H/D Fic: All of the Time - Chapter 4
Title: All of the Time
Author: gracerene
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Draco/Harry, past Draco/Astoria and Harry/Ginny, background Ron/Hermione, James Sirius/Teddy
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~1,200/21,000
Content/Warnings: past relationship, wanking, sexual fantasy, anal fingering, anal sex, tattoos
Summary: Twenty-five years later, Harry and Draco find their way back to one another.
Previous Chapter
Read on AO3
Chapter 4
"So, Dad….I don't suppose all of this wardrobe reinvention has anything to do with you starting to date again?"
Harry froze, still fingering the silken material of a dark green shirt. Lily looked back at him innocently from across the aisle, her arms already laden with various outfits for him to try on. This was the fourth shop they'd been to that day, and Harry had already forgotten the name of it. He was grateful he'd had the foresight to bring his daughter along to help expedite the process, but it was still an arduous task. And, of course, he hadn't counted on her being so perceptive.
"What makes you think I've started dating again?" Harry asked carefully. He didn't want to avoid the topic forever, but he wasn't sure how Lily would take the idea of Harry starting to date only a few months after his divorce.
"Just a hunch. You've mentioned us getting you some new clothes for weeks now, but your owl yesterday suddenly seemed quite insistent that we make some time for it this weekend. Here, take these." Lily shoved a bundle of clothing into Harry's arms and ushered him towards a fitting room. Harry sighed. "Don't worry," Lily chuckled. "This is the last place."
"Oh, thank goodness," Harry mumbled as he stepped into the changing room. "Not that I don't appreciate your help, Lils," he called out. "But, Merlin, there's a reason why I've been wearing the same clothing for twenty years."
Lily laughed, the sound floating above the curtain as Harry squeezed into a pair of alarmingly tight jeans and a soft navy jumper. This store was more casual than the last few. "I think I speak for the entire wizarding world when I say, Thank Merlin you're finally making a change."
"My clothes weren't that bad, were they?"
"They weren't bad, they were just….drab. Boring. They weren't you." Harry stepped out of the cubicle and Lily looked him over critically.
Harry half turned to look at his arse in the mirror, unsure of how to feel about the fact that the denim clung to him like a second skin. "Aren't these jeans a little tight?"
"Are they uncomfortable?"
Harry cocked his head and thought about it. He squatted down and did a few twists, much to Lily's obvious embarrassment. He grinned at her. "Actually, no."
"Then, no, they're not too tight. Just because you can actually tell you have two legs and an arse now-"
"Lily!"
"What? All your old jeans look like potato sacks-these are loads better. Try on the rest. We can see if you like any of the other styles better."
Harry let out a long-suffering sigh and stepped back into the changing room.
"Lily?" he called out, somewhat nervously, as he attempted to wriggle out of the pasted on jeans.
"Yeah?"
"How would you feel if I were to start dating?"
There was a long pause and Harry's stomach dropped as he struggled to tug on the next shirt.
And then, softly, "I wouldn't mind."
Dressed, Harry pushed aside the curtain, so he could see his daughter's face. "Are you sure? I know your mother and I have been separated for less than six months. It's okay if you're not ready to see me with somebody else."
Lily bit her lip, her hands fiddling with the strap of her handbag. "I know that, Dad. But...you and Mum may not have been officially separated for all that long, but things had been falling apart for a lot longer. It was obvious to anybody who cared to look." Lily quirked a small, sad smile. "You and Mum just didn't want to see it."
Harry's insides quivered with guilt. Ginny and he had both realised, after the fact, that their separation had been a long time coming. Something between them had broken, some flame extinguished, and neither of them had wanted to acknowledge it. They'd been together for so many years. Ginny had been his wife and lover and confidante. He wasn't sure who he'd be without her by his side, and he'd selfishly ignored the signs in an effort not to have to find out. If somebody had asked him two years ago, he would have said that the best thing for his children, for his family, would be for him and Ginny to remain one united unit. Now, though, it was obvious that he hadn't considered how the changing relationship between them had affected his children. James, Albus, and Lily were all incredibly bright and perceptive. It had been naïve to think that they wouldn't see the changes, wouldn't realise that their parents weren't as happy as they used to be. He hated that he'd put them through that.
