So here we are guys. We did it.
Over 64,500+ views later, we are finally here to bring you the final chapter to Wingardium Leviosa.
An Apple A Day.
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We cannot help but thank all of you who continually came back and read, alerted, favourited and reviewed! We got so many reviews a day, and so much love! It's really what keeps Abraxas going on my boring school days, I can tell you that! (And when she is violently sick and feeling as if she was run over by a herd of hippogriffs. -coughcough-)
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We'd like to give a beautifully, enormous Thank You to all who have been here since the beginning, and to all who came back and reviewed again and again;
Anakaraya Ravenclaw, fireflyinc, JeremysPrincess (Who had faith in this story from the first chapter, thank you for the Facebook publicity!), Lord Rekhyt (Who was a man confident enough to squeal about this story with Abraxas for a few hours.), Kitty-kat-the-ninja, kitty toyko uzumaki, sess18, lilz54, JC Black (My thoughts and condolences go out to you.), LostInYourThoughts, TearfullPixie, reading-mypassion, Alt3etf, Catnatural, darkshadowarchfiend, Angelic Abomination (and her husband.), cinephan and all our Anonymous reviewers!
Thank you.
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This chapter is dedicated to Saladita12 for all her amazing reviews, and for giving us Wingardium Leviosa's FIRST piece of Fanart! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Make sure to check it out: brokensystem(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/HP(dash)Wingardium(dash)Leviosa-(dash)2 5 8 9 0 1 4 4 0
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Final tally?
130,000+ words, 22 chapters, over 400 reviews, over 64,000 views, placed into 5+ communities, favorited over 210 times and given over 325 alerts.
We technically reached novel-length and have gathered an amazing fan-base. Thank you. :hearts:
(This chapter is a little bit over 9,340 words. 9 3/4. :heart:)
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So it is with great pleasure, that I, Abraxas, and Syl can now present to you, the final chapter, the glorious and long-awaited Epilogue to Wingardium Leviosa.
1.
Final Warning: Pygmy Puffs eat people in their sleep, Draco straddles people like a bicycle, and Harry is a vampire.
Enjoy.
-8-7-8-
A quiet, snowing morning found Grimmuald place silent. The sun, barely beginning to peak its bright morning rays through the clouds, the birds who didn't fly away were silent in their nests, the snow drifted merrily outside, swirling in beautiful breezes of mystic white, coating the trees and the ground in soft, fluffy layers of ice-cold snow.
Inside the house, all was well, calm, quiet and warm. Bodies slept snugly in their beds, covered by Quidditch themed quilts and Hogwarts colours of yellows and blacks, burgundies and golds, silvers and bronzes, greens and blues. Creaking walls from the wind whipping outside, warm fires crackling in their hearths, Kreacher silently cleaning in the hallways... All was well.
Further in Grimmauld Place, higher up the stairs, two bodies lay pressed together, legs entangled, arms wrapped firmly around the other body beside them, hair disheveled and skin pleasantly naked from the waist up. Brunette and blonde hair was splayed along dark, silk pillows, pale and tan skin a shocking contrast of the two, and the rings glinting along their fingers let anyone know that this wasn't an ordinary relationship.
In Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, there were three things that happened on a daily basis. One, apples were always in demand. Two, something was always broken. Whether it be a priceless vase, a dinner plate, or a window due to too many Quaffles being thrown indoors, something always need a quick Reparo charm in the Potter-Malfoy household. And, three, Harry James Potter, and Draco Lucius Potter-Malfoy could never get a moment to themselves unless their room was Auror-grade warded.
A few feet away, across the warm, dimly lit bedroom, a door creaked open with the barest of noises, padded feet shuffling slowly into the room. Blankets were tugged against their waists and small indignant huffs were sputtered from lips. A dull thud, an item landing heavily on the bed as the figure finally crawled over the edge.
Scorpius Potter-Malfoy now a bright six year old, was as healthy as the day he was born. Bright eyes, shining skin, clean teeth, he was already getting taller and taller, smarter and smarter by the day. His parents had no idea what Hogwarts house he was going to be placed in, they were sure of that.
"Papa? Daddy?" Harry's body shook back and forth, barely moving as a voice spoke up quietly in the early morning light of the bedroom, casting a warm glow on a snitch-covered onesie and a unicorn plushie clutched in small arms.
Harry made a muffled grunt in response, nestling a little closer to his husband.
Another small shake to his bare shoulder, a light giggle, and a heavy weight settled on Harry's waist. "Papa!" A voice whispered, trying to catch Harry's attention.
It was like a cannon blast to his tired mind. He and Draco had been up half the night wrapping last minute things - because he'd ignored Draco's "you have a wand" - and had eventually convinced Draco to set his aside as well. The Muggle way had been more fun and would make it more worthwhile when each gift was torn open with abandon.
He was now regretting that decision, thanks to the early morning wake-up call. A single green eye opened, focused on the blurry little figure sitting above him on his chest. "I'm up," he mumbled.
Rolling over, there was a dull thud as Scorpius Potter-Malfoy plopped himself happily, contently, between his parents, too happy in the early hours of the cold, winter morning. Draco roused slowly from his sleep.
"Papa! Daddy! S'Christmas! Fami'y! Fami'y!" Perry was clutched tightly to the little boy's chest.
"We've been invaded," Harry muttered, gazing blearily at his husband. He wondered if this was what all parents went through on a Christmas morning. He highly doubted Ron and Hermione were suffering like this with their baby girl - Hermione had, much to his amusement and her continuing chagrin, gone into an early labor when he'd announced that they'd be taking on all four boys and moving into Grimmauld Place permanently. Then again, they did have Hugo. Did all children act like this...? Maybe he'd ask when they were all over from the Burrow later.
