When they stepped inside the pub, it was a repeat of the very first time Harry stepped over the threshold. Nearly everyone rushed up to him, pushing his friends aside to try and get a handshake. They shoved Draco into a table and threw Hermione off-balance so Ron, who was behind her, caught her and kept her from tumbling to the floor.
"Mitzy Plateeno, wonderful to meet you, Mr. Potter, simply marvelous," said a wizened old witch enthusiastically, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she shook his hand vigorously. She was pushed aside by about ten other people, all wanting to shake Harry's hand. Tom the bartender walked over to see what all the commotion was about.
"Oh, Mr. Potter, how are you?" Tom asked in a friendly voice, waving hello.
"Um, hi, Tom," Harry replied, grimacing at the unusual amount of attention he was getting. "Uh, I hate to be a bother so soon, but . . . could you help me out?"
"Oh, of course, sorry," Tom apologized. He then turned to the throng around the raven-haired young man. "Okay, people, let him alone, let him enjoy the rest of his vacation." At his words, the crowd around Harry reluctantly, slowly, but surely, melted away.
"Thanks, Tom," Harry called, breathing a sigh of relief. Tom grinned and motioned 'No problem' with a wave of his hand. Harry turned to help Draco up as Ron and Hermione came towards them. Ron slung his arm around Harry's shoulders.
"Yep, you're still the Harry we know, love, and worship," Ron remarked, grinning.
"Along with about fifty thousand others," Hermione added, giggling.
"But we know him best," Draco corrected matter-of-factly.
"Okay, okay, stop!" Harry broke in finally. The headed over to the bar and ordered four butterbeers, then found a quiet table in the corner.
"Um, Harry, love, no offense or anything, but . . . was that your cousin out there?!" Draco asked, jabbing his thumb at the invisible Muggle street.
"Yes, that's Dudley," Harry answered him, lacing their fingers together and kissing Draco's. "Fat as a Graphorn, mean as a Graphorn."
"He's mean to you?" Draco asked, his eyebrows knitted in concern and worry. "Has he ever hurt you?"
"I'm not going to tell you the answer to that now because you'll just go after him and hex him from here to his wedding day, considering he finds someone even semi-tolerant of him," Harry told him. Draco rolled his eyes and changed the topic to one of Quidditch and recent victories of various teams. They continued along this and other lines of conversation until well after dark. It was about ten-thirty when Ron glanced at his watch and saw the time.
"Blimey, we'd better get to bed," he said, yawning widely. "My mum and dad'll be here tomorrow around ten with Ginny and the twins."
"Whatever happened to Percy?" Harry asked curiously. "Is he still working for Fudge?"
"No. Surprisingly, he transferred to the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad," Ron replied, stretching. "He said he likes the action and excitement. Absolute crap, if I ever did hear any. And I've heard some. Anyway, I actually received mail from him last night. They'd just gotten back from a mass splinching. Apparently, about fifty people—without their licenses, mind you—try to Apparate from Spain to Scotland and got stuck halfway in between. He said it took them hours to find the body parts, then several more hours to fix the whole bloody mess. Each of the offenders was fined, like, forty Galleons or so."
The other three visibly winced as he told them this story. A shiver ran up all fours' spines, as the tale ended, none of them ever wanting to be in that position. They then walked up the stairs to the two rooms they'd rented, one for Harry and Draco, the other for Hermione and Ron. They bade each other good night and sweet dreams before retiring to bed.
The next day . . .
Harry was awakened the next day by someone gently shaking him back to reality. He opened one eye blearily and groped for his glasses on the bedside table. He blinked a few times as everything came into focus and turned over to see Draco smiling softly at him. Harry smiled back and dropped his head back to the pillow.
"Whassamatta?" Harry asked groggily, still half asleep.
"You've got to get up," Draco replied, leaning over to plant a kiss on Harry's forehead. "Ron's parents are going to be here soon."
"What time?" Harry asked, unable to speak in full sentences due to lack of awareness.
"Nine-thirty."
"Gah! Uh-uh, too early, sleeeeepy," Harry moaned, cuddling into Draco. The blonde wrapped his arms around Harry, who snaked an arm around his waist to pull him closer. "Besides, I never got a 'good-morning' kiss."
"I was saving it till you were fully understandable and—" He was cut off by Harry's mouth covering his. He succumbed to the kiss for a moment before reluctantly pulling away.
"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?" Harry asked grumpily, resting his head on Draco's shoulder.
"No, if I was trying, I'd be succeeding. And as much as I'd love to lay in bed and do that all day, we need to get dressed and downstairs," Draco reminded, swinging his legs out of the bed and stretching as he stood up.. "Hermione told me Ron's in a panic and she can't calm him down."
"Bloody git," Harry grumbled, standing up as well.
"Who, me or Ron?" Draco asked, glancing at his fiancé.
"Both of you," Harry replied. He was now kneeling by his trunk digging around for suitable clothes. "You for being stingy and Ron for being in a panic. It's—"
This time, Harry was the one cut off as Draco shoved him onto the bed and showed him just how giving and generous he was. By the time he was finished, they had only fifteen minutes to get ready. They bolted back off the bed and threw open their trunks, rummaging for something to wear. Harry found a pair of blue jeans and a black shirt. He pulled them on as Draco straightened, jeans in one hand and a green and silver shirt in the other.
