Title: Lullaby of a Dragon

Author Name: Dorothy

Email: [email protected]

Summary: Something happens in potions, and Harry is turned into a child.  While people are trying to figure out a cure, Harry ends up clinging to Draco Malfoy for some reason, and everyday he gains one year, changing his mind, his outward appearance and his soul.

Rating: Probably PG-13.

Disclaimer: As much as I wish Harry Potter were mine, it is not.  It belongs to the one and only, JK Rowling.

Warning: Slash! 

Pairing: Harry and Draco, always and forever!

Category:  Humor/Angst/Romance. 

Main Characters: Harry and Draco.

Notes: Slash story, dedicated to Stephanie.  Also, Jenna, Thankyou So much for helping me out.

Chapter One:  Longbottom, You Idiot!

Harry stared at the Potion's master as he started to set them into groups, three people in each.  When he reached Harry's name, he said with a sneer, "Potter, Longbottom, and Malfoy.  First row, please." He gave one last look at them before he had gone on calling out other names.

Working with Malfoy was a problem, but working with Malfoy and Neville?  Destruction seemed inevitable, Harry thought in the back of his mind as he and Neville stood up to move to the Slytherin side of the room.  Draco greeted them with a smirk, as he made little room for the Gryffindors, eyeing Harry with a gleam in his eye.

"What potion are we going to make, Harry?" Neville asked, as he sat as far away from the Slytherin as possible, leaving Harry the seat beside Draco.

"Weren't you listening Fatbottom?"  Draco sneered as he leaned closer, examining the ingredients to put in the potion.  Neville blushed bright red and looked down at his lap when Harry cut in to his defense, "Sod off Malfoy," he turned to Neville and gave him a small smile. "Don't mind him, Neville, he's just being a wanker, nothing new." 

There was a slight pink twinge in Draco's cheeks and he was about to answer with an insult of his own when Professor Snape appeared in front of them with a menacing glare.  "Get to work, all of you." He looked directly at Malfoy as he said this, then he swept away with his black robe fluttering behind him.

They started to work in silence, aware of the near quiet classroom and muttered whispers of group cooperation.  While Harry cut up the roots, Draco squashed the beetle eyes, they gave Neville the pleasure of stirring the potion, and both thinking it would be the simplest task.

"Potter, he said half of one inch, not one inch and a half." Draco stopped squashing the beetle eyes and glared at Harry in exasperation. 

"No he did not, it says in the book that it is one inch and a half." Harry stopped chopping the roots and banged the knife into the cutting board angrily.  Neither boy noticed Neville flinch and start to stir the potion counter clockwise absently.

"We are listening to him and not the book, Potter.  Honestly, you can't even pay attention!"

Harry glared at him, scowling, "Yes I can pay attention!  He said that when we get to the roots, we pay attention to the book, therefore the potion won't be that strong when we test it out."  He stuck his tongue out at Draco immaturely, then instantly regretted that he did that.  An inner voice mocked, What did you just do, Harry?  You just stuck out your tongue.  He stared at Draco in mortification.

Draco just sneered and said, "You are such a child, Potter, honestly!" He dumped the beetle eyes in the blue potion, the cauldron exhaled with a loud hiss that made the three of them jump.  Neville jumped a meter and nearly tipped the dark cauldron over, but Harry stopped it on time with his seeker reflexes.

"Longbottom, you idiot!  You could have ruined the potion!  Snape just had to put you in my group, didn't he?" Draco wretched the stirring spoon away from Neville and pointed Neville to his seat he was just sitting in. 

"Now, which way did you stir the potion?  Snape said that you have to stir it in one direction only…" Draco trailed off as he looked at Neville, whose blood was suddenly draining from his face.

"Neville?  Which… way did you start stirring the potion?" Harry asked, noticing that Neville was looking at him in a panicked way, biting his bottom lip. 

"Er, clockwise, Harry," he said, still looking a bit nervous.  Draco looked at him suspiciously and started stirring clockwise.  After about twenty minutes, Neville added Harry's chopped roots, causing the potion to hiss at them again.

"Time's up.  Put them all in flasks, and I will call out the names that will test them." Professor Snape grinned evilly as everyone looked at him.  He started calling names off the roll, "Patil, Weasley, Thomas, Potter, Zabini and Crabbe." 

