Part of my Mass Christmas(ish) Post - I hope you enjoy :P Have a very Merry Christmas (If you celebrate it. If not, have a lovely day!)

Chapter 6

Marital Issues, Already?

Harry stretched, sitting up in bed. He'd slept brilliantly, a fact that surprised him given it was the first time he'd ever shared a bed in his life. He was alone, though Tom's side of the bed was still warm which meant he hadn't been alone for long. Getting out of bed, he wandered into the ensuite bathroom to get himself ready for the day.

He enjoyed the shower, spacious as it was, and Kreacher had stocked his favourite scents for him already. He was sure, should it continue to be as easy as it had been the previous night, that he could learn to live with this life quite easily. The pressing thought that the marriage wasn't legal until it was consummated was his only concern.

Still, he was sure that Tom, or even Andromeda, could answer his questions about that in due time. He surrendered to the spray of the water and let the thought go for the moment. There was no point in worrying about it until he knew if there was something to actually worry about.

Twenty minutes later, wrapped only in a towel, he reentered the bedroom to find Tom waiting for him. Harry blushed, but crossed the room to get his clothes, making a mental note to take them with him the following morning to avoid the embarrassment that he was sure was clear on his face. Minutes later, dressed and blush free, Harry returned to his waiting husband.

"Good morning, Harry," Tom greeted, pulling him closer to press a soft kiss to Harry's lips.

"Morning," Harry murmured. "Did you sleep well?"

The smirk on Tom's face wasn't entirely comforting. "Better than I have in years."

"What do you have planned for today?" Harry asked, after clearing his throat awkwardly. He stepped back slightly, hoping that distance would help clear his somewhat cloudy thoughts.

"I thought we could just enjoy one another, Harry. After all, we are newlyweds, is it not tradition to spend time alone?"

"Um... I guess?"

"Come, let us have some breakfast, shall we?"

Harry followed silently, chastising himself with every step. He was behaving like a complete tit! Who said that getting married would take away his sense of self? Rolling his eyes, Harry sat down at the breakfast bar in the kitchen. If he could be an adult when arguing in the Winzengamot, he could surely manage breakfast with the man he was supposed to be spending the rest of his life with!

"Oh, so I have a question," he said, looking at Tom across the table. When the older man raised an eyebrow, Harry continued. "We didn't... consummate the marriage last night. Does that mean that it can be annulled?"

Tom's eyes darkened, and it took Harry a moment to realise he was angry as he stood up, the chair falling behind him with the speed of his movement.

"One night with me and you already want to annul our marriage, Harry?" He growled, leaning over the table. "You signed the contract, you heard the official. We are bonded, for life. Sorry to tell you, but you're stuck with me."

Before Harry could correct his assumptions, Tom was sweeping from the room, his robe twirling around his legs.

"Bloody hell," He groaned. "Kreacher!"

The house elf popped in, looking up at Harry obligingly. "Can you fetch me this mornings copy of the Prophet, and inform Andromeda that I've already succeeded in pissing my husband off, please. Oh, and some coffee and toast would be good."

"Of course, Master Harry. I believe Master Snape be waiting for you in the parlour, Master Harry."

"Oh, send him through then," Harry replied, nodding. Kreacher disappeared, and seconds later, coffee, toast and the morning paper appeared on the breakfast bar. The front page was, obviously, covering the wedding, and pages three, four, five and six were also advertised as covering more details. How they had that much to write about, Harry had no idea.

Nothing exciting had happened after all, unless you count the food being superb as newsworthy.

"My Lord was in quite the state when he passed the parlour, Potter. Marital issues already?"

Harry looked up to see Snape taking a seat across from him. "Ah, I asked a question, he took a paddy. What can ya do?"

Severus snorted. "What did you ask him?"

"We didn't... ah, last night. We didn't consummate the marriage. All I asked was if it could be annulled, and he blew his top. He didn't give me chance to explain that I was just worried that we hadn't fulfilled a requirement to make it binding. I'm fairly sure he thought I wanted rid of him."

