![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hp_bito_mod posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
hp_bunintheovenTitle: For Lack of a Good Role Model
Author/Artist:reeby10
Pairing(s): Dudley Dursley/Draco Malfoy
Prompt: #O8
Summary: Draco’s pregnant and that’s a lot to deal with. He’s got to tell Dudley first of all, but more terrifying than that is wondering if he can even be a good father.
Word Count: 1,200
Rating: G
Warnings/Contains: n/a
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Draco stared blankly at the parchment where the results of the diagnostic spell he’d performed had appeared. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting. Or hoping for, honestly. And he certainly wasn’t sure how he felt about what the spell had revealed.
He was pregnant.
He’d done the diagnostic spell with the possibility at the back of his mind, since all his symptoms had pointed in that direction. But it was only at the back of his mind. It wasn’t something he’d seriously considered. After all, the chances of a wizard conceiving by a muggle were low. Very low.
And yet… here he was. There was no mistaking what the parchment told him. He could get a second opinion from an actual medic, but he was sure in his spell casting abilities and he knew he wouldn’t get a different answer.
Which meant he was going to have a baby. He was going to be a father.
Draco let out a breath, the parchment slipping from suddenly lax fingers. A father? Him? There was no way. He was going to be terrible. Horrible. He didn’t even know how to be a father, not really. It wasn’t like his own was a great role model, so how was he supposed to know what to do? This poor child, stuck with him for a father.
The front door of the flat opened, making him jump in surprise. “Draco, you home?”
Dudley was home from work and Draco hadn’t even noticed what time it was. He’d been too in his head about finding out he was pregnant. Another surge of fear and worry shot through him at the thought, bolstered by the realization that he was going to have to tell Dudley. He just wasn’t sure how to do that. Maybe it was for the best if he just… waited.
They’d discussed the more physical — or was it magical? — aspect of it before, of course, when they started their relationship. Dudley had been surprised wizards could get pregnant, since muggle men couldn’t. But Draco had thought at the time that there was almost no chance of it happening for them, so that was really all the discussion had covered.
Oh how wrong he’d been about all of that.
“Draco?” Dudley called again, now much closer. “Are you in there?”
Before Draco could tell him not to or to come up with any type of excuse, the bathroom door opened to reveal Dudley standing there, a worried look on his face. The look only deepened when he took in Draco’s pale form, the way his fists were clenched by his sides and the desperate worry that probably clouded his own face.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Dudley asked, stepping up to put his arms around Draco. He obviously didn't know what was going on or what to do, but Draco appreciated the comfort. He’d never really had someone who would hold him when he was upset. “Is… did something happen?”
Draco shook his head, then immediately nodded. He didn’t want to tell Dudley, not when his own thoughts and feelings were still so mixed up, but he knew this wasn’t something he could hide. Nor did he really want to, as surprising as that was. After several years together, he and Dudley were in a good place and the trust they’d built had been hard won. He didn’t want to mess that up, especially when Dudley had a right to know what was going on.
“I’ve got to tell you something,” Draco said, pulling himself together as best he could. It had been a long time since he’d relied on his Malfoy training, but here he needed that cold stability. At least for the moment. “It’s not bad. Or not as bad as you’re probably thinking.”
Dudley nodded and followed Draco into the living room. There was still that pinched, worried look on his face, but it had smoothed out somewhat. Draco hoped that it would go away completely, but he had to admit that what they needed to talk about might just make it worse.
“You might have noticed I’ve not been feeling the best lately,” he started, waiting for Dudley to nod before going on. “I did a spell to find out why. And, well…”
Draco couldn’t take the way Dudley was staring at him, intense and focused in a way that usually made him feel special but today just made him feel overwhelmed. He looked away, then took a deep breath. He could do this.
“I’m pregnant.”
