Sounds like we all like the dark hair and eyes . . . I love you people! You make me feel normal, when you could have all said I was a pervert from a young age. lol
Flounder123 and Earthstar- I prefer to think of Teddy as just a kid acting out of jealousy and insecurity rather than a bully. I imagine that Draco is like a step parent and most kids aren't too thrilled at the prospect.
greeneyed-angiebaby- Just to clarify the junk-showing. . . It was really just a quick flash between four curious five or six year olds. ha ha But I'm glad I'm not the only one! And doesn't having to act like the adult suck sometimes? I still throw pissy fits occasionally :)
luvsallthingsslash- aw, maybe you ought to do something about that crush :) And I happened to take a peek at your profile-the movie is Final Destination-the first one.
MakeupDiva88- eeww, a three way between H/D/B
Princessmelodina- Thanks! I go for lemon myself
FantasyFiend09- Of course there's more conflict. lol I couldn't let them just live happily ever after. At least not yet
SSS-Severus Snape Supporter- Ha ha! I remember what it looked like too-SO different from what I found 12 years later! I would love to know how Gregory turned out . . . too bad I can't remember his last name
Thanks to BloodyRose90, LalalaSpacingInPandaLand, ClaireBouldwin, Her Pillow James, Clary girl two, blueberry709, cassy1994, Charlie, tflover98, QuirkyKitty93, rileygar25, and guest for reading and reviewing!
〪o 〫O〬 o〭
Day One hundred forty-six, Friday
"I did not!"
"You did too. I know you did."
"Did not!"
"Did too! You little shit."
Harry covered his face with his hands and slumped over the kitchen table.
"No, I didn't, you stupid . . . you stupid . . . Death Eater!"
Draco was stunned into silence. Of all the insults Teddy could come up with, that one seemed to cut him to the quick. Too late, Teddy realized he'd gone a bit too far. Especially considering that he had actually done the deed he was so fiercely denying.
"So, that's what you really think," Draco said calmly and quietly.
"I didn't mean it," Teddy said. "I was just mad, Harry. I'm sorry."
They both looked at Harry, still with his head down.
"Harry?" Draco questioned.
Teddy repeated the sentiment. He and Draco looked at each other accusingly.
When Harry lifted his head, his eyes were rimmed red. He wiped away a stray tear and stood up, pushing his plate of food away.
"I'm going to bed," he announced.
"But it's only half-seven," Draco said.
"Yes, I know," Harry said sternly. "Teddy's been here a whole half an hour and the two of you have been at each other's throats the entire time. I can't take it any more. I'd rather go to bed than listen to one more minute."
Harry stomped out of the kitchen in a huff, leaving Draco and Teddy speechless. For a minute, anyway.
"You always have to start something," Draco accused.
"You're such a meanie."
"Expecting you to follow rules is not being a meanie. And what do you call putting tabasco in my steak and kidney pie?"
"A harmless prank?" Teddy suggested sheepishly.
"Not harmless. What did you do, use half a bottle?" Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "And now Harry isn't speaking to either one of us."
"You shouldn't have called me a little you-know-what."
"You shouldn't have called me a Death Eater."
Teddy bowed his head. "I am sorry about that."
"Look, we'd better find a way to get along or we're going to drive Harry away from both of us."
"What?" Teddy's eyes widened. "Do you really think Harry will leave us?" His eyes began to fill with tears.
"Now, don't cry. He won't leave you. He's already chosen you over me once. I have no doubt that he would again, if forced."
"What are you talking about?" Teddy asked, brushing away a few tears that managed to spill. "He left me for two months to be with you. He chose you."
Draco hadn't thought of it in those terms, as it hadn't been a conscious decision on Harry's part. But of course, in Teddy's young mind, that was exactly what happened. At least it explained Teddy's animosity toward him.
"He didn't choose me over you. He didn't even remember you. Or me, for that matter. And he didn't have much choice at all."
Teddy appeared to be pondering Draco's words.
"The point is," Draco continued. "That neither one of us is going to keep Harry with us by fighting over him. We're simply making him upset."
"What should we do?"
"Get along. Or at least, pretend to get along. I'll stop trying to boss you around if you stop putting things in my food. And showing up, pretending to be scared at night."
"Thunder storms really do scare me," Teddy said. "I made up the nightmares. But one time I peed the bed during a lightning storm. A tree crashed in the back yard. Harry makes me feel safe."
