♥ Wishing Candles ♥
(a.k.a. The Day My Children Appeared Before Me)
by Emi Chirescue


There were two children lying on the floor in the Entrance Hall of Malfoy Manor when Draco, Lucius, and Narcissa Flooed home from a meeting with Albus Dumbledore.

Said two children were laying side-by-side, perfectly still with their eyes closed. If it wasn't for the gentle rise and fall of their chests and color in the cheeks, the Malfoys would have thought them to be dead.

"My god," Narcissa said, a delicate hand covering her mouth. "Lucius, where --"

"I do not know, Cissa," he said gently. He carefully wrapped his hand around her hip, ready to catch her if she thought the shock to be too much and fell. It wouldn't surprise him, with the surprise he was feeling; Narcissa was far more expressive than he was, her emotions running more freely despite her Slytherin upbringing.

Draco stayed silent, a part of his attention on his mother while the rest curiously studied the bodies resting on the marble.

The girl to the left, who looked no older than seven or eight, had red curls and a pale complexion. Her hair was a deep, dark color that should have made him think of blood but instead, it had him think more of an aged wine. She had a tiny pixie nose and high cheekbones that hinted at pureblood but didn't possess the delicate refinedness. Her eyes were almond-shaped, with lashes that brushed her cheekbones and cast pale shadows. Her lips were blush pink and bow-shaped, leaning more towards the thin side of things. The shape of her face reminded him of a heart, like his mother's.

The little boy on the right, however, shocked him more than he could say. White-blonde hair hung softly around a pointed little face, although his skin tone was a few shades off, leaning more towards tan than ivory. His cheekbones were as refined as any pureblood, and his nose was aristocratic. His lips bore the same shape as Draco's, but were fuller and more noticeable. His eyes were also different, almond-shaped, instead of Draco's more narrowed stare. But the overall look was the same, and it frightened him.

"Mother," he said, his voice refusing to rise above a whisper. "Mother, look at the little boy. Tell me that he does not look scarily like me."

Narcissa's silvery-blue gaze ran over the features of the boy, eyes widening and lips falling open into an 'O' of surprise. She met the gaze of her son hesitantly.

"Draco, what is going on here?"

Draco just shook his head, letting her know he didn't honestly know. Lucius watched as both his wife and son grew more worried by the minute, and spoke up before they did something rash.

"We will get to the bottom of this shortly," he said in a firm tone. "For now, let's take them up to the guest rooms in the west wing and get them comfortable. We do not know when they'll wake up, and it wouldn't do to have them on the floor of the Entrance Hall when they do."

They both nodded, Draco's face smoothing into the calm heir of the Malfoy's that he was outside the Manor's walls. He reached for the girl, lifting her gently up into his arms as Narcissa bent down to lift the boy. They followed Lucius silently up the main stairs and into the long hallways.

~ ♦ ~

The little boy stirred in his bed, twisting slightly in the sheet around him. The light shining in from the window was familiar, having seen it every day for the past three years. He must have been put back into his room in the west wing of the Manor by one of his parents, as he didn't remember going to bed.

Snuggling deeper into the covers, he reached blindly for Leo. When his hand encountered nothing but air, his eyes snapped wide open and he shot up in bed. He crawled over to the edge of the bed to look down, just in case he had fallen on the floor during his sleep. Not seeing him, he jumped out of bed and rushed out of his door, not realizing that his walls were missing the blue paint the house elves put up, and his ceiling wasn't charmed like the sky outside. He ran barefoot down the hall to his sister's room, stretching to reach the doorknob before flinging it open. Jumping on the large bed dominating the room, he cried out, "Ara! Ara, wake up! Leo's missing!"

A soft moan came from under the blankets before they moved, revealing the red-headed girl. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned widely before focusing blearily on her little brother.

"'Pius?" she questioned softly. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Leo's missing!" he cried. Tears began to gather in his eyes, and he flung himself at his sister in his distress.

Ara, as that was what the little boy called her, rubbed the boy's back before shifting him and getting up from the bed. She shivered at the cold on her feet, glancing down in reflex. Her eyes stayed locked on the floor in shock, not completely comprehending that her rug was missing. It shouldn't have been, as it had a Sticking charm on it.

She swept the room quickly with her gaze, taking in how bare it was. She knew it was her room, however, from the design on the fireplace. Ara, her constellation, was carved into the wood and decorated with blue sapphires that stood out in the pale colors of the room.

Taking her brother's hand, she rushed to his room; not paying attention to his sniffles until she saw the bareness of his room as well. The only thing making it recognizable was Scorpius carved into the fireplace.

"Is this some sort of fake Manor?" she whispered. "What happened?"

"Leo disappeared!" he cried, reminding her of his earlier dilemma. Turning around, she held him to her as he cried.

She knew what that stuffed lion meant to him, having been given it about six months ago when Daddy had to go on another trip with Aunt Hermione. He had made Scorpius promise to keep it safe until he came back, and the little boy had sworn to never let it out of his sight. It was something equal to murder in Scorpius's book if it was to be out of his sight more than five minutes. She sighed and shushed him softly.

Sometime later, when Scorpius had finally calmed down enough, Ara decided to see what else was wrong in this copy of their home. Leaving the room and walking down the hall, she recognized the portraits that donned the walls. They were the same ones that were in the real manor.

Making it to the main staircase, she had Scorpius hold onto the banister and her hand while they walked. The last time he had tried to do them by himself had resulted in a scary rush to St. Mungo's. He had broken the bone clear through the skin of his arm, and Ara remembered the dizzy sickness that had come over her. Her father had caught her and took her to the waiting room, letting her daddy go with the Healers to take care of Scorpius.

It had only finished healing a week ago, and Ara didn't want that to happen again. She had no way of getting to St Mungo's, as she wasn't allowed to Floo by herself.

They finally made it to the end of the stairs, and the only thing left between the siblings and their destination was the long stretch of hallway leading to the double doors. She led her little brother down the hall, keeping a close eye on him. She noticed him taking in his surroundings, the things most people couldn't see. It was odd that he had gotten that gift from Daddy when she hadn't, but she wasn't complaining. It was her job to notice everything else in order to keep them safe.

Stopping in front of the ornate doors, she hesitated slightly before pushing them open. She froze upon sight of three unexpected people in the fake Manor. Or was it the real one now? She didn't know. She wanted answers, but she held herself back, cautious to even alert these people of their presence.

Scorpius had no such reservations, however, as he caught sight of Draco sitting to one side of Lucius. "Father!" he exclaimed, rushing towards the table.

Three blonde heads snapped up and looked to where the children were standing. Lucius saw the little boy running towards him, calling out his title excitedly. He went to push his chair back a little to catch the boy when he went straight past him and into Draco's unsuspecting lap.

"Father!" he cried again, looking up at him with big eyes. "You're here! I thought you wouldn't be! The Manor's not right, and Ara thought that the Manor was fake! I don't think it's fake, but it isn't right! It ate Leo! Daddy's going to be so mad at me! We've got to find Leo before he gets home!"

