Chapter 16
The two walked to the study, still covered in goo, and knocked on the door and waited for a voice to answer from inside.
“Enter.”
Narcissa walked in first followed by Severus and they both stopped behind the chairs in front of Lucius’s desk; opting not to get any uncooked food all over the nice furniture. The man in question looked at with a smile before his face morphed into a look of pure horror and confusion.
“What in Merlin’s name have you two been up to? I thought you said you were going to make cookies and stock up on potions!”
“We did,” Severus grumbled.
Lucius scoffed. “You said make it, not wear it.” The blond man turned to his wife when she waved him off with a soft laugh.
“We were having a bit of fun with Harry today.”
Silver eyes softened at the mention of the little gryffindor, something that both Narcissa and Severus took notice of. “How is he doing?”
“He seems to be adjusting nicely here. He’s with Dragon now. They both needed a shower before we went for our afternoon ride.”
“Something you did not forget did you?” Narcissa asked. Lucius flushed and looked around at the documents spewed all across his desk in front of him. He let out a tired sigh.
“Lucius,” Severus growled. The elder Malfoy looked at his lovers.
“I haven’t forgotten, but I also seem to have underestimated how much work I need to get done.” He raised his hand when both his wife and husband opened their mouths to protest and scold him. “I have not forgotten about our outing, and I plan to attend. I will not break my promise to Draco.”
“And Harry,” his wifed commented.
“Yes, and Harry.”
“Speaking of the boy, there is something we wanted to talk to you about.” Severus said while he fiddled with the buttons on his sleeves. The action caught the attention of his husband who knew all of the tells his lovers acquired, and Lucius was well aware that whenever Severus was nervous or apprehensive of something that he tended to keep his fingers busy. He looked into dark brown eyes and could see slight fear in them which put the malfoyr patriarch on edge. It was unlike Severus to openly show his nerves about something. Looking over, he could see that same fear in his wife’s eyes and that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to raise. Whatever was bothering the both of them was obviously something he was not going to like.
See their lover become on high alert, Narcissa spoke to calm him.
“It is nothing bad, we promise.”
Severus nodded in agreement and the two of them watched as Lucius let out a breath and the tension eased out of his posture. He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together under his chin.
“What is it that you wanted to talk about?”
Healer and potions master glanced at each other briefly before looking back at their lover.
“Whatever it is, just tell me.” Lucius almost snapped, tired of the games. Severus sighed.
“How would you feel about having another child?”
Blond eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Whatever he had been expecting, it hadn’t been that. He took in his husband and wife with slightly wide eyes, but he was curious to say the least. If he was being quite honest with himself, he had always wanted another child, but no matter how hard they had tried Narcissa had not been able to get pregnant by either of them. They had been disheartened when their healer had informed them of the dangers that would come from trying to bear another child. There had been a thin piece of hope when they found a potion that could help with infertility and no expenses had been spared in getting their hands on it. Even then, it had not worked. They thought they had been successful but Cissa had not been able to carry the child for more than a few months before things fell apart. After that, they had never hashed on the topic again, instead spending all of their time on their son.
It still filled his heart with despair knowing that he could not give his wife the one thing she had craved for. Not only her, but Lucius knew that Severus had yearned for another child as well. He was not as vocal about it as their wife but Lucius was no fool. For as stern as he was, Severus loved kids and had always wanted them on their own. Oh how many nights he had lied awake at night or just sat in his study alone looking into the fireplace dreaming of what it would be like to have a little one that was so much like each of them. Draco was the perfect mix of he and Narcissa, taking more so after his father than any. The elder Malfoy dreamed of what it would be like to have a little boy or girl who was the perfect mix of his husband and wife- his or her hair thick, wavy and black like their father with Narcissa’s blue eyes and delicate nose.
“What-what” Lucius cleared his throat. “What brought this on?”
“We want Harry to be a permanent member of our family.” His husband answered bluntly. When his eyes widened, Narcissa went to explain,
“He is such a lovely child, Lucius. He is so sweet and loving. I know he has only been here for such a short time and that he is still a bit on the timid side but I think with time he will open up. I think he already has. You should have seen the look on his face while we were baking. And his laugh is so beautiful.”
