At being left alone in the middle of all these strange and fancy people, Ronica had a chance to look around and she suddenly fretted about whether she was dressed appropriately, everyone looked very formal. Dudley had said that Harry said go as big and flamboyant as she wanted. The gold fishtail skirt suddenly felt too dressy and sparkly for 10.30 in the morning. She felt a little overwhelmed by it all but then a young pregnant woman with dirty blond hair in a huge floor-length netted pastel-rainbow dress was rushing across the room towards her and linking arms with her and gushing, 'oh my goodness, I love your dress. You must come and show Pansy. Gosh, you're stunning. Dudley's a very lucky man.'
It turned out they weren't the only non-magical people invited to the wedding. They were introduced to a couple called Jean and Walter Granger, who Petunia latched onto. And Ronica needn't have worried about her outfit because actually, when she looked a little closer, lots of people were dressed in weird and wonderful things of all varieties, especially the men, she realised, many of whom seemed to be wearing long fancy frockcoats. She was introduced to all sorts of people by Luna, the young woman who'd attached herself to her arm. She was grateful to recognise Lee Jordan, Mara Sheppard, and Talbott Cholmondeley through her work. She couldn't remember anyone else she was introduced too but they were all very welcoming and Luna kept plying her with champagne even though it was only mid-morning.
It felt like barely minutes after they'd arrived when the redhaired man called Ron announced loudly that it was time to take their seats. Dudley was still holding Daisy as he did his usher duties but it didn't seem to matter. It appeared anything went and despite the formality of the setting, the day promised to be quite relaxed and more of an excuse for everyone to dress up and have a party.
At Dudley's beckoning, Ronica and Petunia happened to reach the doorway at the same time as a tall, thin older woman wearing a floor-length sweeping blue coat with long bell sleeves that fell to her knees. She also wore a proper black witch's hat with three thin feathers the same colour as her gown attached to the brim. It was all Ronica could do not to stare or giggle... She stopped herself from looking around for a broomstick and a black cat. There was, however, a young brown tabby sitting beside the woman looking decidedly unimpressed by all these people.
Petunia froze in her tracks and the other woman's lips thinned momentarily. For a moment, she looked at Petunia with harsh disparagement but suddenly the look disappeared and her shoulders dropped.
'Petunia,' she said with a quiet nod.
'Minerva,' Petunia replied a little stiffly. Perhaps, thought Ronica, Petunia sounded a little fearful too.
Minerva suddenly reached out a hand and touched Petunia's arms comfortingly. 'I'm glad you decided to come. Harry's very pleased. He wanted you here.' She smiled much more welcomingly and Petunia looked overwhelmed.
'Thank you,' she stammered, though Ronica didn't know why she was thanking the other woman.
'That's the woman who adopted Harry. There's no love lost between mum and her,' whispered Dudley in Ronica's ear. He handed her Daisy.
Minerva smiled at him as if she'd heard every word. 'It's all water under the bridge now. Are you finding your way around, Dudley? Can you direct your mother and fiancée to your seats?' She waved a hand in the direction of some double doors where Ron and another redhaired man, who was clearly his brother, were standing and directing the guests.
There were, Ronica noticed, a lot of redheads, everywhere. There were a number of people in the same military-style coats that Harry wore, including Lee and Mara, though they all had grey linings, apart from an older man who had red lining. And there were lots of people in petrol-blue, as if it were another uniform, though most of them seemed to be ushers. She'd been introduced by Luna to a slender flame-haired woman called Ginny, who was all lean and athletic - she was wearing an incredible outfit: a black floor-length coat over leather trousers and a leather waistcoat. What was noticeable, apart from the tall good-looking black man who was practically drooling down her neck, was that her coat was piped and had huge satin cuffs and a neck detail, all in the same petrol-blue. And even the man who was clearly besotted with her wore a knee-length coat and waist coat of the same colour. Turned out he was Draco Malfoy's best-man. They're all very intriguing, she thought to herself.
