Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or NCIS or any of their characters. I do however own this story, I wrote it and I do NOT give permission for anyone to post it anywhere else. If you want to share it post a link.

-o0o-

"So did you and Tony sort things out?" Hadrian asked putting aside his book when Tim entered the room.

"Sort of, he came to warn me that Abby's been looking up marriage licence applications and is planning to have another go at me about that wretched concert" Tim replied. "He got through the wards so that's got to mean something, doesn't it?" Tim very much wanted to be able to trust his SFA to mean what he said tonight, he missed the friendlier feeling amongst the team. "I'm not sure if he still believed I was lying when he arrived but he believes we're getting married now. He apologised for laughing when I told him I was getting married and he seemed genuinely sorry."

Hadrian smiled, he knew what a blow it had been to Tim not to be on good terms with his team. "Do you want to invite him to the wedding?" he asked.

"No, if it was still a couple of months away then maybe I would, but he hasn't earned my trust again yet" Tim replied thoughtfully. "I told him about the invitation and that I didn't want him there after what had happened. He said he understood."

Hadrian nodded. He didn't offer to put off the wedding, Tim's relationship with Tony wasn't important enough to either of them for that. Instead he pulled Tim into a hug and did his best to distract him and make him feel better.

-o0o-

Tony pulled Ziva aside next morning and tried to talk to her. He felt a little guilty that the hadn't done it yesterday but he'd wanted to sort things out with Tim first. The investigator in him that never ending little voice questioning things wondered why if it had been so important to him during the day it had taken three days to actually manage to visit Tim. That seemed out of character for him, he wasn't the put it off until tomorrow type of guy. It had been hard enough all day not to bring it up because he knew that creating another scene in the bullpen would harm his chances of ever making it up to McGee.

"What's up Tony?" Ziva asked impatiently pulling him out of his introspection.

"Tim's getting married the weekend after Christmas. I think we should have some sort of bachelor party for him. At least get to meet his fiancé before they get married" Tony said.

"So now you suddenly believe in this mysterious marriage too. Why Tony?" Ziva asked genuinely not understanding her colleagues change of opinion.

"He invited Gibbs and Gibbs said he's going to the wedding" Tony replied.

"Don't be ridiculous. He wouldn't invite Gibbs and not us!" Ziva replied.

"Apparently, he did intend to invite us" Tony said sorrowfully. "He had the invitations ready to give us the day he told us about the wedding. He tore them up after how we reacted."

"Tim wouldn't not invite us to his wedding over something so small" Ziva protested.

"It wasn't small to him Ziva. We really hurt him" Tony said. "He's accepted my apology but I can feel that he still doesn't trust me personally."

"No I don't believe you" Ziva declared. "It is not the first of May Tony."

"You mean April fool's day. The first of April" Tony corrected her. "And no I wasn't trying to trick you. McGee really is getting married."

Ziva watched Tony walk off and dismissed what he said. There was no way that Tim would be dating someone without her knowing. Though Tony may have had a point about Tim's feelings being hurt by their reaction to his joke. He hadn't been the same with them since he came back from his shoulder injury.

-o0o-

"Hey McGroom, are you having a buck's night? How does that work with two grooms anyhow? Will you have one buck's party or two separate ones?" Tony asked.

"We weren't planning on having one at all until friends from college found out. They're coming to town to take me out for dinner and drinks this Friday if you want to come" Tim replied.

"Will your fiancé be there?" Tony asked.

"You can call him Hadrian you know" Tim replied shaking his head. "He's not coming. I invited him, but he doesn't drink and he said having him there would defeat the purpose of having a buck's night."

"He doesn't drink, not even a beer or glass of wine after a bad day?" Tony asked astonished.

"He was badly assaulted one night on the way home from the pub after having a few and believes that if he'd been totally sober he wouldn't have been injured. So no, he doesn't drink at all in public" Tim explained. "And rarely in private either."

-o0o-

"Hey Jimmie, Hi Ducky, a couple of my friends from university are taking me out for drinks on Friday night. If you wanted to come?" Tim said. If Tony was going to be there then he wanted support.

"Thank you for the invitation Timothy my boy but I believe I will leave the celebrating to the wedding itself and let you young ones cut loose without me" Ducky replied.

