Summary CH2: It's been a long year of hiding it from their friends and families, but tonight, New Year's Eve, Harry and Draco will bring their relationship out of the shadows and into the light of day.
Additional Tags: Lots more Fluff, Slight Angst, Mild Jealousy, Blind dates gone awry, Meddling friends and family, Canon kids, Old friends
Rating: M (18+ Only)
A/N: And...I'm back. Here's the update I promised to This Time Next Year. As the first chapter was based on a song for the Wireless Minifest, so is this second chapter. I highly recommend you listen to the inspiration song before and after you read: This Love Won't Break Your Heart by Annalise Emerick. You can google it or find it on Spotify.
Also, there're a few song lyrics in the story at one point that you'll probably recognise, but if you check out the version also by Annalise Emerick, you'll hear the exact arrangement I had in mind as I wrote that scene.
I wish for each of us a better year than 2020. Happy New Years, my friends.
One Year Later...
31 December 2020 4:30 pm
"Did you pick up the wine?"
"Potter, what do you take me for? The wine was at the top of my list. I'd sooner forget to drop the kids off at the Burrow than to pick up the wine."
Harry laughs and finishes arranging the basket of noisemakers, hats, and crackers on the entry table. "Sorry. I'm just nervous."
He looks up at the mirror on the wall behind the table to see Draco smile and wrap his arms around Harry's waist. "I know. And I don't suppose any amount of my telling you this will be fine will help, will it?"
Harry meets the grey eyes in the mirror and feels his stomach relax. He leans back into the embrace. "Yeah, it will, actually." He takes a deep breath and rubs his cheek against Draco's beard. "I love you."
"I know," Draco murmurs, and Harry turns to find Draco's lips. It's a quiet kiss, a kiss of comfort. A promise.
"After today, they'll know," Harry explains unnecessarily. "It's just a little weird."
"Everyone will know. There's no going back afterwards." Draco hesitates. "Are you sure about this?" Draco's face pulls into a smirk, but Harry can see the hints of insecurity around the edges. It's like they pass the anxiety back and forth between them like a bludger.
"Hey," Harry says, resting his forehead on Draco's. "I'll love you till the day I die."
Draco exhales slowly. It's their phrase, the one they repeat to themselves, to each other, when they need extra reassurance.
"Let's do this… Tomorrow will take care of itself." Draco straightens his shoulders, and he looks ready.
Harry reaches out his hand. "Together."
"Together." Draco takes Harry's hand and squeezes.
"Now get out of here before anyone arrives so you can make your entrance."
Draco grins and Apparates away.
January 2020
Draco hovered over Harry, riding out the rest of his orgasm, buried in Harry's arse. The sweat dripped from the tip of his nose, and Harry reached up to brush it away.
"Fuck," Draco muttered once he got his powers of speech back. He pulled out slowly, making Harry grunt, then collapsed on his side.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. He rolled over and watched Draco for a moment, his eyes drooping. "So, uh, the kids are back at school and stuff."
"Right," Draco responded, confused as to why Harry felt that was important to point out. After all, they'd just finished reuniting after their weeks of limited meetings. They'd had three amazing evenings together following that first night after Neville and Pansy's party, but then the kids had come home and it had all come to a stop. Suddenly, by previous agreement, they were back to just being the parents of two kids who happened to be best friends. They had their separate holidays, and though Harry had invited Draco to accompany Scorpius over to Grimmauld Place for dinner once or twice, it was all under the guise of a budding friendship between the two older men.
And if they slipped into the wine cellar for some groping, or off to the kitchen pantry while the kids were watching a movie and the snacks took a little longer than necessary, the kids didn't seem to notice.
There had been one night when the Potter kids had invited Scorpius to Ginny and Oliver's for the night, but other than that, they'd only had stolen looks and a few naughty letters exchanged the entire of the Hogwarts' holidays.
So, clearly, Draco didn't need to be reminded that the kids were back at school, a fact that would have normally driven him into a mini-depression at the loss of Scorpius for another few months. Instead, he left the train platform in conversation with his son's friend's father and they'd reconvened in private. He looked over at Harry, his cock still wet from the man's arse.
"Right," Harry continued, "which means, well, you don't have to leave if you don't want to. You can stay the night." The room was dark save for the one lamp burning on the nightstand casting shadows over Harry's face, but as the statement came out as a question, Draco understood. Harry wanted him to stay the night for the first time.
"I can, can't I?" Draco agreed, then reached up and caught Harry's mouth in a kiss. He pulled back and roughed his beard along Harry's shoulder blade, making the other man shiver. Draco grinned. "Go to sleep. I'll stay."
He felt Harry relax and begin to drift off to sleep, but instead of letting his own exhaustion claim him, he just watched. No feature escaped his notice: the grey at Harry's temples that peppered through his dark hair, the long eyelashes that brushed his cheeks, the bump in his nose that Draco thought might actually be from his own boot in sixth year, the soft lips that curved into a slight smile…
It took Draco another hour to fall asleep, but once he did, it was a good sleep. Sated. Safe. Content.
31 December 2020 8:30 pm
"Harry!" Dean Thomas slings an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Mate! Great party!"
Harry laughs. Dean's already pissed, and Seamus isn't far behind him from the look of him right behind Dean. "Thanks, Dean. Did you get something to eat? There's still a few hours until the new year. You need something to soak it all up."
Dean laughs loudly. "Seamus is making me eat, don't worry. So, no date again this year? We're starting to worry about you. Shay and I were just saying we need to get you laid before you shrivel up like an old man."
