Birthday Present

\'Not strange at all that he is always in trouble. How thick can you get not to realise when it is time to stop arguing? Not to understand when it\'s useless? Especially with someone who\'s much powerful than you are? Never really learns, does he?\'

Lucius couldn\'t keep himself from recalling his encounter with Harry, well-planned but still full of surprises.

\'It came out my way after all. As it should.\' he thought smugly heading towards the dining hall.

The Manor was perfectly empty just to Lucius\' liking (no servants were taken into consideration of course. They would never dare showing themselves in front of the master of the house uncalled for). And so the dining hall was rid of all its usual sounds but for that of a merrily cracking flames in an ancient fireplace. He was all alone at last in the end of this surprisingly exhausting day and needed time off to regain some strength for a soon-to-start \'Harry Potter preparation. Part 2\'.

Lucius Malfoy hadn\'t even hoped for such luck. Narcissa was of course insulted with his unexpected disappearance from the theatre.

\'I assume you thought it appopriate for me to be accompanied back home by my son, as though I had no husband to fulfil his duties? As long as you still are my spouse at least nominally I will expect you to try a bit harder than that in future. You could still remember some manners in public.\' (her voice would have showed more reproach if she only had dared to reproach him at all).

But being blessfully reserved and short-spoken by nature she left his side of the house at once and to their mutual pleasure. So it turned out to be that rare evening when Lucius didn\'t have to act husband spending time with his wife. They both had lives of their own and never spoke of their dislike of the situation for they had always managed to use it mutually effective. But there still was a necessity to behave \"appropriately\", especially in public or when Draco was home. Therefore school holidays were the time they both loathed because that was when both of them regretted living in the Manor. They had no idea that Draco in his turn hated sitting with his parents pretending to enjoy a family evening just as much as they did and excused his preferences of staying up and out at nights by those being of a typical teenager.

And tonight was not an exception for him. Draco having no objections whatsoever to be finally left alone after the cultural activities of the day had \"unexpectedly\" decided to spend the night out and was not expected to come home before the break of day. Narcissa took the opportunity and spent no more time with her husband that it was needed to express her discontent with his behavior (not that she really thought he cared).

And to every inhabitant of the house willing or unwilling (in this case) the evening turned out to be not so disastrous after all. Not that anyone bothered to ask Harry whether he was actually enjoying his present state and placement. Though it has to be said in Narcissa\'s and Draco\'s defence they were absolutely clueless about having a guest of honor in the house.

The only one who did know everything was having the time of his life. He had just had a dinner in the divine silence of the hall, not obliged to keep company at a \"family dinner\" and was back in his bedroom that bore no sign of Harry yet.

\'I hope he does not start protesting again. I do not feel like doing much more talking tonight\' Lucius could not help smirking every time he dwelt on the memories of the short but indeed entertaining conversation he and Harry had had.

\'Though now when he has no chance of escaping whatsoever, his obstinacy and unwillingness to accept obvious and unavoidable things could give me some laughs\' Lucius was too deep in thought to notice he was undressing in a way Muggles do but that was absolutely not typical for him (imagine Lucius Malfoy taking off his clothes himself and by hand!).

\'That one, he is really hilarious. Even more so that he is unspoilt. Draco will surely enjoy him.\' he thought entering the bathroom of black marble.


\'I hope he does \"persuade\" Harry to stay a while - I could do with some laughs in here. And if Draco fails (as usual), well I can always ask Potter to stay myself.\'
At this he chortled and spilt some of the wine.

\'I. Will ask. Harry Potter. To stay. In my manor.\'

He probably shoudn\'t have repeated it for the thought seemed to amuse him a lot - he started laughing so hard that the glass he was holding sed oed out of his fingers right into the water. Still chuckling he decided it was time to leave the bath.

\'Let\'s hope Narcissa will stay put and not hinder the entertainment for her own good. She has been always smart enough for that though.\' Lucius was now being wiped with towels and slightly massaged.

\'Draco\'s birthday may turn out not so boring with the present I have for him\'

He winked at his reflection dressed in a gown of silvery silk as he was leaving the darkening bathroom for the shimmering candlelit bedroom. He passed an immense bed in the shade of a velvet canopy on his left and proceeded to the centre of the room, conjured up a luxirious armchair and settled himself comfortably in front of Harry Potter who seemed to be sound asleep on the couch.

