Susan Bones sat up staring out her window, watching the snow fall in silent curtains, blanketing the earth as she contemplated how strange her life had become. In just under six months, Susan had discovered that she was betrothed, that her intended was none other than the Boy-Who-Lived, and Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelor, Harry Potter. She had then fought with him in order to become his friend. Literally fought, as in dueled, and nearly gotten killed when Harry had blasted her across a room, breaking her ribs. Then, Susan and Harry had begun dating. They had managed to overcome a few of the typical relationship hurtles. The problem had been that while Susan had known that Harry's life was in constant danger, she had never truly understood just what a target he and anyone associated with him were in. Even after her house had been burned to the ground.
She understood now. Better than most. She still couldn't remember what had happened, but she was filled with a veritable storm of emotion over being cursed and spending more than a month unconscious. A month long hell that had ended with a nearly fairy tale awakening, with Harry Potter proposing to her.
Harry had presented the fairly simple ring with its traditional diamond in the center, and two sapphires on either side, just a day after Susan had awaken. Harry had said that the twin blue stones reminded him of her eyes. She laughed softly to herself when she remembered him presenting her the ring. He had been so clueless, but his eyes were shining with such happiness. She had finally awoken and from what she was told later, had avoided going to St. Mungo's.
Susan remembered hearing the voices of her friends while she'd been asleep and her desperation to wake up. It had been like a month long nightmare. The one voice that had been constant was Harry's. Though she had no clue what he'd said to her during that time, Susan had felt comfort from hearing him. Her aunt had told her that Harry had refused to leave her side and had to be forced to go to classes and training. Susan was saddened and flattered at the same time. That is until she'd heard of his progress had been slipping in quality. Then she'd been upset.
Susan had stayed at Hogwarts for two more days before Madam Pomfrey had allowed her to go home for the rest of the holiday, though she was confined to a wheel chair. Her muscles had atrophied due in large part to the curse. Susan had been assured that if she stuck to her potion regiment, she would be back to normal by the start of term. In the meantime, she was kind of enjoying being attended to by Harry.
Ever since they'd arrived back at Harry's house, her new fiancé' and been bending over backwards to help her out. Susan especially liked when he would carry her up and down the stairs. He didn't want to risk her falling out of her wheelchair while he levitated it. Susan thought it was super sweet, and apparently her Aunt agreed with her. Susan had seen her Aunt smiling all sly like the night before when Harry took Susan to bed.
On the other hand, Amelia had prevented Harry from helping Susan into the bath, which Susan had meticulously planned in order to get a bit more intimate with Harry. Susan wasn't ever going to forgive her aunt for that. Not that it would have been that great anyway. Susan's illness was preventing her and Harry from really celebrating their engagement properly. Susan got tired very quickly and Harry was so damned noble. It was frustrating her to no end. She couldn't even perform the simplest of spells yet.
Susan took a deep breath and readjusted her position on her bed wincing as she did so. Though she was in no where near the amount of pain that had originally put her in a coma, she still experience twinges of irritation especially in her spine. She glanced at her clock and saw that it was past two a.m. She hadn't been able to sleep much since she'd finally awoken, so she had spent her nights catching up on homework. Tonight, however, she just couldn't concentrate.
Earlier that night, Harry had spoken to Susan and her Aunt and told them his suspicions about who might have been responsible for what had happened to Susan. Amelia had reminded him of his suspicions before school had started when they had met Draco in Madam Malkin's. Harry agreed that he might have been paranoid then, but pointed out that Draco's behavior had changed drastically, and that Professor Snape had been upset. He went on to explain everything that Hagrid had told him before Susan had awoken that day. Amelia shook her head, frustrated that there was nothing solid that she could investigate.
"I believe you Harry, I do. Lucius Malfoy is a scheming, conniving rat, and I don't think his son is to different. But unless you have some real proof, there's nothing I can do. I can't even search the Malfoy mansion." She sighed heavily.
"But his father's in prison, can't you do so based on that?" Susan asked. Amelia shook her head.
"The incident took place in Hogsmeade, and Draco was in detention with Professor McGonagall. There's nothing to tie him to it." Amelia explained.
Susan hated the frustration she saw on Harry's face. She knew, as did the rest of the school, of the rivalry between Harry and Draco Malfoy. She knew that Draco never lost an opportunity to pick a fight with Harry or show him up. And though Harry hated Malfoy, Susan doubted that Harry would be this determined to get Draco in trouble if there wasn't a reason.
