Christmas Eve Lev moped around the kitchen as Draco and I baked some cookies and Sandies. Both our parents had left for the party already leaving us to ourselves. Mostly anyway, there was still Bonny and a few servants who were working today. I had worn a special dress for the occasion. Normally I didn't pay too much attention to my clothes but my mother had bought it for me thinking that with something to wear I would change my mind about the event. I didn't. But not wanting to let my dress robes go to waste I chose to wear them for Draco's visit
My dress was thigh length but seeing as I was short it came a little closer to my knees. It was cashmere wool and dark red, making it look very Christmas-y. It was loose fitting and felt more like a long, though very expensive, sweater which made me like it more. The sleeves were long and a big bow was sown onto the front. My mother's taste wasn't the same as mine but lately she had been trying just a little harder to find things for me. That was a better present than any and all gifts she and my father had put under our tree.
Draco had decided to dress up too which only made it look that much cuter to see him wearing one of our aprons. I had one on too which almost matched his. He had wanted me to make him some Russian Tea Cakes and chocolate chip cookies so in a way it was his fault he was now in my kitchen baking with me and wearing something that looked like it could be a dress. Since he was wearing nice clothes I told him it would be a good idea to guard those clothes from any food that might spill over while baking. The truth was I had just wanted to see if I could get him to wear it. And I did
"Stupid cookie dough!" Draco grumbled hitting the mixture inside the bowl. I laughed making him glare at me from the corner of his eye. "If you tell anyone about this –"
"Just put the chocolate in the mix" I interrupted his threat. He grumbled something incoherent but did as I said. I wouldn't tell anyone. If I did then he'd never let me dress him up again; that was too much fun to give up. I did this when we were kids too and even managed to get him into some of my dresses a couple of times. To be honest he looked prettier in them than I had.
Behind me Lev started to get restless. So far he had done a good job of keeping his temper around Draco but I could see his patience was wearing thin. I walked over to him and picked him up to calm him down. He gave me a happy bark and tried to lick my face. I giggled at the affectionate gesture pulling out a chocolate frog I had stashed in one of the pockets of my apron in case this happened. Lev saw it and jumped onto the floor waiting for me to open the package. Not waiting another second I let the chocolate frog jump away making Lev run after it. He stalked away leaving me alone with my little blondie
"This is not worth it" Draco grumbled as he unsuccessfully blended the ingredients together. Frustrated he wiped his face, leaving a streak of flour on his cheek. I started laughing unable to control myself. "Shut up or I'll stop helping!" He wasn't doing anything I would mind doing myself but I stayed quiet.
"Sorry" I apologized though not meaning it. He knew that but accepted it anyway.
Draco continued to try to get everything mixed together correctly as I focused on the Sandies. Neither recipe was the least bit complicated but I figured Draco would care more about how these tasted than the cookies so I made them myself. After many frustrated noises from him I took his bowl away and finished everything myself. He went and sat back looking at me with a distant expression as I set up the oven and put the treats in. I set the timer just as Lev ran back into the kitchen with Bonny right on his tail.
"Can I take this ridiculous thing off now?" Not even bothering to wait for my response Draco pulled the apron off and practically threw it to the seat next to his. I smiled. He had already left it on much longer than I had expected.
"Would you feed Lev?" I said to Bonny. She nodded hastily and began to search for something to give him. "But no more chocolate"
"Like one more would make a difference" Draco mumbled as I walked over to his seat. I stuck out my tongue at him making him smile. Some of the flour on his cheek fell bringing my attention to it. Draco noticed my stare only now realizing he had it
"Here let me get that" I said reaching out to his dirty cheek. He stood very still as I took my sleeve to wipe the flour of his face. I made a face noticing his cheek reddened under my touch. I must have rubbed too hard…
"You can stop staring now!" he yelled pulling away from me. I smiled at him and took off my apron too, setting it on the seat with his
"We have some time before they're done. Do you want to take a walk?"
"Sure…" he said and stood up
"Bonny if we don't come back by the time the timer goes off finish them yourself, okay?" She nodded again and turned back to my puppy. She was rather quiet but my parents considered that a good thing, no talking back. I waved to Lev before stepping out the door and into the garden. Draco was right behind me.
