Chapter Nineteen
"Let me get this straight," Fred grinned. "You want US, Gred and Feorge Weasley, to help plan YOUR wedding, to the person we used to hate?"
Harry nodded, returning the smile. "That's basically it, yeah."
"Used to?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wow, I thought you still did."
"Well, if Harry loves you," George shrugged, "I guess you can't be THAT bad. . . ."
Draco mumbled something under his breath, and Harry didn't even have to ask what it was. "Behave yourself, Draco."
"Do I have to?" Draco pouted, snuggling against Harry's shoulder.
"Do you really want to marry me?" Harry shot back.
"Uh, don't mean to interrupt, but do you think you could save the fights until we're gone?" Fred asked teasingly. "I don't want anyone thinking you broke up because of us. . . ."
Harry slipped his arm around Draco's waist possessively and rolled his eyes. "So what do you say? Do you want to help out, or will I have to beg Ron to do it?"
"Hmmmm. . ." George sighed. "Alright, we'll do it."
"Yes!" Harry exclaimed, grinning madly.
"Wait." Fred held up his hands as if Harry was about to hit him. "Does this mean that we're your Best Men?"
Harry paused for a minute, then nodded. "Yes, yes it does."
"Alright, I'll do it!" George smiled. "If it means we get to decorate. . . ."
"No pranks," Harry added immediately. "I want my wedding to be perfect, and if you mess it up, there'll be Hell to pay!"
"Alright, alright," Fred frowned. "No pranks." He smiled, suddenly impish. "What about Ron? What if he comes? Can we play a prank on him?"
"No," Draco snapped. "There will be no prank-playing at our wedding!"
"Jeez, Malfoy, since when have you cared about Ron?!" George exclaimed in disbelief.
"I don't," Draco said matter-of-factly. "I don't care what happens to 'Ron', but I want our wedding to be perfect, and pranks won't help!"
"Now can you two PLEASE stop snapping at each other?!" Harry glared at both of them. "I really want you to get along. Please. Stop snapping and fighting - I'm tired of it. That was an immature childhood dispute. If I could get over it, George, I would think you could."
"I AM over it!" George protested. "I was just surprised!"
"AND Draco," Harry added, shooting his fiancé another glare.
"Okay," Draco sighed. "Sorry."
Harry smiled. "That's better."
***
"Oh, I'm just so happy for you two!" Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly. "It feels like only yesterday you were first getting on that train to Hogwarts, and now you're getting married!"
Draco smirked behind Mrs. Weasley's back, and Harry elbowed him harshly.
"Could you please not have memories of my childhood while Draco's around, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked. "He still can't pass up an opportunity to tease."
"Oh, sorry," Mrs. Weasley nodded. "I just can't help it. I think of you as one of my own! Oh, I can't wait until the wedding!" She paused, thinking. "Did you talk with Ron lately?"
Harry nodded and sat down at the kitchen table.
"Well," Mrs. Weasley sighed, "I think that, whatever you said, it did some good. He's not coming out of his room. I haven't seen for days! He must be thinking a lot. The only person he'll let in is Hermione."
He couldn't help but smile at that. Just like Ron. At least he was talking to SOMEONE!
Draco frowned. "Think he's coming to the wedding?"
Mrs. Weasley shrugged. "You never know, with him. He might be about ready to apologize right now, and he might be thinking about how horrible this is." She smiled again, however half-heartedly. "Maybe you two should try talking to him. I'm sure he'd be alright if he saw how happy you two are."
"We could try it," Harry muttered, looking over at Draco, who shrugged.
"I don't care," Draco responded. "Whatever you want to do, Harry. I'll go along with it, if you want to talk to him."
Harry sighed. "Let's go talk to him."
They both walked out of the kitchen to Ron's room. Harry knocked loudly on the old door, which paint was peeling off of. Twelve Grimmauld Place still didn't seem quite like home to any of them - especially not Harry.
"Who is it?"
