Disclaimer: These wonderful characters unfortunately don't belong to me. The brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling is to blame.
Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'd just like to say this is not my first submission to this site, but it is my first under this pen name. I got this idea on a long car trip over winter break, and this oneshot was born! If you have the time, please review and let me know how I did. I'd love to be able to improve in my writing, but I need some outside help. Enough of my ramblings, please enjoy the story!
The Unforeseen Consequences of Mistletoe
Harry glances up at the clock above the fireplace in his living room. The arms tell him it's half past eight. Harry sighs and places a bookmark in the book he had been reading. He sets it down on the coffee table in front of the wing-back chair he had occupied for a good portion of the morning.
Walking up the stairs of his home in rural England, Harry ponders his life. How he wound up surviving Voldemort isn't nearly as astounding as whom he now shared his home, and bed, with. A year ago, had Harry been told he'd be living with Draco Malfoy he would have burst out laughing at the absurdity. And yet, the impossible had occurred. Harry glances into his bedroom, smiling at the white-blond hair showing. Every morning was the same. And every morning, Harry always wonders how on earth Draco could sleep in so late. It's not as if he needed the beauty sleep.
Smiling and shaking his head, Harry returns to the first floor, walking towards the kitchen to start some breakfast. Harry grabs some bacon and eggs from the fridge and sets about preparing the food.
As he finishes pouring the tea, Draco walks through the archway that leads to the kitchen. Harry looks up and smiles, laughing to himself. Every morning Draco insists on looking pristine and perfect. To him, there's no such thing as pajamas outside of the bedroom. Even then, it's iffy. That, however, is a different story.
"Morning," Draco smiles back. He sits down at their kitchen table and begins eating his breakfast. "One of these days, I'll manage to get up before you and make you breakfast for a change."
"I'm sure you will. Until then, I'm happy to make you breakfast. Of course, don't think it's all for you. I need food as well." Harry sits down as well and begins his breakfast. Draco smiles and shakes his head in response and enjoys his meal.
Sometime during their breakfast, the owls arrive. This morning, however, there's more than the usual post.
"Hey, look here Draco. Hermione and Ron have invited us to their annual Christmas party."
"Ah yes. I remember last year's. I really should get around to thanking them." Draco murmurs as he stares off in to space, remembering the party he attended the previous year.
"What would you need to thank them for?" Harry questions, curious.
"Well, for inviting me, of course," Draco states matter-of-factly. "If they hadn't, I'm not sure we'd be together now. It is kind of their fault."
"Oh yeah, I remember now. I'd have to say that was one of the most awkward and embarrassing moments of my life. Who'd have thought of Hermione and Ron as matchmakers?" Harry laughs at the memory.
"Yes, Hermione and her mistletoe…"
The Previous Year, At the Christmas Party
"Harry! I'm so glad you could make it. Come in, come in, it's freezing outside." Hermione ushers Harry inside her and Ron's London home.
Harry smiles, reminded of Mrs. Weasley. "Merry Christmas, Hermione."
"Merry Christmas Harry!" Hermione answers, taking Harry's coat. "Come in and see everyone."
Harry wonders into the 'sitting room' of his best friends' home. He glances around and sees all the usual faces: The Weasley clan, Hermione and Ron's Gryffindor friends, Luna, and several faces from work at the ministry. However, one face gives Harry quite a shock. He finds himself staring at none other than Draco Malfoy, who is talking to Blaise and someone Harry assumes to be from work.
Harry turns to find Hermione's returned, and he hastily drags her back into the front hall.
"What is he doing here?" Harry whispers, harshly jabbing a thumb in the general direction of Malfoy.
"I invited him. He isn't the spoiled brat we knew in Hogwarts Harry. You should look past old prejudices." Hermione admonishes. "Take it from someone who knows. After all, I do work with the man." She turns her head and walks back into the sitting room, joining in Malfoy's conversation.
Harry frowns, not ready to believe Hermione. Instead, he heads towards Ron and Dean, carefully ignoring the blond.
"Heya Harry!" Dean exclaims, reaching over to clap Harry on the shoulder. "Whatcha been up to?"
"The usual. Work. The exciting job of an Auror, filing papers." Harry laughs and Ron and Dean join in. "Really, life's been pretty quiet."
