A.N Thank you to Ariel Sakura for being my beta through my panic through this chapter
Chapter Thirteen
"You're looking disgustingly chipper for this time of the morning," Pansy eyed Harry as he sat down opposite her. She was clutching her cup of coffee like it was a life-line and looking disgruntled. Draco huffed in amusement from next to Harry before blinking when Neville placed a kiss on his cheek before sitting himself on the other side of the blond.
Harry grinned to himself, the two of them were adorable together, Neville was a bright red after kissing Draco but was wearing a pleased smile, and Draco blushed the moment Neville's lips made contact with his skin before smiling warmly at the Gryffindor as he sat down.
Harry looked up and exchanged an amused look with Blaise Zabini who had also watched the exchange.
"So? Why so chipper?" Pansy demanded as she passed the plate of sausages over to Harry.
"It's Friday and I get to see Mikhail tonight," Harry grinned happily.
"Oh Merlin," Pansy rolled her eyes.
"You speak every night for half an hour!" Blaise shook his head.
"You even infected our common room last night with your sappiness," Theo sniffed. The Slytherin was not impressed with the invasion of the Gryffindors and had been particularly vocal last night about the fact that Harry and Neville had been sitting in front of the fireplace doing their homework with Draco, Pansy and Blaise when he had come back from the library.
He had gone on and on until Phineas Black - who had been stalking Harry around the castle and watching him with interest - had pointed out that there was absolutely nothing in the rules of Hogwarts that said students from different houses could go to each other's common rooms as long as they were back in their own common room before curfew. Except he had been a little bit more cutting in the way that he had expressed it. Theo was apparently a little bit sore about being embarrassed by a portrait.
"That was me holding back, next time I won't hold back as much," Harry shrugged.
"Next time?!" Theo spluttered looking horrified.
"Did you make a list of the things you want me to bring back?" Harry asked the others, ignoring Theo.
"Oh yes thank you," Pansy dug out a list and some galleons and passed them over.
"I can't believe you get to leave the school grounds, that is not fair," Blaise huffed as he dug out his own list and money.
"I will be doing business during this break," Harry laughed. "It won't be all pleasure,"
"I should hope not," Draco sniffed.
"Quiet you know what I meant!" Harry felt his cheeks turning a little red at the implication.
Mikhail practically skipped out of school, his friends trailing amused after him. It had been the longest week of his life, even though he had got to speak to Harry every night, it had not been enough. He did not know how it was possible to miss someone so much, but he could not wait to see Harry again, to have him wrap Mikhail up in his arms.
He had even missed how Harry smelt!
Harry was supposed to be arriving in a couple of hours, so Mikhail would portkey home and planned on changing and being ready for when Harry arrived. He hoped that they could spend most of the weekend together and that Harry would not be too busy with business.
He blinked and then stopped suddenly, blinking again when he saw a familiar figure standing at the gates with some of the other people that were here to collect students.
Harry was standing there looking wonderful in deep green robes, his eyes scanning the crowd with an eager look on his face until they landed on Mikhail like they had been pulled to him by a magnet.
"Mikhail?" Jean-Claude asked confused as they caught up with their frozen friend.
"Henri?" Mikhail breathed unable to believe that he was there. Harry smiled brightly at him and started walking forward, and Mikhail found his feet moving without thought, hurrying through the crowds until he could throw himself into Harry's arms.
Harry was ready for him, capturing him and holding him firmly to his strong body as he buried his face into Mikhail's blonde hair and breathed in the scent of lemon and honey with a hint of vanilla.
"Henri,"
"Sorry, I wanted to surprise you," Harry smiled as Mikhail pulled back just enough to look up at him and wrap his arms around Harry's neck.
"I am definitely surprised," Mikhail grinned. Harry could not resist any more, cupping the back of Mikhail's head and bent down to press their lips together.
The French teen hummed into the kiss and pressed back just as eagerly, sliding his fingers into Harry's hair and pulling him even closer as he went on tiptoes just a little so Harry wouldn't be straining his back.
