Afterwards Chapter 6
Title: Afterwards - Chapter 6
Author: Jhaylin
malfoy_consort
Rating: PG to PG-13
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Words: 1643
Warnings: Slash (duh!), past mpreg implied, mpreg.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Property of JK Rowling.
Author’s note: Oh! I know, I know. It's been FOREVER! *is ashamed*. I'm horrible. I know. After this fic, nothing but one-shots for me.
Summary: Harry and Draco thought that after settling down and having a few kids, life would be perfect, but life is far from it. The honeymoon period is most definitely over. Can Harry and Draco salvage their jaded relationship, or have they drifted so far apart that it’s too late.
*************
“Ow!” Harry cried as Hermione smacked him upside the head.
“How dare you Harry!” she cried.
“What?!” said Harry.
“Oh please. Don’t what me. You know damn well what I’m talking about. You utter bastard. How could you say all that to Draco!”
Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Hermione cut him off.
“How could you be that callous? Especially to someone you love? What’s wrong with you!”
“I don’t understand why you’re making such a huge deal about this. I’ll apologize okay.”
Hermione scoffed.
“And you honestly think Draco will accept that?”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“Are you serious? Harry, anyone with half a brain could see that you honestly don’t understand what Draco is going through.”
“Well if you know so much, why don’t you elaborate.”
“I shouldn’t have to elaborate. It’s as plain as day, Harry. Draco is unhappy. And why wouldn’t he be when all he does all day is look after your children without anyone helping him.”
“Hermione, there’s only two children, and they’re not that difficult.”
Hermione clapped a hand against her forehead as she exhaled in frustration.
“Harry, let me ask you. Have you ever taken care of your children before without Draco helping you? Of course not. So how would you know how difficult it is? I mean its pretty common knowledge that taking care of children is a difficult, stressful, fulltime job. One that Draco shouldn’t have to do by himself.”
“Well its not like my job is a walk in the park either. I can’t just put it aside because Draco’s being a brat! Someone needs to support the family, and I can’t do that if I have to stay at home and baby him all the time!”
“Harry! Taking care of and supporting Draco is what you need to be doing. He obviously has some issues about the children and having more, issues that you quite obviously brought upon him. If you were more supportive, Draco wouldn’t feel it was only his responsibility to raise them. You’re being a jerk. You wanted the kids just as much, if not more than Draco. Its not fair to him for you to leave him with all this responsibility.”
Harry groaned and put his head in his hands.
“Hermione, this is the same argument over and over again. I know Draco wants me to stay at home more, but I can’t. I have other responsibilities.”
Hermione shook her head, exasperated.
“Harry, admit it. You just don’t want to stay home. Between you and Draco, you have more than enough money. That’s not an issue here,” said Hermione, inwardly triumphant as Harry couldn’t think of a retort.
“I’m telling you this now Harry. You need to clean up your act, or you may not have a husband or children to bother you anymore.”
This got Harry’s attention.
“What do you mean,” he demanded.
“I mean that I talked to Pansy yesterday. She seems to be under the impression that Draco’s contemplating divorce.”
Harry reeled from shock, blood draining from his face.
“What?”
“You heard right. He’s getting fed up Harry. This is your ultimatum. You’d better convince Draco that you can change, or it’ll be the end of you and him.”
/\/\/\/\/\
Draco cradled Adelaide’s sleeping form as Pansy came back to their table, carefully navigating through the crowd so as not to spill their coffee. Draco gratefully accepted the steaming cup from her hand as she settled in across from him. To his side, Terrence occupied himself by tearing open sugar packets, building up a snowy white pile in the center of the table.
“So, I ran into Granger the other day,” Pansy said noncommittally.
Draco shrugged.
“And?” he asked.
“Nothing much. She was asking about you. Apparently, the other two thirds of the golden trio had no idea about your most recent spat. I decided to let her into the loop, as it were.”
“Hmm.”
Pansy raised an eyebrow at Draco’s lack of interest.
“I may have let slip to her that possibilities of divorce were on the horizon.”
At this, Draco’s head snapped up, eyes quickly shifting to Terrence, relieved when it appeared that he wasn’t paying even an ounce of attention to the conversation.
“Why did you do that!” he hissed.
Pansy shrugged.
“Give Potter a little shove in the right direction.”
“What do you mean?” asked Draco, clueless.
“I mean that now that the Great Saviour thinks that you want a divorce, maybe the gravity of the situation will finally sink in. I suspect that attempts at apologies should be coming any day now.”