"What, no love interest?" Ginny shakes her eyebrows suggestively. "You've always got me Harry dear." Unable to keep a straight face, Ginny breaks out in a huge grin, laughing.
"It's rude to eavesdrop, Ginny," Harry admonishes playfully. "Besides, you're not my type." He grins. Turning his head, emerald meets silver. Some emotion in those silvery orbs catches Harry, and he can't seem to turn away. There's confusion, to an extent, but there's something else that Harry can't place. A laugh in the distance brings Harry back. None of his friends seems to have noticed his odd behavior. Shaking the weird feeling off, Harry once again joins in the conversation.
However, Hermione notices the moment shared between Harry and Draco. Smiling softly to herself as a plan begins to form in her mind, she returns her attention to her guests.
"Dinner is served!" Hermione calls from the doorway.
Everyone heads towards to the dining room. As everyone begins to take their seats, Harry finds himself next to Malfoy, of all people. Ignoring the urge to get up and move, Harry carefully ignores the blond and talks to Ron and Hermione who are seated across from him and Malfoy. What Harry doesn't notice is Hermione's small grin and the look of satisfaction on her face.
"Enjoy everyone!" Hermione waves her wand and, as if they were all back at Hogwarts, the food appears on the table.
"I'm amazed every time you to that Hermione. However did you get that little trick out of Dumbledore?" Malfoy asks. He begins filling his plate with the Christmas meal Hermione and Molly prepared. Harry begins filling his plate as well, determined not to acknowledge Malfoy's presence.
"Well, working at Hogwarts does have its privileges." Hermione smiles a small smile, one that says 'I have a secret, but I'm not going to tell.'
"That it does, that it does." Malfoy smiles the same smile and continues eating his meal.
"Always the teacher's pet, Hermione." Harry chuckles.
"Am not!" Hermione cries. "I simply know how to get what I want."
"Hermione! You've gone Slytherin on us!" Harry cries playfully at the same time Malfoy says, "How very Slytherin of you. I approve."
Harry meets Malfoys gaze, and the same weird feeling Harry felt before washes over him. Hermione's voice brings them both back to reality, but Harry could swear that he saw Malfoy smile.
"What can I say? There are many sides to me."
"Yeah, the bookworm and the nerd." Ron and Harry laugh and earn a glare from Hermione.
"I wouldn't be so harsh to your friend, Potter." Malfoy drawls. "She's picked up some nasty spells from working at Hogwarts." At this, Ron shudders. Clearly, Harry did not want to be on the receiving end of one of those spells. Harry also couldn't believe Malfoy had just stood up for Hermione. Perhaps she was right after all.
Dinner continues, and the tension Harry had felt since his sighting of Malfoy slowly dissipates. Harry even finds himself having conversations with the blond. Their banter continues for the rest of the meal, Ron and Hermione joining in occasionally. After a while, Hermione clears the empty plates and the desert takes their place.
"How did you manage to cook all this food Hermione?" Harry questions.
"It wasn't all me. Molly and Ginny helped as well, though I could have used some more help," Hermione says, staring pointedly at Ron.
"Hey, you wouldn't let me near the kitchen. Blow it up once—" Ron trails off.
"Nice going!" Harry high-fives his best friend.
Hermione glares at the two of them. "Don't worry. There are plenty of other uses for him." Hermione says.
"I'd watch out Weasley. That sounded very much like a threat." Malfoy smirks and sets his dessert fork down.
Ron wisely keeps his mouth shut as Hermione clears the dessert dishes and brings in the Christmas pudding and the custard.
"Would you like to do the honors Harry?"
"Of course, I'd love to." Using his wand to levitate the glass of brandy to the middle of the long table, Harry gently covers the pudding in brandy. He then casts incendio and watches the blue flames until they die out. Applause rings out in addition to many 'Happy Christmas's.' Hermione serves everyone a slice of pudding and the custard bowls make their way around the table. Harry receives it and passes it to Malfoy. Accidentally, their hands briefly touch, but Harry jolts as if he'd been shocked. Malfoy seems as if nothing happened, but Harry can make out a light blush on the blonde's face.
Focusing on his pudding, Harry takes a bite and his eyes widen in shock. "This is amazing, Hermione! Quite possibly the best Christmas pudding I've ever had."
