Transition

Transition by Firesword

Chapter Thirty-seven: Draco Flaunts

Sunday, 30th April 2000.

It was just after lunch when the fireplace of the Lovenest rumbled noisily. Harry, who was in the middle of brushing his husband's long hair, looked up with a peculiar expression.

At the next minute, he saw an outrageous blur of orange bursting out of the fireplace. Before he could make out the person's face, there was another rumble, and the first wizard tumbled to the floor as the second collided into him.

Their guests had distinctive red hair.

"Fred! George!" Harry exclaimed and hurriedly scrambled out of his seat to help his friends.

"Do we have guests?" Bluestone's voice drifted into the living room, and while Harry aided George up, the Veela appeared. "Oh! Hello there!"

"Hi," George answered in an absent kind of tone.

"Sorry to drop in unannounced." Fred seemed slightly out of breath.

"Are you mad at us, Harry?"

"For missing your wedding ceremony?"

"No. Not at all," Harry answered, slightly bewildered. He felt a peculiar tingle suddenly and yelped as coldness overwhelmed him. Then the magic left, and he was clean and free of soot. "Thanks," he thanked Draco, who looked at him with a sardonic expression.

"Did you receive the invitation at all?" Draco asked. "Do not give me that accusing look, Weasley. We sent you two invitation cards.

"And another to Hermione, right?" Fred scowled.

Harry looked at the twins with perplexity.

Fred and George looked rueful suddenly. "Okay. We can think of a logical explanation why we didn't receive it."

"Post owl got lost."

"Or baby Ronniekins had decided to act childish."

Harry suddenly went numb.

"I don't think that's the case, unless you are still living together," Draco said reasonably. "Since Hermione has a place of her own, and she did receive the owl, the post to the Weasleys must have gotten lost in the skies. But why didn't ... never mind." Draco sighed softly.

Fred and his brother looked uncomfortable.

"We can't explain for them," George spoke. "But we were making something for the two of you to try, and we could not desert the experiment halfway."

"We recommend you to use it when you are alone and have plenty of time to explore," Fred added. "Here it is."

Fred took something out of his pocket and placed a relatively small object on the coffee table. Then George drew out his wand and cast a spell on the object, to revert it to its former state.

"Can we see?" Bluestone appeared greatly interested by the enlarged green package.

"What is it?" Harry looked questioningly at the Weasley twins.

"Things you may find useful in the bedroom," the twins answered in unison.

"Really? How thoughtful." Draco smirked.

Harry only managed to reply by blushing hotly before soft music riveted their attention.

"What in Merlin's name is that?" Fred demanded.

The emerald-eyed wizard chuckled lightly and his blush returned when Draco sidled up behind him, and pressed against his body very gently.

"It's time for a public display, love," Draco whispered in his ear.

"Right," he replied in a somewhat breathless voice.

"Can someone explain what is going to happen?"

Bluestone laughed brightly. "Don't worry, lads. It is just a weird custom of the Veelas, to show everyone that you have a mate."

"I see. At least that is something that they will both enjoy," Fred said slyly before glancing briefly at Draco.

"But who's playing that music?" George asked persistently.

"Actually, I have no idea," Harry admitted with a sheepish smile.

oOooOooOo

Draco laughed cheerfully as he dragged Harry out of their house and they headed to the small piece of clear ground.

"Draco, you're embarrassing me," Harry said almost plaintively. Hence, Draco did not expect Harry to kiss him so affectionately out in the open.

He was panting slightly when they finally parted and he was so thrilled to see the humor gleaming from Harry's emerald eyes.

"Doesn't that make me feel envious?" Fred looked at them with an amused expression.

"True," George agreed. Blue eyes brightened with mischief as they looked at something else.

"We seem to have attracted quite a gathering, love, and I see five of our students looking our way with astonishment," Draco noted.

Their students began to walk toward them.

"Professors?" the girl named Patricia greeted them nervously. "We're just about to drop by. Are we...?" She looked a little pale and Draco gathered it was because he was holding on to Harry's waist in a very intimate fashion.

"No, you aren't interrupting anything," Harry said kindly. "But your Potions teacher and I have a task to accomplish."

"Task?" another witch piped up and she looked confused. Then her eyes caught on to something and Draco realized that she was staring at the ring on his left hand. "They're married!" she squealed. Her sharp voice surprised the rest of her friends.

"What? When?"

"And we weren't invited?"

"Who's playing the music?"

"Why is there even music?"

Draco stared at his students with amusement and he finally cleared his throat to gain their attention. "Children, according to Veela traditions, newly-weds have to dance in public for an entire week. Since we married according to their tradition, we have to dance. So ... if you care to join that pair of redheads over there?"

Harry chortled. "Just be careful around them. They were Hogwarts greatest pranksters, after the Marauders."

Their students' expressions suddenly turned mischievous and Draco watched them go to the twins, bemused.

"Harry, I think I'd blundered," he said absently.

"Hmmmm?" Harry's voice sounded distant and Draco himself felt dreamy. It was rather distracting to have his husband's hand on his hip.

"I think we'd just sent the wrong group of students to the twins," Draco answered and chuckled lightly. "I'm certain we'd have pranks of all sorts happening in school tomorrow."

He felt Harry jerking a little and turned so that he could study the raven-haired wizard.

"Damn..." Harry appeared slightly worried.

"Let's not worry about that now," he whispered and slid his hand up Harry's right side.

Emerald eyes stared into his pair of silver ones unblinkingly, and Draco felt suspended in time and a realm where nothing existed but his husband, himself, the music and their love. He closed his eyes as Harry leaned in, just a bit, to plant a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Want to lead me?" Draco asked huskily.

"You never stop making me feel special."

"You are special, Harry." Draco smiled and took a step back. "You're my mate now."

