The Devil in Me
You Are the Peace in My Troubled Sea
The chapter title comes from the song:
My Lighthouse by Rend Collective
When Harry saw Draco for the first time since everything kicked off, he could tell that he had been filled in on the events by his mother.
The blonde boy was sitting by an unlit bonfire in the grounds of the Manor, and it had taken Harry quite a while to find him in the bustling Manor.
"You okay?"
Draco looked up and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. You know my aunt and I didn't see eye to eye most of the time…"
Harry sat down next to Draco and put his arm around him, "But your mother loved her, and it's hard to see her suffering?"
Draco swallowed and looked down, "Yeah. I hear the baby is okay, though?"
"Amalthea? Yeah, she's great," Harry said with a smile, "Tiny though, she was born three weeks early so…" he trailed off.
"Did my aunt pick her name?" Draco asked with a frown, "Amalthea, that's one of the stars in the Capra constellation."
Harry nodded, "Yeah, but your aunt didn't pick her name. The Dark Lord did; her middle name is Noelle because she was born on the solstice day. Your aunt wanted to call her Delphini."
Draco made a face, "That's a terrible name."
"Exactly, and that's coming from someone named 'Draco'," Harry joked.
Draco smiled slightly, "Still, you might have thought the Dark Lord would have gone with my aunt's suggestion? As her dying wish or whatever."
Harry shot Draco a sceptical look, "I mean, I know he's not the totally evil overlord we all thought he was, but come on Draco, he's still the Dark Lord."
Draco sighed.
"He's selfish," Harry said, looking up at the brightly lit Manor, "That's the real reason it's so hard for him to fall in love."
"What so selfish people can't fall in love?" Draco quipped.
Harry shook his head, "Not into the kind of pure love people like your parents have. If I ever believed there was such a thing as true love, it's because of them."
Draco smiled, albeit a little sadly, "Yeah, it's hard to live up to. Growing up, expecting to get married because of a contract, knowing you'll have to fall in love with someone after you've married them, you know? I look at my parents, and I think I'll never have that."
"You're only 17. Never say never," Harry replied.
Draco made a thoughtful sound then the two boys fell silent. Harry was about to suggest that they re-join the party, but before he could, Draco spoke again.
"Did you hear the full story about what happened to the Cauldwells?"
Harry looked up at the blonde; he seemed contemplative.
"No, I was a little preoccupied with the whole child-delivering gig."
"You were there?" Draco asked in surprise.
Harry nodded, his eyes far away, "Yeah, I sort of took hold of the situation. The Dark Lord was…I don't know, I don't want to say he was distracted because he wasn't but all the same, he was just too close to it, you know?"
Draco nodded.
Harry continued, "So I stayed and kept an eye on everything. I didn't do much. I think I was more moral support to your mum. It was quite tough, getting her through it."
Draco looked at him for a moment; the look in his eye was a strange one that Harry couldn't decipher. Then he worked out what it was - around the time that Draco wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly – it was gratitude.
"Thank you," Draco said quietly.
Harry patted Draco on the back and pulled away, "Yeah, don't mention it. Like really, don't mention it because I have a reputation to uphold and quit it with the hallmark moments."
"You still haven't told me what a hallmark moment is," Draco pointed out, getting to his feet and following Harry towards the house.
"Ask Lily; she'll fill you in!" Harry called, stepping into the house and making his way into the ballroom where most of the evening celebrations were taking place.
It was already late in the evening, which meant that the feast had begun. Two large Christmas trees decorated the hall, and the room was full of families - children were running around in pretty dresses and smart dress robes playing games. Their parents were all hovering nearby with glasses of mulled wine; the room was full of laughter and the sound of several conversations being held at once.
Harry steered Draco over to the table that his parents were sitting at and smiled at Lucius.
"Found him. Apparently, his thinking spot involves dragon statues, go figure," Harry said.
Draco shot Harry an exasperated look, "You only came looking for me because Father asked you to?"
"I may have asked him to find you, but he looked because he cares," Lucius said. He pointed at the empty seat by his side, "Sit down and eat something."
Draco sat down, and Harry turned to walk away, but before he could, Narcissa said, "Harry, stay with us."
Harry turned around and paused, "Are you…are you sure?"
