A Christmas To Remember
By Kitsune Yarisha
"Harry, Harry!" Chimed two voices, disturbing the quiet of the normally active Great Hall. Ron Weasley, a red haired boy, briskly made his way up to the Gryffindor table toward Harry Potter, a dark haired, emerald eyed youth. Just behind him strode Hermione Granger, whose curled hair bounced with her steps. Harry smiled slightly as they stop in front of him and set their bags down on the tiled floor. "Hello, Ron, Herm," Harry greeted them with a touch of feigned cheerfulness. They followed his movements, as he pushed away his Potions study book and looked up at them, with open concern. "Christmas just isn't gonna be the same without you, mate!" Ron exclaimed suddenly, causing Harry to blink up at him. Hermione couldn't take the uneasy, awkward silence that followed. "Oh, Harry! I wish you would come with us," She added with obvious disappointment. "Maybe next Christmas, Herm. I have loads of studies to catch up on anyway," Harry responded, forcing a smile at her. The noon chime rang and as Ron and Hermione gathered their things together again Professor McGonagall's amplified voice stated, "Will all students boarding the train home please report to the main entrance. Thank you." Ron sighed audibly as he pocketed a bag of chocolate. "Well, that's us." Hermione moved toward Harry and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Good-bye and Happy Christmas, Harry!" She smiled. He embraced her and then nodded as she made her way off. "Sorry, mate, no kisses from me, or my girlfriend would be jealous. Happy Christmas," Ron told him, giving him a friendly pat on the back before grabbing his things again and walking out of the Great Hall. "What girlfriend?" Harry shouted after him before setting himself down into a more comfortable position on the bench. "Happy Christmas, then." He mumbled to himself with a sigh as his eyes swept over the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherian tables and decorated tree the Great Hall held. He turned back to his Potions book and pulled it to himself. With an almost silent groan, he began to reread the lesson on Wolfsbane again. Idly turning the pages, he realized that this was his seventh year Christmas at Hogwarts and that he was, in fact, spending it alone with merely books to accompany him. This, he thought, is going to be a long, unbearable Christmas. At least that's what he thought.
--
Harry traveled down the corridors of Hogwarts in silence. Throughout the grand halls, he found himself admiring –and even conversing –the wonderful arrangements of portraits and statutes that decorated them. Unfortunately, both said decorations began to dissipate in number as he made his way closer to Dumbledore's office. As he began to turn the last corner before his destination, Harry halted at the yelling of a familiar voice. "What! Why can't I go home?" Harry flinched at that voice and made his way to peek around the corner at the hall's other unfortunate occupant. Draco Malfoy– Harry winced, as he remembered Malfoy still hated him –and Headmaster Dumbledore stood in the hall, apparently arguing; although, Dumbledore seemed a good degree more composed than Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy, your father…" Dumbledore tried again but was cut across. "What of him!" Malfoy scowled deeply, his normally controlled expression heavy with anger. "Your household, Mr. Malfoy, has no appropriate guardians in it, as your mother is dead and your father is jailed. Who do you presume to be home when you arrive?" Dumbledore asked calmly, watching as Malfoy averted his eyes. Harry sighed heavily in the silence that followed that well placed question and made his way into the corridor and approached them. Glancing briefly at him, Malfoy turned his back on both men and studied a picture of the founders of Slytherian and Ravenclaw. Dumbledore immediately turned to him, pumping his hand in greeting as his voice boomed, "Mr. Potter! Good to see you!" Harry nodded, glancing quickly at Malfoy's unmoving, silent form before he replied. "Am I to stay in my rooms this Christmas, sir?" Straight to the point with no idle chat, Harry thought to himself. Dumbledore consider both Malfoy and himself with growing interest and brilliance. "You see, Mr. Potter, you and Mr. Malfoy are our only students left at the school this Christmas." Harry frowned, not liking where he was heading with that, and from the corner of his eye he saw that even Malfoy tensed. "Therefore, I think it would be a wonderful idea from Mr. Malfoy and yourself to stay in the Slytherian dorm together!" The headmaster finished brightly. "What?" The boys shouted in unison, Malfoy turning on his heel to stare in shock at Dumbledore. "Headmaster, you can't really be serious about this!" Harry complained to him, praying this was some cruel, sick joke. Draco choked and added, "He's not sane." "Quite to the contrary, boys. I hear the dungeons are wonderfully warm during winter! Enjoy your vacation, and visit me if the need arises." He stated with a smile, before turning and making his way down the hall to his office doors. Malfoy turned his attention back on a shell-shocked Harry. "Potter," He spat out in disgust. "Malfoy," Harry sighed back with only half of the spite.
