Hey guys! Thank you again for being my beta, Mrs. Agget! Are we ready to see what happens to our boys and their friends?

******** ******** Chapter 33 ******** ********

Upon their return to Hogwarts, Marcus Flint was introduced to the students as Madam Hooch's new assistant. He said nothing as he stood and waved to everyone. A small child with dirty blond hair was sitting at the Ravenclaw table and was introduced as Flint's son, Stanislas Hermes.

Harry thought the poor kid looked awfully overwhelmed by the crowd. "Draco, how friendly were you with Flint?"

"Not very friendly…why?" Draco wondered.

"I just wondered if he'd be a visitor at the apartment, or perhaps his son would be. He'll need a sitter at some point," Harry said matter-of-factly.

"I suppose he'll want to catch up with someone from Slytherin, but he wasn't ever very impressed with me or Father," Draco shrugged. "I think he was neutral in the war. I suppose if Pansy has her way, he'll likely be visiting frequently though."

"Darn right," Pansy mumbled without taking her eyes off of the elder Flint. "I'll offer my babysitting services first and maybe other services later."

"Good luck Pans," Draco smirked.

Harry and Draco were both very proud of the way Pansy had regained her confidence and vivaciousness after the way McLaggen had treated her. There were also no other single women that were of age for Flint to be tempted elsewhere, so she had little competition in her quest for his heart.

A few days later, Pansy got her opening. She was walking through the halls with Harry and Draco on the way to a class the three of them shared when they heard a strange sound.

Looking around, Harry saw him first. "Hi there, little man. Are you alright?"

The tiny boy was only around two years old and looked pretty scared as he backed up into a corner. "No!"

"Do you know where you're supposed to be?" Harry asked.

"Want Daddy!" He said with a trembling lower lip.

"We'll help you find him. Can you hold my hand and walk or do you want me to hold you?" Harry offered as his two pregnant companions couldn't.

"Hello," Pansy said, smiling at the boy when he held his arms up to indicate his choice to be carried by Harry.

"You're daddy is Marcus Flint, right?" Draco asked, holding out a hand for the little boy to shake.

Instead of shaking, he nodded quickly and hid his face in Harry's shoulder.

"Your name is Stanislas, right?" Harry asked, trying to get him out of his shell.

The boy nodded. "But Daddy says Tanis."

"Well, that's what we'll call you then. Is that alright?" Pansy smiled at him again.

"Draco, do you want to do a Point-Me spell?" Harry asked.

The blond nodded and performed the spell. The wand spun in Draco's hand and pointed toward the nearest window. The group looked outside to see a flying class dispersing.

"Draco, why don't you go to class and tell Flitwick that Pansy and I will be along shortly while we bring Tanis to his daddy," Harry said.

"Why does Pansy get to accompany you?" Draco pouted.

"Because Pansy wants to talk to Assistant-Professor Flint and I need to carry Tanis. Sorry, love, but that leaves you to play messenger," Harry grinned.

"The classroom is on the way out to the field, you know. We could just drop by Charms and tell Flitwick what happened. He'd probably let all three of us go," Draco grumbled.

Harry chuckled. "Alright then, let's do that."

So that's what they did. As predicted, Professor Flitwick allowed all three of them continue on their self-appointed errand, only stating that they should read up on the theory of the charm the class would be learning.

On the walk down to the field where they'd seen Flint, Tanis was no more talkative than when he'd met the three students…at least not until he saw his daddy.

"Daddy! Daddy!" He cried, struggling to get down.

Flint was startled to hear his son's voice and when he saw whose company the boy was in, his eyes widened as he rapidly approached the group. "Hello, Parkinson, Malfoy, Potter. I'm sorry, you're both Malfoy-Potter now, aren't you? What are you doing with my son?"

"We found him in the halls," Pansy said softly as Harry let Tanis transfer into his father's arms. "I think he'd wandered away from whoever is supposed to be watching him."

"My elf will get clothes for neglecting him," Flint growled.

"Oh, there's no need for that, Professor," Pansy practically purred. "I think you should just let someone else look after the little tyke."

Flint snorted in frustration. "Like who? Most of the students I'd consider for the job are pregnant or busy with school. My sister has her own kids to worry about at home and my mum passed while we were in Canada waiting out the war."

"I'm sorry to hear about your mum, but…well, pregnant doesn't mean incapable, you know. I'd love to sit for him, and if the elf could be around for when I need to lift him for some reason…" Pansy pretended to consider the matter. "Well, I think that would be the only assistance I'd need."