He babbled all of this quickly, his face flushed and eyes watery by the end of it. Draco just stared at the little body in his lap in astonishment before the color of the child's eyes registered with him.

Emerald green. They were the most stunning emerald green color known to man, and the fact that they were marred by tears made Draco's insides twist painfully. He knew only one other person with the same colored eyes, and the only reason he knew that was from the unsightly amount of time he spent (and spends) pining over the owner.

This little boy, who called him Father, had Harry Potter's eyes.

"Who are you?" Draco whispered, looking slightly desperate as he wished to know the identity of this child. He recognized the two titles that fell from the childish lips, and things started to slowly fall into place. If what he was realizing was true, then the hope and terror he was feeling was accurate in its creation.

He blinked up at his father, confused. "You know who I am, Father. I'm your little scorpion; I'm Scorpius."

Draco blinked in astonishment. "You're my son?"

A smile crept across Scorpius's face. "Of course! Silly Father! Who else's would I be?"

Draco just shook his head slowly, not believing that he had a son. One that was currently in his lap. But if he had a son, that meant that the little girl by the door must be...

"Are you my daughter?" he asked softly, gesturing her over to the chair next to him.

She bit her lip before nodding slowly. "Yes. I'm Ara," she answered once she was seated.

"You both were named after the constellations that share the same month as mine," he realized.

Scorpius answered that statement as if it was a question. "Yep! We are all named in July! Daddy's month!"

"Daddy's month?" Lucius interjected swiftly, putting just enough emphasis on the first word to let everyone except Scorpius know exactly what he was wondering about.

Now, Lucius wasn't a homophobe, nor was he prejudice towards homosexuals. It would be highly hypocritical if he was to be, as he knew that Draco himself tended to fly for his own team. But he had expected Draco to marry the Parkinson girl (no matter how regretful both parties were about the contract at birth) and take a lover on the side. He knew that Pansy would have done the same.

But if what this little boy was saying is true, and he had both Draco and another man as his parents, then somehow, Draco was freed of the marriage contract. But it was binding, with no loopholes. The one time Lucius wished for one, and it wasn't there.

Ara spoke up this time, answering his earlier question. "Yes," she replied, nodding her head. Her curls bouncing with each one. "We have two parents: Father and Daddy. Daddy was born in July. He told me that he loves the fact that his precious people are connected to him in such a special way."

Draco sucked in a deep breath, knowing exactly what she was talking about. Harry would love that his children and husband were named after the constellations that shown the brightest during his birth month. He was sentimental like that, always caring about others before himself.

That is, if Harry was even the other father.

But Draco was becoming increasingly reassured that Harry was, and that allowed for the hope he felt earlier to rise up and begin to crush the terror. The child's -- Scorpius's -- eyes were the same bright green that Harry's were, and Ara had dark red hair. A color he was sure he had only seen in a few pictures of Lily Potter.

"Do you know your full name?" Draco asked, carefully keeping the hope from shining through in his words.

Lucius and Narcissa did not see it, which meant he was doing well, but they did see the slight calculating look on their son's face.

Ara nodded again, looking around the room at the occupants. They seemed like the same people she had lived with for her whole life, albeit a little younger. She felt safe around them, and that's what prompted her to answer.

"This is my brother," she started, gesturing to the little blonde boy, "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy..."

Narcissa smiled a little at the name, and Lucius was relieved that Draco's husband had taken the Malfoy name.

Until Ara finished.

"...Potter."

Both elder Malfoys stiffened, shock covering their every move. Draco, however, didn't bat an eyelash. He just quietly waited until she finished.

"I'm Ara Lily Malfoy-Potter," she said, not noticing her still grandparents.

"You have a very pretty name," Draco complemented, brushing his fingers absentmindedly over a loose strand of her hair.

"Daddy named me Ara," she admitted shyly. "He knew that you wanted to keep the Black family tradition going of naming the child after a constellation. He chose Ara because of its position near Draco. He didn't realize that it was during his month you could see her. You named me Lily, however." She smiled. "Daddy told me that it was because you knew he passed up on the chance to name me after Grandmum Lily when you agreed to let him choose my first name."

"Scorpius was your choice. Daddy chose Hyperion over Caelum just for the fact that it sounded better with his first name. He knew that you didn't want to have any odd-sounding names, as it could ruin the Malfoy pride."

Narcissa was startled out of her stupor by this, letting loose a little giggle. That was the same reason she had just chosen to go with Draco instead of Orion when naming her son. She knew Lucius would want his name as the middle, and it sounded so much better with Draco than Orion.

"Did he now?" Draco asked, feeling amused. He didn't know where his reactions were coming from, only that he was actually as he felt he naturally should. He mother once told him he'd make a great father from the way he acted around Theo's younger brother, but he hadn't believed her. It seemed that she was right once again.

Narcissa smiled at the interaction before joining the conversation, laughing at Scorpius's excitement and Ara's witty replies. Neither she nor Draco noticed Lucius watching them quietly, absorbing everything that was being sad and storing it for use later, when he spoke to Draco.

~ ♦ ~

Draco sat in the chair in front of the fire, waiting for his father to enter the study. He had been called about ten minutes ago by a house elf that Lucius wished to speak to him, and, naturally, he went to his study. He had poured two glasses of Firewhiskey from the cabinet behind his father's desk, and set a mild cooling charm on them, not strong enough to damage the crystal.

He had a feeling he knew what this meeting would be about, and for once, he wasn't nervous. His father knew his sexuality, knew that Draco wished to marry a man instead of one of his good friends. What his father didn't know was that Draco had a crush on the Boy-Who-Lived. Had had one since fourth year, if he was honest with himself.

It was the third task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and Draco had started to feel uneasy about the whole thing. His father had told him that he had no idea was going on; that only Pettigrew knew everything.

Draco scowled. Pettigrew was a no-good rat in his book. He wouldn't allow him in the Manor if not for the fact that he and his family needed to keep up their status with the other Death Eaters. It wasn't easy being a Malfoy against the Dark Lord. For decades, Malfoy's had been fully on the Dark side. Now, having started with Abraxas Malfoy, his grand-p�re, the Malfoys had been Dark on the Light's side.

A light was forming in the middle of the starting field, pulsing and spreading out from the center. Just before it looked as if it would explode outward, two bodies tumbled out and the Tri-Wizard Tournament Cup went rolling away.

All was silent except for the harsh sound of sobbing coming from the middle of the field. Draco watched as Dumbledore, McGonagall, Severus, and Moody rushed to the middle of the pitch, all surrounding Harry. But nothing could erase the sight of Cedric Diggory's dead body splayed next to the shaking boy.

And nothing could stop the students from hearing Harry's distraught voice as it carried over the lawn.

"He's back! Voldemort's back! The cup was a Portkey...he forced me to...I'm so sorry! He killed Cedric...nothing I could do...too fast...he killed Cedric..."

