A Godfather's Love (aka The Other Side of the Coin)

12 -- The Wedding ... Among Other Things

As Harry had expected, Ron naturally had questions when he actually found Harry sharing the room with him and not with Sirius. But they were too occupied with preparing for the wedding, at least for a while, for him to have a chance to ask what had happened--or rather, what hadn't happened.

Shortly after Harry had showered and come back into the room, toweling his hair and wearing another towel carefully tied around his middle, Ron took the opportunity to ask. "Not that I'm not pleased to see you, mate, but I thought you said you'd be spending the night with Sirius. What happened?"

"The strangest thing, mate." Harry was somewhat startled at the sudden question, but he wasn't really surprised. So he explained as the two began to dress for the wedding. "Sirius all but kicked me out of the room, declaring that he couldn't spoil me for Ginny. Not that I didn't argue the point with him and try to stay, but he threatened to hex me if I didn't leave. As it turned out, though, he was right. I think I am going to need all the energy I can muster up for tonight." Harry saw the discomfort this conversation was causing his friend, so he didn't say any more.

"Sounds like he was just trying to be unselfish," came the response. "Gotta give the bloke credit for that, if nothing else, although I have to imagine it couldn't have been easy for him."

Harry smiled and nodded in agreement and then finished dressing. Just as he did so, there came a knock on the door. Sirius called to him, "Harry, it's time. Get Ron in gear and get out here. We've got to go."

The two young men looked at each other. "Well, mate, are you ready?" Ron could sense his friend's nervousness even though Harry tried to hide it.

"Ready as I'll ever be," came the reply. "Let's go." With that, they unlocked the door to find Sirius standing there, all duded up in his best dress robes. Sirius looked Harry up and down, and Harry was convinced that he saw hunger in Sirius's grey eyes at the sight of him, if only for a moment. Then it was covered, and he acted like there wasn't anything more between them than fraternal feelings. "Most impressive, boys. Your girls aren't going to be able to take their eyes off you." With that, the older man turned around and began heading to the stairs. Harry and Ron followed close behind.

* * * * *

No one could have asked for a more perfect day for the wedding, either weather-wise or event-wise. There were some uncomfortable moments when Sirius and Harry's eyes met, but for the most part, they were brief and well covered -- the acting involved was of Academy Award calibre. Harry had made up his mind to show every ounce of love he could muster to Ginny's, via smile, touch, or kiss, especially when the photographer was snapping away. He particularly made it his business to do so when the time came for the official wedding kiss, then later on when they danced their first dance as husband and wife. When they shared a bite of wedding cake, he once again made sure to project love for her and her alone. It wasn't that hard, because he did love her, very much, but it was easiest when Sirius wasn't looking in his direction.

And to the latter's credit, he had not shown any emotion that could be construed as anything but familial affection in regards to Harry, but the latter knew it had to be very difficult for him--to put it mildly--and loved him all the more for his unselfishness. Most important, he understood why Sirius had sent him away last night and intended to make sure that he showed him his appreciation in every bit as tangible a way as he was doing for Ginny as soon as he could manage it.

It wasn't until it came time for the newlyweds to change into their going-away clothes, Ginny going with her mother and Hermione and Harry going with Ron and Sirius, that there came far more than just a few moments' discomfort--particularly when Ron had forgotten his regular clothes and left Harry and Sirius alone for roughly half an hour. "No one can see us now, Padfoot," Harry reminded him, his voice holding the same kind of purr he usually used when sweet-talking Ginny.

"No, Harry. Ron's due to return at any moment," Sirius warned. "The last thing we need is for anyone to walk in on us."

"Listen, I understand why you did what you did the other night, and I appreciate your thoughtfulness--but enough is enough. I miss your touch, your kiss. Do this for me now, and I won't bother you again ... at least not until Ginny and I get back from the honeymoon."

Harry's green eyes had darkened with desire, and Sirius was finding it more difficult with every passing moment to resist their entreaty--and finally he was unable to do so any longer. It was almost as if one was a magnet and the other metal; they were inexorably attracted to each other, simply unable to stay apart. The kisses were sweet and chaste for a moment, but beyond that, they became hot and open-mouthed, just as the lovers' hands began to wander to their favourite places. Soon soft moans began to resound throughout the room as shirts and trousers began to unfasten themselves, then hungry, inquisitive hands and tongues explored their partner's lips and burgeoning arousals. Neither had enough presence of mind to cast either Locking or Silencing Charms, so there was a definite danger of being discovered--but at this point in time, neither cared.

"Oh my God, Padfoot ..."

"Oh God, Harry ..."

In fact, it was almost a relief--at least in retrospect--that Ron chose this moment to return, carrying his regular clothes, and came upon the lovers almost literally all over each other. For that matter, he was certain that if he hadn't come upon them when he did, they'd have been sprawled naked on the couch at one end of the room, shagging like rabbits. It was frankly difficult enough for him to accept the idea of his best friend and the latter's godfather being lovers, much less seeing it in action, so he wasn't about to endure it any longer than he had to. He just barely accepted the idea of Harry and Ginny being intimately involved, much less married, although he would far rather have her involved with his closest friend than anyone else.

He cleared his throat loudly, which fortunately broke the passionate embrace in mid-caress. Harry's hand was inside the back of Sirius's trousers, and Sirius's hand was down the front of Harry's. The older man's lips and teeth had gently bitten and sucked on the nearest parts of his young lover's body that had presented themselves, and he'd left a good-sized hickey. Fortunately for Harry, it was right on the pulse point behind his right ear and not readily visible unless specifically looked for--and even then, one would have to move some of his hair aside. Once they separated, Ron couldn't help noting a raised, deep pink circle of indentations and an equally pink area in the centre of the circle on his friend's skin before said hair covered it.

