Chapter 10 – Discussions
Tom watched everyone eat with barely contained amusement. Sirius was mixing all the food on his plate together and making food castles before eating each structure individually. Remus was picking through the stew before him with single-minded devotion. Soon, he had meat on one side, vegetables and gravy on the other and a thick band of mash between the two and he seemed to be playing a counting game trying to decide which to eat first. The dark-haired potions master was eating his meal slowly, eyes closed in bliss.
His attention moved to the 2 young males between the potions master and himself. Both boys were torn between eating, discussing schoolwork with him and their mates, watching their mates and laughing at Sirus' and Remus' way of eating. He, himself, was eating his meal in small, enjoyable titbits so he could commune with his Kits and their mates. His Kits were eating in much the same way as he was with the exception that every now and then, Harry would lick his fork clean rather than suck it clean. Hermione was lost in the discussion about the lessons she was having with Blaise and Draco while Harry was trying his hardest to ignore Remus' and Sirius' behaviour.
After the last meaty, delicious morsel had been lovingly chewed and swallowed, Remus lead their guests into the sitting room while Harry and Sirius cleared the table.
"It was one of the criteria for Sirius eating with us tonight – he had to help clean-up afterwards and that includes the dishes," Tom explained when Severus looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
Five minutes later, Sirius walked into the room carrying a platter of bowls containing a slice of cake and a scoop of sorbet in one hand and another holding nine champagne flutes in the other. Behind him, Harry walked in with a tea service for nine and nine small cups full of a burgundy liquid. Tom narrowed his eyes.
"And just what is in those cups, Harry?"
Harry looked at Tom with large innocent green eyes, "Tea."
Tom hissed at him, scowling.
Harry chuckled. "It's only Port, Tom. You know I end important meals with it and Sirius said that you, he, the Professor, Draco, Rinie and Draco's father had something important to discuss with me tonight, so I thought that the small amount of port would be good to relax everyone."
"You are not getting rid of me," Remus growled.
"Of course not Mooney. You and Blaise are welcome to stay – You both are part of my family and are to be involved, after all, we may need more than Rinie to keep everyone calm."
Remus nodded and visibly calmed. He looked around. "Um … where's Severus?"
"Sev has gone to get Father," Draco answered, stretching. "They both should be here soon."
After the two men arrived and made themselves comfortable, Harry and Sirius started handing out the desserts, tea and port. Silence reigned in the room until Severus took a mouthful of the cake and moaned as his eyes rolled up into his head.
"I'm assuming you are enjoying the dessert Sev," Remus laughed.
"Enjoying it is an understatement. This isn't just dessert; this is a piece of artwork! A picture that is to be enjoyed slowly as it is savoured at one's leisure."
"Severus!" Draco laughed, "If you don't stop, I think Harry's head will explode with the extra blood that is flowing to his face."
Severus turned his eyes towards Harry. "You created this explosion of colour, flavour and texture?"
Harry nodded shyly before hiding his face in his mate's side.
"Harry loves to cook," Hermione smiled. "He cooked everything we've eaten all day –"
"Except the gooseberry fool – that was Remi."
Everyone turned to look at the resident werewolf who just laughed and tussled the black hair of the teen seated to his side.
"Just because you don't know of people's talents doesn't mean that they don't have them," he said, smirking at the disbelieving look on the faces of the adults in the room. "As a were-creature, I have never been very welcome in many places – not until recently at any rate," he explained when Blaise questioned him. "When I was younger – after my family disowned me for being bitten – I had no choice but to learn to use whatever I found as my only source of sustenance." He grinned. "I have a mean recipe for rabbit, tuber and nettle casserole – have done so since about three years before I got into Hogwarts. Not too bad at making nettle wine either," he winked, causing surprised laughter to erupt from those surrounding him.
Once the last dish had been finished and each person was cradling a cup of tea in one hand and nursing a shot of port in the other, Hermione sighted.
"I know we said that we would hold this meeting on Saturday and it is only Tuesday night, but this is far too important to wait until then."
"This is about the meeting to decide what to do about my mating, isn't it?" Harry asked softly, now curled up between Remus and Sirus.
"Yes Sweetie, it is."
Harry nodded and looked at Hermione with all his attention.
"Firstly, the ideas that were discussed were; Separate the two of you for a year –"
Draco hissed his displeasure at that thought.
"Second was Harry being locked in a part of the school alone –"
Remus growled. "And if I discover who's idea that one was I will tear them apart slowly so they can enjoy the feeling of each one of their muscles tearing strand-by-strand." It didn't escape anyone's notice that Lucius turned ash-grey at Remus' words, or that the over protective wolf growled at the man.
"The third option was the binding of Draco's inheritance – and I am overtly happy to say that after several people got sense smacking into them, this option was completely and utterly destroyed, never to return to the list of possibilities."
Everyone in the room noticed how Harry's body slacked in relief as he heard those words. Hermione waited until her cinnamon eyes locked onto those of her brother before continuing.
