Chapter 9: Once Removed

Draco was plummeting towards the ground, with Finir Greyback holding on. The dark brick pavement came closer. Draco shut his eyes tight, ignoring the slurs from Greyback.

They stopped—inches from the ground. Malfoy, confused, opened his eyes at what had happened. They pair plopped to the ground. Coming back into focus, Malfoy eagerly slid away from Greyback, reaching for his wand and standing up. However, Greyback was fast. His wand was already pointed at Draco.

"It's time to finish what I started," Finir smirked devilishly. Malfoy ran. He rushed through the town, knocking over old barrels and crates, leading Greyback away from Harry and his cousin. His shoes clattered against the pavement; Malfoy was exceptionally good at dodging the blasted spells from his opponent.

"You fools! Wake up and help me chase this brat! HE IS MINE!" Greyback hollered at his workers, passed out in alleyways and wagons. They sprang up loyalty, grabbing their wands and hats.

"You coward!" Finir shouted another spell, setting fire to a nearby dead bush. Malfoy sprinted the other way. "You realise I am a werewolf boy, and I am much faster than you!" Draco turned and watched as Greyback grabbed a nearby wooden lamppost and climbed onto the roof of a building. The chase continued, Finir desperately trying to blast Draco from above. Greyback's long legs and extreme werewolf-hunting skills were no match for a scrawny kid in his twenties.

Draco spotted the courtyard in the centre of town. There was a broken waterfall and several closed-down flats. Finir's workers were caving in, coming from all directions. Greyback himself was hunting him from above. There was nowhere left for him to run.

Despite Draco's odds, he continued to run into the courtyard. He stopped, his dirty hair flung in his face.

"MALFOY!" Yelled Greyback. Draco turned around, and Greyback was inches from him in mid-air.

Thump.

Greyback had jumped onto Draco from the top of the building. A searing pain dug into his left shoulder, warm red blood oozing. It dampened Draco's suit, and tears fizzled in his eyes.

"You know I believed your father when he said you were stupid, son." Greyback's terrible breath blew into Malfoy's face. "I told you I was faster than you."

"Well, maybe…you shouldn't believe everything my father says." Malfoy gritted through the pain of Greyback's claw that punctured him. "I didn't have to outrun you to ensure Harry and Teddy were safe. I just had to lead you away." Draco laughed, seeing the reaction on Finir's face.

"Now, I will finally finish what I wanted. You fake, puny pureblood!" Greyback retracted his claw and aimed at Malfoy. "Into your delicious human heart!" He hissed, targeting the organ ideally. Draco lay on the pavement with no intent to squirm away. He knew his luck was against him. The entire Greyback army surrounded the pair, and with the pain in his shoulder and legs, he couldn't run away.

"Go on, man. You won't be poking much in there. The only thing in my heart is reserved for my beautiful wife, gorgeous cousin, and who I now consider a friend, his godfather."

Greyback raised his claw, drool dripping from his teeth. With full force, the claw came down.

"AVADA KADAVERA!" Vicious, green streaks of magic hit the body. It froze, breathless and fell to the ground, now lifeless. Malfoy sat up, peering at the senseless body. The green sparks faded away from the large blue eyes of Finir Greyback.

The world felt muffled for Draco. He gripped his bloody shoulder, watching the scenes of the courtyard around him. Brown-robed Aurors could be seen, easily fighting off groups of the late Finir Greyback's workers. Bodies dropped to the ground, green sparks flying everywhere. The night consumed the town with only the streaks of magic and moonlight revealing the faces of the Aurors.

The scene returned memories of the Battle of Hogwarts—bodies and killing curses being shot from every direction. War and battle were busy yet, ultimately lonely. The red liquid covered Malfoy's hand, warm tears rolled down his face, and he felt a hand on his right shoulder. Malfoy flinched, pivoting on the ground.

