Draco panted heavily, his brow coated with sweat and more pale than normal as he wrapped his arms about his constricting stomach. This pain had started just after the attack on Severus by Alerick, but it had intensified when Erik had gone after Ron; now he felt he would rather die than go through any more of this. Fred had gotten him to a chair then gone to see if he could intercept Mallek, not realizing that Draco was in trouble.
When he opened his eyes Angel was standing in front of him, her face a mask of fear and worry. "Papa…? Papa something bad happened, I felt it and… oh Papa you're hurting….!" her worry grew, fear fading slightly as concern touched her delicate little features, touching him with a gentle little hand.
He gave her a weak little smile. "I'm hurting, love, but I think its just because your brother is wanting to come out and meet you and his daddy…" he said softly, doing his best to try to keep the pain out of his voice. "I need daddy, Angel… he's in there, with Uncle Ron and my father, go get him, all right…?"
She looked worriedly at him, wrapping her arms about him for a moment. "I can't leave you hurting this bad…" she whispered, closing her eyes.
Draco breathed a little easier as a wave of relief swept over him. "All right love… I'll be fine for just a moment or two, I need you to go…"
"You is not leaving Master Draco with bein' alone." a high-pitched squeaky voice piped up to their right; they both looked to see Tootles, her bat-like ears trembling and eyes wider than saucers with concern as she moved forward to place one long-fingered hand upon Draco's arm. "Nothing to worry for, Missy Angel…"
"All right, I'll be right back!" Angel assured as she gave the house elf she had learned not only to trust but to love a very warm smile. She gave Draco a swift kiss on the head, then ran off.
Draco closed his eyes as another wave of pain washed over him; something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong, it was supposed to hurt but this was too much! He must have been hurt somehow when that first blast had ripped through the room. When he mastered the pain enough to straighten slightly and look around he realized with a start that he was no longer in Malfoy Manor. "What…? Tootles what did you do…?" he whispered, voice shaky. He knew exactly where they were; he and his chair now sat in the waiting room of the maternity ward in St. Mungo's hospital.
The house elf stood straighter, clearly proud of herself and what she had done. "Master Malfoy needs hospital so Tootles bring you!" she said firmly, looking about. "Help Master NOW!" she squeaked at the witch at the counter.
The woman was on her feet in a moment and she hurried over to him, eyes worried. "Mr. Malfoy…! What's happened? Are you all right?" she asked worriedly.
"No, Evalie, I'm not all right, something… I don't know, something is wrong…" Draco said, allowing his fear to finally show. If he lost little James he'd lose his mind.
"What happened?"
"I'm in pain…" he murmured, not wanting to tell them that he was around such a powerful attack as he had felt, much less about the second one he had actually been in the room for…
"I can see that… Mark! Trudy! Hurry and bring a chair, notify Mediwizard Kilpatrick immediately!" Evalie ordered, her voice sending three people scrambling.
"Toodles fetch mediwizard!" the house elf offered.
"He will be here in just a few minutes, thank you."
"Fetch Harry for me, Tootles… I need Harry…" Draco requested as he gave himself up to the handling of the nurses, who were lifting him magically to transfer him into a chair with wheels for easy transportation to a private room. Draco tried to relax once he heard the distinctive sound of the elf vanishing without another word.
"Easy, sir… you need to just try to relax…" someone murmured to his right; Draco found it all seemed easier if he just kept his eyes closed.
"I 'm trying… I swear, it feels like… like something is torn…" he whispered. For a moment, the pain seemed to be fading, he could breathe again.
Harry rushed into the room, following little Angel but she stopped, looking confused. "Daddy I left him right here he sat down in the chair and he said his tummy was hurting really bad and he told me to come and find you…" Angel whispered worriedly. "Daddy, Papa was hurting so much he couldn't have gone anywhere…"
"We'll find him love, don't worry…" he said, though panic began to well up in him. Where would Draco have gone?! He'd have to recruit the house elves to find him faster…
"But I didn't leave him alone, I left him with Tootles, and he…"
"You left him with Tootles?" Harry's eyes snapped back to meet those of his daughter's.