"It's Harry," Harry called back. "Please, just let us in, Ron. I just want to talk to you!"
"Us?" he asked. His voice sounded curious.
"Come on, Weasley, open up!" Draco said impatiently.
Harry glared at him. "That's not how we'll get him to talk to us, Draco," his snapped quietly.
"Sorry," Draco shrugged.
"Come on, Ron, please?" Harry asked pleadingly.
"I don't feel like talking."
Harry sighed. What was he supposed to do? Blow the door off the hinges? Surely Ron was smart enough to seal the door.
"Hermione told me that you haven't been eating," Harry sighed. "I'm worried about you. I don't want you starving yourself anymore - you're already way too skinny as it is!"
"You're talking," Draco muttered, smirking at his fiancé. Harry nudged him in the ribs again, and Draco frowned. "I think I'm gonna have a bruise now."
"Don't worry, I'll kiss it and make it better later," Harry said sarcastically. "Just not NOW, Draco!"
"Just go away, Harry," Ron sighed. "I really don't feel like talking right now. I need some time to think."
"You've had time to think!" Harry exclaimed desperately. "You've had a bloody week to think this over, Ron! A week!"
There was no answer.
Harry didn't continue. He leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, before burying his head in his hands.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked softly, kneeling next to him. Harry shook his head without looking up.
They sat like that for a while, before Draco touched Harry's shoulder carefully. "Do you want to go home?"
Harry shook his head again, and said in a muffled whisper, "Go on without me. I just want to stay here for a while."
"But, Harry. . ."
"It's okay, Draco. Just go, alright? I'll be home in a while. I think I'll just talk to Hermione for a while, okay?" He looked up at Draco with watery eyes. "I'll be fine. Just go."
Draco nodded reluctantly and stood up. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"I'm sure," Harry lied, managing the smallest of smiles for his love. "Go on."
"I love you," Draco whispered concernedly, taking a step away.
"I love you, too."
Harry watched as Draco disappeared down the stairway leading to the entrance hall of the mansion before standing up on shaky legs.
He slowly made his way down the hall himself, to the stairs. He froze.
Draco was seated on the last step, shaking his head to himself. He had his elbows resting on his knees.
"What's wrong, Draco?" he asked, walking carefully down the steps on his still weak legs.
Draco looked around. He frowned.
"I was just thinking," he sighed. "I'm really tired of this, Harry. Every time something happens, and Weasley's involved, you get upset. I'm about ready to kill him! He really doesn't understand it, does he?!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Harry, I don't think he's worth the time. I mean, I can't blame you for trying - I know I would - but he's not gonna change his mind. And if he does, he will. We can't change his decision now."
Draco looked away again, expecting to be yelled at. But Harry slid onto the step next to him and rested his head on Draco's shoulder. "I know. I shouldn't put myself through it. And I'll stop. It's just hard for me. I know this is all my fault this is even happening - I'll bet he would've forgiven me if I told him when we started it - but I'm trying to make it up now."
"Don't bother making it up to him," Draco whispered. "This is our relationship, not his. You have nothing to feel sorry for."
Harry didn't answer. He pulled Draco closer and kissed his cheek without a word.
The two of them didn't notice the redhead standing behind them, listening to every word they said.
*_*_*_*_*
A/N: You like? Is it good? The deeper I get, the sweeter and sadder the plot gets. There's no backing out now!
Thank you to my reviewers!!! I LOVE ya! We have 118 reviews right now. We're on our way! I actually think we CAN make it to 200 now!
Sorry It took me so long to update. I lost my disc (in the sea of discs there is my room.. I really need to use less discs!).
~~TTFN, deathdragon4~~
P.S. Thank you all for the explanation for P.S. I was wondering what it meant FOREVER!
P.P.S. BSB (as you signed it), thanks for trying to explain what P.S. means, but I assure you, I could tell you that is DOESN'T mean postal stamp long before I figured out what it really means. ; ) Just to tell you. . . .