Yawning, Harry slung an arm over Scorpius, his hand resting on Draco's back. "Happy Christmas, kiddo."
Scorpius giggled quietly as Harry seemed to drift back off to sleep. Shuffling down, he curled up against Harry's chest, placing a warm, sloppy kiss against his cheek. "Love you Papa."
Cracking a hazy silver eye open, Draco smiled at the sight. A few months ago - Merlin, had it not even been half a year? - Draco would wake up to a cold bed and a quiet, sickly child and now... Merlin... now... Now he woke up to warm, muscled arms wrapped securely around his shoulders, and tempting green eyes, such a different shade from the green he was plagued with throughout his remaining few Hogwarts years and sloppy kisses accompanied by bright silver-blue eyes from their son.
A lazy hand swept through soft blonde hair, though Harry's eyes remained shut. He decided that he'd open them again only when he absolutely had to. "Love you too, Scorp," he mumbled.
Draco gave a small sigh, a content smile curling against his lips.
And then, aside from his brand new husband, there was Scorpius. A little boy, befallen by illness, now strong and healthy, and as active as his rowdy father; always running around and getting in trouble and creating mischief, he was the light of his life and brought so many smiles to his face on a bad day. "We both love you Scorpius," he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the warm, smooth skin of his son's forehead and lifted his gaze, head coming back down to rest against his pillow. Silver eyes swept greedily over the head of their son at the disheveled brunette father barely an arms length away.
There was an excited shout and another body landed on the bed. Harry turned his face into the pillow, vaguely hoping to suffocate, as Teddy crawled over them and settled himself by Scorpius. "It's Christmas! Why are you still in bed?" He sounded shocked, flabbergasted, as if there was no answer for why the two adult parents would be in bed at such an early hour. On Christmas.
There was a pregnant pause, Draco's body shaking with silent laughter. His body jolted up as the door slammed open loudly, shaking the portraits against the wall as two figures barrelled into the room. "Daddy! Papa!- Haaarry!" The last two boys of the Potter-Malfoy clan tackled their blonde father, Draco laughing as bright grey eyes and warm eyes of bright, child-wide blue gazed down at him. "Dray'o! Dray'o! Wake up!" Albus Severus Potter-Malfoy giggled loudly, his cauldron covered pajamas a bright, green wake up call to Draco's eyes as was the gaudy brown Centaur clutched tightly in his grasp. "Albus, no shouting." His arm looped around the boy's waist.
"No breathing," Harry added. "It can't really be morning already, can it?" But with all four children in bed, there was no denying it. Clearly it was time for breakfast and presents. He rolled over, passed a hand through Teddy's green and red hair affectionately.
The boy grinned. "It is morning, Uncle Har-!"
James quickly lunged from the edge of the bed to tackle Teddy, laughing loudly in the early morning silence.
Teddy laughed as well, tumbling over the blankets with the boy he already considered a brother. He considered all of them brothers, though he didn't share their name. They'd kept Lupin and, while he didn't understand why, Harry had assured him that he would when he was older. And it wasn't like they loved him any less. He just figured it meant he had a huge family now and that, to him, was the best thing ever.
James and Teddy fell off the side of the bed, Albus and Scorpius giggling behind their plush toys as the two rolled around with rambunctious abandon. With a small, petulant sigh, Draco Potter-Malfoy sat up with a quiet laugh, glancing over the bed at his two oldest, crazy sons. "Be careful you two."
"Lost cause, love." Harry sat up, stretching, and snatched Al into his lap, tickling him breathless. They never had exactly found out what had happened to their parents and Harry suspected that they never would. All Ministry investigators had been able to dig up was that the boys' parents had been experimenting with some potion while the boys played in the room. An explosion had largely wiped their memories and there were some things even magic couldn't fix. All Al knew was his brother and the name that had been on a singed Chocolate Frog Card James had carried around.
Draco glanced with a curve of his lips as Scorpius crawled into Harry's lap to accompany is other "bro'fer."
"I know, Harry." Leaning forward, he titled his head and pressed a soft kiss to Harry's deliciously red lips. Scorpius and Albus giggled quietly. It still shocked Draco that, after Harry had told him, they had pretty much ended up with perfect, healthy children, and Harry had gotten his wish of having a James and Albus Severus. The Ministry, at first, was rather stingy on letting the two adopt the boys, Boy Who Lived or not, who would let a Death Eater adopt children? But, after a few choice words, James and the newly named Albus Severus, still happily nicknamed 'Al' had flooed home with the two Wizards, and well... By Merlin's magical beard, here they were.
James and Teddy climbed back up over the edge of the bed, falling, breathless, against Draco's legs.
"Presents," Teddy panted.
"Breakfast," Harry corrected and ignored the whines. "Now up." He lifted Scorpius enough to place a smacking kiss on his cheek, did the same for Al since little arms reached up towards him. "Brush your teeth and all that." More whining was ignored. "And we'll see you downstairs soon."
Slowly, the whines died down, and little bodies ambled over the bed with hugs and 'good mornings' murmured to their parents.
Draco fell back against the bed with a groan, an arm coming to cover over his eyes as the door to their bedroom fell shut with an audible click.
"No laying down. If you do, I will and then we'll have them back in here in ten minutes jumping on us again." But he only cupped Draco's cheek and lowered his lips to meet his, the simple kiss creating as much sizzle as that first one had. Only a few months had passed, but Harry was loving every chaotic moment of fatherhood and married life. His life felt full and he was ready to give their boys the kind of Christmas he hadn't experienced before the age of eleven.
Draco leaned up, sealing their lips, his thoughts slowly traveling down the same path as his husband's. This was the family experience he craved as a child, this wholesome, fulfilling love, waking up to warm hello's and soft kisses, quiet glances and loud, obnoxious days that just made you want to bash your head against a wall or stick it in a boiling cauldron (Four rambunctious children could do that to a wizard.) But, as he let his thoughts slowly drift through the past, he was so glad he had it...
