A Winter Wish

Monday, December 20

The next morning, the warmth in his hand disappeared. Draco opened his eyes to see that it was well into the morning. He sat up and looked around. Harry was not anywhere to be seen but in his place was Headmaster Dumbledore sitting in a chair in front of Draco's bed.

"Ah. Young Mister Malfoy. I see you are awake."

Draco didn't respond. 'Where's Harry?' he thought.

"I dismissed Mister Potter. He wanted to go pick something up at Hogsmead."

'Of course…why would he want to stay here with me?' Draco looked down into his sheets.

"Harry left rather reluctantly, of course. Yesterday, he would not leave no matter how much Madame Pomfrey assured him that you would be perfectly fine."

The Slytherin blinked at the Headmaster. "How did you…?" he trailed off.

Dumbledore simply smiled. "Mister Potter told me what happened yesterday. Or at least what he saw happened. Would you like to say something?"

Draco looked down at his lap. "I'll never join them…" Draco said more to himself than to the headmaster.

Dumbledore nodded and smiled again. "Perhaps, if you are feeling better later this afternoon, you will go to Hogsmead as well. Maybe pick something up for your savior?" Dumbledore shrugged. "Maybe." And with that, he left the hospital wing.

Draco thought about it. 'Maybe…' He hopped out of bed to see if Madame Pomfrey thought he was well enough to go to Hogsmead.

---

An hour of persuasion and another hour of getting himself ready with eating and dressing, Draco was in Hogsmead looking from shop to shop for something he could give Harry.

"Why am I doing this? I don't even know what he likes." Draco mumbled to himself. He picked up a shirt, rolled his eyes, and tossed it aside. 'It's a good thing I have my own vault.' He thought. When he was four, Draco had always whined to his father that he should have his own Gringotts bank vault to save his own money. His father, wanting the little blonde to shut up, set up the account and handed Draco the key. So, ever since then, Draco had been storing most of his allowance in the vault and now it had grown to a sizable amount. The Slytherin picked up another shirt, sighed, and tossed it aside. He growled in frustration and left the store. Draco glanced over to the Candy Store.

'I might as well. I don't know what else to get him.' Draco stepped in and scanned the shelves for something Harry might want. 'Argh! I don't even know what he likes to eat!' Draco's shoulders slumped as he walked over to the rack of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. He picked up a box and walked over to the register.

"Will this be all for you?" The witch at the counter asked. It seemed as if she could care less.

"Yeah…"

"All right." She told Draco the price and he paid her in exact change. Still trying to figure out what else he could give Harry, Draco climbed into a carriage and went back to the school grounds.

When he arrived at Hogwarts, it was already time for dinner. When Draco stepped into the Great Hall, Harry's voice rang out above the rest.

"Draco!" Harry called with a grin upon his face.

Draco shook his head but walked towards the raven-haired boy. He took a seat in from of Harry.

"How are you feeling, Draco?" Harry asked, concerned.

"Why do you care?" Draco snapped but immediately regretting it as he watched Harry's face fall and slump in his chair. Harry looked at his food in his plate and picked at it with his fork. "I'm sorry." Draco apologized. "I didn't…I'm sorry." He placed the bag in his hands next to Harry's plate.

Harry simply stared at it in confusion.

"Um, err…" Draco sighed. "Thank you…for saving me. I didn't know what else to get you so I just got you that." Harry peeked into the bag curiously making him look like a kid to Draco. 'Adorable…' he thought picking at his bread.

Harry pulled out the Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and smiled. "Thank you, Draco. Although, you didn't have to get me anything."

Draco scoffed. "That's right." He said as if remembering something. "It's in your job description to save everyone." Draco bit his tongue and looked at Harry to see his response.

Harry chuckled and shook his head, obviously not bothered by Draco's remark. Draco let out a sigh of relief and continued to eat.

---

Tuesday, December 21

Draco groaned at a ray of sunlight shone in his eye. The night before, Harry had seemed deep in thought and Draco thought it would be best if he didn't interrupt. And plus, what would he say? "Hey Harry. Anything new in your life? Anymore evil dark wizards trying to kill you?" No. That wouldn't do. And so he and Harry just ate in silence.

The blonde Slytherin tried placing his pillow over his head but sleep just wouldn't return to him. He groaned again and slowly crawled out of bed. He went to the bathroom, did his business, brushed his teeth and gelled back his hair in his traditional look. Then he got dressed before walking to the Great Hall.

The first thing Draco noticed was that Harry wasn't there. 'Well of course he's not here. It's well into the morning and he probably had his breakfast hours ago.' Draco frowned. 'Why do I care anyway?' He took a seat at one of the tables and waited as food magically appeared from the kitchens below. He began to eat. 'Potter's been acting significantly strange over the past few days. Maybe his scar really has been causing him brain damage.' Draco snorted. 'I wouldn't be surprised. Perfect Potter isn't so perfect after all. My wish has come true.' At that thought, Draco froze, his fork halfway to his open mouth.

"Mister Malfoy, mind your manners and eat your food or place it back onto your plate. Do not simply sit there looking like an idiot." A greasy-haired professor drawled.

Draco shut his jaw and placed his fork back onto his plate. "Professor Snape, do you believe that wishes can come true?"

The potions master blinked in surprise at his student's inquiry. "And what has inspired such a question?" he asked, his eyebrow arched.

"Nothing really. I was just thinking."

Professor Snape sighed and sat down across from Draco. "Mister Malfoy, this is a magical world. Many strange things do happen. As for wishes," he paused to think for a moment. "Wishes are simply dreams. I, personally, don't believe in such things but like I said 'this is a magical world.'"

Draco nodded slightly in agreement. To have such talks, this is why Serverus Snape was his favorite teacher. "Thank you, Professor."

Professor Snape nodded, stood and walked off towards the dungeons.

"Many strange things do happen." Draco repeated. He picked up his fork and began eating once again. 'You have no idea…'

Author's Notes/Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter characters.

Why is Draco acting nice to Harry? 1)Because Harry saved him. 2)Because Draco trully does want to befriend the Boy-Who-Lived. And 3)Because in this story, deep down, Draco had "feelings" for Potter. I don't know whatelse to say. Thanks to the people who reviewed. More Harry and Draco interaction in the next chapter.