Harry bloody Potter Day

By Little Whinger

* This story takes place approximately 6 weeks after my last story, "Candles and Keys". *

Draco Malfoy woke up the morning of July 31, 2007, with a raging headache. And he already instinctively knew that it would not likely get any better for the rest of the day.

It was Harry's 27th birthday. Under normal circumstances, it would be no big deal. But this was Harry Potter, and his birthday had become a big deal since the Second Wizarding War.

After the sweet, simple, and (most importantly) private celebration that Harry had given Draco on his 27th, just a little over a month before, Draco knew he couldn't hope to compete with the shower of well-wishes that were sure to come. It had already started the day before, and the front hall and living room of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place were littered with piles of cards, letters and gifts. Most from total, random strangers.

As Draco made his way down the stairs to the main hall, and rounded the banister to head down to the kitchen, hoping that Kreacher had made the coffee extra strong that morning, he looked around at the mess of gifts. "Merlin!" he scoffed with a roll of the eyes, and kicked a stray box out of the way.

Taking a mug down off the shelf, he poured himself a cup of coffee, and ventured a sip. 'Good boy, Kreacher...you read my mind.' Picking up the plate of buttered toast sitting on the counter, still fresh and warm under a charm, he sat at the table and started eating.

"Morning, Dray," Harry's voice called a minute later as the man bounded down the kitchen stairs.

"Morning," Draco drawled, groggily, and smiled a bit as Harry leaned down and planted a kiss on him, winking, and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Look," Harry said, coming around the table to face him. "I know today is going to be a circus, and I'm sorry." He reached out and put a hand on Draco's arm. Draco nodded.

"I know," he murmured, then smirked. "You know, we could just call out sick...then neither of us would have to deal with it." Harry chuckled, dryly.

"I wish," he said, ruefully, sitting down opposite him, taking a slice of toast. "I can't help that my birthday has become an international Wizarding holiday. But it's Harry bloody Potter Day, and it's been ten years since the end of the War, and the Wizarding World can't exactly celebrate it without Harry Potter making at least some kind of appearance."

"You make it sound like you're that bleedin' squirrel that predicts the weather over in the States," Draco muttered, rolling his eyes. Harry scoffed, smirking.

"But you have to admit...I'm much cuter than that 'bleedin' squirrel', aren't I?" he joked, playfully nudging Draco's leg with his foot under the table.

"Oh, infinitely!" Draco deadpanned, taking another sip of his coffee and making an appreciative noise as it coursed down his throat.

"Well, look," Harry continued, "I promise you that I don't enjoy it." He took Draco's hand and laced their fingers together. "If it were up to me, which of course it isn't, even though it's supposed to be my day...but if it were up to me, we'd just have a nice, quiet dinner by ourselves, or a small gathering of our friends and family...like normal, non-world-saving people get to do."

"I know, Harry," Draco said. "And I love you...that will never change." He squeezed Harry's hand, lovingly, smiling.

"Better not!" Harry teased.

The two of them finished their breakfast, not saying much else about the impending day, just talking about the Quidditch scores on the Sports page of the Prophet.

Harry and Draco arrived at the Ministry an hour later, nearly being late because of their decision to have a quick shag in the shower while getting ready.

Stepping out of the Floo, Harry was immediately assaulted by huge banners of his face...well, his seventeen-year-old face...hanging all up and down the hall.

"Happy Birthday, Mister Potter!" began the round and chorus that would repeat itself all day. Harry plastered his public smile on, nodding and thanking people for their greetings as he and Draco made their way to the lifts that would take them to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Stepping into the lift, Harry smilingly waved people off, closing the gate and pressing the button to send the car moving.

"Whew!" he and Draco sighed, simultaneously.

"That was...," Draco started.

"Ridiculous!" Harry finished, offhandedly, cutting him off. "Completely ridiculous!" he laughed, shaking his head. Draco smirked, then started laughing with him.

"Department of Magical Law Enforcement," the cool voice of the lift called, coming to a stop. As the gate opened and they stepped out, they were again greeted with a large crowd of smiling people and decorations stating 'Harry Potter Day' or 'Happy Birthday, Harry!'

Harry once again assumed his mask of happiness, accepting the greetings as graciously as he could as he and Draco made their way to Harry's office.

"Good morning, Mister Potter. Mister Malfoy," Harry's secretary, Bryce, said, pleasantly, nodding to each, in turn. "And, at the risk of being hexed, Happy Birthday, sir," he added with a wink.

"Thank you, Bryce," Harry laughed. He knew that Bryce knew how much Harry hated all of the hullaballoo that his birthday raised every year. "I won't hex you, I promise!" he replied, making an 'X' motion across his heart.

"Thank you, sir," Bryce said, smiling, then asked, "How are the two of you, this morning?"

"Fine, thanks," Harry replied. Draco nodded an affirmative to Bryce.

"Excellent," Bryce said. "The file on the Bridgewater arrest is on your desk, just needs your signature."

"Terrific, thanks," Harry said. "If any cards, letters or gifts arrive from anyone but those on the usual approved list, you know what to do," he said as he and Draco finally headed into his private office.

