Seedlings in the Park
School had started up again for Teddy and life slowly continued in the calm day to day that their little family had established. Harry got home and Andromeda spent more time at work or out with her friends. Often they would try to keep their weekends open to spend time together all three of them, though.
It was Friday, not long after Teddy's birthday. He was out playing in the park with David. They were building a fort together that day.
"Hey Teddy look!" David said as he pointed over towards the sandbox.
Teddy looked over at the slide. His eyes narrowed as he saw two older boys pushing a smaller one. That wasn't right. He got up and headed straight for them. "You two stop it," he said as he reached them. He grabbed the smaller boy gently and pulled him in behind his back. "Being mean and hurting other people is wrong. You should stop," he said. He wanted to fold his arms over his chest, but his father had taught him not to lock his body that way.
The older boys tried to look intimidating, but Teddy didn't care. He wasn't scared of them. He could feel the smaller boy grab onto his shift tightly. "How about you guys leave," he said as he clenched his fists.
David walked up next to him and folded his arms over his chest. "Yeah, no one wants kids like you around here. If you can't be nice, you shouldn't be here," he said.
"Yeah, says who."
"I do," Teddy said. He reached out and pushed the bigger of the two bullies back. The boy's eyes glazed over, and Teddy's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. He had to tell his dad. He turned around as the bullies left and checked the smaller boy over. "Are you hurt?" he asked.
The boy looked up at Teddy. An angry blue bruise spread over his arm only barely covered by his sleeve and his big blue eyes looked frightened.
"Hey, it's okay," Teddy said. "Who are you here with?"
The boy shook his head. He would have to go home if he showed the bruise. He didn't want to go home. It had been a while since he had been able to go to the park last.
Teddy sighed. "Well, what is your name? I'm Teddy and this is David," he said as he placed a hand on David's shoulder.
"Scor," the little boy said.
Teddy looked at the boy. He couldn't leave him like this. "Come here," he said. He walked with the boy over to where his father was sitting, reading. He reached out and poked him. 'I used magic on some bullies, can you check on them?' he signed as he said, "Dad some guys were mean to Scor," he said.
Harry looked at the boy next to Teddy. "Hello, little one," he said as he placed his book down. He noticed the bruise poking out beyond his sleeve and grabbed his bag. "That is a nasty bruise. Can I have a look at it?" He smiled gently at the boy as he reached out towards him.
Scor looked at Teddy and then back at his father. They had similar gentle green eyes. Teddy pushed him forward carefully, but he stopped before Scor reached Harry. The last step had to be his. Scor took a tentative step forward and Harry placed a warm hand against his shoulder comfortingly before pulling his sleeve up and cleaning his arm off. Then he grabbed a salve and spread it gently over the bruise. Scor's eyes fell shut. No adult had ever cared this much for him, except for his dad. He leaned into the touch.
Harry reached up and stroked the boy's blonde hair aside as he smiled at him. "There you go, all better," he said. He was no healer, but he felt that keeping an eye on this boy might be wise. He smiled as Teddy and David brought Scor back to their fort.
"So do you want to build on our fort with us, Scor?" David asked.
Blue eyes widened in surprise before a wide grin spread over Scor's face. "Yeah, I can join?" he asked excitedly.
"Sure," Teddy said.
The three of them got back to fixing the fort. They worked until Harry called for the boy's to come back so they could head home.
"See you some other day," Scor said hopefully. It had been fun having friends to play with.
"Yeah, definitely," Teddy said. He liked Scor even if he was a bit quiet.
Scor ran back to his grandmother. He guessed that if Teddy's dad said it was time to head home, he was probably right. "We can go home now, grandmother," he said.
Narcissa looked up from her book and looked around uncomfortably. "Finally," she said. She smiled at Scorpius. "Let's see what the elves can make for you," she said. "Just no telling your father." She got up and took his hand before walking a short bit and apparating them to Draco's flat. She shuddered as she looked around. She really disliked this place. It was beyond her why her son couldn't just live in the manor with her and Lucius. Everything would be so much simpler then.
When Draco came home, his son was sitting with a book looking at the pictures and Narcissa was reading. He walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you," he said.
Narcissa didn't respond to him. Instead, she got up and left immediately. She needed away from that hovel of a muggle place he insisted on living in.
Draco wanted to sigh, but he didn't. He doubted Narcissa would ever understand how he felt. He knelt down next to his son and brought his attention to him. He noticed the ugly blue bruise as the boy's sleeve rode up his arm. He wanted to ask what had happened as he reached out to take Scorpius hand, but he didn't want his son to think he was angry at him. "What did you and grandma do today?" he asked.
"We went to the park," Scorpius said. Then he smiled. "I made friends," he said. "Teddy and David. They… they told off some boys who were mean to me. It was really cool because they just walked up to them and told them to stop. They weren't scared at all."
"Was it the mean boys who hurt you?" Draco asked softly. He reached up and touched the bruise gently.
Scorpius nodded. "Yeah, but Teddy's dad gave me a salve so it doesn't hurt," he said.
Draco smiled gently at his son. "Time for bed, buddy," he said. He brought Scorpius to the bathroom and watched him brush his teeth as he brought out some bruise salve for him. "Why didn't you tell grandma about the bruise?" he asked.
Scorpius shook his head and seemed to shrink into himself. He didn't want to get stuck in the flat.
Draco wrapped his arms around his son. "Please just tell me, little star," he said.
"I didn't want grandma to take me home," Scorpius mumbled.
Draco sighed as he rubbed his son's back slowly. He wasn't sure what the best way to handle this was. "Thank you for telling me," he said as he placed Scorpius in bed. "Maybe next time I can go with you."
Scorpius smiled at his father. "Yeah," he said. "I'd like that."
Draco closed the door behind him after saying goodnight and walked into the kitchen. He needed something to eat. He really wished it wasn't so damn hard for him to find a job that would let him take care of his son properly. People didn't want to hire Lucius Malfoy's son, though. In some ways, people hated him more than his father, and he couldn't for the life of him understand why.
As Draco sat down to eat, Harry settled down in the living room with Andromeda. "You have worked with children, right?" he asked.
Andromeda nodded. "When I worked as a Healer, I was geared towards children, yes," she said as she signed.
