Harry Christmas Too
((A heads up, I'm probably going to post some quick one shots about this as well on archiveofourown. They'd be a bit more risque here, so if you'd like to read them, follow me over there for that. I'm Darkwyverna there! Hope to see you.))
Harry fidgeted in his jumper. It wasn't that the article was itchy or too tight, it was one of his favorite pieces of clothing. The wool was soft and broken-in in all the right places. No, what made him uncomfortable was the sentiment he was trying to ensure was relayed in his wearing it today. Draco had gotten this for him on their first Christmas, Draco's first Christmas ever, and marked the start of their first true snog.
"Are you ready?" Was called up from below. Harry fidgeted again, there was an edge to Draco's voice, one that made him worried. He had tried to make sure that the man was happy, that they were still together, that Harry was imagining the signs of separation growing between them.
"Says the man who takes three hours to get ready for a five am shift." Harry called back, trying to sound playful instead of annoyed.
"Yet I'm ready before you." Draco called back, coming up the stairs and opening the door. Harry had been about to take the jumper off but he caught Draco's small smirk and stopped. It wasn't the one Draco used to condescend, but the one that formed when he was trying to hide a smile. "I love it."
Harry's eyes grew heavy lidded. Even after being with the man for two years, and being with him for a year and a half, Draco's purr could melt him where he stood.
"I wasn't sure…" He said fingering the hem and breaking eye contact. Draco moved forward, pulling Harry's chin up so they were looking at eachother for just a second. Then he moved in, pressing his lips ever so gently to Harry's. Harry sighed into the kiss, groaning as the blonde curled his fingers back and cupped Harry's jaw fully.
"You've been distant." Draco murmured, his lips brushing Harry's as he spoke.
"So have you." Harry said. Draco shook his head and smiled.
"It'll be fine. I promise." Draco purred again and wrapped his arms low around Harry's waist and pulled him in tight.
"Unless I let you keep moving this forward, then we'll be late to our own party." Harry laughed, nuzzling slightly into Draco's shoulder. He breathed in the scent that was part expensive body lotions and part soft dark musk which was Draco. He inhaled again, noting the slight rise of the musk as Draco pressed kisses to the top of his head and nibbled on the top of his ear.
"It's just friends and family." Draco whispered into his ear.
"Are you ill?" Harry laughed pulling away. He stood up so he was that needed few inches taller than his lover and towered a bit. "Your mother will be here tonight, it's the first time she's come to this place since we've fixed it up."
"Mmm but it's been hours since we've been in bed." Draco hummed against the column of Harry's throat.
"You are insatiable." Harry laughed.
"You know how I get when you wear that jumper." Draco pouted, that playful pout that no one else sees. "I blame you."
"You're shameless." Harry laughed again pushing him back. Draco grinned.
"But you're not in that dark mood any more." Draco said easily sashaying away. "Down stairs, five minutes ago."
"You're a prick." Harry smirked. Draco paused at the door, turned and winked.
"No, but you do love my prick." He whispered and closed the door. Harry laughed and straightened his shirt, recently mussed by Draco's roving hands, and followed his lovely blonde out.
So much of the time nothing was different between them, but now and then, for the last six months or so things had been off. It had started around his birthday, a few weeks before. Draco had started getting agitated and flustered anytime someone mentioned the party. Harry had thought it was because Ron and he had an argument not long before and he wasn't happy to be around him. But they had got on just fine at the party. But these last few months he'd been… stingy. Which was strange for Draco. Normally he was the first to offer to pay for anything, but he'd been offended once when Ron had asked if he was going to get the tab. Ron had seemed amused by that, but Harry had been upset at it.
Actually, thinking back on it, all of their upsets that had set Harry on edge, most of it had been over financial issues. Lately though there had been spats with Ron and an increasing anxiety over not only Christmas but the party and anything that related. And singing. Harry chuckled as he walked down the stairs. So many bad jokes about singing.
"Four calling birds, three french hens." Ron's off key rendition got cut off with an 'omph'.
"Shut it Weasle." Draco snarled and moved passed him.
"Sing a song of sixpence!" Ron hollard after him.
"Muzzle your dog before I install a bark collar on it." Draco told Hermione.
"Now Draco, you of all people…" She said nearly kindly. But there was a teasing note to her voice.
"Draco." The voice was stern but there was a playful note in it as well. Harry smiled.
"Welcome Narcissa." Harry beamed. "I'm sorry I wasn't down stairs when you arrived."
