What's in a memory?

Chapter Fourteen

+

Harry couldn't believe he was doing this, diving into his husband's memories but it had to be done. 

He had to understand. 

Though Harry was still apprehensive about looking into any intimate moments between him and Malfoy.

Draco, felt similar, so he was very specific in choosing his memories. 

+

First, Harry saw himself and Malfoy on their first encounter (post-war) at the hospital. Harry saw himself lying on a bed, face pale from blood loss and his wrecked auror's robes. Then he saw a flash of green robes as a young blond healer approached. 

"God, am I happy to see you." Gasped the memory-Harry. 

Harry watched as the younger version of Draco glanced up and visibly blanched.

Evidently surprised by his newest patient. He could practically see Draco's panic over being Harry's physician after everything they'd been through together.

Harry watched as Draco began to pace. Darting all around the room, shifting constantly as if he wanted to be anywhere else. 

Next the slytherin began adamantly insisting that Harry was allowed a different healer, that he may want one with "less history between them", and that he was more than happy to excuse himself from his case. 

Harry watched as this early twenties Draco avoided the gaze of his former classmate (himself). Clearly uncomfortable to treat The Harry Potter.

But as steadfast as Draco was that Harry would have prefered another physician, Twenty-one year old Harry seemed equally as determined to have Malfoy treat him. 

Stating something about letting 'the past, be the past and allowing for a new future'. 

Which went down as well as a lead-balloon.

Harry could see Malfoy mentally calculating the steps out of the room, as he itched to leave.

"You have to learn on someone, Malfoy. Might as well be me." His past-future self joked.

The smile he gave Malfoy was huge, as if this Harry held no weight at all from the war. From his PTSD.

That made the young healer freeze in his exit plans. 

He searched Harry's pale features for something. Whatever he saw, lead Malfoy to start slowly nodding. 

"Alright."

As Malfoy moved forward to treat Harry, casting spells and charms. Harry, from the side, could really appreciate his looks. 

Malfoy was gorgeous as ever, although obviously younger than the one he's spent the past week with.

Like this, he was more like Harry's school memories of the boy. Man. 

Draco still appeared malnourished by this point, post war, and 'Ferret' still suited him strongly. 

But despite this, Harry could admire his handsomeness, now that they were in a new setting.

By embracing what his memory self said, by'Letting the past mistakes go' he could see how beautiful Draco was, even at this age. His look of concentration on his face, the lines of his lithe body, his strong arms as he wafted his wand around.

Harry really should have been prepared for it, but found first hand that he was definitely attracted to this younger version of Malfoy- 

Though he was nowhere near the peak physical health that Harry saw this morning-

Now that he'd stopped yammering on about different healers, and he no longer had that frightful flighty look in his eyes. Harry could really appreciate his genuis, and well, his body. 

Harry flushed, and determinedly looked over at his other-self on the bed. Who sat, similarly following each movement of Draco, though his attention was a little diverted due to his current predicament and would occassionally wince during the physical exam.

But Harry could practically hear his own thoughts: 'Who is this man? Is that really the Draco who used to torture and torment his peers? Harry's closest friends?' 

But Harry could see it. He recently questioned the same things. 

How was this gentle, competent, (handsome), healer the same person from Hogwarts? 

Due to the strange circumstances of their re-introduction to each others lives:

What with Harry in Malfoy's care, and Harry bleeding out on the white hospital sheets whilst Draco ran through the relevant proceedures.

Their conversation was stiff and stilted. They didn't know how to act around each other- never really did, without the safety of insults and excluding the physical blows they used to rely on- They had very little pleasant interaction in Hogwarts.

So Harry watched them cautiously interact; Malfoy didn't smile once as he adminstered the regular tests, not even when he gave Harry his blood reviving potion.

Surprisingly, present Harry felt he missed it. An ache in his core and found himself begging for this Malfoy to flash one of his teasing, tempting smiles. 

He didn't. 

Harry did however learn that Memory-Harry had been injured on the field, early on in his first year, and his partner (whoever that was) had side-alonged him to St.Mungos, where Draco was doing his residency. 

He did notice differences between the two Draco's: This Malfoy was different, less confident and assured as the one Harry left waiting in Grimmauld Place. He was young and hardened it a way that the present Draco wasn't. 

