Indago:Reborn

Thanks to my brand new beta deathangelgw!

Chapter Twenty-four

“Has she finished, pet?”

Harry looked up and nodded. “Yes, Draco.”

“Good.” Draco sat across the table from Harry and the baby as Harry fed her. Harry was under strict instructions not to swallow one bite. Snape had left only an hour ago and Draco had to admit that his house had become peaceful once again. Of course, it wasn’t a desired peace. His Supero nature was having a field day at being allowed to expand a bit, but Draco the man was not exactly as comfortable as he would have been just four years ago being allowed to have full reign like this. He realized quickly that Harry and he had made a good checks and balance system for each other. He would freely admit that he would have preferred to have his own way all of the time, but Harry had taught him that it was a sweeter victory if it wasn’t routine. And Draco was proud to have taught Harry to stand up for himself and stop being a doormat for every sucker out there. The Potter money going to the orphans had enraged Draco like nothing else. But once he had looked into it further, he had found Harry’s little stash. Little being a relative term, because the Black fortune was nothing to be sneezed at.

Draco had been stunned to learn of Harry’s ability to keep the money a secret and hiding it away like that. Draco would never tell a living soul, but he had actually been hurt by Harry’s secret that had excluded him. But Snape had pointed toward Harry’s instincts when Draco had brought the issue to him. Harry had merely stashed away the money like he would have food if he had been living in the wild. It was for emergencies and nothing more. Actually, it was a human trait as well, especially for someone with Harry’s rough background. And in all their years of marriage and of Draco keeping tabs on it, Harry had never once touched it. So Draco had left the matter alone. After all, though it was a large sum, it was really only enough for them to live on for a year. Draco made that much money in nearly ten months.

He had learned also that it was only a portion of the money that Harry had inherited. Some of it had gone to those clowns, the Weasley twins, to expand their business; some of it had gone to the restoration of the Black mansion so that one of Draco’s many cousins, Nymphadora Tonks, could live there in bad taste with her pet werewolf. And some of it had gone to a secret fund for the rest of the Weasley family that they, the trusting idiots, thought was from some deceased relative. As if any relative of the Weasleys could have any money to speak of.

But, Draco had a warning in place if Harry ever made a withdrawal. Draco allowed the secret, but he was damned if he would let Harry throw more of that money away on charity cases.

“Draco?”

Draco snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his husband. “Yes, pet?”

“She’s sleepy now. I’m going to put her to bed.”

“I’ll come with you.” Draco stood up and made his way around the table. Harry looked at him out of the corner of his eye.

“You’re only doing that so I don’t go out of range,” he said quietly.

Draco nodded as they stepped out of the room. “Yes, I am. But don’t think of me harshly. You frightened me, pet. You made me frighten myself last night. Once you start realizing that I am here to keep you safe--”

“You know, I did kill off a mental Dark Lord. And a few of his friends,” Harry cut in. “I’m not helpless nor am I not able to keep myself safe.”

They began to climb the stairs and Draco held onto Harry’s elbow as they ascended. “The only reason you had to do any of that was because you weren’t mine yet.”

Harry stopped and turned quickly towards the blond, knocking the grip from his elbow away. “Do you even hear yourself, Draco?” Harry hissed. “You sound so arrogant!” Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t want you to look down on me,” he said quietly. “I feel like ever since we conceived Maia, I’ve been looked at as a freak. A thing that needs to be caged.”

Draco stepped closer and placed his hand on Harry’s neck and jaw. “Harry, I have never viewed you as a freak.” At Harry’s eyes popping open in shock, Draco chuckled. “Alright, well, perhaps in my wild youth. But I haven’t done so since I first found you with my new senses that night after the Opening Feast. I might have seen you as my property and maybe even as a chance to finally beat you--”

“Maybe?” Harry asked sceptically.

Draco narrowed his eyes. “What I am trying to say, you twit, is that I don’t look down on you. I am only trying to do what is right.” Draco made a face. “Gods, did that just come out of my mouth?”

Harry laughed and Draco was satisfied. “I won’t mention it to Lucius,” Harry answered kindly.

“Thank you,” Draco said with a nod of his head and they began their climb up the stairs again.

