Chapter 13: Nightmares

Draco was in a cell, his cell at Malfoy Manor. Had the whole meeting with Harry just been one big hallucination? Just a dream? Just a figment of his imagination? The room, it was the same as before he had escaped; he was in the same small, dank tiny room, with no furniture or light. There was the same smell of sweat, blood and other bodily fluids Draco didn't even want to name. The chains were still on the wall, as were the scratches Draco had managed to mark into the wall, when he had the strength in the first few days of his imprisonment. He'd attempted to make them into a calendar, but the days had all blended into one continuos loop eventually. There were still the splatters and stains of blood against the wall where he'd been roughly thrown in the cell. Draco was now lying face down on the damp floor, only a pair of trousers on, scratches and bruises all over his pale skin.

There were loud booming noises from down the hall, and Draco shivered involuntarily. He knew what it was; a Death Eater ready to take him to the chamber, to be tortured. The door opened roughly, almost swinging from its hinges, and Lucius Malfoy stood grinning maliciously in the frame of the door.

"Good evening Draco..." he drawled.

Draco moaned from his position on the floor, trying his hardest to sit up, come up with a comeback, anything... but all he could do was turn over and open a weary eye at his father.

"Ready for another... session shall we call it?" Lucius asked. He left no room for him to answer, as he strode across the room and bodily lifted his son from the floor. He was dragged to a room down the corridor, his skin grazing against the hard, cold stone floor.

He barely recognised himself being thrown in another room, but opened an eye to see a heavy fist aiming for his head. He began to scream as more blows were landed on his body...

"Draco... baby, please wake up... Draco..." Harry said, nearly sobbing at the distress his lover was obviously in. He was tangled in the sheets, moaning and screaming, sweating and groaning.

Draco slowly awoke from his nightmare, and Harry's grip on him tightened. Draco began to calm slightly at Harry's words, as he continued to comfort him and whisper endearments into his ears, rocking him comfortingly.

"God... are you OK?" Harry asked, even though he knew that the answer was no.

Draco said nothing and turned around into Harry's embrace. He buried his head into Harry's shoulder, sobs tearing through his body, but no sounds at all. Harry could feel his t-shirt becoming progressively wetter with his silent tears. It took all Harry's self control not to break down as well. Just seeing the distress that Draco was in, the obvious pain he must have been through to be reacting like this during the night; it was too much. He couldn't stand seeing his lover in so much pain. Harry hugged him tighter, rocking the slightly shorter man soothingly and comfortingly.

Later, Harry wasn't sure how long the two just sat in each other's arms, Draco looked up at him, through misty, red, puffy eyes. Harry looked at him in something Draco thought he recognised as pity.

"Thank you," Draco whispered so quietly, Harry had to strain to hear it, and he wasn't sure if he had even heard it at all.

"I didn't do anything," Harry whispered back, "I just want you to be OK. Are you going to be?"

"Not yet." Draco said honestly, "But you're helping. Just being here. With me. You are helping Harry. I'll be fine. I will. It might just... take a little while."

Harry nodded, "OK. I believe you. If you say you are going to be OK... do... do you need anything? A glass of water... anything? I could get Professor Snape to send some Dreamless Sleep Potion for you."

Draco shook his head and leant into Harry, the two of them falling back against the pillows of the bed, embracing each other tightly, not wanting to let go, in fear of the other disappearing, "No thanks. You're all I need Harry. Just... hold me. I'll be OK."

Harry nodded and the two of them lay in silence. Harry listened for the tell tale sign of his lover's breathing regulating to signify he was once again asleep. He gently untangled himself from the blonde and slipped out the bed. He yawned as he stretched his muscles, and slipped on some socks so his feet wouldn't be cold on the wooden floors. Looking back at the now peaceful form sleeping in the bed he smiled gently.

'He'll be fine,' Harry thought, 'I know it might take a while... but he will. He has to be. We can make it through... he'll get over this. It... it'll be fine. It has to be. I can't live without him...not now I've had him back.'

He padded gently out the room, quickening his pace as he began to hear snuffles from the nursery down the hall. The twins were waking every few hours still, only being six weeks old, and when Draco had fallen asleep he'd decided to see the twins, to make sure he had a decent nights sleep. Harry could sleep for a few hours during the day. As long as Draco recovered from his ordeal that was really all that mattered.

-&-&-

Two weeks later Draco was still having nightmares, but he wouldn't or couldn't do a thing about them. Harry was becoming increasingly more tired, from soothing Draco during the night (as well as other activities during the night) and responding to the twins' cries during the night. Draco had tried to help with the twins during the night, but his nightmares took too much out of him, and Harry insisted he stay in bed when the two of them were awoken during the night. As much as Draco tried to protest, Harry was very convincing and Draco found it even more tiring to protest.

