Title::Because He Could
Fandom:: Harry Potter
Length:: 2,466 words
Author:: calanor, with a little help from morganlefay1958
Main Characters or Pairings:: HP/SS, previous HP/DM and other pairings..
Rating:: PG
Warnings:: references to M/M relationship and nudity
Disclaimer:: J.K.Rowling is the creator and true owner of the characters of Hogwarts and the wizarding world, and no infringement of copyright is intended. I'm just playing with them for my own amusement; no money is being made.
Summary::Harry has moved on from broken marriage to Draco. Because he could. My answer to demonchilde18's challenge. A sequel to her one shot, Because I Wanted To, found on Links at the end.
beta: morganlefay1958

Because He Could

Draco Malfoy was dumbfounded. He hadn't thought that his estranged husband would actually do it. But he had. He'd filed for divorced on the grounds of adultery—Draco's indiscretions.

"You have no one to blame but yourself, Draco," his father said, from the other side of the room. "Your husband was never one to lay about with nothing to do all day. You knew this when you married him."

"So this is all my fault?"

"As a matter of fact… Yes!! Even when I was with your mother, I never sought out another. I was unhappy, but I took vows to honor her, as she did me. We maintained that promise throughout our marriage. Though we never loved each other, we still had respect for each other—in all things. We are both happy now with those we truly love, and we can honestly say, we have no regrets."

"Why are you so angry, Draco?" Remus asked from where he was sitting by the fire. "You betrayed Harry. You cheated on him, breaking a bonding vow. All because you wanted to."

The older man sat back in his chair, and removed his glasses. He'd told his mate that if and when the papers arrived, he would have his say--no matter what. Lucius had only nodded, before kissing him.

"Harry was so very happy with you. He told me that you were the first person other than the Weasley's that saw him only as Harry—a young man with feelings and dreams. You treated him like he was worth more than just someone that was only born to kill off the darkest wizard in a century." He placed the book he'd been reading on the table and rose to stand beside Lucius. "Do you remember when you spoke your vows?

"Yes. Harry cried. He was so happy. He finally had a family to call his own, and someone to stand by him through the rest of his life. He'd never have to worry about being alone ever again."

"Because, he had you as his mate for life." Lucius added.

"He thought more of his job..." Draco sneered, trying to defend himself.

"And you thought more of yourself, Draco!" His father snapped.

"I was lonely!" Draco snapped back, his voice raising.

"How long did it take for you to look elsewhere?" Remus asked, his voice deadly.

"What?"

"Harry said he came home many times, to you after someone had delivered white roses. He asked about them and you never answered his questions. You evaded them. Did you enjoy playing with him—playing with his feelings?" Remus' gaze was as cold as ice as he gazed at the younger blond. Lucius gripped Remus' wrist in comfort.

Draco folded his arms across his chest, and stomped across the room to look out the massive windows. "Potter is a simpleton, and a waste of magic. He could be anyone! He could do anything! But, instead, he chooses to waste his talents and his fame working with orphans and abused children!" Draco's voice dripped with vitriol.

Lucius sighed and shook his head. He wanted to grab Draco and shake some sense into him. How could he act the way he was? Could he really be that callous? Had he been such a poor father that Draco had not developed empathy or consideration for others? He knew that Harry asked Draco to work, side by side, with him in the Ministry. He had talked to Lucius and Remus about he and Draco possibly adopting one of the young orphans.

"At least he chose to do something valuable with his life. I made the mistake of pampering you too much growing up, Draco. Now, everyone is paying for my mistakes. I should have made you realize that gliding through life because you had money and standing, was not the way to live. But that working for something that has meaning is much more important and brings true happiness."

Draco spun to face his father, an angry snarl twisting his pale face. "Pah! What could possibly be more fulfilling than enjoying the money I have? Hmmm? You are a fool, Father!" He waved a dismissing hand in the older wizards' direction. "You have become…soft… and emotional, in your old age."

