386Chapter Seven
"How about you just stop hovering around all the time and actually give me some damned space to think! We don't need to be joined at the hip, you know!" Gibbs spat out before turning and storming down the stairs to his basement, ignoring the clench in his gut as wide green eyes seemed burned into his mind.
He slammed the door pointedly shut behind him and stormed down the stairs, impatiently throwing his jacket over the banister before moving to the boat.
He was aware that he was slamming around down in the basement, his movements angry and annoyed, as much with himself as anything else, and he couldn't get those damned green eyes out of his mind.
He hammered, sawed and sanded away at the boat as everything from the last few days caught up with him and he felt himself becoming angrier as the hours passed.
And through it all, all he could see was those damned green eyes.
Finally, after too much bourbon and not enough he placed the hammer down and stumbled his way up the stairs and into the main part of the house.
He squinted annoyed at the catalogues lying on the kitchen table as he stumbled through to pour himself a glass of water, they were furniture and paint ones that he and Harry had been looking at together before Gibbs had been called away on the case. Snarling annoyed he swept them off of the table, feeling satisfied as he watched them scatter everywhere, before for good measure he shoved the table.
Stumbling through to the living room he dropped face down onto the sofa and yanked the blanket from the back of it to throw over himself, he didn't want to go upstairs to an empty bed that smelt of Harry. He pressed his face into the cushion and fought back the scream of anger that wanted to spill out of him, he didn't want to look at the empty house that was now filled with Harry and his personality, their moments together.
He always fucked things up, he always made a mess, he couldn't help himself. He took good things and crushed them in his hands. He had lasted longer with Harry than he had expected, he had allowed himself to hope, he had thought that maybe he could change, maybe he could be different this time.
He always fucked things up.
Gibbs started when he felt gentle fingers combing through the longer hair on the top of his head, before they scratched gently at the buzzed hair on the sides in the way that Harry seemed to love doing.
But that couldn't be right.
"Are you awake? I have a potion for you," Harry said gently, and his hand moved to sweep down Gibbs' back instead, carefully rubbing the tensed muscles there.
"Harry?" Gibbs uttered his name, and he didn't even know how he sounded as he said it, but Harry's hand was back, running through his hair soothingly again.
"I would rather you didn't smother yourself," Harry said after a few moments.
"I would rather you shove me face into the cushion and finish me off," Gibbs sighed.
"I am far too in love with you for that," Harry chuckled.
Sighing Gibbs rolled over and stared up at Harry where he was sitting on the sofa next to Gibbs' hip, his beautiful face was gentle and understanding, his green eyes soft as he looked down at him, and it just made Gibbs feel worse.
"A hangover potion, not as effective as with Wizards but it will help," Harry said leaning over and picking the vial up and placing it on Gibbs' chest before reaching up to stroke his fingers down Gibbs' face.
"I think I deserve the pain," Gibbs sighed.
"Jethro," Harry said scoldingly before leaning forward to press their lips together. As much as Gibbs thought Harry should be shouting and screaming at him, he wouldn't ever deny him a kiss, and he tried to press all the sorrow and care he felt into the kiss.
He sighed again when Harry pulled back and unstoppered the vial and pressed it to his lips, not giving him a choice to refuse it.
"I am thinking that might have been punishment," Gibbs choked as the taste of the potion seemed to echo around his mouth.
"Potions are never pleasant I am afraid, that is one of the better ones," Harry laughed reaching out and snagging the cup of coffee he had waiting on the table and watched amused as Gibbs drained half of it in one gulp before determinedly squirting his mouth out with the rest. "I told Abby she doesn't want to try them, maybe you can convince her now,"
"Harry," Gibbs sat up against the arm of the sofa and looked at the younger man.
"Don't speak to me like that again," Harry said softly and Gibbs looked down at his lap. He started when Harry slipped onto his lap to straddle him and kissed him sweetly. "I get it, I get the pressure, and I get the need for space, but please don't speak to me like that again, or lash out at me that way. Words hurt me far more than you hitting me ever would," Harry admitted.
"I am sorry, I am so sorry," Gibbs wrapped his arms around Harry and hugged him firmly, knowing Harry was talking about the pigs he had for relatives. "I won't do it again I swear,"
"We can come up with something, when you're feeling like that, I can make a door into the basement for you so you can go straight there, something when you just need time. But not like that," Harry shook his head.
"Never again, I promise. I thought…" Gibbs pressed his face into Harry's throat not wanting to say it out loud.
"I would be gone?" Harry said instead.
"Yeah," Gibbs nodded.
"Jethro, we're going to fight, we have already fought, we made it through you finding out all about magic, we will argue, it is how we deal with it. Just…don't shut me out completely, don't shove me away like that," Harry pleaded a little.
"I didn't want you to see me like that, to see how I can be," Gibbs licked his lips.
"I get it Jethro, I have done it, I have lived it. I know how it is when a case goes wrong, when you're not quite fast enough, when you see a victim that hits too close to home," Harry shook his head when Gibbs opened his mouth. "Just because I get it, doesn't mean I expect you to share it with me, and think it will make it easier. It doesn't. But I understand the reactions, the need for space, for your outlet. Mine tends to be flying, yours is your boats. Let's just find a better way to get you to that outlet and space,"
"We will, I won't do that again," Gibbs swore, his hands tenderly cupping Harry's face as he looked into those green eyes that had haunted him.
"I am not just going to walk away after one fight Jethro, I love you," Harry promised.
"I don't deserve you," Gibbs sighed.
"None of that now," Harry shook his head. "We deserve each other just fine, and it isn't like I am a paragon of goodness, I lost my temper with you the other day because you bought the wrong type of beef even though I just told you beef,"
"I really thought I had fucked it up," Gibbs admitted wrapping his arms around Harry's waist and hugged him close as Harry wrapped his arms around his shoulders and combed his fingers through his hair again.
