Harry leant out of the tree, a light dusting of snow falling on his head as he did.
The snow was pretty; it couldn't hide Harry's memories though. Not the ones of his friends dying on the grounds - fellow classmates he had seen but never spoken to, mates, brothers, their relation to Harry never made much difference. Sure he grieved more for Remus, Tonks, Fred and those closer to him, but the people he hadn't known were some of the ones he saw in his suffocating nightmares.
No the snow didn't hide the memories, but it helped.
It was early Christmas morning - about four hours before sun up - and Harry should have been tucked up in his bed dreaming of sugar mice or cauldron cakes, but he hadn't slept in nearly a week. Nightmare after nightmare swam through his sleeping head and not even the thoughts of Christmas and family could keep them out.
He snorted bitterly. Family? What family? Teddy Lupin was with Andromeda in Italy, where the poor woman had went to escape the memories and a post-war world. Ron and Hermione were engaged, both far too interested in their first Christmas together to think about their best mate. The Burrow was out of the question for Christmas, where the chair that Fred had always sat in made Mrs Weasley cry every time she seen it. Nobody would move it from the kitchen. Sirius and Remus were gone - he had no one.
There was a tearful sniff from below but Harry was in no mood to pander to some poor idiot's childish sadness. He sighed in defeat as that somebody began to climb his tree; he'd have to listen now.
"Potter?" exclaimed the voice - rather hoarsely - and Harry turned to meet the glistening eyes of Draco Malfoy.
Harry stared in disbelief at Draco's snotty face and puffy eyes - was this really the Draco Malfoy he had thought Draco was? Was this really the emotionless, prejudiced, vain git he had hexed on numerous occasions and mentally undressed once or twice? He shook the thought from him head. Being gay had nearly robbed him of the Weasleys, there was no chance he would try anything with a Malfoy to lose their friendship - it wasn't like Malfoy was gay anyway.
"Are you all right, Malfoy?" he asked cautiously. They hadn't rowed since school had started and Harry had put aside all bad feelings towards Draco after the war and had worked past his prejudice vouching for the Malfoys during their trials, but you could never be too certain with a Malfoy. He didn't know where he stood with the shivering boy before him.
Malfoy snorted. "All right? Of course not. Malfoys don't cry, do they? Malfoys aren't afraid of anything, are they? Malfoys follow their father's rules, don't they?" His voice grew in pitch until he sounded downright hysterical.
Harry cautiously reached out a hand to touch Draco lightly on the forearm. Draco didn't notice intent on finishing his speech and confession to Harry Potter if it killed him.
"Malfoys don't smile, or laugh, or show any emotion. Malfoys mustn't trip, or fall, or fail in any way. Malfoys must use any means to meet their goals. Malfoys don't want to be friends with Gryffindors. Malfoys aren't BLOODY GAY!"
Harry flinched slightly at the final two confessions. Malfoy was gay, just like him.
Draco laughed bitterly as he saw Harry's reaction to his news. "Does it disgust you too, Potter? You're probably terrified to be up a tree alone with me. Afraid I'll jump you?"
His answering laugh was bitter too. "Disgust me?" he asked Draco, sneering slightly. "I'm bloody bent myself, Malfoy. I've dealt with enough revulsion."
Draco stared for a moment and snorted again. "Typical. You save the bloody world and they can't get over the fact you men."
He couldn't help but to stare at Draco. Was he actually sticking up for him?
Draco seemed to sense his confusion. "Oh grow up, Potter. We aren't eleven anymore, I've changed my attitude and you aren't the stupidly naive kid you used to be."
He laughed, "The war would do that to you." Draco nodded his head in sad agreement.
"So you're really gay, Ha-Potter?"
"Only as gay as you are, Malfoy." Harry noticed Draco's slip of the tongue, he didn't comment on it. "So why are you so upset?"
Draco stiffened, but sighed and rubbed irritably at his eyes. "My crying will be all over the school tomorrow, I might as well give you a reason to tell them. I just got a letter from my father telling me he found out about my 'disgusting sexual endeavours' and that he was disowning me."
Harry forgot his resolve to keep from touching Malfoy. He dragged the thinner boy into a rough embrace and rocked them slightly, taking care not to fall out of the tree.
"Shush," he said soothingly. "I'm here now. It'll all be fine." Harry wasn't sure exactly what he was saying; he only knew he wanted Draco's tears to stop and to wrench a smile from the boy.
The smaller boy tensed as Harry took him in his arms, but it felt so good. Harry was so warm and Draco felt safe there. He practically melted into Harry's grip and sobbed out his sadness on the other boy's shoulder.
Harry? Since when did he think of him as anything other than Potter?
Draco? When had Harry ever thought anything other than Malfoy?
They split rather awkwardly. What do you say to your ex-nemesis after comforting them with a hug? After cradling him in your arms?
"Thanks Harry."
His name out of Draco's mouth sent a rather startling burst of affection sweeping through his chest. "Any time, Draco."
He placed the palm of his hand on Draco's cheek and looked the suddenly bashful boy in the eyes. It wasn't much - merely an acknowledgement of their feelings towards one another - but it was enough. It was enough to subdue the raging storm inside Draco so that he could sleep without drowning in his tears; enough that Harry felt calm for the first time in a long time, calm enough to sleep without dreaming of the war.
"It's Christmas morning," Harry said finally after a moment of silence.
Smiling, Draco nodded. "Fancy spending it together?" He almost kicked himself as the invitation left his mouth. Harry Potter was only there because he pitied him, because he knew what Draco was going through. "Never mind. Yo-you don't have to answer that."
Harry brought his other hand up so that he was cupping Draco's face between his palms. "I'd love to." It was too intimate, too impulsive, Draco couldn't bear to look into Harry's eyes another minute. He pulled back, falling from the tree with the suddenness of the act.
The last thing he remembered was Harry yelling out, "DRACO!" Then there was black.
~O~
Harry carried Draco through the abandoned halls of Hogwarts, his breath sobbing through his parted lips.
He wasn't moving and he was so much paler. The huge lump on the back of his head had scared him and Harry could barely think with the worry clouding his mind.
"Madam Pomfrey!" his voice was loud in the quiet confines of the Infirmary.
"Mr Potter! What is the meaning of this racket? Oh!" The healer scampered over in her pyjamas, levitating Draco onto the bed and running checks over him. "What happened, Potter?" she asked as she worked, one eye on Draco the other on Harry.
"We were down by the lake and he fell out of one of the trees." Harry couldn't very well tell her of the affection that had almost made his close the space between him and Draco for a kiss, or the answering tenderness in the grey eyes.
Her eyes caught Harry in a suspicious glare but she continued her healing without another word.
~O~
It wasn't until twelve o'clock that Draco awoke.
He sat up and glared at Harry. "You couldn't have grabbed me before I fell out of the tree, no?"
Suppressing a laugh at the dirty look he was being thrown, Harry pulled Draco into a hug.
That was how Madam Pomfrey found them; hugging like best friends and swaying slightly like lovers. Not that she would have ever thought, her subconscious supplied the six-letter word for her.
Their Christmas wasn't much, but it was enough.
No Draco and Harry didn't spend a normal Christmas together – cold turkey and ham on a hospital bed wasn't generally the norm – but they both agreed it was the best Christmas they had ever had.
A/N: Just a quick Drarry I wrote!
Hope everyone is having a great day!
I've written this on my new laptop, Santy got it for me! ;D
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!
~ShazzaBlack...x