A/N: Hey! At last we have another chapter. Sorry. There are more apologies at the end of the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything at all.

Word count: 1310

Unhappy

Harry entered the kitchen to find Al and Scorpius sat at the kitchen table, flicking rice crispies at each other, occasionally changing their target to Draco, who was leant next to the sink. He didn’t seem to notice that quite a few had got stuck in his hair, just popping the few that he did see into his mouth, grinning at the two boys at the table. They were chatting happily but harry couldn’t hear what they were saying, they were too quiet. Suddenly Scorpius leapt from his chair into Draco’s arms, giggling hysterically. Al was laughing too and when he spotted Harry stood in the doorway he followed Scorpius’ example and launched himself into his father’s arms.

“What’s got you so hyper?” Harry asked, pulling Al into his arms properly and setting him on his hip, smoothing his hair.

“Uncle Draco said you’re pretty.”

Harry decided to store the ‘uncle’ comment for later evaluation and instead focus on the reason behind the delicate pink blush that was spreading across Draco’s cheeks.

“I’m pretty?”

Draco didn’t seem able to control the blush which increased at Harry’s words.

“They’re miss-quoting. I said pretty dumb,” Draco denied.

“No,” sing-songed a delighted Scorpius, “you said pretty but dumb.”

Draco’s blush intensified but he shook his head obstinately, his blonde hair flicking his cheeks. Harry couldn’t help but think that it made him look innocent and delicate. This rather breathtaking display was somewhat ruined by the half a dozen rice crispies that flew from Draco’s blonde locks at the sudden motion. If anything Draco was the pretty one of the two.

Harry almost hit himself for thinking that and decided to take it out on Draco himself.

“Who knew? It seems Draco Malfoy actually has a soft spot for me.”

“You believe that if you want to, Potter. It won’t get you anywhere.”

Draco’s embarrassment had turned to hostility and Harry knew when not to push the blonde. Years of fighting with him had at least taught him that much. Harry sighed.

“Right, Al. We should be heading home now. Go get your things.”

Al grumbled but left the room, stomping loudly up the stairs. Scorpius ran after him after a moment, also seemingly disappointed.

“You really know how to make your kids day,” Draco said, the sarcasm heavily evident in his voice.

“I just figured that you would have had enough of having Potters around.”

“How kind.”

Al and Scorpius came running back before Harry could reply, Al’s bag held between them.

“Got everything?”

“I think so. Do we have to go?”

“Yes we do. Sorry Al. Say good bye.”

Al’s bottom lip wobbled but he did as he was told.

“Bye Cor.”

Scorpius’ response was to throw his arms round Al in a tight hug. Al’s bottom lip was wobbling even more and only the knowledge that Al was the best actor in the family stopped Harry from caving on his decision to go. They left a few minutes later, Al politely thanking Draco for having them over then hurrying down the steps, stopping at the bottom and waiting for his father.

“Err... thanks for letting me stay. Erm,” Harry uncertainly held his hand out for Draco to take.

Draco considered him for a moment before taking it and shaking it briefly, letting go as quickly as he could.

“Bye, Draco. See you around.”

Draco nodded in acknowledgement before stepping back inside the house and shutting the door with a snap. Harry sighed and shuffled down the steps to join his son. He took Al’s hand and prepared to apparated. In the last moment before he popped out of existence he saw Draco watching him from an upstairs window, his expression unreadable from Harry’s distance. And then they were gone.

OOOOOO

Al was moping. There was really no other way to describe the way the boy flopped unhappily around the house. He seemed to have taken a vow of silence and refused to talk to anyone. At first Harry had found it amusing that his usually noisy and boisterous son was being so quiet but the quiet had become subdued until Harry was genuinely worried. Ginny told him he was worrying over nothing and that Al was just going through a phase

When they reached the week mark and Al still hadn’t spoken, Harry decided he’d had enough.

“Al?” he gently pushed the door of his son’s bedroom open to find the small boy sat in the middle of the floor, carefully stacking wooden blocks one on top of the other “Al? Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?”

Al shook his head in reply. He gently placed the last block on the top of his stack and shuffled backwards to look at it properly.

“Say something, Al. Anything.”

Al didn’t react only stared at his blocks for a few more moments before reaching over and demolishing the tower with one swipe.

“If there’s something wrong I can’t make it better unless you tell me what it is.”

Al ignored him in favour of gathering his blocks together and starting to stack them up once more. Harry sighed. Deciding he was getting nowhere he backed out of the room and shut the door. He stayed there for a few minutes, listening to the muffled sounds of Al playing with his blocks. Harry groaned and rubbed his eyes in frustration.

He was pretty sure that he knew what was causing Al’s silence. He was sulking about something and Harry positive that it was something to do with Scorpius Malfoy.

He left his son to his silence and went downstairs to his study.

OOOOOO

“Harry, get the door!”

“James, get the door.”

“Al, get the door.”

“If someone doesn’t get the door this second you will all be in for a world of pain!”

Harry grumbled and stood up, dropping his spoon back into his bowl of cornflakes with a clatter and moving into the hall. He could just about make out a silhouette through the windows beside the door but couldn’t tell who it was.

He wrenched the door open, fully prepared to be grouchy with whoever it was because, well, he was just in one of those moods. The annoyance died when the door swung open to reveal Draco Malfoy stood on his doorstep.

“Draco?”

“Harry,” the other man acknowledged “Don’t stand there with your mouth open like that. It’s very unseemly. Either invite me in or join me outside.”

“Erm...”

“As eloquent as ever. I got your letter about Al so decided to come take him off your hands. Scorpius is being just as sulky,” Harry realised he hadn’t paid much attention to what Draco was saying, instead focussing on a wisp of hair that had flopped in front of Draco’s eyes “Well... do you want me to take him back to mine?”

“Sorry?” Harry snapped back to reality.

“You are atrocious, Potter. Come on... grab your son and let’s go. We can take them to an amusement park or something if we hurry up.”

“Oh... err. Right. I’ll just get Al, shall I?” Harry asked, more than slightly confused.

Draco smirked but it wasn’t unpleasant, and made a shooing gesture. At the breakfast table Al had stopped eating and was watching Harry with an expression of great expectation.

“Who’s at the door, dear?” Ginny asked.

“Draco.”

“Malfoy?”

“Do we know any other Dracos?” Harry asked “grab your coat, Al. We’re going out with the Malfoys today.”

Al gave a squeak of delight and darted out of the room.

“But Harry... we were supposed to be going out today. As a family,” Ginny looked annoyed but Harry just shrugged in reply.

“You three go. Al wouldn’t have been happy anyway. See you later, kids.”

He left, leaving Ginny angrily muttering in the kitchen, Lilly looking unsurprised and James stabbing unhappily at his bacon.

OOOOOO

A/N: I am so so so so sorry about how long this has taken. You would not believe how much trouble I’ve been having writing anything anywhere near half decent for ages. I’ll try and do better now. Please review.