A/N: Like I said, on to chapter 4! This is now nine hours after I finished the last chapter. As I type this, I'm still rereading the other chapter and editing mistakes or adding sentences or changing the wording. It's weird, but it works. Anyway, I probably should stop chatting with you people and get to writing. Thanks for the reviews, everyone!
To Murray the Leprechaun: Good job on the fics! EVERYONE!! READ MURRAY'S FICS!!!! I haven't read them yet, so I can't say anything, but... yeah. Read them.
Oh, and to Lady Reaper of the Shadows, thanks for the idea about that song. I hadn't heard that before, and Annie liked the song so much it's now her theme song. She listens to it thirty times in like three hours. ;P
Oh, and Jungle Law, sequel to Lesser of Two Evils is on a so far hiatus, as I got five pages in and couldn't think of anything to write. I'm stuck. But, I'll be working on this fic, plus a few other ideas I had, two being original fiction, and then probably take a look at LOTE, rework it because I didn't like some things, and then continue, once I get the inspiration, that is.
Anyway, on to the story!
Chapter 4
Alanna stared at the place where Adrian had just stood before gently picking up the girl. "It's all right, you're safe here, he can't hurt you any more," she murmured.
The girl looked at her strangely. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Excuse me?" Xander asked. Claudette and Lucas crowded in closer, anxious to hear what was going on.
The girl pushed herself from Alanna's arms. "I can walk, you know. I just can't Apparate as far as Adie can."
"Adie?" Ginny asked curiously. "Who's that- oh. You gave him a nickname?"
The girl, in her only response, held up her palm. A matching line was scored across her palm, identical to the ones Draco, Harry and Ginny shared.
Alanna's, Xander's, Claudette's, Lucas's, Lily's and James's jaws dropped. Petunia and Dudley walked into the room, rubbing their eyes. "What's going on?" Dudley asked sleepily then his jaw dropped as he took in the girl in the middle of the room.
Harry grinned. "Figures he would bind you two together. Welcome, Cousin." He and Draco walked over to her. "I take it you're tired and would like a bed to sleep in?"
"What the- you two are entirely too understanding about this," she accused.
Harry, Draco and Ginny held their hands up, palm out. "Nope, we just know the feeling. Come on, let's go somewhere more comfortable. Mum, Dad, you coming?" Numbly, everyone followed as Draco, Harry and Ginny led the blanket clad girl into the study.
"Oh, Ginny, could you summon some clothing?" Draco asked conversationally. "You and she seem to be the same size."
Ginny waved her hand and a pair of loose gray pajama bottoms and a blue tee shirt appeared. The girl grinned and waved a hand, copying Ginny's movement, and the clothes disappeared, reappearing on her body.
"Nice," Ginny said approvingly. "They fit, right?" They walked into the study and immediately flopped onto the couch, already giggling like sisters.
"All right," Alanna said grumpily, once everyone had seated themselves. "Would anyone care to explain what just happened? I am horribly confused."
"Sure." The girl stood up. "My name is Erin, and Clautius abducted me from my home three years and two months ago. He knocked me out, and I woke up in a stone room with a chain around my neck. I have been there ever since. Soon after I woke up, Adrian walked into the room. He was furious, muttering about not needing a power source. His father, of course, followed him into the room, and they had it out right then and there."
"Ok, back up. Why were you abducted?" Alanna asked, holding up a hand.
"Convenience, I think," Erin said softly. "I was in the right place at the wrong time so they took me. Anything else?"
No one answered, so she continued. "Anyway, it was really loud and scary, and both of them were bruised and bloody by the end of it, and half the room was destroyed. The only thing that hadn't been touched was a ten foot radius around me. Eventually, Clautius backed off, but warned Adie that he would need a power source to perform some of the spells they would need to destroy someone they only referred to as 'Mother'. Then, he left. I watched Adie systematically destroy everything that hadn't been completely obliterated for the better part of an hour. After he finally worked out his anger, he walked over to me. He apologized that he was such a horrible host, apologized again for the circumstances surrounding my arrival to his bedroom, and asked me my name."
Erin paused to breathe and looked around. The adults were staring at her, their mouths agape. Only the four teenagers were unsurprised. The newcomers, Petunia and Dudley, just looked confused.
"Any other questions?" she asked tentatively.
