Hey, everyone! Thanks for being so patient with me! I've had a busy few weeks and I lost my beta, but don't worry, I found a new one! His name is kjwatson2 and he's agreed to help me out! Yay, kjwatson2! Thank you so much! Anyway, I'd like to make a toast!
Here's to the year behind us: There were some bad times but there were good times too; we should all remember that about our pasts… Here's to the year ahead: May the things we experience in the coming year inspire us to better things and maybe to better ourselves and our circumstances as well as those of our friends and families.
Happy New Year, Everyone! Happy 2013! Here's hoping…
******** ******** Chapter 26 ******** ********
Harry and Draco played with Teddy for about half an hour before Pansy joined them in the sitting area of their suite. Just moments passed before Dinki popped in carrying a tea tray filled with tea, scones, and biscuits and a sippy-cup of juice for the baby.
"So this is Teddy Lupin?" Pansy asked upon seeing the small boy.
"Yes, Pansy; this is my godson. Teddy, say hello to Pansy." Harry smirked wondering how the baby would choose to pronounce the girl's name.
"Hi." Teddy said, surprising them all by turning shy. He blushed and, in doing so, he turned completely pink – from hair to toe.
"Well, aren't you precious?" she said once she'd recovered from her shock. She looked at Harry. "He's a…"
"Yes, Pansy; Teddy is a metamorphmagus. He gets it from his mother's side of the family," Harry interrupted.
"I've never met someone with those abilities before. It's extraordinary," the girl whispered.
"Yes, he is; isn't he? Check this out." Harry grinned and turned to the baby. "Teddy…come to Uncle Harry for a minute."
Pansy gasped as the little one crawled in Harry's direction while changing his hair and eyes to match the man who waited for him.
"Now watch this…" Draco winked at her. "No, Teddy; Uncle Draco wants to hold you. Come to me."
The baby stopped in his tracks and looked back and forth before adopting icy blond hair with emerald green eyes.
"Oh my…he could be your son," Pansy whispered.
"Yes…he could." Harry focused on her intently, even as he walked over to pick the baby up and place a bib around his neck. "I think of him that way, you know…as my son."
"Now, Harry – don't start that again! Pansy isn't going to hurt us or our family members." Draco scowled at Harry for a moment before handing Teddy a biscuit. "Not only does it benefit her situation to be in our – or specifically – your good graces, but she knows that if she hurts a Malfoy, she won't live to tell the tale."
The girl grimaced. "No need to make threats, Draco."
He smirked at her. "I know, Pans; that was a promise."
She shivered delicately. "I was told there would be tea. Am I welcome or not?"
"Yes, Pansy;" Harry said softly as he handed the baby's sippy-cup over to Draco who seemed to have quite a knack for the 'domestic stuff' even though he wanted to 'do something with his life other than bear children'. "Our point has been made. Come and sit."
"Thank you," she whispered as she sat.
Harry poured the tea and fixed it to everyone's liking before making his own and sitting back. "So, Dragon, I've been wondering if you've heard from Potions Master Loveday yet."
"Who is this Loveday person?" Pansy asked.
"Aloysius Loveday is the Potions Master Harry found to help me get my Mastery." Draco sighed as he answered his husband's question. "I haven't heard anything since that first letter, Love. He said that I really shouldn't start my additional training until after I've passed my N.E.W.T.s and the babies have been born. It's unfortunate but the fact is that some of the things we'll be working with have harmful effects on pregnant people or the fetus."
Harry made a sympathetic face. "Oh Dray; I'm sorry."
"He did send a few books for me to peruse, though. He said I'd find them helpful for future reference and said to count them as a gift," the blond commented before sipping the hot liquid. "I sent a note of thanks of course."
Pansy smiled as she watched the young men before her interact. "And…?"
Harry beamed as he echoed her sentiment. "Do you like them? Are they as helpful as he said they'd be?"
"Definitely! Harry, these books are so detailed!" Draco's face lit up. "Each potion is explained down to the properties. of each ingredient and why they interact the way they do. By the time the babies are here, I'll have passed the N.E.W.T.s and be very well prepared for the training Master Loveday is going to give me. I want to thank you again, Harry…for finding me a mentor and…" He winced visibly. "And letting me do this even though you don't like the idea."
