Harry Potter and The Beloved Incubus (BP4)
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
41
Views:
21,690
Reviews:
120
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
41
Views:
21,690
Reviews:
120
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Four Funerals and a Baby
Chapter Number/Total: 11/40
Chapter Title: Four Funerals and a Baby
Words: 3129 Words
Harry felt very odd as he began to wake. First, he was not covered up and his arse was cold. Second, his head was not on a pillow but nearly hanging off the edge of something. Third, there was something on his hand, and fourth, he felt a bit sick. He opened his eyes with a slight groan and lifted his head to look around. His legs were flung out over Draco's and he was lying nearly horizontally to how he should be and he didn't really know how he had gotten that way. He pushed himself up and found that his arm was asleep where he had been lying on it, and his head hurt from being pressed to the edge of the bed. All in all, he did not wake up feeling terribly good.
Draco murmured softly in his sleep as Harry moved, his left hand reaching for him.
Harry groaned again and moved his legs off of Draco to crawl back to his side. He pulled roughly at the covers and got under them, wishing the unpleasant churning in his stomach would go away, and that his head would stop throbbing.
Draco's hand met covers instead of flesh and he frowned, peeking one eye open. He was lying on top of the covers and Harry under them. He sighed, sliding his hand up to touch Harry's hair instead.
Harry closed his eyes to keep the light out and it didn't help much, but Draco's touch made him feel a little better. "I feel like ... ugh," he said.
"What?" Draco opened his eyes and looked worriedly at Harry.
"Like shit," Harry murmured.
"Colourful, but not helpful," Draco replied. "Is it the nausea?"
Harry nodded, but quickly stopped. "Yes, and I have a headache," he said.
"Headache Potions aren't usually safe for pregnant ... people," Draco said. "Do you want water or something?"
"I don't know," Harry said. "Yeah, I guess."
Draco Summoned water and a cold, wet cloth, pressing the folded compress against his lover's forehead.
"Thank you," Harry mumbled, trying to sit up more. He took the water from Draco and sipped it.
Draco slid his hand down Harry's skin to rest on his belly, feeling for that spot.
Harry rested his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes again, taking deep breaths to keep the feeling of needing to vomit at bay.
Draco rubbed his hand in slow circles on Harry's belly, happy despite Harry's discomfort.
Harry heaved a sigh and cracked his eyes open to stare at Draco. "How long will it be like this?" he asked, a disgruntled frown on his face.
"I don't know," Draco said quietly. "With a traditional pregnancy, the nausea usually goes away after the first trimester."
"And how long is that supposed to take? And why did I just all of a sudden start feeling like this?"
"Normal gestation for humans is nine months," Draco said. "So that means the first three months. And it means that your body is shifting the balance of vital humours to meet the baby's needs."
"Right," Harry responded, not really knowing what Draco was talking about.
Draco sighed. "Your body is trying to change itself enough to take care of the baby," he explained, "and that happens to pregnant witches too."
"Well, I hope it doesn't change too much," Harry said, sounding wary.
"I know you don't feel well, but you do need to eat," Draco said, bending over and laying a kiss on Harry's belly.
Harry sighed again. "Just give me some toast or something then, please, because I don't want bacon or sausages or, ugh, anything like that."
Draco called for a house-elf and Babb showed up. He ordered that breakfast be brought to them, wanting toast, fruits and porridge, as well as tea and juice.
Harry picked at his food once it was there, eating tiny little bites and chewing thoroughly. "What's up for today?" he asked.
With a pop, Leakey appeared bearing a silver tray piled high with parchment and The Daily Prophet. "Masters, Miss Granger insisted I bring these to yous as soon as yous got food," he said.
Draco took the tray from the elf and asked him to tell Hermione that they would look them over immediately.
"Interview already in it?" Harry asked, staring at the Prophet. He knew it would be.
"Potter Blames Ministry for Death Eater Attacks," Draco drawled.
Harry sighed again. "Of course it's worded that way," he said, unsurprised.
Draco skimmed over the article, turning the page to follow it and nodding. "Not a bad piece, considering," he said.
"Good," said Harry, taking a small bite of porridge. "What's all that?" he asked, indicating the rest of the parchment.