--
Harry finally set down his trunk at the end of his new bed. "Thank goodness!" He sighed out as he eyed the black comforter and emerald green silk sheets. His eyes wandered over the green, black, and various other dark colors that decorated the room with dissatisfaction. "Is that all of it?" Malfoy's voice asked from behind him, causing him to nearly jump. "Um, yeah…it is, Malfoy," Not turning around, Harry replied trying to calm his suddenly pounding heart and discomfort. Watching him, Malfoy moved from the doorframe he was leaning against to sit on the edge of his own bed and responded, "Good." Taking a seat on his own bed, Harry began to take of his shoes and socks, hiding his flustered look with his long bangs. "You know, Malfoy, this whole thing isn't as bad as you think," Harry muttered, breaking the silence between them as Malfoy laid back against his bed. Malfoy turned his silver eyes on him for another moment, thinking. "Perhaps." He turned his face back up to stare at the ceiling with a calm quietness when Harry looked back up at him. With his cheeks heating up, Harry sat up and stared at his hands as he mumbled, "We could even become friends." He fidgeted as Malfoy turned his piercing eyes on him again, scrutinizing his face. "Perhaps." He replied again, an undeniable expression of interest flashing in his eyes, otherwise he showed no emotion. "I…uh…" Harry stuttered as Malfoy sat up, trying to find something else to say that would evoke more of a response. Their eyes locked for a moment as an awkward silence stretched between them. Harry stood up and made for his bag at the end of the bed, hiding his flustered face again. With a chuckle, Malfoy moved off his own bed and deliberately brushed against Harry's side as he passed him and made his way into the bathroom. Watching the door close and then waiting to hearing the shower come on, Harry let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "This…might cause some complex problems," Harry said to himself as he touched his wildly rushing heart. After a short pause, he picked his wand from among the momentarily discarded possessions and muttered "Incendio," to start a fire. He took a seat on a chair by the fire and promptly began to stare mindlessly into the flames, as if they could answer his troubles. A quill and parchment appeared as he waved his wand thoughtfully, and he set to write out a quick letter to Hermione.
Hermione,
Sitting in… my rooms right now I've gotten to thinking. There's someone that I've been attracted to for a year or two at school. They happened to stay at school this Christmas and now I'm sharing the rooms with them. I can't seem to calm down when they talk to me and I don't know what to do. Please, send letter with advice.
Harry.
Well, Harry thought to himself with a blush, that wasn't totally obvious about whom it is. With another sigh, he forced himself from the warm fire and stretched as he stood. He grabbed his wand, placing it in his back pocket, and the letter (which he folded over and sealed) and strode toward the door. "Where are you going, Potter? Got a love letter for Granger?" Malfoy's voice called from behind him. Harry turned his head toward him for a moment, before snapping his gaze back on the door in front of him. Malfoy stood, still dripping wet from his shower, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. Damn it all, Harry shouted at himself. "Owlry, and no. It's a letter for advice." He grabbed the handle of the door and turned, pushing it open with a grunt. "Potter, would you mind delivering this too?" Malfoy questioned as he approached with an envelope in his hand addressed to Pansy. Harry nodded not turning around as he held out his hand and muttered, "Accio letter." In response to his charm, Malfoy's letter flew into his hand and he immediately walked out the door. "Thanks, Potter!" Malfoy yelled after Harry had reached the Slytherian portrait. Stepping out of the picture, as it swung outward, Harry murmured that he would return later to it. The portrait of an unknown woman responded, "Oh great, Mr. Potter. I just love having you sleep in my house. Poor Master Malfoy, having to put up with you." He ignored her as he moved on through the corridor, turning every now and then to go up a staircase. Less then fifteen minutes after he left the Slytherian dorm, he reached the Owlry. "Hedgewig!" He called to his owl, and immediately she flew from the perch she was sitting on to his outstretched arm. Once there, Harry fastened the letter to her leg and walked to the window on the far end of the room. Hedgewig took off as soon as Harry had muttered Hermione's name to her. "I forgot to ask Malfoy what his owl looked like," Harry said out loud, suddenly annoyed that he was so senseless. A tawny and ebony owl, as if in response to it's master's name, flew down to him and perched on the windowsill, holding out it's leg from the letter. "Uh, to Pansy from Draco," Harry told it as he tied the letter. The owl looked at him oddly, as if surprised by Harry saying its master's first name, before taking off and flying west of the castle. For a moment Harry stood absolutely still. "Did I just call Malfoy…? Shit," He mentally scolded himself as he made his way back to the Slytherian dorms.