Draco and Neville looked instantly relieved, and while Neville gave Harry a sympathetic look, Draco just smirked and took some of the liquid out of the cauldron, passing it to Harry.  "Drink up Potter." He said rather joyfully, happy that he didn't have to test it.  Harry watched as Ron took it, and he didn't change a bit.  He watched as Blaise took it, and he just gave a sour face, but didn't change a bit.

He lifted the cup to his lips, and slowly drank the liquid.  He could instantly feel a burning feeling in his throat and choked a little, but managed to get everything down.  He felt normal for a while, and his partners were looking at him apprehensively. 

"It worked.  Good, I didn't want Snape to take off points for your intelligence, Longbottom." Draco looked at Neville and started packing away the ingredients from the Invisibility potion, organizing them for the next class.

"Sod off Malfoy and leave Neville alone." Harry said, before he doubled over, closing his eyes painfully at the way of nausea.  He felt sharp, painful twinges in his sides, his upper arms and legs. 

"H-Harry?"  Neville asked nervously, kneeling down beside him.  Neville looked around to see no one else having similar problems; instead they were all looking at the green-eyed-boy. 

"I-I can't…" Harry gasped, "I can't breath…" he clutched his stomach as he let an agonizing moan escape his lips, as Professor Snape appeared at his side.  He looked at Neville and Draco dangerously.  "Malfoy! Longbottom, what happened?"

Draco pointed instantly to Neville. "Longbottom did it."  Neville's face turned white as he looked at Draco. 

"Longbottom, you idiot boy!" Snape was about to begin a long diatribe against the poor Gryffindor but looked back at Harry who was writhing on the floor from the pain.  They all watched helplessly as Harry began to shrink slowly, his eyes closed painfully and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

While Harry shrank, his clothes did not.  Snape immediately snapped an order, "Everyone, move back." He gave them all a menacing glare before he went back to staring at Harry, who had seemingly disappeared.   

They all watched Harry's robes, because there was no Harry to look at only a small lump in the middle that was covered in Harry's black robes.  They watched, perplexed, as the lump moved slowly at the top, then the whole thing moved, and they heard a small cry. 

Hermione and Ron bent down instantly and started to rummage through the Gryffindor's robes, and Snape didn't stop them.  Instead, he looked abnormally calm as he went back to his storeroom, muttering a book's name as he went. Hermione took the last part of the robes off so they could all see what that lump was, and the whole class gasped at what they saw.

A little baby, probably around two years old was staring up at her, silently crying with his fingers in his mouth.  To everyone's shock, the boy was that he had black hair, bright green eyes, and a scar on his forehead.  He was wrapped in boxers obviously fit for adults, and his shirt was ridiculously oversized.  Hermione let out a choked sob as she picked up the baby carefully, holding him out at arms length.  The boy's boxers dropped to the floor, but the shirt remained on him.  The black haired boy's bottom lip started to tremble, right before he let out a wail.

Hermione's eyes went wide and she looked around for Professor Snape.  She sat the baby on the floor, and the baby instantly stopped crying, but continued to sniffle pitifully as he looked around.  Ron looked at Hermione worriedly and started to pick up the baby, when he started to cry again, resulting in another hasty return to the pile of clothes.  Long, pitiful wails came from his mouth as hot tears streamed down his cheeks as he sat huddled in the oversized robes.

"Potter is a noisy one, isn't he?" Draco sneered as he covered his ears and stared at the baby.  At the sound of Draco's voice, the baby stopped crying and turned around, looking at him with big puppy eyes.  He got up on his feet a bit unstable and held out his arms to Draco, stepping on the oversized shirt.

Draco took a step back immediately, looking at the child.  His jaw dropped open when the little boy spoke.

"Draco! Draco, Draco, Draco!" The boy clapped his hands before stretching them out to the blonde Slytherin.  The whole class stared at the boy as he ran up to him and hugged him around his knee, grinning up widely at him.  Draco was in too shocked to move. 

"Weasley! Get Potter away from me!" He yelled as he moved back a step, causing the child to fall forward on his hands and knees.  He instantly regretted it, because Harry started crying, long, hot tears streaming down his face as he looked up at Draco.  He didn't scream, he didn't yell, but he just silently cried up at him. 

