Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JKR, of course. Just puttering about in her world.

Harry stretched sleepily in bed, glad he'd added the quilt to the thin blanket he normally used. Now that October had arrived, it wouldn't be long before he'd need a nice, thick duvet as well, and to start keeping the fireplaces lit. He rolled and checked the bauble that worked as a monitoring charm for Richard and noted the baby was awake but content to play with one of his soft plushies. He tended to like soft toys, abandoning the harder ones he'd been given in favor of the small army of plushies, half of which, Harry suspected, belonged to Allie.

The little girl had spent a lot of time with Harry and Richard, with and without her father (or house-elf). She seemed content with the elf, Sadie, but wheedled her father into dropping her by Uncle Harry's any time he had rounds or Head of House duties when Harry wasn't busy. Harry loved having her around, although he had to admit to himself that he was enjoying her father's company as well. Draco made a point of visiting for half an hour or so each time he picked up Allie, and Harry had cooked meals for the four of them more than once.

Hearing a knock at the door, Harry threw the bedcovers back and reached for his dressing gown. Even though it was extremely early for a Saturday, it might be a student at the door, and it wouldn't do for him to answer wearing nothing but pyjama bottoms.

"Oh, hi." He flashed Draco a smile and looked for Allie, but the blond was alone. "Did you need something?"

"I hate to ask you to watch her again, but I don't like leaving her alone with just an elf so much." Draco's expression was apologetic, and Harry motioned him to step into his quarters.

"I told you I was happy for her to come over any time you like. I'd planned on a trip to Diagon Alley this morning for some things for Richard, but I figure Allie would enjoy the baby shop. We can have lunch and get ice cream."

Looking relieved, Draco smiled. "I knew Severus would watch her, but she always seems happier here. Not so solemn."

Harry chuckled. "That's what having a jolly uncle around is for, keeping smiles on little girls' faces." He stepped into the kitchen alcove. "Got time for breakfast? We can tell Sadie to wake Allie and bring her over." Regardless of answer, he began assembling items for breakfast, not paying attention as his dressing gown slid open.

"Breakfast sounds brilliant, actually." Draco called for Sadie, relaying instructions, and the neat little elf popped away.

Cracking eggs into the pan, Harry turned his attention next to flicking pieces of nicely-browned toast into the rack before rummaging in the cold cabinet for jam. "Blueberry or strawberry?" he asked, turning with both jars in his hand.

Draco didn't answer immediately, and Harry was puzzled for a brief moment until he realized the blond was staring quite openly at his chest, which was laid bare by the loose dressing gown. The admiration was unexpected, as Harry hadn't seen any indication the other man was interested in men. He knew he was in good shape; Merlin knew being married to a sport nutritionist had kept him that way, and he'd not lost the eating and exercise habits even ten months after Jessie's death.

"Draco? If you're considering me for the jam instead of the toast, we'd have to work that out later," he said, opting for a teasing flirtation rather than simply ignoring the other man's interest. As the blond's skin became tinged with a rather appealing blush, Harry plunked both jars down on the table and returned to his eggs.

"Sorry, Harry."

Harry glanced over his shoulder as the other man plunked gracelessly into a chair, seeming torn between watching him work and studying the floor to hide his embarrassment.

"No need to apologize." Satisfied that his charm was doing well by the eggs, Harry started up the bacon before turning back to face Draco. He'd best sort this out now and figure out what was going on, or it might damage their friendship.

Opting for boldness, he moved to stand in front of Draco, tipping his chin to make the blond look up at him. "Curiosity or interest?" he asked bluntly.

Grey eyes widened, but Draco's pale skin still retained the rosiness from blushing. He cleared his throat before answering huskily, "Both."

Stroking the other man's chin, Harry heard the door open to admit Allie and likely her house-elf. "Later," he promised. He closed his dressing gown and made sure it was tied properly before turning back to the cooker to finish up breakfast. Part of him felt a twinge of guilt at the flirtation, but he knew Jessie wouldn't expect him to be celibate forever.

"Perfect timing, Allie," Harry greeted the little girl as she came into sight. He scooped eggs and bacon onto plates and brought them to the table, returning for the toast rack. "Sadie? Can you fetch Richard?" he asked the house-elf, who grinned happily at the thought of the baby and disappeared.

As they settled in to breakfast, Harry remembered he'd not asked Draco about why he needed a babysitter. "Will you be busy all day?"

The blond shook his head. "I've a meeting with my parents at Gringotts to settle what we can of Allie's inheritance. Father's found a school in Buckinghamshire we've got an appointment to tour next weekend. It's supposed to be one of the best Muggle girls' schools." He looked thoughtful. "I know it's a lot to ask of you, but perhaps you might like to come along?"

"I'd be happy to, although my experience with British schools is limited to my primary school and Hogwarts. The American system's rather different. Not many boarding schools either."

"I'd rather she not go to boarding school, but it'd be rather hard to explain how she gets back and forth since none of the family's well-versed with Muggle transport."

"You could buy a home or flat in a city with an acceptable school. Floo from here to the place you tell the school you live in and then walk her over, or she can learn to use public transport. That's what I was considering doing for Richard, if I don't have a suitable tutor by the time he's ready for primary school. I don't want him away for long periods of time that young."

"That's an excellent idea. Sending her off to a Muggle boarding school seems a bit like tossing her in the ocean without teaching her to swim. But you'll still attend the tour with us?" He reached out to stop Allie from her attempt to put half the jar of jam on one piece of toast.

"Happy to. Can't have my favorite girl going off somewhere we haven't explored completely." Harry flashed Allie a warm smile, which she returned happily. She didn't seem concerned with the conversation about her future, and he figured she'd heard plenty of those as her family tried to plan for all eventualities. "Perhaps she and I can start sorting out Muggle transport today, if you don't mind. I'd planned on just Diagon Alley, but we can go exploring in London a bit."

