Meanwhile…

When Lexie dragged Draco out of the room she grinned and winked. "We're not actually playing exploding snap." They walked up into Damian's room where Damian was hunched over his desk frustrated.

He waved them in not looking at them and mumbling to himself. Damian ran his hand through his hair roughly and turned to face them. Lexie jumped on the bed and Draco leaned against the bedpost. Damian rubbed his neck. "I'm trying to figure out how to undo spells like you did this morning."

Draco stepped up to look at Damian's notes and blinked at the messy scribbles. With a huff he took the over-complicated notes and promptly threw them in the rubbish bin. "Hey!" Damian glared, indignant.

Draco bit his lip. "Sorry. Too…too come-pli-kat-ed. Too Complicated. It's the Latin root. When the spell is too… complicated for finite incantum, you add root to incantum. In the morning, I did not know the spell so I had to simp- simpli- simplify the spell to one I knew the coun-ter-spell too. To sim-pl-fy, pick apart the mag-i-cal sig-na-ture and separ-ate into different spells, like words. Letters are the separate spells to make up a word."

Damian stopped and stared. "You mean I wasted hours just so you could tell me that?" Draco grinned. "I invent-ed it. It's so simple, no one would think of it."

Lexie laughed. "That's brilliant. Dad always said that wizards seem to over complicate things." Damian looked up at Draco. "Can you help me master it?" Draco smiled and they piled onto the bed like kids at a sleepover and spent the afternoon thinking of spells for Damian to try and undo, eventually without Draco's help. Granddad's yell of 'dinner' had them down the stairs and Niki and Teddy crawling out if the woodwork from whatever secret game they were playing known only to children.

The table was bursting. Hermione had gone home but the two occupants staying over for the week had Dobby happily (and Kreacher as enthusiastic as he'll get) preparing more than enough food.

Draco was the only one who noticed Harry's slightly subdued character. And the unreadable looks he was receiving. Draco scratched at his suddenly itchy skin. He didn't like that calculating look. He didn't like it on Harry's face.

After dinner, Harry brought Draco into the study so they could play chess. Draco carefully set up the board. Harry ran his hand through his hair over and over again. They started in silence and Draco felt the tension like a thousand beetles running over his skin. "Draco," Harry finally said. It was cautious and careful like he was on a thin raft and if he moved any which way he'd topple it. "When was the last time you saw your parents?"

Draco gripped his pawn with more force than necessary and heard a minuscule crack. His parents…? He saw them when they were hiding, expressionless, paralyzed with fear. Trapped in their own home which had become a prison for a madman, with him as the jailer and all of them inmates. His mother a porcelain doll and his father a statue. He didn't see them when they went on an assignment in France. He didn't see them ever again. He hasn't had a real conversation with them in… nine years. He hasn't had a real face-to-face private conversation with them in nine years. He hadn't spoken to his father, really talked to him since the night he was arrested end of fifth year. Has it truly been that long?

He was snapped out of his contemplation when he saw that Harry was still expecting an answer.

"Not in a long time." And that was that. Until Harry brought it up after a few more moves.

"Did you ever see your father after he was arrested? And when he escaped?"

"Yes"

Harry inwardly winced at the one-worded answer. And the blank face. The mask Harry remembered all too well from school. It made Draco look two-dimensional and heartless; it made him look fake.

He moved his rook three spaces. "Did you ever talk to him?"

Draco grimaced. "No" There was really only one reason Harry was bringing this up now. "but you have."

Harry didn't even try to deny it. "Yes. They're asking about you."

Draco absentmindedly played with his knight and spoke with the air of someone not really paying attention. "Are they now?"

Harry plowed on, determined. "They care about you."

Draco snorted daintily and airily moved his piece. "How do you know?"

"Because it's my job to know." Draco looked up at the harsh words and the truth he couldn't deny. "And I don't lie." He spoke with the experience of someone that had been lied to all his life.

Draco stared at the board until the pieces blurred.

"What did he say?"

Harry breathed evenly. "He said he wanted to make things right."

Draco looked up sharply, anger and hurt erupting in his gut. "That's it!"

Harry moved his queen and took Draco's knight calmly. Draco didn't seem to notice. "The person he really wants to talk to is you."

Draco looked away stiffly and moved his pawn to find something to do. "I don't want to listen."

"I think you should." Harry insisted. He took Draco's bishop.

Draco glared. "Why?"

Harry took Draco's rook. "Because he's trying."

Draco didn't look convinced as he moved his other knight. Harry's queen swiftly dove down and Draco blinked in surprise as Harry spoke again. "Does he look like a man who would risk his pride and power just to tell his son he never wants to see him again?"

"Yes" Draco growled as his voice cracked. He took Harry's pawn with more vigor than it called for.

Harry frowned and pressed on, taking Draco's last knight. "You never knew what he really thought because you never got a chance to ask."

Draco clenched his teeth and his ear twitched in annoyance. "I know enough." He was out of practice. He never was this easily out-argued. He moved to take Harry's rook.

"No you don't" Harry took Draco's last pawn.

"Yes I do." Draco narrowed his eyes and bit his lip as the board blurred again. He couldn't focus.

"Look." Harry stated firmly. "Do you want to live the rest of your life assuming or do you actually want to know?"

Draco hung his head and stared at the chess board. He was cornered. Harry had won. He looked up into the green eyes when Harry spoke. "I don't particularly care that you're gay." He ignored Draco's wince. "I would be a hypocrite if I did."

Draco looked up, shocked. Harry let out a small sad smile. "The boy-who-lived-to-be-gay. It has a nice ring to it I think."

Harry grinned at Draco's priceless expression. "Check-mate."

He owled a meeting with Lucius that night.

