Newlyweds

PROLOGUE

Draco entered the dimly lit room and automatically took in the surroundings. Harry was lying on the bed and Ginny was sitting beside him, her eyes bloodshot from crying, Draco supposed.

"Hey, Malfoy! Finally got to kill your father, I see," Harry croaked friendly as Draco entered Ron's room at The Burrow.

"I'll bring the apple pudding you asked for!" Ginny stood up and excused herself.

"How did you know?" Draco asked quietly when she left. The clouds rumbled outside, as if asking the question themselves.

Harry laughed, which soon turned into a fit of coughing. Draco rushed over and handed him a glass of water.

"I don't -but I'm betting on it. Can't imagine you leaving your father to be killed by anyone else, can I? So it means I won." Harry smirked. "I do have many Slytherin traits. The Sorting Hat intended to place me in Slytherin, you know, because of a personal trait as well as a few given to me by Voldemort," he said, a bit of nostalgia creeping in his voice.

"But-"

"I wonder what Snape's reaction would've been if I hadn't insisted otherwise."

"You are changing the topic here, Potter."

"Haven't I already changed it at the beginning of the conversation we are having right now?" asked Harry, his eyes suddenly gleaming. Whether it was with hatred or tears, Draco wasn't sure.

"Why did you do it, Potter?"

Harry smiled ruefully. "Now look who's changing the topic."

"Don't use Legilimency on me. I have not come here to practice my Occlumency," Draco said sharply. He took a deep breath and continued. "They don't belong to me."

"Yes, they do-they belonged to your Uncle Sirius. He gave them to me only because I was his godson." Harry looked at him, almost pleading. "Just do me one favour in lieu-though I absolutely hate asking a favour from you," he added, grinning. Draco joined him, though his grin was more of a smirk. "Just keep the things you really want and burn down that whole damn place. It has been hell for everybody: Sirius, me and now everybody who'll ever enter that place-whether it is because of the heavy losses suffered by the Order or my pitiful life now.

"But you do know the real reason you came here Malfoy, don't you?" Harry brought around the real topic swiftly.

"Yes," Draco answered.

"You sound hesitant."

Draco glared at him. "I am not hesitant." He shot another look at him, while Harry just grinned. "I am downright denying doing anything of sort," he snapped.

A few minutes passed. When Harry didn't say anything to Draco and just looked at him patiently, he bit out harshly, "Why does it have to be me? Harry-"

"You called me Harry!" Harry joked, feigning surprise.

Draco pursed his lips and didn't retaliate. "I pondered over it and I came to the conclusion that you just want to destroy the fickle reputation I have in your family."

Harry looked at him exasperatedly. "I already planned on that. Only Hermione and Ron know what really is going to happen to Ginny. The rest of the family will be taking it as a shock-which Hermione will handle."

"But why should I cast the spell? Why not Granger?" Draco asked, growing desperate.

"Because I know that only you and Hermione are the two people who really have the iota to do that-in fact you are better than her. And fearing Ron's feelings-she refused to cast it on Ginny."

"And you call yourselves brave Gryffindors!"

"We call ourselves moral Gryffindors-"Harry told him.

"So in the end, I had to be the sacrificial lamb!"

Harry's mouth twisted in wry humour. "Sacrificial Snake I would say."

"Ginny will hate me for this forever."

"I didn't know you cared for her feelings."

"Maybe not for her feelings," he said abruptly, but added lightheartedly, "It's her hexes I care for, when she eventually learns of it."

Harry smiled shortly. "She won't."

"How come you're so sure? You know the-" The sky thundered outside, finally letting down the rain which had been threatening for the past few hours.

The thunder drowned the rest of Draco's sentence, but Harry knew what was spoken. He looked at Malfoy, as if shocked that he could be so dumb. "Are you crazy? How can they be?" he asked. "Especially when they are made by the formidable duo of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter?"

"The theory was provided by Granger -"

"Theory doesn't count."

"-and you only had the role of assisting us," Draco growled.

"I was your motivator."

"It could be dangerous." Draco finally switched the drifting conversation back to the point.

Harry winced slightly. "I tested it on myself, Malfoy."

Draco smirked. "Now you've turned a position high -'Motivator-cum-tester'."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I improved it -modified it on my own conditions and Hermione cast it on me to check it. It's still working."

"What about L-"

"Hermione will take care of-"

"What if Ginny refuses?"

"Again, Hermione will take care of it."

"I still don't understand why it has to be done."

Harry's eyes blazed dangerously for the first time since the fateful fight in which he had killed Voldemort. "You very well know Ginny. She'll just live in shock and finally stop living entirely," he said ardently. "It will be harmful for her own damn life if you don't do it.

"Don't you know how passionate she is? Do you think that she'll ever think of living like a normal girl if she continues like this?" Harry demanded.

Draco opened his mouth to protest again, this time nearly pleading with him. "Potter, please. I can't do this to her. I know how she treasures all this and I can't remove all this from her by-"

But Harry suddenly jerked and gripped Malfoy's hand tight. "Listen Malfoy, I don't have much time now and you know that. This is all very fast and demanding for you, but I can't trust anybody except you, Ron, and Hermione."

"The irony!" Draco couldn't help adding. Harry just grinned feebly.

"All speculation from people and press is the reason why we kept this a secret so long between us. And I can't let it go further. Promise me, Malfoy, that you'll do this."

As the dark room was momentarily brightened by the glow of the lightening from outside, Draco's grim face was illuminated for Harry to see and he closed his eyes in relief.

"Fine." Draco mumbled grudgingly.

"A Vow, then?" Harry suggested.

"Malfoys don't make Unbreakable Vows," Draco snapped.

"Your mother did with Snape," Harry retorted friendly.

"She was a Black originally, wasn't she?" Draco pointed out pleasantly. Harry laughed shortly.

"I think a Malfoy promise would be enough. Beggars can't be choosers. But the incongruity is that I trust you." Harry's body jerked dangerously again and he was short of breath by the time it receded. "I think you should call the three."

Draco quickly shot the Patronus down and as the door of the room opened shortly with a bang, Ron, Hermione and Ginny quickly entered the room, with Hermione carrying a small baby in her arms.