A/N: Just so all you loyal readers and reviewers ;) know this story isn't corrected yet because I was too excited! Enjoy it anyways, if you notice any mistakes you can tell either myself or my darling beta; carsex. Thanks for reading, please review!
God I love Christmas
Christmas.
Supposed to be the happiest time of the year, everyone was supposed to be happy and ready to give and receive fantastic gifts.
Everybody was getting ready to go home and celebrate with their families and friends, except one unhappy dark-haired saviour.
Harry Potter was not happy that Christmas was coming. He was staying at Hogwarts like he did every year, but his best friend and the rest of the Weasley brood was going to Romania to visit Charlie again. Hermione was going with her family to visit relatives in southern Italy. Dean was taking Seamus to meet his family while Seamus' family visited relatives he didn't like in Ireland. Neville was staying home with his grandmother and had even offered to have Harry come to stay, but Harry remembered the time he had met the boy's grandmother and he was not in the mood to spend Christmas in that particular house.
The only Gryffindors that were staying over the Christmas break were in third year and below. It had not seemed so bad at first, Harry's Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff friends had been planning to stay and he would have hung out with them. But the Patill's were leaving, as were Justin Flinch-Fletchly and Hannah Abbot. Luna was going with her father to search for Crumple-Horned Snorkack; he didn't even have Cho Chang to talk to! (Although he had been trying to avoid her lately, what with her finding out he was gay and that was the reason he had stopped seeing her. But honestly anyone was better than no one at Christmas!)
It was the last day before the Christmas Holidays and also Christmas eve, Ron, Hermione and all of Harry's other friends were leaving tonight after dinner. He was sitting through the last Potions class of the shortened day and for the first time in known history a Gryffindor didn't want it to end. It was a day to be marked on the calendar, except of course no self-respecting Gryffindor would ever admit to such an atrocity!
So Harry was sitting there anxiously watching the clock and trying to will it to slow down, to no avail of course. Of all the days for class to go quickly it was the one where Harry would have done anything to make it slow down. He was beginning to think he was cursed… wait beginning? He had thought that for a very long time.
The bell rang, jolting Harry out of his reverie and making him groan aloud. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one had overheard his misplaced disappointment. No one had, they were too busy cheering about the end of school.
The Gryffindors filled out of the dungeons chatting happily about their holiday plans, with Harry trailing at the back of the group trying to look happy, but not doing a very good job of it. Tiring of the happy conversations around him Harry turned his attention to the only other person that looked as unhappy as he was, Draco Malfoy.
Harry blinked in surprise, Malfoy was usually so happy near to Christmas going home to his happy family and getting tons of expensive gifts… Harry winced all of the sudden remembering what had happened at the end of the war. Malfoy's parents were dead, both of them had died at the hands of the Dark Lord, while their son watched. The blond would have been killed as well but it was then that Harry had showed up for the final battle, the first thing he had seen was the poor boy being tortured and probably going insane.
Draco had every right to look unhappy, this was the first Christmas he had to suffer through alone, Harry should be used to it by now; after all the first ten years of his life had been lonely. He had been left in his closet alone for almost every special occasion.
But he was not used to it, for the past six years he had grown accustomed to being surrounded by friends and his surrogate family on every holiday, and now he was going to be alone, as was Malfoy.
He looked quickly away when the blonde started to glance up, he didn't want to be caught staring at his former arch nemesis. He followed the other Gryffindors to the Great Hall for dinner and far behind them came the once more bowed head of the blond Slytherin.
Emerging in the Great Hall the Gryffindors walked past the various other houses to their table and the Slytherins branched off at the first one inside the door. Harry sat down between Ron and Hermione and stared at his plate for several minutes.
"Harry?" Said Ron.
"Hmm?"
"You okay mate? You look a little out of it."
"Ron!" Hermione hissed, elbowing her boyfriend in the ribs.
"What?" Ron demanded, then glanced up at Harry and flushed, "Sorry mate, forgot."
"That's okay Ron," Harry mumbled back, not wanting to think about his friends leaving for the holidays later that night.
Hermione looked at him from the corner of her eye, worried.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay Harry? You know we'd bring you if we could right?" Hermione asked, sounding anxious.
Harry looked up from his still empty plate and forced a grin, "I'll be fine 'Mione, not like I've never spent Christmas alone before," He forced a laugh as well, "And this time I'll be at Hogwarts, plus I'll still get your guys' presents. I'll be fine."