Draco handed the paper to Harry and picked up the pile of letters. "Oh, my, but you are popular today," he said, laughing. "They are addressed to you and some of them have the Ministry seal," he said.
"Wonderful," Harry replied, skimming the paper as Draco had done.
"Shall I open them?" Draco asked, fingering the seals.
Harry shrugged. "Sure."
Draco opened a very official-looking one. He laughed. Then opened a second one, still laughing.
"What?" Harry asked, leaning over to try and get a look at the letters.
Draco handed them over. "The Minister wants to see you - urgently." He smirked. He began opening more letters.
Harry raised an eyebrow and snorted at the hidden heat of the words in the letter. "Merlin, he has some nerve, doesn't he?"
"Oh, and these are fan and hate mail," Draco said, reading through the others. "This one is for me," he said. "I am a blood traitor who should be ripped to pieces."
Harry scowled. "Pure-blood?" he asked.
"Unsigned," Draco said, tossing it aside.
"Well, it's not surprising, is it? I'm certainly not new to either kinds of mail."
"Some of these are thanking you for what you said," Draco pointed out.
Harry leaned over again. "I'm glad," he said. "Means it got through to at least a few people."
"The note from Hermione says you have more downstairs." Draco chuckled.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Even better then," he said, giving a little smile.
"Operation Sod Off the Ministry seems successful," Draco said, laughing again.
Harry laughed with him. "So now there's the matter of getting the Muggles here," he said after a few moments.
"I will work with Granger on that," Draco said. "Will you meet with Scrimgeour?"
"Do you think I should?" Harry said. "I mean, I suppose I should if it's me who wants changes, or at least brought them up."
"Yes," Draco said. "Do you want me with you?"
Harry shrugged. "Well, I don't not want you with me. What am I even supposed to say to him, I wonder? Do this right now? Seems sort of stupid, and it's not like I have any authority to make him change things. All he wants to do is yell at me and glare."
"Give him a couple days of mail and let him suffer, then make the appointment," Draco said.
Harry smiled and nodded, happy to have someone who knew what they were doing in situations such as this.
***
Miserable. That was how Harry felt. It was how he had felt for most of the week. After the Dursleys' there had been two more funerals and they had just returned from a third.
Hermione's father's had been first. Watching her had been ... awful. Watching her face as everyone there had been made to believe that such a young, healthy man had died from a heart attack to hide it from the Muggles, when he had been murdered, was a terrible thing to witness. What was worse was Harry knew there was nothing he could do to make her feel better, or to show those people the truth. And like Aunt Petunia, Hermione's mother had decided to go home too to live with her sister for a while. Even their separation had been hard to watch.
Seamus's had come next. Harry was hardly able to look down into the casket holding his friend. Seventeen and he had been killed. Harry had been hardly able to bear it when Seamus's mother had dropped to her knees beside the casket, sobbing and crying out, "My baby!" over and over. And seeing Dean there had been as hard as anything. Harry'd had to look away to hide his tears.
Little Dennis Creevy's had been that day's. Looking at Colin's normally bright, excited face, now deadened, as he stared down at his little brother's casket made Harry want to scream and rage and hit something. It filled him with despair and hatred for the people who had done this to his friends. He clenched his fists, remembering, as he sat in his own safe, comfortable sitting room with Draco, Hermione and the Weasleys.
He was sitting in a chair beside a window, staring out over the grounds and the slightly melting snow. Everything looked wet and cold and grey. Dead.
Draco had kept his face sombre, but with little emotion showing through most of the day. He held Harry's hand, passed him handkerchiefs when he cried, and did anything he could think of to be supportive. He didn't miss the looks of suspicion he got at the wizard funerals. Once they got back to the Manor, he made sure everyone got food and kept playing his role as good host. He was wound so tight inside, he was afraid to let go.
"Might anyone be up for some more tea?" Mrs Weasley asked, voice quiet. She looked like she was trying to be cheerful, but not really succeeding.
Harry sighed and was silent for a few moments before calling a house-elf for her. He went back to staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts, the quiet voices in the room like a humming in his ears.
Draco stood behind Harry, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Can I get you anything, love?" he asked quietly.
