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Chapter Text

“Damn that boy! How can he do this to me?! Crucio!”

Shrieks rang out in the chamber, echoing off the stone walls around him. He ended the curse abruptly as he faltered and stumbled to his knees. A Death Eater moved forward to help his master off the ground. He was cursed for his actions. As the Dark Lord took to pacing again, he kept muttering about ‘that stupid Potter brat’ and ‘that cursed old bat Dumbledore’. It was a sign of how intense his anger was that the Death Eaters could understand him; he was speaking English.

“Severus!” he shouted. The Potions Master steeled himself and took a step forward, head bowed as the Dark Lord stopped pacing. “Why was I not made aware of the training the boy has obviously been put through?”

This was dangerous territory. No matter the answer he gave, Severus knew he was about to be Crucio’d. “My Lord, I myself was not made aware of the training. Dumbledore must have done it himself or brought in someone from the outside.”

“So your position has been compromised? Crucio.”

“No my–” His words were cut off as he writhed in agony. But he didn’t make a sound. There were three Death Eaters who had learned how to not scream as they were being tortured, and he was one of them. Because of this, the length he was left under the curse was always debated. It could be long because Voldemort would be pissed that he wasn’t screaming. It could be short because the Dark Lord was growing tired of not hearing the screams. It could be a normal time just because he was feeling like it.

Tonight it seemed to be the first option, and oh how the Dark Lord was pissed. When the curse was finally lifted, Severus lay panting on the ground. As quick as he could, he made it to his feet and bowed once more to his master. “Lucius!” Voldemort called next. The blonde man, although you couldn’t tell it by the mask and the hood, stepped forward and bowed. “How old is your son?”

“Seventeen this past March, My Lord,” was the swift reply.

“Did I ask for his birth date?”

Lucius bowed. “No, My Lord.”

Voldemort resumed his pacing, taking quick short steps. Lucius would have breathed a sigh of relief had he not known that such an act would get him killed. Pacing meant no Crucios. Then he began muttering, unknowingly allowing only a few to hear his words. “All the children are around the same age as the Malfoy brat, with him as the oldest. If he does as I will, the others will follow his leadership. Like father like son.” He turned abruptly to face his Death Eaters. “Luccciusss,” he hissed, now speaking in part Parseltongue, “you know what isss required of your ssson. Prepare him for hisss tasssk. Prepare him well.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Lucius bowed once more and then moved back into line at the hand gesture from the Dark Lord. Voldemort continued on then, calling forth this Death Eater and that one, giving them orders. When they were finally dismissed, Lucius really did take a sigh of relief. As he turned to talk to Severus, he found the stoic man was already halfway to the door. In an almost undignified manner, Lucius rushed to him and grabbed his upper arm. “Severus wait!” he whispered harshly.

Severus stopped and turned toward him, wanting to get back to Hogwarts. This information was crucial. “What is it Lucius? I have places to be. Some of us have to juggle two lives very carefully lest we be caught.”

“I know that, and I won’t keep you long.” A quick look around showed too many people could overhear their conversation. “Walk with me.” They walked out of the room as calm as anyone, not drawing attention to themselves. It took a few steps, but Lucius finally started talking. “I am repaying my life dept to you, have been for some time now.” Severus’ steps faltered. “I know you are spying against the Dark Lord, Severus. Put your wand away, you fool. If I had wanted to turn you in, I would have some eight months ago. I’ve had suspicions for over a year; known about it for eight months.

“The first three months I thought about turning you in, but I didn’t. I couldn’t then. I am repaying my life dept to you in this manner: I am not telling the Dark Lord of your spying and therefore am keeping you alive. Do you accept these terms?”

“I have no choice,” Severus growled, his wand still encased in a clenched fist. “Now may I go?”

“No. Now I have a favour to ask of you. As a friend. Please, Severus, you must help me in this.” The sincerity in Lucius’ eyes and pleading in his voice rooted Severus to the spot. He nodded once, jerkily. “You know what He has planned for Draco. I can’t allow that to happen. You’re closest to him. Tell him about yourself, tell him to contact me to confirm it. Don’t let him walk the same path as me. Get him to make friends with that Potter boy you hate so much. Whatever it takes. Don’t let him meet the same fate as me.”

Lucius Malfoy was pleading for his son’s life now. Severus was thrown off kilter for a few moments. Then, with a sneer and straightening of his back, Severus said, “I would if I could, Lucius, but I can’t do that.”

“What do you mean?!”

“Keep your voice down!” Severus shushed harshly. “I need your Wizard’s Oath that what I am about to say will go no farther than the two of us. Do I have it?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I too am a Slytherin, Lucius. Say it.”

“Fine, fine. I do swear on my magic and status as a Wizard that whatsoever Severus Snape doth speak before me this night will be told to no one in any means possible. So mote it be.”

Severus nodded once. “Potter is missing. And so is your son. Don’t say a word. They’ve been gone for a month now. They were given a detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest after fighting in his class so bad they ended up setting loose all the hippogriffs Hagrid had managed to capture for the lesson. That was after they pissed them off, I might add. They got separated, the boys from Hagrid and his mutt. And they were never found.”

“Track their magical signatures!”

“Lucius, you know as well as I do that the Forbidden Forest is an entity of itself. Nothing can be tracked unless it’s by foot in there. And we do not have the manpower to track down two students at this time with the force that is needed. We have cancelled all Care of Magical Creatures classes for the time being and Hagrid is practically living in that forest. He knows that forest better than anyone. We will find them, rest assured.”

“What are you telling everyone about their disappearances?”

“Potter is training. Draco is recuperating from a nasty bite from his detention in the Forbidden Forest. You will be kept updated on everything that we find out. Now, I really must be going.” He turned to leave, but his arm was caught once more.

“Draco doesn’t want this. He doesn’t need this. Any of this. I cannot allow what I do to become what he does. Please, Severus, please help him. Tie him to a chair or chain him to a wall until he listens, but for the love of Merlin don’t let my life become his,” Lucius begged. Severus nodded once and then left. Lucius sent a silent prayer to all the Gods and Goddesses above for help.

“Man, I wish they would have been doing this for a while now,” Ron complained. “Had they been spacing this out over the past couple of years, things would have gone a lot smoother. They shouldn’t have up and pulled him out of classes like that. I bet the detention was just a cover to get him out of Hogwarts.”

“Don’t be stupid Ron,” Hermione said. “Malfoy’s in the hospital wing right now recovering from the attack in the Forbidden Forest during that same detention. They said the only reason he’s still alive is because Harry was there to help him. Now then, if Harry wasn’t there then how did Malfoy survive? I agree though, this should have been spaced out more. It sure is nice not having Malfoy about to torture us though, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, but it’d be nicer if Harry were here to enjoy it as well,” he grumped as they entered their Transfiguration classroom. They were given instructions and then left to their own devices. As seventh years, they were expected to be able to do their work quickly and quietly, and fights and things were not tolerated at all. As this class was with the seventh year Ravenclaws, nobody had anything to worry about. The two houses got on well enough together, which means they were neither friendly nor hostile with each other.

Their assignment sat in front of them in two places: the instructions were written on the blackboard at the front of the room, and the cage with rabbits in it sat in front of them on their desks. They were to turn the family into a complete tea set with little spoons and everything. It was hard to turn a family of seven rabbits into a tea set that had more than twenty pieces to it. And there were extra points if you could get a good cup of hot Earl Grey tea in the pot and one of the cups. Milk and sugar weren’t extra, however, because that was part of the tea set.

By the end of the class, Hermione had everything but the teacup filled with Earl Grey. She was given eight out of ten extra credit points, and full credit for everything else. Ron had a teapot, milk dish, sugar dish, four teacups, and all the accompanying parts to each of those. Two of the teacups didn’t match, and there was no tea. He was given full credit minus ten points for the two teacups. Neville hadn’t done that badly either. All of his tea set matched, and he even had a bit of tea, though not Earl Grey, in the teapot. His problem was that instead of handles, all the teacups and the teapot had fluffy cotton tails instead of handles. He had fifteen points taken off.

That being their last class of the day, Ron and Hermione made their way back to Gryffindor Tower. After putting their books away, they left the castle and made their way out to the lake. It was only mid November, so it wasn’t too cold out. The squid was still making lazy laps near the surface of the lake. When they came upon it, they sat down on what they called ‘their rock’. Hermione lay back in Ron’s arms, seeking comfort silently. Ron freely gave it.

“I miss him,” she whispered. “It’s just not the same without him. He’s had training before, loads of times. Do you remember that time last year, when Moody came in to train him to keep his mind off Sirius? They trained four times a week in the Room of Requirement. Why couldn’t they do that this time? Hogwarts is the safest place for anyone right now. We have everything we need, and Harry knows this castle better than anyone. We have the Marauder’s Map. Ron! The Marauder’s Map! Maybe Harry really is still at Hogwarts and they just told us he wasn’t so that Voldemort wouldn’t be tempted to attack. Come on! We have to get it and see!”

Hermione jumped off the rock and pulled her boyfriend along behind her as she ran all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower. Ron was shoved toward the stairs leading to the boys’ dorms to get the map from Harry’s trunk. That was another thing that confused them. If Harry was gone, wouldn’t he have taken his trunk with him? She didn’t think long on it as Ron came back down with the map in hand. “I solemnly swear I am up to no good,” he recited. Hogwarts slowly began to bleed onto the parchment in black ink. “Start at the top of Hogwarts and make your way all the way to the dungeons, then to the outside grounds,” he ordered, watching as the map moved around to show what he’d instructed it to.

What they found was this: Harry wasn’t in a tower, Harry wasn’t in a classroom, Harry wasn’t in the Great Hall or the infirmary, Harry wasn’t in the dungeons, and Harry wasn’t outside. They lay the map down dejected. He wasn’t in Hogwarts at all. They really had taken their best friend out of the school. Hermione’s eyes went wide suddenly. She grabbed the map, nearly ripping it in her haste. “Show the infirmary!” she shouted. The map moved so it was showing the hospital wing once more. “Ron, Ron! Look at this! He’s not there!”

“We already know that,” Ron said, looking at the map. “We already checked the whole of Hogwarts. Harry’s not here. They really did-”

“Not Harry, Ron! Malfoy! Malfoy’s not in the infirmary! Look!” She shoved the parchment under her boyfriend’s nose while he looked. She could see his eyes moving back and forth rapidly, searching for the name that was supposed to be there. “If Malfoy’s not there, then Harry wasn’t taken out of school for training. When was the last time we saw Harry?”

“Ummm… Uh, before his detention. Dinner! Dinner in the Great Hall two months ago. I thought that was a long time for even Malfoy to recover,” he grumbled. “What does this mean?”

“It means that the last time anyone saw or heard from Harry or Malfoy was at dinner just before their detention with Hagrid. Remember when Hagrid returned? All the teachers were frantic! Some rushed to the Hospital Wing with Madam Pomfrey and the other half rushed to the Headmaster’s office. They told us a few days later that Malfoy was in the Hospital recovering and that Harry had been moved to an undisclosed location for training. Something weird’s going on here. I don’t think Harry was moved anywhere. Come on. We need to speak to the Headmaster.”

She grabbed Ron’s hand once more and pulled him behind her as she rushed to Dumbledore’s office. It took a few moments to get past the Gargoyle, but once they did they ran up the stairs and burst into his office. “Professor Dumbledore, sir!” Ron gasped as they hurried into the office. “Professor Dumbledore, sir, we need to speak with you.”

“Really Albus, you need to make your passwords something the children can’t guess on a whim,” a voice chastised. The students looked up to see the five adults in the room: Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape, and Aurors Shaklebolt and Moody. Minerva continued, “It’s not right that they can just burst in whenever they feel. Not only is it disrespecting your privacy, but what if we had been in the middle of something important? As we were?”

“I must agree Albus,” Snape added. “I believe it is time to get a real password. There are things said in this office that should not leave it.”

“Like the fact that Harry wasn’t moved for training and Malfoy’s not in the infirmary, you mean?” Hermione asked, having regained her breath once more. Five, yes all five, sets of eyes looked upon her shocked. “We were thinking, maybe you only said Harry had been moved. Maybe he was still in the castle. We couldn’t figure out why he would be taken from Hogwarts when it’s the safest place and Moody came here last year. Why couldn’t that happen again this year?”

“So we got the Marauder’s Map,” Ron picked up, “and looked around to see if we could see where Harry was. We discovered he wasn’t here, he’s not in Hogwarts. But we also discovered that Malfoy isn’t in Hogwarts either. Just this morning you said he was in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey. Well, he’s not. And two months is too long to heal from something. Madam Pomfrey can re-grow bones overnight!”

“So we wanted to know where they were. The last time anyone saw them was dinner before their Forest detention. When Hagrid came back that night, all the teachers were in a frenzy. Half came here and half went to the hospital wing. The story we were given was that Harry was taken out of Hogwarts and Malfoy was recovering. We know that’s not true. Where is Harry?” she asked, face firm but eyes almost filled with tears.

There was silence in the office for a few moments while the five adults looked back and forth between the two Gryffindors. Moody finally cleared his throat and spoke. “You two are too smart for your own good.”

Severus snorted. “More like Granger’s too smart for her own good and pointed all of this out to Weasley.”

“Now Severus,” Dumbledore started, “let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Who else have you told this to?”

“No one,” Ron and Hermione answered together.

“Good,” Minerva said with a single nod. “You will continue to tell no one. If it weren’t so against my morals, I’d Obliviate you so you couldn’t tell anyone.”

“It’s not against my morals,” Severus said with glee, pulling his wand from the arm of his robe.

“Severus,” Dumbledore warned, watching as Ron cowered a bit but Hermione didn’t even flinch. “Miss Granger, what is going through your mind right now? You seem very sure of yourself right now.”

“Harry’s not in training. Malfoy’s not in the infirmary. They’re both missing. In the Forbidden Forest.”

Ron gasped behind her. “No way! There’s no way that… Harry… He is, isn’t he?” he asked, watching the faces of the adults around him. “Sweet Merlin. They’re lost in the Forbidden Forest and you didn’t tell us?! We’re his best friends! We deserve to know what’s going on! We should be looking for him! Let’s go!”

“This is exactly why we didn’t tell you anything,” Moody growled. “We can’t draw any unwanted attention. It was my decision to tell everyone about the training and the attack. They’re logical excuses. You two are the only ones we had to worry about asking questions, but you didn’t. Not until now.”

“So for now,” Dumbledore continued, “we will remain quiet and calm. We are doing everything we can to find Misters Potter and Malfoy without raising anyone’s suspicions. Hagrid has not left the Forest in nearly four days now. He reports back every five with information and the different parts of the Forest he’s looked. I need you two to remain calm and as if you don’t know anything. Understood?”

“Yes sir,” they responded. “Um sir?” Ron asked. “I don’t know if it will help, but maybe the Map can help. It shows all of Hogwarts and who’s where.”

“That’s how he sneaks around at night,” Severus muttered under his breath.

“If I may, Mr. Weasley?” Dumbledore asked, reaching across his table for the parchment. Ron freely gave it. “I would like to see the Forbidden Forest please,” he asked the map. After a few seconds, he continued with, “All of the Forest if you please.” Another few seconds of silence. “It will not show me anything but the edge surrounding the school.”

“The Forest has its own wards,” Shaklebolt said, looking at the Map. “This is amazing. Where did you get it from?”

“Allow me,” Severus said, not happy about it. “It was a gift from Messieurs Wormtail, Padfoot, Moony, and Prongs, a group of students long since come and gone from Hogwarts. It was used, in their time, for pranks and sneaking about. Misters Potter and Weasley and Miss Granger have used it for sneaking about, and usually getting into trouble.”

“Hey!” Ron cried out. “We’ve needed the Map for more than just sneaking about for the fun of it!”

“Regardless,” Dumbledore interrupted, “I think it best if you remain silent and go back to your common room. I will continue to search for Misters Potter and Malfoy. As soon as we know anything, you will be informed.”

“Yes, Headmaster,” Hermione said, lowering her eyes so as not to cry.

“May we have the Map back, please sir?” Ron asked hopefully. Dumbledore smiled and handed it back to him.

“I heard Colin say just a few minutes ago that Care of Magical Creatures has begun again,” Ron said quietly as he pulled his girlfriend over into an unused corner of their common room. “If Hagrid’s class has been started again, then one of two things has happened.”

“They’ve found Harry!” Hermione whispered excitedly, ready to jump out of her seat.

“Or,” Ron said, looking around to see if anyone had noticed Hermione, “they’ve stopped looking. They said they would tell us if they found any new information. They haven’t said anything to us at all in the past month. What if they have stopped looking, ‘Mione? It’s been three months. No one could survive in there for three months. I remember when Harry and I went to follow the spiders. We almost died then. If Dad’s car hadn’t of found us… I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Has it really been three months?” Hermione asked in a small voice. She seemed shell-shocked, as if such a thing were unthinkable. “They can’t give up on him. It’s Harry! We need him! What will they tell everyone? It’s not something you can just come out and say! What are they going to do? What are we going to do?!” she cried. The entire common room focused their attention on Hermione, who was standing and shouting and basically having a panic attack.

Ron jumped out of his seat and pulled her close, whispering harshly into her ear, “Calm down, that’s what.” He held her close and tried to comfort her. “Listen, they will find him. Harry isn’t hurt. Everything will be okay. We both know that if anyone could make it out of this situation alive, it would be Harry. He’s come out of worse things before. There’s no way he could face the Dark Lord seven times in his life and live, only to be brought down by something out in those woods. And if it’s Malfoy who’s hurt him, well you can take care of that, can’t you?”

Hermione offered a small smile and relaxed into the comforting hug of her boyfriend. “You’re right. This is Harry we’re talking about. He’ll be okay. They’ll find him eventually. He’ll make it and be okay and come back to us and everything will be normal again.” The common room returned to its normal activity after that, thinking to themselves that it was simply a lovers’ spat. That couple had had more than its fair shares of those, they all knew.

“Four months, Ron!” Hermione yelled, pacing back and forth in her room. She had been made Head Girl, and had her own room because of it. “Why haven’t they called us in to talk to us? It’s been two months. Surely they’ve found out where he’s not. I mean, they pulled Hagrid out of the Forest. Did that mean they’ve given up? I wouldn’t think Dumbledore would give up on Harry, or Snape on Malfoy. What are they hiding from us? What is going on? Why can’t we at least try to help them in some way?!” Tears began to course down her face.

Ron silently sighed and let the tantrum run its course. He went through this maybe twice a week. It’s not that he didn’t feel the same way, he just didn’t know what to do. Hermione was the brains, she thought things through so as not to make a mistake. Harry was the point man, he got the job done. Ron was the strategy, he did the in between things. Hermione thought it out, Ron started the action, Harry finished it. Well, Hermione wasn’t thinking and Harry wasn’t there to finish it. It was suddenly up to him to be all three parts of their triad. It was a mighty big pair of shoes to fill for someone with small feet.

“No word, no news. I would like to know even if it’s just to say ‘Sorry kids. We have been investigating some people, but nothing has turned up.’ That would be better than nothing!” she sobbed. “I need him, Ron. I just… I can’t understand there not being the three of us. I don’t know what to do anymore. It’s so weird not having him around. He missed Christmas, Ron! He had presents waiting for him. I waited for him. I just want-”

Ron wouldn’t find out what she wanted as there was a knock on the door. Hermione ran into the bathroom to clean herself up, leaving him with the job of answering the door. Just before he got to it, there was another knock. “I’m coming,” Ron said as he opened the door. “Yes? Can I help you?”

“Hey Ron,” the boy said. “My name’s Terry Boot. I’m Head Boy.” Ron knew who he was. As he had said, he was the Head Boy. “Listen, I heard Hermione crying last night and I was just wondering if she was okay. I mean, I know it’s been a little rough for her lately. I’m sure it’s been hard for you too.”

“What are you talking about, Boot?” Ron asked, growing confused.

“Harry, Harry Potter. He’s been gone for so long now. Everyone knows the three of you are always together. It can’t be easy to split the three of you apart. I just wanted to say I’m sorry and that if Hermione, or you even, need someone to talk to that I’m here.”

“Who said we needed-”

“Thank you, Terry,” Hermione interrupted, placing a hand on Ron’s forearm to stop him from completing that sentence. “The gesture is appreciated.”

“Anytime, Hermione. I’ve got some homework to finish, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course. Good night Terry.”

“Good night Hermione, Ron.” As Terry walked away, Hermione shut the door.

“And what was that all about?”

“Oh Ron.”

“Excuse me, Professor?”

“I am in the middle of a lecture. This had better be-” Severus stopped mid-sentence when he saw just who was interrupting his classroom. There, standing in the doorway as if nothing had happened, was Draco Malfoy. And just behind him a step or two was Harry Potter. “Wha-? Where-?”

“Professor, may we speak with you privately? Now, please?”

Severus nodded, motioning for the two to precede him into his private office. He turned just before entering the room himself and sneered at his classroom. “Not a word. Get to work on the potion on page 351. I want the base completed by the end of class. Get to it!” The room burst into motion as Severus snapped the door shut behind him. “Where have you two been? How is it that you can be missing for more than half the school year, and then show up fine as you please? What in the bloody hell is going on here?!”

“Professor, please,” Draco said softly. “Just… Madam Pomfrey, please?” With that, he promptly fainted. When Severus reached out to catch the falling boy, Harry snatched him out of the air and pulled him against his own body without a sound. Draco was turned so Harry could partially cradle him, but he never took his glaring gaze off the Potions Master.

“Mister Potter! You will unhand him-!” Again, Severus froze mid-sentence. He looked over the two boys in front of him. They had come into his classroom in their school uniforms, with their hair brushed and bodies washed. Those were not the same two boys in front of him now. Harry was without his glasses, his hair more mussed than usual. Both had a look about them that screamed ‘I need a bath!’. Their clothing was the bare minimum, and even that was ripped to shreds. The only exception was the cloak wrapped about Draco. It seemed as if Harry were trying to shield the boy from Severus. He pulled him closer, and made sure the cloak was covering every bit that could possibly be exposed save his head and feet.

Severus broke out of his staring assessment when Harry moved away from him, taking Draco with him. “I demand that you hand my godson to me this minute,” he growled dangerously. Harry’s eyes only narrowed into a piercing gaze that Severus held for some time. Harry broke it when he looked at the fireplace in the office. He nodded his head at it then looked back to his professor. Severus quickly understood he wanted to floo or firecall someone. “What are you on about, Potter?” His answer came in the form of a look at the unconscious Draco and then another nod to the fireplace. “Poppy!” Severus wasted no more time in retrieving the floo powder. Harry took a step forward, looking at Severus to direct him. “The words are ‘Hogwarts’ Infirmary’, Potter.” Harry shook his head in the negative and then nodded at Severus. “Me? Fine. We’ll discuss this later. Hogwarts’ Infirmary!”

The fire roared to life as the floo powder hit it, but was quickly quiet again after Harry went through with Draco in his arms. He landed on the other side, just barely managing to turn his body so he took the brunt of the impact with the floor and sheltered Draco instead. When a hand touched his arm, he was on his feet lightning fast, cradling Draco closer to himself in case it was a threat. Instead, it was only Pomfrey. The fireplace beside him roared to life and then spit out Severus, albeit much more smoothly. “Poppy, these two walked into my office nice as you please not five minutes ago. They walked in as if not a day has passed, but once we reached my office…” He motioned to them as if in explanation.

“Mr. Potter, if you will please follow me,” Poppy said, motioning to a back room. She began to walk forward, but Harry didn’t move. He nodded at Severus, and then motioned for him to follow. “Mr. Potter, Professor Snape has a class to teach and will not be joining us. You will follow me so I may treat you now. Please.” She turned and continued walking, but Harry still didn’t move until Severus had disappeared through the fireplace once more. “Would you care to tell me how you came to be in this state? Lay Mr. Malfoy on the bed here, if you please. And you can lay down on this one here.”

Harry lay Draco down on the bed as instructed, but not quite in the way Poppy had expected. He had actually climbed up on the bed himself and arranged Draco so he was still being cradled in his lap. “Mr. Potter, this is highly unsuitable. Please place Mr. Malfoy on the bed and remove yourself.” Harry shook his head fiercely, strengthening his hold on Draco. “I cannot treat either of you if you are holding him as such.” She moved forward to physically separate the pair, but the piercing glare Harry was sending her made her stop. “Mr. Potter, what has happened these last five months?”

Harry’s glare softened a smidge, and he looked down at Draco with sad eyes. When he looked back up at Poppy, his gaze almost broke her heart. Slowly, his grip slackened and he got off the bed. He didn’t leave the bedside, but he did move away just enough for Poppy to scan Draco and him separately. She did just that, somehow knowing to make slow, calming movements so as not to startle him. She gasped when she read what the quill she had charmed to write on the parchment beside her wrote down. It was all of the injuries Draco was suffering from. She turned to Harry and did the same for him.

“My dear boys, my dear sweet boys,” she murmured, tears gathering in her eyes. She was just about to move forward and hug Harry to her when the door burst open and Dumbledore walked in.

“What happened? When did they get here? Are they alright? What’s the diagnosis? Can you heal them? Is there any permanent damage? What is he doing?” Dumbledore asked in rapid procession.

Poppy turned to look at Draco only to see that Harry had drug him off the bed and backed them into a corner with Draco clutched to his chest protectively. “Be very quiet, Headmaster,” Poppy said softly. “You’ve spooked him something awful. I was able to get a preliminary readout on their injuries. Both have scratches and lacerations, bruises and sprains, dehydration and slight malnutrition. Both are in need of a shower and clean clothes. Mr. Potter has lost the use of his voice and eyes, possibly for good. Mr. Malfoy… Mr. Malfoy is pregnant.”

Chapter Text

“Pregnant?! What do you mean he’s pregnant?!”

“Albus I am going to ask you to shut your trap or leave my infirmary this instant,” Poppy instructed firmly, but quietly.

“Your infirmary? This is my school! Those are my students! I want–”

“Yes, my infirmary!” Poppy yelled back. “These two young men have been through hell and back and I cannot treat them unless you leave because you have scared Mr. Potter so badly he will not let anyone near him, and Mr. Malfoy is unconscious! If I am to save their lives I will need absolute silence and no interruptions from anyone. Including you! Now get out Headmaster!” she said, brandishing her wand at him.

With a shocked expression on his face, Dumbledore quickly left the infirmary. Poppy set up monitoring wards and spells to let her know if anyone else entered the hospital wing before closing, locking, and warding the door to the private room she, Harry, and Draco were in now. “Please, Harry, I am sorry for the interruption. I am so sorry if I frightened you. I have placed wards and charms around this room and the whole hospital ward. I will know if anyone comes in, and the door is locked so they cannot get into this room. Please, allow me to treat both you and Draco. Just place him back on the bed. I must check on the baby.”

Harry didn’t move for a moment. Instead, he and Poppy stared into each other’s eyes. Poppy wanted to shudder and look away, his gaze was so intense. But she knew better. To break contact now would be admitting she was untrustworthy. She couldn’t afford that. Even if he couldn’t actually see her. Right now there were two incredibly injured young men before her, one was pregnant and the other was possibly mute and blind for the rest of his life. Finally, Harry began to rise from the floor where he’d been huddling. He seemed to carry Draco with no problems at all, as if he weighed no more than a feather, as he carried him to the bed and gently lay him down once more, as if he could see perfectly.

Poppy watched as he caressed Draco’s face, tucking a dirty lock of hair behind Draco’s ear. When she took a step forward, Harry started before relaxing minutely at seeing that it was only her.

“Harry, I will explain everything I am doing as I do it, okay? I’m going to scan Draco again, deeper this time. This will tell me more specific findings, things like how he broke his wrist, how deep and infected the laceration in his leg is, when he conceived his child. I am assuming this is also your child, is that correct?” Poppy asked carefully, moving her wand to perform the scans she said she would. One eye was kept on Harry as he nodded in confirmation. “Do you know when it was conceived?” He nodded again. “I’m going to conjure some parchment and a quill, Harry. Can you write everything that happened for me?” He waited a moment, then nodded.

“Okay, before you do that I need to know a few things right now. Is he more than three months pregnant?”

Harry shook his head in the negative.

“Okay, it’s the first trimester then. You should consider yourselves lucky that you haven’t lost the baby before now. The first three months he’s more likely to miscarry than any other time. The baby is as healthy as can be in this situation though; nothing life threatening just yet. Has Draco’s wrist been broken for more than three months?”

Harry nodded.

Poppy sighed. “I will have to re-break it before I can heal it then. I’m sorry Harry, you know if I don’t it will only cause problems later on. What about the cut on his leg. Is that badly infected?”

Harry nodded again, the look on his face saying he was not happy with the re-breaking idea.

“I was afraid of that. I can take care of it, but it may take a lot of time. What about you? Is there anything that needs to be looked at right now?”

Harry looked at Draco and then back at Poppy.

“Okay, take care of Draco first. Got it. You write down everything you can remember from the night of your detention to showing up at Professor Snape’s classroom today, okay? Every little detail, everything you did or ate or said. Everything Draco did and ate and said. How you two stayed alive. Do either of you have your wands?”

Harry took hold of Draco’s wrist and held it up slightly, showing his wand clutched in Draco’s fist.

With a sigh and a nod, Poppy began her work. It was going to take a while. The list of injuries was so long. And that was only for Draco. She was really worried about Harry; he was the one more likely to be in danger and trouble. He also seemed to be very protective of Draco. Understandable. She wished she knew what had happened to the two boys before her. She shook her head then, and got down to work. Draco’s malnutrition and dehydration were so bad, she’d have to start an intravenous drip to get him and the baby steady. Luckily she’d taken a Muggle medical course or two before she could become a qualified Medi-Witch at the school.

“Albus, this needs to be handled with the utmost care,” Poppy stressed. “Mr. Malfoy is still in his first trimester, and is severely compromised. Mr. Potter cannot speak or see, although he is somehow compensating for it. He’s no better off. At least he’s conscious. Mr. Malfoy won’t wake! Mr. Potter doesn’t seem too worried though. He won’t leave Mr. Malfoy, understandably. I must speak with Severus. He is the only one to know what truly happened when they first arrived. I must know every little detail. In fact, I believe I will have Severus place his memory in a pensieve. Yes, that will work.” She turned on her heel and left the Headmaster’s office, heading for the dungeons. “If the memory is in a pensieve then I will be able to see it for myself and I will be able to decide what is important and what is not. Yes, this is the best course.”

She walked into the Potion Master’s office without knocking and started to explain the situation in half sentences and jumbled up words. Severus, knowing it was better to just let her ramble than try to stop her, merely went back to grading the seventh years’ thesis for their midterm reports. So far, he hadn’t wanted to violently kill anyone. There were a few close calls, but nothing definite yet. Of course, he hadn’t gotten to the Gryffindor papers yet, so that may have been-

“Severus! Are you even listening to me?!”

“Ah, welcome to the land of English, Poppy,” Severus said, setting down his quill and smiling… almost, pleasantly. “I could not understand what you were saying so I merely ignored you.” The smile vanished and the Potions Master was back. “What can I do for you Poppy?”

“I need your memories. No, I need just one of your memories,” she corrected. “The one of two days ago when Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy came into your classroom. I need to see it so I may see for myself what happened. Not that I don’t trust your word, Severus. It’s just that you may have overlooked something that I deem important or unusual for one or both of the young men in question.”

“Other than Potter being mute and blind, and Draco being pregnant you mean.”

“Exactly! May I borrow the memory?”

Severus caved and allowed her to take the memory to view in her own pensieve once he’d abstracted it. She was gone in a flurry of robes without any word of thanks or leave-taking. She rushed back down to the infirmary, did a check on Harry and Draco, found that nothing had changed, and then went to her office to view the memory. With some excitement and a little trepidation, she thrust her head into the silvery substance.

And mere moments later she retracted it again. She sat stunned, watching Harry as he gently stroked Draco’s face. As she tried to get her thoughts in order, certain facts kept jumping to the forefront of her mind. Harry was using strong wandless magic. Draco was pregnant. Harry was alive, but blind and mute. They had survived in the Forbidden Forest for more than five months. Again, Harry picked up Draco’s hand and just held it while the blonde seemingly continued to sleep. When she finally had the events in order of the way she thought they went, she stood and went out into the main room before going into Harry and Draco’s private room.

The unmistakable tensing in Harry’s back and shoulders and the clenching of Draco’s hand a little tighter did not go unseen by Poppy. She kept her movements slow, with just the right amount of noise. “Good afternoon, Harry,” she greeted. “I was wondering if we could talk?” She received a curious and slightly amused look for an answer. “Oh yes, I realize that you can’t actually talk. I can get you a Quick Quote Quill, which writes based on your thoughts. Would you mind that?”

Harry nodded his head and Poppy was off to get the Quill and some parchment. “Okay, just touch it so it can read your magical signature. Very good. Now then, I have some questions about your time away from Hogwarts. How did Draco get pregnant?”

The Quill immediately began moving. Madam Pomfrey, if you don’t know that then I must insist that you give Headmaster Dumbledore your resignation papers as a Medi-Witch.

This caused a blush to rise on the matron’s cheeks. “I didn’t mean the mechanics of it, Harry. I meant… When the two of you were last seen, you were heading to a detention in the Forest. You hated each other. You were rivals. You had gotten in trouble for fighting in class which was why you were serving detention in the first place! And then you come back, won’t leave Draco, won’t stop touching him, and he’s pregnant with your child. How did that happen?”

