Irresistible Fate

Lodger

Harry padded around his room barefooted in a pair of combats and an oversized black shirt, vaguely buttoned after a long soak in a hot shower. As he twisted his wet hair up, he listened to the sounds of his house and grinned to himself. He could hear George, Ron, and Jacob laughing loudly; there was a tinkling on Sirius's piano, 'Mione, he assumed; even from the kitchen he could hear the clattering of pans as the wafts of roast dinner rose through the house. He felt happier than he had for a long time, since school maybe, sure there was still lots to be sorted out with Draco, but at last they had taken a step out of the abyss that seemed to suspend them.

He listened to Teddy dragging Draco round the house. Harry had, over the years, stripped back the House of Black to bricks and renovated it into the light, airy townhouse it deserved to be, modernising where possible. He had even managed to get the portrait of Mrs Black removed, with the help of the Department of Mysteries, much to Kreacher's disgust. But now it was the House of Potter and was a happier place, even Kreacher had shown considerable loyalty, perhaps even affection, to Harry over the years.

'This is Harry's office,' he heard from the floor above, 'it used to be Sirius Black's room, he was my second cousin too, but I never met him.'

'Me neither,' Draco replied. 'Should we be in here?'

'Not really, but it's my favourite room and the bed's really comfy.' Harry heard the bed springs creak as Teddy climbed onto Sirius's bed as if to demonstrate his point.

Harry smiled. Sirius's room was the only room that had not been redecorated. His own work things were now added to the permanently stuck-on Chumley Canon posters and the Gryffindor colours. He'd moved a desk into there, along with the new addition of a large bookshelf which lined one of the walls stacked with work related research and interesting artefacts he'd found over the past few years. Like everywhere else in the house, there were photos of Harry's family and friends, his extended family, dotted around the room, but, in here particularly, there were photos of his own father, Remus, and Sirius. It was one of the reasons that Teddy liked the office so much, he liked to study the photos of Remus and the two often talked quietly about Teddy's father when they were there.

He heard Draco and Teddy's footsteps as they came down from the top floor.

'This is my room,' he was announcing proudly as he pushed open the door opposite Harry's room. 'Do you want to see my Lego? It's a muggle toy and its ace.'

Harry swung his door open, 'Teddy, do you think I might borrow Draco for a bit?'

'OK, Harry. I'm going to show Uncle Ron my latest set.' And a white-blond haired Teddy trotted off happily, clutching a large box of Lego.

Harry grinned at the bemused Draco, 'I think you've got a fan.' He pulled Draco towards him, pushing the door shut as he drew him into a kiss, but Draco stopped him.

'There's more we should be talking about.'

'I know, but this is better than talking.' Harry tried to pull him back, but Draco resisted.

'The past, the future, what we want...'

'It seems to me, that now I've got you to actually open up, I can't fucking shut you up.'

'We were supposed to be talking...' Draco muttered. Harry smiled because Draco's resolve was obviously dwindling.

'I can't, for the life of me, remember what about.' He pulled Draco towards him, this time there was no resistance.

'You're easily distracted, that's a terrible trait for an Auror, Mr Potter!'

'I'm not at work, I'm convalescing after running a terribly long way. And I seem to remember, once upon a time, Healer Falstaff told me specifically that you were the man for the job when it came to making me better. That means this comes under your fucking job description and you have to help me!' He kissed Draco, pulling gently at his lower lip, eager to deepen the kiss.