"Hm? Oh, no," Harry muttered, looking over his shoulder for a second before turning to the window yet again. He watched a bird fly by in the cold and strangely found himself wondering where Fawkes was. He sighed and wished that Dumbledore was there. He didn't know why, he just wanted him. He wanted his comforting words that always made it seem like hope would never be lost.
Draco walked around the front of Harry, and after only a glance at the others in the room, dropped to his knees in front of him, placing both his hands on his lover's knees.
Harry looked down at Draco and gave him a small smile. "Sit up here with me?" he asked, taking Draco's hands and pulling on them gently.
Draco crawled up his lover's legs and into the chair with him.
Harry pulled Draco into his lap, facing him so he could look up at the man he adored. "Thank you," he said very quietly, resting hands on the small of Draco's back.
Draco smiled back. "At your service," he said, looking into those green eyes.
Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and sat up straighter to hug him tightly. "No, really. Thank you, love," he whispered.
Draco's face was now pressed against the side of Harry's and his arms came around his neck to hold him. "I wish I could do more," he whispered back.
"It's enough," Harry said. "All of what you've done has been ... more than I ever thought ... more than I ever expected. You didn't have to do any of it and you have and I - I don't even know what to say to you. You amaze me and I love you."
"Flattery will get you anything you want, Potter." Draco smirked, pulling back to look at him and raising an eyebrow.
Harry smiled a real smile. "Merlin, I love you," he said, shaking his head, his eyes soft.
"Anything you want?" Draco continued to look at his husband.
Harry laughed quietly. "Everything I could ever want, you've given to me," he whispered, bringing their foreheads together. "Just a few more things I need to take care of and then I will be an even happier happiest man on earth."
Draco snorted. "I mean you need to eat something," he said, smirking again.
Harry smiled and gave Draco a gentle kiss. "If you say so," he said quietly.
Draco climbed off his lover's lap and held out his hand to help him from his spot by the window. "Come eat then," he said.
Harry took Draco's hand and pulled himself up. He walked over to where the room was crowded with red heads and took a seat at the sofa there, reaching out for a chocolate biscuit.
"Are you okay, Harry dear?" asked Mrs Weasley quietly from beside him.
"Yes, I'm fine," Harry replied, giving her a small smile like those he had given to Draco.
Draco sat beside him and handed him some juice.
Mr Weasley leaned back against the sofa and took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes with thumb and forefinger. "We have another to go to today," he said, indicating himself and Mrs Weasley. "And another two tomorrow."
Harry sighed sadly and nodded. "This has been awful."
Draco didn't say anything, nodding and watching everyone intently.
Fred looked angry. "Dennis was what? Fifteen?" he said. "Seamus seventeen? Merlin." He shook his head.
"There were younger killed," said Ginny. "Little children." Her eyes were red from crying.
"And Seamus's father," Draco added.
"I can't wait to fuc- to wipe them all out," said George, looking like his brother.
Mrs Weasley looked up at him, but she didn't say anything.
"We all feel that way," said Bill.
Harry knew he certainly felt that way.
"Yes," Draco said, his voice harsh for that moment.
Harry glanced at him. "It won't be long," he said quietly.
"I wanted to ask you a favour," Draco said to Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"Certainly, dear," said Mrs Weasley, leaning forward and around Harry to pat Draco's knee a few times.
"I would like all of you to consider staying at the Manor until such time as things are safe again," Draco said, looking around the room.
"Oh - well, I wouldn't want you to feel like you need to do that," said Mrs Weasley.
"No, actually, I think we need you," Draco said. "We will have a lot of people around who will need feeding and instruction."
"Well, of course," said Mrs Weasley. "We'll all stay for as long as you need us to."
"We'll even come in from the shop to help, mate," said Fred.
The rest nodded their agreement.
"Brilliant, what you boys are doing," said Mr Weasley.
"It was Draco's idea, not mine," said Harry proudly. "And it's his house, whether I'm married to him or not."
"Our home," Draco insisted.
Harry smiled. "Our home," he agreed.
"So, when is this all going to start?" asked Ron. "When do we get moving on this?"
"I've already made a list of things," said Hermione, who had gone back to being very quiet over the last few days.
"She and I have gone through the buildings and we have ideas of how they need to be changed," Draco said.
Hermione nodded. "It will be work, but it will be worth it."
"Yes, indeed," said Mr Weasley. "Have you worked out how to substitute ekeltricity?"
