Draco sat behind his desk with a scowl on his face as he stared down at a piece of mostly blank parchment.
He had been trying to write out a solid plan to ask Harry to marry him but he barely had two coherent thoughts written down; two half sentences and some random doodles. One was less a doodle and more a lewd, detailed cartoon when his thoughts had wandered to Harry. He looked up with a glare when his door opened, again, and his assistant sauntered in with a few folders in her hand.
On any other day, he could go hours without interruption or distractions. But today, when he wanted some time alone to bloody think, he had barely gotten 20 minutes of peace at a time without someone barging in or knocking on his door. He growled with annoyance.
"What is it now?" he ground out between clenched teeth.
Pansy raised a thin, dark eyebrow at Draco and lifted her chin, placing the folders on his desk with a soft slap. "Work, Draco dear." She didn't leave, wondering at Draco's foul mood. Ordinarily he'd be quite pleased to be kept busy as most days were boring with little to do, the annoyed blonde spending a good bit of his time just staring at the clock waiting to go home.
She crossed her arms under her chest and glared back at Draco. "What's with you?"
Draco glared balefully at the witch, his annoyance rising when Pansy didn't even bat an eye. It was infuriating to work with one's friends at times. Especially when they knew you long enough to have been in nappies with you and didn't quell at a well placed death glare. "Nothing," he finally said. He really didn't want to talk about his issues, not with Pansy. She was a dear friend but the witch was a bigger gossip than Lavender Brown. He nearly winced at the very idea of half of Wizarding Britain knowing is personal business.
"Sure," Pansy scoffed and darted forward, grabbing the parchment on top of Draco's desk before he could move to snatch it back. Both eyebrows rose as she quickly read the lines written on the parchment, her lips rolling as she studied the rather detailed doodles. She turned the paper and wondered if the doodle was to scale...
She leveled a curious glance at Draco and giggled softly when he squirmed ever-so-subtly in his seat with lightly pink cheeks. Well, that was interesting. She hadn't thought he was that serious about Potter. Living with the bloke was one thing but marriage? She quickly decided to butt in and make sure she met up with Potter soon; she needed to approve of him and probably get to know the git since Draco wasn't going to be dropping him any time soon. She could foresee uncomfortable dinners and awkward gatherings if she didn't make an effort to be nice.
Well. Nice wasn't exactly in her vocabulary. Maybe... not such a bitch. Baby steps. "What's this?" she asked needlessly, waving the parchment at Draco.
Draco cleared his throat and glared at Pansy. "What does it look like?" he sneered, even though he wanted to just crawl under his desk and hide. He really didn't want, or need, to hear Pansy's opinion on the matter. He stifled a groan at her knowing look.
"Looks like you're trying to convince Potter to marry you," Pansy said, sounding amused and bored at the same time. "Did he say no the first time?" she asked, noticing the notes alluded to a second attempt. She broke into loud cackling laughter when Draco lifted his chin and refused to answer. She rolled her eyes; it was as good as an admission. "What, did you ask him in a highly inappropriate manner?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows lewdly.
Draco sneered and snatched the parchment out of Pansy's hands, hoping the bint got a nasty paper-cut, folded it and placed it in a drawer. "Fuck off."
"Oh, Morgana's sparkly thong! You did!" Pansy said, giggling, not in the least offended. The blonde bastard told her to 'fuck off' at least twice a week, it only amused her. "Is he secretly a Hufflepuff?" she asked, leaning forward eagerly. She always knew Gryffindors were emotional wrecks, but not to the extent of refusing a marriage proposal that was less than ideal. When Draco only glared at her again, she made a triumphant noise and sat on the edge of the large desk, primly smoothing her skirt.
She waved a hand, dismissing her question. "So, all that aside; you want to marry the Golden Git?"
Draco's brows pinched at the nickname (knowing any requests to desist would only goad the witch on) but as much as he tried to school his features, a small smile quirked his lips. He growled lowly when Pansy leaned forward again, her expression one of keen, amused interest. "Yes." He didn't see the point in denying it; Pansy already figured it out, the nosy bint.
"I see, and why is that?" Pansy asked, focusing on her nails for a moment.
Oh, she could guess exactly why. It really wasn't hard to tell the blonde bastard was in love with the sappy git but she wanted to see if Draco would admit it or not. Another smile passed over Draco's face and she had to bite the inside of her lip to keep herself from squealing like some fifth year fan-girl. Her feelings for Draco were strictly platonic but she still felt happy for him. Hopefully the idiot didn't fuck things up. Again. As much as she didn't wiggle her pom poms for Harry Potter, the idiot had made Draco happy and she had nearly castrated the blonde the first time he ran off.
Draco sneered, seeing right through Pansy's sophomoric ploys. "He's wealthy and incredible in bed, why else?" he said with a manufactured leer.
"Sure, darling," Pansy said with an eye roll. Honestly, like that was fooling anyone. With a bit of an effort, she made her face carefully blank. "Tough break with the little brats though," she said airily. She watched Draco carefully and nearly smirked triumphantly when his face pinked and his top lip pulled up in anger. Well, that answered that. She nearly rolled her eyes; kids and Potter. Draco never did do a damn thing by halves, that was for sure.
Draco clenched his fists under his desk, refusing to react to Pansy. He knew she was trying to bait him, he knew it, but it was getting harder and harder not to shout. "They aren't brats," he hissed through his teeth. He felt a brief moment of regret for not telling Pansy about Gabe being his son. He hadn't thought to ask Harry how he felt about other people knowing and he refused to tell Pansy until then. Harry had been able to keep it from the papers for this long and he did not want to be the one that caused it to be known. "They're very well behaved little boys."
"Sure, darling," she said again, flipping her hair over her shoulder and leaning on the desk as she propped herself up on her palm as she leaned closer. "Not to mention the ex."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "What?"
"You know, the ex," Pansy said, trying to hide her delight. She, unlike Draco, knew a bit more about Potter's past. He had managed to keep his personal life out of The Prophet until the last lover. Poor man had been completely sold out by some jealous skank of a wizard that refused to accept the relationship being over. She had been quite horrified to find herself feeling bad for Potter; not even he deserved that kind of thing. "Justin or something..." she trailed off, waving a hand dismissively, as if it weren't important. "Not to mention whoever dumped that kid on him."
Draco had to pinch himself to keep from reacting to the last part. He wanted to laugh. He had a hard time believing people actually bought that story. He didn't know how to react now. He knew Harry hadn't been locked in his room pining away for him, so he expected there to be ex-lovers but it didn't affect their relationship. It did make his fist clench in a small jealous fit but he breathed through it and easily let it go. He had a few himself.
"And?" he said in a bored drawl.
"And nothing," Pansy finally said, glaring down at Draco. She threw up her hands and made a disgusted sound. "Honestly, Draco, you aren't going to tell me anything?" she demanded, poking a sharp nail into his chest.
Draco smirked and leaned back in his chair. "No," he said smugly. "Why should I?"
"Because I'm one of your best friends, you wanker." Pansy said blandly. "If not your only friend."
Draco waved a hand at the witch but nodded slightly to show he agreed. "Granted but you're a horrible gossip."
"So?" Pansy asked, her eyes going a bit wide but not bothering to argue. Since when did Draco give a shit about what she said? She knew when he seriously wanted something kept between them and she'd always kept it to herself. "I've kept your secrets before," she said heatedly.
"Such as?" Draco asked, quirking an eyebrow up. He honestly couldn't think of one instance and he silently dared Pansy to come up with one.
Pansy smirked, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her skirt. "I've never told another person you're in love with Potter."
Draco paled, he could fucking feel it. He couldn't—wouldn't deny it but he also didn't want Pansy to know it was true. He wasn't ashamed but he couldn't take the taunting and who knows what the witch would figure out from there?
"What?" he said instead, cringing a bit at his breathless tone. He felt like the air had been knocked out of him and it annoyed him that he sounded as such.
