Favoring The Brave {Drarry}

~ q ~

"What were you both thinking? You're not old enough to drink, so you thought you'd try to sneak off to the pub while me and your father were busy?" Harry is trying not to yell, but the situation has him upset and slightly terrified. He can deal with unforgivables and dark lords, but sketchy blokes on the street trying to steal his children are still way above his experience level.

"We got kicked out of backstage. So we were just walking about outside til the concert was over," Teddy says looking down at his feet. The situation isn't his fault, but he's the oldest and he knew better and now his dad is worried and his brother looks too pale to be healthy. He's already vomited twice since they've come back inside.

"Oh, Merlin, who knows what could have happened to you. To either of you." Harry knows he's crying, but it had all happened so fast. He pulls the boys into a hug.

"I'm sorry," Teddy sobs into his dad's shoulder. "I should have known what to do. Or or something! I'm so sorry!"

James is still frozen.

When Harry let's go of them to retrieve a cool rag to wipe their faces, the younger boy still hasn't looked up and Teddy latches onto him next.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Jamesie. I'm a horrible brother."

Harry wants to say that he isn't, but then James is making the first move since the last time he's vomited and it's to wrap Teddy into his own hug. He doesn't say anything, and Harry doesn't think he can right now, but he is gripping the back of Teddy's shirt so hard it may rip as he cries into his shoulder.

It takes a while to calm him down, but once he does, Harry has them follow him back to the edge of the stage where they can all watch Draco finishing performing from just behind the curtains and lights. James doesn't stop crying.

Later when Harry explains it all to Draco, the blond completely reams the venue's security staff because the boys' pictures were on the list of people to be allowed in, but the guards hadn't bothered to check. Draco looks Teddy over to make sure he isn't hurt, then he turns to a so silently crying James and holds as close to his heart as possible trying to figure out how he'd gone so long without knowing his son or being their for either of them and now trying to figure out how far he'd go to protect them.

--:--

The next few Muggle concerts are a tense blur. The boys rarely leave Harry's sides, and they never leave each other's. It's been a little over a month but James still hasn't said much more than a muffled sorry whenever they all lay together in an engorgio'ed bed in one of the hotels they're staying in because he can't sleep alone.

"What're the plans for your performance tonight," Harry asks Draco quietly over a cup of instant tea one morning, not wanting to wake up the boys. Neither of them had nightmares last night and he knows they need the sleep. The blond has just come from a shower and he's wearing a pair of trackies low on his hips, his hair wet and dripping off his pointed nose down his scarred torso. He pads over to his fiancé before placing a soft kiss on his forehead. Harry waves a hand to motion towards the mugs and still warm kettle. "Want me to make you a cuppa?"

"No, I've got it," Draco says moving gracefully around him and fixing himself a cup of tea. "You three can stay here tonight if you want. It's only a live studio recording for a talk show. I answer a few questions then sing a bit. Shouldn't be too long."

"Are you sure?" Harry asks as the blond sits across from him at the small dining area provided in the expensive hotel suite.

"Yes. It'll be fine. We schedule these in between Muggle and wizarding events to give me a break before wizarding concerts during tour," Draco blows over his tea before taking a sip. "They tend to be a lot more magically draining and I end up exhausted for days."

"Well if you're really sure, I can take the boys out sight-seeing today," Harry says but it still sounds more like a question. "Take lots of pictures?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Potter. Just- keep an eye on JL, yeah? He's still not talking and I know when we were his age..."

"I know," he agrees, "Not talking meant we were trying to handle things ourselves. Building trust issues and self-harming...I've talked to my mind healer."

"Look at us," Draco said, "being mature adults. Raising a family. Wait til my father hears about this."

Harry snorts a laugh before leaving over the table and capturing Draco's lips in an Earl Grey and toothpaste flavored kiss.

-&-

hey futher muckers

not much happening in this chapter
next chapter is going to cover a bit more

ive decided to not force myself to get a certain word limit per chapter, because although sometimes it helps me push forward through writers block other times it makes me feel inadequate when i dont meet that specific goal and i figure that posting anything is better than posting nothing or posting something im not proud of

so here is another not quite 1k word chapter

i hope you lot enjoyed anyway
love y'all

-- angel janeé xoxo 💋