"Hem hem," Sami cleared her throat pulling them apart. "I 'ope you are Harry?"
"That is me, you must be Sami, Mikhail has told me a lot about you," Harry held his hand out to her, kissing the back of it and nodding his head slightly.
"Zis ees Luke and Jean Claude," Mikhail introduced his other two friends, quite aware of the fact that a lot of people were milling around watching what was going on, taking in how they were standing with their arms wrapped around each other.
The story of what had happened in the alley had, of course, spread around the school like wildfire, and he had been asked about his boyfriend and what had happened. And he was quite proud to stand there wrapped in Harry's arms while people took in his powerful, handsome, loving partner.
"Eet ees nice to finally meet you," Luke nodded shaking hands with Harry.
"Oui, we 'av 'eard quite a lot about you," Jean Claude smirked at Mikhail who groaned and buried his face into Harry's shoulder as his older lover smirked at him.
"Is that so, all good I hope?" Harry chuckled.
"I 'ave cavities from 'earing 'ow wonderful you are," Sami rolled her eyes before laughing when Mikhail glared at her.
"I am sorry, but I am going to have whisk Mikhail away I am afraid," Harry smiled at Mikhail.
"Are we going somewhere?" Mikhail smiled at him.
"Yes we are, ready?"
"Definitely!" Mikhail nodded. "I will see you Monday,"
Mikhail wound his arms around Harry's neck and smiled at him with such an open and loving expression that Harry felt his heart jolt in his chest as he looked down into those beautiful blue eyes. He wound his arms gently around Mikhail's chest and pulled him closer, leaning down to press their lips together before apparating them out.
Mikhail gasped and parted their lips when they arrived at their destination, the feeling of Harry's magic washing over his skin. And then his eyes took in where they were.
"Henri!" He gasped looking around the restaurant. There were a small amount of tables in the building making it very private, you couldn't really see the walls of the building considering the room was filled with live cherry blossom trees. The only part of the walls that could be seen was 2 huge fireplaces at either end of the room, with hints of sandstone pillars. Overhead the roof was all glass allowing natural light to flood the room that was filled with the smell of cherry blossoms.
"What do you think?" Harry asked softly into his ear as he wrapped his arms around his waist.
"Eet ees beautiful," Mikhail sighed looking around.
"Like you," Harry smiled kissing his cheek before leading him over to the Matre De to seat them.
Finally, they were seated opposite each other, both of them just taking the other in. It had only been a week but it had felt like a lifetime. Harry reached out and took Mikhail's hand on top of the table smiling warmly as he took him in.
"Talking through ze mirror eez not enough," Mikhail sighed lifting their hands and resting his face against Harry's warm hand.
"It definitely is not, I missed you something terrible Mikhail," his eyes drawing over Mikhail's face hungrily.
"Me too, I am zo 'appy to zee you Henri! And early!" Mikhail laughed.
"I contacted Leon and let him know I was surprising you," Harry grinned.
"You are sneaky!" Mikhail kissed his hand. "You look good,"
"I look tired!" Harry snorted.
"Eet 'as been a long week?" Mikhail asked concerned.
"Too long, especially without you there. Though seeing everyone's faces with me and Neville sitting at the Slytherin table has been amusing. Narcissa looks like she wants to laugh every time we sit down," Harry grinned.
"And, Neville and Draco?" Mikhail asked eagerly.
"Well...this morning Neville kissed Draco's cheek," Harry laughed when Mikhail mock gasped, actually touching his chest.
"Was 'e prompted?" Mikhail asked.
"Nope, just did it out of nowhere! Didn't even say anything to me that he was going to do it!" Harry nodded.
"Your menus sirs, may I get you a drink?" Their waiter asked politely.
"A bottle of you best white please," Harry ordered as Mikhail took his menu.
"I know zat you 'ave said eet ees not too bad, but 'ow 'as eet been really?" Mikhail asked after they had looked over their menus for a few moments. Harry looked up from his menu and saw concerned blue eyes watching him. He smiled gently.
