Author's Note: Enjoy. And please do leave me a review, it would be much appreciated. Thanks to all those who left me a comment. It made my soul happy, *smiles happily*
Disclaimer: No profit is being made out of this harmless work of fiction, promise!
He came to awareness abruptly and lay with his eyes closed for a few moments.
He wondered if it was at all possible to break the habit. Then he shook his head. There was no need to break it, really. It was useful sometimes.
The phone on his night-stand buzzed, signaling a text message.
He reached for his glasses and put them on before opening his eyes. The world came into sharp focus and he turned his attention to the cell-phone. The tiny writing on the screen told him that he had two unread messages. Curiously, he opened the inbox.
The first message read,
'Happy Birthday, Harry. Mom and I baked a cake for you. We'll cut it and eat it on your behalf to day evening and owl some over for you. Mom promised.'
He smiled. Little Rose Weasley had insisted on learning how to use a cell phone and her Dad owning one so that they could keep in touch with Harry. Harry thumbed a quick 'thank you, sweetie' and hit send. Then he focused on the second message.
'Uncle Harry, Happy Happy Birthday! I asked mom how old you were and she told me 28. That's kind of old, but it's no big deal, okay? We all still love you, even though you're really old now. Be a good boy today and Santa will bring you presents for Christmas. – Charlie'
Harry grinned.
XxX
"Good Morning, Mr. Potter."
Harry smiled, all lips with a hint of pearly white teeth. "Good Morning, sweetie. You look very worn out." He wriggled his eyebrows. "Hot date last night?" The woman chuckled. "I wonder why you still ask me that question, young man." She glanced at him over her huge plastic specs, reaching a hand up and flicking a grey strand of hair out of her face. Harry smiled. "Hey, you're still beautiful, Mrs. Finnegan. If you weren't Seamus's grandmother, I'd take you out myself."
She smiled. "Thank you, sweetheart. Now here's your class register." She held out a blue file. Harry took it from her hand, smiling gratefully. "And this is your new student." She held out a green file. "I took the liberty of including the child's name in your class rooster and marked it in dark red ink so that you can distinguish." Harry grinned. "Also, Mr. Potter, here's your lunch because I'm aware you skipped breakfast as usual and will preferably skip lunch as well." Harry took the little dish from her hands, smiling. "And this is your cake." The woman smiled. "Happy Birthday."
Harry leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I have no idea why you're still single." The woman swatted at him, smiling gently. "Go on with you now, classes start in ten minutes." Harry waved with one hand and walked down the carpeted corridor into his classroom. The classroom was already full, little children talking all at once in high-pitched voices and laughing. "Alright, everyone, let's just settle down, please." Harry called, placing the folders on the Teacher's table and looking down at the little children, his eyes twinkling.
"Good Morning, Mr. Potter." The children chorused, delighted to see him. Harry chuckled. "Morning kids. How are you all today?" "We're good, Mr. Potter." They chorused again, as one. "Very nice. Let's move on, shall we?" He glanced around the class, quickly. "Mrs. Finnegan tells me we have a new friend among us, today." He said, easily, picking up the class rooster. He scanned it cursorily and his eyes caught the name written in bright red ink.
His heart stuttered for a moment and he reminded himself to breathe. Hoping that his voice was steady, he called out the name, tense with anticipation, his voice catching on the last name.
"Azarel Malfoy?" The little brunette boy at the left-most corner of the classroom raised his hand. "Al, actually." He said, smiling quietly at Harry; Draco's same quiet smile. There was absolutely no doubt that the boy was his; Harry's lips curled upwards without his permission. Draco's misty mercury grey eyes stared at him from a gorgeous little face framed by golden brown hair. "Welcome then, Al. I hope you feel at home in our classroom and feel free to come to me with any problem you might have, alright?"
Al grinned, slightly brighter than Harry, no less meaningful or sweet. "Thank you, Mr. Potter, I will."
Harry nodded and told himself firmly to turn around. "Aren't there any particular rules that I must abide by, sir?" The same quiet voice enquired. Such clarity of speech and such good vocabulary coming from one so young, it surprised Harry.
Then he wondered why it surprised him. He should know better than to expect anything less from any child of his. The other children had gone back to trilling and whispering among themselves. Harry walked to the boy's desk and crouched next to the low chair. "In my classroom mate, there are absolutely no rules, except one." Harry whispered, conspiratorially. Al raised an eyebrow in perfect imitation of Draco's curious look. Harry felt his heart swell in his chest.
"Be yourself and have fun, okay?" He said and then frowned at the boy when he grinned. "I'm serious, Al, break this rule and there will be dire consequences." Al nodded solemnly. "I won't break them, Mr. Potter, I promise." Harry ruffled his hair with a slight smile.
"Good boy."