Harry snorted very quietly. "Perhaps you can help with that area, Mr Weasley," he said.
"Yes," Draco said. "I have never used the stuff. You are the only one I know who has an expertise in combining wizard and Muggle devices."
"I wouldn't call it expertise," Mrs Weasley muttered.
Mr Weasley actually looked excited. "Well, I'll certainly have a crack at it," he said, seeming not to notice his wife's comment.
"Good," Draco said. "Then I can trust you, Hermione, and anyone willing to work with you to lead this project. The house-elves are actually pretty eager to work on it as well." He smirked.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "What are they eager for?" he asked, curious.
Draco snorted. "They have been bored. They miss the days when the Manor was a busy place," he said. "Apparently, even those who can't remember those days still have stories about them."
Harry smiled. "Well, that's good, I suppose."
Hermione, for once, didn't say anything to object.
Draco smiled, leaning back and listening to them discuss plans for the old stone buildings. He understood what the house-elves were talking about. The Manor was a grand place meant for things grander than just being a house.
They all talked for a quite a while, discussing good ideas, and throwing some bad ones out, tossing them around. Harry and Hermione had a lot of correcting to do when it came to some ideas the Weasleys had of Muggles, but it was, over all, a very good conversation that ended with some good plans established.
Mr Weasley sighed and had to interrupt Charlie when he pulled his sleeve back to look at his watch. "It's four, Molly," he said. "We have to get going," he said to the room.
"What time will you be back?" asked Ginny.
"Around dinner," Mrs Weasley replied, getting to her feet with her husband. "Take a little break from this talk," she continued. "Just relax a little while."
Draco put his arm around Harry, drawing him close. "Want to go take a nap?" he whispered.
"A nap?" Harry asked.
Draco smiled softly. "She told us to rest," he pointed out.
Harry smiled back. "That she did," he whispered.
Draco moved his arm and stood up, reaching a hand to help Harry up. "We're going to rest," he said. "Be back down for dinner."
Fred and George threw them wicked grins and Harry rolled his eyes.
"We'll see you lot," Mr Weasley said as he and Mrs Weasley prepared to Floo.
Their children murmured their goodbyes and Harry nodded, still grasping Draco's hand.
Chapter Title: Four Funerals and a Baby
Words: 3129 Words
Harry felt very odd as he began to wake. First, he was not covered up and his arse was cold. Second, his head was not on a pillow but nearly hanging off the edge of something. Third, there was something on his hand, and fourth, he felt a bit sick. He opened his eyes with a slight groan and lifted his head to look around. His legs were flung out over Draco's and he was lying nearly horizontally to how he should be and he didn't really know how he had gotten that way. He pushed himself up and found that his arm was asleep where he had been lying on it, and his head hurt from being pressed to the edge of the bed. All in all, he did not wake up feeling terribly good.
Draco murmured softly in his sleep as Harry moved, his left hand reaching for him.
Harry groaned again and moved his legs off of Draco to crawl back to his side. He pulled roughly at the covers and got under them, wishing the unpleasant churning in his stomach would go away, and that his head would stop throbbing.
Draco's hand met covers instead of flesh and he frowned, peeking one eye open. He was lying on top of the covers and Harry under them. He sighed, sliding his hand up to touch Harry's hair instead.
Harry closed his eyes to keep the light out and it didn't help much, but Draco's touch made him feel a little better. "I feel like ... ugh," he said.
"What?" Draco opened his eyes and looked worriedly at Harry.
"Like shit," Harry murmured.
"Colourful, but not helpful," Draco replied. "Is it the nausea?"
Harry nodded, but quickly stopped. "Yes, and I have a headache," he said.
"Headache Potions aren't usually safe for pregnant ... people," Draco said. "Do you want water or something?"
"I don't know," Harry said. "Yeah, I guess."
Draco Summoned water and a cold, wet cloth, pressing the folded compress against his lover's forehead.
"Thank you," Harry mumbled, trying to sit up more. He took the water from Draco and sipped it.
Draco slid his hand down Harry's skin to rest on his belly, feeling for that spot.
Harry rested his head back against the headboard and closed his eyes again, taking deep breaths to keep the feeling of needing to vomit at bay.
