Work Text:
Draco frowned at the shelves, going through his mental catalog.
“Make more strong-pain relieving potions and the potent Dreamless sleep,” He said out loud. The quill hovering near him, scratched out his orders onto a parchment as he spoke.
The large back room was where he brewed commissioned potions and kept the stronger, less common potions and ingredients.
Draco stopped to take a look at the jars and bottles, calling out the names of the ingredients that needed replenishing.
He would stop at the Apothecary on his way in on Monday. Today was Halloween and the beginning of the weekend so there was no rush to buy the things just yet.
“Finite,” murmured Draco, pointing his wand at the writing materials and put the parchment in his pocket before sending the quill flying to his work table in the main room.
After one last look around the room, he shut the door. The potions lining two walls in the main room were already inventoried as Draco had started to close up early today. It was mostly because he and Harry were planning to take Teddy out trick-o-treating.
It was a dreadful muggle tradition but Teddy loved it and Harry had never gotten to do it as a child so Draco refrained from complaining.
Draco’s and Harry’s relationship had been a long time coming according to their friends. After returning to Hogwarts the September after the War to complete their seventh year, the Gryffindor trio had made their peace with the Slytherins.
They’d set the precedent and the year was a lot more peaceful than any of the returning Slytherins had the right to expect. None of the other students had wanted to anger the Savior by attacking his new friends.
Pansy had strangely gotten along very well with Ginny Weasley and the two of them plotted until Draco and Harry ended up together as a result. Apparently, the two girls were tired of their best-friends pining for each other and had decided to take action.
The happy couple had treated the girls to a fancy dinner on the first anniversary of their year together as thanks the day before they moved into their flat.
The arrangement with Teddy had been somewhat of a surprise. Harry had said many times that he wanted to be the godfather to Teddy that Sirius hadn’t had the opportunity to be for him.
But with his busy Medi-Wizard schedule and Draco’s shift ending after dinner most days, they simply didn’t have the time to look after a child full time.
Hermione had been the one to suggest the joint-custody type arrangement. Teddy spent weekends and holidays with Harry and Draco and the rest of the time with Andromeda.
Exceptions were made on days like Halloween when Harry would pick Teddy up right after his early shift at Spell Damage in St. Mungo’s and bring him home where they would wait for Draco.
Halloween was a bad time for Harry though he had gotten better in recent years. Initially he had tried to keep busy through out the day so that he could fall into bed, exhausted to the point of collapsing, and hopefully skip the nightmares.
Draco refused to let that happen and had instead bargained for dinner out or takeaway followed by some vigorous shagging or just cuddling, depending on the mood.
It was a good deal either way.
Draco closed the the blinds on the windows with a wave of his wand and put on his thick outer robe before stepping out and warding the shop closed. It had started to get colder outside and Harry refused to let Draco leave without taking it with him.
“Evening, Mr. Malfoy,” Hailey called out as she stepped into the street from the shop opposite. The young American worked part time working at the Apothecary.
“Evening, Hailey,” He nodded back at her smiling faintly as she skidded in the snow and glared at her shoes when she got her balance back; as if they were to blame for her clumsiness.
Draco shot a mild gripping charm at them and the small, blonde witch thanked him before making her way down the street.
This was all Harry’s fault, Draco thought as he walked to the Apparition point. At one time he would have simply laughed and walked away.
Harry had fucked with his head, among other things.
Draco chuckled at the thought before spinning on the spot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Draco!” Teddy yelled, crashing into Draco’s legs, making him topple over.
“Well someone’s enthusiastic,” said Draco, smiling wryly as he pulled the boy into a hug before getting to his feet.
“We’re going trick-o-treating, Draco! I’m going to get so much candy!” Teddy said, bouncing with excitement as the fringe of hair that was visible through his costume changed colour from brown to the same shade of blond as Draco’s.
Teddy was dressed as a dark grey snake, his small green socked feet sticking out a little way in front of the tail. He looked adorable with his small face sticking out right below the head of the snake.
“Yes, we are. You look great. Where’s Harry?”
At this, the seven year old frowned. “In the kitchen, I think. He said he’s feeling poorly.”
Draco immediately made his way to the kitchen to find Harry bent over the sink, his back muscles stiff with tension.
