Dumbledore looked up at the loud crack and Harry only then realized he had Apparated within Hogwarts. It was not lost on the old wizard either and Harry looked up at his surprised face worriedly. "I've…um…been working on that just to see if I could. I didn't even realize I'd done it until I got here. Sorry."

Dumbledore stood behind his desk and didn't move. "Most impressive, Harry. I am the only other wizard that I know of who has been able to overcome most of Hogwart's defenses. Congratulations."

The words sounded hollow to Harry and he sat down before him. "I didn't do it to be impressive. It just scared me that I couldn't Apparate somewhere. I still carry around that helplessness I felt with Voldemort and I don't like to feel helpless. But I feel it now. If you can't trust me then I am truly lost. I need your help, Albus. I cannot be a danger to anyone. Please help me not to be."

Dumbledore nodded and slowly sat. He looked at Harry and for the first time that afternoon offered a smile, however brief. "That is the first sensible thing out of your mouth today."

Harry was immensely relieved to see the old Dumbledore and he felt for the first time that something could be done.

"I'm curious, Harry. How were you able to pass the wand test of your marriage provision?"

Harry felt his face flush. "We…Obliviated the examiners and gave them new memories."

Dumbledore smiled again. "That was very Slytherin of you," he said cagily.

Harry said nothing.

Dumbledore leaned forward and clasped his hands over his desk. "Is this the only Dark Magic you have ever done, Harry?"

"Once, I sent a cutting curse on Draco. It was a spell Snape created that I found in his old potions book when he went to school here. It said it was for one's enemies and I didn't even know what it did before I used it. Stupid."

"Dangerous."

"Yeah. Draco nearly bled to death. Good thing Snape arrived when he did."

"As always, Severus Snape made his timely arrivals." He looked up at Harry again over the rims of his half-moon spectacles. "And Unforgivable curses?"

"No, sir. I was never able to properly do them."

Dumbledore's brows rose. "Interesting."

"So those were the only two. That's the truth, sir."

"Tell me honestly, Harry. How did it feel when you performed them?"

Harry felt like hiding his face, but since he couldn't he lowered his eyes. "It felt…powerful. Like I'd been shot with adrenalin. Like I was strong and free and weightless. Frankly, Albus, it was wonderful."

"Yes. It can be that." Dumbledore stood and strolled to a book shelf. Harry thought he was getting a book down for him to read but he didn't reach for anything. He merely looked at the many titles on the shelf, let his eyes roam on some of the objects lying there, and stroked his long beard. "I have performed Dark Magic many times. Many more times than you have yourself, Harry."

Harry rose. "But you never became a Dark Wizard."

He turned to Harry then and revealed himself. Harry's eyes rounded. He realized at that moment that Dumbledore expended a great deal of his energy on an outward appearance of gentility, but it hid a swirling torrent of emotions and a constant battle of wills. Harry took a step back, shocked at the amount of pain he saw in Dumbledore's eyes. Dumbledore resumed his calm exterior with a blink of a lash. "When wizards are as powerful as we two are, Harry, nothing is simple. I must continually fight the demons within, the power that threatens release. And you will, too. And when you join with Draco it will only get worse for you. But it can be tamed. And I believe you are capable. Do you remember, Harry, what I told you about choices?"

"Yes, Albus. You told me it wasn't our abilities that made us who we are, but our choices."

"Yes. You have chosen to stay on the side of the Light. You have chosen to fight your demons. You have chosen love above all, Harry. That is half the battle won. I will help you fight the other half."

Harry caught something else from Dumbledore's speech. He had said "when" he joined with Draco, not "if". "Sir, do you think it is something that will take a long time?"

"How long did it take you to discover a spell for releasing the Dark Mark?"

"Two weeks."

His eyebrows rose again. "No, Harry. It won't take long at all. In fact, I think it safe to say that I can keep my promise to you and allow the wedding to go on as scheduled. If you are willing to work hard."

"Oh sir! Day and night if I have to!"

Dumbledore finally gave a fully-fledged smile. "That may not be necessary. But I am glad."

Harry beamed.

* * *

Since Harry was going to busy with Dumbledore, Draco was left to make the preparations. He decided to ask for Hermione's help.

He flooed to Hermione's house, stepped out of the fireplace, and looked at the room filled with girls. Ginny Weasley was there, along with Luna Lovegood Longbottom…and Pansy Parkinson?

Draco whirled back toward the fireplace, but Hermione grabbed his arm. "Now Draco. I thought I could use some help."

Draco felt a little ill as he looked at the anxious faces. "We're not going to paint our toenails and do our hair, are we?"