"If a child's magic reaches for you when you do something as simple as place some bruise salve on them, is that cause for concern?" Harry asked. "Teddy and David made a new friend today. He must be younger than them, or I at least hope he is. Some bullies had been mean to him, and he had a rather nasty bruise from it. They came to me and Teddy asked me to help him. He was timid at first, but once I applied the salve he was leaning against me and his magic was reaching for me."
"It could be that he is starved for affection. He could be living in an abusive household. Though, him leaning on you would indicate that his father either isn't in the picture or not a problem," Andromeda said. "Without more information, it would be hard to say." She watched him. This was a part of Harry she adored in a lot of ways. He wanted to make sure that people were safe, and this was a child he felt was being mistreated somehow.
"Should I do anything?" Harry asked.
Andromeda sighed. "If you meet with him again, speak with him, but do so just like you would with any other friend Teddy has," she said.
"I was considering bringing snacks next time," Harry said.
"That you can do," Andromeda said. "Since you are bringing them for Teddy and his friends, no matter who those friends are."
Harry smiled at her. He felt like at least he had some kind of plan. That made him feel better.
…
Draco walked towards the park with his son. It had been a while since they had gone there together. He followed Scorpius to the edge of the forest, where a haphazard gathering of sticks and branches had been put together. He sat down with Scorpius and helped him.
"Hey, Scor!"
Scorpius turned around. He smiled. "Hi David," he said. "Is Teddy coming too?"
David shook his head. "Nope, he went to see his father's like extra family or something. His dad doesn't have any parents, so this other family sort of steps in or something. It never makes any sense when Teddy explains it."
Scorpius nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. "Dad was helping me fix the walls. I hope that is okay."
"Yeah, sure," David said. "Teddy's dad helped us last time. I don't mind. I'm going to see if I can get some more good branches."
Draco watched the two boys play, glad to see that Scorpius was finding friends. Even though he wondered about the shortened name. He would have to ask his son later if he had only told his friends the first half of his name for a reason. He wasn't angry about it, but he still wanted to know why that was. He smiled as Scorpius walked up to him with a bunch of sticks, and he did his best to help, even if he didn't really see the point of it. All he wanted to see was the happiness in Scorpius' eyes as he ran around playing with David.
"Oh, my there you are," Diane said as she made her way through the underbrush. "David, how is it going?"
"We are fixing the east wall. It isn't up to stan… it isn't good enough," David said. "Scor's really good at finding good sticks."
Diane laughed happily. "They are such sweethearts," she said. She looked at Scor's father as he stood up next to her and brushed himself off.
"I'm just glad the Scor is finding friends," Draco said softly. "We have had some issues with that."
"Really? He seems like such a sweet boy," Diane said.
"It isn't anything he has done," Draco said. His son lived with the curse of being just that, his son.
Diane watched as the pale man closed off in a way that she had seen so many times with Harry that she knew there was no point in pushing it. She wondered if they had lived through something similar. He didn't look like he could be the bad type.
"Well, I think he seems to be a sweet child and everyone deserves a friend," Diane said. She saw his lips twitch and took that as a victory. "David was a bit sad Teddy wouldn't be here today. Normally they do things like this together. It is a good thing I convinced him so Scor wouldn't be alone."
"Thank you," Draco said. He didn't really know how to speak to her, but he guessed he was doing okay since she hadn't called David away and left them.
The boys were laughing as they made their way back towards the fort. So they could keep building. They played for almost three hours before Draco decided it was time to head back home. "Did you have a fun time today?" he asked his son as they got him ready that evening.
"Yeah, loads. Thank you for helping us, dad," Scorpius said.
Draco smiled as he ran his fingers through Scorpius hair to get it to lay flat. "No problem, little star," he said before kissing Scorpius forehead. "I was just wondering something?" he asked.
"What, dad?" Scorpius said.
"Did you not tell your friends your whole first name?" Draco asked.
Scorpius bundled his hands in his duvet. "Kids make fun of me," he said. "I like my name, but…"
Draco sighed as he sat down next to his son. "Do you really think Teddy or David would make fun of you?" he asked.
Scorpius shook his head. "No, I don't think so," he said. He crawled up to Draco and hugged him. He hated it when his dad was gone for long hours or even days at a time. "I'm glad you are home."
Draco smiled. "Me too," he said.
…
It was about midday on Saturday, several weeks later. The boys had been meeting on and off for a while. Teddy was running towards the fort as fast as he could. He smiled as he saw David there already. "Hey David," he said.
David looked up and smiled at teddy. "Hey," he said. "Good you are here. Scor is out gathering sticks."
Teddy nodded. "Dad brought food so we can eat when we are hungry," he said.
"There is enough for all of us?" David asked.
"I doubt there wouldn't be," Teddy said. "You know how dad can be."
David snorted. Yeah, he knew. Sometimes Mr Harry brought so much there was no way they could eat it all. "Could you go check on Scor?" he asked. "He's been away for a bit and … you know those guys."
"I'll go look for him," Teddy said. He ran further into among the trees and smiled as he saw Scorpius picking up sticks. He was about to call out when the smaller boy tripped and dropped most of his sticks. He stomped angrily and took a step back when the sticks flew up and landed on the pile in his arms. Teddy was smiling from ear to ear. Scor had magic. That was awesome. "Hey Scor," he called as he ran up to him.
Scorpius turned around wide-eyed. "Teddy, when did you get here?" he asked. He really hoped Teddy hadn't seen what he had done. He wasn't supposed to do magic when they were out and about. His dad would be disappointed in him.
"Just a bit ago. Dad brought a picnic so we can go eat when we are hungry," Teddy said.
Scorpius smiled at him. "Yeah, that sounds great," he said. Teddy caught him as he stumbled again and helped him by taking some of the sticks he was carrying. They headed back to the fort and helped David.
When the boys made their way out of the grove, they were tired and hungry. They found Harry and Diane sitting together on a blanket, and Harry handed a bottle of water and some soap over to his son.
Scorpius watched as Teddy helped David wash his hands, and then he walked up to them, so Teddy could help him as well before everything was handed over to David, so Teddy could do the same. They handed the things back to Harry, and he packed them away before bringing food out of his basket. It was mini pies and little tubs of fruit salad, as well as sandwiches and juice for them to drink.