"I will accept the blame that is mine, Draco. But tell me, where is the little whore now, that you ruined your life bond for? I'm told he has already moved onto greener pastures, now that you are no longer forbidden fruit." Lucius' eyes flashed an icy blue. He didn't know whom he was angrier with, Draco, or himself. Remus slid his hand up his arm. It was at that moment he realized how badly his body trembled from anger.

Draco had no immediate answer for that. His father's words had hit too close to the truth for his liking. He growled loudly in anger, blew the library doors open with wandless magic and stormed from the room, the huge doors slamming shut behind him.

Lucius looked down at Remus, a single tear sliding down his cheek. Remus stood and pulled his mate into a hug, rubbing his back as Lucius buried his face in Remus' shoulder.

(2 years and 9 months later)

Harry was enjoying a cuppa as he absent-mindedly sorted through the file in front of him, his thoughts lost in the past. Reflecting on everything that had brought him to this moment. After he found Draco with another.

Finally, after all this time, his could think of Draco and not feel the all consuming hurt and pain from the betrayal. They were only sad memories now. He remembers how he ran from the house after hearing the words, "Because I wanted to'… that continued to ring over and over in his head, as he stumbled mechanically down the street. He stopped at the first pub he came to and proceeded to get completely arseholed.

Remus and Lucius had just flooed to the small manor house that the boys shared, to see the tail lights of Harry's land rover disappear in a cloud of dust. The main doors of the manor stood wide open, and as they entered, Draco and Blaise came barrelling down the staircase hastily wrapping house robes around their naked bodies. Remus wrinkled his nose at the strong smell of sex that rolled off the pair as they approached. Lucius didn't need to use his nose to know what had happened. The look of shock on Draco's face at being caught was enough to let him know that Draco had betrayed Harry. Blaise stood nonchalantly behind him with a smug smirk on his face. That was until Lucius fixed him with a very threatening glare. The little male trollop wasted no time in grabbing his clothes and exiting the manor. Remus and Lucius left immediately after to go find Harry. They both had been too furious to say even one word to Draco.

Remus and Lucius, tired and thirsty from driving around for more than an hour, had stopped in the same pub for a pint and found him face down on the table, and promptly took him to his and Draco's London flat, that had been left to him as part of the Potter inheritance. Remus heavily warded the flat to preserve Harry's privacy and to keep unwelcome visitors, such as Draco, out. It was likely Draco would show up, feigning regret for his actions, so his comfortable convenient little life would not be disrupted.

Harry remembered waking up with a pounding headache then stumbling immediately into the loo. There hadn't been much in his stomach but that didn't stop him from heaving for an hour, while Remus held a cold flannel to his head and rubbed his back.

When his stomach was finally done expelling everything and he felt as if he'd been turned inside out, he laid back in Remus' arms and sobbed out his grief. He keened his loss of the one he thought loved Him. But, no, it had all been a lie—a horrible, horrible lie. His life as he knew it, as he had thought it happy, was gone forever. Throughout it all, Remus held him, as all the old fears and nightmares came rushing back; his life with the Dursley's, loosing his parents, Cedric, Sirius and his two best friends, Ron and Hermione. All this emphasizing how alone he felt he was now.

It wasn't until nine months later, that he took the final steps to dissolve his bonding to Draco. He had been foolish in the beginning, thinking that Draco would come to him and declare it was all a mistake and reaffirm his undying love. But that hadn't happen.

He actually had Severus Snape to thank for snapping him out of his depression. He, Severus, Molly Weasley and Minerva McGonagall, had been sitting at the Leaky Cauldron, going over a list of potions for the infirmary of the new Orphanage they were opening up that week. Molly would be sharing the duties of House Mother with Minerva, and Severus had agreed to stock the potions for the Infirmary being run by Poppy Pomphrey.

Harry had just looked up from the parchment he'd been reading, when a familiar voice and laughter caught his attention. There, standing in the doorway, was his estranged husband, on the arm of one Viktor Krum. He looked around desperately for somewhere to hide, but didn't have a chance because Severus cuffed him sharply on the back of the head.

"Don't even think about it, Potter!"

