Hi everyone! Listen, I'm going through a difficult time (medically speaking). I had a procedure in July and another is scheduled for tomorrow. I have been writing but its slow-going. I have this one written and beta-ed and the next one should be finished soon but I might not get another chapter out for a few weeks. Sorry to disappoint you all. I'm so happy you are still sticking around though! Thanks!

Lori

******** ******** Chapter 37 ******** ********

Over the next several weeks, Harry slowly taught the babies to use the 'P' before 'apa'. Not to be outdone, Draco used every spare moment to teach his children to complete the word Daddy. The blond was a bit disgruntled when Harry succeeded before he did but celebrated the twins' achievement with grace.

His own achievements were slow in coming, but Draco remained persistent. The third level of his training was getting more and more difficult and he was becoming more and more frustrated. He poured over books and notes but still couldn't seem to understand why it was dangerous to mix calming potions and sleeping potions but valerian root could be added to a calming potion in order that the recipient could rest peacefully.

One day in April, Draco was reading a new book on the subject of complex potions and he just couldn't grasp the concept. He ignored the plate of food that Dinki brought him for lunch in favor of further study. Several hours later, when Harry called him for dinner, Draco stood only to fall back into the chair from dizziness. He called his husband and heard Harry as he hurried through the house. That's when he noticed the still full plate from lunch and raised his wand.

Harry reached the door to see a wobbling Draco begin casting a vanishing charm, so he instantly disarmed the submissive man and deftly caught his wand in mid-air.

Head spinning, Draco gasped having not expected Harry to appear so quickly. Taking in the other man's expression, he knew he was in trouble.

"You disobey me and then think to cover it up while suffering the effects of that self-same disobedience?" Harry's emerald eyes were flashing with anger and Draco was almost shaking with fear. "How many times have I asked you to take care of yourself, Draco?"

"Many…" Draco answered quietly as he looked everywhere but Harry's eyes.

Harry continued to stare the blond down. "And how difficult is it to eat three meals in one day? Think of the children. How are we supposed to teach them the right things to do if we don't do them too?"

"I know and I'm sorry, Harry, really!" Draco cautiously reached out his hand to hold Harry's.

"I hate being stern with you, Dragon, but you make it impossible not to be." Harry allowed the contact for a moment but soon let go to pace in front of his husband. He thought about the last few minutes and became angry again. The thing to do was punish him but he didn't want to harm the blond so he'd have to forego the spanking for now. "First we will eat, and then we can talk about your destructive behavior." The brunette picked up his errant spouse.

Draco said nothing as he was lifted into his husband's arms but he held on tightly while Harry carried him across the house and into the dining room. The meal was already served and waiting when they got there so Harry set Draco on his feet and held his chair. The blond passively obeyed, sitting still and silent to avoid Harry's temper but as the aroma of the food permeated the air, both men heard Draco's stomach rumble. Draco winced under Harry's glare which didn't let up until he picked up his utensils and began to eat.

"I want you to eat everything on your plate, Draco…and you'd best fill up on the meal because there won't be any dessert for you tonight." Harry instructed the blond.

Dessert was Draco's favorite part of any meal and the submissive man wanted to protest but, because Draco knew his actions warranted a penalty of some kind and Harry could've chosen a worse one, he settled for pouting through the meal. Taking Harry's warning to heart, he ate two servings of nearly every dish. He and Harry finished their meals at the same time and when the dirty dishes disappeared, Draco asked to be excused so he wouldn't have to watch his husband enjoy dessert instead of enjoying it with him.

"No, Draco… you are not excused. I'm angry with you and can't bring myself to spank you while I feel this way." Harry sounded so disappointed in him that Draco felt a tear fall from the corner of his eye. "As part of your punishment, you will endure sitting with me as I eat the dessert we should be sharing."

Dinki seemed to sense the tension in the room as she delivered a slice of chocolate cake to Harry.

Seeing the fudge icing that topped and seeped from between the fluffy layers of chocolate cake, Draco's tears multiplied. It was his favorite type of dessert and he'd asked for it just the other day. His lower lip trembled as he watched Harry eat the cake bit by bit…savoring the rich gooey chocolate.