XxX
"Your cake is chocolate." Elaine Dursley, fellow kindergarten teacher and sister-in-law of sorts informed him as he walked in.
Harry smiled; crinkled eyes and blinding white teeth. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Bless you." He whispered in her ear. She grinned. "Uncle Harry, you're here." The little brunette boy came racing out of the door and barreled into Harry's arms. "Happy Birthday." He yelled right into Harry's ear. "I got your message earlier today, champ." Harry mumbled back, lifting the boy and placing him on his broad shoulders.
"Where's Dudders?" Harry asked, smiling teasingly.
"Respect, Potter." Dudley Dursley called from the kitchen. "At least in front of my son." He added, pleadingly. "Sure, no problem, Dudders." He looked over at a grinning Elaine and winked. She led the way into the small kitchen, cozy with a bright fire burning in the small fireplace, Harry following, Charlie holding onto his hand. Dudley glanced up from the paper he was reading. "Been to see mum, have you?" He asked, curiously.
Harry nodded, his eyes bright. "She'd doing, alright, Duds, she's happy." He assured the man gently. Dudley nodded, his eyes suspiciously wet. Petunia Dursley had been moved to a nursing home on her request soon after Vernon's death and it was something sitting rather heavily on her son's heart. He had confided in Harry that he had felt as if he had failed as a good son. Dudley's wife moved to stand by her husband's side.
"I'm alright, El." He reassured, squeezing her hand. He looked to Harry and flashed him a smirk. "So, birthday boy, my son tells me you're really old now." Harry stuck his tongue out, playfully. "I'm not as old as you, Dudders" Charlie giggled when his father scowled.
Later after dinner, after Charlie had gone to bed; Harry and Dudley sat on the swings in Dudley's back porch, sharing a six-pack of beer. The crickets chirped all around them and it's silent otherwise, but it's a comfortable sort of silence. And somehow, by some strange quirk of fate he's as comfortable with his cousin as he could possibly be with anyone. He's surrounded by the people who care about him and the ones he covets and he muses that maybe, just maybe, it can be this way forever, that maybe, this is good enough to constitute a happily ever after.
Rather strangely, that's when he lets himself think of Draco and all that they shared. Strangely, it's then he aches for the loss of all that was between them.
Strangely, it's when he misses Draco the most.
XxX
"Mr. Potter?" Harry looks up, a small smile on his face.
"Happy belated birthday." The boy smiled shyly and slid a pouch of Honeyduke's finest chocolates across the teacher's table. Harry's eyes widened in surprise and he glanced at the boy, curiously. Al shrugged. "You must not have eaten Honeyduke's in about eight years now, right?" The boy flashed him a sly smile.
"I know for a fact that you're incredibly fond of it." Harry took the pouch with a grin and pocketed it. "Thank you, Al. You're very sweet." Al grinned. "Of course, Mr. Potter. Anything for the wizarding world's hero. And my father's." He added more quietly, his smile no less engaging.
Harry went about the rest of the day with a hand in his pocket, closed around the pouch of chocolates and a silly smile on his face.
XxX
"Isn't he something?" Elaine grinned and put her arms around Harry.
Harry smiled. Azarel stood over Charlie and another one of their friends, Jacob, explaining a math problem to them, earnestly. It was break and the other kids were outside, in sandboxes, slides and swings. Al has stayed back with Charlie and Jake to help them out with something they had told him they were having trouble with but too embarrassed to ask Mr. Potter, as he had already explained the problem quite a few times in the past.
"He's a lovely kid." Harry commented, chocking on the sudden swelling of his heart. "You know, what, Harry?" Harry glanced back at the woman. "Yeah?" Elaine smiled gently. "It has been about eight years. Shouldn't you at least remove the wool you pulled over Draco's eyes?" Harry shook his head. "Neither of us are ready for it, El."
"That's not true Harry and you know it. Telling him that Ginny was waiting for you so that it was easier for him to let you go is not exactly giving him the closure he required after the relationship you guys shared, you know." Elaine squeezed Harry's shoulder. "It's a very noble thing you did for him, but it was rather stupid." She said, bluntly.
"He wouldn't have had Al if I had stayed now would he have?" Harry retorted, dryly.
"No, but it's no crime to want to re-establish some contact with him, Harry." She chided. "I couldn't settle for friendship, Elaine." Harry said with a sad smile. "I would require a lot more than that from him." Elaine sighed against his head.
"Harry, love, it's not a crime." She pressed. Harry smiled sardonically. "No it's not a crime to still be in love with him. It's pathetic." El frowned. "You could try." Harry nodded, reluctantly. "We'll see, won't we?" El nodded and kissed the top of his ear. "It'll get better, love. Everything will work out, you'll see." Harry smiled, gratefully and turned back to watching the little boy.
"Everything is as good as it will get, El. It couldn't possibly get any better." He wondered whom he was trying to convince.