Harry rolls his eyes. This isn't the first time he's heard this spiel from a friend in the past months. "I'm hardly shrivelling up. I'm just not interested in meeting anyone right now."
"We're not talking about a relationship, Harry, just something to wet your whistle, if you get my meaning," Seamus adds in as he approaches. "'Tis unnatural for a man as beautiful as you to go so long."
Harry raises his eyebrows. "That's a big assumption, Seamus. And you think I'm beautiful? You're making me blush."
Seamus snorts. "Wanker. Of course, you are and you know it. And assumption, is it? Are you telling me you've been on the pull recently? Do tell."
Harry takes a long draw of his lager and winks. "I don't think I will, thank you very much. Now, I need to mingle with my guests. Go eat something, and no getting sick in my house plants, Thomas."
"One time…and that was almost twenty years ago!" Dean yells as Harry walks away, chuckling. His eyes scan the room, hoping to land on a particular blond head, but instead finding Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Pansy congregating together in a corner. Hermione's brow is furrowed as she discusses something with Pansy, the dark-haired woman gesticulating quickly. Neville is nodding along while Ron simply shakes his head.
"Hey, everyone," Harry calls out, approaching his friends.
The conversation immediately ceases, and he raises an eyebrow, a gesture he figures he's picked up from Draco. "Ah, guess I'm interrupting." He almost laughs at their expressions; Pansy and Hermione have matching looks of irritation but are watching him closely, but Ron looks guilty and Neville, amused. "I'll just—"
"Happy New Years, everybody," a voice interrupts from behind Harry. "Weasley, Hermione, Longbottom, Pans… Party looks great, Harry."
Harry turns and meets Draco's grey eyes, smothering a grin at the flash of amusement he sees. He wonders if the others caught it as well. Probably only Pansy knows Draco well enough to recognise it. "Thanks for coming, Draco."
Harry watched Hermione's eyes narrow again as he and Draco shake hands and clasp shoulders. He knows she's suspicious, but, well, she can wait a few more hours. Hopefully.
"So, what have I missed?" Draco innocently asks, and this time Pansy scowls.
"Just this bunch here going all silent as I walked up. I think they're up to something."
Ron spits out his drink all over Hermione at that, and the ensuing fight is enough for Harry to make his exit, but not before running a finger over Draco's wrist as he walks away.
Only a little more than three hours left.
March 2020
Harry stepped out of the Floo at Grimmauld Place, glanced at the clock, and winced. He'd been gone over two hours this time, and he was sure Draco wasn't going to be happy. They'd been half-naked and snogging on the sofa when the call came in. Molly needed his help.
This was the fifth time in the last three weeks they'd be interrupted by a request from various Weasleys. Normally, before Draco, Harry would happily have dropped whatever he was working on for the evening—grading papers for his year five class, writing letters to his kids, fixing up something around the house, watching the telly—and helped with anything requested. The Weasleys had done so much for him over the years, and he wanted to help them back.
So, if Molly needed help fixing something around the Burrow, or Arthur needed another set of hands in his workshop, or George needed someone to man the shop for a few hours, or Ron and Hermione needed a babysitter, Harry was there. It wasn't their fault they didn't know he had something else, someone else, that kept him busy now.
Still, Harry held out hope that Draco had stayed, that he was there, at Grimmauld Place still, to yell at him. They could have the pudding they'd skipped earlier, watch Bake Off, and still have an enjoyable evening.
Instead, the house was empty. Fuck.
Harry turned back to the Floo and threw in some powder, then called out the address to Draco's private library at the manor. Instead of turning green, however, the fire flashed red, a sure sign that the Floo was locked—maybe to everyone, or maybe just to Harry. Really, did it matter which? Either way, Draco was pissed off.
Grabbing his cloak, Harry stepped out into the garden and Apparated to Wiltshire.
When the house-elf, Libbey, barely acknowledged him as she escorted him to the formal parlour, Harry knew he was in trouble. However, he didn't know which boded worse, her overall behaviour or the fact that he was relegated to the formal visiting rooms.
"Potter," Draco's voice came from the doorway after several minutes; there'd been no offer of refreshment by Libbey nor taking of his cloak. Harry turned from the window where he stood examining the night.
"Draco, I'm so sorry," Harry started as soon as Draco was fully in the room. "I didn't realise how long it took, and you have every reason to be upset."
Draco simply stared at him, one eyebrow raised.
Harry took a deep breath. This was going to be harder than he thought. "Please come back with me. We were having such a good evening, and—"
"And you ran off at the first crook of the finger by the Weasleys. Honestly, Potter, I do have some self-respect. Do you really expect me to continue in a relationship where I'm always last?"
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Last?
Draco stalked into the room, his chin held high in that way that normally drove Harry wild. Right now, though, Harry could tell that it was hiding something instead.
"Oh, don't look so shocked, and don't you dare tell me I'm being unreasonable. I'm not saying that when there's a real family need that they aren't important, but are you telling me that tonight's call was an emergency?"
It wasn't. He knew that and yes, he was annoyed that Molly had called him away from his lovely evening to get his help rearranging the pantry, but what was he supposed to say to her?
Harry shook his head at Draco. "No, but they're used to my helping them."
Draco threw his arms up in the air. "And that's the problem. They don't even try to think about how to do it without you, or if you're busy. They just ask and know you'll be there. Every fucking time."
"But—"
"No, Harry. If it were summer and you had the kids around, what would they do?"
"Uh, well, I don't know. They generally don't ask when the kids are home."
"Exactly." Draco advanced on Harry and poked his shoulder. "They take advantage of you, and you let them. And when it's just your own time, then fine, whatever, do what you want. But it's not just yours now, it's ours."
