Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

The Rise of the Drackens	By : StarLightMassacre Category: Harry Potter > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 769458 -:- Recommendations : 72 -:- Currently Reading : 220
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights for the creation of the Harry Potter novels go to J. K. Rowling. I make no money from this piece of fictional writing

Chapter List
- 107
- 108
- 109
Last Time

Every partnership needed work, whether it was just roommates, a business partnership, marriage or a mateship, they needed commitment and compromise to make them work and true, he would admit that most partnerships didn’t lead to the almost death of two members, but it was still the same principle. It took work and he was not just going to give up and let his mateship fall apart if there was something, anything, that he could do to prevent it. Not while he did still love all four of his mates and not while he felt that they still had something to fight for. He loved them all still, so very much, and love was always worth fighting for. Always.

Chapter One Hundred-Eight – Birthday Bumbling

The morning of Harry’s nineteenth birthday got off to a bad start. At just ten past five in the morning all five of them were jolted awake by hysterical crying.
Harry sat up, scrambling about in his panicked fear, but it was Draco, who was closest to the side of the bed where their twin girls were sleeping in their cots, who reached them first.

“Shit.” He cursed, all signs of sleep vanished under his sudden alertness. “She must have been standing up.”

Draco hurried her into their en suite bathroom, but not before Harry caught a dark stain and he panicked more, knowing now that she was injured, even if they weren’t under attack.

“Was that blood?” He demanded, forcing his body out of the tangle of limbs. “Is she bleeding?”

He went straight into the bathroom to find Draco holding a damp flannel to their daughter’s face. The sink was full of blood.

“What is it?” Harry asked.

“Her mouth or nose, I couldn’t tell.” Draco said as he peeled back the damp cloth and had a look. “It’s her mouth, she must have hit it against the bar of the cot.”

“Let me see.” Harry said.

“Just calm down and let me sort her out first.” Draco insisted. “Nasta!”

“I’m here.” Nasta said from right behind them. “What do you need?”

“A bit of space.” Draco said and Harry glared at his blond mate, but he turned and walked out of the bathroom himself.

“Here, Harry.” Max distracted him with the other twin, who was perfectly fine and safe, but she had been woken up by her sister’s crying. His biggest mate handed the baby over and then he went into the bathroom, as their first aider of the family it was the best place for him to be.

Blaise was stripping the other cot of its blooded sheets. There truly wasn’t a lot of it, only a few spots, but Harry still swallowed and cuddled his daughter closer, he sniffed her gently and he knew that he was holding his Eva…Ave had been the one to hit her face on the bar of her cot.

“You’re doing so well.” Nasta praised him. “I know you want to see and hold our baby girl. I know that this is tearing you apart on the inside, but she needs to be seen to, not fussed over. I’m so proud of you.”

As stupid as it sounded, Nasta’s obvious pride that he was controlling himself and not hovering over Ave was actually making him feel better and Harry turned to snuggle into Nasta’s naked body.

“Do what you need to.” Nasta insisted firmly and Harry took that as the permission that it was to bite into the flesh at Nasta’s pectoral.

If his arms weren’t full, then he would have clutched at Nasta’s skin with his nails instead, but it made him feel better to hold something, even if it was with his teeth. He didn’t bite hard enough to draw blood, or to even really hurt Nasta, but it made him feel better, it helped him to ground himself.

“That’s it, Caru. Do what you need to. We love you, our baby girl will be fine.”

“Ave.” Harry let go to tell them, before biting down on a different part of Nasta.

“It’s Ave?” Nasta asked. Harry nodded minimally so that he didn’t hurt Nasta.

“She’s fine. She’s stopped bleeding.” Max said as he came out of the bathroom with Ave in his arms.

Harry let go of Nasta and went to take his other baby girl from Max, who handed her over happily. He took one look at her and he started crying over her and he sat back on the bed and held both his girls to his chest, still crying silently, but he couldn’t help it.
Nasta came to sooth him and Harry did eventually calm himself down, especially as both Eva and Ave were calm, one was playing with her own hair, the other was curled up against his chest.

“I suppose going back to bed is out of the question.” Blaise groaned.

“It’s only half five, Blaise. If you get back in now, you can sleep for another two hours, or even for four if you want to wake up at nine.”

Blaise nodded and he crawled back into the bed and under the duvet. Harry smiled at him and he snuggled the two girls on his chest, using just his one arm to hold them in place. He used his free hand to smooth over Blaise’s head.

“Feels nice.” Blaise muttered softly, his eyes closed, a nice smile on his mouth.

“Do you want me to put the girls back to bed?” Max asked.

Harry staved off his automatic denial and he instead took a nice, calming deep breath, looked at his two girls and then he nodded.

“Yes, they’re still tired. Later, we’re padding the bars on the cots.”

“I supposed your birthday breakfast in bed is out of the question.” Max sighed. “This is the second year in a row now! Am I ever going to get to give you breakfast in bed on your birthday?”

“There’s always next year.” Harry laughed as Nasta took the two girls from him and he was able to snuggle back down in the bed with Blaise.

Max bent over the bed and he kissed them both, him and Blaise. Then he stood back up, a thoughtful frown on his face.

“You know what?” Max declared as he lifted the duvet and climbed back in with them. “I’m going to go back to sleep for a bit too.”

Draco slid back into the bed and he grinned. “I suppose I’ll join you.”

Nasta laughed and he shook his head. “I’m too awake at the moment.” He said, even as he climbed back into the bed. “But I suppose I could just lie here and look at you all.”

“That’s fucking creepy.” Max declared.

“Max is right ‘I like watching you while you sleep’ sounds too much like the tag line for a horror film.” Harry giggled.

Nasta shifted his body hard into the rest of them, making them bump one another and Harry giggled again.

“How does it feel to be nineteen?” Draco asked him.

“No bloody different to yesterday.” Harry yawned. “No…actually I’m more tired today than I was yesterday.” He laughed.

“Come here, you.” Max said as he tugged him in tighter to himself.

Harry rolled over and laid himself in Max’s arms, snuggling in.

“Now this is the best way to start a birthday.”

“Naked cwtching?” Nasta grinned.

“Naked cwtching.” Harry agreed with a smile as he rubbed his naked body against Max’s naked body.

“This is going to evolve into something more than just cwtching if you keep rubbing up against me like that.” Max growled playfully.

Harry laughed softly and stayed still. Blaise was breathing softly behind him and Harry knew that he was already asleep. Draco on the other side of him was still and Harry assumed that he was asleep too. He yawned again and he closed his eyes. He was determined to get a couple more hours sleep so that he could actually enjoy his birthday without getting tired later on. He wanted to keep enough energy to enjoy his privacy with his mates when all their guests were gone and their children were happily tucked up in bed. He smiled to himself, tucked up to Max’s body, he was going to damn well enjoy himself today, but first, he needed to sleep for a little longer, it was far too early to be awake.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Harry finally made his way down the stairs at twenty past eight in the morning. Blaise and Max were still sleeping, but Nasta and Draco had both been missing from the bed. He found them both in the family room, watching over their excited kids.
Harry happily slipped onto the settee and snuggled into Draco, worming his way under his arm and pillowing his head on the blond’s chest.

“Are you okay?” Nasta asked worriedly.

“Perfectly fine. I’m just a bit sleepy still. I’m not quite fully awake yet.” Harry said through a yawn. “How’s Ave?”

“None the worse for wear.” Nasta told him. “Nothing’s bleeding and she’s crawling around and trying to stand up as normal.”

Harry sighed and relaxed back, bonelessly flopping over Draco, who snorted with laughter before repositioning him and then holding him gently.

“Do you want tea?”

Harry hummed. “Yes please.”

“Are Blaise or Max awake?”

Harry snorted himself. “No.” He declared. “They’re completely out of it. Max was still snoring when I got up.”

“On his back?” Draco smiled.

Harry nodded. “Blaise and I must have tag teamed him. He was pinned down on both sides.”

“Bo da, Mummy.” Braiden interrupted.

Harry turned to smile at him, reaching forward to cup his cheeks and he kissed him soundly on the mouth.

“Bore da, Braiden. Good morning.” Harry repeated.

“Bo jor.” Braiden said next and Harry chuckled.

“Bonjour, Braiden. Good morning.”

“He’s gotten so good at that.” Draco complimented.

“He’s our smart little almost two year old.” Harry smiled.

“Two weeks.” Draco sighed. “Just two weeks and he’ll be two.”

“Then four months later we have five of them turning two.” Harry chuckled.

“Then a month after that, we’ll have our two terrors turning a year old.” Draco laughed.

“And maybe a new baby being born too.”

Draco kissed him at hearing that and his hand splayed over his belly. Harry kissed him back, winding his hands into that baby fine, platinum hair and it was only Nasta clearing his throat some minutes later that broke them apart. Harry panted breathlessly and he giggled.

“Now that was a birthday kiss.”

Nasta lifted a black eyebrow and he smirked. He put one hand behind Harry’s head, cupping the back of his neck and he all but plundered his mouth with that glorious tongue of his and he left Harry breathless and his head swimming.

“I need to have a birthday more often.” He laughed, a little gruffly.

Regan interrupted them this time, standing up and clambering onto the settee and plonking himself on Harry’s lap. Harry’s arms wrapped around him and snuggled him in close. He lifted a hand to play with the fluffy, jet black hair.

“Are you okay, Regan?” He asked.

Regan just nodded and he slumped to rest on Harry’s chest. Alarm bells rang and Harry automatically lifted a hand to press against his forehead.

“Is he warm?” Nasta asked him.

“No.” Harry said, shaking his head. He sat forward and he peered into Regan’s beautiful hazel-gold eyes. “He’s normal temperature, his eyes are normal, he’s alert.”

“Maybe he just wants a cuddle.” Draco insisted.

Harry nodded, but he looked closer at Regan. “Regan, are you feeling poorly?” He asked.

Regan shook his head.

“Something isn’t right, Nasta.” Harry said. “He’s not a loud boy, but he’s never this quiet either.”

“Pass him here.”

Harry handed Regan up to Nasta and their third son started struggling, reaching out for him, kicking his legs.

“Hold on, kid.” Nasta said as he held Regan tight and sniffed him. He sniffed all over his body, but he passed Regan back to Harry with a shake of his head. “Nothing. He smells completely healthy. Maybe he’d just a bit tired still, we’ll see after his nap.”

Harry nodded and he snuggled Regan tightly on his lap again. They didn’t need to wait for lunchtime, or for naptime, as Regan fell asleep on Harry’s lap not fifteen minutes later.

“He must have had a bad night too.” Draco sighed as he brushed a lock of black hair from Regan’s sleeping face.

“I’m going to go and put him in the other room.” Harry said.

“Don’t go in the smaller living room.” Nasta warned him. “Your birthday things are in there.”

“Really?” Harry asked, brightening up and looking at the closed double doors.

“No, Harry. You can wait for Blaise and Max to wake up.” Nasta told him with a grin.

“Aww.” He pouted, but he couldn’t stop grinning.

“Do you want to put him upstairs?” Draco asked.

Harry shook his head. “No, if he goes upstairs then there’s no telling how long he’ll sleep for and that’ll demolish his routine. It’s not that loud, I’ll keep him here with me.”

Harry cradled Regan close, looking at his sleeping face with a smile.

“Where’s Leolin?” He asked.

“In his gym.” Draco said. “Utterly transfixed by that glitter ball attachment.”

Harry craned his head and neck, moving until he could just about see Leolin in the little baby gym.

“Everyone’s okay and happy then?”

“Of course.” Draco said firmly.

“Do you want something to eat, Harry?” Nasta asked.

Harry, who had woken up feeling slightly queasy, shook his head. “No, I’m too excited to eat!” He played off with a grin. “I want more tea though, please, my gorgeous sugar daddy.”

“What did you just call me?” Nasta demanded while Draco laughed.

Harry laughed himself, trying to stay still for Regan’s benefit. Nasta placed his hands on the back of the settee and he bent down to kiss him.

“Never call me that again, it makes me sound so old.” He complained. “Not to mention perverted.”

“What’s he called you?” Blaise asked, stumbling into the family room, rubbing his eyes.

“A sugar daddy.”

Blaise stopped and then stared. “Does that mean something different in the Muggle world, because Harry, that in the wizarding world means that you’re sleeping with him for money.”

“It’s the same in the Muggle world.” Harry giggled.

“Oh, what money is he giving you?” Blaise asked. “I’ve slept with you too, where’s mine?” He demanded of Nasta.

Harry laughed happily as Nasta turned on Blaise and swept him up into his arms and gave him a passionate kiss.

“He pays with love and care.” Harry grinned.

“And phenomenal sex.” Blaise added cheekily.

“Exactly!” Harry laughed.

“You’re both terrible.” Nasta complained as he set Blaise down on the settee.

“We know.” Harry grinned. “Where’s my tea, sexy?”

Nasta snorted, shook his head and he went out into the kitchen to get them drinks.

“Happy birthday, Prezioso.” Blaise greeted him before giving him a gentle kiss.

“I’m not allowed to go into the other room until Max is up.” He pouted.

Blaise laughed and kissed him again before looking down at Regan. “Is he okay?” He asked, kissing a plump cheek.

“He’s alright as far as we can tell. I think he’s just tired.”

“He smells healthy.” Nasta agreed as he came back with a tray of tea, like Max usually did. He handed Harry his honey tea and gave Blaise a coffee.

“Oh, this is what all my wet dreams are about.” Blaise groaned as he took the mug from Nasta and inhaled the scent of coffee deeply before taking a sip and groaning.

Harry laughed happily. “All my wet dreams are about being waited on hand a foot, by my four gorgeous, naked mates who each have a different treat.”

“Oh, what treat do I hold for you?” Nasta asked him curiously.

“Draco holds my honey tea, Max has my fudge chocolate because he’s the one who always buys it for me, Blaise holds out chocolate cake, because that’s my favourite cake ever and you offer me treacle tart, because I would literally sell my body for payment in treacle tart.”

“You’d better not.” A sleepy Max growled from behind him, just catching his last comment.

Harry laughed. “But I love treacle tart. Hey, you know, Max, you’re a bit of a tart, why don’t you wear some treacle for me so I can eat you?”

“I don’t know whether to be turned on or offended that I’m being called a slut. Either way it’s too early and I’m not fully awake…and it’s your birthday too, so I’ll let it slide this once.”

Harry giggled, he was so happy and he looked up at Nasta pleadingly.

“Presents now?” He asked. “You said when Max was awake.”

“You were waiting for me? You should have come up and given me a kick!” He insisted, bending down and kissing him.

“No, I’m able to wait…a bit.” He said with a grin.

“Let Blaise and Max have their breakfasts first.”

“We’ll be having guests soon.” Draco frowned.

“No, they’ve owled their gifts to Harry and they’ll be here in the afternoon.” Nasta countered.

“There are more gifts in there?” Harry asked.

“Wait for Max and Blaise to have something to eat.”

“Just toast for me.” Blaise smiled. “I won’t keep him waiting long.”