Draco had yet to speak to Dumbledore, and Snape had given the Headmaster some hints to a new Dark Lord, but he and Draco had decided to give him a small recovering period before the two missing wizards returned to the Wizarding World to reveal the information. Snape had made an appointment in his name that Harry and Draco were to attend in exactly two weeks time.

"Harry, are you worried about this meeting?" Draco asked that afternoon. The twins were lying, currently asleep on the floor on a blanket. The two of them were sitting comfortably in the living room, slightly dozy, resting from a trying morning.

"Yeah... are we going to take the twins? I think Sirius will look after them, if we ask him. Or Seamus even, if we're that desperate." Harry joked.

Draco chose his words carefully, "I think, that if you don't want their identities or existence revealed just yet, we should leave them here. With Black, not the Leprechaun."

"Please at least call him Finnigan, not 'the Leprechaun'. Seamus would be even better though," Harry suggested thoughtfully.

"If he calls me Draco, then I'll call him Seamus, any of them actually. So Black?" Draco prodded Harry.

Harry nodded his head of shaggy black hair, "We'll leave them here. I just don't want them to grow up as the kids of the 'Boy Who Lived' and a Malfoy. The longer that I can protect them from that the better."

Draco agreed with him, "Yeah, so when people do find out; they'll be known as ours right?"

Harry gave him a funny look and said sarcastically, "No, I was going to announce them as the secret love children between me and your cousin. Is that OK?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "Good. As long as they're Malfoys. Actually no. The name can die with me, they can be Potters."

Harry laughed and said, "Sure. But they're ours. Nothing can change that."

Draco smiled quite shyly, an odd and rarely seen look on him and nodded. He leant against the couch and closed his eyes, sighing contentedly when he felt Harry lean against him too, snuggling happily.

-&-&-

"Harry... wake up... Harry?" a voice came interrupting Harry's slumber. He yawned as he opened his eyes. Smiling when he saw he saw his Godfather he sat up slowly, still lethargic.

"Listen, lie back down... me and Remus, we'll take the twins OK? That park... or something. Just... get all well rested. You've been knackered for weeks, both of you. Have a good sleep. We'll be back soon." Sirius said quietly. He leant forwards, gave Harry a brief kiss on the forehead, and stood up from his crouching position.

Harry yawned again and leant back into Draco's embrace, feeling Draco hold him closer as he did so, "Thank you Sirius. I really appreciate it..."

Sirius nodded and watched as Harry fell back to sleep, cuddling his lover. He and Remus silently gathered all the twins would need for a few hours, and strapped them into their pushchair, careful not to awake them.

Once out the house (locking the door so no one would walk in on them. They had been told about the incident with Dean and Seamus) they began to walk around, going nowhere, and anywhere.

"He really loves him, doesn't he?" Sirius asked out of the blue.

"Who?" Remus asked, slightly confused, but with a fair idea of who he meant.

"Mal... Draco. He... he really loves Harry, doesn't he?" Sirius said, the words obviously taking a lot of effort to say, and not looking at Remus, as if his face would tell him that this, his nightmare, was true.

Remus sighed, but was happy that Sirius had realised this, and said it out loud, "Yes. He does. I really think he does... are you OK with it?"

"No," Sirius answered honestly, "But... I'm getting there. I think so anywhere. I don't want to kill the prick every time I see him anymore. I think that's a good sign."

Remus rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I think so. Seeing them together, it makes it easier to understand and believe doesn't it?"

Sirius nodded shortly, "Unfortunately. It just... it scares me. What if he does hurt Harry? What if Lucius comes, and takes him away or something? I mean, Harry's still big news, I think he always will be, and when word gets out about Lucius, they're going to want him back. To kill him too, aren't they?

"Sirius, I really don't think Lucius is going to be powerful enough to try and take over our world for a long time. Voldemort, he took years of gaining power before he even considered attacking. And we didn't know. We have the advantage now, don't we? We know something will happen one day, and we can prepare for that. Whether we need Harry or not." Remus said diplomatically.

Sirius nodded, and the two of them continued to walk around, thinking about what the future may or may not hold for and everyone and everything.

-&-&-

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

"Harry..." moaned Draco as someone woke them from their sleep, "Someone's making a lot of noise..."

"It's the door, you twit. Go and answer it..." Harry said, moving off Draco and stretching.

Draco looked slightly annoyed at Harry before sighing and nodding. He stood up gracefully and straightened his shirt and hair. Harry shook his head at his vain boyfriend and watched him (or his bum) walk out the room.

