Painted Stars

Neville stirred from his sleep, blearily turning his head towards Harry, in an action that had become as natural to him as breathing since the first night he'd woken up and their limbs were entangled. His lips turned up into a smile when he found Harry to already be awake, head resting on his shoulder as he gazed lovingly up into his eyes. 

Yawning, Neville stretched and tightened his arm around Harry's waist before closing his eyes and, in a particularly sexy version of his already deep voice, he groggily murmured, "Hasn't anyone ever told you it's creepy to watch people while they sleep?" 

But there was no heat to his words and instead, they came out sounding quite pleased.

A brief moment of silence, and then he could hear the smile in Harry's voice as he ardently replied, "I'm sorry, Nev. You're just so beautiful that I can't help it."

The reverie in his voice went straight to Neville's head and, striking quickly, he rolled over and settled between Harry's thighs as he laid on top of him. Looking down into his stunning fern-hued eyes, Nev gently ran his fingers through the black silk of Harry's hair and rolled his hips, causing their cocks to rub together. Smiling at the gentle moan that his actions drew from between Harry's delectable lips, he leaned down until his own were hovering just above them and huskily whispered, "Mmm, say my name like that again."

Leaning up, Harry tangled his fingers into Neville’s curls and softly brushed their lips together as he breathily murmured, “Nev...”

"Perfect,” Neville groaned in response, loving the way his name always sounded like a prayer when it fell from Harry’s lips.

Closing the distance, Neville kissed him deep and slow, softly nipping against his full lower lip when Harry's legs tightened around his waist and increased the pressure that was building between their bodies.

“What time is it?” he asked heatedly.

“About two o’clock,” Harry murmured softly in reply, running one hand down Nev’s shoulder and stroking his tattooed chest. Smiling, he playfully asked, “Why baby? Is there someone else who’s expecting you?”

“Not exactly,” Nev replied, loving the brief spark of jealousy that flamed in Harry’s eyes as they met his.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, a look of confusion marring his brow.

“Well, today is Christmas Eve,” Neville murmured, leaning in to collect another kiss.

“Yes it is...” Harry said softly, curiosity peaking and a touch of hurt replacing the confusion that had previously touched his voice. “Do you need to leave?”

“Not without you, darling,” Neville said softly, brushing his fingertips over Harry’s brow and smoothing the confusion away.  “I just know how much the Weasleys mean to you, and I thought that maybe you’d like to go to their party tonight since you no longer have to worry about going alone.”

Harry’s eyes widened and excitement sparked in them as he quietly asked, “You’d be willing to go with me?”

“Of course,” Neville smiled, chuckling at the look of pure bliss that spread across his beautiful face. Deciding to take a leap of faith, he continued, “After all, being a plus one is supposed to be one of the many duties for which you can rely upon a boyfriend, isn’t it?”

“Boyfriend?” Harry asked breathlessly.  His eyes were wide as they searched Nev’s. 

“If you’ll have me,” Neville replied with a gentle smile. “I was hoping you might want to keep me after we leave here. I certainly want to keep you.”

The incandescent happiness that radiated off of Harry as he giggled stole Neville’s breath away, and he took a moment to dedicate the sound to memory. He felt as if his heart may burst through his chest when Harry finally grinned and said, “Of course I want to keep you! For as long as you will have me.”

Forever then, Neville thought to himself as he gazed down at his beautiful little stag before he leaned in to reclaim his mouth.

___

Four hours later, the two had made love three times more, including once in the shower that they had shared, and were just putting the finishing touches on their outfits as they readied to head out to the Burrow. 

Harry fidgeted in front of the mirror, adjusting the deep-V of his soft black singlet for the sixth time as he watched Neville carefully securing his oxblood oxfords while he sat on the chaise opposite the foot of their bed. He looked incredibly dashing in his charcoal slacks and matching dress shirt, unbuttoned just low enough for the tattoos on his chest to peek through, and topped with a fitted evening jacket made of maroon velvet with black satin lapels.

That someone who was so smart, kind, loyal and handsome had actually chosen to be with him floored Harry, and he couldn’t help but worry over the small voice that was nagging at the back of his mind.

Oliver had been all of those things, and while they had dated for a year and a half, Harry had never been able to display any sign of their relationship in public. To do so would have done irreparable damage to Ollie’s image and put his career at risk, a concern which Harry had now begun to worry about in regards to Neville's position. While the wizarding world as a whole was more accepting of people’s sexuality than the Muggle community, there were still many amongst the pure-blood community who frowned upon relationships being carried out between two people of the same sex, and there were so many pure-blood families whose children attended Hogwarts, even after the war. 

