Severus looked over the top of the defense text he was reading at his…boyfriend? He still wasn't sure what to call Harry. More importantly, he wasn't sure just what he'd done wrong. He realized he was probably being a bit more passive and stand-offish in their relationship than his younger partner would probably like, but he'd always welcomed any advances Harry made and appreciated that the man was respecting his wishes to take things slow since he'd been burned pretty badly in the past. However, they'd been "officially" together for a little over a week, and while things had been moving forward some, now they seemed at a complete standstill or even going backwards. It was also very clear that his roommate was significantly irritated at something.
While normally in the evenings, they would sit close to each other on the couch while doing their individual work (Severus would never use the word cuddling!), Harry had in the past few days been moving further and further away from him. That night, Snape had finally given in and sat in his old, usual armchair and let Harry have the couch to himself. Harry would also grimace quite often while both in class and in their chambers and mutter obscenities under his breath, at what or who, Snape had absolutely no idea, but it must be something he was doing that was bothering the teen…right?
Snape was also having some flashbacks to the Harry he knew at fifteen with a hair-trigger temper. It was nowhere near as bad as that year when he'd been significantly influenced by the Dark Lord in his mind, but he had snapped at Kreacher once, who had been overly mothering him about eating more, before Harry almost prostrated himself in apologies to the elf. He'd also been very short with Severus, just shy of starting an argument and excusing himself immediately whenever he seemed to realize what he was doing.
It was driving the man to distraction! He'd taken to recording his observations in his journal once more but hadn't been able to come to any conclusion as to what was going on. He was resigned to having to actually ask Harry what he'd done, and he was terrified it would lead to a break in their relationship. He didn't think he could handle losing what he'd had for only a week. The peace he felt with someone who actually wanted him around, but that peace seemed to be leaving their chambers swiftly. They could not go on with this coldness as they had been.
Snape put down his book and took in a deep breath, steeling himself for the upcoming argument. Just as he was about to say something, Harry stood up himself with a loud growl of frustration. "I can't take this anymore!" The teen exclaimed, throwing his quill and the essay he'd been writing down on the coffee table.
"Indeed…" Snape raised an eyebrow and waited for the blow-up, for Harry listing everything that made him an unsuitable partner and why they had to never see each other again.
"Watch Little Bit!" Harry instead growled again before turning on his heel and heading directly into their washroom.
Snape looked over to the egg sitting as usual in the basket by the fire. Harry never seemed to understand that an unhatched egg really didn't need supervision, but he still kept the egg in the corner of his eye. This was a new development at the very least. What could have led to this blow-up and subsequent escape from the room was still beyond the man. It was all just so confusing!
It didn't take very long for Harry to once more exit the washroom, this time looking much calmer and carrying something in his hands. "Everything ok?" Snape asked in more interest than he was trying to let on.
Harry just walked over and slammed something down on the end table beside Snape with a smile on his face. "Happy early Christmas," he said, removing his hand to show a wide strip of pale green something.
His other hand placed a mostly empty glass jar beside the paper-thin green strip. "And would you please, please, please brew me some more of this before I completely lose my mind?" Harry begged next with a pleading look in his eyes. "I'll do anything! Foot rubs for life or marking your first-year essays, anything!"
Snape stared in confusion at the two items trying to figure out what the desperate creature in front of him was talking about. The green thing looked very familiar…it looked like the shed snakeskin he'd helped Kreacher collect from the Chamber of Secrets. They'd gotten all of it though…it was then that what it must be finally sank in. Harry had scales…he would have to shed them sometimes if they were similar to the basilisk's skin from the chamber.
He let out a little chuckle of relief, startling the teen in front of him. "Merlin! I thought I'd done something, and you were mad at me," he couldn't help laughing a little louder, feeling giddy in his utter relief. "You've just been itchy!"
"What?! No, of course you haven't done anything! What could have made you think that?!" Harry frowned in concern and surprise. "Have I been behaving badly? I'm so sorry, Snape! I really didn't mean to, but I've been so bloody itchy that I'm just irritated all the time! Please forgive me!"
At that, Harry actually sat on his lap to the man's shock and almost embarrassing pleasure. Snape was pulled into probably the tightest hug he'd ever been given in his life. He felt like Harry was trying to literally hug away any doubt, uncertainty, and negative feelings he'd had over the past few days.