Draco realized right then, with the adrenaline pumping through his veins and the beat of his heart in his ears, wishing with all his being that Harry was unharmed and cursing the gods for putting him through that, that it was possible he could have fallen for Harry Potter.

Draco chuckled a little dryly. It wasn't just possible; it had happened. He wondered how he could like someone for mostly what he observed, and questioned if he would still like Harry after he got to know him.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that the two children upstairs were proof that he could, and would, like Harry once he got to know him. Perhaps even love.

A small sound was made from behind him, alerting him to his father's arrival. Draco didn't turn, merely taking his seat and waiting calmly for Lucius to take his. The elder man did, sweeping his robes in a move that was supposed to be intimidating but only told him how nervous Lucius was.

"Draco," Lucius said, sipping his drink.

"Father," Draco returned.

The silence became slightly awkward as it grew, Lucius staring at Draco, Draco staring into the fire. Lucius cleared his throat and remarked, "It seems my granddaughter has two last names."

Something about that statement strikes Draco as funny, and he snorts. "I heard them myself, Father." He gazed calmly at him. "You do know what that means?"

"Yes." Lucius's calm silver eyes settled on him fully. "That means that somehow, someway, you get rid of the contract binding you and Pansy together since birth and end up marrying Potter."

"Oh, I wasn't talking about that; that's obvious. What I was talking about was the fact that the Manor would no longer be called Malfoy Manor. It will change to Malfoy-Potter Manor if what the children say is true," he informed him airily.

Lucius's eyes widened comically before his took a large gulp of the whiskey. "Help us all," he murmured. "Two hundred years of tradition slipping away because you decide to marry the bloody Boy-Who-Lived."

Draco laughed, doing so without caution as he knew this would have been his father's reaction. Calming down a little, he said between gasps, "Your face was priceless!"

Lucius scowled. "Well, what I want to know is how you end up marrying Harry Potter. Last thing I knew, you didn't hate him but you didn't really like him."

His laughter cut off abruptly, settling into silence once more. He swirled the amber liquid in his glass a few times before sipping. "Fourth year," he admitted quietly. "It started after the third task, when he landed back on the pitch."

Lucius just nodded, a slight incline of his head. He didn't like that day for a multitude of reasons, on being that he couldn't use his position as Voldemort's right hand man to warn Dumbledore of the Portkey. It would have saved a life and prevented the Dark Lord from coming back. He was only lucky that the next year he was able to prevent some things from happening.

Draco continued on, ignoring the atmosphere. "Then fifth year came, and he had suddenly turned gorgeous over the summer. He looks less and less like James Potter every day, besides the hair, and even that's taming out. He takes after his mother far more than James Potter, having her delicate bone structure and petite stature." Draco smirked wryly. "That's probably the reason he beat me to the snitch so many times. He's like bird when he's on his Firebolt, taking to the air naturally. Add that with an aerodynamic body type and you've got the perfect Seeker."

"You really do like him, don't you?"

"Sometimes, I wonder if it's possible to fall in love with someone even though you haven't had an honest conversation with them since you were eleven."

Lucius hummed. "That's how it was with you mother and I."

Draco looked up in surprise. "Really? I thought you had an arranged marriage."

"We did. But I knew who I was supposed to marry since I had been eight, and I studied her all through school. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with what I was studying without even having had a conversation past her asking me for a quill. She knew who I was, yet she did nothing; she had resigned herself to a loveless marriage."

Draco smiled at his father sympathetically. "Must be something in the Malfoy blood, then."

Lucius snorted. "Well, judging on the fact that you are here and your mother hasn't run off with a lover, and you have two children from the future claiming to be yours and Potter's, something in the Malfoy blood is working for us."

They both snorted at that, taking a long sip from their glasses. They sat in companionable silence until Draco sat up straighter and gave his father an odd look.

"I know you're okay with me being gay and all, but..." He bit his lip, and Lucius wondered if that was where Ara got the habit from in the future. "Do you approve of my marriage to Harry Potter?"

Lucius gave Draco a long look. His son was nervous, chewing on his lip in order to keep whatever he wished to say in. He also looked a little frightened, as if he would lose his family over this. Lucius let one of his rare smiles slide over his face to reassure Draco.

"Potter may not be of the highest class, but he is probably the best person to marry you. You would balance each other out, and somehow, I think we are going to need it when it comes to these children."

"Do you think he'll believe that they're his as well? You know he was raised by Muggles, and they don't have the ability to have male pregnancies."

"If he doesn't, we will go to the Headmaster. I am sure that Dumbledore would be able to convince him of the truth concerning this. Do not worry, Draco. As your mother would say, 'que sera sera'."

"You do know Mother took that from a famous Muggle song?"

"It does not make the meaning any less true." He rose from his spot in the chair, brushing off his robes as he did. "Speaking of the Headmaster, I do believe it is time we owled him to let him know what is going on, and that he will have two extras on the train September 1^st."

"If they are going to Hogwarts with me, that means we must go shopping for them." Draco's eyes gleamed with an inner light that would have frightened Lucius if he did not know what it was from. "Perfect," Draco hissed in excitement, "I'll let Pansy know to make the plans straight away."

Harry sighed once again, brushing his bangs out of his face. His hair had calmed down drastically since the end of last school year, but it still retained the waviness that was characteristic to his family. He had also gotten his eyes magically corrected at the urging of his two siblings, and both girls had squealed over how he looked for a good half hour. It had almost put him off his looks when one of them said that he looked almost as pretty as a girl.

Luckily for her, he had already known he wasn't as masculine as he should be at his age. Already seventeen, he was only barely taller than Ginny's 5'6" by an inch and a half, and he could easily fit into her jeans if he wanted to (they had tested this when Ginny was wearing a pair of Harry's and they fit her well). They had taken to trading clothing, since most of Ginny's jeans had been her brother's from when they were younger and she was more comfortable in male jeans than female ones.

Hermione had laughed when they piled all their jeans into a shared suitcase, along with their tops and Ginny's multitude of shoes, and had to sit on it in order to close it. They decided they didn't care and put all their books and miscellaneous items into the other, since Dumbledore had the three of them sharing rooms this year anyway.

Speaking of the partners in crime, Harry saw Ginny and Hermione pushing their way through the crowd to get back to him. A tan hand shot out of the crowd, and Harry tugged, pulling first Hermione then Ginny out.

Hermione huffed. "It's a mad house out here," she exclaimed, looking around the platform.

Harry couldn't help but agree. "Sure are a lot of families here for the Hogwarts students." A flash of orangey-red caught his attention. "Some unwanted."

All three silently watched as the Weasley family pushed through the barrier onto the platform, group steadily growing until each remaining one was standing there, surrounded by animals and suitcases. Harry honest thought that if it wasn't for the bright hair, he wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the pets they keep.