She nodded solemnly with frightened eyes. "Yes, daddy…"
"You're absolutely brilliant!" Harry gave her a reassuring hug and kissed her quickly on the brow. "Its going to be just fine, love; I'm sure she's taken him to the hospital. I should…"
"Harry Potter, you are being coming along Master Draco be needing you!" Tootles suddenly appeared beside the two, making them both jump with her sudden appearance.
"Tootles! Yes, take me but we need to get his bag before we go…"
"Tootles get it, you go NOW!" she insisted, seizing his hand and the two of them vanished.
Draco felt utterly and totally alone; the pain stretched out into one long red-tinged blur and time slowed down to an abysmally slow crawl. The medi-wizard arrived but the relief that he had believed the physician would bring him never came. Infuriatingly, the man just started asking him questions but Draco didn't answer anything; he just kept asking for Harry over and over. He was all alone; everything was going to hell and he was going to die all alone, and his son, their son… they'd both die. He should never have gone into that room, the second wave of power had done something horrible to him, and even worse; it had done something to little James.
"Get him in here immediately!" he heard Dr. Kilpatrick snap at someone and someone hurried out of the room. A few minutes later the door opened and Draco heard the most wonderful sound he had ever heard in his entire life. "Dray… I'm here baby…" Harry said, and he was touching his hand, he was kissing his brow…
A tear rolled from Draco's eye as he gazed up at him. Even his vision seemed tinged with red but he gazed up at him. "Harry, I thought you'd never get here… it hurts, it really hurts…"
"I know love…" he murmured softly.
"I need to know what happened… this isn't normal labor. He wasn't due for another five weeks." Mediwizard Kilpatrick said firmly.
"He was exposed to an accidental release of magic by a child." Harry answered.
"Accidental release…?"
"Yes; Severus Snape can confirm what happened, as can his father… what do you mean this isn't normal labor?" Harry asked, his heart skipping a beat.
"I can give you a few minutes, Mr. Potter, but we have to get him to surgery immediately. The baby has to come out, that is without a doubt, but the scans I was able to do show there is something else wrong. Two minutes, that's all I can spare."
"Two minutes…?" Harry held Draco's hand tight in his, gazing down at the blood-drained, pinched face of his lover. Two minutes was all he had… he was sure he wouldn't be allowed into surgery if it was more than a simple delivery. He stroked Draco's cheek, his hand trembling ever so slightly. "Draco Malfoy-Potter, how can I possibly tell you how much you mean to me?" he whispered. "Two minutes isn't enough. Two lifetimes isn't enough… don't you dare leave me, Dragon… you're strong, you can get through this…"
"I'll always love you, my Harry." he murmured softly, his eyes reddened and moist with tears.
Lucius strode into the waiting room with Narcissa close at his side and Angel in his arms, Severus Snape trailing along afterward with a definite limp. Behind Severus came Ron and Rosie as well as his brothers. Harry stood at the window, staring out sightlessly.
"Harry? Where is Draco? What's happening?" Lucius all but demanded.
"They took him off to surgery." Harry said softly, not turning round.
"Surgery…?"
"Oh Merlin…" Narcissa whispered. She knew something had to be terribly wrong if Harry wasn't in the room with Draco. She'd spent several hours discussing with her son exactly what their plans were for the birth; they had gotten clearance for Harry to be present with Draco when the baby was born.
"But daddy you're supposed to be with him…" Angel said worriedly.
"I can't be, Angel. The Mediwizard told me to wait here and they took him away… I don't know what's happening, no one has told me anything."
Ron moved up to Harry, putting a supportive hand on his shoulder. "He's strong, mate. You'll get to see your son soon, and the Ferret as well." he said firmly. "
"He should not have been anywhere near that room… I should have paid more attention to where he was." Severus said as he sank into a chair. He was deathly pale and had clear burns upon his face and hands, but clearly intended to be nowhere else.