Alanna grinned. "I told you, Xander! He's not his father!" Xander frowned at her. She turned to Erin. "Could you please continue? I have vested interest in this."
Erin and the rest of the room looked curiously at her. "Wait- you're Alanna, right?" the girl asked.
"Yes, why?"
Then, on behalf of Adrian, I apologize for his behavior with regards to Morgrainne, Mearlein, and the events that happened so long ago. He hates himself for what happened and that he couldn't stand up to his father enough to protect his family, but you'll never hear a word out of him. He dreams about it, and has the most horrible nightmares. She spoke telepathically, not realizing that everyone except for Petunia and Dudley in the room could hear her as well.
Alanna's jaw dropped and tears started to fall down her face. Are you telepathically bound now? she asked, biting her lip.
Yes, Ma'am, for almost two years now.
Tell him there's nothing to forgive, that I forgave him a long time ago. Xander's jaw dropped and he stalked off, swearing in as many languages as he could. Claudette just looked confused as she and her mate ran out after Xander.
Erin's grin lit up the room as she relayed the message. He's actually speechless. And, I think he just passed out. I don't think I've ever felt anything like it, she said with a laugh. Ginny and Darius snickered. "Anyway, he didn't once touch me in any way, shape or form that was bad. He removed the wards that kept me from accessing my magic, and he did his best to make me comfortable. Over the course of a year, I became his confident, and he treated me like a sister. We became so close; it was horrible when Clautius ordered his to use my magic as a boost for the beginning of a complicated creation spell. We were desperate, to the point that I offered and said it would be all right if he used my powers, just so he wouldn't feel so horrible. He almost stopped talking to me after that, he was so angry with my suggestion. Anyway, he spent two weeks on Earth, searching for a solution. He found it, actually in a copy of the same book you three used," she said, gesturing to Harry, Draco and Ginny.
Harry grinned. "So, you're now his sister. Hey, were you a telepath before he came along?"
"Nope," she grinned. "I was just a plain earth elemental. Anyway, we blood bonded an hour after he found the spell, which fixed the problem."
"You can draw on each other's powers." Draco nodded.
"True. We don't know if Clautius figured it out or not. But, things changed about eight months ago."
"That would be when he met me," Ginny grinned.
"You??" Erin gasped. "You're his soul mate??"
"Hey, I am, too," Darius said with a grin. Erin stared back and forth, her eyes wide.
"I won't even pretend to understand how my brother was lucky enough to get two soul mates," Erin grumbled.
Ginny and Darius fell over, laughing.
"Fine, be that way. Well, this past year, Clautius decided that his personal power supply wasn't enough. He'd send Adrian out and then use me. I'd try to get Adie to help, but somehow Clautius would block our link. He did that five or six times. Adie finally found out an hour ago, right before we came here. In fact, that was one of the reasons he brought me here. He said you could help me and take care of me."
"Sounds good. Do you want the East, West or North Wing?" Harry asked, down to business.
"What?" Alanna and James asked.
"Where do you want your room?" Lily specified. At James's surprised look, she giggled. "Really, James, we know you're thick, but this takes the cake. She needs a place to sleep and we have hundred of rooms in this drafty old place."
"It isn't drafty," James muttered.
Erin grinned. "Really, it's all right. You don't have to do that for me. I have a bank account at Gringotts and can summon my key. I can find a hotel until I'm well enough to go home."
Harry shook his head. "Absolutely not. Mum, I'm going to put her in the room down the hall from Ginny. Come on," he hauled Erin to her feet and they Apparated.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Well, now that that's settled, I'm going back to sleep. G'night everyone." He disappeared with a soft pop.
The next morning, Harry, Draco, Ginny, Darius and Dudley Apparated to Gringotts with a very chipper Erin, who was once again borrowing clothes from Ginny. After several hair-raising minutes in the cart, they made the rounds to everyone's bank vaults, pulling money for the shopping excursion. As Erin had arrived in only a blanket, Harry and Ginny felt it was only fair to buy her an entirely new wardrobe, the best of Wizarding and Muggle London.
They Apparated to Queens Court, their wallets stuffed with money, with the exception of Erin.
"Why- what- I have to have cash in order to pay for my purchases!" Erin protested as she was dragged into the mall. "Hell, even an ATM will do!"