"I'm so, so sorry! I wasn't due to shed for another week or two, but it must have come earlier because of my burning day, so I'd run out of my itch cream and thought I'd just power through instead of asking Healer Morris to get me more," he gushed in what must have been one breath from where his lips were almost buried in Snape's hair. "It was a really bad idea. I should have just asked you to make me some, but I get stubborn and thought it wouldn't be a big deal."
It was an awkward position since the two of them were almost the same size with Harry only being a little shorter and leaner, but Snape still felt utterly at peace in that moment. They were fine…Harry wasn't breaking up with him, and he could easily brew as much anti-itch cream as the part-snake man would ever want or need. "Harry…it's fine, really. I'm happy to brew you some more cream. It won't take an hour," he assured the frantic man shifting so that Harry was more beside him and getting them more comfortable so his boyfriend (he would go with the name for now) wouldn't feel like he needed to get up.
"Merlin, Snape, you have no idea," he settled in more with a relieved smile on his face. "I've been hungry, in pain, cold, all that but being constantly itchy has to be the most absolutely distracting of them all. And I couldn't exactly scratch where my scales are during class," Harry turned a bright shade of pink at that. "I'm sure you saw after I burned out, but some are kind-of…well, inner thigh-ish."
Snape would never admit that he turned a bit pink at that as well, or admit that, yes, he'd definitely looked and found those scales utterly distracting in a very good way. "Right…so, this is your skin?" He instead focused on the pale green snakeskin he'd been given. "I am interested to run some tests to see how similar this is to the basilisk's from the chamber. As you are only part-snake, it may have different qualities or characteristics."
"Hence the happy early Christmas," Harry grinned widely at him. "I do have you an actual gift for you though, so don't think I'm trying to get out of the holiday cheap."
Snape's brain utterly ground to a halt in his experiment plans when he realized that he was spending Christmas with his boyfriend, his new boyfriend, and he'd definitely be expected to get him some kind of gift…which he absolutely had not done yet. Bloody hell!
"And you had better not even think of getting me anything. I know I said this before, but you were brewing something and probably weren't listening," Harry continued in his stream of thought, seeming to not notice that Snape had been having a mild freak-out. "You've brewed all those potions for me and watched Little Bit when I couldn't. You deserve a restful Christmas and should just leave the pampering to me for a bit. Kreacher and I are already planning some super delicious meals, and I apparently owe you foot rubs for life now anyway."
This didn't keep Snape from his anxiety over Christmas because he was definitely getting Harry something regardless of what he said. And when had Harry been talking to him when he was brewing anyway? Maybe he was experimenting with the basilisk venom at the time? He'd been concentrating very intensely since it was a volatile substance.
"Yes, it is so very difficult to watch an unhatched egg," Snape drawled instead of letting onto his plans. He put his arms more firmly around Harry's waist. "This ok?" He asked, initiating their closeness for once.
To his surprise, Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course, as I already said, assume you're welcome," he leaned in more to the man.
Snape did feel more welcome than he had in a very long time, sharing the warmth of the abnormally warm man. They complemented each other even in body heat since Snape had a hard time keeping his body temperature up being a mostly dead vampire, and Harry ran overly hot being part firebird.
They sat like that for a little while before Harry starting squirming some and gave a sigh as he had to turn to scratch his left side. "Bloody hell," he grumbled irritably.
Snape laughed and pushed him off to stand. "Let's get started on your cream," he laughed, picking up the jar. "You can prep the ingredients. It'll take your mind off the itch, and don't throw away any of those scales. I want them."
"Literally wanting my skin, Snape," Harry chuckled, following him to the lab in their rooms. "I thought it'd be blood I'd be fighting my vampire partner over instead of skin."
Snape opened the door with an eyeroll. Partner…he liked that word though, much better than boyfriend. "Your blood smells vile, you can keep it."
Harry just laughed and scratched off another couple scales he put on the counter. "Oi, you dunderhead," Snape huffed and set an empty jar beside the man. "Put the scales in there. It would be dangerous for them to get in any potion they were not meant for. Basilisk scale and venom is highly toxic and volatile."
"Sorry," Harry grumbled. "I'll keep my parts to myself then…unless asked for." The look he gave Snape had the man clearing his throat and looking away to find his good cauldron, not even going to address that in his laboratory, that was definitely not appropriate behavior for the lab!
"You ready? All packed? Got both of your portkeys set up?" Ron asked Hermione over breakfast the morning they were all to leave the castle for break.
