The next day, Harry woke up knowing that something was going to happen. He couldn't determine whether it would be good or bad. With Felix's head on his chest, he was hoping for the former.
Soon enough, there was a knock on his door, and Harry frowned. If it was Draco, he always knocked on the bathroom door. Cautiously, Harry opened the door and was surprised to see Ron.
"Hey mate, can I come in?"
"I suppose so."
"It's just me, no Hermione."
Moving aside to let Ron in, Harry asked, "does she know you're here?"
"Didn't know I needed permission to see my best mate."
"Do you?," Harry retorted, leaning against the door. "It's been over a week you know."
"I told you that I would keep her away from you. It didn't take long for me to realize that would mean I had to stay away too. She's my girlfriend mate," Ron supplied helplessly.
"So where does that leave me then?"
"With Malfoy I suppose."
"So I just lose my best friends since I was 11 then? Just like that?"
"Hold on Harry, that's not what I'm saying at all."
"Then what exactly are you trying to say Ron?!," Harry asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
"That right now, Malfoy seems to be the best person for you to be with," Ron began again, his gentle tone of voice calming Harry down against his will. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt for me to admit that, and that in some semblance of a way I feel replaced. But then I realized, that's probably how you've been feeling this whole time with Mione and I, you're just too kind to say anything.
In getting together, our dynamic has changed. And then you and Gin broke up, so it really was just you and Felix. I'm sorry Harry, really."
"It is what it is," Harry replied quietly. "I miss you, but I'm not fighting for attention."
"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade?"
"I don't know Ron..."
"It'll just be the two of us," Ron promised. "I'll leave it up to you to think on."
"Sure mate."
"Yeah?"
Ron's bright grin couldn't help but put one on Harry's face.
"Yeah. Let me get ready."
"I'll meet you in the common room in 5?"
"Sounds good."
After getting ready, Harry knocked on the bathroom door on Draco's side of the room.
"Morning Potter."
"Hey Malfoy. I'm heading to Hogsmeade with Ron, I just wanted to let you know."
Draco raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. He worked to keep his emotions concealed, fighting off the panic.
"Yeah, I'm feeling the same way if I'm honest. This might completely blow up in my face."
"Do what you feel is best for you Potter."
"You want to pack up all your things and leave the country with me? That sounds best."
"You'd want me to come with you?"
"Of course I would, why wouldn't- oh," Harry interrupted himself with a frown. "Draco just because I'm hanging out with Ron again doesn't mean that I won't be spending time with you anymore. I like spending time with you, and I'm not going to stop just because he's back. Hermione is his top priority, and you're mine."
"I knew that," Draco replied haughtily, blinking his misty eyes.
"Of course you did. A reminder never hurts. I'll see you later yeah?"
"Yes, you will. You can send Felix through, I don't plan on leaving my room much today."
"Thank you."
"And Potter?"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful will you?"
"I'll do my best."
When was Harry's best ever enough?
Draco still felt unsure of the day's events. Harry meeting with Ron so suddenly was unexpected, and he had the fleeting idea of making up some excuse to go into Hogsmeade himself before quickly shutting that down. Draco was Harry's top priority after all, and the thought made him giddy, so he decided to put this rare good energy to use.
Walking around Hogsmeade, Harry thought he should've been prepared for all the flashing cameras. Of course, it didn't happen immediately. First came the stares, then the small group of people following behind him and Ron, who seemed oblivious to the crowd.
"Mate I hate to interrupt you, but do you not see them?"
"I'm used to it, aren't you? Come on, we'll ditch them at the shop."
Walking into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes felt like coming home in a way. Harry had distanced himself from the Weasley's after all that had happened, so the familiarity was not. It was hard to chase away the guilt he felt when looking at George, fighting to keep his eyes from glancing to the side.
"Harry mate, it's good to see you!"
"Hi George, it's great to see you too," Harry responded genuinely, allowing himself to be pulled into a hug.
"Alright, if you're not a paying customer get out, the lot of you."
The crowd walked out, grumbling as they walked out the door, with George quickly flipping the sign and locking the door. He then pulled the blinds down, blocking people from peering into the windows.
"Thanks George."
"Vultures aren't they? To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I wanted to check up on the latest candy idea. Plus we needed to escape the crowds."
"Oh you're gonna love this," George said, a grin on his face as he slung an arm around Harry and Ron. "They're still in the testing stage, but my goal is to have the candy showcase the consumer's emotions. So if you're angry steam would come out of your head, you're in love you'd get literal heart eyes, things like that. I'll give you some to share in the common room, I need more testing subjects.
