by WretchedScar – WretchedWriter
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its entities belong to J.K. Rowling. No infringement intended.
Genre: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy SLASH; R for language and some suggestions of what could be hormonal fun; *~* Humor *~* (laugh it up!) BoyLove/PWP/Holiday Fic - PURE FLUFF, folks! Hehehe. (what can I say it happened at 3AM)
* * *
"We have to WHAT?!" Harry and Draco both hollered, out loud at the same time.
"You heard me," Minerva McGonagall stated calmly but firmly. "This is a result of your actions tonight."
They had been dragged out of the great hall and into the corridors for this reprimand.
Draco glared at Harry and brushed a piece of apple pie off of his robes, frowning.
Harry in turn glared right back at his archrival and flicked a piece of gooey, mashed potatoes off of his sleeve hitting Draco in the forehead with it.
"Quit it scar-head! Professor," Draco started and stepped forward, "Potter threw the food first!"
Potter glowered and felt his face grow red, "Only after you shoved me and called me a -"
"Enough!" Professor McGonagall stated crisply. "This was the last straw. For almost six years now you two have been bickering non-stop. You have involved your classmates and you have involved the staff in this rivalry. And now, Christmas Eve night and you two have decided to once again engage in this childish feuding and with a food fight in the great hall nonetheless!"
Both boys looked slightly abashed as a green bean slid slowly down over the rim of the Professor's hat to fall with a small splat on the floor at her feet.
Minerva McGonagall sighed and rubbed her temples to try and ward off the frustration she was feeling.
"I didn't aim those beans at you -" Draco started.
Professor McGonagall sharply held up her hand to silence him.
"Did the gravy boat really hit Snape in the nose?" Harry asked quietly, biting his bottom lip to try to keep from laughing.
Minerva noted the humor that Potter was trying to hide, "I hardly think this is an amusing matter, Mr. Potter. You could have seriously injured a member of the Hogwart's Staff!"
"Can't you just deduct points -" Draco started. "I'll replace the silverware . . . My mother has some lovely silver . . ."
"Quiet!" Minerva stated. "Point deductions will hardly rectify what has happened here tonight."
It had been a rather lovely holiday night. The great hall had been decorated with Christmas garlands with red bows and a lovely, decorated christmas tree; the candles glowed softly against a dark, enchanted snow-falling ceiling. All of the students who were staying over the holidays at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been looking forward to the Christmas Eve banquet. Most of the staff was present at the table, all sitting gathered around their headmaster Albus Dumbledore. There had been a lovely main serving table established in the middle of the hall; after all of the staff members had gone up to serve themselves their meals the students had headed up as well.
No one really knows for sure what happened but according to Neville who spoke with Pansy who confirmed with Susan who had saved Seamus from the corn-on-the-cob, Draco had shoved Harry causing him to land elbows first on the turkey that had been on the table and then Harry had turned around himself and picking up the bowl of mashed potatoes threw them at Draco's face in retaliation for said actions.
From that moment on the food had flown - hits and misses were recorded and the casualties were listed as being every known dish to the holiday season. Dumbledore was last seen sitting at the head of the table, not moving, but with that amused twinkle in his eye, wearing plum pudding that was quickly dying his long white beard a lovely shade of purple.
Professor McGonagall paced a bit and then stopped. "You will learn to get together before the school term starts again. If we do not see an improvement further disciplinary action will have to take place with the possibility of suspension."
"Oh Merlin, no," Harry's jaw dropped. "Please, Professor," Harry's plea broke his earlier silence. The thought of being sent away from Hogwarts, back to the Dursleys' on a suspension was enough to make even the bravest of Gryffindors beg. "You can't - we didn't - we won't -"
"Oh stop blabbering, Potter," Draco spat. "You'll only make this worse."
"Me?" Harry glared, fuming. "If I remember correctly Malfoy you had a hand in this as well -"
"Don't you even-" Malfoy started.
Both boys stopped bickering when they heard a foot tapping rather impatiently on the cold castle's stone floor. Both looked up and into the glaring eyes of the Professor who held their punishment at hand.
"We're sorry - you were saying?" Draco drawled prompting Minerva McGonagall to purse her lips.
