FTtSoL 11

[feygan]

Title: Faster Than the Speed of Love
Author: Feygan
Fandom: Harry Potter
Character: Charlus Potter/Draco Malfoy
Genre: time travel, slash, soulmates

Draco was lying curled around Hadrian's pajama clad form on the
low-set child's bed. The lights had been dimmed and there was a
nightlight mobile projecting autonomous shadows that danced and
capered on the walls. The only sound was Hadrian's puffing breaths and
Draco's toneless humming.

He had closed his eyes and his head felt like a peaceful place for
once. The sweet baby smell of Hadrian soothed some primal instinct he
hadn't realized he possessed.

There was a soft sound and he had his wand up and pointed at the door
with a protego half-formed when he recognized the feel of Charlus and
relaxed with a sigh. "Sorry. My paranoia got away from me."

Charlus still looked surprised at how fast Draco had drawn his wand,
but he smiled. His movements smoothed into something nearly langorous.
"You don't need to apologize for being able to protect my two
beloveds."

"Two?"

"You and Hadrian. It makes me happy to know that you love Hadrian so
much. That you would protect him," Charlus said.

Draco's lips pinched. "It makes me happy when I see you. I love
Hadrian for himself."

Charlus crossed the floor in a quick sweep and was kneeling beside the
bed before Draco could blink. He pressed the palm of hand against
Draco's cheek , his thumb tracing the pale eyebrow. "I try to imagine
what my life would have been like without you in it, and I can't
picture it. There was no life before you. The world was all shadows
and numbness, and it took you to realize what it could all be like.
And that's why I've done this for you."

"Done what?"

Charlus leaned close, so close that Draco was staring straight into
his hazel eyes from inches away. "I know you are afraid that
Grindelwald will come for you again. I know that you have night
terrors, because the house elves trap them in your sheets to spare you
the memories. I know that more than anything you want to stay here
with me. That's why I've done it."

He paused long enough that Draco cocked his head impatiently. Charlus
looked almost in a daze, his pupils burst wide and his lips wet from
his nervous licking.

"I spoke to the Wizengamot a few weeks ago and I've put in several
petitions and letters of intent. I've spoken to people from the Left
and the Right, and I've even opened contact with the nearest veela
settlement. And tonight it finally went through."

"What did?" Draco asked.

"We've declared war against Grindelwald. He and his followers have
been declared Anathema and will not be allowed into Great Britain. The
wards will fry them if they try. None of them can come here." Charlus'
voice lowered to a whisper breathed directly into Draco's ear. "You're
safe."

Draco nearly wanted to cry. Charlus was trying so hard to make him
happy. It didn't even matter that it had resulted in the wrong Dark
Lord being targeted.

He wrapped his arm around Charlus and held him close for a long
moment, careful not to crush the sleeping Hadrian. "You are a very
beautiful man, did you know that?"

Charlus flushed, visible even under the flickering light of the
spinning mobile. He brought his face closer and Draco's breath caught.
Their lips touched, a gentle lingering kiss that didn't try to become
anything more.

Charlus had spoken to the mind healers. He could feel Draco's unrest.
And even though he could have demanded so much and gotten it, he'd
been sweet in his wooing.

Draco had never been Courted before. It was one of those old fashioned
things that had fallen out of favor. He'd had sex with Harry and
Blaise, one his first and the other his last, and both relationships
had been full of quick fumbling encounters. With Blaise there'd been
no chance to linger because they were both in the midst of escorting
their fiancees around; Astoria had died before the wedding, leaving
Draco single while Blaise had married and largely disappeared. Harry
had happened because he'd refused to die without at least once gorging
himself on sex and life. They'd fucked in-between missions. Then Harry
had died.

Charlus was different though. He treated Draco as though he were
special, and he'd begun the official Courting steps with no doubt that
he wasn't going to want anyone else in his entire life. That amount of
raw faith was astonishing to Draco; moreso because it was faith in
*him*.

Harry had been the closest thing he'd had to a real romantic love. Yet
even Harry had doubted him. He'd gotten used to that askance look
whenever he suggested anything that sounded even remotely like it
could secretly be some kind of trap. Harry hadn't meant to hurt his
feelings with that look, but it had burned its way into Draco's mind
that no matter what he did or who he became, people were always going
to look at him as his father's son. He was Draco Malfoy.

He'd become used to being distrusted. He'd also become used to living
in squalor and being hunted down like a rat. It didn't mean he enjoyed
any of it.

So to see Charlus looking at him with such love while treating him
like he was someone precious... He was reminded of his dreams of
romance, of being the center of someone's world, the beloved to be
protected.

Maybe it should have bothered him that even now he was still waiting
for someone else to save him. Mostly he was just dazzled by the love
he saw reflected in Charlus' eyes and he couldn't help it that his
smile was a bit besotted.

"I'm starving. Would you like to have dinner with me out on the
balcony?" Charlus asked.

Draco thought about watching the sun set and the moon rise while
sharing a meal with this man that professed to love him. It made him
feel powerful and happy at the same time, as though Charlus made him
better just by existing. "I would be delighted. Let me just settle
Hadrian."

"I'll help you." Charlus' breath was warm against the back of his neck
and Draco thought he felt a ghostly impression of a kiss though he
couldn't be sure. All he knew was that he was happy.

/ CHAPTER