"HAYDEN!" Draco yelled as he ran back to the bed.
He couldn't help but panic in this situation, not knowing what to do. He tried to look through the flames to see Hayden, but it was like the boy had disappeared!
Without a moment of thought, Draco grabbed a corner of the comforter ready to completely drag the thing right off the bed to try and get to Hayden, but before he could, a hand took a hold of wrist, keeping it from moving.
When Draco looked up to see who would dare stop him, he saw Tom staring at him.
"It is best to leave the fire alone so it can do what needs to be done. Do not disrupt it" Tom said, letting go of Draco's hand as the boy's grip on the blanket loosened, tears welling in his eyes.
"I feel so helpless" Draco said, voice heavy with tears.
"It will be alright, Draco" Severus said. Draco didn't even notice the man enter the room, much less Tom for that matter.
"Hayden will be just fine within the hour. We just have to be patient"
---
A little under an hour later, Draco still stood by the bed, watching the flames, anxiously waiting for them to die down.
Tom and Severus were both seated on the couch in Hayden's room, Severus asleep with his head on Tom's shoulder.
After what felt like hours upon hours, the fire finally began to die down. Severus woke back up upon feeling the fire surrounding his son beginning to die out.
Soon all three were standing around Hayden's bed, but when the fire went out, Hayden was nowhere to be seen.
The fire hadn't damaged a single thing in the room or on the bed itself, it was almost like there was never a fire there to begin with. The only thing that was different was the small mound under the ash covered blankets on the bed.
The mound wiggled a little before letting out a small whine of distress.
Severus felt a tug in heart at the sound and pulled back the blanket to see exactly what was hiding underneath.
To Draco's surprise, pulling back the blanket revealed a little baby Hayden who merely looked up at them with his big heterochromatic eyes.
All three men stood around the bed looking down at the child with shock all over their faces.
Tom and Severus had expected their child's rebirth, and when it finally did happen they were relieved, but they just couldn't help the wave of emotions that overtook them at seeing their first and only child as a baby once more.
Severus was the first to break out of their trance at the sight of Hayden's big gem eyes filling with tears. Quickly, he reached and scooped his child into his arms along with the blanket, making sure he was snug and cuddling him into his chest.
"My beautiful baby boy" Severus whispered to Hayden, as Tom soon joined in on their hug.
---
By the time Severus was finally able to get Hayden to go to sleep, it was already way past midnight. Severus took a seat on a couch by the fireplace in Tom's office where the man in question was hurting to finish up his last minute work.
Severus held Hayden in his arms, admiring his child that he was getting a second chance with.
After a couple minutes of sitting by the fire Tom came and joined them, tucking Severus' hair behind his ear so he could kiss his cheek before resting his head on the ravenette's shoulder.
He looked down at his son, absolutely adoring his son and the tiny movements he would make while asleep.
"Sev?" Tom quietly asked after a minute.
Severus just looked at him, giving him his attention non-verbally.
"Hayden is supposed to be the age of a newborn correct?"
"Yes, why"
"Well, he looks as if he has aged almost an entire year since being reborn"
Once Tom pointed it out, Severus carefully studied the baby in his arms, and found that Hayden did look a bit older than he did a couple hours ago. His cheeks had filled out a bit and his features were slightly more defined, his hair longer than it had been when night first fell.
"Your right," Severus acknowledged, "I wonder if his growth has accelerated to perhaps quickly restore him to the age he was?" Severus thought out loud.
"That would make sense. I guess only time will tell whether or not your thought is right" Tom concluded, tucking back into his husband's neck, content to just enjoy this moment with his family.
---
The next morning, Hayden was wide awake and ready to play with anyone who would join him. Unfortunate for him, he was strapped to a high-chair of sorts for breakfast. Little Hayden was content though, babbling away and playing with his food, drawing different shapes into his applesauce.
Suddenly, Hayden looked to his mother, he was done with his food and wanted out of his chair.
"Mmmm" he tried to get the attention of his mother who was talking with Draco.