As the guests make their way into the main hall, Minerva stood in the doorway, watching Blaise following Ginevra Weasley around like a Seeker chasing the Snitch. She smiled to herself as Molly joined her. Molly had been outraged by her daughter's choice of attire but it seemed some more than others appreciated it. She thought of Harry telling her about the incident back in his sixth year on the Hogwarts Express when he'd tried to eavesdrop in on what he'd decided was a nefarious plot by Draco. He'd relayed with indignation that Blaise thought Ginevra was attractive. She wondered if that sentiment still remained for Blaise Zabini... It certainly looked like it...
'Carls has decorated beautifully,' Molly said contentedly. 'Do you think Luna was involved too?'
Minerva smiled. 'Undoubtedly,' she said as she looked up at the gallery lined with garlands of white-berried mistletoe and pine branches and small twinkling lights. Luna had conjured the peacock-blue butterflies that flitted prettily around each section without really moving away.
Molly flustered slightly, 'I hope she's being careful with our babies.'
'Cissa has taken to following her around and I caught Ossy watching her too. I don't think we need to worry.'
They had decided on the hall rather than Blaise's studio for several reasons. Partly because the Orangery was Blaise's studio and living quarters, but also the hall could seat more and the ancestors could oversee too. Harry decided he wanted his parents and Sirius, Remus, and Severus there in spirit. They'd also agreed to move the ceremony forward a day for those wanting to spend Christmas with their families, but many extended family and closer friends were staying on until Boxing Day.
She smiled too to see Ronald torn between standing beside Hermione and doing his usher duties. Hermione, of course, looked stunning, in a remarkable floor-length sheer gold dress over a pale-gold underdress. The gold material was decorated with gold beads and the same floral design on the ushers' waistcoats but in gold thread. She wore a matching sheer gold cloak with long sleeves and a train that swept out behind her. A remarkable dress for a remarkable woman, thought Minerva. But then she understood that Harry had insisted she looked like a star from the Muggle movies and they had joked long ago that Hermione should wear a train at his wedding.
Molly seemed to catch her gaze and said, 'the courtship is going well. Hermione is learning to trust Ronald again. It helps that he's stuck with his therapy this time. But he's so unsubtle,' Molly sighed, 'he's barely left her side since she's come downstairs. I'll have to say something in case she finds it smothering and she takes a step back.'
'Oh, I should think they'll be okay,' said Minerva. 'I would leave them be.'
'You think so?'
'Definitely.' Minerva knew from Ronald working at the school, and from Harry, that the dates were weekly since the beginning of term and she was fairly certain that Hermione had stayed over at Hogwarts on more than one occasion. She turned a blind eye and was considering a separate Quidditch-teacher's residence down near the pitch and broom shed. She was also fairly certain that Hermione and Ronald were sharing a room at the Hall. Harry had been suitably vague about it but she was sure she heard that Jean and Walter Granger were staying in the Lily Room.
She watched Harry as she waited for him. He was currently chatting to Kingsley and Hermione at the front of seating. That was, until Hermione caught eyes with Minerva and tugged on Harry's arm, turning him round to her. She straightened his collar, not that it needed it, and brushed away some invisible lint, gave him a peck on the cheek. Minerva could see her take a deep breath and say, 'ready?' He nodded once before she clearly shoo-ed him away and told him to go and wait in the hall. It took time, of course, he kept being waylaid by guests who wanted to greet him and congratulate him.
Minerva could tell Harry was nervous, despite his calm exterior. She could feel the anticipation manifesting itself as raw energy that crackling around him and when he finally made it to her side, he hugged her in fashion reminiscent of when he was a little boy. She knew it was because he was waiting for Draco. Draco and Narcissa were yet to make an appearance. It was planned that way. Draco had stayed in the Gatehouse with Narcissa and Andromeda for traditions sake even though Harry thought it was completely ridiculous. The Ministry car had gone to collect them so they didn't have to walk or Floo to the Hall in their wedding outfits.
Harry was watching from the doorway with Hercules by his side as the car pulled up. He was down the steps immediately, holding the door open for Andromeda and Narcissa, helping them out of the car. Narcissa looked splendid in a floor-length black coat. It was lined with brown fur and there were long splits in the skirt to nearly her hips so it fell open and swirled around her legs as she walked, revealing slim black trousers and elegant high-heeled boots.
