Chapter 13
It started with a photograph.
Harry and Draco had been caught in a quiet moment outside of a café in Diagon Alley. Harry’s arm was draped casually over Draco’s shoulder, and Draco, in one of his elegantly tailored robes, was smiling—an uncharacteristically soft, genuine smile that betrayed how utterly smitten he was. Harry, of course, looked equally enchanted, leaning in as if to kiss him.
The Daily Prophet ran the photo the very next morning with the headline:
**“Love or Scandal? Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy’s Forbidden Affair!”**
By noon, the story was all anyone could talk about. Wizarding society, ever nosy and quick to judge, was abuzz. Some were outraged at the perceived impropriety of the Boy Who Lived and the Malfoy heir being romantically involved while their parents were newly married. Others, surprisingly, found the situation more amusing than scandalous.
---
The next time Harry and Draco went out in public, the reaction was immediate. They had barely stepped into Flourish and Blotts when they felt the weight of dozens of stares.
“Is that—?”
“They’re stepbrothers, aren’t they?”
“Scandalous. But then again, it’s Malfoy. Are you really surprised?”
Harry ignored the whispers, but his grip on Draco’s hand tightened. He leaned in to murmur, “Are you okay?”
Draco, ever composed, raised a single eyebrow. “Do you think I care what these people think?”
Still, Harry noticed the faint tension in Draco’s shoulders.
As they browsed, a woman near the Potions section muttered loudly to her companion, “Honestly, it’s indecent. Their poor parents must be mortified.”
Harry stopped in his tracks. He turned slowly to face the woman, his green eyes blazing. “Actually, our parents are fine with it,” he said, his voice cold and cutting. “And if they weren’t, I wouldn’t care. Draco and I love each other, and that’s all that matters.”
The woman gasped, clearly scandalized, but Harry didn’t wait for a response. He turned back to Draco, who was watching him with a mixture of amusement and adoration.
“You’re insufferable, Potter,” Draco drawled, though his faint smile betrayed his fondness.
“And you love me for it,” Harry shot back, grabbing Draco’s hand again and leading him out of the shop.
A few days later, another headline hit the stands:
**“Potter Defends Malfoy in Public Row—Is Their Love Too Strong?”**
The article painted Harry as a bold, headstrong lover defending his “forbidden romance,” while Draco was described as the aloof, enigmatic beauty who had ensnared the Chosen One. Draco was both amused and annoyed.
“They make it sound as if I’ve put you under some kind of spell,” Draco remarked, tossing the paper onto the table in their shared living room.
Harry, lounging on the couch, smirked. “Well, haven’t you?”
Draco rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the faint blush that crept up his neck.
---
Not everyone disapproved. Luna Lovegood wrote an op-ed for *The Quibbler* defending their relationship, calling it “a beautiful example of love transcending social expectations.”
“She’s mad, but she’s right,” Draco said after reading the piece, his lips twitching into a smile.
Ron and Hermione were also fiercely supportive. Hermione argued with anyone who dared to bring up the “step-sibling” angle, pointing out that Harry and Draco had been in love long before their parents’ marriage.
Ron, meanwhile, had his own take: “Look, if Harry wants to snog Malfoy, that’s his business. Just don’t make me walk in on it.”
---
Harry, for his part, seemed to thrive on the attention. If anything, the public scrutiny made him bolder. He would casually slip an arm around Draco’s waist in public or press a kiss to his temple when someone was watching. Draco often feigned annoyance, but Harry knew he secretly loved it.
One afternoon in Hogsmeade, they were having tea at Madam Puddifoot’s when a group of witches at the next table started whispering. One of them even snapped a photo with a camera, trying to be discreet.
Harry leaned over to Draco, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “They’re watching us again.”
Draco sipped his tea, unbothered. “Let them.”
Harry grinned and, without warning, leaned in to kiss Draco—properly this time, not just a quick peck. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was enough to make the witches at the next table gasp audibly.
When Harry pulled back, Draco’s cheeks were flushed, but his lips were curved into a small, satisfied smile. “You’re impossible,” he murmured.
“And you love me for it,” Harry said, echoing his earlier words.
---
Over time, the scandal died down. People moved on, as they always did, and while there were still whispers here and there, most of the wizarding world grew accustomed to seeing Harry and Draco together.
James and Narcissa, despite their initial reservations, came to accept the relationship fully. Narcissa even defended them at a society event, silencing a particularly rude guest with a sharp, “My son’s happiness is not up for debate.”
James, meanwhile, privately told Harry, “I don’t get it, but if he makes you happy, that’s all that matters.”