The Secret Between Us - Prt.2

Chapter Twenty - Six

"Before we start, you have to know something about the piano...there's nothing remarkable about it. All one will have to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself."

Draco lectured Teddy without even trying; he hit different keys with such ease, that overtime he began to create a beautiful melody, almost like the ones the sirens played under the waters of the black lake.

Teddy looked at the blond in awe, but his mind couldn't wrap around his words. "Draco, you do realize I'm five and a half, right?" Draco looked down to the small boy on his lap. "I don't know what you just said, Lucy."

"Stop calling me Lucy, and I'll elaborate."

"Joke's on you, I don't know what elaborate means."

Draco shook his head and smiled. "Give me your hands, and put them on the piano."

Teddy did so.

Draco put his hand on top of the boy's, and he began playing Moonlight Sonata. As time progressed, and the random keys began creating a pattern like no other, Teddy began to understand Draco's words, and as he began to tell the pattern the music had, he began to grow bored of the first and second movement.

He wanted to tell Draco he wasn't really interested in the piano, and had just used it as an excuse to not go back home, but then the third movement came into place, and a wide smile spread on his face when he heard the lively music.

Teddy could barely keep up. Draco's hands were moving so fast; his little fingers could barely hit three notes at once. But he loved the sound the keys made, and the music he was creating; it was daring and full of life, and he loved it.

The whole day, Draco spent teaching Teddy the basics. He left him to play a nursery rhyme called, 'Dragon's den,' in order to help him memorize the sound each key made, and while he did that, decided to get the paperwork that was pending over with.

Because Teddy begged him to not leave him alone, Draco got his work done in the library, occasionally watching the boy play as if he were his proud father.

"Teddy, can you answer something for me?" Draco later asked after they had finished the lesson. Teddy was scared to say something, but regardless answered with a nod.

"I went to Andromeda's. I saw the house. Are you okay, kid?"

"W-what did you see?"

The two had been tossing pixie marvels on the path of rocks in order to create small explosions with different colors, but when Teddy heard Draco's question, he no longer felt the urge to do what he loved.

Draco placed his hand on Teddy's shoulder. "Teddy, are you having nightmares?"

"Y-yes," stuttered the boy, his heart sinking when he saw Draco's pitiful look.

"How long?" Asked the man, earning himself a simple answer, "don't know... when I heard Gram and Harry talking." His eyes became glass like and hair ivy green. "They said what they would do once you were gone... How Harry would have to deal with two kids and me... That it would be too much. And I just--"

"Remember your parents?"

"...No, you...what would happen if you were gone. I dreamed that this crazy lady grabbed me and took me to this castle... you and Harry tried to get me...but you were hit, and after you were gone, so was she, and I was so happy...but Harry wasn't because you were gone and it was my fault... And he--he blamed me! It was my fault, and I don't wanna be alone, I don't wanna!"

Teddy began hyperventilating, tears rolling down his blushed cheeks. Draco immediately picked the boy up, and pulled him into a hug. "Hey, it's okay," he cooed, placing one of his hands on Teddy's forehead in order to pull him closer. "It was just a bad dream, it's okay, sweetie. Harry would never hold you to blame for something like that. He would never-- I would never let anything happen to you.

"If being alone is something that you're scared of, let me tell you one of two things. First: Teddy, we're adopting you because you're like a son to us; Harry thinks of you as his own. We're not trying to replace your parents..." Draco broke into a laugh, "oh, your mother would have my head in a silver platter if we were... but you've become our family, and when someone becomes Harry's family... well, he makes sure to give that person a piece of his heart."

Draco offered the boy a reassuring smile. "And second: Teddy, I'm right here. This wasn't my first dance with death-"

"It wasn't?" Teddy sniffed, wiping away his tears. Draco shook his head. "How many times have you...fallen asleep?"

"Four times."

"When was the first time?"

"A chicken tried to step on me."

Teddy broke into a full on guffaw. Joyful tears began to replace those filled with the fear of abandonment. "A-a chicken?" He managed to say through laughs. "What was the second time?"

Draco bit his tongue. "A witch named Bellatrix threw a knife my way."

Teddy's smile faded. His expression became a serious one. "That's not very funny."

"No, it's not, but I'm still here."

Teddy hesitated asking, "what was the third time..?"

"Dementors tried to give me a kiss."

"Is that legal? You're good looking, but not enough to be killed for that..." Teddy went on a rambling spree. "Did uncle 'arry find out? Is that why you almost died? Wait, what's a dmentwor?"

The confusion on the boy's face was enough to bring back a smile on Draco's face. He looked so cute; so adorable that he couldn't help but reward him for it. "Come on," said Draco, avoiding the twenty questions he'd just been given.

"Where are we going?"

"To get ice cream."

"Really?!"

Teddy clung on to Draco's back, draping his arms on his shoulders. "Really," he heard the blond reply.

See, the reason Teddy preferred to spend time with Draco rather than Harry was because of his leniency. Harry was very overprotective and cautious over everything he did, said, or ate; while Draco liked for him to do whatever he pleased (with some limitations, of course) and for him to learn from his mistakes himself. He disipliciplined the boy, but did it in a more physiological way, therefore he didn't really know it.

"Draco...you said you don't want to be my parents." Teddy bit his tongue, a little scared to get hurt for what he would say next. "But...but what if I want you to? Can you and Harry be my dads?"

"Of course, Teddy. You're family."

Teddy hugged Draco even more tightly. "Thank you. Love you, daddy."