"It's not that I don't like the idea, Draco," Harry began. "Even the training is dangerous if you don't have an experienced instructor and – have you met some of the Potions Masters of Loveday's caliber?"
"I've not met many, no." Draco frowned.
"I met some of them during the war and last summer and while trying to find one during our weeks of courting. You wouldn't believe it! Some of them are hideously ill-mannered and poorly trained – I have no idea how they got their certificates. Some are lecherous slobs who would try to take advantage of you or only take you on to make me happy while not actually giving you useful training!" Harry ranted. "Loveday is not only a Hogwarts graduate but he also trained for his Mastery under Nicholas Flamel. I trust him with you and your training as I wouldn't trust any other Potions Master but Snape."
Draco stared at him.
Pansy stared at him.
Teddy – having sensed Harry's intensity – stopped playing and stared at him.
"Sssh…it's alright, Teddy." Harry soothed the baby and then looked up at his companions. "What?"
"Did you just say you'd trust Snape?" Pansy asked glancing at Draco.
"Yes…if he was here and capable of training Draco, I'd trust him." Harry nodded. "He might've been a git to me and the other Gryffindors, but he was also a good man with many skills. I didn't like him as a person… but if I needed a potion, there was nobody better. He was also your godfather; wasn't he, Draco?"
"Yes, Harry," Draco whispered in amazement. "How did you know that?"
"After he died, I found out many things about him. He was in love with my mother – for one. They grew up in the same neighborhood when they were young and were in the same year at Hogwarts," Harry divulged. "I found out he was your godfather when I looked a little deeper into his relationship with your parents."
Draco nodded absently, trying to process this information.
"As for the 'letting you' comment… Draco – look at me," Harry asked. When the blond looked up at him, he said softly; "Draco, I'm not 'letting you' do this; I'm helping you do it. Spouses in love should support and help their partners realize their dreams. It's your dream to be a Potions Master; isn't it?"
Draco nodded.
"I'm supporting your dream and helping you to realize it by making sure you get the training you need in a way that keeps you safe and secure. I'll continue to support you - and our family - by staying home to raise our children during that training." Harry cupped his husband's cheek. "After the training is over, I'll celebrate with you and buy you that apothecary you want. You'll be working so hard and you've already been through so much…you deserve to see your dream come true, Dragon."
Draco's eyes filled with tears. "Pansy, something has come up and you're needed in your suite…right now."
Harry frowned but waited to see what was going on.
She smirked and put her teacup down as she walked to the door. "I'll see you at dinner Draco."
"Dinki," Draco called.
Dinki appeared and faced the blond.
"Please take Teddy back to his grandmother and tell my parents we'll see them at dinner but we're not to be disturbed until then," Draco went on. "Also send Pansy a small tea tray of her own."
Dinki nodded, picked up the baby and his things, and then popped out just in time as Draco stood and approached the brunette with no small amount of emotion.
He wiped his eyes quickly and seated himself astride Harry's lap. "Harry, you are truly amazing," he whispered. For a moment Harry thought to say something but Draco headed him off, laying a finger on his lips. "I'm not looking for comments or compliments, my love. I just want you to know how I see you…you are truly a rare creature – you're patient and kind; you're supportive and loving. You're so very different than I ever expected a Dominant husband to be…and you're mine to cherish."
Realizing that Draco had just paraphrased Harry's own speech from the moments before the consummation of their marriage, the brunette leaned in and took possession of Draco's lips – just as he'd done all those weeks before.
Dizzy from the kiss, Draco panted, "I want to ride you, Harry. Please?"
"One last thing Dragon," Harry said, looking into Draco's silver eyes. "The only place I really want you submissive is in my arms. Do you hear me? I love the way you challenge my opinions and beliefs… and when you thanked me for 'letting you' study potions…it sounded like I was crushing that. I don't want to crush your spirit, Draco! Promise me you won't let anything do that!"
Tears ran down Draco's face as he nodded. "I promise, Harry…I promise."
Harry undressed his husband quickly but gently and then sought to remove his own clothing as Draco hurried to retrieve the lube. By the time Harry had finished undressing, Draco was back and eager to resume his position on Harry's lap.
