Second Chances

Some hours later, Harry awoke to find Draco lying besides him, watching him. Turning on his side so that he faced his lover, Harry closed the small space between the two of them, wrapping his arm firmly around Draco's warm body.

"Good morning," Draco said softly, leaning in to brush his lips across Harry's forehead.

Harry just smiled and burrowed closer to Draco, tracing lazy patterns on the smooth skin of Draco's back.

"As much as I would love to lie here with you all day, we should probably get out of bed and get dressed," Draco murmured against Harry's hair.

"Just a few more minutes," Harry replied. "I think I need a few minutes before we have to explain why I'm still here."

Draco chuckled. "Adrian will be thrilled, I think. He's a bit taken with you." He could feel Harry's smile against his skin. He raked his fingers through Harry's hair, gently forcing the other man's head up so that he could kiss him.

The slow, gentle kiss was nothing like the ones the two had shared the night before. It held no urgency and only the barest hint of passion. Rather than speaking of overwhelming lust, it whispered of love.

Harry let his fingers glide over Draco's cheek as he looked into the other man's eyes. He wanted to tell him how much he cared for him, that he loved him, but he forced himself to remain silent. It was too soon for such declarations.

"Harry," Draco began, but Harry cut him off with another tender kiss. Now was not the time for words.

The door burst open, and Damien rushed inside. "Dad! You're not gonna...holy shit!" the boy cried. "What the hell are you doing?"

Draco turned to look at his son, obviously shocked by his unexpected presence, but trying to remain in control of the situation. "You should learn to knock," he said calmly.

Damien simply stood there, staring, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I defended you," he said in a near-whisper. "That MacMillian bitch said you were queer, and I fucking defended you."

Harry wanted to die, or hide, or turn back time. This was not the way he had hoped to explain matters to Draco's children.

With an exasperated sigh, Draco climbed out of the bed and pulled on his jeans. "Go downstairs and wait for me Damien. We'll talk about this in a moment."

"No, we won't," Damien retorted, his voice stronger now. "There's nothing to talk about. You're a god damned cocksucker, and you're fucking one of my professor's," he shouted, his voice growing hysterical.

"Damien, that is enough," Draco snapped, fury blazing in his eyes.

Harry started pulling on his own clothes, ready to beat a hasty retreat. It might be easier for Draco to deal with this situation without him around. He did up his trousers and stuffed his wand haphazardly into one pocket.

"It is bloody well not enough!" Damien screamed. "You're a faggot for Merlin's sake! You. Fuck. Men. No wonder Mum left us."

Damien's shouts brought the other children into the bedroom.

"Mother didn't leave us," Sera tried to explain.

"You shut up!" Damien snarled.

Adrian took one look at his father's face and then pushed past his brother to run into Harry's arms. Harry hugged the boy tightly, understanding the boy's fear.

"Don't touch my brother, you fucking creep," Damien shouted.

"Damien, stop it," Draco commanded none too gently, grasping the boy's arms and trying to turn Damien to face him.

"Get your hands off me. You make me sick," Damien snarled. Draco immediately let his hands fall away. "Let go of my brother," Damien growled at Harry.

"No," Harry said quietly, stroking Adrian's hair.

"Don't touch him! Don't you fucking touch him!" Damien screamed hysterically. "He's not a pervert like you. He's just a kid. I won't let you hurt him. I won't let you fuck him...."

The sharp sound of flesh striking flesh cut off Damien's words. The only sounds in the room were Adrian's muffled sobs and Draco's harsh breathing.

"Oh my god," Draco whispered glancing from his son's frightened face, to his own hand, and back again.

Damien stood stockstill, one small hand held gently to the rapidly reddening handprint on his cheek. "I fucking hate you," he spat as he turned and ran from the room.

"I struck him," Draco said stupidly, obviously in shock. "I struck my own son." Tears began to spill down his cheeks, but he was too stunned by his actions to even notice them.

Harry gently forced Adrian away from him and looked down into the boy's eyes. "Look after your father for a moment. I'll go and see about Damien, all right?"

Adrian nodded bravely and slowly crossed the room to hug his Dad. Draco wrapped the small boy in his arms and buried his face in Adrian's babysoft curls, trembling. Sera moved to hug them both, looking up at Harry with fear and hope in her eyes.