"Malfoy?"
"P-Potter?"
Draco's hands came up to rest firmly against Harry's cheeks, silvers eyes warm, smouldering in the warm winter sun that peaked through their windows. "I'm so fucking glad you walked past that park that day, Harry."
"I'm happy about it every single day even when the lot of them are maddening." Harry rested his brow against Draco's, gazing into his eyes for a moment, lips curved by contentment.
"Merry Christmas, love."
"Happy Christmas, darling." He pressed his lips to Draco's a final time before leaning back. "Now I'm bloody starved. Let's go see about breakfast."
Draco's arms snaked around his waist, a smirk pushing at a corner of his kiss-swollen lips as his heart gave a particularly hard thud in his chest. "I think I know exactly what I want for breakfast, thank you."
Harry grinned, tracing a finger over those lips. "Really?"
Pulling Harry back down towards the bed and over his body, Draco smirked, his heart stuttering in his chest. Sharp silver eyes bore into eyes of brilliant green and Draco pulled his bottom lip slowly between his teeth, tongue coming up to lightly play with the finger resting against his lips. "Really."
Gazing at him, the brunette's body responded. He very much knew what he wanted for breakfast as well, but they couldn't yet. The kids wanted a Christmas morning and he wanted to give it to them. "Later." He lowered his mouth back down, his fingers sliding into blonde hair. "When they're all passed out from a sugar crash."
"Mm," Draco's tongue slowly came out to trace along Harry's lower lip. "You owe me, dearest husband of mine," he whispered lowly, fingers tracing over defined muscles and smooth, sun-kissed skin.
"It is Christmas, isn't it? You'll be getting plenty of presents." He nipped Draco's earlobe. "And none of them are beneath the tree."
His arms snaked around Harry's neck, his heart still pounding in his chest, body still just as sensitive as the first time they had laid in bed together, the first time they had sex, made love. "What will I be getting, Mr. Potter-Malfoy?" Draco purred quietly, head tilting to the side to reveal an odd shaped scar at the junction of his shoulder and neck. Harry stood true to his word those few months ago, he never let that particular hickey heal.
Harry licked it now, knowing a sharp nip would drive them both mad. "If I told you that, it wouldn't be much of a surprise. I can tell you you'll enjoy them, though."
Draco pulled away with a strangled moan as a few choice words barrelled through their door. "Looks like we are being summoned, dearest husband."
"Warned you." And now he did nip, sharply enough to entice, lightly enough to promise, before rolling away and getting to his feet.
Draco racked his eyes over his husband's body, giving a tortured moan. "Bloody fuck Potter, why didn't you look that fit under your damned Hogwarts robes?"
He flicked an amused glance over his shoulder, couldn't see a damn thing so he went to snag his glasses off the nightstand. "You don't think enough sex happens at Hogwarts without those robes being appealing?"
"Merlin Potter, if knew you had those damned delicious muscles under those robes, I would of stopped those petulant fights second year and resorted to shagging you senseless." Draco slowly sat up, the sheet falling away to reveal plain blue pajama bottoms as Draco swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, accioing Harry's glasses and waving them slightly. "Over here, Golden Boy."
"That's bloody cheating." But he was grinning as he blindly made his way around the bed to get to him. "Hand them over, Malfoy."
An arm looped securely around Harry's waist, tugging the shorter male up firmly against his body. "What do I get in return?" He held his arm out of the others reach, waggling the glasses in what he thought was a tempting manner. No point in letting his husband know that the blonde was practically wrapped around his ring finger.
He was an Auror. He could have Draco pinned and his glasses on his nose in two quick moves. Instead, he snaked a hand into Draco's hair and fused their lips together, pressing their bodies snugly together. In moments, the blonde was yielding, his arm lowering. Harry plucked his glasses away and broke off the kiss, glasses securely on. "A lot more of that."
With a roll of pewter coloured eyes, Draco consented with a huff. "You allow me to have no fun. Horrible husband." Draco turned to the same nightstand to grab his wand and slip it through the waistband of his pants with a little slip of skin.
"I'll let you have your fun when our boys have their Christmas." His own eyes gleamed with excitement, his grin matched. "It's our first Christmas as a family, Draco."
Draco turned with a small, pleasant sigh, his body warming at the words as he approached the few feet between their bodies and pressed himself firmly against his lovers. "I know. Can't wait." He looped his arms around Harry's waist, leaning down to seal their lips in one last, good morning kiss, pouring any of his waring feelings inside his body into that sweet press of lips, his release.
Harry answered the kiss, fingers stroking through the soft blonde hair, his lips moving warmly over the other's. "Let's go, then. We're going to have a hell of a mess to clean up when they're done."
"Are you a wizard?" Draco chuckled quietly, pulling away and walking towards the door, ignoring the lingering ache in his body, the want curling in his stomach to just curl up himself, with Harry pressed against his chest in their nice, warm bed. "You have magic, Potter. Ever heard of it?"
"But what's the fun in that? They're not using magic to tear their gifts open. And we didn't use it to wrap them, either." He followed his husband out, taking his hand and entwining their fingers in a gesture that had become as natural as breathing.
The door to their bedroom closed quietly behind them, Kreacher ambling around with an overly large duster, muttered small words to himself as Draco and Harry quietly shuffled down the stairs, reaching the parlor in a few moments. Draco brought Harry's hands to his lips. "The less time spent cleaning, the more time for... More useful activities."
"Draco, you're probably the only person I've ever heard call sex a useful activity." He grinned, squeezing Draco's hands. "I love you, you git."