"We already told you. This one is on us," Harry's voice held no room for argument. "I'm the richest damn person in the world, and I'm gonna spend some money on my newest family member, my soon to be sister through bonding. So shut up and shop."
"That's a really nice argument," Adrian drawled from his seat on a bench not too far from the entrance. "How does a person go about getting in on that?"
"I'd like to keep it under five grand," Harry said with a smirk. "Hello, Your Highness," he said sarcastically, giving a sweeping bow.
Adrian's eyes grew wide as saucers. "Damn. I think we can live with that." He frowned. "Would you quit teasing me?"
"ADIE!!!" Erin yelled, flinging herself at the Prince of Hell. Adrian caught her and wrapped her in his arms.
"Erin, Erin, what are you doing here, out in the open? They were supposed to be protecting you!" He scowled at Draco, who scowled back.
"Adrian, no offense, but we make your pops look like a loser," Harry said in all seriousness.
"We are the most powerful demigods in existence," Draco sneered. "I'd like to see you do better with assigning bodyguards."
"And how do you propose to protect my sister?" Adrian asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
Harry and Draco grinned and clasped hands. Their hands glowed faintly; a mixture of blue and green before a slight mental shockwave slammed into the people around them. "Hmmm, let's see. Oh, look, there's the Death Eaters spying on us for Clautius and Voldemort- I thought he had a talk with his minions about the rudeness of following people around? Oh, and there's Remus and Sirius, keeping an eye on us for Alanna, and oh, wow. There's a Vamp behind that poorly disguised Playboy magazine on the bench over there. I think we've got it covered."
Adrian looked around as Harry gave a cheery wave to everyone he had spotted. Darius groaned and shook his head. "That isn't just a Vamp, that's my big brother, Marcus."
Ginny groaned and closed her eyes. "You mean the one that's over three hundred years old? The one that currently administers to the American Vampire Drow nation?"
"Yep. I am so screwed." Darius hung his head and walked over to the Playboy magazine. "Hello, big brother."
The magazine dropped. "Hello, Dare. What the hell are you doing here, when Mom asked you not to hang out with him?"
Violet eyes met violet. The two brothers, almost carbon copies, stared each other down for several long minutes.
Harry and Draco walked over, Erin safely with Adrian, to get rid of the poor excuse for minions, and talk to Remus and Sirius as well.
Four minutes later, three Death Eaters were various barnyard animals wandering around the ice burgs of Antarctica, and Remus and Sirius had joined the shopping spree, albeit a little reluctantly.
When Harry, Draco, Remus and Sirius walked back to the group, Darius and Marcus still stood there, staring at each other angrily. "Oh, come off it." Draco physically separated the two. "We're on the same side, and you are both legal adults. Please stop this pathetic behavior."
Marcus hissed, baring his fangs at the demigod.
"You idiot!" Harry snapped, dragging Darius and his brother into a deserted bathroom, Draco and Adrian following. "We're in the middle of a MUGGLE mall, in case you forgot! Quit exposing yourself! Wait- that sounded wrong!" Harry stopped yelling and started banging his head on the wall. Draco sat down on the floor, laughing.
Adrian snickered and joined Draco on the floor, Ginny on his lap. Darius blinked. "All right, that was strange. I'm not sure I want to know what you're really thinking about, Harry."
"Come on," Harry groaned. "We need to go shopping. Erin needs some clothes, and I would like to get this over with. Could you all please put the animosity away for just four hours?"
Adrian stared at them. "You're still willing to be seen in public with me?" he asked, chewing his lip.
Ginny grinned. "You brought me a new sister! You're the bestest Evil Dark Prince Boyfriend a girl could hope for!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.
Adrian turned a spectacular shade of pink, and hung his head. "Ummm."
"Aw, you're so cute when you turn that color," Darius teased. He wrapped an arm around Adrian's shoulders, causing the Prince of hell to turn an even brighter shade of pink.
Marcus started banging his head against the wall, hoping for a concussion.
Seven hours and twelve stores later, the exhausted group, minus Adrian, Apparated back to Potter Manor, laden with multiple shopping bags. They dropped the bags on the marble floor of the entrance hall and banished them to the appropriate rooms wearily before trekking into the study. "Whoever invented shopping must be on Clautius's payroll," Harry said with a sigh, flopping onto a couch and groaning.
"Why do you say that?" Alanna asked, putting down her book.
