Six part story. Rated PG-13 for moderately mature subjects and language. Genre is Romance/Humor with a dash of Drama. Warning of homosexuality, and slash is featured! Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Co., and I don't make any money off of them.


The Joys of Sexual Education

Part Six: We Have To Get Married

By: Roslyn Drycof

"What are you talking about? Of course he is, it's a simulated pregnancy, simulated labor and all."

Snape shook his head at the emerald-eyed boy. "No, he's really having a baby. As in a real, live baby."

"How is this possible!" Finished with the latest pain, Draco cried out, clutching at the boy next to him.

"I don't know. Maybe it was your magic being so strong, maybe the spell, I don't know. But you're going to give birth to a live baby boy in less than four hours."

"No, I can't!" the pale-faced blond yelled, panic shining in his silvery eyes.

Severus frowned. "I know this is shocking, but Draco, you have to come to terms with it."

Draco gripped his godfather's robes tightly and shook his head, "You don't understand! I can't! I cannot have a child out of wedlock!"

The Potions professor went white, comprehension dawning on his sallow features. "Oh dear Merlin! I forgot completely!"

"What! What's going on?" Harry cried out, confusion battering at his mind.

Draco pulled away from him, pacing furiously. One hand cupped his cumbersome belly, the other raking haphazardly through his light blond hair. "My grandmother Malfoy left me a large inheritance, with half of it to go to my firstborn child. But there's a clause in her will that states that if I have that child out of wedlock, all of the money will go to my father and neither I nor my child will see a penny of it."

Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. "You can't be serious!"

The Slytherin shut his eyes and panted softly. After a minute or so, he relaxed and told the other boy, "I'm deadly serious."

Professor Snape added, "And that money's all he has now that he's cut himself off from Lucius. Without it, he's destitute."

Harry collapsed into a nearby armchair, his head cradled in his hands. Damnit! Lucius could not get ahold of that money! And hell, how would Draco live without a penny to his name? And with a kid? Yeah, Harry knew he had a small fortune at Gringotts, but Draco would never accept his money. There was only one thing he could do to help the blond.

"We'll get married."

"What!" Draco spluttered, staring at him with wide grey eyes.

A serious light in his emerald eyes, Harry said, "We'll get married. I know you don't love me, but I'll do anything to help you. And being married wouldn't be so bad, would it?"

Draco walked up to him and looked searchingly into his eyes. Potter looked determined. But was what little they had enough? Draco realized that he kind of loved the stupid Gryffindor, but could he ever love him in return? Could they actually have a life together?

Harry saw the doubts in Malfoy's eyes and felt the overwhelming urge to settle them all. "Draco, I know we haven't had the best of relationships over the years, but it's been real nice lately. I wouldn't mind being married to you."

Another contraction gripped Draco's stomach and he let out a whimper of pain. Grabbing Harry's arm, he said hoarsely, "I wouldn't mind it either. If you know that this is what you want, we'll get married."

Snape cut in just then. "Boys, we have three hours to find you someone who can perform the marriage ceremony and get you bonded."

"Three hours? But you said four!" Harry yelled at him, panic making his voice higher than usual.

The older man told him, "Draco won't be in any position to be saying marriage vows by then."

This caused the squeamish blond to blanch.

Sirius looked up from where he was attempting to put Siria to sleep. "I know someone who can do the ceremony."

"Who?" His lover asked.

A grin lit up the animagus' face. "My old pal, Remus. The Mauraders made him get a license so that he could marry Lily and James."

"Then get him," Harry ordered his godfather, not liking the way Draco was tensed with another pain so soon after the last one.

"You might want to do it Harry, I don't want to make the poor man faint from shock at seeing me alive. He might not wake up in time, the shock would be that great."

Harry growled, stalking over the the fireplace and grabbing a handful of Floo Powder. "Lupin Cottage," he called out in a strong voice.

The flames turned green and soon the face of Remus Lupin appeared. "What is it, Harry?" the slender man asked, a worried frown on his face. Why in the world was Harry summoning him in the middle of the day?

