Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Unstoppable	By : Thunderbird Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 14474 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters. I make no profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! It meant a lot to hear from my regulars, and it really got my creative juices flowing for the fic again. I guess I was feeling a little blocked. But no more! Please keep 'em coming! Every single one helps so much.
I was trying to get this done to post even sooner, but then (true confessions) Netflix posted the new season of Stranger Things over the weekend, so of course I had to watch all of it. Couldn't be helped.
But it's here now, and I think you're going to like it. So long as you like Harry and Teddy cuteness and Drarry smut. But then, that's really what you're here for, isn't it? :)
Warnings: M/M lemons.
Chapter 12: Electric Bird
(Harry)

“Ivy Cartwright says boys aren’t supposed to marry other boys.”
Harry paused in his slicing of the steak and kidney pie he’d prepared for dinner and turned to look at Teddy, who was sitting at the kitchen table, watching him.
Ivy Cartwright sounds like a stupid cow, he wanted to reply, but didn’t. It was not very good parenting to encourage your children to call people names. So instead he asked, “Who’s Ivy Cartwright?”
“A girl in my class at school.”
“I see.” So, the person in question was all of five at the oldest. Probably best he hadn’t called her a stupid cow then. She was likely only parroting the viewpoints of her parents anyway.
“Why would she say that?”
“Well…” Harry began carefully. “There are some people who believe that. Usually older people, grown-ups, I mean. So someone probably told her that boys shouldn’t marry boys and she believed it was true.”
“But why? Why do people think that?”
Harry sighed. How did one explain such things to a child his age? Teddy understood already, of course, that some men loved women and some men loved other men. Having grown up around Harry and Draco, gay relationships were just as normal as heterosexual ones for Teddy. Harry had never before considered that he might one day have to explain that other people saw it differently, which he realized now was perhaps a bit naive. “Well, Teddy, to be honest, I don’t rightly know why some people think it. I suppose they think that it’s… unnatural, that boys are only supposed to be with girls and girls are only supposed to be with boys.”
“Why?”
“Because, for a long time, only a girl and a boy could make a baby together. That’s not true anymore, of course.” Advances in fertility magic had seen to that. It was now possible to combine two egg cells or two sperm cells together to create an embryo, using a special potion. The process was only a few years old, but had been wildly successful since it became available, and had changed things dramatically for gay and lesbian couples in the wizarding world. Now they could have fully biological children all their own. Draco and Harry had already discussed it and decided it was likely the way to go once they decided to have children. Harry quite liked the image of a blond-haired boy with green eyes, some combination of the two of them. Of course, it was a bit more of a hassle for male couples still, because they needed a female surrogate to bear and give birth to the child. Neither Harry nor Draco had the equipment for it.
“So why do people still think that, if it’s not true anymore?” Teddy asked.
Harry smiled to himself. Teddy was unwaveringly inquisitive about everything. “For different reasons, I think,” he said. “Since I don’t agree with that belief, I don’t know myself. But you could ask Ivy at school tomorrow why she thinks that boys can’t marry boys and see what she says.”
Teddy thought about that. “Yeah. All right.”
Harry lifted a slice of pie each for him and Teddy onto plates, then added peas and carrots. He carried the plates over to the table, setting one in front of his godson. Teddy picked up his fork and took a small bite of pie. They ate in silence for a few minutes.
“I’m going to marry a boy,” Teddy said suddenly.
Harry paused, a forkful of peas halfway to his mouth. He set the fork down again, trying very hard not to laugh. “Is that so?”
“Yes. Girls are gross.”
Now Harry really did laugh. “Well, you might not feel that way forever, you know. One day, you might think girls are quite nice.”
“I don’t think so.”
“What about Victoire? She’s a girl, and you like her just fine.”
Teddy tilted his head, a sign that Harry had pointed something out to him that he’d never thought of before. “That’s true.”
“So maybe it depends on the girl. Maybe you don’t like Ivy Cartwright so much, and that’s all right. But I bet there are other girls in your class who are nice and fun to play with, like Victoire.”
Teddy pursed his little lips. “Maybe.” He took another bite of pie. “I’m still going to marry a boy.” There was a slightly stubborn edge to his tone now.
“How do you know?”
“I’m going to marry Toby.”
Toby Goldstein was one of Teddy’s good friends at school.
“You are, are you?”
“Yes. I’ve already asked him, and he said yes.”
Harry clenched his teeth hard to keep himself from laughing. He knew from experience that it didn’t feel very good to be laughed at when you were a child, and he could tell by Teddy’s expression that he was being perfectly serious.
“Well, congratulations,” Harry managed. “Many happy returns.”
“But Ivy says we’re not supposed to,” Teddy said. “That it’s against the rules.”
“What rules?”
Teddy paused, thinking. Then he shrugged, looking confused.
“It’s not against the rules,” Harry told him. “The law says that two men or two women can get married, so it’s perfectly within the rules.”
“Oh.”
“However, the law does not let you get married when you’re five, so I’m afraid you may have to wait a bit on that.”
Teddy sighed. “There are so many things I can’t do because I’m five.”
“Yes, but someday you will be able to do them. And sometimes it’s nice to wait for things. Sometimes good things are even better because we waited for them.”