Minerva and Molly watched as Harry waited for the chauffeur to hold the door open for Draco. There was a look in his eyes that spoke volumes; like he couldn't wait and then like he wanted to devour him. But, she thought, that look hadn't really changed in eleven years, it was just they both understood each other these days.
'Did you go running this morning?' Draco asked Harry, picking up on the signs of his magic. It was, these days, much less rogue but occasionally it spiked in times of nervous anxiety or excitement or arousal.
'Yes,' Harry said quietly, stepping close. 'Though it clearly wasn't enough. You look outrageously gorgeous.'
'Of course.' Draco smoothed the front of the long frockcoat that reached his calves - it was the same material as the waistcoats that the ushers wore. 'Not too shoddy yourself,' he said as he eyed Harry up and down.
Harry leant in for a kiss.
'Uh-uh, not until we're married. Then you're allowed.'
Harry grimaced.
'Oh, come on, it's not that long!' Draco smiled.
'That's not the point!'
'Harry!' called Hermione from the doorway. 'Everyone is seated and ready...'
She didn't wait and strode back inside, carefully holding her train.
Harry sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose with his index finger. 'Come on, then. Let's get this over with.'
Draco hit his arm, 'hey! You're meant to be delighted about marrying me.'
'I am,' Harry smirked. 'But you know how I am about pomp and circumstance. And everyone will be looking at me and that photographer is a bloody nuisance and I'm close to hexing her.'
As if on cue, there was a snapping of a camera shutter.
'Harry...' called Minerva, with a raised eyebrow.
Draco turned Harry around by his shoulders and prodded him in the small of his back. 'Chip-chop, Potter. Any you'd best offer me your arm.'
'Only because you're the bride!'
'Potter, this marriage won't last two seconds if you dare...'
'...where's Teddy and Victoire?' interrupted Harry. 'TEDDY!' he shouted.
'COMING!'
The two came screeching around the corner, Ammy panting behind. Their beautiful outfits were already dirty.
'Oh, my goodness,' the four matriarchs rushed forward, wands drawn to start a hurried Scourifying, thankfully ignoring Ammy who was tugging on Harry's coat and apologising profusely.
'I tried to stop them, Master Harry,' she said anxiously.
'Don't worry, Ammy, they're just children. Why don't you go and join the other House-Elves? I think we've got it from here and Ossy said you wanted to watch.'
She smiled gratefully, though not without casting an anxious glance back at Teddy and Victoire being fussed over, before she disappeared.
'Where're your shoes, Victoire?' said Narcissa.
'Where're the rose petals and basket?' said Molly.
'Er...' said Teddy as Minerva picked two cream rose petals out of Victoire's once carefully curled ringlets that had already become tangled and untidy.
'It's a good thing Hermione is looking after the wedding bands,' said Minerva.
Dromeda shook a handful of petals out of Teddy's shirt.
'We don't need rose petals,' said Harry, laughing. 'I told you I didn't want them anyway.'
'What about Victoire's hair?'
'Leave it,' said Harry. 'It looks more natural like that.'
Narcissa ran her fingers through the messy ringlets to loosen them and Molly transfigured a thin rose and honeysuckle crown and fixed it so she looked like a wild flower-fairy from a book.
'Perfect!' said Harry and he smoothed the frown from Draco's eyebrows with his fingers. 'They're kids, let them be free. Isn't that what you said you always wanted as a child?'
'She should have wings,' said Dromeda.
'Can I have wings, Uncle Harry? Please!!!' pleaded Victoire.
Before anyone could argue, Harry transfigured gold gossamer wings onto the back of her pale-blue tulip dress.
'I swear you planned this,' muttered Draco.
'Come on, darling,' teased Harry. 'Our guests await.'
'Look at the state of Victoire's feet,' Draco muttered as they followed her up the steps into the hall. They were nearly black with dirt.
