HARRY POTTER Fic: Incrementum (1/?) -- H/D
Title: Incrementum
Author: Magz
Rating: PG-13ish?
Pairing: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy
Summary: As a boy, Draco Malfoy had always assumed that his adult life would be one much like the leading males in the Muggle romances that his mother hid in her wardrobe... but fate, it seems, always has a way of intervening.
Author's Note: Egads. In the read-through, I realized why I'd stopped in the first place. Because -- egads. Also? Pre-Half-Blood Prince, yo.
INCREMENTUM: Chapter 1
In all his wildest dreams, Draco had never thought he'd watch the development of the next Malfoy heir so closely. In a glowing blue bubble floating a few inches above a basinet, his child rested.
He eyed the bubble closely. Other than the light fuzz developing on the baby's head, it certainly didn't look like a Malfoy. In fact, it looked more like...
Eyes narrowed, Draco poked the bubble with the tip of his wand, and promptly found himself thrown across the room by a burst of wild magic from the baby. Once he'd extricated himself from a pile of scattered books and papers and dusted himself off, he glared at the blue bubble, then stomped over to the fireplace and tossed a handful of Floo powder into the grate. "Malfoy Manor, west wing," he muttered, and stuck his head in the flames. "Mother!"
BOY WHO LIVED: BABY ON BOARD?
Rita Skeeter, Staff Reporter
An anonymous source for the Prophet has revealed to us that the heir of two powerful wizarding lines is currently incubating in a synthetic womb inside the London flat of Twice Defeater of the Dark Lord and current Montrose Magpies Seeker Harry Potter's school rival Draco Malfoy. According to the source, Malfoy was impregnated by Incrementum curse at the end of his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"He fell over all of a sudden, and he wouldn't wake up," says Malfoy's former betrothed, Pansy Parkinson, who witnessed the curse in action. "His nose was bleeding. It was horrid, I can't stand the sight of blood."
Our source tells us that the child, a boy, is "Most powerful indeed," and that he'll be a formidable wizard, once properly trained. But does Potter know about the existence of his son? Parkinson says no. "Draco and Potter hate each other. Why would Draco
tell Potter that his blood had soiled the Malfoy line?"
Well, if Harry Potter didn't know before, he most certainly will, now. The only question that remains unanswered is how the Boy Who Lived will react to the news that he's an impending father. A recent poll suggests that he'll do everything in his power to keep the baby from Malfoy, once it's born. However, only time will tell.
"Ron's been avoiding me since the article about Malfoy was published," Harry said with a frown. He sipped at his tea, then set the cup back down in the saucer with a soft clink. "It almost makes me think he had something to do with the curse."
"Nonsense, dear," Mrs. Weasley said with a chuckle. "Whatever would Ron have to do with impregnating a Malfoy?"
"Well," Harry replied, "the Potions book did say that the curse only works if the caster is seeking revenge, and Malfoy was a prat the entire time we were at school. Ron might hate him more than anyone."
Molly shook her head. "Harry," she said, "Incrementum is a Dark curse. Ron wouldn't curse one of his classmates and risk their life because of a bit of schoolboy rivalry. Here, I'll clear this up once and for all." She stood and walked to the foot of the staircase. "Ron! Come downstairs, dear!"
A moment later, Ron thumped down the stairs, but froze mid-step at the sight of Harry. He crept cautiously down the remaining steps and sat at the table, in the chair furthest from his friend. "Hi, Harry," he mumbled. "What did you want, Mum?"
Mrs. Weasley smiled indulgently. "Harry seems to have gotten the notion into his head that you had something to do with poor Draco Malfoy's being a father." She laughed again. "I'd like you to set him straight."
Ron looked down at his hands and flushed. "Er... Mum?" He cringed.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Molly exclaimed. "How dare you cast such a dangerous, dark curse on one of your classmates? Now Draco Malfoy's got himself a growing baby, and poor Harry as the other father. Why, they're just out of school! They're too young for children!" She placed her hands on her hips. "I expect you to apologize first to Mr. Malfoy and then to Harry, Ron. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Mum," Ron replied glumly.