Teddy thought about that. “Like waiting until my birthday to get presents?”
Harry smiled. “Exactly.”
“But I want to marry Toby now.”
“Why? What’s the big rush?”
“Because when we’re married we can live in the same house and do everything together.”
Harry took a moment to absorb that. “You want to marry Toby so you can live with him?”
Teddy nodded vigorously. “When we get married he can come live in my room with me. And then I’ll be with him all the time.”
Harry took a moment to consider what he was going to say next. As bloody adorable as that idea was, he would, unfortunately, have to deflate Teddy’s expectations.
“What about Toby’s parents? Don’t you think they would be sad if he left them to go live with you?”
Teddy’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I can tell you that Draco and I would be very sad if you left us to live with Toby. We would miss you.”
“I don’t want to live somewhere else,” Teddy said quickly, sounding almost panicked. “That’s why Toby will come live with me.”
“All right, but have you ever thought that Toby might feel the same way? His parents are his family. The house he lives in is his home. He might not feel ready to leave them behind.”
Teddy thought about that for a long time, and Harry let him, not speaking except to remind him to eat his peas. Harry was just finishing his last bite of pie when Teddy spoke again.
“But if we don’t get married, I can’t be with him forever.”
“And that’s what you want? To be with him forever?”
“Yes. He’s my best friend.”
Harry sat back in his chair and looked at his godson, who was staring right back with large, earnest brown eyes. “Is that what best friends do, then? Stay together forever?”
“That’s what Ron said.”
“Ron told you that?” That didn’t really sound to Harry like something Ron would ever say.
“I asked him why do people get married, and he said that they get married because they love each other and want to be together for all of their life. And then he said that he was lucky because he was going to marry his best friend, and that was the best thing because best friends are the people you never lose, even when bad things happen. He said best friends are always there for each other.”
Harry nodded. It was all starting to make sense now, where Teddy had gotten his notion to marry Toby. “Well, he is right about that. Best friends are always there for each other. But that doesn’t always mean that we should marry them. You know, Ron and Hermione are my two best friends, but I don’t want to marry them, do I?”
Teddy gave him a confounded look. “Draco isn’t your best friend?”
That brought Harry up short. “He is, in a way. But it’s different. He’s…” He scratched his chin, trying to think of how to explain romantic love without talking about sex. “There are many different kinds of love, you see. There’s the love that you have for your family, like the way that Nana, Draco, and I love you. Then there’s the love you have for your friends, like how I love Ron and Hermione and how you love Toby. And then there’s a different kind of love… it’s… very powerful, and sometimes confusing, and… more complicated.” He paused, thinking he probably wasn’t doing a very good job of explaining this at all. But Teddy was listening with rapt attention, so he plowed on. “That’s called romantic love, and it’s what two people feel between each other when they want to get married. It’s not something you’ll feel until you get older.”
“Why? Why do I have to wait until I get older?”
Harry shrugged. “That’s just the way it works. We get older and we change. We become capable of feeling things we couldn’t feel before.”
Teddy heaved a tremendous sigh, as though this was the worst news he could have heard. Harry smiled warmly at him, feeling amused but also something else… something that warbled inside him, in the deepest part of his heart, a kind of keen, sweet resonance. He reached across the table and stroked lightly along Teddy’s soft cheek.
“Remember what I said, about how some things are better because we had to wait for them? Romantic love is like that. It’s better when we wait for it, when we let it come to us when it’s supposed to.”
Teddy still looked sulky. “I don’t like waiting for things.”
“I know,” Harry said sympathetically. “Nobody really does. But it’s just a part of life. However,” he added, getting a sudden idea, “that doesn’t mean that Toby can’t stay over here sometimes. You can have him come sleep over one weekend, or you could go over to his house for a night, if you wanted.”
Teddy perked up at that. “Really?”
Harry smiled. “Yes, really. That’s if Toby’s parents are agreeable, of course.”
Teddy nodded. “I’ll ask Toby at school tomorrow.”
“Good.” Harry glanced at the clock. “All right, Little Man, it looks like we have time for one more game before you have to take your bath. What do you want to play?”
“Exploding Snap!” Teddy said enthusiastically.
“Exploding Snap it is, then. But first let’s bring our plates to the sink and clean them, yeah?”
And so began their nightly routine. After a couple of rounds of Exploding Snap (which always gave Teddy a look of intense concentration, since Harry had such good reflexes and was very difficult to beat), Harry ran Teddy a bath. Teddy played with his toys in the water for a while before finally letting Harry wash his hair. Then it was time for pajamas, teeth cleaning, and a story before bed.
“Is Draco coming home tomorrow?” Teddy asked his godfather as Harry bent to give him a kiss goodnight.
“Yep, he’ll be here in the morning. I’m sure you’ll get to see him before you have to go off to school.”
“And he’ll stay the night?”
Harry chuckled. “Yes, Teddy, he’ll stay the night. Two nights, in fact.”
“Good.”
“You miss him, don’t you?”
Teddy nodded. “Why can’t he be here all the time?”
Harry sighed. It was a question Teddy had asked before. Draco had always been around when Teddy used to stay over on the occasional night, back when he lived with Andromeda full-time. Since moving into Grimmauld, Teddy had expressed his surprise and dislike of not having the blond around half the week.