"Before you are permitted to retire for the night - you both will not only be cleaning the Great Hall but also redecorating it," she explained. "And in time for Christmas day."
"Easy enough," Draco smiled.
"Without wands or magic," McGonagall added.
Draco frowned.
Harry sighed.
McGonagall waited.
"Right," Harry grumbled. "Hooray, cleaning with Malfoy in the Great Hall. Merry Christmas to me."
"Bah-hum-bug," Draco glowered.
* * *
As they walked back towards the closed doors of the Great Hall both boys kept a rather noticeable distance between them. They didn't say a word but slowed simultaneously as they reached the entryway.
"You first," Harry stated nodding.
"No, after you," Draco folded his arms.
"Why do you have to make everything so damn complicated!" Harry stated with frustration.
"Because then I get to see you blow your top," Draco snickered.
"Amusing am I," Harry glared and yanked open the heavy, carved wooden doors.
"Sometimes," Draco admitted. "Other times you're just a wanker."
"Shut up before I -" Harry started but stopped as they made their way inside. The words that were about to leave his mouth were lost to shocked silence. The room was more than a wreck. Every known piece of food that had been on the menu for the night now found itself mingling with furniture, portraits, walls, floors and holiday decorations. "We did this -" Harry said quietly.
"Yep," Draco nodded. "Looks delicious."
"Would you be serious for one moment!?" Harry threw up his hands.
"I AM being serious. Too bad I couldn't splatter you on the walls along with the- OW!"
Harry kicked Draco in the shin and stalked off towards where someone had obviously left the cleaning materials. "Let's get this over with . . ."
"Right, you clean I'll decorate," Draco smiled.
"HA! Yeah right Martha Stewart," Harry warned. "You're working from start to finish along with me.
"Martha who?" Draco blinked. "Look Potter, I'm a Malfoy and Malfoys - do - not - clean. We have elves and, well, people like you to do that." A wet, white rag hit him smack in the middle of the face with a smart splat.
Harry couldn't help it - he found himself laughing at what he had done.
Malfoy pealed the rag away from his face, his cheeks burning bright red and regarded Harry who was bent over from laughter. "Oh think that's funny do you, Potter?" Draco bent over and picked up a broom and smacked Harry over the head with it.
Harry quit laughing and saw stars. "I'm going to take that broom and shove it up your -"
"Oh quit being so kinky Potter," Malfoy drawled and gave Harry a push so that the other boy landed with a thud on the food-stained floor. "There are better things to shove up one's ass and it'd be yours not mine that got the shoving. Now get to work."
Harry folded his arms and put on his good old stubborn demeanor, "Not until you do."
Draco sat down as well, glaring at Potter and folded his arms. "Do what? You? No, thank you. So on with the cleaning - you first."
"Bastard." Harry stated.
"Wanker." Draco confirmed.
Both of the boys sat there, glaring at each other.
. . . .
"One of us has to give in," Harry finally admitted - about two hours later.
"Go ahead," Draco raised his eyebrows and waited.
Harry hung his head in his hands and tried to stop the throbbing in his head. "Why does it always have to be me."
"Oh, get over yourself, Potter!" Malfoy stated suddenly, jumping to his feet. "You always seem to think everything revolves around your precious ass."
"My ass is precious?" Harry grinned. "So we're back to talking about asses. You really do have a rather remarkable habit of talking about bums and -"
"I'm not finished yet!" Malfoy stated indignantly. "It's always about you! You, you, YOU! Dumbledore's golden boy, the wizarding world's hero saving the day! Well I tell you what, Potter - not this time! No this time it starts with me. I'm the one to take the initiative and right the wrong." And with that he grabbed the broom and started sweeping. "This time I'm the one. Me! Do you hear me? ME!"
Harry grinned. "Hey Malfoy . . ."
"WHAT?!" Malfoy growled.
"You cleaned first."
A wet white rag found its way, flying through the air, to hit Harry square in the face.
"And paybacks a bitch, Potter," Malfoy stated with glee.
* * *
"Oh god, I'm so tired. I never want to see another muggle cleaning utensil again," Draco moaned.
Harry snorted, "You'd never survive the Dursleys then."
