Come What May
Chapter One
Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is? It's to love someone who used to love you, watching them carry on with their lives as though you had never really been a part of it.
But then this was the way I chose it to be.
Standing in the shadows merely watching I sometimes wonder what would of happened if I had given in and just carried on with him by my side, shared the news with him.
But then his mother soon put a stop to any notion that me and him would have our happily ever after.
How she found out about my 'condition' I don't know I hadn't even told anybody about it. I couldn't bring myself to tell any of my friends nor my headmaster not even my three closest confidantes not to mention the one I loved.
Imagining him staying with me out of obligation was too much to bear and the thought of the consequences helped to ease the blow of my idea to call our relationship off. We'd never have been given the chance to live the dream and so I set him free.
I wasn't going to do what his mother said though, oh no I'm not that callous or cruel a fact she should of realized by now.
But I'd do it all on my own. Nobody needed to know anything and he could carry on with the life he was meant for before I came along, before I spoiled it all for him. I cut my own heart out but what I did to his was so much worse but he had far more to loose than me, surely he must have seen that I was doing what was best for him.
You had to be cruel to be kind right?
Turning away from the crowd that played in the sun waiting for the carriages that would take them home, I yearned for the ground to just open up and swallow me whole. Perhaps then I wouldn't have to feel the pain.
At least school was over; we'd finally made it through.
I was of age; I could get my own place within the Wizarding community and would be viewed as an adult, it would be easier to hide things if I didn't have to live with my aunt and uncle. I needed the independence a place of my own would give me along with the privacy.
Slowly I ran my hands over my stomach, feeling the hard muscles there I wondered how long before it all changed, wondered how long before anyone who cared to look would know the secret I was desperate to keep.
I was pregnant and my world was spiraling out of control, for I wasn't pregnant to just anybody, perhaps it would have been easier if I was... would have been better if I was. But then like everything else in my life this too was just a sign of the doomed existence I was born to live.
I was pregnant to the one person whom I would never be able to have a future with, to the one person whom my baby would never know to be his or her father. Who would never show my baby any love for he would not know it even existed.
I was pregnant to Draco Malfoy!!
11 years later
Draco Malfoy looked at the sky with a whole new sense of meaning. With the sun that shone so gloriously above him came a new feeling of euphoria he had previously been lacking in his life……he was finally free.
"Well Mr. Malfoy why don't you take your first step into the first day of the rest of your life" a voice mused from behind him. Turning he surveyed the woman who had made his freedom possible, even now he was still shocked that she had taken on his case especially given their history.
Hermione Woods smiled and stepped out into the blinding heat of the sun shaking the hand that Draco held out for her
"I can't thank you enough Hermione. If it hadn't been for you I would have lost my son to that witch and Lyle means everything to me" he stated his voice portraying how grateful he really felt.
"Nonsense its all part of my job Draco and besides anybody can see how much you love your son. The Judge would have to have been foolish to rule in her favour. Besides, as you should know I always play to win" she replied smoothing down the lapels of her jacket and fixing him with a look of mock severity.
"So how would you feel about a celebratory drink then?" he asked thinking a drink was the least he could do for the service this woman had done him.
"I'd feel quite favorably if I wasn't already out for a drink tonight. Why don't you come with us you can bring Lyle along with you, I'm sure Gwen and Glen would enjoy his company" she said her face smiling as she thought of her troublesome twins.
"That sounds great, but are you sure we'll be ok having the children out so late? I mean most pubs don't allow youngsters in after a certain time" Draco asked and she clucked her tongue at him.
"Honestly Draco you really don't get out much to the new age places do you. We always go to The Rhinestone and trust me when I say children are always welcome there, plus I know the owner so there'll be no problems"
Draco smiled; it had been such a long time since he had actually socialized.
His marriage to Katrina had left little time for socializing. She'd always wanted money and he had worked himself to the ground trying to buy her everything she had ever wanted, thinking that if he just gave her whatever her heart desired she would at least have been content. But the problem with greedy people was that they were never content with anything.
Lyle had been the only good thing to come out of the torturous years he had spent with her and she'd wanted to take him away from him.
But now he had sole custody of his son and nothing was going to take that from him, he was determined to give him all the love and support he needed. He would not however place words of hatred in his mind about his mother, an action he had a feeling his now ex wife would of done had the roles been reversed.
