Chapter Text
Chapter 12
"You didn't tell your friends about us?" Harry inquired sleepily, opening one eye.
He was quite cosy and warm, enveloped by comfortable blankets and one arm wrapped around his waist, so he was quite reluctant to fully wake up, never mind actually get out of bed.
"Not yet, because I knew she would be screeching like a banshee," Draco answered irritably and rose up, side-eyeing Harry when he uttered a vague noise of protest at the arm abandoning him. "You told anyone else aside from your friends?"
"Andromeda knows," Harry replied and pulled the blankets tighter around his shoulders. "Fleur and Bill, obviously. Don't think the others knew yet, but they probably will now."
Unless the entire Weasley family had suddenly decided to quit reading the newspaper or listening to the radio or the gossip, which was quite unlikely.
"Draconis Lucius Malfoy, explain yourself!" Parkinson shrieked.
"I see what you mean," Harry mumbled, blinking in surprise. Had she always had such a loud voice?
Draco snorted and swung his legs out of the bed; his wings flapping agitatedly a couple of times. "I'll go see her before she gets it into her head to actually step through," he muttered darkly. "You can go back to sleep, it's still early."
"Hm." Harry closed his eyes, listening to Draco grumble how he was going to revoke Parkinson's Floo privileges.
It made him snort quietly and shuffle a bit more to the middle of the bed, spreading himself out. He was pretty sure Draco had somehow enlarged his bed, because he could swear his own bed was smaller.
He had intended to fall back asleep, sleep just lingering outside his reach, but when he started thinking about what the newspapers might be currently spouting about them, he couldn't find sleep so easily anymore. He wasn't worried perse about what they would say. No doubt most of it would be utter bullshit, because the newspapers rarely wrote a whole article of truth about him. He had anticipated that, had expected that after he had kissed Draco in plain view of everyone last night. He knew which risk he had taken by not only taking Draco out into the public, but also by kissing him when surrounded by reporters on all sides.
The news being out like this now did make him wonder how the rest of the Weasleys would react. He wasn't really worried that they would cuss him out – they might question his sanity, though – but he wasn't really looking forward to being bombarded by all their questions either. Hm, perhaps he should have warned them beforehand, but then again he doubted that would have prevented the stream of questions he would no doubt receive.
He laid there for a while, soaking up the warmth of the blankets, but when a while passed without the Veela returning, he eventually sat up and pricked his ears. He couldn't hear anything, but that wasn't strange if Draco had cast a Privacy ward.
Pulling on his socks as he obviously had no slippers here, he walked out of the bedroom, aiming for the fireplace in the living room. Draco was still seated in front of it; the tips of his wings fluttering in an annoyed manner. As soon as Harry came within a certain distance, a silent 'pop' filled his ears: a Privacy ward had indeed been erected, but his presence for some reason had cut right through it. Another thing that could be linked to the bond between them?
With no ward keeping the sounds contained, he could clearly hear the argument going on between Draco and Parkinson now.
"… you ever call me at an ungodly hour again, you will regret it," Draco was threatening her.
"And what if I'm dying, huh?" she shot back; her head floating between the flames.
"Then die at a later hour," he retorted unimpressed, baring his teeth. "I've got better things to do than attend to your screeching."
"I do not fucking screech, you arsehole," she hissed. Something must have tipped her off to Harry's presence, because suddenly her gaze shifted around Draco and landed on Harry. Her eyes widened a notch and she started smirking. "Oh, I see, so that's what you mean with 'better things to do'," she mocked.
"What are you - " Draco turned around and spotted Harry waiting next to the armchair.
Harry shrugged and loosely crossed his arms. "Was wondering what kept you for so long," he explained and levelled an even look at Parkinson. "Good morning, Parkinson."
"Oh, I bet it's a good morning for you, Potter," she smirked, not even flinching when Draco hissed. "You two created quite a show last night, I must admit. You're front page on every newspaper."
"My, I didn't see that one coming," Harry said dryly.
"It's quite the interesting way to come out, I have to give you that," she continued before turning back to Draco. "But it would have been a lot more interesting if you'd told your friends about your new lover instead of reporters knowing about him first!"
"Perhaps I would have felt more inclined to do so if you could actually keep your mouth shut for longer than ten minutes," Draco smiled thinly. "Now, why don't you fuck off before my patience really runs out?"
