crack baby
No. No no. Nononono no.
No.
They were actually sending him to live with Sirius Black instead of his own father? Out of all people?
It couldn't be real. It must have been some kind of joke or punishment for something he did, apparently something truly terrible. He couldn't remember much from before waking up in the hospital, but there must have been some awful incident. That was the only explanation.
He had become such a disappointment that his own father no longer wanted him around, going through with his threats to get rid of him.
He wanted father.Father. Father. He longed to return to the manor. He would accept any other punishment, anything, but this. Malfoys didn't beg, but he was ready to get on his knees and plead for the man to come back to him.
"Draco, you need to breathe," he heard someone say, but he didn't really grasp the meaning. Wasn't he already breathing? In that moment, though, he couldn't care less about breathing. He just wanted his father.
What had he done wrong?
His father and his colleagues had been acting more tense and agitated lately, Draco couldn't help but notice. They spent longer periods away, and his lonely hours at the manor seemed to stretch on. His father didn't bother scolding him anymore, just striking out when he had the chance. At least Greyback and Auntie Bella weren't there to torment him, for which he was sincerely thankful - up until now.
Every moment he had to spend with either of them felt like utter hell, yet somehow, they had his father's trust. Draco must have simply been somehow overextending things. Now, he was sure that every night spent with them was nothing compared to what could await him with Sirius Black.
Father always told him to not even try to look in the man’s direction in any school events he could have appeared in, so he didn’t. He had heard enough about how unbalanced and dangerous the man was. In fact, he seemed even worse than Draco himself; that’s why he got disowned, the family got rid of him.
Draco didn’t want to be disowned. He wasn’t getting disowned, was he? He tried to be the best he could be. He excelled in every school subject, obediently accepted any punishment his father saw fit….
"Draco, try to calm down and take deep breaths. You're safe," someone reassured him.
He didn't even want to imagine what lay in store for him in the future, living with Black and his slur boyfriend, who also happened to be one of his teachers, and saint Potter out of all people.
Draco couldn’t for a fact breathe in that moment.
The next day, it was Monday. A day generally disliked by most, yet Sirius felt a bubbling excitement in his chest that even his previous nerves couldn't dampen.
Usually, none of them were the ones to rise early, but on this particular day, the man found himself bustling around the kitchen, making lunch for his fiancé and godson to take to work and school. It was not their usual routine, and they often just grabbed something on the go, but today Sirius felt exceptionally generous.
The radio continuously played ABBA, and he couldn’t complain as he hummed along.
He made sandwiches with jam and peanut butter and poured hot raspberry tea into two thermoses. He couldn't help but grin at the stark contrast between the thermoses: Remus' was plain gray, while Harry's was adorned with vibrant stickers. Each of them also received two candy bars, and Sirius was certain that his fiancé would provide them with chocolate throughout the day.
He still hadn't figured out from where the fuck it seemed to magically appear every single time.
Harry entered the room first, his backpack lazily slung over his shoulder and his hair in usual chaos. His face was one of pure annoyance, with his glasses slipping down his nose as he frowned.
Sirius was in the middle of writing two sappy notes to put in their lunchboxes when his godson carelessly dropped his backpack on the floor with a loud bang. It sounded as if there were rocks inside instead of books. Harry then plopped down at the table, resting his head on his arms.
He was exhausted, and Sirius knew exactly why. He had stayed up all night talking with Ron, which the man knew wasn't good for him, but he couldn't intervene. It was a canon event.
"How was your night, Prongslet?" Sirius hummed, doodling hearts on the note intended for Remus.
Harry audibly groaned and lifted himself up from the table, leaning back so heavily in his chair that he seemed on the verge of toppling over. He shot a glare at Sirius, who simply rolled his eyes.
"Cereal?"
"’M not hungry..." the brunette mumbled, his eyes narrowing at the small piece of paper that his godfather was placing in his lunchbox.
"Cereal it is, then," Sirius smiled as Harry groaned once again.
He set the prepared lunches on the counter for his family members to grab, and then moved on to making Harry's breakfast. He poured some Froot Loops and milk into a bowl, grabbed a spoon, and was about to hand it to the teenager when Remus walked into the kitchen, softly humming to Dancing Queen.
"Put it in the microwave first," he scolded, causing both Harry and Sirius to groan. "Just for a little bit. The milk’ll hurt your stomach," he shrugged, and his partner grumpily followed his instruction.
"It won't," Harry mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. He waited impatiently, obviously hungry after all.
"Why are you like this," Sirius muttered, setting the cereal in the microwave for thirty seconds. Remus only innocently smiled and approached him, nuzzling his nose into his curly black hair, eliciting a whine of protest, yet Sirius made no attempt to move away.
"Can I skip school today?" Harry suddenly asked.
"No," Remus replied, pulling away from Sirius and giving him one last kiss on the neck before grabbing an apple and sitting down next to the teenager. The microwave beeped, and Sirius went to get the boy's breakfast.
