Chapter Text
“Draco, it's not that big of a deal.” Harry says as they come through the doors to Grimmauld Place. He’s holding a pouting Delilah’s hand and Draco is carrying little Cyrus. “They’re kids. Biting is pretty normal, and you know they’re far too young for any sort of bond or anything to form.”
Harry bends down in the entryway to help Delilah with her coat but she’s pouting and wont let him.
“Delilah, honey, we need to take your coat off.” Harry says to her gently.
He’s always gentle, with all of them.
It’s one of the things Draco loves about his mate, but also something he’s jealous of.
Gentleness doesn’t come easily to him. He loves his mate, he loves their kids. He would die for any of them, gladly.
But he’s still more prickly than your average cactus.
“Biting is unbecoming of a young lady.” Draco says, primly. “Delilah I know you know how to behave better than that.”
“Jeremy deserved it!” His daughter yells as she stomps her foot.
Harry finally manages to get her coat off.
“I’m sure he did that kid is a little-” Draco starts, but falters when Harry shoots him a look.
They’ve been trying to watch their language in front of the kids. Delilah already picks up enough bad words from her plethora of “aunts” and “uncles” who seem to think it's cute to teach her these things.
“Well, he’s not exactly a young gentleman.” Draco says, instead of calling the kid a little shit like he was going to. “But his bad behavior doesn’t excuse yours young lady.”
“What’d Jeremy even do that got you so worked up sweetie?” Harry says, working on his own coat. “You’ve been getting a lot better at not lashing out as much.”
Delilah hesitates to answer, dropping her eyes to the floor and scuffing at it with her shoe, and it makes Draco actually worried about the situation instead of just mildly annoyed.
Their little girl is a firecracker, she’s fierce and opinionated and confident. She’s a handful, but he loves that she’s like that. He loves that she feels comfortable taking up space and having her thoughts and opinions heard. He thought this was just some normal playground dispute, but if she’s reacting this way… what if he missed something? Something big, something important?
“Sweetie?” Harry asks again, also looking a bit more concerned now.
“He said something mean about Papa.” She says, eventually.
Harry hesitates.
“What did he say about Papa?” he asks.
Delilah fiddles with her clothes nervously.
“He said that he heard his mum tell her sister that Papa is a... a death eater whore.”
She stumbles over the words a bit, obviously not very familiar with them, but it’s clear what she means.
“He said that his mom said that Papa is a slut and a bad person and that Daddy deserves better.” She finishes.
For a moment it feels like everyone in the room is holding their breath. Even little Cyrus is quiet, though that might just be because he’s due for a nap.
Draco knew this would come up eventually. That eventually they’d have to talk about it. He just thought they’d have more time.
He sighs.
“Harry, will you go put Cy down for his nap?” Draco says, and does his best to make his tone gentle and warm. “I think Delilah and I need to talk.”
“Are you sure?” Harry asks, even as he comes over to take their son. “I could-”
“Harry.” Draco says, a little firmer. He smiles at his mate and pulls him in for a kiss. “I’m okay. I’ve got this.”
Harry looks a little starry eyed when he pulls away from the kiss and Draco loves that he can still get a reaction like that even after having been together all these years.
“Okay.” Harry agrees simply.
“Be back in a bit sweetie.” He says to Delilah before heading upstairs with Cyrus in his arms.
She still looks upset, and a bit confused.
Draco kneels down beside her and brushes his fingers through her hair, it’s black and wild just like her father’s, just like he’d dreamed it would be.
“Why don’t we go sit down in the living room my love? Then we can talk okay?” He says, trying for a gentle tone.
She nods and follows him, her hand tiny in his.
He settles on the couch and pulls her onto his lap. She’s old enough that she’s started saying she’s too old for cuddles from her parents, but today she lets him hold her close without complaint.
“I’m sorry someone said that to you.” He starts. “And I’m sorry it upset you.”
“It probably won't be the last time someone says something like that.” He gently informs her. She traces the faded scars on his wrist with her finger.
“Because of the scars?” She asks, her voice small.
“Yes, partially because of the scars.” He says.
He tries to think of how to continue, how to tell her about this. Harry and him have talked about it of course, but Harry trusted him to handle it however he felt was best.
“A long time ago, before you were born, back when your father and I first presented, there was a war. I know you’ve heard of it before.”
She nods, watching him intently with grey eyes that match his own.
“Grandpa and I, we made some bad decisions during the war.” He continues. “We chose the wrong side, and by the time we realized it… we were stuck.”
“I was a death eater. I did some bad things.” He rubs his thumb over her cheek and she leans into his touch. “Not as many bad things as some people think, but it’s okay if they’re still upset.”
“Just because you apologize doesn’t mean someone’s gotta accept it.” She says, parroting something they’ve been trying to teach her.
“Yeah that’s right.” He says. “So that’s the death eater part. The rest of it…”
How to even start?
“Towards the end of the war, during the final battle-” He says.
“When Daddy saved the world!” she interjects excitedly.
Draco rolls his eyes but his voice is fond when he continues.
“When your father was fighting Voldemort, yes, that’s when I presented.”
“I was alone, Grandma and Grandpa were stuck on the other side of the battlefield and everything was a mess.” He has to pause here to reign in some of his emotions so he doesn’t make her anxious.
“Some bad people got a hold of me in all that chaos, and they stole me away.” He says.
Delilah gasps.
“They stole you?” She asks. “From grandma and grandpa?”
“Yes. They stole me.” He reiterates. “It was during that time that I got all these scars. They made me…”
He swallows past the emotions threatening to choke him.
“They were very bad people.”
Delilah reaches up to his face, and wipes away tears he hadn’t meant to let fall.
“They hurt you Papa?” She asks.
“Yes, they did.”
She looks so upset for him.
He smiles at her, even if it causes a few more tears to fall.
“But it’s okay, because you know what happened next?”
“What?” She asks, hanging on his words.
“Your Uncle Ron came to my rescue.” He says.
She lights up with excitement.
“Uncle Ron did?” She asks.
“Yep. He got me out of there. And when the hospital said I was okay to go home he brought me here.”
He knows he’s skimming over a lot of the story, but he thinks she’s still a little young to know the details of court proceedings and plenty of the rest of it.
“It was hard for me at first, living here with your father.” He says, trying to choose his words carefully.
“Because he’s a gryffindor idiot.” Delilah says, so sure of her answer.
“Well, there was that.” Draco agrees, trying not to laugh.
“But it was also because I had been hurt so much, I had begun to believe that that was just how things were.” He tells her. “But that’s not how your father is. He may be a foolish gryffindor idiot, but he was gentle and kind to me.”
“He taught me how to be a person again. Gave me a place where it was safe for me to figure out who I was after all I had been through.”
“And then you and your brother came along and I’ve never been happier than I am now with all of you.” She giggles when he kisses her on the forehead.
“There are always going to be people who judge me because of my past and because of my scars. But to me, these scars help tell the story of how I got here. And I love here. I love your father, your brother, and you so so much.”
He hugs her tight, and she hugs him back.
“I love you too Papa.” She says against his chest.
His heart feels fit to burst with how much he loves her.
She looks at him thoughtfully when she pulls away from the hug.
“I think your scars are cool.” She decides.
“And next time I see Jeremy I’m going to tell him his mum’s a nosy bitch who should mind her own business.”
Draco’s jaw drops.
“Delilah! That is no way for a young lady to talk.” He reprimands, as she leaps off his lap to run down the hall giggling, narrowly missing running right into Harry as he comes down the stairs.
The reprimand is half hearted, and they all know it.