“You know why, Ted. Sometimes they need him to stay at the hospital overnight. It’s important.”
“Because he’s saving lives?”
Harry smiled softly. That was what he had told Teddy last time they’d had this conversation. “Exactly. He’s saving lives.”
Teddy sighed. “All right.”
“He’ll be very happy to see you tomorrow. He misses you too, you know, when he’s at work. He told me so.” He ran a hand across Teddy’s head and down to his cheek. “You ready for bed, then?”
Teddy nodded.
Harry leaned over to kiss him. “Goodnight. I love you.”
“Goodnight. Love you too.”
One last kiss and then Harry tucked Teddy in, turned out the bedside lamp, and stood. On his way out, he turned on the little nightlight that was plugged into the outlet next to the dresser. The bulb on the nightlight was encased inside a plastic blue bird, and so gave off a blue glow that Harry thought he would have found eerie as a child. But Teddy liked it, and that was all that mattered.
After cleaning up from dinner and watching some television, Harry decided it was time for bed himself, and he got ready and crawled in, lamenting, much like Teddy, the absence of Draco. He’d never particularly liked going to bed alone, not since he started living with Draco, but he found that since Teddy had moved in, he felt Draco’s absence even more powerfully.
He pulled the covers around himself, wondering why this was so, until he finally drifted off.
***
It was still dark when Harry woke suddenly, eyes snapping open and then blinking rapidly. He turned his head slightly to see that his bedroom door was ajar and a sliver of light from the hallway was pouring in, just enough to illuminate the little figure that was standing next to his bed, clutching Griffin the lion and watching him.
“Ted?” Harry asked, his voice scratchy. “Are you all right?”
“My light went out,” said the boy softly.
Harry stretched and blinked, his sleep-muddled brain trying to sort through the words. “Your nightlight?” he asked finally.
“Yeah.”
“All right.” Harry sat up and stretched a bit more. “Let’s have a look then.”
He followed Teddy out of his room and down the hall. He switched on the overhead in Teddy’s room and bent down to look at the bird light, to see that it was indeed no longer on, he flicked the switch a few times, just to test it, but it didn’t come on.
“The bulb’s probably burnt out, is all,” he told his godson, plucking the light from the outlet. He unscrewed the plastic bird and lifted it to reveal the small light bulb inside. “Let’s go see if we’ve got another one.”
He heard the soft patter of Teddy’s little feet behind him as he walked down the hall to the closet where they kept batteries, bulbs, and other Muggle household items. He found they were stocked with plenty of bulbs for the lamps and some for the recessed lighting on the main floor, but nothing small enough to suit their needs. He could feel Teddy watching him as he looked over the shelves.
“Looks like I don’t have any small ones here, Ted,” he said. “I’ll have to pick some up tomorrow.” He looked down at the boy to see him staring up at him anxiously. “We can leave the hall light on and the door open, and you’ll get plenty of light in your room.”
Teddy shuffled his feet. “It’s not the same.”
Harry sighed. “I know.” There was something about that little bird that comforted Teddy. Like a guardian. “Would you like to sleep in my bed the rest of the night?”
Teddy nodded vigorously. “Yes, please.”
Harry couldn’t help a smile. Teddy was far too small and sweet to resist. He tried to get Teddy to sleep in his own bed as much as possible, of course, and generally Teddy was pretty good about it. He’d had a few nights in those first two weeks where he hopped into bed with him and Draco, but otherwise had adjusted to sleeping on his own nicely.
But his nightlight was out, and one night wouldn’t hurt.
“Come on, then,” he said, picking Teddy up and heading back down the hall.
Teddy settled in quickly on Draco’s side of the bed, pulling the covers up over himself and burrowing into the mattress. Harry did the same, getting comfortable lying half on his stomach, hands tucked under the pillows. He was halfway to sleep when he felt the presence next to him shift a little and Teddy scooted closer, seeking out the warmth and comfort of his godfather. Harry lifted an arm and let Teddy tuck himself inside, and together they found their way back to sleep.
***
Draco arrived by floo the next morning just as Harry and Teddy were finishing up breakfast.
“Draco!” Teddy cried excitedly as the blond entered the kitchen, going so far as to hop down from his chair and come around the table to give Draco a hug.
Draco scooped him up. “All right there, Teddy?” he said, giving him a kiss.
“We missed you,” Teddy said.
“I missed you too,” Draco replied. He gave Teddy another kiss before setting him down.
“So do I get a kiss too, or what?” said Harry.
Draco smiled and leaned forward, planting a chaste but lingering kiss on Harry’s lips. “Always,” he said.
“How was work?”
“Fine. Uneventful, which has its upsides and its downsides. It requires less energy and focus, but time goes by faster when there’s more to do.”
Harry nodded. “Well, I bet you’re hungry. There’s bacon, eggs, and toast under a stasis charm for you.” He pointed to a plate that was sitting next to the range.
Draco grinned, rubbing his hands together. “Excellent.”
“And the two of us have got to get going, actually.” He turned to Teddy. “Time to get your shoes and jacket on, Ted. And don’t forget your lunch.”
Teddy grabbed his lunch bag from the counter before scooting to the foyer. Harry turned back to Draco again.
“What’s on your agenda for the day?”
