aunt Lily swooped in before things got ugly, announcing that it was time to leave.

"I trust you boys will be on your best behavior?" She looked at them.

"We promise." They nodded.

"And I trust the house will still be in one piece when we come back?" She kept her mother's voice as she looked up at Sirius, treating him as if he was an older little boy.

"I promise," He placed his hand over his heart. "You have my word as a Black."

"How comforting." Severus rolled his eyes.

Lily gave the boys a hug goodbye, pecking both their foreheads. Severus petted their heads, reminding them to mind themselves, and sneered at Sirius before they disappeared through the Floo.

"Are you a pirate?" Draco asked as soon as the flames died down.

Harry laughed. Sirius didn't look bothered by the question. He looked amused.

"No," he answered. "Not a pirate, though I have to admit. I admire their choice of transportation."

Harry laughed again. This time Draco joined in, firing another question. "Are you a gypsy?"

"Suppose in a way I am," the man said with an easy, one-shoulder shrug. "By fifth year all of my friends, including this one's dad," He poked Harry in the stomach, getting a laugh from him. "Knew what they wanted to do with their lives. Me? I didn't have the foggiest clue. After graduation, I packed my bags and decided to award myself for sticking it through school with a nice vacation. Started out in Spain-beautiful place by the way, highly recommend it-then I kept bouncing from place to place. Sweden, Germany, Scotland, Australia," Kneeling down he whispered to him. "For the record frog legs, even fried and coated in sauce, taste as they look."

Gross. Harry shuddered. Draco stuck out his tongue.

"Weird food aside, aimless wandering as your dear godfather puts it," Sirius rolled his eyes. "I happen to find soothing for the soul. Not only soothing, but exhilarating. Picture it, boys. Stepping out into a new city, a new country. Not knowing what you'll see or who you'll wind up meeting."

"I bet you have lots of adventures, Sirius." Harry said.

Laughing, he took his godson back onto his lap. Draco joined them, choosing to sit on the cushion instead of his lap. He did press close to Harry. "From what I hear, you two have been having a few adventures of your own. The latest one from what I remember involved a broom or two."

The boys flinched at the same time. Draco rubbed his knee, remembering the pain as if it happened yesterday.

Early in the spring, in celebration of the one-year anniversary of their son' friendship that the mothers thought should be celebrated with as much piazza and enthusiasm as any other holiday, their fathers had gotten them actual brooms as presents which were meant to be opened later. Sadly, like most children, Draco was not a patient child, especially in terms of presents. He dragged a reluctant Harry from bed late at night to the Potters' attic, where James had hidden the presents. Harry was scared, but his fears melted when they tested out their new brooms.

Their toy-brooms may have been fun, but they were no match for the actual thing. Soaring through the skies, dodging through the maze of branches, the wind kissing their faces. Draco never wanted the fun to end.

Sadly it did end. No thanks to a stupid oak tree that got in the way. Harry tried to warn Draco, screaming for him to look out, but by the time he turned around it was too late. One second he was trying to out-fly Harry, the next he was slammed face-first against the trunk, falling off the broom, tumbling down the tree, landing on his side. Hard.

They were caught. The brooms were confiscated. And he ended up with a scratched cheek and a twisted knee.

And to make matter worse, Lily had forbid them to get on brooms until they were at Hogwarts.

Draco, who was embarrassed and crying from the searing pain, flushed in anger. He cursed himself for being so stupid.

Harry could have easily used that opportunity to gloat, reminding them that he had a feeling something bad would happen. His boy, though, proved that he was a much better person than he was. Not only did Harry take the blame for what happened, but he also found a way to make him feel better with a special "spell" he learned, Boo-Boo be Gone.

The silly git. Despite his silliness, smearing a handful of powder and glitter in his hands he rubbed against Draco's knee before kissing him, the kisses then being splattered all over his face, he did manage to get him laugh again.

Remembering the end-result of that night brought a smile to Draco's face. He turned over, seeing the same smile on Harry.

"Come with me, boys," Sirius rose from the couch and reached out his hands to them."I'll show you my favorite type of broom."

Draco was expecting the new Glider 500 that had recently hit the stores, one which he had been begging his father to get for him. Or the Wingarim. Instead what greeted them in the front yard was a huge, silver and black deathtrap on wheels.

Or what was known to most as a motorcycle.

His mother would've fainted at the sight of the bike. Then forbid them from stepping foot on it, not wanting her son and his friend to be anywhere the "hazardous death machine"

"You actually compare this," Draco pointed his finger at it. "To a broom?"

The grin Sirius had on his face made Draco question the man's sanity. "Well it wouldn't be fair to compare the two. I like brooms just fine. However," He stroked the handle bar with such tenderness as if it were his child. "she certainly is a beauty."

Beauty wasn't the word Draco would use.

"And she definitely has more mileage."

Draco snorted. Harry left's brow rose questioningly.

"You two don't believe me, huh? Well, there's only one way to fix that," With a flick of his wand he took from his vest pocket and a quick murmured spell, two kid-size helmets appeared on the seat of the bike. "Perhaps a demonstration?"

The boys looked at each other, question and concern written across their faces, expressions which quickly melted as smiles emerged from the surface. Bright, excited smiles that looked almost as mad as Sirius's grin.

They grabbed the helmets and strapped themselves in, Harry in front, Draco behind, his arms wound securely around Harry's waist. Sirius hopped on. Gripping onto the handles, he kicked off the stand.