"Draco—"
"It was ours, Harry! And I know they don't know about me, about us, but you deserve to be able to date, and if this is what you've been doing to your dates all this time, then it's no wonder things weren't working out."
"Now wait just a damned minute," Harry got out, finally pissed off himself. "That's uncalled for, and you know it. And I like helping them. I owe them."
"You owe them?" Draco's voice sounded cold now. "For being fucking decent humans? Do you think Scorp owes you for your kindness when he's around? For how you treat him like he's one of yours?"
Harry stumbled back a step, stunned. "What? No. Of course not!"
"So how the fuck do you owe them?"
"I…" Harry stopped and considered. Draco was twisting things and it wasn't what he meant. "Look, I know I don't owe them, but they helped me when I needed it, so I help them when they need it."
Draco rolled his eyes. "And Molly needs you to rearrange the fucking pantry in the same way you needed her to keep you fed as a twelve-year-old, right?"
Harry was tired of this. "Fine. I'm fucking wrong and you're right. What do you want from me?"
Draco was silent until Harry met his eyes. They'd softened, and when he spoke, his voice was gentler. "I want you to say that this thing we're doing, this relationship, is more important than every random whim from your extended family. I'm not expecting you to ignore them in an emergency or when they truly need you, but I want you to believe that this is important too, and certainly more important than organising a pantry on a Tuesday night."
Harry considered. When Draco put it like that, it made a lot of sense. But he'd been doing this for a long time, and he'd set certain expectations. "They're still going to ask. They're used to my saying yes."
Draco nodded. "They will. And you'll need to learn to deal with that. Ask them what they need, and offer another time to help them when we're not about to shag."
A laugh escaped Harry's throat, and Draco smiled in response. "I'm sorry about that. Like, really sorry."
Draco leaned forwards and hesitated, his mouth almost brushing Harry's. "Yes, you are. Because I was going to do naughty things to you, but now, you'll just have to wait until Friday because it's late and I'm exhausted."
Harry let out a groan. "Can I stay over at least?"
Draco shook his head. "Not this time. Libbey's in a snit with you, and I can't guarantee what she'll do."
Harry's eyes moved to the door where he had a feeling Libbey was waiting outside. "Right. Well, I guess I'll see you Friday, then."
Draco's lips met his for a relatively chaste kiss, then pulled back. "Friday. And Potter? No Weasleys."
Harry stepped towards the door and nodded. "Promise."
31 December 2020 9:15 pm
"Harry, are you even listening to me?"
"Mm-hmm. You broke the washing machine," Harry mutters, watching Draco throw his head back in that way he loves. Pansy must have said something funny, and Draco's Adam's apple is bobbing and his eyes are sparkling. The golden fairy lights around the room make his hair seem to glow.
"Oh, for fuck's sake. Harry James Potter. If you like him, just go talk to him, yes?" Hermione's voice takes on an amused tone, even if she sounds annoyed at his lack of attention.
Harry looks back at her and blinks. "What do you mean? I don't like your washing machine."
"There's been absolutely no mentions of a washing machine. Not even anything close. I've been talking about education legislation coming up before the Wizengamot. And you've not paid a bit of attention to any of it." She raises her eyebrows expectantly.
"Shit. Sorry. It's hard to hear with all the background noise. You know how bad my hearing is these days." He gives her his most charming smile and she rolls her eyes.
"And it has nothing to do with your pining for Draco Malfoy?"
That caught his attention. "That's ridiculous." And it is. It's kind of hard to pine when you've been shagging the bloke for over a year and you're in a committed relationship together.
"Right. So you haven't been staring at him all night, and talking about your wonderful friendship for months, and refusing to go on dates when perfectly nice people are available and interested, and—"
Harry chokes a little and forces it out into a laugh, then considers. She'll know the truth in a few hours. He just needs to make it a little longer. "Fine, maybe I'm pining a bit."
Her eyes go gooey and all Hermione on him. "Oh, Harry, I didn't expect you to admit it. How long?"
Harry shrugs, trying to put on his best sad puppy dog eyes. "Too long, I guess. Do you think he knows?" He's trying not to laugh, as he's certain Draco knows. He had Harry's cock in his mouth less than twelve hours ago.
"I don't know. Do you want me to ask Pansy?"
"No!" Harry nearly shouts, and Hermione laughs. "No. Not tonight, anyway. Maybe soon."
"You seem to be really good friends these days. Friendship is always a good foundation, you know."
"You don't say," Harry says, nudging her elbow with his own. "So, how's old married sex these days?"
She grins. "Getting kinkier by the year. We have to keep it interesting somehow."
Harry drops his face into his palm, disgusted that she bested him and made him blush. "Fuck, I deserved that."
"Yup, but it doesn't make it any less true. Now, what can we do to help you with your little problem?"
Harry listens as Hermione plans. Draco is going to love this when Harry tells him the story later.
May 2020
"Harry, wait!" Isobel Rees said when Harry passed the year four classroom. It was a Friday and he was ready to be home for the weekend. He had dinner plans with Ron and Hermione, then intended to spend the better part of the following two days in bed with Draco.
"Hey, Isobel. Is something wrong?"
She laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear, a slight blush covering her cheeks. "No, no, nothing wrong. I just, well," she stammered, looking down at the floor, then finally met his eyes. "My brother is having a party tomorrow evening, and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."
