It's About Time

--John Keats

"Harry? HARRY!"

Harry blinked and turned to the person calling his name. Sitting across him, Hermione raised her brows in a mixture of rueful resignation and fondness. "Harry, were you even listening to what I was saying?"

Harry smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Hermione. Just thinking about the bonding, is all."

Ron snickered. He was sitting beside Hermione with his arm draped on her shoulder. "Still can't believe they're doing it, eh, mate?"

"Nah. I actually thought it was about time they got married. Merlin knows they've postponed it for years," Harry said.

"They're Gryffindors; they're stupid like that," a silky voice commented beside him.

Another smile tugged at his lips and Harry finally turned to the object of his musing. Neat platinum hair, sharp grey eyes, smirking lips and the proud and ever present tilt of his pointed chin, the Slytherin arched his brow in challenge, his tongue unconsciously darting out to lick his lip. Beneath the table, long fingers wrapped around Harry's hand.

Draco Malfoy had been his boyfriend since last year, much to the horror of many, especially Ron and Hermione. They'd grown closer after Dumbledore told Harry of Draco's shift of allegiances, therefore forcing them to tolerate one another. It seemed the Slytherin met Voldemort the summer after their 5th year, and in that sole encounter, his eyes were opened to the reality of Voldemort's rule. Draco didn't like what he witnessed. Though he was reluctant to discuss the Dark Lord, Draco once professed to seeing Voldemort and the Death Eaters, including his father, torture a Muggle family. Draco was sickened by it and thus, he made a decision--though hard--and had gone to Dumbledore.

"Are you saying that my godfather and his fiancé are stupid?" He knew Draco was just teasing him. In truth, Draco respected Sirius and Remus, albeit grudgingly. He'd seen what the pair could do from their shared training with Sirius and their daily lessons from Remus. Remus Lupin had been invited to teach DADA at Hogwarts once more, and since Sirius' name had been cleared--they'd caught Pettigrew last year after a successful raid--he agreed to come to Hogwarts and give special combat sessions to Harry and Draco.

"No, I was just stating the truth. Gryffindors are stupid." Draco smirked.

Across the table from Draco, Ron snorted. "Yeah, right. And I suppose Slytherins can do nothing wrong?"

Draco's laugh was amused. "Touché, Weasley."

Rather than continue his argument, Ron joined Draco's laughter. Both had shared an unspoken truce

And the rest, as cliché as it sounded, was history.

It was Christmastime of their 7th year, and Harry and Draco had gone out to Hogsmeade to enjoy the day with their friends--Gryffindors and Slytherins alike. Ron and Hermione cajoled them into having breakfast at the Three Broomsticks, whilst Pansy and Blaise asked them to have lunch later. Both parties were still hesitant around one another, but they willingly set aside their differences for their friends.

Harry was infinitely relieved and proud that his best friends were able to accept Draco. He knew they wanted him to have the happiness that he deserved, and after seeing Draco's affection for him, they had to admit that he was good for Harry. And Harry was glad, very glad, because he couldn't imagine a life without Draco.

He loved Draco that much.

He loved how Draco smiled--how Draco nestled against him oh so perfectly and how Draco kissed him with those soft lips. He adored how Draco's eyes--so harsh and beautiful--looked at him, how Draco's touch, such a simple caress, could bring him to a maelstrom of pure sensation and how Draco's breath, just the feel of it, could wrap around him like a blanket of assurance on a cold day.

But Harry was unsure of what Draco felt for him. Draco hadn't told Harry that he loved him and Harry didn't expect him to. Draco valued his solitude; he had been bound to his family for so long, that he shied away from attachments. He liked his newfound freedom, and forcing himself onto Draco by making him admit his feelings was not what Harry wanted to do.

In a way, Harry was jealous of what Remus and Sirius had. They were so certain of their feelings for one another, while here Harry was, afraid that Draco might not love him as much as he loved Draco. He wouldn't have the same bond with Draco as Sirius had with Remus, and he was disgusted with himself for feeling envious of his godfather.

He just longed for--

"Harry? What are you thinking?"

For the second time that morning, Harry snapped out of his thoughts. He stared at Draco, who looked back at him, slate grey eyes worried and questioning.

Harry smiled. "Nothing. I'm just happy for Sirius and Remus."

~~~ ~ ~~~

Breakfast and lunch went by quickly. Pansy and Blaise met them at a posh restaurant in Hogsmeade, and they made idle chatter and ate pesto and chicken sauté. It was quite fun, now that Harry thought of it. Blaise had always been entertaining, with his easy charm and carefree nature, and Pansy had somewhat mellowed--she had quit tormenting the Gryffindors after she accepted the idea of Harry and Draco together. They had got along well enough, even better than Harry could ever expect.

"By the way, Potter. I've heard that Professor Black is getting married to Professor Lupin. Is that true?" asked Pansy halfway through the meal.

Sirius and Remus chose to have a small bonding ceremony first, and the actual wedding would come later. After the war, preferably. They decided to invite only their closest friends to the ceremony.

"Yes. Though they're having a bonding ceremony first."

Blaise raised a brow. "Why do they have to bond when they are already getting married?"

Draco waved a hand. "What can you expect from Gryffindors?"

Pansy and Blaise laughed at that, and Harry playfully nudged Draco, but inwardly, he thought, Why? Because they are afraid of what the war might bring. They want to be together as much as possible before the war breaks out.

Because they love one another THAT much.

Harry gripped Draco's hand, and Draco, a hint of understanding on his eyes, squeezed back.

