He wiped ash off his clothes as he stepped through the floo. It had been 2 weeks since he had been home, he was stuck on an Auror mission hunting down some death eaters that were still active.
He heard some giggling from the kitchen, making him smile. Not being home in two weeks meant he hadn't seen his husband or two kids in two weeks.
He walked through the hallway to the kitchen staying quiet, hoping to surprise them. They knew he was returning today but not the time. Reaching the entrance he leaned against the door frame wanting to remember this forever.
Draco sat in a seat next to the highchair containing Lily, their daughter. They adopted her a little more than a year ago and named her Lily Narcissa Malfoy-Potter. As she's grown she's begun to look strikingly like Draco himself. She is almost as blond as Draco, and her hair is starting to curl, just like Draco's does when he allows it to dry naturally. Harry prefers it that way, he looks more relaxed. Her eyes are a light blue with specks of grey, unlike Draco's which are grey with specks of blue. Glancing at them you wouldn't doubt that they were related unless you knew she was adopted.
Teddy sat on the other side of Draco stuffing his face with the dinner Draco made. Teddy was now 3, and his hair was currently a vibrant blue meaning he was happy, every day it seemed like he developed a new skill or color. His hair had grown out a bit making it a curly mess on his head, just like Remus used to be. Every day he can see more resemblance between Teddy and Remus, except for his nose and eyes, those are Tonks. He wished they were here to see him now.
Draco himself looked tired, he was trying to feed Lily her food but she kept spitting it back out. His hair was wavy, curling slightly at the ends telling Harry he hadn't done his normal routine. He couldn't lie and say he was upset, he was quite pleased about it. His jaw and cheekbones were as pointy as ever, and his lips were a light pink looking very kissable. It was hard to see unless you really paid attention but Draco always had a slight pink tint to his cheeks. Not enough for it to be called a blush, but almost like he stayed in the sun for a minute too long. It always added color to his face, without it he would look pale and sick. Not that Harry would care, he was always hot to him.
"Da!" His eyes broke from Draco's face to Lily, who was looking straight at him with a large smile on her face. Harry smiled broadly back picking himself up from leaning against the doorframe and walking into the kitchen.
"Daddy!" Teddy yelled, scrambling from his seat and going into Harry's waiting arms. As he lifted him he threw Teddy a little into the air before catching him causing him to giggle.
When Teddy first called him daddy he wasn't sure how to respond, he first did it when he was one calling him, 'dada'. He felt like he was betraying Remus by letting himself be called his father, he may be raising him but Remus will always be his dad. So Harry decided, with Draco's help, that he would wait until Teddy could understand everything and let him decide then. He would understand if Teddy stopped calling him dad, he just wanted to make sure Teddy had the choice.
What surprised him most was the day he called Draco, 'daddy'. For the first time. It had been a big day for many reasons.
-
Draco and Harry had now been married for a year, and like every other Sunday they were at the burrow for lunch. This time they were lucky to have the whole crew there. Pansy and Hermione were snuggled together in one of the chairs in the burrows living room and Ron and Blaise were pressed together on the couch next to Angelina and George. Bill and Fleur were sitting across from them on the other couch with Charlie and his new boyfriend, another dragon tamer, who have been together for two years now. Harry and Percy sat in two other chairs around the place and Ginny and Luna were squished together in another. Arthur was playing with all the kids outside and Draco was helping Molly cook. He quite enjoyed cooking when he realized it was just like potions.
"Lunch!" Molly yelled from the kitchen.
As the adults stood and stretched, a stampede of children came running in followed by Arthur. They all gathered around the table taking their seats. Teddy sat between Harry and Draco, who had kissed him before sitting, leaving Harry grinning stupidly. He never failed to give him butterflies.
They passed around food placing food on their plates and Teddy's. Teddy had steak on his plate that needed to be cut up for him so Harry grabbed his knife and was about to cut it when Teddy screeched “no!" making Harry stop in his tracks, the table went silent.