Draco unlocked the door and raised an eyebrow at the woman outside the door. A man stood hovering behind her, looking at Draco appraisingly. A baby was strapped to her front, and frankly he was very surprised the baby wasn't suffocating. That pouch thing didn't look very comfortable at all.

"Hi..." she said nervously.

"Hello." Draco said calmly.

"Er... is Harry there?" she asked. She was suddenly very much reminded of calling for her friends as a 12-year-old, and an intimidating parent answering the door.

"Why?" Draco asked, narrowing his eyes, "Who the hell are you?"

She looked outraged at his rudeness, and the man behind her frowned, and opened his mouth to tell this strange bloke off for yelling at his wife.

"Don't be so bloody rude you pillock," came an admonishing voice from behind the door. Draco turned around and scowled. The door inched open more, and revealed a tousled Harry, looking amused at his boyfriend. Harry wore a pair of baggy denim jeans, barely riding on his hips, and his boxers sticking out over the top. His blue t-shirt bore the slogan 'My dog Sam made me do it,' and was slightly crumpled and creased. His hair was messed and flyaway, it was obvious he'd just woken up, but his composure was different and he seemed to glow; it was obvious to Fiona and Sean that something was very different.

"I am not rude thank you, these people are. I was asleep." Draco said, perfectly serious. Harry rolled his eyes at him and edged him out the way.

"Hi, sorry about him. He gets a little grumpy when he's woken up..." Harry said apologetically.

Fiona smiled slightly uneasily, "That... that's OK. We were just wondering whether you would like some company... but if you're busy..."

Harry shook his head, "No, no, that's OK. Please, come in."

Fiona nodded and walked in, Sean hesitantly following. Draco had disappeared... somewhere... he was in the living room, sitting down.

"Erm... Drake these are my friends, Fiona and Sean, and their baby Jack. This is Draco. He's going to be nice." Harry said.

Draco mock scowled at Harry who smiled sweetly, and offered his hand to Sean, who shook it, then to Fiona. He kissed her hand elegantly, and then turned around to Harry, who was laughing.

"Oi you, I was being polite, don't laugh at me." Draco scolded, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, bless ya, you're the only person I know that is so... proper. It's so sweet," Harry said, then kissed him on the cheek. Then he froze as he realised what he had just done in front of whom.

"Erm..." Harry said turning around, to a startled pair of people sitting on the sofa.

"Wow. I am so going to love seeing you get yourself out of this one, Harry," Draco drawled, and arranged himself comfortably on the chair, to watch Harry.

"Well you see..." Harry began thoughtfully, wondering what the hell he could say to get himself out of his mess.

"Are you gay?" Fiona said, not beating around the bush, and asking frankly.

Harry once again looked thoughtful and said, "Well, not gay per say... more like..."

"He swings both ways?" Draco added, fully intending his comment to be helpful. Harry nodded at his statement, then looked to his friends. Or what he hoped were still his friends.

"Oh..." Sean said, "...OK."

"You're... you're OK with it?" Harry asked self consciously,

Fiona nodded, "... yeah. Why wouldn't we be? I don't think that it matters who you fall in love with... love is love, in what ever shape or form."

"And her sister 'swings both ways' as well, as you put it," Sean added helpfully.

Fiona rolled her eyes, and joked, "I was trying to be nice and positive and... and supportive. You ruined it!!"

"Sorry," he said, not particularly sorry at all.

Harry grinned, his nerves forgotten.

"Where are the twins?" Fiona asked.

"Oh, my Godfather has them at the minute." Harry explained.

Fiona nodded, "You know, they resemble Draco a bit... it must be a coincidence."

Harry shot Draco a worried look, then laughed uneasily, "Yeah. Actually the mother, she... she was a second cousin of Draco's. That's... that's how we met..." He bluffed his way through the entire little explanation.

Fiona and Sean seemed to accept his explanation quite easily, and they continued to talk for a while. Once they were gone, Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"I thought they were always going to be mine?" Draco teased Harry, whispering in his ear in a low voice, that tickled Harry's neck and made the hairs stand on end, as the door closed quietly.

Harry growled slightly, a low noise at the back of his throat, which Draco found quite arousing, "OK, they're yours in the Wizarding world, in the Muggle world, they're your second cousins, OK?"

Draco nodded, "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Good," Harry said in a low, sexy voice, and he began to back Draco into the corner, "Now, I have another plan."

Draco recognised the misty look in Harry's eyes and the predatory look on his face, from their few, brief encounters over the past few weeks, and played along, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah. Any guesses?" he asked, inching them back against the wall even more.

"Well," Draco said, deliberately drawing out his thinking, "A few, I will admit."

"Really?" Harry asked, his breathing already beginning to become laboured and fast, "Would you care to elaborate?"

"Have you been reading a dictionary? Or did you just swallow one?" Draco teased, "But...I will admit... I have been thinking..."