Harry had to admit that watching himself interact with a twenty-year old Malfoy made Harry feel like they were finally on an even playing field.

+

The memory dissolved and was replaced with another.

Harry was lost into another one of their hospital interactions. Apparently a couple months after the first. 

The duo were more comfortable now; they were joking and speaking openly with one another. 

Draco even called Harry an 'idiot' with an affectionate smile. 

Harry's breath caught, it was one of Draco's thousand galleon smiles. 

The Harry in the hospital bed seemed equally as enraptured. He was soaking up the rays, smiling and laughing in turn. 

"Well excuse me, for trying to keep our streets safe." The Hospital Harry retorted.

"And you have to destroy yourself to do it, do you?" Draco spelled a cast onto Harry's foot. "Some saviour you are." Draco stuck his tongue out. 

"Oi, you love seeing me so often, you know you do."

"Ah, got me there, Harry. You got me there" Memory Draco winked and the memory dissolved.

+

"I'm begining to think you hurt yourself on purpose just to see me."

"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy."

"What is it this time?"

"Well..."

+

"Harry James Potter, what am I to do with you? You do know I have other patients."

"Ah, but none as awesome as me"

"Don't flatter yourself, Potter."

+

"Back again? What was it this time? A feral gnome?"

But unlike the previous memories, Harry was no longer smiling. The last few hospital visits Memory Harry had been but this time Harry's face was serious. 

"I need a different healer." No preamble, just a blunt statement. 

"Ha ha, very funny Harry." Malfoy laughed. 

"I'm serious."

"You're-... you're not joking?"

"I require a different Healer, Malfoy."

Harry saw Malfoy's face fall. 

"I-I-...very well." He patted his robes down, keeping his eyes downcast. Both Harrys' were unable to see his face, but his disappointment was present.

"Um, er, Let me see who's on call." Draco began shuffling out when Memory Harry grabbed his arm.

"Draco, you don't seem to be hearing me... I need a different Healer."

Draco's face reddened, "Yes, alright I get it. Let me go and I can just-"

"I need a different healer, because as I understand it you're not allowed to date patients."

"I-I'm not allow-? ...Allowed to...date...?"

"And I want to date you." Harry watched himself smile, a big cheeky grin. 

"Date. Me?"

"Yes. I, Harry Potter want to take you, Draco riddiculous Malfoy-"

"That's not my middle name."

"I don't care. I just want to ask you, you stubborn gorgeous man, out on a date. So, will you?  Go out with me?"

There was a pause. And even though Harry knew the answer, he felt the anticipation and desperation all the same.

"Yes." The cutest, meekest little smile.

"You will?" Other Harry's eyes sparkled. Literately sparkled.

"Yes. I, I think I will." Harry could see Malfoy's confidence growing.

"Then get me another damn healer so I can kiss you already!"

Their laughter dissolved and Draco raced out of the room in search for the next available healer, after a completely unsanctioned stolen kiss, or two.

+

Draco anxiously awaited as Harry watched memory after memory. He'd tried to pick the best ones, ones without anything too 'much' for Harry's brain but he couldn't help himself but put the one where Harry asked him out. 

Harry needed to know, if not remember, that he was an active participant in their relationship. They only began dating due to Harry's grinffindor nature. Draco may have contently treated him for years before he plucked up the courage to ask out THE HARRY POTTER. 

Retrospectively, Draco wishes they hadn't waited as long as they did. But he was grateful that Harry made the first move. 

Draco returned to the kitchen as his nerves couldn't take the waiting much longer. He called Teddy down to lay the table, who bemoaned that his Papa could've just used magic and Draco had to reinstate the importance of lifeskills, with or without magic.

+

Meanwhile Harry was absorbed into their first date which ended in a disappointing chaste kiss. Harry could tell when past Harry stopped by Draco's flat that he wanted more. But nethertheless accepted the simple peck. Then present Harry watched from Draco's perspective as he shut the door on his memory self, and then the blond sunk to his knees. 

Other Harry now gone, Harry could see Draco shake with nerves on the entryway.

"Oh my God" Draco breathed. Reverently touching his lips.

Harry watched in wonder as Draco smiled to himself. Then there was a sudden pounding on the door. Harry watched as Draco rose to his feet and opened the door with a shaky breath. 

