Work Text:
"Oh my god, I'm sorry!"
"It's fine. I'm not hurt nor is my son, isn't that right Tom?"
Tom gurgled from where he was strapped to Harry's chest. The 6-month-old was pretty quiet usually but didn't hesitate to make his opinions known.
Harry was just happy he didn't hiss at the poor bloke.
"I should make it up to you. Replace your coffee at least." The man said, more than a little anxiously. "I was about to head in to get some coffee myself."
"I don't want to be a bother-"
"You aren't at all. It's the least I can do for nearly knocking you over," the man insisted. Harry was fondly reminded of Neville.
"Alright. Thank you..."
"Bruce. Bruce Wayne." The man smiles and Harry couldn't help but smile back.
"Harry Potter."
Talking to Bruce, Harry realized a few things. A few very attractive and distracting things.
Bruce Wayne was eye candy.
He was tall and broad shouldered, and Harry was sure that with a good meal and some working out he would turn out more hench than any given rugby player. Pale blue eyes that were intense when his attention focused on you but weren't cold like the purebloods back home - not naming any Malfoys - were. His black hair was a bit messy but a lazy hand through it made it neat once more. Harry was both envious and wanted to see how much he could mess it up before it couldn't be easily righted once more.
"I just graduated from high school and was thinking of heading out of the country to get some non-traditional learning in."
"Oh, that sounds lovely. Any countries in particular you wish to visit?"
"Well, the Tibetan mountains to start."
Bruce Wayne was intelligent.
Not overwhelmingly so like Hermione, no matter how much he loved her, but in a tighter way, for lack of a better word. He would mention something and then expound on the subject in a way Harry could follow without feeling like he was being talked down to. It didn't matter the subject, Bruce spoke with passion and a drive to use the knowledge he had, not just hoarding it for the sake of hoarding it.
"I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do here. I can't work full time with Tom, and I have enough saved up to not work a while but I just-"
"Need something to focus on outside of caring for your son."
"Exactly though Tom is more of a cousin than a son."
"Hm, I don't know any parents but there are some Wayne Foundations charities looking for some extra help..."
Bruce Wayne was kind, if a bit awkward.
He was exuberant but pulled himself back the moment he thought he was being too much. He had a look on his face like he wanted to hold Tom but was too afraid to ask for fear of hurting the baby. He paid for people ahead of them getting drinks and quietly accepted their thanks with a hint of blush on his face. He was kind to the baristas, occasionally cracking jokes with them and enduring the gentle pats on the heads from the jewish grandmothers. Despite his apparent wealth - people didn't treat him any differently.
And Harry found that devastatingly attractive.
He thought he had a type of tall dark Byronic heroes. From the former man turned baby currently drooling on his shoulder to Cedric to Sirius to Malfoy....
Bruce really fit it to a T.
"Bruce."
"Yes, Harry?"
"Fancy going on a date with me?"
"What?!"
Harry passed Tom off to Bruce who silently panicked but held the baby securely. Harry paid it no mind as he set up the baby playpen for Tom the mugg- er mundane way. He plucks Tom out of Bruce's arms, placing the baby into the playpen and giving him a few toys to play with or, more likely, teethe on.
Harry grins as he pulls his mildly flabbergasted boyfriend over to the couch.
"So, I just got approved to tell you about everything."
"Defined everything." Bruce asks, an eyebrow winging up.
"Well for one, I'm a wizard and magic exists"
"What."
Harry's grin turns mischievous as he pulls out his wand and with a flick, bubbles come out of it, making Tom coo and giggle as he sits up to catch them.
"Magic, love. Do keep up."
Bruce blinked rapidly. He took a deep breath and watched, pensive as Harry conjured animal shaped clouds and butterflies much to Tom's amusement.
"You said you just got approved...to tell me, who did the approving?"
"Well, do you want the full story or the Cliff notes?" Harry twirled his wand about his fingers as Bruce thought it over.
"Full story later, short version now."
"Alright, the abridged is that witches and wizards exist and due to the witch hunts long before America was founded, they created a Statue of Secrecy. After that all of wizarding society was hidden and kept apart from muggles or non magicals. That said, sometimes a magical child would pop up, known as muggleborn, and depending on their country and welfare, the parents are informed before the child has to attend magical school, usually at age 11."
"So... we don't have a kid together about to attend magic school. Why were you allowed to tell me?"
"Turns out in America, they are more integrated into muggle society than their British counterparts, so I had to do some paperwork, and I was approved to tell you. I got approved for two reasons: one I do adore you quite a bit," Harry smiles softly, a hand coming up to cup Bruce's jaw, the man all but melting into it.
"And the other?"
"I was a war hero so they thought it was a good reward for me "
"What?!"
Harry watched with a slanted smile as Bruce laid on his couch, Tom on his chest, both fast asleep. He was starting to itch for a camera but held it off for now. Bruce had declared that the info dump Harry had hit him with required a nap and since it was so close to Tom's naptime, Harry figured it was the best time for both to get a bit of rest.
