The time had come for Hogsmeade weekend, and Harry was still on edge. The looks he and Draco had been sent were subsiding, but Harry detested the feeling of being watched.

A shower with Draco didn't even brighten his mood as Draco had hoped.

"We don't have to go Harry. We can reschedule."

"Things are only going to get worse."

"That doesn't mean we have to deal with it right now. We can wait a week. They'll understand."

"No, I said I would."

"Harry love, you have to take care of you. I know that you love everyone, but I love you and I won't allow you to continue doing this to yourself."

"It's hard to stop."

"I know it is my darling, I know. Do you want to stay in today? Or we can go back home?"

"I don't want to disappoint them. I promised you a date as well. I'm taking you out."

"I'd be happy if you just took me to bed", Draco replied with a wink.

Leaning forward, Harry stole a kiss, then pulled his Draco in for a hug.

"Are you ready to go then?", Harry murmured.

"I am. We're walking in a group before we split right?"

Harry hummed in agreement, before tucking the invisibility cloak into his pocket. With one last kiss, the two men were out the door, Draco's hand lingering on Harry's room. No one said anything, knowing how fragile Harry could be in this state.

Seamus had made one joke, and Harry knew he didn't mean it, but he couldn't stop the crackle of magic escaping from him. After that, everyone kept the teasing to a minimum.

Harry, Draco, Blaise, Neville, Pansy, and Ginny all walked together down to Hogsmeade. They agreed at a meet up spot in a few hours, then separated. Sticking close together, they first made their way to get some sweets.

Anyone who dared stare at Draco for too long or with any hint of malice received a death glare from Harry that quickly sent them on their way. No one was stupid enough to approach the two of them.

Only when they entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes did Harry let his guard down partially. It was hard to be upset around Fred and George who did everything they could to lighten the mood.

Soon enough Harry and Draco were laughing. It was when Draco threw his arm over Harry's shoulders that there was an issue. Harry, ever alert, had his wand pointed at the person before they could even open their mouth.

"If you're going to point your wand at our customers then you can leave", George said coldly.

"But he's a-"

"Friend", Fred finished. "If you don't like it take your business elsewhere."

"I-"

"Leave, before I make you", Harry warned through gritted teeth.

"You've changed", the man accused, before turning on his heel and leaving.

"Everyone says that as if they ever knew me", Harry spat. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Really, it's okay. I appreciate you all, thank you."

"We know the truth, they can keep their noses out of other people's business", Fred added.

"Probably shouldn't do that again", Draco tried to joke, moving his arm from Harry's shoulder.

"Fuck them", Harry said, wrapping an arm protectively around Draco.

"Harry-"

"No. You were saying?", he asked Fred.

Harry refused to let Draco out of his grasp. If anything happened to his Draco... he wouldn't even think about that. He couldn't think about that. It would break him beyond repair.

Draco expected Harry's arm to drop when they stepped outside, but if anything, it tightened.

"I'm fine Harry, really."

"I need the reassurance now", he murmured. "If it's too much-"

"No, not at all. I'm selfish, I quite like being paraded around like this."

Harry smiled at Draco, and Draco had to hold himself back from kissing Harry right then and there.

"I need some new quills. Come on", Draco said, bumping Harry's hip lightly with his own.

"Let me tie my shoe first."

Harry quickly dropped to one knee to tie his shoe the muggle way as Draco relentlessly teased him for it because, "honestly Potter you are a wizard, did you know that?"

With a grin, Harry accepted the hand Draco offered to pull him up from the ground. Then, they were back on their way.

Harry then decided to ignore everyone around him aside from Draco. He was still on alert of course, but his demeanor kept people away. Or maybe it was the fact that they couldn't believe they were seeing their savior with a death eater.

The two men still had some time before dinner, so they decided to bring their purchases back to the castle, after catching up with Ginny and Pansy, informing them of their plan. They assured the two men they would let Blaise and Neville know.

"Come this way. I wanna show you something."

Draco followed, pausing when Harry pulled them around the corner. Quickly, he pulled the invisibility cloak over the both of them after being sure no one was around. Those who had attempted to follow were lost as Harry expertly weaved in and out of the crowd.

As soon as they were safely covered, Harry kissed Draco with everything he had. Draco gasped in surprise, and Harry took that opportunity to slip his tongue into Draco's mouth.