"Not even close, was I hurt, yes, did I completely understand, yes," Harry hugged him tightly. "Enough of this my love, I have made you breakfast, we can have a relaxing morning, look at some furniture and finally choose a damned table even if we pay ip dip do,"
"The magazines," Gibbs tensed as he remembered the night before.
"Well luckily for you my overdramatic agent, you live with a Wizard, one flick of a wand and they were good as new," Harry grinned when Gibbs pulled back to look at him wide eyed.
"Have I said before that I love your magic?" Gibbs asked, and realised by the punched out sound Harry made that he hadn't.
"I knew you appreciated it but…"
"I love it, what it can do, it being part of you," Gibbs said firmly.
"Jethro," Harry threw his arms around his partner and pressed their lips together over and over.
They didn't pick a chair that day.
Gibbs stared at the man who stared right back at him, looking him up and down and clearly taking in everything that he could about him, his desk, he even scanned his eyes around the area around Gibbs' desk.
"Can I help?" Gibbs finally asked when the man seemed like he was just going to carry on standing there, Gibbs' team all watched confused from their desks, all of them ready to step in if something went wrong.
"You're Jethro Gibbs?" The man said, and sounded so incredulous that Gibbs bristled.
"You're English, any connection to Harry?" Gibbs frowned.
"Oh, well at least you have something of a brain," The man brushed some invisible lint off of himself, looking around the office in clear disdain.
"Harry there is some blond prick here," Gibbs said into the phone and smirked when blue eyes snapped onto him, the man actually having the cheek to look affronted.
"You didn't have to call him!" He snapped.
"Draco Malfoy!" Harry growled.
"You know people are going to start asking questions if you suddenly appear from cupboards?" Tony grinned at Harry.
"What do you think you are doing here?!" Harry patted Tony's shoulder on the way passed, his phone still in his hands, but his eyes were narrowed on the blond.
"Something we need to be worried about?" Gibbs stood now.
"What are you going to do about it, muggle?" Draco sneered at him.
"If you're a threat to Harry, have a bullet between your eyes before you can cast anything," Gibbs growled, his hand already drawing.
"He's no danger to anything but my blood pressure," Harry huffed, coming to stand beside Gibbs with a small smile.
"You're engaged, living with someone, and we haven't even met him yet, we just got curious," Draco seemed to start pouting.
"So tell me that, don't just show up!" Harry threw his hands up. "Hello," he smiled when Gibbs rested his hands on Harry's waist and tugged the annoyed man close, all the frustration seemingly melting from him as he looked into ice blue eyes.
Gibbs smiled a tiny bit before pressing their lips together, and hummed when Harry melted into him, wrapping his arms around his waist he tugged the younger man closer.
"Harry! Put him down," someone laughed and Harry pulled back with a grin to look at the redhead walking towards them.
"Bill," Harry grinned.
"He gets a smile, I get a glower," Draco huffed.
"He wasn't glowering at my fiance!" Harry snapped.
"You guys never let it go," Bill shook his head before stopping in front of Gibbs' desk, taking in the arms around Harry's waist. "I really hope you're Jethro Gibbs,"
"I am, you have to be a Weasley, Bill…the oldest right?" Gibbs tilted his head.
"That is me," Bill grinned. "I told them it was a bad idea, but they insisted," He added to Harry.
"How many are here?" Harry sighed.
"Me, Fleur, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Mum, Dad, Remus, Fred, Luna and Neville," Bill reeled off. "And the kids, they're arriving in a few hours,"
"I don't have enough in to feed all of you! Why wouldn't you give me a heads-up!" Harry started fretting.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked.
"Boss man?" Tony grinned, already packing his stuff.
"Tony will help you get what you need in. We will get to the house and start making space," Gibbs kissed Harry's cheek.
"But…I haven't…" Harry's mind was clearly spinning.
"They can take us to the house and help expand a few things and move them around," Gibbs motioned to Draco and Bill.
"We can, can we?" Draco glared.
"You dropped yourselves on Harry like this, you can at least help," Gibbs glared right back making Draco blanch a little.
"I like you, give us the coordinates and we will take you there and help get everything ready," Bill nodded.
"Ugh! Come on Tony," Harry reached for the man and started tugging him to the supply closet.
"Would rather you went somewhere with an actual exit, I don't want to start shooting people for making up rumours about my fiance," Gibbs snorted, catching Harry around the waist and pointing him towards the lift.
"Sorry, wasn't thinking," Harry grinned.
"There are enough rumours considering you tow him around by the hand," Gibbs shook his head and in front of everyone grabbed Harry's jaw firmly and kissed him possessively.
"Come on Tony," Harry grinned brightly, tugging the laughing agent behind him.
"Never seen him stop flapping that quickly before," Bill blinked before that easy going grin spread over his face again. "You're good for him,"
"I will go let Ducky know," Ziva stood and hurried away.
"Tell Abby as well," Gibbs called, standing and grabbing his things. Then he turned and looked at Bill holding out a piece of paper with his coordinates on.
"Let's get going," Bill nodded.
"McGee with me!" Gibbs barked and his agent was quickly hurrying over.
"Really? This is ridiculous William," Draco huffed hurrying after them.
"You can tell Harry that then," Bill grinned.
"Ridiculous!" Draco snapped before snagging McGee's arm and apparating out.
"I am going to punch him," Gibbs huffed before Bill apparated them out, the redhead laughing as they went.