"No worries dear." She grinned, pressing her hand lightly into his as they greeted. Harry gave it a tiny squeeze and she gave a tiny squeeze back. She was a kinder woman than Harry had expected, sweet even when she thought she could be. But she was fiercely protective over Draco, and the first few months had been hell, breaking into her trust. He'd endured every kind of test she could throw at him, and it wasn't until Harry had told him that he could never be part of Draco's life if it would separate him from his family, that Narcissa backed down. Now she was his cheat sheet on what made Draco tick.
"Oh! Is that a canary ornament?" Mavric asked. Draco swung around and snapped a stinging hex straight at his ass.
"Actually it is." Harry put in laughing as Mavric scowled. "It's one that I got for Draco last year."
"And if I didn't love you I would have broken it instead of hiding it in the tree." Draco snarled.
"What is this all about?" Narcissa asked scowling at her son, her own wand sitting openly in her lap. Harry chuckled as the sight of it cowed Draco a bit.
"You didn't tell her?" Ron asked and Draco shot him a look. "Oh that's great, what were you going to tell her later?"
"I was going to ask you to…" Draco snarled and the blushed a strange red color.
"I mean, that's really rather a um… thing." Ron laughed. Hermione cleared her throat.
"I was going to ah…" She said.
"What in Merlin's name are you two on about?" Harry asked.
"Nothing." Hermione, Ron, and Draco answered at the same time. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"What…?" Harry asked, a slight scowl forming on his lips when the wards rang. "Dammit!"
"You can tell people a thousand times that the party is changed to tomorrow, but you start a trend and they will stick to it." Alice laughed. She put a hand in Mavric's back pockets and pulled him against her.
"You're all sickly." George pointed out.
"You're just upset because Angelina stayed home with Fred two point oh." Alice laughed.
"Mav would you please take care of it?" Draco asked, in that sickly saccharin voice that cloyed even Harry. Mavric scowled.
"If you weren't up on the tally I'd hurt you." Mavric scowled, pulling free of his girlfriends grip and going to deal with the people who were once again one day early for Potter and Malfoy's famous Christmas Party. Nothing had measured up to the first year, where a Death Eater had cast an unforgivable curse on Draco, but they always had a good thrill to them.
"What tally?" Narcissa asked, growing more irritable. She turned to her son, and using her best 'Mother's' voice told him, "You will inform me as to what is going on immediately."
"They're both rather long stories…" Draco avoided.
"Now."
"Do let me." Ron grinned and then continued on before Draco could protest. "The Tally is the who saved whose life Tally. Mavric, as you know is Draco's longest partner because Draco saved his life on the first day, and told Draco that when they were even, he would be out of the partnership. Well, Draco saved his life two or three more times before Mavric got in a couple saves of his own."
"A couple saves?" Narcissa asked her face going pale.
"Standard procedure." Harry assured her giving Ron a hard glare.
"Anyway, when Mav here got even and Draco was ready to go partner hunting again Mav just told him that next person who saved someone was the other person's b-."
"House elf!" Hermione interjected. Ron laughed but his laugh fell short when he saw who Mavric was leading in.
"Mum?"
"Sorry we couldn't get one of the presents in the flue, afraid the magics might react." Draco peered out from around the kitchen, his face a mask of pure delight.
"Molly!" Draco called, brushing crumbs off his hands as he walked over to embrace her. She smiled and patted his back rather awkwardly.
"Oh Harry, I see you're wearing the sweater I knitted." She beamed breaking free of Draco and trying to shoot him a covert yet confused glance. Molly could never figure out why Draco was so happy to see her, and no one had the heart to tell her it was because she reigned Ron and Ginny in so well. Harry fingered the hem of his sweater though, and smiled.
When he and Draco had risen for air that first Christmas Harry had been reluctant to leave. He'd wanted to invite Draco but was unwilling to invite him and the drama that would come with it. Draco had thankfully excused himself so Harry could go.
When Harry arrived at the Weasley's wearing the lion shirt Molly had made the oddest face and George had excused himself to laugh uproariously.
It turns out that Draco had noticed the ugly jumpers Harry always wore and asked about it. Ron had told him off handedly over the water cooler. Draco had then formulated the gift. He had commissioned the sweater from Molly. She had asked why and Draco had said it was for a man he was hoping to woo. Draco had then gone to George asking for him to spell it to react to holidays and emotions. George had also asked who it was for and received the same answer. The Weasley's had discussed this and thought that it was a very thoughtful present and had apprised their view of Draco a small bit. When Harry had walked in with the festive lion both Weasley's were taken off guard, but Molly more so than George.
"It is my favorite." Harry replied, wrappy Molly in a hug.
"Very glad dear." She beamed and moved on to pick up Hugo who was pouting a bit. It was his first time coming to the party and six year old Rose wasn't making it easy on him. Rose was sucking up attention wherever she went, acting more like Victoire and Fleur than the rather reserved self or her mother. Something about this group of people brought out her inner starlet.