They sat on the steps in front of the staff table, regarding the clean hall. It was a miraculous difference and they had done it. Together.
"Who are the Dursleys'?" Draco questioned, regarding and rubbing his hands that were red from all the manual labor they had had to perform for the last five hours.
"The muggle family I live with during the summer holidays," Harry stated quietly.
"'The muggle family'" Draco echoed. "Sounds like they're really dear to your heart, Potter. What don't they spoil you enough? Didn't get what you wanted for your birthday this year?" he asked sarcastically.
Harry closed his eyes and looked away. Why was he even considering sharing anything about his 'home life' with Draco Malfoy of all people. All the other boy would do would be to taunt and tease him, having found some sort of pleasure and power in knowing that his rival had such a miserable life with his relatives. "Never mind," Harry stated quietly and stood up.
Draco watched Harry stand, and move towards a pile of the new decorations that sat on the staff table, waiting to be used again - this time in cleaner form. What had just happened? Was there something Potter wasn't telling him? There was so much he had to admit to himself that he didn't know about the boy-who-lived. All he really knew was that originally he had wanted to be his friend and had had that thrown in his face in a rather humiliating moment on the first day. One handshake shunned. It hadn't been fair.
No, it hadn't been fair - he had had to step back and watch as others got close to the fascinating boy, watch as others enjoyed his company, shared his time and learned the intimacies of such friendship. He had been on the outside, looking in - with nowhere to go and nothing in the end to gain.
"So what do you want to do first," Harry turned around, holding up a long strand of green garland.
"Why didn't you want to be my friend?" Draco blurted out.
Harry stood there, his fingers playing with stem after stem of the garland not quite knowing what to say. 'Because you acted like a git when I first met you, because you practically had a darkmark already tattooed on your arm or because I found you and all of that dangerous air only too fascinating and it scared me - it scared me away?'
"I don't know what to say," Harry stated quietly.
Draco stood up and walked closer. "Just tell me why, Potter."
There was silence and Harry couldn't look at the other boy.
"Please?"
It was a quiet request and it threw Harry off balance. How could he refuse? So would it be the truth or would it be . . .?
"It was just how you approached the whole matter," he started.
"What?" Draco growled. "That doesn't make any sense!"
"Let me finish!" Harry snapped. "I mean there you were - the first day so, well snobbish; then you had to go and insult Ron and imply that you were better than everyone else what with that single, extended hand . . ."
"I am better than everyone," Draco stated with a sniff.
"You SEE!" Harry pointed. "You see! That's what I'm talking about. I couldn't stand it and I still can't! You run around calling Ron poor -"
"God, I was only joking! But besides that, he is poor in case you haven't noticed" Draco pointed out.
"I did notice but that doesn't matter to me! And then you call Hermione a mud-blood, you tease Neville non-stop and you just plain all-out hate me for - for no reason at all! . . ." Harry continued. "I can't figure you out, Malfoy! How could I have been your friend - I don't understand you one bit!"
"I don't hate you, Potter!" Draco sputtered out quicker than he could stop it. His hand shot out to cover his mouth and he whirled around to hide the embarrassment in his face.
Potter let his jaw drop. "What was that Malfoy? I didn't hear that correctly. I think I'm hallucinating from all of the cleansers we used tonight. You don't hate me? So all this time, all those hexes, those taunts and fights were your way of saying you like me?! I don't believe it!"
"ARGH!" Malfoy hollered and spun back around to stalk towards the other boy.
Harry backed up a step to try and retreat from the advancing boy. His back banged into the staff table and he was left with no other place to retreat to.
"Why do you have to ruin a perfectly good rivalry?! Why do you have to make it so complicated!? I hate you because I do like you! It's all so very frustrating! Don't you see?! Can't you understand?!" Draco shouted and before Harry could say another word he found himself being dragged forward and being roughly kissed by the blonde haired Slytherin before him.
Harry felt his body stiffen with surprise, he also felt Malfoy's warm, moist lips working on his own. Harry closed his eyes and gave into the unusual experience.
Malfoy worked Harry's lips for all they were worth - he felt the warmth of them and his heart quickened when Harry's mouth opened a bit for a breath and he was able to sneak his tongue into Harry's mouth.
