A Retrospect in Accolades

Chapter Two

The metamorphmagus woke to a blinding sliver of light streaming through a space the thick curtains seemed to have failed to cover. He picked up his wand to cast a Tempus but quickly remembered that no magic was permitted outside of school. He tucked his wand back under the pillow and quietly stepped out of his room in search of the time (rather an excuse for exploring).

After an encounter with an unknown rattling in an old desk drawer, stubbing his toe multiple times on unknown objects and nearly spilling his cousin's cauldron of a potion for unknown uses, Teddy made it to the study. With the thought that there could be no worse than what he had confronted in other rooms, he slowly creaked the door open to find a cozy looking Draco on the sofa, reading a muggle book.

The Malfoy looked up to see who the newcomer was and smiled. "You're up early." He commented, patting a space on the sofa for Teddy to sit.

"Are you usually up this early too?" The teen asked and sat down.

"No, but Harry's snoring woke me and I couldn't go back to sleep." Draco explained, turning a page.

"He snores?" Teddy asked, grinning with this new and silly knowledge of his godfather.

Draco nodded. "Want some breakfast? Tea?" Teddy politely declined both.

They sat in companionable silence as Draco returned his attention to the book. The guest looked around the study, noting it's cozy atmosphere inferring that this is where Harry and Draco spend a great deal of their time. Looking towards his cousin, Teddy saw that he was reading The Golden Book of Fairy Tales with depictions of various princesses and beasts on the cover. The younger couldn't help the amused grin that crossed his features.

"Oh I've never read muggle books and Harry told me this is where to start." Draco acknowledged the look.

Teddy remembered these stories about a girl who rides in a pumpkin carriage and another whose grandmother was eaten by a wolf. Grandma Andromeda had them in her- or rather Grandfather's old study. He stood up to examine the various objects in the current room, both magic and muggle. Picking up a vial of clear liquid he curiously asked, "What potion is this?"

Draco lazily turned, shrugged and did a double take. "That! Th-that's.. nothing." Teddy made to unscrew it. "No! It.. uh it could be poisonous." he stammered. "Just put it down and come here so I can cast a cleaning charm on you."

A cleaning charm? Was it that malignant? Teddy rushed back to Draco and stuck out his hands. Then a horrible realization dawned upon him. "Oh my god! Ew. Why do you have that in here? Potion my arse...Merlin, I'm scarred forever..."

Draco raised an eyebrow and smirked, casting the charm. Teddy felt a rush a magic cover his hands and fade.

"Now you know not prance about touching unknown substances."

The metamorphamagus nodded solemnly. He let his eyes sweep the room this time for a more general exploration in fear of more encounters such as these. A purple and gold glimmer caught his eye. As he approached, it became clear that the glimmer was from the decoration on the border of a piece of parchment framed on the wall.

Draco Lucius Malfoy

Order of Merlin

Third Class

The gawker's mouth dropped open. "I didn't know you had an Order of Merlin! It was obvious Harry did but you never told me you did!"

Draco attempted to cover a smug smile. He turned his head slowly and drawled, "Oh that old thing." followed by an even more casual swat of the hand. His nonchalance and imposed modesty somehow added an air of faux nobility.

"How did you get it? What did you do?"

Draco sighed dramatically. "It's a long story... too much adventure and oh..." He sighed again, "Maybe another day..."

"No! You can tell it now. We have time right?" Teddy urged excitedly.

"Well if you insist." The Malfoy sing-songed, suddenly correcting his posture and looking alert. "I'll get the tea." And hurried out.

In record time, Draco was back with a tray of tea and assortment of danishes. He leaned on one leg and put a hand on his hip, the other up to touch his forefinger to his chin. "Something's missing... ah! HARRY GET YOUR ARSE OUTTA BED AND COME HERE!"

Moments later, the cousins heard a patter of feet coming down the stairs to which, Draco gave a smug look.

"S-something wrong, Dray? Oh g'mornin', Teddy..." Harry walked in, wrapping his dressing gown tighter.

"Morning! Draco told me..." He saw Draco's rather stern and intimidating look that warned not to say anything and stopped.

"Here have some tea, love." Draco motioned to a steaming cup already made for Harry.

Harry leaned in to give Draco a quick peck on the lips and picked up his tea. "It's early..." he yawned.

"So Teddy was wondering about myorderofmerlinitsquiteastor y and I thought you should help tell it."

He said the point of his summon so fast neither Harry or Teddy understood. "What?"

Draco huffed. "I just thought to tell Teddy the story of how I got my Order of Merlin..."

"So?"

"And you have much to do with it. Help me tell it."

Harry's confused expression contorted into that of irritation. "You woke me up..." he started, "to help you brag?"

Draco nodded then changed direction into a negative. "Not brag. Just tell a story."

"For you it's the same." Harry retorted.

"Just sit down and help me tell it!"

Harry gave an exasperated sigh and sat in a comfy chair across his husband and godchild. In defeat he began, "Alright, so it starts with our jobs..."

"-You are pants at story telling, Potter! That's NOT how it starts anyway!." Draco intruded with useless correction.

The World's Savior rested his face in the palm of his hand, shaking his head. "Fine. Start it and I'll add some things."

Draco nodded in agreement. "So once upon a time I was an amazing Auror and Harry was my homely partner."

"That's not accurate, at all! An-and it does start with out jobs!"

Draco scowled.

"Long ago, when Draco didn't have that wrinkle right there" Harry poked the corner of Draco's eye, "or any white hairs..."

"For the last time, I don't have any white hairs! My hair is just a very pale blond." the insulted sniffed.

It was amusing for Teddy watch the exchange between his cousin and godfather. This summer was definitely going to go an interesting one. "Just get on with it!" he groaned.

The couple immediately ceased their bickering and gave deep sighs."The pensieve then?" the raven haired man suggested.

"No, this way is much more fun." The blonde declined.

"Yeah so you can tell it your way.. all glorious..." Harry mumbled.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing!" Harry said quickly and smiled charmingly.

Draco stared for a moment and continued. "So when I was an Auror and Harry, my incompetent fool of a partner..."