"I know. He makes me feel safe as well."
"Are you afraid of storms?"
"No, I'm afraid of much scarier stuff. Things that can't really hurt me anymore. But I still dream about them."
Teddy swallowed. A grown up had never told him they were afraid. He thought all grown ups were brave, like Harry. While Draco was temporarily lost in his own world, Teddy watched him. His brow was furrowed slightly and he looked somewhat sad. Teddy could have no knowledge of what was going through Draco's mind at the moment, but he could see that Draco was as vulnerable as he was when it came to Harry.
"You need him to take care of you, too. Don't you?"
"What?" Draco snapped out of his day dream.
"Nothing," Teddy replied. "I'll try to be good from now on. I don't want Harry to be mad at me."
Scanning the table and its half-eaten contents, Draco sighed. "That was a waste." He took out his wand and vanished what was left. "Are you still hungry?" he asked the boy.
"Kind of."
"I'm sure Harry is too. I'll go and get a pizza. Then we'll bring it up to Harry and apologize."
"Okay." Teddy went up to the drawing room to watch television and wait for Draco to come back.
〪o 〫O〬 o〭
"Harry?" Teddy whispered as he and Draco tiptoed into the bedroom.
"I'm not asleep," Harry answered. He sat up in bed and lit his bedside lamp.
"We brought a pizza," Teddy said as he jumped on the bed.
"None of us finished our supper." Draco put the box on the bed at Harry's feet. "Are you hungry?"
"Famished," Harry smiled. "I was beginning to think you were never going to come up and check on me." He took the slice offered, folded it slightly and took a large bite.
"Were you just pretending to be angry?" Teddy asked, hands on hips.
"I was more frustrated than angry."
"Well, I think we may have come to a truce," Draco announced proudly. Teddy nodded.
"Wait, that means we're not going to fight anymore, right?"
"Yes. For Harry's sake. We're not going to fight anymore."
Not quite what Harry was hoping for. But it was a start.
"I have a small errand tomorrow," Harry said. "Would it be all right to leave Teddy with you at the shop for an hour or so?"
"I wouldn't know what to do with him," Draco replied. "I'll be busy. You know Crispin and Anora aren't up to running the shop by themselves yet."
"Perhaps Anora can teach Teddy how to help with the ingredients, the way that Mirabelle showed me."
"But Teddy can't reach most of the shelves." Draco saw the look of disappointment on Harry's face, however briefly it flashed. "I suppose, he could help her tidy up the drawers. She can tell him about the dried ingredients and what they're used for, as long as they're at it."
"Thank you," Harry smiled. He leaned forward and gave Draco a peck on the lips. He turned to Teddy and pointed a finger at him. "And you will have to be on your best behavior. The shop is a serious place. There will be customers, important ones, who won't want to be distracted by an unruly child."
"Are you sure you can't get Granger to watch him?"
"Hermione," Harry said with emphasis. "Is busy tomorrow. It's only for an hour," he said, clearly annoyed that Draco was trying so hard to get out of time with Teddy.
Teddy spoke up. "I'll be good. I promise." He was actually very curious about the shop. Harry had told him some of the things Draco sold, and he was interested in some of the more obscure items, particularly Erumpent horn.
"All right," Draco relented.
〪o 〫O〬 o〭
The heavy sigh in the darkness signaled Draco's sleepless night. He and Harry had put Teddy to bed and retired themselves all before half-ten. Though Harry was speaking to him, Draco couldn't help feel an icy rift between them. He wondered if he would ever get along with Teddy. Perhaps when the boy was no longer a child. But he couldn't sit around and wait fifteen years for him to become a bona fide adult. In fifteen years Draco himself would be thirty-nine years old, and there would be a whole host of new generational problems between them. The thought of being middle aged, having gone through a lifetime of turmoil with Teddy was none too appealing. Would Harry always take the child's side? Would Draco always be the odd man out? The one who disrupted Harry and Teddy's family? Judging by the cold reception from the other side of the bed, yes.
A tear slid down the side of Draco's face, pooling in his right ear. He turned away from Harry, on the off chance Harry was awake and would see. It was irrational to think that. The room was too dark and he'd heard the familiar sounds of Harry's steady breathing. Another tear escaped, dripping off the bridge of his nose and onto his pillow.
Draco cried silently until he was exhausted enough to fall asleep.