"I don't know what you see in such a boorish person," she addressed Harry with a sniff before rolling her eyes. "I'm not holding Blaise back, just so you know. Oh and I'd say good luck dealing with the school's reaction after this, but you can fuck right off after being so rude."
She shut the Floo connection abruptly; the flames turning a merrily red and golden again.
"She's going to stay mad for long?" Harry questioned.
"If only," Draco snorted and rose up, stretching his shoulders. "She'd be doing me a favour then and that's not something she's willing to do."
"She's right about one thing, though," Harry mentioned and tilted his head back to accept Draco's kiss.
"Yeah? That'd be a first. About what?"
"The school's reaction."
Draco paused and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ah fuck."
That summed up Harry's feelings about the topic perfectly.
If the media went wild at the news that Harry Potter was dating Draco Malfoy, the students went even more insane. They burst out in loud chattering the second both Harry and Draco set foot inside the Great Hall for breakfast; hundreds of pairs of eyes glued onto them as they made their way to the front.
"I'm getting déjà vu," Harry muttered dryly, thinking back to all those moments during his own school years when other students had gawked at him.
"Told you we could have had breakfast in our room," Draco reminded him, casting a cold glare at a girl whose stare lingered just a tad too long on Harry.
She squeaked and went fire red, ducking her head and appearing quite fascinated all of a sudden by her bowl of cereals.
"We would only have delayed the inevitable then," Harry sighed and sat down, studying the breakfast options. "Better to get it over with quickly."
"Good morning, Harry, Draco," McGonagall greeted them mildly; a faint smile curling the corners of her mouth. "It appears you have enjoyed yourself at the Ministry's Ball yesterday."
"You know me, always having a blast," Harry said lightly.
"It is certainly one way to announce one's relationship," Sprout remarked dryly. "We can only hope the students will have calmed down by Monday."
"Perhaps I can start on the lesson of Silencing Charms earlier than usual," Flitwick mused aloud.
"Maybe I can ask Severus for lessons how to terrify students with one look," Draco murmured, smirking when Harry jabbed him in his side.
"Have Parkinson shriek at them, that should do the trick," Harry suggested instead.
"A very tempting suggestion, but she would take that as blanket authorisation to enter my quarters any time she wants. With that woman, if you give her an inch, she takes a mile," Draco said primly.
The loud chattering was briefly interrupted when owls poured through the windows, carrying mail with them. The sight of one familiar owl had Harry hiding his grimace behind his hand.
"One of the Weasleys?" Draco asked when the owl landed in front of Harry's plate, promptly sticking out his paw at him.
"Yeah, Ron's," Harry answered and accepted the letter.
Ron and Hermione had most likely tried to contact him through the Floo once they realised what had happened. With Harry having stayed the night at Draco's quarters, they had resorted to sending an owl instead.
Ron's familiar scratchy handwriting greeted him when he opened the letter.
Mate,
You never do things by half, huh? We already had mum Floo calling us, demanding why none of us told her about Malfoy before. We'll hold them back for now, but you'll have to talk with them. Before mum decides to test the strength of your wards and drown you in her letters.
R.
"The Weasley matron really needs to remember that you aren't an actual Weasley," Draco said scornfully, obviously having read the letter as well. "What does it matter who you date? You don't need their permission for that."
"No, but I am close with them," Harry sighed and folded the letter, sticking it into his pocket for now. "I should have told them about us earlier, but I haven't had any real time for that yet."
Mainly because it wouldn't be as easy as simply telling them, "Hey, just so you know, I'm dating Draco now!". There would be questions and demands why he hadn't informed them as soon as he had made his decision. At best that would take up half a day. At worst …
"I still maintain she should back off," Draco mumbled, scowling. "It's none of her business who you date."
Harry stifled a second sigh. There was no point in arguing about it now. The Weasleys and the Malfoys weren't exactly known for being best friends. They would have to learn to get along eventually, though, if only because Harry wasn't willing to keep those parts of his life separate forever.
"Do you think your parents will be upset about us coming out in the newspaper like that?" he asked.
It was too late to ask such a question, he knew, but it was only now, surrounded by eager gazes and gossiping mouths, that he realised Narcissa and Lucius might not be so happy with their public stunt.
