A/N: I came here to vent, but alas, I have written it and deleted it, and honestly that was all I needed. I hope you all enjoy this chapter :) I like a little touch of happiness before getting into the thick of the plot *tiny, really rather miniscule, evil grin*

Harry was nervous. This was his first bout of field work since the switch, and while prepared for any outcome, it wasn't just his and his auror's lives at risk. Caelum hung in the balance, Regulus and Astra more frustrated than ever that there was nothing they could do money or influence wise, wizard or muggle.

It was a miracle they respected James enough to understand he couldn't just resign as minister to get the boy back. Harry himself teetered on the edge of understanding and wishing they could just get the business done with.

Getting things done was his job though, especially this specific thing, not his father's.

Everyone looked well-rested and serious that morning, their wands secured and plans memorized as they all sipped a strong brew from a ministry house elf. There was no sugar, no milk, it was black and strongly caffeinated, no one unwise enough to complain.

The stand-by team at the Ministry looked much more tired than Harry's team, having been there since their shift started only a few hours ago. If something went wrong, they would know and be brought in. Elsewise they were to stay here and wait for them to come back to help file the reports and get everyone home. Assuming all went well.

Wards, charms, brooms, and they were off in the cool, September air after quick apparition. Harry led first, Tonks and Dornan behind him on each side, then completing the formation was O'Reilly. If they could hear his heart beating through his chest, then maybe they were just a tad too close.

On the grounds of the very tiny, warn down house the owl had led them to, Harry spotted a rather faint creature that stuck to the shadows, seemingly content to linger in the corner of one's eye. Surprised the thestral had stuck around, he figured they had to be in the right place and on a good path forwards.

There were two entrances. Tonks and he would take the front hoping to encounter Peter first, while the other two were going to hopefully circumvent the encounter and extract Caelum from the rear.

As they entered the front door, prepared for any eventuality, they only sighed to themselves when it slammed shut behind them. It was going to be an endeavor for certain. The opening of the back door was heard next, another slam, then Harry heard it, the whoosh of the wand through the silent air, and he threw up a shield before a violent, red hex could catch him or Tonks.

Peter was here.

He couldn't see him, had anticipated the use of the cloak, but because of how quiet the country was, they could hear his footsteps, having not dampened them as the aurors had.

A curse flew, this time Tonks protected them, while Harry used his opportunity to attack.

Peter handled the two of them with impressive dexterity on his own grounds, but was losing the advantage of distance and invisibility when Harry finally spelled the cloak off after a little back and forth.

What was really a couple minutes felt like hours until Dornan rushed behind Peter with O'Reilly watching their backs, Caelum in tow looking nothing but tired and a healthy portion of scared. He was a little older-looking than Harry recalled seeing in photos, and the brief thought meant the rebounded hex Tonks threw off herself landed on him.

This world really was going to get the better of him.

In the free moment Peter had, he looked over his shoulder right as Caelum was whisked away side-along by Philippe Dornan.

Stakes high, Harry reached for his fallen wand through the pain and dizziness, forced to watch Peter duel Tonks all the while. Finally getting hold of it, he was too late when they were both cast into body binds and brought forth so Peter could look them in the eye. Soon, their partners would be back, so they didn't put up much of a struggle.

"I may not have my leverage any longer, Potter, but I will see your father resigned or dead. He can't keep allowing us to be put at risk, like the Black family has done, and so many others."

O'Reilly and Dornan popped back then, and both had their wands to Peter in an instant, the threat much more than he could handle while retaining the spells he had up.

Their binds ended, and Harry put his wand up next to Tonks, surrounding the rat.

"What have we done? Why Caelum?"

Scoffing, he assessed his situation, and shook his head.

"There's no way out, Pettigrew," Tonks said calmly.

"Caelum is the son of Astra Black, nee Martin, one of many famous actresses in the muggle world. When they married, a very bright light was shone just shy of our world, and the Minister then did nothing to ensure our safety. People like her will put us in danger."

"Muggles?" Harry asked.

"No," Peter sounded repulsed, but clearly not by muggles themselves. "People without anonymity. Those with chosen magic have been careless as well, their muggle parents wanting to spread the word their child is a witch or wizard. If we do not put things into place to control this... this pointing sign to our existence, then we will be compromised. Muggles grow scarier by the day with their weapons and technology, I for one, do not want to fall because we can't keep to ourselves well enough."

Clearly crazed over this, it didn't seem like Peter could stop talking now that he'd unleashed all that was in his head.