'Who cares? They'll be too busy looking at you anyway.'
'Smooth, Potter, smooth.'
Harry stole a quick kiss, even though it was forbidden.
'Ahem!' Minerva cleared her throat from behind them. 'No more of that. We'll see you in there.' And with a smile twitching at her thin lips and a sparkle in her eyes, she led Narcissa, Molly, and Dromeda into the hall to find their seats at the front. A small tabby cat followed behind with her tail held aloof.
'This place is just madness. And those four women are scary. No one in their right mind should have put them together,' muttered Draco as he watched the four matriarchs walk down the aisle like they owned the Hall.
'When the hurly-burly's done, when the battle's lost and won,' muttered Harry,
'And I hope you left Henry down the far end of the south corridor. We don't need a marble bust with Tourette's shouting swearwords through the ceremony.'
'He hasn't got Tourette's; he just lacks a filter.' Harry didn't say that he'd had a fun half-hour first thing finding a suitable position for Henry; he wasn't going to ostracise his great-grandfather after he'd practically saved Minnie. Henry had a considerable amount to say on where he was placed and which relative he did or didn't want to be placed beside. They'd nearly come to blows when Henry became adamant that he wanted to be downstairs and then suggested he could officiate over the ceremony. Funnily enough, Harry had the final say.
Minerva exchanged a brief nod with Hermione to say all was ready. Hermione was stood opposite Blaise as the two 'best-persons'. The wedding was unconventional in more than one sense of the word, not least because of Harry's choice of Hermione as his best-woman but also because Teddy had insisted that the wedding march was to 'Can you Feel the Love Tonight' from the Lion King. When the piano music started, silence fell in the hall and everyone turned to look. Harry and Draco waited arm in arm by the door as Victoire and Teddy, holding hands, walked ahead down the aisle. Occasionally a rose petal would drift out of the back of Teddy's shirt which had already come untucked.
'Is that you?' muttered Draco.
'Is what me?' said Harry, far too innocently.
There was a delighted gasp after Fleur exclaimed, 'look at Victoire's wings!' They were fluttering softly behind her, even when she stopped to look at them herself.
Teddy suddenly turned and ran back to Harry.
'Can I have wings too?'
There was an amused laugh from a number of guests.
'Why not?' said Draco with a resigned sigh and rolling his eyes.
'Of course!' said Harry and he conjured some matching gold gossamer wings onto the back of Teddy's waistcoat. They were veined and drooped beautifully like honeybee wings.
There was a general ooo-ing as Teddy ran back to Victoire and they continued down the aisle.
Draco and Harry started to walk slowly behind them and Hercules walked proudly behind them with his head held high.
When Elton John sang 'It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer that we got this far', Harry started giggling because it was all too serious and slow and everyone was looking at them and it just didn't feel like something Harry would normally do. Draco was trying to subtly dig him in the ribs to get him to stop.
It only got worse when Teddy joined in with the singing, 'It's enough to make kings and vagabonds... believe the very best...'
'You're my vagabond,' whispered Harry loudly.
Draco pinched Harry, hard, in the side.
And Harry yelped as he leapt to one side and stumbled into Hagrid's lap.
Hercules sat down and if a dog could roll its eyes, Hercules definitely did then.
Charlie and George started laughing. Shortly followed by a lot of other people.
'Potter!' hissed Draco, trying to look haughty and failing because he was trying not to laugh too.
Harry gave Hagrid a cheeky hug and peck on the cheek and stood up. He straightened his robe and looked at Draco. 'Do you want to start again?'
'No!'
'Merlin! They're already fighting and they haven't even made it down the aisle,' snorted Ron.
'This is ridiculous!' Harry exclaimed, and he scooped up Draco bridal style and marched him down the aisle to Kingsley, who was stood waiting on a small dais.
'POTTER!' but Draco buried his head into Harry's neck to hide his smile.
'Kingsley,' announced Harry, 'would you kindly wed me to this sentimental clot, quickly, so we can get on with celebrating our marriage with our friends and family with lots of food and wine and, preferably, with a good game of Quidditch.'
