Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!
The first thing Harry noticed when Mittsy motioned for him to enter the Manor was how gloomy it looked. During his other visits the candles were bright and the rooms surprisingly welcoming.
But now the lights flickered casting spooky shadows across the walls. The portraits of Draco's ancestors that lined the walls were slumped. In one extreme case a woman had her head planted on the desk, shoulders shaking with despondent cries.
Even Mittsy wasn't spared this blanket of despair that seemed to have fallen over the house. She hadn't even glared at Harry when his toe got caught on the edge of a dais holding a family heirloom.
This wasn't what Harry expected when he decided to come bother Draco that day. Maybe some eye rolling and sarcasm, definitely yelling, but not this.
Only a few steps in and Harry was already questioning his decision on coming here. He was trying to decide if he should leave and find something else to relieve his boredom.
But Harry was here because Draco was his last hope of getting any sort of entertainment today. He would rather be at the office tracking down the arsehole smuggling exotic creatures into the country, but Terrence's back was acting up, so Harry had the day off.
Naturally, Harry ignored that. He strolled into their shared office space determined to find the piece of evidence that would crack this case.
What Harry wasn't expecting was the strong shock he'd received when he touched the door handle. No counter charm he knew would break the curse placed on the door knob. It wasn't until the fifth shock, a numb hand, and various co-workers snickering for Harry to leave the Ministry.
His next plan was to nab Ron and Hermione for a day out. Something they hadn't done for quite a while now since they were busy with their jobs and projects. But Ron outright refused when Harry suggested it.
He was already on thin ice with his senior officer when he'd spilt a cup of coffee on a stack of paperwork. His whole team had to stay late to redo all that work.
Hermione didn't even answer his fire call, which was what Harry expected. The bushy haired woman had just recently started an internship at Hogwarts and was bursting with excitement for her days as a professor-in-training.
Harry spent the next two hours of his life mindlessly flipping through TV channels. The old, scratchy couch gradually consuming him with each new show that passed the screen.
When he had rented the apartment already fully furnished, he had planned to replace everything with new furniture, but as time passed, he had less and less motivation to do so. And now he was content with the old, ugly pieces that decorated his place. Harry spent most of his time at the office anyway.
As Harry sat there, an itchy feeling crawled along his skin. A sensation that he'd been getting since the end of the war. Like a bunch of fire ants where walking on him; it was a level of restlessness he never though he'd experience.
One leg bounced against the floor as another documentary about the wonders of nature started.
It felt like his skin was shrinking, and Harry had to move- to do something. He was out on the street ready to once more try his hand at the locked door of his office when he saw a flash of blonde in the corner of his eye.
And really that flash shouldn't have brought the image of his school hood rival into the forefront of his mind. The stranger's hair was darker blonde rather than the iconic white-blonde of the Malfoy's.
But the brain is a mysterious organ. So, that one small glance had Harry moving in the opposite direction of his office. Toward the one person who could always be a distraction from his problems - even if it was by causing another problem for Harry.
Mittsy directed Harry to a room where Max and Isabelle were lying across a plush looking sofa. Max's face was buried in the cushions while Isabelle's head hung off the edge, her legs resting against the sofa's back.
Draco stood in front of them arms crossed and foot tabbing - his tone firm as he said, "This is getting ridiculous. They left two days ago, I let you tow mope yesterday because I know it's hard to say goodbye to someone you care about but now, we must get it together. We'll see them again soon and you'll be able to write to them."
The only response was Isabelle flipping over onto her stomach, so she couldn't see the man in front of her anymore.
"Alright, that's it!" Draco exclaimed, storming up to Isabelle first and attempted to sit her upright. The little girl remained boneless during this process, allowing her body to flop over in Draco's arms. It was only his quick reflexes that prevented her from tumbling off the couch.
Giving up on Isabelle, Draco moved on to Max who was being equally as difficult. Where Isabelle refused to move, Max started to squirm when Draco got him in his arms.
By the time the older man realized they had company Max had managed to climb over his shoulder and was clinging on to the fabric on his back. The boy was able to dodge every twist Draco preformed to grab at him.
"Master, Autor Potter is being here." Mittsy said, clearing her throat before shuffling away.
The announcement distracted Max long enough for Draco to remove the boy from his back and held him to his chest. It seemed for the moment he wasn't going to fight Draco.
