HOME IS WHERE HIS HEART IS

Epilogue


Draco Apparated into the tack room of the barn of the ranch, not usually the way he would arrive from a full day at school teaching, but he was eager to see Harry – his husband of nine months. They had married last summer, a month after Harry had carried him out of the Ministry meeting like a Neanderthal. It had been a memorable day at the ranch. They had exchanged vows in front of their friends and family in the apple orchard, then had a huge buffet that Molly Weasley and Doreen had put together. Mitch and the gang from the bar that Harry worked for when he first came to Montana were also there.

He still remembered the few moments before the wedding. Colby had helped him get ready, with a bit of help from Severus. It still choked him up a bit when he remembered Colby tugging on his hand to pull him down to his level, looking him in the eye, and asking if he could call him Dad. He had gathered the boy into his arms and cried tears of joy that Colby accepted him as family. Even Severus’ eyes were a bit misty that day.

Harry had heard the Apparation in the barn and kept his back turned, knowing who it was. He smiled as he slowly brushed the colt’s sides and back. Baily, the chestnut mare which was impregnated by the negrasus had foaled a month previous; two gangly looking foals, a filly and a colt. The filly was a golden brown in color; the colt a charcoal black, which Harry hoped would stay a true black once he matured. They were both quite friendly and loved to be brushed. Harry could feel the magic in them, but was not sure they would develop the wings. The books he got from Silas’s vaults about negrasi said that not all offspring from the creature would develop all the sire’s features. They were small compared to normal foals with them being twins, but they were adjusting quite well.

“How is the other mare doing?” Draco asked, as he wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist.

“It will be soon I think. I cleaned her stall, and wrapped her tail. Not expecting anything to happen till tonight though. The vet will be here around dinner time,” Harry said, turning his head to kiss Draco on the mouth. “What are you doing here already?”

“I just wanted to see you,” Draco said, kissing the side of Harry’s neck.

“Hmmhmm,” Harry sighed, closing his eyes, and leaning back against him.

“I was thinking of you all day,” Draco softly said, licking the shell of Harry’s ear, his hand traveling south to the waist of Harry’s jeans.

“And what were you thinking of?” Harry asked, feeling exactly what Draco had been thinking of. He smiled to himself as he pushed back against the hardness.

Draco’s fingers slowly unzipped the faded denims, while the other hand pushed Harry’s shirt up, his warm hand gliding up the firm stomach. “We have about a half hour before the school bus comes. I want you to fuck me, right here in the barn, on the bale of hay over there.”

Harry turned in Draco’s arms, his lips descending on Draco’s in a hungry kiss. He walked forward, Draco back, to the bale of hay in the corner, casting a repellant charm around them as he unzipped Draco’s jeans and pushed them down his thighs. He broke away from the kiss and turned the blond around, so his back was to his chest. He trailed kisses up and down Draco’s neck. “Couldn’t wait, huh?”

“No. Need you now, Harry,” Draco groaned, stroking Harry’s arm until he linked his fingers with his, guiding it to his erection.

“You are so needy like this,” Harry smiled against the racing pulse as his hand caressed the slight bump on the blond’s stomach. “I’ll have to knock you up more often,” he lightly laughed.

Draco reached back and pushed down Harry’s jeans, then couldn’t help a smile of his own when he heard the gasp from his husband when he gripped Harry’s cock. He stroked a few times, then let go and bent over, his hands on the bale of hay. “Now, Harry, prepared myself already for you. Just fuck me already.”

“Demanding aren’t you,” Harry huskily said, his cock filling up more with the thought of Draco thrusting his own fingers into himself to loosen himself up for him. He gripped the base of his cock with his one hand, the other one on Draco’s lower back. He guided his cock to the puckered hole, moaning as he felt the lubricated hole take him in easily. He slowly inched his way in until he was sheathed completely, then stilled.

“Fuck, Harry. Need you to . . . ”

Harry withdrew until the head of his cock was barely in, then slammed back in, hard and fast, cutting off Draco’s demand as he set a steady hard pace. He felt the heat building in his body, and suddenly pulled back and stilled. He withdrew from Draco, and turned him before nudging him onto the bale of hay. He pushed the rest of Draco’s pants which were bunched down to Draco’s ankles and lifted his legs to his shoulders. He looked into his husbands lust-filled eyes as he pushed his cock back into the welcoming heat. He leaned down, pushing Draco’s legs to his chest, to kiss him. He thrust in again, hard and slow this time, knowing that he was hitting Draco’s sweet spot most of the time by the mewls of pleasure against his lips.

Draco reached and gripped Harry’s hips, his heels digging into Harry’s shoulders as his body succumbed to the pleasure. He threw his head back, as he splattered his and Harry’s chest with cum, not once having his cock touched by either one of them.