--
As he made his way into the silent, dark room, Harry paused to let his eyes adjust to the dim light from the dying fire. He closed the door behind him and walked passed Malfoy's bed, peering at it in the darkness only to see Malfoy had already gone to bed. He stopped for a moment, deciding whether to wake Malfoy and report he'd been a good little messenger or not. Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus, never tickle a sleeping dragon, Harry recalled from his first year. He moved on to his own bed, a mere six feet away. He stripped down to his boxers and undershirt before placing his wand and glasses onto the nightstand. With a quick yawn and a stretch, he pulled back his covers and got into his bed, rolling on his side to face the door. "Took you long enough, Potter." Malfoy murmured drowsily from his bed as he turned onto his opposite side to face Harry, his silver eyes bright and gleaming despite the darkness of the room. Harry closed his eyes and brought the covers to his chin. "If thirty minutes is a long time, Malfoy. I sent your letter to Pansy. By the way, did you intentionally send me without telling me what your owl looked like?" Harry asked. A chuckled came from Malfoy's relaxed form. "Perhaps," He replied with a grin. Harry snorted and muttered how annoying that word was becoming. "Night, Potter." "Night, Malfoy." Wait, did we just have a civil conversation, Harry asked himself in surprise.
--
"Potter, you've mail," Malfoy called as he opened the door to their rooms and spotted Harry sitting by the fire, reading. His gaze left the text to stare impassively at Malfoy as if expecting his to hand him the mail directly. Malfoy snorted at his look and held the letter in front of him, threatening to read it. Harry eyes went wide and he immediately bounded from the comfortable chair to tackle Malfoy to the ground and grab the mail. Sitting on Malfoy's stomach he read the envelope: Harry, hope this helps. Thanks Herm, he though to himself with a mental sigh of relief. "Potter, I just want you to realize that this position isn't proper for rivals," Malfoy drawled from under him. With a yelp, Harry jumped off of him. "Sorry! I wasn't thinking! I…" Harry apologized repeatedly, rambling. Malfoy sat up, scratching his head and watching him with a bored expression. "Potter?" "Yes?" Harry answered, startled. "Shut up," was the simple command he received. Harry nodded, blushing as he turned and went to take his seat by the fire again. With a sigh of annoyance, Malfoy shook his head and sat on his bed against the headboard, grabbing a book of Potions to read. Harry sat back down and opened the letter, trying to make his blush vanish as he began to read.
Harry!
You wrote to me so quickly! I thought something had happened after we left. Hedgewig found me just as my family and I had left King's Cross Station. All right, so you've got a crush on someone, have you? For a year or more? I KNEW it! Ron owes me ten dollars now. Oh right, advice. You're stuck in rooms with them and you're acting strange around them. Typical! Well, you could tell him-
Harry flushed red at that word and a gasp left his lips before he could stop himself. Malfoy looked up at him with curiosity, muttering, "Granger found out your dirty little secrets, Potter?" You have no idea, Harry thought with a mental grimace. He began to read again.