Harry felt shy but he also . . . felt . . something . . . else . . . His own tongue shyly snuck out to dance with Malfoy's and he was fascinated by the sweet taste that was the other boy. It was like peppermint and sweet cream; It was so wonderful, it was hot and it was wet and it was wrong - really wrong! 'Wow!' Harry's mind screamed. 'Oh wow.' I think I like wrong!'
Malfoy sucked a bit on Harry's bottom lip, bit it gently and then broke the kiss. Both of them were panting, their breathing coming in short little hollow huffs. Draco still had his hand holding onto the back of Harry's neck. They let their foreheads come to rest together and against one another.
Draco felt Harry rub his forehead against his, the puckering of the scar that was on the other boy's forehead tickled as he moved it against his skin.
"What was that," Harry asked quietly, licking his lips.
"A kiss, a hormonal rush, a-" Draco broke off. 'A mistake?'
"Okay," Harry said quietly and laughed. "Okay."
Draco groaned, "My father is going to kill me."
Reality hit in that split second. Harry pushed himself away from Malfoy and blinked. "That's it?!"
"What? What's it?" Draco asked in confusion. "Potter what is your problem all of a sudden?!"
"MY problem?!" Harry roared and stalked up to the table with the decorations again. "It's going on FOUR in the morning, we have yet to finish our task, you make me start spilling why I didn't want you as a friend and then you just go - you just go and - and KISS me and then bring your father up! Right - I'm the one with the problem hmm?"
"You know - if we were in a relationship you'd definitely be the bottom," Draco stated thoughtfully.
"I'd be WHAT?" Harry roared.
Draco shrugged, "I mean you're emotional like a woman. So on the bottom you go!" He ducked as a glass ornament went flying towards his head and watched as it landed with a crash on the floor behind him. "It really wouldn't be as bad as that, you know," Draco stated thoughtfully.
Harry fumed and tried to calm himself down. He turned back towards the Christmas decorations and grabbed up a bunch of things to start hanging up on the walls. He wanted to get this done with and go to bed. He wanted to be rid of Malfoy's company.
"What are you just going to ignore me?" Draco asked, his voice rising.
Harry didn't say anything, as that was exactly what he was planning on doing. Yep, it'd be the best thing in the end - to ignore Draco Malfoy - no matter what.
"Fine, ignore me then, Potter," Draco spat. "Like you have anything interesting to say anyway." He walked towards the table to grab a strand of garland just as Harry walked up to grab a strand as well. Neither of the boys' eyes met and as they started to walk away they both realized with dismay that they both held either ends of the same strand.
Draco tugged, "This one is mine, Potter. Get your own."
Harry's eyes shot daggers as he tugged on the other end, dragging the other boy stumbling forward.
"Give it back!" Draco growled and tugged again, this time dragging Potter forward.
About one second later, they were both in a tug of war that ended up with the garland snapping in the middle and both of them landing rather painfully on their backsides.
"Now look what you did!" Harry finally gave in and yelled at the top of his lungs.
"That was NOT my fault," Draco took his end of the garland and threw it at the other boy who lay sprawled across from him.
"You ruin everything!" Harry accused.
Draco felt the color drain from his face, and turned his gaze away from his rival's. The words cut to the bone - carved his heart in two. How many times had he heard his father say that . . . "That's right Potter," he stated quietly. "You're so right."
Harry lay on the cold stone floor, broken garland draped helplessly across his sprawled legs and watched the drastic, quiet change that suddenly took place in his counterpart. Obviously he had said something bad. Sighing he brushed off his hands and stood up. Walking slowly over to where Draco sat, Harry held out his hand and offered to help the other boy back up.
Draco looked at the offered hand and couldn't help but think of the irony of it all. Only a second later he took Potter's hand and stood back up again. "Thanks," he admitted grudgingly. They both moved to sit back down on the stairs.
"Anything you want to talk about," Potter asked quietly.
"You first," Draco stated.
Harry considered this as he tried to fix the garland that they had broken.
Draco sighed at the silence. So much for . . .