"Potter, what are you doing here?" Draco asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion of the other man's sudden appearance.
"Well I haven't seen you or your brood around recently, so I decided to come check on you all." Harry replied, hands slipping into his jean pockets and a lazy smile formed.
"Br-brood?" Draco choked out.
Ignoring Draco's remarks about inconsiderate Chosen Ones thinking they could just barge into everyone's home, Harry leaned over the back of the sofa to get a better look at Isabelle.
Green eyes meet green, Harry was surprised by the apathetic look on the girl's face. Every meeting before the child had always been very cheerful.
Draco seemed to have run out of child friendly insults to throw at Harry and was trying to set Max on the floor. But the boy had a handful of Draco's shirt and refused to put any strength in his legs to keep him up-right.
"So, what happened here?" Harry asked, curious.
"As you can see, these two have decided to join the ranks of the living dead and refuse to listen to me." Draco sniffed.
"Yes, but why?"
"Jasmine, Thomas, and Macy left for Hogwarts the other day and well..." Draco let the sentence drift off, gesturing toward Max and Isabelle.
An idea began to form in Harry's mind as he surveyed the despondent family. He pulled out his mobile to dial the number of a good friend.
"What are you doing?"
Harry startled at the proximity of the voice. Draco had walked silently up to the brunette's side, eyes trained on the device at Harry's ear. Giving the other man a look, Harry waved him away.
This only irritated the blonde further, "Potter, what are you up too?"
Harry was about to answer him, when there was a click over the phone and a soft voice gave a greeting.
"Stop ignoring me, Potter. This is my house and-"
"Shh!" Harry cut the man off as he was gearing up for a rant.
"You did not just shush me!" Draco huffed but his volume was notably quieter.
"No, sorry that wasn't meant for you Luna, but I do have a favor to ask. Do you have room in your next session for two adults and two children?"
"I always have room for a friend, Harry." Luna's soft voice floated from the phone.
"I should tell you that one of the adults is Draco Malfoy." Harry hesitantly said. Keeping his voice low so his words wouldn't reach the man now sat with the kids on the sofa.
"Draco? Oh, that'd be lovely. I haven't seen him since school. It would be nice to catch up."
"Thank you, Luna." Harry said with a smile. He would forever admire Luna's ability to forgive those who'd had wronged her.
"Anytime Harry. If you come by in about an hour, I should have everything ready." Without so much as a 'goodbye' Luna ended the call. Harry was familiar with this as Luna refused to end a conversation with a goodbye claiming it was bad luck.
"Luna said to head to her studio soon." Harry informed the whole room. A cold silence from the other occupants of the room met his statement.
"Draco? Hello?"
"Oh," Draco exclaimed, looking up at the other man now standing in front of him. A hand rose to lay dramatically on the blonde's chest.
"Do I have permission to speak now?"
"I was on the phone!" Harry protested.
Draco pursed his lips as much as he was loathed to do anything Potter wanted, he was desperate. If it would help get Max and Isabelle out of the house, then he would do anything.
Draco stood, "Come along you two you heard Mr. Potter we've got somewhere to be."
Lethargically, the two rose and headed to their rooms to get dressed. Sighing, Draco followed them up.
"Make sure you wear something comfortable. We'll have quite a walk to get to Luna's place." Harry called after them.
Draco followed Potter apprehensively checking that Isabelle and Max hadn't wandered to far from his side. The brunette lead them through a hill range. Where patches of small flowers were the only interruption of the solid green grass.
"Remind me again why we couldn't apparate to this place?" Draco asked.
"Luna says that if too much magic builds up around you it clogs the flow of creativity. Hence, the magic free zone." Harry said.
"That sounds made up," Draco said, but didn't say much more when Harry gave him a sharp look.
The journey was quite peaceful. And as they walked Draco felt his sadness from the past few days start to disperse.
His tense shoulders relaxed as Isabelle bent down to pick the flowers dotting the trail. The corners of his lips lifted with the sound of Max's yells as he chased a hopping frog. Laughter left him when Potter pointed out disfigured clouds, suggesting things that they looked like. His suggestions getting more and more ridiculous.
But as the group approached a lone hut in the center of a field Draco began to doubt Potter's intentions.
The sound of Potter knocking on the wooden door echoed around them. By the time footsteps was heard from within, Draco had already formed a plan of escape.