“I’ve got it. I want tea anyway.” Max said as he stood back up.

“I’ve got it, sit down.” Nasta insisted.

“It’s Harry’s birthday, not mine.” Max chuckled.

“You’ve just woken up and I can handle toast.”

“Are you sure?” Blaise teased. “It’s not too much for you, is it? I don’t like my toast incinerated.”

“You’re not funny.” Nasta chuckled.

Harry chuckled too and he snuggled further into Draco with Regan and he sighed.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything, Harry?” Nasta asked.

“Maybe just a bit of toast.” He relented. “I’m so excited my stomach is doing flips.”

“You need to eat.” Max chastised him as Nasta went into the kitchen to get them something to eat. “No getting excited before your big present tonight.”

Harry laughed. “I can’t help it, this is my second birthday with you all and my third since I became a Dracken. I’m happy and excited.”

“Get a bit of barbequed toast down you and then we can have presents.” Max told him.

“I heard that!” Nasta called from the kitchen and that made Harry laugh harder.

When Nasta presented them with a plate of toast each, none of them said anything about the slightly charred edges, though there was a lot of covert glances at one another and suppressed smiles. Harry ate his toast happily, Regan still sleeping against his chest and he drained the rest of his tea. He was the last to finish, as usual.

“Presents now?” He asked with a grin.

Nasta chuckled. “Come on then.”

Harry was helped to his feet and helped to the next room, his mates following. Calix made sure that he was the first one through the double doors after Draco opened them.
Harry gasped as he saw the massive pile of presents.

“Seriously?” He demanded. “All of this is for me?!”

“All for you, love.” Max assured him with a grin, falling onto the one free settee, the other one was covered in presents, with just the smallest space left for him to sit.

Harry sat in the small gap and he shook his head. “I can’t believe I have so much stuff!” He said. “Who’s it all from?”

“Everyone you know.” Nasta chuckled. “You even have a gift from the Dracken Healers. I told you that they truly liked you.”

“Seriously?” He cried.

“Yeah, this one.” Max said as he handed over a small wrapped gift. The tag did indeed say that it was from the Healer team at the Dracken Counsel Halls.

Harry opened it as best as he could with Regan still sleeping against his chest and he laughed as he unwrapped a dragon teddy. Someone had taken the time to wrap it up in bandages.

“They’re not funny.” He said, but he giggled regardless.

“Mama!” Calix, who was by his feet, reached out for the teddy. Harry handed it over and watched as Calix turned it over in his hands and then toddled off with it.

“At least that’s one use for it.” Harry laughed.

“Open your cards.” Blaise insisted as he handed over a wad of envelopes.

Harry opened the multitude of different coloured envelopes and noted who they were from. Myron, Richard and Ashleigh. Julinda, Talia and Alayla. Caesar, Amelle, Eleonora and Beatrice. Hagrid. Henley, Anabel, Claudia and baby Harry. Sanex and Crista. Aneirin. Alexander and Kimberly. Marianna and Josiah. Arsenio. Hermione. Seamus. Dean. Neville. Luna. Professor Dumbledore. A million of them were from Max’s Aunts and Uncles, Cepheus had made a rude comment about how much he could fit in his mouth, seriously he was never going to let that incident go. There was a card from the Weasleys, one from someone called Sixten, who was also a Dracken and apparently Nasta’s best friend who worked on a Dragon Reserve in Sweden, and then one from Lucius and Narcissa and another from Remus, Tonks and baby Teddy. Then there were the cards from his mates, one each, each declaring undying love, which made him laugh and then another very large card, from his babies. It was signed with their handprints, which was becoming more of a tradition now since Harry had done it first for Draco’s eighteenth birthday.

“Do we even have the space for all of these?” He giggled happily as he looked at them all.

“Of course.” Nasta insisted as he took them from him and placed them up on the cupboards and sideboards and then all over the windowsill.

Harry looked at them all and he smiled.

“Presents now.” Max said excitedly.

“I don’t know where to even start.” He laughed.

“Mummy.”

Harry looked over the side of the settee to Braiden and he hefted his almost two year old up and sat him down on his knees, being careful of the sleeping Regan.

“You’ll be doing this soon.” He smiled. “Two weeks and you’ll be two years old!”

Braiden clapped his hands and Harry laughed. He picked up the first present nearest to him, he read the tag and saw that it was from Mr and Mrs Weasley.
He opened it up, very awkwardly around the two babies he had on his lap, and he grinned at the home baked fudge and mini treacle tarts. He ate one of the tarts right off.

“She must think that you don’t feed me.” He giggled. Max looked faintly offended and that made Harry properly laugh. He laughed even harder when he saw that all of his mates had taken offence to the thought that others believed that they weren’t providing adequately for him.

He put the box down and swore to keep an eye on it…and the rest of his horde. He would be very disappointed in his friends if they didn’t give him half a sweetshop and he would have to protect it from Nasta.
He was correct in his knowledge of his friends. Neville had given him the biggest box of chocolate frogs he’d ever seen, Seamus and Dean had both given him a collection of specialist sweets, including Pepper Imps, Sugared Butterfly Wings and Treacle fudge…Harry popped a piece of the latter straight into his mouth and chewed happily.
Hermione had knitted him what he assumed was supposed to be a vest, but it had ended up looking more like something that Ginny would have sent him, as he put it on with Blaise’s help and found it rather lopsided on his shoulders and a bit too long, making it seem like he was wearing a knitted dress instead. She’d also given him a Defence book, so he wasn’t too upset with his vest.
He was surprised, and touched, to have received yet another pair of socks from Dobby. One was red with gold lions on it, the other gold with red dragons. Harry immediately pulled off his socks and slipped the new ones on, throwing his old pair onto the floor for Draco to tut over and pick up. It made him grin.

“Do you want me to take Regan?” Blaise asked. “You can’t do this quickly with him on you.”

Harry held his son closer, then realised that he was being unreasonable, Regan smelt fine, he was just tired, so he gave Regan a kiss and handed him over gently to Blaise.
Nasta smiled at him in that happy, proud way and Harry ducked his head in embarrassment. He chuckled a bit and then seized the next present.
It took him forever to unwrap everything, but at least his children were enjoying it, as they had migrated into the smaller living room to play in the sea of wrapping paper. That was making Harry so happy, to see them shrieking and giggling as they tore colourful paper or batted it about.
The first present he picked up from one of his mates was a huge, heavy box…it was from Max.

“I’m scared to open it.” Harry confessed with a giggle, as Max immediately came to help him so he didn’t pull any of his healing muscles.

“You’ll like it.” Max promised with a grin.

Harry giggled again. “Will I like it or will you?”

“You.” Max insisted as Harry tore the paper from the box and draped it around a laughing Farren.

Harry opened the box and then he just stared. A moment later the biggest grin took over his face and he threw himself at Max.

“Thank you. Thank you!” He declared, kissing Max all over his face.

Max laughed. “I knew you’d like it.”

“What the hell has he gotten you?” Draco asked.

“Yeah, I want that treatment when you open my gift.” Blaise laughed.

Harry turned and he opened the box to show his mates that inside had to have been a few hundred chocolate bars…his favourite fudge chocolate bars.

“There has to be three hundred chocolate bars in that box!” Draco said in shock.

“Three hundred and sixty-five.” Max declared happily. “One for every single day until his next birthday.”

Harry made a happy noise and turned to snuggle back into his mate.

“I made sure they were single chocolate bars, as to appease our gorgeous top dominant, but I doubt you mind much.”

“Not at all.” Harry insisted as he plunged his hand into the box and just felt them all.

“If you want I can tip them onto the bed so you can sleep with them all.” Max joked as he watched him.

Harry laughed and turned to kiss Max again. He went back to his remaining presents, unwrapping clothes, books, Quidditch gear, more broom wax, the newest joke items from Fred and George and then he picked up Blaise’s gift and he sent a grin to his first mate and unwrapped it.
It was another box, but this one turned out to be a pamper box.

“Honey?” He said with a grin as he unearthed the jar, it was slightly darker than the usual honey he used. It was also set and not runny.

“Specialist imported honey.” Blaise told him.

Harry opened the jar and smeared a bit on his finger and popped it into his mouth.

“Mmmm.” He said. “I’m going to have to ration this, it’s gorgeous.”

“Better than your usual honey?” Blaise asked.

Harry nodded. “This is going to be special occasion honey.”

“So you’ll put it away until Christmas?” Max chuckled.

Harry shook his head. “It’s my birthday today. All tea made today will be with this. Then Braiden’s birthday is in two weeks, honey for that day too.”

His mates laughed at him as Harry continued looking through the box, finding oils and aromatherapy candles.

“This is spa stuff.” Harry grinned.

“Remember I kept going out in the evenings for twelve weeks?” Blaise said with a grin.

“Yeah, you were going job hunting.”

“No I wasn’t. I was going to evening classes.” Blaise said with a grin. “To learn something that can benefit all of you.”

“You took massage classes, didn’t you?” Harry gasped.

“Well, I didn’t think it was fair that only you know how to give a good massage and you get a shitty one from us back. So I’m now qualified to give proper massages.”

Harry screeched and leapt up to hug Blaise. “Can I have one later?” He asked.

“You can have one whenever you want, Bello. You only need to ask now.”

“That’s so sneaky!” Harry told him. “Telling us you’re going job hunting and going to evening classes! We believed you!”

“Do you like your gift?”

“Do I…? Of course I do!” He giggled. “I get first dibs on your glorious hands, though.” He insisted.

“Of course, it was for your birthday after all. I just hope that I…that I haven’t forgotten anything with the…you know.”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Harry insisted, giving Blaise a kiss. “Just start slowly and let your hands remember everything that you were taught.”

Harry moved back to his now slightly bigger space and he opened more presents, noting what was off of who, and then he unearthed Draco’s gift. He grinned as he opened it and found another pamper box, but full of the gorgeous citrus scented body washes and bubble baths that he loved.
Harry laughed as he saw them, picking out lime, orange, lemon, grapefruit and even pineapple scented body washes, soaps and bubble baths.

“You’re going to be so edible after using those.” Max grinned.

Harry stood up and he kissed Draco and gave him a hug. “Thank you, my lime body wash is running low.”

“I love you smelling of limes.” Nasta declared.

“That’s why it’s running low. You’re the only one who voiced a preference, so I wear lime more than any of the others.”

“I like you smelling of oranges.” Blaise said immediately.

“Lemon or lime.” Draco smirked.

“Grapefruit.” Max winked.

Harry laughed and shook his head. “I wonder if I mixed them then I’d smell like fruit cocktail.”

“I stopped listening at cock.” Max laughed.

“Mummy.” Harry looked to Calix and hefted him up, kissing him and placing him in the middle of all the colourful paper.

Calix giggled and kicked his legs and flapped his arms, sending the paper everywhere. Harry chuckled and he went to finish off the last of his gifts.
When he’d unwrapped the last one, he looked around for any others that he might have missed, moving the mass of paper out of the way and then he sat with a frown when he didn’t find any.

“What’s the matter?” Max asked.

“Surely you got enough?” Blaise asked him.

“I did. I got more than enough.” Harry said distractedly. “It’s just…”

“Just what? What’s wrong?” Draco asked him. “Was there something that you wanted and didn’t get? You only have to say, Harry and it’s yours.”

Harry looked up at Nasta. He didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but Nasta was the only one of his mates who hadn’t given him a gift, but he didn’t want to be presumptuous and ask for it. Thankfully Nasta himself put him out of his misery.

“My gift couldn’t be wrapped.” Nasta told him softly.

“Oh, that’s why he looks like he’s been crushed!” Max sighed. “You never gave him a present, how could you?!” Max teased. “That’s so cruel of you.”

“As if I would ever not take a chance to spoil you.” Nasta chuckled as he reached into his back pocket and handed over a small envelope.

“Thank you.” Harry said with a shy smile. He opened the envelope and pulled out five tickets. It was only when he read the top ticket that he stood up excitedly. “Is this…?”

“Tickets to visit the England Quidditch team at their stadium and to have a flying experience with them.” Nasta smiled. “They usually won’t do it unless it’s for a special request. As soon as they heard that it was for you however, with your Hogwarts reputation preceding you, they agreed immediately.”

“Nasta, thank you!” Harry stood and hugged him, pulling his head down for a kiss.

“Yeah, Nas, thanks for one upping us all.” Max teased.

“No one has one upped anyone!” Harry hissed. “I love all of my gifts, even the socks off of Dobby. They’re all wonderful and thoughtful in their own way. I love my body pampering kit, I love my chocolate and I love that Blaise went for lessons just to give me a proper massage! I love all of my gifts and I won’t have anyone saying anything about any of them.”

“I was only joking.” Max insisted as he pulled Harry back onto his lap and kissed him.

“Me too!” Tegan demanded from the floor.

Max reached down and hefted her up one armed and he kissed her with a big, smacking sound. She giggled and Harry did the same and snuggled her in close.

“Let me sort out this rubbish.” Draco said. Harry chuckled, he’d wondered when Draco would snap over the rubbish all over the floor.

“I don’t want any of my presents going missing.” Harry directed at Nasta.

“As long as you pace yourself with the edible ones and don’t binge, I don’t care that you have so much.” Nasta insisted. “But for today, you can have as much as you want.” He relented with a smile.

Harry cheered and reached for Max’s box of chocolate. “Max, my love, I need tea.”

“Coming up, gorgeous.”

“Don’t forget this.” Harry said, digging in Blaise’s box and finding the jar of imported honey. “I want to see what it tastes like in tea.”

“Whatever you want today, dear.”

Harry snorted as he tore the wrapper from his chocolate and took a big bite. He moaned happily and fell back against the seat.

“I love this chocolate. It’s my favourite ever.”

“So we’ve noticed.” Nasta chuckled.

“Mummy, bisky.” Farren came over to remind him that it was gone eleven in the morning and that he wanted a snack.

“Do you want some apple too?” Harry asked.

“Gapes!” Farren corrected.

“Oh hell, do we have grapes?” Harry asked, moving to get up.

“I’ve got it.” Nasta said. “Farren, come with me to the kitchen.” He said clearly as he walked off and Farren hurried after him.

Harry smiled after him before he hefted up Braiden as he toddled past and kissed him repeatedly, much to shrieks and giggles.

“Who’s my big boy?!” Harry cooed.

Braiden laughed and pushed at his head. “Mummy, no.”

“Yes, baby.” Harry said as he rolled Braiden over onto his belly and tickled him.

A small whine had him looking over to Regan, who was wriggling and fisting his eyes. He blinked them open and looked up at Draco.

“Daddy.” He said sleepily.

Draco kissed Regan and slowly sat him up in his lap.

“Are you okay, Regan?” Draco asked him.

“Yuh.” He said as he yawned and then rested back a moment.

“Egan.” Braiden called out happily.

Regan looked over and he giggled as he saw his big brother. “Bay.”

Harry allowed Braiden to climb down from his lap with no help and he went back to his chocolate as Braiden went to sit up with Draco and Regan.
Blaise shifted to his settee and he sat next to him now that there was room and he snuggled in. Harry shifted so that Blaise had more room on his chest and he wrapped an arm around Blaise and kissed his head and he settled in.