"I had asked Dinki to make this after you'd gone to your office to study this morning. I thought it would be a lovely treat after a long day of bookwork." Harry commented as he quickly licked the last of the icing from his fork and stood. "I guess you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that. Join me in the sitting room so we can talk, Draco." Not giving the blond an option, Harry moved to hold the back of his chair and took Draco's hand as soon as he was upright and stable on his feet. The brunette gently led the way to the sofa and pulled his husband astride his lap. Once Draco was settled and focused on him, Harry sighed heavily, "Why am I angry with you, Dragon?"

"Because I didn't eat lunch," Draco answered, chewing his lip.

"Yes, but there's more to it than that. By not eating lunch you allowed your body to weaken. What if I wasn't here and the children needed you? You were so dizzy that you couldn't even stand up by yourself, Draco…how can I trust our children's care to you if you won't keep up your strength?" Harry asked, not unreasonably.

Logically, Draco knew that if Harry wasn't around and he felt that way he could call Dinki but he didn't think Harry would like to hear that so he stayed quiet.

"Can you guess the other reason I'm angry with you?" Harry asked calmly.

"It's because I was going to vanish the plate so I wouldn't get caught…" Draco's voice held sadness and guilt. "Isn't it?"

"And what would that be?" Harry's eyebrow rose as he prompted his husband. When Draco only shrugged, Harry frowned. "Think about it, Dragon… If I'd arrived at your office just one minute later…"

"The plate would've been gone…" Draco looked down. "And you would've let me have a piece of cake."

Harry was vaguely amused but refused to let it show. "What I would've done is ask what was wrong, Draco. I love you and I would've been very worried…What would you have said?" The grimace that appeared on the blond's face spoke volumes but Harry gave a voice to the words. "Lies…You would've lied to me, Draco, and that is unacceptable." Sad grey eyes looked back at Harry so, rather than keep him in suspense, Harry continued. "Like I said, watching me eat dessert without you was only part of your punishment. Can you guess what the other part will be?"

Draco whimpered unintelligibly.

Harry shook his head sadly. "I let it go last time because of the Bogart and Christmas, but not this time – not today. You need to understand that I will not tolerate lies, Draco. If that means delivering a spanking, then so be it. I'm calm enough now, that I won't harm you in the process. Lay face down over my lap like a good boy."

Lip trembling, Draco did as he was told.

Harry gritted his teeth as he lowered the waist of Draco's trousers to his knees. "I'll count them down from twenty, Dragon." He said as he placed his hand on the milky white expanse of his husband's skin. He lifted his hand and let it fall. "Twenty."

Draco gasped at the sharp sting.

"Nineteen." Harry's seemingly dispassionate voice rang out. "Eighteen."

Draco lost count and couldn't concentrate as the sting on his ass transformed into a burning sensation and then into an all-over ache. At some point he'd begun to sob but soon he heard Harry say 'one' and he knew it was over.

Harry turned Draco around, pulled up his trousers and cupped his pale, wet face. "I'm sorry this punishment was necessary…but I'm not sorry for executing it. I love you and our children love you. We need you to keep your strength up and we need to be able to trust you. Understand?"

Draco mopped his tears away with a handkerchief but nodded to Harry, "Yes, Harry. I'm sorry."

Harry sighed as he held the blond close. "I know, baby. I know." Harry comforted his errant husband until Draco withdrew from his arms.

"I'm going to shower before bed." Draco said listlessly as he stood and walked to the door.

As Harry watched him go, he hoped Draco really did understand because it had taken all of his willpower to hide how much it hurt that Draco thought about lying to him. The click of the door seemed to flip a switch inside Harry setting free his tears of anguish. He hadn't wanted to spank the blond and it had hurt Harry terribly to do it but the crime warranted that punishment so he had to follow through or Draco would never take him seriously. Both men now had to accept the consequences of their actions and Harry was nervous to see how Draco would behave over the next days and weeks after his first real punishment.

After leaving Harry's side, Draco went upstairs and stood at the door to the nursery. His bum was throbbing and his eyes still a little teary. This had been the first real punishment and he knew he deserved it but it shocked Draco that Harry had really done it. He knew he'd think twice the next time he considered lying to his husband. He'd always known that Harry would be the disciplinarian in the family but it really just clicked in his brain that Draco was one of those in need of it.