"And Harry, if there's anything you need -- baby books, advice on child-rearing, someone to take the baby for a day, you let me know." She patted Harry's cheek and turned back to Ron. "Now, upstairs with you. I want you to write a nice, polite apology to Draco Malfoy, dear, and then you bring it down to me to look over."
"Yes, Mum," Ron sighed. He got to his feet and slumped back up the stairs.
"I never thought I'd hear you defending a Malfoy," Harry said.
Molly sat down and picked up her teacup. "It's true that my family doesn't get along with the Malfoys," she said, "but I wouldn't wish the Incrementum curse on anyone. I hear that labor is terribly painful, even though the wizard doesn't actually give birth, and the poor boy won't be able to so much as float a feather for a week or so afterwards. Up until the child is born, it's Draco Malfoy's magic that's sustaining it, and a particularly powerful child drains an awful lot of power from the host parent."
Harry paled. "So he could still die?" he asked.
"Oh, yes. There was a baby born of Incrementum in St. Mungo's the same time that I delivered the twins. The child survived, but the father died. The family gave the poor baby up for adoption. I would've taken him home myself, if I hadn't had two newborns of my own to deal with." She sipped her tea. "Oh, but don't worry, dear. Draco's young. I'm sure he'll be fine, and there's no doubt in my mind that Narcissa Malfoy will see them both well taken care of."
"That's what I'm worried about," Harry muttered. "You know, I could deliver the note from Ron. I've been meaning to talk to Malfoy, anyhow -- I haven't owled him about the article yet."
Draco's doorbell rang while he was again staring into the synthetic womb. The child had taken to moving around energetically inside the bubble, which in turn utterly fascinated his father. Draco stared into the bubble for a moment longer, then stood to answer the door just as the bell chimed again.
When it registered that Harry Potter was standing outside his flat, Draco closed the door in his face.
Potter took to knocking, so Draco opened the door again with an exasperated sigh. "I presume you're not here to invite me to a Hogwarts reunion," he said, and waved him inside, then closed and bolted the door.
Attempting a weak smile, Potter shook his head. "I read the article," he said. He rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet.
Draco leveled him with a cool look. "Look, Potter, if you've come here because you want to fight me for custody, I'm afraid that's out of the question. As the sole remaining male Malfoy I need an heir, and the result of my being cursed is saving me from marrying some insipid Pureblood witch." He glanced toward his bedroom, where the glowing bubble floated serenely. "However, you're welcome to the next one if someone should curse me again."
"I don't want to fight you for custody," Potter assured him. "I mean, a family would be great someday, but I'm only seventeen. I just wanted to know if you're okay... if he's okay -- if you need help or anything...?"
"And lay off the guilt, you utter prat." Draco snapped. "As much as it pains me to admit it, it's not your fault that someone feeling vengeful decided to invoke your name when they waved their wand in my direction."
"Actually..." Potter trailed off, pulling a folded piece of parchment from inside a pocket in his robes. He handed it to Draco silently.
Draco read the letter. "So apparently it is your fault someone feeling vengeful decided to invoke your name. You don't mind terribly if I place a curse on the Weasel that causes all his future children to be buck-toothed and cross-eyed, do you?"
"Er," said Potter.
"Please, I'm joking. It'd be a travesty if he reproduced at all. I suppose you want to see the baby?" Draco turned and headed for his bedroom, not checking to see if Potter followed him. "He's in here. Looks awfully like you, it's tragic."
Potter stopped short next to him as he saw the floating blue bubble. He stared for a minute, then whispered, "He's so tiny."
"You should've seen him at two weeks. He was just a speck, then." Draco extended a hand toward the bubble, his fingertips hovering just above the glowing surface. "Word to the wise -- do not touch the bubble or he'll throw you through the wall. He seems to like this, though." He moved his hand across the face of the bubble, never making contact. The bubble pulsed under his hand.
"Can I?" Potter asked, and stretched his hand out, too.
Draco nodded. "Just be careful. If you move too quickly you might lose a finger or two. Mother was badly burned the first time she tried."
