Part Four
Draco woke up to the familiar white ceiling of the hospital. His body ached everywhere and he had a hard time sitting up. When he did, he saw that the interior of the room he was in was different from the first one. He looked around and found a mess of black hair on his bed. Blaise must've been the one in charge of watching over him today. He felt awful, his friends had been shifting, taking care of him and Jamie. Draco sighed and looked out the window and saw that it was still night. He looked at the bedside table and tried to reach for the drawer, looking for his wand, when he bumped into the sleeping figure.
"I'm sorry, Blaise. I was just-"
"Draco! Oh, thank Merlin!"
That voice. Draco knew that voice even with his eyes closed. The man rushed forward and engulfed him in his arms. Ah, that familiar bone-crushing, lovely warm hug, you can't help but feel safe and relaxed.
"You- Harry?" The man pulled away, looking intently at him with those familiar green eyes. Harry scanned him from his head up to his visible torso, doing a lot of do-overs like he would be missing a limb from waking up.
"What are you doing here?" Draco pushed Harry's hands and scooted further in the bed where he could, without falling. He looked around the room again and wished Pansy or anyone at all, to come in and explain what was happening.
As if reading his mind, Harry answered, "You were asleep for three days after removing the magical coma you were in."
"Magical coma? What does- How are you even here? Where are we?" Draco panicked. If he's been asleep for three days and Harry is here, has he seen Jamie? Where is Jamie? Or Pansy? OR Blaise? What in the Merlin happened to him?
"Draco, breathe. Please breathe," Harry turned to face him, delicately holding his face.
"Come on. In and out. In and out," Harry demonstrated breathing which Draco followed, calming his racing heart. He focused on the warm, calloused hands stroking his face.
"I'll explain everything to you. Just- please just breathe," Harry pleaded and Draco relaxed on the bed, leaning on the headboard to support his aching body, already missing the warmth of Harry's hands. He waited for Harry to speak, afraid that if he asked questions he'd fall himself in a trap.
"Okay, first we're in St. Mungos," Draco opened his eyes, his heart rate picking up again and as if Harry knew, he held Draco's hand giving him comfort.
"Hey, it's okay. You're okay. You were transferred here after you went into shock. Pansy went to ROn's and that's how I knew. I tagged along and the healer said you were dying," Draco gasped looking at Harry. He was dying? What about his son?
"But you won't, I mean, you aren't now," Harry interjected, seeing the stress from Draco.
"Next time, please lead with that," Draco joked, trying to calm his heart but Harry glowered at that.
"There won't be a next time. You- I was- Thre is no-"
"Eloquent as ever, Harry," Draco teased, but he knew it came out nothing but fond, so he just smiled.
"Anyway, after the threat to your life was resolved, you just rested because Healer McDonald vowed you needed it," Harry concluded, looking away from Draco, but Draco knew, there was something Harry wasn't telling him but he wouldn't ask. It isn't true if he doesn't know so he stayed silent, looking everywhere but at Harry, who was staring at him.
"I- I'm sorry."
"There's nothing for you to apologize for Harry. In fact, I should thank you for watching over me," Draco smiled at him, dismissing the conversation.
"And I'm awake now, there is no need for you to stay here. I can take care of myself. I'm sure Pans or Blaise will be here in the morning. Thank you."
"Draco, we need to talk," Harry said, sounding desperate, and Draco won't look at him.
"What do you mean? There's nothing for us to talk about," Draco immediately answered laughing but coming out as a hoarse cough. Harry fetched the cup and casted an Aguamenti and handed it to Draco. Draco murmured his thanks, gulping the water.
"We have a son, Draco."
"Son? What son? Whatever do you mean?" Draco denied, earning a glare from Harry. He knew Harry had a short fuse and it was impressive how he was able to hold it himself.
Draco saw anger flickered across Harry's face but it vanished as soon as he saw it and Harry sighed, "You should get some more rest."
Harry tucked Draco into the bed after fetching the cup from Draco's hand. Draco saw Harry turned to the door in the room which he guessed was the loo. When Harry was out of sight, Draco immediately opened the drawer and saw his wand. He tucked it under his blanket and held it firmly. Heart racing, Draco waited for Harry to reappear and when he did, he quickly aimed his wand at Harry and shouted, "Stupefy!"
A red light strikes Harry in the chest, making him fall to the ground. Draco quickly got up from the bed and moved out of the room, casting a series of locking charms in the room, making sure Harry wouldn't be able to follow him. Running across the hall in his attire earned a few suspicious looks so with a wave of his wand, Draco transfigured his clothes to a more casual one. He headed straight to the floor network and said Pansy's house.