〪o 〫O〬 o〭
Day One hundred forty-seven, Saturday
Sitting at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of porridge, Draco read the morning's copy of the Daily Prophet. Nothing much of interest inside, except for the small wedding announcement of Astoria Greengrass and some bloke from Durmstrang.
"Better you than me," Draco chuckled to himself. "Poor fellow."
"Who are you talking to?" Harry asked, rubbing his eyes and stretching as he padded his way to the table and sat across from Draco.
"Myself." He turned the paper upside down so Harry could see. "Astoria's getting married."
"You dated her for a while didn't you?"
"If you could call it that. It was an arrangement," Draco answered humorlessly. "She needed money and I needed a front."
"A front?"
"So my father wouldn't suspect his son was a poofter."
"Oh." Harry finally got a good look at Draco now that the sleep was sufficiently rubbed from his eyes. He appeared to have gotten no sleep. There were dark circles around his puffy eyes. And, if possible, he seemed even paler than usual.
"I've got to get to the shop." Draco stood, taking his bowl to the sink. "There's extra porridge on the stove if you want."
"Draco, wait." Harry stood and walked to him. "Not even a kiss goodbye?"
Draco leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
"I'll see you when you bring Teddy by."
"All right. About ten then."
Harry was left standing in the kitchen alone. Perhaps he had been too hard on Draco the night before. The new living arrangements had been difficult for all of them. Teddy never acted up the way he did recently, before Draco came into the picture. And living in Draco's flat had been so much simpler when Harry didn't have anyone else to focus on.
He promised Draco that he would do whatever it took to make things work out. So far, all he'd done was yell and take Teddy's side. Still, it forced his boys to come to an understanding. But peaceful coexistence wasn't good enough. Harry wanted a family.
〪o 〫O〬 o〭
As Harry and Teddy walked into The Dragon's Lair, the boy gaped at the myriad displays of odd objects. Several sizes of eyeballs in jars, plants of every shape, size and color, and the Erumpent horn he had been wanting to see.
"Hello, Mr. Potter." A young woman that Harry guessed to be just out of school extended her hand to him. "My name is Anora. I've heard so much about you. I'm so pleased to finally meet you."
"He's not a celebrity to be gawked at Anora," Draco called from the other side of the shop. "Here, he's just Harry."
She winced slightly at the reprimand and squatted down to Teddy's side. "And you must be Teddy," she smiled.
He nodded, then gasped as her hair suddenly changed from a medium brown to blue to match his own. "You're a metamorphmagus." He changed his own hair to pink and sprouted a pig nose.
"You're getting better at that," Harry smiled.
By then, Draco had made his way over to the small group.
"Where are you going anyway?" he asked Harry.
"Ron and I have a quick visit to pay. Official business. No big deal."
A lump seemed to form in the pit of Draco's stomach. He knew Harry's job could be dangerous. But he preferred not to know the details of missions. Otherwise, he spent an irrational amount of time worrying until Harry returned home. The fact that he was going with Ron as back up was no comfort to him.
"Really, we're just interviewing a witness," Harry assured him.
"All right." Draco looked down at Teddy. "Do you think you can stay out of trouble for a while?"
The boy nodded.
"You may look around. But don't touch anything," he added sternly.
The horn was the first thing that drew the boy's attention. On closer inspection, it didn't appear to be any more special than a rhinoceros horn. Disappointed, he continued to walk around.
"Thanks love. I shouldn't be more than an hour." Harry glanced at Anora, then decided it was best not to kiss Draco goodbye. He most likely shouldn't have called him love, either.
As Harry walked out, a customer walked in requiring Draco's personal attention. Anora found Teddy among the various kinds of bones the shop kept on supply.
"Are any of them human?" he asked.
"Nah, that's illegal," she told him. "But we have a few dragon bones."
"Ooh, could I see them?"
"Sorry, they're up there." She pointed to the high shelf where the dragon's blood was kept. "Even I can't get them. Charms."
"Would you like to help me sort the herbs? I was very good at Herbology. Top of my class," she said proudly.
Herbs seemed pretty boring to Teddy, but he couldn't think of a polite way to turn her down.
Anora explained the herbs to Teddy as she took them from their shipping boxes and placed them in various containers for display. One drawer held twenty-five different dried herbs that not only wizards, but muggles used. Teddy found it mildly interesting, however, his eye kept wandering. He spotted Draco going behind a curtain to another room several times and wondered what he was doing.
