Title: The Marriage Bet
Author(s): josephinestone
Beta(s)/Alpha(s): digthewriter, tavia_d
Written For: wipbigbang
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: R
Era(s): Post-Hogwarts
Content: bets, arranged marriage, genderbending Draco, hints at mpreg
Summary: Ginny just signed a two year Quidditch contract and is questioning her future with Harry, but Harry is ready to for them to promise their lives to each other. Draco runs into Harry at a jeweller's shop and bets him that he'd be a better spouse for him then Ginny would; Draco believes that you learn to love your spouse through marriage, but Harry thinks you have to be in love first for a marriage to work. Dejected because Ginny just called it quits for the two years she'll be away, Harry agrees.

'Silly?' Harry asked.

'Well, you've heard of a chastity belt right?'

'Yes…' though with what he heard of them, they seemed rather disgusting, and he hoped that no one had ever had to actually endure one.

'I think that it was supposed to be a play of words or rather this was what a real chastity belt was, and it got misinterpreted through the years. See, with magic you can make it that specific conditions have to be met for anything to happen. So, if I was in the room with anyone I couldn't get my belt off. If I wasn't wearing a belt then I just couldn't remove my trousers and so on…'

'What?' Harry tried not to laugh at the image.

'I told you it was silly.'

'So when did you find about it?'

'First year at Hogwarts,' Draco said. 'I've always had to shower alone. You have no idea what a difficult thing that is to accomplish until you have to. I had to wake up at four o'clock in the morning and lock the door behind me.'

Harry started to laugh. 'Why? What would happen?'

'If someone walked into the same room with me—even if they couldn't see me, mind you—clothes would suddenly appear on my body. I thought Crabbe and Golye would never stop laughing when I walked into the dorm in soaking wet clothes that first time. Of course, then I couldn't even change out of them, until I got everyone else out of the dorm.'

Harry was laughing to the point that his sides hurt just picturing Draco sopping wet and all his dorm mates laughing at him. He would've loved to be there at the time.

'I'm glad this is so amusing to you,' Draco drawled clearly not appreciating Harry's reaction.

'Wait, you said first time? It happened more than once?'

'I was a first year,' Draco shrieked. 'Do you really think seventh years couldn't get past my locking charms?' Harry calmed down a bit as Draco's face became sourer. He didn't want to actually upset Draco.

'So, I guess it really isn't much of a secret that you're a virgin then.'

'No, not really.'

'Is that why Pansy is so pissed that you married me?'

Draco smirked.

'I'm sure that there are a lot of reasons, but that didn't help it. After all, she was my most devoted researcher on how to get past it.'

Harry bit his lip and reached over to start unbuttoning Draco's nightshirt.

'So, if I was to get you naked, then I'd be the first person that ever got to see it?'

Draco's breath hitched. 'Since puberty: Yes.'

Harry continued with the buttons, but then suddenly stilled.

'I'm not the only one that you'll ever be allowed to…' He couldn't bring himself to finish the question.

'No! My father was a stickler for rules not a sadist.' Harry gave him a look asking "are you sure?"

'It was only until I got married. After a legal divorce it won't matter anymore.'

Harry nodded and continued with the last couple of buttons as he thought about what Draco had just said.

'After a divorce?' Harry asked. 'Does that mean you can't cheat on me?'

Draco turned a bit pink and looked away.

'You can't, can you?'

'Why do you think Ginny bothers me so much? It's really important to me that you don't cheat on me,' Draco explained. 'If we could agree to have an open relationship that would be one thing, but I can't make an agreement like that.'

Harry smiled knowingly at Draco.

'I knew you had to have some sort of alternative motive for all this.'

'What?' Draco snorted. 'Beating you at something isn't enough?'

'No, I'm sure it would have been, but this fixes all your problems doesn't it? After we get divorced, then you don't have to worry about some stupid curse that is forcing you to be faithful to someone you have no interest in. You can marry some pureblooded witch that your parents pick for you, and then agree with her to live "separate discreet" lives. And that'd leave you free to be gay with who ever you want.'

Harry was astonished at Draco's perfect little plan. Either way he would win, which seemed just like the type of thing Draco would do.

'You just have me all figured out don't you?' Draco leaned in closer to Harry.

'I had you figured out years ago,' Harry said smugly, before he kissed him and slid Draco's shirt off.