"Has everything been done?!" Harry called as he popped into the kitchen with Tony and started throwing shrunken bags onto the counters. "Jethro, I need to get started!" he protested when strong arms wrapped around his waist and he was pulled back against a warm, muscled chest.
"You need to take a breath," Jethro breathed into his neck and smiled when Harry shuddered and went limp in his arms. He scattered kisses over Harry's throat, behind his ear, along his cheek and then gripping Harry's chin he tilted his head back before pressing their lips together.
Harry sank into the kiss with a soft sigh that did things to Gibbs' heart, things he had been sure he would never feel. He wrapped his arms around Harry tighter when the younger man turned in his arms and grinned into the kiss at the moan Harry let out when he lifted him and placed him on the edge of the counter. He tugged Harry against him and pressed deeper into the kiss, devouring the man that he couldn't get enough of while Harry wrapped his arms around his shoulders and gave back as good as he got, wrapping his legs around Gibbs' waist and tugging him closer.
"Good Merlin, Harry, put the poor man down!" Bill called out cheerfully from the doorway, startling the two of them apart.
"Are they getting hinky again?" Abby laughed from the living room as Draco appeared in the doorway with a pinched expression.
"Hinky? Is that some sort of colloquialism? Merlin Harry, this is what you signed dual citizenship for?" Draco frowned looking around.
"Don't like it you can fuck off," Gibbs glared at the blond.
"Draco, if you don't shut up I will silence you and keep it on all night. I know you are worried about me, but you're being a prat," Harry said cheerfully as he kept his arms tightly around Gibbs.
"You are throwing away your life, and everything that you had built up there, away for this! For a man!" Draco scowled, walking closer.
"I am not throwing anything away. I was tired, Draco, and done with all of that, but I couldn't have done anything else in Britain, because being an Auror was what was expected of me. Here I have options and choices. And I have not made this choice because of Jethro, as much as I love him and want this life with him, he isn't the reason I have made the choice,"
"I would hate if I was the reason you had made those choices," Gibbs nodded.
"I made the choices for me, because they're right for me. Because the life I am building with Jethro, and because I love him, is right for me, and what I want," Harry smiled, stroking his fingers down Gibbs' face gently.
"This is so weird to see," Bill chuckled.
"Because I am older?" Gibbs frowned.
"None of that, honestly you should see some of the age gaps in the wizarding world. No, because as touchy feely as Harry is with friends and family, I have never seen him be like this with a lover before," Bill grinned.
"Really?" Gibbs asked, looking back to Harry who was looking a little embarrassed and a little amused.
"You look as though you can't decide between being pleased with that and asking for names," Harry grinned.
"You weren't like this with others?" Gibbs asked softly.
"No, I… I never felt the connection that we have, that I have felt since that first night. You're…." Harry couldn't find the words to express how Gibbs made him feel, and then there were soft lips pressing to his own, a large, warm hand cupping the back of his head, the kiss assuring him he didn't have to find the words, Gibbs knew.
"How did you two meet?" Bill grinned when they parted.
"I answered Uncle Ducky's door half naked after turning off his charger and Jethro came to get him for a case," Harry grinned resting his head on Gibbs' shoulder.
"I realise now that there were practically love hearts in Gibbs' eyes when he looked at Harry, didn't know what it was at the time," Tony grinned stepping into the room.
"Remember I can have you scrubbing toilets in a second DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked.
"Harry wouldn't let you," Tony grinned and danced back out of the room at the glare he got.
"Go and finish getting ready," Harry kissed Gibbs to distract him before he hopped down and started waving his wand, making the kitchen spring to life around him. He laughed when Gibbs caught him around the waist and kissed him on the cheek before stepping out into the living room and started barking orders at the others.
"You look happy," he heard Draco say to Harry softly.
"I am," He heard Harry's soft response.
"I will help," the blond huffed.
"Harry, this looks amazing!" Ducky wrapped his arms around Harry and grinned proudly at the young man, who is always flushed happily under his uncle's praise.
"They're here," Bill said just before there was a knock on the door.
Gibbs and the others stood to the side as the group descended into the house, all of them speaking over each other, all of them grabbing Harry at least twice for hugs and kisses before finally they stepped away.
"Is this where you're living, Harry?" Who had to be Molly Weasley asked looking around.
"Jethro and I are doing it up, making it ours," Harry said nodding, looking nervously for her reaction.
"It fits you so perfectly already dear!" She beamed, and then her blue eyes locked on Gibbs.
The older man gulped ready for a tongue lashing, warnings, and threats, he was now expecting to find himself crushed into a tight hug from the older woman.
"Please forgive me, but he is so happy…so at peace. Thank you," she said with so much emotion that he couldn't do anything but wrap his arms around her and hug her back.
"He has brought exactly the same to me, and so much life and colour and laughter," He found himself admitting.
"I am very happy to meet you Jethro Gibbs," Molly beamed, stepping back and cupping his face.
"Me too, Harry speaks so fondly of you," Gibbs smiled.
"I believe you prefer Gibbs?" Arthur Weasley asked, holding his hand out.
"Jethro or Gibbs is fine," Gibbs shook his head. The man didn't say anything, but the warmth of his handshake and the expression on his face said that he agreed with everything his wife had said.
"It is good to see you again," Hermione smiled, stepping up next.
"You too," Gibbs nodded and pulled the surprised woman in for a hug.
"This place is looking good!" Ron nodded, shaking his hand.
"Jethro, this is Fleur, Remus, Fred, Luna, Neville, this is Fleur and Bill's daughter Victorie and this is my godson, Teddy," Harry beamed bouncing the little blue haired boy on his hip.
The toddler squealed and then in front of them turned into a perfect version of Harry.
"He is a metamorphmagus, he can change his appearance," Harry laughed at their expressions.