"I doubt father will congratulate us for it," Draco scoffed and filled his mug with coffee. "But it's not as if they didn't know about us before this morning. Mother most likely already acknowledged that the press would get involved eventually."
"Unfortunately," Harry muttered and started filling his plate with toast and eggs.
He would need the energy to deal with the Weasleys' questions later today.
To say that the Weasleys were wary at best was the understatement of the year. Harry went over to their house after breakfast, figuring the quicker he explained everything, the better. Ron and Hermione could only hold back Molly for so long after all.
Percy, Bill and Charlie weren't present. Charlie was still in Romania and wouldn't be back home before Christmas. Bill was visiting Fleur's parents with his wife and Percy wouldn't forgo his work for something as inane as Harry's love life in his eyes.
That left Harry to face Molly, Arthur, Ginny and George with Ron and Hermione remaining in the background, offering their quiet support. Draco wasn't present, because that would just be a recipe for disaster. Perhaps later they could meet, but for now it was best to keep them separate still.
After Harry finished telling them everything – from finding out about Draco's wings to his identity as a Veela to his decision to try dating him – George was the first one to react.
"Always knew there had to be something more than just a pissing contest between you two!" he crowed, laughing his arse off.
Even when being the butt of the joke, Harry couldn't help but smile, happy that George was taking it so well. He hadn't really thought the older man would react badly, but it was nonetheless nice to witness his easy acceptance.
"If he hurts you, I know where to find him," Ginny promised darkly, tapping her wand against her hand. Yellow sparks followed the tapping, disappearing harmlessly.
"You'll have to get in line then," Hermione piped up.
It might have sounded like a joke, but when Harry glanced at her, she was utterly serious. Honestly, if his students thought he could be scary, they clearly hadn't met Hermione and Ginny.
"As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter to us," Arthur smiled soothingly, though a hint of worry still lurked in his eyes. "We just hadn't expected you to start dating him."
"It was somewhat of a surprise to me as well," Harry said dryly. "We're good, though, together, I mean."
Molly took a deep breath and stepped forwards, drawing him in a firm embrace. "I know you're an adult and we don't have anything to say about it," she said softly. "I can't exactly promise that we'll get along right away, but we're willing to try. If he makes you happy, that's all that matters to us."
"At least you got taste in the looks department," George piped up. "I have to give him that."
Harry shook his head amused and readily accepted Molly drawing him into the kitchen for a slice of cake and a cup of coffee.
He wasn't naïve to think that this meant an immediate truce would happen between the Weasleys and the Malfoys. They were willing to try for him, however, and that was the most important part.
The second he stepped out of the fireplace, he was accosted by a pair of arms followed by a pair of pure white wings, which curled around him, shielding him from head to toe.
"So, should I prepare myself for a litany of curses?" Draco drawled; his hands resting low on Harry's back.
Harry smiled and wrapped his arms around Draco's neck, playing with the tufts of hair there. "Only if you decide to be a prick and hurt me."
The Veela raised an eyebrow, looking dubiously. "I'm getting off that easily?" he asked sceptically.
"You haven't done anything to hurt me so far," Harry said and shrugged. "Are they deliriously happy about this? No, but they trust my judgement and they want to see me happy."
"And I make you happy."
It was interesting how Draco managed to sound both smug, yet somewhat uncertain at the same time.
"If I wasn't happy, would I do this?" Harry questioned rhetorically and rose up to kiss Draco.
Draco returned the kiss enthusiastically; his hands dipping slightly lower to rest on Harry's arse. A pleased hum left Harry when those hands started kneading, sending small sparks of pleasure through him. It had him stepping closer to Draco, pressing their bodies fully together.
When they broke apart for a moment, Draco released a breathless chuckle. "Well, you would have an interesting way of showing your displeasure otherwise."
"I didn't hear you complaining," Harry smiled and tugged Draco to the couch.
The few rays of sunlight that had managed to fight their way through the clouds earlier today had completely disappeared by now, leaving only an overcast sky behind. He had stayed longer at the Weasleys than expected, but at least he had left on good terms. It remained to be seen how they would react when Harry would take Draco with him, but that was an issue to be dealt with later.
"McGonagall already spotted some reporters trying to break through the wards earlier today," Draco mentioned, pulling Harry into his side.
"Yeah, I thought that might happen," Harry sighed.