“This is nice.” He said. “Only…Max!” He called out. “Where’s my tea?”

“Right here, your highness, please don’t take my head.” Max said as he placed the cup down on the coffee table and got onto his knees, his forehead touching the edge of the settee as he bent down in supplication, his hands raised in a wordless plea.

“It depends which one I fancy.” Harry replied. “There’s a certain head that I do want.”

Max looked faintly shocked as he looked up at him, then he threw his head back and laughed hard.

“Harry!” Draco chastised him. “No smut before the afternoon, it’s too early.”

Harry gave a rather dirty chuckle and Max laughed again before bending over him and kissing him.

“I love you so much.” Max declared.

“Did we have grapes?” He asked.

“Well I’ve got two plums if you want…”

Harry cut the rest of Max’s sentence off with a loud, boisterous round of laughter that left him breathless with tears in his eyes.

“What is it? What happened?” Nasta asked.

“They’re being filthy.”

Harry heard Nasta sigh and he wiped his eyes and looked over the back of the settee at Nasta.

“Did we have grapes for Farren?”

“Yes, I cut them in half too, don’t worry.”

Nasta put a bowl of grape halves onto the coffee table and Regan shifted from Draco’s lap, down to the floor and he toddled to the bowl, grabbing a handful and chewing on them one by one.
Harry smiled and sat up, moving Blaise with a lingering kiss. He went into the larger family room and he checked on his twin girls and Leolin.
Leolin was still in his gym, but he’d fallen asleep. Harry left him where he was. The twin girls were awake and grizzling. Harry picked them both up and he took them into the smaller living room.

“Where’s Leolin?” Draco asked.

“Baba Eoin!” Braiden called out, turning to look into the other room.

He toddled off to the baby gym and peered at his brother. Harry waited to see if Braiden would report correctly about Leolin as he came hurrying back.

“Baba Eoin sleeping, Daddy.” He said to Draco.

“Merlin, I love this kid so much.” Max declared, going to his knees and pulling Braiden into a hug and kissing him. “You’re a good boy, Braiden.”

Braiden giggled and broke away, going to play with a bunch of plastic cars. Harry put the two girls onto the floor and he watched them all happily.
Calix was motoring around the floor, Braiden playing, Regan eating grape halves, Farren was sitting out of the way with a biscuit and Tegan was talking to her penguin, three dummies lined up in front of her, she kept pointing to one of them before talking more to her penguin before pointing to another. Harry got the impression that she was narrating a story for the penguin about the three dummies, it was adorable.
He took a deep breath and went to crack open one of his new Defence books. He drank his tea, snuck another couple of Mrs Weasley’s treacle tarts and he occasionally looked up at his children. Nasta had been roped into playing cars with Braiden and Regan, Draco was brushing Farren’s hair and Blaise didn’t take his eyes from the twin girls.

“Does anyone want lunch? I’m doing the kids broccoli and cheese pasta today.” Max called out from behind him.

“Yes!” Harry said, peeking up from his book.

Max laughed. “Okay, birthday boy. You can have some too.”

Harry went back to his book, at least until the floo flared and Caesar came through with Eleonora.

“Hey, Harry. Happy birthday!” He greeted.

“Hi, Caesar. How are you and Nora?”

“Great. This little missy is too.”

Amelle came through with Beatrice and Harry stood to greet her.

“Are we too early?” She fretted.

“Of course not. Thank you so much for my card and gift.”

“Max said that you wanted to spend the morning to yourselves.”

Harry nodded. “Not that it did much good. Ave bumped her chin into the bar of her cot at five in the morning. So we spent the time we were supposed to be together catching up on sleep.”

Caesar laughed then. “So your morning sex was ruined?”

“Caesar!” Amelle admonished him. “Is Ave alright, Harry?” She asked.

“She’s fine.” Harry said looking around his feet and then going to snatch Ave from the floor. “See?”

Amelle took Ave and handed him baby Bea and Harry cooed over her.

“I thought I heard your droning voice!” Max came in, wooden spoon in hand, dark green apron on over his tee-shirt and shorts, addressing Caesar.

“We are too early!” Amelle said.

“Of course you’re not. I’m just feeding the kids lunch.” Max waved away. “Has Nora eaten?”

“Yeah, but she won’t say no to more.” Caesar chuckled. “What are you making?”

“Only a bit of pasta, there’s plenty there for her.”

“Daddy, put me down.” Eleonora interrupted Caesar as he went to open his mouth. He laughed instead.

“That’s me told.” He said instead, placing Nora on the floor. “You want a hand, Max?”

“Nah, you can keep me company though.” Max said as he headed back to the kitchen.

Caesar followed him and Eleonora immediately went to Farren and sat by him.

“Hi baby.” She greeted him. “Can I play?”

“Muma.” Farren said, seeking him out.

“This is Eleonora, Farren. Your cousin. It’s okay to play.”

Farren nodded and he handed Nora a wooden block. Harry smiled at them and went to the sideboard, getting out his camera. He snapped several photos of them, then of Amelle.

“Oh don’t, I look awful.” She said.

“You look gorgeous.” Harry insisted. “Pose a bit for me.”

Amelle laughed, but did as he’d told her to do. She pulled some rather stupid poses and they both laughed.

“Promise me you’ll destroy the ones that look awful.”

“I promise, but I doubt there will be any.” He said. “Smile, Draco.”

Draco pulled his patented smirk out of thin air and Harry took his photo.

“That wasn’t a smile.” He scoffed. He turned the camera on himself and he pulled the worst face he could think of as he took the picture. He laughed happily afterwards.

“That wasn’t a smile either.” Draco told him.

Harry just grinned, walked over to sit himself on Blaise and he put their heads together and took a photo.

“You’ve probably cut half our heads off somewhere.” Blaise told him.

“Give it here.” Amelle chuckled. She took the camera from him and Harry adjusted baby Bea and he smiled happily. “Say cheese.”

“Why?” Blaise said at the same time that Harry happily said cheese.

“Why cheese?” Draco asked.

“It’s a word that shows off the teeth and because you’re saying a word, it’s more natural than forcing a smile.” Harry told them.

“Oh.”

Harry chuckled and he kissed Blaise before putting Beatrice onto the floor. She crawled off towards the doll house in the corner.

“There are no small parts, are there?” Amelle asked worriedly.

“Nothing smaller than a golf ball.” Harry nodded. “It’s all hard plastic too. Nothing that can be pushed up noses or into ears and nothing small enough, or detachable, so it can’t be swallowed.”

“I should have…I lost my Dracken for a bit then. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. No offence taken. If you needed to be sure, you needed to be sure.” Harry told her kindly.

Amelle smiled at him and Harry smiled back.

“Harry, lunch is up.” Max called from the kitchen.

“Farren, go to the kitchen, love. It’s lunchtime.” Harry told him and his little boy stood up quickly and he ran to the kitchen.

Harry laughed and rounded up the others.

“Braiden. Go to the kitchen, love.” Harry told his oldest child.

Between them, they got all the kids to the kitchen and Harry sat down with his own small plate of pasta.

“I’m surprised you’re still hungry with that mass of candy I saw in the living room.” Caesar said.

“I’m still not used to handling too much food, my stomach stretches painfully if I eat too much, so I save most of the room for normal meals, but I’ve been getting so much better.” He said with a smile. “All those sweets in there will be eaten…even if it does take me to my next birthday to manage it.” He laughed.

He ate his pasta happily, watching his babies as they tried to use forks and spoons to eat their pasta and broccoli. Calix grew bored of using his spoon and not getting any food, so he threw the spoon to the floor and picked up a piece of pasta with his fingers and jammed it into his mouth.

“I saw that coming.” Max said as he picked up the plastic spoon and dropped it into the sink with the saucepan, cheese grater and other bits that he’d used to make lunch. He hadn’t washed up yet because he was busy taking platters from the fridge or from the back of the counter and taking them outside with Nasta’s help.

“He’s still not used to utensils?” Caesar asked.

“No, he really likes using his hands.”

“He likes making a mess.” Harry chuckled before popping more pasta into his mouth.

“Hello?” Someone called out from the living room.

Harry leapt up mid chew and ran to the living room to hug Richard, swallowing hard and barrelling into his Father-in-law.
Richard laughed and pulled him from his feet.

“Myron, help! I’m being attacked by a nineteen year old softie!”

Myron, who was stood just behind his mate, snorted. “You look fine to me.”

“You’re a horrid mate!” Richard declared.

A moment later Myron’s massive arms wrapped around them both and squeezed. Harry laughed, Richard complained and Myron shut him up with a kiss.

“Ah, gross!” Max cried. “Stop slobbering over the top of my poor mate! He doesn’t want you snogging over his head.”

Harry was extracted from Myron and Richard by Max and he had his eyes covered by a large hand and he laughed harder.

“Happy birthday, Harry.” Myron told him. Harry pulled Max’s hand away from his eyes and he grinned.

“Thank you. Thank you for my card and gift!”

“Think nothing of it, love.” Richard told him. “Where are the rugrats?”

“In the kitchen, eating their lunches, like this one should be.” Max answered, carrying Harry back through the corridors to the kitchen, putting him down in front of his plate.

“Baby boy!” Richard cried out, grappling Caesar into a headlock.

“Don’t snap his neck, Richard.” Myron complained before giving up as Caesar gave back as good as he could get and they started wrestling. “How are you today, Amelle?” He turned and asked instead.

Amelle giggled at her mate and Father-in-law for a moment. “Fine thank you, and yourself?”

“I’d feel better if I didn’t have to deal with this.” He indicated to Richard and Caesar. “How are the girls?”

“Nora’s having a second lunch and Beatrice is in the family room with Eva and Ave, enjoying the run of the place for once.”

“Draco’s watching them.” Harry said, just in case anyone thought that they’d left the three youngest babies on their own.”

“I assumed as such when I didn’t see him.” Myron smiled at him, ruffling his hair. “Who do I have to beg for a cup of coffee?”

“Nasta.” Harry said immediately.

“Not today.” Nasta said as he helped Regan eat as their boy was getting frustrated having the pasta continually falling from his fork.

“I got it.” Max insisted. “Harry, do you want more tea?”

“Yes! Don’t forget my special honey!”

“You have special honey now?” Richard asked as he stood and hefted Caesar up from the floor.

“Blaise got it for me for my birthday. Man-something.”

“Manuka.” Nasta said. “Imported all the way from New Zealand just for Harry to enjoy in his tea.”

“It’s gorgeous too!” Harry declared as he finished his lunch and pushed his empty plate away.

“Just don’t let any of the kids get near any honey.” Myron warned.

“We’re always well aware of such things.” Nasta said easily. “It’s kept in the cupboards and it’s never left out.”

“What?” Harry asked with a frown.

Several people turned to look at him and he felt like he was missing something.

“Babies can’t have honey, Harry.” Nasta told him.

“Well, of course not. It’s pure sugar.” He said.

“No, Harry. Honey can sometimes be contaminated with certain spores that are toxic to babies. That’s why they put a warning on the back to never give honey to babies under twelve months old.” Nasta told him.

Harry blinked. “I thought that that warning was because it was just all sugar.” He said, feeling hollow. “Are you saying that that’s not the case?”

“No.” Myron said. “The spores in contaminated honey can germinate in a baby’s gut and release powerful toxins that can cause a variety of problems and eventually lead to full body paralysis. These spores have no effect on adults or babies over a year old. The condition is called infant botulism and it is very rare, but honey is a source of the spore and thus should never be given to an infant under twelve months of age.”

Harry felt like he couldn’t breathe. “Get rid of it.” He said, his heart pounding and his body feeling cold. “All of it, get rid of it, now.”

“Harry, you don’t have to get rid of your honey or any honey related products.” Nasta sat beside him and explained gently. “Babies under a year old are not going to feed themselves honey, they rely on us for everything. Even if they could get one of the jars, there’s no way that they could open it.”

Nasta held him close and held his head by the crook of his neck, releasing his calming pheromones to ease Harry back down and out of his feral Dracken mind-set that only saw a threat to his babies and not the logic behind them not being able to get the jars, or open them. It had been almost two years and Harry had been drinking honey tea before any of them had even met him. Not once had there been an incident with their children even getting close to any honey related products and none of them would have fed them anything with honey in it. Harry might not have known the true reason behind not giving babies under a year old honey, but the warnings on the jar labels was enough to stop most people from giving honey to their infants.

“Nasta is right.” Myron said. “We kept honey around the kids too, and not once did any of them get infant botulism. As I said it is a very rare illness, Harry. There’s no need to fret or to throw away any honey that you have. As long as you don’t force a spoonful of honey into their mouths, they’re going to be just fine.”

Harry nodded, much calmer now that he had been reassured. He just didn’t much like the fact that he had had a potential danger to his babies in the house for all this time and he hadn’t known. He wouldn’t have fed his babies honey, but if any of them had picked up his cup and drank a mouthful of his tea…he would be aware of that now in the future. He would not leave his tea at all unattended with his young girls crawling around and getting into things now that they were finding their feet so early.
Now suitably calm Harry stood up and stretched. He picked up Calix, who was finished eating, and he put him on the floor. His little explorer immediately took off towards the open back door.

“Of course he would want to go outside.” Harry chuckled, trying to get himself back into his happy, joyous mood of that morning, before he’d found out that his love of honey could have caused paralysis to his children if they’d ingested it. “Not until after your nap.” He told his son, picking him back up and carrying him into the family room.

He put Calix down and sat himself behind Draco, who was sat on the floor, playing with Eva while keeping an eye on Ave and Bea. Harry bent forward and kissed his cheek before sitting back with a groan.

“How’s Leolin?”

“He’s still asleep. He must be having a mini growth spurt. He’s been sleeping a lot more lately.”

Harry nodded. He’d noticed the same. “Nasta thinks he might be preparing to get his first tooth.”

“Oh, yes, that should be coming up soon.”

“Yes, eighteen months is average.” Harry nodded. “He’s nineteen now, so it could be any day. I’ve been checking, but he doesn’t look like he’s getting anything through. His gums are still pink, no red spots or peeks of white. I’ll keep checking though.”

“Tea’s up, lovers.” Max said with a grin, coming into the family room with a tray with two cups and three bottles. “Do those girls need a bottle? I think they do!” He cooed to them.

Harry chuckled and he picked up his tea and he moaned around the first sip.

“Good?” Max smiled at him.

“So good.” He said happily. “Thank you.”

“Ah!” Ave declared from his legs and Harry put his cup down and picked her up with a groan, settling her on his lap.

“What’s the matter, trouble?” He asked with a smile. “Do you want your bottle?”

Harry took the bottle handed to him by Draco and he prodded it into her mouth. Ave took the bottle from him and she fed herself and Harry picked up his tea again and he drank as Ave suckled her milk.
Max was feeding Eva and Draco was lost in thought for a moment, so Harry kept an eye on Beatrice, though the nine month old was very happy to crawl around exploring the new room.
Ave slipped from his lap and Harry supported her, lest she fall on the bottle in her mouth and reopen her wound, and she toddled around, drinking from her bottle and Harry sat back and sighed.