Did that mean that when they went to the party tonight, Harry was going to have to go back to pretending he and Neville were just friends? Thinking back to his relationship with Oliver, Harry suspected that’s exactly what was going to happen, and his heart sank. 

As if he could feel Harry’s discomfort, Neville glanced up and gave him a worried smile. Standing up, he crossed the room and wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist. Kissing his temple and looking back at him in the mirror as he softly asked, “What’s the matter, baby? Are you still nervous about tonight?”

“Kind of,” Harry murmured, suddenly struggling to meet Nev’s beautiful blue eyes.

“You’re starting to worry me,” Neville said as he softly began to rock Harry back and forth. Tenderly spreading kisses along Harry’s neck as he sweetly urged him to open up. “Talk to me, love. Tell me what’s going on.”

"We don't have to tell anyone that we're seeing each other at the party tonight. Not if you don't want to," Harry said quietly, swallowing against the pain that blossomed in his chest over even speaking such words aloud. His voice trembled as he continued, “I understand if you don't.”

"Like hell I don't," Neville replied darkly as anger and protectiveness swirled together in his chest, bubbling up to the surface as he realised that Harry expected to be hidden away like some sort of dirty little secret. 

Harry's brows knitted together and it was almost as if he hadn't heard what Nev had said as he quietly soldiered on, "There are still so many cruel people in this world. I’d understand if you’re worried about receiving pushback at work. If you don’t want your students' parents to find out and complain..." 

His concerns were voiced hesitantly, obviously spurred by concern over the impact that their relationship may have on Neville's position at Hogwarts. Neville's mood shifted upon witnessing such clear selflessness, adoration rising inside of him as he saw the worry that was written so clearly across Harry's features. 

Turning Harry around to face him, Nev reached out and stroked his cheeks then framed them with his hands. Gently pressing up beneath Harry's chin until their eyes met, he ran his thumb tenderly back and forth across Harry's soft lower lip. Nev held his gaze until he was certain that he had Harry's full attention before replying in a gentle yet fierce tone.

"I don’t know who did that to you—who hid you away—but I would never, ever do that. I need you to understand that, Harry. I will never hide you away. And as far as angry parents go? Fuck them. Fuck anyone who would try to stand between us. We will cut every single person who has the nerve to try and separate us from each other from our lives like the cancer that they are. Besides, Minerva would never acquiesce to those kinds of small-minded, petty complaints."

Hope began to blossom in Harry's chest at the earnestness reflected back to him in Neville's gaze and he felt the vice that had been tightening around his chest begin to release. Is this real? he wondered to himself. Revelling in the possibility that not only had he found his way back to the man of his dreams but that he also needn't worry about cloaking their relationship from the rest of the world. 

Smiling at the dreamy look that had settled over his face, Nev leaned in and softly claimed his mouth, drawing out the caress before slowly pulling away and resting their foreheads together as he quietly continued.

"I have spent half of my life hiding my feelings for you, from you and the rest of the world. I am not going to waste one more day, not one more hour or minute, pretending that I don't love you. You're mine and I'm yours. If the rest of the world can't accept that, then they are the ones who need to change. Not us."

Harry's eyes widened, welling with tears, and his voice was hushed as he shakily replied, "You love me?"

Neville's gaze softened at the question and the truth of his words was written plainly in his eyes as they adoringly travelled across Harry's face. 

"Quite nearly from the moment I met you," he said with a smile and leaned down to brush the ghost of a kiss across Harry's lips. 

In that moment, Harry wondered how it was possible for him to have been so blind for so long—not just to the way that Neville felt for him but also, he realised, to how he felt for Neville in return. 

"I love you, too," he murmured softly against Nev's lips.

“Good,” Neville said softly, his smile radiating as it seemed to light up the whole room. “Then let’s head out.  We’ve got a party to attend.”

___

While music and cheerful chatter floated around him, Ron stood leaning against the mantle of the inglenook in his parents’ lounge, staring morosely into the flames. This was the first Christmas he'd spent without Harry in longer than he cared to remember, and Ron missed him terribly. Harry was more than a best friend—over the years he'd become a brother—and the holidays simply weren't the same without him.  