"Yes, Mum," she grumbled from where they were sitting off apart from everyone else and eating at the Hufflepuff table that day. "I swear, you are taking the place of your mother now that you all aren't getting along."
"He's giving me a run for my money as the first parent in our group," Harry couldn't help quietly laughing from where he was sitting between Hermione and Malfoy and across from Ron. Hermione and Draco were getting along now, but it was still generally a good idea to keep a person between them or they'd go off on some kind of academic debate over something or another during the meal and no one would get any word in edgewise.
"I am absolutely not!" Ron vehemently protested. "It's just a long trip, and the international portkey office is so strict."
"I have everything taken care of," she assured him with a more understanding look that time. "It is still ok for me to stay with you the last part of break, Harry?"
"'Course," he gave her Snape's you're an idiot look that he was getting very close to perfecting.
"That is disturbing," Draco dryly commented on Harry's look. "You have been spending way too much time with my godfather, and please never, ever mention what you are doing during all that time you are together either," he grimaced at the end.
Harry huffed. "Unfortunately, it's all very child-friendly and non-scandalous at all right now. I wouldn't mind too much that changing though…"
"La, la, la," Ron put his hands over his ears in a show of warding the conversation away.
"I really should have made friends with a few nice Ravenclaw girls my first year instead of you lot," Hermione gave them a wide grin, saying just how much she really did love them with a look.
The owl post swooped into the Great Hall, dropping newspapers and letters in a flurry of wings. Collectively, the four held their breath as a barn owl dropped an elegantly addressed letter on fine parchment in front of Malfoy. "No one touch it!" Ron instantly glared at the letter as if it were going to jump up and start to physically attack them.
"I got it," Harry immediately started casting all the curse-detection, portkey identifying, and harmful substance detection spells that Tonks had taught him after the letter incident at the envelope on the table.
Draco huffed while this was happening but did not protest. "I think it is the letter from the council," he commented, seeing the return address clearly stating Veela Council in the corner.
"Well…it's clear…probably," Harry stopped casting and instead just picked up the letter.
"Harry James Potter!" Hermione smacked him on the back of the head. "Don't you do that!"
"What?!" Harry grumbled, rubbing his head. "I checked it first. It was most likely fine. I was just being sure."
"Salazar! How have you two put up with him for the past seven years?" Draco let out a breath but also took the letter from the teen sitting beside him. "Was he always this bad?"
"Yes," Ron and Hermione answered together.
"And he wasn't indestructible before," Hermione added on with an accusatory look his direction.
Draco's hand was noticeably shaking slightly as he broke the wax seal on the letter, none of them would ever mention it though. They were all holding their breath as he read the letter, then seemed to read it again, then frowned even more deeply.
"Well?! Are you going to tell us?!" Ron finally broke in frustration.
"It's really nothing," Draco put down the letter, then seemed to think better about it and actually handed it to Ron. "They appointed your sister-in-law to keep an eye on me while I am still developing my abilities and to make sure I don't get into any trouble...or, I suppose, out the fact that male veela actually exist...oops," he commented wryly to the group in front of him that clearly knew now.
"What's with the frown lines then?" Harry asked in concern at the troubled look still on the Slytherin's face.
"Oh," Ron said sadly, seeming to have gotten to that part of the letter. "He really never mentioned anything? The bastard."
"Not a word," Malfoy shook his head and took in a deep breath. "It seems my father was half-veela. My grandmother died before I was born, but it stands to reason she was a full-veela. It was highly likely I would inherit at least some veela genes, but he never said anything. Never acknowledged it at all."
"They seemed shocked Malfoy wasn't already filled in on his inheritance and possible changes," Ron said, handing the letter back to the veela. "It was expected of his father to tell him since male-veela are much more reclusive in letting others even know they exist. There is quite the list of possible changes in the letter that you may still go through too…some of them are pretty bloody awesome."
"You think?" Draco raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You want to do this instead of me, then?"
"Maybe if I could get my own wings to fly, yeah," Ron just shrugged, thinking that sounded pretty cool.
"That would be awesome," Harry nodded. "Then you and your godfather could fly together. I'd have to take my broom since I'm a stupid bird with no wings," he pouted at the unfairness.
"Snape can fly?" Ron asked with a surprised cock of his head. "Oh yeah…same as You-Know-Who, right? I remember that now. I wonder how they did that."
"I'm pretty sure he meant that vampires can turn into bats like an animagus," Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Although, I would be interested to learn that flying spell some of the Death Eaters used if he ever wants to pass along that information and it's not like illegal or something."