“They’re growing so big now.” He said softly.

Immediately Max and Draco moved to comfort him.

“It’s alright, we’ll have a new baby soon.” Max soothed him.

“If you haven’t caught with this heat period there’s always the next one.” Draco told him gently, lacing their hands together.

Harry nodded. “I know, I just…they’re so big, they can feed themselves now, they’re up on their feet. I just can’t believe that they’re coming up to seven months now and they’re coming on so well! Most seven month olds are not this forward or this mobile.”

“It’ll be okay, love.” Max assured him, bending down and kissing him, Eva still in his arms.

“At least we have Leolin. He’s not going to be up on his feet any time soon.” Draco told him.

Harry nodded and he stood and he went to the baby gym, kneeling down and stroking Leolin’s cheek. He was still thin, but he no longer looked skeletal. His time in the hospital was slowly being erased.
At the touch, Leolin’s eyes moved under his eyelids and he wriggled.

“Leolin.” Harry called out gently. “Wake up, love.”

“Ma.” He replied sleepily, his eyes still closed.

Harry smiled and he waited patiently for Leolin to wake himself up.

“I’ve got a nice warm bottle waiting for you.” Harry coaxed.

Leolin’s arms lifted towards him and Harry’s face slipped into an adoring smile as he gently and carefully picked Leolin up from his baby gym, supporting his head and neck on reflex and he snuggled his tiny Faerie in close.
Harry stood and carried his Faerie baby back to the settee and he took the bottle handed to him by Max. He prodded it at Leolin’s mouth gently, waiting for his brain to catch up with what was going on as his lips parted and Harry could put the teat into his mouth, allowing him to feed.

“There you are, Harry. Ezrah and Lathen have arrived.” Nasta said.

“Hi Ezrah, hi Lathen!” Harry greeted happily.

“It is hard to believe you are only just nineteen years of age.” Ezrah laughed as he came to greet him, then he caught sight of what he was doing. “Oh, little Leolin.”

“Yeah, come here, Ezrah, sit by me.”

Ezrah did as he’d been told and Harry easily transferred Leolin over to him, keeping the bottle in his mouth until Ezrah had hold of it. Still the young Fae flapped.

“Oh, you’re letting me feed him? I’ve never fed a babe before, Harry!” He said fretfully.

“And you’d never held a babe before when I let you hold mine and you were absolutely fine. You can hardly do it wrong, Ezrah.” Harry said with a smile. “Leolin does all of the work, you just have to hold the bottle and keep the milk level over the bulb.”

Ezrah nodded with a look of pure concentration on his face and Harry smiled, standing up and moving to the kitchen, Lathen gently touched his arm and bent down to him.

“Thank you.” He said softly into his ear.

Harry smiled at him. “Think of it as a bit of practice for when you have your own.” Harry whispered back with a wink before he waltzed into the kitchen.

“There he is, hello sweetheart. Happy birthday.” Kimberly greeted him, coming to cup his chin and kiss his cheek.

Harry chuckled and hugged her tight. “Thank you.”

“How are the other little ones?”

“Eva and Ave have just finished a bottle, Leolin is having his and Beatrice is rubbing her face all over the back door.” He laughed.

Caesar laughed, but Amelle just rolled her eyes and went to get her daughter, who she insisted took after her Father too much.

“Are the others down for their nap?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, I caught Calix trying to go out the back door again and took him up to his cot, whether they sleep or not is another matter, but a bit of quiet time will do them some good, but we have quite a few guests now, so it’s time to move this party outside.”

Nasta slid open the door onto the back porch and Caesar was the first out and he went straight down the slide.

“I’ve wanted to do that since I first saw it!” He cried out happily from the lawn.

Harry laughed, but he heard Myron groaning and that made him laugh more.
His mates had set up a huge sheet on the grass for the kids with some spare toys, it was close to the little play area they had for the kids near the bottom of the porch, right where Caesar had gone down the slide.
The massive porch, which was like an extra room as it was covered over, was bigger at either end, circular, like a castle tower, so that it could fit two huge round tables that could sit twenty people each. Max had had them custom made and Nasta had ordered the porch to be built around the two tables at either end.

“I’ll never get over the size of this house.” Richard chuckled. “This porch is amazing!”

Harry smiled and he went down to the warded tables that were set up on the grass, careful and slow with the several steps. He used his wand to remove the covers from them to reveal the party food and drinks that Max and Nasta had set up while Harry had been eating with the kids.
Draco carried the two girls out and placed them on the sheet. Ezrah followed with Leolin, but he looked worriedly to the sun and he covered Leolin as much as he could. Harry helped out by popping up the three large patio umbrellas and moving them until the sheet was cast completely in shade.

“Is he okay to go on the floor?” Ezrah asked worriedly.

“Sure.” Harry said as he took his beautiful scowly boy from Ezrah and kissed him.

He put Leolin on his belly, close to the edge of the blanket so that he could feel the soft grass. His Faerie son immediately rested his hands on the grass and rubbed his face on the sheet.

“He loves grass.” Harry smiled. “Sit down with him if you want to, Ezrah.” Harry said with a smile. “If not, he’ll be just fine on his own. He’s not going anywhere.”

Harry went to greet Aneirin with a big hug and an excited noise and he chuckled as he was pulled off of his feet. Nasta had told him that his Father might not be able to come today, because of work commitments, so Harry was extra excited to see him.

“How are you?” Aneirin asked.

“Wonderful!” Harry said. “Thank you for my card and present!”

“It was nothing.” Aneirin told him. “Have those boys been treating you right?”

Harry nodded. “Yes. I’ve been so spoilt.” He giggled. “I thought you were working today?”

“I wouldn’t miss your birthday. I moved some things around.” Aneirin told him.

“The kids are down for a nap at the moment, but the younger ones are being very stubborn and Leolin’s only just woken up.”

“Where is my little grandson?” Aneirin smiled as he went and hefted Leolin up, kissing his little mouth before replacing him back, half on the grass, when he made an angry, frustrated noise and scowled. “That’s me told.” Aneirin laughed.

“He loves the grass. Just don’t give him flowers, he gets the pollen all over his face and he tries to lick it off!” Harry said with a grin.

“Harry!”

Harry turned at the sound of his name and he made an excited noise and went to hug Henley, who had gotten much taller since Harry had last seen him. He was picked up and swung around yet again and he laughed.

“Henley! How are you?! You’ve gotten taller!” Harry said in a rush.

“Happy birthday! I’m great and yeah, I have gotten taller, five inches since I last saw you.”

“I can see that! Where’s Anabel, Claudia and baby Harry?”

“Harry dirtied a nappy, so Blaise directed Ana to the changing station you’ve set up.”

Harry nodded and he pulled Henley over to the drinks table and he got himself a red drink. It turned out to be strawberry flavoured.

“None of these are alcoholic are they?” Henley asked, even as he took a blue drink and sipped it.

“Knowing my mates, no.” Harry smiled. “We’re waiting on baby news.” He added as he placed a hand on his flat belly.

Henley’s eyes widened. “Congratulations!” He said. “How many heat periods have you had, or is that rude of me to ask?”

Harry laughed. “My first one since the girls. It was fertile straight off.”

Henley laughed. “Of course it was, this is you we’re talking about now! I bet you’re pregnant.”

“I’ll owl you.” Harry winked.

Anabel came to stand by her mate and she greeted him with those wide eyes filled with hero worship.

“Hi Anabel.” He greeted politely. “Did you sort baby Harry out okay?”

“Yes, thank you. I wasn’t sure if you’d have his size nappy.”

“We’re fully stocked.” Harry said. “There’s going to be a lot of kids running around, so we made sure to stock a pack of every sized nappy there is.” He laughed.

Henley took his daughter from his mate and he introduced them softly. Claudia hid her face shyly.

“You’re not shy.” Henley teased her gently, working a finger into her belly.

“Claudia, do you want to go in the play area?”

The little girl peeked out at him, then to where he was pointing. She nodded her head.

“Go on then.” Harry encouraged.

She giggled and Henley placed her down and she was gone. She was just a few weeks older than his quintuplets, but she had been a singleton and as such, she was much more developed and forward as she darted past a shocked, terrified group of Faeries and climbed the little castle and happily went down the slide.
A sleepy Braiden toddled out onto the decking holding Max’s hand, who was almost bent double and led him to the slide and sat him on it.

“Max! He’s tired!” Harry said warningly.

Max, who’d looked up as soon as Harry had shouted his name, nodded and he spoke to Braiden and then he hurried down the porch steps and then held his arms out. Braiden shuffled forward and went down the big slide and Max caught him, picking him up and kissing him.
Harry shook his head and got another drink, a green one this time, which turned out to be apple flavoured.

“He didn’t go down for very long.” Blaise came over to tell him.

Harry nodded. “There are too many people here, he knows that something’s going on. Calix will be up next.”

Harry watched as Braiden saw Eleonora on the play area and all remnants of sleep were gone as he too darted past shocked Faeries and went to clamber over the equipment.
Harry had to smile at their shocked, concerned faces as they watched Braiden manoeuvre himself up the steps, over the short, wobbly bridge and then down the much smaller slide. He laughed happily, clapped his hands and then got up off his bum and went back around.
Harry made his way to the Faeries, who looked about ready to panic.

“Thank you for coming.” He said genuinely.

“Thank you for inviting us to the day of your birth.” Eitri insisted with a smile. “It is hard to believe that you are just nineteen, a mere baby to us, yet you already have your own babes, rather a few of them too.”

Harry grinned. “I’m not going to stop at just eight either.” He chuckled.

“Eight babes at nineteen. The gods truly bless you and your partners.”

Harry looked behind him, at all four of his mates, and he sighed happily. “I’m the luckiest person in the world.” He insisted.

“I think you have that the wrong way around. They are the lucky ones, to have you.” Kailen told him.

Harry chuckled. “I don’t see it that way, I’m a nightmare and I know I am.”

“You have that right.” Ginny said as she materialised at his shoulder. “Happy birthday.”

“Ginny! Thank you for coming.”

“As if I would be anywhere else on your nineteenth.” She told him.

“Ginny’s right.” One of the twins came to tell him with a wide grin. “Where else would we be?”

“We had to come and see our favourite pickled toad for his birthday.” The other twin insisted.

Harry groaned. “You’re never going to let that go are you?”

“Never.” They said together.

“Ginny, how could you give them so much material to work with?!” He faux sobbed on her.

“I was eleven!” She defended. “And honestly your eyes are as green as fresh pickled toads.”

“Couldn’t you think of something a little more…I don’t know, flattering to compare me to?! Like summer grass, or I don’t know, emeralds or something, anything?”

“It’s better than the gibbon with two black eyes.” Fred pointed out.

Harry groaned louder, thinking of the portrait that Dobby had given him for Christmas one year.

“Am I really so hideous that my only options are a battered gibbon or a pickled toad?” He demanded.

The twins both nodded gravely. “I’m afraid so.” George told him.

Ginny all but cackled, but Eitri was incensed.

“He is one of the most beautiful boys I have yet seen!” He told them angrily. “How dare you say such things about him, in front of him!”

“Whatever you say, mini Draco.” Ginny smirked and went off towards the drinks table.

Eitri went red with anger and Harry laid a gentle hand on his arm.

“They’re just teasing.” Harry said with a smile. “They don’t mean it.”

“Of course not, we’d never actually hurt our adorable little Harry.” Fred snorted.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“Is this some sort of Dracken etiquette?” Warren asked. “Are such blatant insults a form of…affection?”

“It’s a human thing.” George nodded seriously, but Harry could see that he was fighting back laughter.

“Why would you even engage in such a thing?” Eitri demanded, his gold eyes flashing dangerously.

“It’s not meant to be spiteful.” Harry insisted. “If it was said maliciously, then that is something else entirely, but you can’t laugh at others unless you can laugh at yourself, and I can.” He said with a smile. “It is just teasing, Eitri.”

“I do not understand.” The golden Fae said seriously. “Why would you insult others or accept such people insulting you?”

“Because it’s done affectionately, Eitri.” Harry explained patiently, aware that they lived in vastly different cultures and that despite the fact that Eitri barely looked older than Harry himself, he was in fact a hundred and nine years old. “They aren’t saying it to be cruel and I know they’re just teasing me. Like when I call Draco a ferret.”

“Why do you call him as such?” Dain asked.

Harry chuckled with Fred and George.

“Draco!” He called out across the garden and his blond mate looked up and came right over when Harry beckoned to him.

“What is it, are you alright?” He asked.

Harry nodded. “Yes, but they want to know why I lovingly call you a ferret.”

Draco groaned and slung his arm around Harry’s neck, pulling him into a kiss.

“Did you have to mention that?” He complained.

Harry chuckled. “When we were fourteen Draco was transfigured into this really cute, fluffy ferret. He looked adorable! Ever since he’s been called ferret. Some people use it as a demeaning, spiteful curse, but I use it affectionately. Do you hate me calling you as such, Draco? Do you feel demeaned or belittled?”

“No.” Draco replied. “I still call you scar head and you’re a lovable idiot sometimes.”

Harry laughed before looking back to the Faeries. “You see? It’s just affectionate and it makes us stronger to such things when they are aimed at us maliciously. It takes the sting from the words to hear them affectionately and it makes our skins thicker to malicious attacks, I still love Draco, even if he is a ferret.”

Draco snorted. “I still love you too, even if you are insufferable and entirely reckless with no penchant for your own safety.”

They shared a soft kiss and Harry snuggled into his arms.

“Ergh, get a room.” Fred told them with an over exaggeratedly pinched face.

Harry turned further towards Draco and flicked out his tongue, aiming for a deeper kiss, but Draco pulled away with a chuckle.

“Max! Draco won’t snog me on my own birthday! Come and show him how it’s done!”

Max bounded over with all the enthusiasm of a kid at Christmas as he snatched up Harry and all but plundered his mouth in a kiss that left Harry breathless and shaky.

“Wow, you should kiss me like that more often!” Harry giggled.

“Any time you want, love. Draco, how could you refuse this gorgeous face a snog?”

“You know that I hold no love for such blatant displays.” Draco said. “That sort of thing should be for when we are in private.”

“Snob.” Max accused him with a grin.

Draco huffed and walked away. Harry smiled up at Max happily, much calmer now since the horrifying revelation with the honey.

“Mummy.”

Harry was already looking down automatically when Braiden wrapped his arms around his leg. He immediately hunched down, held Braiden’s hands and looked into those wide purple eyes.

“What is it, love? Are you alright?”

Braiden nodded then turned and pointed at the big slide. “Slide?” He questioned.

Max laughed. “I knew they’d love that slide. Come on.”