"It has been hard, Hermione and Ron are all over me any chance that they got throwing everything that they can at me to try and get me to think that I am in the wrong, or confused, or that I have it mistaken. It is...annoying. They try and catch me every moment that they can. Nev and I have been spending time in the Slytherin Common room the last couple of days until we have to go back, and then just avoid spending time near them as much as possible," Harry shrugged.
"Dumbledore?" Mikhail asked.
"Hovering, I think he is waiting to see how I react to Hermione and Ron, he knows that he is on limited time, I expect him to try and make a move of some sort next week," Harry sighed.
"I worry for you," Mikhail admitted.
"I know. But I will be careful," Harry promised.
They placed their orders and kept their conversation light for a little while as they talked about their week back at school.
"Eet 'as been so funny, they have been avoiding me! And everyone 'as been asking me all about you," Mikhail laughed.
"I have a feeling that I will be making it worse by showing up the way that I did," Harry grinned.
"And your newspaper article!" Mikhail shook his head, a blush covering his cheeks as he remembered reading it.
"I promised you that you would not be a secret," Harry smiled charmingly at him.
"You did not zay zat you were going to be making eet headline news either," Mikhail laughed as he held a small bit of his meal out to Harry for him to taste in the way that they had developed unthinkingly.
"You should know by now that I don't do things by half,"
"That ees something that you definitely do not do," Mikhail chuckled.
"But you love me for it?" Harry asked his green eyes glittering dangerously.
"I love you for it greatly," Mikhail nodded brushing his thumb over his ring on Harry's finger.
"I don't take it off, it reminds me of you whenever I look at it," Harry admitted.
"Me either, your ring and your necklace, zey make me feel close to you," Mikhail looked down at the star around his neck.
"This is going to be harder than I thought to be separate from you," Harry bit his lip before looking back up at Mikhail. "I have been thinking about it, and I am going to try and pass my exams quicker,"
"What?" Mikhail gasped.
"I have been thinking about it, and really I need to focus on my estates and Lordship, being in school is important but it is taking up time that I could be putting to better use. I enjoy running the estate, even if it has been a headache over the summer, and I want to focus on the Wizengamot and trying to change things. I also want to be with you. If I can pass my exams by Yule, then I will be able to leave school, move over here, and get on with life,"
"You are not doing zis for me are you?" Mikhail asked concerned.
"Partially because I want to be here with you, but also because I want to be focussing on other things," Harry promised.
"I don't want you to tire yourself out Henri, don't push yourself, but if zis ees what you want, zen I will support you of course, I know zat you can do it, you are zo clever," Mikhail smiled.
"Thank you, that means a lot. I am ahead enough with my reading that it is not as much of a challenge that it may have been," Harry breathed out a little in relief.
"I will be 'appy to have you here Henri, so 'appy," Mikhail beamed at him.
They were interrupted with their deserts arriving, and Harry waited for Mikhail to have a few mouthfuls before he smiled mischievously at his blond.
"Did I tell you what my friend Luna's dad said about us?" Harry asked.
"Your friend, ze seer?" Mikhail tilted his head.
"Yup,"
"Ees 'e also a seer?"
"Yes he is, when he took my hand he congratulated me. He said that I had found my magical match," Harry said and watched Mikhail suck in a deep breath.
"Eet ees unusual for people...we are a magical match...zat makes sense, 'ow we were when we first met and since, why eet feels as though we 'ave known each other for zo long, when eet 'as only been a short time," Mikhail breathed.
"It does, doesn't it. I know that I trust Luna's sight, and though I don't know anything about Mr Lovegood's sight, it does make sense with what I feel about you, about what you mean to me," Harry smiled across the table at Mikhail.
"I recognised you," Mikhail breathed out squeezing his older love's hand.
"I recognise you as well," Harry said with so much love in his voice that Mikhail felt his heartache.
"Harry," Leon smiled reaching out and hugging the shocked teen, pulling him into a warm hug. "It is good to see you,"
"You too," Harry wrapped his arms around the other man's waist and pressed into the hug.