"He'll be beautiful," Potter marveled, staring into the bubble. "Have you thought of names, yet?"
"Malfoy family tradition dictates that a child's name is not to be revealed until after birth, to prevent it being cursed with defects or illnesses that begin in infancy," Draco replied, though in truth he hadn't yet begun to look through the tomes of acceptable names for wizards descended of the Malfoy bloodline. "I'll owl you when he's hatched out of this thing and tell you what I've decided on."
Potter nodded. "Fair enough." He dug into another robe pocket and pulled out a small, fuzzy, very squishy-looking bear. "I brought this for him. It's charmed so that when he hugs it, it'll feel like someone's cuddling him." He handed the bear to Draco, who looked at it with an eyebrow raised. "Thanks for letting me see him." He withdrew his hand from the bubble. "I'll let myself out."
Draco watched him leave, and fiddled with one of the bear's paws. "Potter," he began, then stopped himself short.
Potter stopped in Draco's bedroom doorway. "When he's old enough, can you tell him he's got another dad that loves him very much?"
Draco frowned, withdrew his hand from the bubble as well, and stepped toward Potter. "How do you know that you'll love him?"
Potter looked at Draco, then at the bubble. "Part of me is in there. How could I not?"
That night when he went to sleep, Draco held the little bear close to his chest and burrowed contentedly into warm, comforting arms that weren't there.
SKEETER SACKED AND SUED
Marvin McCullough, Staff Reporter
Daily Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter has been served with a lawsuit and relieved of her position as a journalist for the periodical after illegally monitoring the home of Draco Malfoy for the period of two months, during which time she discovered that Malfoy was incubating a child conceived through Incrementum. It is now widely believed that the father of the the child in Malfoy's synthetic womb is none other than Harry Potter.
In a statement released late yesterday afternoon, Narcissa Malfoy had only this to say: "I have always valued my privacy. My son and I will not be the subject of sensationalist journalism." Draco Malfoy was unavailable for comments.
[ continue to chapter 2 ]
Author: Magz
Rating: PG-13ish?
Pairing: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy
Summary: As a boy, Draco Malfoy had always assumed that his adult life would be one much like the leading males in the Muggle romances that his mother hid in her wardrobe... but fate, it seems, always has a way of intervening.
Author's Note: Egads. In the read-through, I realized why I'd stopped in the first place. Because -- egads. Also? Pre-Half-Blood Prince, yo.
INCREMENTUM: Chapter 1
In all his wildest dreams, Draco had never thought he'd watch the development of the next Malfoy heir so closely. In a glowing blue bubble floating a few inches above a basinet, his child rested.
He eyed the bubble closely. Other than the light fuzz developing on the baby's head, it certainly didn't look like a Malfoy. In fact, it looked more like...
Eyes narrowed, Draco poked the bubble with the tip of his wand, and promptly found himself thrown across the room by a burst of wild magic from the baby. Once he'd extricated himself from a pile of scattered books and papers and dusted himself off, he glared at the blue bubble, then stomped over to the fireplace and tossed a handful of Floo powder into the grate. "Malfoy Manor, west wing," he muttered, and stuck his head in the flames. "Mother!"
BOY WHO LIVED: BABY ON BOARD?
Rita Skeeter, Staff Reporter
An anonymous source for the Prophet has revealed to us that the heir of two powerful wizarding lines is currently incubating in a synthetic womb inside the London flat of Twice Defeater of the Dark Lord and current Montrose Magpies Seeker Harry Potter's school rival Draco Malfoy. According to the source, Malfoy was impregnated by Incrementum curse at the end of his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"He fell over all of a sudden, and he wouldn't wake up," says Malfoy's former betrothed, Pansy Parkinson, who witnessed the curse in action. "His nose was bleeding. It was horrid, I can't stand the sight of blood."
Our source tells us that the child, a boy, is "Most powerful indeed," and that he'll be a formidable wizard, once properly trained. But does Potter know about the existence of his son? Parkinson says no. "Draco and Potter hate each other. Why would Draco
tell Potter that his blood had soiled the Malfoy line?"