Murmuring to Teddy to wait in the living room, Draco stepped forward.
“Harry?”
“Hey, Draco,” He greeted, turning to smile weakly at him. Harry looked sick alright. His face had lost its color and his jaw was taut.
“What’s the matter?” Draco asked, cupping Harry’s face in his hands. “You were fine before you left for work.”
“It’s nothing,” Harry said dismissively, not meeting Draco’s eyes. “But I don’t think I’m up to going out tonight. Do you think you can take Teddy trick-o-treating alone?”
“Did something go wrong at the Hospital? Did you have a flashback?”
“Work was fine and no. Just...” Harry sighed. “Leave it? Please?”
Though he loathed leaving things like this, Draco nodded. He pressed a kiss to Harry’s nose, and a lingering one on his lips before dropping his hands to wrap around the brunet’s waist.
“Mmm... I missed you. How was work?”
“I missed you too and it was fine.” Draco smirked. “ Weasley stumbled in near noon for a hangover cure.”
“Which one?” Harry asked as he placed his hands on Draco’s hips.
“Hermione’s weasel.”
Harry snorted, having long since given up on getting Ron and Draco to behave. “He left long after we did. Apparently finding out you’re expecting your second child means you have to drink yourself half to death.”
“How did he get home?” Draco asked, tilting his head.
“Blaise sent an owl around three saying he and George took him home and left before Hermione could lay into them for letting Ron drink so much.”
“Ahh.. I’d wondered when that letter on the dresser got in.” Draco had seen it in passing when he was getting ready in the morning but hadn’t had the time to read it.
“Uncle Harry? Draco? Can I come in?” Teddy asked, making Draco twist around to look at him.
Teddy was standing in the kitchen doorway, one hand over his eyes though he was peeking through his fingers. “Because if you’re being gross, I can come back later.”
“Don’t be silly, Teddy Bear. Get over here,” said Harry, stepping out of Draco’s arms to pick up the boy and place him on the counter-top.
“Group hug!” Teddy cried, grabbing hold of the back of Harry’s neck to tug him forward and reaching for Draco as well. The blond stepped forward, one arm around the little snake and the other around his lover.
They squeezed each other tightly before breaking the hug.
“You guys are going to be late trick-o-treating,” Harry said, pointing at the clock on the kitchen wall.
“Aww.” Teddy pouted. “You’re not coming with us?”
“Sorry, Teddy Bear. Next time, I promise.”
The little boy’s hair turned a pitch black as they linked their pinky fingers together and kissed the other’s. It was how the three of them made promises since Teddy was about three years old.
“Okay. Feel better, Harry,” He said, kissing Harry on the cheek before hopping off the counter and running to the door.
“Put your shoes on, and don’t run in your socks, Teddy!” Draco called after his cousin, listening for a second to make sure the boy hadn’t slipped.
“You’ll be fine?” He asked, turning back to his boyfriend.
Harry nodded, standing on his toes to press a kiss to Draco’s forehead. “I’ll be fine, love. Go on. And don’t forget to-”
“Put the glamor on Teddy. I know, Potter,” Draco rolled his eyes walking out of the kitchen. “And before you ask, yes, I’ll get takeaway on my way back from Aunt Andromeda.”
Teddy wasn’t old enough to control the changing of his hair colour so they’d taken to casting a glamor on him when they headed out into muggle territory, which was nearly half the time.
Their flat was in a pre-dominantly muggle area that was close to Diagon Alley but far enough to not be inconvenient. There were actually a fair number of their old school mates in their neighbour-hood.
After making sure Teddy was all ready and had his candy bucket in hand, the two of them bid Harry goodbye and stepped out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“-Oh, oh and Draco! I learned a new trick!” Teddy said as he and Draco walked away from the last house on their candy run, Teddy’s bucket filled with muggle sweets and even a few liquorice wands and cauldron cakes.
“What is it?” Draco asked, smiling indulgently at his cousin. Noticing that he was starting to drag his feet, Draco picked him up and vanished the candy bucket.
At Teddy’s whine, Draco shushed him. “It’s at Grandma Andy’s house, waiting for you. Now what’s this trick you learned?”
Teddy grinned toothily. “I can change my eyes the colours of the rainbow.”
Draco’s eyebrows went up in surprise. He knew Teddy had more control over his eyes than his hair but he didn’t know how much more.