"Apparently, he doesn't like to go all bat. It messes with your normal human senses," Harry just shrugged, now wondering if he could get that flying spell out of Snape. It would be awesome to fly together on a date or something.
"Well, I am sure you annoying tossers will be the first to find out if I start sprouting feathers anyway since you never leave me alone," Draco huffed and shoved the letter into his coat pocket.
"We'd better be first," Harry grinned at him widely. "Now, I know you're doing Boxing Day with us, but will you stop by before? When's your tattoo appointment? Did you decide on a dragon?"
"I already said I was getting a Welsh Green," he sighed dramatically. "I don't understand your desire to get me to change it. And, no, my appointment is for the 27th, so I'll stay the night after Boxing Day if you and Uncle Sev insist on tagging along. I need to spend time with Mother before then though."
Ron sighed dramatically next, clearly trying to illicit sympathy. "You'll be fine," Harry rolled his eyes at his friend. "It's not like you didn't live there for eleven years of your life and then breaks after that."
"Ginny knows I'm on Percy's side though. I don't see why you all are insisting I go back there," he pouted. "I'd rather be at Grimmauld or even making mischief at Malfoy's place."
"Mother would eat you alive," the blond flicked a piece of bacon at Ron that hit him right between the eyes.
"Oi! Unnecessary! Can't you see I'm being tortured here?!"
"Look, we need to know just how involved they are with this new creature bill," Harry leaned in to tell him emphatically. "After the war, every member of the Order has a lot of influence, your Dad even more since he works at the ministry. It doesn't matter if they are on the Wizengamut; they have the ear of those who are. Just find out if there is any possibility they will budge on their views and just how committed they are to this."
"Fine! But I'm doing Christmas with you. There is no way I'm sitting out actually seeing Bill, Charlie, and the twins," he pointedly glared at his friend.
"We wouldn't expect you to miss out," Harry assured him as the headmistress stood to address everyone before they left the castle.
"Everyone! Listen up," Headmistress McGonagall called everyone's attention to her at the head table. "I know this term has been short and we are not halfway through the year as we usually would be at this time, so please keep up with your studies and any homework you were given over break. We must buckle down on your return and focus in to finish out this year strong."
Hermione glared at Harry and Ron, seemingly to stress the woman's point more. The two just looked at each other and chuckled. Yeah, they weren't much for studying, but both were motivated to do well on their NEWTs and actually get a job, especially Harry who was holding tightly to his egg. They had grown since their eleven-year-old selves at the very least.
"Now, while you all are away, I also want you to take this time to heal and do some soul-searching," the headmistress continued. "The aurors have still not determined who was responsible for Mr. Potter's mishap not long ago."
"Mishap…nice way of saying my death," Harry grumbled under his breath while Hermione actually looked quite angrily at the woman from his other side.
"For those of you responsible, I want you to consider your actions and let go of the hate and fear of the last couple years," she said, looking sternly at the students. "There have also been more issues of fighting in the corridors this year as well. This will not continue! Leave this behind over the holiday season. Myself and your professors have been as understanding as we could during the trauma of returning this year, but there will be no tolerance for violence or hate being spread in the new year. I expect you all to return renewed, refreshed, and recommitted to your studies."
"Does she really think this lecture will do anything," Draco drawled under his breath in exasperation.
"Yeah, 'no tolerance' hasn't really done anything in the past," Ron agreed quietly with a disappointed shake of his head.
"Now! Off the train! No one is staying at the school this year, so I expect you all to hurry on down, and do not leave anything behind as your head of house is not responsible to owl anything you left to you," she motioned in finality for everyone to get a move on.
"Was it required for everyone to leave, or did it just happen that way?" Harry asked Hermione with a frown.
"I think it just happened that way," she shrugged. "You can imagine parents were probably more insistent than ever that their children return to them for the break," she added with a little bitterness at the end.
Harry threw an arm around her shoulders as they made their way in the crush of people towards Hogsmeade and the train. While Hermione and her parents clearly loved each other, it didn't seem like the older Grangers ever really wanted to have a child, and definitely didn't know what to do with one like Hermione, who turned out to be a witch, once they had her. It wasn't that they ever treated her poorly, but they'd always just left her to her own devices, treating her more as a small flatmate instead of a daughter to raise. It probably didn't help that she'd erased their memories and sent them off to Australia, even if they'd built a solid life for themselves there in the aftermath.
