Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia, nor do I make any profits from posting this fanfiction.

Summary: Non-Epilogue compliant. Harry, mid fight against remaining Death Eater factions, finds himself somehow transported to a strange world, Narnia. He learns to live, to love, and eventually to be a little bit selfish.

Warnings: Slash. Cross dimension travel. Character death. Murder, violence, fighting.

Pairings: HP/EP.

Chapter 10

"…give you King Edmund, Duke of the Lantern Waste, Knight of the Noble Order of the Table, and Count of the Western Marches." Peter announced and the room all bowed to Edmund and cheered out. Harry cheered and clapped, although he made a show of bowing when Edmund glanced over at him. Edmund gave him a grin and shook his head.

The battle for the Western Marches had lasted two weeks. Enemies had crawled out of the very earth it had seemed and there were always more of them. They had won in the end though and Harry couldn't say what a relief it was to finally be back in Cair Paravel; back to comfort, safety and security…and privacy. He and Edmund had spent no time together alone since that first night. Some of the battles they had fought went on through the night, some of them had the Narnian's camping out as they chased the Army of the Marches back further and further. Harry's magic was an invaluable part of their strategy and he was always out in the front with the other soldiers, however much Edmund disliked it. Edmund's dislike and even his possessiveness and protectiveness had become very obvious to everybody, although thankfully the reasons for it weren't known. Harry and Edmund hadn't spoken about it but Harry didn't feel it was necessary to talk about how to confront the world with their relationship. For now just having each other was enough, and Edmund wasn't a fan of public displays of affection anyway, beyond an embrace anyway.

Harry bowed as the kings and queens of Narnia left their dais to mingle with the guests. Peter clapped him on the shoulder as he passed but otherwise no words passed between them. Lucy managed to confirm that he would dance with her later and Susan gave him a smile but was otherwise preoccupied with one of her suitors. Edmund put one hand on the base of Harry's neck and brought their foreheads together, an intimacy that to the world would be seen as brotherhood, a warriors embrace, but to them meant a lot more.

"Another title your majesty…soon your name will be too long to say." Harry teased and Edmund grinned.

"You just wait, you'll get more titles soon and then it will be me that laughs, boy-who-lived."

"You had to bring that up." Harry laughed and pulled back from the embrace. Edmund squeezed his shoulder then drew back too.

"I was thinking about making it an official Narnian title for you."

"See if I ever help you again." Harry mock scowled, which had the members of court around them teeter and giggle. Edmund just smirked, happiness etched into his expression.

"Oh you will." He said with the same certainty that a person would declare that at dawn the sun would break past the horizon. Harry waved him off and went to talk with other people which, inevitably, meant he ended up talking to some of the women vying for Edmund's attention. He spoke with them with added humour now, knowing as he did what Edmund was like when he kissed and what Edmund sounded like when he told somebody he loved them.

The afternoon and evening passed slowly and Harry slipped away early in the end because he couldn't take another minute of socialising. He closed the door to his room and walked over to his wardrobe planning to take his time getting changed. He stripped off his tunic, slid it away on coat hangers he had permanently transfigured years ago when he had first moved into the rooms. He then pulled off his undershirt and grabbed his sleep shirt, a very loose white shirt with long sleeves that hung to mid-thigh. He slid his leggings off, socks going too, and he cast them aside. Unlike his tunic which was relatively clean his leggings were not. Once off he pulled on some light coloured baggier trousers to wear in bed. Slipping them on he padded barefoot over to the bed, tucking in the edge of his shirt to his trousers just to stop it from hanging off him. Once at the bed he slipped in between the covers, cast a quick incendio at the fireplace, cast accio on the book he was going to read, then pulled off his wand holster from his arm. He set his wand back into it and placed it on his bedside table.

Harry picked up his book, one he had picked up that fateful day in Diagon Alley, and started re-reading the first chapter on basic first aid for Aurors while he waited. He didn't have to wait long. There was a knock on the door then the door swung open and Edmund walked with a sheepish but thrilled grin on his face. Harry put down his book, sat up straight in bed and grinned.

"I thought I would never get away." Edmund closed the door with a click and crossed immediately to the bed. Before Harry could make to get out of the bed Edmund was climbing on. He crawled up over the bed until he hovered over Harry.

"Oh…" Harry muttered, momentarily stuck for words as shock, anticipation and a few other things suddenly blossomed inside of him. Edmund grinned, leaned down and kissed Harry. His lips sucked away and protest Harry would have made and he was swept along with the demanding kiss for a few moments. Edmund still kissed like a parched man desperately trying to get what he so needed. Harry could only hold on and do his best to weather the fantastic storm.