There, Harry saw himself, wind-swept and out of breath from running back. 

"There's just one more thing I have to do."

Then he saw himself swoop forward in the entryway and draw Draco in a passionate embrace. He tilted the blond's face down with gentle hands and gave him a desperate, all-encompassing kiss. So different from the last, outside. 

Harry watched as the duo lost themselves in one another. Harry's hands wondering up from Draco's neck, and with gentle fingers teasing and tugging at the hairs he found there. 

One of Draco's strong arms wrapped around Harry's waist tugging him closer, the other caressing Harry's stuble lined jaw as they deepened the kiss.

Similtaneously searching and lost, in each other.

Clutching each other, desperate and languid as if they had all the time in the world.

And so, Harry watched, engulfed, in the most passionate moment of his life, as his memory self snogged Draco Malfoy as if this was all he had ever wanted to do.

As if he had forever.

Maybe he did. 

+

"So this is Teddy." Harry saw himself introducing Draco- who must be his boyfriend by now- to Teddy, who sat on the living room floor covered in an array of toys. "My Godson." Harry awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "'But you knew that, obviously. um..." 

Draco took a step in from the doorway, and gave him an encouraging smile. 

"so, um," Harry seemed dazed. "Hey Bud, I brought a friend around. He wanted to meet you." 

Harry watched as Draco nervously wiped his hands on his jeans and knelt down next to the young boy. 

"Hey Teddy, I'm Draco. It's lovely to meet you."

"Hi Dray-Ko" Teddy looked into the visitor's face and momentarily awed before his hair flashed blond and his eyes blinked grey. (Not quite Draco's colouring, but flattering none-the-less). 

"What are you doing?"

"I'm playin' " Teddy sung before thrusting an armful of toys into Draco's lap. Draco fumbled to catch them all. 

"Uh-huh" he looked helplessly up at Memory-Harry who smiled gleefully down on the scene. Quietly sniggering at his boyfriend who has found himself trapped in his godson's games.

"This is my dragon" Teddy thrusted a green-scaled dragon outwards but retracted it away, to stroke it's textured back. 

"Oh, and er, what's his name?" 

"he's...erm, his namess.. his name's Dragon" Teddy stammered out, then proudly smiled at his genuis. 

"A dragon named Dragon?" Draco raised a skeptical eyebrow, but had a hint of mirth behind his eyes. 

"Uh-huh!" Teddy fervently nodded, then with great care he placed the dragon in a plastic cave and nudged it in further. "Dragon sleepses here."

"Oh, I see." Draco nodded befittingly. Harry saw his other-self snicker again behind his palm. Thoroughly amused at Draco's confused face, who clearly hasn't spent enough time around toddlers. 

"As does the...erm, as does the hipogriff"  Teddy was clearly making this up, but Draco dutifully handed over the eagle-horse hybrid. 

"Fank 'oo, see he goes here and then Dragon isn't lonlier."

"Why was he lonely Ted?" Harry saw himself kneel next to the duo, now finished with spectating the duo and choosing a more active role in this interaction. 

"Becuz Harry, he had-ded no one to be wiv." "He lived alonely and that made Dragon sad."

"And now he isn't?"

"No, cuz he has Hippo now, see?"  Teddy nudged the two animals closer. 

"Hippo the hippogriff, I take it?" Laughed Draco. Harry patted Teddy's back and muttered a 'be right back'. 

Draco watched memory-Harry walk away with a little smile.

"Uh-huh. And Niffy the niffler. But his boyfriend's name is Steve." 

Harry watched Teddy natter on but Draco snapped back to reality at that.

"Sorry, boyfriend?" The blond asked, reaching for his drink. 

"Yep!" Teddy popped the ''P' "Then his gaze turned oddly sharp. "Are you my Harry'z boyfriend?"

Draco had just began taking a sip of water when Teddy asked the question which is when Draco had gasped inhaling a ton of it. And then inelegantly spluttering it back up.

Harry watched Draco's crazed expression as he looked at the living room door. Harry could practically hear his pleas for his partner (Harry's past-self) to race back and end this interrogation.

"Did you know my name means Dragon?" Instead, Draco distracted.

"Really?" Teddy asked, enthused. Immediately forgeting his previous question, and ready to engage with this new piece of information from the relative stranger. 