The Quill hovered for a moment before writing very slowly, Madam Pomfrey, have you ever needed to survive? I mean truly survive? Where the only thing you worry about is the next breath you’ll be taking, the next step you may or make not take, where you don’t care if you’ve eaten or not because at least you’re alive? That’s how. We needed each other to survive. And then the Quill stopped. Harry looked back at Draco, rubbing his right thumb over the back of Draco’s left hand. That’s all we wanted, it suddenly wrote. We just wanted to live.

“Okay, so you began to rely on one another. I can understand that. You kept one another safe and looked out for the other. I don’t understand how you became so close as to warrant a child though.”

Five months of seeing no one else and having nothing to do but get to know one another will warrant a child.

Poppy seemed to think about that for a moment. “Okay. Yes, I can see that as well now. Five months of living moment to moment. Yes.” She trailed off lost in thought. Harry tried to think something to her, but she wasn’t paying attention to the parchment. A light touch to her forearm startled her from her thoughts. “Oh! Sorry Harry. You startled me. What is it dear?”

Do you want me to wake Draco?

“Oh no Harry, let him sleep. He’ll come out of it when he’s ready to.”

You don’t understand. I’m the one that’s making him sleep. I’m healing him.

“You’re… But he’s… I thought…” Poppy spluttered. “Yes, yes wake him please. I won’t keep him awake long. Can he answer my questions? Like how you’re healing him?” Her answer was a nod before Harry laid his left hand over Draco’s eyes. Slowly, Draco began to wake. When Harry finally took his hand away, Draco was fully conscious. “Good–”

“You did it again, didn’t you?” Draco said, his eyes on Harry. “What have I told you about that? If I don’t want to sleep then I’m not going to! You can’t do this alone! I need to-” He stopped suddenly and looked around, as if he was just realizing where he was. “We’re… we’re back? It wasn’t a dream?” He looked at Harry for his answer, and received a shake of the head. “Oh thank Merlin, Harry! You did it! You got us back!” He sat up quick and threw his arms around the dark haired boy’s neck, loudly weeping into it. “I thought it was a dream. I thought it was all a lie and that I’d wake up in your arms back in the Forest and wonder how the day would go. I was so worried that it was all a dream, that my- Harry? What’s wrong?” He pulled back and looked at Harry in concern.

Harry tightened his grip on Draco and looked toward the door. A few moments later, Severus walked in. “Poppy. I came to retrieve my memory as well as to see if there are-” He froze at seeing Draco awake and sitting up in the bed. He was even more shocked that he was in Harry’s arms, even though he knew the two were expecting a child. “Draco.” He moved to hug his godson, but Harry maneuvered him away from the professor. “Fine. For now Potter. I want a full update on their conditions, Poppy. Do you know the story yet?”

“No. But you’re just in time. Harry and I were talking just before Draco was woken and you came in.”

“‘Woken’?” he repeated. “Don’t you mean ‘awoke’?”

“No,” Draco answered. “Harry woke me. He was the one keeping me asleep. He tends to do that when he thinks I need some extra rest. Which I don’t,” he directed at Harry. Then he sighed. “I suppose I was roused to tell the story?” Harry nodded. “Fine. Where are we starting?”

“The detention,” Severus immediately answered.

“A quick question for Harry,” Poppy said at the same time. “Does Draco know about what we were talking about before you woke him?”

Of course. He’s the one that told me!

“Okay, you may continue.”

“What was that about?” Draco asked. Harry merely lay a hand on Draco’s stomach. “Ah, I see. Okay, the detention. So Harry and I had fought in Hagrid’s class and were given detention in the Forbidden Forest as punishment. We went out with Hagrid leading the way, but it was only a few minutes before we were separated. He told us to stand still and that he’d be back in just a few moments. He’d heard something in the Forest and decided to check it out. When we could no longer hear him, I began mocking Harry. The usual.”

“This is all your fault Potter.”

“My fault?! You’re the one who pushed me into the hippogriffs! That black one nearly took my head off!”

“And what an improvement it would have been too. Shame.” Draco began to walk forward.

“Where do you think you’re going? Hagrid told us to stay right here.”

“As if that great oaf knows anything about this place. I’m going back to the castle.” He started walking, not bothering to worry about Harry or Hagrid or even Merlin himself.

When it started getting harder to see Draco, Harry ran after him. “We shouldn’t separate,” he offered as an explanation when he caught up. They walked, heading out the way they came. Except that after ten minutes they weren’t at the edge of the forest. “Surely we weren’t that far in?” he asked.

“Do I look like a bloody map to you, Potter?” Draco snapped.

“You mean you don’t know where we’re going?!”

“We’re going back to the castle.”

“Do you know where we are?”

“The Forbidden Forest.”

“More specifically?”

“On a path… Nope, not anymore.” He stopped and started looking around. “The path is gone. It just disappeared.”

“Paths don’t just disappear, Malfoy.”

“Potter, this is a magical forest outside of a magical school. Pathways may just disappear if they want to.” He sighed and continued walking. “And before you ask, yes I am going to continue walking. Walking is better than waiting. Do you know what’s in this forest? There are-”

“Werewolves, acromantulas, a wild car, centaurs, and various other creatures and things,” Harry interrupted. “Yes, I know. I have been here before. About three or four times actually.”

“So after we’d gotten lost, we kept going. And going. And going. We eventually found a path, but apparently we went the wrong way on it because we still couldn’t find the way out. For days. We fought mercilessly in that time. Occasionally they became physical brawls. And I deserved every punch I took, just as Harry deserved every punch he took. After a week, we came across our first major problem. We’d already gone over my lack of shower, my lack of hair products, and my lack of a comfortable bed. But we ran into a bicorn. It was rather big and rather pissed off if I remember correctly.

“Anyways, it charged us and chased after us. Harry runs rather fast, in case anyone was wondering. I, however, do not. He had to practically pull me along behind him. Then he levitated me up into a tree before climbing up himself. The bicorn proceeded to ram the tree, forcing us to hold on for our lives. He kept it up for over three hours. Harry blasted hexes and curses at it, trying to get it to go away, but I think it only made it madder. Just before that third hour was up, the worst possible thing happened. I dropped my wand. It had been in my inner robe pocket, and all the jostling around got it loose. The bicorn trampled it before it got bored with us and left.”

He paused for a few moments to drink some water. Harry took a sip as well, keeping his eyes moving from person to person in the room and a hand on Draco at all times. “So, a week into our ordeal and I’m without a wand. I threw a fit, let me tell you. We tried to see if we could piece it together somehow, but it was dead and gone. Harry finally pulled me away and we continued on. By the end of the day, he was so sick of my whining. He gave me his wand. I know a wizard’s wand is made for him and him alone, but others can sometimes use another’s wand. And it was so with Harry’s wand. It was almost too easy for me to use it.

“I asked what he would use, but he wouldn’t say anything. As we continued walking, I realized he kept getting a few steps ahead of me. I’d run to catch up with him, then he’d get ahead of me again. I accused him of speeding up, so he slowed down. But he kept getting ahead of me. Finally, when we were almost standing still, he looked at me funny. He said I was awfully pale. ‘Of course I’m pale,’ I spat back. ‘I’ve always been pale. It’s a Malfoy trait.’ But he shook his head and walked around me a few times. Then he shoved his hand down the back of my robes through the neck.”

“He did what?!” Snape shouted.

Harry was standing in an instant, his hand outstretched toward his Potions Professor. Draco seemed to be the only one to understand this action, because he grabbed Harry’s non-lifted arm and pleaded with him. “Please don’t, Harry! Don’t hurt him! He’s just worried about me. He doesn’t understand what’s happened these last five months. Please, don’t hurt him. I want you to stay here, with me. You can’t do that if you hurt him. They’ll take you away from me. Don’t leave me.”

Harry quickly deflated and turned to Draco, holding him close. He threw a dirty look to the man in the room over his shoulder. Madam Pomfrey began to talk to Snape in quiet tones. “I’ve told you before, Severus, that you have to be quiet and slow around Harry. He’s very skittish and very protective of Draco. If you cannot keep your temper in check, I will ask you to leave. And not allow you to return.”

“I… apologize,” Snape gritted out. “How is it that he’s able to find me if he’s blind?”

“I’m getting to that,” Draco said, still holding Harry’s arm.

“What is wrong with his holding a hand at me?” Snape asked.

“It’s okay now, Harry. We’re in no danger here. Severus was just upset was all. I promise, I’ll be okay,” Draco soothed as Harry sat in his chair once more. “And I’m getting to that too. So he shoved his hand down the back of my robes. I protested and tried to get away from him as quickly as I could. When I finally did, he was standing there with something in his hand. It was a bugbear. He told me to remove my robe and lift my shirt. When I did, he found four more on my back. We think they got on me while in the tree. They’d been leeching my blood, which was why I was slowing down. When he was holding them all in his hand, he incinerated them.” Draco paused, letting that information sink in.

“You can continue anytime you wish, Draco,” Snape said sarcastically.

“You don’t get it. I had his wand.”

“So what. He-” Snape stopped talking. “Wandless. He did wandless magic.”

Harry nodded. Then lifted one hand palm up and conjured a fireball. He shrugged as if to say ‘It’s easy.’.

“He incinerated all five of them, then put one hand on my forehead and the other on one of the wounds on my back. And healed it. Then did the same thing for the other four. It had to of been sometime in the afternoon. Harry decided we should rest there for the night and find something to eat. He always found the food, always. And I let him after the first night there. I ate something that nearly killed me. Nothing he’s ever found has killed us, hurt us, or made us sick in any way. He was always within talking distance though, never left too far away. Otherwise he’d take me with him. I usually went with him anyways.

“It was rare we got meat for food, because there weren’t animals we could eat in the Forbidden Forest. And we had no weapons. Except Harry’s wand. We did take down a quintaped one day.”

“A quintaped?!” Madam Pomfrey gasped.

“Yeah. But that wasn’t until about two months in. Actually, Fluffy did most of the work.”

“And who is ‘Fluffy’?” Snape asked.

Surely you remember Fluffy, sir. He’s the three-headed dog that nearly took your leg off four years ago.

While Snape’s face turned an alarming shade of red, Draco looked at Harry in confusion. Hurriedly, Harry began moving his hands in weird twists and shapes. After a few moments, Draco nodded and smiled softly. Then he laughed outright before turning to his godfather. “They thought you were after the Philosopher’s Stone? Well that’s a laugh!”

“You understood what he was saying?” Madam Pomfrey asked of Draco. “How? Are you using telepathy?”

“No. He explained it as a bastardized version of Muggle Sign Language,” Draco explained. “We came up with symbols and signs for the most common words we used. When he speaks of him, Weasley, and Granger, he holds up three fingers like so. And when he speaks of Dumbledore, he widens his eyes and motions like he’s stroking his beard. When he speaks of Voldemort, he holds up two fingers in the shape of a ‘v’ and then makes a slashing motion with his right hand. I thought it was ingenious since he needed to communicate with me somehow.”

“When did he lose the ability to talk?” Snape asked, his embarrassment forgotten now.

“About two months ago when we stumbled upon a nundu.”

“How in blazes did you come across a nundu?!” Madam Pomfrey shrieked, trying (but failing) to keep the volume down.

“Dunno. We just did. It had been a while since anything had happened, and I guess we got lax in our defenses. We stumbled upon her lair I think. I heard a few mewling sounds before Harry fell to the ground coughing something awful. I ran to him, trying to help him. But he levitated me to a tree and put up wards to keep me there and anything from getting to me. Then the nundu crawled out from wherever and attacked him. He tried not to fight back too much, to show her that he meant no harm. He has this way of talking to the plants and animals… I can’t explain it. He’ll have to show you sometime.

“So the nundu finally went off, but she’d already torn into Harry a bit. I tried to get down to him after she left, but the wards wouldn’t let me. He just lay there on the ground…” Draco trailed off, his eyes glazed over in memory and with unshed tears. He had been terrified that day. A hand on his thigh startled him from his thoughts. “Oh! Sorry. I guess I… got caught up in the memory. He was just laying there, bleeding and coughing, his eyes glazed over and fuzzy. He wasn’t moving after a while. I could see him breathing occasionally, but he wasn’t moving otherwise.

“I tried to stay awake through the night, but I got so tired. Now I think he made me sleep.” He sent a small glare at Harry sitting next to him. Harry made gestures again. “Sure. When I woke up the next morning, all the blood was gone. He seemed okay again. He looked like he was sleeping instead of the dead I was afraid he was. I suddenly thought about how comfortable I had been the night before. I slept in a tree! He stayed that way for two whole days. After a few hours, I got so hungry… And then food appeared. I ate it, without thinking. For two days I stayed in that tree, watching Harry not move.

“The wards stayed up, and the food kept coming. And Harry stayed on the ground. On the third morning, I woke up being floated back to the ground. As soon as I was down and fully awake, I started yelling at him for any- and everything I could think of. I must have ranted for ten, twenty minutes before-” Harry was gesturing wildly. “It was not a full hour and you know it! I finally realized he wasn’t saying anything back. We were friendly by now.” Harry gestured some more. “I am not saying that.”

The words appeared on the paper Madam Pomfrey had given him. Fine, I’ll write it myself. Draco and I were beyond involved by then. I pretty sure he was pregnant by then too.

“Anyways!” Draco stressed. “I asked him what was wrong, why he wasn’t talking. So he started talking. Only no sound came out of his mouth as it moved. We found a patch of ground with no grass or plants and he began to write in the dirt. I suggested we find somewhere a bit safer to take up residence for a while.” Draco fidgeted in bed for a moment, then took up the story again. “After we found a nice place, well, as nice a place as the Forbidden Forest can provide, we got to talking. Harry wrote in the dirt and I talked aloud. We finally realized Harry could use wandless magic to conjure paper and a muggle pen. It was a little easier after that.” He fidgeted again.

That’s enough. Draco needs rest. Harry made slashing motions with his hands. No more. He needs to sleep.

“And so do you,” Madam Pomfrey insisted, standing up now. She and Snape had been sitting during the tale. “You need to get some rest too. What ails you cannot heal without proper sleep. You’re safe here, now. I will watch over you.”

“It’s no use Madam Pomfrey,” Draco said. “He hasn’t slept while I have since our second month gone. We were attacked by woodlouse. He won’t allow both of us to sleep at the same time anymore. Besides, it allowed one of us to be the lookout, more often than not it was him.” He yawned. Harry tucked him in and kissed his forehead. Then he sat at the end of Draco’s bed cross-legged and watched the two adults with wary eyes.

“We will continue this discussion tomorrow, Potter,” Snape said calmly before walking to the door. He paused. “Goodnight Draco. Sleep well. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight Severus,” Draco murmured.

The professor left, leaving Madam Pomfrey to debate on whether or not she wanted to fight Harry on the sleeping matter. When he turned hardened eyes on her, she sighed and held up her hands in defeat. “I concede. For now,” she amended. “It will come time for you and Draco to sleep at the same time, you know. It can’t always be like this. But for now, I will allow this. Goodnight Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter.”

Harry nodded once and then touched the fingertips of his right hand to his forehead, the bridge of his nose, and then his chin.

“It means goodnight, Madam Pomfrey,” Draco supplied quietly. “See you in the morning.”

She left and Harry warded the door before turning to Draco. He lightly scraped his fingertips over his right cheekbone before doing the same to Draco’s left cheekbone.

“I love you too, Harry,” Draco whispered before finally falling asleep. The day really had taken most of his energy, just realizing he was completely safe and then telling part of their tale again. It had been so long since he’d had anyone besides Harry to talk to. He loved Harry, but people were a necessity. He was sure that had they stayed out there any longer… He let that thought fall as even his subconscious fell asleep.

Chapter Text

“You know, you need to sleep. We’re back at Hogwarts now. Nothing can hurt us. And I know you’re a light sleeper so it’s not like they can sneak up on us and hurt us. You need to sleep. I know your body heals itself mostly and that you’re fine. I understand this. But I still worry about you, Harry. Please, just for an hour or two? You haven’t slept since before we got back here!”

Harry gestured wildly.

“They won’t separate us, I promise. You know I wouldn’t let them.”

Harry was gesturing again.

“No, you can’t do that. If you put wards up, how will Madam Pomfrey be able to come in and check on me and the baby? I know you can take care of us, but I don’t want you to have all that stress anymore. It was necessary before. Now we have Madam Pomfrey and Severus and Dumbledore to look out for us.”

More gesturing.

“Now that’s not fair. You know he’s just worried about me and wants to make sure I’m okay. He doesn’t understand how close we are now. Five months can do a lot to a person. He’ll understand that eventually. He’s my godfather, Harry! You know as well as I do that if Sirius was alive he’d be doing the same thing. I know you two have a history-”

Gesturing.

“Don’t interrupt; it’s rude. As I was saying. I know you two have a history that’s volatile. You have to put that behind you and at least be civilized and courteous to him.”

Gesturing.

“And that goes for you too, Severus.” They waited in silence for a moment before said man walking into the room with a scowl on his face. “Harry’s hearing, smell, taste, and magic are beyond advanced. He knew you were here before you even walked into the Infirmary. I didn’t expect you to linger at the door and listen in on our conversation.” He placed a hand over Harry’s as he began to gesture. “I expect both of you to get along, because I’m not leaving Harry, and I won’t stop seeing Severus. You’re both family to me now. I need you both.”

“Mr. Potter, Madam Pomfrey has asked me to deliver these potions for the two of you. These two are simple nutrition potions. Both of you are to take one drop before every meal, three meals a day. And as many healthy snacks for Draco as he wants. Just remember the potion. This one is to heal anything that may remain unhealed within your organs; this one for your bones. Now then, this one is for you alone, Mr. Potter. Since you are now mute, this potion will strengthen your other senses just a little bit more.”

Harry jerked his hands free from Draco’s, which was still covering them, and gestured to his boyfriend. “He says his senses are already strengthened more than necessary, Severus. He doesn’t need a potion.”

“Regardless, Poppy prescribed it and I am giving it. Don’t argue.”

But Harry did argue. It may have been silently with Draco speaking, but he was arguing. “He says he doesn’t need it and he doesn’t want it. He lost his glasses about three months in, and they were cracked long before then. His eyes slowly got worse and worse, and the nundu attack didn’t help any. He uses his magic to sense things around him. His hearing is amazing. He can smell and taste the smallest hint that something is off or wrong or added or whatever. And his magic is amazing. He does it wandless and ‘sees’ with it. Surely you can’t deny that?”

Snape was silent for a moment, thinking. “If you can tell me all the ingredients in this potion,” he pulled out a new vial, this one with a green potion in it, “with only your sense of smell, I will tell Poppy that you don’t need the enhancing potion.”

Harry conjured a pen and paper, then reached out for the vial. Carefully uncorking it, he wafted the scent for a moment, writing down a few things. He thought for a moment, then wrote down two more ingredients. He moved the vial closer to his nose this time and passed it under it a couple of times before writing down four more ingredients. He suddenly made a coughing motion, but didn’t make a sound. Quickly, he corked the vial, wrote down two more ingredients, and thrust the vial and the paper back at Snape with a glare.

“What?” Draco asked. “What was that about? What’s wrong? What’s in that potion? What did you make him smell?”

“Simple blood thinner with an anti-coagulant potion,” Snape answer, glancing over Harry’s list. “This is almost perfect. You forgot one thing though: sliced caterpillars. They’re necessary for making the blood platelets thinner and therefore ineffective. Take the potion.”

Harry smirked and snatched the paper from Snape’s hand, writing something down before giving it back.

“What did he write?” Draco asked, trying get a look at the paper.

Snape scowled. “He said that Actias selene are the best species of caterpillar to use and were the type used for this specific potion. Therefore, and I quote, ‘I win’. He’s right, the little bugger. We have to get these caterpillars special from the United States simply because the Liquidambar or Sweetgum plant no longer grows in Europe. Fine. You don’t have to take the potion. You do, however, have to take this one. It looks for diseases within that we may not have caught in our scan. Oh wait, you never had an initial scan because you wouldn’t allow Poppy to check you after an initial scan. Take the potion now.”

Harry gestured; Draco translated. “He doesn’t have any diseases. His body heals him naturally, professor. Has ever since he started focusing his magic so I could use his wand. And then once we found out I was pregnant, he’s been concentrating even more to me. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him.”

“I don’t care if there’s anything wrong with him,” Snape snapped, finally getting irritated by being back-talked to. “If he has a disease, then you would have caught it! I won’t have my godson sick because of something he did!”

Harry jumped to his feet and gestured wildly. Without even waiting for Draco to translate, he thrust Snape out of the room using magic alone. Then he closed, locked, and warded the door. Snape immediately began yelling through the door, trying to open it, and banging on it once he realized magic wouldn’t work. As soon as Snape was locked out of the room, Harry turned to Draco and placed both hands over his body, palms down. Draco sighed and lay back, allowing Harry to do the scan without interruptions. After a few moments, Harry lowered his hands.

“Am I okay then?”

Harry nodded.

“Would it have been that hard to take the potion? I know your magic is amazing and wonderful and just all around astounding. However, you need to rely on someone else for a change. I know this will be hard for you, but please? Do it for me? Allow them to take care of you, so you can take care of me.” He smiled softly and patted the bed beside him. “I think you should lay down and sleep for a bit. You’ve warded the doors, so I bet even Dumbledore himself couldn’t get in. Am I right?”

Harry nodded, his cheeks slightly pink.

“Come on. I’m not as big as a hippogriff yet.” Harry quickly climbed into bed beside Draco and held him close, letting the feel and smell of Draco relax him. Without realizing it, he was quickly asleep. “You were more tired than you thought,” Draco whispered. “Just relax, and let me watch out for you this time.” He kissed the top of Harry’s head, hoping Harry a sleep without nightmares for once.

Hands. Hands were everywhere. They were touching and feeling, rubbing and tweaking. It felt wonderful! He’d never felt anything like it in his life. His eyes were closed. He opened them, but had to close them quickly. Something was close, so close it made him go cross-eyed to look at it. Kissing. He was kissing someone. And not just a light peck. Oh no. This was a full fledged French kiss, with tongue and slobber and weird sounds. Whoever he was kissing pulled away and started panting. Then he said something.

‘He?!’ His brain caught up with him and slammed him back into the present. He was lost in the Forbidden Forest with Draco Malfoy; had been for just over two months now. The lips had moved to his neck, and he arched into it. His hands weren’t still he realized. They had been moving across Draco’s back and arse. And what a fine arse the blonde had, too. It took a few moments for Harry to remember what all had led up to this point. He remembered that night when they had first cuddled together for warmth.

It was some time in late October or November by then. And it was cold. Each night, they found a spot and searched out the area for any possible danger. Harry would cast a few wards and then they’d settle down for the night near each other. But he couldn’t sleep that night. Draco kept moving about and making weird noises. Finally, the blonde started complaining about how cold he was and how he’d rather move in with Harry’s Muggle relatives than spend the night freezing himself to death. The decision was made quickly, with barely a thought. In the next instant, he was curled up next to Draco with his cloak covering both of them.

‘Don’t read too much into it,’ he’d said. He didn’t want the blonde to think he fancied him or anything of that such. He was cold. Draco was cold. That was all there was to it. And they both accepted that. They fell asleep and woke up and went about trying to survive for one more day. Then repeated that plan for the rest of their stay in the Forbidden Forest.

But this night was different. After setting up the wards and settling down together for a sleep, Draco had asked him a question: ‘Why shouldn’t I read too much into this?’ It had confused Harry at first. Draco went on. ‘Maybe I want to read too much into it. Maybe I’m so fucking lonely and horny that I want to think that you’re going to turn to me and just start kissing me, or that I’ll wake up in the morning with you wrapped around me and moving against me. Maybe I want to wake up wrapped around you. Did you ever think about that?’

He hadn’t, but he was now. Two months was a long time to get to know someone. He knew a lot about Draco by then, and Draco knew a lot about him. They were on a first name basis, and had stopped trying to kill each other. Even with all his words that night, Draco had merely turned on his side and curled up intimately close to Harry and slept. When they awoke in the morning, nothing was said. As the nights went on, Draco got a little closer and a little bolder. Eventually, it was during the day too. He’d hear something and grab Harry’s hand, or cup Harry’s cheek with his palm when saying thank-you for getting food.

And it progressed to this: wonderful sex. That’s what this was, Harry’s mind supplied. Because Harry felt the hands all over, but he also felt a slick heat encompassing his prick. Now, Draco’s mouth was occupied with his own, and last time he checked Draco wasn’t a girl. That left one possibility. And he was thoroughly enjoying himself. “Harry? What’s wrong, baby?”

“Hmm? Oh, nothing.” He returned to focusing on his lover. Once his mind had returned to that, everything got so much better. He rolled them, trapping Draco beneath him on their cloaks. It was no mattress, but it was better than nothing. He paused for a moment to gain his balance. “You know you’re beautiful, don’t you?”

“Harry, men aren’t beautiful. Especially not Malfoy men. We’re devastatingly handsome. Breathtakingly rugged. Beyond comparison. Better than your wildest dreams. But not beautiful.”

“What if I think you’re beautiful and I’ll only do this,” he gave a sharp thrust of his hips, thoroughly smothering Draco’s prostate and causing the blonde to cry out, “if you agree that you’re beautiful? What will you do then?” He trailed his fingertips up Draco’s stomach to his chest where he tortured one dark nipple he found there. He thought they’d be a light pink what with Draco’s light skin, pale eyes, and blonde hair. But no, they were almost as dark as Harry’s.

“Oh! When you… when you put it that way… I suppose I can be beautiful. For you.”

“You… ‘suppose’?” Harry swiveled his hips as he thrust this time, drinking up Draco’s moan as if it were his last meal; and it very well could be. “I suppose I could live with that.” He began to thrust in earnest now, not holding anything back. They’d been teasing each other all day, using anything and everything as a sexual innuendo as only teenage boys can. As they’d eaten dinner, they’d both licked their fingers way more than was called for, practically made out with the berries and leaves Harry had found. As they laid out their cloaks and such, they’d touched as much as possible.

Now, Harry was making little noises as he pounded into Draco’s lithe body. Draco, trying to get more, brought his legs up higher around Harry’s waist and locked them there, using his ankles to lift him into Harry’s thrusts. It wouldn’t take much more; they both knew it. Carefully, since he was already unbalanced, Harry moved one hand around to grasp Draco’s leaking shaft. He’d always made sure Draco came before him if he were topping. And he did top more often than not. A few quick strokes with a squeeze at the base and a little twist at the top had Draco coming in spurts, and being quite vocal about it.

“Merlin! Oh sweet Merlin! Yes! YES! Oh!” He thrust into Harry’s thrusts still, as if not even realizing he was coming. “Just like that, yes! Oh, I love you, Harry! Please! Yes! Ugh!” He was still quivering and shaking, even though he was no longer meeting Harry’s thrusts. When Harry came a few moments later, he offered another groan.

“I love you too, Draco,” Harry whispered as he lowered himself to Draco’s side without pulling out.

Harry woke with a start. He hadn’t dreamt about that night in a long time. He was sure that was the night their child had been created. Suddenly, he realized he was naked from the waist down and that there was a reason for that. Pulling up the blankets a bit, he was almost startled to see Draco going down on him. Grey eyes stared up at him before that mouth smirked around its mouthful. A few more gentle sucks and Draco eased off, slithering up Harry’s body to kiss him proper.

“Mmm, good morning my love. How did you sleep?”

Harry nodded, moving down Draco’s neck to just below his pulse point. It was a very sensitive spot for the blonde. The reaction was immediate: Draco ground down against him, an answering hardness that was equally naked was rubbed against him. Draco moved to impale himself on the length, but Harry stopped him, gesturing for a few moments before just holding Draco’s hips and rocking back and forth. Draco nodded, holding onto Harry’s shoulders. It didn’t take very long. After the dream he’d had, Harry was on edge. And the silent cry of ecstasy never failed to send Draco tumbling after him into the land of bliss.

Draco slumped against his lover, neither caring about the wet mess between them. Just as they were to slip into a deserved nap, there was pounding against their door. Draco immediately felt Harry tense beneath him. He yawned and clutched Harry closer. “Just let them in,” he said sleepily. “They’ll see that we’re fine, freak out a bit, and go away. It will be better than putting up with that pounding all day.”

Harry lazily waved his arm over them and then toward the door as Draco pulled the covers up. It only took seconds for those outside to realize the door was once more unlocked. Pomfrey made it in first. “You two ought to be ashamed! Locking us out like that. What if something had happened? If Draco had gone into distress or Harry had passed out? We couldn’t have gotten in in that case! And Mr. Potter, that is highly inappropriate considering you and Mr. Malfoy need to rest after all you’ve been through. If you’re tired, there is another bed just here for you to rest upon.”

“But if he were in that bed,” Draco mumbled sleepily, “how could we get off like we just did?”

Snape began spluttering, his face turning a wild shade of red at the blunt information.

“What? We’re having a baby. You didn’t expect the stork to just drop it off, did you? Sex was involved, lady and gent, sex was involved. We’re not going to stop now. And I’m pretty sure you didn’t want to see that while it was happening. Therefore, if the door is locked we’re probably having sex.” Harry made a gesture. “Yes, or masturbating. Like sucks when you’re lost in the Forbidden Forest for five months.” There was a pause in which Pomfrey and Snape thought Draco had fallen back to sleep. Then… “No that kind of sucking you perv!” he almost shrieked, playfully slapping Harry on the shoulder. They both noticed he didn’t move away from the Gryffindor however.

“I want to know Harry.”

Wild gesturing.

“It’s not fair!”

Wild gesturing.

“It’s my child, though.”

More wild gesturing.

“Okay okay, our child. But it’s in my body!”

More gesturing.

“I want to know Harry!”

Still more gesturing.

“Fine. Let the wand decide.” He and Harry got out of bed and kneeled down on the floor beside it. Draco set Harry’s wand on the floor and gave it a spin from the middle. Just as it started to slow down, their door opened.

“Good morning, boys. I’ve brought you some- Great Merlin! What are you doing on the floor, Draco?! Get up! Get up this instant! It’s not good for you to be on the floor! You could catch a cold or something down there! And Harry, how could you allow him to do this to himself and the baby? I thought you were watching him more carefully. Are either of you listening to me? Boys? Boys?!”

“One moment, Madam Pomfrey,” Draco said with a wave of his hand, not taking his eyes off the slowly spinning wand. It was almost stopped now. When it finally did, it was pointing more toward Harry than Draco. “Damn it. It’s a biased wand!” he snapped, snatching the wand from the floor and getting back to his feet; Harry helped him back to the bed. “It’s your wand. Of course it’s going to point to you. It recognizes your magic better than mine.”

Harry gestured.

“Regardless, it was yours first.”

Harry started gesturing, but was cut off by Pomfrey. “Can someone explain to me what just happened? And why you were both on the floor? And why you both felt the need to completely ignore me?”

“We’re sorry, Madam Pomfrey,” Draco said, looking sheepish. “I told Harry that I wanted you to check to see if you could find out the gender of our baby today, but he said he didn’t want to know until it was bourn. We had an argument, then settled it. In the Forest, anytime we had an argument the wand settled it. We spun it and whoever it pointed to more won the argument. Sometimes that was a bad thing and sometimes that was a good thing. Either way, that’s the end of the argument. Harry won. This time.”

“Oh,” was all the nurse could think of as a reply.

Slowly, Snape started to get used to meeting Harry’s demands when it came to Draco’s health and welfare. He had to admit, the boy was usually right. It seemed Draco had talked to him however, because when Snape came in to run diagnostic spells on his godson, Harry would step back to allow him to do so. However, anything he would try to give Draco was taken and checked before given to him. Although annoying, Snape allowed it. Harry did the same thing when it was Pomfrey treating Draco, but at least she didn’t glare at him.

After nearly a month in the Hospital Wing, Draco and Harry were given permission to move around and not stay in their bed or beds all the time. Harry followed close behind or beside Draco wherever he went, casting spells or testing food anytime they came upon something not provided by Harry. While it irked Snape to no end, he had to admire the boy’s casting ability and spell knowledge. Draco was definitely in good hands. They were told to hurry to their room or cast an invisibility spell if and when someone else came into the ward however, as the rest of the school was not to know they were there.

However, the pair had to return to their beds every night. At first Pomfrey tried to keep them in separate beds, but she always found them sleeping in the same bed when she went to wake them. They remained in the private room with the door locked and warded to prevent unwanted guests from entering. It was a shock when, a week later, Snape offered his guest rooms for their usage. He knew Draco didn’t want to be in the infirmary. And he wanted Draco close by. He had everything he could need at close hand, and what he didn’t he would soon. The only problem was Harry. He didn’t like the boy and the feeling was returned. But he knew that with Draco came Harry, so he swallowed a bit of pride and opened his doors to them both. It was allowed.

Harry spent the first three hours testing every little thing Draco could possibly come in contact with while in the rooms, only leaving out Snape’s personal bedchambers. The look he gave Snape as he passed the door said what his vocal chords could not: If Draco ever “needs” to come in this room, I will “need” to kill you. The small kitchen, the loo, the living room, the office, their bedroom, the halls, the walls (stone by stone), the floors, the painting (as Snape only allowed one in his chambers, period), the fireplace (brick by brick), everything! He even added his own ward to the door to recognize his magical signature so he wouldn’t have to be with someone to enter by voice password.

