Author's Note: I've been asked several times if this is going to be an Mpreg story. The answer to that is a loud echoing No! This is a NON-MAGIC AU story so it would be completely impossible for either Harry or Draco to become pregnant. I may have them adopt a child if I decide to do so, but neither of them can or will be pregnant. Thanks for asking though.
- - -
Harry woke again, just after lunch, to see his uncle-in-law sitting in a chair beside his bed. The deep, even breathing he heard told him the man was asleep. He couldn't really tell for sure, the man's dark hair was hanging in his face. He noticed his left arm was in a sling and he frowned.
"Nothing a few weeks rest won't cure, I assure you." came a deep rumbling voice. Harry sat back, startled as the man raised his dark gaze to Harry's.
"Where's Draco?" Harry asked, surprised his voice sounded so raspy and his throat slightly sore.
"He's in his study, working last I knew. He didn't want to disturb your rest."
Harry took another glance at the sling.
"If it's not too forward of me, sir, what happened to you?" Harry wondered.
"That brute who kidnapped you, tried to kill me. His knife pierced me between my shoulder blade."
"I'm sorry, sir." Harry muttered, wincing slightly.
"I'm all right, Harry. It's you I'm more concerned with. I imagine your throat hurts?"
"It does, actually."
"When I found you, Dursley had a good hold of your throat. The swelling and bruising is fading and you will be in some pain for a few more days. Doctor Kline assures us that you'll be fine, all things considered."
"I don't remember what happened after he started choking me."
"I should start at the beginning. When Draco realized you were missing, everyone began searching for you as quick as they could. I employed some of my own associates, experts in the field of tracking and spying, to try and find you. When Ms Parkinson's father told us she'd gone missing from that convent in France, and from what Draco told me of their encounter, I deduced she was the one who wanted you gone so she could pursue Draco. No one knew she had hired Dursley until a man at the alehouse he visited often spoke of seeing him talking to Pansy one day. We had some tail her around which lead to us arriving at the cabin just after Dursley must have left with you. She had left a message in the dirt beside her of where you were headed, so in a sense, she saved your life. We caught up to you at the boat and were one of the last to board. It was another few days before we could locate you because we had no idea what cabin you were in. Draco wanted to charge in, but I held him off because I was pretty sure the man had a knife or a weapon of some kind. I came in as he was pounding your head against the wall while choking you and pulled him off. When I bent down to check on you, that's when he stabbed me. One of the crewmen heard the commotion and got word to the captain. He came down to your cabin, saw what Dursley was trying to do and shot him." Severus stated.
"He's dead?" Harry gaped, hoping he wasn't hearing things.
"Yes, Harry." Severus nodded. Harry visibly sagged with relief and burst into tears, just as Draco, Hermione and Ron came into the room. Draco rushed to his side, pulling him into his arms.
"Severus what have you been saying to him?" Draco scowled.
"I didn't meant to upset him, Draco. He asked what happened and I told him."
"You told him? Why?"
"He wanted to know." Severus shrugged.
"You could have been more sensible about it!"
"I don't have a sensible bone in my body." Severus snorted.
"Too right." Ron agreed with a chuckle. Severus glared at the red-head, who ducked behind Hermione.
"I-I'm alright, Draco." Harry finally spoke, pulling back to wipe his eyes. "I'm just relieved this whole nightmare is over."
"So am I, love." Draco smiled, kissing Harry gently. Harry finally spotted Hermione, who launched herself into his embrace, hugging him tightly.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" she whispered into his ear.
"I'll try." he replied, hugging her back.
"Hey, mate. You can let go of my fiancé anytime now or I might have a reason to be jealous." Ron smiled. Everyone laughed as Hermione pulled away.
"I'm sorry I missed the wedding." Harry sighed.
"Harry, when you turned up missing, Ronald and I decided to postpone it until you were found."
"But...why?"
"Because if I can't have my best friend standing beside me when I get married, then I'm not going through with it." she answered.
"And I wasn't going to either." Ron added.
"I can't believe all of you are making all this fuss about me." Harry whispered, clutching Draco's hand.
"You're worth it, Harry. We all see how wonderful you are and we can't help what we feel. We love you." Hermione smiled. Harry felt tears in his eyes again and Severus rolled his eyes.
"So help me God, Potter if you start bawling like a bloody baby again, I'll kill you myself!" Severus scowled.
Harry stared at the stoic man for a full minute before he burst into laughter. It was a cleansing feeling and it felt good to his tortured soul.
