Ugh, I'm not really, really happy with this chapter's ending, so bear with me for a while. That scene was needed, and I had to finish typing it up today. A friend of mine is coming over in a matter of minutes, and I had to get it up before hand.
Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed this. Thanks for sticking with it even more. I hope you enjoy this chapter more than I do.
About this breaker here... Anyone watching Big Brother 6? It was last Tuesday that I typed the last scene for last chapter, and I kept getting distracted cause it was on. Oh well. -;
xXCan't concentrate... Big Brother is on...Xx
The rest of summer passed by in a whirl of happy times and happy memories. Zacchia was five months old when school started and she was growing splendidly. Harry was relieved that she bore no resemblance to Voldemort whatsoever. It made him be able to say that she was his, not Voldemort's.
The school year went by extremely quickly. Harry had purchased a flat in Hogsmeade, and as soon as they all graduated (and he and Draco had gotten Albus to quietly and secretly marry them), he moved out of his tower and into his home with his lover. Zacchia had seemed nervous upon arriving, but had calmed down considerably.
The flat was only a temporary home, however, as Harry was looking for a home in Muggle London, where both he and Draco agreed Zacchia would be safest. Because Harry didn't want the flat to go to waste, he gladly handed it over to Hermione, who was continuing her schooling, training to be a Transfiguration professor.
Of course, Severus was a constant in their lives. While he still taught at Hogwarts, he would stop by occasionally. And summers didn't feel right if Severus didn't stay for at least two weeks.
Harry and Draco had changed their money into muggle pounds, and had transferred it all to a bank. While they were well off already, Draco chose to work at a restaurant while Harry stayed home, either playing with Zacchia or working on his art (which had been his hobby ever since Zacchia was born). Draco had set up an art room for him and Harry had wasted no time in hanging up the less personal paintings. The ones he painted for Draco only stayed in their room.
The years passed by slowly at times, quickly at others. Zacchia eventually took on a mix of both Harry and Draco's personalities, and loved magic from a young age. By the time she was five years old, she had grown up considerably. Her vivid green eyes were intelligent and understanding, and she was calmer than other five year olds. Her dark hair spilled over her shoulders in a tamable style, though it looked wild. Harry, at 21, was ecstatic to have her at school, finally. Zacchia was also exited.
Draco was horrified.
"She's all grown up already..." he wailed the night before Zacchia would be going to kindergarten. Harry had packed her a lunch that night, and had laid out the school uniform, which consisted of a navy blue skirt, black shoes and a white short sleeved top with a navy blue sailor's collar with the school's insignia on the back, and left sleeve.
Harry rolled his eyes and turned to face Draco in their bed. Draco was biting his lip in worry. Honestly, it was cute, but the kindergarten was a five-minute walk away.
"She's only five, Dray. You've got thirteen more years to say that." Draco nodded slowly.
"Yeah... Aren't you worried something might happen to her?" he asked. "She's your only daughter." Harry bit his lip and looked up at the ceiling.
"I'm worried for Zacchia, terrified that there'll be some bully just waiting to pick on her. I don't know you've noticed her true eye color..."
"True eye color?"
"Her eyes are green and red, Dray. The iris starts out green, but bleeds into red as it goes along. I don't know why, but –" Harry broke off here, pausing to take a breath. "A-and it's happening again, Dray. I... I dunno how to tell you this but... I... I'm... pregnant... again..."
Draco was stunned. His Harry? Pregnant? Again? But how was that possible? Why now? Why?
"P-pregnant?" Harry nodded and curled in on himself, suddenly afraid.
"You won't leave me, right?" he asked. Draco hugged his partner close and kissed him softly.
"No, of course not Harry," he said. "I never would. It was just a shock, that's all. We'll call Poppy tomorrow, just to make sure everything is okay, alright?" Harry nodded. "Good. Sleep now, love. We'll deal with what comes when it comes..."
On those words, the two fell into somewhat uneasy sleeps.
xXAgain? OoXx
"Father! Lookit me! Am I okay like this?" five-year-old Zacchia inquired. She had dressed herself early this morning before either of her fathers were fully coherent, even managing to run the shower herself (with Harry's supervision of course). And now Draco had to play Fashion Inspector to her. Both adult and child agreed that Harry's sense of direction in fashion was off.
"Oh my gosh, you look so adorable!" Draco said. He took up some of her hair on the sides of her head and grinned. "Ribbons would look cute. Go bring the brush before Daddy comes down from his shower."
Zacchia nodded and scampered off to get the brush and navy ribbons while Draco leaned back in his chair, smiling after her. She was adorable. She'll be very pretty when she grows up, he decided. And any boyfriend will have to go through me.
