The Harm in Trying

Author's Note: Last chapter! One very last thanks to everyone who ever read and reviewed this story. Even if I don't respond I always read reviews and use them to make my story better.

Part 14

After the baby was born, the Potter-Malfoys fell into an easy pattern of quiet domesticity. They rarely left the house and if they did, it was to seek the company of their closest friends and family. It suited Harry immensely. He'd always known that the one thing he wanted was a family, and now he had one that he could truly call his own. Everything finally seemed to be falling into place. He was perfectly content to spend all his time entertaining his child.

Draco too loved spending time with Leo. He hadn't thought that it would suit him to have his life revolve so completely around somebody else, even his own son. However he found that rather than shunning it, he embraced it. He had no desire to see anybody else when he was with his husband and child. Draco was surprised that he didn't think himself pathetic.

Narcissa loved her grandson. She doted upon him, and between she, Harry, and Draco, they were sure to bring up a spoiled brat to rival Dudley Dursley. Narcissa wasn't aware of this, though. She merely knew that she could never spend enough time holding her grandson, and watching as her son and his husband cuddled, always watching to make sure that she was treating their little Leo perfectly.

As time passed, Leo grew into a very round baby that Draco continued to be astonished by. He learnt to crawl quickly and soon grew out of the newborn toys they'd purchased before he was born. With the idea of replenishing these in mind, the Potter-Malfoys made the journey to the baby store. It was located off Diagon Alley and sold all a wizarding baby's essentials, as well as a multitude of toys.

This was Harry's first outing with his new appearance. His hips had returned to their normal width soon after Leo's birth, but his large breasts remained as they had not weaned Leo yet. Harry was uncomfortable with the idea of going out as he was, but he figured that he would have to get it over with some day. It would be Leo's first outing as well. Harry would be strong for his baby.

The family was browsing through the various toys that would help their son learn to walk when a fellow browser accosted them.

"Draco Malfoy, is that you?" a sickeningly sweet voice called out to him. Had Harry not recently developed a stronger relationship with Pansy Bole nee Parkinson, he would have thought it was her.

Draco turned to find himself face to face with a blonde witch he'd never met before in his life. She looked to be in her late teens, but was already well into her second trimester of pregnancy. A dark-haired wizard in his twenties stood beside her looking rather smug.

"It's me, Vanilla Tuesday," she introduced herself as she eyed Harry up and down. "Greengrass now, actually."

Draco recognised her name immediately. And from his expression, Harry had guessed who she was too.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Draco said eventually.

She gave a laugh at that, one full of spite. "Leave the pretty words at home. You know as well as I do that if you'd actually wanted to meet me, he" with that she stared pointedly at Harry. "Wouldn't be wearing your wedding ring."

Her companion stared at Harry on the word 'he'. "You're a bloke?" he muttered before anyone could stop him. "Blimey."

Harry was strongly reminded of Ron.

Vanilla looked at him reproachfully. "Darling, that's Harry Potter."

Draco stepped forward to shield his husband from further embarrassment as others in the store caught on to what she'd just said. He'd forgotten that no one knew about Harry's transformation. It was a surprisingly well-kept secret.

"It seems you know my husband, now would you do me the honour of introducing me to yours."

"Draco Malfoy," she said. "This is Sebastian Greengrass." She spoke his name with feigned respect and looked at Leo and Harry's ring finger longingly.

Sebastian could not take his eyes from Harry. "What on earth did you do to yourself? I can't believe you're a bloke. You make a really hot chick."

Draco was about to say something scathing when Harry whipped out the appendage that he'd been so worried about at the beginning of this whole thing. The penis that brought them together, Draco thought. "Believe it now?" Harry asked with a pointed look, before carefully wrapping his arms around his son and apparating home.

Draco wasn't far behind him and he fell into a pile of giggles at Harry's feet. "I can't believe you just did that." Draco sobered as he got to his feet, now that the fit of laughter was over. "Don't you dare do that again. The only other person who gets to see that beautiful part of you is me." Draco took Leo from Harry's arms and passed him to Kreacher before sinking to his knees in front of Harry and reminding him exactly why his penis look as it did to begin with. Harry was quite thankful for the reminder. He'd never been so glad of Draco Malfoy before.

x X X x

Months passed, and Harry finally got it into his head to finish his book. When he'd determined that it was time to finish, he spent two days with his new typewriter wrapping everything up. When it was done, he couldn't even look at it, so merely handed it to Draco for proofing, and went to reacquaint himself with his son.

"I can't believe it," Draco said once he'd finished reading the book.