"Yes, Draco means Dragon. Isn't that cool?"

"My name's Edward, but I is Teddy."

"Well okay then Teddy, I'm Draco."

"Okay Drayko. Wanna play?" 

"I do." Harry saw Draco's relieved smile. 

+

The next memory shifted into focus. Draco and Harry sat on a bench near a playground where a darkhaired Teddy ran around.

"Five more minutes Teddy!" Harry called out. "Thank you for coming."  He took hold of Memory-Draco's hand. 

Draco had rosy cheeks from the cold. "Thank you for inviting me."

He was wearing a scarf, that suspiciously looked like one of Harry's that Molly had knitted him.

"Are you kidding?" His other self seemed unaffected by the weather. Smiling and wearing significantly fewer layers.  "Teddy loves hanging out with you. He even wanted you to come around for tea." 

"Really?" Draco pulled the most adorable, insecure face Harry had ever seen.

"Yes!" The Harry laughed, his breath visible. Then he shifted on the bench, nudging Draco with his knee. "Where's this coming from?" 

Draco licked his chapped lips.

"Well, isn't it a bit soon, Harry?"

"What is?" 

"Meeting Teddy. Hanging out. I mean we've only been dating a couple of months." With each sentence he sounded more incredulous. 

Like it was a riddiculous notion. Harry found himself wondering how early in the relationship it was.

"And it's been great." Harry smiled, squeezing his partners hand. "It has been great, hasn't it?" Concern bleeding into his words.

"Harry." Draco shook his head. 

"Well?" Harry had never seen himself look so attentive. 

"I, of course, it has been. I'm just worried we're moving too fast. Because Blaize thinks-"

"Screw what anyone else thinks. I'm in this. I want you to be with me. And Teddy comes with me, we're a package deal." Harry used their join hands for emphasis. "And you and I..." He leaned forward for a kiss. Then breathed against his partner's chin.

"...We've wasted too long already. I don't want to wait another six months, or whenever's appropriate to find out whether you and Ted get along. Okay?"

"He's great. I never had much to do with kids before my paediatrics rotation, But he's great. He's really great Harry. I'm just worried." Draco sighed, running his freehand through his hair,before turning to look at the young boy running around fondly.

"But I guess," Harry placated, "if it's too soon for you, and you don't feel the same then... we'll wait." Harry looked as if waiting would kill him, but he'd happily do it for him.

"I don't want to wait, Harry." Draco laughed. "I've waited long enough for you, don't you think?" 

"My sentiments exactly!" Gleeful in his victory.

Then as Harry watched them leaning in to kiss, the memory faded.

+

"In bed by seven." The next memory took place in the living room again. Harry found himself standing in the landing looking past Draco's shoulder into the scene. 

Andy was sitting on the nearby sofa with her knitting. Memory-Harry was standing over Teddy who was playing with a miniture Hogwarts Express trainset, that puffed steam into the air every 10 seconds or so. Harry was dressed semi-formally in a nice shirt and black trousers.

"But Harry!" The small boy exclaimed, he was around three years old, with shaggy hair flopping into his eyes.

"No buts." Teddy pouted at that. But resumed his playing.

"Seven o'clock." Harry restated, then turned to Andromeda on the couch, "Thanks again Andy." 

"Anytime dear. Got anything special planned for the two of you tonight?"

"Well..." Memory-Harry smiled to the floor, a slight blush colouring his cheeks. 

Then he suddenly looked toward Harry -Well Draco- in the doorway. Pleasant surprise washed his own features as he saw them standing there.

"Hey, when did you get here?" He watched himself move forward to embrace Draco.

"A minute ago" Harry looked over at Draco- clearly in date attire, but his face was looking dazed. 

"What? what is it?" Memory Harry queried. Picking up on his boyfriend's distance.

"Your door. It just..." His voice faded out. Seemingly lost for words.

Immediately the other-Harry bolted down the stairs looking for the danger around the entryway. Draco followed after him. 

Present Harry watched himself check out the door and cast some security charms. "It looks fine." He said.

"Harry, no it's fine. It's just... it let me in." 

"Ok-ay? And that's a problem because...?"

"How long have I been allowed access to your home?"

"um..." Harry scratched the back of his neck.

Oh God, what have I done? ...going to do? Whatever. 

