"Right…so, what's the angst surrounding this time since it doesn't seem to be your parents?" Harry began to fill the kettle as Ron sat at the kitchen table and let his head fall into his arms dramatically. "Come on, Ron. It can't be that bad…"
"Course it isn't, we just lived through a war and my parents are systematically creating pain and hurt in our family, plus someone is trying to kill my friends, and you're about to become a bloody parent," Ron looked up and gave his best friend a dry glare. "I realize my little crisis right now doesn't compare to everything else we're living through, but I might be having a bit of personal identity type crisis anyway."
"Ok…" Harry put the kettle on the stove and joined Ron at the table. "You know, it doesn't have to be Voldemort-level terrible to still be something you're struggling with. The parenting books I've been reading say it's important to realize that everyone is going through their own struggles, kids and their parents alike, and even if we think it's something minor, it is important to us, therefore it's important and should be validated. So, just tell me…I promise I won't laugh."
"Nah, you're welcome to laugh. I'm laughing at myself. I do feel very conflicted though that you're trying out parenting on me…but thanks," Ron did actually chuckle before sighing and leaning back in his chair, not being able to make eye contact with Harry when he asked the question. "So…exactly how did you know you were bisexual…like was there a specific moment or just…whatever…?"
Harry raised an eyebrow and gave a little nod of acceptance. "Riiiight…so Cho was really attractive and your sister too even though both those relationships were horrible ideas, and I never actually knew your sister apparently."
Ron snorted and finally looked at his friend again. "Yeah…I feel like we should have all seen that coming a little sooner when she so quickly agreed when you broke up with her because you were going through trauma…I mean, Hermione and I wouldn't have split over that, and we were objectively wrong for each other. We'd all just freakin' gone through a war and she was just like 'ok, yeah, you are a dumpster fire, good luck with that.' That just wasn't right, especially just after everything that happened."
Harry shrugged. "At least Snape and I are dumpster fires together," he had to chuckle at the truth in that statement. "Anyway, well, I was clearly attracted to them, and also, did you ever see Oliver Wood's arse? I mean…clearly…"
"So, I have to find Oliver Wood attractive to be bisexual?" Ron gave him a disbelieving look. "That seems a bit of a narrow definition."
"Well, it helps," Harry laughed loudly as he stood to take the whistling kettle off the stove. "I'm taking it there is someone else you like…? Since I think it has only been a certain blond former Slytherin you've been hanging around these days besides me and 'Mione…might that be more your type than Oliver?"
"I don't know. What if his allure has already come in…maybe it's not me," Ron suggested but with very little hope in that idea.
"Or you just like blond blokes," Harry poured the tea and wryly suggested while pushing a plate of biscuits over to his friend as a peace offering. "Draco is quite fit, and you share a lot of interests surprisingly. Merlin, I never thought I'd say that! And, you've been getting along really well recently. Plus, if you are feeling this right now without him even in the house, we both know it's not any kind of veela allure."
"I haven't had feelings like this for a guy before though," Ron sighed, knowing he was right. "But…I think about him all the time now, and well…his eyes and that hair…plus, his arse definitely beats out Oliver Wood's!"
Harry almost dropped his mug laughing. "You have it bad, Ron!"
"What if I'm mistaken though, or just think I like him…" Ron's head fell back to his arms on the table.
Harry frowned and gave it some thought. "We really haven't had the space or time to be teenagers with everything we've gone through. I mean you and 'Mione were dancing around each other for so long, and Draco was a huge prat before, so you weren't going to spend any meaningful time with him before you both got over yourself and whatever the Weasley/Malfoy feud thing was that was going on…which I still don't know what that history is5tg, by the way."
"I honestly don't think anyone does anymore…maybe Dad and Lucius, but I'm not so sure even Malfoy…er, Draco knows," Ron shrugged.
"You could maybe call him Draco if you like him," he laughed. "It might be a good first step anyway towards a relationship."
"Yeah, just as soon as you call Snape by his first name," Ron shot back with a mouth full of biscuit.
"He wants to be called Snape," Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll call him whatever he wants to be called. Now…what are we going to do about the Draco situation then? Are you going to tell him? I haven't noticed him flirting with you or anything, but he did say he wasn't straight and doesn't seem to be dating anyone, so there might be some hope. I think you should give it a go if you have feelings for him."
