Author's Note: This is yet another interlude to connect a passage of time together with my friend's work. However, this takes place right after Tranquility, and will have a time jump ahead at the end.

I was going to ask you, my readers, if you would prefer I continue writing this series the way I am doing now, (mini-chaptered stories that focus on certain parts of the timeline with interludes posted in timeline order) or if you wouldn't mind simply having a collection of stories that are nonlinear with each other but are still connected in some way (the story will jump around a predesignated timeline but will not be in any chronological order). Please do let me know.

Rated: K

Genre: General

Summary: Draco was never very good at getting news first thing in the morning.

Denial in the Morning

24th of March, 2010

Based on how painfully bright it already was, Draco quickly figured out that it was morning. He didn't remember ever keeping the curtains open last night knowing that the windows faced East, allowing that first dawn light right into his eyes otherwise. Shifting away from the window, Draco bumped into someone in the process. It took him quite a while to fully register that it wasn't his son sleeping next to him. That was when grey eyes shot awake.

A shock of familiar red hair came into focus, a freckled, pale face quickly following. Draco would've thought the Weasley was sleeping if it weren't for the smirk plastered across the twins face.

"Mornin'" he said, voice still holding a hint of sleepiness.

Draco quickly identified him to be Fred once his staring registered the fully intact ear. Not wanting to act irrational over what was dawned on him (figuratively and literally), he fluttered his eyes closed and took in a very deep, calm breath. The night before came back to him relatively quickly, and with it, a sense of utter embarrassment and horror overwhelmed him.

"Sleep alright?" George questioned from behind, confirming the entire thing wasn't a dream.

"Quite well, actually."

Perhaps they were simply talking to each other and he was some invisible entity between them. There was no way they'd allow him to stay in their room, right? Also, there were two beds separated in the middle when he was there last night, now it seemed like there was only one, which didn't seem right, right?

The arm that draped around his waist had him freeze, and he swallowed hard.

"Funny how that works, eh? Having someone to snuggle really does the sleep wonders. What do ya think, Draco?"

This was actually real.

Releasing a breath, he opened his eyes again to meet the light chocolatey ones looking back at him. Fred brushed the stray fringe out of his eyes then, waiting for a response.

"Huh?"

Draco was absolutely at a loss for words, unable to process what was going on. Maybe he did know, he just didn't know why. Maybe Scorpius knew a lot more than he gave him credit for after all.

The two chuckled at that. Fred propped himself up on an arm then, still looking his way, and he could feel George shifting to sit up as well behind him.

"You were out pretty good last night. Felt bad trying to rouse you awake, so we just let you stay. Hope you don't mind," Fred explained.

Draco simply blinked at him before shifting to his back.

"This cannot be real…" he muttered at the ceiling. "I've completely lost it."

He rubbed his hands over his face and into his hair, wanting to rationalize what came over him that led him to decide coming in here was the best course of action. Before he could puzzle it out in his sleepiness, he felt a pinch on his shoulder from George's side. He met the gesture with a hard stare.

"...Ow."

"Well, you're definitely awake, mate," George said. "And you definitely are in our bed with us."

"Dragon's outta the bag for sure, now," Fred added in. "A bit of an unconventional start, but I'll gladly take it."

Truth be told, Draco couldn't be mad about any of it. He didn't feel exhausted, he didn't feel anxious, he didn't feel anything but rested and comfortable. There were no nightmares that plagued his dreams, and he wasn't tense and sore from them, either. Instead, he felt… rested. He stared up at the ceiling, not bothering to move.

"I honestly do not know what you are talking about…" Draco said. "This doesn't have to mean anything."

"No," Fred said, scooting closer to Draco's side. "But it can if you want it to."

"Personally, we don't have a problem with it," George continued, "Seems like company really is the best medicine in our situation, don't you agree?"

Draco tried to not scoff or roll his eyes at the riddles, taking a moment to grasp at what they were inferring. "No nightmares…"

No response was needed from anyone. Instead, they all three simply laid there together in the bright early dawn light, hazing in and out of moments of sleep. They were okay with this… he could be, too.

Scorpius certainly approved.

15th of October, 2011

It was a dreary, dark morning. The clouds had long since swallowed the sky and horizon in its darkness, blotting out the morning sun. Its distant rumble of the storm's anger was ignored as Draco instinctively turned away from the window to block out the nonexistent sun rays. He never did understand why the twins never liked to close their curtains. George adjusted to the movement and shifted so he could spoon Draco, which he found that he quite liked the warmth and pressure it offered. It was a sense of security, almost, a protective blanket, if he had to describe it. It simply felt… nice.

But the pleasant, dreary morning was going to be just that for Draco. He never understood why the twins liked to present him with hot topics first thing in the morning. Maybe because they knew he wouldn't overthink it with a sleepy, slow brain. They also had a knack for knowing when he was awake, too. Even if he didn't quite want to be yet. Maybe that was why they kept the curtains open...

"Morning, love," Fred murmured. "We've got some news."

"Ah, yes. The best news, indeed," George whispered in his ear, causing him to shiver some. "We've been invited to the Burrow next week."

"Good supper is in store, that is a promise," Fred added in. "Care to join us?"

"Kid-free environment. Angelina said she'd love to watch Scorpius. I think she'll also have Rose and Al with her, too," George explained. "Think it'd do you good to have a break."

The Burrow. Last time he went it was… strange. Molly was nice enough, but it just got weird after that. Who knew what could happen this time with a full house? Dread settled in his gut, wondering where the twins were going to take this bit of news.

"Figured it'd be a good time to properly announce our…" Fred gestured between them. "Whatever we call this arrangement."

"We never did make it official, did we?"

"Did we need to?"

Draco groaned, never liking it when they literally talked over him. It was only then did he register what they were getting at. "You… want to tell your family… officially… about us?"

"I am certain they know at this point, yeah," George said, nuzzling Draco's neck. "But, in case not, we can't keep a lid on it forever."

"It is a right miracle no one has even asked us yet," Fred pointed out.

Draco sighed, pressing his palms into his eyes. "Do we have to? Everything seems to be fine the way it is."

"You and your secrets," George whispered. "Bound to come out sooner or later. Your little tyke sees Al and Rose nearly every day now, and kids talk. Better we tell everyone now before kid-rumors heat the fire and make it even more awkward."

The thunder that clapped outside was how Draco felt about this revelation. Scorpius did like to talk about anything and everything. He did let slip the secret George told him to keep from Draco about the twins liking him, after all, and that was because he was tired of waiting for it to happen. If they were known by everyone, then Scorpius could spend even more time with the Potter-Weasley clan. The twins knew what they were talking about, and Draco did, too. Of course it all made sense at the same time.

That thought alone was enough for Draco to decline the dinner offer. Having two Weasleys was enough, but adding the whole brood and the Potters? Well…

"Just kill me now," Draco said, his hands muffling his words.

"Aww, come on, hun, it won't be that bad. Honestly. Mum already likes you," George reasoned.

"And I'm sure the others will come around with her help, too," Fred responded somewhat hesitantly. "She's quite good at rallying around people she cares about."

He was going to be tossed back into the Weasel's Den for a second time. It was too early to make this kind of decision, yet here he did it anyway.

"Fine…"

The thunder outside was like an applause to the gallows.