Draco squeezed back with a raised eyebrow and an annoyingly snarky smirk. "And who said I was talking about sex?" Turning on his heel, Draco's hand slipped from between Harry's and he was down the hall. "Hurry up, dear husband! I'm not scraping you off the floor if you get trampled by the overly anxious sons of ours!"
"You bloody prat," Harry laughed, following quickly, and laughed more still when he went through the parlor and saw four curious boys poking at the boxes beneath the big tree he'd convinced Draco to chop down despite "There are perfectly good trees in stores" protestations. The blonde hadn't forgiven him for the blisters in his Potion-perfect hands for a week. That forgiving trifle was how Harry had discovered Draco's particular love for certain... activities with fine wine.
"Okay, boys," Draco chuckled as happily pleas of "Daddy!" and "Papa!" rang throughout the living room as snow swirled around outside. Draco approached the couch and sat down, legs curling up under him in a relaxed gesture. "Take one present each and just give a quick mutter from who they are from then have at them, okay? Merlin knows none of you will remember to send thank yous." The last bit was mumbled with a content roll of warm, silver eyes.
Harry dropped down onto the arm of the couch, an arm slung around his husband's shoulders, fingers teasing the hair at the nape of his neck. Breakfast, he supposed, could wait. He was as eager to see their expressions as they were to open the things. He knew very well that he'd driven Draco absolutely mad the past month, though Draco thought otherwise, searching for the perfect gifts. Draco was all the more happy to go on feet-aching, eye-blinding hours of shopping with his lover if it meant that he got to see that beautiful, breathtaking smile that Harry bestowed upon him when they found the perfect gift, Prophet photos be damned. He laced their fingers together with a small thought. Damn. He was so lucky.
"Well go on," he chuckled. "Open them."
The kids tore into the presents instantly.
For the next hour there were squeals, fumbling fingers on boxes, cry upon cry of "Look at this!" Envy was fleeting, each boy focused on the next gift in their pile. Harry watched the wrapping paper pile mount and for the first time considered the idea that maybe he'd gone a little overboard. But he'd often gotten socks or Dudley's over-sized hand-me-downs himself; he supposed it was natural. Besides, the laughter was worth it. He slid down, snuggling comfortably at Draco's side and held his husband's hand tightly.
Presents soon began to pile up, Draco taking note last night as they were being placed under the tree of who they were from. A few presents from Blaise, an array of clothing from Pansy, presents from all across the globe from a few Weasleys; Ronald (Signed from Hermione and Hugo, as well), George (he confiscated those immediately) Charles, William and their parents. There were also a few oddly shaped presents from Neville and Luna. The kids tore into them happily, and when they were done, the wrappings were swept to the side as they focused on the next step of their morning. Opening the presents.
Harry dropped his head on Draco's shoulder with a happy sigh as Al and Scorpius put their heads together to attempt to figure out the workings of the toy dragon they'd each received from Charlie. Teddy's nose, to James's utter delight, turned red as he played with a red-nosed reindeer, crashing it very carefully into the pygmy puff James had received causing it to roll around with a squeak. It was from Luna, though, so Harry knew it probably wasn't an ordinary pygmy puff. He'd neglected to share that with Draco, deciding to quietly hope it didn't eat them in their sleep.
Draco watched on quietly, fingers stroking rhythmically through Harry's sleep tangled hair. "So this is what family is like..." Draco murmured quietly to himself, not intending to let anyone overhear.
Harry heard anyway, having been listening for his husband's voice. "This is what our family's like. I love it."
Draco blinked warm silver eyes down at Harry's, heart warming in his chest. "Yes. I suppose." He leaned down, lips pressing gently against Harry's forehead. "I love you."
He grinned, more happy than he'd ever been in his life. "I love you too."
"Okay, you lot." Draco chuckled after placing another swift kiss against Harry's hair. "Breakfast, then you can continue to play for a little bit. But remember-" he narrowed his eyes playfully at his sons who watched on with waning attention- "dinner tonight. Dress nicely. No ifs, ands or buts." They snorted in amusement. He raised his eyebrow.
They were all learning what The Eyebrow meant, so took the cue from Scorpius and made grumbling agreements.
Harry laughed, getting to his feet. "Luckily, that's hours away. Breakfast," he announced and renewed squeals followed, the four boys running for the kitchen with pajama covered feet. Harry turned and offered his hand, grin as childishly excited as their sons. "Come on, love."
With a roll of his eyes, Draco clasped their hands and stood, pulling Harry closer to him for a deep, soul-searching kiss. "Bloody Merlin, I love you, Harry."
"I love you too, Draco." He held on tight, clinging for a moment. "We have one hell of a family, don't we?"
Draco nodded as he turned and walked his husband and him into the kitchen. Chuckling, their kids were all sitting, chatting amicably around the table, toys scattering around the floor as Kreacher placed breakfast in front of each kid. "Eat slowly, okay?" He patted Scorpius hair, sitting down across from their kids and gratefully accepted a steaming cuppa from Kreacher and this mornings Prophet.
Harry sat down beside him after a moment, and after sharing another quiet kiss, they let the morning settle in merriment.
-8-8-
Hours slowly passed, the kids happily playing with their toys, barely leaving the living room as joyous shouts of laughter were heard through the house.
As evening approached and night fell, dinner came and went within the Potter-Malfoy household. True to the big family, Harry had suggested a dinner, a family dinner, to his husband nearly a month ago, and after begrudgingly agreeing, Harry had promised to plan it all. Neville and Luna, Blaise and Pansy, the whole Weasley clan sans his ex and Percy, the house filled with warmth, tantalizing smells, loud rings of laughter and love. Lots and lots of love. "Bloody Hufflepuffs," were muttered on more than one occasion from a select few. And, as the hours died down, presents were opened, children fell asleep against each other and parents began picking them up and giving small nods of thank yous and left in a flash of green flame.
