A/N: So sorry about the wait! But because we are so nice and we felt bad about how long it's been we made an extra long chapter just for you all! So please R&R!
Draco looked around the field with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. The place was well-kept for picnickers by the Wizards Nature Guild. There was a park not far from where they were setting up the extra large checked blanket that his mother suggested they use, as well as a wading pond and small petting zoo of both magic and non-magical animals. Kept separate of course.
Looking back at his kids, he couldn't stop the slight twist in his gut, caused by nerves. He was actually nervous about Harry and his kids meeting him and his own broad. It being a month after their first date, all nine of the kids were anxious to meet who their parents were dating. Well, all but Vlad and Harry's twins, the three of whom he had sort of met after their first date.
Derek and Ren looked up at Draco, "Hey, papa? How's this look?
Draco looked down at the blanket and smiled. Nine place settings were laid out, both boys remembering that Harry's youngest had a special dish set of her own that Harry was bringing, "It looks very good, boys. Now, why don't you take Braden and Calliope over to the wading pool? It'll be a few minutes before Harry and his kids show up."
"Ok." Derek stood up and headed over to his siblings. Calliope was reading a unicorn book and Braden was playing a version of 'tag' with Ambrosia. Meaning he was dodging all of Ambrosia's toy's as she chucked them at him.
"Papa?"
Draco crouched down and pulled Ren into his arms, running his fingers through the short, light brown hair, "What's up, my babe?"
Ren shuffled a bit in his papa's arms, blue eyes downcast at the ground, "Will Mr. Harry and his kids like me?" he asked in a small voice.
Draco sighed, "I have no doubt that they will. Wanna know why?"
"Yes." Ren said, nodding his head emphatically and looking up at Draco.
Draco laughed and tickled the boy, "Cause you are the most lovable boy in the world and so darned easy to tickle." Draco's statement and questing fingers caused Ren to begin laughing uproaresly, his brothers and sister joining in, unable to hold back their happy giggles at their brothers predicament.
Harry shifted Loki in his arms, poking the little girl in the tummy. She giggled lightly, a broad smile on her pretty little face. He was just arriving at the edge of the park and he couldn't help the scared feeling that Draco's kids wouldn't like him, or worse, the twins doing something to sabotage the picnic. It was, of course, to be expected as it was only natural of them.
Vladimir stepped up from behind him and clenched his jaw. Harry couldn't believe that the boy had even agreed to come at all after the fights they had been having for the last month. But in the end, he had decided to come making Harry really happy.
Ince and Kaden had their hands clasped together, wearing identical clothing and identical smiles. Harry shivered a little as the watched them innocently walking at his side. It really was rather scary to see his little monsters behaving calm.
"So here we are. Now, I want all of you to be on your best behavior." At that, he glanced at the twins.
"Don't worry.."
"Dad. We will be..."
"Nothing but..."
"Angels." They both smiled and Harry could swear he saw mischief glance in their eyes.
"You better be." He paused and looked over at Vlad. "And Vlad please try to be nice."
Vladimir turned up his nose and looked away from his fathers eyes. "I will be civil. Nothing more nothing less." The teen replied.
Harry smiled knowing that was the closest thing he would get to Vlad being nice. He felt a little tug on his shirt and looked down into his arms. "Yes hunny?" He asked.
She smiled. "I be good daddy." She whispered and his heart warmed.
"I know you will darling." They walked a little bit farther and around one tree when Draco and his family cam into view. Draco held one of his boys in his arms, tickling the little boy as his brothers and sister watched, giggling.
Harry could take his eyes off of Draco. He looked so happy, so at home with his kids, so beautiful when he laughed. He could have stayed and just watched but Vlad cleared his throat and nudged his father.
Harry took a deep breath and yelled. "Good afternoon Love!"
Draco looked up from Ren and caught sight of Harry and his family coming around the bend of the pathway, "Harry! He called back, still laughing.