Max took Braiden’s hand and walked him up to the top and then sat their oldest son on the top. Braiden didn’t wait this time, but thankfully Blaise was near the bottom to catch him before he shot off the end. Not that Braiden much cared as he laughed hysterically and then hurried up the steps on his own, which freaked the Faeries out again, to meet Max at the top so that he could go down the big slide again.
Of course as soon as Eleonora saw what was happening the kids had to take it in turns as she immediately wanted to go down the big slide too. Thankfully it took the both of them a while to traverse the porch steps, so it gave the other plenty of time to go down the slide without waiting.
The garden was filling up and Harry could barely keep track of who he had greeted or who he hadn’t. He did find Alexander and he excitedly hugged him tight.

“I saw Kimberly earlier, but you weren’t with her.”

Alexander laughed and shot his mate and Wife, over by the drinks table, a loving look.

“I had a few things to take care of and Kimberly was not willing to wait, not even fifteen minutes for me to finish what I was doing. She had to come over right away to see you and the kids.”

Harry chuckled and held on tight, greeting Xerxes and Julius from Alexander’s arms.

“Have you got any baby news to share?” Xerxes asked him.

Harry shook his head. “I’m refusing to even think of doing the test until after Braiden’s birthday in two weeks. I’ve shown no signs though, so we’re going with a cautious no, not pregnant for the moment, but we can’t be sure until I do the test.”

“Why are you refusing?” Julius asked curiously.

“Because he wants a bit of bloody peace, Jule.” Xerxes explained. “As soon as those boys find out that he’s pregnant the kid gloves come out and he would never have been able to have a bit of fun on his birthday or set up Braiden’s birthday.”

Harry narrowed his eyes on Xerxes, who winked. He knew. He actually knew.

“Did Myron tell you?” Harry asked.

“No, I can tell that you are.” Xerxes told him with a smirk.

“You are pregnant?” Julius said.

“Shhh!” Harry hissed. “Not so loud!” He insisted as he looked around for all four of his mates. Thankfully not one of them were close by.

“Myron knows that you are?” Alexander asked him.

“He was here when the Healer visited. Only he and Amelle know.”

“Amelle knows, but not your own mates?” Julius asked, his eyebrows going off into his hairline.

“The last I checked, Amelle wasn’t going to ban me from moving, getting up, lifting my own children or force me to eat my body weight in food at every meal. I will tell them after Braiden’s birthday, until then I want some peace to be in control of my own body.”

“Understandable.” Alexander said with a smile. “Those boys really do take overprotection to the next level.” He chuckled.

“So please just keep this to yourselves for two more weeks. That’s all I’m asking for, two weeks. Nasta’s already had me book an appointment for the day after Braiden’s birthday. I just need to be free to do what I want to do for a little while.”

“Well I’m not going to say anything. I knew as soon as I looked at you that you were pregnant.”

“How?!” Harry demanded, wondering if he was giving off ‘don’t fuck with the pregnant submissive’ vibes.

“You look a little queasy.” Xerxes said simply. “I’d hazard a guess that you had a little bout of sickness this morning.”

Harry sighed. “No, I did feel really sick though.” He said, casting another glance around at his surroundings to look for his four mates. They were still well out of earshot. “The morning sickness is coming, I just hope I can hold the secret until after Braiden’s birthday.”

“How did you pass it off this morning? Surely those idiots noticed.”

“I played it off as excitement for my birthday. They have no clue.”

“Maybe in two weeks I’ll have a little talk with them.” Alexander said. “You shouldn’t have to lie or feel like you have to keep your condition a secret just to get some peace. I can very well understand the need to protect you and the baby, Dracken pregnancies are rather delicate, but there is no need to stop you from doing any of your normal activities.”

“They just worry.” Harry tried to defend.

“Just worrying is normal.” Xerxes said. “Making you feel like you have to keep your news a secret just to be left alone for a little longer is not. I agree with you, Dad, they need a talking to.”

Harry sighed. “Just wait…”

“Until after Braiden’s birthday. We know.”

“Thank you.” He said genuinely.

“There you are!” Max declared loudly, striding over. “Stop hogging the birthday boy.”

Max wrapped his arms around Harry’s shoulders and bent down to kiss the top of his head.

“The rest of the kids are awake, they refused to sleep for long and I’m sure Farren hasn’t even been asleep, he was just sat all quiet in his cot.”

Harry sighed. That was typical for Farren, he was so contented and laid back that he didn’t move enough to tire himself out for a nap.
Harry went to go and find his children and, unsurprisingly, most of them were wreaking havoc on the little playground, including Farren.
Eva and Ave had been put on the little sheet with Leolin and Beatrice. Not that either of them were staying put. They were both off on their own little adventures, and getting incredibly frustrated when they found themselves back on the sheet.

“Everyone!” He called out and waited until their attention was on him. “The girls want to move around, they don’t like being still, so if you could please just leave them to wander around, but obviously check by your feet before moving! Thanks.” He said and then hefted up one girl off of the sheet and set her free and then did the same for her sister. They couldn’t get to their feet out here, not easily at least, because they needed something to help them stand, which was usually a settee or a coffee table. But they were very happy to crawl around the grass.

The garden was full of kids running around, though there were still several women off to the side who refused to put their children down and were casting suspicious glances at everything and everyone, especially Hermione and the Weasleys and at Remus and Tonks, who had set Teddy free on the playground.
Harry was very clearly enjoying himself and he made sure that his mates saw him eating from the finger goodies that they had laid out. Max even caught him sneaking a taste of his massive birthday cake, he had threatened to spank him…Harry’s reply had been to steal another of the iced decorations from the cake and to eat it obviously and slowly in front of Max so that he couldn’t miss him doing so. Max had promised to spank him before bed. So now Harry had something else to look forward to later.
After an hour or so, Harry was called forward to blow out his candles and he did so with Leolin on his hip. Leolin who wouldn’t let Harry blow out his candles because every time Harry took in a breath and pouted out his lips to blow on the candles, Leolin thought that Harry wanted a kiss and would mouth at Harry’s lips. Harry tried again, only for Leolin to do the same.

“Leolin, I’m trying to blow out my candles! Not kiss you.” Harry laughed, even as he cupped the back of Leolin’s head and kissed all over his face.

While Leolin was laughing in that amazing, huffy way of his, Harry took the distraction to quickly blow out the nineteen candles to the applause of his guests. He went back to kissing Leolin and making him laugh, to the delight of their Faerie guests.
Harry handed Leolin over to Ezrah, who smiled so happily that Leolin looked at him curiously and started touching his mouth, utterly fascinated by the shape of it.
Harry left Leolin in Ezrah’s capable hands, even if the Fae didn’t believe in himself, Harry believed in him, as he accepted the large slice of cake from Blaise and happily took a huge bite.
The little children all had slim slices of cake too, even Farren, who didn’t have a plate and had the piece of cake straight in his hands, was tucking in happily, getting the cake and icing everywhere, buttercream smeared everywhere. It made Harry grin, he couldn’t believe that he’d have to do all of this again in just two weeks though.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Harry was more excited for Braiden’s second birthday than he’d been for his own. But then he lived for his children and he was awake at six O’clock in the morning, down in his huge, glorious kitchen, getting everything ready for Braiden’s big day.
He’d already started making several batches of fairy cakes and biscuits, with half the amount of sugar so that the babies could actually eat them, and he was so happy and excited as he set out the iced cakes that were for the adults away from those that weren’t iced, those were for the tidal wave of babies that would be coming. There were more cakes that weren’t iced than those that were to compensate for this vast outnumbering of child to adult ratio.

“It’s too early.” Max bemoaned as he wandered into the kitchen just before seven.

Harry grinned at him. “It’s our baby’s second birthday!” He said excitedly. “He’s two years old today.”

“Not until eighteen minutes past midday he’s not.” Max said grumpily.

Harry scoffed. “Details! Today is his birthday regardless of what time he was born, though I’m incredibly happy with you that you remembered the exact time that he was born.” Harry said, moving over to give Max a big kiss, setting a cup of tea in front of him.

“I could hardly forget, he was our first and you were screaming fit to wake the dead. It terrified me at the time and we were all clock watching. We knew exactly when he was born.”

Harry smiled and kissed Max again. “It still makes me happy to know that you remember exactly when he was born.”

“How much baking have you done?” Max demanded suddenly when he took a sip of tea and looked around at the counters full of baked goods. “How long have you been up?!”

“Only an hour.” Harry insisted truthfully. “I love this huge oven! You know I can get two batches of cakes and three trays of biscuits inside it together!” He said happily. “It’s amazing!”

Harry went to kiss Max a third time then, stroking a hand through his hair. “Thank you for picking out this oven and the huge fridge freezer too! I love them.”

Max laughed. “If it gets me that sort of treatment, I’m glad I chose the largest appliances that I could find and then enlarged them a little more with magic, all to provide for our very large, and growing family.”

“I can bake so much in that oven.” Harry said, very pleased.

After two weeks of recovering a little more after the activity of his nineteenth birthday, he was happy to just sit on the floor and play with whichever baby came to hand. At first it had been all of them, but slowly over the two weeks, they’d gotten their confidence back and they were assured that he wasn’t going anywhere and they were happy to go off and play by themselves. An added bonus in the last week was that they no longer cried if he left the room, either to the kitchen or to the bathroom.
Everyone was settling down and Harry was feeling more secure too. He wasn’t quite ready to tell his mates that though, maybe later, once the kids were all in bed, when he was going to tell them that he was in fact pregnant.
He smiled to himself. The sickness had trailed off to nothing, he would sometimes wake up feeling like he was going to be sick, but it never came to anything and a nice cup of tea and a sit down in the morning eased it right off, though he knew that it was only a matter of time before it hit him full force and he wouldn’t be able to hide it, but he’d made it to Braiden’s birthday. It wouldn’t matter if they found out now, because he was planning on telling them anyway, as long as he got these cakes and biscuits baked and got the presents and the lunchtime party sorted. He could tell them then, when the kids had, hopefully, gone down for an afternoon nap after playing for half the day on the massive inflatable slide and bouncy castle that had been set up yesterday afternoon.
He was six weeks pregnant and it was usual for him to just be starting his morning sickness regime. Just two, three more weeks then he’d be done with the first trimester of pregnancy and he’d be in the second. He was due in mid-February.

“You look a bit spacey, are you alright?” Max asked.

Harry smiled automatically. “I’m great. I’m just thinking. My little boy is two already. In just four months we’ll have six two year olds running around and literally weeks after that, our little girls turn one.”

“Come here.” Max said softly.

Harry went to Max and he was pulled onto Max’s lap and kissed softly.

“It’ll be alright.” Max told him. “They’re growing up, but they still depend on us for everything. We’ve only just started potty training Braiden and Tegan. They’re a long way off doing anything on their own. We have time with them.”

Harry nodded with a smile. “I know, I’m just being stupid.”

“How? Are you alright?” Blaise asked, peering blearily at him through almost closed eyes.

“Yeah, I just can’t believe that our little baby is two today, that’s all.”

Blaise smile at him and detoured to kiss him before going to the kettle. “How long ago did this boil?” He asked.

“Not two minutes.” Harry said. “I made tea for me and Max.”

Blaise nodded happily and made himself a mug of coffee before coming over to sit with them.

“You’ve been busy.”

“Not as busy as the amount of baking would belie. That new oven fits massive amounts.” Harry said happily. “I can make up triple batches of everything and it’ll all go in the oven together. I’ve done a triple batch of sponge fairy cakes, a triple batch of chocolate fairy cakes and two triple batches of vanilla biscuits. I’m not done just yet though. With the amount of people coming I need to do some more, but I’ll eat breakfast first.”

“You haven’t eaten yet?” Max asked him.

Harry shook his head. “I’ve just had several cups of tea. I was so excited and so busy making treats that I just haven’t eaten yet.”

“That’s my cue to start my husbandly duty.”

“I thought your husbandly duty was to keep us all sexed up?” Blaise quipped.

“I can very easily do both.” Max grinned, winking at them both and Harry laughed while Blaise snorted.

Max did them crepes, because they were one of Harry’s favourites, and he happily served him and Blaise with little side bowls of slice and diced fruit, an assortment of jams and even freshly whipped cream.

“I love you so much for this.” Harry said as he took three crepes straight off and started filling them with jam before rolling them up with different fruit fillings.

“I missed breakfast in bed for your birthday, then you were so excited that you only wanted toast. Today I can spoil you with crepes.” Max said, eating his own breakfast as he watched happily, and a little proudly, as he and Blaise ate the food he’d made for them.

Blaise kept to his usual favourites of strawberries with freshly whipped cream, but Harry was always more adventurous and he made such strange combinations, trying everything to see if he would like something more than his old favourites.
Nasta came down with Leolin and Farren and their little boy was frantic to reach the table when he realised that there was food on it. Nasta chuckled sleepily and placed Farren down on a chair and Harry handed him the bowl of sliced bananas and Farren immediately tucked into them.

“I wonder if he’ll like crepes.” Harry said consideringly as he pulled another one towards himself, filled it with strawberries and bananas, rolled it up and then sliced it into bite sized pieces.

He put them in front of Farren and smiled as Farren looked at them consideringly before trying them. His whole face lit up and he started chewing them with relish. Harry laughed.

“Oh, I love him.” Harry declared as he supervised Farren eating his crepes as Max went to make some more for Nasta as Blaise made up more strawberry and banana crepes for Farren.

“Ma!” Leolin called out desperately, without seeing him this time, which was unusual, and Nasta handed him over, giving them both a kiss first.

Harry tucked Leolin into his arms and he automatically checked his little mouth for signs of erupting teeth. Leolin was twenty months old now and still had no sign of any teeth…only he did.

“Nasta! Nasta! He has a tooth! He has a tooth!” He said excitedly.

Nasta was suddenly back over his shoulder, peering at the tiny speck of white that had erupted from Leolin’s red gum. One large hand cupped Leolin’s cheek as Harry cuddled his little boy and kissed him.

“We’ve been waiting months for this and finally it’s happened! Oh, I’m so happy!”

Harry almost gave his little secret away when he burst into happy tears, clutching Leolin tightly, but his mates just smiled at him and soothed him and told him that Leolin was growing up well. They didn’t realise that his tears were mostly hormone induced…Harry wanted to keep it that way, at least for several more hours.

“Of all days for him to get a tooth.” Max chuckled. “I always knew he’d be a sucker for attention, but to try and upstage his big brother on his birthday.”

“This…this shouldn’t affect Braiden’s birthday, should it?” Harry asked worriedly.

“He can’t have any of the gels or potions that we used for the older babies.” Nasta reminded him. “He’s going to be on frozen wash cloths and teethers only and he’s not going to be happy about it.”