Snape sat through it all, not happily of course. But he wanted Draco close by and Harry came with that. When Harry was satisfied that he knew the rooms from top to bottom, left to right, diagonally, three dimensionally, upside down, and every other way, he nodded once to Snape, then stood behind Draco who was on the couch. Draco laughed and tilted his head up for a kiss. Harry obliged and put his hands on Draco’s shoulders. “Thank you, love. Are you satisfied that Severus isn’t going to hurt, maim, or kill me now?” His answer was a small glare, but Draco knew. “I’m sorry Severus, but you must understand. Five months in the Forbidden Forest. Just think about that, and surely you can understand?”

“Yes Draco,” Snape sighed. “As much as I detest Mr. Potter, and I know the feeling is mutual, I will try to get along for your sake. I knew he would inspect my rooms when I offered to let both of you stay. I thank you for staying out of my personal bedroom, Potter. I will try to return the same courtesy.” Harry nodded, then turned his eyes back to Draco, watching him like a hawk. “Now then, I realize that Mr. Potter has your prenatal care all taken care of, but for the rest of us who don’t know what he knows I’d like to do a weekly check-up. Does that suit both of you? I would suggest Tuesday afternoons, as they are my lightest days when it comes to schooling.”

“That sounds just fine to me,” Draco said. “About what time do you get out of class?”

“Classes end at half past four. I would think… six o’clock would be good? That gives me enough time to finish up things in the classroom, and then come back here to relax a bit before having to deal with Potter. And don’t give me that look. You may be protecting him, but it’s annoying to those of us trying to help him.”

Harry’s face morphed into a sneer while Draco chastised his godfather. “Really now Severus, that was uncalled for. I think six is a good time. Dinner starts at seven in the Great Hall, so that gives us plenty of time to do the check-up and get upstairs. I presume Madam Pomfrey will be here as well?”

“You cannot eat in the Great Hall, Draco,” Snape corrected. “If someone sees either of you, it could blow the cover story we have of you in the hospital wing and Potter training. Maybe you can go out, but not with Harry.” That idea was quickly shot down by the silent boy-who-lived. “And of course Poppy will be there. I only know what I needed for the course and to stay alive these last several years. While I may be able to do your check-ups on my own, I may miss something that could be vital to you or your child’s health. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?”

Harry’s grip on Draco’s shoulders tightened minutely, but enough that Snape could see it. He smirked. “Severus,” Draco warned, “if you bait him, I will not stop him from hexing you. Or make him reverse it. I don’t understand why you can’t play nice. Sometimes his mothering is annoying and I feel as if he’s smothering me. But at least I know he’s trying to help me because he loves me and wants nothing but the best for me. Sometimes I feel like you’re only helping so you can get Harry riled up so you two can fight. I will not be a part of this, gentlemen.” And with that, he stood and walked to his and Harry’s room. A second later, his voice rang out loud and clear. “And these two beds will soon be joined to make one bed!”

Harry smirked at Snape and casually walked away to do just as Draco had suggested. Then, they christened the bed. Without silencing charms. And with lots of noise from Draco to make up for Harry’s lack of noise. Snape wanted to die.

“Because of the extent of his injuries, Draco Malfoy has been moved to his ancestral home for more personal healing and will remain there for the rest of the year,” Dumbledore announced the next afternoon at lunch. “He will have private tutors so he may continue his education, and he will sit his NEWTs at the Ministry. That is all.” Lunch fixings appeared on all the tables.

“This is ridiculous,” Hermione hissed, slapping some turkey on her wheat bread. “They said they’d keep us informed. This is not keeping us informed! He’s lying!” Ron turned his head to look at the faculty table, but nothing looked out of the ordinary to him. “His eyes, Ron, his eyes. They weren’t twinkling when he made that announcement. It means one of two things: they’ve given up, or they found him and there’s no hope. I say we go see them after lunch. I will demand answers every week if that’s what it takes.”

“Hermione! We’ve got potions after lunch! Snape’ll kill us if we skive his class!”

“Weren’t you paying attention this morning? All the potions classes were cancelled. We’re to go to the library and continue our research projects.” Hermione took a bite of her sandwich and chased it with a swig of Pumpkin Juice. “That means he’s been called or they’re having a meeting with Professor Dumbledore. I say we wait about five or ten minutes, then burst into his office again. Otherwise, we’ll never get answers.”

“Okay, but if we get in trouble…”

“Let’s go to the library and work on our projects. Lunch is over.” They left with the Patil twins, Dean, and Seamus to head to the library. Once there, Seamus and Dean stopped to ask Madam Pince where books on dragon’s blood would be so they could do some research. Padma and Parvati went straight to the back of the library to gossip. Hermione pulled Ron over to a table near the front, but enough back so as to be semi-private. “We surprised them last time, so Professor Dumbledore doesn’t know who’s there until we reach the door.”

“So we just enter like last time then?” Ron asked.

“Right. I want to know why they’ve changed Malfoy’s story for sure.” Hermione bowed her head in thought, trying to come up with an answer that didn’t make her want to burst into tears. “Surely they won’t give up the search. It’s Harry! And Mr. Malfoy would make sure they kept looking for his son. So unless Malfoy really did go home, I doubt anything’s changed for the better. But I just can’t bear to think of anything else!”

“It’ll be okay, ‘Mione,” Ron reassured. “We’ll go see Dumbledore and make sure things are okay. Come on. How about we go up now? That will put our fears at rest.” Hermione nodded and they both stood and left. Slowly, they made their way up to the Headmaster’s office, knowing he would be there. They were hoping Snape would be there as well, and maybe one or two others. They wanted answers, and they weren’t leaving without them.

“I don’t think it is a good time to allow either of you to roam the halls just yet,” Dumbledore was telling Harry and Draco in his office. Snape had allowed them to floo from his chambers to the office for this meeting. All of his classes were to work on their research projects today so he could get Harry and Draco situated in the dungeons. “We told everyone that Draco was injured and that Harry was away for training. In fact, we told everyone today that Draco was taken back to Malfoy Manor to continue his schooling there because his medical problems were so great.”

“Swell! You made me out to be a nancy boy!” Draco cried. Harry signed something next to him with a smile. “Just because I bottom for you, Potter, doesn’t make me a nancy boy. May I remind you that on several occasions, I was the one who-”

“And I believe that’s my cue to cut in,” McGonagall said with a faint blush. “Despite the fact of what we have or have not told anyone, Mr. Potter will not allow you out of his sight, Mr. Malfoy. This is unacceptable in a school environment. You both have different classes and different hobbies. Your houses are different. It would not do to allow Mr. Potter to be in the dungeons or you into Gryffindor Tower. Mr. Potter’s physical impairment makes things harder. I realize he is capable of taking care of himself, but we don’t want to scare the other children with wordless and wandless magic. And we don’t want He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named to know either.

“And you are pregnant,” she continued. “That alone changes everything. Your course load would have to be rethought and restructured; no potions, no practical transfiguration, no care of magical creatures. A jostle in the hallway that was just a bit too hard could hurt you, cause you to fall, and further on down the line, cause you to miscarry in the worst scenario. It’s just not a good idea. And we surely don’t want You-Know-Who to know about this either. He would surely kill you and your child, or maybe he would take the child as it is Mr. Potter’s. The things he could do with-” Her mouth kept moving but there was no longer any sound coming out of it. She quickly realized this and her hands went to her throat.

“Minerva, are you okay?” Dumbledore asked, showing real concern for one of his professors.

She mouthed her answer, but no sound came out. Before she could be questioned anymore, a loud sob came from the left side of the office. All eyes were suddenly on the boys there: Draco had his face buried in Harry’s chest and was clutching his robes tightly in his fists. Harry’s eyes were blazing; he had one arm wrapped around Draco and the other outstretched toward McGonagall. After a few moments, that hand lowered to wrap around Draco as well. He kissed Draco’s head, but kept his eyes glued on McGonagall.

“If I may?” Snape asked quietly. “I think Minerva’s talk scared Draco considerably. When Potter noticed how upset he was becoming, he silenced Minerva so as to remove the threat to his… boyfriend,” he sneered when he could not think of another proper word as to what Draco was to Harry. “I say we allow him to calm down before we resume our conversation. In a different direction, of course.”

“My apologies, Harry,” Dumbledore said genuinely. “We were unaware how much our conversation was hurting you and Draco. I believe we shall-”

“I want to know where Harry is!” a new voice suddenly butt in. The three teachers looked up with shock and bit of fear in their eyes at the other two-thirds of the Gryffindor Trio standing in the office. They knew they needed to speak with the both of them, but with Harry as protective as he was and Draco as emotional as he was, they knew it was not yet a possibility. Frankly, they were shocked it had taken this long for them to come forward again. “You made an announcement about Malfoy today. Was that true? Did you find him? What about Harry? What new developments are there? Has anything been done since we last had to demand answers?” Hermione asked rapidly.

“Miss Granger, I assure you, we would have told you eventually,” Snape started.

“Told us what?” Ron asked, stepping forward.

“About Misters Malfoy and Potter,” Snape continued, wondering why they were not currently trying to hug their best friend. When he cast a look at the chair they had last been sitting in, he noticed that Harry and Draco were gone. He flashed a look at Dumbledore in confusion. Before anything could be done or said, McGonagall started talking again.

“We found traces of them, a few tracks,” she reported, her eyes widening at the ability to speak again and the words that were forming. “We didn’t want to get your hopes up, as the tracks are old, but we have doubled our search efforts. We brought in others so that Hagrid would not be missed, nor any of the other teachers.”

Hermione began to cry tears of joy and she threw herself into Ron’s arms. “They might find him yet!” she cried. “He’s alive! Did you hear? He’s alive!” He just continued to hold her as she cried, his own eyes a bit watery. After a few moments, he nodded to the teachers in attendance and slowly made his way back to their common room with Hermione still clutching his robes in her hands.

After several minutes of silence and blank looks, Snape asked, “What just happened here?”

“Harry did it,” Draco said in a small voice. “He wants me to apologize to you, Professor McGonagall. He planted those words and thoughts in your head through legillimancy. It takes a lot of energy for him to do so, but he knew it was the only thing that could possibly save us from being seen.”

“But, why couldn’t we see either of you? Why did you suddenly disappear, or become silent or whatever?” she asked.

“When Weasley and Granger burst in, Harry did an invisibility spell over us,” Draco explained. “He held one hand over my mouth to quiet me before explaining what he was doing. Then he used legillimancy to plant those ideas and thoughts in your head to cover our tracks. That will keep them at bay for a while until we are ready to be seen. I agree with you about not attending classes and things; it is too soon. There’s no way Harry will let me out of his sight. And quite frankly, I don’t want to be away from him.”

Silence followed the explanation until Snape broke it. “Are you okay Draco? You’ve had your hand over your abdomen ever since we could see you again. And Potter, why are you smiling?”

Draco smiled now. “I felt the baby move.”

Chapter Text

Over the next month or so, Harry began to trust his environment more and more. He allowed Draco to wander around the rooms they were living in with Snape on his own, as long as he didn’t leave them. He allowed Snape, Pomfrey, McGonagall, and Dumbledore to give Draco foods and potions without testing them first. Occasionally he would, just to be sure, but it wasn’t every time like it had been at first. He began sleeping at night with Draco, truly sleeping. When Snape or Pomfrey would run tests on Draco, he didn’t fight them like he did at first.

Neither were allowed out of Snape’s rooms unless they were using the floo to go to Dumbledore’s office, but they were okay with that. They found plenty to amuse themselves within their room or the main room in their chambers. Even though it was possible, the professors didn’t want Harry and Draco in their own rooms. They felt it was better that they stay with a teacher, Snape preferably. And Snape wanted Draco close by. Just because he and Harry were getting along didn’t mean they liked each other.

Most days Snape would enter his rooms to see Harry and Draco cuddling on the couch together. The first few times pissed him off to no end, but he knew it was going to happen whether he liked it or not. He drew the line at snogging however. The day he walked in to see them making out on his couch, he blew up at them and sent them to their room if they were going to “partake in such carnal acts”. Harry silently made the joke that Snape was jealous because he hadn’t been laid in so long.

Their Tuesday check-ups were interesting. Draco and Harry would spend their day however they wished, waiting for Snape to come home. When he did, they went to their room to let him relax before the check-up. Then they’d all meet back in the living room for Madam Pomfrey. Once she arrived, Draco would lie down on the couch and Harry would stand behind it. It was quick after that: just a few spells, maybe a potion or two. After three or four visits, she had Snape brew a nutrient potion specifically for The Fetus. They called it The Fetus because Harry refused to know what gender their child was. It was during a visit that went by rather quickly that Pomfrey brought up a new subject.

“What are you going to name your child?” she asked no one in particular.

“Madam Pomfrey, you know we can’t answer that. Harry wants to keep its gender a secret.”

“I didn’t mean its first or second names. I meant its last name,” she clarified. “Were you going with Potter or Malfoy?”

Silence was her answer. She looked up at a shocked Draco Malfoy, eyes wide and mouth open. “We never… We didn’t think about that. I’m having a child out of wedlock! Great Morgana, I’m a shame to all purebloods everywhere!” His eyes welled up with tears as he turned to look up at Harry. “What are we going to do? Whose name are we going to give it? What will people say? Whose heir will this be? What rights will it have to your ancestry, or my ancestry? Who-?”

Harry cut him off with a long, hard kiss. After a few moments, he pulled away and began signing. Draco was still crying, but he seemed to be calming down some. Harry continued signing for a long time, trying to comfort his lover. Pomfrey packed up her belongings and left the room without either of them noticing because they were so wrapped up in one another. When Harry was done signing, he bent down and wiped the tears from Draco’s face before kissing him. He signed a few more things and Draco’s face lit up. He smiled big and started bouncing lightly in his seat. Snape looked on, confused. Then, Draco threw himself at Harry to give him a big hug.

“Would either of you care to inform me just what is going on?” Snape drawled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Draco laughed softly and turned to face his godfather. Harry came around to sit beside Draco on the couch. “It was really just my emotions getting the best of me, really,” Draco said, holding Harry’s hand with both of his hands in his lap. “I was upset when Madam Pomfrey mentioned the name for our child. We both need an heir; we’re both the last of our lines. We are both powerful wizards. I’d say we needed at least two children, but we didn’t even know having one was possible. But that’s off topic. I was upset because when a witch has a child out of wedlock, she’s shunned. I don’t want that to happen to me. I want the Malfoy name to be a wonderful name. And I don’t want to besmirch the Potter name.

“So that upset me. Then I was worried about ancestral things. If we named It ‘Malfoy’, would It have access to the Potter vaults, Potter heirlooms, Potter wills? Or if we named It ‘Potter‘, would It have all those things from the Malfoys? There was just a lot of things that hit me all at once when she mentioned whose name It would take. Harry calmed me though. He first distracted me with his kiss, then he reassured me that no matter what we named It, It would have the best of both our namesakes. Then he said we could always get married and hyphen our name. That would solve everything. And he was describing our wedding. And then he was describing our-” Here, Draco stopped short. “Well, I’m sure you can understand where it went from there.”

“Indeed.” Snape raised an eyebrow and just looked at the two on the couch. “Are you serious about having a wedding? It would have to be a silent affair; no one can know about it. Albus can officiate. I will stand in for you. Minerva can stand in for Harry. Poppy can witness. No one else can know about it. The joining of Potter and Malfoy should be a wondrous occasion, but with the Dark Lord looming over us and the feud between the two of you legendary, I don’t think it would be a good idea. Maybe some years down the road, or once the Dark Lord is gone.”

“What about flowers and colours and napkins and things?” Draco asked with wide eyes.

“Did you not hear me, idiot boy? No one can know about this. Only the six I mentioned, of which you are one of.” Snape sighed and brought one hand up to cover his eyes. “Do you know what your father said to me when we left a Death Eater meeting after you’d been gone for a month? He begged me to keep you from becoming what you were to become, what he is. Do you understand just what it is that Lucius is to the Dark Lord?”

“He’s his second, his most trusted. Anywhere he is, my father is also there.”

“How did he get to that position?”

“By being trusted implicitly.”

“How did he get to be trusted implicitly?”

“He…” Draco stopped to think for a moment. “By doing what he was told? By coming back from missions successfully?”

“By doing as he was told, yes. Do you know what he is told to do? He was told to do it then, and he’s told to do it now.”

“N-no,” Draco answered, starting to become scared now. What was it that his father did that had his godfather edging around it so much? Why was Harry tensing up beside him? What was it?! “What is it?!” he questioned aloud.

“Your father is the Dark Lord’s… lover, for lack of a better term. When the Dark Lord orders him to, he drops trou and bends over. He’s been doing it for years now, long before you were bourne. The Dark Lord told him that he wanted you to take your father’s place, that your father was to start conditioning you to be the perfect whore. He came to me after we’d been dismissed and begged me to keep you away, that he knew I was a spy and this was me repaying my lifedebt for him not telling about my spying. I told him you were lost in the Forbidden Forest, but that I would keep you away. And now that I know you are able to carry, there’s no way I will allow you to go back there and become his… brood mare. Not even as a spy like me.”

Draco was sobbing quietly into Harry’s shoulder now, sobbing for his regal father’s lost pride. The man that bowed to no one, that everyone feared, was nothing but a whore to the Dark Lord Voldemort. His whole life had been a lie. Everything he knew and loved and had been taught… it was all a lie! His father was supposed to teach him to be that as well, to be the Dark Lord’s plaything! No! His father had asked Snape to keep him away from all of that. His father really did care. But then, why did he stay behind if he knew that it wasn’t a good thing? He didn’t understand!

“Draco, Draco calm down,” Snape soothed. He pulled his godson up into his arms for a hug, but kept his eyes on Harry in case the Gryffindor took offence to him hugging the blonde. Besides a frown and a tightening of his fists, Harry made no complaint. “It’s okay, he wouldn’t do that. He wanted me to get you out. Now you are, you don’t have to worry about any of that, not now not ever. We will protect you. Me and Dumbledore and the other professors and… and Harry.”

“I-I know,” Draco stuttered, wiping his eyes clear of tears. “I just don’t understand how he could do that. He always taught me to be proud of who I am, that a Malfoy never bowed down to anyone. And then, then I learn this! It’s just not right, not right at all. I was so happy…”

Harry slowly stood and moved behind Draco so he was cocooned in warmth and love. One of Draco’s hands moved back to grab a fistful of Harry’s cloak to bring him closer, but wouldn’t let Snape step back either. The blonde held the other two close, despite how much they hated each other. After a few more moments like that, Draco backed away. He laughed softly. “Sorry. I guess I’ve finally hit the mood swing stage. Three months next week you know.”

“I thought you didn’t know when It was conceived,” Snape said.

“Oh, we have a pretty good idea when that event took place.” Harry and Draco smiled at each other, Harry giving Draco a warm hug for added comfort. “Anyways. I’m sorry about the emotional bit. I know it comes with the territory of being preggers, I just didn’t expect it to be so… so… fluid. I just went from happy to bawling sad in no time at all!”

Harry ticked his sides a bit, causing Draco to start flailing and giggling loudly.

“Stop!” he cried out, trying to breathe and talk and laugh at the same time. “Harry stop, stop stop stop!”

“Potter stop!” Snape cried out, grabbing Draco by the arms and pulling him toward him to look at him closely. Harry and Draco both froze, and look of shock and confusion on Draco’s face and one of loathing on Harry’s. “Your nose is bleeding, Draco. You can’t play so rough. You could get hurt. Or the baby. Here, use this until I can get a Blood Clotting Potion.” He handed Draco his handkerchief and made for his personal rooms. As soon as Snape let him go, Harry pulled him back to him, signing Let me check you over.

“I’m okay, Hawwy,” Draco said with the kerchief shoved up his nose. “Nothing hit my nose so I don’t see why it’s bleeding. I’m sure you didn’t hurt me in any way. Severus is just being overly cautious is all. Look, here’s the potion now.” He took it from Snape willingly and then drank it down quickly. After a moment, he couldn’t feel the blood anymore. “See now? I’m all better.” He cleaned the kerchief with Harry’s wand and handed it back to Snape. “And you know I’m fine, so stop glaring at Harry.”

“Just be careful with my godson, Potter,” he hissed before stalking into his bedroom.

Harry just flipped him the bird before cuddling with Draco on the couch for the rest of the night. Snape left when it was time for dinner, making sure the house elves brought food for Harry and Draco first. Then he had two detentions to oversee, which didn’t allow him back to his rooms until late. Which was perfectly fine by Harry and Draco. They had found other things to occupy themselves with for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Harry woke alone. He was fully awake in an instant, sending his magic out to find Draco. When he realized he wasn’t in the room at all, he ran out into the hallway and pushed his magic throughout the whole of the rooms to find his lost mate. Moments later, Snape came storming from his room in a dressing gown cursing to high heaven.

“Potter! What is the meaning of this?! Why did you feel the need to shock me out of a sound sleep?! Potter, are you even listening to me?! Potter!”

“What are you yelling about, Severus?” Draco asked, walking out of the loo.

Harry immediately rounded on him and took him into his arms. After crushing him for several minutes, he held him at arm’s length and did a magical scan. When he seemed satisfied, he crushed Draco to him again.

“What’s wrong Harry? What happened?” Draco asked, petting Harry’s head. After several gestures, he explained it to Severus. “He woke without me there and panicked. When he couldn’t find me in the room, he came out here and pushed his magic all over to look for me. That’s what woke you up Severus. Sorry. But, your storming out here made him break concentration so he couldn’t realize I was only in the loo. I’ve gotten up to go every night this week. I’m okay, see? I’m perfectly fine.”

“Go back to bed,” Snape murmured. “I have to be up in three hours.”

“Night, Severus.” As Harry led him back to their room, he kept his hands on him at all times. “I’m sorry I scared you, love,” Draco apologized. “It wasn’t my intention. I just needed to use the loo. I’ll leave a magical trail next time, like I did in the Forest. How’s that?” His response was a nod, but Harry still wouldn’t let him go. Draco sighed. “Come here, Harry.” They crawled into bed together and Draco held him close, allowing Harry to see for himself with his hands and lips that Draco was perfectly alright. Once he reached that spot below Draco’s ear, it was all over.

When Snape walked into his chambers a few days later during a free period, he found Harry pacing back and forth in front of Draco with his hands flying this way and that. He just watched for a few minutes, watched as Draco nodded here and there or added his input. They were having a conversation, one which Draco obviously understood perfectly well. At some points, he didn’t look very happy, but mostly he just looked tired. Harry suddenly got on his knees before Draco on the couch and said something to him. Then he took the tips of his fingers and brushed them across his right cheek before brushing them over Draco’s left cheek.

“I love you too, Harry, but I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I don’t know them that well.”

Harry started gesturing wildly. Sometimes Draco would agree, and sometimes he’d start to disagree before being cut off.

It all started to grate on Snape’s nerves that he had no idea what they were talking about, so he brought attention to himself. Harry must have been taken aback, because he was on his feet in an instant with his arm outstretched and his hand wide open toward Snape. Draco was immediately behind him, tugging on Harry’s arm to calm him down. “My apologies,” the professor said, not sounding sorry at all. “May I inquire as to what that conversation was all about?”

“Harry wants to tell Weasley and Granger about us. That we’re okay, that we’re together, that we’re having a baby, that he’s blind and mute. I don’t know if I can do that. Tell them about him, fine. But me? I’m not friends with them, I don’t know them. I don’t really want to know them to tell the truth. And what if they hate Harry because he and I are together and having a baby and don’t want anything to do with him anymore? I couldn’t handle being the cause of that.”

“Actually, I agree with Potter,” Snape said, shocking both of them. “Granger and Weasley have been hounding us for information for the last couple of months. When they burst into Albus’ office when the two of you were there, I thought for sure our cover was blown. Maybe we can allow the two of you to talk to them. Tomorrow. And on one condition.”

Harry moved both hands in front of him as if to ask, ‘What?’.

“I want to know how you became blind and how you see now. We know you became mute after the nundu attack, but nothing about your eyes.”

Harry just looked at Draco. “Harry lost his glasses right around Christmas. He took them off when he went to sleep, put them close by like always. But then it snowed. It snowed heavily. Because it was such a heavy snow, I woke him and we moved. Neither of us noticed he didn’t have his glasses until we’d found a new spot to rest at. We tried to find the spot the next day, but couldn’t. His magic was slowly starting to fix his eyes so he wouldn’t have to rely on me for everything.

“When the nundu attacked, she did something to his magic, altered it. It stopped fixing his eyes and started deteriorating them. He could no longer see in the typical sense of the word. Instead, his magic started feeling things out around him. He could see almost normally after about two weeks. I figure it works kind of sonar, like for bats or dolphins. He can send out pulses or just steady streams of magic to look for something. Normally it’s just the steady streams. What woke you the other morning was a pulse signalled for me and me alone. Understand?”

“Yes, I believe I do. I shall ask Albus and Minerva what they think about telling Granger and Weasley. I have classes to prepare for. Do try and keep my rooms from becoming grounds for your arguments.” He turned and walked out of the room with a flare only he could handle.

“Are you satisfied?” Draco bit out dryly. He stomped back to their room, Harry following and gesturing wildly. “I don’t know what you’re saying Harry. I can’t see you. And no, I won’t turn around. I’m mad. And I want to stay mad damn it! I want some say in this. I don’t know them. They’re not my friends. They’re your friends. Let them know that you’re okay, that you’re blind and mute. Use a Quick Quotes Quill, or legillimancy, or something to communicate with them. You don’t need me to be there to translate for you all the time. You can manage on your own for an hour. And I’ll be here in these rooms. I won’t be going anywhere. Like always.”

Harry spun him around and looked him square in the eye, signing I’m not going anywhere without you. I won’t tell them if you don’t want me to. I want them to know, they’re my family. But I won’t tell them about me without telling them about you. You’re the reason I survived; we worked together. There is no me without you. If you don’t want me to tell them, I won’t. Simple as that.

Draco had tears in his eyes as Harry brushed his fingers over his own cheek before brushing them over Draco’s. “Let me think on it a little more? I’ll answer before we go to sleep tonight. That way there’s still time to tell Severus and Dumbledore whether or not to send for Weasley and Granger. ‘Kay? Are we agreed on that?” Harry nodded. They hugged, then kissed, and then Harry ran a hand down Draco’s back to cup his arse. “And that will get you only one place, Mr. Potter.”

Harry threw his free hand behind him to close, lock, silence, and ward the door; as if to say ‘Who cares?’ or ‘That’s exactly where I want to get to.’. They took their time disrobing, using hands and mouths to map each other’s bodies once more, relearning every inch of their lover. Then Harry carefully picked Draco up and lowered him on their bed before lying beside him, careful to never put his full weight on his lover or child. Lots of touching, and lube, later and Harry was sliding home in one long stroke. He paused, giving Draco time and opportunity to move and get comfortable. After so many times together, it didn’t take long however.

Then Harry was thrusting his way in and out of Draco, building their pleasure all the way to the top of that pinnacle before pushing them both over. First Draco, who cried out loudly to make up for the fact that Harry could not. He had become more vocal in the last month or so, just to allow Harry to live vicariously through him. And then, right at the tail end of Draco’s climax, Harry began his own. He threw his head back as if to cry out, but no sound was emitted. Draco held him through the aftershocks, held him close as they rolled to their sides and cuddled. It had taken Draco a while to get used to the concept of cuddling, but Harry had demanded it, insisted it was for more than warmth out there.

Waiting until they were calm and cooled once more, Harry motioned for Draco to talk about them, about what was going on between them at that time. Knowing he wasn’t asking about Granger and Weasley, Draco thought for a moment about what else they’d talked about that day: their wedding. “Marriage? You want to talk about our wedding?” Harry nodded in answer. “Okay. Well, Severus said it had to be silent-” Harry cut him off and mentioned the second wedding. “Second? I don’t understand.” Motioning, trying to get Draco to understand. “You… you want to have a second wedding? So that I can have all the things I want? Oh Harry!” He threw his arms around his beloved and cried happily into his neck, despite his two-and-a-half-month belly.

“Well, it would be a huge affair you realize. Potter and Malfoy? Since your blood family can’t be there, or you don’t want those few others there, the Weasleys would all be in attendance. They could bring their spouses or dates. Depending on the status of my family, they would be there. My father would stand with Arthur Weasley, much as he would hate it. I can’t help but think that if he would ask Severus to keep me from the Dark Lord then he wouldn’t mind standing near the Weasley patriarch long enough to see his son wed.

“My mum and Molly Weasley would have to get together to plan everything out. Between our money, nothing would be second best. We’d have engraved invitations, tablecloths, cloth napkins with holders, all the proper cutlery, at least five courses for the main meal, an eight-tiered cake, flowers at every table. You and I would be sitting at the head table with our parents, the Weasleys for you, sitting beside us. I guess Dumbledore could officiate again, allowing us to renew our vows instead of actually getting married.

“There would be a live orchestra for the music, an outdoor pavilion perhaps. It all depends on the time and weather. And the child of course. I don’t want to be pregnant when we have our second wedding. We will be married before It comes of course, but for the second wedding I don’t want to be the size of a Quidditch Pitch in my robes.” He paused for a moment. “What do you want Harry? Don’t you have any ideas or wants in this wedding business?”

Harry signed slowly, wanting to make sure his thoughts got to his lover loud and clear. I want you, Draco. I want you and the baby. I want you to be happy. I want whatever you want.

“Keep giving answers like that, Mr. Potter, and you will stay one very happy man for the rest of your life.” He kissed his lover soundly on the lips. Then he curled into Harry’s arms, his back to the Gryffindor’s chest, for a cuddle. Really, he’d gotten used to the idea of cuddling. And, to be even more honest, he liked it. With Harry and only Harry, of course. Two fingertips moved across this cheek and caused him to smile. “I love you too, Harry. With all my heart.”

They stayed that way for a while, just holding one another and basking in the love they felt for each other. They heard Snape return from his classes sometime later, but they didn’t leave their room. Harry eventually got Draco to start talking about the wedding again, and which people he would invite. He could just feel his lover’s excitement over the upcoming nuptials. They did talk about their first wedding, about colours and robes and vows. Draco was of the opinion that they needed to do it as soon as possible so Draco wouldn’t look too big with the pregnancy.

“It’s not that they don’t already know,” Draco explained. “It’s that I don’t want our wedding photos to have me as big as a Quidditch Pitch! I mean, I’m already getting there as it is. It’s not hard to see that I’m two-and-a-half months along. Another few weeks, and I’m going to stop wearing my pants because they won’t fit anymore!”

I am completely okay with this idea, Harry signed.

“You fiend!” Draco cried, playfully slapping Harry’s shoulder. “You know Severus is going to have an aneurism.”

I don’t think Snape needs to know anything about your lack of clothing, Love. Just wear your robes.

“I will! But you’re not understanding. It’s the principle of the thing. I want the wedding this week so I can have semi-decent wedding photos, Harry. Can we do that? Can we have the wedding this week?”

Anything, Love, anything for you.

“We’ll need to let everyone know. We have to find a time where Severus, McGonagall, Pomfrey, and Dumbledore can all be together. And sometime when we can leave these rooms. I don’t want my wedding in these rooms, Harry. I want to be in the Great Hall or something. Then I can imagine it’s at least filled with people and that I’m having a grand party. I can at least have decorations on one table for all of us, and pick out robes for us. And vows, we could write our own vows.”

Sounds perfect, Love. Kindly tell Snape to quit lurking outside my bedroom.

“Severus!” Draco cried, sitting up suddenly. “How long have you been there? Harry, how long has he been there?”

Only a moment, Draco. Calm down.

“I just got here. I heard you talking and decided to wait to knock,” Snape answered, opening the door. “May I enquire as to the topic of conversation?”

“I want the wedding to be within the week. Is that possible?” Draco asked. “I want it to be soon, so I don’t get any bigger.”

“That is going to happen regardless, Mr. Malfoy,” Snape said with a smirk. “However, I will see when the other professors are free. Any certain day?”

“No, but I want it in the Great Hall. Please?!” he begged when he saw Snape was about to refuse. “We can do it later at night when all the other students are supposed to be in bed, and the doors can be warded and locked and silenced. And it won’t take long at all. But I want to decorate a table, and have a small feast. And we’re so tired of being locked up in these rooms. It’s just not fair! We’re better now medically, and I understand why we have to stay here, but it’s my wedding. Please, Sev, please? As soon as we’re done eating, we’ll come back. We’ll use Harry’s cloak even!”

“Calm yourself Draco. I believe, against my better judgement, this could be done. I will speak with Headmaster Dumbledore on the manner. I would suggest writing everything down.” He turned to leave the room, but paused in the doorway. “And Mr. Potter? Would you please try and curb Draco’s enthusiasm in this endeavour? It is impossible to put together the grand affair he wishes to have at this time.” In the blink of an eye, he was gone again.

“Oh Harry! We’re going to be getting married! I need paper and a pen please. I find it so much easier to use than a quill and parchment.” Harry conjured the things for him, then he was lost in his own world of planning and muttering.

“Albus, Draco has asked that I enquire as to the possibility of a quiet wedding in the near future between Draco and Potter. Preferably, within the week as Draco does not want, and I quote, ‘to be the size of a Quidditch Pitch’. Is this possible? I left him and Potter coming up with details in their room. He understands it would have to be very quiet, with only six people total: you would officiate, Poppy would witness, I would stand with Draco, and Minerva could stand with Potter. Or whomever you think would suffice.”

“I think it’s a marvellous idea! I suppose this is because of the upcoming child?” The twinkle was at full sparkle in the old man’s eyes.

