Favoring The Bold {Drarry}

- g -

"James Lucius!" yelled Harry rushing from the kitchen with Teddy on his heels to find a crying but grinning boy standing there. The man tilted his head to the side and took in the look of his son with a sort of sad happiness.

"I'm fine, Dad. He said he'd be back tomorrow, but I don't know why he left me again."

"James, it's not like that."

"He said he loves me, but he doesn't really mean it does he, dad? I mean, if he loved us he wouldn't have left." He looked up his dad before looking down lost. The hazel-eyed boy shook his head and ran up the stairs to his room. He only stepped back down for a moment to thank his dad for the 'best birthday ever' then he stomped back to bed.

Harry stood in awe before remembering Teddy was there too. Slowly he walked the boy up the stairs to his room. He changed into his pajamas and slid into his covers. The dark haired man started to sit on the edge of the bed, but the young Lupin kicked him off.

"I'm okay, Dad. I promise, go check on Jamesie." Teddy smiled and rolled over before tucking himself further into his blanket. "He needs you right now."

"Are you sure you aren't really Moony in disguise?" asked the man jokingly while ruffling his godson's hair fondly. "When did you get so smart?"

"I think it's just a gift," the boy said sending the man a wide grin before breaking into a yawn. He rolled back over and Harry stood after patting him on the head.

"Night, pup." He walked solemnly towards James' room and knocked before pushing open the slightly cracked door anyway. "Hey, Jamesie. How're you feeling?"

"Okay." The boy turned over until he was facing the wall away from his dad.

"James-"

"I just- Why doesn't he want me, dad? Did I do something wrong? I can do better!" The boy turned back over and sat up on his knees with a determined look in his eyes as tears flowed freely down his face. Harry pulled his son onto his lap for a hug as he made himself comfortable on the young boys bed.

"Oh no, Jamesie, this is all my fault." Harry looked down at his son. "Would you like me to tell you a story?"

"I guess..." spoke up the tiny voice followed soon by a sniffle. Harry smiled small to himself as the boy snuggled deeper onto his father.

"Once upon a time there was a lion and a snake. As Unconventional as it was, they loved each other very much. Well- the snake, with it's silver scales decided that he wanted to be famous. The messy haired lion knew he would do anything for the snake and agreed. After a while the snake got his big break. The couple was was going to move to america!"

"Wow, Dad, that's really far. Did they ever make it?" James had stopped crying but he was still red faced and sniffling a bit.

"The snake did. You see, the lion had just found out he was having a little cub. He thought it would be better to raise him away from all of the lights and keep him safe so he never told the snake. The funny thing is the cub grew up loving the snake anyway."

James narrowed his eyes at his father.

"That's me, isn't it? The little cub?"

Harry nodded at him then laid a kiss to his forehead before forcing the boy to look him in the eye.

"Your father didn't leave because of you. I never got a chance to tell him about you. I never tried. That isn't his fault, it's mine. Okay? So don't think he doesn't love you, because he wouldn't have told you that if he didn't. You shouldn't stay angry, it's not good for you, but if you want to be upset you should be mad at me."

"I'm not angry, dad," said James sadly looking down at his hands that were entertwined in his lap as he kept his ear pressed to his father's chest. "I just don't get it."

"Get what?"

"Why you never told me." The not looked up at his father just as another tear slipped and dribbled down his cheek. Harry swiped the tear with his thumb before pulling the boy in tighter for a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Jamesie."

At the sound of his father's sincere voice he melted into the hug. He knew better than to ask questions about whether they would all live together or whether Dad knew that DL Black was currently dating another singer. He didn't think it would matter because Dad was dating that nice muggle woman.

He was used to not saying things like that. During the first few weeks of school, back when he went to a muggle elementary school. The kids would always ask about his mom. He'd tell them that he didn't have one

Then they'd ask what happened to her.

He'd tell them he'd never had a mom.

Then they'd say that's a lie and he must be stupid because everyone had a mom.

He'd say no it's not cause his Dad was like his mom and he had the pictures to prove it.

Even with the photographic evidence, the kids insisted he was lying and the teacher told him to stop disrupting the class with tall tales.

After first grade he stopped explaining. By third grade he was enrolled in Dumbledore Primary Wizard Academy. He was glad his dad understood him.

"It's okay," he said backing away from the embrace, finally. He looked up at his dad and grinned before it broke into a wide yawn. He slid off of his father's lap until he was back on the bed comfortably. He blinked his eyes closed slowly. "I'm okay now, dad. I promise."

"I'm sure you are, JL," spoke the older Potter with a smirk. He slid off the bed and placed another kiss on his son's forehead before turning and walking out of the room. He cut off the lights with a quick nox, but a moment later a small glittering ball of golden light flapped it's way through the room. He shook his head.

He wondered when the boy would outgrow the snitch nightlight, but smiled to himself when he realized he didn't think he would.

-&-

i had written half this chapter
and had no idea where to go
but i like where its going rn

teddy is so sweet
jamesie is such a smol bean

next time:
drarry + kids bonding time

-- angel janeé xoxo 💋