"Really?" Flint asked. "You'd do that? You don't have classes to attend or homework to do?"

"Homework can be done while he's napping or playing with toys. When I have classes, maybe you're free or Harry and Draco are," Pansy shrugged.

"I don't know, Parkinson." He frowned at Harry and Draco.

"Call me Pansy…please Flint?" She looked at him through her long black lashes.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine, but I'm Marcus…and I'd pay you of course."

"I don't want to strain your resources, Marcus, but I could use the money," Pansy had a soft smile.

Draco silently pushed Harry forward.

"Well, Draco and I don't need the money, but you'd be giving us some practice before the twins get here." The brunette rubbed the back of his neck. "Anyway, the only class we all have together is Charms. Flitwick let us sit today's session out, but usually either I'm off or Draco or Pansy are. Your son is very sweet, Flint, and we'd love to sit with him. Although, I do insist the elf help Draco and Pansy because of their pregnancies."

"Didn't I just say to call me Marcus?" He asked before turning to his son. "What do you think, Tanis? Would you like to have three new babysitters?"

The little boy nodded and pointed at his rescuers. "They nice, Daddy."

"Well, that's fine then." Marcus kissed his son's forehead. "Starting tomorrow, Pansy and the Malfoy-Potters will play with you while I'm working."

"You can call us Harry and Draco, Marcus," Draco smirked.

"You're a lot different than you were when I went here, Draco," Marcus commented, motioning for the trio to follow him. "Back then, you were a snarky almost evil little git, but now you seem… I don't know how to word it. You seem to have settled down and grown up."

"I did grow up, Marcus," Draco frowned. "War does that to people."

"Nah, it's just the good influence of his husband," Harry grinned, trying to lighten the mood as he put an arm around Draco's shoulders while the blond blushed.

Marcus' eyebrows rose and fell in a suggestive waggle. "Just how good is his influence, Draco?"

"None of your business," Harry's husband made a face and sighed, his pale cheeks growing pink while Harry bit back a chuckle and tried to glare at the other man.

"Still the blushing bride, eh?" Marcus winked before turning to head up some stairs. "I was surprised to learn which position you took."

Draco pouted. "Stop teasing!"

"Oh, don't be that way, Draco," Pansy said, slapping his arm playfully. "I'm sure he doesn't mean anything by it."

"Not at all. I'm actually impressed that you're still so modest and shy about this." Marcus stopped at a painting of a boy in Quidditch gear and whispered his password. "You are, after all, a Slytherin who is married to the goody-est goody-goody Gryffindork of them all."

"First of all, there is a child present!" Harry gaped at his companions as he took the tacit invitation to sit on Marcus's sofa. "And second, what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I used to talk a big game, Harry," Draco admitted quietly as Marcus placed the baby in his playpen. "I used to pretend I was top in everything and people believed me."

"He also used to wish he could get into your brain and find out all sorts of interesting bits of information. Isn't that right, Draco?" Marcus teased. "So, does the Gryffindor Golden boy have any interesting kinks?"

"Yes…" Draco's blush went to a deeper color. "But instead of telling everyone, I just keep them to myself because I get more enjoyment out of them that way."

"I do not have kinks!" Harry couldn't believe they were discussing this with a baby in the room. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head but, when he opened them, he was still in the same situation and Draco was pointing at him while nodding his head and mouthing the words 'yes he does'.

"I guess Gryffindors don't talk openly about sex?" Marcus smirked at the younger men but Pansy giggled outright before asking for the way to the bathroom.

"Only with their spouses," Harry grimaced. "Merlin, I don't want to think of what my friends might get up to in private!"

Draco bit his lip. "I'm sorry I didn't warn you this might happen, Harry."

"Alright. If you're so insistent that I have kinks, what are they?" Now Harry was blushing.

"Well, the tamest one is romance," Draco shrugged. "You love to carry me off to the bed and kiss me sweetly while we …you know. Some people just grope and fuck – no romance, no kisses. We're not saying that kinks are bad, Harry. They're just things you like."

Harry considered that thought and agreed.

"One of my kinks, one I didn't admit to until marriage, is being the Keeper rather than the Chaser in bed," Draco commented lightly.

"Alright! Since I'm not getting any at all, let's not go there, guys!" Pansy joked as she took her seat again, but she easily noticed how Marcus's eyes seemed to focus on her after that.

"That was a big story, Pansy," Marcus told her. "Your divorce, I mean. It was reported in every newspaper for over a month. I was so angry to hear of it happening."

