Title: The Life I Now Lead
Rating: M – Due to the adult themes involved and mentions of sex and violence.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Romance, Angst.
Summary: Harry has moved away from his old life and is trying to get on away from the world he once knew.
Word Count: 2546
Disclaimer: I don't own it. Seriously.
Pairings: LM/HP. DM/AU. HG/RW
Thanks To: Unfortunatefortunate, Usaka, jbcna – Thanks for the reviews.
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, hope you're enjoying it. I've decided update days will be either Wednesday or Thursday next week. Please review, you review I get all happy and want to write!
Goddess Dragonsbane xx
Chapter 3 – Breathe In
Breathe in life and breathe out
Like tomorrow is the day
Breathe in life and breathe out
And it's not so long to wait
Breathe in life and breathe out
Wipe the dust from your sweet smile
And breathe in life
August 7thDraco sat in his father's lounge, early in the morning. He had the day off work and had a big long, romantic weekend planned. But, for the weekend to happen he needed his father's help.
Lucius sat across from his son. "So, what did you want to see me about?"
Draco relaxed into the large white leather couch and smiled softly, "I'm taking Anne away for the weekend. We've both been busy… and Jonathan is four… we're wanting to try for another baby soon. I'm taking her away for a romantic weekend in a spa… to kick start the idea."
Lucius raised an eyebrow, "And this has to do with me because…"
"We need someone to look after the kids."
Lucius laughed a little, "You want us to look after a seven and a four year old?"
Draco nodded, "Abbey is a good kid… you know she's no trouble and Jonathan is good too… no more bed wetting he's stopped that now… and Harry loves having the kids round…"
Lucius nodded, and sighed a little. Harry, he knew, would love to have a child. He himself had turned fifty, granted he probably had another fifty years ahead of him but his time spent wallowing in the dark arts had played havoc with his health. They could adopt or use the rather unusual potions to let one of them carry a child, but Lucius knew both he and Harry weren't too keen on the idea of either of them being pregnant.
"Alright… Harry is going out tomorrow night…" Lucius said, a slight frown on his face. "I'll cope with them." He smiled a little.
Draco grinned, "Good… I'll bring them round about six."
Lucius nodded and Draco stood, "Thanks dad. I appreciate it."
"I know… if Anne gets pregnant, I'm not looking after 3 kids in 4 years time so you can go off and get her pregnant again. I think 3 is enough." He said, a smile on his face.
Draco grinned, "We only want three." Lucius stood and smiled.
"Well dad, I better be going, have some things to do today. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow Draco." And with that Draco apparated from the house.
"Abbey sweetheart, could you please clean your room? It's getting a bit untidy again."
Abbey looked up at her mother from her place at the kitchen table. She was painting a picture and she pouted, "Mummy, can't you do it with magic? It's much faster."
Anne said nothing merely stared at her young daughter and she sighed rather melodramatically for a seven year old, "Okay mummy… I'll clean my room…" She got up from the table and made her way upstairs.
Jonathan was happily playing on the floor with a magical keyboard she'd bought him for his fourth birthday. The door opened and he grinned from ear to ear, "daddy!" he said happily. He got up to run to the front door and accost his father, but Anne scooped him up, "Oh no you don't little man."
Jonathan whined, "Want daddy!"
Draco walked into the kitchen and grinned, "Where's my big boy then?" Jonathan reached out to his father and grinned, "Daddy!" Anne handed him over to her husband and he sat happily in his father's arms playing with the necklace round his neck.
"Daddy!" Abbey said as she entered the room. She ran over and hugged her father's legs. "Daddy, I painted you a picture."
"That's good sweetheart." He said, a smile on his face.
"I didn't get to finish it though… mummy made me tidy my room." She pouted and Draco smiled at her, "Mummy was right to make you tidy your room pet. You shouldn't let it get messy then she wouldn't tell you to clean it… Tell you what. You finish your painting and I'll take your brother upstairs with mummy and put him to bed."
Abbey positively beamed, "Okay daddy!" She rushed back to the kitchen table and Anne smiled, the kids loved their dad. Draco smiled at Anne and they slowly made their way upstairs to Jonathan's room.
"Daddy… me no tired." Jonathan said, his head laying on Draco's shoulder, eyelids slowly falling closed.
"Its bedtime son." He said softly and went into Jonathan's room, which was decorated with a mural of a Quidditch Pitch on the far wall, which he, Harry, Lucius and Anne had painted a month before his birth. Well, he, Harry and Lucius painted it while Anne 'directed.'
Draco put Jonathan down for his nap and slowly the four year old fell into a deep sleep.
"He looks like a little angel…" Said Anne softly, standing beside her husband. Draco smiled, "He does doesn't he? Do I look like an angel when I sleep my love?"
"You do… but your halo is held up by your horns…" She smiled, "But I wouldn't have you any other way."
"Well this angel went out and got you something today." He said softly and he pulled out his wand and conjured a small bag. Anne took the bag and smiled, "Hmm, isn't my birthday is it?" She asked softly.
