The Contract

Chapter Fifty – Home and Promises Kept.





Ron, Harry and Hermione spent time together talking about the discoveries and what had happened while Harry was asleep. It had been so hard for Draco, Ron had told Harry, and Ron welcomed them both into the family.



Hermione cried when she first let the realization of Harry being awake hit her. Just after Harry had left Draco asleep, she had stopped in to check on them. Gasping, she realized that Draco had given birth, ran to the door of the private room as Draco was being moved in, and passed him. Seeing Harry, she had flung herself into his arms, fell back against the bed crying. He was still so weak, he could not throw her off until finally, Remus pulled her off of him. Embarrassed at her reaction, she apologized. Remus helped to steady the young man as Severus finished moving Draco into the room.



Sirius had followed Severus as he was moving his godson. After they finally got Hermione out of the room, as she had to tell Ron and Ginny about the births and Harry being awake, Sirius turned to Severus. “So, it looks like we are going to share grand-god children.”



His tone was casual but Severus snorted. “Black, I may have to share Remus with you. I may have to share Draco’s boyfriend with you. There will even be evenings where I am forced to sit at the same table with you; but no where does it say I have to share my god-son’s children with you.” He crossed his arms and waited for the friendly jibe to be returned.



“Tell you what, Snape.” He offered a compromise, “You continue to make my best friend happy, continue to protect Harry and Draco AND the babies the way you have in the past few months, and I will be…” his voice faltered for a moment, “honored to call you friend.” He offered a hand to shake.



Snape was, to say the least, surprised. He also weighed the possibilities of how thrilled Remus would be if he could make some type of peace with Sirius Black. After all, the rewards from a happy lover were much better than an irritated one. Flashing a smile, he agreed. “I’ll always protect those I care about. I don’t know that I will call you friend, but I would be content with friendly overtures rather than the usual nonsense we seem to bring to the table.”



Harry gave them both a lopsided grin just before he sat gently on the bed and looked down at his exhausted lover. The older men gave him a few moments before speaking. Sirius was the first to ask, “How are you feeling Harry?”



“Better since Hermione got off of me. That kind of hurt being tackled that way. I’m really tired, even after the potions you gave me, sir.” He told them, directing the last statement at Severus.



“Your body will adjust quickly from the coma. I will see about making a stronger restorative potion for you when the immediate crisis ends.”



Molly, Narcissa, Remus, and the Healer returned to the adult bedroom from the babies room. With a kiss, hug and suggestion that he rest while he had the chance, the adults in his life left.



Harry held Draco for a bit before Severus returned with a vial. “This one is for you. You should start to feel better in a few hours. I gave Draco a standard after-birth potion that is generally used. He should be normal, if a bit tired, when he wakes.”



Sirius looked at him for a minute, “That was very considerate of you Severus.”



“Thank you…Sirius.” Answered Severus as though he were testing out the feel of the name on his tongue. “Now if you will excuse me, I must go check on Remus.”



Sirius looked to Harry, “Get some rest. We’ll all be back in a bit to check on you.” With a final nod, he left the room as well.



Harry snuggled next to Draco for a bit longer until he was too curious to see the babies. With a soft kiss on his brow, Harry left the bed to see the children.







Remus and Severus spent long hours with them as well. In the two days since Harry had woken up, the people in his life that had mattered most had all spent time with him and his real family and all promised to help when they were released.





Sirius was thrilled, also, when they asked if they could live at Grimmauld for a bit until they decided what to do. Sirius refused to even consider them moving away from the homestead and said he would purchase a home close by instead. He felt about Grimmauld Place almost the same way Harry felt about the Manor.



Since Remus was moving to GP be with Harry and Draco, Severus was using this as his excuse to leave teaching and pursue his research, as he wanted to stay with Remus. As soon as the decision to move was made, Draco and Harry offered him the use of the extensive Potion’s laboratory. Smiling broadly all the time, Severus agreed, almost before they completed their offer.







The babies and daddies were released to leave the hospital wing two days later with a clean bill of health for all six of them.



They could buy any property in the world, but for now, they just desired a home for their family and to take the time to get to know one another the way they should have before they had children.





