Chapter 7

"But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be on your own front door."
Song - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, by Colin and Caroline

7 December 2005

"Draco! What the fuck?"

Draco froze and glanced at his watch. Harry was home early, but not that early. How the hell was it already half past four? "In here!" He waved his wand quickly, throwing the last of the pine garland at the stairway and having it wrap its way down the railing.

Harry stepped into the hallway, coming from the Floo in the sitting room.

"What the hell happened to this place? It looks like a reindeer threw up in here."

Draco raised an eyebrow and turned slowly, unamused. "Reindeer vomit."

Harry froze, sensing the danger. "Well, I mean, not reindeer vomit. Sorry, that wasn't what I meant."

Draco reached for a ball of mistletoe sitting on the side table and sent it over to the chandelier, giving his wand a little swirl to make it wrap its string around the central piece so it hang perfectly. Just like everything else he'd done to decorate Grimmauld Place tastefully, and certainly not like a reindeer vomited.

His silence must have said more than any tirade would have, because Harry was cautious as he approached him. "It looks beautiful. Definitely not like reindeer sick. I was just surprised."

Draco turned away, picking up the final wreath and stepping to the front door, letting in the cold air and sticking it to the front to welcome visitors. Bright red poinsettias, pine cones, and gorgeous gold ribbon elevated the wreath and added class.

Unlike reindeer vomit.

"Draco." There was a plea to Harry's voice.

Draco took a deep breath and turned, still standing on the threshold of their home. "I have been working on this all day, Potter. I took the day off from work and spent my morning gathering the items in stores, pointedly not dragging you with me as I know you hate shopping. Then, this afternoon, I've single-handedly turned this place into a holiday wonderland, decking the halls and all that shit." His voice was calm and even until he got to the end, and he felt his irritation trying to break through. "And then you called it reindeer vomit!"

"I didn't mean it! It's a wonderful surprise. You're wonderful." Harry put his arms around Draco's waist, trying to pull him closer, but Draco resisted. "Come on, you know I didn't mean it."

"Do I?" Reindeer vomit. It was kind of funny, actually, but he couldn't let Harry see the smile that was twitching at the edge of his lips.

Harry must have seen it though, because he relaxed and moved his arms up Draco's back, leaning into a full hug now. "What brought all this on?"

Draco shrugged, trying to find a way to explain to Harry without spoiling his plans for the month. "I wanted it to look nice, that's all. I thought we might have some people over here and there, and it should look the part."

Harry raised his eyebrows, his Suspicious Auror face on. "People over 'here and there', huh?"

Smiling, an idea came to Draco. "Well, what if we threw a Christmas party for all our friends?"

"All of them? Both of our groups of friends together?" Harry bit his lower lip, thinking it through. "That could be fun."

"Or Armageddon. Either way, it won't be boring."

Harry laughed before reaching out to run his finger along one of the gold ribbons on the wreath. "So, did you finish all of the decorations, or do you have any left I can help with?"

Draco grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."


"Oh, Merlin, yes! Just a little more to the right."

"Here?" Harry panted, gasping for breath.

"Yes, that's perfect. Right there."

Draco stepped back and eyed the house, the multitudes of fairy lights framing each window, the door, and the rooftop. Harry was on his broom, hovering over the roof, adjusting the final strand of lights on the last dormer window. The house was lit up like one of the little houses in the ceramic village he'd bought and set up in the dining room.

Harry dismounted and stood next to Draco, looking up at their holiday creation. "Huh."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco asked, daring Harry to criticise.

"Just thought I'd never really seen the point in decorating for the holiday, especially outside. But it's nice, isn't it?" He pulled Draco close as they watched the little multi-coloured fairy lights flicker warmly.

Draco smiled and mentally checked off the first on his list of many plans.


A/N: Are you a Draco or a Harry when it comes to Christmas decorations? Do you go overboard or have to be prodded to put up anything at all? I'm in the middle. I put up the regular stuff, but all the extras are just too much to be bothered with, though my son pushed me to do a bit extra this year.

Today marks 1 full week into December. Have a good day and see you tomorrow!