The month of November passed very boringly except for the fact Harry grew a few inches allowing him to be in the 80th percentile of the growth chart. Another thing was, Harry was still having trouble leaving Draco. He would be okay with staying with someone if Draco needed to use the loo or needed to shower, other than that, he was afraid of Draco leaving.
Draco didn't mind that much for he got a fuzzy feeling in heart that Harry only wanted him.
Weasley also tried to harm Harry again at the end of the month even after being advised by Snape to stay away. He was expelled from school and that was the last time someone bothered Harry
"Are you excited to be going to my house for Christmas Harry?" Draco asked. They were on the Hogwarts Express to go home.
"I am." Harry nodded his head. He was sitting next to Draco, almost on his lap, as Blaise sat across from them with Neville. "I'm gonna meet youw mummy and daddy?" He asked and Draco ran his fingers through Harry's hair.
"Yes you are. They are... excited to meet you." Draco chose his words wisely.
"Will dey like me?" Harry asked and Draco swallowed hard.
"I'm sure they will." Draco pressed a kiss on Harry's head.
"Dwaco no go?" He asked and Draco sighed.
"No I won't leave you by yourself." Draco promised. "You're gonna meet a lot of my parents' friends too. Some are going to want to talk to you but I will be there with you all the time."
"Okay."
"Is this a good idea?" Neville chimed in. "Maybe you two should just come over to my house?"
"Longbottom it'll be fine, I promise. Do you remember what we talked about?" Draco asked and Neville nodded. "Okay so there is nothing to worry about."
"Besides babe, The Dark Lord means no harm." Blaise tried. "It was members of the light that attacked your family, they were seeing it for what it really was and the light didn't like that, they wanted to keep them quiet." Blaise explained and Neville was quiet for a bit before excusing himself.
"Blaise-"
"He had to know." Blaise cut Draco off. "I know he's upset but he had to know."
"Nevy is upset?" Harry questioned. Neville noticed Harry had a lot of difficulty saying his name so he gave him permission to call him Nevy.
"Just a bit Harry, you should cheer him up when he comes back, okay?" Draco asked and Harry looked at Draco with curious eyes before nodding.
It wasn't long before he came back and he gave a sad smile to the other three. Harry slid off his seat and climbed onto Neville's lap after he sat down.
"Don' be sad Nevy." Harry placed his head on Neville's chest. Neville just wrapped his arms around Harry and squeezed him tightly.
"It's quite hard to be upset when you're around Harry." Neville said and Harry grinned wrapping his arms around Neville's neck. He squeezed hard before pulling away and pressing a kiss on Neville's cheek before going back over to Draco.
"Dwaco?" He whispered shyly.
"Yes Harry, what's wrong?"
"I have to potty." He told him and Draco nodded.
"Okay, let's go." He got up from his seat and picked Harry up before bringing him out of the compartment. He brought Harry to the toilets and allowed him to do his business. He lifted Harry up to wash his hands.
"Dwaco?" Harry stated softly.
"Yes Harry?"
"Can I ask a question?" He asked and Draco nodded. "How come Bwaise and Nevy awe always kissin'?" Draco smiled at the question and picked Harry up again swinging him on his hip.
"That's because they're a couple. Like they're dating." Draco explained as they were leaving the bathroom. "Like before you get married, most people date."
"Boys can date udder boys?" Harry asked. "I thought boys onwy date goils." He explained but Draco shook his head.
"It's more than that Harry, when you get older you'll understand." Draco kissed Harry's head. "Are you hungry?"
"A wittwe." Harry admitted.
"Okay, I packed some food in my trunk. Then you'll nap okay?"
"Do I have to nap?" Harry asked and Draco nodded.
"Yes angel, you do." He walked back into the compartment. He saw Neville with his head on Blaise's lap sleeping away. "See, Nevy is sleeping away."
"Yeah little man, we're all gonna take a nap eventually. Then you'll be at Draco's house before you know it." Blaise told Harry who furrowed his brow.
"Okay." He agreed quietly. "I take nap."
Draco fed Harry some cheese and crackers having told the boy to eat a lot from breakfast which he did. Then he gave him some water and then told Harry a story of a knight who saved the castle to get him to sleep.
"That'll keep him until we get off." Draco informed Blaise. "Am I making the right decision?"
"Of course you are. No one is gonna harm him, you know that. Your mother is just drooling with excitement to have a child around the house. She's going to spoil Harry rotten."
"I hope you're right." Draco mumbled. Blaise studied his best friend and narrowed his eyes at him.
"What is really bothering you Draco? You've been a bit closed off for a little over a month now."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Draco challenged.
"You've been, I don't know, just guarded lately. When we try to make plans with you, you either bail on them or you isolate yourself with Harry while we're all together."
"He's just a kid Blaise, he wants to be with me 24/7, what do you want me to do? Let him cry?"
"That's not what I mean. I know Harry has separation anxiety from you but that doesn't mean he's not used to Neville or me. He knows you're there but you've been... distant I guess. Just wanting to be with Harry." Draco chose not to answer Blaise, he just looked down at Harry who was sleeping on his lap. "I'm just worried that you're upset with something I did?" Blaise spoke softly. Draco just shook his head and placed his head on the window. Tears started to gather in his eyes because he still felt utterly alone. He just wanted someone to hold at night and that someone wasn't a four year old kid.