The next day had Damian up and early for once and full of energy. Everyone (including Remus and Teddy) was settled at the table and Draco itched to know why barley contained excitement was coming off the fledgling in waves. He was the first one to finish and rushed up the stairs. Niki and Lexie seemed unaffected. Teddy was absorbed in his food and Remus only raised an eyebrow. Damian was down before anyone even finished.

Harry glanced at his watch. "You still have half an hour before you have to be ready."

Damian shrugged but grinned widely. "I know."

Harry shook his head fondly. "Do you have your sunblock?"

"Yep"

"Sunglasses?"

Damian rolled his eyes. "Ya"

"Wallet?" Draco noticed Harry twirling something in his hand.

"Yes Dad" Damian sounded exasperated in the way only teenagers can.

"Emergency blood?" Draco wondered exactly where Damian was going on a Tuesday that needed Emergency blood.

"Yes Dad"

"Emergency Portkey?"

"Yes Dad you're starting to sound like Grandma Weasley!" Harry grinned at that and twirled his wand faster.

"So you're saying you have everything?"

"Yes!"

"Do you have your wand?" Draco fought to keep a straight face. Lexie burst into giggles and Niki and Teddy shared twin smiles.

Damian had the sense to look sheepish. Harry grinned and handed Damian the wand he'd been playing with. "Don't leave it on the counter next time where Teddy can reach it." Remus and Harry both gave the boy disapproving looks and Teddy sunk lower in his seat but smiled like an angel. Harry bet that Rita Skeeter would've given everything to smile like that. People would've told her anything.

"Where are you going?" Draco finally found the voice to ask.

Harry studied him then looked like he just found the answer to all the world's problems. Damian answered happily. "Since lessons are canceled, I'm going to work at Fred and George's like I do in the summer."

Harry suddenly jumped up and dragged Damian to the next room and spoke in hurried, hushed whispers and Draco strained his heightened ears to listen. Across the table he saw Remus covertly doing the same.

"…I think…. good idea…needs it…practice….ed and George…. Look….working…. protection… I'll be… backup…it'll…I think…fun…so…"

Damian nodded eagerly and the two walked back in and Draco sat up again like he wasn't halfway off his seat trying to read lips and eavesdrop. Remus swiftly covered up his leaning over the table by plucking up the salt.

Damian and Harry started at Draco and Draco had a bad feeling as their smiles turned rather evil. He was reminded of the Slytherin common rooms and the ingenious pranks and felt that he was about to become a bad punch line to one big joke.

"Draco" Damian's tone practically dripped snake-like innocence as Harry backed away to go firecall someone. "Did you know it was 'Take Your Werewolf Big Brother to Work' Day?"

Twenty minutes later Draco was glamoured, packed, and internally panicking. He wore the same glamor as last time he went out, light brown hair, round face and blue eyes. Harry however decided to keep the pointed ears and sharp teeth. The scars were hidden though. He wore shoes (still the bane of his existence) denims (which were weirdly comfortable) and a black dress shirt like the ones he used to wear at Hogwarts.

He bit his lip as the minutes counted down until a Weasley brother would pick him up. Damian smiled reassuringly without showing his teeth and Draco's lips twisted up. Oh but he was terrified. Damian would always be close by, he wouldn't have to leave the store, he could work taking inventory and restocking the storeroom so he wouldn't have to go into the gigantic crowds that swamped the place, and, if the was truly awful, he could go home on his and Damian's lunch break.

Draco kept repeating that fact over and over in his head and refused to think of the darker side of what might happen. He was not going to fail this.

The Floo flared to life and out stepped a redhead Draco vaguely remembered. He was tall and his limbs long with a wide dimple smile and a dusting of freckles. His ginger hair swept across his face and Draco may or may not have to rethink his opinion of gingers.

"Hey kiddies!"

Damian grinned. "Hey Fred" Fred stepped back and held a hand over his heart like he was wounded. "Ach! The only person in our family that can actually tell us apart!" He closed his lips over his teeth and smile at Draco. "Hello there, you must be our newest member of the family; I'm Fred as shark tooth over here already told you." Fred stuck his hand out and Draco took it shyly. "D-Dustin." He said cursing himself for stuttering. Dustin would be his cover name for when he went out in public.

"Nice to meet you Dustin. You'll be with George in the back." Draco nodded like an automaton and blushed.

Damian looked up at him, sniffed at the faint pheromones and rolled his eyes. Draco stepped on his foot on his way into the Floo, concentrated hard and said "Weasley Wizard Wheezes" as clearly as he could. There was a lurch and he stumbled out coughing, bumping into someone. He looked up to see Fred but paused and crinkled his nose. Same look, similar scent. He must be George, was Draco's first thought. His second was Dear Salazar there are two of them. His third was: too close, too close!

He backed up hastily and moved out of the way of the Floo as Damian tumbled out onto the floor. Draco was blushing madly. George grabbed Damian by the back of his shirt and hoisted him up with a snort. "You're just as good at Flooing as your father. At least his was flashier, nearly did somersaults he did."

George smiled kindly at Draco. His smile was just as joyful as his counterpart's but softer. "I'm George. You must be Dustin, the tenant Harry was telling us about." Draco's blush increased as he nodded. "You're going to be working with me for today. I'll give you the grand tour before we open."

Draco was led away from what seemed to be an office and he glanced behind him at Damian. Damian –the smartass—put his two fingers together and separated them up then brought them together back down to make an outline of a heart. Draco stuck his tongue out as Fred came out of the Floo and the door to the office closed.

He was so screwed.

Yes it took me forever to post this stop hitting me! And see its longer this time! Anyway I love the twins *evil grin* oh Draco forget Harry so soon? Hehehehe what will happen next?

Review and you get Damian wrapped up in a bow. Who wouldn't want their own non-sparkly smart ass vampire child of Harry Potter?