A Heart So Ravenous (Sequel to A Love So Belated)
folder
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
36,868
Reviews:
326
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Slash - Male/Male › Harry/Draco
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
44
Views:
36,868
Reviews:
326
Recommended:
1
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.
Chapter 25: Shed Some Light
Chapter Number/Total: 25/44
Chapter Title: Shed Some Light
Words: 2419 Words
Harry eased Draco carefully into a chair after the Floo travel, sitting next to him with an arm around his shoulders.
Narcissa trailed very close behind them, and when she was sure Draco was okay, she walked up to the desk as usual.
Harry was very excited. He hadn't been with Draco to a midwife appointment yet, mostly because of work, but he'd taken the day off for this. They were going to find out the sex of their baby, and he could hardly wait to see what it would be.
Draco was panting and dizzy. He clung to Harry. It was getting more difficult to go places, but he was excited to finally see their child.
"A few moments," said Narcissa as she walked back over, excited as well.
Harry smiled, nodding, and kissed Draco's cheek. "What do you think?" he asked, even though he'd asked that question probably a million times that day alone.
Draco smiled at him, rubbing his face against his lover's. "That it's ours is all that matters to me," he answered. He had wondered, of course. He supposed he would prefer a son – because he had the idea that a son would be what would please Lucius most. He felt grateful they were having a child, though, and knew that he would love a girl just as much.
Harry smiled too. "Yes, that is all that matters," he said. "But still."
Narcissa let out a small laugh at him.
Draco rolled his eyes, still delighted by Harry's excitement and curiosity.
Healer Sharpner came through the door and smiled at them. She held out her hand to Harry. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Potter," she said.
Harry smiled, too. "Nice to meet you as well," he said, shaking her hand. He felt his heart speed up with his excitement.
She showed them into her office and offered them tea. "So do you know how this works?" she asked Harry.
"Uh, well, no actually," he answered. "I don't."
"I am going to use a spell which allows us to check the health and growth rate of the baby," Sharpner said. "If the baby is turned properly, you may also learn if it is a boy or girl."
Harry grinned widely. "Yes," he said.
Narcissa looked like she wanted to laugh at him again. Healer Sharpner smiled, also seeming amused by Harry's enthusiasm.
Draco patted his lover's arm.
Harry was not embarrassed. He couldn't help his excitement and had to stop himself from telling the Healer to get on with it.
"Draco, you can go into the exam room and let us know when you are ready," Sharpner said.
Draco looked between her and Harry. "Come with me," he said to Harry and relaxed when the Healer nodded.
Harry helped Draco to his feet, taking one of his hands and placing one of his own on Draco's back.
In the exam room, Draco held on to the edge of the table while Harry helped him undress. Even if he hadn't wanted Harry with him, he could no longer bend well enough to undress by himself.
Harry had great respect for Draco for doing this. He knew he wouldn't like someone feeling him up, and he knew Draco had to like it even less. He helped him undress and then get in the gown. "Do you need to get up here?" he asked, patting the leather table. He eyed the weird things sticking out at the end warily.
Draco nodded and held on to Harry's shoulders while his lover helped him onto the table. He lay back with a groan. It was a relief to take the pressure off his back.
Harry stood beside him and bent for a kiss, stroking Draco's hair. "Shall I get the Healer?" he said. "Your mum too?"
Draco nodded, closing his eyes for the moment. He was so bloody tired all the time.
"Okay," Harry said, feeling a rush of more excitement, and he left to get the two women, returning a few moments later.
Sharpner began her exam as before, gently pushing her fingers around Draco's belly. The baby seemed to recognise the game and kicked back. "Well, active already, aren't we?" she said as if talking to him or her.
Harry smiled yet again, watching, and Narcissa stood near and gave him a gentle few pats on the back.
"Been kicking, punching and the like for over a week now," Draco answered.