She blanched. "Thanks. It took a lot of effort to get myself back together but I'm okay now, and I'll soon have my son to care for. Hopefully he'll only get his father's curls but everything else will be me."

"Tanis is a mix of me and my wife. Marion was a lovely woman. She was sweet most of the time but had a nasty sense of humor. I met her in Canada and we married about a year before the war truly began," Marcus told his guests. "She got pregnant right away and had Tanis in mid-June, right before I got the last letter from my uncle just after the Ministry was taken. She contracted dragon pox at her job in Vancouver's version of St. Mungo's. She was a Healer's assistant in the pediatric ward."

"I'm so sorry, Marcus. It had to be horrible to lose her." Harry felt deeply sad for the man.

"I loved her, but I wonder if I loved her as deeply as you seem to love Draco," Marcus smiled sadly. "I've seen the papers and in the photos, the two of you look so lost in each other…so firmly attached, and I don't know if our connection was that intense."

"Every relationship doesn't have to be as intense as ours, Marcus," Harry said softly. "Every relationship doesn't have the history behind it that ours does. For six years, we hated each other. It took a war to get us together. It took him saving me when he didn't have to and it took me saving him a few times, too. Then, his mother saved me and I killed a Dark Lord so that I could choose the life I wanted to live."

"I softened to Harry and his cause during the days I spent at Hogwarts without Harry here for us to antagonize each other," Draco confessed. "And after we saved one another a few times, it still took the ministry decree to give me the confidence to stand up to my father so that I could choose what place I'd have in my own marriage."

"Then, I overheard him taking that stand, which in turn gave me the push to make a move toward something I'd slowly discovered over the last summer that I wanted to be mine." Harry squeezed Draco's hand.

"And here we are…" The blond sighed.

"Wow…" Marcus breathed.

"I know," Pansy pouted. "It was so intense and romantic between them. Why can't we all have our happy endings like that?"

"I had no drama at all and I was happy enough. I met Marion at the local farmer's market with my cousin. She was cute and I liked her instantly, so I asked her out," Marcus divulged. "My cousin took her friend out the same night and we dated and married really close together. They had just gotten the news of her friend's pregnancy when Marion got sick. They named their daughter after her."

"That's really sweet, Marcus," Pansy said as her eyes flitted around the room and settled on a framed wedding picture. "Is that her?"

"Yes." Marcus' stare settled on Pansy's pensive expression.

"She was lovely. I guess Tanis has her hair. The dirty blond is just a shade off of her golden curls," she said, looking over at the baby.

"Yes, but his hair is as straight and coarse as mine where hers was soft and full of life. Unfortunately, he's got my boring brown eyes instead of her pale blue ones," Marcus sighed. "So anyway, why don't you write down your schedules and we can figure out when you can each babysit."

They discovered that Harry could only stay with Tanis on Mondays and Fridays in the mornings, in addition to Wednesday afternoons. Draco was able to sit on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and Tuesday and Friday mornings. Pansy was free in the afternoons as well as all day on Wednesdays.

Marcus had classes to assist with on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays twice per day, but Thursday and Friday afternoons were for Quidditch team coaching.

When they were all happy with their arrangements, Marcus walked them to the door. "The password is 'marvelous marbles'. Thanks again, guys."

They waved goodbye to the baby as they left.

"I can't believe we're all free on Wednesday afternoons. We'll have to talk to Marcus about letting us watch him at our place on that day," Pansy smiled at her friends.

"That will be fine, Pans," Harry chuckled. "And we'll have them over for dinner on Wednesday nights."

"You'll get lots of chances to chat him up that way, Pans," Draco winked her way. "I guess it won't be too long before you're getting some!"

"Guys!" Pansy glanced around to make sure nobody had heard them.

"Alright, we'll stop!" Draco laughed softly. "Let's get back to the apartment for now. I'm tired."

Harry frowned slightly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Draco shrugged. "I just feel like I could use a nap, Harry. It's nothing."

Harry nodded but made a note to keep an eye on his husband nonetheless.

A few hours of rest did both young men some good and while they lay cuddling, one of the babies made their presence known.

Harry had his hand resting on Draco's belly as he remained in that slightly awake state. Suddenly, he felt a flutter under his palm. He whispered to Draco, "Dragon…"

"Isn't it amazing?" Draco whispered back. "One of them is moving. I felt something the other day, on the train back, but I wasn't sure so I didn't say anything."

Harry lay quietly for another moment. "Is that you, Lyra? Or was it your brother Caelum who moved just then?"

