A/N: Hey everyone and welcome to a special Monday short featuring Harry/Corene from Power of Love on the request of Calamity!

For those of you clicking on this without having read my main story, I'd suggest doing so beforehand or this may seem a bit weird to you!

A big thanks to my Beta's and Discord Staff - Alec, Alpple, CalamityXx, Champ, DorianGray, O'Neill, Seventh Son, SinisterFox and Xevier!

Feel free to join my Discord for updates and information, link on my profile. Without any more rambling from me, I hope you enjoy the story!

June 30, 1945

Saturday

Saturday, his first day after being a graduate from Hogwarts and in addition to that, the first time he'd have Corene over without any other guests.

It hadn't been his idea either; his friend had all but invited herself over to his home on the promise of something 'urgent' that needed 'settling' before his upcoming birthday. Obviously, after all the help she'd provided for him while asking very little in return, he'd formally extended an invitation after the third nudge.

His floo firing up from the corner of his vision alerted him that Corene had arrived, causing him to look fully in her direction.

Unsurprisingly, she looked as put together as ever — her pale skin accented with make-up that perfectly matched the borderline black hair flowing freely down her back as well as the dark brown colour of her eyes. Corene's dress was something unusual too when considering it'd only be the two of them. If anyone outsiders could look in at the two of them; Harry being dressed casually while Corene looked as if she were ready for a ball, they'd suspect he was the one that'd not dressed to the occasion based solely on the effort she'd put in.

"Good Afternoon, Harry, your extravagant home's as wonderful as ever," Corene smiled and curtsied, his eyes drinking in the minor bit of cleavage provided by her choice of clothing; he'd learned that Purebloods dressed far more conservatively than Muggleborns, Halfbloods or Muggles during his first outing with them.

Quickly correcting the placement of his eyes so as to avoid disrespecting his friend, Harry thanked Corene for the compliment that she paid whenever visiting and offered her a seat, asking once she'd done so just what the urgency was in regards to.

When she pulled out an incredibly old looking parchment with both the Carrow and Peverell crests on it, his stomach immediately sank. It wasn't due to any recognition, simply put, he'd learned through time spent with his Pureblooded friends that being weary at any sign of documentation was a must. More often than not, generations prior would screw over those that followed; Harry supposed that was more of an 'intelligent' species problem than a Pureblood one.

Not one to mince words and seeing how he looked, Corene spoke.

"This contract is in regards to the two of us joining in marriage, failure to meet it will lead to disinheritance as well as a loss of magic — yes, even you could stand to lose the vast wealth of House Peverell as the Lord. Blame the prior Lord for implementing a no cancellation clause, well, short of death or loss of magic from some other contract that finds itself activated."

Harry's eyes went wide with her bluntness, he had to marry her? Not only that, he'd lose everything if he didn't, his magic included? What sort of stupid Pureblood Lord would include a clause that doesn't allow cancellation short of death or loss of magic, and worse, were there other contracts he had no clue about?

Merlin, Purebloods created a stupidly convoluted and efficient way to continue their families… it was no surprise that so many had gone extinct.

"No way out?" He asked, already knowing the answer based on the simple way in which Corene cocked her head.

"No; I could have a copy made for you to review with your team should you wish it — you'd have to be quick, failure to act upon your reaching the age of maturity will result in our losing of magic and familial status." Corene looked far more concerned with losing her magic or wealth than having to marry him, so he called her on that after taking up her offer.

"I'd like a copy very much, perhaps my team can find something where yours couldn't," he braced himself, "You're taking this surprisingly well too, why's that?"

Corene smiled and dipped her head at him, "I've known of the contract since a week after your rejoining of our world; it never fails to amuse me how you've gotten far more astute as our friendship progressed."

Harry brushed aside her compliment, knowing it was likely meant to keep him calm but if anything, it'd done the opposite.

With his voice raised and his palms starting to sweat, he asked why she'd not told him or done anything about it since she'd known for the last two years.

"Father forbade me from speaking of it, invoking his power as the head of our family," she then gave him a knowing look, "Your family won't find anything either, I know that considering mine's been looking for anything to get me out of it — my father had been hoping to marry me to a Lord in his forties from Poland in return for a very large bride price for quite some time."

Harry's anger subsided into pity at the way in which Corene spoke without a problem at being practically sold to an older man just for her family's progression, her lack of hope at the prospect of getting out of her contract with him only acted as icing on the cake.

"There's nothing that can be done, you're sure?" Harry would still get the contract of course, but Corene hadn't ever lied to him and considering that she'd always been his friend (this probably being the reason she'd done so) he'd take her opinion with close to complete trust.

"Yes, you'll be my husband, and I, your loyal wife." Corene smiled at him and while it wasn't a rare thing in and of itself, the showing of her teeth while doing so was.

Truth be told, Harry had learned to roll with the punches ever since his defeating of Grindelwald alongside Elaine; her subsequent disappearance, Dumbledore losing his mind and the brief wizarding war in Britain that followed had refined his flexibility and adaptability to near perfection.