Sharpner stood on the opposite side of the table from Harry and Narcissa. She put a few pillows behind Draco's head, helping prop him up so he could see what she was doing. Then she lifted her wand and cast the spell. Light spread out from the tip like Lumos would in the dark and she pointed it at Draco's belly. Where the light fell, the skin and muscle looked like it dissolved, showing the womb and then what was inside. She actually gasped.
Draco blinked, confused at first by what he was seeing. It certainly wasn't what he expected. "Are there two of them?" he asked, voice shaking.
Harry's mouth fell open. "T-two of them?" he said weakly.
Narcissa gasped as well. "Yes, look, two!"
The wand shook for a moment and then Sharpner was leaning in close. "Yes, twins," she confirmed, but she didn't sound happy like Narcissa did. "And they look to be about the right development for this stage, though a bit smaller than they would for a single child, of course."
"How – I mean .... How is that possible?" Harry asked. "I thought there was only one." He looked at Draco, eyes still wide.
Draco's eyes were just as wide and he couldn't take them off the image revealed by the spell.
"Two boys, it appears," Sharpner said and then the spell began to fade. "Now I suppose you have quite a lot of questions. Help Draco get dressed and we can talk about it in my office."
"Twin boys," Narcissa whispered, her hand covering her mouth. She smiled and gave Draco a kiss on the forehead and even gave Harry a quick, slightly awkward hug before she was bustled out by the Healer.
Harry had hardly noticed the hug, his eyes fixed where the image of those two little boys had been, before they moved up to Draco's face again.
Draco smiled up at his lover. "Well, I guess that means I only have to do this once," he teased.
"Twins," Harry whispered, moving closer, a smile of his own slowly creeping across his face. "How do we have twins? How do you have two babies in there?"
"Just lucky, I guess," Draco answered, reaching for Harry to help him up.
Harry smiled wider and let out an amazed sounding laugh, coming to Draco's aid.
Draco held tight to Harry, kissing him softly before he would let Harry re-dress him.
Harry was so in shock he could barely think. Merlin, two boys? Two sons? He kissed Draco again after he was dressed.
"We will have our hands full," Draco laughed softly at his lover's excitement. He felt in shock himself. He had never imagined two. He held on to Harry as they reentered the office, and had to have Harry lower him into a chair.
Narcissa sat in one of the other chairs, looking a little less happy than she had a few minutes ago. Harry wondered why as he sat down next to Draco.
Sharpner sighed and, instead of sitting behind her desk, leaned against the front of it. She looked concerned as her attention focused on Draco. "The pain is getting worse and the fatigue has returned. Am I correct, Draco?"
He glanced worriedly at Harry, but nodded.
Harry frowned at that. He knew Draco was tired a lot, but what pain was she speaking of?
Sharpner glanced at Harry too and sighed. "Draco, I told you when you first came to see me that it would be dangerous to carry a baby to term. But twins ...."
Harry leaned forward, frowning some more. "Wait a minute. What?" he said. "Dangerous?" He looked at Draco.
The blond winced, reaching a hand out to Harry to try to calm him.
Sharpner exchanged a look with Narcissa that seemed to confirm she knew Draco hadn't told him. "Yes, Mr. Potter. Even if Draco were a woman, he would have trouble carrying a baby to term. I just don't see a way for him to carry two." She looked directly at Draco then. "I hate to tell you this, I know how much this means to you, but it is my professional opinion that if you try to carry both infants to term, you risk losing not only both of them, but your life in the process."
Harry hadn't heard that correctly. There was no way he had heard that correctly. "What?" he whispered.
Draco squeezed his lover's hand but faced the Healer. "I am going to keep both of them," he said clearly. "I can do it, I know I can."
Harry shook. "Wait," he said. "Just exactly how much risk is involved here?" he asked, his voice shaking along with his body.
Narcissa had gone pale and slightly tearful.
Sharpner turned to Harry with sad eyes. She looked years older just then. "Can I call you Harry?" she asked before continuing.
"Yes," Harry said, sounding more like the question didn't make any sense to him right then.
"Harry," she said softly, "Draco's body isn't really meant to carry a child. It can be dangerous even for a woman. His body is fighting this. His hips are not made to carry the strain and this has a chance of permanently damaging those, his back and his internal organs. That was with one child. But Fertility Potions sometimes produce multiple births, like this one."
