Disclaimers: No, I do not own the Harry Potter universe. I only molest the little characters because it is fun and I can. No money changes hands either.
Chapter 9: 2 for 1 Bridal Sale
The week leading up to the wedding of the year was quickly slipping away. Things were actually going quite well for the three wizards. Everything had been planned. They would exchange their vows at Hogwarts with a genereal reception for the public. A more formal, private reception would be held at Malfoy Manor later in the evening. Dobby would be baking the grooms' cakes. Herms was in charge of entertainment and Mrs. Longbottom and Mrs. Malfoy were taking care of all the decorating, seating arrangements, guest lists, flowers and other miscellaneous items. Lucius was even helping by organizing the presents and arranging rooms for off-the-continent wizards who were attending. All the boys did was pick out their robes, rings, attendants, and honeymoon spot. Molly Weasley had been unable to help since she was working on Charley and his new significant other's bonding ceremony.
Their special license had been arranged by the new Minister of Magic herself. The new MoM, a Scotswoman by the name of Goldie McFadden, had approved the three-way bonding ceremony after reading all the contracts involved. Goldie had several redeeming qualities which Fudge hadn't: the more obvious ones being brains, finesse, fashion sense, and a phoenix tattoo on her left bum cheek...(An obvious sore point with Minerva who only managed to get Albus to put her phoenix on her right shoulder blade.)
The Daily Prophet was quite irritated that once again the Quibbler did a scoop on the latest scandal to rock the wizarding world. The centerfold picture of Harry being flanked by his two partners was a guarantee of having a sold out edition. Rita Skeeter was positively rabid over the situation. Lavender Brown, a free lance reporter, had been invited to do the interview simply because she was a Gryffindor. Life just was not fair...
And the poster itself: Women like a man who looks good in a speedo...
Life was just about perfect for Harry Potter and his fiancés. The only problem Harry had with the whole deal was the fact that he desperately wanted to get laid. Severus was downright evil about kissing him, caressing him, and whispering wicked suggestions on what they could do on their honeymoon. Draco was just as evil as Severus: his favorite topic of discussion while brushing Harry's hair or cuddling with him was to go on ad nauseum about his favorite positions, the best tasting lubricants, and tricks to make a wizard last longer.
On this particular day, two days before the bonding ceremony, the three of them decided to go out to dinner. They were currently sitting in the Leaky Cauldron trying to decide on appetizers. Severus had spent the day at his house brewing potions. Harry had been at the Dursley's revising some of his medi-wizardry notes. And Draco spent the day lying in bed watching the ceiling spin around and around until he couldn't take anymore of it and called for him mummy to come help him.
By the time Draco returned from visiting Madam Pomfrey he did not know whether to laugh or cry. It was not going to be easy breaking the news to Harry and Severus that he was about ten weeks pregnant. He was thrilled to death that he would be having a baby, but he was also scared that Harry and Sev would not want him as he was.
Draco's mind kept drifting back to how he had fallen pregnant. Terrence Hicks, the one boy Draco had been intimate with while he was still at school, had just asked him to bond with him. It was just after Easter Hols and Terrence had risked the wrath of his Quidditch team to come spend a Hogsmeade day with Draco. It had been a match approved by both families so neither boy had felt the need to restrain themselves. They had spent the day like any young couple in love does. Terrence had met him at the door outside the Great Hall at Hogwarts and they had walked hand in hand into town. They played in the shops, had lunch, watched a muggle movie at Eye Screams Magical Theater, then retired to Terrence's room on the second floor of the Three Broomsticks.
The day had gone downhill from there. On the way back to Hogwarts late that night Terrence and Draco had the misfortune to encounter a Death Eater Party. Draco had managed to get back to Hogwarts and warn Dumbledore of their plans, but Terrence had been mortally wounded by several curses and died in the infirmary a few days later.
Draco shook himself out of his reverie. He really could wait no longer to tell the other two what was wrong with him. . Best to just get it over with so he took a deep breath and dived in. Reaching across the table to where Harry's hand was lying and touching it with his fingers he managed to say, "There is something I need to tell you two."
Harry entwined his fingers with Draco's and gave him a happy smile. "What?"
Severus lowered his menu that he had honestly been perusing. "This sounds serious. Do you want to talk here or shall we go upstairs?"
Draco felt Harry's fingers tighten when he heard that and had to flash him a reassuring grin. "Here is good."
Harry pinched his finger. "Stop that, you horny little git! We know you are in heat, but you will just have to wait!"
Severus gave Harry a heavy lidded glance and poked his tongue out of his mouth to lick his bottom lip. He smirked at his victim when he was rewarded with a small moan.
Draco smiled at their antics. "Quit you two! I need you to listen to me."
Severus dragged his eyes away from the green eyed imp. "Yes, Draco. I am listening."
"Me too!"
Draco nodded and took a deep breath. "You guys know that I was sick all morning right?"
"Yes." Both heads nodded.
"I finally had Mummy take me to Madame Pomfrey. She ran several tests before she figured out what was wrong."
"And?" Severus cocked an eyebrow.
He scared Draco so badly that Draco turned to Harry in a rush and choked out. "I am pregnant."
