Granger's Café

Pairing: Draco/Harry.

Disclaimer: Hermione decides that the drama in the wizarding world is growing too much. She decides to open up a café in the muggle world, so as to enjoy simplicity during the day. Little does she know that one of the applicants for a job there, will cause a whole new circle of drama for her. And how exactly will her little café benefit Harry and Draco's lives, and how will it banish the drama from both worlds they live in? You know what they say, about Granger's café; her food is like magic, that's what they say, because it keeps all your problems and troubles at bay.

~000~

Chapter Thirty-Five:

Family Meeting

It was almost midnight and not a peep was made in the house. Yelling had occurred as soon as Remus and Sirius had stepped through the fireplace into Hermione's office fire that was always and forever, connected to the Floo network. The smell of brewed tea hung in the air as did the aroma of half-eaten biscuits and the smouldering fire that sat in the corner. The air was thick and pulsating with tension and unspoken words.

No one knew where to start -where could you start in a situation as corrupt as this?

Finally, Remus broke the silence, "how long has this been going on for?" he asked, suddenly looking twice his age in the dull light of the office.

Harry, his chin resting in his palm, shrugged a helpless shoulder before running a hand through his hair and sighing heavily. "I don't know. James is refusing to speak to me about any of it. He's locked himself in my bedroom and refuses to come out"

Remus exhaled once again. "You understand, Harry, that I have nothing against them being together in the future. But right now -James is too young. He doesn't know what he might want in a few years time"

Before Harry could opne his mouth to form a weary response, Draco -who had been perched quietly in the chair beside Harry, his pale hand on the tense shoulder -spoke up, "I would say you don't know what you're talking about, but after the war and everything else that has gone on, especially this year, that I have no right to judge anything. But you are right, this should not have happened until they are older. Teddy is set in his mind, he knows what he wants. James however -has a while yet before he has to make any choices"

"What if he's already made his choice?" Harry breathed, his words barely audible.

"What do you mean pup?" Sirius asked as he nibbled on yet another biscuit, this particular one shaped as a dog-bone. Hermione had started making small animal treat biscuits, and they were selling really well. Clearly, as Sirius came in more than once to buy a large supplement of the things.

"I mean that what is he really is as stubborn as I am? He would choose Teddy time and time again until he is blue in the face, regardless of those around him -even if he has to wait a few years he may still be determined to remain with Teddy"

Remus pursed his lips, "somehow I can believe that"

Sirius swallowed thickly and drank his cooling tea, "well how far have they gone together?"

"Sirius!" Remus exclaimed.

"What? We need to know to see what needs to be done"

Harry groaned and slouched down in his chair, "I'd probably have guessed they went all the way judging by how embarassed and angry James was when I asked him"

Remus blanched at the statement. "I know it's probably true but that does not make it any less mortifying" he grimaced, "and what can we do? I won't remove Teddy from that job -he loves it and it is good money. As for James it is wrong of me to even suggest you remove him, Harry. His brother is there as well as his cousin and soon his other cousins and little sister. It wouldn't be right"

"What can we possibly do that will stop this?" Harry asked, his eyes growing tired and droopy with exhaustion.

Draco looked around the room, "if I may say something?" the other men nodded their heads, their eyes cracking with red veins as the hour grew ever later. "Why not make Teddy come home after his working hours are over?"

"What will that accomplish?" Harry asked.

"Well judging by both their timetables they barel have any free periods in which to see one another -only two during the whole week I assume. Not including weekends. Therefore if Teddy lived back with his parents before and after school hours and only comes in when something is required of him work-wise, you will be able to keep them apart"

Remus looked thoughful. It may not keep them apart completely but it was worth a try. Teddy would see reason, he had to, if he did not want to be threatened with going to prison for his crime. "It could work ... we can always give it a try"

"And what if it doesn't work?" Harry asked tiredly.

Draco placed a calm, strong hand upon his own and squeezed it. "Then we will have to think of something else, but for now I think we all need to get to our beds and get some sleep. Our brains can barely function any more as it is"

The others murmured their consent and soon the scraping back of chairs filled the air around them.

Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulders and drew him close, pressing a kiss to the top of his lover's head. "Bed time, Mister Potter" he breathed through a tired smile. Harry gave a soft smile and allowed Draco to pull him up to his feet and steer him towards the office door.

"Wait -when are we going to tell Teddy and James?" Harry asked, looking over his shoulder at Remus and Sirius who were preparing to leave through the floor network.