It's good to be home again. He thought to himself.
- - -
A week later, Draco was becoming worried. Harry seemed all right, but whenever Draco tried to get close to him or kiss him in some way, Harry moved away from him. He didn't want to force Harry to talk to him, but it was becoming extremely difficult considering the fact they shared the same bed.
He was scowling when his mother found him in his library a short time later.
"Something wrong, Draco?" Narcissa asked.
"No. Nothing's wrong. Unless you count the fact that my own husband is afraid of me." he snorted.
"What? That's ridiculous! What gave you that idea?" she asked as she sat down.
"Every time I try and touch him, he flinches away from me. Like he can't stand being touched by me."
"Draco. Harry's just been through one of the most traumatic experiences of his life. It's only been a week. Give him some time." she gently urged.
"How much bloody time does he need?" he snarled. Narcissa stood up, went to her son and whacked him across the back of his head.
"Ow! What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his sore head.
"Don't take that tone of voice with me, young man! You may be taller than I am, but I am still your mother and you will respect me when I'm in your presence! Is that clear?" The scowl on her face set his teeth on edge. He had only seen her this angry once before in his life (when he had taken a pair of scissors to her favorite morning dress because the fabric was soft enough for a bird nest he was making) and he did not want to repeat the experience.
"Yes, mother." he mumbled.
"If that's what it takes to get you to stop swearing all the time, I should call your mum into the room more often." came an amused voice behind them. Both Malfoys glanced up to see Harry smiling bemusedly at them from the door.
"Harry, how are you?" Narcissa smiled at him.
"I'm fine, Mother." Harry replied. He did sound better and the bruising around his throat was hardly visible.
"That's wonderful to hear. I'll leave you two alone to talk."
"No need. I just came to tell Draco something."
"What?" Draco wondered. Harry went up to him, wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily. When he pulled away, Draco had a silly smile on his face.
"I love you, Draco. Always remember that." Harry whispered into his ear before leaving the room.
Narcissa smiled at her son.
"What?" he asked, seeing the look on her face.
"If that was a man afraid of his husband, I'd hate to see your reaction if he wants to be around you more often." she smirked before leaving the room.
- - -
Harry found Hermione in her room being fitted for her wedding dress. Harry had insisted that she and Ron not wait any longer and requested they get married as soon as possible. So they had set the date for the upcoming weekend.
"Hermione, you look beautiful!" he gaped. She blushed.
"Thank you, Harry, but I doubt you came up here to tell me that." she smiled.
"Well...no. Um, I kind of have a problem."
"And this is different from any other day?" she giggled.
"Very funny." he snorted. She looked at the seamstress.
"Are we finished?"
"Yes, Madame Granger. I will have this ready for you by Saturday." the woman replied. She helped Hermione get the dress off before leaving the room.
"Sit." Hermione pointed to a chair while she went behind a dressing screen to redress. "So, what's on your mind?" she called out.
"Draco." Harry sighed.
"What now?" Hermione asked, emerging from behind the screen, fully dressed.
"I-I want to c-consummate our relationship and I don't know how to tell him." he mumbled, his cheeks turning red. He felt the bed dip as Hermione sat beside him, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulder.
"Harry. Are you absolutely sure you're ready for this? I don't want you to feel like this is something you have to do to get past what Dudley did or tried to do."
"When Dudley h-had me, I thought for sure he was going to try something, other than a few gropes here and there. I really thought it would be a repeat of that day. But nothing happened. I think if Severus hadn't come that night, Dudley would have raped me, he was in that state of mind. But the whole time, I was regretting the fact that I didn't give Draco what he wanted, what I wanted if I'm honest with myself. And I hated that feeling. I felt like I had disappointed him some how."
"Harry. Draco loves you no matter what you give him or don't give him."
"I know it was bothering him. We slept in the same bed night after night but I wouldn't let him do nothing more than kiss me. And I wanted so much more than that. My heart and my body wanted so much more than that. The day I was kidnapped, I had made a decision to become more intimate with him."
"I just want you to be sure you're ready for this. Once it's done, there's no going back."
"I want to do this, Hermione. I love him. I can't imagine my life without him. And I can no longer be content with the way things are. I want more. I want him."
Hermione stared into his eyes, seeing the truth of his words. She squeezed his shoulder.
"I believe you, Harry."
"So what do I do?"
"I believe you need a little female intervention." she smiled...