"Alright," She said giving him one last look before returning to her meal, "If you're sure."
"I am," Harry said and slowly began to fill his plate, mostly to appease Ron who was giving him a look that clearly said 'eat something or I will pester you until the second I have to leave.'
They finished lunch in relative silence and then made their way back to their common room to wait for the time when Ron and Hermione had to leave.
ooOoo
The Entrance Hall was packed with departing students and their trunks. Harry was standing with Ron and Hermione next to the doors saying goodbye right before they had to run out the door to the carriages.
Hermione threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug, "Bye Harry. I'll owl you as often as I can, and I'll send you a nice gift from Italy! I promise!"
"See you mate," Ron said giving his friend a swift hug as well, "I'll get you something good from Romania, better then the book Hermione's gonna send you!"
"Ronald!"
"Sorry 'Mione!" Ron yelled not sounding the least bit repentant.
Harry laughed as his friends ran off into the snow, bickering good-naturedly.
The grin slid off his face as his friends voices faded and he was left alone in the quickly emptying Entrance Hall. He glanced around at the couple of people still there and blond hair caught his eye.
Draco was standing saying his own goodbyes to his Slytherin friends.
Pansy Parkinson was holding hands with Blaise Zabini and giving the blonde a one armed hug. Their words floated to Harry's ears across the Entrance Hall, "I'll owl you Dray, and I'll send you something nice from Nice!"
"I'll see you mate, and I'll send you something better then the book you'll get from Pans!"
"Blaise!"
"Sorry Pansy, but you know it's true!"
Draco smiled like Harry had just moments before his grin also fading with the sound of his friends' voices faded.
Draco glanced up the sudden and caught Harry's gaze, "Potter," he said, nodding.
"Malfoy," He said, returning the nod, "You ever realize how alike our friends are?"
Draco looked surprised to be asked a civil question by the brunet and most likely by the question as well.
Harry was a little shocked too to be honest, he and Draco had been civil ever since he had saved the blond's life, but they had yet to go further than the polite nod in the hallways.
Draco recovered after a moment and answered, "Our friends? Alike? I don't think I believe it, to be honest."
"Yeah I wouldn't have either but…" He paused realizing that the blonde probably didn't really care.
Draco waited a moment before saying, "Well? How are they alike? I'm curious now."
Harry laughed in surprise, "Well when I was saying goodbye to Hermione she said almost the same thing Parkinson just said to you, then Ron said that he would get me something better then the book she was gonna get me, was some weird déjà vu thing."
Draco smiled slightly at that; it was the first time that Harry had ever seen the boy with a real smile on his lips, albeit a small one. All he had seen before that was a smirk or a sneer; he looked a lot better when he smiled.
Draco was looking at him oddly; Harry had been staring at him for over a minute now. He laughed awkwardly, "Sorry, phased out there for a second…"
Draco gave him a half smirk half smile, "So you're all alone for Christmas too?"
"Yep, lost my better thirds," Harry said.
Draco flashed him another grin, "Better indeed in Grangers case, but I wouldn't say the same for Weasley necessarily."
Harry laughed despite himself, "Hey! None of that! He's my best friend you know!'
"Yeah I know, that's why I torment him so much," Draco looked sad all of the sudden.
Harry paused, wondering what he had said to make the other boy sad, "Why would you torment him over that?" He questioned tentatively.
Draco paused for a second, then turned to walk into the Great Hall and said back over his shoulder, "Because you picked him over me."
Harry stood there for several minutes, processing what the boy had said before following him into the Great Hall. He stopped just inside the doors, the house tables were gone and there was long one down the middle of the room instead. Everyone that was staying for the holidays was sitting there already.
Most of the students of the younger years were trying to catch his eye. Still famous he thought bitterly. One person was sitting off to the side, Draco Malfoy of course. Harry paused a second, thinking.
"Well anything is better than crazed child fans," He said quietly, "Not like Malfoy has even been bad at all lately."
He sat down next to the blonde, who didn't even look up. Whispers erupted around the room; he rolled his eyes and started loading up his plate. The two of them ate in silence as whispers spread around them. Neither even looked at the other until they were both finished.
Draco finally looked up from his now empty plate to look at Harry, "Potter," He nodded again and stood to leave the Hall.
"Malfoy, wait," Harry reached out to put a hand on the boy's arm. The blond paused and turned around.