Narcissa smiled and motioned to the seat on her other side, "The winter solstice is a time to give gifts and thanks, and I certainly owe you my thanks. If it were not for you, my niece might not be here."
Harry smiled sympathetically at her and sat down, "I'm sorry for what you had to lose to see that niece, Narcissa."
Narcissa shook her head, "Lucius is right; it is the solstice. We can mourn Bellatrix tomorrow, but tonight we should celebrate life."
Harry nodded and looked up at the head table where the Malfoys traditionally should have sat. However, tonight Tom sat there with Lily by his side. He had been guarded about his involvement with her until recently, and Harry briefly let himself wonder what had changed.
"How is Amalthea?" Harry asked, turning back to Narcissa.
"She is wonderful, despite being a little early," Narcissa answered with a warm smile that reached her eyes, "I made sure of that myself before I left her with one of the nanny elves."
Harry wondered who would raise Amalthea now that Bellatrix was gone because he doubted that Tom would take the baby on full-time. He did not voice the question though; it was not the time.
The feast was coming to its natural end, and music had just begun to play. There would be music and dancing, then the children would go to bed, and the adults would apparate to Stonehenge for the solstice, just as the Dark Lord had hoped back at the midsummer solstice in July.
All around the room, couples began to dance, and Harry watched it all quite contently.
Lucius smiled and placed his hand on top of his wife's. In response, Narcissa smiled and intertwined her fingers through his.
"I know it has been a day of mixed feelings, my love, but would you do me the honour of sharing the first dance of Yule with me?"
The smile on Narcissa's face lit up the room, and Harry and Draco both looked down to hide their fond smiles. Each of them longed for a relationship as beautiful as theirs. The respect that they had for each other was quite something to behold.
"Of course," Narcissa replied, letting Lucius gently pull her to her feet. He led her out onto the dance floor, pulled her close to him and the smile on Narcissa's face was genuine despite the events of the day.
"Merlin, I envy them," Harry said, thinking back on their conversation on the grounds.
"Yeah, me too," Draco returned quietly.
"Are you going to ask anyone to dance?" Harry asked, glancing over at Draco.
Draco shook his head, "No, the first dance of Yule is kind of a big deal. You know that, don't you?"
Harry nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, because Yule is all about praying for good luck and fortune for the year ahead. You ought to care deeply for the person you dance with if you wish to bestow good fortune and health upon them."
"Asking someone to dance at Yule is practically a precursor to a proposal," Draco agreed.
Harry nodded and scanned the hall for one person in particular. His eyes met Reyna's; she was standing on the other side of the room with her elder sister. A short distance away, her parents were dancing, which struck Harry as odd because he had always gotten the impression that Gus and Johanna were hardly couple goals.
He smiled at Reyna then tore his eyes away before she could expect anything from him. Harry was about to look back over at Draco when he caught sight of Daphne. She was sitting a couple of tables away with her parents.
Cygnus was signing to Lareina, and Harry got the gist of it, he was asking her to dance, and she was telling him that he knew she did not care for dancing ever since she had lost her hearing, she found it difficult to get into a rhythm now.
At that moment, Daphne looked up and caught his eye and there it was again – a flutter in his stomach, a flash of lighting to the chest. Harry looked into those ice-blue eyes and made a rash decision, which he did more often than not around her these days.
Harry got to his feet and ignored Draco's question of, "What are you doing?" as he walked over to the table. Daphne didn't take her eyes off of him as he walked towards her.
When he reached the table, Astoria gasped. Her shock was almost laughable, but Harry didn't laugh at her. He just smiled at Daphne, "May I have this dance, Daphne?" he asked while signing so that her mother could understand what he was doing.
Cygnus's eyes widened, "Daphne-" he began to say in alarm.
However, before he could finish, Lareina placed her hand on top of Cygnus's and looked him in the eye. They seemed to communicate wordlessly because Cygnus said nothing more, he looked back to Daphne and gave her a slight nod.
Daphne smiled slightly, not a broad grin, but a small, soft reminder that she was human underneath the frosty exterior, "Yes," she replied.
Harry held out his hand. She took it and got to her feet, allowing him to guide her onto the dancefloor. They were both well aware that they were being watched, but neither of them cared much. The only person whose opinion Harry was worried about was Toms because he was the one who would punish him if he thought he was rash or thoughtless.