The microdose of Dreamless Sleep may have helped things along but that was neither here nor there.
Harry brushed a bit of Bruce's fringe from his face and headed over to the kitchen. Aside from getting dinner started, he had a call to make. He pulled out a mirror from his hoodie pocket.
"Hermione Granger "
The mirror darkened and stopped showing his reflection. It was a bit of a wait but Hermione answered his call, her face appearing on the glass. The window behind her was dark but that made sense since it may have been only 2 pm in Gotham, it was at least 7pm in London where Hermione was.
"Harry?"
"Hullo. I told him."
"Oh Harry, that's wonderful. How did he take it?"
"Well enough. He had way more questions than I had answers for but I did suggest he owl you. That led off to another question about messages and mail owls. He's asleep on the couch with Tom right now. He'll probably have more questions. I swear, he would be a sure shot to Ravenclaw if he was a wizard."
"What, he's not brave enough for Gryffindor?" Hermione teased. "You must be an imposter."
"More like the overload of both you and Bruce in the same house at the same time would make Hogwarts implode." Harry sent back dryly, pulling a laugh from Hermione. "Though he would be in Ginny's year, not yours so who knows the castle would survive two massive nerds in it."
"Hardy har, you are such a comedian Mr. Chosen One."
"I know. It's why you love me."
"You are quite pretty but that's it."
"Ow."
"And I suppose you are rich so..."
"Double ow"
"Ron likes your arse."
"At least he has half good taste. The other taste is bushy brunettes made more of books than sense."
"You're right, that isn't good taste, its magnificent taste."
Dating Harry, Bruce realized a few things. A few very distracting and attractive things.
Harry was eye candy.
He was quite pretty, petite and willowy but an undercurrent of steel honed from the hell that was fighting a war as a teenager. But he didn't let that harden him. His eyes, a bright emerald green, lit up easily and often when he talked to others and interacted with Tom. He adored his not son and showed it in kisses, hugs and doing his best to make the baby giggle. His hair was a mess of black curls that Bruce loved to run his fingers through again and again. Thick but not tangled so his fingers never got caught. His thighs, despite the thinness of the rest of him, were thick, supporting the ass that Harry said he got from playing Quidditch, a Wixen sport held high in the sky on broomsticks. He doesn't quite know how it led to Harry having such a pert ass, but he was willing to watch and find out.
"So I found a magical daycare for Tom. There is a magical district in Gotham called Gothic Alley."
"Gothic Alley, Diagon Alley. Knockturn Alley...what is with wixen and being on the nose?"
"Who k-nose?"
":Jail."
Harry was compassionate.
He helped out his neighbors when they asked him or they clearly needed it, picking up groceries for the elderly and gently denying their tips. He didn't directly confront those who tried to harass him, just junxing them silently to stop them from harassing others. He gently assisted his neighbor Catherine in getting into night school. He awkwardly acknowledged the wixen he ran into and shyly accepted their praise for this role in the war. He took in children and babysat them when their parents were at work or worse, strung out on drugs. He fed and clothed the alley kids, sending them off to do small tasks and mending their clothes when they didn't accept the clothes. He was quick to pay for someone who came short at the register, simply asking the cashier to put it on his tab. He didn't accept pay back but would take food or favors. Slowly, he was brightening up Crime Alley.
"Why live in Crime Alley? You have more than enough money to live somewhere nice, in and outside Gotham."
"Well, I doubt I would live somewhere outside of Gotham. I have things to do here. As for Crime Alley...I am not quite sure. I have never lived in the city like this and I grew up in the suburbs in England. This is nice and different."
"Nice."
"Okay the sirens and gunshots are a bit much but being in something, somewhere I can help...well that makes it more than worth it."
Harry was capable.
In the face of things he didn't know, he learned. When someone needed him for something, be it magic, money, or just strength, Harry was there and ready to lend a hand. He can cook, sew, clean, all the little housewife things Catherine teased him about but Harry just blushed and mumbled something about his childhood before going about his way. Tom was his first child but Harry handled the baby easily and with care. Sometimes he fumbled but he would seek out information swiftly and correct what he was doing. He read a lot of non-fiction avidly even though he admitted he wasn't much of a reader. For technology, which Harry explained he didn't grow up with and tech generally didn't work in the wizarding world, he listened and absorbed Bruce's information on how it worked and how it was made.
"I could teach you how to drive, if you'd like?"
"Really?! That would be amazing though..."
"Though what?"
"Well...I want to learn how to ride a motorcycle more than a car"
"...I can teach you that."
Harry...was very attractive to Bruce. He had to be because there was no way Bruce would have agreed to date him when he was gearing up to travel the world to train. He wasn't sure what this feeling was just yet but it was more than simple affection...
Bruce held Tom as Harry set up to summon his parents. Harry's parents who died protecting Harry when he was only a few months older than Tom is now. The nearly one year old gummed quietly at his fingers, content in Bruce's arms.