"Yes, sir...already on top of that," Bryce said as they disappeared behind the closed door.

Draco had only stayed in Harry's office a few minutes, long enough to say a last "Have a good day!" and give him another quick kiss before heading off to his own office.

Leonora, Draco's secretary, was already at her desk, sorting files, when he arrived.

"Good morning, Mister Malfoy," she greeted, then asked, "How is Mister Potter, today?"

"Older," he joked, winking. "He's fine, Leonora, thanks." He stepped into his office and closed the door, to prepare for the day, his headache mercifully fading.

A little before noon, a small, lavender paper airplane sailed into Draco's office and landed on his desk. Opening it, he read,

Lunch. My office. 10 minutes.

– H

Chuckling and folding the small piece of paper into his pocket, he made a few final notes on the case file he was working with, closed it, and headed out of his office and down the hall.

Entering Harry's offices, Draco saw that Bryce was away from his desk. The door to Harry's inner office was open, and he could see Ron and Hermione (Granger) Weasley sitting on the sofa in the corner, a large gift box between them. Draco wondered how they would react if they knew what he and Harry had gotten up to on that sofa on several occasions.

Deciding to keep mum, he smiled and nodded to them.

"Ron, Hermione," he greeted, pleasantly.

"Draco," they said, in unison.

Since Harry and Draco had started dating, relations between himself and the Weasleys, and Harry's other friends, had been improving...but there was still some tension. More so with Ron and Neville, than any of the others.

"Where's Harry?" he asked.

"He'll be right back," Hermione said. "Kingsley called him up to his office just as we got here."

Draco nodded. Silence hung in the air for a few moments, before Draco felt compelled to break it.

"How about that Harpies match?" he started, trying earnestly to be friendly. "Your sister played very well, they say."

"Oh, yeah," Ron said, surprisingly easily. "Most points scored by a single player in a single match all year!"

"Excellent!" Draco cheered. "I remember she was really good in school."

"Yeah...she was," Ron said, suddenly tense again.

"She'd have been here today, too," Hermione volunteered, "but the Harpies are in Tanzania, playing the Sumbawanga Sunrays."

"Oh," Draco said, calmly. "That's too bad." Ron and Hermione both nodded, making affirmative sounds.

A few minutes later, the outer door opened and closed, and Neville and Luna (Lovegood) Longbottom entered the room, pausing in the doorway, each of them holding a wrapped package.

Draco was still taken by surprise at how good Neville looked, these days. He seemed to have grown into his features, and was really quite fit and handsome.

"Hey, guys," Neville said, cheerfully, waving to Ron and Hermione, then nodded once and said, "Draco."

"Longbottom," Draco said, then smiled and said, "Luna, you look very lovely." And he meant it. Dressed in a simple blue sundress with white sandals, Luna had never looked lovelier or more 'normal' in all the years he'd known her.

"Thank you, Draco," she said, just as airily as ever. "You look very well, yourself." Draco smiled and nodded his thanks.

Neville and Luna stepped into the room, Luna taking the other chair by the desk, and Neville standing behind her. Silence again pervaded the room as the five of them sat or stood, waiting for something...anything...to happen.

After another minute, or so, the outer door opened again.

"Hey, guys," Harry's voice called from the outer office. "Sorry that took so long." He finally stepped into the room to see them all sitting there, silently, staring at him. "Is everything okay?" he asked, sensing the palpable tension and discomfort in the room.

"We're fine, Harry," Luna piped up. "I think we were just waiting to talk until you got here, so we wouldn't have to repeat everything when you returned." The corner of Draco's mouth upturned, slightly, at this unusual explanation, but respectfully didn't say anything.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, then added, "well...I guess before Neville and Luna got here, we talked about Ginny's match the other night...most points scored, and all."

"Right," Harry said, enthusiastically. "Great match, that." He walked around and sat at his desk, looking around at the still-awkward group. "Well, lunch is coming...Kreacher is bringing it down here, any minute."

"Oh, good," Hermione said, and the others made indistinct affirmative sounds. Harry just nodded, and then used his wand to transfigure his desk into a dining table. Within seconds, the table was suddenly laden with a large assortment of foods, along with six place-settings of dishes, glasses and silver.

"Alright...let's eat," he said, waving his hand to everyone. After a couple of seconds, they all stood, and Harry transfigured the sofa and chairs into dining chairs to match the table. Taking the head chair, he beckoned them to join him at the table.

Ron and Hermione took the two chairs to Harry's right, Neville and Luna, the two chairs on his left, and Draco took the chair at the end opposite Harry. The two of them smiled at each other, knowingly, and began eating. The others took this as their cue to tuck in, as well.

As they ate, conversation started up, and the tension finally ebbed away. Hermione repeated Ginny's reason and regret for not being able to be there, and of course, Harry understood.

Nearly an hour later, all six sat at the table, well full, and smiling rather chummily. Harry flicked his wand to refill everyone's glasses with butterbeer, and raised his.

"Well, I offer a toast," he said, smiling with a twinkle in his eye. The others lifted their glasses as well, and waited for him to continue. "To 'Harry bloody Potter Day'!" he joked.