Ron gave a frustrated sigh. "None of my siblings are bi or gay, so no one has had to come out before to the family, and we all know how the parents took Percy being a creature…I don't want to throw anything else onto the fire there. They're already going through so much."
Harry gave him a disbelieving look. "You missed it, but Charlie definitely tried to hit on both me and Snape, and you saw his reaction to learning Draco was a veela…"
"Yeah, but he's not gay per-se, he just has some kind of creature-fetish," Ron deeply grimaced. "Which I really, really don't want to think or talk about anymore."
Harry could not hold in his sarcastic snort at that. "Look, no one said anything to him besides to keep his hands to himself where my partner is concerned, and that was clearly from me," he gave a little feral growl at that which Ron just rolled his eyes at. "So…I don't think any of your brothers will even care at all if you tell them you fancy Draco, a Malfoy or not. It seems very mild in the grand scheme of your family drama currently."
"You do have a point there," he nodded. "As for Malfoy…maybe I should ease him into it? I know I'm not good with subtle and all, but maybe I should try to flirt a bit before just telling him I like him? I have a feeling he might just laugh at me."
Harry shrugged and chuckled. "I really wouldn't know. I'm terrible at these things. If Snape hadn't said something, you were very correct in your earlier assessment that we still would be dancing around each other. I think if Draco doesn't like you the same way, it's not like it would end whatever friendship you have. We've all clearly survived worse, and I'm stubborn enough to make sure he still has to hang out with us."
"No truer statement was ever said," Ron gave his friend a relieved smile.
"Little Bit needs all the family I can give them," Harry turned more morose at that. "I don't know what family is or how to be good family to someone, but you, your brothers, and even the Malfoys surprisingly (minus Lucius), seem to have a solid hold on what it means. So, I was thinking that the more people I could surround us with, maybe some of you would help us get to a point where at least my baby will grow up knowing family even if I never did."
"Oh Harry…" Ron trailed off, not having realized what his friend had been doing. It was then he decided he needed to stop referring to Harry as his friend, even to himself. He'd never seen Harry as an actual brother as much as they all joked about him being an honorary Weasley. Yes, he'd seen him as brother-like, but he had so many brothers that he'd always just needed a friend. He hadn't realized that Harry needed a brother a whole hell of a lot more than he needed a best friend.
"You are my family, Harry," he said emphatically, vowing to never see or treat Harry as only his friend again. "You, Hermione, you're both Weasleys, even if that name really doesn't mean much anymore. Maybe we're all Potters now," he added with a grin at the end.
"I'd like that," Harry held back a lump in his throat as his hand went to stroke over the black stone sitting almost forgotten in the ring on his hand. The stone felt cool to his touch and a pleased trill seemed to emanate from the stone, through his finger, to his heart. He had family here around him for Christmas, and he suddenly realized that, if he were brave enough, he had a way to talk to other members of his family too. He had a way to ask his parents about being…well, parents.
He forcefully pushed that terrifying and anxiety-ridden thought to the back of his mind to be dealt with later. Summoning the dead seemed like both a wonderful and terrible idea that he was just not ready to deal with as he was still grieving all he'd lost. Plus…Snape…yeah, that wasn't going to go over well with any of his parental figures. Which reminded him…was it important that he should maybe share with his new partner that he could possibly be the Master of Death? Maybe something to deal with later as well…
"So, what kind of pudding do you want for Christmas?" Harry smiled and asked his friend instead. "I was thinking something chocolate."
Everyone, Kreacher, Fawkes, and Saanp included, were lazing around the sitting room in a food coma after Christmas dinner and opening presents earlier. Harry was still smiling as Snape was engrossed in flipping through his new potions book that Harry had special ordered for him from India and translated from Parseltongue into English. He had a feeling it was going to significantly help the vampire in his experiments with the basilisk skin and venom.
Kreacher was busily assembling the little rocking chair Harry had got him so he could rock the baby if he wanted. The elf refused to do it with magic saying that it had to be absolutely perfect for his baby and grinned away the entire time he was trying to decipher the ridiculously confusing instructions. The rest of the Weasleys were either playing exploding snap or just draped over the couch like Ron. Percy was surprisingly still holding onto the plush, squeaky dog toy that the twins had gotten him as a joke while he organized all the new art supplies Bill and Charlie had gotten him in a small wooden trunk. Harry hadn't even known his werewolf housemate was into art and liked to draw, but he was happy he had plenty of ideas for future presents now and an idea for setting up a little art studio in the back sunroom maybe.
