Work Text:
A Wedding to Remember
Harry sat at the bar, wondering how his life had gotten this way.
It was 6 o’clock on the first day of a three-day celebration for the wedding of Draco Malfoy. It was a real romantic wedding: couples sled rides, drinks in front of the fire, and a view to die for. He had spent the day helping Draco and Astoria with the preparations for the wedding. The rehearsal dinner started at 4 o’clock.
Years ago, he had thought that by now he’d be an Auror and married to Ginny Weasley, maybe even have children, except he was still single while all his friends had started to move on with their lives.
Harry had tried dating Ginny after the war, but they just didn't work well together, so they broke up. It was during the year he was making up for not doing 7th year that he realised he might be gay, when he noticed he could not stop staring at the arse of the Slytherin Blaise Zabini. He had also admitted to himself that his obsession with the Half-Blood Prince potions book was more of a crush on the one who had written in it than anything else. That was why it was so devastating when Severus Snape revealed that it was his book, not that he realised at the time.
Harry had decided three months into the school year that he would explore his sexuality, and so he had secretly dated Zabini for the rest of the school year. He and Blaise had a lot of make-out sessions in the Room of Requirement, which, amazingly, the magic of the room had fixed itself. At some point during the year, Harry had lost his virginity to Blaise. At the end of the year, Blaise had told him he would be moving to the USA because he had found a job in the MACUSA to get away from the stereotype of being a Slytherin, and so they had broken up.
Not long after the war, Harry had approached Draco to give him back his wand and they had a chat. Draco was very remorseful over the role he played during the war, and he had been doing some volunteer work that started as community service but he remained even after the mandatory time was finished. Harry and Draco started a friendship that continued outside Hogwarts. They opened an apothecary that provided potions to those who could not afford them at a reasonable rate, specialising in the wolfsbane potion that, when combined with Hermione’s new Werewolf reforms, allows a werewolf a better life and better jobs.
After Hogwarts, he decided to explore his sexuality more by going to muggle gay clubs. If he dated wizards, his life would be on the front page of every magazine and newspaper in wizarding Britain. He also could never trust that anyone he dated would date him for who he is, rather than him being a celebrity.
The problem with dating muggles was he could never be honest with them. The number of times a relationship would fizzle because he could not explain why he would sometimes look around suspiciously or jump at the slightest touch or sudden sound, because he had been involved in a deadly war that had left marks deep down in his soul that no one could see, were innumerable.
Harry’s life after a while felt like it was going nowhere, while all Harry’s friends moved on in their personal lives. Ron and Hermione had gotten married four years ago and had a two-year-old daughter, Harry’s gorgeous niece and goddaughter Rose. Two years ago, Draco had proposed to Astoria Greengrass and had surprised Harry when he asked him to be his best man.
So that was how he ended up here, sitting at the bar of the most romantic wedding of the century, all alone. Harry looked over at the area near the fireplace where a whole lot of couples were dancing to the live band that was here for the wedding. Draco and Astoria were dancing like they were the only ones on the dance floor. At the moment he was feeling depressed and unfulfilled.
Harry had long ago stopped being aware of the people around him and who was next to him, as he spiralled into depressive sadness about his personal life, so he didn't really register when someone slipped into the seat next to him.
“Potter,” someone growled at him in a menacing voice. As always, he recognised the voice of Severus Snape.
Snape had survived Nagini’s bite because he had taken an antidote before going to see Voldemort, knowing he might need it. Then, after the battle, someone had gone and seen to him and so he survived by keeping to himself.
“Snape,” Harry replied.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m the best man, what about you? I didn’t see you here for the rehearsal dinner.”
“I didn’t want to be in the masses. It's bad enough that I have to be at this infernal winter love fest.”
Harry then took a chance and looked beside him at Severus Snape and saw him sneering at the decoration and at all the happy people. This was the first time he had seen Severus Snape since the war. Snape looked different than back then. His hair looked less greasy, the sneer on his face looked less mean, there weren’t as many lines on his face. Harry thought that he might even look handsome.
