******** ******** Chapter 27 ******** ********
Being that Draco and Pansy were withchild, they couldn't drink alcohol, so they decided on sparkling grape juice instead. Once the juice and brandy had been poured and distributed, they all sat and began to chat amongst themselves.
Draco once again challenged his father to a game of wizard's chess, while Harry sat with the ladies and his godson who was in need of a change and a good cleansing charm. Andromeda supervised Harry in the how-to of changing a diaper while Pansy watched and Narcissa smiled at the scene.
"You know I'm suddenly glad you showed me how to do this last summer, Andy! I didn't know how soon it would come in handy of course – but still!" Harry smirked at the older woman.
Draco looked up from his game. "You stayed with Andromeda, Harry? When was this?"
Harry blushed, remembering. "It was just after my birthday, Draco…"
Most of the others lost interest at that point but Draco suddenly recalled being told that it was around his last birthday that Harry had spent a week with a muggle boy. "Harry…?"
Hearing a strange tone in his husband's voice, Harry glanced up from dressing the – now clean and wiggling baby. "What is it Dragon?"
"What did the muggle boy look like?" Draco asked softly as soon as he'd directed a chess piece to move.
"Huh? Oh – I uh…" Having not expected the blond to broach this in mixed company, Harry handed his godson off to Andromeda before meeting his husband's curious but not volatile gaze. "Uhm…His hair was honey colored and his eyes were pale green…he was built sort of huskier than us. I hope you don't think I think about him at all, Dragon. He was sweet and I enjoyed my time with him, but you're who I really want. You do know that don't you?"
"What's his name?" Draco said ignoring Harry's quest for reassurance.
"Erm… Butterworth… I think? Andy - the muggle boy I saw last summer – what was his name again?" Harry asked quietly wishing he could change the subject. "I think it was Jonathon Butterworth, but I could be mistaken."
"No, no; Jonathon was the boy's father. The boy was Joseph and his mother's name was Ann," the older woman informed them. "They said to tell you goodbye, when they left to escort Joey to Eton – a muggle university – did I tell you that?"
"No, Andy, but I honestly haven't even thought of them in months," Harry told her as he turned back to speak with Draco. "Well, there you have it, Dray. I dated a muggle boy named Joseph Butterworth for the week or so after my birthday. What did you hope to accomplish with these silly questions?"
"You never talked about it and I wondered how I…" he whispered.
"How you – what? Did you wonder how you measured up to him?" Harry asked disappointedly. "He doesn't hold a candle to you, Draco. I only ever mentioned him so you'd know I wasn't an inexperienced clod in the bedroom."
Harry could tell that Lucius was pretending not to listen as Draco's cheeks flushed a soft pink. "I knew you wouldn't be inexperienced, Harry. Your grace on a broom is unparalleled and I imagined that to translate into the bedroom along with the passion you talked about that day in McGonagall's office… It does."
"Glad to hear it," Harry smirked. "So why the curiosity?"
The blond huffed while staring at the chessboard. "Oh, fine! I just wanted to see if there was a pattern to your preferences. Did you fancy many blonds…? That sort of thing…"
Lucius moved a piece as Harry answered. "Not when I was with girls, but yes. In school I thought myself straight and fancied Cho Chang. After her, there was Ginny – Ron's sister. During the war I did some thinking and soul searching and realized that what I really wanted was men. Then you – in the ballroom at the Manor – looked into my eyes," Harry said taking a breath. "Your expression was controlled but your eyes told me you knew me for who I was and I could almost hear your sarcasm – 'how could the Golden Trio get themselves caught' and 'don't you know you're supposed to save us all'. I even imagined you confessing how terrified you were."
Draco snorted softly at that. "You didn't imagine anything. I've known Legilimency and Occlumency since I was fifteen. When our eyes met, I sent you my thoughts."
Lucius didn't say anything as he completed a checkmate move, but he visibly stiffened at those words.
Harry's breath caught in his throat. "You did? So when I took your wand… you really just surrendered it? I could've sworn you said 'take the wands and go – hurry'. But what worried me was the look in your eyes that said 'take me with you'."
"I'd actually said 'I wish you could take me with you'," Draco told him. "He – I was horrified by the things he was doing and I knew that in his insanity he'd turn on us sooner or later. I went back to school after our punishment with the resolve to never return to the Manor. I figured I could appeal to Father and Mother to live on my own – preferably here or another of our houses; but if they said no…I didn't know what I'd do."
There was a long pause as they stared at each other.
