{As of 6/24/21 thank you so much for 12K reads! What an absolutely amazing think to wake up to 💗 sending you all my love, thank you for reading - J}
"Potter! You can't just apparate people without their permission", Pansy chided him.
"Oops?"
"Yeah oops until I'm missing a body part. Why did you bring me here anyways? I don't think the Weasleys would want to see me."
"You're set on having this party so..."
Harry still wasn't fully comfortable talking in front of her, which Draco picked up on.
"He brought you here too so we can all choose a date together, and figure out what the Weasleys are doing. You are the queen of party planning are you not?"
"I am indeed", she responded, pleased at the recognition.
Keeping his arms linked with the both of them, Harry walked them towards the front door. Pansy stopped them before Draco opened the door.
"Do they at least know I'm coming?"
Harry nodded and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Okay. I can do this."
Draco opened the door and stepped back so Harry could lead them all in, dropping their linked arms.
"Harry!", Ginny yelled, tackling him to the ground in a hug.
"Hey Gin", he replied with a laugh, hugging her back.
"I wasn't here the last time you came for dinner", she accused.
"Training."
"Oh please if I told them I had to leave early to catch dinner with our savior they would've moved the whole training session."
"My point exactly."
"You have a lot to catch me up on though", she said pointedly, giving him a hand to help him up, and looking at Draco and Pansy.
"Weaslette", Draco greeted.
"Malfoy. I do have to say this was a surprise to learn about. Not as surprising as you though Parkinson. You're the wild card."
"Wild indeed", Pansy confirmed with a smile.
"No Zabini?"
Harry leaned in to whisper in Ginny's ear.
"With Neville?! Oh that's something else. Bless him."
"Gin, let the man breathe!", Fred chastised.
"Hey Harry. Malfoy, Parkinson", George greeted.
"Mum expects you all to stay for dinner", Ginny said, leading them into the dining room.
After exchanging hellos with Molly and Pansy apologizing profusely, they got down to planning.
"Has Potter told you why we're here?", Draco asked.
"Just something about his birthday", Molly replied, bustling around the kitchen.
"I want to throw him a birthday party to celebrate, and he mentioned that he usually has dinner here. I didn't want to intrude on your plans, so we came to sort out the dates."
"Ron is due for a fire call at any moment now. Let me call him and we'll figure out what's happening. I'm sure he and Hermione wouldn't want to miss your birthday Harry."
"Just don't mention us please, at least not yet", Draco asked.
"Of course not dear. I'll just say I'm planning the birthday dinner and want to know when to expect them. I know this is a conversation Harry would rather have in person."
Harry nodded in confirmation, and thanked her for her understanding. He allowed her to speak with Ron first before she called him into the living room. Ginny stayed back in the kitchen with Draco and Pansy.
"Is Hermione there? Harry wants to say hello."
"Harry?", Ron asked, confusion evident in his voice.
"I invited him over for dinner."
"Hey mate", Harry greeted.
"Must be a quiet dinner", Ron joked.
Harry heard a barely audible crack from the kitchen, and turned around to see Pansy with her hand on Draco's shoulder restraining him. The noise had been from Draco angrily cracking his knuckles.
"It's okay", Harry mouthed, tuning back into the conversation.
"Harry!", Hermione greeted. "I just sent you a letter yesterday, it should be arriving by today. How are you?"
"Well, and yourself?"
"Wonderful! Things with my parents are going so well!"
"I'm going to interrupt for a moment and then I'll leave you three to catch up for a bit. Are you going to be in town for Harry's birthday?"
"When is it?", Ron asked sheepishly.
Hermione smacked him on the arm.
"Ronald Weasley! How could you forget your best friend's birthday?"
"Ouch Hermione! I know it's July 31st, I just didn't know how long like week wise. Bloody hell."
"2 weeks give or take. Oh Harry, I don't know if I'll be able to leave. It's dangerous business returning memories, and I could cause some real damage if I leave in the middle of the process. I'll write to you when it gets closer."
"No worries."
And Harry understood, really he did. That didn't stop the news from stinging any less though.