He briefly considered the essays he still needed to grade, but decided that could wait until tomorrow. He was far too comfortable at the moment to move away or even bring the essays over here.
"They're not going to let this go for a while," Draco said, rubbing circles over Harry's shoulder.
"Probably not," Harry said and rested his hand on Draco's knee. "No matter how we would have come out, they would have made a fuss about it regardless. Might as well get it over now."
"You regret it?" Draco inquired.
Just like before his tone was casual, but there was a slight tremor present, barely audible unless someone paid attention.
"No, I don't," Harry said honestly. "Could I do without the press' bullshit? Yeah, but I've always felt that way since they started hounding me. No matter what others have to say about us, I don't care. I choose you and they just have to deal with that."
"Same for me," Draco murmured and tilted Harry's head to kiss him again.
It was doubtful that people would stop bothering them for at least the next couple of months. There would be outrage from people who thought they had any say in who Harry dated. Owls would keep trying to deliver letters and Howlers until even the most persistent person would have to give up when they would realise that nothing they said would change Harry's mind. Reporters would keep trying to get through the wards until Hogwarts would have enough of it and would kick them away forcefully.
That all didn't matter. The only thing that did, was them. All the rest could piss off.
"And then they got married and had me!" Scorpius squealed with a large grin, clapping his hands together.
Narcissa smiled indulgently, stroking his hair back. It wasn't as if it had been as easy as Scorpius presented it to be. The uproar about their relationship hadn't died out for months on end. Even now there was the occasional wizard or witch who thought they had any right to judge their relationship. Even physical attacks including curses hadn't been uncommon. Those attacks had only stopped when the full depth of the Veela bond had been revealed.
Her son and Harry probably had to withstand more rage and uproar than any other couple ever had to do, but they had only come out stronger in the end.
"Now it's really time for you to go to sleep," she said. "It's getting quite late after all."
Scorpius pouted, but acquiesced easily, not putting up a fuss when she tucked him under and pressed a kiss on his forehead. "Sweet dreams, sweetheart."
"Good night, grandmother!" Scorpius chirped and like a good boy he closed his eyes, curling his hands around the edge of his blankets.
Leaving the small glowing ball to act as a nightlight behind, she left the door ajar before making her way downstairs. She contemplated making a cup of tea, but the sound of the front door opening had her returning to the hallway. Draco was helping Harry remove his outer cloak when she approached them.
"Did you enjoy your date?" she asked, smiling. Judging by their light pink cheeks, she would say they had enjoyed their evening out.
"Very much, the restaurant was great; the food was amazing," Harry grinned. His grin turned soft when his eyes flicked upstairs. "How was Scorpius? Was he good?"
"He was an angel," she chuckled. "I just finished telling him a bedtime story; he fell asleep as soon as I stepped outside."
"Let me guess," Draco smiled wryly after storing away their cloaks, "he wanted to hear the story of how we got together?"
"You guessed it," she smiled. "He really does love that story."
"I'm sorry you have to keep telling him that," Harry apologised with an exasperated smile. "I'll leave some books behind the next time."
"Don't worry about it. I don't mind telling him; it's nice to see him so excited about it every time," she assured him. "And he goes to sleep easily after hearing it. Truly, I don't mind."
"In that case," Harry spoke and she lifted an eyebrow at the sight of the mischievous glint in his eyes, "would you mind having a second pair of ears to listen to the story in the near future?"
"A second pair?" she repeated faintly; her breath hitching at the implication. Her eyes darted to Harry's stomach. "Do you mean you're - "
"I'm pregnant," Harry smiled widely, confirming her hope.
Draco came to stand after him, linking his arms around his mate's waist. "Fifteen weeks so far," he informed her proudly.
If she was capable of seeing his wings, no doubt they would be fluttering like mad.
"A second grandchild," she murmured in awe before stepping forwards, kissing Harry on his cheeks. "This is such amazing news! A second baby, oh Merlin!"
"A second baby," Draco confirmed; his eyes glistening. He accepted her kiss easily, even hugging her. "We thought you would like this news."
"Like?" She laughed gently, shaking her head and blinking her eyes rapidly when they started stinging. "This is such amazing news! I can't wait to have another little one to dote on!"
"Sorry if you end up telling our story for years to come," Harry said amused.
She waved his apology away. "I wouldn't mind at all!"
