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.

In the morning, Harry came through the Floo into his den, hungover and tired. Draco sat with his head in his hands on their leather couch, and looked up to glare at Harry as he stumbled forward out of the fireplace.

'Where in the bleeding hell have you been?'

'What?' Harry asked. He was not in the mood to deal with Draco and his expectations and his rules right then. 'I have to let you know where I go every second of every day? I'm an adult. I don't need a babysitter.'

'Did it ever occur to you that I might have been worried about you?'

Harry gave a dry, mocking laugh. 'Don't pretend to care about me.'

Draco glare became more severe. 'It's the day after our honeymoon.' Though he never raised his voice, Harry still felt as though he were being yelled at. Reprimanded as though he were a small child. 'You didn't say a word to me in the morning, you never came home, you could have been anywhere.'

Harry sighed, exhausted with the whole thing. Draco didn't really care about Harry, what did it matter?

'You could have been attacked,' Draco continued, surprising Harry with the train of thought he'd taken. 'Or gotten drunk and splinched yourself. Or arrested for attacking that Mark fellow.'

'Who's Mark?' Harry asked as he rubbed his forehead willing his headache to allow him to think for a moment. He didn't know how to deal with Draco being worried about him. He wasn't functional enough to tell how serious Draco was about it, but it would be wrong to dismiss his feelings if they were genuine.

It was true; any of those things could have happened.

'The guy the ginger bint is shagging now—'

And a few of them might have come close to happening.

'Oh,' Harry said, comprehension finally sinking in. 'That's what you're really worried about, isn't it? That'd I'd gone back to Ginny!' She was the whole point of the bet. If going back to her would have fixed it all, then Harry would have done it.

'I have every right to worry about that. I am your spouse.'

Harry turned back to the Floo. He was done with the conversation, with the whole stupid bet that had ruined everything for him. He grabbed some Floo powder.

'You can't leave me or you lose the bet!'

Turning to face him, Harry said in slight disbelief, 'This is obviously not working.'

Draco snorted. 'Do you think that after the first fight, we'd just get to file for divorce? Or did you forget that divorce isn't an option with arranged marriages? It wouldn't matter that I'd never met my wife before we got married. I could never divorce her. She couldn't leave, either. We'd have to find a way to figure it out. So, if you leave, then you lose.'

'I've already lost.' Harry's fist clenched tighter around the Floo powder. 'You read the paper, I'm sure.'

'That would have happened anyway, and you know it. Don't blame that on this.'

'Well, fine! That means you were right then. We weren't right for each other. It was just lust and whatever else you'd said. Why continue this?'

Draco sneered. 'The "whatever else" I'd said was that I'd be better for you than her, that we'd learn to love each other, and you still don't believe any of it. You don't really believe that she was leaving you anyway, even though she's already moved on. You don't—'

Harry faced the Floo, again, and Draco stopped talking. Harry's shaky breath filled the silence, before he said, 'I'm not leaving. I'm just going to work.'

'And after work?'

'I'll come home.'

'There's a ministry function that I have to go to next weekend,' Harry said as he was getting into bed a few weeks later.

'Oh.'

'You said you should go anywhere I would have taken Ginny.'

Draco nodded.

'But if you come with me in public, it'll start rumours. So, I figured I'd go alone.'

Draco thought for a long time, before he spoke.

'No, I'll go with.'

'What? Really?'

'Part of a your spouse's job is to help you get through these affairs. How can I do that if I'm not there?'

'But—'

'Don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything.'

Harry laughed. 'How much money do you spend shutting people up? There are going to be hundreds of people there.'

Draco smirked.

'Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it.'

'Mother, do you remember that dress you had made for the banquet you never went to when I was thirteen?'

Narcissa raised an eyebrow at him. It was times like this that she knew without a doubt that her son was gay. She barely remembered the dress. Though she did remember having the flu, which made it where she wasn't able to attend the banquet.

'I was wondering if I could borrow it, and maybe have it altered a bit.'

'Of course, darling. Who do you need it for?'

'Harry has to go to a function for the Ministry. A celebration of two years at peace, or something like that.'