Diane laughed as she watched him. "You are impossible, Harry," she said as he looked over at her. She looked at Scorpius as he ate. She really wondered where his parents were. The nice man she had met before didn't seem like the kind of guy who would just let his little boy out of his sight. "Are you here with your father, Scor?" she asked.
Scorpius shook his head. He wasn't, and he really didn't want them to talk to his grandmother.
Harry placed a hand on Diane's arm and shook his head. There was turmoil he wasn't quite sure how to interpret from the little boy. He watched them all eat, probably more than they needed. Then David and Teddy started explaining what they were trying to do, and Harry moved slightly as Scor shuffled closer to him and leaned against him.
"Should we head out again for a little bit?" Teddy asked as he stood up.
"Sure, let's go," David said.
They looked over at Scorpius, who was sitting leaned against Harry's side. Harry looked down. 'Sleeping,' he signed to his son.
'Okay,' Teddy signed back before grabbing David's arm. The older boys left, and Harry shifted Scor around so he was laying more comfortably.
"His father seems nice," Diane said. "I've spoken to him a few times. He is a bit reserved, but… well, he kind of reminds me of you, you know. He cares about his son. I can see that in his eyes."
Harry nodded. "We are wondering if maybe he works too much," he said. "I've spoken to Andromeda and from what little she has seen of Scor we are wondering if he isn't neglected."
"If he is working too much or strange times, it isn't by choice," Diane said. "He told me Scor has a hard time making friends because of him."
Harry nodded slowly. Sounded to him like Scor's father was an ex-death eater… if he was magical, that was. The boy clearly was magical, but he couldn't be certain about his parents. "Then let's make sure he will at least have two," he said.
"David asked if he could invite him to his birthday celebration. I was thinking we would send the invite with Scor today," Diane said.
"Sounds like an idea," Harry said. He was stroking Scor's hair slowly. "You wanted help with prep that day?" he asked.
"Yes please Harry," Diane said. "It would be great to have another adult around."
"No problem," Harry said. He looked down as Scorpius' eyes blinked open. "Hey, little sprout," he said. "Teddy and David went back to the fort."
Scorpius gave Harry a worried look at first before he met those comforting green eyes and he calmed down. Teddy's dad was nice. He knew that already. He rubbed his eyes and got up.
"Scor, I have something for you before you go back to the other boys," Diane said. "It is from David." She handed him an envelope and Scor opened it slowly. His eyes widened, it was the invitation for a birthday celebration. He had never been to one before. Did they really want him to come?
"If it makes your dad feel better, he can stay with you," Diane said.
Scor nodded. He hoped his dad would be home before then because his grandmother would never let him go. "Thank you," he said.
Diane smiled at him. "You are so welcome, Scor," she said. "Now head back to the fort so you can play for just a bit longer." She looked over at Harry as Scorpius disappeared among the trees. "The fact that no one has come looking for him disturbs me," she said.
"Me as well," Harry said.
It was rather late when Harry and Diane called for the boys and headed home with Teddy and David.
Scorpius made his way over to Narcissa, and she brought him back home.
"Did you only just now get home?" Draco asked as he walked out of the living room, where green flames were fading.
"Yes well. He was having fun," Narcissa said.
"He also needs food, mother. What is wrong with you?" Draco asked. Today had not been a good day, and he was already frustrated, otherwise he wouldn't be doing this in front of his son.
"We wouldn't have this problem if you would just come home," Narcissa said hauntingly. She didn't appreciate him pointing out her faults.
Draco sighed. "Whatever," he said. He watched his mother leave before turning to Scorpius. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
Scorpius shook his head. "No, Teddy's dad had packed food, and we had a picnic," he said. "There were loads of food. He had made sandwiches and pies and fruit salad. It was really good."
Draco raised an eyebrow. He needed to meet this parent who made sure his son ate when his own grandmother couldn't even bother. "I should be able to go with you next time," he said.
"Yeah, that's great," Scorpius said happily. Then he paused. "David's mother gave me an invitation to his birthday celebration. Can I go, please?" He held the envelope out to his father, and Draco took it. "She said you could stay if you were worried."
Draco looked at the invitation. His boy really wanted to go. He would make sure it happened.
…
Draco rang the doorbell and looked down at his son. A man with brown eyes and a friendly smile opened the door. "Scor?" he asked.
Scorpius nodded. "That's me," he said nervously.
"Great, I'm David's dad, Joshua," Joshua said. "If you have any questions you can ask me or David's mum, Diane or Teddy's dad, Harry." He led them through the house out back.
Teddy saw Scorpius and ran up to him. "Hey Scor come with me," he said before dragging the smaller boy along into the midst of the children.
"I don't know how we ended up with so many children," Joshua told Draco. "At least everyone seems to be having fun." He looked at Scor's father. He looked uncomfortable at best. He reached out and led the man over to a set of chairs. "Have a seat. You look like you're about to crawl out of your own skin."
Draco sat down as Joshua was called over to help with the food table. He had never been to anything like this before. It seemed so messy. His parents would never have allowed for anything remotely like this. Still, Joshua was right. They seemed to be very happy.
"Oh, I'm so glad Scor could make it," Diane said. "Would you like a lemonade?"
Draco nodded slowly. "Yes, please, Diane," he said. He took the glass and looked back towards the children watching them play with a small smile on his lips.
"Where do you want these, Diane?"
Draco turned towards the deep voice and swallowed thickly as he saw the guy it belonged to. Broad shoulders and toned arms flexed as the guy carried a tray of filled cups out of the house.
"Oh, over here," Diane said as she walked towards a table.
Draco's mouth dried as the guy laughed. This was a kid's party, he could not be reacting to this guy, no matter how utterly gorgeous he was. He was so glad the man never seemed to turn towards him because he couldn't take his eyes off him.
"Were you going to give everyone face paint?" Diane asked Harry.
"Sure, I'll do that," Harry said. He headed into the house and picked his things up before heading out. He sat down on the lawn and called David to him so he could start with the birthday boy.
Diane walked back over to Draco and sat down. "I have been walking around for six hours fixing things. I'm so glad Harry is here to help. He is so great with the children. I've never understood how he does it, but they listen to him," she said as she looked at Draco. A small smile spread over his lips as she realised Draco's eyes seemed glued on the children… or the man sitting with them.