Bill and Charlie slowly approached, Bill's arm tucked around Fleur's waist, his hand resting against Fleur's barely-there baby bump. "You two have an amazing family," he nodded at Harry and Draco and glanced around the messy living room at their sleeping children.
"I agree," Charlie chuckled, giving them each a quick hug, Draco flustering awkwardly.
"Thank you, Charles." Draco gave a small nod as the other left in a swirl of green flames and a call of "You know how to pick 'em Harry!"
Bill and Fleur left soon after with quiet hugs and small mutters of "We will visit again soon," and they were gone with another swish of green flames.
Hermione shuffled over slowly not too long after, Rose cradled in her arms. "Oh, it's so nice to see the pair of you so happy." She gave Harry a one-armed hug, both mindful of the baby. "Everyone had a wonderful time." She gave Draco the same hug, giving him an extra squeeze because he'd very smoothly stopped Pansy from making some passing rude comments about her. She appreciated it just as she appreciated all that he'd done for Harry. "You're better for him than I thought you would be," she whispered. "Thank you for that."
Draco ducked his head in a slight blush, hugging her back gently. "Thank you, Hermione. I try."
"I know you do. He's always deserved someone who would." She drew back and ignored Harry's curious look. "Happy Christmas. Ron, are you ready?"
He was dragging his chocolate-smeared son away from Scorpius. They'd dropped off almost simultaneously, it seemed, heads bent together over the miniature Quidditch game Hugo had gotten from the Potter-Malfoys. Now they were leaning against one another, Hugo clinging to the other boy as he would the stuffed animal he claimed he was too old for... even as he clutched the little chimera plush for all he was worth. Smiling, Ron swept up the still-moving players and tucked everything away in a box with a couple of wand flicks before carefully tilting Scorpius onto Teddy and pulling Hugo up and into his arms.
Draco chuckled quietly, taking a few cautious steps towards the couch and leaning down to pick Scorpius up into his arms. The little boy mumbled quietly, tucking his head against Draco's neck and drifting back off to sleep. Draco walked back towards the hearth, giving a small, quiet nod to Ron as the red-head shifted Hugo carefully in his arms. "Weasley. Thank you for coming."
Ron returned the nod, added a small shrug. "It's not like you make it difficult," he said quietly, mindful of his sleeping son. "Merry Christmas and the like. Our house for New Year's still?"
Harry grinned. "Absolutely. We'll be 'round."
With a small grin, Hermione wrapped an arm tightly around Harry once more, giving him and quick squeeze and a warm nod to Draco, and she swished away in a swirl of green flames, Ron not to far behind with a small utterance of a 'Happy Christmas' and a 'See you at work, Harry.' and he was gone, leaving the Potter-Malfoys to their home, and their sleeping children.
Harry reached out, fingers lacing with his husband's. It had been an exhausting day, but energy still crackled around him. "That was fun." His smile was turned on the sleeping boys - James half-on, half-off the couch, Albus on the floor, his head on Teddy's lap, and Teddy leaned back against the couch, head having fallen back and tucked near James's. And then they to went back to his first baby boy, Scorpius, held by Draco. "That was a lot of fun."
Draco pressed a kiss to his son's forehead. "It was. But I'm glad it is only once a year, and that the boy's birthdays are all in the summer." Or near enough. James was, they found out, born in June, Albus a few days before Scorpius in September and Teddy was in April. That left a few months to relax before the.. hecticness of Christmas fell upon the Potter-Malfoy household. At least Kreacher took it well.
"It'd be exhausting otherwise." Harry went over to the other three, gently shuffling Al off Teddy's lap and into his arms. "Let's put these two to bed." And they'd deal with the other two after since Harry didn't want to wake any of them. He still had to give Draco his gifts and, well, maybe one was under the tree. Hidden, of course, but there.
Draco nodded, thinking of his own gift that was tucked way behind a few moving portraits on the mantle piece, hidden from view. "Yeah, Scorpius isn't getting any lighter." He shifted the boy in his arms before taking off down the hallway.
"If anything, he's just getting heavier." They'd had to buy him new shoes the week before, despite the upcoming holiday. His had just been too small.
Draco chuckled, slowly climbing the stairs, stepping over the fourth one to avoid the annoying creak that would no doubt wake his son. "Malfoys don't get heavier, Potter. They just fill out into their forms, and Scorpius is still growing."
"I have little doubt that you're heavier now than you were when you were five." He ducked into the room Al still shared with James. "I know I am."
"Six," Draco corrected, his smirk widened as he walked farther down the hall and glanced down at his son. " And I can attest to that."
"Your daddy's a git," he murmured to the sleeping boy in his arms before tugging the blankets down and settling him in. He stirred a little, reaching out. He had nightmares sometimes, he and James both did, so Harry held his hand and murmured soothing things until he relaxed again. "Merry Christmas, kid. Love you." He tucked the child in, smiling, and went out quietly to get Teddy.
Albus rolled over, curling up tightly and drifting off back to sleep. "Love... you too..."
Draco leaned over, gently laying Scorpius down against bright blue sheets. "Da... ddy?" The little boy woke up slowly, ice blue eyes revealed behind drooping lids. Draco chuckled softly, slowly moving to drag the checked quilt up and over his son's shoulders, kneeling down to press a soft kiss to his forehead and press Perry into his arms. "Yes Scorpius?"
"S'family now?" Was the mumbled reply after a few, quiet moments.
Do you know wh-what you're getting into?
I... I'm getting a hell of a man and his adorable son. And all that pesky baggage their carrying, but I have some of my own. I think that's an even deal.
"Yes, Scorpius," Draco answered after a minute or so, lifting a hand to gently run it through dark strands of blonde hair. "We're a family now."