Harry laid the baby down in her crib and waited until she had snuffled about a bit before falling asleep. Then he turned back to Draco. “Now can I eat?” he asked with his hands on his hips. Draco held out his hand and led Harry back down to the dining room. When Harry tried to return to his place, Draco tugged him away. Harry looked at him strangely.

“I’ve been thinking. Since we need to do this for you,” Draco ignored the 'pfft' from Harry. “I think we should have a bit of fun, yeah? I think we should just go all animal.”

“Easy for you to say,” Harry groused. “You’re the dom!”

Draco stepped close and looked directly into Harry’s eyes. “Yes, and you’re the sub. Which means we are perfectly matched. Why do you think it was odd for you to ask to top?”

Harry blushed. “I …I don’t know.”

“Even now you can’t imagine it, can you? That’s because it would be completely unnatural for us. But let’s be natural. Just you and me, the whole day. I’m home from work anyway. No visitors coming.”

“Ably…”

“Is a house elf,” Draco said firmly. “How many times must I remind you? He is bound to us and couldn’t care less what we do. He’ll be only too happy if we break some things and make a mess.” Draco pulled Harry against his body and whispered in the other man’s ear. “I want to play with you, pet. Just you and me.” Draco licked the soft shell of an ear and felt Harry take a deep breath. “Or maybe I should call Sev back? Then you can have both of us.”

Harry laughed breathily. “And here I thought you had had your fill of that.”

“I thought so, too. But seeing you offer yourself to him, to both of us, just made me hot for it again.” Draco pulled back with a smile. “But I want just you today.”

Harry stared back into silver eyes. “I …I don’t want you to make me do anything I’ll regret later,” he said hesitantly. Draco smiled.

“No. I won’t. This is all about you, pet. Just you. Let go and I’ll take care of you. Just like I’m supposed to, yeah?” Draco leaned close again and licked a long swipe from Harry’s collarbone to the lobe of his ear. He felt Harry shudder.

“Alright,” the brunet whispered. “But only because I trust you. More fool me.”

“I’ll take care of you, pet,” Draco said softly and then released the half-hold he had on himself, allowing his Supero loose fully. His scent filled the air and Draco was surprised to hear a soft growl coming from his throat. Harry responded with a mewl of his own and dropped his head to the side, offering his throat. Draco was only too happy to feast on the gift. He licked, bit, and nibbled to his heart’s content. But he could sense that something wasn’t right.

His mate was hungry.

Draco pulled Harry with him into the kitchen. The elf was frightened away with a menacing sneer and they had the room to themselves. Turning quickly, Draco grabbed Harry by the waist and lifted him up onto the counter. It was a bit low to accommodate the house-elf and had a small ledge that ran along the cupboards underneath to allow the small creature access. But Harry now sat at eye level with Draco and that was fine. The blond went to the icebox and rifled through it until he found a platter of sliced meat, ready for the sandwiches Harry liked for lunch. Draco had nearly given up trying to broaden his husband’s palate. He brought the platter to Harry and pulled a small bit off the top, holding it out to his mate. But Harry was good and didn’t grab for it, merely opened his mouth. Draco placed the slice in Harry’s mouth and followed it with a kiss.

Draco continued to feed his mate this way until Harry kissed Draco’s hand instead of taking the food in his mouth. “What do you need, pet?” Draco asked as he ran his free hand through Harry’s hair. Harry leaned into the caress.

“I’m thirsty, Draco.”

“Ah.” Draco moved to the cupboards overhead and searched until he found a glass. He quickly filled it with water and came back to his mate. “I’ll give you something to drink,” he said and drank from the glass. He then kissed Harry hard, allowing the mouthful of water to trickle into Harry’s. Harry swallowed several times as he drank from Draco’s mouth. They repeated this until Harry showed that he was done and Draco went back to feeding him.

“You want something sweet, pet?”

Harry nodded and licked his lips. Draco chuckled and returned to the icebox. He found a small bit of chocolate cream and brought it back to his mate. He fed it to Harry by scooping up a bit on his first two fingers and then letting Harry lick it off. But Harry was being playful and took tiny licks like a cat. Finally, when only a small bit was left at the tips of the fingers, he swallowed both digits down to the second knuckle. Draco smiled as he felt his mate’s tongue undulate against his fingers. Harry looked up at him and pulled back slowly, allowing his lips to stay connected for as long as possible. When the fingers popped free, Harry licked around his mouth.