Draco and Harry set an appointment to meet with a solicitor for the formal adoption of Albus. Since Draco had already decided that they would be adopting Albus, Harry readily agreed. Not so much to keep Draco happy, but in the few short days since he woke, he found the baby to be a natural part of his family. Draco was right when he said that there was no one else to take him. He would be a powerful wizard in his own right. The only time he doubted his ability to be a father to four children at once was squashed quickly by the Mistress who let him know that he would be fine.



The Ministry had issued them a Portkey for transport, and Molly and Narcissa, along with Sirius and Remus, met them at the front door. Each man holding two babies politely refused when the others asked to carry them up. As they turned to go up the staircase, there were four goblins on guard.



“Draco?” The blonde looked up at Harry. “I meant to ask you earlier. What’s with all the goblins?”



“They are protecting the future of our world, Harry. It’s a long story, but the gist is that between your heritage and mine, we will have custody of, or have given birth to, the first four children that encompass all of the founders’ qualities. Power included, we assume.”



“Are you sure?”



“Harry, I love you, but yes I am certain. What do you think I did all day while you played Sleeping Beauty?” He didn’t wait for a reply. “I did research. The Ministry sent me tons of parchment on your history, plus what Gringotts supplied when the vaults were revealed. You are the first person who can trace his lineage back to all four founders. I am a pure blood, so my history goes back to Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, but nothing like yours.”



Harry gaped at him. “Are you sure?”



“Do not ask me that again, Harry. If I were not sure, I would not have said it. The goblins are protecting the children. Get used to it. I’ve been dealing with it for months.”



“Okay. But they can’t… go in the nursery with them.”



A gruff little voice sounded from near Harry’s knee. “We will go where we are needed. When we are needed. Those children are going to grow up. We will be the ones to be sure you don’t make a mistake.”



Rolling his eyes, Harry looked down. “I’m a seventeen-year old student, fully trained slave, one of the most powerful beings on earth, in love with a Malfoy, who has never known the love of a parent, and you are telling me that I can’t make a mistake?”



“Correct.” Was the reply.



He was muttering as he turned and followed a laughing Draco up the stairs. “…only known one set of parents…Weasleys will be here…be just fine… all young parents make mistakes…four children and no mistakes? Stupid goblin…”



Draco smiled stupidly as he carried Bevan and Albus up the stairs.



After a nap for everyone, as Harry was still a bit tired from the healing process and Draco from the birth, Harry asked if the four adults and several goblins would take care of the babies for the afternoon while Harry and Draco shopped for nursery furniture.



The trip to Diagon Alley was met with unrestrained glee by the press and photographers, each vying for a statement. They had found themselves backed up the steps of the bank; finally up to the highest one, Draco stood still. Harry stood on the step in front of him, almost daring anyone to come any closer. The doors opened and twelve fully armed goblins emerged and formed a semi-circle in front of the two men. A hush fell over the crowd.



At this point, after losing his temper, Harry turned and opened his mouth to berate the crowd for some space. Draco touched his arm gently. Clearing his throat, Draco said clearly and concisely, “Please everyone. Listen to me for a moment." The audience held its collective breath when he cleared he spoke. Everyone wanted to know what had happened after the duel.



“Thank you. I realize that you are all interested in the fact that we are here. However, if you will allow us to simply do our shopping and leave, we would appreciate it.” The reporters and well wishers began shouting their objections and questions at the pair. Harry crossed his arms. The goblins’ stance became one of irritation at the stupid humans.



“We have only recently left the hospital wing and need to do some shopping. I cannot and will not spend what little time we have at a press conference. If you will take a few pictures and allow us to go on our way, then we will give interviews later. You can send an owl to Mr. Lovegood or Rita Skeeter. They will set the times and locations. All requests must go through them. Thank you.”



Turning, Harry smirked at Draco. The crowd didn’t disperse quite fast enough for Harry, however. He finally put his hands in front of him and opened them wide. The crowd parted for the goblins, who were in the lead, followed by Harry, then Draco, then more goblins. The crowd returned to a normal group after they passed.



Harry put a shield up behind them, knowing that the goblins would actually hurt anyone who came closer but it would give them some semblance of privacy. Holding Draco’s hand for the first time in public, the two men walked down the street to the furniture store. “So...that went well, Draco.”



