Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Draco walked to the park, arm-in-arm with Harry. Most of the Wizarding World knew that Harry had decide to court someone, but no one knew who. As they walked in companionable silence, Draco reminisced on that day.
He had been at the table finishing his lunch when Harry had given him his Invisibility Cloak. He had said to wear it for the day while he gave an announcement to the paper. It was simple and to the point. That he'd be too busy courting someone to really be out and that they shouldn't worry if they didn't hear from him for quite awhile. He didn't take any questions-a brave and smart move in Draco's opinion.
"What's on your mind?"
"Hm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking about your announcement to the press."
"Ha, best thing I ever did concerning them. They don't bother me at all anymore, they're all too busy speculating who I've decided to win over." Draco nodded, wondering when the gossip mill about him would stop. It had been a grand total of three months since the announcement had been made, and people were still talking about it as if it had happened yesterday.
All-in-all, Draco found it highly annoying.
When they reached the park, Harry waved his wand and a huge picnic set itself up on the ground for them. Almost laughing at the sheer extravagance of just a picnic, Draco sat down on the silk blanket, signaling for Harry to sit as well. And, instead of taking his normal place of across from the blond, Harry sat right next to him.
He took that as a very good sign.
Their meal was consumed over simple topics, such as the muggle society and the conveniences of being an animagus. After Draco had eaten his fill, the topics got a little heavier, delving into Harry's opinion on Dumbledore and Snape. Draco had loved them, and hated them. Harry didn't know what to think of them.
A nearby couple passed, and Draco could hear them giggling over the two of them sitting under a willow tree. He chose to ignore them.
They, at least, got to kiss each other whenever they wanted. Draco didn't have that choice. He didn't have the pleasure of waking up next to the one he cared about. He didn't have that-and yet they did.
And the worst part about that entire envious monster problem he had-he couldn't say a word against it. He had to abide by the courting rules. He didn't exactly know for sure what the reprimand was for not following the rules, but he shuddered to think of the consequences. After all, the rules had been made long before Dark Magic was considered Dark. Who knew what kind of magic bound them to the rules?
He quickly changed his train of thought before he couldn't help but to shudder.
Before he knew it, Harry had packed their belongings up and he was putting his arm in the brunet's again, being led home by one of the most wonderfully funny men he had ever met.
When they arrived at their destination-home-Harry led him in and put their things on the couch before turning to him. Looking into Harry's eyes, Draco saw determination, excitement, and a tiny bit of apprehension? Or maybe fear? Perhaps it was nervousness. He allowed himself only a moment to wonder before he was pulled from his thoughts all-together.
He knew this was the part in the day where they would part ways for the evening, and he was reluctant to let it be so. He tried to convey that to Harry through the look he tossed over to him.
He just smiled.
"Goodnight Mr. Malfoy." He then leaned down and place a gentle, chaste kiss to Draco's lips and proceeded to his room to let Draco wonder at what he had just done.
Being that Draco wanted to think on what had just happened, he rushed into his room and shut the door quietly before casting a silencing charm. He then proceeded to jump up and down like a little schoolgirl.
He couldn't believe that he had just kissed Harry Potter. He couldn't believe how much he had enjoyed it-how little butterflies swarmed in his stomach at just the mere thought of what had happened. His lips continued to tingle up through him losing his conscious mind to sleep.
He slept like a rock for the first time, in a long time.
Harry walked to his room, forcing himself to keep a steady pace. When he entered his room, he closed the door and smiled. Casting a silencing charm, he quickly changed for bed, only pulling on a pair of cotton pants.
He giggled as he walked to his bed and his giggles became more pronounced as he plopped backwards onto the soft surface.
Soon, he was neigh on hysterics. He simply couldn't believe that he had kissed Draco. He hated feeling so helpless, so uncontrolling of how he felt.
He didn't want to spend the night in giggles-he wanted to spend it planning their next date.
The next month went rather like the date containing their first courting kiss.
It was six months into the pregnancy when Harry took their relationship any farther. On the sixth-month anniversary of the conception of their child, Harry walked out of his room to find Draco sitting on the couch reading a book.
"Draco?" He looked up at Harry's soft inquiry. "I'd like to take you out to dinner tonight." He nodded and asked what he should wear. "Wear the silk robes. It's warm out, and they'll not rub on your skin too much. I know cotton can irritate your stomach now."
"All right. I'll be out in a moment." He watched as the blond went to his room and smiled as he heard a subtle gasp at the robes he had placed on his bed. They were a pastel blue with yellow embroidery creating abstract patterns throughout. The trimming was in the same yellow as the embroidery.
A few minutes later, Harry's breath was taken away as Draco walked out of the hall wearing the robes he had custom made. Holding out his arm, he subtly double-checked his pocket.
Satisfied, he let Draco take his arm as he always did, and led him outside where they apparated to a public garden.
Flowers of all sizes and colors bloomed in full, with the surrounding area charmed to create the perfect weather, while maintaining the perfect conditions for each individual plant. They walked to the center where Harry had set the picnic basket only an hour before.
They sat down on the grass and ate the meal in companionable chatter.
"Let's go for a stroll before going home. What do you say?"
"I'd love to." Harry helped him stand and before he knew it, they were walking towards his destination.
He had sponsored these gardens, and therefore he could have anything marked off-limits and could have the best florists and herbologists decorate any area any way he wanted.
As they neared the section he had used his full authority on, he began to notice that butterflies weren't only just flying from flower to flower, but also in his stomach. He swallowed and took a deep breath while Draco openly cooed at the different flowers and plants. By the time he saw the daisy archway, the butterflies had evolved into giants, wreaking havoc on his nerves. Another deep breath, and they walked under the arch.
Daisies of white and yellow twisted in and out of red, white, and pink roses while lilacs mingled with tulips. An apple tree touched leaves with a cherry tree, and monkey faces dusted the edges of the walkway of field grass. A bunny hopped from one place to the next calmly whilst birds of all sorts flitted around, flirting with the birdbath and mist from the elaborately simply fountain.
A yellow canary landed on Draco's shoulder and took off again once it gave him a short little song.
Harry pulled him to the stone bench, charmed to be as comfortable as the most comfortable recliner would be. Draco sat, and Harry took to the ground, as he was prone to do lately.
"Listen, Harry, this is great and all, but I think that you should sit next to me, not by my feet." Harry took his hand.
"Draco. Since almost a year ago you were put into my traineeship, I have grown to trust you and get to know you like I never imagined. I saved your life and the baby's when I had sex with you, but then I decided to do it right.
"I asked you to let me court you because I wanted to get to know you. Yes more physical contact would have been great. But it never would have allowed me and you to have a lasting relationship.
"When I brought you that necklace, I thought that it would dispose of the bad influences on us. But little did you know that the necklace is a part of a set. A courting set." At this point he had to pause for breath, quickly recovering and getting on with the story.
"I knew of the implications of this. The bracelet I gave you is a match to the necklace. I told you then that it was. But now you know that it was a courting gift-an official one. Which makes this much easier on me." He smoothly pulled out a small, silk-covered box. "Open it."
When Draco saw the white gold band with intricate strands of gold connecting and weaving through fine-cut sapphires, resting on the sapphire-blue velvet, he looked almost ready to faint.
"Draco. I know this is a huge step for you. And I know that I've had a little apprehension about us, but I'm determined to do right by you and the child. Please, do me the wonderful pleasure, and marry me. Will you?"