“Did you like that?” Draco asked in a low voice. Harry nodded. “More?” The brunet shook his head. “Then let’s go clean up, yeah?” Draco moved between Harry’s spread thighs and grabbed his waist. But he did not lift the smaller man down. No, he carried him, forcing Harry to wrap his legs around Draco’s waist.

“I’m heavy, Draco,” Harry whispered, but he hugged the broad shoulders in front of him as his husband carried him out of the kitchen and into the hall.

“Not to me, pet. Besides, you need to save your strength. I have plans for you,” Draco answered with a menacing leer and mounted the steps.

The hot water was steaming up their bathroom when Harry finally undressed Draco and they stepped in. “Wash me,” Draco said. Harry picked up the flannel and a bit of soap and happily began washing his husband. Draco had mainly kept his teenage physique, but it had filled out just a bit more with muscle. There was not an ounce of excess flesh on his body. Harry lovingly washed every bit.

“Draco,” Harry murmured over the rush of water. “I’m happy that I am yours. I’m very lucky to have you--”

“Damn!”

Harry immediately stopped speaking and seemed to shrink in on himself. Draco ran a hand through the dark wet hair. “I’m not mad, pet. As much as I would love to hear what you are about to say, I have to stop you from uttering one more word like it. Otherwise you’ll kill me later,” Draco explained with a strained chuckle.

Harry’s eyes widened in horror. “No, Draco. I wouldn’t ever try to hurt you!”

“I think you’re forgetting the snow globe incident,” Draco said with a raised eyebrow. A few years ago, Harry had been so angry at some ‘arrogant’ thing Draco had said to one of his friends that Harry had picked up and thrown a snow globe that had been sitting next to him on Granger’s side table. Draco’s reflexes had prevented his head from being dented, but his shoulder was another thing entirely. It had been badly bruised and his trouser leg had been completely soaked when the thing had fallen to the floor and exploded. Of course it had, perhaps, been an ill-timed remark when Harry had been in the first stage of Lustrum and not quite in control of his emotions. But the look of horror on Harry’s face had been worth it, while the making up and nursing had been priceless. Granger’s snow globe on the other hand had not been. Draco still believed that the stupid bint had greatly exaggerated the cost of that piece of clutter.

Draco looked at Harry now and saw a very similar look of horror on his face to the one he had worn that day as the brunet remembered the incident. Draco barely caught him before his knees hit the shower floor. “None of that. You apologized wonderfully and it is over,” he said firmly and Harry nodded. “Now continue what you were doing.” Harry nodded again and began soaping Draco’s chest and down to his thighs and shins. He looked up expectantly then, a hand reaching out tentatively towards Draco’s half-hard cock.

“Not yet,” Draco said and motioned for Harry to come back up. He took the flannel from him and began making long slow strokes down Harry’s body. “Do you know what I want to do, Harry?” Draco asked lowly in Harry’s ear as he swiped the piece of cloth down Harry’s back. “I want to take you right here, just like we used to back in school. Remember? When we would go at it like animals and no one would be able to hear you cry out for more. But then, I think that maybe I don’t want you in the shower. Maybe I want you in the garden. Remember that day I caught you out in the garden and I had you on the stone bench near the shed?”

Harry shivered and moaned. Draco kept up the soft pressure of the wet flannel sliding over his mate’s body. “You were on your knees on the seat, your hands holding tight to the back of the bench as I pushed my way inside you.” Draco licked at Harry’s ear and then down to that most delicious neck. “I was pretty rough with you that day. You bled, remember?”

“Yes, Draco,” Harry said hoarsely.

“But you didn’t want me to stop. You wanted me to keep going, didn’t you? You had me keep going until you came all over that bench. You spent days hoping it would rain because I wouldn’t let you clean it off, didn’t I?”

“No, Draco,” came the moaned answer. “You wanted it to stay there as a m…monument.”

“That’s right,” Draco hissed. “A monument to your lovely libido and your desire to let me have you in broad daylight, out of doors, and so hard and rough that we were both bruised. I think it was one of the best fucks of my life. And that’s saying something, being married to you, pet.”

