Firesword: I would like to make some acknowledgments first. Thanks to Allexandrya for suggesting Sirius's Pensieve for a birthday gift, thanks to Ipo a.k.a. Hogwarts Hag for letting me use this phrase: 'Sev is likely to curse you into the next decade'! And thanks to the both of my beta readers for putting up with me! And not forgetting the author who created the world of Harry Potter for giving me inspiration (it has something to do with photographs. Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets, page 82)!
~ Chapter 11: The Birthday Surprise? ~
In The Burrow. Quarter 'til six.
Hermione was busy helping the twins cast several protection spells on their boxes of merchandise to prevent future mishaps and Mr. Weasley had gone off to the twins' shed to check on his Muggle objects. Meanwhile, Bill, Ginny and Lupin were helping Mrs. Weasley carry the food that she had prepared as soon as the people from the Ministry had left.
Charlie, with Dumbledore's help, had conjured two huge tables and set them in the middle of the yard. A good breeze was blowing things in all directions and Ron was having trouble laying out the tablecloth. Snape suppressed a moan of irritation but his scowling face showed just how aggravated he was.
"Don't," Lupin whispered to Ginny and Bill and stopped them before they could call out to their sibling. He shook his head and jerked his chin in Snape's direction.
"But Ron's our brother!" Ginny protested softly but Lupin was firm. Not a moment later, they saw Snape pulling his wand out from his pocket and the checked blue and white cloth was immediately yanked out of Ron's hand.
"Bloody hell!" Ron yelled. His expression was puzzled as he tried to figure out what had just happened.
Snape stalked around the Weasley and with a nasty sneer, spoke in a superior manner, "This is how it is done, Mr. Weasley."
"Hello, why are you blocking the doorway?" Hermione piped up curiously from behind Lupin.
"Professor Snape is demonstrating how Ron should cover the table," Ginny spoke distastefully. Hermione raised an eyebrow and the youngest of the Weasley siblings stepped aside. The older girl looked curiously at her boyfriend who was looking back sulkily at the Potions Master.
"Why does he insist on sneering?" Hermione asked with amusement clear in her voice and to her surprise, Lupin answered.
"Because it makes him feel good that he is knowledgeable?" the Defence professor replied dubiously.
"You don't sound convincing at all, Remus," Bill said lightly.
"I know…" Lupin sighed. They continued to watch the show between Hermione's boyfriend and Harry's godfather. Somewhat involuntarily, the girl's eyes searched for Draco and Harry. The Slytherin was standing off at the far end of the yard but she was unable to make out his expression since he was too far away. One thing was sure; his eyes were not on his favorite teacher. Harry on the other hand, was staring at Snape with a combination of helplessness, exasperation and amusement.
"Why didn't Ron just conjure the tablecloth on the tables?" Hermione wondered.
"Beats me." Ginny shrugged.
In one graceful move, Snape had covered the table and charmed the tablecloth so that it wouldn't fly in the breeze.
"He has a point," Hermione remarked.
"Seems like he's just hinted to Ron that most things can be done easier with magic than to do it otherwise," Bill observed.
"But does he have to be so mean about it?" Ginny complained as she watched Ron turning red in the face and ears. Snape was standing next to Draco and both were smirking nastily in the Weasley's direction.
"Do you think it's safe for us to place the dishes on the table?" Bill asked and Lupin shrugged before he set off for the table himself.
"Don't feel so bad, Ron," the D.A.D.A professor said lightly.
"He made me look like a fool," Ron groaned and cursed softly under his breath when he saw Hermione looking at him sympathetically. "And in front of 'Mione too!"
"'Mione?" Drake turned his head slightly and watched his lover.
"That is her call-name. Ron was the one who gave it to her." Harry explained and smiled. It did not escape Ron's eyes this time. "Sev, we all know that you are highly intelligent and resourceful so you don't have to show off," Harry spoke to his godfather firmly.
"Are you really that desperate to die?" Draco asked, his voice devoid of any malice and full of curiosity.
"Might I choose this moment to remind you of the fact that two Slytherins are seriously outnumbered by Gryffindors in this compound?" Lupin asked, watching Snape and Draco with crossed arms.
"Here now, this is not the time to have a brawl, laddies!" Tonks appeared holding a tray of cutlery.
"Brawl?" Lupin looked innocently at her. "Who said we were thinking of brawling?"
"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes sarcastically. She suddenly lost her footing and Snape managed to catch her in his arms, preventing any harm from coming to the young Auror. Draco managed to catch the tray. "Oops…" Tonks gasped. "Thanks," she mumbled. Draco calmly set the cutlery holder on the table. He examined the scene in front of him, pouting slightly, and his fingers wandered to the pocket along his thigh.
"Don't even think about it," Harry said in a warning tone, looking at Draco with narrowed eyes.
"What?" Draco feigned a confused look.
"Don't worry. I'm good enough to conjure several chairs," Dumbledore told Harry and the boy smiled gratefully. Without being told, Bill, Charlie and Ron went back into The Burrow to retrieve any available chairs. By that time, the twins had joined them in the task.
When Ron returned to the yard, he saw Hermione chatting avidly with Lupin and Snape but the latter seemed to be more intent in studying the brown-haired professor. In any case, Ron noted that Snape's eyes strayed to focus on Lupin. There were already nine chairs arranged and Ron added his, purposely going over to the side where Harry and Draco were. He took the opportunity to eavesdrop.
"Oi Ron!" George yelled from the back door.
"What?" Ron shouted back in an annoyed tone. He squinted his eyes to see his brother.
"How many more chairs do we need?"
Ron quickly calculated the value in his head. "Five more!" He watched George turn his head.
"Five!!!" George shouted. Bill, who was somewhere in the house, responded with a yell,
"All right! Come back here and carry one of the chairs!"
George went back into the house. Hermione smiled brightly at Lupin and pulled Ginny with her as she approached Ron. She was about to call Harry but stopped when she saw that her friend was frowning hard at Draco. Ron looked at Harry suspiciously since Draco was giving his raven-haired friend a challenging look.
"Just stop it, Draco. For your information, the healer told us to mention it to you that you shouldn't be using magic. Not until you've fully recovered," Harry spoke impassively.
