As promised, here is an epilogue for you to enjoy. We are soooo sorry it's taken this long to finish the fic and hope you'll forgive us. Life has been immensely hectic these past months and writing has seemed like an impossible task. Anyway, without further ado, our epilogue.
The letter in Harry's hands was too good to be true. It had to be. It had been almost three years since Harry had begun his efforts to change the laws regarding LGBT people and finally— fucking finally— it looked like his work had paid off. Hermione had Floo'd earlier that sunday morning to tell him she'd read the paper and found out that Cole had published about the laws changing, but Harry hadn't read the paper that day. He thought Hermione must've been joking and told her as much— every time he'd thought the laws in question were sure to be passed, so far, he was met with nothing but disappointment— but when Draco came bursting into the kitchen holding the Prophet, interrupting his conversation with Hermione to shout the same thing to him, Harry was forced to recognise that he's succeeded.
The Ministry— or the Wizengamot and Kingsley, more specifically— had written a congratulatory letter detailing which laws had been passed and how many votes had made it possible. Hermione was just as much to thank as he was, but since all the petitions were filed under his name they'd only contacted him about it. More than three quarters of those who'd participated in the voting had chosen yes on Harry's proposal to allow transgender and same-sex couples to marry. Nearly sixty percent of them had voted yes to make it illegal to discriminate against people due to their gender or sexual orientation during the hiring process. The law that restricted public displays of affection between same-sex and trans people had been revoked as well. There was still more to do to ensure equality in their legal system, but Harry had made more progress these past three years than he ever thought realistically possible.
"Draco, we did it," he said quietly as he set the letter down on the kitchen table and let himself sink into the realisation. "We actually did it."
"You did it, more like. I wasn't the one convincing people they were being idiots, you were." Draco wrapped his arms around Harry and began kissing the edge of his jaw. "Took them long enough to figure it out."
"I never would've thought to start this process if it hadn't been for you. You deserve just as much credit as I do." Harry embraced his inspiration in return and let himself relax against him.
"Whatever you say. I think this calls for celebration." It took no effort for Harry to gather what Draco was suggesting and he agreed completely.
"Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Harry asked in a sultry voice. Draco gave him a sly look and slowly walked away toward the kitchen cupboard.
"Oh, you mean…" He paused to take out their favourite tin of tea which had stopped being made several months back. No matter how many times they'd tried duplicating it, it never tasted right. "This?" He held out one of their last remaining tins of it, the one they'd only been breaking into on special occasions.
"God, yes," Harry sighed, his tongue already providing him a phantom taste of what was to come.
"Teddy! Get down from there this instant!" Harry dropped his gardening tools and ran across the backyard toward the edge of the house. Teddy stood at the edge of the roof and was peering around curiously beyond where Harry stood. "We've talked about this, haven't we?"
"I'm trying to see Hogwarts, Not-Dad!" Teddy called down to him, his hand above his brow, shielding his face from the bright summer sun. That's what he'd been calling Harry since he'd asked why he and Draco weren't his dads. Harry and Draco had explained that because he already had a dad they couldn't be his dads, but that they were filling in for Remus in a way. It was this waggish child's way of being funny when he knew he was in trouble, and it didn't fail to make Harry chuckle at that moment, just like it hadn't any other time Teddy had called him or Draco 'Not-Dad.'
"Well you won't be able to from here, we live too far from Hogwarts. Get down now." Teddy groaned and lowered his hand, looking down at Harry in defiance.
"I want to see Hogwarts!"
"You're not going to get your way talking to me like that and you know it." Harry placed a hand on his hip. "Get off the roof and we can talk about this down here, on the ground, where people typically have conversations."
"Fine," Teddy muttered angrily as he turned around and walked up the roof, climbing back into the house through the bay window in Harry and Draco's bedroom.
If Draco were at home, and not out teaching cello to his usual crowd of students, Harry would be having a talk with him as well. He'd asked him too many times to make sure he had placed a locking charm on the door to their room before leaving it so that Teddy couldn't get into it anymore. This wasn't a first offense on Teddy's part, and if they continued to leave their room accessible it wouldn't be the last. Sure, Harry could go upstairs and lock the door himself— and fully intended to once he and Teddy had talked— but the point was that he'd asked Draco to do it on his way out for the day.
"I was only trying to see the astromy tower," Teddy said in his own defence as he came slouching out of the house. "I wasn't gonna fall."
"It's astronomy, and you can't know for sure if you wouldn't have fallen," Harry scolded. "I've already explained to you that we live too far from Scotland for you see any of Hogwarts from the roof. If you want to see the school so badly you could ask Draco and I to take you to it— or your gran, or Molly, or Great Aunt Cissy, for that matter. Any one of us would gladly take you."
"But I want to see it by myself," Teddy whined, slouching even further.
"Er… no. That's not likely. You're too young to go places unaccompanied."
"What's uh-compamy?"
"Unaccompanied means alone," Harry explained patiently. "Do you really want to go see Hogwarts?" He kneeled in front of Teddy and peered questioningly into his eyes, which were half hidden by turquoise fringe. Teddy just stubbed the toe of his shoe into the grass by way of response. "Because we can take a trip to see the school. It wouldn't be a problem."
"I want to be sorted," Teddy mumbled quietly. Harry sighed; they'd had this talk before, too. "I want to be in Slythendor." Ever since Harry and Draco had told him their respective houses Teddy had been saying that; he couldn't decide which one he wanted to be in more, so he figured he could be in a combination of the two.