Harry felt his husband’s channel grip him tightly, spasming around him. He thrust and ground in, his own release shortly following. He moved his arms, letting Draco’s quivering legs slide down to his waist. “You okay?” He breathlessly asked, his forehead leaning against Draco’s shoulder.

“Better than okay,” Draco huskily replied, carding his fingers though Harry’s hair. “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Harry said, raising himself to kiss Draco on the mouth as he slowly withdrew his hips.

They both heard the crunch of gravel, then quickly got up and used a cleansing spell on themselves and their clothes before zipping up, and pulling down their shirts. They both went out to greet Michael and Colby as they got off the bus, walking towards Doreen who was just coming out of the main house with a tray full of cookies and iced tea for the boys and themselves.

“Dad, Daddy, did Callie have her baby yet?” Colby asked, reaching for a cookie before sitting on the bench beside Draco.

“Not yet, C.J.,” Harry smiled. “Most likely will happen when you’re in bed tonight.”

“Can I stay up so I can see it?” Colby asked. “Dad, why do you have straw in your hair? Did you fall in the barn?” He asked looking up at Draco then reaching out to pull a piece from his hair.

“I – was helping Harry in the barn with the horses,” Draco said, his face flushing pink when he heard Harry and Doreen softly chuckling to themselves.

“But you’re still in your teaching clothes,” Colby said.

“He missed me and couldn’t wait to see me, so he came right to the barn,” Harry grinned. “How was your day at school, C.J. and Mikey?”

“It was okay. So, can I stay up tonight?” Colby asked.

“Are the foals okay?” Michael asked from where he sat perched on the railing of the porch.

“They are fine,” Harry said. “And no, you can not stay up tonight. You have school tomorrow.”

“You can see the foal when you get back from school,” Draco said, bending to push Colby’s glass of iced tea from the edge of the table. “Then you have all weekend to see them.”

Draco got up from the bench, and reached down for Colby’s backpack. “Come on squirt, time to do your homework, then we’ll figure out what’s for supper,” he said.

“I’ll be home in a few hours,” Harry smiled, standing up also, and leaning in to give Draco a brief kiss on his mouth, his hand plucking another piece of straw from his husband’s hair.

Draco took Colby’s hand and they walked together to the pick-up truck that Harry drove to the ranch. Harry would be Flooing to the house later.

“Is he still feeling queasy?” Doreen asked, after Michael went inside to do his own homework.

“Not so bad,” Harry shrugged putting on his hat again. “It helps when I rub his stomach when his stomach’s acting up. When I’m not there, he sucks on some peppermint, which seems to help.”

“And the other effects of the pregnancy I’m sure you’re enjoying,” Doreen smirked. “You might want to glamour the marks he leaves on your neck when he’s ‘helping’ you in the barn,” she snickered.

“I would never deprive something my husband wants,” Harry laughed before waving to Doreen as he went back to the barn, seeing the wizarding vet pull up in his truck.

~*~

Callie, the mare, had her foal that night, close to midnight, much like Harry and the vet anticipated. The vet had to help deliver the foal as the legs were positioned wrong inside the womb. The foal – a colt, was much like the mother’s in coloring; a black and white pinto with white stockings. The colt had patches of white on his chest and flanks, and his tail was white but his mane was black.

A slow smile spread over Harry's face as he watched the colt thrust his tiny nose into the air, taking his first breath.

The mare whickered quietly from her side in the stall. Harry waited a few more moments, exchanging worried glances with the vet before picking up a dry towel and slowly entering the stall.

Draco watched in concern from the door as Harry crouched down beside the baby, careful not to startle either of them, and began to dry the foal off so that he wouldn't catch cold.

The mare suddenly gave a shuddering breath, making Harry's head shoot up in alarm, but before he could do anything, she went limp. The vet swiftly pressed his stethoscope to her unmoving side.

After listening for a few seconds, he shook his head. "She's gone," he informed them sadly. "Her body couldn't withstand the magic of the birth. I'm so sorry, Haze."

Harry and the vet worked on cleaning up the mare and the foal, saddened at the loss of Callie, a horse that most of them had watched mature to adulthood.

After Harry dried the foal off, choking back tears that blurred his vision, the colt struggled to his feet for the first time and nudged Harry. Harry stepped back away from the foal, and the baby then looked to his mother lying in the straw. He took his first wobbly steps towards her, dropping his nose to sniff her neck, letting out a lost nicker of confusion.

It broke Harry's heart and the tears he had been suppressing came in earnest. Draco reached over the stall door and pulled Harry closer, embracing the cowboy as he bowed his own head in mourning.

