Harry Potter and Another Malfoy

Pairings: main Harry/Scorpius, mentions of Harry/Draco and Harry/Ron

Additional Warnings: mentions of mpreg, totally screwed-up canon, epilogue, kids, jobs and relationships and mean!Ron (cause someone has to be); Spoilers.

Thank you very much for reading and commenting and liking my story! In this chapter we are moving somewhat fastforward. Stay tuned for more!

Part 4

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Soon after Malfoy brought their relationship to a new level and once Harry was deemed good enough to perform his duty they settled into another kind of routine. It was never mentioned aloud and was naturally kept a secret, but, as any secret, it was bound to become known by the wrong person. The thought gave Harry nightmares. He didn’t think he could live that down if Albus found out just how deeply his relationship with Scorpius’s father went but, thankfully, Malfoy did not to arrange their meetings when the boys were around, and they were both spared an unlucky detection by their very curious offsprings. It was also a good thing that when Harry told Al about the divorce and the baby, he didn’t mention the bit about their financial situation, or now it would be very tricky to explain away the fact that while Harry’s vaults were virtually empty, they could keep up their normal lifestyle without finding anything wanting.

The Potters and the Malfoys spent so much time together that for several years little Allegra resided under the mistaken impression that Draco Malfoy was her other father and that Scorpius was her brother. The question that bothered her was why they didn’t live together. Once she could voice her thoughts in a semi-intelligible manner she said as much, which caused Harry and Scorpius, who were her main audience at the time, to go into a prolong state of hysterical laughter. Harry was glad that his daughter didn’t confide in Malfoy this particular piece of thought as it couldn’t be farther from the truth and there was no way of knowing how Malfoy would react. On the other hand, Scorpius was as good as her brother, doting on her ever since he set his eyes on her and showering her with love and presents at every turn. He also baby-sitted her with Al when Harry was away. But quite apart from enjoying the role of an older brother and a baby-sitter, Scorpius would not pass the chance to be rewarded by Harry’s smiles and words of thanks, which such occasions always merited. Such devotion to the Potter family naturally earned him a very special place within Harry’s heart, and Harry decided to do everything in his power to keep Scorpius from turning into his father.

Within a few years Harry’s and Scorpius’s relationship of mutual observation expanded to include conversations and even confessions, in Scorpius’s case, whose interest in Harry had now turned from admiration into adoration. Al was ecstatic that his dad and his best friend got on so well and he often indulged Scorpius’s curiosity as far as Harry was concerned. He knew that Scorpius found his dad a fascinating subject and that he had read every book on him in spare from school-work time. Al thought it was rather cute that Scorpius had such a soft spot for his dad and never teased him about it. Actually, he believed that his dad deserved to be the subject of fascination and adoration (and not only because he was the best dad ever, wizard or muggle) and it angered him that some parents taught their kids to disregard his services to the wizarding community just because he chose to become a stay home dad. Many duels were fought and many hours spent in detention before Al and Scorpius finally got their resentment across and earned the reputation of Hogwarts bullies along the way. Suffice it to say that Harry was none too happy about it but, it seemed, that there was no reasoning the two of them, when it came to defending Harry’s honour.

As Al’s and Scorpius’s friendship progressed, they continued to spend holidays together. Their parents had nothing against it. For one, it served Malfoy’s purpose of keeping Harry on a short leash just fine and, for another, Harry experienced a vindictive sort of pleasure every time Scorpius turned his back on Malfoy’s ways due to his influence. It was now a usual thing for the boys to stay for the winter holidays with the Malfoys and for the summer holidays with Harry and Allegra. Scorpius couldn’t be happier, because life at Grimmauld Place was as different from life at Malfoy Manor as it could be and every summer he, Harry and Al got to change the place any way they wanted. They repainted the walls, moved the furniture, redecorated the interior as well as the façade – and all that the muggle way. Scorpius cackled at the thought of what his father would do if he found out that he walked around with his shirt untucked (or no shirt at all), his hair sticking out as if never touched by a brush and his face and hands multicoloured, performing manual labour.

