Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I do, however, get the occasional migraine.
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CHRISTMAS STORY
The atonal strains of "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" beat into his head and Draco Malfoy cursed the student who managed to teach the Hogwarts portraits Christmas songs, even as his head throbbed in time with the flickering strings of lights that lined the halls.
He staggered as his stomach rolled and leaned heavily against the wall, swallowing thickly and trying to calm the wave of nausea for just a few more minutes.
He was so close, so close to his dorm and his bed and his thick draperies spelled to block out sound and light. There was a mint-flavored pain potion on the night table. He just had to get there.
Taking another deep breath, he pushed off the wall and stood upright. Keeping his head down so his fringe would shade his eyes, he tried to ignore the music and focus on putting one foot in front of the other.
Normally he had warning before the migraines started and he could get to his quarters before anyone knew he was ill, but this time it came up out of nowhere in the middle of the Great Hall, descending upon him like a storm of nausea and pain.
Again his stomach rolled and Draco raised his head just enough to look for the nearest bathroom. He hated throwing up, but sometimes it took off the pressure of the head ache and he'd rather be sick in the privacy of a bathroom if he had the choice.
The hallway was empty of life, even the caroling knights and wizards had moved into other frames somewhere and Draco was glad to hear them go. His head still rang with the echoes of their songs.
The roiling of his stomach faded so he began walking again, his head down and his hands clenched into fists at his side, letting the bite of his nails pressed into his palm distract him.
"Malfoy!"
He heard his name shouted and the sound hit his head like a hex, sending him half-staggering to his knees as he heard pounding footsteps approach.
"Malf--"
Draco's world was pain. The universe behind his eyes was shot full with bursts of light and he could hear his heart beating like a drum as the pain thumped along. His hands were cold and he could feel them trembling. He pressed his icy fingers to the back of his neck, to his forehead, trying to ease away the pain, trying to pull himself together in front of the one person he never wanted to see him this way.
"Malfoy, are you all right? I've been calling you. Merlin, what's wrong?"
He felt a wave of warmth as the other boy knelt next to him and managed to open his eyes to thin slits. "Leave me alone, Potter. I am fine."
His gaze met warm-- concerned?-- green eyes. Potter's voice was low and soothing as he spoke. ""You're not fine. Let me help you."
Draco wanted to sneer, wanted to laugh at the Gryffindor and his endless need to save the helpless and pathetic, but he just didn't have the energy. His migraine was crashing down the world around him and the window of clarity where he would still be able to get himself to his room was closing.
Using every last bit of energy he had Draco forcefully straightened, going so far a to raise his head and open his eyes, will alone preventing him from flinching at the still-flickering lights.
He felt Potter' hand settle on his shoulder and shrugged it away.
"Look Malfoy, you need help."
Draco gritted his teeth, then regretted it as it sent another twinge of pain through his head. Closing his eyes so he wouldn't get dizzy, he turned to face where he knew the Gryffindor was standing. "I do not need help." He could sense the other boy about to say something and held up his hand. "And if I did, you would be the last person I'd ask."
Opening his eyes again, Draco turned back to start walking to the dorms. Unfortunately the lights and the movement conspired against him and his head swam. He swayed heavily and felt a spinning sickness wash over him as all of the strength fell away from his knees, but before he hit the ground he was caught in strong, sweater-covered arms.
"Looks like you'll have to accept help from me since I'm the only one here."
Draco was too sick to argue, "Just get me to my rooms and then go away, Potter."
Draco felt the brush of Potter's hair against his cheek as the other boy nodded, then Potter adjusted his grip until Draco was leaning heavily against his side with one of the Gryffindor's arms around his shoulder, half guiding him, half holding him up.
Together the unlikely pair traveled down the hall. The worst of the head ache abated for the moment, but Draco was still dizzy, or at least that's what he told himself as he laid his cheek against the warm knit on Potter's shoulder. Potter smelled of cinnamon and something sweet, honey perhaps.
"Are you sniffing me, Malfoy?"
Draco jerked back suddenly, then groaned as the pain and nausea and dizziness came back all at once. The hall swirled blackly around him and the last thing he saw was the deep evergeen of Potter's eyes.
The next time he opened his eyes he was looking up into Potter's face, an unusual situation since he was a few inches taller than the other boy. Draco sat up a little, then froze. He wasn't in the hall any longer, but he wasn't in his bed either.
Turning quickly he took in the red and green draperies and the adolescent boy smells of dirty laundry and BO.
Settling back on the pillow beneath his head he noticed one more thing. The migraine was gone. He opened his eyes one more and looked at Potter inquiringly.
"Sorry. I couldn't get into your dorm so I brought you to mine. It's weird, you're really light. I didn't think I would be able to carry you up here by myself."
Draco felt heat rush to his cheeks and fought the urge to pull up the blanket that had been draped over his chest to cover his face. It was bad enough he fainted and was now blushing in front of his 'object of interest,' he didn't want to look even weaker.
"Sorry, I just-- it's just something I noticed. Um… are you feeling better?"
Draco nodded slowly, biting back a relieved sigh when the movement created no pain or dizziness. Resolved he sat up sharply and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pushing the blanket aside. "Thank you for the unwanted assistance, Potter. I'll be taking my leave now."
He pushed himself up off of the mattress, but as soon as he was upright the room swung around him and he sank back to the mattress, burying his head in his hands.
Draco felt the warm pressure of a hand on his shoulder gently pushing him back down to the pillow.
"Just lay back and rest. My aunt gets head aches like this and the only thing that helps is sleep. I'll stay here and make sure no one bothers you, okay?"
Too sick and dizzy to argue, or even nod in agreement, Draco just tried to ignore the other boy's presence and fall asleep.
He could sense Harry leaning over him, a dark shape in the light that shone through his eyelids. He threw his arm over his eyes, trying to ignore it. Harry moved his arm aside, replacing it with a cool damp cloth and Draco relaxed.
As he fell asleep he thought he felt the warm press of lips against his own, followed by Harry's soft voice.
"Merry Christmas, Draco Malfoy."
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Note: Well, this is my first holiday story, though I suppose it's only loosely related to Christmas. I'm sorry the delays on my other fics have been so long. I am writing, but it's not moving on the way it should. It's a creative constipation, I suppose. Not a lovely image, I'll grant you, but accurate. I want to have the next chapters of MY ANGEL and THE LITTLEST LONGBOTTOM up before the end of the year, or at least by New Year's Day, but this week coming up promises to be very busy and I can't make any guarantees.
So, let me know what you think of this one and if there are any of my stories you guys are really dying to get updates on let me know.
Happy winter holidays!