Draco chuckled at Harry's silliness. "It doesn't matter who it was, Harry."

Harry started to remove his hand but a second slight movement caught his attention and he stopped. "I'm your papa, little ones."

Draco smiled at his husband and shook his head. "They can call you Papa when we teach them how to talk, but I want to be called Daddy and Dad when they get older."

"I've always wanted my kids to call me Papa," Harry murmured, kissing the blond softly on his temple.

They fell into a thoughtful silence after that and soon drifted back off to sleep.

As time went on, Marcus Flint and his son became firmly ensconced in Harry's group of friends. Even though the man was a teacher, they had dinner at each other's apartments and even went to watch the house Quidditch games together when he wasn't drafted as referee.

After a few weeks, Draco was still getting tired at the drop of a hat, so Harry insisted on getting the school healer's opinion. Madam Pomphrey found that it was from a combination of using too much magic and the strain of the pregnancy. So, although he still attended classes, he was forbidden from actually performing the spells they learned. The poor blond was also suffering intense mood swings, so he could be happy one minute but sad or angry the next. There were even some days where he did nothing but cry. All Harry could do was hold him when he cried and try to sooth his temper when he was in a rage. Narcissa and Lucius were a big help most of the time, but sometimes Lucius became the focus of his emotional upheaval and they would have to leave. When it came time to welcome Selene into the family, they decided to let her stay with the Weasleys until after the school year ended to avoid stressing Draco with another thing to worry about.

By the end of May, Draco was on bed-rest so he couldn't overexert himself. Dinki was invaluable during that time because Harry couldn't be with Draco at all times while classes were going on. She and Marcus' elf shared Draco's shift of caring for Tanis, who had become like a nephew to Draco and his husband.

Pansy and Marcus did get close, but neither of them seemed willing to make the move for it to be more than friendly interaction.

For Draco's birthday, Harry invited Lucius and Narcissa to tea and all of their friends came to the apartment for a lovely party that same night. He opened many gifts and accepted lots of well-wishes for his nineteenth birthday. Among Draco's birthday gifts had been Neville's promise of a potions garden, so Harry gladly told Neville that he could bring a small contingent of Longbottom elves onto the estate in Kent during the summer holidays. The Longbottom heir knew of Draco's dream to run a small apothecary and this was something he could do to show Draco that the past truly was past. Secretly, Harry began to take note of things other apothecaries sold and was sure to include all potions ingredients, regardless of their prices or the level of danger in use – he was only creating a list, after all.

Harry was able to take his N.E.W.T.s before graduation, but Draco was still under Healer's orders to refrain from using magic. He would have to wait until after the twins were born.

Graduation was right around the corner and Pansy had yet to tell Marcus of her feelings, so Draco insisted that Harry host a dinner in their apartment so they could somehow reveal the secret. Harry gave in and the dinner was planned for the very next Wednesday night.

Wednesday morning began as most mornings did: the post arrived during breakfast. Harry, Draco and Pansy had remained at the apartment because Harry never left Draco alone during mealtimes. Draco got a letter from his parents and Pansy received one with an official Ministry seal. After finishing his vegetable omelet, Harry kissed his husband goodbye and hurried out to take his last N.E.W.T., which happened to be in Potions. Draco's letter consumed his interest and he didn't notice how pale Pansy got before she rushed to her room.

Pansy had passed all of her N.E.W.T.s by this point, and Draco had passed the written portion of all of his. They still watched Tanis but since it was the last week of school, that day was also the last Wednesday night they'd all be together before the eighth year students graduated. The day passed with no drama which explained why so much drama took place that evening.

Pansy had Tanis in her bedroom for his nap and when Marcus got there, Harry answered the door for him.

"Harry! I hear you had your last NEWT test this morning," Marcus smirked as he walked in and sat on the sofa. "How did it go?"

"It was Potions. How do you think it went?" Harry rolled his eyes and went to the bedroom to bring Draco out to his chaise so the blond could join them.

"Don't listen to him, Marcus," Draco was saying from Harry's conjured stretcher that was floating beside the brunette. "I have been tutoring him since we became engaged. This morning's test was probably difficult but I'm certain he did well."

Harry chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure I passed but I'm also sure I didn't end up with an 'O'."

Draco sighed as Harry's stretcher disappeared allowing him to drift down softly onto his chaise. "Well, as long as you passed, you'll be able to get any job you want…if you decide to get one instead of being a stay-at-home daddy."