Now without her claws sunk into him he was finally free to live the life he'd always wanted for him and his son.
"I think I've heard of the place, actually quite popular and trendy if memory serves right. Anyone I know going to be there" he asked lightly.
For a moment she seemed to hesitate her eyes looking uncertain but in a blink it was gone making it seem as though he'd imagined it. Linking her arm through his they began to walk down the steps away from the courthouse.
"Well Oliver will be there along with the kids, Ginny and Blaise will be there with their son as well, and I also think that Ron and Pansy will be there too. I was thrilled to hear that their expecting their first I bet your just as excited by the news" she gushed and he had to laugh at her excitement.
It was so strange that everyone from school was all grown up, that the people he had studied with were now married expecting children of their own.
He noticed that one person she did not mention in the crowd line up was the one name he was secretly hoping would be there. Nobody had really seen nor heard much from the great Harry Potter since the end of the war well except for his select group of friends, a selection that excluded Draco.
He wondered what Harry would look like at almost 29 years of age, like him self he imagined that the golden-boy would have bloomed with each year that passed. Draco knew that he was considered handsome but in his minds eye he imagined that Harry would be stunning.
Not that he thought of him that often.
He'd done his best to try and bury his memories of Harry Potter. In those memories lay a pain that Draco did not want to remember not when he had loved him so much only to be discarded like an object whose novelty had worn off.
"That sounds great Hermione, what time do you want me to be there for?"
"Well we all usually get there for about six so anytime around then or after is fine, mines a vodka tonic with a slice of lime if you get there before me" she said teasingly. Patting his arm she began walking in the opposite direction to which Draco was going a smile of satisfaction and calculation on her lips that was hidden from the blonde as her face was lost to his view.
Loosening his tie Draco strolled towards his car, sometimes he couldn't believe that he actually used a muggle contraption to get about but then it made things so much easier for him.
His face lit up in a grin that appeared almost boyish on his matured and handsome face. He was going out with friends; he was taking back the life that had been denied to him since he'd been tethered to Katrina. Now he could enjoy all the things he had never been able to enjoy before now, plus he had his son, what more could he want from life.
Everything was perfect, absolutely perfect.
The crash resounded through the house like a bad omen and he groaned mentally before dragging himself from his bed and hauling on the jeans he had discarded last night.
Padding out into the hallway he could smell smoke and rolled his eyes.
"Heaven help me if she's been trying to cook" he preyed and began making his way towards the kitchen scowling at the tell tale signs of smoke which was slowly filtering through the open door.
"Abbey sweetheart is everything ok" he called stepping into the kitchen. Catching sight of her his lips broke into a grin of pure amusement at the picture she made. Cake mixture was smudged over her cheeks, her blonde hair coated in icing powder and her green eyes narrowed in annoyance.
His daughter.
"It didn't go right at all daddy" she cried pointing to the burnt lump he imagined was meant to be a cake and unable to stop himself he began to laugh.
Turning she fixed him with a heated glare folding her arms across her chest a pout springing readily to her lips, but somehow she just didn't look too intimidating when she was covered in flakes of mixture and icing. Sensing that it would be best to humor her he stopped his laughing but his eyes still danced with amusement.
"Why don't you go get yourself cleaned up and I'll sort this mess out and start breakfast" he said and a smile lit up her face.
"I like the sound of that, do pancakes please daddy" she said flinging her arms about his waist and hugging him tight before dashing out the room to make herself look more presentable.
Shaking his head he set about clearing the kitchen. When it came to the matter of her appearance Abbey was so much like her father it made him want to smile. She looked a lot like him too with her ivory skin and hair so blonde it was almost white, only her green eyes gave away the fact that she was his as well.
The sound of the doorbell jarred him from his musings and he picked his way over to the door opening it to reveal a grinning Ron Weasley.
"Morning Harry" he said pleasantly stepping in when Harry stepped aside motioning his head in invitation. The redhead took in the mess of the kitchen and the last lingering clouds of smoke and turned to offer his friend a grin.
"I take it she's been trying to cook again" he asked and Harry chuckled in response moving to continue cleaning the counters whilst his redheaded friend hopped up onto one of the stools to watch. It was a standing joke between them about Abbey's lack of culinary skills, another trait that she had inherited from her father.