Harry smiled up at the blond. "Let me prepare you, Dragon."
Draco nodded and knelt on the couch to bend over the arm. Harry warmed the lube with a quick charm before applying it to Draco's opening. Draco moaned with pleasure upon feeling Harry's fingers enter his body. When he felt Harry's finger lightly brush his prostate, Draco whimpered and reminded Harry of what he really wanted.
Harry grinned. They'd done this more than a few times but never on this couch. "C'mon, Dray…I want to feel you sliding down onto my cock. I love to feel the warmth of your body surrounding me when I'm inside you."
Draco moaned from the words alone and adjusted his position to accept Harry's member. Lowering himself gently and yet deliberately onto Harry, Draco felt his muscles stretch and mold around the man he'd come to love. When Draco felt his husband's hair tickle his ass, he looked deep into the emerald eyes and began to move up and down on Harry's arousal. "Harry, I – I – I can't – I don't want the control, Harry… It's not who I am!" The blond panted remembering his husband's promise from that morning. "I love how it feels to be yours, Harry."
Harry savored the sight and sounds of Draco's surrender. "Merlin, Draco; yes! Moan for me, my dragon!"
Just then, Draco let out a deep guttural groan and sank down so Harry was balls deep. "Oh, Harry!"
Harry growled and turned the blond around kissing and licking his throat. "I'm so close, Dragon… I'm going to cum in you…I'm going to mark you as mine."
Draco took in the words and enjoyed the sentiment. "Harry, yes! Oh…Yours!"
Harry's lips were about to latch onto the blond's neck when the blond in question stopped him.
"Not someplace visible, Harry – please? I don't want my parents thinking you hit me or something. You're finally all getting along!" Draco said with a whine.
Harry relented and moved lower onto Draco's shoulder before giving in to the primal urge and marking his lover. "Cum with me, Dragon…"
Draco maneuvered so that Harry could take over their movements and the brunette did so with both ease and pleasure.
Harry made one long slow stroke and voiced a low command. "Tell me who you belong to Dragon."
"You, Harry! I'm yours!" Draco cried out. "Merlin! Oh, Merlin! Harder, Harry; please?"
Harry grinned and kept to the slow and steady pace until he couldn't help it anymore. He took hold of Draco's hips and placed the blond's hand on his own cock. "Touch yourself, Draco. Cum with me…," he commanded softly.
Draco began to stroke his cock in time with Harry's thrusts and soon they reached their peaks.
After they collapsed, Harry smiled at the exhausted blond. "So beautiful…"
"Stop; I'm gross," Draco weakly protested. "I'm all sweaty and I've got cum all over my stomach."
"You stop. You look gorgeous! This is the product of a good love making session and only I get to see you this way. I love it…," Harry smirked. "And I love you."
"And if I was clean, I'd hug and kiss you for making this mess sound flattering. Let's shower before we run late for dinner," Draco suggested.
Harry grinned and flicked his wand toward the shower. "There… it's ready for us."
Draco smiled and stood up. He stretched and walked into the bathroom, noticing that Harry was following him.
Harry stepped into the shower just behind Draco. "What if I wasn't done with you?"
"Then we'll just have to continue in here…won't we?" Draco gasped as Harry's mouth played along his shoulders again. "Mmmm, Harry!"
"So gorgeous…" Harry whispered as he guided Draco's hands to the warmed tiles and entered his husband a second time.
They made love there against wall in the shower and again on the bed before finding themselves with very little energy. Harry cast a Tempus charm and suddenly adrenaline shot through him. "Shit! Dray, dinner starts in ten minutes!"
Draco groaned. "Hurry up! Get dressed and we'll call Dinki to transport us to the formal dining-room. It's the only way we'll make it!"
Hurry, they did and Dinki popped them to their destination before anyone was the wiser…or so they thought.
Lucius stood regally at the head of the large table in the formal dining room with Narcissa to his left because she was the lady of the house. Andromeda was just left of her sister and Teddy was in a high-chair next to her. Two empty chairs sat to Lucius' right hand side; they were reserved for his son and son-in-law. As the Dominant of the two, Harry had the dubious honor of the seat at Lucius' immediate right, while Draco would be in the next chair over. Pansy was seated to Draco's right as his guest.