"You look lovely tonight," Harry commented.
Daphne was wearing a full-length white gown, embezzled with diamantes. Her long white-blond hair had been let down but curled slightly, and she wore a crown of holly and ivy in her hair.
Daphne raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you referring to the fact I'm wearing white after what happened last night?"
"I thought you never wanted to talk about that again," Harry said as a small smile came to his lips.
Daphne resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Yes, well, if you are making crass comments, then I suppose it is necessary to talk about it."
"I was doing no such thing," Harry promised, "I genuinely think you look lovely tonight. There's something about you with flowers in your hair; it reminds me of the first night I noticed you…dancing around the stone circle on midsummer."
Daphne cocked her head at him, "Interesting isn't it? How much can change in six months?"
Harry smiled cheekily, "Just think where we might be in another six months."
"Engaged, my father will expect," Daphne said, eyeing him with interest, "Or do you not understand the significance of this dance?"
"I understand just fine," Harry promised, "Which was why, despite recent conversations, I asked you and not Reyna."
Daphne looked him in the eye, "You are aware that you hardly know me, right? Less than a year ago, you were Dumbledore's perfect little pawn and now? Now you're the Dark Lords right-hand man, pursuing your pureblood heritage. Am I just a piece in that game? The trophy wife who would give you credibility?"
"I'm not going to lie and say that you wouldn't give me credibility because you would," Harry admitted, "But that's not the reason for this. I don't care too much about credibility because if anyone insults me, I'll kill them unless the Dark Lord asks me nicely not to."
Daphne raised an eyebrow, "Charming."
Harry pulled her a little closer, "I am aware of what I am potentially proposing to you tonight, Daphne. But there is no obligation with that at all. You had every right to say no when I asked you to dance; the ball is in your court here."
Daphne looked at him with interest.
"I'm not a good person, and although I think you already know that, you need to be aware of the depth of it," Harry confessed, "I've done terrible things."
"You have," Daphne agreed, "But whether that makes you a bad person or not? Well, that's up for debate."
It was Harry's turn to raise an eyebrow at her now.
"Sometimes good people do bad things," Daphne said, her eyes on Harry's, "And sometimes bad people do good things. The world isn't as simple as good and evil, Harry."
Harry smiled sadly because good Godric, she had reminded him of Sirius just then.
"I know what you are," Daphne finished, "So if I walk into this with you, I'll be doing so with my eyes wide open."
Harry gave her a slight nod, the smile still lingering on his lips, "You said earlier about being a trophy bride, and I promise you, you would never be that. If I were pursuing you for the wrong reasons at all, it would be because even though it irritates me when you act like you're better than everyone else. Unfortunately, you are better than everyone else."
Daphne smirked, and Harry continued, "When I changed sides, I made a promise. I promised myself that I would stop settling for second best, that I wanted the best."
"What a controlling way to tell a girl you want to marry her," Daphne mused, but she didn't seem annoyed.
Harry gave her an amused look, "Besides, we both know that I am going to be useless at politics, and when this is all over, I'll need a strong pureblood wife to steer me in the right direction."
"That much is true," Daphne agreed.
"I'm a fighter, Daphne," Harry said, his voice softer than usual, "Fighting is all I know what to do. I've been at war my whole life, and when we win this one? I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself, but you…you are about the only thing that gives me direction. You are the only thing I want that isn't fuelled by revenge or war."
Daphne met his eye once more, and Harry could tell that she wanted to kiss him, but she wouldn't – not here, and not now. They settled for holding eye contact for far longer than they needed to, coming to a stop when the song ended. Harry felt that spark again, and he knew that Daphne could feel it too – it was less than an hour until the sunset, the ancient elemental magic within their blood was at its strongest.
Daphne bowed her head, "Thank you for the dance, Lord Potter."
"Thank you, Lady Greengrass," Harry said, bowing his head to her.
With a small smile, Daphne made her way back over to her parents, and Harry sat down with the Malfoys, firmly aware of the three sets of eyes on him.
"Are you fucking insane?" Draco hissed.
"Draco, language," Narcissa scolded.
Lucius raised an eyebrow at Harry, "Are you absolutely mad?"
Draco raised his hands irritably, "That's what I just said."