"Believe what?" asked Harry. "Is it that bad?"

Draco shook his head and gave an awed smile. "It's amazing."

Harry blushed. Draco stroked his cheek gently. "You're going to have to get used to it. Everyone's going to want to read it. And everyone is going to think it's fantastic."

"Thanks," Harry said, genuinely pleased with his husband's compliments. "I hope you're not just saying that because I wrote it."

"Of course not," Draco denied. "I did find a couple of niggling things. Continuity errors. Nothing you can't fix, though."

Harry nodded. He'd known it wasn't perfect. "I'm going to have Hermione read it next," he said. "Once I've fixed the things you found."

Draco nodded. "Good idea. And when she's done with it, I can get you in touch with a publisher."

A publisher. Harry winced. That made it seem real. Suddenly Harry was afraid of being rejected. "What if everyone else thinks my book sucks?"

Draco wrapped an arm around his husband. "Even if they do I'm sure they'll keep their opinions to themselves," he said. "After all, you're Harry Potter."

Harry winced. "I don't want that."

"That won't stop it from happening. Besides," Draco said. "Perhaps you should think about using your influence in a good way. You said that you wanted to get wizards to enjoy themselves more by reading fiction. Don't tell me you hadn't considered that others might follow in your footsteps."

Harry was quiet. "I know." He gathered his corrected pages, dropped a kiss on his son's forehead and stood. "I'm going to check this over then send it to Hermione."

Draco watched as his husband left the room.

x X X x

Five days later, Hermione burst through the floo at Malfoy Manor and deposited Harry's manuscript on his lap. Harry frowned as he noticed that she had written little red comments on just about every line.

"It's amazing," Hermione said with a grin, flopping back onto the couch beside Harry.

"What's amazing?" Harry asked as he flicked through every page. She'd scrawled over all of it.

"Your book of course," she exclaimed, looking at him as though he was an idiot.

He gave her an odd look. "But you've written all over it?"

She shrugged. "The best novels are the thought-provoking ones."

Harry took the time to actually read her comments rather than just staring at the ink. They actually were quite insightful and not entirely critical. "Thanks, Hermione." He smiled, ready to spend the night reading her notes, then possibly every night after that discussing them with her.

Hermione caught the look on his face. "I think you finally understand why I always got so worked up about books."

Harry shook his head. "You read non-fiction all the time. I'm never going to be like that."

"We'll see," she said as though she already knew.

x X X x

Leo was eighteen months old now, and Harry had successfully weaned him from his breast milk. With that, Harry hoped that his breasts would finally become man-sized, the way his hips had returned to their original size after the birth. Every day he asked Draco if they seemed smaller to him, and every day Draco noted no difference. Harry, try as he might, could not either.

Finally, Harry was going to get Hermione to cast the magic detection spell on him. Draco chose to stay home with Leo, figuring the two old friends would probably want some catching up time as well. He didn't suspect that anything was really wrong with Harry. He'd accepted that Harry had breasts; whether they stayed or left had no affect on him. Instead, Draco chose to help Leo try out his new toy broomstick over the lawns.

Two hours later, Harry was back. Draco looked up from Leo to take a look at his husband. Over the two years they'd been together, Draco had never before seen that look on Harry's face. He thought it was a look of tentative desolation, as though Harry was unwilling to let anyone know how he truly felt. Draco picked up Leo, and hugged his husband with his other arm, Leo giggling as he was smothered in the embrace.

"Didn't I tell you it wasn't the end of the world?" said Draco.

Harry nodded.

"And has the world ended?"

Harry shook his head.

"Then what's the problem?"

Harry spoke. "I've come to terms with that, Draco. Because it is just the way I look, and who doesn't lose their good looks as they get older?"

"So what is it?" Draco prodded.

Harry looked away, hiding a smile. "Do you remember when you told me that you needed to marry a woman?"

It was a long time ago, but Draco remembered. "Yes." Draco was confused by the apparent non sequitur.

"Well," Harry said slowly, keeping Draco in suspense for just that little bit longer. "We're going to have lots of little Malfoys."

Draco's jaw dropped and his son almost went with it. "You're pregnant again?"

Harry grinned openly. "Twins."

Draco lifted Leo to his face. "Did you hear that baby? You're not going to be the baby for much longer."

Harry smiled, and Draco understood now. The look he'd seen earlier hadn't been a depressed one. It was hidden acceptance. Harry was finally truly happy with his change. And that only made Draco's grin widen.

THE END

x X X x

A/N: And, because I know you're dying to know: Harry's twins will be a boy and a girl. And yes, the boy will be called Scorpius Severus.