The first one to spot them was Percy, much to Harry's disgust. He squinted through his horn-rimmed glasses and the smoke from the train, trying to make out their faces. Ginny waved mockingly from her spot, and two hands settled on his shoulders from behind, alerting him to the twins behind him. Percy's eyes widened and he tugged on his mother's hand, pointing at them. Molly's gaze was curious, until she saw who he was pointing at. Then her face twisted, and she pointedly turned her back on them.

Ginny just smiled, happy that her mother decided to disown her when she took Harry's side. Harry was happy for that, as he would have been crushed if he lost all the people he thought were his family in one fell swoop. It had also given him the chance to gain Ginny as a true sibling.

They had gone to Dumbledore with the ritual, claiming that the only place they could do this would be at Hogwarts because of all the magic surrounding the building. It had been the perfect excuse to get Dumbledore involved; Harry and Ginny both knowing that they could convince Dumbledore to convince Hermione to go through with the ritual as well.

As a result, he had gained two sisters, and the two girls gained both Potter looks and the name.

Ginny's hair was a deep red, like wine, and Harry had told her that it was the same color as his mother's when she was alive. Ginny had just exclaimed that 'Mum's hair was so awesome!' and continued to brush through it in her mirror. It had been the same thing when her brown eyes went to hazel, matching James Potter. She also favored Lily in her facial features and body type, just like Harry.

Hermione, however, had gotten more auburn color hair, a mixture of Lily's and James's. Her curls tamed out into looser ringlets and her big hazel eyes that she had stayed. She actually looked far more like James than Harry and Ginny did now, resembling Margaret Potter, James's mother, greatly.

The twins, on the other hand, had decided to keep the Weasley name but disband from the original line. Harry had offered a place in his family for them, but instead of shaming their mother and father by becoming a sibling of Harry Potter, they wanted a more long-term effect.

Because of their booming business, the twins had become self-made millionaires by the age of nineteen, being listed under the New Money purebloods, like Nott and Goldstein. They wanted the Weasley line to split into the ones with money and the ones without. Arthur Weasley would then be blamed for the family's continued poverty, as he caused the split by pushing his sons away. Anybody coming from the original line would be shamed, and anyone coming from Fred or George's lines would be in the lap of luxury, not having any doors closed.

It was a brilliant plan, Harry had to admit, and that was the only reason he and Ginny hadn't kidnapped them and forced the ritual on them. It would be so sweet to watch as the Weasleys suffered.

"Harry, you have that maniacal look in your eye again," Ginny informed him dryly, studying her cuticles. Hermione and the twins snickered as he shot her a glare. A chirp emanated from his pocket, alerting him that they had five minutes to get on the train.

They exchanged quiet goodbye with the twins, watching as they disapparated. They then made their way to the train, sneering at the Weasleys as they passed. Hermione found an empty compartment quickly once they were on the train. Harry leaned back and closed his eyes.

That was a productive way to the start the school year. He wondered what else was in store for him this year. Shaking that thought from his head, he scowled. He didn't want to jinx himself before he even made it to Hogwarts' grounds. It would be a new record for him to not even make it off the train and have to be sent to the infirmary. Ginny would laugh at him until the end of the year, and Hermione would frown in a severely disapproving manner.

~ ♦ ~

It was odd, Harry decided, to be sitting at the end of the table with Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Dean, and Seamus. Ron had seemingly already gotten to the rest of the Gryffindors, since they all sent scathing looks at his party when they sat down. Harry snorted lightly, cutting a piece of the steak he was eating. If they were going to be hypocrites by spouting off that they weren't prejudice, only to turn their backs on him since he happened to like the same sex, then it was good riddance. He didn't have time to deal with all of their issues. He had bigger fish to fry.

"Harry, pass the treacle tart; I would like to have some before you devour it," Ginny said without looking up from her parchment.

He scowled amongst the laughter but passed it anyway. She smiled and thanked him, scribbling away all the while. He knew exactly what she was writing, and he was honestly thankful for it. It was their list of names that were to be fixed, for lack of a better word. They had Dark Lord Supporters and Death Eaters as the main priority, but they also had people that were on the Light who would do anything for Harry to be discredited.

And speaking of Death Eaters, Draco Malfoy wasn't sitting at his usual spot half-way down the table, surrounded by his adoring public. No, like Harry, he was sitting at the end with Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe. There were also small spaces between the goons on either side of Malfoy, which made him curious. Was there a little discomfort in the ranks of the Slytherin Royalty? He pointed it out to Hermione, who turned and looked at them quickly. To everybody else, it looked like just once-over, a quick glance; to Harry, he saw the appraising look she gave and knew she had more info than should have been possible for the length of time it took.

"Yes, it is rather odd, isn't it?" she murmured, chewing a piece of shortbread thoughtfully. "Especially paired with the fact that they aren't at the center of attention. I wonder if some sort of power play is happening in Slytherin; it would certainly explain the shift of attention."

"Kind of like us, right?" Ginny remarked, calmly inserting herself into the conversation.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked as Harry said, "Yes. That is how it is."

Hermione gave them a look. "I hate it when you two do that; it creeps me out."

Ginny waved her off. "Not the time, nor the place. Besides, we were talking about Slytherin politics."

"Interesting things," Harry mused. "It could be that Lucius Malfoy has fallen out of favor with Voldemort and someone else has taken his place. We would just need to see who now holds the most attention in Slytherin now."

"It could also be a switch in beliefs, no matter how improbable," Ginny said softly. Her hazel eyes were slightly unfocused; causing Harry's to do the same in order to see what she was. A few images flickered past his eyes, giving him the impression of importance.

"I see what you mean. It does seem rather pressing," he told her. Ginny just nodded, and they both shuddered before coming back down. He locked eyes with her, and she nodded. Hermione snapped them both out of it by waving her hand in front of their faces.

"Hello? Child without Mum's abilities? Would you mind explaining what it is you saw?"

"Something of great importance is going to be happening soon," Ginny explained. "Something too large to ignore. We think that, plus Malfoy falling out of favor with the rest of Slytherin House, is the cause of a change of loyalties within the Malfoy family."

Hermione made a non-committal noise and continued eating. Conversation went back to whatever it was that Neville, Dean, Seamus were talking about. They didn't ask questions when the three of them suddenly went into their own conversation, having been briefly sparely on the happenings of this summer.

It was actually pleasant to be having those conversations. That is, until McGonagall came up to the three Potters and handed Harry a slip of paper. He quietly read it over before lifting his head.

"The Headmaster needs to see us in his office immediately after supper," he said pointedly. "It's important."

Both Hermione and Ginny nodded. "I think we're just about done, don't you?" Hermione asked and gathered her bag without waiting for an answer. Giving quiet goodnights to the other three, they made their way out of the hall. Harry glanced over his shoulder to catch one last glance of Malfoy before he left. Silver eyes met his. He nodded and walked away.

~ ♦ ~

Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk when they entered, blue eyes twinkling in a way that put them all on guard. The Headmaster's eyes only twinkled that brightly when something was going to happen that Harry didn't like.