"Where can I put these?" Percy whined, toting in a small number of presents.
"We aren't exchanging presents tonight." Harry said, confused.
"No, we aren't." Molly agreed and shot Draco a look. Harry frowned. He thought they'd been doing better.
"Dinner." Draco said hastily.
"Catered?" Greg asked.
"No, I made it." Draco said and there was a cheer of rowdy family. Draco rolled his eyes and discreetly flipped off the lot, placing a middle finger to his brown and itching.
"Could have been boos." Harry chuckled, wrapping an arm around Draco and leading him back in.
"I know we're going to eat, but I would love to know what the other story was." Narcissa said rather pointedly. George chuckled.
"That one's on me. You wouldn't know, but when I was still in school, my brother and I made a Canary Cream that temporarily transfigured the consumer into a canary. Well that didn't really fly with the big wigs, too dangerous, and too many potentially unforeseen uses. But I couldn't give up that idea, because Fred and I made it, so I made a candy that made you sing whenever you tried to talk. On one of his cases, Draco had a purified sample thrown on him, hoping that he wouldn't be able to cast through it. But Draco surprised everyone with his rather fabulous singing rendition of a number of spells." George chuckled. "Unfortunately, because it was so pure it didn't wear off right away, he came to me to fix it, but the only real solution was five days of non-stop singing."
"He sang in his sleep that week." Harry groaned. "I wouldn't have minded so much if he wasn't so loud when he sings."
"I can sing quietly." Draco protested, pulling out of Harry's grip to find himself a seat.
"Not while sleeping." Harry laughed.
"There've been a few hiccups along the way, for a few weeks if he accidently said a song title he knew, like 'Teenagers' or any line of a song he would be compelled to sing it." George grinned.
"He finally made an antidote two weeks later." Draco groaned.
"For future cases as Draco seemed to be doing just fine by then." George pointed out.
"And why did no one think that maybe I would like to know about this?" Narcissa asked.
"It was really just more embarrassing than threatening Mother." Draco whined. Harry pinched him on the leg and Draco rolled his eyes. The only thing that Harry couldn't stand was Draco whining, it brought up too many bad memories of their childhood.
"It still would have been nice to not be the only one out of the loop." Narcissa said, it was a complaint that was carefully hidden in dignity. Harry smiled softly.
"We didn't want you to worry. You do worry so much." He offered, and watched as Narcissa slowly smoothed her ruffled feathers.
"Still." She said, but it was clear from her tone that they had gotten off the hook with that one. Harry waited until she had turned her attention to something else to mouth to Ron.
"If you tell her about the Streak I will not be held responsible."
Ron chuckled but crossed his heart discreetly.
Dinner progressed amiably, with Hermione and Molly arguing and eventually warring to do the first round of dishes (which had started when Hermione had kibitzed on patriarchal society and chauvinism, and had somehow spiraled out of control).
Draco and Harry and a few others left the kitchen/dining room area and moved back to the living room where Harry frowned at the presents. He flopped onto his favorite wing back chair scowling.
"Seriously though, what's with these?" He asked Ron. Ron raised an eyebrow at Draco.
"Yeah, mate what's with these?" He asked.
"Weasley." Draco begged. Ron shook his head and looked at his watch. Draco turned another interesting shade of red.
"How about that song you promised me?" Ron asked.
"Now?" Draco complained.
"Can't think of a better time."
"What about after my mother leaves?"
"You owe me Malfoy." Ron said with an evil glint in his eye. Draco growled under his breath and grabbed a snifter of brandy off the mantle, downing a full glass before he turned to face Harry.
"Later." Draco promised. He threw himself down across Harry's lap, refilling the snifter from the decanter. He filled the second glass higher than normal and took a good few gulps before Harry tugged the glass away.
"You'll get drunk." He scowled.
"Might not be a bad thing." Draco muttered, his face pink. "Bloody Weasley's anyway."
"What has gotten into you tonight?" Harry asked, brushing a bit of blonde hair out of the other man's face.
"Nervous." He grumbled.
"About your mother?"
"Oh Merlin, my mother." Draco moaned and placed his free hand in his face. "Do remind me tomorrow to kill Weasley."
"What are you on about?"
"I promise, you'll find out soon, by dessert." Draco said, pressing a kiss to Harry's cheek. Harry frowned, but decided he could let it go a bit longer.
A few more hours passed, and with them Draco drank a bit more, turning slightly pink. When it was time for dessert, he stayed put on Harry's lap while the hungry filed out of the room. All that were left were Ron and Hermione, Mavric and Alice, George and Percy.