Harry's entire body trembled. "And you've known this from the beginning," he said.
Draco didn't look up. "Not about it being twins, no."
"That's not what I mean," Harry snapped suddenly, eyes burning as he turned them on Draco. "Permanent back damage? Permanent damage to your internal organs? Why didn't I know about this?"
Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "And what would you have done about it?" he snapped back.
Harry dropped his head into his hands, nails digging into his skin as he tried to take calming breaths and not lose it completely.
"I don't think Draco knew just how dangerous this was until he came to see me a few months ago," Sharpner said. "But more importantly, we need to talk about what to do now."
Draco laid his hands protectively on his belly. He raised his chin, and anyone who knew him would recognise that look of defiance.
When Harry lifted his head again to listen to the Healer there were little crescent shapes on his forehead.
Narcissa had fearful eyes on her son, her posture straight, showing just how nervous and frightened she was.
Sharpner sighed again. "The safest route would be to let me take them out now."
"You mean kill them," Draco said harshly.
The Healer nodded. "I am sorry, Draco, but an abortion is what I have to recommend. I believe it is the only safe course of action."
"Oh, God," Harry said, voice cracking badly.
Tears actually spilled from Narcissa's eyes, her body tighter than ever.
"I refuse, so what next?" Draco said, voice sounding oddly calm even to him.
Sharpner looked between Harry and Narcissa, apparently waiting to see if they would talk Draco out of this.
Harry didn't know what to do. He'd never felt so torn in his life. How could he let anyone take their babies' lives? How could he allow such a thing? But how could he let Draco risk his own life so seriously? He tried to talk, but his throat wasn't working.
"Draco," Narcissa choked out in a strange gasp. "Draco, you can't -" But she didn't seem able to go on.
"I know my rights. You can't make me end the pregnancy. So will you help me or do I go it alone?" Draco said to the Healer.
She actually looked upset then. "Draco, I never meant to imply that I wouldn't stand by your decision and help you. I ... I just want you to realise how badly this is likely to go."
"You've told me, now what is your alternative plan?" Draco insisted.
Harry's hands shook, and he felt ill, but he tried to hold himself together to at least hear what the Healer had to say.
"Then you need to do everything you can to rest and take the strain off your body," Sharpner said. "Go to bed, take the potions I prescribe. And I will come to you from now on. Then we wait and see."
"Wait and see how long I last before you have to take them, you mean?" Draco said, his tone harsh again.
"Yes," she admitted.
"How long until they will be able to live outside of me?" Draco asked.
"They might survive if taken in another month," she said.
"But the longer the better, right?" he insisted.
"Yes, that's true," she admitted.
Harry continued to shake and could hear Draco's mother sniffling. "A month?" he echoed. "They could survive if taken in a month?"
"Maybe," Draco said.
Sharpner took a deep breath and nodded. "Twins sometimes develop more slowly than singles," she admitted.
Harry rubbed hard at his forehead, taking deep breaths again. "And there's nothing you can do," he said. His voice cracked again.
"We can try to take care of him until he is ready to let me take them," she said. "I can tell you that a vaginal birth is out of the question at this point."
"Vaginal birth?" Narcissa repeated, voice thick with tears.
Draco winced and blushed furiously at that. He hadn't told her that female parts had remained.
"So you'll have to cut them out?" Harry asked. "Out of his belly?"
"Yes, that's what will have to happen regardless of when," Sharpner said. "In a normal pregnancy, a woman's hips actually separate to allow the child to pass through the birth canal. His won't be able to."
"What if I took the original potion?" Draco asked, trying not to look in his mother's direction.
"The amount of shifting you described sounds like it would put you at even greater risk," Sharpner answered.
"So it would be safer to cut them out," Harry said, gripping the arms of his chair.
"Harry," Sharpness said kindly, "I want you to understand. At this point, it is the only real option. The only question Draco and I disagree on is when.”