Harry held the doors open for his husband just as the others were sitting down to wait for them. "Hello everyone."
"Good evening, Harry…Draco…" Lucius nodded. "I was given to understand you would be a little late. I'm glad to see I mistook the situation."
"Late, Father? It is quite inappropriate to be late for Christmas dinner; we would never." Draco started to bluff as he moved toward his place at the table.
His father caught him with a knowing stare and one stately eyebrow rose in challenge.
Draco sighed, pausing next to his chair. "Sorry Father."
"For?" Lucius asked softly, sounding dangerous.
"I'm sorry for fibbing and almost being late for the holiday dinner, Father," Draco said just as softly, before sitting in the chair Harry held out for him.
"You are forgiven Draco," the older blond said; nodding formally, before addressing the newest member of the family. "Harry, I do hope there were no health problems that may have influenced this outburst of tardiness."
"No, Lucius; we just lost track of time. I'm very sorry." Harry bit his lip but had the grace to blush as he sat in his own place.
Unexpectedly, Lucius' expression changed to one of mischief. "I quite understand, Harry. My wife and I frequently 'lost track of time' when we were newlyweds; didn't we dear."
Draco looked startled at first and then he blushed and grimaced. "Too much information Father."
"I received more than an earful of that 'too much information' when I stopped by your rooms just over thirty minutes ago, Draconis," Lucius smirked.
Harry bit the inside of his cheek to keep from commenting. In his mind, he was deciding how best to 'punish' Draco for forgetting to ward the suite properly.
"Luc, be nice…I know you remember how we were and I'm sure it's the same with them. Call for dinner, please, darling; I'm ravenous." Narcissa smiled softly.
The whole scene confused Andromeda as she watched. This was not the way she'd imagined the Malfoys would treat young Harry. She'd thought the meal would be riddled with tension and hostility. Instead, there was mischief and playfulness. She began to relax until Lucius, once again, took to his feet.
"This Christmas we welcome a new member to the Malfoy family – Harry James Malfoy-Potter. Draco, you are my son – my heir… and although I did not approve of nor give this marriage my blessing before, I do so now. The man you married in October has opened his heart to all of us and I – as the head of this family – formally accept and acknowledge his place in it." Lucius bowed to Harry – whose jaw dropped.
Narcissa nodded with a solemn air. Andromeda was also affected by Lucius' behavior, though she didn't allow it to show. Draco just snorted and reached over to close the uncouth brunette's mouth while his father continued.
"Next week, we begin a new year and that year will herald a new era for us. Before the next Christmas, we will welcome two children of our own blood and be forever changed. There hasn't been a multiple birth in the Malfoy family in over five generations and, though it was I who procured the potion, I do not claim credit." The elder blond spoke softly; his tone was filled with sad acceptance. "I do, however, celebrate it and will continue to do so every day because the world needs more of the type of magic that only a child can produce. Thank you, Harry. Thank you for accepting the past as past and not harming Draco in some misguided sort of revenge. Thank you for loving him and giving us the precious gift of a future." Before Harry had time to comprehend what had just happened, Lucius clapped his hands twice and several house elves appeared. "Elves, you may bring the feast."
As the elves did so, Harry took the time to look around the room and settle down from the shock of his father-in-law's speech. Above the table, there were two large crystal chandeliers with garlands of greenery adorning them. Wreaths and sconces lined the walls and they were quite like the ones they'd had at the Yule Ball in fourth year. A lit candelabrum graced the table and was surrounded by evergreen boughs and holly. Each chair was lined with white satin.
"I see you are noticing the décor, Harry." Narcissa grinned. "I thought white would be appropriate for the chairs since there was a recent wedding in the family and neither of you got to see the room at that time. Perhaps as a treat, I'll show you how it would've looked for the heir's wedding."
Harry smiled. "That would be lovely, Narcissa. I hope we'll get to see it before we return to school."
"There is the New Years ball, Mother. I wouldn't be averse to that atmosphere while welcoming the new year," Draco suggested a little too innocently.
His mother gasped. "Oh Dragon, that's perfect! I'll invite all of your friends and we'll have a true wedding reception for you!"