Well, if Harry Potter didn't know before, he most certainly will, now. The only question that remains unanswered is how the Boy Who Lived will react to the news that he's an impending father. A recent poll suggests that he'll do everything in his power to keep the baby from Malfoy, once it's born. However, only time will tell.
"Ron's been avoiding me since the article about Malfoy was published," Harry said with a frown. He sipped at his tea, then set the cup back down in the saucer with a soft clink. "It almost makes me think he had something to do with the curse."
"Nonsense, dear," Mrs. Weasley said with a chuckle. "Whatever would Ron have to do with impregnating a Malfoy?"
"Well," Harry replied, "the Potions book did say that the curse only works if the caster is seeking revenge, and Malfoy was a prat the entire time we were at school. Ron might hate him more than anyone."
Molly shook her head. "Harry," she said, "Incrementum is a Dark curse. Ron wouldn't curse one of his classmates and risk their life because of a bit of schoolboy rivalry. Here, I'll clear this up once and for all." She stood and walked to the foot of the staircase. "Ron! Come downstairs, dear!"
A moment later, Ron thumped down the stairs, but froze mid-step at the sight of Harry. He crept cautiously down the remaining steps and sat at the table, in the chair furthest from his friend. "Hi, Harry," he mumbled. "What did you want, Mum?"
Mrs. Weasley smiled indulgently. "Harry seems to have gotten the notion into his head that you had something to do with poor Draco Malfoy's being a father." She laughed again. "I'd like you to set him straight."
Ron looked down at his hands and flushed. "Er... Mum?" He cringed.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Molly exclaimed. "How dare you cast such a dangerous, dark curse on one of your classmates? Now Draco Malfoy's got himself a growing baby, and poor Harry as the other father. Why, they're just out of school! They're too young for children!" She placed her hands on her hips. "I expect you to apologize first to Mr. Malfoy and then to Harry, Ron. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Mum," Ron replied glumly.
"And Harry, if there's anything you need -- baby books, advice on child-rearing, someone to take the baby for a day, you let me know." She patted Harry's cheek and turned back to Ron. "Now, upstairs with you. I want you to write a nice, polite apology to Draco Malfoy, dear, and then you bring it down to me to look over."
"Yes, Mum," Ron sighed. He got to his feet and slumped back up the stairs.
"I never thought I'd hear you defending a Malfoy," Harry said.
Molly sat down and picked up her teacup. "It's true that my family doesn't get along with the Malfoys," she said, "but I wouldn't wish the Incrementum curse on anyone. I hear that labor is terribly painful, even though the wizard doesn't actually give birth, and the poor boy won't be able to so much as float a feather for a week or so afterwards. Up until the child is born, it's Draco Malfoy's magic that's sustaining it, and a particularly powerful child drains an awful lot of power from the host parent."
Harry paled. "So he could still die?" he asked.
"Oh, yes. There was a baby born of Incrementum in St. Mungo's the same time that I delivered the twins. The child survived, but the father died. The family gave the poor baby up for adoption. I would've taken him home myself, if I hadn't had two newborns of my own to deal with." She sipped her tea. "Oh, but don't worry, dear. Draco's young. I'm sure he'll be fine, and there's no doubt in my mind that Narcissa Malfoy will see them both well taken care of."
"That's what I'm worried about," Harry muttered. "You know, I could deliver the note from Ron. I've been meaning to talk to Malfoy, anyhow -- I haven't owled him about the article yet."
Draco's doorbell rang while he was again staring into the synthetic womb. The child had taken to moving around energetically inside the bubble, which in turn utterly fascinated his father. Draco stared into the bubble for a moment longer, then stood to answer the door just as the bell chimed again.
When it registered that Harry Potter was standing outside his flat, Draco closed the door in his face.
Potter took to knocking, so Draco opened the door again with an exasperated sigh. "I presume you're not here to invite me to a Hogwarts reunion," he said, and waved him inside, then closed and bolted the door.