“I’ve got some research to catch up on,” Draco replied. Harry nodded. Draco liked to keep on top of new discoveries and advances in the world of healing, to keep his skills up to date. “And I was going to head to Andromeda’s in the afternoon, probably around one, to see how she’s faring.”
Harry frowned. “I wish I could come along.” It felt like ages since he had last seen her. “I feel like I’m neglecting her.”
“She knows how busy we are, Harry. And not too far off we’ll find a time when we can all see her, Teddy included.”
“Hopefully sooner rather than later.” Teddy had begun asking every now and then when he would get to see his Nana, and Harry was always unable to answer except to say, “Soon. Just a little while longer.”
Draco nodded. “Hopefully.” He went over to the range and began the process of putting the kettle on. “You still need me to pick Teddy up from school, right?”
“Yeah, if that’s all right. I have a budget meeting at half past three and I really can’t-“
“It’s no problem, Harry. I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to do everything.”
“That reminds me, while you’re out today, could you go by the shop and pick up some more light bulbs for Teddy’s nightlight? It’s burnt out and he won’t sleep in his room without it.”
Draco shifted uncomfortably. “What sort of… bulbs?”
“You know, for lights? Like what we put in the lamps, but smaller.”
“There are different sizes?”
“Yes,” Harry said, and if there was a slightly impatient edge to his voice, it couldn’t be helped. Draco had been living in a house with electric wiring for four years now. Surely he should have picked up on some of this stuff by now. But Draco was naturally resistant to Muggle technology, almost on principle, it seemed to Harry, though that would never be how Draco would have characterized it.
“How will I know what size to get?”
“The old bulb is still in the nightlight. Just take a look at it. The wattage and voltage are written right there on the side.”
Draco gave him a blank look, and Harry sighed.
“Never mind,” he said, realizing the inevitable. “I’ll just pick them up on my way home from work."
“I’m sorry, Harry. It’s just… you know I don’t know anything about that sort of thing.”
You could learn, Harry thought to himself. Draco had shown himself perfectly capable of adapting to Muggle technology when it suited him. He could work the television, the stereo, and all the lamps and light switches. But when it came to changing light bulbs, or replacing the water filter in the refrigerator, or putting fresh batteries in one of Teddy’s Muggle toys, he became suspiciously clueless. It irritated Harry quite a bit, but he hardly had the time to focus on it now.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “But I’ll be a little later getting home, so you’ll be tasked with keeping Teddy company while I prepare dinner.”
Draco watched him from the range, his arms crossed over his chest. “You’re irritated with me.”
Harry sighed. “No, I’m not. I’m just tired.”
“Did you not sleep well?”
“Teddy woke me up, because his nightlight went out, and he couldn’t sleep without it. So he stayed with me the rest of the night.”
“Mm,” was all Draco said in reply.
“So, the light bulbs are important, unless you want Teddy sleeping with us another night.”
“I understand. Like I said, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Really, it is,” he said, when he saw Draco raise a skeptical eyebrow. He crossed the kitchen to join Draco at the range, slipping his hands around the blond’s waist. “I missed you, that’s all. And I was hoping we’d get a little time to ourselves tonight.” It had been weeks since they’d had a proper shag. Or, at least, that’s what it felt like.
Draco leaned forward to kiss him. It was deeper than the one he’d given Harry in greeting, and Harry let out a small sigh, relishing it.
“We’ll make time,” Draco said after he pulled away.
“I just feel like we-“
But the stomping of little shoed feet could be heard in the hallway, signaling that Teddy was likely ready to go. The boy himself appeared in the kitchen a moment later, and so Harry would have to table that thought for now.
“Tonight,” Draco said softly to him.
Harry nodded and gave him a peck on the lips. “Tonight. I’ll see you then.”
“And I’ll see you when I pick you up from school today,” Draco told Teddy as Harry pulled away.
“’Kay,” said Teddy, running to give Draco a quick hug. “See you later. Love you.”
“Love you too, Little Man,” Draco replied, chuckling.
Teddy took Harry’s hand as they walked out the door, and Harry smiled down at him, glad, at least, that Teddy seemed quite happy living with him and Draco.
***
The morning passed by quickly for Harry at work, and he was just thinking about having some lunch when there was a knock on his office door. He looked up to see his boss, Naomi, peeking around it.
“Is this a bad time?” she asked him.
“Not at all,” he said, gesturing that she should come in. She did, seating herself across from him and crossing her long legs.
She was a tall woman, curvy and sophisticated, with dark hair she had grown out into loose waves that went just past her shoulders. She looked at Harry with her keen gray eyes, and Harry knew something big had happened.
“What’s up?”
She sighed. “More business with Fawley, I’m afraid.”
Harry snorted softly. “Who is he representing this time?”
“Still the Rowle case. They’ve decided to take it to court.”
Harry froze and stared at her. “How…? Why? Why would they think that’s a good idea?”
She shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. They must know they can’t possibly win. It’s a publicity stunt, no doubt.”
Harry absorbed that. “So, what do we do?”
“The solicitors are on it, of course, gathering all the information they can. That’s why I’m here. They need pensieve memories from you of all your conversations with Fawley regarding the case. Plus any paperwork on Jasmine from the program. Incident reports, anything of that nature.”