"Yes?" He quirked an eyebrow.
"Do you want to take a walk? I want to talk to you," Harry asked.
Draco paused again, thinking, "Sure, why not."
They stood and made their way from the Hall amongst renewed whispers. Both of them rolled their eyes and laughed lightly as they made their way out to the lake.
They walked in silence until they were across the lake from the castle under a large tree, there they paused. Harry pulled out his wand and waved it, the snow blew away from under the tree leaving the ground warm and dry.
Draco sat down with his back to the trunk of the tree, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. Harry sat down next to him, leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment, to think.
"Potter? You wanted to talk to me about something?" Draco said.
"Yeah… did it really bother you that much that I picked Ron? I mean you seamed to just blow it off back then but then before dinner…" He trailed off.
Draco closed his eyes as well for a second before answering, "Of course I blew it off, Malfoy's aren't even supposed to ask for friends, I couldn't be rejected and not pretend it didn't bother me."
Harry opened his mouth, "But-"
Draco shot him a glare that shut him up thoroughly, "For the first time in my life I had asked someone to be my friend, they had refused. Then you had gone off to be best friends with Weasley, a boy whose family hated me because of factors that I could not control any more then my father could," Harry shot him an incredulous look.
"How could your father not control them? He chose to be a Death Eater, he chose to support Voldemort-" Harry had been building up steam but was surprised when the boy didn't even flinch when he said Voldemort, he completely lost his train of thought.
Draco shot him another contemptuous look, "My father had no more control over his situation then you did when your parents were killed, and before you deny it let me explain. My father never chose to be a Death Eater, he chose to support a young man that started out with good ideas, ideas that some would not agree with but that were never evil. He followed Voldemort before he showed the full extent of his insanity."
"What about after he was revealed to be a mad man, a man that would kill innocents to get at his enemies without batting an eye? What was your father's reasoning then?" Harry asked, getting his anger back full force.
Draco glared at him again as way to tell him to shut the hell up until he was done his story, "After Voldemort was revealed to be totally insane most of his followers either decided now was a good time to opt out or decided that this was better than before, those that tried to opt out were killed. My father knew that Voldemort would come after my mother and me if he were gone, so he stayed. To protect his family and himself from that mad man."
Harry was silent as he absorbed this; they sat next to each other for minutes as Draco waited for the brunet to think of something to say. When the boy did respond it was something that Draco had never expected him to say, well at least not to Draco.
"I'm sorry."
"Well- wait what?"
"I said I'm sorry, you didn't deserve to be judged like I did. When I first met you in Madam Malkins I thought you seemed a little snobby, but I thought that was funny. You seemed nice and a little bit pretentious and I wanted to be your friend," Harry said quietly, "I felt so bad on the train that day, but Ron was the first friend I ever had and you were mean to him, and yes I know that he was mean to you first but still!"
Draco placed a calming hand on his knee, Harry released a breath slowly and shakily, "I still wanted to be your friend but Ron was the first person to ever actually talk to me, and I couldn't stand the thought of losing him, especially when I was telling myself that you obviously didn't really like me. You just talked to me because I was Harry Potter." Harry said his name like a curse word.
"You didn't realize that in Madam Malkins shop I had talked to you and hadn't known then that you were Harry Potter?" Draco asked quietly.
"Not until several years later, by then I fully believed that you hated me, and I convinced myself that that was all I felt in return."
Draco nodded, "I did the same pretty much, I told myself that the only reason I noticed everything about was because I had learned my father's careful lessons well, 'know thy enemy' and all. I told myself that I didn't care when you fell off your broom in third year and the only reason I stood up with all the other panicky fans of yours was so that I could get a better view of the impact," Draco laughed weakly.
Harry laughed as well, "Want to hear something funny?"
Draco nodded so Harry continued, "In third year when you were attacked by Buckbeak I was so close to tackling you when I saw him rear up, I knew what was about to happen and I didn't want you to get hurt. And the not so funny part?" He looked at Draco who nodded again.
"I didn't warn you or push you out of the way because Ron was standing there with 'Mione and I didn't want them to think I liked you and to stop being my friends," Harry was whispering now, so much so that Draco had to lean forward to hear him.
Draco looked at him with no blame in his eyes, and what seemed to be… relief?
"You have no idea how happy I am that you said that."
"What?"
"Now I have reasoning for doing what I did in that year…" Draco trailed off, looking embarrassed, "Well not really but it still feels better."
