It was the first time that Harry's age was going to be changed. Draco was incredibly apprehensive because he loved three year old Harry, the one who called him 'Dwaco', the one who couldn't properly put together a sentence.
They decided it was best to slip a seeping drought in with it to ease the effects of growing. Severus and much to everyone's disappointment, Dumbledore, came to their chambers to give Harry the potion. Harry sat in Draco's lap, facing his chest, as everyone tried to get him to drink the potion.
"Dwaco, no want." He told the blonde. He shook his head every time Severus got near him with the potion.
"Harry, it's not gonna hurt you, I promise. Remember how I told you the story of how the little boy took the magical potion and he grew overnight?" Draco made the little boy looked at him.
"Yeah." Harry said softly.
"Well this potion is going to do that. You're gonna drink it, get really sleepy, and then when you get wake up, you're gonna be four years old."
"Fouw?" Harry asked. "Hawwy tree now."
"I know you're three and then later when you wake up, you're gonna be four. Do you know what that means?"
"What?" Harry asked.
"You can stay up an extra fifteen minutes every night."
"Weally?" Harry gasped and Draco nodded. He looked Severus and stuck out his little hand. "Okay Hawwy take now." He told Snape who cracked a smile. He handed it and Harry drank it, gagging a bit. Draco ran a hand through his locks and the boy fell asleep. Draco could already feel Harry growing.
"Mister Malfoy, if I can talk to you for a moment." Dumbledore asked. Draco sneered at him as he stood with Harry.
"Let me put him in his bed, I'll be out to talk." He snapped and then walked away. He placed Harry in his bed and had him snuggle with his little dolly that he called 'Jewwy' (Jerry). He left the room and looked at Dumbledore. "What?"
"It has come to my attention that you want to keep Mister Potter a four year old for three months?"
"Yes."
"Why is that?" Dumbledore asked and Draco sneered.
"Because I like keeping him a kid. I am his guardian and what I say goes so yeah." Drack smirked as Dumbledore paled. "Plus Severus has already agreed to it. We've found a way to age him a bit older."
"But my boy, with the impending wa-"
"There is not an impending anything sir and even if there were, I am positive that you are perfectly capable doing it yourself." Draco told the older man. "Now if you're done, I'd like to get a start on my homework." Dumbledore looked affronted but nodded and then left the boy's chambers. Severus sighed shaking his head.
"You do have your father's temper." He told the younger boy. "But you are correct, there will be no war. I'm sure Potter will see our side once he gets to be his age again."
"I am sure of it." Draco nodded and Severus did as well.
"Very well, I shall be off. I have detentions to attend to." Severus flicked his cloak behind him and then left the chambers.
Draco got some of his work done before Harry woke up. The little boy wandered into the common room, rubbing his eye, and clutching his dolly to himself. He had grown to about 32 inches and he was he had a gained a bit of weight but he was still incredibly skinny.
"Dwaco?" Harry asked and Draco grinned.
"Hey buddy, did you sleep well?"
"I did. Am I fouw?" He asked and Draco grinned.
"You are four now sweet boy, are you hungry?"
"Yes." Harry nodded. Draco grinned and stood up encouraging the boy to follow him. Harry quickly ran over to Draco and grabbed his hand so he could walk into the kitchen with him.
"Another good thing about you being four is, you've grown a bit so you don't need to sit in your booster seat."
"Weally?"
"Really." Draco grinned and allowed Harry to climb onto one of the chairs. He was the perfect height to sit down at the table. "What are you in the mood for?"
"I want... chips?"
"You can have chips but you need something with them. How about some veggie patties?"
"Okay." Harry nodded his head. He played with his dolly until Draco finished the food he was making. "Dwaco?" Harry asked as the blonde placed the plate in front of him.
"Yes Harry?"
"Can we go ou'side?"
"You want to play outside?" He asked and Harry nodded. "We can go out after you eat, okay?"
"Okay." Harry hummed happily and ate up his lunch... well most of it. He has given some water and then Draco dressed him in some warm clothes to keep him from the October chill. Draco carried Harry outside and then placed him down.
"Okay, we're outside, what are we going to do?"
"Pway with Bwaise?" Harry pointed behind Draco. He looked behind him and Blaise was walking over to them. Draco smiled when he saw him and then embraced his best friend.
"How did you know we were outside?" Draco asked.
"I saw you two walking. I was snogging the head boy of Hufflepuff in an alcove." He exclaimed. "But you two are more interesting though."
"Thanks." Draco muttered. "Harry wanted to play."
"Is that so little man?" Blaise asked and Harry nodded.
"Pway with us!" He shouted and Blaise smiled.
"Okay little man, we can play."
