Indago:Reborn

I jusy barely got this out in time. Phew! It went all dark and gave me shivers. *shiver* I love that!


Chapter Twenty

“Mother, Father, please come sit down and join me for tea. Harry will be down soon.”

Narcissa Malfoy smiled tightly and stepped graciously to the settee Draco and Maia had vacated not ten minutes before. Draco had taken the baby with him as he went up and dressed for his guests. Harry had already moved on to another part of the house, most likely trying to avoid the arranged visit.

“How long must we wait to hold our grandchild?” Lucius asked as he moved to the fireplace. “I am growing weary of this, Draco. My first glimpse of her face was a fuzzy photo in the Daily Prophet. I do not believe I shall forgive your insistence that I not see the child before the ceremony. Due to the boy’s fragility, of course,” Lucius said with a sneer.

“Father. It was not his fragility but his heightened instincts. But never mind that,” Draco said and reached down into the cradle, lifting his daughter out of it. “Maia is here and waiting to meet you.”

As etiquette dictated, Draco brought the baby to his mother and placed her in the waiting arms. Lucius moved closer and peered over his wife’s shoulder. The baby, at that moment, decided to get a good look at her grandparents.

“That bastard,” Draco heard his father breathe. Draco wasn’t sure whom his father was calling a bastard. Snape or Harry.

“Father, let me explain. Maia’s eyes are nothing more than nature.”

“Yes,” Lucius interrupted. “The nature of a faithless spouse!” he spit out.

“Oh, are we talking about you, Lucius?”

Draco grimaced and turned to see his husband walking into the room. Lucius immediately went on the attack.

“I always knew you were gutter trash. Your muggle-born mother saw to that and your muggle upraising has clearly made you inferior to my son. I should never have agreed to this marriage.”

“Father--”

“You had nothing to do with it!” Harry snapped, stalking closer to the older Malfoy, eyes glaring. “Draco and I would have gotten married whether or not you wanted it to happen. It’s time you got over yourself, Lucius.”

“Harry!”

Lucius’s eyes narrowed and his cane was held in a tight fist as he came nearly toe-to-toe with Harry. Draco moved closer to the two of them while his mother looked on with a blank face. “Really? Do not think I can’t have this marriage annulled and this bastard-child stricken from the Malfoy records, regardless of your stalling tactics,” he seethed. Within the split-second after the words were hissed out, Harry was attacking. Draco had had a moment’s warning when the sub’s intent was broadcasted by his aggressive scent. Draco was able to grab Harry before he reached Lucius. But only just. Lucius, not being a fool, stepped back and pulled his wand.

“Stop,” Draco ordered. He held tight to Harry’s arms while the smaller man struggled. “Father, Snape and I had a nutrient that Harry and the baby needed during the pregnancy. It was in a fluid form that passed between us with skin to skin contact.” He continued to explain as calmly as he could with his husband struggling to attack Lucius and Lucius holding a wand on the both of them. “That is why the baby has dark eyes,” he finished.

“It’s true, dear,” Narcissa said from the settee as if a violent struggle was not occurring over the tea set. “The child has the Malfoy chin and brow. Quite regal and elegant and much too refined for the likes of Snape, or the Potters, for that matter.”

Lucius looked down and studied the baby, watching as his wife pointed out the features. With a quick glance between the baby and Draco, he slowly lowered his wand.

“Very well. All is explained and forgiven,” he said arrogantly. He set the cane tip against his boot and settled his shoulders. “There was no need to resort to such unseemly behaviour. But then, what can one expect from the boy you married, hmm, Draco?”

Harry wrenched away from Draco’s grasp unexpectedly and went after Lucius again. Draco was after him and Lucius had his wand up again, but not in enough time. It went flying as his arm was knocked hard and Harry’s hands went for the pale throat. They had just closed around it when Draco had hold of Harry and was ripping him off of Lucius, nearly prying the fingers away.