"I'm thinking about upping her monthly allowance if she promises to stay out of the kitchen. I'm just about to start making pancakes for breakfast, you want some" Harry replied and as predicted Ron eagerly nodded his head.
"Who's running the pub today then Harry" Ron asked grabbing an apple from the nearby fruit bowl and taking a bite.
"Luna's watching it for me till later, I need to go over the books but it looks as though it's actually doing quite well."
The Rhinestone had given Harry an outlet for his spare time, he'd bought it when the building had been nothing but a crumbling mass and had transformed it into a flourishing establishment. He hadn't really thought that it would take off as well as it had and now that its success had reached its peak he was looking at a new property to purchase, this time he wanted to make a club.
He also had the perfect place in mind.
"So Hermione was talking with Draco today" Ron said smoothly and Harry felt his body tense at the mention of his former lovers name, it was a name he had hardly spoken now for eleven years.
"Oh" he replied as nonchalantly as he could, mixing the batter for the pancakes with a bit more force than was needed.
"Looks like his divorce came through. I have to say I never really cared for Katrina, she had this way of looking at you that made you feel like you were something ugly she'd stepped in" Ron stated his voice clearly showing his distaste for the woman.
"I'll take your word for it mate, I never met the lady."
He'd made it his business to avoid Draco's wife at all costs for fear he'd do something stupid if he met her. It was better to keep his past exactly there were it belonged; a feat which would have proven impossible if he was to meet the woman Draco had married.
He could remember seeing their picture in the prophet and had cried himself to sleep that night, his mind filled with thoughts of what could have been and what never would be.
"Don't you think its time you told him about Abbey?" Ron asked and Harry winced at the thought. An image of Draco's mother merged before his eyes, the same look of disgust on her face and he blinked back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Ron I told you, Abbey would only end up getting hurt if Draco knew about her and you know as well as I do that she would never be accepted into the Malfoy family. Lucius would accept her but Draco's mother would make her life living hell, I don't want that for her" he replied concentrating on the food he was preparing.
"He's her father too Harry, I think that gives him a right to know"
The decision not to tell Draco that he had a beautiful, witty, smart and quite often cocky daughter was one that Harry had agonized over for a long time. But the thought of how she would be treated once news got back to Draco's mother that Harry had told her son all about his daughter…well that had dispersed any notion he had had to tell Draco about Abbey.
"Its better this way" he whispered just as his little ray of sunshine bounded into the room her face lighting up when she spotted Ron at the breakfast bar.
"Hey Uncle Ron, daddy didn't tell me you were coming today how's Pansy is she getting any bigger" she asked. Her face was flushed with excitement as she pulled herself onto the stool next to the amused red head.
Harry felt emotion clog in his throat; she was so much more matured than her eleven years she was something any father would be proud of and yet he had denied Draco any pride in the way his daughter had flourished. He wondered what she would think of him when he told her of his decision; would she hate him for it?
He listened as she talked avidly with Ron about the baby, about her excitement over starting Hogwarts and that she was undecided on if she wanted to be in Gryffindor or Slytherin. This was a notion which caused Ron to look absolutely shocked that she should consider any house but the one he had once resided in.
He wondered if Draco had been like this at an early age, older and wiser than his years yet still able to retain all the innocence and excitement of a child.
He placed a plate of pancakes in front of both his daughter and his friend and watched them dig in with a flourish, marveling at how Abbey had the same etiquette as her father yet she had never seen him eat. She had many of Draco's mannerisms that only served to remind Harry that she was not just a Potter but a Malfoy as well.
Sighing he tucked into his own breakfast trying to shut out the barrage of thoughts that jumbled through his mind along with everything that Ron had said.
For once in his life he was plagued only with doubts about his choices.
As he'd known he would be Draco was the first person to arrive at the pub, but then Hermione had said six and checking his watch he wasn't too surprised to find he was ten minutes early.
"I need to go to the toilet Father" Lyle moaned squirming in his arms. Smiling he placed him down and watched him dash to where the restroom was.
Turning he surveyed his surroundings; whoever had decorated the place had superb taste. The walls were done in the palest of blues with richer blue drapes hanging from the windows. The tables and chairs where a finely polished mahogany, the chairs were cushioned by leather which was the same pale blue as the walls.