"You were a little busy, Severus." Lucius pointed out, though deeply worried about his son.
"Did they tell you anything at all?" Narcissa asked softly.
"The scans that Mediwizard Kilpatrick did before I arrived showed him that something was wrong, but he did not go into any more detail than that. I don't know. I don't know anything…" he whispered, bowing his head.
"Come on, mate. You need to sit while you wait… it'll be all right, and Draco's gonna need you ready to be at his side when he comes out, right…?" Ron urged him, gently nudging him.
Harry numbly allowed himself to be turned from the window and guided to a seat.
"I'll get you something to drink." George said, rising and going out of the room. He came back with enough tea for everyone to have at least two cups, and they all settled in to wait. Angel slipped from Lucius' arms and moved to Harry, crawling into his lap; he set his hot tea aside and cradled the girl close in his arms.
Harry's eyes raised when he saw someone enter the room; it was Mediwizard Kilpatrick and he looked very grim. "He needs you, Harry." he said quietly. He was instantly on his feet, following the doctor. He was led to a private room that was semi-darkened. Draco lay upon the bed, deathly pale, he seemed almost shrunken, childlike as he lay in that bed with sunken eyes, blanket pulled up over his stomach, arms laying at his sides.
"We're losing him… we've tried everything but he's fading quickly, Mr. Potter." Kilpatrick told Harry quietly. "Your son is being washed and readied to meet your family…"
"He can't be dying." Harry said softly, the shock so devastating that he didn't even hear the news about his son. "You're wrong. I… I need him, I need Draco…"
"Go to him. Be with him. Say your goodbyes while you can." he suggested, moving out of the room.
Harry hurried to the bedside, scooping up his his husband 's hand, kissing it. Draco's eyes fluttered open at his touch and he smiled weakly at him. "I was hoping you'd get here in time…" even his voice sounded so weak, like it was fading away with the rest of him.
"Dray…? Oh Merlin, Dray, I can't do all of this on my own, please… don't leave me dragon, don't leave me…" Harry whispered desperately, feeling his heart shattering. It was true; he was losing Draco.
"I'm so weak Harry… I'm so cold… I just… I can't. I've done all I can baby…" he said, reaching a weak hand up to touch his husband's cheek. "Our son needs you. Our daughters and sons all need you now more than ever… please Harry. You have to go on for them."
Harry's hand, trembling violently, reached to cover Draco's, gazing into those pain-filled eyes for what would be the last time, tears streaming down his cheeks unheeded. "Go on without you…? How in the bloody hell do I do that?" he whispered. "I love you Dray…you're everything to me, everything that I live for…"
"James needs you lover… they told me he's all right; my magic shielded him and that's how I got so hurt… we have a son, Harry. Our son… You have yours and I have mine, but only James is ours…"
"I'm not ready, I can't do it all by myself Dragon. I need you…!"
"You're ready… you've always been the strong one, Harry. I was the one leaning on you when things went bad. You're a lot stronger than you think you are. Just remember me is all I ask. Tell our son about me." his voice seemed weaker than ever, fading to little more than breathed words though he was trying to say more. "I will… love you… forever…" were the last words he managed to speak.
Medi-wizard Kilpatrick came to the door just in time to intercept Lucius, preventing him from coming into the room. Angel started to follow her father into the room but Lucius caught her hand and kept her with him.
Lucius scowled at the medi-wizard who stood between the room and everyone else, blocking the door bodily. "Just give him a few moments, please sir." Kirkpatrick said softly.
"What in Merlin's name is going on?" Lucius demanded, puffing up his chest and using every bit of his considerable influence to intimidate.
"The damage was simply too much." Kirkpatrick answered quietly. "There's nothing further we can do for him."
Lucius paled instantly, eyes narrowing, not wantint to believe what hehad just heard. "What…?"
"There's nothing more we can do." Kilpatrick repeated in a soft tone.
"No!" Narcissa whispered, her knees giving way. Severus, standing just behind her, was there to support her when she crumpled in shock. Her son…!
