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In this chapter: The Yule Ball

Chapter 26

When Severus and Harry stepped into the Great Hall, hand in hand, the night of the Yule Ball, everyone turned to stare at them. That was the first time they had outwardly shown that they were together in public, and they decided to make a dramatic entrance.

"Why did I do this when I knew they'd stare at us?" Harry whispered to Severus, who just squeezed his hand reassuringly.

Head held high, Severus led Harry to a table in the front of the hall, where Sirius, Remus, Charlie, and several of Harry's friends were sitting. Severus glared menacingly at anyone who stared at them, and he didn't release his hold on Harry even when they reached the table.

"You two look nice," said Ginny, who had come to the dance as Neville's date.

"Thank you, Miss Weasley," Severus replied. He was dressed in simple black dress robes, while Harry's robes were forest green. "Harry, do you want to sit, or do you want to go...do whatever it is that they do for fun at these things?"

"Sit," Harry replied, and so they did.

Severus sat in a chair, and Harry sat in his lap, leaning back against his partner's chest. Severus rested his cheek on top of Harry's head as he placed his arms around the younger man's waist, clasping his hands on Harry's stomach. Neither wizard noticed as Draco grinned and leaned close to Charlie, whispering to him.

"Harry, Severus!" The two looked up as Albus stood in front of them, smiling happily. "Everything is all set for tomorr--oh!"

He stared at a spot above Harry's and Severus's heads and laughed. The two younger wizards looked up and groaned at the sprig of mistletoe that hovered above them and that didn't seem to want to leave them alone, no matter how they moved. Severus looked around the group, to see who was the guilty party, and his eyes fell on Draco, who was giving Charlie a high-five and laughing.

"Draco!" Severus growled as Harry blushed, his face buried in Severus's shoulder..

"Oh, come now, Severus, Harry!" Remus insisted. "You have to; it's tradition!"

"Coming here openly as a couple is one thing," Harry muttered. "Kissing him in front of everybody is another." He spoke the truth: nearly everybody in the Great Hall was staring at them.

"Come on, it's not like you two haven't done more than kiss!" Draco folded his arms across his chest. "This should be nothing to you!" Harry blushed even more, and Severus raised an eyebrow at his godson.

"That is very presumptuous of you, Draco," he stated, coolly. "Not that it's any of your concern, but no, we have not done more than that." Draco's eyes widened.

"You haven't? But last week, when I stayed in your rooms, you and Harry both went into your bedroom and closed the door. I just thought-- I mean, I just assumed that you were...sleeping together."

"We were," Harry replied, simply. He emphasized his words. "Sleeping together. As in, unconscious all night so that I wouldn't have nightmares." He sighed, shaking his head. "God, Draco, I know it's been months, but being raped is something I'm not likely to forget about any time soon. I haven't been ready."

"I'm sorry, I didn't even think of that," Draco said, softly.

The entire group was silent for a moment, and the rest of the students went back to dancing when they thought that they weren't going to see any snogging between their classmate and their teacher. Then Draco grinned and spoke up again.

"I'm still not breaking the charm until you kiss. Come on, just a little one."

Severus rolled his eyes, and Harry heard his voice in his head.

--He won't bloody give up. Would you like to give them a show?

Harry chuckled and nodded. He turned around in Severus's lap and wrapped his arms around the older man's neck. Severus reached a hand up to rest on the back of Harry's head, and he pulled his partner's lips down to his own. The mistletoe quickly disappeared, but Harry and Severus kept at it, opening their mouths slightly and allowing their tongues to explore each other's mouth.

Harry's friends, as well as Charlie, Sirius, and Remus, watched in surprise as Severus and Harry seemed to ignore everyone while they made out. Albus just watched with a look of amusement on his face while Harry moaned quietly and ran his fingers through Severus's hair. Finally, as other students and teachers began to turn to watch, Albus cleared his throat. Harry and Severus detached their mouths and turned to look at him, faces flushed and lips swollen.

"As much as we were enjoying your little show..." Albus teased them. He gestured towards the rest of the hall. "Others were beginning to enjoy it, as well. I don't think you'd want all of these students to witness such an...intimate moment."

"Um...oops?" Harry said, innocently.

With one look from their headmaster, the rest of the fourth through seventh years in the Great Hall went back to whatever it was that they had been doing before Severus and Harry's "show." The incident was soon forgotten, or disregarded, by everyone, and after a short while, Draco came over to Harry, who was still nestled in Severus's lap. Draco held out his hand.