Harry took a large breath, nodding.
Draco was looking down at his belly again, petting the swell with his hands. "Twins," he said in wonder. "We will make it, I know we will."
Chapter Title: Shed Some Light
Words: 2419 Words
Harry eased Draco carefully into a chair after the Floo travel, sitting next to him with an arm around his shoulders.
Narcissa trailed very close behind them, and when she was sure Draco was okay, she walked up to the desk as usual.
Harry was very excited. He hadn't been with Draco to a midwife appointment yet, mostly because of work, but he'd taken the day off for this. They were going to find out the sex of their baby, and he could hardly wait to see what it would be.
Draco was panting and dizzy. He clung to Harry. It was getting more difficult to go places, but he was excited to finally see their child.
"A few moments," said Narcissa as she walked back over, excited as well.
Harry smiled, nodding, and kissed Draco's cheek. "What do you think?" he asked, even though he'd asked that question probably a million times that day alone.
Draco smiled at him, rubbing his face against his lover's. "That it's ours is all that matters to me," he answered. He had wondered, of course. He supposed he would prefer a son – because he had the idea that a son would be what would please Lucius most. He felt grateful they were having a child, though, and knew that he would love a girl just as much.
Harry smiled too. "Yes, that is all that matters," he said. "But still."
Narcissa let out a small laugh at him.
Draco rolled his eyes, still delighted by Harry's excitement and curiosity.
Healer Sharpner came through the door and smiled at them. She held out her hand to Harry. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Potter," she said.
Harry smiled, too. "Nice to meet you as well," he said, shaking her hand. He felt his heart speed up with his excitement.
She showed them into her office and offered them tea. "So do you know how this works?" she asked Harry.
"Uh, well, no actually," he answered. "I don't."
"I am going to use a spell which allows us to check the health and growth rate of the baby," Sharpner said. "If the baby is turned properly, you may also learn if it is a boy or girl."
Harry grinned widely. "Yes," he said.
Narcissa looked like she wanted to laugh at him again. Healer Sharpner smiled, also seeming amused by Harry's enthusiasm.
Draco patted his lover's arm.
Harry was not embarrassed. He couldn't help his excitement and had to stop himself from telling the Healer to get on with it.
"Draco, you can go into the exam room and let us know when you are ready," Sharpner said.
Draco looked between her and Harry. "Come with me," he said to Harry and relaxed when the Healer nodded.
Harry helped Draco to his feet, taking one of his hands and placing one of his own on Draco's back.
In the exam room, Draco held on to the edge of the table while Harry helped him undress. Even if he hadn't wanted Harry with him, he could no longer bend well enough to undress by himself.
Harry had great respect for Draco for doing this. He knew he wouldn't like someone feeling him up, and he knew Draco had to like it even less. He helped him undress and then get in the gown. "Do you need to get up here?" he asked, patting the leather table. He eyed the weird things sticking out at the end warily.
Draco nodded and held on to Harry's shoulders while his lover helped him onto the table. He lay back with a groan. It was a relief to take the pressure off his back.
Harry stood beside him and bent for a kiss, stroking Draco's hair. "Shall I get the Healer?" he said. "Your mum too?"
Draco nodded, closing his eyes for the moment. He was so bloody tired all the time.
"Okay," Harry said, feeling a rush of more excitement, and he left to get the two women, returning a few moments later.
Sharpner began her exam as before, gently pushing her fingers around Draco's belly. The baby seemed to recognise the game and kicked back. "Well, active already, aren't we?" she said as if talking to him or her.
Harry smiled yet again, watching, and Narcissa stood near and gave him a gentle few pats on the back.
"Been kicking, punching and the like for over a week now," Draco answered.
Sharpner stood on the opposite side of the table from Harry and Narcissa. She put a few pillows behind Draco's head, helping prop him up so he could see what she was doing. Then she lifted her wand and cast the spell. Light spread out from the tip like Lumos would in the dark and she pointed it at Draco's belly. Where the light fell, the skin and muscle looked like it dissolved, showing the womb and then what was inside. She actually gasped.
