Pairing: HP/LM
Rating: R
Warning: Slash, angst, M/M, Mpreg
Disclaimer: All characters from Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers. I'm just an obsessed maniac who is also an insomniac thanks to the voices in her head. The Thistleton Hotel really exists and I have never been in there. I am not making any money out of this and use the Hotel name purely because it was in the right local and I liked how it looked from the outside. Trust me, if you try to sue me, it won't get you any money cos I'm dirt broke already!
Archived: ask please
Feedback: Desperately needed…
A/N: Here it is folks, come and get it!! The latest chapter! Sorry for the long wait. I would like to dedicate this chapter to Nina Dawn Osbourne. May she grow up to be as wonderful a fanfic lover and writer as her mother. Thanks to Linda for being such a great beta. Now, on to the reviews...
Rowenna: Thanks so much for pointing that out for me. I totally couldn't believe myself when I reread that line. What can I say, I totally suck! Sorry!! I'll try to be more careful next time. Thanks for the review though. Glad you are enjoying the fic.
Myk: Don't worry, I'm not going to abandon this story, it's my baby! I might take longer to get it out, for some reason it seems to be growing a life of it's own and won't let me move as fast as I would like to. It keeps insisting certain scenes and lines be included so... sorry if it seems draggy folks but I'm trying.
Serenity: Thanks, here's more Draco for you. Very little Luc in this chapter though but, here ya go! Enjoy!
sakurakawaiicherry: *hugz* back. You are always so upbeat! I love how excited you get! Thanks! Here's a new chapter for you too.
Most Evil Kitten: Ummm well, I seriously cannot say about the marriage thing, maybe one of the other reviewers might help me there since I myself live in the US. Are same sex marriages allowed in England folks? MEK wants to know. Me, well, I'm assuming that Magical England and Muggle England or rather UK are separate entities with separate laws. Also the assumption here is that Magical folk don't have the same views as muggle towards same-sex relationships and marriages and are more open due to their culture and extensive history which might have some pagan influences and all. So... that's what I'm basing this on. Different authors have their different views of course, it all depends on the Fic. I mean we are talking about magic here and fiction... It's all up to our imagination. Sorry if it confuses you though. Hope this straightens it out. I do know however that the UK has some strict laws against sodomy and Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for just that by the Queen. Whether these laws have been repealed, I have no idea. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
DragonsBane: Call off the water balloons!! Here, here ya go! Now, drain those balloons!! They followed me to class and my lecturer was not as please as you would think! Oh and, let that Draco!muse out to play, poor thing, stuck in that box all day long...
jelly-bean: Love you latest fic. Go read it guys! It's funny and slashy!! YUM!! Congratulations on Nina's birth. This chapter is as much as dedicated to you as to her. I'm sure you are very proud of her. Enjoy this chapter. Oooo... love your muses! They made me laugh... Hmm just realized, you and your family have two consecutive chapters dedicated to them... Oooo Don't worry folks, I'm not playing faves here, just giving credit where credits due.
KittenBabyGirl: *Blush* Awww Shucks... *draws line in the sand with toe* Thanks... I appreciate it. Thanks for the compliment. Here ya go!
Dreamweaver: I'm happy you like the fic.. Umm Twinkie... yess.. it's a term, and I soo didn't make it up. But, I believe in not corrupting people too much and well... wait a minute what am I saying, of course I love corrupting people. Twinkie is a term used when talking about well, young male boy toys sometimes. Twink is another term. There, I won't get more explicit then that. I have some conscience you know! LOL! Hope that clears that up. There are other meanings, I'm just going to give you that one and you can find out the rest yourself. OK??
Fantasychick, Saavik, Teigra, jliles, Cat, Kitty, Phoebe: Thanks, I'm glad you like this fic and where it's going, here's the new chapter.
momma-dar: Thanks so much, I'm happy you like this. Here's the update.
Dracavia: Here's more into Draco's psyche.... Hope it's as good as you thought it would be.
The Angel Charlie: I am sooo flattered that you would do that. And also, relieved because I do that too when I'm overseas or on holiday if I get a chance to. It's nice to know I'm not insane and overly obsessed after all.
And so, here we go, if I missed anybody, I'm sorry, thank you all for your reviews. The next chapter, again I cannot guarantee when it'll be out since yes, finals and all and I'm busy. Grrr... Hate school! Hope you all like this chapter and please review. All mistakes are mine and mine alone. That's what comes from typing at 3 in the morning. Sigh... oh well. Enjoy folks...
Suite 7310, Thistleton Hotel, Bayswater, London, Summer 1995
Still deep in thought, Draco exited the bedroom and plopped down on the sofa in the living room of the suite. He had discussed his decision with his father and learned the bare bones of the current situation. They decided to take a short break while his father showered and he took some time to soak in all the information he had learned. Also, he had come to the conclusion that he should call for a truce with Potter in order to protect himself further against Voldemort. Thoughts of strategy and politics were running through his mind at the speed of a curse. However, he was startled out of his reverie by a soft sound and a shifting beside him. Looking down to the left, he noticed a sleek black panther backing up slowly on the settee, trying to be unobtrusive and yet keeping a cautious eye trained on him at all time.
