Fic - Bird Watching
Title: Bird Watching
Author: sophia_clark
Word Count: 6,199
Characters/Pairings: Harry/Draco, Narcissa, Pansy
Rating: PG-13
Warning(s): Fluff, well-meaning but nevertheless interfering mothers, did I mention FLUFF?
Summary: Narcissa wants Draco to be happy, and she'll do just about anything to make it happen.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Beta: nenne
Author's Notes: Written for prompt [#58] After the war, Narcissa decides that what will settle Draco is if he has a baby. Since she doesn't care how or with whom, Draco finds the strongest wizard he knows to father the child. Of course, he and Harry get emotionally involved. as part of harrydracompreg's 2012 Mpreg fest!
A warm May breeze came rustling up the extensive lawn, stirring the air with the fragrant scent of roses and lilacs. Narcissa paused in her walk and inhaled deeply, her eyes closing in delight. She simply loved spending time in her gardens; the flowers were beautiful and the surroundings were extremely peaceful. She had always been able to come here to, temporarily at least, escape those things in her life that were decidedly not pleasant, such as The Dark Lord stealing her family home or her husband stealing her son's childhood.
Sighing, Narcissa opened her eyes to the magnificent array of blooms before her. There was absolutely no need for these depressing thoughts anymore. The Potter boy or man rather, had after all finished off that rampaging lunatic over three years ago.
Potter had then seen to it that neither she nor Draco had been sentenced for anything, going so far as to shout heatedly on their behalf at the members of the Wizengamot. With great passion he told them that Draco was "just a scared kid trying to protect his family," and that he himself would have done the same, had their roles been reversed. He had not backed down, and eventually the Wizengamot had ruled in their favour. Lucius had not been so fortunate, but to Narcissa this was another profound victory.
It was unquestionable that Potter had ensured her freedom, but more importantly, he had saved Draco as well. Nothing was more important to her than her only son. She would willingly and gladly give up everything she possessed, right down to the very last flower petal, to see that Draco never again saw even an ounce of pain or sadness. Thanks to Lucius, Bella and their precious Lord, he had already known far too much of both in his short life.
And thanks to Potter, he was now free to actually live his life.
Narcissa was abruptly pulled from her thoughts by a lovely sound floating on the air from down the path. Recognising it at once, she quickly strode deeper into the garden to try and locate the source.
Sure enough, as she turned a corner that opened into a clearing with a small garden pond at its centre, she found her son sprawled out on the grass, laughing uproariously. Draco's already handsome face was utterly transformed when he laughed; during those brief moments, the mask he so often wore was lifted, and Narcissa could see a glimpse of the happy little boy he had once been. He was truly a thing of beauty.
What saddened Narcissa so was the fact that Draco's smiles and laughter were so few and far between. She longed to find a way to bring her son some real, lasting happiness, but did not know how.
She was so caught up in watching Draco's glowing face, that she nearly didn't notice that he was not alone. A tiny squeal alerted her to the presence of Pansy Parkinson-Nott, who sat primly beside Draco on a small blanket, an exasperated expression on her face. In her arms was her two month old baby boy, Bernard. The infant was squirming and fussing, and seemed to be the source of Draco's amusement. Their voices carried over to Narcissa on the wind.
"You could give me a hand, you know. He is, after all, your godson."
Draco chuckled, sitting up and smiling as he reached out to smooth a hand over the fine dark hairs on the baby's tiny head. "A very lucky boy you are, Bernie."
Pansy shot Draco a frosty glare. "His name is not Bernie!" she hissed. Draco's smile widened, his grey eyes twinkling in glee.
"I simply refuse to call him Bernard all of the time, Pans. It's going to give him a complex. You know how I loathed father calling me Draconis." He gave a theatrical shudder. Narcissa stifled a giggle behind her hand. "I'm putting my foot down, as his godfather." he said this with a straight face and a little nod of emphasis.
A small, grudging smile threatened Pansy's lips and she shook her head slightly. "You're insufferable, you know. Sometimes I don't know why I bother with you."
Draco shot her a cheeky grin as he reached for the still-fussing baby. "Don't be ridiculous. You love me and you know it."
Pansy watched Draco coo at little Bernard for a few moments, then had to fight back a yawn. "You won't mind if I take a short nap, would you? The little bugger's been keeping us up so much, I feel like I haven't slept properly since he was born."
"Go ahead, Pans. Use the Rose Suite. We'll be just fine out here, won't we, Bernie?"
Pansy rolled her eyes, but leaned over to kiss first her son's head, then Draco's cheek. "Thanks, love. You're so wonderful with him. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd hire a nanny and be just fine, but I'm happy to help. He's amazing." The reverence and love and wistfulness in Draco's voice made Narcissa's heart swell and burst at once. She didn't register Pansy's parting words or notice her walking away toward the Manor. All she saw was Draco comforting the baby in his arms, a sense of complete bliss radiating from him. She couldn't take her eyes away.
As she watched her son soothe the boy to sleep, she knew that she finally had an answer. She knew just what Draco needed to make him happy.
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The day had started out normally enough.
Draco awoke promptly at 7:00 to the sound of The Weird Sisters playing on the old Wizarding Wireless sitting on his bedside table. He blindly grabbed his wand from under his pillow and flicked it, the music cutting off instantly. After a few moments and a deep breath, he blinked his eyes open and sat up. Sunlight streamed in through the windows; it would be another beautiful day.
Sighing, he stood and stretched hearing and feeling the oddly satisfying way his bones cracked. He padded off through the door to the en suite, stifling a yawn as he went. He'd not gotten enough sleep last night, but what else was new.
As he slipped off his silk pants and entered the shower, Draco mused that he never really had a good night's sleep without his lover beside him. And he had always had sleep issues, ever since the end of Fifth year when Father had been arrested and Draco's living nightmare had begun. He supposed that made sense; who could sleep with a psychotic tyrant constantly breathing down their neck?
Even now though, three years after the Final Battle, Draco was plagued with restless nights and confusing, unclear dreams. He never remembered them upon waking, but he was always left with a strange sense of longing that he did not understand. It was all slowly driving him mad. The only thing that seemed to keep these dreams away was his lover, who did not come to the Manor. Draco only had himself to blame for that, of course.
Shaking his head to rid himself of these thoughts, Draco focused instead on the simple task of washing, then drying and then dressing. He took a bit longer on his hair than usual, though he couldn't say why. It was 7:20 by the time he deemed himself ready and made his way down to the dining room he and Mother favoured for breakfast. It had a lovely view of her gardens, and was not so large as to make the two of them feel inadequate, alone as they were in the huge Manor.
Narcissa was already seated at the table, fair hair swept up artfully and pale blue robes a perfect match to her striking eyes. She sat gazing out at the flowers, seemingly lost in thought. Draco took a moment to admire the perfection that was his mother before he cleared his throat to let her know he was there.
He couldn't help but smile at the way she jumped slightly, surprise flitting across her face briefly as she turned to face him.
"Forgot about me, did you?" he teased, taking his seat and gratefully accepting his tea from the little elf that appeared suddenly at his elbow. He nodded to the creature, which bowed and disappeared with a faint pop. Narcissa smiled affectionately at him while shaking her head.