"Swap," Abraxus demanded, and Harry laughed as he and Leon exchanged Harry and Mikhail for their hugs. The old man rubbed his hand gently on Harry's back as though checking to make sure that he was unhurt since they had had to let him go back to Britain, before hugging him with the strength that he hid.
"It is good to see you lad," Abraxus clapped him on the back.
"How was your date?" Leon asked drawing Mikhail into the living room as Abraxus did the same with Harry.
"Eet was beautiful! You should have zeen eet Papa!" Mikhail enthused telling Leon about the restaurant.
"We will have to go for a family meal there, it sounds beautiful," Leon smiled once they were seated, he and Abrazus on one sofa, Harry and Mikhail on the other. Mikhail had kicked off his shoes and had curled his feet up onto the sofa so that he could lean into Harry's side.
They fitted together so well, and it was clear how much they had missed each other over the last week.
"I actually have something to tell you, something I have been considering for a few weeks and discussed with Mikhail today," Harry said seriously, breaking Leon from his contemplation of the two of them.
"Does this have something to do with Severus' sudden faltering in his insistence that you are lying?" Abraxus asked.
"Severus?" Leon frowned, turning to look at Harry.
"You didn't tell them?" Harry asked Mikhail curiously.
"I wanted to wait to zee zem face to face to tell zem, I was planning on eet before you arrived today," Mikhail admitted.
"What happened?" Leon asked slightly concerned.
"I sent him my memories of my childhood, the twins designed a charm that would activate a potion upon a letter being opened, I used that and placed my memories into a letter and had them pass to Severus when he opened the letter, he can not deny that I am telling the truth if he has seen them for himself," Harry admitted.
"You did not need to do that, those memories are personal," Leon frowned.
"It was causing too much trouble, and to be completely honest with how he was and how he has treated me in the past, I got a sense of satisfaction knowing that he was seeing for himself in undeniable technicolour how wrong he is about me. It has the added benefit of hopefully making sure that this fighting is nipped in the bud before it starts causing serious problems, the fighting over the summer was bad enough," Harry shrugged
"That was not your fault Harry," Abraxus pointed out.
"I know, but it just shows that I am the bigger man," Harry sat back. "And that is a fun revenge,"
The addition got them laughing as he had hoped and the slight tension that had built up faded thankfully.
"So, what was it that you were going to tell us?" Leon asked curiously as tea appeared in front of them.
"I am going to sit my exams earlier, hopefully by Yule," Harry told them.
"Mikhail, could you give us ten minutes please," Abraxus asked, after a few beats of silence.
"I…"
"Mikhail, please!" Leon said to his son firmly. Clearly annoyed Mikhail stood and left the room, leaving Harry looking concerned between the two men, wondering what it was that he had done wrong.
"Harry, we know that you are serious about Mikhail and that you two want to spend your time together, I imagine that this week has been hard for you. But, we also want to make sure that you are ok and that you are not pushing yourself too hard, we do not want you to make yourself ill. Is this purely because of Mikhail that you wish to do this?" Leon asked softly.
Part of Harry wanted to bristle at the implication and the slight accusation, but the larger part of him saw that they were genuinely worried for him, and for his health, they were enquiring after him even though they knew that this would make Mikhail happy.
"It is partially for Mikhail I will admit that that is an added temptation for doing this, especially after spending this week apart from him. But to be honest it is more to do with wanting to get on with being Lord of my estates and concentrating on the Wizengamot and the changes that I want to make there. Being in school after this summer seems...well a waste of time really, I have read so far ahead into my studies to make sure that I can run my estates and leave for weekends, that I know what I am being taught. I enjoyed working on my estates, and it is definitely something that I am looking to be doing fully, much like Lucius really. Being in school for the extra months would just be pointless. So, finishing at Yule and being able to move here and work full-time as a Lord is something that I wish to do, with the added benefit of being here with Mikhail," Harry answered honestly.