"You're right. I'm sorry that it took us so long to work things out."
Lily smiled, and this time it was brighter. "It's okay, I'm just glad that you did work things out. Both of you seem...lighter now. I know it's not perfect, but I think you made the right decision."
Harry hesitated, before asking the question that had been on his mind a lot over the past few months. A question he wasn't sure he really had the right to ask. "Your Mum...she's doing alright?"
Something complicated flickered over Lily's face. "Yeah, she's doing alright. She misses you, and James and Albus, too. I think it's hard for her, staying in the house where we were all a family together. But she's going to be fine. She got a promotion at the paper, and now she'll be covering more international games. I think she's looking forward to the chance to travel again, like she did when she was still playing."
"That's...that's good. Really good." Ginny had always loved travelling. It had been one of the few things she'd truly missed once they'd started having children. Harry had tried to take them on family holidays as often as he could, but once he'd been made Head Auror, there hadn't been much time for travel. He'd been one of the youngest wizards to ever hold the position, and he had been determined to prove himself worthy. Harry was glad she was finally getting a chance to pursue something she loved so much. "Okay, why don't I finish trying on the rest of these clothes, and then we can go grab some lunch?"
Lily grinned and nodded. "Sounds great." Harry turned to head back into the dressing room, pausing at the curtain when Lily called out, "Dad."
"Yeah, Lils?"
"It really is fine with me if you want to start dating again. I want you to be happy." She paused, and when she spoke again her tone had changed. "Whoever is it, I won't mind."
Harry's fist squeezed the fabric of the curtain tight as he managed to force out, "Thanks, sweetheart." There had been something in Lily's voice. Something knowing and pointed. According to James, Lily hadn't been in the group that had overheard Draco and his conversation, but Harry had an inkling that she wasn't completely in the dark. It seemed like all of his children were determined to know more about his love life than Harry himself.
His heart stuttered as thoughts of his currently non-existent love life turned to thoughts of his upcoming lunch with Draco. He wasn't dating, not yet, but Harry could admit that he hoped that may change. Soon.
Next Chapter
Author: gracerene
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Draco/Harry, past Draco/Astoria and Harry/Ginny, background Ron/Hermione, James Sirius/Teddy
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~1,200/21,000
Content/Warnings: past relationship, wanking, sexual fantasy, anal fingering, anal sex, tattoos
Summary: Twenty-five years later, Harry and Draco find their way back to one another.
Previous Chapter
Read on AO3
Chapter 4
"So, Dad….I don't suppose all of this wardrobe reinvention has anything to do with you starting to date again?"
Harry froze, still fingering the silken material of a dark green shirt. Lily looked back at him innocently from across the aisle, her arms already laden with various outfits for him to try on. This was the fourth shop they'd been to that day, and Harry had already forgotten the name of it. He was grateful he'd had the foresight to bring his daughter along to help expedite the process, but it was still an arduous task. And, of course, he hadn't counted on her being so perceptive.
"What makes you think I've started dating again?" Harry asked carefully. He didn't want to avoid the topic forever, but he wasn't sure how Lily would take the idea of Harry starting to date only a few months after his divorce.
"Just a hunch. You've mentioned us getting you some new clothes for weeks now, but your owl yesterday suddenly seemed quite insistent that we make some time for it this weekend. Here, take these." Lily shoved a bundle of clothing into Harry's arms and ushered him towards a fitting room. Harry sighed. "Don't worry," Lily chuckled. "This is the last place."
"Oh, thank goodness," Harry mumbled as he stepped into the changing room. "Not that I don't appreciate your help, Lils," he called out. "But, Merlin, there's a reason why I've been wearing the same clothing for twenty years."
Lily laughed, the sound floating above the curtain as Harry squeezed into a pair of alarmingly tight jeans and a soft navy jumper. This store was more casual than the last few. "I think I speak for the entire wizarding world when I say, Thank Merlin you're finally making a change."
"My clothes weren't that bad, were they?"
"They weren't bad, they were just….drab. Boring. They weren't you." Harry stepped out of the cubicle and Lily looked him over critically.