Just as she was about to lose Teddy's attention, Anora brought out the more entertaining plants. Plants she dared not take out of the containments with the boy around.
"This one is Devil's Snare. You'll learn about it when you go to Hogwarts. It can choke a person to death," she said dramatically.
"And this one can help you breath under water. It's Gillyweed."
"What's this one?" Teddy pointed to a plant in a small terrarium that was slowly reaching a tendril out toward him.
"Oh, be glad that one's behind glass. Venomous Tentacula. Those spines are poisonous."
"What do you do with all this stuff?"
"We sell it to people. Or Mr. Malfoy uses them in his potions. This shop has been the top provider of potions to St. Mungo's for three years now." Anora slid the remaining boxes under the display cabinets and stood. "I hope to be a Potions Master as good as Mr. Malfoy someday. But for now, I'm mainly a stock girl and cashier."
"Anora, it's after eleven. Would you like to come to lunch with me?" A man who looked to be a few years older than Anora approached the pair. "Oh. Who's this?"
"This is Mr. Malfoy's . . .um . . ."
"Teddy. I'm Harry's Godson. I'm Draco's nothing."
The man smiled awkwardly. "I'm Crispin. I'm Mr. Malfoy's apprentice. And I'm late for lunch. Are you joining me Anora?"
"Yeah, all right." She turned to Teddy. "Would you like me to bring something back for you or is Mr. Malfoy feeding you?"
Teddy shrugged.
"Wasn't Harry supposed to come and get you?" Anora looked around, but didn't see Draco. "I'll bring you back a sandwich."
Crispin and Anora left the shop and turned the 'open' sign around to read 'out to lunch'. After Mirabelle and Harry stopped working at the shop, Draco decided to close the shop for lunch hour. His new employees seemed to enjoy getting out for at least a little while every day.
Teddy walked the aisles, bored and alone. Eventually, he made his way to the curtain Draco had disappeared behind. He drew it back slightly and found Draco sitting on a stool deep in concentration over a cauldron.
Without looking at the boy, Draco said, "Either come in or go away. Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not good manners to linger in the doorway?"
He chuckled to himself, reminding himself of Professor Snape.
Slowly, Teddy walked up beside him. Draco dropped the fluxweed he was holding into the cauldron.
Draco looked at Teddy. "Can you read?"
"Of course I can read," Teddy answered indignantly. "Some."
"Hand me the jar of flobberworm mucus."
Teddy scanned the shelf for the jar. He wanted to prove to Draco that he wasn't stupid. That he could find a simple ingredient jar. But there were so many, and he didn't read all that well. He was about to give up when he spotted it.
"What's it do?" he asked as he handed the jar to Draco.
"The flobberworm mucus? It thickens the potion."
"What does the potion do?"
"It's burn paste for St. Mungo's," Draco told him as he tipped the jar on its side and let some of the slimy mucus slide into the cauldron.
"Harry usually just waves his wand to heal any burns I've gotten."
"Well, that's fine for small burns. This is for people who are badly burned." He paused. "How did you get burns?"
"Trying to cook," Teddy answered. He added in a much quieter voice, "And setting off fireworks with the kids down the street."
Draco raised an eyebrow. The child was more of a handful than Harry had let on apparently.
Teddy walked over to another cauldron. "What's this one?"
Draco grinned. "This one is called Felix Felicis."
"What's it for?"
"It's nicknamed liquid luck. Just a little bit of this and you feel like you can accomplish anything. Usually do, too. It's even banned at sporting events."
Teddy leaned over the small cauldron. "You must sell a lot of this."
"No. It's very expensive. We actually only make this potion once a month or so, when we get requests. And only in small amounts."
"Oh." Teddy quietly watched as Draco added a few more ingredients.
After several minutes of simply observing the potion, Draco sat back and relaxed a bit. "I think that's got it." He turned to Teddy. "Are you interested in potions?"
The boy shrugged. "I don't know. Harry doesn't really make too many potions."
"You're allowed to be interested in things Harry isn't," Draco snickered.
"I know." Teddy frowned. He wanted to be just like Harry. He even thought he would be an Auror when he grew up. After all, his mother was.
"Would you like to help me make another potion?" Draco offered.
"Like what?"
"Something fun. Hiccuping Solution? Or Babbling Beverage?"
Teddy shrugged again. "How about something to make us like each other better?"
