Chapter 21 Ice-Cream and Rockets
After lunch Draco decided he wanted to check out Quality Quidditch Supplies, and Harry couldn't think of anything else to do so tagged along. Lucius was busy all day working on his various businesses and would probably fall asleep as soon as he got back to Grimmauld Place. Harry didn't mind; as long as Lucius was with him, he- and by extension their yet-to-be-named son- was happy.
A bell tinkled overhead as they walked in and Draco immediately went to the display window, ogling the model of the Firebolt II, the new broom that was being brought out early next year. Harry's own Firebolt was still in perfect working order so he didn't bother going to take a look. No doubt Draco would buy one as soon as it came out, but Harry was still happy with his own.
Instead he headed further into the store, looking at the clothing wrack that had been erected to his left. The wizard behind the counter was eyeing him over the top of his magazine but made no move to approach, so Harry was left to browse in peace.
He found t-shirts, hats, and various other items of clothing in Quidditch team colours, as well as toy brooms and even a few figurines of favourite players. He snorted when he remembered Ron buying a toy of Viktor Krum, only to later hate the guy because he'd shown an interest in Hermione.
A pang of hurt tore through his chest at the thought of his former best friend. He knew he shouldn't still be surprised that Ron had turned his back on him, but it still hurt. After all they'd been through, Ron had just decided to hate Harry. Or had he always hated him? He'd been jealous ever since they met, had even started hating Harry in fourth year over something as stupid as the Triwizard Tournament.
Harry shook his head and headed for the posters hanging by the childrens' brooms (he was so buying a broom for his son as soon as he could ride one). He should have realised back then that Ron was a backstabbing prat. Anyone who got that insanely jealous over something so petty wasn't a good friend to begin with.
Harry would never forget all the help Ron had been, from the Philosopher's stone to the horcrux hunt, but there were just as many bad actions as there were good ones. Harry had tried to apologise, had even given Ron months to get over it, and he hadn't. It was out of Harry's hands and the green-eyed teen couldn't be bothered trying any more.
Harry hadn't realised he'd been staring at a poster of the National English Quidditch team for a good few minutes until Draco nudged his shoulder. Blinking, he turned to look at Draco, who had his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
'You okay?'
'Just thinking about Ron,' Harry said honestly.
Draco's frown deepened. 'Why?'
'The Quidditch toys just reminded me of the Quidditch World Cup,' Harry explained. 'Ron bought a Krum toy, 'cause of how much he loved Krum, only later to hate the guy because he liked Hermione.'
'I knew there was something between them,' Draco grinned. 'I read it in The Daily Prophet.'
Harry groaned, remembering what else Rita Skeeter had published. 'Gods, don't remind me.'
'Granger really broke your heart, didn't she?' Draco snickered.
'Shut up, Malfoy,' Harry grunted and moved on to the broom-cleaning kits.
'You can tell me,' Draco said, following him. 'I know how a broken heart can affect people.'
'I swear if I wasn't pregnant...' Harry threatened, trailing off when a flash of red-hair from the doorway caught his eyes.
'You know you love me,' Draco said. 'Harry?' he asked when the younger teen failed to answer him. He turned to see what Harry was staring at-
'Harry!'
The red-headed blurs rushed across the shop and engulfed Harry in twin hugs, being mindful of his swollen stomach while squeezing the life out of his top half. It was only when they pulled back that Draco realised it was the Weasley twins.
'Harry, my dear boy,' Fred exclaimed- it was Fred, he had two ears, and Draco remembered Tonks talking about it one night when he'd been over for dinner.
'You're looking absolutely ravishing,' George said as he eyed the rather large black shirt Harry had pulled on, as well as the baggy denim jeans.
'Scrumptious, even,' Fred added.
'Delicious,' his twin grinned.
'Mouth-watering.'
'Waffling-'
'I get it,' Harry interrupted before frowning. 'What does "waffling" mean?'
'No idea,' George admitted.
'He made it up,' Fred nodded.
