Chapter Nineteen

The Intermission

Harry grinned at the gaping mouths of the three Slytherins. After a minute or two, he uncrossed his legs and sat himself up. Leaving the two boxes on the bed, he hopped off and stood on the dungeon floor. "What?" he asked innocently.

Goyle and Crabbe stood staring at him some more. Draco finally recovered the use of his body after the shock of Harry's appearance. Harry watched as Draco guided his still-floating gifts to his desk. Then, putting away his wand and crossing his arms across his chest, Draco turned to Harry. "Wh-What in the bloody hell are you doing here?" he stammered.

"Happy Christmas, Dray." Harry smiled widely. He watched as Draco's lips finally spread into a reluctant smile.

"Happy Christmas to you, too, Har." Draco's smile faltered a bit. Then Draco's brain apparently registered the fact that Harry'd brought two wrapped parcels with him. "I thought we were exchanging tonight."

Harry's eyes followed Draco's line of sight and glanced casually over his shoulder. "Oh, those?" Harry leaned over and picked up the packages. "Sorry, Dragon Man. As much as you may believe that everything is about you," Harry winked cheekily, "these aren't for you."

Draco's eyebrow lifted, obviously annoyed by Harry's comment and confused about the reason for the two boxes now resting in Harry's fingers. Harry grinned again. "You don't get your present until later. These are for someone else. Two someone elses, actually."

Harry stepped forward and stopped in front of Crabbe and Goyle, whose hands were still filled with their already-unwrapped gifts. They hastily put their piles on the floor in front of them and each accepted the package offered to them.

Harry tried to hide the look of amusement that was threatening to spread across his features. He knew that although the two boys had accepted him as Draco's boyfriend, they weren't quite sure they could trust him enough yet to call him friend. Harry figured that a small gift to each of them might serve as a peace offering between himself and the two larger boys. At least that was what he was hoping for. Goyle and Crabbe sent wary glances at each other. Then Harry saw their eyes travel to Draco. Harry's eyes followed.

Draco sighed impatiently. "Would you two dunderheads just open the ruddy things already?"

Harry smirked and said, "Really, guys. I haven't enchanted them to blow up in your faces or anything."

The two still apprehensive Slytherins sighed in defeat. They untied the ribbons. As they were ripping off the paper, Harry conjured a small golden yellow fire in midair for them to throw the paper into. "Dray told me about you guys and the whole paper-goes-into-the-fire thing." Harry floated the fire toward them. "Here. Toss them in. One at a time, though. This fire is a bit too small for both at once."

The three Slytherins' eyebrows ran for cover in their hairlines in response to the arrival of the gold flames levitating before them. After another traded glance, Crabbe and Goyle shrugged. Goyle threw his ball into the flames first. The blaze turned a deep green and a pair of translucent silvery ribbons snaked out of the center. They twisted and turned to form the words "Happy Christmas." The surprised pair looked past the vanishing words at Harry, timid smiles playing upon their lips. Draco smiled at his boyfriend. Harry smiled back and nodded toward the fire. Once the flames returned to their original golden hue, Crabbe tossed his ball of paper in. The fire exploded into a mass of green again, and a thin silver thread floated out of the center, curling into the form of the Slytherin serpent that hung above the jade flames. Harry watched the jaws of the boys in front of him drop open once more in surprise and amazement. Draco, whose attention had been tugged to the fiery appearance of his house mascot, looked back at Harry and grinned broadly. Harry beamed back at his astonished boyfriend.

"You know," said Harry, "There's more to the gifts than just the wrapping."

Crabbe and Goyle looked down at their hands, suddenly remembering that they still had yet to open the cartons there. They slowly lifted the lids and found that both were holding containers full of sweets from Honeydukes.

"It isn't much, but I thought I would get you guys a little something. You two have been so pleasant the last couple weeks. This is just a thank you for that." Harry smiled sheepishly. He looked at his boyfriend and saw an odd look in his eyes. What is that look? A bit of astonishment… A dash of pride… and a whole lot of love. Good. I did good then.

Crabbe and Goyle stammered their thanks at Harry, adding "You shouldn't have," and "We didn't get you anything."

"You didn't have to get me anything. I didn't even tell Dray I was getting you guys anything." Harry grinned again. I'm grinning a lot today, aren't I? Well it's Christmas. I'm allowed! "The only thing I need from you guys is your blessing for Draco and me." Harry strode over to Draco and slid his arm around the other boy's waist. Draco looked into Harry's eyes and then the couple looked at the other Slytherins. The four boys stared at each other in silence for a moment, the two friends eyeing the couple in front of them. Goyle and Crabbe turned to look at each other and after another moment they nodded, apparently coming to a silent agreement. Goyle stepped forward to Harry and Draco, who stepped apart. Goyle thrust his hand out at Harry, a slow smile coming to his face. Harry took his hand and they shook. Crabbe followed Goyle in shaking hands.

Harry was grinning yet again. Well, I think this friendship idea might just be possible yet. Harry didn't notice, but a single tear traced a path down the cheek of the blonde boy standing at his side.


~*~*~*~

Draco lay on his bed as Harry had four hours prior. His eyes were closed and on his lips was one of the biggest the world had ever seen. After he and Harry got the seal of approval from Crabbe and Goyle, they went to lunch all together. Now it was coming up on dinnertime, and he was getting anxious about that night. What if Harry doesn't like it? What if-? Draco shook his head. Of course Harry would like his gift. It was from him, and Harry loved him. There was no way he wouldn't like the gift. But Draco couldn't help but feel a hint of apprehension.