Harry's stomach clenched with dread. Fuck. He hated this part. He liked Isobel, and if things had been different, a night out with her would have been fun. But as it was, he needed an excuse. He pasted a half-smile on his face and hoped he came across as just nice and bland, and then he realised the truth might actually serve him well in this case. He was so used to lying about it, that it felt strange to say the real reason out loud. "I'm flattered you thought to ask me, Izzy, but, well, I'm kind of seeing someone. We're not really telling people yet, but I don't think they'd like it if I were going out with somebody else."
Her face started to fall at his refusal, then lit up at the idea that he was seeing someone. She really was a lovely woman. "Oh, Harry, that's wonderful! I mean, I'm sorry you can't go out with me, but I'm so glad you've found someone." She put her hand on his arm and gave him a little squeeze. "And you know, if you ever change your mind, I'm right next door…classroom-wise."
Harry laughed and took a step back. "Thanks. Have a good weekend." He turned and headed out to his car, tossed his bag onto the passenger seat, and slid behind the wheel. Yes, he could Apparate, but it was a Muggle school and not close enough to public transport that they'd expect him to walk. Instead, he used the time between the school and the car park to unwind.
While he was driving, his mobile rang. He pressed the hands-free button. "Hello?"
"Harry, make sure you dress nice tonight for dinner." Hermione's voice was short and slightly clipped like it usually was when she was calling with directions.
"Hermione," Harry said carefully. "We're just going to the pub."
"I know, but you never know who you'll see while you're there. Wear that green jumper I got you for Christmas and those black jeans. You know the ones."
Irritation bubbled in the back of his throat. "The ones you said scream 'Fuck me'."
"Yes," Hermione said, and Harry could hear the evasion in her voice now, loud and clear. "See you at the pub at seven." She ended the call, and Harry wanted to curse. "Hey Siri, call Ron."
"Calling Ron," came the mechanical voice, and Harry waited.
"Hey, Mate," Ron answered. "Ready for the pub tonight?" Harry could hear the sound of the shop in the background. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' sounds were pretty distinctive. "I could really use a pint."
"Well, I was ready," Harry spat out, "but I get the feeling Hermione's up to something. Did she tell you what?"
Ron paused and the silence grew heavy. "Uh, well, I dunno. She's weird, you know? Hey, look, I'd better go if I'm going to be done in time. See you soon!"
Harry pulled into the car park and turned off the motor. He cursed his so-called friends as he gathered his bag and locked the car, then stepped behind the attendant's booth and Apparated home.
Walking up to his room, he noticed little glimpses of Draco's presence scattered across the house. Draco's mug from that morning sitting in the sink; Draco's favourite throw blanket on the back of the sofa; Draco's clothes in Harry's closet and spare drawer; Draco's toothbrush in the bathroom. All signs to remind Harry that this wasn't all some mad fever-dream, that he was, indeed, in a secret relationship with Draco Malfoy. Days like this sometimes had him questioning his sanity.
Which was how he found himself two hours later in an awkward, unplanned (on his part) blind date with a man who wouldn't keep his hands to himself. Hermione's work acquaintance from the DMLE's records division was not only tediously boring, but he liked to touch.
A hand on Harry's arm, a brush of knees, even fucking footsie under the table; the man had no idea how to take a hint. Harry kept moving away, gradually moving his chair closer and closer to Ron and farther away from Maxwell. It should have been a dead giveaway, but the man just scooted closer. Sooner or later, Harry would end up in Ron's lap.
Harry shot daggers at Hermione who kept bringing up topics that Harry and Maxwell evidently had in common—as if a mutual interest in Quidditch was enough to base a relationship on. The final clincher was when they spoke about kids.
"Must be nice to get the kids unloaded off to Hogwarts, huh?" Maxwell asked, a stupid grin on his face. "I've got two of my own and that's the best part of parenting—getting them off to let the teachers deal with them. Luckily they spend most of their time on holidays at their mum's or grandparents' house. I don't know what I'd do with them all that time."
That last bit is enough to finally disgust Hermione, as well, so she doesn't argue when Harry pushes away his pint and stands up.
"And with that, I'm done here. Maxwell, I'd say it was nice meeting you, but it'd be a lie. Your kids deserve better, and I'm glad your ex seems to be exactly that. Hermione, Ron, I'll talk to you later, but Hermione?"
She looked up, a plea of forgiveness visible in her eyes.
"No more. I'm not interested in meeting anyone new right now. Understood?"
Maxwell sat sputtering next to Harry, but Harry just glared.
"Especially not arseholes like this guy."
Hermione nodded and Ron looked relieved. Harry stepped around the table and kissed her on the cheek. "I appreciate the sentiment, but it's not needed right now. I promise."
"Night, Harry," she murmured. "And I'm sorry. He wasn't such an fuckhead in the office."
Harry laughed. "I'd hope not." He looked at Ron. "Night, Mate," then practically ran for the door. It took him about two minutes to get to an alley to Apparate away, but then he was home, and then through the Floo, and then in Draco's arms.
The place he'd wanted to be the entire evening.
"That great, huh?" Draco asked, sounding amused. "I thought you loved going out with your best friends."
Harry groaned. "Hermione tried to set me up with some dickhead named Maxwell."
Draco choked. "Maxwell from legal records? Fuck, that guy's an arsehole and a half."
Harry nuzzled his nose into Draco's neck. "Can we not talk about him, please? I need you. Remind me why we're doing this and that it's worth not telling them."
Draco skimmed his hands down Harry's neck and back, grabbed onto his arse, and set to work. Harry's mind nearly went blank, but he had to agree. It was worth it.
31 December 2020 10:00 pm
"So, then Draco says," Harry pauses to draw out the punchline, "'Well, Mother, if the elf can't handle it, what makes you think I can?'"
