Pt 3: Echo Echo

Chapter 8: Mary Mac

"Draco! Where does the cake go?"

"On the left side table. Do you have the plates?"

"Can't carry it all!"

"Are you a wizard or not?!"

"…I was afraid to drop it!"

"Riiight."

Hermione strode across the lawn and took the cake from Harry.

"The chairs and tents are set up," she said, indicating the large expanse of lawn now shaded by many tents and the chairs and tables set under them. "Food is on the right table, dessert on the left. Where are the plates and forks for the cake?"

Harry turned and walked back into the house. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Where's the music?" asked Draco, who was carefully adjusting the decoration charms.

"On their way," answered Hermione. "Don't panic."

"Right," muttered Draco. Harry returned with the plates and forks, and followed Hermione to the dessert table.

"Guest book is nice and visible," noted Harry as he passed it.

"Of course," said Hermione. "How would you ever keep track of everyone who's coming if you didn't have a book?"

Several people popped into existence just outside the tents, and Hermione went to show them in.

"The stage is over here, just leave a little room for Harry and Draco to make a speech. All right, you two, that's everything. I'll supervise out here, now go get dressed."

"She's slightly terrifying," Draco said to Harry as they turned back into the house.

"Not nearly as much as your boss. Whose idea was it to introduce them?"

"I didn't," said Draco, sounding surprised. "I thought you did."

"No. How did they ever end up conspiring, then?"

"No idea. Melissa was a Slytherin, Cessy might as well have been, and Hermione could've been a Ravenclaw, though, so I'm not really surprised that they're collaborating so well."

"Thought we'd broken you of the habit of stereotyping people by house," said Harry, laughing and whacking his lover on the shoulder. "Come on, get your suit on."

"Only if you do, too."

"Aren't we not supposed to watch each other get dressed?" Harry teased.

"That's for weddings," said Draco, "and we're not getting married, are we? Yet."

"Yet."

Somehow, the atmosphere became awkward, and they changed in silence. But then they went back out into the yard, and Hermione was entertaining their first guests, Neville and Hannah Abbott. Luna showed up shortly after, and Harry and Draco forgot the awkwardness in greeting their guests. More and more people streamed into the yard, including their respective friends and co-workers, Ministry officials, a few representatives from Gringotts, and others. The musicians played strings instruments in the background, seemingly inexhaustible, until, finally, Hermione signalled to Harry, and it was time for the speech.

"Hello, everyone," he started, swallowing hard. "As you know, Draco and I are hosting this little get-together in order to announce our new business venture. We're becoming private contractors, for, well, puzzles. I have tried-and-tested Auror field skills, including one of the highest success rates in the department and formidable Defence Against the Dark Arts skills." He'd hated putting that part in, but Hermione and Draco wrote it back in whenever he crossed it out. "Draco, meanwhile, has excellent skills in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, and has, until now, worked for Nottingwood's Numerology, which frequently brought him difficult Arithmancy-related problems, none of which he has been unable to solve with time and effort. Our services would be perfect for, as an example, opening up an ancient tomb sealed with runes, discovering the location of an artefact mentioned by a dead wizard in an encoded book, or assisting the Aurors with any number of clever Dark wizards. I know from my experience as a field Auror that these types of cases are often encountered, in which case an outside Arithmancer is hired. However, it would greatly benefit such cases if the Auror were accustomed to working with the Arithmancer, and this never happens. We are a matched pair, used to working quickly and efficiently together, with a highly complementary set of skills." This was a bit of a fib. Only since The Fight had they really understood each other well enough to work together. "We'd be honoured if you'd consider us for any engagements. Even if you'd just like to keep us on file for future consideration, please take some of the business cards next to the guest book. Thank you."

The crowd applauded, and Harry stepped down, relieved at having finished his speech. They returned to mingling with the crowd, and Harry shook hands with goblins and Ministry officials until he thought his arm likely to fall off. Finally, everybody he didn't actually know had left, and it seemed he and Draco were left with only their friends and a large party still in swing. Harry was struck, as always, by just how many people he knew and liked.

The music paused for only the second time all day.

"Hello?" said Draco. "Since all of the professional people have now left, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to do something I've been meaning to do for a while. Harry? Come here?"

Confused, Harry made his way up to the stage and stepped up onto it.

"What?" he asked for Draco's ears, but Draco did not remove the Sonorous charm. Instead, he knelt to the ground.

"Harry, I love you with all of my heart and soul. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, no matter what happens." In that 'no matter what happens' was contained so much. The insecurities. The fights that had so recently stopped. The fact that both of them knew they were too much in love to do anything but live with one another. And the fact both of them had left their jobs for a brand new idea which, although supported in every way by both their former bosses and all their friends, had no guarantee of bearing fruit.

"Will you marry me?"

Draco, and the crowd, seemed to be holding their collective breath.

"Yes, you nonce," said Harry, grinning wildly. "Come here." Draco slid the ring onto his finger and stood, now also grinning as though his face would split. "Yes, I will marry you," Harry whispered into Draco's ear, and pulled him into a kiss. The entire crowd roared. When they broke apart, Draco removed the charm.

"Really?" he asked, for Harry's ears alone.

"I love you more than anything," Harry told him. And, although it didn't really connect to that sentence, he added, "You still surprise me." And then, "I hope you keep doing that forever."

"I plan to," said Draco, and kissed him again.