Angel stood gazing at the adults, trying to understand. Something bad had happened to her Papa, she knew that much but no one was saying anything and now her daddy was crying like before, like Mama Missy and Mimi had done when her mama died. Lucius' hand that was holding hers went slack and she slipped from his side and past the doctor into the room.
Her daddy was seated in a chair beside the bed, her papa's hand in his, weeping. Angel felt her heart sinking; it was all so horrible and so familiar. The only difference here ws there was no smell of burnt hair or flesh. Angel felt herself begin to tremble and tears roll down her cheeks, but she didn't do what Nona had done. She could not… no, she WOULD not let this happen again…! Fighting the pain and loss that welled up inside her heart to try to numb and cripple her, Angel hurried forward around the bed and out of sight for only a moment. She pushed the doctor's rolling stool up beside the bed as quietly as possible, climbing up on it.
"Angel…?" Lucius looked about, realizing he had lost his grip on the child, looking into the room to see the girl climb up onto the bed with Draco. "Angel!" he had given Harry enough time, he wanted… he had to say goodbye himself. He surged forward, pushing the now unresisting doctor aside and into the room. Harry was too wrapped up in his own grief and loss to notice anything; his husband was gone forever. Angel ignored Lucius and before he could get close she laid down beside Draco, touched her forehead to the side of Draco's sweat-soaked hair, and suddenly went limp herself.
"What the bloody hell do you mean you don't know what's wrong with her?" Lucius demanded, his cheeks flushed with his anger. Angel, who had fallen still at Draco's side, did not respond to any external stimulus at all.
"She's gone into a coma, Mr. Malfoy; she's not responding to anything we do. We can't help her right now." the doctor said, trying to be patient. "You have to understand that there are some things that we can't…"
"Leave her alone. Get out…" Harry, who had not said a word at all since Angel had come into the room, finally spoke up. His voice was hoarse with pain and grief but he did not raise his head nor his eyes from his lover's face and now his daughter's beside him, so still and unmoving that she seemed to be as lifeless as he felt at this moment. "Get them all out of here Lucius. Just… get them all out. I don't want any of them in here anymore." The others in the room fell silent, looking over at them and they all became momentarily silent. Harry was silent for a few more moments then he spoke again, this time to the doctor. "You said you can't help her. You can't help him. Get the bloody hell out of here." Harry murmured.
"You heard him. Go. Out." Lucius added to Harry's statement, his own grief needing a target to vent upon and the doctor was still so conveniently here in the room. He glared at him fiercely until the man nodded.
"I will go, but I will need to return and check on her…" he said quietly as he slipped out of the room, allowing the door to close quietly behind him on the room that now was as silent as a tomb.
Where in the world was he…? For a few moments Draco couldn't seem to see anything, but it was far from dark where he was. He realized he was seeing after all; there was just nothing to focus on. Everything was white; and he stood in vast plain of billowing white fog. He was dressed in the style he was accustomed; wizards robes but of purest white silk. He ran his hands over his flat stomach, feeling grief well up in him. He would never get to know his son, nor share him with Harry. His eyes ached, trying to focus on something when nothing was there. He began to slowly walk, wanting to find something, to see something…
It felt like he had been wandering aimlessly for hours when he saw something; a shape coalescing out of the fog. It looked like part of his father's sitting room; his father's favorite chair done in white with a white snake upon its back, a fireplace with strange blue flames low over the coals, and a second chair just like his father's but with a griffon emblazoned on its back.
Happy to see anything, Draco hurried forward to this small spot of sanity in this strange, featureless world. He stopped when he saw that the chair with the griffon on it was occupied.
The man in the chair looked as if he was expecting him, smiling at him as he approached.
"Well, if it isn't Draco Malfoy… I do have to admit I didn't expect to meet you." he said in a kind voice.