"A week?" Draco pressed.

"er...no, not exa-" 

"Two weeks?"

Harry saw his memory image shove his hands into his pockets. Not quite looking directly at Draco. 

"A month?" Draco asked incredulously.

"Well..."

"Harry!" 

"I just wanted you to always be able to stop by, you know if, you know, you needed to."

"How long?"

"A month..."

"Oh, okay." laughted Draco. "That's not so bad" he breathed.

"..into our relationship." muttered Harry.

"What!"

"This can't be news to you."

"You're telling me I've had access to your house- where you and Teddy live- for, what? the last five months?!" 

"I mean, yeah?"

"Of all the reckless things-"

"I trust you. I've trusted you for...a while now. It wasn't reckless. It was safe, if you needed a place to go...

if you needed me or if you got into trouble.. I wanted you to come here. And Teddy loves you, I don't need to tell you that - I don't know why I have to repeat myself."

"You- you trust me?"

"Yes, you tall daft fool. What part of letting you treat me for the better part of a year led you to believe I didn't."

"But Harry, I'm... I'm..." Draco glanced down at his left forearm. 

"No! You're not. Not anymore." Harry advanced grabbing hold of Malfoy's arm, "You never really were."

"Harry." Draco gave his signiture headshake. 

"I trust you. In my home. With Teddy. With anyone. And I'm crazy about you." Memory-Harry leant forward and kissed Draco. 

Once they pulled away, Draco breathed, "You're certainly crazy."

"Shut up, you love me really." 

"I.." Draco paused.

The air felt palpable. 

"Er, right too soon." Harry gave a little apologetic smile and scuffed his feet.

After a moment, "Well Come on, let's go get dinner."

"Harry, wait!" Draco reached for Harry who was heading for the door. "I do."

Memory-Harry turned around and stared blankly at his date.

"You do...? What? Want dinner?" 

"No Scarhead, I mean..." 

Harry heard it. What Draco wasn't saying. Right now in the memory, looking back on the moment that for him is yet to be. But Memory-Harry just seemed confused. He tilted his head, and locked his gaze on Draco. 

Silence.

Harry watched helplessly on the sidelines as the moment came and went.

After a heartbreaking moment of unsaid promises, Draco just shrugged and said, "Nevermind Harry, let's go."

+

"I love you" Harry reorientated himself to his surroundings, no longer standing in Grimmauld Place but in a hospital hallway. 

"Harry, it's three in the morning. What are you doing here?" Draco appeared behind him in his healer garb. 

"I love you" His other self repeated, boldly stepping forward. He had a slightly crazed look in his eyes.

"Are you hurt?"

"No." Harry replied. "I love you." He repeated reaching forward for Draco's hand.

"What are you-" Draco was looking around, as if he was expecting a camera or gun pointed at them both.

Harry watched himself move closer, speaking gentler than before. "You're always working. I had to come here and tell you."

"Have you been drinking?" Draco leaned forward staring into the other-Harry's eyes. Still searching for the catalyst to this grand confession.

"Draco I'm trying to tell you something here." Harry breathed in fustration. Tension tight on his own face. 

"Right, Sorry, You were saying?" Draco looked distracted. The clock on the wall read 3.24 and it was dark outside. Draco looked exhausted, but alert. Exactly what a healer should be during the nightshift.

"I.." Harry struggled to find where to start. "I had a dream."

Harry progressed, fumbling in his explanation. "And I? Well it doesn't matter why, I just couldn't get to you." He looked truly distraught.

"And I woke up, and I realized I never said it. I never actually said the words. Not properly anyway. And They're scary and terrifying and HUGE. And you're gonna say it's too soon. But I do. I love you."

Harry watched many things filter across Draco's face. When he looked at his memory-self, he saw only one thing,  love and devotion seeping through his desperate need for his lover to understand.

He'd evidently woken up from a nightmare, and couldn't sleep agaim knowing if something happened whilst Draco was away from him (At work*), and he never got to tell him how he truly felt, he'd be devastated.

Harry saw himself flush with embarrassment as Draco stood silent, awed by Harry's crazy nightmare induced confession. 

"So, er, now you know." Harry shrugged his shoulders, as if he hadn't bared his soul in the middle of the night to the object of his affections, whilst he was at work. 

Not his proudest moment.

