The quick update on this is to make up for the long wait for the last one. Sorry about that everyone. I was super busy and everything. Moving is stressful. So anyway, the new chapter obviously. :) Enjoy!

"It's what the Ministry wants. We kinda have to listen. I know it's embarrassing, trust me I know, but it wasn't as bad I thought it was going to be. Considering everything, it went quite well I think."

"Yeah I suppose so…."

Chapter 4

The press was going wild with the single kiss shared between Harry and Draco. The Prophet was constantly banging on Harry's door, to the point where he was forced to set up minor wards to keep them away. Malfoy Manor already had the wards and protections to keep the press away, and so Harry was often at Malfoy Manor to avoid the difficulties of going through the Ministry for the permits for the wards. Draco, of course was fine with this, partially because they needed to keep up appearances, and partially because he genuinely enjoyed Harry's company. Harry was fine with the arrangement, and, though he was slightly uncomfortable spending 90% of his waking hours with Draco for the world to see, he knew it was obligatory. Well, and for saving both of them a big headache.

What was truly horrible for both young men was dealing with the reactions of their ex-girlfriends. The day the article appeared in the Daily Prophet, Ginny stormed to Harry's flat, and demanded an explanation. Threatened to go to the press with what he had told her.

"Ginny, look, the Ministry wants it to be this way. I can't just not listen to them. It's bigger than just you and me and Draco, all right?" he explained to her exasperatedly.

"How is it bigger than that? So the Ministry doesn't want us to be together? Big-"

"No, Ginny, that's not it! Look, talk to Hermione. She's the one who would know if we can tell you more than what you already know. It's so much bigger than what you know. It's another 'I have to save the world' things, all right? It's not my bloody fault, but I don't have any idea how much I can tell you! I had to wait as long as I did, not just because I didn't want to, it's not like I wanted it to be true, but because I had to wait to be told that it would be ok!" Harry ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

Ginny stared at him for a long moment then turned and left without a word.

Harry pressed his forehead to the doorframe as he watched her walk away, wanting to be able to go after her, but unable to by his obligation to the Ministry, and to the world….

Nearly falling out of the fireplace, Harry crashed into Draco and they hit the floor in an unceremonious heap of tangled robes and flailing limbs.

"Ugh! Harry! Merlin, get off of me! You still can't even use the Floo properly? You're twenty three!" Draco opened his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. Harry's face was maybe three inches from his own, and both blushed fiercely, scrambling to untangle themselves as quickly as possible.

"Well," the raven cleared his throat loudly, "Ginny read the article."

"Of course she did…" said Draco darkly. "Astoria did as well. Very pleasant woman when she's angry that one."

"Probably about as pleasant as Ginny when she's angry." Harry shook his head to clear it. "That's not the reason I'm here though. The Ministry sent me an owl, addressed to both of us. Why they would send it to my flat and not Malfoy Manor is beyond me. Everyone knows we've pretty much always been here. Anyway, it's an invitation to something or other. I really don't want to go, but I figured you ought to know about it."

"Ah, yes, about that Harry, my family has been going to this ball ever since it was started, and every Malfoy who has gone, has always had a partner for dancing and the like, and well… I promised my mother I would go in her stead. She's too busy to attend."

"So I'm going to have to go anyway…. Wonderful. Another reason for the world to think I'm crazy." Harry went and sat on the couch nearby and pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes.

"Well, since we were both invited, we can also bring one guest each," Draco told him.

"Wonderful! Hermione will just have to deal with it!" Harry looked up at Draco. "You're all right with that of course?"

"Why wouldn't I be? She's tolerable at her worst these days." Draco shrugged.

"You haven't seen her at her worst yet, Draco, so don't count on it." Harry smiled at him. "Anyway, so what's this ball for anyway?"

"Well, let me see the invitation to make sure I'm thinking of the right ball." The invitation changed hands, and after a moment, Draco nodded. "Well, it won't be held until May second, so it's in honor of all those lost in your defeat of Voldemort and in celebration of him being gone for five years."

"Wonderful. I won't make a speech or anything. I refuse."