"As if I ever could, you cheeky brat. I was just now wondering what on Earth I am going to do with you, in fact." The love and amusement shining in her eyes belied her words, and Draco found his smile growing.
"Sell me off to the highest bidder and run away to the continent, I imagine." he smirked, enjoying their banter. Of course, he didn't know what he'd do if she ever truly decided to leave; she was one of the few people that he could be himself around, and he needed that. Needed her.
Her beautiful laughter brought him back to their conversation. Her eyes twinkled merrily. "If I had any desire to go to the continent, I'd bring you with me, darling. I find I'm quite a bit fonder of England as of late, though. No need to run off anywhere." She was in such a playful, happy mood, and Draco was thrilled. He wished to see her this carefree more often.
"Ah, so you are planning on selling me off, then." he joked. "How much do you suppose a Malfoy would go for these days?"
Some of the light left Narcissa's eyes, making Draco regret his thoughtless words. Just as he was about to take them back, she answered him.
"I would never sell you off like some sort of animal, Draco. Lucius would have, no doubt, but I want nothing so much as your happiness, darling. "Draco was stunned. Not because he did not believe her; he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she meant every word. However, he had heard her speak of her husband only a handful of times in the past few years. It managed to surprise him every time.
"...which is why I wish for you to marry, of course." Draco snapped out of his reverie, his eyes jerking up to his mother's face.
"Wh-what?" he spluttered, nearly spilling hot tea down his front in his fresh wave of shock.
"Oh, come now, darling, you cannot tell me that you do not want to find someone and settle down. I can see it in your eyes, dear. I will not sell you off like a show-pony, but I will do everything in my power to help you find the right person. She will be the lucky one, whoever she is. Don't worry. I've already drawn up a list of lovely young ladies for you to peruse, and if you don't take a fancy to any of them, we'll simply look elsewhere. I know how picky you can be..."
Narcissa continued talking rapidly; gaining momentum with each word, but Draco no longer heard her. He was so stunned that it did not even occur to him to correct her assumption of his preferences. His mother had never, ever discussed marriage with him before. Draco's need to marry and marry well had been one of the many topics handled by his father. He had understood at a very early age that one of his main purposes in life was to find the richest, most well-bred girl he could and marry her. Then, they were to produce an heir.
Love and lust did not factor into pureblood marriages. It was all about money, connections, influence and bloodlines. In most cases, a match was picked out and all the papers were signed before one's seventeenth birthday. Then, upon both parties coming of age, the bride price and dowry were settled, and the couple was promptly wed. The sooner this happened, the sooner they could get busy continuing their noble lines, which was the point of the entire thing, of course.
Once a new heir was born, one could do as they pleased, so long as they were discreet and did not embarrass the family in any way. Indiscretion was not to be tolerated or taken lightly. Draco knew there had been a multitude of names simply erased from both the Malfoy and Black family records over the years for any number of reasons.
When the Dark Lord fell and Lucius was incarcerated for the second time, Draco had happily put all of this out of his mind. He was gay, after all, and had no interest in a sham marriage for the sake of the family. He was young, and actually free to do as he wished with his life. After his upbringing and going through the war, he had not thought this would ever be possible, and he had no intention of squandering the opportunity.
Now, after three years of trying to relax and get his life back to normal (as if it was ever normal to begin with) he felt the need to re-evaluate. He still had no real desire to marry some unknown bint for her money; he had more than enough of that on his own, after all. However, the birth of his godson had opened his eyes to something he had never realized before. He loved little Bernie so much, and he knew that that would never change.
He wanted children of his own. Not just an heir, but a son. Or a daughter, he wouldn't mind either way. Maybe even both. He wanted a family, the kind that laughed and played and loved together. In order to have all that and be truly happy, he needed to find a man, fall in love and settle down. And he was working very hard on that.
"Draco, are you listening to me? I really think we should get started looking straight away. The sooner we do, the sooner we'll find her. Oh, I'm so excited for you, Draco. Love is so precious; you have no idea how much happiness it will bring you."
Draco opened his mouth to say that he did, in fact know just how ridiculously happy being in love made him, but stopped at the look on his mother's face. She was so animated and alive, and Draco had not seen her this way in far too long. He did not want to do anything to upset her at the moment. He took a deep breath.
"Alright, mother. Let's see your list." He would go along with this until Narcissa calmed down a bit and hopefully moved on to something else. That was his mother's usual style; she got very excited about something, dove into it for a few weeks, and then found something else and never looked back. She still could only make Watercress Soup, as she had only lasted for one cooking class.
In the meantime, Draco would try to think of a way to tell her that he was in love, and with a man. He just hoped his lover would not be upset.
Narcissa beamed at him. "Oh, Draco. You make me so happy. This is just what you need, you'll see." With that, she rose and walked around the table to where Draco sat. As his mother hugged and kissed him, Draco could not help the slight feeling of unease that came over him. He really hoped he was doing the right thing.
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Narcissa exited the small shop and glanced around. It was another fine day and quite a few people were out and about doing their shopping or just enjoying the sunshine. She made her way down the lane, passing by her favourite jewellery shop and bakery to get to the Apparition point at the end of the road. She was in a hurry to get home and put her newly-acquired potion, which was safely hidden in her robes, to good use.
She was beyond thrilled that Draco had agreed to her plan the other morning. She had been busy ever since preparing and scheduling meetings that were due to begin the following day. The potion she had just purchased was the final thing she needed. It would ensure Draco's happiness as quickly as possible.
Many of the people she passed had children with them, and Narcissa could not help but smile as she saw an adorable little blond girl with her father outside an ice cream parlour. She paused to watch them for a moment, thinking once again about Draco.
Yes, she decided, nodding to herself as she continued walking once more, this was absolutely the right thing to do. Draco would thank her for it eventually. She wouldn't say anything to him until after the happy news came out, of course, but the sooner he had a child, the happier they would both be.
Reaching into her robe pocket, she fingered the vial of fertility potion reverently. Now, how to get Draco to ingest it without him knowing...perhaps she would have Tipsy slip it into his afternoon tea...
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It had been a few days since his mother came to him with her plan, but Draco had yet to discuss it with his boyfriend. They had not been together all that long, and Draco was afraid of the man's reaction to the news that he was pretending to consider marrying some girl to make his mother happy. He really didn't want anything to mess up their relationship.
The first of his "could-be-bride" meetings, as Narcissa dubbed them, were taking place the following day however, and Draco could no longer put off telling him. It would all be much worse if he didn't say anything, he knew that.
He walked up to the door and knocked three times, only waiting a moment before it swung open to reveal his lover. He smiled at seeing him, and Harry beamed.
"I said you don't have to knock, Draco. You can just let yourself in." Harry took hold of his hands and drew him closer, brushing a soft kiss over his lips. "Hey."
Draco melted into Harry's embrace. He wrapped his arms around the shorter man and nuzzled his neck. "It is appallingly rude to go barging into someone else's home, Potter. I would have thought even you knew that." He kissed the stubbly jaw, whispering, "and Hey."
Harry chuckled affectionately while rubbing their noses together. "It wouldn't be barging in, Draco. You're welcome to come over whenever you want."
