Name:  Rock-a-Bye, Baby

Author:  VirginSuicide

Rating:  R         Just to be sure.

Summary:  SLASH!  Draco is turned into a child and Harry has no choice but to look after him.  Will Harry survive?  DM/HP in later chapters.  R/R

Disclaimer: I own nothing!  Not one character!

Chapter One 

Harry Potter made his way to the Headmaster's office.  He had been in the Great Hall, eating breakfast when he received an owl from Professor Dumbledore asking him to come to his office immediately.  It was then that he noticed that Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape were absent from the Head Table.  He wondered what Dumbledore could possibly want.  He hadn't done anything wrong as far as he could remember and if it had to do with his Head Boy duties then Hermione, the Head Girl would be present too.  He reached the Gargoyle and said the password, ("Liquorish Wand") then headed up the moving stairs, a foreboding feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. 

He opened the door and was greeted with the sight of Professor Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, his eyes twinkling merrily.  He also noticed Professor McGonagall sitting in a chair frowning and Professor Snape standing off to the side with his arms crossed over his chest, scowling.  Before he could walk any further into the room, he felt something hit his right leg and wrap around it.  Startled, he whipped his wand out as he looked down.

"Harwy," came a muffled voice from somewhere around his knee/lower thigh.  All he could see was a black robed clad body and tufts of messy blond hair that was currently clinging onto his leg, it's head buried in his robes. 

"Wha?" Harry responded, bewildered.  He heard a chuckle and looked up at the merry face of Professor Dumbledore. 

"Harry, child.  Why don't you have a seat?"  Harry looked back down at the child as he felt the arms tighten.  He lightly pushed on the child's shoulders but the arms around his leg simply tightened further, and the child whimpered. 

"Er, who's this?"  He asked, as he slowly walked over to the headmaster's desk, the child still wrapped around his leg.  He was careful not to let the child trip as it clung to him.  He put his wand back in his pocket as he stood beside Professor McGonagall's chair. 

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about Harry," Professor Dumbledore said, as he peered at both Harry and the child.  "It appears there was a student that had been making a potion in his dorm, when the cauldron exploded," he paused.  "He has been turned into a child for an unknown amount of time."  Harry looked back down at the child still wrapped around his leg.  That was a student?  But still what did it have to do with him?  He voiced his question.  Dumbledore smiled.  "You see Harry, the child is attached to you, more then just physically," he chuckled before continuing.  "He does not wish to stay with any one else.  You are the only one who can control him, and look after him.  He has been asking for you since it happened.  He wont talk or respond to any one else, and like all young children, is stubborn and will scream and cry until he gets what he wants.  The only way we were able to calm the child down and get him to stop crying, was when we promised we would bring you straight here." 

Great, Harry thought, if the child had been crying then there was probably snot all over his robes.  The child once again tightened his grip and he absentmindedly ran his fingers through the child's hair comfortingly before the implications of Dumbledore's words registered in his still shocked brain. 

"Wait a minute," he started, "What are you getting at?  I hope it's not what I think it is?"  He was not going to be looking after a child.  Especially for an undetermined amount of time!  Dumbledore smiled kindly, though Harry was more inclined to believe it was a sadistic smirk at the moment. 

"There simply is no other option but for you to look after the child, Harry, there is no one else."  Harry looked horrified.

"I can't look after a child.  I have classes, and Head Boy duties, and Quidditch, and. ..and a life!  I wouldn't even know how!"  He was aware that his voice had turned slightly hysterical and he knew he was on the verge of pouting but he didn't care.  He couldn't possibly look after a child.  The child whimpered again, burying his face further into Harry's robes.  Harry felt a stab of guilt but did his best to ignore it.  "Who is he any way?" he asked curiously. 