Draco watched as Teddy walked up to his father with Scorpius. He couldn't hear what was said, but he could tell that Scorpius was very comfortable with Harry. "Is that washable?" he asked as blue paint was spread over Scorpius' face.
"Soap and water," Diane said.
Scorpius came running up to them once he was done. "Look, dad, I'm a thunderbird," he said. "Teddy was going to be a dragon. He will be so cool." He hugged his father and rushed back to his friend. He stopped next to Harry and leaned on him as he watched him work. "You're really good at this," he said.
Harry smiled as Teddy signed for him. "Thank you, Scor," he said. His phone buzzed and he checked it.
"What is it, dad?" Teddy asked.
"Ron and Padma's child is on the way. They have asked me for some help," Harry said. "I'll finish this first, though. Is that okay?"
Teddy nodded. "Sure," he said.
Harry smiled. He placed his brush down once he was done with Teddy and reached out to place his hand on Scorpius hands. "Are you going to go back with to play with Teddy," he asked.
Scorpius bit his lip. "Can I stay with you?" he asked.
Harry smiled and moved, so Scorpius could sit in his lap as he worked on Jenna's unicorn. He looked down as Jenna bounced off. Scorpius had fallen asleep. He just moved him so he could keep going and slowly painted the faces of the rest of the children. He placed his paints aside and ran his fingers through Scorpius' hair slowly. "Hey, time to wake up," he said.
Scorpius yawned and rubbed his face against Harry's chest. Thankfully not spreading pain everywhere, since Harry used just a bit of magic when applying the paint. Teddy made his way back to them and grabbed his friend's hands. The two of them headed back to the rest of the children as Harry got up. He grabbed his things and walked over to Diane. "I need to leave," he said. "A friend of mine needs help. His wife is giving birth now, and he missed some rather important things as they got her to the hospital."
"Okay, you go take care of that. We can house Teddy until tomorrow if you need that," Diane said.
Harry smiled at her. "Thank you, Diane," he said. He hugged her before walking away. He waved at Teddy before leaving, and both his own son and Scor waved back at him.
Ron's house looked a mess when Harry arrived. He cleaned everything up, and walked into the nursery to pick together a basket of essentials for the baby. Then he headed into the master bedroom and picked clothes for Ron and Padma before heading to the hospital. He found Ron pacing in a waiting room. He placed the bag down and walked up to his friend. "Hey, how are things going?" he asked.
Ron shook his head. "Something was wrong, so they asked me to leave," he said. "I only texted you. I know mum will be pissed… but I don't want her overbearingly hanging over me right now."
"Excuse me."
Ron turned towards the newly arrived person, and Harry followed his gaze. "Yes?" Ron asked.
"You are Ronald?"
"Yes."
"You can head back in now," the healer said.
Ron smiled at the healer before disappearing in through a door.
Harry watched him go while shaking his head fondly. He sat down and waited. Ron had asked him to be there and he would stick around. He wasn't sure how long he sat there before Ron came out with a bundle of blankets in his arms. He smiled brightly at Harry. "Will you be little Navid's godfather?" he asked as he sat down next to Harry. "We have seen the way you are with Teddy, and there is no one we would trust more."
Harry pointed at him. "You better not die on me," he said.
Ron smiled. "The healer said he needs magic. Parental magic," he said. "Some children need it more than others."
"Who spoke to you about that?" Harry asked.
Ron tapped his leg and pointed. "He is deaf," he told the Healer.
"Oh, well, in that case," the healer said as she signed. "It is rare enough, but I made sure to learn anyway. You have questions about magic in children?"
Harry nodded. "I have a child in my presence, he is the friend of my son, that seeks me out when we meet. He is reaching for my magic. He on several occasions basically take power naps on me, and I wonder if there is anything to that?" he said. "I have no reference point to this. I'm a warder."
The healer nodded slowly. "He seeks you out specifically?" she asked.
Harry confirmed. "When my son goes with his grandmother, it does not happen with her," he said. "I haven't seen any other magical people around him. I know he lives with his father, but not much more than that."
"To me, that sounds either like his father does not have magic, or his magic is unavailable," the Healer said. "You are giving this child magic?"
Ron snorted. "Of course he is," he said. "Harry has such a bleeding heart for children, there is no way he isn't."
"Am I making things worse?" Harry asked.
The healer shook her head. "No. In children like these, any magic they can get is essential. I cannot tell you why exactly he is seeking you out. It could be that you are the first person he has met that can provide what he needs. There could be some other reason. If you are willing to keep providing, that is good, but he really should get checked out."
Harry nodded. "I'll see what I can do about that. Thank you," he said.
Ron was called back into the room and Harry went with him. "You have done an amazing job," he told Padma. "I brought you some things and the house is clean for you. I even changed the sheets."
Padma smiled at him. "Thank you, Harry," she said. He kissed her forehead before squeezing Ron's shoulder. "Do you want me to tell the family… tomorrow morning?" he asked.
Ron smiled at him. "That sounds good," he said. "Gives all of us a chance to rest."
"Then I'll take care of it," Harry said. He headed out and left the newly become parents alone with their little one. He told Andromeda what the Healer had told him about magic, and she nodded slowly. "You really shouldn't continue without parental consent, though."
Harry nodded. "As soon as I can get it," he said.
…
It took several weeks before David, Teddy and Scorpius all joined up by the fort again. They had spent several weeks going solo or meeting up two and two. They had a lot of fun that day and since summer had finally arrived they decided to see if they couldn't show up the next day as well.
It was late when Harry received a text from David's mother saying he would not be making it to any play date the next day. Harry sighed. It was up to Teddy if he wanted to go without his best friend.
Teddy was disappointed when Harry told him about David, but he was still determined to head over to the fort. He hoped Scor would be there. Otherwise, he would just ask his dad for help. He watched his father sit down in his usual spot before he headed into the forest. He reached the fort and sighed heavily. It was all ruined. All of their work was destroyed.
"Are you going to cry now?"
"Buhu poor fairy and his stupid little friends worked so hard only for it to lay in ruins."