The blond walked over to his son's crib and smiled tremulously down at the tiny figure before glancing over at his daughter. He'd failed them that day and he knew it. Draco decided right then and there that he'd never do anything to endanger himself or his children.

Selene was lying between the cribs and looked up. As if sensing his need for comfort, the black dog stood and hurried over.

Shocked at his own behavior, Draco dropped to his knees and threw his arms around her furry shoulders. Miraculously, the twins slept on as their bearer struggled to move past his crime and its consequences.

A little while later, Harry found Draco curled up and sleeping in the rocking chair next to Lyra's crib. He sighed upon seeing the tear tracks that decorated the other man's pale face. Rather than wake the blond, Harry picked Draco up and carried him to bed. After undressing both Draco and himself, Harry re-dressed them in pyjamas and climbed in next to his spouse.

Draco whimpered in his sleep but unconsciously moved closer to the brunette.

Harry once again cradled his husband and fell asleep as well.

"Harry?"

The fear and need in Draco's voice dragged Harry back to consciousness and Harry's heart clenched as he looked down into his husband's face.

The blond was tossing and turning in his sleep. "Harry, please! I need you!"

"Dragon!" Harry said softly as he tightened his grip on Draco. "I'm here, baby, I'm here!"

Draco's eyes popped open and he gasped for breath as Harry tried to sooth him.

"Shhh…" Harry whispered. "Deep breaths, Dragon; it's okay…just relax…you're safe. It was just a dream."

Draco turned around to face Harry. "I'm sorry, Harry! I'm so sorry about what happened yesterday!" He curled into the brunette's startled embrace, murmuring so quietly that Harry couldn't tell what he was saying.

Harry's eyes burned with unshed tears at the thought that he'd given his husband nightmares. "Can you talk about it, Dragon?" He could feel Draco's heart beating too rapidly and the blond was still a sobbing mess so he called for Dinki to bring him a calming potion.

The elf appeared seconds later with the requested potion in hand which she gave directly to her master. "Should Dinki be fetching Master Draco's parents, Master Harry?"

"Not yet, Dinki; maybe later," Harry shook his head before speaking to his husband. "Draco, I need you to take a potion for me. Tip your head back for me, baby. Please?"

Draco whined as Harry drew back but didn't resist opening his mouth to accept the potion. No sooner had the potion been swallowed than Draco felt the effects. His breathing evened out and his heartbeat slowed to a normal rate. The muscles in his body relaxed slightly but still Draco clung tightly to Harry.

"I'm here, Dragon," Harry whispered to the blond. "You're safe at home…Can you tell me what frightened you so much?"

"I was alone…All alone," Draco whimpered. "Somehow I knew the twins were safe but they weren't anywhere in sight or anyplace I could think of…"

"It's alright, Dragon. The babies are safe in their cribs…" Harry told him softly.

Draco acted as if Harry hadn't said a word. "You and I were separated and I was so alone…I had this awful feeling that it was because I lied to you. I'm so sorry, Harry! Don't leave me alone?"

"Hey! Its okay, Dragon, it's all going to be okay…" Harry laid his cheek against the top of Draco's head. "Listen to me, baby…I love you! We're a family and I'm not going anywhere without you and Lyra and Caelum."

Draco buried his face into Harry's chest finally allowing those words to ease his mind. "I love you too, Harry. Can you ever forgive me for trying to lie to you?"

"I forgave you as soon as you'd been properly punished, Dragon." Harry hugged the blond tighter. "That's how punishments work. If you do something wrong, you get punished and then it's over. The slate is wiped clean and I won't punish you for it again unless it happens again."

"Really?" Draco murmured in wonder. "Father always brought up old issues every time I got scolded. He told me off for things I did in First Year when I was in Fifth."

"Well, that's not how I do things, Dragon." Harry sighed, relieved that this issue was finally revealed. "Are you alright now?"

"Yes…but I didn't take my shower…" Draco glanced up at his husband. "I didn't mean to lie, Harry! I was going to take it but I got sidetracked!"

"Draco, calm yourself." Harry kissed the blond lightly. "I'm sure you just forgot and it's not like I commanded you to take a shower before bed and you disobeyed me. That's something I'd get upset over not this. Sleep and you can shower in the morning."

"Can we not sleep?" Draco asked quietly.