"Mmm-ma" he tried again impatiently.
"Ma-mma" he said, finally catching his mother's attention.
"Ma-ma" he called, sticking his arms out in frustration to be picked up, but all his mother did was stare at him.
In fact everyone at the table was staring at the little boy, utterly amazed!
When Hayden saw that nobody was going to move to pick him, he let his arms fall down with a little huff as he pouted. His little mouth turning into a determined frown. He turned his attention to his father, in hopes of more of a reaction.
"Da" he said to the other end of the table.
Tom's breath hitched when his little boy called to him.
"Da-da" Hayden said again with a hint of a whine slipping out.
Immediately, Tom stood up and made his way to his son and picked up out of the chair, hugging his little one to his chest tightly as tears of joy started to well in his eyes.
It wasn't until this point that Severus was also pulled out of his reverie and stood to make his way to his two loves, wiping away his own tears.
Draco stayed at the table, happy that Hayden was finally able to get what he deserves, a loving family!
---
Over the next couple days, Hayden continued to grow at a rapid rate, impressing both his parents and Draco with how fast he was learning things as well as the fact that he seemed to remember pretty much all of his past life.
On the fourth day after Hayden's rebirth, reaching 3 years old, he decided that he wanted to try and explore more of his home seeing as he knows so little of it.
That afternoon, he decided that he was going to walk through the large glass doors in the sitting room that seem to lead outside.
After struggling to open the doors for a minute, he was finally able to pass through the door and into a garden. But all he was able to figure out, given that he was only a toddler, was that it was a new place worth exploring.
He toddled through the garden walking around the many bushes of flowers and trees of fruits. After walking for about five or ten minutes, Hayden decided it was time for a break so he found a nice piece of shade provided for by a big bush of thorn-less white roses.
He sat for a moment, watching a bee fly around over one of the flowers before a large dark green snake head popped out of the bush.
Hayden just looked at the snake, not startled or scared at all.
"Hewo" Hayden said, reaching out to gently pat the snake's head.
"Hello little one" the snake said back in a calm motherly voice.
"I Hayen, wat's your" Hayden asked his new friend.
"Hello Hayden," the snake said, sounding very happy, "My name is Nagini"
"Hewo Naini" Hayden said with a big smile, "wanna pway wit me" Hayden asked.
Nagini smiled, chuckling as she said, "Sure Hayden! What shall we play?
---
When Draco came back into the sitting room, he was greeted with the sight of a missing Hayden and the glass doors leading to the garden being wide open. Hoping that Hayden was in the garden, Draco made his way outside.
Soon enough, Draco heard laughing. Knowing that it was Hayden's little laugh he was hearing he followed the sound until he found Hayden with Nagini.
Hayden was clinging to Nagini's neck with his arms and legs around her neck as she slithered around the ground and up into the trees and through the branches until finally making it back down then finding a new tree to start the process over with.
Draco found a bench nearby to sit down on as he watched Hayden having fun with Nagini. He had missed the sound of his mate's laughter so much during the past month or so he was asleep.
Hayden had never talked about his childhood with Draco and even if memories came up they never seemed to be good, so he never asked about them. He was happy that Hayden was getting the chance to relive his childhood with happy memories this time, but he worries about what changes might come about because of it if at all. He almost hoped that nothing changed, he loved Hayden just the way he was.
"Hi Dwaco!" Hayden called out from the branch he and Nagini were on, effectively breaking Draco out of his thoughts.
The blonde looked up and smiled and the little boy attached to the snake's neck. "Hello Hayden, did you find another friend" Draco chuckled.
Hayden beamed, rapidly nodding his head. "Dis is my fwend Naini!" Hayden said to Draco seriously before looking towards Nagini again, "Dat's my Daco!"
Draco blushed, even as a baby Hayden is the cutest thing in the world to him.
"Dwaco, watch!" Hayden called excitedly. "Catch me!" The little boy yelled as he jumped from Nagini's neck into Draco's, hopefully, waiting arms.
Draco almost had a panic attack when he saw the boy take off from the high tree branch. He ran as fast as he could, his wings coming out behind him, as he slid to try and catch Hayden before he hit the ground.
When Draco didn't feel anything fall into him, he panicked even more, thinking that the worst had happened and he missed. He hesitantly opened his eyes, seeing that he had fallen on his back onto the ground, his wings spread out underneath him.
He looked around where he was laying, not seeing any trace of where Hayden could be. It was when he heard a giggle from up above him that he looked up to see the end of Nagini's tail wrapped securely around Hayden's waist keeping him suspended in the air.
Draco heaved a shaky sigh of relief.
He could hear the snake saying something to Hayden, he didn't know what, but he could tell that Hayden could as his giggling stopped.
"I sowy, Dwaco. I di'nt mean to scaye you" Hayden said solemnly with a tiny sniffle.
"It's alright, baby. Just don't do it again" Draco sighed with a strained smile.
He loved Hayden, but he didn't know how much more he could take if Hayden continued to pull stuff like that.
Draco looked back up when he heard Hayden beginning to whimper, reaching his arms out to Draco.
Draco smiled, flapping his snowy white wings a bit so that he could reach up enough to take Hayden in his arms before flying back to the ground.
Hayden immediately latched his little arms around Draco's neck, not wanting to let go.
Draco looked back at the snake who was lounging on the tree branch watching them.
"Thank you" Draco nodded before heading back inside with Hayden in his arms.
---
10 days since his rebirth, Hayden had grown into a very adorable but very smart 9 year old.
Tom and Severus have spent every moment that they could with their son, watching him grow and getting to know him as a young child. But as much as they try they couldn't get out of their duties as leaders of the 'dark', or grading assignments.
During these times when his parents had other things they needed to attend to, Hayden would be with Draco. But today Hayden was by himself as his parents were in a meeting with his fathers followers and Draco was visiting his mother.
Hayden was in his room sitting on his bed as he read a book about the history of dragons and snakes. As he was reading his eyes started to grow heavy and soon he fell asleep.
---
Tom and Severus were both in a meeting to discuss their next steps in the brewing war between the 'dark' and 'light'.
About halfway through the meeting, the creaking of an old door being slowly opened could be heard behind them.
Whoever was speaking stopped immediately upon hearing the sound. Everyone seated around the long table looked to see why the door had opened, but were met with two sad gem colored eyes peeking at them while the rest of him was hidden behind the door.
"Hayden, did you need something?" Tom asked.
Hayden came out from behind the door and looked down at the floor, nodding as an answer.
"Come here sweetie," Severus said, feeling that something was off with his little boy.
Hayden shyly made his way to the edge of the table where his father was sitting at the head of the table, his mother next to his father.
When the boy got closer, Tom could see that he had been crying.
"What happened, little one?" Tom asked, just loud enough for his son to hear as he gently picked his son up and placed him in his lap so they could be face to face.
"I had a nightmare" Hayden mumbled as he continued to stare at his hands which were placed in his lap, sniffling every so often.
Tom immediately stood up and shifted Hayden so he was in his hip and began to walk out of the room with Severus quickly following behind him.
Just before he reached the door, he addressed the rest of his followers, "You are all dismissed. Go home" Tom commanded before exiting the room.
The three soon made it up to Hayden's room, all sitting on Hayden's bed while the boy stayed sat in his father's lap.
"Now, will you tell us about your nightmare?" Tom questioned as he positioned Hayden so he was facing both his parents.
"It was about my...." Hayden mumbled, his last words blurring together incoherently.
"Could you tell us again, sweetheart? We couldn't hear you" Severus said gently as he reached out to wipe a tear starting to fall down his son's cheek.
"Um...It was a memory I think. It was about my Uncle Vernon and my Aunt Petunia" Hayden said quietly, his voice starting to choke up.
"Oh, Hayden" Severus and Tom sandwiched him in a big hug as Hayden started to cry again. They both knew what Hayden had to deal with when he lived with those horrid muggles.
They comforted Hayden until he was able to stop crying and stayed with him until he finally was able to fall asleep peacefully again.
Draco got back to the Manor around early, mid evening. The only reason he was back so early was because his father's meeting was cut short due to something happening with Hayden.
As soon as Draco heard that, he was flooed to Riddle Manor.
When he arrived he rushed out of the fireplace and ran straight up to Hayden's room to check on him.
When he finally got to Hayden's room, he took a second to catch his breath before quietly opening the door only to see Hayden and his parents all curled up in Hayden's bed asleep.
Draco couldn't help but smile at the sight before slowly closing the door and walking to his own room.
---
Harry woke up as a 14 year old on his 15 day since his rebirth. Finally!
As he got out of bed, he tried to stretch his back out but immediately regretted it as his upper back started aching quite a bit. The strange thing was though, he couldn't think of anything he might have done to cause it.
Deciding to ask his parents about it, he quickly dressed in a pair of sweats and a tank top before heading down to the dining room for breakfast.
When Hayden arrived at the stairs, he was taken aback at the look of everything down the steps.
The entire manor was decorated in Christmas décor. Garlands hung from the ceiling and were wrapped along the pillars and through the bars of the staircases. Green and silver bows and ribbons were placed strategically among the garlands and around poinsettias and pine cones.
Hayden made his way down the stairs completely awestruck at his seemingly new surroundings, not noticing the blonde boy standing next to him.
"How do you like it?"
The question startled Hayden out of reverie as he turned to look at the owner of the voice, and smiled.
"I love it!" he smiled, leaning in to hug his boyfriend.
"I've never really had a true family Christmas, even at Hogwarts! This means a lot to me!" Hayden whispered to Draco, who hugged the boy in his arms even tighter.
"Then I am happy to be of the first to share this special holiday with you"
Hayden's smile grew as leaned in to give Draco a long awaited kiss!
---
"So, Hayden," Severus had begun when it seemed everyone was mostly done with breakfast, "every year around the starting the New Year, your father and I host a small social party for your fathers followers and other friends in order to celebrate accomplishments made throughout the year. Since finding you has been more than what we have ever wanted, your father and I wanted to ask you to join us?"
"Of course! I would be honored to come, thank you!" Hayden said out of both surprise and happiness. He loved the fact that his parents loved him enough to always want to have him near, something that has continued to astonish him since leaving the Dursleys.
"Thank you, and if there is anyone in particular that you want to invite, other than Draco of course because he will already be there, then let us know!" Tom added.
"Thank you, so m-ahh" Hayden suddenly cried out as a sharp wave of pain washed over his upper back, but as soon as it came, it was gone.
"Hayden what's wrong!" Draco frantically asked as he gripped his mates arm gently but firmly to help steady him.
"I'm fine, just wasn't expecting-I don't even know... what was that?" Hayden asked himself.
"Hayden? Have your wings grown in yet?" Severus asked, completely confusing Hayden.
"What does this mean? They came last summer when I got my inheritance. Remember, you were there?"
"Well, yes, but I mean since your rebirth?" Sev clarified.
"I guess not, no," Hayden answered thoughtfully.
"Then judging by what happened a minute ago, I would say that your wings will be coming in at some point today. Most likely sooner rather than later." Severus informed him.
----
Around late afternoon, when the sun had begun to set in the sky, Draco and Hayden had decided to go for a walk in the garden, thankful for the warming charms set on the area since it was still winter.
The two walked throughout the area, enjoying being in each other's company and talking about whatever came into their minds.
As they walked through the trees and bushes of flowers in the garden, the sun inched closer and closer to the horizon, the sky getting darker and darker as a result.
As twilight graced the sky, the couple came across a little hideaway in the corner of the garden surrounded by trees and bushes hiding away a small grassy area from the rest of the garden. The ceiling of the small glen covered with leaves and beaches, only a few stars making its way through the covering.
Even though it was becoming dark outside, the little pocket they had found stayed lit as though there were hidden, soft lit fairy lights tangled in the branches of the trees.
Hayden and Draco lay in the little clearing together for a while cuddling until Draco broke the silence.
"I've been saving something for you ever since... well, for a little bit now" Draco started as the two of them sat up, Draco reaching into one of his pockets.
"What is it?" Hayden asked, watching Draco's hand taking something out of his pocket.
"Close your eyes and give me your hand"
With a suspicious grin, he did as Draco asked. A second later, Hayden could feel something being slipped onto his finger.
Hayden wanted to open his eyes as soon as he felt Draco's hand but he resisted and waited for Draco to say he could open them again.
When he finally could open his eyes, they started to tear up. There on his finger was the ring Draco had tried giving to him all that time ago. The black sapphire gems and rose gold metal work shining back at him.
"Are you serious? You still want to give this to me, after everything that's happened? I thought for sure that I had messed up so badly that I would never get this privilege again" Hayden choked as he fought back the tears in his eyes.
"Of course I want you! There will never come a time that I don't want you, I can even fathom feeling that way! You are mine and I am yours, and nothing can ever change that, no matter how hard the world tries" Draco explained, hand coming up to comfortingly rub at his cheek just below his golden eye.
"Thank you! I love you so much!" Hayden hugged him after situating himself so he's sitting on Draco's lap.
"I love you too!" Draco responded, gently wrapping his arms around Hayden's waist.
The smaller boy smiled as he leaned forward to capture Draco's lips with his own, wrapping his own arms around the blonde's neck.
Hayden moaned as he let Draco have access to his mouth, slowly pushing forward until Draco had laid back down again, this time with Hayden on laying top of him.
The raven groaned in pleasure as their tongues slotted together, messily sliding against each other.
Bringing one of his hands up, Draco went to hold the back of Hayden's head with the intent to press him closer. As soon as he did though, Hayden cried out in pain, ripping away from Draco as he arched his back in an attempt to lessen the pain in his upper back.
"Hayden? What's wrong?" Draco immediately asked, not knowing what had happened to cause this reaction!
Hayden cried in pain, soon turning into screams as the pain worsened. Draco just laid there, holding Hayden as gently but as tightly as he could. He hated hearing Hayden in pain but he couldn't think of anything he could do to lessen it.
He soon realized though, this must be because of Hayden's wings.
Draco couldn't take hearing his love being in so much pain. Thankfully though, he didn't have to endure it for long though because soon enough Hayden had passed out, still squirming even in his sleep.
After Hayden had passed out, Draco allowed himself to breathe, carefully reaching a hand up to run through his hair.
After a minute, Hayden began thrash for a few seconds before his wings suddenly burst from his back. Thankfully the tank top Hayden was wearing was out of the way of his wings so his shirt wouldn't tear.
Draco just stared, his breath completely taken away by the wings that seemed to glow almost pure gold growing from his mates back.
When everything seemed to be done and Hayden's breathing had finally calmed and he was no longer tense, Draco felt brave enough to carefully lift his hand to brush through Hayden's fiery wings.
As soon he touched one of his feathers though, Hayden woke with a startle and quickly sat up, Draco being left in shock still laying in the ground.
Hayden's heterochromatic eyes had narrowed from round pupils into feral slits, his nails lengthening into claws on the end of his hands that were unfortunately still settled on Draco's chest.
Instead of being comforted that Hayden was awake again though, Draco was worried because the expression on his love's face was anything but friendly.
Hayden's lips twisted into a snarl that showed off his lengthened canines. Draco was both impressed but worried at the same time as he looked up at Hayden and saw the obviously new Veela features that Hayden seemed to suddenly gain.
Draco though didn't have much time to dwell on that though as Hayden started to growl at him, a feral look shining in his eyes.
--------------------------------------------------
Happy Holidays everyone!
What was one thing you got for Christmas?
I'll go first: I got a book on all of Hubble's (the space telescope) discoveries!