"Well how about right now? I'm hungry, and I don't fancy giving your neighbours a show here on the porch." He nipped at Harry's neck to emphasize his point.
"Mmmm...no, we'd better get inside before Mrs. Jones breaks out her binoculars. Poor old dear needs to find a hobby." As he pulled Draco inside, he gave an over exaggerated wave over his shoulder, making Draco laugh in delight.
After dinner they were cuddled together on Harry's couch watching a film. Draco had picked it out, but he found he could not concentrate on the screen. He was too worried about telling Harry his plans for the next day to pay much attention to Hugh Grant, which was really saying something. Since he had begun dating Harry, he had come to realize that some Muggles were rather nice. At least to look at.
"Draco, are you going to tell me what's bothering you now? You've been rather quiet all evening, and now you're not even watching Hugh. Is everything alright?"
The concern in Harry's voice told Draco it was time to stop stalling and just man up. He took a deep breath, sat up and turned to look at Harry.
"There's something I need to tell you. I...I just ask that you hear me out before you say anything, alright?" Harry's expression turned immediately serious and he nodded. Draco sighed.
"It's nothing terrible, or at least it doesn't have to be. My mother means well, really. She just wants me to be happy." Harry's face softened and he reached a hand over to grip Draco's. Draco squeezed lightly, appreciating the gesture. "You know that I haven't...she doesn't know about you, us. Or that I'm gay."
He looked down at their joined hands until Harry pulled on his. Harry was smiling slightly as he nodded. Draco continued to be amazed at how forgiving and patient his lover could be with him. "Thank you for understanding, Harry. It's not you at all; I just haven't felt ready to tell her about me yet."
He paused here to collect his thoughts. This was the tricky part. "You know how I've told you she's been rather glum lately?" Harry nodded again. "Well, the other day at breakfast she was like a whole new person. She was animated, she was bubbly. I haven't seen her that way in a long time. It was nice.
"And she was rambling on and on, joking around and talking about wanting to see me happy. It really surprised me. And then she said..."
He couldn't go on. He couldn't say it. It was ridiculous, after all. Why in Merlin's name had he gone along with her crazy plan?
"Draco, just tell me, babe." Harry spoke softly, cupping Draco's cheek with a warm hand.
Deep breath, Draco. You can do this.
"She wants me to get married. She's set up all these meetings with women for me to choose from, starting tomorrow. She said love is precious and she wants me to experience it." Hearing himself say that while looking at Harry sitting beside him, Draco felt an odd sort of fluttering in his chest and he began to panic, his voice raising an octave. "Fuck, what was I thinking? Why didn't I just tell her then? I am happy, Harry. I love you."
He froze at his own confession, looking at his boyfriend with comically-wide eyes. Harry just blinked at him once slowly. He seemed quite as surprised to hear the words as Draco was to have said them. He had never said them out loud before, but now they were out of his mouth, and he knew them to be true. He was in love with Harry Potter. Wonders never cease.
Suddenly he was back in Harry's sturdy arms. The warmth of Harry's body unfroze his own, and he clung to his lover almost desperately. Harry stroked his hair and kissed his cheek lightly.
"Oh, Draco. I love you, too. So much. I didn't want you to think I was mad for saying it too early, but then again, maybe I am. I'm mad about you."
Draco chuckled breathlessly, happier than he'd ever thought possible. He buried is face in the crook of Harry's neck, breathing in his scent. It was familiar and soothing.
"And this thing with your mum is really not a big deal, Draco," Harry went on. "Like you said, she ultimately wants your happiness. You really think she's going to care who you sleep with more than that? Give her some credit. She loves you more than anything."
Draco sighed and closed his eyes, nuzzling Harry's neck. "You're right, I know you're right. It's just so hard for me to open up to her about this. I don't even know why. Probably because I always thought I'd have to hide it from everyone, even her. If father had known..." he shuddered and Harry tightened his arms around him.
"You never have to worry about that bastard again. And you don't have to hide yourself, Draco. You're an incredible person. And I'm here if you need me. I'll be by your side as long as you want me there."
Draco blinked rapidly, trying to hold in the tears that threatened to fall. He did not know what he had done to deserve Harry, but he decided to stop questioning it and just enjoy his reward.
"I'll always want you with me," he whispered. "You have no idea how much you mean to me. Will you...will you come with me? To tell her about me. About us." His voice was small, but hopeful.
Harry pulled back to place a kiss on Draco's forehead and look into his eyes. Harry's were filled with such joy and unmistakably love that Draco felt his own welling up once again. "Of course I will, love. There's nowhere else I'd rather be." Harry bit his lip and continued, "it'll have to wait 'till Saturday, though. I'll be away all week, remember?"
Draco nodded with a small frown; not liking that Harry would be gone for five days, especially now that he had realized just exactly how much he cared about the prat. He understood however that Harry's job was important to him. Harry seemed to sense his thoughts.
"I don't like being away from you either, but it's my job. But I'll be back before you know it, and then we can go see your mother. In the meantime, just go with her and check out the birds she's lined up. It'll make her happy, and you never know one of them might catch your eye." He smirked, and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes that, along with everything else about him, Draco had come to know and love. He glared and shoved at Harry's chest, fighting amusement.
"Not likely, Potter. I've never been one for bird watching, you know. The males are always the pretty ones anyway. And besides, I like my partners speccy, stubborn and strong, thank you. And a bit slow." He smirked. Harry narrowed his eyes.
"I'll show you slow, smart arse." With that, Harry scooped him off the couch and carried him to his bedroom, Draco laughing happily the whole way.
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"What pray tell did you find wrong with her, darling? I thought she was quite charming. Much better than the Davies girl, and nicer on the eyes, as well."
Draco closed his eyes wearily, rubbing his temples in an attempt to stave off the headache he felt coming. It had been an extremely long, exhausting week. Between Harry being away and the never-ending C-B-B meetings with his mother, Draco was about ready to scream in frustration. Without Harry he was back to his restless nights, of course, and on top of it all, he had been sick the past few mornings. He'd gone to see the family Healer the day before and was awaiting the results of some tests.
"I'll give you that much, mother," he sighed, sitting up straight and glancing over at Narcissa. "Though that's not saying much. Penelope Davies is a miserable shrew."
Narcissa's clear eyes narrowed disapprovingly. "That's a bit harsh, don't you think? Whatever is the matter with you today, Draco? You've been in a terrible mood."
Draco sighed heavily again. "I apologize, mother. I haven't been feeling well lately. She was..." he opened his mouth to say something benignly positive about Tabatha Flint, but found that he was suddenly too tired to pretend anymore.
He had spent the week with his mother growing more and more agitated with himself by the second for not just telling her the truth. The more girls they saw, the worse he felt, but he still had not wanted to say anything without Harry there with him. He wanted his mother to know the truth about him, and to know that he was happy with Harry, but he was a coward.
Now however, he was too exhausted to feel much worry or fear about what he needed to say. He just wanted it out there so that it was no longer eating away at his insides. He swallowed hard and saw his mother's look of concern. He smiled weakly at her.
"Mother, I do not wish to continue with these meetings."