Teddy considered calling for his father. Harry certainly wouldn't be impressed. He turned towards the bullies and gave them a look that would have made his father proud. "You guys are just really mean," he said. "What purpose did that serve? So you ruined our fun? Great. Would you like a medal? Shittiest kids on the playground. Yay, good for you. You know, dad tells me people like you don't really amount to much."
"Teddy!"
Teddy turned to see Scor come rushing up to him. The smaller boy looked at their fort and his eyes filled with tears. "Don't cry, please," Teddy whispered. "I'm trying to prove a point. We can just do something else."
Scorpius pulled himself together as he moved closer to Teddy. He turned to look at the mean kinds. "Why did you destroy or fort?" he asked.
"Someone had to take you down a peg, fag."
"Yeah, you think you are so tough, but you are both just little crybabies."
"Scor. Don't run away like that," Draco said as he reached them. He was glad Teddy had been there already, and was as protective as he was of his son when he saw the mess that had once been a fort. Sure, it hadn't been a very good-looking fort, but that wasn't the point. The boys had worked hard on it, and they had a lot of fun making it. He turned to look at the two boys standing hidden by the trees just across from his son and Teddy. He was about to say something when Teddy spoke.
"Does it make you feel better to call us names? You know, calling us slurs is really stupid. You have no idea who you are talking to. So what if I like boys. Like that matters. It isn't as if you understand what you are talking about anyway. You are just parroting the foolish beliefs of others just as nonsensical as you are."
Draco looked down at Teddy. He was very well-spoken for his age, and his posture was reminiscent of when a child might imitate their Head of House. "I believe Scor and Teddy have said what they want to say. Your presence is no longer required," he told the older children. "Teddy, you came here with your father?" he asked the older boy.
"Yes, sir," Teddy said.
"I would like to speak with him," Draco said. "I believe we need to reach a joint decision on how to handle the current situation."
Teddy nodded. "Okay," he said. "This way." He knew the kids wouldn't try to attack them now that there was a grown-up there, but he was feeling kind of done with this. He'd rather not return, even if that somehow meant the boys thought they had won or something. He walked first as they headed towards the bench where Harry sat reading a book.
Draco sighed as his son took off running after Teddy, and watched as he climbed up in the other father's lap. He could feel a blush rising up his face at the smile Scorpius got as he explained what had happened. If only this man would smile that way at him.
"So Scor's dad suggested we decide what to do about it," Teddy said. "I'm all for not coming back here because those guys suck."
At the mention of the other parent, and the parent of the child that was currently curled up in his lap, Harry looked up past his son.
Draco swallowed thickly as green eyes so full of emotion he didn't know what to do with himself looked up at him. Then he heard the laugher bubbling up the other man's throat as he leaned back and placed the arm not holding Scorpius over the back of the bench comfortably.
Harry should have guessed. It fit too many of the boxes. Ex-death eater, check. Does have magic. Had definitely been through the same shite he had and would close of the same because hell they were both trained by Black women. He drew a deep breath. He knew everyone else was confused. He could see it on their faces. "Oh, my," he said. "It would seem our sons managed something we didn't," he said. "I guess you have come to find that some wizarding families are better than others. It is such a luck we belong to the same one." He could see when Draco realised who he was. It was like a light turned on in his eyes.
Draco felt like he had been hit by lightning. This guy with his dark dreamy voice and… He really needed to get his head out of the gutter… was Harry bloody Potter. Of all the people. Oh, he remembered well enough. He folded his arms over his chest and looked at his son, who looked like he had fallen asleep on Harry. "I would have though that was a jab, but you say we belong to the same family," he said. He might have been less calm if Harry hadn't been holding his son so gently. Right now, he wanted answers.
"Lord Hydrus Black at your service," Harry said calmly. "I assume the rumours are true, and you did distance yourselffrom your parents, since I somehow doubt Lord Malfoy would have been able to at least mention the times he has needed to butt heads with me so far."
Teddy looked from his father to Scor, dad. "They are Blacks?" he asked.
Harry nodded. "Scorpius grandmother is Andy's sister," he said.
"Scorpius?" Teddy asked.
"The most logical astrological name I can think of based on the nickname he presented you with," Harry said, and he received a nod from Draco. He shifted Scorpius and rose from the bench. "Well, Teddy, what did you have in mind?" he asked.
"Could we get ice cream?" Teddy asked. "The really good one."
Harry smiled at him. He looked at Draco. "Well?" He held his hand out. "Want to try this?" he asked.
Draco's heart skipped a beat. He had wanted this back when he was eleven. That had never really changed. He reached out slowly, almost scared that Harry would withdraw the hand before he took it. He didn't though. Harry's hand was warm and his handshake firm.
Teddy watched the two of them. He wasn't sure why, but this felt like it was significant somehow. "So ice cream?" he asked as they let go of each other.
Harry chuckled. "Assuming Draco dares to place himself and his son in a car with us, certainly," he said.
"One of those metal contraptions that muggles drive?" Draco asked.
"There are plenty of safety precautions and unlike most magical people who learn how to drive I did so properly without using magic on my examiner," Harry said.
Draco nodded. "Show the way," he said. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he felt butterflies in his stomach. He watched Harry take Teddy's hand with his free one, they started walking. "You don't have to carry Scorpius," he said.
Teddy poked his dad and pointed at Draco.
Harry turned towards him. "What?" he asked.
"You don't have to carry Scorpius," Draco said. "I can take him."
"Feel free to if you think you can loosen his grip on me without waking him," Harry said. "He needs this."
"What do you know about that?" Draco asked. He didn't particularly enjoy someone else telling him what his son needed. He was however willing to listen, especially when it came to Scorpius health.
"I spoke to a healer," Harry said. "She told me that the way he seeks me out most likely means there is a magic deficiency, and he needs magic. She couldn't tell me why he seeks me specifically without seeing him."
Draco shook his head and sighed. "That is probably not happening," he said.
Harry nodded. He could ask more about that later. He had a feeling it wasn't something Draco wanted to discuss in front of Teddy. He smiled as Scorpius woke up again. The yawn was comically large, and Harry chuckled. "Slept well?" he asked.
Scorpius blinked a few times before he realised that Harry was carrying him. He turned around worriedly until he saw Draco. Harry placed him down and he reached for his father.
Draco's steps faltered as he stepped in under Ferngale's wards. They were so full of care and love that he didn't quite know what to do with himself.