“I doubt there’s any paperwork on her at all except for the initial contract,” said Harry. “She’s a model participant in the program. We’ve never had a problem with her and she’s never had a problem with any other child.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“As far as my conversations with Fawley go, it’s just the one from the other week, really. Everything else has been owl correspondence.”
“All right. I’ll need those as well.”
“Sure. No problem.”
“Anything I should know about the conversation? Anything you said that might trip us up in court?”
Harry thought back, trying to remember the conversation. So much had happened since then. “I don’t think so. I was very careful. I did antagonize him a bit towards the end, but nothing harassing. I just pointed out the realities Rowle’s circumstances with regards to the custody agreement, and that was enough to irritate Fawley on its own.”
Naomi nodded absently. “Sure, sure.”
“I also may have outright said that we would be fine if the case went to court, since Fawley always threatens that as a last-ditch effort to intimidate us.”
“Yes, well, you had to say that, didn’t you? He needs to believe his threats hold no power.”
“But they don’t, really, do they? I mean, is it really such a big deal that this is going to court? We’ll undoubtedly win, if the case doesn’t get thrown out first.”
Naomi sighed heavily. “Yes, that’s true, but publicity is a concern. I have no doubt that this will make the papers, since that is likely Fawley’s intention with this charade in the first place. And whether we’re in the right or not, a battle in court doesn’t look too good for the Foundation. It would be better if it was handled quietly.”
“Which is exactly why Fawley is going to do this all very loudly,” Harry said, catching on to her point.
“I just think the optics may not be very good for us on this. We started this department to help purebloods, to keep them from being marginalized. This case could make it appear that we are intending just the opposite.”
“We also started this department to help move pureblood culture into the modern era,” Harry countered. “We’ve seen firsthand that the old ways don’t work. They lead to hate, and war, and destruction. So there are a few hangers-on, we knew there would be. Most of the pureblood world is with us. Most of the wizarding world is with us.”
Naomi gave him a small smile. “Well said. Which is why I’m having you handle the PR side of things.”
Harry narrowed his eyes at her. “Walked right into that one, didn’t I?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Are you really surprised? I may be the head of this department, but you’re the face. You lend our mission a great deal of credibility, and your name still commands respect. Not just for the things you did in the war,” she said quickly, seeing the look on Harry’s face. “But also for the things you do now. You are still very well-received by the public.”
Harry sighed. “And we’re going to use that to our advantage, are we?”
“Of course,” said Naomi, ever the pragmatist. “I told you the day I offered you the job that your name recognition was an asset I intended to exploit. Don’t go getting squeamish on me now.”
Harry gave her a reluctant smile. It was hard to argue against Naomi’s frank sensibility. While Harry never liked using his fame, Naomi’s complete lack of subterfuge about her agenda comforted him. And if he was going to use his fame for something, at least it was something worthwhile.
Still, handling public relations was never something he would consider enjoyable. It likely meant crafting a message and talking to reporters, the latter of which he found especially odious.
“Assemble a small team,” Naomi suggested. “Take anyone from the department you’d like. Brainstorm how to spin this in our favor and then develop a plan to get the word out.”
Harry nodded, glad he wouldn’t have to take this on alone.
“Personally, I think Clara Abbott could also be a real asset here. It might be a good idea to contact her and see if she’ll go on the record supporting the program and talking about all that it has done for her daughter.”
Harry nodded again. That was a good plan, since Fawley was likely to try and paint the DTF’s after school programs as “brainwashing” or anti-pureblood, and since Clara was a pureblood quite familiar with the program and its mission, she could help counteract that characterization.
“There may be a number of parents who could be a help,” said Harry. “Pureblood and half-blood alike.”
“The more positive testimonials we have, the better, I think,” agreed Naomi. “But there will be more to do besides that.”
Harry sighed. “I know. I’ll think about who I want for the team and give you a list by the end of the day.”
“Thanks, Harry. I appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
She lingered a moment, watching him. “You seem a bit worn out.”
Harry laughed humorlessly. “It’s nothing really. Just balancing work and home life.”
“Ah, yes, and how’s that adjustment going?”
“Actually quite well, to tell you the truth,” said Harry. “Teddy seems quite happy, although he misses his grandmother, and he misses Draco quite a bit when he’s at the hospital.”
“Well, that’s understandable.”
“It’s just so much work,” said Harry. “It’s the little things, really, and always having to be paying attention. And I’m never really alone. I never realized how much solitude I enjoyed until he moved in.”
Naomi chuckled.
“You’ll know soon enough yourself,” said Harry. Naomi’s wife, Bethwyn, was pregnant with their first child and due within the next few weeks.
“Yes, quite soon.”
“How’s Beth getting on?”
“She’s quite impatient, I think. She was very taken with the idea of being pregnant at first, but now the novelty has worn off. Her feet ache constantly, and she essentially lives in the bathroom, because she has to pee all the time.”
Harry nodded knowingly. He had heard similar complaints from Fleur and Audrey. “Still, it’s almost here. You’re planning to take that maternity leave?”
“I don’t know. I keep going back and forth about it. It feels a bit privileged to take a maternity leave when I didn’t carry the child myself. Seems a bit like cheating.”
Harry scoffed. “Hardly. You’ll be taking care of her plenty after she’s born, and Beth will need a rest, won’t she?”