He deliberately avoided the question, which gave her the answer. Draco wasn't as good at hiding things from her, as he thought he was. She took a breath and then a sip of her tea, before she calmly clasped her hands together in her lap.

'Are you sure that's wise?'

To her surprise, he smirked at her.

'I'm married now mother. You aren't supposed to tell me what to do anymore.'

Draco walked around to the chair opposite his mother's, with the small round end table separating them, and sat down.

'I'm not telling you anything. I'm merely suggesting that you might not get what you really want out of this.'

He didn't agree nor disagree with her, which was disagreement enough for her. Had he agreed with her, or at least pretended to, he would have said so.

'If this does goad him into acting, would it really be worth it? You can't be her forever. You don't want that.'

'I want him,' Draco said forcefully.

'I thought we had been through this the last time I caught you with that potion,' she said more to herself than him.

'That was different,' he insisted.

'How?'

'Those were strangers and you were right it was dangerous. I had no way to protect myself from them. I could've gotten hurt.'

She hadn't meant that he would ionly/i get physically hurt. It was more the emotional damage that she was afraid of, both then and now. He was always like that, even as a child. Almost as if he was trying to hurt himself. When he knew his father would never take him to the ministry, he would still ask to go. After it was clear that he wasn't going to make it to their planned Quidditch time, he would still sit outside and wait for him for hours. Lucius thought that playing instruments was for the poor, except the piano which was for women. So, naturally the only instrument in the house was a piano, and Draco taught himself to play at a very young age.

He said it was because he enjoyed it, but Narcissa thought it was his way of rebelling. Or maybe he played as punishment for his father's broken promises. He always seemed to play after Lucius didn't show up when he was supposed to.

When she had first found the remains of the potion when Draco was fifteen, she wasn't sure if it was like the piano or something more. Though, in retrospect maybe they were the same, and the piano had always been something more.

Perhaps, he really did just enjoy playing.

'I don't want you to get hurt. It's a mother thing.'

'I won't,' he assured her.

She didn't feel very reassured, though. She felt that he already had been hurt too much for her to ever fix, and he would just continue to hurt himself over and over again.

'Leila,' Narcissa called.

'Yes, mistress.' A young house elf popped out of nowhere to reply.

'Could you get the dress that Draco described earlier? You do know where it is?'

'Of course, mistress.'

She looked back toward her son. 'I'd say be careful with it, except, I doubt I'll ever need it back.'

Draco smiled at her and raised to kiss her on the cheek. Leila return and handed the dress over to Draco.

'I'm sure you'll have many reasons to dress up soon.'

'Since when do I need a reason?' She joked as she gestured down to the dress she wore then. She always dressed as though she was on her way to a ball when she was just wondering around the house with nothing to do. 'When you're old and rich, you're allowed to be eccentric. I merely meant that I have enough dresses. I'm not going to miss one. Especially one that I've never bothered to wear. It's too revealing for someone my age, anyway.'

'And how exactly are you bringing Draco with you and keeping your marriage secret?' Hermione inquired. She hadn't even pretended to be listening to the conversation that he was having with Ron prior to that statement. It was a bit scary how she was able to be engrossed in a book, or three, and still be conscious of everything going on around her. 'I mean, even if Rita is being good in hopes to get more articles out of you, there will still be hundreds of people there who will see you.'

'Just because Malfoy happens to be there doesn't mean that he came with Harry,' Ron said. 'No one would know that.'

'No, but they would notice if they spend a lot of time together throughout the evening. If Draco doesn't plan to stand with Harry all evening, I really don't see the point of him going. He isn't well liked by most of the people that will be there.'

'I don't know. He said he'd take care of it.' It was all Harry could think to say. Draco wouldn't give him any other answer, and he'd asked repeatedly, until Draco was so annoyed that he almost hexed him. 'Look, everyone that matters to me already knows. I'm not really that worried about strangers finding out, anyway. He is the one who seems to think it's important now. As long as the ministry doesn't try to use it for a campaign against me.'

