To Love a Malfoy

Chapter 7

***Last Chapter:
Harry was sound asleep on his bed having a very nice dream involving himself, Lucius, chocolate covered strawberries and whipped cream. He didn’t notice the door opening and a dark figure quietly entering his room.***

As Harry slept soundly, the dark figure slowly approached the bed making sure not to make any noise that would wake him up. It stood silently looking down at him and then an arm reached out and a small hand with long slender fingers gently swept the hair off his forehead. Harry let out a small sigh of contentment and continued to sleep.

Hermione smiled down at her sleeping friend thinking how young and innocent he looked. She wondered what he was dreaming about hoping it was something nice and not like the nightmarish dreams he used to have about Voldemort. When she saw him smile and whimper, Hermione knew that Harry was enjoying whatever enchanted fantasy world he found himself in.

She pulled up a chair and sat down to read a book waiting until he woke up. Dobby apparated into the room to ask her if she needed anything to eat or drink and which she kindly declined. Before arriving at Hogwarts, Harry received permission from Severus to work with Dobby on making sure the wards on his rooms were properly set. Harry’s close friends had been granted access to his quarters and once their magical signatures had been enforced with the wards that had been placed on them they could come and go as they pleased to visit him.

“Wotcher, Mione.” whispered Harry with his eyes still closed.

“Hi, Harry.” smiled Hermione to her sleepy friend. “How did you know it was me”

“I could hear you turning the pages in your book and since Ron doesn‘t like to read books I knew it wasn‘t him,” responded Harry with a little smirk.

Harry opened his eyes and stretched like a kitten before sitting up on the side of his bed to face Hermione. “What’s up? Is everything ok at the Burrow?” he asked.

“Everyone is fine except that we are all worried about you. Especially Molly, and so after having an emergency family meeting decided that someone should drop by to check on you. I volunteered my services and here I am.” Hermione got up out of the chair and sat beside Harry on the bed.

“Mione, I’ve only been gone from the Burrow since this morning. Did you all really miss me that much?” grinned an impish Harry to his friend.

Hermione laughed and hugged Harry, “I know, we are being ridiculous, but it’s just that you mean so much to all of us. Molly told me to remind you not to forget your vitamins,
don’t overstress yourself and be sure to eat enough. I am also to tell you that if you need anything at all, you are to contact her immediately and if you don‘t, she will be very upset with you.”

They talked for the next couple of hours during which time Harry told her everything that had happened during his first day involving Lucius Malfoy and Jonathan Chambers. When he had finished his tale, she looked at him with bewilderment on her face. “Harry, you have to be more careful that Lucius doesn’t find out you are pregnant. I am afraid that if he does you might have a custody battle on your hands. I will have to speak with Luna about this Jonathan Chambers and see what she knows about him from Neville. When I find out anything, I will let you know. In the meantime, please try not to let yourself get into these awkward situations. I am afraid trouble always seems to find you and that one of these days you might not be so lucky. Please, Harry, just be sure to adhere to the side of caution and trust your instincts because next time you might not have a Knight in Shining Armor coming to rescue you.”

Hermione offered to help him go over his lesson plans once more and make any last minute preparations. After having dinner together in his room, she kissed and hugged Harry goodbye and then left. He then took a nice long warm bath and went to bed so he would be all rested for his first day of teaching.

*****************
Harry’s first week of classes was a complete success. Defense Against the Dark Arts was becoming the most popular class at Hogwarts, and all students who wanted to sign up for it had to put their names on a long waiting list. Severus was very pleased and owls were soon coming in to the school from parents demanding that their child be allowed to participate in Professor Potter’s class.

Harry had not seen Lucius since he had walked out of his room after fighting with Dobby over the vitamins and Jonathan Chambers seemed to have finally given up in his quest to stalk him. Everything seemed to be going well. Harry was happy and looking forward to finally having his own family but did not know that over the course of the next few months events would happen to change all that.

‘One Month Later’

It was Saturday and Harry was rushing to get ready for his appointment at St. Mungo’s. He would be meeting Hermione and Ron at the office and was getting anxious about what the ultrasound would show. His stomach was already protruding and he had already begun to wear the new robes that Madam Malkin had sent him that would keep his pregnancy hidden. The robes were charmed so that as his stomach grew bigger the robes would magically adjust to fit him and keep others from knowing he was pregnant.