Remus shrugged his shoulders, "we will tell Teddy of our decision tonight. I doubt he is sleeping at all anyway"

"And James?"

"I think that would be best left until the morning," Draco stated before Remus could think of a response, "he has probably cried himself to sleep by this point"

Harry sighed and nodded his head, rubbing at his eyes weakly. He was too tired for this. He had not idea what to do; he had battled Voldemort, a giant bloody Serpent and taken on hundreds of Dementors at once -but telling James to stay away from the potential love of his life? He was not sure that he could do such a thing. They passed the locked bedroom where James' sobs had died down. Draco guided him along to the main bedroom and ushered him to sit on the bed, hushing away any feeble protests that Harry made.

Draco made it his duty to undress Harry and to remove the circular spectacles from the bridge of the brunettes nose. He placed them on the bedside table and eased the covers over his lover's body. Within minutes Draco was crawling over into the other side of the bed, his head throbbing from the evening of grief-striking news.

~0~

The next morning went no better than the night before.

And Harry had found that out the hard way.

"I'm not going back to school! You can't make me!" came the cracking yell from Harry's bedroom the next morning. Draco was wincing as he made some tea and toast in the kitchen, the butter knife shaking visibly in his hand. He was forcing himself to stay in the kitchen and not veer towards the bathroom -once in the bathroom he would be locked within the claustrophobic walls of his own head.

It was a frightening place to be -especially alone.

Harry had ventured into his bedroom where James and holed himself up in all night long. He had tried talking to James about why it was wrong for him to be in a sexual relationship so young, and with someone who was technically illegal for him to be with. James had replied hotly, that he was not stupid, he knew the laws, but that did not stop him from what he felt. Harry had tried to reason with him and tell him that he would still be allowed to see Teddy but with a chaperone at all times and nothing physical other than a quick hug.

It was at this statement that James had started yelling the apartment down; tearing at clothes and bedsheets and throwing Harry's possessions around. Through a whirling cloud of pillow feathers Harry watched as his eldest son flew about in a frantic rage, until finally, unable to stand it any longer, Harry was on his feet, arms around his sons heaving torso and held him tightly -letting the screams and sobs pierce his heart.

James had cried and cried whilst beatign weakly at his father's chest until exhaustion had over-ridden his anger and he slumped onto his knees at the foot of the bed, sobbing into his knees.

"I'm sorry Jamie," Harry breathed against his son's quivering head, "but it is for the best, I promise you"

"W-w-why do w-we have to be k-kept apart?"

Harry winced at the cracking in James' voice. "Because it is inappropriate behaviour for someone Teddy's age to be having a sexual relationship with a minor"

James sniffed heavily and wiped the back of his sleeve against his nose, "y-you won't t-tell mum about this w-will you?"

Harry blanched at the mention of Ginny, but shook his head nonetheless, "of course not. I told you that she is out of our lives"

For one James did not protest. He merely nodded his head. Harry watched his eldest child for a while, debating on what he should do. Eventually, it was James who made the decision for him. "I'll go back to Hogwart's on Monday morning" he stated emotionlessly as he roused himself to his feet and pushed himself onto the tangled covers of Harry's bed.

"Alright" Harry breathed as he stood up to his feet and tugged the duvet covers up high around James' cold, shaking shoulders. He smoothed his sons' sweaty hair out of his eyes, "so I take it you don't feel like breakfast right now?" he asked lightly. James shook his head. "That's alright. If you wake up and no one is up here, we'll most likely be down in the kitchens, okay?"

As he stood up and made his way over the carpet towards the bedroom door, James' weak voice came to him over the harsh silence that hung between them. "Dad?"

Turning at the door, Harry focused on the lump in the bed that was his son, "yes kid?"

"Don't -don't let the press find out about this? I ... I don't want Teddy's future ruined because of me"

"Don't worry about that, Jamie, the press won't hear a word of this?"

"... Promise?"

"I promise"

Harry pulled the door closed between them, before sighing heavily and resting his head against the cool doorframe. When had things gotten so out of control with his children? Was it really his fault? He swallowed thickly and toyed with his fingers absently.

"I can take your shift this afternoon if you like?" came Draco's soft, soothing voice in his ear. Strong, pale hands encircled his biceps and squeezed lightly as a chin rested in the crook of his shoulder.

Harry shook his head, "no -it will help me think a little clearer if I work"

Draco nodded and nuzzled Harry's neck, "come on then we'd better go and get started"

~0~

Little over an hour later, James was leafing through his dad's photo albums, looking at pictures of their family growing-up. Teddy's hair changed colour multiple times in each photo.