"Ooopsie..." Ginny exchanged a guilty look with Hermione and she moved to stand closer to the prefect. "How come nobody said anything about it during breakfast?" she whispered.
"Probably because we were so keen on pretending that he was not really there with us?" Hermione whispered back.
"And how do I know if I'm fully recovered? Will the healer be coming again?" Draco asked icily. "Will I have to pay for her service?"
"You're being annoying. If you're broke just say it," Harry said tiredly. Draco's expression changed.
"Maybe you ought to learn how to be more subtle," the Slytherin answered softly and then he added, "Harry." Draco then turned and began to wander about the yard, giving his back to the Gryffindors.
"Harry, you hurt his feelings," Hermione accused.
"More like his ego," Ginny muttered.
Ron finally got an idea of what was going through the Slytherin's mind. The realization that Draco might be bitter about his current circumstances just about ruined his appetite. Hang on… Ron analyzed his thoughts. Why am I thinking as if he deserves sympathy? His eyes settled on Draco who had sat on the ground facing in the direction of a clump of trees screening The Burrow from their neighbors. The Slytherin was unbuttoning his shirt and rolling up his sleeves. His silky blond hair flew with the breeze and glittered in the afternoon sunlight.
So does that mean Malfoy really has been a victim of his family's doings? Ron ran his fingers through his hair as he pondered. Nah… it can't be true… Then he remembered Dumbledore's words.
"It has come to my knowledge that Draco Malfoy is no longer tolerant of his parents or the companionship of certain students in Hogwarts."
Ron gave an inaudible sigh. Dumbledore trusts him. Bloody hell… He found himself staring into the Headmaster's eyes. And he is smiling… I wonder if he knows what I am thinking. Blue eyes twinkled back at him and shivering slightly, Ron looked back to where Draco was sitting. That reminds me… I have a bone to pick with my best mate… Considering how he's been acting funny toward Malfoy… A sudden movement jerked his attention away from his thoughts and the words spilled from his mouth.
"Harry, where are you going?" Ron inquired, watching his friend bite his lip thoughtfully.
"I think I might have been too straightforward just now," Harry mumbled.
"You were," Ginny and Hermione answered at the same time.
"So?" came the unconcerned respond from Ron.
"I have to apologize to him," Harry explained, green eyes darkening with guilt.
**********
Why does everything I say turn out so bloody wrong? Harry moaned, staring off in his lover's direction. "I have to apologize to him," he answered his friend's question.
"You might as well apologize to me from where you are standing," Draco's thought reached him and Harry coughed suddenly.
Bloody hell… I wasn't thinking about it that intensely… "Were you listening to me? To my thoughts?" he asked nervously.
Draco snorted in the distance, making the four studying him suddenly jerk in surprise. "No, you dimwit… The wind was blowing your voices in my direction. Still is in fact…"
"He looks gorgeous like that," Ginny remarked, causing Ron to get agitated. He nearly exploded when Hermione agreed with her observation. Harry felt a little nervous at the way Ginny was eyeing Draco but clamped his mouth shut when she skipped to join the Slytherin.
"GINNY!" Ron gave a strangled hiss. "Don't you dare flirt!"
"You worry too much, Ronniekins. He won't even give a thought about me that way," Ginny replied, totally ignoring her friends as she went to sit beside Draco uninvited.
"What was that supposed to mean?" Harry demanded.
"How in Merlin's name am I supposed to know? She couldn't possibly mean that she knows I have a liking for males, right?" Draco's reply was full of amusement.
"The situation revolving about him isn't getting any better, is it?" Hermione asked almost to herself and Harry forced his eyes to focus on Ron's purpling face.
"You should try to control your temper, Ron," Harry said in a teasing manner. "You usually don't lose it that easily."
"Entirely depends on what I'm angry about, Harry," Ron grated, looking as if he very much wanted to jump down Draco's throat.
"I know you won't like the fact that I am trying to be friends with him — " Ron quickly cut him off.
"You don't mean that!" His friend looked horrified and Hermione quickly pinched her boyfriend in disapproval.
"Well… it seems like you will have a hard time trying get him to see your side if he ever learns that you're mine…" Draco mused.
"Don't remind me…" Harry groaned. "Ron, he isn't as bad as we thought him to be..."
"How would you know?" Ron argued. "Dumbledore told us that you told him that he can be trusted. How can you be so sure?"
Harry's mouth went dry. His friend had given him an opening but how was he to explain why he made the bracelet? He thought quickly, trying to think of a reason that would ease his friend's suspicions.
"Because my heart tells me so. Wait, Ron," Harry had to quickly calm his friend, "listen to me first. I am an Empath. It is hard to explain why I trust him but he is safe."
The look Ron gave him was skeptical. "Empath? Isn't that someone who can tell or feel what somebody else is feeling? Prove it."
Harry looked thoughtfully at him. "Well, you're irritated and annoyed at Draco being an 'extra mouth' to feed, considering that he is… suspended from family ties. But there's another part of you that sympathizes with him since you know just how it feels when you don't have any money." He paused and studied Hermione's mystified expression. Ron was fidgeting and his face betrayed his anxiousness. "You are also thinking that my behavior lately," Harry stared at Draco for emphasis, "has been weird."
"Blimey…" Ron gulped. "You are weird."
"Empath?" Draco's thought in Harry's mind was soft. "Well, why didn't you think about examining my feelings before you shouted out the fact that I haven't got a Knut to my name? The thought that I have to depend on any of you to buy my school things is choking me and making me worry so much that I feel as if my heart has been encased in several layers of stone!"
"Bloody damn Slytherin…" Harry muttered and marched off to Draco's side.
"You know what 'Mione?" Ron began and looked deeply into his girlfriend's eyes. "I think he is keeping something from us. When he thinks no one is looking at him, I swear that he is staring at Malfoy. It really feels as if they have some way of secretly speaking to each other…"
Harry ignored Ginny's inquisitive look as he sat down. The girl was playing with a stalk of love grass that she had pulled out from the ground. Draco copied her actions. Harry stared at her unwaveringly for nearly five minutes before she moved off, grumbling under her breath. She stayed near however, probably listening in on behalf of her friends. "Look," Harry said harshly, "Draco, I'm sorry that I've been insensitive about your situation. Whatever you need now, will come from me. And button up your shirt."