"I needed to make a point with Caelum, his family is well known in both worlds, but if this had gotten to muggle press, Astra Martin's son missing!, muggle police would have done what against me? Nothing! And if they had figured it out, imagine the uproar. They'd be burning us at the stakes again, Mister Potter!"

"So you want our secrecy laws to be strengthened, why not just impart yourself to the Wizengamot like a normal wizard?"

Pettigrew licked his lips, a half-sane look in his eye.

"No," and as he lifted his wand, Harry and all the others jutted theirs out just a bit further to warn him against such flighty actions.

"No, that's not quick enough. James promised, our magic and freedom safer than ever. Instead, he reduced the requirements for muggle relations, business and romantic. You can tell whoever you'd like you're a wizard if your relationship has been going on for longer than six months, does that seem long enough? You used to have to marry and have magical children to inform muggles."

This upset him quite a lot, it seemed, and Harry made to soothe him, to reduce the stress this display was causing him so he could take him into custody and have him make an official statement. Luck was never on his side however. With a nasty groan of frustration Pettigrew triggered what could only be the wards on the house as it began to crumble around them. Harry cursed out something in frustration, losing sight of Peter as he dodged stone debris and yanked himself with Tonks to the outside of the grounds to avoid anymore fallout.

It was still dark that morning, and Harry let loose a guttural scream.

Dornan and Tonks contained the magic-wrought cottage with a few minor curse-breaking spells which were enough to calm the storm and allow them all to gather around Harry.

"No wonder he's known for slipping away," O'Reilly said, putting a hand on Harry's back as he bent over and held himself up on his knees. "We got the kid, that was the goal."

"Right," he whispered. "You're right. Bollocks, it's just, with everything he said about the Minister, it's getting a little personal."

"I know," Tonks said with a sad smile. "Are you hurt? Bloody bastard really hammered you with that stinger."

Laughing, he stood up and looked at the team surrounding him, people he hadn't seen ever before, and one who should be dead. He couldn't be mad about an old version of Pettigrew escaping, this was a whole different world, and he was thankful for his own life still persevering.

"Draco is gonna off me for being careless, but at least that'll be a pleasurable way to go."

Dornan cringed. "Merlin, I'd nearly forgotten why I don't work with you all that often Potter. Let's get back to the office."

"I don't wanna hear about my cousin either, Philippe, you think I'm having a jolly time?"

O'Reilly grabbed them all and apparated them back to the Ministry.

Regulus greeted him first, a firm hug that bordered on too tight before releasing him and saying, "Thank you, Harry. You've brought our nightmare to an end."

"It was nothing, thank everybody else, too."

"Of course, but you personally didn't have to take the case, so thank you nonetheless," he said wildly, unlike what Harry had always pictured him acting like. Then, he looked at his wife and son and smiled. "She won't let go of him."

His hair, reminiscent of Sirius's black mess, bobbed in their direction, with his wife who was crying in a rather beautiful way as she kissed Caelum's head, the boy looking like he'd had enough of the attention already.

Auror's swarmed them, and the congratulatory part of the affair was over, some questioning of the family, the debrief for the case, and why they didn't have Pettigrew in custody beginning.

No one blamed him for Pettigrew getting away except himself. He knew that it wasn't his fault, but one would think that after a war, taking one man into custody wouldn't be an issue. His brain was just so overloaded with the dichotomy of two worlds that it hadn't been at the top of it's game still, even after practicing and sleeping, and everything else that he'd done.

Maybe, just maybe, Draco was right in that this career was becoming too dangerous for him, especially in this state. This was his thought after everything later that morning, his ambition to become Head Auror of the DMLE fading away with each curse he threw at the practice dummies.

He'd hidden away in the dueling room, unwilling to relent as every spell he knew flew from his wand. There was a knock on the door when it opened, and in his haze, Harry turned his wand on his husband.

"This seems familiar," he said with a snicker. "You all emotional, wand to my face, although at least this time I know why."

"I'm sorry, Draco." He put his wand down and relaxed a bit, taking a tentative step forward in hopes he might kiss him. At least that might finally calm his fried nerves.

"You can't kill yourself over one loss. That kind of pressure isn't necessary. You're arguably the best auror here, don't think for a moment on the contrary, or else I'll start to re-assess your safety yet again."

"I made mistakes today."

Draco shrugged.

"You got Caelum, that's what matters."