“Of course. It is ill-becoming a pureblood to do otherwise,” Snape sneered. “Draco also wishes a few decorations… in the Great Hall. Will the proper warding be manageable? It will have to be after the other students have gone on to bed, of course, but Draco says he is tired of being confined in my chambers. I told Potter to curb Draco’s enthusiasm before I left. He might have succeeded…”

“I think it would be a marvellous idea. I will talk to Minerva and Poppy about it, and floo in tonight after dinner. Is that acceptable, Severus?”

“Of course.” He turned, and stalked out of the Headmaster’s office back to the dungeons. When he arrived, he immediately knocked on the slightly open bedroom door that would lead him to his godson. “The headmaster has agreed to the outline of things, with details to come. He will ask Poppy to witness and Minerva to stand with Potter this afternoon, and will floo in after dinner with their answers. Have your details ready to hand to him by then.”

“Thank you Severus!” Draco exclaimed, flying off the bed into his godfather’s arms. “Thank you so much!”

Snape grumbled then left for his office. He could grade the Hufflepuff/Gryffindor third year essays before dinner if he started right now…

“So, I know there’s only going to be six of us, but I want to get everything right. We’ll put Dumbledore at the head of the table since he’s going to be the officiator. We’ll sit on his left and right, you at his right naturally. Severus will sit next to me, and McGonagall next to you. Then we’ll have Pomfrey at the other end, across from Dumbledore. Do you think we should serve five or eight courses, Harry? I mean, the eight is traditional but this isn’t a traditional wedding really. I think five would be more than enough. Soup or salad, appetizer, main meal, dessert, and afters. Sound good?

“And we’ll have a white table cloth with white napkins. The napkin holders will be gold for you, the silverware silver for me. Each goblet will be rimmed in green or red, depending on the house. It will be perfect! Three Gryffindors and three Slytherins. The plates will be fine china with a combination of our house crests on it. No, not the Hogwarts houses. I mean Potter and Malfoy of course. We can even have little name cards to show where everyone is to sit. Should I do whole names or just surnames? I think surnames would work perfectly. I don’t want the professors to think I’m taking liberties with their names.

“Should we have chicken, duck, or fish as the main course? That will decide everything else, of course. If we have fish, we can have red wine served, but not if we have chicken. On second thought, scratch the chicken. Duck or fish? I wonder if anyone has any allergies? That would be a fiasco. Hmmm, although duck would probably be best, I want some fish. Okay, so fish. What soup goes with fish? Let’s go with… A vegetable medley maybe? Yes, that sounds good. It would also show Pomfrey I’m eating healthy as well, and gaining more weight. Merlin knows I don’t need to gain anymore weight!

“So, a simple salad. Vegetable medley soup. Maybe a shrimp kabob or a vegetable appetizer. Fish and potatoes for the main course. Dessert of… Oh! Chocolate mousse! I want some mousse, Harry. And chocolate silk pie. Oh, that will be divine! And afters of port and firewhiskey. What do you think? Not too much? I think it’s perfect.

“As for our robes, I think simple would be best. Our eye colour! Perfect! You look best in green anyways, you Slytherin in disguise. And I’ll wear silver, but not that shimmery, shiny stuff. No, that won’t due at all. Silver hemmed in black. You as well, hemmed in black. I think barefooted. Would you mind being barefooted, Harry? It’s an old tradition, one that’s rarely used anymore. But I’d like to use it. And we’ll join names at the alter, Malfoy and Potter, to become Potter-Malfoy. We agreed on that, right? You don’t want it to be Malfoy-Potter? Harry? Harry, are you listening?”

Draco turned to see what Harry’s answer would be, but found his lover dead asleep on the bed he’d been pacing in front of. The pen and paper floating next to him paused in its writing of his thoughts. “Sleep well, Love. You need it.”

Chapter Text

Everything had been set up as Draco had dictated. As Draco was one for tradition, he demanded that Harry not see him the night before or the day of their wedding until they met at the alter. Harry was not okay with these demands however. It caused a large argument, half silent though it was, and ended with Harry being stunned and then potioned to sleep. He would not let Draco out of his sight, much less for an entire night and day. No, the protective Gryffindor was having none of that. So Snape drugged him. Another room had been added onto their quarters for the time, so that Harry could stay in his coma and Draco could work with Dumbledore and Pomfrey on wedding plans.

During the day, Draco and Dumbledore worked on creating name settings, bouquets, and other little decorations. Draco had chose all of the floral arrangements himself, made of five different plants. A fern leaf would be at the back of the bouquet to represent magic, an ivy limb down the side to represent marriage, three red poppies to represent pleasure, three red tulips to represent a declaration of love, and a sprig of white heather to represent protection. There were two bouquets on the table, and a smaller bouquet on the back of each chair. Or there would be, once night fell and they could start decorating the small portion of the Great Hall they’d be using.

McGonagall had gone to Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions and had the wedding robes commissioned. Since they weren’t actual wedding robes, she didn’t raise too much suspicion in her dealings. Draco looked them over when she returned and praised her for her success in obtaining exactly what he wanted. Tradition stated that the bride would wear her hair down a loose on her wedding day. Well, neither Harry nor Draco were female, but they did have long hair. They had been in the Forbidden Forest for five months without a haircut. Since then, it had been trimmed but not cut. Draco thought they would wear their hair loosely pulled back for the ceremony, and had hair clips commissioned to match their robes. McGonagall got those as well, and they were perfect.

When dinner approached, Draco sat down in his room, alone for the first time that day, and began to write his vows. He didn’t know what he wanted to say, but he knew he had to say something. It wasn’t common for a couple to use their own vows with the ceremonial blessing they were using, but Draco wanted it. So he got it. He first made a list of all the things he wanted to say to Harry, then how to say them. Finally, he filled in the blanks so the whole thing would flow nicely. At last, he looked down at his vows.

They were two whole parchment sheets long.

“Crap,” he muttered. Thus began the task of cutting it down to a simple, short paragraph. Once it was down to five lines, Draco was satisfied. He’d told Harry of his desire to have their own vows at the wedding, and hoped his fiancé had thought of something before they put him to sleep. The wedding was to be in… three hours now. Everything had been taken care of. Even as he sat there, house elves were cooking their feast for six. He had left the wedding cake decision up to Severus. The clothing and hair accessories had been taken care of by McGonagall. Madam Pomfrey had had their rings taken care of. Everything except bathing and dressing, and waking Harry up, had been taken care of.

Draco was only allowed to do two of those three things. He called for the house elf Severus had insisted he use since Harry was not there to watch and protect him. At three months pregnant, Draco’s balance was slightly off. As such, Severus had demanded that Draco not bathe alone. The house elf popped up next to him and guided him to the bathroom where he was to bathe before the wedding. Wanting some time to relax and think about last minute things, Draco sank into the slightly hot water with calming oils and salts, and let his weight be taken from him. He loved being in water.

“Okay,” he murmured out loud. “I need something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. I can get the old from Madam Pomfrey she said. Something new can be the robes. Something borrowed and something blue. I need something borrowed. Something borrowed.” He lay his head back on a soft cushion and thought about it. After several minutes, it finally came to him. “I’ll ask Severus for his boots. They are so comfortable!” With that he set to washing himself with the fluffy loofa sitting near him on a small ledge.

“And, last but not least, something blue. Hmmm…” He washed his hair, then thoroughly rinsed it. “Mimsy?”

The elf jumped off of her stool in the corner and rushed toward the pool/bath Draco was in. “Yes, Master Draco, sir?”

“I wish to get out now.”

“Of course, Master Draco, sir! Just bes waiting one moment. I’s be moving yous.” The little elf raised her hands and muttered under her breath. Using her elf magic, she levitated Draco from the bath, magicked him dry, and wrapped a warm towel around him. Running over to another chair, she grabbed the robe there and helped Draco into it. “Yous be getting ready for yous’s wedding to Master Harry, Master Draco, sir?”

“Yes, Mimsy. I am getting ready for my wedding. Follow me.” Now was the only time he’d really hated having to have the house elf with him at all times. It wasn’t as though he’d never gotten dressed in front of someone before, it was that he’d only been around Harry for the last five months. Being around someone new, even a house elf, was slightly distressing for Draco. As he was brushing his hair out and securing it in the clasp, he gasped. “That’s it! I know what to do for something blue! It will be perfect!”

He continued getting dressed with a large grin on his face.

“I assume plans are in motion?” Dumbledore said candidly at dinner that night to McGonagall.

“Of course Headmaster. Would anything less be tolerated?” They both snickered at their private joke.

“Splendid! Tonight will be a night none of us will soon forget.”

“Only if we’re not all killed first,” Snape growled under his breath. “He’s likely to kill us all if he wakes and…” he cleared his throat, “is not there beside him. I have a feeling I will be left the task of explaining?”

“How nice of you to volunteer Severus!” Dumbledore beamed. “If you could see that he is taken care of and placed in Minerva’s capable hands, you can then return to your other duties as previously discussed.” And that was the end of that discussion.

Snape saw that Draco was well on his way to being ready for the ceremony, and went to get the boots Draco had asked about. He had to agree, they were quite comfortable. He only agreed to the blonde wearing them as part of the tradition of something borrowed. And seeing as how his godson lived down the hall from him, he knew where the boots would be in the morning. He secured the boots in the spare room before locking and warding the door with the strongest spells he could magically accomplish. Sure that Harry could not get through them, he went to wake the boy up.

First, he cast a magical protection sphere about himself. There was no way he would walk into a lion’s den without a weapon and a shield. Wand brandished, he poured the counter potion down the Gryffindor’s throat, then spoke the anti-stupefy hex. Harry was immediately alert, sending him magic out for Draco. When it came in contact with Snape instead, he raised his hand in front of him and cast an offensive hex.

“Would you listen for five minutes before you try to kill me?!” Snape cried, watching as his shield almost gave way. “I was sent to prepare you for your wedding. Draco is safe, in another room. It was his wish that you not see each other. No, I do not understand the language you two use to talk to each other so I have no idea what you’re saying. If it’s a sarcastic remark about you not being able to see at all, then my answer is I don’t care. Draco is dressed and almost ready to be escorted to the Great Hall. I cannot say the same of you however. Your robes are here. Draco asked that your hair be pulled back with this.” He carefully thrust the pin into Harry’s hand.

“McGonagall had the robes and pins made to Draco’s specifications. Madam Pomfrey has the rings. Dumbledore took care of the food. I took care of the cake. All that’s left is for you to show up, say your vows, and agree to the wedding. I hope that you did think of some vows?”

Harry nodded, still glaring at Snape.

“Do you need my assistance in getting dressed?”

The glare intensified.

“Fine. I am not leaving the room however. I am only turning my back. Clap your hands or something when you are done, if you please.” Then he did just that, leaving Harry to get dressed on his own. Not ten minutes later came the clap that signaled that Harry was done. “Mr. Potter, Draco wished that everything be per–” Regardless of his doubts that the young Gryffindor was perfectly dressed and groomed in ten minutes, there wasn’t a hair out of place on the younger man’s head. His stubble had been shaved, his hair combed, his robes on and wrinkle free. “Amazing. Now, I have warded Draco’s door so that it is impossible for you to enter or even touch the door. However, I have allowed sound to pass through so that Draco himself may assure you of his well being. Come along.”

Harry eagerly followed, almost stepping on the Potions Master’s heels.

“Draco, it’s Severus. I have Harry here with me. I won’t let him in, but he does so wish to hear your voice,” he sneered. “I do not wish to be hexed again so please assure him of something.”

“Harry? Are you okay? Severus, can you tell me what signs he’s making?”

There was an audible sigh, but Snape relented. “He’s nodding.”

“I’m sorry Harry, I’m sorry we did that to you. But I wanted everything to be perfect, and I knew you wouldn’t let me out of your sight. It’s just another few moments. You’ll go with McGonagall soon, and I’ll follow shortly with Severus. Then we’ll be married and nothing will be able to separate us. How does that sound? And we’ll have our baby soon!”

“He’s… making a slashing motion across his neck and drawing circles on his left forearm. Now it looks like he’s raking his fingers across his face. He’s holding his right hand over his heart. He’s taking his first two fingers on his right hand and moving them over his right cheek. That’s it. What’s it mean?”

Draco half sobbed, half laughed. “Oh Harry! He was telling me off for what I did, making him sleep like that. He said not to do it again, that he was going to tell my father. Then he said he understood why I did it. Then he said he loves me. I love you too, Harry. Just a few more moments, okay? Go on with Severus to McGonagall and I’ll meet you in the Great Hall. Go on now, before I start crying and never stop.”

“Come along Potter.” They walked to the doors leading to the hallway outside where McGonagall was waiting. “Minerva,” he greeted. “Potter is all yours.” He closed the door behind the Gryffindors.

“Well, I must say Mr. Potter that you clean up very well. With the exception of your black hair, I’d have to say you look exactly like your mother on her wedding day. Well, your hair and your robes. Hers was a white gown of course.”

Harry nodded as if to agree.

“Well, come along. Draco says that you have a way of seeing things around you. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how Draco has designed a small portion of the Great Hall for this occasion. He put a lot of thought into this, and wanted everything to be perfect for you.” She looked sideways and saw the slightly shocked expression on her student’s face. “Yes, Mr. Potter… Harry. He did all of this for you. I know he is a pureblood and that it is against his upbringing to have a child before he is married, but he wants you to be happy as well. He thought about you when deciding many things.

“Like this for example,” she said, leading him into the Great Hall and right up the one of the larger bouquets on the table they were to dine at. “This is a bouquet of ivy, fern, tulip, poppy, and heather. Each symbolize something unique. He chose the fern, ivy, and poppy for both of you; the tulip for himself as a declaration of love to you; and the heather for you, as a symbol of the protection you’ve given him these last five months. There are Gryffindor and Slytherin colours here, red and green. He has brought people you are familiar and comfortable with to counterbalance Professor Snape. He and I are uncomfortable with one another, but have worked together for you. He is a remarkable young man, I must admit.”

Harry stared at the bouquet for a few moments longer before turning to his Head of House, placing his right fingertips over his lips, and then pulling them away. It was his sign for ‘thank-you’. McGonagall seemed to understand all on her own. They embraced for a moment, before pulling away. She started to explain other things to Harry while they waited for Draco and Snape to arrive. As soon as the doors opened, Harry turned to look at the entering pair. Draco was stunning, even with Snape at his arm. As quickly as his unbalanced body would allow him, Draco made his way to the front to stand with Harry. Snape stayed at his side.

Dumbledore began to speak. “We have come together here in celebration of the joining together of Draco and Harry. There are many things to say about marriage. Much wisdom concerning the joining together of two souls, has come our way through all paths of belief, and from many cultures. With each union, more knowledge is gained and more wisdom gathered. Though we are unable to give all this knowledge to these two, who stand before us, we can hope to leave with them the knowledge of love and its strengths and the anticipation of the wisdom that comes with time. The law of life is love unto all beings. Without love, life is nothing; without love, death has no redemption. Love is anterior to Life, posterior to Death, initial of Creation and the exponent of Earth. If we learn no more in life, let it be this.

“Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. As with any aspect of life, it has its cycles, its ups and its downs, its trials and its triumphs. With full understanding of this, Draco and Harry have come here today to be joined as one in marriage. Others would ask, at this time, who gives Draco in marriage, but, as a human being is not property to be bought and sold, given and taken, I ask simply if he comes of his own will and if he has his family's blessing.

“Draco, is it true that you come of your own free will and accord?”

“Yes, it is true,” Draco answered with a firm voice.

“With whom do you come and whose blessings accompany you?”

Here, Snape spoke up. “He comes with me, his godfather, and is accompanied by all of my blessings.”

“Please join hands with your betrothed and listen to that which I am about to say. Above you are the stars, below you are the stones, as time doth pass, remember... Like a stone should your love be firm; like a star should your love be constant. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but not too close. Possess one another, yet be understanding. Have patience with one another, for storms will come, but they will pass quickly.

“Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for Merlin is with you always. Harry, I have not the right to bind thee to Draco, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in his hand.”

A piece of parchment materialised with writing beginning to form on it. It is my wish it said simply. Pomfrey pressed a ring into Harry’s hand that he, in turn, pressed into Draco’s.

“Draco, if it be your wish for Harry to be bound to you, place the ring on his finger.” He paused while Draco slipped the ring onto Harry’s left ring finger. “Draco I have not the right to bind thee to Harry only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring on his hand.”

“It is my wish.” He received a ring from Pomfrey and pressed it into Harry’s hand.

“Harry, if it be your wish for Draco to be bound to you, place the ring on his finger.” He gently took Draco’s hand and placed it on Draco's left ring finger. “Harry, repeat after me.

“I, Harry James Potter, in the name of the spirit of Merlin that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, Draco Lucius Malfoy, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my chosen one. To desire thee and be desired by thee, to possess thee, and be possessed by thee, without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself.”

That same parchment showed new writing on it, the same words Dumbledore had just spoken.

Dumbledore turned to Draco. “Repeat after me. I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, in the name of the spirit of Merlin that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood, and the love that resides within my heart, take thee, Harry James Potter, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit to be my chosen one. To desire and be desired by thee, to possess thee, and be possessed by thee, without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for thee. I promise to love thee wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, thy people, and thy ways as I respect myself.”

Draco repeated the words, his eyes never leaving Harry’s.

Madam Pomfrey handed Dumbledore an ornate chalice filled with water. Although it was custom for it to be filled with wine, they used water in difference to Draco’s pregnant state. He turned to Harry. “May you drink your fill from the cup of love.” Harry holds chalice for Draco while he sips, then Draco takes chalice and holds it for Harry while he sips. The chalice is then handed back to Dumbledore who sets it on the table. Next Dumbledore takes the plate of bread, giving it to Harry. The same procedure is repeated with the bread, Harry feeding Draco and Draco feeding Harry. Once the bread was set aside, Dumbledore turned to them both. “Severus told me you wished to say your own vows?”

“Yes,” Draco answered, still not taking his eyes off of Harry. “I just wanted to tell you what you mean to me, what everything you’ve ever done for me means to me. We were not friends, Harry, but we became so much more. Through some of the worst trials life could throw at us, we overcame our mutual hatred and found the purest emotion for one another: love. And now we’re to be joined for all eternity, and have a child together. I love you Harry, and I just wanted to tell you that.”

Draco had tears in his eyes, as did Harry. His vows were even simpler than his blonde mate. He raised his right hand with two fingers extended and placed them on his cheekbone. Then he dragged them to his jaw line before moving the hand to Draco’s left cheekbone and doing the same thing there; their sign for “I love you”. A lone tear fell down Draco’s cheek.

“By the power vested in me by Merlin, I now pronounce you husband and husband. May your love so endure that its flame remains a guiding light unto you.”

A bright light flashed around them, showing all in attendance that the union was accepted by the Powers That Be. A quick tie with a length of white silk around Harry and Draco’s left wrists, and the wedding was complete. Draco smiled and leaned over to kiss his husband. “We did it Harry,” he whispered. “Now no one can separate us. Ever.” The silk dissolved into their skin as if by… Well, it was by magic. He hugged Harry as tight as he could and felt it returned in kind.

“Come!” Pomfrey said, clapping her hands. “Let’s feast and toast to the new Mr. Potter-Malfoys!”

Draco gave a half sob at the use of their new name, but smiled immediately afterwards. They sat, moving their nameplates to the top of their dinner plates. Salads and soups appeared before their eyes.

“Ah, a wise choice, Mr. Potter-Malfoy,” McGonagall cooed. “A hearty vegetable soup for such a cold night. And the salad looks divine as well. How is it, Albus?”

“Excellent!” came the jovial answer. “I do believe Madam Pomfrey wishes that you have a bit of both, Draco. It is cold this night, no matter how spelled your robes are. Harry, my boy, how is your salad?”

Harry just nodded.

And so went the wedding feast. They talked of each course and praised Draco for his choices on each course. The house elves kept the wine, grape juice for Draco, flowing and the light music playing. Dessert was divine, and afters were taken graciously. Again, Draco had grape juice. Harry never left Draco’s side except for the seating arrangements, and seemed to always have a hand on his new spouse. After an appropriate amount of time spent conversing with the professors, the invisibility cloak made its appearance.

Draco couldn’t wait to get back to the dungeons. A whole day, more than twenty-four hours, without being near and around and touching Harry was almost his undoing. If the next ten minutes didn’t include him, Harry, and a bed, he’d scream! Luckily enough, it did. When they reached the entrance to Snape’s private rooms, Harry touched the door and then swept Draco off his feet to carry him over the threshold… and straight to their bedroom. He didn’t even bother with romantics as he kicked the door shut and put up several warding and silencing charms. He banished Draco’s and his clothes to the other side of the room, stopping only at Draco’s protest.

“Wait Harry, wait!” the blonde was insisting, pushing at his husband’s shoulders. “Wait, you need to listen for a moment.” So Harry sat back and waited for the blonde to start talking. “It is tradition for the bride of the wedding to follow a rhyme. She has to wear something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, with a silver sickle in her shoe. Well, I took it upon myself to at least follow this tradition, even if we’re both men. The something old are the rings. Madam Pomfrey told me they were hers from her marriage, and that she wanted us to have them. The something new are the robes McGonagall got for us. The something borrowed were the boots I was wearing; they’re Severus’. Did you notice me wearing anything blue?”

Harry shook his head in the negative after thinking for a moment.

“That’s because you couldn’t see it under my robes. Most brides wear a blue garter or something of the sort. I got close enough I figured.”

Harry looked down at his naked husband and saw a small piece of blue ribbon… tied in a pretty bow around the base of an erect cock. He almost stopped breathing. The whole night? he signed.

“Yes Harry, and all for you.” This time he didn’t protest as Harry began to devour his lips and mouth, then moved down his jaw to his neck. Draco loved it when Harry paid special attention to his neck. Especially when he marked it. It was like a claim, that he was Harry’s and no one else was allowed to touch, or even think about touching. Tonight, however, was not a night to linger and take things slow. Both were wired, both had spent the last twenty-seven or so hours apart from one another. Harry needed to know that Draco was okay, that Draco was his. Draco wanted this confirmation, that Harry still wanted and needed him.

So when Harry made a beeline for his husband’s ‘wrapped’ cock, Draco lay back and let him. The blue bow was removed with Harry’s teeth, and Draco couldn’t help but wonder if Harry knew that was a tradition too. But then he stopped thinking. Because Harry swallowed his cock down to the root. A flashback to the first time the Gryffindor had tried that almost made Draco laugh. It had taken the last two months to get to the point of going down on one another and not choking. But now Harry had no problems. At all. And, gods, was that a most beautiful thing!

Two fingers at his entrance were hardly even noticed… until they were squirming inside him. A whole day, a whole day, without touching or seeing or ‘hearing’ Harry. He had wanted to say ‘screw tradition, where is he?!’, but didn’t for the sake of tradition. If their child had to go through that day of torture, Draco would insist they didn’t have to if they didn’t want to. It was torture, sheer torture. And all for the sake of tradition?

He cried out suddenly, as Harry bit down at the base of his neck along his shoulder line. It was just one of Harry’s ways of getting Draco’s attention. He must have been thinking too much. “Okay, okay,” he panted. “I’ll stop.” Harry just grinned then kissed his love, his husband. Two fingers were three then. Careful, rough hands parted his legs a little more and brought his right leg up around a thin, naked waist. Then, a careful push forward started the long descent into pure pleasure. Draco grasped his lover by the shoulders and panted through the penetration, not hurt in the slightest. It was always slow like this, though. They may take up a pounding pace, but Harry never once rushed preparation or the first thrust.

After that was anybody’s guess though.

And tonight, Harry made sure Draco was alright before setting up a hurried, fast pace that would have made Draco’s head spin had he not needed it as well. Neither lasted very long, with Draco coming first with a loud shout. Harry followed right behind a few moments later, thrusting then holding still as he came in his husband. Careful manoeuvring had Harry spooned behind Draco without ever pulling out completely for a rest.

Draco panted through the aftershocks and held onto Harry’s arm over his abdomen to ground himself. This was one of his favourite parts of Harry. His husband, and he smiled at that thought, was a big cuddler. He remembered the first time they had done anything to warrant cuddling, and how he’d almost hurt Harry by pulling away instead of drawing closer. It was a cold night, as they all seemed to be now that he thought back. They’d wanked each other that night, coming all over themselves and Harry’s cloak on the ground. Then he’d rolled over to go to sleep.

He knew Harry was staring at him, because his gaze almost pierced through his shoulder. After several minutes of this, he was about to turn around and ask what the Gryffindor’s problem was when two arms wrapped around him and hauled him back into Harry’s arms. He’d squawked and carried on for a moment, sure. But Harry had kissed his cheek, just below his ear, and said goodnight, and cuddled up against him. It had been weird, sleeping that close to someone, but it had been so perfect! The heat in all the right places, the security, the inner warmth. And every night since they cuddled, whether there had been anything sexual between them or not.

Another bite on his shoulder brought him out of his thinking just before a single finger tapped across the tip of his nose. “I know, I know,” Draco mumbled. “I’m thinking too much. Does it help if I told you I was thinking of you?” Harry tightened his arms around his waist slightly in response. “There, see? It’s not as if I were thinking about Charms or Severus.” Although he couldn’t hear it, he knew Harry was growling. His suspicions were confirmed when Harry bit the back of his neck lightly, but stayed there instead of releasing as he did with his neck.

The message was clear: There is to be no mention of Snape in this bed, especially on this night.

Then Harry started thrusting his hips again. Oh, that wonderful feeling of being full and being filled again and again was absolute heaven! Not that Draco believed in anything so Muggle as ‘heaven’ or ‘hell’. But the saying fit. Sweet Merlin! It was as if there was a direct passageway from Harry’s cock to Draco’s prostate! Not that Draco was complaining, of course. Laying there, on their sides, moving in tandem with one another was one of the most pleasurable sensations Draco had ever experienced. This time around was took a bit longer now that the edge had been removed, and Harry was much gentler. Not that he wasn’t pounding into Draco’s body as hard and fast as this position would allow him.

This time, Harry came first. It was a rare happening, but one that both enjoyed to no end. Then again, the mere thought of Harry filling him with his come, of that come producing the child that lay within his belly, of Harry losing control like that, was enough to make Draco follow directly after. They cuddled again, Harry hunching in around Draco for warmth and protection and just so they could touch one another. Again, Draco thought that the day apart thing was sheer torture, but only allowed the thought for a few moments before he turned his thoughts back to the nirvana he was in now. Again, another Muggle term. But it fit.

Draco sighed, closed his eyes, and began to drift off. Although he wanted more time with his lover, his Harry, his husband, it was past midnight. He’d been awake all day, he was stressed, he was tired, he was pregnant, and he was thoroughly shagged. Whatever I’ve done to deserve this, thank-you, he thought to no one in particular.

After spending ten minutes trying to de-ward the bedroom door, Snape finally gave up. In truth, he didn’t want to walk in on anything that would scar him for life beyond the damage that had already been done. But he did want to make sure Draco was okay. It was almost half past twelve now, and he was sure they would be done doing… whatever it was newlyweds did after their weddings. A brief blush stole up his cheeks without permission.

Just as he went to turn away, a faint clicking sound was heard. Wand immediately in hand, Snape turned back to the door to see the knob twisting and the door opening so very slowly. He peeked in to see what was going on, only to find the two boys in bed, Harry curled around Draco. Then Harry’s eyes opened and looked directly at him. The message was clear, and the arms tightening around the sleeping blonde only cemented it.

He’s mine now. I will care for him. I will help him. He will come to me with all his fears and hopes and dreams. He is mine, I am his. We are together now, and nothing can separate us. Not even you. You are still here, still alive, because I will it. I will it because he wants it.

Chapter Text

For several days, Harry kept Draco cooped up in Snape’s rooms. Of course, that wasn’t much different from how it had been before the wedding. Now, however, they would laugh at Snape’s attempts to remember to call Harry “Mr. Potter-Malfoy”. Usually the Potions Master would just get flustered and storm away; Draco had talked with him about using his husband’s given name rather than their combined surname. Snape was most displeased.

This particular morning the pair was lying in bed, Harry wrapped around Draco in an attempt to soothe his frazzled nerves. Their rest had been rudely interrupted by Draco’s need to rush to the loo to upchuck all of the previous night’s supper. Harry was immediately at his side, rubbing his back and generally trying to help. He had Draco cleaned up and in his arms on their way back to bed as soon as his husband would let him. Now, Draco just lay completely still, and basked in the warmth that was his heating-blanket-husband. Really, there was no worry about freezing out in the Forbidden Forest. Harry gave off enough heat to warm a whole house it seemed!

He also loved Harry’s hand at the small of his back. It rubbed and kneaded just when and where he needed it to. All without him telling his lover. Of course, just lying there meant he had a lot of time to think. So he thought about their marriage. It was an old hand fasting, something his father would have flipped shiz about had he witnessed it. Draco smiled. That was okay with him. Of course, thinking about his family got him upset. He wanted to see them again, even if it was only to be ridiculed and disowned before Harry jumped in to save him from their painful words. He wanted to see his mum, and his father. Severus had said that Lucius had tried to warn him, that he didn’t want his son to go through the pain and suffering that he himself went through. Surely that counted for something?

Harry waved a hand before Draco face to get his attention. What are you thinking about, Love?

Draco sighed, knowing better than to try and lie to Harry. “My father.” He felt Harry tense behind him. “I know, that was my first reaction too. But remember what Sev said? He tried to save me, tried to convince Sev to keep me as far away from the Dark Lord as possible. Doesn’t that mean that he really does love me, just that he never actually showed me?”

I think your father will always and has always loved you. But I do not agree with his raising of you, and I will not have him near our child until I am convinced he will not bring any harm to it, whether with actions or with words.

“A very diplomatic answer if I ever heard one,” Draco teased. “But thank you. I think I needed to hear that.”

“Bellatrix, come here,” came the hiss of the man on the throne. “I have need of your Mark.”

“Yes, my Lord. Of course!” She practically ran forward in her haste to prove herself loyal and useful to her master.

He touched his finger to the mark on her forearm, unheeding of her murmur of pain at the action, and called for the rest of his followers. In as little as ten seconds, the first ones began to appear. As they winked into the small room, they bowed at the waist and then crawled forward to kiss the hem of his robes. He allotted five minutes for all of his followers to appear. Anyone after that was punished. If no one was late, then he only punished those who cut it too close to that five minute mark.

As he gazed upon all of his followers, he made a mental tally of who was there and who was not. He could see beneath the masks, could tell who was who without seeing their faces or bodies. When he had finished his once over, he smiled and watched all of them tense in preparation for whatever horror was about to befall them. His gaze stopped on one Death Eater, finally, and he laughed to himself. “Luciusss,” he almost whispered, “come forth.”

Doing as told, Lucius Malfoy stepped forward and kissed the hem of his master’s robe once more. “Yes, my Lord?”

“It has been five months. What is the position of my newest catamite?”

Lucius internally flinched, not really knowing what to do. He’d been so worried about his son he’d neglected to prepare for this happening. Really, it was a miracle it had taken this long to happen. “My Lord, he is not ready to undergo this taking at this time.”

“Ridiculousss! How much training doesss it take to learn to take it up the arssse?”

“Apologies, my Lord, I did not mean to offend you.” Lucius bowed once more in submission.

“If you had offended me, Luciusss, you would be dead. I want your ssson here within the week. Underssstood?”

“Yes, my Lord.” He kissed the hem of his cloak once more, then back-pedalled to his spot in line once more.

“Rodolphusss! What have you to sssay about your missssssion?”

After coming forward and kissing his robe, the man began to speak. “We were successful, my Lord. All of the crystals were obtained in a timely and efficient manner. All muggles in the area were killed… eventually. A few of the others got a bit carried away, but the task was completed as you willed it.”

“What isss the meaning of ‘carried away’?”

“After being on missions for so long, my Lord, some of the men were rather lonely. Numerous women and girls were raped before they were finally killed.”

“Thisss isss acceptable.” He flicked his hand at the man and watched him scurry back to his spot in line. “Goyle, report on the happeningsss at Hogwartsss.”

“Yes, my Lord. My son has reported that the Slytherin dorms were in chaos for a short time before Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson stepped up to fill Draco Malfoy’s place.”

“What?! Why wasss he taken from hisss place?”

“They were told that Potter and he were to serve detention in the Forbidden Forest due to a fight during one of their classes. During the detention, they were attacked. Malfoy was taken to the infirmary to recover and Potter was taken away for training. Just recently, my son was told that Malfoy had been taken home to recover and Potter was still away for training. Because he was not there, chaos ensued when younger Slytherins tried to gain an upper hand on their elders.”

“That doesss not matter to me! Why isss Malfoy absssent from Hogwartsss?! Luciusss! What isss the meaning of thisss?!”

Lucius Malfoy was now and truly fucked. He hadn’t prepared for this happening, hadn’t thought of the repercussions of his actions, hadn’t thought it would get back to the Dark Lord. But he should have know that it would! Potter and his son lost in the Forbidden Forest? Of course Dumbledore would come up with some kind of excuse. It had been six months since they’d had that detention. It was March now. The snow would begin to melt in its entirety so the search could begin in earnest. He wouldn’t spare a single knut to find his son. It would-

“Luciusss! I want an anssswer now!”

“I’m afraid, my Lord, I have none to give,” he finally got out. “My son is not at home, and if he is not at Hogwarts then I am unaware of where he is.”