Susan hated that she could not remember what had happened to her. She only remembered arriving at the Three Broomsticks with Hannah and the other girls and Harry arriving shortly afterwards. Then… nothing. Perhaps if she could remember her attacker then they could find out if it truly were Draco behind the whole thing.
Susan sighed wearily. She had been puzzling over this mystery for several hours and she was becoming exhausted. She tried to lay back down in her bed and sleep, but her mind refused to settle down. She turned slowly, as her body was still quite weak and tried to get comfortable, but all for naught. Her mind refused to quiet.
Slamming her fists onto her mattress after another hour, Susan sat up, and reached out for her wheelchair. Susan could now stand up on her own, but only barely. She managed to get into her chair, and wheeled herself towards her door. It was only when she reached it that she realized she couldn't get downstairs without her aunt or Harry's help. She was still far to weak to cast a decent spell to get her down, and she didn't think falling down the stairs would be a bright idea.
In truth, she didn't want to go downstairs anyway. There was only one place she wanted to be right now. With a bit of guilt, Susan turned her chair and wheeled herself toward Harry's room.
It took a bit of effort to get her to the end of the hall, and she was panting a bit when she'd finally gotten to his door. She took a few minutes to get her breathing under control before she opened the door. She didn't want to worry him. Finally, she turned the doorknob and began to maneuver herself into his bedroom.
Harry lay in the middle of his bed, facing the window. His face was slightly illuminated and she heard his gentle slow breathing and it seemed to calm her in some strange way. She sat and watched him, imagining how he must have felt as he had watched over her. Had he been afraid that she might not awake?
She gave a sad sigh and Harry stirred.
"Sue?" He asked. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Harry." She smiled softly. "I just couldn't sleep."
Harry sat up and Susan saw that he was not wearing a shirt. While not extremely muscular, Harry did have a strong and wiry frame. Susan had nearly forgotten what Harry looked like without his shirt. It had been a long time since she'd seen him in such a state.
"Do you want me to get you some tea?" Harry offered but Susan shook her head.
"No." She whispered. "I…I don't need…"
"Sue, what is it?" Harry's voice was full of worry now as he sat up fully, swinging his legs from out from under his blankets.
"I just wanted to be with you." Susan said. There was a quiver in her voice that Susan knew to be her nerves. For some reason, she was afraid that he might send her back to her room, and she did not want to go back to her own room.
Harry stood and gently helped her out of her wheelchair and into his bed before he slid back under the blankets next to her. She sighed with relief and contentment as Harry wrapped his arms around her and drew her in close to him.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"Your Aunt's going to kill me in the morning." Harry replied, though Susan heard the smile in his voice.
"She's going to kill us both." Susan said, closing her eyes and adjusting herself a bit more. Harry held her tightly when she settled, his chin resting on the top of her head, his arms around her body.
"What's been keeping you awake?" Harry asked curiously.
Susan shrugged. "I haven't been able to sleep much since I woke up in the hospital wing. Tonight though, I just couldn't get my mind to relax."
"I know that feeling." Harry laughed softly.
"Do you ever think about how strange our lives have been these past few months? I mean, At the end of June we found out we were going to be married. It took a duel to get us talking properly, and for you to ask me out on a date. Then we got attacked, the whole Ginny thing, Me getting cursed and now we're actually engaged to be married. Like all official like."
"Wasn't the proposal I had in mind, really." Harry said softly.
"I think you did just fine. Getting down on one knee and all." Susan smiled, flexing her left hand where her engagement ring rested on her ring finger.
"I wanted to do a whole production. Dinner and all that. I thought I'd try and sweep you off your feet. You know, be all romantic."
"You have the rest of our lives to be romantic." Susan assured him. Harry bent a bit and kissed the top of her head, making her smile softly. "I've been thinking about what you said earlier tonight. About Malfoy being the one who cursed me…"
"I told you he was in detention that day." Harry said, though he couldn't disguise his irritation.
"But you still think he was responsible." Susan said, pulling away so that she could look at him. He looked at her and Susan could see the belief in his eyes, even in the darkness. "If you're right, he's going to try again. Even if like you said, we're not his real target. He's tenacious. He won't stop until he does whatever it is he's trying to do. Who knows who will get hurt next."