"What's the matter, love?" Hermione asked softly, kissing his shoulder blade as she joined him in front of the fire and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. 

"It just doesn't feel right," he sighed, sliding his hands to rest atop hers as he clung to the comfort of her touch. "Everyone's gone."

"Not everyone, dear," his mum tutted as she and his father walked over to join them by the hearth. But her eyes softened and even she sounded sad as she quietly said, "Just your younger brother."

"And Luna and Rolf," he said, trying desperately to gain ground.

"Neville too," Hermione said forlornly. Clinging tighter to Ron's waist as she softly said, "And with this being the first holiday season since his Gran has passed."

Arthur sighed, looking around at the collection of downcast faces which surrounded him, and pulled the three of them in for a squeeze. Trying to brighten the atmosphere as he warmly said, "Everything will be alright you three. I'm sure Pomona isn't going to let Neville spend Christmas on his own. And Harry will love the Cairngorms. They're gorgeous this time of year."

Hermione pulled back at that and gave him a strange look. 

"What? That's not right," she argued. "It's Neville who's watching the cabin for Luna and Rolf."

Arthur and Molly looked back at her as if she must be pulling their leg, and Ronald shook his head, flummoxed by her assertion.

"No, honey," he pushed back. "Harry's watching the cabin. He told us himself at dinner a couple of weeks back. Remember? You had to work late at the Ministry, so I told you when you got home."

Confusion clouded Hermione's brow, and she was just opening her mouth to contradict him when the four of them were interrupted by George's chipper voice sounding from across the room. 

"Well, would you look at who the cat dragged in!" 

Turning towards the crowded doorway, the four of them spotted none other than Harry himself smiling back at them as he stood with his hands in his pockets and looking happier than he had in months, Ron noticed immediately.

“Harry! Come here and give me a hug,” Molly gushed with a smile, rushing over to him and wrapping him in a motherly embrace. Softly kissing the side of his head, she tenderly murmured, “There’s my darling boy.”

Emotion expanded in Harry’s chest and he smiled, closing his eyes against the tears that were welling up in them as he leaned into her hug. Neville had been right: it felt good to be home.

“Son!” Arthur chortled happily. Clapping him against the back and leaning in to ruffle Harry’s hair as he said, “We thought you weren’t going to be able to make it this year.”

“I know that’s what I said,” Harry said. Smiling at both of them as he continued, “But it just didn’t feel like Christmas without coming home to the Burrow.”

And the three of them smiled at one another as his words rang true. 

“Let Harry go, mum,” Charlie said with a chuckle. “You’re either going to crush the life out of him, or scare him right back up to the North.”

Molly tutted but finally relented, giving Harry one last kiss before pulling away.

“Besides,” George quipped. “Ron will probably lock himself away in his room if he doesn’t get a chance to hug Harry soon.”

“Prat,” Ron muttered. But it was barely a few moments more before he himself had crossed the room and was pulling Harry in for a brotherly hug, albeit much less prolonged than the one their parents had wrangled him into.

“It’s so good to see you, mate,” he said happily and pulled away.

Harry smiled up at his best friend and adoptive brother and softly cuffed his shoulder.  

“It’s good to see you too.”

“Okay, everyone,” Hermione cut in. “Let’s give Harry some space. I’m sure he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his evening hugging every person who walks into this house.”

However, by the look in his eyes, she thought he just might, so she leaned in to steal one anyways. 

Ten minutes later, the three old friends stood huddled around the doorway, laughing and catching up as the party raged on around them when Ron suddenly stopped mid-sentence and gave Harry an odd look.

“What?” Harry asked, looking down at his shirt and brushing it free of any lint that he may have missed while getting dressed.

“You’ve met someone,” Ron said, a smile slowly stretching across his lips.

“Oh. Yeah, I did," Harry said softly. Flushing beneath Ron and Hermione’s intensely focused attention, he faltered before finally finishing, "I mean, no, not really. Well... kind of?” 

“Who is it?” Hermione asked, ducking her head and looking around to make sure that no one was eavesdropping when she realised how loud her voice had come out.

“Yeah. Spill it,” Ron said excitedly. He was much less subtle in his exuberance. “Tell us everything.”

“Actually,” Harry said, heart fluttering in his chest as he continued, “it’s someone you both know.”

“Who?!” Ron demanded as Hermione simultaneously asked, “Is it Ian? That dishy bartender from the Dragon’s Head Inn? I knew he was into you!”