"S'family... Love..." The little boy's head began to nod to the side, his eyes drifting closed just a little bit more, his body sagging under the covers to allow sleep to claim him peacefully. "Fam...'ly..."
"And family loves you too, Scorpius." Another soft kiss to his son's forehead and a warm beat to his heart, Draco stood. For now, he had other family to worry about so he left quietly to let his- their son sleep peacefully. Scorpius had so many people that loved him.
-8-8-
A few minutes later had Teddy and James tucked in their beds with contented smiles, and tired cheers of a wonderful, perfectly fun Christmas. A few moments later found two husbands collapsing into bed, half naked with sleeping pants secured around their hips and their lover in their arms.
"Tired," Draco groaned into his pillow, inhaling the smell of cinnamon and evergreens drifting into his lungs. Harry.
Harry snuggled comfortably close, inhaling the lavender and vanilla combination he'd become so accustomed to. "Mm... Yeah. S'a good tired."
Turning his body and wrapping an arm firmly around Harry's waist, Draco dragged him closer, occasionally pressing light kisses over his lover's face and neck. "An amazing tired."
Laughing softly, Harry tilted his head to capture Draco's lips. "Yeah."
Draco lifted himself from the bed, resting his body against his elbow as he used his hand around Harry's waist to push him flat on his back, lifting himself further to loom over his husband's body and tilted his head to press their lips together softly. "Now, I believe my loving husband owes me a few presents for dragging my perfect arse out of bed at an unseemly hour?"
Harry slid his hands down Draco's back, giving said arse a teasing squeeze. "You're so modest."
Draco chuckled, tilting his head to nip lightly at Harry's lower lip. "Mm, I don't have to be modest, Potter. I married the Boy-Who-Lived." Kicking a leg over Harry's waist and lowering himself to straddle his husband comfortably, Draco felt, more than thought about, his old Malfoy smirk pushing at the corners of his lips. "I can be as immodest as I want."
"Congratulations." Grinning, Harry flipped and pinned him. He rose over Draco, a hand splayed over his chest. "Lightweight."
A small chuckle vibrated against Harry's hand. "You should know." Lifting a leg to link it around Harry's waist, he dragged his husband down, sealing their lips together with a soft moan.
"I do know," Harry murmured, nipping along Draco's jawline and down to the mark on his neck. "Mm... You may have a present under the tree you missed."
Draco raised an eyebrow, tilting his head, breath hot against Harry's ear as he whispered lowly. "Oh really, love? And do you really want me to leave right now to get it?" Draco nipped at Harry's ear.
"No, I'm busy right now. Just letting you know. As long as you get it before midnight."
Draco raised an eyebrow, casting a quick Tempus charm behind Harry's head, releasing a hiss, a small moan, as his husband nipped down harshly against his scar. "That's only a quarter of an hour away, love." Pulling away albeit reluctantly, Draco sat up, straddling his husband's waist and carting a hand through Harry's disheveled locks. "A quick accio then?"
"Yeah. Now that I have you back in bed, I don't plan on letting you leave it the rest of the night." Though they both knew from experience that if one of the boy's fussed, Harry would be the first to go see why. He cast the summoning spell quietly, mouth full of his love's pale skin.
Accompanying his love's idea, Draco cast a quick accio, shuddering at the magic that tingled against his fingertips. Leaning back down, Draco sealed their lips, never getting enough of the warmth, the perfect feel of Harry's lips moving against his own.
"You got me something?" Harry wondered, question muffled against Draco's mouth.
Draco rolled his eyes, hand coming out to grasp at the present that floated near his head, giving a harsh nip to Harry's lips. "No, I didn't get my husband a gift for his first Christmas with his own family. I'm just that rude."
Harry smiled, but there was the shy surprise in his eyes that was always there when anyone got him things. "Can I open it?"
Sitting back against Harry's waist, Draco chuckled quietly. He knew what the quiet, shocked surprise in those eyes meant. Casting an engorgio charm on the present he had shrunk to hide, Draco held out the present with a hilarious flourish, holding out the present, wrapped in dark blue paper topped with an obnoxious green and silver bow towards his husband. He chuckled, the sound almost a whisper against his lips, his heart thundering in his chest, blood rushing in his ears. Would Harry like it...?
"Scorpius picked the bow..."
With a laugh, Harry plucked the bow from the paper and settled it right in Draco's hair. "It suits," he teased and leaned up to press a fond kiss to Draco's lips before going at the wrapping paper. Halfway through, he nudged Draco off him so he could sit up beside him and finish unwrapping. He blinked when he saw the photo album and he trailed his finger over the brown, leather cover, a gold border sewn in around the edges. He thought of the one Hagrid had given him years before, falling apart from how often Harry would open it, and beamed at Draco. He'd needed a new one.
Draco nodded down at the cover, moving to sit against the pillows at the headboard of the bed, waving a hand simply to let him know to open it. When Harry did, his breath caught. There were his parents, waving at him. He smiled at the old picture, looking up at Draco with loving eyes, and he began to flip through. He could hardly believe the Slytherin had taken the time to move all of his old pictures and...
There were new ones. Ones of Luna and her family, Neville and his, Ron and Hermione with Rose and Hugo. He laughed, watching Ron roll his eyes and tuck an arm around his waving wife. There were ones of him, too, he noted with a wry grin. Sneaky prat. And then his smile faded and his fingers trailed over the pictures of Draco holding his infant son. He'd glimpsed pictures of Scorpius as a baby when they'd been moving their things into Grimmauld Place, but never really had the time to truly look. "Draco," Harry murmured, "he was such a beautiful baby."
Draco lifted a hand to calmly, slowly stroke it through Harry's hair, tucking some behind his ear, breathing shallowly. "If only you could have been there for the birth. He is so much more your son than Astoria's. Literally, now."