-that you like him, or you could just ignore him for the rest of the vacation. Yes, Harry, I know he's a guy. In fact…I know who he is. It's Draco Malfoy, isn't it? Oh, how cute! Harry, you have to tell him! How do I know, you ask? McGonagall told me Malfoy had to stay there this Christmas when we were leaving. "Never give out too much information!" My old nanny had once told me when we'd gotten in trouble with father. Harry, if you don't want to come out and say it then start slow. Try and act nice to him, and call him Draco instead of that spite filled "Malfoy" that you usually call him. Drop hints and such. I hope this helps you.
Hermione G.
P.S: This is all so cute! Good luck, Harry!
Harry groaned at the letter as he read it over for the fifth time, his face as red as the ink that Hermione had written Malfoy's name in every time she wrote it. At this point, Malfoy was watching him with obvious interest as he moved to sit on the edge of his bed. "What's wrong, Potter? Weaselby and Granger tell you they had a child a named it Rohearry?" He mocked. Harry just shook his head and sunk back into the armchair, his eyes staring up at the ceiling with a distant look and his arms dangling form the chair on either side of him. Malfoy cocked his head as he eyes the letter, moving to stand and walk toward Harry. "What then?" "It's nothing of your concern," Harry answered back sharply, still not willing to face him just yet. "Hm…" Malfoy hummed with pleasure as he snapped the letter from Harry's hand and ran to the other side of the room. "DRACO!" Harry shouted unconsciously, making Malfoy pause for a moment in surprise, before he started to read the letter. Grabbing his wand from his back pocket, Harry pointed and yelled, "INCENDIO!" In turn to the spell, the letter caught fire and Malfoy dropped it, but not before he read nearly half of it. "How much did you see?" Harry demanded, his cheeks burning red. "Oh right, advice. Why?" Malfoy answered truthfully for once, examining his rival as he panted and lowered his wand, not meeting Malfoy's gaze. "That letter was extremely personal, Malfoy. I…really didn't need you reading it," Harry sighed as he moved forward enough to fall onto his bed, his prone body tense from the adrenaline rush it just received. Malfoy smiled smugly as he crossed his arms over his chest as he asked, "And just what, prey tell, did you think was so personal about liking someone for two years? Everyone does that eventually." Harry mumbled something incoherent into the comforter. "What was that, Potter?" "He wouldn't understand if I told him," Harry muttered only loud enough for Malfoy to barely make out. "It's a boy?" Malfoy said, more of a statement than a question. Is that disappointment in his voice, Harry asked himself. He nodded. Malfoy swore under his breath. "I'm going to the Great Hall," He managed in a clipped tone. Harry surged up onto his feet. "Malfoy?" The blonde boy ignored him as he made his way out of the door. "I should have told him that the letter was about him," Harry sighed out and he slumped onto his bed again and buried his face in the blankets, letting out frustrated tears.
--
"Draco?" Harry called at the entrance of the Great Hall; searching the vast room for the boy. "Why do you keep calling me that?" Draco replied with a completely controlled voice from where he sat on the Slytherian table, staring into the fire. "I, uh…what's wrong, Malfoy?" Harry asked, reverting back to his rival's last name with a flinch. "I used to hate you, you know. So much it hurt," Draco mumbled with sadness evident in his quiet tone, his hands flexing as he stared at them blankly. Harry's brows drew together in confusion as he asked, "You don't… anymore? What's wrong with that?" Draco shook his head hard, his bangs flying around his face wildly and his eyes closing tightly. "I don't hate you anymore. What's wrong with that is that now…I…" Draco hesitated, the expression of fear clear as his body trembled. "What, you what?" Harry drew closer to him, standing in front of him to see his face clearly. What's so wrong with him that he could doubt himself, Harry thought, racking his brain for a logical answer. "That first day," Draco started again, opening his silver eyes to stare into Harry's emerald one's, "in the hall when we first arrived, from that moment when you rejected my friendship, I was crushed. I hated you. I hated you so much that I wanted to kill you. Then…then I got to know you. I watched you during classes, not knowing why my eyes were drawn to you or why I was so fascinated with anything you did, no matter how insignificant it was. That started happening during the middle of our fourth year." The silence stretched between them as they each held their breath, waiting you the next move. Harry cracked first. "Then what?" "I fell in love with you," Draco replied simply, smiling at his own irony. Harry stepped back half a foot, shocked that he'd came out so openly about it and that this man loved him. Draco let it sink in a moment before he continued, "When I saw the letter and you told me you were in love with a boy… I naturally assumed it was a different person. My first thought though was 'It's not me,' and I believed it too, because I was right after all. You'd never return my love." Draco stood up, walking away from Harry to the staff table, sighing. "I mean, how ever could you? I've done so many wrongs against you…against myself. You could never return my love." The skies of the great hall darkened as night outside the castle approached. The light became dimmer and the fire flared brightly against the darkness, becoming an attention holder. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?" Draco asked quietly.