"Amortentia?" Draco laughed.
"What is that?"
"A love potion. Don't worry, I was only kidding. Why don't we make some Pepperup Potion? I sell a lot of that in the winter."
Teddy nodded. "Harry gives me that when I get a cold."
Draco got up and took a fresh cauldron from a shelf and placed it over a fire ring.
"I need some ginger, peppermint, and scurvy grass."
For a moment, Teddy just stood there.
"Well?"
The boy blinked and went to the shelves to find the ingredients, while Draco smirked to himself. The Potions Master retrieved the rest of the ingredients and set them next to the cauldron. He pulled over another stool for Teddy and waited for him to bring the three items he requested.
"What do we do first?" the boy asked.
〪o 〫O〬 o〭
"That was ridiculous," Ron said as he and Harry walked down the walkway from their witness' house.
"Did we get anything useful?"
"She was just a lonely old lady that wanted company, if you ask me," Ron said. "She didn't really tell us anything new. Except she said the man was a redhead, not brunet."
Harry chuckled. "I think she was just trying to flirt with you."
"Blimey, Harry, she was older than my mum." Ron shivered at the thought. "Want to go get some lunch?"
"What? Is it lunch time already?"
Ron glanced at his watch. "It's almost one."
"Fuck, I've got to go. Draco's going to kill me."
Without waiting for a response, Harry disapparated.
When he arrived in the front of The Dragon's Lair, Harry had his apology all prepared. For both Draco and Teddy. He walked through the door, looking about for the boy. Harry was actually surprised that he wasn't standing by the door, arms crossed in front of him, tapping his foot. He spotted Crispin with a customer and Anora up on a ladder replenishing supplies. No sign of his boys, as he had come to think of them.
He made his way to the ladder, as Anora caught site of Harry.
"Nice of you of you to join us," she joked about his lateness.
"Is he ready to throttle me?"
"He's in the back," she smiled.
Harry drew in a deep breath and walked to the curtain, peeking through it when he heard laughter.
"And his potion blew up?" Teddy asked.
Draco laughed. "Right in the Professor's face."
Teddy took a bite of his sandwich that Anora brought back for him. He gave half of it to Draco.
"Well, Harry wasn't great at potions, but you should have seen him play Quidditch. He was brilliant."
"Harry played Quidditch?"
"He was the Gryffindor seeker. Third year, he chased down the snitch and snatched it practically out of the hands of the Slytherin seeker to win not only the game, but the Cup. He had to let go of his broom with both hands to do it."
"Wow. I bet that other seeker was mad."
"I was furious."
Teddy raised his eyebrows. "You? You played Quidditch? I thought you didn't play sport."
Draco nodded.
"And he was great," Harry said as he pulled the curtain all the way aside and walked into the potion room. "What's going on in here?"
"Draco and I made Pepperup Potion. Well, he made it and I helped a little," Teddy said.
Harry gave his lover a grateful look. "I'm so sorry I'm late. The witness . . . never mind. I should have kept an eye on the time myself."
"It's all right," Draco told him. "The place is still standing, despite what you may have been expecting to find," he joked.
"You ready to go, Teddy bear? I'm sure Draco has work to do."
"Aw, man. He was going to let me help with another potion after lunch," the boy grumbled.
"We have things to do at home, though," Harry said, fearing Teddy had worn out his welcome.
"Perhaps another time, then," Draco suggested.
"You mean I can come back to the shop?" Teddy looked up at Harry. "Please?"
"If it's okay with Draco. Sure," Harry smiled. "But for now, let's get out of his way. What do you want to pick up for supper tonight? We'll stop in Diagon Alley and get some pastries too."
Teddy hopped off his stool and walked to Harry. He took hold of his hand as they began to walk out of the back room.
"Can we get the lemon ones again? And maybe chocolate?"
"Anything you want."
Before they stepped through the curtain, Teddy turned around. "Thanks. I had fun."
Draco merely nodded and turned his attention back to the work counter to begin another potion for St. Mungo's. It occurred to him that he and Teddy had made a potion to make them like each other better after all.
〪o 〫O〬 o〭
Just thought I'd plug another story. It's on Amazon for Kindle and it's called Quintet by S.T. March. It isn't mine, but it's a story set back in time, in an Asian country, of five boys (sort of like an old fashioned boy band) It's fluffy and sweet yaoi. I liked it a lot.