'Of course, Mr Potter. Would you care to put Draco down or are you going to hold him all through the ceremony?'
'If I have to put him down, I will...' said Harry, raising another laugh.
'It's a good thing I'm not carrying a bouquet, otherwise I'd be hitting you over the head with it,' said Draco haughtily.
'Ah-ha! So, you admit you're the bride!'
There was more laughter, especially from the Slytherin cohort.
'I told you!' said Theo loudly.
Harry put Draco down and carefully smoothed out Draco's dress-coat for him. 'Sorry,' he said, but only a little contritely because he was grinning like an inane idiot.
The ceremony was short and quite lovely, despite its unorthodox start. And there being a best-woman. And the two grooms being given to each other by their mothers. And the laughter. And the tears. And Teddy dropping Draco's ring from the ring-bearers cushion Hermione asked him to hold and crawling after it on his hands and knees to retrieve it after it rolled to under the second row of seating. And Hercules lying in the middle of the aisle and simply stealing the show when he decided it was time to yawn loudly and roll on his back in the middle of Harry's vows.
When Kingsley announced, 'you may now kiss to seal the ceremony...' Harry drew Draco close and said with a grin, 'may I, Dr Malfoy-Potter?'
'Yes, Lord Malfoy-Potter.'
He hooked a finger under Draco's chin and they kissed. There was a gasp as the lightness that Harry had felt the first time they bonded returned. He felt it swirl around him and Draco, wrapping them in white threads of light which wove around them, bonding them together.
They only broke apart from the kiss when they heard Hagrid blow his nose loudly and there were wolf-whistles from Alex Hartley and Bill Weasley and there was clapping from the portraits, and Henry Potter's bust was shouting from the gallery, 'bloody good show fellahs!' That made people look up to the gallery and notice for the first time the array of ancestors who were also watching the ceremony, plus all the House-elves in their livery and their families who were lining the gallery to watch too.
Draco was somewhat surprised to see that Ammy and Kreacher were in black and not the Potter sage-green. And then he realised that some of the elves were in pale grey-blue livery which carried a familiar black dragon crest on the left breast. He saw Ruby amongst them and when he looked closer, he was sure he recognised a few of the faces.
'H!' he said, tugging his husband's arm. 'Look at the House-Elves.'
Harry smiled as he looked up, acknowledging their presence, but his smile slipped to confusion. 'Why are some in blue? I saw Ammy in black earlier, she said it was for Teddy and the Blacks?'
'I don't know. But I'm sure the elves in blue are from Malfoy Manor, from before... Ruby's wearing blue too. Ossy! Ruby!' Draco called.
Both elves appeared and Ossy bowed low, 'Master Harry, Master Draco, may I be the first to offer you congratulations on behalf of all the House-Elves here.'
'Thank you, Ossy,' said Harry. 'Small question; why are the House-Elves in different liveries?'
'Because, Master Harry, they is representing their Ancient and Noble Houses.'
'I is representing the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy,' said Ruby and Draco noticed the family motto had changed on the crest: instead of reading 'Sanctimonia Vincet Sempter' it read 'Amor Vincet Semper'.
'Love always conquers,' he muttered.
'Yes,' said Ruby. 'Madame Narcissa is thinking it is far more suitable than saying "purity", especially after everything Mr Gryffindor was saying.'
Harry said, 'it appears there has been some conspiring behind our backs. Teddy, Blaise, and Ammy have changed the House of Black coat of arms too and Hermione registered it with the Ministry.'
'Yes, Master Harry. Ammy is already being determined to stay with Master Teddy for his life,' said Ossy.
'But the other elves,' said Draco, 'they went with the Manor...'
'No, Master Draco. They is coming to live here after the Manor is empty.'
Harry looked at Ossy quizzically. He could see people lining up to congratulate and talk to him and Draco but something determined that this should be answered first because he couldn't understand for the life of him why his household would suddenly agree to take on a whole load more House-Elves.
He took Draco's hand and said, 'Ossy, come with us a moment. The breakfast room please... Mione...' he turned to his bestfriend, 'just hold the fort momentarily. Start, I don't know, organising people for photos or something.'
