Summary:
The snow is glittering in the sun and the Eighth Years can't resist heading out to savour it, revisions and essays be damned. Only question is, can Harry coax his roommate to join them?
Relationship: Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy
Characters: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Charlie Weasley
Tags/Warnings: EWE, HP/DM, H/D, Drarry, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Snow, Sledding, Roommates, Pining, Sexual Tension, Secret Crush, POV Alternating
Word count: 1,166
Author's notes:
A little piece of wintery fluff I wrote for a writer friend of mine for the holidays. I hope you enjoy it.
English is not my native language so please be kind if you find any errors I've missed. That said, I'll appreciate any feedback you're willing to give me — follows, favs and reviews are my primary life sources.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to JKR and associated publishers. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended. The comments and opinions expressed by the original creator do not reflect the views of the author of this transformative work.
With only one week left before the end of the term, they really shouldn't let anything distract them from their studies; Harry knew that, even without having Hermione mentioning it in every single letter she sent. Yet, when Goyle pointed out how lovely the grounds looked all dressed in white, sparkling in the sun like a luxurious wedding gown, Harry couldn't help looking up from his Potions essay.
"We should go sledging!"
The common room erupted in cheers at Seamus's proposition. Apparently, Harry wasn't the only one in need of a study break.
"But…" Goldstein looked torn, seemingly unwilling to part from his Arithmancy book.
"Come on, Tony. Live a little," Hannah said, bumping his shoulder before getting to her feet.
"Potter? You in?" Harry looked up to see Zabini towering over him, hands on hips, with a challenging glint in his eye.
"Er… Sure," he said, not that there'd ever been any question about it. Mentally, Harry had been outside ever since Goyle first mentioned the snow.
"Splendid."
Zabini gave him a toothy grin and disappeared in the sudden flurry of robes, gloves, scarves, and hats being summoned from various dorms upstairs. Harry shoved his belongings into his bag and ducked out of the way of various flying garments as he headed for his room. Since he'd left his wand on the nightstand this morning, he had no choice but to pick up his outerwear the Muggle way.
"And Potter?" Harry stopped halfway up the stairs and turned to seek out Zabini in the crowd. "Fetch Draco, will you?"
"I can always try."
"We're going out," Potter said by way of greeting as he burst into the room like the chaotic whirlwind that Draco had the misfortune to share quarters with.
"Have fun," Draco muttered from his desk.
There'd been a reason he'd opted for the peace and quiet of upstairs today. His Charms revision required his undivided attention, something a crowded common room would never be able to provide, but with a roommate like Potter, he should have known better. He should have gone to the library.
"No, Malfoy…" Even without turning around to look at him, Draco could hear the git was smirking. "We are going out."
"Maybe you are, Potter, but I certainly don't have time to—" Draco stilled as Potter came up from behind him and placed his large warm hands on Draco's shoulders.
"Come on, it'll be fun."
"I…" Draco swallowed. "I really don't think…" Words left him as Potter's thumbs started rubbing small circles at the nape of his neck.
"You're awfully tense," Potter said. "All this sitting around can't be good for you." As if that's what's making me tense, Draco thought as he desperately fought the urge to sink into Potter's touch. "I bet a sledge ride in the fresh air would do you wonders."
"Argh, all right then," Draco said through clenched teeth. Not that he wanted to come with. He just needed to get Potter's hands off his body before he accidentally let out the moan threatening to escape his throat.
The air was cold and crisp, nipping at Harry's cheeks as he strolled across the snow-covered lawn with a grumbling Malfoy by his side. The others were already approaching the top of the hill, a vibrant splash of colour against the glittering white backdrop.
"Harry?"
Harry turned towards the sound, squinting in the sun at the man coming towards them from Hagrid's hut.
"Charlie?"
Ginny had mentioned it the other day; that her brother was coming up from Romania to substitute for Hagrid whilst he was in France visiting Madame Maxime over the holidays. This was the first Harry'd seen of him, though, and before he knew it, he was already running over to meet him, chatting and laughing amicably like they'd done all summer.
"Er…" Charlie said after a while, glancing over Harry's shoulder. "I probably shouldn't hog any more of your time, mate. Your boyfriend's staring daggers at me."
"My… what? I don't…" Harry followed Charlie's gaze to where Malfoy stood glaring at them from under the edge of his purple bobble hat. "We're not…"
Harry turned back around to find Charlie with his eyebrows raised high under his flaming red fringe.
"We're not," Harry insisted.
"Based on what I've heard from my siblings and my new colleagues, I beg to differ. You've practically been circling each other since day one, haven't you?"
"It's nothing like that," Harry professed, even as he felt a flush rise on his cheeks. "I mean, it's Malfoy… We're never—"
"Harry." Charlie gave him a wry smile. "I distinctly remember you telling me over the summer just how much you wanted to close the book on the war. How you wanted a fresh start, a blank page."
"Yeah, but…" Just because Harry was helplessly smitten by his gorgeous roommate didn't mean Malfoy would ever feel the same.
"Now, look at him and tell me he's not fuming with jealousy."
Thanks to Potter's need to chat up the Dragon-Weasel, there was only one sledge left waiting for them once they finally reached the top of the hill. Draco offered to cast a Doubling Charm on it, but Potter called him silly and insisted they'd share it. So here he was, arms wrapped around Potter's torso, nose buried in Potter's soft knitted scarf, groin alarmingly close to Potter's arse. It was like the Room of Requirement all over again and Draco's heart beat wildly in his chest as they rushed down the slope.
They crashed, of course, snow flying everywhere. Honestly, with Potter steering, what else was there to expect? They tumbled down the hill in a tangle of limbs and when they finally came to a standstill several yards from the sledge, Draco found himself with his back against the ground, straddled by a more-than-usual dishevelled Potter. The git was grinning like a loon, his face mere inches away from Draco's as he held himself up with one hand on either side of Draco's head. Time stood still as their panted breaths swirled hot between them, as Potter's every exhale ghosted over Draco's bare skin, making him shiver.
Too close. Too damn close.
Draco braced himself against the cold ground, bucking his hips in an attempt to throw Potter off before he noticed the complication growing rapidly in Draco's trousers. But it was too late. Potter was too strong, keeping him pinned down as easy as anything, and to make matters even worse, in his irrational panic, Draco had managed to alert Potter to the one thing he'd fought so hard to hide from the git ever since they ended up as roommates. Potter's impossibly green eyes widened and then he thrust his hips against Draco's, gasping as he found his initial suspicions confirmed.
"I'm sorry, I—" Draco blurted, mortified. "It's not what you think. I can explain, if you'd just let me—"
Potter didn't let him explain, choosing instead to silence Draco with a bruising kiss.