Draco sat up finally. He shook his head again, trying to free his mind of the fears plaguing him currently. Harry loves me, he repeated to himself. He will love the gift. Why am I so damn worried? Draco threw his legs off the bed and stood. He rolled his head around on his shoulders to stretch his stiff neck, and brushed the wrinkles out of his robes. He crossed to the mirror and fussed with his hair.

"There's a small bit at the back that's still standing up," said his mirror helpfully.

"Thank you, I saw it," said Draco defensively. He flattened the wayward lock that he'd not seen, and then ran his fingers through his hair once more. Draco grinned at his pleasing appearance and checked his watch. Dinnertime. I must be going down to the Great Hall now. Draco leaned down and brushed out invisible creases in his pants and started for the door.

"You look magnificent," called his mirror.

"Of course I do."


~*~*~*~

Harry sat next to Draco, tucking in to the extravagant feast laid before him. He was suddenly starving for some reason, and grabbed a helping of everything possible. Draco raised an eyebrow, amused.

"I'm hungry, Dray." Harry looked at his boyfriend's expression and elbowed him before reaching for the plate of sliced ham. "Stop! I'm allowed to be hungry!"

"Yes, dear," said Draco, still amused.

Harry piled some roasted potatoes onto his plate next to the heap of green beans. Draco snorted at the rising mountain of food Harry had on his plate.

"Oh hush up, you little ferret. A growing boy needs his energy!" Harry shoved a spoonful of peas in his mouth and then stuck out his tongue childishly. Draco's eyes darkened at the reference to his brief stint as a rodent. The sight of Harry's tongue, which was, unbeknownst to Harry, covered in bits of peas, amused Draco once more and another snort escaped him.

Harry turned to Draco, who tried to cover the snort by a cough, and tried to ask "what now?" Unfortunately for Harry, his new mouthful of food made it sound more like "rut maow?"

Harry watched Draco's shoulders start to shake. He quickly swallowed the chicken and carrots that had prevented his speech and sighed, exasperated. "What?"

"You're quite the entertainment when you're hungry, that's all." Draco grinned. He picked up a small bite of his own ham and gestured with the fork. "Eat."

Harry grudgingly obeyed. "You had better be good and stop laughing at me, or else you are not your present tonight."

Draco looked at his boyfriend, sending him a pitifully adorable face. "I'll be good. I promise." Harry held back a smile as Draco thrust his bottom lip out in a pout.

They turned back to their dinners, and neither spoke for most of the rest of meal. Harry was too busy shoveling food in his gaping mouth. And Harry never noticed, but Draco was busy watching Harry eat, still quite amused.

After the students and professors had had their fill of the entrees, the leftovers vanished, and desserts appeared. Harry grinned, excited to see the new sweets that appeared in front of him. If he thought he had been full, the feeling vanished at the sight of the cakes and puddings that now sat before him. Draco saw him eyeing the devil's food cake, and leaned to whisper in his ear.

"Harry, are you still hungry? How is that possible?" Draco looked at his boyfriend amazed.

"It's hard to explain. Childhood thing, really. I'd rather not get into it right now." Harry pushed the images of being starved at the Dursleys to the back of his mind, determined to keep in a happy mood. "Cake, Love?"

Finally the dinner was over, and Dumbledore stood to make his Christmas night speech. "Well, I just wanted to start off by saying Happy Christmas…" Harry tuned Dumbledore out for the first time in his schooling. His mind had turned to the boy sitting next to him. Harry, in need for more contact with Draco, let his hand slip onto Draco's knee. Draco's head turned, surprised. Harry flashed Draco his lopsided smile and felt the knee shiver under his fingers. I guess that smile really does affect him… Harry turned his head back to face the headmaster. But as he did so, his hand explored the lap in which it was resting. Harry heard Draco's breath catch in his throat and he grinned. How do you like that taste of your own medicine, Dray?

"…So now I release you to your dormitories. And once again, Happy Christmas." Harry tuned back in to Dumbledore for that last line. Harry pulled back his hand from Draco's inner thigh and stood. Draco stood next to him and whispered in his ear, "Harry, that was not nice. You'd better be glad our school robes are not tight."

Harry snickered and looked at his boyfriend. "That's what you get, Dray. You think you can dish it out but you don't have to take it?"

Draco gave in and smiled. "Hey, you know what time it is, Har?"

"Present time?" asked Harry, excited.

"Right in one!" Harry saw the reluctant smile spreading into a big grin across Draco's face. The two boys walked out into the Entrance Hall. Draco grabbed Harry's hand and turned him so they were facing each other. "Obviously we both need to get the presents. Meet here in ten minutes, alright?"

"Why here?" Harry looked around him. "It's not the most comfortable place to open Christmas presents."

"We're not going to be opening them here, you silly git. I'm going to take you to where we can be alone." Draco's features were etched into a sly smile. "Now go." He turned Harry toward the Main Staircase and slapped the Gryffindor's backside.

"Alright, alright. No need for abuse!" Harry whined, rubbing his bum. As he started up the steps, he glanced over his shoulder at Draco. Harry watched the Slytherin's back retreat as he moved toward the dungeons. What is that boy up to? Harry watched Draco until the blonde hair disappeared into the darkness. Then he turned back and ascended the steps to his room to collect Draco's presents. His pace quickened as he got more and more anxious to see where he was to be taken.

~*~TBC~*~