Chapter Text
“No, wait!” Harry reacts as he steps back from Draco.
There’s utter silence around them, the faint sound of voices no longer audible. Harry doesn’t know if it’s because they’ve caught on to the situation or he’s disassociating, all he knows is that this can’t be happening right now.
Draco looks heartbroken, the sheer joy on his face right minutes ago has been replaced with anguish.
Harry can’t look anymore.
He spins on his heel and runs up the staircase.
~Six Hours Ago~
Harry calmly places the chopped tomatoes to the side as he gets started on the onions. Bertie sits next to him on the floor, ready to catch any stray scraps that might fall his way.
“Do we not feed you?” Draco reaches down to pet the pup’s head, he laughs when Bertie head-butts him for more.
“Taste,” Harry says as he holds out a ladle filled with soup.
Used to the routine, Draco dutifully opens his mouth for his taste and takes his time sharing feedback.
“It’s perfect,” he remarks as he walks by Harry to grab some things from the pantry.
Harry pouts. “You always say that.” He bends to grab Bertie and carry him away from the stove, he needs to use the oven soon and Bertie is too curious for his good.
Draco makes sure to drop a kiss on Harry’s head as he walks by. “I always say that because it’s the truth.”
Harry hides his shy smile in Bertie’s fur. No matter the amount of praise The Kitchen gets for its food and carefully curated menu, from all sorts of critics and publications, the only compliments Harry strives for are Draco’s. They’re the only ones that matter to him.
While Harry works on finishing up the food prep, which gets expedited once Polly steps in and helps him get the larger tasks done, Draco takes on the task of getting the house cleaned and ready.
It’s not like they keep a dirty house, far from it - largely thanks to Polly, but there’s a difference between their daily level of cleaning versus a full family dinner level of cleaning.
By the time Harry is done with the kitchen, leaving it spotless as well because he doesn’t want Draco to kill him, the house looks stunning.
Their living room is a winter wonderland with crystal snowflakes, and a Malfoy family heirloom, floating high above. The fire is roaring and big white candles adorn most flat surfaces. The light makes the snowflakes twinkle and cast iridescent shadows on the walls.
The door opposite the kitchen, that leads to the landing is thrown wide open and shows a glimpse of the festive space beyond. The landing houses the winding stairway that leads to the rooms above, like their bedroom, the study, and one of the two spare bedrooms.
Much like the study, this had also been a space that Harry hadn't found much use for till Draco entered his life and helped him revamp it. A little bit of white paint, wood panels for the walls, and a new coat of polish on the stairs were already enough to make it feel like new. What tied it together was the photos that had been artfully arranged on the walls and along the stairway.
Holding pride of place on the main wall that separated the living room and kitchen from the landing were three photos.
The first was from the wedding of James and Lily Potter. Harry had been reluctant to pull it out from the album Hagrid gave him all those years ago till Draco had patiently coached him through how to duplicate it. He had debated putting the only photo he had with his parents here but having Sirius be part of this photo made it even more special.
The second was of Ron, Hermione, and him from Bill and Fleur’s wedding. Neither of them can remember posing for it which is understandable given the circumstances of that night. But, somehow someone got this very candid photo of them mid-conversation, a wide smile on Ron’s face as he wildly gesticulates as Harry and Hermione try to keep their smiles in control. It’s chaotic and it’s so them.
The third is of Harry and Draco on the dance floor at The Plume. It had been a random weekday and both of them had needed a desperate break so at midnight Draco had sent Harry an owl asking him to get dressed and show up so they could dance the night away. Blaise had taken this photo, a shot of them pressed close together with Draco’s arms around Harry’s shoulders. Harry is caught mid-laugh, his eyes shut as he hides his face in Draco’s neck. You can barely see their faces with the way the photo changes from the bright strobe lights to the dark of the club but they love it.
Harry thinks of the ring upstairs and wonders if they’ll change this photo soon enough to something that signals the start of their new chapter.
He can tell Draco has taken great care in decorating this space, garlands of evergreen boughs intertwined with fairy lights, pinecones, and more snowflakes are draped along the balustrade. It’s beautiful and the attention to detail is so Draco. Even without seeing him do it, Harry knows the placement of each pinecone and snowflake must have been thought out so carefully.
He can’t wait to marry this meticulous, high-strung, considerate man.
Soon enough Draco is herding him up the stairs to get dressed. He’s all dressed up already, looking fit enough to eat in a cashmere sweater under a deep brown dinner jacket. No one can blame Harry for getting distracted when his boyfriend looks like that .
Harry walks down the stairs just as the first guests - Ron and Hermione - start rolling in. By the time he’s serving out the canapes, everyone has made it. Blaise is chatting with Mr. Weasley by the fire while Neville is engaged in a spirited discussion with Percy near the kitchen.
