Chapter 6

Harry's eyes widened. What? The whispers that had picked up pace once more as he had read the proposal suddenly vanished. All thoughts swirling in his head came to an abrupt standstill as Harry's mind cleared. He blinked as if to dispel a thick layer of film from his eyes. He had been a complete and utter idiot.

Emerald eyes, Draco going possessive every time Craig flirted with him, Draco being agitated at Craig nearly disclosing his crush in front of everyone, the way Draco had looked at him when Harry had said he would like to take it all back, Draco's reactions to Harry's kisses that day at the pub..they weren't just to shoo the creep away like Harry had assumed, the way he had started touching him recently and Oh God, their story..it was a retelling of their own lives. That's why it sounded so similar. How could Harry have been so blind? Craig had inky black eyes, for Merlin's sake, with absolutely no speck of green! He was so stupid, Craig had been quoting from Draco's diary. And Harry had found out in their eighth year that Draco had been maintaining one since he was ten! Draco and Craig McNeil being lovers was a convulsive thought his brain had spun out of madness seeing that although Craig had transferred to Hogwarts in their eighth year, Draco and Craig hadn't spoken a word to each other since they started working at Magical Reality. And that hadn't been a slip of Draco's tongue earlier when he had said Teddy instead of Remus any more than the other similarly erroneous things Draco had said over the past few days were, like Harry tolerating his fastidiousness. Just how oblivious had he been his entire life?

Harry's grip on the paper he was holding loosened and it floated down to the ground from his hands. He didn't realise he had turned to face the doorway until he registered the sight before his eyes. Merlin! Draco was on one knee, holding out a small box that sported two silver platinum bands embedded with a single small emerald stone each on a background of black velvet. Harry dimly noticed Teddy standing at the door with an ear splitting grin on his face.

'I love you and this is all just a formality but will you accept me as your husband, Harry?' Draco's eyes were luminescent and firmly fixed on Harry.

Harry crouched down and cupped Draco's face. 'I can't afford to be blind now,' he whisper-laughed.

'Thank Merlin for small miracles,' Draco quipped, but his tone was unsteady. His hands shook as he took one of the rings out of its slot and slipped it onto Harry's finger.

Harry repeated Draco's motions and kissed his knuckles before whispering, 'I love you too, Draco,' against his lips. Teddy's loud claps and cheers rang in their ears as they leaned in for their first kiss. Their lips moulded together the moment they touched and Draco and Harry went ahead, forgetting Teddy was even in the room. Harry sucked and lapped at Draco's mouth as his fingers found the basal strands of Draco's hair and pulled with vigour. Draco, who had been equally possessive in his claiming of Harry, tilted his head back with a groan, his hands tightening around his husband-to-be. Harry marked Draco's neck with feverish enthusiasm but got back to his mouth again, tangling their tongues together, because Draco tasted addictive and it would be a sin not to explore his mouth and body at every possible opportunity. Just as things were getting heated up, with Harry's fingers finding the seam of Draco's shirt and trying to dip into his trousers, Draco, obviously being the more sensible of the two, pulled back. He beckoned Teddy closer and Harry was happy to include him in their hug.

Their family had been complete long ago but Harry had just begun feeling how wholesome it really was. He had the two people he loved the most on this earth tight in his arms and he was willing to bet no other feeling could surpass this.

After five hours of nothing but filthy debauchery, in their attempts to start making up for their lost time, Harry and Draco ended up destroying everything from floor to fabric. They had been able to keep their hands to themselves only until Teddy, who had returned from Hogwarts for the summer, retreated to his room. The minute he left, they pounced on each other like a pair of randy teenagers. Harry didn't know if it was all the years of pent up sexual frustration or that heart clinching moment of proposal but once they had bolted their door and cast a strong Silencio, they transformed into animals in heat and fucked hard like two horny rabbits, feasting on skin and defiling their bed with their combined sweat, lube and spunk. They had managed to have a long session of love making as well in the five hours that they lost themselves to carnal pleasures, apart from three hasty quickies. Harry supposed that was why he felt dead tired and why Draco kept groaning, 'Sore.'

Harry stroked his hand lazily up and down Draco's arm that was thrown over his body as Draco burrowed into his chest. 'When did you buy the ring?' he asked slowly, his voice coming out hoarse.

Draco shifted and as per his habit, slipped a leg in between Harry's. 'Before Mum died. I wanted to tell her about you but..' he trailed off.

Harry held him closer, if that was possible. 'Shh..' he whispered. Narcissa's death had been so sudden that Arthur Weasley suspected foul play but the autopsy had revealed natural death and they had to contend with that. Draco had accepted the result and admitted that Narcissa had always had a weak heart. It was the lowest point of Draco's life, surpassing even their Sectumsempra in sixth year.

'I think she knew, Draco,' Harry said, his tone calm and soothing. Narcissa Malfoy was a Slytherin, Lucius' wife, Bellatrix's sister and the woman who lied to Voldemort. Harry knew there was little that she didn't know and if Draco's habit of ranting at home was anything to go by, Narcissa had probably already heard her fair share of Draco's "thoughts" on his day to surmise his real feelings.

'I think so too, but I would have liked to have told her. Finding someone you love and wanting to marry them isn't something that happens everyday, Harry. She was the first person I went to when I got my first Hogwarts letter and she was someone I wanted to share my happiest ever moment with,' Draco exhaled, his breath tickling the hairs on Harry's chest.

Harry was quiet for a while before he spoke next. 'So you knew I'd accept?'

Draco laughed. 'Everyone knew you were in love with me except for you, Potter,' he said fondly.