'Which is highly unlikely now,' Ron pointed out to Hermione. 'With Lord Voldemort dead and all.'

'Right.' Harry laughed then continued, 'then I don't really see what the big deal is about.'

Hermione shrugged.

'I never saw what the "big deal" was about before, but you kept saying that it had to be a secret, and we weren't allowed to tell anybody or say anything.'

'Before, I didn't want to hurt Ginny by having to see it all the time. Now, I hardly think it matters.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. '

'What?' Harry asked with a sigh.

'You didn't really expect her to sit around for two years while you were married to someone else, did you?'

Harry started to say that he wasn't really married, and it was just a bet, but Hermione didn't pause.

'Especially since she broke up with you before she left for that very reason. She wanted you both to date other people. She said that you two will get back together in two years when she comes back. That's what you said would happen after this bet ends. She might not even be serious about this Mark fellow. It's probably just a fling.'

'She still hasn't written to me,' Harry said. If it was just a fling, why was she still avoiding him?

'Have you written to her?'

Harry glared at the ground, but didn't answer.

'Well, then I hardly think you're the one to talk. Also, it's not like you're alone. You've got Draco, and quit acting like you've never touched.'

'We haven't done anything,' Harry insisted, and for the most part, it was true. They hadn't done anything since the honeymoon, and then, they didn't get very far. He didn't know how to do anything more with Draco. They were finally starting to get comfortable in each other's presence, but not in the same way he was comfortable with Ginny. With Ginny, he could just walk up and put his arms around her or kiss her.

Though, he didn't have to, because most of the time she did it.

He was used to Draco's presence when he was at home and even in his bed. Not enough to reach out and touch him, but enough that it would have felt weird if he wasn't there. He had grown used to hearing Draco get up and shower and move around the room, while he was still half asleep and laying in bed.

Draco was always completely ready to walk out the floo before he sat down for breakfast. Harry always ate first before he showered and dressed to leave. It helped him wake up. It worked out well, because then they both ate breakfast together. Draco always read every inch of the newspaper, every morning. Harry only skimmed through it, so he spent most of the breakfast time watching Draco read. He'd tried to get Draco to talk about what he was reading, but that seemed just to irritate him.

It still wasn't the same, though. He wasn't in love with Draco, and Harry didn't care what Hermione said: it looked like much more than a fling in the pictures.

Harry did not know what he had expected from Draco, but based on previous conversations, he really should have seen it coming.

Ron and Hermione came by their house, so that they could all Floo to the banquet together. Harry always felt more at ease when they were with him during public gatherings. He was used to having Hermione to fall back on when he got into sticky situations or didn't know what to say. She commented earlier that day, that it was really Draco's responsibility then. Harry didn't really like that idea.

Even if Harry had an idea of what Draco had planned, he still wouldn't have been prepared for when he saw Draco walking down the stairs. Hermione was the first to notice. She stopped mid-sentence as she stared up the stairs. Ron, who noticed her silence, looked to she what had caused her reaction and his jaw went slightly slack as well. Harry turned after he noticed the change in his friends' behaviour.

No one could deny that the Malfoys were attractive. Even those who hated them were aware of that. It was obvious that the girl walking down the stairs was a Malfoy. She looked just as he had described her to Harry. A younger version of Mrs Malfoy with a pointier face that was obviously Draco. Draco smirked at the looks on all their faces and there was no doubt it was him.

She wore a silver, backless dress that reached the floor. It tied around her neck with a chain of what appeared to be diamonds. Had Ron and Hermione not been in shock, they might have been insulted by his extravagance.

If Harry wasn't so impressed, he might have been as well.

It would be hard for anyone to think of "Draco Malfoy" when they were looking at the girl in front of them.

'This isn't going to work,' Harry said. 'Who will we say you are?'

'Daisy, of course.'

'You know what I mean.'

'I have to disagree, Harry,' Hermione said. 'No one who knows Draco very well is going to be there, except us.'

It was too obvious when looking in the girl's, Daisy's, eyes, but Hermione was right. Who else would be there that had spent much time staring into Draco's eyes?