XxX
"Hey Mr. P" Harry glanced up, chewing the bite of the apple that he had taken.
Al walked in, after waving goodbye to the man who had dropped him off. "'Morning Al." Harry smiled warmly. "You're early today." The boy shrugged. "Dad left early today morning, had some work at the Ministry apparently." He laid his messenger bag at his desk and hopped on the table closest to Harry's. "Who dropped you off then?" Harry asked, curiously.
"Oh, that was Dad's valet." Harry nodded. "Want an apple?" Al grinned. "Sure. Why are you eating apples though? I thought you liked pear more?" Harry swallowed with difficulty. "Yes, well, a lot of things changed, Al." The boy spoke as if he had been a part of Harry's life all the while, like he had talked and walked with him; like he had breathed the same air as him all this time.
"What changed, Mr. P?" The boy's eyes were curious and Harry smiled. "It's not something that you'll understand, Tiny." Al giggled when Harry stood and swooped the boy out of his perch on the desk. He carried the boy with his arms cupped at the small of his back and Al raised his legs and wrapped it around Harry's waist, throwing his arms around Harry's shoulders for support. "I'm not tiny, you know." He retorted when Harry carried him out to the playground. "No?" Harry smiled, placing Al on the swing and occupying the one next to him.
"No. Dad says he was shorter than me when he was my age." He grinned. "Dad's tall now."
Harry's smile was poignant. "Yes, Draco's tall now." He agreed. "You know, every time dad starts talking about the Gryffindor versus Slytherin quidditch matches, before he finishes the account, I know that you'll win." Al said his eyes mischievous.
"Really now?" Harry's eyes danced. "I didn't win all the matches, you know." Al snorted. "Oh, come now, Mr. P, Dad has a very hard time admitting to failure of any sort." Harry smiled, didn't he know it? "So if dad's actually got this admiring look in his eye when he's talking about you, it means you exceed his standards and that's an accomplishment, you know?"
Harry chortled.
"You would think that, Tiny." Al pouted. "I'm serious, Mr. Potter." Harry snickered. "Sure you are." He stood and stretched. The swing was rather small for him. "Let's move in, shall we?" He asked the little boy who was watching him with rapturous fascination. "You know, Mr. P?" Al asked, standing up as well and taking Harry's hand. "Hm?" Harry steered them towards the classroom.
"Dad's always told me that you were the most beautiful man he's laid eyes on, Mr. Potter. I believe him now." Al flashed him a sly grin and walked before him into the classroom, greeting his friends with a beaming smile and some strange hand-shake.
Harry could not stop the blushing smile that bloomed across his lips.
XxX
He wondered what Draco did for a living. Not that he needed the money.
Then he wondered why he was wondering so. It simply wasn't scrupulous or very prudent to think so much about a man who was married with a child no matter what his relationship with him had been previously. Children, for all he knew, he had never asked Azarel if he had a sibling.
His cell-phone chirped on the night-stand.
Abandoning his plate of fruits and the papers he was grading, he stood up and reached for it. "Potter." "Harry, mate?" A voice hollered from the tiny speakers. Harry winced and held the phone away from his ear. "Ron, I can hear you, don't yell." Harry said, torn between despairing and laughing at Ron's utter incomprehension of anything and everything muggle.
"How do you operate this stupid contraption?" Ron yelled, hopelessly. "Ron, Ron, listen to me." Harry pleaded, fearing for his eardrums. There was silence at the other end. "Are you listening? Good. Hold the speaker close to your mouth and speak normally." He advised. "Like this?" Ron's deep voice came at a smaller volume than before, clearly and without static.
"Exactly like that." Harry said, relieved.
"How are you doing, mate?" Ron asked, his voice light. Harry smiled warmly. "I'm doing okay, Ron. How about yourself? 'Mione and Rosie?" Ron made a non-committal noise. "We're all doing great, Harry. Missing you terribly, though." Harry shook his head, knowing where this was going. "If you've called again to persuade me back into the wizarding world, keep the phone down and bugger off, Ron." He growled, into the phone.
Ron was quiet for a few moments.
"True though it is that we'd be much happier with you in easier access, 'Mione and I understand why it's so important for you to be in the muggle world, Harry." He said, finally. Harry sighed. "What would I do in the wizarding world without my magic, Ron?" Harry asked, almost pleadingly. "I just would be reminded over and over again of the sacrifice I had to make to fulfill their expectations and it would make me bitter and desperate."
"I prefer it this way, mate." He assured when Ron tried to interrupt.
Ron hissed out a breath. "Alright mate. Oh, Rosie wants to know if you got the cake." Harry smiled. "Yes, I got it. Please let her know it is the most amazing cake I have tasted all my life." Ron chuckled. "It tasted like shit, mate. You can be frank with me, you know?" Harry laughed. "Right you are." He admitted, his voice saturated with his amusement. "But you will tell Rose my first comment?" Ron hummed. "Sure I will. Hermione's scary when I make the kid cry, Harry."