"Yes, but you were far more vulgar, Draco," Lucius drawled. He had not taken his eyes off of Harry.
"What is insane about asking the Greengrass heir to dance with me on Yule?" Harry asked, leaning back in his chair and smirking.
"Well, shall we think about that for a moment?" Lucius said, leaning forward, "Ah yes – anyone who knows anything about the Greengrass family knows that they are not keen on overt intentions. They keep their family business behind closed doors; engagements are announced days before the wedding takes place."
"Yet Cygnus just let me dance with his daughter," Harry pointed out.
"Indeed," Lucius mused, "Perhaps we taught you too well."
Harry chuckled, "You did not teach me anything about pureblood courtship rules. I learned most of that from Pollux and a little bit from Gus."
"Speaking of which, a certain daughter of his is currently glaring at you as if she wishes you to turn to dust," Lucius pointed out with an amused smirk.
"Of course she is. He practically just proposed to Daphne," Draco muttered under his breath.
"Yeah," Harry said sheepishly, deliberately not turning around to look at Reyna, "I'll deal with that later."
Thankfully, Harry managed to avoid Reyna for the remainder of the dance.
When the time came to up sticks and apparate to Stonehenge, Harry apparated with the Malfoys and found himself looking around in amazement when they got to Stonehenge.
He had seen it from a distance, but up close, it was terrific. The place's scale was indeed something; you could have fitted ten of the henges in Malfoy Manor into Stonehenge.
"I'm guessing those are the evening's sacrifices," Harry said, looking at the bodies stacked inside the bonfire at the side of the henge.
Draco nodded, "From what I gather, those were some of the muggles who use this place to celebrate the solstice."
"Appropriate then that their souls should depart from here," Harry mused.
"Morbid, but essentially, yes," Draco replied.
They did not talk for long because the sunset was almost upon them. Tom stood up at the front of the crowd and called for silence which he was immediately granted.
"Friends, did I not promise you that we would celebrate the winter solstice at this, the most sacred of places for us all?"
There was a general murmur of agreement, and a few people clapped.
"We have achieved more than any of us would have thought possible during our last winter solstice together. I thank you all for the sacrifices that you have made in aid of our cause, and I join you in celebrating us retaking our rightful place in this world, our world."
Harry smiled slightly and joined in with the clapping.
Tom looked around the crowd, "We shall sacrifice these filthy muggles who would dare to desecrate our sacred circle with their impurity and in doing so, we shall gain the support of magic itself in winning this war. Tonight, we celebrate all that we have to be thankful for, and I promise you all now that we will have ridden ourselves of all those who would deny us our rightful position before we celebrate another solstice together."
Everyone broke out into applause when Tom's speech ended. The sun completed its descent. Charlie and Felix had Sarris and Lennox light the bonfire, and Harry wrinkled his nose. When it was just one body, the smell of burning flesh didn't bother him too much, but it was quite the stench when it was closer to 50.
As such, he threw a masking charm at the bonfire, making it smell like a lovely wood-burning fire, and he saw a few Death Eaters shoot him grateful looks. Harry pulled his hipflask out of his pocket and took a swig; then he walked over to the Dark Lord.
"Nice speech."
Tom raised an eyebrow, "I am glad you approve. Did you enjoy your dance with the Greengrass heiress?"
Harry smiled, "I did, thank you for asking, and yes, I know the significance of that dance."
Tom looked over at Daphne, who was with her family, "I approve of your choice. She is wealthy, attractive and influential."
Harry nodded and looked over at Daphne too, "And kind."
"Why does that matter?" Tom asked.
Harry gave him a knowing look, "I know enough about your relationship with Lily to know that you know why it matters."
Tom didn't argue that point. He just looked away from Daphne to focus on Harry once more, "On the subject of empathy and compassion, I want to thank you."
Harry looked at him in surprise, "What for?"
Tom almost laughed, "What for? My, Harry, you do sell yourself short."
Harry was quite bemused, "Okay?"
With a small smile, Tom said, "I am aware that I was a little distracted earlier. The fact you took control of the situation was noted and appreciated. Lucius informed me that you called William Weasley, and I know that it was you who informed me of Bella's fate."
Harry nodded, not quite sure what to say.
"You supervised the birth of my heir," Tom said, reaching out and placing his hand on Harry's shoulder, "And you ensured she entered this world safely."