He laughed. “I didn’t want a repeat of your last press conference, so I decided that I needed to handle it myself. I am glad you stood in front of me though.”



“I am too.” Smiling, he reached over and gently kissed Draco on the cheek, just before he opened the door to the store. As they shopped, it occurred to Harry what else Draco had said, “Draco, why Mr. Lovegood and Rita to filter those requests?”



With a smile, he admitted that he had not asked if they were willing to do the job, but they had done so well when Molly gave them the story, that he believed that they would do well in this capacity as well. He also said something about giving them the first interview as compensation.



While most people would outfit a nursery in simple style, Harry was not ‘most people’. Later, when anyone would ask, he always blamed Draco, but the truth was that, since Harry was a little boy, he had wanted children. He wanted a home and love. Now that he had those things he would lavish, what he believed to be, his small fortune and spare no expense.



Linens in four colors were purchased. He chose the boys one each from a color from the blue spectrum and the girls one each from the pink areas. Draco objected point blank, at these choices. In the end, there were four sets purchased: red, blue, green, and yellow. Few pastels were chosen, but each in the same color spectrum. Clothing, linens, bath sets, toys and anything else that struck his fancy was purchased. Money was no object, even by Harry’s small inheritance standing. And he knew that if he spent everything he had in his vault, that Draco had inherited the Malfoy fortune.



The furniture, from cradles to cribs, changing tables to rocking chairs, were purchased and sent to their home. The goblins even escorted them to a toy store, where Harry simply purchased four of everything he thought would be fun. Draco knew that there were rooms of gifts waiting their perusal, but the delight on Harry’s face was something that Draco found he did not want to see evaporate.



Finally, when Draco’s chest ached and small, wet smudges were on his silk shirt, threatening to show on his robes, he asked that the trip end. He smiled when Harry picked him up and spun him around, as he thanked the blonde for indulging his fantasies, just before putting him down and kissing him soundly. They heard photographers snapping pictures and a crowd shuffling around them.



When they broke and looked to the cameras, their smiles lit the rooms. No interview was necessary for the world to know that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were not just an item; they were head over heels in love with one another.



Returning to Grimmauld Place, rapidly becoming known as GP, the men arranged the bedrooms, one for Albus and David and one for Bevan and Cadhia. Of course, it took all of fifteen minutes for the wall to vanish between the two rooms and for there to be one large nursery. Giving up, the men moved the cribs closer to one another. When the babies could reach out their magic and each feel the others', the air settled and they all four fell into their first night’s sleep in their new home.







It was also their first night in their room at GP. Draco and Harry were lying in bed, both nervous and excited to be there, finally, without argument, without a belly between them, without a collar, or responsibilities to anyone else, and without anyone wanting to cause them harm. Harry rose to one elbow. “Draco?”



The blonde looked into the green eyes. “Yes?”



Harry gently moved stray hair from his forehead. “Do you remember the last time we were in this room?” Draco nodded. “I believe I made you a promise to worship your body and give you the blow of a lifetime until you wanted to leave the room again.”



“I remember, love,” Draco said, his voice just a bit sultry.



Touching the enlarged breasts that still fascinated him, Draco groaned. Harry whispered, “Can I?”



“Yes, but until we are given birth control potions, you will not be back inside of me.” He said firmly.



With a smile, Harry kissed Draco. Slowly, firmly, until his own hardness ached against Draco’s thigh. Kissing down the pale neck, Harry only touched the swollen breasts before continuing downward to the leaking erection. Without teasing, without even so much as a taste of the liquid at the tip, Harry swallowed Draco to the root.



Draco arched into that mouth, his hands finding purchase in Harry’s dark hair. It didn’t take long for Draco to release himself into the throat of his lover. Panting, he looked down.



Harry’s pink tongue darted out from his mouth, tasting the last of Draco’s seed before meeting the gaze of the other man. With a smile, he took one last lick and moved with the grace of a cat back to claim the mouth of the other man. Harry rutted against Draco’s thigh, completing his own release moments later.



They slept for a few hours before Bevan woke, demanding to be fed.