Pansy stepped forward and looked Draco over in that oily way of hers. She hadn't changed at all from school. Not really. "Only if you want to, Draco mine."

He gave a half-laugh. This was a nightmare. This was worse than Azkaban. This was his punishment for all those years as Voldemort's cohort.

"I invited Ginny," Hermione went on, "because she's my best friend and she really wanted to help with the wedding. And then she asked Luna because she's Ginny's friend and we all know Harry and then we thought we really needed a Slytherin opinion and we asked Pansy and we were more than shocked when she accepted."

"You're not the only one," he muttered. "So," he said aloud. "It's just us girls, then?"

Pansy shook her head and looked him up and down. "You know I really should have known. Thinking back it was obvious."

"Yes!" said Ginny. "I was just thinking that yesterday."

"The clothes, the hair," said Pansy. "No straight man takes that much time."

"He always had a softer aura about him," offered Luna. "A pink one."

"I am in the room, you know!"

"Now, now, everyone," said Hermione, refereeing. "Draco's right. Let's be polite about this. Even if everyone else suspected and he was clueless doesn't mean we should throw it in his face."

"Thanks Hermione," said Draco witheringly.

"So let's all sit down and discuss this. We've already got a tentative guest list, but what we need is a plan. Colour, flowers, food, music. Now let's all have some tea and discuss it."

Hermione steered Draco to the center of the sofa where he was wedged between Luna and Pansy. He merely stared about the room at all the chattering women barely giving each other a word in edgewise and he shook his head. Never in a million years did he picture himself in this situation. It must truly be love.

After an hour of chattering and a little bit of planning the group switched from tea to sherry. Draco had enough of listening to Gryffindor opinions and Pansy's off-centre ideas, and held up his hands. "Hold on! Wherever did you girls get your sense of colour? You are talking about an outlandishly clashing palette. This is a wedding, you bints. A wedding. It is a moment for softness, for gentility, for a rest for the eyes. Give me that swatch book again, Weasley. Not you Weasley, the other Weasley." He snatched it out of Hermione's hand and flipped through the pages. He found the page he wanted and opened it, showing the others. "Harry and I will both be in green, me for Slytherin and him…well, because it goes with his eyes. We are the only colours of substance because we are the centre of attention. The other colours will compliment, you see. Softly. Subtly. Drawing the eye again to us." There were approving murmurs and Draco smiled.

"Hey Draco," said Ginny. "I'm going shopping next week for my dress. Will you come with me and help pick something out?"

"I had better, or you will no doubt make a dreadful mistake."

"I'm coming, too," said Hermione.

"We'll make a day of it! That will be fun. Gee, Draco. I didn't realize you could be good company."

"Likewise, Weaselette."

"Like another girlfriend."

Draco slumped. "Thanks," he said flatly.

Pansy begged off and Luna was, as usual, in her own world.

Draco excused himself from the sofa to stretch his legs and when he looked over his shoulder, Pansy was standing beside him. "Your owl posts were more than intriguing, Draco mine," she said. "But the invitation from Granger was too good to pass up. I had to see you in the flesh." Her dark eyes passed over him again. "You are not what I expected. I thought a gay Draco would be flouncing about in ruffles and maroon."

"I do not nor have I ever 'flounced'. I don't do ruffles and I detest maroon. It's a Gryffindor colour."

"Yes, but look at the company you keep." She glanced over her shoulder at the others.

He shrugged. What could he say?

"So," she said, dark eyes dancing in the lamp light. "Harry Potter."

He narrowed his eyes. "Yes. Harry Potter."

"How is sex with Potter? Just curious."

"If you must know, it's bloody amazing."

"Dear me. Better than us?"

He touched the sherry glass to his lips. "Fishing?"

She shrugged. "I guess I'd rather not know." She crossed her arms over her chest in a very familiar gesture. He realized that on some level he did miss her or at least being around her, even if he never actually loved her.

"So what is the attraction? Forgive me, Draco mine, but the last time I saw you, you were trying to kill him."

He took a swallow and felt the sherry warm his insides, though he knew he was getting a bit tipsy. "Things change. I mean, I've changed, haven't I?"

"Most are calling you a blood traitor."

"Well." He raised his glass to it. "It's the truth, isn't it? I am a blood traitor, and damned glad to be one. Harry Potter dragged me out of the gutter. He's loved me for a long time. I didn't even know I swept that side of the street. But it was Harry Potter who helped me see that, too. I am the man I am today because of my love Harry Potter. Here's to him." He downed the rest of the sherry.