"Remus? Can you come to Hogwarts and perform a marriage?" the raven-haired Gryffindor asked nervously.

Surprise filled the werewolf's warm eyes. "A marriage? Why in the world do you need me to perform a marriage ceremony?"

Gripped by yet another pain, Draco Malfoy stormed up to the fireplace and shouted at his former DADA teacher, "Because Potter and I need to get married before I give birth!"

Remus paled. The Malfoy boy's belly was huge, and he looked like he was in the midst of a contraction, Merlin save him! Confused since he hadn't known Harry and Malfoy were dating, let alone hours away from having a child, he asked, "Why did you wait so long?"

Harry sighed and replied, "We didn't know the pregnancy was real. It was supposed to be a simulation that lasted three weeks. And because of a stipulation in his grandmother's will, he has to get married before the baby is born."

"Oh dear. I'll be there in half an hour."

"Half an hour! That's so long!" Draco wailed.

The older man told him, "I have to Apparate to Hogsmeade and use a secret tunnel to get into the school. It'll take awhile."

Before Draco could yell at him to be faster, the fire went back to normal. He growled, stalking over the couch and lowering himself onto it. A groan escaped his lips and he shut his eyes.

Harry felt his heart wrench at the misery written on Malfoy's features. He made his way over to the other boy and sat down beside him. Draco instantly moved closer, leaning his head on his shoulder. "I'm scared," the usually-stoic Slytherin whispered softly.

The teen he was about to get married to ran a hand through his silky blond hair and murmured, "It'll be all right. I'll be right here the whole time."

Those words only reassured Draco slightly. He was glad Potter wasn't going to leave him, but he was too terrified of the pain. And hell, what did he know of parenting? How could he become a father, especially this young and at a time like this?

"This wasn't supposed to happen! We both know the midst of a War is not the right time to bring a child into the world. What if something happens?"

Harry closed his eyes as a wave of pain crashed over him. The possibility of something happening to any one of them was great. Hadn't his own parents been killed, leaving him an orphan at the young age of one? And he was the freaking Boy Who Lived! He had to face Voldemort someday, a fight Harry wasn't sure he'd walk out of alive. Who was he to have a child like this?

"I won't let it. I can't let it," he told Draco, a steely look of resolution in his emerald eyes.

Twenty-nine minutes later, Draco was starting to panic. "Where is he? Ow, these hurt a lot now! Damnit, where is that stupid werewolf!"

He'd been acting like this for the past four minutes.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the entrance to Snape's quarters. Harry sighed in relief. Maybe Draco would calm down now. . .or not. The blond was becoming more and more fidgety with each pain, and was very vocal about them.

Sirius opened the door to let Remus in, and the werewolf almost fell over in shock. "Sirius! B-but you're dead!"

His old friend smiled softly. "Sev found a way to bring me back."

Remus gripped the other Marauder in a tight hug, tears pricking at his eyes. How he'd missed the stupid dog!

"Enough with the reunion! Get over here and get me married!" Draco complained, breaking up their hug.

Harry winced at Draco's behavior. The labor was certainly bringing out the worst in him.

Remus walked towards them, a patient expression on his face that was reminiscent of his days as their DADA professor. "Well, you certainly haven't changed."

Draco snarled at him. "Yes, I have! But I'm in no mood to be nice. This fucking hurts!"

The werewolf clasped his hands behind him, raising an eyebrow at the blond-haired Slytherin.

"All right, all right! I'm sorry. But please, can you just marry us?" he said in a softer voice, a beseeching look in his grey eyes.

Remus nodded. "I need you and Harry to stand up in front of the fireplace, facing each other."

Harry quickly stood up and half-lifted Draco off the couch. They walked over to the fireplace and did as he asked. "Good. Now place both of your hands in each other's hands."

They obeyed, a nervous anticipation racing through their veins. Remus moved closer to them and bowed his head. "Today, the souls of Draconis Lucius Malfoy and Harold James Potter will join together for all eternity. Although they were once bonded with the chains of hatred, they shall now bond with the threads of love."

