Boys and Girls
Disclaimer: I think we all know the drill if you've read anything on this website. I own nothing, and unless I make millions on a creative plot and unique characters I have created and developed on my own, I just play around with other people's characters (esp. J.K. Rowling =3). Kurt and Colette are mine though, but I hope they're not as annoying as other original characters have a tendency to become. Moving right along…
Ch. One - Welcome Home
"ALL ABOARD!" Parents and children were saying their final goodbyes while the train horn blew its final warning. Older students were hurrying the younger ones onto the train before it left and thousands of trunks banged around everywhere while students took their seats. Outside the windows, mothers were waving tearful goodbyes and blowing kisses to their children much to their chagrin. Friends who hadn't seen each other since before the summer were reuniting and catching up. When the train lurched forward, the noise level increased so that conversations could still be heard. Then the door slammed shut.
The young man leaned against the door and let his head fall back before sliding down the floor with a sigh. Taking out his wand, he placed silencing and locking charms on the compartment to get some peace and quiet. After a summer of being left along in the house, the sudden noise of the train was pretty aggravating. Closing his eyes, he let out a long-suffering sigh. He just prayed he would have a few hours left before people started looking for him.
When he opened his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a blonde head peeking through the outside window. Impossible since the train was moving at full speed. Leaping to his feet, he ran to the window but no one was there, nor had there been any trace that someone might have fallen off. Shaking his head, thinking the heat had finally gotten to his head, he flopped on the seat behind him and watched the scenery pass by.
'I must be losing it, first the dreams, now I'm hallucinating… great job Ry, bloody fantastic' he thought miserably. Ever since the beginning of summer, he had been getting, as all boys do, sexual dreams. Normally this would not be a problem, just a few more trips to the laundry. But when is something simple ever simple for one Harry Potter, boy wonder of the Wizarding World or whatever they called him now. Now, there are those that question their sexuality based on the dream world their subconscious creates for them. What was bothering Harry was that he was perfectly fine with his dream partner being his fiancée but when his fiancée turns into his future brother-in-law then it becomes an issue. He shuddered at the mere thought of them together.
Ignoring that issue for now, he started to think of his fiancée and future in-laws. They all got along surprisingly well and Harry had started to feel part of the family. However, he understood going in, the original reason that they got along so well was because he had many connections within the ministry as well as foreign ministries whether he liked it or not. Many connections his maman and papa, as he now called them, were highly interested in. It would be two years come Christmas that his courtship started. Yes courtship. Though, everyone that even knew of his courtship knew the two lovebirds would marry after both parties coming-of-age. The reason Harry refused to pop the question just yet was because he was still not lord of both the Black or Potter houses just yet and no one really knew who his magical guardian was. Marital engagement while still a minor without a legal guardian would be political, economic and social suicide. Even though Harry really didn't care about it, he didn't want to be thrown into a political nightmare like last year. If the ministry saw fit to try him as an adult due to under-age magic, he did not want to know what they would do to him if he publically engaged himself to a family like the Malfoys. It would not bode well for either family.
Speaking of families, he could see Draco strutting around like a peacock in the corridor. Thankfully he had put a notice-me-not charm on his door. Though he loved his idiot brother as if they were brothers by blood, he still wanted some alone time, so he merely watched as Draco did his annual "find the new meat- I mean students and terrori- acquaint himself to them". Harry rolled his eyes, if only they knew what happened the day Harry had asked Draco for his sister's hand in marriage. That was the day he found out that platinum blond hair can indeed still grey. When he mentioned it to Draco, the blond whipped out a pretty pink mirror to check and see. Poor Harry was covered in painful boils for a week due to nearly dying of laughter at the sight of the mirror. 'It was still worth it' he thought while smirking.
Looking back , Harry realized that Draco's reaction was to be expected. How often does one's school-boy rival come to you asking for your twin sister's hand in marriage. Not to mention that they were 14 at the time, and Harry had only met his sister the day before. Actually he was impressed that the blond had handled it the way he did, that afternoon he was expecting to be laying in the snow and whatever lived in the forbidden forest nibbling on his mangled corpse.
-Yule Ball, fourth year in the courtyard-
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that again Potter, I think I must have heard wrong." Draco said snidely. He crossed his arms looking at the very flustered Hogwarts Champion.