"I'd love to be a stay-at-home dad! Anyway, I'll be your partner in the apothecary when you finish your training as well as reinvesting in George's company," Harry commented. "I'll have to get a business license and that means a correspondence class from one of the magical universities as well as one from the ministry."

Every time Harry mentioned Draco's future apothecary, the blond got misty-eyed. Draco's lower lip trembled. "Oh, Harry!"

"Aw, Dray. Don't cry, baby." Harry reached out and carded his fingers through Draco's loose hair.

"I-I'm just so happy, Harry," Draco sniffed, looking at Marcus. "You know, when we first got together, Harry didn't really like the whole idea of me going further in potions."

"No?" Marcus frowned. "But you were always so good at that subject."

Harry sighed. "It was just that the Potions Masters I'd met were horrible people that I'd thought would take advantage of him. Some weren't even trained properly themselves and I only wanted him to be safe. Is that a crime?" He really hated rehashing this old subject. He knew it played some part of Draco's plans to get their friends together, so he would just sigh and go along with it for now.

"Of course it's not a crime, Harry," Marcus smiled. "If P-Marion wanted to do something I thought was dangerous, I'd object as well."

Draco and Harry shared a look. They'd both heard the self-correction he'd made.

"Our friend Luna – you know Luna, right – Blaise's wife? Well, she lost her mother when she was nine; she even saw it happen. Apparently, Mrs. Lovegood liked to experiment with spells and, this one day, her current experiment went horribly wrong." Harry thought back to the conversation he'd had with Luna in fifth year. She'd sounded so matter-of-fact about the whole thing and it really was a tragedy. "I just don't want that to happen to us."

Draco's breath caught. He hadn't known that Harry was so affected by Luna's loss. He'd heard the story told once or twice by his father to other Death Eaters when they tried to experiment with new spells, and it hadn't sounded that horrific. But, he supposed that being nine years old and witnessing your mother's death would scar anyone. "I understand, Harry. I swear I'll be careful."

"That's all I can ask," Harry whispered, kissing the blond on his cheek.

"I can see where you're coming from, Harry," Marcus nodded. "I suppose I'd try and find a way to make what she wanted to do safer too."

"I want him to be successful and live his dreams, but mostly, I want him alive to do it." Harry fixed a stare at his husband.

Draco's cheeks filled with color and he bowed his head in submission.

"I'll go get Pansy and Tanis, Draco," Harry said, placing a finger under Draco's chin and urging the blond to look up. "I'd like for you to call Dinki and get dinner delivered."

Draco smiled softly. "Yes, Harry." The blond and his guest watched Harry walk from the room.

"Was there a purpose to that performance, Draco?" Marcus smirked.

"That was no performance, Marcus. It's my life," Draco said, looking up at the other man and snapping his fingers to summon Dinki.

"Dinki is being needed?" She asked.

"You can bring dinner now, Dinki," Draco smiled at the creature. After she popped out, Draco turned to his friend. "If anyone had told me years ago that I'd end up as Harry Potter's submissive spouse, I would've hexed them into St. Mungo's Janus Thickey ward. But here I am, in love with and submissive to, the Boy-Who-Lived. And the most unbelievable part isn't that I'm happy…it's that I chose to be here."

"Yeah, strange things can happen in life. I never thought I'd love and marry a muggleborn woman from Canada, never mind have a child with her and lose her before we even started living." Marcus looked pensively into the fire. "Did I tell you I got a letter from the ministry?"

"No. What was it about?" Draco frowned.

"They say my mourning period for Marion is long over and they want me to marry again to procreate," Marcus sighed.

"How dare they presume to decide something as personal as that?!" Draco shook his head. "They really are too much."

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked, coming back into the room.

"Dinner will be here shortly, Harry," Draco murmured before looking back at their friend.

"I'm mostly over Marion's death anyway, it's been so long. So, I've written a letter telling them to send me the list of available women," Marcus shrugged.

A gasp was heard from the hallway. Pansy stood with a hand to her mouth but they could see that her lower lip was trembling while tears gathered in her eyes. "I didn't get a chance to tell you…" She said as she turned to go back to her bedroom.

Harry hurried after her because Marcus didn't seem inclined to.

Marcus turned to Draco. "What didn't she tell me?"

"She's…I shouldn't say," The blond sighed and they went silent as the elf appeared. Dinki snapped her fingers and set the table. A second snap brought the food. A third snap brought a tray for Draco that was already set up with his bowl of applesauce.

Marcus frowned in the direction Pansy had run off to see only Harry returning with Tanis and a sheet of parchment.

