herumtreiber

Title: The secret Animagus
Author

herumtreiber
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Word Count: 2,060
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Fluff, humour, MPreg
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the rest belong to JK Rowling, I only play with them.
Summary: Harry and Draco concoct a plan to foil Narcissa whilst Neville meets with someone.

Table of contents

A very pumpkin Halloween

Harry woke up with a start when he heard clanking sounds. He'd been having a nightmare in which he was a prisoner in the Slytherin dungeons, at the mercy of a leather-clad Millicent Bullstrode. He shuddered and wrapped his arms around his bulging belly until the smell of Draco's cologne made him realize he was in their apartment.

Meanwhile, the clinking continued as Harry put on his maternity robes which felt a bit constrained. Wiggling his nose, he cast a wandless spell that stretched the fine wool until he was more comfortable.

After putting on his shoes through wandless magic because he couldn't bend enough to tie his shoelaces, Harry waddled into the living room.

There were pieces of black iron all over the couch and the floor. His husband was trying to separate them according to some strange design. Harry stuck his hands in the pockets of his robes as he walked up to Draco, who was hefting a particularly ugly piece of cast iron whilst he mumbled to himself, "This will look better in green."

Harry huffed as he pointed to the scattered pieces of wrought iron. "Why did you bring all these things here?"

Draco went to him and kissed his chin, enjoying the rough feeling of his stubble. "Just insuring a wealthy future for our boy."

"Or girl," said Harry, patting his abdomen. He frowned at the blond. "What do you mean, exactly?"

Draco walked up to the laptop which was on the table. He caressed the keyboard, saying, "The day you disappeared? I was in a hurry to…" The blond trailed off, realizing that if he confessed he was following Harry, he'd be furious. "Go someplace, and a gate was in my way. I transfigured it. Somehow it ended up in the head of that Muggle Princess, Beatrice."

"So?" Harry's stomach grumbled and he wondered if there were any Amazonian carrots left in the fridge.

Draco pointed proudly to the laptop screen. "The Princess sold my creation for a bunch of money. So I decided to make more hats." He puffed up his chest. "Our child's future will be assured!"

Harry ambled out of the room, muttering softly, "You're barmy!"

Draco followed Harry to the kitchen. Putting his arms behind his back, the blond shuffled his feet on the linoleum floor. "I've some bad news."

"What?" said Harry as he opened the fridge. Realizing there were no carrots, Harry took out a bowl of ice cream with radishes. "Lucius gave us another porcelain peacock?"

"No. it's worse than that. Mother wants us to move to the Manor."

Harry shuddered and the bowl slipped from his fingers. He wiggled his nose and cast a wandless Wingardium leviosa, floating the dish to the table. He said angrily, "I hate it in that gloomy manor. The portraits all give me advice so I can produce the perfect Malfoy heir; from combing my hair to eating wild boars. And when I go to the garden? The damned albino peacocks go crazy and chase me around! Bloody hell!"

Draco took out two butterbeers from the fridge and put them on the table, next to Harry's dish. He sat down and crossed his arms. "I've a plan, we have to convince Mother that…"

The Floo activated and Narcissa's voice came from the living room. "What in Merlin's name? These are pieces of the Manor gates! No wonder Lucius' peacocks escaped!"

Harry smiled at his blushing husband, who hastily picked up the glass and pretended to drink.

Narcissa entered the kitchen, waving a piece of ornate iron. "Draco, care to explain this?"

Seeing his mother-in-law's angry scowl, Harry came to his husband's rescue. "It's for a case we're working on, Narcissa. We need that," he waved with his spoon to the unsightly iron. "For evidence."

Narcissa went to the table and ruffled Harry's hair. "Then you can bring it back when you move to the Manor, dear Harry."

After taking another sip from the butterbeer, Draco coughed. "About that, Mother, Harry wants…"

The brunet looked up from his bowl of ice cream. "What?"

Draco nudged Harry's foot under the table. "Tell Mother what you want, Harry. Don't be coy!"

Harry raised his eyebrows, intrigued by Draco's shadow of a smirk as the blond wiggled his eyebrows. Draco turned and looked pointedly at the chiffonier. Following his husband's gaze, Harry saw the ferret blown-up photo, taken the night when he cast Engorgio on his husband.

Draco mouthed the word 'portrait' whilst Narcissa opened the cupboard and took out a jar.

Shivering from the painful recollections, it took Harry a moment to realize what Draco meant. Then he turned to Narcissa with a smug smirk, eerily resembling Draco. After savouring a juicy piece of radish with the strawberry ice cream, Harry said, "Since we're going to be living in the Manor, I want a portrait of Draco."

Narcissa squinted at the jar. Apparently unsatisfied with the contents, she took out her wand and vanished it. "That'll be no problem, dear."

Harry shrugged, taking a sip of the butterbeer. "As a ferret, of course."

She paused from perusing the contents of the cupboard. "What?"

Draco crossed his arms, trying unsuccessfully to hide his smirk as his foot travelled a path up Harry's leg.

The pregnant brunet paused for a few seconds, distracted by the ghostly caress. Meanwhile Draco took out his wand and vanished his right shoe. He squirmed on the chair, seeking to maximize the contact between his toes and Harry's crotch.

Harry moaned.

Narcissa went to him and put her hand on her forehead. "Something hurts, dear Harry?" Frowning at her son, she said, "Draco, please don't slouch! Lucius and I taught you pureblood manners!"