"That sounds fine, if you don't mind. Perhaps you can take her to one of those food places the Weasleys go on about." A buzzing sounded, and Draco startled for a moment before laughing and tapping his wand to end the alarm spell. Pushing his chair back, he thanked Harry for breakfast and kissed Allie atop her head. "I'm running late."

"I'll see you tonight, yeah?" Harry asked.

Draco nodded, his blush from earlier returning just enough to tinge the tips of his ears. Without another word, he headed for the door, leaving Harry to plan his day with the kids.

Realizing he hadn't heard Allie's matter-of-fact chatter to Richard in a few minutes, Harry went to his son's room. The scene was rather endearing: Draco's dark-haired daughter was curled up protectively around his pale-haired son, both sound asleep in the boy's small bed. They'd had a good day in Muggle London, visiting a chain restaurant Harry had wanted to try and getting in a bit of shopping. She'd been delighted with the new food and had talked him into bringing takeaway so her father could sample it for dinner. He'd spoilt her a bit when they'd stopped by the toy shop, but he found it fun to buy things for a little girl, and her fascination with the Muggle toys had wrapped him firmly around her little finger.

Hearing Draco call out, he covered the children with a blanket and headed back to the living room to greet the other wizard. "How'd it go at Gringotts?"

Settling onto the sofa, the blond eyed the shopping bags curiously but answered the question. "We got it settled that, witch or not, Allie gets a property in Highgate and another in Greece. Both are in highly Muggle areas and can be easily converted to Muggle if necessary for her but let her still have a Floo."

"Highgate? I think there's some sort of high-end school there, too, that you might look into, especially if you already own property there. Not sure if it allows girls, but it's likely they do now. I'll bet Hermione would know, since she grew up in Clerkenwell."

"I'll check in with her, then." He indicated the shopping bags. "Dare I ask what Hamleys is?"

Harry grinned impishly. "Our children's new favorite place in the entire world. Even Richard was enthralled when we walked through the doors." He reached for one of the bags, beginning to sort out the toys and presenting Draco with a hot pink box containing a slender blonde doll. "Allie discovered Barbies today."

The other man looked puzzled, inspecting the box and turning it around to read the adverts printed on it. "Muggle dolls are strange," he said at last.

Chuckling, Harry nodded. "You've no idea. And Barbie has accessories too." Out came a box containing a pink convertible car and, after an enlarging charm, a two story dollhouse, followed by several packages of clothing for the doll. "I figured if she ends up in a Muggle school, she'll fit in better if she knows what types of toys girls obsess over. If I can remember what these are, and I'm male, then I figured it was a good place to start."

"You didn't have to do all this." Draco seemed at a loss for words.

"I wanted to. The toy store was a bit of a last minute thought, since I wanted to get a treat for both the kids. I may have gone a little overboard." A box of brightly colored Legos joined the doll's things. "These are for her to take home. I got a bunch of games and puzzles and stuff to keep over here, which Richard will be old enough for eventually."

Grey eyes met now-anxious green ones as Harry thought he might have overstepped in wanting to spoil Allie as much as Richard. "Thank you, Harry. This is the sort of thing she needs that I don't think about. So she'll fit in properly."

Relieved, Harry sank to the sofa next to Draco. "What's the point of having a near-Muggle uncle if I can't keep her sorted out?" he quipped.

"You really are fond of my daughter." The intent interest of the morning had returned to Draco's expression, although Harry thought it was less physical in nature right now.

"Honestly, Draco, she's the sweetest kid I've ever been around." He closed the gap between himself and the other man slowly. "I suspect I'm becoming rather fond of her father too." The invitation was obvious, he hoped.

Apparently it was, because Draco's lips met his hesitantly. Thrilled at the contact, Harry slid his hand into the silky hair at the nape of the blond's neck and slid his tongue along Draco's bottom lip, seeking entrance. As soon as it was granted, he deepened the kiss, encouraged as Draco's hands sought his chest, exploring his contours beneath the light jumper he wore. Harry couldn't help his half-smile when they finally parted, moving to nuzzle at the soft skin of Draco's throat.

Draco groaned, pushing at Harry and breaking the contact. "Harry, I can't if this is just a one-off," he managed. "I have to be careful with Allie around."

That worry just endeared him further to Harry. "Have I ever struck you as the type to simply want to get off and have no further ties?" A quick jerk of the blond's head relieved his budding worry he'd somehow managed to make the other man think so poorly of him. "I adore Allie, and I'd like to see where this," he motioned between them, "might go."

"I've never been with another man."

"I'm not going to rush things, Draco. Kissing me tonight doesn't mean you've got to shag me immediately," Harry said softly. "Or ever, if you decide you don't want to cross that line."

"It's been a long time since I slept with anyone. Too many want to sleep with a Malfoy, not me personally. Hoping for a ring and the money," Draco admitted.

"Well, I've money of my own, and we can't legally marry in Britain, so you're safe on both counts with me. I much prefer if we leave our famous surnames at the bedroom door." Harry ran a gentle hand down Draco's robe-clad chest. "Call me Potter or mention my scar in bed and I might hex you."

Draco took a deep breath, his eyes darkening with the slow movements of Harry's hand. "I'd like to see where this goes, then."

The husky admission was all Harry needed to close the gap between them again, seeking the sweetness of the other man's mouth. The children would be up from their nap soon enough, but in the meantime, he was going to set out to sweetly lay the path to seducing his very own dragon.

For the first time since the horrible winter night when he'd been called to the hospital to learn he was a widower and a father at the same time, he felt truly alive.