"You came here in the middle of the night, whilst I'm working the graveyard shift so you could tell me...?"

"That I love you. I have for a while." Harry answered immediately, without thinking, then flushing a brighter red.

"You love me?"

"Yes."

"You're insane, Potter."

"I know. But I'm crazy for you. And I love you and Teddy loves you, not in the same way... I hope... But I do. I love you. "

Then sense seemed to creep back in. Harry added, "And I get if you don't feel the same way, but you had to know."

"Harry, you're insane." Draco repeated.

A beat. 

"Of course, I love you too."

"Really? You're not just saying that?"

"Yes, Scarhead" Draco laughed, releasing the tension, but also laughing at this incredible, silly man.

Saviour of the wizarding world and his insane boyfriend, who raced down in the middle of the night to his workplace, in his goddamn pyjamas, because he just needed Draco to know how much he loved him.

They laughed together. The pieces finally falling into place. Two lovers, in an empty corridor confessing their love for each other. 

Between stolen kisses and big smiles, they whispered,

"I love you Ferret."

"I love you too Scarhead."

+

"I love you."

"Be quiet!"

"I love you."

"I'm trying to work here."

"I know."

"You're very distracting."

"I could show you distracting" Playing with the drawstring of his pyjama bottoms.

"Don't you dare."

+

In bed, lying intwined in the sheets.

"Move in with me." Harry declared to the quiet room.

"No." The blonde smiled. 

"Move in with me." He insisted.

"Harry." Draco sighed as if he'd been asked a hundred times.

"I'm serious." 

"Your godfather's Sirius." Draco swatted Harry's advancing arm away.

"Did you just make a joke?" Harry sat up, surprised. Draco mirrored him.

"Clearly that's what we're doing right now." 

"I'm not joking, move in with me."

"No." Draco breathed, unsteadily.

"Move in with me." He insisted, leaning close.

Harry saw himself take hold of Draco's long elegant fingers. Draco's attention stayed there, he pouted. 

"Listen to me, leave your godforsaken student pad, and move in with me."

"Because your dingy four story townhouse, is any better?" 

"Hell yes. A) I own it! B) Teddy's there. C) It was your relatives who made it look like that in the first place. D) You can decorate it however you like. So really there's no reason not to move in with me. "

Draco frowned. 

"And did I mention I live there?" Harry winked. 

"Fine." Draco groaned as if this was some arduous task.

"You will?" A big smile broke free on his own face. Like a kid on christmas morning. 

"Yes, Harry. I'll move in with you."

"...But we're finding our own place." 

+

"Teddy, come on. We're gonna be late." Draco bellowed from down the stairs.

"Comin'" Then the sounds of pattering feet from above.

"Harry, you too." Draco shouted into the house.

"I can't find my socks." Came the reply.

"Honestly." Draco sighed reaching his hand out,  "Accio Harry's socks."

Harry heard Draco mutter to himself. "What would you do without me?"

"Oh thanks Love." Suddenly another Harry apparated down and gave Draco a smooch in exchange for the black cotton. 

Draco's face was completely blissed out as he replied: "Anytime Deerheart." 

+

"Get up! Get up!" Teddy bounced up and down on a lump in the double bed.

"urgh" Groaned the duvet.

"Harry, deerheart, you can't lie in bed all day."

"I had a late night raid" Harry grumbled from beneath the sheets.

"Harry Get up! We're going flying in park!" Squealed the bright haired three-year old.

"urgh."

"Dad!"

Everyone froze. 

This was clearly the first time Teddy had addressed him as such. 

"Daddy wake up!" 

.

.

.

"I'm up."

+

"Sorry I'm late I had a staff meeting with Imra about my promotion, it ran long. Apparently family dinner's aren't an adequate excuse to cut out early."  Draco came bursting into the kitchen, dumping his stuff. 

"It's okay. Hermione helped me clean up and Ron's putting the kids down now." 

"Oh, I missed bedtime too?"

"There's always tomorrow." Harry chuckled.

"God, does Teddy hate me? I promised Goodnight Mr Niffler with voices tonight."

"Babe, it's fine. Sit down." 

Harry handed Draco a wine glass with a charmed dinner.

"How did the meeting go?" He asked once Draco took a sip. 