It was weird to be in England, even weirder that they got there in less than hour using something called a 'port key' and Harry then using another one to take them to Godric's Hollow, the cottage the Potters lived in before their untimely demise.
They were inside the ruined house, preserved with magic of the tragedy. Bruce admitted to keeping more than one morbid trophy of his parent's death but this was on another level. Privately he was a bit glad he was not magical because to have an easy way to indulge his morbid fixations would drive him straight to Arkham.
Harry straightened and with a swish of a wand - it wasn't his usual wand. His was holly while this one was white. Wixen had more than one wand??? - the candles Harry had placed in each cardinal direction were lit. Behind them, the clock ticked over midnight, October 31st.
"Souls gone before their time, for the protection of mine, I summon you here. Arise."
The room darkened despite the candles and a wind swept through the room. Bruce could feel Tom shiver and he held the baby tighter, hoping the infant wouldn't cry and disturb the ritual. But he didn't, watching with wide eyes and two figures appeared in the circle of candles.
They were wispy at first, white casted spirits before they gained color and form of a man and a woman. The man was a taller version of Harry, messy hair, glasses and all but with warm brown eyes. The woman was also taller than Harry but with a shock of red hair that cascaded down her back, bright green eyes that were full of tears that fell as soon as the magic settled, and she immediately threw herself at her son with a wail. The man hugged them both and Harry joined the woman in crying as he was hugged by his parents for the first time in nearly 19 years.
Bruce gently rocked Tom as the baby fussed about his carrier - mom? surrogate?? Bruce should really get around to asking more questions - being out of sight. The man looked up and his face went through a rainbow of emotions that Bruce couldn't pin down, but he did break away from his wife and son to approach the baby and Bruce.
"Hullo Tom, hullo Bruce." he greeted, deftly picking up Tom who immediately settled in the man's arms. "I'm James and the soggy mess over there is my wife, Lily."
Over her son's head, Lily sent James a very watery two finger salute, making him laugh.
Bruce was struck then, at how young the Potters were. Harry did say Wixen age slowly bar any heavy trauma and stress, but the Potters seemed so young. The way James cooed at Tom didn't feel like an adult doing so but more like a teenager. Bruce's own parents were nearly 30 when they had him so why...
"How old are you?" Bruce blurted then flushed. James laughed brightly, waving off his apologies.
"22 when I died, same as Lily. Your old man is right, you are a full riot."
Bruce's breath caught.
"You've met my parents?"
James' face softened, nearly identical to how Harry's does sometimes when Bruce managed to stumble or do something endearing. For all that Harry has his mother's eyes, he had much of his father's looks.
"Yes. Many souls that have gone on via violent means, generally stay in the same area. Not restless enough to be a ghost but not quite settled enough to go the Beyond. Once Harry moved to Gotham, we were able to chat with them and the like. We have quite a few friends in the afterlife thanks to the war, but we have more friends now because well..."
"Gotham is a hellhole"
James laughed again. "Your words not mine. Let's sit and chat for a bit. Martha and Thomas have some messages they want me to pass on and I do not want to anger your mum, she's scary."
Bruce smiled, a little sad. "That certainly sounds like her."
Bruce fiddled with the ends of his hoodie. It was starting to fray a lot, but it was comfortable. Harry had gotten it for him - it was band merch for the Screaming Banshees which Bruce admits he liked a lot.
He had invited Harry and Tom over to the Manor because he had something to tell him. He hoped Harry wouldn't react like Alfred did, but Harry was more chill about weird things. If that was because Harry was a wizard or just his general demeanor, but Bruce was going to take advantage of it.
He still recalled what James told him.
'They know what you plan on doing, becoming a vigilante and they support it but ask that you have a partner when you do it to watch your back. They don't want to see you in the Afterlife so soon. This is from me but tell Harry. Tell Harry your plans. He won't reject you or scold you for being reckless but he wants to help you.'
So that's what Bruce was doing. The clock struck three and at the front door, the doorbell rang. Somehow Alfred got there first despite Bruce being on the balcony on the second floor.
"Hello Master Harry, young master Tom."
"I told you just to call me Harry, Alfred."
"Of course Master Harry. If I could, I can watch the young sir while you and Master Bruce talk."
Harry sighed but removed his and Tom's coats and handed the baby over to the butler. Tom babbled happily at Alfred, drawing a smile to the older man's face. Bruce didn't quite catch what he said to the infant but it was fine, he arrived at the bottom of the staircase as Alfred walked away. Harry smiled up at him.
"Hello love, how are you?"
"Hello to you." Bruce leaned down to kiss Harry and the wizard kissed back, a smile on his lips as he was drawn into Bruce's arms. Bruce broke off the kiss to whisper against his lips. "I have something to tell you."
"Oh, have you been naughty?"
"Not quite but I don't know how you'll react. Let's go to my study."
"Lead the way, darling."