Title: Frankie

Archiving: just ask.

Rating: PG

Date: Jan 1, 2003.

Summary: Harry and Draco discuss children.

Dedication: for Jen on her birthday.

Harry was quite content. He lay stretched out in bed sideways, his head on Draco�s lap, where he had deposited himself after insisting that cuddling was more important than whatever he was reading.

�No! I have to find out what happens next to Frodo! He�s just been parted from Sam in the tunnel.�

�Sam saves him, they fall into each other�s arms and kiss, then destroy the ring and live happily ever after.�

�� you just made that up. Cretin.�

�I know I did, but kiss me.�

�Hmph�mmmm��

�and so forth.

He had been using Draco for a very warm, very cosy pillow, and for some time now Draco had been generously rubbing his tummy in silence. Harry had lain in quiet enjoyment of the peace and warmth around him, and it seemed nothing could disturb their happy cocoon of idyllic bliss, until�

�Harry.�

�Mmm?�

�I want a kid.�

THUD.

Harry�s eyes slammed open. Draco�s own met his, tender and beautiful and containing a rather vague, dreamy expression currently. Harry sat up, extremely wary of that expression.

�Draco.�

�Hmm?�

�You. Hate. Kids.�

�I do not.�

�

�Okay. Most of them. I hate most of them.� Draco stretched luxuriously and pouted a little. �But some of them are actually kind of cute.�

Harry stared at him.

�What other-life-form has taken my Draco?�

�Oh, stop blathering.� Draco reached out to ruffle Harry�s hair.

�Don�t touch me, alien!�

�Haaaarry,� Draco whined. �You�re being very immature.�

�Oh, so now we�re supposed to act mature?�

Draco huffed and slid down into the covers, looking affronted. Harry sighed and flopped down on the pillow next to him, running his fingers over Draco�s chest. �Okay, so what�s gotten into you?�

Draco sighed and pulled Harry into his arms. Harry went willingly, nuzzling Draco�s neck. �Okay. It�s just�you know Hermione and I went to buy the groceries yesterday, and outside of the store there was this little kid on the sidewalk who must have gotten this toy bow and arrow set for Christmas�and�don�t laugh�he was pretending to shoot people as they passed with his little arrow. He�d shout, �Legolaaas!� in this teeny little yell and then pretend to spring on them. And he had the cutest smile�he had these big brown eyes and these cute little pointy ears and pretty dark hair like yours and�and�� Draco left off with a big sigh. �And it was just so�itwasadorableandIwantone!�

Harry looked at Draco, who pulled the covers up to his nose and wibbled charmingly.

�Draco. Love of my life. Can�t we just get a puppy?�

�I don�t want a puppy,� pouted Draco. �I want a Frankie.�

�A Frankie?�

�That was his name.�

�The little kid�s?�

�Yeah.�

�Awww.�

�See? You want one too.�

�I didn�t say that.�

�I can see it in your eyes. You want one.�

�I do not.�

�Not even just a little bit?�

Harry hesitated. Draco looked smug. �Aha. You can�t deny it, Potter. I�m on to you.�

�Actually, at the moment I believe I�m on you.�

�Don�t distract me.�

�Bummer.�

�You�ve never thought about having kids?� Draco was serious, and so Harry sighed and sat up and looked earnestly into Draco�s eyes.

�I�ve never wanted kids. I guess I was just always thinking, what if something happened to me and I had to�leave them alone?�

Draco said, �Oh,� and that was all he needed to say. He pulled Harry close and kissed him. �The danger is past for us. You know that.�

Harry clung. �It�s never really over�and what kind of person would I be to raise a kid in an environment where his father was always worried about impending evil and certain death?�

�You�d be a normal healthy Harry Potter, is what you�d be,� said Draco. �And you�d be a great dad. You know you would.�

Harry shook his head. �I don�t think so. It�s not that I wouldn�t like to try. But I wouldn�t be any good at it, I don�t think. I wouldn�t know where to start.�

�But you wouldn�t be doing it alone.�

Harry smiled and kissed Draco�s nose. �What are you saying, you want to raise a family with me?�

Draco stared at him. �Of course I do�what did you think we were talking about?�

Harry blanched. �I guess�I guess I just thought you meant hypothetically!�

Draco sighed. �Are we partners, or are we partners?�

Harry frowned. �Of course, but��

�Harry. Stop being cautious for a moment and face facts. You�re in love with me.�

�Yeees��

�I�m in love with you.�

�Right�I guess.�

�Git.�

�Ferret.�

�Shut up. One day, in the future, we�re going to get married.�

�We are?�

�Yes.�

�Why didn�t I hear about this?�

�Because you�re a git. Now. Given that we�re going to become a family, wouldn�t kids be an option to at least consider some day?�

�But I�� Harry nestled his head on Draco�s shoulder. �I like us just as we are. Just us.�

�Oh, Harry.� Draco physically melted, relaxing totally under his weight, and for the next few moments they were occupied in letting one another know exactly how much they enjoyed each other just as they were.

�I can tell you this, though,� Harry breathed against Draco�s skin at last, panting a bit, �If I ever do decide to have kids, you�ll be the first to know.�

�I want two. A girl and a boy. A cute little blonde like me and a strapping young Harry-clone.�

�What about the puppy? Can we still get a puppy?�

Draco ruffled Harry�s hair and smiled up at him, and Harry felt crazily, wonderfully in love.

�Yes, Harry,� he said. �We can get a puppy.�

�A collie?�

�Yes, your Harryness, we can get a collie.�

�We can name him Frankie.�

�Aww.�

�Just for you.�

�Why, Mr. Potter, if I didn�t know better, I�d say you were smitten.�

�Shut up and kiss me.�

�Gladly.