“Crucio!” He kept the curse going for several minutes, past the point where Lucius could no longer contain his screams and blood began to dribble from his mouth, nose, and ears. “You have failed me, Luciusss! I should kill you where you ssstand! But I won’t. You will remain where you are, how you are, until I find a ussse for you.”

“Y-y-yes, m-my Lor-r-rd,” Lucius panted, struggling to breathe. He was really okay with not moving right now.

“Ssseverusss! Why have I not been informed of Potter and Malfoy’sss abcensssesss from Hogwartsss when you are right there to keep an eye on thingsss for me? Isss that not your posssition asss my ssspy?”

Snape kissed the robe of his master as all the others before him. “Of course, my Lord, you know I live to serve you and only you. I was not told of Malfoy’s heir leaving Hogwarts in any other means besides those which would transport him back to Malfoy Manor. I was even asked to brew several potions for him, and give them to the school mediwitch so they could be given to him.”

“Ssso why wasss I not notified when he left in the firssst place?!”

“I beg forgiveness, my Lord. I was ignorant and failed in my duties to you.” He kissed the hem once more.

“I am not a lenient man, Ssseverusss,” the Dark lord hissed, drawing his wand once more. “If your posssition asss my ssspy hasss been compromisssed, then you are of no ussse to me. Avada-!”

In a move that would have done any Seeker proud, Severus Snape twisted, turned, and manoeuvred so he had practically jumped on top of Lucius Malfoy and activated his emergency portkey to return to Hogwarts. “Incolumitas!” Before the final word could be spoken, Snape and Malfoy were jerked out of the Dark Lord’s stronghold and whisked to safety in the Hogwarts infirmary.

“Don’t move, Lucius, I’ll get some help for you.” Severus yanked his robe and mask off, then stalked away to call for Poppy Pomfrey to tend to her newest patient. The portkey had delivered them to a safe room in the hospital wing so that no student, if there happened to be any in need of medical care, would see their injured Potions Master returning from a revel beaten within an inch of his life. “I will return to my rooms to collect the Crucio potion. He was held under it for several minutes.”

A quick trip to the dungeons and he had the potion. However, instead of the hasty getaway he expected, he found Draco and Potter, Potter-Malfoy he corrected, blocking his path. “Severus? What is it? What’s happened?”

“I’ve been found out as a spy. I have to go.”

“No way! I’m not letting you go back there if he knows you’re a spy! He’ll kill you!”

“Not there, idiot boy! To the infirmary! There is someone there needing this.” He tried to shove past them, but Potter, Potter-Malfoy he corrected again, blocked his way this time. “I don’t know what you want, but I do know that I want you to move.”

He watched as the Gryffindor made a few quick motions to Draco. “Crucius Curse? The potion is the Crucius Curse? No, not the curse. The cure? Okay, not quite. Then it… soothes the aftershocks? Oh! It helps people who have been held under Crucio? Oh, Severus! Are you okay?!”

“I am fine, simpleton! I said there is someone in the infirmary who needs this, not me.”

“Someone else? Someone who was there? A Death Eater. Why would you bring a Death Eater back to the school with you?! How could you betray Dumbledore like that?!” He turned and buried his face in Harry’s shoulder, crying his eyes out at the perceived betrayal.

Before Snape could defend himself, he noticed Po- Harry trying to talk to him. “Go slowly, but make it quick. I don’t understand you and I have places to be,” he growled. He watched and tried to make sense of the signs. “Death Eater? Yes, okay. No… no bad? Not bad. Not a bad Death Eater? Yes, that’s right Po- Harry. He has changed his ways, never wanted anything like this to happen. Smart? Brain? Knowledge? Yes, knowledge? Okay, knowledge. You? You knowledge? Do you know him? Yes, you know this Death Eater.” A significant look at Draco, then back at Snape. “Yes to that as well, Mr. Potter-Malfoy, yes to that as well. Now I really must be going.”

Harry shuffled himself and Draco out of the way so Snape could leave to tend to Lucius Malfoy. As Draco cried into his shoulder, wondering why his godfather had betrayed them all, Harry tried to think of a way to calm his husband. He decided to just let the emotional outburst pass before he tried to explain anything. However, Harry nearly lost his patience in waiting for that moment of being done to arrive. When it finally did, Harry tried to explain things to Draco. He did not betray us, Love, he signed slowly, well aware that Draco wasn’t following along as closely or thinking as quickly as normal. The Death Eater he brought back with him does not agree with Voldemort’s ways, wanted out but couldn’t get out. Just like Snape.

“Wh-who is it, Harry? Do you know?” Draco sniffled, wiping his nose on the back of his hand.

Harry was still for a moment before signing, Your father.

Draco stiffened immediately, sobered even faster. As fast as he could, he turned and made his way to the infirmary. There was no sight of any students in the halls, no Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary, no Snape anywhere. “Where are they?!” Draco whispered frantically. His eyes darted back and forth, searching for someone, anyone. But they searched in vain. Until Harry started walking forward, away from Draco. He moved to a wall, reached his hand out toward it. “What are you doing? We’re supposed to be looking for my father!”

He received a look before he watched Harry’s hand disappear through the wall. Quickly, he followed his silent husband through the wall to stand before a door. When he tried to open it, he found it was locked. Harry placed a hand on the door, closed his eyes in concentration, and slowly began to unravel the wards there one by one. When the last was taken down, a piercing wail cut through the air. Both boys jumped back in shock, not expecting the noise. As Draco ran through the door, Harry threw his own silencing and warding charms up.

Draco was hoping it was his father and Snape and Pomfrey behind the door, but it still didn’t prepare him for what he was seeing: his father lay chained to the bed by magic, his entire upper body bare to the air and medical personnel around him. It was strange to see his father so vulnerable, to see him in so much pain. And that’s when he realized the source of the pain was the Dark Mark on his left forearm. Voldemort was torturing him through it! And by the look on Severus’ face, he was feeling the same thing.

“Father?” Draco said, not meaning to but glad he did at the same time.

Lucius immediately went silent. He was still struggling, still in immense pain. But that one word, that one whisper, silenced all sounds he could possibly make. His heir, his son, his child, was there, looking at him, looking to him for guidance and reassurance. He couldn’t be weak; he had to be strong and set the example for his son. He looked at the blonde image of himself... and stopped cold. That is Draco? This is my son? What...? How...? Who...? He must have thought for too long.

“Father, please say something!” Draco begged, tears gathering in his eyes.

Harry stepped up behind Draco and put his arms around the near-crying young man. But Draco shook him off.

“No, Harry. I have to do this my way.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his Malfoy mask falling into place. “What is going on, Father?”

“No,” Lucius whispered, his head falling back in defeat. “Don’t... don’t be... like... me.”

“I don’t understand, Father.”

“Feel... Love... Passion... Need th... those.”

“I don’t, don’t understand.”

“Feel, Draco... Don’t stop...”

“I don’t–” He turned toward Harry and watched as he signed something to him. “Don’t wear the mask? Don’t shut out my emotions? Don’t be what I’ve been taught to be since birth? Then what am I supposed to be, Father?” Draco was angry now, lashing out as his world was turned upside down. “What should I be, hmm? A catamite for your Lord and Master? A convenient fucktoy? Is that what you would have me be?!”

“Draco!” Severus shouted, rounding on his godson. “Give your father a little credit will you? He withstood the Cruciatus Curse for near five minutes when he failed to produce you or give a reasonable excuse. He is in tremendous pain, and the potion isn’t doing much for him. He was never going to give you to the Dark Lord and you know it! He asked me to keep you from that fate, from the fate he served himself. I told you this when you first returned to us. I realize this is hard for you, Draco.”

“There is no way in the world you could understand what I'm going through!” Draco snapped, turning away from the group and fleeing the room. They all watched him leave, each thinking different things about the young man.

Harry turned back to Severus and started signing to him. “I don't understand, Potter!” Snape sneered, turning back to Lucius to help the mediwizards fix the man. “You need to realize that we weren't there through the months with you like Draco was. We don't understand your language. I am glad that you and Draco found a way to communicate, but that is not something that can be transferred to everyone else. We don't understand, and we don't have the time it takes to interpret what you're trying to say.”

Fine. I'll use this spell. It drains me, but I can do it. The words appeared before Snape in the air.

“Why didn't you go after him, Potter? You rarely let him out of your sight.”

He needs some time to himself. I'll know if something is wrong with him, if he needs me, or anything else.

“And if he's badly injured and you can't get to him in time?”

Protection spells, of course. For balance, for falls, for sharp objects, for spells. I put them there myself.

“At least you knew the proper spells to place on him,” Snape said, still trying to help Lucius in his pain. Now that Draco was out of the room, Lucius was not holding back his anguish. “I need another dose of the potion, but I've never given two doses to anyone before. I am unsure as to the side effects. It could help him, or it could kill him.”

“And there is nothing else I can do,” Madam Pomfrey agreed. “I have tried everything. He is healed, for the most part. It is just that Mark.”

“I know!” Snape hissed, his own arm on fire. “There is nothing to do about that. We have suffered before, and we shall suffer again. It cannot last forever, surely.”

But how will it stop? Surely he will not just forgive you?

“Do not blather on to me! I know it is a hopeless situation! He will torture us until we die or we cut off our own arms!”

“Severus, do not speak like that!”

Please, let me help you. Both of you.

“Help? Help?! What can you possibly do, Potter?!”

I can get rid of the pain. I might be able to get rid of the Dark Mark.

“Potter, the only thing that would help would be to- What?! What do you mean?”

“How? How is that possible? Albus has tried before,” Pomfrey whispered frantically. “He couldn't do it!”

In the Forbidden Forest, I learned to make my magic do what I wanted it to through thoughts and feelings. I can bend the magic to do my will. Some things just... just work. Let me, please? I want to help.

“By all means, Mr. Potter-Malfoy,” Pomfrey said. She stepped back to allow Harry closer to the bed where Lucius and Snape were standing.

“Please!” Lucius rasped, his eyes clenched tight in pain. “Anything!”

“Go ahead, Harry,” Snape said quietly. “Anything is better than this.”

Harry walked up close to Lucius, wanting to help him first. He placed one hand on his stomach and one on his forehead to ease the pain Voldemort was causing. He closed his eyes and forced his magic into the other man, searching for where the pain was striking. There, in his chest. And there, in his head. Oh, God, there. In his throat. He is slowly suffocating him. He forced his magic into those places to fight against the magic that was Voldemort's. Slowly but surely, it began to recede. He chased it all the way to Lucius' left arm.

There, a dark and horrible black cloud of pulsing energy there. But it was painful, even for Harry. The energy wouldn't go as peacefully like the rest had; this energy fought back. But he knew he couldn't give up. He was the only one who could help this man. No matter his personal feelings for him, this was Draco's father. This man had tried his best to keep Draco from coming to any harm. This man was important to Draco. If for no other reason, Harry would help him because of that.

He concentrated more and pushed harder, forcing the dark cloud into a smaller mass. Then, when it was finally packed tightly together, Harry surrounded it with his own magic, blanketing it, smothering it. His magic surrounded it and grew tighter and tighter around Voldemort's magic, forcing it to recede. Finally, it just disappeared. As soon as it did, Lucius' magic fought against Harry's and thrust the invader from Lucius' body.

Harry fell backwards, away from the bed Lucius had been laying on. His mouth was open as if he had cried out, but no sound was released. He turned on his side, breathing harshly and panting. When Madam Pomfrey moved to help him, he fended her off. He needed to help Snape. No matter how much he hated these two men, they were everything to Draco. It was vital that he help them, since he was the only one who could. Slowly, he got back to his feet and moved to Snape.

“I don't think so, Mr. Potter. What did you do to Lucius? What happened? Why were you thrust away from him? Where is his Dark Mark?” Snape demanded answers.

My magic sought out what was hurting him: Voldemort. I moved it all to the Dark Mark where I smothered it. Once he was rid of Voldemort's magic, his body fought against my magic, seeing it as an intruder. I was flung away. It will most likely happen with you as well. I must do it now, because I am almost too tired. I do not want to do this again later. Let me help you, or let me go to Draco.

Snape stared him down. He looked so calm and in control, but Harry could see the signs of the toll the pain was taking on him. The trickle of sweat at his temple; the twitch in his left eye; the muscles spasming in his arm. If he didn't act soon, the damage might be irreversible.

Please. If not for yourself, for Draco.

That did it. With a simple nod, Harry was at Snape's side with hands over his forehead and stomach. Voldemort's magic was more advanced in Snape, more spread out. It had completely taken control of his left arm, and was trying to control the vital organs: heart, lungs, and brain. Once that happened...

Try as he did with Lucius, Harry sent his magic to herd Voldemort's into Snape's left arm.

But Voldemort was smarter now, and knew what Harry was up to. He resisted. As he resisted, he caused more pain in Snape. Then he started attacking Harry, using the magic link to Snape and the mind link to himself to harm the young Gryffindor.

You have to lay down. I cannot fight him as easily as I did with Lucius.

They moved slowly to a bed so Harry would not lose his connection with Voldemort's magic.

“It's not fair,” Draco sobbed, face buried in Harry's pillow. “I'm trained all my life for one thing, and suddenly my father grows a conscience. And then he expects me to just unlearn everything I've had pounded into my head for the last seventeen years?! It's not possible. It's not fair!” He sobbed some more, tears streaming down his face. Everything he knew was a lie. His whole life was a lie. It was all a lie.

Well, not everything. He brought a shaky hand to his barely swollen belly. This was true. This child was his, his and Harry’s. Harry was true. Harry was–

Not there. Where was Harry? Oh yes. He’d run from the infirmary after his father had told him to unlearn everything he’d ever learned about being a Malfoy. Harry must still be there. Why didn’t Harry come after me? Did he realize how ridiculous my whole family is and therefore how ridiculous I must be? He doesn’t want anything to do with me, with me or the baby. He hates us! he thought as tears poured down his face. Wrapping both arms around the physical evidence of his child, he buried his face in the pillows once more.

Arms wrapped around him, offering him strength and comfort. While he accepted them at first, he suddenly realized that it had to be Harry. His sorrow and despair turned into a fighting need to rail against his husband and what comfort he’d gained in the last few seconds. With agility he didn’t know he possessed any longer, he whipped around and began beating his fists against Harry’s chest.

“I hate you, I hate you!” he cried. “You did this! This is your fault!”

Even as Harry held him close, he let Draco cry and yell and beat him. It didn’t really hurt, until Draco punched his nose.

“You don’t care about anything! You left me and I hate you!”

Harry tightened his grip a bit more, giving Draco less manoeuvrable room in which to gain purchase to hit him. The blood continued to flow from his nose; he was actually a bit worried it might be broken.

“–change everything! What am I supposed to do?! That’s all I’ve ever known, all I’ve ever been taught!”

Still wailing, still yelling, Draco continued to thrash about to take his frustrations out on the only thing he could: Harry. Oh, he would regret it later, but right now he was too upset with the situation for it to mean anything. Harry tightened his arms a bit more, effectively keeping his pregnant husband from squirming about.

“It’s just not fair. I’ve done everything I’m supposed to, and now it’s all wrong! It’s all useless!”

Our child is not useless! Enough was enough. There were outbursts that needed to be had so the catharsis was over and done with, and there were temper tantrums. Harry would stand for this tantrum no longer. My child is a beautiful being that was created out of sheer love! He or she will be a beautiful child when they greet this world. He or she will have everything imaginable within their grasp as they grow and learn. And not once will they be called useless or a freak or worthless or good-for-nothing! Not by anyone, and especially not by you! Harry roared via legillimancy at Draco. Harry so rarely used the mind reading ability that it startled Draco into stillness. I am sorry that the recent events have upset you so, but you are not ever going to be allowed to say that my love, our marriage, our child, is wrong or useless.

Harry released Draco and then sat up so his legs dangled off the side of the bed, his back to Draco. It continued to stay silent, even after this.

Draco lay discarded. At first, he was upset by this fact. Then Harry’s words truly sunk in. He thought I was... Our child? Our marriage? I couldn’t– I wouldn’t! He wiped his eyes hastily before reaching out to apologize for his moody outburst, to explain how his world had been turned upside down and inside out.

But before a single word could be formed, Harry suddenly slumped backwards into Draco’s arms, unconscious.

Chapter Text

“Severus! Severus, help! Please help!” Draco cried, refusing to leave Harry as helpless as he was at that moment. That, and he was the only thing keeping Harry’s body from falling to a heap on the floor of their bedroom. “Severus! For Merlin’s sake, help me!”

At four months pregnant, he was beginning to truly show. That being said, he was more worried about harm to his child. If he were to hold on to Harry much longer, the additional dead weight could cause him to fall to the floor. He couldn’t risk that. But neither would be let go of his husband so that he could break something as he fell. That’s assuming nothing was wrong from what caused Harry to fall unconscious in the first place.

“Severus!” he cried, praying to all the known gods that someone would hear him and help him. He couldn’t hold on much longer. “Somebody help! Please! Anybody?!”

But no one was coming. No one was there. He had no choice but to let go of Harry or risk falling himself.

“Well, it seems they will both be okay in the long run. Of course, you know Severus, Headmaster, he will not approve being kept here. You know how he hates being in the infirmary. I daresay Lucius will be pleased being where he is compared to where he could be,” Pomfrey explained. “Both are mentally and physically well since Harry removed their... marks. I still do not know how he did that.”

“I don’t think we will ever know how he did that, Poppy,” Dumbledore replied. “He was a remarkable young man before this incident in the Forbidden Forest. He is a most remarkable young man now. There are many–”

“Anybody,” came a whispered interruption.

Both Dumbledore and Pomfrey whirled from their watch over the Malfoy patriarch to gaze at their unconscious potions’ master.

“For Merlin’s sake, help me... Please... Severus...”

It was weird to hear the man refer to himself by name. It took a second for them to actually pay attention to what was being said by the unconscious man.

“Severus... Severus, help me... Please... Anyone...”

“Albus, I thought he was unconscious? What is he saying?”

“I’m not sure, Poppy.” He and the nurse rushed to the Slytherin’s side. “See if anything is wrong with him, if you can find out what exactly is causing the unconscious speaking.”

As Madam Pomfrey began her scans, Severus began jerking this way and that. Knowing that Pomfrey was doing all she could for her patient, he turned back to the Malfoy patriarch, once Death Eater. At first, there was nothing to suggest the same thing which had befallen Snape was having the same effect on the elder Malfoy. But after several minutes, a grimace appeared on his face. The headmaster called Madam Pomfrey over quickly to see what similarities there were between the two patients, but she gave a different answer altogether.

“There’s nothing wrong with him, Headmaster. He’s waking up.”

That being said, she went back to her patient. While Dumbledore waited for Lucius to regain complete consciousness, Snape grew louder and more urgent. At last, Lucius opened his eyes.

“It wasn’t a dream?” he asked in barely a whisper. “It’s really gone?” Without waiting for an answer, he slid the left sleeve of his infirmary robes up and gazed upon bare flesh. “It’s gone. It’s gone!”

“Lucius!” Dumbledore urged, drawing the man’s attention to him. “I must ask you some questions now. Severus–”

“Where is Potter? I must thank him. This changes everything. This changes everything! Where is Draco? I saw him earlier? I must speak with him now. And Potter. I must thank Potter.”

“Lucius! Listen to me! What do you know of Severus?”

“Well that’s a ridiculous question, Headmaster. I know almost as much about Severus as Severus knows. We practically grew up together, once my father took an interest in him. I funded much of his education, for which I became his sounding board. I know of his years with the Dark Lord, obviously. I know of his family; though there are only a handful of living souls left, that is a handful more than he wishes it to be. I know of–”

“No, Lucius. What do you know of Severus at this very moment?” He gestured to the prone form of the professor, hoping the blonde would have an answer the matron did not.

“What is wrong with him?” In an instant, Lucius was by his side. “Did Potter remove his Mark as well?”

“Yes,” Pomfrey replied. “But he is reacting differently. Mr. Potter-Malfoy even removed it in a different fashion from your experience. It seemed Severus’ Mark was more deeply ingrained. He seemed to have a more troublesome time removing it, and then left the infirmary quickly despite my protests. Our question for you is if this has something to do with something else entirely.”

“I don’t know what it could be. Effects from one too many Cruciatus curses? A potion? A lingering curse? A–”

“Severus, help! Please help! For Merlin’s sake, help! Severus!” the potions’ master suddenly cried out. “Oh, Harry. I’m so sorry. I couldn’t hold on any longer. But help is coming, I swear it. Help! Please help! Hold on, Harry. It will be okay. I promise. Nothing can harm you here. Severus! Help!”

“That has nothing to do with the Mark,” Malfoy said. “It’s his war–”

“Madam Pomfrey! Quick! Something is wrong with Harry! He is in mortal danger!”

Hermione and Ron appeared in the infirmary just then, faces red from having run from the lake outside where they’d been walking during a free period. Long ago, Harry had charmed medallions for his friends and himself to let each know if the other were in danger. Over the last several months, their charms for Harry had flared a few times. It was the only thing that gave them hope that he was still alive. But this was no flare. It was a pulsing heat that nearly burned their necks where the charms lay.

“Our necklaces, charmed for us each, tells us when another is in peril,” Ron explained quickly. “Harry’s is burning!”

“Please, tell me you know where he is?!” Hermione begged.

“As I was trying to say,” the elder Malfoy butt in. “Severus has charms on his rooms in case something happens within them while he’s not there. I believe that is Draco talking. Something has happened to Potter that he cannot attend to himself. These are Severus’ wards working through him since he is unconscious.”

“Malfoy!”

“Harry is here?!”

“Quickly, Poppy, through the floo. Emergency network.”

When all five arrived in the potions’ master’s rooms, they quickly made their way to Harry’s and Draco’s private rooms within, led by Draco’s sobbing voice.

“Please, for the love of Merlin, someone help! Stay with me, Harry. Help is coming, I just know it. Help!”

“Draco, what happened?” Immediately, Pomfrey got to work, scanning the unconscious Gryffindor and Draco in turns to snuff out all injuries. Finding none on the young blonde, she turned her full attention on Harry. “Head trauma, magic depletion, physical exhaustion,” she rattled off quietly.

Choking on a sob, Draco tried to explain. “He came b-back here and I was so upset, I railed against him. That m-made him so very a-angry. He set me straight, taking m-my ramblings and mutterings d-differently than I meant them. After he used l-l-legillimancy, he just collapsed. I caught him at first, b-but he was too h-heavy for m-me and I-I had t-to dr-drop him!” He ended on a near-wail, burying his face in his hands.

Malfoy senior rushed to his child, gathering him close. Despite the public farce he’d had to show, he really did care for his son. Even in private, due to his wife’s allegiances, he wasn’t able to show any concern for the boy. Now a young man, he had a lot of time to make up for in his emotional neglect.

In the doorway, Ron and Hermione looked on in shock. Draco Malfoy and Harry were in close proximity. Harry was hurt. But none of the adults were questioning Malfoy as they should be. What Hermione noticed, which Ron had not, was the look about her Slytherin classmate. For someone who had spent the last six months in the Forbidden Forest trying to survive, he didn’t look as malnourished as Harry did. Something was not adding up here.

“Magical depletion takes a fair amount to accomplish,” Ron stated in a normal tone of voice. Everyone’s head swivelled to see who had spoken; the adults had forgotten about the two young Gryffindors and Draco had not noticed their entrance due to his relief that help had finally come. “I know Harry’s powerful, but what did he do in such a short amount of time that his magic is nearly gone?”

Hermione gasped. “Gone?”

“Get out, both of you!” Draco raged. “Get out get out get out!”

“We don’t have to listen to you, ferret boy!” Ron shouted, taking a step forward. “You’re a part of this, I’m sure. They might not see you for what you really are, but I do! Whatever you’ve done to him, you will pay for it, Malfoy!”

“Do not threaten my son, Weasley!”

“Lucius! Mr. Weasley! You will both calm yourselves or you will both leave!” Pomfrey yelled. “Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, all will be explained in due time. The only thing that matters at this time is Mr. Potter-Malfoy’s life. And that seems to be in jeopardy. Miss Granger, in that room to the left of the main entrance is Professor Snape’s guest loo. Please get me the lemon yellow and lavender purple potions from above the sink. Thank-you. Mr. Weasley, do as you are told. Help Mr. Potter-Malfoy onto the bed behind me. He needs to sit. His father can attend to him from there. Albus, will you help me transplant a bit of magic into Mr. Potter-Malfoy here to get him going again?”

“I’m not helping that git–!”

“He’s not touching my son!”

“Both of you shut up!” Draco snapped, wielding Harry’s wand into silencing them both. “I will deal with you later, Father. And you, Weasley, Harry will deal with later. Get out of my room!” With a burst of magic, he warded the room from Weasley’s presence, allowing the magic to push the redhead out into his professor’s sitting room. “Father, help me into that chair there.” Stunned, the elder Malfoy did as told.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore had laid one hand over Harry’s forehead and the other over his heart while Madam Pomfrey chanted in a low smooth voice. Hermione ran back into the room with the two requested potions in hand. Other than the chanting, all was silent. Once the headmaster removed his hands, the matron took one potion at a time and coaxed them down the unconscious Gryffindor’s throat.

“I’ve done all I can for him,” she declared. “The rest is up to him. And, if I know him at all, he should be just fine. I will return to my ward to check on Severus. And knowing him, he will return here by this evening. Might I suggest an explanation before this one out here blows his top?”

All eyes were on Ron now, red-faced and angrier than a disturbed wild fwooper flock.

“Let him stew,” Hermione said. “It’s good for him. If I could get some answers, I can explain it to him. Malfoy. Er, Draco, I mean. You seem to be key in this mystery. What is going on here? Why do they keep referring to you as Potter-Malfoy?”

“I don’t have anything to say to you, Granger.”

“Mudblood, you will not speak–” Lucius Malfoy started.

“Father, do not use that despicable word,” Draco instructed. Five months alone with Harry had taught him many things, one of which was about the Muggle world in general. Hermione was a gifted witch, no matter her lineage. “Harry might explain things to you at a later date, but I will not. I have nothing to say to you or the Weasley outside my door. I want to keep it that way. For Harry’s sake, I will be civil. That is all I can manage at this time.”

“For Harry’s sake? Since when have you ever given a damn about Harry?”

“So crude. I repeat, I have nothing to say to either of you. Madam Pomfrey said he was okay now, right Headmaster?”

“Not quite, Draco. Harry has used much of his magic helping your father and Professor Snape. You said he used legillimancy just before losing consciousness? That must have been the final straw. He is too exhausted. The physical exhaustion comes from the magic trying to find something else to use as fuel. I gave him some of my magic, just a little, to keep his stores from depleting and start rebuilding instead. I’m going to put him to bed so he can recover comfortably, and then we’re all going to have a little chat. Right here in this room, so Draco will not have to be moved. Madam Pomfrey did say you were okay, however.”

“Like I care about my health when Harry might...” He couldn’t even say it.

“You should care about your health, Draco,” the headmaster urged. “It is of greater importance, now more than ever.”

Realization dawned. In working himself up, he’d placed his child under stress as well. One hand flew to his belly where that child rested. He sent silent apologies to him or her, promising to rest for many days to make up for this fiasco. When two extra chairs were conjured, he glared first at the headmaster for allowing the Gryffindor to stay in his rooms, then at the Gryffindor herself. “You are not welcome.”

“I’m no idiot, Mal– Draco. Some of these pieces are starting to come together to form a picture, one which tells me this is Harry’s room. As one of his best friends, I have a right to be here.” She sat, willing the Slytherin to pick a fight with her and not at the same time. Another piece of that puzzle she was forming had to do with the hand on the midsection of her greatest rival. That piece had not quite clicked into place yet.

“Fine. Stay. I don’t care. Headmaster, where is Severus?”

“Ah, Severus. After Harry removed his Mark, he needed to rest. It was the same with your father, but Severus’ was more difficult for Harry to deal with. That is what caused the magic depletion.” He looked over at Hermione, allowing her time to fit more pieces into her puzzle. “However, Severus began acting strangely. It was your father’s friendship with him that led us here. That, and a burning piece of jewellery.”

“Burning jewellery? That makes no sense, Headmaster.”

“I believe that is my part of the story,” Hermione cut in. “Harry spelled six charms two years ago, or so. Two for each of us. My necklace has a charm for Ron and a charm for Harry. Should either be in mortal peril, the charm will burn. It cannot truly hurt the wearer, but it is uncomfortable. Whatever has happened these past six months, his charm has turned warm many times.” Here, Draco scoffed. “But today’s was a searing pain, white hot. It was unlike any other time we’d felt it burn before.”

“Well, he’s never been in danger of losing his magic before, had he?” Draco snapped.

“What kind of danger did you put him in, then?” Hermione snapped back.

“I did no such–! I do believe I said I had nothing to say to you. Why are you still here?”

“Once your father let us know there was something wrong in Professor Snape’s room and Hermione let us know something was mortally wrong with Harry, the obvious conclusion was to come here via emergency floo,” the headmaster interjected before a fight could break out. “You know the rest since you were here. What of the past may I share with Miss Granger, Draco?”

“Nothing. I told Harry there was no reason to involve them, and that’s the way it will stay until he is conscious and can argue against my point. Until then, they stay clueless. The way all good Gryffindors should stay.”

“There are some things we need to tell them, Draco,” Dumbledore admonished. “A basic overview, perhaps?”

“Fine. Basics only.”

“I was rather hoping you would be the one to tell the tale. And maybe let Mr. Weasley rejoin us?”

Draco huffed, not happy where this was leading. “Fine. Weasley, come sit down. You can stay if you can keep your trap shut. It’s a pretty simple story. Harry and I got lost in the Forbidden Forest. We wandered around for about five months. In that time, we stopped hating each other. End of story.”

“Come now, Malfoy,” Hermione protested. “There’s more than that! You’re on pretty friendly terms with Harry, and the professors were calling you by a different name, and you are looking much better for you time spent in the Forest than even Harry does, and–”

“Five months?” Ron interrupted. “Five? It’s been just over six. You’ve been stuck in the Forbidden Forest for six months.”

“Uh, no. We haven’t. We were lost for five months. We’ve been here for one month. Remember when you burst into the headmaster’s office and McGonagall told you two that they’d found old tracks of ours? We were there, in the office. Harry hid us from sight because we’d only recently returned to the castle and were still too– We did not yet want our presence known to anyone, even you two.”

“You lied to us?” Hermione seethed, rounding on the headmaster. “We have been worried sick, freaking out over every possible theory and every time our charms let us know he was hurt or injured, and he was here?!”

“Miss Granger, please calm yourself.”

“Calm?! I am being calm! This is ridiculous! Was this your doing, Malfoy?” She turned back to Draco. “Did you have a hand in keeping Harry from us for another month longer? He’s missed most of his last year at school, he’s missed Christmas, he’s missed so much! And it’s all your fault!”

“Like I haven’t missed my schooling?! My Christmas?! I have missed just as much time as he has!” Draco roared, jumping from his seat. “Every day that he was wandering lost in the Forbidden Forest, I was by his side. Not you! Not Weasley! It was always me! When he was cold, it was me that gave him warmth! When he was hurt, it was me that nurtured him back to health! When he was scared, it was me that lied and told him it would be okay! Not you! Not Weasley!” Taking deep gulps of air, he paused for a moment. “And when there was no hatred left to fight with, it was me that gave him love. All of that was me. I am his life now, not you. I mean more to him than you ever could. You’re right. It is all me.”

Complete silence followed his outburst and revelation. No one could say anything at all. Slowly, Draco lowered himself back into his chair. Though he was not that far along in his pregnancy and he was not showing that much, he could almost feel how upset his child was with the outburst. He tried to sooth him or her with his hand on his midsection, silently thinking calming thoughts to it. His actions did not go unnoticed. Hermione had a very keen eye and quick mind. What surprised him most was Ron’s reaction.

“You’re a carrier, aren’t you?” Ron asked, not accusing or hate-filled in any way. It was just a statement.

Draco’s hand stilled, and his arms wrapped around him protectively. Lucius Malfoy took a step forward without thinking, refusing to allow any harm to possibly come near his child. And if his child was having his own child, then the protection was even more needed.

“What’s a carrier?” Hermione asked Ron, focusing all her attention on her boyfriend.

“He’s pregnant, Hermione. There are a number of men who are able to. It’s not uncommon, though I’ve never met one personally. And I’m assuming the baby is Harry’s. That would be why they stayed hidden when we were in the headmaster’s office the last time. He doesn’t want anyone to know... any of it.”

“Any of what?”

“He’s pregnant. He and Harry are together. Something’s wrong with Harry. He’s a pureblood and they’ve been back for a month, so I’m going to assume they’ve gotten married since they got here. Look, even his father doesn’t know.” Ron motioned at Malfoy senior, at the look of shock that clearly stood out on his face. “You give too much away with your emotions. That last outburst told me everything I needed to know.” He stood and started walking toward the door. “We will return when Harry is conscious, and he can fill in whatever details you both agree on. Come on, Hermione.”

His placid attitude over everything shocked everyone in the room, Hermione most of all. She quickly followed him, questioning him until they were far out of hearing range of the young Slytherin.

“Are you really married to him?” the ex-Death Eater whispered. His gaze was on the sleeping Harry on the bed and not his son, but the question was obviously directed at the young blonde. “Did you cultivate such a relationship between the two of you that you married him? I can understand the child; survival takes precedence over all in times such as you have gone through, my son. But marriage?” He looked at his son to see the truth of his statements.