"Well, this is a heavy topic for Christmas, my dears," Narcissa broke into the silence. Hearing her son confess his terror from during the war was as shocking as it was unpleasant. "Let's call an elf to bring us each a gift. Dinki?"
Draco's favorite elf appeared at once but she looked nothing like Harry and Draco had ever seen her. She was dressed in a fancy green pillowcase that was decorated in silver and white lace. She also had a red bow tied to her ear – which the newlyweds only noticed when she bowed to them.
"Harry, Draco… Your first gift is Dinki." Narcissa announced. "Harry, I know you have the elf from the Black family's London residence but he's very old and – from what I've heard – not a little insane. Lucius and I want you and Draco to start your married lives with a happy, healthy…experienced...but also pleasant house elf. She knows – among other things – how to care for children so she'll be able to assist with the twins when they arrive."
"She'll remain tied to our wards so she can access any of the family's dwellings, thereby allowing her to summon us if you have need of our aid or council," Lucius commented.
"Thank you so much; that's very kind of you. I'm certain she'll be a sight better than Kreacher with Draco's pregnancy and the children." Harry chuckled. "She also seems to be Draco's favorite around here, so she'll be a comfort when we live in our own home."
Lucius seemed to lose some of his tension as soon as Harry finished speaking.
"Dinki, I told you earlier which gift I want to give Teddy this evening." Harry nodded her way.
She grinned and popped away. When she reappeared, she was holding the wrapped gift out to Harry.
"Teddy, this gift is for you!" Harry smiled widely.
"Ry!" Teddy bounced in his grandmother's lap. He tore into the paper as soon as he could and then looked, wide eyed, at the item.
"It's magical, Ted. Just touch the picture of the puppy dog," Harry instructed.
The baby looked up at his godfather and then used one little finger to touch the picture of a familiar looking black dog.
"WOOF, WOOF!" The toy barked loudly.
Teddy squealed with laughter.
"Now touch the cat," Harry said.
"Kit." Teddy bounced again as he searched for the correct picture. The cat was grey with black markings that could almost be glasses. It meowed instantly at his touch, making him giggle again.
"The pictures are of animagi that I know… or knew in the past," Harry told Andromeda as she lifted it to her level.
"I know Minerva is the cat, but who is the dog?" she asked. "Who are the others?"
"The large black dog was Sirius' form," Harry told them. "He and my father – and Peter Pettigrew – were unregistered animagi. They did it to keep Remus company on the full moon. Teddy won't understand until later, but there is a picture of a wolf as well as a dog. My favorite of Tonks' morphs was her duck face so I have a duck that quacks."
Andromeda smiled softly. "What was your father's form, Harry?"
"My dad was a stag… Mum never learned to do it but her Patronus was a doe." Harry bit his lip. "Deer don't really make a recognizable noise so if he touches the picture of the stag and doe, he'll see a picture of my parents in human form projected on the nearest surface."
"Who are the rat and the beetle?" Narcissa asked.
"Pettigrew is the rat and the beetle is Rita Skeeter," Harry confessed, shocking everyone. "I know what you're thinking: he was an enemy and she - at the very least – is an annoyance. I understand that but I want him to learn certain lessons as he grows up – one of which is that not everyone is on your side. I'll explain things when he's old enough."
"There is a strange symbol here." Lucius pointed to the space between the wolf and the cat.
Harry licked his lips and gave a mysterious smile. "I'm reading up on transfigurations and I believe I'm quite close to learning the secret to becoming an animagus. That symbol is a spell that's built into the toy. I can add at least ten more animals and noises."
"That's ingenious, Harry." Andromeda grinned. "If you need help with your studies just let me know. I'm an eagle owl."
Harry stared. "Really? I hope you'll show me sometime, Andy!"
"Of course, dear." She winked. "Perhaps during our stay."
Harry was thrilled to hear this as it would help a lot to have a living source of information so willing and close to him.
Andromeda motioned to Dinki. "The gift I'm giving to Narcissa is on the low table in the sitting area in my suite."
"Yes, Madam Tonks." Dinki bowed before popping out and back in seconds, laying the gift on her former mistress' lap.
Narcissa's eyes sparked with excitement. "You always knew what to get me when we were young." She opened the paper with almost as much enthusiasm as Teddy had and gasped as soon as she saw the small jewel box. "Oh, Romy…It's lovely!"
"As soon as you place it where you want it, just tap it with your wand and say 'placement'. It will enlarge slightly and only opens to you once you press your forefinger to the silver plate on the side," Andromeda explained. "My beloved Ted gave me one just like this when I married him. I knew you'd enjoy this."
"Thank you, sister." Narcissa placed the box on the floor beside her chair and walked over to Andromeda.