Draco found himself staring at the man seated in the chair so relaxed. He looked to be in his twenties, with hazel eyes behind round framed glasses. His hair looked windswept and stuck up in the back, and the jet black of its color was startling against all the white around them. Draco couldn't help but see Harry's face in every line of this man's face, his lips, all except his eyes. He blinked, finding his voice but unable to really put what he meant into coherent thought. "Are you…? I mean… "
He chuckled softly. "Am I James Potter? Yes, Draco. I am. I've been waiting here for quite some time for your father; I'm prepared to wait many more years as well."
"So that means… I'm dead…?"
"Yes… and no." The man gestured to the chair before him. "Have a seat, Draco. I'd like to talk to you a while."
Draco didn't hesitate; he moved to the chair and sank into it, staring at the man who looked so similar to his husband. "How do you know me?"
"How can I not know you? You look so much like my peacock, there's no one else you could possibly be. And Lucius told me way back in school that he intended to name his first born son Draco. Some silly family tradition or something along those lines…"
"Peacock…?"
He chuckled once more; he seemed to have quite a jolly temperament. "Oh, yes. Your father was absolutely obsessed with fashion. If anything came into fashion you could be sure that Lucius was the first to have it, and the first to know of any sort of change coming down the line even before any of the girls did…"
"He still does, truthfully…" Draco admitted with a soft smile.
"I'd be disappointed if he'd changed that much." James smiled.
"So you remember…? About father, about all of it…?"
"I do remember I was in love with your father. It was a strange time, Draco… wizards having children was not something generally approved of by the world in general; witches who got pregnant were sent off to a private school until after the baby was born. Marriages were still arranged, especially in pureblood families…"
"They still are by some, not that it did my father any good…" Draco said with a soft smirk.
"We'll get to that." James answered with a grin, making Draco feel a bit uncomfortable; did Harry's father disapprove of their bond? "Anyway; your father was betrothed to your mother when she was born, an agreement between the two heads of family. Lucius and Narcissa grew up together, and were very close all through their childhood. Everyone except them expected the two of them to get married." James smiled at him. "But that was before we met."
"Father's told us a bit about that…" Draco said, hoping to hear more.
"Well, I'll let him give you any details about that time… it is rather personal." he said wistfully. "After it was no longer possible to hide the fact that I was pregnant, the teachers notified our fathers of the situation. My father, his father, and Narcissa's father met to discuss what to do; from what I understand Abraxus told the others that he would 'take care' of the problem. I went home for spring break and was taken away then by Abraxus Malfoy to a villa up in the mountains, I couldn't tell you where." he looked a bit troubled.
"Did the baby live?" Draco asked.
"She was born. I didn't see her but a moment or two before she was taken away. Even now those memories are really… distant. It's hard to focus on them and get any of them to make sense, but she was born and she was healthy at birth… then she was gone. I have no idea what happened to her after that, but I want you to tell Lucius that his Kitty said that the baby was a girl, and that she had his blonde hair but my hazel eyes."
"Kitty…?"
"Pet name. He called me Kitty. He can explain if he wants." James said with a grin. "Now, to the subject of my son…"
"I love him, Mr. Potter." Draco began.
"Please; I never did stand on formalities in any situation. Call me James. And I know you love him. You two aren't just a married couple; you're bound both heart and soul to one another." James smiled reassuringly.
Draco felt himself relax; he had nothing to worry about at all. "You're waiting here alone? Where is Lilly…?"
"She's gone on. When she's ready, she'll discover her past life. I'm not ready to go on yet, I won't go on without my Lucius." he said with a smile.
"Oh. So, do we just sit here and wait for our loves to meet us?" Draco asked, prepared to do exactly that.
"I will. You, however, cannot." James answered.
"What…? Why…?"
"You have to go back, Draco." he said, leaning forward a bit to emphasize his point. "You stay here, and those five children that you rescued who bear the Dark Mark will be dead within the year at the hands of the Ministry. When that occurs I know my Lucius will be here with me much too soon, as he will attempt to take out the entire Ministry on his own."
"But how can I change the future for them?" Draco asked worriedly.