It was silent for several long minutes, long enough that Draco’s heart was racing, breath coming suddenly faster as his thoughts spiraled. Of course Dudley was disgusted and upset. Of course Dudley didn’t want to have a family with him. Who would? He wasn’t worth loving or wanting, not really, not for the long run.
He glanced back at Dudley, unable to take it anymore. At least if he was rejected, the faster he could leave and figure out how to do this all on his own. But the look on Dudley’s face made him stop, breath catching in his throat.
There was no disgust or anger or anything like that on Dudley’s face. Instead there was… Draco didn’t know what to call it but awe. Dudley was looking at Draco like he was amazing, something precious and fantastic.
It was exactly the reaction he didn’t even know until that moment that he craved, and without even thinking about it, he collapsed into Dudley, his boyfriend’s arms coming up to hold him with an almost crushing grip. They stayed there long enough that Draco lost track of time, content to find comfort in each other.
“I’m not sure I’ll be a good dad,” Dudley murmured after a while. Draco almost pulled back at the words, but Dudley held on. “I didn’t have a good role model, you know? My dad was awful, and I didn’t even realize that for so long. Almost too long.”
Draco nodded, because he knew that feeling all too well. For all that he and Dudley had grown up in completely different worlds, they were a lot alike in many ways. They’d had similar experiences with family. It was one of the reasons they got along so well; they understood each other.
“So I don’t know how to be a good dad. But I want to,” Dudley continued.
He pressed a kiss to the side of Draco’s head, then pulled away so they could look at each other. Draco could see the happiness in his face now, the excitement overtaking the apprehension he knew lay behind it. Because this was a scary change, yes, but they both knew it would be worth it.
“At least we know what not to do,” Draco offered with a small smile. “We know we don’t want to turn into… them. So we won’t. We’ll do our best.”
“Yeah, we’ll do our best.”
Dudley leaned in to press their lips together, a little desperate, a lot full of joy. It was perfect, and in that moment, Draco knew they were going to be ok. They were going to have a child together, and no matter what happened or how hard it ended up being, they would be together through it.
“I can’t wait to be a dad with you.”
Author/Artist:
reeby10Pairing(s): Dudley Dursley/Draco Malfoy
Prompt: #O8
Summary: Draco’s pregnant and that’s a lot to deal with. He’s got to tell Dudley first of all, but more terrifying than that is wondering if he can even be a good father.
Word Count: 1,200
Rating: G
Warnings/Contains: n/a
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Draco stared blankly at the parchment where the results of the diagnostic spell he’d performed had appeared. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting. Or hoping for, honestly. And he certainly wasn’t sure how he felt about what the spell had revealed.
He was pregnant.
He’d done the diagnostic spell with the possibility at the back of his mind, since all his symptoms had pointed in that direction. But it was only at the back of his mind. It wasn’t something he’d seriously considered. After all, the chances of a wizard conceiving by a muggle were low. Very low.
And yet… here he was. There was no mistaking what the parchment told him. He could get a second opinion from an actual medic, but he was sure in his spell casting abilities and he knew he wouldn’t get a different answer.
Which meant he was going to have a baby. He was going to be a father.
Draco let out a breath, the parchment slipping from suddenly lax fingers. A father? Him? There was no way. He was going to be terrible. Horrible. He didn’t even know how to be a father, not really. It wasn’t like his own was a great role model, so how was he supposed to know what to do? This poor child, stuck with him for a father.
The front door of the flat opened, making him jump in surprise. “Draco, you home?”
Dudley was home from work and Draco hadn’t even noticed what time it was. He’d been too in his head about finding out he was pregnant. Another surge of fear and worry shot through him at the thought, bolstered by the realization that he was going to have to tell Dudley. He just wasn’t sure how to do that. Maybe it was for the best if he just… waited.
They’d discussed the more physical — or was it magical? — aspect of it before, of course, when they started their relationship. Dudley had been surprised wizards could get pregnant, since muggle men couldn’t. But Draco had thought at the time that there was almost no chance of it happening for them, so that was really all the discussion had covered.