The Slytherin was silent for several minutes but finally gave a faint smile. His face still showed signs that he was worried. "Do I really have to?"
"Drake, don't worry about the money," Harry tried to coax him.
"I know but it still troubles me so forget about trying to make me feel better," Draco said. "I don't know which is worse: borrowing money from you or trying to get your godfather's protection." Then in a softer voice, "Why have you placed me with them?" He switched to a more private manner of conversation. "Why, knowing that this arrangement is more than likely to trouble my conscience?"
"Because they are a surrogate family for me, Drake, since before even Sirius or Sev came into my life. You will be much safer here and they can keep you company. They wouldn't restrict you from going anywhere unless you break the rules made by Mrs. Weasley…"
"I'll stop arguing, Green-Eyes. You seem to have reasons for everything…" Draco made a face.
"Harry! Draco!" Mrs. Weasley called out loudly. "Go in and wash your hands! Dinner's ready!" They turned at the same time at the sound of her voice. She was busy arranging more dishes on the table and most of the adults were already seated.
"Say 'cheese'!"
Before the two could react, there was a bright flash of white. Both of them stared dazedly at a broadly grinning Bill. He was holding onto Hermione's camera.
"He did not take my picture…" Draco squeaked.
"My brother sure did," Ginny asserted, smiling wickedly.
"Not in bandages!" Draco looked stunned as he was pulled up to his feet by Fred and was pushed toward the direction of the house.
"No need to go back," George said to his twin. "There's a flask for washing your hands on the table."
"Go on," Fred said to Draco. "Don't keep our mom waiting! Oh! You might want to button up your shirt before you get there."
"It's bloody hot wearing a long-sleeved shirt and being wrapped in with three centimeters worth of thick bandaging," the Slytherin muttered darkly and made no move to do as Harry and Fred had requested.
"Give him several weeks with us and we'll bloody well convert him," George said teasingly.
"I wish you bad luck then." Draco's usually pale face had a red tinge and he was very flustered by the time he reached the table. Once his hands were washed, Mrs. Weasley directed him to sit in between Snape and Lupin. Harry was next and he was seated directly across from his lover. As usual, he was flanked by Hermione and Ron.
Nearly an hour later, their dinner was coming to an end. The sky darkened steadily and each of them conjured a floating candle above their heads. Even with the candles, the lighting was dim until small globes of bluish white and soft gold appeared overhead.
"Drake, I told you not to spend your magical energy carelessly," Harry's thought was stern as he glared at his lover.
"It's your birthday," Draco replied verbally and slowly sipped his drink.
"I do not understand what just happened," Ron muttered under his breath. His puzzlement was shared by his girlfriend and siblings. Lupin cautiously tipped his chair back and reached out a hand to tap at Snape's back.
"Is there something going on between these two kids that we ought to know about?" Lupin whispered.
"Be careful, Remus. My student might decide you are being too nosy and move his chair back suddenly. You might break your nose," Snape replied impassively, his black eyes rested on Lupin's face for a moment. The Potions Master then focused his attention on his cup and Hermione giggled as she alternately studied the Slytherins. Lupin nearly toppled backwards and would have had Draco not casually placed his hand behind the chair. There was a strange gleam in Draco's eyes and Hermione informed Harry of her observation.
"What are you up to?" Harry asked in a suspicious tone.
"I'm in the mood to exchange some information and get some tidbits out from the two sitting beside me," Draco answered with a smile.
"Did the Cruciatus Curse affect him all that much, Harry? He must be mental if he is smiling at you," Ron whispered. Harry just shrugged.
"I see… Do you think you can manage it? Sev's a tough nut…" Harry masked his own smile by eating more of the potato mash.
"I'm working on Lupin first… So, it seems that you are as interested in their progress as I am," Draco's smile widened. "I guess this will be your first birthday present of the day."
"I thought the kiss was?" Harry blinked his eyes once and Draco chuckled.
"Perhaps the two of you should inform the Weasleys of what has been happening." Dumbledore interrupted. Draco and Harry stared long at each other.
Still smiling, the Slytherin answered, "We'll get to it later…"
"We must warn you not to take your time however," Fred spoke and all the Weasleys nodded, although Ron had a look on his face that said 'Why not now?'. Conversation resumed and Harry decided to distract the Weasleys' attention by telling them what had actually happened during his previous duel with Voldemort at Hogwarts.
**********
Draco smiled at Harry's diversion. In the back of his mind, he worried about how he was going to spend the rest of his holiday in The Burrow despite the fact that Harry would be with him later in the summer. It's a good thing that Let successfully managed to collect my belongings. His thoughts were focused on his clothes. A good thing that I have only two black shirts or I'd probably be cooked if the weather turns unbearable. He sighed soundlessly and fretted about his owl. I hope he has sheltered somewhere safe.
"It's almost gone now," Harry was saying and Draco focused on his words. "If my sensitivity to magic was as intense now as it had been several months ago, I would probably be comatose."
"Don't you think you're exaggerating, Green-Eyes?" Draco asked, trying not to laugh.
"Do you think so?" Harry's eyes swiftly returned to focus on him. The rest followed his gaze and Draco felt suddenly uncomfortable with so many eyes on him. Draco scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"No, I don't think so," he answered aloud, much to the surprise of the Gryffindors. For some reason, he liked to see the stunned expression on their faces.
"You're an annoying brat," Snape spoke softly.
"Nothing new about that," Draco shrugged as he answered. "However, I don't think that tolerating the magic of others is the problem." Harry raised an eyebrow. "It's your own magic that will probably blind you."
"Because he is stronger?" Dumbledore asked and Draco nodded.
"But also because he has the tendency to be creative in his spellcasting," Draco added, making Dumbledore smile.
"What on earth is the git talking about?" moaned Ron and Hermione slapped him lightly on the thigh.
"Harry, Draco is actually commenting about wandless magic, isn't he?" Hermione asked curiously and didn't look surprised when her friend nodded. "Magic of old…" her voice trailed off as she pondered.