Narcissa blinked, her expression changing to one of confusion. "What do you mean, Draco? Did you reconsider one of the girls from another day? I still say that French girl, Gabrielle, would be perfect for you--"
"No!" Draco saw his mother's eyes widen in surprise at his outburst, and he continued in a calmer tone, "No, I have not reconsidered anyone, or even considered them in the first place. I'm sorry I never said anything before now, but I have no interest or desire to marry any of these girls, mother. I'm--"
Just then a house-elf appeared holding up a silver tray with two letters in the center. Draco took one look at the top letter and paused mid-sentence. He'd recognize that chicken-scratch anywhere.
"--sorry," he finished lamely, shooting his mother an apologetic smile as he reached for the letters. "Just a moment, please."
Narcissa still looked extremely confused, but she nodded in acceptance and went to pour herself a cup of tea. Draco sighed as he opened the message from Harry and began to read,
|Draco,
I'm back, baby! Everything went much smoother than we'd predicted with the deal, and they've let us come home a few hours early. I've missed you so much this week; it's felt like much longer than five days since I last saw you (and held you). I can't wait to see you tonight and to talk with your mother. I hope things are going well with your bird watching.
Until tonight,
xo Harry|
Draco couldn't help but smile at Harry's playfulness, especially knowing that Harry was home safe and waiting for him. Hearing how much his lover had missed him warmed Draco's insides pleasantly. How had he not realized sooner that he loved this man?
Turning his attention to the second piece of mail, Draco saw that it was from his Healer. He opened it quickly but warily, hoping nothing too serious was wrong.
|Dear Mr. Malfoy,
I have analysed your test results and found the cause of your recent bouts of morning sickness. Congratulations, you are pregnant. You will need regular check-ups to monitor your health, as well as the health and development of the foetus. I recommend you make an appointment with Healer Donaldson of St. Mungos. She is one of the top Obstetricians they have, and she specializes in male pregnancies. If you have any questions, please contact my office via owl or floo. Again, congratulations on your pregnancy.
Sincerely,
Healer Robert Taylor, MD|
By the time Draco reached the end of the short letter, his hands were shaking and his heart was pounding in his chest. He did not remember deciding to move, but the next thing he knew; he was pacing back and forth, his mind a blur of activity. As he tried to make sense of all the chaos, one thing became very clear to him: he needed to talk to Harry, now.
He was so pre-occupied that he didn't hear his mother calling his name, or see her worried expression as he spun on the spot, mind firmly fixed on his destination.
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He appeared a moment later in Harry's living room. Not finding Harry there, he walked into the kitchen. There were a few dishes in the sink from Harry's lunch, but again no Harry. Draco was about to turn around to head upstairs when he caught a glimpse out the small window above the sink.
Harry was in his backyard, planting flowers by hand. Normally Draco would have stopped to question why, but he was in no state to worry about anything so trivial at the moment. He quickly strode out the door and over to Harry's side.
When he reached him, Harry looked up and grinned widely.
"Draco! I wasn't expecting to see you until later. Hi!" He stood, wiping his filthy hands on the already dirty Muggle denims he was wearing. When he saw the look on Draco's face, his grin slipped a bit. "Babe? What's the matter?"
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Draco managed, "I haven't been feeling well the past few days, so I went to my Healer yesterday," he held up a hand when it looked like Harry would interrupt. "I'm not dying or anything, don't worry."
The colour drained from Harry's face; he looked horrified. "Then what's wrong, Draco? Tell me," he whispered. He looked so worried.
Draco couldn't find the words, so he just handed Harry the letter he still had clutched in his hand. It didn't take Harry long to read it.
"P-pregnant!" he squawked, making Draco wince. Hearing it aloud made it seem more real than reading it had been. "You're...but...we...how?" Harry was babbling and running his hands through his hair, something he did when confused. Or nervous. Or agitated. Draco thought maybe this was a mix of the three.
"I don't know how, Harry," he said, his voice a bit horse. He cleared his throat and continued, "Two males can only become pregnant if they use fertility potions, and I swear I didn't--"
"I believe I can answer that." Narcissa stood just inside the open gate on the side of the house, a familiar-looking parchment in her hand. Draco must have left Harry's letter at the Manor in his hasty retreat. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was not exactly how he had envisioned telling his mother he was gay, and with Harry, and pregnant. Bloody Hell.
"M-Mrs. Malfoy. How nice to see you," Harry stammered, ignoring the fact that she had let herself into his backyard uninvited. Draco admired his manners briefly before turning his attention back to his mother, who was speaking again.
"And you as well, Mr. Potter. It sounds as though we will be seeing rather a lot of each other in the future." She smiled slightly and looked at Draco for the first time. "Draco, darling, are you really...is it true?" she whispered. She had stepped closer to them as she talked, and Draco could see that her eyes were very bright. He took the letter from Harry and handed it to her.
"Apparently so. I don't know how it's possible, but there it is."
At this, Narcissa's eyes cleared some and she coughed, looking guilty. "I may have put a little something in your tea last Saturday. This was before I knew of your situation with Mr. Potter, of course. I wanted to get the ball rolling, so to speak, for when you picked your future bride. I suppose this--" she gestured between him and Harry, "is what you were starting to tell me when you received these letters?" She held them both up.
Draco nodded, momentarily speechless upon hearing that his own mother had dosed his tea with fertility potion. Before he could find his voice, Harry came to stand beside him, interlacing their fingers.
"We were planning to tell you about us tonight, Mrs. Malfoy, at dinner. I know that your opinions and support matter very much to Draco, and I don't want to come between the two of you. Your relationship is too important. I love your son and I really hope that you aren't too appalled with the idea of me dating him."
Draco felt his eyes filling with tears as Harry said everything he was feeling. He might have hugged him had his mother not beat him to it.
"Oh, dear boy, I'm thrilled!" she said, her words garbled by tears and emotion. "How could I not be?" She pulled back from a bewildered but happy-looking Harry and rounded on Draco. "Draconis Lucius Malfoy!" she said sternly, hands on hips and fierce eyes narrowed. "What did you think that I'd never speak to you again if you told me? I'd be furious with you if I wasn't so overjoyed right now."
She held her arms open, a radiant smile transforming her lovely face, and Draco fell gratefully into her embrace. She held him tight, murmuring comforting, soothing words into his ear as he sobbed onto her shoulder. He didn't know whether he was crying in relief or joy, but it felt so wonderful that he didn't much care.
When he had calmed down Narcissa leaned back, taking his face in her hands. She smiled at him, her eyes dancing merrily in the fading sunlight. He smiled back and whispered, "You're really alright with...with everything? Me being gay, and being with Harry?"
She shook her head affectionately, chuckling. "Of course, darling. As long as you are happy, I am happy. That's all I want." She stepped back suddenly, pursing her lips and continuing softly, "And are you alight with what I've done? I did not know of your relationship with Harry when I gave you that potion. I hope I haven't done any damage."
Draco glanced over at Harry, who was grinning like a loon and all but vibrating with excitement. He couldn't help but smile in response as he held out his hand, beckoning Harry to him. "Well, I can't say that we were planning to start a family so soon, but I don't think it will cause any damage, do you, love?"
Instead of answering, Harry laughed joyously, pulling Draco into his arms and kissing him soundly, right there in front of his mother.
And Draco could not have been happier.
