A Family

In which Harry doesn't become a turnip.

"Draco?" Harry said softly.

"Mmm?" The blonde boy lying next to him raised his head and opened one sleepy eye.

"We need to help Hermione."

"Help her do what?" Draco said cautiously.

He had learned grudging respect for Harry's friends, but he still considered them Harry's friends, not his. He and Ron had found that they both had a place in Harry's life and had settled into a truce. Draco felt the loss of Ron's death only as a byproduct of Harry's pain. He had no real feelings for Hermione; therefore he could not understand or empathize with her loss.

"She needs friends and support and..." He paused slightly. "And love."

"Doesn't she have a family for that sort of thing? Or other friends?"

"Yes, but she needs us. We understand what she went through, what she is going through," Harry said as he laid his hand on Draco's chest.

"Weasley is gone, we can not bring him back. What is there for you," he said pointedly before continuing, "to do?"

"If I had died, would you miss me?"

Draco sat up suddenly, flinching as if he had been slapped. "What kind of question is that? Are you trying to play on my sympathies?"

"Yes. I would rather die myself than live without you. I don't know how I could continue each day with you gone. Hermione is living that pain every day. She misses the man she loves. I can understand what that would feel like. She is lonely and needs us. We could bring her here and take care of her. We could cheer her up and be her family until she is ready to start again. This would be good for her, and me," he said quietly admitting this last as if it was a painful secret.

"We are going to adopt Granger?" Draco's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"No we are going to help her."

Draco leveled his gaze at Harry and squinted. "I don't like her, why would I help her?"

"Because you love me," Harry said as if that settled the issue.

Draco raked his fingers through his hair and squeezed his eyes shut before speaking, "I know that I will regret this, but when in the bloody hell do you want her to move the bloody hell in?"

Harry reached and pulled him down next to him, laughing as he nuzzled into the warmth of Draco's neck. "I love you."

"And you are lucky I haven't hexed you into a turnip," Draco said before giving on to the kisses and giggles of Harry.

In which Hermione moves.

"Harry," Hermione said with a sad smile as she saw him walk from her fireplace. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to take you home with me." Harry began to charm her belongs into boxes and trunks.

"You've what?" she asked as she grabbed a tea towel that floated past her toward a box.

"You are moving in with Draco and I," he said as he looked around at the dingy flat she called home. "Our house is prettier than this hole and we have a great yard."

He stated the last bit with finality.

She stared at him before speaking from between clenched teeth, "I do not want your pity. I am fine. Leave me alone. And what do you mean 'this hole'?"

"No, you aren't fine," he said. "No pity, not anything but friendship."

Her face turned red and she began to sputter. "You want me to move in with you, and... and Malfoy?"

"Correct. I miss you. And Draco..." he cocked his head and smiled at her, "well, he needs someone to argue with. He says I give in too easy." Harry had the decency to blush and duck his head as he said this last part. He looked up at her through his lashes and spoke again, this time solemnly. "Hermione, I love you and want you around, please."

"I don't have to be nice to Malfoy, do I? And again, what do you mean 'this hole'? This is a perfectly good flat."

She looked around at the tattered wallpaper and sagging floor and began to laugh.

Harry broke into laughter with her and twirled his wand at the boxes that were currently popping out of view into the fireplace.

In which everyone fights

"You are a pompous arrogant conceited prat and I loathe you," Hermione said viciously. "All you do is insult me and make bitchy comments."

"And you are a nasty Mudblood," Draco spit back at her. "I can't turn around without you just - just - being THERE."

"Both of you please shut up!" Harry screamed, "I am so bloody tired of you two snapping at each other. And I am tired of you," he spun and pointed an accusing finger at Draco, "taking it out on me. When was the last time you kissed me?"

"Eeww," Hermione said and made a disgusted face. "I am sorry that I am such a bother, and you can't get any ... any.. whatever because of me!"

"Why is it MY fault?" Draco screamed at Harry. "You are so busy being mister sensitive that I can't have five minutes alone with you. I don't remember you jumping ME lately."

"Eeww," Hermione said again loudly. "That's is, I'm outta here." She grabbed her wand and started toward the door.

"Wait!" Harry yelled. "Please wait." He raked his fingers through his unruly dark hair and hitched a breath before continuing. "I know that this can work."

He took a deep breath and said more calmly, "Everyone just relax."

Draco stared at Harry. "It's her or me, Potter," he said with an icy drawl. Speaking each word carefully, slowly.

Harry spun and looked at him. "Do not make me choose between the two of you."

"Why? Will I lose?" Draco shifted his gaze to Hermione for a moment before looking at Harry again and saying with venom in his smooth voice, "Is that the problem? I would lose and you are too afraid to tell me that?"

"Stop! Just stop it now," Hermione cried out. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. She drew her knees up and leaned her forehead into them shaking with sobs as she cried. "I do not want to be the reason you fight. I can't stand that!"

Harry dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her, murmuring quietly. He looked up at Draco and said pleadingly, "Draco please, please we have to try and make this work. I love you, both of you. I want this to be our family. Please," he said desperately and reached a hand toward the blonde standing over him.

"Please. I love you," Harry said again beseechingly. He held his breath and waited.

Draco looked into his eyes before reaching across the distance between them and taking Harry's hand. Then very slowly and with great purpose, Draco reached down and took Hermione's hand also.

She looked up at the two of them and sniffled.

Tentatively Draco smiled at her and gently squeezing her fingers said, "it appears we need to learn to make this work. I am not an expert, but I don't think families should fuss quite this much. And Harry, I love you too."

In which a family is created

What makes up a family? Is it a blood connection, a legal binding, the physical proximity of another individual or only the need to be a part of something that is bigger and more important than yourself?

Was a family forged that first time that Harry found Hermione crying in wracking sobs and lay down beside her and held her until she fell asleep?

Or the first time that Draco bought extra peaches at the market because he remembered that Hermione liked them?

Maybe when Hermione and he laughed together at one of Harry's silly jokes?

Was a family created as they tended to illnesses and celebrated birthdays?

Or when Hermione asked Harry to father her child, but asked them both to be the baby's daddy.

Were they finally a family as they clung to each other laughing through tears as their tiny daughter was born?

What about as Draco taught her to fly, Hermione read to her or Harry sang her to sleep?

When Hermione found a silver dragon pendant with emerald eyes that she knew Draco had been wanting and surprised him with it?

Maybe it was when Draco held Harry and kissed away the tears after a dream of the bad times woke him?

Or was it when Harry held Draco and traced a finger across his back, kissing away the frowns and worries of the day.

Or maybe as a proud Harry read the letter to a beaming Draco and Hermione when their daughter was accepted to Hogwarts?

Maybe it is only love that makes a family, pure and simple - love learned, love given, love accepted.