"No," Harry said quickly, officially shutting down the pity fest. "No what, Potter?" Draco asked in a brusque tone, letting his emotions take control of him. "No everything," He answered mildly, his eyes shining brightly with determination. This isn't going to go sour because of his pride, he shouted at himself. He moved forward slowly, making his way to a spot just left of Draco. "You're not pathetic, just stubborn. If you'd give me half a chance I'd return your interest, and if you would let me in I could love you," Harry continued his speech as he stopped next to Draco, watching him for his reaction. "You'd never let me do that though, would you?" Harry asked with a carefully controlled expression of indifference. Draco stared hard at him, his eyes searching for anything mocking. With a sigh, he began to turn away hiding the smirk on his face from Harry with ease. "I knew it! You're too full of pride to simply think I…" He cut across Harry's insult with a deep, passionate kiss. Ignoring his body's demand for air, he let himself enjoy the kiss, the feel of Harry's soft slightly full lips against his own. Finally pulling back, he grinned at Harry as he said, "So that's where my chocolates went. You little sneak. How dare you, Potter?" Harry pouted, "Me? What about what you just did? Oh and, Draco, please call me Harry, alright?" "Hn. So we're really going to give this a try? What if we fight?" Draco asked, straight to the matter of them now dating. "If we do fight we'll try to resolve it, or…" Harry left the rest of the sentence to be figured out as he walked out of the entrance doors and into the corridors, heading for the Slytherian dorm. Draco demanded, "Or what?" He ran to catch up with Harry. "Or…" Levicorpus, he thought to himself, focusing on Draco. "Well, Harry, what is…IT!" Draco shouted as his body flew up and turned upside down, hanging in midair. Harry broke into hysterical laughter at the sight, highly pleased with both the scene and the fact he could still use the spell he learned from the Half Blood Prince. "HARRY, LET ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!" Draco shouted at the top of his lungs. Harry smiled up at him, his laughter dying down as he began to twirl his wand in his right hand, "Why should I?" Draco growled in annoyance, "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand was shot from his hand after he received a small spell-produced shock. Liberacorpus, Harry thought as he went to retrieve his wand from down the hall, expecting for Draco to follow him as soon as he got down.
