Surprise Mate

Chapter VIII:


Harry and Hermione had been working one the Nursery for a good hour and a half before Kara let her presence be known yet again. They cleaned up and headed back to the sitting room where a tray of sandwiches and pumpkin juice was waiting for them along with a wailing baby. Harry checked her diaper and found that she was still clean and dry, so he figured she was hungry. He took her and went to the kitchen to see if there was any milk for her but found none he was close to panicking when Hermione came into the kitchen.

“I was studying yesterday about parenthood for witches and wizards I know a spell you could use to produce milk, it will last till your body starts to do it naturally. When you had Kara your body should have produced some but since you didn’t have a chance with her you stopped.”

“I won't have boobs will I?”

Hermione laughed at him, “No, well kinda, you chest will swell slightly but no so much as it will be noticeable this spell is for wizards not witches.”

“Okay do it.” Harry said laying Kara down in a bassinet he had transfigured from a chair.

When Hermione was done with the spell Harry could feel his chest become tender as the skin was stretch when filled with the milk.

“You know this is slightly weird that there are spells for this kind of thing.” Harry said picking Kara up after he removed his shirt, he saw Hermione blush at his half nakedness but he didn’t care at the moment because Kara was still whaling at the top of her lungs.

“Please feed the baby before we go deaf.” said a familiar drawl from the kitchen entrance.

“Please invite yourselves in.” Harry said teasingly to Draco and Pansy who was behind him as Kara latched on to his now tender nipple, he slightly winced from the pressure but didn’t protest against it.

“Isn't she adorable.” Pansy said sitting next to Harry as he fed Kara. “When Draco told me that Kara was her all I could think about was all the cute little outfits we are going get her tomorrow.”

“Your coming?”

“Yes, we are all going under a disguise. I don’t think your friend Weasley is invited unless you want him there.” Draco said the last part bitterly.

“No not at the moment. We are on somewhat good terms but not to where we need to be for me to share that experience with him.” Harry said looking up from Kara to look at Draco. “I can't thank you enough for this Draco. You or your father. He amazes me I thought for sure I would have to wait until Christmas to see her.”

“So did I. But father is incredible with his knowledge of Wizarding Law. All the books in his study are law books and I am sure he has read everyone of them. So it wasn’t to hard for him to find the laws he needed, and I am pretty sure he still finding more laws that Dumbledore will try to invoke or the Diggorys. And for everyone that he finds he will look and locate loopholes or put up one hell of an argument that they will veto such laws. And he is also finding other laws that will work in your favor.”

“I am truly grateful to him.” Harry said as he placed a towel on his shoulder to burp Kara who decided she had enough to drink.

“He will be glad to hear that. My father found it an honor that he could help you.”

“The honor is all mine.” Harry said gently rocking Kara till she was asleep.

“Give her here Harry and I’ll put her in her room.” Hermione said her hand reaching out for Kara. Harry let her take her. “Come Pansy I’ll show what we have gotten done so far and we could probably use your opinion.”

“Why do you help me the way you do?” Harry asked Draco when the girls left the kitchen.

“What are you talking about?” Draco said looking away from Harry as if he was trying to assets the Kitchen see if it was worthy of his presences.

“I'm not blind nor dumb Draco. I know that it is more than you wanting to lose your greatest rival because if you haven’t noticed we are hardly rivals these days. So why do you always help me no matter what I do or get myself into you help me, why?”

“You are not ready for the real answer to that Harry.”

“How not? I tell you everything about me,” Draco raised an eyebrow at him “Well almost everything. And anything you push to find out from me I tell you. At first I thought it was just a friend helping a friend like Hermione does for me all the time. But we weren’t friends when you first started to help me. And to be honest with you, I know it took a lot of guts for you to go to your dad for help and it wasn’t even for yourself. I know you have told me that the two of you are close but I also know that you are not one to always ask for help you will be close to your last breath before you ask someone to save your life because of your damnable Malfoy pride. So are you helping me Draco?”