"Come, dance with me?" he asked Harry with a small smile. Harry looked at Severus.

"Do you mind?" Severus shook his head.

"Not at all. Go, have fun."

Harry accepted Draco's hand, and the two of them made their way to the dance floor, along with Seamus and Dean. A Muggle ballad echoed through the room, and Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's neck, while Draco put his arms around Harry's waist. He pulled Harry close enough to him so that Harry could lay his head on Draco's shoulder.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," Draco murmured as he and his best friend swayed in time with the music. "And for pushing you and Sev. Forgive me?"

"Of course, idiot," Harry said, softly, with a content smile on his face. He gave a quiet sigh and closed his eyes.

"So...tomorrow's the big day," Draco said after a moment. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be... Except I don't know what the hell I'm wearing. Sirius said he has it taken care of, but I'm kind of worried. If all else fails, I'll have to wear these stupid dress robes."

"They're not stupid," Draco chided him. "They're lovely, and I happen to think that this shade of green looks quite spiffing on you."

"I hate robes," Harry muttered, pouting, picking his head up. Draco chuckled and kissed his forehead.

"After this year, you won't ever have to wear them again, if you don't want to. So what are the plans for tomorrow?"

"All the guests who aren't already here will be arriving when the rest of the students leave for the train. That will be the rest of the Weasleys, Oliver, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, Lee, Rosmerta, and Arabella. The guests will all be assembled in here at around four, and the ceremony will begin at five. Sev, being older, will be standing up front with you and Albus. He'll let me know telepathically when it's time for me to come in, and Sirius will walk up with me, while everyone watches and says 'oh, look how pretty' and all that fluff. Albus will do whatever it is that he's supposed to do, we'll end the ceremony, and then a reception."

"What about the students who are staying for the holidays?" Draco wondered. "Will they have to stay out of here all day?"

"There aren't many of them, so Severus and I agreed to let them be in attendance at the ceremony. It would be quite rude to lock them up in their dorms while we're having a party and such down here."

"And you're not having a honeymoon?"

"We might during Easter break," Harry replied. "I don't want to leave you, Siri, and Remus for Christmas, so we're staying."

"So tomorrow night, technically, will be your 'wedding night,'" Draco commented. "You know what happens on one's wedding night." Harry rolled his eyes.

"You have a one-track mind tonight, don't you?" he muttered, shaking his head. "Severus and I agreed that we would not do anything I'm not ready for. I don't know when I'll be ready for that. I might not be ready tonight, but that might change by tomorrow night. It depends on how I feel at the time."

As another slow song came on, Draco felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head and, surprisingly, there stood Severus. Draco stared at him for a moment, surprised, and Severus rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his torso and tapping his foot impatiently. Harry giggled when Severus let out an annoyed groan.

"I don't suppose I have to ask to cut in, do I?" he hissed at Draco, who laughed and politely let his godfather take his place with Harry.

"Going for the shock factor tonight, eh, Uncle Sev?"

"Of course. I have to get it in while I still can."

Severus wrapped his arms about Harry's waist, and Harry placed his around Severus's shoulders. Severus pulled him close, so that their chests were touching. Harry sighed in content and rested his head on Severus's shoulder, breathing in his cinnamon scent. Severus glared when Draco hung around, just staring at them.

"What now?" Severus muttered. Draco smiled, shaking his head.

"You fit together," he said, softly. "Perfectly. The way Harry nestled himself against you, instantly knowing the most comfortable position... It's beautiful. It's amazing, like you're a two-piece puzzle and you know exactly how you fit together."

Suddenly, he stood on his toes to kiss Severus's forehead.

"I love you, Uncle Severus."

Then he leaned over and kissed Harry's cheek.

"And I love you, Harry. I'm glad that you found each other and that you can finally be happy. You both deserve it."

"You deserve happiness, too, Draco," Harry murmured. "And you'll find it. You'll see..."

Draco just gave him a sad smile and walked away. Severus held Harry more tightly, glaring at everyone who stared until they turned away. Then he looked down at his partner, who had since closed his eyes.

"Are you all right?" Severus asked, softly. Harry nodded.

"I still get tired so easily," he replied. "So quickly... What time is it?"

"Almost ten," Severus said. "Perhaps you ought to go to bed early. Big day tomorrow and all."

"Mmm-hmm..." Harry mumbled. "I need to get Siri and Remus to leave early... Need to talk to them about something." He suddenly let out a huge yawn. "Then again... It can wait until tomorrow."

"I'll walk you up to your godfathers' rooms," Severus volunteered, pulling back from Harry and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Harry leaned into the hold, now quite sleepy. "Just in case you decide to fall asleep on your way."

Harry smiled sleepily and allowed Severus to lead him upstairs to Sirius and Remus's suite. Harry climbed into the bed in his room and gave a soft sigh when Severus tucked the blankets tightly around his shivering body. Severus then sat next to Harry and placed a hand on his cheek.

"Oh, you're still cold," Severus murmured. He cast a Warming Spell on Harry. "Is that better, darling?"

"Uh-huh, thanks," Harry whispered before yawning. He reached a hand up to the back of Severus's neck and pulled the other man's head down to give him a kiss. "Love you."

"I love you, too," Severus replied, kissing Harry's forehead. "And this time tomorrow, we can be together forever. Good night, my darling."

~~~

The next morning, Remus and Sirius returned from escorting students to the Hogwarts Express to find Harry pacing their suite in a panic. He clutched his head in his hands, muttering to himself as tears spilled from his eyes.

"Harry, are you all right?" Remus asked, gently.

"No!" Harry cried, dropping down to the sofa. He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands. "No, I'm not all right! I'm freaking out! I'm practically getting married today, and I feel like everything's going to go wrong! I don't even know what the hell I'm wearing, for God's sake!"

Sirius ran over and sat next to Harry, wrapping his arms around his godson. Harry broke down in tears, burying his face in Sirius's shoulder.

"Shh, honey," Sirius murmured, stroking Harry's hair. "Baby, I told you: I have everything taken care of. When it's time for you to get dressed, you'll have something to wear, I promise. I don't break my promises, love, you know that. Everything is taken care of." Harry sniffled and pulled back, wiping his eyes.

"I know," he sighed, his voice hoarse. "But I'd just feel so much better if I knew what was going on..."

"Just trust me," Sirius said, softly. "Everything will be fine." Harry sighed again and lay down with his head in Sirius's lap.

"What if he changes his mind?" he whispered. Sirius and Remus's eyes widened, and Remus knelt on the floor by Harry.

"Oh, Harry, he won't change his mind," he protested, giving Harry's hand a reassuring squeeze. "He loves you more than anything. He wants this. Don't worry."

"The guests are here," Sirius told Harry, changing the subject. "They seemed quite eager to see you. Why don't you clean yourself up and go down to visit until it's time to get ready?"

~~~

When Harry entered the Great Hall, where his and Severus's guests were waiting, he was immediately wrapped in a hug by Molly Weasley.

"Harry, dear!" she exclaimed. "It's so good to see you! I've been so worried." She drew back and looked at him sternly. "And with good reason, I see. Have you been eating? You're still so thin!"

"I've been eating," Harry assured her. "Not as much as I used to, of course, and I haven't been feeling my greatest lately."

"Well, I ought to have a talk with Severus about how he takes care of you," Molly stated, a determined look on her face. "You go and visit with your friends, dear."

Harry obeyed and went to over to his group of school friends, including Oliver, Alicia, Angelina, Katie, and Lee, as well as his friends who hadn't yet graduated and all of the Weasley kids.

"Harry!" Fred and George exclaimed in unison. They wrapped him in a sandwich hug.

"Good to see you, mate!" George told him.

"Thanks for coming, everybody," Harry said, quietly, as he looked down at the floor.

"You all right, honey?" Angelina asked, touching his shoulder.

"Yeah, Harry, it's a special day!" Ginny exclaimed. "You don't look very happy." Harry looked up and gave them a small smile.

"I am happy, trust me," he assured them. "I'm just nervous, and I've got a headache. I'm concentrating on not getting sick or passing out. Mostly nerves, but I haven't been feeling well lately."

"Shouldn't you be lying down, then?" Katie asked, concerned. "If you feel so bad already, I'd hate to imagine how you'll feel later, after not doing anything about it." Harry waved it off.

"I'll be all right," he replied. "Anyway, I have to go back upstairs in an hour or so. Maybe when I get up there, Sirius will be nice enough to tell me what I'm wearing."

"You don't know what you're wearing?" Oliver said, his eyes wide. Harry shook his head.

"But Siri insists that he has it taken care of, so I trust him."

"I have to admit, Harry, I was surprised when we got an invitation saying that you and Snape are bonding," Fred teased. Harry smirked.

"Severus isn't that bad, once you get under his skin. I don't know how it happened, but...I love him. I really do."