Forever Yours

"Will you stop looking in the mirror? You're beautiful."

Draco growled in frustration and sat down next to Hermione who was calmly flipping through a magazine.

"Is it time yet?"

"Half hour left."

"I want to talk to him."

"No, you know the rules. Harry was adamant about them."

"You lie. You were adamant. They are your rules. Ridiculous superstitions."

"Well you two don't need any more bad luck."

"You ridiculous muggles say that the groom is not supposed to see the bride before the wedding. It doesn't say anything about a situation involving two grooms."

"I'm just taking precautions. You wanted help planning this thing, so you got me and all my superstitions. It's bad enough you went against my advice and spent the night together."

"We live together, Granger. It's not like the days of blushing virgin brides. I need to see him. Now."

"For what? You saw him this morning."

"I want to talk to him."

"You're not getting cold feet."

"Of course not!"

"Then whatever it is, I'll deliver the message."

Three minutes later Hermione found herself on the way to the other side of the manor. The wedding would be out in the gardens and the guests were arriving. Most of the Weasleys were already there, but inside the house was relatively quiet. The hall was very long, connecting the east wing to the west one and she could see Ron coming toward her. She shook her head. Harry had sent him. They met in the middle with a smile.

"Harry's driving me mad."

"Draco isn't much better. He sent me with a message."

"Merlin. What is it?"

"He says that he is counting the minutes and he has so much love for Harry that it overflows the bounds of human understanding."

Ron made a face. "Thank Merlin Harry isn't so poetic. He says he loves Draco and can't wait to spend the rest of his life with him… or something like that."

"Is he nervous?"

"He had a drink to calm down. I had to take the bottle away from him though."

"You didn't let him get drunk!"

"Give me some credit. He's perfectly sober."

"He'd better be."

"I'll see you out there then?"

She nodded. "Remember, we're meeting just inside the French doors."

"You've only told me fifty times."

"Just making sure."

She turned to leave and he called her back. "Just so you know, I'm not going through this again. If you want to get married we're eloping."

She smirked. "Well, I guess you'll never even know if I want to if you never ask me." And with that she went back to Draco to wait until she would deliver him to Harry.

Ron went back to the room where he and Harry had been ordered to stay. George and Ginny had been by earlier to offer congratulations and check in on them, but they were gone to sit with the rest of their family. Harry was alone and had nearly run out of fingernails to chew on. Ron had never seen him nervous like this.

"You need to relax, mate."

"Did you talk to Draco? What did he say?"

"He's counting the minutes and… something about overflowing love."

Harry's face broke into a dopey smile. "Really?"

"You need to get a grip."

"I know I'm being a complete idiot, but I can't help it. I'm going to marry Draco and that's just so… it makes me feel like a love-struck teenager."

"You know, if you'd said that to me ten years ago I would have had you committed to St. Mungo's. You'd get a room right next to Lockhart."

Harry grinned, reflecting on how different they all were back then. "I don't know how I could have hated him so much."

"Easy. He was an obnoxious prat."

"Yeah, he was," Harry sighed.

Ron shook his head. There was a dreamy, wistful look on his best friend's face that reminded him creepily of Luna Lovegood. What was it about love that turned people into sappy dolts? Not that Ron was unfamiliar with the feeling. He knew that Hermione had him wrapped around her finger. But it was different coming from Harry and Draco. They usually kept their public displays of affection and their gooey romantic words to a minimum, but ever since Harry's proposal four months ago, they were nearly impossible.

"I can't believe you're getting married at all."

"Why?"

"Well, it's so… grown up."

"We are grownups."

"I suppose so."

Harry laughed. "It'll be you soon."

"Probably," he agreed, though he didn't sound particularly enthusiastic.

"It'll be great. It will be an adventure."

"Don't say it like that. Haven't we all had enough adventure? I like boredom." Ron glanced at his watch, realizing that it was almost time to go. "So in a few minutes you're going to walk down the aisle with Malfoy and be forever bound to him. How do you feel?"

