-1A.N.: It has been a terribly long time since I updated! I so apologize! But I'll be attempting to update every weekend depending on time. Enjoy!

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The Dinner Feast was a great treat. Rare delicacies of foreign lands adorned the tables. Harry ate with roasted Russian potato in one hand and Turkish Delight in the other. Draco noticed the powdered sugar covering the boy's lip and sheepishly muttered, "Erm, Harry…"

Harry looked at him, all wide eyes and innocence. Draco nearly melted but kept his composure. Or, at least, tried to. "You have some… erm… what I mean is…"

"What is it, Draco?" Harry asked.

Finally, the blonde Slytherin simply reached over and cupped the boy's chin in his palm. His thumb reached to flick away the offending sugar. Both boys shared a shiver of apprehension as well as excitement of being so close and Draco had to resist the urge to kiss him. It was such a perfect moment!

But Harry blushed and pulled away, returning to his meal. He took a Japanese spring roll from the basket, cutting it open to place butter inside with the vegetable stuffing. Harry could feel Draco's eyes still upon him, but the other boy was silent. In a moment, the gaze had left him and the Slytherin turned to joke with Blaise.

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Dessert was composed of several unique varieties of hot cocoa, fondue, white chocolate-covered pretzels and strawberries, and other snacks. Most of the Durmstrang boys ate their seaweed suckers, occasionally turning to thank Harry for them. The Beauxbaton girls chattered amongst themselves and ate delicately.

Harry could feel the anxiety building in his stomach. The small orchestra was coming back from its dinner break and was opening the music for the Ball. Soon, it would be time to dance. Stealing a glance at the boy beside him, Harry was amused to find Draco's eyes also on the musicians.

Draco looked at him and for a moment Harry could see the same nervous look he knew he wore, but it was quickly replaced. "Going to dance, Harry?"

Blaise also turned to look at him, glancing at the blonde boy before back at the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry noticed the look and merely shrugged. "I might. Are you?"

Draco pretended his shrug was casual; like he didn't care about dancing. "I might," he replied in the same tone. "I'm feeling a little sore, though. These shoes are killing my feet. Bloody tailor. My father will have his quill and…," Draco trailed off as he realized the brown-haired Gryffindor beside him was laughing. Laughing! "What?"

Harry managed to contain his laughter long enough to point at Draco's shoes before he chuckled out, "You're sitting down, Draco!"

Draco realized what he meant and tried to save himself. You idiot! Heyelled at himself. "Yes, well, the walk in here was pure death."

Though Harry's laughter had died down, it started back up at Draco's admission. The blonde's brows furrowed, but then he laughed too. His Harry was laughing. And it was because of him. Oh, la, la.

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The first chords of Wizard's Christmas music fluttered through the air. Already, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons alike were gathering onto the dance floor. Anday joined her Durmstrang partner, smiling, and Blaise offered his hand to the other twin. She took it and off they went to the dance floor.

Several other students also went to join the dance, soon leaving Draco and Harry alone. Harry looked nervously at his table-companion. Draco cleared his throat. How awkward, he thought, but looked at the Gryffindor and suddenly longed to merely pull him up and go to dance. Being so open was out of the question, however. He would scare away the gorgeous green-eyed boy!

Harry wanted to dance. The question he wanted to ask bubbled in his stomach, but how could he say it? He was sure the blonde would say no. Perhaps even make fun of him. Harry took a deep breath, then spoke, "So, do you ever make snowmen?"

Draco gawked at him. Of all questions, he had to ask that one! "What? Snowmen?" Draco had to think, but he knew he had never done it. He'd never made a snow angel or had a snowball fight. "Well, no. Not… not really."

The Gryffindor boy laughed in surprise. "Never? You Malfoys sure do miss out! When the Dursleys weren't locking me in the closet, I was allowed to go outside and help Dudley build snow people and be his snowball target," Harry still laughed, though it had been a cold fate.

Draco stared at him in wonder. "My family never really condoned those things," he murmured.

"You mean, you were never allowed?" Harry raised his brows when Draco shook his head. Knowing this made Harry feel bold. He sat up straight in his seat and declared, "Well then, tomorrow, you and I are going out first thing to do all the things there is to do in the snow!"

Draco almost choked on his eggnog. Did the boy he secretly liked just invite him out for Christmas Eve? And did "all the things there is to do in the snow" also include snogging amidst hills of white flakes? He hoped so, and nodded his agreement with a smile upon his lips.

Harry melted beneath that smile and returned it dreamily with his own. And, suddenly, the words were out of his mouth before he realized it. "Feet still hurt?" he whispered breathily.

Draco blinked, then laughed. "Is that an invitation to dance, Potter?" Oh please, oh please!

Harry cleared his throat, blushed, and then nodded. The blonde gazed at him for a moment, hardly believing. He had a notion to ask if that was a yes, then kicked himself, literally. Draco jumped up after swiftly kicking his own ankle and offered his hand to Harry. He pulled it back when he realized it shook.

The boy rose from his own seat, knowing his hands also shook and the boys walked awkwardly to the dance floor. They stood for a moment, hardly sure what to do when suddenly Blaise swirled by with Danya, knocking Draco a bit closer to Harry. Harry's hand shot to Draco's arm to steady him, and from there the movements seemed natural. Draco's hand rested on Harry's waist and their hands met. Nervously, slowly, they began to dance. It seemed so weird at first; like a dream both boys had been wanting to live for years, but with only two songs, they were dancing and laughing and ignorant of everything else around them.

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It was midnight when the new couple came to their senses. Harry glanced out at the grandfather clock in the hallway just to make sure. Reluctantly, he pulled his hand from Draco's, blushing to find they'd been intertwined, and stepped back. The orchestra was slowing with fatigue, too, and most of the others had gone to sit down.

With the final stroke of twelve, Harry smiled at the Slytherin boy. Draco smiled back, then murmured, "Thank you for the nice dance, Harry."

"Oh, believe me, it was my pleasure," Harry blurted out and blushed. Draco chuckled.

"I'll see you tomorrow, well, later?" Draco asked, truly smiling for once.

Harry nodded. "Yes, of course. We'll go out after breakfast, alright?"

"Perfect." They walked to the staircase where Harry would go, and Draco would turn down the hall to go to the dungeonous Slytherin common room. Draco stopped. "I'm glad I had to stay at Hogwarts this year, Harry. It was… fun." The word seemed so weird to say. Draco hardly knew it was in his vocabulary until it spilled out. Harry laughed, eyes twinkling.

"Yes, it was fun. Good night, Draco."

"Good night, Harry." Draco watched him ascend the staircase, half-wishing he could follow, but he stayed there until the boy disappeared up the stairs, then turned to go to his own room. What a perfect night.