“D-Draco…” Harry’s hand slipped along Draco’s chest and down to his stomach, but he did not dare to go further than that without permission. “Please.”

“Or perhaps I’ll have you on the sitting room floor,” Draco continued conversationally, ignoring Harry’s pleas. “I’ve had you there many times before…mostly when we’ve been arguing. Do you know you can turn me on when you’re arguing with me? Your fire just makes me want to mount and claim you!” Draco bit down on Harry’s earlobe and he succeeded in getting a yelp out of him. The flannel dipped down to the crease between Harry’s tight globes and Draco ran it down and up, sliding it between. When it was in place, he slowly began working his finger inside using the cloth’s soapsuds to coat the way. When nearly two inches of the flannel was inside Harry’s body, Draco pulled away and smirked at his mate.

“Be a good boy and keep your tail in,” he whispered. “Now wash your hair and the rest of you.”

Harry’s body was flushed from knees to eyebrows and his face was a study in hesitant frustration. But he did as he was told and began to shampoo his hair. He rinsed it clean, the soapsuds flowing down his body, running in the canyons that Harry’s leanly muscled torso and hips created. When he was soap free, Draco reached behind him and turned the water off.

“Now, I want you to towel me and yourself off, pet,” Draco murmured. Harry nodded, bit his lip, and stepped over the lip of the tub. Draco could tell that Harry felt every movement become exaggerated as the flannel held him open. He obediently brought the towel back and began rubbing it along Draco’s body, who had also stepped out of the tub. When he got to a certain point on Draco’s body, he looked up in concern.

“It’s alright, Harry. Just bend down, but make sure you keep your tail in. Pretend it’s me inside and you don’t want to let me go,” he said with a smirk. Harry nodded and slowly bent down. Draco nearly groaned as he saw Harry’s arse cheeks clench in a bid to keep the flannel in place. Finally, he was finished and hurriedly dried himself off, though kept clear of his rear. The cloth slowly dripped water behind Harry, but Draco really couldn’t care about the mess. Seeing it hang there, knowing it was holding Harry open and teasing his channel, was making Draco more than anxious. He led his husband out of the bathroom.

In the bedroom, Draco tossed the towel on the floor and then pulled Harry roughly to him. He ravaged his husband’s mouth, his hands tugging hard at the wet hair. Harry moaned and whined but his mouth was pliable and completely giving.

Draco pulled back with a snarl. “I was going to tease you a bit more,” he rasped as he bit hard along the delectable throat exposed to him. “But I’m not going to hold out. Besides, we’ve got all day. And I plan to fill you all day!” With a vicious bite, Draco made Harry cry out in pain. It merely made Draco’s erection grow. Harry was hard as well, his cock pressing up and begging for touch. “Get on the bed,” Draco ordered with a low growl.

Harry nodded and walked toward the bed. But at the last moment, he spun and ran toward the door. Draco stood in shock for a moment until a mischievous smile was tossed over Harry’s shoulder before the sub disappeared. Draco grinned to himself, counted to ten, and then went in search of his mate. The Supero in him was going to enjoy this little hunt.

The hallway was empty when Draco exited their bedroom. He passed the stairs, glancing down them as he went to search the rest of the upstairs. The baby’s door was still closed and Draco knew that Harry would not involve their young in their play. He moved quickly to the spare bedroom, and then the den, finding both empty. He left each door open as he headed once more for the stairs.

Halfway down, he stilled and listened. The entire house was silent. Just the ticking of the clock in the hall could be heard. Draco slowly took each step as he descended, waiting and listening in between. When he reached the bottom stair, he tilted his head up and sniffed the air. Nothing, just the faint scent of his mate, but it danced around him and could not give him a direction. Knowing there was no way out of the sitting room but through the Floo, Draco turned left and headed in. Nothing. He checked behind the settee and the armchairs, but his mate was not there. He walked back toward the hall and paused again in the doorway. A faint sound was coming from down near the sunroom. With a grin on his face, Draco slid along the base of the stairs toward where he had heard the sound. A shadow moved and all of Draco’s senses tingled. He was ready to pounce. Two more steps...one more step…

Draco rushed through the doorway grabbing for his mate. A split second too late, he recognized the scent and stopped himself, having to spin away and let the momentum of his rush push him into a potted palm. He spit out a feathery frond and snarled at the creature.