"You must remind Harry that little Mallek is his CLONE. That means that not only does Mallek possess his magical power, that power carries the exact same magical signature as Harry's. You don't have to wait for Mallek to be old enough to understand how to alter the marks; HARRY CAN DO THAT HIMSELF." he said.
"Harry can… Then Harry can control the children as well through the marks…"
"Yes, exactly; though I don't think you could make him do that to them."
Draco paused, remembering something that Harry had said, wishing that he could ask what his father desired. There was no better time to do that than right now. "James…? Can I ask you something…? Not for me, but for Harry."
"Of course, ask anything." he agreed, looking curious now.
"Mallek. Harry isn't quite sure what to do with him. He's considered giving him to Severus, but…"
"Please, tell me he isn't serious about that…! Do NOT give that child to Snivelus!" he said with the first negative attitude that Draco had seen, a sneer curling his handsome lip. "I really don't care what kind of man he's turned out to be; that man and I never did get along, even before I started dating Lilly. I'd hate to see what he would do to a child that looked like me."
"Severus wouldn't…" Draco began.
"Of course you're going to defend him but I'm telling you. Don't give him to THAT man." James said firmly. "Give him to Lucius if you must find him a home. But do not give him to Snivelus." he repeated, then the man came to his feet, extending a hand to Draco. "Come on, on your feet, son."
Draco rose and without any hesitation, James pulled him into a warm hug. "Tell your dad that his Kitty is waiting for him but if he shows up too soon I won't talk to him for at least a decade." he said with a warning growl and chuckle.
The blonde wizard returned the hug, "Thank you; I will tell him…"
"Now go on; you're to seek out the garden." he instructed, letting him go reluctantly. "I can't go with you; this is my place until your father comes. Go to the garden. You'll find what you need to find there."
"All right. Thank you, James." Draco said with a bit of sadness. He was glad he had this chance to talk to Harry's father, but wished he had more time to get to know the man. "Thank you for everything…"
"Nonsense. Go on; you should not have to wait long." James said, stepping back from him. "And tell Harry for me that I'm proud of him. He's everything that I hoped he would be and more."
"I will." Draco said, turning to go. He took a few steps away from the comfortable scene then looked back, finding that both James and his little 'waiting room' had faded away into nothingness.
Angel hesitated, frightened by her new surroundings. Everything was colorless, flat and featureless. There was nothing to see no matter how hard you looked, though it seemed that there was something there if you stared hard enough… it looked like an intensely heavy fog bank stood just out of arm's reach. Where was she? Where was the hospital and… oh. Maybe she could find her papa here if she looked hard enough. Her daddy needed him and so did she.
"Papa…? Papa, are you here?" she called out. It wasn't cold but she was shivering, her arms wrapped tight around herself. Her voice seemed to simply stop right where she was, hanging in the thick air as if it was even too foggy to allow sounds to pass through. Everything felt like it was wrapped in cotton. Angel began to walk slowly. The ground was firm and it didn't make any sense that she would find her Papa if she just stood in one place. She knew he was here somewhere. She just had to find him… "Papa!" she called once more. "Papa, we need you!"
She saw a shape and hurried forward faster; the fog seemed to swirl and move away to show a garden of pure white. The tree trunks, leaves, flowers and grass were all of the purest white, and there were statues of angels and cherubs scattered here and there. She ignored all of the beauty, hurrying onward.
Finally she saw him; her papa was seated on a bench dressed in pristine white wizard's robes, his hair gleaming and his face unblemished and showing none of the pain she had seen on his face back on the bed. "Papa!" she said, rushing to him, her face suffused with joy.
He looked at her, startled and surprised. "Angel! Angel, how…? How are you here?" Draco asked her in a soft voice.
She ran to throw her arms about him. "Papa, I've come for you, I've come to bring you back…"
"I need to come back, love, but I can't. My body is tired and all worn out. I can't live in it anymore…" he said, allowing the child to crawl into his lap and putting his arms about her.