She looked puzzled but nodded and set to task as Harry, Draco, and Ossy slipped away.
'Right, Ossy. What aren't you telling us? Why are the Malfoys' old House-Elves here, why didn't they transfer to the new owners of the Manor?'
Ossy tugged on his ears momentarily and emitted a little moan, looking incredibly worried. 'Really, Master Harry. It is not being my place to say, you must be going to Gringotts and seeing Madame Runchbark about this.'
'Ossy!' said Harry sternly. 'This is our wedding day and everywhere is shut until after Christmas. We're not going to London now. Now, explain.'
'Is Master commanding it?' said Ossy with fear.
'You're not in trouble, Ossy. But yes, I am commanding it.'
'Oh. Oh!' Ossy moaned again. 'I is most sorry, Master Draco, I thought you is finding this out before today... But you is not selling Malfoy Manor after the war. You cannot. I mean, it is not being your place to make that decision. You see, Malfoy Manor is always being part of the Beaumont Estate and under the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. The estate is keeping the manor...'
'...wait!' interrupted Harry. 'Are you saying that I own Malfoy Manor?'
'Yes, Master Harry. The Potters is always owning Malfoy Manor. When Master James died, you automatically became the next owner.'
'But... that's not right,' said Draco, first trying to digest that the Malfoys hadn't actually owned the Manor; second, Potter had always owned his family seat; and third, how the fuck had he paid the reparations for his family's part in the war?
To give credit where it was due, Harry looked mortified. Draco wasn't sure that if the situation had been reversed, whether he would be gloating at that news. Still, it was a bizarre twist in fate. 'So, we never had a family seat?'
'Well,' said Ossy, hesitantly. 'You did, by agreement. The Malfoy family lived at Malfoy Manor for many centuries... since they first came to England.'
'The Malfoys were gifted the estate when they were given their Baronry by William the Conqueror in 1066,' said Draco. 'My ancestors have always lived there.'
'Yes but, in the fourteenth century, Aumale de Malfeul is losing the family fortune. He is being a close friend of the then King of England, Richard II. He is always drinking and gambling and living a debauched lifestyle in the Muggle court. The rumour is he and King Richard is being lovers. Richard II is being a tyrant believing in royal prerogative and is often unbalanced and misgoverning. He is having political favourites but causing much distrust and fracture in the kingdom. When exiled Henry Bolingbroke is returned to England and is usurping the king to become Henry IV; Aumale de Malfeul is being executed and losing the original estate back to the Muggle crown. That is when the family is changing their name from de Malfeul to Malfoy. I is understanding that is when Malfoys is beginning to not liking Muggles.'
'So why do my family own Malfoy Manor?' said Harry, his brow furrowed in confusion.
'After Aumale is died, the Potters is honouring the marriage agreement between Aumale's son, Gabriel, to Gladwyn Potter. The Potters is buying the Malfoy estate from the crown and gifting it back to Gabriel Malfoy as it is being part of the dowry when he is marrying Gladwyn Potter. The Malfoys living in the Manor is always under the condition that there is always a Malfoy to live there. If there is being no more Malfoy heirs, it is returning fully to us and it can never be sold by the Malfoys because it is always being in the Potter name. It is many years later that the Malfoys is saying they have been cheated by the Potters and is trying to gain the estate completely but the documents is all legally recorded.'
'Merlin,' muttered Harry, 'and I still own the Manor?'
'Yes, Master Harry. In your absence, it is decided that it is the right thing to do to protect the name of Beaumont and the Potters by legally reclaiming Malfoy Manor and returning it completely to the estate.'
'So that explains why the Wards let me through.'
'Yes, Master Harry.'
'But that must mean I'm in debt to you for those reparation costs!' Draco raised an eyebrow.
'No, Master Draco. The money was taken from your father's secret vault and from selling a few items. I don't believe the Wizengamot is being fully aware and accepting the offered money without any questionings. Much is being very busy at those times and the Beaufort estate is managing it all very well,' Ossy smiled as if having had a personal hand in affairs.
