Fic: Promised - Chapter 63
Title: Promised
Author: neddiheht (Ashavan Doyon)
Artist: ritalaura2000
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: All ATWT characters the property of P&G/Telenext. Harry Potter and the characters associated with that universe belong to J. K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, and Scholastic. No copyright infringement intended. No profit made from this fiction.
Characters/Pairings: Noah/Draco, Luke/Neville, Luke/Noah, Draco/Harry. Some mention of other fun pairings not involving Luke, Noah, Draco or Harry.
Word Count: 205,207
Warnings alternate universe, graphic sex, arranged marriages, mpreg, some mention of non-consensual sex. This is a Nuke fic set largely in the Harry Potter verse and combined with a Drarry pairing.
Summary: Luciano Grimaldi was a perfectly happy young wizard. His family carefully neutral during the war, he has found happiness in the years since Voldemort's fall with herbologist, hero, and friend of the Savior, Neville Longbottom. Only he's just been informed that in the tradition of ancient pure blood families, he was promised at birth, in an offering to keep his family safe, to the son of infamous American Death Eater Winston Mayer.
Noah Mayer is a very unhappy wizard. In love for years with fellow Death Eater Draco Malfoy, the two young men have secretly found solace and love in each others arms, dreading the day they knew would come. They are promised, in the traditions of the oldest families. Promised to young wizards who didn't know. Married, for all intents and purposes, almost at birth to strangers who will doubtless hate them. Now they must surrender to duty and obligation. Now they must turn their backs on a love they know and risk everything for what might be. Noah always knew he hated pure blood traditions. This was why.
Link to Story Master Post: Yeah, it's a LOT of chapters. Worth it though, I hope!
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Chapter 63
"Very well, Noah. A study. I'll arrange it, but he'll have to stop by personally to tell me what he needs. I hardly want to set up a room for him in the dungeons if he wants something in Gryffindor tower!"
"I'm sorry about this, Minerva," said Noah with a bit of a sigh. "I just. I want to make sure everything is perfect for him. It's going to be hard enough for him with Neville here. I thought for a moment he was..." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. He's here with me. But he does need a study. And floo access to his foundation offices."
"I'd already agreed to that, but let's make the floo access go from his study," said Minerva, her head glancing up to take note of Harry and Draco arriving. "Having it there will keep his work separate from your living quarters. They are a place to live, not to work, even if they are here in the castle."
"I'm not that much of a work-a-holic," said Noah.
"You worked for the Department of Mysteries," said Minerva quietly.
"Fair point. But Hermione worked there too."
"Indeed. You do know this does not help your argument?" said McGonagall. "Her marriage to young Ronald Weasley survives in part because his Quidditch season keeps him away too often to notice how much she's not there!"
Noah shook his head. "It survives because they love each other. They just both suffer from time poverty. I should remind you that her primary mystery at the Ministry is time. She creates a great deal of it to compensate."
McGonagall looked stricken. "That's..."
"Dangerous, yes. She uses the resources sparingly, but she gives her husband the time they both need. As I will also."
"Very well, Noah. Send Luciano here when he's ready and I'll discuss his need for a study with him. I'm sure we can find something suitable. Now, if you'll excuse me... it seems I have distinguished guests," she nodded towards the door.
Noah glanced up and saw Draco and Harry waiting at the door. The expression on his face was a maze of conflict and desire and loss and pain. And then it was schooled quickly and efficiently into his own mask. He bowed slightly to McGonagall and swept past Harry and Draco without a word.
"Is he alright, headmistress?" asked Draco very softly.
"It would surely be inappropriate of me to say," said Minerva fiercely.
Draco looked away. "I never wanted him hurt."
"Headmistress," said Harry. "I am ready to give you your answers, but I fear I need to ask a great deal of you."
"Are you alright, Harry? You look... well. Rather like you did in those final days of the war. Driven and yet very alone."
"He's not alone!" snapped Draco. "Never."
Harry just reached down and clasped Draco's hand. The effect was immediate. Draco calmed and sighed. "Sorry headmistress. My nerves are rather frayed. Forgive me."
"I believe I was promised some answers," said Minerva.
Harry sighed and took a seat, as did Draco, though not before deftly waving his wand to move his chair next to Harry's so that they could keep their hands joined as they sat. Minerva lifted her eyebrows and sat comfortably behind the massive desk.
"I... I need a rather large favor," began Harry.
"Yes, you mentioned that," said the headmistress, tapping her fingers along the edge of the desk.
"I am in need of medical care. Close medical supervision. For rather obvious reasons, I'd prefer to avoid St. Mungos for this purpose," said Harry.
"Surely you'd be better off elsewhere..."