"Please, darling," Pansy drawled, waving a hand at him. "You've loved that idiot for years. Probably since fifth year," she said, a smug look on her face. She shook her head and gently laid a hand on Draco's arm, offering a bit of comfort to her gobsmacked friend. She wasn't sure why he was so surprised and apparently a bit embarrassed. Love wasn't something to be ashamed of. For the countless time, she cursed his parents, hating them a little on Draco's behalf for emotionally stunting him. "Are you shocked I knew or shocked I kept it secret?"
Draco's mouth opened twice before his voice worked. "Both," he said and chuckled, the sound a bit hysterical. He had fancied Potter since fourth year but never acted on it. He had thought he had been clever and had kept it hidden. It had been like a fantasy come true when he finally got a chance to be with Harry, even if he ended up completely cocking it up the first time. He glared at Pansy and slapped her hand off his arm. "And I have not been in love with Harry since fifth year."
"Oh, my mistake," Pansy simpered, fluttering her eyelashes. "Fourth." Her head tilted back and she laughed long and loud when Draco's mouth dropped and his eyes widened. She wiped a tear from her eyes, looking at Draco with affection clear on her face. "See? I can keep a secret, my dear Draco."
Draco gaped stupidly again (but unwilling to get into a discussion on the vast differences between 'fancying' and 'loving' someone) and ran an agitated hand through his hair with a huff. "I can't, Pans," he finally said, looking up at her with sincere regret. He smoothed his hair absently. "I haven't any idea how—"
"Why?" Pansy interrupted, putting a fist on her hip and glaring down at the blonde. "I have been your best friend practically since birth!" she leaned forward and yanked Draco across the desk by the front of his robes, narrowing her eyes at him. "If you truly don't trust me, just what the fuck are we doing?" she asked, her voice quiet, a bit choked with anger and hurt. She had nearly been betrothed to the bloody bastard and now she wasn't good enough to talk to? To confide in?
Draco stared, his eyes wide again as he stared at Pansy's tight expression. He laid his hand over the one she had fisted in his shirt. "I'm sorry, Pans, it's not that I don't trust you, I just don't know how pleased Harry would be if I told you. It's not only my secret to tell."
"Oh," Pansy muttered and let go of Draco, smoothing the wrinkles from his shirt. "Don't glare at me but what difference does that make?" she asked, touched and a bit surprised Draco would hold something back simply to please Potter. She understood, really. She'd applaud his emotional growth if she didn't know he'd be thoroughly unamused and be in a snit for Merlin alone knew how long.
Draco glared anyway. "I love you, dear, but I'm not willing to incur his wrath for your curiosity to be slaked."
Pansy laughed until she realized Draco was being completely serious. "Oh... really? You're scared of Potter?" she asked, giggling a bit. Not that she blamed him; she was there when the scrawny teenager took out a powerful Dark Lord. He had a well known temper, as well. She nearly giggled again imagining a domestic argument between the pair; Draco cowering under an enraged Harry and trying to placate the little Gryffindor with his bedroom voice and smooth moves. She idly wondered if Potter was the sort of bloke that would banish his lover to the couch or kick him out for the night.
"No," Draco said stiffly and sneered. Really, he was a bit. Harry still could be rather scary on occasion but he mostly didn't want to give Harry any reason to refuse his proposal again. Or refuse him sex. It only happened once but it had been a hard lesson. He had even been forced to sleep on a lumpy couch, convinced Harry had charmed the damn thing to be purposely lumpy and uncomfortable. The spiteful little git. "I'd aim him at you."
Pansy giggled again, knowing Draco better than he thought. "Potter won't let you near him, eh?" she said and cackled again when Draco glared at her, his pale brows pinched with annoyance. "Well, good. I'm sure you bloody well deserve it more often than not," she said sweetly and hopped off the desk, smoothing her skirt and deliberately ignoring his unamused expression. "Well, this has been fun," she said brightly and aimed a cheeky grin at Draco. "If I may?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. When Draco, reluctantly, nodded she smiled. "I don't know Potter as well as you do, but I know he'd probably appreciate something less 'pure-blood' and a bit more 'muggle'."
Draco nodded absently until Pansy's words sunk in. "Absolutely right you are, my dear Pansy," he said and gave her a small smile. He was nearly embarrassed he hadn't thought of it on his own. It didn't exactly give him a brilliant idea but it certainly would help him narrow down to a finer idea. He only had to Malfoy something Muggle; shouldn't be too hard. He stood and rounded his desk, gently pulling Pansy against him. "Thank you."
"Welcome, darling," Pansy said brightly, hugging Draco briefly. "I do expect to be given full credit."
Draco snorted quietly. "Not a chance," he said, fully expecting Harry to be overwhelmed and very unwilling to share any reaction with Pansy. Especially if it lead to kissing or shagging. He sat back at his desk and leaned back in his chair, swiveling it a bit as he thought.
"Prat," Pansy said fondly and smacked Draco's chest. She went to leave and stopped, deliberately pausing long enough to make Draco look up. "We'll have tea together. Saturday? Great," she said, not waiting for an answer and left a stunned Draco staring after her. Of course she has met Harry Potter but not as Draco's fiance and she was kind of looking forward to seeing what all the fuss was about. And maybe meet the kids that gave Draco such a sappy expression.
Draco blinked, a bit stunned at Pansy's bold self-invitation. Harry wouldn't be very pleased. Saturday was going to be stressful enough without the added threat of a surprise visit by Pansy. He sighed and pulled his parchment back out. He had nearly a week to plan something and, finally, he had some ideas.
~*O*~
Harry sat fidgeting at the kitchen table until the boys came in demanding lunch. He looked around with an exasperated sigh. "How about we go out?" he asked, completely unmotivated to actually cook and already knowing the answer.
"Yeah!" Both boys screamed, punching their fists in the air and bouncing around.
Harry chuckled and patted the air. "Alright, calm it down. Get your shoes on!" he instructed, laughing when both boys tore out of the kitchen and made their way noisily to the hall closet. He looked at Angus and grinned. "You're staying here," he said and gave the dog a pet between his ears. Angus just 'woof'ed softly and padded out of the kitchen, flopping on his massive bed with a grunt and a soulful look. He knew the dog didn't like being left alone but Angus took it surprisingly well, never making a mess but went mental when they came back in the door. As Harry left the kitchen he laughed again, watching Gabe sort through the many shoes in a pile looking for a complete pair.
"Dad!" Teddy shouted, jumping up from his spot on the steps. He shuffled from foot to foot, his flip flops slapping the tile. "Why are we goin' out?" he asked carefully. He loved when they got treated to lunch out but it has been awhile. He rolled his eyes when he heard Gabe mutter a 'Yeah' from his spot on the floor.
"We can stay home instead? I supposed I can get out some crackers..." Harry said, amused when both boys fiercely shook their heads. "I just don't feel up to making anything and it'll be nice to go out," he said, ruffling Teddy's purple hair. "Fresh air and all that."
Teddy nodded again, trying not to narrow his eyes at his dad. Maybe he was still sick and just didn't feel up to cooking? Wait, why was he complaining? "OK," he said and went to stand by the door. Impatiently. "C'mon, Gabe!" he wailed, glaring at his little brother. The little snot was still looking for shoes!
"Easy," Harry said soothingly to Teddy before he plucked a random pair of shoes from the floor. "Here, kiddo," he said and tossed the shoes into Gabe's lap.
Gabe shook his head and pushed the shoes onto the floor. "No! I need my Nemo shoes," he said, diving back into the closet to search again. He knew he saw them! They had to be there!
"We threw those away months ago, munchkin," Harry said, pulling Gabe back out of the closet. He sighed and ran a hand over Gabe's messy dark hair when the grey eyes watered and his little chin wobbled with the threat of tears. "You outgrew them, love." He could have easily hit them with a stretching charm but Gabe had declared them 'lame' and stuck them in the back of the closet, destined to be forgotten.