Using the element of surprise. He would push Potter into the door and grab Max and Isabelle. Then, run in the opposite direction before Potter had the chance to kill them off.
"Luna!" Harry cheered when the door swung open before Draco could act on his idea to retreat.
If it wasn't for Harry exclamation Draco wouldn't have recognized the woman in front of them. The tips of her blonde hair were dyed a light blue and bundled up in a messy bun worn high on her head. She was wearing a set of muggle clothes with paint splattered randomly across them.
But what really drew Draco's attention were the tattoos that decorated her arms. The ink appeared to dance across her skin as she moved, the patterns reached to the sleeves of Luna's shirt.
"Draco?" Luna inquired, braking Draco's observation of her tattoos.
"Lovegood, nice to see you." Draco greeted. His eyes now on her face, cheeks growing red in embarrassment for his rudeness.
Luna let them all in the hut, which was bigger than it looked from the outside. The room was lit with a grandiose amount of natural light streaming through the ceiling made entirely of glass. Long tables were organized so every seat had a good view of the small stage at the head of the room.
Each seat had a small easel and canvas prepared. There were bottles of paint scattered on the tables and cups of brushes were provided.
"Go ahead and find an apron," Luna said, gesturing to the hooks along the back wall, where kid and adult sized aprons hung.
Draco made sure Max's and Isabelle's apron were tied correctly. Max chose one with different colored butterflies painted on and Isabelle's had a monkey swinging from a branch.
The blonde man reached for a random apron, he didn't care all that much about his design. But Potter's voice called for his attention.
"Hey, Draco. Check me out!" Steeling himself for what was sure to be something completely absurd, Draco turned.
He couldn't hold back the barking laugh that burst from his chest when he saw what the other man was wearing.
Potter stood there, legs spread. An arm lifted in a flex, he had his face scrunched in the cliché heroic expression. And on his apron was the body of a man, a single leaf was the only thing keeping the image decent. A six pack and bulging quads were painted on the black material, all in all, it was so very absurd.
"Potter, there are children here!" Draco gasped out between laughs.
He stepped forward for a better view, "Wow, look at that detail."
"And I found the perfect one for you." Harry announced, a cheeky grin on his face as he rummaged in the hanging aprons.
When he retreated, an apron was in his hands and painted on it was a classic prince outfit.
"Get it, because you're kinda of like a prince in wizarding society."
"Does that make you the pauper?" He threw back, tying the strings around his neck.
A strange look passed over Potter's face, "You've read that book."
"I'm not even going to bother answering that question." Draco said, leading the kids to the rapidly depleting seats. The room had begun to fill whilst their backs were turned.
The four sat at one of the long tables with a couple who were making goo goo eyes at each other. Harry and Draco shared a similar look of disgust at their display. The two men choose to sit on either side of the kids, so if they needed help, they would be there.
Draco smiled as he set up his station. Looks like this trip had been good for them judging by the excitement exuding off Max and Isabelle.
Sneaking a look at Potter, who was helping Isabelle straighten her canvas, Draco would have to remember to thank him. Merlin, he was growing soft.
Of course, the whispers behind them shattered that good mood. Irritated, the blonde turned toward the nosy people. Couldn't he leave the Manor once without any nasty comments.
But the scathing words died on his lips when he didn't see sneers directed at him. Rather the two women stared with awe and admiration, just not at him. He should have known that Potter's presence would be enough to overlook his own reputation.
The women's giggles were beginning to hit a pitch that only dog could hear, grating on Draco's nerves.
"Look it's the Harry Potter. His pictures don't do him justice." One of the women commented, eyeing the brunette.
"I'm going to go talk to him." The other said, gathering enough courage to take a step forward.
Draco knew he was glaring, but neither seemed to notice. Before the stranger could say anything, Luna stepped onto the small stage and announced the start of the session.
Draco suppressed his irritation as he followed Luna's directions to blend the two paint colors together. It puzzled him why he felt this way.
Sure, he had some strange infatuation with a younger Harry and he'd be the first to admit he handled those feelings badly. Who knew that making fun of someone and their friends wasn't the correct way to woo someone.
But those feelings were long gone. Left behind somewhere between Voldemort returning and fleeing Hogwarts. There's just no time for such childish desires when you're trying to survive. Maybe they were caused from over exposure to Potter. Whatever it was, it had to be Potter's fault.