Draco rubbed his hand in slow circles on Harry's belly, happy despite Harry's discomfort.
Harry heaved a sigh and cracked his eyes open to stare at Draco. "How long will it be like this?" he asked, a disgruntled frown on his face.
"I don't know," Draco said quietly. "With a traditional pregnancy, the nausea usually goes away after the first trimester."
"And how long is that supposed to take? And why did I just all of a sudden start feeling like this?"
"Normal gestation for humans is nine months," Draco said. "So that means the first three months. And it means that your body is shifting the balance of vital humours to meet the baby's needs."
"Right," Harry responded, not really knowing what Draco was talking about.
Draco sighed. "Your body is trying to change itself enough to take care of the baby," he explained, "and that happens to pregnant witches too."
"Well, I hope it doesn't change too much," Harry said, sounding wary.
"I know you don't feel well, but you do need to eat," Draco said, bending over and laying a kiss on Harry's belly.
Harry sighed again. "Just give me some toast or something then, please, because I don't want bacon or sausages or, ugh, anything like that."
Draco called for a house-elf and Babb showed up. He ordered that breakfast be brought to them, wanting toast, fruits and porridge, as well as tea and juice.
Harry picked at his food once it was there, eating tiny little bites and chewing thoroughly. "What's up for today?" he asked.
With a pop, Leakey appeared bearing a silver tray piled high with parchment and The Daily Prophet. "Masters, Miss Granger insisted I bring these to yous as soon as yous got food," he said.
Draco took the tray from the elf and asked him to tell Hermione that they would look them over immediately.
"Interview already in it?" Harry asked, staring at the Prophet. He knew it would be.
"Potter Blames Ministry for Death Eater Attacks," Draco drawled.
Harry sighed again. "Of course it's worded that way," he said, unsurprised.
Draco skimmed over the article, turning the page to follow it and nodding. "Not a bad piece, considering," he said.
"Good," said Harry, taking a small bite of porridge. "What's all that?" he asked, indicating the rest of the parchment.
Draco handed the paper to Harry and picked up the pile of letters. "Oh, my, but you are popular today," he said, laughing. "They are addressed to you and some of them have the Ministry seal," he said.
"Wonderful," Harry replied, skimming the paper as Draco had done.
"Shall I open them?" Draco asked, fingering the seals.
Harry shrugged. "Sure."
Draco opened a very official-looking one. He laughed. Then opened a second one, still laughing.
"What?" Harry asked, leaning over to try and get a look at the letters.
Draco handed them over. "The Minister wants to see you - urgently." He smirked. He began opening more letters.
Harry raised an eyebrow and snorted at the hidden heat of the words in the letter. "Merlin, he has some nerve, doesn't he?"
"Oh, and these are fan and hate mail," Draco said, reading through the others. "This one is for me," he said. "I am a blood traitor who should be ripped to pieces."
Harry scowled. "Pure-blood?" he asked.
"Unsigned," Draco said, tossing it aside.
"Well, it's not surprising, is it? I'm certainly not new to either kinds of mail."
"Some of these are thanking you for what you said," Draco pointed out.
Harry leaned over again. "I'm glad," he said. "Means it got through to at least a few people."
"The note from Hermione says you have more downstairs." Draco chuckled.
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Even better then," he said, giving a little smile.
"Operation Sod Off the Ministry seems successful," Draco said, laughing again.
Harry laughed with him. "So now there's the matter of getting the Muggles here," he said after a few moments.
"I will work with Granger on that," Draco said. "Will you meet with Scrimgeour?"
"Do you think I should?" Harry said. "I mean, I suppose I should if it's me who wants changes, or at least brought them up."
"Yes," Draco said. "Do you want me with you?"
Harry shrugged. "Well, I don't not want you with me. What am I even supposed to say to him, I wonder? Do this right now? Seems sort of stupid, and it's not like I have any authority to make him change things. All he wants to do is yell at me and glare."
"Give him a couple days of mail and let him suffer, then make the appointment," Draco said.
Harry smiled and nodded, happy to have someone who knew what they were doing in situations such as this.
***
Miserable. That was how Harry felt. It was how he had felt for most of the week. After the Dursleys' there had been two more funerals and they had just returned from a third.