"Oh," Gabe said with a watery sigh. "Why didn't we get a new, bigger pair?" he asked desperately but allowing daddy to put some sort of squishy sandals on his feet with swift moves. He wiggled his toes in the weird shoes and giggled quietly. "These are OK," he said, wiping his eyes and looking up at daddy with an approving nod. He liked the blue squishy shoes, even if they didn't have cartoons on them.
Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad you approve," he said and grinned. He stood Gabe up and opened the front door. He watched closely as both boys bounced out the front door but didn't wander off the front step. As soon as he reset the wards, he held his hands out and both boys latched on. "Where to?" he asked, looking between Teddy and Gabe.
Gabe looked around daddy to see Teddy. "The one with the big play place inside?" he asked, a pleading note to his voice. He loved that place! Muggles were super smart, in his opinion, to put a playground inside. You could play on it no matter the weather outside and you didn't have to wait for daddy to put a charm on you.
"Yeah," Teddy agreed. He always found new kids to play with when they went there. It was even worth having to wear the stupid glamour, even though he was getting better at controlling the way his hair and eyes changed color. He looked up ready to direct his dad but he was already nodding, having heard him and Gabe talking. "Can we, dad?"
Harry nodded again. "Sure," he said. As much as he felt a bit guilty indulging the boys in the frivolity of a muggle fast food restaurant, they loved going there. They ran around like maniacs and worked off whatever they ate, it seemed. He grinned, wondering what Draco would think of such a place. His grin fell a moment later when he remembered he needed to talk to Draco. Sooner rather than later.
"What's wrong, daddy?" Gabe asked, looking up and seeing his daddy looking a little peaky and suddenly sad. "Are you still sick?" he asked, biting his bottom lip. He didn't like when daddy was sick. Not only does being sick stink, they probably would go back home.
Harry blinked and looked at Gabe's concerned face. He smiled reassuringly. "No, just thinking, munchkin. C'mon, let's go," he said and hurried them towards the nearest apparation point. He could think about Draco and the scary news of being pregnant again later.
~*O*~
Draco peeked around the corner, smiling softly when he caught sight of Harry in the living room with the boys. All three were watching the telly, matching expressions of blank concentration on their faces.
"Well," he drawled quietly, mentally grinning when all three heads whipped around to look at him. He couldn't help smiling when all three shot off of the sofa and hurried over to him. He hummed quietly, thoroughly enjoying the attention and unbridled affection. He ruffled small heads and leaned down a bit to place a soft kiss on Harry's lips. "Hi," he murmured, nipping at Harry's lower lip gently as he pulled away.
Teddy and Gabe shared a look and ran back to the sofa with matching grins, hoping daddy and papa got distracted long enough to leave the telly on longer. They both looked up with wary surprise when Draco stood above them, giving them an odd look. "Huh?" Teddy asked, feeling brave even as his hair streaked a light yellow. He didn't think they were in trouble but he couldn't read Draco's expression. At all. He had never seen the blonde with such a blank expression.
"Come with me," Draco said quietly, arching an eyebrow so neither boy would think about questioning him. He didn't want to explain in front of Harry. He turned on his heel and walked into the kitchen, giving Harry a discreet wink and a 'stay here' hand in the air as he passed him. He felt more than saw the boys following with wary postures, sharing questioning glances with each other as they tried to figure out if they were in trouble or not.
Teddy followed Draco, sharing a look again with Gabe. He paused once they all got into the kitchen, surprised to see Draco squatting so he was level with him and Gabe. "What's up, pop?" he asked, grinning at the word that popped out of his mouth. It fit. He liked it. Even if aunt Hermione told him Draco was more like a cousin (pure-blood families were practically all related so he couldn't remember the confusing, and more appropriate, relation they actually shared), but he didn't care. He liked him better as a father figure and he could tell Draco thought of him as a son, too. He grinned for a moment when Draco's face lit with surprised pleasure briefly before going a bit blank again. Pop's eyes stayed a warm silver, though.
"I have to ask you both a very important question," Draco said seriously, looking between the boys. He allowed a small smile when he saw Gabe tense, hoping to ease his son's worry. "It's nothing bad. Well, I don't think it is..." he trailed off, tapping his chin lightly.
Gabe shifted on his feet. "What is it, papa?" he pleaded, unable to take the stress of suspense. Was papa leaving again? Did he not like staying with them and being a family? Why would he ask first? He felt his chest hitch and tears sting his eyes and he rushed forward to wrap his arms tightly around papa's neck. "Please don't go," he mumbled into his neck. He snuffled wetly, unaware he was slobbering all over papa's nice shirt or he'd probably recoil and blubber apologies.
Draco's hands stilled, shock pausing his movements only momentarily before he wrapped them around Gabe's trembling small form. "No, no, I'm not going anywhere," he promised, cursing himself. He closed his eyes for a long moment, restraining the embarrassing urge to cry along with Gabe and the stronger urge to kick his own arse for causing his son such worries. "No, I was going to ask you boys if it's alright that I marry your dad."
"Yeah," Teddy said shrugging, eyeing his pop and Gabe, his apprehension slowly leaving. He checked to make sure his little brother was only sniffling now, his little hands clutched in pop's shirt but otherwise alright. At least he was no longer bawling like a baby. "You do know you have to ask dad though, right. Not us?" he asked, confused.
Draco chuckled, smoothing the back of Gabe's wild hair. "I know that," he said, rolling his eyes playfully. "I asked to make sure you boys were alright with it." He murmured a charm softly and Gabe's puffy, red eyes were soothed. He grimaced but didn't comment when Gabe sniffed wetly and nearly conjured him a tissue.
"Yeah!" Gabe cried, jerking his head up to beam a watery but happy smile at papa. He couldn't leave if he married daddy. His brows scrunched together a bit, still unsure why papa was asking him and Teddy. He agreed with Teddy; papa had to ask daddy. "You're silly, papa," he said around his fingers. He thought it was nice that papa cared what he and Teddy thought but he didn't have to ask. Him and Teddy had wished for it and they would never say no.
He jumped when daddy came into the kitchen, his dark messy head peeking around the door. "Daddy!" he scolded, his hands tightening in papa's robes.
Harry chuckled, looking at each of his boys. "Everything alright in here?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at the slightly guilty faces and Gabe's still red eyes.
"Yes," Draco replied smoothly, standing up with Gabe still wrapped around him and rested a hand on Teddy's shoulder. "Just deciding on whether we're having pizza or Chinese for dinner?" he said. He looked between the boys and nearly sighed aloud with relief when both nodded quickly, immediately going along with him. Thank Merlin they were smart and a bit sneaky. He puffed a bit with pride, happy to see a bit of Slytherin in his boys.
Harry looked between the three, eyebrows raised. "Alright," he said slowly, not at all convinced. He gave Teddy and Gabe searching looks and only got blinks and votes for pizza. "We had lunch out, so I should probably cook—"
"Nonsense," Draco interrupted and smiled winningly at Harry when he got an annoyed look. "Let's go out for pizza."
Teddy nodded, immediately jumping up and discretely pinching Gabe when his little brother made to open his mouth. The little twerp would probably ruin everything and tell dad what they had been really talking about. "C'mon, Gabe," he said, before his brother could shriek with indignation and pain. "Let's get our shoes on," he said, pulling his brother from pop's hold. As soon as Gabe hit the floor he dragged him out of the kitchen and down the hall. "Sorry!" he hissed, hoping his brother didn't rat him out to dad for pinching him. "Pop wanted to keep it a secret."
"Duh," Gabe said and rolled his eyes. He may only be 4 but he wasn't a dummy. "I figured that, Teddy." He rubbed his bum and scowled up at his big brother. "And that hurt," he whined. "You didn' have to pinch me so hard." He narrowed his eyes and briefly wondered if it was worth it to pinch Teddy back or not. Probably not. Teddy would probably hit him back. Or holler like a tattle-tale and get him in trouble.