"And yours to love," Harry whispered.

"And yours to love," Draco concurred. As he rested his cheek against Harry's temple, he thought,

You're the only one who is able to make me feel this special.

oOooOooOo

Harry was quite edgy throughout Monday morning, as he had expected his students to pull a prank on him at any time. However, his pupils, even the naughtiest, had behaved rather well, and it was that which made him even more cautious.

He was quite lost in his own thoughts as he descended the staircase, unaware that someone was hurrying down after him.

An odd puddle that ran across the ground floor jerked him back to attention. He frowned, and suddenly, two voices spoke to him at once.

"I just heard a rumor-"

"Jump across it but it's probably best if you wait until I clear it."

Harry blinked in confusion at Knight and then at the Headmaster. "What is that?" he asked Professor Greatoak and knelt down to examine it. He was careful not to touch the liquid.

"I wouldn't touch it if I were you," the old wizard advised. "This might be something young Gourgan unwittingly let loose." Greatoak looked thoughtful. "Ah, I believe this would work."

Harry saw the Headmaster's lips move and the puddle started to shrink.

It's not evaporating. Harry scowled slightly. He sniffed but he could not smell anything peculiar. The puddle decreased in size until Greatoak froze the spell.

Kneeling down, the head of the centre conjured out a capillary tube and it instantly sucked in the crystal-sized puddle.

"I'll have Aran check this," the old wizard said and stood up. "Sorry to keep you away from lunch. Do remember to wash your hands before your meal though."

Harry merely smiled in response. Greatoak sauntered off to the staircase leading to the basement, and Harry turned back to face Knight. "What rumor?" he asked, his expression piqued.

Knight appeared pale. "Rumors - the students say that you have married."

Harry blinked, and slowly, he started to laugh. "Those aren't rumors, Knight. I have married someone."

The librarian's eyes widened in shock.

"Professor Potter?" a voice piped up.

"It's Professor Malfoy now, Sarah," her companion hissed.

"Sir?" a third girl interrupted calmly. "Professor Malfoy asks whether you could bring lunch to him and wait outside the lab."

"Oh?" Harry chuckled a little. "He's turning students into messengers now?"

The girls giggled nervously.

"Okay then. One of you go back to him and say that I have received his request." Harry smiled impishly.

Sarah looked at him worriedly. "Sir, you are going to get lunch for Professor Malfoy, right?"

Harry grinned widely and waved at the girls. Then he went off to the hall without saying goodbye to Knight.

oOooOooOo

It was during the afternoon break that a messenger approached Draco.

"What is it, Mister Boron?" he asked the boy who looked somewhat embarrassed. Draco had been just about to go up the second level to see if Harry was in the office.

"Professor Potter, er ... he says he's waiting at the usual bench."

"I see," Draco answered thoughtfully. "You may go."

Draco walked unhurriedly into the hall and found Harry sitting on their favorite bench with a resigned look. Draco lifted his eyebrow and he inquired, "Has someone finally pulled a prank on you?"

Harry answered him, not by speaking, but by showing his back.

'Just married!

To your very own charming,

Asst. Potions Teacher!'

He choked, amused and horrified at the same time. "Love, that is so..." Draco struggled to find a word. "Bold," he said at last.

"It wasn't done by a student, Draco," Harry muttered.

Draco looked at his husband with disbelief. "Bloody hell - Vine?"

"I can tell it's his magic," Harry said sullenly. "I've worked with him long enough to recognize it."

He sat down next to his husband and tried to lift the hex. He was unsuccessful however. The proclamation seemed to have been sewn into the fabric itself. He was still marveling at Vine's prank and so did not notice that the hall was getting crowded with students and staff.

Then a lively jig echoed throughout the hall and Draco jumped in his seat, surprised at the sudden music. He took a good look around and blushed furiously.

Do we have to dance in front of the students?

Draco gulped.

"Don't be shy now!" Vine's voice somehow pierced through the music.

To Draco's and his husband's horror, the floor beneath their feet started to rise.

Harry let out a yelp and Draco instinctively climbed on the table. Harry quickly followed and within moments, the table changed into a raised platform.

There were series of loud whistles - coupled with some gagging sounds - and Draco was furiously aware of Harry's hands on his hips.

"Are we really doing this?" Harry's voice was strained with uneasiness.

Draco took a deep breath and nodded. "But I seriously don't know if I can handle what will happen after the dance," he said honestly.

"You actually enjoy this," Harry stated suddenly, edginess forgotten.

He chuckled. "A little I guess." He took hold of Harry's right hand and relaxed slightly. Then he saw Knight, who looked disgusted and horrified. The music changed much to Draco's pleasure.

His husband noticed the change in the music and that Draco's attention was fixed on Knight. "Just promise me that you won't get creative."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to move in any way that will frighten the youngsters." He smiled sweetly. "May I take the lead this time?" He moved his leg, planted it in between Harry's feet, and his thigh nearly brushed against his lover's groin in the process.

Harry grinned and then dropped his emerald eyes shyly. "As my husband wishes."

"Oh, your husband certainly wishes, love."

Silver hair flew about as they twirled, and Draco's curtain of hair screened one side of Harry's face when he leaned forward.

There were more encouraging whistles and catcalls, and several exclamations that the sight were very strange.

The silver-eyed wizard smiled faintly. He had noted Knight's expression, and the librarian was clearly fuming. His eyes stared back into Harry's. Without breaking the gaze, Draco leaned further until his lips barely touched his husband's.

"You're mine now, Harry Potter-Malfoy. Now they know." He kissed Harry quickly on the cheek before straightening up. "Now - let's dance shall we?"

"Let's do it."

With a broad smile, Draco set about to flaunting with his husband.

oOooOooOo