With that, Draco's irritation found a new target.
"Draco?" Max called. The ginger looked imploringly at the older man and held up his palette. "I can't get the color right, can you help?"
"Looks like you added too much orange." Draco said, adding a drop of red paint to the center.
"Thank you!"
"Wow, Mr. Potter your clouds look so cool." Isabelle praised. She wasn't wrong, the man's clouds looked very realistic.
Tilting his head back and forth, Draco let out a sigh. No matter the angle his clouds somehow always resembled a certain part of the male anatomy.
"Hold your brush like this and you can get the same texture." Potter demonstrated, correcting Isabelle's finger positions. "All it takes is some practice and you'll be a pro. Luck for me, I'm friends with an artist, so I know all the tricks."
Isabelle nodded her head, following Potter's instructions closely. Her clouds looking more even.
"They're not that good." Draco muttered with another glance at Potter's painting.
"Draco, have you ever seen a sunset before?" Isabelle asked, Skeptically. Scrunching her face at the blonde's attempt.
"Hey, he has the best color." Max defended Draco's work.
"Yeah, that's good. But his clouds are bunched up weirdly." The girl critiqued.
A cough, that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, from the brunette suggested that he also saw the same body part as Draco in the clouds. Blushing, Draco lifted his brush to fix it.
"Try it like this." Potter said, walking to Draco to correct his technique.
"Stay on your side, Potter."
"It's an easy fix." Potter persisted, ignoring the other's warning.
"I've got this." Draco said teeth clenched, frustrated.
A brush appeared from over Draco's shoulder.
"Leave it." Draco smacked the arm causing it to jerk, leaving a large streak across the canvas.
"Oh no!" Max exclaimed.
"Shit, Draco I'm sorry." Potter said.
No one dared to move as they waited for Draco's reaction. Using a clean brush, Draco scooped up a glob of blue paint.
"What are you doing?" Potter worried.
"Nothing. Your painting just looks a little dull. Why don't we add some color? Draco threatened, brandishing his brush and moving to Harry's area.
"Draco, Stop." Potter wrapped a hand around Draco's wrist.
"Why? It's only fair." Draco demanded, struggling against the hold on him.
"Because I didn't do it on purpose."
And so, Max and Isabelle watched the scuffle unfold. Draco trying to free his hand, and Harry trying to calm him down. A tricky twist of his hand broke Potter's hold, the sudden release had the brush swiping uncontrolled against Potter's face. A jagged, blue line swept along the man's cheek to his chin.
"Well, I guess we're even now," Draco said, after a small pause. A self-satisfied smirk forming.
"Oh, no it does not." Potter said, ready for round two.
A throat cleared, "Gentlemen, I don't see you painting. Do you need some assistance?" Luna said, watching the two with a careful look.
"No." They guiltily answered Luna. Her disruption ended the argument between the two for a limited time.
When another customer distracted Luna, Potter took his chance.
"Hey Draco, look!" The brunette drew a dark green line across the blonde's forearm when he looked into the direction Harry pointed.
"Potter!" Draco yelped. Luna's eyes fell to them once more and Draco swallowed his complaint. Plastering a disarming grin on his face until their instructor looked away.
Quick as lightning Draco struck his revenge.
Using brown paint, he drew a circle where Potter's ocean was beginning to form. "There it's looking better already."
What followed was an hour of sabotage. Both men took every chance to mess with the other, all the while defending their own piece.
Soon, Max and Isabelle joined in the fight.
The kids dipped their hands in the paint and flung it at each other and the older men. Potter gave Draco a wink as the kids joined in, then picked them up so they could place a hand imprint the blonde's cheeks.
Draco got his revenge by drawing a heart on Max's wrist and Isabelle's forehead.
At this point, Luna had given up keeping them on track after the fourth reprimand and left them to their devices as long as they weren't bother anyone else.
By the end of the session their paintings were beyond repair and their skin marked up in with all the colors available.
They hung up their aprons as the paintings dried.
Draco made a face as he surveyed the mess they'd made. He guided Isabelle and Max to Luna, but before he could utter a word, Max spoke up.
"Sorry about the mess, Miss. I'll clean it up."