I have to hurry up or I’ll be late, he thought, as he was running down the hallway towards Severus’ office to leave off a list of student names he had picked out for a specially created DADA class. After the overwhelming requests from both parents and students, it was decided that Harry would hold this additional course once a week. Due to the popularity of his regular classes being filled to capacity, this extra class was being held as a way to appease the ones who did not make it into them. Huffing and puffing, he finally made it and knocked on the door to the Headmaster’s office.

“Come on in Harry.” called out Severus who was expecting him.

Harry opened the door and went in walking over to where Severus was seated behind his desk. “Here is the list of the student names you wanted, Sir.” said Harry handing it to him. Harry had already told him that he had an appointment scheduled and would not be staying to visit. After telling Harry to have a nice weekend, Severus watched with a smile on his face as the younger Wizard ran back out the door.

As Harry was running back to his rooms so he could floo to St. Mungo’s, he had so much on his mind that he wasn’t paying attention to what was around him and didn’t see the other person walking around the corner ahead of him. Just when Harry reached the corner, he crashed right into a solid object. Strong hands reached out and grabbed him but the force of the collision caused them both to fall to the floor. Harry landed on his stomach with a grunt on top of a very firm and masculine object and found his face buried in the soft neck of the unknown individual.

Harry stayed still for a few moments trying to get his bearings, quite comfortable, taking in the unique scent of the cologne this person wore. His body fitted perfectly with whoever it was that was holding him, and he found himself being enveloped in strong arms that held him tightly pressed against the other’s body. Harry sighed and snuggled closer enjoying the feeling of safety it gave him.

What in the name of Merlin am I thinking? Harry thought and frantically started to push himself up to get off of them. He wasn’t having any luck and then heard a deep chuckle
rumbling in the chest beneath him.

“Let me help you up.” said the amused voice of Lucius Malfoy.

Oh, for crying out loud, why me? Of all the people to run into like this it just had to be Malfoy. I have to get going or I will miss my appointment. Ron and Mione must be wondering where I am. What am I going to do? Harry’s mind was thinking all this while he felt himself being lifted to his feet and steadied by strong hands.

“In a hurry, are we Professor Potter? Is there some kind of emergency going on that I should be made aware about?” inquired Lucius with his usual Malfoy tact in place.

Harry looked up at Lucius with a blush on his face trying to regain his composure and thinking of a plan to get out of this situation so he could get going. Oh well, he thought, I don’t have much time so here it goes.

“Mr. Malfoy, I am so very sorry. I didn’t see you coming around the corner and I apologize for knocking you over like that but I really do have to be going. Actually, yes, I am in kind of a hurry and don‘t want to be late so thanks for saving me again and goodbye.” Harry called out as he ran the rest of the way to his rooms leaving behind a very confused looking Malfoy who was wondering what the hell just happened.

'St. Mungo’s'

“HARRY!” called out Hermione as she and Ron rushed up to greet Harry who had just come running into the waiting room all out of breath.

“Harry, what happened, we were getting worried? I was just about to send Ron out to look for you.” Hermione hugged Harry checking him over carefully to be sure he was alright.

“Yea, Mate, we thought that Snape might have done something nasty to you.” laughed Ron with relief on seeing his friend standing in front of him.

“Ronald, really, Headmaster Snape wouldn’t do that.” scolded Hermione to her boyfriend.

Harry and Ron looked at each and smiled then each took Hermione by the arm and led her up to the Receptionist desk so Harry could check in.

“Harry James Potter” a pretty young nurse called out his name and he stood up and followed her to the examination room with Ron and Hermione right behind him. She handed him a gown and told him to undress from the waist down then to wait for Healer Jamison who would be in shortly.

“Oh, Harry, just think we will be able find out whether you are having a girl or boy and get to hear their little heart beat. Just think what a miraculous wonder this is and you are allowing us to be part of it. We can’t forget to ask for a picture of the scan so we can show Molly and Arthur.” Hermione would have gone on but Healer Jamison chose that moment to walk into the room.

Healer Jamison sat down and talked to Harry for a few minutes asking him various questions while taking notes on her clipboard. When she had finished, he had to stand on the scale so his weight could be taken and then she told him to get up on the examination table. Harry climbed up on it and put his feet in the stirrups as she instructed then he closed his eyes as she proceeded to give him a thorough examination. After finishing the exam, she stood up and walked over to a compact looking machine and pushed it up to the table.