The color drained from Harry's face and Ron immediately regretted asking quite like that. He'd thought the nerves had passed and it would be okay to just be normal.

"Is this normal pre-wedding jitters?"

Harry nodded, though he couldn't answer since he was busy hyperventilating. Sitting on the sofa in his tuxedo, bent over with his head between his knees, Ron wasn't really sure how to handle it.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He was still breathing hard, but the color was starting to come back.

"I don't get it. How can you be so in love and coming up with sappy poetic messages one minute and then scared out of your mind the next? I know better than to think either one of you are having second thoughts."

"No. No second thoughts."

"Then what…?"

Harry sat up a little. "I feel like it's not real."

"What isn't?"

"After the war I couldn't believe it was over. And it turned out it wasn't. And I fell in love with Draco in the middle of a disaster when we were afraid for our lives. And when we were no longer in mortal peril, we couldn't stay together. Nothing has ever been perfect before. Not for me. And this whole last year with Draco has been so amazing. Any minute now I'm going to wake up."

"So you're just destined to be miserable and lonely? It's just a fluke that something is going right?" Harry shrugged. "Bollocks. You and Draco are the two most stubborn people I know, aside from my mum. And you're perfectly capable of making each other completely miserable."

"This is a really lousy pep talk. Some best man you are."

Ron ignored him. "And you make each other happier than you've ever been. If disaster does strike it won't be because you woke up. Or because you tempted fate by grabbing happiness while it was right in front of you. So stop your morose attitude, straighten your suit and go marry the man you love."

Harry blinked. "That was… amazingly good advice."

"Why is everyone always surprised when I say something smart?" He looked up at the clock. "It's time."

Harry stood and took one last look in the mirror. His hair was a mess, but there wasn't much he could do about that. He didn't like the way his black suit fit either, but Draco had insisted that it was exactly how it was supposed to be.

"Am I ready?"

"Yes. Though Hermione will still insist that she needs to fix something when we see her."

They headed down the hall and made their way to the room that led out to the garden. Draco and Hermione were already there, as were Andromeda and Teddy. Teddy was in his own little suit to carry their rings and looking cute while his grandmother fussed over him. As soon as he saw Harry he jumped at the chance to get away from her.

"You look funny in a suit," he said.

"I feel funny in a suit."

"Don't listen to him, Harry," said Andromeda. "You look wonderful. And so do you, Ron."

"Er, thanks."

It was true, Ron cleaned up pretty good. Hermione and Draco picked out all the clothing, so he only did as he was told and showed up to the fittings. Draco and Hermione made their way over to the others and Harry and Draco saw each other in their wedding tuxes for the first time. They'd been separated since just after they woke up that morning.

"You look…" Harry trailed off. There wasn't a word for it. He looked like some model right out of a magazine. He took a step forward and put his arms around Draco. "You look amazing."

"Okay, that's enough!" said Hermione, pulling them apart. "You have to save the public displays of affection for after the ceremony."

"Are you sure about that?" Ron whispered. "You make them save it up and they'll end up having sex right in front of the guests."

"We'll behave," Draco promised.

"Shall I tell them you're ready?" asked Andromeda.

Hermione looked them both over, straightening Harry's tie and trying to flatten his hair.

"I told you," Ron muttered to him with a smile.

"That should do it. Yes, we're ready."

Andromeda nodded and turned to Teddy. "Now, you know what to do, right?"

"Yes, Gram. We practiced it a million times! I'm not a baby."

She patted him on the head and left. A few moments later the music started. Teddy went first. Hermione turned anxiously to Harry.

"I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks."

"You have your vows, right? And Ron, you gave Teddy the rings? Oh no. Ron, who tied your tie?"

"I did."

She whipped her wand out, though Harry couldn't really tell where she had been keeping it; she didn't have any pockets on her dress. With one swish of the wand Ron's tie had fixed itself and she was pulling him toward the doors by the arm. He looked back at Harry and Draco.