"I just thought I'd better tell you that Ginny's waiting for you, mate. You'd better get your bum in gear before she decides to come investigate herself."

"You won't say anything to her, will you?" Harry entreated, his green eyes pleading with his friend. "I don't want her upset emotionally any more than she already is physically."

"Mum's the word, mate," Ron assured him. "But get a move on. I'll keep her busy until you're ready." With that, he began to change clothes himself, changing faster than Harry had ever seen him do, leaving with such unseemly haste that Harry found himself sympathising with him, knowing how sensitive Ron was about that sort of thing. As the latter left and he began to change into his going-away clothes, Harry made a mental note to apologise to his friend at the earliest opportunity. Sirius also changed with unseemly haste and departed in order to make sure neither of them were caught in such a compromising position again.

Harry soon finished changing and picked up his wedding finery, intending to have Ron take care of it once he reached him. Ginny smiled and nodded as he approached; Harry returned it and said, "Could you take care of my wedding stuff, mate? We're running late, so I can't do it myself."

"Yeah, sure. Hand it over." As their eyes met, Harry gave an apologetic smile in Ron's direction, and the latter returned an understanding one. Even at that, Harry had every intention of explaining the situation and doing something tangible to make amends at the earliest opportunity.

"Ready now, luv?" Harry crooned to his bride, sliding an arm around her slender waist and breathing in the scent of his favourite perfume even while stealing a quick kiss.

"If you are," Ginny replied, smiling contentedly at her husband's kiss before they turned to leave and just barely managed to tear themselves away from Molly. They intended to fly to Hogsmeade station, get on the train from there, then head for their honeymoon destination--gay Paree (aka Paris, France), the city of lovers. Technically they could have flown the whole way, but Ginny, ever the romantic, wanted to have some quality time alone with her beloved on the way without their having to worry about crashing somewhere. Even at that, she suspected that there was something that Ron wasn't telling her and intended to see if she could get anything out of Harry about it. If he didn't want to talk, he was the next thing to the Sphinx when it came to getting anything out of him, but she still intended to try.

However, it wasn't until they were actually alone in a private car and were on the bed therein that Ginny got her chance. Harry, still aroused from the earlier, aborted tryst, was attempting to unbutton her blouse and caress her breasts while kissing her neck and throat, when Ginny stiffened against him.

"What's wrong, luv?" he crooned, nuzzling her throat in a manner she ordinarily was unable to resist.

"What took you so long to change? Did Sirius have anything to do with it?"

"What makes you think that?" Harry reluctantly released her and they simply lay next to each other, not touching nor moving anything but their heads to look in one another's direction.

"Harry, I'm not stupid. I know how you two feel about each other--and the way Ron was acting, he'd just seen something that upset him greatly, even as hard as he was trying to conceal it."

"What difference does that make now? I love you, you know that, and this is not the time to discuss it. We're on our honeymoon; it's a time for us ... and only us."

"On the contrary; this is the perfect time to discuss it. Now answer me, or I'll hex you." The tone of her voice told Harry his wife meant business, and it wasn't prudent to push a redhead's temper too far--especially if the redhead in question was a witch.

"All right, so we had a bit of an ... interlude. But it's nothing that should detract from our time together -that is, unless you allow it. Whatever my feelings for Sirius, you must know that I love you very much as well, and it would be foolish to allow them to come between us, especially at a time like this. Now, come on, luv. I want you, I need you, and we don't have a lot of time before we reach our destination."

It was then that Harry carefully, gingerly, resumed his ministrations. Despite Ginny's resolve not to give in to him, she soon found herself doing just that, softly moaning and clinging to him, running her fingers through his silky but unruly hair, burying her face in his neck, and breathing in a mixture of English Leather and Harry's own personal scent. He moved sensuously against her, slowly and lovingly undressing her bit by bit. Finally she began to do the same to him, kissing and caressing every bit of bare skin she could reach, provoking soft moans virtually identical to those Sirius had prompted.

What could have been an explosive confrontation turned into a tenderly passionate joining born of the deep love and desire between the young couple, which was indeed above and beyond that of Harry and his godfather/lover. But this was not the time for Harry to think of such things; Ginny was every bit as delicious in her own way, and he eventually managed to lose himself in her warmth and sweetness, both of them forgetting their morning sickness in the process, even without a dose of Anti-Nausea Potion ... and this was only the first day of their honeymoon.

If things worked out, they should be almost literally wrapped up in each other by the end of it and their return home, just as newlyweds ought to be. Or more specifically, their new home in Hogsmeade, which Harry had had specially built over the last few months, all through their engagement and up to their marriage. At this point, they needed only to move in, since it was already furnished with furniture they had chosen and stored in his Gringotts vault while waiting for the house to be built.

They also recruited as much help as they deemed necessary, from Molly on down to certain members of the Order who weren't busy on assignments. But there wasn't only a master bedroom, there were several guest rooms and rooms for at least two children, leaving the option open to convert the guest rooms to children's rooms if necessary. For the moment, Ginny was willing to accept Harry's feelings for Sirius, even remaining open to their continuing their affair after Harry's marriage to her, but only as long as she continued to get equal time ... and Harry fully intended to toe the line (as best he could, anyway) since he knew all too well what would happen if she didn't, and he was too fond of his (and Sirius's) bits to risk losing them any time soon.