Hermione's father's had been first. Watching her had been ... awful. Watching her face as everyone there had been made to believe that such a young, healthy man had died from a heart attack to hide it from the Muggles, when he had been murdered, was a terrible thing to witness. What was worse was Harry knew there was nothing he could do to make her feel better, or to show those people the truth. And like Aunt Petunia, Hermione's mother had decided to go home too to live with her sister for a while. Even their separation had been hard to watch.
Seamus's had come next. Harry was hardly able to look down into the casket holding his friend. Seventeen and he had been killed. Harry had been hardly able to bear it when Seamus's mother had dropped to her knees beside the casket, sobbing and crying out, "My baby!" over and over. And seeing Dean there had been as hard as anything. Harry'd had to look away to hide his tears.
Little Dennis Creevy's had been that day's. Looking at Colin's normally bright, excited face, now deadened, as he stared down at his little brother's casket made Harry want to scream and rage and hit something. It filled him with despair and hatred for the people who had done this to his friends. He clenched his fists, remembering, as he sat in his own safe, comfortable sitting room with Draco, Hermione and the Weasleys.
He was sitting in a chair beside a window, staring out over the grounds and the slightly melting snow. Everything looked wet and cold and grey. Dead.
Draco had kept his face sombre, but with little emotion showing through most of the day. He held Harry's hand, passed him handkerchiefs when he cried, and did anything he could think of to be supportive. He didn't miss the looks of suspicion he got at the wizard funerals. Once they got back to the Manor, he made sure everyone got food and kept playing his role as good host. He was wound so tight inside, he was afraid to let go.
"Might anyone be up for some more tea?" Mrs Weasley asked, voice quiet. She looked like she was trying to be cheerful, but not really succeeding.
Harry sighed and was silent for a few moments before calling a house-elf for her. He went back to staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts, the quiet voices in the room like a humming in his ears.
Draco stood behind Harry, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Can I get you anything, love?" he asked quietly.
"Hm? Oh, no," Harry muttered, looking over his shoulder for a second before turning to the window yet again. He watched a bird fly by in the cold and strangely found himself wondering where Fawkes was. He sighed and wished that Dumbledore was there. He didn't know why, he just wanted him. He wanted his comforting words that always made it seem like hope would never be lost.
Draco walked around the front of Harry, and after only a glance at the others in the room, dropped to his knees in front of him, placing both his hands on his lover's knees.
Harry looked down at Draco and gave him a small smile. "Sit up here with me?" he asked, taking Draco's hands and pulling on them gently.
Draco crawled up his lover's legs and into the chair with him.
Harry pulled Draco into his lap, facing him so he could look up at the man he adored. "Thank you," he said very quietly, resting hands on the small of Draco's back.
Draco smiled back. "At your service," he said, looking into those green eyes.
Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and sat up straighter to hug him tightly. "No, really. Thank you, love," he whispered.
Draco's face was now pressed against the side of Harry's and his arms came around his neck to hold him. "I wish I could do more," he whispered back.
"It's enough," Harry said. "All of what you've done has been ... more than I ever thought ... more than I ever expected. You didn't have to do any of it and you have and I - I don't even know what to say to you. You amaze me and I love you."
"Flattery will get you anything you want, Potter." Draco smirked, pulling back to look at him and raising an eyebrow.
Harry smiled a real smile. "Merlin, I love you," he said, shaking his head, his eyes soft.
"Anything you want?" Draco continued to look at his husband.
Harry laughed quietly. "Everything I could ever want, you've given to me," he whispered, bringing their foreheads together. "Just a few more things I need to take care of and then I will be an even happier happiest man on earth."
Draco snorted. "I mean you need to eat something," he said, smirking again.
Harry smiled and gave Draco a gentle kiss. "If you say so," he said quietly.
Draco climbed off his lover's lap and held out his hand to help him from his spot by the window. "Come eat then," he said.
Harry took Draco's hand and pulled himself up. He walked over to where the room was crowded with red heads and took a seat at the sofa there, reaching out for a chocolate biscuit.
"Are you okay, Harry dear?" asked Mrs Weasley quietly from beside him.
"Yes, I'm fine," Harry replied, giving her a small smile like those he had given to Draco.
Draco sat beside him and handed him some juice.