"Harry," Draco said with relief. His eyes bolted towards the thing in his arms, Teddy. "Teddy." An exhausted gasp released from his breath, and he threw himself off the ground, perhaps a little too fast. Harry steadied him with a happy face. Draco stole the boy from Harry's arms, ignoring the devastating pain in his shoulder.

"You know. That's the first time you called me by my first name, Draco." Harry smiled.

"And that's the first time you called me by mine," Draco smirked, wrapping an arm around Harry. "I am only putting my arm on you because my leg hurts like hell."

"Oh yeah, sure, sure." Harry laughed, holding Draco up.

"Shut up, Potter." Draco clicked his tongue, cuddling Teddy.

"Now we're back on a last-name basis, eh, Malfoy?"

"It appears so."

"By the way, that spell of yours hurt."

"Good, I had to somehow knock the ego out of you." They chuckled, walking away from the now-ended battle. Several stunned bodies scattered the yard, and many Aurors had already detained numerous fugitives.

Draco and Harry exchanged relief looks, and the three continued down the street. All the cases of missing children's reports from the past few years were all connected to Macarbe Meadow. The Ministry hit the jackpot, and the boys felt relieved that parents could go home less worried than the night before.

Eight Months Later

"Oi! Where did you put the presents you blasted-"

"Hey, mind your language, Malfoy. There are children around," Hermione said with a gentle pat on his shoulder. She walked away into the sitting room, her curly golden-brown hair bobbing with her motions. Hermione wore a grey skirt with a Christmas jumper on.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. He wore black trousers and a white button-down shirt with a dark grey vest/ sweater. The design had green and black stripes, similar to the Slytherin spirit.

"Oi! Potter!?" Draco ran up the marble stairs, down the corridor and into the room across his. Harry played with Teddy happily on a plaid blanket as he opened the door.

"Oh, hello, Malfoy." Harry looked up with good spirits. "Has everyone arrived?"

"Yes. Your girlfriends here, Astoria, the rest of the Weasleys, none of my family is coming, of course, and lastly, you and Teddy are here." Draco leaned against the door.

"Perfect." Harry swooped up Teddy, who was in red and black flannel, by Potter's choice. "Are you ready?" He began out the door without waiting for an answer.

Draco stepped in front of him, grabbing onto his shoulder.

"Potter. I-I just wanted to say." He swallowed his ego. "Thank you for allowing your family and Teddy to celebrate Christmas as my manor this year. I appreciate it. I just want this for Teddy, you understand." Malfoy avoided eye contact, fixing his tie.

"Sure, Malfoy." Harry rolled his eyes and handed over Teddy. "Besides, you are technically a part of the family now. Hermione may still hate you, but–" He shrugged. They headed downstairs. The manor was decorated with green and red tinsel. A large tree hung in the back with faded lights. The Weasleys were helping to decorate the rest of it, and Mrs Weasley sat on the couch wrapping the remainder of the presents. Luna and Neville were busy baking seasonal biscuits in the kitchen. One of Draco's favourite records filled the air, and for once, everything felt right.

In the past eight months, Malfoy was able to create decent relationships with Harry's family and friends. He had come to many of the Potter and Weasley terms due to his desire to be a part of Teddy's life. Although he was still fixing some ancy relationships, Draco finally felt happy. Nothing bothered him at the moment except for the blubbering of Teddy's white ferret, and everything was okay. With the fire rolling, he was no longer cold. The fire was the friends and family Draco was never able to have growing up. He stood with Teddy in his arms, right where he belonged, and felt incredibly grateful to be in Teddy's family, even though he was once removed.

Author's Notes: If you are reading this, that means you made it to the end or you skipped to the end. Either works, I guess. I really hope you guys have enjoyed my first story. It was extremely fun to make, and it helped me get into the good habit of wanting to write and read more. I know some of you won't care; however, one of the stories I am going to create in the near future will be about Tom Riddle's twin brother. Exciting right?