SURPRISE!

I did it! I was able to get another chapter out 4 months earlier than I usually do! And even a day before my birthday! Aren't you proud?

As always, I thank you all for your comments, I always look forward to them. One issue some of you noticed in the last chapter was Tom's made up French name Marque. I don't speak French, but I did carefully look it up. When googling "Marque name meaning" it does come up French name for Of Mars, God of War, so don't worry. I'm as accurate as Google allows me :)

Now, read on dear readers and thank you for your patience.


Meant To Be

Chapter 31

The following weeks after Harry's revelation were full of blunders and blushing, at least on Harry's part. Tom remained blissfully ignorant of what was going on inside Harry's head, though he tried to pry it out of him unsuccessfully. It wasn't like Harry could just tell him; he had no idea how Tom would react, hell, he didn't know how to react. It just hadn't seemed real.

He had come home from Ron and Hermione's place and had been in complete denial about the whole thing. It just wasn't possible, Tom was a Dark Lord, and not any Dark Lord, THE Dark Lord Voldemort, the one who had been trying to kill him, who had killed his parents! But that line of thought didn't work; Harry had long since separated them into two people, Tom Riddle and Voldemort, it helped when he was continuously sleeping and living with the man. So trying to put them back into one person didn't make the feelings he felt go away. If anything, it made it all the more pronounced and the more he denied it the more it became obvious and thus it made him self-conscious.

Whenever they were in the same room, Harry found himself watching Tom, whether he was playing with Wynter or just sitting there reading the newspaper his heart would flutter erratically in a way that wasn't normal. And when they made love! Merlin, it was like his heart would burst out of his chest, he would turn his head away, afraid Tom would see it on his face. It wasn't that he hadn't felt it before, but he would just pass it off as nothing special, that he was just happy that Wynter was happy. Yet Harry no matter how he denied it, he eventually admitted it. He was in love with Tom.

Just what to do about it, he had no idea.

"It's not like I can just tell him," Harry muttered to himself as he chopped vegetables on the counter. He had never told anyone that he loved them before, nor had he been told, but that's because he had a crap childhood. Same with Tom, but he was sure he had been confessed to before, possibly gone out with some because they were convenient to him...that sounded about right. Ah, speak of the devil, he thought as the front door opened to reveal the object of his thoughts.

"Hi," Tom said as he shed his outer robe.

"Hey."

"Where's Wynter?" he asked as he planted a kiss on Harry's forehead in greeting.

Harry gestured with his head to the dining table and Tom looked at him curiously before walking over and looking under the table. Underneath he found his daughter quietly playing with her toys when she saw him her face brightened.

"Da-dee!" She exclaimed and crawled out under a chair where she was picked up.

"What are you doing under there?"

"She's been under there pretty much all day," Harry answered, "Not that I'm complaining, she's been keeping herself occupied and not getting into anything for once."

"I see. Staying out of Mama's hair?" Tom asked her.

"Mama," Wynter said pointing to her mother.

"That's right, and how about me?" he asked sitting down on the couch with her.

Wynter framed his face with her small hands and gave him a kiss, "Da-dee," she said happily.

"That's right."

It had taken a little while for Wynter to get it right, even then, she still had to say it slowly or she would revert to her usual 'Dedee.' Tom was overjoyed with the progress.

"Pay?" Wynter asked.

"You want to play?" Tom asked her.

"Ye."

"What do you want to play?

"Da-dee!" she exclaimed and pressed her face to his, giving happy giggles when Tom rubbed his nose against hers.

Harry watched them, smiling softly as he cooked dinner. It was always so sweet to watch the two of them together. It had always been said that the Dark Lord had no emotions and didn't know how to love, but here he was caring and loving their daughter. Whether or not that extended to him, he had no idea. It was possible, right? But it was also possible that it wasn't and that was what he was scared of. He tried to suppress these emotions he was feeling, but they kept bubbling up at odd moments, like now.

"Harry?"

Harry blinked and looked up to see Tom holding Wynter looking at him in concern. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine," he said and quickly turned off the stove so the pot wouldn't boil over as it was about to do.

"Are you sure? You've been distracted."

"I'm fine, really. It's just…it's nothing," Harry reassured him and turned away.

"Mama?" Wynter asked.

"Wash your hands, we are going to eat soon," Harry told her.

"an!" Wynter yelled, showing her daddy her hands.

Tom smiled and headed to the sink to wash their hands, but looked at Harry's turned back in concern. He had been like this for weeks and he didn't like it. It was obvious Harry was keeping something from him, but he wouldn't budge and kept saying he was fine. He had tried various tactics to try to get it from him-persuasion, sex, and plain just asking- but Harry remained tight-lipped about it.

It wasn't affecting anything, Harry just seemed really distracted and at times wouldn't look at him. It clearly had to do something with him and he tried to think if he had done anything to upset him, but Harry wasn't angry. He would know if he was angry. Hell, Harry would let him know if he was angry at him. But he wasn't, he was…Tom had no idea. It was frustrating.