He looked up when he heard Dumbledore cough uncomfortably.  He turned his gaze to Professor McGonagall who looked just as uncomfortable and avoided eye contact.  He turned his eyes suspiciously to Snape to find him smirking maliciously in his direction, but also didn't say a word.  Wait a minute!  McGonagall's obviously present because I'm from her house.  That means that Snape's present because… Oh God no!  He looked down at the child in question who still hadn't moved or spoken apart from when he had called Harry's name earlier.  Blonde hair!…

"Malfoy!?" he ripped himself out of the child's arms and stood on the other side of McGonagall's chair.  He stared in shock as the child whimpered again, watery silver-blue eyes looked up at him pleadingly as the child – Draco Malfoy – held his arms out to Harry, wanting to be picked up.  Harry didn't move.  This has got to be a joke! 

Draco started to move towards Harry, his arms still outstretched.  Harry bolted behind Dumbledore's desk and when Draco followed, he continued around it until he ended up near Snape.  He stood behind Snape, one hand holding the mans upper arm to keep him from moving.  He couldn't believe he was hiding behind Snape and from a child no less.  Luckily Snape was too shocked to move. 

Draco stopped less then a meter in front of them, still holding his arms out to Harry. 

"Harwy?"  His bottom lip trembled and the tears in his eyes swelled.  His big eyes looked pleadingly up at Harry, wanting desperately for him to pick him up and hold him. 

"Pick him up, Potter," Snape snarled as he wrenched his arm out of Harry's vice-like grip and whirled around to face the obnoxious teen.  "Now!"  Harry shook his head vigorously.

"Nu-uh.  You pick it up."  Draco whimpered again before his little legs collapsed and he sat on the floor and started to cry.  Snape growled.

"He won't allow any one but you-" he spat the word, "-to, so pick him up before I deduct house points."  He started to protest when Snape grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pushed him towards the wailing child.  His arms were still outstretched towards Harry and big fat tears were running down his cheeks. 

"It certainly makes a lot of noise," he grumbled, as he plucked Draco from the floor.  Straight away, little arms wrapped themselves around his neck as Draco buried his wet, snotty face just under his ear.  He had stopped wailing, but continued to hiccup.  Harry grimaced as he felt the wetness against his neck then scowled at the occupants of the room.

"There is no way, I am looking after Malfoy!"  

***

Half an hour later found Harry grumbling along the corridors heading towards his Head Boy chambers, baby Draco half asleep in his arms.  The scowl on his face and the intimidating stalk would have made Snape proud.  He had spent the last half hour trying to talk some sense into Dumbledore but to no avail.  Dumbledore had stubbornly remained cooty. 

"Sadistic bastard," he grumbled under his breath, "Insane old coot!  'Spose to be my mentor, not my tormentor!"  He continued to grumble.  He had tried everything he could think of to get the man to see sense, but the man had had pre-prepared answers for all of his arguments.  He had said that he hadn't known how to look after a child, when Dumbledore pulled out a little book on child care.  "With pictures" Harry mimicked Dumbledore's cheery voice poorly.  He had said that he had classes when Dumbledore so graciously gave him the day off.  "And tomorrow, you'll simply take him with you.  I'll talk to your Professors," he had assured.  Oh, Joy!  He couldn't wait! 

Madame Pomphrey (who had seen to him earlier) had said he was around the age of twenty to twenty-four months old.  "So you don't have to change dirty nappies," Dumbledore had laughed.  As if that was much worse then what he was subjected to now anyway.  Although he did think it was slightly better, that was, until Dumbledore had added, "Though he still need assistance in using the toilet."  Dumbledore had said that Professor McGonagall would inform his friends of his situation although he had banned them from visiting him today.  He had said that today he would need to adjust to looking after a child and that meals would be brought to his rooms by a house elf.  If he meant adjust as to overcome the urge to throw Malfoy out the window then he would need longer then a day.  Six years of hatred did not just evaporate because his enemy had been turned into a child.

He looked down as Draco gurgled in his near sleep state and nuzzled further into his neck. 

"Why me?" he moaned piteously as he came to a halt in front of his chambers.  Hissing the password, which was in Parseltounge he stood stunned in his doorway as he looked around his rooms.  There were house elves running around, filling his beautiful safe haven up with baby things.  There were toy areas for him to play with as well as play pens set up.  There was a cot near his study desk and he was sure there would be another in his bedroom.  There was a table for them to have their meals at as well as other babyish things scattered neatly around. 