Teddy huffed and rolled his eyes. "I said I was sorry."
"What the hell, Draco?" Harry asked, his gaze slowly leaving the still swinging door and pinning the blonde with a bright green glare. "I—Mmmph!" Any further protests were cut off by Draco's lips covering his. It didn't take long for him to sag against the blonde and kiss back, his irritation and confusion evaporating the when he felt a warm lips against his. Sure, he didn't want to indulge the boys but they could probably eat fast food and pizza everyday and not have a problem… the little hooligans rarely sat still. He sighed happily when one hand cupped the side of his neck and the other settled securely around his waist, a large hand angled to rest warmly against his arse.
Draco grinned against Harry's lips, a bit proud of himself. It wasn't often he could shut Harry up that quickly, even with a heated kiss. "Sorry," he murmured, knowing Harry wanted to hear it. "I don't feel like waiting around while something cooks. I'm hungry," he said with a slight whine, blinking rapidly at Harry in a bid to work his sympathies. He felt no shame employing a trick both children used.
"Oh, Merlin," Harry groaned, his forehead resting on Draco's shoulder for a moment. "You're as bad as the boys!" he accused with a playful glare.
Draco chuckled and kissed Harry briefly. "They wish they had my charm," he said pompously and smirked. "But really, we can go somewhere else, if you'd rather."
"No, it's fine," Harry said with a sigh. He certainly wasn't going to burst two little boys 'pizza bubble'. He nervously chewed his lip, his eyes on the kitchen door. Might as well take advantage of the moment alone. "I have a healer appointment tomorrow," he blurted out.
Draco's eyes widened a bit and his eyes flicked around Harry's face searchingly. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly, cupping Harry's face gently as his eyes roamed around Harry's face and body with quick, assessing looks.
"Yeah," Harry said quietly and tried to harness his Gryffindor courage. He eyed Draco warily and sighed, blurting it out in a rush: "I think I'm pregnant."
Draco's eyes widened further. "You think?" he breathed. His eyes narrowed. "I thought pregnancy charms were quite clear," he murmured, his mind stuck on the 'I think' part of Harry's statement. Magic didn't give wishy washy results. Positive or negative; there was no 'I think'. Panic set in as he thought maybe Harry meant he had been pregnant and something had happened. Why would he say that, though? He reined in the urge to shake Harry and just waited.
"Alright, fine. I'm pregnant but I want a healer to confirm." Harry watched Draco closely, unsure if the growing intensity he saw in the silvery eyes was a good thing or a bad thing. He chewed his bottom lip furiously as he waited. He noticed the moment his words sunk in and grimaced when Draco looked at him with a fierce intensity, his hands tightening their grip on his face. "What?" he muttered, shifting from foot to foot.
Draco shook his head, a lump impeding his voice. He couldn't think of what to say and it seemed to make the lump bigger. Harry was pregnant? A heady swirl of emotions went through him making him feel a bit lightheaded with giddiness and nerves. He felt hot and cold at the same time. And nauseous. Oh Merlin, he hoped he didn't vomit. It scared him as much as it elated him. He never expected it so soon, if ever.
"Are you— Really?" he choked out. His hands dropped limply to his sides. "Fuck." His eyes grew when Harry nodded slowly, his expression still wary and going a bit closed off with each second he stayed silent. "Fuck," he whispered again, his voice hoarse, when he felt Harry stiffen and look away. He was fucking this up! He wanted to tell Harry how thrilled he was but he couldn't get the words out. He absently rubbed a hand against his chest, trying to sooth the tightness he felt there.
Harry gulped nervously and slowly backed away from Draco, his eyes lowered and missing the confusion flashing across Draco's face. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He hadn't really let himself think how Draco would react but he never considered it would be this bad. He looked away and stared at the kitchen door. "I'll check the boys," he said quietly and quickly left the kitchen, another wave of despair washing over him when Draco didn't stop him. He stood in the hallway for a moment and caught his breath, wiping furiously at his eyes. He forced a smile on his face when Teddy and Gabe both looked at him with smiles, both proudly showing off that they had shoes on and were waiting patiently on the bottom step.
"Ready, daddy!" Gabe cried happily, wiggling his shod feet at daddy. "Let's go!" he said and jumped up from the step, rushing down the hallway to grab his hand and pulled him towards the door. "Where's papa?" he asked, looking around daddy towards the kitchen. He looked up and gasped when he saw daddy's face was pale but splotchy, his eyes red. "Where's papa?" he asked again, his voice firm as he planted his little fists on his hips. Papa was in big trouble if he made daddy cry, especially if they weren't the happy tears daddy did sometimes now.
"Kitchen," Harry said with forced brightness. "He'll be right out. You ready, Teddy?" he asked, looking over at his oldest. He got a wary nod and he sat on the step next to him, trying to keep his thoughts focused only on pizza toppings. He could fall into a brooding pit of depression later. He smiled and ruffled Gabe's hair when he climbed into Harry's lap and wound his little arms around his chest. He didn't look up when he heard Draco make his way down the hallway.
Draco looked at the trio on the stairs. "Boys, go and get washed up." He gave each a sharp look when they made to protest and smiled thankfully when they both turned and went up the stairs, both peeking over their shoulders as they went. "Harry," he said quietly and nearly rolled his eyes when the other man just sat there staring at his hands. He knelt down in front of him, resting his hands on Harry's bent knees. "Harry," he said again and bent down a bit to catch Harry's gaze. "Please look at me."
"No," Harry said petulantly and kept his eyes firmly on his folded hands. If he didn't look up he didn't have to see panic or refusal. He didn't care what Draco said, he wasn't going to do anything different. As much as it hurt, he could have this one without the blonde git too.
Draco huffed. "Fine. I'm sorry I didn't react well, but you surprised me." He ignored Harry's grumble, only catching a sarcastic 'no shit'. "I was shocked. Surprised. And... well, thrilled." He smirked when Harry peeked up at him through his fringe without raising his head. "Yes," he said with a firm nod. He fucked up earlier and Harry deserved the truth. "I panicked but not because I was upset or unhappy, alright?"
"Then why?" Harry mumbled, his head still down. He felt relief wash over him but he wasn't able to look up just yet. He was a complete mess and unwilling to look up until he had a better handle on his emotions.
Draco shifted closer, sliding his hands up Harry's knees until they rested warmly on his thighs. "I didn't expect it," he said honestly. "I never thought I'd get this chance again." He sighed quietly and forced Harry's face up, his chest tightening when he saw the green eyes he loved were bright with unshed tears. He leaned forward and kissed each damp cheek. "I'm sorry if I let you think I was anything other than absolutely awed."
"Alright," Harry said and sniffled wetly. He might have overreacted but there was no way he was going to admit that aloud to Draco. He really should have given Draco a bit more time to react and digest the information. He nibbled his bottom lip nervously again. He didn't want to ask but he had to know... "Does this affect you asking me to marry you?" he whispered. He almost wished he had immediately accepted the earlier proposal, no matter how inappropriate.
Draco nodded solemnly. "It does," he said seriously. He grabbed Harry's hands and held them tightly, pulling the man closer and hugging him tightly before pulling back so he could look at Harry intently. "It means that I will not allow you to refuse me a second time," he said and smirked when Harry's eyes widened and a smile grew on his face. He rolled his eyes and kissed Harry's forehead. "Did you honestly think I'd change my mind?" He glared when he saw Harry's eyes dart away. "You did! You idiot!" he said, laughing softly.
"I am not an idiot!" Harry huffed and slapped at Draco indignantly.
"You are indeed an idiot if you thought I'd do anything else but bind you to me in every way possible," Draco said haughtily, raising his chin slightly. He grinned when Harry gaped adorably. Honestly. Did the man really think he'd run away when told he had another child on the way? He had already made up his mind to get the silly Gryffindor to accept his proposal; now he just wouldn't accept 'no' as an answer. "I understand things were different with Gabe but... they're different now. You're stuck with me, love," he said gravely. "Nothing will change that."