'I think I did,' George hummed. 'Though now I feel like waffles.'
'Ooh, waffles,' his twin smiled. 'With syrup.'
'And strawberries.'
'And blueberries!'
'And-'
'Stop, you're making me hungry,' Harry complained.
'We just had lunch,' Draco reminded him.
Harry turned a scowl on the taller boy. 'I'm pregnant, Draco Malfoy, and if I say I'm hungry, I'm bloody well hungry!'
Draco held up his hands in a sign of surrender while the twins looked between them.
'Well...' George began.
'We've got a little Hungarian Horntail on our hands,' Fred took over.
'I like it,' the younger twin beamed.
'Harry all feisty is gorgeous,' his brother nodded.
George's grin widened. 'Absolutely waffling!'
'Stop saying that,' Harry grunted and headed for the door. 'Now I need ice-cream.'
'I thought you wanted waffles?' Draco asked as he followed.
'No, we want waffles,' George said.
'Do keep up, Little Lucius,' Fred added as he held the door open for Harry.
They all exited the shop and Draco asked, 'Why does everyone keep calling me that?'
'Who's calling you that?' Fred asked.
'Everyone,' Harry told him.
'It's 'cause you look like a mini version of your father,' George explained. 'And here I thought you were smart, Little Lucius.'
'Shut up!' Draco snapped. The red-heads snickered. 'God, why are you friends with them?' Draco demanded.
''Cause they're cool and have always stuck by me,' Harry answered immediately.
The Slytherin grumbled under his breath but didn't say anything. He was glad some of Harry's old family were still talking to him. He knew that, apart from the twins, only Hermione and Percy and Bill Weasley were on Harry's side. Draco was used to people using him for his name or wealth or connections, and Harry was too. Only usually it was strangers, or people he barely knew, not supposed-family.
'Anyway,' Fred said as he and George led the way to Florence Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. Apparently Harry was serious about getting his ice-cream. 'How have you been, little brother?' he asked his fellow Gryffindor. 'We haven't heard much since your last letter.'
'Well, I'm still pregnant,' Harry said and rubbed his stomach. 'Lucius is amazing, as usual. Draco and I are getting along, Sirius has calmed down a bit- though he's still being a bit of a bastard. And Hermione's visiting soon. Other than that, not much.'
'How are your studies going?' George asked.
Harry stared at him.
'What?' George huffed. 'Just 'cause me and Freddie didn't finish school doesn't mean we don't want others not to.'
'They're going well,' Harry nodded. 'Severus delivers my homework, and he and Remus help me through it. Sirius, too. He's really good at Charms.'
'We were too,' Fred admitted. 'A lot of pranks involve skilled wand-work, so of course Charms comes in handy.'
'Lucius is a big help with Transfiguration and DADA,' Harry continued. 'The man knows everything.'
'He never helps me with my homework,' Draco pouted.
'Maybe he loves me more,' Harry grinned cheekily.
Draco rolled his eyes and yelped when an arm wrapped around his neck.
'Not to worry, little dragon,' Fred announced. 'Just give me and ol' Georgie a holler if you need help with your homework.'
'Or pranking someone,' George added.
'That too,' Fred nodded seriously.
'Eh...' Draco carefully slipped Fred's arm off his shoulder. 'No thanks,' he said. He didn't know why the twins were being so easy with him. That last time they'd met they'd been on opposite sides during the war... well, sort of, because by the time the Hogwarts battle rolled around, Draco was firmly on the "run awayas fast as I fucking can" side.
Still, he was thankful. Fred and George had always had an easy manner about them, at least that's what Draco had gathered from seeing them at Hogwarts, and from what Harry and his family had said when speaking about them. They could do anything as long as they didn't start hexing him-
'HEY!' he shouted and leapt away from Fred. Okay, they could do anything but hex him and slap him on the arse!
'Calm down, blondie, you're too tense,' Fred said.
'Yeah, why don't you try one of our new Relax Boxes?' George asked.