"I know. I haven't really stopped thinking about it since I found out what Hagrid had heard. I just wish I had more to go on. And like your Aunt said, unless we catch him, there's nothing we can do is there?" Harry sighed. Susan melted back into his embrace and shut her eyes.
"You're going to find proof, aren't you." Susan said. There was a silence and then Susan felt him nod.
"What happens if it turns out he is the one who is behind what happened to me?" She asked, not really sure if she wanted to hear Harry's answer.
"I wish I could say for sure. But I want whoever hurt you to pay for what they did. Malfoy has a lot to answer for, but if it turns out he was the one who masterminded the whole thing…"
"Masterminded?" Susan asked pulling away again. "Are you out of your tree? It's Malfoy, not …"
"Not who?" Harry cut her off. "He's an obnoxious braggart but that doesn't mean he can't put together some sort of plan like that. He's in Slytherin. Not because his family were all Slytherins, but because he's supposed to be cunning and ambitious. Plus, his father is a death eater, his Aunt is Voldemort's right hand, basically. I think if I were Voldemort, and two of my worst enemies were at Hogwarts, I'd put someone that no one would expect in as a spy."
"You think he's working for You-Know-Who?" Susan asked.
"Call him Voldemort. It's only a name, and a stupid one at that." Harry said.
"That's a pretty far fetched theory." Susan said. Harry shrugged.
"Doesn't make it untrue." Harry countered. Susan once again allowed herself to be pulled closer to Harry and sighed.
"I suppose you're right." She admitted. "Still seems crazy."
"When we get back to school, I intend to find out if I'm right or not." Harry yawned. "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"
"Nervous about announcing our engagement to our friends?" Susan chuckled. "Not on your life."
"Obviously you haven't had a lot of dealings with . She's going to hit the roof." Harry chuckled as he kissed the top of Susan's head. "You're just children. You're to young to be getting married." He said doing a passable imitation of Mrs. Weasley.
"Then maybe we should tell her, and the rest of them about the contract." Susan said sleepily. Being with Harry in his bed had relaxed her immensely and she was getting tired.
"I suppose we could." Harry agreed. "They'll all find out eventually anyway."
"Mm-hmm." Susan agreed.
Harry kissed her forehead and pulled the blankets a bit higher around the two of them. He laid with his eyes closed listening to Susan's breathing as she fell asleep. As he held his new fiancée close, he was filled with a very satisfying warmth. He wondered if this was what it meant to be in love, and at that very moment, he felt a stab of pain in his scar that penetrated deep into his body and made him stiffen.
The pain was only momentary and passed very quickly. But it made Harry very frightened. He'd experienced a lot of discomfort with his scar, but nothing like that. He didn't feel nauseous, nor dizzy or anything else. It was just a very sharp and intense pain that was here and gone. His scar tingled now like it usually did after he'd been snogging Susan. Harry decided that he would talk to Dumbledore about it as soon as possible. The headmaster was supposed to be attending Harry and Susan's party the next evening, perhaps Harry could mention it to Dumbledore.
Still anxious over what had just happened, Harry settled himself down and fell asleep holding Susan tightly next to him.
"You asked to see me?" Snape asked as he stepped into what had been Professor Slughorn's private chambers. Dumbledore stood in front of the fireplace, staring at the mantle, lost in thought.
"Yes, I'd like you to test that bottle for poison." Dumbledore said sadly as he pointed to an open bottle of Madam Rosemerta's finest oak matured mead. Snape stepped across the room to wear the open bottle sat on a low table.
"You believe this is what killed him?" Snape asked.
"Yes. Which means someone working at the Three Broomsticks poisoned it."
"You don't think it was meant for Horace." Snape said as he lifted the bottle and began examining it.
"No, I do not. Horace was no threat to Voldemort. I believe that Horace was buying a gift for me, and whomever he made the purchase from poisoned the mead. I assume Horace forgot to present the gift to me on Christmas and perhaps fancied a nightcap."
"Draco." Snape sighed. Dumbledore turned to look at his defense teacher.
"You think this was the work of Draco Malfoy?"
"I've told you already. Killing you is Draco's assignment." Snape hissed. "The Dark Lord would not allow anyone else to interfere. This is his second attempt."
"And how do you think he accomplished this task?" Dumbledore queried.
Snape gave the headmaster a wry look. "if I could read the boy's thoughts, I could have prevented this, and I'd know what his bigger plan is."