"I can fix it papa; I know I can if you let me try." she gazed at him pleadingly. "Daddy needs you and I don't want to go back in those foster homes I can't…"
"You will never go into foster care again, Angel. Your daddy loves you and your daddy wants to be with you…" Draco soothed, giving her a soft kiss on the top of her head and holding her tight. "You will always have a home with Harry and also with my father and mother…"
"Daddy is broken without you." she whispered, not surprised to find that she was crying now. "Daddy needs you so much…"
"Broken…? What do you mean, broken…?" he asked her in a worried tone.
"I can see it, he's all broken inside, he's too sad and too hurt. Daddy is like Mama was… if you leave us forever he wont be able to do things right and they'll take me away… I love Nonno and Nona but I want to be with you and daddy…" she said in a heartbreakingly sad tone, clinging tight to him. "Please papa… I need both of you…"
Draco held her close several long minutes but to little Angel it felt like an eternity; she wanted so bad to simply try to fix her family. "What can you do, little one, to make anything better?" he asked her.
"l can fix things. You saw me, Papa, with the flowers… let me fix you like that." she said with the confidence of a child that she could achieve anything that she could envision.
Draco stroked her hair with a tender hand, gazing a long moment at the little girl who had brought so much joy to their lives. Angel must have been who James had talked about when he had said that someone would be along to fetch him and bring him back. "Yes, love. I want you to try. I need to come back." he said.
She hugged him tight, her eyes bright with happiness and tears. "I can do it papa, I know I can!" she said happily, then she slipped down off his lap and hurried off with a purpose. She needed to find her way back, to get back and fix things... but how had she gotten here?
The little girl slowed down, looking around herself. The garden was gone now; faded away into the fog. Her papa was gone, she was alone again. How could she find her way, she didn't know where she was! Fear began to well up in her heart... she had to find her way back or they would both be lost...!
"This way." a soft, kind voice spoke. "Come along now." she turned her face to her right and saw a shape in the fog. She started toward it at a half-run; maybe he could help... As she neared she saw a man that looked like her daddy, but different somehow. He smiled with a very kind smile and reached a hand to take hers.
"Can you show me the way back?" she asked him, gazing up at the man who was her grandfather in life.
"I can. And you are right, my dear. You can help him. You can make it so that Draco can go back to Harry. Its not his time to be here, and not yours either. But then, you were always the one to leap headfirst into any kind of situation to save someone else, Lilly..." he said with a soft grin.
She gazed up at him and her smile grew. "They need each other." she answered. Lilly... that name was her name too, as much as Angel was her name, she knew that...
"I'll get you back, nothing to worry about." James assured with a smile.
Narcissa had come round and now sat on the small love seat with her husband, leaning in his arms and softly weeping in her grief. Harry had yet to show anything outwardly, head bowed as he sat beside the bed, Draco's hand within his, and he had not said a word.
Angel, who had been settled next to Draco, stirred. She opened her eyes and shifted slowly to her side, reaching out and placing one hand over Draco's chest. She closed her eyes again.
Through his fog of grief and pain, Harry felt a stirring of something… a power he had never felt before. He opened his eyes, raising his head slightly. He gazed at Angel and Draco a moment before he noticed that Angel had moved. "Angel…?" he whispered, voice broken and barely above a whisper.
"Wake up papa." Angel whispered softly. "Papa, wake up…" she focused all of her mind and spirit on her goal; bringing Draco back to her father.
"Angel, Papa is gone." Harry murmured.
"I'll get her, Harry." Lucius said, feeling conflicting emotions. His little Angel was all right…! He rose and started over to the bedside.
"No Nonno… let me be here… I need to help. Papa wants to come back…" She got up on her knees and kissed Draco's lips softly. "Come on Papa, wake up…"
Draco's eyes fluttered then opened slightly. "Angel… you did it…" he whispered.
Narcissa gasped at his words, staring over at them with her trembling hand over her mouth. "Draco…!" Lucius stared at his son in shock and amazement. Harry's eyes were riveted to Draco's face.
