Again thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! I have an idea for
a name for the baby, but I would love some different suggestions! Not
telling if it is a boy or girl yet, that one has to wait!
This chapter has a high sugar and tissue alert, so be warned. But the next chapter will see the return of Dobby...
Tsuyuno- Since the boys are in Romania I had to invent a new seamstress.
Background Note: For those who have not read "Reverso", Ron died in Sixth- Year saving Harry from Voldermort, and Padma was killed by Lucius when Draco refused to join the Death Eaters.
Chapter VI. The Greatest Gift
//24th December 11:49 p.m.
What a day! We had Christmas Eve dinner here tonight, with the Weasleys. It's amazing how different their family is from mine, or what used to be my family. I was taught to hate the Weasleys my whole life, that they were beneath me, and I treated them like dirt. Yet here they were, hugging me, bringing me gifts, and treating me like one of their own, and my own Mum won't even talk to me. Harry has been wonderful about it, and I don't know what I would do without him. On second thought, I do know. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't be here, much less dealing with this.
I finally owled my Mother a few weeks ago about the baby. I'm sure she was furious, but I had to at least tell her. I didn't expect a reply and I wasn't disappointed.
I have been feeling the baby move quite a bit now, but everytime Harry tries to feel the kicking it slows down or stops moving. Molly says that's normal, that soon enough it will be kicking hard enough for him to feel it across the room.
I think I will see if there is any leftover pudding in the fridge before I go to bed. Hey, the baby wants it, not me....//
25th December 8:25 a.m.
"Dra?" Harry whispered as he wrapped his arm around the sleeping blond, planting small kisses on the back of his neck.
"Hmmm?" Draco stirred from a deep sleep, turning into the warm embrace. Harry brushed his lips across Draco's, waking him slowly with soft caresses. Draco's eyes fluttered open, silvery blue gazing into emerald green. There was no mistaking that look. Draco slid his hands across Harry's chest to his shoulders as Harry covered his mouth completely.
"Harry..." Draco moaned, his entire body shaking from desire. The kiss was almost desperate, both clinging to each other with every fiber in their beings. Draco slid his hand into Harry's raven hair, pulling him even closer, their breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. Harry broke the kiss long enough to murmur against his lover's swollen mouth.
"Dra..."
"Yes?" Draco whispered.
"Happy Christmas."
An hour later they were in the living room, Harry helping Draco to sit down in the floor next to the tree that took up at least a third of the room. Draco had insisted on the huge tree. After all, he argued, it was their first Christmas together, and he wanted it to be special. He was especially proud of the ornament he had made in the village, a beautiful crystal heart with an H and D intertwined. He knew it was sappy, but he didn't care. There was a time he wouldn't have been caught dead buying something so, so 'un-Malfoy', but that seemed a lifetime away now. Harry had loved it, placing it midway on the front of the tree, "where the heart is", he had explained. Now they were surrounded by festively wrapped packages, waiting to be opened.
Harry handed a large bundle to Draco. "This one is from Mrs. Weasley."
Draco ripped it open, finding a handknit dark blue maternity jumper with a D on it, along with four boxes of dragon shaped chocolates.
"I should have known," smiled Harry.
Draco pulled the jumper on and tore into the chocolates. "Mes ar rwaly goo", he mumbled.
"Pardon?" Harry asked.
Draco swallowed the bite he was chewing. "These are really good," he laughed. "Molly knows me well by now."
Harry opened his package, not surprised to see the familiar jumper, this one in black, and several boxes of sweets. Harry grinned at Draco. "What are the chances these will last until I want some?"
"A perfectly wonderful chance, providing," he grinned back, "you eat them in the next half hour."
The two of them spent half the morning opening presents; from Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Fred, George, Charlie, Bill, Hermione, Remus, Dumbledore, and several of their former schoolmates. It wasn't until Harry had opened the last of the presents from the Weasleys that Draco noticed it.
Harry was very quiet, and trying very hard to smile, but he couldn't hide the tears that threatened to spill over from the corners of his eyes.
Draco leaned over to him. "Are you alright?" he whispered.
"It's just that...I..I miss Ron the most on Christmas. I almost bought him a gift in the village last week before..." The tears fell freely now. "Before I realized he wasn't here to open it."