Harry grinned and wiped the back of his hand across his eyes, firmly ignoring the way it shook slightly. "Alright. You still have to woo me, though," he reminded Draco with a smirk. The smirk softened into a fond smile when Draco nodded seriously. A giddy thrill shot through him at the very notion of what Draco would do to woo him. It was a rather exciting thought.
"Did he ask you?" Gabe yelled as he flew down the stairs, Teddy following looking just as curious.
Harry turned slightly and chuckled at Gabe and Teddy's noisy re-entrance. "Ask me what?"
"Nothing!" Teddy said loudly and elbowed Gabe, glaring down at his little brother to enforce his command to shut up. Obviously, pop hadn't asked or they'd be able to tell. They'd probably be kissing or something else just as gross. Gabe glanced up at him and nodded his understanding, his little face serious. He nearly sighed with relief. He knew his little brother was smart but sometimes he can be such a kid and get carried away. "Can we go now? We're starving," he said with a whine, eerily similar to Draco's earlier.
Harry narrowed his eyes and looked between his sons, very aware they were hiding something. He huffed and rolled his eyes a moment later when he only got manufactured innocent expressions. "Yeah yeah yeah, let's go," he said. Both boys whooped happily, each grabbing onto him and waiting patiently to be apparated. He glanced at Draco and raised his eyebrows. "Well, let's go," he said.
"Right," Draco said and wrapped an arm firmly around Harry's waist, making sure both boys were holding on just as firmly before apparating them a few blocks to alley by their favorite pizza parlor.
~*O*~
Harry moaned softly, burying his face into his pillow to help muffle the noise. He glanced back with annoyance when Draco chuckled. "Shut up," he said testily, wiggling his hips trying to dislodge the amused blonde perched on his arse.
"No," Draco said, amusement still in his voice. He leaned down and continued the massage, ignoring Harry's annoyed huff. How was he supposed to ignore Harry when he made such sounds? He wasn't even touching him below the waist! "I'm not laughing at you, love," he said softly, working his fingertips and the heel of his palms along Harry's tense shoulders.
He'd had to nearly force the idiot to lay down for a massage after an hour of tossing and turning in bed. And before that Harry had paced in front of the bed for nearly a half hour. He hadn't any clue why they had gone to bed so early if neither of them were tired. A long, stressful day seemed like a good reason to go to bed early, but he didn't think it would be beneficial if they couldn't actually sleep.
Harry turned his head, closing his eyes. "Sounds like it," he said petulantly, stifling another moan when Draco's magical fingers loosened another tense muscle in his shoulders. Dinner had been fun, of course, but he was still tense and stiff with nerves and nearly painful apprehension. He knew what he'd find out at the healers tomorrow. He knew that Draco wasn't going to run off screaming into the night. He was still tense and full of nervous anticipation that finding out for sure would somehow jinx Draco's acceptance or some other unseen consequence. Almost immediately after the appointment they had to go to the Ministry for Neville and Steven's bonding ceremony.
Not to mention being blind-sided with news of having Pansy dropping by for a visit Saturday. He still didn't know how to react. Everyone was going to be there; was it a good idea to let Pansy stop by? He didn't know and Draco only shrugged, claiming it was Pansy's problem for inviting herself. There wasn't childish animosity but they weren't friends either.
Plus, he knew one look at Gabe and the witch would know Gabe was Draco's son; something he didn't exactly want being common knowledge. Still, he felt a flush of warmth knowing that Draco wasn't bothered Pansy knowing. He had even admitted to not telling Pansy beforehand because they hadn't discussed it (in detail) yet. He was only unsure how trustworthy the Slytherin with was and was completely near panic mode when the blonde had only shrugged again.
He groaned softly when Draco's palms pressed along his spine, his dexterous fingers kneading the muscles in his lower back.
"I'm really not, Harry." Draco said sincerely. "I adore that sound. I'm half amused and half regretful I'm not buried deep inside you while you make such a noise," he said, leaning down to murmur in Harry's ear, gently nipping the outer shell. He grinned when he felt a shiver work through Harry's body. He could also see a hint of an adorably sexy blush on his cheeks and neck.
Harry groaned softly and buried his face in the crook of his arm. "Merlin," he whispered. He had been very content to just lay here and let Draco's hands massage and sooth him into blissful, deep sleep but now he was getting hard and it was all that blonde devil's fault. "St-stop," he said pleadingly. He could never resist Draco when he spoke like that, especially not in that low, sexy voice right next to his ear. He didn't want to go there, not now. He had a healer's appointment in the morning!
"Why?" Draco whispered, enjoying the second shiver that went through Harry when he trailed his fingers over one perky arse cheek, dipping between them briefly, and nibbled his earlobe.
Harry turned his head sharply, trying to avoid Draco's distracting ministrations. "We've an appointment tomorrow," he said quietly.
"And?" Draco asked, sliding down Harry's body and sliding his sleep pants down a bit lower, revealing the top of his arse cheeks. He licked his lips and chuckled when Harry tried to turn over. He wouldn't stop him; as much as he loved Harry's arse, he loved his cock even more. He'd happily give that attention instead.
Harry glared down at Draco, giving up on turning over when he saw the look in the silvery grey eyes slide down and fill with lusty anticipation. "You expect me to see a healer tomorrow after you've thoroughly shagged me?"
"Yes," Draco said seriously, unable to see the problem. He laughed with delight when Harry's cheeks pinked again. "You are so delightfully bashful at times, love," he said with affection and crawled up Harry's body, turned his head and kissed him hard. "You can't seriously expect a healer to care? I mean, you're going in to confirm a pregnancy, love. I highly doubt the healer won't know how it happened."
Harry pulled away with an effort and glared again. He couldn't explain why it felt so... weird to him but it did. "Shut up!" He turned his head and glared at the wall. He knew it didn't make a whole lot of logical sense. He tried to throw off the warm hand settling on his shoulder but he couldn't stay irritated when Draco's hands slid down his back again. He arched into the talented hands, Draco's thumbs pressing along his spine as his long fingers fluttered against his sides. "Stop it," he said weakly. He really wasn't going to actively stop Draco but he didn't want to seem like he was giving in so easily.
"No," Draco said and smirked triumphantly when Harry moaned softly when he slid his hands under his sleep pants and firmly cupped each arse cheek and gently kneaded them. He leaned down and planted a line of kisses along Harry's shoulders and up the back of his neck, flicking his tongue out against the warm skin. He hummed with pleasure, his chest firmly against Harry's back so he could feel it as well as hear it. "You honestly can't expect me to be able to resist?"
Harry laid quietly for long moments, trying to sort out his breathing. Draco's nimble fingers were again sliding and fluttering along his sides and arms, making his body twitch and shiver delicately. "You're a strong man, Draco. You can resist," he finally mumbled, trying to ignore the way his erection was throbbing and making a sticky mess in his pants.
"Not that strong, love," Draco muttered, lightly biting the soft flesh of Harry's neck where it met his shoulder. He shifted his hips down, grinding his growing bulge against the thin fabric just barely covering Harry's arse cheeks and nearly chuckled when Harry moaned loudly and arched up into him. He knew Harry was just as turned on as he was. He also knew Harry was going to be flipping over and attacking him soon. He could tell by the way Harry's breathing was getting a bit labored and his fingers twitched. "C'mon, you can't expect me to resist this," he said lowly, one hand grabbing an arse cheek and the other sliding under Harry's body to cup his hard length. He moaned softly in Harry's ear, willing him to flip over, and slid his thumb under the elastic band.
