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Teddy was the only one that really just… happened to them, Draco had to admit, all the kids after him were on them and them only. But Teddy? Brought it on himself. Being adopted by them.
He did it to himself.
Draco liked to think back on those first moments when life came to a quiet lull and he could just watch his husband and children, watch the sun descend so far away behind their fields during harvest season, breathe in both memory and present happiness.
One minute he and Harry had offered to take Teddy off Andromeda's hands and sense of responsibility for a weekend, all twenty-something naive men that they were. And the next? They found themselves with unofficial custody of a child that pulled the covers on them and toddled their lives upside-down every other week.
No one, no one at all had expected it from them - Draco would bet, if he ever did such a thing as bet, that no one had expected them to last , let alone start a family together in the middle of nowhere in Yorkshire.
That Teddy, the bright tornado of joy and teenage artistic angst, was their first is only mildly surprising in retrospect. That caring for children and not being able to stop hoarding them, like a dragon hoards its eggs, after him until they turned forty was not a coincidence either.
Draco smiled to himself just thinking the word, Fate. It was such a very Potter word, Harry would be so proud - too proud, better not tell him. Yet, it felt like it, now that they were there, never counting anything but the number of potatoes they'd need to feed all the people, young and not so much, that meant family to them.
And Draco only ever went through mild phases of existential crisis when his unsuspected inner Molly Weasley became too prominent for his liking anymore. Only mild. He didn't screech in panic about it anymore - Harry's words .
"Pass me the salt, Potter," he said, his small query not interrupting the chatter of Sunday brunch in the least, other than for the little smirk at the corner of Harry's lips as he did what was asked of him.
Annalise smirked too, but more because of the way Harry's cheeks coloured as they always did when he used his surname, he suspected. Draco shot her a look, both a smile and a wink coming his way in response.
Looking at his children right now, the way they moved around each other, over each other almost, he felt successful in a way his past self wouldn't have imagined was even possible. He looked right, and he saw his oldest daughter helping their youngest cut her meat, Valeria scrunching up her nose the entire time like it was distasteful that she should need help for such a task. He looked left and he saw Alan pouring yet more coffee into his cup, the only coffee drinker in the house, and making silly faces at Harry who tried, and failed, to keep a straight face. He looked straight ahead, and Teddy smiled at him like he knew exactly what was going on in his head.
They may not be blood, but they were still more a combination of both he and Harry than Draco had guessed they would become when each of them came to live with them, to carve a spot for themselves in his and Harry's home, and his and Harry's hearts.
Harry's hand on his knee brought him back to the present softly, the look in his eyes a gentle check-in that made Draco grin a little emotionally - again, Potter influence, that; he didn't use to be like this, before he gave himself a 20-year dose of Harry's everything .
"I'm fine," he mouthed at him so the others wouldn't pick up on it.
Harry nodded, squeezed his knee and then clapped his hands as he finished his last mouthful of waffles.
"Field work time, people!" he exclaimed, wiggling his eyebrows at Alan's groan and Valeria's squeeing.
"My back still hurts from yesterday's hay," the boy complained.
"One would think you a grown man, fifteen that you are," Draco prodded as he folded his napkin, "Guess one would be wrong,"
"Low blow Pa," Alan laughed.
"Get to work or go to Sunday school, your call,"
"We like to not be idle, remember?" Annalise provoked her brother further.
"Fine, but I'm driving," Alan crossed his arms.
"I don't think so, no." Harry laughed too.
They made their way out of the house, a well-placed spell sending the dishes to the kitchen to clean themselves while Harry gave the keys to the enhanced tractor to Annalise, no matter how much it made Alan claim he could drive it.
Draco jumped a little when he felt Val's small hand slip into his own, his eight-year-old daughter gazing up at him with her big green eyes and a thoughtful look in them.
"Are you feeling well, Papa?" she asked, squinting her eyes.
Draco smiled and nodded, "Perfectly well indeed. Want to go take care of the horses with me while the savages do the heavy tasks?"
The way her eyes lit up, Draco would never tire of that sight.
"Yes," she nodded shortly, her excitement only showing at the way she suddenly started walking faster and tugging on Draco's hand slightly as a result.
"You got it?" Harry turned and walked backwards as he asked.
"Yes, sir," Draco said.
"Catch you later," Harry winked at him, wandlessly sending him a butterfly that vanished on his shoulder - the wanker.