(

Harry moved through the house in search of Damien. As he opened the door to the boy's bedroom, he heard movement downstairs. He took the stairs two at a time, his bare feet pounding out an erratic rhythm, and inexplicable urgency rising up inside of him. Just as he stepped into the family room, he saw Damien toss powder into the fire and heard him snarl 'Malfoy Manor' as he stepped into the green flames.

"Fuck," Harry muttered under his breath. The last thing he wanted right now was to deal with Lucius Malfoy. Cursing Damien mentally, Harry Apparated to Malfoy Manor.

Harry appeared in Lucius' study, right in front of a rather startled Damien. "I'm taking you home," Harry said, grabbing the boy by the arm and turning him back toward the fireplace.

"What precisely are you doing with my grandson?" said a familiar cold voice behind him.

Harry turned to face Lucius, his expression openly hostile. He knew how it must look - him standing there in his trousers and bare feet, his face flushed and his hair tousled, holding the small boy against his naked chest. The accusation in Lucius's voice only fueled Harry's anger. "That is none of your business, Lucius. You made certain of that when you fed Adrian all of your lies. I know that Draco has vowed to have nothing more to do with you, and I know you're not to have any contact with the children. Don't fuck with me, Lucius. Deals are made to be broken," he threatened, backing toward the fireplace with Damien in tow.

Without ever taking his eyes off the elder Malfoy, Harry fumbled for the Floo powder on the mantle. He accidentally knocked the container onto the hearth, sending up a massive cloud of dust, but he managed to come away with a pinch of the powder. Tossing it into the flames, he realised that he had no idea how to Floo back to Draco's cottage. "The Three Broomsticks," he cried in desperation and tugged Damien into the Floo.

The two landed in a heap on Madam Rosmerta's hearth. The Three Broomsticks was deserted at this time of morning, and Harry was secretly grateful. He didn't want to have to explain this mess to anyone. Harry scrambled to his feet and pulled Damien up after him.

"Stop touching me," Damien snapped.

"Fine," Harry said, dropping his hand. "Don't try to run, and don't argue with me. I'm taking you home."

Damien kept his head held high during the walk back to the cottage, acting as if he were a king or Minister for Magic rather than an insolent runaway. Harry wanted to add another handprint to the still-vivid mark on the boy's cheek, but he restrained himself.

When the two entered the Malfoy home, Draco gave a small cry and rushed forward to gather his son in his arms. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Damien," he said, his fingertips hovering over the red mark on the boy's face. "Please forgive me."

"I don't think you are sorry," Damien said coldly. "I don't think you're one bit sorry for any of it."

"I am sorry," Draco insisted. "I love you, Damien. I didn't mean to hurt you."

There was a calculating look in Damien's eye that made Harry decidely uncomfortable, but he stood back and kept silent.

"You'll have to prove it," Damien said calmly.

Harry's blood ran cold. He had a very bad feeling about all of this.

Draco looked as if he had the same feeling. There was a profound sadness in his eyes as he looked at his son. "Tell me what I have to do," he said quietly.

"I want him to go. And never come back. I want you to not...be gay," Damien replied with a digusted grimace.

"I can't stop being who and what I am, Damien," Draco said quietly.

"You don't have to fuck men," Damien shot back.

"God, where did you learn to talk like that?" Draco asked rhetorically.

"The older Slytherins," Sera supplied. "I didn't have any idea he actually paid attention to the rubbish they say."

"Well?" Damien asked impatiently.

Draco stood silently for a moment, staring into the distance. He looked torn, broken.

Harry couldn't bear the sight of Draco in so much pain. He knew what he had to do. Stepping forward, he turned Draco's face toward his own. "I love you," he said quietly. "I'll always love you." He stroked Draco's cheek. "I'm going to miss you - so much." He felt a tear slip from the corner of his eye and ignored it. "I'll see you at school." He considered kissing Draco one last time, but he knew that if he kissed him now he wouldn't be able to walk away. Instead he summoned the rest of his clothes and left the house without another word.

As the door shut behind Harry, the family inside began to react. Sera burst into tears and fled to her room. Draco sank to the ground, numb and shaking, and Damien began to feel guilty for his rash words. Adrian wiped away his tears angrily and turned to face his brother.