Harry threw his head back and laughed. He did not think of Draco for the rest of the day.
XxX
"No one's come for you, yet, mate?" Al looked up at Harry and frowned thoughtfully.
"It's not like dad." He commented, putting his fist under his chin. Harry jumped onto the desk facing the entryway to the little pre-school like the little boy and imitated his posture. Al looked over at Harry and grinned. "Don't you have to go home, Mr. Potter?" Harry waved a hand. "It's a Friday. Besides, it's not like anyone is waiting for me back home." He hoped that hadn't sounded as wistful as he had thought it had.
Al's eyes became contemplative and he looked thoughtfully at Harry for a long moment. Harry tried not to squirm under the unnervingly intense gaze. "You know, Mr. Potter, that was your choice." Al said, finally. "People make wrong choices all the time." He looked back out into the little garden. "There are always ways to correct them." Al paused. Harry put a gentle hand on his back, encouragingly.
"Dad made sure that I know of his past and all the wrong choices he made so that I can be better equipped to make wiser choices in the future." Al said, his lips pulled into a fond smile. "There can never be a person I respect or love more than dad himself, but since Mr. Potter, you've been as integral a part of my life as dad since I was born; through stories and pictures if not through direct contact; I think I should tell you that dad always says that everyone has a chance to revisit their mistakes and correct them at some point."
Harry started with wide eyes. Al turned to face him. "Don't miss your cue, Mr. P. It will come soon, I know it." This little boy, Harry thought, dazed, saw and understood so much more than anyone else did.
"Am I interrupting?" Harry was sure his heart had stopped beating. Reminding himself to breathe, he saw Al's face light up in his periphery and he glanced upat the blonde standing in the doorway, his hands poised as if to knock. "Dad, you're here." Al jumped off the table and raced into his father's arms. Draco lifted him effortlessly into his arms and laid a kiss against his forehead. "Did I make you wait long, champ?" He asked, his whole world narrowing to the little boy he held carefully in his arms. Al shook his head, grinning at his father. "No. Mr. Potter was just waiting with me, weren't you, Mr. P?" He turned to regard his teacher, his eyes sparkling.
Draco stood tall and seemingly untouched by anything bad on the threshold of his classroom, his son in his arms and it was all Harry could do to not throw his arms around the father-son pair and scream, 'Please adopt me into your family, I'm house trained.' Gone was the thin, frail, insecure, delicately beautiful boy Harry had fallen in love with. This was a man in the prime of his health, strong and almost ridiculously handsome and aware of it from the way he carried himself.
"Well, well, if it isn't the elusive Mr. P." His voice had deepened into a lilting, husky baritone, and his dusky grey eyes were sparkling in amusement and Harry smiled, as if he was being strangled. "Hey Draco." Draco held out his free hand for Harry to shake, his lips curving into a beautiful smile. "It has been very long, huh? How are you, Harry?"
Harry took his hand, wistfulness and a strange sense of loss curling inside him and settling like lead at the bottom of his stomach. "I'm doing great, Draco, yourself, mate?" Draco glanced to the boy in his arms, his eyes warming. "I'm well, thank you." He answered. He looked back at Harry, his eyes strangely open and vulnerable, swirling like it held the prairie storms for a moment before it calmed.
"I'd really like to stay and chat, Harry, but I've got to get home before we're missed too much." Al grinned giddily. "Yeah, we should leave right about now." Harry wondered if Draco was talking about his wife and felt a sudden pang. "I'll catch you later, maybe?" Draco paused, his eyes questioning.
"Yes, yeah, of course, catch up and all you know." Draco smiled at Harry's flailing. "Yes. Catch up; we did miss about eight years of each other's lives." Harry smiled almost guiltily. "Yeah." Draco turned without a farewell and climbed down the stairs, his gait easy and languid. Harry watched, painful longing in his eyes, one hand clenched around the door frame.
"Bye, Mr. P." Al yelled from the protective cocoon of Draco's arms. "See you Monday." Harry waved, his lips curving unbidden into an adoring smile.
XxX
"You know, tomorrow's my seventh birthday." Al announced from his seat, when the rest of the class had filed out. Harry collected his things, and flashed the little boy a smile. "Really? What big plans have you set in motion?"
Al smiled slyly.
"Honestly, Mr. P, what makes you think I have any plans at all in place?" He pouted. "I only waited behind to ask if you want to swing by the Manor for dinner tonight." Harry's brows furrowed. "Are you inviting me to some kind of party?" Al shook his head. "It's just going to be you, me and dad." Harry frowned. "What about your mum, Al?"