"My floo is still connected for communication with your parents," Harry informed her. "Let us know you got there safe and if you need anything. I can send Fawkes, even if he gets all huffy about it, he really does like you."
"You and Ron both are such worriers…Little Bit is going to be smothered with you all around," she grumbled but with a thankful look up at him.
Severus shook his head and gave a chuckle when Harry plopped down on the couch beside him and insisted on giving him one of his "owed" foot rubs. "You really do not need to do that," he commented even if it felt heavenly when he'd been standing and brewing for the Hogwarts infirmary all morning to catch up from what had been used over the term.
"I finally shed all that skin, and you saved me from getting so frustrated that I set myself on fire again," Harry chuckled and got more comfortable with Snape's feet in his lap, having pulled off the man's slippers and socks as soon as he sat down and deposited Little Bit on the floor beside them.
"Hmm, I could probably get used to this," Snape sighed putting his potions journal down and just melting into the couch. He didn't know when he began to think of Grimmauld Place as his home, but he'd felt it as soon as he walked through the front door after doing his final checks on Slytherin House and finishing his marking for the term. It was almost as if the wards recognized him…
"Harry…did you happen to add me to the wards of the house?" He opened one eye to ask in surprise.
"Erm…yeah, that a problem? You live here now," he stopped his ministrations momentarily to check that Snape wasn't upset with him but started again when it looked like he wasn't.
For his part, Snape didn't know how to respond to that. No one had ever added him to their wards before. It was more than just giving him a key to the house; it really was making it to where it was officially his home too. He was not sure if Harry understood the significance, but knowing his partner, even if he had, he would still have done it.
About thirty minutes later, Snape clearly felt the wards ding as their door was approached, and he could even tell it was someone that was on the welcome list. He shook his head, Harry never did anything halfway, it seemed he was fully integrated into the wards. "And just where did you get some of my blood to add me completely into the wards of an ancient manor house?" He asked, taking his feet back reluctantly to put his slippers on again.
"Er…" the teen blushed a bit. "I just asked Kreacher…you'll have to take that up with him."
The vampire raised an eyebrow. Somehow the house elf had gotten his blood without him knowing…that was concerning. "Indeed. I believe I will do just that."
"It's Bill and Charlie!" Percy said as he and the twins rushed into the sitting room from where they had been catching up with each other in the kitchen. "I saw them from the window. Fleur must still be at work."
Charlie had been invited to stay while he was in England since Bill and Fleur's house was a little small and no one wanted Fleur to have to play host when she was starting to get visibly pregnant. "She can probably only take all the Weasley brothers together in small doses anyway," Fred smirked in what was definitely complete truth.
"Mr. William and Mr. Charles Weasley," Kreacher announced with a huff that clearly stated he believed there to be way too many Weasleys in the house. "Kreacher will take Mr. Weasley's bag," he grabbed Charlie's small rucksack out of his hand and popped away irritably.
"Wow, did he look significantly younger?" Bill commented about the ornery elf with shock on his face.
Harry nodded firmly. Kreacher actually looked a little younger than Dobby had at the moment. It seemed that having a house, master, and being needed did wonders for whatever symbiotic relationship house elves had with magic. "Yeah, he does that…pretty common in his house," he motioned to the teenage Snape with a smirk who just rolled his eyes fondly.
"My dear, lovely brother!" Charlie gushed, rushing over to crush Percy in a hug. "How is work? How are you doing? Eat anything interesting during the full moons? Hippogriff maybe?"
"Merlin, Charlie," Percy gasped, feeling crushed even if he was a werewolf surprisingly. "I haven't eaten anything! Harry and Snape have been setting me up in the very empty Chamber of Secrets to transform. It's all very safe and boring."
"Sooo, you don't want me to keep releasing some rabbits in the chamber for your transformations, as per your instructions," Harry chuckled, getting a glare from Percy for outing him.
"No one needs to discuss what a man eats when he's having his time of the month," George laughed at his now very red brother.
"And why are we now chopped liver?" Fred asked in fake indignation. "I do remember almost dying, and I didn't get a hug."
"I hugged you in hospital," Charlie replied unrepentantly from where he still had an arm around the twins' older brother. "And you aren't as interesting as little Percy here anymore."
"Oi! I'm taller than you, even if you beat us all in being wide," he tried to wiggle out of his brother's grasp.