Harry laughed at their excitement and turned a deeper shade of pink when he felt the warm embrace of Neville’s fingers creep up beneath his singlet to rest on the bare skin of his lower back as Nev finally returned from his trip to the loo and came to stand beside him.

“Neville!” Hermione cried, leaning in to give him a side-hug as she gushed, “You came after all!”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Nev smiled down at her, and Harry warmed under the heated glance that Nev sent his way as he asked, “What did I miss?”

“You’ve gotten here just in time,” Ron smiled. He lifted his bottle of beer in a welcoming gesture before tipping it in Harry’s direction and saying, “Har here was just telling us about his newest love interest.”

“Oh, he was, was he?” Nev asked with a teasing smile and, missing the way that his gaze lingered over the man at his side, Hermione grinned and wiggled her own brows.

“Go on then Harry,” she cheerfully urged. “Tell us all about him.”

“Hold that thought,” Nev said as he held up a finger and pointed above his and Harry’s heads. Glancing up, all four of them spotted the collection of white berries and green leaves hanging above from a red satin bow. Then, leaning down, Nev scooped Harry up into his arms and kissed him deeply, for all the world to see. Harry’s blood heated with a mixture of longing and happiness at the unexpected embrace, and he slowly wrapped his arms around Neville’s neck, forgetting their surroundings as he deepened the kiss with a contented sigh. Finally, after they’d snogged just a few moments too long, Neville set him down, leaving Harry’s lips tasting of rum-spiked eggnog and pepper imps.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Nev murmured shamelessly. “Couldn’t miss the opportunity to kiss my boyfriend beneath the mistletoe.”

And just like that, he ensured that their love was drawn out of the shadows and into the light.

___

The announcement of his and Neville’s relationship had been met with such merriment and joy that Harry was sure he hadn’t stopped smiling all evening long. He was overjoyed to see how quickly Molly and Arthur began to fawn over his new partner, instantly treating Neville as one of their own. Just as wonderful was the way that Hagrid had burst into tears upon hearing the news and pulled them both into a bone-crushing hug. 

“My boys!” he’d blubbered joyfully. “I always knew ye’d find yer way ta each other!”

The rest of the evening had been spent moving from room to room, stealing kisses in darkened corners, and visiting with friends and colleagues as the two stood hand-in-hand. It was the happiest that Harry could ever remember being in his life. Even more so than when he’d unwrapped his Nimbus 2000 or when he’d stepped into Diagon Alley for the first time. So as the party had begun to die down, he slipped out the back door into the garden, taking a few private moments to gaze up at the Milky Way as he quietly counted his blessings. 

Able to feel the electric pull of Neville's presence before he even heard his approach, Harry smiled as the familiar warmth of Nev’s arms wound around his waist, and he leaned back into his embrace. 

“Tired of me already?” Nev teased, and Harry could hear the smile in his voice as it stretched across his lips.

“Never,” he said and tilted his head to kiss Nev’s jaw where it had been resting against his cheek. 

“So if it’s not me that’s scared you off, what are you doing out here, baby?” Neville asked with a gentle tenderness in his voice.

“Just thanking the universe for finally bringing us together,” he murmured softly, lifting Nev and his entwined fingers up to his lips and spreading gentle kisses across each of them.

“Mmm,” Neville hummed, smiling as he kissed Harry’s temple in return. Joining him in his appreciation of the heavens above. 

They stood like that for quite some time, gently rocking back and forth as they held onto one another, gazing up at the sky which was peppered with constellations until finally, Harry snuggled closer into Neville's arms. 

"Sickle for your thoughts?" Nev whispered, softly brushing a kiss over the tender spot behind his ear.

"I was just wondering if it was you who did this," Harry said softly as he gazed up at the stunning beauty overhead. 

The question confused Neville slightly, but he smiled and pressed a second kiss to Harry's skin before quietly asking, "Did what, darling?"

A soft and dreamy sigh escaped Harry's lips as he continued to look out towards the horizon with pensive wonder, and for a second Neville thought he might not reply. However, a moment later he dropped his head back onto Nev's shoulder and, speaking very softly, stole his breath away.

"Was it you who painted the sky for me and dotted it with stars?"

It was in that quiet moment of adoration when both Harry and Neville finally came to understand that soulmates weren't destined for each other from birth, but instead were the people who saw you, scars and all—and, revealing their own, loved you all the more.