"Because it is so fun, yet so exhausting, and time consuming, and it is the only time that Galleons run through your pockets like water. Who ever invented it must be evil. I think, if Clautius ever used a gigantic mall as a trap, and invited all of Earth to come shop, we would all be toast."
"Hear, hear," Erin agreed tiredly, summoning a giant glass of coke.
Alanna grinned. "Don't say that too loud, he might hear you."
"Why, is he here?" Draco asked, his eyes wide.
"Who? What?" Harry asked, bolting upright. "Who's here?"
Ginny and Darius looked at each other. "What's going on?" Darius asked.
"They're just nuts," Ginny said with a sigh.
"Hey!" Draco protested. "I resemble that remark!"
"Too right," Sirius yawned. Within minutes, he was sound asleep, his head cushioned by Remus's lap. Remus looked down and yawned as well, running his fingers lightly through Sirius's ebony locks.
Alanna shook her head. "I'm sending you all to your rooms," she warned before banishing everyone.
The next day, Ginny, Harry, Draco and Darius went again to the mall, this time leaving Erin with Alanna to begin the search for Erin's family.
The stayed at the mall for seven hours- Adrian never came.
The next day it was the same, and the next. Eventually, they stopped going, because he didn't show up. Darius and Ginny became depressed and confused, wondering what had happened to him.
Over the next several weeks, Alanna and Erin searched for her family so she could go home. As her father was, or, when she was a teenager had been in the Army, they finally had to recruit Captain George to help them search for his last duty station. After almost three weeks of trying to track down the Muggle family, they found the last duty station- Bonn, Germany.
Alanna threw up her hands. "Well, they could be anywhere in the States!" she said, exasperated.
Erin rolled her eyes. "I've said it twice- in the last twenty minutes. This was all unnecessary! I'll just call my Grandmother!"
Alanna sighed. "We already called her, remember? Two weeks ago. The number had been discontinued."
"Hello! I have TWO grandmothers!"
Alanna stopped, her eyes narrowed. "Oh. Right. Well, call her already!"
Erin rolled her eyes yet again before picking up the phone and dialing. "Hello? Is this Mrs. Murphy? No, Janet Murphy, not Amy- wait, Amy is there?" She walked off, carrying the cordless phone.
Within minutes, Erin had her grandmother, mother and father on the phone, and thus began the tearful reunion.
Three days later, Erin left, finally home with her parents. Harry and Draco accompanied her to set up wards for her protection and the protection of her family.
While they were gone, Lily and James sent the invitations for Harry's surprise seventeenth birthday party and then Apparated to pick out his present, Gareth sleeping in Lily's arms.
Three days before Harry's birthday, Draco disappeared for the whole day and came back at ten thirty at night, laden with bags. Harry stared as Draco stacked to bags in the walk in closet and scowled. "What was so important that you couldn't even talk to me all day?" he pouted from where he was lying, on his stomach, on their bed.
"Shopping," Draco said cautiously. "And, before you ask, no you can't see what I bought."
Harry pouted. "Why not?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Because."
Harry pouted even harder. Draco just glared at him and Harry sighed. "Fine, be that way. When's Uncle Sev coming back?" he asked hopefully.
Draco cocked his head to one side. "You know, I have no idea."
Harry scowled slightly. "I miss them," he said sadly. "I wish they'd come back already. I mean, we've popped into their manor ten, eleven times, just to check up on the house elves and if they needed anything."
"Do you want to call them?" Draco asked. "They're at the Mansion, so we could just contact them." He sat down next to Harry and rested his head on his soul mate's back.
"Won't that be intruding?" Harry asked.
Draco rolled his eyes. "You worry too much."
Harry rolled his eyes in response. "Fine." He reached out for the familiar pull of his Godfather's mind... and jerked back as quickly as possible.
"Well?" Draco asked.
Harry pushed him. "They were... you know."
Draco started laughing, falling off the bed.
"It's not funny! I'm scarred for life!" Harry protested. "I'm MMMPPPGH!"
Put your mouth to better use, Potter.
The next morning, Harry attempted to roll out of bed, but couldn't, as he was half way under a lightly snoring blond. "Oof," he wheezed, trying to push Draco off of his back. No such luck. Draco scowled, his lower lip jutting out adorably, and tightened his grip.
"No... stay... nice teddy..." Draco whimpered, snuggling into Harry's neck.