Harry half turned to look at his arse in the mirror, unsure of how to feel about the fact that the denim clung to him like a second skin. "Aren't these jeans a little tight?"
"Are they uncomfortable?"
Harry cocked his head and thought about it. He squatted down and did a few twists, much to Lily's obvious embarrassment. He grinned at her. "Actually, no."
"Then, no, they're not too tight. Just because you can actually tell you have two legs and an arse now-"
"Lily!"
"What? All your old jeans look like potato sacks-these are loads better. Try on the rest. We can see if you like any of the other styles better."
Harry let out a long-suffering sigh and stepped back into the changing room.
"Lily?" he called out, somewhat nervously, as he attempted to wriggle out of the pasted on jeans.
"Yeah?"
"How would you feel if I were to start dating?"
There was a long pause and Harry's stomach dropped as he struggled to tug on the next shirt.
And then, softly, "I wouldn't mind."
Dressed, Harry pushed aside the curtain, so he could see his daughter's face. "Are you sure? I know your mother and I have been separated for less than six months. It's okay if you're not ready to see me with somebody else."
Lily bit her lip, her hands fiddling with the strap of her handbag. "I know that, Dad. But...you and Mum may not have been officially separated for all that long, but things had been falling apart for a lot longer. It was obvious to anybody who cared to look." Lily quirked a small, sad smile. "You and Mum just didn't want to see it."
Harry's insides quivered with guilt. Ginny and he had both realised, after the fact, that their separation had been a long time coming. Something between them had broken, some flame extinguished, and neither of them had wanted to acknowledge it. They'd been together for so many years. Ginny had been his wife and lover and confidante. He wasn't sure who he'd be without her by his side, and he'd selfishly ignored the signs in an effort not to have to find out. If somebody had asked him two years ago, he would have said that the best thing for his children, for his family, would be for him and Ginny to remain one united unit. Now, though, it was obvious that he hadn't considered how the changing relationship between them had affected his children. James, Albus, and Lily were all incredibly bright and perceptive. It had been naïve to think that they wouldn't see the changes, wouldn't realise that their parents weren't as happy as they used to be. He hated that he'd put them through that.
"You're right. I'm sorry that it took us so long to work things out."
Lily smiled, and this time it was brighter. "It's okay, I'm just glad that you did work things out. Both of you seem...lighter now. I know it's not perfect, but I think you made the right decision."
Harry hesitated, before asking the question that had been on his mind a lot over the past few months. A question he wasn't sure he really had the right to ask. "Your Mum...she's doing alright?"
Something complicated flickered over Lily's face. "Yeah, she's doing alright. She misses you, and James and Albus, too. I think it's hard for her, staying in the house where we were all a family together. But she's going to be fine. She got a promotion at the paper, and now she'll be covering more international games. I think she's looking forward to the chance to travel again, like she did when she was still playing."
"That's...that's good. Really good." Ginny had always loved travelling. It had been one of the few things she'd truly missed once they'd started having children. Harry had tried to take them on family holidays as often as he could, but once he'd been made Head Auror, there hadn't been much time for travel. He'd been one of the youngest wizards to ever hold the position, and he had been determined to prove himself worthy. Harry was glad she was finally getting a chance to pursue something she loved so much. "Okay, why don't I finish trying on the rest of these clothes, and then we can go grab some lunch?"
Lily grinned and nodded. "Sounds great." Harry turned to head back into the dressing room, pausing at the curtain when Lily called out, "Dad."
"Yeah, Lils?"
"It really is fine with me if you want to start dating again. I want you to be happy." She paused, and when she spoke again her tone had changed. "Whoever is it, I won't mind."
Harry's fist squeezed the fabric of the curtain tight as he managed to force out, "Thanks, sweetheart." There had been something in Lily's voice. Something knowing and pointed. According to James, Lily hadn't been in the group that had overheard Draco and his conversation, but Harry had an inkling that she wasn't completely in the dark. It seemed like all of his children were determined to know more about his love life than Harry himself.
His heart stuttered as thoughts of his currently non-existent love life turned to thoughts of his upcoming lunch with Draco. He wasn't dating, not yet, but Harry could admit that he hoped that may change. Soon.
Next Chapter