"What did you do?"
"When the dementors came to your game it was my fault," He paused again, looking away.
"How is that?"
"Some of them were wandering a bit from the gates, I went really close so they would follow me, thinking the happiest thoughts I could so they could feed off of them, and I led them to the stands. I knew that they would affect you like that and I wanted you to fall, but when I went into the stands to watch the game and wait for them to come all I kept thinking was that I should have been scaring them off not bringing them to you. And then you fell and I thought for sure you were going to die, I was ready to tell everyone what I had done and be arrested…" He trailed off again.
Harry looked at the boy in front of him who was still avoiding his eyes, he put a hand on the boy's knee like the blond had done to him moments before and said, "Is that all? I expected something much from the way you were going on about it."
"What are you talking about?" Draco demanded, "I could have killed you!"
"Doubt it, not with Dumbledore there, and all the other teachers, what I did to you was so much worse. The only teacher there was Hagrid, who though a fantastic friend is not so able with the magic. Plus a class of third year students, there would have been nothing any of could have done if the injury had been life threatening, you would have died and I would have been to blame. Not in the same way you were, but in a worse way, I saw the danger coming, a danger that I hadn't caused and could get in no trouble for and still I didn't do anything. For fear that my friends would leave me. Pathetic really," Harry finished, looking disgusted with himself.
Draco looked at him for a minute, then tentatively reached out a hand to clasp that the other boy's, "I still think mine is worse and you still think yours is, so let us just agree that neither of us was very good in the past, and let's move past it," He looked at Harry questioningly.
Harry nodded, squeezing the fingers in his grasp lightly.
"Good, do now that we're over the worst things that we did to each other, do you still want to be my friend? " Draco asked tentatively.
Harry sat back surprised, staring at the blonde until the boy stuttered.
"We-well I mean i-it's okay and all, I don't really mind, I just wondered was all and-"
Harry cut him off, "No, no I didn't mean to make you think that! No, I was just surprised you still wanted to be my friend is all, I figured that after what I had done-"
Draco gripped Harry's fingers hard enough to make him wince, "None of that, I forgive you for that and you forgave me for mine..?" He shot Harry a questioning look, Harry nodded, "There is no more of a problem where that is concerned. On the other subject though, of course I would still want to be your friend. I noticed after you killed Voldemort that you were withdrawn from your friends, not terribly noticeable, don't worry," Draco said as Harry shot him a worried look, "But I have long watched you with them. You smile less lately, and you used to have this… look in your eyes all the time. It comes and goes now and then, but for the most part…" He shrugged, "It's gone."
Harry stared at Draco, he noticed my eyes? He thought, and then shook his head, focus! He told himself. What look Draco talking about?
There was a long pause as Harry thought this over, and finally Draco spoke again, "So, Harry, what happened to make that… Fire, leave your eyes like that?"
Harry thought again before replying, "I think it was killing Voldemort," He said quietly, "I mean it was my destiny and all, but… I can't help but think that that even Voldemort could have been saved." He trailed off into silence.
Draco waited for him to say more and when he didn't the blond asked, "How could he have been saved? What do you mean?"
"I mean, when he first came to Hogwarts the worst thing he had ever done was to kill a rabbit and scare some other kids, he could have changed from that. He could have… been good I guess. But no one really tried to help him with that, they gave him followers and he got used to that and that's what he looked for later in life. I can't help but think that if people had just tried he would have grown older and been a good man."
Draco stayed silent for a long time, thinking of what Harry had said before saying, "There is always that possibility Harry. Don't give me that look, we're friends now right? Then we should call each other by our first names, don't you think?" Harry nodded, "Good, but yes, there is that possibility, but I don't think it would have happened like that."
"What do you mean? You honestly think that Tom Riddle would have grown up the same had he been shown what it was like to be loved? You don't think he could have grown up right?"
Draco shook his head slowly, "Think on it Harry, you grew up rather the same as he did-"
"What are you talking about? No I didn't!" Harry said looking scandalized.
"Harry calm down," Draco put a hand on his arm, "Think on it though, you both grew up in places where the people around you didn't care what happened to you, the first time anyone showed the slightest interest in you was at Hogwarts."
"Yes but I came to school and I had Ron and Hermione and all the rest of Gryffind-"
"Don't you think that people tried to be his friend Harry? Everyone would have tried to befriend him, I mean even Slytherins are prone to friendship you know?"