Everyone bursts out laughing, and Draco blushes. Harry wants to reach over and nuzzle his cheek, but instead pushes out his fist and playfully punches Draco's shoulder.
"Yes, well, it's the truth. Libbey is much more talented than I am."
Pansy rolls her eyes, Blaise offers his glass up for a toast, and Theo slaps Draco on the back. The good-natured insults so common with the Slytherins start to pour out, and Harry meets Neville's gaze in shared outsider amusement.
Neville leans over and mutters to Harry, "It's weird being with this group sometimes, isn't it? It's been over ten years and I'm still not used to it sometimes. Must be even stranger for you, huh? For you and Draco?"
Harry pulls back and raises his eyebrows. "Me and Draco?"
Neville smirks. "Yeah, you've become good friends and all, so I assume you've been around his friends more. More than just me and Pansy, anyway."
"Right," Harry says hurriedly, and Merlin, he's so sick of all this hiding shit. He's a terrible liar. The excuses he's come up with over the last year are embarrassing, really. "Definitely strange," he finally agrees.
July 2020
Harry pushed harder, making Draco moan. He captured the man underneath him in a long kiss, quickening his thrusts.
"Fuck, Potter, don't stop."
"I don't plan on it," Harry said, gasping. He pulled Draco's leg up so he could get a deeper angle, and this time Draco shouted his approval.
"Gonna come."
"Merlin, yes. Come...for...me…"
Draco's eyes scrunched up, and Harry could feel his own bollocks tightening, a familiar, welcome tingle creeping up his back. His own climax was close, if only—
"Dad! We're home! Where are you?"
Lily's voice drifted up the stairs.
"Dad?" Albus this time. "James, shut up. Dad is not upstairs shagging someone. It's Dad."
Draco's eyes flew open and met Harry's, and Harry froze in shock. They could hear feet on the stairs, coming closer. They only had about a minute, depending on how quickly the kids were walking. Harry pulled out of Draco and rolled off him in record time, his cock practically shrivelling at the sudden arrival of his children augmented by the cold air hitting his wet skin. Draco was similarly jumping out of the bed and running his hand through his hair.
"In the closet," Harry whispered urgently. "Quick." He couldn't find his boxers, so he skipped that step and yanked on his trousers from where they lay on the floor. He pulled a shirt from the chair over his head and then grabbed his wand to straighten the duvet. He fell on top of it with a book in his hands right as the door flew open.
"Dad! We're home early. Mum got called away on an assignment, and Oliver said he didn't mind if we took the Floo home a few hours ahead of time." Lily looked around the room and at his book. "You don't normally read in bed. Are you feeling okay? You look flushed."
Al and James stood in the doorway. Al looked concerned, but James' eyes narrowed and he smirked. "Yeah, Dad, are you feeling okay?"
The difference between seventeen-year-old James' reaction and twelve-year-old Lily's was like night and day. James knew, and Harry had to redirect.
"Uh, just a bit of a stomach ache. Something I ate. Thought I'd lay down for a bit."
"Oh, that sucks," Al muttered. "Do you need anything?"
"Yeah, Dad, do you want us to keep you company so you don't get lonely?" James' eyes tracked to the closed closet door. Harry never closed his closet door.
"No, no, I'll be fine. Thanks, guys. Why don't you go get settled in and decide what you want to order for dinner? I'm sure I'll feel better soon enough, and maybe we can watch a movie tonight."
James opened his mouth to offer up some witty retort, but Harry shot him a glare. Lily, however, was staring at Harry's chest. "When did you get that jumper, Dad? I think Mr Malfoy has one just like it."
James' eyes widened and he choked, but Harry ignored him. "Uh, I just really liked his, so I got myself one too. Do you like it?" Harry looked down at the pale blue jumper that was totally not his colour and was about two sizes too small, so it stretched oddly across his chest.
"Not really," Lily answered. "You look better in earth tones." She turned to Albus. "Come on, Al. You promised you'd play Pokemon with me when we got home." She dragged him from the room, missing the sound of a thump that came from Harry's closet.
James, however, did not. "Something you want to share with the class, Dad?"
Harry raised a single eyebrow. "No. Now go away if you ever want me to look the other way for you."
James grinned. "Fair enough. You might want to cast an air-freshening charm the next time you have a visitor, by the way. It positively reeks in here."
And with that, he closed the door behind him and Harry let out a deep breath. "Fuck." He put up a quick silencing charm and locked the door, then stalked to the closet. "You can come out now."
Draco stepped out, completely and impeccably dressed. "You are a terrible liar."
"I know." Harry pulled him into his arms. "James suspects something."
Draco laughed. "James knows, and I'd expect he knows who. Will he keep it quiet?"
"He'll probably forget about it if there's nothing else to remind him." Harry leaned in for a kiss. "Sorry about that."
"Not your fault, though I've half a mind to pummel Oliver Wood."
Harry laughed, but it came out slightly pained. "I think I'm going to take a cold shower. Are you okay getting out of here?"
Draco grinned and held up Harry's invisibility cloak he'd grabbed from the closet. "I think I can manage."
31 December 2020 10:45 pm
George and Angelina Weasley turn to look at Harry as he enters the kitchen to get another couple of bags of snacks to put out. He grins and waves. "Don't let me interrupt you. Carry on."
Angelina grins and steps over to offer Harry a kiss on the cheek. "Aww, Harry, you don't have someone to snog with in corners tonight. Why didn't you bring anyone to your own party?"
Harry laughs. "Too much work. I have to entertain, don't I?"