Eventually they broke apart and Harry licked his lips, now able to identify the taste of apple that he hadn't been able to even contemplate when Edmund kissed him so soundly.

"I have wanted to do that for days!" Edmund complained and pressed their foreheads together. He shut his eyes too as if he was so relieved to finally have gotten his wish he needed his eyes shut to savour it. Harry licked his lips again, feeling them begin to tingle from the constant friction. He ran his hand up Edmund's arm to his back then up to Edmund's neck.

"That must have made it hard to concentrate." He joked and Edmund opened his eyes, the corners of them crinkling as he laughed. His dimples looked adorable this close up and his eyes sparkled even more.

"Oh you have no idea how much my mind would wander when planning out a battle. I kept having to constantly set myself back on task." The king shook his head in self-depreciation but his grin told him he wasn't too upset by it. How could he be anyway? They had won.

"If it's any consolation I might have been a little more forceful than normal with my spells just to get all the fighting over with."

"Ah…you know you've earned yourself quite a fearsome reputation amongst the troops now don't you?" Edmund asked and leaned back a little bit to rest on his haunches. Harry shrugged and gave Ed a playful grin.

"As long as it doesn't turn into a title I'm fine with whatever they call me."

Edmund laughed and lifted his hand to rest it on the juncture of Harry's neck and shoulder. The touch sent another thrill through Harry and he raised his shoulder a little to press against Edmund's hand more.

"One day I will give you a title and nothing you say will be able to prevent it from happening." Then he shook his head as if dismissing the topic completely. "For now though I just want to spend some time with you."

Edmund used the hand on Harry's shoulder to push him back down onto the bed. Harry flopped back with a muffled gasp that was silenced immediately by Edmund lying down on top of him and lightly kissing him again.

"I have imagined having you like this for a great many years." Edmund whispered and a hand stroked down Harry's face, running lightly down his temple then over his lips.

"And what was I doing when I was like this?"

"Kissing me. Loving me." Edmund smiled as if those things were the best things in the world.

If Harry was honest, that confession was not what he expected. Nor were the kisses that followed. They lay on the bed and kissed and kissed late into the night. Edmund's desperate, demanding kisses eventually lessened in fervour and severity and eventually Harry got to engage Ed in some slower kissing, savouring kisses. Harry loved that. They took their time, languidly kissing and exploring. Ed seemed to love the deeper kisses when their mouths became fused together and the space created in the centre was filled with tongues and love. Harry thought they must have tried out every single way there was to kiss in one evening.

They eventually flopped down on the beds lying face to face and silently enjoying each other's presence as they fell asleep.

Morning demanded they part company but they did so very reluctantly. Harry could still feel Edmund on his lips nearly a whole hour after they had reluctantly broken away from each other to go about their day as normal. He had eaten breakfast in his room, washed and dressed then made his way through the castle to the throne rooms where, yet again, all the Pevensies were attending court. Edmund, Harry had heard, had chosen to go without sword training because of all the time spent at war the last few weeks. Harry couldn't blame him. Harry didn't particularly want to practise any of the fighting arts either that morning. His body was sore and, while not war torn, it was bruised and aching.

Harry walked into the throne room and skirted around the edges of the people gathered until he was at the front of the crowd with an unimpeded view of the four royals.

Immediately upon emerging from the crowd he felt eyes on him and with a smile he raised his eyes to meet them. Edmund could always see him, always found him in a crowd. Harry could no longer deny the attraction, the draw and the magic between them. For that was what it was, magic. Nothing else could be so electric, so charged. Harry met Ed's eyes and heat and emotion bound their gazes together.

The Court session faded into the background like a dream. Harry didn't concentrate on it, he didn't care to, he just kept his gaze on Edmund and thought, planned and remembered. Eventually the court session closed, the people were dismissed, and Edmund left the dais to approach Harry with a grin.

"Harry." He greeted and wrapped Harry in a hug that to anyone else would look platonic. The light brushing of fingertips through the tiny hairs on the nape of Harry's neck said otherwise. Harry hugged back, his arms going around Edmund's waist and squeezing perhaps a little tighter than any friend would squeeze.

"Morning. Did court go well?" He asked and he and Ed separated as the other Pevensies came to stand around them.

"It went abysmally, weren't you paying any attention?" Susan rolled her eyes to display her displeasure. Harry rubbed at the back of his neck.

"I wasn't actually listening. I was a little bit distracted." He smiled sheepishly and felt a blush heat his face, a blush that only worsened when he caught Edmund's eye and saw the slight smirk the man had on his face.