"I will never forgive you," Adrian said coldly, moving to sit beside his father. His small hands patted and stroked the older man's back in just the way that his Dad had so often comforted him.

Draco wrapped an arm around Adrian, pulling him close. His other hand he extended to Damien. He was surprised when Damien flung himself into his arms, crying. He was even more surprised when Adrian punched his brother - hard - connecting with the only part of the other boy he could reach.

Damien's hand flew to his nose as it began to gush blood, his wide eyes trained on his twin.

"You. Are not. My brother," Adrian spat. He turned then and walked away.

Despite his pain and the feeling of helplessness that threatened to overpower him, Draco managed to get Damien healed and cleaned up. "Adrian never stays angry for long," he tried to assure the boy.

Damien nodded, but he knew that this time things would be different. Adrian wasn't going to just forgive and forget. And frankly, Damien didn't blame him. He'd really fucked up this time.

(

*

Draco lay in bed, as he had most of the day, curled into a ball with his face pressed into a pillow that still smelled slightly of Harry. He knew from the quality of the light in the room that the day was almost over, and he knew that he should be seeing to dinner for his children. If only he could force himself to care about that. But he couldn't. All he could do was play the events of the day over and over in his head, making small changes here and there that might have led to a different ending.

If only he had insisted on he and Harry getting out of bed, perhaps Damien wouldn't have reacted so violently. If only he had kept his temper in check, perhaps Damien wouldn't have made his horrible request. If only he had stood up to Damien and refused to let Harry walk away, perhaps he would be curled up with the other man right now. If only....

If only he had done things differently, he might not have lost the best thing to happen to him in twelve years.

With a tired sigh Draco rolled onto his other side, the pillow still clutched tightly to his chest. He knew he should get up and make certain his children weren't eating sweets for dinner or wasting away in front of the telly, but he simply couldn't. Perhaps tomorrow he would find the strength to worry about such things. Perhaps tomorrow he might find the strength to face life without Harry in it, but for now he wanted to be alone with his memories, storing up every kiss and every caress for the lonely months and years ahead.

"Dad?" called Sera timidly from the doorway.

Draco sighed. It was foolish to think he could hide in here. "I'm here, Sera," he replied.

Seraphine crossed the room slowly to sit on the side of her father's bed. She fidgeted with the coverlet for a moment. "I...we..." she stammered, then paused to take a deep breath. "Damien is a complete shit."

Draco couldn't help it. He laughed. "He learned from the best."

"Grandfather, you mean," Sera said matter-of-factly.

"Yes."

"Grandmere says she loves him in spite of it."

Draco sighed. "So do we all," he replied, reaching out to stroke his daughter's hair. He thought for a moment before speaking again. "You remember what I said about not wanting you to visit the Weasley girl?"

"How could I forget," she said sadly. "I was ever so disappointed."

"I've changed my mind. You may go to stay with her if you like."

"I think perhaps I should stay with you," Sera said, watching him closely in the dim light.

"I'm a grown man, Sera. I can take care of myself," he replied with a small smile. "I objected to your staying with Eleanor because of her cousin."

"Which one?" Sera asked, confused.

"I heard you fancy her cousin. I don't remember which one."

"Armand," Sera said, her cheeks colouring slightly. "I do rather fancy him. You don't approve?"

Draco gave her a sad little smile. "I wouldn't approve no matter who the boy in question was, Sera. I'm not ready for you to grow up yet. But...I'm not going to say who you can or can not fall in love with."

"Like Damien is doing with you."

"Yes. And...my father insisted I marry your mother becauseit was a good match. I don't regret marrying her, because I have the three of you, but I hate that she hurt you. And I hated then that I was forced to live a lie. I never want any of you to have to go through that."

Sera leaned forward and hugged her father fiercely.

*

When Draco woke in the middle of the night to find both of his boys in the bed with him, one on either side, he knew that right or wrong, he had made the only decision that he could. Or rather, Harry had made that decision for him. Leave it to Harry to take that burden from him. He only hoped that wherever Harry was tonight, he didn't have the same aching emptiness inside of him that he was feeling. Harry deserved so much better than that, and Draco hated to think of the other man being in pain. He'd suffered enough - more than enough. Draco said a silent prayer to the powers-that-be that Harry wouldn't waste his time with pain and regret and that he would instead find a little bit of happiness.