The Christmas Star
Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess with sweeping blonde hair and emerald green eyes. Her name was Annalise. She lived in a beautiful castle surrounded by trees, and every year around the middle of November, it was guaranteed to snow. She had always loved the snow. It had a way of coating everything is a crystal blanket of white that made the world feel softer, more magical somehow. The princess was loved dearly by all of the kingdoms subjects. She was kind and pure, and ruled over her people fairly and justly. She had everything anyone could ever hope for, but she was still sad. Despite her beautiful home, her loyal subjects, and parents who would give her the world, she was extremely lonely. Since she was little, her mother had read her stories about adventures of princes from far away lands as they went to rescue the lovely princess from some terrible monster. Inevitably, each of these stories ended with a happily ever after. Night after night she would hear the stories and dream of the day her prince would come and whisk her off her feet. Yet as the years went by, no prince ever came. One night, on the first of December, she was feeling particularly sad. With a heavy heart, she went outside just as the sun was sinking below the far off mountains. She would often do this after the first snow, as looking at her snow covered kingdom helped her feel a bit less sad. When she looked up, a particularly bright star began to shine and twinkle at her. As she leaned on the banister of her balcony, she sighed to herself, wishing with all her heart for her prince to find her. That night she went to sleep, and her dreams were filled with a young man with brown hair and kind blue eyes, smiling up at her as he told her he loved her. She awoke smiling, wishing she could make it real.
After dressing in her favorite gown, the princess decided it would be a lovely day to head into town to go to the market. Being amongst her people had a way of lifting her spirits as nothing else could. As she arrived, it seemed that everyone was excited about something, though she could not tell what it was. As she weaved her way past the various market stalls, she found that the source of the commotion seemed to be around a well at the center of town and a man leaning down to let his horse drink. Who was this mysterious stranger? Ever the curious type, the princess inched her way forward, trying to get a better look at the man. After his horse had enough, the man turned, and the princess could not help her breath from catching. This man was beautiful, with short brown hair, a dazzling smile, and kind blue eyes. If she didn't know any better, she would think this was the man she had been dreaming about.
When the man caught her eye, he smiled and came straight to her. "Are you the lovely princess of this land?" He asked.
The princess smiled and flushed. :"I am Princess Anneliese. My father is the king and I am the only princess for miles around. And you are?"
The man gave a deep bow before replying. "Princess, I have been looking for you for a very long time. Stories of your beauty and kind heart stretch across many lands. I am Prince James. I was starting to believe that I would never find you, but as luck would have it, the Christmas star appeared to me last night like a vision. It led me here to you."
The Christmas star? She had never heard of such a thing, but perhaps that was the star she had seen last night. Was this her wish come true? "What is the Christmas star of which you speak?" She asked, hopefully.
The prince came and took her hands in his own, and the princess could not help but smile as he spoke. "Oh my princess, it is a tale as old as time. If one's heart is pure and true, then on the eve of the first of December, the Christmas star shall appear to you and grant your heart's truest desire. And all I have ever wished for was you."
The princess was elated. Then it was true. She had wished on this Christmas star, and it brought her true love to her. She wasted no time, and brought the prince straight to the castle. When they relayed the story, her parents were overjoyed. The princess had found her true love at last. Not long later there was a beautiful wedding, with all of the people from the many kingdoms all around in attendance. No one wanted to miss the magical wedding, made possible by the Christmas star. As they kissed, the stars above them twinkled brightly. And so they lived happily ever after.
Draco Malfoy was not a sentimental person. He did not hold on to old toys or letters. He rarely experienced nostalgia for places or things from his past. The life he lived taught him that what is important is the here and now. Which is why it was not hard for him today to go through the attic above his old bedroom in the manor and get rid of nearly everything. True, there were some toys and clothes he would keep on the off chance that he and Harry decided to adopt children, but none of the rest had memories attached to it that made him unable to part with it. The one exception was this book, The Christmas Star. For as long as he could remember, it had been his favorite fairy tale growing up. As winter neared, Mother would tuck him in bed tight, pull up a chair, and read him this story. Father had thought it was childish, especially as he got older. It was a story meant for girls, he used to say. Thankfully, Mother had never listened. As Christmas approached, she would read the story sometimes twice a week, and always ended it by tell him to keep his heart pure and true so that, one day, the Christmas star may just appear and give him what his heart desired most.
It had been three years since she died, and Draco was still not over the shock. After the war ended, part of him believed that the pain would end too. That was childish of course. Pain is simply a part of life. Everyone has to die, he just didn't expect his mother to go so quickly. About six years after the war, she got extremely sick. The healers couldn't pinpoint what it was. Her health deteriorated quickly, and on the tenth of November, just six months after she got sick, she passed away. It happened while she was asleep, and they said she experienced no pain. That was good he supposed, but life had not been the same since. Thank Merlin he had Harry.
The only good thing that came out of the war was him. After Harry saved Draco's life, they slowly formed an uneasy truce. Occasionally they would run into each other in town and would grab a drink. At the annual battle of Hogwarts memorial celebration, they would gravitate toward each other, if only to avoid the crowds. After a couple of years of this, the truce had grown into an uneasy friendship. They began making plans to meet up for coffee or lunch, since the ministry was just a small ways from Gringotts where Draco worked, so it was easy to see each other. Together they would go to Quidditch matches or parties, and slowly they became friends with each others friends as well. A couple of years after that, they kissed at a New Year's celebration thrown at the Weasley's. Draci had been completely pissed, and when the clock struck midnight, Harry grabbed him around the waist and crashed their lips together. No one had been surprised except for he and Harry. A year later, they were unequivocally in love with each other. It had been easier than falling. He only wished he had seen it years sooner. Then maybe they could have avoided a lot of pain and suffering in school. Regardless, they had each other now, and that was really all that mattered.