"It was at this point that Sirius appeared. He suggested that we do for you what was done for your parents as it seemed that your mother – like yourself – matured earlier than she was supposed to. Your grandparents allowed your parents to discuss things and create their own marriage contract which, while ensuring that the full bond could not be completed; there is enough occurring to reassure both sides of the bond that you are not being rejected by the other."
She glared at the men in the room, making the guilty parties squirm.
"This is to be between the two of them and no one else. The basics of the contract are no penetrative sex allowed – this is non-negotiable. Other than that, the two of you have free reign." She raised an eyebrow and sent them a half smile. "I suggest that you start now. Sign it with your blood when completed and hand it to an adult that you both trust so they can create and distribute copies to those who need them."
The two males nodded and left for another room. An enraged hiss and an amused snort announced the appearance of a strong silencing spell designed for creatures with enhanced senses.
The group in the sitting room had been making idle chit-chat for just over an hour when a happy Harry bounced back into the room while dragging s slightly terrified Draco along with him. Hermione, Sirius and Remus couldn't stop the chuckles that escaped them. Blaise, Severus and Lucius blinked in shock at the usually shy submissive. When the two teens stopped before Remus and handed him the signed contract, none were surprised. They were surprised, however, by the deep rolling laugh that came from the man when he read the parchment.
"What? What is it?" Sirus demanded.
Remus smirked at his friend. "I Remus John Lupin A.K.A 'Mooney', hereby decree that the contract between Draco Abraxas Malfoy and his submissive mate Harry, to be adequate and unchangeable. May your union be fruitful and an overflow of love. So mote it be."
"So mote it be."
Sirius and Tom turned to the lycanthrope. "What was so funny?"
Smirking, Remus passed the parchment to his pack-brother. "Read it and you'll see."
A few moments later, a shocked Sirius peered from behind the contract.
"It … It's exactly the same as the one made by James and Lils … Word for word identical."
Remus nodded his head, eyes sparkling with some suppressed emotion. "It seems to me that they approve. How else would Harry and Draco have used the same terminology for the entire document?"
"I have to agree with you there Mooney. Prongs and Foxy have given their approval."
"What are you two talking about?" Tom snapped, bringing the two men out of old memories.
"After James and Lily gave Elspeth – James' mother – their signed contract, they told the rest of the Marauders what they had done and they produce a second copy of their contract for us …" Sirus trailed off as he noticed the slightly reddened cheeks of his nephew. "Something you wish to tell us Kit?" Remus asked, humour evident in his voice.
Harry shook his head, but reached into his pocket and produced another scroll before handing it to Hermione amidst all the knowing looks and chuckles.
"As I was saying," Sirus continued with a fond smile for the couple, "Each of us memorised what its content was and filed it away. Remus and I can still recite the entire thing from memory, and the contract Remus was just handed is word-for-word identical to the contract James and Lily created all those years ago."
"And what does the contract say?" Tom asked with a raised eyebrow.
"It is basically the same as what is going to occur between Blaise and myself, but with one difference," Hermione said, skimming through the parchment with a soft smile on her face.
"What is this difference?" Lucius asked intrigued despite the fact that he shouldn't have stayed for as long as he had.
"They are to be bound together on Harry's seventeenth birthday."
"And whose idea was that?" Tom hissed dangerously, his eyes flashing a brighter red.
"Mine," Harry said negligently.
Everyone blinked.
"What?"
"I said it was mine," Harry stated once more, sipping at his tea and port as though he hadn't just said something of any importance. Blaise, Draco, Severus and Lucius held their breaths; waiting for the explosion they felt was brewing. Sirius and Remus looked between Tom and Harry as if trying to decide whether they needed to protect their Kit. Hermione just kept reading the contract. Tom leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs at the ankle and rested his chin on the splayed fingers of his left hand while his right nursed his port.
"Explain."
Harry sat forward slightly, placing both drinks on the table beside him and clasping his hands before him. "Firstly, Draco needs me Tom. He needs me just as much as I need him. Now, let's ignore the fact that both of us are creatures and that Draco is my Dominant – and a VAMPIRE, therefore causing him to need to stake his claim of me or he'll think I'm rejecting him," Harry continued, ignoring the uncomfortable look on Tom's face.
"The first thing, ignoring that, is that I want a family of my own. Yes, I have you, Sirius, Remus and 'Mione, but something is missing. Something important … right here," Harry pressed a clenched fist to his chest, eyes never wavering from the red reptilian ones of his mentor.
"I loved growing up at the orphanage, but every time one of the children left, I was heartbroken. It was as if every one of my little ones were taken from me as soon as I got them and it hurt, Tom. It felt as though my heart was being stabbed over and over again before the knife was twisted. But every time it happened, all I did was give them a cuddle, a kiss on the head and a promise that I would always be thinking of them –"
"Don't forget the threats you made to the people who were adopting them," Hermione chimed in cheerfully.
Harry waved a hand negligently. "That doesn't count because my little ones weren't there for that '"
"Thank Merlin and Morgana for small miracles."
Harry poked his tongue out at Hermione before turning back to Tom.
