“Wow,”wasallDraosaid,astheyytangledtogether,Harryslowlyslippingoutofhimwithasmallrushofwarmth.HarrylethimselfsinkdownontothesweatyskinofDrao’shest,hisnoserubbingalongthefinestubbledottingDrao’sjaw.Draourledhisarmaroundhim,theotherstillkeepingtheirfingerslinked.“Youdidn’tsayit.”
Harryraisedhishead.He’dlosthisgssesatsomepointduringtheremovalofhislothes,buthewasloseenoughtoseethewarmoednessinDrao’sfae,theinquisitivenessinhislightgreyeyes.HarryshiftedthembothuntilDraowasrestingagainstthebakofthesofa,bothoftheirheadsusingthearmrestasapillow,legsandarmstangledtogether.“Didn’tsaywhat?”Heleanedinforanotherkiss;heouldn’tstopkissingDraonow.
“Thatyouloveme,”Draowhisperedbak.“Youalwayssayit,everytime.”HeslidhisfingerslightlythroughthesweatonHarry’sbak,makinghimshiverandpressevenloser.
“Sorry,”Harryhukledlightly,notsurewhattosay.He’dwantedtosayit,hadalmosthokedonthewordsbytheendfromtheeffortofholdingthembak,butitwastoosoon,andhewasinapewherehedidn’treallybelong.“IguessIlosttheabilitytoformwordsatsomepoint.”
Tohisrelief,Draojustsmiledbak.“Yeah,thatwasprettyintense.Weshoulddefinitelydothismoreoften.”
Harryleanedintokisshimagain—hejustouldn’tstop—butwasinterruptedbythearrivalofasilveryotterndinginthemiddleoftheroombehindhim.
“Party’sinanhour,boys,don’tbete,”Hermione’svoiesaidthroughthepatronus,andthelittleanimaldissolvedintosilverymistasitsatleaningoneofitspaws.
HarrylookedbakatDrao.“HowaboutthatanniversaryshowerIranoutonearlier?”
Draosmirked.“IthinkIouldbepersuaded.”
Aftersh—anniversaryasmsinluded—anddressing,HarryandDraobothApparatedtotheBurrow.Thepartywasinfullswing,butfortunatelyforHarry,Hermionewasstandingatthegatestogreetthem.Astheywanderedaroundtothebakgarden,HarrymanagedtopullHermioneasideandwhisperinherear.
“Iknowyousaidyouan’ttellmeanything,butanIatleastknowwhatthispartyisfor?”
Hermionepattedhisarm.“It’sajointanniversarypartyforyoutwoandRonandI.Wedoiteveryyear.”
“Wedo?”
Hermionesmiledenigmatially.“Youwill.”
Sohe’dbeenright,Harryrealised.Thiswasthefuture.Or,atleast,itwasafuture.AstheWeasleyfamilyandalltheirfriendsgatheredroundtheminthebakgardenofthelosestpehe’dthoughtofashomeoutsideofHogwarts,Harrywonderedifitwasafuturehewaslukyenoughtoatuallyget.
Thepartywasenormousfun;everyoneseemedtoaeptDrao’spreseneamongthemwithoutablink.Lissahadomerunningoutofthehousemomentsafterthey’darrived,Ginnyrunningoutafterher,lookingharassed.She’dtakenonelookatHarryandDraoandheavedamassivesighofrelief.“Good,you’rehere,”she’dsaid.“Ineedadrinkbigenoughtodropahippogriff,exuseme.”Andshe’dgoneoffinadesperatesearhforalohol.
AllHarry’sfriendswerethere;NevilleandHannah,Seamus,Luna,alltheWeasleyfamily,inludingCharlieandEvanandtheirlittleboy.Therewerenumerouskidsrunningaround,mostwithshokinglyredhair,andLissastoodoutfromtherowdwithherlongwavesofmessydarkloks.HarryhadtroublerememberingallthenamesthatHermionethankfullywhisperedintohisearwheneverhewaslimbedonorsmashedinto,buttherewassomuhgoingonhedidn’tthinkitwasnotied.Itwasfun,andHarryrealisedwithawrygrinthatfunwassomethingthathadbeenkingbakinhisnormallife.MaybehisHermionewasrightwhenshenaggedhimaboutspendingtoomuhtimeatwork.