"Unc Ry!" Teddy beamed.
"He is utterly adorable is what he is!" Abby laughed delightedly.
"Everyone, this is Abby, Ziva, Tim, Tony, Uncle Ducky and Jethro," Harry motioned.
"It is great to meet you!" Remus beamed, shaking all their hands.
"You're the Tony Harry has adopted then?" Fred grinned.
"Yes," Tony said and then glanced nervously at Harry.
"You're mine now DiNozzo, you said it out loud!" Harry grinned.
"It is like signing your soul to the devil. Or inviting a vampire into your house," Neville said seriously and then laughed when Harry stuck his tongue out.
"We have the dining room set out and ready, why don't we head through?" Gibbs suggested, and the party shuffled through, all of them talking excitedly.
"You alright?" Ducky asked his friend softly.
"Yes, just, I don't want to fuck this up for him," Gibbs admitted.
"All he will want is for you to be yourself," Ducky squeezed his shoulder.
"I am a grumpy bastard," Gibbs huffed.
"No, you're not, especially not since falling for him. Come," Ducky clapped him on the back and then led the way.
"Don't steal all the food!" Harry was barking at Fred and Bill while shoving a plate at Tony and Tim.
"Dear Merlin, he is turning more and more into Mum," Fred blinked at Harry.
"You say that like it is a bad thing dear?" Molly narrowed her eyes on her son.
"Yes, is it a bad thing?" Harry raised his eyebrow.
"You're cruel Harry," Fred mock sobbed.
"And you're a drama queen," Draco rolled his eyes.
"Coming from you," Hermione said amused before holding up her hands amused when Harry swung around to glare at her.
"Ah, it makes sense now," Gibbs nodded, coming to stand behind his lover looking at Draco.
"What does?" Draco blanched.
"Your attitude," Gibbs said, and kissed Harry's forehead when green eyes looked at him curiously. "You're one of Harry's strays, you're protecting your mum,"
"I am not!" Draco spluttered as the room erupted into laughter.
"Don't you love me?" Harry grinned through his laughter.
"I hate you, Potter, I am taking DiNozzo and we will sympathise about you smothering us!" Draco sniffed snatching Tony's arm and tugged him away.
"I think it is pretty great," Tony muttered.
"Wait until he is sending you messages basically making sure you have eaten your greens!" Draco hissed and the laughter started again.
Harry groaned when he felt a kiss being dropped onto his shoulder and strong hands digging into the tired muscles of his back. Gibbs carefully settled onto their bed next to his younger lover and worked clever hands up and down Harry's back, massaging away the tiredness from the last few days.
He had had an amazing time catching up with everyone while they had been here on holiday, spending time with them, seeing them interacting with his new friends and family when they weren't working, and getting to show them around his new home.
But it had been none stop and exhausting, and having his lover carefully undo all the knots and aches from his back was heaven.
Finally, when he was lying bonelessly on the mattress Gibbs leant down and started scattering kisses over Harry's shoulders, the back of his neck, down his spine. Harry moaned softly into his pillow as large, warm hands swept slowly down his sides and over his hips, down his thighs, the simple skin on skin contact feeling like it was sending electricity through Harry.
Gibbs swept kisses over Harry's spine and the base of his back before he heard Harry muttering a now very familiar charm. He was definitely developing a Pavlovian response to hearing it as he groaned automatically out loud before pressing his fingers inside of Harry to feel for himself that he was lubed and stretched, and ready for him.
He slipped slowly into the tight, perfect heat of his lover's body, resting his forearms on either side of Harry's face on the bed; he slipped slowly all the way to the root before just as slowly pulling back.
Their love making was slow and unhurried, Gibbs' ever impressive control allowing him to maintain a slow and intense rhythm that had pleasure crawling slowly over the two of them, sparking and feeling all the more intense for the slow build up as the older man pressed himself deeply into the perfect heat of the man he loved over and over again until the two of them were covered in sweat, their mouth panting against each other in pleasure, exchanging lazy heated kissed now and then, but mainly resting their foreheads against each other as the pleasure built and built inside of them.
Finally, Gibbs pulled back so he was resting on his hand and sped up the thrusts of his hips, the edge close enough now that both of them could practically taste it, the two of them feeling over sensitive and aware of every point of contact between the two of them.
Looking down at Harry, sprawled on his stomach, his long black hair a riot around him, sticking to him in places with sweat, his pale cheeks glowing rosy from their love making, his plush lips opened as gasps and moans, mewls and groans spilled from them, Gibbs could see one of his green eyes from the angle they were at and it was almost glowing with passion, with love for him.
Crying out Gibbs pressed deeply inside of Harry and spilled into him, the feeling pushing Harry over the edge and had him crying out into their bedroom.
"Stay like this a little longer?" Harry panted.
"Whatever you want," Gibbs stopped his movement to roll off Harry and settled on top of him instead, pressing loving kisses to all the skin that he could.
"Harry?" Gibbs walked into the living room to find Harry curled up on one end of the sofa, clutching a cup of coffee and looking a million miles away. He had expected after their love making last night to wake with the other in his arms, but he had found the bed cold and empty.
"Can we talk?" Harry asked him with a small smile.
Feeling cold dread settle into his stomach Gibbs nodded and made his way over to sit near Harry on the sofa. Had someone said something about them? Had someone disapproved and made Harry think twice about him? Had they convinced Harry that he should return to Britain?
"I know that I love you, and I know in my heart that you're it for me, that I won't love someone else the way that I love you. I have known from the beginning that you were different, but Bill pointing it out made me think and I realised how different you were for me. Which feels a little ridiculous knowing that I wanted to marry you, I wanted to move in with you," Harry said softly, staring at the cup in his hands.