The elder Malfoys were also there, sitting on a conjured loveseat that looked to be made of the finest silk. They were the epitome of calm, giving Harry appraising looks as he stood there. He felt distinctly odd when he got the feeling that he must have passed some test they had. And what was odder was when it happened after he waved his wand and conjured his own chair.

Ginny and Hermione both followed his example.

"Headmaster," Harry greeted. "Mr. Malfoy; Mrs. Malfoy." He inclined his head to each in turn, his sisters doing the same.

Narcissa Malfoy shocked him by smiling warmly. "Hello, Mr. Potter. It is nice to finally meet you without any forced hostilities."

Harry barely held back the snort he wanted to let loose. "Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Please, call me Narcissa." She laughed a little. "It should make you more comfortable in the long run."

Harry ran that odd sentence over in his head a few more times, trying to see if it had any ill intentions. When the most he could find was a confirmation of their loyalties, he let it go. It would do no good to become paranoid.

"Narcissa," he said slowly, trying the name out. "Then you must call me Harry."

"Of course, Harry."

"Not to be rude, Mr. Potter," Lucius Malfoy cut in, "but may I inquire why the two lovely ladies beside you are here. I had only asked the Headmaster for you."

Harry gave him a long look. "This meeting is important, is it not? It will change the outcome of many things happening."

"Yes."

"Then my sisters should be here as well," he said. "They are both Potters as well, and anything that concerns me concerns them."

Lucius and Narcissa blinked. "Both are Potters?"

"Yes." All eyes fell on Ginny. "I am Ginevra Lillian Potter, the younger sister of one Harry James Potter and one Hermione Jane Potter. I do not know if you know, but I was disowned when Molly and Arthur Weasley decided to shun Harry for his choices in partnership. I had chosen his side in all of this, and in the end, I lost my Weasley name, only to gain a more prestigious one in the meantime."

Both Malfoys were staring in shock at her. "You do not regret loosing family?" Narcissa asked.

She held her head high. "I regret nothing."

"I applaud you, Miss Weas-- Potter," Lucius said. "It is not easy to stand up for what you believe in for most."

"Are you part of that percentage, Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

"Lucius, please. That extends to your siblings as well. And no, Miss Potter, it does not. I have always been steadfast in my beliefs."

Harry stiffened. "I find that hard to believe when the Headmaster lets you sit in his office like an old friend," he said stiffly.

Narcissa let loose a peal of laughter. "Harry, darling, you of all people should know that in order to keep someone safe, you must do what is necessary."

That allusion to the Department of Mysteries made goosebumps flash across his skin; but more than that, it allowed him to understand what she was saying.

"Are you trying to tell me that you have been on the side of the Light from the beginning?"

"Yes."

"How?" he demanded.

"My grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy, started the practice of being Dark Wizards for a Light cause." Lucius looked proud for a moment. "He did not like what his father stood for, and once he became Lord Malfoy, he taught me the same principals. I then taught them to Draco."

"No offense, Mr. Malfoy, but it doesn't seem as if Draco really took to those lessons," Ginny said with wry grin.

"Looks can be deceiving," Lucius said. "Take Mr. Potter, for example. I would have never taken him to be cunning at all until I was told some of the things he has done from Albus."

Harry rolled his eyes. "People do not see what is right in front of him; they only see what they want to see. The public is fickle and shallow. I do my best to play that up to the best of my ability and give them what they want. It allows for a smoother ride when I wish to do things that may not be as savory as they wish them to be."

"Do not take this the wrong way, but you seem as if you should be in Slytherin," Narcissa remarked.

Harry smirked. "You sound like the Sorting Hat."

"It wanted to put you in Slytherin?" Lucius exclaimed. "Then why are you in Gryffindor?"

"I asked for it to put me in anywhere but Slytherin because I had just met a boy who I thought to be evil and he was Sorted into Slytherin. I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice of refusing Slytherin," he admitted. He shook his head to clear those thoughts. "Anyway, I do believe we have gotten greatly off-track. Professor, what was the specific reason you called me here?"

"I believe that is the Malfoys' job to tell you, Harry."

He looked curiously at them, taking in Narcissa's suddenly nervous disposition and Lucius's carefully blank face. Narcissa twisted her hands in her lap before sighing. She lifted her head up and sent a hopeful, pleading look at him.

"It is not very difficult to explain, Harry; what is difficult is choosing to believe what we have to tell you. We already told the Headmaster, and he has come up with solutions to help the situation. We just hope that you will hear us out before condemning us as lunatics and out to get you."

"I'll listen," he told them.

"Thank you. Headmaster, would you mind asking Severus to fetch Draco?" Lucius inquired.

"Not at all." He turned and stuck his head into the fire to call Severus.

"Harry." He turned his attention to Narcissa. "On August 3, something odd happened. We had just come back from a meeting with Albus on what was going on in the Dark Lord's ranks when we found two children lying on the floor in our Entrance Hall. We took them upstairs and put them to bed, as they were sleeping already and we didn't want to wake them, lest it hurt them."

He nodded, not sure how this dealt with him.

"They woke up and came downstairs, finding us all in the dining room for breakfast the next morning. The eldest child was a little girl about eight, with the youngest a little boy around five. The little boy did something none of us were expecting. He ran up to Draco and called him Father."

Harry blinked, Ginny's jaw dropped, and Hermione gasped lightly. "Children from the future?" she asked softly.

"Yes." Narcissa smiled softly. "The little boy's name is Scorpius, and he is the most adorable thing in the world. He's so excitable and loving. And Ara, the girl, is so intelligent. She comprehends things that most eight-year-olds shouldn't be able to."

"I'm sorry, Narcissa," Harry said slowly, "but I do not understand what this has to do with me."

Her smile turned a little wary. "Ara told us both her brother's full name as well as hers."

"Their names are Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy-Potter and Ara Lily Malfoy-Potter," Lucius announced just as Draco walked in.

Harry sat, shell-shocked at this revelation. He didn't even notice when Hermione and Ginny called his name worriedly, or Malfoy's-Draco's-cry of surprise in the room. The only thing that brought him out of his stupor was the feeling of tugging on his leg and a child's sniffles.

Harry looked down at the boy standing there. He was mildly surprised when he saw his own eyes reflected back at him from the little pointed face, and all doubts flew out the window when he realized that this little boy was the perfect mix of him and Draco Malfoy.

And then the boy was babbling.

"I'm sorry, Daddy, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to lose Leo, I didn't! But something took him away from me, and now I'm here, but Leo's gone and I didn't keep him safe until I saw you again-,"

Harry cut the little boy off by reaching towards him and lifting him into his lap. "It's alright," he said automatically, smoothing fine blonde hair back. "It's fine. I'm sure you didn't mean it." His brain finally caught up to his mouth and he blurted out, "Are you really my son?"