"I know it's exciting to think about, but you're still too young. You have to be eleven to go to Hogwarts and be sorted. It won't take too long; you've only got five years left to wait."
"Why can't it be now, Harry?" Teddy's large eyes bored into Harry's pleadingly.
"Because time is a cruel mistress. It likes to move much too slowly when we wish it would hurry, and much too fast when we wish it would halt." Teddy's expression betrayed his confusion and Harry smiled. "What about tomorrow? I can owl the Headmistress and ask permission to give you a tour." Immediately perking up, Teddy spun around in a circle and stomped his feet, punching the air above his head.
"Yes, yes yes! Hogwarts, Snogshorts, Logmorts, Fogborts! Hogwaaaaaarts!" Teddy sang as he continued to stomp around joyfully.
Taking him to see Hogwarts would force him to take a day off gardening, but he was sure the plants would survive without him for a day. Draco would be reluctant to go, but if Teddy told him— which he definitely would— how much it meant to him, his other not-dad would be putty in his hand.
Ron was pacing back and forth in the antechamber of the chapel where he'd got dressed, nervously eyeing the clock hanging on the wall. He'd been doing it for long enough that Draco couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer.
"You're driving me insane, and if I have to watch you panic any longer I'm going to hex you," he said calmly as he continued to distractedly read the book he'd brought to pass the time. He wasn't due to head to the chapel yet, so he'd offered to help everyone with hair and attire because, let's face it, he was probably the most qualified to do so.
"You're the one who's going insane?" Ron asked, stopping his pacing for a moment to gawk at Draco. "I'm about to get married and you're the one going mad?"
"Yes, as hard as it may be for you to wrap your malnourished brain around it."
"I don't have the patience to listen to your bloody insults right now, Draco, so if you can't keep your tongue in check you can go wait in the pews," Ron snapped, just like Draco had wanted him to. At least if he were angry he would be focusing his attention on something other than his 'big day.'
"How long have you two been engaged now?" Ignoring Ron's quip, Draco continued attempting to distract Ron from his pacing.
"Eight years, almost," Ron said after counting on his fingers.
"Exactly. Shouldn't that be enough time to accept the fact that you're happily in love and she's not going to leave you? Honestly, I don't see why you're making such a huge deal out of this."
"Easy for you to say, you and Harry aren't getting married," Ron scoffed. Draco averted his gaze. He and Harry had discussed marriage a lot over the years, but neither of them had decided whether or not that was something they'd like to have between them.
"That's beside the point," Draco argued. "You are but a moment away from being wed to the woman of your dreams. You've been waiting for this for nearly eight years, you have a child together, for crying out loud… what do you honestly think could go so terribly wrong in the next thirty minutes? Just relax." Ron stood there staring nonplussed at Draco as he explained how ridiculous he was being. It was strange, even to Draco, that he was the one offering comfort on Ron's wedding day rather than Harry, but Harry was otherwise occupied at the moment, much to Draco's chagrin.
"Yeah…" Ron took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Yeah. Really puts things in perspective, when you say it like that. Thanks, mate." Draco flinched a bit as Ron clapped him on the back and his face began to change back to it's normal shade.
"Right," Draco said, shrugging Ron's hand off him. "The Bride To Be had better thank me later for saving her the embarrassment of walking down the aisle toward the Green Goblin."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ron said slowly. Draco rolled his eyes, but didn't have a chance to explain the Spider Man comic reference he'd made because Ginny was barging into the room speaking at a rapid pace. As Ginny brought the panic back into Ron's eyes, Draco wished Teddy were there; he would have understood. It was Teddy, after all, who had introduced Draco to comic books in the first place.
"What are you doing standing around? You've got to get in that chapel! Mum's in a right state. You're just standing around while the rest of us are waiting for you out there."
"W-what?" Ron glanced up at the clock and back to his sister. "But I've still got twenty-two minutes!" Ginny cast Tempus and showed that the time was actually ten-till.
"No, you don't. You need to get into position before Mum cancels the entire wedding." She turned to regard Draco with her stern glare. "And you need to get get a move on as well, if you're not planning your own funeral. I hope you practiced the song, for your sake, because Mum is not being selective with her madness." Draco rolled his eyes and didn't justify her moody attack with a response. Of course he'd practiced, he'd helped write the rendition of the wedding march he was going to play.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Ron shouted as he adjusted his tie and handkerchief. So much for keeping the composure Draco had worked so hard to offer him.
Both Weasleys jogged out of the antechamber and Draco decided to head to the main chapel room at a more leisurely pace; he wasn't the one getting married, after all, and had no reason to be running around like a gnome with its head cut off.
He headed to his chair beside where the wedding crew would be standing and began putting rosin on his bow, nodding hello to the three other string players who were to be playing with him. Once satisfied, he manually tuned his cello, comparing tones with the other three players and their various instruments. Normally he would've used a tuning charm, but he had half an audience of muggles before him and didn't exactly want to get arrested in the middle of a wedding. Draco eyed the congregation he could see in front of him. Hermione's family was comparatively smaller than Ron's, but were just as eager looking as the gathered Weasleys. Some even had tears in their eyes already, though Draco wasn't sure why. It wasn't like weddings were sad experiences most of the time, so why would anyone cry at them? He'd never understood, but then he'd also never been to a wedding before, so he couldn't give an accurate judgement on the emotional response to them.
At the very front of the room stood Ron, waiting for his bride at the end of the silver carpet. Draco discreetly cast his own Tempus and saw that it was time to start the wedding march he'd altered to Hermione's approval. Picking up his bow and getting in the proper playing position, he began bowing along with the rest of the quartet.