"Let me get this straight," Fred grinned. "You want US, Gred and Feorge Weasley, to help plan YOUR wedding, to the person we used to hate?"
Harry nodded, returning the smile. "That's basically it, yeah."
"Used to?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wow, I thought you still did."
"Well, if Harry loves you," George shrugged, "I guess you can't be THAT bad. . . ."
Draco mumbled something under his breath, and Harry didn't even have to ask what it was. "Behave yourself, Draco."
"Do I have to?" Draco pouted, snuggling against Harry's shoulder.
"Do you really want to marry me?" Harry shot back.
"Uh, don't mean to interrupt, but do you think you could save the fights until we're gone?" Fred asked teasingly. "I don't want anyone thinking you broke up because of us. . . ."
Harry slipped his arm around Draco's waist possessively and rolled his eyes. "So what do you say? Do you want to help out, or will I have to beg Ron to do it?"
"Hmmmm. . ." George sighed. "Alright, we'll do it."
"Yes!" Harry exclaimed, grinning madly.
"Wait." Fred held up his hands as if Harry was about to hit him. "Does this mean that we're your Best Men?"
Harry paused for a minute, then nodded. "Yes, yes it does."
"Alright, I'll do it!" George smiled. "If it means we get to decorate. . . ."
"No pranks," Harry added immediately. "I want my wedding to be perfect, and if you mess it up, there'll be Hell to pay!"
"Alright, alright," Fred frowned. "No pranks." He smiled, suddenly impish. "What about Ron? What if he comes? Can we play a prank on him?"
"No," Draco snapped. "There will be no prank-playing at our wedding!"
"Jeez, Malfoy, since when have you cared about Ron?!" George exclaimed in disbelief.
"I don't," Draco said matter-of-factly. "I don't care what happens to 'Ron', but I want our wedding to be perfect, and pranks won't help!"
"Now can you two PLEASE stop snapping at each other?!" Harry glared at both of them. "I really want you to get along. Please. Stop snapping and fighting - I'm tired of it. That was an immature childhood dispute. If I could get over it, George, I would think you could."
"I AM over it!" George protested. "I was just surprised!"
"AND Draco," Harry added, shooting his fiancé another glare.
"Okay," Draco sighed. "Sorry."
Harry smiled. "That's better."
***
"Oh, I'm just so happy for you two!" Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly. "It feels like only yesterday you were first getting on that train to Hogwarts, and now you're getting married!"
Draco smirked behind Mrs. Weasley's back, and Harry elbowed him harshly.
"Could you please not have memories of my childhood while Draco's around, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked. "He still can't pass up an opportunity to tease."
"Oh, sorry," Mrs. Weasley nodded. "I just can't help it. I think of you as one of my own! Oh, I can't wait until the wedding!" She paused, thinking. "Did you talk with Ron lately?"
Harry nodded and sat down at the kitchen table.
"Well," Mrs. Weasley sighed, "I think that, whatever you said, it did some good. He's not coming out of his room. I haven't seen for days! He must be thinking a lot. The only person he'll let in is Hermione."
He couldn't help but smile at that. Just like Ron. At least he was talking to SOMEONE!
Draco frowned. "Think he's coming to the wedding?"
Mrs. Weasley shrugged. "You never know, with him. He might be about ready to apologize right now, and he might be thinking about how horrible this is." She smiled again, however half-heartedly. "Maybe you two should try talking to him. I'm sure he'd be alright if he saw how happy you two are."
"We could try it," Harry muttered, looking over at Draco, who shrugged.
"I don't care," Draco responded. "Whatever you want to do, Harry. I'll go along with it, if you want to talk to him."
Harry sighed. "Let's go talk to him."
They both walked out of the kitchen to Ron's room. Harry knocked loudly on the old door, which paint was peeling off of. Twelve Grimmauld Place still didn't seem quite like home to any of them - especially not Harry.
"Who is it?"