"It seems that Pansy got a letter, too, guys," Harry said, unfolding the parchment. "Her divorce was final at Christmas and the Ministry have had reports from the therapist she sees that the effects of her trauma due to the abuse and divorce are greatly diminished. They say it's time for her to remarry and they've put her name on the list of women that are available for marriage."

Marcus gasped. "Really?"

"Yes, really, Marcus," Harry sighed, holding it out to Marcus. "And now, to top it all off, she's been chosen."

"Chosen!" Marcus stood up and took the parchment from the brunette.

"Her future husband will be at the graduation ceremony this weekend," Harry said grimly as he placed Tanis in the playpen.

Marcus stared down the hallway, vaguely aware of Harry taking food from the table and placing it on a plate for Draco's consumption.

"Harry, shouldn't they get the choice to say no at least once?" Draco asked. His friends could hear the disappointment and sorrow in his voice as he dipped his spoon into the mashed potatoes. "We did."

"I guess it doesn't work that way for second marriages," Harry frowned.

"I want her. I thought she'd be on the list and I could just choose her," Marcus whispered. "I've written the letter but I hadn't even sent it yet."

"Dispute it!" Harry whispered. "Re-write your letter and tell them you're engaged and you're already complying. Go in and ask her! She loves you, Marcus! It'll be the truth!"

Marcus nodded slowly. "We can fudge things a little and say I proposed last weekend."

Pansy appeared at the doorway. "Last weekend? What happened last weekend?" She had a handkerchief in her grasp and red-rimmed eyes.

Marcus turned to face her. "I'm going to write to the Ministry that we got engaged last Saturday."

She bit her lip. "Did we? I don't quite recall the proposal…"

Marcus chuckled. "In that case, I guess I should do it again, shouldn't I?"

She nodded shyly.

Harry took hold of Draco's hand and they watched Marcus walk over and get down on one knee.

"Pansy Parkinson, I'd be a very happy man if you'd agree to become my wife. Will you marry me?" Marcus asked, kissing her hand gently.

She smiled and nodded. "Yes."

Harry summoned parchment and had them write letters to the Ministry. Pansy confessed that she was engaged to Marcus Flint as of last Saturday's date and couldn't marry the man they'd assigned her to, while Marcus told them he was in the process of marrying a dear friend of his named Pansy Parkinson which would render their letter moot.

A few days later, they got letters accepting their engagement. They were, however, expected to marry before the birth of her son.

The graduation ceremony wasn't anything extravagant. After the Leaving Feast, all graduating seventh and eighth year students were asked to remain in the Great Hall. The younger students were escorted out and the students were separated back into their original houses. The Headmistress handed each student a letter with their certificate of completion and then had them all raise their lit wands to represent the light of their presence in the magical world. Most of the men and women who were heavily pregnant with twins had their spouses supporting them since they were too drained to perform much magic.

Lucius and Narcissa helped Harry and Draco to floo over to the Manor instead of taking the train into London for fear of the stress Draco might become affected by.

After a tearful goodbye with Draco, Pansy accepted Narcissa's offer to allow the young woman to marry Marcus in the ballroom of the new Manor in early August. It would be awhile before the group got together again, so Harry left Draco in the company of his parents so he could say goodbye to their friends and remind them of the coins that were not only a safety measure, but also an invaluable means of communication. Needless to say, he'd also given one of the coins to Marcus.

Narcissa and Lucius seemed very happy to have them this time, and the bedroom Harry and Draco would share had been modeled after the one at the London Townhouse with an annexed nursery. Draco's needs were seen to and Harry felt more comfortable because he was able to understand Lucius' words and actions while both his in-laws made sure Harry didn't feel left out of the loop. Draco felt amazingly cared for on all sides so he was able to relax and concentrate on himself and the babies.

By the end of the week with Draco's parents, the blond had new Healer's orders. He wasn't allowed to move around too much or engage in any further sexual activity, and although they were disappointed, they knew it was necessary for the health of Draco as well as the children.

To make things easier on all of them, Harry and Draco agreed to stay with Lucius and Narcissa until the twins arrived and Draco was recovered from the birth. Both young men were excited to have a home of their own but understood that moving into the new house could wait a while in the face of the safety of Draco and their children.

Hey everyone! I have a few little things to say before we go. Some of you may not like that Pansy got her happy ending, but I see it as more of getting her out of Harry and Draco's hair. Also, being that she had such a horrible first marriage, I felt I should make it up to her. Next chapter will feature the birth of Harry and Draco's twins! I hope you're all looking forward to it.

Lori