"You're not in Slytherin anymore, remember?" Harry asked teasingly. Draco smirked and bonked Harry on the head with a pair of rolled-up socks before sitting down and pulling them on.
"I know. I just like the colors," he replied. Harry shook his head and plucked the shirt out of Draco's grasp before he could put it on. He glanced at the back of the shirt and turned it so the slogan on the back was visible to Draco.
The words 'I'm a Slytherin sex god' glared back at him.
"Okay, okay, I'll find something else," Draco responded testily. "But only so complete strangers won't walk up to me looking for a shag."
"Thank you, Dracy-Poo," Harry called, using a nickname Millicent Bulstrode used before she was thrown out of Hogwarts for trying to help Voldemort in. He knew Draco hated it.
"Oh, now you're dead!" Draco exclaimed, diving at Harry and pulling him to the ground.
"Wait—we're going to be late," Harry interrupted. Draco looked at his watch and hung his head.
"Then that's the only reason you're going to live until later," Draco whispered, pressing a kiss onto Harry's lips. He stood up, helped his fiancé to his feet, and began digging in his trunk for another shirt. Harry watched him, grinning in amusement.
"Find anything . . . Dracy-Poo?"
"Don't call me that!"
"What, Dracy-Poo?"
"Yes!"
"Okay . . . Dracy-Poo, Dracy-Poo, Dracy-Poo, Dracy-Poo, Dracy-Poo, Dracy-P—"
Harry was cut off of any further insults by Draco's hand covering his mouth from behind and the other beginning to mercilessly tickle him.
"Stop! Stop, stop, please!" Harry begged, unable to breathe.
"Promise you won't call me that anymore?" Draco requested, leaning over to look at Harry, silver-blonde hair falling in his eyes.
"Promise," Harry swore, panting to draw in a breath. Draco stopped tickling and rested his hand on Harry's chest.
"That was mean," Harry gasped.
"I know."
Harry grinned and turned to examine his appearance in the mirror as Draco pulled a shirt on and headed to the bathroom. Harry rolled his eyes after a moment of trying to tame his wild black locks. Draco appeared in the room and ran a hand through his fiancé's hair.
"You're messing it up even more," Harry complained.
"I know, but it's so cute," Draco replied, grinning. Harry reached over and ruffled Draco's hair, much to the blonde's dislike. They then walked hand-in-hand down the stairs.
They found Ron following in Draco's footsteps from the day before (not that Harry knew what they were). Hermione was exasperatedly trying to calm him down, but to no avail.
"Ron, I know you haven't seen your parents in a while, but, please, stop pacing! You're making me dizzy!" she cried.
"How long has it been?" Harry asked, sliding onto a stool next to Draco and across from Hermione.
"I stayed at the Burrow until near the end of July," Ron replied, nicking a piece of bacon from Hermione's plate. "Then I met Hermione here and we took on summer jobs at Flourish and Blotts."
"Why didn't you owl me?" Harry asked his friend. "I'd've had the Dursleys drop me off earlier. Lord knows it'd be for the best."
"Because if we did, you would have spent every Galleon in your Gringotts vault," Hermione reminded him teasingly.
"I know. But that's why Draco would be there," Harry remarked, his eyes twinkling mischievously. Laughing, the blonde shoved Harry's arm. Pretending the 'injury' was an actual injury, Harry closed his eyes and moaned in fake pain, clutching his arm.
"Ohhhhh, I'm sorry, sweetie," Draco cooed as he slid over to wrap his arms around Harry. Harry kissed his fiancé as he settled into Draco's arms. Hermione smiled at them. Checking his watch and sighing impatiently, Ron flopped onto a chair next to Hermione.
"Ron, calm down!" the other three shouted. Ron looked startled.
Suddenly, there was an explosion of excited voices coming from a side room. It contained a fire especially for Floo traveling. A young girl with vivid red hair poked her head into the main room, then turned and called to her companions, "Mum! Everybody, they're in here! Come on, hurry up!"
Ginny practically flew from the side room, squealing, Fred, George, and their parents hurrying after the excited girl. The reunited Weasleys all exchanged hugs and kisses before Mrs. Weasley turned on Harry, Hermione, and Draco.
"Oh! Harry, dear, you're alive!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
"Molly! You're going to choke him to death," Mr. Weasley intervened loudly.
"Oops. Sorry, dear. Hermione! Oh, you look wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley stated enthusiastically, hugging the brunette as well. "And Draco," she added warmly, embracing the tense young man. He didn't know how to act around these people he'd endlessly taunted and harassed since his first year.
"We'd better bring our bags to our rooms," Mr. Weasley said after greeting Harry, Hermione, and Draco. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco and rested his cheek on Draco's head. Ginny stopped front of them and put her hands on her hips.
"Damn, you are one lucky man," she noted to Draco.
"Ginny! Language!"
"Sorry, Mum!" Ginny called. She turned back to the boys. "Be thankful he's yours," she added quietly. She then hugged both of them and disappeared up the stairs.
"She's right; I am lucky," Draco murmured, turning to look at Harry. Harry smiled and leant to bestow a kiss on Draco's upturned lips before they went to grab their nearly empty moneybags.