“M-Master Draco, sir. Would y-you like Ably to fetch you some clothes?”

Draco sneered at the gardening house-elf and was about to snap at it when he heard the distinct sound of a muffled laugh and quick steps. Without a second thought to the elf or his state of nudity, Draco took off after his mate. His eyes adjusted quickly from their sun exposure in time to see Harry at the end of the hall grab the banister and use it for leverage in spinning towards the stairs. The sound of his feet hitting the steps rang down the hall. Draco growled and increased his speed. Harry was more agile, but Draco was quicker and had more stamina. He’d run his mate to ground.

Draco’s feet landed on the stairs and he quickly pounded after Harry. He was only two steps away when he dove. He grabbed the naked legs in front of him and both men toppled down onto the carpeted stairs. Harry immediately began to struggle and fight to get loose, but Draco increased his grip on the calf in his hand and held firm. His other hand grabbed a kicking leg at the ankle and he began to slowly work up the body. Harry struggled fiercely, bucking his hips and swinging his arms, all of it designed to entice the Supero onward in his domination. Finally, Draco was lying panting on top of Harry, the sub taking the extra weight as he lay sprawled haphazardly on the stairs.

“I’ve got you,” Draco growled and bit Harry hard on the back of the neck. Harry cried out and his hips pushed back into Draco’s as the blood began to rise to the surface and ooze out slowly from the wounds. Draco licked it and tightened his grip around Harry’s wrists. “I could take you here and now. But, I told you to do something, didn’t I?” Draco half-growled, half-hissed. “What did I tell you to do?”

Harry whimpered in exactly the right way. But he didn’t answer the question. Draco made a sound low in his throat and his hands became bruising around Harry’s wrists. “You will learn, Harry, that I am master of this house. How many times must I tell you that, hmm? You need not worry about anything, do you?”

“No, Draco,” Harry whispered.

“Do you fret over when you will eat next?”

“No, Draco.”

“Are you ever without warmth or comfort?”

“No, Draco.”

Draco paused and watched Harry carefully. “Could you take care of yourself?”

A quick indrawn breath was heard. “Yes, Draco.”

“Do you want to take care of yourself?” Draco asked quietly.

Harry slowly shook his head and turned to look into silver eyes. “No, Draco. I want someone to look after me, love me, and care about me.” The words were said solemnly and brought out into the open the entire cradle of their relationship. Harry was strong, no one could argue with that. But he had been left with no one to care for him for so long that he desperately wanted it. Draco often thought that if it had not been for those ghastly Muggle relatives that Harry had been forced to live with, then Draco would have lost to Snape many years ago.

Draco had been taught to dominate, his Indago nature was exacerbated by those teachings. Draco liked nothing better than to command and control. And Harry, who had only had the discipline that school and society had given him, wanted that control and command placed on him. Not all the time, of course, but it made him feel loved and cared for. Unlike the mindless caging and hatred-filled words of his relatives, Harry wanted someone to care where he was, what he was doing, if he was eating well, if he was dressing well. He wanted all that done for his benefit, not to him as if he were too stupid to handle it himself. It had not taken Draco long to figure this all out and exploit it to their mutual benefit. And in turn, Harry had taught Draco not only to command, but to care. It was why Draco had really pulled away from his father. He wanted to care for Harry all on his own.

“Of course you do, pet. And I will always care for and love you, won’t I?” Draco crooned softly.

“Yes, Draco,” Harry answered as he closed his eyes and gave up his control once again, as well as his worries, to someone who would help him with them. Draco smiled and then pulled roughly on Harry’s arms.

“Now,” he said in a low voice. “What did I tell you to do?”

“You told me to get on the bed,” Harry whispered.

“That’s right. So, we are going to do what?”

“Get on the bed,” Harry answered.

“Right.” Draco got his legs under him and pulled Harry to his feet. They went up the rest of the stairs, Harry still in Draco’s grasp. “Because we always do what I say, don’t we?”

“Yes, Draco.” Harry turned just a bit as they made it to the top of the stairs, rubbing his hip against Draco’s cock. “We always do what you say.” Harry’s voice was filled with mischievousness. Draco grinned out of Harry’s field of vision and they walked back into the bedroom. Draco pushed Harry away and was surprised that he had forgotten the ‘tail’ in the heat of the chase. But it swung enticingly as Harry stumbled and turned back to Draco. It made Draco’s heart beat hard and his already interested prick stand up at attention a bit more.