Also Harry, mum's been asking about you. Are you coming to dinner next weekend? We'd love to have you."
"Oh, erm, next weekend? I wasn't invited. What day is it? I do have a therapy session with my healer."
"What do you mean you weren't invited?," George asked in confusion. "You're always invited, the same Sunday night dinners as always."
"Maybe another weekend. Hermione and I aren't quite seeing eye to eye at the moment."
"That bad huh? Fighting over Ronnikins here?," George teased, ruffling Ron's hair.
"Hey!"
"Let's call it misplaced attention to be polite. What other things have you been working on?"
After picking up a few more things from the shop, Harry said goodbye, promising to visit again soon. They snuck out the back door and soon found themselves in Honeyduke's. Harry made sure to pick up some sweets for Draco.
"Do you mind if we stop for pet supplies? Crookshanks destroyed his last toy and I told Mione I'd pick up a new one. I don't know if this cat will ever like me," Ron lamented.
"Yeah that's fine, I'll pick up a few things for Felix."
While Ron was shopping a few aisles over, Harry was looking at the toy section. He picked up a few things he thought both Felix and Draco would enjoy playing with. After picking up some more treats Harry was ready to checkout, until the collar section caught his eye. An emerald green color with silver diamond studs was jumping out to him, and Harry felt it in the palm of his hand before he even knew he was reaching out.
After getting "Felix" engraved on the collar, Harry took it upon himself to add H.P. and D.M. to the small silver tag hanging from the color. Smiling to himself, Harry was quite pleased with his purchases, knowing that Draco would get a kick out of it. And maybe, just maybe, he could make Draco a bit flustered. That was always a plus.
Next, the two men got some lunch, along with a mug of butterbeer, followed by a hefty privacy charm so no one could listen to their conversations.
"I really am sorry about everything that happened mate."
"I know that you are. I could've said something but..."
"But you didn't want to ruin anything. I get it. I'm trying to be better. Hermione will come around, and I think Malfoy is the only thing keeping her away."
"He's not what he used to be. You should both trust my judgment. When have I been wrong about him? If she wants to fix things, she's more than welcome to attend one of my sessions with me. You're also welcome to attend any, but this one just needs to be her and I."
"I'll pass along the message. I also know that mum would really love to have you back home. We've all missed you."
"It just never feels like the right time," Harry replied with a sigh, staring into his mug of butterbeer.
"I'm telling you it never really will. Fleeing to Australia with Hermione to help with her parents while leaving my own was not the right move for me, especially after everything that happened. Even if you're not with my sister anymore, you're still my brother Harry. We will always be family," Ron finished, wiping the tears that had begun to form in his eyes.
Harry hugged him tightly, feeling his own eyes water.
"Tell Molly to expect me in November. October is almost over and I'd like to get through everything first. Actually? I'll write to her myself," Harry promised, pulling away and wiping his eyes.
"Is it too early to get sloshed?," Ron asked, changing the mood.
"I'll take one fire whiskey, that's enough for me."
"Suit yourself mate."
As Harry helped a very tipsy Ron out of the bar over an hour later, he cursed everything that led him to this moment. Harry knew that Ron speaking about leaving his family when they needed him the most was a sore subject, but "getting sloshed" did not solve the issue at hand.
"Mate you're extremely heavy," Harry groaned as Ron leaned heavily on him.
"'m not, don't be mean," he pouted.
With the crowd having followed them a ways back to Hogwarts, Harry had had enough.
"Hold on," he muttered to Ron.
Casting a wordless and wandless lightening charm on Ron, Harry then released a Weasley product. Soon enough a loud bang accompanied by smoke and a flashing light was released. Harry took his chance, grabbed Ron tightly, and started sprinting back to the school, only stopping when Hogwarts was in sight and Ron told him he would be sick.
Rubbing Ron's back in comfort, Harry sighed, wondering how they had gotten to this point. He helped Ron back to the common room, rolling his shoulder's back as he knocked on Hermione's door.
"Ron- oh, Harry! What's happened to Ron?"
"Running, had a few drinks."
"We were followed by reporters, Ron had one two many, and he was sick in the grass outside. I carried him while I ran and I don't think his stomach appreciated it."
"Thank you for bringing him here. You need a shower Ron."
"See you mate," Ron waved, stumbling down the hall to his room, Hermione following as she shook her head.
As soon as Harry got into his room, he hit himself with a cleaning charm, then began to change. He was in the middle of tugging his shirt on when Draco walked in.
"Potter- oh, erm. I should've knocked."
"That's never stopped you before," Harry teased, pulling the rest of his shirt down and turning around. "There's my baby boy, come here," Harry cooed, opening his arms for Felix, whose weight promptly knocked him over.