Draco, once again, pushed his tongue into Harry's mouth first. He slid down the headboard and onto his back in the middle of the bed as Harry slowly shifted on top of him, and then he dragged his hand across the light stubble that had grown over Harry's face through the day. Harry moaned at the touch and could feel himself growing hard. When Draco turned to press his own erection against Harry's, Harry suddenly stilled. In the midst of the teasing and snogging Harry had somehow forgotten whom he'd been kissing. Or rather he hadn't forgotten that it was Draco; he'd forgotten that Draco was also a man, and therefore, he should have expected that, but it startled him. Harry pulled back, and Draco groaned in disappointment.

'I'm sorry.'

Draco shook his head at the apology.

'It's alright. I'm used to stopping about here.'

Harry started to apologise again, but his Draco placed his hand over his mouth.

'Harry, I don't want you to do this, unless you're comfortable with it. Alright?'

He nodded and pulled himself off of Draco to lie beside him, but kept his arm wrapped around Draco's waist as they both attempted the impossible task of sleeping while still half hard. The rest of the night was torture, but neither of them moved and eventually the exhaustion of the day brought them sleep.

When Harry woke up the next morning, Draco was already up and had ordered them breakfast to share in their room.

'They sent coffee,' Draco huffed as he continued to make his tea. 'I asked for tea and everything they sent up was flavoured. They hadn't realised they were out of Earl Grey, until I pointed it out to them. It just got here. The food is probably cold now.'

Harry rolled his eyes at Draco's indignant expression and picked up a piece of bacon. Draco cast a warming charm on his food before he even attempted to taste it. Harry had assumed that Draco's mother had planned out everything they would be doing for the weekend as she'd planned everything else. It turned out that she only planned their evenings. She had made dinner reservations at two of the most expensive restaurants in town and had bought tickets for a show on Broadway that night. Everything else was up to them, though maybe she had expected them to sleep until the afternoon and therefore, didn't need plans until the evening. New York was the city that never sleeps, from what he'd heard of it.

Even though he thought Draco would never agree to it, he wanted to go to Central Park. To his surprise, Draco didn't make a fuss and agreed, saying he was thankful Harry hadn't wanted to explore the museums. Apparently, his mother loved museums and would take him through them constantly when he was younger. He didn't care if it was a different museum; he didn't want to go.

So, in the afternoon they walked through the park and watched the people.

'I suppose it is nice,' Draco commented.

'What is?'

'Being anonymous,' he answered as though it was completely obvious what he was referring to.

Harry smiled and nodded his agreement. He loved being anonymous. It was rare for him, and he guessed it was for Draco as well. Draco had always wanted all the attention he could get before. At least, Harry thought he had, but he could see how his feelings would change after so many years of the attention being negative. So, they walked through the park in silence, enjoying the peace around them and the lack of people staring at them.

Well, occasionally someone would stare at Draco, but it wasn't the judgemental stare that Harry usually saw on by passers' faces when they looked at him. He was used to people staring at him in awe, nodding him thank you, or wanting to shake his hand.

This was completely different. No one noticed him next to Draco. Also, the only people that took any notice of Draco, were obviously more interested in what he looked like without any clothes than what his name was.

Harry had never been very possessive. He felt that for relationships to work, you had to trust each other. Maybe no one ever dared to check out Ginny in front of him because of who he was, or he never noticed because he knew she would never cheat on him. Though, Draco was incapable of actually cheating on him, Harry could see the interest in his eyes when an attractive man would check him out.

He had to resist the urge to grab Draco's hand and glare down the more attractive competition. Harry pondered whether the men could just tell that Harry wasn't gay and therefore, assumed Draco was single, or if they just simply didn't care that Harry was there.

The women didn't bother him that much.

They walked to the restaurant that they had reservations at that evening, and it was quite possibly the nicest one Harry had ever entered. He'd taken Ginny to plenty of fine restaurants, but he always felt more at ease at home. It wasn't any better with Draco. He felt out of place not only in his surroundings, but also in his attire and company. It didn't help that he didn't understand half of the menu, and their waiter turned out to be bent himself. Which became the waiter talking exclusively to Draco, ignoring him, and Draco ordering for Harry.

If the food turned out to be edible at all Harry would be grateful to Draco for at least that. He wouldn't have been able to take the condescending look he was sure to get from the waiter, if he had attempted to order anything off the menu himself.