The doors at the end of the aisle opened, revealing Hermione and her father standing arm-in-arm. Her hair was done in much neater curls by Draco's own styling, and there were pearl hairpins keeping her lace veil and train in place on her head. She looked stunning, and Draco had to compliment himself on having worked a miracle on her.
Hermione carried a beautiful bouquet that Molly had designed with George's help, of all people. Draco remembered being apprehensive about that set up, but who was he to argue with the bride and groom's decisions in regards to their own wedding?
They began their slow descent down the aisle toward a very pale looking Ron. At least he's not still that sickly green shade, Draco commented within the privacy of his own thoughts. Cole began snapping pictures of the procession, moving around the room quickly and managing to stay out of the way all at once, to capture the best angles of the bride and her entourage as they progressed.
Behind Hermione walked Harry and Ginny, also arm-in-arm, and behind them were Fleur and George, the latter of which was inspecting his boutonniere rather suspiciously. Draco chalked it up to wedding jitters, which he supposed could be picked up by those involved aside from the bride and groom. Following them were Luna and Neville, the last couple in the train of groomsmen and bridesmaids.
Slowly, as the quartet played, they all made their way up to the pulpit. Hermione's cheeks were tinted pink and the colour only deepened the closer she got to her future husband. Finally she and her father came to a stop before the priest and Ron, and the quartet let the final notes trail off into silence.
The priest said a few words about giving Hermione away and her father, with tears in his eyes, kissed her cheek and let her go to stand beside Ron. The bridesmaids went to stand along Hermione's side of the church and the groomsmen took Ron's side, with Ginny and Harry standing closest to the bride and groom as best man and maid of honour. Draco wondered vaguely why he wasn't struck with jealousy, watching Harry and Ginny walk down the aisle together, but realised that it had something to do with the friendship they'd formed between themselves over the years. It helped that she was now dating another man— a very recent development, seeing as he hadn't come along as her plus-one to the wedding. He was proud of himself for becoming so integrated with Harry's chosen family, even going so far as referring to them as his own family from time to time. Ginny had become something like an obstreperous little sister, and it was rare that he thought of her as Harry's ex anymore, something he also had to be proud of.
More words were said by the priest, words which Draco paid little notice to as his eyes were trained on Harry and his mind was taking in the comfortable way he stood at the front of everything. Years ago, Harry would've been nervous to be even near the centre of attention. Things really had changed, and he and Harry had changed right with those things. It was incredible to observe, as well as the way Harry's suit fit him so nicely. That was part of Draco's distraction, too, inevitably. Even years after they'd become an item he still found his breath taken away by how intensely fond he was of Harry and his appearance. Age had only added to Harry's features, in Draco's opinion.
"I vow to love you unconditionally," Hermione was saying when Draco finally did decide to listen in, "And to continue standing by you in times of hardship and success alike. We've gone through…" She paused and inhaled shakily, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "So much together. We've fought so many battles side-by-side, gone through hell and back and weathered storms very few people could fully imagine—" A very loud sniffle interrupted Hermione's vows and Draco was sure it had come from Molly. "Ronald Weasley, I love you more than I could ever say. For the rest of our lives I will love you, even while I'm lecturing you on leaving the seat up in the loo."
The entire room began chuckling and giggling at that comment, a necessary bout of comic relief when things were beginning to feel heavy. Even Draco had been touched by the emotion behind Hermione's vows, though he'd previously claimed he would be unaffected. His eyes had begun to water and he admitted that it wasn't too odd that people might cry at a time like this.
"I love you too, Hermione," Ron started, his voice wobbling severely. "I promise to always consider your feelings and respect the woman you've become. I promise to continue to support you in your many, many endeavors, as I'm sure you'll never give up your amazing drive. I promise to try to remember putting the seat down, and I'll quit dog-earring your books."
"You'd better," Hermione laughed, smiling lovingly at Ron's solemn expression.
They finished their vows and the priest continued on with the final bits of his speech. Finally, after what seemed like ages but was probably only twenty minutes or so, the rings were put on and the "I do's" were said. They kissed passionately for a short time before the new wedded couple turned around to face their captive audience, who had already begun clapping. Hermione threw her bouquet and the poor muggle girl who caught it screamed as it burst loudly into confetti and smoke. Simultaneously, all of the corsages and boutonnieres did the same, causing the groomsmen and bridesmaids to shout in dismay.
Draco burst into laughter. Of course George had rigged up the flowers, why else would he have asked to help with them? He had been right to assume George had ulterior motives behind helping with anything, but it turned out to be an adorable end to the wedding. It wouldn't be a Weasley event if George didn't pull some sort of prank for it.
As the exodus between wedding and reception began Draco was sure he heard Molly admonishing George for his silly antics, but when Draco looked to observe he saw that Molly was smiling as she did so. The wedding had gone off without a hitch, contrary to Ron's obvious fear at the beginning of the ceremony.
As Draco pulled into the lot outside the train station, Harry felt his heart give a small thump in his chest. He hadn't realized how long it had been since he last saw King's Cross. He was pleased to see that most of the major features were just as he remembered them, but the few changes here and there stood as reminders of just how long it had been since he had last been in Teddy's position, and he was somewhat surprised at the wave of nostalgia that followed.
"Come on, let's go!" Teddy urged them as he began collecting his owl cage. Harry and Draco laughed at his eager attitude and Harry recalled how different Teddy was from him at the age of eleven. He'd been so terrified and clueless. It was good that Teddy had had people to ready him for getting to the Hogwarts Express properly. Not that he had much fear in general, so perhaps he would've been just as eager in any case.