Harry grinned but then shook his head, "If we grew up so much the same then how was it that we ended up as enemies?"
"It wasn't the way he grew up that made him the way he was, if it had been you would have ended up the same, or like enough that he could have recruited you to his cause. Do you see what I mean?"
Harry nodded slowly, "I think I see. But if it wasn't the way I grew up that made me this way, then how is it that I am the way I am? Why do I have this insatiable need to… save people?"
Draco looked surprised by his question, "You thought that the way you grew up made you want to save people?" Harry nodded, confused, "I'm surprised you didn't come to Hogwarts ready to kill everyone you met!"
"What! Why would I want to kill people, just because my family was distant and-"
"Distant? They abused you Harry! They didn't feed you and they shunned you for who and what you were. Imagine anyone that doesn't have your immeasurable strength trying to go through a childhood like you had, and then coming to Hogwarts, finding out they have powers. Then being sent back there every summer, now with the knowledge of how to cause pain and even kill with just a couple words and the wave of a stick. Almost anyone else would have collapsed under the pressure of that, you are an amazingly caring person that you can go through all of that and still be willing to save people. Let alone doing what you have for people!"
Harry sat there for a moment as Draco finished his spiel, frowning, "You know sometimes I really regret giving that tell all interview… Hermione thought it was good idea but it kind of sucks having so many people know about my past," He sat for a moment thinking, "You really think that I'm as strong as all that?"
"Of course I do, everyone does, did you think we all just expected this of you? That every time you did something heroic everyone in the wizarding world just said to themselves 'its Harry Potter, he was born to do this, nothing special here,'" Draco demanded.
"Well, yes. Have you never met Rita Skeeter? And all the crazy fan mail that I get? That's pretty much all they ever say, 'I always knew you could do it Harry Potter, I knew ever since the day you saved us the first time that you born and raised to be great!' What do you expect me to think?"
"I would have figured you would know that there are in fact other people out there that aren't crazy Witch Weekly readers, and even if everyone outside of Hogwarts was like that, what about everyone here? We all know the truth, that you are an extraordinary person that was sculpted by his experiences, but not controlled by them like most people are. Did you ever think that there were at least some people out there that were clever enough to figure out that you were better than that? Not all of us are idiots you know," Draco gave him a grin to show that he wasn't actually offended.
Harry just stared at him for several minutes before he finally figured that he should maybe say something, "Well… uh… well, no I guess. It didn't really hit me to think about the world other than the ones that contacted me. And as for people inside Hogwarts, well, they've all given me enough trouble as well. I've decided over the years that people are rather sheep-like when faced with something they don't want to believe, I've always been one of those things. Never really occurred to me to change my overall opinion of people, even as the ones around me made me change my opinion on them…"
It was Draco's turn to stare, "I guess I never really thought of it your way either, but people here have changed you know? Look at the Slytherins, you and me especially; we used to be enemies because of the way I was raised. But I figured it out as I grew up, figured out that even my father was on your side, I decided that your cause was the right one, and Voldemort's wrong."
The two boys sat in silence a long while, the sun was setting by the time either of them spoke again, "We've been out here for almost two hours," Harry said with a glance at his watch, "Let's go in, it's cold out here and we can talk just as easily inside." He stood and held out his hand to help the other boy to his feet.
Draco grasped Harry's hand and for a moment there seemed to be a sort of shock that traveled through both of them. They both stared down at their clasped hands for several moments before either of them looked up. Draco gasped softly as he looked into Harry's eyes, "Its back," he whispered quietly.
"Wha-?" Harry started to ask but his question was cut off by the other boy's lips on his own.
They kissed for what seemed like forever before finally breaking apart for air.
Harry stared into Draco's eyes for another long minute before getting his thoughts in order enough to ask a question, "What's back?"
"The fire, when I looked into your eyes for a second it was there. Like it had never been gone," Draco said softly his eyes not leaving Harry's for a second.
"Is-is it still there?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"Stronger then I've seen it since... since, well ever I guess."
"R-really?"
"Yeah, I've never seen it this strong I don't think, it's," the blonde reached up to push Harry's fringe out of his eyes, "Beautiful, Harry."
And then they were kissing again.
By the time they finally stopped it was fully dark and the temperature had dropped significantly.
"Come on," Harry said, "Let's go inside, you're shivering."
"Am not," Draco whispered but didn't protest as Harry pulled him inside by their still clasped hands.