"What bud? I need to cut your meat so you can eat it."
Teddy pouted, "Daddy do it."
Confused, his eyebrows scrunched, "I am love." He went to start cutting the meat again when Teddy screeched again making him stop and pull back his knife and fork.
"I don't understand bud." He said, sighing.
"Daddy do it," he said once again but this time his head turned to his gaze locked with Draco's.
Draco started coughing and choking on the food that was in his mouth. The table was silent, all unsure of what to do or say, Harry just stared at Draco unhelpful.
"If you can't cut the meat Draco, I would be happy to help, but it seems like Teddy would really like your help." Luna broke the silence, in her dreamy way like always.
Draco cleared his throat, "no, I um, it's okay I can do it." He glanced quickly up at Harry unsure if he was doing this correctly or if he should just let Luna cut it. Harry didn't help.
Draco grabbed his knife and fork and started cutting Teddy's meat, this time Teddy responded with a clap and giggle.
The tension around the table had seemed to ease and everyone went back to their conversations, no one mentioning it again.
-
After dinner as everyone was eating dessert, Harry asked for everyone's attention. With everyone's eyes on him, he cleared his throat awkwardly, suddenly nervous.
"Draco and I have something to announce," Harry said, voice wavering nervously.
"You didn't break up did you?" Molly asked, concerned.
Harry shook his head quickly, "Merlin no. It's good news. We've," he glanced at Draco nervously grabbing his hand. Draco squeezed it reassuringly, "we've decided to adopt a baby."
The table was silent for a moment before erupting into cheers and congratulations. Molly was already talking about making a sweater for the new grandchild, while the others were fighting about who the godparents would be and congratulating them at the same time.
-
They ended up naming George and Pansy as the godparents. Ron was upset with Harry for a while for not naming him Godfather and Harry understood why. But George had been the first one to approve of him and Draco and had supported their relationship constantly. He also helped Draco through a lot after the war, they were both able to connect on losing a brother. Theo had died fighting during the battle after he switched sides, he and Draco may have not been biological brothers but they were brothers in every other sense. They read each other like books, and they both understood what it was like to be something you didn't want to be. Theo was his brother as much as Fred was Georges.
Pansy and he had also been through a lot together, they had been engaged to be married before they were born. Pansy and Draco were the first people they both came out to, so they protected each other. They held off the marriage but still acted like each other's beards from their families. They understood each other on a level not many could. Draco had admitted once that they had tried kissing and they both almost threw up. But not only was Pansy there for Draco but also for him as well. She helped him when Draco wouldn't talk to him, and told him how to help instead of making it worse. She helped him and Draco get to the place they were now, and without her, it would have taken a lot longer and many more fights.
With Teddy in his arms, he walked over to Lily and Draco. He bent down to kiss Lily with a smile then turned to Draco to give him a kiss. The kiss was a little inappropriate in front of the kids, but what are you gonna do? He hasn't seen the love of his life in two weeks.
"I missed you" he mumbled against Draco's lips.
"I missed you too," Draco replied sounding a bit emotionless like he does when he occludes. Harry scrunched his brows in concern but didn't question any further assuming he was just tired based on the bags under his eyes.
"Is Lils not eating her food?"
"No. She hasn't been sleeping either." Draco sighed.
"Oh, is she getting sick?" He asked concerned, the last time she was sick she didn't sleep for almost a week.
"No, she missed her father," Draco said quietly.
Harry sighed, "I'm sorry."
Draco shook his head, "you don't need to apologize, it's your job." he said offering him a kind smile. "She just needs to adjust." He added but sounded more like he was talking to himself than Harry.
When they first got Lily Harry decided to take a leave of absence from his job so they could all adjust. He was gone for 6 months before going back. This was the first away mission he's been in since being back. Before this Lily hadn't been without him for more than a few hours.