Smiling at Harry she asked him, “Well, are you ready to find out the good news?”

Harry returned the smile and nodded his head saying, “I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment to arrive and so have my friends.”

Healer Jamison rubbed cool gel on Harry’s abdomen and then placed a palm held scan instrument in her hand to move over his belly. “While I am looking for the heartbeat be sure to watch the monitor very carefully.” She told the three of them while continuing with the scan.

The examination room grew quiet while the three of them listened and watched until a small beeping sound filled the room before it gathered strength and became loud beeping.

“Oh, Harry, look at that..” gestured Hermione pointing at the screen, “I can see the baby.” The three friends watched in awe as the picture became clearer to them on the monitor.

“Harry, I have detected a total of three heartbeats, so that means you are having triplets.” stated Healer Jamison, “If you continue watching the monitor, in a few minutes you should be able to make out all three images. Congratulations, it looks like you are having two boys and a girl.”

There was a thud as Ron fainted on the floor of the examination room. Ignoring him, Harry and Hermione kept their eyes glued on the monitor watching with excitement as three little images came into view.

After Harry got dressed, he was given further instructions and told to return in another month. Harry quickly went back into the waiting room to join his friends and they walked out together each holding a picture in their hand. They went to the lobby and flooed directly to the Burrow with the good news.

Molly was anxiously waiting in the kitchen with Arthur and when she heard Harry was having triplets she hugged and kissed him, crying with joy. “Oh, Harry, what wonderful news. We will have to get busy and start preparing a bedroom for them. There is so much work to do and we don’t have much time. Arthur, just think soon there will be babies at the Burrow and that means we will be having baby bottles to warm and diapers to change again. I can‘t wait it‘s too good to be true.” Arthur just hugged and kissed his happy wife.

Ron handed her one of the pictures and she took it from him looking at it with tears in her eyes. “Oh, they are so beautiful just look at them.” She took out her wand and waved it in the air placing the picture into a frame that she placed on the mantel over the fireplace.

While they were staying at the Burrow, Hermione told Harry she had a conversation with Luna regarding Jonathan Chambers. The only news she had to give Harry was that Chambers came from America and his family was considered to be just as powerful there as the Malfoys were in Britain.

Harry decided to stay at the Burrow until Sunday evening before returning to Hogwarts.

‘Malfoy Manor’

Lucius was pacing like a mad man back and forth in his study on Sunday morning thinking about the events of the last few months. There was something very strange going on with Potter and he was determined to find out exactly what it was. The most irritating things bothering him were; Potter’s fainting spell and the whole stupid episode with his own former house elf over a bottle of damned vitamins, and then just yesterday when Potter was running like a lunatic down the hallway knocking him over and giving some blasted excuse before taking off again.

He stopped his pacing and stood looking out the window overlooking the gardens thinking back to the previous day. With his brow furrowed deep in thought, he played back in his mind what had happened. Smirking, he remembered how nice it felt with Potter’s small lithe body lying so intimately on top of his own. Suddenly he frowned, wait a minute he thought, thinking back to that memory about a small mound he had felt that had been pushing against his own stomach. Since when did Potter start putting on weight and getting a belly?

‘Hogwarts’

Jonathan Chambers was sitting in his private rooms drinking a glass of brandy while thinking about Harry James Potter. Jon was a man used to having his own way and getting what he wanted no matter who stood in his way. He was a descendant from one of the most oldest and respected Wizarding families in America. Jon had a high esteem of himself along with plenty of money. He really didn’t need this position as Potions Master at Hogwarts, but when he had heard of the possibility that The Boy Who Lived might accept the offer from Snape for the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts, there was no way he would let an opportunity like this slip past his fingers. Jon had become fascinated with Harry long before he defeated Voldemort and had followed all the news reports about him. He had made the decision a long time ago, that one day Harry would be his.

As he sipped his drink, he began thinking of how he had screwed up with his initial conquest of Harry. It wouldn’t happen again, he thought, because next time I will make sure that Lucius Malfoy doesn’t get in my way. I don’t make the same mistake twice. Jon would get the green-eyed beauty alone and when he did then Harry would belong to him.

TBC