When Mother died, Harry was right there with Draco. Draco did what he did best, and tried to push Harry away. Harry wouldn't let him. Eventually, Draco broke down. Harry held him tight and ran his fingers through Draco's hair, telling him it would be alright one day. And, of course, it had been. Not long later, they got a flat together. Draco couldn't handle the silence of the Manor, and he certainly couldn't be around his father, and Harry was more than happy to live together. It had been awkward at first, but they quickly settled into a happy routine and now he couldn't imagine it any other way.
So now here he was, finally clearing out the last of his things from the manor, and trying his best not to cry as he read the silly little fairy tale for the third time that day. "I wonder if the Christmas star would have let me keep you Mother."
Just then, Harry came into the room with another set of boxes. "Did you say something love?"
Draco looked up at him, and smiled. Harry's glasses were askew and his hair was even more of a disaster than usual, and it led Draco to just love him all the more. "No, nothing important. Come here. I want to show you something."
Harry set the boxes down, and sat next to Draco on the emerald green settee he had been sitting on to go through his things. As Harry picked up the book and flipped through the pages, he smiled more with each page. "This book is incredible. I've never seen illustrations this realistic or that move like this. Was this yours growing up?" Harry asked, not looking away from the final illustration of the prince and princess dancing and spinning beneath a starry sky.
Draco couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, it was my favorite. Sometimes I forget that you grew up with muggle books whose pictures don't move. Mother used to read it to me around Christmas and tell me if I was good I would be able to get my Christmas wish too. Silly, I know."
"No, not at all. I think it's quite sweet." Harry said, face honest and smiling.
"Well, regardless, I don't have nearly pure enough a heart for any wishing star to appear for me." Draco said, not sure if he was more kidding or more disappointed.
Harry just smiled, a small twinkle in his eye. "I don't know Draco, you can never be sure with these things. Before you know it you could get everything you ever wanted." And with that, Harry kissed Draco on the cheek and stood to leave. "I'm going to floo these last few boxes back home, did you need my help with anything else?"
Draco smiled as he caught his boyfriend around the waist, and pressed their lips together. "No, I've got the rest. I will be right behind you."
"Alright. In that case I'll get started on dinner." Harry smiled and kissed him one last time. "Love you."
"Love you too." Draco said, and Harry took his leave.
Despite being sad over the memory of Mother, Draco was certain he had never been happier in his life than he was with Harry. Even after all this time, even just a short brush of lips and the feel of Harry in his arms was enough to light Draco's skin on fire and send a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering through his stomach. Harry had changed him, made him the best version of himself. They fit together, and Draco was certain there was nothing else he could ever imagine his life being than this. He and Harry, together forever. If only he had the courage to ask him to marry him. Draco may have changed, but at his heart was still the desire for self preservation and avoidance of rejection. But they had been together four years, and Draco was beginning to feel like there was one last step he needed to take.
With this on his mind, he wandered out onto the patio and looked out at the snow covered garden he had always loved. Mother had put so much love and care into the garden, it honestly felt alive with her spirit. He hadn't been able to go down there since she died, but he often would stand here and stare down at it. Even from afar he could see her favorite flowers. She had designed them herself. They were pale lilac roses that were enchanted to have the edges of all their petals shine silver, as if dipped in metal. They were gorgeous, year round. When he inevitably sold the manor one day, he would ensure he brought at least one of those rose bushes to wherever he and Harry settled. They would be a welcome addition to any home, even if he didn't have the patience to care for a full garden.
Gazing out over the garden, he noticed the sun was already beginning to set. He and Harry had gotten here at noon, and yet the day was already over. It was the first of December, and the days were getting shorter and shorter. As Draco pulled his coat around him a bit tighter to fight the chill, he happened to look up. There, right in the very middle of the sky, was a star shining brilliantly back at him. The star was brighter than any he had ever seen and seemed like it was blinking right at him. Suddenly he remembered his story. It couldn't be, could it?
Draco laughed at himself. Of course it couldn't be. That was just a story. There was no such thing as the Christmas star who granted wishes for the pure of heart. Yet, what could it hurt to make a wish?
Draco closed his eyes tight and let his heart fill with all of the love and adoration he had for Harry. He let himself picture the life they could have together. He let himself imagine them living in a home of their own, with two children and perhaps a dog, since Harry was so fond of them. He pictured birthdays and Christmas mornings, letters from Hogwarts and quidditch games. He imagined growing old with the love of his life by his side, and knowing when his time finally came that he would have lived the life he once though he didn't deserve. He would see Mother again and tell her happily of the life he had lived. Thinking of this, his wish was clear.
"Oh Christmas star, I feel silly wishing on you but here I am doing it anyways. Harry is the love of my life. I want to spend forever with him. Please give me the courage to make him mine forever." Draco let his wish carry on the cold night air as the very last beams of light faded from the sky and the rest of the stars began to blink into view.
With renewed hope and spirit, he gathered up his last box of things, with The Christmas Star at the very top, and headed for the floo. His mind was made up. Before the end of the year, he was going to ask Harry to be his husband.