Draco brushed tears away from Harry's cheeks. "I know it's hard on you, " he said softly. "I know you miss him. He was your best friend. I miss Padma too. I can't say I miss Father being around, but I do miss my Mother, even though I know she will never want anything to do with me again. But we have each other, and," he placed Harry's hand on his stomach, "we have our child."
Harry smiled and nodded his head. "You're right, Draco. We do..."
Suddenly Harry felt something under his hand. A light bumping, or...kicking!
"Harry!" Draco yelled. "The baby! It's kicking!"
"I know! I know!" he cried. "I can feel it. Really hard, too! I can't believe it...."
Harry felt his child for the first time. He moved his hand around Draco's stomach as the baby moved, his smile beaming. He dropped his head down a bit. "Hey, little one," he smiled. "I'm your Dad." Draco winced a little when he felt a foot to the ribs. "Take it easy on your Mum," Harry whispered. "This is his first time as a Mummy. And my first time as a Dad. But I promise, we're going to take care of you, and love you forever."
Draco felt his own tears beginning to fall now.
"What did I do to deserve someone like you to love me?" he choked.
Harry looked up slowly and smiled.
"You loved me back."
Later that night they were sitting down at the table, having Christmas Dinner. It had been a wonderful day, and they were looking forward to a quiet evening afterwards.
"Harry," Draco smiled. "Do you mind if I have some of the sweets Molly sent you?"
"And yours are..."
"Gone. I don't know what could have happened to them, I only had one or two, or maybe 15 or 20 pieces, I can't remember just now. " he grinned.
Harry laughed and got up from the table. He hadn't really expected to keep any of the candy. Small price to pay for 'what the baby wanted' as Draco had been putting it lately...
Wait...
Something glittered under the tree, a medium size package wrapped in silver with a bright green bow. Harry was sure it hadn't been under there before, and he didn't remember anyone coming in Christmas Eve with a silver gift.
Harry opened the tag bound by the ribbon and gasped.
"Draco!" he yelled toward the dining room. " I think you better come in here."
"I know I didn't eat ALL the candy," he yelled back.
"No it's not that."
"What is it?" Draco inquired as he walked into the living room.
"You have," Harry said as he handed the box to him, "another present."
"From who?" Draco asked.
"I don't know. It just has your name on the tag."
Draco took the box gingerly, almost afraid to touch it. He looked at the writing on the tag. "It looks like, but it can't be..."
"What?" Harry asked.
Before he said another word Draco ripped into the package. Inside, something was wrapped in light green tissue paper, with a handwritten note on top.
"Dear Son, I suppose you are quite surprised to find this from me. I received your owl a few weeks ago, but I could not bring myself to answer. I had decided you were gone from me forever, that you had torn our family apart, that you were no longer my son. But as time has gone on, I have had the opportunity to see and understand more than you will know. The way you spoke of your child brought so many memories back, of how much I loved you and looked forward to the day you were born. I only hope that you will forgive me for my foolish pride, and accept this gift for my grandchild. I don't know if you will remember it, for Lucius took it from you on your second birthday, as well as all of your "baby" things. Don't make the same mistakes I did, darling. The greatest gift you can give your son or daughter is their childhood, and endless amounts of love, the very things your Father and I denied you. I wish you, Harry, and my grandchild a very Happy Christmas, and A wonderful beginning to a New Year.
Love, Mum"
Draco unwrapped the tissue and took the present from the box. The most beautiful, soft baby blanket opened up in his hands, light greens, yellows and silver designs of baby dragons played across the quilted fabric. Draco stood silent, the emotions flooding through him to the point he was sure he would drown if he opened his mouth to speak. Harry didn't need words. He pulled the shaking blond to him, hugging him tightly.
"She still loves you," Harry whispered. "She always did."
They stood beside the tree, holding each other for what seemed an eternity, the only movement the soft kicking against the blanket Draco clutched between them.
//25th December 10:15 p.m.
(Excerpt only from Draco's Diary)
...I have learned one thing today that I never want to forget, and I never want my child to forget. It is actually on the bottom of the gift my Mother sent. There was a motto stitched in gold into the blanket that she altered before she gave it to me. "Power is All Conquering"
To which my Mother added, "But Love Conquers All."//
End of Chapter VI.