Harry fidgeted as they entered the hall. Daisy rolled her eyes and smirked at the frightened look on his face. Hermione and Ron were separated from them almost immediately by one of Hermione's co-workers. His wife just had to meet her, since she was all her husband talked about. Ron never left Hermione's side during any function. Probably for the same reason her co-worker's wife had to meet her.

It didn't take more that a few minutes for Harry to be bombarded as well.

He hated events like those. It was like the dinner with Malfoy's mother only worse, because there was a lot more focus on him. Daisy wasn't shy at all and conversed easily with whoever came to greet them. No one failed to complement Daisy, either; on her looks or her attire for the evening. Everyone wanted to know how they met. She easily made up a lie about being lost, and Harry helping her find her way while she was shopping for a dress.

They even believed her when she claimed not to have known who Harry was until later. The story reminded Harry a little too much of the first time they actually had met. Draco had not known who Harry was. Whether or not Draco was trying to be friendly at the time, he was still a prat. Harry had no reason to feel guilty about that day. Yet he did after hearing how he met Daisy over and over again. He wanted to punch the next person that asked. He didn't, though.

'Harry,' Kingsley called out as he went to greet him. 'Who is the lovely lady you have with you? I don't believe I've seen you around.' He took Daisy's hand gently and kissed it. Harry said nothing and didn't even remember to smile as he waited for her to hex his boss for being so forward.

Except Daisy didn't and acted as though people kissed her hand all the time.

'Daisy,' she responded. 'And I don't get out much. I suffer from over protective parents.'

'Oh, they can be dreadful. Though, I'm sure they know you are in very capable hands.'

'They do.' Daisy winked at him. 'Or I'd still be locked in my tower.'

Harry watched them continue their pointless and fake conversation and waited for the night to be over. Until he noticed how Daisy kept inching towards him, and Kingsley kept finding reasons to brush up against her.

'I can't believe she expects everyone to believe that. Him with a woman her age? She obviously pays him.' Harry looked up and saw that they were looking across the room at a couple. The woman in question was on the Wizengamot. Did she just say that?

'Ah, age doesn't mean anything. You would be surprised how much age makes it better.'

Daisy looked surprised for about a second before she smiled again and responded, 'I'll have to remember that.'

Were they flirting? Harry judged by Kingsley slight blush and Daisy's evil smirk that they were. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back and away from his boss.

'Excuse us, sir.'

'I hate people,' Draco said after they were out of earshot from Harry's boss, but before Harry had a chance to yell at him. 'Had I said that as myself, he would have fought with me. Instead, he flirted with me.' Daisy rolled her eyes and walked over to get a drink. Harry followed and decided it was time he had one himself.

'I can't believe you were insulting people.'

'That was not an insult. It was a speculation.'

'It was gossip.'

Daisy looked down at her dress then back up at Harry, raised her left eyebrow and laughed.

'I'm a girl. It's expected.' She snorted. 'Accepted, at least.'

'Hermione—' Harry started, but Draco scoffed and rolled Daisy's eyes.

'You can't a judge how women typically act by Granger.'

'She's a girl.'

'Who's trying her damndest to be thought of as anything but.'

'She is not!' Harry looked around to make sure no one heard his outburst and then lowered his voice. 'Like you have any room to talk. You're trying to be a girl.'

Draco glared at him but didn't say anything as he brushed passed him.

'Draco, wait.'

'Fuck you.'

Daisy disappeared, and Harry was soon trapped in an endless conversation with a very important somebody, that he couldn't bother to remember the name of. He just agreed with whatever was said as he scanned the room and hoped to find her.

'The girl you brought is rather fit. Is she your cousin or something?'

Harry suddenly didn't like this important somebody. He didn't know if it was the reminder, once again, of how attractive Draco was, or the automatic assumption, also again, that Harry wasn't good enough for her; therefore they couldn't possibly be together.

'She's my fiancé.' Harry glared at the man who, he then realised, was more of a dashing young man, oppose to the older, bald, obviously married, men, that he was used to being forced into conversations with. 'That reminds me. I should go find her.'