"I-I s-said, I would like to ask for your blessing to court your sister. To abide by tradition as the heir of the noble house of Potter and vow to always provide for the lifestyle befitting the heiress of the noble house of Malfoy. I beseech you to grant my humble request of courtship and offer a prosperous and fruitful relationship of our two houses. May I, as heir apparent Potter ask for your blessing as heir apparent Malfoy, to take your sister as my bride?" Harry said moving his left leg back, his left arm palm outstretched over his right knee, right arm crossing so that the palm faced his left cheek, bowing low. Then he stood upright, left arm moving behind him and right arm outstretched to Draco, palm up. Heart racing, he stared at Draco, hoping he had done it right. He had been practicing all night and the entire day before the ball to get it right, but all that hard work would be all for naught if Draco decided he wasn't worthy. He knew he was on shaky ground, the Malfoy-Potter relationship had been unsavory for several generations. He was holding his breath anxiously, starting to doubt it Malfoy would allow the courtship.
To his complete surprise and relief, Draco put his right hand over Harry's and intoned, "I have thought about and deemed your request acceptable. As heir of the house of Malfoy, I Draco give you my blessing to court my sister, as per the ancient tradition of infinitum, if you present your offerings to the lord of the house of Malfoy, my father and he deems them worthy of our family legacy". A glowing cord entwined their hands and exploded into a thousand pieces showering them in a golden light, sealing the contract.
Breaking the contact of their hands, Draco smirked at Harry. "Good luck impressing my father, scar head."Harry bit the inside of his cheek trying not to throw back an insult. Judging by the glare, he figured he had a long way to go. Besides he wondered why Draco would accept his request. Curiosity getting the better of him, he asked why. Draco just looked at him as if searching for something. Finding it, he said "I have my reasons." Then he stepped to Harry and quietly said "you'll find out soon enough." Harry had the sneaking suspicion he was in for a nasty surprise. "However; should you find yourself at the altar with her remember, she has been and always will be my sister. So expect to see me more often." He straightened up and smirked at Harry. "Us Malfoys have a way to make sure our secrets are kept." With that he turned on his heel and walked back to the ball that was in full swing.
Harry involuntarily shuddered before realizing one of Malfoy's stipulations and immediately cringed. "Oh bloody hell, infinitum? Could he have chosen anything harder?" Groaning, he started to trudge back to the Great Hall. At least he had a chance at courtship. With renewed hope, he marched back to the ball "I'll show him, it'll take more than Malfoy's little challenge to stop me!"
A week later, Harry was found leaving the Hospital Wing, 'maybe I should not have said anything about the mirror…' with that he decided to avoid the blond boy, in fear of getting those nasty boils again 'note to self, never make fun of a Malfoy's hair or pretty princess mirror'.
-Present Day, on the Hogwart's Express-
Harry's thoughts were interrupted at the loud rapping on the compartment door. He was instantly suspicious and put his guard up. Waiting to see if whoever was on the other side would leave, he heard a sigh from across the door and the tell-tale sign of his charms being cancelled. The compartment door slammed open and Draco stepped in acting like he owned the place. Seeing his bother walk in, Harry relaxed before closing and locking the door behind Draco causing the blond boy to raise his eyebrow.
"Ooh kinky, Ry." Draco smirked while flopping on the couch opposite Harry. He spread his legs and leaned back, "now you've got me right where you want me, whatever shall I do?"
Harry looked at his idiot brother "you don't seem to be complaining much"
"Well my dear brother, I can't blame you, since all Malfoys are born irresistible." Draco said while flicking part of his hair back.
Harry just rolled his eyes at his brother's antics. It was interesting how close the two become since Harry's rash betrothal request. At first, both had reservations of the other until Draco's mother knocked some sense into them. Soon the two were inseparable causing the rest of the Malfoy family to shake their heads aspirated. In school, they maintained their rivalry, but they would meet up once a month to see what they could do to make their supposed "hatred" more realistic and crack up about the reactions of the month prior. Harry felt a little bad for Ron; but he and Draco were having too much fun duping the entire school every day. Lovingly called by Draco's mother as "the troublesome two", they certainly lived up to the name at home and at school. While Harry still stayed at the Dursley's for appearances, he loved Malfoy Manor and considered it home. His family and happiness was there. When he was there, he could imagine a life and future beyond the war.
Turning to his brother who was playing with a pager, Harry's pager, he realized in annoyance. Harry reached over and snatched it before Draco decided to experiment with it. "So what should be we do about the feast?"
"Ry, we have to announce the engagement already, you know it has to be publically announced a year in advance of the wedding and you're running out of time. We have to hurry before any betrothals made when your parents were still alive take effect; otherwise the Malfoy-Potter betrothal is null and void." Draco said seriously. He did not want to lose his brother in all but blood and name. "I also know for a fact that your betrothal with the Weaselette will be announced at the feast tonight."
