a.n. – So here we are. Me, writing my first HP story in five years, and you people, sadly having to read it. I'm sorry . . . *cough* But yes – isn't everyone entitled to write a Christmas fic? Here's mine, anyway. This was written for my friend, Julia. Hopefully everyone likes it . . . and happy Christmas, Yule, Hanukah, or whatever you celebrate. Reviews are appreciated, but not necessary. This is a one shot.
Disclaimer: Don't own a thing . . .
Last Chance to Lose Your Keys
Winter. In literature, it symbolizes death. To kids, it's fun. To adults, it's work. To the rest of us . . . well, it's whatever we decide to make of it. Life is like that too. It is what we make of it. There are some people out there, having the time of their lives, and others who cry themselves to sleep every night. Sometimes we can't help how we feel, because other people really do affect us that much. And sometimes we're just lonely and longing for a human touch.
Draco Malfoy was sitting on a green velvet loveseat, the cushion next to him vacant. His father was making him stay at Hogwarts this winter break, as he was going on vacation with the blonde boy's mother. Lucius had promised to send lots of presents, but still, Draco was frowning sourly at the mere thought.
A few people were milling about the Slytherin common room, but Draco wasn't in the mood to chat with any of them. So with a heavy sigh, he decided to take a walk about the castle.
Walking along, he mainly let his feet do all of the thinking, and he really had no idea where he was going, as he was lost in his thoughts at the moment.
'Why do I have to stay here while almost everyone else gets to go home?!' Draco thought to himself bitterly, a scowl marring his usual indifferent, haughty face.
He must have stopped walking at one point, because his surroundings stopped moving as well. He stood there for quite some time in silent contemplation, unaware of the green eyes watching him from a discreetly placed part of the corridor.
After a while, the black haired boy just couldn't keep back a smarmy remark and decided to allow his presence to be acknowledged.
Getting off of the curved, ivory windowsill, Harry strode by Draco, pausing a moment to whisper, "don't think too hard – you might hurt yourself," before continuing on his way.
Draco was harshly snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing someone speak, and when he zoned back in he was greeted by Harry's retreating figure.
"Damn Potter," Draco mumbled to himself and then louder, "I'd watch your back if I were you!"
Harry turned around slightly and replied with, "or are you doing that for me?" Then, he continued walking.
Draco stood there, puzzled, for a few minutes after Harry was out of his sight. What had Harry been implying by that, anyway?
"Bunch of bullshit," Draco muttered and moved towards his now fixed destination: the library.
Upon reaching the room, Draco sat down in a squashy chair next to one of the many large oval windows. The librarian, Madam Pince, held him in her accusing gaze of not coming to find something in a book, but soon said bibliophile turned away to go demand that a couple of third years leave as they were playing keep away with the books.
The main reason that Draco had come down to the library was to stare out at the snow covered expanse of the Hogwarts grounds. To his dismay, however, there were no snowflakes drifting to the ground, as he hoped there would be.
So staring dismally, he spent most of his day down there, with the wish that it would snow. His wish, however, remained unfilled.
When the sky began growing dark, Draco made his way back to the Slytherin common room. Murmuring, "oppugnare," he entered the room, lit with the fire and candles that lined the walls.
No other sixth year Slytherin besides him had stayed at Hogwarts for the winter holidays. Draco had felt alone for the past couple of days, and the loneliness had started to increase as Christmas drew nearer.
After an hour or two of idly sitting around the common room, every now and then staring into the flames of the fire crackling in the fireplace, Draco went down to the Great Hall for dinner.
As he sat down, his eye twitched in annoyance as Harry sat down next to him, Hermione and Ron accompanying him - staring at Harry with odd looks. There was a single table in the Great Hall, as there were not many people staying for the holiday.
Draco's eyes narrowed considerably, and he glared at the bespectacled boy next to him and hissed, "Don't you have anyone else you'd rather annoy Potter?"
"Nope, you're the lucky one today," came the nonchalant reply as mounds of food appeared on the table.