Luna crouched in front of the kids, "Did you have fun?" Two nods of agreement, "then it's all good."
She laughed at their enthusiastic thank yous, then the two ran off to tell Harry the news.
"Slow down you two! You're going to knock someone down." Draco called after them.
"Okay." They said, continuing at a slightly slower pace.
"You look good Draco." Luna said.
"Thanks, I think the green paint really brings out my eyes."
"Not just that. You looked terrible after the war," She said, not one to mince words, "I was worried when you didn't return to Hogwarts, but I'm glad. You seem like you're in a good place now."
"Lovegood," Draco guilty murmured. He needed to apologize for her treatment as a prisoner in the Manor but nothing else came out.
"Luna, please." She said, giving his arm a squeeze. Her smile said it all; he was forgiven.
"Luna," he amended, "we really did make a mess and used up a lot of paint. Let me clean and pay for it."
"First, you don't have to pay for anything. My friends don't pay. Second, don't worry about the mess. I'm sure the Nargles will take care of it." She then left before Draco could argue his point more.
Blinking at the exchange with Luna, Draco turned, and it wasn't hard to spot his group. Potter stood at the center of a crowd. He looked out of place shifting from foot to foot, a hand scratching the back of his neck as he accepted a canvas from a short man. Max and Isabelle were peeking out from behind the brunette's legs.
"I'm a huge fan Mr. Potter and I am so grateful to you and your friends." The man gushed using a handkerchief to dab at his forehead. Harry signed his name on the painting with a quill and handed it back to the man.
So, all these people wanted to meet the Hero, Draco scoffed. Potter probably carried around a quill for this exact situation.
When the children noticed Draco approaching, they broke away from Potter and ran to the other's side.
"Hey guys you ready to go." They both nodded
Draco lifted their three paintings and started to head out.
"What about Mr. Potter?" Isabelle said. Seeing that the man was still occupied with his admirers, Draco wrote him off as a lost cause.
"Mr. Potter's busy right now. Let's go, you both are in need of a bath"
"So, do you!" Max accused.
They walked a few yards from the hut when a voice called out, "Hey, Draco wait up!"
He had half a mind to ignore the shout but both Max and Isabelle stopped for the brunette. Potter ran up to them, painting in hand.
"You left me." Potter, dare he say, pouted.
"Well you seemed busy." Draco said.
Harry tisked, "And I didn't even get your signature. "Then presented his ruined canvas to the blonde.
"I am not signing that Potter."
"Come on, you helped paint half of it after all."
Seeing that he wasn't going to let it go, Draco took the offered quill and signed his name.
"No fair I want Draco's name too." Isabelle demanded.
"Me too!" Max said, pushing his painting against Draco's leg. He then proceeded to sign both of their paintings with a lot more flourish.
"Quill, please." Isabelle said.
When she had the object in her hand, she had Max sign hers then she did the same with his.
"Don't forget mine." Draco said.
"I want your autographs too." Harry said.
Once they were all signed, Draco thrust his canvas at Potter. "Might as well sign mine as well."
"You better treasure this forever." Potter joked as he signed.
"Are you kidding me?' Draco asked, the painting once more in his possession, "Do you know how much I could sell this for now?"
Harry shoved him.
"So, where did you get the quill? Do you just carry one around with you?"
Harry gazed at the quill a look of horror passed over his face, "Someone gave it to me to use to sign. Do you think I should go back?"
"No. The owner is probably bragging that Harry Potter stole their late grandmother's possession." Draco said.
"I didn't steal it," a pause, "Do you think it could have been someone's dead grandma's quill?"
Draco laughed, grasped Max's and Isabelle's hands and continued walking. "You're too good of a man Harry."
The crunch of grass signaled Harry following him, "Did you just call me Harry?"
"Weren't you going to return something to its owner?"
"Nah, if they really want it back, they can report me." Harry said, slipping a hand into Max's free one so they were walking in line.
"So, do you guys know any good songs?" Harry inquired.
When the trio made it back to the Manor, Draco was quick to clean them of every flake of paint before he was forced to hang the paintings.
Isabelle wanted hers at the head of her bed, while Max had his hung above the desk and dragons (now ordered by tail length). Draco used a strong sticking charm as he placed them in fear that the painting would fall on one of their heads. Before laying down for bed himself, Draco placed his own painting in the center of the wall facing his bed.