"My Aunt is my mother's sister," Harry started. "She, like my Uncle and my Cousin, hate anything that has to do with magic. I've lived with them since I was an infant and in that time I have become their personal slave and lapdog. I don't live in the lap of luxury as you and many others have assumed. In fact I lived in the cupboard under the stairs while I was growing up. And that's just the beginning of it all. . ." he trailed off. Why did it always hurt to talk about it all? He thought on it often enough - he had lived it - but saying it aloud - it brought it back to life.
Draco blinked and studied Potter. Was it true? How couldn't it be. If Harry was anything at all he was honest and didn't lie.
"My father," Draco started, "is always on about family honor - everything always has to be so perfect. If I do anything wrong - and I mean any little thing - come in second to the Mud-, er," he stopped at Harry's look, "if I come in second to Granger in scores, come in last to you in quidditch - anything and everything - all I hear is that I ruin everything. That I'm an insult to the Malfoy name - that I'm a failure - that when my father was my age he already had the dark mark and look at me," he held out a perfectly, white un-marked left arm. "Nothing. Yep, that's me - nothing."
Harry listened carefully to each word that Malfoy said; he was surprised and yet - after having met Lucius himself - he wasn't all that surprised to know how the man treated his only son.
"Why don't you have a dark mark," Harry inquired quietly. He tied a red bow around the middle section of the garland that he had patched back together and stood up to try and hang the greenery.
Draco stood with Harry and held the other end of the decoration as the boy went to place it on the wall.
"I don't' want the mark. I'm a servant to no one," he stated smoothly. "I rule my own life, thank you. That's the pride of a Malfoy speaking."
Harry chuckled, "That's one way to throw everything back in your father's face, isn't it."
"I knew you had brains in there somewhere, Potter," Malfoy smirked.
The first piece of garland was hung. After about twenty more minutes the rest were done. They went on to trim the tree, replace the candles and resets the empty plates on the table for the morning meal.
Sitting down, side-by-side, they yawned, stretched and sighed.
"We didn't do so badly, did we," Harry grinned. His eyes were becoming rather heavy and he realized it was probably nearing six in the morning.
"Yeaaaaaahhhhh," Draco yawned. "Not too bad. I mean, we're both still alive and all that." He smirked.
"I think McGonagall will be impressed I didn't kill you," Harry nodded.
"No, I would have killed you first Potter," Draco corrected.
"You wish," Harry rolled his eyes.
"Speaking of wishes," Draco stated sweetly. "It's Christmas and we didn't get to share our wish-list."
"Oh, um -" Harry stated quietly, blinking with thought.
"You do have a holiday wish, don't you Potter?!" Draco asked incredibly.
"Come to think of it, I do," Harry stated smiling slightly, his cheeks blushing.
"Well," Draco nudged Harry gently. "What is it?"
"I have two actually," Harry admitted chuckling.
"A little greedy aren't you?" Draco glanced up at the ceiling above them, watching the dark sky slowly rise with the warmth of morning, the store continuing to fall gently, magically above their heads.
"I guess," Harry admitted.
"So?" Draco was getting impatient. "What are they?"
"First - that you call me Harry. 'HAIR-REE'!" he stated sternly.
"Oh god," Malfoy grew pale. "I don't know if I can do that - WOAH!" he hollered, laughing as Potter,er, HARRY, nearly pushed him from his seated position and down the stairs. "Alright already. Geesh. Just give me a few days to practice saying it without choking on it."
Harry snorted.
"And?" Draco asked. "What's your second one."
"Well wait," Harry interrupted. "You have to tell me one of yours first."
Draco propped his elbows up on his knees and rested his chin in the palm of his hands, looking thoughtful. He smiled to himself. "My wish - well, my wish is that I could kiss you again." He looked up at the other boy and turned his smile into a smirk.
"That's funny," Harry stated, his heart beating with happiness as he leaned in towards the young Slytherin. "That was my wish, my second wish, as well."
Draco felt his breath catch a moment before their lips met and their arms intertwined drawing them together. It was all he ever wanted for Christmas . . . and some other days too.
Though friendship may never be born, love in itself still has a habit of surprising even the most dedicated of enemies . .. . and wishes, too, do come true.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALL!