December 25th, 2000
3 years later.
"This is what the tree looks like when the twinkle lights are on," I whispered softly, though I knew he had to be sleeping as his eyes remained shut. "I love that it's a white one. I hate the green traditional trees. We used to have trees of all colors at school when I was younger, and I thought it was so cool." I said quietly.
"And look at all those presents under there— that you won't ever even remember me opening for you or Stella." I chuckled while I kicked a box out of the way.
"Hello, my love." Draco greeted me quietly as he shuffled across the living room. He pressed a long kiss against my forehead and peaked over my shoulder before his smile grew wider. "And little love." He chuckled. Henry cooed in his sleep and flashed his gummy smile before he went back to dreaming.
"He does that every time you speak to him, why do they love you so much? I'm the one that carried them for months for crying out loud." I giggled while Draco kissed my head again.
"Because they know who changes them in the middle of the night," he snickered. "So, Blaise left," Draco whispered in my ear and wrapped his free arm around my waist. "Gregory and Vincent took the left overs, my mother is in the guest room for the night, the dogs are outside for a bit, and this little angel," he glanced down at Stella— who Drake named after 'star', "has been asleep since I gave her a bottle." He laughed lightly— a genuine sound that I would never get tired of hearing.
"I hate to break it to you, love, but you're obsessed." I chuckled at him while I looked down at her. "A daddy's girl, for sure." I gave him a soft smile.
"Hey now, I love my son just as much. I mean look at him. He's a spitting image of me." He whispered and nodded towards the little one in my arms. "Reckon Potter would get a kick out of that one, huh? I let you name my baby boy Henry so you can call him Harry, and he comes out a bleach blonde with sterling eyes." He smirked while he removed his hand from my hip and rubbed the back of his index finger against Henry's cheek. "He's already rolling in his grave that his name is matched up with Malfoy at the end of it." Draco laughed a little too loudly at his own remark, and quickly covered his mouth when Stella let out a soft cry.
I covered Henry's ears and silently prayed that he wouldn't make the same sounds. Stella didn't break out into a loud wail, but her face turned into one of distaste from Draco's disturbance.
Henry was the agreement that Draco and I had come to after he wouldn't let me just name the baby Harry. He figured Harry would be a good nickname, but he said he couldn't give Potter the full satisfaction of our child having his name legally. Boys will be boys.
"Shhh, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." He cooed softly as he readjusted her and rocked his arms back and forth. "Don't cry, sweetheart. I'm sorry." He whispered as his lips lingered on and kissed her small head. Stella's breathing slowed down quickly and she was soon asleep again.
Yeah, his voice has that affect on me, too.
"You can't blame me for wanting to hold her all the time. I'm sure Harry here gives you the same feeling. She's you. Just look at her. Little button nose. Dark hair-"
"But the eyes are all you." I chuckled, and he smirked victoriously and wiggled his brows.
"I love her so much it physically hurts." He whispered seriously while he stared at her face. "Him, too. Both of them. And you. Fuck it, the whole lot. I'm just a big soft family man now." He admitted, pressing another kiss to my temple and laying his cheek against my head while he looked at our small twins.
"All those times I felt like being the biggest asshole to every one and everything because I was miserable on the inside, I had no idea what kind of future you really had in store for me." He whispered, more to himself than to me. "I love you, sunshine. So much." He turned to look at me with teary eyes, and I let out a slight giggle.
"Are you sure you aren't the one who gave birth a little over a month ago? You seem to be more hormonal and emotional than me." I teased while I laid the precious fair skinned boy down in a bassinet. Draco let out a sarcastic chuckle while he laid Stella right next to him.
"I mean it, baby." He sighed as he sat on the couch, and he pulled me down into his lap before I could protest. "You gave me the best gifts ever. A beautiful wife, a perfect family, gorgeous pets, and a home in Bath. What more could I want?" He said sentimentally again.
"Those are things that you have given to me." I argued, poking his chest with my finger.
"But you have given me the pleasure of desiring those things. Without you'd I'd still be living back in Wiltshire, I'd be working for an evil old twat, and my insides would feel like an inescapable void of misery." He joked. "Without you, there would be no us. And without us there wouldn't be any of this." He looked around our large living room and the babies sleeping just a few feet away.
"I think it just feels surreal. Living like this. I mean, we're parents. And our friends are still around and love our babies like we do. And your mother comes to see us all the time. It almost feels too perfect." I shook my head and felt Draco wiping my cheeks with his thumbs.
"Who's the emotional one now?" He mocked me, and I hit his chest. "I'm kidding. Come here." He chuckled and wrapped his arms around my shoulders while I laid my head on his.
"I love you. I always have and always will." I sighed and grabbed a handful of his t-shirt in my fist.
"I love you, too. My number 1 girl." He whispered into my hair line and continued to kiss my head— something he grew into the habit of doing way too often, but I loved it each time like it was the first time.
He was more passionate in this second run of life of ours. More loving than ever before. He didn't hold back and he did anything for the people he cared about. I never found myself complaining when he'd sneak a kiss every few minutes when we were around company, or when he'd pull me into him with a chuckle, even in the inappropriate moments. This was our life. Our life after he had his Dark Mark tattoo covered by roses and our wedding date. After I changed everything and ended the miserable life we had been trapped in.
"Even over Stella? Am I really still your number 1 girl? I thought by now I'd be number 2." I laughed lightly. Draco placed me on my back against the couch in a swift movement and had himself positioned between my legs.
"Please, Emmy." He whispered in a husky and raspy voice. "No one could ever top you." He promised, applying his weight against my lower half. "Even when our sweet girl and boy and any other siblings they may have grow up and leave, you're the one I'll have forever. It's a different love." He chuckled.
"I know." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I feel the same way." I agreed.
"So, are you still supposed to keep away from me? Or did the healer from St. Mungo's finally say I could give you another Christmas gift and prove my undeniable and everlasting love to you?" He breathed into the crook of my neck while he pressed his hips into mine and let me feel what he was discussing.
"But the babies," I tried to push on his shoulders, but he was already planting kisses along my collarbone.
"I'll put the bassinet in the nursery with a monitor if you can be ready for me on our bed in 5." He bargained, and the foreign fire in the bottom of my stomach that I hadn't felt in too long began to grow.
"Deal." I scrambled out from under him and listened as he laughed quietly behind me while I sprinted from the room.