Scorpius was sidetracked by this question, his brows coming together. "Of course I am! Silly Daddy! You sound like Father did!"

"I do?"

"Yes," came a soft voice from across the room. A little girl was moving towards him from Draco's side, her long hair swishing behind her. He noticed that it was the same color as Ginny's and curly like Hermione's, marking her as his child as well. Large, silver eyes peered out of her face, almost dominating Harry's nose, lips and cheekbones. She played with her hands like he seen Narcissa do, letting him know that Narcissa was in his children's life. She looked at him hesitantly, as if afraid of his reaction to this. "I'm Ara," she said in the same soft voice. "Ara Lily Malfoy-Potter. I was born on October 15th. I'm eight-years-old. And I have a pet Crup named Prongs."

Tears suddenly gathered in Harry's eyes at the name of her Crup. He must have told her all the stories he heard from Sirius and Remus. That fact solidified that she was his daughter, and he had two children.

"You really are my daughter," he said in awe. "I have an eight-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son."

Then something occurred to him.

"I have a son and daughter from the future," he said, astonished. And then his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he fainted on the spot.

~ ♦ ~

Scorpius started crying as soon as Harry's body hit the floor.

Everybody had just sat there, staring at Harry's prone figure in shock. Scorpius had crawled over to where Harry was lying, called his name once, and began sobbing when he didn't respond. Draco had immediately picked him up, shushing him as Ginny went over to Harry and tried to wake him up. Nothing seemed to be working, and Hermione had just finished having a go when Pomfrey emerged from the fireplace.

She had taken one looked at the scene and shooed everyone away, deftly casting a few spells on Harry's body. She diagnosed him as being in a shock-induced sleep. She had wanted to know what caused it, and when they all told her, she hadn't batted an eyelash. She only claimed that once she had Harry in a bed, she wished to check over the children to make sure they had all their appropriate vaccinations.

Draco was slightly envious that Madame Pomfrey could stay so calm in odd situations, but he supposed with all that has happened in Hogwarts history and the different curses that had gone in and out of style, she had to grow a thicker skin to keep up with everything.

Harry was levitated onto a stretcher and taken down to the hospital wing the regular way. Pomfrey had forgone the Floo in order to keep him from having any more shock to his system, and by the time everyone was through the Floo and the children put into one bed to wait their check-up, Harry was settled into a bed and potions being put down his throat with a spell.

"Is Daddy going to be alright, Father?" Scorpius asked once he was nestled against Draco's side snugly.

Draco didn't know what to say to him. Madame Pomfrey hadn't said that he was going to be fine, but from the reason he was like this, he was mostly sure he would be. But he didn't want to tell Scorpius that without being 100% sure.

Ara rolled her eyes and looked at her brother. "Scorpius, Daddy's going to be fine. He always is," she said exasperatedly. "Remember that time the third year he was trying to teach said one syllable wrong in the spell and he was unable to walk for a week? Or that time he went into Grandpa Sev's potions room because I had fallen off my broom and he needed a potion and got knocked from an exploding cauldron? He's tough. This will be nothing."

Draco listened avidly at the stories that seemingly were part of their normal lives, but were so interesting to him. It seemed as if him and Harry had a happy marriage, something some purebloods don't always have because of arrangements. He quietly sat back and listened to the chatter of the two children, watching Harry out the corner of his eye unconsciously.

It was only when Scorpius mentioned a name that Draco became fully interested in the story again. "Aunt Pansy?"

Scorpius nodded frantically. "Yep! I heard her and Uncle Oliver talking about it when I went over there to sleep over. Matt is going to be getting a sibling soon!"

"Uncle Oliver? Are you talking about Oliver Wood?" he asked.

Ara nodded, and Draco's brows rose. "That means she's going to marry him. She's only been dating him since the beginning of this summer. Wow." He gave a speculative look at them. "What other Aunts and Uncles do you have?"

"There's Aunt Hermione and Uncle Blaise," Scorpius said. "They have Kitty and David."

"Katarina Zabini and David Zabini," Ara elaborated. "Then there is Aunt Ginny and Uncle Theo with Alexander."

"Alex and David are my best friends," Scorpius informed him. "And Kitty and Matt are Ara's best friends. We do everything together."

As Scorpius went on to describe all that he does with his friends, Draco thought of the pairings he learned about so far. Considering the complementing factors in most of the pairings, he could see how they would work easily in the future.

He smirked to himself. Now that he knew about everyone's respective other, he was going to do his best to get them together. Even his own.

His eyes drifted over to the figure still sleeping on the bed.

Especially his own.



Harry sighed, relieved to finally have some time to himself.

Don't get him wrong; he was happy to have Ara and Scorpius around. He had resigned himself in fifth year that he wouldn't have children due to his orientation, or he wasn't going to have a partner and have to become a single parent. Now, though, it was possible, as both children proved. He didn't realized how much it meant to him to have children that shared his genes, coming through in Ara's wine red hair and stubborn attitude and Scorpius's bright green eyes and happy disposition.

The only thing that was putting a wrench into the works was the fact that their other father was Draco Malfoy.

Don't get him wrong; Malfoy was fit. God, Harry couldn't even count the amount of times he ended up wanking over him. But he was a bastard, and had been since first year. It didn't matter that the Malfoys switched sides and now they were actively fighting against Voldemort. One could not fake personality without having a blatantly good reason behind it.

Take himself for example. He had hid more of the "darker" aspects of his personality from the world's view, but the attitude and actions that he did everyday were utterly him. There was nothing fake about it. Even after being verbally abused by his bastard family, he was still able to get out there and be himself.

So, Draco Malfoy was, and always had been, a bastard of a man, and Harry was not interested. But after seeing the two darling children, he resigned himself to the fact that he would end up marrying Malfoy. He couldn't live with himself if they were never born after getting to know them.

He wondered idly if that was why he got together with Malfoy in the first place. It was an interesting conundrum, almost like that blasted chicken and egg question.

Sighing, he leaned back and stretched out over the soft duvet on his bed. No matter how it started, he knew what he had to do.

He was going to have to marry Draco Malfoy.

~ ♦ ~

Draco didn't understand. Why was Harry avoiding him?

The smaller brunet would come by the Slytherin dorms to pick up the two after having spent some of their time with Draco, barely speaking two words to him and quickly taking them off to wherever he was going. It was slowly driving Draco mad.

He knew that he was deeply in love with the stubborn brunet, something that would surely send said boy running for the hills if he admitted it. He wasn't stupid; he had seen the almost resigned looks sent at him when Scorpius would mention something that happened to the two of them in the future, or when Ara decided to tell tales of things done on the weekends between work. It wasn't that much of a leap to realize that this boy-no, man-wanted nothing to do with him, but was forcing himself into it.

Draco's hand twitched almost imperceptibly, the quill he was writing with slipping out of his hand and re-inking itself quickly. He nibbled on the end, the sugary confection melting on his tongue as he thought. Surely, he could do it? It would be hard; that he was sure of. It's also wouldn't be pretty if Harry reacted badly to the advancements. He moved the quill away from his lips and scratched away at the parchment.