Draco blinked, confused at first by what he was seeing. It certainly wasn't what he expected. "Are there two of them?" he asked, voice shaking.
Harry's mouth fell open. "T-two of them?" he said weakly.
Narcissa gasped as well. "Yes, look, two!"
The wand shook for a moment and then Sharpner was leaning in close. "Yes, twins," she confirmed, but she didn't sound happy like Narcissa did. "And they look to be about the right development for this stage, though a bit smaller than they would for a single child, of course."
"How – I mean .... How is that possible?" Harry asked. "I thought there was only one." He looked at Draco, eyes still wide.
Draco's eyes were just as wide and he couldn't take them off the image revealed by the spell.
"Two boys, it appears," Sharpner said and then the spell began to fade. "Now I suppose you have quite a lot of questions. Help Draco get dressed and we can talk about it in my office."
"Twin boys," Narcissa whispered, her hand covering her mouth. She smiled and gave Draco a kiss on the forehead and even gave Harry a quick, slightly awkward hug before she was bustled out by the Healer.
Harry had hardly noticed the hug, his eyes fixed where the image of those two little boys had been, before they moved up to Draco's face again.
Draco smiled up at his lover. "Well, I guess that means I only have to do this once," he teased.
"Twins," Harry whispered, moving closer, a smile of his own slowly creeping across his face. "How do we have twins? How do you have two babies in there?"
"Just lucky, I guess," Draco answered, reaching for Harry to help him up.
Harry smiled wider and let out an amazed sounding laugh, coming to Draco's aid.
Draco held tight to Harry, kissing him softly before he would let Harry re-dress him.
Harry was so in shock he could barely think. Merlin, two boys? Two sons? He kissed Draco again after he was dressed.
"We will have our hands full," Draco laughed softly at his lover's excitement. He felt in shock himself. He had never imagined two. He held on to Harry as they reentered the office, and had to have Harry lower him into a chair.
Narcissa sat in one of the other chairs, looking a little less happy than she had a few minutes ago. Harry wondered why as he sat down next to Draco.
Sharpner sighed and, instead of sitting behind her desk, leaned against the front of it. She looked concerned as her attention focused on Draco. "The pain is getting worse and the fatigue has returned. Am I correct, Draco?"
He glanced worriedly at Harry, but nodded.
Harry frowned at that. He knew Draco was tired a lot, but what pain was she speaking of?
Sharpner glanced at Harry too and sighed. "Draco, I told you when you first came to see me that it would be dangerous to carry a baby to term. But twins ...."
Harry leaned forward, frowning some more. "Wait a minute. What?" he said. "Dangerous?" He looked at Draco.
The blond winced, reaching a hand out to Harry to try to calm him.
Sharpner exchanged a look with Narcissa that seemed to confirm she knew Draco hadn't told him. "Yes, Mr. Potter. Even if Draco were a woman, he would have trouble carrying a baby to term. I just don't see a way for him to carry two." She looked directly at Draco then. "I hate to tell you this, I know how much this means to you, but it is my professional opinion that if you try to carry both infants to term, you risk losing not only both of them, but your life in the process."
Harry hadn't heard that correctly. There was no way he had heard that correctly. "What?" he whispered.
Draco squeezed his lover's hand but faced the Healer. "I am going to keep both of them," he said clearly. "I can do it, I know I can."
Harry shook. "Wait," he said. "Just exactly how much risk is involved here?" he asked, his voice shaking along with his body.
Narcissa had gone pale and slightly tearful.
Sharpner turned to Harry with sad eyes. She looked years older just then. "Can I call you Harry?" she asked before continuing.
"Yes," Harry said, sounding more like the question didn't make any sense to him right then.
"Harry," she said softly, "Draco's body isn't really meant to carry a child. It can be dangerous even for a woman. His body is fighting this. His hips are not made to carry the strain and this has a chance of permanently damaging those, his back and his internal organs. That was with one child. But Fertility Potions sometimes produce multiple births, like this one."