Unable to wait for an invitation, he leaned onto his husband's chest and reveled in the way he smelled fresh and clean, almost envious if the work-out wasn't helping an immense amount to relieve his stress. Draco offered a mere kiss to his forehead, and Harry had to wonder why he'd expected more.

"I should've gotten Pettigrew."

"Well, you didn't, and now it's lunchtime, so I don't want any moping."

"How's Hermione?" He asked, having barely spent any time with her since Monday night.

"Better, still a little concerned Severus and her might never reconcile, but work is doing her wonders."

Harry returned the room to its normal state and held the door open for Draco as they left.

"Thank you for taking care of her, it means a lot to me- and before you go on, I know she's your mate too, I just... she's my family."

Draco only smiled.

"Popped by your dad's office, got questioned within an inch of my life and had no idea how to answer anything. The fact he hasn't spelled Severus off the Astronomy tower is a miracle, I think."

Harry couldn't help but agree.

They left the Ministry and went to their usual café, ordering their usual, with mindless chatter filling the emptiness they both felt that day.

Upon their return, it seemed the statement James had made about the case warranted a rushed pamphlet version of The Prophet to detail that story alone. It was surprisingly accurate, too.

Draco followed him to his office, seeming reluctant to let their lunch hour end, though the afternoon was coming for them whether they liked it or not.

"Do you... I know we've somewhat gone back to normal recently, and now that my distant relative isn't missing, well, Hare... will you go out with me? I know we've made a lot of progress just being in one-another's presences and sleeping together, but well, romance-"

"Yes."

Harry didn't need to think about it. This Draco, the man who had vowed to help and love everyone around them, was supremely endearing. Not to mention attractive, a harbored feeling that the past few days hadn't really allowed him to explore.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I reckon we should tell Hermione what we're trying to do, but I've been warming up to you, this." Harry moved some papers around on his desk to cushion the silence.

"I honestly thought you'd say no."

Looking up quickly at the nervous man in front of him, Harry only laughed.

"Snogging before bedtime not enough of a fancy for you?"

Draco scoffed.

"It's odd, courting your own husband, you know? I want things to go back to normal every day, and they are getting closer quicker than me from a week ago might imagine, but I worry. Especially seeing what Herm is going through."

"Hey," Harry couldn't let him wallow like that. He left his desk and put a hand to Draco's face. "I'm still terrified too, but it's been almost two weeks and we're already this far. Severus and Hermione, well, they just started. There's a lot more forgiveness he must give her, and she him once he's reconciled."

Watching the blonde, he took his hands off his face and into his own, pushing forward to steal a kiss.

"Tonight then? In celebration of bringing Caelum home?"

"It's a date."

Draco smiled with his entire face.

The rest of the day dragged for Harry, and if he was being truthful with himself, having a date that night was ambitious of him. He wouldn't dare cancel on Draco, however, and so snooped around in their cabinets for a pepper-up potion while he got ready once the evening finally came.

Hermione was happy for them, if not a little worn out herself from work. She had encouraged them getting to know one-another better, and he was simply following her instructions, though there wasn't much he didn't know about Draco at this point.

He'd truly separated them now. The old Malfoy, and the man that was his husband were finally two entities, which was true no matter what his brain concocted, and there was a feeling in his chest, whether it was his own or not, that endeared Draco to Harry in the best way.

It wasn't love yet, not for him. He imagined that took longer than just a few weeks.

Finding a small stash in the kitchen, Harry downed the potion and felt better in only a few minutes.

Draco met him in the hall.

Besides the fact he was doing his best when it came to their marriage, Harry took notice of the way his husband looked only occasionally. Now, though, his eyes couldn't get enough.

A gray, tailored suit-coat and pants to match caught Harry's eye first out of decency, while the dark-blue shirt he had on underneath was unbuttoned nearly indecently enough to make his mouth water. Blonde hair was in a purposeful arch on his head (he was glad Draco didn't prefer it like his father's), and the shite-eating grin on his face completed the look.

"I made reservations at La Lune, which you claim to hate but only because whenever we go I order a bottle of wine that's roughly five-hundred pounds."

Hermione screeched from the other room, "That's one-hundred galleons, Draco!"

"I nearly forgot you were here," he quipped, nodding to the door. "Ready, Mr. Potter?"

"As ever."

Another dashing smile, and they linked hands.

They heard the echo of Hermione telling them to have fun, and disapparated on the spot.

Draco tucked his wand away and led them both to a muggle restaurant equipped with every high finery Harry didn't usually indulge himself in. Considering it had been just him until all this, he rarely ever thought to.