Naomi thought about that. “Yes, she will.”
“So don’t think of it as doing it for yourself. Do it for her sake. Single parenting is hard, harder than most people realize. And I’m just speaking from experience with a five-year-old. An infant is a whole other matter altogether.”
“You make an excellent point.”
Harry grinned. “I know.”
“But the work here is so important. It never stops.”
“Yes, but you’ve set yourself up a very competent department. We can handle ourselves for a few months. Besides, what’s more important than your own family?”
“Again, you’re right.” She gave him a wry smile. “You know, before I met Beth I wasn’t sure I wanted children.”
“What changed?”
“She wanted them.”
“Ah.”
“And I got older. My friends started having kids. You know how it was after the war. Anyone who was paired off and old enough was eloping and procreating like there was no tomorrow.”
Harry nodded. He remembered.
“Suddenly I was surrounded by babies, and it got me thinking about having my own. It wasn’t peer pressure so much as that I finally got to see what was possible, how children change you, and change what matters to you.”
Harry smiled softly. “That’s true.”
“Now I find I’m quite looking forward to it. Even the nappy changes and all that. I just think… you’re facilitating a life, you know? You’re shaping a human being. The work we do here is important, yes, but that… parenting, I mean really doing the thing properly, that’s an important kind of work all its own.”
Harry gave her a warm look of agreement. “There you are then.”
“Yes, there we are, after all. I suppose I can’t justify not taking the leave, after I‘ve said all that.”
Harry laughed. “No, I suppose not.”
She narrowed her eyes, shaking a finger at him in mock accusation. “There’s just something about you, isn’t there?”
Harry looked back, confused. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re so bloody honest… and earnest, it makes a person… look inward, I suppose, be honest with themselves.”
Harry shook his head. “I don’t think you have any trouble being honest, Naomi. Almost to a fault, I would say.”
“Back at you, Harry,” she said with a wink. “But you know, there’s being honest – frank, I mean – with others, and then there’s being honest with yourself. Which is altogether different. And a lot harder to do. You somehow manage to be both.”
Harry frowned. “I try to be.”
“Which is more than most people can say for themselves, I think.”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Self-examination is not for the faint of heart.”
“How did we get on this topic, exactly?”
She looked at him soberly. “I just think it’s important for you to know that I… I see you. I see you. I’m not talking about the name and the scar and all that celebrity stuff. I know I use it to our advantage but I hope you know that’s not why you’re here. You’re here because of who you are, what you bring, outside of all the Savior business. I just want to make sure you know that.”
Harry eyed her, and she stared back at him levelly. “I do know that. But it’s nice to hear anyway.”
“Good,” she stood, adjusting the sleeves of her blazer. “Because I’d never be able to find another deputy like you, so I’ve got to make sure I keep you happy.”
Harry laughed, and she smiled at him.
“I’ll see you for the budget meeting this afternoon,” she went on. “And get me that list when you can.”
“Will do. See you then.”
And with that Naomi left him in peace, to consider the prospect of lunch, and all that she had said.
***
At the end of the workday he nearly forgot to run by the shop for the light bulbs. Luckily he thought of it just as he was about to enter the floo. It wouldn’t have been the end of the world to arrive home and then have to run back out again, but it would have been annoying, and Harry was quite tired already. Meetings about the department budget always sucked his energy and put him in a bit of a stupor. All that talk of maths and revenue and fiscal quarters… it would be enough to put even Hermione Granger to sleep.
Draco and Teddy were in the sitting room together when he entered, Teddy coloring in one of his coloring books on the floor while Draco sat beside him, back against the bottom of the sofa, and kept him talking about his day at school.
Both boys greeted him warmly when he walked in, Teddy jumping up to give him a hug and Draco standing a bit more slowly and then kissing him with a sweetness that had Harry craving more.
But not in front of Teddy, of course.
“You blokes hungry?” he asked them. “Shall I start dinner?”
They both indicated that they were, so Harry made his way to the kitchen, leaving Draco and Teddy to return to coloring and conversation. As Harry preheated the oven and took the ingredients out of the fridge for dinner, strange feeling overtook him suddenly, like he had crossed over a threshold into some other place, somewhere where he was alone. But not alone in the good, quiet way that he liked when he had the house to himself. More like the way you feel alone at a party where you don’t know anyone, and you’re just on the outside, unable to cross the invisible barrier, stuck looking in on all the people that know what it means to belong.
The feeling faded as quickly as it had come, though, and Harry glanced back to the sitting room, where he could see half of Draco’s body through the doorway, and hear Teddy talking. He just wanted to be there he realized, not here. He wanted to feel like they were all in the same place for once, a unit, a proper family.
The odd feeling was gone altogether by the time they sat down to dinner, and Harry got Teddy to relay to Draco what they had discussed the night before, about marriage, and Toby, and best friends, and love. Harry could tell that Draco found the whole thing as funny and heartwarming as Harry had, and the two men exchanged amused glances while Teddy talked. The warmth in Draco’s eyes brought back with full force the need that had been building in Harry’s gut for the past few days, and he found himself hoping that the rest of the evening would pass quickly.
