It was on a Monday at precisely 3 AM in the morning that the Potter Malfoy household witnessed a bout of curious, stealthy and silent activity. Harry Potter groaned as his alarm beeped insistently. Shaking his head and muttering to himself, he sprang out of bed and headed for the loo. It took him precisely ten minutes to wash up, check his belongings and make some last minute changes to his packing. Finally, he turned to take a good look at the bedroom he would see again only a week later, heaved a sigh and slung his duffel bag around his shoulder as he made his way downstairs.

His husband, quiet and organised -even at the sodding crack of dawn- gave him a small smile and handed him a cup of coffee. Harry accepted gratefully, and pressed a brief kiss to Draco's lips. They sat together at their small dining table in companionable silence, broken only by the soft clatter of Harry's coffee mug.

"You didn't have to get up" Harry whispered to his husband "I've got everything I need and Ron will floo in with the Portkey any minute."

"Don't be ridiculous, Harry. I'm not leaving you in Weasley's incapable hands for a moment more than I have to" Draco quipped, his voice low- possibly to maintain the tranquillity and silence of the moment. Unfortunately, that low tone was one Harry associated with the bedroom and he felt another pang of remorse at the thought of not having Draco in his arms for another week. Wordlessly, he brushed his husband's nape, delighting in the slight shiver it caused. Draco smiled and rested his head on Harry's shoulder, letting his husband run his fingers through his hair.

"Sodding conference" Harry sighed "I hate leaving like this."

"It's only a week, Harry" Draco replied, patting his thigh lightly "Honestly, you're as bad as the kids sometimes."

Harry winced, the notion of not seeing his babies for a whole week sinking in all over again and leaving him with a fresh wave of misery. "You'll tell them I love them and I miss them like mad, right?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, Potter. And I'll tell Scorpius you'll be thinking of him every second, and I'll tell Albus that you'll bring him back half of France in presents and I'll tell James that…"

"I love you" Harry said suddenly.

"And I love you, you sappy Gryffindor" Draco smiled back, tilting his head for another kiss. Harry swiped his tongue across Draco's lower lip, trying his best restrain himself from lunging at his gorgeous husband. If this turned into a full blown snog, he wouldn't be able to leave the house until Christmas. He teetered reluctantly on the edge before pulling away. "I really need to get going" he sighed "Can you tell Ron to meet me there?"

Draco nodded and licked his lips again, eliciting another groan from Harry. He grinned and offered a regretful shrug before getting up. "Let's get you going, Head Auror" he said quietly, moving towards the floo.

They stood at the fireplace together, Harry still unwilling to get going. "This is hard" he whispered.

Draco smirked slightly. "You'll be back before you know it, Harry. Really, it's just one week."

"Its one whole week" Harry mumbled miserably. "I'll miss you like mad. And the kids…"

"Will be fine" Draco cut in firmly "I'll hold down the fort until you return. And speaking of the little monsters, you really need to go Harry. If they see you leaving, there will be hell to…"

"Daddy?"

Both men whirled around at once, eyes widening in comical dismay at the sight. A little blond boy wearing red and green pyjamas and clutching a stuffed dragon, stared at them with huge, grey eyes and a trembling lip that just promisedretribution.

"Pay" Draco muttered dryly.

"D-daddy?" Scorpius whimpered again, tottering closer and staring wetly at Harry "Are you l-leaving me?"

Draco cursed under his breath and Harry elbowed him before taking a step towards his four year old. "Hey buddy" he cooed, bending down and picking Scorpius up effortlessly "What're you doing out of bed?"

Scorpius sniffled and Harry ran a comforting hand down his son's back as Draco smacked his forehead.

"Melvin s-said you were g-goin' away" Scorpius whined, flinging his arms around Harry and dropping Melvin in the process. Draco stepped in and picked up the stuffed dragon before it hit the ground, leaving Harry free to deal with his armful of teary four year old.

"Oh he did, did he?" Harry murmured, kissing the little boy's forehead. "Well you tell Melvin that I'll never leave my best mate, all right?"

"Promise?" Scorpius pressed, curling his tiny fists into Harry's shirt.

"I would never, ever leave you" Harry said fervently, hugging his son close. Draco coughed discreetly and mouthed 'conference',making Harry groan. Fucking conference!

"I'm just going to be gone a few days" he attempted lamely, trailing off as Scorpius started crying in earnest and snuffling into his shirt.

Harry despaired, holding him tighter. "Don't cry, Scorp. Please, don't cry. I swear I'll be back before you know it."

