Author's Notes: For the slythindor100 advent challenge. Contains sexual content and implied past emotional infidelity.


Ginny chooses the exact moment Harry stuffs one of Mrs Weasley's cupcakes into his mouth to blithely announce that she thinks they should have a threesome.

Harry's taken so off guard that, in his shock, he accidentally inhales a veritable mountain of lurid green icing. He spends the next five minutes doubled over and coughing.

"Probably should have waited until you'd swallowed, huh?" Ginny says when Harry's finally rediscovered the ability to breathe properly.

"Probably should've actually worked up to it a little, more like," Harry corrects. "I mean, I know you're not one for beating around the bush, but damn. Where's this even coming from? Have you met someone? Is that it? Because if that's what's going on here, I get it. I know things have been a bit weird between us lately. I'd rather you just be up front with it than go mucking about trying to pretend you want to invite someone else in when what you really want is to eventually kick me out."

"I'm not looking for an excuse to chuck you," Ginny says. Harry tries not to notice how there's an uncomfortably obvious emphasis on the word 'I'm'.

"Are you bored, then?" Harry asks. He can't really deny that their sex life isn't exactly imaginative, especially lately.

"Not particularly," says Ginny. "I just think it might be a good idea to try it. Does the reason really matter?"

It's a stupid question and they both know it; of course the reason matters. Harry's not stupid enough to actually say so, though. Not when it's clear what answer Ginny's looking for.

So Harry shrugs. "I guess not. If it's what you want, then... I don't know. We could give it a chance, I suppose. You know I'd try my best to give you anything you wanted."

"Yeah," Ginny says, but she sounds unconvinced and, unless Harry's imagining it, a little sad as well. "I do know."

"Well, have you got someone in particular in mind, at least?"

"You could say that," Ginny answers cryptically.

Harry's suspicions spike again, but he manages to hold his tongue this time. Ginny wouldn't lie to him, after all. No matter how painful it'll be, she'll say it outright if she wants to leave him. She's far too forthright to do otherwise. And Harry trusts her, more than he trusts almost anyone else on the planet.

That's why he'll go through with this, if it's what she really wants, even though the thought of sharing her makes him feel slightly ill with jealousy.

"Well bring whoever it is around here one night so I can meet them, then," Harry offers (still a little reluctantly). "No promises – not until I have some time to think about it – but at least we can sort of feel the situation out and see whether it's going to work."

It's not until Harry arrives home a few days later that he thinks he finally understands the real reason why Ginny's suddenly brought up this completely mad idea of a threesome, and why she's got it in her head that Harry might actually agree to it.

The kids have been suspiciously sent off without warning to stay with their grandparents for the night. Ginny is fidgeting nervously from the moment he walks through the door, which is completely unlike her. And when Harry strolls into the lounge room, it's to find Draco Malfoy half-undressed and lying sprawled artfully across the couch as though he owns the place. One look back at Ginny tells Harry everything he needs to know.

Harry wants to curse himself for apparently being so obvious. No matter how hard he tries, Harry's never been very good at hiding things, especially from his wife. He should have known she'd see through his recent distraction, and he should have been equally aware that she wouldn't react by balling him out and screeching at him like a wounded harpy. Ginny's always been too selfless by half when it comes to him, after all. She's a much better person than he deserves.

Given that, he can't believe he didn't see it straight away, to be honest. Of course this isn't about her wants or needs at all. She's doing this entirely for him.

So is Draco, if it's anything to go by that he doesn't even spare a glance towards Ginny as he shucks his trousers and strokes his palm pointedly down towards his groin. Draco's eyes are locked on Harry's as his hand curls teasingly around his cock, and Harry's limbs feel positively weak from the intensity of that look. He knows that in the space of four quick steps he could easily be falling to his knees and replacing Draco's fingers with his own lips. Harry has no idea how he holds himself still.

Just off the top of his head, Harry can think of twelve different ways this could go completely and horribly wrong if he allows it to go forward. He's certain Ginny has considered all of those potential scenarios and more, and yet she's still made this offer regardless.

He can't figure out how he got lucky enough to land her in the first place, nor why he's such an idiot that he's thinking about doing something now that will involve a high risk of losing her.

However, watching the way Draco parts his lips in a half-gasp and reaches out invitingly towards him, Harry can't imagine how he could be expected to stop himself. He pointedly disregards the warning bells that are so clearly ringing in favour of taking the first step toward the couch. Toward Draco.

Harry's wanted this for too long, and far too much, to turn this opportunity down.

No matter where it might lead.

~FIN~