In the meantime, Harry unlocked the car and got Teddy into his seat. He walked around the car and called Scorpius over so he could get him into a seat as well. "You good?" he asked Scorpius and received happy nodding in response. "Good." He stood back up and closed the door before turning around. "Enjoying the view?" he asked. "Do I need to help you as well?"
Draco blinked slowly as his brain processed what Harry had been saying. He felt the blush creep up his cheeks as he realised that, yes, he had been staring at Harry's arse, and yes he had been enjoying the view. Harry had opened the door for him, and he decided he was better off just getting into the car. "Thank you," he said before he sat down. The door closed and he looked around.
Harry climbed into the driver's seat and looked at Draco. "Seat belt is over your left shoulder. You pull it out and attach the tongue to the buckle," he said as he did just that. "You want it to click."
Draco nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. He pushed the tongue down and heard a rather satisfying click.
Harry started the engine and drove them off the driveway. "It is about an hour drive over to the ice cream place, I was thinking we could grab a burger on our way over," he said. "So they aren't eating ice cream on empty stomachs."
"Sounds good," Draco said. He couldn't really help himself. He knew he was staring, and he understood that was rude. It really wasn't his fault, though. Harry just looked so damn sexy. He was holding onto the wheel with one hand while leaning the other against the door.
"So if you and dad know each other, did you go to school together?" Teddy asked.
Draco looked into the backseat. "Yes, though we were in different houses," he said.
"Wait, you and Teddy's dad know each other, dad?" Scorpius asked, since he had been fast asleep when they figured that out.
"They don't only know each other, but we are related," Teddy said.
Scorpius looked at him with wide eyes. "We are?" he said.
"Our grandmothers are sister," Teddy said. "My mum was your dad's cousin."
"Your mother?" Draco said.
"Nymphadora," Teddy said. "And my birth father was Remus Lupin. In case you wonder about my age and Harry. They asked dad if he would be godfather right before the battle of Hogwarts."
Draco nodded. That made a lot more sense than Harry fathering a child at the time. He somehow doubted Harry had time to do things like of that nature that year. He sat back again as Teddy and Scorpius spoke happily in the backseat. He wasn't sure quite what to say to Harry, though. He had questions, but he wasn't sure the answers were appropriate around their sons.
They drove into a drive-through and Harry turned around. "Cheese or no?" he asked.
"No cheese," Scorpius said.
"Yes, cheese," Teddy said.
Draco just gave him a confused look. He wasn't sure what to answer.
"Do you like melted cheese?" Harry asked.
"That's fine," Draco said. He was confused as Harry ordered for them before driving around so he could pay. He was handed a bag almost immediately, and handed it to Draco. "They will show if they have cheese or not. I ordered cheese for me."
Draco looked through the burgers and handed two of them back to Teddy so he could help Scorpius, before he picked out a burger for Harry and handed it over. He wasn't sure how Harry unwrapped it with only one hand, but he wasn't going to ask. It tasted fine, he guessed. It certainly wasn't what he would normally go for. Looking at Scorpius, he seemed happy enough.
"I guess this isn't too bad," Draco said. "I understand why muggles travel like this."
Harry felt a pulse from his son and looked in the rearview mirror.
'Draco is speaking to you,' Teddy signed.
"I'm sorry Draco, I can't speak with you when I'm driving. It isn't that I can't multitask, but I'm deaf, so I need to be looking at you to speak with you," Harry said. "I know I pass fairly well for hearing, and I'm sorry I didn't point it out earlier."
Draco wasn't sure what to say, and now he knew Harry couldn't hear him either way. He assumed Teddy had done something to alert his father, and he was grateful for that, because he would have hated asking multiple questions and receiving no answers. He wasn't sure how he felt about Harry being deaf. Did that matter to him? Would that matter if…? He was blushing again because his mind had gone straight down the gutter, and he wasn't sure if the flirting Harry had already done was serious or not… because he had been flirting earlier. He was still contemplating this when Harry pulled in to a car park and stopped the car.
Teddy jumped out and Harry walked around the car to let Scorpius out. He pulled Draco's door opened, and Draco blinked and looked up at him as he held his hand out to him. He fumbled with the buckle and pulled his belt off, feeling utterly awkward about the whole thing.
Harry didn't say anything, though. He just helped Draco up and closed the door behind him. "We better catch up with the wild ones before they disappear," he said. He didn't let go of Draco as he walked inside, following their son's like it was the most natural thing in the world to him.
Draco reached out and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Wait," he said.
Harry smiled at them as he let go of Draco. 'Go, Teddy,' he signed. He smiled as Teddy took command and ordered his ice cream, and then it was Scorpius turn. He did okay, but Draco had to help him out a few times. Harry paid for the ice creams and walked with the boys over to a table outside and sat down.
"So you are deaf," Draco said in an attempt to start up some kind of conversation.
Harry nodded. "It hasn't been quite a year yet," he said. "Teddy and I were caught in an explosion. I shielded against the worst of it, but since I was focusing that to Teddy, it kind of missed my eardrums. Then my magic healed me, and there was nothing that could be done after that." He shrugged. "It's been rough, of course, but we have adapted and learnt how to handle things."
Draco wasn't sure if he could fully understand. The thought of never hearing Scorpius again scared him, and he wasn't sure he could work without his hearing. He used it too much when brewing. He didn't really have anything to say. He felt like so many things they could talk about wasn't something they should talk about in front of Teddy and Scorpius. "What do you do for a living?" he asked, assuming Harry would work even if he was Lord Black.
"I am a warder," Harry said. He could tell that Draco was struggling, and he wasn't quite sure how to help. "I was trained by the goblins and received my Mastery through the Nation."
"So that's where the branding took you?" Draco asked. That was probably one of the last articles he had ever read in the Prophet. He didn't like the paper and would rather keep it far away from Scorpius.
Harry nodded. "The initial branding made me a part of the Nation. The subsequent ones show my standing within the Nation," he said.
"Warder, that somehow feels strange," Draco said. He was trying to wrap his mind around this information.
"I can protect people and places without the need to put myself in direct danger," Harry said. "I think it fits quite well. The things I did during our time at Hogwarts were often things I ended up doing because no one else was dealing with it."