"Fine, still some details to iron out." Draco began to visibly relax. Memory-Harry began rubbing his shoulders. 

"But you finally got the promotion you so deserved, I'm so proud of you." Harry beamed.

"How was your day?" Draco asked as he ate a forkful.

"Actually, something happened at nursery today." Harry started.

"Oh dear, did he confuse the new girl again? I told him not to change into the other kids."

"No, actually he made a picture."

"Oh?" Draco gulped some wine down with another bite.

Memory-Harry summoned the drawing over with a blantant display of wordless-wandless magic. "See?"

Harry moved forward to see the picture more clearly.

On it were three circles - faces?- one with wild black curls, one with shocking white hair presumably in leu of yellow, and a blue scribble above the third.

"It's the three of us?" Draco reached over and touched the parchment in reverently.

"Actually, he told me that it was of himself" Other Harry's hand hovered over the smaller blue-haired circle.

"And Daddy." Harry then indicated to the scribbled stickman with inaccurate shaggy hair and beard. Draco smiled fondly at the picture. 

"And.." Harry dragged his index finger over the White-haired, tall monstrosity that was pressumably Draco. "his papa."

Draco gasped, "He said that?"

"Yep, he said Zuri also had two daddies, just like Connor has two mummies. So he proudly told everyone about his daddy 'Harry' and his Papa, 'Draco' then proceeded to draw 'his family' at craft time."

"Papa?" Draco whispered.

"Do you like it?" Harry smiled, one hand slung over the sytherin's shoulders.

"I love it." Draco beamed down at the parchment. "Papa" he repeated.

"Oh Harry." Draco had tears trickling down his face.

+ 

Harry then proceeded to watch years worth of memories:

He saw himself flying with Draco and the Weasleys above the burrow, ice cream dates with his boys and quiet Sunday mornings.

Christmas mornings, and holidays, and birthdays. 

Harry was able to watch as Draco patiently taught Teddy how to read.

He saw himself, pleading in a toystore, and Draco insisting that Harry not buy another damned toy for Teddy (So help me God). 

Years worth of Game nights with Ron and Hermione, Neville and Luna, and Gin and her new girlfriend.

Wine tasting, muggle day trips, restaurant dates. 

Then private moments of fatherhood:

Harry watched as Draco propped Teddy on the front of his broomstick, insisting that "it's perfectly safe".

Harry saw himself helplessly bawling when Teddy fell off his bike and broke his wrist, whilst Draco calmly took charge and fixed it with a spell. 

Teddy learning latin, french, and (a horrid attempt at) German.

Baking in the kitchen together, where Harry makes a mess and the other two insist he leave the baking to the 'chefs'.

Giggling during charades where Teddy blantantly uses his shifting abilities as Harry and Draco applaud.

Finding out that Draco hated Harry's morning runs, especially when he was dragged along by an enthusiastic Teddy, ("come on papa, keep up").

Harry saw so many moments. The joy of the their family life completely overwhelming him. 

Harry bantering with Draco and Teddy. Draco roughhousing with their son and Harry frantically trying to keep him safe. Draco tickling their son into fits of giggles. 

The jiigsaw of life piecing together in a swarm of memories, and love, and laughter. Slowly watching Teddy's life unfolding before him:

Draco calming Teddy down after some mean kid tormented him for having funny hair.

Teddy crying not being over to control his magic when he got angry.

Teddy reading inside quietly, Teddy sharing his toys fairly with Rosy and Hugo, and fierce battles of junior wizard chess with his uncle Ron.

Hearing Rosy's wailing at the injustice of Teddy's cheating at hide and seek, using his metamoprhmagus skills to camoflage into the surroundings.

And that terrible play, the new school put on, about the Battle of Hogwarts that Harry was forced to endure, which Draco had found inexplicably amusing. 

("They had you ride in on a dragon." Draco cried with laughter).

("Shut up.")

("Are you guys fighting?" Teddy whispered, lips trembling.)

("No darling, we're fine." Sharing a meaningful look with Harry who nodded in reply.)

+

Harry blinked and found himself back in the study. 

Filled this time with the wealth of information he'd lost. Stolen from him by some unknown villian.  Harry cried a little at the life he'd lost.

Then Harry determinedly set his jaw, and strode out from the room.

Someone took his memory away from him and he was getting it back.

+