Draco eyed him suspiciously while Harry asked, 'What's a Relax Box?'
'Well, our Snivelling Snack Boxes have been a huge hit,' George explained as they finally reached the ice-cream parlour, 'so we've decided to branch out into others; relaxation, amateur pranking kits, sex kits-'
'Sex kits?' Harry interrupted. 'Please tell me you're joking.'
'Hey, everybody's having it,' Fred said.
'So why not cash in?' George asked.
'We're gonna make an adult section in the shop-'
'- and draw an age-line so kiddies can't get in.'
'Then we'll sell magic vibrators,' Fred grinned.
'We learned all about those on the Muggle internet,' George smirked.
'And I tested a few,' Fred said as he strolled into the store, not bothering to keep his voice down. 'I love when they vibrate against my-'
'Okay, too much information!' George, thankfully, interrupted.
Fred pouted at his twin. 'But Georgie-'
'By the gods I love you, brother, but I really don't need to hear it,' George said firmly.
Fred sighed and turned to Harry. 'You wanna hear it?'
Harry's face turned red and Draco snickered. 'I'd take that as a no,' the blonde said.
Fred pouted. 'I need more gay friends,' he announced just as Florence Fortescue himself appeared.
'My nephew's gay,' he said, like people announced they needed more queer friends on a daily basis.
Fred grinned broadly. 'Is he cute?'
'I really don't know,' Fortescue shrugged. His eyes then found Harry and he grinned broadly. 'Harry Potter, how are you?'
'Fine, thank you, Mr Fortescue,' Harry replied.
'None of that; call me Florence,' the man ordered. Harry just nodded. 'What can I do for you?'
'Can I get cool peppermint, cookies and cream swirl, banana bang, chocolate waterfall, raspberry surprise, and cashew-almond explosion in a waffle bowl?' Harry asked.
'Little guy must be hungry,' Fortescue chuckled and went about making Harry's ice-cream- using the largest waffle bowl Draco had ever seen in his life.
'He really likes ice-cream,' Harry blushed and rubbed his stomach.
'My wife was the same but with pears,' Fortescue said as one of his employees came out of the back to ask the other three if they wanted anything. 'I was constantly rushing about buying bags of the things.'
Harry smiled as he grabbed a few coins from his pocket.
Draco ordered a vanilla cone- "That's just boring, Little Lucius!" "Shut up, Weasley!"- while Fred got mint and chocolate, and George chocolate-chip. When they paid- well they tried to pay, but Fortescue wouldn't let them- the four went outside to sit at one of the tables so Harry wouldn't have to walk too far.
'What were we talking about?' George asked.
'Gay men,' Fred said immediately.
'We were not,' his twin scowled. Fred just grinned widely.
'Harry's studies, I think,' Draco said. He really didn't want to hear about Fred's sex life- or lack thereof- either.
'Right,' George nodded. He turned to Harry. 'And how's that going?'
'Fine, like I said,' Harry mumbled through a mouthful. He found his ice-cream a lot more interesting than his three friends.
'Okay... we've lost him,' George hummed, the three older men watching Harry shove another large spoonful into his mouth. He turned to Draco instead. 'And what of you, Little Lucius?'
Draco groaned. 'You'll never stop, will you?'
'No,' Fred said and George shook his head.
'So I should just get used to it?' Draco asked.
'Yes,' George said, Fred nodding vigorously.
Resigning himself, Draco said, 'My studies are going well. I'm tutored at home, much like Harry is. My father and Severus both help me with my studies, and sometimes Professor Flitwick comes over to help.'
'What do you want to do when you graduate?' Fred asked, looking genuinely interested.
Draco blinked. Nobody had ever really asked him that. His father and Severus, yes, but no one else. Blaise assumed he'd be taking over the Malfoy Empire, as had most of his friends and associates.
'Oh, ah, a Potions Master,' Draco said. 'Maybe teach it at Hogwarts, or privately.'