Draco smiled. He could see it. With Harry's explanation, it made sense. "So you are just trying to protect people?" he said. "What if they don't want to be protected?"
Harry smiled. "I will lay wards where I'm commissioned to lay them. If people don't like that. Though luck," he said. "It is one of the reasons I stepped away from my old name, though. When I became Lord Black, I chose to take my new name and run with it because of how badly the papers were and still are butchering the name of the one person who could deal with Riddle."
"You let him die even if other people don't see that," Draco said. "If only it was that easy." He looked at his son and the amount of ice cream that was dripping down on the table. They would have to clean up after him. He felt Harry grab his hand and looked up at him.
"I don't like the implication of what you are saying," Harry said. "People respect your father well enough, and he was by far the least innocent out of the lot of you."
Draco shook his head slowly. "People dislike me far more than him," he said. "Maybe because they remember me from Hogwarts. I don't know. I get a fair amount of slurs, even if I have Scorpius with me."
"Sounds like one of my worst nightmares with Teddy. Thankfully, we haven't had any issues yet, at least," Harry said. "I think me disappearing so soon after the battle created problems. People wanted someone to lead them, and I have frankly never given two shits about the public. It is too fickle. Maybe if they hadn't painted me as a villain so often, I would have cared more."
"Couldn't you grab a hold of that now?" Draco asked.
"If I wanted to be miserable," Harry said. "I don't want that. I don't want people to pin their hopes on me. I'm not responsible for other people's happiness. They have to put in the work themselves."
Draco nodded in understanding, even though a small part of him felt just a bit disappointed. Not because Harry wouldn't help everyone, but he wanted into whatever protective bubble Harry held around Teddy, and it would seem Scorpius. He looked down at their linked hands, wishing it was more than just a comforting gesture.
"What about you?" Harry asked. "What have you been up to?"
"You mean apart from the obvious," Draco said as he reached out and ran his fingers through Scorpius' hair gently. "I studied under a Potions Master."
"Following Snape's footsteps rather than your father's," Harry said.
Draco offered him a small smile. "He was my godfather. Even if he didn't act much like it most of the time," he said. "I didn't want to just be Lucius' son. Being a Malfoy isn't… It isn't what it used to be, even if father has regained favour in a lot of ways, there is still a lot of stigma from the public."
Harry nodded slowly. "A lot of things changed," he said. "Some for the better, some for the worse. Unfortunately, human nature is to blame someone and sometimes the people we end up blaming are innocent," he looked out at Scorpius. "Life isn't fair."
"And you don't think you could make a difference?" Draco asked.
Harry sighed. "No I could. The question is how long after I start trying, do I get branded a Dark Lord," he said. "If I hadn't gone to the goblins, I wouldn't be the man I am today. I did a lot of growing with them. I wouldn't have had the confidence to act the way I do. I don't think that would have happened if I had gone into Auror training the way everyone expected me to. I think that eventually I would have turned bitter."
"We're done," Teddy said as he poked his father.
Harry smiled at him and reached out to clean both boys and the table from excess ice cream. "Then let's head down to the play park," he said. He got up and Teddy grabbed Scorpius' hand. The boys rushed down ahead of their fathers.
Draco's eyes widened as he saw the water park. "They'll be okay?" he asked.
"They will be fine. If we go over to a couple of benches over there." Harry pointed. "We will be able to see them ninety-five per cent of the time. Teddy can pull his alarm otherwise."
Draco tried to relax. It was good for Scorpius to play without his father hovering over him constantly. He blinked as Harry held his hand out to him and stumbled as they teleported over to the benches.
"Hey, I know I'm irresistible, but you don't need to throw yourself at me," Harry said jokingly. He was expecting Draco to sneer a reply at him, but it didn't happen.
Draco on the other hand was warring with his own body. Because Harry smelled nice and his body felt warm and cosy. He had almost made a noise when Harry let go of him, and he felt mortified that he was this affected. Then he felt Harry's arm against his back, and he wasn't sure if he should relax against him or ask him to move the arm. When he finally looked at Harry, he saw him watching their son down below.
Harry turned to Draco as he felt a tentative hand touch his leg. He met Draco's eyes and saw there was a question there. It really was up to him to ask it, though. At least for now. "Yes?" he asked.
Draco felt his throat clog up. He was terrified of rejection. Maybe it was better not to ask. He felt Harry's warm hand squeeze his shoulder and drew a steadying breath. "Are you being serious?" he asked.
"Serious about what, Draco?" Harry almost purred, and he saw the blush dust over Draco's cheeks. It was a welcome response, especially considering how badly his latest breakup had affected him.
"The flirting," Draco said.
Harry smiled at him. "I'm always serious when I'm flirting, unless it is Luna. Then we're doing it to confuse people," he said. "Don't think I haven't noticed the way you have been looking at me today, and Diane is the worst gossip in the neighbourhood." He leaned over and Draco gave him a pained look as he said, "Did you know Scor's father wouldn't take his eyes off you." He chuckled as he moved back.
Draco closed his eyes and shook his head. "I should have known," he said. He moved the hand he had on Harry's thigh and squeezed. He felt Harry's fingers rub his shoulder slowly, and he moved closer to him. "You really mean that?" he asked.
Harry smiled at him. "Yes," he said. "I'm interest. Yes, I'm definitely flirting with you."
"You hated me," Draco said. He was trying to wrap his mind around this.
"I disliked the way you acted," Harry said. "We have both changed a lot from the boys we were when we went to Hogwarts. I somehow became a Lord and you grew out from under your father's shadow. I understand better now than I did then, and you did not know my background, so you were working on half arsed information and assumptions. I'd prefer that you just ask if you have a question. I can't tell you things about the Nation, but anything Hogwarts I can easily talk about."
"Why did you turn me down?" Draco said. "On the train ride."
Harry smiled. "That answer will take a bit for you to fully understand, but the simple version is that I grew up in a house where I was unwanted. I have a cousin my own age. His parents spoiled him rotten while neglecting me. I won't compare the two of you too much because frankly I think Golye might be smarter than him and Dudley was more that sort of person than like you. Before that train ride, I had never had a friend, and Ron was nice to me. Sure, he was a bit awestruck, and looking back, he might not have been the right choice at the time, but he is a great guy now," he said. "You insulted the first other child I met that dared to even speak to me like I was a person."