"But?" Gibbs asked shakily, and green eyes snapped to him, a dark head already shaking.
"No buts…I am not explaining this well," Harry huffed. He placed his cup to the side and turned on the sofa so that he was facing Gibbs, his green eyes intent. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but we have a small age difference,"
"I am likely to leave you, however unwillingly, a good bit before you're ready to follow," Gibbs nodded slowly.
"But you might not have to," Harry took a breath and carefully reached out for Jethro's hand. "There is a magical marriage, where we can bind ourselves to each other fully. In wizarding marriages, this marriage, it shares magic, family lineage traits, gifts. It also shares life spans, but there is no divorce, there is no breaking the bond once it is made," Harry explained.
"And you think….I don't want that?" Gibbs asked, his eyes scanning over Harry's face, seeing the nerves there.
"It is playing with things that you never thought could be played with, expanding your lifetime, but also blinding us together completely, giving up your career maybe before you feel ready so that people don't notice that you're younger and fitter than you should be, it is a lot and I…I get if you would maybe want to wait a few years to make sure that…"
"I love you," Gibbs said as they parted from the kiss he had pressed to Harry's lips. He grabbed his hips and pulled the smaller man so that he was straddling his lap, he looked up into Harry's eyes now that he could properly look at his lover, cupping his face and hoping that everything he was feeling was in his eyes. "Would it hurt you? Shorten your life?" he asked.
"No, the ceremony asks for a sacrifice, I would sacrifice my surname to give you the extra time, we would promise for the exchange that our bond would not be broken, but aside from that, no. As long as we both go into the bond truly loving each other, and wanting to share everything," Harry explained, looking less nervous as he sank into Gibbs' hold.
"You would be ok, giving up your name?" Gibbs asked.
"For a full lifetime with you, it isn't even a thought," Harry laughed a little wetly.
"I have been thinking it is unfair I have only gotten to have you now, when I am getting older, and I have been thinking about our age difference, that I didn't want to leave you, I don't want you to be alone without my love," Gibbs stroked his hand gently through Harry's hair. "Getting to spend my life with you, the gift of more time with you, of a bond that…"
"What is it?" Harry tilted his head.
"I am not scared to bind myself to you for the rest of our lives, the thought that we will always be bound together, that neither of us has to worry about the other walking away after everything that we have been through in our lives, that you won't walk away from me…no that sounds possessive, that isn't right," Gibbs shook his head frowning.
"I am listening," Harry assured him, wrapping his arms around Gibbs' shoulder.
"I have longed for a love that even when I am at my worst will endure, you have seen me at my worst, you have seen me at my ugliest, you have seen all of me, as I am, and you are willing to bind yourself to me, permanently, offering me a sure future, offering me a longer future to get to share with you, getting to love each other for longer, be happier for longer, Merlin Harry how could I not want that?!" Gibbs said.
Harry laughed wetly at the exclamation and the words as tears started falling from his green eyes while he pressed his lips to Gibbs' over and over, joy sweeping through him making him feel lightheaded and overjoyed with complete and utter happiness.
"Jethro, if this is your weird way of telling me you want me out of the house you've done it wrong, your bags are packed as well," Harry called casually as he walked through the house.
"You didn't tell him anything?" he heard Tony hissing panicked.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist, mum won't be mad at you for this if he's not happy," He heard Jethro saying amused with the sound of a gentle head slap coming from the kitchen.
"What are you two plotting?" Harry asked before stopping wide eyed as he stepped into the kitchen. "What…."
He stared at the demolition that had happened since he had left the house that morning.
"We're moving back into Duck's for a week while the new kitchen is put in," Gibbs said, sliding his mask from his dusty face and setting his sledgehammer aside.
"I thought you knew!" Tony held his hands up quickly, not even blinking when he was head slapped again.
"It wouldn't be a surprise if he knew DiNozzo!" The drawl had Harry blinking even more and turned to see Draco strolling in.
"What?" he asked, utterly confused now.
"Jethro wrote to me to ask for some advice, they are taking the kitchen and that wall out the muggle way because I would bring the house down using magic, and then we have magical contractors coming in to expand the place, and then your new kitchen will be fitted," Draco explained.
"But… Why?" Harry blinked.
"Come on DiNozzo you said you would show me where they apparently make the best Gelato in DC," Draco snagged Tony's sleeve and started pulling him from the house, the two of them pausing to kiss Harry's cheek before hurrying out.
Harry blinked green eyes after them and then turned back to Jethro who was standing in dusty old worn jeans and an old NIS shirt, old boots on his feet where they were crossed over each other as he leaned his hip against one of the half demolished counters.
"Harry?" Gibbs asked amused, making Harry realise he had said something prior.
"Sorry, my brain stopped for a moment then, you're looking too sexy," Harry admitted, taking a step forward.
"No, you're only in sandals you'll hurt yourself," Jethro hurried across the room and wrapped an arm around his waist, tugging him into the living room.
"Kitchen, demolished, Draco, Tony, explain?" Harry blinked up at him, the scent of dust, sweat and pure Jethro not helping his senses.
As though knowing this Gibbs let out a deep chuckle, that rumbling one that went through Harry like electricity and drove him mad. He surrendered easily to the kiss being pressed to his lips as Gibbs' arms tightened around his waist and he tilted him back slightly. He groaned into Gibbs' mouth when Gibbs cupped the back of his head and squeezed his neck as he deepened the kiss.
"Jethro, my kitchen," Harry muttered against his mouth, making the older man laugh.
"I want to make it better. You love cooking and making things for everyone in there, and it was functional, but I want it to be your dream, so I got your favourites together, and we're knocking it out, and then you're going to pick exactly what you want," Gibbs murmured.
