"There is a friend of my family," Draco began. "A dear friend in Wiltshire who I have known since her birth, and she is as lovely and becoming as a young lady can be."

Harry was unsure as to the direction of this plot, so he nodded again, encouraging Draco to carry on.

"Her name is Miss Astoria Greengrass, a lady of wit and musings, and she and I have always been close, like siblings you might say."

"You have not spoken of her before?" Harry addressed, confused, and was nervous to see the guilt flit across Draco's eyes.

"That is because," he said, inhaling slowly. "She and I were always considered a potential for marriage."

Harry's fingers contracted involuntarily. Surely not, he could not lose his beloved, not having only just secured him! But Draco hastily squeezed back, urging Harry to look at him once again.

"You need not fear, love," he said, smiling broader at his own daring. "There is more to my proposition yet. For Miss Greengrass and I are indeed very similar, twinned souls perhaps, as she too holds a love dear in her heart for someone as fair as her."

He watched Harry as comprehension dawned. "She...loves another woman?" he clarified, unsure if he was able to stomach such a notion. But if he and Draco were sat together, professing their hearts to one another, was it so hard to imagine two ladies doing the same? He bit his lip and swallowed. "I had no idea such creatures existed – Lord!" he cried out with a rueful laugh. "I had not known there were such creatures such as us until a few days ago!"

Draco beamed at him and stroked his face, an action that sent such pleasant shivers down Harry's spine he did not wish it to ever stop. "And that I should know of such a young woman, that I should call her friend – whatever difficulties we shall face in life, I think it is fair to say that in this fate has dealt us a fair hand."

Harry shook his head. "I still do not see?"

"Miss Greengrass' beloved is a Miss Weasley, a girl apparently of such strength of character she may have struggled in any respect to find herself a husband!" His words held fondness in them, which conveyed to Harry a pleasing if not tumultuous personality. "She is the youngest of seven, all brothers before her, so her family are in no need of fortune to secure their succession, all she seeks is a comfortable lifestyle."

Harry wetted his lips and implored Draco to continue with his fervent gaze. "Go on," he added when he seemed reluctant.

"I propose two marriages, legal and as honest as they can be," he said. "So long as you agree, upon meeting your intended bride?"

"Miss Weasley?" Harry guessed, fearful, but holding on to the trust he had promised he would have in Draco.

He nodded. "If the friendship is amicable, we shall all four be married on the same day, so that in the eyes of the law all will be as it should. And then, once our affairs are in order, Astoria and I shall take our home at Malfoy Manor – my parents are far more at ease in the smaller dwellings at the Black estate, and will be glad to hand the property over." He took a long breath, nodding to himself as Harry watched on. "Within two miles of the Manor is another house in our possession, of good size, a property the family would be delighted to hand ownership over to of a respected family friend."

Harry relaxed, letting the pieces fall into place naturally rather than jump to any outlandish conclusions. "To me?" he said.

"To you," Draco confirmed happily. "But I have a feeling, that it will be no time at all before our wives are thick as thieves, and the new Mrs Malfoy will want to spend all her days with the new Mrs Potter, and in order to escape the women's chatter you will be forced to find refuge at the Manor, where we shall find solace together."

Harry leaned into the hand still softly cradling his cheek, hardly daring to believe this was happening. "Is this really possible?" he asked. That he and Draco should be allowed to live together, have the intimacy afforded to a husband and a wife. The thought of 'intimacy' made him blush unabashedly. Having asked the question he knew he would do everything in his power to make this possible. He wanted everything Draco had to offer him, as wed lovers did.

Draco nodded. "Of course it is, who would dare stop us?"

"But," said Harry, unable to stop himself bringing up his next objection. "What of children?"

Draco though, did not seem to mind at all. "I am certain our wives will have the same maternal instincts as any women. And once we are settled most happily into our new lives, I am sure we can spare them a little of our affection for one night, to assure our families have heirs to their names."

Harry's eyes searched Draco's, feeling tension rise in him. He wasn't sure he could do that...but, he supposed if the friendly affection was there between them, they could maybe manage the logistics of the situation. It would aid their rouse no end after all. "This is," he said, mulling every aspect over. "Quite the scheme Mr Malfoy."

"What can I say?" he assured him, slipping his other hand around Harry's jaw. In return, Harry placed the palms of his hands very gently onto Draco's chest, feeling the warmth of his body through the layers of clothing. "I am a fool for love, Mr Potter, and have had plenty of time to find a way to make this work. Because Harry – it must work, I cannot, in good conscious, let four people live out their lives in sorrow because the world is not prepared to understand their love."

Harry laughed, his face wet once again with salty tears. "I had thought I would never know love," he said. "I was not sure I could even continue to live thinking you abhorred me so."

"Never say those words again," Draco urged fiercely, moving closer. "I could no more hate you than the flower in the meadow, the warm sun in the sky. I will forever be indebted to you for letting slip your true self, for the courage you displayed, for the love and patience you have held fast to when I behaved despicably." Harry tried to protest, but Draco refused to hear him. "I did, Harry. After you feared you had dishonoured me, you were willing to spare me, to leave even though it would wrench your heart. I left too, but..." He bit his lip and shook his head, his eyes wet and creasing. "I tried my best to make you hate me first. Such was the depths of my masochism."

"I forgive you Draco," Harry pleaded. "You know I did, as soon as you reached out to me, before even. I could never hate you, I only held regret that you no longer treasured me as I did you."

Draco laughed, tears running freely down his cheeks. "I never stopped loving you," he admitted thickly. "And now, I never have to." He shook himself and released Harry, dropping to the floor on one knee. "I do not know if there is a precedent for such things Harry," he said, his voice shaking. "But there will be little honesty on our wedding day. So I would like to ask, here and now, will you marry me, will you be my husband, until death do us part?"

Harry nodded desperately. "I will Draco, I do, until death do us part."

Draco hiccupped back a sob, and rose to sit as close to Harry as he could, looping their fingers tenderly together. "Then may I have the very great honour," he whispered, nerves still making his voice tremble. "On kissing my beloved?"

Harry's skin was a flurry of goose pimples, and he could feel himself shaking in nervousness and anticipation and excitement. "Yes," he breathed, desperate to be closer, to have everything Draco was willing to offer him. "Yes, my beloved, I wish for nothing more."

Emotions fluttered across Draco's face, but the foremost of which was untold bliss. He drew Harry carefully to him, their faces tilting naturally, and Harry could feel Draco's breath ghost across his mouth. "My love," he mumbled, before the last of the distance was closed, and he shut his eyes as he felt soft lips press to his own.

It was as if his heartbeat had turned to thunder, and his entire life force had been lit on fire. Harry's hands travelled of their own accord, exploring the strong shoulders and back of the man who had just asked to be his husband, who had concocted such a scheme it bordered on illegal and yet was so ingenious Harry could not even try to fight it. He was delirious with happiness, it was not right he should be so happy!

And yet he knew, with a keen anger, that too much of his life had been denied him, that his happiness had suffered on too many occasions, and that it had been Draco who had consoled him and made him feel worthy for so many years. He was the best sum of Harry's experiences, and he would be damned to hell if he was going to let anyone take that away from him.

"You would really want me?" he asked, when they parted, breathless. "Forever?"

"Until the end of my days, Harry Potter," Draco insisted. "I shall want no other on God's green Earth."