He would just have to wait for Harry to come to him…he hated waiting.

xxx

Tom was sitting in his office at Riddle Manor working on an outline of his new area of attack, but he wasn't completely focused on it. The night before, Harry had abruptly turned away from him after they had made love and had kept his back to him the entire night, but he had let him hold him. He didn't know what he had done and it was very annoying. He had half wanted to grab Harry and shake him until he told him what he did. But that wouldn't work. It would only cause him to clam up.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes, Harry was so difficult to understand sometimes.

There was a knock at the door that drew his attention from his musings, "Enter," he called as he sat back in his chair.

"'Sup, boss man," Fenrir said with a grin as he strode in.

"Fenrir. What is it?"

"Just wanted to let you know that the rest of the wolves are behind you, though I am having trouble with one of the tribes. They are not too keen on you."

"Mmm, is that so? I knew going into this, not everyone would be agreeable."

"I'm sure that with time, I can convince them. They are just not completely swayed with the way you do things. Though, things are turning around now."

"I suppose so."

"Um..." Fenrir paused watching the Dark Lord as he gazed outward, clearly not paying attention.

"Yes?"

"Is everything alright, my lord?"

"Everything is fine. Why?"

"You seem...distracted."

Tom looked up at the man before him, looking imposing yet concerned. "It's more of a personal matter."

"Really?" Fenrir didn't really see the Dark Lord of having anything "personal" to deal with, but then again he had to have a life outside the war. Well, except…"Does this, uh, have to do with the guy you're seeing?"

Tom regarded the werewolf in front of him for a minute before sitting back in his seat. "Yes."

"Ah. Well, everyone goes through a lovers quarrel."

"We haven't fought," Tom said casually, steepling his fingers with his elbows on the arms of his chair. "He's keeping something from me."

Fenrir paused, not sure what to say. "Well. Um, i-it's not like he's cheating. You're…you're um…" he racked his brains trying to find something appealing about the snake-like man sitting in front of him, "You're the Dark Lord," he finished weakly.

Tom stared at his rambling companion and realized he was still in his Voldemort disguise. He considered a moment and decided. He glanced at the closed door and it locked.

Fenrir stiffened when he heard the lock slide into place, afraid he had crossed a line but then watched as the Dark Lord's face began to change into that of a young man, early twenties with a head full of black hair, blue eyes and a nose. "Holy Shit!" he laughed. "He's defiantly not cheating!" And he continued to laugh his surprise and approval.

Tom cracked a small smile, "This doesn't leave this room, understood."

"Got it boss man. Not like anyone would believe me anyway."

"Good. But no, he's not cheating," Tom said getting up to look out the window behind him.

"That's good."

"Yet, he's still keeping something from me."

"Good or bad?" Fenrir asked.

"I have no idea. He has just been increasingly evasive. It bothers me to no end."

"Well, you can always make him tell you. But if he's, uh, you know…um, special? Your guy may just tell you when he's ready."

Tom hummed and thought about it. He had to admit that Fenrir was right, it didn't seem to be anything bad, he hoped, but Harry may just tell him on his own. "Maybe."

Fenrir sat in silence watching the new form of the Dark Lord curiously, as he stared out the window thoughtfully. It was strange seeing him look so human, he was used to his usual form, but he had to admit that this one was easier on the eyes. He had known that the Dark Lord had a glamour on, but not what kind or what it did. It certainly explained how he had gotten a frequent lover. "Sooo…when did this happen?" he asked breaking the silence.

Turning his back to the window, Tom replied, "Shortly after I got my body back. Though this appearance hardly strikes fear in people."

"But it sure as hell will get you a lot of women. Or guys," Fenrir said with a grin.

Tom rolled his eyes, but allowed a small smile, "It helps."

Fenrir just let out a healthy laugh. After he got himself under control he asked, "Does he know? About you, who you are?"

"Yes. Though we don't discuss it."

"I suppose it's not an ideal pillow talk conversation."

"Definitely not."

A knock at the door cut off anything more that Fenrir was going to say. "It's Johnson, my lord. I have my report." A muffled voice called through the door.

"Enter," Tom said taking a seat at his desk as his appearance changed back to his Voldemort guise.

"That's my cue to leave. Later boss man."

Tom nodded and turned to his follower and thus back to work.

xxx

The moment Tom stepped through the front door he heard hysterical laughter coming from upstairs. It was obviously Harry, but he had never heard him laugh like that. Curious, Tom headed upstairs to Wynter's room; inside, Harry was on his knees in front of Wynter who was wearing the most ridiculous outfit.

"Da-dee!" Wynter exclaimed as she saw him in the door way.

"What is she wearing?"

Harry wiped tears from his eyes, "It's one of the outfits I got from some friends. This one is from Mrs. Weasley. But she is just...it's huge." Harry said and he was right. The outfit was a full-body jumpsuit in thick bright red, complete with a red cap that was held on under her chin. "I know she made it, but she looks like a big red, jelly bean," Harry said trying not to laugh.