Draco watched as his lover steered their attention away from him again, this time telling them how he came to be Snape's godson without too much embellishment. That left the Slytherin free to focus his attention on the D.A.D.A. professor. Damn… Brown eyes stared deeply into his and Lupin leaned toward him.
"What exactly is going on between you and Harry?" the older wizard's whisper was barely audible and Draco doubted that Snape could hear him.
"Probably the same thing that is going on between you and a certain bitter Slytherin?" Draco answered softly. "Although I think that Green-Eyes and I are making much more progress than the two of you."
"Drake! That's really mean!"
"Sorry Green-Eyes, but I think being a Slytherin allows me to be mean," Draco replied and winked at Harry who was trying not to laugh. He whispered again to Lupin, "You know, Dumbledore really did try to arrange it so you could be within reach of the somber-faced person beside me. Since Harry will be staying here without 'Sev' looking over his shoulder, maybe you could ask Dumbledore to give the two of you a job that requires pair work or something." Draco smirked at the professor's incredulous expression.
"You're joking," Lupin said in a strangled voice. "I mean… you and Harry…"
"If you're doubtful, something will make it very clear later tonight," Draco reassured him. Bloody hell. Since when have I ever given a damn about instincts and intuition? Maybe this reaction is Harry's doing… "Now, about you and Harry's godfather, don't pay attention to Sev's surliness. He misses you. Well… that's what I commented to Harry about three nights ago."
"Hello, you two!" Ginny called out in an exasperated voice. "Remus! You weren't even paying attention to what Harry was saying!"
"It's all right. Severus told me about it several weeks ago," Lupin said lightly, ignoring the scowl from the Potions Master.
"On to first names now, are we?"
"Might as well," Lupin answered. Snape glared at the students but both Harry and Draco chuckled. The Potions Master wouldn't have his way while he was at The Burrow.
"Hey Draco," Fred called. He seemed comfortable calling the Slytherin by his first name. The silver-eyed boy looked at the twin curiously. "I saw that you have a bracelet on your arm. If you were to sell it in Diagon Alley, I think it could fetch you more than a thousand Galleons. The bracelet was exquisitely done and the fact that it has magic as well — " Fred immediately stopped talking when the Slytherin's eyes flashed dangerously.
The color drained from Draco's face and he suddenly felt angry. Sell it?! Another part of his mind said that it was not a bad idea. He took a deep breath. "Is that so?" he asked in an icy tone, looking only at Fred.
"Drake…"
"It's a little sad that I can't take it off. It won't come off no matter what I do. Of course, the idea of cutting my arm is just a trifle daunting," his voice was flat and unfriendly. "Harry there offered me his protection and this bracelet is what saved me from most of the Curse. It kept me sane while I was in the Manor, and it has also kept me from burning myself alive."
No one spoke for a long moment. Hermione finally broke it by asking Harry. "You made the bracelet for him? Why?"
"Because he is important to us," Harry answered wearily. "The unification of Hogwarts won't happen if we don't have a Slytherin student, someone who can influence the rest of the House. If not Draco, Blaise Zabini was the other possible choice."
"And it was also made because I wanted him to be protected," Dumbledore said softly. "I just hope that young Draco here does not feel as if he has been used only to gain information about the other side."
"Don't worry sir. The idea that I had been a pawn did not even cross my mind," Draco answered impassively.
"It's a gift," Mr. Weasley spoke. "You shouldn't even consider selling something that has been given to you."
Draco smiled faintly. "Obviously. It's the first time I have ever received something handmade and precious from a lover."
"You're quite intimidating when you're angry," Harry commented.
"How does the… protection… thingy work?" Hermione asked again.
"I can just tell him I'm in trouble," Draco replied shortly.
"You mean you can talk to each other?" Lupin's voice was hushed. Harry and Draco nodded. The professor blinked. Before he could ask Draco again, Snape spoke up.
"Don't bother questioning them, Remus. They have been at it ever since the holidays started."
"Harry," Ron tapped his friend's shoulder, "you're in trouble."
"Draco," Ginny began, "this morning… you were laughing…"
"Yes, I was reporting to Harry that I was polite to your mother when she asked if I needed any clothes. However, my house-elves had already brought my trunks in. Your brother described my behavior quite accurately," he answered, smirking at Ron.
"Someday, you and I will have a brawl," Ron spoke to the air. "No doubt about it."
"Not if I can help it," Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Hermione and Harry spoke at once.
"I think we should lighten up the mood," Dumbledore spoke. "We all are gathered here for one reason." He stood up and the rest followed. Draco was the last to stand. Dumbledore started singing a birthday song but Snape and Draco remained silent.
"This is ridiculous," Snape muttered.
"I'm in full agreement," Draco mumbled, feeling very inept.
"Should we take pity on them and excuse them from their unwillingness to participate?" Ginny wondered aloud.
"It is up to the Slytherins…" George answered philosophically. "You guys either sing along and celebrate with us, or we'll make you play 'Truth or Dare'."
"I think you'd better sing along and try to enjoy it as well, small cousin," Tonks advised. "They've got Hermione with them and trust me, either way, it's embarrassing."
"What the hell…" Draco muttered. "All right…" He was obviously uncomfortable and his lover asked him silently how Slytherins celebrate their birthdays. "Nothing fancy like this and I'm not talking about how I celebrated my birthday with my parents. Anyway, I doubt it matters to you. It's your special day today, not mine."
"Harry, what did you ask him?" Ron queried and Harry informed him that he had just asked Draco how Slytherins celebrated their birthdays.
"Humor me, Draco. I'm sure all of us would like to know what an ideal birthday celebration is," Harry said, smiling brightly at him.
"He probably thinks having expensive birthday presents is ideal," Ron muttered under his breath.
Draco rolled his eyes at that and sighed. "Sorry professor, since what I'm going to say next will probably label you as a sentimentalist or an equally embarrassing term." Snape stared at him curiously. "The most memorable birthday I had was when I was eight. My parents were off somewhere in the world and I was left in the care of Sev. There were no balls or the irritating squeals of a certain Slytherin prefect. Not many presents either. Sev actually cooked a meal and baked a cake for me. He then took me to Stonehenge. It was the happiest day of my life, being able to feel magic all about me."