"In that case as long as you make sure that you are looking after yourself and not pushing yourself too hard, you will, of course, have our full support for this. I am sure that we can help you with your studying and anything that you need to look ahead to in your school books on weekends. I am presuming that you are not wanting to make this public knowledge?" Abraxus asked as Leon sent a house elf for Mikhail.
"No, I want to get it done with before people find out. Nev and Luna know that I am considering it, and Draco has heard enough to guess what I am planning," Harry said as Mikhail walked into the room thin-lipped.
"We wanted to make sure that Harry answered honestly without you here Mikhail, the lad is besotted with you and would do anything to make you happy, we wanted to make sure that this was not what this was and to be at the detriment of his own health," Abraxus explained.
"Eet ees still my life!" Mikhail said, but he relaxed as he sank into Harry's side again.
"Would it help if I said that I had thought things over this last week and I have decided that as long as you both make vows that nothing sexual will happen between the two of you, on these weekends you may share a bed here?" Leon sighed.
"Really?" Harry and Mikhail said at the same time.
"I want those vows renewed every weekend!" Leon warned.
"No problem!" Harry said quickly. He had hated the thought of going back to their home alone on the weekend.
"Agreed!" Mikhail added quickly nodding.
"You are too likeable Harry, I had dreams of making the life of Mikhail's intended hell, instead I find that I look on you more and more like a second son as the days go by, this place has been far too quiet without yourself and Neville here, as well as Mikhail," Leon sighed dramatically.
"If it helps, there is about to be a mass move of my family over here," Harry said, and laughed at the raised eyebrows he got en masse.
"Family?" Mikhail asked.
"Well, Bill and Fleur will be accepting those jobs that you set up for them," He flicked Mikhail on the nose when his intended tried to look innocently at him, Abraxus just snorted.
"Told you he would click on,"
"Gred and Forge are obviously moving over here in the next month to start their new shop with Fred's fiance Lee, actually I wanted to ask if you are ok with them staying in the manor until they find somewhere of their own over here?" Harry asked Mikhail.
"Of course," Mikhail answered right away.
"Thank you. Neville is looking to move over here as well, I imagine he and Draco will split their time half and half, if they both have anything to do with it,"
"Have they finally stopped dancing around each other?" Abraxus huffed.
"Yes, though I think you will not have to worry about them going too quickly, they're still moving at a snail's pace," Harry laughed at the fact the older man had known the whole time probably about the two of them.
"Well, it is good news to know that we will have family all around us, this family has been far too small for too long," Leon smiled.
"And if those two get their chance they will be making sure we have the pitter-patter of little feet by the bucket load," Abraxus smirked as Mikhail and Leon both spluttered and Harry just burst out laughing.
Harry smiled as Mikhail stepped out of the bedroom, his white nightshirt making him look ridiculously innocent, and made this feel completely different to them sharing a bed over the end of the summer. That had been sneaking around in the dark and hurrying apart before anyone else noticed.
This time Harry was waiting in bed for Mikhail when he stepped out the bathroom braiding his blond hair as he walked into the room, smiling when he saw Harry lying in bed already. He quickly cleared the space between them and crawled onto the large bed, making his way right to Harry's side and curled under the covers with him, resting his head on Harry's stomach and wiggled to get comfortable.
Harry glanced down from where he was propped against the headboard reading his textbook looking at the blonde head resting on his stomach, the soft content sigh that Mikhail let out warming him.
"Do you need me to turn the lights off?" Harry asked rubbing Mikhail's back.
"Hmm?" Mikhail shifted and twined their legs together. "No, zis ees nice. You are studying?"
"Yes, transfiguration, I need to get ahead of what I am ahead of," Harry chuckled.
"Hmm, zis ees nice," Mikhail burrowed a little more into Harry's stomach. "I am 'appy 'ere while you study,"
"Me too," Harry carried on rubbing his back as he went back to reading.
Finally half an hour later when he finished the chapter he set his book to the side and reached down to rearrange a lightly snoozing Mikhail.
"Henri?" Mikhail muttered as Harry rolled him onto his side and then wrapped himself around him from behind.
"It's me, just settling to sleep," Harry said softly waving the lights out.