Not much conversation developed between the twenty people at the table on Draco's part, as he was fuming. Sure Potter was usually annoying, but he wasn't usually this much sarcastically and pushy annoying. Maybe he wanted something . . .
When dinner was finished and cleared away, Draco made his way back to the dungeons, looking forward to sitting in front of the warm fire.
During dinner, Draco had caught Harry staring at him more than once, and it unnerved him, although he would never admit it.
'What the hell is he plotting, anyway?' Draco mused as he passed by a window. He stopped there and took time to look out the window.
"Still no snow?" A voice from behind him inquired, causing Draco to jump.
Twirling around, he was face to face with none other than Harry Potter.
"What the hell do you want – you . . . stalker?!" Draco accused.
"Did I scare you?" Harry asked, a small smile playing on his lips.
"No!" Draco replied defiantly.
"I think I did – had you jumped any higher you would have hit the ceiling."
Draco glared. "You just caught me off guard, that's all. Now what the hell do you want?"
Harry shrugged and Draco exploded. "You mean to tell me that you've been following me all day for no apparent reason?!"
Harry looked thoughtful. "I can make up a reason if you want me to."
"Just . . . leave me alone," Draco sighed, resuming walking.
"And once you get there – what will you do?"
"What the hell are you babbling about, Potter?"
"Once you get back to your common room – what will you do, other than wallow in your loneliness because you're all alone this Christmas?"
Draco was really starting to get peeved. "You don't know anything about me – so shut up until you know what you're talking about. And even if I was lonely, I would rather be so than keep the company of you."
Harry stood as in deep thought. "Come with me," he finally said, and Draco looked appalled.
"I am not going anywhere with you!" He cried out in protest.
Harry just rolled his eyes and grabbed Draco's arm, dragging him alone as he walked. Draco eventually gave up, and soon walked along, still reluctant.
Soon, they reached the entrance to the Gryffindor tower. Draco was now more appalled because he knew where he was going. Harry said the password, and the portrait, with a disapproving look towards Draco, swung open.
"Hell will freeze over before I walk into your house common room." Draco protested, but to no avail, as he got lightly pushed into the tunnel, Harry following.
"Guess hell froze over," Harry commented as he sat down on a couch in the empty common room decked out in scarlet and gold coloring.
Draco glared at his surroundings, and after less than one minute, he turned and made to leave, but Harry grabbed his arm once more and forced him into the seat next to him.
Just as this was happening, Ron and Hermione came down the stairs, and Ron sent Harry a questioning look and Draco a glare.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Ron questioned.
Harry just sent Ron a look that plainly told him to leave, and Ron sighed, took Hermione's hand, and led her out of the common room. Near the exit, Hermione looked back and sent Harry a look that corresponded with, "we want an explanation and all the details afterwards."
When they had left, Draco huffed angrily. "What the hell do you want?"
"Company," the reply sounded a bit remorseful.
Draco was a bit taken aback, but responded anyway. "Well, you've got Weasley and Granger."
"I always feel like the third wheel with them."
Draco was more than annoyed. Potter had forced him to come up here to have a bloody heart-to-heart conversation?!
He began glaring at the wall, and when he looked back, he noticed that those green eyes were closer than they were before.
Draco's eyes widened as he felt Harry's lips pressed against his own. Surprisingly, he didn't pull away, and eventually let his own eyelids fall closed.
When they both pulled away, Draco didn't know why he let Harry do that. He was lonely, and apparently so was Harry. Maybe loneliness drives you to do extreme things. When you're so completely alone to the point where you've almost gone crazy, any sort of affection is comforting and heaven to you, even if it is the touch of your worst enemy's lips against your own.
Cautiously, Draco leaned his head against Harry's shoulder and found no resistance. He didn't want to be lonely anymore. Looking out the window, Draco noticed that it had started to snow, and he let a small smile grace his lips.
"I've wanted it to snow all day," he explained to Harry.
"Looks like you got your wish," Harry replied, his eyes looking out the window as well.
"Looks like it . . ."