As he walked into his bedroom, he did indeed find another cot as well as a chest of draws he assumed full of clothes and a trunk full of toys.  Through the open bathroom door he could see more house elves running around adding more unwelcome additions. 

He sighed and headed back into his common room.  Placing his bag on his study table and the baby book beside it, he leaned over the cot to put Draco in there.  However Draco had other ideas.  Still not wanting to be parted, he clinged on to Harry, grabbing fistfuls of the boy's robes as he whimpered.  Harry sighed again, irritably this time, and sat down in his chair, absentmindedly rubbing circles on the child's back as he waited for him to fall asleep.

It was shortly after the house elves left that he was finally able to put Draco down.  He tucked him comfortably into the cot before he picked up his unfinished Potions assignment that was due tomorrow.  He was going to finish it tonight but now he had a whole day with nothing to do, not being able to leave his rooms. 

***

It was around lunchtime when Draco started to stir.  He stretched and yawned before he blinked his eyes open.  Sleepy silver-blue eyes peered at Harry through the bars of the cot, but Harry was determined to ignore him, concentrating on the Charms assignment he was now doing.  Draco stood up and held onto the painted white bars.  He was just tall enough so that only his eyes peeked out over the top of the cot as he stared imploringly at Harry.  He held his arms out over the top of the cot towards Harry.

"Harwy?" he whimpered.  Harry sighed irritably, but continued to ignore him.  "Pwease?" he pleaded as he tried to stretch out further.  Harry slammed his quill down and whirled around to face his enemy.  Draco shrunk back slightly before trying, once again to reach Harry, stretching his arms out as far as the cot would let him.  Harry growled slightly before he picked up the child and sat him on his lap. 

"But only for a little while," he warned.  Draco sighed contently and snuggled deeper into Harry's robes.  Harry rubbed his eyes tiredly.  He no longer needed glasses; Dumbledore had thought it would be safer to have his eyes magically corrected so if Voldemort caught him, he wouldn't be weakened by not being able to see properly. He looked down as Draco squirmed in his lap.  "What's wrong?" he asked.  Draco looked up at Harry's face uncertainly, before timidly saying,

"I need to go to da toywet."  Harry frowned slightly, getting up and positioning Draco on his hip, before walking through his bedroom, to the bathroom.  Once that was done and they had washed their hands, they headed back out into the common room in time to see a house elf pop in with their lunch (which was enough to feed a small army.)

"Hope your hungry, kid," Harry muttered as he sat Draco down on a high chair and put a plate of food and a drink in front of him.  He sat down beside him and helped himself to a sandwich.  Just then, there was a knock on his door.  Harry frowned.  Had Ron and Hermione ignored McGonagall and came to see him any way.  He hoped so; he could do with some good company.  Opening the portrait, he came face to face with Snape. 

"Professor," he greeted, surprised.  Snape scowled.

"Potter," he acknowledged, "can I come in?"  Harry smirked, and stood to the side.

"I haven't killed your star student if that's what your worried about," he replied amused, as Snape swept past him, and headed over to the table.  Snape sent him a dirty look as he stood beside the high chair. 

"He is also my godson, Mr Potter, and if you so much as hurt a hair on his head you'll be wishing you were never born."

"This day's already got me wishing I was never born," Harry muttered, as he plonked himself down in his seat.  "Pull up a chair and join us for lunch," he said as he took a bite of his sandwich.  He didn't know why he had offered, though he guessed it was because the whole protective godfather thing had touched him.  It was obvious he cared for his godson.  Snape hesitated, before sitting down and grabbing a plate.  "Do you remember him from this age?" Harry asked. 

"Vaguely, though I wasn't around much when he was a child, I was already teaching at Hogwarts." 

"Well that's more experience then me.  Do you think if you've got the time, you could help out with him?"  It was obvious to Harry that Snape would be thrilled to, though he was doing his best not to show it.

"Can't handle a child, Potter?" Snape sneered, "If your incompetence goes further then the classroom then I guess I'll have to, lest Draco end up dead."  Harry smiled into his goblet. 