A light began to glow around the figures of Harry and Draco. The physical world fell away, and all they saw was each other. Emerald light surrounded Harry while silver light surrounded Draco, and golden threads of light spun around them, binding their energies together.

If Remus was surprised that they were reacting to the marriage ceremony so strongly, he didn't show it. "May their love never fade, never shatter, and continue to grow until the day they are finally accepted by the Goddess and set free from their physical forms. Harry, Draco, repeat after me: De la rian ce la rian."

The two teenagers, lost in the light, spoke as if in a trance. Their voices, soft and pure, blended together like the song of the stars. "De la rian ce la rian."

Then suddenly, the light flared so brightly that the room was engulfed in its radiance. It disappeared in a flash, flowing back into Harry and Draco's bodies so abruptly that they cried out, collapsing against each other. Draco shuddered, immense pain gripping his slender frame.

"Draco!" Harry cried out, gathering the moaning blond into his arms. The sleeves of his robe fell back, revealing a faintly-glowing silver bracelet encircling the wrist of his left arm. An identical bracelet shone against the alabaster skin of Draco's wrist as well.

"Oh my," Sirius, Remus, and Severus gasped, their eyes locked on the shimmering bracelets. Soulmate bands! Of course! That's why Harry and Draco were bound so tightly, why the simulated pregnancy had ended up being real!

Harry jerked his head up, a glare burning in his emerald eyes. "Don't just stand there! Something's wrong!"

Severus shook his head, coming over to rest a hand on the angry boy's shoulder. "Nothing's wrong. Your bond quickened the labor. Draco will give birth in less than an hour."

Harry looked down at his new husband, his eyes wide. Draco was still whimpering with pain, his eyes screwed tightly shut and his hands pressed against the mound of his belly. Sweat glistened on his pale face, and Harry felt his heart clench painfully. What pain Draco was going through!

"We have to get him to his room," Snape told the Gryffindor a few moments later, a sympathetic look on his usually-stern face.

Harry nodded, slowly getting to his feet. He cradled Draco against him protectively, and the other boy wrapped his arms around his neck, pressing as closely against him as his rounded body would allow. Draco's eyes opened and he murmured, "Please. It hurts so much."

Tightening his arms around his former-rival, Harry strode out of Snape's quarters and towards the Head Boys' room. Minerva McGonagall stood in the corridor looking like she'd been about to knock on the entrance to Professor Snape's rooms. She paled at the sight of Draco cradled in Harry's arms.

"What. . ."

Harry told her over his shoulder, "He's really having a baby."

McGonagall was left to stare in shock as he disappeared down the hall. Severus Snape followed, not giving her a second glance.

Harry reached Draco's rooms in no time and immediately entered the spacious bedroom. Gently, he placed the other boy on the bed climbed up beside him. Draco struggled to sit up, and Harry helped him settle between his legs. The pregnant teen leaned back against his husband's chest, a sigh escaping his mouth.

"Can this be over now?" he asked.

A small smile curved Harry's lips. "I wish it could. I'd give anything to get rid of your pain."

"Actually, Potter, there is a way to lessen the pain Draco's feeling," Professor Snape cut in, a very Snape-like look in his coal-black eyes.

Harry frowned. "There is?"

"Yes. Whenever he experiences a contraction, concentrate on your bond. You'll be able to draw some of his pain into yourself. It'll hurt like hell, but if you really want to lessen his pain. . ."

Harry didn't care about the pain. He wanted to help Draco, and help he would. "I'll do it."

"But Sev, how is that possible? I've never heard of anyone doing that before," Draco commented, his brows furrowed in confusion.

The Potions professor pointed to the identical bracelets encircling their wrists. "You're soulmates. You're bonded perfectly with each other."

Comprehension shone in his silver eyes. Soulmates? Was it really possible? A feeling of utter happiness engulfed him and he nestled against Harry even closer.