For a while we simply walked outside in the garden. It had begun to snow again but the weather wasn't too bad. The snowflakes stuck to my hair making it look a shade darker compared to the white. The cold bit against my skin but in the good kind of way. I could practically feel my nose turning red. I turned to Draco and our linked arms. He looked distracted, his expression distant
"What are you staring at" he grunted looking to me. His face was turning red too
"You look cute with your face all flushed" I told him watching the cold bringing the red of his face a darker shade
"Shut up" he barked turning away. I liked annoying him but he did look cute out here. His pale skin made the blush stand out more and his hair looked blonder in contrast to the white around us
For a while we walked around the garden not saying anything else. Draco and I kept to the perimeter so that we wouldn't mark the untouched snow on the grass. It looked beautiful and since no one other than me and Lev came out here in the winters it was usually left spotless. We passed by the smallest of our owleries watching Whiskers with one of the family owls. Whiskers was fluffing his feathers with his beak looking rather cute as he did
"When do you want to open the presents?" I asked Draco after a long silence. Inside, under our tall and overly decorated tree, we had set his and my presents to open whenever we chose to
"We could wait a while longer" he answered looking into my eyes. I nodded and we kept walking. I enjoyed spending time with him like this. What I liked about Draco was our silent understanding of one another. Neither of us had to say anything and it would be okay. There was never an awkward silence, just peace. Or mostly peaceful at least
"Let's make snow angels!" I said suddenly getting the idea, pulling him into the untouched batch of snow ahead of us
"No!" Our minds were very similar yet so different… "It's wet and cold and –"
"You big baby!" I teased not letting him finish and fell on my back onto the snow. The fall hurt a little but the pain soon subsided replaced by a slight numbness from the snow
"You're getting your robes all dirty! You're mum is going to lose it!" I rolled my eyes. It's funny how he worried more about my mother's reaction than me
"So" I replied swaying my arms and legs back and forth. The snow under me had melted slightly and I could hear it slushing against my movement. Draco heard it too and frowned
"You stubborn brat. Get up, you'll catch a cold!" he yelled. I stuck out my tongue and closed my eyes. I heard as he stepped closer. "Come on"
"Stop it" I frowned as I felt his grip on my arm. He pulled lightly and I rolled away instinctively. He sighed and grabbed my arm tighter, pulling me up. I felt the cold breeze hit my back and I frowned as he stood me up
"You ruined my angel!" I whined looking at the no longer angel shaped spot on the ground. In truth I had ruined it when I rolled away but I was still blaming him
"I told you not to" he stated shaking his head. I puffed out my cheek making him smirk
"Well quit telling me what to do" I whined and walked over to an undamaged pile of snow. I sat down and stared at Draco defiantly. He rushed over to me knowing what I was going to do
"No! You are not making another! Get up!"
"You come down" I reached for his arm before he could get mine.
"No" he complained and pulled back. I let go a little just long enough for him to get some false confidence then pulled harder making him fall forward
I fell back into the snow and he landed on top of me. I laughed making my head shake and my hair get even wetter from the snow. Draco had adjusted himself so he was on his hands and knees but didn't move away from me. When I stopped I looked up to see Draco was just a foot away from me and looked rather serious. Not serious so much as… calm? But at least he didn't look upset with me. He reached down and moved a damp piece of stray hair that had stuck itself onto my cheek out of my face. He looked like he wanted to say something so I stayed quiet waiting for him to. But he didn't
As I waited I got distracted and I looked to my side to see where the other snow angel had been, vaguely recognizing this one was now ruined too. I thought I heard Draco say something but it was too quiet to know for sure. I turned to see his face had gotten closer to mine. Our noses were just inches apart and I could have been imagining it but they seemed to be slowly growing closer. I was about to say something to Draco when I heard a familiar bark. I sat up and Draco sat back looking angrily in the direction of my house. Lev was running to me, his white fur blending almost perfectly with the snow around us. He found comfort on my lap before turning to growl at Draco
"Stupid mutt!" Draco yelled madder than I had ever seen him get with Lev. He stood up never taking his angry eyes off my puppy. I stood too and pulled Lev up into arms
"You okay Deedee?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" he barked before straightening out his robes. Draco stomped off towards the direction of the house not caring about marking the snow anymore. I sighed and followed his footsteps, literally. I stepped on the prints his shoes left behind so as to not leave anymore unnecessary marks. That boy needed to work on his temper