Pansy nudged Draco in his side, "Draco, pick him up!"  Draco stared at her in disbelief before Millicent said something. "Come on Malfoy, I don't want to hear any more crying today, just pick the damned kid up!"

"Don't you dare touch him, Malfoy!" Ron yelled as he picked up Harry under his arms, even though Harry started to cry loudly as soon as Ron did that. Ron held him tightly anyway, and that's when Snape came back with a big black book.  He flipped through it as Harry started screaming, kicking his small legs against Ron.  Finally, Ron just let him down as Harry continued to sob.

"Class dismissed, Weasley, Granger, Longbottom and Malfoy, follow me." Snape said as he closed the book.  "Pick up the child, Granger." He said, unaware that Hermione had tried that earlier, but brave as always, Hermione picked up Harry cautiously.  Harry continued to cry loudly, but he didn't kick Hermione as the class filed out.  As they all left the classroom, Malfoy shuffling behind, Harry continued to cry and wail loudly, while passing students were looked at him with curiosity.

They all stopped in front of Dumbledore's office, allowing Snape to utter the password before proceeding up the stairs.

Neville looked like he was going to be sick, his face was white and his hands clenched at his sides.  While Ron and Hermione looked worried, Malfoy looked seemingly bored at the whole situation.

Snape didn't say a word as he knocked on the Headmaster's door, but he went in when Dumbledore called out, "Come in!"

All of them assembled in the room, Draco closing the door behind him.  Dumbledore was looking at the crying, naked baby in interest, and his eyes went from the scared looking Neville to Ron, to Hermione then finally rested on Draco for a moment.  He raised his eyebrows at Snape. "Can I help you, Severus?" he asked calmly, a twinkle in his own eyes sparkling.

Snape walked forward slowly and opened the black book, his gaze unwavering as he laid it in front of Dumbledore.  The potion's master, when Harry let out a long wail, causing even Dumbledore to wince.

"Can't you keep that child quiet, Ms. Granger, for at least five minutes?" he barked, unaware of Hermione's failed attempts and her already soaked shoulder.

"I-I'm trying, Professor…" she said as she held Harry tighter, unaware that he was slowly slipping from her grasp.

Malfoy was watching this whole thing, and out of exasperation, he grabbed Harry from her almost forcefully and held him away at arm's length.  "Good Lord, Granger, you could have dropped him."

He stared at her while she and the other two Gryffindors stared back at him along with Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore.  They stared even more as Draco held him the proper way against his chest, and all of their jaws dropped when Harry stopped crying, but started to sniffle quietly and wrapped his small toddler arms around Draco's neck.  Even Draco looked surprised at this.

"Well," said Dumbledore, peering over his spectacles, "Everything seems to be in order I believe.  We will just have to wait," he paused and looked at Draco and Neville, "Do tell me, boys, how many beetle eyes did you eventually crush for this potion?"

Draco and Neville looked at each other before Draco spoke, "Fifteen, s-."

"So, he would have to be two years old, Headmaster."  Snape interrupted the blonde haired boy.  Professor Snape looked at the child in Draco's arms and scowled, before he turned to glare at Neville.  "For this, Longbottom, 50 points will be taken-,"

Dumbledore interrupted, a twinkle shimmering in his eye, "Oh really, Severus.  I think Mr. Longbottom deserves house points."

"Deserves, Headmaster?" Snape gawked at him.

"Why yes, don't you agree that maybe Mr. Longbottom intended this, Severus?  That is what being Gryffindors are all about, taking risks.  I award Mr. Longbottom ten points for completing the aging potion."  Dumbledore smiled at Neville, who's face looked instantly relieved, but somewhat skeptical.   

Neither Snape nor Draco could speak; they just stared in astonishment at the headmaster. They only began collecting their thoughts again when they heard Hermione speak cautiously.

"Um, E-excuse me, Professor Dumbledore… but what exactly happened?"  She asked, looking between the now-sleeping Harry, Malfoy and Professor Snape.

Dumbledore smiled warmly and spoke calmly, "Why Ms. Granger, young Mr. Potter here has taken an aging potion. Very hard to make, which is why Mr. Longbottom received house points."

"But-!" Ron sputtered, "Why is he not crying for Malfoy? Is there a way to fix this? Why the hell is he clinging to Mal-," he babbled on, but Snape interrupted.