“You kept your tail,” Draco said gruffly. Harry nodded and turned a bit to the side. He twitched his hips and the cloth swung a bit against the back of his thighs.

“You told me to,” Harry said, his eyes watching Draco from under his lashes. “And we always do what you say,” he whispered.

Draco moved so fast Harry barely had a chance to grunt before he was lifted off his feet and thrown over Draco’s shoulder. Draco made a low rough sound deep in his throat as he carried his mate to bed. Harry, not wanting to be any less encouraging to his husband, began to claw at Draco’s back with long slow strokes from the rump up as high as he could.

Once he had reached the bed, Draco pulled Harry from his shoulder and tossed him on the bed. Before the brunet could get his bearings, Draco had grabbed him by the thighs and flipped him onto his stomach.

“You want to be fucked,” Draco asked with a hiss. “Don’t you?”

“Mmm… yes, Draco,” Harry moaned and he was pulled to the edge of the bed. He helpfully spread his legs as they fell off the bed and canted his hips up.

Draco’s breathing was becoming faster. He ran a hand down Harry’s back until he came to the ‘tail’. He petted it and then gave it a twist. Harry gasped and moaned. Draco smirked and twisted it again. Harry, being a male-bodied Indago subicio, was highly sensitive in this area, even more so than the average person. On more than one occasion, he had climaxed just from Draco being inside him and not one touch anywhere else on his body. Draco pushed the flannel a bit deeper into his mate and watched him squirm and moan.

“Do you want me to fuck you with this?” Draco whispered.

Harry moaned. “Uhn… No, Draco, please.”

“Please what?” the blond asked in faux innocence.

Hips pumping up towards the friction, Harry whimpered. “Please, you…I want you.”

“Good boy,” Draco hissed. He flung his hand out to catch the tub of lube he summoned and quickly smeared a bit on himself before ripping the flannel out of Harry’s body. The cloth and the tub fell to the ground, but not before Draco had slammed himself into his mate.

“Draco!” Harry screamed, his hands fisting in the bedcovers as his hips pushed up and back. Draco lay down on top of the smaller man and began thrusting, his hands grabbing onto Harry’s bent elbows. He could feel Harry’s heels brushing against his shins as the smaller man tried to put his feet on the ground, but couldn’t quite reach. This fact just heightened Draco’s superiority and he began to push hard into Harry.

“Ahhh….” Harry cried into the covers, his body undulating upwards as Draco’s came down. Draco began to nip and lick at the delectable neck and nape, Harry’s scent nearly intoxicating as he attempted to swallow it down. Of course that was impossible, but Draco kept trying.

Then he could feel Harry getting close and he quickly shoved his hand underneath their weight. But he was too late to stop it and prolong their experience. Harry had been too fired up from the hunt and Draco’s words. With a guttural cry, he came all over the bed. One whiff of Harry’s climax and Draco was lost. He thrust hard into the body under him, once, twice, and it was all over.

*~*~*

Three hours after their romp in bed and throughout the house saw Draco, Harry, and Maia all downstairs playing on their favourite spot on the sitting room rug. Maia seemed to be enjoying the new interaction her parents were displaying with each other and her as well. There was more touching between the Indagos, which seemed to suit Maia just fine. So much so that Draco was finally able to smell her.

Draco stopped and smiled as Harry lay on his back while making faces at the baby upside down. “Harry, can you smell her?”

Harry flipped over onto his stomach and frowned. “What, does she need a change?”

“No, pet. Not that,” Draco said with a smirk. He scooped the baby into his arms and held her up. Harry crawled forward and began sniffing her abdomen and then he moved to her neck. He pulled back with a funny look on his face. Draco raised an eyebrow.

“She smells… familiar… but different than normal,” Harry got out.

Draco chuckled. “That’s because her scent is similar to yours.”

Harry’s eyes widened. “She’s a…”

“Subicio,” Draco answered. He brought the baby in close to his chest. “It’s faint, but there.”

Harry’s eyes looked sad. “Oh,” was all he said.