Draco didn't stop until Harry started to lead him up the marble staircase then he paused, "Harry? Where are we going?"
"Where do you think?" Harry asked.
"Please tell me your not about to take me to Gryffindor Tower, I'm really not in the mood to be gawped at right now."
"Oh come on Draco, you are way too used to Slytherin, this is Gryffindor. All the little lions that stayed behind will be tucked away in bed waiting for tomorrow to come and all the pretty new presents they will be getting."
"Already? Don't they try to stay up as late as they can? I mean it's the holidays!" Draco said.
Harry laughed, "Of course their going to try that, but tomorrow. We Gryffindors are not a patient bunch, we go to bed earlier, and the faster the next day will come. It's a very simple process really."
"Huh, never thought of it that way. So we'll have all of Gryffindor common room to ourselves then?"
Harry laughed again and pulled the blond boy into another kiss, "Yes indeed," He whispered against the boys' lips.
They walked the rest of the way to the Fat Lady's portrait in silence.
"Password?"
"Noël," Harry said.
"Original," Draco said quietly.
Draco laughed as he walked into the common room, "Little fond of the colours aren't you?"
"Yeah well it's the same with green and silver in the Slytherin com- …" Harry trailed off.
"How would you know that?" Draco asked.
Harry was blushing, "Well, uh, in second year Ron, Hermione and I made a Polyjuice potion to find out if, err, if you were the Heir of Slytherin," Harry finished with a sheepish smile on his face.
"You thought I was the Heir of Slytherin?"
"Well… yeah, why?" Harry asked.
"Just seems odd, cause at the same time everyone but me was saying that you were the Heir, and I was actively trying to tell people it was a lie," Draco laughed.
"You were telling people it wasn't true?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Well yeah, it' not like I thought you were the Heir, you should have seen your face when you got that snake to turn around from attacking Flinch-Fletchly, you were the most shocked person in the room. People really are stupid to think that you were capable to hurt someone on purpose… well other than me of course," They laughed as they walked over to a small couch in front of the crackling fire.
For long minutes they just sat side by side and watched the fire before Draco turned to Harry and said, "You do realise that this is the first time since the founders were alive that a Slytherin has been in the Gryffindor common room?"
"Wow, never thought of that… momentous occasion isn't it?" Harry grinned.
"Indeed, I believe we should do something to mark this day…" The blond trailed off suggestively.
"Sounds good to mpf-" Harry's last word was again cut off by Draco's lips.
When they broke apart both boys were flushed and breathing hard, "Come on, let's go to my nice empty dorm room, why don't we?" Harry said.
"Brilliant."
ooOoo
Why is my bed suddenly all Gryffindorish? Was Draco's first thought in the morning.
He groaned and tried to roll over but someone's arms were wrapped around him.
Ah, of course, Harry.
His groan woke his bed mate Harry rolled over to look at him, a wide grin on his face.
"So how did you sleep?"
"Mmm, fantastic. You?"
"Pretty great myself, Merry Christmas by the way. You want to go to breakfast?" Harry asked.
"The same to you, but how in the hell am I supposed to get out of Gryffindor Tower without being seen and gawped at by all your lion cubs?"
Harry grinned at him and bent over the side of the bed to retrieve something from underneath it. Sitting up, he whipped his invisibility cloak out of hiding and threw it over Draco.
"Hey! What the-?"
There was silence for a moment as Draco pulled it off his head and looked down at the rest of his body, a huge grin split his face as he leaned over and kissed Harry again.
"Brilliant idea Harry."
"I thought so too, let's go to breakfast, shall we?"
"Wonderful idea."
Harry laughed as they got dressed and made their way from the dorm room. Right before they got to the common room Draco slipped the cloak over his head and slid in behind Harry.
"Morning Harry!" Chanted everyone still in the common room.
Harry and Draco both jumped and the blond whispered in Harry's ear, "Do they do this every morning?"
"No, just when none of my friends are around, which I guess would mean every morning until the rest of Gryffindor gets back, damn," Harry said, looking mildly frightened.
Draco laughed quietly as they slipped passed all the creepily smiling first, second and third year Gryffindors and out into the corridor.
They walked most of the way in silence, Draco still under the cloak for precautions sake and Harry pretending he was walking alone to breakfast. As it were, it was quite a good thing that Draco had stayed under the cloak. They were two minutes from the Great Hall when Harry (and the invisible Draco) was swamped in a tide of people rushing to get to breakfast.
