If Draco had the option, he would stay in the blanket fort with Harry forever. He genuinely enjoyed being in the company of the Weasleys, but it was the Weasel in particular who had him on edge. Not that Draco thought he didn't deserve the cold shoulder, but going out of his way to attack Draco's character when he had been working to make amends with everyone was a bit much. No one was entitled to forgiveness, Draco still stood by that, but there had to be a certain level of acceptance, and it just wasn't there.

"Are you ready to go sweetheart?", Harry asked, running a hand through his own hair one last time.

"As ready as I'll ever be. I just don't have a good feeling about tonight."

"Do you want to stay here instead? We can come up with an excuse, Molly will understand."

"No, it's okay. I don't want you to miss out. I'm probably being silly."

"I get gut feelings all the time, and they should never be ignored, Draco."

"I don't feel unsafe per se, just on edge. If there's an issue I'll just come home."

"I don't plan on staying very long anyway. I know how you're feeling, but I'm trying to give Ron the benefit of the doubt."

"I know that I'll be fine as long as I'm with you. Let's go."

Harry extended a hand to brush the back of his fingers lightly against Draco's cheek.

"I love you so much Draco."

"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that", Draco teased, leaning in to kiss Harry. "I love you Harry. Let's get this over with."

Draco received a very warm greeting at The Burrow, as Ron and Hermione had gone out to pick something up. Harry was helping in the kitchen while Draco was seated in between the twins on the floor, his back leaning against the couch. They had been practicing origami since Draco had last been over, and they were very proud of their work. Draco was teaching them how to make flowers when Ron and Hermione showed up.

"Hello Malfoy", Hermione greeted. "What are you all doing?"

"Draco here is teaching us how to make origami flowers", Fred chimed in cheerily.

"Oh I love flowers!", Ginny chimed in, walking into the room. "Is that a rose? They're my favorite."

"Here Weaslette, you can have it."

"Really? Thanks Malfoy!", Ginny replied with a grin.

Ron was taken aback.

"Since when is he anything other than Malfoy to you?", Ron asked, eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "And are you hitting on my sister?", he asked, face contorting in absolute disgust.

Draco and Ginny looked at each other and started laughing, ignoring Ron's absurd question.

"We're on good terms after the last dinner", George responded to the first question.

"You've been over before?"

"This is the third time I believe?", Draco asked, head tilted in thought.

"Bloody hell! Did everyone know but me?"

"You're taking it worse than I did Ronald", Hermione interrupted. "Malfoy is an important person in Harry's life and you need to accept it just as I did, sooner rather than later. I miss spending time with the both of you, and if it takes him tagging along then so be it. Malfoy is trying, and you need to as well."

"I am trying!", he insisted.

Draco bit his tongue, and the twins were impressed. Fred, always the more forward of the twins, felt the need to respond with, "not as hard as him."

"You've turned my own brothers against me!", Ron accused. "And you're flirting with my sister right in front of me!"

"Oh for fuck's sake Weasley, I haven't done anything to you recently!", Draco hissed quietly, in fear of Harry hearing. "I apologized, I mind my own business, I stay away from you at all costs, I defend your poor actions to Harry for Merlin's sake! I'm also in no way, shape, or form interested in your sister!"

"What, my sister isn't good enough for you then?"

"Ron-", Hermione started to cut in.

Draco stood up quickly, eyes flashing.

"Your sister, unlike you, is wonderful. My father was the cause of ruining her first year at Hogwarts, causing trauma that will be with her for her whole life, and she was still capable of giving me another chance that I most certainly did not deserve. I don't take things like this lightly. I was a right prick to everyone, I fully admit that. I regret the way that I acted, but it kept more people safe in the end than those were harmed, so I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

And for the record, if I were to be interested in any of your siblings, it would be your brothers."

"What on earth does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm gay! I like men! I have no interest at all in female anatomy! Do I need to spell it out for you any other way?"

Ron's face was red, and he at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"I thought we were making progress with the last conversation we had, but you will never see me as anything more than a Malfoy. You won't be happy until I'm locked up in Azkaban or dead. Excuse me."

With that, Draco wordlessly cut through the kitchen, blowing past Harry and Mrs. Weasley, and walking out into the garden. Harry and Molly exchanged a look and immediately rounded on everyone in the living room. Before they could even ask, everyone was already tearing into Ron, who was asking how everyone could blindly trust Malfoy.

"We're leaving", Harry announced, voice dangerously low.

"Mate-"

"No Ron. You're clearly not my mate if you treat my best friend in such a manner."

"So that's how it's going to be huh? You choose Malfoy over me?"

"There was never a choice."

"It was always him then?"

"Ronald that is not what Harry means! He was never going to choose between you two because he didn't need to make a choice. Harry was hoping that you would be able to put your differences aside like Malfoy had done for Harry's sake. That's the whole point! Malfoy was going out of his way to help Harry because he wanted to! I know you're trying to protect Harry in some convoluted way, but this is not how to do it. Malfoy won't hurt him, not like you, or even I have for that manner.