"Best Christmas ever…until Little Bit hatches at least," he smiled from where he was sitting on the floor with his head leaning against Snape's leg.
"Next Christmas," Snape mumbled an agreement, surprising Harry when his long fingers carded through Harry's short curls. "You're starting to need a haircut again," he remarked, flipping a page in the book he held.
"We can stop by after Draco's tattoo appointment," Harry suggested as he ran a hand up and down the emerald shell of the egg in his lap. "You got that weird potion on your favorite jeans. We should get you another pair while we're out too." Snape growled something that sounded like "Creevey" before going back to carding his fingers through Harry's hair distractedly.
"Er, guys…can I maybe say something without causing any more family drama?" Ron sat up slightly, pausing the game that Bill, Charlie, and the twins were immersed in.
"I don't know, can you?" Bill raised an eyebrow.
"Let him say what he needs to," Fleur playfully shoved her husband's shoulder with her bare foot from where she was laying across the armchair.
Ron took in a deep breath and sat all the way up, "Look…I know we're already going through a lot…"
"None of which is the fault of any of you," Harry added in quickly as Percy's frown deepened.
"Yeah, Perce…Mum, Dad, and Ginny are bigots," Fred glared at the universe.
"Right, right…well, I've been thinking," Ron sighed, changing tactics a bit. "I don't think Mum and Dad really expect or are trying to lose all of us. They just don't understand why this is our line in the sand. They were fine with Percy being around the Burrow before…"
"As long as he wasn't alone with any of the rest of us," George cut in with a sneer.
"Yeah, inexcusable, I know, but I think they are pushing us with the expectation that we'll eventually come crawling back," Ron finished. "They were going with the guilt really hard those two days I was in the house. I think they still think we'll need them and come back…"
"You do not need them if it means losing a brother," Snape spoke up quietly. "They will eventually see it, hopefully before it is too late for them to change."
Percy gave the man a little nod and smile. "Thanks guys…I'm doing fine though, I promise. It's been a lot to take in, but I've been dealing with this from even before the war was going strong."
"So, the new drama," Ron grimaced tiredly. "Fred and George actually guessed it almost correctly the other day; there's someone I like. I really don't know if they even like me back at all, but if they do, and seeing as who it is, this might be another werewolf-level deal breaker with Mum and Dad."
"If you are speaking of my godson, I kindly ask to be in the room when Arthur Weasley hears of this," Snape spoke up with a vicious grin on his face. He was probably the only one in the room who actually knew the story behind the Weasley/Malfoy feud, and he would give his left fang to be able to see the Weasley patriarch's brain melt at the news that any of his children would even consider dating a Malfoy.
"Seriously...Malfoy?" The twins asked in unison with sheer disbelief in their tones.
"So…gay, bi, or something like Charlie?" Bill asked next, getting another shove but this time from Charlie.
"Er…probably bi," Ron shrugged and crashed back onto the couch. "I don't know, but I just know I like him…like, a lot surprisingly."
"Being with a veela will bring its own struggles, even if his allure is not as strong as a woman veelas'," Fleur warned but with a little smile. "I do wish you luck though if this is the path you both choose to walk together."
"He actually isn't a bad bloke, not anymore anyway," Percy said with a smile at Ron before going back to his art supplies. "He's been helping to keep an eye out for the young Slytherins and does well in my class at least."
"Draco is a spoiled prince, but he has grown much over the past few years. You all have," Snape added with a surprisingly accepting nod towards Ron.
"You are just looking forward to the chaos any relationship between them would bring," Harry smirked up at the man knowingly.
"I do appreciate some good chaos when it is not in my potions lab," the man shrugged unrepentantly.
"Fiiine, if you must," Fred began.
"I suppose we can support you," George finished in exasperation.
"Great! Now you just have to convince Draco," Harry told him with a laugh, causing Ron to groan dramatically into the throw pillow.
"Bloody portkey lag has to be worse than jet lag," Hermione grumbled into her strong tea from where she, Andromeda, Harry, Snape, Tonks, and Ron were all sitting around the kitchen table. Percy and Charlie had taken Teddy into what was going to be the new nursery to play with his Christmas toys while they all talked about the upcoming bill proposal.
"Maybe we should wait on Malfoy," Ron suggested. "He said his mother had been researching options for the vote."