"What about you Jimmie?" Tim asked.

"Um… I don't know… I've got a lot of studying to do?" Jimmie stammered.

"Haven't you just finished exams?" Tim asked. "You don't have to come if you don't want to. I won't be offended but I think you'd like my friends Jimmie, Tony's coming. I'd really like you to be there."

"You and Anthony resolved your differences" Ducky said happily.

"Did you invite him to the wedding?" Jimmie asked.

Tim sighed. "Tony apologised and we talked, and no he isn't invited to the wedding but he wanted to organise me a buck's night if I wasn't having one so I invited him along to my night out."

-o0o-

"Hey Boss, I'm meeting with friends Friday night for dinner and drinks if you'd like to come. You don't have to stay for dinner if you'd just like to come for drinks or vice versa" Tim said.

"The team?" Gibbs asked.

"Tony and Jimmie and some friends from university. Ducky didn't want to come" Tim replied.

"Not Ziva?" Gibbs asked searchingly. He was no longer surprised Abby wasn't invited.

"She hasn't said whether she believes me or not since that first day. Honestly I wouldn't mind having her there but I don't think my college friends could see her as one of the guys the way we often do" Tim replied chuckling at the idea.

"Unfortunately, I've got another appointment" Gibbs replied, not mentioning that Ducky had already told him about the buck's night and that was the reason he'd made other plans.

Tim smiled. "We'll you're welcome if your plans change" he said.

-o0o-

Tony intended to go back to the house to try to meet Tim's fiancé on his own but it never happened. He'd tried to stake out the house a couple of times but something had always come up. If he'd been more aware of what was going on he would have been suspicious how easily his mind had distracted him from his target. He told himself he wanted to meet the man his friend had fallen in love with to understand it better and to make a better second impression than Tim had given his fiancé of Tony DiNozzo. The truth was he was pissed that Tim had shown him in such a negative way that the other man disliked him sight unseen and wanted to prove to the punk that he'd made a mistake.

Eventually Tony gave up on trying to visit Tim's fiancé while Tim wasn't there or waiting to surprise the man as he left the house and managed to grab Tim's phone while he wasn't looking and text his fiancé setting up a meeting.

He pulled up to the coffee shop and walked in early to wait, wondering what Tim's partner was like and whether he'd recognise Tony, and if not how he'd be able to tell which customer was Tim's fiancé.

Hadrian entered Starbucks and nodded to Tony before ordering his coffee.

Coffee in hand he approached the table. "Hello DiNozzo, I'm Hadrian Black" he said holding out his hand.

Tony looked him over. Hadrian was a lot younger than he expected, and short. Overall though there was a sense of inner strength and maturity that stopped him from thinking the younger man would be easily manipulated or intimidated.

"You knew it was me that text?" Tony said surprised when Hadrian joined him.

"I knew it wasn't Tim, so it was a logical guess" Hadrian stated shrugging. "What do you want DiNozzo?"

"Wait a minute, I know you! Where do I know you from?" Tony asked.

"Tim's been driving me into the city and dropping me off near the station by the Navy Yard for the last two years so you've probably seen me about there" Hadrian replied casually.

Tony's eyes narrowed "Where else?" he asked suspiciously.

"Probably out somewhere with Tim given how much time you seem to spend stalking him" Hadrian accused.

Tony laughed. "You're feisty, I see what Tim sees in you" he admitted.

"Tim sees a lot of things in me. Feisty probably isn't one of them" Hadrian retorted. "Why did you want to meet with me?"

"I wanted to know who you were. I needed to be sure Tim isn't making a huge mistake" Tony replied.

"From where I'm standing the only abusive relationships Tim's in are the ones he has with you and Abby Scuito" Hadrian said firmly.

"What are you talking about, I haze him like we all haze probies its part of the law enforcement culture" Tony refuted.

"I'm law enforcement too so I know about hazing the new guy. You've taken it a lot further than acceptable hazing. You need to face it DiNozzo, you're a bully" Hadrian stated. "And it stops now DiNozzo. Tim said the two of you have sorted things out. He's not a new probie anymore Tony. He deserves better than the treatment you've been giving him." The warning in Hadrian's tone was clear and for a moment the young man looked dangerous. Tony shivered.