“Because I care for you Harry.” Draco said after they set in silence for five minutes. Harry didn’t think he was going to answer but neither of them were leaving this kitchen without an answer. “Besides Pansy you are my only true friend. Granger may get there one day but for right now it is the two of you. You actually care for my opinion not because you are intimidated by my family but because you actually listen to what I have to say. And if you don’t agree with my opinions than you will tell me. You also care about how I feel. I don’t have to wear a mask of indifference around you for fear that I might get hurt just as you don’t wear one around me. You are my friend Harry. And I’ll be the first to admit that I may care for you more than that. But we both have our reasons for not acting on that don't we?”

Harry breath caught in his throat. Draco cared for him more than a friend? If it wasn’t for the threat of Voldemort he would have hopped across the table and straight into the taller boys lap so he could have his way with him.

“Well maybe I should kill him a bit sooner so I can show you that I also care for you more than a friend should.” Harry said looking up at Draco through his eye lashes. He could see what this look was doing to his friend. Draco looked ready to pounce on him, but than the girls came back in the kitchen minus the sleeping Kara.

“Well what did we interpret in here?” Pansy asked a hint of amusement in her voice when Harry and Draco sat up straighter in their seats where they had been leaning across the table closer to each other.

“Nothing. I have to run to the dungeons to get ready for tonight.” Draco said getting up from his chair a bit to quickly causing his seat to almost topple over but his seeker reflexes caught it before it was even half way to the floor.

When the Slytherins were gone Hermione turned to Harry. “What did you do to Draco?”

“I just told him the truth.” Harry said shrugging is shoulders than he turned to Hermione with a serious look in his eyes. “I think he is hiding something from me 'Mione. I mean I don’t think it is anything life threatening but I know it is big. And I feel like once he tells me than everything will settle into place.”

“Than why don’t you ask him about it?” Hermione said taking a seat next to Harry. Harry has known her long enough to know that usually with this kind of thing she would be brimming with curiosity questioning as to how and why he was feeling the things he is feeling now. The way she was acting was as though she already found the missing piece of the puzzle.

“You know something! You and Pansy been talking and she has told you what it is Draco is keeping from me.”

“Interesting girl Pansy. Who would have thought that if we put all the animosity behind us we could become fast friends. She has a good heart-”

“Stop rambling 'Mione. What is Draco keeping from me? No no, what are all of you keeping from me?”

“Harry, it is not my place or Pansy's to tell you Draco's secret, he will tell you when he is ready.”

“But I have to spill my guts for him when he is ready that is just not fair.”

“We both know that you haven’t told Draco all your darkest secrets.” Hermione said to him her voice slightly cold causing him to flinch. “When you told him about Kara that wasn’t even half of the secrets you kept from us. I know things aren’t as good as you make them to be when you go to the Dursleys. Don't think I haven’t seen the signs Harry we all have but you won't open up about them, so all we can do is guess. I also know that there is more about those nightmares you have about Voldemort than you are telling me or even Draco. I also know that within yourself you are experiencing more than just pain from the lost of Cedric, more than guilt for nearly getting Sirius killed, more than anger for the things Dumbledore has allowed to happen to you. I see you when you get angry Harry. I see the way your power lashes out I also see the crazed look in your eyes when it does. You allow darkness to manifest within yourself Harry because you are to stubborn to rely on the people that are willing to give you a shoulder to lean on. Trust us enough to be there for you Harry. And maybe when you do that will Draco tell you his secret, when he is finally ready to trust you with it.” Hermione told him. Than she stood from her chair. “I have to head back to go get ready for dinner tonight and to grab clothes to sleep in and to change into for tomorrow. Just think on what I said Harry. I am not asking you to bare your soul to me. But I think Draco deserves it, he's been there for you when I wasn’t allowed to let him be there for you again. At least tell him enough so you won't have to carry a burden around on your shoulders anymore like the whole world is against you.”

Hermione left Harry to his thought as she left for Gryffindor Tower. Harry sat there for a good hour just thinking before he called a house elf and ordered dinner for him and his guest tonight. He was wondering if Draco's secret was worth him spilling all of his demons for the blond Adonis to see. He feared that once Draco knew his secrets than he wouldn’t want him anymore. But Draco hasnt left him once, even as enemies Draco was always a constant in his life. So maybe giving the blond another piece of him wouldn’t be so bad. He seriously hope it wasn’t. Though he wasn’t ready to tell him about every skeleton in his closet he was willing to spill some of heavy shit. He wondered what the blonds opinion of him would be then. Harry could only hope that it was enough to continue their friendship.