"Jethro," Harry pulled back wide eyed.
"I want it to be everything that you have dreamt of, it is a place that makes you happy, I want it to be perfect for you," Gibbs smiled. "Seeing you in here cooking for the others, it wasn't quite right, and a lick of paint wouldn't do that,"
"You didn't have to," Harry shook his head.
"I know I didn't, and that is why I want to. This place going to be ours, our home, and that includes things like this. I want your main areas to scream you, and for me to be able to walk into them even when you're not here and feel you," Gibbs smiled.
"I love you," Harry swept his arms around Gibbs' shoulders and hopped up so his legs were around the other man's waist, scattering kisses over his face. "The boys?" Harry asked parting.
"DiNozzo would melt hearing you calling him that," Gibbs grinned as he rested his hands on Harry's arse. "This is an important room to you, I wanted to work on it with people really important to you. Plus, I think it is helping Draco adjust to the fact you're moving here, getting to be a part of it, I asked if he could stick behind to help with it the day before they were due to leave,"
"Thank you," Harry said with feeling cupping Gibbs' face.
"Anything for you," Gibbs sighed drawing the other into another kiss, this man had changed his whole world around and acted as though Gibbs were the gift in their relationship.
"Draco?" Gibbs was on his feet in a second when he saw the blond man running towards his desk.
"Harry has been hurt," Draco said before bursting into tears.
"Where is he?" Gibbs said firmly but gently to the distraught man as he wrapped his arm around his shoulders.
"Hospital, one of our hospitals," Draco managed to say.
"Get Duck up here now, DiNozzo, you're coming as well, Ziva, Tim hold the fort," Gibbs said as Ziva raced off.
"Gibbs?" Vance hurried down the stairs.
"Harry has…Harry has been hurt," Gibbs managed to say.
"You have a ton of leave, it is already authorised for as long as you need," Vance was already nodding.
"Jethro, what has happened?" Ducky raced over still in his autopsy gear, his eyes wide with fear.
"I can take you there," Draco sniffed as Gibbs' hand squeezed his shoulder gently.
"Come on," Gibbs steered Draco, Ducky and Draco to the elevator, all of them pouring in and then the minute the doors were shut he nodded to Draco.
The younger man took his tie off and tapped it muttering a spell.
"It is a portkey, touch it and hold on, it will take us to the hospital, it isn't pleasant," Draco warned.
"Go," Gibbs nodded.
"That was awful!" Tony groaned as he, Gibbs and Ducky got back to their feet after they landed on the tiled floor of what could only be a hospital, magical or not.
"Sorry, I should have warned you to brace your feet," Draco wrung his hands. "Harry is this way," he grabbed Gibbs' sleeve and started tugging them.
"What happened?" Gibbs asked as they hurried through the corridors, not even blinking at some of the magical maladies that they were seeing, their minds so focused on getting to Harry.
"A fanatic from Britain who heard Harry had applied for dual citizenship and was engaged to a muggle, they were on the Light side and thought that Harry should be in Britain, still an auror, with a light witch or wizard and producing more Potters. They came here to force him back, and when he resisted they…they cursed him," Draco gulped.
"Are you Mr Potter's family?" The Healer nearby asked.
"Yes," Gibbs nodded.
"He is stable, he was asking for Jethro before he passed out," The Healer looked them over.
"Me, I am Jethro," Gibbs said numbly holding up his hand.
"He is in a healing sleep, the curse was nasty and got a bit of a grip on him before he got here, but we managed to get it before it did any damage. He has taken a dreamless sleep potion and will be out for the next six hours. Once he is awake he should be all healed, and aside from some pain, he will be fine," the Healer smiled.
"Can we see him?" Gibbs asked.
"Of course, considering who he is we set him up in a private room," The Healer motioned to the room, and they all hurried in.
Gibbs felt his breath catch in his chest as he took in his fiance, his lover, lying far too still and small on the bed. He knew Harry was a good bit smaller than him, he definitely knew it when he had Harry in his arms or was making love to him, but Harry had such a big personality that he never seemed this small. Seeing him like this made Gibbs' heart clench painfully, he was still, too still, and even though he could see Harry's chest falling and rising he had to reach out and feel his pulse, closing his eyes when he could feel it thumping steadily under his hand.
"He will be ok," Ducky rested his hand on Gibbs' shoulder.
"I should be comforting you, he is your nephew," Gibbs muttered without opening his eyes.
"And you are deeply in love with him," Gibbs opened steel blue eyes to meet Ducky's understanding ones.
"I am not panicking, or going to run," Gibbs promised.
"Good," Ducky breathed out, moving to the other side of the bed.
"I would hunt you down and make your life hell if you did that," Draco glowered at Gibbs who managed a small smile.
"Thought you thought I was bad for Harry," he teased.
"You are, but you're who he has chosen, so no running," Draco narrowed his eyes.
"No running, I am not going anywhere from his side," Gibbs nodded looking back down to Harry, his heart squeezing as he looked at his too pale face again.
"He's too stubborn to die," Draco muttered, "He's already escaped death twice, it's not going to take him easily,"
"Twice?" Gibbs blinked.
"What do you mean escaped?" Ducky blinked.
"Take him?" Tony stammered.
"He didn't tell you?" Draco looked at them and then sighed. "Of course he didn't, he didn't tell you how he defeated Voldemort?"
"No, just that he did," Gibbs nodded.