Harry glanced at his husband and knew that's just what the blond had been hoping.
"I'll have Dinki fetch our wedding robes from Hogwarts for the occasion." Draco looked at Harry. "We don't need to redo the vows but I had rather hoped for a real first dance with you and a dance with my mother…"
"Won't you need new robes, Draco?" Lucius asked. "The others were fitted before you were pregnant."
One of the elves dropped the platter they'd been carrying and Harry had no warning before hearing a soft whimper of distress from his husband.
Draco's lip trembled as he stared down at the plate he was in the middle of filling. "Are you saying I'm fat? I am, aren't I?"
Draco's mother stood and hurried around the table to her son's side. "Draco, your father didn't mean it that way! You're not fat, dearest!"
Lucius' eyes widened as Narcissa, Pansy and Andromeda all glared his way. Harry focused on his upset husband instead; patting his shoulder and rubbing his arm.
"Draco, stop." Harry lifted Draco's head to look at him. "Madam Pomphrey says you're at a healthy weight, Draco. You know that. The weight will go away when you have the babies."
"I guess I know that…but there's no need to point out how fat I'm getting; is there?" Draco pouted.
Lucius winced silently upon hearing the hurt in Draco's voice.
"I mean – the babies are just starting to grow and…" He sniffed. "I'm sure I'll look like a hippogriff by the time they're born."
The elder blond man adjusted his robes uncomfortably and huffed.
"Please don't feel self conscious, Love," Harry said softly. "I'll never think you're fat."
"I remember you saying something like that to me, once… Lucius," Narcissa whispered as she retook her seat; seeing that her son-in-law had things in hand.
"We can resize the robes for New Years and I'm sure it won't need much alteration," Harry coaxed. "It's only been two and a half months after all."
"No, Harry, Father is right," Draco murmured, glaring at the man in question. "We'll need new ones…"
Harry was facing away from the older man at the time so Lucius didn't see him smirk. He knew Draco wasn't hurt anymore, just annoyed. Harry only had to wait and see what the blond had in mind.
"I'll get the kind that can grow with a pregnancy so…" Draco glanced between Lucius and Harry. "So I can use them when we have more babies."
Harry's face lit up even more at the thought of more children, but Narcissa seemed to catch on to her son's line of thought. Those types of robes with built-in growth charms cost a bit more than normal ones.
"That's the spirit, Dragon!" she cheered lightly, while glancing at her husband. "Thinking of the positive side is just the right way to deal with things. Seeing as how your father 'celebrates' your future children and believes that 'the world needs more of the type of magic that only a child can produce'… You'll certainly be having lots of them."
Harry got into the act, then; saying with a leering wink, "That means that you'll be needing quite a few sets of those robes."
Lucius looked them all over suspiciously before falling into their trap. "If it'll make you feel better, Draco; I'll provide the new robes."
"Well… You certainly don't have to Father," Draco said with an offhanded shrug. "After all, I'm quite sure that Harry can afford a few sets of fine robes, can't you Harry?"
Harry nodded solemnly. "Of course I can, Dragon. I won't have you feeling unattractive when you're anything but."
"No-no – that just won't do. The parents provide the robes for their childrens' wedding and reception. Lucius is quite right to say so." Narcissa grinned. "We'll get you a new set as well, Harry. No matter the cost."
"There; now that's settled – let's have the meal." Lucius concluded the conversation by turning to the elf that had dropped the platter. "Tinki, go fetch another platter of whatever it was you dropped. If this wasn't Christmas, I'd give you clothes for wasting that food!"
Tinki winced but said nothing as he popped out of sight.
Draco said he was over the weight issue, but Harry noticed that the younger blond man took many vegetables with his turkey slice and made sure to leave off the fried items. When dessert came, he only had one scoop of ice cream with a touch of whipped cream and a cherry, instead of a large sundae with sprinkles. Harry felt very annoyed with Lucius for saying what he had, but he also felt put out with Draco for taking his father's words so seriously.
After everyone had polished off their respective dessert, Narcissa stood, signifying that dinner was officially finished. "Brandy will be served in the drawing room," Narcissa announced. She laid her hand in the crook of Lucius' elbow and led the way.