“Show me,” Draco demanded, poking Teddy’s nose lightly making him giggle.
“Okay. Purple,” Teddy said, closing his eyes tightly before revealing bright deep purple eyes.
“Wow,” Draco whispered. He didn’t bother correcting him that it was Violet. “Go on.”
Teddy continued, going through the colours as he knew them.
Dark blue, light blue - At green, his eyes were the same vibrant shade as Harry’s, making Draco grin. Teddy looked like a mini-Harry when he did that.
The yellow and orange were a bit eerie but it was at the red that Draco stood still and stared, feeling the blood drain from his face.
Teddy’s eyes went back to hazel as he frowned and placed a hand on Draco’s face. “Is that bad? Because Uncle Harry went white like that. Well, not white but less brown.”
Draco took a deep breath to calm down before asking Teddy a question to confirm his suspicions.
“Teddy bear, you showed Harry this trick today?”
He nodded. “Is that bad?” He repeated, looking worried.
Draco shook his head, pushing back the snake-head hood to brush his fingers through Teddy’s hair. This whole looking after children thing was hard but he and Harry had agreed that they would never lie to him.
“Not exactly, sweetheart. It just makes us think of bad memories. I think it would be best if you avoided turning your eyes red, especially around Harry. Okay?”
Tears welled up in Teddy’s eyes. “I made you sad? And Uncle Harry too?”
“Shhh... It’s not your fault. You didn’t know but now you do right?”
When Teddy nodded, Draco went on. “Then you won’t do it again. Harry and I will be fine.”
“But I made him sick.”
Draco sighed, brushing away Teddy’s tears.
“A little, maybe. But you know what I’m going to do?”
“What?”
“I’m going to take you to Grandma Andy’s house and then go back home and look after Harry,” Draco promised.
“You’ll tell him I didn’t mean to do it?” Teddy asked, hazel eyes flickered light grey as he looked expectantly at Draco.
“I’m sure he already knows, Teddy bear. But I’ll tell him. Now,” He paused to step into the little shed that served as an Apparition point on this block. “Are you ready?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After tucking Teddy in bed with a kiss to his forehead, Draco made his way to the living room.
“Are you alright, Draco?” Andromeda asked as Kreacher poured her a glass of white wine. “You’re looking a little peaky.”
Draco shook his head when the house elf offered him wine as well.
After Draco and Harry moved in together, Kreacher was sent to help Andromeda out but he still came around to clean up after the two of them at least once a week.
“You know that Teddy learned how to change his eyes the colours of the rainbow,” Draco stated. When his aunt nodded with a frown, he went on. “With that snake costume and when his eyes were red, it kind of -” He shrugged helplessly, feeling stupid for reacting to Teddy like he had.
Voldemort was dead; Harry killed him years ago and he still got startled when he saw things that reminded him of the war.
Andromeda nodded. “It’s nothing to be ashamed off, Draco. It’s completely understandable to react as you-”
But the rest of her sentence was drowned out by a ringing in the back of Draco’s head.
There was something wrong with the wards.
He stood up abruptly and conjured his Patronus.
“Go to Hermione Granger. Someone broke into our apartment, Harry’s home alone. I’m going right now, but come if you can. Or send Ron.” It was a mark of how shaken he was that he’d referred to the man by his given name. With another flick of his wand, the silver panther disappeared.
“Aunt Andy-” He began.
“Go, Draco. Teddy’s safe here, go check on Harry,” She said, pushing him out the door as it wasn’t possible to apparate in or out of the small house.
He tried to focus as he turned on the spot on his aunt’s doorstep. It really wasn’t a convenient time to get splinched.
The second he got his bearings, Draco cast a disillusionment charm on himself and pushed open the unlocked front door.
Flashes of lights indicating a duel bounced off the wall of the hallway.
Casting a shield charm, he stepped into the living room to find Harry fiercely dueling with an older man.
Draco was about to attack the intruder when Harry’s shield faltered for a split second.
Automatically, Draco threw a shield charm at him before throwing a Stupefy at the intruder.
It missed.
Draco ducked when a blue light flashed towards him.
“Incarcerous,” Harry roared, making thick ropes fly out of his wand and bind the man from shoulders to ankles.