“Harry, stop!” Draco ordered, but only received a low growl and a tougher fight as Harry redoubled his efforts to get to Lucius’s throat. The struggle intensified until Draco finally kicked Harry’s legs, making him fall to the floor. Lucius backed away, his clothing finally released and calling his wand to him. He again trained it on Harry as Draco wrenched Harry’s arms behind his back to get him to stay down.

“Put the wand away!” Draco barked out. “You will not point a wand at my husband!”

Lucius dropped his arm, but kept the wand out. Draco was satisfied. He held tight to the arms in his hands until the struggles finally ceased and Harry was breathing heavy in exhaustion.

Everything was silent in the room until Harry spoke.

“My arms,” he murmured. “They’re starting to hurt.”

“Good,” Lucius said. “Acting like an ill-behaved child.”

“Father, stop it now. It was you that started this.” Draco slowly released Harry’s arms but did not help him up.

“How dare you, Draco!” Lucius turned his angry glare on his son.

“I dare because you attacked my spouse and attempted to throw dirt on my daughter. I believe I was within my rights to point out your own lack of judgement on this highly emotional subject.” Draco prayed that his father would take the out he had given him. Luckily, he did.

“You are right, my son,” Lucius drawled, putting his wand away. “I was more than indignant when I had thought that my own child had been deceived. I, of course, apologize for the misunderstanding.”

“Thank you, but no apology was needed. Merely your understanding,” Draco said graciously. Harry took a step toward the settee and Draco put a hand out blocking him. Green eyes turned to him in indignation.

“I am getting my baby,” he hissed quietly. Draco held his gaze for a moment longer until Harry dropped his eyes in submission. Draco took his hand off Harry’s arm and let him go.

“You’ll have to forgive Harry, but he is not feeling well and will take the baby up to bed now,” Draco stated, ordered, and sent Harry a look that promised that this issue was not over. Harry ducked his head and quickly took the baby from Narcissa’s arms. With a murmured good night, he was gone.

“Well, I must say I expected more… decorum from him now that he is a parent. But I suppose one can only expect such a virulent reaction from a… special mother as him,” Narcissa spoke, completely composed through it all. “The child is lovely, though, Draco. Absolutely perfect. She is a fine addition to this family and I am sure will bring great attributes to our name.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Draco leaned down and kissed her pale and smooth cheek.

“Yes, a fine child.” Lucius moved closer and arched an eyebrow. “But exactly how much of Snape has infested her?”

Draco chuckled. “Now Father, Snape is a good additive, if one had to have it.”

“Yes, if one had to have it. Why was this allowed to happen? I assure you if I had known exactly the extent to which he would become involved, I would have never allowed it to occur.”

Draco hardened his features. “This was a matter between us three, Father. It was deemed best that Severus had a hand in Harry’s development through pregnancy. None of us were aware of the outcome and if we had, it would have, of course, ended differently. But we are as we stand and I will not have Maia looked down upon because of it.”

“Now now, Draco. Your father was merely inquiring. You must understand the vital importance of keeping our line pure, I’m sure.” Narcissa rose and faced her son. “Severus Snape is, of course, a good friend to our family and has been for many years. It was only a surprise to know that he is now more than a friend but a contributor to our descendants. You must not attack your father, so.” A perfectly manicured hand patted his arm.

“Of course. I did not mean to upset you, Mother.”

A small smile graced the woman’s lips. “You did nothing of the sort.” She cast a steely look to her husband. “And really, who else but a fellow Indago should be a part of our family? It makes us stronger and more influential, doesn’t it, darling?”

“You are right as always, my dear.” Lucius took his wife’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “It is indeed a very valuable additive to our blood.” Lucius looked at his son over Narcissa’s hand. “But, I still find myself unutterably disturbed by the boy’s behaviour this evening. I should hope that next we visit he is in full control of himself. Or better yet, you are in control of him, Draco.”

Draco’s mouth tightened. “Harry will be back to his normal self soon and be the picture of respect.”