'What?' Harry asked, disbelief ringing through his tone, looking down at the tuft of blond locks adorning his chest.

Draco lifted his head up and eyed Harry critically. When Harry started feeling uncomfortable under that hot stare was when Draco was apparently satisfied with the results of his examination. He smiled, shook his head and said, 'Stop being blind, Harry. It's really unbecoming of you.'

Harry, though slightly surprised, just nodded. 'For a few excruciating hours I thought you had fallen for Craig.'

'I think I just told you not to be blind. You also have to stop overthinking and being daft. Doesn't it ever amaze you?' Draco asked, sitting up and crossing his legs under him.

'What?' Harry raised an inquisitive brow.

'How you can arrive at the wrong conclusions in spite of all that thinking you do? I mean, your overthinking would at least have been acceptable if at least your deductions were proper.'

Harry swatted Draco's arm with his. 'You are avoiding my question,' he said.

'Okay!' Draco drawled, rolling his eyes. 'Merlin, Harry, honestly you should start using your brain a little better. You wanted to be an Auror for God's sake! McNeil had the remaining part of it too. He had apparently copied it off onto one of his papers eight years ago when he had stumbled upon my diary accidentally while searching for a bottle of ink in my drawers. He was threatening me to come clean to you. He said he would send the page to you otherwise. It was while we were arguing about it that you found us in that restroom.'

'So, this happened because of Craig? The Loudspeaker?'

'I did want to ask you after Mum's anniversary but the day I planned to was when you came home late from your date. It killed me to look at you all dashing and giddy after coming back from someone,' Draco lifted their hands and held Harry's ring against his. 'These have been in my cupboard ever since.'

'I told you I was tricked into it. Even the other guy had no clue it was going to be a blind date,' Harry defended.

'Whatever!' Draco dismissed.

'And what was that about not realising you were in love with me until I spelled it out for you the other day but still buying wedding rings years in advance?' Harry asked, a mock scowl framing his face.

Draco stared into Harry's eyes and said, as if he wanted Harry's soul to know this and not exactly Harry per se, like one half of a soul trying to connect with its other half. 'You know, Harry, I've wanted you since I came of age. I don't know why I was obsessed with you. The two months of summer vacation we had after every school year used to make me so listless that I had to sweat it all out on horseback. My point is, I don't know why I observed you and liked you and I don't know when I fell in love with you. But I always knew in my mind that I wanted to marry you. I still believe we would have ended up here even if you hadn't helped me in our eighth year. Only the journey would have made a difference, not the destination.'

Harry was floored by the honesty swirling in Draco's wide pupils. He felt his heart reach out and clasp Draco's as firmly as if it was the piece that would complete his own heart.

He pushed Draco back against his chest and said, 'By the way, when you were already sure I was interested in you, why did you react to Craig's baiting flirtations? I thought you as a Slytherin you wouldn't like to give in to such temptations and give people like Craig a satisfaction out of getting a raise out of you.'

Draco nestled against Harry and pulled his arm over himself as he replied. 'Even when we are married, Harry, rest assured I'm not going to tolerate anyone so much as glancing in your direction.'

Harry turned to his side to stare at his lover as he scrunched his face, obviously thinking of Craig McNeil's past behaviour. It was cute. Draco being possessive was cute but there was no way Harry was going to tell him that. So he tugged him in close and planted a kiss on his forehead. He was eagerly looking forward to the new dawn of their lives.

Epilogue

2 months later

It had been thirteen days since Hermione gave birth to Hugo Granger-Weasley. Harry, Draco and Ginny were named the little boy's godparents.

Neville became extra famous with his Bean series that had been a runaway hit with the readers.

Rolf and Craig successfully combined animals and astrology and started a new educational comic strip series. Craig, who had been quite instrumental in the making of their book and who was also the reason for Draco finally revealing his feelings, now maintained a steady love-hate friendship with the blond, though the scales were often tipped to the side of hate. All three of them knew that Draco had warmed up a lot to Craig, though. After he returned that page of Draco's diary he was apparently blackmailing the Slytherin with, that is. The final change was that Ginny changed his name to Craig the Matchmaker. Harry had wholeheartedly approved.

Pansy's food and fashion took on new meaning as she published old recipes collected from and credited to the witches of the old generation. Adding a dash of sartorial tips for a good wardrobe from them as a side dish was also well received.

Harry took an extended leave and went on his much deserved vacation, travelling through all of Europe, with Draco and Teddy, the trio setting off immediately after the simple wedding and dinner. His life wasn't much different from what it had been earlier. It just had one extra aspect to it- the realisation of his love for Draco and Draco's for him.

In spite of repeated objections from his mind, Harry was prevailed upon by Draco in writing a travel column for Magical Reality that explored the similarities and differences in the magical cultures of various places they visited. The tale they penned never saw the light of the day. Harry and Draco had together decided to keep it to themselves. They did finish it however, and on their wedding day, exchanged respective copies of their own love story as their wedding present to each other. Harry kept Draco's version on his side table and Draco kept Harry's version in the box that contained the gifts his mother had given him on various occasions. Separately, the two halves of the book made no sense. But they both knew the other half of the story as well. They really didn't need to have the complete volume with them.

A/N- Writing is where we let our inhibitions go, through our characters is how we express what we are afraid of saying and with all the other words in between we create a medium for our soul to reveal itself. This is why I feel that the greatest gift we can give to the people we admire are our thoughts which are a window into our deepest recesses. In my opinion, it's the most subtle expression of love present.

This is the end. Thanks for reading!

I apologise for the discrepancies in the length of the chapters.