"If you get Stevie I'll get the luggage," Draco said as he unbuckled and began leaving the car. Harry did the same and retrieved a sleeping Stevie from her carseat.
"If we don't hurry we'll miss it," Teddy continued, looking incredibly impatient as he stood waiting for his guardians.
"You won't miss it." Draco and Harry gave each other a matching look of amused exasperation and finished unloading Teddy's things from the car.
"Yeah, especially since Draco insisted that we leave an hour early," Harry glared at Draco. Nevermind that the comment was meant as a response to Teddy.
"Yes, well, if we had left when you had planned, we would have missed the train," Draco shot back. "Besides, we're not even that early, thanks to that accident on the way."
"Harry, I can see the steam! It's going to leave and I'm going to be stuck here with you two bickering!"
"It's still barely half-ten, Teddy, and that could be the steam from any of the trains here." It still surprised Harry how his godson could seem so young and yet so grown up all at the same time.
"Oh. Right. Still, I want to get there early enough that I can get a good seat."
"Daddy, where are we?" Stevie piped up in her soft, sleep-rasped voice. "Where is Teddy going to?"
"Honey, we already told you Teddy's going to school for the year. You'll see him soon enough," Draco said in the sweet voice he always used with their daughter. "Are you going to miss him?"
"No," she replied honestly, or at least half so. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that she might change her mind within the week. Until then, though, he had no doubt that she would enjoy the less-divided attention from her fathers and the lack of a pesky almost-older-brother to bother her. "I love you, Teddy. Bye!"
"I'm not leaving yet, and you're very rude for a four-year-old," Teddy grouched.
"I wonder where she learned that from," Harry mumbled, shooting Draco a halfhearted glare. "Alright, let's get a move on; we have to pick Laz up from Molly in an hour and… fifteen," he said after checking his wrist watch.
"Why couldn't he come with us?" Stevie asked. "I want daddy to hold me now, please." Harry's eyebrows furrowed for a moment before he realised what she must've meant.
"Daddy is holding you, silly," Draco replied, tweaking her nose. Nevertheless, he and Harry shuffled around the contents of their arms and the group began heading into the station. "Laz couldn't come because he's still too young."
"I'm too young and I'm here," she argued as they approached the brick wall that would transport them to platform 9 and ¾. "Lazzy loves trains, he would be very excited."
"That's true, but I think he would get easily overstimulated," Draco explained.
"I don't even know what that means."
"It means he would be upset by how much is going on. Train stations are busy places. Alright, Teddy, here's where you'll—"
"Run at the wall, I know," he interrupted impatiently. "Can we go now? I bet all the best compartments are taken already." Draco and Harry traded yet another amused look. Harry couldn't help but think of how nervous he had been when he had first arrived at King's Cross and was told to go sprinting toward a solid wall. Granted, Teddy had grown up surrounded by magic and would therefore have been much more accustomed to that sort of thing. He wore such a confident face, though (albeit a bit irritable), and Harry felt a small, surprising swell of pride somewhere in the middle of his torso.
Teddy began sprinting toward the wall, causing Draco and Harry to run after him to keep up. They were all spit out onto the busy platform and for a moment neither Draco nor Harry could spot Teddy in the crowd. That is, until they noticed his purple mop of hair sticking out near the entrance to the train.
"You nearly lost us!" Harry shouted as they jogged up to him, panting with the effort of running with a bunch of heavy baggage. Draco would probably suggest casting a weight reducing charm, but it would be pointless now.
"Harry, I'm old enough to know where I'm meant to go, okay?"
"Hey," Draco said as he stepped closer to Teddy, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you upset about something? You're acting strangely."
"No! I just want to get to school is all." But it was obvious to the both of them that Teddy was lying. He refused to meet Draco's eyes and continued glancing all around him. It was a sign that had given away his lies for years and he'd failed to realise it yet, enabling them to catch even the slightest of fibs.
"Right. What's going on?"
"Nothing, seriously. Can I please get on the train?"
"Not until you tell the truth, young man," Draco stated firmly. "What's bothering you? Are you embarrassed of us? Because I can assure you that's quite normal."
"I'm not… It's not that I'm embarrassed, it's just… What if… what if people don't want to be my friend because… because I'm your kid?" Understanding and pain seemed to colour Draco's cheeks, as well as tilt his brows. Teddy seemed to notice too, because he quickly added, "I mean, I know you're alright, but… the other kids…"
"That's what you're upset about?" Draco could barely be heard over the surrounding platform sounds. The train whistle sounded and whatever Teddy said in response was drowned out to Harry's ears. "Teddy, anyone who's concerned about being your friend for reasons like that is probably not a good person to be friends with in the first place."
"But you're a…"
"I know," Draco cut in, sounding as though he was regretting his and Harry's joint decision to explain all age-appropriate aspects of the war to Teddy before school began. They had wanted him to understand what had happened, from both their perspectives, so that he wasn't left in the dark or taken by surprise if other kids started discussing it. They'd thought it best that it come from them first. Now, though, hearing that Teddy was afraid he wouldn't make friends because of Draco's past, Harry had to wonder if that had been a good decision. "And so do lots of other people. There will be kids your age who won't want to associate with you because of that, you're right; however, there will be plenty who do, regardless of what I am— or rather, what I used to be. I wouldn't worry so much about it if I were you. Not to mention, your other guardian is the saviour of the magical world, so that balances things out a bit, doesn't it?" Harry couldn't help but to roll his eyes at that comment, but before he could say anything Stevie cut in.