Author: sophia_clark
Word Count: 6,199
Characters/Pairings: Harry/Draco, Narcissa, Pansy
Rating: PG-13
Warning(s): Fluff, well-meaning but nevertheless interfering mothers, did I mention FLUFF?
Summary: Narcissa wants Draco to be happy, and she'll do just about anything to make it happen.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Beta: nenne
Author's Notes: Written for prompt [#58] After the war, Narcissa decides that what will settle Draco is if he has a baby. Since she doesn't care how or with whom, Draco finds the strongest wizard he knows to father the child. Of course, he and Harry get emotionally involved. as part of harrydracompreg's 2012 Mpreg fest!
A warm May breeze came rustling up the extensive lawn, stirring the air with the fragrant scent of roses and lilacs. Narcissa paused in her walk and inhaled deeply, her eyes closing in delight. She simply loved spending time in her gardens; the flowers were beautiful and the surroundings were extremely peaceful. She had always been able to come here to, temporarily at least, escape those things in her life that were decidedly not pleasant, such as The Dark Lord stealing her family home or her husband stealing her son's childhood.
Sighing, Narcissa opened her eyes to the magnificent array of blooms before her. There was absolutely no need for these depressing thoughts anymore. The Potter boy or man rather, had after all finished off that rampaging lunatic over three years ago.
Potter had then seen to it that neither she nor Draco had been sentenced for anything, going so far as to shout heatedly on their behalf at the members of the Wizengamot. With great passion he told them that Draco was "just a scared kid trying to protect his family," and that he himself would have done the same, had their roles been reversed. He had not backed down, and eventually the Wizengamot had ruled in their favour. Lucius had not been so fortunate, but to Narcissa this was another profound victory.
It was unquestionable that Potter had ensured her freedom, but more importantly, he had saved Draco as well. Nothing was more important to her than her only son. She would willingly and gladly give up everything she possessed, right down to the very last flower petal, to see that Draco never again saw even an ounce of pain or sadness. Thanks to Lucius, Bella and their precious Lord, he had already known far too much of both in his short life.
And thanks to Potter, he was now free to actually live his life.
Narcissa was abruptly pulled from her thoughts by a lovely sound floating on the air from down the path. Recognising it at once, she quickly strode deeper into the garden to try and locate the source.
Sure enough, as she turned a corner that opened into a clearing with a small garden pond at its centre, she found her son sprawled out on the grass, laughing uproariously. Draco's already handsome face was utterly transformed when he laughed; during those brief moments, the mask he so often wore was lifted, and Narcissa could see a glimpse of the happy little boy he had once been. He was truly a thing of beauty.
What saddened Narcissa so was the fact that Draco's smiles and laughter were so few and far between. She longed to find a way to bring her son some real, lasting happiness, but did not know how.
She was so caught up in watching Draco's glowing face, that she nearly didn't notice that he was not alone. A tiny squeal alerted her to the presence of Pansy Parkinson-Nott, who sat primly beside Draco on a small blanket, an exasperated expression on her face. In her arms was her two month old baby boy, Bernard. The infant was squirming and fussing, and seemed to be the source of Draco's amusement. Their voices carried over to Narcissa on the wind.
"You could give me a hand, you know. He is, after all, your godson."
Draco chuckled, sitting up and smiling as he reached out to smooth a hand over the fine dark hairs on the baby's tiny head. "A very lucky boy you are, Bernie."
Pansy shot Draco a frosty glare. "His name is not Bernie!" she hissed. Draco's smile widened, his grey eyes twinkling in glee.
"I simply refuse to call him Bernard all of the time, Pans. It's going to give him a complex. You know how I loathed father calling me Draconis." He gave a theatrical shudder. Narcissa stifled a giggle behind her hand. "I'm putting my foot down, as his godfather." he said this with a straight face and a little nod of emphasis.
A small, grudging smile threatened Pansy's lips and she shook her head slightly. "You're insufferable, you know. Sometimes I don't know why I bother with you."
Draco shot her a cheeky grin as he reached for the still-fussing baby. "Don't be ridiculous. You love me and you know it."
Pansy watched Draco coo at little Bernard for a few moments, then had to fight back a yawn. "You won't mind if I take a short nap, would you? The little bugger's been keeping us up so much, I feel like I haven't slept properly since he was born."
"Go ahead, Pans. Use the Rose Suite. We'll be just fine out here, won't we, Bernie?"
Pansy rolled her eyes, but leaned over to kiss first her son's head, then Draco's cheek. "Thanks, love. You're so wonderful with him. I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd hire a nanny and be just fine, but I'm happy to help. He's amazing." The reverence and love and wistfulness in Draco's voice made Narcissa's heart swell and burst at once. She didn't register Pansy's parting words or notice her walking away toward the Manor. All she saw was Draco comforting the baby in his arms, a sense of complete bliss radiating from him. She couldn't take her eyes away.
As she watched her son soothe the boy to sleep, she knew that she finally had an answer. She knew just what Draco needed to make him happy.
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The day had started out normally enough.
Draco awoke promptly at 7:00 to the sound of The Weird Sisters playing on the old Wizarding Wireless sitting on his bedside table. He blindly grabbed his wand from under his pillow and flicked it, the music cutting off instantly. After a few moments and a deep breath, he blinked his eyes open and sat up. Sunlight streamed in through the windows; it would be another beautiful day.
Sighing, he stood and stretched hearing and feeling the oddly satisfying way his bones cracked. He padded off through the door to the en suite, stifling a yawn as he went. He'd not gotten enough sleep last night, but what else was new.
As he slipped off his silk pants and entered the shower, Draco mused that he never really had a good night's sleep without his lover beside him. And he had always had sleep issues, ever since the end of Fifth year when Father had been arrested and Draco's living nightmare had begun. He supposed that made sense; who could sleep with a psychotic tyrant constantly breathing down their neck?
Even now though, three years after the Final Battle, Draco was plagued with restless nights and confusing, unclear dreams. He never remembered them upon waking, but he was always left with a strange sense of longing that he did not understand. It was all slowly driving him mad. The only thing that seemed to keep these dreams away was his lover, who did not come to the Manor. Draco only had himself to blame for that, of course.
Shaking his head to rid himself of these thoughts, Draco focused instead on the simple task of washing, then drying and then dressing. He took a bit longer on his hair than usual, though he couldn't say why. It was 7:20 by the time he deemed himself ready and made his way down to the dining room he and Mother favoured for breakfast. It had a lovely view of her gardens, and was not so large as to make the two of them feel inadequate, alone as they were in the huge Manor.
Narcissa was already seated at the table, fair hair swept up artfully and pale blue robes a perfect match to her striking eyes. She sat gazing out at the flowers, seemingly lost in thought. Draco took a moment to admire the perfection that was his mother before he cleared his throat to let her know he was there.
He couldn't help but smile at the way she jumped slightly, surprise flitting across her face briefly as she turned to face him.
"Forgot about me, did you?" he teased, taking his seat and gratefully accepting his tea from the little elf that appeared suddenly at his elbow. He nodded to the creature, which bowed and disappeared with a faint pop. Narcissa smiled affectionately at him while shaking her head.