Hermione and Ron exchanged a look. Harry was quiet but he was looking at his godfather with a fond smile. Lupin stared at Snape and suddenly, the Potions Master who had felt that he was being watched, turned. He was not surprised to see that his colleague was examining him. He narrowed his eyes when Lupin came to stand by his side, close enough for him to hold his lover's hand, had he wanted to.
"You should share the softer side of you with all of us, Severus," Lupin said softly. "Don't be so shy that you only reserve it for your students."
Snape's face turned a little green and he let his eyes fall to the ground. He muttered something under his breath and Lupin chuckled. He slapped Snape lightly on the back.
"Seems like most of you Slytherins are a reserved bunch so we will forgive you if you sing softly," Lupin said lightly and Snape scowled at him.
"I'll bet you a kiss that Lupin… ah… Remus… will rest his hand on Sev until the song ends…" Draco sent his thought to Harry.
"You're on," Harry answered, smiling deviously. The singing started again and Draco forced himself to sing in a low voice. However, his voice seemed to stand out even over Bill's melodious voice and Hermione's clear soprano. Snape's singing voice was as exquisite as his normal speaking tones and Draco thought he saw Lupin almost drool. There was a round of applause after the singing and Draco narrowed his eyes in speculation.
"You cast something on me!" he accused the emerald-eyed Gryffindor.
"I did not!" Harry protested, innocence radiating out of his eyes.
"Yeah, right. So Professor Dumbledore then?" Draco sulked and pouted.
"I'm afraid it wasn't I who charmed your voice to stand out above the rest," the old wizard answered in amusement.
"Oh, Freddie…" Ginny was waving at her brother and held out her hand, as if demanding to be paid.
"Ginny! You didn't!" Hermione exclaimed and Draco blinked his eyes several times.
"What? It was too good an idea to throw away so I made a bet with the twins," Ginny answered in a defensive tone of voice.
"What was the bet?" Mr. Weasley asked, oblivious to the disapproving look on his wife's face.
"To see if Draco could sing better than Harry," Ginny replied then grinned. "Of course, I don't think any of us have heard him singing." She looked pointedly at the raven-haired Gryffindor.
"Hey, I did a Christmas Carol for you guys last year!" Harry protested.
"Yes you did," Hermione agreed, "but Dean and Seamus were so loud that they drowned you out." Draco snickered when Harry blushed and fidgeted where he stood. Tonks summoned her black bag and she directed it toward Harry's chest. Draco studied his lover's puzzled expression as he carefully cradled the bag while Tonks ended the Hovering Charm.
"That's a present from Moony and me and…" her voice trailed off and looked uncertainly at Lupin. Draco turned his head slightly so that he could watch the Defence professor. He was right; Lupin had not removed his hand from Snape's back. Lupin looked slightly saddened and smiled.
"Well… we scoured Headquarters several weeks back. Sirius had actually bought presents for you for every year," Tonks said in a small voice. "It was like he knew he wouldn't be hanging around."
"Oh..." Harry looked stunned.
"The bag's magical. It's kind of bottomless," Lupin spoke up.
"Meaning that there's more than one present in there," Fred said. "Since they gave you presents in bulk and they'll certainly have more sentimental value, I think you ought to pay attention to them later." The twins then came forward, each holding a box wrapped with magical gift wrappers. Both boxes were dark green and studded with small, brilliantly flashing stars.
Draco felt a little sorry for the raven-haired Gryffindor. Harry obviously didn't want to let go of the black bag but Hermione gently urged him to set it down on the table. Harry smiled but Draco saw that his eyes were watering.
"Are you all right?" Draco asked in concern.
"I'm fine. It's just that, I had not expected…" Harry's response was a little shaky. The Gryffindor distracted himself by opening George's box first and found that it contained all the sweets and chocolates that could be found in Diagon Alley. Fred's box contained a myriad of joke stuff. A plain black packet caught his attention.
"What's this?" Harry asked, brows furrowed as he searched for a label indicating what the product was.
"It's something we just invented and you're the first to try it," Fred answered in a serious manner.
"He's saying that you have just been selected as a guinea pig," Ginny said sarcastically.
"Gin!" the twins turned to their sister at once.
"Don't mind her. This product is much, much safer than the Canary Cream," George said, glaring at Ginny all the while.
"We don't know if you want to try it out tonight but we'll leave it to you. All you have to do is be in a room — doesn't matter if you're alone or not — and the room must be dark. You simply put the packet on the floor and cast a Light Spell. You set the light onto the packet and…" Fred was grinning like a lunatic.
"Now they have got me curious," Harry confessed to Draco. He shrugged nonchalantly. Next was Charlie and his gift was a shirt, made up of strands of unicorn hair and spider's silk.
"Hey, you could have gotten him dragon-hide boots or something," Fred whispered and Charlie launched himself at his brother. They playfully wrestled on the ground and Mrs. Weasley sighed. Bill gave him a hair-cutting kit. The instructions were quite clear. You pick the design you like and the job will be done magically. Mrs. Weasley had knitted him a dark blue jumper.
"Arthur here added these," she was fingering the trail of silver embroidered leaves on the hems of the sweater as she spoke.
"Thanks," Harry said gratefully.
"What do you think, Drake?" Harry placed the shirt on himself and Draco laughed openly.
"Dark blue's all right but I prefer you in dark green," he answered truthfully. "But since Mr. Weasley had silver leaves in mind; well, dark green wouldn't go with it as well as it does the blue. For some reason, I don't think you like gold."
"Observant, as always…" Harry smiled at him.
"Harry, here's our gift," Hermione spoke on behalf of herself, Ron and Ginny, holding out a simply wrapped brown paper parcel.
"It's a book," Draco observed and Harry nodded distractedly as he reached for it. A book of defensive spells and shields was revealed as Harry opened the gift.
"You're one bloody lucky boy." Draco's amazement was shared by Dumbledore and Snape.
"Tell me, the three of you," Snape spoke up silkily. "Did you buy that on Halloween during the trip to Hogsmeade?" Hermione smiled nervously and he sighed. "The first time a student has actually beaten me in shopping for archaic stuff," he muttered then stared penetratingly into his godson's eyes. "Translating some of the sentences in that book will not be easy, Harry."