It looked sophisticated and classy.
Making his way to the bar he instantly recognized the barmaid. He smiled in greeting when she made her way over to him chuckling when she did a double take, recognition finally showing in her gaze.
"Oh my god Draco Malfoy…well I never" Luna Lovegod gushed reaching over the counter to catch him in a slightly awkward hug due to the bar being in the way.
"Nice to see you too Luna" he chuckled once she released him; she had grown into quite a breathtaking woman.
"So what brings you here then?" she asked pleasantly scooping her blonde hair up in a bun and securing it with the rubber band that had hung round her wrist. He caught the glint of a diamond on her finger and a look of surprise crossed his face.
"Yeah can you believe that I'm actually engaged and to Neville Longbottom" she mused catching the direction his surprised look followed.
"Wow, congratulations Luna…well I'm celebrating my divorce so how bout a toast to your engagement and one to my divorce" he chuckled and smiling she took his drink order and went about serving them.
"Take a seat Draco I'll bring them over when their ready."
Giving her a grateful look he made his way over to one of the vacant tables and sank into it marveling at how surprisingly soft it was. For once in his life he felt as though he could actually relax, that he was just a guy out with his son waiting for friends he didn't have to impress.
Luna walked over with his drinks a smile still spread across her face.
"I'm sorry to hear about your divorce honey, was it a mutual decision" she asked arranging the glasses on the table and taking a seat next to him.
"Actually the decision was mine, I remember taking a look at my life and thinking that I didn't like how it was turning out. I didn't like the person I was becoming when I was with her" he stated softly taking a much needed sip of his wine.
"So how did you end up working in this place then, what's your boss like?" Draco asked taking the attention away from the matters of his life. He fixed her with a look of curiosity and for the second time that day he saw a look of hesitation in someone's eyes only for it to vanish in an instant.
"Well I'm at University now studying for a degree in psychology; I've always wanted to be a psychologist, so I thought why not go do it. This is just a way to make some money to put me through lessons, the pays really good" she said after a pause.
"The boss he's great, I honestly didn't think he'd hire me I mean back in school I wasn't exactly known for being all there was I. But he gave me a chance…in fact he should be here any minute he called to say he was on his way in."
Draco smiled; it was good to see that things had changed, that there were people out there willing to give someone a chance no matter what they had been like in the past. It gave him hope, a hope that people could look past his past and see him for the man that he had become, the man he had always wanted to be.
"Ah here he is now I think, I best go out and help him with the boxes he brought. I'll catch you later Draco ok" and with that said Luna rushed outside presumably to help her boss.
"Yo daddy you want me to put the box on the bar?"
Ah so the mysterious boss had a child, no wonder children were allowed in the pub. Glancing up he caught sight of a young girl and felt the breath still in his throat.
She looked just like him. Long blonde hair the exact shade of his own, skin so pale it appeared almost ivory only her eyes were different. They were a bright green the likes he had only ever seen on one other person.
Even his own son didn't look as much like him as this child.
But if the sight of the child stole the air from his lungs it was nothing compared to his reaction when her father walked through the doors a grin curving his pretty lips. He was dressed in a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt which emphasized the tan of his skin, oh yes he had been right in earlier assumptions that he would be stunning. Even though he had not seen him in years he would recognize him anywhere.
Harry Potter.
So this was the boss that Luna spoke of, the owner that Hermione knew. He should have clicked right away that they had been talking about the golden boy; well he could hardly call him a boy anymore. The person standing before him was all man, and he shivered slightly at the thought.
He was certain that he hadn't made any sound but he watched as Harry's body come to attention his head spinning round as though someone had called his name. His eyes roamed the room finally coming to rest on Draco surprise lighting his green orbs and if he was not mistaken there was a hint of panic there as well.
Draco stood making his way over to the stunned raven haired man. A smile curved his lips and he tried his best to ignore the frantic pounding of his heart.
"Well well Harry Potter, so it's you that runs this fine establishment is it. I have to say I'm impressed with your taste" he drawled mentally congratulating himself when his voice came out smooth and confident. He was surprised that he had even been able to talk at all.
"Yeah, I guess maturity sort of brought out the interior decorator in me" Harry mused rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. The action was a telltale sign to anybody that knew him that he was nervous.