Harry looked up into Tom's eyes – he would once have described them as cold and emotionless, but now they contained a depth of emotions.
"I know why you asked me to supervise the situation," Harry confessed, "I'm not stupid, and while I might not be the most perceptive person in the world, generally speaking, I am when it comes to you. I was your eyes and ears, with me in that room, you could keep an eye on the situation without showing the likes of Azriel and Bill that you care."
Tom did not deny it; he just loosened his grip on Harry's shoulder and let his hand drop.
"I don't know why you hide the best parts of yourself from your followers, Tom," Harry confessed.
Tom looked up once more and confessed, out loud rather than in his head which made it all the more significant as far as Harry was concerned.
"When people see good, they expect good," Tom shook his head and looked across the garden to Lily, who had just struck up a conversation with Hermione, "And I do not want to have to live up to anyone's expectations."
"Apart from maybe hers," Harry said softly, his eyes following Tom's line of sight.
"Perhaps," Tom said.
Harry knew that he couldn't get any more information from Tom, so he made an excuse to leave and spent the next little while flitting between people for catch-ups and short-lived conversations.
He knew he couldn't avoid Reyna forever though, and eventually, she popped up.
"Hi, Harry, happy Yule."
Harry grimaced, "Hi Reyna, having a nice time?"
She glared at him, "Seriously? That's what you're going to go with after you basically just proposed to Daphne Greengrass?"
"I didn't propose to her, I danced with her," Harry reminded Reyna.
Reyna gave him a sceptical look, "At Yule, come on, Harry. My father taught you last summer, so you know everything I know and more. You're not an idiot, no matter how much you try to pretend you are so you know exactly what that dance meant - you proposed to her."
"I proposed a proposal to her," Harry conceded.
Reyna gave him an irritated look, "I'm not stupid, you know? I knew marriage between you and I was never on the cards, but I thought we were friends, so it would have been nice if you had given me a little bit of warning first."
"Honestly, Reyna, it wasn't something I'd thought about beforehand," Harry confessed, "It was more of a spur of the moment thing."
"A spur of the moment thing?" Reyna asked in disbelief, "Are you seriously telling me that you just looked in her eyes then decided you were going to marry her?"
Harry cringed, "Well…I mean, yeah, when you put it like that, it does seem like a rash decision but….yes."
Reyna rolled her eyes, "If anyone else were telling me this, I'd call bullshit, but with you and all the shit you got up to at school, somehow that's plausible."
Harry smiled half-heartedly, "I'm sorry, Reyna. I didn't want to screw up our friendship over this."
Reyna shook her head, "I'm pissed off, but I'm not going to cut you off. I get it, you know? You're the last Potter, your family home is a ruin, and you're living off what your idiotic father didn't squander away. You need to make a good match, financially and politically, and we both know that's not me."
"All of that is true," Harry admitted, "But if I do properly propose to her, it won't be because I need to make a good match."
Reyna smiled ruefully, "I know, Harry."
Harry gave her a final smile then walked away, not entirely where he was going or who he was looking for, but that was the beauty of such a gathering. As he walked away, he heard a surprised, "Reyna?"
And being the nosy git he was, Harry turned around. A blonde girl had just walked away from Hermione to stand before Reyna.
"Caroline, you're alive?" Reyna replied in disbelief.
"Miraculously, yes," Caroline said, glaring at Reyna, "Not that you get to care about that after you just abandoned me."
"My father was a Death Eater, and your step-dad was Kingsley Shacklebolt. What was I supposed to do?"
"Talk to me! You know, rather than leaving me in my militant mother's hands. Worst, you left me with Eddie," Caroline scoffed, "They made me join their little army. I didn't even want to fight in this war, I just want to be a Healer!"
Reyna smiled fondly and pulled Caroline into a hug, "I know I've been a terrible best friend, but I missed you."
Caroline bit back her smile, trying to keep her annoyed pretence up for a little longer, "Yes, you were a terrible friend. You left me with her and ran off with that stupid idiot, Fawley."
Reynas eyes darkened, "Yeah, well, he's dead now, so…"
"What?" Caroline asked sharply, "Was it in a battle or..?"
"No. My father killed him, well him and Harry Potter," Reyna said with a wave of her hand, "Long story, but Stuart wasn't a nice guy, and he did…bad things."