Harry, not familiar with everything in the wizarding world, only knew that being soulmates was something rare and good. It was enough for him. He pressed a kiss to Draco's temple, feeling the happiness pulsing through the blond.

Suddenly, Draco's belly spasmed, another contraction tightening the muscles and causing him to cry out. Harry, hating the pain he heard in Draco's voice, closed his eyes and concentrated on their newfound bond. And suddenly, he felt pain coursing through his own stomach. He gasped, biting his lip. How did Draco stand this!

When the contraction ended, Snape commented, "I told you it would hurt."

Harry scowled at the sallow-faced man. "Shut up."

Draco laughed weakly, "Hey, that's my line."

Fifty minutes later, at twelve-fifteen, Draco gave birth to a baby boy. The tiny figure had a wealth of black hair on his head and a shriek that could be heard corridors away. And although his eyes were the blue of all newborn babies, both Harry and Draco instinctively knew that they'd soon turn in to the color of molten silver.

After examining the little boy, Severus left the new parents with only few parting comments. "Draco, you should be fine within a few hours. Take it easy for the next few days since you'll still be weak, but if Potter helps you, you should be able to come to supper. If you decide to, I'm sure you'll raise a wonderful ruckus. Now, the child will probably be hungry soon, so I'll have a house elf bring some formula and instructions on how to feed him properly. Good luck!"

Harry and Draco barely heard him leave, they were so busy looking at their son. At the moment, he was asleep, and he looked so peaceful. They couldn't take their eyes off him.

"What should we name him?" Harry breathed, running a finger gently down a silky smooth arm.

Draco shifted the green and silver blanket covering the baby and thought for a moment. "James?"

Surprise shone in Harry's emerald eyes. "Really?"

"You loved your father very much, I can tell. I think it's a fitting name for your son. And besides, Siria needs another little Marauder to get into mischief with." Draco's eyes sparkled when he said the last part, causing Harry to laugh.

"That little girl doesn't need any help getting into mischief, but you're right. James would be a good name for him. What do you think of the middle name Lukas? It means luminous, and his light is a very strong gold."

Draco took an instant liking to the name. James Lukas Potter-Malfoy. Yes, he'd agreed that Potter-Malfoy sounded slightly better than Malfoy-Potter, however much his pride wished otherwise.

"James Lukas Potter-Malfoy. It fits him."

They spent the next five hours resting, tired out from the events of earlier. They woke got up around five, took a shower and changed clothes for their big appearance in the Great Hall. Draco was looking forward to causing a scene, even if he was still a bit tired.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Harry asked him as they walked through the corridors of the school towards the Great Hall.

Draco adjusted the weight of their son and replied, "Of course. It's not like I'm a muggle. Wizards and witches have the luxery of being healed by a medi-witch immediately after birth and so we can be back to our normal lives within hours. So what if I'm a little tired? A little sleep will cure that easily."

Little James decided to wake up just then and let out a soft cry. Harry instantly took him from Draco and fussed over him. This caused Draco to laugh, which caused the Gryffindor to glare.

"You do realize you look nothing like the unyielding hero when you coo at him, don't you?" the blond commented, a teasing light in his grey eyes.

Harry cuddled the tiny baby in the crook of his arm and muttered, "Like you looked like the icy Slytherin when you were fussing over him earlier."

They'd reached the doors to the Great Hall by then and paused. Draco turned his head and whispered, "Ready?"

A very un-Gryffindorish light entered Harry's emerald eyes and he replied, "Are you kidding me?"

They walked through the ornate doors and into the Great Hall. Within moments, silence reigned as everyone turned to stare in shock at the trio. Was that a baby in Harry Potter's arms?

Pretending to not see the stares, Harry made his way over to the Gryffindor table, Draco close behind. They sat down across from Hermione and Ron, Ginny and Neville beside them.

"Um, Harry? What's Malfoy doing here and why are you holding a baby?" Ron asked the obvious question everyone was burning to see answered.

James made a whimpering sound and Harry rocked him back and forth gently. "Shh, Jamie. Go back to sleep."