"This seems rather juvenile." Dumbledore pointed out.
"True, but would you have thought to check for poison in a gift from Horace Slughorn?" Snape countered. Dumbledore had to admit it would not have crossed his mind. Sometimes it's the simplest of plans that proved most effective. Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"We're going to have to try and discern what the boy is up to. If he begins getting desperate, others will be hurt." The headmaster stated.
"Finally you're beginning to see reason." Snape smirked, giving him a much more maniacal expression. "What do you suggest?
"I'm not sure, but we only have a week until students return to figure out what we will do." Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Please focus on discerning what type of poison was used, so we can possible narrow down accomplices."
The headmaster left the former potions master's quarters, leaving Snape alone with a triumphant expression.
"I still can't believe it." Hannah sighed staring at Susan. "I mean, I've known all about the contract and everything, but still. You're going to get married."
Susan sat on her bed with her best friend Hannah Abbott, along with Hermione Granger, Lavender Brown, Sally-Anne Perks, And Megan Jones. The girls had all secluded themselves in Susan's bedroom not long after Harry and Susan had made the announcement of their engagement. They had invited all their friends under the guise of a new year's party. To those who hadn't known the full story, it was quite a shock to learn that Harry and Susan were betrothed.
As predicted by Harry, Mrs. Weasley had thrown quit a fit upon learning the two were engaged.
"What are you two thinking, you're not even seventeen? And Amelia, how can you allow this?"
"Mrs. Weasley…" Harry had tried.
"No! I don't want to hear it. You're clearly confused, or you think that you have to get married so you can…"
"Molly Weasley, I warn you to not finish that sentence." Amelia Bones said quickly.
There was a long awkward pause before Molly gathered Ron and Ginny and left the party amongst much protesting from her two teenaged children. Harry had been deeply disappointed, and Susan had been deeply saddened for him. But Harry had put on a brave face, and the party continued on with the party.
Currently, Harry and the boys, which included Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Ernie Macmillian. And Zacharias Smith, who had been quite hesitant to come due to his shaky relationships with nearly everyone thanks to his pitiful breakup with Hermione, were all outside making use of the abundance of snow for an evening snowball fight. Susan kept glancing out her window to see how her fiancé was fairing.
"You're incredibly lucky." Megan Jones said, making Susan look away from the window where she had just seen Harry pelt Zach in the side of the head with a snowball. "Harry Potter. It could have been anyone. It could have been some really old fat man from Mozambique. Someone who would have done indescribable things to you just because he could."
"That's a horrible thought." Hannah shivered. "It could have been Professor Snape."
All the girls made retching noises and Susan punch her best friend as hard as she could, which wasn't very hard at all."
"Why didn't you tell us about the contract earlier?" Sally-Anne asked. "I mean, you and Harry suddenly getting together because you ran into each other or whatever your pathetic cover story was, was pretty flimsy. You'd never shown the slightest interest in Harry before this past summer."
"Harry and I thought it best. He doesn't need the attention, and I certainly didn't want it. Plus, You-know…Voldemort's kind of hot to get his hands on Harry. What better way than to snatch me?" Susan explained. Sally-Anne nodded in understanding.
"I get it, but you can trust us." She smiled sadly.
"I can, and I do. But Voldemort has ways to get secrets.""
"He's a master Legillemens." Hermione said.
"Ok, I don't want to talk about scary, depressing stuff. We should start planning your wedding. You know, looking at dresses and things like that." Lavender smiled, opening the bag she'd brought with her. "I just happen to have a few magazines here with me."
The blonde began passing out issues of Witch Weekly. A few of the girls started laughing as they all noticed they were issues dedicated to weddings.
"I'm not getting married right away." Susan grinned but Lavender waved it off.
"Never too early to get ideas." The blonde smiled brightly.
"How long have you been collecting these, Lavender?" Hermione asked when she noticed her copy was two years old.
"I don't collect them." Lavender smirked. "I only keep my favorite issues. It's just a coincidence that they all happen to be wedding related."
Again the girls laughed as they began thumbing through the magazines and pointing out things they liked to Susan. The redhead smiled or wrinkled her nose disgustedly at the different pictures while the other girls giggled and swooned over dresses and hair styles.
It was nearly an hour later when Harry knocked on the door and poked his head inside. His face was quite red from cold. He smiled brightly as he looked directly at Susan.