"Oh I'm sure you are still tired. War is exhausting! Aslan knows I am exhausted." Lucy chirped and slid one of her arms through Harry's. "Come on, let's all go for a walk to perk ourselves up a bit before lunch shall we?"

"I'm not sure – ow! Susan!" Peter grunted as Susan stepped on his foot. Lucy teetered a giggle, Edmund looked smug and amused while Susan just glared at her oldest brother. Peter sighed and nodded. "Alright Lu. A walk it is."

Harry escorted Lucy out on the walk, the others following them sedately. Lucy was jabbering on about some such thing or another but Harry's mind had wandered again and more than once he wished the youngest Pevensie would stop hanging off his arm and leave him alone. It wasn't that he didn't want to walk with Lucy, he did like the girl after all, but now that his secret had been admitted aloud Harry felt everything that bit more keenly. He just wanted to walk with Edmund.

Eventually Lucy did release him, bounding into conversation with Susan over one of Susan's suitors. Peter was engrossed in conversation with Mr Tumnus, conveniently, which means the only two not involved in any conversation was Harry and Edmund. They closed the distance between them and walked side by side through the courtyard. They didn't say anything for ages, their silence perfectly companiable and any conversation they might have enjoyed was not for open spaces.

That evening, after a long day feeling tenseness and anticipation build between them, Harry and Edmund eventually finished their card game and left the family room to 'go to bed'. Lucy had made a joking comment over how that really meant they were going to stay up chatting long into the night in Harry's rooms as they nearly always did. She was right…only they didn't stay up chatting.

Narnia year 1007

Another day passed, then another, then a week had passed. Edmund and Harry spent every moment they could in each other's company without drawing suspicion on themselves. They sparred together, although afterwards Edmund would spar with a much more advanced swordsman and a couple of times had clashed swords with Peter in practise. Harry would either watch Edmund or practise firing spells at a practise dummy, being sure to fix the damage later.

After sparring they would all end up in need of a wash where they usually went their separate ways. Once cleaned up Harry went to court to listen in, he would read, he would practise his non-verbal spells, or even spend time with the Queens. Susan usually had a lot of suitors to occupy her time but on occasion she did need a break she joined Harry and Lucy. Lucy was friendly to everyone but being as fond of everyone and everything, and an unwavering faith in Aslan, made the girl a little unapproachable to all but the most perseverant of suitors and as a result she had only a few young men after her hand. Lucy made Harry go on horse rides with her, climb trees to look in birds' nests, help the naiads plant seeds, dance with various beings and animals, and he had even helped Lucy help Mr and Mrs Beaver expand their dam. He had become drenched through the process and covered head to foot in mud. His horse Lina had refused to let him ride her home because he was so disgustingly grubby.

It was a rare day when all the Pevensies had an outing together, however once or twice Royal Duties merged together with fun and meant the four siblings could go out together.

Harry sat on Lina allowing his body to move with her movement as they walked with an entire entourage of people and beings to the Stone Table. He rode behind Edmund and Lucy who rode side by side. In front of them were Susan and Peter. All around them were guards and the people and beings of Narnia, as well as guests of the realm. They all made the pilgrimage to the Stone Table to celebrate the turn of a new season, as they always had and always would.

It took a long time to get there and throughout the journey Edmund would keep shooting looks at Harry over his shoulder. Lucy would occasionally call a question back to him to include him in a conversation, but, otherwise, Harry was mostly left in silence. He didn't mind too much, he had Edmund in his sights all the time and he had his memories to keep him entertained. Not to mention some children ran alongside the parade and Harry gave them little magic shows along the route which kept him more than entertained.

Eventually, hours later, the entourage reached the Stone Table. They set up camp at the bottom of the hill, set up a gigantic feasting tent and made a pyre for the fire. Once that was done they all cleaned themselves up, got changed, and made the pilgrimage up the hill on foot. Peter conducted the ceremony to give thanks to Aslan for his help and guidance. Susan retold the story of Aslan's great sacrifice, followed by Edmund reminding everyone of the courage they must have in themselves to live well in Aslan's name. Lucy recited the short poem telling the Narnian's of the changing of the seasons.

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, at the sound of his roar, sorrow will be no more, when he bears his teeth, winter meets its death, and when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."

An almighty cheer went up after that and the partying began. A few people chose to sit beside the stone table and give their own thanks or make prayers. Most people joined in the celebrations; they danced, sang, ate, drank, regaled crowds with stories of Aslan and the previous year in Autumn.

Harry, for his part, did the fireworks. He had been able to practise a great variety of fireworks over the last few years and now had plenty of spells in his arsenal to create a spectacle of lights. He danced occasionally, and even took part in a friendly sword fight. He won that one but then Edmund cheekily came to challenge him and Harry knew it was a losing battle before it had even begun. Edmund outmatched him every other day, Harry had never won a fight solely on sword skill alone.