Draco and Harry had decided the night before that they were not about to reveal that they were dating until their friends were back so that they could tell them first. Had Draco been uncovered by then it would have been rather obvious that they had spent at least the morning together, if not the night, as they had yet to pass the dungeons where Draco should have spent the night. It would not have taken a genius to deduce that Draco had not spent the night in his own dorm and many questions (and muttering behind hands) would have ensued.
Therefore it really was a good thing that not only was Draco covered by the invisibility cloak, but that both he and Harry had the reflexes of a seeker. While the tide of students was rushing towards them Harry had the sense to casually step out of their way while at the same time nudging Draco so that he saw the oncoming traffic. Draco quickly pressed himself against the wall next to Harry and no one was the wiser that there was an invisible Slytherin standing next to the Gryffindor boy.
As the tide of younger students rushed on Harry stepped away from the wall and quickly pressed himself instead against the Slytherin boy. Not being able to see the boy soon began to be a bit of a problem so Harry decided it would be best if both of them were out of view and he ducked under the cloak as well.
Not a moment too late.
Not five seconds after both of them were once again covered another rush of students, this time mostly Ravenclaws, came streaming by. Harry pushed them both out of the way and partially behind a suit of armour. With Draco's back to the wall and Harry pressed up against him and both of them trying to suppress giggles they waited for the second stream of students to pass.
Then for a couple minutes longer they stayed pressed against the wall and listening for the sounds of more students. When they were sure that there were none coming Harry pulled away and peered around the suit of armour, the cost was clear.
They finally let go and started laughing. Harry buried his head in Draco's shoulder as they waited for the laughter to subside.
As they finally gained control of their breathing they pulled away and started walking slowly towards the Great Hall. Right before they walked in Harry pulled Draco into a deep kiss.
"To tide us over until we can be alone again," He whispered and Draco laughed quietly.
They pulled apart and Harry hid the cloak inside is robes, then giving Draco one last peck on the lips they walked into the Great Hall side by side.
ooOoo
Harry and Draco were hiding out in the courtyard waiting for their friends to get back from the holidays and trying to keep warm while sitting on a snowy bench. They heard the sound of approaching carriages and stood, shivering slightly.
It was the 8th of January and everyone was getting home today from their vacations, classes would start in two days time, leaving those who had left all their holiday homework to the last minute enough time to finish it off.
The two boys made their way around the corner of the school and towards the stream of students returning from their Christmases with their families, looking for their friends. Harry quickly spotted Ron and Hermione struggling through the knee high snow. He laughed as he ran up to them Draco trailing behind as he continued the search for his friends.
"Harry! How was your holiday?" Were Hermione's first words to him.
"Great! Yours?" He smiled.
"Fantastic! Did you know that Italian wizards-!" She started.
"Hermione! Give the poor guy some room to breathe! Hey mate, how was the lonely Christmas? Did you get our gifts okay?"
"Wasn't as lonely as I would have thought," Harry said but ignored their questioning looks, "Yeah I got the gifts, thanks 'Mione, the book was great and Ron I loved the dragon hide journal. From the one I took on in fourth year was it? How's she getting on?" Harry questioned eagerly.
"Yeah it was from her, she's getting on fine, still a bit testy," The three of them laughed.
Harry saw out of the corner of his eye Draco walking up with a confused looking Pansy and a bewildered Blaise in tow. He smiled at the blond and grabbed his hand once he got close enough. Draco happily accepted his hand and the two of them shared an amused glance at their friends shocked expressions.
"Um, Dray-?"
"We'll explain in a second Pans, once we're inside. We can all sit down and talk during dinner, kay?"
"Sounds good to me," Blaise and Ron said at the same time, both looking eager at the mention of food. The other four laughed as they glanced at the other in surprise.
The three Slytherins and three Gryffindors walked into the Great Hall causing the whole room to go silent, and then burst into shocked whispers. Those that had been there for all of the holidays were quickly filling in their friends of how the two boys had been hanging out together for the past 15 days. Harry led them all to seats at the Slytherin table, it being the closest one, and they all sat down, Hermione in the middle on one side between Ron and Harry, Pansy in the middle on the other between Blaise and Draco.
For several minutes the three Gryffindors were busy catching up as the Slytherins did the same, Harry and Draco skilfully avoiding their friends' questions about one and other. Finally Hermione could wait no longer and spoke the question that she and the others had all been wondering;
"So why is it that all of the sudden the lot of us are eating together?"