All three of the older children followed Harry into the barns - harvest season was never a joke on the muscle-power they needed to pull it off and those four always had energy to spare.
Apart from the gentle neighing of the horses and happy, full rumbling they gave as he and Valeria fed them, their part of the morning was much quieter.
They sat as close to each other as two people could sit, the sloped entry of the barn hard and cold under them as they watched the others. It was peaceful like not much else in life could be, but then again, mornings with just Val always were, or Annalise if she was so inclined - young adult women were still a mystery to Draco.
A soft little brushing sensation once again pulled Draco out of his morning appreciation and he chuckled when he saw the culprit was the white kitten hanging around the barn all the time.
"Hello there, little man," he whispered, Valeria perking up next to him.
"Dracus!" She squealed, making Draco scrunch up his nose in confusion.
"Dracus?" he repeated while his daughter got busy petting the cat, soon joined by its black brother, who was all too happy to roll onto his back for Valeria's free hand.
"Yes!" The girl nodded without looking up, "Teddy helped me choose names for them. Dracus is the white one, and Harold the black one, like you and Daddy," she explained, and then sheepishly looked up, "because they look like you when they sleep next to each other."
Draco raised an eyebrow at that, of course it was Teddy's doing .
"What does that mean?" he asked anyway.
"You'll see," the girl said pensively, and sometimes Draco could swear he saw some of Luna in her, the almost eery way she just knew things or could say them like they were the most obvious in the world and if you couldn't see it, then she would share the wisdom of her knowledge with you as softly as ever.
They didn't say anything else after that. They kept sitting in silence until the other members of their clan got back to them a little under half an hour after, the ruckus they made making Draco laugh.
"You are all so boisterous, I live with a pack of Gryffindors, it's distasteful," he said when they got close enough.
Annalise and Teddy both scoffed, while Harry and Alan proudly puffed their chests out, piling on the ridicule by way of beating their chests like monkeys.
"Excuse me, sir, I should take no such insult," Annalise tapped the Slytherin pin Draco had gifted her after the Sorting Hat had out her in his house, which she kept pinned to her collar at all times if she didn't have a tie on.
"And neither will I, Hufflepuff for life, you all are too much," Teddy grumbled good-naturedly before turning to Valeria, and tilting his head towards the kittens, who were now literally sleeping on top of each other - uh - "Want to go check on their mother?"
"Yes, I would like that," she said, promptly getting up and pointlessly dusting her hay-marred black jeans.
"I'm going to pack up for Rose's, need anymore help, Dad?" Alan asked, Annalise listening intently - a little too intently.
"No, we're fine," Harry shook his head, then made grabby hands at Draco who let himself be pulled to his feet.
"Nap time, then?" He asked.
"Yes," Harry bit his lip, not letting go of his hands.
The kids started for the house, Annalise making herself just a little too discreet for Draco not to ask.
"And where are you going, young lady?"
Annalise squinted at him, but apart from that she didn't answer. Alan did it for her though.
"Secret girlfriend, la la la la," he yelled right before he ran into the house, his sister chasing after him while Harry laughed at Draco’s side.
"What's up with you today?" Harry asked once they were in their bedroom.
Draco was a little distracted by the way he pulled his shirt over his head and off, but him throwing said shirt to the floor without a look back put him back on track. He gave Harry a pointed look as he walked to the lump of the abandoned shirt, picked it up and folded it before placing it on top of their dresser.
"I…" Draco started, biting the inside of his cheek at the way Harry looked at him attentively. "I adore our life?"
Harry grinned.
"So do I, come here, sentimental husband," he said, reaching for Draco from his spot on the edge of the bed.
Draco went willingly. He threaded his hands in Harry's hair, the mess it always was, and enjoyed the feel of his husband's hands passing under his shirt.
"We should shower," he said, but even the thought of getting the water started and going through the motions of washing-up was exhausting - his body was too used to this being nap time.
"Or," Harry started, twisting around to retrieve his wand from where he'd set it on his nightstand, "We can remember magic exists and use that."
The cleaning spell always felt sort of strange, like a minty, prickly veil passed over Draco's skin. It wasn't a bad sensation per se, just an odd one. He blinked and breathed deeply when Harry tossed his wand back onto the furniture before pulling on his belt loops just as he scooted back so Draco would sit on his lap.
"I do not have energy for sex right now, Potter," Draco leveled Harry with a pretend glare.