"As if I ever could, you cheeky brat. I was just now wondering what on Earth I am going to do with you, in fact." The love and amusement shining in her eyes belied her words, and Draco found his smile growing.
"Sell me off to the highest bidder and run away to the continent, I imagine." he smirked, enjoying their banter. Of course, he didn't know what he'd do if she ever truly decided to leave; she was one of the few people that he could be himself around, and he needed that. Needed her.
Her beautiful laughter brought him back to their conversation. Her eyes twinkled merrily. "If I had any desire to go to the continent, I'd bring you with me, darling. I find I'm quite a bit fonder of England as of late, though. No need to run off anywhere." She was in such a playful, happy mood, and Draco was thrilled. He wished to see her this carefree more often.
"Ah, so you are planning on selling me off, then." he joked. "How much do you suppose a Malfoy would go for these days?"
Some of the light left Narcissa's eyes, making Draco regret his thoughtless words. Just as he was about to take them back, she answered him.
"I would never sell you off like some sort of animal, Draco. Lucius would have, no doubt, but I want nothing so much as your happiness, darling. "Draco was stunned. Not because he did not believe her; he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she meant every word. However, he had heard her speak of her husband only a handful of times in the past few years. It managed to surprise him every time.
"...which is why I wish for you to marry, of course." Draco snapped out of his reverie, his eyes jerking up to his mother's face.
"Wh-what?" he spluttered, nearly spilling hot tea down his front in his fresh wave of shock.
"Oh, come now, darling, you cannot tell me that you do not want to find someone and settle down. I can see it in your eyes, dear. I will not sell you off like a show-pony, but I will do everything in my power to help you find the right person. She will be the lucky one, whoever she is. Don't worry. I've already drawn up a list of lovely young ladies for you to peruse, and if you don't take a fancy to any of them, we'll simply look elsewhere. I know how picky you can be..."
Narcissa continued talking rapidly; gaining momentum with each word, but Draco no longer heard her. He was so stunned that it did not even occur to him to correct her assumption of his preferences. His mother had never, ever discussed marriage with him before. Draco's need to marry and marry well had been one of the many topics handled by his father. He had understood at a very early age that one of his main purposes in life was to find the richest, most well-bred girl he could and marry her. Then, they were to produce an heir.
Love and lust did not factor into pureblood marriages. It was all about money, connections, influence and bloodlines. In most cases, a match was picked out and all the papers were signed before one's seventeenth birthday. Then, upon both parties coming of age, the bride price and dowry were settled, and the couple was promptly wed. The sooner this happened, the sooner they could get busy continuing their noble lines, which was the point of the entire thing, of course.
Once a new heir was born, one could do as they pleased, so long as they were discreet and did not embarrass the family in any way. Indiscretion was not to be tolerated or taken lightly. Draco knew there had been a multitude of names simply erased from both the Malfoy and Black family records over the years for any number of reasons.
When the Dark Lord fell and Lucius was incarcerated for the second time, Draco had happily put all of this out of his mind. He was gay, after all, and had no interest in a sham marriage for the sake of the family. He was young, and actually free to do as he wished with his life. After his upbringing and going through the war, he had not thought this would ever be possible, and he had no intention of squandering the opportunity.
Now, after three years of trying to relax and get his life back to normal (as if it was ever normal to begin with) he felt the need to re-evaluate. He still had no real desire to marry some unknown bint for her money; he had more than enough of that on his own, after all. However, the birth of his godson had opened his eyes to something he had never realized before. He loved little Bernie so much, and he knew that that would never change.
He wanted children of his own. Not just an heir, but a son. Or a daughter, he wouldn't mind either way. Maybe even both. He wanted a family, the kind that laughed and played and loved together. In order to have all that and be truly happy, he needed to find a man, fall in love and settle down. And he was working very hard on that.
"Draco, are you listening to me? I really think we should get started looking straight away. The sooner we do, the sooner we'll find her. Oh, I'm so excited for you, Draco. Love is so precious; you have no idea how much happiness it will bring you."
Draco opened his mouth to say that he did, in fact know just how ridiculously happy being in love made him, but stopped at the look on his mother's face. She was so animated and alive, and Draco had not seen her this way in far too long. He did not want to do anything to upset her at the moment. He took a deep breath.
"Alright, mother. Let's see your list." He would go along with this until Narcissa calmed down a bit and hopefully moved on to something else. That was his mother's usual style; she got very excited about something, dove into it for a few weeks, and then found something else and never looked back. She still could only make Watercress Soup, as she had only lasted for one cooking class.
In the meantime, Draco would try to think of a way to tell her that he was in love, and with a man. He just hoped his lover would not be upset.
Narcissa beamed at him. "Oh, Draco. You make me so happy. This is just what you need, you'll see." With that, she rose and walked around the table to where Draco sat. As his mother hugged and kissed him, Draco could not help the slight feeling of unease that came over him. He really hoped he was doing the right thing.
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Narcissa exited the small shop and glanced around. It was another fine day and quite a few people were out and about doing their shopping or just enjoying the sunshine. She made her way down the lane, passing by her favourite jewellery shop and bakery to get to the Apparition point at the end of the road. She was in a hurry to get home and put her newly-acquired potion, which was safely hidden in her robes, to good use.
She was beyond thrilled that Draco had agreed to her plan the other morning. She had been busy ever since preparing and scheduling meetings that were due to begin the following day. The potion she had just purchased was the final thing she needed. It would ensure Draco's happiness as quickly as possible.
Many of the people she passed had children with them, and Narcissa could not help but smile as she saw an adorable little blond girl with her father outside an ice cream parlour. She paused to watch them for a moment, thinking once again about Draco.
Yes, she decided, nodding to herself as she continued walking once more, this was absolutely the right thing to do. Draco would thank her for it eventually. She wouldn't say anything to him until after the happy news came out, of course, but the sooner he had a child, the happier they would both be.
Reaching into her robe pocket, she fingered the vial of fertility potion reverently. Now, how to get Draco to ingest it without him knowing...perhaps she would have Tipsy slip it into his afternoon tea...
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It had been a few days since his mother came to him with her plan, but Draco had yet to discuss it with his boyfriend. They had not been together all that long, and Draco was afraid of the man's reaction to the news that he was pretending to consider marrying some girl to make his mother happy. He really didn't want anything to mess up their relationship.
The first of his "could-be-bride" meetings, as Narcissa dubbed them, were taking place the following day however, and Draco could no longer put off telling him. It would all be much worse if he didn't say anything, he knew that.
He walked up to the door and knocked three times, only waiting a moment before it swung open to reveal his lover. He smiled at seeing him, and Harry beamed.
"I said you don't have to knock, Draco. You can just let yourself in." Harry took hold of his hands and drew him closer, brushing a soft kiss over his lips. "Hey."
Draco melted into Harry's embrace. He wrapped his arms around the shorter man and nuzzled his neck. "It is appallingly rude to go barging into someone else's home, Potter. I would have thought even you knew that." He kissed the stubbly jaw, whispering, "and Hey."
Harry chuckled affectionately while rubbing their noses together. "It wouldn't be barging in, Draco. You're welcome to come over whenever you want."