"Ah. It'll blow over and you can explain when he's calmed down I'm sure. Though... I rather feel for whichever Death Eater's he has gone to take his ire out on."

Harry shrugged. "I'm sure they've done something to deserve it, at any rate. They're a bit moronic, most of em."

"Well, what are you going to do instead? I had thought you'd be spending the day with him, and only came by to see if you had need of me."

"I'm not sure. He asked me to remain until tomorrow morning, and unless he says otherwise, I suppose that is what I shall do. Unless you want to give me a hand with my homework, you're free to do as you wish."

Snape nodded. "Very well. Here, I made this," he said, handing over a plain silver bracelet. "If you wish to go out, rub your finger over the clasp and I shall be notified that you require me. And Potter? Please don't leave the house without me. I'd really rather not suffer My Lord's displeasure for your wandering."

Harry rolled his eyes but slipped the bracelet onto his wrist. "I'll let you know if I'm going anywhere," he agreed. "Honestly, I've got so much homework and paperwork to go through, it is highly unlikely."

Harry had finished his homework and was working his way through the stack of paperwork Gringotts had handed off to Kreacher when Tom returned. It had been hours, and when Harry glanced at the clock, he was surprised to find it was late afternoon.

"Severus informs me that I may have acted hastily this morning."

"Hmm," Harry replied, his mind still on the paperwork. "You did."

"Why would you ask such a question it not with the intent to get out of the contract?"

"I was worried the contract wouldn't be binding."

Harry flipped to the final page and signed his name before calling Kreacher. "Take that to Andromeda for me, please. Ask her to send back the list I sent earlier if she's done with it, I'd like to finalise it tonight if possible. When she's finished with this lot, drop it off at Gringott's, and then you can call it a night. I'll need you at seven tomorrow morning, because I need to call to the bank before I return to school."

"Yes Master Harry."

Harry looked at Tom who was staring at him, tapping his fingers impatiently against the counter.

"You plan to do more paperwork?" Tom asked. The look he gave Harry was a mixture of incredulous and amused. "Have you been working in here since I left?"

"Yep and Yep, in that order," Harry replied blandly.

"Harry... I apologise for my over reaction this morning."

Harry nodded. "Okay. Perhaps next time, if you're not sure what I'm asking, you could ask me to clarify before you go and torture people, no matter how much they might deserve it."

"How did you know that was what I was doing?"

"You just told me," Harry replied, amused despite himself. "Actually, you might be interested in what Kreacher is picking up from Andromeda. I sent her a list of people I thought would be competent enough to take the Ministerial post, and I'm awaiting her thoughts. I'll be calling a vote of No Confidence in front of the Winzengamot next weekend."

"You'd take my opinion into consideration?" Tom asked, frowning slightly.

"Of course. For better or worse, you're my husband. Is that not how it works?"

With a small sigh, Tom replied, "In all honesty, I am probably as ignorant as you about how a traditional relationship works. I've never had need for one in the past."

"Ah well. We're not exactly traditional anyway, are we? We'll manage, one way or another," Harry said as Kreacher popped back in. He took the offered parchment from the elf, bidding him a quiet good night.

Lying it flat on the bar, Harry cast a silent spell to hold it in place and glanced over the document, snorting his amusement at a few of Andromeda's comments.

"Who are you leaning towards?" Tom asked, rounding the table to look over Harry's shoulder at the parchment.

"Amelia Bones," Harry replied, tapping the top name on the parchment. "Andromeda seems to agree that she would be a good choice. She's strict but fair, and she'd uphold the traditions of the wizarding world without getting caught up in a power trip. I'm just not entirely convinced that she would actually want the job. I'll have to send Kreacher with a letter to her tomorrow morning, see if she can't meet me for dinner one night this week."

"Do you often leave Hogwarts to meet people for dinner?" Tom asked.

