Here lies more fluff than is healthy. Enjoy!
Chapter 3
Every year, when they set up the Christmas tree, Draco and Harry always had a slight argument about the positions and colours of the ornaments they wanted to put up. The debate was almost never verbal, instead performed by determinedly removing and replacing ornaments put on by the other person. They could never come to an agreement as to whose favourite ornament got prime placing and what colour should dominate their tree. In the end, the compromise was always to stuff the tree with a ridiculous amount of different coloured ornaments, packed tightly together in some places and sparsely in others, until it didn't quite look like a tree, instead appearing more like a child's painting brought to life.
If Draco thought things would be different this year because they were engaged, he was most definitely wrong. Not that he minded – no matter how much he denied it, there was something delightfully domestic about decorating a Christmas tree together with Harry, and he loved every second of it, although they had silent disagreements throughout. It was a Christmas tradition, and he wasn't planning on breaking it any time soon.
"At this rate, we'll never finish up," Harry said sourly as he removed Draco's bright green ornament for the sixth consecutive time, replacing it with his disgustingly Gryffindor-ish red one.
"It isn't my fault," Draco shot back.
"What are you implying?" Harry snapped.
"Nothing," Draco smirked. "What did you think I was implying?"
Harry fixed him with a suspicious gaze before shrugging and focusing his attention on rearranging some of Draco's other ornaments on the tree. There was one, however, that remained untouched. Draco had stolen it from his parents at a young age and hung it up in his room whenever he was upset to make him feel as though Christmas was there and everything was alright. It had hung in his room for most of his seventh year Christmas, which was when he felt most alone. Draco was extremely grateful that it was kept sacred and Harry intentionally refrained from moving it. Despite their constant rivalry, Draco knew Harry would never do anything to hurt his feelings. Not intentionally, at least; but when you had a dense, ignorant, oblivious prat like Harry for a boyfriend, you had to get used to him being a bit of an idiot at times.
"Perhaps I was implying that you waste far too much time putting your horrible red and gold things all over the tree," Draco said after a moment's silence.
Harry glanced up, glaring. "I waste too much time?" he demanded. "Who's the one who always insists on taking down everything I put up?"
"That would be you," Draco replied.
"And you," Harry snapped. "Don't act all innocent. You know it won't work."
"I haven't the faintest what you're talking about," Draco sniffed. "Unless you're referring to those awful-looking things you're putting on the tree right about now –"
He didn't manage to finish his sentence, because Harry had tackled him to the floor in a burst of half-frustrated, half-amused energy, knocking the wind out of him.
"For fuck's sake," Draco said, struggling under Harry, who easily held him down with a smug smile. "If you're this childish about accepting the truth –"
Again, Draco was unable to finish what he wanted to say, because Harry was suddenly kissing him with fevered passion, lips moving in a fierce dance with Draco's own, sucking Draco's bottom lip into his mouth and biting down lightly on it. Draco's mind went blank as he tangled his fingers haphazardly through Harry's hair, moaning quietly into his mouth.
When Harry pulled away, licking his kiss-bruised lips as he did so, Draco was breathless. "Are you…trying…to shut me up, Potter?" he demanded as roughly as he could, although the husky quality of his voice slightly ruined the effect.
"Is it working?" Harry grinned.
Draco smirked. "I don't know. I think you should try a little harder." He paused, then added, "No pun intended."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Maybe later. Why do you want green on the damn tree so much? You Slytherins, I swear…"
"It's not because I'm a Slytherin, Harry," Draco said seriously.
Harry snorted disbelievingly. "Sure."
"It's not!" Draco protested.
"Fine," Harry sighed. "Then pray tell, why is it?"
"They're the colour of your eyes," Draco said truthfully.
Harry rolled said eyes again, but Draco could see them soften and knew he had won. "Are you trying to flirt your way out of this, Malfoy?"
"Is it working?" Draco shot back.
Harry gave in and laughed. "It worries me slightly that I'm not sure whether you like my eyes because they're my eyes, or because they're Slytherin green."
"They're emerald," Draco corrected.
"Must you contradict me on everything?" Harry sighed.
"Yes," Draco said. "Perhaps you should try to shut me up again."
Harry smiled gently, tracing a hand down Draco's cheek, his expression so soft that Draco could practically feel his heart melt at the tender gesture. It didn't help that a ring matching Draco's was fastened around Harry's fourth finger and glinted in the firelight when he moved. Draco tipped his head to the side and pressed a kiss to it tenderly. Salazar, when had he become such a sap?
"Well?" Draco challenged when Harry simply stared at him for a few moments. "Are you going to shut me up now?"
"Perhaps I should," Harry conceded, and set about accomplishing the task.
To be continued…