“Yes, Father. Harry and I are wed. We combined our names: Potter-Malfoy. It wasn’t that long ago. We have also made plans to have a more ceremonial renewing of vows at a later date. Surely you can understand why the secrecy was needed? We could not allow anyone to know, especially the Dark Lord. We were not sure as to what your allegiances were, truly, at the time. Even now, we do not want to let anyone know of Harry’s true powers. He is so powerful, Father.”

“That’s not what I was asking. You love him? Is it a love match, or is it for the survival of yourself and now your child?”

“I do love him, Father. It may have started out as survival, but it is now... I love him.” He looked straight into his father’s eyes as he said this, not backing down for any reason. This was an issue he would not be moved from. These were his feelings, his thoughts, his life here; not his father’s, not his professor’s, not anyone else’s. It seemed his father understood this, because his eyes shifted back to the prone form on the bed.

“I believe there is much the two of you need to discuss,” Dumbledore stated, rising to his feet and making to leave. “I will leave you to it, and return to Severus’ side. Soon, he will wish most vehemently to return to his own rooms. Poppy will need some help to deal with him then.” He chuckled and left the room, closing the door to Snape’s rooms as he left.

“Will you tell me the whole story now, Draco?” Lucius whispered. “I’d like to know just how your rival became my son-in-law. I can understand the need to hold on to anything that can keep you sane during such a terrible time as these last months have surely been for you. But I really must know how you can go from rivalry to marriage.”

“Of course, Father. I will share our tale with you.”

And he did. He started with the detention-giving class, giving his view on things as they were and as they were just then with hind-sight. He left little out, perhaps only glossing over some events; others he went into great detail. He did not stop once they returned to Hogwarts. He continued on to describe their wedding and why he chose what he did. With a tear in his eye, he recited their vows for his father, explaining the meaning behind Harry’s simple gesture.

Chapter Text

It took time for Harry to rejoin the land of the conscious. It was mid-March by the time he truly came around and Draco was truly starting to show in his fifth month. For the last two and a half weeks, Draco had fought off the pressures of the rest of the Gryffindor Trio to tell all and let them into his life. He wanted nothing to do with them. They were not a part of his life, except that they were part of Harry’s life. He didn’t know what he would do about that, but he’d cross that river when he came to it.

In the time that Harry lay unconscious on his bed, Draco tried to come up with a future. They needed to complete schooling, that was for sure. They weren’t too far behind, thank goodness. It was only their seventh year that would need to be retaken. But with their money, private tutors wouldn’t be a problem. And his father was completely supportive of the two of them. That made things a bit easier.

While they didn’t need jobs, he knew Harry wouldn’t be able to stay at home all the time. Frankly, neither would he. But the child changed some of those plans. His child would not be raised by nannies and house elves. It was a lonely life for a child. Perhaps there could even be one or two more children down the road for this one to have siblings. But that was something to consider in another few years, not now.

Where they would live was another matter. They could buy or build anything they wanted, anywhere they wanted. His father had offered the west wing of the manor, but until they knew where his mother’s allegiances truly lay that wasn’t really an option. Having a carrier, Harry Potter, and Harry Potter’s child under one roof was a thing of Voldemort’s dreams. If Narcissa Malfoy was even a tiny bit interested in pleasing the Dark Lord, it was too big of a temptation. He couldn’t live with that kind of pressure on him all the time, looking over his shoulder constantly. And the danger his child would be in? No. Just... Just no.

The here and now was important as well, of course. Getting Harry awake and aware was top priority. However, Draco was a firm believer in letting him recover on his own time. They were safe at Hogwarts, in Snape’s rooms. Everything they could ever need was here. Harry was safest here, period. As long as Voldemort was out there, Hogwarts was safe. And the day Hogwarts was not safe... It didn’t bare thinking about.

While Madam Pomfrey and Granger became more and more flustered every day that Harry slept on, Draco was confident that everything would be fine in the end. The stress of the five months in the Forest, then one month back at Hogwarts, had taken its toll on Harry. His whole existence had been put toward keeping Draco safe from every possible harm, scratch, and emotional toil that could come upon him in the Forest and at Hogwarts. He’d done a wonderful job of it too. Any time Draco tried to give him a break or take over for a few hours, Harry would hear none of it. He’d spent days on end awake and aware, ever watchful. It had saved them plenty of times in the Forest, these abilities he had.

That was another point on the check-list: Harry’s abilities. He needed to have his magic measured. The things he could do even though he was blind and mute were astounding. Most people, including Draco, forgot he was blind. He didn’t need help getting around and his magic saw for him. Whatever he needed, his magic would find a way to make it so. He hadn’t used a wand in nearly six months; Draco used it instead. Sitting in his reclining chair, Draco looked over the wand that was once Harry Potter’s.

It was beaten all to hell and back, as no wand should ever be. But it had survived nearly half a year in the Forbidden Forest. Before that, it had survived six years at a magical school full of teenagers. During those summers, Harry had told him that not all was well in the Muggle world. Add in that it was Harry Potter’s wand, and that means it had survived several duels with Voldemort, a run in with a werewolf, underwater adventures during the Tri-Wizard tournament, dementor attacks, and a number of other inconceivable goings-on. It was Harry Potter.

The fact that Draco could use the wand as if it were his own was quite interesting as well. Sometimes another witch or wizard could use a foreign wand for this or that. He’d only heard tales of one witch or wizard using another’s wand so easily for so much as he did with Harry’s wand. It was a thought that made most magical folk ill. Their wand was their life force. The subject was as taboo as leaving random blood samples lying about. It just wasn’t done.

He looked over at his husband. There was a deeper connection between them, forged and tried through such adversity as most people could not even dream of. There was a true bond between them, one no marriage ceremony could put a name to or a divorce proclamation could rip asunder. Theirs was truly–

Green eyes were blankly staring back at him, he suddenly noticed.

“Harry? Are you awake?” Draco whispered, not daring to speak too loud in case it were a dream and he should cause himself to wake from it.

After a moment where Draco’s heart did not beat, Harry nodded once. Then he made the sign for water and Draco quickly conjured some up, rushing to be by his side. Harry slowly sat up and sipped the water as Draco helped him, then moved the pillows so he could lean against them.

How long have I been out, my love? he signed.

“Nearly three weeks. Everyone’s worried sick about you. And I’m afraid Weasley and Granger know quite a bit more than I’d like them to. Apparently, you gave them necklaces?”

Harry blushed slightly. Yes, he signed, I did. I lost mine in the Forest before you even lost your wand. It devastated me. I was hoping they’d use it as a good omen that I was still alive and tell the Order we were still out there somewhere.

“Well, they didn’t. They only just now told Dumbledore about it because of how hot it burned when you nearly depleted your magic. By the way, removing two Dark Marks and then using legillimancy to chew me out is not a wise decision. You nearly drained yourself completely. Dumbledore gave some of his magic to you so it would replenish itself over time as magic normally does. Father and Severus do thank you for removing the Marks, however.”

How is your father? Harry asked tentatively.

“We are well, Harry,” Draco said with a smile. “We have talked much. He is truly upset at the pain he has caused me throughout my life due to his being the Dark Lord’s lackey. I had him explain his place in his army, and he told me everything. We are careful not to let him leave the castle, as we are still unsure of my mother’s true intentions. I’d like to think she is the same as my father, but if that were true, surely she’d have come here seeking sanctuary as well?”

I am sorry, Draco. Don’t let them hurt you anymore. How is my child?

“It’s my child too, you know. It’s doing well. Look, I’m getting fatter every day. Madam Pomfrey says I should have gained two stone by now! Can you imagine that? Two stone? What’s worse is she says I should gain almost another half a stone by the birthing. She also said the baby is actually a baby now and not just a bunch of cells grouped together. And sometimes, I can feel it moving. And it should weigh about a pound all on its own in there. And I’m over halfway done now. And soon we’ll have a baby. Oh, Merlin. Soon we’ll have a baby. Soon. As in, three or four months. Oh, Merlin, I’m not ready. I’m not ready to have a baby! Harry, I’m not ready!”

Calm down, Draco, calm down. It’ll be okay. I know this is hard, but we’re ready for this. That baby will have everything it could ever need.

But Draco wasn’t paying any attention to Harry just then. Pomfrey had warned him that anxiety came with the territory of being pregnant, especially in the fifth through eighth months. He just didn’t expect it to be this intense! It was so real, so consuming. In just a few short months, he would hold a tiny life in his arms and control every aspect of it. He could turn his child into the next Merlin... or the next Voldemort. The child could be as thick as Crabbe or as bright as Granger. They could be as faithful as Weasley or as conniving as one of the Patils. And it was all up to him.

“Mr. Malfoy!”

The sudden bellow caught Draco unawares and shocked him from his anxiety attack.

“That is better. Are you capable of controlling yourself now?” In all his black glory, Severus Snape stood towering over his godson with an almighty scowl on his face. “Your husband was most insistent in gaining my attention and my help. I would appreciate it if it was not a repeated incident.”

It took a moment, but Draco began to notice little peculiarities about his godfather. Like the soaking wet hair that was even now dripping on the stone floor. Or the bare feet. Or the lack of trouser pants below the hem of the robes he was wearing, which seemed to be completely ruined by some potion or another.

“What were you doing, Severus?”

“If you must know, I was in the midst of a relaxing bath. It was so rudely interrupted by your Gryffindor husband bursting into my private lavatory and summoning me from my tub where he then Apparated my dirty work robes onto me and physically pushed me in here. Where you stood catatonic and most distressed. Now that you are neither, I am going to return to my bath. Do. Not. Disturb me again.” In true Snape fashion, he whirled about and stormed off, slamming their bedroom door behind him.

Harry slowly moved his right palm over his face from forehead to chin, then took two fingers and moved them from right cheekbone to chin before repeating that movement on Draco.

“I love you too, Harry. And you have nothing to be sorry about. Madam Pomfrey gave me many pamphlets and books on what symptoms to expect during each month of pregnancy. I must admit, I am not going to enjoy the last two months. She suggested you read over all of these as well so you know what to expect. I believe everyone will want to fuss over you first. And, depending on the time, I believe Granger and Weasley should be arriving any–”

“Good evening, Draco,” came Hermione’s voice, chipper as always. “How are you today? Has there been any change in – Harry!” She threw herself on her best friend when she saw he was awake, aware, and standing. “Oh, how I’ve missed you! Are you okay? How do you feel? Do you need to sit down? How long have you been awake? Are you hungry? Are you hurt? Do you need anything?”

Harry pushed Hermione off of and away from him, then started gesturing quite rapidly.

“Harry, what are you doing?” Ron asked, coming into the room more sedately than his girlfriend had.

“They don’t know anything about you, Harry,” Draco explained, ignoring the gesturing for the moment. “They know we’re married and that we’re having a baby. That’s about it.” He waited for Harry to say something, then turned to the other Gryffindors. “This is going to be bit of a tale, sit down for a moment while I work out the details.”

While Hermione conjured two chairs for her and Ron, Draco and Harry talked over what they would tell the rest of the Gryffindor Trio. It didn’t take the two newcomers long to figure out that Harry couldn’t speak for some reason and that they had worked out a language using motions to communicate.

“I am not telling them that!” Draco suddenly shrieked. “No, it is not important for them to know. Harry, I draw the line. I–” He was interrupted by Harry’s gesturing. “It is not a fit of pregnancy! This is how I feel and you will respect my wishes on this! No writing, no air talking, no legillimancy. They don’t need to know that! Nobody does!”

“Uh, hello? Anyone going to tell us anything, or should we go get Madam Pomfrey?” Ron asked, then shrank down in his chair with the glare Draco shot at him. “Or, we could just sit here and be silent. That works too.”

There was plenty more gesturing from Harry and lots of yelling and talking from Draco. After several minutes of this, Hermione leaned over and started explaining Muggle sign language to Ron: how it worked and why it was formed. While she was telling the story of a young girl named Helen Keller, Draco interrupted her.

“After much debate, we have agreed on what to tell you two. You know the most important bits, and have surely already guessed more.” He went on to describe the detention, the start of their wanderings, and most of the obstacles they faced in their travels of the Forbidden Forest. He had to stop so Ron could explain the shock behind Draco using Harry’s wand so easily.

“I don’t understand why that’s so amazing. I can use Ron’s wand just as easily. Watch.” She snatched Ron’s wand from his back pocket and summoned a whole tea set, complete with biscuits. “It’s not hard. Is that not normal?”

There was complete silence for a moment before Harry fell backwards on the bed, holding his sides as he curled up into a ball. The other three rushed to his side to see what was the matter. It turned out that he was laughing, but without noise it looked like he was in great pain. When he finally stopped laughing, Harry explained to Draco why it was so funny.

“Ah. Apparently you two were the last to realize you love each other. There was apparently a card game in – Not a card game? With a card game... A bet? Ah, there was a bet in Gryffindor on how long it would take you two to go exclusive. I can see that. Why you two couldn’t is what amazes me. Hey, who won the bet?”

Dennis, believe it or not, Harry wrote in the air.

“Dennis? What was his bet?” Ron asked. “And what was yours for that matter?”

“Christmas sixth year? Yeah, last Christmas for Creevy. And yours was... Graduation? Really? You thought it would take that long? Of course, I thought they had it at the Tri-Wizard Tournament in fourth year. Weasley couldn’t keep his eyes off Granger throughout the whole fiasco. You two really didn’t start dating until Christmas last?”

“Oh, and you and Harry were such a hot item!” Ron shot back, ears and nose as red as his hair.

“Actually,” Hermione cut in, “there were several theories on whether their hatred was purely negative. Most of us girls were wondering. It’s actually a common occurrence to see who we think should pair up with whom.”

Harry looked completely affronted, as did Draco. Ron just looked ill at the thought.

“I will have you know, Granger, that I was completely heterosexual before the whole Forest issue came about.” He looked over at Harry who was making hard and fast gestures of his own. “As was Harry, apparently.”

“You, maybe, Draco. But Harry was never heterosexual. He just didn’t know it.”

“‘Mione!”

Harry was gesturing wildly, his eyes wide as he tried to give his two cents on the matter at hand. Draco tried to translate, but many of the gestures didn’t make sense to him in the order they were given and Harry was moving too fast to keep up with. He tried to slow him down, but Harry was too agitated. Not mad, just wanted to get his point across and couldn’t since he couldn’t speak.

“Please, Harry. Don’t try to deny it. It was obvious to anyone with eyes.”

“Can we not discuss my best mate’s... sex habits while I’m here? Please?” Ron asked, looking slightly green.

“I concur,” Draco said. “We’re not discussing Harry’s sex habits. That is for me to know and you to fantasize about, Granger.” He smirked, settling back in his seat with a smug air about him.

“That is not what I meant!” Hermione gasped, going red in embarrassment.

“Please, it’s not as if–” Draco was cut short by a new voice drifting through the partially open door to their bedroom.

“I really don’t think now is such a good time, Lucius. They’re in that room just there.”

“Do you or do you not have silencing charms? Besides, it hasn’t stopped us before.”

“No, Lucius, you don’t understand. We’re not alone in here. There–”

“Silence, Severus. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last. They’re probably sleeping. Draco needs his rest and Potter is still out cold.”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you! He’s not–”

“What ‘he’s not’ is going anywhere. He’s unconscious. And I aim to put you in the same state in a matter of minutes.”

“Father!” Draco shrieked, rushing to the door and wrenching it open. “We can hear you in here! And Harry is conscious and we do have guests! Who are now traumatized, as am I. Surely Severus has a bedroom you could both use? I thought you had more decorum than that.”

The elder Malfoy quickly smothered Snape on the couch to hide his partially nude body from view of the teenagers gawking from within the guest bedroom. “What are all of you doing here at this hour?!”

“Father, it’s barely eight o’clock. Weasley and Granger come to see Harry nearly every evening at this time. Please, compose yourself. It’s disgusting to see you in such a state.” Draco closed the door and then turned to Harry. Rushing into his arms and burying his face in Harry’s chest, he muttered, “Please, gouge my eyes out now. I saw my half-naked father with my half-naked godfather on the couch I sit on everyday. Ew ew ew ew ew ew!”

Harry couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation they’d had that night. Was what Hermione said true? Was he really not straight before he and Draco got lost in the Forbidden Forest? Why would Hermione say something like that? She wasn’t prone to lying, so she must be telling the truth. But how could she know something like that about him that even he didn’t know?! Besides, he’d been on dates before. He’d taken Parvati to the Yule Ball. And he’d dated Ginny, too. He wasn’t gay until he’d been forced into close contact with Draco.

That was when he’d become gay. That was when he’d found the love of his life.

But Hermione said they’d been talking about the possibility of them pairing up, Harry and Draco, for quite some time now. It wasn’t a new concept to Hermione or the other girls. Was it only Gryffindor who thought that or did the other houses think that too? Slytherin? He couldn’t comprehend that thought, couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Why not say that he was in love with Snape? Or Voldemort? At the time, it seemed just as likely. The idea was ludicrous!

“Harry? Are you okay?”

The voice broke his thoughts and concentration. Draco was standing in the doorway with a concerned look on his face, one hand on his belly. At five months, there was no hiding the baby bump without some serious work. The blonde was always slight and pretty. There wasn’t much else to describe the boy. He was eating properly and taking the nutrition potions, but it didn’t change his genes. He came from a line of thin men and women. The baby showed more prominently on him than it would most other men.

As if on fast forward, his time in the Forbidden Forest ran through his head. The changes in Draco were so gradual at the time, but so obvious now. Draco was not the only one changed by the ordeal. Harry had undergone many changes himself, mostly due to his loss of vision and speech. Giving Draco his wand should have further hindered him, but it only made him stronger. That was another matter. His wand working for Draco so easily.

“Harry? Are. You. Okay.”

Such a simple question. Of course he wasn’t okay. His whole world had tilted on its axis the day he found out he was a wizard in this whole other world. The day that detention was to be served tilted his world again. From there, things seemed to steady themselves.

Except, as he looked back now, every adventure in that forest was another tilt, another change in his mindset. He thought he’d found his place in this new world, a place where he was happy and content. He was happy, damn it! He had friends, he had enemies, he knew his place in the school and mostly in the world. But one detention threw all those plans to hell and back. And yet... And yet he was so grateful for that experience.

“Harry!”

He snapped back to the present with a flinch, reaching his magic out to get information from what was around him. He hadn’t spaced out from his surroundings since before The Detention. Around him was nothing, really. He and Draco were sitting in their bedroom; they had been talking about the baby and the pregnancy when Harry tuned out and started thinking about the previous night. That brought them back to Draco staring at him with a confused expression.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Draco asked, placing a hand on his arm. “You’ve been sitting there, silent, for nearly ten minutes now. You must have been thinking about something terribly important. And you haven’t spaced like that in a long time. I’m curious as to who else felt that wave of magic you just sent out.” Draco smiled and placed a hand on Harry’s arm. “Why don’t you–? Harry? What’s wrong?” Now he was concerned.

What now? Harry signed.

“I don’t understand,” Draco answered, still confused and worried.

What now? he repeated. Us. You and me. What now?

“Us? What about us? What’s changed with us?”

Yes, exactly. Change.

“I’m sorry, Harry,” Draco sighed. “I’m not understanding. Here, use this.” He conjured then handed a quill and piece of parchment to his lover. The sign language they used only went so far, and only to the necessary conversations. Whatever Harry was trying to say hadn’t previously been necessary, apparently.

Draco stared at the note. A feeling of dread began to grow within him, clenching stomach and drying his mouth. If Harry wanted things to change… The conversation with Harry’s friends must have gotten him thinking. And now he wanted his previous life back, the one before The Detention, before getting lost… before Draco.

Tears welled up in his eyes. “If you want to go, I understand. I thought… I thought the wedding meant something and that you were happy. But I guess I was wrong. I can get the marriage annulled. You don’t have to worry about me saying anything to The Prophet. I’ll just go back to Malfoy Manor, have the baby there. I won’t keep it from you! I swear, I’ll-”

Harry cut Draco off with a kiss, holding his husband in place until he relaxed and melted into the embrace. Then he pulled back and smirked. Stupid boy. We’re not leaving. What do we say to others? People will know soon. I am famous, remember?

As the tears started to dry up, Draco realized what Harry had been trying to ask. “You’re worried about publicity? Right now?”

Harry shrugged, a bit sheepish.

Draco’s next words were cut off as his stomach rolled and he rushed to the loo. He threw up everything he’d eaten that day, then continued dry heaving. Harry was at his side, rubbing his back and holding his hair. He even sent magic through their bond to comfort his husband since he couldn’t talk. Eventually, Draco sat back, breathing heavily. A quick cleansing charm and the taste of sick was gone.

Morning sickness? Harry asked by writing in the air in front of Draco.

“Harry, it’s the middle of the afternoon.” With a slight groan, he started to stand up. Harry was right beside him, assisting him with his slightly off-balance girth.

Madam Pomfrey and the books said morning sickness can occur at any time, Harry reminded him via more writing. Their personal language didn’t have many of the words Harry needed during these conversations. And I thought Snape had given you a potion for that?

“He did. But I haven’t been sick in days, so I stopped taking it.”

Silly boy, he signed, tucking Draco into bed. Just because you feel better doesn’t mean you stop taking your potions. I’ll go get it so you can take it now. Then I want you to have a nap.

“I’m not four, you know!” Draco called after him, his eyes already drooping. Harry had to shake his shoulder a bit to rouse him in order to take the nausea potion. Dutifully, Draco took it with barely a grimace. “We have to talk to Severus about making these taste better. Bleugh!”

Chapter Text

Not that Harry was complaining, but Draco’s sixth month of pregnancy brought about a new symptom: increased libido. He couldn’t get enough sex. If Harry left to go anywhere, he was jumped as soon as he returned. If they were in the living room, there was sex on the couch. If they were in bed, there was sex on the bed. Shower? No problem. Friends over? Who cared?

Severus, that’s who cared. The poor man had walked in on the two more times than he could count. They didn’t close their bedroom door, and they weren’t always in their bedroom to begin with. No amount of yelling or threatening worked on them; they continued their liaisons wherever they pleased. Only to himself would he admit that their flexibility and stamina was quite impressive, especially with as big as Draco was getting.

“Albus, I’m telling you, I can’t take it anymore!” he ranted to the Headmaster. “They’re at it like crups in heat. There is no place in my quarters that hasn’t been desecrated by Potter. The kitchenette, the sofa, the rug in front of the hearth, even the walls! I cannot return to my quarters without some kind of change, a guarantee I’ll not see this again. Maybe they can have their own set of rooms?”

Albus merely steepled his fingers and eyes the pacing Potions Master before him. “Severus, come now. You know it’s not feasible to give them their own rooms. With young Mr. Malfoy pregnant and in his second trimester, he needs someone to look out for him. Someone who can freely communicate, and preferably someone with medi-wizard training, to be on hand in case something happens. It’s why you were chosen.”

“What guarantees can you provide I won’t return to my rooms right this moment to find Potter defiling my godson?” he snarled, arms crossed as he towered over the sitting headmaster.

Albus merely smiled. “Have you tried asking them?”

“Of course I’ve told them to keep it to their bedroom! I’ve-”

“Not told. Asked. Harry doesn’t respond well to ultimatums.”

“He sure is happy to dole them out,” Snape murmured, then fled the Headmaster’s office with a whirl of his robes. It was completely ludicrous that he had to ask permission for his guests to copulate in their own rooms. He couldn’t believe the situation had gotten so out of hand that he was left to debase himself before the Golden Boy just so he could have afternoon tea, sans cock and balls in his face.

As he neared his quarters, he lowered his wards and checked for any of Potter’s own wards. They didn’t always remember silencing charms, but sometimes he got lucky. When no extra wards were found, he knocked loudly on the door and waited a few moments before slowly opening it. He peered around its edge to see Harry and Draco standing in a corner, with Harry positioned protectively in front of Draco and hand raised.

“Oh thank Merlin,” Snape breathed. He entered the room fully. “What seems to be the threat, Mr. Potter?”

“You, Severus,” Draco answered, using his own hand to lower Harry’s outstretched arm. “Why did you knock? We thought someone was trying to get into your rooms.”

“Why did I-?! You two have been going at it like Wealseys and I’m the one being questioned as to my preventative measures?! I don’t need to see either of your bits, though I’ve seen quite enough, let me assure you. Oh don’t curl your lip at me, Mr. Potter. The two of you have contaminated my kitchen table, sofa, rug, and several of my walls. Merlin only know what’s you’ve done in your bedroom. I, however, don’t need to see it! So, please keep your sexcapades in said bedroom!”

Told you so, Harry wrote in the air. You said he didn’t see us in the kitchen. I knew he did.

Blushing profusely, Draco hissed, “Shut up, Potter!” He turned to his godfather, still blushing but looking apologetic. “I’m sorry, Severus. This is my fault, not Harry’s. It’s the pregnancy. Madam Pomfrey tried to warn us that my … libido, would increase around month six. I didn’t realize just what she meant, that I’d lose all inhibitions. I have so little control over myself right now. And there’s certainly no ‘off switch’ that I’ve been able to find.” He couldn’t even look the older man in his eyes, he was so embarrassed.

Snape, too, was sporting a blush. “Understandable,” he murmured. “But I really cannot stand the idea of seeing either of you naked again. Please, for the love of Merlin, keep it to your rooms.”

Both boys nodded, though Harry was still smirking. If there was any way to lay claim to Draco and make sure Snape knew it, he’d succeeded. As the pair sat on the couch, he kept a possessive arm around his expecting husband. Draco picked the book he’d been reading back up. It was another male pregnancy book; he couldn’t stop reading them. He was so hungry for knowledge and information. Every so often he’d read a sentence or passage out loud to the other two men in the room, keeping them informed as well.

Finally, exams and holidays were upon them. Snape spent most of his time in his office and classroom, so Harry and Draco had the rooms to themselves. Draco’s libido had only slowed a little, but they kept their promise to only have sex in their bedroom. Well, and the bathroom. Shower sex was the best.

Harry had been writing back and forth with the Headmaster to come up with a plan to deal with the publicity of the attack, the results, the pregnancy, and his marriage. He was mostly worried about the fallout from his marrying a ‘death eater’ and what might happen to Draco. Harry had always hated the press and how they were so fickle when it came to him – one day he was The Boy Who Lived, Savior of the Wizarding World and the next he was the next Dark Lord or some crazy wizard who couldn’t control his magic or who knew what else they’d come up with in his absence.

That was another thing they’d talked about – the excuse used for why Harry was away. If he were away for training, then he needed to get some kind of training. Voldemort was still a real threat, and now Snape wasn’t able to spy. Even the Malfoys were stuck at Hogwarts for their protection. It would be best for all of it to come out to the public. It would protect the former Death Eaters in the longrun, would bring all the information to light, and would show that Harry wasn’t trying to hide anything.

Surprisingly, Draco was completely against letting anyone know about them. He didn’t want to tell anyone about getting lost in the Forbidden Forest or the challenges they faced there. He didn’t want anyone to know his parents or Severus had defected from the Death Eaters and were now basically held hostage at Hogwarts for their safety. And he most assuredly didn’t want anyone to know about their baby. There had been several rows over the idea of telling their story. Harry didn’t understand it. Draco never gave a reason why. Merely that it was dangerous and he refused to do it and why would Harry even suggest such a thing and didn’t Harry love him or care about him at all?!

Between the arguments and the pregnancy hormones, Harry was ready to jump off the Astronomy Tower. Thankfully all the students had left for summer hols so he was able to storm from Severus’ rooms to get some air to breathe. He didn’t leave the castle. Usually, he went to the kitchens and got something sweet from the elves there to pacify Draco upon his return.

But they’d need to come to some kind of agreement sooner or later.

Having gotten absolutely nowhere with Draco, Harry turned to the only other person who could talk to his husband: Severus Snape.

“What is it now, Potter?” Snape drawled from the Head Table in the Great Hall. He was enjoying a morning cup of coffee, something he rarely indulged in so as not to become habit-forming. “I specifically come here to get away from you.”

Harry bowed his head respectfully and bit his lip. He could ‘say’ whatever he wanted and Snape would be none the wiser, but that wasn’t the point. Instead, he looked up at the man, pointed at him, pointed at himself, then interlaced his fingers in front of him.

“Me, you… Join together? No. Together. Work together? You want us to work together?” He huffed a snort. “And why would I do that? We seem to be just fine circling around one another with Draco as our center. I have no need to work with you on anything other than being rid of the Dark Lord. And my role in that has been greatly reduced.”

Harry rubbed his fist on his chest in a circle a few times.

“ ‘Please’? My my my. What in all the nine kingdoms has you begging for my help?”

A notepad and muggle pen was conjured and Harry began writing. Snape continue to sip his coffee until the pad was floated up to him to read. A quick scan caused Snape to raise an eyebrow in surprise. He read through it again more slowly. It was an interesting idea, a mostly well-thought-out plan. There was no way Harry came up with this by himself. It had to be Draco’s doing.

“Interesting thoughts,” he murmured. “But why do you need my help? Write to your little friend at The Quibbler and get Dumbledore to get that horrid Skeeter woman over here for your interviews. Surely Draco can translate for you, or you can give statements as you are right now. I’m weary of the woman, but I’m certain she can read.”

Harry made a motion like he was brushing his hair back then laid his hand over his heart. Finally, he shook his head firmly ‘no’.

“Draco won’t translate for you? No. Draco won’t… He won’t? Won’t do the interview. Whyever not?”

Harry shrugged his shoulders with his hands palm up beside him in the air. He pointed at Snape, pointed at himself, then intertwined his fingers together.

“So you want me to get Draco to go along with this plan. That’s what this is about.” Snape sighed in surrender. “And just what am I supposed to say that you haven’t already?”

Harry shrugged again, then pointed at Snape.

“Yeah, I know. It’s my job to figure it out. Isn’t it always?” Severus dismissed the younger man and went back to his coffee. “Bloody Gryffindors.”

Snape worked on what to say for a week. He was sure the obvious ideas had already been tried by Potter, but he was still going to use them in case he said them in a way Draco found acceptable. Unlike Potter’s usual bullheadedness.

He’d have to approach the situation carefully. At seven months in, Draco’s balance was nearly non-existent. He wasn’t able to get off the couch by himself any longer. It caused him great distress. Especially because it meant he couldn’t storm away from a situation. He also couldn’t pace, because turning took a great deal more effort and thought than it used to. More than once, he’d had to catch the boy before he fell. And more often than that, Harry did.

He’d also started having cravings, but they changed so fast. He wasn’t sure what to take to his godson to get him in a good mood. One time, he’d brought pickles and mayonnaise only to send the blonde into a fit of vomiting at the smell. Draco had apologized profusely, but he’d learned his lesson – no foodstuffs unless he was specifically asked.

So that’s what he did.

Setting his Potions Journal aside, he asked Draco, “Did you want anything from the kitchens? I’m going to order some lavender tea.” So far, it was the only tea whose smell hadn’t made Draco nauseous.

“Ooh, an ice lolly, grape, with some whipped cream and hot sauce, please!” came the excited reply.

Snape blanched, but put in the order via the Floo anyways. Within minutes, the tray appeared on the kitchen table. He floated the tray to Draco after taking his tea for himself. Then he sat back down in his chair.

Draco dipped the ice lolly in the whipped cream then dashed some hot sauce over that. Sucking on it, he made a truly sinful noise of enjoyment. It brought Harry out of the bedroom to see what was going on. Upon seeing the snack, he blanched and returned to their room. Draco never noticed.

Severus cleared his throat. “Draco, I was wondering if I could speak with you on a sensitive subject.”

“Of course, Severus. But Harry and I haven’t had sex outside our rooms since our last conversation,” Draco insisted.

“No, not about that. Rather, about this plan to have your story go public.”

Immediately, Draco seemed to shut down. His face and eyes darkened and he frowned heavily.

“Now let me say my piece, first. I’ve looked over the Headmaster’s plan and I find it quite sound. You know the information is going to get out sooner or later and it’s best if it’s done on your terms. It’s also important that the general public knows about your parents. Their futures depend on their actions, which cannot be known unless you tell it. Also, it’s important that the Potter heir is announced. By now, you should have announced it. You know that. Eight months? You’re nearly due as it is, and bursting at the seams.”

“Who says it’s the Potter heir?” Draco finally snapped. “Maybe it’s the Black heir, or the Malfoy heir. You don’t know!”

“Regardless of the name given, it will be Harry’s child. If you secret it away and the news is leaked – before or after the birth – how do you think the public will take it? Surely you don’t want then entirety of Wizarding Britain to turn against your husband? He’s going to have a hard enough time when they find out he’s blind and mute. He deserves better, and your child deserves better. And, frankly, of the three Houses, Potter would have the first heir. You would have the second, and Black the third. Should you decide to provide an heir for all three. There are ways to bestow all three Houses on the one child, if you want that instead.” Snape paused there to drink his lavender tea and give Draco some time to vent.

“The House name isn’t even that important,” he bit out between clenched teeth. “We combined names, so it’s not like people won’t know. Why does anyone get a say in my life? my child’s life? What business is it of theirs? They don’t need to know. It hasn’t even been born yet! Everyone is all up in It’s business and it hasn’t even truly started life yet!” He wrapped his arms around his large belly as much as he could in a protective embrace. “You don’t get it, do you? No one needs to know about It. It’s safer that way. I can keep It safe if no one knows,” he whispered, a tear falling from one eye.