Harry groaned. "Draco... wake up please."
"Nope, not gonna." Draco burrowed further into Harry's neck, tendrils of his hair tickling Harry's nose.
"Wake up."
"No."
"Please?" Harry sighed. He really had to use the bathroom.
"Nope."
"I have to pee."
"Can't you hold it?"
Harry growled low in the back of his throat. This was really becoming exasperating. "Move it, or I'll...." He grinned suddenly and rolled over, landing directly on top of his soul mate.
"Mmmmph!!!" Draco groaned. Harry smirked triumphantly and started to get up. Draco promptly wrapped his arms around Harry's neck and his legs around his waist, true starfish style.
"Fuck!" Harry snapped.
Draco smirked and opened his eyes. "Now, that's a directive I can obey."
Harry rolled his eyes and stood up.
"New positions? We've never tried it standing up-oof!" Draco unceremoniously landed on his back on the bed. Harry gave him a distinctly predatory grin and he shivered, closing his eyes. When he opened his eyes back up, several disappointing seconds later, Harry was nowhere in sight. "What the-" He heard a toilet flush and Harry stalked back out form the bathroom, sporting a relieved grin.
Draco lay back and pouted, crossing his arms. "That wasn't very ni- MMMPGH!"
Put your mouth to better use, Malfoy.
Three hours later, they managed to drag them out of bed when their hunger pangs became too great and then Apparated into the dining hall, wearing pairs of pajama bottoms and identical lazy grins. Alanna looked up at them as they appeared next to the table and smirked. "Good afternoon. I'm so glad you could join us."
Harry smirked. "It isn't afternoon."
Alanna waved her hand, and foot high scarlet numbers blinked at him. '12:09'. "I'll say it again- good afternoon."
Harry scowled at her.
The distinct pop of Apparation behind the two teens had them whirling around, their hands swirling with power. An extremely giddy Laurel and a smiling Severus stared at them with surprise. "What? Who were you expecting?" Severus asked, opening his arms.
Harry and Draco wasted no time in hugging their favorite Potions Professor. "We missed you," they said as one before moving on to hug Laurel just as hard. "And, to answer your question," Harry continued, "we've had some interesting people here, the most interesting being Adrian about three weeks ago."
"What?" Laurel asked, her face paling. "That bastard better not come back here or I'll hurt him myself!"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Did he ever lay a hand on you, Laurel?" he asked a bit coolly.
Laurel frowned. "Well, no."
"Did he ever hurt you in any way other than physically?" Draco asked seriously.
"No, but he's Clautius's son!" she insisted.
"What is all this about?" Severus demanded. "Explain yourselves!"
"We've met him," Harry explained.
"He's actually pretty nice," Draco continued.
"Ginny likes him," Harry said immediately after Draco.
"And Darius does too," Draco finished.
Laurel and Severus stared at them incredulously.
"A lot has changed while you were gone," Harry said lamely.
"Ginny and Darius have been meeting with him, and Draco and I tagged along, just in case. And, then, three weeks ago, he Apparated in here with this chick named Erin and told us to keep her safe, that he couldn't protect her any more."
"And, then we helped her find her family, but Adrian hasn't been back to see Ginny and Darius since then, except for once, the first day Erin was here. They're worried and Ginny's cried about it more than once," Draco said, his eyes troubled.
Severus raised an eyebrow. "I see."
Laurel scowled. "Well, I don't. He's an evil bastard!"
Harry and Draco sighed, and began once again. "Has he done anything to you?"
Three hours later, they had yet to convince Laurel of Adrian's semi good personality, though she was willing to meet him and discover the truth for herself. After she spent some quality time chewing him out for being an evil bastard, that is.
The next two days were spent in quiet preparation for Harry's birthday. Everyone invited had agreed to come, including Ginny, Darius, Claudette, Lucas, Seamus, Blaise, Emily, Eric, Dudley and his girlfriend Amanda, Neville, Luna, Ron, Hermione, Bill, the rest of the Weaseley Family, Ceilia, Remus, Sirius, Severus, Laurel, the demigods and demigoddesses.
On the morning of Harry's birthday, he awoke to knowledgeable hands mapping his skin, tracing patterns all over his chest, back, stomach and neck.
"Mmm," Harry groaned, keeping his eyes closed.