Lunch was surprisingly pleasant enough.  Draco had made a mess but Snape had cleaned him up with a flick of his wand and had actually taught Harry the spell.  Snape had said that he was currently investigating the Potion mishap and as soon as he figured out exactly what happened, he'd start working on the antidote.  After Snape left, Harry placed Draco onto a play mat with some toys before heading back over to his desk to finish the assignment.  It wasn't long before he felt a tug on his robes.  Looking down, he met the wide innocent eyes of Draco, who was trying to pull himself up onto Harry's lap.  Harry moaned piteously. 

"Go play on your mat for a little while, I'm busy."  Draco simply whimpered, grabbing fistfuls of robe and trying to hoist his leg up.  "Malfoy," he growled, before taking a calming breath.  "Draco.  If you're going to be a child for an undetermined amount of time, then we are going to have to spend some time without you clinging to me.  Otherwise I think I'll go insane.  Understand?"  He peered down at the child.  Draco gave him a befuddled look before throwing his hands up at Harry, wanting to be picked up.  Harry groaned before picking the child up from under the arms and, holding the child away from his body, he deposited Draco into the playpen.  That will keep him in at least.

Sitting back down, he picked up his quill and began to write.  Draco stood up and walked over to the side, grabbing onto the soft cushiony bars.  He started to whimper, looking piteously at the back of Harry. 

"Harwy?"  He was ignored.  "Harwy, pwease?"  Still Harry didn't turn around.  "I be good," he pleaded, his eyes starting to water, "Pwease Harwy, I be good boy."  Harry rubbed his temples, but still didn't turn around.  The whimpers and pleas started to get louder, as Draco held his arms through the bars, towards Harry, wanting him to pick him up and cuddle him, and love him. 

"Throw a tantrum if you want," Harry finally said, without turning around.  "I grew up with Dudley – he still throws tantrums."  And so Draco did.  He wailed and screamed and through his toys at Harry, trying to get him to turn around.  He cried and pleaded and sobbed and whimpered until Harry couldn't take it any more.  He whirled around and glared at the insolent child who was also his cold unfeeling enemy. 

As soon as Harry turned around, Draco held his arms out to be picked up.  Harry gave in and walked over and picked Draco up.  Arms clung around his neck desperately as Draco buried his face into his shoulder and sobbed, calming down now that Harry was holding him.  Harry rubbed circles soothingly into his back as he walked slowly around the room. 

He didn't want to grow attached to the child, or even be nice for that matter.  Dumbledore had told him that Malfoy would most likely remember the incident, though maybe a little hazy, and the last thing he wanted was Malfoy to remember him being nice to him.  Harry despised Malfoy, and had for six years, and he was trying desperately to hold onto that hate and direct it towards baby Draco.  But he had always loved children and he knew what it was like to be neglected.  He was trying to remind himself that it wasn't a real child, but a seventeen year old boy that he hates, but it was getting harder and harder.  He kept trying to tell himself that Malfoy had already had a wonderful childhood but it was tearing him inside to ignore the pleas.  But he would be strong… Later.  Right now, he simply wanted to shut him up! 

One good thing came from the tantrum.  Draco had tired himself out and was snuggling sleepily into Harry's neck.  He'll be asleep in no time Harry thought gleefully.  He would have done a victory dance if he thought it wouldn't startle the sleepy baby. 

The rest of the afternoon was pretty quiet.  Draco slept from about one til four which he was grateful for.  Harry had finished all of his homework so when Draco woke up, he sat with him on the play mat while Draco investigated all of his new toys – from his position on Harry's lap. 

***

At dinnertime, Harry had just deposited a happy and hyper Draco into his high chair when there was a knock on his door.  Harry walked over and opened it to see Professor Snape once again standing there, looking uncomfortable.  Harry stood to the side and motioned for him to enter.  Asking him to join them for dinner, they both sat down and loaded their plates, as well as Draco's. 

"Any progress on the Potion?"  Harry was eager for the whole ordeal to be over.

"Not much," replied Snape, surprisingly casual, "It appears Draco was brewing an Appearance Altering Potion.  Had it been made correctly, he would have aged a couple of years and his appearance would have changed slightly.  I can't imagine why he was making such a potion."  Snape glanced at baby Draco who was squishing peas between his chubby forefinger and thumb. 

