A/N: Most chapters in this fic are Draco's POV, but we're getting Harry this time. Enjoy.


Chapter 3

"All my troubles have gone away here in your arms."
Song - More Than Christmas, by Caroline Spence

3 December 2005

Harry

"Did you read about the anonymous gift donation at the War Orphans' Home?" Harry asked, leaning back against Draco's chest, the hot, bubbling water surrounding him and relaxing each of his tired muscles. He'd come home from a training session a bit worse for the wear, and Draco had taken one look at him and pulled him upstairs to the large jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom.

"I did. That was quite the anonymous donation. They said it was nearly a thousand galleons worth of food, supplies, and toys for the children."

Harry nodded. "They somehow broke through the wards and just left everything there. It's a little frightening, though, if you think about it. All those children and someone was able to break in? It was for a good cause this time, but Robards wants us to consult with them on increasing security."

"Mmm," Draco hummed, running a warm hand up along Harry's shoulder, eliciting a shudder as the water dribbled down along his right nipple. "So, yesterday…"

Harry knew it was coming. They'd avoided the subject the previous night, but here, cuddled together in the warm water, the topic seemed a little bit easier to broach. Draco knew him so well that, sometimes, it made Harry's eyes sting with emotion.

He dropped his head back as Draco slowly ran his hand up along Harry's jaw. "Yeah, yesterday. Thanks for not giving Dudley a hard time."

"You said you before you wanted a relationship with him."

"I think I do, yeah. He seems different."

"We all change. It'd be hypocritical of me to stand in the way of you giving him another chance, wouldn't it?"

Harry smiled, letting the love fill his chest. "I love you."

A soft kiss pressed into Harry's head, and he turned his head to place a kiss on the inside of Draco's arm. Draco sighed softly. "So, what kinds of things did you and Dudley do for the holidays as children? Are there any special traditions I should know about?"

Harry thought back to the holidays spent in the kitchen or cleaning, then watching Dudley unwrap presents while Harry was expected to clean up the resulting mess. "No," was all he said, and Draco's arms tightened.

"Sorry, I guess I should have known."

"It got better as I got older and spent the holidays at school or with the Weasleys. Then, there was the year I got to spend it with Sirius, and you should have seen the ridiculous decorations he spread about this place."

There must have been something in his voice when talking about that Christmas with Sirius because Draco's voice was overly cheerful. "Well, that sounds like more fun than the stuffy dinner parties my parents dragged me to, year after year."

Harry rolled over, spreading his hand onto Draco's chest then resting his chin there. "Are there any traditions you did enjoy?"

"I was always allowed to throw a party for my friends. We'd play games, exchange gifts, and have loads more fun than we did at the parties our parents threw."

Harry grinned. "I'm imagining a mini-Draco and mini-Pansy pretending to dance like the grownups."

"Mini-Draco was very suave, I'll have you know."

"Oh, I remember," Harry said, laughing.

"I like lighting the Yule log, too. No matter what was going on, even the war, it was always something that we all were there for, and the night took on a special reverence. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without it, I don't think."

"Sounds wonderful. I can't wait to see it."

Draco dropped his head down, pressing his lips to Harry's. "I can't wait to do it with you."

Harry pressed in closer, running his tongue along Draco's lower lip, sucking it in. He could feel both of their bodies hardening in response. "I can think of other things I'd like to do with you."

Draco grinned, then shifted, pulling Harry up to straddle his waist. "Yeah?" He dropped his hand down between them, grasping them both in his long, potions-master fingers and eliciting a groan from Harry.

All thoughts of childhood traditions fled, and Harry rejoiced in the new traditions they were building together. If this were one of them, he'd embrace it wholeheartedly.


A/N: I need a hot tub or jacuzzi tub or something like this. But then, you might never get stories to read from me if I had one since I wouldn't be able to write from the tub. Perhaps it's better this way.

Have a happy Friday! It's the weekend in a few short hours. Go sit in a jacuzzi tub if you have one!