"I don't think so," said Harry. "I need a mediwitch with whom I'm absolutely comfortable, especially for this... you see, Professor," he paused and let out a long sigh. He looked at Draco, who simply mouthed 'I love you' at him, and then clutched his promised's hand as though it was the only thing keeping him from falling from a cliff. "I'm pregnant."
Minerva's eyebrows raised. "I see."
"Madam Pomfrey feels it best that I stay in the castle. She's adamant that I not floo or apparate unless absolutely necessary."
"I am not without familiarity of the difficulties of pregnancy for wizards," began Minerva. "It's not like my Gryffindors never... well, we've had a few," she said. "But surely this is a little extreme..."
"We're having twins," said Draco seriously.
Minerva looked at Harry concerned for a moment. "Well. I did tell you to start living, didn't I?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Very well. You may stay at the castle."
"Thank you, Professor," said Harry quickly.
"Wait! I'm not finished," said Minerva seriously. "This is a school, first and foremost. And I am in need of a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
"I'm... I don't know how capable I'll be at..."
"Yes, I can understand that. For that reason I will be appointing you and Mr. Malfoy jointly in the role. Together you epitomize both attack and defense. Surely you can see how this would be a useful approach?"
"I have outside responsibilities," said Draco.
"Yes, I am familiar with your philanthropic work. You'll be allowed generous leave time, Mr. Malfoy, but it will need to be restricted as Harry's time grows close."
Harry looked at her thoughtfully. "I will need proper family quarters," said Harry. "Madam Pomfrey doesn't even want me to floo home to get my things, I'll have to send house elves."
"I can have some of Hogwarts..."
"We have three of our own, headmistress," said Draco. "And I'd prefer, especially when it comes to care for Teddy, to trust Kreacher."
"Very well. It seems we are also in need of a head of house for Slytherin. Traditionally that post has been held by our potions master, but Noah was Hufflepuff and will be heading that house." Minerva looked at them both. "I need to temper the Slytherins baser instincts. So you will both serve in that capacity..."
"I'm Gryffindor!" shouted Harry.
"No, Harry," said Albus from his place on the wall. "You have never been just Gryffindor."
"But..."
"It is rare," said Albus. "Usually such cases end up in Hufflepuff, just as your friend Mister Mayer did. As Cedric Diggory did. Amalgams of traits that make a stronger whole. But you fought against the sorting, rejecting vehemently its decision and choosing. And in doing so you chose to seek out bravery and chivalry and showed the nerve that house is so commended for. But that doesn't change that you gained your house by using the very traits valued by the house you were rejecting."
"Wait... Harry was meant to be in Slytherin?" asked Draco suddenly.
"Indeed. And it is your actions more than any others, Draco," said Albus, "that caused him to turn from that path. Harry has lived as a Gryffindor, but it is beyond doubt that he is also Slytherin."
"Professor," said Draco, looking at Severus' portrait, the word a bit of a plea.
"Calm yourself, Draco," said Severus. "You are getting everything you want and this is what you object to? That Potter is not cunning enough to be a Slytherin? I have been in Potter's mind, Draco. He is far more cunning than any Slytherin in your year ever considered possible."
"But he got caught! Constantly!" said Draco.
Albus laughed at that.
"Sadly, Potter was only very rarely caught at anything," said Severus. "Though certainly it would have helped if the headmaster wasn't sharing invisibility cloaks with the students."
"It was my father's!" piped in Harry, "And I'm not a Slytherin."
"You are, Mr. Potter," said the Sorting Hat from where it sat on the mantle. "And a Gryffindor, too. I wouldn't have placed you there if you didn't fit. But you were meant, such as things are, to be in Slytherin. To lead them out of darkness. You chose a different route... and the very choosing against fate was what compelled me to place you in Gryffindor. It showed true nerve. But I stand by what I said, Slytherin was the home you were meant to have, with the boy who loves you."
"Enough!" said Minerva, slamming a hand down on the desk. "This is what I need from you, Harry. Since the school reopened we've been unable to find a professor to teach the Defense Against Dark Arts classes. This is a fair exchange. We both get what we need."
Harry looked at Draco. "You'll see him every day, my dragon," he said quietly. "Can you..."
"I'll see you every day. And Teddy," said Draco, his hand stroking Harry's face. "And this keeps you close to Pomfrey. I couldn't bear to lose another child, Harry."
Minerva and Dumbledore both looked rather shocked at Draco's tacit admission, while Severus and Harry looked at Draco with a sort of somber understanding. "We won't lose them," said Harry. "I won't let that happen." He turned to the headmistress. "We accept your terms, Professor."
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This story is written as part of the Nuke BigBang challenge. Check out the other authors' and artists' great work!