"You seem to know the book quite well, Professor. I read it but couldn't make any sense of it. Some of the theories were quite complex and it's easy to misunderstand what some of the sentences implied," Hermione said, her eyes gleaming brightly with excitement.
"Yes, I know that, Miss Granger. I probably should not have sold it in the first place but how in Merlin's name was I to know that I would end up having a godson who specializes mainly in defensive magic?" Snape gave a thin smile as he watched the stupefied faces of the three Gryffindors.
"We thought it was Salazar Slytherin's," Ron said shakily.
"It was," Snape replied and they stared at the book in Harry's hands in awe.
"It's a precious book, Green-Eyes. Take good care of it or Sev is likely to curse you into the next decade."
"Thanks for the tip."
"So! Professor Dumbledore," the twins piped up cheerfully, "what have you got for The Boy Who Lived?"
"Nothing much," the old wizard answered with a smile. "I happened to come by it as I wandered into one of the magically-moving classrooms inside Hogwarts." A huge gift-wrapped rectangular object materialized onto the table. "You don't have to open that now, Harry. Maybe, on a day you are filled with Light…"
"Isn't that cryptic," Draco stated and Harry chuckled.
"I'll leave this till later then, Professor," Harry replied.
"Mister Harry Potter sir!!! Dobby wishes Mister Harry Potter a happy birthday!!!" A soft poof came out of nowhere and Dobby suddenly appeared, hovering in midair. He held a tray of dark-colored knitted socks. Winky appeared by him and she carried another tray containing an assortment of biscuits.
"Dobby!" two high-pitched voices rang in the yard and Dobby was suddenly entangled in a tight hug by Draco's two house-elves.
"Are you well? Are students nice to Dobby? The other house-elves?" Nira babbled her questions, crying shamelessly. Winky was a little nonplussed at the reception so she took hold of Dobby's gift and presented it to Harry shyly.
"Thank you, Winky, but you shouldn't trouble yourselves," Harry said but Winky shook her head.
"It was no trouble at all, sir," the house-elf answered then she waited for Dobby in a secluded corner. Dobby had suddenly caught sight of Draco and he froze. Nira and Let came to stand behind him.
"Maybe now we get to hear how rotten the git has been to his house-elves," Draco heard Ron whisper to Hermione. Dobby heard Ron and sniffled loudly.
"Young Master never hurt Dobby. Young Master never troubles Dobby because Dobby wasn't meant to serve Master Draco," Dobby squeaked out in between sniffs.
"Mind you, Ronald Weasley, he has had no ties to me since Harry there freed him," Draco said sweetly and Ron shot him a sour look.
"All right everyone. The gift ceremony is over so I think it is time for us to take some pictures," Mrs. Weasley said. "And Harry," she hugged the boy and Draco tried to hide his smile, "happy seventeen!" She smiled then tiptoed to give Harry a kiss on his cheek.
"I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me from the photo-taking ceremony, Molly," Snape said quickly but not before he exchanged a quick look with Lupin.
"No, Severus," Mrs. Weasley spoke firmly. "You're here, inside our turf, and you've been nice enough to sing so taking a picture shouldn't hurt you a bit."
"I am not photogenic," Snape said darkly but Mrs. Weasley was determined to get pictures of everyone.
"Nira, I hope you don't mind taking the photographs for us?" Mrs. Weasley asked Draco's female house-elf hopefully.
"No, Mistress Weasley. Nira just clicks this, right?" the house-elf asked. Nira examined the Muggle-made object while Harry quickly explained to her how she should take a picture. "What is this number?"
Harry peered curiously at the top display. It read twenty-six. "'Mione, the film you bought has a capacity of thirty-six pictures, right?" Hermione nodded.
"Nira understands now. Nira can take up to ten photographs." The house-elf smiled brightly then skipped to wait for everyone to pose. In the end, for the group photo, most of the adults ended up sitting on the chairs. From the left: Dumbledore, Snape, Lupin, Tonks, Mrs. and Mr. Weasley. Bill, Charlie and the twins knelt in front of those people sitting. After several seconds of discussion, the twins were moved so that they kneeled in between Bill and Charlie. Mrs. Weasley quickly instructed the rest to clear up some space atop the tables and had them climb up on top of the furniture. From left: Draco, Ginny, Harry, Hermione and Ron. They knelt behind the adults with the majority of the magical lights congregated above their heads.
"Smile!" Nira called out gaily.
**********
In what used to be the Twins' room.
The Hogwarts students had gathered in Draco's room since it had more floor space than Ron's or Ginny's. The adults were lounging in the living room. Fred and George were preparing their shed to be a makeshift darkroom while Bill and Charlie went around taking pictures to use up the last of the film. Harry, who was sitting on the bed beside Draco, had gotten out Tonks and Lupin's presents from the black bag. He was just about to open them when they heard the sound of two sets of feet approaching. Bill and Charlie appeared, panting slightly.
"Hey," Bill panted, "we have a couple more to go… Mind if I take some?"
"Go ahead," Ginny said excitedly then quickly scrambled onto the bed and threw her arms around Harry.
"Now I'm feeling violent," Draco mentioned to his lover.
"You can't be jealous, Drake," Harry's tone was trembling with merriment.
"I am…"
Ginny suddenly decided that her pose wasn't cute enough so she threw her right arm over Draco's shoulder. Her action caused Harry and Draco to sit closer together.
"Hey!" Draco yelped in surprise and Ginny chortled.
"As Mum would say," she said loudly, "might as well start being a member of this household, Slytherin."
"Ron, you hex the kid and I'll hang you upside down from a tree," Bill threatened. Ron totally refused to look at Ginny or Draco.
"I wonder which will get me killed faster: having Ginny by me or getting close to you…" Draco blushed when Ginny settled her chin on his shoulder. Bill quickly took two shots.
"Any of you want to see Fred and George developing the film? We can take the last of the pictures with them," Charlie said.
"Okay bro!" Ginny scampered off the bed and bolted downstairs.
"She's quite the ball of energy, isn't she?" mused Draco.
"You noticed it too?" Harry asked.
"I'm coming too," Ron said as he stood. "Harry?"
"No, Ron. I think I'll stay here and see what's in the bag," Harry answered apologetically.