Harry grunted at the sudden contact and grinded himself down against Draco's hand shamelessly. He didn't know what to say to Draco's question without lying or making the blonde actually stop his movements. "No," he whispered and flipped over, crooking at arm firmly behind Draco's neck and pulling the blonde into a hot, messy kiss.
He didn't care about anything but Draco finishing what he started. He pulled Draco flush against him, sighing softly at the contact, enjoying the way the blonde's weight pressed him into the mattress. "Get naked," he demanded, pushing at the blonde's button up. He huffed impatiently when Draco didn't move fast enough and tore the shirt open, grinning when buttons went flying. He went to give Draco's trousers the same treatment and looked up when pale hands covered his and squeezed gently, halting his movements.
"Alright," Draco said with a breathless chuckle. He didn't really care about the shirt but he didn't look forward to his trousers having the same fate. He loved these trousers, they fit him so well and really highlighted his arse. He carefully worked the buttons and let Harry's eager hands continue in stripping him. He grinned when Harry uttered a groaning gasp, obviously noticing his lack of underwear. He didn't comment and even if he was going to it was lost as a loud moan left him when Harry's hand closed around his prick and tightened with exquisite pressure.
He conjured lube and pushed Harry down, flat on his back. He slide the pants down and off, chuckling when Harry kicked them carelessly to the side. He didn't waste any time and immediately ran his slicked hand down the cleft of Harry's arse, slipping two fingers inside with a quick move. He nearly paused when Harry bucked against him with a breathy whine, convinced he'd been too eager but Harry's scrabbling hands pulled at him when he stopped and he quickly continued. He eagerly followed Harry's commands when he asked for more and sooner than he expected, he was pulling four fingers out of Harry's arse and slicking himself.
He looked down, a warm feeling of affection and a bit of relief going through him when he saw Harry's eyes were closed in bliss. He'd told Harry he loved him and he knew Harry would know it without a doubt if he were looking. He didn't exactly want to hear it from Harry, still a bit nervous about being so bare. He loved the brilliant, strong powerful wizard under him. He adored all of that about him but loved the mindless, writhing, submissive one he turned into with the barest touch of his hand just as much.
Harry flopped bonelessly on the bed, feeling wonderfully relaxed and eagerly awaited Draco's next move. He let himself be contorted, his knees pushed up nearly in his ears. He stifled a giggle at the ridiculous feeling position but any amusement evaporated when Draco pressed against his slick and ready arse. He thought maybe this would be a preferable way to relax, even though he thoroughly enjoyed Draco's massages.
Draco smirked when Harry's breath hitched as he pressed in, leaning down to steal a kiss as he slowly slid inside.
~*O*~
"Ready?" Pansy asked quietly, one dark eyebrow quirked up. She nodded, knocking when she only got a bland stare from her companion and shifted the bakery box in her arms. She didn't know whether to smile or not and was caught shifting her face between a small smile and a bored expression a few times when the door opened. She immediately shoved the box into open hands.
Draco snorted with amusement and shook his head, waving the box into the other room with a careless flick of his hand. He could only hope the adults found and ate the contents before the boys did. "Hello Pans," he said cheerfully, stepping aside and kissing her cheek when she moved past him to step inside. "Jessica," he said just as pleasantly, kissing the back of her hand and closing the front door. He leaned against the door for a moment, trying to sort out his thoughts. "First thing; Harry's friends are also here. So, best behavior, yeah?" he smirked when he got two slow, doubtful nods. "Second, the boys are here."
"Alright," Pansy said, not sure why she'd care the brats were about. They did live here, after all, and she hadn't expected Draco (or Potter) to keep the them locked up somewhere when they had guests. It would have been nice, but she hadn't expected it. "So? I don't mind kids," she said, barely managing not to cringe or grimace.
A grin lifted Draco's mouth quickly before it fell. He knew Pansy was lying through her pearly whites but he appreciated the effort. "Right, well, I should probably warn you about—"
"Draco? Is that Pansy?" Harry asked, cutting off the blonde as he entered the foyer. He pasted on a smile as he looked between the two women standing across from Draco. He tried not to act surprised at seeing Pansy standing close to a woman, the pair obviously a couple by the intimate body language.
Draco sighed with annoyance and nodded. "Yes. Pansy," he waved a hand at her, more than a little amused at the 'introduction'. He smirked when she gave a mock curtsy, holding out imaginary robes. "And this is Jessica," he said, waving his hand at the other woman.
Pansy smirked at the shocked look on Potter's face, obviously surprised to see her with Jessica. "Potter," she said. "Stop staring," she said, amusement in her voice. "Don't look so surprised. After Draco became unavailable to any witch, I was hopeless to find another wizard that could possibly compare."
"Oh," Harry said, ignoring Draco's smug expression and Pansy's brief leer. While she'd said it in a joking manner, he got the distinct impression she wasn't completely kidding. He nearly apologized for 'stealing' Draco but didn't. "Hello Pansy, Jessica," he said pleasantly, greeting the stranger with an outstretched hand.
His smile warmed a bit more when the woman shook his hand with a small smile. "Were you at Hogwarts?" he asked after a moment of study. The woman looked a bit familiar. Her caramel colored hair was long enough to reach the small of her back, falling in loose waves, and her hazel eyes were warm and crinkled a bit when she smiled at him. The niggle of recognition got a bit stronger when Jessica chuckled softly and swept the hair from her face, twisting it into a loose bun for a moment.
Jessica nodded, "I did. I was a year ahead of you lot. Gryffindor," she grinned and rolled her eyes when Pansy snorted daintily. She shifted closer to the brunette witch and wrapped an arm around her waist, kissing her cheek. She was quite amused at the other Slytherin/Gryffindor couple, wondering if it was a trend or if they were some kind of exception.
Pansy and Draco shared an amused, exasperated look; Gryffindors.
"Yes, well, as I was saying," Draco started with a light scowl at Harry, silently scolding him for the interruption. He tried to stay annoyed but when Harry shifted closer and leaned into his side the feeling evaporated into fondness. He rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around his waist. "I wanted to warn you, Gabe... Well, he's..." he trailed off, feeling sweat form on his upper lip.
He looked to Harry and got an encouraging smile and a nod. It didn't magically give him the courage to continue and he was infuriatingly close to wringing his hands. He wanted to warn Pansy, knowing the witch was smart enough to figure it out and he wanted to avoid her screeching at him or scaring Gabe with intense scrutiny.
"Gabe is Draco's son," Harry said after Draco just continued to stand there, his jaw twitching as he clenched his teeth. He nodded at the twin expressions of shock on the women's faces. He didn't know if he wanted to share the other bit of news yet, though. As excited as he was about the confirmed pregnancy, he wanted his friends to know first. "It's not exactly common knowledge," he added, knowing they'd understand his bid for continued privacy.
Pansy cleared her throat before sending a heated glare at Draco. "Why didn't you say before?" she hissed angrily. Oh, sure, she was thrilled for her friend and naturally would try a little harder to like the little boy but she was quite pissed to only be finding this out now. How dare Draco have a kid and not tell her! Her hands hooked into claws, only relaxing when Jessica grabbed one and stroked along her tense fingers in a soothing motion.
"Well, I didn't know for awhile, did I?" Draco defended, sliding his arm from around Harry to cross both in front of his chest. "And when I did know, it wasn't something Harry wanted spread around," he said with a raised eyebrow, daring the witch to argue.
Pansy's glare softened slightly and she flicked her hair out of her eyes. "I see," she finally said. Her eyes slowly slid to Harry and smirked. "Hiding the little scamp, huh?"
"Yes," Harry said plainly. He didn't feel any urge to explain himself to Pansy. He stared blankly at the Slytherin witch, not at all intimidated by her glare. He had been glared at by the best. Thankfully, hers didn't make him want to slam her against a wall and kiss the breath from her like Draco's did. "Did you want to join the group?" he asked politely.