A whinny from the next stall startled all of them, answering the baby's cry. Harry wiped his eyes, looking at the vet, who hadn't moved from his crouch next to the mare's body. "Do you think . . .

“It won’t hurt to try. The foal will need the milk,” the vet said. “Just make sure to stay close in case you need to get the foal away from the mother quickly.”

Harry handed Draco the towel, giving his fingers a squeeze before bending down to gently pick up the foal in his arms. He slowly walked towards Bailey’s stall, not breaking his gaze from the chestnut’s reactions. He stopped a few paces from her, and set the colt on its feet, smiling a little to himself when the little one stood on unsteady legs. He stepped back a few steps.

Bailey bent down, sniffing the foal’s nose, its neck, then its back. She slowly began to lick the side of the foal’s neck.

While baby was getting acquainted with the mare, the vet had milked Callie, getting a few bottles of mother’s milk for the newborn. He magically placed a freshening charm on them, then went into the next stall and handed Harry a bottle.

“You’ll have to feed the colt with this bottle at first. I’m sure that Bailey will accept him, to feed him her own milk,” the vet said, watching as the other foals came up to butt their heads against the newborn, almost the same size as they were.

Harry crouched down by the new foal with the bottle, feeding it the milk by bottle. The foal eagerly took the nipple and sucked in the milk, the other foals nudging Harry’s body while he fed him. Bailey would come to his aid, and nudge the colt and filly away so that Harry was able to feed him properly.

Draco looked on, relieved himself when Bailey, and the other foals seemed to accept the orphaned colt. He felt a small hand in his, and looked down to see Colby looking into the stall. It was later than he thought, looking out at the sunlight that streamed through the open doors of the barn.

“Is it a girl or a boy?” Colby whispered.

Harry looked up and smiled at Colby. “It’s a boy. You want to feed him? Bailey and the foals know your smell, I’m sure they won’t mind you in here.”

“Really?” Colby asked.

Harry nodded, and shifted over a bit when Colby slowly came forward. “He’s pretty isn’t he?” Colby grinned, laughing as the newborn suckled the nipple of the bottle. “Just like Callie. Where is Callie?”

“C.J.,” Harry began, stroking his son’s back. “Do you remember when I told you that your mommy is always watching out for you from Heaven? Well, it’s Callie’s turn to watch over this little guy. Bailey is going to be his new mommy, and the other foals will be his brother and sister.”

Colby bit his lip, puzzling out things in his mind. “Daddy?”

“Yes, Colby?” Harry asked, hoping the question wouldn’t be too painful.

“Can horses become guardian angels, like mommy?”

“Of course they can!” Harry exclaimed in relief, combing his fingers through the blond hair of his son while he kept feeding the colt.

“So, is Draco my new mommy now instead of my dad, cause he is having a baby, just like mommy, right?” Colby innocently asked, knowing of Draco’s pregnancy.

Harry tried to hide his grin, he really did when he heard a groan from Draco, but then he saw the mischievous smirk on Colby’s face. His laughter let loose, as well as Colby’s.

“Not funny,” Draco stated, then turned and stalked out of the barn, trying to hide his own grin.

Harry reached out and took the empty bottle from Colby’s hand. “I think you better talk to him, Colby. Besides the bus should be here soon anyway.”

“I was just joking Daddy. I know he’s not a mommy. He’s my Dad. The teacher at school ‘splained about why wizards can have babies sometimes,” Colby said. “I think it’s great that I’ll be getting a new sister or brother.”

“Would it matter if it was a brother, or a sister?” Harry asked, standing up and stepping aside so the vet could examine the new foal.

“Nah, not really,” Colby shrugged, dragging his backpack on the ground. “Mikey is like my brother, so a girl maybe would be neat. As long as she’s not all crying all the time like some of the girls at school,” he grimaced. “Maybe he’ll have a boy and a girl, like Bailey,” he smiled.

“It’s possible I suppose,” Harry grinned, thinking of Draco’s reaction to that would be.

“See you after school, Daddy,” Colby shouted out as he ran towards Draco who was at the main house, where he would Floo to the school. Michael and Colby were left to take the bus, as it was their time with their friends; not really wanting a parental figure in their midst.

Harry leaned his one shoulder on the barn door and looked on as Draco bent down to talk to Colby, a ready smile on his face. Colby was doing most of the talking, his hands fidgeting with the strap of his backpack. Draco waited until Colby finished talking then drew him in his arms, holding on tight, before letting go, kissing his forehead and adjusting the backpack on the boy’s back.

Harry walked towards Draco who stood watching the bus, waving to the boys. “You know he was joking right?” He asked, wrapping his arms around Draco’s waist.