"Why not?" Harry whined, earning himself a disapproving look from Remus. Sirius placed the bowl of cereal in front of the brunette, observing the scene with a fond smile.
"Because," Remus shrugged, causing Harry to groan once again. He took a bite of the apple, trying to hide the smile forming on his face. "I'm going to school too. You'll survive."
"I still don't get why you did it to yourself..."
They ate breakfast and Harry started to brighten up, despite his overall reluctance to go to school.
He almost forgot his backpack, and Remus looked suspiciously at the lunch that Sirius had prepared for them, but it was time for them to leave, so after exchanging kisses and hugs, they walked out and got into the car to drive to school, leaving Sirius alone in Grimmauld Place.
Draco began the physical therapy sessions with Mr. Osric, spending countless hours in his company. The man was nice enough, not overly enthusiastic or talkative, which suited the blond just fine.
He always took the time to thoroughly explain each exercise and asked for permission before touching him or making any adjustments. The first time he spoke up, Draco was completely bewildered.
They were sitting on a soft mat on the floor, the blond trying his hardest to keep his back straight as the man spoke, spoke and spoke. Draco couldn't understand why they couldn't just get started. Though, maybe Mr. Osric thought that he was just too stupid; simply incapable of understanding without further detailed explanations.
"If anything hurts, feels uncomfortable, or if you want to stop for any reason, just tap or poke my shoulder, whatever’s more comfortable in the given moment, three times," Mr. Osric demonstrated, patting his own shoulder. "And I'll stop immediately. Okay?"
Draco blinked.
The man patiently waited for a response, but the boy remained unmoved.
Why would he even suggest such a thing? They never stopped when Draco asked, pleaded, screamed. Why would it be any different now?
Plus, he didn't want to appear weak or naive by attempting to try and do so. So he endured the discomfort, clenching his teeth whenever Mr. Osric applied too much pressure on his back or massaged his twisted ankle in that one painful spot.
Occasionally though, Draco couldn’t stop small whimpers of pain from escaping his lips. Yet to his surprise, Mr. Osric would follow his promise, immediately cease the activity and look at him with that fucking concern.
They would then sit in silence for a while, with only Draco's deep breaths breaking the stillness, till the man would speak up in a soft manner again. "Alright?"
Draco couldn't deny that someone giving in to his pathetic whims was pleasing, as at least he didn’t need to bear any more pain. However, it was also incredibly difficult for him to interact with the doctor after putting on such a pitiful display.
So he’d only nod, desperately trying to keep his mouth shut for the rest of their sessions.
The physical therapy helped, Draco couldn’t ignore the fact that along with many salves massaged into his external wounds daily, he could move with little to no pain.
Although he had the freedom to take walks within the hospital, he rarely used this privilege. The hospital smelled too much like pervasive scent of bitter citrus, alcohol-based hand sanitizers and death.
At some point, a police officer and an a psychologist entered his room and talked, asked questions. While they didn’t explicitly state their intentions, Draco could easily tell what they were implying.
"Were things okay at home? Did you feel safe?"
"Has anyone been pressuring or forcing you to do something against your will?"
“Was there anything happening that made you feel uncomfortable or unsafe?"
However, they left with no information as Draco refused to even shake or nod his head.
Their visit only confirmed him in the fact that his father would not come back for him.
For a few days, everything was quiet.
Sirius had a small shopping spree that Monday.
Every thing that was bought was set with a careful precision; they (Remus and Sirius only, because Harry stubbornly refused to be part of it, though swearing that he just didn’t want to break anything) made sure to make it all as cozy and inviting for Draco as they could.
Sirius didn’t deem himself organized, quite the opposite, actually. He was messy, Harry definitely took that after him. The only reason their house wasn't engulfed in chaos and clutter was thanks to Remus, even though his books were sprawled everywhere as well. That's why Sirius playfully adjusted a few things, purposefully leaving them slightly askew to lighten the mood and maybe give Draco a little sense of comfort, the thought of not having to be perfect all of the time.
He purchased fresh black sheets with a white checkered pattern, washed them in a floral-scented detergent, and put them on the comfiest duvet and pillows he could find. Although the room didn’t have its own bathroom, they designated the closest one solely for Draco, since no one else used it. It got stocked too; hygienic products such as towels, shampoos, soaps, a toothbrush, etc. Additionally, Sirius also restocked the first aid kit.
As he and Remus agreed, he also bought a few sets of clothes. They were simple, consisting of plain shirts, sweatpants, a hoodie, socks, and underwear.
He hasn’t forgot about trinkets to decorate the room. Yet, he couldn’t be sure of what Draco’s interests were, as he mostly kept to himself, according to Harry. It was easier with him - anyone could easily discern his godson’s passions since he loved graphic tees with his favorite bands, his room was filled with posters of football players, and his mouth wouldn’t shut up over pranks.
The only thing that Sirius was aware of was the fact that Draco had played at the school football team at some point, just like Harry. However, he couldn’t be older than twelve when he dropped out, so perhaps the sport had become too boring for him. So, just to be neutral, Sirius bought fake plants, warm string lights, and various of other seemingly random items.
