Irresistible Fate

Epilogue

Lake Garda, Italy, 4th February 2007

It was two years to the day since Harry had walked out of St Mungo's with Fenrir's barely healed slashes across his torso. He still couldn't quite believe how much had happened since then. Not just his relationship with Draco, but with a lot wrangling with the Listed Magical Buildings and Conservation Department at the Ministry and a considerable amount of magic on behalf of Harry's builders, the right side of Old Hall had been completed and the unsafe ruins on the left side had been removed, it's ground now a flat lawn so it made a beautiful garden that caught the midday and afternoon sun. They had even managed to keep some of the rabbit burrows for Teddy. The Malfoy's lawyers had put all the paperwork in order to swipe possession of the Manor away from Gringotts and pass it over to St Mungo's the day after Draco and Harry moved in.

Teddy's vision for the Old Hall had been perfect, and between him, the architect, the Ministry, and the builders, they had executed a beautiful design of the house. Draco and Harry moved in mid-December and spent a joyful Christmas in their new home with Teddy, Andromeda, Draco's parents, and the two new black kittens they'd rescued from the local cat sanctuary. It had taken all of Harry's strength to prevent Draco from bringing all the rescue-cats home with them. Draco, extravagantly, had found a Christmas tree that nearly reached the ceiling in their new sitting room, but most of the socialising happened in the kitchen, looking out onto the orchard. Harry and Kreacher, between them, had cooked a sumptuous Christmas dinner. Harry's favourite space quickly became the vast library on the third floor where light would stream in through the huge windows over the grand piano which sat in the middle of the room. Harry liked to snuggle onto one of the sofas in front of the oversized fireplace with Siri and Sev, watching Teddy play with his Lego and listening to Draco absorbed in playing the piano that had been moved over from the manor. They had only taken a selection of furniture from the house, including much of the vast Malfoy library. Afterwards, Harry, Draco, Narcissa, and Lucius had enjoyed a ceremonial burning in the estate grounds of the huge dining room table and any other furniture they felt Voldemort had contaminated. The exercise had proved hugely cathartic for the family, ending an era so that the Manor could move into its new phase of life.

Christmas had been completed by Teddy stealing the show at his primary school's nativity show in front of Harry, Draco, Andromeda, Narcissa, Ron, Hermione, baby Lily, and a very proud Auntie Minnie. It had also been Teddy who, rather bluntly, asked Andromeda about moving in with Harry and Draco. It was a plan she was delighted with, all too aware of her age and her lack of energy to cope with the high-energy boy. Adoption papers had been drawn up under the condition that Teddy kept Lupin as his surname, though there was still some debate about whether he needed to become Lupin-Malfoy in the future if he was named as Draco's heir. In fact, Andromeda and Narcissa, now fully reunited, were discussing whether she should move to the estate and take one of the cottages in the grounds so that the family could stay close.

Lucius did get his petting farm but much to everyone's relief the pig was called Merlin. Though there was a black cockerel which strutted around rather arrogantly and Draco and Harry secretly called it 'the Dark Cock', with much childish sniggering. Ironically, it was quite unfriendly towards everyone, especially Harry. Things came to a head after it went for his shins one day and blood was drawn, after that Harry took to threatening it with the cooking pot. When it happened again, the Dark Cock disappeared, but the family enjoyed a splendid 'Coq au Vin' for dinner shortly after.

Draco and Harry had a New Year's party as a house warming. Inviting their friends and close work colleagues to see in the new year as well as to celebrate their new house. A month later, Harry was still teasing Draco because, in a drunken state, Draco had put an onion ring on Harry's finger and made him swear they would get married. He insisted Harry wore the onion ring all evening.

The latest in this long succession of events was the announcement from Gawain Robards that he was retiring; at the party he had dragged Harry to one side to tell him he was putting Harry forward as his successor. Harry was appointed, without any surprise to anyone else, the new Head Auror at the Ministry of Magic, and the youngest in its history. He had taken Draco away for the week to celebrate.

No one knew they had gone to Italy.

It was late afternoon and dusk was already falling into night as the two men stood on the balcony of the Pensione Bartolini overlooking Lake Garda. They faced each other, though Harry held Draco's head so that his face was turned away from the magic he was performing, his blond hair falling across his eyes. It had taken almost two years of research, including extensive experimentation and double-checking by the Department of Mysteries, but the ancient spell was approved and Harry was ready to perform it. Draco's sleeves were rolled up and he held his left arm out as Harry held his wand over the Dark Mark and began incanting. Harry could feel the steely determination in Draco's body, he was fighting, with every ounce of his being, the fear and the mounting pain. But Harry couldn't afford to be distracted. The instructions were clear: no hesitation.

Slowly, the head of the snake pushed through Draco's skin towards Harry's wand tip. Although the ink had faded considerably so that it was almost gone, the snake was still very much a solid entity, its pale form the colour of Draco's skin. Harry felt Draco twisting to look but he kept a firm grip on the back of Draco's head, keeping his face away from what was happening. Harry had been warned that the snake might try to retaliate, turning on its host. The snake moved slowly, uncoiling through Draco's skin until it writhed and dripped across his forearm with sickening realism, its head getting closer towards Harry's face, poised as if it might strike at any moment.

Once he was certain that the snake was completely freed from Draco's skin, Harry used his wand to lift it away, its head just an inch from Harry's wand tip, its tail almost reaching the floor. He dangled it over the balcony.

'Protego Duo!'

The snake disintegrated, floating on the wind across the lake in minute pieces of white ash. Harry turned back to the skull on Draco's arm, and watched as it lifted by its own accord as one sheet and that too dissolved on the air.

He heard Draco let out a sigh of relief.

Harry cupped Draco's face, bringing him back to face him. There were tears in his eyes and Harry carefully wiped them away with his thumbs before kissing him on the lips.

'It's over,' Draco whispered.

'Yes,' was Harry's quiet reply.

He pulled his boyfriend towards him and let Draco silently cry on his shoulder until there were no more tears.

'Thank you, Hal.'

Harry smiled; he liked that Draco had taken to using Jacob's moniker for him. He turned around to the small balcony table that was behind him, 'I've taken the liberty of assuming this would be successful.' And holding the cork, he twisted the bottle until the cork popped gently in his hand. He poured two flutes of champagne.

Draco took a grateful swig, but Harry didn't drink, he just stood there, watching his boyfriend and feeling the new sense of relief. The dark ghost of the past that had always hovered quietly in the shadows had gone. He smiled, took Draco's glass from him and put it with his own untouched glass back on the table.

'What?'

Harry took hold of both of Draco's hands, lifting each to his lips in turn and kissing, first the black ring on the fourth finger of Draco's right hand and then the equivalent spot on his left hand. He held Draco's left hand against his lips for a while.

'Hal?' Draco was watching him, his grey eyes widening in the darkness.

'Draco Lucius Malfoy?'

'Hal...' Draco whispered.

'Will you marry me?'

'Yes.'

Harry grinned, 'thank fuck for that!'

'Way to go, Potter. Just ruin the bloody moment!'

'I fucking asked, didn't I?' And, to stop Draco complaining any further, Harry kissed him, ardently, before lifting him up and carrying him into the bedroom.

'My champagne!' Draco protested.

'Later!' Harry murmured as he kissed Draco's neck just below his ear and Draco moaned softly.

*****