Harry and Snape shared a smirk and knowing eye roll at the suggestion. "He'll be here any second," Harry just responded.
"So…that's a baby…?" Andromeda was still staring in awe at the large green egg sitting on the table in a basket. "I mean…we knew you were a creature, and phoenix/basilisk is surprising but not earth shattering given the available facts we had. However, the fact that I'm going to be a grandmother again is quite the extraordinary news though."
Harry had finally filled them in while Hermione was getting settled into her room and making tea. Their reaction…well, they were both still just staring at him and the egg. He couldn't help his smile at Andy wanting to be the grandmother though. "And it's just yours…just you and no one else involved?" Tonks asked with a slow shake of her head and a glance towards Snape.
Harry flushed at the insinuation. "For your information, it would be very impossible for another person to be involved as I haven't done anything…yet at least," he couldn't help his own glance towards Snape whose ears pinked slightly at the tips.
"It will be nice for Teddy to have a little cousin to play with," Tonks finally nodded with a smile at Harry. "Merlin, I wish Remus were here. He would absolutely love this!"
Harry avoided her gaze as the thought struck him once more that he did actually have a way to communicate with Remus…for Teddy to be able to see his father. Eventually though…definitely when Teddy was much older and could understand. He couldn't bring it up just yet as Harry himself wasn't ready to face it.
"I'm not so sure the wolf would appreciate his honorary godson's choice in partners," Snape added on, but also put an arm around Harry's shoulders, not knowing why the teen looked uncomfortable but wanting to support him.
"That's what having Black blood is for," Andy rolled her eyes at them fondly. "We'd make him. The Black family loves fiercely, especially since we're all a bit unstable. If he or Cousin Sirius had a problem with you, then they'd have to stand up to both Nymphadora and me."
"Please, Mum, at the very least call me Dora," Tonks huffed, sounding less like the former auror and current professor and more like a teenager herself.
The wards dinged, causing Harry and Snape to look towards the door. "Kreacher, I think Draco is approaching the house," Harry told the elf, who very happily went to let in another person he considered part of the Black family. With Andy and Tonks already in the house, Kreacher had been positively sunny that morning…it was quite terrifying.
It wasn't long before Kreacher announced a very well-groomed and poshly dressed teen carrying an armful of parchment. "Mother outdid herself," Draco huffed as he threw the pile onto the table. "I believe she has been very bored and has decided to champion your cause, Potter."
"Yours too now," Harry reminded him, leaning forward to look at what was written down.
"Looking a little more extra today than usual, Malfoy," Hermione remarked with a smirk at him. Ron seemed completely unable to form a thought at the moment.
"Mother also has been owl-order shopping since she can't leave the house," he grimaced and sat beside Tonks at the table. "She got me an entire wardrobe for Christmas…where is the little demon?" he asked the woman beside him while looking around the room for Teddy.
"Playing with Percy while we talk," Tonks informed him. "You'll have plenty of time to spoil him after we discuss a plan though."
Draco rolled his eyes but didn't correct her. "Right, well, let's get this going then. Mother found a few options for us, but I must warn you, she's been working her contacts, and it doesn't sound like this vote is going to go in our favor."
"If the bill gets voted as worthy to be pursued, then we will still have a few months to mount a case against it before it gets voted into law," Andy nodded. "We were expecting to lose this first round, unfortunately. What was she looking into anyway? I've been looking into past case-law and haven't found anything helpful."
Draco grimaced deeply. "She's been looking into the Wizengamut seats themselves and inheritance laws. There are a few seats that are sitting empty right now, but getting them is a bit of a problem."
"Did the Potters have a seat?" Ron finally spoke up to ask having to clear his throat and refocus back in on the conversation. "It would be nice if Harry could vote."
"No," Draco said as Harry also shook his head. "The Potters were fairly well-off, but they weren't political and were not an old family."
"Harry is up for a lordship though," Andy spoke up. "Same as the Weasleys and you, Hermione."
"What?!" Harry and Hermione both exclaimed.
"For your part in the war," Andy gave them a look like they should have expected this. "Unfortunately, this creature law will be voted on before your lordships and seats are. As many people know both Harry and Hermione's views, I would see that move as entirely intentional."
"Plus, I couldn't hold my seat anyway," Harry gave a deep sigh, seeing another problem looming in their future now.
"Why not, mate?" Ron asked in confusion. "If my bloody parents can vote, the Savior of the Wizarding War should have a vote."
