7 YEARS LATER
What was the point in dating the 'Boy-Who-Lived' if he was soon to become the 'Boy-Who-Died-at-the-Hand-of-His-Girlfriend's-Father'? Godric, when Harry told me that meeting my father was going to be difficult for him he really hadn't been lying. I had known to some extent, after knowing Harry for around 11 years that he was awkward, but I certainly hadn't thought that he'd have been this awkward.
There was only so much I could do to run inference between the two of them. But he really wasn't helping matters. Who had told him that bringing up you and your girlfriend's sex life to her parents was a good idea? Admittedly he hadn't started on the topic – it had been something to do with the pair of us moving in together but it soon spiralled out of hand.
Harry, realising his blunder, cleared his throat and reached for his glass of water. Dad had narrowed his eyes when Harry had asked for water – commenting that he couldn't handle something stronger. Although if Harry had asked for something stronger, then dad would have asked if he had a bit of an alcohol problem. Really, there was no way that Harry was going to win in this situation.
Mum, bless her, loved Harry the moment she had met him. And I had made sure to introduce her to him years before I introduced him to dad. She said that there was something about how awkward he was that managed to win her over. She had said, and I could quote that 'it was endearing that he obviously cared so much.'
"Sir," Harry began, setting his glass back down on the table. I took his hand beneath the table, squeezing it with mine to comfort him.
"Harry, dear," mum cut in when it became obvious that all he was going to do was flounder some more, "what is it that you said you did?"
"I'm an auror," he cleared his throat, straightening up in his seat. His eyes flickered towards my father who remained unmoved, steely eyes focused on Harry, "I was recently promoted to lead my own team."
"An auror?" dad questioned from his seat, looking to mum for an explanation, "what is that?"
"They're like wizarding police, darling," mum explained, patting dad's hand.
Harry in his intimidated state was probably oblivious to the respect that bloomed in my father's eyes when he heard that. Dad nodded, setting his arm on the table as Harry linked our fingers under the table.
"Wizarding police? So you deal with," dad looked to me to fill in the blanks.
"Dark wizards, dad," I explained, looking back to Harry who looked like he was going to pass out if this interrogation continued any longer.
"Dark wizards, huh?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well," straightening in his seat, dad's eyes flickered over Harry and appraised him closer. He was melting, I thought with a smile, "and what about your parents?"
I faltered, meeting mum's eyes from over the table. Her eyes flickered cautiously towards Harry before turning to dad, trying to show him that it was a topic that was off limits. Dad was only a muggle. He, unlike mum, had no idea what Harry had been through. He knew the details of what I had gone through under the rule of the death eaters but he probably had no idea that Harry was the one to end Voldemort.
"Dad," I said quietly, trying to cut in but he only had eyes for Harry.
"It's alright," my boyfriend assured me quietly as he used a hand to push his glasses further up his nose, "they passed away when I was younger, sir. They were murdered."
Dad took in a deep breath, looking instantly apologetic. But before he could say another word, mum was hoisting him out of his seat. He protested, looking like he wanted to apologise but mum wasn't going to give him the chance.
"Why don't you two talk between yourselves while we go and get dessert?" mum offered with a cautious smile and I smiled gratefully at her as she pulled dad into the kitchen.
When they were out of the room I looked back to Harry and watched him closely, to see the way he would react. From the moment he had stepped into my parent's home he had been grilled. He had started the entire thing off on the wrong foot by asking me to move in without ever having met my dad. He looked to me, green eyes still alight despite the gruelling cross-examination he was suffering through.
"Godric, Harry," I whispered quietly, brushing his hair away from his face. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," he assured me, leaning in to press a kiss to my cheek. "I completely understand where he's coming from. I'm stealing his little girl away."
"But still –"
"Think about it," he proposed as he raised my hand to kiss each of my fingertips, "If our daughter bought her boyfriend home to meet me and he started talking about their sex life," his expression turned thunderous, "Godric, I'd hex him within an inch of his life."
"Honestly," I said with a roll of my eyes, trying to act as if I hadn't been completely warmed by him admitting that he thought we'd have children together.
"Besides," his shoulders puffed up in mock bravado, "I'm sure I can survive through this – I managed to face old no nose and live. Although," he lowered his voice as my parents walked back into the room, "I think I'd choose facing him all over again, instead of having to face your father."
As mum placed our plates in front of us, I looked to dad who seemed genuinely ashamed of his previous, rash words. He was looking at Harry again, as he settled in his seat, and just from the way he was looking at him I knew that mum had told him everything. The respect he had for Harry grew and even if he refused to admit it, he had grown to accept Harry.
"So, young man," clearing his throat, he hesitated before asking, "What exactly is your plan for my daughter, Potter?"
"My plan, sir?" Harry, recognising the change in dad's voice was beyond thrown off by the change in demeanour.
"Of course, your plan. Do you think I'm going to give my daughter away to a man who might never move beyond dating?"
"Technically you've already given me away," I cut in with a quiet murmur that made mum snicker lightly, "I mean we're already living together."
Dad threw me a disapproving look and when Harry cleared his throat he shifted his eyes to him. Sitting upright, Harry took in a deep breath before he spoke next.
"I plan to marry her, sir. If you allow it," he looked to me, hearing me gasp quietly and quickly adding, "and of course, if she agrees to marry me. I promise to make her the happiest woman alive and I'll spend the rest of my life grateful for being allowed to wake up next to her and –"
"There's no need to go on ranting," dad cut in and it seemed like both mum and I wanted to hit him for stopping him. I wanted to hear what he was going to say! "I guess all that's left to say is welcome to the family."
Harry grinned, the relief sweeping across all of his features. He turned to look at me, eyes growing a little wide when he realised I was shocked. His previous admittance still had me shocked.
"What is it?" he questioned, concerned.
"You want to marry me?"
He laughed, one hand coming up to frame my face. "Of course I do you daft woman." His thumb rubbed slowly over the apple of my cheek, "Only minutes ago I spoke of us having a daughter together."
Dad coughed loudly, shattering the moment before I could say anything. "Just because I've given my permission doesn't mean I'm going to watch you fondle her."
"Honestly, David," mum sighed, swatting him on the arm, "hardly fondling her."