Harry had thought it could be awkward between Mrs. Weasley and Narcissa but within minutes they’re discussing the hardship of raising children who just don’t come home that often anymore.
He smiles and looks up to make eye contact with Draco to make fun of him when he realises Draco isn’t in the room anymore.
Thankfully he doesn’t have to go far.
“There you are,” he smiles as he walks up to Draco who is busy fixing the garlands on the staircase. “Why are you hiding out here?”
Draco shrugs, he looks oddly shy like Harry caught him in the middle of something.
“I’m not hiding,” he says. “I’m thinking.”
“About?”
“Us,” Draco answers, his eyes still lowered as he fidgets with a snowflake. “The people in that room and how they’re all gathered for us.”
Harry gently nudges him to get him to look up. When Draco does finally make eye contact, Harry is surprised to find them swimming with emotion. He looks nervous.
“What’s going on, Draco?”
Draco takes in a deep breath.
“Harry,” he starts. “Have you ever thought about our future? What that would look like?”
Harry has a sinking feeling he knows where this is going. He’s giddy at the thought but even more importantly he’s anxious at his plan falling apart.
He tries to deflect. He has a plan!
“Oh. Have you?” he asks instead.
Draco nods as he steps closer. He’s reaching out to hold Harry’s hand and Harry can’t breathe.
“I have, Harry, a lot. And this might not be the most romantic way to do it but seeing you with all our family in there and all I can about this is having this forever with you,” he rushes to say like he needs to get the words out in one go. “So, Harry Potter, will -”
“No, wait!” Harry reacts as he steps back from Draco.
There’s utter silence around them, the faint sound of voices no longer audible. Harry doesn’t know if it’s because they’ve caught on to the situation or he’s disassociating, all he knows is that this can’t be happening right now.
Draco looks heartbroken, the sheer joy on his face right minutes ago has been replaced with anguish.
Harry can’t look anymore.
He spins on his heel and runs up the staircase.
His hands are shaking as he pulls open the closet and hastily pushes aside clothes to grab the old coat. The moment his fingers close around the ring box, Harry feels his panic settle a little.
This is happening. He’s going to do it.
He runs down the stairs, taking them two at a time. Draco is where he left him and the expression on his face makes Harry want to cry and beg for forgiveness.
He will. Later. For now, he has something far more important to do.
Harry comes to a stop in front of Draco. From the corner of his eyes, he can spot everyone gathered at the entrance to the living room. Harry hopes Narcissa Malfoy won’t kill him till he gets a chance to fix this.
Everyone, including Draco, gasps when Harry gets down on one knee.
“You absolute arsehole,” Draco curses as he clenches his fists by his side. Even as Harry watches tears well in his eyes, his cheeks flushed as he stares at Harry with a mixture of relief and shock.
Harry stays down on his knee, the ring open and waiting for Draco.
“I’ve been waiting for months , Draco,” Harry says, then he corrects himself. “Longer than that. I feel like a part of me has known forever that there is no future of mine where you’re not in it. Every possible version of me has a version of you to keep me stable. To make me feel loved like I have never been loved before, to cherish, support, and give me strength and I love you more than life itself. Thank you for giving me the chance to show you just how much you mean to me, and I would be the happiest man in the world if you would say yes to giving me all of your years so I can continue to show you just how precious you are to me.”
Despite the stress and drama leading up to this moment, the brief instant of insanity right before, Harry has no fear.
Even as Draco extends a slightly shaky hand, Harry is calm and sure. Once the ring is on Draco’s finger, Harry finally smiles. He lets Draco pull him up and goes willingly when Draco tugs him close. They kiss like they have many times before, lost in each other with no care of the world, but this time it’s tinged with something a little special. A promise of forever.
“I can’t believe you did that to me,” Draco says, his lips brushing against Harry’s cheek as he refuses to create any space between them. “I felt like I was going to die.”
“I’m sorry,” Harry apologized, genuinely heartbroken for making Draco feel like he wasn’t it for Harry. “I had been thinking of this for so long, the moment you said the words all I could think about was doing it the right way.”
“You could have warned me though,” Draco complains, but Harry’s known him long enough he’s only being contrarian cause he can.
Later, Harry takes the gentle ribbing from everyone. He even makes the effort to pull Narcissa aside and apologize directly for not coming to her first. She surprises him by gently fixing his jacket instead and telling him it will be her turn to host next time. An engagement party for her son and his fiance.
Even as they spend the rest of the night surrounded by friends and family, Harry’s eyes keep seeking out Draco. He misses the feeling of Draco’s hand in his.
It’s okay , he tells himself, we have a lifetime ahead of us .
And they do.
The End.