"Going to tell me now?" Harry asked. Draco nodded, sliding off the man's lap.
"After this. I did promise Weasley a song." Draco said. There was a bit of a nervous edge to his voice, which surprised Harry as Draco was almost never nervous.
"I've got the music." Ron piped up, and cast a spell at an enchanted phonograph which started a song that Harry knew well.
"You've been humming this song all week." He said.
"Mhm, longer. And I'd been thinking, Santa's lover in that song is spoiled rotten, it's Santa that needs treating around Christmas. And you Harry, are a good deal like Santa, always working so hard, never expecting much, so I rewrote the song." Draco said, a slight pink to his cheeks, but his eyes were trained in on Harry. Just then the pick up started, and so did Draco, in his surprisingly sweet tenor.
"Harry baby, I've slipped some presents under the tree, from me. You've been an awful good boy, so hurry down the chimney tonight." Harry laughed lightly as Draco started singing, chuckling as the blonde strutted his stuff, making a bit of a fool of himself. He watched the man pull a gift from the pile and smiled as it was handed to him.
"Open it." Ron instructed, quietly. Harry started to, and gasped as Draco sang on.
"Harry baby, the newest model quidditch broom too, bright red, that should keep us in bed." He paused as there was a burst of laughter. Then he sauntered over to Harry in his chair and swung his hips down low over the man. "Keep me up all night dear, Harry baby, hurry down the chimney tonight."
"Keep it clean Malfoy! There are kids about!" Mavric called, but Alice's wolf-whistle bit the middle out of his words. Draco checked over his shoulder that the children and the parents were out of the room and flicked the both of them off before continuing.
"Think of all, the fun I've missed; think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed; next year I could be just as good… if you check off my Christmas list." He kissed Harry's cheek and rose up off of his lap watching as the first of the children ran back in the room. Rose started to pipe up but Hermione caught her and swung her up on her lap. "Harry baby, I hope you didn't ask for a yacht, cause that's really a lot."
Harry laughed out loud as Draco rolled his eyes.
"Though you've been good all year, Harry darling, so hurry down the chimney tonight." Draco shot Alice a glance before she could let out another wolf-whistle and then colored to ruby as his mother walked back in the room. Still he continued and pulled out a small package to hand it to Harry.
"Harry honey, one thing you really do need, the deed, to our farm house love. Harry baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight." Draco said, and Harry gasped as he saw that in the box really was the deed. He was about to protest when Draco held up a finger and waited for the next beat of the song.
"Harry cutie, don't think that you're done just yet, ya' don't get, to sign your X there just yet, Harry Cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight." Harry was now watching Draco, his focus never leaving the blonde, his heart pounding, wondering if this was going where he thought it was.
"If you want to live with me, you're gonna have to be my family. I really love all of you, so lets see if you love all'a me." Draco paused for breath and grabbed a small present off the tree, one Harry hadn't even seen. "Harry baby, forgot to mention one little thing… A ring… I don't mean just for now."
Draco knelt down in front of Harry in his wing backed chair. He cracked the box as his voice cracked nervously on 'ring' and Harry's heart stopped. The ring was beautiful, a silver outer band with a gold band in the center. A rampant lion stood raised in the center with one emerald eye shown, and a ruby tongue that flicked between his teeth. If Harry had been able to notice anything but Draco, he would have noticed the quiet of the room, and the way everyone was holding their breaths.
"Yes." Harry breathed out slowly. Draco closed his eyes, composing himself before he slid the ring up the Harry's finger. Harry watched as the lion winked slowly and it's snake like tongue flicked once.
"I know you've been worried about me for a while, and I tried to hide that I was saving money." Draco whispered, not quite meeting Harry's eyes. "I was so disappointed when I couldn't get it together for your birthday, so I decided to do something big for our anniversary."
"You…" Harry breathed, trying to get Draco to look up at him.
"Ron helped me get everything ready, to keep it a secret and to get this broom, which hasn't been released yet, and the only thing he asked was that I sang the proposal. He was joking, but I couldn't turn him down, and when he thought I meant it he tried to back out. But a Malfoy never backs out on a deal. I think it turned out rather well…"
"Draco, didn't you hear me?" Harry asked.
"I just…"
"Yes Draco. Let me spell this out for you. Our relationship status has changed, from dating to engaged. You are the type who needs things put out there in black and white aren't you?" Harry said, and was about to add a stinging quip when Draco closed the distance between them, brushing their lips together ever so gently.
There was another burst of cheers from the family, as Harry laughed and held Draco's face ever so gently in his hands. The lion on Harry's shirt flicked out it's own serpentine tongue as it stood rampant like the ring, and in the background, under all the din, the record played on softly.