~~~ ~ ~~~

Harry didn't know what to make out of the situation they found in Remus and Sirius' house. Sprawled on the sofa, laughing and shouting ". . . Not there . . . PADFOOT!" was Remus Lupin, their mild-mannered DADA professor. Squirming on top of him was a large, black dog... and it seemed the dog was trying to tickle the werewolf.

Beside him, Draco snickered, drawing the couple's attention to them. Remus' laughter was cut abruptly, and he stood up, dislodging the dog. Padfoot whined and transformed to Sirius Black. He looked halfway between irritated and pleased. "Harry, Draco! I didn't expect you to arrive... early."

"Early?" Harry laughed. "Sirius, it's already dark outside!"

"Come in, you two." It seemed Remus had recovered his composure. "Dinner's ready."

Harry walked in and threw his arms around his godfather. Over Sirius' shoulder, he smiled at Remus. "Did we disturb you with anything?"

"It was nothing. Padfoot and I were just arguing about something."

"Black, I didn't know you were into bestiality." Draco winked.

"Shut up, Malfoy." There was no real venom on Sirius' voice. They shook hands and went to the dining room, with Harry trailing after them.

Dinner was sumptuous. There was easy banter on the table between Sirius and Draco. The foursome talked about school, debated issues ("Werewolves should be allowed to procreate!"), and discussed Order meetings. Near the end of dessert, Harry broached the subject of the bond.

"Just how does this bond work?" he asked. He was not listening when Hermione talked about it earlier.

Sirius' smile was gentle. The two men looked at each other, and they held hands. Harry noticed and felt his chest tightened. "The bond," explained Sirius, "is a simple mind-link that tells each of us how the other is doing. And it just about marries us, according to Dumbledore."

"That's good," Harry murmured.

Silence.

Harry felt terrible. He knew he should be happy for his godfather and Remus, but he couldn't be. Dismay and resignation welled up inside him, almost choking him. Even his hand started to shake that when a hand clasped it, Harry started in surprise. Grey eyes bore into green, silently beseeching, Are you all right?

Harry wondered if he was that transparent. He forced a smile and nodded. "Sirius," he asked, wanting to change the subject, "what were you arguing about when we arrived?"

Sirius laughed, and Remus shook his head in amusement.

"Padfoot is worried about the ceremony."

"Why does it have to have a bloody ceremony? And why can't they just perform the ceremony and finish with it?" Sirius was whining again.

"You're nervous!" Draco laughed.

"I resent that!" Sirius said indignantly.

Draco snorted in disbelief, and Sirius rolled his eyes. "Fine, maybe I am. It's not everyday that you get bonded."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Black, you only have to follow Remus' lead." He smirked and turned to Harry. "What do you say? Should we teach these two a lesson?"

Harry was dumbfounded. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Harry. You only have to repeat what I'm going to say. Besides, your godfather is hopeless." To Remus, he said, "I once read about a bonding ceremony so I know how it works."

Harry hadn't have time to wonder why Draco would read books about bonding because, all of a sudden, Draco was reaching out and clasping Harry's right hand. Grey eyes focused on Harry, and Harry suddenly found it hard to breathe.

And then Draco was speaking, and the words were beautiful and exquisite and divine and splendid and magnificent and anything and everything that Harry could wish to hear from Draco's mouth.

". . .to be my chosen one... I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee, thy beliefs, and thy ways as I respect myself."

And then Harry responded, echoing those wonderful words, wishing and wishing--

". . .take thee to my heart, my mind, and my spirit... I shall respect thee... and thy ways as I respect myself."

A long moment of silence.

Harry turned to Sirius and Remus. "So I guess you alrea--" he stopped. A slow, sensual heat permeated throughout his body, clutching at him and engulfing him in an upsurge of rightness.

And then he saw Sirius grinning like a lunatic.

And Remus was smiling.

And Draco...

Harry looked at the person holding his hand as if he would never let go.

And maybe he wouldn't.

"We're bonded, Harry."

Stunned, Harry stared.

And stared.

And then he was launching himself towards Draco, and he was holding Draco and hugging Draco and kissing Draco, and he couldn't believe it because it was just so perfect--everything that he could ever want.

"Believe it, Harry," murmured Draco.

And Harry did.

Somewhere in the background, he heard Sirius say, "It's about time!"

~~~ fin ~~~