Cassiopeia Lily Malfoy (Harry X Draco)

Chapter 15

When Harry woke up, Draco was sitting fully-dressed by his bedside, looking extremely mature and responsible.

"Hangover potion?" he offered.

"I only had three beers," said Harry.

"Ah. Just me then." Draco looked down at his hands. "Seems I can't have a glass of wine without throwing myself at you."

Hangover potion had the added side effect of causing the drinker to remember the events of the night before, no matter how drunk he had been.

"As I remember it, I'm the one who crawled into bed with you."

Draco's expression flickered, his eyebrows drawing together.

"You said it again. Last night. You said you loved me."

"Yeah," nodded Harry, sitting up and putting on his glasses. "Because I do."

Draco rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, as if he was very tired.

"Harry..."

"I'm not saying it so that you'll sleep with me."

"I know," said Draco heavily. "I know you wouldn't do that. Consciously, at least. But, Harry you're obviously a bit carried away by all this happy-family stuff."

"Right. I thought you would say that," said Harry. "That I just want you because of Cassie. But it's really not that. I mean, obviously, how you are with Cass is incredibly attractive, because you're such a good father and it's sexy as hell-"

"Exactly. You'd marry a mop, if it had birthed your child. You just want a family."

"I want our family."

Draco tucked a strand of blond hair out of his eyes.

"Maybe that should be enough for me," he said. "But it isn't it. I don't want to be with someone because they are convinced the nuclear family unit is the only thing that will make them happy."

"It's not like that! I love you!"

Draco clenched his jaw and looked out of the window. Harry got out of bed and went to stand by him.

"You don't have to believe me right away," he said. "Time, you said. I can give you that."

Draco leant his forehead against Harry's. "I would like to believe you," he said.

"Can I kiss you?"

"You know you can. That's the problem." So Harry kissed Draco's eyelids instead.

Not much changed after that. Their routine continued, trips on the weekends, dinner as a family each night, visits from Blaise and Ron and Hermione. Harry updated Ron and Hermione the moment he was alone with them.

"Draco doesn't believe I love him," he said. Ron choked on a bit of bagel, but Hermione looked unsurprised.

"Well, I can see why he would have some reservations," she said.

"I'm trying to wear him down," said Harry.

"I hope it works out," said Hermione, lowering her voice. They were in the garden, and Draco was walking towards them, bearing a bowl of crisps.

"You two have always been mental about each other," muttered Ron.

"Crisps?" said Draco.

"You're amazing." said Harry, taking the bowl. "Thank you."

Everything was the same, except every morning, without fail, Harry brought Draco a cup of tea in bed. Draco would smile groggily at him and let Harry sit next to him for ten minutes while they talked about their plans for the day.