The little boy just whimpered again. "Here, give him to me," Draco told the raven-haired teenager.

Harry pouted. "But I like holding him."

Draco glared. "Who just went through excrutiating pain to give birth to him? Now give him to me!"

"Hey, I drew some of the pain into myself, you know," Harry muttered, reluctantly handing James over to his other father.

"You only felt a quarter of what I felt, Potter," Draco told his husband haughtily, rubbing his hand in soothing circles across the baby's back.

"Harry?" Hermione's soft voice questioned.

The savior of the wizarding world looked up at her and grinned at the look of utter confusion on her face. It was a good look on her.

"Yes?"

"Would you mind answering Ron's question?" she asked politely, although Harry knew she was itching for him to blurt out the truth already.

"Not at all. We got married and James is our baby."

This only confused the know-it-all even more. "Huh?"

Hearing the sound that normally came out of Ron's mouth caused Harry to burst out in laughter, Draco joining him, although not as loudly. She glared at them in response.

"Okay, okay. We found out that Draco's pregnancy wasn't simulated, our being soulmates making it turn real, although we didn't learn the cause of its being real until we got married. We got married because of some stipulation in Draco's grandmother's will. Isn't Jamie cute?"

Trying to process what she'd just been told, Hermione nodded absent-mindedly. "Adorable."

Harry smiled proudly. "I knew you'd think so."

Ginny, quiet before, suddenly said, "But Harry, I thought you and Malfoy said that it was wrong to bring a child into the middle of a war."

The light in his emerald eyes dimmed and he stared at James with an inscrutable expression on his features. Draco was the one to answer her. "We did, but it's something we'll just have to live with. Didn't our own parents take the same risk in bringing us into the world? We're all the children of war. Harry and I would give our lives for James, even though we hope it never comes down to that. It's a possibility we can't ignore. But I wouldn't give up having him for anything."

"Well said, Mister Malfoy," a stern female voice said after he finished speaking.

Professor McGonagall stood a few feet away, a piece of parchment in her hand. A smile curved her thin lips, giving her a younger, less harsh appearance. She held out the piece of parchment to the blond-haired Slytherin. "I believe this is yours. I hope to see it become reality in a few months."

Draco used his free hand to take the drawing he'd doodled during her class that morning. It was a sketch of him and Harry in their graduation robes cradling a tiny baby with raven-black hair and silver eyes.

"Thank you, Professor McGongall. I hope so, too," he told the older witch, a solemn smile on his aristocratic features.

As she turned to walk away, Draco let the piece of parchment flutter to the table. The black ink shone in the light, catching the attention of the raven-haired teen sitting next to him. His emerald eyes fastened on the smooth lines of the drawing, the same hope echoed in the depths of Harry Potter's heart.

fin.


A/N: Okay, I somehow managed to drag this story out longer than I ever could've imagined when I originally started it. I just couldn't stop it all from flying out of my mind and onto my computer screen. It's just so sweet!

I hope you enjoyed this little tale. If I get enough responses to encourage me and I find the time, I might write a sequel story. Tell me what you think!

A few notes:

-De la rian ce la rian is a phrase I made up for another story I had stashed away on my computer. It's not in any real language, but what I thought the language of Atlantis might have sounded a bit like. This phrase means "my soul to your soul".

-James Lukas Potter-Malfoy was born on February 2, coincidentally, my birthday. I randomly picked Siria to be born on January 21, and the days just fell into place the way they did.

-I worked out an entire calendar of Draco's pregnancy and how it was broken up. I also created a representation of how the blood magic spell that brought Sirius back to life worked. I was very thorough on this story and made sure there were no big loopholes. So yes! I am a fanfiction freak! Yay!

Thank you for reading this story. And thank you for the wonderful reviews. Please review this last chapter and tell me what you thought of it! I'm just really excited because this is my first full-length story I've managed to finish. Yay for me!

Music I listened to while writing this story: Breaking Benjamin, Sum41, Good Charlotte, Lacuna Coil

Much love,

Roslyn Drycof.