The restaurant was actually wonderful, filled with chatting people and waiters moving expertly through the aisles. They were led through it all to an empty table with a little reserved sign the hostess removed, and Harry was half-surprised he hadn't gotten them a table in some secluded part of the restaurant. Maybe he still had more to learn about Draco after all.

Dinner was splendid too, but really what made the night was being able to spend it talking with the man across from him in such an intimate way. Harry was partial to this Draco's young features, not war-ridden and a touch less domineering. Having never thought about the way he looked at men, this sudden attraction explained it, or vice versa. For the past while it had been emotions only guiding him towards his husband, but now, the ring on his finger, the soft hands, strong stance, and soft glow of pale skin made his mouth water more than any dish put before him.

The wine was delicious and probably also a factor in his loose train of thought.

Maybe it wasn't the wine because the table full of women on their right who couldn't seem to stop looking at his husband also apparently were thinking along the same lines when one got up and blatantly turned around to shimmy from between the tables.

Harry kept direct eye-contact with Draco who only grinned.

"I'd forgotten what it was like to go out with you, you jealous wanker."

"And women always put their arse in your face?"

Draco only chuckled.

"Merlin, Hare, we're bonded... remember? The world outside of you doesn't matter."

"One of these times I'll remember. For now, I'm still going to get jealous."

"You always are," he said with a smirk, "I'm trying to correct bad-behavior."

Harry balked.

"Oh, I reckon there's other things you'll want to fix then?" He asked not so much because he cared, but because it seemed like his marriage before was perfect. Would there really be things Draco had wanted to change after two years of marriage?

"No," Draco said first, firm but not mean, a sip of wine following. "I don't actually- You and I were wonderful together, having known one-another since nappies, but the thing is... we never got this. Getting to know one-another, dates, we kind of just were ever since our seventh year-"

"Draco," Harry said suddenly, realizing for the first time since just a few days ago and the rush of Caelum, what exactly Monday had been. The first of September, their sentimentality, his ring. "Our anniversary was on Monday."

The look that came over him was undeniable guilt. If it were possible for him to get paler, he did, face nearly matching the shade of his hair.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Like you would have wanted me to? I thought about it all weekend, but us being close was so new, and it felt like if I told you, you would have drawn away again like I did when I said I loved you. And poor Hermione, I couldn't fathom rubbing it in her face... I almost said something that night, if she'd gone to bed and we weren't interrupted by Pettigrew's incessant need for his brand of safety..."

Harry swallowed.

"I saw you at lunch, without Hermione, I feel so guilty-"

"Hey, no. Hare, things have been... unusual to say the least. You needn't feel guilty."

Reaching over the table, he grabbed Harry's hand and smiled brightly. There were tears in his eyes, but nothing that didn't seem contained.

"Merlin, you deserve more than this."

"Don't do that either, you prat. Just having you come home with me is enough, I mean, two weeks ago I wasn't even sure you and I were going to celebrate another anniversary."

Breathing heavily, Harry made a firm decision as he pulled out his wallet.

"Finish your wine."

Draco looked surprised but intrigued as he did as told. Harry flagged down a waiter and handed them his card, turning back to a quirked eyebrow.

"Happy anniversary," he said with a smile.

They touched their glasses together and Harry threw back his last bit of wine, turning around to greet the prompt waiter a few seconds later. He signed, and they were off to the apparition point.

Draco pulled out his wand, but Harry stopped him, grabbing his wrist and pulling him into a kiss that withstood even the intentional incantation of travel. They landed in Grimmauld with their lips locked, glancing over their shoulders to make sure they hadn't popped in on Hermione.

She must have gone to bed.

They traveled upstairs in flares of haste, with breaks of a kiss or languid touch when the need took them until they were in their room together, distanced and looking at one another.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Draco, I want to give you a good anniversary, albeit a few days late."

Draco swallowed nervously.

"I don't want you to do this just because it was our anniversary either."

Harry approached him and shook his head.

"I'm doing this because... because you love me and you're bloody well allowed to show it, Merlin knows you have. So show me."

He took his husband's hand in his own and squeezed gently.

"But-" Harry had to stop the kiss he was going for so Draco could talk, "Do you even want me?'

Tired of the resistance, half-hard, and filled with want, he guided Draco's hand over his groin and muttered, "What do you think?"

"Right, nevermind then, to bed for the both of us."

And with a little preliminary snogging, their celebratory dinner turned into so much more.