Draco shot a disarming charm at the intruder who’d still had a grip on his wand. He tossed in a Petrificus Totalus for good measure and turned to Harry, canceling the disillusionment charm.
Before either of them could speak, the fireplace burst into flames and Ron stepped out of it.
He eyed the destroyed coffee table and the rest of the haphazard living room before looking at the disheveled couple. Ron’s eyes widened as he looked at their prisoner.
Without a word, he strode forward and raised his eyebrows at the bound man.
“Rudolphus Lestrange. You were released from Azkaban on good behaviour last month. Guess you’re going back, then,” He said, looking authoritative as he spelled the man to his feet, still bound, and summoned the wand before pocketing it.
“How’d he get in?” The red haired Auror asked, looking at the couple.
Draco had walked to Harry and placed a reassuring arm around his waist, feeling the brunet relax into him.
“I didn’t spell the wards close properly after Draco and Teddy left,” Harry said in a soft voice and Draco knew Harry probably had an internal monologue going on that told him exactly how stupid he’d been. “He had to have been waiting for something because there’s no way he would’ve known unless he was keeping watch and checked the wards regularly. Caught me by surprise.”
Ron nodded and began to make his way to the front door.
“Well Uncle dearest, this has been awful and I hope we’ll never see you,” Draco drawled at the glaring prisoner as the couple trailed behind him and Ron.
“You two will have to come in to give a statement tomorrow,” Ron informed them and, after agreeing to meet them at the Ministry before lunch, disapparated from outside the wards.
“Can you put the wards up? I’ll clean up the living room,” Harry muttered, walking away and leaving behind a frowning Draco.
There were three layers of wards and Draco saw that Harry had neglected to put up the weakest one after he and Teddy had left earlier that evening.
However weak it was, it was still an in and Draco remembered that Lestrange had been good with spellwork, specifically warding. He briefly wondered where he’d gotten a wand but dismissed it; he would find out tomorrow.
He finished up and checked them one last time.
The living room was back in it’s original condition but Harry wasn’t there.
With pursed lips, Draco made his way deeper into the apartment and felt his worry escalate when he saw that their bedroom door was shut.
There were only two instances when the door was closed. One, when Teddy was visiting; they learned it was necessary after the time he’d almost stumbled upon their drawer of sex toys.
The second was when either of them were seriously upset. The last time was when Draco shut himself in the room the day Lucius Malfoy died over two years ago.
Draco registered that Harry had merely shut the door and hadn’t even put up a locking charm. He pushed open the door slowly and his heart felt heavy.
Their room was a balance of Harry’s comfortable, warm style and Draco’s elegance, painted a dark, warm brown with dull gold accents. All the furniture was wrought iron or dark ebony. Draco always thought light coloured furnishings looked the complete opposite of regal.
The large bed was unmade, which led the blond to think that Harry had been in it before Lestrange broke in.
As it was empty, Draco gathered his lover was in the space between the armoire and the wall in the far corner of the room. He thought the action might have had something to do with the cupboard that had served as Harry’s bedroom as a child; a place he was safe but also his punishment.
“Harry?” Draco called softly, making his way to the corner and getting on his knees in front of the dark haired man.
Harry was tucked up, his arms wrapped around his folded knees and head resting on them.
“Baby, could you come here please?” Draco asked, holding out a hand but prepared to be refused.
When Harry didn’t move, Draco simply leaned against the wall and sat quietly.
Lost in his thoughts, he almost started when he felt Harry tuck himself into Draco’s side. Running his hand through Harry’s hair, Draco pressed a kiss to his forehead.
“Teddy?” Harry asked a few minutes later.
“Safe,” Draco confirmed, getting to his feet and pulling Harry up gently. “I was talking to -shit.”
He conjured his patronus for the second time that day. “Go to Andromeda Tonks. We’re okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight.”
The panther disappeared and Draco let out a sigh as he tossed away his wand and pulled Harry into his arms.
“I didn’t get the takeaway,” Draco murmured.
Harry let out a tired chuckle, his breath tickling Draco’s ear slightly. “I’m not really hungry to be honest.”
“Soup?”
“I guess.”
After finishing up the light meal of soup and crackers Kreacher brought them, Draco and Harry undressed and crawled into bed.