“Now, now, pet,” Draco admonished. “This is something good. I was a bit worried at having to control a more instinct-driven Supero. Gave me nightmares.”

“I’m sure,” Harry murmured with a smile.

“It did. Besides, this means that we have a very good reason for her to go to Beauxbatons.”

Harry straightened up on his knees. “She’s not going to Beauxbatons! She’s going to Hogwarts.”

“Don’t be silly. She should go to Beauxbatons where there will be no pillock trying to get our daughter in trouble,” Draco retorted haughtily.

“Oh you mean no arrogant bloke is going to get her up the duff while she’s still at school?” Harry commented with a knowing look. Draco smirked and actually seemed to preen. Harry shook his head in disgust. “Besides, I don’t think Snape would ever let anyone breathe the wrong way near her,” Harry said. “She’s his, too…kind of.”

Draco thought for a moment. “Hmm, good point. Hogwarts it is. Always helps to have your Head of House in your corner.”

“And what makes you think that she would end up in his house?” Harry asked with a cocked brow.

“Because she is clearly too clever and personable to be condemned anywhere else,” Draco pronounced. Harry rolled his eyes and let it go.

An owl came through the hallway at that moment and landed smoothly next to Draco on the rug. Maia’s eyes lit up and she tried to grab at the tawny bird, but Draco leaned her away from it as he took the letter from its beak.

“No, no, Maia. You have no idea where the thing has been,” he instructed.

“Yes, look. It has your grandfather’s seal. It’s probably riddled with evil and cruelty,” Harry snarked. Draco eyed him and began opening the missive one handed while he held the baby in the other.

“If you want an owl, I, your father, will buy you one. The finest there is, of course,” he announced. Maia gurgled happily and Draco ignored the eye rolling from his husband. He finally shook the letter open and began to read it.

My son,

I thought I would inform you that I have dealt with the incident with the media. I tried calling upon you at your office but I was informed you had requested the day off due to an illness in the family. Is there something I should be concerned with? If you are merely playing hooky, that is, of course, fine. But if you or my grandchild is ill, I will want to know of it immediately.

That being said, I am assuming that your absence has more to do with your little husband than you or Maia’s health. You were aware of the three reporters that were found unconscious near your property, weren’t you? They claim that they were Stupefied while watching your home for any newsworthy events. Knowing that you would not create any sensationalism with this act, I must assume that it is the work of your little husband. Did the boy throw another tantrum? I do hope you are keeping him in line, Draco, for our family’s sake. We wouldn’t want any mud being flung on our newest member, now would we?

Please remember your responsibilities and duties as a Malfoy and, now, as a father and contributor to our line.

Your father,
L. Malfoy

“What is it?” Harry asked with narrowed eyes. Draco folded the letter against his thigh and shooed the bird away telling it he had no response. He would send an owl later, probably using Hedwig just to punish his father for being so unapologetically rude about Harry in his letter.

“Nothing,” Draco answered in a bored tone. “Just more lectures on the family name and our need to always keep our commitments. Apparently he is miffed that I took the day off work.”

“And blaming me, no doubt,” Harry grumbled.

“Well, it wouldn’t be a new day if Lucius wasn’t grousing about someone, now would it?” Draco retorted with a teasing smirk.

Harry was staring down at the rug. “You won’t tell him about…”

“I don’t tell my father anything anymore,” Draco answered firmly. “Platitudes and assurances are all he gets from me.”

Harry nodded. “I really didn’t mean to leave--”

“Harry, this topic is officially closed,” Draco announced and backed it up with a surge of pheromones. The effect was immediate and he watched as Harry’s body relaxed again. “Now, I am going to have to return to work tomorrow. Do you think you will be alright here? If not, I would not mind at all having you and Maia as my guests. It will be a light day and my staff has been wanting to see the baby.” As Draco spoke, he pulled back some of his scent to allow Harry to answer honestly and not with what he hoped Draco wanted to hear.

“I’ll be alright. I don’t think Maia and I are ready to go out in public. And, honestly, I hope Maia never has to step foot at the Ministry,” Harry answered with a small smile.

“Fine, then. It’s settled. I’ll be home an hour or so before dinner,” Draco pronounced. He glanced at the clock. “Alright, shall we have our tea then?” Harry nodded and the family moved into the dining room for their tea.