"Are you sure? Then you are going to come with us," Ron spoke in a menacing tone.
"Why should I?" Draco scoffed.
"Because I don't trust you being alone with my friend."
"Ron…" Hermione tugged at the redhead's sleeve. "I think Draco knows not to mess up."
"You better keep your hands off your wand kid," Bill said lightly as he disappeared from view. Hermione shut the door firmly behind her and finally, Harry and Draco were alone.
"Thought this moment would never come," Draco mumbled as he pulled Harry into a tight embrace. Harry kissed his neck lightly and drew back to look into the Slytherin's face, his fingers gently stroking the silver hair.
"Lighten up, Green-Eyes. Come, let's see what my cousin and Remus got for you," Draco said as he lifted a heavy box and placed it on Harry's lap. It was from the Defence professor. Harry refused to remove his right arm from Draco's waist so both of them worked to open the box up.
"Is that a Pensieve?" Draco asked, exchanging a baffled look with his lover. Harry nodded and they shakily pulled it out. Lupin had attached a silver lid on the object, probably as a safety measure should Harry accidentally stick his hand in. There was a note attached to it:
Happy Birthday, Harry. This isn't really your birthday gift. I am referring, of course, to the Pensieve. Tonks and I found it after we cleaned out Sirius's room; it was hidden beneath the fireplace. Yes, this was Sirius's and I feel that it's best if you keep it.
My gift is probably still inside the bag. It is wrapped in blue. I hope you will like it, although I have to confess that I had to depend on good old Tonks for help. Hers is wrapped in green. I've noticed that all your gift wrappers are black, green or blue. There are two extra gifts; both are wrapped in black and silver. I don't know how you'll feel about them, Harry… They're from Sirius… One was for your sixteenth and the other is for your birthday today. All the other items inside the black bag are his gifts for you, year by year…
I just hope that you will feel all right about it and I hope you'll share your feelings with your godfather. And thanks…
Love, Remus
a.k.a. Moony
"Green-Eyes?" Draco wrapped his arm about Harry's shoulder.
"Do we have to look in here now?" Harry fingered the note, eyes watering. Draco carefully took hold of the Pensieve then set it on the empty surface of the study desk in reply. Harry watched as his lover carefully and gently unwrapped both presents. That done, Draco opened Tonks's first. It revealed a bracelet and Harry chuckled. He held out his left hand and gestured for Draco to fasten it on his wrist.
"I think Sev will make fun of me when we get home," he said lightly.
"A bit of accessory is good but too much and you are asking for trouble," Draco agreed. "Now, let's go for the wolf's." He opened the slightly larger box then gave a whistle. Harry muttered an oath and he wanted to shout at Lupin for buying something so expensive.
"He is nuts!" Harry screamed, looking at the wizard's robes in disbelief.
"It's great, Green-Eyes," Draco eyed the silver-black robe appreciatively. "Though I don't think you're meant to wear it now."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, tilting his head slightly in inquiry.
"I think this robe is meant to be worn when you graduate… or something like that… You certainly can use it for the Yule Ball…"
Harry fell silent, looking unblinkingly at Lupin's gift. Draco shrugged then closed the box and set it aside. He turned back to the bag and fished out the two previously mentioned gifts, handing them to Harry.
"Open them yourself," Draco said, pointing at the presents with his chin. "Go on…"
With trembling fingers, Harry did. The first one felt like a book and opening it, he found that it was an album. It looked old and turning the cover, they discovered that it contained pictures of his parents while they were still at Hogwarts. Harry shut the album and set it back inside the box. He was feeling a little overwhelmed and Draco seemed to understand what he was going through.
"Take things one at a time then. There is no rush…"
"Gods… Drake, I'm so grateful you're here with me…" Harry leaned against Draco and snuggled closer to the Slytherin. He opened the second one. It was a plain black chain.
"Just because it's so ordinary-looking doesn't mean it doesn't have any value, Drake," Harry said and smiled at the sheepish look his lover gave him. Harry unhooked the chain and put the necklace on himself.
"You look different with it," Draco observed. "You're different but I can't… Bloody hell…"
"What?" Harry asked and quickly removed the necklace. "What happened?"
"I think you ought to show that to Dumbledore before you wear it again, Green-Eyes," Draco said in a hushed voice. "Your aura actually shines brighter with it on…"
"Okay…" Harry stared at the chain curiously. It did not feel as if it held any magic. "You're right, I think Dumbledore ought to examine it…"
************
Inside the twins' shed…
"Bill! You just stepped on my foot!!!" Ginny yelped loudly.
"Sorry, little sis," Bill gave her a brief hug in the darkness. "Hey, how's it going?" he asked the twins.
"Yeah, they're fine. Seems like everything is getting developed," Fred answered.
Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Charlie and Bill waited another ten minutes. Ron felt extremely bored so he pulled Hermione close to his chest and wrapped his arms about her waist. Hermione giggled at Ron's show of affection.
"Your mum will kill us you know," she spoke, tilting her head upwards.
"No she won't," George said in a distracted manner. "Done!" Hermione helped the twins conjure up some light and Fred chanted a spell and waved his wand at the rows of photos arranged carefully on the workbench. The spell would help prevent degradation and made the photographs resistant to aging or water. Once that was done, Bill and Charlie summoned several bright lights to illuminate the room. All of them followed the twins as they went into their bedroom and sat down on the floor. They gathered closely and were soon passing photographs around. Fred paused and stared at the photo in his hand in disbelief.
"What's wrong, twin?" George asked, then peered at the photograph.
"Sweet, wise, almighty Merlin," Bill breathed. He was peering over Fred's head and was staring down at the picture.
"The potion can't be defective right?" George asked desperately.
"I seriously don't know…"
"What's up with the two of you?" Ginny snatched the stack of photographs then settled down to examine them. She turned pale and her eyes widened. She was clearly shocked and her mouth fell open.