"I'd have killed him too then," Caroline said irritably.
"With what, kindness?" Reyna asked. The smile on her face was fonder than Harry had ever seen.
Caroline smiled back, "You're still a bitch."
"You're still a Hufflepuff," Reyna countered, pulling her in for a hug once more.
"Is Eddie still alive?" Reyna asked.
"Hmm," Caroline returned, "Still alive, still an idiot, still won't accept that I don't' want to sleep with him because he's my best friends ex. Has your taste improved since him and Fawley?"
"Not really, no," Reyna said, hooking her arm through her friends, "But that's another long story."
"Wanna talk about it?" Caroline asked as the two girls walked away together.
Harry felt a shoulder against his own and turned to Daphne, "What was that about?"
"They were best friends at Hogwarts," Daphne replied. She sipped her mulled wine and held out a mug for Harry.
He took it gratefully, he was freezing, "Mm, you're an angel."
"Of death, remember?" Daphne said, shooting him an amused look.
Harry chuckled and turned away from Reyna and Caroline, his eyes falling on the Weasley family reunion happening closeby.
"Strange, isn't it?" Harry said, nudging his head towards them, "Seeing them without Molly or Ron."
Daphne shrugged, "It's also refreshing. I mean, look how happy they all are."
Harry smiled and nodded, "I wonder what they're talking about…"
…
"Who would have thought we would spend our first Yule at Stonehenge surrounded by Death Eaters?" Percy had asked, rather stupidly.
Fred smacked him on the back, "Hate to break it to you, Perce, but most of us are Death Eaters."
Percy's ears turned red, and the others all chuckled at his expense.
"Or affiliated with them at the very least," Arthur agreed.
Charlie nodded, "I mean Bill's the Dark Lords go-to curse breaker who also just saved his baby's life, so he's held in high regard."
Fleur smiled and leant back into her husbands embrace.
Bill nodded and kissed Fleur on the top of the head, "Still felt like a loss, though. Saving the baby but knowing it's not going to grow up with a mother."
"Oh, I don't know," Ginny said, her eyes on the Malfoy family, "I think Narcissa will do a better job than Bellatrix could have done anyway."
Narcissa sensed Ginny's gaze and smiled at her across the plain. Ginny smiled back and gave Narcissa a small wave.
"Since when were you on such friendly times with a Malfoy?" Percy asked curiously.
Ginny gave her brother an 'are you stupid?' look and replied, "Since she frog-marched Mulciber into Hogwarts and sweet-talked him into bringing Aunt Beth to help me. Oh, and since she fixed Neville up after I almost killed him."
Neville was standing by her side, his arm around her. He watched the brothers talk, but it was clear he was only getting snippets of the conversation. Not that he looked bothered about it, he just seemed to be content to be with Ginny.
This time George smacked Percy on the back as his ears reddened once more, "That's two, Perce. How many more dumbass comments can you come out with before the night is through?"
Percy gave his brother a long-suffering look, but George winked to let him know it was all in jest.
"I just meant that even if we aren't all Death Eaters, we are all on this side," Percy admitted, "Charlie is a Death Eater and a dragon rider. Fred and George are-"
"-dating a Death Eater," Fred and George echoed.
"So am I," Ginny cut in.
"And you sold your soul for a political position," Bill said, grinning at Percy.
"So you're the least surprising of us all somehow, Perce," Charlie teased.
"I don't know why I came back to this family," Percy muttered, unable to keep the amused smile from his face.
"Cause you love us, Perce!" Fred said, wrapping an arm around his older brother.
George grinned and did the same from the other side.
Hermione shook her head in amusement, smiling into her mug of mulled wine.
"Speaking of you three," Bill remarked, looking at the twins, "How are you going to make this work, long-term?"
"Well, Billy, we've formed a magical triad, so once this is all over, we'll get married and buy a big old house in the country, open a joke shop or two, spread the joy and all that," Fred said, waving his hands dramatically.
George then took over in the same dramatic tone, "Hermione will over-ride you to get to the top and become Minister for Magic, then we'll rule the world through politics and laughter."
"You're idiots," Hermione said with a smile on her face, "But in essence, they are right. We have already performed the ritual to form a magical triad, so legally speaking, there is no reason why we can't get married when this ends, but that was the first I had heard of it."
