Moments

60. A Gossip of Friends

A/N Reference to 42. Le Chaudron Brisé. Artwork by Luosong on Deviant Art.

(999 words)

They were sitting at a long table in Le Chaudron Brisé to celebrate Blaise finally graduating in his Healership. He and Peanut were holding hands and grinning like fools and Draco couldn't help the squidgy happiness that scrunched his insides.

'Sentimental tosser!' Harry murmured fondly by his ear.

'Shhh! I'm proud of him, that's all.'

'So you should be...'

'We've come a long way since our school days and look at him, Healer Zabini. I can tell he's content too. He really didn't want to be like his mother, relying on his looks and her contacts. This is meaningful.'

Harry put his fork down and squeezed Draco's hand briefly. 'We've all changed considerably. I mean look at us, Slytherins and Gryffindors... hell! A Malfoy and three Weasleys at the same table without a fight breaking out!'

'I thought you said Ginevra and Luna are together.'

'They are.'

'But Luna's with Rolf.'

'Yep.'

'The three of them?'

'Yep.'

'Nooo!'

Harry laughed lightly and Draco loved that sound. 'You are such a gossip, Draco Malfoy. They're in a polyamorous relationship.'

'Fuck!'

'I imagine so. Rolf must perform like an erumpent on heat.'

'Maybe he's a voyeur. Anyway,' Draco elbowed Harry in admonishment, 'why didn't you tell me?'

'I forgot,' Harry shrugged.

'YOU FORGOT!'

'Well, our engagement took my mind off other people's business.'

Draco sighed, looking at his bestfriend. 'Poor Pans...' He cut a scallop in half and scooped it up with a smear of the parsnips puree and pancetta crumb and fed it to Harry.

'Delicious,' Harry smiled. 'Why poor Pans?'

The maître d' winked at Draco and Harry as he offered more wine around the table. Draco felt his cheeks flush but Harry hooked a finger under Draco's chin and gave him a peck on the lips. 'You're adorable,' he said. 'Are you still embarrassed about that?'

'Shush, I don't want everyone knowing. Because of the size of her, she's not due for another three months.'

'Maybe it's twins again.'

'Don't say that, she'll kill you. She's very sensitive about it.'

'George doesn't seem to mind,' Harry smirked. George was eating one-handed, the other arm protectively around his wife.

'He's practically salivating down her cleavage. Do you think we should set the wedding date before Ron and Hermione, just to annoy Ron?'

'You're such an evil git!'

'That's why you love me,' Draco smirked. 'Apparently Neville and Hannah don't want to have children.'

'Actually, they've been trying for a while but are having problems.'

'Neville's shooting blanks!'

'Don't be cruel, Dray. They're starting IVF treatment next week with Blaise.'

'How come you know all the gossip?'

'I'm an elite Auror, I know everything...'

Draco playfully hit Harry's arm and helped himself to a slither of Carpaccio from Harry's plate. 'Like hell you do.'

'What are you two wittering on about?' asked George.

'Whether it should Malfoy-Potter or Potter-Malfoy,' Draco said coolly.

Harry scowled. They had been discussing it somewhat heatedly over the past few days.

'Personally, I think Potter-Malfoy,' Draco said gleefully, just to wind Harry up. He knew full-well it would be the other way around but he was stringing it out so he'd make Harry feel guilty when he finally submitted.

'Oh no!' said Luna. 'That doesn't work at all. Besides, Harry is much more the man, aren't you, Harry?'

Draco choked on his wine as Harry laughed, loudly.

George winked at Draco. Ron went bright red.

'You've put me off my mushrooms,' Ron moaned.

'Why on earth does Harry topping put you off your mushrooms?' Peanut giggled.

'Maybe it's more about Draco bottoming; all that stuffing...' Hannah smirked.

'Bloody hell!' Ron pushed his plate away as everyone laughed.

'Hmmm!' Harry hummed in Draco's ear, sending shivers down his spine. 'Later...' his voice husky.

'You know, I don't think I've ever seen Ron put off his food before,' laughed Neville.

'So, what's it going to be?' asked Rolf.

'Topping or bottoming?' asked Harry wickedly.

Ron spluttered into his wine. 'WILL YOU STOP!' he whinged.

'Which way are you double-barrelling?' Rolf clarified.

'I agree with Luna,' the Weaslette challenged Draco with a defiant look on her face.

There was a general agreement and Draco huffed.

Weaslette smiled triumphantly and he was sorely tempted to stick his tongue out at her.

'What's next for you, Blaise?' Harry asked diplomatically, though Draco knew he was going to gloat monstrously later.

'Well, I'm looking at modifying gestational surrogacy. I think it may be possible to genetically modify the egg or sperm so it takes on the dominant features of the intended parents rather than the surrogate or donor.'

There were a number of bewildered faces around the table but Harry gripped Draco's leg tightly under the table.

'You mean, if Dray and I decided we wanted children, if we could find a surrogate, the child would take after one of us rather than the mother?' Harry asked and Dray could detect excitement in his voice. Draco intertwined their fingers under the table and Harry grasped them tightly.

'Yes and no. It's not just modifying the insemination, it's melding the dominant DNA of both intended parents, so in your case, your child could have Dray's brains and grey eyes and your recklessness and terrible hair.'

Harry ignored the teasing insult, he simply looked at Draco and Draco knew exactly what that meant.

'How far away are you from achieving this?' Hermione asked.

'Close,' Blaise said. 'The tests are looking really positive.'

'I'll be your surrogate, Harry,' Luna piped up.

Draco watched Harry's eyes go rather watery. 'Excuse us a moment.' He dragged Harry outside.

'Harry?'

'Oh Merlin! Dray, this might be possible, for us, in the future.'

'I know.'

They stood forehead-to-forehead. Draco could tell he was overwhelmed by the thought and held his hands tightly.

'Now who's being a sentimental tosser?' Draco said lightly.

'Yes, but... a family, Dray. Imagine, us with a family and Teddy too, our family...'

'I know, Harry.'

And Draco did know. And he really couldn't imagine anything more wonderful.

*****