Draco scoffed.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” he said.
“Oh but I would.”
At this, Draco suddenly became suspicious. Pansy had that knowing look on her face, the one that always meant that she was about to put her nose where it didn’t belong.
“What did you do,” Draco demanded.
“Nothing!….serious.”
Draco’s eyes widened.
“Not really serious. Just, maybe, you know, I may have told this guy at work…”
Draco didn’t like this. It was never a good thing when Pansy of all people became inarticulate.
Draco levelled her with a glare.
“Oh, all right. I told this guy at work that I had a really cute friend that I would love to set him up with.”
Draco felt faint as he heard this.
“You what!?” he hissed, nervously glancing at Terrence, making sure he still wasn’t listening.
“You heard me. Trust me Draco. When have I ever lead you wrong?” Pansy said, leaning forward, eager to explain her scheme.
“This’ll be a great plan. Next week is that party at the Ministry. Show up with Alan, and I promise, you’ll have Harry back in no time. Everyone knows that boy is too possesive for his own good.”
Draco leaned back, aghast.
“Absolutely not! Are you mad!? We have children! What do you think people at the party will think of me if I show up with some other guy? They’ll say I’m some heartless, inconsiderate slag, that’s what!”
Pansy shook her head.
“Draco, you’re too pessimistic. No one will say anything…to your face,” she sniggered.
Draco flushed.
“Shut up. You’re barking mad. There’s no way I’ll go along with this. You can tarnish your reputation all you want, but I won’t have you ruin mine.”
At this, Pansy sobered up.
“Draco, what kind of a reputation do you think you’ll have if you’re relationship really does end in divorce? You know your parents wouldn’t accept it. And a lot of people would side with Harry, claiming that it was you who caused all the problems. Not to mention all the people who will say that you don’t care about the kids, since you’d go through with a divorce and separate them from their other father. Albeit, a father who’s rarely ever there, but their father nevertheless. You have to do something drastic if that’s what it takes for Harry to come around.”
Draco groaned. He knew he was defeated. Pansy was right. He had to do something.
“Fine. I’ll do it. But this had better work, or the blame will be solely on you,” he said.
“Great!” Pansy exclaimed, delighted. “Now, let’s discuss the details of this plan.”
/\/\/\/\/\
“So, Alan. Remember that cute friend I mentioned last week?”
/\/\/\/\/\
Harry nervously tugged on his dress robes, casting furtive glances around the large room, trying to catch a glimpse of Draco. This would be the first time he’d see him since their last fight.
“Harry, calm down. You look like you’re about to have a heart attack. Don’t worry. Pansy assured me that he’d be here,” said Hermione reassuringly.
Harry cast her a strained smile.
“Yeah, I know.”
Ron snorted, choking slightly on his drink. Hermione smacked his back.
“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.
Ron held up a hand, nodding as he caught his breath again.
“Yeah. Just wondering if Malfoy knew that Harry was going to be here,” he said, gesturing across the room.
Harry followed the direction of his hand, looking through the crowd.
“What do you mean? I don’t see anything,” he said.
Ron cast him a anxious look, pointing through the crowd again.
“Right there mate. By the fourth table from the right.”
Harry glanced that way, inhaling sharply as he caught sight of Draco.
“Yeah, I see him.”
Ron cast him another uneasy glance.
“You sure you’re looking closely ?” he asked.
Harry glanced again. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Draco was there with Pansy, the two of them conversing with the French ambassador and his wife. It looked normal enough, although Draco seemed a bit nervous. He glanced around, not seeing Harry, but instead fixing on a handsome red-head that had just come up behind him. Draco gave him a nervous smile, and at that moment, Harry’s insides went cold.
That man. That man was touching Draco. Touching Draco in a way that no one but Harry should touch.
Harry’s hand tightened painfully around his glass as he watched Draco’s fingers weave with the fingers of the hand resting protectively on his waist.
“Yeah, I’m looking closely,” said Harry, voice dangerously even as he thrust his glass into Ron’s hand and shrugged off Hermione’s restricting hand, making his way over to Draco.
He pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring the cry of indignation as he pushed a woman aside, causing her drink to slosh. His focus had narrowed in on one person, a person who had yet to notice him.
Harry growled as the hand on Draco’s waist went down to his hip with no protest from Draco. He pushed past the last few people as he finally reached Draco’s table.
Draco finally noticed him, large, doe-like grey eyes widening in surprise.
“Harry!”
Harry smiled thinly.
“Draco. Could I please have a word with you?”