"Dobby's got food ready. Would you like to come down and join us blokes, or are you content up here?" He asked.
"I think we've been hidden away enough for tonight. After all, it's new years and your engagement party." Hannah smiled, standing up and helping Susan to her feet. Susan had decided that for tonight she would leave her wheelchair and try and move about on her own. She had been doing quite well, so long as she didn't have to move about much.
"Escort me?" Susan asked, reaching out a hand to Harry with a smile. Harry offered his arm and waited for the other girls to leave so they could go at Susan's pace. Susan had told him earlier that day that she felt she was getting stronger, and then admitted she would miss be carried up and down the stairs by him, as she thought it was "kind of hot." Harry had promised that if she was good, he'd carry her around for no reason sometime, which had made her smile.
"How'd the boys take it?" Susan asked softly as she and Harry started down the stairs.
"They were sympathetic." Harry said. "All of them claimed to not believe our initial story, but none of them had any idea as to why of how we would have gotten together though. Seamus was sure that while I'm charismatic, I'm too stupid to know when a girl liked me. One of my best qualities in his opinion."
Susan snorted with laughter and Harry chuckled as well.
They joined their friends at the table for refreshment which led to light conversation about what the rest of the school year might hold, and Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup now that Harry was no longer on the team.
At midnight, Amelia, who'd been entertaining some of her own friends, and a few parents of Harry and Susan's friends, passed glasses of oak matured mead to everyone and proposed a toast to the future and happiness and a very happy new year. Not long afterwards, Harry, Susan and Amelia bid goodnight to their guests.
"Did you two have a good night?" Amelia asked after their last guest had flooed away. Harry and Susan were cuddled together on the sofa, Susan's eyelid's fighting to stay open.
"Sure." Harry smiled. "Though I wished Dumbledore had made it. I wanted to talk to him about something."
"He sent a note earlier." Amelia said, picking up a few plates that were littered about. "He's going to be stopping by tomorrow. He and I had a conversation earlier this week, and it was decided that there should be some changes for you both at school."
Amelia's tone was cheery, but Harry could see that she was not entirely comfortable with this decision.
"What changes?" Susan asked sleepily.
"You'll find out tomorrow. Now, I think it's time for bed for you both, and I'd like it if you remained in your own beds tonight."
Susan's eyes suddenly shot open and Harry's face went the color of a beet. They looked at each other and then to Amelia who was smiling at the two of them. Even despite her weakness, Susan got to her feet and hightail it up the stairs with Harry close behind her. Amelia simply laughed to herself as she heard to bedroom doors slam. She knew this would be one of the last times she'd get to embarrass Susan, and she had enjoyed it deeply. She then sighed and made her way to her own bedroom.
Amelia had been upset when Dumbledore brought up allowing Susan and Harry to cohabitate when they returned to Hogwarts. Amelia did not wish to believe that Susan and Harry had become that intimate yet, but she also knew it was only a matter of time. They were teenagers, and they were betrothed. Even if they waited until their wedding night, they would still eventually give in to their basic urges. Amelia had no doubt they would be safe when they chose to consummate their relationship. They were both quite responsible.
But Amelia knew it was only a matter of time. It was all put in to stark reality when she had awoken that morning and went to check on Susan. Not finding her niece in her bedroom, she took a chance and took a peek in Harry's room. She had been relieved and at the same time more concerned when she had found them in Harry's bed, clinging to each other, deep asleep. She could see that Susan was still wearing her pajamas. But that didn't mean much.
Amelia chose to believe that nothing had happened, and as she observed them during the day, it was clear that they had not crossed that line. There was no awkwardness, or embarrassed smiles. They were as they had been these past few days.
But that wouldn't last when Dumbledore visited the next day. They would basically be giving these two teenagers, no matter their maturity, permission to do what they might not be ready for. She had expressed her concerns, and Dumbledore assured her that there was no way to stop the inevitable.
Amelia, feeling defeated by nature itself, had reluctantly agreed to sit down with the newly engaged couple and explain about the special quarters. She also decided that she would have a good long sit down with Susan and make sure that her niece understood that there was no hurry, and that there was plenty of time to fulfill the obligations of the betrothal contract after they finished school.
Looking up at the ceiling approximately where Susan's bedroom was, Amelia sighed, wondering why her niece had to grow up so fast and where all the years had gone.