"Mr. Weasley, three points will be deducted for your mouth. The reason he is not wailing inconsiderably for Mr. Malfoy is because the effect is part of the potion. The victim," he indicated to Harry, "picks one person in the selected area, in this case, it is Mr. Malfoy."

"What do you mean he picked me, Professor?"  Draco stared in mortification at Professor Snape. 

"I meant, that you are now his… caretaker, Mr. Malfoy. While he is still a child, he will cry when anyone else touches him. He will not trust anyone else as he grows and matures and instead, he will see that you as his role model." Snape's black eyes gleamed maliciously as he tried to arrange his smirk into a frown.

Ron, Hermione, Neville and Draco spoke at once. 

"Malfoy will be his role model?" Hermione cried, staring at Draco and Harry. She watched as Harry moved a bit, but stayed asleep on Draco's shoulder.

At the same time, Ron exclaimed, "He will be his caretaker?! How about us?!"

Draco, on the other hand, seemed rather angry also, but kept his temper as he calmly asked, "And how long will this be?"

And lastly, Neville's shocked voice could be heard amidst their yells and shouts. "Ten points? I received ten points?"

Snape blinked at their outbursts and was about to tell them all off, seeming miserably irritated at Neville, when Dumbledore cut in.  "Please, everyone, sit down." And he indicated to the chairs before him.  Ron let Hermione sit down, so that he, Neville and Professor Snape were left standing as Draco took the other chair, Harry's weight now tiring his arms.

"Now, lets all handle this like mature adults." He smiled warmly at all of them, and addressed Hermione first, as her audible outburst earlier seemed loudest.

"Ms. Granger, it is part of the potion. Therefore, Mr. Potter will automatically think Mr. Malfoy is his caretaker. It's the same thing that happens when a chick sees the first living in front of her. She doesn't care what the thing is, but simply takes it as her mother and follows it around." He smiled warmly at her before turning to Ron.

"Mr. Weasley, you may also assist Mr. Malfoy in this… project, call it that if you will. Both you and Ms. Granger, I doubt Mr. Malfoy can pull this off on his own."

He turned to Draco now, his smile becoming wider. "Mr. Malfoy, do not think of this as a burden. You should be well pleased by this; for one thing, Mr. Potter picked you out of a class of 25. For another thing, responsibility is your friend seeing that you did make Head boy this year. I do trust you will do this well." He smiled warily at him while Draco stared open mouthed at him, unaware that Harry had started to drool on his robes. He continued, "Since you have added fifteen beetle eyes, this will only last fifteen days. Each day, young Mr. Potter will age one year… this might seem a bit confusing at first, but you should get it in no time. At this point, Harry is only two years old. Tomorrow, he will look three, act three, and be three. He will vaguely remember what happened each day, but as he grows older, he gains long-term memory. If you do need any help, please feel free to go to any teachers, and Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger will help you with any necessities."

His eyes glinting with sparkling mirth, he turned to Neville.  "Yes, Mr. Longbottom.  Ten points." 

He looked at all of them before his expression turned serious, but with the gleaming twinkle still in his eyes.

"Fifteen days?  Fifteen?"  Draco spoke quietly, still disbelieving that this was bestowed upon him.  Dumbledore nodded.  "I do think that the Ravenclaw VS Slytherin match is this weekend, isn't it Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco nodded, and managed to croak out, "This Sunday, Headmaster."

Dumbledore seemed pensive for a moment before he spoke, "Harry will four years old then."

The whole room remained silent as they watched Dumbledore's expression. They watched his old, white eyebrows narrow for a bit in thought before he leaned back and smiled.

Draco felt Harry shiver against him and absently held him tighter, finally realizing that Harry was shivering from the cold because he only had a loose shirt on him. The new caretaker stared down at the sleeping boy.

"Eugh! He drooled on my robes!"  Draco cringed as he pulled Harry's mouth away from his shoulder slowly, hoping not to wake the sleeping child.  He watched as a long trail of saliva left Harry's mouth and dripped down the front of his robes. His features settled into a vaguely disgusted expression.

He looked at Dumbledore with a sour face while still holding the sleeping child, "And there is no cure for this?  None at all?" he whined, a visible vein throbbing in his neck.

"Sorry Mr. Malfoy, but no, there is none."  Dumbledore smiled warily at him.