\'Well, at least now I know one of the reasons Draco is after him\' Lucius thought as his eyes travelled up and down Harry\'s naked body.

\'I am not doing this for myself though\'- there was a definite note of regret in his voice this time. \'I am just fulfilling my duty as a father\'

His stare became more intent, lingering on particular parts of Harry and then as if furious with himself Lucius sprang to his feet and probably thinking he wouldn\'t hear his own thoughts this way, started pacing gracefully to and fro in front of the couch.

\'I must find some clothes for him. He can\'t go to meet Draco like this\' he continued, though unwillingly aware that his son would find it just perfect this way. \'What should I put on him? I can actually take something out racoraco\'s cloak-room, my son might like seeing some of his favorites on him.\'

He paused for a while, looking at Harry with something obviously greedy in his expression. Then Lucius shook his head and went on.

\'No, we need something of warmer colors, bright but unobtrusive. Something festive... The less material, the better anyway\' he added in half a whisper.

\'Should I only tie him with a green bow then, perhaps? Oh, DAMN IT!\' Lucius stopped and with a flick of his wand a thick green blanket covered Harry all over, leaving only a lock of jet-black hair visible on the pillow.

\'I cannot think properly of how to dress him knowing that there is only one thing that will look good on him...\' his voice suddenly hoarse \'...me.\'

Lucius\' features became distorted with fury and he needed all his will-power to calm down, taking deep breaths. It was a little while before he could speak again. He went on walking along the couch with doubled force, seemingly trying to vent some of his anger in his pace.

\'He is just a birthday surprise for Draco. And if you, Lucius, stick to your plan this time tomorrow they will be enjoying each other\'s company and you will have one more peaceful evening with no one bothering you. All on your own. Alone...\'

Lucius turned his head to look at the bundle now forming a silhouette of a teenage boy, probably going on sixteen. There was a certain longing on Malfoy\'s face for a second wo bwo but then it became stern again.

\'I am going to pick up an appropriate garment now, enervate him, explain his \'responsibilities\' and finally get things ready by the time Draco comes back.\' His speech indeed sounded monotonous and drilling as if he was trying to get his lesson learnt.

\'Hopefully Harry is too weak now to fight and will listen to his common sense. He will definitely need to pick up some manners for the occasion and... where have I picked up a habit of talking to myself?? That is a serious breach in my pers... DAMN!\'

The bundle in front of him moaned making Lucius jump.

\'What the...???\' The blanket was stirring slightly. In the zeal of auto-suggestion Lucius had failed to notice that his wand, sideways and a little down all the time, had sent sparks in Harry\'s direction at the word \'enervate\' which was as perfectly loud and clear as all his \'inner\' speech. That had obviously led to something Lucius was readready for yet. Harry was not stunned any more.

Lucius waited for a few moments, alert, his wand out at Harry\'s figure but no more movements came from that direction. He swished his wand and the blanket vanished out of sight.

The spell had definitely worked but Harry still seemed unconscious. He was lying on his back, breathing unevenly and with a visible effort, eyes closed. He gave no sign of realising what was going on around him at all.

\'I hope I did not overreact there in the bathroom\' Lucius whispered scowling and coming closer. \'I could though, I was pretty pissed off.\' He was now watching Harry attentively, wearing a look of slight concern on his face. As if under his stare the boy stirred, his hair falling on his face now.

\'He is ok, he was just too hot under the blanket.\' Lucius ran his fingers across Harry\'s forehead, wiping away several drops of sweat from it.

\'Couple more minutes of fresh air will have their effect on you, dear.\'

Lucius gently stroked Harry\'s chest and frowned. It felt like he had to renounce his own present in Draco\'s favor. There was more pressure in his following stroke and Harry moved again, now turning on his side, his back on Lucius. His breathing seemed to even.

Malfoy\'s face relaxed and relieved he sat down on the very end of the couch. He stared for a moment in the dark corner of his bedroom and then, quite logically but unexpectedly for himself, lay down beside the boy, his hand round Harry\'s waist. Lucius\'s breath was coming in slight gasps, blowing Harry\'s hair to the skin on the neck.

\'I haven\'t promised you anything though, Draco.\' he muttered.

Lucius didn\'t realise that the boy beside him froze, breathing unnaturally still and couldn\'t see that Harry, his face to the back of the couch was already wide awake, his eyes fixed puzzlingly in front of him.

A/N: so tell me what you think! there\'s another chapter waiting for you.