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When he looks back over his life and all of the things that led him here, he saw the way that a garden was created. Each flower had to be carefully chosen, none of them allowed to overtake the other but working in perfect symbiosis. Some of them had to die in order to grow, and that was alright. It hurt to think about, each of the warriors and civilians who were forced to lose their lives for a war that went on and on. Some of them needed to die though, a hard thing to consider as much of his power depended on life. He supposed that his mate would find him ridiculous, but at the end of the day, he was the one marrying him.
Harry finished tying up his robes, clipping them close to his neck. His hands looked stained with dirt, each finger dark and green. Another scar from using his powers so often and in necessity for the safety of his family. He heard the door open and looked in the mirror over his shoulder. His papa stood there, tired and with more scars than he deserved. “Hey, cub.” Harry gave a small smile into the mirror. This man had given him the chances he needed to succeed, even whenever he wasn’t sure what he needed. He had woken Harry up, made him see what he needed to see in order to be the best and be able to survive.
“Hey, Papa.” Remus came forward and Harry turned to him, his robes flaring behind him slightly as he turned. “Where’s Severus?”
“Wrangling the twins. I think their Aunt Narcissa gave them a bit of sugar before the ceremony and you know how that ends.” Harry cringed for his siblings and anyone who had to be around them. Remus gave a grin that showed that he shared the sentiments. “I told him that I would check on you and here I am. How are you feeling?”
“Nervous? But… not scared.” He didn’t have any right to be scared about anything, not after having to fight Dumbledore, taking a chance on Tom Riddle, and realizing that in order to be truly free he had to die. Remus gave a small smile to him.
“Yeah? Well, they’re ready for you when you are.” Harry took a deep breath, his hand coming up to the necklace that Draco had given him. He could remember vividly the day that Draco had gotten it, the pride he had as Eresa placed it over his head and it fell past his knees. It fit snugly under his robes now, falling in between his collarbone. The cool crystal warmed under his hand, making Harry’s heart race.
“Alright, let’s do this.” He walked down the hallway of Malfoy Manor, his father beside him. He yearned for Sirius teasing him about cold feet, for the sound of Callie’s laughter, for Fred’s joke about the institution of marriage. But he would never get to hear those jokes, that joy. None of them deserved their deaths. The summer air was fresh and warm as they walked to the garden in contemplative silence. He could hear the string quartet (an insistence of Lucius’s) playing in the garden and the curve of the arch under which he and Draco would be married in the eye of the law. He had been with Draco since they were sixteen in the eyes of elves and faes, but the Ministry still hadn’t learned to respect that part of their lives.
There were a series of chairs, all of them filled with friends and family. A table stood behind the last row, pictures of all who had been lost. Callie laughed at the camera and waved. She should have been there to advise his sister in flower girl duty. He knew Draco still felt guilty about her death, each time waking up in a cold sweat and a scream on his lips. Harry knew that he did it too, but it was painful to think of now. He saw Draco’s back to him, regal in his silver robes and hair tied back. Harry’s heart leapt into his throat.
He could find the humour in their location, the fact that when they were six years old, this was exactly where they had started their friendship. The audience rose as the string quartet changed to the wedding march and Remus crossed his arms behind his back as they walked in time with the music. Harry saw Draco preen slightly, straightening and shifting on his feet. As he drew closer, Draco finally turned and Harry saw the happiness clear as day in his eyes. A few tears even seemed to be perking up in the corners. He hadn’t even realized he was there until he wrapped his arms around Draco’s waist and Draco found his shoulders.
“Hey.” Harry still felt odd, looking up at Draco. It hadn’t mattered when they were children since he still had a shot at a growth spurt, but now it was clear that they had no more growing to do and Draco would always be taller than him.
“Hey yourself.” Harry grinned and was inches from kissing him until he heard Severus clearing his throat.
“If you could restrain yourselves briefly, we do have a ceremony to do first.” Harry blushed with a grin to Severus, who was in his full Hogwarts regalia. Draco also grinned sheepishly to the smattering of laughter from their audience. Severus smirked in amusement.
“This won’t be long, I promise.” Harry let go and stepped back from Draco, crossing his arms behind his back. “Now then, we gather here today to bind these two wizards in matrimony. If there are any who object to this union, speak now, or forever hold your peace.” Harry glanced to Pansy with a brief moment of fear, but she shook her head and made a gesture that made it quite clear that she wouldn’t. Harry nodded in gratitude to her. “None. So mote it be. The wizards have written their own vows. Mr. Malfoy.”
“Harry, you have been my best friend since we were seven years old. I think there was always a part of me that knew that you would be important in my life and even whenever we tried to push each other away, we always found a way to come back together when it mattered. I have walked into battle with you and while I hope we never have to do that again,” There was more laughter from the audience, “I would gladly do it again if I knew that you were by me. I have never wanted anything more than to spend the rest of our lives together and through everything, I will gladly be with you. I love you, Harry.”
“Mr. Lupin-Snape.” Severus said with a nod to Harry once it was clear that was all of Draco’s vows.
“Draco, I came into the wizarding world scared, overwhelmed, and confused about what the future would hold for me. I got your family’s invitation to a party and I didn’t know if I was going to make friends or if it was just going to another case of me being alone. But you were and are my first friend, my best friend, and the love of my life. You push me to be better in all that I do and there is nothing I want more than to drive you insane for the rest of our lives.” Still more laughter from the audience. “I love you, Draco.”
“Can we please have the rings?” Rowan came forward and handed Harry the wooden ring that he had created for Draco. Draco collected the silver ring and Harry grinned. “Draco Malfoy, do you take this man, Harry Lupin-Snape, to be your husband, to have and hold, through all of the trials and tribulations of life in conjunction with the joys and highlights, for the rest of your days?”
“I do.”
“Repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.”
“With this ring, I thee wed.” Harry’s heart swelled as the ring slid onto his finger.
“Harry Lupin-Snape, do you take this man, Draco Malfoy, to be your husband, to have and hold, through all of the trials and tribulations of life in conjunction with the joys and highlights, for the rest of your days?”
“I do.”
“Repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.”
“With this ring, I thee wed.”
“Then, with the power vested in me by Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic, I declare you married. So mote it be.” Severus waved his wand over the two of them and magic bound the two of them together. Harry didn’t bother waiting, jumping slightly as he tugged Draco down to kiss him to the applause of the audience. He got to have a new life with the love of his life, nothing to be afraid of now.
It was a beautiful day at Malfoy Manor.