"All muscle," Charlie preened before actually letting him go and walking straight over to Harry. "Hello there, Harry dear…I hear you've become a bit more interesting as well. I'd love to hear all about it," he gave the younger man a wink and a smile.
Harry could actually hear the low rumble of Snape's irritation behind him, and he couldn't help feeling both flattered and exasperated. "I'm taken Charlie. I can be interesting as long as you keep your hands to yourself."
All the Weasleys had to laugh loudly at that, even Charlie who raised both his hands and backed up slightly. "No harm, no foul. I'd still love to hear about just what creature abilities you have, but I'll keep it purely professional."
"All I ask…"
Charlie had already turned to Snape though. "Professor…so, you're a vampire…"
"He's taken too," Harry scooted over to once more to be in Charlie's line of sight with a dangerous flash of fang in his direction that caused the man to smile even wider.
"Merlin, Ms. Granger clearly owes Ronald a galleon," Snape commented with an amused snort from behind Harry. "I believe I will retire to anywhere besides here for a while. Good to see you William," he leaned around Harry, ignoring Charlie, to tell the eldest Weasley.
"You too, Professor," Bill gave him an amused shake of his head.
"Wait, take Little Bit with you. I don't trust these idiots to not blow something up," Harry held the basket out for Snape with a motion towards the destruction that was the Weasley twins.
"As you shouldn't," both twins commented with sage nods of their heads.
Both Harry and Snape paused in their passing off the basket when the wards dinged once more. Before they could even comment, Ron Weasley huffed into the room with Kreacher irritably trailing him. "I did my best! I really did!" He exclaimed before dramatically crashing onto the couch in a heap.
"You only made it two days," Bill raised an eyebrow at their overly dramatic brother.
"And you would have only made it one," Ron glared at him.
"Actually, I only made it two hours when Fleur and I stopped by before Dad was threatening to disown me, and I was yelling back that it was a good idea," Bill shrugged to every else's shock. "This is why we are having Christmas here, but you had a mission and are supposed to be the more level-headed brother."
"Hey, I thought that was me!" Percy protested in indignation.
"Werewolf with werewolfy genes," Fred answered for Bill.
"Yeah, and you're the one they'd be all prejudiced against the most anyway," George added.
"How the hell did I become the level-headed Weasley?! Take it back! I don't want it!" Ron was now hugging a pillow to his chest and fiercely pouting.
"What happened?" Harry sighed, finally handing off Little Bit as Snape escaped the room as quickly as he could.
"They're trying to set up a marriage contract for me," Ron groaned once more. "Seems that they are preparing for having to cut the rest of you lot out of the will, and the family is being considered for a lordship that would get us a seat on the Wizengamut."
"Ok…so, what's a marriage contract, and is it what it sounds like?" Harry grimaced violently at the thought. "A seat on the Wizengamut seems unlikely to help us if your parents are in it with this new bill…"
"It's exactly as it sounds," Bill sat down in the armchair tiredly while Ron's other brothers all looked stunned into silence. "How are the two connected though? One has no bearing on the other."
Ron rolled his eyes. "They didn't like that Hermione and I broke up. They think me settling down will give me more stability, respectability, and drive or some such rot. They want me to be the one that goes into politics since I'm Harry's friend and all…"
Harry snorted. "Well, they still don't know I'm a creature…do you even want to go into politics?"
"No," Ron shrugged. "I don't want to be an auror anymore, but that's really as far as I've gotten. I was thinking more along the lines of an apprenticeship in broom making…"
"That would be wonderful, Ron," Bill reached over to squeeze his brother's knee in solidarity since it was the bit of him he was closest to. "Who are they trying to marry you off to?"
"Susan Bones," Ron grumbled. "Since her aunt was killed, she inherited everything. She didn't go back to Hogwarts this year and has instead been studying with tutors and preparing to work in the ministry. She's nice and all, but I don't feel anything for her at all. We really weren't even close friends. I don't know her take on this whole situation, but I'd be surprised if she was happy about it."
"You'd both have Wizengamut seats, so you would be a powerful couple…it actually makes a twisted sense if our family were the Malfoys instead of the Weasleys. If Susan is politically ambitious, she may consider it," Charlie shook his head in disappointment at his parents.
"We'll get you out of this. I'll ask Andy what we can do when I see her tomorrow," Harry sat on the floor by Ron and assured him firmly.