'I'm sorry', Harry said as he calmed himself down once the waiter left. Draco looked up at him perplexed. Then Harry slowly reached across the table to take Draco's hand, which only confused him more, but Draco allowed it. 'For the thing with Ginny at our reception.'

'Why?'

'I could overlook the guys at the park, but here we are obviously together.' Harry glared at the back of their waiter as he helped other customers. Draco kept his face still as he took in what Harry was saying. 'I understand what you meant about respect now.'

'I've never thought of you as the jealous type.'

'I'm not,' Harry said. 'It is just rather insulting when you are obviously with someone and people just dismiss you as though you aren't there. Like I'm not a threat at all, and they could just slip you a note to meet them in the loo.'

'And what would you do if they did?'

Harry didn't have an answer that, as they were interrupted by the waiter before he could think of one. From that moment on, Draco made sure to be touching Harry in one way or another throughout the rest of the meal. Afterwards, they headed for the show. Harry had never been to any theatre before and was surprised how much he actually enjoyed it.

Draco seemed bored, but Draco always seemed bored.

When Harry asked him about it, he assured him he did enjoy the show.

'Not everyone wears their heart on their sleeve.'

'It's hard to believe you have any emotions sometimes,' Harry said, then added, 'Well, other than anger. I thought that was the only thing you could feel other than contempt, when we were in school.'

Draco rolled his eyes at that. 'I was rather angry with you in school.'

'Only me?'

'How do you know that I wasn't perfectly pleasant when you weren't around?'

Harry blushed and looked off to the side avoiding Draco's gaze, but kept in step with Draco.

'Oh, how could I forget? How often did you stalk me then?' Draco smirked, but continued, leaving the questions rhetorical. 'You should know I wasn't always angry then.'

Harry smiled at that. 'Like I said, contempt.'

They kept silent for a few minutes as they walked down the street. It was cool enough for coats, but not so cold that it would bother him. It was just the beginning of fall, and the type of weather that Harry liked the best. Yet, Draco wrapped his coat tighter around himself and he crossed his arms as though he had just caught a chill.

'I know that it's impossible for anyone to only feel two emotions,' Harry said. 'In fact, you know, I've seen more than that. It's just what I'm most familiar with when it comes to you.'

Draco stopped walking and opened his mouth, as though he was going to say something, but then decided not to. He shook his head and then nodded in the opposite direction of their hotel.

'Would you like to get ice cream? Unless, you really feel like getting back.'

Harry smiled. He wasn't really that tired, and they had skipped the idea of dessert at the restaurant earlier. The best thing about the city was that you could go get ice cream whenever you wanted. It was nearing two in the morning, and yet they could still sit inside a restaurant, near Times Square, and eat ice cream. When he would sneak out of his aunt's house in Surrey everything seemed so dead. All the neighbours asleep, it was rather peaceful. That all changed when you get to a city. There is always so much life, even after dark, in them.

They got back in too late for them to even bother with a bedtime routine or conversation. Then they slept in until past noon the next day. Harry thought it wasn't that bad of a honeymoon really. Though not how he had imagined it. He'd imagined a honeymoon to be filled with sex and not include many activities outside of that, not even dinner. Though he never imagined one with Draco either, so he was thankful for the other activities that took up their time. It did give them a chance to be alone together as a couple before they had to deal with everyone and everything else in their life as a couple.

That was the whole point of a honeymoon anyway, right?

'Alright, mate?' Ron asked as he approached Harry in the training room.

'Never better,' Harry answered honestly.

'Really?' Ron seemed surprised by his answer. 'How was the honeymoon?'

'Great, actually.'

Ron paled. 'What?'

Harry smiled, but didn't elaborate. He could get used to this torturing Ron with suggestion thing, even if he and Draco weren't actually doing anything together.

'What did you do?' Ron turned red and sputtered, 'I mean . . . where did you go?'

Harry laughed. Oh yes, he could certainly get used to it.

'We went to New York.'

A classmate named Jones joined them, before Ron could ask another question.

'Hey Harry,' Jones said, 'Can you believe what...' Ron started waving his arms beside Harry in a not so subtle gesture for Jones not to continue that train of thought. 'Err...what they are having us do for training?' Jones finished lamely obviously perplexed and not used to coming up with lies quickly.

'What's going on?' Harry directed the question at Ron. 'What's wrong?'

