Saturday, May 1st

Draco panted and shook his fringe out of his eyes. He placed a gentle kiss on Jacob's bare hip, then rested his cheek there. He felt his boyfriend's warm fingers brush through his light hair gratefully and the wizard smiled in contentment.

"So," he began. He cleared his throat and started again. "So, there's this big dance at my school in about two weeks. I guess it's sort of a big deal."
Jacob sat up against his headboard and tugged Draco up to lay beside him, tucking him perfectly against his chest. "The prom?"
"Yes."
"What about it?"
"It's… nevermind."

"Draco Malfoy, if you want me to come to prom with you, just ask." The Quileute's voice rumbled jokingly.

Draco huffed. "Fine. Yes, I was wondering if you would accompany me to the prom."

Jacob clicked his tongue in thought. "You know you'd be coming out to the school, right?"

Draco kissed his way up Jacob's stomach until he rested his head in the crook of his boyfriend's neck. "Babe, in the last few months I've seen my father again, lost a duel, lost you, got you back, attended the funeral for a woman that would still be alive if I had won that duel, and I bought several new short-sleeved shirts."

"Mmhmm, I noticed." The werewolf grinned appreciatively as he ran his hand over Draco's lithe but firm biceps and forearms.

Draco ignored him. "All I'm saying is that it's been shit, but I'm still getting more comfortable all the time and if I want to spend a night dancing to awful muggle music with my gorgeous boyfriend, I will not let bigots get in my way."

Jacob smiled and squeezed his grip a bit. "Yeah, I'll go with you. Is there a theme?"

Draco snorted. "Dungeons and Dragons.We're expected to dress accordingly."

"Do you expect me to wear scales?" Jacob asked sardonically.
Draco answered, "Hm- I don't think it would be the best look with your complexion. Harry and I decided we would wear our dress robes. They're formal, but wizarding wear is very similar to what you would consider middle ages. I can have you a set tailored and owled in if you wish."

"Sure, just let me know how much it costs."
"Don't be stupid."
"Dray, I—"
Draco rolled over so he was lying beside his boyfriend and locked their eyes. "Why do you repeatedly insist that I not pay for things?"

Jacob rested his large hands on the pureblood's lower back and rubbed gentle circles there with his thumbs. "I just… I don't want anyone to get the impression that I'm…" he mumbled something nearly incomprehensible but Draco caught the gist of it.

"Having money or paying for a date or outfit or ticket to the prom does not assert someone's masculinity, Jacob." He said quietly. "I'm gay. I like men. If I thought anything different, I wouldn't be here now would I?" He lowered his voice a fraction more, so that it came out partly as a hum, deeper in his chest. "And trust me- I don't need any more assurance of your manhood." He rolled his hips a bit, pressing down to create a delicious friction and reminding his boyfriend of their earlier activities.

Draco smirked at the hitch in his boyfriend's breath and tilted his head upward to accept the kiss that was offered to him.
"Dray?" Jacob whispered.
"hm?"
"Can I have a pair of boots too? Like yours?"
"Sure, Babe."
Jake slipped his fingers beneath the band of Draco's boxers at the base of his back and gently massaged the muscle there, earning another hum from the pureblood.

There was a knock at the door and Draco quickly sat up, pushing himself away from the Quileute. With a flick of his wrist they were both properly dressed and appeared cool and collected. Jake popped an earbud into his right ear and fitted the other piece into Draco's left, fiddling with his iPod in his other hand. "Yeah, dad?" he called.
The door swung open and Billy wheeled his way in, eyeing the room as though he expected to find a pair of underpants slung across his pathway.

"You need something, Billy?" Jake asked him

"Uh, no, Son. I just noticed Draco's bike out front and thought I'd come see how you were doing."

Jacob didn't even bother to hide his look of 'are you kidding me?' from his father. "We're fine, see you later," he said pointedly.

Billy sucked on his teeth, making a "tsch," sound. He nodded. "What are you listening to?"

"Music,Dad." Jacob widened his eyes at his father in a "go away, seriously," look.

Billy ignored the hint and shuffled his chair back and forth a bit. "You seen much of the Cullens lately?" He voiced the question to either of the two.

Draco smirked and exchanged an amused look out of the corner of his eye with Jacob. "Yes, Mr. Black. He spends the night at my place rather frequently."

Billy's face darkened. "I figured as much. Jacob, you and Sam and the others are to keep an eye on that pale-face, you hear? He's painting a mighty fine line along the bylaws of our people."

"Dad," Jake whined. "I know. Now go away."