Screams of excitement mixed with fear tore from the boys' lips as the bike came alive with a roar, shooting them straight into the sky.

"Hold on, boys!" Sirius grinned.


Late at night in Egypt, a cool breeze blew into the hotel room that belonged to a red-haired woman who poured herself a glass of much-needed wine after her grueling day out on the field. A smile lifted her exhausted face as the taste of red wine hit her tongue.

"I still find it funny that it took a fall from a broom for James to finally accept what two-what is it he called us again? Two hopeless romantics?"

Giggling softly, Lily sat her glass down and stared into the laughing eyes of Narcissa that appeared fiery-orange over the fire-call. She gave a helpless shrug, as if to say what she could do. As much as she loved the man, she knew her husband could be thick-headed sometimes. "You know how men can be. They only begin to grasp the opinions of others when something traumatic happens."

"Meanwhile a woman's intuition is hardly wrong. And a mother's instinct is always right from the start."

The mothers shared a laugh.

"I honestly can't blame him though," Lily said. "If I didn't see it myself, I wouldn't have thought much of it. Also I do fancy myself a romantic."

"As do I."

"But when he saw the boys together, how scared and worried Harry was about Draco," Lily sighed with a shake of her head. "I could see the wheels turning in his head. You know he stood in Harry's doorway a whole hour after the boys had gone back to sleep watching them. When he came back down, he simply waved his hands and said that I was right. Again."

"Well, as I've said, a woman's intuition is hardly wrong." Narcissa giggled.

Lily joined her in the laughter, though it shortly ended as a thought came to her, turning her slight smile into a thoughtful frown. "Do you think it will develop soon?"

"Mmm," Narcissa thought carefully. "Hard to say. Sixteen is the usual age when one comes into their inheritance, though there have been cases of it blossoming early or late depending on the family. The blood is very strong in my mine, even though the dormant gene has been known to skip the occasional generation. It's a simple matter of waiting and seeing."

"Do you think that it will happen though? Overall?"

"Without a doubt in my mind," Narcissa answered. "You've seen how fond Draco is of Harry. It usually takes a good ten minute of scolding and pulling to finally get him to let go of the poor boy so we can leave."

"Had it their way, they'd never want to separate," They shared another laugh. "I can assure you that the feeling is mutual. Harry hardly wants to go anywhere without Draco. It's so sweet."

"That it is," Narcissa raised what looked to be a glass of wine. "To our sons."

"And to their friendship."

"And the possibility that it will amount to more in the future."


Harry rolled onto his side on the bed, emerald-green smiling into clear gray in the dead of night as he turned to his friend. "What do you think of Sirius?"

Draco frowned as he thought about the strange man.

He was a certainly a nut, there was no question about it. Even though the motorcycle was far heavier and thicker than a broom it didn't stop the man from performing tricks on it as if he were in a Quidditch tournament, nearly risking their necks more than once. It was dangerous, doubtlessly insane (a word that was too perfect for him), but Draco would be lying to himself if he said all of his screams were from fear alone.

They rode on the bike until dusk, but the fun didn't stop there. Sirius joined them in their games of tag and hide-and-seek, changing into his animagus form of a black dog, using his animal senses to track the boys, which made the games more challenging but fun. Then he gathered up the leaves into the biggest pile Draco had ever seen and tossed them in each time he caught a boy from their high jumps from the swings. Even though his hair was covered with leaves, it didn't stop Draco from going back to the swings so he could be caught and tossed back in.

"He certainly is interesting," Draco admitted. "Though a bit loony."

Harry nodded in agreement. "He can be silly sometimes, but he's really fun. He's my favorite person."

Favorite person? Draco felt something prick his chest, drawing down to his stomach. Something tight and dark that hit him like a kick. "Even more than me?"

He could hear the accusation in his voice, noticed the sudden chip in his tone. Harry had as well, from the way his eyes widened slightly. "Of course not. He's my favorite adult. Besides Moony, your parents and mine and Uncle Severus. You're my favorite person ever."

The tightening sickness in his body disappeared as Harry's words sank in, melting under sweet relief. "Good," he said, wrapping his arm around the boy and bringing him closer, keeping his arm at his waist. "Because you're mine and I don't share."

Harry's brows furrowed. "That's silly, Draco. I'm not a toy. People don't belong to other people."

He may have a point there, as usual, but still…"Even so, you do to me. You're my best friend and my boy. Which means you're mine."

Harry lowered his head as he thought it over, taking his time. Draco didn't worry about the length of the thinking process. It didn't matter what Harry said. It didn't matter what anyone had to say about it. Harry was his, plain and simple.

After what felt like hours Harry lifted his head, looking up at him. "Okay. I'm yours,"

Draco smiled, pleased. He knew his best friend would see the light.

"But," Harry said. "Since you're also my best friend that means you're also my boy. Which means you're mine, too."

The smile on Draco's face broadened to a grin. He drew Harry to his chest, resting his head on his hair. "Then it's settled. I'm yours and you're mine."

"Always?"

"Always."

Raise your hand if you adore kiddie Drarry? *Squeals, raising hands up high* I love them so. They're so fucking cute. I wanna thank you guys for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and subscribing.

For those curious about the broom incident that was mentioned, I highly recommend you check out my story, Boo-Boo be Gone. It was a spin-off I did to Five Stages. Very cute, very fluffy. You won't regret it.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter because-spoiler alert-the angst rain is about to come down in the next chapter. Au revior ;)