He was going to have to woo Harry Potter.

~ ♦ ~

"And then I tried to go down the stairs, but Mippy had popped up next to me, scaring me. I slipped on the edge of the stair and went tumbling down. Ara was terrified when she couldn't get to Father through the Floo; she was screaming. But then you came home and took me to Mungo's to get patched up! It was so bright in your office; I didn't know where we were at first. And then-,"

"Wait," Harry interrupted gently, brushing the baby fine strands away from his son's face. "I work at St. Mungo's?"

"Mhmm," Scorpius chirped happily, munching delicately on a biscuit. "You love Mungo's! You've always told me it was because you didn't like to fight that much, so you went into healing."

Harry pursed his lips in thought. He didn't like to fight, and healing had been an alternative he was debating on. It wasn't as if he was queasy around blood. However, there was one stitch in this conversation. "And what does Ma-Draco think about this?"

Scorpius blinked, confused. "Father's fine with it. He likes that you are a Healer because he knows that you don't like to sit still and keep locked in."

Harry blinked, surprised. Malfoy knew enough about him to be able to tell that about him? Then he shook his head. Obviously. He was a Slytherin after all; he most likely had been taught from birth how to read people. It meant nothing.

And it meant nothing when he felt a little spark of warmth at the thought of Malfoy knowing this about him.

~ ♦ ~

"Father?" a sweet voice called, causing Draco's head to lift a little from his Potion's homework.

Ara stood by his bedroom door, long hair in a braid and pale gold pajamas covering her frame. Draco smiled a little at her and opened his arms, allowing her to run up and fling herself onto his lap.

"Yes, darling?"

"Is everything solved with you and Daddy?"

Draco stiffened for a split second before relaxing, carding his long fingers in her hair. "Everything's fine now, Ara. Do not worry."

She bit her lip and raised her head, letting the silver of her eyes wash over him. It amazed him once again how much she looked like Harry physically. Her eyes dropped, and she whispered, "I don't want you to not love each other."

He sucked in a sharp breath, not having expected that. "What gives the idea that we don't?"

She pursed her lips in thought. "Daddy doesn't act like himself, and neither do you. Daddy doesn't have his ring, and he isn't always giving you kisses on the cheek when he leaves for classes, and he doesn't tuck us into bed. You aren't wearing your ring either, and you haven't given Daddy anything lately, and you haven't read us a story. I'm worried that we won't be a family soon."

Draco sighed, pulling her closer to give her reassurance. "I assure you, your daddy and I are fine, darling. If we did not want to be around each other, we wouldn't."

She sniffed a little clutching his shirt. "So, you and Daddy are leaving each other?"

"No, darling. Not now, not ever."

She nodded and closed her eyes. Draco sat there until he felt her breathing even out, then took her to bed.

~ ♦ ~

"Potter!"

Harry sighed for what felt like the thousandth time, ignoring the sly looks his sisters shared at his expense. They had already been vocal enough in their reasoning why Harry should accept the blonde as his future spouse. He had, but apparently it wasn't good enough for the two girls.

"We'll see you back at the rooms, Harry," Ginny said sweetly, smiling that coy smile she only got when she thought she was going to get what she wanted. He knew that as soon as he was back in their presence, he would hear their speech again.

He waved them off, rolling his eyes when their eyes flickered past his face to watch the blonde about a few steps away. Hermione smiled at him and said, "Hello, Draco. Harry's all yours." She then grabbed Ginny's arm and walked quickly away.

"Yes, Malfoy?" Harry replied, turning to face Malfoy. It irked him that he was taller than Harry's petite stature; as if he didn't already feel he was entering an uneven compromise.

"Potter, I've been meaning to talk to you. About the children," he added when he saw Harry about to protest.

Harry pursed his lips, but nodded. "Fine."

"Ara's getting worried," he said without preamble. "She's wondering if we are really a family in the future as she has noticed how we act here. She's been questioning me if we are truly in love and if we are going to get a divorce anytime soon."

Harry had been trying to keep a neutral face the whole time Malfoy spoke, but once he heard that Ara was noticing the lack of true affection and her concerns, his concentration broke and his eyes widened in concern. "Is she okay?" he asked.

"She's fine," Draco reassured. "Just a little nervous." He studied the smaller male's face for a moment. "I believe I may have a plan to allay her worries."

The tone of voice made Harry's eyes narrow and his face close off once again. "What are you talking about, Malfoy?"

Draco feigned indifference as he felt his whole being grow a little lighter. "Well, I had thought that it would be beneficial to show Ara and Scorpius a united front; something they are used to. They need to have comfort in the unfamiliar setting, and that can only come from their parents. Both parents."

"You want us to act as if we were a couple." It was not a question.

"Yes," Draco admitted. "It would only be for the duration that they are here, and as you know, the Headmaster is working on a solution as we speak. Plus, don't you believe that practice makes perfect? If we begin to act now, then we will be better at it later." It almost pained him to say it, but that was what he needed to in order to get Harry's agreement. It still didn't make him feel any better about asking out the man he would marry with an arrangement that seemed better given to a whore.

But Harry was nodding, eyes lowered to half-mast in thought. "It would be beneficial to begin to act now, not only for us but mostly for them." He turned slightly, his bright green eyes pinning the blonde where he stood. He didn't like Malfoy, but he would do it for Ara and Scorpius. He held his hand out. "It's a deal."

Draco frowned lightly but placed his own larger palm in Harry's. "It's a deal," he echoed.

~ ♦ ~

This deal was going to be the death of him, he could swear it.

Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes as he tried to focus on his Charms homework that was due tomorrow. He was almost done with it, only needing to tell the obscure application of the charm they were learning. He would have had it done by now, except for the fact that his concentration was shattered by Malfoy's words.

And his observations.

And his damn deal.

That was the crux of the matter. Two weeks of doing this, and it was surprising to Harry to learn that Draco Malfoy had other setting other than Complete-and-Utter-Wanker v. 2.0.

Just this afternoon, Harry had observed the dynamics that came from his children and Malfoy. The older blonde was someone who could manipulate a person one minute to do his bidding, then turn around and bargain with his five-year-old son the next to take a bath in return for some dessert. He was surprised to see the care and love that poured from Malfoy's frame as he explained a potions concept to his daughter and she picked it up right away; to see the care that came when Scorpius decided he was old enough to attempt a "big-boy broom" and ended up needing stitches on his arm.

To see the hope directed his way when a small piece of his favorite chocolate made its way onto his desk during studying, or the new Seeker gloves sitting on his nightstand when he woke up and wore them on the day of the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw match.

"Ara had told me that I used to give you little gifts," he mocked, shaking his head. It was aggravating that Malfoy was trying to woo him and hiding behind their daughter to do so.

It was aggravating because it was working.