"Yeah, Son. I know." He spun his chair with ease and made to leave. "You staying for dinner, Draco?" he asked on his way out.

"No, Sir. It's my turn to cook tonight at home." He shifted his way off the bed and pulled his boyfriend with him. "I've got to go now, actually, with Teddy on a schedule and all. Walk me out, Jacob."

They bypassed Billy's chair when the hallway widened near the entryway and they stood outside the front door under the porch awning while a light mist fell. Draco noticed the buds of several new flowers beginning to open in Billy's garden box.

"April showers bring May flowers," he said in a sing-songy voice as he pointed them out.

Jacob grinned. "And you know what they say May flowers bring, right?"

Draco tilted his head. "No, what?"

"Pilgrims," Jake joked, waiting expectantly for his boyfriend to laugh. "Get it? Because The Mayflower brought pilgrims to… no?" He trailed off while Draco stared blankly at him. "I guess it's an American joke," Jake finished lamely.

Draco snorted. "Or just a muggle one."

Jacob's shoulders slumped significantly.

"Not that that's bad!" Draco rushed to say. "We're just different! It's a different culture, language, history." he huffed in frustration.
"Okay, how about this: A blind wizard walks into a pub. He says to the barkeep, 'Want to hear a Hufflepuff joke?' The pub goes completely silent. The barkeep says, 'Sir, I am a Hufflepuff. I'm used to handling a rough crowd alone. I have my wand drawn. The wizard to your left is an auror with his wand drawn. He too is a Hufflepuff. The witch on your right has her wand drawn. She is a dueling champion and also a Hufflepuff. Are you absolutely certain you want to tell that Hufflepuff joke?'
The blind wizard says, 'Gods no! Not if I'm going to have to explain it three times!'" Draco cracked up as he finished the punchline. Jacob stared at him.

"You're right. We're completely different." The Quileute deadpanned. He slung an arm around the pureblood's shoulder and pulled him close to his side.

"I guess we'll just have to spend more time together," Draco sighed as if the concept were hugely inconvenient.
Jacob grinned. "You love me."
"I know I do."

Harry grabbed a box of rice from a shelf and handed it to Teddy, who was sitting in the child's seat of the shopping cart. The boy happily took it and shook it with both hands, enjoying the sound it made. Pushing the cart further along the aisle, Harry racked his memory for what other things they needed from the supermarket. Edward had suggested he make a list, but the wizard had assured him that he could shop without it. Now he wished he had written down what the refrigerator was running low on. Speak of the devil, the vampire was suddenly by his side again, placing three gallons of milk into the cart.

"'Dard," Teddy pointed at him, shaking the box some more.
"Hello again, Ted," Edward responded. "Anything else you need from dairy or produce?" he asked his boyfriend.
They found this method of shopping to be quickest and easiest on Teddy, who disliked shopping for long periods of time. Harry would stroll the basic aisles for staple ingredients and goods while Edward would zip around gathering fruits, vegetables, sandwich meat and the like.

"Er,"
"You don't remember, do you?" Edward smiled cheekily.

Harry refrained from pushing his boyfriend, conscious of Teddy mimicking his every move lately. "I know that I'm missing something, but I just can't remember what," he admitted.

Edward's grin grew. "Luckily, this is why you have a brilliant fiance who knows what's best for you," he taunted as he slipped a piece of paper from his pocket. "Let's see…" He compared the contents of their cart to the list of requests from the inhabitants of the safehouse.
"Draco wants a sugar cereal," he mentioned with a raised eyebrow.

Harry snorted. "No, Jacobwants a sugar cereal for when he sleeps over," he clarified.

Edward's smile was positively Slytherin. "Let me pick it out," he said.

Harry rolled his eyes but allowed the cart to be taken from his grasp while Edward gently turned them toward the breakfast cereal aisle. The vampire then proceeded to pick each and every dog-themed cereal brand available and pile them atop the already packed cart.
When the final box was squeezed in beside Teddy, who glared at the invasion of his space, Edward made to roll the cart away again.

"Wait!" Harry grabbed a box of simple Chex.
"That's not a sugar cereal," Edward pointed out. "And I sort of had a theme going here, if you hadn't noticed." He gestured at the canine-themed boxes.

Harry laughed. "I noticed. I just thought we might make some Puppy Chow for a snack later or something. Teddy will like it."

"Puppy Chow?"

"Yeah, Dudley used to scarf it by the handful. I could make it by the time I was 4. It's a mix of chocolate and peanut butter covered Chex, all shaken up in powdered sugar."