"I'll treat him better" Tony promised. "But you know I tease everyone. It isn't personal."

"Teasing is fine. Personal attacks are not. And the next time Abby has a go at him listen to both sides before you support her actions. And I'd take a good look at the way you treat Tim because I can't believe you'd get away with treating many people that badly without serious retaliation."

Hadrian got to his feet and walked out. It was only after he left that Tony realised that he hadn't even managed to ask any of the questions he had let alone get any answers.

-o0o-

Tony offered Jimmie a lift to Tim's buck's night so he wouldn't have to walk in alone since it seemed Tim really wanted him to come. They were running a little late and Tim was surrounded by a fairly large group of friends.

"Hey Tony, Jimmie, welcome. Guys these are my work colleagues, Tony DiNozzo and Jimmie Palmer. Jimmie this is my fiancé Hadrian, and next to him is Jason, Callum, Trent and Lloyd who I went to MIT with and Joseph and Vincent who I met at Johns Hopkins, and Tyler and Keith from FLETC" Tim rushed through the introductions.

Tony and Jimmie turned to Hadrian. "Pleased to meet you. Tim said you weren't coming" Jimmie said nervously.

"Pleased to meet you too Jimmie" Hadrian said laughing. "I'm not staying. I need to get home and spend some time with my son but Tim wanted me to meet his friends." He handed over a card with his number. "Call me if I need to come and pick Tim up at the end of the night."

"Will you be able to leave your little boy?" Jimmie asked.

"We have a live in babysitter, so it will be fine" Hadrian replied.

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo" Tony said holding out his hand. Tim's friends each introduced himself and shook his hand.

"SSA Hadrian Black" Hadrian introduced himself formally. Tony realised that Hadrian hadn't told Tim about their meeting in the coffee shop.

Jimmie looked at the man, his first impression before being introduced is that one of Tim's friends had brought his kid with him. The man was tiny. On being introduced however he could see the maturity of an adult, though he still looked way too young to be getting married, let alone already have a son.

"Tim hasn't told us much about you" Jimmie said fishing for information.

"Not surprising, he's told me a lot about you both" Hadrian replied dryly.

"Ouch" Tony said acknowledging the hit.

Hadrian smiled at Jimmie, "He's been grateful for your support." He said to the shy man.

Jimmie blushed and stammered.

"How'd you meet Tim?" Trent asked Hadrian.

"We sat next to each other on a flight from London. Neither of us felt like reading so we talked the whole way" Hadrian said circumspectly, remembering. That Tim did not want his team to know he was a successful author. "How did you meet Tim?"

"He was my lab partner in freshman year." Trent laughed depreciatingly. "I got the top SATs on record for my high school. I thought I was a genius and then I'm allocated this fifteen-year-old kid who got a freaking perfect score and could think rings around me without even trying. I could have hated him if he wasn't so freaking nice about it."

Hadrian smiled. "So it's not just me that feels stupid in comparison?" He asked relieved.

"No I bet half the guys here tonight do if they'd admit it" Trent said. "It'd be one thing if he was scary smart at science or computers but then he decided to be an agent and he's on one of the top investigative teams in DC, and then he writes a freaking novel and it's a best seller. Is there anything he can't do?"

Hadrian shrugged. "He isn't much of a cook" he said. "But I'd keep quiet about the novels, he doesn't want his team to know."

Trent laughed. "I like you. What do you do for a living?"

"I currently consult for the FBI and Interpol. Mostly I want to be a stay at home dad for a couple of years. Teddy's only just come to live with us a few months ago and he's settling in well but I feel he deserves my attention for a while. And on that note I should go home to him."

"Nice to meet you Hadrian. Hope the wedding goes well" Trent said slapping him on the shoulder.

"Thanks Trent. Here's my number if you need help getting Tim home later."

Hadrian text Tim that he was leaving and Tim detached himself from his friends to walk him out.

"Thanks for coming" Tim said.

"It was nice to meet your friends" Hadrian said. "Have fun. Jimmie and Trent both have my number if you need a ride home."

"You could stay" Tim suggested.

"It's your night to cut loose with your friends. Having me here not drinking would interfere with that. You'd be too busy worrying about me. Besides the smoke isn't good for the baby" Hadrian reminded him gently.