"I have them!" Zacchia said, holding up the two items. She had just set them on the table when a soft curse came from the living room. Zacchia squealed and ran off excitedly. "Grandpa Sev!"
Draco rolled his eyes and stalked into the living room to greet his godfather. Zacchia was hugging him fiercely and Severus was having a hard time getting off of the couch. Finally, he gave up and let Zacchia sit on him.
"Good morning Severus," he said.
"Good morning, Draco, Zacchia. Where's Harry?" Draco nodded his head to the stairway.
"Shower," he said. "Zacchia, you didn't let me do your hair." Zacchia scrambled off of Severus and took two steps before she called the items to her with magic. She held them up proudly.
"Ha!" she said. "You can do my hair now!" Draco sighed.
"You know what we told you about magic," he said. Zacchia nodded.
"Yeah. 'No magic in public or around non-magical people ever and hold in any surges of magic if you get angry because Muggles are not supposed to know anything about magic. You could get us into trouble for sending you to a muggle school, should anything happen. So please be very careful in dealing with your magic, even though your father and I know you control it very well. You've still got some Gryffindor in you, but your Slytherin instincts should override any impulses you get. Just be careful, okay?'" she recited in an almost perfect imitation of Draco. Her adoptive father blinked, and the patted her on the head with a smile. Severus was looking proud as well.
"Good girl. Let's get your hair done."
The rest of their free time was spent getting completely ready. Zacchia put her lunch in her official kindergarten bag (which was black with the school insignia on the front of it) and put on her white outdoor shoes (beige really) to wait. Draco got dressed in a silver tank top and black jeans, brushing his hair back, then letting it fall forwards again for a windswept look. Harry was dressed in a pair of jeans and an emerald green muscle shirt. He did nothing about his hair. Severus was wearing a pair of black pants and a white t-shirt, which was his usual summer attire.
The walk to the Grade School was a happy one, with Zacchia skipping ahead of them, extremely happy. Harry walked with Draco's arm around his shoulders protectively, not minding the looks they were getting. Severus just strolled along behind them.
When they reached the school, Zacchia was the first to hesitate at the gate. She bit her lip and backed up into Harry, and then turned and wrapped her arms around his legs.
"I don't wanna go!" she wailed. Harry gently picked her up and hugged her close.
"Why not, sweetheart?" Draco asked. "School is really fun!"
"I'm gonna be alone!" Zacchia said. "What if no one likes me? What if I do magic by accident?"
"You have impeccable control over magic," Severus said. "You know that. You'll be fine." Zacchia was silent, then,
"Can you stay with me? Please?" Harry smiled.
"We'll ask your teacher," he said. "We'll see."
The little family walked into the yard, and then over to the kindergarten area. Zacchia was looking around in interest, and eventually started squirming. Harry let her down and she ran over to a sign with names on it. A pleasant looking woman was holding it, and she bent down. Zacchia back away at the sudden movement, but stayed close enough.
"Draco, can you stay with her for a little?" Harry asked suddenly. Draco looked over to him.
"Where are you going?"
"To look around. I'll be back, I promise."
Before Draco or Severus could protest, Harry walked off in a random direction to take a look at the school. The building itself was huge, white and the roof was blue. The kindergarten area was also big, meaning there were a lot of five year olds gathered here, meaning a lot of older students as well. He was looking into one of the classrooms when a woman approached him. He jumped when she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you one of the parents?" she asked. Harry nodded.
"Yes, I am. Why?" The woman smiled cheerfully.
"I'm the principle here and I was just looking over the couples. You..."
"Don't seem to have a wife?" Harry inquired with a hint of a smirk. The principle looked shocked, but recovered quickly.
"Well, I had noticed that, but you looked like you were looking for something." Harry shrugged.
"Nothing in particular. I left my husband and his godfather with my daughter to have a look around. It looks like a fine school." The principal suddenly got a starry look in her eyes, but Harry didn't notice much.
"I can assure you it is. If you want, you can stay for a little, just so your daughter doesn't feel alone."
"YAY!" Zacchia squealed from between them. "Come on Daddy, Father! And Grandpa Sev! We have to go inside now!"
Harry looked behind the woman and saw the rest of his family standing there, amused. Draco hugged him, making Severus roll his eyes (and the principal turn away to quietly squeal like a school girl in the privacy of her own personal bubble of space). The potions master took his granddaughter's hand.
"Your fathers will be in shortly. I'm coming though, you little brat," he said playfully.
"Old man," Zacchia teased back.
"Monster."
"Bat head."
"Insufferable child."
"Cold blooded vampire!" Zacchia said, right before, "What does insufwable mean?" Harry and Draco chuckled and followed their daughter, completely missing the happy sigh the principal was giving as she wandered off and out of the kindergarten area. Draco kissed Harry gently as they walked inside.