"I heard about your divorce, I'm sorry that things didn't work out for you" Harry said lightly handing the box he had been carrying to Luna when she came over to retrieve it. He began to fiddle with the hem of his t-shirt as though he was suddenly unsure what to do with his hands now the box was gone.
"I'm not, I don't think that things would have worked out with Katrina anyway, she may have been a pretty face but it only served to mask a deeper ugliness. I got my son out of the deal so I didn't come out of it badly" Draco replied surprised that Harry knew about his divorce.
"I see you have a child as well, I must say Potter she is a young beauty" he added and Harry looked over to where his daughter was chattering away avidly with Luna.
"Her name is Abbey" he said softly even though Draco had never asked.
"If we ever had a child and it was a girl I think I'd like to call her Abbey, it's the author of a poem I read, a beautiful poem that reminded me of you"
Draco's words from the past came back to haunt him and he frowned, what had made Harry choose that name?
"Her mother is she no longer on the scene?" he asked batting thoughts of the past away to concentrate on the man stood in front of him. He definitely knew he was not imagining the look of panic that simmered in Harry's emerald eyes.
"There's only me" Harry replied turning his gaze away from Draco the words spoken so low that he had to strain to hear them, but he did not miss the underlying tone of pain in the other mans voice.
"I'm sorry Harry; I didn't mean to bring up painful memories for you. Me and my big mouth eh I guess some things never change" he chuckled trying to make light of the situation and take Harry's mind off whatever had caused the rawness in his voice.
"Its ok Draco, I've long come to terms with the fact that I raised Abbey on my own. But I'd like to think I did a good job" Harry replied his voice under control.
Draco was just about to ask what had happened to see Harry raise his daughter alone when Lyle came bounding over.
"Father did you get me a drink" he asked meekly his gaze taking in Harry, his eyes rested on the lightning bolt scar and they widened a look of awe washing over his face.
"You're Harry Potter, my grandfather used to tell me stories about you" he gushed out his voice laced with a tiny prickle of excitement. Draco smiled at his son's star struck face and was surprised to find the smile mirrored in Harry's.
"I can quite imagine the stories Lucius used to tell about me, especially if my godfather had any input" he chuckled coming down on his haunches and holding his hand out to the child in greeting.
"You must be Lyle; your daddy's been telling me good things about you. Nice to meet you and you can call me Harry" he seemed so at ease with the boy that Lyle forgot his usual shyness and shook the hand that Harry offered his face lighting up with a smile.
"You see the girl over there, well that's my daughter Abbey, and if you tell her I sent you she'll give you some sweets" Harry offered. Lyle looked at Draco who nodded his head in consent and he skipped to the bar where Abbey was still talking to Luna.
"I always knew you'd be a natural with children" Draco mused not sure why his heart had fluttered when Harry had been talking to his son. For some reason he had hoped that Harry would have been clueless, but like everything else he put his attention to it seemed to come to him naturally.
"Well I decided that I wasn't going to be like my aunt and uncle were with me. I don't know it's just that since I had to be both parents for Abbey I found it easier to adjust to the role" he replied rising to his feet.
"I take it she got her good looks from her mother then, god wouldn't have been able to help her if she looked like you" Draco teased laughingly only to notice that Harry didn't join with his humour.
"She looks a lot like my ex partner yes. If you don't mind Draco I'd really rather not talk about it" Harry stated tightly running a hand through his hair.
"Sorry I didn't mean to snap it's just that well its kind of a painful subject for me. Bad break up, I guess even now it still has the ability to hurt me thinking about it" he stated his voice full of apology a sheepish grin on his face at his outburst.
"Hey don't worry about it, I shouldn't have pried" Draco responded.
"Well I guess I best go and get everything put away, I'll speak to you later ok" Harry said and with a wave he was heading towards the bar calling Abbey as he went.
For some reason Draco got the distinct impression that Harry was hiding something from him, something important. He wasn't sure how he knew or why he knew but he just knew.
Now all that remained was to find out what it was.
Oh god, Draco was here, in his pub, and he had brought Abbey with him.
Mentally going through every single cuss word in his vocabulary he began putting the groceries he had bought away in the correct places handing his daughter a bowl of ice cream to keep her busy.