Lucius stared at his wife as she went on. “I-I don’t know. Harry has only just seen some of the truth with this family. And has just barely forgiven your father, Severus. And you as well, I am assuming.”
“The relationship that Harry and I have is, of course, going to need much improvement and I am not so arrogant to think he has forgiven me for all the wrongdoings that I have put him through since he has been under my care. But I do know one thing for certain is that that child is as forgiving as they come, and I know that will time I will make it right between the two of us. Besides, I can tell already that he loves Draco.”
He couldn’t deny the dour man’s words, especially about their son. Draco had always been protective of those closest to him, and ever since Harry arrived the child had been stuck to the little raven like glue. And if he was sure of it, Harry looked to have taken to him as well.
“I just don’t know.” His lovers opened their mouths to protest, he raised his hand. “It’s not that I don’t want him here. It’s not that I do not think it's a good idea. It’s just that he has only been with us for a day and I don’t want him to feel like he has to stay here if he doesn’t want to. I don’t want him to feel pressured into anything just because we want him here.”
The other two Malfoys had to give it to their husband as they hadn’t really thought much about that. They knew they would have to bring it up to Harry eventually, and even if they wanted him here the choice was ultimately his. Severus took a step forward.
“Just...think about it Luce. Offer him to ride with you today, get to know him a bit. And when the time is right then we will ask him if he wishes to stay here.”
A sigh left Lucius’s mouth and he ran a hand down his face. He knew there was a high chance of him giving in, it's just that the last thing he wanted was for them to all get their hopes up only for them to all be heartbroken if things didn’t go as planned.
“Alright. I will think about it.” He was rewarded with two smiles, he smirked. “But before we go anywhere the two of you need to get cleaned up and then we can go out.”
He laughed as his two lovers looked at each other before dashing out of his office in a rush to get to their bathroom. He stood up after they were gone and organized his desk. A relieved sigh left his lips as he stretched and popped his aching back. The rest of the paperwork could wait. Right now he planned to have a relaxing evening with his family.
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Meanwhile, the two children were out of the shower and ready to go...well sorta. As Draco looked around his room for his riding attire, Harry stood near the bathroom door in an emerald green bathrobe given to him by his blond companion. It was really soft and smelt like mint. It was still really big so Harry wrapped it as tightly as he could around his frail body and stood nervously.
“Draco?” His voice came out softer than he’d hoped, but the boy in question heard him all the less. He turned around and looked at his companion.
“Yes, Harry?”
“What exactly am I going to wear? I don’t have any clothes.”
“Hmmmm”
The slytherin looked through his wardrobe for some suitable clothes for the gryffindor to wear. He knew it would probably be too big but he could always ask his Daddy or Papa to shrink it for them. He pulled out a pair of cream colored trousers and a green jacket, holding it up for Harry to see.
“This should do the trick. We’ll get Daddy or Papa to shrink it down for you. What’s the matter?” He asked. He was getting that feeling deep in his chest that always happened when someone was upset. The little Malfoy took a look at Harry and the poor child looked like he wanted to cry. He was twiddling with his thumbs.
“Harry?”
The Potter heir glanced up before looking back down at his feet. He didn’t know what was wrong. Well...that wasn’t particularly true. He knew what was bothering him, it had been bothering him since this morning.
“I’m a burden”
The statement in itself left Draco shocked as he didn’t think that was what was going to come out of Harry’s mouth. Why did he think that?
“What would make you think that?”
“I’ve always been a burden. That’s what my aunt told me. My uncle told me. And now here I am taking up more time and taking the attention from your parents.”
Harry cursed himself when his voice hitched. He didn’t want to cry. He wanted to find a small dark hole and be left alone there. Draco tilted his head and put the clothes on the bed. He walked over to the boy and put his arm around the child ignoring the flinch it caused.