"Good...missed...this," Mikhail said tiredly snuggling back into Harry as the older wizard wrapped his arms around Mikhail.
"Me too, go to sleep love," He kissed him sweetly when he turned slightly to Harry before settling back down again.
"What is this," Abraxus laughed as Harry walked out onto the patio with Mikhail on his back.
"Someone was a little sleepy this morning," Harry laughed as he placed Mikhail by his seat before drawing the seat out for him.
"I hope you weren't doing something to keep you awake," Leon raised an eyebrow, but with the way his mouth twitched Harry was relieved to see he was joking.
"I was," Harry paused for a sip of his coffee that Mikhail had made for him, chuckling when Mikhail gently smacked his arm. "I was studying my transfiguration,"
"What are your plans for today?" Leon asked once they had started their breakfast.
"Henri needs to go check ze shop for ze twins, and zen we were going to go for a shop for ze 'ouse," Mikhail answered.
"How about we meet you in town for supper?" Leon offered.
"That would be lovely," Harry smiled brightly. He was shocked to realise that it was not only Mikhail that he had missed, but Leon and Abraxus as well.
"Wonderful! How is the move going for the twins?" Abraxus asked.
"Pretty well, they have their paperwork finished and are choosing who they are going to promote in the Diagon Alley shop, then they will be ready to get to work on their shop once the building work is finished," Harry said as he finished his plate and sat back contently.
"Shall we?" Mikhail asked placing his own knife and fork down.
"Come on, you have been biting at the bit to see the shop, I am warning you it will be as bad as I said," Harry warned getting to his feet.
"Bad?" Leon frowned.
"The twins like….eccentric colour mixes," Harry said tactfully.
"'E said eet would be terrible!" Mikhail said eagerly.
"Don't blame me when you have a heart attack seeing it Mr showing-me-five-colours-in-the-same-shade and telling me they're different," Harry snorted.
"Henri! They were completely different shades! Completely!" Mikhail squawked as they walked away.
"They were the same, there was literally no difference!" Harry teased.
"Zet were completely different! Completely! Honestly Henri, no wonder you left eet to me, you are completely colour blind!" Mikhail's protests were the last thing that the older Malfoys heard before they disappeared.
They turned to look at each other both of them smiling slightly.
"They're ridiculous," Leon shook his head.
Mikhail hummed happily to himself as he compared two different drapes in a shade of blue, completely different no matter what Harry would say, and was happily lost in what he was doing.
At least until someone tugged on his robes. Looking down he found himself smiling right away when he spotted the cutest little girl gripping onto his robes, hugging her Niffler cuddly toy to her chest.
"Hi sweetheart, are you ok?" he asked crouching down a little.
"You're real pretty," She smiled brightly at him.
"Thank you, so are you, I love your bobbles," He smiled, looking at her glittery bobbles in her pigtails.
"I like your clip, it is sparkly!" She beamed touching his rose clip carefully.
"My intended gave eet to me when we started our courting,"
"Really? That is so romantic!" She gasped hugging her toy closer to her chest and staring at him with her big brown eyes.
"Isn't eet, ee is so sweet," Mikhail leant forward as though telling her a secret, "it is like a fairy tale,"
"For me too," Harry's hand touched his shoulder and Mikhail turned to smile up at him as the little girl gasped and looked up at Harry.
"Is this him?" The little girl asked.
"Yes zis ees my Henri," Mikhail nodded turning back to her.
"Wow you're like a prince!" She gasped.
"Thank you, and where are your parents, Princess?" Harry asked gently crouching down behind Mikhail looking over his shoulder at the cute girl.
"I lost them," She pouted, her lip wobbling a little as she remembered why she had come over in the first place.
"What is your name, Princess?" Mikhail asked taking her hand gently.
"Marie," She sniffed.
"Hi Marie has gotten a little lost, she is over in the curtain section, she is ok just a little upset," Mikhail said using the sonorous to send his voice through the shop.
"Oh thank Merlin! Marie!" A man and woman came hurrying towards them moments later, scooping little Marie up.
