Warning: Mpreg. Please do NOT read if this is not your cup of tea along withyour slice of bread in the morning.
Chocolate
June, 2005
Sunny Locale
Harry had just sat down, and put up his feet when suddenly, there came a loud crashing sound. A long, ominous silence followed until a loud wailing cry split the air. "Shit," he said quietly and struggled, frantically from the chair to his feet. "The children."
He hurried from the room, trying to walk as quickly as his burden would allow him and followed the direction of the cries. His heart in his throat, he rounded the corner of the long hallway into the kitchen and came upon his three children huddled around a pile of broken crockery.
At the noise of his entrance, Sophie, whose face had become flushed and wet with noisy tears, darted across the room and threw herself, headlong, at his legs, greeting him with a mournful cry. He drew her back, gently, by the shoulder and drew a critical gaze over her body. She was unhurt. He looked up at the other two children. "Are you hurt?" he wanted to know. With a guilty shake of their head they replied, "No."
He pulled the nearest chair to him, and collapsed into it, drawing Sophie, comfortingly, into his diminished lap. He tried to slow his racing heart. "Would someone like to explain what happened?" he questioned with an even tone.
Brahnan mumbled something, quietly. "What was that?" asked Harry. He wanted to be angry. He really did. But he couldn't be when he noticed that while Brahnan looked only a little worried (he knew Papa might shout but he would never hit) Kelsey was trembling, his body shaking like a leaf. Harry knew he had to tread here, lightly.
His gaze suddenly sharpened and he realized the boys were still standing near to the broken dishes. "Brahn, Kelly," he said, sharply. "Quickly - step away from the glass and come over, here, please."
Both boys obeyed; Brahnan promptly while his brother dragged his steps.
Harry, shifted, settling Sophie, who had fallen asleep whilst sucking at her thumb, more comfortable against his rounded belly. "Now," he said, firmly. "One of you. Tell me what happened."
"It was an accident, Papa," Brahnan said, softly.
Kelsey interjected. "I'm sorry, sir." His voice was tremulous and low and he refused to meet Harry's eyes. "It was my fault." Brahnan's head shot up as he turned to look at his brother.
"No, Papa. I broke the dishes," he stated emphatically.
"You did?" Brahnan nodded, a look of remorse about him. "How?"
"They fell."
"Ah." Well, that explained everything. Harry looked at the other boy. "Kelly, would you like to tell me what happened?" he gently asked.
A troubled look came over Kelsey's face, but he spoke, haltingly. "Brahnan wanted some choc'late biscuits," he explained. Harry looked over at the high counter where the cookie jar normally rested. It stood precariously near the edge, hanging over the scattered pile of broken dishes. He looked around but he saw no means by which Kelsey, seven, or Brahnan, four, might have reached the counter.
He brought his gaze around to both boys and raised his eyebrows questioningly. "But that still does not answer how the dishes came to be broken."
"I really, really wanted the biscuits, Papa," Brahnan confessed in a piping voice. "Kelsey wouldn't let me. So I wished for them, really hard."
Harry blinked. He looked more closely at Brahnan, understanding slowly dawning. "Brahnan …" Harry breathed. "You – but – your magic…" he spluttered. Then, summarizing his feelings, exactly, he cried, "Holy shit!"
"Papa!" Brahnan cried indignantly. "You said a naughty word."
"I know. And I'm sorry, love." Harry gazed at his son with a wondering expression. Any anger that Harry had still been harboring, vanished in the face of Brahnan's very first display of magic. "Come, here, Brahn." He held the boy as best he could with the baby in the way and Sophie in his lap and smothered his face with jubilant kisses. "Oh, I'm so happy."
The boy pulled back, confused. "You're not angry anymore, Papa?"
Harry looked down at his son and then at Kelsey. "No, I'm not," he said solemnly. And then he laughed.
Brahnan, laughed too, glad that Papa had forgiven him.
Kelsey, who still hung back, laughed a little as well.
Harry looked down at his daughter, and roused her, saying, "Wake up, love."
Sophie stirred and looked at him out of bleary eyes. "Papa?"
"Yes, come on, love." Harry rose, setting the girl on her feet. "We've got to bake your brother a cake."
Two eyes widened, roundly. "Choc'late?"
Harry laughed. "Yes, Brahn. Chocolate."
"Do I get a cake, too?" Sophie asked, looking at him, hopefully.
"Well…" Harry equivocated. "We'll share the cake and then we can all have a piece."
Sophie did not like that answer and stamped her foot, her brows knitting with a fearsome scowl. "I want a cake!"
"And you will have one," Harry soothingly said. "When you display your First Magic, too."
Sophie thought about this and approved the idea. "My cake stwabewwy."
Harry laughed. "Alright, Soph. Your very own strawberry cake."
"Now," Harry said, and took a step toward the counters, but he stopped and gasped, a pained look on his face. A sudden, sharp bit of pain had shot across the side of his belly. He gently pressed his hand there.
"Sir? … Papa?" Kelsey touched his elbow, worriedly. "Are you hurt?"
Harry took a deep breath and released it, the pain fading into a dull throb, already. Harry smiled shakily at the boy. "No, no," he reassured. "I'm fine." He straightened. "I'm fine," he said, again, more firmly.
Kelsey looked at him with large assessing grey eyes.
"Alright!" said Harry, suddenly, clapping his hands together. "Who wants a cake?"
"Me! I do!" shouted Brahnan and Sophie, who'd been staring anxiously at him from behind Kelsey. Avoiding Kelsey's probing gaze, Harry drew his wand from the pocket of his light summer robes, and set about sweeping the glass from the floor.
No, he thought, it wouldn't do for Draco to find out that the pains had returned. With the children's nanny on personal leave, Harry had had a difficult time reassuring Draco that he was well enough to care for the children alone for one afternoon.
Besides, he didn't want to spoil Brahnan's Celebration. Harry nodded decisively, his mind made up. Yes, he'd tell Draco tomorrow.