He regretted the question the minute he saw the wretched grief in Azarel's eyes. "Mom died." He said simply, in a tiny voice. It pulled at Harry's heart-strings. "Oh honey." He put his arms around the boy and held on tight. "I sometimes feel guilty, you know, Mr. P." The little boy mumbled against Harry's chest. "I should miss her more. But I didn't know her at all." He smiled sadly. "But dad says its okay that I don't miss her much, because she died when I was really very small and she wouldn't feel bad."
"Did your dad love her?" Harry asked, drowning in guilt after the question left his mouth. What kind of a heartless question was that to ask a little boy? Al glanced up at Harry knowingly. He shook his head. "She loved him, but dad coveted her as his best friend." He assured. "He was broken when she died, because in his own way, yes, he did love her and for a few years, he had built a life with her. He even thought given time, he could even learn to love her like she loved him." Al smirked. "But he has loved someone else with far too much greater a passion to have been able to give my mom even half of it." Harry smiled, unbidden.
"It's okay though, Mr. P, regardless of my father's relationship with mum, he loves me more than anything in the world. I think, maybe, mum's happy too, the kind of life I'm living now." He threw his arms around Harry's neck. "What I would really like though, is for dad to find love with someone like you again. Perhaps, you yourself." He mumbled. Harry started, his arms tightening unconsciously around the boy. Al's lips curved mischievously against Harry's shoulder.
Harry smirked.
XxX
Harry wrung his fingers together and then told himself to stop acting like an idiot.
He glanced at the knocker placed high on the big brass doors and wondered how the heck was he supposed to reach that without magic? He raised his fist, finally and thumped it against the door as hard as he could. The door swung open and Azarel bounded out. "Hey Mr. P." He threw his arms around Harry in a hug. "I was waiting for you."
Harry swung the boy up into his arms.
"Happy Birthday, sweetheart." He whispered against his ear. "I'll give you your gift in class, okay, so that your dad does not know." Al chuckled. "That cool a gift, huh?" Harry winked, grinning. It was amusing how the boy gravitated from using extremely sauvé vocabulary to normal mundane words like 'cool'. It was times like those that reminded Harry that though the boy was a lot advanced and matured for his age, he still was painfully young.
"Will you keep Mr. Potter out all day, Azarel?" Draco called from the stairs, smiling amusedly. The boy made an 'O' with his mouth and then giggling, he wriggled out of Harry's arms and took the man by his hand. Harry was thankful he wasn't expected to walk without assistance. He didn't think he would have been able to walk far with weak knees.
Draco looked like he had walked out of the cover page of the 'Witch-Weekly', in a soft grey cashmere sweater and pressed black slacks. He was barefoot and Harry swallowed. "Can I take your coat, Mr. P?" Al asked by his side. Draco's smile became crooked, more intimate somehow and he didn't take his eyes off Harry's. "Mr. P?" Al tugged at his arm. Snapped out of his reverie, growing red when Draco chuckled, he shrugged off his coat and handed it to the little boy.
"Welcome, Harry. Make yourself at home, please." Draco said, walking fluidly down the last few stairs, holding out his hand. Harry took it, hoping against hope that his hand wasn't sweaty. Draco smiled again, the same private little smile and Harry's heart stuttered; "Thank you." He mumbled, not very confident he would have been able to say anything else without his voice breaking or something equally embarrassing.
The floo flared to life and someone stepped out, dusting the floo powder off.
"Uncle Blaise." The little boy hollered and flung himself at the man. "You made it." Harry stiffened beside Draco and Draco cast a curious glance at him. "Hey mate." Draco greeted, grinning, when Blaise was finally free of the little boy. "Draco." Blaise said, grinning back and walking forward, throwing his arm around Draco. Harry took a few steps back, suddenly feeling out of place.
Blaise moved back and grinned suddenly when he spotted Harry. "Potter, hey, this is a pleasant surprise." Harry smiled back, wearily. Blaise's eyes took in Harry without the least bit of surprise, amusement perhaps, but not surprise. Harry wondered at the contradiction between the words and the expression.
"You do know, Uncle B, right, Mr. P?" Harry looked down at the boy, and nodded shortly. "Now, now, no need to get your bristles up, Harry." Blaise said, amiably. He held out his hands. "Surely if you can be friends with Draco you can extend me the same privilege?" His warm brown eyes danced merrily. Draco snorted at his back. "Don't Harry, you'll regret it." He warned, a teasing smile playing about his lips. Blaise turned and stuck his tongue out at Draco.
Harry could not prevent the sudden grin that pulled at his lips. He put his palm in Blaise's still extended one and Blaise laughed mirthfully. "That's my man." He pulled Harry forward by his hand into a warm hug. "Welcome to the brood, mate." Harry's face contorted in surprise as he glanced at Draco over Blaise's shoulder. Draco smiled warmly at him, his hand buried in his son's hair. And relaxing, his own arms coming up and patting Blaise, awkwardly, Harry smiled back.