Laughing, Harry began to play wrestle Felix as Draco watched fondly.
"Oh, I have something for you," Harry said a few moments later.
"Me or Felix?," Draco inquired, perching on the edge of Harry's bed.
"Both, hold on."
Digging in the bag, he pulled out a smaller bag from Honeyduke's and tossed it to Draco. Then, he pulled out the collar he had bought, and sat down next to Draco to show him.
"I picked this up for Felix today."
"Nice to see you finally have taste," Draco teased, taking the collar out of Harry's hand. "Oh."
"I thought it would be nice to commemorate the bond and everything," Harry said sincerely. "Do you want to do the honore of switching the collar out?"
"You're sure about this?"
"Obviously. Felix and I both enjoy your company. You help me take care of him. You help me in general too," Harry corrected.
With slightly shaking hands, Draco switched out the collar.
"We have a very distinguished boy don't we?"
"We do," Harry agreed, resting his head on Draco's shoulder.
"Tell me about your trip today?," Draco asked, leaning his head against Harry's.
"Ugh, I should've stayed in today. It ended up with Ron throwing up after we had to escape reporters."
Harry quickly explained what had happened, and the storytime ended with Draco collapsing in a fit of giggles.
"Potter, do you know what you threw?," he asked as his giggles subsided.
"A Weasley smoke bomb?"
"What color was the smoke, do you remember?"
"I threw a pink one, in your honor."
"Oh Merlin, you did not!"
"I did? Why what does... Oh no."
"Oh yes!," Draco replied, laughing harder this time.
"Tell me I didn't just turn anyone who encountered that smoke pink."
"If I told you that I'd be lying."
"Oh fuck me, that's going to make the articles even worse," Harry lamented, his head resting in his hands.
"Relax Potter, how bad can it be?"
The answer, as they would soon find out right before dinner time, was very bad. Harry was finishing up a homework assignment, when Draco burst into his room with a yell of, "Potter!"
"Malfoy, what's wrong?"
"You need to see this."
"What's wrong?," Harry asked in a panic, making space for Draco to sit next to him.
"Pansy works for The Prophet now and she sent me this as soon as the article was sent for publication. It only just arrived and I haven't looked at it yet but- here," Draco cut himself off, handing the paper to Harry.
The glaring headline read "Trouble in Paradise?" and it was accompanied by a photo of Harry and Ron crying and hugging each other tightly.
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered, reading through the article about how Hermione and Ron had broken up, Harry had taken Ron's side, and Ron and Harry were absolutely devastated over her loss.
"I need to catch them before they leave for dinner," Harry said with a start, and Draco followed him out of the room.
Harry knocked on Hermione's door while Draco knocked on Ron's. Hermione answered the door, her face contorting into a frown when she saw the look on Harry's face. Nothing beat the surprised look on Neville's face when he saw Draco had been the one to knock on his door.
"Weasley," he demanded, and Neville nodded quickly, grabbing Ron by the arm and pulling him to the door.
"Bloody hell what is it?," Ron asked in annoyance, removing his arm from Neville's grasp.
"Potter's room, now:"
Not even checking to see if Weasley was following him, Draco walked back to Potter's room. Hermione bristled when Draco walked into the room, and Draco looked at her coolly.
"Drop the pretense Granger. I know you don't like me but we both care about Potter so we're stuck with each other. I'm doing this as a courtesy to you and Weasley."
With that, Draco handed her the copy of The Prophet, Weasley quickly moving to her side. Draco had never seen someone sober up so quickly.
"When?," she asked.
"Tonight at dinner."
"I should've kept her in that jar," she hissed. "Just because I'm not seen with Harry and Ron for one day, suddenly Ron and I are broken up and Harry took his side?! Ronald, we're going out, right now."
"Yes dear," he responded, rushing back to his room to change, sharing a look with Harry. "Thanks Malfoy," he called over his shoulder.
"Thank you Malfoy, that was very... kind of you," Hermione replied before heading back to her room.
"Shall we go out too?," Draco teased, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders.
"Yes, actually. Fancy another picnic?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
"Meet you in five?"
"Make it three," Draco replied with a grin, heading back to his room through the connecting door.
Slipping into one of his hoodies, Harry grabbed his basket and loaded in his picnic materials. He leashed up Felix and was ready when Draco knocked on his door.
"Ready to go?"
"After I borrow one of your hoodies, yes."
"Yours don't suffice?," Harry asked, a teasing smiling on his face.
"I don't want to get my own dirty of course."
"Why don't you take my trousers too?"
"Why Potter, are you inviting me into your pants?," Draco asked innocently, looking at Harry through his eyelashes.