'I think privately's a good idea,' Harry chimed in, half his waffle bowl gone. Draco blinked at it rapidly. Where the hell did Harry put it? 'I think a lot of students would benefit from having a private tutor who takes the time to go at their pace. I know I would have done a lot better in Potions if Severus had stopped for a minute to explain things properly.'
'Yeah, he's a bit of a bastard,' Draco agreed. 'You should hear him; "Draco, clean this; Draco, make sure that's cut properly; Draco, stop day dreaming".'
'I thought you were his favourite?' Harry asked.
'Well, yeah, 'cause I'm a Slytherin and his godson,' Draco nodded. 'But that doesn't stop him badgering me when we're alone.'
'Poor dragon,' Fred swooned dramatically.
'We'll save you!' George announced.
'You're giving me a headache,' Draco groaned.
Harry giggled into his ice-cream. 'You get used to it.'
'That's what I'm afraid of,' Draco mumbled as he watched Fred and George fight each other over who was going to save Draco better. Spending time with Gryffindors, what next?
Maybe you'll prove Harry and Father right and turn out gay, a small voice decided to chime in.
Draco winced and pushed that thought aside. He was in no way against any type of sexuality- Blaise was very flexible when it came to sex, and Theo had been openly gay since second year- but Draco wasn't.
He really, really wasn't.
The wizard doth protest too much, that same voice, which now sounded like Harry, giggled in his ear.
'I'm going insane,' Draco announced.
Harry blinked at him, while Fred said, 'Awesome.'
'You can join us,' George grinned.
'Join us!' Fred echoed loudly.
'JOIN US!' George hollered.
'Join them so they'll shut up,' Harry said. He licked his spoon. 'And can someone get me more ice-cream?'
He gave all three his big, sad green eyes, lower lip quivering, and Fred immediately bounced up, disappearing inside.
'You're using your wiles against my brother,' George stated, looking at Harry sideways. 'I like it.'
Harry grinned and tipped an imaginary hat. 'You taught me well, Sir George.'
'The student has become the master,' George said and stood to get down on one knee. He grabbed Harry's hand and said, 'Please, Sir Harry, make sure you teach the future generation how to use the pigmy puff eyes to get what they want.'
Harry put a hand over his mouth, fighting back a giggle. He hadn't had this much fun in ages. He had to spend more time with the twins. 'I promise,' he said, very seriously.
Seconds later they both burst into laughter and Draco watched them bemusedly.
I've really gone insane if I find this fun, Draco thought to himself. But as he watched Harry and George continue to laugh and talk about their evil plans for Harry's son, the blonde found that he couldn't care less. He was finally happy.
Fred came back with Harry's ice-cream and paused when he saw his two brothers laughing. 'Do I want to know?' he asked warily.
'No, not really,' Draco shook his head.
Fred just nodded, put Harry's ice-cream in front of him, and sat. Draco pulled out his cigarettes and offered them around. Harry said no, of course, as did George, but Fred took one. Draco realised he really didn't know that much about either twin, and figured he and Harry were going to be spending a lot of time together in the future; he should get to know more of Harry's family.
'So, tell me more about the Relax Boxes,' Draco said.
Fred blinked rapidly as he looked at him before a grin spread across his face. 'Well, the first treat's called a Numby Gummy, and basically as you chew it your whole body goes numb, relaxing you. Discovered that by accidentally feeding an experiment to Ron.'
Draco raised an eyebrow. 'Accidentally?' he echoed, looking sceptical.
Fred looked around carefully before indicating for Draco to lean closer. When he did the red-head whispered, 'He was mouthing off about Harry, so I might have purposely been trying to make him immobile for 24 hours.'
Draco snorted a laugh and Fred grinned as he drew back. 'I'm liking you more and more, Weasley.'
'Back at you, Malfoy,' Fred smiled and drew back on his cigarette. 'Want to hear about the Flexing Bean I put in my mum's tea?'
'Yes please,' Draco grinned. He really hated the Weasley woman.
'Well, Mum was annoyed 'cause me and Georgie let off a rocket in the bathroom...'