Edward raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And this is called Puppy Chow?"

"Yes."

"Let's make it."

On the car ride back, Edward suddenly interrupted a nonsensical song that Teddy was babbling.
"Wait," he said slowly.

"Hm?" Harry looked at him briefly before returning his eyes to the road.

"There is no way all of those groceries fit into this car. The physics of it just doesn't work out."

Harry grinned. "You're just now realizing this?"

Edward laughed but brought up his hands defensively. "Well, let's be honest- when you first allowed me to believe that the car is simply more spacious than it appears, I wasn't exactly expecting you to be a wizard."

Harry grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it playfully. "Yes, Dear. There are expansion charms on the boot of the car."

Teddy giggled from the backseat and Edward turned around to make a silly face at him. He then thought aloud: "Why didn't you bother to expand the backseat too? It's so cramped!"

Harry shrugged, turning onto the driveway and clicking a button to raise the garage door. "Didn't want to be too conspicuous."

When they entered the kitchen, Edward zipping in and out of the house to settle the numerous bags on the table while Harry slowly made his way while holding onto Teddy's fingers to help the little boy walk, the wizard quickly got the vibe that something was off. This notion was supported by the fact that it was past suppertime and nothing was being cooked, nor was the air thick with the smell of a just-made meal. With a gusty sigh he called for Kreacher and passed Teddy into the house elf's care. Then, he took the stairs two at a time up to the guard's quarters. Halfway up he was joined by his boyfriend, who rested a cool hand on his lower back. Dedalus, along with Krum and a few other men were ready to greet them.

"What happened?" Harry asked without hesitation.

"Perhaps you should ask Mr. Malfoy," Dedalus answered softly. The Gryffindor bit his lip, but reading the emotion in Diggle's eyes he decided to follow this suggestion.

"Okay," he said. He turned and directed himself toward Draco's room, where he knocked. When he didn't receive a response he opened the door slowly, not being resisted.

Draco was sitting on the edge of his bed, his eyes red with tears that wouldn't be shed. He glanced up when the Gryffindor let himself in, then covered his face with a hand.

"What happened?"
"I hate him."
"Jacob?"
"No, my father."

Harry gasped. "Did you see him?"
Draco shuddered a sigh. "No, but he… he left me a message."
"Where? How? Draco, what happened?"

"He burned down Jacob's house, Harry! He almost killed them! And I was… God, it's all my fault. I was there, and then I'm on my way home and Jake calls me freaking out and coughing and…" Harry wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder.

"Okay, okay. Let's calm a bit. Where are Jake and his dad?"

"They're at Sam's house. They'll be safe for a while because the guard did some charmwork to cover it up. They also made it look like the fire was caused by the oven."

"What message did Lucius leave for you?"

Draco steeled himself. "The dark mark," he bit out.
Harry rubbed Draco's arm firmly. "Okay and most importantly, how did he find the reservation?"
Draco positively paled. "I did magic," he admitted.
"Draco!"
"I know! But we were, you know, and then Billy was coming and I just-"

"Draco Malfoy, you risked people's lives so you didn't get caught with your trousers down? You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'm sorry! You don't think I don't know how that feels? I almost killed my boyfriend because I was too stupid to listen to the rules."

"shhh," Harry shushed as the pureblood became hysterical.

"We'll catch him, Dray. Soon, I promise. And no one else is going to die. Not because of him. And no one is to blame except for him." Harry looked up at the doorway where Edward was standing, looking in on them. He continued to speak. "And at the end of the school year, you and I are going back home to face the music, but this time neither of us will do it alone. You'll have Jacob and I'll have"
"Your sucker," Draco interrupted.

Harry glared. "Glad you're feeling better," he said sardonically. "You've been spending too much time with the werewolves."

He pushed himself away from the pureblood and stood up. "Well, after this disaster I can understand you shirking your dinner duties. Edward and I will whip something up, as long as you go take a shower. You smell like burnt plastic. Was anything salvageable from the Black's house?"

Draco shook his head sadly. "He even lost all his pictures of his mother," he said quietly.

Harry bit his lip, knowing what it felt like to lose a connection to one's parents. "I'll send Kreacher over there to see if he can find anything to fix."

Draco swept some hair out of his eyes and stood up. "I appreciate it," he said as he grabbed a towel and entered the bathroom.

"Oh and Draco?"
"Hm?"
Harry shared a conspiring glance with Edward. "Tell Jake that we have plenty of food for him if he wants to stay here for a while."