Attempting a weak smile, Potter shook his head. "I read the article," he said. He rubbed the back of his neck and shuffled his feet.
Draco leveled him with a cool look. "Look, Potter, if you've come here because you want to fight me for custody, I'm afraid that's out of the question. As the sole remaining male Malfoy I need an heir, and the result of my being cursed is saving me from marrying some insipid Pureblood witch." He glanced toward his bedroom, where the glowing bubble floated serenely. "However, you're welcome to the next one if someone should curse me again."
"I don't want to fight you for custody," Potter assured him. "I mean, a family would be great someday, but I'm only seventeen. I just wanted to know if you're okay... if he's okay -- if you need help or anything...?"
"And lay off the guilt, you utter prat." Draco snapped. "As much as it pains me to admit it, it's not your fault that someone feeling vengeful decided to invoke your name when they waved their wand in my direction."
"Actually..." Potter trailed off, pulling a folded piece of parchment from inside a pocket in his robes. He handed it to Draco silently.
Draco read the letter. "So apparently it is your fault someone feeling vengeful decided to invoke your name. You don't mind terribly if I place a curse on the Weasel that causes all his future children to be buck-toothed and cross-eyed, do you?"
"Er," said Potter.
"Please, I'm joking. It'd be a travesty if he reproduced at all. I suppose you want to see the baby?" Draco turned and headed for his bedroom, not checking to see if Potter followed him. "He's in here. Looks awfully like you, it's tragic."
Potter stopped short next to him as he saw the floating blue bubble. He stared for a minute, then whispered, "He's so tiny."
"You should've seen him at two weeks. He was just a speck, then." Draco extended a hand toward the bubble, his fingertips hovering just above the glowing surface. "Word to the wise -- do not touch the bubble or he'll throw you through the wall. He seems to like this, though." He moved his hand across the face of the bubble, never making contact. The bubble pulsed under his hand.
"Can I?" Potter asked, and stretched his hand out, too.
Draco nodded. "Just be careful. If you move too quickly you might lose a finger or two. Mother was badly burned the first time she tried."
"He'll be beautiful," Potter marveled, staring into the bubble. "Have you thought of names, yet?"
"Malfoy family tradition dictates that a child's name is not to be revealed until after birth, to prevent it being cursed with defects or illnesses that begin in infancy," Draco replied, though in truth he hadn't yet begun to look through the tomes of acceptable names for wizards descended of the Malfoy bloodline. "I'll owl you when he's hatched out of this thing and tell you what I've decided on."
Potter nodded. "Fair enough." He dug into another robe pocket and pulled out a small, fuzzy, very squishy-looking bear. "I brought this for him. It's charmed so that when he hugs it, it'll feel like someone's cuddling him." He handed the bear to Draco, who looked at it with an eyebrow raised. "Thanks for letting me see him." He withdrew his hand from the bubble. "I'll let myself out."
Draco watched him leave, and fiddled with one of the bear's paws. "Potter," he began, then stopped himself short.
Potter stopped in Draco's bedroom doorway. "When he's old enough, can you tell him he's got another dad that loves him very much?"
Draco frowned, withdrew his hand from the bubble as well, and stepped toward Potter. "How do you know that you'll love him?"
Potter looked at Draco, then at the bubble. "Part of me is in there. How could I not?"
That night when he went to sleep, Draco held the little bear close to his chest and burrowed contentedly into warm, comforting arms that weren't there.
SKEETER SACKED AND SUED
Marvin McCullough, Staff Reporter
Daily Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter has been served with a lawsuit and relieved of her position as a journalist for the periodical after illegally monitoring the home of Draco Malfoy for the period of two months, during which time she discovered that Malfoy was incubating a child conceived through Incrementum. It is now widely believed that the father of the the child in Malfoy's synthetic womb is none other than Harry Potter.
In a statement released late yesterday afternoon, Narcissa Malfoy had only this to say: "I have always valued my privacy. My son and I will not be the subject of sensationalist journalism." Draco Malfoy was unavailable for comments.
[ continue to chapter 2 ]