“I hope so, my son.” Lucius led his wife to the front door. “I would not wish to think of you in a new country with him tarnishing our good name before our reputation is fully established there. Steps would need to be taken if he is not adequately prepared for his new role in life as an ambassador for our family and nation.” The door clicked shut on those ominous words. Draco cursed violently and stormed up the stairs.

“Put her in her room,” he bit out as soon as he crossed the threshold of his bedroom and found Harry sitting in the armchair near the window.

Harry looked up from the baby in his arms. “Draco, I’m not ready to have her--”

“Her room. Now.”

Harry looked up into the angry eyes, silver beginning to streak the high cheekbones and nodded. He quietly passed the blond and a few moments later came back into the room and sat back down in the chair. Draco had not moved from his spot, breathing deep and trying to calm down.

“What the fuck was that!” he burst out through clenched teeth. Harry merely stared at the floor. “Answer me!”

“He made me angry,” Harry stated quietly.

“He made you--” Draco laughed bitterly. “Well, of course! Because he’s never done that before. And because we did not thoroughly discuss tonight’s visit and how we would handle his fully anticipated reaction!” Draco began pacing back and forth.

“Draco, I know we planned it out, but I was just so angry that I just… just…”

“Decided to handle it by choking him?” Draco shouted. Draco stalked to his husband and grabbed the arms of the chair, pinning Harry there and shoving his face in his. “Do you know what you have started? Hmm? You have made him make the first volley in stopping our move! My promotion! Our fucking future!”

“I’m sorry, Draco, I didn’t--”

Draco interrupted Harry’s whispered apology. “We are going to be watched closer than ever! You especially. You mock him, but Lucius Malfoy is not someone you fuck with! Haven’t you learned that by now?!” Draco quickly backed away when the urge to hit Harry was almost overwhelming. He paced back to the bureau. “He has connections that I can only dream about right now! He has the ability to ground my career to a halt, whether we like it or not. He has the ability to keep us dangling on his purse strings indefinitely! Are you going to support us?”

“I could go back to the Zoo and…”

“A snake charmer’s salary is not going to give us what we want, Harry!” Draco swept past the bureau again and grabbed up a brush, throwing it hard against the wall. Harry jumped but otherwise did not make a sound. “And the money you did have that was worth any note is where, Harry?”

Not a sound.

“Is where, Harry?” Draco shouted the question.

“I gave it away,” Harry whispered.

“Yes,” Draco said nastily. “You gave it away. To orphans of the war. Without. My. Consent!”

Harry looked up sharply at that. “It was my money and those kids needed it more than--”

Draco had moved lightening-fast back to Harry and made him bite off his words by grabbing his chin. “Who’s money was it? Hmm? Yours, you say? Now, Harry, I find it hard to believe that you would say such a thing. Shall I tell you whose money it was?” Draco didn’t wait for an answer. Harry had closed his eyes at the vicious face above his. “That money was ours by Wizarding law, just as all my possessions were yours. But more importantly, whose money was it? Answer me, Harry!”

“Maia’s,” Harry whispered.

“Exactly. That money left to you by your parents was money for our children. Not some nameless sprogs with parents too stupid to provide for them in the event that they got themselves killed!”

“That’s not fair!” Harry said with a fierce look. “Their parents were murdered! In fact, your father helped do a lot of it!”

“Yes! Remember that next time you decide to play fisticuffs with him, won’t you?” Draco hissed and pushed Harry back into the chair. Again, the urge to hit Harry was too strong to be near him and Draco went back to the bureau. He picked up a hand mirror and hurled it at the wall again. Glass tinkled as it shattered onto the floor.

“Lucius Malfoy has more dirty deeds in his resume than you can possibly imagine,” Draco said in a low tone. “He has been able to circumvent every attempt to destroy him or dirty him. Do not think that he can’t stop us from going on with our lives. He has declared his intentions to do that if you fuck up again. Do not underestimate him. Or me.” Draco walked towards the door. “Now go to bed!” The door slammed behind him.

Harry slowly stood up and began to get undressed.