As a result, the house was completely unrecognisable from its previous grim and gloomy self and absolutely fantastic. It now had an addition of a small playground and a garden that Harry and Kreacher magicked in. And when not busy refurbishing the house, they spend days and sometimes nights (if the weather allowed) in the fresh air, tending the garden, planting and watering flowerbeds (Allegra’s favourite pastime), sleeping in hammocks, swapping stories and playing impromptu Quidditch games. Harry, who had no illusions that he would be spending the rest of his life doing something other than raising and taking care of his children, took his role of a single parent to heart and became a professional when it came to entertaining kids as well as untangling Al’s and, on occasions, Scorpius’s webs of questions, doubts and interests among other things.

When at an early stage of their acquaintance and unsure how to proceed with his best friend’s father, Scorpius asked Harry point-blank ‘You don’t like my father, do you?’ and Harry decided, under the piercing weight of his steel-grey eyes, to keep it as close to the truth as possible. He thought about how best to express his feelings on the matter, without giving too much of his bitterness away, and replied: ‘There was a point in time when I was ready to like him.’ he said, holding Scorpius’s gaze. ‘But, no, I don’t like him now and I don’t think I ever will.’

Scorpius nodded in understanding as if he knew that Harry had only too many reason to dislike his father and said: ‘But you let Al become friends with me even though you and my father used to be enemies at Hogwarts and from what I understand your opinion of him is pretty low.’ Harry smiled and held back an irresistible urge to ruffle his sleeked back hair. ‘I don’t believe in holding grudges against children whose parents we dislike. Actually, I know for sure that children are not their parents no matter how much you want to make them out to be. And as far as I know, your father did not forbid you to make friends with Al either.’

Harry was surprised when Scorpius rolled his eyes. ‘It’s easy enough to explain. He failed to be your friend when he had the chance. Now he wanted me to succeed. But I didn’t do it for him. I liked Al. He seemed like a nice kid and he didn’t feel the need to stare and finger-point at me. The same way that I didn’t feel the need to do the same in front of him or you. And you wouldn’t believe the idiots in our year.’ Scorpius shrugged with disdain. ‘We were meant to be friends. But I was afraid that you would be against it, because of my father, you know. I’m glad you weren’t.’ ‘I’m glad I weren’t either, Scorpius. It took me a while but I learnt to give people the benefit of my doubt.’ Harry smiled then and was pleasantly surprised when Scorpius smiled back. It wasn’t a smirk or an uncertain curve of his lips but a genuine smile and the first one that Harry saw on Scorpius and it made him instantly look less like a replica of his father.

When they reached a more confidential stage, Scorpius confessed that he wanted to have a brother or a sister but that his parents wouldn’t hear of it. ‘I’m not surprised, though. Malfoys never had more than one child. I’m sure that if they didn’t need an heir they wouldn’t even bother.’ he said. Harry, though secretly agreeing with Scorpius’s assumption, wasn’t sure that pointing it out was the best way to handle the situation. He was also busy trying not to laugh at the look of sheer Malfoyness on Scorpius’s face, along with the superiority of manners that must have been passed on along the Malfoy line like Harry’s Invisibility Cloak along his. It made him wonder if Scorpius would ever lose the Malfoy sneer and grow into his own personality.

After a short pause, Scorpius added that Al and Allegra were as good as his brother and sister and that he didn’t think he would care about another Malfoy spawn, anyway. Harry was pleased, shocked and unable to decide whether to thank Scorpius on behalf of his children or admonish him on behalf of his parents. However, the next moment, the look on Scorpius’s face decided for him and, without giving it a second thought, Harry gave him a hug that he would give to his own children if either looked just as angry and miserable. Scorpius gasped with surprise and clung onto Harry, hiding his suspiciously moist cheeks against his shoulder. This hug he cherished in his memory for years. Not that it was the last hug that he ever got from Harry, but it was definitely the first one.

When in his fifth year and thinking about his future career, Scorpius told Harry (because Harry refused to be called Mr. Potter) that his father would disown him if he found out what he wanted to do for a living. Harry was not a little alarmed when he heard it, because the look on Scorpius’s face suggested that it was something truly horrendous. ‘Scorpius, what exactly are you talking about?’ asked Harry, suspiciously, not liking the smile that appeared on the boy’s face.