"Happy Birthday," the soft voice of his soul mate whispered in his ear, nibbling and pulling the rings in his cartilage.
Harry's eyes shot open at the sensation. "Good morning to you, too," he moaned softly, as those hands traveled lower on his abdomen, followed by an inquisitive tongue in all the right places. "Oh, please, yes... huh?" the hands suddenly left his skin.
"Draco?" Harry asked, looking up to find his soul mate lying next to him, looking down at him with an odd expression on his face. "Draco, what is it?"
Draco swallowed, his anxiety leaking through the slight shields they held between each other.
"Draco, answer me. What is wrong?" Harry asked, slightly exasperated.
Draco stared Harry straight in the eye. "I- umm," Nervously, he played with the edge of the blanket.
Harry glared at him, still almost painfully aroused. "You are being rather unfair."
Draco sighed.
"What is going on?"
Draco rolled off the bed and started ransacking the drawers of his dresser, cursing under his breath.
Harry sighed. "Hello," he muttered, holding up the small jar he found under his pillow. "Are you looking for this?"
Draco whipped around. "Nope, something else," he muttered, looking on the floor for the pants he had been wearing the day before. "Aha!"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Did you find it?" he asked wryly, sitting back against the pillows, the blanket discarded.
Draco nodded and sauntered back to the bed, his eyes betraying his nervousness.
"Come on, Dray, tell me what this is all about."
Draco bit his lip and brought out a small black velvet box. "I got you a present?" he nervously toyed with the box.
Harry leaned forward. "Oh?" He stood up and walked over to Draco, pulling him into a searing kiss. "That's so sweet."
Draco grinned slightly. "It goes with a question I've been thinking about for quite some time," he muttered.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "And?" he asked, smirking at the uncharacteristic display of nerves Draco was exhibiting.
Draco chewed his lip, and Harry ran a thumb over the chewed lip, stroking it. "Draco, just ask the question. I'd do anything for you. You know that."
His eyes widened as Draco dropped to one knee. "Draco..."
"Oh, shut it. That little comment at the Mall had me thinking. I really didn't like seeing you flirt with some chick, even if she's now dating your cousin. And, I really don't like the fact that, even though we're bonded, it isn't official. So, Harry Potter, would you do me the horror of marrying me?" He opened the box, displaying a thin platinum band woven in a Celtic knot with small diamond chips encrusted in the spaces.
Harry's jaw dropped and he stared at Draco incredulously before biting his finger, trying desperately to muffle his snorts of laughter.
Draco pouted, incredibly hurt. He slowly closed the box, a single tear trickling down his face.
"Wait- Draco, wait." Harry walked over to the bureau, and pulled open the second drawer, pulling out an identical black velvet box. He handed it to Draco with a grin. "Open it."
Draco did, and he stared at the identical platinum bands, his mouth open. "You- you bought one yourself?" he stammered.
Harry nodded. "So, Draco Malfoy, what say you? Will you marry me?"
Grinning, they slid the bands on each others' ring fingers. "Do you see why I started laughing?" Harry asked with a smirk.
Draco chuckled. "It only proves that we have excellent taste."
Still smiling, Harry caressed the side of Draco's face. "So, Draco do you think we could finish what you started?" He pulled his fiancé in for a loving kiss.
Draco pulled Harry towards the bathroom. "I don't know... I feel like taking a shower."
Harry's eyes lit up. "Sounds good to me."
An hour later, they stumbled out of the bathroom, still kissing and groping each other.
"Ahem."
Harry looked over and caught sight of his amused parents sitting on his bed. "Ummm, hi Mum, hi Dad."
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Draco muttered, hiding behind Harry.
"Draco, we've told you. Mum and Dad or Lily and James. Mr. and Mrs. Potter make us feel old."
"Fine. Hello, Lily, James."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I hate to sound abrupt, but we were a little busy. Was there something you desperately needed?"
Lily smirked. "Unless you count wishing our son a happy seventeenth birthday, no, not really."
Harry turned pink. "I love you both, but could you let us get dressed?"
James shrugged. "It's nothing we haven't seen before."
"Mum!" Harry pleaded.
Lily hit James on the shoulder. "Come on. I guess we can give gifts later." They stood up and headed for the door, laughing.
Draco summoned a pair of pants. "Don't let them get away, Harry! They're giving gifts!"