Draco handled Teddy’s nighttime routine so that Harry could clean the kitchen, and Harry took a moment as he loaded the dishwasher to be grateful for the nights that Draco was home. It made such a difference to share all the small burdens of being a parent. He looked forward to when Draco could be home every night.
Only two years and nine months to go.
Teddy would be eight by then. What an odd thought.
A Patronus suddenly appeared in the kitchen, and Harry recognized it as Draco’s, mostly because it looked so much like his.
After they left Hogwarts Draco had finally relented and let Harry teach him the Patronus Charm. He had been reluctant because it was understood that Death Eaters were incapable of performing it. Harry knew this wasn’t necessarily true, of course, considering Snape had been able to perform the charm, and that, in the end, was what had convinced Draco to give it a try.
It had been easier than either of them expected. Harry very smugly hinted that it was because being with him made Draco so happy that a Patronus was easy. And he had been doubly smug when Draco managed a real, full-fledged corporeal one and they saw that his form had taken on that of a stag. Just like Harry’s.
“It’s because you love me,” Harry had teased him relentlessly. “You want to be with me forever.”
Draco had rolled his eyes and scowled, but not denied the accusation. Because, after all, they both knew the truth.
Harry smiled to himself as he remembered, but then made himself focus, as the Patronus was now speaking in Draco’s voice.
“Teddy has reminded me that he needs his nightlight bulb change. And he wants a kiss from you before he goes to bed.”
Right, the nightlight. Harry grabbed the package of bulbs that he had set on the counter and headed upstairs.
They finally got Teddy tucked in and content, and it seemed he would drift off quickly. Harry was glad, because he had plans for Draco.
“What do you feel like?” Draco asked him once they were in the hallway. “Telly? Read by the fire for a bit? Or I could rub your feet for a change, since you had a long day.”
“Actually,” Harry said softly, grabbing Draco around the waist. “What I really feel like is jumping you and having my way with you while you scream my name in ecstasy.”
Draco laughed and kissed him.
“I’m not joking,” Harry clarified.
“I know you’re not,” said Draco, kissing him again, deeper this time. Harry moaned and licked his tongue along Draco’s bottom lip, eliciting a sigh from the Slytherin. “But,” he continued, pulling away, “we’ve just got Teddy off to bed and I think we should wait a couple of hours to be sure he’s fully asleep.”
“I’ll put wards up,” Harry promised. “Silencing charms all over the room.”
“Of course, but I want to be sure. Just give it a little. We’ll go down to the lounge, watch some telly, and snuggle up and grope each other. It’ll be like.. extended foreplay.”
Harry scowled. “Extended foreplay” sounded like something he was far too impatient for at the moment.
But he went along with it, knowing that Draco was right. If Teddy was still asleep come ten o’clock, it usually meant he would be down for the night. Harry could handle waiting that much longer, couldn’t he?
They didn’t end up watching the television at all, really. They were too busy snogging, rolling around on the wide leather sofa like a couple of teenagers at Hogwarts who were meeting up in the common room after curfew.
There was something about Teddy’s presence in the house, Harry realized as he played with Draco’s nipples through his shirt and gave him small love bites along his pale neck, that made the two men regress a little to their 8^th year days. This was the way they used to do things at the start of their relationship: heavy snogs, lots of teasing, and getting off with their clothes still on. Since Teddy had moved in there had been some sex, but it was mostly hands and mouths, hurried, paranoid that Teddy would come in and catch them.
There had been something a little fun and novel about it at first, but Harry was well ready to fuck Draco senseless. There was nothing for it. They would just have to ward the hell out of their bedroom and hope for the best, because Harry was determined to get his, and Draco was clearly feeling the same.
By the time ten o’clock rolled around Harry was so worked up that he had half a mind to simply vanish their clothing and take Draco right there on the sofa. But Draco talked some sense into him, and at least managed to get him upstairs before Harry started practically ripping his clothes off.
“The wards,” a breathless, naked Draco said as Harry tried to shove him onto the bed. “Don’t forget the wards.”
Harry lifted his wand and cast the necessary spells, silencing the room and putting a light shield on the door, which would at least stall Teddy for a bit. He also cast an alarm charm that would alert them with a pleasant chiming sound if Teddy had left his bed and entered the hallway.
“There,” he said to his lover. “Happy?”
“Not yet,” Draco replied. “You still have your pants on.”
Harry took care of that quickly, then clambered on top of Draco, pressing their naked bodies together.
“Mm, fuck yes," said Draco against Harry’s mouth. “I forgot how good it feels to just be naked.”
“I know,” Harry agreed, nibbling his earlobe before descending along his jaw. They had taken this all for granted.
But not anymore.
“Turn over,” Harry said.
“What?”
“On your stomach. Now.”
It had been a while, too, since he had used his commanding voice in bed, and he had nearly forgotten the way it made Draco’s pupils dilate. The blond quickly flipped himself so he was on his stomach, practically offering himself to Harry with the way he was arching his lithe, muscular back. Harry took a moment to admire it, as well as Draco’s sculpted arse, before he grabbed his wand and cast a cleansing charm, then started playing at Draco’s entrance with his fingers. They were both in a bit of a hurry, yes, but Draco still needed some preparation, and Harry knew just how he wanted to do it.