In reality, it was nothing horrible, but Harry understood why Malfoy might have a problem excepting his son’s chosen career. It appeared that Scorpius was very fond of art and painting, mainly ever since he tried painting the walls of Grimmauld Place for the first time, and once out of Hogwarts he wanted to try himself as an artist in a small wizarding community near Paris. ‘I had no idea that you painted something other than walls and Al’s hair.’ said Harry incredulously. ‘Why didn’t you ever mention it? I mean, after I learnt all about your crushes and the rest – here Harry blushed and made a succession of waving motions with his hands – this is a rather timid confession.’

Scorpius laughed. ‘Well, I wouldn’t say that. I, for one, consider it a much more personal matter.’ ‘Why?’ asked Harry. Scorpius shrugged and gave him an enigmatic smile. Harry blinked. What was going on with the boy? Finally Scorpius deigned to reply. ‘I suppose because of the object that I’ve chosen to exercise my artistic skills on – a person who inspired me to start drawing in the first place.’ Harry frowned and looked closely at Scorpius, who raised his eyebrows as if to welcome Harry’s scrutiny. ‘It’s not Al, is it?’ asked Harry. Scorpius shook his head and leaned against the kitchen table.

It was another summer and while Al, Allegra and Kreacher were sorting out the garden, Harry and Scorpius were cooking dinner. ‘No, it’s not, Al.’ replied Scorpius and snorted. ‘Thankfully not, or I would have hard time trying to make him sit still for more than a minute. But you’re close.’ he added. ‘Allegra?’ asked Harry next. Scorpius shook his head again and gave Harry another lazy smile. Harry stared, the pan he was holding, frozen in his hand. It couldn’t be, could it? A slight shiver ran down his spine. His heart started beating faster. And for the first time in years he wondered if he was too friendly with Scorpius and whether their close relationship gave way to feelings on Scorpius’s part that had no place in it.

‘What sort of drawings?’ asked Harry at last, his throat dry. ‘Sketches mostly.’ replied Scorpius, taking the pan from Harry’s unmoving hand and putting it on the stove. ‘I’d like to do more but I need your cooperation. If you don’t mind, of course.’ He smiled at Harry. ‘It’s just that I can’t sneak around, catching glimpses of you here and there forever, you know. I’d like you to sit for me.’ At that Harry started casting spells around the kitchen almost at random and didn’t reply. He didn’t know what to reply. He was hot in the face and he knew that the heat from the stove had nothing to do with it.

His head was buzzing and his hands were shaking and Scorpius was still there, watching him, waiting for his reply. It was the first time in the history of their relationship that Harry felt uncomfortable being in the same room with Scorpius. Scorpius, on the other hand, didn’t seem to mind. Taking a breath, Harry willed himself to relax and to address him again. ‘Will you show me those sketches before I decide?’ he asked, barely meeting his eyes. Frankly, he was afraid of what he could find there. Scorpius agreed and went upstairs to get the ones that he was working on at the moment.

It wasn’t as bad as Harry thought it would be. Granted, he was shocked to find himself on every one of them, but the sketches were just that – sketches of Harry sitting, standing, walking; there were a few where he was reading to Allegra or playing low-key Quidditch game with Albus with variations on style and technique; sometimes it was his just face. The sketches were fantastic. Their number was staggering. Harry said as much to Scorpius. He also said that he would not stand in the way of such talent and agreed to sit for him. In the back of his mind, the alarm bells started ringing and Harry wondered if it wasn’t better to establish certain boundaries between them now, until they didn’t disappear completely. But besides Scorpius’s love for art and his fixation with Harry as the object of said art, nothing else seemed to be out of ordinary. And as in the next few years nothing else happened to alarm Harry further to any inappropriateness of their relationship, he let it go. When Scorpius finished Hogwarts he left for Paris, his father’s objections and threats notwithstanding, and Harry would only occasionally get news from him along with hellos, hugs and kisses that his owls to Al brought.

Then, one day he was back in England and, all of a sudden, Harry’s life got very complicated.

TBC…