Ron just snorted though. "I am over seventeen and an adult, so there is no way by Merlin's saggy balls that I'll ever sign a marriage contract they write up, so there's nothing to get me out of. I packed my bags and headed over here right after they informed me that I was 'ordered' to do it," he sneered. "I might have left with a few strong parting remarks with some of the more colorful language I learned from the twins over the years, so I don't think I'm welcome back for a little while at least."
The twins did a fake, proud sniff. "We've been such a good influence," they said together.
"Kreacher…would you fix up a cot in Charlie's room. The last two guest rooms are already set up for Hermione and Draco," Harry turned to the elf that was also looking indignant at the Weasley parents.
"My room is bigger, he can stay with me," Percy suggested with a sigh.
"You two need a break from rooming with each other, and I'm not leaving Charlie alone when Draco will be staying here for a night or two," Harry glared accusingly at the stocky man.
"Really? Is little Malfoy interesting now too?" He smirked widely. "And when did you all even become friends?"
"Hey! Does Hermione owe me a galleon?!" Ron sat up quickly at that, eyes flashing in triumph.
"She most definitely does, and since we don't know when Draco's allure will come in, Charlie is to keep his hands to himself," Harry pointed at the man with a warning glare.
"Oooo, a veela!" Charlie grinned even wider. "You know, male veelas don't have the same allure…it's more like a push to agree with them…I knew this one in Budapest…"
"Regardless, he's Fleur's responsibility as a new veela, so I'm going to agree with Harry on this one," Bill laughed at his excited brother. "Apparently, the little Malfoy is a part of the family now as ordained by the Veela Council."
"I wouldn't call him little to his face, or he might just grow those talons he's been waiting on," Ron smirked at them and was already planning what he wanted to do with his galleon.
It really wasn't how he wanted it to happen, but Ron was happy to finally be where he wanted to be and out of the Burrow for good. The place he'd believed to be the definition of home his entire life no longer felt welcoming. It might have only been two days, but with Ginny's constant toxic comments and his mum's very manipulative fake crying and his dad's looks of disappointment, he really couldn't take it any longer. He could just relax now with Harry, his brothers, Hermione, and even Snape and Malfoy…he frowned slightly at the little leap his heart gave at the thought that Malfoy was coming to stay for a while.
Why did he want to see Malfoy so much? He'd been spending more and more time with the blond since Hermione had been focused on her classes and Harry had been focused on his egg, Snape, and not dying again. They were friends, yes, he could admit it now. As much as Malfoy still annoyed him, he had a dry sense of humor that Ron really appreciated, and he could talk quidditch for hours, and could even give him a run for his money in wizard's chess. Yes, that was it, it wasn't odd at all that he was excited to see Malfoy again. It wasn't even odd that he was mentally planning what he was going to wear for Boxing Day now either. It was a holiday; you were supposed to look nice. He'd just wear some tracksuit bottoms for Christmas day and those nice trousers Hermione had insisted he buy and the blue shirt she said made his eyes pop or something like that for Boxing Day.
Ron frowned darkly before plopping back down onto the couch with a deep groan at his life. "Hey…it'll all be fine. We'll figure this out, and you're welcome to stay here all break," Harry assured him with a squeeze to his arm.
"Not what I was groaning about, mate," Ron just closed his eyes and tried not to think about how his mind was running in a direction he definitely did not approve of. "Look…you think we could maybe talk a bit later in private…? I might be having a bit of a personal crisis along with everything else that's going on."
"Oooo, Ronnikins likes a girl! I know that look," George sat on the arm of the couch.
"Yeah, who is it? Do we know her?" Fred added on with a smirk.
"It's clearly not Susan Bones," Charlie tagged in with a snort of amusement.
"Oi! Leave him alone you lot," Harry stood and pulled Ron to his feet. "Come on, help with the tea since Kreacher's busy. You all can just amuse yourselves while we wait on Fleur for dinner. Don't break, blow-up, or curse anything," Harry pointed to the twins at the end, flicking his hand and conjuring a small flame that danced across the palm of his hand with his phoenix powers. "If Teddy touches something you cursed, I'll set you on fire without remorse."
"We'll protect Teddy and Little Bit with our lives!" The twins solemnly promised in all seriousness.
"Great! Love you!" Harry's expression flicked immediately back to a wide smile before he pulled a quietly freaking out Ron behind him to the kitchen.
Up Next: Where the author makes up some political nonsense and hopes it sounds reasonable...or not...aka, the bill is finally discussed...