She shakes her head. "You, my friend, do not need to entertain this crew. You need some fanny. Or some dick. Or Both. George—"
"No!" Harry interrupts. "I love you guys, but no. Whatever it is you're offering, no."
George bursts out laughing. "She's not offering us, Harry…though," he pauses to run his eyes up and down Harry's body, "I can't say that's not an interesting idea."
Harry feels his face flush and Angelina giggles. "Oh, Harry, you're so cute. Still, after all this time. Go on. Go find somebody to hook up with. I hear Malfoy came alone, too."
Harry simply raises his eyebrows at the suggestion, and she backs off. "Fine, fine, no Malfoy, either. I bet he'd be wild in bed, though."
Harry wants to laugh. She has no idea. Instead, he grabs his bags of snacks and heads back into the fray of the party. He greets friends, exchanges pleasantries, then approaches the food table from behind. On the other side are Draco and a couple of his friends. Zabini seems to be interrogating him.
"What about that bloke from legal? Max something? He's positively delicious. An arse, sure, but that's all you need for a quick pull."
"Blaise, fuck off," Draco says, blandly.
Harry grins to himself. At least it's not only his friends; thank goodness it's about to end, though, as it isn't always funny.
September 2020
The evening started pleasantly enough. Draco had plans for the night and Ron had to work, so Harry decided to take Hermione out for a nice dinner, just the two of them. It wasn't often they got time to themselves, and he missed her insights. She was the closest thing he'd ever have to a sister, and he loved her whole-heartedly.
"Hugo seems to be settling in well in Hufflepuff, but I think he still thinks Ron's going to tease him." She took a bite of her salad. "How long did it take Al to adjust to the idea of Slytherin, do you remember?"
Harry thought back to Ginny's surprise and Harry's casual acceptance of the sorting of their middle child. "Well, he seemed okay with it after a week or two, but it took James and Ginny about a month before they realised they needed to be more openly supportive. After that, it was good. Do you want me to talk to Ron?"
She seemed to consider, then shrugged. "If you think it'll help, sure. Hugo's so sensitive about these things."
Harry nodded. His nephew wore his heart on his sleeve. It made Harry want to protect him.
The waitress came and cleared their salad plates. As she refilled their drinks, Harry's eyes drifted around the room. Then froze.
Draco had said he was having dinner with his mother for the evening, but there, across the room, was Draco sodding Malfoy.
And he was on a date.
There was no other interpretation of what he was seeing. They were both dressed nice, Draco in a smartly cut suit and the woman, woman, in a cocktail dress. She was flirting and touching Draco's hand and laughing. Draco… Well, Draco was letting her touch him, and he was laughing and tossing back his fringe in that way that Harry loved.
Hermione was saying something to him, but the blood rushing in his ears prevented him from hearing.
"Harry, are you okay? Harry? You're pale suddenly."
Hermione finally caught his attention and he looked back at her, trying to steady his breathing. He had to get out of here, but he couldn't let her know why. Gods, he was so glad they hadn't told anyone now because he felt like such an idiot. Draco lied to him, and he was out on a date with some woman, and—
"I think I need to go home, Hermione. I feel really sick."
Hermione's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Of course. Hold on." She flagged down the waitress and handed over some money, then stood and took Harry's arm. "Come on. Let's get you home."
Harry barely remembered the trip, the memories of Draco letting the woman caress his arm, and of his laughing replaying in his mind. Hermione got him settled in at Grimmauld, and on his insistence, left him to himself.
"Dinner with Mother," Harry muttered, pacing the floor. He felt entirely sick, the sting of betrayal infusing every thought. "Gods, I'm such an idiot."
He had no idea how much time had passed before the Floo signalled downstairs and he heard Draco calling to him. Harry thought he was going to be sick.
Draco entered the room, a smile on his face, then stopped. His face fell and twisted in confusion. "Harry? What happened? What's wrong?" He stepped forwards and tried to take Harry in his arms, but Harry backed away.
"Don't touch me right now. I can't handle it."
"O-kay," Draco said carefully and calmly, as though he were approaching a rabid animal. And maybe he was. Maybe that's why Harry felt this way. Maybe there was something wrong with him.
"So how was your evening with your mother?" Harry bit out. "Enjoyable? You seemed in a good mood when you came in."
"It was lovely, actually. Harry, what's going on?"
Harry barked out a laugh. "Lovely. You're going to just stand there and continue lying to my face, then?"
Draco's eyes narrowed and his voice grew cold. "Well, you're in a fucking mood tonight, then. And I'm not lying. I had a lovely dinner with my mother, and then she insisted I take a friend of hers out for drinks and a dessert. I assume she thought she was setting us up on a date, but seeing as how both her friend—a woman, I might add—and I are gay, it clearly wasn't going to work."
Draco started pacing. "Not to mention, I'm fucking in love with someone else, so I'm not interested in whomever she thinks she's setting me up with. Though, given the reception I'm being given by that 'someone else', perhaps I should just leave."
Harry's jaw dropped, and he felt a flood of guilt only augmented by the random declaration. "In love?"
Draco stopped pacing and stared at Harry, incredulous. "Yes, you fuckhead, in love. What the hell did you think I was doing here? With you? Playing fucking games? I fucking love you, though Merlin knows why. Did you think I was cheating on you? What the hell is wrong with you?"
Harry just shook his head. Draco loved him. He loved Draco, had known it for months, but he was afraid to say something, that he'd push Draco away. "I love you too."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. I've known for months, I just was waiting for you to say it first. But then you go and pull this shit tonight—"
"I didn't know what to think. I didn't think you'd cheat on me, but there you were, and she was flirting and you were laughing and she touched your arm, and I just...I couldn't think straight."