It wasn't until they had finished dinner did Snape look around the chambers.  Toys were strewn everywhere.  He smirked. 

"This place is a mess, Potter.  What happened?"  Harry snorted.

"Your precious godson decided to throw a tantrum, that's what happened."  Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" he demanded.  Harry looked at him.

"Because he's a spoilt brat who's always gotten what he wants." 

"I'm afraid you'll have to elaborate."  Harry sighed.

"He wont leave me alone!  Every time he is awake he wants me to hold him.  That isn't normal behaviour.  They're supposed to want to explore – get into your ink and doodle all over your books when your in another room – not latch onto you twenty-four-seven.  We're enemies for Merlins sake!" Harry exclaimed.  He felt much better now that he had gotten that off of his chest.  Well, he was feeling better until he heard a chuckle from in front of him.  He looked up sharply to see Snape looking at him, overly amused.  "What?" he snapped.  Snape simple shook his head as he got up from the table. 

He walked over to Draco's chair and placed a kiss on the crown of his head.  Harry watched the exchange longingly, before he quickly turned away.  Snape left shortly after.  Before he left however, he showed Harry a charm that cleaned the room – putting all toys back in their appropriate place and another one that sent all the dishes back to the kitchens. 

A little while later, Harry took Draco to the toilet as he ran a bath.  He put the bath toys in as well as bubbles.  Stripping Draco of his clothes he put him in the bath and washed his body, then his hair.  Draco was surprisingly compliant, simply enjoying Harry being close to him and caring for him.  After he was clean Harry let him play with the toys for a little while.  Eventually, he was wrinkly and tired and Harry pulled him out and dried off, using a charm on his hair.  He carried him into his bedroom and dressed him in warm pyjamas before he put him in the cot. 

From being almost asleep, Draco woke up surprisingly fast and tried to grab onto Harry, afraid that he would never see him again.  He only managed to grab one of his hands but he held on as hard as he could.  Harry frowned.

"What's wrong with you?" he puzzled.  "It's time to go to sleep and I need to have my shower yet."  Draco whimpered.

"Harwy.  Don't weave me! I wuv you pwease don't weave me!"  Draco was frightened that he would leave?  Draco's eyes started to glisten so Harry bent over and picked him up.  Harry felt the familiar feeling of Draco's arms wrapping tightly around his neck, his head buried into his shoulder.  Draco's contented sigh was muffled. 

"What am I going to do with you," Harry murmured, as he rubbed circles into Draco's back and walked around the room.

Some time later, he placed the peacefully sleeping child into the cot and headed for a long relaxing shower; thankful he had been pardoned of his Head Boy duties.  Once he quietly closed the door, he wandlessly soundproofed the room; afraid the noise would wake up Draco. 

***

 When he opened the bathroom door, dripping wet and clad only in a towel, it was to the sound of a hysterically crying Draco.  He rushed into the room to see Draco standing in his cot, looking around the empty room and screaming his name desperately.  He grabbed his wand off of the bed and with a flick he was dry.  Hurriedly pulling on his boxes, he stumbled over to Draco and immediately picked him up. 

Draco sobbed into his shoulder, babbling mostly incoherent things.  Harry rocked him as he rubbed his back.  He kept repeating: "sshhh, it's okay.  I'm here.  I'm not leaving you.  It's okay, baby."

Eventually he wandered over to his bed and pulled the covers back.  He carefully got in and cradled Draco to him.  He was cold and tired and as soon as Draco fell asleep, he would pick him up and put him in his own bed, but for now, he'd just rest his eyes and wait.     

It wasn't long before the two were sleeping peacefully, Draco cradled protectively to Harry and Draco holding Harry possessively. 

***

What did you think?  Also, what should I do with Snape?  Give him a lover? Perhaps Remus?  Or Harry and him could have some thing while Draco is still a child, then Sev/Remus?  I dunno – he's one of my favourite characters, I want him to be happy.

Anyway, Please Review and leave your thoughts!  Please!