Sighing, Harry looked at Corene, putting on a smile of his own once their eyes made contact.

"You said upon my reaching the age of maturity?"

She nodded once.

"My birthday's only a month away."

Corene nodded again.

"Stay here."

"What?" Corene verbally responded, looking perplexed at his turnabout.

Harry said it again, "Stay here," he then expanded on what he meant, "If you stay here, we'll be able to get past the awkwardness of marriage instead of pushing it off until the very day — I don't know about you, but I've only ever been in one relationship and found myself rubbish at it. Doesn't hurt that on the off chance my solicitor's find anything, we'll be together for any meetings they call."

"My fath-"

He waved his hand, unconcerned.

"Your father can get his bride price and more if he agrees to my offer; Merlin knows House Peverell has the fortune to spend on it."

Corene returned his earlier statement at him, "You're taking this surprisingly well."

Harry shrugged, after living through two vastly different lives and surviving one war, (almost two if snake-Elaine hadn't killed him in the Ministry) being forced to marry a beautiful witch he'd already been friends with was hardly something horrible.

July 31, 1945

Tuesday

Corene was watching Harry from her side of the bed, the latter pacing throughout the room they'd only recently started sharing as their wedding approached.

"I told you there was no way out if you recall."

"Yes, I know, you've not failed to remind me of that nearly every passing day," Harry sounded short and while he regretted it, the stress from finding out the one potential loophole required the approval of both Lord's — those being Lord Carrow and Lord Peverell — ruined any chance of freeing the entrapped young adults, as Lord Carrow wouldn't give up the vast wealth he was going to receive upon the marriage.

Finding out about the heir conception clauses only added to the breakdown Harry was on the verge of, but before that could happen, Corene had come over and taken his hands into hers.

"Relax, Harry."

Those simple words catapulted him throughout the month that'd passed, the girl had said that exact same thing a few times during their living together in preparation for marriage.

Barely a week in and after having walked on eggshells for the majority of said week, Harry finally showed a chink in his metaphorical armour when Corene's father had sent an owl.

Corene was the Heiress of her house, and because of that, as well as her father's lack of wanting to hand over the family to a lesser branch, he demanded one of the children from the union. Harry's immediate response when told that by his wife to be was an adamant refusal; they wouldn't be having children remotely soon. If on the off chance Corene conceived far earlier than expected, it'd be a one time mistake until they were ready at a later date — in no way was her father getting an Heir or Heiress to be taken away from Harry.

"Relax, Harry — Mother will speak to Father, It'll be resolved," Corene placed her head on his chest while wrapping her arms around his waist while saying that, knowing that physical affirmations worked well on him for a reason yet unknown to her… one that she'd likely never get unless Harry made up more of a backstory for himself or admitted what he'd done with— well, that being's identity was better left unsaid.

That was the first time she'd said it, and it happened plenty more.

Be it from Gringotts informing him of other contracts that hadn't been activated to some of the lucrative things Corene's Father needed help with or even Daphne's ridiculous mother demanding he marry her daughter instead; magic be damned.

Merlin knows the only reason Harry was left sane at the end of the month was the very woman's presence with who he'd soon spend eternity.

Finally being broken from his memories by a soft, wet feeling on his cheek, his prior blank stare and empty gaze showed him, Corene.

She'd moved closer and her typically impassive look was finally dropped to show that she felt at least somewhat of what he was; her eyes were wider, eyebrows raised and bottom lip fussed.

"A month wasn't nearly enough… my Father was wrong," Corene's eyes bore into his, "I'm sorry I hadn't gone against him, hindsight is easy so they say, but I truly should've - regardless of the consequences that'd have followed."

He squeezed their still-connected hands, "Forget about the past, it wouldn't have changed the outcome," his words (spoken semi-spitefully) comforted her to some degree, but his disdain for the marriage seemed to make her self-conscious or finally have her show those feelings outwardly. Harry instantly tried to correct the error he'd made and pull her closer, only inches separating them now.

"You saved me the time of looking for a great wife."

Corene shook her head, "I was party to the theft of your freedom."

"By that logic, you were party to the theft of your freedom too."

She didn't say anything in return, simply content to stare into his eyes with their current closeness.

Harry wasn't — call it selfishness for the feelings that kissing her earlier had caused, or an attempt at relaxing her as it seemed to do with him, he pulled her the remaining inches until their lips connected.

Corene's lips tasted of the salad she'd eaten for dinner, along with a fruity flavour from the wine she'd received via Daphne; it wasn't an altogether unpleasant taste considering the latter was more prevalent. It also wasn't what sold him on the intimacy he'd initiated, what'd done that was the softness of her body pressing against his, the small groan she'd made when he'd pulled her in, and the feelings of closeness that actions like this provided.

When they finally parted for breath, Corene — for the first time in his years of knowing her — was blushing, stammering and refusing to make eye contact.

He supposed he could understand when she spoke the words she did.

"Could… could we do that again?"

Yes.

Yes, they could.