Draco closed his eyes. "I just repeated something father had taught me," he said. "I didn't know any better."
"And that is the conclusion I reached too," Harry said. "Yet after the war and even during it. You changed. Some people like Goyle stayed the same, and he is in Azkaban for it. You did not. You got tired of your father's bullshit and left. In so many ways, you are braver than most Gryffindors because you ventured outside your comfort zone to find yourself." He reached out and touched Draco's chin gently. "I admire what you have created for yourself and who you have chosen to become. I understand that it isn't perfect, but don't sell yourself short."
Draco moved closer to Harry and pressed their lips together. He felt amazing. The words Harry spoke to him. The feel of his body where they connected. He wanted so much more than this. There was so much warmth in Harry's eyes when they moved apart that he didn't quite know what to do with it. He just looked into the depths of Harry's eyes for who knows how long.
"Dad."
Draco turned towards his son but didn't move away from Harry. His son probably wouldn't notice how close they were siting unless he made a big deal of it. He wasn't sure how he wanted to handle their sons yet. He didn't know what was between him and Harry yet, either.
"I need to go," Scorpius said.
Harry got up slowly, so Draco could let go of him. "Here sprout, let me show you. How urgent is it?" he asked.
Scorpius looked up at Harry with tears in his eyes, and Harry grabbed him and teleported them over to the bathroom. He could tell by the shaking of Scorpius' shoulders that they hadn't made it. He opened the bag he carried and looked through it for a change of clothes as he moved them into a stall. He still normally brought one just in case.
"It's okay, you can change to some of Teddy's clothes," Harry said. He knelt next to Scorpius and dried his tears. "There, there, it is okay," he said. "Accidents happen. You were having fun, and you weren't checking properly. It is okay." Harry helped him clean up and get into Teddy's clothes before he shrank them down to fit better. Harry dried the soiled clothes and packed them into a sealed bag that he tied to the outside of his bag. "There, all better," he said. "Do you need to go more?" he asked. "Would you like to try?"
Scorpius nodded slowly and Harry moved out so he could go without him in there. He dried Scorpius hands as he re-joined him. "There you go now head back to Teddy," he said.
Scorpius looked up at Harry. He was slightly confused because no one had ever been that calm about something like that before. Even his father got a bit snappish. Not that it happened often. He ran back down to Teddy as Harry made his way back to Draco.
"He is wearing other pants?" Draco said.
"He had an accident," Harry said. "It happens. I shrank the extra clothes I carry around for Teddy down for him." He studied Draco as the other man closed off. Unlike Diane who just gave up at this point though, he knew how to poke this hornets' nest. "You are a good father, Draco," he said.
"Except my son seeks your magic because I cannot provide for him," Draco said.
"Why is that?" Harry asked. He could tell that Draco was apprehensive as he looked down at his left arm. "You know, you don't need to show me the physical mark. Can I have a look at the magic?"
Draco held his arm out slowly to Harry. If Harry could stand being around the mark. Harry, who should have every reason to hate it, then it couldn't be as bad as he thought it was. Harry closed his eyes and when he opened them again it was as if they were filled with swirling magic. Draco could feel him shifting his magic, but he was so gentle about it.
"You have used your own magic to contain it," Harry said softly as he ran his fingers along Draco's arm until he pressed his palm flat over Draco's heart. "You are a mage," he said softly. "Your well is sealed to contain the mark. How do you cast?"
"Wanded," Draco said. He felt Harry's magic, and he was almost crying because of how gentle and protective it felt.
"I can remove that mark," Harry said. "But you will have to let go for me to do so. I don't want to do that near our sons, so it will have to wait until Andy comes home. She is away on a trip right now." He moved back and left magesight before wrapping an arm around Draco. He ran his fingers along the Dark Mark slowly. Almost like he wasn't even thinking about what he was doing. "We should head home soon. It is about time to start on dinner."
Draco nodded. "I guess you are right," he said. In reality, he didn't want to move away from Harry. He followed with Harry as he rose, and they headed down towards the boys.
"Come on Teddy, let's head home," Harry called.
Teddy eyed the clasped hands between his father and Scorpius' father. He took Scorpius's hand and walked in front of the adults back to the car, where Harry dried them up so they wouldn't make a mess of the seats and helped them in.
Draco looked back at his son. "Have you had fun, Scorpius?" he asked.
"Yeah, loads," Scorpius said happily. "Mr Harry and Teddy are the best. We can spend more time with them, right?"
"I'm sure you will," Teddy said as he looked at Draco apprehensively. It wasn't that it was Scorpius' dad that bothered him. He just didn't want his dad to get hurt again. Last time he almost killed himself. There were more reasons for that, and Harry hadn't wanted to, still to Teddy it was connected. He pulsed his father. 'You want to bring them home. I wouldn't mind having Scorpius over. I've never had a friend who can go to Blackbird before,' he signed.
Harry sighed and chuckled. "Go," he said. He knew what his son was up to.
"Dad and I would like to invite the two of you to Blackbird for a sleepover," Teddy said.
Draco looked from Teddy to Harry. He had seen the interaction, and Harry's response was too short for him to be the instigator. He looked back at his son. Scorpius looked like he was buzzing in his seat. "Can we, dad? Please can we have a sleepover that is so cool," he said.
Draco sighed. "We would love to," he said. He watched the interaction between father and son again. He needed to ask Harry how his son got his attention like that. He wasn't sure how to handle anything that was going on right now. He had been dreading going home, and now he wouldn't be doing that any more.
The drive back was mostly quiet. Scorpius had fallen asleep, and Teddy sat watching the world roll by outside his window. "Mr Draco?" he said.
"What is it, Teddy?" Draco asked.
"Will you leave my dad?" Teddy said. "People always leave him. I don't want to see him hurt again." He pulled a leg up and hugged it. "Last time was just after he lost his hearing, and… he might not have survived that one. I just don't want anything like that to happen again."
Draco nodded slowly. He wouldn't have expected Harry to be suicidal. "I want to see where this goes, but I'm not just going to leave Teddy, okay," he said.
Teddy sighed. He guessed he couldn't get better than that. He was just so tired of people hurting them.