Tim leaned in to kiss him generating cat calls from his friends. "Take care. Love you."

"I love you" Hadrian replied grinning. "I've warned several of your friends they need to bring you home in one piece, so I'll see you tonight."

Tim laughed, wondering if any of his friends had taken Hades seriously. Many people didn't realise how fiercely protective the smaller man was towards his family.

Tim returned to the bar and the others finished their drinks and headed into the dining area. Tim drank white wine with dinner, barely aware that his friends were topping up his glass as often as they were. Discussion was general, while Tim hadn't seen most of these friends for several months, thanks to Hadrian's encouragement he had taken the effort to keep in touch with them more in the last few years and they'd all met Hadrian either in person or over Skype and approved of the effect the younger man had on their friend. Once Tim was tipsy enough to be less than discrete Vincent and Joseph coaxed him into telling them how he and Hadrian had got together. They moved on to reminiscing about college days and played a few drinking games which Tim had limited experience with having been so young when he went to college. Tim enjoyed himself letting loose around his friends though his natural sense of propriety stopped him sharing any intimate details of his relationship no matter how drunk he got. Tony sat back and let Tim's other friends interrogate him. Learning more about the man who'd been his junior agent for the last three years. It seemed that in spite of being openly bisexual in college Tim had had no shortage of dates with girls, all of which had seemed to fail in spectacular ways.

"So your luck with the ladies isn't new" Tony asked amused.

"Guys are easier" Tim admitted.

"Is that why you're with Hadrian, because it's easy?" Callum asked.

"It is easy, easier than anything I've ever done before" Tim said thoughtfully, "but even when it wasn't easy it was impossible to walk away. Being with Hadrian is everything I ever wanted. He's essential."

"You're not making a lot of sense" Lloyd commented.

"I'm drunk" Tim replied after thinking this over.

The others laughed. "Not drunk enough if you're thinking so philosophically" Keith said pressing Tim's wineglass into his hand.

"Let's play another game" Tyler suggested.

"What about 'I never'" Jimmie said enthusiastically.

They soon found that being bisexual was a huge disadvantage when playing I never, at least when playing with this group as Tim was the one person who'd tried just about everything any of them suggested and he soon found himself nearing passing out.

Jimmie called Hadrian. "I think you need to come and get Tim" he said nervously.

"He wants to come home?" Hadrian asked surprised.

"No but the guys have been playing some drinking game forcing him to drink shots and if he doesn't stop soon he's going to end up with alcohol poisoning" Jimmie replied.

"Where are you?" Hadrian asked worriedly.

"Still at JoJo's" Jimmie replied.

"Be there in five" Hadrian replied.

Hadrian quickly pulled on his shoes and apparated to the alley around the corner from the pub. He'd left the SUV there earlier.

He entered the pub to find Tim wavering on his feet with a couple of girls attempting to flirt with him and the other guys. Hadrian just made a beeline for his fiancé kissing him on the mouth and dragging him into the toilets where he locked them in a cubicle and quickly spelled the contents of Tim's stomach out of him and a couple of sobering charms. "Hey" Tim protested.

Hadrian kissed him again. "I left you with a bit of a buzz" he said. "Are you ready to come home."

"What time is it?" Tim asked.

"Still early, Jimmie rang he was worried you were going to end up with alcohol poisoning" Hadrian replied.

"Yeah I think I am" Tim said slowly, careful to enunciate properly.

Hadrian laughed. "I've sobered you up quite a bit. Jimmie was right to be worried."

"Please tell me we're driving home" Tim begged.

"I'm driving" Hadrian confirmed. "Did anyone take you up on the offer to stay at the house?"

"No they've book a hotel room up the road" Tim replied.

They left the bathroom and arrived back to hoots and cat calls. Tim blushed furiously.

"We're headed home" Hadrian replied blushing too. "Does anyone need a ride home?"

"It's out of your way" Jimmie said anxiously.

"Never mind that" Hadrian replied. "What about you Tony?"

"I live in Anacostia, Silver Springs is in the opposite direction" Tony replied.

"How are you going to get home?" Hadrian asked.

"I'll call a cab" Tony said.

"Come home with us" Tim invited.

"I live closer, you could stay with me if Hadrian is happy to drive us."