Pansy huffed, a bit put out her glare didn't loosen Potter's tongue and small smile grew on her face. She let her annoyance go over the whole 'I-have-a-kid' thing being completely swept aside. Merlin help that blonde bastard the first moment she got him alone, though. "Sure. Who else is here?" she asked, fearing the answer a bit. She was pretty sure Potter didn't socialize with Weasels anymore, but she didn't know his social circle.
"Hermione and her fiancé Arnold. Neville and his husband Steven," Harry said, watching Pansy's face closely for any negative reactions. Surprisingly, Pansy's small smile twitched in the corner, as if it wanted to grow, and she nodded. A thunder of small footsteps caused all adults to turn and glance up the stairs as two little boys and a dog barreled down them. "Boys!" he admonished with a light frown. "We've got guests."
Gabe and Teddy paused on the second step and gave sheepish grins to their dad before beaming happy smiles to the two new people standing by the steps. "Hi!" Gabe gushed and rushed over. He grabbed their hands and planted a noisy kiss on the backs of each of them. "I'm Gabe!" he chirped, looking up at the ladies. He grinned happily when he saw them both smile pleasantly.
Harry watched as the two witches' eyes widened and glossed over slightly at the adorableness. He snickered when Pansy squatted to lower herself to Gabe's level and ruffled his dark hair playfully. He saw her eyes narrow when she noticed Gabe's eyes but they returned to normal quickly and her face broke into a small but friendly smile. He didn't realized he had been nervous for the introduction until he felt himself release a pent up breath and relax.
"Hello, Gabe," Pansy said with a smile. Merlin, he was a cute bugger! She looked over at Draco and nodded approvingly; Draco, unsurprisingly, made cute kids. "I'm Pansy, nice to meet you." She stood back up and wrapped an arm around Jessica. "This is my good friend, Jessica." She watched with amusement when her girlfriend got a beaming smile and a slightly shy wave.
Teddy shuffled closer and greeted the newcomers in a more subtle fashion. "I'm Teddy," he said quietly, feeling a bit shy. He smiled shyly at the two women and shuffled his feet as Gabe started babbling to the one with long hair. He couldn't help it when his hair grew out and changed color to match hers, he often did it unconsciously. He did it more often when nervous, like now.
"Wow!" Jessica said, her eyes going round with surprise. "That's a special talent you have there, Teddy." She smiled and watched with rapt attention when the little boy's hair seemed to shrink and darken back to the matching messy black locks he had obviously modeled after Harry. She gave him an encouraging smile, feeling a bit smitten with the shy little boy.
Gabe looked between papa and the dark haired lady, his brows scrunched together in thought. They were talking quietly and papa had his hand on the lady's arm in a friendly way. "Are you a friend of papa's?" he asked, curiosity shining in his eyes. He hasn't met any of papa's friends before and he was a little sad to think papa didn't have any.
"Yes," Pansy said, sounding a bit surprised. She tried not to gape stupidly when Gabe beamed a happy smile at her, his silvery grey eyes practically sparkling, and grabbed her hand and lead her out of the foyer.
"Good! C'mon," Gabe chirped, dragging Pansy and making sure the other adults were following with a brief glance back. He nodded when he saw they were. Papa and daddy both smiling at him. "Aunt Hermione, uncle Arnold, uncle Neville and uncle Steven are all here!" He paused and looked up at Miss Pansy with adorable confusion. "Do you know them?" he asked, wondering if he had to make introductions or not. Luckily, the only person he didn't know was Miss Pansy's friend.
Pansy cleared her throat, stunned she wasn't pulling her hand away or snapping at the brat. He was too cute and very personable. If she didn't know Draco had nearly nothing to do with his upbringing, she'd praise him for a job well done. She sent Harry a kind smile, though, and winked when he gave her a stunned look.
"I know Neville and Hermione. We went to school together," she said quietly, hoping the child didn't pick up the slight apprehension in her voice. She'd never been on good terms with the Gryffindors and was a bit nervous about dropping in so suddenly. It seemed like less of a good idea now but she'd never say it aloud.
"Oh," Gabe said, scrunching his brows as he studied Miss Pansy. She sounded a little scared. "They're real nice," he assured, patting her captive hand with his small one in an effort to comfort. "Uncle Arnold is a Muggle," he said matter-of-factly. "But he knows about the secret magic stuff."
Pansy nodded, feeling apprehension squirm through her again. She had learned a bit more about Muggles since school and no longer held them in the same contempt as she had foolishly (and blindly) done in her youth. "Alright," she said. She followed Gabe into the main parlor and paused when four pairs of eyes settled on her. She reached back blindly and sighed inaudibly with relief when she felt Jessica's hand immediately grasp hers. "Hello," she said lightly, sending a small nervous smile to everyone. She felt like fidgeting under the collective gaze.
"Pansy," Hermione said, getting up and walking over. She sent a curious look to Harry and Draco, frowning a bit when she only got shrugs in answer. "Nice to see you again," she said as pleasantly as she could. When she got a small smile and a head nod, she smiled. She turned away slightly and made introductions, smiling and nodding as each person gave a way and a smile when introduced. Her eyes settled on the dark blonde woman behind Pansy and raised a curious eyebrow.
Pansy fought an embarrassed blush. She had been a bit distracted by the friendly greetings, she nearly forgotten about Jessica behind her. "This is Jessica," she said and pulled the woman out from behind her and held her close. Both in an effort to sooth her nerves and to show the nature of their relationship. She nibbled her lip to keep a large smile from growing on her face when Jessica was greeted warmly. She started slightly when Gabe jumped up in front of her.
"Miss Pansy!" Gabe said and turned in a half-circle before finding Angus. He waved the dog over and patted his neck fondly. "This is Angus," he said proudly. He grinned when Angus 'woof'ed softly and wagged his tail before trotting out of the room. He giggled and ran after him, calling a quick 'Bye!' over his shoulder as he followed the dog to let him outside and play in the garden for a bit. He waved at Teddy to follow and they both rushed out, Teddy more than eager to leave the room. Grown ups were usually boring, unless they were watching the telly.
Draco stood next to Pansy, smirking. "Have a seat, Pans," he said, waving a hand towards a vacant couch. "Tea?" he asked pleasantly.
"Please," Pansy said with a small shrug, pulling Jessica with her and settling on the sofa with stiff movements. She anxiously looked between the people in the room, silently cursing the blonde bastard for leaving her alone with five virtual strangers. "So," she said, nearly grimacing at her nervous tone. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so uncomfortable. "What's the occasion?"
Neville grinned at the nervous Slytherin and tried not to let old memories surface. "I got married today," he said proudly and subtly flashed the wedding band on his left ring finger as he reached for Steven's hand and wound their fingers together. The rings clicked softly and they shared a smile. The bonding tattoos peeked out from under their rings occasionally. He had been thrilled to have Harry and Hermione act as witnesses and just as thrilled to have a quick bonding ceremony, eagerly awaiting the moment they could slip away for their honeymoon.
"Oh!" Pansy said, sounding genuinely surprise. "Congratulations," she said, nodding at the two happily smiling men. She ignored the subtle squeeze Jessica gave her, the hint gotten and filed away for later discussion. "I'm sorry for interrupting," she said sincerely. She hadn't realized it was anything but just a friendly gathering. She felt like an annoying party crasher, relived they were too bloody nice to point it out.
Neville waved a hand at Pansy, chuckling softly. "It's really alright. It wasn't anything big, just a quick stop at the Ministry," he said and sent a quick, happy smile to Steven. "You're a friend of Draco's, so it's not like you're unwelcome." He gave Pansy a friendly smile, sincere in his comment. He wasn't best friends with Draco but they got along well enough he wouldn't immediately be a bastard to his friends. Pansy, so far, had been pleasant and polite. They had hashed out old grudges years ago when Harry and Draco first got together so he really didn't see the point in doing it again.