"Why don't I put her to bed tonight and you can put Teddy to bed, then we can have some adult time." He said, wiggling his eyebrows, suggestively.
Draco's eyes snapped to him from where he was staring off into nothing, "oh, um yeah sounds good." Clearing his throat he stood pressing a kiss to Lily's head and then grabbed teddy from his arms with a smile. "Ready for bed?" He asked Teddy to kiss his cheek.
Harry watched as Draco walked into Teddy's room and shut the door. He turned back to Lily with a sigh, "daddy's being a little weird, isn't he?"
Lily simply giggled and clapped her stick hands, "dada!"
"Yeah, dada."
Harry grabbed her and swished his wand letting the mess in the kitchen be cleaned up.
-
When Lily was finally asleep, surprisingly fast, he left and went into his bedroom where Draco was already getting ready for bed taking off his shirt and pants. Harry watched him for a moment admiring him before walking over and wrapping his arms around him from the back.
"Hi." He whispered against Draco's shoulder.
"Hi," Draco said back, letting his head fall back into Harry's shoulder and placing his arms over the ones wrapped around him.
"We're alone," Harry said placing a kiss on Draco's bare shoulder.
"We are." Draco hummed.
Harry turned Draco in his arms so they were now chest to chest, bringing one hand from his waist to his face, tracing his jaw, nose, and cheekbones, admiring how he's grown.
When his fingers reached his lips he let them trace over them before leaning in and kissing him. Draco responded immediately, tightening his hold on his waist. It didn't take long for the kiss to get heated, and Harry started backing Draco up towards their bed. Draco's hands scrambled for the hem of his shirt and quickly took it off, only breaking the kiss for a second. Harry hummed into the kiss at the pleasant feeling of Draco's warm skin against his own.
Draco moved his hands lower against his chest letting them feel him before hooking his fingers in the waistline of his pants and taking them off, never breaking the kiss.
Now both clad in only underwear they continued their journey to their bed. Just as they reached the edge of the bed Harry felt wetness against his cheeks. He opened his eyes breaking the kiss to find Draco crying.
Before he could get a word out Draco's head shot forward once again locking their lips together. Harry broke it concerned about what was happening. He brought his hands up to cup both of Draco's cheeks wiping the tears away, "hey, hey, why are you crying? What's going on?" He whispered concerned.
Draco simply shook his head, eyes closed tight. He tried going in for another kiss but Harry stopped him, "Love, what's wrong?" He asked kissing the streaks of tears away, "please love, talk to me."
Draco slowly opened his eyes, allowing more teras to escape, breathing in a shaky breath, "I love you." His voice cracked as he said it, releasing a small sob.
"I love you too darling." Harry kissed his nose, his thumbs wiping the new tears away. But it was pointless for the tears were still coming.
"I missed you." Draco sobbed out, "I missed you so much."
Harry moved his hands to the sides of his neck thumbs moving gently against the bottom of his jaw, "I missed you too."
"I was so worried." He said between heaving breaths, "every day I waited for the call that said you weren't coming home."
"Oh love, I'll always come home okay? I promise."
Draco nodded and let his head fall into the crook of Harry's neck, "you're alive. You're alive. Your alive." He repeated like a mantra sobbing into his neck.
Harry held tight around his waist moving his hand gently against his back, "I'm alive."
"C-can you ju-just hold me? Please, just hold me." Draco begged, releasing more sobs into his neck.
"Let's get into bed love." Gently Harry grabbed the covers and pulled them back. Still tangled together they climbed into bed, Draco lay half on top of Harry, arms wrapped securely around him and his head stuffed in his neck. Harry himself wrapped his arms tightly around Draco's waist kissing him on the side of the head, "I love you." He said breathing in Draco's lovely smell.
"I love you too," Draco mumbled against his neck.
They stayed like that silently taking in each other's presence.
A few minutes later Draco broke the silence, "you'll come home."
"I'll always come home."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
-
He didn't keep his promise.