How could she mind that when that meant she would have another grandchild to love and spoil?
"I think I saw actual tears in her eyes," Harry wondered after Narcissa had left using the Floo. "I haven't seen her cry before."
"Oh she has. She cried when we Bonded and when we told her you were expecting Scorpius," Draco said, nuzzling the hollow underneath Harry's ear. "Thank you for telling her first about our baby."
"Of course, she is the grandmother after all," Harry hummed and turned around in his husband's embrace. He quirked a grin. "Just don't tell my friends she got to hear the news first. I wouldn't hear the end of that for months."
"Wouldn't want them to feel slighted for not hearing something new about you immediately for once," Draco scoffed.
"Be nice," Harry chided gently.
"I'm always nice," Draco sniffed and released Harry when the man went to bend down in order to remove his shoes. The Veela tutted in reproach. "Let me do that."
"You know, I can still see my feet, so I don't need your help," Harry said amused and laughed when he was literally swept off his feet by Draco and carried into the living room.
"I like doing that for you," Draco said simply and lowered him on the couch.
"Be careful or I will ask you to do this every day once I get too fat to bend down properly," Harry warned him lightly.
"One, you're not getting fat; you're pregnant," Draco corrected him instantly as he set about removing Harry's shoes. "Two, please, if you would actually let yourself be selfish like that for once, I'd be surprised."
"You make me not being selfish like that sound like an insult," Harry snorted.
"You could do with being more selfish," Draco retorted; rehearsing an argument they had had many times before and probably would have for many more times to come.
Harry just hummed and stretched his legs. "We'll have to tell Scorpius tomorrow that he's going to be a big brother."
"He's going to be excited, I bet," Draco smiled.
Resting one hand on the subtle swell of his stomach, Harry was hyperaware of the way silver grey eyes became glued onto his hand.
"So, I was wondering," he started innocently, pretending he didn't notice the intense stare, "did you not like our dinner?"
"Why wouldn't I have liked it?" Draco asked airily, sitting down next to Harry after getting rid of his own shoes, directing them to the shoe cabinet in the hallway.
"Well, you looked ready to set it on fire," Harry said dryly.
The unimpressed look he received had him pursing his lips in amusement.
"You know very well what pissed me off at the restaurant." Silver grey eyes darkened a tad further, gleaming like steel.
"Let me tell you something," Harry said and crawled onto the Veela's lap; hands automatically settling down on his hips. "I wouldn't have even known that waiter had been flirting with me if you hadn't been staring daggers at him."
"He's lucky that I didn't have an actual dagger," Draco muttered darkly. "You'd think after seven years they would know you're off limits."
"How about you remind me of that?" Harry asked faux-innocently.
He could muffle his laughter just in time by kissing Draco when the blond man abruptly stood up and carried Harry all the way to their bedroom.
No matter how many years would go by, Harry didn't think he would ever get tired of seeing those stunning white wings spread out above him, creating their own private bubble. Especially when paired with the silver eyes glowing down at him.
Running his hand across the right wing, his fingers sliding carefully across the feathers, earned him a low croon. He couldn't help but gasp and squeeze the edge of the wing when Draco's next thrust went deeper; his cock sliding deep, the head of it pressing bluntly against his prostate, sending a bolt of pleasure through his body. His toes curled into the mattress and he arched his back, trying to relax his hand before he would hurt Draco, but it was difficult when Draco was ruthless, keeping his thrusts deep and strong, aiming for that one particular spot within Harry each time.
"So-sorry," he mumbled senselessly, moaning when teeth nipped at his lower lip.
"Why apologise?" Draco hummed, which deepened in a croon; his hand slipping between their bodies to caress Harry's stomach. "I adore you, you know."
"Hm, I know," Harry sighed and finally managed to convince his hand to release Draco's wing; wrapping his arms around the Veela's shoulders instead.
If this had been ten years ago, he might not have so readily believed that someone who wasn't his closest friend would adore him so much. Being with Draco, though, had changed his mind about that. It had taken a little while but now when Draco spoke those words, Harry could actually believe them.
"I love you," he whispered against Draco's lips.
"I love you too," Draco said and those words sounded like an oath.
As their mouths met each other in a deep kiss, Draco's wings spread out tall and wide above them, quivering underneath Harry's touch.
Theirs was a story that was never ending.
The End