Harry caught his hand, pressing his lips to the palm. "I love him as much as if I had been there," he assured him and flipped to the next page since there was still more. His fingers tightened on Draco's hand at the next few shots. His family. The four boys in the parlor undoubtedly playing some silly game, though they'd all looked up to grin and wave at the camera. There were a few of all six of them at the park, a couple at the Burrow, a few of Harry fighting off the notorious Malfoy cat, Severus. Scorpius's birthday, Halloween, and a whole two pages for their wedding. Who in Godric's name had taken that many photographs?
He let out a watery laugh, blinking rapidly as he looked at his husband. "This is amazing, Draco. Thank you."
Draco's smile was calm, understanding. "Think nothing of it." His whispers were quiet, feeling as if the emotions in the room were weighing down on him, causing him to speak cautiously, quietly. "You deserved something to encompass all that has changed in your life. You have a family now, more then ever I suppose." He leaned forward, eyes slipping closed to press their lips together chastely. "I had friends take them. Blaise, Pansy, a few were taken by Neville and the awkwardly tilted ones were from Luna. Rose even took the one of Scorpius and Hugo covered in chocolate. With Hermione's help of course. And there are a few pages to still be added."
"There's a lifetime of pages to be added," Harry murmured, carefully closing the album and running his fingers over the cover. He lifted his hand to Draco's cheek, sinking into a kiss. "I love you."
Draco kissed back softly, heart pounding loudly in the quietness of a sleeping house. "And I love you." Lifting a hand to cover the one on his cheek, Draco ran his thumb lightly over Harry's wedding ring. "Enough to last me more than a life time of pages."
Harry closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying simply being close. "Yours now." He plucked the hovering box, newly visible, from the air. It was rather long, rectangular in shape, and wrapped in red and green paper.
Draco blinked, brow furrowing in confusion. "What the...?" It looked like... a wand box? Plucking the box from between Harry's fingers, he settled back against the pillows, relishing in the comfort of having the shorter male pressed against his side. "Can I open it? ...Or will it bite me?" The mark on the side of his neck tingled.
He smiled, pressing a kiss to his neck. "Of course you can open it."
Draco gave a cursory grin, bringing the present into is lap and sliding a finger over the shining wrapping paper for a moment before giving it a gentle tear. A few moments passed, the house oddly quiet aside from the sharp crackle of tearing wrapping paper as Draco slowly unraveled his present. He paused.
"Harry... Is this...?" Clasped in his palm was a nondescript roll of parchment. But, Draco knew from the small tear at the outer corner from when he was child, what it exactly was. He unravelled the papers slowly, heart catching in his throat, hand shaking slightly. "You..."
"It's fallen into some disrepair and some of the rooms have been hexed or have some nasty things in them, left by people sneaking in and such. Besides that, though, the House-Elves have all stayed and they've been ordered to start cleaning things out. Ron and I've spent a few days cleaning out a couple of Boggarts, which is the real reason why I've been late coming home lately." He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly nervous. "But I thought... I mean, I'll always keep this place for Sirius and one of the boys are bound to have a use for it when they get older, but I never really intended to live in it forever myself. But Malfoy Manor was where you grew up and it was Scorpius's first home. It's... it's been in your family forever, so..."
Draco turned to the side, tackling Harry in his arms, holding onto him tightly. "You... Y-You stupid, stupid Gryffindor!" His hands shook tightly around the document, the deed to Malfoy Manor, clenched tightly in his fist. "H-How could you-? I mean..." Ignoring the prickling of tears behind his eye, Draco tightened his bare arms around Harry's chest, face pressed against the warm skin of Harry's neck. "H-Harry... You... How did you do this? I mean..." He paused, trying to collect his racing thoughts. Malfoy Manor. He was in possession of Malfoy Manor... Scorpius could... "Astoria... She-"
"She's been living with her own family from what I gathered. Couldn't manage the entire house on her own and the House-Elves resisted her since, well, she wasn't a real Malfoy any longer. I got it back from her." He saw no reason to mention the arrest made or the other repossessions of Greengrass property. He'd spent quite a few months digging into their family businesses and had hit upon enough dirt to keep them buried a long while.
Long legs curled up against Draco's chest, the blonde hanging on for dear magical life to his husband's neck. "You- Harry-" To say the blonde was speechless would of been a true understatement. It took a lot to make the eldest Malfoy truly speechless and his husband had gone and did it point blank. The parchment crinkled in his hand as he pulled it from around Harry's neck and slowly slid it open. Tracing a finger lightly over the names of his ancestors, he paused. Where was... Astoria's name should of been right after his. Once Lucius had vanished (died, went to Azkaban, Draco refused to know) Draco's name had appeared below his father's as the new head of the Malfoy Manor, and once Astoria claimed it in their divorce... Her name should of been transferred below his... But... He ran his finger lower, pausing in shock.
'Sole Proprietor, Heir, Owner and Head of the Malfoy name,' he read slowly, finger trembling against the paper. 'Draco Lucius Malfoy-Potter and with signed consent, Harry James Potter-Malfoy.'
"Harry... This..." Astoria's name wasn't below his old name... Draco Lucius Malfoy. It was just... Them. "How did you... What did you do? Where is Astoria's name?" He was so gratefully, gratefully confused to know that the deed to his ancestor's home had remained in his name, but how?
"She's not a Malfoy," he said simply, stroking Draco's back gently. "It's kind of complicated, but it's secure."