Draco stumbled in the fireplace falling on the floor. Pansy appeared in the living room with Jamie in tow.
"Papa! You're awake!" Jamie wiggled and ran towards Draco who hugged the child tightly in his arms.
"Draco- what are you-" Pansy moved in front of him, taking a look at his disheveled appearance.
"I don't have time to explain, we have to leave. Help me pack Jamie's things," Draco said, frantic, and started walking towards the stairs, but Pansy pulled him back.
"What do you mean? Leave? You just woke up? Where is-"
"I can probably go to Germany. We still have a property there. I have to set up Fidelius Charm. A secret keeper! Pansy, you have to be our secret keeper!"
"Draco, stop! What are you doing?"
"Pansy he knows! Harry knows about Jamie! He's-"
Draco wasn't able to finish what he was about to say when the floor roared and Harry stepped out of the green flames. Draco immediately picked Jamie up and shielded him from what was about to come.
"Draco, how could you stun me?! If it wasn't for that blasted Auror training, I would have still been knocked out!"
Pansy turned to look at Draco with mouth open, "You stunned, Potter?"
Draco stood there, holding the child like his life depended on him. Jamie turned to look at the newcomer and pushed Draco with his tiny arms. Weak and drained from all the things that happened, Draco let the child down.
"Daddy!" Jamie ran towards Harry, beaming at him like Christmas came early. It took a couple of minutes before Draco registered what his son called Harry. He looked at Harry and saw that Harry was carrying his son. Their son. In his arms. Beaming at him.
He doesn't know how long he stood there, staring at both Jamie in his other father's arms, looking exactly the same, fulfilling Draco's many imagination when he first learned he was pregnant.
When Draco came to his senses, he moved towards Harry and knelt at his feet.
"Please don't take him away from me. I-I can't give him up. J-Jamie's my life."
Draco felt tears running down his face but he couldn't care less. Harry knows and he's going to take his baby away.
"Please, please, I'm begging you. I-I, I'll do anything. You- you won't see me anymore. You won't hear a thing from me. J-just please don't take my baby."
Draco looked up and saw Harry shedding tears or was it his tears blurring his vision? Draco can't breathe. He can't breathe. Draco looked at his son's crying face and he can't breathe. Why can't he breathe. He knows how to breathe and he's trying to.
He can't brea-
"Draco!" Harry put down his crying son and immediately gathered the unconscious Draco in his arms. He looked up and saw that Pansy was crying as well, holding onto Jamie. He nodded at Pansy who returned the gesture and headed to St. Mungos. Once Draco was settled back into his room, Harry sat back down in his chair beside Draco's bed. Draco looked exhausted, in the short amount of time he woke up, Harry was able to agitate the blonde to the point of passing out. He doesn't know what to do anymore. He buried his face in his hands and when he heard the door open, he saw Hermione who gave her a sympathetic smile. She moved towards him and pulled a chair to sit beside him.
"I messed up, 'Mione. So much," Hermione nodded at him, encouraging the brunette to continue.
"Draco, he knelt in front of me, crying, asking me not to take Jamie away from him," Harry felt fresh tears pooling in the corner of his eyes. Hermione said nothing but pulled Harry for a hug. After a couple of minutes, when Hermione was sure that Harry stopped crying and was now able to listen, she started, "A year ago, when we first reconnected with Draco, he was terrified. So terrified that I had to swear on an Unbreakable Vow to him that I would not tell you anything about your son or his pregnancy before he opened up to us."
Harry looked at the sleeping face of Draco and remembered their time in Hogwarts during the sixth year and how Draco looked when they were brought to Malfoy Manor by the snatchers when they were hunting Voldemort's toys. He felt another pang of guilt when he learned that Draco felt the same terror except now he was the one who caused it.
"One time, when Draco and I were talking. I asked him why he did not tell you when he first learned he was carrying Jamie. He said that he was afraid that you would deny it was yours." Harry looked at Hermione in disbelief.
"I would neve-"
"Harry, when you lost your memories, you were not in a good place. You vividly remembered your hatred for Draco. Sure, you calmed down after a couple of weeks but you weren't stable. Looking now, I know Draco made the right decision," Hermione informed him and Harry felt defeated, and so much guilt. She was right, of course, Harry would've accused Draco of infidelity.
"Draco was afraid that when you do accept that the child was yours, you would've taken him away from him. You know how Slytherins are. They self-reserve. Instead of facing things head-on, they would choose the safest option there is. And for Draco, that was you not knowing." Harry nodded, understanding the way Draco thinks.
