Author's Note: I have nothing to say. Wow.

Chapter 6: Christmas

Cordelia took in her surroundings. She was in the same room she was always put in. This room was like her room. No one else who stayed at the Manor used it. It was easily the least dark room. Much of the Manor had a very dark feel to it. The furniture was antique and had actually been there for centuries. Cordelia always figured that the reason the Manor felt so dark was that nothing had changed in it since medieval times. The walls had witnessed much darkness. Cordelia's room had a touch of her in it. All of the furniture was white, and she always placed fresh lilacs in each vase around the room. The cold stone and hard mahogany remained the same but they just didn't seem so harsh when she made these little changes. After unpacking everything, she felt exhausted. She slipped into her red silk pajama bottoms, a white tank top and pulled her long hair into a simple ponytail. Right as she was getting into the bed, someone knocked softly on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Draco. May I come in?"

"Sure." She knew that he would let himself in, so she stayed sitting on her bed, with her lower body under the covers.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were comfortable." She smirked as he noticed her obvious changes to the room. Yeah, she was comfortable. "Guess that is a stupid question, huh?" He continued to stand at the door, for some reason not daring to go any further into her room.

"You know I always make myself comfortable." She smiled her award-winning smile. "You know that you can come in, right? The flowers won't kill you."

Realizing how stupid he was being, he walked up to her bed and sat down beside her. "It just feels that things are different now. Before, I could come in here and just be a friend with no implications, now . . . " He wanted to word this right. "Now, it's different. It's dangerous to be on the same bed as someone you lust after." Damn it. He didn't mean to use the word lust. What he was feeling was more than lust. He just wasn't sure what it was.

"You lust after me?" One of her eyebrows rose. This was brand-new news to her. She would have preferred love, but lust was a step up from where she was.

"Well, sort of. It's more than lust . . . I guess just closer to lust than anything else I know." He hoped that made sense to her, because it didn't make sense to him as he said it. He was trying to figure out what she was thinking, but it seemed like nothing changed on her face. Her eyes were busy searching his.

"You're attracted to me?" She offered. He simply nodded. "I never thought that you were."

Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I have always found you attractive."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Do you find me attractive?" Draco's heart was pounding out of his chest.

"Ever since the first day I met you. You just keep getting more so the older you get." She felt her cheeks turn red. He was looking at her differently. There was still the same warm regard, but there was something else behind it. Desire or even love?

They continued to gaze in each other's eyes, waiting for the other to make the first move. Draco wanted her to make the first move, so he would know for sure that she wanted this. Although the thought seemed so ludicrous because eventually they would have to go this far, he wanted to make sure. Cordelia reached up and stroked his ear causing shivers to go down his spine. She leaned in and softly brushed her lips on his then whispered in his ear. "Take me." It was the two-word phrase that Draco had been waiting for. He consumed her lips in a passionate kiss--it felt like the kiss to end all kisses to him. Releasing her lips, he began to kiss down her neck causing her to moan. He was turning her on with just the smallest gestures.

"Are you sure?" He asked between kisses.

"I have never been more sure of anything." Draco smiled and began to lift her shirt over her head, revealing her breasts to him. Gently he leaned into her causing her to lie back in the bed as he began paying attention to her chest. She was lost in his touch. He had begun to take off her pants when she stopped him. He looked up her. Did she decide against this now? "I am failing to see the fairness behind me being almost completely naked and you are still fully clothed." She put on a pout and motioned for him to come back up. He smiled and pulled off his shirt revealing a well-built chest. He captured her into a kiss again, this time more passionate yet so gentle. She began pulling at his boxers but was unsuccessfully getting them down. Noticing her struggle he helped her and was soon free from the prison of clothing. While Cordelia arched her back, he helped her with her pants. Now both were completely naked. Using one knee, Draco urged her to open her legs. She complied. He began inching into her warmth and marveled at all the pleasure he was bringing to her. He had forgotten something until he reached a barrier--she was still a virgin. This was going to hurt her. Instead of pushing on ahead, he allowed her to adjust to his size. He looked her straight in her eyes.

"Cordy, this is going to hurt . . . are you sure?" He didn't want to hurt her at all.

"Draco. I want to do this." She reached up and stroked his hair, bringing him back down to her lips. Draco then pushed through, causing her to gasp in pain. He wanted to stop but she kept the movement going with her hips. She was obviously in pain, but soon he noticed that her pain subsided into pleasure. Greater pleasure than what she was experiencing before. He broke the kiss so he could look into her eyes. They were filled with so much love. Soon he felt her pace speed up. She must have been close to climaxing. With a silent scream, she released causing him to climax. Sweaty, completely satisfied and happy, the young couple lied there in each other's arms for the rest of the night. Cordelia had fallen asleep and Draco watched her as moonlight danced across her face. She looked to content. He smiled and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Cordy."

Draco and Cordelia spent every moment of their time together. They spent nights together and when one woke up in the morning, the one would wait for the other to wake before they ventured down to breakfast. It was now Christmas morning. Draco was waiting for his sleeping lover to wake. This was going to be a special Christmas. The only one to date that Lucius wouldn't be at. Lucius had a way of making the holiday terrible. Dark wizards never denied that God existed. Instead they chose to mock God on his day. For that reason, the Malfoys never exchanged gifts. This year Narcissa insisted that they break that particular tradition. When the three were shopping in town, Draco had gotten Cordelia the perfect gift. With this gift, he planned on telling her how he felt about her. He waited patiently for her to wake so he could give it to her.