Frowning down at the paper, he pushed it away from him, letting the ink dry before he rolled it up. He would just have to ask Hermione tomorrow for the answer if he wanted to get this done. Rising and stretching, he moved to the extra room that had been placed in the suite, popping his head in to check on the children.

Ara was curled up on her side, one hand delicately tucked under her cheek and the blankets snug around her shoulders. Her locks fanned out like spilled wine across the white pillowcase, and he smiled softly at the sight.

Scorpius was another matter.

Harry rushed over when he saw the little boy tossing and turning in his bed, face scrunched in what looked like pain. He wasted no time in gathering his son up and cradling him to his chest, humming soothingly as he rocked. Scorpius's whimpers died down, and Harry continued to rock until he piped up, "Daddy?"

"Yes, Scorpius?" He hushed, staying quiet to not wake Ara.

"What is 'the power the Dark Lord knows not'?"

Harry's breath left him in a whoosh, and he struggled to gain it back. "Where did you hear that, Scor?"

"My dream."

Harry blinked, and then looked down at the blonde head. "You're a Seer."

He nodded. "Like you and Aunt Ginny, 'cept mine is more."

Harry lifted him up and settled him on his hip, moving quietly out of the room. He settled gently onto the loveseat, moving his son to his lap. "Now," he said softly, brushing the hair from the little face, "what do you mean it's more?"

"I can see," he told him, cuddling close. "I see what will happen and what is happening and what can happen. I see the things that causes the feelings you and Aunt Ginny get."

Harry blinked, astounded. It was possible that this could have happened in his family line, but for it to happen so potently in his son was amazing. "Does Ara have it?"

He shook his head. "Ara isn't like us. She's like Father and Aunt 'Mione. Obser'ant."

Harry smiled a little at his inability to say the word. "That's good. She seems like the type to be that way."

Scorpius nodded. He yawned widely not a moment later, covering it with his hand in surprise. Harry chuckled a little. "Time for bed again?"

Scorpius's only response was a sleepy nod.

~ ♦ ~

"So, Scorpius has your ability?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded, stuffing his books into his shoulder bag. "It shouldn't come as a surprise, since we know it can be passed down. But mine only came to the front when Ginny became apart of the family." He shook his head, stirring his porridge a little dejectedly. "It's confusing."

Hermione patted his hand. "You'll figure it out."

He shrugged and went to lift the spoon to his mouth.

Across the hall at the Slytherin table, Scorpius suddenly went stiff, eyes losing focus. Ara was the first to notice, followed closely by Draco. But when they were about to ask what was wrong, Scorpius snapped back to himself with a shudder. "Daddy!" he cried, lifting himself from his seat. He had gotten down to the ground and was about to run to Harry when an ear-piercing scream left Ginny's mouth when she saw Harry slumped to the floor, out cold.

Draco was out of his seat in seconds, lifting Scorpius and grasping Ara's hand as he rushed to the Gryffindor table.

Hermione was already on the floor near Harry's prone body, incanting the stasis spell they had learned.

"What happened?" Draco panted lightly, his chest feeling tight.

"I don't know!" Hermione sounded frantic. "All he was doing was talking, and then he was on the floor, out cold!"

"The porridge," Scorpius piped up, squirming out of Draco's arms. "We need Dragon lady. She'll fix Daddy up real fast."

Ginny was already casting, and a red glow surrounded Harry's bowl. She snarled, rounding on the rest of the table. Draco wanted to stay and watch, but Madam Pomfrey had already gotten through the hoard of students surrounding them and had Harry onto a stretcher.

The last thing he heard was Ginny Potter's voice tearing the Gryffindors to shreds with her voice.

~ ♦ ~

Harry felt like crap when he came to.

Peeking blearily through his cracked lids, the first thing he came to realize was that he was back in the Hospital Wing; a place that he had been able to avoid for the most part, not counting his fainting stunt earlier in the year.

Groaning a little, he closed his eyes again and attempted to feel his surroundings.

There was a weight pressing into his right side, solid and warm. Little puffs of breath were blowing across the little sliver of exposed skin near his hip, and it tickled. There was also another weight on his left, lighter than the first one and a little bit warmer. It clicked that Ara and Scorpius must have snuck into bed with him while he was there. A small smile played on his lips at that.

There was also a light snore coming from his left as well, along with a lax grip on his hand. He couldn't tell who it was, other than the fact that it had to be someone he was close with.

He opened his eyes a little again and turned his head to the left, gaining a huge shock.

Malfoy was sitting there, curled up in a chair that was far too small for his long limbs. His head rested against his knees, his arm stretched at an awkward angle to hold Harry's hand. Pale shadows were smudged under his closed lids, and Harry wondered just how long he attempted to stay up before passing out.

He shifted a little, letting loose a surprised groan when his whole body protested. The groan did exactly what he didn't want it to do as Malfoy's eyes suddenly snapped open, flashing to the doorway, and his hand became like a vice. Harry yelped at the pressure.

"Harry?"

Malfoy's voice was mildly surprised, as if he didn't expect Harry to have woken. The brunet latched onto that, finding it odd and realizing he must have been out longer than he thought. "How long have I been out?"

"Three weeks," Malfoy replied promptly. He winced a little when he unfurled his legs, eyes glancing at the brunet almost naturally. "The children were worried."

Harry automatically looked down at the two small bodies next to him. "I'll bet."

Draco snorted. "Honestly, Potter, how do you get yourself into these messes? It would be almost poetic if it weren't so tiresome."

Harry peered at him solemnly, not even replying.

"Honestly! I've never seen anyone get into as much trouble as you do on a daily basis," Draco continued. Neither noticed when two sets of eyes opened silently. "And if it's not enough, now the kids are here and this is happening! Do you know how distraught Scorpius was when he saw you collapse? And Ara was crying the whole way to the hospital wing! And I-" He cut himself off, looking embarrassed. "You scared a lot of people who care, Harry."

Harry wasn't as dense as some would like to think, so when Draco had almost slipped, he easily caught it. "And you, Mal-Draco? Were you one of those people that were scared?"

Draco almost didn't answer, his lips pressed tightly together. Harry waited patiently, watching the confliction that went through his eyes. Finally, Draco let out a gusty breath. He turned to Harry, eyes almost calculating. Harry was immediately on guard.

It still didn't prepare him for the hand that suddenly rested on his cheek, holding him in place more effectively than an Imperius. Draco stroked his thumb gently across his cheekbones, sending chills throughout his body. He was about to ask what the blonde was doing when a pair of soft lips connected with his own.

The kiss was gentle, a light pressure against his mouth. There were no tongues or teeth; no harsh breaths and even harsher heartbeats. It was slow and relaxed, testing the tenuous connection that had just sprung up. It was perfect in its innocence, as it reflected the beginning of a relationship that Harry still had doubts on, but was giving a chance.

Draco pulled back, and breathed out onto his lips, "Yes. You had me terrified."

It was the sweetest thing anyone had said to Harry before.




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