Among others, there was a gray dog plushie, sitting in the middle of the bed. Even if it resembled a scruffy wolf more, all three of them agreed that it was cute.
Sirius’ privileges of owning such childish toys was taken away even before he turned six years old. As a result, whenever they went to a thrift store, he would buy at least one plushie and give it to Harry. This tradition had resulted in quite a collection for the teenager, who never turned down a stuffed animal no matter what kind it was, even now.
Sirius wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out that Draco had similar experiences with toys, so he decided to start the tradition with him as well.
The plushie had been waiting for a good week now.
Sirius sat hunched over his laptop in the living room, his hair tied into a messy bun. He wore his pajamas, including one of Remus' old t-shirts (he wore anything of the man’s at any occasion he got) and a pair of sweatpants with a Christmas pattern. He picked at the skin of his lips, responding to business emails.
It had been a good week since they had gathered everything they needed for Draco's arrival. His phone was placed on the coffee table, and he continuously awaited a phone call from the foster care agency.
He knew that the process could be really long, as they had fought hard to bring Harry into their lives. But now that the teenager was with them, safe and sound, he hoped they could provide the help and support that Draco needed, too.
He squinted, his eyebrows furrowing in a deep frown. After a few moments, he wearily leaned against the cushions of the couch and let out a heavy sigh. Brushing a strand of hair away from his forehead, an intense craving for nicotine consumed him. He needed a cigarette.
Struggling to steady himself after standing up too fast, his head spinning, he prepared to leave the room. However, just as he was about to step out (mindful of the strict no-smoking policy in the house that he had imposed on himself), his phone began to ring, and he froze.
Glancing at the screen, he noticed an unfamiliar number displayed. Without wasting any time wondering who it might be, though, he dropped to his knees next to the short table and promptly answered the call on speaker.
"Hello?" he quickly realized that he initially sounded too eager, so he groaned and tried again. "Um, hello. Who is this?"
"Good day, sir. Am I speaking with Sirius Black?" the unidentified caller asked, causing the man's heart to skip a beat.
"Yes, that's me," he shifted uncomfortably, sitting cross legged as he picked up his phone and brought it closer to his lips. "How can I help you?"
"My name is Hendrix, I’m calling from the foster care center facility, and I’ve got information regarding," there was a slight rustling noise, as if the man was searching through paperwork. "Draco Malfoy."
Sirius nodded vigorously, even though Hendrix couldn't see it. "Ah- er, yes. We've been anticipating his arrival. Is he in to leave the hospital yet?"
The man's voice carried a hint of a smile as he responded. "Yes, exactly. That's why I'm calling, to schedule another check-in with a social worker before the boy is placed in your care."
"Of course. And when can that be?" Sirius urged, his legs bouncing nervously.
"As soon as possible preferably." There was a brief pause. "Are you available this Wednesday at 10am? If all goes smoothly, he should be ready to move in by the end of the week."
Sirius took some time before giving an answer this time.
Were they truly prepared for a responsibility as significant as this? How could he be sure that he wouldn't end up becoming an abuser in the end, too? That he would be able to take care of Draco the way he needed? That he wouldn’t fail him like he did to save Regulus?
"Sir? We could easily reschedule the meeting, but it would also delay the boy moving into your home," Hendrix offered.
Shaking off his thoughts, Sirius replied, "No, no. It's perfect, actually. Thank you."
"Of course. In terms of documents, please ensure you have copies of identification, proof of income, and any relevant references," the man listed off, the sound of him typing audible in the background. "Other than that, I believe that covers it."
"Okay, um, alright. We'll- I'll... I look forward to it," Sirius stumbled over his words.
"I'm delighted to hear that, sir. Thank you for your cooperation. Someone from our team will see you on Wednesday then. Have a great day!"
"You too," he hung up and placed his phone back on the coffee table with a loud thud.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." he mumbled under his breath, his mind racing with the weight of his words. He was in total disbelief and likely made a complete fool of himself in front of Hendrix, yet his thoughts were consumed with the fact that Draco would be with them just by the end of the week.
Fuck, he needed to tell Remus.
He reached for his phone once more, his fingers trembling as he struggled to input the password, not sure if face ID would recognize him in the state he was in. Before he could even finish, though, it did; and unlocked the device on its own.
With hesitation, he navigated to his fiancé's contact, knowing Remus was probably in the middle of a lesson. However, what he had to say was far more important than any classroom matter, right? It was about their almost (almost, almost!) kid.
Making up his mind, he pressed the call button and anxiously waited for his incredible boyfriend to answer.
Ring...
Ring...
Ring...
"Sirius, for fuck's sake—" Remus' voice finally came through.
"Moony," he interjected quickly.
"What? This better be really important, I can't just leave my students like that, you know.."
"It's-, Moony, it's about Draco," he exhaled, the weight finally lifting and a smile crept onto his lips.