Blaise let go and stepped back, smirking when Harry's hands dropped but his eyes remained on Draco's. "Dad, let's go." Al whined, after a few moments. Draco snapped out of his reverie and smiled apologetically at his son, a flush high on his cheeks. He moved close to Harry and steered him towards the dining room, his hand on the small of Harry's back, talking to Blaise who was walking on his other side.
Draco's palm felt warm on his back and Harry wondered, absently, if it would burn a hole through his shirt as he tried to focus on their conversation.
XxX
"And then, Charlie said, Mr. P calls his dad Dudders." Al said and burst into peels of happy laughter, clutching at Draco's sweater with one hand and his midriff with the other. Harry grinned at the adorable sight the little boy made. Draco chuckled. "Is that so?" He asked his son. "Uh-huh. Isn't that funny dad? Dudders." The boy let out another peal of delighted laughter. It tickled Harry and he laughed along with Al. His laughter was contagious and Draco joined them a moment later.
Al stopped first and glanced at Harry with a bright smile.
Harry smiled back, just as brightly. "Did your dad get you what you wanted for your birthday?" He asked, conversationally. Al looked unhappy for a moment and then he smiled. "No." He said, simply. Harry frowned, confused. "Why didn't I get you what you wanted, champ?" Draco asked him, gently. "Because I wanted a puppy." The boy answered duly.
"And I am not old enough to own one." Harry smiled. "That's right. You'd have to walk the puppy, groom it, feed it, and all around make it feel loved." He glanced up at Draco. "Draco wouldn't be able to do it for you, see as he's busy and all." He looked back at Al. "You'd have to do it all by yourself. And if he fell sick, it would break your heart." He added thinking of Sirius with a pang.
Al gazed at him thoughtfully for a few moments. "You had a dog, Mr. P." It was a statement. Harry nodded. "What happened to Sirius?" Al asked, curiously. Harry glanced up at Draco, surprised. The blonde regarded him with an even expression. "He fell sick, you know." Harry said, finally, looking back at Al. "He didn't hold on much after…" He stopped himself, his throat closing painfully. His eyes filled with tears suddenly. Draco stood abruptly, "Come Al, bed time." Harry glanced up surprised. "Oh. I'm so sorry. I have been overstaying my welcome, haven't I?" He rose as well. "Sit, Potter." Draco snapped, sharply.
Harry obeyed, without thought. Draco lifted his son effortlessly into his arms. "Say goodnight to Mr. Potter, Al." He said, softly and lowered him close to Harry. Al raised his hands to Harry sleepily. Harry hoisted him onto his lap. Al laid a sloppy kiss on the man's smooth cheek. "Thanks for coming, Mr. P. Goodnight." Harry kissed the boy's forehead gently. "You're always welcome, baby boy. Sweet dreams."
He was hefted back into Draco's arms and he pressed the boy's face against his shoulder. "Wait for me, Harry." He whispered, leaning down, his breath ghosting across Harry's face, fresh and minty. Again, instinctively, Harry nodded his agreement. Blaise had left a long while ago. He had time, he could wait. Good things came to those who waited. Harry smiled wryly.
Draco walked languidly back into the parlor-like room he had left Harry in after a short period of about fifteen minutes. Harry looked up. "Al asleep?" Draco nodded shortly and ran his hands through his hair. "How's Weaslette doing, Potter?" Harry gulped discreetly. Well, no time like the present.
"She's doing alright. She married Dean Thomas; they have a daughter. Lynette must be about Al's age now." Draco dropped onto the couch opposite to the one Harry was sitting on and buried his head in his hands. "You could have just told me that you didn't want any sort of life long commitment with me. I would have not insisted that you stay behind with me." He mumbled.
"Don't be ridiculous." Harry snapped, abruptly angry.
Draco looked up his eyes glowing, "I'm being ridiculous?" Harry stood. "Yes, you are fucker." He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. "Do you have any idea what I feel about you?" Draco looked rather bewildered. "I…I love you, prat." Harry said, simply unable to put it any other way. "I haven't dated once since you; know why?" Harry fisted his hands in Draco's shirt. "Because the thought of touching anyone other than you burned me." Harry let go of his shirt and took a few steps back. "Because, I love you so very much the thought of even placing another in your place made me feel like cheating."
"I've never loved anyone else so much and Merlin help me, I never can." Harry said, desperately, running his hand through his hair. "You've ruined it for me forever, Malfoy." He added with a self-depreciating smile. Draco stood and stalked towards Harry with a purposeful stride. He fisted Harry's shirt. "Would it suffice if I tell you I think about you with every breath I take?" He growled.