"I won't make you. The only thing is, I think that if we aren't… er… engaged… by then…." Draco looked off to the side, trailing off awkwardly.

"Oh Merlin…." Harry buried his face in his hands in embarrassment. "I'd really rather not have that public…."

"I know…. I would rather not have it public either, but if we haven't done it before then, we'll have to. Midsummer's Eve is, what? June twenty third, right? Somewhere around there. So May second is the latest we can reasonably be engaged. Timing is everything with this."

"My only hope is that we can keep the wedding relatively small. I don't want to make a big deal out of this."

Draco nodded. "We'll be compromising on that, because Malfoy's don't do anything small. We'll keep it personal though. We won't need too many people there."

"Fair enough."

Over the next few days, Draco and Harry spent out in public getting everyone used to the idea of them being together. They went to several restaurants and to a few shops to look for the dress robes they would need for the ball in May, even though it was still late January. Draco insisted that they needed to get them early so that they could be fitted and perfect for the ball. He, of course, knew from experience as he went to many balls as a Malfoy. Harry took his word for it, and didn't question it, just grudgingly followed him from shop to shop, though the shopping was spread out over all of the days they went out.

The whole time, they shared a few chaste kisses that meant nothing to them, but they made sure to act as though they did. The faint blushes and shy smiles that no one could know were an act but them. Holding hands as though they never wanted to let go, laughing together over nothing, and acting like two people in love. And every evening when they said goodbye in full view of the public, Harry felt a burning shame in his stomach as he kissed the blonde man he was to marry in a few months' time. Every time he wrapped his arms around Draco's neck to press their lips together, he could think of nothing but how he wished he didn't have to do this, and how much he wished it were Ginny he was kissing. And nearly every evening, he would fire call Hermione and ask her to come over for a few minutes, and he usually ended up crying over a glass of firewhiskey. He never told Draco that this was what he was doing once the door to his flat closed, and he was never asked.

February came, and halfway through the month, Draco finally brought up something to Harry that he had wanted to avoid.

"Harry, everyone thinks we've been going out for how long now?" he asked.

"Just over a month now I think." Harry looked up from the book he was reading in the library of Malfoy Manor to gaze at Draco.

"Well, I think that… to move our apparent relationship along, you should… stay one night at the Manor. I'm not saying tonight. You'll have your own room and bed and bathroom and everything, but just for-"

"I understand. Yeah, I…. As much as I was hoping to avoid this, it's honestly a good idea. I really just didn't want to bring it up…." Harry said uncomfortably, shifting his gaze from Draco to the floor.

"Bit of an awkward subject, I know." Draco smiled at him. "So when do you want to do that? As I said, it doesn't have to be tonight, whenever you're comfortable with the idea, but it would be best in the next week or so."

"Night after tomorrow? I've got dinner with the Weasley's. They told me that if you want to come, you're perfectly welcome. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are willing to put the past in the past, and they've made it clear to everyone else that if they're going to make trouble, they won't be welcome should you be there."

"If you're sure I won't be intruding, then yes." Draco smiled, but Harry could tell it was slightly forced.

"Draco, they're like my family, yes, but if you're not ready to put the past with them behind you yet, they'll understand. I'll understand."

"It needs to get done, and so it shall be done. I'll go with you tomorrow evening for dinner," Draco told him firmly.

The raven haired man smiled. "I'll let them know then. I should be going soon anyway, so I can drop by the Burrow before going home."

"Of course. Feel free to come back any time tomorrow."

Harry nodded as he slid a bookmark in to mark his place, and stood, stretching. "I usually head over to the Burrow right after work, but I'll come over so you don't have to go alone."

"Thank you. So I'll see you after work then?"

"Yeah." Harry smiled at him as he set the book on the desk that Draco was sitting at doing something or other. Harry had never asked, and Draco had never said.

"Good night then Draco."

The blonde smiled as he stood as well, walking with Harry to the fireplace. "Good night."

Glittery powder hit he fire, and was suddenly emerald, and Harry, after speaking his destination, stepped into the fireplace and vanished.