"They had every right to have a loving family. I couldn't prevent them from having that – it was the one thing that I couldn't give to them, but I wanted to ... I wanted to so badly and I wanted it for myself, just as much as I wanted it for them. I need someone I can protect, but I'm always being the one that's protected and I always will be until I have my own kittens. Even if I weren't a Daemon, I know that Draco would be the best person to father my kittens. He is strong, attentive, patient, understanding, intelligent, attractive, protective and loving. Secondly. I can see myself falling in love with him and having a wonderful life. Like the make-up add Sirius likes says: It won't happen overnight, but it will happen."
Sirus blushed while Remus smirked at him. "I knew that would come back to bite me in the arse one day … HEY! What was that for?" he cried as three hands reached out and smacked him across the back of the head.
"For just being yourself."
Sirius pouted.
"And the most important reason is because it feels right. I feel as if it is my right, my reward to stand beside him for the rest of my life." He shrugged. "I have to also admit to wanting to be bound to my mate before I am with kitten and to be truthful, I believe I will not be able to stop myself from pouncing him on my seventeenth birthday and I believe the opposite to be equally true."
"That's true," Lucius sighed in agreement. "Once a Vampire's mate is of age and responds to the will to mate, then nothing will stop them from claiming – or being claimed – by their mate."
"I will not claim my mate as soon as he reaches seventeen," Draco half-sneered. "I will wait until he and I are bound later in the day."
Tom, Severus and Lucius raised an eyebrow at the same time, causing Hermione and Harry to giggle slightly.
"And how do you know this?" Lucius asked.
"Because Harry is adamant about that one fact - We are to be bound heart, mind and soul before we become one in body. If that is what he truly wishes, then it is the least I can do for him. Besides, now that we are courting, if anyone even thinks of taking him from me, I will tear them limb-from-limb."
Remus yawned.
"Oh! Look at the time!" Harry cried. "I'm so sorry Remy. I should have noticed you were getting tired. Off to bed with you! Don't forget to brush your teeth."
Remus gave a chesty chuckle and the deep, rough voice from before returned. "He is asleep Kit, and has been for a while. I'll share what happened here tonight with him when we are both awake."
Harry nodded. "Thanks Mooney. Now, off to bed with you, it's been a big day for you as well."
Remus chuckled again. "I should stay up just to enforce to you that I am Alpha, but even I know better than to argue with a natural born mother, let alone two." He stood, stretching. "You will be alright cleaning up?"
"Yes Mooney, we'll be fine. Now BED!"
"We will see you in the morning," the wolf said, then disappeared into his room.
"We will see you in the morning, Sirius, Professor," Hermione and Harry stated.
"Harry stepped towards Lucius and held out a slightly shaking hand. "It was wonderful to meet you Sir. I'm looking forward to spending more time with you in a few days' time to get to know you more. Draco speaks very highly of you."
Lucius gently folded one of his hands around the offered one. "I am glad to hear he speaks well of me. I too, am looking forward to getting to know the youngster who stole my son's attention so thoroughly."
Harry blushed and looked away shyly. Lucius let go of his hand and nodded to all those present before heading to the door, followed by Draco.
"He's definitely a keeper Draco," Lucius stated softly when he got to the door. "He is everything I could have asked in a mate for you. He will give you strong children – and I have ten months to get used to the fact that I will be a grandfather before I turn forty-one."
Draco chuckled and hugged his father. "You'll get used to it," he teased.
"I want to know what Miss Granger meant by 'threats'," Severus could be heard asking.
"Nothing major," Harry answered as he collected their dirty cutlery, "Just disembowelment, skinning or human sacrifice if they ever harmed one of my Kit's purposefully – accidental harms are to be expected."
He rubbed his cheek against Draco's instead of trying to hug him with full hands. "You should go back to the dorm you sleep in: you have class the morning. We'll see you for breakfast?"
Draco nodded and kissed the top of Harry's head. "Sleep sweet Kitten."
Harry smiled and walked into the kitchen, leaving behind a room of stunned males.
"Please," Severus stressed the word several moments later as he turned to face a chuckling Hermione. "Please tell me he was joking about the threats."
Hermione smirked. "He wasn't, he actually used those threats and placed a spell of his own design onto any new child that arrived at the orphanage that tells him when any of them are being mistreated." She raised an eyebrow at the shocked expressions on the people around here and the amusement in Sirius' eyes as he stood in the doorway leading to the kitchen with a pile of bowls in one hand.
"You shouldn't be so shocked," she said., "He may be a full submissive but he is also a Demon, and as such, he is possessive and protective over those he sees as his." She smirked, merriment dancing in her cinnamon eyes. "He's already stated his claim on Draco to the other students of the school by getting him to bite him in order to show everyone who he belongs to – He will guard Draco jealously from anyone he sees as a threat to his rightful position."
She smiled sweetly and kissed Blaise on the cheek for the first time. "See you for breakfast. Goodnight," she closed the door and locked it.
In the corridor, the startled Slytherins blinked.
"How did she do that without us knowing?" Lucius eventually asked, staring at the closed door.
"I'm not sure I want to know," Severus answered, also staring at the door in shock, one of the mini lemon syrup polenta cakes in one hand.
The two students with them nodded their agreement, eyes never leaving the door separating them from their mates.