"Daddy, what's Teddy talking about?" Draco sighed before plastering a cheerful and patient look on his face, directed toward the girl on his hip.
"Things your other daddy and I will explain to you when you're a bit older, alright?"
"Am I old enough now? It's been seconds." Draco and Harry laughed and this time Teddy rolled his eyes, though he did seem a lot less stressed after having spoken to Draco about his worries.
"Steve, seconds doesn't make any difference at all. They mean years."
"Don't call me Steve! It's a boy's name!"
"Alright, you two, that's enough," Harry said as he wrapped Teddy in a big hug. "You'd better get on the train now, they'll be departing in the next ten minutes. I'll load your luggage."
"Do I get a hug as well?" Draco asked, and Harry could see just how fragile the smile on his face was. His heart hurt for the man who had done all he could in the past eleven years to atone for his mistakes during the war. While most of his peers accepted him and realised he was different, now he had to deal with the knowledge that not all of them did, which meant their children didn't either. Harry was sure he was thinking just how much it would be his fault if Teddy ended up being bullied due to his parentage.
"Yeah, I guess," Teddy mumbled, but as he looked at the pavement there was a smile hidden behind his blond wavy hair.
Draco gave him a hug that lasted far longer than Harry's hug had, but not once did Teddy pull away until the next train whistle sounded. He climbed onto the train, shouting a last minute goodbye over his shoulder, and disappeared down the corridor. Not long after, Teddy's face could be seen through one of the windows near the back of the train, looking slightly paler than usual, but every bit as snarky as he typically looked at home. He waved at Harry, Draco, and Stevie once before promptly turning away, seemingly distracted by someone entering his compartment.
"Well look at that, he's made an acquaintance already," Harry said with a proud smile.
"Or someone's come to harass him. I suppose we'll find out when he writes to us," Draco grumped. Harry took Draco's hand and squeezed once, hoping it would offer some comfort.
"What does harass mean?" Stevie asked. "Is it a naughty word?"
"No, love, harassing someone means to bother someone," Harry explained. "And I doubt that's what's happening. Unless his first Hogwarts Express experience is anything like mine," he added with a teasing smile directed toward Draco.
"Oh, please," Draco scoffed. "I did not harass you, I merely wanted to meet you and make my presence known to the Boy Who Lived."
"Who's the Boy Who Lived?" Stevie asked. "Is it Uncle Neville?" Draco and Harry shared a strange look.
"Er, no… We'll explain that when you're a bit older, too, alright love?" Stevie groaned and dropped her face into Draco's shoulder.
"Why does everything have to be when I'm older? Teddy gets to know stuff, I want to, too!" Draco and Harry shared another look, but one that they shared quite frequently; one of long-suffering.
"How about this," Draco said, patience coating every word. "What if we tell you something else? What if… What if your daddy and I tell you how we met?"
"You didn't always know each other?"
"No, not always," Harry said with a laugh. "But for a long time, we have. Would you like to know how we met, Stevie?" She took a moment to consider this, probably weighing her options in her mind.
"Alright," she said slowly. "Yes, alright. I'd like to know."
"Then after the train leaves— which it looks like it'll be doing any second now— your daddy and I will tell you all about it. How about on the car ride home?" Stevie grinned ear to ear and Draco planted a kiss right in the centre her forehead.
"Look! Daddies, look! It's leaving!" Stevie shouted as the train began it's slow start to departure.
"Indeed it is," Draco agreed. "Let's all wave goodbye to Teddy!"
"It's gotta be Slytherin," Harry argued firmly, crossing his arms. "There's no way he's not in Slytherin."
"Unless he's in Gryffindor," Draco pointed out. "Which he most definitely will be. You've had too strong an effect on him and he's too daring to be in Slytherin. We Slytherin are tactful rather than brash, something you never quite learned, and have now passed on to Teddy," he teased.
"Fuck off," Harry laughed. "He's sneaky just like you, a born leader, determined, and to top that off, he's just as obsessed with snakes as you are, you weirdo. There's no way he won't be put in Slytherin." Draco rolled his eyes, ignoring the comment about snake obsession, which he obviously didn't have. Just because he owned four snakes didn't mean he was obsessed.
"I suppose we'll just have to open the letter and find out, won't we? Loser has to wash the dishes without magic for a week." Upon Harry's gasp of outrage, Draco carefully peeled open the first letter they'd received from Teddy since he'd left for school.
Hey, Not-Dads,
You'll never believe what happened on the train ride to school! First, as soon as I sit down in my compartment, this bloke named Stone Zabini comes barging in demanding to sit next to me. He wouldn't shut up the whole way to school, going on and on about "My dad," this, and "My mum," that. After a while I ended up interrupting him to ask if he likes Quidditch, and then we talked about something interesting for once. He's not so bad, I guess, but he talks way too much.
"Oh yeah, I forgot Blaise's kid was Teddy's age. He seems so much younger," Draco commented, interrupting Harry's reading of the letter.
"Yeah, well he sounds a lot like how Hermione was first year," Harry piped up, glancing at Draco to smirk. "So I guess we were both right; he was being harassed and making his first acquaintance." Draco frowned contemplatively and kept reading.
Anyway, the second thing is, after a bit the trolly lady came in and we bought the same exact candy without even meaning to. Talk about weird, right? I didn't think anyone else in the whole world liked Licorice Skrewts except me, but so does Zabini. By the end of the train ride I decided he could be my friend, jabbering aside.