"My father will hear about-," but he was cut off my Snape.  "No, your father will not hear about this, Draco."

They shared a knowing glance, and Draco knew he was trapped. He closed his eyes for a minute as he grinded his teeth.

Nodding with his eyes still closed, he stood up and exhaled a deep, long, breath.  He opened his eyes slowly and noticed everyone looking at him.  He turned to Headmaster Dumbledore and nodded. 

"The necessary things will be sent to your room, Mr. Malfoy, including clothes, an extra bed, and when Harry turns eleven in nine days, his school supplies.  I assume you do know how to dress a child, Mr. Malfoy?"  Dumbledore's face softened at the look at Draco's face.  Draco just nodded curtly, not trusting himself to speak. 

Dumbledore clapped his hands together, signaling that the meeting was over. He dismissed the students, but kept Severus in his office as they descended the stairs one by one.

Draco was about to turn and go off to his rooms when Ron stopped him by grabbing him on the shoulder roughly.  Draco shrugged him off. "Where do the hell do you think you are going, Malfoy?" Ron spat, and reaching out to take Harry but stopping when he remembered that he would probably wake Harry up.

"I, Weasley, am going to take him to my rooms so I can put some damned clothes on him.  He's shivering."  He smirked at Ron's reddening face and held Harry tighter against him, one arm under his butt cheeks while the other on his back. 

"Well, I'm coming with you then!  Dumbledore said we were to help!"  Ron grumbled, and Hermione nodded. 

Draco just shrugged.  "Fine with me, Weasley."  He thought of shooting a snide remark, but the weight of Harry in his arms cooled his temper considerably.

The three of them headed toward Draco's rooms while Neville escaped to Dinner. Since Draco was head boy, he had his own room, located in the depth of the Slytherin dungeons. He ignored Hermione's and Ron's loud whispers as they went deeper and deeper down the dungeons before finally stopping in front of a blank wall with a long slash down the middle that looked alarmingly like blood. His arms tightened around Harry almost protectively as he leaned forward and whispered the password

The wall shook for a moment before parting with a silent crack. Draco smirked as he saw Hermione and Ron's bewildered stare, stepping in to allow them to follow him into the cool dungeon air.

Draco felt Harry shiver against him again while also managing to let out a small whimper, and he started to rub his pale hands against Harry's back gently, soothing him while trying to warm him up. 

He was unaware of Hermione and Ron's stares from behind him as they stepped into the empty common room, deserted since everyone was at dinner. He stepped in front of a door, which was the head boy's room.  Turning around, he ordered Hermione, "Granger, get the key out of my pocket and open the door."

Hermione stared at him before asking, "Why didn't you just use magic?"

He rolled his eyes, his arms becoming tired with the strain of holding Harry. "Because, Granger, I don't trust my house mates that much. Honestly, they would have broken in here in a second if I had used magic." He rolled his eyes again and moved his right hip towards her so that she could get the key out his pants' pocket.

She hesitantly stepped forward and reached in his pocket quickly, pulling out a gold key. She went to the door and slowly unlocked it, while Draco whispered a password that was also required to open the door. He didn't thank her, but he nodded and let them go in first, wincing a bit at his tingling arms. 

He stepped in after them, kicking the door shut and smiling when both of the teenage Gryffindors jumped at the sound. Ron glared at Draco as the Slytherin stared at the transformed room. There was a small crib next to his desk, and on a new shelf there were diapers and clothes. They were separated into piles, one of them marked "2", the next marked, "3", "4", "5", "6" and so on until the number 11. He figured that it would be one for each of the years Harry would grow.

He stepped forward, though, when he inhaled the scent of sandwiches and hot soup. On his desk, there were four bowls, one smaller than the rest, and a plate full of sandwiches, accompanied by three goblets and what seemed to be a sippy cup!

Hermione and Ron shifted uncomfortably in his room, but he beckoned them to sit on the bed with a tilt of his head. He went to the shelf that held the clothes* and carefully selected a diaper and a long shirt. He then went to the edge of his canopy bed and laid Harry down across from Hermione and Ron, pausing cautiously when he saw Harry move for a second. When he decided that Harry wasn't likely to wake up, he gently lifted the boy's legs, unaware of the Gryffindors' astonished stares as he carefully and softly put on the diaper. He then proceeded to settle the shirt over Harry's head, waking him.