Harry shifted Loki and waved, upping his pace as he came closer. He smiled widely as he came up to the blanket. He handed Loki over to Vlad who took her dutifully. Kneeling down by Draco and gave him quick kiss on the cheek before blushing and greeting Draco's family. "Hello Draco's kids."
Four sets of blue eyes, all of various shades, looked around at the Potter children before landing on Harry, "Hello Mr. Harry." They said, shyness creeping into their voices
Harry smiled. "Please call me Harry." He glanced back at his children all four heads of black curls. "These are my kids."
Kaden and Ince smiled at the other kids, looking a little shy now that they were actually there. It was Loki who spoke first, she being the most Gryffindor of the four. "I's Loki Podder." She said, giggling at the other kids.
This shook Vlad out of his stuper and he cleared his throat. "My name is Vladimir Zabini-Potter." He put his hands down on his twin brothers heads. "These two are Ince and Kaden Potter."
Braden, ever the brave one, stepped forward, "I'm Braden." He held up a hand, looking at his fingers before smiling at the Potter family, "I'm five."
"I'm Derek and the tall one over there is Ren." He leaned in towards Harry and mock-whispered, "Don't let his size fool ya. He's younger then me."
Harry laughed. "I see. Well then I warn you not to let Vladimir's size fool you either. He might be taller but I'm much older." Harry mock-whispered back to the boy.
Loki wiggled in Vlads arms and he set her on the ground. She stood and ran over to her father, hiding behind his shoulder. She looked over at Draco, blushed and hide her face in her fathers shirt, giggling madly.
Harry smiled back at his daughter. "You want to say something Loki?" She giggled and looked back up at Draco. She smiled and hugged her daddy's arm, whispering to him.
Harry grinned widely. "I agree Loki he is very pretty." He said smiling at Draco.
Draco grinned and winked at Loki, amused with her giggling, "That one's Calliope." Draco said, pointing at the blond girl in the light blue dress and white tights, "She's..." He paused as Calliope launched herself at Harry, "Shy?"
Harry caught the girl easily and smiled, giving Draco a happy look before looking back down at the blonde. "Hello Calliope." He said lightly. "You're four, are you not?" He asked, moving a lock of fringe off her forehead.
She nodded, the curls of her pigtails bouncing, "Uh huh and two months."
Harry smiled. "Amazing! My daughter Loki is the exact same age." He said matter-of-factly. Loki, at hearing her name, smiled and knelt down by her father and the other girl. She smiled wide.
Calliope gave a soft smile back and buried her face in Harry's neck, "Hi." She murmered, still looking at Loki.
Loki scrunched up her nose in happiness, "Hi." She whispered back. "Since you're hugging daddy, can I hug yours?" She asked softly, bringing her face inches from Calliope's.
Calliope was silent for a moment, before her grin grew, "Only if you read Unicorn's with me."
Loki's eyes grew bright. "Unicorns!" She giggled and nodded. "I love unicorns."
"Me too." Calliope squirmed in Harry's arms until he let her go. She then grabbed Loki's hand and marched her over to a bemused and slightly shocked Draco, "Papa, dis is Loki. She like's Unicorns too."
Draco cleared his throat, "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Loki."
She smiled and blushed before looking at Calliope and back to him. "I have hug?"
Harry smiled as he watched the girls and Draco interact, it was all just too cute!
Draco cleared his throat again, briefly wondering why he was so choked up, before nodding and holding open his arms, "Sure." He croaked. He looked over Loki and Calliope's heads at Harry, eyes misting as Loki stepped into the circle of his arms.
Harry smiled back before covering his mouth with his hand. It was all just so perfect, so right.
Loki closed her eyes and gave Draco a hug, clinging to his shirt and giggled. She pulled away and smiled up at him with her gold green eyes.
A sharp "Ow!" broke the sentimental moment and all looked over towards the source of the sound. Kaden was glaring down at a wooden block and rubbing his head, while Ince was giggling helplessly behind his hand.
Draco sighed and looked towards the other end of blanket, "And that was curtosy of my youngest, Ambrosia." He waved a free hand at the year old babe sitting in an upright rocker, who was gurgling and laughing around the thumb that was stuck in her mouth.