"Don't thank me, thank Draco. It's his recipe."
"Really? Well, it's amazing, Malfoy." Harry takes another bite of pudding to prove his point and smiles.
"Thank you, Potter. If we must suffer through Christmas pudding, it might as well be good."
"Hear hear!" Ron exclaims, raising his glass of champagne. The rest of the guests follow suit.
Once the pudding is finished, people begin leaving the table and wonder back into the sitting room to enjoy the rest of the evening. Hermione had left Harry, Ron and Draco in the dining room, as they had been preoccupied with a conversation about Quidditch. Eager to put her plan into motion, Hermione calls both Harry and Draco into the living room, which is the next room over connected by an archway.
Harry looks up, distracted, wondering what on earth Hermione would want him and Malfoy for. They both stand up but only make it to the archway. Harry tries to walk forward, but his feet seem glued to the floor.
"What the—" Harry begins, when he hears the women in the living room and the dining room begin to giggle and snicker.
"Shoulda watched where you were walking, Harry!" Ginny calls, laughing.
A feeling of apprehension fills Harry, and he looks up with dread, and notices a small plant hanging from the archway. Mistletoe. He's trapped under mistletoe with Malfoy. And it didn't seem that they'd be able to leave anytime soon.
"Sorry, Harry. You've got to kiss now. Obviously, that's magical mistletoe, and I'm afraid Fred and George are the creators of this particular mistletoe. The only way to be released is to kiss. There aren't any counter-spells." Hermione informs him, with just a little too much glee on her face and in her voice.
Harry groans and turns to Malfoy, who has a horrified look on his face. He mouths 'why?' at Hermione, who just shrugs. Obviously, Harry wasn't the only one who wasn't looking forward to this.
"There has to be a counter-spell. Come on Fred, George, help me out here!" Harry begs.
"Sorry Harry. This is our special mistletoe. It's been designed to only let the two vict— I mean people go if they kiss. Not counter-spells, nothing." Fred explains.
"Isn't there anything for the person who enabled you two to start your store?"
"Sorry Har. Fred's right. There's no way out of it." George shrugs his shoulders.
Harry signs heavily, and turns back to Malfoy. He has a resigned look on his face as he faces the truth. He has to kiss his childhood enemy.
"Let's get this over with Potter. No need to drag it out. I'd like to get back to my evening if you don't mind." Malfoy states.
Harry nods, leaning towards the man in front of him, planning on a quick peck and then freedom. However, when Harry's lips meet Malfoy's, Harry gasps at the feeling coursing through him. The feeling that this is the most right thing in the world courses through Harry. Nothing could be more right than this moment.
When Harry feels Malfoy kiss him back, the feeling only increases. The feel of Mal—Draco's lips moving against his put Harry way past cloud nine. Somehow, Harry's hands find themselves at the base of the former Slytherin's neck, entangled in the silky blond locks. Somewhere, in the very back of Harry's mind, he notices two arms encircle his waist. They fit so perfectly together that Harry didn't feel like leaving the embrace anytime soon.
Harry also vaguely notices that Draco is a fabulous kisser. That man had some serious talent. The way he moved his lips and his tongue would have sent Harry to the ground in the form of a puddle, had the Slytherin's arms not been keeping him firmly in place.
Cheers break out among the guests and camera flashes go off. The two rivals take no notice however, as they seem too interested in the other. They eventually break apart, panting.
"Well Potter, I didn't know you liked me that much," Draco sneers, only this time there is no menace.
"Shut it you git." Harry blushes scarlet, but he reaches for Draco again, intent on continuing their previous activity.
In the background, Harry faintly hears Hermione and Ron.
"Didn't I tell you? They're perfect for each other."
"You did, and you're right. I just wish it didn't have to be a Slytherin."
"Oh quit it, Ron. You're going to have to get over that prejudice of yours soon, but the looks of things."
"That was just the first of many that night."
"I repeat myself; I really must get around to thanking them."
"Do you know what Hermione told me after we eventually parted?"
"What?"
"Apparently, she and Ginny had been planning something like that for a while, but the opportunity presented itself that night."
"I wonder if they're planning on setting up anyone else this year."
"Well, I hear Luna's still single…"