"What can I do? I have to make it up to him, 'Mione. I- I can't lose him again."
Hermione smiled at him, the kind of smile that says, she was proud of him and what he chose to do, "Do what you know best, Harry. Show Draco how sincere you are at mending things with him."
When Draco woke up for the second time, he immediately sat down and looked around the room to find Harry kneeling down on the floor beside his bed.
"Harry," Draco called, heart rate picking up at the sight, hope blooming in his chest that maybe Harry finally remembers.
Harry looked at him and started, "I'm so sorry, Draco. I swear to Merlin, I will never take Jamie away from you. If you want, I would swear and Unbreakable Vow to you. Just, please don't leave."
"Oh." Events that happened last night flashed before Draco's eyes and understood where Harry was coming from. Disappointment washed over Draco at the thought that he might get his Harry back.
"I am really, really sorry. I won't do anything you don't like. I would not see Jamie if you ask me to, but please don't."
"Get up, Harry," Harry immediately stood up, rubbed his knees, and slowly walked towards the chair beside Draco's.
"How long were you kneeling?"
"When you first move? I don't know. It felt like I had to be on my knees before you woke up," Harry looked away and scratched his head. He looked at Draco wanting to say something but held his tongue.
"What time is it?"
"It's past noon. Are you hungry? You must be. Wait here, let me just get your food," Harry turned his back on Draco and headed to the table in the corner of the room to get the food. He brought it to Draco, and he reached for the compartment beside the bed and pulled out a makeshift table.
Draco looked at the food and felt his mouth water. He started eating, silence filling the room. He knew Harry was staring at him, but he chose to ignore him in favor of the food. How long has it been since he last eaten?
"Will you tell me what really happened?" Draco questioned and Harry started telling all that had happened the last few days. After a couple more transfusions, Healer McDonald told Harry, the only available parent of Jamie that his core had fully developed. It helped that Harry stayed close to Jamie for the last three days Draco was asleep. During those three days, Harry never left Jamie's side unless he was the one watching over Draco. Harry also told him that his healer had already declared him healthy and thus, he could go home. No difficult magic for the time being, but he will be able to once he's had enough rest.
"It was all my fault. I should've never left. I should've told you. Jamie, my baby-" Draco buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed with all the emotions he was feeling.
"Shhh, Draco. It wasn't your fault. It was mine. I- sorry. I'm very sorry." Silence filled the room again but Harry coughed a few times and continued telling Draco what happened. Draco learned that Jamie has taken a liking to Harry, much to his dismay based on the stories Harry had told him. He also found out that the reason never asked questions about his other father's whereabouts was because he only asked Pansy about it, which is why Jamie knows that Harry was busy saving the world and that's why he couldn't come home. Draco was about to speak when the door opened and Jamie came barreling in, with Hermione, Pansy, Theo, Blaise, and Ron in tow.
"Papa! Daddy!" He rushed forward towards Harry and attempted to get on the bed but failed with his short limbs. Harry chuckled and picked up the struggling child placing him in his father's arms. Draco quickly enveloped the child in a crushing hug.
"Mon amour! I've missed you so much!" Draco kissed every available space on the child's face, making Jamie giggled uncontrollably.
"Papa, tu vas bien maintenant? On peut y taller maintenant? (Papa, are you okay now? Can we go home now?)" Jamie asked after calming himself.
"Leave it to Malfoy to teach a child a foreign language," Ron commented with a smile on his face. Drcao half-heartedly glared at him before looking back at Jamie.
"Oui, nous pouvons rentrer à la maison et merci d'avoir demandé, je vais bien maintenant, (Yes, we can go home and thank you for asking. I'm alright now,)" he answered the child, trying to tame Jamie's very wild hair.
"As-tu utilisé les produits capillaires comme je te l'ai dit? (Have you been using the hair products like I told you?)" Draco asked, still trying to run his hands on his child's hair.
"Non. (No.)" Jamie laughed at Draco's open mouth. Draco shook his head and looked at the onlookers watching them. He raised an eyebrow at them and they all smiled at him.
"We're glad you're alright Draco," Theo said and pulled Hermione to her side who rested her head on Theo's shoulder.
"You scared me to death, you big baby!" Pansy said, smacking his arms before wrapping him in a hug with Jamie in the middle.
"I'm sorry for impeding my coming demise," Draco joked but everyone in the room stared at him in horror.
"Too soon?" He asked and everyone in the room shook their heads before laughing.
He can't wait to go home.