"Good luck."

And then they were alone for the first time all day. Harry's lips were immediately on Draco's as their hands frantically ran over skin and through hair.

"You feel so good in Armani," Draco gasped.

"Mm, you too. Though you'd feel even better without it."

"You have to stop kissing me."

"Hm?" Harry mumbled against Draco's neck.

"We have to get married now."

"Just a few more minutes."

Outside the music was changing, their cue to start walking. Ron and Hermione looked at the doors expectantly, but nothing happened. They shared a knowing glance. That was the one thing Hermione hadn't planned for. She should have had someone stationed back there with them to make sure nothing went wrong.

"Go check on them," Hermione said in a quietly stern voice, while maintaining the polite smile required of the wedding party.

Ron's eyes bugged. "No way," he whispered. "Last time I walked in on them having sex I had nightmares for a month!"

"Well someone has to go."

"They'll come."

Her eyes closed against the mental picture his unintended pun had conjured. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

"Come on," said Draco. "There will be plenty of time for that later."

Harry reluctantly ceased his groping and straightened his suit. "If we'll be able to get away."

"Oh we will. Remember those secret passages in the garden? Nobody will even notice."

Harry grinned at him and turned to open the French doors. Their guests watched them as they made their way up the aisle to where Ron and Hermione waited. She was scowling ever so slightly. When they got to the front they waited for the music to stop. Ron leaned in to Harry.

"You just couldn't help yourself, could you?"

"Is it that noticeable?"

"Your face is flushed and you're both grinning like a couple Cheshire cats."

Harry glanced over at Hermione who appeared to be involved in a quiet argument with Draco.

"Nothing happened."

"You mean nothing was finished."

Harry shrugged. "My wedding day. I can do what I want."

Ron accepted that for the time being. He had to, as the ceremony was about to start. And it was a beautiful ceremony. Everything went according to plan, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley cried. Even Narcissa looked a bit emotional, though Harry couldn't picture her actually crying. And when Harry and Draco finally ended the event with a kiss they didn't carry it out too long.

The feast that followed the wedding was huge. Narcissa had outdone herself in the planning for this. Harry and Draco made the rounds, visiting with all the guests and doing all the things they were supposed to as newlyweds.

Teddy ran around with some of the other children, including Bill and Fleur's daughter, Victoire. The girl often acted as if she thought Teddy's metamorphmagus ability was silly. She would huff and roll her eyes when the other kids giggled at his changing hair color, but Harry often noticed that she watched him with fascination when she believed no one was looking. She was every bit as much of a flirt as her mother when she wanted to be, but with Teddy she played coy. In accordance with his grandmother's instructions Teddy had kept his appearance normal. But as soon as the service was over he was back to purple hair and the children loved him. Harry smiled as he noticed Victoire hanging around him, flaunting her pretty little blue dress.

After dinner Harry realized that Draco had disappeared and went in search of him. The manor was huge and it would be impossible to search the entire place, so he set off for the first most logical location; Lucius' office. Draco had admitted once before that it was one of his favorite places in the Manor to sit because he knew he wouldn't be bothered there and he could think and just feel closer to his father.

"Is my husband hiding from our guests?"

Draco looked up from his father's desk with a wide grin. "Husband?"

"Husband, partner, spouse. Whatever you prefer. I would say 'most gorgeous man on earth who I am spending the rest of my life with' but it gets wordy."

"Husband is just fine. I just can't believe it's finally happened."

"You're stuck with me now."

"No one I'd rather be stuck with."

Harry watched as Draco's gaze fell on a framed photo.

"You miss your father, don't you?"

"I wish he could have been here. I know you don't care, but… He's not just those things he's in prison for. I know he did a lot of bad things, but I can't picture the man I know doing those things. I have to believe that he truly does regret it all, but I… I don't know."

"You don't have to justify him to me. He's your father and you love him. You can hate the things he did without hating him. I wish he was here for you too. At least he gave us his blessing, despite the fact that he hates me."