"What was that for?", Draco asked breathlessly.

"To remind you that you're my number one, and that I love you. No one else's opinion of you matters to me because I have the privilege of getting to know the real you. Everyone else is missing out on the most wonderful person I've had the honor of meeting."

"You're bringing my morals into question Potter, I must just get down on my knees for you right here."

"I'll settle for you getting down on one knee for me, my wonderful husband."

Color settled into Draco's cheeks, and Harry kissed him on the nose before pulling him along.

"I haven't heard you call me your husband awhile."

"It's not necessary when you're my everything", Harry replied with a breathtaking smile, looking over his shoulder at Draco.

"Merlin Harry you're unstoppable today."

"I'm very overprotective of you. I know you say these things don't bother you, but I don't quite believe that. To compensate I'll just love you even harder. They're missing out on the eighth wonder of the world right here, and he's all mine."

"I'm kissing the hell out of you once we get back to our room."

"We'll be late for dinner at that rate", Harry teased.

"Why are you taking me to the shrieking shack?"

"For date night", Harry deadpanned.

"Wow a haunted house, how lovely", Draco snarked.

"If you want to be technical, the castle in and of itself is haunted. The shack no longer has shrieking coming from it, if you've noticed."

And so Harry let Draco see a little more into his life, and Draco loved him all the more for it, even through the countless tragedies. Both men were fragile, but when put together they became something so much stronger, unbreakable even. Draco had felt expendable his whole life, but Harry continuously made him feel as if he had a purpose.

"I appreciate you sharing that with me. Professor Lupin was the best Defense teacher that we had, I admit that. Snape was out of line in what he did. I don't know why he hated Professor Lupin so much."

"Remus, Sirius, my father, and Wormtail were all best friends back in the day until the rat betrayed my parents", Harry said bitterly. "I'm sure you've read all about my godfather's innocence. If he couldn't be freed in life, I made sure he was in death. He deserved to have his name cleared, It was the least that I could do for him. Sirius Black was a wonderful man, and now that is what he'll be remembered for."

"That's what you'll be remembered for too."

"I'll be remembered for things that are greatly over exaggerated until the truth is squandered into obscurity", Harry said waving Draco off. "It's already begun. Now, I've brought you here to show you something."

Draco was absolutely delighted about the secret passage.

"Are there more?"

"I've shown you a few of the other ones, but yes, there are more.There are seven that actually lead out of the castle. I take it sometimes to think, but you have to get through the Whomping Willow, which I know how to do safely so don't worry. If anyone sees me heading out there, they stay clear. There's another that ends up in the cellar of Honeydukes, that was the first one that I took back in third year."

"Ah yes, the snow incident."

"Do you still have that hat? It was very cute", Harry teased.

"Keep teasing me and the only thing you'll be kissing is my arse", Draco threatened.

"Is that supposed to upset me? You have the nicest arse I've ever seen. It would be my pleasure to kiss it."

It was one of those rare moments where Harry left Draco a flustered mess, and he relished in it.

"Look at my blushing beautiful boy", Harry cooed, kissing Draco before he could protest.

He led Draco through the passage, sharing a few stories of the Marauders. It was exceedingly rare that Harry talked so openly about his past as well as his parents, so Draco listened, only responding appropriately when he was sure that he wouldn't cut Harry off. All of the information he was told he carefully stored away in his memories.

As soon as they made it back to their room, Draco kissed Harry with a soft tenderness that he rarely initiated. He wanted to show him just how much all Harry had said and done meant to him. Draco didn't have to say what the kiss was for, Harry already knew, and this just further solidified that he had made the right choice. He trusted Draco with everything in him, and more.

"Sweetheart?"

"Hmm?", Draco asked, fixing his hair from their snogging session.

Harry exhaled deeply, and Draco immediately stopped what he was doing to give Harry his full attention.

"What is it?"

"I was thinking", Harry trailed off.

"Well that's never good is it?"

Snorting, Harry continued on.

"I want to see how dinner tonight goes and see how Neville and Blaise decide to proceed with their relationship first, but I'm open to the idea of telling them about us."

Draco's face lit up and he quickly crossed the room to face his boyfriend.

