Snow covered the grounds, turning all of Hogwarts glittering white. The sun slipped from behind a wispy cloud and struck the ice-covered lake, making it seem almost illuminated from within. Harry watched its beauty with indifference as he stood knee-deep in the snow. This would be the first Christmas without the shadow of Voldemort to cover the world.
The wizarding world rejoiced in its freedom, and Harry was left on his own to mourn those he'd lost. Sirius, Remus, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore—they were all gone. The little family he'd found to surround himself with was lost to him forever. He was alone.
Harry sighed and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. It had been seven months since the final battle, and still the pain was as strong as the night he'd lost them all. Spending the holidays alone at the castle seemed only to intensify his suffering. He'd been invited to the Burrow, of course, but three weeks with the Weasleys would only reopen the wound. Solitude was his best option these days.
"Hey, Potter!" the familiar voice echoed across the empty grounds. Malfoy. Harry turned slowly and watched the blonde make his way through the deep snow to the edge of the lake. "You do pick the oddest places to wander off to, don't you?
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry said flatly. He wasn't in the mood for the blonde's nonsense.
"I was bored and I saw you out here. Thought I'd join you," Draco explained simply. Harry grunted in acknowledgment. They stood in silence for a few moments before Draco's attention shifted. "This is boring."
"Then go somewhere else."
"You're in a right foul mood, Potter. What's wrong?"
"Piss off, Malfoy. It's nothing that concerns you."
"And yet I'm concerned. Spill."
"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" Harry screamed, shoving the blonde away from him. Draco remained calm as he looked at Harry, letting him vent his anger. "All I want is to be left alone! But the fucking world can't handle that, can they?! It's my fault they're gone. My fault! Everyone is fucking celebrating, but what about me? How am I supposed to celebrate when everyone who ever cared about me is dead?!"
Harry dropped to his knees in the snow, hot tears streaming down his cheeks. Draco kneeled beside him, rubbing calming patterns into Harry's back. The Gryffindor's shoulders shook as he sobbed.
"I know how you feel, Harry," he whispered. "I lost my family. Yeah, my parents were Death Eaters, but they were my parents. And I loved them. You're not alone in this. I understand." Harry looked up at the Slytherin, tears rolling softly down his face. Draco wiped them away, cradling Harry's face in his hands. Their eyes met, and Draco noticed for the first time how green Harry's eyes were. Snowflakes were caught in the brunette's eyelashes. Draco pressed his lips against them, kissing away the snow and tears.
Harry held very still, unsure of what was happening. Draco's hands against his skin were cold, but his lips were warm and soft. Harry breathed deeply, savoring the scent of vanilla and sandalwood and something he couldn't quite place—something undeniably Draco. The blonde pulled back, looking into Harry's eyes again. Tentatively, he moved forward, his eyes closing as he pressed his lips against the Gryffindor's. Harry froze as Draco's lips moved slowly, gently against his own. This was so far from anything he could have expected. Why was Malfoy kissing him?
As Draco's hands threaded themselves into Harry's untidy hair, the brunette decided he didn't care why Malfoy was kissing him—so long as he didn't stop. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's neck and let himself melt into Draco's arms. The snow fell softly around them and for a moment or two, Harry didn't have to think about what he'd lost during the war. Instead, he thought of what he had gained and what he would give to keep Draco in his arms forever.