Harry whimpered a bit, his eyes still closed as he put on a face as if he was about to cry. Draco frantically moved his hands around ineffectively before he picked Harry up again and started to hold him stiffly, not knowing what else to do. His shoulders relaxed when he didn't hear Harry cry and instead felt gentle breathing against his neck. He visibly calmed and put Harry back down gently on his bed, aware of the small smile and the peaceful look on his face. Gently, he reached out and took Harry's chubby little arms in his hands and put them through the small shirt, then did the same with the other. He looked up and saw Hermione and Ron looking at him curiously.

"Where did you learn to do that, Malfoy?" Hermione asked softly, still somewhat perplexed that Malfoy was not griping about the situation he was in, or complaining that he was stuck with such a burden.

"Learn what, Granger?" He sneered at her.

"She meant, Malfoy, where did you learn to dress a baby?"  Ron chimed in angrily, his face steadily becoming as red as his hair.  Draco arched an eyebrow.

"Are you saying that you two don't know how? Bloody hell, this is elementary!" Draco stared in amazement at the Gryffindors. He picked Harry up again with in arms before holding Harry out to Ron.

"Take him, I'm going to take a shower." He said, indicating to his snot and tear stained robes.  When Ron took him, he felt a slight relief from the weight and stretched his arms above his head, shaking him trying to get the tingling feeling off.

He left the stiff Ron and flabbergasted looking Hermione on the bed as he went in his bathroom, but not before getting a new set of robes and clothes.

Stepping into the steaming water, he let the water trickle down into the drain while closing his eyes.

[I cannot believe I have to take care of Potter. What a joke! Honestly, why did he have to pick me? Of all the people there, he had to pick me!] Draco washed his hair as he thought about it, and then he picked up the soap and scrubbed it around his body as he kept on thinking. [Ironic as it is, I cannot believe he picked me. Potter is cute as a baby… not that I would tell Granger or the Weasel that.]

He got out of the shower, though, when he heard a scream, unmistakably Harry's voice. He threw on his clothes in record time and stepped out of the bathroom to see a Ron struggling with Harry, trying to get him to calm down. Draco stopped and surveyed the scene before quickly scooping the crying Harry out of Ron's arms.

"Weasley! I'm gone for 20 minutes* and you can't even hold the baby?" Draco glared at him in an irritable stare.

"Shut up Malfoy!"  Was the only thing Ron could muster, and Hermione was smirking at Ron behind her hand. 

"Well, since he is awake anyway…" he trailed off, looking at the food, unaware that Harry stopped crying the instant Draco held him and was holding him around his neck, sniffling quietly. Draco sighed heavily as he put Harry down, his heart going out to the wide, green-eyed boy. 

He sighed again, "What Potter?"  He said quietly, no malice of any kind as he looked down to Harry.  Harry just stared up at him and smiled, and pointed to the food. 

"You're hungry?" he asked, his lips forming a thin line. Harry nodded and grinned up at him. Harry held up his hand and reached out to hold Draco's, unaware of the tenseness in the Slytherin's fingers. He glanced up when he heard Ron cough, and Hermione kept on staring at him.

"What?!" he barked at them as Harry laced his small fingers through Draco's.

"Nothing Malfoy, nothing." Ron smirked at him and stood up, going to the Slytherin's desk and grabbing a big sandwich before returning to sit on Malfoy's bed again.

"Don't get any crumbs on the damned comforter, Weasel, it was expensive." Draco drawled absently, looking to see what there was for Harry. He looked at the soup, frowning when he saw it was the wizard's 'Alphabet letters'.

He sat down in his desk chair huffily and pulled Harry on his lap. Picking up the bowl, he set it on the desk so he could reach it better and handed Harry the sippy cup.

"Potter, Open," he said to Harry as if he was talking to an idiot, holding out the spoon to Harry's mouth. He just watched as Harry stared wide-eyed up at him, sipping the cup quietly.

"Malfoy, he's a child, not a robot." Hermione said crossly as she stood up and picked up a bowl of soup and a plate for a sandwich.

"No shite, Granger," he said while rolling his eyes, not caring if he used profanity in front of a child this time. Harry continued to sip his cup slowly, leaning into Draco's chest, sipping tiredly.