"The Killing Curse is one of the few curses in our world that is nearly impossible to avoid, you can dodge out the way, but no shield can block it, and there are only a few things like transfiguring a wall in front of you that can block it. If it hits you, that is it. Harry was hit with it when he was a baby, that is what caused the lightning bolt scar and the bond between him and Voldemort. Lily Potter was able to cast ancient, old magic and protected him, he survived being killed that night,"
Gibbs reached out and moved Harry's hair out of the way to run his thumb along the scar on his forehead, Harry had told him this part, how he had survived that night because of his mother's love, how it had created the bond. Thinking about baby Harry facing such a thing, what he had gone through always made Gibbs wish he could go back in time and protect him.
"When he defeated the Dark Lord, he realised that on that night Voldemort had left part of his soul accidentally in Harry. It is called a Horcrux, it is the darkest magic, you spilt your soul with murder and store the soul pieces away so that you can not be killed. It is a form of immortality, a disgusting one, carving your soul apart to achieve it, it causes madness. Voldemort did it accidentally, he had planned on making a Horcrux, but not making Harry one. Harry found out that the only way for him to be able to defeat Voldemort was for him to die, and it had to be at Voldemort's hands,"
"No!" Gibbs grabbed Harry's hand, realising where this was going.
"He walked in front of him, not knowing that he would be able to come back, and he sacrificed himself so that Voldemort could be defeated. None of us know what happened, not really, he won't talk about it, but he walked with Death and came back. He defeated Voldemort right after. He isn't someone that is easy to kill," Draco said softly.
"No…it seems as though he is not," Ducky said softly staring at his nephew with a whole new understanding.
"Jet…Jeth…" The coughing had Gibbs standing right away as Harry moved on the bed.
"Right here, I am right here Sweetheart," Gibbs said softly combing Harry's hair back from his face and then stroking his hand down his face.
"Ugh," Harry grimaced before opening his eyes and looking around confused
"You were attacked, you were brought to the hospital to be healed, they said you're ok, everything is healed now, you're just going to feel sore for a few days I am afraid," Gibbs explained when confused green eyes turned to him.
"Sorry," Harry frowned.
"You have nothing to apologise for, especially not for being attacked. You're alright, it's going to be alright," Gibbs promised kissing his cheek.
"Help me sit up?" Harry asked with a sigh.
"Harry!" Tony and Draco were on their feet as they felt him moving on the bed, lifting their heads from where they had been sleeping with them resting on Harry's bed.
"Harry my boy," Ducky smiled seeing him awake.
"Sorry for worrying you all," he said quietly.
"None of that, how are you feeling?" Ducky asked.
"Do you need anything?" Tony asked already standing and wiggling in place like an eager puppy.
"Could you get me some water, Tony?" Harry asked.
"I can do that!" Tony nodded before hurrying from the room.
"I am feeling alright, just sore," Harry groaned.
"Dark cutting curse," Draco explained when Harry looked at him.
"Better not leave another scar." Harry huffed.
"The Healer said you were fully healed," Gibbs shook his head as Harry settled back against the pillows with a small grimace.
"Was it Hestia Jones? I remember hearing her shrieking about how disappointed Dumbledore would be and then it went black," Harry frowned reaching out for Gibbs' hand and squeezing it when the older man took it and linked their fingers together.
"She thought you should be in Britain as an Auror, married to some light witch or wizard," Draco scowled.
"Ugh, I do so love when people tell me what I should and shouldn't be doing with my life," Harry huffed.
"Here we go, and the Healer said that when you're ready to go, just head out," Tony said coming in with a glass of water. Harry quickly drained it and then looked at Draco.
"Oh alright," Draco huffed tapping his tie and performing the portkey spell again.
"Are you really ok to go right now?" Tony asked concerned.
"He will just apparate if we don't take him," Draco huffed.
"I just want to go home," Harry groaned.
"Alright," Draco nodded and held the tie out for them all to take, the three muggles grimacing at the feeling of them taking off again.
"Straight to bed," Gibbs shook his head, sweeping Harry from his feet when he went to walk through to the almost finished kitchen.
"Jethro I am fine, I can…" Harry protested as Gibbs walked up the stairs, the other three following.
"No, absolutely not, I didn't protest you leaving the hospital, but you will rest," Gibbs said firmly walking into their bedroom and placing Harry carefully on the bed. "For me," he added running his fingers through Harry's long hair.
"That is cheating," Harry sighed but dropped back on the pillows. "Draco can you at least shift my own pyjamas onto me instead of these hospital ones please," he grimaced.
"Done," Draco flicked his wand as Gibbs pulled the duvet over Harry. "This is the first time he has actually agreed to rest, maybe you are worth keeping around,"
"He's worth keeping around for more than that," Harry said settling down and then snorted at the expressions of the four men's faces. "I wasn't talking about sex! Or just sex anyway," he laughed.
"Right well, I will go and get you something to eat and drink!" Tony squeaked racing from the room and avoiding Gibbs' eye.
"Poor boy is terrified," Ducky chuckled ambling after him.
"You head slap him too much!" Harry glared at Gibbs.
"Don't pander to the children," Gibbs grinned watching Draco huff and stomp out muttering about getting potions for Harry.
"I am sorry I scared you," Harry said softly to Gibbs as soon as Draco was down the stairs.
"It isn't your fault, not like you were even doing something dangerous, just shopping," Gibbs shook his head sitting down on the bed at Harry's hip and stroked his face gently.
"Still, I am sorry you went through that," Harry cupped his hand and held it to his face, his green eyes full of understanding.
"Seeing you lying there, too pale and too still was scary, not going to lie, I am just happy you're alright and here with me," Gibbs said leaning forward to gently kiss Harry.
"What is it?" Harry asked stroking over Gibbs' face, his thumb sweeping over the small frown marks.
"Draco told us what happened for you to defeat Voldemort, that you had to…had to die," Gibbs admitted.
"Of course he did, he can't keep a secretary for anything," Harry snorted.