'Nothing,' Ron said quickly. 'Why would anything be wrong?'

Harry turned back to Jones, who shrugged his shoulders, and noticed the Prophet in his hand.

'Jones,' Harry gestured towards the paper. 'I didn't get mine this morning. I must not have notified them that I've moved.' Harry gave Ron a questioning look that didn't deter him from jumping in front of Harry, and stopping Jones from handing over the paper.

'Why would you want to read that Harry?' Ron gently tried to guide him in the opposite direction. 'It's always filled with lies, anyway. You should really cancel your subscription. In fact, I will, too. Just as soon as I get home today. Really horrible reporters. They have no idea what news is.'

The more Ron went on the more nervous Harry got. What had they written about him now? He had to see that paper.

'Besides, you don't have time for that now.' Ron pointed out as Harry tried to get past him to Jones and the newspaper. 'Training is about to start.'

Sure enough, their instructor had just walked through the door. The paper would have to wait. It was all he could think about that day. What did it say? Did everyone in that room know about it except him? Probably. Yet, no one was looking at him with disgust. So, either it wasn't about his recent marriage, or same sex marriage isn't that big of a deal in their world. He wasn't sure what he was hoping for. Was what they wrote that much worse than the truth? Since no one was treating him any different, it couldn't be that bad. Right?

He could tell that Ron hoped he'd forgotten about it during their training. It had been a long day, but people "knew" things about him that he didn't. He had to know. Jones was long gone as soon as the day ended. Still there had to be a newspaper around somewhere. Ron got him out of the ministry and to a pub in record time. They normally hung around and talked for a while before they headed out. He had either forgotten or hoped to get Harry to drink enough, so that he would forget that the pub sold copies of the newspaper.

As Ron got them pints, Harry found what he was looking for.

Of course, it was on the front page.

Everything to do with him did. He didn't even have to read the paper, the pictures said it all. He read every word, anyway. Ginny was wrapped around some bloke in a collage of pictures. He was a Quidditch player, and there were even pictures of them practicing together. Harry wasn't mentioned in the article once. There was not one scathing comment about him, and he wasn't even mentioned as her ex. Though, as far as anyone knew, he was still with her.

'Mate?' Ron asked with concern in his voice, as Harry stared silently and a bit in shock at the paper.

'They didn't mention me?'

Ron laughed. 'Did you want them to?'

'NO! Of course, not.' Ah, there was the anger. 'I just can't believe Rita didn't use this against me.'

'Draco did say he'd keep you out of the papers. Isn't that why you did that barmy interview for?'

'Yes, but he said he'd keep ius/i out of the paper, not ime/i.' Harry looked over the pictures again. He had expected this. Foreseen it even when Ginny proposed they "take a break". It was why he was so adamant that they should stay together. They'd only fool around when they got lonely she said. But how'd she get lonely so quickly? He kept telling himself it would have happened anyway or eventually no matter what he did. Yet there was also the feeling that she might not have so quickly if he hadn't married Draco.

'I need a drink.'

Ron gestured towards the pint that sat in front of him, but Harry shook his head at it.

'Something stronger.'

Hours later they stumbled out of the pub. They swayed back and forth a bit as they walked down the street.

'You're the best mate, mate,' Harry slurred. 'I never should've dated your sister. How could I do that to you? Now I've put you in an uncomfer, uncomfort...able situ... situation.'

'You've put me in a lot of uncomfortable situations before.' Ron chuckled.

'Yeah.' Harry laughed as well. 'But this is differ . . . different. This is your family. I mean . . . how? I expected you to be more upset about what I did. You wanted to kill Dean just because he dated her. Yet with me, you just shrugged it off. You trusted me not to hurt her. Then I did.'

'You're looking a bit worse off than she is.' Ron sighed. 'Okay.' He paused and took a deep breath. 'At the time I figured that I knew you, and I knew you would never hurt her. You would never hurt anybody. She'd liked you forever, and I knew she'd be happy with you.'

They'd finally gotten to the closest Floo and stopped. Harry nodded once he saw where Ron had taken him. Apparition was probably a bad idea.

'Now, well, I've grown up. I know that it's never just one person's fault when things fall apart. Besides, you're the one hurting here, not her.' Ron grabbed a handful of floo powder. 'Are you going home, or do you want to stay with us tonight?'

'I don't think I should wake Draco up. I'll just sleep on your couch.'