Draco took a deep breath and stepped closer. He put his hand under Harry's chin, pulling his face up so Harry would meet his eyes. "Harry, these last few months have been what I've always been looking for. You're it for me." He pauses and his voice gets so quiet, Harry can barely hear him. "I'll love you till the day I die."
Harry could feel the tears gathering in his eyes. The evening had turned out so completely different than anything he'd expected. He captured Draco's mouth with his own and could taste the tears falling between them. He ran his tongue along Draco's lips, and when Draco let him in, he tasted everything he'd ever wanted.
Draco tasted like home.
"Gods, I love you. I'm so sorry. I don't normally get jealous, but I didn't know what else to think."
Draco nods. "I know. But next time, trust me. You could have just come over and greeted us. You would have saved us both some grief."
"But then I wouldn't know you love me."
"Till the day I die," Draco added quietly.
"Till the day you die," Harry repeated, stunned, then pressed his lips to Draco's eyes. "Till the day I die." And he meant it. Merlin, did he mean it.
31 December 2020 11:30 pm
Harry approaches Draco where he stands in the corner talking to Pansy. Draco's grey trousers and black button-down make Harry's mouth water. He looks so fucking hot tonight.
"Potter," Draco drawls, his eyes sparkling. "Can we help you?"
Harry grins. "Pansy, do you mind if I steal your friend here for a bit? I need his help with something."
Pansy raises her eyebrows, but Draco shrugs and she nods. "No duelling," she adds as they walk away, and Harry laughs.
"Harry, what are you doing?" Draco asks when Harry pauses in the middle of the dancing couples.
"I'm dancing with my boyfriend," Harry says quietly, and the song changes. A gentle guitar pours out accompanied by a woman's soft voice singing a classic song.
When the night has come, and the land is dark…
Harry takes Draco in his arms, one hand in Draco's and the other around his waist, and they start to dance, slowly making their way across the floor. Harry ignores the others around them, barely noticing that they've stopped dancing and are watching. Harry only has eyes for Draco and the slight smile on the other man's lips.
If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall, and the mountains should crumble to the sea…
The room is silent but for the song. The fairy lights twinkling above them make it all seem other-worldly.
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid, just as long as you stand, stand by me. (1)
"Till the day I die," Harry murmurs when the music ends. He pulls back, squeezing Draco's hand before letting go. He grins at the people watching. "Hey, come on, dance! Hermione, darling, get over here. It's your turn."
Hermione narrows her eyes but grins as the song changes a Weird Sisters song popular when they'd all been in school. Everyone shakes off the strangeness they'd just witnessed and starts dancing.
"You have some explaining to do, Harry," Hermione says in his ear, making him laugh.
"Soon, love, I promise."
December 2020
"Oh my God, we made it." Draco grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him into Neville's coat closet. "One fucking year."
Harry groaned into Draco's mouth then turned his head, letting Draco move down his neck. "You doubted it?"
Draco chuckled, rubbing his beard across Harry's collarbone in that way that he knew made Harry hard. "Not really. Something just felt right from that first night. This time last year, I honestly had no idea you were about to sit down next to me and change everything."
"What are we doing at this damned party? Why aren't we home shagging and celebrating?"
Draco laughed and lifted his face to rest his forehead to Harry's. "Because we were stupid and decided we'd hide this until New Year's Eve. Besides, we can't tell this lot before we tell the kids."
"Mmm," Harry agreed, his lips pressed to Draco's. He gave a little lick and a sigh then stepped back. "Then we'd best get out there and show off what wonderful friends we are and that there's nothing else going on."
Draco groaned. "You don't think that Prophet article last week convinced them enough? I mean, according to them, we're best mates."
Harry grabbed Draco's arse and reached for the door knob. "You go first, mate. I'll be out in a minute when I'm a bit more presentable."
Draco looked down and saw Harry's problem outlined in his jeans. "I hope you don't have that problem with your other 'mates'," Draco said and checked to be sure no one was watching as he exited the cupboard.
"Draco, over here!" someone yelled as Draco closed the door. He took a deep breath and went off to mingle.
31 December 2020 11:55 pm
"It's time, everyone!" Hermione's voice, augmented with a Sonorus Charm, echoes through the house. "Gather in the sitting room for the countdown."
Draco looks around the room, his heart thumping in his ears. He notices Pansy and Neville enter the room, Pansy cuddled under Neville's arm, her head tucked into his neck. On the sofa, Oliver Wood and a visibly sober Ginevra talk animatedly to Thomas and Finnegan. Abbott and her wife, Bones and her husband, MacMillan, Fitch-Fletchley and his wife, and Corner laugh together and chat near the fireplace. George Weasley, Angelina Johnson-Weasley, and one of the older Weasley brothers that Draco doesn't really know but can appreciate whole-heartedly are talking over the din and fiddling with the wireless, adjusting the music to the WWN's countdown.
Draco ignores the people he doesn't really recognise, they're likely unimportant anyway, and finally, his eyes find Harry entering through the doorway leading from the stairs. It's dark, but Harry's practically glowing in the warm light of the room. Draco watches Harry's eyes drift across the crowd and then land on him, a slow smile spreading across his face.
Harry makes his way through the room, until, with one minute to spare, he reaches Draco and takes his hand.
"Ready?" Draco asks under his breath.
"I've been ready for months. Let's do this." Harry squeezes Draco's hand as the people around them begin to count.