Harry conceded the fight when he was flat on his back, unarmed and with Edmund's sword to his neck. Edmund had gone all out to not only have a victory, but to have a reasonably humiliating victory against Harry. Harry would have been upset but Edmund grinned, sheathed his sword and offered him a hand up. He was dragged up to his feet with his body no more than a few inches away from Edmund's.

"Sorry about that Harry." Edmund muttered with a grin.

"No you aren't…but you will be…" Harry grinned back, retreated a step, and offered Edmund a bow. "Your Majesty."

Edmund nodded and looked around the crowd inviting others to join him in a friendly fight. Nobody did and Peter proclaimed he was already occupied otherwise he would have taken up his brother's challenge.

Hours later Harry, who had gone to bed at the end of the night's celebration, was still wide awake and tossing and turning in his bed. He could not sleep. He was very tired, perhaps a bit overtired, but he couldn't get to sleep. It was possibly because Edmund was not beside him, which made Harry blush at his own sappiness. The truth was that he was very accustomed now to falling asleep with Edmund in his bed but it wasn't possible in this camp. The royal tents were well guarded and the only way for Edmund and Harry to spend the night together was for Harry to sneak into Edmund's bed then sneak out again using spells. There was always the chance though that one of the guards would walk in and see them, or even hear them chatting together. While they weren't actively hiding their relationship Harry and Edmund were not acting on it in public and had kept everything behind closed doors. Edmund had made no mention of revealing their relationship and Harry knew how prejudice the world could be, whether the same was true of all Narnian's or not, he wasn't in a rush to find out.

Harry threw back the covers on his bed. He could still not sleep and there was no use in staying in bed when he couldn't sleep. He climbed out of bed, pulled on a cloak and his boots then left his tent to find something useful to do for a while before trying to go back to sleep. He nodded to the night watchmen and the guards positioned outside the royal tents then wandered off around camp trying to find something to occupy him. He ended up at the bonfire and all he could see was mess and hay on the floor. He flicked his wand into his hand and started casting various charms and spells. He may as well get a head start on cleaning up.

After an hour of that tidying and cleaning, some of which he did with magic and some he did manual labour for, Harry went back to his tent and tried to sleep. Sleep was reluctant to come still though it did eventually take Harry. He bet he wouldn't have had some much trouble if Edmund were there. How sentimental was that?

"I am exhausted!" Edmund said by way of a greeting as he slammed Harry's bedroom door shut and leaned against it wearily. Harry had been standing by his window looking out over the coast when Ed came in but he closed the distance between them with more than a little enthusiasm.

"I'm guessing we will both be having an early night tonight then." Harry's voice was sardonic and Edmund gave him a half smile. Ed's hand reached out and cupped the side of Harry's neck, thumb rubbing a small circle on Harry's skin and making his nerves stand on end.

"Hopefully I will be able to sleep tonight."

"Ah…" Harry gave a great nod as if everything had suddenly become clear. He reached out and ran a hand through Edmund's hair, the king turning into the touch and closing his eyes. "You couldn't sleep either last night then I take it."

"No. I was missing you in my bed too much to sleep." Came the quiet but honest confession. Harry couldn't have stopped the grin even if he had wanted to. While he wouldn't wish a sleepless night on anyone, especially if he was the cause of such restlessness, it was good to know that Edmund had missed him as much as he had missed Edmund. Edmund tilted his head and kissed Harry's forearm, the only bit of Harry he could reach, then looked up with those dark eyes. "I heard you were up late too, word got around very fast that it had been you who tidied up the camp site in the early hours."

"I couldn't sleep either. I think I have become too used to you being there by me that having a cold bed was odd."

Ed smiled, pushed himself up from the door and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist pulling him in close. Harry allowed himself to go with the movement, moving his hand from Edmund's hair to wrap them around his shoulders. He touched his other hand to Edmund's chest, just touching and enjoying having Edmund under his hand to touch.

"I am glad I was not the only one suffering by the absence in my bed." Edmund leaned in for a kiss, one lacking in Edmund's usual fiery passion but by no means lacking in emotion. He kissed gently as if savouring having Harry there. Harry closed his eyes and turned himself over to the kiss, revelling in it.

They eventually moved to the bed after long moments of kissing and hugging. Harry lay down on his side and Edmund curled behind him, hugging him close for a while as they drifted. They separated to sleep, Edmund moving back a little and Harry rolling over to sleep on his front. Ed still kept a hand on Harry's back though, draped there reassuring Harry of his presence, and no doubt reassuring himself of Harry's.