"Well how about right now? I'm hungry, and I don't fancy giving your neighbours a show here on the porch." He nipped at Harry's neck to emphasize his point.
"Mmmm...no, we'd better get inside before Mrs. Jones breaks out her binoculars. Poor old dear needs to find a hobby." As he pulled Draco inside, he gave an over exaggerated wave over his shoulder, making Draco laugh in delight.
After dinner they were cuddled together on Harry's couch watching a film. Draco had picked it out, but he found he could not concentrate on the screen. He was too worried about telling Harry his plans for the next day to pay much attention to Hugh Grant, which was really saying something. Since he had begun dating Harry, he had come to realize that some Muggles were rather nice. At least to look at.
"Draco, are you going to tell me what's bothering you now? You've been rather quiet all evening, and now you're not even watching Hugh. Is everything alright?"
The concern in Harry's voice told Draco it was time to stop stalling and just man up. He took a deep breath, sat up and turned to look at Harry.
"There's something I need to tell you. I...I just ask that you hear me out before you say anything, alright?" Harry's expression turned immediately serious and he nodded. Draco sighed.
"It's nothing terrible, or at least it doesn't have to be. My mother means well, really. She just wants me to be happy." Harry's face softened and he reached a hand over to grip Draco's. Draco squeezed lightly, appreciating the gesture. "You know that I haven't...she doesn't know about you, us. Or that I'm gay."
He looked down at their joined hands until Harry pulled on his. Harry was smiling slightly as he nodded. Draco continued to be amazed at how forgiving and patient his lover could be with him. "Thank you for understanding, Harry. It's not you at all; I just haven't felt ready to tell her about me yet."
He paused here to collect his thoughts. This was the tricky part. "You know how I've told you she's been rather glum lately?" Harry nodded again. "Well, the other day at breakfast she was like a whole new person. She was animated, she was bubbly. I haven't seen her that way in a long time. It was nice.
"And she was rambling on and on, joking around and talking about wanting to see me happy. It really surprised me. And then she said..."
He couldn't go on. He couldn't say it. It was ridiculous, after all. Why in Merlin's name had he gone along with her crazy plan?
"Draco, just tell me, babe." Harry spoke softly, cupping Draco's cheek with a warm hand.
Deep breath, Draco. You can do this.
"She wants me to get married. She's set up all these meetings with women for me to choose from, starting tomorrow. She said love is precious and she wants me to experience it." Hearing himself say that while looking at Harry sitting beside him, Draco felt an odd sort of fluttering in his chest and he began to panic, his voice raising an octave. "Fuck, what was I thinking? Why didn't I just tell her then? I am happy, Harry. I love you."
He froze at his own confession, looking at his boyfriend with comically-wide eyes. Harry just blinked at him once slowly. He seemed quite as surprised to hear the words as Draco was to have said them. He had never said them out loud before, but now they were out of his mouth, and he knew them to be true. He was in love with Harry Potter. Wonders never cease.
Suddenly he was back in Harry's sturdy arms. The warmth of Harry's body unfroze his own, and he clung to his lover almost desperately. Harry stroked his hair and kissed his cheek lightly.
"Oh, Draco. I love you, too. So much. I didn't want you to think I was mad for saying it too early, but then again, maybe I am. I'm mad about you."
Draco chuckled breathlessly, happier than he'd ever thought possible. He buried is face in the crook of Harry's neck, breathing in his scent. It was familiar and soothing.
"And this thing with your mum is really not a big deal, Draco," Harry went on. "Like you said, she ultimately wants your happiness. You really think she's going to care who you sleep with more than that? Give her some credit. She loves you more than anything."
Draco sighed and closed his eyes, nuzzling Harry's neck. "You're right, I know you're right. It's just so hard for me to open up to her about this. I don't even know why. Probably because I always thought I'd have to hide it from everyone, even her. If father had known..." he shuddered and Harry tightened his arms around him.
"You never have to worry about that bastard again. And you don't have to hide yourself, Draco. You're an incredible person. And I'm here if you need me. I'll be by your side as long as you want me there."
Draco blinked rapidly, trying to hold in the tears that threatened to fall. He did not know what he had done to deserve Harry, but he decided to stop questioning it and just enjoy his reward.
"I'll always want you with me," he whispered. "You have no idea how much you mean to me. Will you...will you come with me? To tell her about me. About us." His voice was small, but hopeful.
Harry pulled back to place a kiss on Draco's forehead and look into his eyes. Harry's were filled with such joy and unmistakably love that Draco felt his own welling up once again. "Of course I will, love. There's nowhere else I'd rather be." Harry bit his lip and continued, "it'll have to wait 'till Saturday, though. I'll be away all week, remember?"
Draco nodded with a small frown; not liking that Harry would be gone for five days, especially now that he had realized just exactly how much he cared about the prat. He understood however that Harry's job was important to him. Harry seemed to sense his thoughts.
"I don't like being away from you either, but it's my job. But I'll be back before you know it, and then we can go see your mother. In the meantime, just go with her and check out the birds she's lined up. It'll make her happy, and you never know one of them might catch your eye." He smirked, and there was a mischievous glint in his eyes that, along with everything else about him, Draco had come to know and love. He glared and shoved at Harry's chest, fighting amusement.
"Not likely, Potter. I've never been one for bird watching, you know. The males are always the pretty ones anyway. And besides, I like my partners speccy, stubborn and strong, thank you. And a bit slow." He smirked. Harry narrowed his eyes.
"I'll show you slow, smart arse." With that, Harry scooped him off the couch and carried him to his bedroom, Draco laughing happily the whole way.
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"What pray tell did you find wrong with her, darling? I thought she was quite charming. Much better than the Davies girl, and nicer on the eyes, as well."
Draco closed his eyes wearily, rubbing his temples in an attempt to stave off the headache he felt coming. It had been an extremely long, exhausting week. Between Harry being away and the never-ending C-B-B meetings with his mother, Draco was about ready to scream in frustration. Without Harry he was back to his restless nights, of course, and on top of it all, he had been sick the past few mornings. He'd gone to see the family Healer the day before and was awaiting the results of some tests.
"I'll give you that much, mother," he sighed, sitting up straight and glancing over at Narcissa. "Though that's not saying much. Penelope Davies is a miserable shrew."
Narcissa's clear eyes narrowed disapprovingly. "That's a bit harsh, don't you think? Whatever is the matter with you today, Draco? You've been in a terrible mood."
Draco sighed heavily again. "I apologize, mother. I haven't been feeling well lately. She was..." he opened his mouth to say something benignly positive about Tabatha Flint, but found that he was suddenly too tired to pretend anymore.
He had spent the week with his mother growing more and more agitated with himself by the second for not just telling her the truth. The more girls they saw, the worse he felt, but he still had not wanted to say anything without Harry there with him. He wanted his mother to know the truth about him, and to know that he was happy with Harry, but he was a coward.
Now however, he was too exhausted to feel much worry or fear about what he needed to say. He just wanted it out there so that it was no longer eating away at his insides. He swallowed hard and saw his mother's look of concern. He smiled weakly at her.
"Mother, I do not wish to continue with these meetings."