"That's what you s-said last year!" Scorpius howled heartrendingly "D-d-don't leave me, Daddy!" Harry looked absolutely stricken and Draco hastened to intervene before his pushover husband did something stupid- like promise to take Scorpius to France with him!

"For Merlin's sake, Harry" he hissed, reaching for his son "Just hand him over, and go!"

"I can't leave him like this!" Harry retorted indignantly "He's heart broken!"

"He's just being dramatic!" Draco argued "Classic Malfoy tactic. Now for the love of Circe, give him to me and get going before he…"

"ALBUS! J-J-JAMIE! Daddy's leaving us!"

"Does that!" Draco hissed vehemently. He barely had enough time to subject his husband to a harassed glare before three more tornados careened into the kitchen.

"Whassamatter?" James Sirius yawned sleepily, ruffling his brown hair. He was carrying two year old Lily clumsily and holding a wide eyed Albus by the hand.

"D-daddy's going away!" Scorpius howled again, burying his face in Harry's neck "Make him s-s-stop!"

"For Merlin's sake!" Draco exclaimed, but the damage had been done. The reactions were varied but instantaneous.

"Nooooo!"Albus shrieked, breaking away from James and latching on to Harry's leg. He gazed up at his father, all large, teary green eyes and messy hair. "Daddy, you can't go! Please d-don't go!" he wailed plaintively. Scorpius joined his brother in a screeching, sobbing duet and Harry gulped, looking like he was about one step from joining in himself. James took a more proactive approach. "Hide the floo powder! He can't leave if there's no powder!" he yelled, dropping Lily on her bum and clambering over the sofa in a bid to reach for said powder. His parents watched in morbid fascination as a crystal vase met an untimely end in his haste and shattered into pieces. Lily blinked in surprise at her sudden abandonment and then proceeded to do what she did best and burst out bawling. Draco and Harry stood in the middle of their little menagerie, surrounded by howls, tears, pleas and -in James' case- warrior whoops and random cries of "I am Batman!" until Harry couldn't take it any more.

"I'm not going" he declared helplessly, teetering as he clutched hold of Scorpius with one hand and tried to soothe a sobbing Albus with the other "This is too much. I'll...I'll just call in sick or something."

At that, Draco basically did his nut. "You bloody well won't! And the rest of you, shut up!" he roared, bringing the chaos to a screeching halt. Draco however, was undeterred and seethedon.

"I have bloody well had enough! Anyone who makes one more sound is grounded, you hear me? Grounded! That includes you!" he added, pointing a finger at his husband who swallowed and nodded hurriedly.

Again, the reactions were varied and instantaneous.

Albus and Scorpius cut short their latest rendition of Wailing Like the Damnedin two seconds flat,Lily subsided with a surprised gurgle and James froze mid jump before plunging off the sofa and seeking refuge behind Harry. Draco took his time to cast another glare at his cowering family before taking a deep breath and launching into crisis management.

"All right, now I'll tell you what we're not going to do. We are not going to cry, screech and run around like a bunch of heathens. James, stop using your father as a shield. And for Merlin's sake, pick your sister up. Albus, let go of Daddy's leg. You understand that he can't get you any presents if you don't let him leave. Scorpius, Daddy will owl you everyday, I promise. I know you're all upset, but parents have to go away sometimes. Daddy is not leaving you and I'm still here with all of you. He'll be back before you know it and we need to stick together until then, all right?"

Reluctant mumbles of "Yes, Father" sounded and Draco sighed in relief, issuing a quick nod of approval. "Now, say goodbye to your father and please, pleasego to bed."

Five minutes later, peace had been restored. James and Lily were settled on the couch having said their goodbyes, Scorpius had been transferred from one parent to another and Albus' list of expected presents had been expanded to include a flying broomstick that he really, really needed and a Pygmy Puff that he would feed and clean up after and never, ever flush down the toilet. Draco rolled his eyes. At least the end was in sight. Harry might make it out yet.

Just then, Ron and Hermione flooed in. Ron brushed soot off himself and Hermione stopped short as she surveyed the small and very awake party with amazement. "What in the world…"

"It's a long story" Harry sighed.

"Say no more, mate" Ron commiserated, clapping his friend on the back and nodding at Draco "Just said goodbye to Hugo and Rosy too."

"That must have been fun" Harry muttered ruefully.