Oh how wrong he’d been about all of that.
“Draco?” Dudley called again, now much closer. “Are you in there?”
Before Draco could tell him not to or to come up with any type of excuse, the bathroom door opened to reveal Dudley standing there, a worried look on his face. The look only deepened when he took in Draco’s pale form, the way his fists were clenched by his sides and the desperate worry that probably clouded his own face.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Dudley asked, stepping up to put his arms around Draco. He obviously didn't know what was going on or what to do, but Draco appreciated the comfort. He’d never really had someone who would hold him when he was upset. “Is… did something happen?”
Draco shook his head, then immediately nodded. He didn’t want to tell Dudley, not when his own thoughts and feelings were still so mixed up, but he knew this wasn’t something he could hide. Nor did he really want to, as surprising as that was. After several years together, he and Dudley were in a good place and the trust they’d built had been hard won. He didn’t want to mess that up, especially when Dudley had a right to know what was going on.
“I’ve got to tell you something,” Draco said, pulling himself together as best he could. It had been a long time since he’d relied on his Malfoy training, but here he needed that cold stability. At least for the moment. “It’s not bad. Or not as bad as you’re probably thinking.”
Dudley nodded and followed Draco into the living room. There was still that pinched, worried look on his face, but it had smoothed out somewhat. Draco hoped that it would go away completely, but he had to admit that what they needed to talk about might just make it worse.
“You might have noticed I’ve not been feeling the best lately,” he started, waiting for Dudley to nod before going on. “I did a spell to find out why. And, well…”
Draco couldn’t take the way Dudley was staring at him, intense and focused in a way that usually made him feel special but today just made him feel overwhelmed. He looked away, then took a deep breath. He could do this.
“I’m pregnant.”
It was silent for several long minutes, long enough that Draco’s heart was racing, breath coming suddenly faster as his thoughts spiraled. Of course Dudley was disgusted and upset. Of course Dudley didn’t want to have a family with him. Who would? He wasn’t worth loving or wanting, not really, not for the long run.
He glanced back at Dudley, unable to take it anymore. At least if he was rejected, the faster he could leave and figure out how to do this all on his own. But the look on Dudley’s face made him stop, breath catching in his throat.
There was no disgust or anger or anything like that on Dudley’s face. Instead there was… Draco didn’t know what to call it but awe. Dudley was looking at Draco like he was amazing, something precious and fantastic.
It was exactly the reaction he didn’t even know until that moment that he craved, and without even thinking about it, he collapsed into Dudley, his boyfriend’s arms coming up to hold him with an almost crushing grip. They stayed there long enough that Draco lost track of time, content to find comfort in each other.
“I’m not sure I’ll be a good dad,” Dudley murmured after a while. Draco almost pulled back at the words, but Dudley held on. “I didn’t have a good role model, you know? My dad was awful, and I didn’t even realize that for so long. Almost too long.”
Draco nodded, because he knew that feeling all too well. For all that he and Dudley had grown up in completely different worlds, they were a lot alike in many ways. They’d had similar experiences with family. It was one of the reasons they got along so well; they understood each other.
“So I don’t know how to be a good dad. But I want to,” Dudley continued.
He pressed a kiss to the side of Draco’s head, then pulled away so they could look at each other. Draco could see the happiness in his face now, the excitement overtaking the apprehension he knew lay behind it. Because this was a scary change, yes, but they both knew it would be worth it.
“At least we know what not to do,” Draco offered with a small smile. “We know we don’t want to turn into… them. So we won’t. We’ll do our best.”
“Yeah, we’ll do our best.”
Dudley leaned in to press their lips together, a little desperate, a lot full of joy. It was perfect, and in that moment, Draco knew they were going to be ok. They were going to have a child together, and no matter what happened or how hard it ended up being, they would be together through it.
“I can’t wait to be a dad with you.”
no subject
Date: 2022-03-26 04:00 pm (UTC)