Harry and Draco laughed, "Well 'Mione, the three of us," Harry indicated himself, Ron and Hermione, "Are now eating with these charming Slytherins," He indicated the other three, "Because this one," he pointed to Draco, "And I," He indicated himself, "Are now somewhat of an item."
"Wait, wait, wait, you two are a what now?" Blaise asked.
The boys laughed again and this time Draco responded, "Harry and I are dating," He started bluntly, "And we figured that you four needed to get to know one and other a little better," He waved his arm grandly (almost hitting Blaise in the back of the head), "So here we are."
There was a stream of awes and cooing from Hermione and Pansy and two very bewildered looking best mates.
"So, to get this straight, you two, former bitter rivals, are now dating?" Ron asked.
Harry and Draco paused and looked at each other, "Yeah seems like it. Pretty odd isn't it?" Harry said.
Blaise and Ron both snorted while Hermione and Pansy just shook their heads in amusement.
"So you two are dating? I can honestly say I never thought that would happen," Said Hermione.
The boys laughed, "Yeah we didn't really either," Harry said, "But it turns out we have a lot in common."
"Didn't I always tell you that?!" Hermione said excitedly.
"Umm, no?" Harry replied, giving her a weirded out look.
"'Mione, that was me. Remember?" Ron said, putting a hand on her knee to calm her down.
"Oh, right, sorry Harry."
"That's alright… but how would you guys know what Draco was like?" He asked, frowning.
"Oh poor, silly, little Harry!" said… Pansy?
"What are you talking about Pans?" said Draco, looking just as confused as his boyfriend next to him.
The other four at the table laughed, "You guys always were a bit oblivious weren't you?"
"No we aren't!" The new couple yelled.
"Don't be silly Harry darling, you are and we'll tell you how so calm down," Hermione said waving a hand at him as he opened his mouth to argue some more.
Harry and Draco exchanged a look and nodded silently for Hermione to continue.
"You guys have been attracted to one and other since before it meant what it does now. Ever since that first day on the train, when all you did was fight, you were always drawn to one and other. All it took for you to notice it for what it really was, was a couple moths off of fighting, that's what you got this year and then over Christmas Holidays you discovered that the hate had long since passed and your true feelings for each other could finally show themselves," She finished sounding incredibly proud of herself.
"Wow…" Harry said quietly, "I guess I just never really thought of it that way."
"Yeah, me either," said Draco, just as quietly.
"So, wait a second, all those times we fought and hated each other, they just showed how much we really loved each other underneath all of that?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded.
"That is so…" Draco paused, "Brilliant! None of that stuff that we were apologizing about the other day really matters because it was just us in denial about loving each other!"
A ringing silence followed his words for a moment before Hermione finally broke it, "You- you love him?"
Draco sat there, staring into Harry's eyes for several minutes before answering her, "Yes, I do. I really, really do love you."
He gave Harry a little smile that seemed to say 'it's okay if you don't feel the same right now, I can wait.' But Harry just shook his head and said, "I love you too Draco."
There was chorus of cooing from around them as the girls of Slytherin that had secretly been listening in on their conversation over heard what the two boys had just said.
Harry grinned at Draco right before they turned their eyes back to their friends.
"No wait a second, you still didn't tell us how you two," He said indicating Ron and Hermione, "Knew what I was like or how Pansy, you and Blaise knew what Harry was like. How do you explain that?"
Hermione smiled at him, "Draco it really wasn't all that hard to figure out to be honest, you and Harry were always remarkably similar, Ron and I used to notice it all the time when you guys fought. We tried to deny it a bit at first because we thought you were evil and all that rubbish but we figured it out soon enough. You guys were obviously meant to at least be friends, I assume that's how you two figured it out as well?" She asked looking over at Blaise and Pansy who nodded.
"Except of course we never thought Harry here was evil, just overly noble and slightly insufferable," Pansy joked, "But we got over that misconception as well."
The group of teenagers laughed, Harry and Draco included, despite being a bit stunned at all the revelations.
As the meal ended the six teenagers stood and made their way from the room. Just as Harry was walking through the doors he stopped to look up at the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall and whispered, "God I love Christmas."
A/N: There you go Alex; I know it took forever but Merry Christmas! Hope you like it!
Love,
DerangedxandxSarcastic