"Give me that," Ron said. He beckoned to Hermione to come closer and together, they looked through the last eleven photographs. Hermione gasped, Ron swore. He quickly looked through the pictures then selected two and let Charlie look at the rest. The first picture was of the adults lounging in the living room. Ron and Hermione watched as Snape's photographic form stood up from his chair to sit by Lupin's knee. The Lupin in the photograph smiled at them while he stroked the Potions Master's hair. Hermione took that picture shakily out from Ron's fingers. The second one was the picture Bill took of Harry and Draco that had caught them by surprise. The photograph looked normal and yet Ron stared at the figures. Finally, Draco's form stood up, combed his hair with his fingers and unabashedly, comfortably settled on Harry's lap. Ron closed his eyes, suddenly seeing red everywhere. When he reopened his eyes, it was to find Harry and Draco pressing their cheeks against each other, smiling and eyes twinkling lovingly back.
"Let's go to Remus first," Fred decided then took off suddenly.
"Hey!" Ginny screamed. "Wait up!" The rest scrambled up to their feet to catch up with the twins.
**********
Dumbledore had excused himself from the living room and had gone outside to laugh. Tonks was slumped in her chair, looking sullen. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were cheery as usual but Mrs. Weasley was more open about it.
"You didn't have to hide it from us, Severus… Remus," she said, her face beaming.
"Mum, you are actually encouraging them?" Charlie asked incredulously.
"Oh, Charlie… When something like this happens, it's meant to happen…" Mrs. Weasley answered.
Snape, now confronted with the evidence, had gone red and his right eyelid ticked ominously. Lupin on the other hand, seemed to have gone straight into a trance. The rest of the kids sat around helplessly, suddenly feeling drained.
"Professor Snape?" Hermione asked the Potions Master timidly, "Is this why you didn't want your picture taken?" She cowered against Ron when Snape glared at her. Dumbledore came back in but burst out laughing when the Potions Master stared in his direction. Harry's godfather finally buried his face in his hands and nodded. Hermione looked at the Potions Master in sympathy. Lupin's voice shook her out of her contemplation.
"Severus," Lupin's voice was tight with tension. "Let's go and take a walk. And perhaps, get drunk again."
"Don't wander off too far from the house, mind you," Mr. Weasley advised.
Snape rose from his seat and approached the Defence professor. He stared thoughtfully at Lupin's careworn face. He took a deep breath and held out his hand. Too surprised to reject him, Lupin accepted and laced their fingers together. They proceeded to move outdoors when Snape stopped and turned his head to look at the crowd of youngsters. He was smiling.
"It would not be fair to my godson if I did my best to ignore your mother," was all he said before setting off again.
"What in the hell was that supposed to mean?" Ron demanded.
"Ron, calm down," Hermione coaxed but knew it was futile. Ron had that wild look in his eyes when he stared at the photo in her hands.
"You know what I think?" he said to his siblings. All of them took deep breaths and nodded. They slowly climbed upwards and headed for Draco's room. Bill carefully pulled Ron aside and gave him a stern look.
"Ready?" Bill whispered, looking slowly at his siblings and Hermione. "Here goes…" He swiftly opened the door. Draco and Harry were unaware of their presence. Both were looking at an album. Ginny suddenly felt her knees give way and she sat quietly in the hallway. Ron felt totally drained of emotion. Although Draco wasn't sitting on Harry's lap, they were holding hands and their heads touched each other. The posture was clearly lover-like. Ron saw that they were at the last page of the album and when it closed, the oblivious couple finally became aware that they were being watched. Harry and Draco stared back at them.
"So, was this Draco's birthday present to you, Harry?" Fred asked first. His face was serious and his tone was stern. The exposed couple remained mute. The twins came forward and sat on the floor.
"We are not going to move from this room and we won't allow you to get any sleep until you tell us if this is a mutual decision between the two of you, and that Draco didn't force you or hex you," George told them. Bill helped Ginny up and conjured a chair for her to sit on.
"Hey… I wasn't trying to push you together when we took the picture on the bed," she said softly, looking at Harry with pleading eyes.
"It's all right Ginny," Harry said and sighed ruefully. He looked nervously at Draco. "Drake and I… we… Gods… We want this, the both of us…" Ron sat down beside Ginny's chair.
"For the love of Merlin… Harry… Why didn't you tell us sooner?!" Ron groaned and pulled at his hair. Harry exchanged a helpless look with Draco.
"We only got together earlier this month for your information…" Draco mumbled.
"Ron…" Harry began but Ron motioned him to be silent.
"I'm not going to tell you who you should or shouldn't go out with. It's your choice. But I'll tell you this, Draco; you hurt Harry and I'll make you pay for it." There! He had said it and he couldn't believe himself. The fact that Harry's liking pointed to the same sex did not bother him. Even the fact that it was Draco did not alter his thinking. "Oh yes, by the way, just because I feel all right with the arrangement doesn't change my opinion of you, Draco."
"I understand that," the Slytherin replied solemnly. Ron groaned silently when he recognized that the look shining from both Harry and Draco's eyes was gratitude. He looked at Fred and then at George. He then looked at the rest of his siblings. All of them sighed in a similar fashion.
"Luna's going to be very disappointed," Ginny mumbled to herself.
"I thought you were going out with Parkinson?" Ron asked curiously.
"Dumped her during a train ride two years back." Draco shrugged, then resumed holding Harry's hand. Hermione got up to her feet and slowly approached them. She looked down at the couple.
"This summer was sure filled with surprises," she murmured. She bent down to kiss each boy on the cheek. "Happy joining… I guess." She smiled happily at them. She handed the two photographs to Harry. Draco leaned closer to look.
"Bloody hell!" Harry exclaimed when he saw the picture of Snape and Lupin then burst out laughing.
"Yeah… laugh all you want, mate. You can keep the second picture," Ron told them.
Draco's frame was trembling with suppressed mirth as he handed over the picture of himself and Harry. The raven-haired boy took it then gawked at it. Harry managed to regain his composure, then smirked.
"At least you're on top of me," he said. "I was getting tired of sitting on your lap all the time." He was grinning from ear to ear as Draco became embarrassed.
"You what?!" several voices exclaimed. Laughter from the couple vibrated through the wooden walls of The Burrow, reaching even the couple taking refuge in the grove near the Weasleys' home.
**********
Firesword: Did you guys enjoyed reading this chapter? I did! Hehehee… Chapter 12… A brief peek into the Dark Side… and fluff at the end? *Shrugs* I'll update soon!