Chapter 28

I found Harry in the kitchen, he met me with a sobering potion and a coffee.

"Don't worry, I didn't brew it. The potion, that is. I did brew the coffee." Harry assured me.

I happily took the potion, my headache and grogginess evaporating in minutes.

"Good morning," I said with a kiss to his forehead.

Harry was oddly silent and focusing on his eggs and toast more than usual.

"Is something wrong? I thought dinner went really well, Ron really seems to have warmed up to the idea of me." I said tentatively.

He turned to me, uncertainty written across his face, "do you remember coming home last night?"

"Uhh, vaguely. Didn't we just go to bed?"

Harry nodded silently, "yeah, yeah, we just went to bed." He stood up and gave me a kiss, "I have to go to the bloody office today. Do you want to pop by for lunch?"

"Uhhh, Sure. won't people see us? Like, together? Aren't you worried about that?"

"Are you?" he questioned.

I stared at him, his eyes were giving determination but there was quiet fear behind that.

"No, I'm not worried." I stood straighter, "as though I'd be ashamed to show you off."

Harry waited a couple beats, doing that thing where he chews the inside of his cheek, thinking.

"Okay. One?"

"See you there, love." I smiled at him.

He paused to squint at me before flooing to the Ministry.

I finished my coffee before leaving for my own appointments of the day.

X*X*X*X*X

"Mel, follow me." I motioned to my office. Melinda scuttled behind me, clip board in hand.

"Yessir!"

"Close the door, please."

"Yessir?"

"Uh, I need to leave office for a bit, but I have to seem as though I'm here. If anyone asks for me, I'm busy, okay?"

"Yes, but -"

"I shouldn't be gone too long, just popping over to Hogwarts. I'll for sure be back before lunch."

"Mr. Potter, Sir!"

I turned from the fireplace, "yeah?"

"You have a meeting with the minister this morning. That's the only reason you came in, remember sir?"

"Damn, I forgot. Can we reschedule?"

"Again? I don't think the minister will be happy about that, even with his fondness towards you, sir."

I cursed under my breath, "what time is that?"

"In an hour."

I thought for a moment, "okay. I'll try to be back in time, if I'm not, stall him, I'll be back as soon as possible."

"You want me to stall Minister Shacklebolt?" Melinda asked dubiously.

"He's nice, really. Tell him you like his hat, or something." I didn't give her time to respond, I threw the powder into the fireplace.

"Hello, Potter. Your owl this morning was unexpected, I assume everything is alright?" McGonagall didn't look up from her work.

"Hi, Minerva. Ugh, everything is okay, just time sensitive. I have a meeting with Shaklebolt in an hour."

"The children have gathered in the old third classroom on the second floor, but don't take too long, they have class."

"Yes ma'am." I said.

As she said, all ten of my kids were sitting in the room, talking quietly, though they silenced when I walked in.

"Hey guys, this won't take long. Gather round." I cleared my throat, "uhm, a - a few days before Christmas, Luna and I went our separate way and we -we broke up. She'd still like to come 'round to visit and see you all, but right now, her dad is really ill, so I'm not sure when that will be." I ran my hand through my mess of hair, aware of how nervous I was to be saying this. "Uh, but that's - that's a bit of a different story. Uh - Uh"

"Just spit it out, Harry!" Livvy encouraged.

"Draco and I are in a relationship." I blurted, "Blimey, that was difficult. I just wanted to let you all know, incase it comes out in the papers in the next couple days. I know I tell you not to pay attention to the news about me, but I just, as a warning, I thought -" they were all staring at me smiling.

"Harry, I'm sorry to tell you this, buuuuut, I'm pretty sure we all knew already." Jeremiah shrugged.

"You did?" I asked, looking from child to child, seeing their heads nod in agreement.

"Oh, well theeennn . . . I guess this was just a formality. Have a good day then."

The kids filed from the classroom heading back to the lessons I'd pulled them from.

"Hold up, Mr. Chosen One," Jeremiah called, the last in the room "we have some questions."

"You're the only one here."

"Still." he shrugged at me with a lopsided smile.

"The headmistress warned me not to keep you too long and I have a meeting with the minister. What do you want to know and keep your questions PG, Jer."

"I'm just wondering if you two are going to keep using separate bedrooms."

"Uhh . . . I think so?"

"Do you have to follow the house rules regarding boyfriends in the bedrooms?"

"No, I'm an adult."

"I'm an adult, can I bring my boyfriends into my room?"

I looked at him trying to hide my surprise.

"Do you have boyfriends you want to bring over?"

He shrugged again, looking at the floor, "maybe one."

I smiled, "Jeremiah, why haven't you told me before? Livvy is out, I'm out, were you scared?"

"I don't know, Harry. I wasn't . . . scared you'd judge me, I know you'd never, but,"

I put an arm around his shoulder, comforting him, "Jer, it's okay. You have no timeline to come forward with this information. But I'm happy you did." I gave him a gently squeeze, "And, to answer your question, you may bring your boyfriend home, and he may be in your room with your door open."

Jeremiah sniffed, "well that's just not fair."

"When you're done with school and your boyfriend is done with school, you may bring him over and have him in your room with your door closed."

"Kay, I'd better get back to potions." He moved to leave, turning back to me at the door, "we all really like Draco, by the way. And we're all really happy you're with him."

"Thanks, Jer."

"See you at Easter."