When we got to the castle there were a bunch of people who were scared, but not me. I was ready to be sorted and eat. The candy doesn't fill you up much, does it? I swear I could've eaten a real blast-ended skrewt, I was so hungry.
"See? Bravery," Draco said, pointing to the line Teddy wrote about not being scared. "Definitely Gryffindor."
"Shut up, I'm trying to read," Harry snapped half-heartedly.
Stone and I stood next to each other through the whole sorting, which took forever. All I could think about were the feasts you two have told me about, and what I wanted to eat first. I think everyone heard my stomach growling the whole time, too.
Then it was my turn and I wasn't hungry anymore. I wasn't scared, not really, just a bit nervous. When I got on the stool I didn't know what to expect, I just thought I'd take whatever house they'd put me in. I know you guys always argue about whether I'll be in Gryffindor or Slytherin, and I think I thought about it when McGonagall put the hat on my head, because the hat asked me if I wanted to be in one of those houses. I didn't really know what to say, so I sort of thought, "Uhhh," and the hat yelled out, "HUFFLEPUFF," before I could even answer it properly.
"Are you kidding me?" Draco gasped. "Hufflepuff! I never even guessed— I thought for sure, Gryffindor!"
"I'm not all that surprised, honestly."
"Sure you're not."
"No, really. Tonks was in Hufflepuff, why not her son?" Harry reminded him.
Draco thought for a moment, then nodded his head in acceptance. "I suppose that makes sense, though his father was in Gryffindor, so really it could've gone either way, if you use that logic. Now, what are we going to do about that bet with the dishes?"
"Well…" Harry trailed off, looking confused. "Er… I guess… Erm, what if we both take turns doing the dishes and teaching Stevie how to do them by hand? She's old enough to learn, isn't she?"
Draco felt his eyes widen in concern. Their daughter, being made to clean? The thought was a terrible one. He'd never done the dishes until Kreacher passed away several years back. Neither he nor Harry felt it would be right to hire another house elf, and neither wanted to deal with Hermione should they decide it was a good idea after all. This meant they did all their own house work, taking tips and tricks from Molly. Teddy cleaned, of course, but… Draco paused in his thoughts. Teddy cleans. Which means it would be unfair to keep our other children from cleaning, once they reach appropriate ages… which Stevie has now reached. Shite.
"That's fair," he finally said aloud with a sigh. Then, seeing Harry's poorly held back laughter, he narrowed his eyes. "What?"
"Oh, nothing, I could just see the wheels and cogs turning in your head." Draco narrowed his eyes further and struggled not to laugh, too.
"Yes, something your head could do more often," he drawled with a faux sneer. Harry barked a laugh and lightly shoved Draco's shoulder.
"You're getting bitter in your old age, you know that? Let's finish the letter."
"I am not old," Draco muttered, and even that sounded bitter to his ears. Perhaps Harry was right, but he'd never admit it to him.
So I'm in Hufflepuff now. Sorry if that bothers you, but I personally like the fact that the common room is so close to the kitchens. Not much of a fan of the colour yellow, but it's not so bad, really. The common room is full of plants and it reminds me of Harry's garden, so in a way it feels like home. Maybe I'm meant to be in this house. My mum was, so I think it's kind of cool.
Anyway, I gotta play gobstones with Stone now. He asked me earlier and I said I had to write to you guys first, and since there's nothing really left to say I guess I can't avoid it anymore. Oh, he got sorted Hufflepuff, too. He said his dad's going to be disappointed, but I think he'll get over it.
I love you,
Teddy L.
P.S
How do you get someone to shut up when all they do is talk? Also tell Stevie and Laz I said hi.
Harry and Draco both chuckled as they finished up the letter. It seemed as though Teddy and Blaise's son were going to be friends, even if the lad couldn't keep from vomiting words constantly. Draco thought of Hermione and knew that if Harry and Ron could put up with her then Teddy could put up with Stone Zabini's overactive tongue. And, from the way Harry told it, Hermione had gotten a lot better about her own overactive tongue over the years, so perhaps the same would be true for Stone.
"What do you think about Zabini's kid being in Hufflepuff?" Harry asked with a sly smile.
"I think it serves him right, the git," Draco said as he leaned back on the sofa, allowing for Harry to lay his head on his lap.
"You're not still mad about that, are you?" Draco simply shrugged and Harry snorted. "It's been five years. Can't you get over it?"
"Harry, love… No."
"Oh, come on. It was funny."
"Having an entire cheese fondue fountain poured over my very new, and very expensive, suit was not funny in the slightest. Sure, 'it was an accident,' whatever. I know… I saw his face."
"It was a good lesson, though, in the end. Now we know better than to incorporate cheese fountains in our house party menus. Someone was bound to knock it over eventually, with how much everyone drank that night."
"Right, and it just so happened to be Blaise, and it just so happened to be when I was standing precisely on the other side of it, eh?" Draco scoffed. "Accident my arse."
"It was funny!" Harry insisted. "And he bought you a new suit, so what does it matter anyway?"
"It was not funny, and it's especially not funny that Ginny has been referring to me as Queso Malfoy for five years." Harry's breath was shaky with repressed giggles.
"No," he choked out, "You're absolutely r-right."
"Oh, shut up."
Frantically searching for the number five shaped candle he'd just had in his hand three seconds ago, Harry began to realise he was panicking and attempted to calm down a bit with some deep breathing. The party was already in motion, guests had arrived nearly an hour before, and yet the cake was not even frosted yet, and was therefore not finished. Well, that wasn't completely true; the first cake had been finished the night before, Draco had made sure of that. Somehow, though all three culprits— or children, rather— claimed to have nothing to do with it, the original birthday cake had been devoured sometime in the middle of the previous night. So Harry and Draco had had to buy all new ingredients and worked all morning in shifts making Lazarus' specific, wild request of a cake.