Harry lit up like a Christmas tree. "Wow! That's great, Draco." He lunged at the bigger boy and gave him an enthusiastic hug.
Severus got the totally wrong idea. He scooted his chair back and stood up in a huff. "How could you do this to me, Harry?"
Harry let go of Draco and blinked at Sev. "What?"
"YOU...TOLD ME THAT NOTHING HAPPENED THE OTHER DAY WHEN DRACO SPENT THE NIGHT WITH YOU. AND.. I BELIEVED YOU." Severus was so agitated that he didn't realize he was screaming loud enough for everyone outside in the street to hear him.
Harry stood up too. He drew himself up to his magnificent height of sixty-four inches and managed to look down his nose while glaring up at the big pompous git. "You had better be joking."
Severus glared right back. "Deadly serious." He whispered the words for good measure.
Harry gave an enraged shriek and began mumbling invectives too low for anyone else to hear. Finally coming to a decision he stopped mumbling. "Do you intend to apologize?"
"Not anytime soon." Severus was starting to doubt his own sanity at this point. The little pissed off wizard in front of him was not repentant...he was frothing at the mouth homicidal.
Harry whirled away from Severus and just before apparating away he looked over at Draco. "Call me when you are finished here!"
Severus was still glaring at the empty spot when he realized that Draco was sitting there at the table, slunk down in the chair, clapping. When he managed to get his head to stop buzzing he distinctly heard him say, "Bravo! Bravo!"
Sev stared at Draco. "What the hell just happened?"
"Off hand- I'd say you just performed an outstanding exercise in stupidity. And, in case you care, Harry is pretty damn angry with you right about now."
The older man blinked and sat down. He really wasn't feeling well. The surge of adrenalin was starting to wear off and he was beginning to recognize some of the flaws in his initial assessment. "Tell me that I did not just enrage my fiancé so badly two days before the wedding that he just left."
'Fraid so, Potions Master! If you plan to marry him you are going to have to apologize. That is IF you can find him in time."
Snape sat there breathing deeply to dispel his headache then asked, "Why did you bring this up today?"
Draco looked at him scathingly. "Did it ever occur to you that Harry might not want a baby in the family that does not belong to either him or you?"
"So the baby is not Harry's?"
"No! You are so dense at times. Harry lives for you. I would have never stood a chance with him if it had not been for that stupid contract. Hell, even if I do marry you two I may never get laid again."
Severus looked at Draco quizzically. The deep red blush on Draco's face told him more than he needed to know. "You fell in love with Harry too, didn't you?"
Draco nodded listlessly as he focused his gaze on a spot on the table. "He is just so wonderful once you look past the Perfect Potter image that we all branded him with."
"Let's go see if Harry went home. You can tell me all about it, and maybe help me fix whatever damage I just did to our bonding."
"Harry would not have gone home. He probably went to Hogwarts or somewhere equally difficult to find his magical signature." He got up from the table and walked out the door with Severus.
"Who is the father of your baby?" The question startled Draco slightly since they had been walking along quietly for some time. They had decided to check the shops in Diagon Alley before going to the Dursleys.
"Do you remember the Death Eater raid at Easter?"
"Yes."
"Well, Terrence and I were together that day. He had asked me to bond with him and I had said yes. His family and mine arranged a marriage contract, and we celebrated a few weeks early."
Severus looked at him appraisingly. "Yes. He would have been a good match. Did you bond with him?"
Draco shook his head. "No."
"How do you feel about all this?"
Draco understood the question. "I loved Terrence, I still do love Terrence, but he wasn't my soul mate. Losing him was not the end of the world. I grieved for him right up until the day that Harry killed Voldie. That night I had a vision of Terrence telling me to quit crying and move on. He said he loved me and he would always be with me- I didn't realize he meant the baby."
Sev nodded in understanding.
"But I am not sure how I will manage if you and Harry don't accept me. I sort of love you both rather desperately. Losing Terrence was, to a certain extent, like having my wrist cut open. Losing you and Harry will be like having my heart ripped out...I won't survive."
That ended the conversation. Severus led him back to the Leaky Cauldron and they flooed to the Dursley House. Petunia took them into the kitchen and sat them down at the table with Vernon and Dudley. The four men sat there quietly drinking tea until Petunia broke the silence.
"Are you looking for Harry or avoiding him?"
Severus smirked at her audacity. "We came to see if he had been here. I upset him earlier and he left in a huff."
"Oh." She just refilled Vernon's teacup then moved around to get Draco's. She didn't know what to say so she nudged Vernon.
He looked up at her then got the message. He was supposed to say something...so he cleared his throat and uttered the first words that entered his head. "Well, don't let it bother you. It is always darkest just before the dawn."
Both wizards peered at him quizzically. Feeling rather like it was his turn to speak, Dudley opened his mouth, "It's also the best time to steal your neighbors newspaper."
A/N: And now since I will be busy the rest of the weekend I hope you all have a nice one! Just like last time: the wedding is not cooperating for some reason. Gred and Forge probably have something to do with it. They have been too busy cuddling with Milli to do their job properly. Besides the fact that we have just lost one of the grooms...