Harry's entire body trembled. "And you've known this from the beginning," he said.
Draco didn't look up. "Not about it being twins, no."
"That's not what I mean," Harry snapped suddenly, eyes burning as he turned them on Draco. "Permanent back damage? Permanent damage to your internal organs? Why didn't I know about this?"
Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "And what would you have done about it?" he snapped back.
Harry dropped his head into his hands, nails digging into his skin as he tried to take calming breaths and not lose it completely.
"I don't think Draco knew just how dangerous this was until he came to see me a few months ago," Sharpner said. "But more importantly, we need to talk about what to do now."
Draco laid his hands protectively on his belly. He raised his chin, and anyone who knew him would recognise that look of defiance.
When Harry lifted his head again to listen to the Healer there were little crescent shapes on his forehead.
Narcissa had fearful eyes on her son, her posture straight, showing just how nervous and frightened she was.
Sharpner sighed again. "The safest route would be to let me take them out now."
"You mean kill them," Draco said harshly.
The Healer nodded. "I am sorry, Draco, but an abortion is what I have to recommend. I believe it is the only safe course of action."
"Oh, God," Harry said, voice cracking badly.
Tears actually spilled from Narcissa's eyes, her body tighter than ever.
"I refuse, so what next?" Draco said, voice sounding oddly calm even to him.
Sharpner looked between Harry and Narcissa, apparently waiting to see if they would talk Draco out of this.
Harry didn't know what to do. He'd never felt so torn in his life. How could he let anyone take their babies' lives? How could he allow such a thing? But how could he let Draco risk his own life so seriously? He tried to talk, but his throat wasn't working.
"Draco," Narcissa choked out in a strange gasp. "Draco, you can't -" But she didn't seem able to go on.
"I know my rights. You can't make me end the pregnancy. So will you help me or do I go it alone?" Draco said to the Healer.
She actually looked upset then. "Draco, I never meant to imply that I wouldn't stand by your decision and help you. I ... I just want you to realise how badly this is likely to go."
"You've told me, now what is your alternative plan?" Draco insisted.
Harry's hands shook, and he felt ill, but he tried to hold himself together to at least hear what the Healer had to say.
"Then you need to do everything you can to rest and take the strain off your body," Sharpner said. "Go to bed, take the potions I prescribe. And I will come to you from now on. Then we wait and see."
"Wait and see how long I last before you have to take them, you mean?" Draco said, his tone harsh again.
"Yes," she admitted.
"How long until they will be able to live outside of me?" Draco asked.
"They might survive if taken in another month," she said.
"But the longer the better, right?" he insisted.
"Yes, that's true," she admitted.
Harry continued to shake and could hear Draco's mother sniffling. "A month?" he echoed. "They could survive if taken in a month?"
"Maybe," Draco said.
Sharpner took a deep breath and nodded. "Twins sometimes develop more slowly than singles," she admitted.
Harry rubbed hard at his forehead, taking deep breaths again. "And there's nothing you can do," he said. His voice cracked again.
"We can try to take care of him until he is ready to let me take them," she said. "I can tell you that a vaginal birth is out of the question at this point."
"Vaginal birth?" Narcissa repeated, voice thick with tears.
Draco winced and blushed furiously at that. He hadn't told her that female parts had remained.
"So you'll have to cut them out?" Harry asked. "Out of his belly?"
"Yes, that's what will have to happen regardless of when," Sharpner said. "In a normal pregnancy, a woman's hips actually separate to allow the child to pass through the birth canal. His won't be able to."
"What if I took the original potion?" Draco asked, trying not to look in his mother's direction.
"The amount of shifting you described sounds like it would put you at even greater risk," Sharpner answered.
"So it would be safer to cut them out," Harry said, gripping the arms of his chair.
"Harry," Sharpness said kindly, "I want you to understand. At this point, it is the only real option. The only question Draco and I disagree on is when.”
Harry took a large breath, nodding.
Draco was looking down at his belly again, petting the swell with his hands. "Twins," he said in wonder. "We will make it, I know we will."