He blinked them away and sighed.
"I'm fine." Draco argued. He looked up at Blaise and gave him such a look that Blaise knew it was time to drop the topic.
"Okay." Blaise agreed. "I know you'll tell me when you're ready." Draco just pursed his lips and nodded. When he was ready.
~~~
Harry was still sleeping by the time the train stopped so Draco just grabbed him and held him as he exited the train. His saw his mum and dad waiting for him so he bid a goodbye to Blaise and Longbottom before approaching them.
"Hi mum, father." Draco greeted smiling for real for the first time in a month.
"Aww look how precious, he's been sleeping long?" His mother asked patting Harry's head gently.
"Just over an hour. He'll wake soon."
"So apparition is out of the question?" My father asked.
"We can apparate, he'll probably wake but I can comfort him." Draco assured and his father nodded. He put out his arm and the other two grabbed him. They apparated in the living room of the manor and that's when Harry woke up. He starting crying so Draco rocked him to calm him.
"Shh Harry, shh." He gently ran his fingers though Harry's hair. "You're okay, we're at my house now. Do you want to meet my parents now?" Harry just nodded against Draco's shoulder. "You gotta lift your face sweetie." Draco told Harry. He lifted his face and just looked at Draco. Draco wiped Harry's face and nose before encouraging the boy to look at his parents. Harry looked at the two adults and gave a shy grin.
"Hi." Harry spoke softly.
"Hi there cutie, did you enjoy your nap?" Narcissa asked.
"I did, tank you." He spoke. Draco leaned into his ear and whispered something causing Harry to say it again. "Thank you." He nodded his head and grinned in triumph.
"Are you hungry? The house elves are preparing dinner." Narcissa asked.
"Yes." He nodded and Draco sighed.
"Yes starved actually." Draco informed them.
"Harry, do you want to stay in Draco's room or do you prefer your own?" Lucius asked and Harry gripped Draco tightly. "I'll take that Draco's room." Lucius ruffled Harry's hair causing the boy to relax and let out a giggle.
"Draco, go put yours and Harry's stuff away, we'll let you know when dinner is ready." Narcissa said and Draco nodded. Harry waved goodbye to Draco's parents before Draco took him up to his room.
"Youw house is weally big." Harry commented.
"Not at big as Hogwarts though, yeah?" Draco asked. "It's good to show you around other places." Draco walked into his room and placed Harry down so the little boy could run around. Draco unpacked Harry's toys and allowed the boy to play until he finished unpacking. After that, he had Harry use the toilet and then wash his hands before they were called for dinner.
Harry ate well for his first night at the manor. Duck, mashed potatoes and carrots. He even was given some treacle tart for dessert.
After dinner and dessert, Narcissa played with Harry as Lucius had some things to attend to in his study. They played with Harry's dolly, Jerry, pretending he was a real baby. Narcissa even pretended to feed him.
When Draco declared it bath time, Harry said goodnight to Narcissa and hugged her before allowing Draco to take him away.
"Dwaco." Harry said as Draco started to scrub his hair.
"Yes Harry?" Draco hummed.
"Awe you okay?" Harry asked him and Draco looked at him curiously.
"What do you mean Harry?"
"Seem sad." Harry pointed out. "Like Nevy on the train today." Draco sighed and washed out the suds from Harry's hair.
"I'm a bit sad Harry but I'm okay." Draco admitted. He scrubbed Harry's arms and back. Then advised Harry to wash himself below the waist which he did.
"But why?" Harry asked and Draco sighed.
"Just a bit lonely." Draco admitted. He picked Harry out of the tub and wrapped him in a towel. "Don't worry about me, okay?"
"But I wuv you. We cawe about woved ones." Harry said and Draco smiled. He hugged Harry very tightly.
"Yes we do Harry." Draco picked the little boy up and walked him into his room. "I love you too sweet boy." He told Harry who kissed Draco's cheek. Draco dried and dressed the little boy before sitting in bed with him. Lucius had put another bed in Draco's room so the boy could share the room with Draco. The bed was four sizes too big for Harry but it allowed Draco to cuddle with him and tell him a story. Draco stroked the little boy's locks lulling Harry to sleep.
Draco had time to shower and get dressed before he broke down. He curled into his bed and cried a bit. He felt so alone and Blaise was his only other option of being single. Now that he had a boyfriend, he felt alone because it's not like he had anyone else to sleep with. On top of that, he had to take care of Harry, a role he didn't think would be so hard. He cried for a bit longer before Harry heard him and then decided to get into bed with him. He snuggled up to Draco and kissed his forehead.
"Don' cwy Dwaco. It okay." He assured. He patted Draco head and then threw his little arm around Draco's upper body. "It okay." Harry promised and Draco sniffled wiping his eyes. He cuddled with the little boy and kissed Harry's head. He didn't say anything, just held Harry. In that moment, the guardian was treated like the ward.