For Auld Lang Syne

Mmmm...gay. I'm starting to notice how like all of my OTPs involve a pair of people who tend to bicker with each other like little old ladies and one has messy-ish dark hair and the other is blonde. (Well, and then there's Hermione/Blaise, which just totally makes no sense at all given my leanings but oh how I love it.)

Uh anyways this is for Hikarua here on FFNET...you see, I had a contest a while (coughtwoyearscough) ago and she won it. So like, her conditions were thus: Harry/Draco, Death Eater Dance Party, and WAFF. Also, um so not mine. Seriously. If I wrote the Potter books, well Blaise/Hermione forever, yo. The books'd be much gayer too. Like A Great and Terrible Beauty gay. (OMGgogoreadthatNOW!) Also, um imagine Lucius's voice to be like Thurston Howell the Third's from Gilligan's Island. Seriously. The fic somehow makes a LOT more sense that way.

Not for the first time in his sixteen years, Harry Potter was wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. True, he had always been something of an outsider…although here it was more apparent than usual.

On the first day of school this year, Draco had declared their feud as "so Fourth year" and a truce had come over the two boys. But if anyone had told Harry he would be facing this on New Year's Eve, he'd have surely called St. Mungo's and had them committed.

"Potter, are you going to stand about gawking like a Muggle child at a zoo all night or are you actually going to go into the ballroom?"

Harry managed to quit the staring long enough to glare are Draco. "It's not everyday that not only am I invited to Malfoy Manor to celebrate the New Year, but am invited to celebrate said holiday with a large throng of people bent on my destruction."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't be such a drama queen. No one's going to kill you. Besides, everyone knows that New Year's has always been the Dark Lord's favourite holiday. And why shouldn't he celebrate just like everyone else?"

Harry opened his mouth to reply, then shut it quickly. "Touché," he muttered grudgingly.

Draco offered his arm. "Ready, Potter?"

"Not really, but…what the hell." He took the arm and, feeling oddly self-conscious in his dress robes and on the arm of Draco Malfoy, was led into the ballroom.

Silver and black lights floated in mid-air almost like twinkling fireflies. Streamers in the same colours were draped everywhere, softening the room. A mirror ball had been enchanted and there were silver mock-fireworks prepared to go off at midnight precisely.

"Draco! Oh Draco darling!" Narcissa Malfoy waved a mask in one hand and was holding a flute of champagne in the other.

"Mother," Draco greeted as he kissed her on both cheeks. "You're lovely as always."

"Oh you!" She giggled, then smiled warmly at Harry which nearly made him pass out from shock. "How wonderful to see you here, Harry! These grown-up parties really tax my Draco, I'm afraid, so I'm so happy he has a friend with him for this one!" Something past the two boys caught her eye. "Oh my sister's here, excuse me. Oh Bella! Bella!"

Harry was blinking very rapidly. "Uh…is…she always so high-strung?"

"Only when pissed," Draco answered matter-of-factly. "I think she started early this year…perhaps when she woke up. Speaking of drinking, there's Father."

Lucius Malfoy stood imperious behind a bar, mixing some drinks for everyone. There was a Shriner's cap on his head, and he was smoking a cigar. "Draco! Harry! Enjoying the festivities?"

"Uh…yes?" Harry managed, confusion showing plainly on his face.

"Ha! Of course you are! Don't worry, Harry, the Dark Lord won't try to kill you tonight. For one thing, he never shows before eleven. For another, it's New Year's Eve! So relax, the night is young, and just enjoy!" He poured some sort of pink concoction into a glass with a red umbrella. "Mai Tai?"

Draco handed the drink to Harry, taking one with a green umbrella for himself. "Bottom's up, Potter." They clinked glasses.

"Same to you, Malfoy." Harry took a tentative sip, his eyes lighting up. He promptly threw his head back and downed the drink, a pleased look on his face. "This is brilliant! Your father is an excellent bartender!"

Draco just smiled and sipped his more carefully.

-----

Six Mai Tais later…

Somewhere between the levitating Twister game and dancing among the Black sisters, the Boy Who Lived realized he was most likely drunk.

The best part?

He didn't care a whit.

He was surrounded by Death Eaters. He was pissed. Voldemort had waved to him. Minnie Riperton was playing. And he was having the best time of his life. Midnight was drawing ever nearer as the music switched from Minnie to Marvin. He was just about to be shanghaied by Mrs. Avery when a pale hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Care to dance, Potter?"

Harry's too-bright eyes widened. "Wif…wif…" Why was it so hard to speak all of a sudden? "With you?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "No. With my father."

"Oh. He looks busy snogging your Mum. I'd hate to interrupt." Harry pointed and Draco stared.

"Oh for the love of---! I could have gone my whole life without witnessing such a display!" Draco shivered in disgust, then held out his hand. "Come on, Potter, cut a rug with me."

"'Kay." Harry fell into the taller boy's arms and they started moving to the music. There was silence between the two. Not an uncomfortable one, or even an awkward one. But one still wrought with tension and heat.

Draco debated inwardly before deciding that Harry was, in fact, drunk enough for him to do something he had been contemplating since third year. He gently moved the messy black hair off of Harry's forehead, and kissed the scar. Harry closed his eyes and smiled.

"No one's ever done that before…."

"Really? Perhaps then you should broaden the company you keep."

"ONE MINUTE! ONE MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT!"

The Death Eaters went wild. Harry was too busy being lost in the Clarity of the Drunk. Thoughts were forming in his mind, and suddenly a large portion of his school career made a lot more sense.

Marvin was still singing about seizing the day and loving the one you're with. The Death Eaters were counting down. And Draco Malfoy was nibbling on his left ear. When the New Year officially began and their lips finally met, Harry decided that perhaps Death Eater dance parties weren't such a strange thing after all.