"Ah, yes," Snape nodded, finally understanding. "That is very unfortunate…you being able to hold the seat would have been influential."
"Care to fill your lawyer in?" Andy huffed and glared at Snape for being enigmatic.
"As part phoenix and basilisk, I'm unfortunately an immortal creature," Harry winced, seeing that news finally sink in for Hermione and Ron who had never seemed to actually grasp that part of his new inheritance.
"W-what?" Ron stuttered.
"Like…not growing old, like Snape? Not just indestructible?" Hermione frowned.
"Er…yeah. It's not something I'm really ready to deal with yet, so maybe let's go a decade or so before we actually have to deal with consequences of that," he sheepishly agreed. "Andy had me looking over past case-law too, and I found it in a decision from a few centuries ago. Apparently, it was voted on and actually approved by the Vampire High Coven and the Wizengamut that no immortal beings would be allowed to hold a hereditary seat on a wixen legal body."
"It makes sense that a hereditary seat should be able to be passed on for new ideas and fresh viewpoints in a mortal court," Snape explained further, having learned of the vampires' viewpoint from his own studies.
"Merlin, well, it wasn't like it was going to help us anyway," Tonks shook her head, processing another bit of news about her son's godfather.
"Well…that brings us to the Black seat then," Draco looked at the two older women at the table. "Mother cannot claim it while she is still married to Father, and she cannot divorce him and still have full access to the family vaults. I would, of course, give her whatever she needed, but even I don't have full access while Father is alive, so they need to stay married so at least someone is in control of them."
"I hadn't even considered the Black seat…wouldn't Harry be next in line for that one though too as Sirius's heir?" Tonks asked her mother and cousin.
"No, Sirius never actually adopted Harry into the family, he left him everything," Andy shook her head. "You actually need the Black last name to take up the seat, which works in our favor since Harry couldn't take it anyway. At least now we have some options."
"Right…no one has that last name anymore though," Ron frowned, seeing the problem there no one had addressed.
"But we have two people here legally eligible to take it," Draco looked meaningfully at both women again.
Andy and Tonks looked at each other, both thinking it over. "You could take it…you were actually born a Black," Tonks told her mother.
"No, you should…it should go to Teddy if he wants it in the future," Andy shook her head. "You can hyphenate Lupin-Black for Teddy. It'd mean you have to drop Tonks, but if you ever have another child, they could take the name. If I take the seat, then I won't be able to stay on as the solicitor for this case since it would be a conflict of interest in the vote."
Harry cracked his neck and huffed. "This is so complicated. If it helps, I don't think Remus would have minded Teddy or you sharing the Black name. He was a practical person, and you know he loved Sirius."
"I'll need to think about it," Tonks looked off in the direction of where Teddy would be in the house with a troubled look on her face. "I think that, yes, I'll end up taking the name…if it's to protect Teddy from this law, then Remus and Dad would both understand. I just need some time to think it all over though."
Andromeda put an arm around her daughter and kissed her temple. "I'll draw up the paperwork, but you have time to think it over. We have until the end of the week to submit it since the Wizengamut doesn't need to vote on a hereditary seat being claimed. We're not going to win this vote anyway, so we can hold off until the law is up if you would rather too."
"Right," Tonks sniffed and nodded firmly.
"Do the Malfoys have a seat?" Hermione asked, refilling her mug of tea.
Draco sneered at the pile of parchment. "Yes, that is actually what most of the research Mother did was over. Unfortunately, with Mother and I both on probation, neither of us can use it. Mother really does believe that we will need it though if we have any chance of beating this proposed law. There are many families that vote with the Malfoys…probably due to my father's veela influence, but we may be able retain their votes as they are old families we have close ties to, regardless of everything my father has done to the family name."
"How can you access the seat then?" Hermione asked. "Is there a way we could get one of them off probation?" She asked Andy next.
Andromeda shook her head slowly. "No, no one is going to want to revisit the Death Eater trials, and Severus is really the only one with a case for overturning his probation anyway."
"Which, I want to be very clear, I do not care to do," he told her firmly, not wanting to have to face the Wizengamut in any form or fashion.
"Understood, extremely clearly," the woman rolled her eyes at the man's staunch argument.
"Well, we need someone to take our name like Dora is taking the Black one," Draco crossed his arms and sank in on himself.