Narcissa blinked, her expression changing to one of confusion. "What do you mean, Draco? Did you reconsider one of the girls from another day? I still say that French girl, Gabrielle, would be perfect for you--"
"No!" Draco saw his mother's eyes widen in surprise at his outburst, and he continued in a calmer tone, "No, I have not reconsidered anyone, or even considered them in the first place. I'm sorry I never said anything before now, but I have no interest or desire to marry any of these girls, mother. I'm--"
Just then a house-elf appeared holding up a silver tray with two letters in the center. Draco took one look at the top letter and paused mid-sentence. He'd recognize that chicken-scratch anywhere.
"--sorry," he finished lamely, shooting his mother an apologetic smile as he reached for the letters. "Just a moment, please."
Narcissa still looked extremely confused, but she nodded in acceptance and went to pour herself a cup of tea. Draco sighed as he opened the message from Harry and began to read,
|Draco,
I'm back, baby! Everything went much smoother than we'd predicted with the deal, and they've let us come home a few hours early. I've missed you so much this week; it's felt like much longer than five days since I last saw you (and held you). I can't wait to see you tonight and to talk with your mother. I hope things are going well with your bird watching.
Until tonight,
xo Harry|
Draco couldn't help but smile at Harry's playfulness, especially knowing that Harry was home safe and waiting for him. Hearing how much his lover had missed him warmed Draco's insides pleasantly. How had he not realized sooner that he loved this man?
Turning his attention to the second piece of mail, Draco saw that it was from his Healer. He opened it quickly but warily, hoping nothing too serious was wrong.
|Dear Mr. Malfoy,
I have analysed your test results and found the cause of your recent bouts of morning sickness. Congratulations, you are pregnant. You will need regular check-ups to monitor your health, as well as the health and development of the foetus. I recommend you make an appointment with Healer Donaldson of St. Mungos. She is one of the top Obstetricians they have, and she specializes in male pregnancies. If you have any questions, please contact my office via owl or floo. Again, congratulations on your pregnancy.
Sincerely,
Healer Robert Taylor, MD|
By the time Draco reached the end of the short letter, his hands were shaking and his heart was pounding in his chest. He did not remember deciding to move, but the next thing he knew; he was pacing back and forth, his mind a blur of activity. As he tried to make sense of all the chaos, one thing became very clear to him: he needed to talk to Harry, now.
He was so pre-occupied that he didn't hear his mother calling his name, or see her worried expression as he spun on the spot, mind firmly fixed on his destination.
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He appeared a moment later in Harry's living room. Not finding Harry there, he walked into the kitchen. There were a few dishes in the sink from Harry's lunch, but again no Harry. Draco was about to turn around to head upstairs when he caught a glimpse out the small window above the sink.
Harry was in his backyard, planting flowers by hand. Normally Draco would have stopped to question why, but he was in no state to worry about anything so trivial at the moment. He quickly strode out the door and over to Harry's side.
When he reached him, Harry looked up and grinned widely.
"Draco! I wasn't expecting to see you until later. Hi!" He stood, wiping his filthy hands on the already dirty Muggle denims he was wearing. When he saw the look on Draco's face, his grin slipped a bit. "Babe? What's the matter?"
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Draco managed, "I haven't been feeling well the past few days, so I went to my Healer yesterday," he held up a hand when it looked like Harry would interrupt. "I'm not dying or anything, don't worry."
The colour drained from Harry's face; he looked horrified. "Then what's wrong, Draco? Tell me," he whispered. He looked so worried.
Draco couldn't find the words, so he just handed Harry the letter he still had clutched in his hand. It didn't take Harry long to read it.
"P-pregnant!" he squawked, making Draco wince. Hearing it aloud made it seem more real than reading it had been. "You're...but...we...how?" Harry was babbling and running his hands through his hair, something he did when confused. Or nervous. Or agitated. Draco thought maybe this was a mix of the three.
"I don't know how, Harry," he said, his voice a bit horse. He cleared his throat and continued, "Two males can only become pregnant if they use fertility potions, and I swear I didn't--"
"I believe I can answer that." Narcissa stood just inside the open gate on the side of the house, a familiar-looking parchment in her hand. Draco must have left Harry's letter at the Manor in his hasty retreat. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was not exactly how he had envisioned telling his mother he was gay, and with Harry, and pregnant. Bloody Hell.
"M-Mrs. Malfoy. How nice to see you," Harry stammered, ignoring the fact that she had let herself into his backyard uninvited. Draco admired his manners briefly before turning his attention back to his mother, who was speaking again.
"And you as well, Mr. Potter. It sounds as though we will be seeing rather a lot of each other in the future." She smiled slightly and looked at Draco for the first time. "Draco, darling, are you really...is it true?" she whispered. She had stepped closer to them as she talked, and Draco could see that her eyes were very bright. He took the letter from Harry and handed it to her.
"Apparently so. I don't know how it's possible, but there it is."
At this, Narcissa's eyes cleared some and she coughed, looking guilty. "I may have put a little something in your tea last Saturday. This was before I knew of your situation with Mr. Potter, of course. I wanted to get the ball rolling, so to speak, for when you picked your future bride. I suppose this--" she gestured between him and Harry, "is what you were starting to tell me when you received these letters?" She held them both up.
Draco nodded, momentarily speechless upon hearing that his own mother had dosed his tea with fertility potion. Before he could find his voice, Harry came to stand beside him, interlacing their fingers.
"We were planning to tell you about us tonight, Mrs. Malfoy, at dinner. I know that your opinions and support matter very much to Draco, and I don't want to come between the two of you. Your relationship is too important. I love your son and I really hope that you aren't too appalled with the idea of me dating him."
Draco felt his eyes filling with tears as Harry said everything he was feeling. He might have hugged him had his mother not beat him to it.
"Oh, dear boy, I'm thrilled!" she said, her words garbled by tears and emotion. "How could I not be?" She pulled back from a bewildered but happy-looking Harry and rounded on Draco. "Draconis Lucius Malfoy!" she said sternly, hands on hips and fierce eyes narrowed. "What did you think that I'd never speak to you again if you told me? I'd be furious with you if I wasn't so overjoyed right now."
She held her arms open, a radiant smile transforming her lovely face, and Draco fell gratefully into her embrace. She held him tight, murmuring comforting, soothing words into his ear as he sobbed onto her shoulder. He didn't know whether he was crying in relief or joy, but it felt so wonderful that he didn't much care.
When he had calmed down Narcissa leaned back, taking his face in her hands. She smiled at him, her eyes dancing merrily in the fading sunlight. He smiled back and whispered, "You're really alright with...with everything? Me being gay, and being with Harry?"
She shook her head affectionately, chuckling. "Of course, darling. As long as you are happy, I am happy. That's all I want." She stepped back suddenly, pursing her lips and continuing softly, "And are you alight with what I've done? I did not know of your relationship with Harry when I gave you that potion. I hope I haven't done any damage."
Draco glanced over at Harry, who was grinning like a loon and all but vibrating with excitement. He couldn't help but smile in response as he held out his hand, beckoning Harry to him. "Well, I can't say that we were planning to start a family so soon, but I don't think it will cause any damage, do you, love?"
Instead of answering, Harry laughed joyously, pulling Draco into his arms and kissing him soundly, right there in front of his mother.
And Draco could not have been happier.