![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Title: Second Chance – Chapter Fifteen
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sesheta_66 || AO3: sesheta_66
Prompts used:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
slythindor100’s early bird prompt C—Wreaths on Exterior of Brick Building at Night (picture under the cut) and dracoharry100’s prompt 29: Northern Lights
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Word Count: 2.2K (this part)
Rating: R (eventually; this part PG)
Warning: none
Summary: This is the second Christmas for Draco without Astoria and Harry's first since Ginny remarried. Will best friends Scorpius and Albus be just what they need to rekindle something they'd thought fleeting and lost forever?
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Written for theslythindor100 Early Bird 25 Days of Draco and Harry and the dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge.
On LJ: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15
OR on AO3
Second Chance – Chapter 15
Harry watched an animated and excited Draco talk about the potion as though it were a work of art. When Harry reminded him that it was, in fact, poison, he waved the comment away. Yes, it was poison, but it was a masterpiece of poison. His love for his chosen field reminded Harry of Snape in their first year, describing the "subtle science and exact art" that was potion-making.
While Harry would never get worked up about potions like Snape or Draco, he did respect the field. Once removed from Snape's overbearing presence, he'd been able to do fairly well in the subject. Good thing too, or he never would have made it as an Auror. He'd never have the passion for the speciality, not like Draco had. But he could appreciate his exuberance. It was rather endearing, though he'd never tell the man that, for fear he'd be hexed into tomorrow.
Bemused, Harry had got caught up in his enthusiasm, and had agreed to push through approval for him to work from home. Thankfully he'd been able to reach someone to do the inspection – two Ministry officials needed to be present for such matters, and Harry could only validate the security of the place; he needed someone else to verify that the lab was … whatever it had to be to be certified.
Only as they waited for the inspector to meet them did Harry realise that he was going to be entering Draco's home. The home he'd built with his wife. Where they'd raised their son.
When he and Draco had spent their short time together, they'd only ever met at Grimmauld Place. Harry sure as hell wasn't going to step foot in the Manor again. The Ministry was hard enough. He'd rather not go back to the place where they and Luna and Dean and Mr Ollivander and Griphook had been held captive. Where Hermione had been tortured. Where Wormtail's silver hand had choked its owner to death in front of them. Where Bellatrix had thrown the silver dagger that had ended Dobby's life.
He wondered if the place would be as grand or imposing as Malfoy Manor. Draco could certainly afford it, but Harry wondered if he'd want something like that. Or if he'd have chosen something less ostentatious. He couldn't imagine him in a cottage in the country or a bungalow in the suburbs.
The inspector's arrival interrupted his thoughts. Guess he'd find out soon enough. "Hello, Mr Potter." He and Harry shook hands. "Robert Cartwright, at your service."
"We appreciate you doing this on such short notice and at such a late hour, Robert."
"Not at all, not at all. I'm old-school. I've been working the later shift my whole life. I'm on the clock until seven, later if you need."
Harry motioned towards Draco. "This is Draco Malfoy. The laboratory in question is at his residence."
Draco shook the man's hand. "As Mr Potter said, we appreciate you doing this at the last minute, Robert. I think you'll find everything is in order. The lab has been inspected and certified privately for work in all manner of potions and other substances, has secure access, meets state of the art fire safety standards and containment requirements."
"Well, let's go have a look then, shall we?"
Draco offered to side-along apparate Robert, who wasn't keen on doing so solo in the dark, to a place he'd never been before. Harry, though still not loving the process, had mastered the craft out of necessity in his years as an Auror. Draco gave him his address and described the location well enough that it was no problem.
When he arrived, he took a moment to appreciate the place. It was, indeed, a manor house, but not as stately as Malfoy Manor. Posh but not obnoxiously superior. It suited Draco. Wreaths hung on every window, lighting up the front facade with Christmas cheer. He tried to imagine Draco getting excited enough about Christmas to dress up the place and wondered what Christmases at the Malfoy home had been like for Scorpius growing up here.
He thought about his own home, the same as it always was before school let out, dreary and dull compared to the rest of the neighbourhood. He didn't like to decorate without the kids – it had always been a family affair. He and Ginny would agree to put a few things up while the boys were away at school, when Lily's pestering would get to be too much. Outside lights and her room, primarily. But the main decorating was something to be done as a team while sipping eggnog and listening to carols on the wireless. Since Gin had left, he hadn't bothered doing anything until the kids got there. He wondered when they'd get around to it this year, with the lot of them leaving for Mallorca right away.