Laughing, Harry summoned his pants, putting them on. "Mum, Dad, we're decent!"
Lily and James turned back around. "Oh, really?" They stared at the shirtless boys with amusement.
Harry nodded excitedly.
"Then follow us. There's something we have to show you." With that, Lily and James walked out of their room, arms around each others waists.
Harry and Draco looked at each other and followed, their fingers intertwined and their rings glinting in the light.
They walked outside of the Manor and stopped, flabbergasted, on the front steps.
Lily and James stood next to them. "So, you have a choice. Which do you want?"
Harry walked down the three steps, staring at the black convertible Jaguar and then at the Vincent Black Knight. "Oh my God."
"Harry, pick the Jag, pick the Jag," Draco pleaded.
Harry ran his hand over the classic motorcycle, smirking. "Why? I think I like the cycle, better."
"I refuse to ride on the bitch seat," Draco snapped. Harry snickered.
"Come on, Harry. The Jag is- oh man, it's pure sex appeal and money."
Harry smirked at Draco, continuing to stroke the handlebars lovingly.
"Harry, come on. Pick the bloody Jag!"
"Why? It's my present, not yours."
"Because driving a black Jag is like running stark naked into a church filled with priests and nuns and screaming SEX at the top of your lungs! Pick the fucking Jag!!!"
Lily poked James in the ribs. "I want the Vincent. I don't mind riding on the back."
James smirked. "Can I get a leather jacket?"
Lily grinned. "I want one, too."
"Damn it, Draco!" Harry yelled. "I don't even know how to drive!!!"
"So??? It's a JAG!!!!"
Harry was suddenly tempted to throttle his soul mate. "So?"
"It's a Jag! Jags are sexy!"
James walked over to Harry and slung an arm around his shoulder. "So, decided yet?"
"What?" Harry asked, staring incredulously at his father. "I can't even drive!"
"Well, we have to know what lessons to sign you up for," Lily explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Harry grinned. "You're signing me up for driving lessons?"
Draco pouted. "Pick the Jag, please pick the Jag."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I should pick the bike just to spite you," he muttered.
Lily smirked. "Pick the Jag, please pick the Jag?" she asked, staring at her son imploringly.
"All right, Draco has made his point. Why are you so anxious, now?" Harry asked, eyeing his mother and father suspiciously.
Lily grinned and sent them an image of her, Remus, James and Sirius taking cross-country trips with the two bikes. "We've always wanted to. It was something we talked about right before you were born," she explained.
Harry grinned and stuck his tongue out at Draco. "You win. Jag it is."
"YAY!!!!!!!!!!"
Lily raised an eyebrow as Draco promptly did the happy dance around the car.
Harry edged away from his soul mate, as if his insanity were catching.
James grinned, popped back into the house, and popped back out, carrying a very wide awake Gareth. "Now, Gareth, that is insanity. Can you say insanity?"
Gareth burbled happily.
Draco glared at him.
Harry smirked and turned to walk back into the house, when Lily caught his left hand. "And, what is this?" she asked casually.
Draco stopped dancing around as James caught his arm. "And, when were you going to tell us about this?" he asked, studying the ring with a smirk.
Draco and Harry stared at them. "Um, later today?" Harry offered.
"Right. March, young man." Lily dragged Harry into the house, James doing the same to Draco.
And Gareth burbled the entire way in.
A/N: Well, so goes another chapter. Not much to say, except I am almost done with one of the ideas I had. I also think I should have kept Just Like You as a one shot. It doesn't work as a whole story- after all, I was given the challenge of making Dumbledore say the F word, and I did. That was all I was aiming to do.
Anyway, Chapter 4 done, thirty to thirty five more to go. Damn... Anyway, read, review, the works! I apologize for the delay... I dunno what's going on, but I've been done with this chapter for now almost a week and it hasn't been betaed yet. I'm writing this as of 8/12, but... I dunno. ANNIE!!!! PLEASE BETA THE CHAPPIE!!!!!!!!!! THE PUBLIC NEEDS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
B/N: (Falls out of bed, and gets tangled in blankets) Huh?! A'rite! A'rite! I'm up! (Clickety clackety! BetaZING! More BetaZING!) Done! And record time, too!
Hope you all like it! Sorry it took so long! I was sorta hibernating... Coughgoingtogreatamericacough! But all done now!!!