Draco was listening to the whole conversation and gritting his teeth.
"Draco darling relax", Pansy instructed.
"Those are supposed to be his best friends", Draco seethed, his tone as cold as ice.
Ginny was silently watching the conversation, trying to decide what angle Malfoy was playing at. This was her first encounter with who she deemed to be Draco, and not Malfoy. He had the Malfoy attitude still, but Ginny could tell in this case that Draco was being very protective of Harry.
"You know this is probably how the Weasel has felt about you this whole time right?"
"The difference is that I know I was a prat, to put it nicely. I didn't try to hide it and pretend to be a good guy. My poor intentions were very clear to anyone who encountered me.
The only mask I paraded around wearing was the Malfoy mask, to hide my emotions. If I didn't like you, you know I didn't like you. I don't play mind games like that, especially not with people I call my friends. I'm upfront with my intentions."
"You really do care about him", Ginny mused.
"I do", Draco replied softly. "We get along surprisingly well, and he's good company."
Ginny raised an eyebrow at Pansy, who just mouthed "whipped". Ginny had to stifle a snicker. Draco was a master at hiding his emotions, but whenever he was talking about Harry he would get this awestruck look on his face.
Draco tuned back in to hear Harry saying goodbye to Granger and the Weasel. He came in wearing a fake smile, but Draco saw right through it.
"Come here", Draco demanded.
Harry didn't even bother resisting, and allowed Draco to pull him into the chair next to him, throwing an arm over Harry so Harry was leaning into Draco.
"I promise you that you'll have the best birthday ever, even if Granger and the Weasel aren't there. Pansy throws the best parties ever."
"That I do. It's a gift really."
"I like to think I throw a great party myself. I took over all of the Gryffindor quidditch celebrations."
"Gin can definitely throw a party", Harry agreed.
"I'll be your right hand girl", Ginny challenged.
Harry recognized the steely glint in her eyes. She had looked at him that way once.
"I accept. Blaise is going to be too caught up with Longbottom now. He'll be so much less fun."
"I promise we can make our fun."
"Is that so?", Pansy flirted back. "Tell me more."
With a roll of his eyes, Draco pulled Harry up to his feet.
"We're going for a walk in the gardens."
"Take your time. We'll start party planning", Pansy replied, eyes not leaving Ginny.
"Oh I'm sure you will", Draco replied with a laugh.
The two men walked into the backyard, walking in silence until they had gotten to the tree they had leaned against last time. Wrinkling his nose at having to sit in the grass, Draco sighed. Harry was already prepared for this. Sitting down first, Harry pulled Draco into his lap.
"I was going to do that for you."
"You don't even like dirt", Harry replied with a laugh.
"But I would sit in it for you."
"And that's enough for me", Harry replied honestly.
"You deserve better. What can I do for you Scarhead?"
"I've told you Draco, you just being here means the world to me. Especially now. I genuinely don't think I'd still be here if it wasn't for you."
"Don't talk like that. We're both going to be ancient wizards, growing old still being the best of friends."
"Promise?", Harry asked, carding his fingers through Draco's hair.
"Promise. And when I promise something, I never ever break that promise. Never."
"You quoted Tangled. It's serious."
"I'm always serious when it comes to you Scarhead. Stay the night at mine tonight?"
"I'd love nothing more."
"Good."
They relished in each other's company for a few more minutes in silence.
"So Pansy and Weaslette huh?"
"Yep. The more I thought about it the more it made sense to me. They both have strong personalities and normally that clashes, but I think for them it could work."
"All of our friends are getting together now. Soon it'll just be us", Draco hinted.
"Maybe, maybe not", Harry replied with a wink.
"Come on my darling husband, let's head in and see if Mrs. Weasley needs help with dinner."
They did just that, having a nice dinner together, and Draco watched as Harry's mood improved throughout the night. When they left a few hours later, Draco offered to apparate Pansy back to the Manor with Harry, but she declined.
"Ginny and I still have some planning to finish tonight."
Sharing a look, Draco and Harry headed back themselves. They changed into Draco's clothes and just cuddled together until they fell asleep.