That’s when Snape understood. Draco’s instincts were telling him to protect his child at all costs. After what they’d been through in the Forest, after seeing what had happened to his father and Severus when they defected, knowing what Potter went through on a near-daily basis with the press… His child wasn’t safe. Not in a world where the Dark Lord still lived and tormented them all. He couldn’t blame the young man for wanting to protect his progeny after all of that.

But he also had to make him see sense. This was also Potter’s child, meaning the press was part of the package deal.

“Draco, look at me. Look at me. The public needs to know sooner rather than later. Your child is also Pott- Harry’s child. This is something you will have to deal with for the rest of your life. It will grow up in the spotlight just as he did once he re-entered the Wizarding World. It will be out there for everyone to see and know about. Maybe not physically,” he rushed to assure as Draco drew in on himself. The worry and despair from the younger wizard called to Harry, who reappeared once more to hug his husband. “Potter will be there to help you through this. He won’t let anything happen to your child. There is no way he would. I will also be there. Understand?”

“Potter-Malfoy,” Draco said with a sniffle. “We are Harry and Draco Potter-Malfoy.”

Snape rolled his eyes and finished his tea. Now they just had to get the damn thing in motion before Draco changed his mind about the whole affair.

Chapter Text

So the plan was to give a series of three interviews to run a week apart each to a reporter that was not Rita Skeeter from The Daily Prophet and to Luna Lovegood for The Quibbler. Dumbledore vetted and approved of the other reporter before he was allowed to visit Hogwarts for the interviews. No Quick Quotes Quills were allowed to be used. Harry and Draco would have final say on anything prior to printing.

It was mostly a standard agreement, something Harry had never been allowed to stipulate.

They decided their first interview would be an overall story about the obvious: the history between the pair, the detention, the issues they struggled with, the pregnancy, and their marriage. They’d found a way to strategically mention the pregnancy and the marriage at about the same time during the interview so it wouldn’t be obvious Draco had been knocked up prior to their wedding. It was just gauche to admit such a thing.

Of course, the pregnancy would be the most obvious thing when the reporter and Luna walked in the room. There was no hiding Draco’s eight-month-plus belly. But they were ready to tell their story in the order they wanted it and in the manner they wanted. They knew the reporter would be anxious to get to the point on Draco’s pregnancy, but they would steer the interview in the direction they wanted. The second interview would go into depth about the past and the detention-gone-wrong. The third interview would be about their wedding and pregnancy and future plans.

Draco was dreading the interview all morning. He kept moaning about how fat he was and how ungainly. So Harry had to show him just how attractive he found him to be.

During one of his fits, Harry shut him up with a hard kiss. Draco was seated on a bench in front of a vanity, so Harry leaned down and took command of his husband’s lips. Immediately, Draco surrendered and opened his mouth. Their tongues met and glided over one another. Harry’s hands cupped Draco’s cheeks, forcing the blonde to tilt his head slightly for better access. Then he started to trail kisses across his husband’s cheek to his earlobe, behind his ear, down his neck. He left a rather large love bite at the nape of Draco’s neck.

The whole time, Draco was shuddering and moaning. He kept his eyes closed and enjoyed the sensations.

While marking his territory, Harry’s hands moved around Draco’s front to his nipples. Through the robes, he teased the nubs carefully, aware of their acute sensitivity this late in the pregnancy. Draco loved nipple play. He could even come from it alone nowadays. But that wasn’t the plan right now. With the blonde moaning and humping the air, trying to find some friction for his hard and leaking cock, and Harry now unbuttoning his lover’s robes slowly, the pair was lost in their own world.

When the robes were loosened, Harry drew them down Draco’s arms and followed their progress with kisses across Draco’s shoulders. He wore nothing beneath his robes now. Nothing fit and too much chafed besides. Even pants were too much for his sensitive skin. All the better, as far as Harry was concerned. Never allowing his lips to leave Draco’s skin, Harry helped Draco rise from the bench. His robes fell all the way and pooled at his feet. Slowly, Draco turned in Harry’s arms and they kissed again.

Harry bent one knee, allowing Draco to find satisfaction against his thigh for a moment. The blonde moaned loudly at the feeling against his prick. The jeans Harry wore were perfect in their scratchiness, his muscles perfect in their hardness. Especially when they flexed with every movement Harry made. Aware of Draco’s inability to stand for long periods, he led them to the bed slowly so they wouldn’t have to break their kiss, which had become very needy.

Draco was sat on the edge of the bed while Harry stood between his legs as much as the pregnant belly would allow. Draco’s hands began removing Harry’s clothes. Harry’s hand moved down to Draco’s prick and began to slowly massage the leaking appendage. Draco cried out. He was so hard and wanted his husband so badly. He tried to undo Harry’s jeans faster, but his fingers kept fumbling. He growled into their kiss in frustration.

Harry took pity on him, helping himself out of his clothing to appease his husband. Once naked, he crawled onto the bed and helped Draco into position on his haunches, facing the headboard. He reached into the bedside drawer for the lube kept there and poured some on his hands.

First, he gave Draco a light massage. His fingers worked out the stress from the shoulders and down the spine. Once he got to the hips, he slowly moved his hands around to massage Draco’s extended belly then back again. His thumbs carefully dug into Draco’s bum then, massaging the globes that hid his lover’s most precious place. He poured a little more lube on his right hand and circled one finger around Draco’s puckered entrance. Slowly, he pushed the single digit inside.

But it wasn’t enough. Draco moaned at the contact, leaning forward a bit and putting his hands on the headboard for balance. “More, Harry. More.” It wasn’t like they hadn’t had sex just last night. Draco was still nearly insatiable despite his even more constant comments about his looks and his weight and his lack of appeal. Only because he was still slightly stretched from all the recent activity did Harry push two digits in on the next pass. Draco groaned in approval, pushing back to try and hurry it along.

Using his left hand, Harry lubed up his own cock to ready himself. Draco was now taking three fingers and was nearly ready. If it were up to Draco, Harry would have skipped the fingers entirely. But there was no way that was going to happen. If it were up to Harry, they’d not be having sex; he feared harming the child. But Draco showed him book after book that said it was okay, good even, to be having sex. So long as it wasn’t rough or kinky. So Harry made slow, careful love to his husband any time Draco asked. Never once did the brunette say no, no matter how tired or sore he might be.

He removed his fingers and guided his cock to Draco’s entrance.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Draco chanted. He had leaned forward so he was raised up on his knees, his hands holding the headboard in a tight grip, his head hanging between his elbows. “Come on, baby, do it. Fill me up.”

Harry started to push in, slowly, and wrapped his hands around Draco’s belly.

“Yes, I’m aware I’m as full as it gets already. Now get that prick in me or so help me- YES! Right there, love. Right there! Oh yes! That’s it!” He gave a long, low groan of satisfaction as Harry rubbed across his prostate as he pulled out. He was instantly moving back in however, using long, slow movements to distract and drive Draco to madness.

Soon, Draco was huffing and pushing back against his husband. He needed more. He needed faster. He needed harder. And he knew Harry wouldn’t give it to him because he feared hurting the baby. Instead, he tried to take it himself. After two shoves back, Harry caught on to his plans, however, and halted his movements with his hands on Draco’s hips.

Draco whined. “Please,” he groaned. “Please, Harry. I need you!”

Instead of complying with Draco’s wishes, Harry reached around and began to lightly tease one of Draco’s nipple again.

“Ah! Yes!” Draco cried, arching his spine and throwing his head back. He cock gave a small jet of pre-come.

Harry’s other hand moved to Draco’s cock and started pumping it in earnest, tightening and twisting every third or fourth pull. Draco jerked his hips into Harry’s hand once, twice and then was coming. He cried out, long and loud as his come landed on the bedspread. Harry kept up his slow thrusts as Draco milked his own orgasm from him. Though he couldn’t impregnate Draco again right then, he held still when he was done to just savor the moment and the feeling.

It was Right.

It was Perfect.

Draco was sobbing, his head hanging between his arms. Only the headboard and Harry’s prick kept him raised up as he was. It had felt so good! He didn’t know why he was crying. He was so happy. When Harry tried to pull out to see what was the matter, Draco grabbed his hip to hold him still.

“Not yet,” he whispered. “I’m okay. I’m not hurt. I’m happy. It’s good.” He tried to reassure his husband, but felt the wave of magic wash over him anyways as Harry scanned him. “It’s good,” he repeated.

When Harry seemed satisfied by his findings, he began to rub Draco’s back with one hand while supporting him a bit with the other hand on his stomach. He felt the baby kick against him them, always more active once they had been too. The first time, it had scared Harry. He’d thought he’d hurt the baby. He’d called Madam Pomfrey by force of will and magic. She merely tutted and explained, once again, that sex was perfectly fine, and the baby was sure to react but wouldn’t be harmed. Draco would know if the baby were in distress.

As Harry softened inside Draco, he eventually pulled out naturally. Harry helped Draco down onto his side on the bed for a post-coital snuggle. This was Harry’s favorite moment. Not that the other stuff wasn’t nice, but cuddling with Draco had always been the reward for the ‘other stuff’ for him. He really enjoyed feeling the baby move beneath his hands. He’d been so jealous the first time Draco had felt It move, but he couldn’t yet. Now, however, it was obvious when It moved. It stretched Draco’s skin and summersaulted around as much as it could in its confined space.

A quick Tempus told Harry it was time to get moving. The interview was in a half hour. Rather than move immediately, he just cuddled a moment longer. The less time Draco had to fret, the less he’d worry. Stress wasn’t good for the baby. So after a few minutes, he waved his hand and cleaned them up. He helped Draco up an doff the bed, then helped him dress. Draco was so mad he didn’t have anything to wear, including shoes. ‘What self-respecting wizard doesn’t wear shoes?!’ he’d wanted to know.

So Harry’s answer was to not wear shoes either. Nor trousers nor a shirt. He did wear pants; he couldn’t handle the idea of meeting a stranger without wearing at least pants. They entered the living room to find Snape waiting for them, drinking some tea that turned Draco’s stomach. The man immediately banished it in deference. Silently, he stood and led them to the same room off the Great Hall where the Champions from the Tri-Wizard Tournament had been taken three years ago.

It seemed like so much longer.

Only Dumbledore was there at the time, configuring two squishy chairs and a comfy couch on either side of a roaring fire. Despite it being summer, Draco got cold easily. Harry helped his husband onto the couch in the spot nearest the fire. Draco may get cold, but Harry was plenty warm. Severus had decided to stand behind and slightly to the left of Harry during the interview.

A knock on the door heralded Luna’s arrival. She sat down in the chair next to the fire and greeted everyone in the same dreamy manner she usually did. The soon-to-be seventh year student was ready with her quill and parchment, the quill stuck behind her ear. Her radish earrings swung merrily from her earlobes.

Before any real conversation might begin, another knock sounded and in walked Dimitri Volkanov. He gave a bow at the door and quickly took his seat. He set his briefcase in his lap and removed some parchment and a quill, then stored the briefcase beside his chair.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Potter. Mr. Malf- Oh my!” he gasped as he finally looked up and saw Draco’s belly. “Please, forgive me.” His slight Russian accent had gotten deeper with his exclamation, but was receding once more. “I was not prepared for such an event. Again, my apologies.”

Snape sneered at the man. Luna giggled. “I bet you two came across some Moon Frogs,” she said, smiling. Harry was just grateful she didn’t write that down in her notes.

Draco cleared his throat. “Yes, well, thank you both for coming. As you can clearly see, we have a few things to discuss and announce. We will get to this shortly. Suffice to say, Harry and I are married and we are expecting our first child. We do not yet know the gender. I am due next month, after Harry’s birthday.”

Dimitri was hurriedly writing while Draco paused. Lunda merely wrote a few words.

“We’d like to start at the beginning of our story and get through the whole thing today, leaving the details for another interview. As Luna can surely attest, Harry and I were not friends during our years at Hogwarts. Our first and second meetings pre-Hogwarts were actually quite tense and ended with Harry rejecting my offer of friendship. Up until the beginning of our seventh year, this past year, we were enemies. We both played Seeker on our House teams – Harry a Gryffindor, myself a Slytherin. Even our families were on opposite sides with my parents being Dark Lord sympathizers and Harry’s being members of the Order of the Phoenix.”

Dimitri gasped, the shock coming from Draco’s openness as to his parents’ alliances. No one said such a thing out loud. It just wasn’t done. After a split second, he realized he should be writing and got back to it. Draco graciously allowed him a moment to catch up.

“Anything we could do to face off against one another was done. The dueling club in our second year, for instance, when everyone found out Harry was a Parselmouth. Classes and House points and the House Cup. Duels in the hallways, although forbidden, were a constant. I caught Harry and his friends smuggling a dragon once. Another time, meeting in secret in the Room of Requirement to train fellow students. He Polyjuiced himself as one of my friends to get into the Slytherin common room to find out if I was the heir of Slytherin in our second year.”

Draco looked at Severus and mimed drinking to ask for some water. They should have had some ready, knowing he’d be doing all the talking. Immediately, Severus provided a glass. It gave Dimitri and Luna time to write.

After taking a sip, Draco smiled to Harry and continued. At the start of our seventh year, this past year, nothing was any different than it had been. On September 4th, we went to Care of Magical Creatures out on the grounds. Hagrid had procured several hippogriffs for the class. It wasn’t the first time he’d done so; we knew the rules for the beasts. But Harry and I had gotten into a fight and carried it over into class. We insulted one of the hippogriffs-”

Harry moved his hands rapidly, interrupting Draco.

“Oh fine. I insulted one of the hippogriffs, which caused a stampede. Harry and I were given detention with Hagrid to find the hippogriffs that had run off into the Forbidden Forest.”

“Excuse me, Harry, Draco,” Luna interrupted. “What was that just now? Was there a blibbering humdinger about?”

“What is a blibbering humdinger?” Dimitri asked.

“Right, yes. Getting ahead of the story, but I guess you should know,” Draco mused. “Harry is mute. He cannot speak. He can hear. To communicate, we created a sort of gesture-based language. He was correcting me when I said ‘we’ insulted the hippogriffs instead of ‘I’. There are no, er, blubbery… what’s-its.”

“Blibbering humdingers,” Luna supplied. She started writing quickly.

“How did Mr. Potter come to be mute?” Dimitri asked.

“Mr. Potter-Malfoy. We combined named when we married,” Draco answered. He took another sip of water. “That will come in due time. Shortly, in fact. Our detention was in the Forbidden Forest, as I said. As seventh years, along with Hagrid, we were surely able to find some hippogriffs. Instead, Harry and I were separated from Hagrid. Instead of staying on the path as instructed, I started walking back to the castle. Except, all I did was get us more and more lost. We were in the Forbidden Forest until January 28th, spending all of Fall Term and Christmas in the forest. We faced many challenges and obstacles there, as you can imagine. We will go into that in depth at our next interview, please,” Draco said, forestalling Dimitri’s question. “Suffice to say, Harry lost his vision and his ability to speak when a nundu attacked.”

“His vision?” Luna asked. Harry was looking right at her, so she was confused.

“A nundu?!” Dimitri gasped, dropping his quill. He quickly summoned it back, writing furiously.

“Yes. After saving my life, Harry was stuck in the nundu’s poisonous cloud. When it and the nundu cleared away, Harry was left blind and mute. That is why we learned to speak to each other, or rather him to me, in a gesture-based language. As for his vision, he uses his magic to see. It’s a sort of sonar or echo-location.”

“Like graphenes,” Luna supplied. “They send out screeches that come back and ‘show’ them the way to their prey.”

“Just so,” Draco agreed. They’d all agreed to keep Harry’s magical abilities to themselves, not needing Voldemort to know how powerful Harry was without a wand. “He can’t see very well, but his magic gives him plenty of information. For instance, he has no idea your briefcase is brown, Mr. Volkanov, but he could pick it up and carry it away with perfect accuracy – no groping about. He knows where Severus is standing behind him without looking. He knows where the spiders in this room are. He can navigate back to the Great Hall with no assistance from this room.”

“And this is because of the nundu attack?” Dimitri questioned, still writing furiously.

“Mostly, yes. He’d lost his glasses before the attack, but the nundu sealed the deal, so to speak. Moving on. We returned to Hogwarts, finally, on January 28th, going straight to Severus’ classroom. He is the Potions Master here at Hogwarts. The teachers had, of course, all been searching for us as best they could while letting no one know that we were lost. On February 24th, Harry and I were married in a private ceremony here at Hogwarts after we healed from our ordeal. I have two photographs here, one for each of you, that you may print, along with a copy of our vows. If you’d like, you may also take a picture of Harry’s vows, as they were said in our gesture-based language.”

Both reporters nodded in acceptance.

“It wasn’t too long after we returned, still hidden away mind you, that Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape were to be killed by the Dark Lord for their failures to him.”

Dimitri’s eyes flicked to Snape, wide and scared. Severus merely sneered.

“No, Mr. Volkanov, Severus is not a Death Eater. He has not been for many years now. He has been spying on the Dark Lord for our side, bringing us information whenever possible, withstanding torture both physical and mental for over fifteen years. When they were to be Avada’ed, Severus grabbed my father after he’d been Cruicio’ed and portkeyed them to safety to the Hogwarts infirmary. From then on, my parents were secluded here in Hogwarts Castle as well, for their safety. They had defected.

“But the Dark Lord does not let his followers simply leave. Through their Dark Marks, he has linked each to him. He is able to summon them and punish them via these Marks. And thus he began to do with my father and Severus. Upon seeing this, Harry destroyed the link and the Dark Mark on them both.” Draco waved a hand at Severus, who lifted his sleeve to show the unblemished skin of his left forearm. “No longer are they minions, but free men.”

Dimitri sat in stunned silence, his quill hanging precariously between his fingers. Draco let him have a moment, using the time to drink some more water.

“That’s about when we realized I was pregnant,” he lied. A hand softly caressed his belly and he smiled. “It definitely wasn’t planned, but we were very happy. A baby Potter-Malfoy.” He smiled at Harry, who smiled back. “Due late August or early September, as I said. We don’t know the gender, because we want to be surprised. We’ve just been using the term ‘It’ for now. We have decided to have a renewal of vows in the spring, once the baby has come and we’ve had time to settle as a family. We’ll make an announcement about that at a later date.”

“And that’s all for now,” Snape interrupted. “That is enough time for Mr. Potter-Malfoy to be sitting up like this. He needs his rest, after all.” Clearly, the interview was over. Snape began ushering the reporters to the door.

“Uh, Mr. Sna-”

“Professor Snape,” Severus, Draco, and Luna all interrupted at once.

“Right. Professor Snape. Mr. Potter-Malfoy said there was a picture, and that we were permitted to take one as well. May we still do that?” Dimitri asked, holding his briefcase. His shrunken camera was inside.

Snape rolled his eyes, but gestured back to the couple sitting on the couch.

“Right,” Draco said. “Well, for our vows, I said this.” He handed each reporter the promised wedding photo and his vows. “But, since Harry cannot speak, he used our gesture-based language to simply say ‘I love you’. Like this.” He turned to Harry and they grasped hands. They heard two cameras click to capture the moment.

Harry raised his right hand with two fingers extended and placed them on his cheekbone. Then he dragged them to his jaw line before moving the hand to Draco’s left cheekbone and doing the same thing there.

And with that, the first interview was done.

Draco was truly tired after the interview and immediately fell into bed for a nap. Harry left him in bed and went to sit in the living room, ‘staring’ into the fire there. He couldn’t believe his life. And yet he found it so … perfect. Everything he’d ever wanted – a loving spouse and children, a real family of his own.

So what was the issue? The problem was that Harry didn’t get happiness. Every time he got something good, it was snatched from him in an instant. Parents? Dead. Magic? Savior. Friends? Turned against him. And all the while, Voldemort was a looming shadow over them all. He was the only one that could kill the monster. How, though?! How was he supposed to kill a Dark Lord?!

He didn’t even notice Snape entering the living room. The older man knew better than to say or do anything, however. To make any noise would cause Harry to strike out. Instead, he merely watched the youth – no, a man now. Seventeen years old, married, a child on the way, Head of two Houses. This was a man by all accounts. And a powerful one at that. He needed to talk to Albus soon about their plans. Probably because he was searching for Potter (Potter-Malfoy) himself, the Dark Lord didn’t hold his annual end-of-year attack. There was no Potter (Potter-Malfoy) to attack, after all.

Silently, Severus turned and went back into his rooms. Yes. He needed to talk to the Headmaster, and soon.

Albus called a meeting of the Order that night at Grimmauld Place. He told them the story of Draco and Harry being lost in the Forbidden Forest. He told them of their survival and relationship. He told them of Harry’s powers and his infirmities. He told them of their baby and their marriage. He told them of the Malfoys and Snape defecting from Voldemort. There wasn’t a sound to be heard in the kitchen, not a peep. It seemed like no one was even breathing. He called out to Severus then, having him bring Ron and Hermione into the kitchen to join the group.

“These three have known for a few months now, have been helping care for the two young men. Draco, especially, needs help at this late stage of pregnancy. They were also essential in keeping the lie about Harry being off in training strong.”

All eyes were on the newly-graduated teens then.

It was Molly Weasley who broke first. “You knew? You knew Harry was missing, was in danger? That he’d come back blind? That he was having a baby?”

“Uh, yeah, Mum,” Ron murmured, looking away. “It was for their safety, ya know? We couldn’t say anything.”

Tears sprang to her eyes, then Molly was up and around the table in an instant. “Oh, my precious baby boy! How good of you to keep your friend’s secret like that! Harry’s safety is top priority and you did so well!” She grabbed him in a hug and cried against his shoulder, seeing as he was taller than her now. She reached out and grabbed Hermione too. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, dear! I’m proud of you too!”

Eventually, she backed away from the two, wiping her eyes dry with a handkerchief and sniffling a little. She rounded on the dour Potions Master then. “And you, Severus, thank you. You years of spying, your dedication to Harry, helping him and saving him, and caring for him… Thank you.”

Terrified she was going to hug him, Snape sneered, grabbed each teen by a shoulder, and marched them out of the kitchen.

Chapter Text

And he was down for the count.

After the second interview with Luna Lovegood for The Quibbler and Dimitri Volkanov for The Daily Prophet, Draco couldn’t hardly stand anymore and sitting for long periods left him aching everywhere. He was essentially on bedrest until he gave birth. The first articles had gone over smashingly. Everyone was sending owl after owl with congratulations, gifts, and apologies for the harm done to Harry’s sight and hearing.

For the second interview, they’d gone over their ‘adventure’ in the Forbidden Forest in great detail, leaving out the too-personal bits. Even the ‘boring’ bits about walking and sleeping in shifts and finding food was discussed in depth so the readers could really get a sense of understanding what it was like out there. Harry wrote it best:

It was cold. Imagine being out in the snow all day and all night in your summer robes, no shelter in sight, no hope. All you have is each other. That’s what kept us going – each other.

But this didn’t seem to bother Draco at all. He may have been down for the count, but he was also nesting.

Whatever Draco did, he was determined to be the best at it. And if that were true, he was certainly an ace nester. He’d calculated the perfect room size for a baby for maximum mental and physical health with Arithmancy and Numerology. Then he’d directed the elves into shaping the room just right to fit a growing child – no harsh corners, but also a room that had depth and distinction.

Whatever that meant.

Even with their story out to the public, they weren’t to leave the castle. Draco, especially, was in now condition to go traipsing about Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley for baby furniture or supplies. First, Narcissa Malfoy had her personal house elf gather Draco’s baby things and bring them to the couple for perusal. After that, Molly Weasley said she could dig some things up too, and asked if she could knit a few things for the baby. Harry smiled at the ‘few’, knowing better. Draco thanked her and welcomed all gifts.

From the two mothers the couple decided to use the Malfoy crib and accompanying mobile, the Weasley bassinet and accompanying mobile, a Weasley rattle, Draco’s first baby stuffed crup, and all the baby clothes they could get. They had plenty of boy clothing from both sides, but only Ginny’s old things in case It was a girl. They were in excellent condition and super cute. As Draco went through them piece by piece, he cried over each one. They were so adorable!

Also from the Malfoy family, a personal house elf to take care of the baby. Harry wasn’t so sure about that last gift. The only real experience he had with house elves was Dobby, Winky, and Kreacher. None were exactly promising. But the longer this elf was around, the more Harry grew accustomed to it. It was very helpful to Draco. Being a nanny elf, it knew what expecting mothers needed most. Sometimes, she even knew what Draco needed before Harry did. She didn’t seem to mind when Draco suddenly changed his mind and needed the whole nursery moved around, repainted, new furniture, etc. Harry had learned not to interrupt his nesting husband and certainly not to question his choices.

“You think I’m a bad parent?!” Draco screeched one time, as he was instructing Missy to rearrange the furniture and to recolor it cream. “You think I don’t know what my baby needs?! What, do you think I’ll hurt It? You probably think I’m completely inept too, huh? That I don’t know how to change a nappy or make a bottle. Well guess what, Mr. Savior of the Wizarding World, I do know how to change a nappy and gas It and swaddle and everything else! So why don’t you just go away!”

With that, he slammed the nursery door in Harry’s face. The sounds of Draco instructing new paint colors on the walls and a rearrangement of the plushies could be heard. Harry wandered back into the living room where Severus was reading The Daily Prophet. Without looking up he muttered, “I told you so.”

Harry just flipped him the bird – a universal sign.

He was really going to have to learn to listen to the man when it came to the Malfoys. Everything he’d thought he’d known was wrong. He’d learned the truth about Draco in the Forbidden Forest. He’d learned about Lucius every day since he’d been brought to Hogwarts by Severus. He’d learned about Narcissa after she’d turned up beaten, broken, and bloody at the Hogwarts gates.

It seemed Voldemort was not pleased with the Malfoy men escaping his grasp. And while Narcissa had never been marked, she was as good as considering her husband had been the Dark Lord’s left-hand man and ‘lover’. She’d been thinking over the position she’d found herself in ever since her husband had defected. She’d never been a diehard believer of the Death Eaters and Voldemort, but she didn’t side with the Light either. She had been hoping to remain neutral. But that was not to be. She’d answered a missive from her sister, Bellatrix, and found herself at the end of Rabastian’s and Rodolphus’ wands.

When they were done with her, they dropped her at the gates in front of Hogwarts with a note that read, A present from your Master. See you soon.

Harry had been livid. You don’t hurt women and children. You don’t go after the vulnerable. Severus and Lucius had betrayed Voldemort – fine, go after them. They were capable of standing up for themselves. Narcissa? Draco? They weren’t a part of this war. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. There were rules to war! When he found out the true extent of Narcissa’s injuries, he nearly went off to find Voldemort right then and there. It took Lucius and Severus to hold him back physically.

Narcissa would take time to heal. The physical injuries, those were healed within a day. But the psychological injuries from her brutal beating and rape would take far longer. She seemed to do so much better after Draco told her about the baby. Once she had something to focus on, she really came out of her shell. That’s when Harry learned about the real Narcissa Malfoy – the doting mother, the worrier, the planner. It was obvious where Draco got his nesting skills from. Harry and Lucius shared many looks of sympathy during this phase of the pregnancy.

“Hey, Harry?” Draco asked one night while cuddling with his husband. “What are we going to do about our seventh year? I mean, all our classmates have graduated. There’s no way I’m going back to join the new seventh years, especially not with It coming right at the start of school. But I need my education. I’ll never get a proper job without my Hogwarts diploma. What’s the plan?”

Harry decided to use the spell to write in the air in front of Draco so he wouldn’t have to move from his lounging position curled up behind his mate.

I have no idea, love.

Let’s ask Dumbledore tomorrow.

“That sounds like a plan to me. But, until then… Can you do that thing with your tongue again?” he asked, hopeful. So near their due date, Harry was nearly adamant about no penetrative sexual activities. But, honestly, it was Draco’s body and he was horny, damn it!

Without answering, Harry ran a hand down Draco’s thigh to push his right leg forward. All sex was had on his side, as he couldn’t manage even being on his hands and knees anymore. And while it still bothered Harry, he couldn’t deny his lover what he begged for so prettily.

“Oh, please please please,” Draco chanted as he heard the cork on the vial of lube pop. “Yes, sweet Merlin, give it to me, please!”

Harry pressed one slick finger into his husband, pumping slowly in and out. Then he added another. Draco’s pleas were a running litany that hardened Harry’s cock. He was only a man, after all. His sexy husband pleading and begging for sex was a turn on, one he couldn’t deny. He scissored his fingers to open Draco up for him. Even though he knew it was useless, Draco begged for faster and harder ministrations. As expected, Harry ignored them. He did add a third finger, however, to be sure he would not harm his husband.

Before he moved forward with the obvious, Harry maneuvered himself down to Draco’s hips so he could use his tongue in the manner Draco has specifically asked for.

“Yes yes yes!” Draco cried, hiking his leg up as much as his belly would allow. “Do it, Harry. Eat me out. Stretch me and make me wet for you. I want to come on your tongue alone. Do it, baby. I want to feel you deep. Ah! Yes!”

Harry tried to rim his husband and smile at the same time, but it was difficult. So he focused on pleasing Draco instead. It made him giggle that Draco had not only become more amorous in the later stages of pregnancy, but had also developed a penchant for talking dirty. It wasn’t the norm for them, but Harry wasn’t saying ‘no’. Hearing his sexual prowess hurled back at him was another turn on of his. If he could reciprocate, he’d at least try. Instead, he put his all into his actions.

“That’s it, Harry, that’s it! That’s my spot! Harder… Yeah, you got it. You know just what I want, what I need. Only you, Harry, only you can satisfy me. Make me wet. Get me ready for your cock. I’m so ready, Harry. I need you. Your tongue, your fingers, your cock-”

“YOUR SILENCING CHARMS, MERLIN BE DAMNED!!!!” Snape roared from the living room.

Harry merely gestured with his hand and the charms were set. Draco, meanwhile, never ceased talking and moaning. “I can feel it, Harry, can you? I’m so ready. I’m going to come on your tongue alone. You’re amazing. You’re perfect. No one else can do this to me, only you.”

Harry pulled out his tongue and quickly lined his prick up at Draco’s entrance. A little faster than he’d planned, he pushed into his husband and bottomed out. Draco cried out and came over the sheets. “Yes, Harry! Yes! Fuck me! Fill me up! I need your seed, your come! Only you, Harry!” He tried to thrust himself back onto his lover’s prick, but Harry held him still. “So big, so full. Oh, I can feel you pulsing inside of me. It’s perfect! So big… Only you, love, only you.”

With gentle thrusts, Harry brought himself to completion within the blonde, tweaking Draco’s sensitive nipples at the same time. He wouldn’t be able to make Draco come again, but it would still feel good. And if the moans were anything to go by, it surely did.

“Harry, Gods, help me up. I gotta pee again.”

So much for an afterglow.

With Draco on bedrest, Harry sent in the third interview in written format and included several more pictures of their wedding as well as an early sonogram of the baby. That way, no one could see the sex of It just yet.

More congratulations, more gifts, and more letters of encouragement were sent by the adoring public. Certainly there were howlers and negative letters too, but Dumbledore and Snape edited those out and burned them. Despite hating the idea of being ‘handled’, Draco was secretly happy they were keeping the negativity away. It was bad for his mental health, especially this late in the pregnancy. Almost daily Narcissa and Molly were at Draco’s side. The two women were getting along smashingly; it pleased both Harry and Draco to no end. Sometimes they discussed It and possible names, and sometimes they discussed the future renewal of vows.

Molly was dead set on cooking for the event; Narcissa was adamant about hosting it on Malfoy grounds, if safety allowed for it. Every detail was hashed out between the two women with the occasional input from Draco. Honestly, as much as he’d cared during the discussion of their wedding, he was less interested this time around. Maybe that would change after It was born. Right then, he was just lamenting his size and inability to move.

To help get his mind off his physical condition, Molly would often discuss Harry’s birthday party. They’d skipped over Draco’s June birthday at his insistence because he said he was too large to celebrate, that he didn’t want anyone to see him that way. Harry had been a little upset at that, both because he wanted to celebrate his husband and because he didn’t like the idea of Draco resenting their child just because it made him fat for a while. Draco had rushed to assure Harry that wasn’t the idea at all and that it was just hormones and vanity talking and that of course he loved It and Harry and their family.

“Of course we’ll have all Harry’s favorites, and we’ll invite everyone here,” Molly was saying for the umpteenth time. “What do you think about having a small private celebration here in your rooms, then Harry going to the Great Hall with everyone else while you stay here to rest?” she asked.

Absolutely not! Harry signed as he entered the room. He tended to stay out of the women’s way when they were discussing wedding plans. I won’t leave Draco’s side.

“Uh, Harry vetoes the idea,” Draco explained.

“Yes, dear,” Narcissa said. “We understood that signing just fine. No translation needed.” She paused for a moment to smirk and then think. “What if we conjured a divan for Draco and Harry to sit on and chairs and couches for everyone else? It’s more intimate, and it won’t make Draco feel left out.”

“Splendid!” Molly agreed.

And with that, another crisis was averted.

Harry sat against the headboard and pulled Draco’s head into his lap so he could play with his husband’s hair. The strokes lulled the blonde to sleep, something he had trouble doing for long periods of time now. Between the discomfort of his belly and the need to pee every half hour, Draco had been taking naps off and on throughout the day rather than sleeping a full eight hours at night.

Having completely forgotten their plan to discuss their seventh year and exam plans with Dumbledore, soon Harry’s birthday party was upon them. The Great Hall had been decked out in Gryffindor colors. Balloons and streamers were placed everywhere. The House and Head tables were vanished to make room for chairs and couches for all the guests, although a smaller table was placed next to the divan for gifts. Music was playing softly in the background.