Draco pulled away with a goofy smile stretching across his lips, sitting back against the edge of the bed. "You know what..." He gazed down at the paper. "It doesn't matter. It... doesn't matter. Astoria or not. I don't care." Turning his body, he reached for a quill and paused. Did it... Did the Malfoy name truly not matter after all these years? After not having any magic, forced to live as something akin to a mere Muggle, raising a dying child by himself... Did being a Malfoy truly matter? Did having such a large house that he didn't know what to do with all the rooms really matter? Draco paused for a moment, eyes glancing to the ring on his out stretched hand. No. No. It didn't matter. He had family, his family, and that is what mattered to him. Pulling away from the dresser, knowing there was a quill right on the inside of the drawer, ready with ink, he sat back on his haunches. He glanced at the middle of the bed, his heart stuttering in his chest as he gazed greedily upon his husband. "Do you want to live in Malfoy Manor?"
"It's part of your family; it's been in it for generations." Harry smiled, despite prickling nerves, reaching out to run his fingers through Draco's hair. "I don't want you to lose that and I don't Scorpius to either."
Lifting a hand to close it over Harry's, Draco's eyes slipped closed, tilting his head into the touch. "No, Harry, do you, my husband, want to live in Malfoy Manor? Don't focus on me, or Scorpius. Do you, James, Albus, and Teddy want to live in the manor?" His heart jumped in his chest.
"It's..." He pulled Draco close again. "I never wanted to live in Grimmauld permanently. You know that. It's not livable right now, but when it is I'd like to."
"So is that a yes, or a no Golden Boy?"
"It's a yes, Draco." Harry smiled slightly. "If, y'know, you want to make Malfoy Manor suitable for the Potter-Malfoys."
With a roll of pewter hued eyes, Draco leaned back, goosebumps raising against bare skin at the touch of a cool drawer knob to his slightly warm hand. "Well, it might take a little while and a bit of magic and a hippogriffs weight in galleons, but we can see what we can do." Pulling the drawer open, Draco grabbed for the plain white quill, lifting his body back over the edge of the bed and glancing down at the parchment in his lap. "...Are you sure?"
"Draco, it was a nightmare getting this place back." He leaned over, nipped the blonde's lip. "Sign the bloody deed."
Draco threw the deed across the bed, it slowly drifting down to fall against Harry's side. He waved a hand, heart pounding in his chest. "You first." Leaning forward, elbows resting on his folded legs, he threw a small grin in Harry's direction. "If I'm supposedly the wife in this marriage, I think the husband should sign all deeds first, don't you?" He leaned back to rest his hands against the edge of the bed and lean his weight on them. "Besides," he nipped at his lower lip, "Malfoy Manor isn't really mine anymore... Not really."
Harry took the quill, but toyed with it instead of signing. He'd been so sure before, particularly from the way Draco would mention it at odd moments. But now... "You do want it back, don't you?"
Leaning forward again, Draco pressed the tip of the quill against the parchment. "Of course I want it, you bloody Gryffindor." Tilting his head, his leaned further and whispered lightly against Harry's ear, shuddering at the closeness. "But the moment you sign first, it's no longer Malfoy Manor. It's whatever your last name is. Since I took your name, it'll no longer be a Malfoy estate. Everything will move to our children. The Potter-Malfoy bloodline."
Harry turned his head, brushing his lips over his husband's. "This is why you're the wife," he teased, scrawling his name. "You're smarter than I am when it comes to things like this."
Draco's answering smirk had Harry laughing lightly as the blonde plucked the quill from between his fingers and gave a quick sign to the parchment in his lap, under the messy scrawl of his husband. The parchment rolled up instantly and sealed itself with a deep, burgundy shaded ribbon. "Of course it has to be red."
Draco vanished the quill with a wave of his hand, the parchment floating over to the bedside table as the blonde straddled his husband with a quick movement and pushed him back against the pillows. "The only reason I will ever be considered the 'wife' in this marriage Potter," Draco leaned down to nip lightly at Harry's neck. "Is because I know how to control my husband to do what pleases me the most." His smirk widened as Harry gave a light groan, hands coming up to grab at his hips.
"You're very capable of that, yes." Harry's head fell back, hands sliding from his hips up his back and down. "Happy Christmas, love."
Draco followed Harry's head, sealing their lips together and pressing himself flush against his lover. "Happy Christmas, darling."
Not even six months ago, Draco Malfoy-Potter had felt as if his life was at a stand still. No hope for his son, no help from the world he had considered his home since the moment he was able to wave a wand, and no love from his remaining family member. Magic cast aside, shunned from a world he loved, Draco Malfoy-Potter stuck to the only thing he knew; perseverance. Trying his hardest to make a comfortable life for him and Scorpius, Draco persevered with the thought that his life would get better. He had burned and crashed enough during the war and after, that there had to be some semblance of hope, hadn't there? It all changed for him one day, one simple day of his son wanting to go to the park. How could Draco refuse? And a whirlwind of memories, blood, a lot of magic, torn Prophet photos, and a plethora of broken rules... Draco found himself exactly where he wanted to be. In the arms of Harry bloody Potter. Potter-Malfoy. It was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Four beautifully perfect sons, an amazing husband, a Manor no longer shunned by the spoiled Malfoy name, and a new life he couldn't wait to get started.
Harry didn't have breaks often, didn't like to take them...
He'd learned years ago not to heed the words of others. They were often biased, entirely incorrect, or just skewed enough to cause confusion.
o0o
Wingardium Leviosa.
The End.
-8-8-8-
So we're done. For now.
Syl. What do you have to say?
Uh... Not a lot, I think the fic speaks for itself. It was lots of fun XD
And I'm looking forward to the sequel and such.
XD We love you too Syl.
Thank you guys!
Leave us a last, partingreview?
And, don't forget about the few one-shots we'll have coming out between this and,
Aresto Momentum.
A sequel to Wingardium Leviosa.
Coming Soon!
o0o
Also, there is a poll on my profile about who you witches & wizards would like to see in the Sequel. Let us know!
And thank you all again! We hope we had you Becoming Obsessed. :heart:
-Sincerely,
Abraxas and Syl.