“You didn’t answer me. What you are doing here?”
“What? Do you think because of your celebrity status you can demand answers from me? I am Draco’s godfather and have more rights to be here than you.”
"For your information I am Draco’s best mate, and it is my business when you never got back to him about coming to his wedding. It hurt him. He said that when he was a child, you tried to help guide him away from certain behaviours and thought that you could have a better relationship. Now leave me alone. I am going to bed. Goodnight.”
Harry then said goodnight to Draco and Astoria and went off to bed.
The next night once again found Harry sitting at the bar nursing a few drinks. He had spent the day trying to distract himself from his loneliness, learning how to ski. He had several bruises from falling. He also found himself thinking about seeing Snape again and he started regretting how short he was with him. Harry himself knew how hard it was to try and live his life after the war. He had also realised that there might be some desire there that he was sure he wasn’t happy about. After the day spent on the slopes, Harry had dinner by himself in his room ordering room service. After that, he decided to come down to the festivities and have a few drinks at the bar.
After a few drinks, he felt a presence beside him and realised that Snape had sat down beside him again. He looked at him and felt the same desire he felt last night. Snape got himself a fire whiskey.
“Hi,” Harry said to Snape.
“Hi. Nice to get the saviour's attention,” Snape responded as the bartender gave him his drink.
“I don’t like that name.”
“Sure you don’t.”
“I don’t know why you care anyway.”
“I don’t. It doesn’t matter to me if you are an attention seeker,” Snape said as they got another drink, having finished the previous ones.
Severus and Harry spent the next two hours ordering more and more drinks, getting more and more drunk. The barbs getting worse as they drank, until it came to a head.
“If your fans knew how terrible you are at potions, they would be horrified.”
“I was only horrible at potions because you were a bad teacher.”
“You were a lazy ungrateful bastard, only alive because of your mother.”
“Here we are at the crux of the issue! You loved my mum and couldn’t have her. You see my eyes and can’t stand that you never got the girl.”
“I DID NOT LOVE HER!”
Harry was shocked into silence for a few seconds while he processed what was said.
“What about your Patronus? It's the same as mum's?”
“I didn’t love her romantically. She was my best friend, like my sister. I was upset I threw away my best friend because of my actions. Every time I used to look at you, I saw your dad who, with your mum's eyes, I believed stole my sister from me. I have come to the realisation that it was partially my fault and that you are nothing like him. Your actions at the battle made me realise that.”
“But, but the memory -”
“I don’t love her, I can’t love women that way. I am gay.”
Harry was shocked into silence again. He couldn’t believe it. Here was the man he had a crush on since he was 16, stating the fact that he was gay. The next thing he knew, he was kissing Snape and it was great. The best kiss he ever had. Harry could taste the fire whiskey on Snape's lips. They continued to kiss until they had to come up for air.
“Was that ok?” Harry asked Snape.
“That was great, want another?”
Harry nodded and they went back for another kiss and started making out. This was when the alcohol they consumed kicked in and it was the last thing Harry would remember of the night.
The next morning, Harry woke up with arms wrapped comfortably around him. He looked around and noticed that he was in his room. He wracked his brain to remember what happened last night, but he couldn’t figure out how he got back here last night. The last thing he remembered was making out with Snape at the bar.
Harry shifted, and he realised what had happened last night because his head started hurting. The worst pain was his headache from the hangover after all the alcohol he drank last night. He also noticed that the arms around him were Snape's. He realised he must have brought Snape back to his room and they must have had sex. He blushed slightly as the memories of last night came back and realised how much he enjoyed it.
The next moment there was banging on the door and Snape woke up with a start. Harry realised that it was ten o’clock and he should have been at Draco’s room two hours ago. The ceremony was to start two hours from now.