"Did you really die?" Gibbs asked softly.
"Yeah, I went to…the between place I guess it would be called. The piece of Voldemort was there, it was like a little shrivelled baby, so broken and damaged," Harry frowned, and Gibbs realised with a jolt from what Draco said, he was probably the first person Harry was telling about this.
He took Harry's hand in his and squeezed it gently, encouragingly.
"Dumbledore was there, or at least I think it was him, either him or Death posing as him. They gave me a choice, I could pass on and Voldemort could still be defeated by someone else now, and I could…rest," Harry looked a million miles away as he spoke, and Gibbs felt his heart clenching, thinking of never having met Harry if he had made that choice. "Or, I could come back and fight, and I could try and defeat him myself. They said…they said that if I did manage to defeat him, there was happiness for me, in my future, that I could find the happiness I had been longing for,"
Gibbs clenched their hands when warm green eyes drifted onto him.
"Does it sound horrifically cheesy if I say I think that this, our life, you, is that happiness that they promised me?" Harry asked softly.
"No, because I feel the same way every day, that you, our life, is some sort of…gift for everything that I have been through," Gibbs rested their foreheads together closing his eyes. Harry reached up and pressed gentle fingers to his cheeks as he absorbed the presence of the other man, his warmth and his presence surrounding Harry.
"I love you," Harry smiled.
"I love you too, with all my heart," Gibbs smiled, leaning down to press their lips together.
Harry smiled to himself as he looked around the room. Abby, Draco, Ziva, Tony, Tim and Jimmy were on the bed with him, all of them crammed onto the space and laughing and talking, as he watched Tim squawked as a movement from Ziva nearly knocked him off of the bed, Gibbs reached out and quickly steadied up and pressed him back into place. Gibbs, Fornell and Ducky were sitting on chairs Gibbs had brought up around the bed, all of them refusing to cram themselves onto the precariously overburdened bed.
They were all talking and laughing, all of them settling after the fright that they had had with Harry's attack, take away was spread over the room, though they had all repeatedly said it wasn't as good as getting to eat Harry's food, something that they had all assured him of at least twice, even Gibbs, much to his amusement.
"Right Fornell, with me," Gibbs said standing.
"Where are we going, I am comfy," Tobius grumbled.
"Harry and I are going to be getting married soon," Gibbs said, and rolled his eyes at the squeaks and shouts of excitement from around the room.
"Do I get a say in this?" Harry asked amused.
"Yes, you can say I do, or whatever we say, to spending the rest of our lives together," Gibbs said gruffly leaning down and capturing Harry's chin, pressing a deep and hungry kiss to his lips that had him grinning and melting into the other in a second.
"What do you need to speak to me about?" Fornell asked confused when they parted.
"Because we're going to be doing it in the way of Harry's people, and you need to be aware of it if you're going to attend," Gibbs straightened.
"The English do it so differently?" Fornell asked confused as he was tugged to his feet by Gibbs. "Alright, alright I am moving!"
"Draco going to need your help," Gibbs waved the blond with them.
"What the fuck is going on," Fornell muttered confused as he was shoved down the stairs.
"You're getting married?!" Tony grinned as soon as they were out of earshot.
"I thought you were waiting a little?" Ducky said a little concerned.
"After everything that happened, he and I both don't want to wait, even though we haven't discussed it," Harry smiled settling back into his pillows.
"Oh, this is going to be so much fun! It is going to be a magical wedding? That is why Fornell is being told?" Abby bounced on the bed.
"A bonding more than a wedding, Jethro and I have talked about it, and we are going to do a rare bonding, it will share my lifespan with him, so it is going be nearly completely magical," Harry said nervously, looking around them when they all stilled.
"Oh…so he will…he will live your life span?" Tony blinked.
"It won't hurt you?" Ziva asked concerned.
"Do you have to give something up?" Ducky frowned.
"Why is it rare?"
"We won't lose Gibbs…" Abby muttered and everyone turned to her and then back to Harry.
"His clock will essentially be set back as though he were 27 though he won't physically deage or anything like that. It won't hurt me at all, I will need to sacrifice something and I have decided on that being my name - it has to be something important to the one giving the other their lifespan and if we were both Wizards my magical inheritances. It is rare because you have to go into it completely in love with each other and willing to make the sacrifice, wanting to share the time together, and because it isn't something that can be broken, this is for life, no divorce,"
Harry waited as all that sank in with them, looking over their faces as they absorbed what he had explained.
"And no, you won't lose him, he's pretty much going to live as long as any of you lot, as long as he doesn't get himself shot, which I am going to work very hard to make sure doesn't happen. But no Abby, you're not going to lose him to old age," Harry smiled softly.
"Thank you," she breathed out wrapping her arms carefully around him and pressing her face into his shoulder as he felt tears soaking his shirt. Carefully he pulled her pigtails out and combed his fingers through her dark hair as she absorbed the fact she wouldn't have to lose another parental figure.
All of them jumped at the loud bang from downstairs that suddenly rattled the almost silent house.
"What the fuck!" Fornell shouted right after.
"You didn't make sure the muggle didn't have a gun!" Draco shouted.
"I thought he was unarmed!" Gibbs shouted back.
"Everyone alive?!" Harry shouted.
"Yes! Don't get out of bed!" Gibbs shouted up the stairs.
"What the fuck was that!" Fornell part shouted and part squeaked.
"Magic you fucking idiot!" Gibbs growled.
"Harry I don't know why you want to keep these muggles!" Draco whined up the stairs.
As Harry squeezed Abby to him while he laughed and listened to Gibbs and Fornell shout at each other and his Uncle Ducky mutter a curse before heading downstairs to break them up, he reckoned that he didn't want to be anywhere else.