Just because we started dating didn't mean that we had to exclude Harry from everything that we did. I know I was in the wrong Harry, and I'm truly sorry about that. The absolute bare minimum that I can do is try to get to know Draco, and not Malfoy. His apology to me was genuine, and it took some time, but I've accepted it. I have forgiven him, and I'll be sure to tell him that.

This is not some game of who Harry likes better. Please stop me at any time from speaking in your favor if I'm phrasing something incorrectly Harry."

At Harry's nod, she continued.

"My point Ron, is that if Draco was trying to use Harry and his name to restore some part of the Malfoy name, don't you think the whole school, hell, even the whole wizarding world, would know that they're friends? They've been friends for almost 5 months now, and they haven't even been photographed out anywhere together. Malfoy did good in the war, more than you or I even know, and no one else is none the wiser. He's accepted hatred because he thinks it's what he deserves, but it isn't. Not anymore. Not now that I know more of the full story."

Harry walked over and hugged Hermione tightly, suppressing the tears threatening to form.

"Thank you", he whispered.

"You have my full support Harry."

"I think we're going to leave."

"Oh Harry, please stay. You and Draco both."

He gestured to the kitchen and Molly followed wordlessly.

"Draco had a bad feeling about tonight, and I should have listened. His safety and comfort are all that matter to me, and if he needs to leave, I'm going with him. I'll speak with him, but I don't promise anything. There is something I've wanted to speak with you about."

They were still speaking in hushed whispers when Hermione knocked on the doorframe.

"Harry?"

"Yes Mione?"

"Do you think Draco would speak with me?"

"Let me speak with him first."

Harry gestured for her to follow him outside. They walked in silence, Hermione biting her tongue as she processed all of the emotions flickering across Harry's face.

"You can wait here. I'll bring him over."

Harry made sure this bench was out of sight from where he knew Draco would be.

"Harry, if it's alright with you and Malfoy, I'd like to spend some time with just the both of you."

"Really?"

"You care for him a great deal Harry, I can see that. I meant everything that I said, I really would like to get to know him more."

Hermione felt much better after Harry gave her one of his very rare, but real smiles.

"Of course."

Meanwhile, Draco was giving Harry one more minute before he just apparated home. He was about to stand up when his boyfriend's silhouette came into view, and he exhaled in relief.

"I love you Draco."

"I love you too-"

"No", Harry said simply, sitting down next to Draco, then pulling Draco into his lap.

"Potter-"

"No. Don't agree with me when I say that I love you, and do not call me Potter in that manner. We're not breaking up. I know what you're thinking, and if you think that breaking up with me can fix whatever is ruined between Ron and I, you're wrong. If you break up with me because you feel pressured to, not because it's what you truly want, then I promise you that I will disappear, and no one will ever hear of Harry Potter ever again.

I'm so in love with you Draco that just the thought of losing you destroys me more than having a literal horcrux ripped out of my soul. If I ever have to choose, it's you. It will always be you, even if one day you decide you don't want me one day anymore. This is it for me. It's all or nothing, and you Draco Malfoy, are my all. I remember that every single time I feel my ring pressing into my chest. Now tell me, do you actually want to break up with me?"

"Of course not! I just want you to be happy. I came back into your life and messed everything up Harry!"

"Sweetheart, my whole life was messed up. We've talked about this before, and I'll keep reminding you. Things with Ron and Hermione weren't good before you came back into my life. You're the one who's gotten me talking again. You're the one who's gotten me smiling again. No one else. It's just you", Harry trailed off, pressing kisses to Draco's face.

"I'm sorry for overreacting-"

"Draco, you were hurt by someone who was supposed to be my best friend. You did not overreact. Never think that okay? If you're feeling hurt, you're hurt. No one can tell you any different."

"Fuck Harry, I love you so much", Draco whispered, turning around to bury his face into Harry's chest.

Kissing the top of Draco's head softly, Harry hugged his Draco tightly.

"Molly still wants us to stay for dinner. I told her it's your choice and that if you're gone, so am I. Now, with that being said, Mione wants to speak with you. You don't have to of course, but I think it's very important that you at least listen before making any decisions."

"I could hear her yelling as I walked out here", Draco replied with a quiet snort. "I'll listen."

"I truly am sorry Draco, but I promise you that things will get better, at least in some aspect."

"Whatever idea is going on in that pretty head of yours, I want no part in", Draco warned.

"Don't worry about that now. Let's go."

"Just to let you know, Weasley accused me of trying to get with Weaslette, so everyone in the living room knows I'm gay."

"That would be a plot twist then wouldn't it."

Their hands slipped apart as they approached where Hermione was waiting, wringing her hands anxiously.