Pushing that thought aside, he followed Draco and Robert into the house.
Harry conducted the review of security measures while Robert looked over the laboratory itself. In short order, the two of them proclaimed it approved for Ministry work and signed the requisite forms.
"Well, if that's all you need from me, I can go log and file these at the office and get going home." He grinned and patted his stomach. "The wife is making cottage pie tonight."
Harry chuckled. "Absolutely, and thanks again Robert."
"Did you need a side-along to get back?" Draco asked.
"Nah, I'll be fine. I've been there once or twice before." He winked and apparated away.
Leaving Harry alone with Draco.
"So this is your place?" he asked lamely.
As though peering over an invisible pair of glasses, Draco shot Harry a bemused look. "No, Potter, this is some random Muggle's home that I created a magical potions lab in."
"Very funny." Harry fumbled nervously to retrieve the potion at the centre of the case. Bloody hell, what was wrong with him? He pulled out a form and walked over to a table at the side of the room. "I'll need you to sign this. It's for–"
"Chain of custody, I know." Draco had sneaked up behind him as he'd got out a pen. Harry nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. He handed over the pen, watched him sign, then handed over the potion. "And yes, this is my place. We bought it when Astoria was pregnant with Scorpius."
"It's nice. Private, lots of space, seems quiet."
"It is. So far from the city, we've even seen the northern lights out here a few times."
"I bet Scorpius loved that." Draco grinned. "I also noticed you have a fair few wreaths outside."
Draco scoffed. "Mother sent over her house-elf. Said that Scorpius should come home to Christmas cheer. I relented, but only for the outside." Harry thought maybe he should do the same for his kids. "I plan to have a father-son decorating evening for the inside when he gets home from school." Harry smiled, looking forward to the same, when it eventually happened. "Come on. I'll show you around."
They wandered through the different rooms and, though decorated in a luxurious way, the place felt less palatial and much more homey than Draco's ancestral home. This place felt warm and welcoming, with no imposing portraits but plenty of family photographs scattered around. He noticed a few pictures of Teddy with Draco and Scorpius; he kept forgetting that they were cousins. All in all, it was a much more inviting home than Malfoy Manor. Then again, Harry had only ever been there in the middle of a war, while it was overrun by Death Eaters and he and his friends were being held captive. He hadn't had much time to consider the decor, what while planning an escape.
"I'm surprised you didn't stay at the Manor. I thought it was a generational family home."
"It is, and if Narcissa had had her way, we would have. But let's just say that neither Astoria nor I wanted the parental guidance that I had as a child to be thrust upon our son. Same with her family. We thought it best to raise Scorpius as free from the earlier generation's prejudiced views as possible. Which wouldn't have been easy at the Manor, what with all the portraits giving their opinions too."
Harry smiled. Draco really had matured. "You're a good father, Draco." He'd said it without thinking, but meant it.
Draco's eyes widened. "You couldn't know that."
"I can tell by the way your eyes light up when you talk about him that you love him very much. Plus I've heard nothing but good things about Scorpius. Given that he and Albus are virtually inseparable at school, it's hard to have a conversation about one without hearing about the other. And Rose adores him. I figure you've done something right."
Draco turned away and sat down on a stiff-looking chair. "I hope so." Harry took a seat on a similar one opposite, pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was. Seems like everything about this place surprised Harry.
"It must be hard now, just the two of you." He thought of his own place and how it had felt at first, adjusting to Gin's absence. He's used to it by now, and the children still have their mother. But it's a strange new normal, having to split parenting time.
Draco peered down at his hands. "Mother has helped. She was a godsend when Astoria passed last year. Prejudices aside, she was a good mother, and she's a loving grandmother. We were lucky to have her strength to help us get through it."
"I'm sorry for your loss. And sorry for Scorpius, having to grow up without a mother."
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's not so bad. He has his memories. We had some good years before her condition worsened. In the end, she'd been sick for so long, she knew her time was limited. We knew. She made a point of writing down letters for him, so he's got something from her for every birthday and Christmas until he's twenty-five." He chuckled. "She always was the planner. She even left memories with me to show him at key moments in his life."
Harry tried not to choke up at that. What he would have given to have such things from his mother. "That sounds wonderful."
"She was a good mum. An excellent mum, actually. That's probably why Scorpius turned out so great."
"Oh, I'm sure his dad had something to do with it too."
"I like to think so." Looking somewhat uncomfortable, Draco got up and walked across the room to a bar cart. He held up a glass. "Care for a drink?"