"I would gladly change my name as I have no positive connection to the Snape name at all, but as Harry already said, I am unfortunately not eligible to vote," Snape gave his godson a small, sad smile.
"It's not that simple anyway," Draco closed his eyes and pushed forward the piece of parchment in front of him towards Andy that had his mother's notes on it. "You can't just change your last name and take up a Wizengamut seat or everyone would be a Malfoy or Black or Bones and fighting over control. You actually have to have a tie to the family, like blood, or marrying in, or at least a formal engagement contract."
"Which Cissy can't do since Lucius is still alive," Andromeda nodded over the parchment at the heir. "So…little cousin, you wouldn't happen to be dating anyone, would you?"
Draco actually growled at that, his eyes taking on an even brighter silver gleam. "Roll back the veela emotion," Harry reached out and squeezed the blond's hand, calming him slightly. "No one is suggesting you go out and get married. We'll figure something out."
"Yeah, no getting married," Ron's eyes were wide as he quickly added on with fear tinging his tone.
Draco shrugged Harry off him but did visibly calm. "Mother and I already had this conversation," he said tiredly. "She suggested I establish an engagement contract with someone who is willing to take the Malfoy last name. We could easily dissolve the contract before the wedding, but they would be stuck with the last name, unfortunately…she suggested Granger…"
Hermione choked on her tea and actually spit it out at that suggestion. "What in Merlin's bloody name?!"
Draco grimaced as Ron's face seemed to lose all color. Harry reached under the table and took Ron's hand in his own quickly. "Mother suggested that it would help our reputation at this point to be associated with a muggleborn, and it may help Granger to be connected to an old wizarding family if she wants to go into work at the ministry after school."
"While it would work, it's not actually the best plan in the long run," Andromeda explained, causing Ron, Hermione, and Draco to all collectively let out breaths of relief. "Hermione is up for her own Wizengamut seat because of her part in the war. Yes, this law is very important, but it's also short sighted to think something like this won't happen again. We could use her actually being able to take up her seat since Harry can't take his."
"Thank Merlin!" Hermione breathed out. "While you aren't a prat anymore, Draco, I don't particularly want to be engaged to you or anyone for a very long time!"
"No offense taken," Draco assured her. "Unfortunately, Mother's next suggestion was Daphne Greengrass since our families have historically been closely aligned, but I'm sure you all noticed just how closely aligned she has been with Blaise recently…I am absolutely not getting a Zabini on my bad side! That family scares even me."
"Unfortunately, I had to assign detentions to them both for causing my eyes to bleed in witnessing what they were doing in an alcove," Snape gave a very disgusted look at that.
"Yes, and her sister is not of age," Draco nodded, grimacing at how many times he'd walked in on them himself. "I don't know of anyone else. I'm absolutely not going anywhere near Parkinson, and no one wants the Malfoy name at this point. It is not like I've had much luck in dating with being a Death Eater and trying to keep my family alive and the war and all."
Ron cleared his throat. "I'll take it," he hoarsely coughed out.
"Excuse me?" Draco's face fell and his eyes went wide in complete shock.
"What?" Hermione turned to deeply frown at her friend.
"It only makes sense," Ron cleared his throat again avoided everyone's eyes as a flush crept up his neck. "I'm the sixth Weasley son, and I don't have many positive feelings towards my family right now anyway. Mum and Dad were trying to get me to take their seat because of all the family drama, so this will force them to reach out to Bill again, and you said we could dissolve the contract anyway…"
Everyone but Harry and Snape looked at Ron completely stunned. "Ron…can I talk to you for a minute," Harry tugged his friend's sleeve in concern and motioned towards the door.
"Er, yeah…discuss amongst yourselves," Ron motioned awkwardly to the silent table as he followed Harry out of the kitchen and across the hall to the sitting room.
Harry closed the door behind him and quickly cast a silencing ward. "Bad idea, mate!" He vehemently protested. "I know you like Draco, but this is not the way to go. You're setting yourself up to get hurt. He'll be assuming you will dissolve the contract and you'll want to keep it! You will be in this relationship, and he'll view it as a sham!"
"Or, I'll decide it isn't going to work out and be happy for it to dissolve," Ron sat in the armchair and shrugged. "Or, maybe he'll decide he actually does like me. It will give us some time to be together and get to know each other…"
"Or, it'll be a disaster!" Harry wildly waved around his arms in frustration.