Tony remembered what Tim had told him about Hadrian having reacted badly to being assaulted on the way home from the pub and realised the younger man was too concerned about their safety to relax letting them find their own way home. Thanks" he said. "Want me to help carry McDrunk here?"

Hadrian gave him a withering glare. "I'll manage."

They got to the car and Tony was perturbed to hear Tim coaching him how to pull out of the car space. "You do have your licence, don't you?"

"Yeah, though I'm not supposed to drive after twelve unless I'm coming home from work" Hadrian replied.

"You only just got your licence?" Jimmie asked.

"Yeah well my relatives would rather run over me than teach me to drive and there wasn't much need for it in London" Hadrian said casually.

Hadrian pulled out and drove smoothly towards Tony's. "Who taught you to drive?" Tony asked seeing the speedometer edging close to 100 miles per hour on the icy roads.

"Tim" Hadrian replied. "Why?"

"McSlowcoach taught you to drive like this?" Tony asked astounded.

"Tim did a great job of teaching me to drive" Hadrian said crossly. "I'm not driving like Ziva but we can go faster if you like."

Tony blanched at the threat. "No this is fast enough."

Once he got used to the speed he noticed that Hadrian was driving a lot like Gibbs did, very smoothly, slowing down when he needed to and there were no near misses with other cars or the edge of the road. He also seemed to know his way around very well not needing any directions other than the address which was good because the GPS would never have kept up with the speed he was travelling. They dropped tony at his apartment and then took Jimmie home.

"Thanks for the lift" Jimmie said.

"You're welcome. Thanks for looking out for Tim tonight" Hadrian replied.

"I had fun, his friends are a good group of guys" Jimmie said.

"Yeah I expect they are, though I've only really met them over skype before tonight. Still I was glad you were there" Hadrian replied.

"You know he wasn't flirting with those girls, right? The other guys were encouraging him and told them it was his buck's night" Jimmie said.

Hadrian smiled confidently. "I know. He's not in trouble for anything he might have got up to tonight, though he may regret the amount of alcohol in the morning."

Jimmie laughed. "He won't be the only one. I just pray we don't get called in."

Hadrian wished he could give Tim's friend a hangover cure potion but it wouldn't have worked even if he did, there wasn't a scrap of magic in the man. "Good night Jimmie. See you at the wedding" he said.

"Night Hadrian, it was nice to meet you" Jimmie replied getting out. Hadrian watched until he entered the building before driving away.

-o0o-

They arrived home and Hadrian made Tim shower and drink several glasses of water before tucking him into bed and casting another sobering charm and a mild sleeping charm. He left the hangover potion on the bedside table and snuggled in beside him knowing it would only be about six hours until an energetic toddler had them up and going again. They still had a few last minute things to do before Christmas and then to pack for Boston where they would be staying for the few days before the wedding to finalise everything. Hadrian was exhausted even thinking about it all, the baby and the glamours he now had to wear in public starting to tire him out more easily these days.

-o0o-

A/N: Thank you to Kourtney Uzu Yato, Dedicated4reading, Almonda, julschristine975, Poisonsnake23, xDarklightx, ElysiumPhoenix, Lientjuhh, Firehedgehog, Locket1, icyquest4, Rori Potter, Winged Dire Wolf7, serenityselena, buterflypuss, Maben00, lilly-flower15, Vladimir Mithrander, Dilligas762, notsofrilly, Village-Mystic, Selenity84, BCgurlie, Afrodity, Gracie15Trowa, .9, charm13insomnia, DS2010, acherongoddess, Silvermane1, Sliver of Melody, PercyJacksonROCKS4ever, annie (Guest), Roseannie0408, BrokenMirror97, Fandog86, Liryo, poanna27, werewolf cub selene, Lyn1991, me no aoi, Tya Katrine Bell, stefanialilly, Blackfire283, Akuma Yuki Kitsune, Enilrahc, faireboiz1, blackcat19, MissLexi54, Shining Moon in Shadow,Blackest of the Soul, TaosBattleKin, discussionsonpaper, moonjess, Rowan Valadosa, naruto12naruto, Lord Bloody Shadow, Silkylove13, wanderingfinn, , MsBookworm71, snapelouver, Sky2294, Pielover515 and Myujikaru Sakura for your support.