Harry's eyes light up. "Oh! Baby!" He coo'ed, crawling towards the gurgling little girl. He smiled and reached out, stroking her cheek. "Oh Draco! She's so cute!"
Kaden grumbled something that sounded like 'she's just a stupid girl' at which Ince couldn't help it and went into full blown laughter at his brother.
Braden crossed his arms, "I totally agree." He muttered to the twins. He knew, better then anyone, the near perfect aim the baby had when it came to throwing toys.
Ren looked over at Draco, "Papa, how long till we eat?"
"Er..." Draco shrugged and looked over at Harry, who now had Ambrosia out of her rocker, "Harry? Food?"
"Aw, you're just so cute!" He smiled, giving Ambrosia kisses all over the little girls face as she squealed in laughter. Harry, of course, was completely ignoring Draco, all his attention on the little bundle in his arms.
"Ah, ok." Draco turned back to the kids, most of whom were looking back at him expectantly, "Well, is anyone hungry?"
"No, but papa, you said we could go play at the play park." Braden reminded him, pointing over Draco's shoulder at the area in question.
Kaden and Ince smiled at that. "I want..."
"To go!" They replied happily.
Vladimir took a step forward. "I'll take them over there, if you want me to." He said stiffly to Draco, looking down at him.
Draco nodded, "As long as you don't mind."
Vladimir shook his head once. "I don't, Mr. Malfoy."
"Ah, ok, cool then." Draco said, figuring out quickly that the teen still didn't like him. He looked around at the boys, "Well, your free to go. Just mind Vladimir. Whatever he say's goes." This warning was to Braden. He wasn't worried about his oldest. They didn't have any books on hand to help them with their plans. Braden on the other hand, did have a tendancy to want attention.
Braden nodded, not in the least chastised, and quickly grabbed at Vladimir's hand.
Vladimir looked down at the small hand in his and frowned lightly at the oddness of it, but he didn't say anything, he just let himself be dragged by this five your old.
Ince smiled innocently and followed his older brother, holding hands with his twin, who had an evil grin on his face. They both smiled over at Derek and Ren and winked.
Derek and Ren looked at each other with a smile and chased after the group of boy's, Ren automatically jumping into rough housing mode as he slung an arm around one of the twins neck. From the distance he was sitting at, Draco wasn't sure which twin. He laughed when said twin punched Ren on the arm shortly after.
He fell gracefully to his arse and wrapped his arms around his legs, watching the girls read. It was amazing that Harry and this little girl were able to bring Calliope out of her shell when so many doctors and her own family couldn't even do so. Every night after tucking her in, he would mentally curse Theo for what he had done, what he had turned -his- happy little girl into. It seemed that tonight was going to be the first night in over a year that he wouldn't have to worry.
Harry set a sleepy Ambrosia back in her rocker and smiled at Draco as he watched the other kids go off to the play park. He grinned and crawling over to Draco and wrapped his arms around him, kissing his cheek lightly. "What you thinking about, handsome?" He asked softly, kissing him again.
Draco turned his head and kissed Harry lightly on the lips, "Something I shouldn't be on such a beautiful day and in such fantastic company." He sighed and looked back at the girls, laying his head on Harry's shoulder, "Thinking that Calliope hasn't laughed or smiled this freely in over a year and how much I missed this side of her. It is making me wish for a camara or one of those muggle contraptions that move like a portrait."
Harry smiled. "A video camera." He said a little off hand. He sighed happily and kissed Draco again. "I think she's happy now that you're happy." He whispered. "She probably felt sad that her other dad died but what hurt her was seeing you sad. And she feels happy now that she knows what and who's making you happy now. Not that I take all the credit for making you happy." Here he laughed lightly. "But I do deserve a fair share."
Draco shook his head, "No...Harry...it wasn't Theo's death or my unhappiness that caused that. She...oh, god, Harry she saw something."
Harry frowned and pulled back a little to look into Draco's eyes. "Draco look at me." He asked lightly. "What did she see?"