"This is ridiculous, Draco." Harry said, gently removing Draco's hand from his shirt and taking a few steps back. "We can't just continue where we left off. You…" "My wife's dead." Draco said, shortly. "She's been dead nearly seven years now." Harry shook his head. "I know, I'm sorry. But we do have your son to think about." Draco let out a short bark of laughter. "Quit making excuses, jerk. My son loves you more than I do and that's saying something."
"I…I…" Harry took two steps back and Draco took two steps forward. Frowning at the terrified look in Harry's eyes, he moved back and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, I know about the letter Blaise sent you. He was simply concerned for me and wanted me happy. But you must know, Harry, that by doing so, he's probably driven away my happiness forever." Draco flashed him a sad smile and moved further away.
"I'm not going to say anything further to you. If you are ever in my arms again, I want it to be because you walked into them yourself." He ran a hand through his hair and walked Harry to the door after he had collected his coat. "Thanks for making my son happy, Harry." He said. "Just know, when you, if you ever decide to give us one more chance, I'll be here, waiting. I've been here waiting all along and I will continue to wait for all my natural life."
Harry's lips trembled.
He turned his back on Draco and almost ran down the long straight path that led out of the Manor gates. He had parked his car along the lane outside and quickly clambered in. As he drove, he had to grip the steering and tell himself sternly not to turn tail and run back into Draco's arms. It would make things really messy if he got involved with Draco again, he told himself. It wasn't worth throwing away his quiet life.
But oh, how he wished he could just run right back into the blonde's embrace and never never let go.
XxX
"Mr. P?" Harry lifted his head off the desk and glanced wearily at the little boy.
They boy wrung his hands. "If you don't mind me asking, has something happened between dad and you?" Harry frowned. "Dad's been very…distant for the lack of a better word, these past few days." The little boy explained. "Uncle B and I are very worried. He was the same way when mum died."
Harry shook his head and stood.
"No, everything's fine between us, Al. Now, help me with the food cartons will you?" Al moved to obey, his eyes distant. "Whose idea was this…er…?" Harry glanced at him amused. "Field trip?" He offered. "Yeah, that. Where are we going?" Harry moved a few of the food boxes and watched Al do the same. "It was Mrs. Dursley's idea, Al. I went along with it because I figured you kids need the exposure."
"Oh." Al exclaimed, getting Harry's attention.
"My dad asked me to give this to you, Mr. P." The boy held out the little yellow teddy bear with silver buttons for eyes and the little black heart with the green lettering on it Harry had given him many many years ago. The wordings had been changed though. Now the heart said, 'ad extremum'
Harry took the bear gently and held it like it would break it he squeezed it too hard. "What does the writing mean?" He breathed.
Al smiled. "Till the end of time." He explained. Harry's eyes watered and he clutched at the teddy bear. "Harry." Elaine came swishing into the room. "Are you guys done? We're just about to move out." Harry glanced up at her. "There's something I have to do, El." He said, urgently. "Can you supervise this yourself?"
Elaine nodded, bewildered.
"Yes, of course, Harry. I'll have Mrs. Finnegan with me." Harry grinned. "Great, thanks." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I owe you one for this." He stopped in his tracks and turned around to regard Al who was wearing a delighted grin. He bent. "I'll have you know that your dad's mine now. In fact, has always been." He paused and looked into the boy's eyes.
"By extension, then, you're mine too." He leaned over and kissed Al's cheek tenderly. "I need you to tell me if that's going to be a problem." Al scoffed. "Problem, Mr. P?" He leaned back in. "I've been trying to get this done since day one." He raised his hand in a two-fingered salute and grinned. "I'm glad it's finally sunk in." Harry grinned. "Really now?"
"Yes. Now go, Mr. P. Dad's at home, sulking." Harry turned. "Have fun on your picnic." Al smirked and waggled his finger at him. "You have fun too." Harry smirked back. "Of course I will. It has been a long time coming."
He walked out whistling. Yes, Draco…and Al were pretty much worth everything in the world.
XxX
"What is it?" Draco growled pulling open the door.
Harry leaned against the threshold and grinned slowly at Draco. Draco eyed him wearily. Harry covered the distance between them in two leaping strides and fisted his hand in Draco's shirt. "I should have done this a very long time ago." He said and leaned up and took Draco's mouth in a searing kiss.
Draco reciprocated immediately; wrapping his arms around the man and pulling him flush against his body. They parted, panting, and stood still in the other's embrace for a long moment. "Better late than never." Draco said, finally, his lips quirking to a side. Harry smiled.
Draco frowned then, confused.
"Aren't you supposed to be on a…er…" Harry chuckled. "Field trip?" He offered for the second time that day. "Yeah, that." Draco said, just like his son had. "Al told me that you guys were going on a field trip today." Harry nodded and stretched against Draco languidly. Draco's eyes sharpened and swirled. "Yeah, but you see, I had something more important to do." He said, his eyes dancing. "So I took an off day." Draco ducked his head. "Bad, Potter. You do have self preservatory instincts. I'm beginning to think that you might have done well in Slytherin, after all."