Harry glanced up, turning slightly to look at him. "Not very often and only when it pertains to politics. I'm not sure why you're being so aggressive, Tom, but it's going to get rather wearing very quickly I hope you realise. You should trust me."

"Ah, that wasn't an inquiry as to whether you would be meeting potential... dates, Harry. I merely wondered how often I would be able to tempt you away from the school during the week."

Harry rolled his eyes. That impish smirk on Tom's face was not attractive, dammit!

"Lord Potter, the floor is yours," Dumbledore announced with a flourish, a small smile on his face.

Harry nodded to him as he passed, steeling himself before he turned to face the many members of the Winzengamot.

"Many of you are aware of the reasons for what I'm about to do, but for those of you who have been living under a rock at the bottom of the ocean, I'll list them regardless. Cornelius Fudge has done an unbearably bad job during his tenure as Minister for Magic. He's a pompous, bumbling idiot who has stayed in office due to the ideas and prompting of those smarter than him.

"While I am currently married to Tom Riddle Slytherin, the fact remains that he was a Dark Lord, and due to Minister Fudge's incompetence, he was allowed to regain his followers and build his army with little to no opposition. That matter has been taken care of by others now, but Minister Fudge had no understanding on how to lead the populace during the dark months of war, and he caused the deaths of many by not taking action when he was first warned of the Dark Lord's return.

"During times of peace, Minister Fudge has been known to take bribes to get bills passed, he's dined out on the tax payer's money five out of seven nights a week during his entire tenure, he's almost caused three wars with the Vampires, which were only stopped by others stepping in and helping him out of the messes his mouth caused, because he let his words run without filtering them.

"I call for No Confidence, and I elect Amelia Bones as my candidate to fill in as temporary Minister until the time that the wizarding public can vote on the candidates."

"I second the motion for No Confidence," Lucius Malfoy said, standing up.

"I third the call for No Confidence," Augusta Longbottom said, also standing from her seat.

Harry nodded, retaking his own seat with a flourish.

"I shall send for Minister Fudge and Amelia Bones while the rest of you ponder your votes," Dumbledore announced, stepping down from his podium.

"That was a rather masterful speech, Harry," Tom murmured leaning across the armrest between their seats.

Harry grinned. "Thanks."

"Do you think you have them convinced?"

"Two thirds will vote in my favour," Harry muttered confidently. "Hopefully the rest will follow."

Dumbledore returned to the podium as Amelia and Fudge took their places before the Winzengamot.

"A call of No Confidence has been called, and it is time for you to cast your votes. Those in favour, raise your wands now."

Harry raised his own wand, barely resisting the urge to look around at the upper rows. He waited for Dumbledore to nod, and lowered his wand.

"Those against, raise your wands now."

"Rather remarkable, I must say," Lucius said as he, Harry and Tom strolled down the corridor. "I thought you would get it passed, but forty seven to four is practically unheard of."

Harry grinned. "He's a fool. I don't understand why he chose to go against me; sorry, us, but he should have known he would lose. Had he stepped down, he would be leaving with far more respect than he will have once word of this gets out."

Tom wrapped his arm around Harry's waist. "Come. Let us celebrate in private. I have made plans for this evening."

"Sure. Do I have time to drop in on Andromeda to let her know how it went?"

"Of course. We'll go there first, if you wish?"

Harry nodded. "Okay."

"Narcissa is awaiting my return. My Lord, Harry," Lucius said, nodding respectfully before walking faster, disappearing into the throng of people.

"What are your plans for this evening?" Harry asked, glancing up at Tom.

"A surprise, my dear husband."

As they moved into the crowd, Tom dropped his hand from Harry's waist, leaving the space feeling unnaturally cold. He felt a surge of warmth, however, when long fingers wrapped around his own, clasping their hands together. Harry glanced up once more to find Tom looking down at him with a fond smile.

The flutter of... something, in his stomach confused Harry. He wasn't... He didn't...

Could he actually want to spend time with his husband?

Nah, must be indigestion.