Mr Weasley leaned back against the sofa and took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes with thumb and forefinger. "We have another to go to today," he said, indicating himself and Mrs Weasley. "And another two tomorrow."
Harry sighed sadly and nodded. "This has been awful."
Draco didn't say anything, nodding and watching everyone intently.
Fred looked angry. "Dennis was what? Fifteen?" he said. "Seamus seventeen? Merlin." He shook his head.
"There were younger killed," said Ginny. "Little children." Her eyes were red from crying.
"And Seamus's father," Draco added.
"I can't wait to fuc- to wipe them all out," said George, looking like his brother.
Mrs Weasley looked up at him, but she didn't say anything.
"We all feel that way," said Bill.
Harry knew he certainly felt that way.
"Yes," Draco said, his voice harsh for that moment.
Harry glanced at him. "It won't be long," he said quietly.
"I wanted to ask you a favour," Draco said to Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"Certainly, dear," said Mrs Weasley, leaning forward and around Harry to pat Draco's knee a few times.
"I would like all of you to consider staying at the Manor until such time as things are safe again," Draco said, looking around the room.
"Oh - well, I wouldn't want you to feel like you need to do that," said Mrs Weasley.
"No, actually, I think we need you," Draco said. "We will have a lot of people around who will need feeding and instruction."
"Well, of course," said Mrs Weasley. "We'll all stay for as long as you need us to."
"We'll even come in from the shop to help, mate," said Fred.
The rest nodded their agreement.
"Brilliant, what you boys are doing," said Mr Weasley.
"It was Draco's idea, not mine," said Harry proudly. "And it's his house, whether I'm married to him or not."
"Our home," Draco insisted.
Harry smiled. "Our home," he agreed.
"So, when is this all going to start?" asked Ron. "When do we get moving on this?"
"I've already made a list of things," said Hermione, who had gone back to being very quiet over the last few days.
"She and I have gone through the buildings and we have ideas of how they need to be changed," Draco said.
Hermione nodded. "It will be work, but it will be worth it."
"Yes, indeed," said Mr Weasley. "Have you worked out how to substitute ekeltricity?"
Harry snorted very quietly. "Perhaps you can help with that area, Mr Weasley," he said.
"Yes," Draco said. "I have never used the stuff. You are the only one I know who has an expertise in combining wizard and Muggle devices."
"I wouldn't call it expertise," Mrs Weasley muttered.
Mr Weasley actually looked excited. "Well, I'll certainly have a crack at it," he said, seeming not to notice his wife's comment.
"Good," Draco said. "Then I can trust you, Hermione, and anyone willing to work with you to lead this project. The house-elves are actually pretty eager to work on it as well." He smirked.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "What are they eager for?" he asked, curious.
Draco snorted. "They have been bored. They miss the days when the Manor was a busy place," he said. "Apparently, even those who can't remember those days still have stories about them."
Harry smiled. "Well, that's good, I suppose."
Hermione, for once, didn't say anything to object.
Draco smiled, leaning back and listening to them discuss plans for the old stone buildings. He understood what the house-elves were talking about. The Manor was a grand place meant for things grander than just being a house.
They all talked for a quite a while, discussing good ideas, and throwing some bad ones out, tossing them around. Harry and Hermione had a lot of correcting to do when it came to some ideas the Weasleys had of Muggles, but it was, over all, a very good conversation that ended with some good plans established.
Mr Weasley sighed and had to interrupt Charlie when he pulled his sleeve back to look at his watch. "It's four, Molly," he said. "We have to get going," he said to the room.
"What time will you be back?" asked Ginny.
"Around dinner," Mrs Weasley replied, getting to her feet with her husband. "Take a little break from this talk," she continued. "Just relax a little while."
Draco put his arm around Harry, drawing him close. "Want to go take a nap?" he whispered.
"A nap?" Harry asked.
Draco smiled softly. "She told us to rest," he pointed out.
Harry smiled back. "That she did," he whispered.
Draco moved his arm and stood up, reaching a hand to help Harry up. "We're going to rest," he said. "Be back down for dinner."
Fred and George threw them wicked grins and Harry rolled his eyes.
"We'll see you lot," Mr Weasley said as he and Mrs Weasley prepared to Floo.
Their children murmured their goodbyes and Harry nodded, still grasping Draco's hand.