He stroked his thumb over a photo of himself and Teddy, arms slung around one another's shoulders, knee-deep in a muggle river, little frogs clutched in their free hands.

Water dripped from every surface.

He sighed sadly, "would it really be so bad if they let us be together?"

~0~

"Am I a bad father?"

Draco looked up as the question resounded throughout the kitchen. Work was slow today; they made their usual cakes and sandwiches for the few people that wondered in, but with the thunder and lightning thrashing about in the skies above, it was a wonder they had any business at all. Draco placed the tray he was holding -laden with cookies -into the oven and closed the door. Once he had set the timer, he turned around to face Harry. "No. I think you have done what you've always seemed to do; make the best out of a bad situation"

Harry snorted dryly, "so then why does it feel like I'm failing at everything?"

Draco sighed softly, "Harry, no one can have the whole perfect life -it doesn't work that way. You and I of all people should know that"

The brunette nodded his head before rinsing the last of the glasses in the sink and turning to face the blond, "I know, I know ... I just wanted to at least do right by my children"

Draco walked over the small kitchen and pulled Harry into his arms, "I know, love, but you need to understand that normal teenagers have hormones -unlike you Saint Potter"

Harry smiled slightly, "it's been a while since I heard any of those old nicknames -I actually miss them"

Draco snickered slightly, "if you want I can go up and see how James is doing?"

"You would do that for me?"

"Of course I would, scarhead" with a smile and a quick kiss to the cheek, Draco turned from the kitchen and left.

The blond man felt slightly happier than he had that morning -the urged to disappear into the bathroom with a sharp object was becoming increasingly small, and the over-whelming need to cling onto Harry had all but disappeared -for the present. In short; he felt good. Upon entering Harry's apartment he cast a quick look to the main bedroom door. It was still closed. He was not sure if that was a good sign or not. James was most likely asleep but it would be rude of Draco not to offer the lad some food and company, especially after the previous evening.

Crossing the expanse of carpet to the bedroom door he knocked lightly once, twice, three times and recieved no response. He turned the doorhandle and poked his head inside. James was awake and sitting cross-legged in bed with a small piece of parchment held in his hands. His cheeks shone with dried tear-tracks. "Mind if I come in?" he asked softly. The boy merely shook his head, so Draco took the invitation and closed the door behind him. Standing by the foot of the bed, the blond man frowned down at the boys' lap, "so what have you got there?"

"It's a letter"

"Who from?"

A brief pause. "Teddy"

Draco felt something knot inside him. He could not tell the boy what to do, however if he did not reprimand him in some way then Harry would most likely get angry with the both of them. "I see" he managed to say, "and you know you are not supposed to speak to Teddy?"

"Dad said I am not allowed to be alone with him -where things can happen. Why does he hate us being together?"

Draco was startled by the question. James brown eyes sparkled through the gloom. He sighed softly and settled himself on the end of the bed, "James, your father does not hate you. Nor does he hate Teddy. But there are laws that everybody must abide by. I know it's hard but you need to understand that they are there for a reason. No one believes that Teddy would do you any harm but if anyone was to find out about this -Teddy's whole future could be ruined"

James sniffled and nodded, "I know ... I don't want that to happen"

Draco shook his head, "no one does. And until we can trust the two of you alone, then you will need to be chaperoned"

"But at school -won't people find it weird having an adult around us all the time?"

Draco shrugged, "well we could always have Scorpius and Albus hang out with you two. Seeing as you are family it won't be strange"

James hummed, "I guess that's true"

A short silence fell between them before Draco asked about the letter. "So what did it say?"

James shrugged, "just apologising for everything and that he still loves me. He said he'd wait for my graduation if that is what it will take for dad to be happy"

"Well that is a very grown-up thing for him to do" Draco said admiringly. James allowed his mouth to twitch. "Are you hungry, James? I can make you some lunch if you like?"

The young boy nodded, "yes please"

"Anything you would like? Sandwiches? Cakes? Both? Or would you like something a little more ... cooked?"

James smiled tiredly up at the blond man, "something hot if it's not too much trouble, Mister Malfoy"

"Draco, James. My name is Draco"

The blond man smiled as he watched the young lad kick his legs free of the tangled covers, pocket the small letter in his jeans before sluggishly hobbling out of the bedroom. Draco mentally congratulated himself for a job well done and followed James into the kitchen as his own stomach started to rumble.

A/N: I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O Sorry for the insanely late update but I will hopefully get back on track with this story. Hope you enjoy. R+R is welcome!