This chapter has a high sugar and tissue alert, so be warned. But the next chapter will see the return of Dobby...
Tsuyuno- Since the boys are in Romania I had to invent a new seamstress.
Background Note: For those who have not read "Reverso", Ron died in Sixth- Year saving Harry from Voldermort, and Padma was killed by Lucius when Draco refused to join the Death Eaters.
Chapter VI. The Greatest Gift
//24th December 11:49 p.m.
What a day! We had Christmas Eve dinner here tonight, with the Weasleys. It's amazing how different their family is from mine, or what used to be my family. I was taught to hate the Weasleys my whole life, that they were beneath me, and I treated them like dirt. Yet here they were, hugging me, bringing me gifts, and treating me like one of their own, and my own Mum won't even talk to me. Harry has been wonderful about it, and I don't know what I would do without him. On second thought, I do know. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't be here, much less dealing with this.
I finally owled my Mother a few weeks ago about the baby. I'm sure she was furious, but I had to at least tell her. I didn't expect a reply and I wasn't disappointed.
I have been feeling the baby move quite a bit now, but everytime Harry tries to feel the kicking it slows down or stops moving. Molly says that's normal, that soon enough it will be kicking hard enough for him to feel it across the room.
I think I will see if there is any leftover pudding in the fridge before I go to bed. Hey, the baby wants it, not me....//
25th December 8:25 a.m.
"Dra?" Harry whispered as he wrapped his arm around the sleeping blond, planting small kisses on the back of his neck.
"Hmmm?" Draco stirred from a deep sleep, turning into the warm embrace. Harry brushed his lips across Draco's, waking him slowly with soft caresses. Draco's eyes fluttered open, silvery blue gazing into emerald green. There was no mistaking that look. Draco slid his hands across Harry's chest to his shoulders as Harry covered his mouth completely.
"Harry..." Draco moaned, his entire body shaking from desire. The kiss was almost desperate, both clinging to each other with every fiber in their beings. Draco slid his hand into Harry's raven hair, pulling him even closer, their breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. Harry broke the kiss long enough to murmur against his lover's swollen mouth.
"Dra..."
"Yes?" Draco whispered.
"Happy Christmas."
An hour later they were in the living room, Harry helping Draco to sit down in the floor next to the tree that took up at least a third of the room. Draco had insisted on the huge tree. After all, he argued, it was their first Christmas together, and he wanted it to be special. He was especially proud of the ornament he had made in the village, a beautiful crystal heart with an H and D intertwined. He knew it was sappy, but he didn't care. There was a time he wouldn't have been caught dead buying something so, so 'un-Malfoy', but that seemed a lifetime away now. Harry had loved it, placing it midway on the front of the tree, "where the heart is", he had explained. Now they were surrounded by festively wrapped packages, waiting to be opened.
Harry handed a large bundle to Draco. "This one is from Mrs. Weasley."
Draco ripped it open, finding a handknit dark blue maternity jumper with a D on it, along with four boxes of dragon shaped chocolates.
"I should have known," smiled Harry.
Draco pulled the jumper on and tore into the chocolates. "Mes ar rwaly goo", he mumbled.
"Pardon?" Harry asked.
Draco swallowed the bite he was chewing. "These are really good," he laughed. "Molly knows me well by now."
Harry opened his package, not surprised to see the familiar jumper, this one in black, and several boxes of sweets. Harry grinned at Draco. "What are the chances these will last until I want some?"
"A perfectly wonderful chance, providing," he grinned back, "you eat them in the next half hour."
The two of them spent half the morning opening presents; from Mr. Weasley, Ginny, Fred, George, Charlie, Bill, Hermione, Remus, Dumbledore, and several of their former schoolmates. It wasn't until Harry had opened the last of the presents from the Weasleys that Draco noticed it.
Harry was very quiet, and trying very hard to smile, but he couldn't hide the tears that threatened to spill over from the corners of his eyes.
Draco leaned over to him. "Are you alright?" he whispered.
"It's just that...I..I miss Ron the most on Christmas. I almost bought him a gift in the village last week before..." The tears fell freely now. "Before I realized he wasn't here to open it."
