Written for: hd owlpost
Beta: digthewriter
Summary: Going through Snape's lessons plans together was what started Harry's and Draco's friendship, but recently Harry had begun to want more than just friendship.
A/N: Forgive me for trying to write Hagrid's accent. Also, I'm way behind on cross posting my fest entries - but me being behind is expected by now, isn't it?

'I'd imagine watching a Tri-Wizard Tournament as a spectator is boring after competing in one,' Draco said as he came to sit next to Harry in the stands.

Harry shrugged. 'The challenges are different in each one . . . did you really just stare at hedges for two hours while we were in that maze? Did they have a show or anything while we were in the water? At least this year doesn't have events at the bottom of the lake, but—' Harry squinted. 'Barely swimming on the surface doesn't seem much better.'

Draco snorted and handed Harry some omnioculars.

'Ah, much better.'

'Yes, we stared at a lake for an hour without seeing anything, but a few blokes brought some card games and we played those on the benches while—'

Harry grabbed Draco's arm. 'There's the serpent.' Shaking his head, Harry added, 'Why do we allow this competition again?'

Draco was looking through his own omnioculars then. 'Who brings a sword in the water with them, honestly. You have a wand!'

'I can't look anymore.' Harry closed his eyes and hide his face in his hands. 'Tell me when it's over.'

'It's over,' Draco said, plainly.

'What? Tell me he didn't get eaten.' Harry was looking back out to the water and saw Matthew swimming away from the injured, but not dead, beast. 'Um, you don't think that—'

'Ouch, I suppose both Matthew and I were wrong about it being over and quit worrying he won't die—'

'You know,' Harry cut him off, 'maybe you should quit making predictions. You aren't very good at them.'

Draco elbowed him in the ribs, but Harry smiled. It sometimes amazed Harry how far they'd come since their own days as students at Hogwarts. They were both teachers there since the year after the war. Draco taught Potions and Harry taught Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Harry found it amusing that in a way they were both replacing Snape as Slughorn hadn't even wanted to be there the last two years he taught at Hogwarts. He retired, for good that time, as soon as the war ended. And they both used his notes and lesson plans for their own classes that first year. Although, Harry also used a few from what he remembered in his third year because Lupin was still his favourite Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers. It's just that he taught more from what he knew and felt like talking about that day where Snape was a meticulous planner.

At first, Harry tried teaching more like Lupin, but after a month he was quickly running out of material for his older students, and they had a teacher's meeting about what would be expected on the OWLs and NEWTs.

He had to prepare them—it was his job—not just have fun with them.

That was when he first started talking to Draco to see what and how he was doing it when it was his first year of teaching as well. Turned out, he had a lot of help from Snape, and that Snape—since he'd been after the DADA job for some time—left just as much information behind on it as he had on Potions.

Going through Snape's lesson plans was what started their friendship, but recently, Harry had begun to want more than friendship.

'There we go,' Draco said with a smile. 'See there was nothing to worry about. He's safe and out of the water now. Next champion is in the water.'

It was going to be a long day.

#

Harry loved the Weasleys, he really did, but sometimes their inventions got him into predicaments. Like the bloody mistletoe he kept getting stuck under.

There were two kinds floating around the castle that year. One that simply followed the person around, which Harry often ignored, and the other forced the person to stand beneath it. Both of them refused to leave until someone kissed the person beneath it.

Except, if you burnt it.

Thank Merlin for small miracles.

Harry had been stuck in the hallway and missed a full lesson before he learned that trick. He'd been lucky as well that no one had caught him under one of those kind yet.

In general, Harry loved Christmas, but with the mistletoe and everyone so excited about the Yule Ball, he wasn't enjoying this one quite so much. Sometimes it was hard to get them to quit talking about it to pay attention in class. Who kissed who, because they'd have been late to class otherwise. Who was taking who to the ball. Although, there were a couple more interesting ones of the who was taking who to the ball because of being trapped under the mistletoe.

That might make up for the chaos it was, after all.

Still the Yule Ball was something Harry'd rather not have to think about.

As a teacher, Harry didn't need to find a date, but Draco would be there and they would most likely be talking through most of it. It's what they generally did at school functions. But the idea of standing near Draco for hours during a ball did funny things to Harry's insides. He'd remind himself that it didn't mean anything, but that just hurt instead of calming himself down.

During supper the day before the ball, Harry tried to bring it up casually.

'So, what are you wearing to the Yule ball?' Harry winced as Draco snorted.

'Black dress robes, you?' There was amusement in his voice, at least.

'Er, the same.'

There were many more options of dress robes than that, but neither Harry or Draco were very adventurous when it came to clothing. Draco wasn't adventurous when it came to much of anything. Harry had learned a lot about Draco since they'd first became friends. What Harry had always thought was Draco being superior with his gray, white and black only clothing was actually the same social anxiety that Harry had when choosing his own clothing. Draco always looked so well put together by only wearing things that no matter how he mixed them worked together. Harry on the other hand just wore jeans whenever he could because they went with everything.