"Not sure who in their right mind would ask for an asparagus flavored cake, but what do I know?" Harry muttered quietly to himself. "Where in the bloody fuck did that candle go?" As soon as the question left his mouth he spotted the wax number five on the mantle ledge of the fireplace. Of course he'd set it down in the strangest, most unlikely spot.
Shaking his head, he decided firmly to stop being such a nervous wreck over a candle. He flicked his wand, directing the green frosting onto the sickly coloured cake, and let the butter knife do the work for him. Then, having done that, he stuck the candle in the centre and levitated the cake upstairs to the dining room.
"There you are," Draco said, coming to take the cake from thin air to place it on the table. "What took you so long? Laz has been singing Happy Birthday to himself for the last two minutes straight."
"I couldn't find the candle," Harry admitted sheepishly, grinning hugely in the hopes that Draco would simply roll his eyes and move past his slowness.
Draco rolled his eyes and said, "Of course." Then, directing his words at the huge gathering of family and friends, he began loudly singing Happy Birthday.
Everyone joined in on the song, and Harry sent a discreet Incendio over to the candle, lighting it just before the song ended. Molly strode over to stand behind Lazarus, wrapping her motherly arms around his shoulders and kissing his cheek noisily.
"Oh, I just can't believe you've grown so much already! It seems like just yesterday you were a little baby, screaming at all hours of the night." Lazarus pursed his lips and looked up at Molly seriously.
"Gram, I'm not a baby no more. I'm a big kid," he said sternly. "Daddy's say so every time I'm in trouble." Feeling the blush of embarrassment spreading through his cheeks, Harry began slicing the cake into large pieces.
"Who wants a piece?" he asked the crowd.
"Not me," Ron said, eyeing the cake in disgust. "Asparagus cake… No thanks."
"I never thought I'd see the day you'd turn down cake," Hermione said with a chuckle. "I'll try it."
Most people opted out of the cake, as Harry and Draco had both guessed would happen, but that didn't bother Laz in the slightest, as it meant more for him. Harry had the strongest feeling that he'd been the sneak who'd eaten the cake last night.
"So, Queso Malfoy," Ginny piped up, once the kids were all outside playing in the garden. "How's work been?"
"I might feel more inclined to answer you if you'd use my real name," Draco said politely, though Harry could hear the distaste lightly coating his tone.
"He's been teaching bigger classes than usual," Harry supplied. "Haven't you?" Draco sighed, apparently resigning himself to the use of his hated nickname.
"Yes, I have. It's been wonderful, as usual. The ones who haven't played much catch on quickly and the ones who have played a bit are happy with their assigned sheet music. No complaints from the parents, either, for once. That's a nice change."
"Right, I remember your story about that one batty mum… I don't know how you put up with that, honestly," Ginny said, her eyes filling with genuine sympathy, around the humor that was also there. "I wasn't even aware people could sue over classes that haven't been taken yet."
"They can't."
"She certainly tried, though."
"She did. I didn't care as much about that," Draco said with a shrug. "The part that bothered me was that she took her daughter out of the class after getting her hopes up. That little girl could've gone so far as a cellist, if her audition said anything. Hopefully her mother put her into another class."
"I hope so too," Ginny said before standing up and peering out the window at the back garden, searching for her twins. "I'd better go check on Layla and Jack. Merlin knows what those two are getting up to."
"Probably whatever Rose tells them to," Harry commented, laughing at Ginny's middle finger as she walked away. "This is a children's party, behave!"
"Says the one who taught Laz how to say 'fuck off,'" Draco mumbled, looking intently at his cuticles.
"Fuck off, it was an accident," Harry chuckled again.
"What was an accident? Queso's birth?" Ron asked as he plopped himself heavily into one of the empty armchairs, nearly spilling the plate of appetisers he carried.
"Actually, the birth was incredibly planned out," Draco replied, sounding unaffected by the jibe. "You've probably realised by now how much my mother likes to go over the top for things of little importance. It was the conception that wasn't done purposely. Though, with married purebloods, having children is usually the point, isn't it? You should know better than anyone," he finished with a sly smirk. Draco seemed to delight over the mild shade of pink Ron's face turned at the thinly veiled insult.
"How's Ginny doing with the twins?" Harry asked Ron, knowing that Ginny herself would say that everything was fine, regardless of whether or not it truly was.
Ron's face took on a look of disdain combined with what could only be hatred. "She'd be doing a lot better if that deadbeat would step up and pay even a knut of support," he grumbled, then stabbed a bit of food on his plate with a bit too much enthusiasm. "She hasn't heard a word from him since he left. You'd think he'd at least want to see the kids every now and then. Apparently he's got better things to do." Harry cleared his throat, almost regretting bringing up the subject. He hadn't meant to ruin anyone's mood, he'd only been curious.
"Is Gavin helping out with them much?" he asked, hoping that would turn the conversation around. Ron rolled his eyes and took another bite of food before responding around a mouthful.
"She seems to think so. He can't really hold down a job to save himself, but he makes enough money when he is employed."
"Doesn't Ginny make enough on her own to support them all?" Draco piped up.
"Well, yeah, but that's beside the point, isn't it? He's the man of the house, he should be trying harder to support them… too…" Ron trailed off as Hermione came storming over, arms crossed and appearing to have very little patience for Ron's statement.
