Series title: Paternity

Chapter 2?

Title: Makes No Difference Who You Are

Writer: Az K Mello

Prongs, I'm still vying for some stickers!

Words: 1,083 (Who's to say that's not a drabble)

"I think you need some explanations," said James.

"Yeah," said Harry softly, "that would be good." A soft knock came at the front door and without pause he called, "It's open."

Oliver walked in looking confused as to why the quick check-in was taking so long, "Alright, Mr. Black?" he asked clearly thinking that worry over Sirius' mental state was the cause of his lover's being detained.

"Perfec', me boy," Sirius replied, never one to miss an opportunity to play with his son's lover. "Meet James Potter, Harry's dad, who's recently non-deceased. James, meet Oliver. He's courting our Harry." James gave the man a small wave. He did so love Sirius' mind games.

"I should. . . go," Oliver was having processing problems. "Breakfast tomorrow, Harry? How 'bout I pick you up at nine?"

Harry, who loathed his lover's penchant for early meetings said, "I'll need a lay in after this. Make it ten and I'll love you forever."

"You said that last night." Wood smiled but then blanched as he remembered the audience.

Taking pity on the man Harry crossed the room and kissed him softly, "Sorry about tonight, Ollie."

"Don't be," he shrugged. "This is wonderful. I'm so pleased for you." Oliver smiled warmly, hugged his boyfriend tightly, and turned to leave.

Before he could make it out the door James called after him somewhat gleefully, "Hurt him and I break your legs!"

"Yes, Sir," Oliver managed to squeak out before fleeing.

"He seems nice," James said and Sirius nodded in quick agreement.

Harry crossed back to them, kicked off his shoes, shrugged off his jacket, and laid down in front of the tree. "You two are incorrigible. Now where's this explanation?"

"I don't know where to start," said the lanky man as he came to sit behind Harry. He threaded his fingers through Harry's hair in a familiar touch that had taken years to forge, "I could never find the right way to tell you."

"Why not the summer before fifth year? When we were here with the Order? I'd been stuck at the Dursleys' with no news from you, attacked by dementors, and witnessed Voldemort murder Cedric. Didn't you think that maybe I needed some happy news? Like, maybe, that you were my father?"

"I wasn't sure you would see it as happy news. I was a head case and you were. . . "

"A head case," Harry finished for him, "yeah. I get it. That wasn't a good year. It was after that year, when we thought you were dead, that Dumbledore got me put on the antidepressant potions. But those only work if the depression is a chemical imbalance. I wasn't depressed. I was miserable and my life was turning to shite."

"I know. I tried to be some comfort to you that summer."

"You were. I felt safe with you. In fact, I had a huge crush on you. What a horrible thought. What if I'd made a move on you? Eww. Hermione and Ron had an intervention and told me that you were too old. And Remus said we wouldn't last. My god, he knows doesn't he? How embarrassing. I don't think I'm ever gonna be able to look him in the eye now."

"Harry, everyone has a crush on one of their parent's at some point."

"Not when they're fifteen!"

"Well, maybe not," Sirius nodded slowly in reluctant capitulation. James just laughed.

Moving back Harry rested his head on Sirius' thigh. "All those things Mrs. Weasley said? That must have been horrible for you."

"What, you mean when she said I wasn't yer dad, that I wasn't capable of taking care of you, and that I couldn't tell you from your father? No. I was fine with it." James sat down by Sirius and rubbed the small of his husband's back. Sirius smiled as Harry reached for James' hand and squeezed it gently.

"I'm so sorry," said Harry after a time.

"It wasn't your fault. Anyway, that was the first night I felt like a dad since I went to prison." Harry had dreamt of Cedric and had crawled into bed with his father and wept. He had sought comfort from the man he thought of as his godfather. Sirius had held him close and promised to protect him, "I felt guilty though: you were scared and I like cuddling you."

"No, I needed it too. You're my family and you always have been," sighing he smiled as he studied the tree. "I think we did a good job this year."

"There aren't enough lights," James said.

"Here we go," Sirius smiled waiting for a lecture on perfect trees.

"Can I smoke?" asked James as he pulled out his fags and his wand to light one with.

"Of course you can, baby," Sirius said and kissed his cheek. He had missed playing at domesticity. He conjured an ashtray and James just nodded his thanks.

Laughing at the foreign exchange Harry asked, "How many lights should there be? There are 400!"

"There should be 1000 and they shouldn't be coloured. You shouldn't have more than three pounds of ornaments hanging on it and you have at least five on there. They weigh it down."

With a shrug Harry said, "I like it. The Dursleys always had one like that: 900 white lights and nothing but glass ornaments. Tasteful and dull. I like ours."

James looked at the tree draped with vulgar twinkling lights, coloured tinsel, and heavy ornaments. He took a drag off his fag and said, "If you like it then it's perfect. . . even if it is a monstrosity to the trained eye." Harry smiled and James gave his hand another squeeze. "How are we gonna do this? I don't know how to be your dad."

"You'll do fine. Be thankful you missed the angst filled years. Now it's just marriage, kids, and their angst filled years. We could just pretend to "fall back into our pattern". Pretend we have a pattern to fall back into. Tomorrow I'm going to breakfast with Ollie and lunch with Draco. But in the afternoon we could go Christmas shopping. It's the 18th so the shops will be busy, not packed though."

With another smile James said, "I'd like that. Sear? Gonna come?"

Shaking his head Sirius said, "I have a meeting at Hogwarts tomorrow afternoon, Dumbledore wants me to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. How about I meet you for dinner in London?"