A New Family For Harry

I know it has been quite a while since this story updated, but I really would appreciate hearing from you if you read this section and have some comments.

xoxo Shadygrl

_________________________________


Lucius carefully ordered his papers, placing a stack of legal parchments in his desk drawer and locking it before setting aside the last scroll he wished to owl before their departure the next morning.

As he heard the slight noise of the door handle turning, his lips quirked slightly. Even without the wards signaling him, he would have known Harry was the one about to enter from the boy's very step.

"Are you quite ready for our adventure celebrating your tenth year?" Lucius asked evenly.

Harry first peeked around the door and then bounded into Lucius's study.

"I'm all packed! Well, Dobby packed my things, but I helped."

"I'm certain you did."

"A whole week away!" Harry's eyes shone. "I won't bring a broom, because Dobby said if I wished to have one while we were traveling, I could easily borrow one or have him bring mine at once. And I didn't store up any galleons, though I would like to buy presents for Draco and Ron and Vince and Pansy and Greg and Ginny, because Dobby said you would take care of all that."

"Dobby is quite right. But with all that, what did you choose to pack?"

"My swim clothes," Harry said promptly. "I want to make certain I have them in case we travel to the shore."

"Ah, but you will need other clothes more surely than you need a bathing costume."

Harry made a funny moue with his lips. "Dobby's in charge of those sorts of things."

Lucius acknowledged this with a nod. Harry, for all his inauspicious beginning in the household of low-born Muggles, had proven used to the trappings of wealth and privilege as surely as if he had been a young man raised with his own valet from infancy.

"Well, you seem properly prepared for our journey. Shall you miss anyone while we are away?"

"Of course I shan't so very much! I'll be with you." Harry smiled and at Lucius's offered hand, came quickly and pulled himself onto Lucius's lap.

"Even being away from the Manor will not trouble you?"

"I've already been away once," Harry noted with a lofty air. "I'm not a baby."

"Of course, I was forgetting your much-vaunted visit with the Weasleys. I am only surprised that the Prophet thought not to provide coverage for that memorable occasion with an extensive society report."

Harry grinned and wriggled a bit closer, his fingers automatically going to smooth Lucius's waistcoat and play with the buttons there. "We did have a very good time. But I think this will be even better, because I'll have you all to myself."

Lucius's hand, busy carding through Harry's silky locks, slowed slightly. Certainly he looked forward to this trip in honor of Harry's birthday as much if not more than the boy himself. Yet he also felt an uncomfortable wariness. It would not do to transgress any of the boundaries he had established with such care. And yet how tempting it would be, having Harry with him, no one else who knew them about, sharing the same rooms night after night --

He cleared his throat. "About your visit with the Weasleys... One might think the news you so readily supplied of your time spent in the safety of their bosom glosses over some of the, shall we say, less than rosy incidents."

"Hmmm." Harry leaned forward, laid his cheek against Lucius's chest, and gave a pleased sigh.

Lucius suppressed a snort at this tactical diversion, and went on. "It would seem the amity between Draco and Ronald has lessened of late."

Harry's smooth brow furrowed.

"They seem disinclined to be as friendly as they were in the past. Ronald's last visit was spent entirely with you, whilst Draco excused himself to devote his attentions to his studies. While I admire his sense of purpose, I can't help but suspect the reason behind it, particularly as he has never been one to pass up social occasions in favor of scholarship."

"Oh, that." Harry surged forward to steal a quick kiss, then sat back with a considering look. "Well, Draco liked visiting for Charlie's coming of age party very much."

"Ah, yes, the purpose of your visit. Do go on."

"Well, he sat next to Charlie at the first dinner, and hung on his side almost all the time after that."

"I see," Lucius noted, in fact seeing where this thread led.

"He kept asking Charlie all sorts of questions about the job he'll be taking -- he's going to tame dragons, you know, and it's ever so dangerous, but he's not a bit scared -- and about Hogwarts, and complimenting him on all he had heard of Charlie's Quidditch playing, and, well." Harry shrugged. "Ron didn't like it, I suppose."

"Ron felt Draco did not pay him sufficient attention?" Lucius asked dryly.

Harry ducked his head with a smirk. "Something like that. I played with Ron plenty, and we had a good time, but Draco was a little . . ." And here Harry made a simpering gesture with his hands, batted his long dark eyelashes, and affected a sort of swoon.