Harry wanted to. Wanted to learn more about Draco's life since they'd gone their separate ways. He really did. But he had a feeling that one drink would take away all his self control and he was barely keeping it in check already. "Thanks, but I'd better not. I've got a shopping date with Al tomorrow and I still haven't finished those damn Christmas cards."
"Gabriella will not be pleased."
Harry chuckled. "You've got that right. She's been on my ass about it for nearly two weeks. You know there were some with Christmas kittens on them? Who the hell would I send those to?"
Draco raised his brows in amusement. "You could send one to Umbridge in Azkaban."
Harry laughed. "I very nearly did."
"You really should."
"Don't tempt me. Anyway, I won't hear the end of it if they aren't on Gabi's desk when she comes in Monday morning."
"Speaking of Monday morning, I've an appointment in Scotland. I'm guest lecturing at Hogwarts." He held up the vial Harry had given him. "Another reason for me to want to get a jump on this potion."
"I didn't know you taught at Hogwarts."
"Have done for years now. Hogwarts and Durmstrang, actually. Two or three times a year, usually. Slughorn and McGonagall want me to talk to the senior classes about my work and answer any questions about career options with potions as a focus."
"Hmm. I do the same, but for Defence. Strange McGonagall didn't mention it."
"She didn't mention you to me either. But is it so strange, really? It's not like we got along in school. Didn't end on a particularly happy note either. She probably figured best not to poke the beast by mentioning either of us to the other."
Harry thought he was probably right. "Fair point."
"This one was a bit of a last-minute surprise." He looked at the vial, still in his hand. "Not unlike this."
"This month seems to be full of surprises."
"Indeed. I even managed to convince McGonagall to let me take Scorpius into Hogsmeade for an early supper after class, but I'll be home in the evening and can get back to work."
"Sounds good. On that note, I'll get back to the office and get the last of the cards done so I don't have to meet with a holy wrath on Monday."
"Good luck with that. I'll let you know if I have some major breakthrough this weekend. Thanks, by the way, for agreeing to this, and for arranging the last-minute Friday night inspection. I have a theory about something and I want to move on it right away."
"A theory? Care to share?"
He shook his head. "Not yet. But I'll let you know if it pans out."
Harry nodded. "Have a good weekend, Draco."
"Goodnight, Potter."
Author:
sesheta_66 || AO3: sesheta_66Prompts used:
slythindor100’s early bird prompt C—Wreaths on Exterior of Brick Building at Night (picture under the cut) and dracoharry100’s prompt 29: Northern LightsPairing: Harry/Draco
Word Count: 2.2K (this part)
Rating: R (eventually; this part PG)
Warning: none
Summary: This is the second Christmas for Draco without Astoria and Harry's first since Ginny remarried. Will best friends Scorpius and Albus be just what they need to rekindle something they'd thought fleeting and lost forever?
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Notes: Written for the
slythindor100 Early Bird 25 Days of Draco and Harry and the dracoharry100 Christmas Challenge. On LJ: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15
OR on AO3
Harry watched an animated and excited Draco talk about the potion as though it were a work of art. When Harry reminded him that it was, in fact, poison, he waved the comment away. Yes, it was poison, but it was a masterpiece of poison. His love for his chosen field reminded Harry of Snape in their first year, describing the "subtle science and exact art" that was potion-making.
While Harry would never get worked up about potions like Snape or Draco, he did respect the field. Once removed from Snape's overbearing presence, he'd been able to do fairly well in the subject. Good thing too, or he never would have made it as an Auror. He'd never have the passion for the speciality, not like Draco had. But he could appreciate his exuberance. It was rather endearing, though he'd never tell the man that, for fear he'd be hexed into tomorrow.
Bemused, Harry had got caught up in his enthusiasm, and had agreed to push through approval for him to work from home. Thankfully he'd been able to reach someone to do the inspection – two Ministry officials needed to be present for such matters, and Harry could only validate the security of the place; he needed someone else to verify that the lab was … whatever it had to be to be certified.
Only as they waited for the inspector to meet them did Harry realise that he was going to be entering Draco's home. The home he'd built with his wife. Where they'd raised their son.
When he and Draco had spent their short time together, they'd only ever met at Grimmauld Place. Harry sure as hell wasn't going to step foot in the Manor again. The Ministry was hard enough. He'd rather not go back to the place where they and Luna and Dean and Mr Ollivander and Griphook had been held captive. Where Hermione had been tortured. Where Wormtail's silver hand had choked its owner to death in front of them. Where Bellatrix had thrown the silver dagger that had ended Dobby's life.