Harry took Teddy from the older woman's lap and the sisters embraced. Teddy clapped his little hands and bounced in Harry's lap as Draco began to cry silently. Pansy held a hand to her heart. Even Draco's father was affected. Harry could see the emotion in Lucius' eyes as he watched his wife reconnect with her sister.
"You're very welcome, Cissy," was Andromeda's soft answer.
Draco gave Lucius a new book for his private library while Pansy gave Harry and Draco a pram for the baby.
Harry's gift to Andromeda turned out to be just as emotional as her gift to Draco's mother. It was something he'd found in the listings of the Black Family vault at Gringott's. "So, Andy...I went into the Black vault for your gift, but there's a story to go with it. You see: Irma Crabbe Black was both yours and Sirius' grandmother. The marriage of Irma and Pollux Black resulted in the births of Walburga and Cygnus Black."
"Family history is very interesting, Harry, but could we have the short version?" Draco smirked.
"No, Draco, this is important." Harry narrowed his gaze at the blond. "Now, Cygnus married Druella Rosier and they had you, Bellatrix and Narcissa. Apparently, this item was originally given to Irma by her sister-in-law, one Dorea Black Potter...my grandmother... and now I give it to you."
This sparked more tears from his godson's grandmother because she'd never expected to receive a Black Family heirloom after being disowned so long ago. She opened the gift and traced the delicately scripted capital B on the lid. "Cissy...it's the music box. Daddy always did say I was meant to get it when Grandmother passed..."
"Aunt Walburga wouldn't let him have it. She kept it herself. I saw it displayed on her dresser for years before she sent it to the vault," Narcissa confirmed as she held fast to her sister's hand.
Once everyone had finished opening presents and drinking their brandy, Lucius beckoned Harry closer as he went to the spirits bar. "Harry, I'm very pleased that you accepted Dinki so graciously. I thought you'd refuse. Isn't it your friend – Miss Granger – who disapproves of keeping the house elves enslaved?"
"It is; however…I have a slightly different viewpoint. I've met quite a few house elves and I can see that most of them are happy being bonded to a family." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "My belief is simply that we wizards shouldn't mistreat the ones in our care nor turn them out into the world with nowhere to go. We should do for ourselves that which we feel capable of doing and not rely solely on the elves. We should also use our manners when we deal with them as we would if they were human or almost any other species."
"Meaning?" Lucius frowned.
"What I mean is…" Harry paused. "Lucius, would you kick a Centaur?"
The elder blond man grimaced and blinked. "I should say not."
"Would you attempt to make a mountain troll iron his hands?" Harry asked.
"What? Of course not!" Lucius sounded outraged.
"Then why do those things to a house elf?" Harry inquired in softer tones.
Lucius appeared to seriously consider this. "They need correction if they misbehave. Those things are punishment."
"When he was little did you punish Draco for misbehavior by kicking him, Lucius?" Harry was grimly staring at his father-in-law. "Did you iron his hands?"
"O-o-of course not!" Lucius' eyes widened.
"Why not?" Harry asked intently watching the older man's reactions.
"Draco is a human… he was an impressionable child…" Lucius reasoned. "Centaurs and trolls are dangerous creatures. They would react very badly to physical violence."
Harry leaned forward and whispered into Lucius ear. "As Dobby did when he stopped you from fatally cursing me? What was I, Lucius…but an impressionable twelve year old child?"
Lucius gasped wordlessly.
"Think about it Lucius. I was just thirteen months old when you accompanied your Dark Lord to kill me and my parents." Harry backed off slowly and wandered over to stand behind his husband. He reached around placing his hands on Draco's midsection.
"Harry, what – in Merlin's name – did you say to my father?" Draco asked letting his head fall back to lay on Harry's shoulder. "He looks like his brain is going to explode."
"He'll be fine in the morning, Dragon." Harry kissed the blond's temple. "He's just rethinking every belief he's had since he met Voldemort."
"Harry!" Draco cried as he was suddenly lifted into his husband's arms.
"Good night, everyone; sleep well." Harry smiled, nodding at each person as he passed them on his way to the corridor. When they were alone, he called Dinki. "Would you please take us back to the suite? We're awfully tired."
Their elf left them just inside the bedroom area and promised to wake them an hour before breakfast.
As they both snuggled under the covers, Harry rolled over to place one last kiss on Draco's cheek. "Goodnight my love."
Hey everyone! I'm so happy to give you all the next chapter! It's Christmas eve for our boys! What did you think of the first few gifts? I can't wait to hear from you all!
Lori