Harry sputtered in surprise, his face turning red.
"No? Maybe some other time then," Draco replied airily, slipping into one of Harry's hoodies and sighing in contentment.
"I'm always available for you," Harry whispered into Draco's ear, causing the other man to jump.
"You're about to get stood up tonight," Draco warned, flicking Harry on the forehead.
"Nah, you won't let our son come from a broken home. Come on, let's get out before the dinner rush starts and chaos ensues."
Harry opened the door for Draco, and handed him Felix's leash.
"Come on pretty boy, look at how sophisticated you look in your new collar. Who knew Potter had taste?"
"If I didn't have good taste you wouldn't be constantly stealing my hoodies would you? Don't think I haven't noticed them missing."
"You're clearly misplacing them in the laundry. Come along Potter, like you said we don't want to get caught in the rush."
To save time, Harry sent Draco and Felix outside to set up while he grabbed food from the kitchens. Saying hello to all of the elves, he walked out with much more food than he needed.
"Draco this looks stunning!," Harry praised in amazement.
"Oh my lights? You like them?"
Draco had charmed orbs of light to hang in the air, and Felix was happily chasing one of them.
"I love them. You're so talented."
"Says the one who defeated Voldemort," Draco retorted, but he was still preening.
"I got really good at one spell," Harry replied with a shrug. "This takes technical skill."
"There you go selling yourself short again. Honestly Potter, I'm only going to say this once so pay close attention. You're absolutely remarkable. And I don't mean survived the killing curse multiple times remarkable.
I mean the odds have been stacked against you your whole life and you only came out of it mildly fucked up. Look at me for example. While I've always had my extremely good looks, my personality was shit. I had, for the most part, loving parents and absolutely anything that I could have ever wanted.
Now my mother is a shell of what she once was, my father is locked away probably cursing my name. If he was out I'm certain I'd be disowned for breaking a contract and failing to produce an heir, but I'm getting off track.
You didn't start coming into your own until later in life, but you've done brilliantly. You should be proud, and I know that your parents and Sirius and Remus are proud of you. When life got tough, you powered through. Hell, you decided to live when you could've chosen to die and that tells me all I needed to know about how strong you are, Harry."
"You called me Harry," he replied goofily, a cheery grin on his face.
"Is that all you got from that?," Draco asked in exasperation.
"No, but I don't recall you ever calling me Harry."
"Don't go making this weird now Potter. You call me by my given name on certain occasions too. Don't get used to it."
"Thank you though, that was very kind of you to say. I just don't think I'll ever see myself the way that others do."
"You don't like what you see because you're so used to seeing it every day. You just need some fresh perspective, which I can supply of course."
"I feel like there's a lot to breakdown with what you said though. You broke a contract and you won't produce an heir? We're still teenagers, you have time to produce an heir if you wanted to you know."
"It's complicated," Draco began, unpacking the food Harry had brought. "I was supposed to marry Astoria Greengrass after her graduation and eventually produce an heir. There were a few issues with that. For starters, I'm gay. That didn't matter much though, this was to be a political move anyway, I didn't have a choice.
My father had always suspected and I didn't dare to confirm. I told him I understood my duty as a Malfoy, but we see how far that got me don't we? After everything was said and done, the Greengrass family wasn't interested in the marriage. The Malfoy line will almost surely end with me, but maybe that's a good thing. We don't need more evil in this world."
"The world isn't split into good people and death eaters. We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are. Sirius said that to me, and it's stuck with me all these years.
While you may have done bad things, that does not make you an inherently bad person Draco. I've done bad things in the name of good. I killed someone for Merlin's sake. You functioned out of the need to stay alive. If you had given up, I'm sure I'd be dead. There would have been someone else in the Manor who could have positively identified me, and that would have been it.
Every choice that you have ever made has led us to this moment. While I didn't enjoy all of our past moments together, I'm enjoying every moment that we spend together now. You can always make me laugh, you know when I need advice or I just need to rant, you're patient with me, my dog loves you, you're really nice to cuddle with even when you pretend to hate it, and you help me to become a better person every day.
Even if you are gay, which I have absolutely no issue with, that doesn't mean the Malfoy line has to end with you. There are other ways to get pregnant than... you know... We're still young, don't sell yourself short just yet."
"Thank you," Draco replied quietly.
"Any time," Harry answered honestly, smiling at his unlikely best friend.
Harry's mind couldn't help but file the fact that Draco was gay into the back of his mind. Maybe... He supposed only time would tell. For now? He was going to enjoy their picnic outing and admire how Draco's face looked surrounded by the soft glowing orbs of light.