Cordelia's eyes fluttered lightly. Still half in a dream, she felt the Draco's soft breath on her neck. The warmth of his body against hers was so comforting that she contemplated going back to sleep until the realization that it was Christmas hit her. Opening her eyes fully, she turned her head to face her lover. He was grinning at her. "Merry Christmas, Cordy." He kissed her cheek. "Now get up." Cordelia feigned shock and disappointment, but got up anyway. She put on a pair of baby blue boxers and a white tee. Draco slid into a pair of black silk pants. Hand in hand, they walked down the stairs into the sitting room where Narcissa sat drinking apple cider. She looked over and saw her son and his love. He had never looked so happy in his life. She hoped that happiness would never leave.

"Merry Christmas Mother." Draco went over and hugged his mother. Cordelia followed. "Can we do presents now?" Narcissa noticed that Draco was very anxious to give his gifts. She knew why.

"Yes, dear. How about I start though?" Draco's face fell a little, and then he realized that she was allowing him to save his gift to Cordelia for last. His mother was brilliant. Narcissa gave her son a silver pocket watch that had been on her side of the family for years. She gave Cordelia a pair of diamonds earrings that her mother had given her. Since she didn't have any daughters, she saw it fit to give this gift to her future daughter-in-law. Cordelia was the next to go. She gave Narcissa a new extravagant hair clip decorated with emeralds. She knew that her future mother-in-law always wore these hair clips and would enjoy a new one to add to her growing collection. She gave Draco the newest model of broom--the Flash 3000. She had seen him drooling over the broom when they were in town. He looked up at her in complete shock.

"You spent a lot of money here." He wasn't complaining, but wow did he have a great girlfriend.

"I can afford it Draco. I'm independently wealthy and all. Besides, it hard to buy you stuff. You already have everything."

"We are going to have to go riding now." He smirked at her. He knew that she would never want to ride a broom. For some reason, she was uneasy about that whole subject. Flying was not her thing.

"I don't think so." Before Draco could say anything else, two owls came crashing into the room. It seemed as though the two of them were racing to see who got there first. Cordelia recognized both owls. One was her godparents' owl, Ludwig and the other was Ron's owl, Pig. She suspected that Pig was the one that initiated the race. They landed on the arm of the chair closest to her, both holding packages and letters. "Draco, do you mind waiting until I take care of these two?" He shook his head and she proceeded to untie the small package from Ludwig's leg.

"No offense, Pig, but I think he has been flying longer than you." The note said:

"Hello Sweetie. I hope that things are going well for you this holiday and that you are enjoying your time with the Malfoys. Your mother left this with us so that we would give it to you. We figured this seemed like a good time. Have a wonderful day! Love, Ella and Robert" She then turned her attention to the small package. Inside was a small charm of the crest of the O'Leary family. She took off her necklace containing the Jacobs crest and placed the new one with it. Now, she had both of them. "Thank you Ludwig." The owl gave a small hoot. "Here's a cookie." Ludwig took it from her hand, gave another hoot and flew off. Pig was still waiting, getting more excited now that her attention was on him. She untied the package from his leg and gave him a cookie. He accepted it gladly and flew away. The note that accompanied the package said:

"Cordy, I hope that you are having a good time. We have had so much fun here at the Burrow. Hermione came over a few days ago to stay for the rest of the holiday. She says, hi. There are so many stories and we can't wait to tell them to you when we go back to school. Hermione, Harry and I all got you this gift. See you soon. Love, Ron, Hermione and Harry." She smiled and opened the small package. Inside there was a charm bracelet with three charms on it already. One from each of her friends. Ron's was a snowflake-they both shared a love for the snow. Hermione's was a star, and Harry's was a dove. She wondered about the choice of the dove for a minute. Did that mean that everything between them was going to be okay? That he had peace about her relationship with Draco?

"You have good friends." Narcissa observed.

"Yeah, they're really good friends." She smiled and turned to Draco. "It's your turn now." Draco gave his mother a new silk, emerald green cloak. It was another one of those elegant things that his mother loved. He and Cordelia had purposely gotten their presents in the same color.

"And now for you." Draco had gotten really serious now. "Cordy, I have always known that you were going to be my wife and up until a few weeks ago, I dreaded that. I thought that I was going to be stuck in a miserable marriage with someone I only liked. Lately, I have found different." He hesitated. Not knowing whether he should say this next part.  "I love you." This whole spiel was very well rehearsed. He watched the face of his lover go from concerned to soft. Her eyes had started to tear up when he said love. Draco took her hands in his and sat on his knees in front of her. "I didn't think that I would ever know what love was, but you have shown me. I am glad that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. This next line is going to sound crazy, but I am going to say it anyway." He stopped and took a deep breath then took out a small ring box out of a little bag he had with him. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" The answer was immediate. She didn't even wait to see what the ring looked like. It could have been a gum wrapper for all she cared. They kissed and as they broke away, both noticed tears in the others' eyes. Draco then took the ring out of its enclosure and placed it gently on her finger. The band was white gold and there was a solitary stone in the center. It looked like the purest diamond ever found by man. She loved him so much and now they were one-step closer to being together forever.

The rest of the day was spent inside the manor in front of the fire. Draco kept trying to get her to take a ride with him on the broom. She kept declining. It was a losing battle. It didn't matter. They were together and in love. That was all that mattered.

Author's Note: Hello sappiness. It was great to have this visit with you. (smiles)