A hoard of Weasleys descended upon the castle in a sea of ginger hair and freckles. Fred and George were setting off indoor fire crackers that spelled out ‘Happy Birthday!’ and ‘Harry’s the best!’ and other such things. Ron and Hermione were sitting on a loveseat near the birthday boy, discussing their plans for the upcoming year while Harry kept an eye on Draco. Harry’s friends Neville, Luna, Dean, and Seamus were there. Gryffindors Parvati Patil (and her twin Padma) and Cormac McLaggen were too. From the Quidditch team, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Demelza Robins, Andrew Kirke, Jack Sloper, and Jimmy Peakes all showed up.

Of course all the professors showed up – Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid, Grubby-Plank, Sinistra, McGonagall, Flitwick, Hooch, Sprout, and Madam Pomfrey. Even Binns and Trewlawny came! Firenze sent his regards. Remus, Narcissa, and Lucius also attended.

The pile of gifts grew and grew until Harry blushed even just looking at the table. Everyone now knew he was mute thanks to The Prophet and The Quibbler articles so no one expected him to talk. However, it did have the side effect that many people ignored him and some talked about him like he wasn’t there. He let it go; he was focused on Draco and making sure nothing overwhelmed the pregnant man.

One of the fireworks Fred and George set off suddenly started singing, heralding the arrival of a ginormous birthday cake sporting six layers and eighteen sparklers. The fact that each layer was a different color and the colors clashed with each other made Harry smile. The fact that the cake was leaning slightly due to the differently shaped layers was even better. It reminded him of the Burrow. Molly had really outdone herself.

It turned out each layer was a different flavor. The first piece Harry tried was lemon custard; he passed that on to Draco with a puckered face. The next piece was a much nicer strawberry. Once everyone had a piece, they sat back down and resumed their conversations. Draco motioned Albus over so they could discuss their education.

“Professor, sir, what are Harry and I to do about our seventh year and NEWTs?”

Hermione perked up, not wanting to have brought the conversation up herself previously with everything else the couple had going on in their lives. Most of the time the couple was missing, she hadn’t even thought of their education in that sense. More than once she’d thought they were missing out on the experiences of their seventh year. It wasn’t until it came time to really begin cramming for the NEWTs that she realized her friend would not graduate.

“That’s an excellent question, dear boy,” Albus responded, stroking his beard. “I’m glad to see you are both thinking about your futures. There are a few options available to you. You can start the next year with the current seventh years, though I understand your reluctance to do so,” he said, cutting off Draco’s complaint against that option. Eyes sparkling, he continued. “You can ask the Ministry to sit your NEWTs as you are now, but I sincerely advise against this option without having had any seventh year lessons. You can hire tutors then ask the Ministry to sit your NEWTs, the option I suggest what with the baby coming and all. You can simply not take the NEWTs, and try your chances without them. Sorry to say, Harry really needn’t worry much about them due to who he is. You, Draco, will not fare as well despite recent publicity turning public opinion in your favor.”

Draco nodded. “Yes, I thought tutors might be the best option. We can work to our schedule and around It’s needs when It comes.” He looked up at his husband and they held a truly silent conversation with their eyes only. An agreement was made to look into tutors for their NEWTs once the baby had arrived and things began to settle a bit.

“Perfect!” Dumbledore said, clapping his hands. “Now that that’s settled, how about presents?”

One by one, he floated presents to Harry’s hands to open. At the receiving of each, the gifter would shout out that it was their gift. After opening it, Harry would sign ‘thank you’ by placing his fingertips of an open palm on his chin and dropping it away until his hand was palm up in front of his face. He received all sorts of chocolates and candies, books on children naming and rearing, some Quidditch supplies, and many baby gifts.

After that, two buffet tables filled with food to munch on appeared – sandwiches, vegetable platters, fruit platters, dips, chips, cake bites, candy, and more birthday cake slices. Harry floated a plate of fruit and dip over to himself and Draco, feeding Draco bits of the sweet treat. Several people cooed in affection at the sight. Harry, himself, snagged another piece of birthday cake, confetti vanilla this time complete with sprinkles.

As he was about to take his first bite, someone called out, “Hey Harry, show us how you see!” There were several answering murmurs in agreement.

With a shrug, Harry held up a hand and pushed his magic out through the crowd. Signing to Draco, he named several people in the crowd while Draco translated.

“Molly and Arthur. Professor Sinistra. Twins… Female twins. Oh, the Patil twins.” Harry pointed over to the other side of the crowd. “Male twins, for the Weasley twins. Hagrid. Oliver. Jack. Katie. Make sense to you now?” he asked everyone in general. Several people started talking at once to each other and to Draco. Nothing made any sense.

“Okay, that’s cool,” Katie Bell said. “The Daily Prophet said it happened after a nundu attack. Did you really face off against a nundu?”

Harry shrugged and looked down at Draco.

“He more submitted to the nundu,” Draco explained. “Once he realized it was there, he tried to calm it and then just submitted to the gas to keep the nundu from attacking. Eventually, it left. Because of the poison in the gas, his eyes and vocal cords were damaged and … broke.”

“How did you work out your hand language?” Madam Hooch asked.

“Very, very slowly,” Draco said with an exasperated roll of his eyes. “We worked on the most needed words first. He’d make a sign over and over until I guessed correctly what he meant. Eventually we realized that writing in the air or conjuring a paper and pen were easier than that. His sign for me, other than pointing at me, is to slick his hair back.” Harry demonstrated as Draco explained. “For Professor Snape, he points to his nose. Harry assures me that this is because of your talent at potions and nothing else.” There were a few titters from the crowd at that. "Headmaster Dumbledore’s sign is to stroke his beard. Please is a rotating fist on his chest. Hungry is eating a sandwich. Thirsty is drinking a glass of water. Sleepy is placing both hands under one side of his head with palms together.

“The real talent comes from interpreting the signs,” Draco paused to eat a piece of strawberry. “Like the sign for sleepy. It could mean he is sleepy, or that I need sleep, or that someone is asleep. The sign for thirsty – is he thirsty? Does he want something specific to drink? Is he asking if I want a drink? Maybe he’s asking if there’s any left. It’s all about context and the situation at the time.”

“Hey, Harry?” Ginny’s quiet voice popped up. “I haven’t seen you use your wand.”

Everyone went silent then. Draco looked up at Harry worriedly. They’d not really wanted to discuss this topic and were careful to leave it out of their interviews with the Luna and Dimitri. It was something they’d discussed with both Snape and Dumbledore, so they luckily had an answer prepared for the masses.

“He doesn’t need to hold it anymore,” Draco answered. “So long as it’s touching his skin somewhere, he has access to it’s use. Right now, it’s up his sleeve. It really came in handy while we were in the Forbidden Forest.”

That calmed anyone who seemed worried, and the questions continued. The party started to wind down and people started to leave in twos and threes. When it was just the Weasleys, Hermione, Neville, Luna, Dumbledore, Snape, Narcissa, Lucius, and Remus left, Draco cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.

“Harry and I would like to set the record straight. Harry’s magic didn’t change so that his wand merely needs to be touching his skin,” he clarified. “Harry doesn’t use a wand at all. And I lost my wand in the Forbidden Forest, so I use his wand instead.” He pulled Harry’s wand from the holster on his own arm to show them. Several people gasped, then gasped again when Harry conjured a fireball in his right hand without using his wand. “All of his magic is wandless and wordless. He’s told me he doesn’t even think the spell in his mind, just the outcome he desires.”

“You didn’t mention that last part, Potter,” Snape hissed.

“Potter-Malfoy,” Draco automatically corrected. “Can you blame him, Severus? He’s scared of what everyone will think of him, say about him. He’s different enough without being this powerful.”

Harry’s eyes were on his fingers absentmindedly playing with Draco’s hair. He didn’t want his friends to see him differently, didn’t want anyone to be afraid of him. He was just an eighteen-year-old kid with a husband and a baby on the way. And, okay, he was blind and mute too. But still normal!

No one said anything. Harry cringed.

“Well that’s just bloody swell!” Ron cheered. “Voldemort won’t know what’s hit him!”

Several people flinched at the name, but most started nodding in agreement. Harry’s eyes flew up to meet those of his best mate, questioning his feelings. It wouldn’t be the first time Ron had turned against him if that were the situation here. Instead, it seemed Ron was excited for him.

“Think about it, Harry. Is this the ‘power the Dark Lord knows not’? And even if it’s not, you’re still damned powerful enough now to really give him what for. The next time you meet, you’ll wallop him good for sure!”

Well-meaning as the redhead’s words were meant to be, they worried Harry. Draco was due in a month, and he already couldn’t leave his husband’s side. What was he supposed to do about Voldemort?!

Draco could see the tension and stress building in Harry, so he placed a gentle hand on Harry’s cheek. “Calm down, love,” he whispered. “We don’t need to answer those questions right now. Let’s just go back to our room and look at the book on baby names.” He watched Harry gesture a few times. “Yes, I know we already have names picked out. I just think it would be fun anyways. Relaxing.”

Harry smiled and helped Draco to his feet, keeping him balanced with his left arm around Draco’s waist and his right holding Draco’s right hand. They said their goodbyes and made their way back to their dungeon rooms. With the addition of the nursery, they almost had more space than Snape did. Dumbledore had said he’d take care of their presents, so neither worried about those. After settling a naked Draco into bed, Harry curled up behind him in nothing but his pants to look at the baby names book.

“Look at some of these names!” Draco crowed. “Acton? Adair? Africa?! Who names their child after a continent?!” He flipped a few pages ahead. “Bogart! Ha ha ha! Can you imagine naming our son or daughter Bogart?! Bonadventure. Bonner. Botham. Boys?! How horrid!” Another few pages slipped past. “Frye? Fuchsia? Fulk? What is wrong with these people?! Oh no! Norina. Nowles. Nubia. … Saffron?! Sage?! You’re not making dinner, you’re making a child! Sammy. Sargent. Sassy?! Sayer. Seal. Senga. Look, I may or may not have weird family names,” Harry silently snorted at this, “but these names are ridiculous. Is this a muggle book? Please say this is muggle! I bet Granger gave this to you.”

After a few quiet moments of flipping through the book and snickering, Draco closed the book. “I like the names we chose. I’m actually really glad you didn’t insist on name It after your parents. I’m also really happy you’re honoring the Black family tradition of using constellations for names. I think Cassiopeia Alexia and Corvus Armand are lovely names to add to the Black family tapestry. I think they’ll make all our family names proud.”

Harry smiled at his husband, happy that he made him happy. He’d thought about naming their child James or Lily for all of two seconds. But that wouldn’t be fair to It, trying to live up to an impossible standard. The idea of naming someone after someone else just seemed to dimmish that person’s worth in Harry’s mind. Like he was trying to replace someone by naming his child after them. They did consider the middle names, as that was less of an issue to Harry. Instead, they’d gone with ancient Black family names from those relatives who weren’t Dark. Reviving a happier period of time.

They also just liked the sound of Armand and Alexia. Beautiful, strong names.

“I still reserve the right to look at my child and choose a different name,” Draco huffed, his hand going to his belly. “If the names we chose just don’t sit right once I see him or her, I have the right as bearer to change the name.”

Whatever you say, love, Harry magicked. Whatever you want. It really was best to just pacify Draco at this point.

Chapter Text

August was a time of planning for the teachers, moving on for the former students, and boredom for the Potter-Malfoy couple. Draco slept most of the time and griped the rest of the time. If the baby didn’t come soon, Harry didn’t know what he’d do. He was already pulling out chunks of hair, it seemed. Luckily, Draco’s libido all but stopped. The nesting increased, with Draco demanding they sleep in the nursery on some nights just in case the baby came so it could immediately be in the nursery. Which made no sense, but Harry knew better than to argue.

Draco went over their birthing plan again and again and again, ad nauseum. Mostly it was just to himself, but he did so out loud so that Harry and Severus heard it too. Snape wanted to take his paperwork to the Staff Lounge or the Great Hall to plan for the new school year. However, it was partially his job to stay nearby for when Draco went into labor. All he really needed to do was call Madam Pomfrey. From there, the mediwitch would take over and the whole thing would be done with in no time.

The newest Potter brat would be born. Potter-Malfoy, he self-corrected.

There was really nothing left to do but wait, and neither Harry nor Draco were any good at that. Bedrest was a chore. Sleeping was a chore. Being awake was a chore. Having to pee all the time was a chore. Eating was a chore. Breathing was a chore. Draco whined constantly. His chest was heavy and sore despite the lack of mammary glands that usually accompanied the feeling. He was having hot flashes and cold sweats. When he was hungry, he couldn’t determine what he wanted. Usually he was just craving something to chew on to stay busy. Harry had taken to conjuring ice chips.

Their due date was the first week of September, something that worried Harry to no end. If Snape were in class, how would he get Madam Pomfrey to their quarters? He could easily summon her with magic like he had before when Draco had first felt the baby move. That was so invasive, however. When he brought the worry up to Draco, the blonde merely bit his lip while he thought on the matter.

Eventually he said, “Why not a charmed bracelet or something that will heat when you need it to? We can give on one to Pomfrey and Severus and Dumblefore.”

Harry’s eyes lit up and he motioned the sign for ‘knowledge’. “Really? You know a charm for that?” Draco wondered skeptically.

He couldn’t explain about the DA and their charmed coins. Instead, he mimed the signs for Hermione – bushy hair and opening a book. Draco rolled his eyes; of course Granger knew a spell for their situation. Didn’t she always? He watched as Harry conjured four bracelets, simple in design and silver in color. He held each individually and concentrated on the spell he wanted cast on them. When finished, he put one on himself. Then he stood and went out to the living room to get Snape’s attention.

You. Bracelet. Draco. Baby. he signed to the Potions Master.

“You want me to wear this for Draco for when the baby comes? It’s a good idea Potter…-Malfoy, but I cannot wear anything that interferes with brewing. Silver is a highly interactive substance.” The man scowled at the bracelet.

Harry conjured a pen and pad of paper and scribbled on it before handing it over. Tungsten was all it said.

Severus nodded. “Yes. That might work just fine. I cannot think of a potion in which tungsten is an issue. High melting point, relatively attractive, not malleable or weak. Yes, this will do.” He clasped the bracelet to his left wrist.

Harry held out two more. Dumbledore. Pomfrey.

“Very wise. If I’m not nearby, they will be alerted. I will take these to them immediately then. Smart thinking, Potter…-Malfoy.” He rose and left the rooms quickly. That blasted name change still confounded him!

Harry returned to Draco, signing that it was done.

Draco nodded and thanked his husband. Then he started complaining again.

Finally, finally, the end of August was nearing. The closer the due date, the more Draco’s fear showed. Harry wasn’t able to give off any hint of his own concerns or worries because that sent Draco into histrionics. Snape’s temper was on its last nerve. Even Pomfrey was getting tired of Draco’s constant floo calls to confirm information she’d already a great number of times. Harry never left Draco’s side anymore. He would use the facilities when Draco did, shower when he did, eat when he did, everything. If he left him for more than five seconds, Draco would activate the bracelet that called Harry back to him.

However, it didn’t activate just Harry’s bracelet. Four times Draco had called Dumbledore, Snape, Pomfrey, and Harry to his side over It moving or a bout of paranoia or because he felt like it (once). Snape had ripped him a new one over the last excuse. It sent Draco into hysterical tears which was left to Harry to deal with. No potions were allowed at this point in the pregnancy.

September first came. Harry was nostalgic over all the students returning, seeing the first years line up to be Sorted, and returning to their common rooms for the year. It was the first time he’d not seen his friends and gone to the Gryffindor common room. Tomorrow, classes would begin. Another school year. Things didn’t stop just because Harry’s life had changed, even though it had changed tremendously. As Snape liked to remind him, the world did not revolve around Harry Potter.

That night, he heard Snape return after giving his start-of-the-year speech to his Slytherins. The man went to bed early, knowing he’d be up early with the newest batch of urchins to try and teach. Harry figured, with Draco already asleep, he may as well turn in as well. Despite a few wake-ups during the night, Draco and Harry slept soundly.

September second was another boring day. Severus was in classes all day. Harry was by Draco’s side. Draco was refusing to eat, again. Not even the ice chips could tempt him. Instead, he asked to get up and walk around. It was an uncommon request, but Harry helped his husband up and they made a few laps around the rooms. They ended up in the nursery, which wasn’t surprising. Anytime Harry would let him, Draco wanted to sit in the rocking chair Molly had gifted them. It was a comfortable chair.

Draco stood at the side of the crib and looked down into it. A simple mattress with a tiny pillow, a knitted baby blanket, and Draco’s old stuffed crup lay waiting for It to arrive. There were two outfits on the rail of the crib, one in soft green and one in soft purple. The couple was trying to avoid House colors as well as the obvious blue for boys and pink for girls. Not that they didn’t have blue and pink, dark green and bright red stuff for the baby. Just … trying to keep it to a minimum.

Harry moved up behind his husband and wrapped his arms around the protruding belly. Surprised by the hard feel of the belly and the rippling of skin he felt, he moved around to Draco’s side and squinted his eyes in question. Draco sighed and nodded.

“Yeah, contractions started about two hours ago. Don’t Harry!” he said when Harry reached for his wrist and the bracelet there. “This is only the second contraction I’ve had! They don’t need to come yet when the contractions are so far apart. It won’t be coming just yet. Leave them to their jobs. It’s the first day of school. I’m sure Pomfrey has plenty of homesick firsties and it’s not really the first day of school until a cauldron explodes in a class or two. I’m fine. You’re here with me. We just need to do like the books said. Like Pomfrey said.”

Draco being so calm and collected was confusing to Harry. For the past two months he’d done nothing but gripe and complain, worrying himself into a stupor on occasion. Then, when the time finally comes, he’s as calm as the waters of the Black Lake. Draco wanted to sit in the rocker, so Harry helped him into it. But it didn’t last long; he said it was too uncomfortable. So they went back to bed.

Over the next several hours, Draco managed a few ice chips and another two contractions. Harry was captivated by the look and feel of Draco’s stomach as the skin rippled and their child beat against the confines of Draco’s belly. He couldn’t help but run his hands over the stretched taut skin as it contracted and stretched. He gave Draco back and feet massages to help with the discomfort there. They walked around the rooms a number of times, sitting on the couch or at the kitchen table or back in the nursery. At one point they stood under the shower spray, warm water cascading over them. Draco said it was helpful, but tiring the stand. He attempted a nap after that.

Shortly after falling asleep, Snape returned from dinner in the Great Hall. “Two! Two cauldrons in the same class! Not even a first-year class, but a third-year class! I don’t understand how these idiots come back more inept every year! It’s not like it was all the complica- What, Potter?”

Baby. Now.

“Draco’s in labor? Why didn’t you activate the bracelets, you stupid child?!” He moved to rush toward their bedroom.

Harry stopped him. Pain. Long time. Pain. Long time. Pain.

“The contractions are far apart? Well, that’s acceptable then. How far apart?”

Two. One plus.

“Still hours apart? Yes, Narcissa had a long labor as well. I’ll call her and Molly. They’ll want to be here and Narcissa can help with Draco.” He turned to make the floo calls, allowing Draco’s mother access immediately. She went straight to her son, cooing to him as he awoke. She rubbed his belly and murmured bits of fluff and nothingness to him as he rubbed his cheek against her hand.

“It hurts, mum,” he whimpered. Harry felt his heart clench. “And they’re still so far apart. It takes hours!”

“I know, baby,” Narcissa whispered. “You’ll be alright. I had a long labor too. But your birthing will be so much easier. You don’t have to actually do anything, you lucky sod.” She stroked his cheek and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. “I want you to eat some of these ice chips, okay? Eat some for mummy.”

And Draco did. Harry sighed in relief. He turned as Molly exited the floo. She immediately enveloped him in a hug. “Congrats are due! Or, almost anyways,” she said, looking into the bedroom where Draco still lay. “How far apart are the contractions, dear?”

One plus. Two. he signed again.

“A slow labor. Poor ducky. At least his mum is here with him. And I’m here for you, love. We’ll get through this just fine. I remember when your mum went into labor, you know.” Harry turned surprised eyes on the Weasley matriarch. “Oh yes, indeed. She was much like Draco, driving James absolutely nuts with her worrying and nesting and griping. But her labor was hard and fast. When you decided you were ready, you wanted out immediately. There was no time for numbing spells or even a proper mediwizard. You popped out right there in St. Mungo’s waiting foyer, you did. Nurses assisted your mother. Your father fainted on the floor, barely caught by Sirius. All of this was told to me later; I wasn’t at the hospital myself. It was such a story to hear!”

Harry silently chuckled, imagining his father fainting as he was born so suddenly. He was kind of glad Draco was laboring more slowly. It was obviously painful for the other man, but Harry would get to savor the experience. A camera was shoved under his nose.

“You’ll want pictures, dearie.”

Harry nodded to Molly and went into his bedroom. Draco was sucking on some ice chips there, holding Narcissa’s hand. He lifted the camera up to show Draco, silently asking permission. Draco rolled his eyes but nodded. Harry snapped a picture or two, making sure Narcissa was in it. He knew Draco would love the picture later even if he couldn’t appreciate it now. He floated the camera in front of them as he took a picture of Draco in the rocking chair in the nursery with Harry kneeling at his side. He wished he’d thought of pictures earlier in the pregnancy. That would have been nice.

Another contraction came, this time only an hour after the previous one. It was already past nine o’clock at night. Snape said he was going to bed and to wake him if he was needed. Narcissa and Molly and Harry all took pepper-up potions and stayed with Draco. When possible, he napped. Otherwise, he lay and sniffled at the discomfort or walked the nursery quietly with Harry’s assistance.

Pomfrey had been made aware of the situation and was on standby, also having taken a pepper-up.

Throughout the night, Harry helped Draco with massages and shuffling walks when needed. Narcissa fed him ice chips. Molly kept out of the way by knitting on the couch. She’d talk to Harry about all sorts of nonsense when Draco was having a moment with his mother. Without him knowing, Narcissa snuck a picture of him and Molly on the couch.

When Snape awoke the next morning, the contractions were only half an hour apart and still considered mild-to-moderate by the two women. With instructions to let him know when the time came, although he doubted he’d be attending in-person, Snape went off to the Great Hall for breakfast before his first class. He’d also mentioned a free period during third class during which he’d check in with them.

It was by that time Draco’s contractions were coming fast enough, roughly every eight minutes, that Harry activated the bracelets. Pomfrey came through immediately, checking on Draco and suggesting they move to the private room in the Hospital Wing she’d set up for them. Harry and Molly went through first, then Draco, followed by Narcissa, and the mediwitch. Draco shuffled between Harry and Madam Pomfrey to the back room, stopping once for a contraction.

“Alright, dears, just as we discussed. Once Draco’s contractions are about five minutes apart, we will begin the process. I know Harry has described a similar method of birthing in the muggle world where an incision is made in the abdomen to remove the child, but we’ll be doing something similar to Apparation to remove this child. No pushing, no cutting, no mess to clean up. Well, that’s not entirely true. The baby will be messy still!” She laughed at her own joke and went about preparing cloths and accoutrements.

Harry held Draco’s hand and brushed two fingers over his cheek before repeating the sign on Draco’s cheek.

“I love you too, Harryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!” Draco groaned with another contraction.

While Molly snapped a picture of the cute moment, Narcissa was timing the contractions. “That one was six minutes since the last one,” she told the mediwitch.

“Coming right along, dearies. Coming right along.” Madam Pomfrey started waving her wand and taking readings from both Draco and the child, nodding and humming as the results were produced on a piece of floating parchment. “Very good, yes, yes, nicely sized, good readings, excellent levels. Well, all seems to be in order here. We are just waiting on you, ducky.” She patted Draco’s belly lightly.

“Why do we have to wait?” Draco whined. “Why not take It out now?”

“Draco, we’ve been over this. Childbirth is a process. To mess with the process invites complications. The child will tell us when they are ready. With women and with men carriers, that ready moment is revealed through contractions. As you get closer and closer to five minutes, you’ll feel an urge to push. That tells me it’s time to act. If you were a woman, we’d begin the true labor process. Since you’re a man, I’ll get ready to retrieve the child myself. No worries! You’re not my first. Certainly won’t be my last. Oh! How long between those two now?”

Draco bore down on another contraction, clenching Harry’s hand as he groaned and panted. It was a long one.

“Just under five minutes,” Narcissa announced.

“Perfect! After your next contraction, I’ll bring out your child. How does that sound, dears?”

Draco was panting after the contraction, sucking on an ice chip. Harry was wide-eyed as looked back and forth between his husband and the mediwitch. In a few short moments, he would become a father. In a matter of literal minutes, he’d be holding a child in his arms. He looked at Draco in wonderment and love, so grateful to this man for carrying their child and loving him and going through everything they’d gone through together…

Molly snapped another picture just before Draco started to groan and yell through another contraction.

“Has the child arrived?” Snape asked, quickly closing the door behind him. “Obviously not.” He crossed his arms and stood in the corner, waiting.

“Severus!” Draco cried, dropping his sweat-drenched head back on the pillow. “You made it!”

“Ready, and here we go! Recipero proles!” A complicated wand movement, and magically there was a baby in Pomfrey’s arms. She continued to wave her wand about, muttering different charms over both Draco and the baby. “Tersus leviter. Ecflo. Tepesco. Condicio latus. Condicio praecordia. Condicio cerebrum. Condicio viscera. Profero chorion. Profero uterum. Misters Potter-Malfoy, I’d like to present your son.” Without wasting another second, Pomfrey lay the tiny, wailing, naked boy on Draco’s chest. Almost instantly, his heartbeat seemed to calm their son.

Son. They had a son. A son!

Draco was silently sobbing, tears running down his face unchecked. “Corvus Armand Potter-Malfoy,” he announced in a whisper. “You made it. You’re here. My beautiful boy, you’re here. Harry! Look at our son!” He carefully turned the baby’s head so he could look at his father.

Molly was busy snapping pictures. Narcissa was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. Snape was smiling, though he’d deny it if anyone dared accuse him otherwise.

Harry was still holding Draco’s hand, but he used his other one to gently swipe on finger from his son’s head down to his feet. He counted ten toes, then maneuvered Corvus’ hand to wrap around the finger so he could count his fingers. With Draco’s other hand on the baby’s back, Corvus slowly morphed from shrieks to cries to whimpers to sniffles. He opened his dark blue eyes and looked right at Harry. With a head full of dark hair, he quickly signed to Draco that the poor boy was going to look like him and suffer his hair.

“Not necessarily,” Draco answered with a dreamy smile on his lips. “I was born with black hair and dark eyes too. Now look at me.”

“Your eyes were blue too, Harry,” Molly piped in. “Almost all babies are born with blue eyes. They’ll change in a week or two weeks’ time. And my twins were born with dark hair. Arthur fainted right on the floor at the sight of that! One week later, it all fell out and the red hair came sprouting right in.”

Narcissa gave a polite laugh. “He’s right, Harry. Draco was born with a light smattering of dark hair. By the end of June, it had lightened to a blonde color. Over the next couple of months, it turned white blonde. Think nothing of the baby’s coloring right this moment. Corvus Armand, you say? Lovely name. I thank you for honoring the Black House with your choice.” She bowed her head to the young man.

“Congratulations, Draco, Harry,” Snape murmured. “I need to return to my classes. I will return before dinner.” He left quickly, before anyone could say anything about his behavior. Regardless of how he normally acted or the persona he portrayed to the public, he did truly love his godson and was excited about the baby. Not that he wanted to return to changing nappies or getting up for 2am feedings. Caring for Draco as a baby had given him all the experience he needed in that arena, thank you very much.

As Draco’s eyes drooped, Harry carefully bundled Corvus into his arms. A quick thought had the boy bundled up in a swaddle of a light green color with little hippogriffs dancing around the edges and a matching hat. He made sure Draco was successfully settled into a nap before moving to the rocking chair he’d conjured next to Draco’s bedside. Then he simply sat and rocked with his son for more than an hour.

Molly continued snapping pictures, then handed the camera off to Narcissa and went home to tell everyone the news.

Chapter Text

Harry and Draco took to parenthood like dragons to the air. Corvus was such a sweet baby. Oh, his lungs worked plenty well. On the whole, however, he was calm and easy. Narcissa was jealous; Molly was proud. It was hard for Draco to put the boy down or hand him over to anyone else. He’d carried that child within him and felt the need to have him close by at all times. Even Harry wasn’t immune from these fits of need. The dirtiest of diapers, the rounds of spit up, the worst colic – it didn’t seem to faze Draco one bit.

Harry indulged his husband while still getting his own bonding time with his son. He convinced Draco to hand the boy over to Molly and Narcissa, even Severus once. Hermione and Ron visited as often as they could. They’d decided to break up, but stay amicable. Draco said he wasn’t surprised. Hermione entered the Ministry, starting in a low position and working her way up through the ranks. She was determined to work on creature reform, Azkaban overhaul, and future legislation in general. Harry was sure she’d be great at it. Ron took some time off to figure out what he wanted to do. He was considering furthering his education, but didn’t know in what field. He decided to intern with his brothers for a couple of months each to see if there was a possible future in dragon care, cursebreaking, the Ministry, or entrepreneurship.

Luna, on the other hand, married Rolf Scamander and took off on a worldwide tour to document creatures with the zoologist. Neville went on to university to master in herbology. Harry and Draco hired tutors to help them through the seventh year material, an expert in each class. Most were not Ministry-appointed. Severus himself tutored them in potions during his free periods and in the evenings. Dumbledore held a special lecture in the Great Hall shortly before Halloween, having asked Harry and Draco to speak to the school about why the Forbidden Forest was so forbidden. It seemed to have properly scared the students into obeying at least one rule.

And Voldemort? Yeah, he didn’t stay quiet for long. Once the interviews from the couple appeared in The Daily Prophet and The Quibbler, he began his plotting to attack Hogwarts. He failed spectacularly and fell to Harry’s silent spell. When Draco later asked what spell he’d used, Harry explained that he merely imagined Voldemort gone. Well and truly gone. No trace left to resurrect, no pieces left for nefarious rituals or potions, no soul piece to inhabit another body. Harry had blinked him out of existence. It took all of Harry’s energy and he ended up in a coma for three days after the battle. Muggle science had it correct – mass exists and cannot truly be gotten rid of. Instead, it must turn into something else. Even conjuring was bringing mass together in a different form.

Death Eaters were rounded up and sent to cells within the bowels of the Ministry. Each would have a fair trial, unlike Sirius. Memories of the battle were collected from several people as evidence of the guilt of each Death Eater. Harry was somewhat proud that Molly had dispatched Bellatrix during the battle. Apparently, a mama basilisk was no joke. Bellatrix had gone after Ginny and Molly was having none of that. The twins were also ferocious in battle, using their jokes to distract and cause mayhem while altering many of their other products to go on the offensive. Kindhearted Remus proved why he had been qualified as the DADA professor; Minerva showed her dueling skills.

But truly it was Severus, Lucius, and Narcissa who were the most impressive to Harry. The three took no mercy, using the Killing Curse liberally on their former comrades. They didn’t build up their curses in intensity but went straight for the kill. They knew their opponents were there to fight dirty and win at any cost. So they would do the same. The three cut a nearly straight path for Harry right to Voldemort. Having spelled his husband and son asleep then locked them safely within the dungeons of Hogwarts, Harry strode straight to the Dark Lord and wished him gone. He didn’t bother with anyone else in the battle; he left that to his fellow Order members and allies.

When Voldemort fell, all action stopped almost immediately. The backlash riveted through the Dark Marks, disrupting the battle and spells being cast. Aurors and Order Members alike began casting Incarcerous and Petrificus Totalus as quickly as possible. They were lucky to have caught several major Death Eaters like Dolohov, Greyback, and the Lestrange brothers. The full Wizengamot had already been recalled to oversee all the trials.

And just as there were deaths among the Dark Lord’s minions, there were deaths from the Order too. Tonks was, thankfully, the only person Harry actually knew on a personal level. Fred lost an ear; at least people could tell the twins apart after that. Several others had been hexed, cursed, or maimed in the attack. It would take time, but most everyone would recover to their full potential.

All this occurred before Halloween. Corvus was only a month old. Harry had been terrified, but knew he had no choice. He was also terrified of waking his husband after returning to his side. Draco was going to be horrified and absolutely livid. They’d promised, in the Forest, to always stay together, to face whatever came at them together. Yet Harry went off on his own to face Voldemort. Harry didn’t see it that way. Of course, that’s what the two sides of the fighting was about once Draco was awakened.

Not able to handle the one-sided yelling match any longer, Snape had burst into their bedroom. “Draco, Harry was more worried about your safety than that of anyone on the field of battle. Harry, Draco feels abandoned and mistreated for you ‘handling’ him, as if he had no ability to fight by your side. Both of you have a right to your feelings, but you must also understand that the other has a right to his feelings as well. Now kindly shut up so that I may read in peace!” He stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him.

From his crib in the next room, Corvus was staring at his parents with wide green eyes. His blonde hair was an absolute mess, just like Harry’s.

The two men stared at the door in silence, then looked at each other. Harry shrugged, signaling his willingness to let the argument end. Draco sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes, but he too conceded. “Don’t think this means you won, Potter,” he quipped.

Potter-Malfoy, Harry signed, then took Draco in his arms for a deep kiss. With no Dark Lord looming over their heads, he wanted to practice producing the next heir to their Houses.