Draco shook his head, "No love… open it."
Anne opened the bag, pulling out a small jewellery box, she opened it and gasped. Inside was a white gold necklace with a beautiful emerald set in a pendant which was surrounded by diamonds. Draco didn't often buy her such extravagant gifts, he thought it rather was a waste of time but every so often he would buy her something magnificent. She smiled up at him, "Oh Drake… It's beautiful."
"There's something else in there too love…" Said Draco, smiling.
She put her hand in and pulled out the letter, booking their spa break. She almost squealed. "Draco!" She smiled and then frowned, "Who'll look after the children?"
Draco grinned, "I have Harry and my father lined up for that job." Anne chuckled. "Oh… this should be good. Running off to a spa break leaving the grandparents in charge."
Draco smiled, wrapped his arms around Anne's waist, pulled her from Jonathan's bed and he moved with her in a slow dance.
"Draco… what are you doing?" She asked softly.
"Dancing with the most beautiful woman in the house… apart from Abbey of course."
She smiled, "But there's no music…" Draco pulled his wand and waved it in the air, a quiet melody filled the room and he smiled down at his wife softly, "That's that fixed." He leant down, an inch from her mouth; she spoke softly, "Mad…" Draco shook his head and moved his head a little closer, "Romantic fool…" they kissed softly, slowly dancing in the centre of the room.
"You see I can be very romantic if I want to be." Draco said softly.
"Yes." Began Anne, "However, you haven't had any in 3 weeks…" She grinned, "I know your game Draco Malfoy… but I do appreciate the break and the necklace is beautiful."
The spell was quickly broken by Abbey running up the stairs shouting, "Daddy! I finished the picture!" Draco smiled at his wife and whispered softly, "We'll finish this later."
Anne merely smiled and said softly, "You hope."
"Do you really need to go? Can't you tell them you felt ill and had to stay home… or that your house fell down and you had to fix it… or that-"
Harry laughed, "Lucius, darling, lover… you really are a jealous prat sometimes." Harry pulled on a pair of black jeans having just emerged from his shower and Lucius was in bed, a sheet covering him.
"I'm not jealous." Said Lucius rather stubbornly.
"Oh sure you're not." Said Harry now pulling on a black silk shirt and sitting on the edge of the bed to fasten it up. He felt the bed shift and felt Lucius wrap his arms around him and try to unbutton the shirt. "Lucius." Said Harry in a slightly warning tone. Lucius stopped his ministrations on Harry's now fully buttoned shirt and began to kiss Harry's neck. "I want to make love to you. That's all."
Harry leant into Lucius' touch. "Tempting…" Said Harry and turned to kiss his lover. "But… we just made love and…" Harry stood causing a disgruntled noise from said lover. "It is Gina's birthday and I am not going to be antisocial. And, also your son is on his way over with your grandchildren. You better get dressed."
Lucius sighed gently; he still didn't look very happy, "Are you going to be back later this evening?"
Harry raised an eyebrow, rather in a mirror image of Lucius. A habit he had picked up over the years, "No, I'm running off with a younger model… what do you think you twit? Of course I'll be back, and when I do get back we can carry on what you wanted to do." He smiled a little.
Lucius scowled slightly, "Not likely."
"Oh? Why?" asked Harry, his good mood dropping fast.
"You'll be drunk." Said Lucius, as soon as he said it, he immediately regretted it by the look in Harry's eyes.
"What? I – Lucius Malfoy! I don't even drink when I'm out; you know I can't stand the stuff! You pig headed, arrogant-"
Harry's rant was cut off by the distinctive 'pop' downstairs of Draco and Anne arriving with Abbey and Jonathan.
"We'll finish this later." Harry hissed and he abruptly left the room with his travel cloak.
Lucius sighed; he hated fighting with Harry, yet somehow they managed to fight about something at least once every day. He got up and slowly got dressed, his bones cracking as he stood, he scowled down at his knees. They really shouldn't make that noise. He went downstairs and smiled as his granddaughter Abbey smiled up at him in a pretty sky blue dress and his grandson smiled from his mother's arms.
"Hello Anne, Draco."
They smiled a little, Draco spoke softly, "Harry seemed a little… irritable before he left… have another 'discussion' did you?"
He glared at Draco, "That would be none of your business."
Draco and Anne shared a knowing look. Abbey looked up at him, "Grandpa… your hair is white."
Lucius tried to stem his irritation; Harry must have taken the glamour off while he was sleeping… again. He took his wand from his pocket and put the glamour back on his hair, keeping it the beautiful blonde that he had in his youth.
"Have fun you two." Lucius said to them as Anne handed him Jonathan. They both grinned, "We will." Said Anne, taking her husbands hand. They said goodbye to their kids, leaving them with instructions to be good and apparated.
But of course… kids will be kids.
"Gina! Happy Birthday!"
Gina sat at a table in the small, but full pub in Arontown, the small village in which she lived and worked. Harry grinned over at her, noting all the presents. "Well, someone likes to think they're popular."