He wondered if the place would be as grand or imposing as Malfoy Manor. Draco could certainly afford it, but Harry wondered if he'd want something like that. Or if he'd have chosen something less ostentatious. He couldn't imagine him in a cottage in the country or a bungalow in the suburbs.
The inspector's arrival interrupted his thoughts. Guess he'd find out soon enough. "Hello, Mr Potter." He and Harry shook hands. "Robert Cartwright, at your service."
"We appreciate you doing this on such short notice and at such a late hour, Robert."
"Not at all, not at all. I'm old-school. I've been working the later shift my whole life. I'm on the clock until seven, later if you need."
Harry motioned towards Draco. "This is Draco Malfoy. The laboratory in question is at his residence."
Draco shook the man's hand. "As Mr Potter said, we appreciate you doing this at the last minute, Robert. I think you'll find everything is in order. The lab has been inspected and certified privately for work in all manner of potions and other substances, has secure access, meets state of the art fire safety standards and containment requirements."
"Well, let's go have a look then, shall we?"
Draco offered to side-along apparate Robert, who wasn't keen on doing so solo in the dark, to a place he'd never been before. Harry, though still not loving the process, had mastered the craft out of necessity in his years as an Auror. Draco gave him his address and described the location well enough that it was no problem.
When he arrived, he took a moment to appreciate the place. It was, indeed, a manor house, but not as stately as Malfoy Manor. Posh but not obnoxiously superior. It suited Draco. Wreaths hung on every window, lighting up the front facade with Christmas cheer. He tried to imagine Draco getting excited enough about Christmas to dress up the place and wondered what Christmases at the Malfoy home had been like for Scorpius growing up here.
He thought about his own home, the same as it always was before school let out, dreary and dull compared to the rest of the neighbourhood. He didn't like to decorate without the kids – it had always been a family affair. He and Ginny would agree to put a few things up while the boys were away at school, when Lily's pestering would get to be too much. Outside lights and her room, primarily. But the main decorating was something to be done as a team while sipping eggnog and listening to carols on the wireless. Since Gin had left, he hadn't bothered doing anything until the kids got there. He wondered when they'd get around to it this year, with the lot of them leaving for Mallorca right away.
Pushing that thought aside, he followed Draco and Robert into the house.
Harry conducted the review of security measures while Robert looked over the laboratory itself. In short order, the two of them proclaimed it approved for Ministry work and signed the requisite forms.
"Well, if that's all you need from me, I can go log and file these at the office and get going home." He grinned and patted his stomach. "The wife is making cottage pie tonight."
Harry chuckled. "Absolutely, and thanks again Robert."
"Did you need a side-along to get back?" Draco asked.
"Nah, I'll be fine. I've been there once or twice before." He winked and apparated away.
Leaving Harry alone with Draco.
"So this is your place?" he asked lamely.
As though peering over an invisible pair of glasses, Draco shot Harry a bemused look. "No, Potter, this is some random Muggle's home that I created a magical potions lab in."
"Very funny." Harry fumbled nervously to retrieve the potion at the centre of the case. Bloody hell, what was wrong with him? He pulled out a form and walked over to a table at the side of the room. "I'll need you to sign this. It's for–"
"Chain of custody, I know." Draco had sneaked up behind him as he'd got out a pen. Harry nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. He handed over the pen, watched him sign, then handed over the potion. "And yes, this is my place. We bought it when Astoria was pregnant with Scorpius."
"It's nice. Private, lots of space, seems quiet."
"It is. So far from the city, we've even seen the northern lights out here a few times."
"I bet Scorpius loved that." Draco grinned. "I also noticed you have a fair few wreaths outside."
Draco scoffed. "Mother sent over her house-elf. Said that Scorpius should come home to Christmas cheer. I relented, but only for the outside." Harry thought maybe he should do the same for his kids. "I plan to have a father-son decorating evening for the inside when he gets home from school." Harry smiled, looking forward to the same, when it eventually happened. "Come on. I'll show you around."
They wandered through the different rooms and, though decorated in a luxurious way, the place felt less palatial and much more homey than Draco's ancestral home. This place felt warm and welcoming, with no imposing portraits but plenty of family photographs scattered around. He noticed a few pictures of Teddy with Draco and Scorpius; he kept forgetting that they were cousins. All in all, it was a much more inviting home than Malfoy Manor. Then again, Harry had only ever been there in the middle of a war, while it was overrun by Death Eaters and he and his friends were being held captive. He hadn't had much time to consider the decor, what while planning an escape.
