There was a collective cheer as Jack managed to blow out all six of his candles in one go.

"But carrot cake, though?" Draco had murmured incredulously in my ear, as though the idea of anyone wanting anything but chocolate cake was completely beyond him.

"It's his favourite," I whispered back, "and last time I checked it was his birthday, not yours."

We'd relocated to Molly and Arthur's which offered a much bigger space. A good thing too, because pretty much the entire underground population showed up.

Bar Ginny.

Everyone else loved to celebrate Jack's birthday. He was our very own underground boy, the light and laughter that everyone had needed to get through the years of hiding.

It was sometimes difficult to remember he was a Malfoy child; a child who in another life would be dressed from top to toe in expensive clothing and running around large echoey manor grounds.

No, that life belong to Draco's other son. The one who wasn't about to be born into an illegitimate world like Jack had.

There was excitement all around as Molly came through carrying another tray of food.

"Do help yourself to more corned beef sandwiches!" She trilled to the room, "I've made plenty more!"

Ron groaned loudly ("She always forgets I don't like corned bloody beef!")

Party games were had, with both Ron and Draco becoming the most competitive; both of them determined to be crowned the winner of musical chairs. At one point, Ron even pushed McGonagall violently aside in his bid to grab a chair.

I observed from the sofa next to Dean, the both of us chuckling softly at the childish yet amusing display.

Dean fell instantly quiet at catching himself laughing.

I reached for his hand, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze. "It's okay to be happy, you know," I said kindly, "Nev would have found this hilarious."

"Yeah, he would have," Dean smiled wistfully, as Ron roared and pumped his fist in the air at beating Draco to the final chair ("Gryffindor wins again you stinking Slytherin!").

Draco sloped over to the sofa, his face pinched in a scowl as he collapsed down on my other side. "Poxy game," he muttered moodily.

"Aw, shucks, Drac," I mocked, playfully ruffling his hair so that it fell back down in a tousled mess. "Did Molly give you a consolation sweetie?"

"Yeah," he said, holding up a small round pink lollipop. "But that git should have been disqualified for old lady bashing."

"Hey, less of the old, young man!" McGonagall barked from across the crowded room as she waved her cane crossly in the air, "I fought in the war, you know!"

Draco pulled a face as he grouchily shoved his lollipop in his mouth.

"Mummy! Daddy!" Jack cried happily as he bounded over to us with a piece of paper in his hand. "Look what I made!"

He turned the paper around and proudly presented to us an upside picture of what appeared to be three stickmen.

Draco and I simultaneously cocked our heads to the side in an effort to get a better view of it.

"Cute," Dean chuckled, craning his neck too, "a true little da Vinci."

"Here, son," Draco said, beckoning him over, "come and show us properly."

Jack hopped onto his dad's lap, and Draco took the picture from him moving it across so that I could see it too.

A bubble of love burst in my heart, spreading a warm glow throughout me. It was indeed a picture of three stickmen, each with labels above their heads; 'Mummy', 'Daddy' and 'Me'.

"Jack," I whispered, lightly brushing my fingertips over the three smiling figures, "it's perfect."

"You've even got my hair spot on," Draco chuckled, motioning down to the largest stickman with bright yellow hair and a large black cloak.

"Mummy says that you spent lots and of lots of time worrying about your hair at school, didn't you, Mummy?" My treacherous son said. "She said she had to hide your hair gel and you got really cross."

"IT WAS HAIR CREAM!" Draco spluttered, looking utterly outraged. "And excuse me, Miss I-don't-play-Quidditch-because-I-wouldn't-want-to-chip-a-nail, you are not one to bloody talk! Every time I looked over at you you were busy preening those god damned talons of yours."

Like he had ever complained when I used to dig them into his back.

Jack giggled uncertainly as he looked between the two of us.

"Yeah, well, at least your hair still looks good," I sulked, jutting out my lower lip as I furiously folded my arms across my chest, sinking further down into the sofa.

I noticed Draco try and glance down at my hands and I childishly hid them from view.

"There's nothing wrong with your nails, anyway," he muttered, folding his arms too as he sank down to match my height, "you're perfect as you are; isn't she, Jack?"

Jack immediately nodded and wriggled off of Draco's lap onto mine, throwing his little arms around my neck. "I love you, Mummy."

Draco threw me a wink, chuckling softly as he resumed the sucking of his lollipop.

******

"They sat there by the hole, waiting for the fox to come out. And so far as I know, they are still waiting."

Draco slowly lowered the book as he finished the last page, only to discover that not only had Jack fallen asleep, but Blaire too.

The sight made his heart swell and he felt instantly regretful that he couldn't stay lying on the bed with them forever.

Moving carefully, he leant down and kissed the top of his son's head, before automatically moving to Blaire; hesitating.

He was breaking every barrier he'd attempted to put up. No more touching, and certainly no more kissing; all gone out the window, just like that.

Well, it wasn't 'just like that'. Because how could he keep up those barriers between them when he had seen how completely heartbroken she had been.

He had such a strong desire to comfort her physically, all the time. But then again, he recalled, he'd always had; even before the days they had began to sleep together.

They'd not been the sort of friends who'd hugged, but they'd always grasped one another's hand when they'd needed it. Their sign to let the other know that they were there for them whenever words were too hard.

Sod it, he thought, as he leant down; the hot skin of her temple feeling blissful against his cool lips.

"Drac?" She whispered; stirring gently as her eyes sleepily focused up at him, lighting up almost instantly.

"I need to go," he said quietly, a rush of deep love flooding his entire being, "thank you for letting me be here, today."

Blaire sat up immediately. "You don't need to thank me, Drac. Every single birthday he's had up till now tore me into pieces that you weren't there. I was so scared that you'd never know. Today was literally a dream come true for me. And Jack."

"It was for me too," he choked, not being able to help but cradle his fingers to her face.

Oh god, he wanted to kiss her so much; the yearning coursing inside of him was beyond unbearable.

He could feel the quickening of her breaths and see the darkening of her lips as her eyes kept darting to his mouth. There was no denying her longing too.

Quick as a flash he dropped his hand and manoeuvred himself off the bed before he could lean in and cross the ultimate line of no return.

This was exactly why he felt he couldn't be around her.

"I really better go," he said, his voice coming out hoarsely as he hastily stepped out of the bedroom, avoiding her eyes.

"Will you still come by on Monday to see Jack?" Blaire asked, as she followed him out to the 'front door'.

"To see you both, I hope," he said, vowing to himself that he'd just have to learn to toughen up. He couldn't abandon Blaire anymore; they needed one another far too much.

"I'd like that," she said, her lips tugging into a small smile as she leaned against the doorframe, hugging herself.

"Is there anything you need?" He asked, more out of needing something to say to stop himself from pulling her fiercely into his embrace. "Anything I can get you?"

"No," she said softly, shaking her head so that the thick long dark springy locks which their son had inherited quivered around her face, "just you."

"Just me it will be then," he drawled, a twitch of a smile on his lips.

When he returned the following Monday, he'd bought her a manicure kit.

******