"At least someone can vote against this law," he determinedly held his ground. "I won't have you or my godchild being discriminated against or kicked out of society. I want to keep my brother…and you, my brother, around. I want to keep my family together. If that means I get hurt later, or if this all actually does work out all right, then at least I'll have that. We already were pretty certain Mum and Dad would disown me eventually anyway, might as well bring it on a little sooner. Maybe it'll actually make them see reason and smooth things over with the others. I mean, in the grand scheme of Weasleys, being a werewolf has to be better than marrying a Malfoy, right?"
Harry sighed, both seeing the reasoning and really thinking this was not going to end well. "I won't stand in your way, especially since I know you do actually like the git, but please, please try not to get too invested too quickly. Protect your heart a bit too, yeah?"
Ron stood and gave him a nervous but appreciative smile. "What do you want to bet Malfoy thinks you hate him and are in here yelling at me?"
Harry scoffed and took down his wards. "I think he was too shocked to process anything when we left. Let's go see the damage though…"
"No," Malfoy said firmly as they walked through the kitchen door once more. "You aren't even gay, no one will buy it. They'll think this is some sham…which it actually is," he said over where Andy seemed to actually be trying to talk him into it.
"I'm bi actually," Ron smirked and sat back down beside Hermione.
"Wait…I'm pretty sure I missed something," Hermione raised a hand before holding said hand out to Harry with a smirk. "Harry…"
Harry rolled his eyes and passed her a galleon. "He just told me a couple days ago; I wasn't trying to get out of it."
"And…I'll take that," Ron smirked and took the galleon right out of her hand. "Charlie," he said with an eyebrow raise at her protest.
"Fine, but I do want it noted that I at least got both of you right," she rolled her eyes.
"Well, one of you could have bloody well told me your suspicions at least," Ron huffed. "Anyway Malfoy, I think I can make this convincing if you can," he said challengingly.
Draco's face seemed to be going through about every emotion known to man as well as what looked like constipation as he mulled it over. "Mother will never agree to a Weasley…"
"She agreed to a muggleborn," Hermione scoffed.
"Yes, this is Narcissa Black Malfoy we are talking about, and Ron is actually a pureblood," Andy agreed with her. "Legally, there isn't a problem, especially as blood adoption is just as legal for inheritance laws as actually birthed children. Are you out to your mother?"
"Mother, yes, Father, no, but I don't really care at all what he thinks now," Malfoy seemed to be landing somewhere close to resignation in his expressions.
"Ronald will help the Malfoy name almost the same as Granger would have," Snape added in with a questioning look to Harry who just shrugged wryly to say that he tried and was fine with it now. "I could add in my support as your godfather."
"And I would be willing to tell anyone who asked that Ron has liked you for a while," Harry couldn't help the little surreptitious smirk in the redhead's direction.
"This is going to be a fiasco," Malfoy groaned and put his head in his hands.
"Er…so are you going to propose, or should I?" Ron couldn't help the smile that broke across his face that only Harry and Hermione seemed to take note of, Hermione with a questioning look to Harry who just nodded.
"This is your terrible idea, so I expect you to do the proposing," Malfoy looked up to pin Ron with a glare. "I also expect you to use some of that Order of Merlin money you got to get me at least a decent ring, take Granger with you to pick it out."
"There are a couple of Black family rings in the attic," Harry suggested. "Kreacher said they weren't cursed, so you're welcome to look at them first."
Ron nodded firmly. "Right! Well, write my future mum-in-law and I'll go find a ring. Reconvene after your tattoo thing tomorrow for the proposal?"
"Boys," Hermione rolled her eyes and stood with Ron to go look through those rings. "At least try to make it a little romantic."
"Why?" Both Ron and Malfoy asked her seriously.
Harry stood and stopped to lean over beside Snape. "I think you're going to get more of that chaos you like than you bargained for," he said quietly before planting a little kiss to the man's temple.
Snape just smirked at him and passed over Little Bit's basket. "So, Andromeda, let's get writing that contract. I can sign as godfather," he turned to the solicitor who gladly pulled a piece of parchment from her bag.
Up Next: The actual proposal, and Snape's birthday...
A/N: I'm thinking in the direction of writing a time-travel fic next, any pit-falls I should avoid or suggestions you would like to make? Not sure yet what time period to go back to, but it will be Harry and someone else...I'm thinking either Draco, Percy, or Ron.