Minerva had snorted into her tea and Molly was giggling. Harry was affronted at first, feeling it was his right, being the one hurt and in pain. But, as he glared at the dark and brooding man sitting next to him, he suddenly realized that the presence of Draco didn't really bother him. Seeing Draco with someone else, showing he had forgotten Harry already and appearing to have no cares in the world hurt--yes. But somewhere along the way, he had moved on…

Because he could.

He elbowed Severus in the ribs, turned back to his friends, and continued on with what they were discussing. Two days later, he contacted his solicitors requesting they handle the paperwork necessary to dissolve the bonding. One year later, he and Severus had gone out for dinner and drinks, to celebrate his freedom and the beginning of his new life. Well, they really ended up having more drink than dinner... and some dancing.

Well lots of dancing.

The Twins, Fred and George with their third, Neville, Charlie and his husband Kingsley Shacklebolt, Bill and Fleur, Tonks and Percy, and Remus and Lucius had joined them. It also happened to be New Year's, or First Night Celebration, in Boston, Massachusetts.

They had mingled amongst the Muggles all night long. Harry had felt free. Even though his former father-in-law was with them, it didn't matter. Lucius was his godfather's mate and under stood Harry very well. He felt no pressure to be perfect or act like the golden child. He was just Harry to those around him.

And when Midnight chimed in and the New Year began, Severus Snape, the bane of all Gryffindors everywhere, was heatedly kissing Harry 'Bloody' Potter. And well, Harry wouldn't have stopped him for anything. Especially, not, when that kiss was making his toes curl.

They had been dancing to a song call the "Sweetest Sin", and Severus kept whispering in his ear that Harry was the sweetest sin there was. That Draco was stupid to let something so beautiful and pure, slip through his fingers, just because he could.

His self esteem rose by leaps and bounds that night, and throughout the following week. Severus took him to heights he never known existed—both physically and emotionally. The older wizard made him feel cherished and loved, as if he a gift given to Severus from the Goddesses. The sex was unbelievable as well.

At night they walked along the beach that fronted the rented condo they all shared for their month-long vacation. They held hands and talked for hours. He lay under Severus at night, drinking up the kisses and caresses as if he were a starving man. Being held and sleeping next to him was so different than... before.

He didn't feel alone; for the first time in so long… that he cried… the final healing tears of joy. He had finally found his true soulmate, in Severus--his other half.

They returned to Boston a year later, with the same group of friends and danced to the same song. Severus whispered in his ear once more, that, he would love to have the Sweetest Sin of his life bond with him; a lifebond--a soulmate bond.

A forever bond.

Because they could.

Harry smiled as his lover and soon-to-be mate, the other half of his heart, kissed the top of his head before sitting down at the breakfast table with him. Those dark eyes were full of love and forever as they gazed back at him.

Oh, yes. Because they could.

&

Draco staggered unsteadily into the bathroom of the cottage he and his new husband, Clemente Etienne Lammert, had been spending their seclusion in since their bonding. Hidden deeply in the French countryside, there was noone else for miles. Totally exhausted from spending almost every minute in bed since they'd arrived, being claimed by his new Veela mate, Draco was relieved to get a short reprieve. They had discovered last night, that Draco was finally pregnant, with twins, and Clemente, satisfied that he had assured the continuation of his French line, had finally dropped off into a deep slumber. This was the first time Draco had been allowed out of sight of his possessive mate.

Unhappy to find out, he was a bottom, when he never had been before, was bad enough. But to find out he was a bearer, and now pregnant. He had cried himself to sleep. Now, his legs barely held his weight as he stepped up to the marble vanity. He splashed water on his face and gazed longingly at the deep tub. He was going to take a very long hot bath, no matter what. Then, he turned and looked into the mirror--to see blotchy skin and stringy limp hair.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Do not varry ma luf, ze effects vill only last for seex monts." His Smirking husband stood framed in the doorway, watching his reflection in the mirror. "Eet zometimes 'appens een ma family—eef 'ou are lucky, 'our 'air vill not fall out."

Draco's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he slumped to the floor.

Ah well, they say karma bites--hard.

It does cause it can.

Fin ... but is it ever???