"You sound like an old man." Rabastan told his brother and Rodolphus' face split into a, slightly deranged, grin.
"I am almost forty-one."
Harry laughed. "That's not old." He told his future brother-in-law.
"It is for him. I'll send my Christmas gift for you back and I'll buy you a tombstone instead." Rabastan told his brother.
"Damn…does this mean I have to exchange my gift as well and buy him a coffin?"
"A matching pair of gifts from a matching pair of complete imbeciles." Rodolphus drawled. "Wonderful."
Harry couldn't hold back the laughter and he saw Rodolphus roll his eyes and walk away. "We better get to the kitchen. He's probably going to send a chaperone or two after us." Harry said as he calmed himself down and grabbed Rabastan's hand again.
They made it to the kitchen and Harry asked for two drinks from the little elf, Pimsey, who was happily scrubbing the numerous breakfast dishes. Harry had tried to get the drinks himself, but Pimsey had almost had a fit. At least it had made Rabastan laugh and anything that made Rabastan laugh was definitely a good thing. Harry wanted to make him laugh as much as possible while he was home. He wanted to make a good impression on him. He wanted Rabastan to want to marry him as much as he wanted to marry Rabastan.
"Those robes look really good on you." Rabastan complimented as he watched interestedly as Harry bent over the table to take the plate of biscuits off of the elf. The movement showed off the tight form of his body and Rabastan swallowed as his imagination took off. He had to forcibly remind himself that Harry was sixteen, which didn't really help at all, and that as his betrothed he wasn't even allowed to touch him as he wanted to. The engagement ring that he had designed and had had custom made was upstairs, sitting ready and waiting on his bedside table and it played heavily on his mind.
Harry looked down at the robes he was wearing and shifted a little uncomfortably. He'd chosen a nice, deep blue set of robes and the jumper underneath matched the colour perfectly, but other than that, they were just robes. Was Rabastan teasing him or just struggling for a topic of conversation?
"Thank you." He accepted the compliment graciously, as Narcissa had taught him to do before offering the plate of biscuits to Rabastan. He'd asked, and received, a copy of Rabastan's diet sheet and he knew from that that biscuits were classed as extras, but if he ate wholemeal ones and not too many of them, then he would be alright.
"Are you feeling better today?" Harry asked Rabastan as he sat down with his cup of tea and his biscuits.
"I am. I had a good night last night and the kisses this morning really helped."
Harry laughed happily.
"Are you feeling better after your late night yesterday?"
"Definitely!" Harry replied empathetically. "I slept for so long, I almost missed breakfast. I really needed it though."
"You looked almost sick, I had wondered if it was the thought of meeting me again."
"No! Of course not. I mean, I was nervous, I'll admit. It had been four months since we'd last seen one another, I was nervous about seeing you again, but I was just very, very tired."
"How much sleep did you get?"
"Yesterday? Only three hours. It almost killed me, but I feel so much better today and all of my homework is now done and out of the way."
"I still can't believe that you did that, just to spend more time with me."
"Well, I really wanted to spend as much time as possible with you. It's not that surprising. We're supposed to be bonding and getting to know one another, I won't let anything get in the way or jeopardise that, especially not something as trivial as homework."
The smile that Rabastan gave him made butterflies erupt in Harry's belly and his eyes were drawn to his mouth yet again.
"Do you have any hobbies, Harry?" Rabastan asked, his voice noticeably deeper. "Not really. I like Quidditch, though I love just flying for the freedom of it more, but other than that, no."
"I'd love to see you fly. Your father tells me that you're spectacular."
"Perhaps if I can get Draco to agree, I can have a friendly match with him so that you can watch us."
Rabastan smiled as he bent closer and, anticipating a kiss, Harry closed his eyes, only for lips to brush against his ear.
"I'd really love to see that." Rabastan whispered into his ear before he pulled back and kissed him softly, cradling his head in his hands.
A throat cleared and they sprang apart like a fire had erupted between them for the third time that day. This chaperone business was getting old. Harry plucked up the courage to lift his head to see who had interrupted them, only to feel his stomach drop at the sight of Draco standing in the doorway.
"You know that such behaviour is not allowed during a betrothal period." His brother said pompously.
"It was a peck." Harry tried to explain.
Draco scoffed. "That was more than a peck, Harry."
"Only a little more." Harry tried.
"A lot more. Come on, if I have to be your chaperone, I'm not staying in the kitchen of all places."
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