Draco wondered if perhaps he had. 'Salazar!' he muttered. Why was life so complicated? And why was Potter always at the centre of it? Draco wasn't sure if he was meant to be angry about this or with whom he was supposed to be angry. 'What secret vault?' he asked.
'The one he is telling no one about, where he is taking bribes on the Dark Lord's behalf.'
'So, it wasn't our money?'
'It is being in your father's name...' said Ossy slyly.
Potter snorted softly in amusement. 'And that is perfect! That Voldemort should pay. I'm glad you're not in debt to me. I mean, it wouldn't matter, what's yours is mine now and all that. But it's all a bit of shock... Do you think your father knew, that for intents and purposes, I owned your home?'
'Probably.' Details about his father began to slot into place. 'It explains why Voldemort didn't kill him when my father fell out of favour. It also explains why my father had such a deep-seated dislike for all things "Potter" and was so willing to join Voldemort against you in the first place. He positively nurtured the animosity between us. Probably thinking he was setting me up for when I came of inheritance age and found out, he must have assumed it would only strengthen the hatred between us. Only Runchbark didn't tell me because there was nothing to share. She only told me that my family's account was being handed to a lesser clerk to be dealt with going forward.' A sudden realisation hit. 'Did you see my father's triumphant face in court when it was agreed that the Ministry could have the manor in reparation costs? He must have thought it ended the perceived hold of the Potters over the family name.'
'But do you think we ever had a hold?'
Draco shrugged, 'the constant need to produce an heir and keeping it all out of reach from your family. There is a long line of only ever producing one male heir. No one succeeded in producing more. Mother had two miscarriages after me. It meant there was no back up. I'm the last remaining Malfoy. There're no distant lines to trace.'
'Then it certainly makes a lot of sense regarding why he was so keen to hate me, to want me dead.'
'I imagine he thought he might have a claim on your estate.' Draco grimaced, bloody historical family feuds. It was the same with the Weasleys. The Weasley feud had originated in the nineteenth century at a wedding. The old families were so interconnected and interbred that sometimes it was unreal.
'Oh no, Master Draco. Lucius Malfoy is never be getting Beaumont. The only way Malfoys is getting into Beaumont is through a union between the Houses and through your offspring - but first they is always being Potters.' Draco knew Harry was laughing at Ossy's loyal declaration of hierarchy. 'If something happened to Master Harry during the war, it would be going to Master Edward. But when Mistress Luna is having Master Harry's and Master Draco's children, they will become the next heirs of first Beaumont and then Malfoy Manor.'
Both men smiled, shaking their heads in amusement...
'This is ridiculous,' muttered Harry. 'I'm a bloody property tycoon! Do you think your mother wants to move back there?'
'I highly doubt it. Anyway, we'll deal with it all another day. There're a hundred guests waiting for us, plus I'm sure there's a bottle of champagne that's got our name on it.'
'Perhaps, Ossy, you'd better announce us, as if this is all planned,' said Harry.
'Of course, Master Harry.' The House-Elf charged off ahead of them.
'You're ridiculous,' Draco smirked. 'You should see the state of your hair already.' He tried to tease it into some sort of semblance of an artfully tousled hairstyle but Harry just pulled him close and kissed him passionately.
'Come on, husband,' Harry grinned, looking very pleased with himself, 'our wedding party awaits.'
He dragged Draco along the corridor by his hand as he heard Ossy clear his throat and announce loudly. 'Ladies, Gentlemen, and Enbys, Magical and Non-Magical Guests, Esteemed Friends, I would like to present to you, on behalf of all at Beaumont Hall: the Most High, Noble and Potent Prince His Grace Harry, Duke of Beaumont and his husband, the right honourable, Lord Draco Malfoy-Potter...'
Harry scowled and swore he was going to sack Ossy.
Draco dug him in the ribs with a sharp finger and big grin. 'I didn't realise I was going to be a lord too.' He looked positively gleeful. 'Salazar, I wish my father were alive, just so I could rub this in his face! I outrank him!'
***