Author: Jhaylin
malfoy_consort
Rating: PG to PG-13
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Words: 1643
Warnings: Slash (duh!), past mpreg implied, mpreg.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Property of JK Rowling.
Author’s note: Oh! I know, I know. It's been FOREVER! *is ashamed*. I'm horrible. I know. After this fic, nothing but one-shots for me.
Summary: Harry and Draco thought that after settling down and having a few kids, life would be perfect, but life is far from it. The honeymoon period is most definitely over. Can Harry and Draco salvage their jaded relationship, or have they drifted so far apart that it’s too late.
*************
“Ow!” Harry cried as Hermione smacked him upside the head.
“How dare you Harry!” she cried.
“What?!” said Harry.
“Oh please. Don’t what me. You know damn well what I’m talking about. You utter bastard. How could you say all that to Draco!”
Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Hermione cut him off.
“How could you be that callous? Especially to someone you love? What’s wrong with you!”
“I don’t understand why you’re making such a huge deal about this. I’ll apologize okay.”
Hermione scoffed.
“And you honestly think Draco will accept that?”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“Are you serious? Harry, anyone with half a brain could see that you honestly don’t understand what Draco is going through.”
“Well if you know so much, why don’t you elaborate.”
“I shouldn’t have to elaborate. It’s as plain as day, Harry. Draco is unhappy. And why wouldn’t he be when all he does all day is look after your children without anyone helping him.”
“Hermione, there’s only two children, and they’re not that difficult.”
Hermione clapped a hand against her forehead as she exhaled in frustration.
“Harry, let me ask you. Have you ever taken care of your children before without Draco helping you? Of course not. So how would you know how difficult it is? I mean its pretty common knowledge that taking care of children is a difficult, stressful, fulltime job. One that Draco shouldn’t have to do by himself.”
“Well its not like my job is a walk in the park either. I can’t just put it aside because Draco’s being a brat! Someone needs to support the family, and I can’t do that if I have to stay at home and baby him all the time!”
“Harry! Taking care of and supporting Draco is what you need to be doing. He obviously has some issues about the children and having more, issues that you quite obviously brought upon him. If you were more supportive, Draco wouldn’t feel it was only his responsibility to raise them. You’re being a jerk. You wanted the kids just as much, if not more than Draco. Its not fair to him for you to leave him with all this responsibility.”
Harry groaned and put his head in his hands.
“Hermione, this is the same argument over and over again. I know Draco wants me to stay at home more, but I can’t. I have other responsibilities.”
Hermione shook her head, exasperated.
“Harry, admit it. You just don’t want to stay home. Between you and Draco, you have more than enough money. That’s not an issue here,” said Hermione, inwardly triumphant as Harry couldn’t think of a retort.
“I’m telling you this now Harry. You need to clean up your act, or you may not have a husband or children to bother you anymore.”
This got Harry’s attention.
“What do you mean,” he demanded.
“I mean that I talked to Pansy yesterday. She seems to be under the impression that Draco’s contemplating divorce.”
Harry reeled from shock, blood draining from his face.
“What?”
“You heard right. He’s getting fed up Harry. This is your ultimatum. You’d better convince Draco that you can change, or it’ll be the end of you and him.”
/\/\/\/\/\
Draco cradled Adelaide’s sleeping form as Pansy came back to their table, carefully navigating through the crowd so as not to spill their coffee. Draco gratefully accepted the steaming cup from her hand as she settled in across from him. To his side, Terrence occupied himself by tearing open sugar packets, building up a snowy white pile in the center of the table.
“So, I ran into Granger the other day,” Pansy said noncommittally.
Draco shrugged.
“And?” he asked.
“Nothing much. She was asking about you. Apparently, the other two thirds of the golden trio had no idea about your most recent spat. I decided to let her into the loop, as it were.”
“Hmm.”
Pansy raised an eyebrow at Draco’s lack of interest.
“I may have let slip to her that possibilities of divorce were on the horizon.”
At this, Draco’s head snapped up, eyes quickly shifting to Terrence, relieved when it appeared that he wasn’t paying even an ounce of attention to the conversation.
“Why did you do that!” he hissed.
Pansy shrugged.
“Give Potter a little shove in the right direction.”
“What do you mean?” asked Draco, clueless.
“I mean that now that the Great Saviour thinks that you want a divorce, maybe the gravity of the situation will finally sink in. I suspect that attempts at apologies should be coming any day now.”
Draco scoffed.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,” he said.