"Wait, my what?" Harry squeaked. "I have a betrothal to her? Since when?" Harry started to get anxious. Who the hell would pair the two of them?
"Well I only know because mother has a friend that worked at the wedding registry. It was written by James Potter and Arthur Weasley that Harry James Potter and the new born Ginerva Weasley would be wed after heiress Weasley's graduation and the engagement would be announced a year before the groom's seventeenth birthday at the eve of the start of the school year, that's tonight." Harry sunk into the chair. "Hey it's not so bad, Colette will be waiting there for us and father was able to get the announcement before Dumblebore could do anything." Seeing his companion's confusion he added "When two proposals are to be announced on the same night, it goes in alphabetical order and the last time I checked, M comes before P or W." He smiled haughtly. Draco let out a startled cry when he suddenly had an armful of Potter as Harry squeezed his torso chanting "thank you, thank you." Chuckling, he peeled his brother's arms off him, "Be thankful I like you Potter, otherwise…"
"Oh otherwise nothing, you can't help but love me." Harry interrupted cheekily. The two bantered for the rest of the trip back to school enjoying the calm before they completely ruined some people's night.
-Great Hall-
Harry sighed, not even two seconds at the table and the barrage of questions of where he was on the train bombarded him. Granted he missed the sorting because of his nap but he didn't care too much about it. Aptly ignoring them, he looked over to his brother to see what he was up to. Draco was getting antsy waiting for Colette to show up, and the students around him were starting to wonder about it. Harry's attention was brought back to his housemates' conversation when Seamus draped his arm around Harry's shoulder.
"So mate, who were ya snogging in the train?" Seamus leered.
"Huh?" was the oh so intelligent response.
"Come on mate, no one was able to find you but there were a few compartments that were locked and silenced in the back. So who was she, and does she have a friend?"
"No one," Harry replied simply while removing Seamus's arm, "I was in my compartment alone until Malfoy decided to bug me, then when he left, I locked the door and took a nap"
"But Harry, it doesn't explain why no one could find you; we were worried something had happened to you." Hermione said. Harry's response was cut short when the doors opened and his heart soared at who was standing right there.
A Beauxbatons student walked through the door. Students started whispering when the blonde student walked straight to the head table. Boys were leering at the obviously aristocratic heiress while the girls were rolling their eyes at the display. As she neared the head table, Dumbledore stood up to greet her. As the quiet discussion took place, Harry could hear snippets of the conversations around him pertaining to the mysterious student.
"Wow would you check out that pair of legs, man I'd like to tap that" Ron said. Harry's blood boiled at the comment but before he could say anything, Hermione beat him to it by slapping Ron on the back of the head.
"Ronald, what a thing to say, and in front of your GIRLFRIEND none the less," Hermione fumed. "Unless you WANT that tramp as your girlfriend!"
"But Hermione, I love you, I don't care about her, I don't even know her," Ron pleaded. "I just said I'd like to tap that but my heart will always belong to you."
Harry turned away, furious about what his best friends were saying, but not willing to blow his cover just yet. Ignoring Ginny who was trying to get his attention again, he glared at his brother who had been watching faintly amused. Well Harry knew his brother wouldn't be so amused when he found out what Ron and Hermione had said about his twin. And with all the sneaking glancing and murmuring going around the quarreling couple, Draco would find out fairly soon if not in the same night. Harry watched Draco raise an eyebrow and soon the two of them were locked in a staring contest, ignoring the idiotic comments of their schoolmates. Harry vaguely heard Ron saying something about 'sneaky ferrets'…'up to no good' but continued the staring contest to see who would back down.
From the head table, the Beauxbatons witch was watching the proceedings take place. With the headmaster's consent she could announce her engagement with the help of her brother if he would ever finish his little staring contest. She knew how heated these little contests got and wondered who would win this week. Noting the headmaster's impatience, she excused herself and walked over to the green and silver decked table. Knowing how difficult it was to get her brother's attention was, she, none too kindly, pulled on his ear and smiled when she heard the startled yelp. She smiled sweetly when Draco just glared at her, knowing full well if they were alone her older brother would be pouting. She turned to go back to the head table while discreetly winking at her fiancée. Soon all secrets would be revealed and she knew that she had to tell her soon-to-be husband her little secret.
Harry watched amused as Draco walked up to the head table, nursing his ear. He was SOO going to tease his brother about it. He snickered at his brother's fate before noting the icy glare aimed at him. 'Damnit what did I do now!' he whined in his head. Then he noticed that his fiancée's glare wasn't aimed at him but at his immediate right, where Ginny was trying to get his attention yet again and had started to rub her chest on his arm. Harry let out an undignified squeak and pulled away from the red head, catching the attention of those closest to him.