Draco looked up at Harry, pain radiating deep but needing to tell Harry the truth, "Remember how Theo died?"
Harry nodded with a frown, brows brought together in worry. "Yeah, a bar fight right?" He asked, dreading what he was about to hear.
Draco nodded, "That...wasn't the first he'd been in. He started drinking just after I became pregnant with Calliope. At first, it was just a few drinks with dinner but eventually, it got worse. He started going out everynight, drinking away his inheritance from his father. The night he spent his last knut, Calliope was a little older then two.
She had been having trouble sleeping at night because of a prank that Ren had pulled on Derek that she got in the middle of. She liked to sit in my closet with a book and a glow-globe for an hour or two before bed. It was like she had her own fort and it helped her sleep. That one night, Theo came home drunk and very angry. He.." Draco paused and cleared his throat, making sure the girls were out of hearing distance before continuing, "He didn't realize that my closet door was open or that Calliope was in there."
Harry gasped and looked over at the girls, who were both giggling together. He covered his mouth with his hand. "She.. She didn't... She couldn't!" Harry swallowed tears back before he continued. "What did he do?" He asked quietly, looking back at Draco with wet, green eyes.
Draco didn't say anything, just pointed to the side at Ambrosia.
Tears spilt over after that. "Oh Draco." He cried quietly into his hands. "I'm so sorry. So sorry." He choked lightly as tried to hold back the tears. No one should go through that, and no child should ever, ever see that. Blaise was a bastard to him but he never physically hurt Harry or any of the kids. He couldn't even begin to fathom how terrifying that would be to a two year old.
Draco wove his fingers through Harry's hair, "This is the happiest she's been since. I think you and Loki are the best medicine for her." He leaned his forehead against Harry's and sighed as he wiped away the tears on Harry's cheek, "And I thank you so much for that."
Harry kept his eyes closed and nodded. "I'll do anything." He whispered finally after a few seconds. He opened his eyes and pulled Draco into a tight hug. "Bastard." Harry mumbled, hugging Draco closer. "How could he." He kissed Draco neck lightly. He wasn't sure if it was to comfort him or to comfort Draco, but all he wanted to do was to erase any hurt.
"Just be yourself Harry, that's all I ask." Draco murmered into Harry's hair, "I've had a lot of help to get over that night and came away with a beautiful baby to replace those memories. Now...now I want to make new ones. With you and your family as well if you'll let me."
Harry pulled back and smiled brightly at Draco. "Really?" He asked, running a finger over Draco's cheek.
Draco nodded, "I know its only been a month, but everything's been so much better. So yes, really."
He yet out a little sob and tears of happiness spilled on to his cheeks. He laughed lightly. "Dear me! What's with all these tears!" He fanned his face and pulled Draco into a kiss.
Draco started to kiss back when giggling met his ears. Cracking open an eye he hadn't even realized he had closed, he saw Loki and Calliope standing next to them, the hands clasped over their mouths doing nothing to hide the giggles escaping. Pulling away from Harry, he muttered against the soft lips, "Seems we have company, my Harry."
Harry blushed deeply and pulled back almost unwillingly. "Hello girls." He said rather nervously. "Anything we can do for you?" He asked, clearing his throat and wiping his eyes.
Calliope shrugged her way inbetween the two men, plopping down on Harry's lap, Loki doing the same to Draco. It was a tight squeeze, the men being as close as they were, but the girls really didn't mind, "Papa only packed three books and we read them aaall." Calliope said, the last word jumping as Harry started bouncing his leg.
Loki nodded agreeingly, nestling herself in Draco's lap. "Really careless of you papa." Loki said, quickly smiling at Calliope. "Daddy, did you bring me any books?" She asked quickly, smiling at her dad innocently.
Draco's breath hitched at Loki calling him papa, "I..."
Harry's mouth dropped open a little, but he closed it quickly and smiled. "I brought your Dragon book but I think that's it, sweeties." He winked at Draco's shocked face.
Calliope turned to Loki with a squeal, "Dragons!"
(tbc)