“Oh but I would.”
At this, Draco suddenly became suspicious. Pansy had that knowing look on her face, the one that always meant that she was about to put her nose where it didn’t belong.
“What did you do,” Draco demanded.
“Nothing!….serious.”
Draco’s eyes widened.
“Not really serious. Just, maybe, you know, I may have told this guy at work…”
Draco didn’t like this. It was never a good thing when Pansy of all people became inarticulate.
Draco levelled her with a glare.
“Oh, all right. I told this guy at work that I had a really cute friend that I would love to set him up with.”
Draco felt faint as he heard this.
“You what!?” he hissed, nervously glancing at Terrence, making sure he still wasn’t listening.
“You heard me. Trust me Draco. When have I ever lead you wrong?” Pansy said, leaning forward, eager to explain her scheme.
“This’ll be a great plan. Next week is that party at the Ministry. Show up with Alan, and I promise, you’ll have Harry back in no time. Everyone knows that boy is too possesive for his own good.”
Draco leaned back, aghast.
“Absolutely not! Are you mad!? We have children! What do you think people at the party will think of me if I show up with some other guy? They’ll say I’m some heartless, inconsiderate slag, that’s what!”
Pansy shook her head.
“Draco, you’re too pessimistic. No one will say anything…to your face,” she sniggered.
Draco flushed.
“Shut up. You’re barking mad. There’s no way I’ll go along with this. You can tarnish your reputation all you want, but I won’t have you ruin mine.”
At this, Pansy sobered up.
“Draco, what kind of a reputation do you think you’ll have if you’re relationship really does end in divorce? You know your parents wouldn’t accept it. And a lot of people would side with Harry, claiming that it was you who caused all the problems. Not to mention all the people who will say that you don’t care about the kids, since you’d go through with a divorce and separate them from their other father. Albeit, a father who’s rarely ever there, but their father nevertheless. You have to do something drastic if that’s what it takes for Harry to come around.”
Draco groaned. He knew he was defeated. Pansy was right. He had to do something.
“Fine. I’ll do it. But this had better work, or the blame will be solely on you,” he said.
“Great!” Pansy exclaimed, delighted. “Now, let’s discuss the details of this plan.”
/\/\/\/\/\
“So, Alan. Remember that cute friend I mentioned last week?”
/\/\/\/\/\
Harry nervously tugged on his dress robes, casting furtive glances around the large room, trying to catch a glimpse of Draco. This would be the first time he’d see him since their last fight.
“Harry, calm down. You look like you’re about to have a heart attack. Don’t worry. Pansy assured me that he’d be here,” said Hermione reassuringly.
Harry cast her a strained smile.
“Yeah, I know.”
Ron snorted, choking slightly on his drink. Hermione smacked his back.
“Are you okay?” she asked, concerned.
Ron held up a hand, nodding as he caught his breath again.
“Yeah. Just wondering if Malfoy knew that Harry was going to be here,” he said, gesturing across the room.
Harry followed the direction of his hand, looking through the crowd.
“What do you mean? I don’t see anything,” he said.
Ron cast him a anxious look, pointing through the crowd again.
“Right there mate. By the fourth table from the right.”
Harry glanced that way, inhaling sharply as he caught sight of Draco.
“Yeah, I see him.”
Ron cast him another uneasy glance.
“You sure you’re looking closely ?” he asked.
Harry glanced again. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Draco was there with Pansy, the two of them conversing with the French ambassador and his wife. It looked normal enough, although Draco seemed a bit nervous. He glanced around, not seeing Harry, but instead fixing on a handsome red-head that had just come up behind him. Draco gave him a nervous smile, and at that moment, Harry’s insides went cold.
That man. That man was touching Draco. Touching Draco in a way that no one but Harry should touch.
Harry’s hand tightened painfully around his glass as he watched Draco’s fingers weave with the fingers of the hand resting protectively on his waist.
“Yeah, I’m looking closely,” said Harry, voice dangerously even as he thrust his glass into Ron’s hand and shrugged off Hermione’s restricting hand, making his way over to Draco.
He pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring the cry of indignation as he pushed a woman aside, causing her drink to slosh. His focus had narrowed in on one person, a person who had yet to notice him.
Harry growled as the hand on Draco’s waist went down to his hip with no protest from Draco. He pushed past the last few people as he finally reached Draco’s table.
Draco finally noticed him, large, doe-like grey eyes widening in surprise.
“Harry!”
Harry smiled thinly.
“Draco. Could I please have a word with you?”