"Ginny! What are you doing!" Harry squeaked. Ginny just let out what was probably a feeble attempt of a flirtatious giggle that sent icy dread up Harry's spine.
"Oh Harry, you don't have to pretend now that we are officially a couple." she batted her eyes in a way that made Harry think she had something in her eye. Not even deigning an answer that would fall on deaf ears, and well aware that the girl wouldn't give up until the bitter end, Harry breathed a sigh of relief when Dumbledore addressed the entire school.
"Students, now that everyone is accounted for and sorted, I would like to make a few announcements. There will be an event that has not happened in these castle walls in quite a few years. As you can see we have a guest from our sisters at Beauxbatons." Here he waved an arm to introduce her. "She is here with her brother who will announce her engagement to one of Hogwarts' very own. As many of you may or may not know, publically announced betrothals have fallen out of practice but still remain a staple amongst some family circles. This is the first time since the fall of Lord Voldemort, that an auspicious moment such as this has graced these halls. Let us welcome Colette Malfoy, heiress of the ancient house of Malfoy. A few scattered claps could not cover up the whirlwind of conversations of why she had not attended Hogwarts with her brother and why no one had ever heard of her. "Heir apparent Malfoy, you may proceed." Dumbledore smiled kindly at the young man.
"Thank you headmaster," Draco turned to the students, "As Headmaster Dumbledore mentioned, I Draco Malfoy, as heir apparent, retain the right to announce my sister's engagement. I have deemed her suitor's request and name worthy of a Malfoy heiress. With him, I know my sister will be provided for and the relations of our two families shall flourish and prosper in years to come. It is my honor and privilege, as heir apparent Malfoy, to announce the engagement of heiress Colette Antoinette Malfoy and Harrison James Potter-Black, heir apparent to the houses Potter and Black."
The hall exploded into dialogue as Harry jumped up to go to the head table, dancing around Ginny's feeble attempts to grab his sleeve. As he neared his lovely fiancée, Harry grasped her hand and thanked Draco for the announcement. A loud sobbing from the Gryffindor table caught everyone's attention as Ron was trying to calm his sister's anguished sobs but she was having none of that. The sobs quieted down but people scooted away from the now enraged girl.
"No, he's MINE! Dumbledore promised me that I could have him!" Ginny screamed trying to rush over to the Malfoy twins and Harry. "I'll kill that bitch!"She shrieked as she wrenched her arm free, pulling out her wand. The professors pulled out their wands to stun the girl but Harry's unseen, unheard spell sent her flying to back wall where she stayed glued to the wall. Ginny shook the stars out of her eyes and saw Harry in front of her. Any response she might have had, died in her throat as she saw his glare. Harry's eyes seemed to glow with raw power.
"If you ever lay a hand on her, I will deal with you personally." He purred dangerously, sending chills up her spine. An ominous aura of unadulterated power surrounded him. "I don't give a rat's ass if you are my best friend's little sister, touch Colette and you will pay dearly, Weasley." He spat the name as if it were a disease, not unlike what a Malfoy would say. "That is not a threat, it's a promise, and the House of Potter always fulfills their promises." Ginny shivered at the sheer hatred clouding the usually kind eyes. She landed gently when Harry lifted the spell and turned away from her. "One more thing," he stated without turning to look at her "I belong to no one, I never have and I never will…especially not to a spoiled little girl like you. If you ever think of pulling me away from my family, you will face the wrath of the Malfoys, the Potters and the Blacks; not even your family can shield you from that, even if they wanted to." Ginny collapsed to the ground, shrinking away not only from the combined glares of the Malfoy twins, but of the icy cold threat of retribution.
"Now Mr. Potter, there is no reason to resort to such actions." Dumbledore chastised. If he expected Harry to bow his head down in shame and mumble an apology, he was sadly mistaken as the icy cold glare was leveled at him. Dumbledore inadvertently shivered at the raw energy hidden in those eyes, but after that momentary lapse of judgment, he tried to gain control of the situation again. There was nothing he could do about the engagement being announced, and his plan of having Harry married off to the Weasley family hit a bump in the road, but Albus still had a few tricks up his sleeve. "May I offer you congratulations on your impending engagement; you have chosen a lovely bride. However, as you are still a minor, I Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, can still announce your betrothal to Ginerva Molly Weasley as valid until you reach maturity. Then you are free to choose your bride. You must oblige the contract set by your father, the late James Nicholas Potter, Lord of the noble House of Potter." He stated with a grandfatherly smile, knowing he had won. The boy could be engaged to whoever he wanted but young Ginny had the advantage of living in the same dormitories as Harry. She could pull him away from the Malfoys and get rid of that pesky independent streak. Soon Dumbledore would have his weapon back. Dumbledore's musings were cut off when he heard laughter. He turned his attention to the young man in question only to see his worst nightmare. A cold laughter promised a vindictive retribution Dumbledore had not heard since Tom Riddle's schoolboy days and that chilled him to the core.