"Harry bloody Potter Day!" they all echoed, reaching across the table to clink glasses with each other and Harry, then each downed a healthy gulp.

"Happy Birthday, Harry," Luna said, retrieving and handing over the gift she had brought with her.

"Oh, thank you, Luna!" Harry replied, taking the package.

"If you don't like it, you can take it back," she said, serenely. "I won't be hurt." Harry frowned, slightly, and shook his head.

"No, I'm sure I'll love it," he said, starting to pick at the wrappings to open it. After a few seconds, the paper and ribbons were off, and Harry opened the box lid and looked inside. His face went blank for a second, then he looked up and asked, "What is it?"

"It's a wrackspurt trap," Luna said, proudly. "Your head has always been positively full of them." Harry didn't say anything for a second, then smiled and nodded.

"Well, thank you," he said, warmly. "I'm sure I'll be fine, now." He glanced at Draco, who winked at him, surreptitiously.

"I've got you something, too," Neville said, handing Harry another package. Harry smiled and took it from him, opening it to find a miniature Quidditch pitch inside. "Wave your wand and say 'Game on'," he instructed. Harry waved his wand over the miniature, and repeated the incantation, and suddenly, fourteen tiny people, seven wearing crimson, the other seven wearing emerald green, appeared and started flying about the pitch, throwing nearly microscopic Quaffles and Bludgers around. Harry couldn't even fathom how small the Snitch must be.

"It's brilliant!" Harry cheered, smiling.

"It'll replay any past Quidditch match you choose, including the World Cups," Neville further explained.

"Really fantastic, Neville," Harry enthused. "Thanks!" Neville beamed.

"And here's ours," Ron said, lifting the package that had been on the sofa with them onto the table. "I think you'll like it." Harry smiled and accepted the package, surprised by its weight.

"I know I will," he replied, setting it down and unwrapping it. Opening the box, he lifted out a mantel clock. Looking at it closely, he realized it was a miniature version of the large clock at the Burrow, that indicated where each member of the Weasley family was. Except that on this one, in addition to the hands for each of the surviving Weasleys, there was also one each for Harry, Hermione, Neville and Luna, and most surprisingly, one each for Draco and Narcissa Malfoy.

"It's your family clock, Harry," Ron said, smiling. "All of your family." He looked around the table, his eyes resting on Draco for a moment before looking back at Harry, whose eyes were suddenly a bit misty.

"Thank you, both of you," he said, looking back and forth between Ron and Hermione. "This means so much, you guys." He reached out to Hermione, who took his hand, smiling.

"I knew you'd love it," she said, her own soft, brown eyes misting. Harry smiled at her, nodding and squeezing her hand, gently, then turned the clock around so everyone else could see it. Neville and Luna both smiled at seeing their hands on the clock. Draco didn't really look very closely, instead awkwardly picking at the food on his plate, figuring that Ron had looked pointedly at him when he'd said, "All of your family", as if to say, "Your real family", assuming that Ron did not include him as part of that.

"Dray, look," Harry said, noticing Draco's distant look. Draco looked up to see Harry pointing at the clock, specifically two hands on it that held his name, and that of his mother. Frowning slightly, he looked at Harry, then over to Ron and Hermione. "It's perfect," Harry said to Ron and Hermione. Draco's gaze shifted back to the clock and then to Harry, and a strange look came over his face that Harry couldn't quite read, but then Draco smiled and nodded to the Weasleys, then to the Longbottoms.

"Happy Birthday, Harry," Neville said, raising his glass. The others lifted their glasses and repeated the toast, and taking another good drink.

Later that evening, Harry and Draco sat in the living room of Number Twelve, snuggled together on the sofa, a bottle of wine open and more-than-half empty. Harry was gazing at the fire in the grate, but Draco's attention was focused on the clock on the mantel.

Harry suddenly noticed that Draco was staring at it.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Draco replied, quietly. "Just thinking."

"About what?" Harry pressed, gently. Draco was silent for a moment before answering.

"That clock," came his answer. "I still can't believe they put me on it, and my mother, as well."

"Why?" Harry asked, sitting up a bit and looking at Draco. "You're both my family, now. Ron and Hermione get that." Harry smiled. "I know things are still a little awkward with them, and with Neville and Luna." He paused a second. "Well, maybe not with Luna, so much. But I know things still feel a bit strained with them, but they really do understand what you have come to mean to me, and I know they want it to work, because they know I'm happy...probably the happiest I've been my whole life." He hugged Draco, tightly. "They'll come around...that makes me sure of it." He pointed at the clock.

Draco was silent again for a moment before smiling, slightly.

"If you're sure, then I'm sure," he said, his smile brightening a bit. Draco reached for his wine glass, refilled both his and Harry's, and handed Harry's to him. "To 'Harry bloody Potter Day'!" he said, holding his glass slightly aloft. Harry smirked.

"Indeed!" he replied, clinking his glass with Draco's, and they each took a drink.

Finite.

Author's Note:

The name of the team that the Holyhead Harpies was playing against in Tanzania, the Sumbawanga Sunrays, comes from a list of Quidditch teams on the Harry Potter Wiki page.