Harry sneered, surprising Malfoy into silence.
"Of course, I was supposed to be in Slytherin you know. The Sorting Hat changed its mind. I can be more devious than the best of them." Well, truthful enough. It would probably hurt Draco if he told him Harry had begged out of Slytherin because of his presence in the house. "Really now?" Draco smiled slowly, like a predator.
"Are you willing to prove it to me?"
Harry raised his chin, his eyes darkening to an almost black color. He held his hands open and grinned. "I'm all yours, Malfoy." He took a step closer, his hands still held out. "Always been. Always will be. Do your worst."
Draco smirked and pounced.
XxX
Harry woke to the smell of fresh food.
"He's up, dad." Al called; sitting perched on the armrest of the couch in which Harry lay. Harry groaned and stretched. "If Mr.P is going to be crashing on our couch, dad, we would require one big enough to fit him." Harry flushed. "Nah, he'll just crash with me in the bedroom." Draco called from the kitchen, smirking.
We didn't make it up to Draco's bedroom after all, Harry thought with a wry smile.
"You will be staying for lunch, of course, Mr. P?" Al asked smiling innocently. "Of course, mate, he's got to be hungry." Draco called again. Harry wondered if it was possible to get burned by the heat of one's blushes. "Up you get, Mr.P." Al said, brightly. "Oh, the field trip was a success by the way. No one died or got permanently crippled." Harry tried and failed to stop his short burst of laughter. "That's considered success?"
Al shrugged. "I mean, yeah, technically it is, right?"
Draco slid a plate of food across the table to Harry and placed one in front of his son. "Enjoy." He said, retrieving his own plate and joining them on the little island table. It felt very domestic, very comfortable and occasionally Al spoke to the two men, telling them about the book he was reading or the latest broom on the market. Harry kept silent when Draco joined in, smiling smugly and feeling more content than he had in quite a while.
Later in the day, they put Al to bed together and Al clutched at Harry's hand.
"Can I call you papa, now, Mr. P?" He enquired, his eyes shining in the bright room. Harry's heart swelled in his chest. "You, baby boy, can call me whatever you want." He mumbled leaning close and kissing the boy's forehead gently. Draco's arms wound around Harry as he glanced at his son over Harry's shoulder and winked at him. "Thanks Al." He stage-whispered.
Al grinned and held his thumb up at his dad. "Anytime, Dad."
Harry chuckled, leaning back into Draco's arms. Draco leaned down and kissed his son tenderly. "Sweet dreams, champ." He murmured. "Good night, dad, papa." Harry could not stop the giddy smile from blooming across his lips. Draco and Harry chorused a soft goodnight and shut the door gently behind them.
"So, papa." Draco turned to him with a warm smile, even warmer eyes. "What do you want to do now?" Harry wound his arms around Draco's shoulder and leaned up for a kiss. "The night's still young, Dre." He whispered against the blonde's lips.
Draco hummed in satisfaction, wrapping his arms around the man and deepening the kiss. Finally-finally!-he could call this beautiful man all his.
XxX
Later, much, much, later they lay side-by-side on Draco's huge four-poster bed.
It was quiet and Harry listened, content as Draco's breathing deepened. Abruptly, he rolled over and laid his arms on the expanse Draco's pale chest. He crossed them and laid his chin on them. "Hey Draco?" Draco opened his eyes. "Hmm?"
"What am I to you now?" Harry asked, his eyes glowing. Draco raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, you tell me Harry. What are you to me now?" Harry laid a soft kiss on Draco's shoulder. "Hmm…your boyfriend?" Draco snorted. "What an undignified word, Harry. I won't be referred to as your boyfriend."
Harry chuckled. "Partners, maybe?" Draco scoffed, amused. "What, we starting a business together?" Harry rolled his eyes. "You tell me then, what am I to you?" Draco looked at Harry thoughtfully for a few moments. "You know," he drawled. "What you are to me is not something I can describe in one word." Harry raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" Draco tried to explain. "Like I don't' know, how you cannot describe faith in God in a particular way, because there are so many different faiths. Like how you cannot describe a mother's love for her baby because it's all encompassing." He glanced at Harry. "Are you getting what I mean?" Harry swooped down and claimed Draco's lips.
Draco smiled when Harry moved away. "Guess you got my meaning, huh?" Harry grinned. "Uh-huh." He kissed Draco again, chastely. "You are the most amazing man in the world, Draco Malfoy. What did I do to deserve you?" Draco grinned, trailing his hand up Harry's spine. "Oh, I don't know, Potter, you were born, maybe."
This, Harry Potter realized, leaning down to take Draco's mouth again, was what being in love was all about.
XxX