Harry swallowed and looked at his little boy already wriggling in his arms, who had been calling out for him before even seeing him. Nasta was right, today was not going to be a good day for their little Leolin.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Harry was stressed and unhappy as he stayed in the smaller living room with a hysterically screaming Leolin. At least he was the first to greet their guests when they arrived.
Braiden had had his breakfast, after greeting them in three different languages as had become his habit, before he’d opened his presents. Leolin’s pain that accompanied his erupting tooth had held off until then. Harry had been able to feed him his bottle, though Leolin had gnawed on it rather aggressively, which was completely new for their little Faerie, then the bottle had been swapped out for his dummy, which had been dipped in a small amount of water and then frozen solid with a simple charm. Leolin gnawed on this too, so they knew what was coming, but they had been able to watch Braiden open his presents, laughing and clapping all through it, as they praised him for being such a good boy, for being able to open his presents, even if he did need a little help. They had then encouraged him to use his potty, to very exaggerated pleasure and not so exaggerated pride.
The kids were now outside, playing on the bouncy castle and it was a repeat of his first birthday with the trampoline as Braiden jumped and bounced around and refused to get off for his lunch. Nasta had video recorded Max crawling onto the bouncy castle to drag a defiant Braiden off.
Harry was leaving all of that wrangling to the others as he tried to just keep Leolin safe as he thrashed and screamed, gurgling in the back of his throat in pain as the shock of getting his first tooth registered in his brain.

“Oh, what happened, sweet one?” Alexander asked him worriedly.

“He cut his first tooth today.” Harry said worriedly, his face rather pale and drawn with stress. “He’s been like this for hours now.”

Alexander touched the top of Leolin’s head. “I suppose as a Faerie he can’t have any potions or such?”

Harry shook his head. “No. We’re waiting for either Aneirin or Dain or someone to come through. I refuse to believe that the Faeries, who are so overprotective of their babies, would leave them like this! They have to have some trick or something to calm them down, I just want Leolin to eat something! He’s missed two feeds now, he won’t even take the bottle anymore and he hasn’t stopped crying since just after breakfast. He’s going to make himself sick if this carries on.”

“If there is anything that I can do, sweet one.”

Harry smiled. “There’s not. Go on out to the back, the kids have had their lunches and they’ve been set free on the garden again. Nasta’s doing his nut because of the sun, the kids are all refusing to have their naps and Braiden didn’t even want his lunch, Max had to grapple him from the bouncy castle. I’m not sure who has it the worst at the moment, but they have seven babies outside, at least I only have the one.”

“Let me know as soon as the Faeries arrive, if they need anything, I can get it.” Alexander promised and Harry smiled and nodded.

Leolin wailed again and Harry curled his son’s body in tight to his own. He didn’t even try shushing him, it didn’t work, instead he hummed lightly and soothingly. Leolin paid no mind to him and carried on screaming.
Thankfully only several minutes later Ezrah flooed in. As soon as the young Fae realised what was going on, he fell to his knees by Harry’s feet, his hands hovering over Leolin’s little body, his face a picture of abject misery.

“What has happened?” Ezrah asked, his voice breaking in upset.

Lathen flooed through and he blinked at the immediate absence of his lover, before spotting him, then Leolin’s screams filtered through and he strode to stand behind Ezrah and he peered at Leolin critically, taking in the bright red cheeks, the fisted hands and the tears.
In quick succession Harry was surrounded by Faeries all asking what had happened. One, who seemed to be a guard, demanded what he’d done to Leolin and how dare he harm a Faerie babe.

“He’s teething you fool.” Eitri snarled at the guard, who seemed to have come with him. Harry remembered Dain saying that Eitri never went anywhere without a guard, but that guard was usually Warren, who was also there. Harry didn’t understand why there was someone there who hadn’t been invited.

“Do you have any chamomilla?” Dain asked him seriously.

“I don’t even know what that is!” Harry replied, stressed and now angry that he’d been accused by someone who was uninvited of purposefully hurting Leolin.

“I’ll go and fetch some.” Kailen said calmly.

Harry was aware that he had several sets of eyes on him and he hummed self-consciously, as Leolin’s cries picked up a more desperate note when he stopped. Harry reasoned that it was because Leolin was crying so hard that he couldn’t see through his tears, so the only way that he knew that Harry was still there, and not someone else, was to hear him.

“It’ll be alright.” Ezrah soothed him. “We use chamomilla to sooth teething babes. It works wonders.”

“What would you know of such things, monster?”

Harry’s hand clenched. He passed Leolin over to Ezrah and the guard gasped as if Harry had thrown his son into a wall or out of the window.

“Take Leolin next door for me, Ezrah.” He said gently. “If you could hum to him, he’ll never know that it’s not me over the noise that he’s making.”

Ezrah did as told, going to the larger family room and Harry rounded on the guard.

“Who is he?!” He demanded. “Why have you brought him to my son’s birthday?!”

“We did not want to.” Dain insisted. “We were outvoted at the Court. It was Alston’s doing, this is his personal piece of scum.” He paused for a moment and then cleared his throat. “I apologise, I meant to say that he is a guard, he is Alston’s guard.”

“I will be telling him exactly how you handed a mere babe over to that vile beast too!” The guard insisted, as if he’d won some great battle.

“How dare you say as such about Ezrah, I will hack your…” Lathen started, his hand obviously grappling for a sword that he wasn’t wearing.

“Lathen.” Harry cut in sternly. “I will deal with this. Ezrah is your lover, but this is my home.” He said.

The guard snorted at him as Harry was at least a foot and a half shorter than he was. He was obviously seeing Harry as he would a soft, sweet Fae. He didn’t understand that Harry was a submissive Dracken and that not only was he different from a Fae, but he was very dangerous and aggressive, especially with Leolin’s hysterical cries coming from the room next door.

“You will get the fuck out of my house.” Harry said clearly and calmly. “I will do with my own child as I see fit and I love Ezrah as a dear friend and I will not have anyone saying anything against him in front of me! Get out.”

“I am here on the order of the Court, as such…”

“I don’t give a fuck who has ordered you to be here, if I see you again I’m going to tear your face off with my teeth!”

The guard scoffed. “That babe shouldn’t be anywhere near such barbaric, savage beasts. The only thing that you and your lovers are fit for is execution. As soon as I tell Alston, we will have that poor, suffering babe from you…”

Harry’s immediate rage was too much for him to handle and he did not even think of his pregnancy as he threw his full weight behind a punch at the man’s face. It connected with a bone jarring pain all down Harry’s arm, but the Faerie went flying, as if Harry had smacked him in the head with a baseball bat. He had seen Harry as such a lack of a threat that he hadn’t even been expecting an attack and he had not been on his guard or even tensed up as Harry approached him. That was his third biggest mistake, after threatening to take his already upset Faerie son, and then threatening his beloved mates with execution.
Harry did not leave it there, however, with the one punch, no. He was too angry, his Dracken was furious, so he tackled the stumbling Faerie, throwing more punches at his head and face. There was shouting, someone tried to gently pull him off of the Faerie, but as soon as Harry had his feet he furiously pulled away from the person, who turned out to be Warren, and he kicked at the guard instead, throwing his full force behind the kicks aimed at ribs and limbs before he fell back on him and started punching again.

“Harry, stop!” Nasta’s voice, filled with his top dominancy order, stopped Harry dead.

He was breathing heavily, but he felt a savage vindication to see the Faerie’s pulped face.

“Get him out of my home!” He snarled at his top dominant, who realised that for Harry to act in such a manner then it was a serious matter and it needed to be dealt with. Nasta just nodded his head and dragged the Faerie bodily from their home via the front door. Draco followed behind him, removing the bloodstains.

“I apologise that you had to witness that.” He said, the bite of a growl still in his voice as his Dracken fought to take control, his chest still rising and falling rapidly as he breathed deeply.

Eitri laughed, a joyous, real laugh and he shook his head. “Do not apologise for such, that was one of the greatest things that I have yet witnessed. You did well.”

Harry smiled a little shyly as he slipped back away from his rage and his Dracken settled back with the Faerie removed from his house.

“I don’t normally act like that.” He insisted. “He was just another level of shit bag and he had to go!”

“As I said, we did not want him to come, but it was Alston’s doing.”

“Maybe I should pay him a visit too.” Harry growled. “How did he manage to even get a majority vote?”

“Sindri has not been well.” Dain said worriedly. “He has had to abstain from court business and it is a worrying time for us all. Without Sindri to cast a vote, all votes were tied and it was the decision of the acting Head of the court, Donella.”

“The spiteful bitch?” Harry asked and Eitri laughed.

“The very same.”

“If…if Sindri has to permanently abstain from the court.” Harry started hesitantly. “Will Donella take over from him?”

“No, that will go to a public vote.” Dain told him. “The citizens of the Faerie city will vote in the next Head of the Court and with all new regimes, it will be a bloody business.”

“Bloody?” Harry questioned, rather alarmed.

“The new Head will remove anyone they dislike or disagree with from power in order to bring in their own friends or family members.” Eitri told him. “Sindri has been the most stable Head of the Court that we have ever had. He does things fairly and justly, but a new Head could mean that we, the current members of the court are exiled at best, but more likely to be executed on grounds of treason.”

“You would have nothing to worry about.” Warren told Eitri.

The golden headed Fae glared at Warren. “If you are about to suggest that being taken from my hard earned position of power and married off like some trophy is better than execution, just because I am a Fae…”

“Is that what would happen?” Harry demanded. “Is it only through Sindri that Faes are allowed on the Court?”

Dain nodded. “He faced so much harassment and resistance at the idea that a civil war almost broke out, but Sindri got his way and Faes were allowed to sit on the Court for the first time. It was ground breaking for equality between the Faeries. If a new Head comes in then they could rescind that law, and all others that Sindri has put into place to protect all Faeries.”

“I will not lose my freedom.” Eitri said firmly. “I will not go back to being sold off for gold as if I am a comb or a book! I am a person and as I live, we will not go backwards in our society.”

“If the law is repealed…”

“Then I will rebel.” Eitri said seriously. “I will not stand idly by and meekly accept any changes made that takes us backwards. I will fight and I will cause my own civil war.”

“You’d be executed.” Warren said, a strange, pained look on his face.

“Then so be it. I will become a martyr for my cause.” Eitri said firmly. “It is not the same for you, being born a treasured Valkyrie.” Eitri snapped, rounding on Warren. “Have you any idea the hardships that I and all other Faes face? The disgrace and humiliation that we are put through? The things that are required of us by law?! That is under Sindri’s leadership too! I am trying to move us forward, to take the laws further, to remove them from our customs and traditions, not take us back to the good old days where a Fae could be stripped for inspection prior to bonding! Where a Fae could not speak out in public nor disagree with their bonded. Or perhaps you want to go back to those times, where this conversation wouldn’t be happening because I would not be able to argue or disagree with any Valkyrie, where I would be cloistered away in the home of my highest bidder and expected to do all asked of me. Is that what you want?”

“No!” Warren growled fiercely. “I am stood beside you in all things, Eitri! I am helping you to repeal all of the laws oppressing Faes. I have worked tirelessly beside you for the same goal! I have always hated the way that Faes were treated, even when I was a mere babe of twenty, under the Headship of Caracellus. I saw my Mother being treated like a slave, my young, just budded Fae cousins sold off to Valkyries near the end of their lives. My Father and brother acted as if nothing was even wrong with it, but it never settled right with me, Eitri. Never! I would not ever want to go back to those times, I am relieved that we have come so far, but I know that we need to go even further. I do not want a change of Court, I do not want to go back to how things were.”

Eitri smiled then. “Good. I am pleased that if needed I can trust you at my back, because I mean it, Warren. With the gods and the deities witnessing my words, I will never allow myself to be used in such a way, even if I have to die a martyr for my beliefs.”

Harry was stunned silent at what he’d heard, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say and it seemed that he wasn’t the only one, so he was thankful when Nasta came back into the room and hugged him tight, pulling Harry’s face to the crook of his neck and Harry inhaled those wonderful, calming pheromones deeply and happily.

“I assume he was saying something along the lines of us being unfit parents and removing Leolin from our care?” Nasta asked him.

Harry nodded. “He was saying shit about Ezrah too and I won’t have it.”

“I gave him an extra kick as I dropped him off at the gates to the Faerie City.” Nasta told him.

“I love you so much.” Harry declared and Nasta smiled at him and bent to kiss him.

“Kailen has given the chamomilla to Leolin, he fell straight off to sleep.” Nasta told him. “Blaise put him up in his cot, so how about you come outside and enjoy our son’s birthday with us?”

Harry nodded happily and he was led outside and to the bouncy castle and slide. The Faeries looked even more astonished at the inflatable monstrosities than Draco had been when the people that they’d hired them from had put them up yesterday evening.

“Have any of the kids been down the slide yet?” He asked.

“Not yet, Max hasn’t given them a chance.” Sanex quipped, his beautiful girlfriend Crista hovering near him.

It was no wonder that she was so timid and unsure of herself with so many submissive Drackens clutching their children and snarling at her like she was a wild beast. Harry wondered why he’d even invited them, much less why they’d even come, especially after his own birthday. It was cruel to the children to bring them to a children’s party with cakes and treats and a massive, inflatable slide and bouncy castle, not to mention the ball pit that Max had enlarged and filled with a million and a half plastic balls, and not let them play and run around…there was no other way to describe it, it was just downright cruel and Harry shook his head sadly. He would never treat his children in such a way.
Calix was in the giant ball pit by himself, all but swimming as he shrieked and kicked about, rolling onto his belly and then over to his back, kicking and thrashing before rolling back to his belly and Harry laughed to see him.
It was swelteringly hot and Harry was only in shorts and a tee-shirt, but still he was too hot. He went to the drinks table and grabbed the jug of iced juice. Nasta had gotten him earlier with a bottle of sun cream and the babies were plastered in the stuff, Farren was even rocking a hat and sunglasses, mostly because he was the only baby sat still and he hadn’t cared enough to take them off. He looked adorable.
Max was indeed throwing people down the inflatable slide, as he’d promised that he would, his latest victim was his own Dad. Richard slid down the slide, laughing and shouting, threatening to kill Max when he caught him. Max’s reply was that Richard was too old to catch him.

“I don’t even understand what I am seeing.” Ezrah said as he watched in a sort of horrified, awed curiosity.

Harry smiled at him. “Come on, Ezrah, let’s go have some fun.” Harry insisted and he took the Fae’s hand and ran over to the slide.

Ezrah was very hesitant, but Harry was insistent and he pulled Ezrah up the inflatable stairs.

“This is very high, Harry, are you sure that it’s safe?” Ezrah asked, his young face pale and worried.

“Come on, Harry!” Max shouted at him. “You’re holding up the line.”

“Just because you want to hog it!” Harry shouted back. “Wait your turn!”

“Well get your cute behind down here already!”

Harry laughed. “Together then?” He offered.

Ezrah nodded and Harry sat down, his legs dangling down the slide.

“Come on, it’s fun, I promise.”

Ezrah nodded again, seemingly beyond words at this point, as he slowly sat next to Harry and they held hands. Ezrah clutched at Harry’s hand as if he were the only thing anchoring him to the ground and Harry smiled reassuringly at him.

“On the count of three?” Harry asked and Ezrah just nodded again. “One. Two. Three.”

They pushed forward and Harry shrieked in laughter as he slid down the thirty foot slide with Ezrah, who just shrieked in what seemed to be utter terror. At least until they reached the bottom safely and Ezrah seemed to process what had just happened. He was shaking and pale still, but he started laughing, light and airily, and Lathen, who had looked about as terrified as Ezrah had, grinned to hear him.
Harry hefted Ezrah off of the end of the slide and they shoved past Max to go up again.