Draco must have recognized the fact that Abbey looked so much like him, although he probably hadn't clicked onto the resemblance yet Harry knew that his ex lover wasn't stupid. It was only a matter of time before he realized that she was his daughter as well. He wasn't sure how he was going to handle the consequences when they arose.
Why oh why had he decided to bring Abbey inside with him? She could have stayed in the car, she could have stayed at home but for some unknown reason he'd brought her with him and now he was going to pay for that mistake.
Maybe Draco wouldn't find out, maybe he was just blowing everything out of proportion but he knew how smart Draco really was. He just had to have seen the resemblance between himself and Abbey; there were few people in the Wizarding world that had Draco's unique hair colour not to mention his flawlessly pale skin.
Seeing his old lover again had brought forward a torrent of emotions that Harry had longed to forget.
The years had most definitely been kind to Draco, at eighteen he had been the most gorgeous person Harry had ever been involved with. Now that age had matured him, the promise of his youthful perfection had blossomed into a dangerous aura of power and attractiveness that caused his skin to instantly heat.
In his youth he had packed a pretty good blow with his looks, now that he was older he was explosive and Harry would have been a fool not to notice.
He was most definitely no fool.
Pale skin which shone like polished pearl, a body honed to perfection, all lean and supple with a predatory grace that simply took the breath away. His blonde hair still so light it was almost white and still in the same cut that caused locks to fall softly into his intense mercury eyes.
His lips, Harry could spend hours imagining those lips and what pleasures they could cause, and his long slender hands…he had to bite back a groan just thinking about them.
No wonder he had had such a hard time forgetting him, the man was a god.
"Who was the man you were speaking to daddy?" his daughter's voice broke him from his train of thought. A feeling of panic tightened his gut along with a feeling of guilt. The panic because this was a conversation he wanted to avoid and he was unsure of what to say, the guilt because he was about to lie to his daughter about her father.
"He's an old friend from school sweetheart" he replied not looking at her.
"He's really pretty; he has the same hair as me."
He closed his eyes against the pain in his heart. Was he really doing the right thing by hiding the truth? It had been years before he had finally told his friends about the fact that Abbey was his and Draco's child, even now he was unsure as to how she had happened but as she had grown inside his body he had felt a love for her like no other.
Now everyone seemed to be pushing him to tell Draco the truth. That both Draco and Abbey had the right to know, that they deserved to know and even though he knew they were all right he still didn't know how to tackle the situation.
"I suppose he is, but don't let him hear you say that, people who called him a pretty boy in school usually ended up with severed limbs" Harry chuckled, thinking of a seething Draco reigning holy terror down on any student who had had the audacity to call him pretty. At the time only Harry had been able to get away with saying it.
"I doubt he'd do anything to me, not with you around…did he know my father?" she asked curiously wiping all amusement from Harry's face.
"He knew your father very well, in fact you could say that nobody knew your father better than Draco and myself" he replied. It wasn't a total lie, after all Draco knew himself better than anybody so there was some truth to his words. His reasoning still didn't change the fact that he was keeping the whole truth from his daughter.
"Do you ever see my father around? Do you think he would of loved me daddy" her innocence made emotion clog his throat and he had to bite his lip to stop himself from breaking down. Taking a deep and calming breath he fought for control of his emotions.
"Actually I saw your father quite recently sweetheart and trust me I know for a fact that he would of loved you."
As far as Abbey was aware there were reasons which could not be discussed why her father had no contact with her. Even though Harry had never told her he had the suspicion that she knew whoever her father was had not been told of her birth.
"I'm going to go speak to Luna daddy; she said I can be a bridesmaid at her wedding and I get to help her pick colours. What do you think of Lyle? Isn't he cute for a kid I mean" still babbling on she gave Harry a hug and made her way back out to the bar calling Luna's name as she went.
The silence was deafening, he wondered what it would be like not to have Abby in his life, if he told Draco about her would he try and take her away? He knew how he had fought to get custody of Lyle, he surmised that when Hermione told him it was to show him how much Draco loved his child…how much he could of loved Abbey.
But it had had the opposite effect on Harry. What if Draco tried to take Abbey away from him? What would he do without his daughter in his life?
So many things ran through his mind. Fear consumed him at the thought that his daughter could be taken away from him, that Draco was a powerful man, he knew people in powerful places, not to mention the fact that his mother and father would interfere as well.