"Fine headmaster, I'll play your little game," Harry smiled coldly as he pulled out an old piece of parchment that had seen better days. Thankfully, his brother had been able to find this little lifesaver when they had visited the Potter family vaults. He unraveled the parchment and read aloud, to the entire hall, some of the final words of his father. "This parchment declares…
"I, James Nicholas Potter, being of sound mind and health do decree that should I perish before my heir, Harry James's 16th birthday and should he feel his magical guardian Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Founder of the Order of the Phoenix, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is acting in such a way that is detrimental to the prosperity of the House of Potter, I give express permission for my heir apparent to revoke guardianship privileges granted to Dumbledore and allow my heir legal emancipation to take up leadership of the House of Potter. With this document, should my heir deem this necessary, I declare my son Harrison James Potter, Lord of the House of Potter."
As Harry read, the parchment began to glow a bright red that started to creep up Harry's arms and slowly engulf him. When the red light had surrounded the young man, it began to pulsate.
"As magic judges my heir of this request, I declare the Potter-Weasley contract null and void as it breaks the ruling of the 1132 case Potter v. Weasley which states that no Weasley may ever be betrothed to a potter until which time the House of Potter declares the retribution of the rape and slaughter of heiress Elizabeth and the murder of her twin brother, heir apparent Raoul Potter, carried out by Lucius Weasley, head of the House of Weasley, completed and paid in full. Should any in those of the disgraced House of Weasley attempt to contest this I, James Nicholas Potter, decree that their debt increase TENFOLD!"
Now the pulsating red light shot from Harry's body to engulf Ron and Ginny's bodies as seven other beams shot out the doors probably to the rest of the Weasley family.
"This I declare on my magic, so mote it be."
Then all nine cords of red light linked to Harry, snapped completely and two shrieks of pain came from the Gryffindor table. The hall waited in bated breath to see if the words of the late wizard would be fulfilled. As the red aura continued to envelop him, Harry lifted his eyes from the parchment.
"To those present I, James Nicholas Potter, Lord and Head of the House of Potter do present Harrison James Potter, Lord and Head of the noble House of Potter."
With that the red light exploded and a bright gold ribbon of magic came from the parchment and wrapped Harry before vanishing. Harry let go of the parchment, which furled in on itself and flew off to the Ministry to be sealed and filled.
Author's Note:
Ser-Ser: *collapses on her beanbag chair* That took much longer than I originally thought. What was I thinking? *has a minor panic attack*
Ry:*rolls eyes* that's your own damn fault; you were the one that decided to write this thing.
Draco: *smirks while draping an arm around Ry* I have to agree with Ry, no one is forcing you to write a full novel length fanfiction, Miss "I have no patience to write" *snickers*
Ser-Ser: *with a glint in her eye* Is that a challenge Malfoy? Well then, I ACCEPT!
Draco:*raises an eyebrow* What the bloody hell are you on about now?
Ser-Ser:*ignoring Draco's comment* so what's in it for me if I win? =3
Ry:*blinks eyes* What the… now there's a contest? *breaks out the popcorn*
Colette: Ooh a contest how fun!
Ser-Ser:*super hero pose* I will triumph!
Kurtiss: How she ever thought she was a Slytherin I have no idea, she acts like an idiot Gryffindor half the time
Ser-Ser:*notices Kurt* EKK! What are you doing here! You're not supposed to show up yet!
Kurtiss:*shrugs* not my fault you can't control the situation of this author's note
Ser-Ser:*blushes furiously* SHUT UP! *kicks Kurt out of the Author's note* You're on time out mister!
Draco, Ry and Colette: O.o;
Colette: can she do that?
Ry:*notices Colette*…wait, if you're here…how is MMRFPH
Ser-Ser:*covering Ry's mouth* shut up Ry, they don't know what's going on; you'll ruin it for them
Draco: -.-; …..Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter of Boys and Girls, if not, not my problem; however *looks at Ser-Ser* she'll probably cry her heart out if you flame her…..actually that might be –*WHAAP….(thunk)*
Ry: *hides the frying pan, whistling innocently* Stay tuned for the next chapter of Boys and Girls *smiles and waves innocently*