“Oi! It was my turn!” Max told them angrily.

Harry stuck his tongue out at him and blew a raspberry.

“Oh, that is it you are so getting it when I get my hands on you!”

“If you can get your hands on me!” Harry echoed Max’s words to Richard, which made Richard himself laugh.

“You tell him, Harry!” Richard cheered.

Harry and Ezrah managed to slide twice more before Max managed to grab Harry and pull him off of the slide and into a deep kiss. Max put him on the floor and then charged up the stairs while Harry was still dazed and stupid.

“That was cheating!” Harry called out, but he laughed anyway and went to grab a drink and one of his own biscuits.

He mingled a bit, kissed each of his mates, checked in on his babies and then he was determined to win back the slide from Max. He pulled Ezrah and a befuddled Eitri with him and he snuck up on Max, a simple charm had his foot stuck to the floor and as Harry darted past him with the two Faes, Max went to grab him, but found his feet stuck to the floor and he fell over, giving Harry a chance to get up the slide before Max found his feet again.

“I’m the cheater?” Max yelled out. “What do you call this?”

“Payback, my dear!” Harry answered from the top of the thirty foot slide.

“It is high up here.” Eitri said as he looked around with a smile. “It looks fun. Is it as fun as it looks, Ezrah?”

Ezrah actually looked rather intimidated to be spoken to by the other Fae, a member of the court no less, but Harry supposed that that was natural when you were much more used to being hit and spat on by other Faeries.

“It was terrifying the first time.” Ezrah said seriously. “But it is a lot of fun. I have never experienced anything like it ever before.”

“Will you just sit down and slide!” Max yelled. “Stop holding a conversation at the top!”

Harry chuckled. “Come on, let’s see how many times we can push in front of him this time.”

Eitri enjoyed the slide too and he was very quick to get up and dart to the stairs, cutting Max off while Harry and Ezrah laughed and darted past too.

“I swear to Merlin you three are the worst hoggers ever!”

“Why is he calling us pigs?” Eitri asked.

“He’s not. Someone who hogs something is someone who excessively controls something and won’t let anyone else have it. If I took all of the blankets in the bed, then I’d be hogging the blankets. We won’t let anyone on the slide, so we’re hogging it.”

“Oh, I believe that I understand.” Eitri smiled.

They went down again, but Max was waiting and he managed to grab Eitri and the poor golden Fae ended up backwards in the empty ball pit. He came up laughing but Max had already gotten up the slide.

“Are you okay, Eitri?” Harry asked with a grin.

“I have not been manhandled in such a way since I was a very young boy. About the age that you are now.” He said. “I was not expecting as such, otherwise I would have been ready for it.”

Harry offered his hand and pulled Eitri out of the mass of plastic balls and the three of them giggled together and they started planning their next assault on the slide.
Harry greeted more guests, directed them to Braiden if they wanted to see him or give him a gift and he, Eitri and Ezrah took a drink and nibble some snacks as they held what was reminiscent to a full on war meeting.
Calix came hurrying over to them and he tugged on Harry’s shorts and pointed at the slide and Harry grinned as he realised that they now had the most perfect excuse.

“Do you want to slide with us, Calix?” He asked.

Calix nodded. “Yes, Mummy.”

“Come on then, baby. Eitri, Ezrah, let’s go and get that slide back.”

“He is so young, will he be alright on that slide?” Ezrah asked worriedly.

“It’s meant for kids, Ezrah, he’ll be just fine. In fact, he’ll love it.” Harry grinned.

He got Calix’s hand and led the two Faes back over to the slide.

“Max, Calix wants a go on the slide, get down.” Harry ordered.

Max whined and complained, but he did as asked and Harry and the Faeries got control back of the slide as Harry got one of Calix’s hands and Eitri got the other as they led him up the stairs.

“Are you ready, Calix?” Harry asked as he settled his fearless boy between his legs at the top.

As Calix was up here everyone’s attention was upon them, as he was the first child who had shown an interest in it. Not that they cared, Harry was used to being recorded now and he didn’t think the Faeries even knew what the camcorder was or what it was for, much less what it did.

“Yeah!” Calix exclaimed, trying to push forward before Harry was ready.

“Hold on! Hold on!” Harry laughed, tugging him backwards and back between his legs. “You little daredevil. On three.”

The four of them slid together and Calix screamed happily. They reached the bottom and Calix clapped his hands excitedly and he recovered before all of them and he was gone, clambering back up the stairs.
He barely waited to sit down before he threw himself over the top. He slid down, screaming all the way and he landed between Harry and Ezrah, none of them had even had time to get up from the tangle of limbs they’d found themselves in before Calix was back down with them and Harry was so proud of his fearless boy, who got up and charged the stairs to get up again.

“I think Calix is hogging the slide now.” Eitri said with a laugh.

“Yeah, we’ve lost this one now.” Harry laughed as he slid off the bottom of the slide to the floor and went to check on his other babies.

“It’s good to see you having fun.” Nasta told him and Harry smiled.

“We’ve had a trying few months, but I feel better.” Harry said with a wide grin. “My muscles are almost healed now, and they’ve been healing well. My limp has gone, Blaise’s little slips are becoming less and less as we approach autumn and everything’s going well. Braiden is now two, Leolin’s cut his first tooth and Calix has a death wish, what could be better?” He giggled.

Nasta smiled at him softly and kissed him gently.

“Go and get a drink, your lovely lips are dry.” Nasta told him and Harry laughed, swatted Nasta’s bum and did as asked, going to get more juice.

He played with Regan for several minutes, hefted Tegan into the ball pit when she pointed to it and then found his birthday boy bouncing his heart out on the bouncy castle with several other children. He didn’t mind sharing at all, as long as no one tried to make him stop.
Harry didn’t try to make him stop, he joined him and they bounced together and Braiden was so happy with Harry bouncing with him that he hugged Harry around the knees and grinned up at him with all of his tiny little teeth on display.
Harry held Braiden and threw them both backwards, landing on his bum and bouncing back up to his feet and Braiden laughed.

“Again, Mummy! Do that again!”

Harry laughed and did as he’d been told, making sure that no little kids were behind him first. He was able to pull Braiden from the bouncy castle and get a drink for him and Braiden was happy to drink and eat a little cake, because he’d needed them. Though seeing him running around with a little plastic cup in his hands was adorable.
Harry sighed and he rested for a small while, migrating over to Myron and wrapping one arm around his back to lean on him. Myron immediately accommodated him and took some of Harry’s weight onto himself.

“Are you doing okay?” He asked softly.

Harry nodded and grinned up at him happily. “I’m having more fun now than I did at my own birthday. I think next year I’m having a bouncy castle and a slide for my twentieth.”

Myron laughed at him and bent down to press a kiss to his forehead. He took that time to whisper into his ear.

“How is the baby?”

“Wonderful.” Harry answered. “I’m not in any pain, nothing in my lower back or stomach hurts, and I’m having fun and releasing stress. They would not have allowed me to do any of this if they knew. I’m already going to have a fight on my hands later when I tell them and they realise that I knew and that I did all of this today while I knew.”

He sighed heavily. He was not looking forward to that part of dropping the baby news, but he was going to back his own corner. He was doing nothing wrong and jumping around or going down an inflatable slide was not going to do him, or the baby, any harm.

“Seeing you so happy and carefree after all that has happened to you is a great weight off of my shoulders.” Myron told him seriously. “You have been put through so much, by your mates as well as others, to see you smiling and having fun is a relief.”

“I agree.” Alexander told him, coming to stand by them and giving Harry a gentle touch. “Though I heard about your fight, are you alright?”

“Me and baby are completely fine.” Harry insisted. “That Faerie deserved it.”

“What is this about now?” Myron asked.

“Sindri is sick, so the Court is now even, eight Faeries, four on our side, four against us and one of the ones against us gets to decide split votes. She forced an unknown guard to come here today and I was so not having any of that shit.”

“Language!” Myron chastised him. “There are young children around.”

Harry rolled his eyes, but nodded dutifully.

“Anyway, as you know I was in the smaller room with Leolin and when the Faeries flooed in he started by asking how I had harmed Leolin and why he was crying. He obviously has no children of his own and knows absolutely nothing about babies otherwise he would have recognised the signs of teething. So that really pis…ticked me off. Then he started going on about how me and the guys were Dragon scum only fit for execution and that got my Dracken up, then he said he was going to get Leolin from us and I lost it.” He said simply. “I regret nothing.”

Myron snorted and Alexander grinned. “Of course you don’t.” The former said in a long suffering tone of voice.

Draco came out with a screaming Leolin and Harry left the comfort of Myron and hurried to them, taking his miserable son and cradling him. Draco handed him a frozen cloth and Harry used it to press and massage the gums around the erupting tooth and it actually calmed Leolin down, to the point where he was whining and grizzling more than out right screaming.

“Come on, my love.” Harry said gently, going to a sun lounger and reclining on it to cast them both in the shade of the umbrella, holding Leolin to his chest. “You’re alright.”

“Ma.” Leolin snuffled.

“I’m here.” Harry said soothingly, his finger gently rubbing Leolin’s gums and carefully circling the emerging tooth. As Leolin tried to gum on his finger, Harry assumed that it felt really good to his tiny Faerie son.

Nasta came jogging over from the house with a bottle in hand and Harry understood his reasoning. Leolin had missed enough feeds today as it was, it would be best to feed him now, while he was relatively pain free, lest that pain build again and stopped him from feeding again.

“Here you go, baby. Daddy Nasta has some nice milk for you, here, go over to Daddy Nasta.” Harry encouraged.

“Da.” Leolin sniffled as he was handed over and he didn’t pitch a fit at losing contact with Harry. Instead a tiny hand reached up to touch Nasta’s rough, stubbly chin and he opened his mouth for the bottle teat. He was very hungry.

Again he gnawed on the teat aggressively, but Harry left the frozen cloth with Nasta and he forced himself to walk away. It was difficult, especially as he knew that Leolin was upset and in pain, but it was getting easier the more that he did it. His son needed to spend some time with his Fathers, and they needed to spend time with him. Instead he forced a smile and went back to his birthday boy, who was, of course, back on the bouncy castle and showed no hint of tiredness as he jumped and rolled around.

“I’m so proud of you.” Max’s voice breathed in his ear. “Come and slide with me.”

Harry smiled and he took Max’s hand and ran with his biggest mate to the slide, pitching Sanex off of the stairs with a laugh and reaching the top.
Emulating how Harry had held Calix, Harry sat between Max’s legs with his mate’s arms holding him around the chest and Max shoved them over the end, his heavy bulk giving them some serious speed. Harry laughed and shouted out happily, holding on to Max’s knees.
They reached the bottom in a tangle, as they’d shifted sideways during their descent, and Max snogged him there and then. Harry wrapped his arms around Max’s neck and held on.

“Stop ruining the slide for all of us!” Caesar called out. “Nora want’s to have a go, but she’s not going down with you two humping at the bottom!”

Harry broke away from Max to laugh, he gave a grin to Caesar who was holding Nora back from the stairs, even though she seemed desperate to get up them.
Max helped Harry move from the bottom of the slide and Caesar released Nora, who charged up the steps, much like Calix had. Then they were cousins, sort of…they shared a common Grandmother in Ashleigh, but they had different Grandfathers.
Though speaking of Calix, he came rushing back over, dragging poor Regan with him, an angry Tegan following, chattering angrily like a hive of bees, presumably at having her twin taken from her by Calix. Blaise intercepted her and gave the two boys a chance to get away and to play together. Regan was already too passive and quiet as it was.

“Daddy, no!” Tegan demanded.

“Leave your brothers be.” Blaise told her, taking her over to the snack table and giving her a cucumber stick to distract her.

Calix dragged Regan to the stairs and pulled his brother up as Nora went down, Caesar catching her to appease Amelle, who looked a little worried at the height of the slide, but at least she was giving Nora a chance to play, unlike some others at the party with their screaming, red faced children. It was truly cruel and Harry wanted to tell them all to just leave, before they spoiled Braiden’s birthday, they obviously hadn’t wanted to come in the first place.
Harry watched with pride as Calix and Regan slid down together, holding hands. They giggled at the bottom and then they went back up, catching up to Nora at the top. Then the three of them slid down holding hands and Harry cooed happily to the three of them.
At about three in the afternoon, the party started wrapping up. Over half of the kids, those that had been allowed to play that was, were now sound asleep, having tuckered themselves out. Only Braiden and Farren were still awake out of Harry’s kids, Farren was now wandering around now that it was quieter and Braiden was still on the bouncy castle. He had gone down the slide a few times, after Calix had pulled him over to it excitedly, wanting to share his enjoyment with his brothers and sister, but the bouncy castle was his favourite.
Harry was getting tired too and after Leolin’s meltdown that morning, just after Braiden had finished opening his presents, he was ready for bed himself, but he still had to have the fight with his mates, who were gearing up for another heat period in just three weeks, not knowing that Harry was already six weeks pregnant. They had looked for signs of his pregnancy and they’d found none, so in their minds he wasn’t pregnant yet and he’d have a heat period in three weeks. They’d think as such until Harry dropped the baby bomb later that day, as soon as their guests were gone.
It did not take long for them to be alone in their house again. The most difficult had been to get Braiden in off of the bouncy castle, but in the end, a bit of tone deaf singing on Harry’s part and some rocking had their exhausted boy drifting off and he went down with his brothers and sisters for a nap.
Max brought in a tray of tea and some of Harry’s surviving biscuits and they all just sat in silence for several minutes, enjoying the quiet house and the peace for a while. It wouldn’t last for very long, about as long as it took for the kids to wake up off of their naps.

“So…that was a great day.” Max said with a smile.

“It was.” Harry agreed with a grin. “I can’t remember the last time we had so much fun! Oh wait, I can! When we went to Guadeloupe together. I had so much fun back then too, though there was a lot more sex.”

“We can fix that if you want.” Max told him with a saucy wink.

Harry laughed and sat back with his tea, this was actually the perfect lead up to his baby news.

“I loved that holiday. It reminded me a lot of today. Only instead of inflatable slides we were scuba diving and building sand castles.”

“We’ll go on holiday again soon.” Nasta told him, and that really hadn’t been what he’d been angling for, but he’d take it too.

He laughed as he realised that he was going to have to spell it out, there was no way that he could hint at them and have them guess, they firmly believed now that he wasn’t pregnant as he’d showed no signs, so they weren’t going to get it until he straight up told them.

“It’ll have to wait until after the baby is born.” He said before taking another calm sip of tea.

“Of course.” Draco said. “We’ll wait for the next heat period and see if you fall pregnant from that, and then when the baby, or babies, are born, we can see about another holiday.”

Harry snorted. He had himself some very dense mates, but he loved them and there really was no way for them to know. He snorted again, half laughing.

“What’s so funny? I thought that you wanted another holiday?” Max asked him.