Ron shrugged before turning to the sombre children and grinning cheerfully at the sulky faces surrounding him "Come on! Why the long faces? Your Dad and I will be back in a flash. Won't we, Harry?"

"Uncle Ron's going too?"James bellowed, dropping Lily again.

"Weasley, you idiot!" Draco snarled as Albus and Scorpius descended into fresh howls and Lily began her impression of a mandrake root again. Harry whimpered and held his head in his hands and Ron sputtered uselessly. Blessedly, Hermione stepped in. "Honestly, Ron!" she exclaimed, slapping her flailing husband's arm and picking Lily up. She turned to Harry and Draco and nudged them meaningfully. "We'll handle the children. Use your spare floo in the kitchen. Hurry!"

Draco and Harry retreated to the kitchen as quickly as they could, leaving a more than capable Hermione to deal with their sobbing children. Harry bolted in first, leaning against the counter in relief. "Merlin's pants, what a mess!" he exclaimed, running an agitated hand through his hair "I better get going before they bring the house down."

"You should. Owl when you...when you get there, yeah?" Draco replied thickly, turning his head away and suddenly looking very interested in the kitchen wallpaper.

Harry stopped short and gaped at his husband. "Draco?"

"What?" the blond sniffed, rubbing his eyes discreetly.

"You're not…you're not crying,are you?"

"No?" Draco managed in a wobbly voice, right before he sniffed again and hid his face in his hand.

"Merlin, not you too" Harry groaned.

Draco whimpered, his slender frame trembling as he sobbed into his hands. Harry was only human. He caved, approaching Draco and gathering him up in his arms, trying to soothe an over-emotional blond for the second time that night. "I guess you were right about the whole Malfoys being dramatic thing" he commented, rubbing his back gently.

"Sh-shut up, Potter" Draco stuttered, sobbing into his shoulder again.

Harry's heart ached. "Please stop crying, love. One of us has to be the rational one and we both know you're better at it."

Draco only responded by crying harder, his tears drenching an already tear soaked Harry who was trying his best to appease his sobbing spouse. He shushed him, whispering gentle reassurances in his ear as he held him tight, rubbing soothing circles down his back. Eventually Draco calmed down, except for the occasional sniff. Harry didn't dare let go, keeping his hands firmly around Draco's slender waist as the blond rested against him.

"I'm never getting to France, am I?" Harry muttered half-jokingly, stroking his husband's hip.

"Go" the blond mumbled, trying to push him away "I'll be fine…just got all…sappy and stupid…"

"I'm not leaving you like this" Harry said gently, pulling his hands and trapping them between their chests so he couldn't pry away "And you're not stupid. Hell, I feel like crying myself."

"I know" Draco whimpered again, burying his face further into Harry's chest. "And I'm s-sorry. I just…it's hard when you leave, Harry. It's like everything is out of sorts and…and our bed is cold and empty and I have to hold everything together and I can't even feel sad about it, because the kids cry and it's bloody hard, Harry and I just…I can't…"

He trailed off and broke into sobs again and Harry stood there, just holding him and shushing him gently. "Its okay" he whispered against the blond's hair "You don't have to be strong all the time. I've got you."

"You're leaving" Draco mumbled. It was a fair point and Harry thought carefully before responding.

"It's just a week" he said, using Draco's own reasoning.

"It's a whole week" Draco retorted, playing the same card.

"I'll be back before you know it" Harry replied gently, but Draco only clung on harder.

"Promise?" he asked in a small voice, sounding a lot like Scorpius all of a sudden. Harry's hold tightened.

"I swear" he said, his lips quirking as he added "Besides, I'll bring you back presents."

"Damn straight you will" Draco muttered. Harry laughed and Draco finally stirred, disentangling himself from Harry's embrace sheepishly and wiping his eyes. Harry grinned as he swooped down and captured his lips in a fierce kiss. He cradled Draco's face in his hands, pouring everything he had left unsaid into that one kiss- intent on convincing Draco, reassuring him the only way he knew how. By the time he broke away, Draco was panting softly and looking a tad dazed, but he wasn't crying anymore. Harry trailed his fingers down his jaw before pulling away regretfully. "I really have to go now" he sighed.

"Come back soon" Draco replied softly, as he handed him the floo powder "We need you."

Harry gave him one last kiss, before striding into the emerald flames. As he hurtled off a thousand miles away from the people he loved more than anything else in the world, he made a silent promise to return as soon as he possibly could. And when he did, Merlin himself wasn't going to take him away from them ever again.

Reviews, please!