Growling, Draco sat up in the chair whilst Harry sighed disappointedly. Taking another bite from his treat, Harry said, "I'd love to see Draco's ferret portrait on the walls of the Manor. He dooks so nicely! The painter can do his whole body so he can go to the other portraits and do that weasel war dance he loves in the other frames and…"

Narcissa staggered and plopped down on the chair in front of Harry. She could well imagine the turmoil her son would cause amongst the other portraits of the Manor. Even as a child, Draco didn't like those people. The angelic-looking blond child used to grab his magical crayons and paint moustaches on the ladies, to their great indignation. He also scrawled devil's horns on Abraxas and Vindemiatrix Malfoy's august foreheads. That took weeks to erase! The ferret could not be let loose amongst the noble and stiff portraits!

Sighing in disappointment as her dreams of having his son and Harry with them evaporated like the Fat Friar on an errand, Narcissa smiled resignedly. "Well, perhaps when your child is grown up we'll commission that portrait you want, Harry."

Narcissa squinted when she saw Draco's pink toes peeking from beneath the tablecloth. "Draco, you forgot to wear your shoes." She smiled fondly, ruffling her son's hair. "You used to do that until just before you went to Hogwarts."

Harry sniggered whilst Draco frowned, stamping his bare foot on the linoleum floor.

oOoOo

Susan's phone rang. She brushed aside a curl of her red mane as she took the call.

"Hi, Carlotta. How are you?"

She smiled sadly. "Still suffering nightmares where you see men's bits when you take the scans?"

Susan sauntered along South Molton Street. She rummaged in her purse and took out her Kindle to see the state of the battery whilst she scowled, continuing her conversation. "Well, I don't think you should see that psychiatrist anymore. Remember what I told you? About pregnant men from the CDC? Bet you scanned one of these heroic volunteers and you're mixing things up."

The Muggle woman crossed the street, holding tightly her shopping bag. She glanced at it as she frowned at the busy intersection. "I bought a magnifying glass for my costume for the Midsummer party your mother will host. I still have to get my lace mittens."

Susan moved the phone so she could see what time it was as she enthusiastically said, "I really, really want to go. Paul told me the costumes are magnificent! He was telling me about this guy? He went dressed as a giant ferret!" She mumbled wistfully, "I wished Harry could've seen him. The poor bloke is obsessed with the anim--"

She collided with someone and the bag fell to the pavement. A young man whose hair was the same shade as Susan's bent down to pick it up, handing it to her with a flourish.

"Hi, aunt, long time no see!"

She puzzled her eyebrows. "Sorry, I've no nephews… that I know of."

The boy blushed, crossing his arms behind his back. "Mmmh, sorry. I thought you were someone else." He stretched out his hand. "My name is Matthews, Cory Matthews."

Susan shook his hand. "I'm Susan Milton. Pleased to meet you."

The boy saw the Kindle peeking out from beneath a scarf. "I see you like books. Have you read Stephen King's 'The Zombie Menace'?

Susan's forehead creased as she mentally reviewed that author's work. "I don't think I have. In fact I know all his books and---"

The redheaded boy shuffled his feet nervously. "Well, I've got to go… see you around, Suze."

As the boy rushed to the corner, Susan mused aloud, "Funny, only my family calls me that."

The woman walked to the boutique on the next corner, shaking her head.

oOoOo

Neville nursed his mocha as he waited for his partner. As he put the cup on the table he saw the boy sauntering between the tables towards him.

Cory plopped down on the chair, shrugging. "Sorry I took so long, I met an old friend on the way."

The boy ordered a cheese and tomato salad. After the waiter left, Neville said, "I've kept up my surveillance, though it's hard when people throw things at me."

Cory shrugged. "I understand; the life of an Animagus is fraught with dangers, as my teacher wisely said. You're lucky, Neville, you don't have to run away from the dog catchers."

The waiter brought the salad and the redhead daintily bit a tomato, nodding solemnly. "It must be hard, working as an undercover agent whilst your wife is expecting twins."

Neville looked up from his cup, startled. "How did you know? Luna just told me."

The boy blushed as he muttered to himself, "My bloody Gryffindor loudmouth!"

Speaking in a louder voice, he said, "I looked up Luna's ancestors on Googenealogy. Her family has had several set of twins in the last two centuries, you know."

Neville sighed dreamily. "It will be wonderful, I'm sure."

Cory wiped his lips with the serviette. He put his elbows on the table and leaned forward, whispering dramatically, "Things are coming to a climax. The evil mastermind will strike soon; even as we speak he extends his reach across the unwary Muggles." He tapped his fingers against the tablecloth. "Constant vigilance!"

Neville stirred his cup. "We've been very professional these past few months, discounting the incident during my bachelor party of course."

Cory shrugged whilst he looked at his watch. "I reckon beer acts strangely on dogs and cats." He motioned to the door. "I'm sorry, but duty calls."

oOoOo

Having finished her shopping, Susan walked to the café, hoping she'd meet Doctor Draco. She wanted to find out if Harry's pregnancy was coming along fine. On the corner, she espied a black cat on the opposite side of the street, his tail held high, sauntering companionably with a huge dog with pale fur.

Susan shook his head, mumbling, "This is indeed a posh neighbourhood, even the cats and dogs get along!"

oOoOo

After coming home from work, Draco went to the laptop to see if there were any new messages. He was hungry and the toffees on a dish on the table looked enticing, but he wisely kept from eating them. He'd heard Harry mumbling dire threats against the twins in his sleep, involving candy retaliation.

"You're early!" shouted Harry from the bedroom.

"Yeah, the internet expert didn't show up. Said a virus deleted his schedule."

Draco opened his email program.

"And your mother?"

Draco smiled craftily. "Sent me an owl. She went back to the Manor. I'll make a Slytherin out of you yet, Harry."

The blond scrolled through his emails, immediately noticing one titled, 'Urgent matter.'

He clicked on it and read the terse message. 'You'd better have your husband checked in case his pregnancy was affected by the bunny interlude. Signed, A concerned friend.'

A fateful scan