"What do you mean, love?" Harry frowned.

"Make love to me, Harry? Please?" Draco asked breathily.

"Are you sure? I thought you'd want to wait a few days. That spanking had to hurt." Harry bit his lip lightly. He was up for it if Draco was but he didn't want to hurt his lover.

"I want you, Harry. I love when you hold me this way and your thigh has been pressing into my cock for a good few minutes. Take me, Harry – please?" Draco moved his hips so Harry could feel his erection.

Harry could feel his husband's hard cock against his thigh and that's when his own cock began to harden. As much as he wanted to roll the other man onto his back and fuck him, he wanted to see Draco do as he was told. So he smirked, "I'm quite tired, Draco…you'll have to do all the work."

Draco nodded hesitantly. "Alright…"

"Undress for me. You're going to ride my cock and you're going to give me a show while you do." Harry's voice became a growl.

Draco bit his lip and quickly disrobed. When he was fully nude, Draco went into the drawer for the tube of lubricant and offered it to his husband.

"Don't touch your cock, Dragon. Just prep your hole." Harry commanded as he cast the charm that cleansed Draco's passage.

"You want me to…but you never let me…" Draco stared at his husband but got to his knees and turned so his ass would face Harry. Then he took the cap off before squeezing some onto his fingers.

"I know…but today I want you to prove you can obey me and I'm telling to prep yourself properly for my cock." Harry was leering at the blond as he finally began to carry out the task he'd been given. "That's a good boy… I can see your pink little hole …Now, I can see your finger moving in and out with the lube…Add another finger…" Harry licked his lips as Draco's second finger joined the first. "Add the third now…That's enough. You should be properly stretched, so come over here and ride me."

Draco whined at the loss of his fingers and struggled to his feet.

Harry cleaned the blond's hand with another charm before allowing Draco to straddle his hips. Harry took hold of his cock and kept it steady as Draco sank onto it.

Wanting to move, the submissive blond whimpered when Harry's hands pressed into his hips.

"You will not touch your cock. You will not come until you're told to. Understood?" Harry had that authoritative look glittering in his green eyes.

Draco nodded tightly until Harry's hands softened their hold and he was able to move. After placing a hand on Harry's chest, Draco lifted his hips up until it felt like his lover's cock was barely inside of him.

Harry's eyes held onto Draco's as the blond slid all the way back down. The emotions Harry saw in those grey orbs told him that Draco was very excited by this experience. "Again…and faster this time."

His other hand joined the first to help him balance but Draco was panting as he lifted his hips this time. As soon as he felt nearly empty, Draco moaned and fell back down – impaled once again. Lifting himself quickly, he soon found a steady rhythm but not fast enough for his impatient husband. Lost in the sensation of Harry's cock sliding in and out of his slippery hole, Draco barely noticed the sudden change in position as Harry rolled them over. "Touch me, Harry, please?" He whimpered and gasped for air as Harry pounded into his prostate. "Please, Harry… Need to come – please let me!"

Harry stopped moving.

"No! Harry, please, please, please don't stop?" The blond protested with a moan.

Harry smirked as he cast a Tempus charm to count down from sixty seconds. "If you can last for one whole minute while I tease you…then you may come, Draco."

Draco bit his lip nervously but agreed with a nod.

Harry's fingertips settled on Draco's sensitive nipples and began to pinch rhythmically.

Draco's back arched as he whined in pleasure.

"Beautiful…" Harry whispered as he leaned down to lick the hard nubs. Draco's keening cry made Harry grin. There were thirty seconds left when Harry pulled his cock out slowly before ramming back into his lover.

"Please, Harry! Oh my gods, I can't!" Draco babbled. "I need! Harry, please?"

Harry said nothing but, as the timer reached the last ten seconds, he took Draco's cock into one hand and lightly ran a fingertip from the opposite hand in a circle around the head before sweeping it across the slit.

Lights exploded in Draco's vision as he watched the Tempus charm change to all zeros and Harry was grinning as Draco covered them in white creamy goo.

The feel of Draco clenching around him had Harry begin thrusting again and the brunette quickly followed his husband into bliss. He kissed a stunned Draco lightly as he cleaned them up before settling in to get back to sleep.