“Teddy’s eyes threw you off didn’t they?” Draco asked eventually, staring into the darkness above them.
Harry huffed and Draco felt him turn, followed by the warmth of Harry’s body next to his.
“They didn’t just throw me off. Merlin. I almost hurt him, Draco. My wand was actually in my hand before I realized what I was doing,” Harry choked out as he tucked his head into Draco’s neck.
Draco turned on his side so they were facing each other, tangling their legs together and pressing their foreheads together.
Moonlight filtered into the room as they’d left the blinds open, and it allowed Draco to hold Harry’s teary gaze as he brushed Harry’s cheekbone with his thumb.
“It’s okay, baby. Teddy’s safe and so are we,” Draco murmured, sliding his hand lower to gently squeeze the back of Harry’s neck.
“But I almost-”
“I saw his eyes too, you know. On our way to ‘Dromeda’s. I nearly dropped him and he cried because he thought he made me sad and his Uncle Harry sick or angry.”
“But I’m not and it’s not his fault-,” Harry began and Draco shushed him gently.
“I told him that. Then I promised I would come back here and take care of you. Let me keep my promise?”
Harry sighed, lifting a hand to fidget with the hair at Draco’s nape. “I’m sorry about tonight.”
“The wards?”
Harry nodded, even as he moved closer and pressed his face to Draco’s chest.
“It’s okay. I know you’re probably going crazy blaming yourself in that tiny, simple brain of yours - Ow. No pinching, Potter - and I want you to know that it’s okay. You were upset and it’s understandable. Rabastan Lestrange’s duty during the war was to help with complex warding. What I want to know is why he was here.”
“Oh. He thought I killed his wife and wanted revenge. He didn’t care if he got me or you, either way I paid for it,” answered Harry.
“But you didn’t kill her.”
“Well I’m glad he didn’t do his research. I’d rather he hurt me than Molly,” Harry said fiercely.
“Are you underestimating Molly Weasley?” Draco asked, amused.
The woman was a dragon when she wanted to be, not that she’d ever directed her rage at Draco. Usually she just frowned at him and Harry before telling them they worked too hard and insisting they have at least two servings of everything.
“Never. But I’m glad I’m not an Auror. Could you imagine dealing with that everyday until you’re retired or dead?” Harry asked, shuddering for effect.
Draco wrapped him tightly in his arms. “I’d rather not think about it or of you dead. I dealt with it once and I refuse to do it again.”
Harry tugged on Draco’s hair until he ducked his head to meet Harry’s lips in a kiss. There was little sexual in the act; it was purely reassurance and love.
The kiss ended to allow them to breath and Draco let all his earlier thoughts flood his mind.
“Fuck, I was so scared when I felt the wards get breached. All I could think about was that I could be too late and something happened to you. What if-” Draco rambled against Harry’s mouth, stopping when Harry kissed him again.
“I’m here,” Harry assured him, tracing Draco’s features lightly with his fingers. “I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I love you too much to let someone take me away from you.”
“And you’re going to stop that from happening, how exactly?” Draco asked, sniffing, grateful when Harry didn’t acknowledge his tears other than to wipe them away with his fingers.
“Sheer stubbornness,” Harry declared. Draco choked out a laugh, pressing kisses on Harry’s forehead, his eyelids, his nose, his chin, his cheeks and finally his lips.
“I love you, you arse.”
Harry played with Draco’s fingers for a few seconds before speaking.
“I promise to double check the wards from next time on and I’ll ask Bill to help set up another layer.”
Draco knew Harry didn’t want more wards but he appreciated the offer. He thanked him with a kiss to his forehead before wiggling to settle down more comfortably for the night. Their arms were still around each other but not as tight.
“I’ll fight your nightmares off,” Draco whispered in Harry’s ears.
“And I’ll keep you safe, always,” Harry returned, pressing a kiss to Draco’s throat before his breathing evened out and he fell asleep.
It had been their nightly ritual for years.
They would make good wedding vows, Draco thought as he remembered the small velvet box hidden in his old school trunk in the hall closet.
Very good vows indeed.
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When the night gets heavy
Lay your heaven on me
Sparks illuminate us
I'll find you in the dark
When the sky is falling
I'll be your atlas holding
The world on my shoulders
I'll find you in the dark
- Night Vision by TransViolet.