Draco brushed tears away from Harry's cheeks. "I know it's hard on you, " he said softly. "I know you miss him. He was your best friend. I miss Padma too. I can't say I miss Father being around, but I do miss my Mother, even though I know she will never want anything to do with me again. But we have each other, and," he placed Harry's hand on his stomach, "we have our child."
Harry smiled and nodded his head. "You're right, Draco. We do..."
Suddenly Harry felt something under his hand. A light bumping, or...kicking!
"Harry!" Draco yelled. "The baby! It's kicking!"
"I know! I know!" he cried. "I can feel it. Really hard, too! I can't believe it...."
Harry felt his child for the first time. He moved his hand around Draco's stomach as the baby moved, his smile beaming. He dropped his head down a bit. "Hey, little one," he smiled. "I'm your Dad." Draco winced a little when he felt a foot to the ribs. "Take it easy on your Mum," Harry whispered. "This is his first time as a Mummy. And my first time as a Dad. But I promise, we're going to take care of you, and love you forever."
Draco felt his own tears beginning to fall now.
"What did I do to deserve someone like you to love me?" he choked.
Harry looked up slowly and smiled.
"You loved me back."
Later that night they were sitting down at the table, having Christmas Dinner. It had been a wonderful day, and they were looking forward to a quiet evening afterwards.
"Harry," Draco smiled. "Do you mind if I have some of the sweets Molly sent you?"
"And yours are..."
"Gone. I don't know what could have happened to them, I only had one or two, or maybe 15 or 20 pieces, I can't remember just now. " he grinned.
Harry laughed and got up from the table. He hadn't really expected to keep any of the candy. Small price to pay for 'what the baby wanted' as Draco had been putting it lately...
Wait...
Something glittered under the tree, a medium size package wrapped in silver with a bright green bow. Harry was sure it hadn't been under there before, and he didn't remember anyone coming in Christmas Eve with a silver gift.
Harry opened the tag bound by the ribbon and gasped.
"Draco!" he yelled toward the dining room. " I think you better come in here."
"I know I didn't eat ALL the candy," he yelled back.
"No it's not that."
"What is it?" Draco inquired as he walked into the living room.
"You have," Harry said as he handed the box to him, "another present."
"From who?" Draco asked.
"I don't know. It just has your name on the tag."
Draco took the box gingerly, almost afraid to touch it. He looked at the writing on the tag. "It looks like, but it can't be..."
"What?" Harry asked.
Before he said another word Draco ripped into the package. Inside, something was wrapped in light green tissue paper, with a handwritten note on top.
"Dear Son, I suppose you are quite surprised to find this from me. I received your owl a few weeks ago, but I could not bring myself to answer. I had decided you were gone from me forever, that you had torn our family apart, that you were no longer my son. But as time has gone on, I have had the opportunity to see and understand more than you will know. The way you spoke of your child brought so many memories back, of how much I loved you and looked forward to the day you were born. I only hope that you will forgive me for my foolish pride, and accept this gift for my grandchild. I don't know if you will remember it, for Lucius took it from you on your second birthday, as well as all of your "baby" things. Don't make the same mistakes I did, darling. The greatest gift you can give your son or daughter is their childhood, and endless amounts of love, the very things your Father and I denied you. I wish you, Harry, and my grandchild a very Happy Christmas, and A wonderful beginning to a New Year.
Love, Mum"
Draco unwrapped the tissue and took the present from the box. The most beautiful, soft baby blanket opened up in his hands, light greens, yellows and silver designs of baby dragons played across the quilted fabric. Draco stood silent, the emotions flooding through him to the point he was sure he would drown if he opened his mouth to speak. Harry didn't need words. He pulled the shaking blond to him, hugging him tightly.
"She still loves you," Harry whispered. "She always did."
They stood beside the tree, holding each other for what seemed an eternity, the only movement the soft kicking against the blanket Draco clutched between them.
//25th December 10:15 p.m.
(Excerpt only from Draco's Diary)
...I have learned one thing today that I never want to forget, and I never want my child to forget. It is actually on the bottom of the gift my Mother sent. There was a motto stitched in gold into the blanket that she altered before she gave it to me. "Power is All Conquering"
To which my Mother added, "But Love Conquers All."//
End of Chapter VI.