He was still pale, but his eyes were open and a soft smile touched his lips as Angel hugged him tightly. Weakly, he raised one hand and patted her gently on the back. "Easy, love… its going to… be all right…" Draco murmured.
His husband's movement snapped Harry out of his shocked immobility. "Draco…!" He whispered, fresh tears rolling down his cheeks, hardly daring to believe his eyes. He felt Draco's hand move in his own, squeezing his hand gently. "They… they said you were gone…" he whispered.
"I had to come back, for you." Draco smiled softly at him as Angel sat up, a bit wobbly. Lucius immediately scooped the girl up into his arms to hold her close. Harry gave a cry and scooped his husband up into his arms, weeping as he held him close in his arms. Draco hugged him back, murmuring soft soothing words, just happy to be able to be with Harry again.
Narcissa hurried out of the room and returned a moment later with an astounded Mediwizard, who went to the bed.
Draco looked up at him with a faint smile; he was lying on the bed with Harry now curled up beside him, held in his arms. "Hello, Mediwizard Kilpatrick…" Draco said. "Could you bring us our son?"
After mastering his shock and disbelief at Draco's sudden recovery from the brink of death, the Medi-wizard checked the blonde wizard over thoroughly with both a physical and a magical scan. Harry watched with a protective glare, monitoring closely as the checkup proceeded. Since Draco had awoken, his husband had not only remained in the room with him, he had remained in constant physical contact with him. Their son lay in a small cradle beside the bed, easily within reach.
Mediwizard Kilpatrick straightened, looking pleased yet a bit confused. "Well, Draco, I'm pleased to say physically you're nearly perfect. You're weak and will need several days to weeks to fully recover, though…"
"Nearly? What does that mean?" Harry asked, eyes narrow.
"What we call his power regulator has been damaged by this…" he answered Harry, then returned his attention and conversation to Draco. "If you did become pregnant with another child it would surely kill you, as the baby will get all of your magic. Your body will hold nothing back. If you were extremely lucky, you would survive but it would likely drain your magic to a point where it would no longer be usable. Basically you would become a squib if it didn't kill you." he said softly.
Draco looked crestfallen, but Harry did not. All he cared was that he had all of his family back and intact. "I can't have any more children…?" Draco asked in a saddened tone.
Mediwizard Kilpatrick gave him a sympathetic pat on the hand. "I know how much you wanted a large family, Draco, but this baby is going to be your last."
"Its all right, Dragon." Harry said reassuringly, smiling at him warmly. "We have enough children now, don't we love?" Harry said.
"Yes, I think so…" Draco smiled lovingly at Harry, then gave him a soft and wicked grin. "If we have more, YOU'RE carrying them." he added, then looked back at his healer. "Can I hold my son now…?"
"Of course you may." Kilpatrick smiled warmly at him. "To ensure that you'll be all right, we'd like to keep you here for the night…" he started, but was interrupted before he could complete his thought.
"No. He's coming home with us." Harry said immediately as he reached into the crib to lift the baby, then carefully transferred their newborn son to Draco's arms.
"It would be better if we had him here." Kilpatrick explained.
"It will be better for him and for all his family if he comes home. He's coming home." Harry answered easily.
"I want to send a nurse to be at your house, then, to ensure his continued safety and health, then." he said stubbornly.
"Fine." Harry agreed.
Draco cradled his son carefully and delicately, gazing down at the little chubby cheeks and wild blonde hair. "You're so beautiful…" he murmured.
Harry settled on the bed beside him, his arm about his husband, then gave a bit of a chuckle. "You know, Draco… this reminds me of an old muggle movie…"
He looked at Harry curiously. "My holding our newborn son reminds you of something muggle…?" he asked with a bit of a frown.
"Yes; an old movie, though we don't quite fit the parts. You have your children, I have my children… and now we have our child. Yours, Mine and Ours…"
Draco half-chuckled. "Perhaps I'll watch this muggle movie of yours if Father will allow a telly into the mansion…"