"Are you ok?" her dad asked as he stroked her back while she hugged her mum.
"The nice men looked after me," Marie smiled at Harry and Mikhail.
"Thank you for looking after her," Marie's mum sighed as she hugged her daughter close.
"Not a problem at all, she ees a lovely girl," Mikhail smiled.
"Thank you," her dad said as they walked away.
"Hmm, you looked good with her," Harry smiled a little wrapping his arm around Mikhail's waist and rested his chin on Mikhail's shoulder.
"Really?" Mikhail smiled mischievously.
"I know that it is probably way too early to say this, but seeing you with her when I came around that corner just made me think of what you would look like pregnant with our children," Harry said softly into Mikhail's ear, his hands touching Mikhail's flat stomach.
"Really?" Mikhail said a little breathlessly.
"Really," Harry nodded kissing his cheek lovingly. "What were you looking at?"
"These two curtains, I can't decide which one would look nice in the dining room, what do you think?" Mikhail asked turning to Harry.
"..."
"Do not zay zat zey are ze same!" Mikhail warned.
"But…"
"Don't say eet!"
"But..."
"They…"
"Are completely different Henri!" Mikhail laughed at his hopeless intended.
"These are sparkly?" Harry pointed to one of them.
"We will go for ze sparkly ones then," Mikhail managed to choke out.
Lord Potter-Black And His Love
The world was stunned by the announcement from Lord Harry Potter Black that he had found love while in France this summer with Mikhail Malfoy, who he has been courting from the start of the summer.
This announcement has caused rumbles throughout the Wizarding world for numerous reasons, the fact that Lord Potter-Black is gay, the fact that he has chosen a pureblood intended and is following the old ways of courting his intended, that he is not muggleborn, or a Weasley as many expected, and that his love lives in France.
Many have been questioning Lord Potter-Black's sincerity for this courting and whether he understood what it means, especially when courting a pureblood considering that they are from different countries, but it seems as though those concerns were unfounded.
Lord Potter-Black seems very much invested in this relationship and more importantly than that in love with Mikhail Malfoy.
Lord Potter-Black was seen in Paris this weekend shopping for house furniture and accessories with Mikhail Malfoy, presumably for their home that Lord Potter-Black bought for them over the summer in France, not far at all from where Leon Malfoy, Lord Malfoy's brother, lives.
They were caught on picture helping a little girl who had gotten lost within the store, the pictures as I think you will agree showing them both much the image of in love, and when pictured with a child it does not take much to imagine what they would be like as a family.
The closeness between them as they shopped, and how in love they are could not be hidden, Lord Potter-Black seems to be utterly besotted with his young love, and his young love with him.
It is definitely going to be interesting watching these two as their relationship develops. As Lord of his Houses and fully emancipated Lord Potter-Black can leave Hogwarts at any time, including weekends, it begs the question does he plan to spend his weekends in the arms of his young love, and does this mean that the courting time will go by quicker than people had anticipated with them both being in school?
"Harry, my boy, we need to talk," Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows of the corridor as Harry made his way up to the Gryffindor common room to collect his bag and Neville for the day, having just apparated in to start is lessons for the day.
"Dumbledore," Harry turned crossing his arms to look at the Headmaster.
"We should go to my office and…"
"Is this about my schooling?" Harry asked.
"Pardon?" Dumbledore blinked.
"Is this about my schooling? My grades? Did I miss homework? Is there a concern over my attendance?" Harry listed for the man as though he had misunderstood the pardon, not that the man was stunned that Harry hadn't just followed him along like a puppy as he had expected.
"No, but we do need to talk my boy, I have some serious concerns," Dumbledore sighed sadly.
"About my personal life?" Harry asked.
"Yes,"
"Then there is nothing that you need to say to me. You are my Headmaster, Dumbledore, my personal life is none of your business," Harry started to turn.
