Animal Instincts

Chapter X: Time's Passage

The early morning that Tom and Hadrian had sealed their bond; that had been on June 13th of 1997. Several months had now passed since then and it now currently early December; Harry's coming age had been celebrated alone outside of Egypt with Tom on an old property within Italy that had belonged to the Potters at some point in time. The small house was not fit for a family, but it was for someone considered newlyweds while on their honeymoon, of which they were technically.

Tom had taken Harry back to Gringotts later that evening after soothing Nagini about what happened to them, and they signed their marriage license. Also ensuring that all the properties they owned outside of the new house would be magically maintained, repaired, and kept in habitable condition for them if they wanted to travel.

Without needing to buy new house-elves for each one. As they had moved all of them to the new property to settle in. Several of the elves were rather healthy and sound; so Tom and Harry left them to help their fellows recuperate while the rest of the construction was done.

But Harry was ecstatic to be fully married; he had a partner now who loved him as he was, and he had a place for himself that he wanted. Legally, they were Lords Tom Marvolo and Hadrian James Riddle to the rest of the world. They had considered changing their names, but decided against it.

Too much confusion for them.

But the Italy trip was delayed on Tom's part for both their honeymoon and for Harry's seventeenth birthday; both occasions special to the wizard lifestyle. It was lovely trip and had lasted a full week; even if it was for Harry's birthday partially. The couple had spent the daytime hours visiting many historical sites; such as the Colosseum, the Pantheon and the Roman Forum in Rome, the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, The Valley of Temples in Sicily and much more. They shopped at the local markets near the old home they stayed at and then did more of it in Milan than they probably knew what was good for them.

They had once more enjoyed going about and tasting many new foods and drinks; both of them liked it as Harry had been starved before and Tom had lived off of the orphanage's food and/or the unsuitable rations in the muggle world during WWII. So both of them liked trying food; sometimes too adventurously.

When they returned to the house at night-time; both were glad that the house was isolated from other homes, because that was when they indulged themselves with the other. It was always so romantic, passionate, and intensely untamed; Harry's body simply knowing how to move and to arc with Tom as Tom himself knew instinctually exactly how to make his bonded receive him with the most pleasure imaginable.

They got quite noisy because of that.

They also began to take photographs; after much persuasion and convincing from Harry, of their times spent together for Harry's newest project; a magical scrapbook of their new lives. He wanted to have sentimental reminders of each of their experiences; and to do something similar to the old photo album that had been given to him of his parents.

One of two scrapbooks right now; the first one of the travels they did and the second was decided after Harry was positive he was with child...they began to document his pregnancy through this since natural male pregnancy conceptions were so rare. Harry believed it to be a good idea as it would give him something constructive to do and to help him keep stress down. To take the positives of this life-changing event while not letting the negatives burn through him constantly.

Harry was good at knowing when to back away from his project if it became too much; if he needed space. Especially because once Harry was seven months pregnant; they could no longer travel until some time after the birth.

It would cause too much strain on his body and heighten the chance of a miscarriage; which Tom and Harry wanted to prevent at all costs. Tom knew the thought of losing a child like that...it scared Harry deep down. To be able to feel the new life and the new, small core growing inside him suddenly vanish...it was a nightmare Tom prayed Harry never experienced while beside of him.