--
"Do I really have to wait for your stupid friends?" Draco whined. "Yes, you do," Harry replied, waiting till Draco sat against the table so he could take a seat in his lover's lap. Making himself comfortable, he muttered, "Besides, that's what boyfriends are for." "Ha! From the way you've act all vacation, they're for a lot more then just that," Draco retorted. "Harry!" Two voices chimed from the entrance to the main halls, where now thousands of students started to pour in. "Hello, guys!" Harry shouted, not moving from his spot on Draco's lap. "I hate you," Draco growled as everyone looked over at them, his grip on Harry's hip tightened. The silence in the hall was smothering and stayed that way for a good two minutes, no one believing that the two arch-rivals of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were in such a very intimate position. Draco could take it no more. He grabbed the front of Harry's school uniform and pulled him down into a searing French kiss, making sure they were angled so that everyone could see. The whole room seemed to gasp in surprise. Pulling back from the kiss, Harry licked his bruised, red lips and grinned. "That tasted good." That one statement brought the commotion back to the Great Hall, people continued what they were doing, while others took pictures of the couple and gossiped. Finally, Ron and Hermione made it up to the two. "Hey, Harry, how was Christmas?" Draco shoved his face in Harry's shoulder, hating that he had to meet 'the friends' of the great Harry Potter. Hermione giggled at him. "It was wonderful. Draco, say hello to my friends," Harry said, pushing him off his shoulder and then standing up. Draco stood up and glared at his slightly short lover. He turned to Ron and Hermione, who looked at him expectantly. A hush settled over the Hall again as everyone turned to watch this meeting of enemies. "Hello, my name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy," He greeted in monotone as he bowed to Hermione stiffly. Ron sniggered behind his hand. Draco straightened up and mock glared at him. In a mimicked voice of when he was younger, he replied with a sneer, "Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. Red hair, freckles, a hand me down robe, and a family with more children then they can afford… You must be a Weasley." Harry thought this reminded his way too much of his first day at Hogwarts. The silence continued as Draco turned to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He held out his hand for Harry to shake, waiting. No one dared to breath in the hall as they watched Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy stare at each other, remembering when this scene first played out and wondering what would happen now. Harry broke out into a grin and tackled Draco to the ground, straddling his stomach. "I think I can tell who the wrong sort are myself, thanks," he replied smoothly. In a moments pause he also added, "Draco, did you know that the wrong sort tend to be better kissers than the good sort? I think it's something to do with them being use to bedding people." Draco Malfoy did not blush at this remark…he went and all-out flushed red, before pushing Harry off and pinning him down. "High and mighty Harry Potter, you're such a prick." "Only with you, Draco," Harry retorted with a perverted grin as the Hall broke into laughter. Hermione moved forward and grabbed the back of Draco's shirt, pulling him up to stand.
He turned to face her as Ron helped Harry up. She looked him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze for a moment, before looking past him at Harry. With a smile, she stated, "He'll do." The closer crowd of onlookers who could hear her burst into mocking laughter. Draco glared at them before turning a pleading gaze to Harry, who came to his side and straightened up so he looked only an inch shorter than his counterpart. The onlookers kept laughing as they watched them. Pointing their wands, they began to say a spell, but before anyone could blink the onlookers were making tracks. Ron chuckled at them before staring at the bags they had left on the floor. Harry made a move to drive for one but not before Draco walked up to stand next to Ron and say rather loudly, "Oh look, Weaselby, Harry's gone and found you some gold for your family! How noble." Ron didn't retort as his instinct told him to, instead he eyed Malfoy's body and moved closer. "You know, Malfoy, you were mean to Harry and yet he likes you. You're mean to me…and who says I'm not possibly bisexual?" Ron asked with a grin as he placed a friendly hand against Draco's chest. Harry suddenly appeared behind Ron, disheveled from his fight with the bags, with a look of fake rage. Ron gulped as he noticed Harry and stepped away, dropping his arm like a dead weight. "Good boy!" Harry told him as he hugged Draco around the waist. Ron pouted slightly at them before disappearing back into the crowd to put his bags in his room. Hermione stood, still watching with a wide smile. From the staff table, Dumbledore and McGonagall hid smiles from the students. Snape frowned at them with dissatisfaction. "Serverus, don't you owe Albus something?" McGonagall asked with cheerfulness. "He'll get his four days of service starting tomorrow." Snape responded in his normal concise tone. Dumbledore smiled at them and looked back just as Draco ran up with a determined look. "Listen, Headmaster, I know about the bet! You sneaks better watch out. I'm going to get revenge for this!" "Of course, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore responded. He glared at him before running back to Harry. Dumbledore shook his head and turned back to Snape to talk about his prize. Draco reached his boyfriend and stopped, panting softly. A shout from the middle of the crowd during a pause in the commotion asked, "Hey, love-birds, how was your Christmas?" Later, they found out it was Pansy. Draco and Harry looked at each other a grinned as the shouted back together, "It was a Christmas to remember!" The Great Hall broke into cheers and applause.
Owari.