"Is that so, Ronald?" she asked, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. Draco, of course, was snickering by this point. "It's interesting that you should say that, because if our bank statements are in any way accurate I make over twice what you do as an Auror. Now why would that be?"
"Hermione, you know I didn't mean—"
"Didn't mean what? Didn't mean to sound so misogynistic right in front of your wife? Didn't mean to imply that Ginny can't handle her own finances? Didn't mean to forget that your sister makes more than you do, too? What exactly didn't you mean?" Harry sat back and watched with amusement as his two best friends had a typical argument. Draco wasn't even bothering to hide his laughter anymore.
"No, that's not— I was just trying to say that… as Ginny's husband, he should be… trying to keep stable employment. Is that so wrong?"
"If that's what you were trying to say you should've said that, leaving out the bit about him being the man of the house," Hermione countered, not backing down. "What if Rose had heard you talking that way? Do you want your daughter to think she needs a man to take care of her? Do you want her to develop codependent tendencies at such a young age?" Ron looked horrified at the thought.
"Merlin no! I want her to be every bit as independent as you are!"
"Then don't think for a second that it's okay to talk like that."
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Draco look his way. When he met his lover's gaze they shared a look of suppressed giggles and fondness for their two ridiculous friends. As Hermione and Ron continued bickering, Harry thought that it really wouldn't be a family get-together if someone didn't get in a fight of some kind. He was just glad that, for once, it wasn't Draco and someone else— typically Ron, over Quidditch. Glad until, less than an hour later, Ron and Draco argued over quidditch.
Both long-retired, and with nothing better to do, Harry and Draco sat on the front porch of their little countryside cottage. Draco had a short glass of whiskey in hand as he read the evening paper, Harry had his broom collection at his feet and polish and a rag in his hands. It wasn't how they used to celebrate their anniversary— if you could call it that; they weren't married and never had decided to wed, but after being together eighty nine years they figured they might as well call it an anniversary— but they were no longer the young, spry wizards they had once been. Harry was much too old to be flying these antique brooms, but he'd be damned if he'd let them lose their shine. Draco was too nearsighted to read without glasses, but he'd be damned if he'd go and get his eyes examined. So, rather than hit a nightclub or a reserved five star restaurant, they sat and enjoyed the quiet of the country, the sounds of birds chirping and the many different mating calls of the indigenous animals. It was a tranquil way to end their weekend before heading back home, where their children would berate them for vacationing alone at their ages. At one-hundred-seven years old, Harry had to admit they were 'getting up there,' as they say, but he couldn't see why it was such a terrible idea to stay three nights at a secluded cottage away from it all. The children simply worried too much.
Suddenly, breaking the silence, Draco folded up the paper with more speed than his age would suggest he had. "That's it," he said, tossing the print to the wood floor.
"What's it?" Harry asked lazily, not looking up from polishing his broom handle. He only had three left to polish, he wasn't about to break his concentration now.
"I've been thinking all day that I should say something sappy and heartfelt, and I've been struggling to come up with anything. I'm sick of trying. I shouldn't have to fret like this, it's bad for my heart," Draco griped. "So, I'm sorry, but you're not getting anything from me this year." He certainly didn't sound sorry, Harry thought as he chuckled.
"After all these years do you really think I need your pathetic excuses for romance?" He looked up then, just to watch with satisfaction as Draco's silver eyes narrowed and his lips twisted into a sneer. "I mean to say, if you didn't love me anymore you wouldn't still be here, would you, now that we're old and decrepit?"
"Hmph. Speak for yourself," he muttered, smoothing his white hair out of his face.
Draco picked up the discarded paper and unfolded it. Stared at it for another moment. "Hand 'em over," he demanded, holding out a hand toward Harry. Without missing a beat, Harry took off his specs and placed them in Draco's palm, smiling to himself at Draco's everlasting stubbornness. He didn't even bother suggesting Draco see an optometrist anymore; he knew how that would go. So he let Draco borrow his glasses to read. He didn't really need them for polishing his brooms, so why not?
"Eighty nine years," Draco sighed and clucked his tongue. He sounded as though he were talking to himself, but Harry knew better.
"Ninety, next year."
"That's usually how math goes, isn't it?" Draco scoffed. Softer, he asked, "Who'd have thought we'd make it this far?"
"Hmm," Harry agreed. He dipped his rag in the polish again and smoothed over the intricately carved end of his broom handle, making sure to cover every divit and curve.
"Honestly, you'd think we'd have gotten tired of each other by now," Draco continued, speaking into his reading material. The edges of the paper fluttered a bit in the summer breeze, adding to the relaxed ambiance. "With our history, I mean. It's rather amazing we could still be so… in love… no, so passionately in love for all this time."
"Keep trying," Harry said with a grin. It never ceased to amuse him, after so many years, watching Draco struggle to be all fluffy and sweet on their anniversary. Every year he tried, and every year he failed miserably, but it was touching to Harry all the same that Draco would bother.
"I am, you twat," Draco countered, glare in place. Then abruptly he smoothed his features out. "I mean, you wonderful being of light and love. You mysterious, sweet, sexy, old— no, not old. I mean, er, beautifully aged. Yes, you mysterious, sweet, sexy, beautifully aged man."
"How very kind." It was sarcasm, but only half so. He loved this day for all it usually meant, but especially for moments like these. It had almost become tradition for Draco to make a fool of himself while trying to woo Harry.
"You know what I'm getting at," Draco said, exasperated. "I love you, idiot."
"I know you do. And I love you." He paused, then added, "spoiled brat."