“Harry, you aren’t taking anyone’s attention away, and you aren’t a burden. I want you here. And I can tell you right now that so does my dad.”
Harry raised his head slowly. “What do you mean?”
“Well earlier this morning he asked me what I thought about you staying here permanently. I don’t think I was supposed to mention it to you yet cause he had to talk to my mama and papa, but I know that my dad really wants you here. I want you here.”
Harry shrugged off Draco’s arm and began to walk around the room.
“But why? We’ve hated each other since the day we met and professor Snape has been no different. Why would he want me here? Why would you want me here? Why would anyone want me here?” Harry hadn’t realised that he had begun to yell. “I’m a burden. A freak! A low down piece of shit that should have died the day my parents did! No one truly ever wants me. They want Harry Potter, the Savior of the Wizard World, the Boy-Who-Lived. They don’t want Harry the orphan. The one who lost his parents and have been craving a family since he could talk. You’ve got everything. Why the hell would you want some low down gutter rat?”
Draco listened to Harry’s tirade all the while tears ran down his cheek while the boy tore into himself. He had never known anyone to talk so lowly about themselves. The people he grew up with were raised believing they were special, and no one in his family ever let him believe himself to be anything other than special. Draco could admit even to himself that he was spoiled, but he could be humble. And more than anything, he never let himself view himself as unworthy or lowly. He had never wanted to hex anyone as much as Harry’s relatives. Foul pieces of trash making him think like that. Even if Harry didn’t want to be a part of their family, he would always have a friend in Draco, and Draco would be damned if he let any of his friends think of themselves in such a way.
“I do believe that is enough Harry.”
They both jumped at the voice that came from the doorway. Just like this morning, Lucius and Severus had made their way to Draco’s room to go and fetch the boys when they heard Harry talking about himself. Only difference was that Narcissa was with them. It had been Lucius who had spoken and who walked up to Harry before kneeling down to the boy’s height.
“I will have you know that we do not talk about ourselves in such a manner in this house. Do you understand me?”
He stared into the emerald eyes that looked right back into his own mercury ones.
“But-”
“No buts,” Lucius interrupted. “I will have you know that we all want you here. We would love it if you stayed here, but the choice is yours”
He was going to have this talk with the boy later but oh well. If the child was going to be theirs he needed to know that he would not have any child of his talking like that and there would be consequences to any disobedience.
“You-you want me?” The boy whispered, daring not to hope.
“Yes child,” Narcissa said as she moved to kneel next to her husband. Harry looked at her now clean face. “I know you have only arrived a short time ago but we would love it if you stayed here permanently.”
Harry gestured towards their son, “But Draco-”
“Has always wanted a brother.” He said with so much conviction that Harry could feel tears rising to his eyes once more.
“And if you are to stay here and become a Malfoy, then you need to know there are rules to be followed. And one of those rules is to never talk about yourself in such a manner. Failure to comply with this rule will result in consequences. Right Dragon?” Lucius asked as he looked over at his son. The child in question blushed and nodded as he remembered all the times he had talked poorly of himself. His papa had a really hard hand.
“I-I”
“What, child?” Lucius said, turning back to Harry.
“I just don’t get it. No one has ever wanted me before.”
Everyone in the room felt their hearts break at the boy’s proclamation.
“I know that child,” Lucius said gently. “But that is not the case anymore. Everyone in this room, in this house, cares a great deal about you and wishes you to stay. But that is, again, your choice to make. And yours alone.”
Green eyes met silver, then Harry looked down at his feet. “You-you really want me?”
“Yes.” The elder Malfoy said, using his index finger to gently raise Harry’s chin. “Yes we really want you.”
“I can stay?”
The adults nodded. “For as long as you want.”
A sob left Harry’s mouth and he launched himself at Lucius, who didn’t miss a beat and wrapped his arms around the child. He rested his cheek against the messy brown locks as the boy sobbed into his chest. He now knew what his lovers meant; understood why they wanted him. Having Harry in his arms was something that just felt right. It felt as natural as it did with Draco and would not have it any other way.