"Wow," Charlie grinned, "Nice proposal, boys."
Bill snorted in amusement.
Arthur smiled at them all, "Well, congratulations. I will truly be glad to welcome you into the family officially, Hermione."
Hermione smiled back at him, "Thank you, Arthur."
"And what about you, Charlie?" Arthur asked his son, "There's no pressure, of course, with how many brothers you have and us being a secondary line."
"Yeah, d'you know what? I'm kind of glad you said that, Dad," Charlie admitted. He caught Felix's eye over the top of his father's head and beckoned him over.
Felix made his excuses to Azriel then walked over, shoving his hands into his cloak pockets. When he reached them, he looked at Charlie expectantly, and Bill hid an amused smile.
"This is Felix Rosier," Charlie said, clapping Felix on the back then putting an arm around his shoulders, "He's my boyfriend."
Ginny smirked and signed to Neville, "Charlie finally came out of the closet."
Neville smirked and signed back, "Told you back in your third year that he was gay."
Charlie raised an eyebrow, "What's he saying?"
"He says congratulations," Ginny deadpanned.
Bill almost choked on his mulled wine because he had learned basic sign language to speak to Neville in class.
"I'm kind of concerned by how good a liar our baby sister is," He said once he had recovered.
Charlie chuckled, "Let me guess, he said he knew it?"
"Said he worked it out in Gin's third year, which would have been when you two were both at Hogwarts keeping the dragons under control for the Triwizard Tournament," Bill said, grinning at Charlie.
Charlie shrugged, "Ah, I don't care anymore. Felix gave me a reality check, but he was right, and I was sick of living in a closet."
"Well, good for you, son," Arthur said with no hint of anger, "I've been waiting for you to tell us that since your 17th birthday when you thought you'd gotten away with snogging your cousin behind the chicken coup."
There was a fresh bout of laughter, but Bill choked, "SAMSON?"
"No!" Charlie exclaimed, "Jeez no, he looks like you, Bill! It was a MacDougal cousin, you lunatic."
Ginny was holding herself up on Neville as she laughed at her brother's expense, and Felix was smirking at Charlie.
"What about your family then, Felix?" Ginny asked, "Aren't you the last of the Rosiers?"
Felix nodded, "I am, yes. Charlie and I have agreed that I'll find a wife to give me an heir, but from the get-go, I'll be clear about our-" he gestured at Charlie, "- relationship."
"Well, who would have thought it?" Fred said with a grin, "Look at all of us settling down. Time to find yourself a sensible wife, Percy."
"Someone conservative," George agreed.
"Who gets turned on by paperwork," Bill joined in.
"Wears frumpy dresses and has a beehive hairdo," Charlie chimed in.
"Boys," Arthur cut in sternly, "Enough. If Percy wants to focus on his political career before he settles down, let him."
"And let's not forget the rate Ginny goes through boys," Fred added, "This one might not be the one."
Ginny cocked her head at him, "Are you guys dumb or blind? Oh, hang on, don't answer that. I already know the answer."
Hermione's eyes widened. She grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled it up, "Ginevra Weasley! Is that an engagement ring?"
"What?"
"What!"
"You're only 16, young lady!"
"You're not her father, William!"
Ginny grinned as chaos ensued, and Neville shook his head. He looked at the one other member of their party who wasn't freaking out about the news – Felix – and he shouted, "Sometimes I'm glad I'm deaf."
Felix grinned at that, "I don't blame you, mate," he said as clearly as he could.
"It's a promise ring, you idiots! I'm only 16!"
….
Harry was chuckling at the scene playing out.
"Engagements are in the air; it seems," Harry mused.
"You haven't actually proposed to me yet," Daphne reminded him, holding out her hand to him.
Harry smiled and took her outstretched hand, "No, but I think you know that I intend to."
Daphne smirked in response, "Come on, let's re-join the party before Blaise drinks any more home-made mead. He's on the verge of proposing to Emelia Avery, and we both know that's a decision he would come to regret."
Harry chuckled and took her hand. When she pulled him back into the henge where everyone was dancing and making merry, Harry gave himself a moment to take it all in and to appreciate how happy he was and how lucky he felt at that moment.
~ TBC ~