The Christmas I Loaned My Sons
By: Ellipsis the Great
DISCLAIMER: The idea is from 'Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul.' Harry Potter and all things affiliated with him belong to the amazing J.K. Rowling. I own the Potter twins, and all of the plot outside what I garnered from CSFTCS.
Summary: After losing his wife and son to a magical disease, Draco Malfoy puts an ad in an editorial to borrow a son for Christmas. Harry Potter answers.
Rated: T just in case. May change later on.
Spoilers: Five years post-Hogwarts. Compliant with all books, sans the epilogue in DH.
Warnings: CONTAINS SLASH! There WILL be shounen-ai in this story! Maybe actual yaoi later on, but definitely shounen-ai!
CHAPTER SEVEN: Don't Leave Me Behind
I couldn't quite believe that Potter would act so open in a room full of Slytherins (not including Luna, of course), guffawing with his children as if he hadn't a care in the world. Valerie, Luna and Blaise were still laughing, Mother hiding her mouth behind a hand while Theo smiled amusedly and the older Goyles looked just as confused as I felt.
"Gerremoffame!" Potter managed to choke out through his laughter, squirming away from the twins half-heartedly. At least, it looked half-hearted to me. I couldn't decide if it was because he was having fun, or if he was just afraid he would hurt them if he fought too much (it could have been a mixture of the two).
"Sorry, we don't speak gibberish." Blaise cackled.
Potter let out a strange sound that was a mix between a roar and a snarl, snagging both boys around the waist and sitting up as they squealed delightedly.
"Me, too!" Valerie said as he stood, the twins still held tightly in his grasp. She threw her arms around his waist, nearly sending them all back to the floor.
"Whoa, whoa!" He laughed as he struggled to keep his balance. "I've only got two arms! Hold on, the lot of you!" He set the twins down, picking Valerie up and setting her comfortably on his shoulders before he picked the twins up again with a loud groan. "I'm going to get too old for this very soon."
All three kids giggled.
"Valerie, you shouldn't impose—" Millie said as she walked around the table.
"I don't mind, Mrs. Goyle." Potter assured her with a smile. "I married into the Weasley family, remember? I'm used to being bombarded with kids. The twins have…" His eyes roved skyward as he thought. "Erm…a lot of cousins. Wait a sec, I'll get it…Ron and Hermione have Libby and Zane…George and Angie have Gred and Forge…Percy and Penelope have Paisley, Petrova, and Patrick, the poor things…Charlie adopted Teddy…and Bill and Fleur have Adele…plus there's Neville and Hannah's son Cody, and Lee and Alicia's two kids Fred and Geordie. That makes…eleven in all. Oh, and I can't forget Blaise and Luna's baby whenever he's born. That puts it at an even dozen."
"And me, Mr. Harry?" Valerie asked, leaning over his head so she could look him in the eyes.
"Only if you call me Uncle Harry." He replied. "And if your parents are alright with it."
"Mommy?" She looked at Millie.
"I…I suppose it's alright." Millie said hesitantly.
"Yay!" She threw her hands up, screeching and wrapping them around Potter's neck when the motion put her off balance.
"And on that note…" Potter put all of the kids down. "Can you three stay here and be good while I go pick some things up at the house?"
"What're you gonna get, Uncle Harry?" Val asked.
He gave her a goofy grin. "Well, Uncle Harry's kind of an idiot, kiddo—I forgot that the Zabinis and Theodore always spend Christmas here, so I left their gifts at home. And I didn't realize such a pretty young lady would be gracing our presence, as well."
"You don't have to get Val anything, Potter." Greg said.
"Nonsense, nonsense. I would never skimp out on family." Potter said. "Besides, I actually already have something in mind. So I'll be right back."
"No, Daddy!" Byrne said, attaching himself to his father's leg. "Take me, too!"
"I can't take you, silly." He said, ruffling the younger boy's hair. "I might be a wizard but there's no way for me to hold you and the presents and Floo all at the same time. It's hard enough to Apparate, and I already told you I can't do that at the Malfoy's house."
"But Daddy—"
"It's alright, Byrne!" Valerie said, grabbing his hand comfortingly. "Me an' Nix will be here!"
"But I want Daddy!" Byrne insisted, glaring up at Potter as he yanked his hand away from her roughly.
"Byrne Emilien Potter." Potter practically growled out.
Byrne sucked in a breath, eyes widening just before he plopped down on the floor. His bottom lip quivered as he looked down at his hands, which were clenched in his lap.
"Apologize and behave while I'm gone, or I swear I'll take you to Nana's and make sure you stay in your room all night and have to wait until your birthday before you get to open any gifts." Potter said, although I noticed a glint in his eyes that definitely meant he wouldn't carry the threat through (at least, not all of it).
"'M sorry, Valerie." Byrne mumbled, not looking up.
"It's okay!" Valerie said, always quick to forgive. "And you don't have to be scared! Nix and me will take care of you!"
Byrne muttered something under his breath that probably wasn't very flattering.
"You'll be fine." Potter said, his demeanor completely softening. "If nothing else, you can probably crawl into Uncle Draco's lap again."
I jerked a little, having not expected to be brought into the conversation at all, much less as 'Uncle Draco' and much, much less as Byrne's…security blanket. But Byrne was already looking at me with those wide green eyes of his, and I felt myself smile fractionally and nod before I realized exactly what I was doing.
Byrne looked down again. "Okay." He said, so quietly that even Valerie and Phoenix had to struggle to hear him.
"Sesi," The elf appeared beside me. "Take Mr. Potter to the fireplace, please."
Potter mussed Byrne's hair. "Don't worry, buddy, it'll be fine."
Byrne nodded wordlessly, not moving as his father waved at us, tweaked Valerie and Phoenix's ears, and followed Sesi out of the room.
"You wanna try to guess what our presents are?" Valerie asked, breaking the silence that had heralded Potter's exit.
"Yeah!" Phoenix said, both of them yanking Byrne off of the floor in a concerted effort. "'S okay, Grandmother 'Cissa?"
"That's fine." Mother said. "But don't peek or hurt yourselves."
"Okay!" Phoenix and Valerie chorused, Byrne looking rather desolate as they ensured that he couldn't sink back to the floor by looping their arms in his.
"C'mon, Byrne!" Phoenix said, releasing his twin long enough to grab both of the other boy's hands and begin pulling him toward the door.
Byrne looked back at me over his shoulder. "Draco?"
I wondered how, when, and why I had become the new object of his clingy attentions as I stood and picked him up. Valerie and Phoenix giggled as the latter grabbed my free hand and the former danced ahead of us into the sitting room, where a large pile of gifts already sat waiting under a gargantuan Christmas tree. I sat in the chair situated closest to the tree, and Byrne turned around in my lap, watching but never taking part in the other two children's activities or even their conversations.
I wondered if Potter realized what an impact his leaving had on his eldest son.
ENDCHAPTERSEVEN