“I know,” Draco laughed. “He said he was sorry, and told me he loved me like a daddy, even though I was going to be a mommy.”

“He thinks the world of you, you know,” Harry softly said, kissing the side of Draco’s neck.

“If someone had told me this would be my life all those years ago, I would have probably hexed them,” Draco grinned.

“You’re happy then?” Harry asked.

“Beyond happy, Harry,” Draco replied, turning in his arms. “I never thought I would find you after you disappeared all those years ago, and here you are in the west, part-owner of a ranch, and one of the renowned horse trainers in the state. I had thought my home was in Britain, but when I found you, I realized home is where ever you are. Now, I teach the Social Cultures class at the grade school, and love it by the way,” he smiled. “And I have you back in my life, and a boy who thinks of me as his father, and another baby on the way. What else could I possibly want more in my life?”

“I love you, you know that?” Harry smiled, leaning in to give Draco a kiss, letting his lips linger.

“I know. Love you, too,” Draco grinned. “I should probably get going,” he sighed.

“Yes, I suppose,” Harry said, pulling back from his husbands arms. “You know what Colby mentioned?” He said, backing away, grinning.

Draco shook his head.

“He mentioned that you could have twins,” he smirked, then turned and walked away back to the barn.

“Harry!”

~*~

Draco in fact did not have twins. Trinity Liliane was born, a beautiful blonde-haired, green-eyed baby girl.

Draco took a year off of school to be with Trinity and his family. Colby was a huge help, readily taking up the role of big brother as he tried to teach her things as she lay in her cradle or in his Daddy’s arms.

Much to the relief of Colby, Trinity grew up to be one of the boys. Harry loved her either way, be it a girly-girl or a tomboy. Draco loved her also, but still tried to get her to wear a dress every now and then instead of the overalls and the pigtails she insisted that she liked wearing.

Doreen continued to see Chris until they finally tied the knot one summer, Michael the best man, Colby an usher, and Trinity the flower girl. Michael, Colby, and Trinity were rarely seen apart at the ranch, growing up with a strong familial bond between them.

Every other year, Doreen and Harry planned a big reunion of sorts, where family and friends gathered to remember the good times; besides one year where they gathered to mourn the loss of a mentor and friend, Albus Dumbledore, who set off on his grand adventure, always a houseful, especially when the Weasley clan came with all their kids.

Severus and Remus bought their own place in town. They married the year after Harry and Draco, and are still together to this day. They welcomed into the family a young girl of six years, who had lost her parents in a fire, Samantha Grabrielle Blake.

Dante’s offspring grew up healthy and strong. The chestnut filly’s wings were beautiful, and she inherited the full negrasus abilities that her sire had. She was bought and treasured by the Tivendryn, a race of moon elves. Bailey’s colt, the black, was brought to the Serpent’s Cove where it quickly grew attached to its sire, Dante. Callie’s colt, the pinto remained at the Ranch, where he was treated well, and bred every couple of years. Both colts did not grow to have the wings, but they were able to ‘fade’ to other areas, but not fly.

Harry continued to participate in the rodeos, riding the bulls. Draco loved watching his husband, but held on to his seat with white knuckles as he did, fearing the hurt he was sure Harry would be feeling later, as the kids cheered loudly at their dad. He was never too hurt though, his magic always keeping him safe. Draco was sure a guardian angel was watching over him.

Draco was also sure it was fated when a few years after Trinity was born he became pregnant again – with twins.


The End


THANXTHANXTHANXTHANXTHANXTHANXTHANXTHANX

Beta: PW
Asst. Beta (or help with word usage and paragraphs):
- Graballz (fellow Coven member)

Negrasus: Thanks to slytherin_rules_me (Ronnie Hinnard)
- She was a faithful reviewer of my stories in 2007 (not sure if she still reads them at this time) and helped me brainstorm with the name of the creature for this story.
- name came from a mix of Pegasus & black (diff. language - negra = black or dark)

Thanks to the people that reviewed on TSS & AFF (hopefully they’re spelled correctly): adriennemalfoy; anonymous; arealdeal; Cassie; Coolhanyou - thanx on the name correction - fixed; dominique; Donavon; Engwaaearien; Graballz - thanks for the help on the chapters; gentlenightrain; Hambares; harrydraco4life; ImBruOrDeath; jas; jpottermalfoy; kittycat30; KLS; Lilith; luvinhimalot; manga nut; manx65; momoko; Oompa; Ophelia; paigeey07; RRW; ScottyToledo; shinythiefxblast; Silverdragon21; SnapesSweetheart; snappy pants; spedwouthermedz; Stargirl77; thrnbrooke.