"Alright," Pansy said, unable to hide her surprise. Bloody Gryffindors. She scowled when Jessica chuckled. "Shut up," she whispered. She looked up gratefully when Draco came back, numerous cups and mugs on a tray floating behind him. He handed her a delicate looking tea cup first and let the tray float around to everyone, the others just grabbing theirs as the tray floated by them.
She tried to relax in her seat, taking comfort in Jessica's warmth and a bit envious she was able to relax so easily. It probably helped Jessica didn't have any real history with most of the people in the room. She was pleasantly surprised to find the group easy going and quite personable, everyone either forgetting or tactfully ignoring any unpleasant memories. She was reluctantly grateful to be included in the banter and easy conversation, having little trouble after she finally relaxed. She'd nearly snorted with unladylike amusement more than once over something funny one of them said.
Jessica leaned closer to Pansy. "I take it you all didn't exactly get along?" she asked quietly, her eyes mostly on Harry and Draco, both smushed comfortably in a chair across from them. She was a bit surprised to see the blonde Slytherin behaving so affectionately, but she imagined it would be hard for him not to. Harry was absolutely charming and adorable, completely at ease on the blonde's lap (being unceremoniously pulled there when he'd perched on the arm of the chair) with one arm draped causally over Draco's shoulders and the other absently fondling with the buttons on his shirt or playfully slapping at Draco's chest when he said something a bit inappropriate.
Her gaze darted to the other couples and she felt vague recognition at Neville and Hermione. Not only did she know they had been key players in the war but she remembered them, a bit, as fellow Gryffindors. She was a little surprised Harry didn't have more friends here; the few articles she had read in The Prophet gave her some idea as to why but she didn't feel it was appropriate to bring it up. Especially when she easily saw how close the group was, not at all bothered by the small but intimate gathering. It was quite nice and she hoped to be around them more often. It was very nice to see people being so kind to her Pansy, as well.
"Not really," Pansy murmured, her eyes on the pair as well. She had never seen Draco behave in such a way and she was (admittedly a bit reluctantly) quite pleased for him. It was obvious that Harry made him disgustingly happy. No wonder the bastard was in such a tizzy about proposing. She turned a bit to look at Jessica. "Were you that oblivious in school?" she asked with a smirk.
Jessica snorted and gave a Slytherin-esque smirk. "I didn't really socialize with those younger than me," she retorted in a haughty tone she had learned from her girlfriend. A girlish giggle popped out before she could stop it and she covered her mouth for a moment. "I did notice Harry, of course. Who didn't? But I didn't know him or pay much attention to him. Completely different social groups," she said, her voice tinged with a bit of regret. She had never been one to go all 'fan-girl' when the girls in her dorm gushed about the Harry Potter, but the times she remembered seeing him he had appeared to be a nice enough bloke. She had been doing her small part for inter-house unity by dating Ravenclaws. "I didn't really get into the gossip, either." She didn't mention that she had been out of school, graduated and already working in Germany, when everything happened.
"Gossip," Pansy said with a snort. "Gossip stuck to those boys like fumes on a potion," she mused aloud. She didn't think anyone in school was unaware of what either boy did. On a daily basis. Draco, naturally, absorbed the attention like a sponge and Harry... well, even in school she could admit the man looked ashamed and embarrassed in large crowds, hating the attention.
Jessica gave Pansy a fond smile and settled against her side again, leaning her head against her shoulder. "Well, all that's in the past. I rather hope we can get to know them all a bit better," she said softly, smiling warmly up at Pansy when she felt her nod in agreement. It nearly made her giggle, knowing Pansy felt accepted and wanting to be a part of the group.
The rest of the afternoon went by pleasantly enough, the group warming up to the newest couple, laughter filling the small room frequently. Teddy and Gabe both ran into the room occasionally, amusing the adults until the last time when they came in to whine about being hungry. Gabe's eyes went impossibly wide and he ran over to Harry.
"A baby?" he demanded, his hands perched on his hips, his eyes going between daddy's face and tummy. His brows scrunched together a bit in confusion; it didn't look like there was a baby in there.
Teddy was behind Gabe, his hair a shocked stark white and his eyes as wide as his little brother's. Sure, he knew his dad had Gabe but it was still a surprise to hear the news. He didn't know what to think but he could tell his dad looked happy and nervous at the same time. He cocked his head, unknowingly agreeing with Gabe; it didn't look like there was a baby anywhere in his dad.
Harry sent a nervous glance to Draco before sighing. "Yes," he said, slightly annoyed his boys overheard. He was going to tell them, but he wanted a bit more time to ease them into it. He only told the gathering of friends because they had been dropping not-so-subtle hints and annoying questions about his well-being after Hermione mentioned the 'changes' he had shown over the last few weeks. It was his own fault really for refusing a Firewhiskey in a room full of observant, intelligent people. The healer assured him everything was alright so he didn't think it was too early to share. He had only been a bit nervous sharing in front of Pansy and a stranger, but a confident nod from Draco had him less worried. "A baby."
"What kind?" Gabe asked, his brows still scrunched. A sister would be great but he wouldn't mind another brother. "Can I pick?" he asked, widening his eyes in his pleading look as he crawled up into daddy's lap. He looped his arms around his neck and turned up the pleading look, angling his head down a little to peek out from under his lashes.
Harry couldn't help chuckling and ruffled Gabe's hair, pulling Teddy against his side as well. He ignored the adults in the room that were watching with badly hidden amusement and interest. "Not sure yet and no, you can't pick."
"Did papa already pick?" Gabe asked, leaning around daddy to look at papa with curiosity. He wondered what papa picked. He nearly climbed off daddy's lap and into papa's so he could give him the pleading look instead. He could make papa agree a sister was the best idea.
Harry chuckled again, shaking his head. "No, no one picks, munchkin. It's random," he tried to explain. He saw Gabe nod slowly, understanding what 'random' meant and hopefully how it applied in this situation. "Are you... alright with this?" he asked, looking between the boys. He got a shrug from Teddy and a vigorous head nod from Gabe. He knew to expect different answers as time went by, as much as they might look forward to a baby, they were bound to get frustrated and annoyed when attention shifted from them. He sighed softly, unable to really regret the situation and hoping he (no; they) would be able to cope alright.
"Yeah," Teddy said, leaning against his dad. He knew there wasn't anything he could say about it. Babies just didn't disappear so he didn't see a point in arguing or making dad feel guilty about it. He didn't mind another sibling. "I hope it's a girl," he said with a slight glare at his little brother. He wouldn't have to share his room, again, if it was a sister. Girls always had pink things. He didn't want pink things in his room, so it was a given dad would pick a new room to make all pink and girly. "Brothers stink," he said with quiet authority.
"Teddy!" Gabe said in a loud whine. "I don't stink. I had a bath," he said indignantly. He looked at daddy and nodded. "I want a sister, too," he said as if placing an order.
Harry snickered and hugged both boys tightly, planting a kiss on the top of each of their heads. "We'll just have to wait and see," he said with a relieved sigh. He shared a warm look with Draco, noting he'd been nodding along with the boys' opinion. "Well, it's nearly dinner time. Where should we go?" he asked, looking around the room. Grinning smugly when everyone cleared their throats and tried to act as if they hadn't been intently watching the scene. He nearly rolled his eyes; it wasn't as if they had any other choice since the boys demanded answers right then and there.
No one had an opinion and after some discussion, everyone decided to go to the first place they came across. Gabe and Teddy whooped with delight when they got to go, too. It wasn't pizza or Chinese food, but they weren't too picky. They looked around the fancy restaurant and nodded solemnly when they got a stern 'behave!' look from Draco, trying not to roll their eyes when they got a similar speech from dad.
Draco let the large gathering buoy his spirits and made mental notes for his proposal. He wanted to do it on Harry's birthday and he needed to include the boys. He gave Harry a distracted smile the few times he glanced over, a questioning look on his face. Luckily, Harry didn't focus on him long and Draco found himself grateful for the large group, thankful the many people present distracted Harry enough.