Over the next few days, Harry and the twins supervised Draco's lunchtimes to be sure that he ate. About a week after the punishment, Dinki took over while Harry and the babies went back to their usual routine. It was almost a full month before Draco was once again trusted to properly eat lunch by himself but it did happen and it made them all happy.

Just days after the second anniversary of Voldemort's defeat, Harry and Dinki were feeding the twins in the sitting room when the floo activated and without preamble, Ron began speaking. "Did you get one too?"

Harry jumped, accidentally making his daughter's highchair wobble. Dinki, who was feeding Harry's son Caelum, quickly used her magic to steady it again but the damage was done and little Lyra began to cry. As he lifted his daughter into his arms, Harry glared at his friend's fiery head. "Get one what? What are you talking about?"

"Sorry, Harry," Ron winced as Caelum began to fuss. "We got a letter from the ministry and we wondered if you did too."

"Bring Angie and Mione over and I'll get Draco." Harry rolled his eyes as Ron disappeared. He soothed his children as Dinki hurried off to fetch Draco.

As soon as the blond walked in, Harry handed Lyra off to the elf who smiled as she took Caelum as well. He pulled Draco into his arms because he knew that his husband couldn't lie while they were so close. "Did we get a letter from the ministry recently?"

"No, Harry." Draco shook his head decisively. "I'd tell you about something like that right away."

"Would you?" Harry asked softly.

Draco was offended that Harry didn't believe him, "Of course!"

"Hi, Harry." Hermione smiled as Ron followed her through the floo holding their daughter Angelica.

Harry stared at Draco a moment longer before turning to face their guests. He swept his god daughter into his arms for a quick hug before placing the little one into the warded play area with the twins. "Draco says we haven't gotten anything from the ministry. What's your letter about?"

"They want us to have another baby, Harry." Hermione frowned. "They expect me to become pregnant by July."

"Did anyone else you know of get this type of letter?" Harry asked.

"Luna mentioned it yesterday when she and Blaise visited with their son but we only got ours this morning." Ron said.

"Charlie also said something when he was over for dinner with Gus and Cory." Hermione told the men. "And I had a letter from Hannah about it today."

"All of you have only one child. I'm sure that's it. We have the twins, so maybe they decided to give us a break. Let's ask Padma, Ginny and George if they've gotten letters like this." Harry was relieved that there was a rational explanation for this. He would be so happy to find out that Draco hadn't lied to him.

Draco called for Kreacher to bring parchment and a self inking quill. He addressed three letters and sent them out with their owl. Kreacher made up a tea tray for the group when Harry asked and soon they had the answers they were looking for.

"I'll open Padma's letter. Harry, you take George's and Ron should open Ginny's." Hermione ordered an hour later when Dinki brought the letters to the group.

Harry read to himself with Draco looking over his shoulder. Harry sighed in relief, "I'm so happy you didn't lie to me, Dragon."

Draco passively allowed Harry to hug him before whispering to him. "I'd never lie to you about something that could affect our family as horribly as the penalty for ignoring one of these letters would. That dream I had last month would've been enough to convince me to be truthful even if the spanking hadn't."

As he watched the blond walk out, Harry frowned at the reminder of that night and shook his head before informing the others of what he read. "These are the only couples from Hogwarts with multiple births that I know of – besides us – and none of them have received a letter to push for a second pregnancy."

"So it's just the ones with single children…and they want us to breed again. I feel like some kind of animal." Hermione shivered as her gaze shifted between her husband and their best friend. "This isn't right. It wasn't right a year and a half ago when they forced us all to marry so young and it's still not right."

"I don't get it," Ron sighed. "We married when they told us to and had our first kids when they told us to. Why can't they just leave the rest up to us?"

"I don't know, mate. I'll owl Kingsley and see if he'll tell me what's going on." Harry hugged his friends as they gathered up their child and her things. "I want you guys to come for dinner tomorrow."

"Molly's having all of us kids over tomorrow." Hermione told him. "Why don't you join us? You know she'd love to see all of you."

"Alright, I'll speak to Draco and let you know." Harry shook Ron's hand and watched them use the floo to leave. Once they were gone, Harry sighed and walked down to Draco's office leaving Dinki in charge of the twins. He knocked twice before peeking inside. "Dragon?"

There was silence for a moment as Draco decided whether to answer his husband.

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