"Oh be quiet Harry!" Harry kissed her cheek and handed her a card and a small gift. "Luc is sorry he can't make it, looking after Drake's kids." He said, a small smile on his face.
Gina nodded, she wasn't surprised Lucas hadn't come with Harry, he rarely did. He was an odd fellow Lucas, Harry seemed completely in love with him, despite the age difference and fact they pretty much always argued. She would never understand their relationship.
"So, how does it feel to be 29?" Asked Harry, a drink of butterbeer handed to him by his friend Jake.
"Oh, you know, same old same old, woke up feeling more mature and level headed…" She smiled, "But I'm sure it'll wear off in a few days, normally does." Jake sat beside Harry; his blue eyes searched his friends face, "Not drinking tonight Harry?"
"Nah…don't want to upset Luc." He said, a frown on his face.
"You had another fight?" Said Jake, a fake look of shock on his face.
Harry swatted him over the back of the head, "Hush you. And it was a small tiff… not a full blown fight… we haven't had one of those today." He smiled a little.
"Harry, pet, that's not something to be proud of." Gina grinned.
Jake grinned, "It is with those two."
"So, how was the office today?" Asked Harry. Jake smiled, "Sold that rotten decrepit old mansion house to a family from Italy." Harry smiled, "that's good…"
Gina nodded, "They want to do it up and then sell it on. I think they'll make a good profit on it."
Harry nodded. He smiled, business sounded good. He and Jake owned a property business together; Gina was one of their agents, their top agent in fact. Harry was a silent partner and graced their offices with his presence once a month or so. He did most of his work from home or at the various coffee houses around the island.
He quite liked his life the way it was. After the talk of the office, more of Gina's guests arrived and the party got into full swing. It was 12am before Harry decided to go home, not exactly late, but he wondered if Lucius would be sitting up waiting on him having put the kids to bed.
When he walked into the house, he was surprised to find it silent. He frowned and walked into the living room, he did his best to try to remember he was angry at Lucius, but the sight in front of him melted his heart.
Laying on the couch was Lucius, stretched out along it, his hair dangling of the end in a braid, obviously Abbey's handiwork. Abbey was on Lucius' right side, snuggled up against him, Jonathan was laying ontop of his grandfather, sound asleep, drool running onto Lucius' shirt, which was messed along with the entire room. Toy trains littered the floor as well as a drawing set Abbey no doubt would have been playing with.
Harry stood and committed the image to memory, wishing he had a camera… He walked into the room and firstly he picked up Jonathan gently from Lucius, he then gently roused Abbey who looked up at Harry, eyes full of sleep. He quietly took them both up to the bedroom they shared while staying and put them both into bed.
Going back downstairs, Lucius was still sound asleep, Harry smiled and walked around the room, clearing away the kids toys and then finally he sat down gingerly on the sofa at the spot vacated by Abbey and he stroked Lucius' cheek.
Slowly Lucius' eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Harry who was smiling down at him. "Harry? What time is it?" He yawned and sat up blearily.
"It's about 1… I just took Jonathan and Abbey up to bed… I should do the same with you love, you look exhausted." Harry smiled and gently worked the braid out of Lucius' hair. Lucius sighed softly, "Harry… about earlier…"
Harry silenced Lucius with a gentle kiss. He spoke softly against his older lovers lips, "It doesn't matter Luce… it just doesn't matter." He kissed him again, the kiss slow, languid and reassuring. Lucius sighed softly, "I'm getting too old for this." He said quietly.
"No Luc, you just underestimated their energy…" Harry stood and pulled Lucius slowly to his feet, his knees clicking again as he stood. Harry frowned a little, "I'll give you another massage tomorrow… your legs sound bad again."
Lucius sighed, "You don't have to Harry…"
"I know I don't have to. I want to, I don't like you being uncomfortable." He said, he supported Lucius' weight by holding him round the waist as they ascended the stairs. Lucius' legs were rather weak from all the running he did as a death eater and of course, all the bad falls and crutiatus curses he had taken over the years.
It also didn't help that a few weeks before the final battle when he had been 'killed' he actually broke both legs at the knee and they were never quite right since. Harry knew Lucius was very self-conscious about the way he looked and how his body was aging rather quickly.
But frankly, Harry couldn't care less how much Lucius' knees cracked, or his head hurt, or his back stiffened or twitched. Because Lucius was there for him when he needed him too. Harry didn't have many physical signs, only the three scars on his stomach, but Lucius was always there when Harry woke from one of his many frequent nightmares.
Harry and Lucius walked into their room and they both slowly undressed and got into bed. Lucius instinctively pulling the smaller younger man into his arms. Harry closed his eyes and rested his head on Lucius' shoulder. He yawned.
Lucius took his wand from the bedside table and extinguished the lights. He spoke softly into the darkness.
"Goodnight Harry." Lucius said tiredly.
"Night Luce…" came the quiet reply and slowly they both fell into a deep sleep.