He started at the base of Draco’s neck, kissing and licking his way down the spine. Draco gripped the headboard as he writhed and ground his arse against Harry. He knew what was coming, and he was anxious for it.
Harry arrived at Draco’s tailbone and kept going, dipping his tongue into the crack of Draco’s arse before seeking out his entrance. He put his mouth over the tight, hot space and penetrated Draco with his tongue, making the blond whimper his name. He was grinding against the sheets shamelessly, undoubtedly trying to get some friction for his leaking cock. The thought of it hardened Harry to the point of pain. He would need to take care of that, and soon.
He withdrew his tongue and stifled the whine of protest from Draco when he replaced it quickly with two lubed fingers, which he began scissoring and circling to stretch the entrance.
“Dammit, Harry, I’m ready,” Draco said, glancing at him over his shoulder. “Just fucking fuck me.”
“Better to be sure,” Harry said. “I don’t want to hurt you.” Mild pain was sometimes a part of their play, such as spanking and whatnot, but this was different.
“I don’t care,” said Draco. “I want to be sore tomorrow. I want to be so sore I’m walking sideways.”
Fuck. Well, if that was how Draco wanted it…
He put the lube and his wand on the bedside table, grabbed Draco by the hair, and positioned himself. Then, in one fluid motion, he slammed home.
“Oh, fuck!” Draco cried.
Harry smiled darkly, though Draco couldn’t see. “Like that?” he said. “You want to be fucked like that?” He slammed in again.
“Yes,” Draco gasped. “Yes. Fuck me like you mean it, Harry.”
Harry huffed a laugh, then thrust in again. “Oh, I mean it.”
He picked up the pace but kept it hard, encouraged by Draco’s reactions. Draco arched against Harry’s punishing rhythm, and the two moved in sync, moaning and growling and clutching at whatever they could. Harry wasn’t going to last long like this, that he knew, but he didn’t care. This was what he needed. This was what he had been craving.
“Fuck, yes, Draco,” he said, gripping the blond by the hips for purchase. “I’ve been dreaming about this all week. Pounding your arse and making you scream.”
Draco moaned and squeezed around him.
“Making you beg for more. Making you come.”
“Yes, Harry, please,” Draco mewled, his words muffled as he buried his face in the pillow. Harry saw that Draco was reaching for his cock, and he grinned evilly, grabbing his wand from the bedside table and waving it so that bindings appeared around Draco’s wrists. They pulled forwards and attached themselves to the headboard, keeping Draco from touching himself.
“Please, Harry,” Draco gasped. “Please let me come.”
“I don’t just let you come, Draco,” he replied. “I make you come. Only me. Do you understand?”
“Y-yes. Please.”
Harry was nearing his peak. The hot, sweet need had been there from the beginning, just a hair’s breadth away from tipping over, but he knew now that there really was no going back, and he wouldn’t last much longer.
“Tell me,” he said, leaning over to speak in Draco’s ear. “Beg me.”
“Please, Harry. Make me come. Make me come just for you.”
That was what he wanted to hear, and he reached around, finding Draco’s rock hard cock and pumping it in time with his thrusts. He slowed down, just a little, savoring it, knowing these last few moments would be the end. One arm gripping around Draco’s chest, face pressed into Draco’s shoulder, he thrust, once, twice, thrice, and came, coating Draco’s insides and biting down on the shoulder hard enough to leave a mark.
This triggered Draco’s orgasm, and he sprayed all over Harry’s hand and the sheet below them, trembling and moaning and grinding against Harry.
The two men collapsed onto the bed. Harry nuzzled his face against Draco’s sweaty shoulder, licking at and kissing the little bruise he had made with the bite, almost like an apology, though he knew Draco actually liked that sort of thing.
“That was exactly what I needed,” Draco said.
Harry sighed in contentment. “Me too. We can’t wait that long again. I’ll go mad.”
“Agreed.”
Harry mustered the energy to grab his wand, undoing Draco’s bindings, cleaning them up, and removing some of the wards on the bedroom in case Teddy needed them in the middle of the night. He then settled against Draco again, wrapping his arms around Draco’s waist and burying his nose in the back of Draco’s neck. He could already feel himself slipping into sleep, but he made himself focus long enough to say one more thing, because it seemed important.
“I love you.”
Draco hummed happily. “Love you too.”
Harry smiled and closed his eyes, already halfway gone.
Up Next: Vesper duels Dempsey.
RequiredReading: Thanks! Glad you’re liking it. I’ve really enjoyed writing them as a couple, surprisingly.
smn: No need to apologize, though I’m happy you’re back and that you’ve been following along :) It just helps so much with motivation to know people are reading and enjoying, so I appreciate it whenever you have time to leave a review!
LadyShire: Thank you so much! Your reviews have really been helping me get these chapters done (though I know you wish it was a little faster)! As far as more stories with these characters go, this fic itself certainly has a ways to go before it’s done. Then I don’t know what I’ll do after that. I’ll just see where my muse takes me! Ideas are always welcome, of course.
Book_addict_89: Thanks! Yeah, Vesper and Blaise are being dummies. But there are some important underlying reasons, we just have gotten to them yet. But we will!
SickPuppy: Here you go! Yeah, there are a lot of balls in the air plot-wise right now. All I can say is, all of those issues will be addressed. Some will just take longer than others :)
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