Harry groaned at his reluctance to talk and pushed him firmly against the hallway wall, "Just tell me..." he whispered into Draco's ear, and then licked by his cheek bone, "Tell me, and I'll do it. What ever it is..."

Er... squeamish people, this is really making chapters short for you isn't it?

Draco kissed Harry roughly, and then pulled away and whispered, "I want you to fuck me."

As soon as the words met Harry's ears, he felt blood rush to his groin. Harry pressed against Draco, so he too felt his arousal. When he realised the effects of his words, he carried on talking.

"Yeah... Harry... I want you to fuck me. There will be time for you to make love to me, and me to you (once they figured out the little side effect of Harry becoming pregnant) ... but now... I want it now." Draco whispered in a deliberately husky voice, pushing hard against Harry.

Harry groaned again and kissed Draco hard, and whispered, "Are you sure?" They had yet to pass this stage in their relationship since their first time in May of last year, ten months ago.

"Beyond sure..." Draco whispered intensely.

"Good..." Harry whispered, "Now, tell me blondie..." he bit Draco's earlobe, "do you know what you've gotten your self into... are you ready," he ripped open his shirt, "cos it's going to be," he licked down Draco's breast bone, ", better than before... better than ever..." he dipped his tongue into Draco's belly button, "so... are you sure...?"

Draco pulled Harry up from his knees and kissed his hard and whispered again, "Beyond sure..."

"Good..." Harry whispered, then kissed Draco. Divesting both of them of their clothes, he prepared Draco carefully and lovingly, and proceeded to exactly what had been requested.

Tada. You can read now.

-&-&-

"Hey..." Harry said a few hours later as the two of them washed each other off in the shower, "Are you sure you're OK?"

Draco smiled, "Yeah. I'm fine... a few bruises and scratches... but I think I'll live..."

Harry grinned, wet, black hair falling in his eyes, "Nothing you didn't ask for... certainly like it rough, don't you?"

"Hey, you didn't seem to mind... and you've got plenty of your own that you asked for too..." Draco said, blushing slightly.

"I know. And I never said I did mind... quite liked it actually... " Harry said happily and watched Draco grin saucily and leaned in slightly.

"HARRY!!" a voice yelled from downstairs.

Harry sighed, their peace broken and he shouted back, "DOWN IN A MINUTE!"

"Go and get dressed then, you don't mind if I stay in a bit, do you?" Draco asked. He was happy in his and Harry's little world at the moment, and didn't want Harry's Godfather to break his mood.

"Sure. Come down in a bit though, OK?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded and agreed. He smacked Harry lightly on the bum and pushed him gently out the door.

Harry leant in the door slightly and kissed him gently, rubbing his hands over some of the scratches and nail indentations on Draco's back, and smiled. Dressing quickly, he fled down the stairs and went into the living room.

Saying hi to Sirius and Remus, and thanking them, he briefly wondered when Seamus and Dean had appeared. But he went over to the babies, who were gurgling peacefully in their carrycots. He picked them up skilfully, manoeuvring them so he could hold them both at once, and sat down on the nearest seat.

"Hey..." he whispered, "I missed you. I really didn't realise how much, until you weren't here. I don't like you not being here. I was worried. I didn't need to be... but I was... it was quite scary actually. I honestly don't think I'm going to be able to let you out my sight for a good many hours... maybe days... hope you don't mind... but I'm afraid you don't really have a choice..."

The four men in the room looked on at Harry, in slight awe, pride and happiness. He really did love his children more than anything; he couldn't be a better father to them. And they had to admit, Draco really was good with them too, and very helpful.

When Draco came down the stairs, the five of them were chatting comfortably, laughing and cooing over the babies. Suddenly, he really didn't know what to do with himself. He didn't want to interrupt them, but he felt left out, he wanted to be down there with them all, comfortable and talking to them all. He hovered on the stairs for a couple of minutes, watching as Seamus stood up, and gathered more beer, Dean hitting Seamus for spilling his beer in his lap, Sirius holding and rocking Persephone, and Remus and Harry talking, Sebastian lying in Harry's arms comfortably. Suddenly Sirius turned around and saw Draco. A non-discernible look on his face, he sighed. Draco just watched him for a minute. Sirius sighed again and beckoned him down. It was then that Draco realised he was becoming one of the 'gang'. He was being accepted as Harry's lover and partner and the father of his kids. It was a fantastic feeling, and a weight lifted of his shoulders. After that his nightmares lessened a significant amount.

A/N - Thank you for reviewing, if you want a personal responce please leave you e-mail addy, and for news see my livejournal, which i'm about to update. Thank you and please review, to get me off my arse to sit down again and finish the next chapter.