Maybe he should just come clean, take Ron's advice and tell Draco the truth and just let things unravel from there. He wondered if the words would stick in his throat.
Sighing he went back to putting things away, unsure as to what he would do next.
For some reason he couldn't fathom Harry's daughter seemed to be watching him. He'd felt eyes on him and had turned to find her staring at him with a look of contemplation on her face.
Checking his watch he frowned, it was quarter past six and still nobody had arrived.
"Mind if I sit down" turning he came face to face with Abbey who had apparently given up staring at him and decided to come and speak to him instead. Smiling he pulled out the seat next to him and motioned for her to sit.
"My names Abbey Potter and your Draco Malfoy right" she asked holding out her hand in greeting, Draco shook it and smiled.
"I take it your dad mentioned me huh, well it's a pleasure to meet you Abbey. I must say you don't take after your father in the slightest, he never had any fashion sense when he was younger" he said chuckling and she laughed a little.
"I've seen pictures of daddy when he was in school, he was a bit of a loser when it came to clothes but I guess people must of liked that. From what Uncle Ron tells me he was a bit of a charmer" she added and Draco almost roared laughing at the thought.
Harry had only romanced three people in the school, one had been Cho, next had been Seamus and finally himself.
"What about your mother then Abbey, how did your dad meet her?" he asked well humouredly and was rewarded with a frowned look and a slight roll of the eyes.
"I never had a mother" she stated.
The statement confused Draco, how could she not have a mother? Unless like Harry talking about her mother was too painful, maybe she had been a horrible person, or maybe she'd hurt Harry and Abbey couldn't forgive her for it. The last thought didn't sit well with Draco, he didn't like the thought that someone had had the power to hurt Harry.
"Well I guess you could say that daddy was my mother. I mean he's the one that carried me for nine months so technically that would make him the female part of the relationship right?" she giggled at the last part and Draco felt himself grow more confused.
"When you say carried you, what do you mean?" he asked.
"Well I'm still not too sure on how it works when guys have babies, I mean daddy doesn't talk about it that much and there's not too much information on it. Its really quite rare for men to give birth you know" she spoke with a wisdom that belied her youth, and then a notion dawned on Draco that he hadn't really considered.
"Are you telling me that he got pregnant to another guy?"
"Well yeah, like I said daddy doesn't talk about the past that much not even to Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione. I think he had a picture of my father once, I caught him looking at an old photograph and he looked so sad" she said waving over to Luna who smiled and carried on with her work.
"You know Draco I like you, you're a nice guy. My dad said you knew my father quite well in school, what was he like?"
Draco didn't know what to say, his tongue seemed too thick for his mouth. Harry had been involved with a guy and had gotten pregnant, was that why he had sent Draco away? He'd been having an affair with someone else and wouldn't have been able to hide the consequences of it.
Anger ran through his veins making his blood boil. All this time he thought he had done something to push the other man away, when the reality was that Harry had been playing the field behind his back.
"Excuse me a minute Abbey I need to have a quick word with your dad" he muttered making his way to the door he had seen Harry go through, ignoring the 'staff only' sign. Barging in he found Harry just closing the door of the cupboard he had been rooting in before turning to see who had walked in.
"Draco, you do realize that this is reserved for staff only" he mused placing his hands on his hips to give the blonde a mock look of sternness.
"Stuff it Potter" he snarled feeling satisfaction well inside him at the way the raven haired mans face fell and fear slowly crept into his gaze, his whole stance becoming defensive as Draco stalked towards him. So Harry was afraid of something then, well good he hoped that it was him he was terrified of.
"Did you think I wouldn't find out? That you could hide it from me forever?" he rasped out gripping the other man by the shoulders his fingers biting into his flesh in a way that caused Harry to cry out in pain.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't know how to and your mother made it clear she didn't want you to know."
"So my mother knew did she, why didn't you tell me Potter how could you do that to me? I loved you damn it" he slammed Harry back against the counter rage pushing him to hurt the other man like he was hurting now.
"Who was it then huh? Are you going to tell me who you decided to shack up with behind my back only for them to up sticks and leave you when you got caught up the duff?"
A confused look crossed Harry's face and he tried to push Draco away. But anger was a powerful force and he was as unmoving as a rock his grip as hard as steel.