"You know," she said quietly, "after you two join, you will be a very powerful wizard."

Oh here it comes.

"There are many who will try to turn you to the Dark side again."

"I've met some of those prize winners. Don't you read the papers?"

"Mercer? He's an idiot. He's in Azkaban where he belongs. Harper, too. But there are others."

"Pansy, save it. I'm not interested, never will be. I lived the life, remember. The inner circle."

"Yes. And strangely, you're the only one left alive from that inner circle."

"Yes. Odd, that. I call it destiny. Destiny to be with Harry Potter. Did you see my ring? Harry designed it."

He flashed it in her face and suddenly, at the mention-even the whisper of "ring"-the others converged out of nowhere. There were oohs and ahs and many awwws. Draco blushed at the attention.

"That's so sweet," said Ginny. "The snake is really in love with that lion."

"Actually, if you look closely, you can't see the end of the snake's tail. I think they're shagging."

The girls made squeals of delight and all bent their heads more closely over the ring. Draco smirked at Pansy who was hanging back. The others receded and Pansy moved closer again. "You look happy," she said flatly, as if she didn't really want to say it.

He looked at her squarely. "I am. I think for the first time in my life. This time it's just me deciding. And I like what I have."

"I bet you're good at teaching potions. You know, I often thought you should-if there wasn't the nightmare of Voldemort."

He shot her a glance.

"Yes, I thought he was a ruddy nightmare. Most of us could see him for what he was, but I think we were all in denial. After all, who else was there? Lucius Malfoy? Some of us thought so, thought he could steer Voldemort on the right course. But we were all wrong."

"More wrong than you know."

"Perhaps." She looked back at the group. She stood out among them, in her black robes and her shiny black hair. "This is not a bad lot, Draco. You could have done worse."

"I did."

"Oh yes. Muggle life. Best forgotten?"

"Gotten over, but never forgotten."

"Right. Well, Draco mine, I think I will bid you farewell. Until the wedding. I'm glad you found someone who would make you happy. Even if it is Harry Potter. I knew deep down it wasn't me."

"Not for lack of trying, my dear."

"No. We did give it a go." She pressed her cheek to his. In a whisper, she said, "And I thought the sex was amazing." She planted a kiss and drew away. "Hermione," she announced. "This was too lovely. Thank you for inviting me. I shall see you all at the wedding."

"Bye, Pansy," said Hermione. "Thank you for accepting. I really feel that we've all crossed a bridge here."

"Certainly." She stepped into the fireplace and glanced once more at Draco. "Parkinson Manor!" The green flames engulfed her and she flooed away.

When the party broke up at last, Draco had to admit he had had a good time. He sat alone with Hermione in her lounge going over the menu and marveling that Pansy had managed to seem to enjoy herself as well, even with a bunch of Gryffindors. "This looks like a wonderful wedding, Hermione. Thanks. You make a great Matron of Honour."

She blushed. "Thank you, Draco." They were sitting quite close and he felt her draw her arm through his and then lay her head on his shoulder. Oddly, he didn't mind.

"Tell me, Hermione. Do you think of me as a…a girlfriend?"

She raised her head and stared. "Well…now that you mention it-"

"Oh blimey! I'm the gay friend! How the hell did that happen?"

"So is Harry."

"But you don't think of him as a girlfriend. This is a real blow to one's masculinity."

"But Draco, isn't…um…being gay at all sort of a blow to one's masculinity? I mean, sex with men and all."

He ground his teeth. "It's not like that. I mean, I've never been feminine, you know."

"Well actually-"

"What now? Oh come on!"

"I mean you've sort of paid a lot of extra attention to your looks."

"I was rich. I could afford to dress well, so I did."

"And your mother fawned on you, and dressed you up…"

"Yeah, so what? Oh for the love of-" He scowled and sank down, clamping his arms over his chest.

"Draco, it doesn't matter. We love you anyway."

He raised a brow. "You love me?"

"Sure. You're our friend now."

"Your girlfriend you mean."

"And what if you were?" She snaked her arm into his again.

"Well. For one thing. If I were, I would tell you what a mistake that wallpaper was. And how that flower arrangement is way too busy."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Are you going to pick out my dress for the wedding?"

"Too right. You'd probably pick something pink which I already pointed out is not your colour and will not go with the rest of the wedding."

"Anything you say…girlfriend."

Draco sighed and leaned his head back. Okay. So this was an interesting development. He hoped Harry was faring better than he was.


On to Chapter Ten
"Bachelor Party"

Back to Chapter Eight
"A Dark Place"

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