"I'll go wait by that tree over there."

Draco didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't a tear-filled apology from Hermione.

"Granger, you have nothing to apologize for", Draco assured her.

"I do. I judged you, like you judged me, and that doesn't make me any better than you used to be. I can only imagine what it was like growing up in that house, having all of those awful things shoved down your throat. You didn't know any better, but I've watched you mature and become a better person.

You're doing wonders for Harry. I haven't seen him this happy in years. I appreciate you going out of your way to learn how to communicate with him. You're exactly what he's needed. Don't give up on him because Ron is making you feel insecure. He's jealous of you, and that's only making things worse. I'll make sure it's finally clicked."

"So you don't think I'm using Harry?"

"I know how Malfoys operate Draco. If this was for personal gain, you and Harry being friends would have been publicized like crazy. The only thing you had to gain was a friend. Maybe more in the future", she said pointedly. "This was you trying to make amends with your past. I'm afraid that things may be worse on Monday now that everyone knows you are friends. I want you to know Draco, that you have me as an ally. I'm through playing silly games.

I told Harry that if it was alright with you, I'd like to spend some time with just the two of you and get to know you better. I think with time, we can become friends. I haven't forgotten anything, but I can work through things. I forgive you Draco."

Shocking the both of them, Draco pulled Hermione into a tight hug, that she slowly reciprocated.

"Thank you Hermione."

"Merlin, my name sounds so odd when you say it."

"I think Granger has a better ring to it myself", Draco admitted as he pulled away from the hug, "but if you call me Draco it's only fair that I call you by your given name as well."

"Shall we shake on it?", she asked, a smiling playing on her lips.

"We just hugged, I think we're past that point."

"That's fair", she responded, getting up and brushing off her clothing. "I think you should stay for dinner. Ron will behave if he knows what's good for him."

"That's up to Harry."

They walked over to a very anxious Harry, whose face broke into a grin as a smiling Draco and Hermione walked towards him. Draco offered Harry his hand to help him up.

"Tea with Mother?", Draco thought to Harry, eyes flicking over to Hermione.

Harry purposefully stumbled so Draco had an excuse to keep a hand on him so he could respond.

"Fine with me."

"Clumsy git", Draco teased. "Hermione, would you like to join Harry and I tomorrow for tea with my Mother before we return to Hogwarts?"

"If I'm not intruding on your plans. Your mother...", she trailed off, the unsaid question hanging in the air.

"Is nothing like Aunt Bella was and will love you. There's a reason she never took the mark. She kept her head down to keep her and myself safe until she could act. She's a fan of strong, smart women who deal with idiotic men such as ourselves", Draco ended teasingly, knocking his shoulder into Harry's playfully.

"If it's alright, then yes."

"Mother has remodeled the place after the war to try to make it feel more like a home. It does it's job, but I much prefer staying with Harry."

"Yes, I'm sure you do", she replied with pursed lips.

"Are we going home now?", Harry cut in, before Hermione could say anything else.

"We can stay if you'd like to. Mrs. Weasley cooked for all of us, and I would hate to disappoint her and let her hard work go to waste. One more comment from the Weasel tonight, and I'm gone."

"If he makes one more comment tonight he'll be single."

Whatever Mrs. Weasley had said had Ron on his absolute best behavior. Nothing else was discussed on the matter, but Draco was just itching to get out of there nonetheless. Harry had promised him a drive, and that's what he was hanging onto.

Finally it was time to go, and after thanking Mrs. Weasley for everything and confirming what time Hermione would be coming to Grimmauld Place the next day, Harry apparated them home. Draco promptly collapsed onto the couch, arm slung over his face.

"Did you still want to go for a drive?"

"Of course I do, don't be daft, I just need to compartmentalize my feelings. I feel like I almost lost you today."

"You'll never lose me Draco, and I'll prove it to you. I have a favor to call in on Monday anyway."

"Don't do something stupid Harry."

"When you're involved, how could I my love?"

"For some reason, I don't believe you."

"Relax Draco. Do you want to exchange gifts from the bookstore now or later?"

"After the drive. I have a feeling I'll cry and I want something to look forward to when we're back, other than cuddles and kisses."

"That's perfectly fine. Just tell me where you want to go, and I'll get us there", Harry promised.

{A/N: hello my lovelies, I posted a Drarry one shots book called "Drarry Drabbles" if any of you wanted to check it out! As of now, there's one posted. I'm also taking requests if there's anything you want me to write.

To everyone who yells at me to take breaks, I have a lot of unused Drarry ideas already written, so I want to share them with you all while my updates on here are sporadic. I promise you I have over 60 Drarry prompts/stories just sitting in my notes waiting for attention.

Be well and stay safe, I'm sorry this part of the story line is dragging a bit, but I feel it's important as a shift of sorts is occurring. I promise it'll pick up soon.

All my love,

J <3 }