“HARRY WAKE UP! AND YOU BETTER BE DEAD, YOU PROMISED ME TO LET ME SORT OUT YOUR HAIR AND WE HAVE LOST TIME! I DON’T CARE IF YOU’RE NOT DECENT, I’M COMING IN!” Draco yelled from outside. As the door started to open, Harry remembered with dread that he had given his spare key to Draco. Once inside, Draco gave them a startled look when he saw the position Harry and Snape were in.
“UNCLE SEV, HOW DARE YOU! HE’S MY BEST MATE AND TWENTY YEARS YOUNGER THAN YOU!” Draco shouted, then he suddenly got a resigned look on his face, because this was not something he wanted to deal with on his wedding. “Come on. You guys can talk to each other later, I need you to help me get ready. Plus, I have to deal with that ragged mop you insist on calling hair.”
Draco dragged him out of the room, and Harry quickly grabbed the room's key on his way out. He didn’t need anything else, his dress robes were in Draco's room which fortunately was next to Harry’s because he had on only his boxers. He trusted that Snape would get dressed and leave the room after, since the room self-locked behind the person who left.
A couple of hours later, Harry found himself beside Draco at the end of the wedding ceremony. Draco and Astoria were kissing each other, looking like they were the only people in the world. Harry looked towards where Snape was, hoping that soon they could talk and hopefully have some kind of relationship, because he wanted something like Draco had.
Soon the ceremony was over and, with a flick of a wand, the chairs and arch for the ceremony had been changed over for tables and chairs and a dance floor section. They would have to linger for ten to twenty minutes before the food would come out. The band started performing and Draco and Astoria went to the dance floor to dance, while Harry headed towards where Snape was leaning on the wall.
“Hello Professor,” Harry said.
“Call me Severus.”
“Then, please call me Harry.”
“I am sorry for last night. I can't believe I took advantage of you. I am twenty years your senior and you were drunk.”
“You didn’t take advantage of me. My memory is very cloudy but, from what I remembered, I enjoyed it and I was the one to ask you up to my room. All I could think of during the ceremony was asking if you would like to go on a date after the wedding.”
“Still, why would you like me? I am twenty years older than you. You should date someone closer to your age, more appropriate.”
“You are brave. I want to date you, not anybody else. I didn’t realise at the time, but I had a crush on the Half-blood Prince all throughout my sixth year. I just want us to give a relationship a go.”
“What if it doesn’t work and we break up?”
“So what? I’m not asking for your hand in marriage or to be your life partner, just a date next week. Also maybe we could eat together when the food comes out, have a dance and a sled ride together.”
“Ok, I will give this a go. How about we go over to the tables, I think the food is coming out now.”
After they shared the meal together, Harry and Severus did some dancing, had a joint sled ride and drank some hot chocolate by the fire.
One year later
Harry waved his wand at the door to lock it as the last customer of the day walked out. He checked around to make sure everything was ready for the weekend clerk.
Today was Friday, and Harry and Severus were going on a weekend vacation with Draco and Astoria to celebrate their first year of marriage and his and Severus’ first year of their relationship. Draco and Severus had aired everything out in a semi civilised conversation last year and the four of them had a double date at least once a week since. Severus now worked at the apothecary with them.
After cleaning up the store, Harry took the list of things that needed to be filled on the shelves, and walked through the door connected to the potions lab. Severus was sending off the owl orders he had filled for the day. Draco had left early to meet Astoria and organise the last few details for their getaway.
Harry filled a basket with the potions that needed a refill in the storefront, and gave Severus a kiss when the owl had been sent off.
“Hello, love. How about we take these, fill the shelves, and then we can meet Draco and Astoria and enjoy a few days at that ski resort.”
Harry nodded and together they walked to the front.
A year ago Harry was depressed because he showed up single at a romantic wedding and now he was glad at how things turned out, because today he was happy in a relationship with the man he loved.