"Do you mean it?", he asked in one breath. "We don't have to if you're not ready yet. I support you completely."

"I do mean it. I want to see how they want to proceed and go from there. I trust Neville similarly to how I trust you. I'm sure Blaise is also trustworthy."

Biting his lip, Draco sat next to Harry.

"I agree that we should wait. I love Blaise, but he can be a bit of a gossip. If anything slips it's with good intentions and he doesn't mean it. One step at a time my darling, but it makes me happy that you're starting to feel ready to share our relationship with others."

"We hit our 2 month anniversary soon, we're very good at keeping secrets."

"And I cannot wait to get away with you my darling. We should head back to Hogsmeade before they start to get the right wrong idea."

They had arrived later than expected, but Harry pointed out the influx of people in Hogsmeade, and that satisfied Neville and Blaise.

"If it gets to be too much, let us know and we'll eat somewhere else", Neville promised.

Harry made sure Draco sat next to him. He felt safer with Draco at his side, knowing if anything were to happen he could rush in front of him quickly and protect him. Draco noticed how on edge Harry was and continuously rubbed small circles onto his hand to calm him down.

"Are you alright Scarhead?"

"Sick of all of the eyes on us."

"Shall I show them my fine arse? That'll really give them something to report."

Harry snorted, quickly covering it up with a cough.

"Honestly Potter, you can't even breathe now?", Draco teased, rubbing Harry's back.

More eyes drifted towards their table, and Neville, fed up with everything, cast some privacy charms.

"I'm never going out to eat somewhere in the wizarding world again", he swore.

"I'm never going out in the wizarding world period", Harry grumbled.

"Even I of all people am getting a tad irked with this extra attention. Clearly they've never seen four handsome LGBTQ+ men occupying one table before. What do you reckon the headlines will say?"

They all took their best guesses, and dinner proceeded as usual. Word spread quickly that the savior was out once again however, and they had to leave midway through the meal, packing it up in take out containers in a hurry.

Cameras were constantly flashing against the glass, and so many words were spoken that silencing charms were quickly being rendered useless. The whole restaurant was essentially locked down, and Harry had had enough of the foolish antics of the wizarding world for one night.

One by one they went towards the bathroom, quickly ducking into the kitchen and heading out that door. They apparated to Grimmauld Place to finally get some peace.

"Sorry, I love you all dearly but I'm never doing that again", Harry swore, collapsing onto the couch.

"Pretty rubbish first date", Neville admitted, sitting on the other couch opposite him.

"I've had worse", Blaise muttered.

"The one where that man chased you out of his house with a muggle broom because you apparently corrupted his son? Was it the one where that guy's braces got caught in the fake piercing you insisted on wearing? Or-"

"Thank you Draco!", Blaise proclaimed, cutting him off quickly. "Ignore him, he doesn't know when to shut up."

"Agreed", Harry chimed in.

"I'd like to take you out Neville, if you'll have me? Alone this time, sorry you two. I like the attention to be on me and you're both hogging it."

"Please, be my guest", Harry agreed.

"Let's just finish dinner shall we?", Draco asked, irritated that he couldn't enjoy a simple meal in peace. But then again, could he ever?

This time, music was playing and more pleasant conversation was being made. Draco and Harry allowed Blaise and Draco to carry the conversation, communicating when they needed to with the brush of a hand. Harry's social battery was completely diminished, and he didn't know how to recharge it.

The four men lounged around for a bit after dinner before Neville had an idea of where to take Blaise to compensate for the botched date. They bid each other farewell, and Harry sunk down to the floor in exhaustion.

"Do you want to just stay here tonight?", Draco asked, joining Harry on the floor.

"If I do, I'll never leave. This isn't what I wanted you know. So much could happen I just... I can't control it, never mind. Let's just head back to the castle, I want to go to bed."

"Of course my darling."

Draco was worried, sure, but what could they have that would be so damaging? He almost convinced himself that everything would be fine. There was still a nagging doubt in the back of his mind but he locked it away, much like a boggart into a cabinet. The element of fear, especially the suppressed version, would be present in both scenarios.

Of all of the scenarios that were running through Harry's head about what would happen, Harry never would have predicted one with such a harsh blow as this. To say it was life changing would be drastically undermining both past, present, and future events. He just hoped they could come back from this and that it wasn't too late.