"Come on, Potter, and eat up. I don't want Dumbledore on my back if I don't feed you." Draco said quietly to Harry, and then giving him a small smile* that he hoped* was reassuring.

Harry just stared up at him and removed the cup, opening his mouth slowly so Draco could give him some food. Draco fed Harry bit by bit; aware of his own growing hunger while Harry took forever to eat. By the time he finished eating Harry was a mess again, his white t-shirt covered in orange and brown sauce, his fingers and mouth sticky from his saliva, but all Harry did was grin sweetly at Draco.

Draco looked up when he heard Hermione's voice. "Oh no! Ron, we still haven't done our homework! We need to hurry back!" She jumped up, and pulled Ron's hand.

"Wait! B-but what about Harry? Does Dumbledore actually believe that Malfoy is to take care of him tonight?" He said with a mouthful of sandwich, still munching it.

"Apparently so, Weasley," drawled Draco, picking Harry up to wash his face in the bathroom.

When Draco left the room, Ron leaned in and whispered to Hermione, "Hermione! Are you serious? Leave Harry here with him?!"

"Ron, don't be an idiot. You know no one else can take care of him… Malfoy is his 'caretaker'. Besides, everything is set already…" she trailed off as she pointed to the crib and clothes. Ron glared at her.

"Fine then, but if Malfoy kills him, it's your fault you didn't listen to me." He whispered, as he went to the table, grabbing another sandwich to take with him. Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned to the bathroom door as it opened, little Harry walking out behind Draco with a messy shirt, but a joyful smile on his cute little face. His face was clean, she noticed.

"Malfoy, do you mind if we go?  I am also head girl, and I need to do my homework…" she said, as she went to the tray which held the food. "We'll bring this down with us, I'll leave some sandwiches with you, is that fine?"

Draco looked exhaustedly at her and nodded, not saying a word as he sat down on his chair tiredly.  He watched as she took the tray after leaving him several sandwiches, and was heading for the door when she turned around.  "Ron! Come on."  She stared at him, but he was still staring at Draco with venom in his eyes.  "If you dare hurt him, Malfoy, I swear I will cut off your balls." 

"Balls!" Harry cried gleefully, clapping his hands.

Draco didn't seem affected by Ron's words, but his lips threatened to quirk into a smile as he heard Harry's exclamation.  He exchanged a glance with Hermione who sighed in exasperation, and finally pulled Ron out the door after she said goodnight to both Draco and Harry.

That left Draco alone with Harry, the Slytherin watching as the small boy smiled back at him before reaching for his sippy cup on the table. He shook his head as he knelt next to Harry's trunk, finally seeing the stack of toys in a small barrel. Laying them beside Harry, he went to his desk and started to work on his homework, after locking the door so that Harry couldn't escape.

Time passed as he ate and did his homework, the light on his desk illuminating the dark room. About three hours later, at eleven o'clock, he rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly before realizing that he hadn't heard a peep from Harry! He turned around instantly, but his eyes caught Harry sleeping on the floor, the toys all over but the sippy cup standing upright. Harry was shivering slightly as Draco picked him up carefully, not bothering to change him. Harry stirred a bit as Draco laid him on the crib gently, and he opened one eye as he looked at the Slytherin sleepily.

"Shh, Potter…" he started, and he could see Harry's bottom lip trembling* in a prelude to crying. He pulled the small blanket over Harry's waist when he started to shiver and softly began to hum a song his mother had sung to him long ago.

Harry looked up at him with those adorable green eyes, watching him intently as Draco began to hum a bit louder, more bravely as he discovered that Harry was starting to fall back to sleep. He watched, amazed as Harry's eyes closed completely, and his humming softened the longer he looked at Harry. He was aware of Harry's soundless breaths and beautiful smile.

He backed up, getting a warm feeling in his heart as he started picking up the toys, putting his homework up for tomorrow and taking off his clothes, which consisted of only his robes and school attire, and he went to sleep peacefully with only his boxers on, dreaming about the day's events.

-----TBC-----

Next Chapter:  Harry turns three years old!  Still a toddler, but an adorable one at that, the whole school learns of Harry's condition.  Stay tuned, and all reviews welcome!!!

I hope you enjoyed this fic, because I really enjoyed writing it.