"Twenty…nineteen…"
21 December 2020
Harry bit his thumbnail and looked at his children sitting side-by-side on the sofa across from him.
"Dad," Albus' voice sounded worried. "What's going on. The last time you made such a big deal about something, you and Mum were getting a divorce."
"Are you sick? Daddy, are you sick?" Lily's eyes began to well up with tears.
James threw an arm around her and raised his eyebrows at Harry, but he reached his hand up and ruffled her hair. "No, if it was serious, Teddy would be here. Right, Dad?"
Harry laughed nervously and cleared his throat. "Right. Sorry, guys, it's not like that, I promise. And Teddy could be here if he wanted, but, well, he had to work and this doesn't really affect him much."
"Affect?" Al's voice sounded panicky now. Fuck. He was totally screwing this up.
"Not like that. Merlin. Okay, I'm just going to say it. I've been seeing somebody."
The kids just stared at him in silence, as if waiting for him to get to the point. Then Al choked. "Is she pregnant?"
"What? No!" Harry's face grew hot.
"Then why is this a big deal?" Lily asked, sounding curious.
James remained quiet, but he got a smirk on his face and just waited for Harry to struggle through it. He seemed to be enjoying himself now that no one was worried.
"Well, because it's kind of serious. We've, uh, actually been kind of serious for about a year now, and—"
"A year!" Al jumped up in shock. "A year? And you haven't told us? What the hell, Dad? Didn't you trust us?"
"Albus Severus, that's enough," Harry's voice grew stern. "Sit down and let me talk."
"But Dad, I don't—"
"Now." Al sat down but looked sullen. It was like looking in a mirror sometimes with that kid. Karma was a bitch.
Harry took a deep breath.
"Look, we both have kids, and we didn't know how well this would work. We've kept it secret from everyone to give ourselves some time to figure things out, and to not disrupt your lives if it didn't work. And, well, it's definitely working, so you're all the first to know."
He met each kids' eyes now and let it all sink in. Lily looked worried and apprehensive, Albus looked disappointed, as if Harry had crushed his dreams, and James still looked amused. He really was a Weasley, delighting in chaos.
"Do you have any questions before I continue?" Harry asked quietly. "Lils?"
"What if they don't like us?" Lily asked quietly. "And is it a man or a woman?"
Harry gave her a gentle smile. "It's a man, and he'll like you. I promise. He already likes you."
Al interrupted. "We know him?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah. You look disappointed, Al."
"I just, I'd hoped that you and Scor—" He took a deep breath. "Nevermind. Whatever. It was stupid."
James snorted. "Dad, maybe you should just tell us who it is? Maybe that'll help?"
Harry wanted to roll his eyes. He stood up and started to pace. "Right. So, uh—"
And, of course, before he could get it out, the Floo chimed and Scorpius Malfoy stumbled from the fireplace. He ran up to Harry and threw his arms around him. It was the first time Harry had ever received a hug from the younger Malfoy, but it was like hugging one of his own boys.
"Scorp?" Al asked, confused.
Scorpius turned and laughed, then jumped over the coffee table and on top of his best friend. "Isn't it awesome? It's just like we talked about!"
"What the hell are you on about?" Al asked, then looked at Harry. "Dad, what's he talking about?"
Harry laughed and slumped back in his chair. "It's Mr Malfoy. The guy I'm seeing."
Lily squealed, jumped up and landed in Harry's lap. "That's so wonderful, Dad! I love Mr Malfoy!"
James grinned. "About time you came clean. Honestly, that shirt—"
"Shut it," Harry warned, and James quickly shut his mouth with a grin.
"But," Al was saying, practically stuttering, "you said you're serious about him. You're serious about Mr Malfoy? Like, for real?"
Harry smiled, but Draco's voice came from the doorway. "For real." He looked at Harry. "It went well, then?"
"Well, I was fumbling it all up before Scorp came in here and fixed it."
Draco walked in and perched on the arm of Harry's chair, looking at the four kids, all settled back on the sofa. "So would you all be open to spending Christmas together?"
The cheers were all they needed to hear.
31 December 2020 11:59:57 pm
"…three…two…one! Happy New Year!"
Draco meets Harry's eyes and smiles, then leans in and captures his boyfriend, his now publicly acknowledged boyfriend, in a passionate kiss. He tunes out the noise around him and concentrates on the feel of kissing Harry openly, of claiming Harry, of being claimed. This kiss isn't a soft, Happy-New-Year kiss, but an I-want-to-kiss-you-forever kind of kiss. It says, quite plainly, I'll love you till the day I die.
And it says it loud and clear, for everyone to hear. And as Draco lets Harry explore his mouth, as Draco lets out a groan, he doesn't care that the room goes quiet and then roars with noise. He doesn't care whether he hears groans of annoyance—though he's sure there are a few—or cheers of delight—he thinks there are quite a lot of those. He only cares that it's a new year, and in this new year, he and Harry can kiss each other in the broad daylight.
They can be together. No more hiding. No more friends and family setting them up. No more excuses about why they are busy. Just them, together, surrounded by their loved ones, happy.
Draco pulls back and looks into Harry's sparkling green eyes. "Ready?"
"Till the day I die."
Their friends descend upon them. Questions are shouted, good-natured harassment is doled out, and Galleons, resulting from multiple wagers, it seems, are exchanged. And through it all is Harry.
It's a new year, and they'll be entering it together.
Finis
A/N: Happy New Years. Cheers to a better 2021.
(1) Stand by Me Songwriters: Ben King / Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller, lyrics © Sony/atv Songs Llc, Vmg Worldwide, Franne Gee Music