“Oh I do. I just…I’m trying to tell you all that I’m six weeks pregnant and you just aren’t getting it.” He laughed.

That stopped the four of them short.

“Are you sure?” Blaise asked.

“Are you actually asking me if I’m sure that I’m six weeks pregnant?” Harry chuckled. “Of course I’m sure. Georgio confirmed it.”

“How long have you known?” Nasta asked him.

“Over a month.” Harry said.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Draco asked seriously.

“Because I knew that you’d all try to smother me while I was recovering and that wasn’t what I wanted or needed.” He said just as seriously. “I wanted to enjoy my own birthday, I wanted to have fun today and that’s exactly what I did.”

“That’s why you’re telling us now.” Nasta said. “Because Braiden’s birthday is all but over.”

Harry nodded. “Yes. I’ve had my fun, it was time now to tell you. I don’t know how many babies I’m having, but I’m not actually showing yet. So I still have my fingers crossed for just the one.”

“You’re not showing? Can I see?” Max asked excitedly.

“I just said, there’s nothing to see!” Harry said, but he was taking Max’s excitement and the lack of anger all around, as a very good thing, so he was already leaning back and lifting his tee-shirt, showing off the flat, but scarred belly.

Max got on his knees and he laid his lips to Harry’s skin, touching and kissing.

“I can’t believe we have a little baby in here.” He said. “Hello baby, I’m your Daddy Max, one of four Daddies you’ll have once you’re born.”

That actually brought tears to Harry’s eyes and he burst out crying, reaching out for Max and holding onto him tightly. Max made a surprised noise, but held him back tightly, murmuring to him and soothing him as Harry cried and held on tight.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry, love.” Max insisted. “What’s wrong?”

Harry had just accepted it as a fact that he’d have a fight on his hands once he told his mates about the baby and he hadn’t realised just how much he’d been dreading, and fearing, it. After all, the last proper argument that they’d had he’d ended up with his intestines on the floor, the rest of his insides being held in by Xerxes’ large hand as their house was destroyed around him and his tiny children were injured and put in danger.
He had been fearing telling his mates and it was only now, in this moment, that he actually even realised it. He clutched at Max desperately, tightly, almost strangling him in his desperate need to touch his mates as he cried uncontrollably.

“Hey, hey. It’s alright.” He heard Max say as large hands rubbed his back to help calm him down. “We’re not angry, we understand.”

“We do.” Nasta said and Harry actually heard a knee click as Nasta eased down next to them on the floor. It made him giggle wetly. “Of course, hearing me in pain would cheer you up.” He teased.

“You’re getting old now, Nas.” Blaise said with a chuckle.

Harry brushed his eyes clear and he looked around at his four mates with a smile.

“I was so worried that…that…”

“That we were going to shout and scream at you?” Nasta finished and Harry just nodded.

“I was really scared and I didn’t know that I was.”

“Because the last time we argued you almost died.” Blaise finished and Harry nodded again.

“Oh, Harry.” Nasta sighed, playing with his hair. “We’ve been making so much progress with our therapy, of course we weren’t going to start screaming, not without hearing your reasons first.”

“I just knew that…that you’d force me to sit down and stay still when there’s no need this early on in the pregnancy.” He sniffed. “I wanted to have some fun and today, on the slide and the bouncy castle, it was the most fun I’ve had in a while outside of sex.”

“Well if you feel like that then we’ve obviously lost the fun in our mateship somewhere along the way.” Max told him. “We’ll have to work on that and I think from today onwards, we’ll strive to make you laugh as you did today, every day. Seeing you on that slide, screeching and screaming with laughter, you looked beautiful and so happy. We need to make you laugh like that every day.”

Two fresh tears fell down his cheeks and Harry brushed them away with a smile. “Even though I’m pregnant?”

“Especially because you’re pregnant, because you need some relief and some fun.” Max told him seriously, tensing his arms and rocking Harry on his lap. It made Harry chuckle. He wiped his face again before snuggling in tight to all of his lovers.

“I love you all. I hope you always know that.”

“Do you feel safe?” Nasta asked him.

“Yes.” Harry replied after only the smallest of pauses. “I feel safe with all of you now, I feel settled and much happier. Just, try to keep the smothering to a minimum, please. I don’t like it and it’s unneeded.”

“Gotcha.” Max said with a grin. “Now come on, we need to get you and baby some tea. If you drink enough, we’ll get a nice sweet baby.”

Harry giggled, wiping his face clean on his tee-shirt. “I don’t think it works like that.” He said.

“Yes, so far it’s only my baby who is at all sweet.” Blaise said proudly. “So it stands to reason that only if this baby is mine will it be sweet.”

“I have yet to have a child, how do you know that I won’t have a sweet…?” Draco started but Max cut him off with a loud laugh.

“Your baby will come out sneering.” Blaise told Draco seriously.

Draco huffed and rolled his eyes, he stood up, but bent back down to kiss him before going into the kitchen to get some more tea for the five of them.
Harry refused to let Max go. Instead he clung on and Max chuckled at him, lifting him up and sitting back on the settee with Harry snuggled on his lap. Blaise came to rest against them and Max threw an arm around him and Harry laced their fingers together. He sighed happily and he settled. Today had been amazing, he’d had so much fun and he’d been proven wrong. He had been fretting for nothing.
He did feel bad that he’d assumed that his mates would overreact to his baby news, but then they had shown him that they would in the past. He was so happy to be wrong for once and he was glad that their therapy was going so well that they didn’t immediately act with anger when finding out something like this when he’d deliberately kept it from them.
Leolin interrupted them when he started crying and Harry forced himself to remain sitting as Nasta went to get him. Kailen had given them little sachets of powder that Nasta had told him was ground chamomile. It was a herbal remedy for teething babies that the Faeries used in place of medicines, that Faeries couldn’t actually take while so young. It was working a treat with Leolin, who was now back to feeding and was happy as long as he had his gums massaged by a frozen cloth every half an hour or so, but his freezable gel teethers were now his favourite thing and as long as he had one, or three, of them near him for him to chew and gnaw on, he was contented and his first tooth coming through didn’t bother him as much.
Nasta came back with Leolin already feeding from a bottle, they could see their tiny son biting hard on the teat and pulling on it as he fed. Nasta had one of the gel teethers in his hand with a frozen cloth. As soon as Leolin was done feeding, he would have his gums massaged and then he’d be left with his teethers.
Harry let out a sigh, he was a lot more settled now that they knew exactly how to help Leolin and how to look after him as he started teething. His very first tooth. Harry couldn’t have been happier or prouder. Leolin was coming on so well and he was developing in ways that they couldn’t see. Harry was convinced that Leolin was understanding more and more as he aged, even if he wasn’t saying anything more than his usual ‘Ma’ and ‘Da’, he was doing more, he was getting more mobile as he reached out for more things, testing and trying them. He would pull on grass to rip it up, he turned objects over in his hands, he would stare so intently at things that you could almost see his mind working out how they worked or what they were for. Now he was physically developing once more, he had grown a little longer, he’d put on more weight and now he had his very first tooth. Nasta had been right after all, Leolin had been sleeping so much over the last few weeks because his body had been gearing up for this…a growth spurt and a tooth. Harry was so proud of his tiny little son and he couldn’t help but hold his arms out for him when Nasta had finished feeding him.
Nasta smiled at him and kissed him as he transferred Leolin over to his arms.

“Ma.” Leolin declared looking up at him.

“It’s taking him less and less time to recognise who we are.” Max said happily. “It used to take him a minute before he’d realise who was holding him. He does it almost immediately now.”

Harry nodded, so happy and so very proud. “I know. He is developing and learning and I love him so much for it. I can’t believe he cut a tooth on his big brother’s birthday!” He chuckled.

“He has terrible timing.” Max agreed with a grin.

“I don’t believe that he has any control over it.” Draco pointed out.

“Well, he could at least try.” Max teased and Harry chuckled, cuddling his baby, even as he used his finger to massage Leolin’s gums and the one inflamed area surrounding the emerging tooth with the frozen cloth.

“Maybe this means that we can try him on something other than milk.” He said hesitantly, unsure if getting a tooth was a sign that Faerie babies were ready to be weaned…after all, they had no idea when the second tooth would come through.

“I’ll buy some natural yoghurt and blitz up some strawberries and see if he can handle having anything in his mouth. If he pushes it back out, then he’s probably not ready.” Max said. “But there’s no reason why we can’t try every week or so. Just because he’s not ready one week, doesn’t mean that he won’t be ready the next, but we can’t push him.”

“I remember.” Blaise said, perking up. “I remember that with the other kids. If they reject it immediately, we don’t push them.”

“That’s right.” Max said proudly. “If they look unsure, we try them again, but if they immediately look uncomfortable or upset or push the food out of their mouths, we don’t push them.”

Blaise smiled happily and he sunk back into Max’s body and Max kissed him gently. Harry finished massaging Leolin’s gums and gave him one of the teethers.
He sat back against Max and cradled Leolin on his lap, who was rolling the teether in his hands, who would then lift it to his mouth and chomp on it several times and then he’d bring it back down and turn it back over in his hands.
Harry watched him for several minutes, sipping on his tea. When the teether started going soft, losing its coolness, Harry asked Draco if he could please get another one from the freezer, putting the thawing teether back into the freezer.
The kids started waking back up again and the house once again became loud and active. Calix tripped over a stray truck, Braiden wanted to go back on the bouncy castle, so Max pulled out the dreaded trampoline for him to bounce on instead and Regan tried to climb up the sideboard, repeatedly, and when they kept stopping him from doing that, he tried to climb the bookcase, then he tried to climb over the back of the settee.

“Regan, you’re going to hurt yourself you little monkey.” Draco chastised as he plucked Regan off of the settee and placed him back on his feet. Regan laughed as if it were a huge game…perhaps to him it was.

“I think going down that huge slide has given him some much needed confidence.” Harry said happily as he watched Regan take off again, back towards the bookcase.

“No, you little monster.” Max said as he intercepted him, hefted him up and then threw Regan high into the air. Their little boy yelled out in happiness and giggled as Max caught him.

“Agen! Agen, Daddy!”

“Again?” Max cooed. “Up you go then!”

Max threw Regan several times, to much screeches and giggles, but it gained the attention of the other kids, who all wanted to be thrown in the air too.
Harry laughed at his biggest mate as he tried to throw and catch one baby at a time while four others clamoured for his attention at his legs.

“Will someone help me before I’m swarmed!” He laughed.

“Sorry, I’m six weeks pregnant.” Harry said immediately and Blaise laughed, cottoning on.

“I’m still recovering from a serious head injury.” Blaise insisted.

“Draco! Nasta! Help me.” Max pleaded with a laugh as Braiden grabbed his tee shirt and pulled.

Nasta snorted, but he took pity on Max and distracted Farren and Braiden with one of Braiden’s birthday presents, a massive, chunky garage for their plastic cars and trucks. All Nasta had to do was pick up a car and put it on the ramp, watching as it rolled down, and that was it for Farren and Braiden as they ran back to the garage to play.
Tegan was distracted by her penguin, which Nasta picked up from where she’d left it, and he put it in the toy box. Tegan shouted out a loud ‘No, Daddy Nassa!’ and stormed over to take the penguin back out of the box, petting it and stroking down its fuzzy fur.
Nasta then distracted Calix and Regan and that left Max free to fall onto the settee.

“Merlin, I’m getting old!” He groaned.

Nasta snorted as he walked past, but Max pulled him back into his lap and kissed him. It made Nasta properly laugh, then he grunted as Max tipped him backwards and snogged him.
Nasta laughed again once his mouth was free and Max joined him.

“I knew you were my favourite for a reason!” Max declared. “Coming to my rescue and then letting me love on you.”

“I’ll let you love on me whenever you want.” Nasta said. “I think I’ve topped entirely too much over the last few weeks, I haven’t bottomed once, we should fix that.”

“Yes.” Max’s voice cracked and he cleared his throat before trying again. “Yes, we should.” He agreed.

Nasta smirked and slid from Max’s lap. “Unfortunately it will have to wait for these little ones to go to bed.”

“You’re getting as big a tease as Harry!” Max complained.

“If you want to go upstairs for an hour, I’ll watch the kids.” Harry said with a smile.

“You’d do that, why?” Max asked.

“Because I’m tired after today and I’m not really in the mood, I just want to sit here and relax a little. So if you want to go upstairs, it’s absolutely fine with me.”

Max leapt up, grabbed Nasta’s hand and pulled him up the stairs to their bedroom. Harry laughed, especially when Blaise hurried after them.

“Do you not want to go too? I truly don’t mind.” Harry said to Draco.

Draco smiled at him and he moved from the other settee to sit beside him, throwing an arm around him.

“Like you, I’m not really in the mood. I had the night shifts last night and I’m tired. After all the excitement today, I just want some rest and relaxation. So I’m much happier staying here and having you to myself for an hour or so. It’s been a while since we’ve had some time just to ourselves, I’m going to make the most of it.”

Harry smiled at Draco and rested against him, smiling as they watched their eight children playing and wriggling around on the floor, the room only noisy because of how many children there were, while their three other mates enjoyed themselves and released some stress and tension upstairs.
Draco’s hand played along his belly and rested on it often, just feeling, even though there was nothing to feel there yet. He did it anyway and it made Harry smile, even as he knew that Max was in his element, taking both Nasta and Blaise upstairs in their bed. He grinned. He couldn’t wait to hear the delicious, gritty details, but for now, he was just very happy to be sat down, relaxing with some honey tea and some more of his remaining birthday sweets, that he happily shared with Draco, who’d gotten out his latest novel to read, even if he did look up to check on the kids with every turn of the page.
After the day that he’d had it was sheer bliss to just rest on Draco and sit still for a while and truly, not even sex beat this calm, happy relaxation for him, which is why he’d chosen it when given the two options. He regretted nothing, he’d chosen perfectly for his current mood, he could always get sex later if he felt like it. He chuckled to himself and turned his head into Draco’s chest, he was perfectly happy right where he was.

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A/N: Happy birthday to me! I’m now twenty-fucking-seven. Where the hell does the time go? Anyway, here is our chapter full of birthdays to celebrate my own! So much happening in this chapter and a little bit of foreshadowing for future drama. Gotta love a bit of good drama.
Zoha-Lixue: No, the Dracken gene is dominant, but you can’t think of it in terms of normal dominant/recessive genes, don’t forget that the Dracken gene picks and chooses who to manifest in. It only chooses those who are perfectly suited to being Drackens, Leolin was not chosen, because the Dracken genes do not like competition from other creature blood strains and most other creatures are from conception. It takes two weeks after conception for the Dracken genes to choose a baby, far too late to choose any baby that has taken any other creature blood like Leolin. It’s why no baby that Remus and Tonks have will ever be a Dracken, despite Tonks having the Black blood, Remus’ werewolf blood immediately cancels out any chance his children will have of the Dracken choosing them.

I think this was all for now, lovelies! I’m going to enjoy the rest of my birthday now, until our next update,
StarLight Massacre. X
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The Rise of the Drackens