They played pretend for a bit. Draco was the knight while Blaise was the prince who needed to be saved. Harry played the dragon who was tickled to death by the knight. They were walking back to the castle when someone stopped them.
Harry remembered the redhead and whimpered before hiding behind Draco's leg.
"Dwaco, make 'em go 'way." Harry mumbled.
"Weasley! What did I tell you?" Blaise hissed.
"I saw you all playing." Weasley smirked. "Faggots stick together I guess." He cackled. That's when the first hit came. Blaise punched him so hard that it shattered his nose. Blood spewed from his nose and Harry grimaced. Draco looked down and noticed Harry had turned a ghostly white. He picked the little boy up and cradled him. "Zabini!"
"Weasley, get the fuck out of our faces before I do something that I'm sure I won't regret!" Blaise hissed and Weasley sneered holding his nose before scampering off.
"Are you alright Harry?" Blaise asked and Harry's eyes started to well up.
"He huwt me befowe." He told them.
"Yes he did but we're not going to anymore, I promise you." Draco assured and Harry wiped his eyes on Draco's shoulder.
"Can we go in now?" He asked softly and Draco nodded. He carried Harry as Blaise walked alongside them. They walked in silence to their chambers and once they got there, Draco put Harry down. "Dwaco, can we all watch a film?" Harry asked the blonde.
"We can Harry, do you want some hot chocolate?" He asked and Harry perked up.
"Yes pwease!" He exclaimed and Draco grinned. He leaned down and pressed a kiss on the boy's forehead.
"Okay sweet boy, go in my bedroom with Blaise and get it set up." Fear flashed across Harry's face before Draco ran a hand through his hair. "It's okay. I'll be right in, I'm not going anywhere."
"Pwomise?" Harry asked and Draco kneeled down so he was eye leveled with Harry. He stuck out his pinky and grinned.
"I promise." Harry took his pinky and then nodded. Blaise grabbed Harry's hand and brought him into the room. Draco quickly made some popcorn and hot chocolate before levitating them into the bedroom. Harry was sitting directly next to Blaise, their legs under the covers and they were propped up against the pillows. Draco joined them after giving everyone their hot chocolate and letting Harry hold the popcorn. That's how they spent their afternoon, just cuddling, eating and watching a film.
~~~
Draco took a fast shower as Blaise kept Harry busy by playing with him. He usually showered when Harry napped but the boy napped incredibly early that day so he wasn't able to.
So after Blaise left, Draco led Harry into the bathroom and started the bath for him.
"Dwaco?" Harry asked and Draco nodded prompting Harry to continue. "Whewe is my pawents?"
"Where are your parents." Draco corrected. "And we'll discuss that when you're older." Draco told him. "Now come on, you gotta take a bath." He told him the boy. Harry stripped and then climbed into the bath as Draco aided him.
"Awe you my bwothew?" He asked and Draco sighed pouring water over Harry's head.
"No, I'm not your brother. I'm more of a baby sitter." He told him. "A permanent baby sitter."
"Why?"
"Because you need someone to take care of you." Draco started to scrub Harry's hair. "You want to hear a story Harry?"
"Yeah." Harry nodded.
"Okay." Draco gently washed the suds out Harry's hair. "Once upon a time, there was a very power wizard named... Henry Popper. When Henry was sixteen years old, something accidental happened in class where he was turned into a little kid. He needed to be taken care of so... Drake Mathers took the job to watch over Henry until he could be sixteen again." He told the boy. He directed Harry to wash himself. "Henry, growing up, was not treated very well and Drake knew this so he made a promise to Henry that he would give him the best second life. And he tried to keep the promise to the best of his ability." He pulled Harry out of the water and wrapped a towel around him. "The end." Draco picked the boy up and walked him into his room.
"That was a good stowy." Harry grinned. "Tank you."
"You're welcome. Now get your jammies on and then I'll stay with you until you fall asleep." Draco told Harry. Harry nodded, dried off and then got some plaid pajamas on. He sat in his bed, which was now a small twin with no railings, and Draco sat next to him. Harry lied on his side, cuddling his dolly Jerry, as Draco gently started to run his fingers through Harry's locks.
"Dwaco?" Harry asked.
"Yes?"
"Is Henwy happy with Dwake?" He asked and Draco grinned.
"Drake likes to think Henry is very happy with him. Drake is very happy to be taking care of Henry." Draco told the small boy. Harry smiled sleepily and nodded. He closed his eyes as Draco continued to play with his hair. He yawned and snuggled closed into his pillow. When Draco thought Harry was asleep, he kissed his head gently. "Goodnight Harry, I love you." He told the boy. It was true, he loved the little boy so much. It was hard not to be entranced by little Potter. His sensitive heart grew twice in size when he heard,
"I wuv you too Dwaco."