"So, if Zacchia brings home a boyfriend when she gets older – " Draco started, but Harry interrupted him.
"I'm happily living with a five year old who has no concept of the danger men pose to her. Until she is 16, I will not have that problem, I will not think of that problem, I will not dream of or even acknowledge that problem. Please do not destroy this illusion I have so carefully created," the raven-haired male said, making Draco laugh.
"But if she does –"
"If you finish that, I'll hex you."
"No, but seriously –"
Harry was sure to only slap Draco when they were safely out of view of the other parents, not wanting the teachers to think that they exposed Zacchia to violence at home. Besides, he had wanted to do that ever since he had mentioned boyfriends.
Up ahead, no one would ever figure out why Severus chuckled for apparently no reason.
xXYays! School! -;Xx
When Zacchia had eventually waved them away, happy to have a new friend named Jessica, her parents and adoptive grandfather left. On the way back, Harry voiced his concerns about being pregnant again to Severus, who scanned him when they got home. Draco nearly passed out when Severus plainly said that he was about five months along, with triplets (adding crudely Draco was an idiot for not picking up on it sooner). Harry had been shocked so completely that he didn't speak for a long while. It was then that Draco was getting worried.
"Harry? Are you okay?" Harry nodded, tears forming.
"I-It's just that... all my life I've wanted a family and now I'm getting one and it's just so... so perfect!" he sobbed. Draco smiled and hugged him tightly, inwardly dreading the last months of Harry's pregnancy.
"Oh you sentimental git," he said playfully. "You had me worried that you didn't want them..." Harry smiled.
"Of course I want them!" he said. "I'm really happy is all." Severus smiled at them and rose from his chair.
"Well, I'll be going now. Albus will wonder where I've been all day, seeing as September first is tomorrow and I still haven't unpacked any of my things. Remember to owl Hermione." The two nodded.
"Right. Bye Severus. Tell Poppy."
"Good day, boys."
Neither Harry nor Draco commented on how Albus-ish that sounded, too happy to care. Once Severus was gone, however, Draco turned to Harry with an inquisitive look. Harry blinked.
"What?"
"How come you didn't tell me sooner?" Draco demanded. "And how is this possible? I'm not--" Draco was cut off by Harry placing his index finger gently to his lips.
"Don't say it, Dray. You are one of the powerful wizards in the world. So is Sev, but he uses his talents for potions instead of spells. And since we are living a somewhat muggle life, we do not need to use our magic as much as others." Draco still looked unconvinced. Harry sighed. "Draco, why are you doubting yourself? You wanted children, I wanted children, our magic made it happen, so what's the big deal?"
"I... How come you didn't tell me?" Draco muttered. Harry drew him into a hug.
"I'm sorry, Draco. I was scared, that's all..." he said. "Scared that you wouldn't want them--"
"But didn't you tell me that--" Draco started. Harry cut him off.
"When you first find out that you're pregnant and you weren't planning for it, and when you come from a family that didn't want you, you tend to panic for nothing. I was scared that you would leave me again because of the triplets..." Draco drew in a pained breath. He obviously remembered the time where he had run out on Harry and a 2-month-old Zacchia alone for a week. It was a painful memory, and he couldn't believe that he'd been that stupid...
"I promised I wouldn't leave you again," Draco mumbled. Harry sighed and leaned back on the couch they were sitting on.
"Yeah, I know. I'm holding you to that," he said. Draco managed a smile, which was returned. Both felt the happy, fluffy moment start to creep up on them as they leaned in to kiss. Both also felt immense relief as the phone rang, making them share a quick kiss before Draco stood to get it. Harry smiled after him and wandered past the kitchen in time to hear a loud, "DRACO YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT!" from the other line. The voice was male, and Harry assumed it was one of his work friends, so he left Draco to chatter away as he went upstairs, happy smile still firmly in place.
Life was good... For now, anyway.
xXTRIPLETS!Xx
Woot! This chapter is SIX PAGES LONG IN VERDANA, SIZE NINE, WITHOUT THE AUTHOR'S NOTES! Oh my gosh, I'm so happy. However, we've just about breeched the halfway point (Oo), so there is not much left to go. I doubt this will be more than 10 chapters long.
However, it is my goal to reach 100 reviews, at least, so PLEASE everyone, review, even if it's to say that you've read better! After 1000-something hits, I'm quite sure that some of you that aren't reviewing have things to say. So don't be shy, review!
Next update: Since school is starting Tuesday, I might have to cram to get in all the things I want for chapter five. Wednesday should be the day I update, but if not, Thursday at the most. Thanks for bearing with me guys. Until next time!