" Oh, you must be father's latest. Don't worry, I won't hurt you, I learnt my lesson with the stupid Hippogriff in third year. That was the only time father was really mad at me... Hmmm... I guess I deserved it though, but don't you go tattle-taling on me to that Potter. Of course mother forced father to insist on it being executed. No lowly animal was allowed to harm her precious Draco. Luckily it escaped. Father was happy Dumbledore managed to pull that one off, although none of us could manage to figure out how..."
Shaking his head lightly to stop himself from going off tangent again, Draco continued, " So there, you see, I won't harm you. Not if I don't want to get spanked by father again. Oh no, once was enough."
At that, the panther's large green eyes seemed to stare disbelievingly at his face. " There, there, you are gorgeous aren't you? Father always had good taste. Wonder what your name is. He must like you a lot not to keep you locked up in the menagerie but here with him. Or are you extra protection for Potter? Where is he by the way? I guess I better start being all nice and polite to him. Father seems to have taken a liking to him as well. What do you think of him? Is he a perfect git? All nice and goody-goody, a proper spoilt brat I gather. What do you think?"
Years of watching his father interact with his animals had trained Draco well. Apparently his Father's habit of talking out loud to his pets had brushed of on him. No matter, they made a good sounding board when you needed someone to just listen and not judge. Slowly, the panther moved closer to the boy and lay silently, allowing Draco to stroke his soft fur gently and ramble on.
Harry lay there quietly and allowed Draco to drone on. He could now identify with Sirius whenever he took to his animagus form when things got too intense for him to handle. There was a form of comfort to be gleaned from the knowledge that to the rest of the world you are just an animal and thus not expected to be a normal civilized human. It was almost instinctual for him to shift the minute he left the two Malfoy's to themselves. Too many thoughts were running through his mind ever since he woke up. Last night, heck the past few weeks have been enlightening and confusing. Lucius Malfoy was not the evil man everyone thought he was and in fact, last night, the two of them managed to bond a little more, finally chucking aside the awkwardness that had surrounded the two since Lucius found out Waz' true identity and gave in to the camaraderie that can only be derived when getting totally sloshed together. There was no way aloofness and distant dignity can be observed after sniggering and snorting together over a tiny bottle of whiskey and inebriated stories of Severus making a fool of himself.
When Malfoy Junior came out, it was a definite shift in perspective for Harry to deal with. In the past few weeks with only Lucius for company, he saw Draco in a totally different light based on a father's pride in his only son. Hearing a grown man recalling Dray's first step and first word made Draco seem like a different person than the Draco Malfoy who was Harry Potter's nemesis. That split second of indecision on whether to change back to his human form or remain was due more to the fact that Harry realized his paradigm shift and needed to adapt to it before any other steps could be taken. Now, it was too late. To shift back would cause more embarrassment and a whole new cycle of awkwardness. Moreover, the Slytherin side of Harry was secretly looking forward to seeing if he could glean any information from an unguarded Draco just like he managed to get from Lucius. Apparently his ruse worked.
" He always gets what he wants that Potter. If only he knew what it's like to be a pawn. I know the game mother and Voldemort play, using me as leverage to secure father's loyalty. To have to play a part whenever I'm in public. It's as if I have split personality. With mother I have to behave like I'm a doting son, tied to her apron strings, not like she'd ever wear something as common as an apron, and just knowing that if I step out of line or behaved unlike the junior Death Eater I was trained to be, father might get hurt. Bowing and scraping to Voldemort, *shudder* do you know I have to call him father sometimes? I'm his designated heir for Merlin's sake and I have to play the part, especially in Slytherin or else... well, lets not think about the or else.... It's only with father that I can remotely behave like myself. And even then, I dare not tell him the things that mother and Voldemort make me do, he might do something stupid if he found out. "
"*Sigh* "Isn't it the parent's duty to look after their child instead of the other way around? Oh well, whoever said that Malfoy's did things the way everybody else did. Oh no, if we did, we wouldn't be Malfoys. Huh, sometimes I hate that name you know, well, I hate my entire name but my surname most of all. I mean it is because of my name that I couldn't play with the village children when I was younger and confined to the Manor. It is because of my name that now I cannot do what I want and behave the way I want to. Not like Potter and that Weasel and Granger. They can do whatever they please and still have the sun shine down on them and the world nod their heads and smile benignly."
" Bloody Potter! I tried to befriend him, I knew that if I were his friend things would be easier, that he would be able to save me somehow from it all. No, the bloody git decided that he was too perfect for me.* Sigh* Well, he is and now, I have to somehow grovel at his feet and try to get him to like me if I ever want to be with my father again. Oh well, time to bite the bullet and look for the Golden Boy. Any advice for me panther? You are beautiful you know, and absolutely lovely to talk to. Thank you, I'll ask father to give you a little treat for dinner tonight. He made the right choice in picking you. "
" Draco, Potter can tell me himself if he wants a treat for dinner and in any case, is perfectly able to fetch his own treat. Now stop talking to Potter and tell me where you would like to go for dinner tonight? And Potter, stop hiding behind your animagus form and transform. There is no one you need to hide from here." Lucius said as he casually walked out of the bedroom buttoning the cuffs of his sleeves.
TBC....