"I'm surprised you didn't stay at the Manor. I thought it was a generational family home."
"It is, and if Narcissa had had her way, we would have. But let's just say that neither Astoria nor I wanted the parental guidance that I had as a child to be thrust upon our son. Same with her family. We thought it best to raise Scorpius as free from the earlier generation's prejudiced views as possible. Which wouldn't have been easy at the Manor, what with all the portraits giving their opinions too."
Harry smiled. Draco really had matured. "You're a good father, Draco." He'd said it without thinking, but meant it.
Draco's eyes widened. "You couldn't know that."
"I can tell by the way your eyes light up when you talk about him that you love him very much. Plus I've heard nothing but good things about Scorpius. Given that he and Albus are virtually inseparable at school, it's hard to have a conversation about one without hearing about the other. And Rose adores him. I figure you've done something right."
Draco turned away and sat down on a stiff-looking chair. "I hope so." Harry took a seat on a similar one opposite, pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it was. Seems like everything about this place surprised Harry.
"It must be hard now, just the two of you." He thought of his own place and how it had felt at first, adjusting to Gin's absence. He's used to it by now, and the children still have their mother. But it's a strange new normal, having to split parenting time.
Draco peered down at his hands. "Mother has helped. She was a godsend when Astoria passed last year. Prejudices aside, she was a good mother, and she's a loving grandmother. We were lucky to have her strength to help us get through it."
"I'm sorry for your loss. And sorry for Scorpius, having to grow up without a mother."
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's not so bad. He has his memories. We had some good years before her condition worsened. In the end, she'd been sick for so long, she knew her time was limited. We knew. She made a point of writing down letters for him, so he's got something from her for every birthday and Christmas until he's twenty-five." He chuckled. "She always was the planner. She even left memories with me to show him at key moments in his life."
Harry tried not to choke up at that. What he would have given to have such things from his mother. "That sounds wonderful."
"She was a good mum. An excellent mum, actually. That's probably why Scorpius turned out so great."
"Oh, I'm sure his dad had something to do with it too."
"I like to think so." Looking somewhat uncomfortable, Draco got up and walked across the room to a bar cart. He held up a glass. "Care for a drink?"
Harry wanted to. Wanted to learn more about Draco's life since they'd gone their separate ways. He really did. But he had a feeling that one drink would take away all his self control and he was barely keeping it in check already. "Thanks, but I'd better not. I've got a shopping date with Al tomorrow and I still haven't finished those damn Christmas cards."
"Gabriella will not be pleased."
Harry chuckled. "You've got that right. She's been on my ass about it for nearly two weeks. You know there were some with Christmas kittens on them? Who the hell would I send those to?"
Draco raised his brows in amusement. "You could send one to Umbridge in Azkaban."
Harry laughed. "I very nearly did."
"You really should."
"Don't tempt me. Anyway, I won't hear the end of it if they aren't on Gabi's desk when she comes in Monday morning."
"Speaking of Monday morning, I've an appointment in Scotland. I'm guest lecturing at Hogwarts." He held up the vial Harry had given him. "Another reason for me to want to get a jump on this potion."
"I didn't know you taught at Hogwarts."
"Have done for years now. Hogwarts and Durmstrang, actually. Two or three times a year, usually. Slughorn and McGonagall want me to talk to the senior classes about my work and answer any questions about career options with potions as a focus."
"Hmm. I do the same, but for Defence. Strange McGonagall didn't mention it."
"She didn't mention you to me either. But is it so strange, really? It's not like we got along in school. Didn't end on a particularly happy note either. She probably figured best not to poke the beast by mentioning either of us to the other."
Harry thought he was probably right. "Fair point."
"This one was a bit of a last-minute surprise." He looked at the vial, still in his hand. "Not unlike this."
"This month seems to be full of surprises."
"Indeed. I even managed to convince McGonagall to let me take Scorpius into Hogsmeade for an early supper after class, but I'll be home in the evening and can get back to work."
"Sounds good. On that note, I'll get back to the office and get the last of the cards done so I don't have to meet with a holy wrath on Monday."
"Good luck with that. I'll let you know if I have some major breakthrough this weekend. Thanks, by the way, for agreeing to this, and for arranging the last-minute Friday night inspection. I have a theory about something and I want to move on it right away."
"A theory? Care to share?"
He shook his head. "Not yet. But I'll let you know if it pans out."
Harry nodded. "Have a good weekend, Draco."
"Goodnight, Potter."
