Chapter 34

                                        

                                              
Blaise Zabini was Draco's best man. Harry wasn't sure when that was decided, but he was at Draco's side setting up the tables and decorations the day before the ceremony. Harry had been avoiding talking about what he wanted at the Bonding, apart from Draco in his arms at the end. All this setup and talk was stressing him out, and he would shut down sometimes. Draco would be the one easing him out of it and making decisions. Harry never objected to what he wanted.
But watching Draco easily converse with Zabini, when they were still getting relaxed around each other, unnerved him. They seemed so close. Was Harry making Draco Bond with him? If Harry stayed away from Draco... Draco would be fine. He didn't have to obey anyone else. Harry was the one who was irrevocably damaged. Draco would heal. He was stronger than him.
"Blaise and Draco have been friends for a long time," Luna said, as Harry watched them talk, sulking. Zabini was suave, refined like Draco was. Draco had returned to his posh and proper wardrobe choices. He looked amazing... like a Slytherin Lord. Harry was only trying. Clothes still felt weird to him. He wasn't wearing anything that was acceptable to wear in front of others.
"Yeah," he mumbled. Zabini looked like he belonged on Draco's arm. He also had answered the call for help from Draco during the battle. Maybe they were lovers before the war. Harry never had the nerve to ask about it. His delves into Draco's mind were limited. "They look great."
"Harry... Blaise is my boyfriend," Luna announced, looking at him, knowingly. "He's not bent."
Harry looked at her, surprised. "You and Zabini?"
"Blaise. Yes. He's been traumatized by his mother and stepfathers. He needs gentle care. You don't have to worry. He's like a brother to Draco. They never were... together."
"Oh... thanks," Harry mumbled, but stopped speaking. He wasn't sure if Luna kept on or not. Draco came over as though he knew Harry was feeling uncomfortable. He couldn't meet his eyes, when Draco looked at him.
"I'll leave him to you, Draco," she said.
"Thank you, Luna, and I do apologize for all that you endured at my ancestral home."
"It wasn't your fault, Draco. Thank you for the food and tender care you gave me."
Harry was confused at that comment, but let Luna walk away. 
"You weren't the first tortured soul locked in my basement. Thankfully, the others were not hurt as much as you were," Draco explained. "What's the matter, Harry? If you don't want to do this...."
"What? No... I just... you look so... good... and I'm a mess," he muttered self-consciously.
Draco smirked. "And I wouldn't have you any other way."
Harry looked at him skeptically. "But... you like to be neat?"
Draco kissed him. "I like you the way you are... any way I can have you. Besides, I might not recognize you if you were all primped up."
He rolled his eyes. "Clothes... still feel weird."
"Imagine the getups we have tomorrow," Draco scoffed.
"Mione said she'd help me... not look bad."
"I'm sure... but I don't care. I'm just..." Draco trailed off and gestured to his clothes. "This is what I know, Harry. How to dress and greet people. I'm used to it. Let me bear the responsibility for meeting and greeting the guests. I don't mind doing it. It will take the pressure off you."
Harry's shoulders dropped. "Thanks... talking is hard. It's going to be a lot of people."
"I could owl and ask some of the guests not to come?" he offered.
Harry had no idea who to ask not to come. "No... though... honestly... I wasn't listening as to who we are inviting."
"No press... no reporters... no politicians... well, I don't know if Percy Weasley counts. He's acting as the Ministry's witness for the ceremony. Is that okay?"
Harry nodded.
"So, it's the Weasleys and their plus ones, Luna, Finnigan, Thomas, McGonagall, Hagrid, Flitwick, Sprout, Slughorn, Aberforth, Augusta Longbottom, Andromeda Tonks, and your DA mates. Your family and friends, Harry, and some plus ones."
Harry thought about it.  "All the DA?"
"Well, Weas-Ron objected to Smith... Granger to Chang and Edgecombe. Just our year, really. But if it's too much...."
"No... but what about you?" Harry asked.
Draco blinked. "Blaise is my best friend. Theo is on house arrest. I wouldn't invite Greg, Pansy or Daphne. I don't want anyone else. We mainly made allies in Slytherin, not friends."
They drifted into silence as Harry examined the setup. The traditional walkway down the middle of the benches was being set up. It didn't sit right with him.
"Tomorrow, I don't want one of us to wait on the other. Can we come out at the same time?" he mumbled. It was probably something that they should have talked about. Hermione tried... many times, but Harry would never respond. If Draco discussed it, he didn't do it in front of him. But he never wanted Draco to feel emasculated by playing the role of the bride and walking toward him at the altar. It didn't make Harry feel like playing that role, either. Equal.
He looked up at Draco, who smiled. "As you wish," he replied simply. "I'll fix it right away."
"I don't want to avoid each other before either. I can't go that long without you," Harry confessed. More and more, it was going back to how it was in the beginning – Harry was nervous all the time, and Draco reassuring him. He felt more comfortable in that role. He never wanted to see the hurt in Draco's face when he gave an order that Draco had to obey.
"It's just a muggle tradition, Harry. Something about arranged marriages and not seeing how ugly your partner is until you wed and have no choice but to accept them."
Harry lowered his head. "But is it... is this what you want? I'm not making decisions for you, am I?"
Draco kissed. "No. This is exactly what I want."
Harry smiled but considered the other thing they hadn't mentioned. "Okay. I... you don't want to do... like a bachelor party, do you?"
"I'm not a bachelor," Draco retorted. We're already bonded. This is just... making it official. Besides, nothing and no one in the world can compare to you, my love."
Harry breathed easier and let Draco wrap his arms around him. "Relax, Harry. Nothing is going to change tomorrow. Except that we're going to be Malfoy-Potters."
"You don't want me to take your name?"
"You are taking my name, and I'm taking yours."
"Yeah... sounds nice," Harry said, ducking his head. "I just... don't want to embarrass you. You look so... good... proper."
Draco brought it up to meet his eyes. "Don't ever feel like you aren't enough for me. I'm enough for us both. I'll make sure you are... socially presentable... but I don't care if you want to do the ceremony naked."
Harry smiled wryly and looked up at Draco, hopefully. "Could we?"
"I think the wedding attendants might bow out, but if you want, I'll have Luna bind us."
Harry grimaced. "No... we don't need to do that... but tomorrow night though...."
"Our wedding night?" Draco whispered. 
"I want to resay our vows in front of our hearth."
"Naked, I take it?" Draco chuckled. "Anything for my husband-to-be."