"Who said I want sex?"
"You always want sex."
"Maybe," Harry laughed, "Kiss me?"
"If you get under the covers and let me undress, yes,"
"Deal, Mr Potter."
"Oi!" Draco exclaimed to Harry's greatest delight - child .
They'd kept their respective names out of fondness for their old selves and their respective attachment to their families, no matter the history that came with it. Didn't mean Harry didn't try to call him that now and then, and his protests didn't mean Draco didn't actually love to hear it from time to time.
"You look cold," Harry whispered when they were finally settled in bed, his fingers gently tracing Draco's shoulder where it peeked out of the covers.
"Thinking of offering me your scarf again Potter? Because that might be a little overkill just now," Draco deadpanned, burying his laughter in his pillow when Harry's protests at the jest came in the form of his husband dragging his entire body on top of him.
"There, you shouldn't be cold anymore," Harry spoke right into Draco's hair, his arms sliding under him as he got settled.
It was a bit suffocating, and it wouldn't last the whole nap, but for now, Draco was happy to let him press their bodies together this completely. He drifted off not long after, Harry's body gradually slipping off to his side but his limbs still thrown over Draco's back and legs and his head remaining wedged between his shoulder and neck. Their deep breaths filled the air, and Draco let himself close his eyes and be taken by sleep - more work would await them when they woke up, and the night with just Valeria would be a bit of work once Teddy had left for Andromeda's too. A special night with a special girl, however quiet, demanded a bit of stamina.
Draco felt disoriented yet rested when a body jumping on the bed next to them woke him up. He groaned and was tempted to just turn back around and keep his eyes closed, but then Harry laughed against his skin and he knew he had to see.
"Afternoon Daddy! Afternoon Papa!" Valeria laughed at them, probably because their faces did funny things - Draco refused to look at himself until at least an hour after he woke up ever.
Harry sat up in the bed, the covers riding down his chest, which he promptly covered with a clean tee-shirt he summoned, and Draco inched closer so he could put his arms around his waist and rest his head in his lap, watching their daughter watch them.
"I need to request something," she said then, the same very formal tone she always used when - they'd taken some time to figure that one out, but now it appeared clear as day every time - she was actually feeling insecure and daring herself to say what she needed to say.
"Go ahead, rosebud," Draco told her, reaching for her hand as she took a deep breath.
"Actually, two things. I want puppies, and I want ice cream, please pretty please?" She laced her fingers together with Draco's hand sandwiched in the middle, her big eyes blinking at them.
"F--" Draco started before Harry promptly covered his mouth.
"We'll talk about it?" Harry told her instead of the curse Draco had been on the verge of letting out.
They'd collected children in need like it was their mission in life, if they got a puppy, Draco had no doubt they'd end up with seven in no time either. Shit.
"Ok," Val nodded very seriously. "The ice cream or the puppies?" she asked though.
It was Draco's turn to snort.
"The puppies, you can have ice cream right… now," Draco said, heaving himself out of bed with a glance to the muggle clock in the corner of the room. "Just let me get dressed, and Dad is gonna make us some tea, won't you, Dad?"
Draco batted his lashes at Harry, pleased when his husband’s face went lax when awe.
"You're pretty," he mouthed.
"So are you," Draco replied just as silently. "Come on, love." He reached for Valeria's hand and together they made their way downstairs again, Harry right behind them.
"You were absolutely sleeping like Dracus and Harold, Teddy was right."
"I'm always right." Teddy said as he looked at them passing from his spot in the corner of their large sofa.
"In your dreams, punk," Annalise shot at him. "In your dreams."
"Oh yeah? Then you're not in looove with that girl from--"
"Shut your mouth right this second, Edward!"
"Play nice, children," Harry groaned, rubbing his face roughly before he finally put his glasses back on.
"Val said there's talk of ice cream?" Alan practically appeared in front of Draco, who hadn't even seen his daughter leave his side.
"Yes, there is, help me with the bowls, please,"
"Yes, sir," Alan kissed his cheek before executing the demand, and for all the noise his son could make, it was always the quiet ways he showed his affection that took Draco by surprise. But then again so did Harry, like father like son in this case, in ways more than one.
"Family time in the kitchen right now Malfoy-Potter-Lupins!" Harry rallied everyone, and they kept on with their day the same way they'd started it - happy, together, as a family.