"Pin cushion, more like," Tom commented and Harry dissolved into laughter.

"Mama! Jee be! Jee be!" Wynter repeated happily, waving her arms and making herself fall over.

"Oops! My jelly bean fell over," Harry said scooping her up.

"Jee be!"

"Jelly bean. Are you my jelly bean?"

"Ye!" Wynter said, clapping her hands and reaching for him.

"I could eat you up. Nom, nom, nom!" Harry said lightly munching on her cheeks.

"Mama! O!" she giggled and pushed his face away.

"Okay, okay," Harry said and settled her in her lap, but she didn't stay still, crawled out of his lap to her toy box, and pulled out her stacking toy and crawled back. Thanks to magic, her toy box was connected to the one downstairs and she could pull out what ever toy she wanted where ever she was, granted that they were in the toy box. It led to many crying sessions when she couldn't find the one she wanted because she didn't put it away.

"I love that."

"Love what?" Tom asked.

Harry smiled and said nothing, only looked down at their daughter. She was playing with one of her toys and chatting to herself. "Mamamamama." Wynter looked up when Harry touched her head, "Mama!" she cried, toy forgotten as she reached for him.

"Yes. Mama, my little jelly bean," Harry said lifting her up in the air as he laid back on the floor.

"Eeee!" Wynter squealed.

"Whee!" Harry laughed, "You are so cute! Oh! I need to get a picture!" he said and sat up. Handing Wynter to Tom, he took off downstairs to get his camera.

Tom and Wynter looked at each other and she gave him a smile which he returned. "You look like a tomato," he commented, tugging at the hat.

"O, Dadee, Jee be!" Wynter exclaimed adamantly.

"Okay, okay, jelly bean. The red ones are pretty good."

"Ye," Wynter agreed.

"How can you know, you don't have teeth?" Tom asked her, but she only agreed again. "Well, you do have 2 in there. Not that they can do anything yet," he said tugging on her lower lip and taking a seat in the rocker by the window.

"Ow," she said touching her mouth and looking up at him.

"Ow? Did that hurt? Are you growing another one?"

"Ye."

"Yeah? Let me see." Tom lifted Wynter's face up and tugged on her lower lip to peer inside, and right next to the other one was a new tooth coming up. "Look at that," he said softly in slight awe, "You're going to have a full set of teeth soon."

"Dadee," Wynter said happily as she gazed up at him.

"What princess? Oh, Mama is coming," he said hearing Harry's footsteps on the stairs.

"Mama!" Wynter yelled enthusiastically as she saw him.

"Wynter!" Harry called back.

"She's growing another tooth," Tom commented as he came in with camera in hand.

"I thought so, she keeps rubbing her mouth. It's going to be like that for a while until she gets all her teeth in. Okay jelly bean," Harry said bending down in front of the rocking chair and holding up his camera, "Smile!" Wynter only blinked at him, so Tom tickled her stomach and she giggled. "There it is," Harry cooed and snapped a picture. "She looks ridiculous...but at least she's warm."

"I think babies are the only one who can make ridiculous look... not ridiculous?" Tom finished slowly, thoughtfully.

"I know right? If I ever wore something like this, I would never live it down. Or you." Harry glanced at Tom, looking at his up and down, a smile twitching at his lips.

"Stop it," Tom warned.

Harry turned away quickly, a snort escaping him, then dissolved into giggles.

Tom knew what Harry was envisioning and it wasn't funny, but he found he wasn't angry at being laughed at, especially as it was the first time in weeks that Harry had been normal around him. He had missed it.

"Mama," Wynter said pointing at Harry who was now in full blown laughter on the floor.

"Go get him," he said releasing her on the floor where she crawled over Harry's face.

"Ah! I'm being attacked by a giant red jelly bean!" Harry cried as Wynter attacked him.

"Jee be!"

Tom could only chuckle and shake his head at the ridiculous scene before him, Harry was acting like a child, rolling around on the floor and making a fool of himself, but when Wynter crawled over and attacked his legs he played along and went down, pretending to topple over and allowing her to crawl over him and conquer the big daddy giant. He felt ridiculous laying on the floor with Harry helping Wynter pin him down, but hearing her laugh in delight was worth it. And seeing Harry smiling and laughing with them didn't feel bad either.


Oh, boy was that a lot of work. I did my best to get this chapter out as soon as I could, I really didn't want to make you guys wait until the end of the year for one. And that is not it, I also managed to fix all the grammar and spelling from the previous chapters. PLUS, I also fixed the chapters from my other fic 'Lost and Better Off Not Found' and updated it. PLUS! I put up more of the last chapters of the Kitty Series Extras. I've been a busy bee.

I really hope you enjoyed it, let me know in a comment, it would really make my birthday. :) I just hope I don't take as long to update.