It was with some difficulty that Lucius kept his face schooled in blank consideration. It would appear that Draco was nearly as much in need of lessons in subtlety as he had been as a youngster, kicking his heels up on the floor and shrieking when he didn't get his way.

"Charlie just thought it was funny, I expect. But he was awfully nice to Draco all the same, even though he spent lots of time with Bill and his friends, and wasn't always around when Draco asked after him. Still, I don't think Ron would have minded so very much if Draco hadn't played at falling asleep by Charlie's side the last night we stayed, and drooped about until Charlie carried him up to bed."

Lucius's eyebrow arched.

"Oh, not that way," Harry protested, dissolving into a fit of giggles. "More like, I imagine Draco wanted Charlie's big strong arms around him. When Charlie lifted him, Draco opened one eye and gave Ron a sort of superior look. But no, Charlie wouldn't --" He giggled again.

There was a pause as Lucius studied Harry's carefree face. "It would seem that the second eldest Weasley son is quite pleasing to the eye," he noted at last.

Harry laughed once more. "He has a lot of muscles," he confided. "And he has a handsome face, like he's ready to listen to all your stories and then tell you lots of funny ones himself." Harry arched slightly on Lucius's lap, and tilted his head to the side. "But I like the way you look best."

Lucius gave him a wry smile. "Very politic of you, Harry."

"It's true. I don't care if it's politic or not." Harry trailed a finger down Lucius's forearm, smiling to himself all the while. "Percy likes it too," he remarked softly. He traced small circles on the back of Lucius's wrist, the slight scrape of his nail sending a pleasurable jolt through Lucius's cock.

It was with some effort that Lucius returned himself to the topic at hand. "What does Percy like?"

"How you look," Harry murmured. He glanced up at Lucius, and gave a mischievous smile. "Well, he likes all sorts of things about you."

Lucius sat back. It was true that the bookish Weasley son had seemed quite impressed with Lucius when he had accompanied his younger brother Ronald on visits to the Manor, but Lucius had thought nothing of it beyond some slight amusement at the boy's admiring looks. "And you came by this knowledge how, exactly?"

"Wasn't hard to realize now, was it? With him asking after you constantly, trying to find out what you're like and what sorts of things you do at home, and telling me how much he admires your influence in the Ministry. And oh, I remember, he said he liked your --" Harry's lips twisted as he obviously attempted to remember the other boy's phrasing. "Your skilled diplomatic maneuvers!" he finished.

"Ah." Lucius stroked Harry's slim shoulders as his ward sighed and leaned against him.

"But Percy isn't the one going on a journey with you now, is he?" Harry offered up his soft lips, and murmured with pleasure as Lucius pressed their mouths together.

"Nor is he likely to do so at any point in the future," Lucius commented. He traced Harry's cheekbones with his thumb, watching the boy's cheeks flush while his own body heated.

"Lucius?" came from the hall. Narcissa's voice.

One last kiss for Harry, and Lucius gestured him to stand.

For a moment, Harry looked rebellious. But then the cloud on his face cleared, and he laughed as he slid to his feet.

"Come morning, I'll have you all to myself," he whispered. His grin was almost blinding as he skipped towards the door, opening it to let Narcissa in and make his exit.

"I have seen to it that Harry's lightest pajamas and warmest jumpers both will be packed," Narcissa noted in her lilting voice. "As you have not made clear where it is exactly you are going..." She let a beat pass before continuing. "I thought it best to make preparations for a variety of weathers."

"I thank you for your care." Lucius stood, and bowed to her.

She smiled at him. "You were not so secretive when you took Draco on a similar journey."

He took the back of her hand and kissed it. "It is hardly a secret what it means to be a Malfoy. For Harry, however..." He drew in a breath, and gave a careful smile. "Well."

The look Narcissa gave him was shrewd. "He is only a child, Lucius. He cannot possibly understand all of the...complications of that time."

"Certainly not." Lucius lifted his shoulders in a seemingly casual gesture.

She touched her small hand to his arm. "I will be there to see you both off in the morning, of course."

As she departed, Lucius sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he thought. His travels with Harry would certainly have their complications as well as their enticing pleasures.

______________________________________________


Please review!

Oh, and please remember -- I am very happy to add people to the email update list I have for this story, but please do leave your email in comments. AFF.net hides your email if you're registered, so I can't see it unless you give it to me specifically. Thank you!

xoxo Shadygrl