"So who was it then Harry? Should I pay him a visit? Find out all the sordid little things you did behind my back? Tell me Harry who is Abbey's father I'd like to pass on my congratulations, was in Seamus?"
"No" Harry whispered tears simmering in his eyes.
"Then tell me Harry, tell me who it was that you left me for come on tell me why you did it, I want to know and I want to know now" Draco all but shouted trying to stop his control over his emotions from snapping.
"It's you" was the softly spoken response.
"What's me?" for a moment Draco was confused, what the hell was Harry talking about was the other man loosing his mind? He hadn't hit his head had he?
"Abbey's father is you" Harry stated with more force shoving Draco away from him and hugging his arms as though suddenly cold.
All the anger drained from Draco and for a moment the room seemed to swim. Harry made a movement towards him but he held up his hand to stay him using his other to grip the counter for support.
Of all the things he had expected Harry to say he had not counted on this, his omission that Abbey was his daughter floored him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he finally managed to find the voice to ask fixing his gaze on Harry in desperation. Why would he keep his identity as Abbey's father from him? Why had he chosen to go through everything alone? Surely he should have known that he would have helped him through it, would have been at his side.
"I chose it to be this way for you Draco. Your mother knew, she came to see me two days after I found out and warned me of the consequences should I tell you" Harry replied looking down at his hands.
Draco sighed in frustration, his mother had a lot to answer for but that still didn't excuse Harry for what he had done.
"But I loved you" he choked out. Surely that should have been enough for Harry, surely he should have thought to give it a chance, to tell him the truth and see what happened.
"Don't you think I know that, you have no idea how hard it was for me send you away. But your mother told me what life would be like for Abbey, how they would never accept her into the family…I didn't want that for her surely you must understand the type of pressure I was under" Harry said softly his voice laced with his own desperation.
But he didn't understand he didn't understand anything. How it had happened, why it had happened, why he was only finding out about it now, and why Harry thought he didn't have the right to know.
"You should have told me."
"Your right, and if I wasn't so scared then maybe I would have done. But my emotions were out of control Draco. She was very persuasive, telling me how I had to be cruel to be kind; that you already belonged to someone else and that Abbey would always be viewed as an outsider"
He stopped to take a shaky breath.
"She said you'd be disowned, that you'd be forever known as the disgrace of your family. I didn't want that life for my daughter Draco and I didn't want that life for you. I loved you so much, but deep down I knew that it was selfish of me to expect you to give everything up for me. So I let you go" he finished his voice shaking with the sobs he was fighting to hold back.
"You should have trusted me to make the decision on my own Harry, how do you know I didn't want that kind of life with you? I suffered ten years of hell living the life my mother wanted me to live. If you'd have given me the option I would have lived that life with you, I loved you enough to live that life with you"
I couldn't have asked that of you Draco. It was because I knew you would live that life with me that I drove you away. I was going to tell you about Abbey sooner or later, I just didn't know how" Harry whispered tears finally falling softly down his face.
Even though he was still angry with him Draco gathered Harry in his arms whispering soothing words to him as the smaller man cried his heart out, all the years of anguish finally breaking from the barrier he had hid them behind.
"Where do we go from here?" was Harry's muffled question peering up into Draco's face. He looked so fragile at that moment that Draco forgot all about his anger and pulled him closer running a shaking hand through his raven locks in a calming way.
"I don't know" he finally whispered.
Yeah I know everything was revealed and its only chapter one, but I needed something to get my inspiration juices flowing and well this story isn't going to be all that long, I'm thinking possibly another chapter or maybe another two.
Please be kind when reviewing even if its to say how bad it is, as you may have seen in my profile this gave me a bit of stress when trying to write it but in the end I think it came out ok and I'm just trying to slide into writing fan fiction slowly, but hopefully some of you will like it and will leave me a review, thanks for stopping by and maybe I'll see you in chapter two.
A.N – Just for reference when Draco has a flashback in relation to hearing the name Abbey it actually is taken from a poem that I read and it did actually remind me of Harry from Draco's perspective (well from my inner idea of what I wish his perspective really was) the poets name was Abbey but I can't for the life of me remember where I read it so I'll have to browse through all my books so I can put it up for you guys!!