"Just think, he's your father-in-law now."

"Did you have to say that?"

"You have to deal with the reality." He got up and came over to embrace Harry. "Here's another reality for you: we just got married."

It was like they couldn't stop saying it, reassuring themselves that it had happened. "I like that reality."

"You know, we've been married for more than an hour and we haven't had sex yet."

"Oh no." Harry smiled and kissed Draco lightly on the lips. "I suppose we should do something about that."

When they returned to the garden a while later they were both smiling contentedly. Harry got a cup of pumpkin juice and stood near the fountain watching Draco mingle with everyone and generally do what he was good at. He was so at ease in these social situations that Harry was almost jealous of him. He'd only been there a few moments when Hermione joined him, scowling, knowing damn well what they had been up to in their absence.

"You never get enough, do you?"

"You really want me to answer that?" asked Harry.

"Don't you think you should have stayed out here?"

"I don't think they've even missed us."

"Draco's mother was looking for him."

"And she knew better than to actually come searching for him, so everything is fine."

Mrs. Weasley approached them then. She hadn't stopped smiling all day. "Oh I'm so happy for you, Harry dear. After all this time! I feel like it's my own son who's gotten married!" She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then glanced at Hermione. "I don't suppose anyone will tell me when my next child will be getting married?"

George had married the previous year and Percy the year before that, so all eyes were on Ron and Ginny. It was generally understood that Charlie would probably never marry. He enjoyed being a bachelor too much and made sure everyone knew it. Mrs. Weasley had given up on that effort long ago.

"Nobody's said anything to me about marriage," Hermione replied. "Though Ginny has been getting rather serious about the bloke she met at the World Cup last year."

"You know what I was asking."

"I know. But Ron hasn't asked me. Sorry."

Mrs. Weasley turned to Harry. "He would tell you if he was thinking about it."

Harry laughed awkwardly. "I have nothing to report."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure it's only a matter of time, Hermione."

When she was gone Hermione sighed. "She's been on about weddings and grandchildren for a while now."

"And what do you think?"

"I think I'm going to ask Ron."

"Really?"

"Why not? I'm not getting any younger. And we all know how long it takes him to make a move. I've been considering it for some time now and I think I'll finally do it this month."

"I'm glad. You know, someday it will be our kids going to Hogwarts together just like we did."

"Let's get me married first. Then we can talk kids. Besides, you and Draco would have to have children too." Harry bit his lip nervously. "You're not… Are you going to adopt?"

"Nothing is official yet. We've been looking into it and there's a young witch in Ireland who's going to give birth next month. She can't keep the baby and as long as she approves of us…"

"You've got this all planned out and neither of you said anything?"

He shrugged. "We wanted to get the wedding over with first. Once Narcissa finds out she won't be able to think of anything else."

"Oh… my god. That's amazing, Harry," she gushed, giving him a big hug.

"You don't think it's too soon?"

"Who am I to say? It's your decision."

"You're passing up the chance for the first time in sixteen years to tell me what to do?"

She smiled and wrapped an arm around him. "You're not a child anymore, Harry. You don't need me to babysit you."

"But if I need you to babysit my kid…"

"I'll be here."

Draco interrupted. "It is time for me to dance with my husband."

"You know I can't dance."

"I'll lead. Just don't step on my feet."

"No promises."

The band started playing a special song that Draco spent weeks picking out and they held each other close, swaying slowly to the music.

"I still can't believe it," Harry whispered.

"You were telling Hermione about the baby, weren't you? She had that look that all women get when babies are mentioned."

"If anyone can keep a secret it's Hermione."

"Hm. You still told after we agreed not to. You're going to have to make it up to me."

Harry smirked. "Oh and what will I have to do to make amends for this terrible crime?"

"I'll think of something by the time we get home. I know that it will involve chocolate sauce, strawberries and… I'm thinking something from my Kama Sutra book."

Harry smiled and buried his head in Draco's neck, already enjoying married life.