"You are a muggle raised child with muggle guardians, I care about your wellbeing, it is my concern,"
"I am legally classified as an adult, Dumbledore, I am emancipated and have claimed my Lordships, I am not a child, and you are nothing more than my Headmaster, you have no say or part in my life, at all. I have made sure of that," Harry turned with his green eyes flashing as he looked at Dumbledore, sure that everything was written across his face as to what he knew.
"Harry, I don't know to what you are referring," Dumbledore tried to twinkle at him in his best grandfatherly manner, but fell far short of the mark.
"I have made sure that you are well and truly as far from being able to touch me and my life as possible and there will be consequences for what you have done to me," Harry warned before turning to leave.
"For what I have done, I have no idea what you mean, my boy,"
"I am not your boy, and you know exactly what you have done. It was very well played I have to admit. But you were a little too heavy-handed and sure of yourself. Good morning, Headmaster Dumbeldore, but I have school work to concentrate on," Harry said as he moved on down the corridor.
"Harry Potter you will not walk away from me!" Dumbledore rumbled, and the sound of his footsteps chasing Harry echoed through the empty corridor.
"I told you, unless this is about my schooling I have nothing to say to you, and you nothing to say to me," Harry carried on walking.
"What consequences? Was that article you?" The anger was clear in Dumbledore's voice, all traces of the Grandfather disappearing.
"Good Morning, Headmaster," Harry repeated.
"Is there a problem here?" The smooth drawl filled the hallway just as Dumbledore grabbed Harry's shoulder, his wand drawn.
Harry had a spell on his lips, much in the same way that Dumbeldore clearly did, but they both turned to watch the dark-haired professor gliding down the hallway towards them.
"Severus, no of course not, we were just talking," Dumbledore laughed.
"I was not aware that you needed to manhandle students to talk to them," Severus came to a stop beside Harry and gazed down at the hand still tightly fisting his Gryffindor robes.
"No, no just a misunderstanding, that is all!" Dumbledore laughed shakily, quickly releasing Harry.
"I am not sure what type of misunderstanding results in you grabbing a student, never mind having your wand drawn...Headmaster," Severus crossed his arms.
"No, no I was just talking to Harry!" Dumbledore stepped back quickly.
"About his schooling?" Severus asked. Harry watched amused as Dumbledore's eye twitched a little at the question.
"No!"
"Then I am unsure what it is that you have to talk to Harry about, never mind grab him,"
"I...it was a misunderstanding! I have thin...things that I need to do," Dumbledore grit out before spinning on his heel and hurrying down the hallway.
Leaving Harry and Severus standing side by side watching his less than magnificent retreat.
"He has been spitting feathers all weekend about the fact that you were able to leave without informing him, and the fact that you did, the article last night made him more furious when he realised where you had gone. I thought he might try something like this," Severus said without looking at Harry.
"I thought he was going to confront me this week, I did not think that it would be as soon as I stepped back into the castle, he is losing control more than I thought," Harry hummed.
"Your mother was my best friend," Severus said suddenly, making Harry blink and turn to him. He was refusing to look at Harry, staring down the corridor instead. "I loved her greatly, but we had an argument, it was my fault, and I allowed it to turn me bitter. It was easier blaming the argument on your father, blaming my losing Lily on your father than admitting that the divide between us was my fault. It was easier seeing you as James Potter's son, rather than Lily's. Because... you remind me of everything that I missed out on with her because I was a fool, and the friendship that I lost. You remind me of her, and I reacted...inappropriately,"
"You have your issues, I can understanding that, but I am neither of my parents. We are both connected now, whether we like it or not through the Malfoys. I love Mikhail with everything that I am, he is my magical match, and I have every intention of marrying him. Lucius and Narcissa clearly love you considering they have stuck with you through all this despite the problems that it has caused, and you clearly love them. We both need to suck it up and find a way to get on with each other, otherwise, Yules will be incredibly awkward. I am happy to agree to a clean slate, the rest is up to you," Harry said, before turning and walking back towards the Gryffindor common room to wake Neville.
Leaving a pensive Severus Snape behind him staring after a boy, no a man, that he did not recognise, that he did not know.