"It's Harry," Harry called back. "Please, just let us in, Ron. I just want to talk to you!"
"Us?" he asked. His voice sounded curious.
"Come on, Weasley, open up!" Draco said impatiently.
Harry glared at him. "That's not how we'll get him to talk to us, Draco," his snapped quietly.
"Sorry," Draco shrugged.
"Come on, Ron, please?" Harry asked pleadingly.
"I don't feel like talking."
Harry sighed. What was he supposed to do? Blow the door off the hinges? Surely Ron was smart enough to seal the door.
"Hermione told me that you haven't been eating," Harry sighed. "I'm worried about you. I don't want you starving yourself anymore - you're already way too skinny as it is!"
"You're talking," Draco muttered, smirking at his fiancé. Harry nudged him in the ribs again, and Draco frowned. "I think I'm gonna have a bruise now."
"Don't worry, I'll kiss it and make it better later," Harry said sarcastically. "Just not NOW, Draco!"
"Just go away, Harry," Ron sighed. "I really don't feel like talking right now. I need some time to think."
"You've had time to think!" Harry exclaimed desperately. "You've had a bloody week to think this over, Ron! A week!"
There was no answer.
Harry didn't continue. He leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, before burying his head in his hands.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked softly, kneeling next to him. Harry shook his head without looking up.
They sat like that for a while, before Draco touched Harry's shoulder carefully. "Do you want to go home?"
Harry shook his head again, and said in a muffled whisper, "Go on without me. I just want to stay here for a while."
"But, Harry. . ."
"It's okay, Draco. Just go, alright? I'll be home in a while. I think I'll just talk to Hermione for a while, okay?" He looked up at Draco with watery eyes. "I'll be fine. Just go."
Draco nodded reluctantly and stood up. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"
"I'm sure," Harry lied, managing the smallest of smiles for his love. "Go on."
"I love you," Draco whispered concernedly, taking a step away.
"I love you, too."
Harry watched as Draco disappeared down the stairway leading to the entrance hall of the mansion before standing up on shaky legs.
He slowly made his way down the hall himself, to the stairs. He froze.
Draco was seated on the last step, shaking his head to himself. He had his elbows resting on his knees.
"What's wrong, Draco?" he asked, walking carefully down the steps on his still weak legs.
Draco looked around. He frowned.
"I was just thinking," he sighed. "I'm really tired of this, Harry. Every time something happens, and Weasley's involved, you get upset. I'm about ready to kill him! He really doesn't understand it, does he?!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Harry, I don't think he's worth the time. I mean, I can't blame you for trying - I know I would - but he's not gonna change his mind. And if he does, he will. We can't change his decision now."
Draco looked away again, expecting to be yelled at. But Harry slid onto the step next to him and rested his head on Draco's shoulder. "I know. I shouldn't put myself through it. And I'll stop. It's just hard for me. I know this is all my fault this is even happening - I'll bet he would've forgiven me if I told him when we started it - but I'm trying to make it up now."
"Don't bother making it up to him," Draco whispered. "This is our relationship, not his. You have nothing to feel sorry for."
Harry didn't answer. He pulled Draco closer and kissed his cheek without a word.
The two of them didn't notice the redhead standing behind them, listening to every word they said.
*_*_*_*_*
A/N: You like? Is it good? The deeper I get, the sweeter and sadder the plot gets. There's no backing out now!
Thank you to my reviewers!!! I LOVE ya! We have 118 reviews right now. We're on our way! I actually think we CAN make it to 200 now!
Sorry It took me so long to update. I lost my disc (in the sea of discs there is my room.. I really need to use less discs!).
~~TTFN, deathdragon4~~
P.S. Thank you all for the explanation for P.S. I was wondering what it meant FOREVER!
P.P.S. BSB (as you signed it), thanks for trying to explain what P.S. means, but I assure you, I could tell you that is DOESN'T mean postal stamp long before I figured out what it really means. ; ) Just to tell you. . . .