'Are you . . . meeting anyone there?'

Draco laughed. 'You mean besides you?'

Harry felt his eyes widen but then was sure it didn't mean what Harry hoped it would mean.

'I'm working,' Draco continued. 'Besides, who would I meet or bring? Pansy? Longbottom? Last I checked I'm gay, Longbottom isn't, and they were together. So, if you're worried about being bored alone, don't. I'll be bored right alongside you. It'll be just like the last on Yule Ball you went to.'

'Merlin, I hope not.'

Plus, it wouldn't be as bad as Harry wouldn't be expected to dance with anyone. He and Ron wouldn't have had dates that they ignored the whole time while watching other girls. He'd be with Draco and that would make better all on its own.

#

Although maybe sometimes dancing wasn't a horrible thing.

Somehow Harry had forgotten that Draco loved to dance and had danced through the whole ball in their fourth year. Others had not forgotten it however and it seemed every female teacher came and stole Draco from Harry's side before the night was half over. And then a few came for a second time.

Even though it would be probably the most embarrassing thing Harry had ever done, he wanted to ask Draco for the next dance every time someone approached them. He almost did ask when Hagrid came walking up to them, but of course Hagrid would being coming to talk with Harry not to come take Draco out on the floor. Harry hoped.

Hagrid and Draco barely acknowledged each other.

Once Harry asked Hagrid if that bothered him, but Hagrid just shook his head and said, 'Nah, he's not much differen' than Snape, really. Only easier ta read. That Snape was a stone.'

But maybe Harry should have followed his instincts because Hagrid had a tendency to address the elephant in the room far too often.

'Why ain't ya dancing, Harry?'

Shite. 'I'm not a very good dancer, Hagrid.' And the only person he wanted to dance with had been busy with everyone else.

'I'm sure Malfoy, w'll teach ya. He seems to know what he's doin'.'

Draco stared at Hagrid with a look of surprise. Harry was sure his face looked about the same, except he could feel how warm his cheeks were getting.

'I'm sure Draco doesn't want me stepping all over his feet,' Harry said, reminding himself of his last dancing experiences. Merlin, he'd forgotten all about that and really didn't believe that Draco would have minded earlier, but Draco had been stepped on more than danced with for hours at that point. There was only so much pain a person could take, and Draco was far from a saint.

'I wouldn't mind,' Draco said. 'Only if you want to, of course.'

Harry hesitated because he wanted to, but this was not how he wanted it to happen. He wanted to ask Draco himself. He wanted to be all seductive and charming when he did it. He just needed to find the words and two hours wasn't long enough to come up with them.

'Well,' Hagrid said. 'I'd go if I were you, Harry, because if you back up anymore you'll be stuck under that mistletoe and you won't get 'nother chance to.' Hagrid waved goodbye to them both as Harry froze. He'd almost stepped back at the words if you back up.

Damn, suggestive wording.

Hermione had told Harry about it one time. When people hear certain words they subconsciously respond to them. "Old" would make you walk slower and "excited" put a bounce in your step. So "back up" almost made Harry do just that.

Draco smirked. 'It might already be too late for that.' He was looking above Harry's head—not directly, but just behind it if Harry saw at the angle right. 'From what I've heard, there's a new one floating around, because of the ones that kept getting set on fire in the hallways. This one grabs the nearest person whether they are under it or not and it can't be burned.'

Swallowing, Harry tried to take a step forward. 'Fuck.'

'I think they're kind of funny,' Draco said with a shrug.

'You should go before it traps you, too.'

Draco had a pensive look on his face. 'What if I want it to?'

That was all the invitation Harry needed. He took a hold of Draco's robes and pulled him closer until their lips met in a chaste kiss.

'Please tell me you're planning on doing more than that!'

Harry wasn't much for public displays of affection, but Draco was right that kiss didn't even appease the mistletoe. So he kissed Draco again and, this time, he kissed him like he had been dreaming of kissing Draco for months.

The kiss was hard, fast and desperate with Harry forgetting that air was a necessity to live because for that moment it ceased to be.

Draco was the first to pull back. 'That was a bit better.'

'Only a bit?' Harry said before kissing Draco again, softer and slowly, making it easier for them to breath and kiss at the same time, until there were hoots and clapping all around them. They broke apart as their student called their names and Harry was sure he heard a couple people say, 'Finally!'

The mistletoe floated away to find another victim and Harry pulled Draco to the dance floor without bothering to ask.

'I hope your toes aren't too sore.'

'Please, Potter,' Draco said. 'I perfected those charms during fourth year. Someone had to teach Pansy to dance.'